Part 2! This week, we are diving into a personal favorite case: the story of Dorothea Puente! This murderous granny lived a wild life before turning her petty crimes up many notches, all the way to serial murder. From humble beginnings in Redlands, CA, all the way to dancing with the Governor and rubbing elbows with California's politically elite, and all the way back down to life in a jail cell, Dorothea Puente's life was anything but boring. It was also immensely evil, tragic, and just plain sad, and we'll be sure to talk all about all those things in this two part case!

Fear not, we will be posting both parts back to back, so no waiting! Part one will outline her life before her murder spree began, while part two jumps right in to the killing, as well as her ridiciulous near escape, and the obvoius conclusion to the story - life in prison!

Join us on instagram: True Crime California

Email case suggestions to: [email protected]

A proud member of the Darkcast Networki

Sources:
https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/she-nicknamed-death-house-landlady-112800788.html
https://archive.org/details/bonegardensacram00wood_1/page/210/mode/2up
https://www.upi.com/Archives/1989/03/25/Accused-mass-killer-got-drugs-from-therapist/1593606805200/
https://casetext.com/case/puente-v-mitchell-2

This week, we are diving into a personal favorite case: the story of Dorothea Puente! This murderous granny lived a wild life before turning her petty crimes up many notches, all the way to serial murder. From humble beginnings in Redlands, CA, all the way to dancing with the Governor and rubbing elbows with California's politically elite, and all the way back down to life in a jail cell, Dorothea Puente's life was anything but boring. It was also immensely evil, tragic, and just plain sad, and we'll be sure to talk all about all those things in this two part case!

Fear not, we will be posting both parts back to back, so no waiting! Part one will outline her life before her murder spree began, while part two jumps right in to the killing, as well as her ridiciulous near escape, and the obvoius conclusion to the story - life in prison!

Join us on instagram: True Crime California

Email case suggestions to: [email protected]

A proud member of the Darkcast Networki

Sources:
https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/she-nicknamed-death-house-landlady-112800788.html
https://archive.org/details/bonegardensacram00wood_1/page/210/mode/2up
https://www.upi.com/Archives/1989/03/25/Accused-mass-killer-got-drugs-from-therapist/1593606805200/
https://casetext.com/case/puente-v-mitchell-2

This week, we look at what can only be described as a devastating case, truly one of the worst out there - The Toolbox Killer. This case again takes place in the 1970's, when multiple young girls were abducted, tortured, sexually assaulted, and killed by two trash bag humans named Larry Bittaker and Roy Norris. These two dirt bags met in prison in a jewerly making class and became fast friends while plotting to terrorize young women and girls when they were released, which happened way too quickly considering their laundry list of past crimes. We'll talk about the making of these monsters, how they met, and the terrible things they did to innocent young women, and please be warned, this is a big trigger warning case, as the facts are very disturbing, and we do include some of the details of these murders in this episode. Listen at your own risk, and be ready to be horrified, angered, and sadened by this absolutely awful case.

Join us on instagram: True Crime California

Email case suggestions to: [email protected]

A proud member of the Darkcast Networki

Sources:
https://criminalminds.fandom.com/wiki/Lawrence_Bittaker_and_Roy_Norris
https://law.justia.com/cases/california/supreme-court/3d/48/1046.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Lvu63Dqr4E
https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/watchingrobertpickton88015/transcript-of-shirley-lynette-ledford-audio-record-t3312.html

This week, we go back to the 70's for another infamous crime: The Barbecue Murders! This is a classic tale of parricide, but the details muddy the waters a bit when thinking about who is really at fault, and who is really a victim. Sixteen year old Marlene Olive, adopted at birth and never allowed to forget it, doesn't know love, only control. Her boyfriend, Chuck, doesn't think he's deserving of love and does whatever he can to continually earn Marlene's affection, including plotting to kill her parents, Jim and Naomi Olive. But Chuck isn't the only one Marlene draws into her web, and Jim and Naomi may not be the innocent victims you'd expect. Tune in now for a wild tale of family drama that ends in a horrific double murder. 

Join us on instagram: True Crime California

Send us an email with case suggestions, or just say hi! [email protected]

A proud member of the Darkcast Network

Sources:
https://sfpl.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S93C5198791
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbecue_murders
https://www.mercurynews.com/2014/07/21/infamous-marin-killer-will-have-court-ordered-parole-hearing-in-september/
https://www.newspapers.com/image/70213152/

This week we are covering a lesser known, but still horrific (and also very interesting) case: the murder of Debbie Dorian. Debbie Dorian was a smart, driven 22 year old college student at Fresno State when her life was cut short by an unidentified attacker. Despite police taking immediate action, her case went cold. 

Just a few years later, a string of sexual assaults began taking place in a nearby town, and when police submitted DNA from one of these attacks to their database, they came up with a suprising match, that lead them on a years long hunt for a very scary man. 

