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Hard Times and True Crimes117. Bitter Blood Pt. I (Re-Release) | In Memory of Jerry Bledsoe | North Carolina True CrimeJerry Bledsoe, North Carolina’s #1 New York Times bestselling true crime author, passed away on December 31, 2025, in Asheboro, NC. In honor of his life and legacy, we are re-releasing our two-part episode on Bitter Blood — the book that brought national attention to one of the most disturbing murder cases in North Carolina history.SourcesWe researched and built this episode using:Bledsoe, Jerry. Bitter Blood (book)Newspapers.com (archived newspaper reporting, obituaries, and contemporary coverage)FindAGrave.com (burial records and memorial details)...
2026-01-271h 10Hard Times and True Crimes116. Marion Parker: The Infamous 1927 Los Angeles Kidnapping and MurderIn this special Christmas episode of Hard Times and True Crimes, we examine one of the most disturbing crimes in American history: The kidnapping and murder of Marion Parker in Los Angeles in 1927. In December 1927, Los Angeles was rocked by the kidnapping and murder of Marion Parker, a crime so horrific it dominated national headlines and left a permanent mark on American true crime history. This episode explores the details of the crime, the historical context of 1920s Los Angeles, and why the Marion Parker murder continues to haunt true crime hi...
2025-12-2451 minHard Times and True Crimes115. A Christmas Nightmare: The Crimes of Ronald Gene SimmonsRonald Gene Simmons lived quietly in Arkansas throughout the 1980s, keeping mostly to himself and his large family. Outwardly, he appeared to be living a simple life in the country—but behind closed doors was a world shaped by control, fear, and long-term abuse.In December of 1987, during the week of Christmas, the darkness inside the Simmons home finally erupted. What unfolded became the largest family mass murder in American history. In this episode, we walk through the days leading up to the killings, the psychological unraveling that no one around him fully saw, and the series of...
2025-12-101h 02Hard Times and True Crimes114. Erin Patterson Australia Mushroom Poisoning Case: The True Crime Story Everyone's Searching ForIn 2023, Erin Patterson sat down to lunch with her in-laws. A fatal family lunch in rural Australia. A handful of mushrooms. Three deaths. One survivor. And a woman at the center of a case that grabbed the world's attention almost overnight. In this episode, we break down the 2023 Erin Patterson Australia mushroom poisoning case step-by-step - the timeline, the medical findings, the early interviews, the evidence released so far, and why investigators believe this incident is anything but ordinary. From the quiet town of Leongatha to global headlines, this is the full story of the cas...
2025-11-1943 minHard Times and True Crimes113. Halloween Special: The Asylum EditionEpisode Summary:In our Halloween special, we step into the dark history of women’s mental health in early 20th-century America. Two women — Catherine Ward and Carrie Selvage — entered the asylum system from different directions. One commited a horrific crime. One guilty of nothing. Both lives ended tragically. We explore how fear, misunderstanding, and limited medical knowledge shaped their fates.Themes Included:• Asylums — hope vs. harm• Postpartum mental health• Trauma and “nervous breakdowns”• Medication misuse & misdiagnosisHosted by:• Darlene Hildreth• Melody Gwyn
2025-10-3139 minHard Times and True Crimes112. The Real Amityville Horror Story: What Really Happened🎙️ In this episode, we uncover the chilling truth behind The Amityville Horror — separating fact from fiction in one of America’s most infamous stories. Long before the bestselling book and Hollywood movies, there was a real tragedy inside 112 Ocean Avenue: the DeFeo family murders.Join us as we explore what really happened that night in Amityville, New York — the crime, the haunting that followed, and how a story of horror became a pop-culture phenomenon. Was the house truly cursed, or was it all a hoax?Listen now to discover the real Amityville Horror story and decide for...
2025-10-1559 minHard Times and True Crimes111. The Phillips Family Murders: Winston-Salem’s New Year’s Eve Tragedy (1947)On New Year’s Eve, 1947, Winston-Salem was still glowing with Christmas decorations when a tragedy unfolded that shocked Forsyth County and made headlines across the state of North Carolina. Everett and Margaret Phillips were a devoted couple who waited eight years for their only child, Tommy Lee. They poured their lives into him, indulging him with love, music, and opportunity. But when young love, secrets, and defiance collided, the results were catastrophic.🎙️ Featuring:•Male narration by Curtis Hildreth•Storytelling for this episode by Darlene Hildreth•Reactions for this episode by Melody Gwyn
2025-10-011h 01Hard Times and True Crimes110. The Murder of Dr. Cozart in Fuquay-Varina | True Crime in Wake CountyIn the early 1950s, the quiet community then known as Fuquay Springs - today's Fuquay-Varina in Wake County, North Carolina - was shaken by the violent killing of Dr. Cozart, a respected local physician. His sudden death stunned the town and left behind questions that linger more than a century later. In this episode, we revisit the case of Dr. Cozart's murder, exploring the historical records, the small-town setting, and the community impact of a crime that occurred when Fuquay was still building its identity. Along the way, we look at how Fuquay Springs became the modern-day F...
2025-09-1731 minHard Times and True Crimes109.The Rowan County Axe Murders: The Lyerly FamilyIn July of 1906, Rowan County, North Carolina, was shaken by one of the most brutal crimes in state history. Isaac Lyerly, his wife Augusta, and two of their young children were murdered in their farmhouse near Barber Junction. Bludgeoned with the family’s own axe and left in a fire meant to destroy the evidence, the crime horrified Salisbury and quickly drew national attention.Three of the surviving Lyerly sisters escaped the burning home, carrying their wounded sister Alice to safety, only to watch her die hours later. What followed was a wave of fear, anger, and su...
2025-09-031h 12Hard Times and True Crimes108. A Shot in the Dark: The Barbara Stager CaseIn February 1988, a single gunshot shattered the quiet of a Durham, North Carolina, neighborhood. Barbara Stager told police her husband Russ's death was a tragic accident. But as investigators dug deeper, the picture-perfect image of a devoted wife began to crack. In this episode of Hard Times & True Crimes, we step back into the 1980s Durham - a city caught between its tobacco past and high-tech future, where Baptist faith and family values shaped everyday life, and where appearances mattered. Against that backdrop, the story of Russ and Barbara Stager unfolds: a tale of love, b...
2025-08-201h 28Hard Times and True Crimes106. A Crime, A Conversion, A Controversy: The Karla Faye Tucker CaseIn 1983, a brutal double homicide in Houston, Texas shocked the public—not just because of the violence, but because of who was eventually held responsible. Karla Faye Tucker, a 23-year-old woman with a troubled past, quickly became one of the most controversial figures in modern true crime history.But this isn’t just a story about murder. It’s about transformation.It’s about a young woman who claimed to find God behind bars.It’s about a justice system unprepared for the public outcry that followed.And it’s about the power—and limits—of rede...
2025-07-2356 minHard Times and True Crimes104. Burned Alive: The Martyrdom of Graham Staines and His Sons in IndiaIn this gripping true crime episode, we explore the harrowing and heartbreaking story of Graham Staines, an Australian missionary who was burned alive along with his two young sons by a radical mob in Odisha, India, in 1999. Even in the face of horrific violence, forgiveness and faith can speak louder than hate. Narrator: Curtis HildrethIntro and Outro Music: Isaiah HildrethSources:https://web.archive.org/web/20110409123228/http://www.hvk.org/specialrepo/wadhwa/Graham.htmlhttps://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/cover-story/st...
2025-06-2531 minHard Times and True Crimes102. Murder On Route 66: The Welch Family TragedyIn June 1961, JD and Utha Welch packed up their car, their four young sons, and headed west from Oklahoma to visit family in California.It was supposed to be a simple road trip — a summer memory in the making.But one quiet night near Seligman, Arizona, while the boys slept in a canvas pup tent, JD and Utha were gunned down in cold blood as they rested in their car.The boys woke up as orphans.In this tragic episode, we explore the mysterious murders that shattered a family on...
