Our True Crime Podcast

The southeastern shores of Australia are famous for gorgeous beaches, whale watching, and sunny holiday vibes, but in late 1994, the people of Sydney’s Northern Beaches were shocked by two horrific crimes.

It began with a 34-year-old landscape gardener, Stephen Dempsey, who went missing after an impromptu stop at the Deep Creek Reserve. Months later, a gentle father of seven and taxi driver, Ezzedine Bahmad, was brutally murdered during a late-night shift.

Police were left with two separate mysteries until a gruesome discovery in the waters of Pittwater broke both cases wide open. The clues led investigators straight to a 21-year-old local predator and a secret inside a refrigerator.

Listener Discretion by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Edward October ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Research & Writing by Lauretta Allen

Executive Producers Nico & Jesse of ⁠⁠The Inky Pawprint

Sources:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8ba2wegsLE

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/manly-daily/tv-program-airs-double-murderers-grisly-legacy-and-the-detectives-who-brought-him-to-justice/news-story/66fcd6febf5e94b6df0518a46ce326d8

https://www.newspapers.com/image/119757905/?match=1&terms=%22Ezzedine%20Bahmad%22

https://www.newspapers.com/image/120314029/?match=1&terms=%22Ezzedine%20Bahmad%22

https://www.newspapers.com/image/123802030/?match=1&terms=%22Ezzedine%20Bahmad%22

https://www.newspapers.com/image/123799267/?match=1&terms=%22Ezzedine%20Bahmad%22

https://www.newspapers.com/image/123798555/?match=1&terms=%22Ezzedine%20Bahmad%22

https://www.newspapers.com/image/121556143/?match=1&terms=%22Ezzedine%20Bahmad%22

https://www.newspapers.com/image/120349777/?match=1&terms=%22Ezzedine%20Bahmad%22

https://www.newspapers.com/image/119760539/?match=1&terms=%22Ezzedine%20Bahmad%22

https://www.newspapers.com/image/119750941/?match=1&clipping_id=new

https://www.newspapers.com/image/119750369/?match=1&clipping_id=new

https://www.newspapers.com/image/119769787/?match=1&terms=%22Stephen%20Dempsey%22

https://www.newspapers.com/image/121833412/?match=1&terms=%22Stephen%20Dempsey%22

https://www.newspapers.com/image/120349777/?match=1&terms=%22Stephen%20Dempsey%22

https://www.newspapers.com/image/120358673/?article=bdc526d1-b9a5-45a4-a957-af56e629e815&terms=%22Stephen%20Dempsey%22

https://www.newspapers.com/image/121429952/?match=1&terms=%22Stephen%20Dempsey%22

https://www.newspapers.com/image/119750941/?match=1&terms=%22Stephen%20Dempsey%22

https://www.newspapers.com/image/119651222/?match=1&terms=%22Stephen%20Dempsey%22

https://www.newspapers.com/image/119644553/?match=1&terms=%22Stephen%20Dempsey%22

https://www.smh.com.au/national/families-are-the-forgotten-victims-20091028-hl1j.html

https://www.9news.com.au/national/news-nsw-sydneys-abandoned-nazi-spy-camp/ca9e1fbc-5327-4a4f-9738-291e78d54b67

https://www.pittwateronlinenews.com/narrabeen-creek-history.php

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In the quiet suburb of Cockeysville, Maryland, nothing bad was supposed to happen. Families left their doors unlocked. Neighbors trusted one another. And the Browning family seemed picture perfect.

Fifteen-year-old Nicholas Browning was bright, polite, and dependable, a Boy Scout, a good student, the kind of teenager parents trusted without question. But on a cold February night in 2008, that image would shatter forever.

After being dropped off for what should have been an ordinary sleepover with friends, Nick returned home the next morning to a nightmare scene: his parents, John and Tamara Browning, and his two younger brothers, Benjamin and Gregory, had all been brutally murdered.

What investigators uncovered next would shock an entire community and reveal a darkness hiding behind the facade of an all-American family.

Join Cam and Jen for this episode of Our True Crime Podcast, titled ‘The Sleepover: Browning Family Massacre.’

Be sure to check out the promo for Rogue Transmission from our friend Edward at OctoberpodVHS. This 80s-inspired cyberpunk audio anthology brings together independent horror and true crime podcasts for a special DungeonPunk-themed broadcast on June 2. And if you listen closely… You just might hear a familiar voice or two. 

