Two Can Keep A Secret

It's Spooky Season! For the month of October we will be bringing you some spooky episodes! We hope you have a night light handy!
 
Ronda: In1959, at the height of the Cold War, a group of young Russian college students decided to hike a Siberian mountain in preparation for a trip to the Arctic (not Antarctica). After an unknown phenomenon forces the hikers to cut their way out of their tent, they all end up dead due to hypothermia... yet several of them were found with the color stripped out of their hair and reddish-brown skin along with several other details that didn't add up.   

Pam:  I'm taking you way back to 1897 when things were handled a bit differently than they are now. When Zona Shue was found dead in her home, her death was easily brushed off as "natural". But when she appeared as a ghost to her mother, Zona became the first ghost to ever help in convicting their murderer.

Sources:
Ronda:
Wikipedia
National Geographic
 Podcast- Strange and Unexplained: The Mysterious Case of the Dyatlov Pass

Pam:
Mental Floss
West Virginia Explorer 


Music: Big Foot by Gvidon on Pixabay (Go check it out!)

Music: Big Foot by Gvidon on Pixabay (Go check it out!)

Lights* Cameras* Action
We all like to follow the lives of celebrities. We like to think we know everything about them... but could there be secrets in their lives that even the paparazzi can't bring to light?

Pam: 1920's motion picture director William Taylor was found murdered in his home... but to this day, 100 years later - we don't know who did it. I'm going to give you all the dirty details of who he spent his time with before his death and you tell us who you think killed him. 

Ronda: More often than not, being great at a sport will bring your life into the lime light whether you want it or not. Ray Lewis seemed to enjoy being in the public eye even though that means people will forever tie him to the murder of two young men. Tune in to find out how Ray changed his public image and managed to become one of the greatest defensive players in NFL history.

Sources:
Pam:
Wikipedia
History
WilliamDesmondTaylor

Ronda:
Wikipedia
The Ray Lewis Murder Mystery - YouTube
NPR

Music: Big Foot by Gvidon on Pixabay (Go check it out!)

Music: Big Foot by Gvidon on Pixabay (Go check it out!)

It's time for our September F-F-F-FREESTLYE!!! *insert record scratching sounds here*

Ronda:  You guys know how much Pam and I disagree on the matter of adolescent culpability. So listen along as I dive into an abhorrent case about James Bulger, who was tortured to death at just 2 years old by a couple of 10 year olds. This case was notorious in England at the time, but to this day, the identities of the convicted youths have been kept a secret.


Pam: Manuel Cabeza served his country in WW1 before returning to his home, Key West, Florida. It was there that he fell in love with Rosita. But, this was the Jim Crow South... and the KKK had it's grip on the Florida Keys. What they did to Manuel is unimaginable - all because he found love. 100 years later, he finally received the burial and support from the island that he called home. 

Sources:
Ronda:
Wikipedia
All Things Interesting
YouTube - 60 Minutes Australia

Pam:
Wikipedia
Unsettling Things
Gale Academic OneFile
Keys Weekly
WRLN

Music: Big Foot by Gvidon on Pixabay (Go check it out!)

Music: Big Foot by Gvidon on Pixabay (Go check it out!)

Woo, boy! It's a long one! BUT - it is totally worth it. Listen as we struggle our way through a couple of cases involving cannibalism. One true crime, one survival... both intriguing.

Pam: Issei Sagawa is a Japanese cannibal killer who only served 2 years in a French prison before walking free. You won't believe his disgusting crime, his poor attempt at covering it up, and his life as a free man after committing necrophilia, murder, and cannibalism. This is one you definitely don't want to miss! 

Ronda:  When the Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571 went down over the Andes, the surviving passengers were stranded on the side of a mountain in below freezing temperatures with no food or water. After nearly starving, they made a pact to give their bodies as nourishment to the living members of the group should one of them die. This unthinkable act along with several feats of ingenuity and an incredible show of strength are how this rag-tag group of rugby players managed to survive 72 days in uninhabitable conditions. 

Sources:
Pam:
Vox
Wikipedia
All That's Interesting
YouTube - Coffeehouse Crime


Ronda:
Wikipedia
9news
National Geographic
Nomadic Boys
American Academy of Ophthalmology 

Music: Big Foot by Gvidon on Pixabay (Go check it out!)

Music: Big Foot by Gvidon on Pixabay (Go check it out!)

