True Crime Brewery

In its immediate aftermath, the 1984 murder of Brenda Lafferty and her baby daughter had their community asking “why?”  But once the investigation was under way, law enforcement began to look closely at the family Brenda Lafferty had married into. Brenda was a devout Mormon, but she disagreed with the extreme religious beliefs of her brothers-in-law, Ron and Dan Lafferty, who had embraced fundamentalist views and were excommunicated from the LDS church.

Join us at the quiet end for Blood Atonement. Brenda has been described as a young woman who was dedicated to her husband Allen, her daughter, and the church. But Brenda had been raised in a much more liberal Mormon family and she wasn’t afraid to openly disagree with her in-law’s fundamentalist views, which included polygamy. Following their excommunication, Dan and Ron Lafferty had become more and more fanatical in their beliefs. And they blamed Brenda when Allen refused to join them.

Support the show for ad-free, early, bonus episodes and more!

Record a voicemail for a future show

Contact Us

Shop TCB Merch

Join our True Crime Brewery Fan Discussion Group

Sources

Band of Brothers, American Monster, Investigation Discovery, S3, E5

Exclusive: The Real Brenda Lafferty is lost in ‘Under the Banner of Heaven’ series, Deseret News, Katie McKellar, 5/11/2022

Killer Dan Lafferty says his ideas influenced Strack family suicide, Chris Jones, 1/30/2015

Meet The Real Lafferty Family From Under the Banner of Heaven, Bustle, Morgan Leigh Davies, 4/30/2022

State v. Lafferty, Utah Supreme Court, 2/23/2001

Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer, 2003

Under the Banner of Heaven, Hulu miniseries, 4/28/2022

Why Brenda Lafferty Was Murdered by Her Husband’s Fundamentalist Family, A&E Blog, Jacquelyn Gray. 2/23/2023

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. 

Let therapy be your map, with BetterHelp.

The ostensibly charmed marriage of Kelley and Jim Cannon became something like a bad lifetime movie after years of drug addiction and domestic disturbances. Judging from outward appearances, the two were a successful and happy couple raising a young family. Jim was a law school graduate and a well-liked businessman. Kelley was a housewife and mother of three, remembered by her old classmates as a good student and a popular cheerleader. But then, one night in 2008, Jim’s dead body was found inside of a bedroom closet in their Nashville home.

Join us at the quiet end for A Body in the Closet. When Jim was found dead, his three children were missing. Police found Kelley Cannon in a nearby condo with the children. She explained that Jim had called her, acting crazy, and asked her to take care of the kids. But an injunction had prevented Kelley from entering the family’s home, so was she telling the truth or was Kelley somehow responsible for her estranged husband’s death?

Support the show for ad-free, early, bonus episodes and more!

Record a voicemail for a future show

Contact Us

Shop TCB Merch

Join our True Crime Brewery Fan Discussion Group

Sources

Green Hills Mom Who Strangled Husband in 2008 Asks for New Trial, WKRN.com, Sarah Denson, 3/30/2015

House of Lies by Linda Rosencrance

Kelley Elizabeth Cannon v. State of Tennessee, Criminal Court for Davidson County, 3/21/2017

State of Tennessee v. Kelley Elizabeth Cannon, Court of Criminal Appeals of Tennessee at Nashville, 10/18/2011

Who Killed Jim Cannon? Nashville Scene, Elizabeth Ulrich, 7/3/2008

The Widow Speaks, Nashville Scene, Elizabeth Ulrich, 7/10/2008

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. 

Find more balance, with BetterHelp.

Vicki Durian and Nancy Santomero were hitchhiking on their way to the Rainbow Family Gathering in June, 1980, when they disappeared. This was an annual gathering of hippies and free-thinking people where they would celebrate harmony, peace, and freedom at Monongahela National Forest. But after the two young women accepted a ride from a quiet young man driving a Chevy Nova, they were never seen alive again.

Join us at the quiet end for The Rainbow Girls Murders. Someone murdered Nancy and Vicki in cold blood, leaving their bodies to be found on a remote mountainside. But twelve years into the investigation, an innocent man was charged and convicted of their killings. This man would spend years in prison before the real killer could be brought to justice. Today, we’ll talk about this fascinating case and discuss why the wrong man was sent to prison and a cold-blooded killer was left free to kill again.

Support the show for ad-free, early, bonus episodes and more!