And speaking of Edward, that is him with our listener discretion at the top of the show. Thanks @octoberpodVHS

All music and editing is by our besties over at @theinkypawprint

Sources: 

https://murderpedia.org/male.B/b/browning-nicholas.htm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wID6u8msN6Q

https://critteranne.medium.com/a-suburban-teen-who-murdered-his-family-ca9142b826d5

https://6abc.com/archive/6472503/

https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/cmte_testimony/2023/jud/1fSxtJ3SqpeBkThIag15Okop2M49oil0V.pdf

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xaJPv_9qnZU

https://abc30.com/archive/5932539/

https://www.wbaltv.com/article/convicted-teen-killer-using-pen-pal-website/7072395

https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna27403237

https://thedailyrecord.com/2008/02/11/nicholas-browning-indicted-in-slaying-of-parents-brothers/

http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/teen_son_gets_life_in_murder_of_dad_a_md._lawyer_mom_2_brothers/

https://www.wbaltv.com/article/boy-convicted-of-killing-family-seeks-sentence-modification/7084736

https://www.cbsnews.com/baltimore/news/cockeysville-teen-convicted-of-murdering-entire-family-will-not-get-sentence-reduction/

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/cops-boy-scout-killed-parents-2-brothers/

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3h1oh4

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Less than twelve hours after checking into a luxury five-star resort, the dream vacation was shattered.

Kiara was found beaten to death in the resort's laundry room, with her boyfriend discovered asleep right next to her body.

What the Mexican authorities initially called an "open and shut" case of femicide quickly spiraled into a complex web of legal battles, a shocking "not guilty" verdict, and deeply divided families.

Listen as Nikki helps us unpack a devastating case marked by conflicting timelines, missing surveillance footage, and a family's ongoing fight for answers.

Don’t forget to subscribe to Nikki’s podcast,⁠ Serial Napper⁠. Available wherever you get your podcasts.

Music by Nico Fyffe-Vettese

Editing by Jesse Fyffe-Vettese

Check them out ⁠, The Inky Paw Print⁠

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On a May morning in 2007, a 17-year-old girl walked out of her Missouri high school, stepped away from a security camera, and vanished. For nearly ten years, her family lived without answers. They were certain they knew who took her, but without any physical evidence, the case went completely cold.

Then, in September 2016, history repeated itself. Another young woman, just 21, disappeared after leaving a party with the same man. What followed was a frantic search and a series of dark discoveries in the Missouri brush. Two girls vanished ten years apart, but their stories ended in the exact same place, deep in the Cass County woods.

*****If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence or relationship abuse, confidential help is available 24/7.

In the United States

National Domestic Violence Hotline: Call 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or text "START" to 88788.

UKNational Domestic Abuse Helpline (Run by Refuge): Call 0808 2000 247. Free, confidential, and available 24/7.

Online Chat: Live chat and digital resources are available at nationaldahelpline.org.uk.

Australia1800RESPECT: Call 1800 737 732 or text 0458 737 732. Free, confidential, and available 24/7.

Sponsored by Quince

Refresh your everyday with luxury you'll actually use. Head to Quince.com/otcp for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns.

Now available in Canada, too!

Listener Discretion by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Edward October ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Research & Writing by Lauretta Allen

Executive Producers Nico & Jesse of ⁠The Inky Pawprint

Sources:

https://youtu.be/S8yGi6b_KlM?si=SPD0liAxQzKQA5Kb

Disappeared Season 2 Episode 13 "Gone at 17"

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/242821636/kara_elise-kopetsky

https://www.kshb.com/news/crime/yust-trial/case-details

https://people.com/crime/kara-kopetsky-remains-found/

https://www.truecasefiles.com/2019/06/timeline-many-crimes-confessions-of.html

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/178608671/jessica-runions

https://kcpolice.org/media/news-releases/police-search-for-missing-woman-jessica-runions/

https://fox4kc.com/news/no-more-i-love-yous-jessica-runions-father-tells-jurors-during-emotional-statement/

https://www.kmbc.com/article/kylr-yust-trial-prosecution-continues-to-outline-double-murder-case-04092021/36074674

