Shows
Dark OriginsThe Boomtown Rats "I Don't Like Mondays" and Brenda SpencerOn a quiet Monday morning in January 1979, shots rang out from a house across the street from Grover Cleveland Elementary School in San Diego. The shooter was 16-year-old Brenda Spencer, armed with a rifle her father had given her for Christmas. By the time the chaos ended, the principal and a custodian were dead, and eight children and a police officer were wounded.When asked why she did it, Brenda chillingly replied, "I don't like Mondays. This livens up the day." That haunting statement soon echoed around the world—not just in news reports, but in a so...
2025-07-1654 minDark OriginsMurderess: The Winnie Ruth Judd StoryAs a train traveled from Phoenix to Los Angeles, staff grew uneasy. A foul smell was coming from two trunks belonging to a young female passenger. That unease turned to horror when they noticed blood seeping from the cracks. Hoping it was something as simple as spoiled meat, they alerted police to inspect the trunks upon arrival.At the station, officers stopped the petite woman walking away from the luggage—her name was Winnie Ruth Judd. When asked about the trunks, she claimed her husband had the keys... then dropped them and ran. Inside were the bodies of...
2025-03-2855 minDark OriginsThe Frog Boys and Children (2011)In this episode, we delve into one of South Korea’s most infamous unsolved mysteries: the Frog Boys Murders. What began as a simple day of adventure for five young boys on March 26, 1991, turned into a decades-long nightmare filled with unanswered questions, police missteps, and lingering grief.The boys—aged 9 to 13—left their homes in Daegu, South Korea, to search for salamander eggs on the slopes of Mt. Waryong. But they never returned. What followed was a desperate and highly publicized search, with the entire country gripped by their mysterious disappearance.For 11 years, their...
2025-02-2226 minDark OriginsNa'Ziyah HarrisIn January 2024, 13-year-old Na'Ziyah Harris vanished after stepping off her school bus in Detroit, Michigan. What started as a desperate search for a missing child soon unraveled into a chilling tale of grooming, betrayal, and heartbreak. Na'Ziyah should be living the last precious years of her girlhood—hanging out with friends, focusing on schoolwork, and dreaming of her future. Instead, her life was cruelly cut short. Her body remains unfound, and the man she once called her "uncle" now stands trial for her murder.In this podcast, we dive into the devastating details surrounding Na'Ziyah's life, th...
2025-01-2838 minDark OriginsOakey Albert "Al" KiteIn May 2004 Oakey Albert “Al” Kite was found hog-tied and tortured to death in his basement after he didn’t show up for work. Al’s murder is one of the most mysterious we have covered because investigators still don’t know who perpetrated the crime, and there is no discernible motive other than a sick urge to torture and kill. The investigation has uncovered a lot of information, but not quite enough to tie everything together. Whoever killed Al went by the alias Robert Cooper and found him via an ad Al had placed looking for someone to rent his b...
2025-01-1341 minDark OriginsThe Lake Bodom MurdersFour Finnish teenagers, Maila Irmeli Björklund, Anja Tuulikki, Seppo Antero Boisman, and Nils Wilhelm Gustaffson set out to have a fun night camping on the shores of Lake Bodom. It was like a double date since Maila was dating Nils and Anja was dating Seppo. They fished, drank, and swam in the lake before heading to bed in the single tent they brought to share. The next day a man, out for his morning jog, came upon the teens and their tent, which was shredded, tattered, and collapsed. And three of the four were dead, while the fourth w...
2024-12-0243 minDark OriginsGary Heidnik and Silence of the LambsSilence of the Lambs is arguably one of the best psychological thrillers of all time and sadly many aspects of the movie are inspired by real people and events. Buffalo Bill in particular is based on a few different serial killers including Ted Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer, and Gary Heidnik. Most people are familiar with Bundy and Dahmer, but Heidnik's crimes haven't received the same amount of attention. In this episode we discuss Heidnik's life and crimes, as well as the lives of his victims. We talk at length about what he did, why he did it, and how his...