Some of the most frustrating crimes are those that go unsolved... but this week we wanted to tell you a couple of cases that were finally solved after being cold for YEARS. Remember, with advances in technology and time, there is always a chance that some of these unsolved mysteries will finally come to justice.

Ronda: Margo Freshwater was just a teen when she unfortunately enlisted the help of Glenn Nash, a drunken lawyer who was seconds away from being disbarred, to help her free her career criminal boyfriend from jail. The "insane" genius- Nash- led Margo on a crime spree that resulted in the deaths of 3 people and landed Margo a prison sentence of 99 years. With nothing else to lose, she escaped from prison and was on the lamb for 32 years. Tune in to find out how a dedicated agent brought this criminal's time on the run to an end. 


Pam: In 2001 when Pamela Shelley was found with a gunshot wound to the head, her death was ruled a suicide. But with the help of a determined Sheriff and a cold case television show, her death was looked at in a new light and her children finally had proof of what they had known all along- their mother was murdered. After 12 years, her killer was facing the justice that he deserved.

Sources:
Ronda:
Podcast - Milk and Murder: Margo Freshwater
Memphis Flyer
Unsolved Mysteries Wiki
The Columbus Dispatch
Reuters
Nashville Scene

Pam:
Oxygen.com
Texas District & County Attorneys Association
The Maverick Files
Kiley's True Crime

Music: Big Foot by Gvidon on Pixabay (Go check it out!)

Music: Big Foot by Gvidon on Pixabay (Go check it out!)

It's back to school time! This week we'll be telling you about cases of major teacher misconduct. These are the adults that are meant to mold the minds of our youth, teach them how to go out and be productive adults. But sometimes, a pervert sneaks into the mix and takes advantage of kids who are just looking for someone to show them a little comfort.

Pam: Elizabeth Thomas started her 9th grade year looking for an adult mentor. Her science teacher, Tad Cummins, saw this as his chance to swoop in and groom the vulnerable 15 year old. When the two went missing, it wasn't until after 38 days of a nationwide search that they were found on the other side of the country. Be prepared to tear up a little when I read you Elizabeth's empowering victim impact statement... this is one strong teenager and one crappy, perverted teacher.

Ronda:  25 year old Alexandria Vera was an 8th grade teacher who begrudgingly agreed to teach summer school. Little did she know that this would be where she met the love of her life- 13 year old "Justin" who was hot for teacher. The pair was head over heels for each other and when it comes to love, nothing is off limits... but then why did Vera introduce the much younger Justin as her brother?

Sources:
Pam:
ABC News     
Tennessean (1)     Tennessean (2)     Tennessean (3)     Tennessean (4)
People Magazine (1)     People Magazine (2)
USA Today
Amber Alert FAQ

Ronda:
Podcast-- You should have ghosted: Broccoli, Please
ABC13
All That's Interesting 

Music: Big Foot by Gvidon on Pixabay (Go check it out!)

Music: Big Foot by Gvidon on Pixabay (Go check it out!)

Being a mom is HARD we get that... even Ronda. And we talk a lot of smack for women who have 1 kid between the two of us, but we want you to know that you are doing a good job, mommas! This week, however,  we want to tell you about a couple of "bad moms". If anything, you can feel better by comparison.

Ronda: Andrea Yates and her husband, Rusty, wanted as many children “as nature would allow”. However, by the time the couple had their 5th child, Andrea’s deteriorating mental state had reached it’s limit. All she wanted to do was be a good mother, no- the BEST mother! But when she failed and began to realize that her children were doomed to the fiery pits of hell, what could she do? The easy answer, of course, is drown them in a bathtub…


Pam: Susan Smith had a tough go at love. Her love affair simply couldn't love her like she loved him due to the fact that she had kids and he didn't want them... So, it was pretty convenient when her kids were abducted during a carjacking. This is a journey full of cringy love notes, lies, affairs and a bad mom... or two.   

Sources:

Ronda:
Wikipedia
Cleveland State Law Review
Findlaw- Yates v. State Texas
Today
abc13
History
Time
LA Times

Pam:
Wikipedia
Time Magazine
People Magazine (1)
People Magazine (2)
People Magazine (3)
AP News (1)
AP News (2)
Encyclopedia
Crime Museum

Music: Big Foot by Gvidon on Pixabay (Go check it out!)

Music: Big Foot by Gvidon on Pixabay (Go check it out!)

It's that time of the month! That's right... it's our August Freestyle!

