Nightshades

In this episode, we delve into a tragic story from our hometown. The story of Shanda Sharer, a young girl whose life was brutally cut short in 1992 at the hands of a group of teenage girls. The gruesome murder shocked both the community and the nation, raising difficult questions about bullying, obsession, and the darker sides of adolescence. We explore the events leading up to her death and the motivations of her attackers that fatal night in January 1992. Join us as we navigate the complexities of this heartbreaking tale.

Special thanks to Tom Martin for putting together research to help us tell Shanda's story.

https://allthatsinteresting.com/shanda-sharer

https://www.michaelcwellsphotography.com/2016/03/abandoned-witches-castle.html

https://www.talkmurderwithme.com/blog/2019/2/21/the-murder-of-shanda-sharer

Join us this week as Mike tells Ashley of the Loretto Church Staircase, built by a stranger who rolled into town after 9 days of prayer to Saint Joseph.

Stick around as Ashley tells Mike about The Chicken Coop Murders, specifically the disappearance of Walter Collins - the inspiration for 2008 film The Changeling.

Shoutout to Tom Martin for finding these stories for us week to week.

Sources:

https://www.lorettochapel.com/?srsltid=AfmBOooiUhOsQ3uAwaShnSp5LCrIh9DMpZd4TSjM-mdcDWvDmKqx2OWk

https://tapchithangmay.vn/en/the-mystery-of-the-150-year-old-staircase-has-not-been-solved/

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loretto_Chapel

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disappearance_of_Walter_Collins

https://allthatsinteresting.com/walter-collins

https://www.alcatrazeast.com/crime-library/serial-killers/wineville-chicken-coop-murders/

It's a solo sesh this episode. Tune in as Ashley tells the story of the bizarre disappearance of Stacy McCall, Suzanne Streeter, and Sherill Levitt aka The Springfield Three.The disappearance is unsolved and the case remains open. If anyone has any information please contact the Springfield Missouri police department, or FBI.Shoutout to our researcher Tom Martin for putting the details of this case together.

Sources:

https://www.springfieldmo.gov/2498/Three-Missing-Womenhttps://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Springfield_Threehttps://people.com/springfield-3-went-missing-decades-ago-everything-know-about-case-7508731

https://www.ky3.com/2024/06/07/springfield-three-32-years-since-disappearance-suzie-streeter-sherill-levitt-stacy-mccall/#https://library.law.fsu.edu/Digital-Collections/flsupct/dockets/73150/op-73150.pdf

In the early evening of April 10, 1997 panic set in when Jeffrey Smith realized his wife wasn't where she was supposed to be. Having flown to Philadelphia for a conference, Jeffrey and his wife Judy were to attend a cocktail party in their hotel after a day of sightseeing for Judy and moderating for Jeffrey. Jeffrey had no idea that morning was actually the last time he'd ever see Judy again.

5 months later the scattered remains of Judy's body were found 600 miles south at a campground in Asheville, NC. Her disappearance and murder remain a mystery to this day.

Shoutout to Wendy for researching this story as one of the "most irritating disappearance" due to the fact that it's wildly unusual and still unsolved.

Sources:

Reddit

Unsolved Mysteries

Wikipedia

**Content warning!** Danny Rolling's reign of terror includes multiple sexual assaults, which may be difficult for some listeners.

The murders discussed in this episode are unforgiveable and Danny got what he deserved. We try to find humor along the way with side stops to help digest the horrific nature of these crimes.

Special thanks to Tom Martin, one of our researchers here at Nightshades for bringing us these stories to share week to week.

Sources:

https://www.biography.com/crime/danny-rolling-scream-killer-gainesville

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danny_Rolling

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Rolling-78

https://allthatsinteresting.com/danny-rolling-gainesville-ripper

https://www.gainesville.com/story/news/2006/10/25/rolling-sings-his-final-statement-then-is-

executed/985962007/#

On the night of August 22, 1998 16-year-old Tera Lynn Smith

If anyone has any information about Tera’s case they can

Sources:

Family

Inside the Haunting Unsolved Disappearance of Tera Smith

Nothing says happy holidays like chestnuts roasting over an open spontaneous human combustion and a dash of syphilis zombies of the Italian Renaissance. Some sit crooked with us as Mike and Ashley bring you some not so merry and bright tales.

Research courtesy of Tom Martin!

https://vocal.media/criminal/the-bewildering-christmas-human-combustion-of-matilda-rooney

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wick_effect

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9ORYGU4ZII

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Irving_Bentley

https://unsolvedmysteries.fandom.com/wiki/George_Mott

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syphilis

https://www.google.com/search?q=catholic+reformation+that+changed+the+italian+renaissance&rlz=1CAOJYT_enUS1050US1050&oq=catholic+reformation+that+changed+the+italian+ren&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqBwgBECEYoAEyBggAEEUYOTIHCAEQIRigATIHCAIQIRigATIHCAMQIRigATIHCAQQIRirAjIHCAUQIRirAjIHCAYQIRiPAjIHCAcQIRiPAjIHCAgQIRiPAtIBCTEwMDMyajBqN6gCALACAA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

https://museumhack.com/renaissance-zombies/

https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/26/6/18-0786_article

In this episode Ashley takes Wendy on a deep dive in to one of the most chilling, confounding mysteries of the 20th century - the Dyatlov Pass Incident. Exploring the tale of 9 experienced hikers who set out on a seemingly routine trek in the Ural Mountains of Soviet Russia in 1959, only to meet a tragic and inexplicable fate. Buckle up, it's our first hour long episode but trust us when we say, you're going to want to hear this!

All research for this episode completed and told by Ashley.

Sources:

The

Dyatlov Pass

The

Histories Greatest Mysteries by the History Channel

This week Mike tells Ashley the story of 3 lighthouse keepers of the Flannan Isles Light House who disappeared without a trace. One of many of Scotland's mysteries, we may never know where these 3 men disappeared to.

Ashley tells Mike the tale of the mysterious disappearance of Granger Taylor. A man whose fascination with mechanics and outer space would lead him to believe he was destined to voyage with extraterrestrials, only never to be seen or heard from again.

Sources:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flannan_Isles_Lighthouse

https://allthatsinteresting.com/flannan-isle-mystery

https://www.historyhit.com/the-flannan-isle-mystery-when-three-lighthouse-keepers-vanished-ov

ernight/

https://mysteriousscotland.wordpress.com/2017/07/22/517/

B.C.‘s

'Genius'

Unsolved Mysteries Podcast  - The Sudden Departure of Granger Taylor

In the heart of California, five friends embark on a fateful trip that takes a dark turn when they mysteriously vanish without a trace. As the search unfolds the haunting truth of their disappearance emerges, forever altering the lives of those they left behind. This episode Ashley tells Wendy about the Yuba County Five.

As always, shout out to our researcher Tom Martin for bring us the stories to share with you each week!

https://historicflix.com/the-yuba-county-five/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuba_County_Five

https://www.reddit.com/r/UnresolvedMysteries/comments/1bm45ed/american_dyatlov_passyuba_county_five_case_update/