2024-11-041h 06Dark OriginsThe Disappearance of Marshall Iwaasa and Daniel ReochA group of hikers was traveling down a logging road on their way to a rentable hut, located in the remote Canadian wilderness, when they stumbled upon a burnt truck with personal belongings scattered around it. Feeling as though they had discovered a crime scene, the hikers decided to take pictures before turning back, calling police as they drove. It took RCMP Officers two days to get to the scene and they noticed that things had been moved since the hikers had been there. They found that the truck belonged to a man named Marshall Iwaasa, who was nowhere...
2024-09-1036 minDark OriginsOlympic Crime: The Murder of Keishla Rogriguez Ortiz by Felix VerdejoKeishla Rodriguez Ortiz met Felix Verdejo when the two of them were very young, because they attended the same school growing up. Their friendship blossomed into a romantic relationship when they were in high school. Keishla loyally supported Félix as he chased his dreams to become a professional boxer. At 18 years old Félix qualified for the 2012 olympics. He didn’t end up medaling but a professional spot was waiting for him when he got home to Puerto Rico. The beginning of his professional career was explosive. He held the WBO lightweight title for multiple years. He was expe...
2024-08-1530 minDark OriginsOlympic Crime: Gold Medalist Marksman, Dr. James Snook, Killed Medical Student Theora HixDr. James Snook had accomplished a lot in his life. He not only carved out his presence as a well-respected veterinarian and professor of veterinary science, even creating a tool called the Snook Hook that vets still use today, but he also competed and won two gold medals in the 1920 Olympics as a marksman. Six years after winning gold, and despite the fact that he had a wife and a young baby, he became enamored with a young medical student named Theora Hix. She began working at the veterinary building, Dr. Snook’s place of work, in 1926 to pay fo...
2024-08-0237 minDark OriginsCurrent Events: Wade WilsonOn July 23, 2024 Wade Wilson, known for his white supremacist and joker face tattoos, will face a judge as they decide whether to sentence him to death or life in prison without the possibility of parole. Wilson was convicted of murdering Kristine Melton and Diane Ruiz back in 2019. Both murders seemingly came out nowhere- he had just met Melton the night prior at local club before murdering her the nest morning and stealing her car. While riding around in the stolen car, he came upon Ruiz who was walking to work. After attacking Ruiz, he ran over her body 10-20...
2024-07-2139 minDark OriginsYoo Young Chul and The ChaserYoo Young Chul grew up in a poor family with little stability. The economic hardships that his family faced caused him to develop a deep-seeded hatred for wealthy individuals and he also developed an ever-growing resentment towards women. Yoo was driven by these emotions, and he couldn't seem to get ahold of them which caused him to start committing crimes at an early age. He spent many years in and out of jail, as his crimes continued to escalate. Eventually he began committing murder, targeting wealthy people initially and then redirecting his focus towards women, particularly sex workers. He...
2024-07-0933 minDark OriginsThe Murder of Elyse Pahler and SlayerWhen Elyse Pahler, a teenager from Arroyo Grande, went missing, her parents reached out to the police for help. Unfortunately, they weren't able to make much headway over the course of several months until they got a tip from an unlikely source. A clergyman from a local church called in to tell investigators that a teenaged congregant told him that he and two of his friends sacrificed Elyse to gain favor with the devil and become successful metal musicians. In this episode we discuss the entire case and the aftermath of it, including a lawsuit Elyse's parents filed against...
2024-05-2742 minDark OriginsKendrick Lamar's Euphoria and The Case of YNW MellyMany of the diss tracks that have been released by Kendrick Lamar over the past week contain lines that clearly have dark origins. In this episode we focus on one line from Euphoria that took inspiration from the case of YNW Melly AKA Jamell Demons. We cover the allegations that Jamell shot and killed two of his best friends with the help of another friend named YNW Bortlen AKA Cortlen Henry, and we discuss the first trial that ended in a mistrial. I also detail another murder that Jamell and Cortlen are suspected to be involved in.