Record a voicemail for a future show

Contact Us

Shop TCB Merch

Join our True Crime Brewery Fan Discussion Group

Sources

Man who confessed to ‘Rainbow Murders’ is executed, The Associated Press, 11/19/2013

Life Without Mercy by Ralph Kennedy Echols

The Third Rainbow Girl by Emma Copley Eisenberg

Neurosurgeon Christopher Duntsch had little in his background to predict the trail of surgical atrocities he would commit in his short-lived career. Before he was finally stopped, Duntsch had caused serious neurological injuries to most of his patients and killed two of them. In fact, of the 38 surgeries he performed, 33 were catastrophic.

Join us at the quiet end for Dissecting Dr. Death. After his residency in Tennessee, Christopher Duntsch moved to Dallas to start his neurosurgery practice. Despite rumors that he had been using cocaine, LSD, and prescription opiates while in training, he had excellent references. Once he began performing surgeries in Dallas, Duntsch was immediately recognized as incompetent by other surgeons and OR staff. And, with no indication that he would stop or seek out additional training, it became obvious that he was intentionally harming his patients. But the big question is why?

Support the show for ad-free, early, bonus episodes and more!

Record a voicemail for a future show

Contact Us

Shop TCB Merch

Join our True Crime Brewery Fan Discussion Group

Sources

Anatomy of a Tragedy, Texas Observer, Saul Elbein, 8/28/2013

Christopher Daniel Duntsch v. The State of Texas, 12/10/2018

Christopher Duntsch: A Review of Clinicide, Journal of Forensic Psychology, Robert Kaplan, 11/1/2021

Dr. Death, D Magazine, Matt Goodman, 10/24/2016

The State of Texas v. Christopher Duntsch, Indictments, 7/21/2015

After a 911 call came in late at night on August 2, 2006, paramedics were dispatched to a high-end Washington D.C. townhouse.  Inside, the home was very neat with expensive electronics and other valuables in plain sight. On the second floor, 32-year-old attorney Robert Wone was found lying flat on his back in a t-shirt and gym shorts. He had three stab wounds to his torso. Mr. Wone was a houseguest that night and the three permanent residents claimed to have no idea who had stabbed him. But the home had absolutely no signs of forced entry or a burglary.

Join us at the quiet end for Murder Mystery on Swann Street. From the time they arrived, police officers and paramedics were struck by the incongruous scene.  All three residents of the home were together in the living room, freshly showered and wearing crisp, white robes. The bed where Mr. Wone was found appeared strikingly undisturbed. And, despite having suffered three deep knife wounds, there was very little blood on Mr. Wone or the bedding. The lack of an intruder, the physical evidence, and the bizarre behavior of home’s residents has created an extraordinary mystery surrounding Robert Wone’s death—a mystery that still endures today.

Record a voicemail for a future show

Contact Us

Shop TCB Merch

Join our True Crime Brewery Fan Discussion Group

Sources

Cover-Up Alleged in D.C. Killing of Lawyer, The Washington Post, Duggan, P., Williamas, C., 1/11/2008

Police Say Crime Scene was Altered in NW Killing, The Washington Post, Klein, A., Cauvin, H., 8/16/2006

Robert Wone: Life, Death, and Love, Washingtonian, Harry Jaffe, 4/20/2010

United States v. Joseph R. Price, Victor J. Zaborsky, and Dylan M. Ward, Superior Court of the District of Columbia, 6/29/2010

Who Killed Robert Wone?, Peacock Documentary Series, 3/7/2023

As far back as Brian Stidham could remember, he wanted to be a doctor and work with children. As an exceptional student, he graduated from Harvard Medical School. Then he began his residency in pediatric ophthalmology. Eventually, Brian married, had two children, and moved to Tucson, Arizona. As one of very few specialists in the area, he was in high demand. But as Brian’s star was rising, his life would be taken by a man whose own life was crashing and burning.

Join us at the quiet end for Eye to Eye: The Murder of Dr. Brian Stidham. While working at a practice with ophthalmologist Bradley Schwartz, Brian noticed that the doctor was behaving erratically.  After Schwartz was indicted on drug charges, Brian made plans to open his own practice. But Schwartz was infuriated when his patients went to Brian. And Brad Schwartz was not the forgiving type.

Support the show for ad-free, early, bonus episodes and more!

Record a voicemail for a future show

Contact Us

Shop TCB Merch

Join our True Crime Brewery Fan Discussion Group

Sources

An Eye for an Eye, 48 Hours, 7/8/2008

Murder Conspiracy Case Grabs Media Glare, American Medical News, 7/10/2006

Office Visit, Forensic Files, 5/17/2018

Toxic Rage by AJ Flick

Tucson Citizen Archives, 2005-2014

Tucson Weekly Archives, 2005-2006

Diane Whitmore grew up in the Midwest. She was a smart girl and, as she matured, she was looking forward to an exciting life as an independent, sophisticated woman.  But when it came to men, Diane had a bad picker. Diane married Joe Pikul after meeting him at an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting.  He was exciting to her: wealthy and outgoing but emotionally unstable with a terrible temper. By the time the couple had children, they were fighting regularly. Joe’s behavior had progressed from emotionally to physically abusive.

