In this episode, we dive into two cases that continue to grip the true crime world decades after they first made headlines.

First, new evidence has emerged that may tie Dennis Rader—the notorious BTK Killer—to the 1976 disappearance of a teenage girl in Oklahoma. Could this cold case finally reveal more about Rader’s long-hidden crimes, and are there other victims still waiting to be uncovered?

Then we turn to California, where the Menendez brothers, convicted in the infamous 1989 murder of their parents, are preparing for parole hearings. After serving more than three decades in prison, their case is once again sparking debate—were they cold-blooded killers, or victims of unthinkable abuse fighting for survival?

Join us as we unpack these two chilling stories, exploring the evidence, the controversies, and the lingering questions that keep them alive in public memory.

In this episode, we dive into two chilling cases where the pursuit of justice took unexpected turns.

First, we look at the long-awaited verdict in the disappearance of Crystal Rogers, a young mother from Bardstown, Kentucky, whose case haunted the community for nearly a decade. With Brooks Houck now found guilty of her murder, we unravel the timeline of events, the unanswered questions, and what this conviction means for a town long shadowed by tragedy.

Then, we shift to Los Angeles and the disturbing story of Stephanie Lazarus, a former LAPD detective whose double life shocked the nation. Convicted of murdering her ex-boyfriend’s wife, Lazarus has fought for release but remains behind bars. Her case raises unsettling questions about power, corruption, and how far someone will go to protect their secrets.

Together, these stories reveal how betrayal, obsession, and abuse of trust can twist the very system meant to uphold justice.

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In this gripping episode, we dive into two chilling cases that shocked two continents.

First, we head to the snowy town of Breckenridge, Colorado, where in 1982, two young women vanished on the same day—only to be found murdered days later in a remote mountain area. With no clear suspect and decades of dead ends, their case remains one of Colorado’s most haunting crimes.

Then, we travel across the globe to the harsh Australian bush, where a string of missing backpackers led authorities to uncover a nightmare beyond imagination. Ivan Milat—now known as the Backpacker Killer—was responsible for a series of brutal murders that left a nation horrified and made people reconsider backpacking in the Australian wilderness.

Two different settings. Two terrifying stories. One theme: the horror that can lurk in the most unexpected places.

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Two countries. Two highways. Two chillingly similar mysteries.

In this episode of Tales from the Underworld, we delve into the shadowy corners of 1970s true crime with two haunting cases of women who vanished while hitchhiking—only to be found brutally murdered.

First, we head to Northern California, where a string of disappearances became known as the Santa Rosa Hitchhiker Murders. Between 1972 and 1974, at least seven young women were abducted and killed near quiet roads and wooded areas. Despite multiple suspects and decades of speculation, the case remains unsolved.

Then we cross the Atlantic to England, where two young women—Jacqueline Ansell-Lamb and Barbara Mayo—were murdered months apart after hitchhiking alone on the M1 motorway. Their deaths sparked a nationwide panic and a massive manhunt. But like their American counterparts, justice never came.

In this episode, we dive into two of California’s most disturbing true crime cases—each marked by deception, manipulation, and unimaginable brutality.

First, we uncover the dark legacy of William Bonin, the so-called "Freeway Killer." Behind the wheel of his van, Bonin prowled Southern California in the late 1970s, targeting young boys in a spree of abductions and murders that left communities paralyzed by fear. But the true horror? He wasn’t alone—he had accomplices.

Then, we turn to Rodney Alcala, a smooth-talking photographer who once charmed his way onto national television as a contestant on The Dating Game. Unbeknownst to the audience, he was already a serial killer. His trail of victims stretched across decades—and states.

Two predators. Two facades. One haunting question: how many lives were lost before anyone saw who they truly were?

Hit play to hear the chilling stories—and the twisted truths—behind these infamous killers.

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In this episode, we uncover the chilling true crimes that inspired two of the most haunting films in American history. First, we head to 1940s Texarkana, where a masked assailant known only as the Phantom Killer stalked lovers’ lanes and left a community in fear—events later dramatized in The Town That Dreaded Sundown. Despite an intense manhunt, the case remains unsolved to this day.

Then, we move to rural Holcomb, Kansas, where the brutal 1959 murders of the Clutter family shocked the nation and became the basis for Truman Capote’s groundbreaking true crime novel and film In Cold Blood. But behind the literary acclaim lies a dark, complex reality of violence, fame, and ethical questions.

Join us as we explore the facts behind the fiction, the lives lost, and the legacies these crimes left behind—both in the justice system and on the silver screen.

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In this episode, we delve into two hauntingly controversial cases that captured headlines and ignited fierce debate. First, we explore the story of Kathleen Folbigg, once dubbed “Australia’s Most Hated Woman,” who was convicted of killing her four children—only to have science later call that verdict into question. Was she a cold-blooded killer or a mother wrongfully condemned?

Then, we turn to Kirstin Lobato, a Nevada teenager whose life was upended when she was charged with a brutal murder she insisted she didn’t commit. With no physical evidence linking her to the crime scene and a timeline that didn’t quite add up, her case raises troubling questions about rushed justice and bias in the courtroom.

Join us as we unravel the facts, flaws, and fallout from both cases—two women, worlds apart, united by questionable convictions and the high cost of being misunderstood by the justice system.

In this episode, we dive into two haunting cases that expose deep cracks in the American justice system.

First, we revisit the troubling story of Ryan Ferguson, a Missouri teenager convicted of a murder he didn’t commit—based on shaky eyewitness testimony and a dream turned into a confession. His decade-long fight for freedom raises serious questions about how truth gets buried in pursuit of a conviction.

Then, we examine the tragic case of Cameron Todd Willingham, a Texas father executed for allegedly setting the fire that killed his three children. Despite mounting forensic evidence suggesting the blaze was accidental, the state moved forward with his execution—making it one of the most controversial death penalty cases in U.S. history.

Wrong place, wrong time—or something far more systemic? Join us as we unravel the flawed investigations, prosecutorial missteps, and the human cost of justice gone wrong.

In today’s episode we dive into two of the most perplexing and controversial mysteries of the modern age. First, we revisit the Dyatlov Pass Incident—a 1959 tragedy in the Ural Mountains where nine experienced hikers died under bizarre and still-unexplained circumstances. With missing eyes, crushed skulls, and a tent torn from within, the theories range from secret military tests to the paranormal.

Then, we shift focus to a disturbing pattern closer to home: the Smiley Face Killers theory. Since the late '90s, over 40 young, college-aged men have been found dead in rivers and lakes across the U.S., often after nights out. Though many deaths were ruled accidental drownings, eerie similarities—geographic clustering, similar victim profiles, and graffiti near some sites—have led some former detectives to suspect something darker at play.

Are these isolated tragedies or evidence of hidden networks and cover-ups? Tune in as we explore the facts, theories, and questions that still haunt both cases.

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In our thirteenth episode, we delve into two enduring mysteries that blend history, intrigue, and conspiracy. First, we explore the enigmatic Bardstown Conspiracy in Kentucky, a modern web of unsolved murders and potential corruption that has haunted the quiet town for over a decade. From the tragic death of Crystal Rogers to whispers of police involvement, we examine how the threads of secrecy and silence continue to tangle this small-town saga.

Then, we shift gears to the controversial death of Thomas Simpson, a brilliant 19th-century Arctic explorer whose mysterious demise in the Canadian wilderness sparked allegations of murder, madness, and cover-ups within the Hudson’s Bay Company.

Tune in as we unpack the eerie parallels between historical and contemporary mysteries—where truth proves as elusive as the men and women at their heart.

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