People are the Worst

On June 26, 2010, a woman walked into her friend Denise Merhi's house to get her car keys. The house was eerily quiet and when the woman called out, nobody answered. She found her keys, then found a horrific scene in the kitchen. After a very stressful few minutes, she then sees a shadow reflected on the wall. The killer was still in the house. What she didn't know was that the scene is much more horrific than she realized. It's what urban legends are made of: a mass murder and a message written on the wall in blood. Police knew Denise Merhi had been torn between two men: Michael Eric Ballard & Brian Miller. Did one of them do this?

Research Assistance: Jim Rowley

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In September 1993, Donna Palomba woke up to a masked intruder standing in her bedroom. What follows is a terrifying attack that leaves her fearing for her life and the safety of her two children. But when she turns to the police for help, the investigation takes an unimaginable turn and Donna's the one being questioned.  

Years later, a shocking new crime brings investigators the break they've been waiting for, and nothing could prepare them for what they uncovered.

janedoenomore.org

Research Assistance: Jim Rowley

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In 2004, the decomposing body of a young woman was found at an abandoned house in Winnie, Texas. The woman didn't have any belongings with her: no phone, no ID, no wallet. The only clue as to who she is was a class ring on her finger. It indicated she graduated high school in 2003, making her roughly 19 years old. When they look inside the ring, they see a name inscribed: Courtney Coco. The only problem is: Courtney lived about 3 hours away in Alexandria, Louisiana and had no ties to Texas. How did she end up there? This would be the first of MANY bizarre discoveries and even though there are a ton of suspects, Courtney Coco's murder would go cold for 15 years until a badass named Woody Overton launches a podcast about it & solves it 7 weeks later...

Research Assistance: Jim Rowley

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In 1969, Liz Kendall was a newly divorced single mom who moved to Seattle with her bestfriend for a fresh start.  On her first night out she meets Rob Nelson at the Sandpiper Tavern and end up spending nearly a decade together. He's the kind of guy who gets up early to make scrambled eggs, runs around with the neighborhood kids, and literally brings a kitten back to life. According to her daughter, Molly, he was the last puzzle piece to their family. 

Then women in their neighborhood start getting attacked and the cops are looking at everyone, including Rob, but eventually he's cleared. Liz was (obviously) relieved but did the police get it right? Or was the person sleeping next to her pure evil?  Stay until the end.

Research Assistance: Molly McGuigan

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Today's palate cleanser is a nice reminder that some people are not the worst (but most are)

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In 2018, Pam Hutchinson & Lois Riess met while sitting at a bar in Ft. Myers Beach, Florida. Pam had recently gotten a divorce and Lois's husband, Dave Riess, had recently died, so they were both starting a new chapter in their late 50s. The two hit it off and even though they had just met, it was as if they were lifelong friends. What they didn't know was that this chance encounter would lead to a horrific tragedy and a nationwide manhunt of an unexpected killer.

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When Anna Pleskovic looked out the window of her parents’ Strongsville, Ohio, home and saw a stranger pressing his face against the glass, she had no idea it was the beginning of a nightmare. Over the next several months, the Pleskovic family experienced a bizarre series of break-ins, strange noises, missing keys, cut security-camera cords, and people lurking around their property. They were convinced someone was targeting their home, but they had no idea why. On October 23, 2017, they got their answer. 

Research Assistant: Jim Rowley

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In 2001, Leslie & Sandy Preer were empty nesters with a picture perfect life in Chevy Chase, Maryland. Their daughter Lauren lived nearby and even though she was an adult, the 3 of them were closer than ever.  But on May 2, 2001, tragedy struck. Leslie's boss called Sandy to tell him Leslie didn't show up for work and within hours, the Preer family's lives changed forever. Even with a few immediate suspects, the case would go cold for over 20 years before an arrest is made with the help of customs agents at Washington Dulles International Airport. And they learn the person behind it was someone nobody suspected. 

Research Assistance: Jim Rowley

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Cynthia Hoffman was 19-years-old living in Anchorage, Alaska with her family who she was extremely close with. On June 2, 2019 Cynthia told her father she was going on a "highke" with her friend,  Angela. Then she vanished. As her friends & family frantically searched for her, police uncovered a motive that's so bizarre, they initially didn't believe it. But the further they dug, the more disturbing the truth became.

*Trigger warning: small portions of this episode involve minors (not the main story)

Research Assistance: Molly McGuigan

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For todays palate cleanser, we're going to tell you about a (hilarious-turned-not-so-much) scuffle between husband and wife over the name of their unborn baby

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