Lawrencia Bembenek’s beauty was both a blessing and a curse. To some, it was a key that unlocked doors. But to others, it was the perfect tool for shaping a narrative—a narrative that framed her as a modern-day femme fatale. The press depicted her as “a former Playboy bunny,” yet Laurie had worked only three weeks as a waitress at the Lake Geneva Playboy Club and never posed for the magazine in her birthday suit. The closest she came to being a centerfold was fully clothed in a Schlitz beer calendar. This story was eaten up by the public and often distorted by the media. There were public rallies cheering her on with cries of “Run, Bambi, Run,” the name the press gave her and the name she hated. People could not get enough of this case, which brings me to the whole reason I decided to cover it today, as it may sound a bit familiar to another case in the headlines today. Take a listen and see what you think. Was Laurie set up? 

Join Jen and Cam on this episode of Our True Crime Podcast’s ‘Crossing the Thin Blue Line: Lawrencia "Bambi" Bembenek.’

Listener discretion is by @octoberpodVHS

Music is by our EP @theinkypawprintSources:https://www.nytimes.com/1991/09/06/us/murderer-s-fiance-is-guilty-of-aiding-her-prison-escape.html

https://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=AwrNPSRhBCVoQAIAlJRXNyoA;_ylu=Y29sbwNiZjEEcG9zAzEEdnRpZAMEc2VjA3Ny/RV=2/RE=1748466018/RO=10/RU=https%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fLaurie_Bembenek/RK=2/RS=AkhxsqB51BnrkNSjGnQcq94GW4Y-

https://www.oxygen.com/snapped/crime-news/laurie-bambi-bembenek-did-she-kill-or-was-she-framed-by-cops

https://www.milwaukeemag.com/archive-obsession-ira-robins-quest-justice-laurie-bembenek/

https://www.fox6now.com/news/attorney-seeks-pardon-for-laurie-bembenek-murder-conviction

https://shepherdexpress.com/culture/milwaukee-history/shes-beautiful-shes-dangerous-and-shes-on-the-run-the-law_1/

https://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=AwrFDyJPBiVonJgL5AcPxQt.;_ylu=Y29sbwNiZjEEcG9zAzEEdnRpZAMEc2VjA3Ny/RV=2/RE=1747285712/RO=10/RU=

https%3a%2f%2fwww.upi.com%2fArchives%2f1993%2f05%2f13%2fBembenek-argues-with-juror-during-interview%2f5138737265600%2f/RK=2/RS=Ze19vMx_lPU62e0go3aMzzSnaC0-

https://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=AwrFYG93BiVour8KgzoPxQt.;_ylu=Y29sbwNiZjEEcG9zAzMEdnRpZAMEc2VjA3Ny/RV=2/RE=1747285752/RO=10/RU=

https%3a%2f%2fcrimelibrary.org%2fnotorious_murders%2fwomen%2fbambenek%2f8.html/RK=2/RS=flDMvoE.qGH2UUjOqCwK4J2noYU-

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Fern Cowen Rodgers was a wealthy socialite living in the quiet town of Searcy, Arkansas. But in September 1974, her life came to a shocking end when she was found shot to death in her home.

The murder stunned the people of Arkansas.  As police searched for answers, they uncovered a story full of secrets: a rocky marriage, past affairs, and a husband who had more to hide than anyone expected. Fern's murder rocked a small town and led to one of Arkansas’s most talked-about trials.

Join Cam and Jen as they discuss "Sweet Tea & A Southern Scandal."

*Come join Jen and Cam in Italy 2026*
We are touring Italy in 2026, and would love for you to come along!  Come see Venice, Florence, and Rome with us! The dates or June 12 thru June 20.
If there is enough interest, we can add Pompeii and Capri. 
Spaces are limited
Email us at HERE for more information

or go to 

Our True Crime Podcast Dark History Tour Italy 2026

or call to book now

1-800-438-7672


Thank you to our team:
Written and researched by Lauretta Allen
Listener Discretion by Edward October from Octoberpod AM
Executive Producer Nico Vitesse of The Inky Pawprint

Sources:
Book: A Murder in Searcy by Mike S. Allen , Deana Hamby Nall 
https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Searcy-Mike-S-Allen/dp/B099FMBZ9G/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/14484920/fern-rodgers
https://www.centuriespod.com/post/episode-2-30-scandal-in-arkansas-the-murder-of-fern-rodgers
https://case-law.vlex.com/vid/rodgers-v-state-no-889185361
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porter_Rodgers_Sr._House
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/10076263/porter_roland-rodgers
https://casetext.com/case/state-medical-board-v-rodgers
https://www.newspapers.com/image/1099835/?match=1&terms=%22Fern%20Rodgers%22
https://www.newspapers.com/image/949767446/?match=1&terms=%22Fern%20Rodgers%22
https://www.newspapers.com/image/1095685/?match=1&terms=%22Fern%20Rodgers%22