2024-05-0732 minDark OriginsEclipse Murders: Danielle Johnson and Taylon CelestineMost violence isn’t related to the moon or the sun, but the violence that took place on April 8, 2024 might have been. The 8th was the day of the total solar eclipse and two different women committed murder/attempted murder that may have been connected to the phenomena. Danielle Johnson, an astrology. Influencer, killed her partner before throwing her two daughters out of the car (killing one and injuring the other) , before taking her own life by crashing into a tree at 100 mph. Detectives aren’t sure how much of a role the eclipse played, if any, but they are s...
2024-04-2115 minDark OriginsGwen Shamblin: Starving for SalvationTW: eating disorders, suicide, and child abuse. Everything we say is alleged, with the exception of the individuals found guilty of crimes. Gwen Shamblin had a Master's Degree in Food and Nutrition, yet she still fell down the pipeline of food and wellness guru to religious cult leader pipeline. Usually this pipeline is reserved for people who don't actually have extensive educations and degrees in the things they claim to be experts of, because it requires them to ignore the science to tout some alternative science/product that usually harms more than it helps. But Gwen...
2024-04-1755 minDark OriginsJoe Rogan Guest Allegedly Killed AcquaintanceSheldon Johnson was released from prison last year, after serving 25 years behind bars. Intent on turning his life around, he started working as a youth counselor and advocate for clients of the public defenders office. Successful civil rights attorney, Josh Dubin, befriended Sheldon and was impressed by the changes he was making in his life. Joe Rogan invited Josh and Sheldon onto his podcast on February 1. Unfortunately, a little over a month later Sheldon allegedly murdered an acquaintance named Collin Small. Police were called by suspicious neighbors to do a wellness check on Collin Small and they interrupted Sheldon...
2024-03-2830 minDark OriginsDateline Episode: Egypt CovingtonEgypt Covington was a 27 year old woman with so much potential. She lived a life full of love, friendship, and art. Many people knew her since she was a talented singer and a friendly bartender in Ann Arbor, MI. But her life was cut short. She was found in her home with a gunshot wound to the head, and her arms bound with Christmas lights. The local PD struggled to find her killer, yet refused to hand the case over to Michigan State Police (a much larger department with more resources and experience). Egypt's family begged them to transfer...
2024-03-2528 minDark OriginsTwo Michigan Cold CasesMary Alice Ellicott and Theral Carl Heldt were murdered within a week of one another and their remains found in the country of a small Michigan town. Seemingly unrelated, both murders were investigated but found themselves going cold as time passed. Mary's case was reopened a few years ago, and investigators have partnered with MSU to try to solve it. In this episode, we discuss what little is known about both murders.Sources:Kelly, Dane. “Michigan State Police Seek Information in 1981 Homicide of 29-Year-Old Woman.” Https://Www.wilx.com, 7 Apr. 2022, www.wilx...
2024-03-1528 minDark OriginsTrue Detective Season 4 and The Mary CelesteIn this episode we talk about the second inspiration behind True Detective Season. 4, which is the mysterious case of the Mary Celeste Crew. When the Del Gratia came upon a ship that appeared to be sailing haphazardly, the captain put out a signal but heard nothing back. He told two of his men to go investigate, and what they found was bizarre. The entire crew was missing, but there didn't seem to be any clear indication as to why they left or what may have happened.Sources:sharda. “The Mystery of the Mary Ce...
2024-03-0538 minDark OriginsTrue Detective Season 4 and The Mary CelesteIn this episode we talk about the second inspiration behind True Detective Season. 4, which is the mysterious case of the Mary Celeste Crew. When the Del Gratia came upon a ship that appeared to be sailing haphazardly, the captain put out a signal but heard nothing back. He told two of his men to go investigate, and what they found was bizarre. The entire crew was missing, but there didn't seem to be any clear indication as to why they left or what may have happened.Sources:sharda. “The Mystery of the Mary Ce...