2025-05-2835 minHard Times and True Crimes100. The Pied Piper of Tucson: Charles Schmid's Deadly Reign Over 1960s ArizonaIn this chilling episode of Hard Times and True Crimes, we dive deep into the twisted tale of Charles Schmid, the manipulative and charismatic serial killer who terrorized the young women of Tucson, Arizona, during the 1960s. Known as the Pied Piper of Tucson, Schmid lured teenage girls with his Elvis-like charm, eerie makeup, and bizarre swagger - only to reveal a monstrous dark side. We unravel the disappearances and murders of Alleen Rowe, Gretchen Fritz, and Wendy Fritz, and the disturbing silence of the friends and followers who knew his secrets. ...
2025-04-3059 minHard Times and True Crimes98. The Doctor's Wife: A Searcy, Arkansas Murder StoryIn 1974, the quiet town of Searcy, Arkansas, was shaken by the shocking murder of Fern Rodgers, the wife of local physician Dr. Porter Rodgers. What seemed like a tragic crime soon unraveled as more information came to light that implicated not one, not two, but three suspects. If you love Southern true crime, mysteries, and small-town scandals, this episode is for you!#truecrime #ArkansasMurders #SearcyArkansas #SouthernGothicHosts: Melody Gwyn and Darlene HildrethNarrator: Curtis HildrethIntro and Outro Music: Isaiah Hildreth
2025-04-021h 17Hard Times and True Crimes97. Blood in the Quarter: The 1927 Louisiana Trunk Murders🎙️ Hard Times & True CrimesShow Notes:In the fall of 1927, New Orleans was buzzin’ with jazz, bootleg liquor, and secrets behind every shuttered window. But nothing prepared the city for what was found inside a quiet little apartment at 715 Ursulines Street.Two women—Theresa Moity and her sister, Leonide Dwyer—were brutally murdered, dismembered, and stuffed into a steamer trunk. Their killer? A jealous, unraveling husband with a butcher’s knife in one hand and a Bible in the other.In this episode, we take you deep into the French Quarter—through the gas...
2025-03-2647 minHard Times and True Crimes96. A True Crime Mystery Solved: The Murders of Aundria Bowman and Kathleen DoyleIn this gripping episode of Hard Times and True Crimes, we uncover the hauntingly intertwined stories of Aundria Bowman and Kathleen Doyle - two women connected by tragedy and a ruthless predator who evaded justice for decades. We begin with Aundria’s heartbreaking journey: a young girl adopted into what seemed like a loving family, only to face unimaginable abuse and betrayal. Her disappearance in 1989 was dismissed as a runaway case, but her birth mother, Cathy Terkanian, never stopped searching. This episode also explores Kathleen Doyle’s case...
2025-03-191h 03Hard Times and True Crimes95.Caril Ann Fugate: Hostage or Accomplice? The Truth Behind the Starkweather Murder Spree Episode Summary:This week, we’re diving into one of the most notorious crime sprees in American history—the 1958 murder rampage of Charlie Starkweather and Caril Ann Fugate. Was Caril Ann Fugate a hostage or an accomplice?Did she have chances to escape, or was she trapped in a nightmare she couldn’t control?We’ll walk you through the murders, the trial, and the fallout that still lingers decades later.📌 In This Episode:✔️ Charlie Starkweather’s dark obsession with violence✔️ The role Caril Ann Fugate p...
2025-03-121h 20Hard Times and True Crimes94.Sean Patrick Goble: The Serial Killer Truck Driver🔎 Episode Summary:Truck stops, open highways, and a killer hiding in plain sight—Sean Patrick Goble was a long-haul trucker with a dark secret. 🚚💀 In the early 1990s, Goble crisscrossed the country, using his job as a cover to prey on vulnerable women leading to multiple murders. But what led to his capture? And could there be more victims authorities have yet to uncover? 🤔In this episode of Hard Times and True Crimes, we dive into the chilling case of Sean Goble, the trucker-turned-serial-killer whose crimes spanned Virginia, Tennessee, and North Carolina...
2025-03-0544 minHard Times and True Crimes93. The Gaffney Strangler: Murder, Mystery and Sweet Potato Pone in South Carolina 🔊 Narrator: Curtis Hildreth🎼 Music by: Isaiah HildrethEpisode Summary:In this episode of Hard Times & True Crimes, we take you back to Gaffney, South Carolina, a small Southern town known for its peaches, its mill-town roots… and one of the most chilling murder sprees in state history. Between 1967 and 1968, the community was terrorized by a man who became known as The Gaffney Strangler—Lee Roy Martin.Martin preyed on girls and young women, leaving behind a trail of fear and de...
2025-02-2643 minHard Times and True Crimes92. The 1983 Murder of Kathleen Bedsole by David Duren in Birmingham AlabamaIn this episode, we revisit the dark case of Kathleen Bedsole's murder in 1983, and the attempted murder of Charles Leonard, Jr., a crime that shook the communities surrounding Birmingham, Alabama to their core. We delve into the disturbed mind of David Duren, the man accused of the brutal killing, and unravel the events that led to one of the most infamous true crime stories in the region. What We Cover: An in-depth look at the night of the murder - what happened, how it was discovered, and the immediate aftermath that sent shockwaves through the c...
2025-02-1934 minHard Times and True Crimes91.Love Lost: The Valentine’s Day Murders of Jesse McBane & Patricia Mann in Durham, North CarolinaEpisode Summary:On Valentine’s Day 1971, a young couple Jesse McBane and Patricia Mann vanished after a romantic night in Durham, North Carolina. Days later, their bound and strangled bodies were discovered deep in the woods. Their deaths were no accident—this was a meticulously staged murder. Over 50 years later, the case remains unsolved. Who was behind this horrific crime, and why have investigators struggled to bring justice to Jesse and Patricia? Join us as we unravel the chilling details of the murders and explore the theories that still haunt the couples friends, family and commu...
2025-02-1443 minHard Times and True Crimes90. Deadly Connection: The 2006 Chatroom MurderIn this episode of Hard Times and True Crimes, we dive into a chilling case that highlights the dark side of online interactions. In the early 2000s, an internet chatroom became the setting for a deadly deception - what started as a seemingly harmless online friendship between marine_sniper and talhotblond, turned into a love triangle that ended in murder. We'll explore how a web of lies, manipulation, and hidden identities led to a fatal encounter. Join us as we break down the timeline of events, discuss the key players, and examine how the anonymity of the i...
2025-02-0545 minHard Times and True Crimes89. Murder at Muddy Creek: The Ida Ball Warren Case in Winston Salem, North CarolinaIn this episode, we delve into the lesser-known case of Ida Ball Warren, a woman from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, whose story shocked the state in 1914. It all began with the discovery of a body in Muddy Creek—a chilling find that, months later, would unravel a dark web of secrets and lead investigators straight to the man's own house.What You’ll Learn in This EpisodeThe events leading up to Garrett Warren’s murder.How the discovery in Muddy Creek led investigators to Ida.Public reaction to Ida Ball Warren.Insight into early 20th-cen...