https://tribuneandtimes.com/stories/jury-hears-confession-tales-of-violence,2227

https://www.newspapers.com/image/820848951/?match=1&terms=%22Kara%20Kopetsky%22

https://www.newspapers.com/image/821465298/?match=1&terms=%22Kara%20Kopetsky%22

https://www.newspapers.com/image/820906540/?match=1&terms=%22Kara%20Kopetsky%22

https://www.newspapers.com/image/820906650/?terms=%22Kara%20Kopetsky%22

https://www.newspapers.com/image/820857955/?match=1&terms=%22Kara%20Kopetsky%22

https://www.newspapers.com/image/746963358/?match=1&terms=%22Kara%20Kopetsky%22

https://www.newspapers.com/image/656516331/?match=1&terms=%22Kara%20Kopetsky%22

https://www.newspapers.com/image/656505168/?match=1&terms=%22Kara%20Kopetsky%22

https://www.newspapers.com/image/656415580/?match=1&terms=%22Kara%20Kopetsky%22

https://www.newspapers.com/image/1206584733/?match=1&terms=%22Kara%20Kopetsky%22

https://www.newspapers.com/image/1206583875/?match=1&terms=%22Kara%20Kopetsky%22.

https://www.newspapers.com/image/746971377/?match=1&terms=%22Kara%20Kopetsky%22

https://www.newspapers.com/image/656390661/?terms=%22Jessica%20Runions%22

https://www.newspapers.com/image/1022262996/?match=1&terms=%22Jessica%20Runions%22

https://www.newspapers.com/image/656505566/?match=1&terms=%22Jessica%20Runions%22

https://www.newspapers.com/image/656504858/?terms=%22Jessica%20Runions%22

https://www.newspapers.com/image/1314694257/?match=1&terms=%22Jessica%20Runions%22

https://www.newspapers.com/image/1206585264/?match=1&terms=%22Jessica%20Runions%22

https://www.newspapers.com/image/1118387882/?match=1&terms=%22Jessica%20Runions%22

https://www.newspapers.com/image/729007281/?match=1&terms=%22Jessica%20Runions%22

https://www.newspapers.com/image/1208177659/?match=1&terms=%22Jessep%20Carter%22

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Just after 5:00 p.m. on February 18, 2014, ten-year-old Hailey Owens set out on the short walk home from a friend’s house. What began as an ordinary Tuesday turned horrific when neighbors Carlos and Michelle Edwards watched a tan Ford Ranger pull alongside Hailey. After asking for directions, the driver suddenly grabbed her and dragged her into the truck as she tried to walk away. Carlos Edwards sprinted after the vehicle, nearly reaching Hailey before the truck disappeared down the street, while another neighbor chased the kidnapper and called 911. Michelle managed to provide the police with the license plate as panic swept through the quiet neighborhood. Just doors away, Hailey’s mother, Stacey, was preparing dinner, expecting her daughter home any minute, only to be met instead by flashing police lights, frantic officers, and the horrifying realization that her child had been abducted. As volunteers flooded the streets with flashlights and Hailey’s smiling photo spread across social media, the entire city of Springfield, Missouri, held its breath. 

Join Cam and Jen of Our True Crime Podcast on this episode entitled ‘Stolen: The Abduction and Murder of Hailey Owens.’

This episode proudly sponsored by Quince. 

Refresh your everyday with luxury you actually use. Head to Quince.com/otcp for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too. 

Listener discretion by @octoberpodVHS

Music by our editing team @theinkypawprint

Sources:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/7bTPtJhuvFaGbx8IskGQsT?si=w9oJuIMrThujd3iyJ0EZgw

https://web.archive.org/web/20170403111325/http://www.kspr.com/content/news/Accused-killer-of-a-Springfield-child-wants-a-deal-413473193.html

https://www.reddit.com/r/lastimages/comments/o1905m/last_photo_of_hailey_owens_that_was_shown_in/

https://www.ky3.com/video/2026/01/13/missouri-supreme-court-denies-appeal-hailey-owens-murder-case/

https://web.mo.gov/doc/offSearchWeb/welcome.do

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

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/rape-charges-added-in-missouri-girls-death/

https://web.archive.org/web/20170316113827/http://www.kspr.com/content/news/Hailey-Owens-13th-Birthday-celebration-390662231.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMO6rYiHpZM

https://www.news-leader.com/story/news/crime/2019/02/10/hailey-owens-abduction-murder-springfield-missouri-5-years/2518034002/

https://www.reddit.com/r/springfieldMO/comments/1aroy2f/10th_anniversary_of_the_hailey_owens_case/

