Scream and Sugar: True Crime Coffee Hour

Hey Spooky Squad! Welcome back to another episode of Scream and Sugar, your true crime coffee hour.

Today, we’re heading deep into the icy wilderness of the Ural Mountains to unravel one of the most chilling unsolved mysteries of all time—the Dyatlov Pass Incident.

In 1959, nine experienced hikers set out on a trek through the Soviet Union’s remote mountains… but they never made it home. When search teams finally discovered their campsite, nothing made sense—their tent had been cut open from the inside, belongings were left behind, and the hikers had fled into the freezing night under bizarre and terrifying circumstances. What investigators found next only deepened the mystery, with unexplained injuries, missing clothing, and details that have fueled decades of speculation.

In this episode, we break down the timeline, the evidence, and the theories that continue to haunt this case more than half a century later.

Grab your coffee and your curiosity, and remember to stay spooky, y’all!

Thank you to Benn Jordan for the awesome infrasound content: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTvr8L5v8u8

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/scream-and-sugar-true-crime-coffee-hour--6015946/support.

This content is not appropriate for all listeners; listener discretion is advised.  PS. Let's just umbrella all our content with a blanket statement: allegedly, supposedly! Stay spooky, squad.

Hey Spooky Squad! Welcome back to another episode of Scream and Sugar, your true crime coffee hour.

Today, we’re heading to Northern California for a case so brutal and disturbing that it left an entire community in shock—the murders of Claudia Maupin and Oliver “Chip” Northup.

In 2013, the elderly couple was found tortured and murdered inside their quiet home in Davis, California. What investigators uncovered was a horrifying crime involving kidnapping, robbery, and violence carried out by a group of young perpetrators whose actions seemed almost impossible to comprehend. As the details emerged, the case sparked outrage not only because of its brutality, but because of the ages of those involved and the disturbing lack of remorse shown afterward. 

So, grab your coffee and your curiosity, and remember to stay spooky, y’all!

Case Notes: 
https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/crime/article252820193.htmlhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murders_of_Claudia_Maupin_and_Oliver_Northup#cite_note-Keene-2018-7https://yoloda.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/marsh_transfer-ruling.pdfhttps://medium.com/cogent-hex/15-year-old-teen-murders-elderly-couple-without-motive-0416c37094c5https://www.davisenterprise.com/news/crime_fire_courts/marsh-gets-52-years-to-life-for-murders/article_c6ea4c7f-dd96-533e-9876-dc361670705d.htmlhttps://davisvanguard.org/2015/04/two-years-after-daniel-marshs-motivation-for-murder/https://www.cbsnews.com/sacramento/news/paramedic-elderly-davis-couples-organs-were-removed-after-stabbing/https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/18/18-1259/150986/20200911140013631_20200911-135749-95751522-00000210.pdfhttps://www.smith-funerals.com/obituaries/claudia-maupinhttps://www.smith-funerals.com/obituaries/oliver-northupjrhttps://www.davisenterprise.com/obituaries/oliver-chip-jennings-northup-jr/article_f0662b5f-095e-5171-8ac5-c88c890e4ffa.htmlhttps://www.cbsnews.com/sacramento/news/court-documents-show-teen-suspects-troubles-through-custody-fight/https://www.dailydemocrat.com/2014/09/12/former-teacher-states-daniel-marsh-was-a-quiet-intelligent-student/https://www.dailydemocrat.com/2014/09/05/pathologist-speaks-to-davis-double-homicide-victims-extensive-injuries/https://davisvanguard.org/2014/06/marshs-mother-testifies-about-her-sons-mental-condition/https://www.davisenterprise.com/news/crime_fire_courts/witness-marsh-spoke-of-insanity-plea-before-arrest/article_5fa7de55-99ca-5bc7-a10a-1599de831453.htmlhttps://grokipedia.com/page/Murders_of_Claudia_Maupin_and_Oliver_Northup#ref-2https://www.reddit.com/r/ted/comments/kyei1r/daniel_marsh_ted_talk/

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/scream-and-sugar-true-crime-coffee-hour--6015946/support.

This content is not appropriate for all listeners; listener discretion is advised.  PS. Let's just umbrella all our content with a blanket statement: allegedly, supposedly! Stay spooky, squad.

Hey Spooky Squad! Welcome back to another episode of Scream and Sugar, your true crime coffee hour.

Today, we’re heading deep into the icy wilderness of the Ural Mountains to unravel one of the most chilling unsolved mysteries of all time—the Dyatlov Pass Incident.

In 1959, nine experienced hikers set out on a trek through the Soviet Union’s remote mountains… but they never made it home. When search teams finally discovered their campsite, nothing made sense—their tent had been cut open from the inside, belongings were left behind, and the hikers had fled into the freezing night under bizarre and terrifying circumstances. What investigators found next only deepened the mystery, with unexplained injuries, missing clothing, and details that have fueled decades of speculation.