2025-01-2839 minHard Times and True Crimes88. Mayberry's Dark Day: The 1951 Bombing in Mount Airy, North CarolinaOn New Year's Day 1951, a respected member of the Mt. Airy community was targeted in a car bombing. He was a teacher, a new husband, the son of a police chief, and an upstanding citizen. It took two years for the bomber to be apprehended when they targeted another victim. Narrator: Curtis HildrethIntro and Outro Music: Isaiah HildrethSources:Pickens, Cathy. True Crime Stories of Western North Carolina. Arcadia Publishing, 2022.https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-high-point-enterprise-mt-airy-bombi/24079081/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-times-news-mt-airy-bombing-ca/11451814/
2025-01-2231 minHard Times and True Crimes86. Charlie and Frankie Silver: Tragedy in Western North CarolinaDays before Christmas in 1831, Charlie Silver went missing from his home, leaving behind a young wife and baby. In the mountains of Western North Carolina, his family searched to no avail. Unfortunately, Charlie was eventually found but not all in one piece. Narrator: Curtis HildrethIntro and Outro Music: Isaiah HildrethNarrator of The Ballad Of Frankie Silver excerpt - Lily HildrethSources:You Tube Documentary - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQ6DViANMIcMcCrumb, Sharyn. The Ballad of Frankie Silver. The...
2024-12-2449 minHard Times and True Crimes85. The Ashland, Kentucky Murders of 1881 (Pt.2)On Christmas Eve in 1881, the bodies of three teenagers were found in a burning house. The brutal way in which they were killed would shock the country. Listen to the conclusion of the story on this episode. Music By Riley HildrethSources:https://sites.rootsweb.com/~kycarter/journals/neal_craft_murder.htmThe Story of the First Hanging in Carter County by Glen R. Haneyfindagrave.comnewspapers.comThe Ashland Tragedy: Murder, a Mob and a Militia in Kentucky by H E Joe Castle and J. M. HuffFresh H...
2024-12-1849 minHard Times and True Crimes84. The Ashland Kentucky Murders of 1881 (Pt. 1)On Christmas Eve in 1881, the bodies of three teenagers were found in a burning house in Ashland, Kentucky. The brutal way that they died would shock not only the community, but the entire nation. Music by Isaiah and Riley HildrethSources:findagrave.comwikipedia.comThe Ashland Tragedy: MURDER, A MOB & A MILITIA IN KENTUCKY by Joe Castle and JM HuffFresh Hell Podcasthttps://sites.rootsweb.com/~kycarter/journals/neal_craft_murder.htmSend us a textTo purchase your merch - email us at h...
2024-12-1141 minHard Times and True Crimes83. The Morgan Murders: Cumming, GeorgiaThe residents of Cumming, Georgia were in an uproar in 1972 after two sheriff deputies were murdered. Just months later, in the same vicinity, a middle-aged couple was murdered in their bed and the community was on edge. Were the killings connected? Could it be retaliation or was it something else altogether? Was anyone else in danger?Narrator: Curtis HildrethIntro and Outro Music: Isaiah Hildreth Sources:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62SuK3_9mR4https://www.newspapers.com/image/398617568/?match=1&terms=hollis%20morganhttps://www.newspapers.com/image/398240286/?match=1&te...
2024-12-0440 minHard Times and True Crimes82. Thanksgiving- Eve Murders of the Germond FamilyOn Thanksgiving Eve in 1930 , a dairy farming family of four were brutally murdered. Their deaths shocked the nation. Ninety-five years later, the murders are still unsolved. Listen to the episode to see if you think you know who the killer is. Male Narrator: Curtis HildrethMusic: Isaiah HildrethSources:findagrave.comnewspapers.commodernfarmer.comThe Germond Family Murders: A Scientific Conclusion to a Cold Case by Vincent Cookingham PHDOld Timey Crimey PodcastBetween the Cracks PodcastSend us a textTo purchase your...
2024-11-2746 minHard Times and True Crimes80. The Murder of Crystal Faye Todd in Conway, South CarolinaIn 1991, seventeen year old Crystal Faye Todd didn't come after a night out with friends. Her mother instinctively knew something was wrong. Listen to the story of the disappearance, rape and brutal murder of an all-American girl from Conway, South Carolina. Music by Isaiah HildrethSources:newspapers.comfindagrave.comForensic FilesSouthern Fried True CrimeCarolina CrimesSend us a textTo purchase your merch - email us at hardtimesandtruecrimes@gmail.com with what you want, size, and a shipping address. We can ac...
2024-11-1356 minHard Times and True Crimes79. Undark: The Story of The Radium GirlsWith the discovery of radium by the Curies in 1898, great strides were made in the scientific field. Along with the possibilities were risks not yet known. One of the inventions - luminous paint- made painting watch dials big business in the early 1900s. But within two decades the dangers were coming to light.Sources:Narrator: Curtis HildrethIntro and Outro Music: Isaiah HildrethSound Effect Music: Radium Dance - Composer: Schwartz, Jean , Victor Dance Orchestra. Public Domain: Recorded Sound Section, Library of Congresshttps://www.mentalfloss...
2024-11-0654 minHard Times and True Crimes78. The Real Exorcist: The Terrifying Story of Ronald Edwin HunkelerIn 1973 a movie opened in theaters that scared the nation - The Exorcist. But you may not be aware that it was based on true events that took place in 1949. Billy Graham urged audiences not to see it due to its depiction of evil, but audiences continued to flock to see it for its scare factor. These are the details of what happened and the truth is scarier than fiction. Intro and Outro Music: Isaiah HildrethNarrator: Curtis HildrethSources:O'Reilly, B., & Dugard, M. (2023). Killing the Witches: The Horror of Salem...
2024-10-3041 minHard Times and True Crimes77. Witches or Martyrs: The Salem Witch TrialsThe trials began in 1692 when a group of young girls in the Puritan village of Salem, Massachusetts claimed they were being tormented by local women who were practicing witchcraft.Male Narrator: Curtis HildrethMusic by Isaiah HildrethSources:Killing Witches by Bill O’Riley O'Reilly, B., & Dugard, M. (2023). Killing the Witches: The Horror of Salem, Massachusetts https://salemwitchmuseum.com/my-account/history-education/https://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/disp_textbook.cfm?smtid=2&psid=3578https://history.howstuffworks.com/history-vs-myth/puritans.htmhttps://www.cliffsnotes.com...
2024-10-231h 19Hard Times and True Crimes76. Carnage in Carthage: North Carolina's Deadliest Mass ShootingA rocky marriage, a controlling husband, an estranged wife, and alcohol addiction; a destructive combination that led down a deadly path and ultimately ended in tragedy for several families. Narrator: Curtis HildrethIntro and Outro Music: Isaiah HildrethSources:https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-4948199https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carthage_nursing_home_shootinghttps://www.newspapers.com/image/960980039/?match=1&terms=Wanda%20Nealhttps://www.newspapers.com/image/632593184/?match=1&terms=Wanda%20Nealhttps://www.newspapers.com/image/984597352/?match=1&terms=%22Robert%20Stewart%22https://www.newspapers.com/image/960913943...
2024-10-0951 minHard Times and True Crimes75. A Murder Farm in Quiet Dell, West VirginiaIn August 1931, police were investigating the disappearances of Asta Eicher and her three children. They found love letters, which led them to a man named Harry Powers in Quiet Dell, West Virginia.Nespresso Vertuo Amazon Link: https://amzn.to/4eO75xy Music by Isaiah HildrethMale Narrator: Curtis HildrethSources:newspapers.comfindagrave.comwikipedia.commurderpedia.comhttps://www.wvencyclopedia.org/print/Article/1911https://news.lib.wvu.edu/2014/10/28/the-harry-powers-murders-crimes-that-inspired-west-virginia-authors/morbidtourism.comSouthern Mysteries PodcastSend us a textTo p...
2024-10-021h 10Hard Times and True Crimes74. Evil On The Well-Deserved: Tom and Jackie HawksTo retire early and live their days sailing on a yacht is the dream of many a couple. Some actually get to live that dream. Such was the case for Tom and Jackie Hawks until the day another dream came true - a grandbaby was on the way. When the couple decided to sell their yacht and move closer to family, they thought they had found the perfect family to enjoy the Well-Deserved. But something sinister was in the works that Tom and Jackie did not see coming. Narrator: Curtis HildrethIntro and Outro...