Join us at the quiet end for One Last Family Weekend. Diane’s friends feared for her safety, so they were all relieved when she finally decided to leave Joe.  But, at the same time, they worried about Diane taking unnecessary risks. Her brave exterior could no longer cover up how frightened she had become of her husband. Joe asked Diane to meet him at their vacation home in the Hamptons for one last family weekend. She knew this was a bad idea, but she felt obligated to go for the sake of her children. This was a decision she wouldn’t live long enough to regret.

Support the show for ad-free, early, bonus episodes and more!

Record a voicemail for a future show

Contact Us

Shop TCB Merch

Join our True Crime Brewery Fan Discussion Group

Sources

4 Years After His Death, Pikul Poses Problems for Offspring, New York Times, Joan Ullman, 9/19/1993

Marrying the Hangman by Sheila Weller

Matter of Pikul, Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 8/5/1993

Mystery in the Hamptons, Dominick Dunne’s Power, Privilege, & Justice, S1 E6

Wife Killer Dies While He Waits for Prison Term, New York Times, James Feron, 6/23/1989

Joseph Pikul

On July 18, 2014, 41-year-old law professor Dan Markel dropped off his two young sons at preschool, worked out at the gym, and returned home to his quiet Tallahassee, Florida home. It was a Friday and Dan was looking forward to a relaxing weekend. But as soon as he pulled into his garage, someone shot him at point-blank range.

Join us at the quiet end for Conspiracy: The Murder-for-Hire of Dan Markel. This is a story of a divorce and custody battle spun out of control and a family hell-bent on revenge. The investigation into Dan’s murder went on for two years before two career criminals were arrested for driving 10 hours from Miami to stalk and kill Dan. They had no known connection to Dan, but Dan’s ex-wife had family in the Miami area. The family hated Dan, who was getting in the way of Wendi and her children moving closer to them. It was difficult to believe that the Adelsons were behind a murder-for-hire plot, but no one else had a motive to want Dan dead.

Support the show for ad-free and bonus episodes and more!

Record a voicemail for a future show

Contact Us

Shop TCB Merch

Join our True Crime Brewery Fan Discussion Group

Sources

20/20, Over My Dead Body, S42, E3

Dateline, Cold-Blooded, 2020

Extreme Punishment by Steven B. Epstein

Katherine Magbanua v. State of Florida, Petition for Writ of Certiorari, First District Court of Appeal, 5/31/2019

Magbanua, Garcia, and Charles Adelson Court Appearance Video Footage, Law & Crime Network, 2016-2023

Probable Cause First Degree Murder, Charlie Adelson, 9/9/2016

State of Florida v. Charles “Charlie” Adelson, Written Plea of Not Guilty and Demand for Discovery, 4/26/2022

The Unveiling: A Mother’s Reflection on Murder, Grief, and Trial Life by Ruth Markel

Jana and Bruce Koklich were the ideal couple in many ways. Jana was a smart and attractive woman whose father had been an influential California state senator. Bruce was her dedicated, hard-working, and charming husband. Together, they ran a successful California real estate business and owned several valuable properties. But after going to an Eric Clapton concert with a friend in August of 2001, Jana disappeared.

Join us at the quiet end for Never Seen Again. Bruce Koklich, as Jana’s concerned husband, appeared on the news and pleaded for her to return home safely. But some friends and family members felt like something was off. Bruce’s business and personal choices were scrutinized, leading some to suspect that he was involved in his wife’s disappearance. But Jana had not been with Bruce on the night she disappeared, so was it possible that she had left her husband to start a new life or had she been a target of foul play?

Support the show for ad-free and bonus episodes and more!

Record a voicemail for a future show

Contact Us

Shop TCB Merch

Join our True Crime Brewery Fan Discussion Group

Sources

The Charley Project, Jana Carpenter Koklich, https://charleyproject.org/case/jana-carpenter-koklich

Los Angeles Times Archives 2002-2008

Monstrous Arrogance, University at Albany Journal of Criminal Justice and Popular Culture, Cynthia Lewis, 2008

People v. Koklich, California Court of Appeal, 5/1/2006

Vanished by Carlton Smith