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Somewhere the sun shines, somewhere the birds sing the glories of a new dawn. Somewhere … it's Spring again!  But HERE … every day is Halloween!  Rogue Transmissions, an uncanny anthology of exceptional indie podcasts, presents  the Halfway to Halloween Hullabaloo!  Your horror host Edward October is scanning the dial for lost broadcasts, campfire tales, and weird nostalgia to bring you a hell-raising halfway to Halloween party that will chase away the springtime blues.
 
First up:  Vintage Halloween games and fortune-telling rituals, the secret of "The Ring Wraith Kid," and ghostly electronic voice phenomenon (EVP) recorded in a haunted apartment. Then: Green glowing footprints (do they belong to a ghost or an alien?), a startling steampunk re-imagining of The Tell-Tale Heart, a haunted pub, and a terrifying true missing persons case. Plus: The Tavern Haunting, and the true account of a haunted cabin in the woods.
 
Featuring Rogue Transmissions from: Karyn Raynor & Aubree Summers (Chick Lit podcast), Alecia Watson (Twisted & Uncorked and Truly Twisted), Amber & Maddie (Witches Talking Tarot), JT Hosack (Brew Crime), Emma & Becky (Spine Chillers & Serial Killers), Nikki Young (Serial Napper), Jen (Our True Crime Podcast), and Edward October (Octoberpod AM).
 
Tighten your screams, dust off your shrouds, and bring enough candy to feed a crowd ... because we're throwing a Halfway to Halloween party wild enough to wake the dead on this edition of Rogue Transmissions, the uncanny anthology of exceptional indie podcasts.

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The night was bitter that October night, but then came the fire. An all-consuming inferno that lit up the quiet streets of Prairie Village.  In minutes, the Farrar home — the suburban dream home belonging to two respected doctors, Michael Farrar and Deborah Green, and their three children, Timothy, Kate, and Kelly — was consumed by flames. The firefighters arrived and battled the blaze, but it was too little, too late. Two people made it out. The rest… didn’t. What was left behind wasn’t just a burned-out house — it was ground zero for a waking nightmare. As dawn broke and the smoke cleared, investigators searched what was left of the family's home. They were expecting tragedy. What they weren’t expecting was malice. Because beneath the ashes, something darker began to take shape—something deliberate.

This wasn’t an accident.
 It was murder.

Join Cam and Jen on this episode of Our True Crime Podcast ‘Burning Betrayal: The Murders of Tim and Kelly Farrar.’

Listener discretion by @octoberpodVHS

All music by our EP @theinkypawprint

Sources:https://mail.murderpedia.org/female.G/g/green-debora.htm

https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article278565144.html

https://www.amazon.com/Bitter-Harvest-Womans-Mothers-Sacrifice/dp/0684810476

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1477435/

https://caselaw.findlaw.com/court/ks-supreme-court/1285263.html

https://www.cjonline.com/story/news/politics/state/2014/12/21/mother-seeks-resentencing-deadly-arson-fire/16645032007/

https://forensicfilesnow.com/index.php/2022/06/14/dr-debora-green-tennis-and-insanity/

https://www.reddit.com/r/TrueCrimeDiscussion/comments/1h03c63/female_family_annihilators/

https://loriajohnston.medium.com/the-unthinkable-crimes-of-dr-debora-green-2257a5dcd9a3

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAvb4qDE9Io

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

http://unknownmisandry.blogspot.com/2020/05/debora-green-serial-family-annihilator.html

https://ground.news/article/michael-farrar-whose-ex-wife-served-him-poison-and-killed-2-kids-in-95-fire-dies-at-68

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*****Warning*****

This episode contains discussions of child abduction, abuse, and violence that may be distressing for some listeners. Listener discretion is advised.

In just three minutes, a quiet bus stop in Queensland became the site of one of Australia’s most haunting crimes. This episode unpacks the disappearance of Daniel Morcombe — the boy in the red shirt — and the years-long investigation that followed. Through silence, sorrow, and relentless pursuit of justice, Daniel’s story became a turning point for a nation.

Join Cam and Jen as they discuss "Three Minutes: The Daniel Morcombe Abduction."