2024-09-1851 minHard Times and True Crimes73. Mean Marie's RevengeMarie Dean Arrington was a professional criminal in Florida during the 1960's. After she committed a brutal murder, Marie became the second woman to be put on the FBI's Most Wanted List. Male Narrator- Curtis HildrethMusic by Isaiah HildrethSourcesFind a Grave findagrave.comWikipedia wikipedia.comMurderpediaSouthern Mysteries PodcastAmazon Prime Young Adult Offer: https://amzn.to/4gpn1aY Free for 6 months and then 50% off a regular membership. *If you purchase with our link, we will receive a small commission. Send us a text...
2024-09-1136 minHard Times and True Crimes72. Murder in Asheboro - The Melissa Mickey StoryThe murder of a mother of two in a small town in Randolph County has investigators baffled. She had no enemies to speak of. Sometimes an enemy is closer than we think though and is not someone we consider an enemy. One man is arrested and one man turns himself in. The question is did they work together or did one work alone?Narrator: Curtis HildrethIntro and Outro Music: Isaiah HildrethSources:Interview with Detective Sargeant Jeff Wilhoithttps://bjs.ojp.gov/content/pub/pdf/scj9095.pdfhttps...
2024-09-041h 02Hard Times and True Crimes71. Peggy Carr- A Polk County MurderThe 1988 murder of 41 year old Peggy Carr is one of the most bizarre crimes in Polk County Florida history. Music by Isaiah HildrethNarrator-Curtis HildrethSourcesnewspapers.comPoison Mind : The True Story of the Mensa Murderer and the Policewoman who Risked her Life to Bring Him to Justice By Jeffrey Good and Susan GoreckJustialawThe Murder of Peggy Carr Crime DocumentarySend us a textTo purchase your merch - email us at hardtimesandtruecrimes@gmail.com with what you want, s...
2024-08-291h 10Hard Times and True Crimes71. Peggy Carr - A Polk County Murder Mystery 41 year old Peggy Carr fell sick with a mysterious illness that doctors couldn't explain in October of 1988. You don't want to miss this real life murder mystery that took place in Polk County Florida. Music by Curtis HildrethNarrator Curtis HildrethSourcesnewspapers.comYouTubeJustia LawPoison Mind: The True Story of the Mensa Murderer-And the Policewoman Who Risked Her Life to Bring Him to Justice By Jeffry Good and Susan GorechFunctional SpacesSimplifying your space. Organizing your life. Styling with your unique v...
2024-08-281h 13Hard Times and True Crimes70. The Donner Party TragedyA group of families headed west to California in the spring of 1846 during the Westward Expansion movement. They were well provisioned for the journey that was expected to take them 4-6 months. But one delay after another along with a bad leadership decision turned the trip into a nightmare. Never take a shortcut that has not been proven; it could be deadly. Intro and Outro Music: Isaiah HildrethNarrator: Curtis HildrethSources:Murphy, Virginia Reed. Zeinert, Karen. Across the Plains in the Donner Party. 1996 Linnet Books. S...
2024-08-1451 minHard Times and True Crimes69. The Murder of Poor Ellen Smith from Winston SalemIn 1894, poor Ellen Smith was murdered by her ne-er do- well lover, Peter DeGraff in Winston-Salem, NC. This episode will cover a short background, the murder, trial and execution of Peter DeGraff. The story was made famous by a late nineteenth century murder ballad named Poor Ellen Smith that Peter DeGraff supposedly wrote in prison while awaiting his execution. Music by Isaiah Hildreth The Swamp Lilies https://theswamplilies.bandcamp.com/track/poor-ellen-smithMale Narrator Curtis Hildreth Sourcesnc-pedia- https://www.ncpedia.org/history/cw-1900/zinzendorffindagrave.comnewspapers.comwordpress.com...
2024-07-3137 minHard Times and True Crimes68. Murder in Pennsylvania Amish Country Edward and Katie Gingerich lived among their people, the Amish, in the early 1990s. When Ed started having various physical ailments and then mental anguish, the church tried to step in but nothing seemed to help; not herbal supplements, prescribed medicines, or hospitalization. This is the story of how Ed became the first Amish person in the US to be tried for murder and the events that led up to the brutal event. Narrator: Curtis HildrethIntro and Outro Music: Isaiah HildrethSources:https://www.crimelibrary.org/notorious_murders/family/gingerich/1.htmlht...
2024-07-1759 minHard Times and True Crimes67. Lost Boys of the Allegheny MountainsIn the spring of 1856, two brothers, seven year old George and five year old Joseph wondered off together from their cabin home in the Alleghenies Mountains of Pennsylvania. Listen to hear their tragic story. Allison Krauss Music Video Jacob's Dreamhttps://youtu.be/sUtNRK3tYgg?si=TMerX-xqoij1dUGnMale Narrator: Curtis HildrethMusic by Isaiah HildrethSourcesnewspapers.comfindagrave.comThe Lost Children of the Alleghenies Written by Charles McCarthy Pennsylvania Oddities PodcastSend us a textTo purchase your merch...
2024-07-1036 minHard Times and True Crimes66. What Happened On The BlueBelle: Terry Jo DuperraultAfter a harrowing shipwreck at sea, Captain Julian Harvey was rescued just off the coast of the Bahamas in November 1961. He is pulled from a dinghy along with a deceased seven-year-old girl but none of the other passengers are found. Miraculously, four days later another survivor of the nightmare is rescued and she is barely alive. Her story of the event is far different than the one the captain gave the authorities, raising many questions about what really happened. Narrator: Curtis HildrethIntro and Outro Music: Isaiah HildrethSources:Fassbender, Tere Dupperault...
2024-07-0336 minHard Times and True Crimes65. Paul Dennis Reid: Nashville's Fast Food Serial KillerPaul Dennis Reid also known as The Fast Food Killer is Nashville’s most notorious serial Killer. He was convicted and given seven death sentences for murdering seven people from various fast food restaurants in the Nashville area. Sources:Narrator for today’s episode Darlene HildrethMusic Isaiah HildrethIntro Written by Sherry WhiteSources:When Nashville Bled: The untold stories of serial killer Paul Dennis Reid written by Judith Yatesfindagrave.comnewspapers.commurderpedia.comTrue Crime all the Time PodcastNot Today PodcasMountain Myst...
2024-06-2658 minHard Times and True Crimes64. The Icebox Murders: Fred and Edwina RogersSometimes a simple "welfare check" for someone's safety turns out to be more than investigators bargained for. For the Houston Police Department in 1965, this was the case when a man called in concerned about his elderly aunt and uncle. What they found when they got inside was a nauseating scene.Narrator: Curtis HildrethIntro and Outro Music: Isaiah HildrethSources:Criminal Podcast - Episode 41https://allthatsinteresting.com/ice-box-murdershttps://www.ktnv.com/news/crime/explanation-of-parricide-and-why-kids-kill-parents (Joyce Lupiani June 10, 2021) Send us a...
2024-06-1926 minHard Times and True Crimes63. The Ceely Rose MurdersOn June 1896, Ceely Rose poisoned her family with arsenic because they wouldn't let her see or speak the name of their neighbor, Guy Berry. Her father, David, died within a week of being poisoned. Walter, her brother, died within two weeks and Rebecca, her mother, lived for a month before getting a second dose and then dying. Listen to hear the whole story. Male Narrator-Curtis HildrethMusic-Isaiah Hildreth Sources:The Ceely Rose Murders at Malabar Farm By Mark Sebastian Jordanfindagrave.comnewspapers.comMost Notorious Podcast https://www.malone.edu/fi...