2024-03-0538 minDark OriginsCurrent Events: Ruby Franke & Jodi Hildebrandt, Audrii Cunningham, and Reesa TeesaThis is a bonus episode that covers current events. In it we cover the sentencing of 8 Passenger's Ruby Franke and her "mentor" jodi Hildebrandt, the murder of Audrii Cunningham, and the series "Who TF Did I Marry?" by Reesa Teesa on TikTok. Sources:Audrey Conklin, Sarah Rumpf-Whitten. “Texas Girl Audrii Cunningham Found Dead in River as Officials Eye Capital Murder Charge for Suspect.” Fox News, 20 Feb. 2024, www.foxnews.com/us/texas-girl-audrii-cunningham-found-dead-river-officials-eye-capital-murder-charge-suspect. Accessed 25 Feb. 2024.Bansinath, Bindu. “What We Know about the Mommy Vlogger Accused of Child Abuse.” The Cut, 20 Feb. 2024, www.thecut.com/articl...
2024-02-2548 minDark OriginsTrue Detective Season 4 and The Dyatlov Pass IncidentTrue Detective Season 4's show runner, Issa Lopez, said that this season was inspired by some real-life mysteries- the Dyatlov Pass incident and the Mary Celeste are the two that she named directly. In this episode we dive into the 1959 Dyatlov Pass incident, an expedition that ended with the deaths of all nine hikers involved. The hikers had clearly left their tent in a hurry, forced to cut themselves out from they inside and subsequently died throughout the wilderness of the Ural Mountains. Many of the circumstances were so strange that it created many questions that haven't been fully...
2024-02-2041 minDark OriginsThe Sexton Family Part 2This is part 2 on the case of the Sexton family. Headed by Eddie Lee Sexton and Stella Sexton, the twelve children were forced to live like a violent cult. They had to follow their father's every command, and they were routinely abused - physically, mentally, and sexually. We covered the lead-up to part of the family going on the run together in part one, and we finish the case in this episode. Unfortunately, things turn fatal in this episode, Sources:Cauffiel, Lowell. House of Secrets. Kensington Publishing Corp., 1 Apr. 2014.“Eddie Lee Sex...
2024-02-0739 minDark OriginsSun Kil Moon Song and The Sexton FamilySun Kil Moon wrote the song Richard Ramirez Died Today of Natural Causes. While the song repeatedly mentions Richard Ramirez and his crimes, it also mentions many other cases. One of them being the case of the Sexton family. The patriarch of the family was a man named Eddie Lee Sexton. He ran his family like a cult - forcing them to take part in bizarre satanic rituals and sexually assaulting all of his twelve children. His wife Stella went along with all of it. She sexually assaulted some of her children even without her husband present. When one...
2024-01-261h 13Dark OriginsBlack Christmas and The Lipstick KillerThe movie Black Christmas, a cult classic, was inspired in part by a murderer dubbed The Lipstick Killer (because of a message the killer wrote in lipstick on a wall at the crime scene). The Lipstick Killer ended up being blamed for three murders, one of which was very different than the others. And a boy named William Heirens would be accused of being the Lipstick Killer, despite any evidence that pointed to his guilt. William Heirens was a troubled young boy, who started committing burglaries and thefts at a young age. He was institutionalized at two different boys...
2024-01-051h 09Dark OriginsHeadlines of 2023: Shakahola Forest Massacre, Eyedrop Killer, and Nancy NgOn this episode we talk about three cases that made headlines over the past year. This includes deaths of over 400 people in the Shakahola Forest Massacre in Kenya, the completion of the trial for a woman who killed her friend with eye drops in order to steal more money from her, and the tragic disappearance of Nancy Ng in Guatemala during a yoga retreat.Sources:Gordon, Anna. “Kenyan Doomsday Cult Survivors Refuse to Eat: Latest Updates.” Time, 15 June 2023, time.com/6287440/kenya-shakahola-mackenzie-death-cult/.Hanley , Erik. “Jessy Kurczewski Found Guilty on All Three Charges in Wauk...