Thank you to our team:
Written and researched by Lauretta Allen
Listener Discretion by Edward October from Octoberpod AM
Executive Producer Nico Vitesse of The Inky Pawprint

Sources:
Book:
The Sting: The Undercover Operation That Caught Daniel Morcombe’s Killer by Kate Kyriacou 
60 Minutes Australia https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4251154/
Missing Persons Unit https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5624692/
https://www.courts.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/608476/cif-morcombe-d-20190405.pdf
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Daniel_Morcombe
https://casefilepodcast.com/case-54-daniel-morcombe/
https://danielmorcombe.com.au/about/daniels-story/
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/11/schoolboy-daniel-morecombe-died-within-hour-of-being-abducted
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-11-26/daniel-morcombe-timeline/4389166
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brett_Peter_Cowan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lx5rnRtZwCw&ab_channel=7NewsSpotlight
https://youtu.be/uFfDiVWlWX8?si=UcrFFZc4l9ei5F_4

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The Pulitzer Prize-winning podcast returns for its second season!

Seven years after his release from prison, former juvenile lifer Luis "Suave" Gonzalez seems to be thriving. His career has taken off, he’s in a committed relationship and he’s received public recognition after telling his story on the podcast. Suave always thought once he was out of prison and found stability in his new life, he would finally feel truly free. But freedom, it turns out, is more complicated than it seems. "Suave" is a deeply intimate portrait of a man battling the lingering trauma of incarceration and his search for happiness in the outside world after a near-lifetime in prison. In this season we explore the long shadow of prison.

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For years, Robert Brashers had managed to evade justice, slipping through the cracks repeatedly. But on January 13, 1999, his luck finally ran out in a modest motel room in Kennett, Missouri. What began as a routine police search quickly escalated into a tense, life-or-death standoff that would forever change the lives of those involved. Who was Robert Brashers? A man who his wife and children loved. What could have driven him to such a tragic end?  The entire truth would remain hidden for years, with whispers suggesting that there were more victims out there. 

Join Jen and Cam of Our True Crime Podcast on this episode, "Genetic Justice: Unmasking Robert Brashers.” 

Listener Discretion by @octoberpodVHS

Music is by our executive producer @theinkypawprint

Sources: 
https://www.facebook.com/InvestigationDiscovery/videos/connected-by-murder-on-the-case-with-paula-zahn/2284387901877879/

https://greenvillejournal.com/tag/robert-eugene-brashers/

https://www.kait8.com/2018/10/05/killer-linked-murders-missouri-tennessee-south-carolina-paragould/

https://www.oxygen.com/crime-time/murder-suspects-robert-brashers-body-exhumed-solve-two-1990s-cold-cases

https://archive.today/20230115112055/

https://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/news/crime/2018/10/05/greenville-cold-case-robert-brashers-jenny-zitricki/1534079002/

https://archive.ph/20230115112155/

https://www.kfvs12.com/2019/02/05/my-father-was-serial-killer-robert-brashers-daughter-speaks-out/#selection-811.21-1279.52

https://archive.ph/20230115112128/

https://greenvillejournal.com/news/greenville-police-murderer-in-28-year-old-cold-case-identified/#selection-937.42-937.43

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

https://archive.today/20230115112038/

https://www.fultonsun.com/news/2020/nov/19/fulton-resident-reminisces-homicide-investigation/

https://archive.ph/20230115112159/

https://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/news/2019/01/13/daughter-serial-killer-rapist-tied-greenville-hes-still-my-father/2481586002/#selection-529.0-851.132

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/31099977/robert-brashers-mo-from-1985/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/54853022/robert-brashers-florida-crime-1985/

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On the evening of Saturday, July 21st, 1984, the local Catholic residents of the tiny town of Ronan, Montana, all gathered at 5:30 p.m. to celebrate mass with their new priest, Father John Kerrigan, who had just been assigned to their parish.  He never showed. He didn’t show up Sunday morning either.  Days later, his bloodstained clothes were discovered along a highway, but his body has never been found.

Father Kerrigan’s case has many similarities to the disappearances and murders of three other priests.  Two of whom knew Father Kerrigan. Could they all be related?