2024-06-121h 18Hard Times and True Crimes62. Lobster Boy - Grady Stiles, Jr.Since the 1840s the Stiles family had passed down a rare condition called Ectrodactyly that makes the hands look like lobster claws. Grady Stiles turned his family's condition into a lucrative business performing in the traveling carnival. The family was one of the main attractions for many years. But after years of dysfunction, the family became known for abuse and murder instead. Intro Music: Circus Theme (Ragtime Version) by Alexander Nakarada • Julius Fučík | https://creatorchords.comMusic promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.comCreative Commons / Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4...
2024-06-0534 minHard Times and True Crimes61. The Bitter Blood Murders Pt. 2On June 3, 1985, police cautiously pursued a Chevy Blazer with four passengers. A slow chase had persisted for several miles-- from Greensboro into Summerfield, North Carolina. Suddenly, the Blazer stopped and a bomb was detonated from within. The vehicle and four bodies exploded into pieces on NC Hwy. 150. This is the conclusion to the harrowing story of how bitterness and hatred led to the deaths of nine people and destroyed three families in the process. Narrator: Curtis HildrethIntro and Outro Music: Isaiah HildrethSources:Bledsoe, Jerry 1988. Bitter Blood: A True Story of...
2024-05-291h 35Hard Times and True Crimes60. The Bitter Blood Murders Pt.1In the years between 1984 and 1985, three intertwined families experienced the murders of close family members. The murders spanned from Louisville, Kentucky to Winston Salem and Greensboro, NC. Susie Newsome Lynch and Fritz Kenner were first cousins and lovers. They shared grandiose delusions, paranoia, bitterness and a murderous hatred for the people they believed were conspiring to take Susie's boys away from her. They would do ANYTHING to keep that from happening! Eventually, nine people would end up dead at their hands. Listen to part one of this story to hear the intriguing details. Male Narrator- Curtis Hil...
2024-05-221h 10Hard Times and True Crimes59. The Ballroom MurdersAn episode of America's Most Wanted in 1989 showcased the story of John List who killed his entire family - wife, mother, and three children - leaving them in the ballroom of their 19-room mansion. More than one viewer called in to say that John List looked strikingly like their neighbor, Bob Clark. After fingerprints prove they were one and the same, he was arrested and the details of his horrible crime came to light. Narrator: Curtis HildrethLetter Reader: Tim GwynIntro and Outro Music: Isaiah HildrethSources:...
2024-05-0840 minHard Times and True Crimes58. The Martyrdom of John and Betty StamIn December 1934, a young missionary couple, John and Betty Stam, were beheaded by Communist soldiers in Anhui Province along with a Chinese Christian brother named Chang Shushing. Listen to their story here. Male Narrator: Curtis HildrethMusic: Sherry WhiteSources:By Life or By Death: The Life and Legacy of John and Betty Stam By Andrew Montoneranewspapers.comfindagrave.comChristianfocus.com https://www.christianfocus.com/blog/2014/12/08/triumph-through-tragedy-the-martyrdomWheaton College Archives https://fromthevault.wheaton.edu/2019/12/03/stam-baby-safe-remembering-john-and-betty-stam/https://omf.org/us/the-martyrdom-of-john-and-betty-stam/Asia Harvest https://www.a...
2024-05-011h 04Hard Times and True Crimes57: The Bloody Benders: Homicidal HomesteadersAs Westward expansion began in the US after the Civil War, homesteaders staked land claims across the plains. One family set up a crude store and Inn along the trail, taking advantage of the location where many a weary traveler would pass by. But many of those travelers began to disappear after stopping at the Bender's place. What searchers found on the property, dubbed "Hell's Half-Acre" by newspapers, was nothing they could have imagined. And history doesn't tell us why a whole family would kill innocent travelers, nor if they were ever captured for their crimes.Narrator...
2024-04-2453 minHard Times and True Crimes56. North Carolina's Killer Baptist Preacher: Reverend George Washington CarawanReverend George Washington Carawan was charged and found guilty of the murder of a school teacher named Clement H. Lassiter . After learning the jury had found him guilty and that he would be hanged for his crime, Reverend Carawan pulled a gun and shot the prosecutor and then himself. Male Narrator- Curtis HildrethMusic- Isaiah HildrethSourcesnewspapers.commurderpedia.comfindagrave.comNCpedia.commurderbygaslight.comgoosecreekisland1blogspot.com.Send us a textTo purchase your merch - email us at hardtimesandtruecrimes@gmail.com w...
2024-04-1741 minHard Times and True Crimes55. I'd Kill For a Piece of Chocolate: Christiana EdmundsThe seaside town of Brighton, England had a string of poisonings in the late 1870's. The victims became severely sick after eating chocolate cream candies from a local sweet shop owned by J. G. Maynard. Mr. Maynard rid his shop of the chocolate inventory, but townsfolk continued getting sick and one young boy died after eating a piece of the offending candy. Investigators were stumped until the town doctor reluctantly came forward with information that helped shed light on the possible culprit. Narrator: Curtis HildrethIntro and Outro Music: Isaiah HildrethSources:
2024-04-1032 minHard Times and True Crimes54. The Disappearance and Murder of Alma KellnerAlma Kellner born in 1901, was the daughter of wealthy brewers in Louisville, Kentucky.On December 8, 1909, Alma disappeared on her way to attend mass at St. John's Roman Catholic Church, not far from her home. At first it was believed she had been kidnapped but no ransom demands were ever made. Approximately six months from the time she went missing, on May 30, 1910, her dismembered body was discovered in the sub-cellar of St. John’s church.Joseph Wendling, a Frenchman, who had been the janitor at the church, also disappeared about a month after Alma's disappearance. He quickly became th...
2024-04-031h 10Hard Times and True Crimes53. The Burning Bed: The Story of Francine HughesBefore there were restraining orders and women's shelters galore, domestic violence victims often suffered for years in silence. This is the story of one woman and her final desperate attempt to save herself when she realized there was nowhere else to turn. Narrator: Curtis HildrethIntro and Outro Music: Isaiah HildrethSources:https://www.newspapers.com/image/208805495/?terms=hughes%20francine&match=1https://www.newspapers.com/image/209277272/?terms=hughes%20francine&match=1https://www.themarysue.com/francine-hughes-the-mixed-legacy-of-battered-woman-syndrome/https://retroreport.org/transcript/transcript-the-domestic-violence-case-that-turned-outrage-into-action/
2024-03-2733 minHard Times and True Crimes52. Father Hans Schmidt: A Killer PriestToday's episode is about the life and crimes of Father Hans Schmidt. He was executed in 1916 for murder. Schmidt is the only priest ever to be executed in the United States. Music- Isaiah HildrethMale Narrator- Curtis HildrethSourcesnewspapers.commurderpediawikipediahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hans_Schmidt_(priest)https://medium.com/lessons-from-history/the-dreadful-crimes-of-the-only-priest-ever-executed-on-the-electric-chair-2975072643d3Send us a textTo purchase your merch - email us at hardtimesandtruecrimes@gmail.com with what you want, size, and a shipping address. We can accept Venmo or...
2024-03-2054 minHard Times and True Crimes51. Another Fort Bragg Murder: Kathryn EastburnOn Mother's Day 1985, a young mother and her two little girls were found dead in their home near Ft. Bragg, NC. The youngest of her daughters was left alive, alone, crying, and dehydrated in her crib waiting for a rescue. The murders bore a striking resemblance to the 1970 killings at Ft. Bragg of the MacDonald family. Investigators had to figure out if this was a copycat crime or a totally unrelated case. Narrator: Curtis HildrethIntro and Outro Music: Isaiah HildrethSources:Whisnant, Scott. Innocent Victims; The Spellbinding Account of An...