2023-12-2251 minDark OriginsThe Murder of Lindsay HawkerLindsay Hawker was a beautiful, ambitious young woman working as an English teacher in Tokyo when she caught the eye of a deranged individual who lived in the area. He asked her to give him an English lesson, which she apprehensively agreed to. After telling her roommates she was leaving to meet him at public cafe, she vanished. She had left his name and address on a note for her roommates so police tracked him down after being called. Unfortunately the suspect was able to slip away and go on the run. He remained missing for years and when h...
2023-12-2233 minDark OriginsThe Crimmins Children and Little Deaths by Emma FlintWhen Alice Crimmins children went missing from their hoe in NYC, she thought her husband may have kidnapped them to spite her. He denied taking the children and offered to come help her find them, before the pair called police. Unfortunately a lack of leads and a lot of misogyny made the police focus on in on Alice almost immediately. Unfortunately, the children’s bodies would be found in different parts of the city later on and Alice would eventually have to fight for her innocence in the courtroom. This case inspired the book Little Deaths by Emma Flint, bu...
2023-11-2652 minDark OriginsThe Murder of Tynisha Ysais by Big LurchAlisha Allen rushed over to her friend, Tynisha Ysais’, house after hearing she may have been assaulted earlier in the day. As she approached the complex she noticed a man walking around completely naked and covered in blood. Thankfully she was able to flag down a passing police officer to alert him to the strange man. Officers approached the man, who clearly had a meaty substance stuck to his facial hair, and arrested him without incident. Meanwhile Alisha continued towards her friends apartment. When she walked in she found her friend dead on her bedroom floor - she had be...
2023-11-1150 minDark OriginsRuthie Mae McCoy and CandymanThe movie Candyman had many inspirations. It’s believed that one of them was the murder of a woman named Ruthie Mae McCoy - a middle aged lady who lived alone in a unit in Grace Abbott Apartments, the most dangerous building within the dilapidated ABLA housing projects. Ruthie Mae was very close to moving out of her apartment, because she was not doing well living there. She had become very isolated because she was so scared to leave since crime was rampant in the complex. Unfortunately, an architectural quirk in the building allowed for people looking to rob ap...
2023-10-261h 04Dark OriginsThe Bizarre Disappearance of Devin WilliamsThank you so much for being patient with us! I'm so sorry for our unintentional break. We have been moving, and it has taken up all of our time. We should be able to get back on our regular schedule now!Long-haul trucker, Devin Williams, left for his route from Kansas to California like usual. He was very familiar with it since he had done it so many times. He made it to California with no problems and picked up a load to drop off on his way back. But he never made it home. Instead...
2023-10-0538 minDark OriginsThe Knorr Family and The AfflictedOn this episode we discuss the inspiration behind the movie “The Afflicted." Theresa Knorr was a newly single mother of six children who began severely abusing the five children who still lived with her. She isolated her kids and refused to let them go to school, allowing her horrendous abuse to go unseen. She focused the majority of her rage on her two oldest daughters because she was jealous of them. Over a span of years Theresa murdered them both after subjecting them to long periods of extreme abuse, starvation, and torture. She made her other kid...
2023-09-1645 minDark OriginsHeadlines: Rubi Franke of 8 Passengers and Lucy Letby SentencedWe've decided to do bonus episodes where we talk about current true crime news in a more informal/conversational style. In this episode we talk about the arrests Rubi Franke of 8 Passengers and her business partner Jodi Hildebrandt for child abuse. We also talk about the sentencing of Lucy Letby, the British nurse who was found guilty of killing seven babies and trying to kill six other babies. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
2023-09-0527 minDark OriginsCindy JamesCindy James, a recently-divorced nurse from British Columbia, begins living alone for the first time in her adult life. About a month into her new living situation she begins receiving terrifying calls. The caller starts leaving notes for Cindy, on her car or at her house and his behavior escalates quickly. He vandalizes her property, breaks into her house, and physically attacks her several times. During the physical attacks, the stalker usually strangles Cindy with black nylon stockings by tying them tightly around her neck before leaving. Cindy seeks help from The Royal Canadian Mounted Police, but they are...