In this episode, we break down the timeline, the evidence, and the theories that continue to haunt this case more than half a century later.

Grab your coffee and your curiosity, and remember to stay spooky, y’all!




Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/scream-and-sugar-true-crime-coffee-hour--6015946/support.

This content is not appropriate for all listeners; listener discretion is advised.  PS. Let's just umbrella all our content with a blanket statement: allegedly, supposedly! Stay spooky, squad.

Hey Spooky Squad! Welcome back to another episode of Scream and Sugar, your true crime coffee hour. Today, we’re heading to Mississauga, Ontario, for a case that left an entire community terrified—the 1982 abduction and murder of 16-year-old Darlene “Dolly” Prioriello.

What began as an ordinary night quickly turned into every family’s nightmare when Darlene disappeared, only to be found murdered soon after. As police scrambled for answers, the killer didn’t stay silent—he allegedly sent chilling taunts to investigators, her family, and the community, turning an already horrifying case into something even more sinister.

In this episode, we break down the crime, the investigation, and the lasting impact Darlene’s murder had on her loved ones and the wider Canadian public. Terri Prioriello has also spoken publicly in later years about the revictimization her family experienced during parole processes, which we cover here.

Grab your coffee and your curiosity, and remember to stay spooky, y’all!

Case Notes:
https://www.renotahoebagelco.com/

Resources: 
https://www.scc-csc.ca/cases-dossiers/search-recherche/21554/#:~:text=Conduct%20a%20refined%20search%20of,David%20James%20Dobson%20v.https://www.ourcommons.ca/DocumentViewer/en/41-2/SECU/meeting-12/evidencehttps://murderpedia.org/male.D/d/dobson-david-james.htmhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eIsiqAwsoUhttps://www.imdb.com/title/tt34288018/


Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/scream-and-sugar-true-crime-coffee-hour--6015946/support.

This content is not appropriate for all listeners; listener discretion is advised.  PS. Let's just umbrella all our content with a blanket statement: allegedly, supposedly! Stay spooky, squad.

Hey Spooky Squad! Welcome back to another episode of Scream and Sugar, your true crime coffee hour. Today, we’re diving into a case that is as heartbreaking as it is complex—the story of Andrea Yates. In 2001, in Houston, Texas, Andrea Yates drowned her five young children in the bathtub of their family home.

What followed was a case that shook the nation, not only because of the unimaginable tragedy, but because of the deeper questions it raised about severe postpartum mental illness, religion, and the failures of the systems meant to protect both mothers and their children. 

In this episode, we carefully walk through the timeline, the warning signs, the trial, and the ongoing conversations about mental health that continue to surround this case.

Grab your coffee and your curiosity, and remember to stay spooky, y’all!


Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/scream-and-sugar-true-crime-coffee-hour--6015946/support.

This content is not appropriate for all listeners; listener discretion is advised.  PS. Let's just umbrella all our content with a blanket statement: allegedly, supposedly! Stay spooky, squad.

Hey Spooky Squad!

Welcome back to another episode of Scream and Sugar, your true crime coffee hour. Today’s episode steps into one of the darkest and most disturbing chapters of modern history: the atrocities committed by Japan’s Unit 731 during World War II.

Operating in secrecy under the Imperial Japanese Army, Unit 731 conducted inhumane experiments on thousands of victims, including prisoners of war and civilians. Under the leadership of Shirō Ishii, the unit pursued biological and chemical warfare research through acts that defy comprehension—leaving behind a legacy of suffering that would remain hidden from much of the world for years.

Come sip with us as we examine historical context, the victims, the ethics of medicine, and the lasting impact of this program.

Grab your coffee and your curiosity, and remember to stay spooky, y’all!

Case Notes: 
Mendoza's Coffee Shop: https://www.instagram.com/mendozas_coffee
Books: 
https://www.hamiltonbook.com/japans-infamous-unit-731-firsthand-accounts-of-japans-wartime-human-experimentation-program-paperbound
https://www.betterworldbooks.com/product/detail/unit-731-japans-secret-biological-warfare-in-world-war-ii-9780029353011?shipto=US&curcode=USD&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Shopping-Used-Top-USA&utm_content=192035416071&utm_term=&creative=785536533805&device=c&placement=&gad_source=4&gad_campaignid=22688101594&gbraid=0AAAAADMQnG_9Uw-2wqhPURBjmmzLQi9Ey&gclid=Cj0KCQjwve7NBhC-ARIsALZy9HWWNxKHIAcS27orJBLrWAhbgO5OZLPMNS5ToK2BOYBmZdlpxJVSiAoaAusjEALw_wcB

https://www.archives.gov/files/iwg/japanese-war-crimes/select-documents.pdf
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3qjjXBQnzM
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unit_731
https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/history/unit-731
https://www.pacificatrocities.org/human-experimentation.html
https://www.npr.org/2025/08/14/nx-s1-5497951/japan-germ-warfare-biological-wwii

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/scream-and-sugar-true-crime-coffee-hour--6015946/support.