Please like, rate, review, and join us on instagram! True Crime California

A proud member of the Darkcast Network

Sources: 
https://abc30.com/nickey-stane-debbie-dorian-fresno-apartment/14110858/
https://www.fresnobee.com/news/local/crime/article282478238.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJkjGtsWlDo
https://www.fresnobee.com/news/local/crime/article282478238.html

This week we take a look at one of the most infamous, horrifying cases in California history: the abduction and murder of Polly Klaas. This story takes place in 1993, when 12 year old Polly is stolen out of her own bedroom during a sleep over with two friends, while her mother and sister slept in the other room. The boldness of the abduction, along with the inability to find a single suspect for more than two months, made this case one of the most terrifying and captivating of its time. The entire nation stood by, waiting for answers, and finally, just before the new year, they got what they were waiting for when a man was finally tied to her disappearance. 

Once Polly's killer was caught, her story was used to pass multiple new laws, including California's highly debated Three Strikes and You're Out law, which was sold to frightened voters as a way to protect our children, but ended up imprisoning thousands of non violent criminals, while others continued to walk free. While Polly's father Marc was a big proponent of these laws, her two sisters, Jess and Annie, are not, and we'll talk about why, as well as how they are choosing to honor their sister's legacy in a very different way. 

Join us on instagram! True Crime California

A proud member of the Darkcast Network

Sources: 
https://crimegrade.org/safest-places-in-petaluma-ca/
https://abcnews.go.com/US/polly-klaas-murder-30-years-investigators-remember-dogged/story?id=103276602
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/oct/22/polly-klaas-sisters-criminal-justice-mass-incarceration
https://caselaw.findlaw.com/court/ca-supreme-court/1286985.html
https://www.oxygen.com/crime-news/richard-allen-davis-kidnapping-murder-polly-klaas-sleepover

Please check out Cindy's new podcast, True Crime California!

This week finishes the horrifying saga of Bill Bonin, otherwise known as the Freeway Killer, who killed at least 21 young men and boys between 1979 and 1980. In the second half of this case, we hear more horrifying details about his final murders, as well as how he and his accomplices were eventually caught, put on trial, and, in some cases, suffered fates similar to those of their victims. 

Tune in to hear the terrible conclusion to this awful tale, and come back next week for more terrible stories from the golden state! 

Instagram: True Crime California

Sources:
https://law.justia.com/cases/california/supreme-court/3d/46/659.html
Without Redemption: Creation & Deeds of Freeway Killer Bill Bonin, His Five Accomplices & How One Who Escaped Justice (Serial Killer Books by Vonda Pelto, Ph.D. & Michael B. Butler)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Bonin
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/us-news/freeway-killers-chilling-final-words-32031585
https://www.amazon.com/William-Bonin-Freeway-Historical-Murderers/dp/1519631197v

Please join us on our new podcast page, True Crime California. These episodes will only post here for a short while longer!

This week, Cindy is doing a deep dive on the absolutely horrible, despicable serial killer, William "Bill" Bonin. This trash bag human assaulted or murdered upwards of 50 boys and young men, and had no signs of stopping when he was finally caught in the summer of 1981. Beyond the horrificness of his murders, this case really highlights the problems within the justice system, especially in the 1970's and 80's. Between paperwork issues, negligent doctors, and a wide hunting ground, Bill Bonin was able to prey on his victims for years. Luckily, once the killing began, he was stopped after only two years, but with the frequency of his attacks, that still meant many boys and young men would lose their lives before this killer was finally caught. 

Tune in to hear all about this horrific tale, and come back next week for part two!

Instagram: True Crime California

Sources:
https://law.justia.com/cases/california/supreme-court/3d/46/659.html
Without Redemption: Creation & Deeds of Freeway Killer Bill Bonin, His Five Accomplices & How One Who Escaped Justice (Serial Killer Books by Vonda Pelto, Ph.D. & Michael B. Butler)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Bonin
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/us-news/freeway-killers-chilling-final-words-32031585
https://www.amazon.com/William-Bonin-Freeway-Historical-Murderers/dp/1519631197

Twisted Listers Presents: True Crime California! True Crime California is a podcast about crimes that take place in, you guessed it - the great Golden State of California. Brought to you by Cindy, a former host of Twisted Listers Podcast, these stories will cover everything from well known crimes we've all heard about, to more obscure stories that need to be told. Join in weekly for new cases, with occasional  multi-episode arcs for the bigger cases out there, with mini episodes coming soon too! This podcast is creepy, interesting, and all California, all the time.

To listen to these episodes a week early, check us out at True Crime California (Cindy's new podcast)!

This week we take a look at yet another murder from the 1980's, this time from 1986 in San Diego County. This story is about the tragic murder of 20 year old Cara Knott, a bright young woman with her whole life ahead of her until she meets an unlikely killer while driving home one night. The case takes many twists and turns in the short time it is investigated, and the first trial for her killer ends in an unexpected way. This case is groundbreaking for many reasons, and the legacy left by this young woman and her family continues to help the lives of victims everywhere. Tune in to hear all about it, and don't forget to like, rate, and review! Indie podcasts rely on word of mouth, so tell everyone you know to give us a listen! 

True Crime California Instagram

Sources:
https://amysterlingcasil.com/i-was-pulled-over-by-chp-killer-craig-peyer-and-lived
https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-02-06-me-582-story.html
https://www.eastcountymagazine.org/cara-knott-family-seeks-public-help-block-parole-chp-officer-craig-peyer-convicted-sdsu-students-mur
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Cara_Knott
https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-dec-02-me-60177-story.html