Ohio has a lot of problems, and apparently for the people of Lake County, melon heads are one of them. Ben explores the bizarre legend behind Dr. Crowe and his big-headed buddies.

Steve takes a look at Troy Leon Gregg, a hitchhiking killer who escapes his death sentence… technically. It's a not-so-heartwarming story that reminds us that karma is as karma does. 

Sources:

Murderpedia, 'Troy Leon Gregg': http://murderpedia.org/male.G/g/gregg-troy-leon.htm

Wikipedia, 'Troy Leon Gregg': https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troy_Leon_Gregg#cite_note-Quest-5

Weird US, 'Melon Heads': http://www.weirdus.com/states/ohio/fabled_people_and_places/melonheads/index.php

This week, Ben takes a look at a serial killer John George Haigh, who was much more confident in his modus operandi than he should have been.

Steve has the story of the Somerton, aka the Tamam Shud case. When a body is found on Somerton beach, the only thing a mysterious as his death is his identity.

Sources:

Pelling, Nick, Tamam Shud / Somerton Man, Cypher Mysteries: http://ciphermysteries.com/tamam-shud-somerton-man

Serena, Katie, The Story of the Acid Bath Killer is Just as Gruesome as His Nickname Suggests, AllThatsInteresting.com, Nov 28, 2017: https://allthatsinteresting.com/john-george-haigh

Stolze, Dolly, Cold Case Chronicles: The Acid Bath Killer, Forensic Magazine, Mar 15, 2017: https://www.forensicmag.com/article/2017/03/cold-case-chronicles-acid-bath-murders

Wikipedia, Tamam Shud Case: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamam_Shud_case

If your rice import empire falls to ruin, there's really only one thing left to do: Declare yourself Emperor of the United States of America. It's a pretty sweet gig for the honorable and fair Emperor Norton.

When 21 year old Canadian college student goes missing, a mysterious security video surfaces that has the whole world asking, "What happened to Elisa Lam?" The only thing more ominous than her disappearance is the sordid history of the hotel itself.

Sources:

Kamiya, Gary, How Emperor Norton Rose to Power, The San Fransisco Chronicle, April 1, 2017: https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/How-Emperor-Norton-rose-to-power-11042296.php#photo-12640572

Miller, Matt, 5 Real-Life Horror Stories Reported in the News, Esquire, Oct 29, 2015: https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/news/a39179/five-real-life-horror-stories/

Jones, Jennifer, The Ghosts of Skid Row - Hotel Cecil, The Dead History, May 25, 2016: https://www.thedeadhistory.com/hotel-cecil/

Religion works best when you make it up to fit your needs. Unfortunately, the LeBaron's apparently just needed a reason to marry multiple women… and also to murder people at will.

Steve takes a look at the life and legends of "Stagecoach" Mary Fields, the freed-slave turned whiskey-drinkin, nose-punching jack of all trades who, underneath her tough exterior, really did have a heart of gold.

Sources:

Abrams, Gary; A Family's Legacy of Death; Sept 20, 1992, The LA Times; http://articles.latimes.com/1992-09-20/news/vw-1753_1_utah-prison-cult-lebaron-family

Unnamed; ERVIL LEBARON, UTAH POLYGAMIST, IS FOUND DEAD IN HIS PRISON CELL (Obituary); NY Times; https://www.nytimes.com/1981/08/17/obituaries/ervil-lebaron-utah-polygamist-is-found-dead-in-his-prison-cell.html

Reindl, JC; 'Stagecoach Mary' Broke Barriers of Race, Gender; Feb 8, 2010; The Toledo Blade; http://www.toledoblade.com/local/2010/02/08/Stagecoach-Mary-broke-barriers-of-race-gender.html

Blakemore, Erin; Meet Stagecoach Mary; Sept 14, 2017; History; https://www.history.com/news/meet-stagecoach-mary-the-daring-black-pioneer-who-protected-wild-west-stagecoaches

Kelly, Kate; Mary Fields: First African-American Woman to Cary the Mail; America Comes Alive; https://americacomesalive.com/2014/01/05/mary-fields-ca-1832-1914-known-as-stagecoach-mary/

When the working day is done, girls just wanna have… murder? This week, the Nonessential Podcast talks lady-killers. Steve discusses Martha Marek, a poor orphan from early 1900's Vienna who managed to find herself the sudden heiress to a large fortune, but once she tasted the good life, she was willing to do anything to keep it.

But first, Ben tells the story of Russian countess Darya Saltykova. Darya was a woman of deep faith and compassion, until she really, really wasn't. They say hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, and they probably say that specifically because of Darya.

Sources:

Klevantseva, Tatiana, 'Prominent Russians: Darya Saltykova', Russiapedia, https://russiapedia.rt.com/prominent-russians/history-and-mythology/darya-saltykova/

"Marek, Martha Lowenstein (1904–1938)." Women in World History: A Biographical Encyclopedia. . Encyclopedia.com. 6 Aug. 2018

This week, we discuss Elmer McCurdy. He may have been an alcoholic, and he may have been the worst robber in the West, but his story proves that sometimes success is in the eye, or cadaver, of the beholder.

We also recount the tales of Bjorn Ironside and his viking mentor Hastein. While their track-record was more hit than miss, their greatest hit was also their biggest miss. Fortunately for them, viking culture was less about who you killed and more about how many.