Pam: Betty June Binnicker and Mary Emma Thames were on the hunt for some mayflowers in March of 1944 in the small town of Alcolu, South Carolina. When they came across a boy named George Stinney Jr and his sister, Amie, they asked them if they knew where they could find any, to everyone's surprise, that would be the last time the girls would be seen alive... allegedly. In 1944 in the south, things weren't great for POC. So when George, a black boy, heard of the girls disappearance and told authorities that he had seen them earlier in the day,  police were quick to arrest him... listen along as I tell you about this gross miscarriage of justice and the way George's name was cleared many years later. 

Ronda:  Chowchilla, California- home of the largest kidnapping for ransom in United States history. In 1976, an entire school bus was taken hostage and its occupants were buried alive. The driver of the bus, Ed Ray, along with the 26 children in his charge, managed to escape their underground tomb after having been missing for 36 hours. The entire nation was on red alert. Certainly the kidnappers would have reached out… but they fell asleep…!!!

Sources:
Pam:
The Post and Courier
All That's Interesting
The Washington Post
The Grio
Wikipedia

Ronda:
City of Chowchilla Website
The Vox article by Kaleb Horton
CNN victim impact article
Wikipedia
CBS News



Music: Big Foot by Gvidon on Pixabay (Go check it out!)

Music: Big Foot by Gvidon on Pixabay (Go check it out!)

Greek life is a large part of university life. It brings a sense of brother/sisterhood to its members and connects individuals from all across the nation. However, like with anything good, comes some bad. In this case, that means hazing. Listen along to hear a couple of truly avoidable tragedies that only occurred because of the hazing culture within fraternities.

Ronda:  Stone Foltz was an intelligent, hard working sophomore at Bowling Green State University. He was a 20 year old business major who loved to play basketball and lacrosse. He had a truly bright future ahead of him… until he decided to pledge the Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity. Stone senselessly died of acute alcohol poisoning as a result of hazing. His death, along with 3 others in Ohio, highlighted the need for stricter hazing laws within the state. 

Pam: In 2001 after a night out at a Ludacris concert, 18 year old Chad Meredith along with 2 of his soon-to-be fraternity brothers decided to go for a drunken late night swim across a lake on the campus of the University of Miami. When Chad didn't make it back to shore, the 2 boys were charged with hazing resulting in new laws to emerge in Florida. Later, in 2017, Andrew Coffey suffered from a hazing related death at Florida State University causing even newer laws to be put in place in the state.   

Sources:
Ronda:
BG Falcon Media
Dispatch.com
Wikipedia - Stone Foltz
CBSNews
Healthline.com - BAC and alcohol information

Pam:
Wikipedia - Hazing Deaths in the US
                        - The University of Miami
Fraternal Law Partners
Florida State University
Stewart, Tilghman, Fox, Bianchi, and Cain
Tropical Disturbance UN
Herald Tribune
Tampa Bay Times
The Miami Hurricane
Mooresville Public Library
Verdict
Florida Phoenix

Big Foot by Gvidon on Pixabay (Go check it out!)

Music: Big Foot by Gvidon on Pixabay (Go check it out!)

Congratulations on surviving your summer vacation! Not all who travel can say the same. Tune in to hear about several people who met their end while away from home.

Pam: When the Robison family went to their lake house in northern Michigan for their summer vacation they expected to have a fun, relaxing time enjoying their company. But when the unthinkable happens, we are left with a 60 year "unsolved" mass murder. Who do you think killed this family? Was it the obvious choice or do you think there is something that we are missing?

Ronda:  Everyone loves to post Instagram pics of their vacations abroad, but what you don’t see is how dangerous it can be to travel. This week I dive into several mysterious deaths that happen on Koh Tao, an Island off the coast of Thailand. What could possibly be going on behind the scenes that would cause this 8 square mile island to be dubbed “Murder Island?”

Sources:
 
Pam:
Wikipedia - Robison Family Murders
 MLive - 50 Years After Michigan Family's Massacre in Cottage, Investigators Put Rumors to Rest
Northern Express - The Good Hart Murders: Case Closed
Here's The Fucking Twist - True Crime Tuesdays: The Robison Family Murders
9 and 10 News - Unsolved: The Robison Family Murders
History By Day - The Unsolved & Unexplainable Case of the Robison Family

Ronda:
What is happening on Death Island?
Millionaire Couple Found Dead
Wikipedia - Koh Tao
Mirror - Dark Side of Koh Tao


Music: Big Foot by Gvidon on Pixabay (Go check it out!)

Music: Big Foot by Gvidon on Pixabay (Go check it out!)