2023-08-311h 12Dark OriginsThe Murder of Dariusz Janiszewski and The Book That Was Written About ItIn 2000 a Polish man named Dariusz Janiszewski was kidnapped, starved, tortured, and murdered. The case quickly went cold and the murderer, Kristin Bala, almost got away with it... until he published a book about it, titled Amok. Bala changed many details in the book, but the similarities seemed too obscure to be merely coincidence. Using the book as a roadmap to murder, investigators were able to unravel his motive and piece together the inner-workings of his mind. He was a self-centered, egotistical man who wanted to control everyone around him and he ultimately let his hubris get the best...
2023-08-2448 minDark OriginsMichelina Lewandowska and Regan JolleySometimes life imitates dark art, leading to dire consequences. We discuss two cases of men who perpetrated crimes that imitated scenes from movies and tv shows. The first story is about a case that resembled a scene from Kill Bill Vol. II and the second is about a man who became obsessed with acting out a scene from Breaking Bad. Both cases were instances of domestic violence. They share many similarities, but they also differ in many ways. We discuss the cases, investigations, and all of the factors surrounding each case.If you or someone you...
2023-08-1641 minDark OriginsThe Rulo CultThis week we discuss a lesser known cult that brutally tortured, sexually assaulted, and killed some of it's own members. Lead by a man named Michael Ryan, the group was a white supremacist doomsday cult that stockpiled tons of property that they stole from farms throughout the midwest. Michael convinced the group that he was possessed by the Archangel Michael and that he had a direct line to God (who they referred to as Yahweh). He begins to claim that Yahweh wants the group to participate in horrifying torture, sexual assault, and murder causing things to quickly spin out...
2023-08-0852 minDark OriginsFolie à Deux and IncantationFolie à deux, french for "madness of two," is a condition where two or more people share the same delusions. The phenomenon usually occurs between people who are very close to one another, like tight-knit families or siblings. The Taiwanese movie Incantation is supposedly inspired by a family, the Wu family, who experienced folie à deux. They believed they were all possessed by different deities and they began acting in really strange and dangerous ways to free themselves from the possessions. This culminated in the family being put on trial for domestic abuse after one of the adult children died from st...
2023-08-0348 minDark OriginsDonald HarveyAfter John Powell's death in Drake Hospital, they send his body off for an autopsy. The law in Ohio at the time mandated autopsies for anyone who died from an accident. They thought that John had died from complications related to a motorcycle accident, but the medical examiner realized that was not the case as soon as he opened his stomach. He detected a bitter almond smell, prompting him to run extra tests to see if John had been poisoned with cyanide. After test results validated the doctor's theory, he passed the case on to detectives. By the time...
2023-07-2656 minDark OriginsMurder of the Cookes and The MatrixTiffany Cooke was on the phone with her father when all of a sudden she heard several popping noises. She stayed on the line hoping her father would come back to the phone, but she was eventually greeted by her brother instead. He told her he had to make another call before abruptly hanging up on her. He proceeded to call 911 to tell them that he had just shot his parents. His defense wanted to use "The Matrix Defense," which is a type of insanity plea in which the defendant claims they believed they were living in a simulation. Joshua...
2023-07-1836 minDark OriginsUrgent: Carlethia Russell and Bring Chanel HomeThis is not a regular episode of Dark Origins. We want to use our platform to help whenever possible, and we know our listeners would care about these cases. You've likely seen the breaking news about the disappearance of Carlethia Russell, which we briefly cover in the beginning. There isn't much information about her disappearance so far, but we cover all of the information that has been released. We also cover the separation of an indigenous baby named Chanel from her family. Chanel's mother, Kristen, was killed by her father, Eric, in 2020. Eric's parental rights were never terminated, so...