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/hailey-owens-case-defense-concedes-coach-kidnapped-raped-killed-missouri-girl/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/crimejunkie/posts/1919198728908494/

http://www.news-leader.com/story/news/crime/2017/04/20/mother-hailey-owens-asks-prosecutor-drop-death-penalty/100619792/

https://www.news-leader.com/story/news/crime/2017/11/02/craig-wood-guilty-first-degree-murder-hailey-owens-killing/825535001/

http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/jury-can-t-agree-on-death-penalty-so-missouri-judge/article_6bd5d4cc-5760-57fe-b397-7cb0c66028e4.html

https://web.archive.org/web/20180112014847/http://www.ozarksfirst.com/news/breaking-craig-wood-sentenced-to-death/910819854

https://www.news-leader.com/story/news/local/ozarks/2019/07/12/missouri-governor-signs-haileys-law-amber-alert-system-hailey-owens/1682479001/

https://www.ky3.com/content/news/Haileys-Law-takes-effect-today-after-55-years-of-waiting-558599941.html

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This month, we have a talk with Courtney from The Book of the Dead, who joins us to talk about the murder of Sister Tadea Benz and the execution of Johnny Frank Garret.

In October 1981, the quiet city of Amarillo, Texas, was rocked by a crime that felt like a nightmare: the brutal assault and murder of 76-year-old Sister Tadea Benz inside St. Francis Convent. The pressure to catch the killer was on, and the police quickly set their sights on 17-year-old Johnny, who lived across the street.

Johnny Frank Garrett was executed by the state of Texas in 1992, but was he a cold-blooded killer, or a convenient scapegoat?

Don't forget to subscribe to Courtney's podcast, ⁠The Book of the Dead⁠. We think you will like her as much as Jen and Cam do.

Refresh your everyday with luxury you'll actually use. Head to Quince.com/otcp for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns.

Now available in Canada, too!

Music by Nico Fyffe-Vettese Editing by Jesse Fyffe-Vettese

Both from ⁠The Inky Pawprint⁠

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When hunters in Bulltown Swamp discovered the remains of an unidentified woman in late 2022, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation was left with a mystery that felt impossible to solve. There were no matching missing person reports, no DNA matches, just a dental implant and a crime scene that looked like an attempt to make a person disappear forever.

Months later, the GBI got the lead they needed when someone recognized the victim from an artist’s rendering that appeared on television.

What they would soon hear would be unbelievable.

Sponsored by Quince

Refresh your everyday with luxury you'll actually use. Head to Quince.com/otcp for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns.

Now available in Canada, too!

Our team:

Listener Discretion by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Edward October ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Research & Writing by Lauretta Allen

Executive Producers Nico & Jesse of The Inky Pawprint

Sources:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COq5nugr08w

https://people.com/married-couple-on-the-run-wife-dead-who-killed-her-11854940

https://gbi.georgia.gov/press-releases/2023-05-12/unidentified-womans-remains-found-riceboro

https://www.newspapers.com/image/959876255/?match=1&terms=Kassotis

https://www.newspapers.com/image/1008274478/?match=1&terms=%22Nicholas%20Kassotis%22

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/286941684/mindi-ruth-kassotis

https://www.keenesentinel.com/community/announcements/mebane-kassotis-wedding/article_22c52c0b-dd2b-5b40-b57d-1ec745c0d94c.html

https://bfmg.news/go/docket/georgia-v-nicholas-kassotis/

https://www.courttv.com/title/dismembered-wife-murder-trial-watch-the-verdict/

https://www.yahoo.com/news/husband-granted-bond-missing-woman-220306182.html

https://coastalcourier.com/news/kassotis-found-guilty-sentenced-to-life-without-parole/

https://www.wjcl.com/article/nicholas-kassotis-pre-trial-hearing/65502593

https://people.com/crime/mindi-medane-writer-slain-husband-charged-months-later/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5bhtulFxD4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5bhtulFxD4&t=10s

https://vanishinggeorgia.com/2023/09/17/portal-hunting-club-georgias-oldest/

https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/man-arrested-for-death-of-wife-whose-remains-were-found-at-georgia-hunting-club-in-2022

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In the early 1990s, long before his name would be tied to something unthinkable, Scott McLaughlin was already unraveling. Untreated childhood trauma, cognitive struggles, and severe mental illness shaped his life. Suicide attempts. Institutionalizations. Heavy medication. And yet, nothing seemed to stick. The help he received was fleeting. 