Join Cam and Jen as they discuss “Last Rites: Father John Kerrigan”

Thank you to our team:
Written and researched by Lauretta Allen
Listener Discretion by Edward October from Octoberpod AM
Executive Producer Nico Vitesse of The Inky Pawprint

https://unsolved.com/gallery/fr-reynaldo-rivera/
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/193119300/john-patrick-kerrigan
https://www.insidehook.com/culture/unholy-mystery-murdered-priests
https://www.newspapers.com/image/394096896/?match=1&terms=missing%20priest
https://www.newspapers.com/image/412665061/?match=1&clipping_id=167657715
https://flatheadbeacon.com/2021/03/23/the-vanishing-of-a-priest/
https://www.newspapers.com/image/1076932453/?match=1&clipping_id=167658436
https://www.newspapers.com/image/350294378/?match=1&clipping_id=167658601
https://www.newspapers.com/image/241351966/?match=1&clipping_id=167658779
https://www.newspapers.com/image/350293577/?match=1&clipping_id=167658861
https://www.newspapers.com/image/350304344/?match=1&clipping_id=167658922
https://www.newspapers.com/image/350294283/?match=1&clipping_id=167659009
https://www.newspapers.com/image/351402921/?match=1&clipping_id=167659122
https://www.newspapers.com/image/354806616/?match=1&clipping_id=167659492

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In the early hours of July 17, 1997, Denise Wolff, 39, had just finished her overnight shift as a card dealer at the President Casino on the Admiral. It had been a good night, and Denise, feeling optimistic, climbed into her brand-new Chrysler Cirrus LX. She had a new job, a new car, and even a new man in her life. Things were finally looking up for her. On her way home, Denise stopped at a drive-thru on Hampton Avenue to grab a bite before returning to her house on Bancroft Avenue. The streets were quiet at this time which was good since South St. Louis had a predator, known as the South Side Rapist, who had been lurking in the area. Ever cautious, Denise had installed a motion-activated floodlight near her driveway, ensuring she would be seen if anyone approached. But tonight, something felt different. Denise usually pulled straight into her garage, never exposing herself to the darkened street. But tonight, she parked her car on the street. She stepped out and walked toward her front door, but never made it.

Join Cam and Jen on this Our True Crime Podcast episode entitled ‘Shots in the Dark: The Murder of Denise Wolff.’

Listener discretion by @octoberpodVHS

All music by our E.P. @theinkypawprint


Sources:

https://www.firstalert4.com/2022/02/16/this-was-weirdest-case-absolutely-crazy-puzzling-south-city-murder-remains-unsolved-decades-later/

https://www.firstalert4.com/news/st-louis-unsolved/

https://www.riverfronttimes.com/news/see-no-evil-2472783

https://www.riverfronttimes.com/news/now-you-see-it-now-you-dont-2472870

https://www.firstalert4.com/2022/02/16/this-was-weirdest-case-absolutely-crazy-puzzling-south-city-murder-remains-unsolved-decades-later/

https://www.safehorizon.org/get-informed/domestic-violence-statistics-facts/

https://slmpd.org/homicide/unsolvedhomicides/

https://uncovered.com/states/missouri-cold-cases/st-louis-mo

https://www.bonterratech.com/blog/domestic-violence-statistics

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Thank you Katie for requesting this case!

On the evening of November 17th, 1973,  five teenage friends decided to head to the Gitchie Manitou State Preserve located in the far northwestern corner of Iowa. Most of the parents of those teenagers knew where the kids were going that night and didn’t think much about it. It was a pretty standard hang-out spot. 

As the kids were sitting around a campfire enjoying the cold evening, three figures came out of the darkness and opened fire.

Five teenagers went into the reserve on that fateful night. Only one came out alive.

Join Jen and Cam as they discuss The Gitchie Manitou Murders

Thank you to our team:
Written and researched by Lauretta Allen
Listener Discretion by Edward October from Octoberpod AM
Executive Producer Nico Vitesse of The Inky Pawprint

In this episode, Jen discusses the book "Gitchie Girl: The Survivor's Inside Story of the Mass Murders that Shocked the Heartland" by Phil Hamman & Sandy Hamman 

Sources:
https://www.newspapers.com/image/33479397/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1973_Gitchie_Manitou_murders
https://www.newspapers.com/image/238916630/?match=1&clipping_id=167274037
https://www.newspapers.com/image/351566342/?match=1&clipping_id=new
https://www.newspapers.com/image/239140778/?match=1&clipping_id=167275118
https://www.newspapers.com/image/351577134/?match=1&terms=Manitou%20murder
https://www.newspapers.com/image/238916994/?match=1&clipping_id=new (arrest)
https://www.newspapers.com/image/238916649/?match=1&clipping_id=167275988
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/44867920/roger_norman-essem
https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/crime/1/01/01/sole-survivor-of-brutal-1973-slayings-finds-strength-to-tell-her-story/3726397/
https://www.newspapers.com/image/345756026/?match=1&clipping_id=167279012

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