2024-03-1353 minHard Times and True Crimes49. The MacDonald Family Murders Pt. 2In early 1970 Capt. Jeffrey MacDonald is awakened by the screams of his wife and daughters being attacked. He claims a group of drugged-up hippies were the intruders, but authorities quickly begin to question that claim. This conclusion to the MacDonald family murders delves into the alternative theories put forth by the defense and ends with where the convicted murderer is today. Narrator: Curtis HildrethIntro and Outro Music: Isaiah HildrethSources:https://www.justice.gov/usao-ednc/pr/convicted-murderer-jeffrey-macdonald-s-appeal-dismissed-and-consecutive-life-sentenceshttps://macdonaldcasefacts.com/html/timeline.htmlMcGinniss, Jo...
2024-02-2856 minHard Times and True Crimes48. The MacDonald Family Murders Pt. 1At the height of the hippie culture and "Satanic Panic" in the early 1970s, a gruesome murder is committed at Fort Bragg, NC. A pregnant mother and her two small daughters are repeatedly stabbed to death. Her husband, Captain Jeffrey MacDonald, is also injured but survives the attack. He is able to describe the four assailants who had killed his family; drugged-out hippies chanting, "Acid is groovy. Kill the pigs." In the coming days, the tale becomes even harder to believe and authorities question Captain MacDonald's version of events.Narrator: Curtis HildrethIntro an...
2024-02-2156 minHard Times and True Crimes47. A Valentine from Belle GunnessBelle Gunness also known as Hell's Princess was a pig farmer in the early 1900's. She posted help wanted and lonely hearts ads in newspapers--luring men to their deaths with promises of love and wealth.Music By Isaiah HildrethMale Narrator Curtis HildrethSources:newspapers.comHell's Princess: The Mystery of Belle Gunness, Butcher of Men by Harold Schechter wikipediabiography.comlegendsofamerica.comallthatsintresting.comhttps://americanliterature.com/author/charles-perrault/fairy-tale/the-story-of-blue-beard americanliterature.comSend us a textTo purchase you...
2024-02-141h 04Hard Times and True Crimes46. Horror Story on SmuttynoseOn March 5, 1873, two women were found brutally axed to death on the secluded Smuttynose Island just off the coast of Maine. Music by Isaiah HildrethMale Narrator Curtis HildrethSources:Mystery on the Isles of Shoals: Closing the Case on the Smuttynose Ax Murders of 1873 by J Dennis Robinsonnewspapers.comfindagrave.comFresh Hell Podcastfosters.comwikipedia.comnewengland.comhttps://www.des.nh.gov/sites/g/files/ehbemt341/files/documents/geo-187-024000-bbxm-isles-of-shoals-final.pdfhttps://www.fayrehalefarm.com/new-hampshires-isles-of-shoals/https://www.atlasobscura.com...
2024-02-0750 minHard Times and True Crimes45. The Mysterious Death of Smith ReynoldsAccident? Suicide? Or Murder? The question of "Z" Smith Reynolds' death is still not answered to this day more than ninety years later. The wealthy heir of the RJ Reynolds Tobacco fortune was shot on his sleeping porch after hosting his friend's 21st birthday party at his estate. The initial ruling was suicide. However, ballistic evidence cast suspicion on that theory, and two people were charged with his murder. The inquest sparked more questions than it answered.Intro and Outro Music: Courthouse Blues, Clara Smith Vol. 3 (1925) Public DomainNarrator: Curtis HildrethSuicide Hotline: In the...
2024-01-241h 11Hard Times and True Crimes44. Grave ConsequencesOn March 1, 1922, Tennessee sent four men ( under the age of twenty) to the electric chair to pay with their lives for the life they took. Music by Isaiah HildrethMale Narrator: Curtis HildrethSources:newspapers.comThe Appalachian Storyteller wikipediahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chandler_Motor_Carknoxnews.com https://www.knoxnews.com/story/news/crime/2018/08/11/gallows-gurney-six-infamous-east-tennessee-executions-maurice-mays-whitecaps-bluebills-billy-irick/958465002/Send us a textTo purchase your merch - email us at hardtimesandtruecrimes@gmail.com with what you want, size, and a shipping address. We can accept Ve...
2024-01-1746 minHard Times and True Crimes43. The Crimes of Georgia TannGeorgia Tann was a social worker whose crimes spanned three decades from the 1920s to 1950. What appeared to be benevolence on her part was actually greed and downright evil that affected many families during those years. She led a secret life and was beyond scrutiny for most of those years. Sadly she was never brought to justice for her horrible deeds. Narrator: Curtis HildrethIntro and Outro Music: Isaiah HildrethSources:https://www.americanadoptions.com/adoption/history-of-adoptionhttps://www.newspapers.com/image/311167409/?terms=sipple%20alma&match=1https://www.newspapers.com...
2024-01-1040 minHard Times and True Crimes42. Christmas Eve Special - Lowe DanielsIn 1914, Lowe Daniels lived in the Uwharrie forest. He made his living making and selling whiskey. One day he came home from a trip and out of nowhere, shot his wife, his wife's seventeen year old sister, his seventeen year old sister and a sixteen year old neighbor boy. After he'd finished his killing spree, Lowe took his banjo off the wall, sat by the fire, picked his banjo and sang until the sheriff came to arrest him. Music by Isaiah HildrethSources: findagrave.comnewspapers.comRicky AllredJohn Cravenrand...
2023-12-2445 minHard Times and True Crimes41. Janie Gibbs: The Serial Killing MotherIn 1966 a father in Georgia died suddenly from an apparent heart attack. He was just 39 years old. Just seven months later his 13-year-old son became sick suddenly and passed away within a short time. Mysterious deaths continued until people became suspicious of the true cause of so many deaths in one family. Narrator: Curtis HildrethIntro and Outro Music: Isaiah HildrethSources:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janie_Lou_Gibbshttps://www.findagrave.com/memorial/60588446/janie-lou-gibbshttps://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2015-09/documents/train1-background.p...
2023-12-2035 minHard Times and True Crimes40. A Christmas Mystery - What Happened to the Five Sodder Children?A fire broke out around midnight on Christmas Eve in 1945 at the Sodder house in Fayetteville, West Virginia. Five of the Sodder family's ten children didn't make it outside with the rest of their family. George Sodder, their father tried desperately to save them but it was to no avail. At first everyone believed the children died in the fire. However, no skeletal remains were ever found. After several new pieces of evidence came to light and some extremely odd circumstances surrounding the night of the fire, the family and many people all over the world came to believe the chi...
2023-12-1354 minHard Times and True Crimes39. Boone, North Carolina: The Bathtub MurdersDuring a snowstorm in early 1972, a Boone, NC family is shockingly murdered in their own home. At first, it appears to be a robbery gone bad, but upon further inspection, that theory does not seem to add up. It was a crime that went unsolved for fifty years. Narrator: Curtis HildrethIntro and Outro Music: Isaiah HildrethEpisode Sponsor: The Table - Asheboro, NCSources:Pickens, Cathy -True Crime Stories of Western North Carolina. The History Press, Charleston, SC. 2022
2023-12-0632 minHard Times and True Crimes37. The Confession of Alma Petty Gatlin In the Spring of 1927, Reverend Tom 'Thunderbolt' Pardue traveled to the tobacco growing town of Reidsville, North Carolina to hold a revival in the big McCollum tobacco Warehouse. One night after the service, he was met by a beautiful young lady whose heart had been pricked by his message on the subject of confession. She had a confession to make. She had committed murder. She had murdered her own father. The reverend was conflicted. Was he to keep the secret of the young lady who had trusted him with her very soul? Or was his obligation to go to police f...
