Valkyrie True Crime

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Welcome back Valkyires and welcome to today’s episode, where we pull back the curtain on one of the entertainment industry’s most elusive con artists. A woman who built her empire not on talent or creativity, but on lies, manipulation, and money that wasn’t hers. 

She called herself an heiress. A Hollywood power player. A woman who could open doors with a single phone call. But behind the glamour and promises was something else—was something sinister. Millions of dollars went missing. Lawsuits piled up. And the victims? Left with shattered finances, broken trust, and unanswered questions. This is the story of Mary Carole McDonnell.

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Welcome back, Valkyries! Today we’re rewinding the clock to the 1980s — a time of big hair, big phones, and even bigger secrets. And trust me, today’s case has all three.

We’re diving into the twisted world of Dorothea Puente — a woman so charming, she could talk you into handing over your Social Security checks... and then kill you for them. Her life was a masterclass in manipulation, deceit, and ultimately, cold-blooded murder.

So grab your coffee — or maybe something stronger — and get ready to walk down the shadowy path of Sacramento’s most unlikely serial killer.

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Welcome Back Valkyrie’s! We need a palette cleanser from the last gruesome episode finale of Pee Wee Gaskins. So this week’s episode instead we will discuss a self proclaimed good old-fashioned con artist, who’s web of deceit spun far and wide as she stole identities, ruined credit scores, and drained bank accounts. With each new persona, she assumed the lives of others, exploiting vulnerabilities and manipulating systems. A tale of identity theft and deception that raises questions about security, trust, and the true cost of her cons. This is the story of Danielle Miller.

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And as always - Lock your doors, bolt your windows and stay alive for the next one. Bye!

Source Material:

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/instagram-influencer-sentenced-5-years-prison-using-stolen-identities-rcna103926

https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/pr/social-media-influencer-sentenced-five-years-prison-15-million-covid-19-relief-fraud

https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/danielle-miller-scammer.html

https://www.horacemann.org/

https://www.cardinaleducation.com/helpie_faq/what-is-the-horace-mann-school-ranking/

Queen of the Con podcast - Season 3

https://doubleoroos.medium.com/unraveling-the-complex-tapestry-of-danielle-miller-where-is-she-now-d098ce01c173

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Welcome Back Valkyries- Today we will continue with the brutal story of Pee Wee Gaskins. Although the first part was somewhat tame - mostly theft which led to Juvie and several escapes from the authorities, he did have time to get married a few times. In this episode, there will be even more marriages and this is where Pee Wee takes a strong turn towards the darkside and begins his savage killings.

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Welcome Back Valkyrie’s! This episode we delve into a well known serial killer from the south. He terrorized several places in South Carolina for years and was eventually known as the “Meanest Man in America”. His name was Donald Henry Gaskins, more well known as Pee Wee Gaskins. 

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Welcome Back Valkyrie’s! This week is a short one, but with some insanity. In Florida in 2015, Fransisca Marquinez was found dead, but her cause of death was undetermined. The events that led to her death as told by the person who last saw her alive bring into question the lengths some lawyers might go to get their clients to be found innocent. This is the story of Fransisca Marquinez and her boyfriend Rick Patterson.

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Welcome to Valkyrie: A True Crime Podcast. A Valkyrie is a Norse mythological figure known to be the “Chooser of the Slain” in battles to be resurrected in Valhalla alongside Odin. Known for being brave, strong, courageous, and fair while being fearsome fighters on the battlefield. So, lock your doors, bolt your windows, and settle in for a discussion of the most dark, terrifying, and mysterious crime stories from around the world.

Welcome Back Valkyrie’s!

In 2017, 28 year-old Shannon Graves vanished from her home in Youngstown, Ohio. Her disappearance sparked a desperate search effort, but the truth behind her vanishing would reveal a sinister plot that would leave investigators stunned. 

Source Material:

A Body in the basement: Ice Cold Killers S1 E2

https://www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov/Media/News-Releases/March-2020/Final-Conspirator-Sentenced-to-Prison-in-Youngstow

https://www.supremecourt.ohio.gov/rod/docs/pdf/7/2023/2023-Ohio-3595.pdf

https://casetext.com/case/state-v-novoa-6

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Welcome Back Valkyrie’s!

On May 30th, 2005, 18 year old Natalee Holloway vanished while on a graduation trip in Aruba. She still has not been found to this day. Despite extensive investigation, numerous leads, and a prime suspect who seems to be playing with the police and the family, her disappearance still remains a mystery. 

This is the story of Natalee Holloway. 

Source Material:

Pathological:The lies of Joran Van Der Sloot - Peacock

https://web.archive.org/web/20081211082217/http://www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/2657635/__Joran_neemt_Fox_News_in_de_maling__.html?p=16,1

https://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/birmingham/news/joran-van-der-sloot-pleads-guilty-and-is-sentenced-for-extortion-and-wire-fraud

https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/18/us/joran-van-der-sloot-natalee-holloway-plea-wednesday/index.html

https://abcnews.go.com/International/natalee-holloways-disappearance-remains-unsolved-15-years-timeline/story?id=67135012

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Welcome Back Valkyrie’s!

Last week we talked about fruitcakes, this week we move to ice cream, well the ice cream delivery trucks anyway. Did you know that in the 1980s, Glasgow’s ice cream trucks were embroiled in a turf war, marked by violence, intimidation, and even murder. It was a battle for control of the streets and the right to sell ice cream (and other things) to the local residents.  This week’s story isn’t just about ice cream, its about power struggles and organized crime even. So as you hear the music of the ice cream truck coming down your street ready to sell you that delicious treat, remember in Glasgow in the 80s it was not nearly as sweet as it seemed. 

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Imagine a place where the sweet aroma of freshly baked fruitcake fills the air. That’s what Collin Street Bakery in Corsicana, TX was famous for - fruitcakes mainly. Even includes claims to be superior to all fruitcakes. But beneath the surface of this beloved company, a sinister scheme was unfolding. This is the story of the Collin Street Bakery Heist.

Source Material:

https://collinstreet.com/blogs/stories/the-sandy-jenkins-embezzlement-scandal?srsltid=AfmBOorkELzivCEAyqA_VJ4LEHbmQWcMY3XdQhwqMq7_oIVLjmsPt7_n

American Greed S11 E6 - Sticky Fingers; Life in the Fraud Lane

https://www.texasmonthly.com/true-crime/just-desserts/

https://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/dallas/news/press-releases/former-collin-street-bakery-executive-and-wife-sentenced

https://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local/article/collin-street-bakery-scandal-movie-19382012.php

Fruitcake Fraud (2021)

https://www.corsicanadailysun.com/news/tarrant-county-medical-examiner-jenkins-dies-in-hospital/article_c7f20fee-4c0b-11e9-b876-075687c02f46.html