A decade later, in 2002, his path crossed with Beverly Guenther, a woman who knew hardship in a very different way. Beverly had lived through devastating loss, including the death of her young child, and years of grief that followed. But she fought her way back. She found purpose in her work, her creativity, and her compassion for others. To those who knew her, she was kind, intelligent, and resilient, someone who believed in helping people, even when they were broken.

“She was really turning her life around,” her brother once said.

And then… she met Scott McLaughlin.

Join Cam and Jen for this episode of Our True Crime Podcast, titled ‘Waiting in the Dark: The Murder of Beverly Guenther.’

This episode is sponsored by Hello Fresh. Go to HelloFresh.com/otcp10fm now to get 10 Free meals plus a Free Nutribullet® Ultra Plus+ 2-in-1 Compact Kitchen System—that’s a $189.99 value after you order your 3rd box!

Listener discretion is by @octoberpodVHS.

All music and editing is by our team @theinkypawprint.

Sources: 

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/tag/amber-mclaughlin

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/missouri-governor-refuses-clemency-to-first-openly-transgender-woman-to-be-executed-in-u-s

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11539779/Transgender-inmate-Missouris-death-row-asks-mercy.html

https://www.stlpr.org/law-order/2023-01-03/missouri-executes-transgender-woman-amber-mclaughlin-2003-murder

https://prisonjournalismproject.org/2024/02/25/remembering-first-trans-woman-executed-us/

https://www.cnn.com/2023/01/03/us/amber-mclaughlin-missouri-execution

https://edition.cnn.com/2022/12/16/us/missouri-transgender-inmate-death-row/index.html

https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/news/missouri-set-to-execute-amber-mclaughlin-on-january-3-in-first-u-s-execution-of-a-transgender-person

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/jan/03/amber-mclaughlin-missouri-transgender-person-execution

https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/MODOC/bulletins/340c2a4

https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/stop-the-execution-of-amber-mclaughlin-in-missouri

https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/federal-appeals-court-reinstates-death-penalty-in-2003-st-louis-county-rape-murder/article_aa1dc368-0f70-5560-b9cd-6d9c7cdcc149.html

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The 1970s were more than just shag carpet and polyester; they were a time of deep contradiction. While things felt full of possibility, a shadow of distrust hung over everything—fueled by Vietnam, Watergate, and a struggling economy. As more parents headed to work to keep up, many children were left unsupervised for long stretches.

By this time, neighborhoods like Houston’s “The Heights” had become run-down and poverty-stricken. Many teenage boys were dropping out of school just to help their families survive. Growing up in a world that felt increasingly unstable and often without a father figure at home, these boys were vulnerable. They were searching for belonging and a mentor, but tragically, they found a monster who used his own teen accomplices to lure them into a trap.

Join Jen and Cam as they discuss "In the Boat Shed: The Houston Heights Murders."

Listener Discretion by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Edward October ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Research & Writing by Lauretta Allen

Executive Producers Nico & Jesse of The Inky Pawprint

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://theinkypawprint.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Sources:

available on ourtruecrimepodcast.com

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This month, Nina Innsted of the Already Gone podcast joins Cam and Jen to discuss the disappearance of Paige Renkoski. Paige was a 30-year-old substitute teacher who seemingly vanished into thin air in May of 1990. It’s a curious case because it happened in broad daylight, on a busy highway. The only thing she left behind was her shoes and her purse.

Please make sure to subscribe to Nina's podcast, Already Gone. It's a must for any true crime fan.

You can find Nina's book, Unsolved Michigan , HERE

If you want more information on the organization Missing in Michigan, you can find it HERE

If you have any information on the disappearance of Paige Renkoski, please call the Livingston County Sheriff's office at 517-546-8477.

Music by Nico

Audio Editing by Jesse

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