True Crime California

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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Sherri Rasmussen was a super accomplished, intelligent, beautiful woman with a fantastic career and brand new marriage when she was brutally murdered inside her home. She was only 29 years old. The case went cold for many years, with virtually no viable leads. Sherri's family always felt they knew who was to blame, but unfortunately, they weren't listened to by police, until over 20 years later when DNA helped the family finally find justice and closure. The solving of the case came after a number of surprising twists and turns, which is why this story is so well known in the true crime community. If you have heard it before, enjoy my retelling, and if you haven't heard it, welcome to this crazy case!

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Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Sherri_Rasmussen
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/ex-lapd-detective-hid-murder-decades-wont-paroled-reversing-earlier-de-rcna173723
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1268118624623688

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This week, we're taking a look at an unsolved case - one of the most famous in California, in fact! This came in as a listener request but was definitely something we wanted to do anyway, so we're glad you all asked! 

This story takes place in the remote area of Keddie, California, in what can only be described as a micro community of families living in defunct vacation rental cabins known as the Keddie Cabins. This is where Sue Sharp and her five children lived for a short time before disaster struck. What happened is horrific but also widely agreed upon, yet nobody was ever arrested for the crimes. The killers walked among us for years with no repercussions, and even to this day the case is considered unsolved. Beyond that, the question of why these murders took place is one of much debate, with some wild new theories presented here - so tune in and enjoy! 

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Sources:
https://www.plumasnews.com/keddie-murders-revisited/
https://www.abc10.com/article/news/crime/true-crime/murder-in-cabin-28-keddie-murders-unsolved-california/103-1e3e7671-8c2c-4f4c-abb3-fae3ae07425e

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This week we're finishing our terrible tale of the Vampire of Sacramento, Richard Chase. This man was haunted by demons created in his own sick mind, and unfortunately took that out on innocent victims, killing them so he could drink their blood, eat their flesh, and mutilate their bodies. This story goes from bad to worse, so if you thought part one was weird and terrible, get ready for a horrifying finale with an very unsatisfying ending. You've been warned!

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Sources:
https://vault.fbi.gov/richard-chase/Richard%20Chase%20Part%2001%20%28Final%29
https://www.peacocktv.com/watch/asset/tv/worlds-most-evil-killers/6655699059636331112?orig_ref=https://www.google.com/
https://www.amazon.com/Vampire-Sacramento-Blood-Thirsty-Cannibal-Explicit/dp/B08CWJ4S46

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