Sources:

'Elmer McCurdy: The Outlaw Mummy of Oklahoma', The Lineup, https://the-line-up.com/elmer-mccurdy-mummy-man

Powel, J Mark, 'The Strange Afterlife of Elmer McCurdy', Jmarkpowel.com, http://www.jmarkpowell.com/the-strange-afterlife-of-elmer-mccurdy/

Lloyd, Ellen, 'Bjorn Ironside: Famous Viking', Ancient Pages, http://www.jmarkpowell.com/the-strange-afterlife-of-elmer-mccurdy/

'Hastein', Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hastein

This week, Ben takes a look at Yukio Mishima, a talented author and actor whose dreams were to become a martyr. He may have skipped a few steps, but—well, you'll just have to listen to find out how that went for him.

Steve discusses American inventor John Keely, who managed to harness the newly theorized etheric forces (and later, vibratory symphony) to create a clean, water-fueled engine that would revolutionize the world. At least, that's what he led his investors to think.

Sources:

Hook, Donald D. “Chapter 17 Mishima.” Madmen of History, Dorset Press, 1986, pp. 213–225

7 Outrageous Hoaxes That Actually Worked, Cracked (Hoover, Dwayne) http://www.cracked.com/article_19743_7-outrageous-hoaxes-that-actually-worked.html

John Ernst Worrell Keely, Wikipeadia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ernst_Worrell_Keely

We try something new this week, as Ben performs a reading of Dkingsbury's #creepypasta masterpiece, 'Ronald McDonald House.' I'm lovin' it, and we hope you do too.

Steve takes a look at the "doctor" John R Brinkley, whose contribution to the world of medicine involved some very sensitive goat parts. He built an empire, but as they say, pride comes before the fall.

Sources:

'Ronald McDonald House', Creepypasta Wiki, (Dkingsbury), http://creepypasta.wikia.com/wiki/Ronald_McDonald_House

‘John R Brinkley’, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_R._Brinkley

John R Brinkley, Kansaspedia, (Kansas Historical Society) https://www.kshs.org/kansapedia/john-r-brinkley/11988

‘John R Brinkley, Goat-gland Doctor’, Legends of America, (Weiser-Alexander, Kathy) https://www.legendsofamerica.com/john-brinkley/

This week, Ben delves into the weird history of the werewolf myths. From magic moonbeams and a serial killing hermit, to a wild game recipe that would make even Guy Fieri blush, the legend of the Lycan is a weird one.

Next, what happens when a wanna-be gangster extorts an average Joe into killing a problematic business associate? It doesn't end well. But hiring more amateur hit-men can only make the situation worse. This week, Steve proves that justice is blind... and stupid.

Sources:

"Werewolves: Lore, Legend & Lycanthropy", Live Science, (Radford, Benjamin) https://www.livescience.com/24412-werewolves.html

"Gilles Garnier: The Werewolf of Dole", Werewolves.com, (Annimi) https://www.werewolves.com/gilles-garnier-the-werewolf-of-dole/

“Man Faces Life Term in Murder by Mistake”, LA Times, (Hernandez, Greg) http://articles.latimes.com/1998/jun/06/local/me-57243

L.A. Officers Were Building Case Against Premium Chief”, LA Times (Boucher, Geoff and Ken Ellingwood) http://articles.latimes.com/1996-05-17/local/me-5402_1_barbara-dale-allen

“O.C. Loan Firm May Be Tied to Other Shootings”, LA Times (Ellingwood, Ken and Debora Vrana and Geoff Boucher” http://articles.latimes.com/1996-05-09/news/mn-2319_1_premium-commercial/2

“'No Doubt' on Suspect, Victim of Shooting Says”, LA Times (Granberry, Michael) http://articles.latimes.com/1996-06-22/local/me-17548_1_margaret-peggy-wengert

LA Times Archive relating to Coleman Allen http://articles.latimes.com/keyword/coleman-allen

“Police Suspect O.C. Financeer Ordered Murders”, LA Times, (Boucher, Geoff and Ken Ellingwood) http://articles.latimes.com/1996-05-11/news/mn-3004_1_life-insurance-policies

“Police Say Firm Made Clients Buy Insurance, LA Times”, (Boucher, Geoff and Lee Romney) http://articles.latimes.com/1996-05-10/news/mn-2714_1_life-insurance-policies/2

On the Nonessential Podcast this week, Ben's topic sucks!... your blood. We explore the origins and particularly unparticulars of vampires.

Next, Steve recounts the harrowing Antarctic expedition lead by Douglas Mawson. The scientific endeavor may not have succeeded as planned, but did prove that just when you think you're at rock bottom, they can always get worse.

Suit up, strap in, and hold on: It's a wild one.

Sources:

Vampires: Fact, Fiction, and Folklore, Live Science (Radford, Benjamin) https://www.livescience.com/24374-vampires-real-history.html

Vampires, Zombies & Werewolves, Oh My! The Origins of Halloween Monsters, Live Science (Palermo, Elizabeth) https://www.livescience.com/52648-mythical-halloween-monsters-origins.html

Vlad the Impaler: The Real Dracula's Dark Secret, Live Science (Palermo, Elizabeth) https://www.livescience.com/48536-vlad-the-impaler-dark-secrets.html

'The Most Terrible Polar Exploration Ever', The Smithsonian (Dash, Mike) https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-most-terrible-polar-exploration-ever-douglas-mawsons-antarctic-journey-82192685/

Douglas Mawson, Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_Mawson