This content is not appropriate for all listeners; listener discretion is advised.  PS. Let's just umbrella all our content with a blanket statement: allegedly, supposedly! Stay spooky, squad.

Hey Spooky Squad! Welcome back to another episode of Scream and Sugar, your true crime coffee hour. Today, we’re checking into one of America’s most famously haunted hotels...the Hotel del Coronado in San Diego, and the mysterious death of the woman known as the “Beautiful Stranger,” Kate Morgan.

In 1892, a young woman arrived alone at the grand seaside resort under the name Kate Morgan. For 5 days, she waited on the hotel’s veranda, telling staff she was expecting someone who never arrived. Just days later, her body was found on the steps leading to the beach. Authorities quickly ruled her death a suicide, but strange details surrounding her stay and the ghostly apparition that followed have kept her story alive for more than a century. 

In this episode, we unravel the history, the theories, and the haunting legacy of the Beautiful Stranger. Grab your coffee and your curiosity, and remember to stay spooky, y’all!


Case Notes: 
hoteldel.com
https://www.hoteldel.com/press/haunted-hotel-del-coronado/
https://www.hoteldel.com/experiences/#!/e/friday-the-13th-tour-95ae6019

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/scream-and-sugar-true-crime-coffee-hour--6015946/support.

This content is not appropriate for all listeners; listener discretion is advised.  PS. Let's just umbrella all our content with a blanket statement: allegedly, supposedly! Stay spooky, squad.

Hey Spooky Squad!

Welcome back to another episode of Scream and Sugar, your true crime coffee hour. Today, we’re traveling back in time to early Italy to uncover one of the most bizarre and chilling cases in true crime history—the story of Leonarda Cianciulli, better known as the “Soap Maker of Correggio".
In the late 1930s and early 1940s, Leonarda lured women into her home in the small town of Correggio with promises of jobs and opportunity, while turning their hope into something far more sinister. 

In this episode, we break down the victims, the psychology, and the twisted logic that led to one of Italy’s most infamous criminal confessions.

Grab your coffee and your curiosity, and remember to stay spooky, y’all!

Case Notes: 

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/scream-and-sugar-true-crime-coffee-hour--6015946/support.

This content is not appropriate for all listeners; listener discretion is advised.  PS. Let's just umbrella all our content with a blanket statement: allegedly, supposedly! Stay spooky, squad.

Hey Spooky Squad!

Welcome back to another episode of Scream and Sugar, your true crime coffee hour. Today, we’re heading to Hong Kong to discuss one of the most disturbing and infamous cases in modern true crime history—the 1999 “Hello Kitty” murder. 

When 23-year-old Fan Man-yee went missing, few could have imagined the horrifying truth that would eventually surface. Months later, investigators uncovered evidence of prolonged torture, captivity, and a crime scene so shocking it would leave a lasting scar on Hong Kong’s criminal history. The case not only horrified the public but also raised serious questions about gang culture, exploitation, and how the system fails young women. Buckle up for this one. 

Grab your coffee and your curiosity, and remember to stay spooky, y’all!

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/scream-and-sugar-true-crime-coffee-hour--6015946/support.

This content is not appropriate for all listeners; listener discretion is advised.  PS. Let's just umbrella all our content with a blanket statement: allegedly, supposedly! Stay spooky, squad.

Hey Spooky Squad! Welcome back to another episode of Scream and Sugar, your true crime coffee hour.

Today, we’re traveling back to 1960s New York City for one of the most sensational and controversial cases of its time—the deaths of Eddie and Missy Crimmins...and joining us for this deep dive is our special guest host, Anastasia Leipold! You might remember her commentary from an earlier episode. But this time, she's here with a more sinister message.

When two young children vanished from their Queens apartment in 1965, suspicion quickly turned to their mother, Alice Crimmins—a glamorous, independent woman whose lifestyle clashed sharply with public expectations of motherhood. As media headlines exploded and prosecutors built their case, the trial became less about forensic evidence and more about morality, image, and the role of women in society.

Was Alice Crimmins a cold-blooded killer—or the victim of a cultural witch hunt fueled by sexism and scandal? In this episode, we break down the investigation, the courtroom drama, and the societal pressures that shaped one of America’s most polarizing true crime stories.

Grab your coffee and your curiosity, and remember to stay spooky, y’all!


Case Notes: 
Infamous Alice Crimmins, crime junkie A crime to remember S1E1 go ask Alice 
The Alice Crimmins case by Anaïs Renevier
The murder book podcast, Alice Crimmins episodes 1-3


Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/scream-and-sugar-true-crime-coffee-hour--6015946/support.

This content is not appropriate for all listeners; listener discretion is advised.  PS. Let's just umbrella all our content with a blanket statement: allegedly, supposedly! Stay spooky, squad.