2023-07-1513 minDark Origins1972 Andes Plane Crash and YellowjacketsIn 1972 a plane filled with an amateur Rugby team, their friends and family, a woman on her way to her daughter’s wedding, and the flight crew got in a crash in the Andes Mountains. Some passengers passed away in the crash, but others were forced to survive for the next 72 days in the wilderness of the Andes Mountains with barely any food, water, or other necessities. They were forced to eat the bodies of their dead friends and family to survive, but there is so much more to their story. Listen to this episode to hear about the cr...
2023-07-1157 min
Dark OriginsThe Murder of Jodi Jones and Where is She? (The Killers)On June 30, 2003, fourteen year old Jodi Jones left her house to meet up with her boyfriend, Luke. When Jodi missed her curfew, her mom figured she was still with Luke. After calling him, she found out that Jodi never showed up. They all met up to look for her, and it didn't take long before they found her. She had been brutally murdered and left behind a high wall along the path she took to get to Luke's house. After months of investigation, police felt they had enough evidence to arrest Luke, but Luke maintained his innocence. The murder...
2023-07-0439 minDark OriginsLast Call Killer and AHS Season 11This episode discusses the real inspiration behind the Mai Tai Killer from American Horror Story Season 11. The Last Call Killer, Richard Rogers, is thought to be responsible for the murders of at least four men in NYC, but he was only convicted of two (and he likely committed more than four). Rogers plucked men from piano bars in New York City under the cover of night and rampant homophobia. The murders did not get much press coverage until the pattern of finding dismembered bodies tied up in trash bags could no longer be ignored. Due to the diligent work...
2023-06-291h 01Dark OriginsThe Murder of Suzanne Capper and Child's PlayWhen Suzanne, a kind and caring sixteen-year-old girl, befriends her old babysitter, things turn dark quickly. The babysitter introduced Suzanne to her friends, who all began bullying her. They took advantage of Suzanne's kindness and her desire for connection. After a big fight, Suzanne left to stay with her stepdad, but the group manipulated her into returning. As soon as she stepped foot inside their house, they began torturing her. Over the course of seven days, Suzanne was brutally tortured - this is when the group incorporated Chucky into their torture sessions. After a week of unimaginable pain, Suzanne...
2023-06-2422 minDark OriginsThe Murder of Mary Rogers and Edgar Allen PoeIn this episode, we talk about the murder of Mary Rogers and how it inspired Edgar Allen Poe. Poe's "The Murders in the Rue Morgue" is widely considered to be the first modern detective novel, spawning a hugely popular genre that still stands strong today. He wrote a sequel called "The Mystery of Marie Rogêt," which Poe used as an artistic exercise in trying to solve the real-life murder of Mary Rogers. Unfortunately, he would be unsuccessful. Mary's murder remains a mystery still today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
2023-06-2132 minDark OriginsAlferd Packer, Cannibal! The Musical, and More*I'm so sorry but we had to reupload due to technical issues. This is the new upload!*In this episode, we dive into the story of Alferd Packer and the five men he killed and cannibalized on an expedition to find gold. We discuss his crimes, capture, and multiple confessions. We also explain the most popular theories about his motive and intent. There have been many movies and books that his story has inspired, so we try to focus on three in particular. Just a forewarning - this story is a bit gruesome!...
2023-06-1946 minDark OriginsAlferd Packer, Cannibal! The Musical, and MoreIn this episode, we dive into the story of Alferd Packer and the five men he killed and cannibalized on an expedition to find gold. We discuss his crimes, capture, and multiple confessions. We also explain the most popular theories about his motive and intent. There have been many movies and books that his story has inspired, so we try to focus on three in particular. Just a forewarning - this story is a bit gruesome! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
2023-06-1647 minDark OriginsMy Experience With Larry Nassar and Law and Order SVU: Chasing DemonsIn this episode, we cover the case and trial of Larry Nassar from my perspective as a survivor. There are hundreds of survivors of Nassar, so I am only one of many. Nassar's trial was the inspiration for S19E14 of Law and Order SVU, so we briefly talk about that episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
2023-06-111h 09Dark OriginsBonus Episode: The Murders of Margarette Eby and Nancy LudwigSince this is a bonus episode, we did something a little different than usual. Instead of diving into the inspiration behind a movie, book, etc. we talk about the brutal murders of two beautiful women. One of the women, Margarette Eby, was a music professor who started a city-wide music festival so she technically created a laswithtistic legacy. The other woman, Nancy Ludwig, was a diligent flight attendant who had a full family life. Both of their murders had gone cold, but the hard work of their families helped crack the case.Hinterman, Peter. “Flint Crime Fi...
