This week we're looking at a story of survival, which can be a great thing, but also has a lot of trauma related repercussions for the survivor, or in this case survivors - all 27 of them! This story, the Chowchilla Bus Kidnapping, was the biggest story - and largest mass kidnapping - California had ever seen, and to this day, there hasn't been a larger group of people kidnapped since. The worst part - 26 of the 27 captives were children, many as young and 5 or 6 years old. 
This tale is harrowing, terrifying, evil, and also, just plain stupid, as you'll see how unprepared, half assed, and dumb the kidnappers were (yes, they were absolutely caught). Tune in for this crazy tale, but beware - claustrophobia abounds!

Sources:
https://www.cityofchowchilla.org/300/1976-Bus-Kidnapping
https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/chowchilla-bus-kidnapping-frederick-woods-rare-photos-from-one-of-the-largest-kidnappings-in-u-s-history/32/


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This week, we're going back in time to a horrific and little covered case: The Wineville Chicken Coop Murders. Be warned, this case is centered around horrific abuse and murder of children, so it may not be for everyone, and as always, there will be no shying away from the details of what happened, so be warned!
This case may not be familiar to you, but there was actually a Hollywood movie made about one part of this case. This movie, The Changeling, was directed by Clint Eastwood and stars Angelina Jolie. Unfortunately, it doesn't cover the full scope of the case as they weren't making a horror film, but it does offer an interesting insight into how the police behaved during these murders. 

Tune in now for the full case, in all its horrific glory!

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This week, we are diving in on one of the most horrific tales we've ever heard or spoke of: The worst mother in the world, Theresa Knorr. This absolute monster of a woman subjected her own children to more abuse than most people can even think about, and when that wasn't enough to satisfy her twisted mind, she eventually turned to murder. 
Besides murdering her own children, this trash bag woman enlisted her other children to help carry out her sick plans, making them accomplices in the deaths of their own siblings - truly, the depths of depravity have no limits in this case. 
We may not have found another halloween case, but we definitely found a story about a real life monster. 



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This week we're kicking off spooky season with a well known Halloween Homicide that took place in Napa, California. Adriane Insogna and Leslie Mazzara were upstairs asleep in their three bedroom house, along with their downstaris roommate, when murderous villain broke into their home, with disastrous results.

The thing that makes this tale so scary is the prolonged search for the killer in an otherwise very safe and peaceful place, and even more, the discovery of the killer's identity, which rocked the entire community. 

Join us for this and more spooky tales all October long! 

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This week, we're diving into a serial killer duo who were rightfully dubbed The Speed Freak Killers. These to drugged out losers assaulted and killed as many as 70 men and women in California's Central Valley betwen the years of 1984 and 1998, before the Sheriff in the area finally decided to put a stop to their reign of terror. 
These two men, Loren Herzog and Wesley Shermantine, were both from upper middle class families, and seemed to have it all. Behind closed doors, though, things were very different, and the traumas suffered by children can often manifest in very bad ways as they grow up. This is a perfect example of that scenario playing out to the worst possible conclusion - over and over again. 

Sources:
https://www.cbsnews.com/sacramento/news/remains-positively-identified-as-speed-freak-killer-victim-chevy-wheeler/

https://www.kcra.com/article/shermantine-victim-others-would-be-alive-had-jury-listened/6395483
https://www.lodinews.com/news/article_56f86df2-18fc-11e4-abe0-10604b9f0f42.html

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We're back this week with the conclusion of the absolutely terrible case of the murder of Kristin Smart. While the conclusion does have some very gratifying moments, unfortunately, it also continues the general vibe of this case - frustration, sadness, and a strong lack of closure.

That being said, there is something wonderful and special about cold cases finally being solved, and possibly none more than this one, as we all knew what happened for 25+ years. Finally seeing that truth to come light, and the killer made to pay for his crimes, does put a little hop in our step, and we hope it does for you too!



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We are BACK, finally! After a nearly five month hiatus, Cindy is back with a doozy of a case! The murder of Kristin Smart is something most Californians of a certain age at least know about, remember, and often mourn, as it was huge news in many communities, especially as it took over 20 years to solve. Cindy dives into this horrific case of a wonderful young woman murdered by a classmate and all but forgotten by negligent police, who bungled the case for over 20 years while her family waited for closure. This case is angering, upsetting, sad, and finally at least somewhat satifsying, thanks in very large part to the work of another podcaster, Chris Lambert, who researched and reported on this case 20+ years after the fact, which in turn brought it back into the spotlight, and finally got the family some answers.

This case will be presented in two parts, with the conclusion available next week. Tune in and enjoy!



Sources:
Your Own Backyard Podcast
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/kristin-smart-verdict-paul-flores-guilty-48-hours/
https://www.ksby.com/news/kristin-smart-case/appeal-asks-court-to-reverse-paul-flores-conviction-for-murder-of-kristin-smart
https://www.sanluisobispo.com/news/local/crime/article312070996.html

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This week, we take a look at a slightly lesser known but still very scary serial killer, Roger Kibbe, the I-5 Strangler. Roger had the typical serial killer upbringing - bad home life, mommy issues, and the inability to express his emotions except through trouble making and violence. The thing that makes this story so unique is just how many times Kibbe slipped through the fingers of detectives, despite his bravado when committing his crimes. It's frustrating to say the least, but makes his capture all the sweeter, when it finally (finally!) happens. 

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Sources:
https://www.amazon.com/Trace-Evidence-Elusive-Serial-Killer/dp/0684807084
https://apnews.com/article/i-5-strangler-killed-in-prison-roger-reece-kibbe-a85c34042c1b466b1562746fc1a84452
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0645493/

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This week we conclude the terrible tale of two brothers, both wounded by their childhoods, in very different but equally horrific ways, and both with tragic endings to their adult lives (although one is still very much alive). Part two of this tale focuses on Cary's life after leaving home, and after the death of both his brother and his uncle. 

Cary's life goes very sideways from here, as he finally gives in to his demons, with terrifying and awful results.

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Sources:
https://www.myyosemitepark.com/park/history/yosemite-serial-killer/
https://abcnews.go.com/US/steven-cary-stayner-tale-brothers-horror-heroism/story?id=60529944
https://archive.org/details/iknowmyfirstname0000echo/page/204/mode/2up

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This week is part 1 of a two-for-one true crime story, with two horrifying stories from the same ill fated family - the Stayners. We begin our story with the birth of the eldest son, Cary Stayner. Four years later, his younger brother, Steven would be born, causing a rift in the family that never healed. Tragedy struck this familiy time and time again, giving new meaning to the term 'generational trauma'. 

Horrible things happened both to and because of this family, and the shockwaves can be felt to this day. While many podcasts focus on Cary's story, this story will be about both brothers, as their stories can't be told separately without losing out on the gravity of the situations. This is truly one of the saddest, most tragic stories in the history of California true crime, so tune in and get ready for a crazy, terrible tale. 

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Sources:
https://www.myyosemitepark.com/park/history/yosemite-serial-killer/
https://abcnews.go.com/US/steven-cary-stayner-tale-brothers-horror-heroism/story?id=60529944
https://archive.org/details/iknowmyfirstname0000echo/page/204/mode/2up

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A proud member of the Darkcast Networki