2023-11-1551 minHard Times and True Crimes36. The Natalie Wood Thanksgiving TragedyIn 1981, Hollywood darling Natalie Wood invited friends to spend the after-Thanksgiving weekend with her and her husband Robert Wagner on their yacht Splendor. Most invitees declined due to bad weather but current co-star Christopher Walken joined them. The weekend was booze-filled leading to arguments among the three. Tragedy struck when Natalie disappeared from the boat and the next morning her body was found face down in the water. Intro and Outro Music: Isaiah HildrethNarrator: Curtis HildrethSources:Wood, Lana. Little Sister: My Investigation Into The...
2023-11-0851 minHard Times and True Crimes35. Lizzie Borden Took An AxeIn 1892, in the town of Fall River, Massachusetts, a wealthy older couple was axed to death in their own home in broad daylight. Almost immediately their thirty-two-year-old daughter, Lizzie Borden, is suspected of the brutal murders. The tales surrounding this event are varied, and conspiracy theories abound. The whole gruesome crime is memorialized in books, TV, movies, songs, poems, and now podcasts. Introduction Narration: Lily Hildreth and Isrianna DelatorreIntro and Outro Music: Isaiah HildrethSources:Lincoln, Victoria. 1967. A Private Disgrace: Lizzie Borden by Daylight. G.P. Putnam's Sons.
2023-10-251h 01Hard Times and True Crimes34. "Countess Dracula" - Elizabeth BathoryCountess Elizabeth Bathory is in The Guinness Book of World Records for being the most prolific serial killer in the western world. She is alleged to have killed more than 600 virgins in order to drink their blood and bathe in it, in order to preserve her youth. But who was Elizabeth Bathory really? Join us today as we untangle fact from fiction. Sources:Music By Isaiah HildrethMale Narrator Curtis HildrethInfamous Lady: The True Story of Countess Erzsébet Báthory: Second Edition by Kimberly L CraftHistory Chicks Podcast
2023-10-181h 04Hard Times and True Crimes33. The Austrian Angels of DeathBeginning in 1983, a group of four nurse aides began a killing spree that lasted for over six years. It began with a "mercy killing" but soon escalated into murder. The mastermind of the group came up with horrendous methods of torture for troublesome patients and the total number of victims is estimated to possibly be in the hundreds. Narrator: Cutis HildrethIntro and Outro Music: Isaiah HildrethSources:Newton, Michael - An Encyclopedia of Modern Serial Killers - Hunting HumansHouse of the Curious on Y...
2023-10-1141 minHard Times and True Crimes32. The Man Who Stole HalloweenIf you were a child of the 70's and 80's , did your parents ever check your Halloween candy for poison or razor blades? If so, rumors surrounding the story in today's episode might have had something to do with that. Music by Isaiah HildrethMale Narrator Curtis HildrethSourcesnewspapers.comfindagrave.comhttps://www.aetv.com/real-crime/the-man-who-killed-halloweenhttps://www.investigationdiscovery.com/crimefeed/murder/candyman-poisoned-halloween-candy-pixie-stixhttps://www.vice.com/en/article/8ge87v/halloween-killer-ronald-clark-o-bryan-candy-manhttps://www.statesman.com/story/news/2016/10/14/35-years-later-memories-of-notorious-halloween-candyman-murder-remain-vivid/9867992007/Southern Mysteries PodcastS...
2023-10-0454 minHard Times and True Crimes31. Nell Cropsey: A Murder That Still Haunts North CarolinaOn the night of November 20, 1901, Nell Cropsey vanished from her family's home in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. Thirty-seven days later her body was found floating in the Pasquotank River. There was only ever one real suspect but did authorities get it right?Sources:Music by: Isaiah HildrethMale Narrator: Curtis Hildrethnewspapers.comElla Maude: The Story of an Unsolved Crime By Nicholas NicastroNell Cropsey and Jim Wilcox: The Chill of Destiny By William DunstanThe Mystery of...
2023-09-271h 11Hard Times and True Crimes30. Who Would Want Patricia Blakely Dead? A Chilling Crime in Pleasant Garden, North CarolinaWhen a house fire in Pleasant Garden, NC is determined to have been started by arson, and a resident is found inside dead from a gunshot, the sheriff's department has its work cut out for it. Friends, family, and fellow church members of Patricia Blakely Kimble begin to point fingers and demand answers. None can believe that anyone would want to hurt the devout Christian woman who was kind to all and had no enemies. So who could have done this and why?Narrator: Tim GwynIntro and Outro Music: Isaiah HildrethSources:
2023-09-201h 05Hard Times and True Crimes29. The Hanging of Thomas BowmanIn 1877, 47 year old Thurza Bowman died a violent death. An autopsy revealed she had been poisoned by strychnine. Suspicion would immediately fall on her husband. After many conflicting testimonies and two trials, Thomas Bowman was sentenced to hang in Asheboro, North Carolina in 1879. Did Thurza Bowman get justice or was her husband wrongfully convicted?Episode researched by Ricky Allred and Darlene HildrethEpisode written by Ricky Allred and Darlene HildrethMusic written and performed by Isaiah HildrethMale narrator Curtis HildrethSources:Ricky Allrednewspapers.comBowman Family History
2023-09-131h 06Hard Times and True Crimes28. Pardon Me: Wesley Elkins and The Double MurderDuring the early morning hours of July 16, 1898, eleven year old Wesley Elkins, with his baby sister in tow, alerted his neighbors that he had discovered his parents murdered in their bed. When authorities arrived at the gruesome scene, a few different suspects and theories began to emerge. The case was soon solved when one suspect came forward with a confession.Narrator: Curtis HildrethLetter Reader: Isaiah HildrethIntro and Outro Music: Isaiah Hildreth Sources:http://newspapers.comCouncil Bluffs Daily Nonpareil, Oct 22, 1889https://pubs.lib...
2023-09-0647 minHard Times and True Crimes27. Poor Naomi WiseNaomi (Omie) Wise was an orphan girl. She fell in love with a young gentleman named Johnathan Lewis. Naomi found out she was pregnant. When she told Lewis, he told her to meet him that night so they could run away and get married. Her beaten, bruised body was found in Deep River the next morning. Male Narrator: Curtis HildrethMusic: Naomi Wise (Omie Wise) by Donna HughesSources: Naomi Wise by Donna Hughes https://youtu.be/BQLYzHnwYQkBob Dylan's version of Omie Wise https://youtu.be/y8Vbs4HjOiYDoc Watson...
2023-08-2349 minHard Times and True Crimes25. The James Joseph Richardson TragedyIn 1967 James Joseph Richardson was accused of poisoning to death all seven of his children. Without a shred of evidence he was convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to death. Years later, shocking new evidence would come to light that would clear his name and point directly to another suspect. Listen to find out what happened to James Richardson. Music by Isaiah HildrethMale Narrator: Curtis HildrethSources:Documentary: Time Simply PassesArcadia Revisited - The Story of James Joseph Richardson: How he was framed for the murder of hi...
2023-08-1057 minHard Times and True Crimes23. Heavenly CreaturesOn June 22, 1954, teenage best friends Juliet Hulme and Pauline Reiper went for a walk in Victoria Park with Pauline’s mother Honorah. Thirty minutes later, the girls ran up to a nearby tea shop with blood all over their clothes and hands… Pauline screaming, “ It’s mummy! I think she’s dead! She’s fallen and hit her head!Sources:Music by: Isaiah HildrethMale Narrator: Curtis HildrethLet’s Murder Mother by Bus Stop GuidesSo Brilliantly Clever: Parker, Hulme and the Murder That Shocked the World by Peter Graham
2023-07-271h 15Hard Times and True Crimes21. Jersey Shore Shark Attacks of 1916July 1 through 12, 1916, five people were attacked by a shark along the coast of New Jersey. Only one victim survived the attack. Sources:Music by: Isaiah HildrethMale Narrator: Curtis HildrethTwelve Days of Terror written by: Richard Fernicolawikipediafindagrave.comnewspapers.comhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/inventing-beach-unnatural-history-natural-place-180959538/https://racingnelliebly.com/strange_times/top-five-secrets-victorian-era-sea-bathing/https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/150702-shark-attack-jersey-shore-1916-great-whitehttps://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUK...