2023-06-0721 minDark OriginsThe Murder of Gregory Biggs and StuckIn this episode, we discuss the horrific murder of a devoted father down on his luck. Gregory Biggs was walking near the road when Chante Mallard was driving while intoxicated. Chante hit Gregory, and instead of getting him medical attention, she made a series of terrible decisions that ultimately led to his death. This event has inspired many TV shows and movies, but we mainly focus on the movie Stuck. Sources:Ashley, Megan. “The Horrific Hit and Run Murder of Gregory Biggs.” Medium, 13 Sept. 2021, truecrimemysteries.medium.com/the-horrific-hit-and-run-murder-of-gregory-biggs-6ea6a6217201. Acce...
2023-06-0729 min
Dark OriginsThe Snowtown MurdersIn this episode, we dive into The Snowtown murders, the crimes that inspired a movie by the same moniker. We talk about each victim and the circumstances surrounding the murders committed by John Bunting, James Vlassakis, and Robert Wagner (with help from Mark Haydon). Sources:Anderson, Paul. ““Bodies in Barrels” Haunts Snowtown.” Heraldsun.com.au, Herald Sun, 13 May 2014, www.heraldsun.com.au/news/law-order/true-crime-scene/how-australias-worst-serial-killers-john-bunting-and-robert-wagner-stained-snowtown-with-their-sadistic-kill-games/news-story/7a8f5f816349f60b8eeee2e06b23b2a4.Ansley, Greg. “Reeling from a Netherworld - World News.” NZ Herald, 1 June 2023, www.nzherald.co...
2023-06-0258 min
Dark OriginsThe Serpent and the Rainbow and the Story of Clairvius NarcisseThis episode delves into the true story behind Wes Craven's The Serpent and the Rainbow. First, we discuss the case of Clairvius Narcisse, a man who was thought to be a zombie after he arrived in his village eighteen years after being declared dead. We also dive into the Haitian Revolution, Voodoo, Papa Doc and his Tonton Macoute, and Dr. Wade Davis' research on the phenomena of Haitian zombies. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
2023-05-2036 minDark OriginsQueen of the Damned and the Murder of Thomas McKendrickIn this episode, we talk about Allan Menzies and his obsession with the movie Queen of the Damned. He claims the movie inspired him to kill his best friend, Thomas McKendrick. Allan told the jury that he suffered from delusions and hallucinations in which Akasha, a blood-thirsty vampire played by Aliyah, promised him immortality if he followed her commands. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
2023-05-1221 minDark OriginsPioneer to the Falls & The Murder of Imette St. GuillenThis episode takes a look at the murder of Imette St. Guillen and the song inspired by her murder, called Pioneer to the Falls by Interpol.Sources:Barron, James. “Killing Reminded Bar’s Manager of ‘Preppie Murder’ at His Family’s Bar.” The New York Times, 13 May 2009, www.nytimes.com/2009/05/13/nyregion/13littlejohn.html. Accessed 1 May 2023.Dziemianowicz, Joe. “‘The Body Was Ice Cold’: NYC Bar Bouncer Raped, Strangled Grad Student.” Oxygen Official Site, 19 Mar. 2022, www.oxygen.com/new-york-homicide/crime-news/bouncer-darryl-littlejohn-strangled-imette-st-guillen.Fahim, Kareem. “Witness Tells of Escaping Kidnapping by Defendant.” The New York Times, 19 May...
2023-05-0128 min