2023-07-1346 minHard Times and True Crimes19. Bloody Edgar WatsonIn 1910, a mob of angry Floridians gathered at Smallwood store in Chokoloskee. They gunned down their neighbor, a plantation owner named Edgar Watson. He was a suspected and feared serial killer. Want to support us? Go to hardtimesandtruecrimes.com and buy us a coffeeNarrator: Curtis HildrethMusic By: Isaiah HildrethSharecropper and Son By Sherry White https://youtu.be/LlfLN8tR6q0Sourceshttps://www.coastalbreezenews.com/opinion/columnists/the-story-of-edgar-j-watson-the-infamous-businessman-serial-killer/article_e53a5f09-ff02-5b4f-9273-a0753cfbf46e.htmlhttps://www.florid...
2023-06-2943 minHard Times and True Crimes17. Wineville Chicken Coop Murders Pt 2In 1928, twenty-one year old serial killer Gordon Northcott stalked the streets of Los Angeles and the surrounding areas looking for young boys to lure back to his chicken farm. Darlene and Melody tell his victims' stories. Was Gordon Northcott ever brought to justice? Listen here to find out!Sources:Intro Music: Isaiah HildrethIntro and Outro Narrator: Curtis Hildreth Photo License: {{PD-US}}The Road Out of Hell: Sanford Clark and the True Story of the Wineville Murdersby Anthony Flacco and Jerry Clarkhtt...
2023-06-151h 21Hard Times and True Crimes16. Wineville Chicken Coop Murders Pt. 1In part one Darlene and Melody discuss the disappearance of Walter Collins. On March 8, 1928 Christine Collins was called in to work for a few hours at her job as a telephone operator. Her son, nine year old Walter Collins, wanted to go see a movie, so Christine gave him a dime to go. She instructed Walter to come home directly after the movie. That would be last time Christine Collins would ever see her son. Walter's disappearance made national headlines. The LAPD were desperate to solve this case because of recent bad publicity but they were getting nowhere. Five months la...
2023-06-081h 17Hard Times and True Crimes14. The Murder of Pearl BryanIn 1896 a young woman's headless body was found in Ft. Thomas, Kentucky. During the autopsy it was discovered she had been pregnant at the time of her death. She was identified by her shoes and a birth defect that left her with webbed toes. Pearl Bryan was a beautiful 22 year old socialite from Green Castle, Indiana. Her family thought she was visiting friends. In reality, she was visiting her lover, Scott Jackson, a 30 year old dental student in Cincinnati. Music by Isaiah HildrethMale Narrator Curtis HildrethSourcesPhotosPearl Brya...
2023-05-111h 01Hard Times and True Crimes12. The Murder of Little Mary PhaganIn 1913 a little girl was found brutally murdered in the basement of the pencil factory where she worked. The trial of the century would follow an arrest. Was the right man convicted? Music: "Hard Times" By Isaiah HildrethMale Narrator:Curtis HildrethSources:newspapers.comfindagrave.comWikipediaPrash's Murder Map : True Crime PodcastCrimes of the Centuries Podcasthttps://www.britannica.com/biography/Mary-Phaganhttps://www.tennessean.com/story/news/local/2020/02/20/alonzo-mann-says-jim-conley-murdered-mary-phagan/4819312002/https://pbsnc.pbslearningmedia.org/res...
2023-04-131h 24Hard Times and True Crimes10. Alabama Snake PreacherAn Appalachian, snake handling preacher named Glenn Summerford tried to murder his wife using a rattlesnake as his weapon. Or did he?Music: "Hard Times" By Isaiah HildrethMale Narrator :Curtis HildrethSources: Salvation on Sand Mountain by Glenn CovingtonAlabama Snake Documentaryhttps://youtu.be/nnnvicF9emUhttps://youtu.be/7OcoUyXiuU0https://www.mtsu.edu/first-amendment/article/928/snake-handlinghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snake_handling_in_Christianitynewspapers.comfindagrave.com
2023-03-1654 minHard Times and True Crimes7. Lana Turner - A Real Life TragedyOne of Hollywood's golden girls, Lana Turner, lived a life that could have been a movie itself. Unfortunately the life of a movie star is not always as glamorous as it is portrayed. By the time she realized she was involved with a known gangster, it was too late. The arguments, the threats, and the abuse eventually led to murder. Send us a textTo purchase your merch - email us at hardtimesandtruecrimes@gmail.com with what you want, size, and a shipping address. We can accept Venmo or CashAppSupport the...
2023-02-0259 minHard Times and True Crimes6. Bloody WoolfolkIn Bibb county Georgia on August 6, 1887 a prominent farmer, Captain Richard Woolfolk and eight members of his family were axed to death as they lay sleeping. The Woolfolk murders would be known as the bloodiest mass murder in Georgia history. The oldest son and only survivor of the horrendous attack was the main suspect. There's an unbelievable twist at the end that leaves everyone wondering if an innocent man was punished for the crimes. Episode music written and performed by Isaiah HildrethNarrator: Curtis HildrethSermon at the end delivered by Micheal Whitt
2023-01-191h 05Hard Times and True Crimes5. Velma Barfield / Death Row Granny Pt.2Velma Barfield had America torn between justice and mercy. Was she a repentant murderer or an unrelenting master-manipulator? Send us a textTo purchase your merch - email us at hardtimesandtruecrimes@gmail.com with what you want, size, and a shipping address. We can accept Venmo or CashAppSupport the showhardtimesandtruecrimes.com buymeacoffee.com/hardtimesTC
2023-01-0550 minHard Times and True Crimes4. Velma Barfield / Death Row Granny- Pt 1Velma Barfield was a beloved mother, grandmother and Sunday school teacher. She was also a master manipulator and serial killer. Send us a textTo purchase your merch - email us at hardtimesandtruecrimes@gmail.com with what you want, size, and a shipping address. We can accept Venmo or CashAppSupport the showhardtimesandtruecrimes.com buymeacoffee.com/hardtimesTC
2023-01-0544 minHard Times and True Crimes2. The Fogleman Murders: Liberty, North CarolinaAn elderly couple is murdered in their home in a small town in North Carolina. Who would've believed that a man who played Santa in the town's Christmas parade would end up being the main suspect? Send us a textTo purchase your merch - email us at hardtimesandtruecrimes@gmail.com with what you want, size, and a shipping address. We can accept Venmo or CashAppSupport the showhardtimesandtruecrimes.com buymeacoffee.com/hardtimesTC
2022-12-2237 minHard Times and True Crimes3. Killer Aunt Earle DennisonIn 1952 Earle Dennison visited her favorite three year old niece. She gave her poison under the guise of a treat. This led to discovering the killer aunt's dark and murderous past.Send us a textTo purchase your merch - email us at hardtimesandtruecrimes@gmail.com with what you want, size, and a shipping address. We can accept Venmo or CashAppSupport the showhardtimesandtruecrimes.com buymeacoffee.com/hardtimesTC
2022-12-2238 minHard Times and True Crimes1. Lawson Family Christmas Day MurdersIn 1929 Charlie Lawson, a North Carolina tobacco farmer, promised his family a special Christmas surprise. No one could ever have imagined the horror he had planned. Send us a textTo purchase your merch - email us at hardtimesandtruecrimes@gmail.com with what you want, size, and a shipping address. We can accept Venmo or CashAppSupport the showhardtimesandtruecrimes.com buymeacoffee.com/hardtimesTC
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