The Misery Machine

This week, Yergy and Drewby conclude the case of James Rodney Hicks, arguably Maine's only known serial killer - and speculate as to why Hicks got away with his crimes for so long. On 1 November 2000, Maine's Penobscot County grand jury formally charged confessed killer James Hicks, 49, with the murders of Jerilyn Towers and Lynn Willette. Hicks served six years of a 10-year prison sentence for killing his first wife, 23-year-old Jennie Hicks, who disappeared from the couple's Carmel home in 1977. Hicks was not arrested for her murder until 1983 and was convicted in 1984. Before his arrest, Towers, 34, of Newport, disappeared after leaving a Newport bar with Hicks. In fact the police investigation into Towers' disappearance prompted the re-examination Jennie Hicks' disappearance and subsequently the charging Hicks with her murder. At the time he was not charged with Towers' death because police lacked adequate evidence. After his release from prison in 1990, Hicks met 40-year-old Willette of Orrington with whom he worked at the Twin City Motel in Brewer. The two eventually lived together at a South Main Street apartment where Hicks now claims he killed Willette on May 26th 1996. Though also suspected in her disappearance, Hicks was never charged with her death because of lack of evidence. That is until he was handed a 55-year sentence in Lubbock, Texas, and confessed to the three killings and led authorities to their bodies. Hicks was convicted in Texas of holding a gun to the head of a 67-year-old woman, forcing here to write a check to him and sign over the title to her car, and then write a suicide note. He planned to drug and drown the woman to make it look like a suicide, but she somehow managed to escaped. When he was convicted to 55 years in prison Hicks asked to cut a deal with authorities in Maine whereby he agreed to direct them to the bodies of the three missing in exchange for serving his time in Maine instead of Texas. Back in Maine Hicks located the remains of his three victims after two days of digging around his former home in Etna and at several roadside sites in Aroostook County, Maine. The remains of his former wife and Towers were found 100 feet apart next to the home where he grew up. Willette's remains were found in concrete buckets buried next to the road in Aroostook County. Apparently all the bodies were dismembered and some parts he allegedly tossed in a nearby river. Join Our Facebook Group to Request a Topic: https://t.co/DeSZIIMgXs?amp=1 Support Our Patreon For More Unreleased Content: https://www.patreon.com/themiserymachine PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/themiserymachine Instagram: miserymachinepodcast Twitter: misery_podcast #truecrime #podcast #mystery

4 Touko 202038min

We hope you're all staying safe in quarantine out there! This week, Drewby and Yergy discuss the case of Mona Fandey - a failed pop singer later turned shaman and murderer from Malaysia. Fandey was executed at the age of 45, after being convicted of the murder of a politician, Mazlan Idris in 1993, who had solicited Fandey to perform a "witchcraft ritual" to help his position within his political party. Ending Song: "Ratapan Anek" By Mona Fandey Join Our Facebook Group to Request a Topic: https://t.co/DeSZIIMgXs?amp=1 Support Our Patreon For More Unreleased Content: https://www.patreon.com/themiserymachine PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/themiserymachine Instagram: miserymachinepodcast Twitter: misery_podcast #truecrime #podcast #mystery #documentary

20 Huhti 202033min

This week, Yergy and Drewby discuss the crimes of James Rodney Hicks, arguably Maine's only known serial killer.  On 1 November 2000, Maine's Penobscot County grand jury formally charged confessed killer James Hicks, 49, with the murders of Jerilyn Towers and Lynn Willette. Hicks served six years of a 10-year prison sentence for killing his first wife, 23-year-old Jennie Hicks, who disappeared from the couple's Carmel home in 1977.  Hicks was not arrested for her murder until 1983 and was convicted in 1984. Before his arrest, Towers, 34, of Newport, disappeared after leaving a Newport bar with Hicks. In fact the police investigation into Towers' disappearance prompted the re-examination Jennie Hicks' disappearance and subsequently the charging Hicks with her murder. At the time he was not charged with Towers' death because police lacked adequate evidence. After his release from prison in 1990, Hicks met 40-year-old Willette of Orrington with whom he worked at the Twin City Motel in Brewer. The two eventually lived together at a South Main Street apartment where Hicks now claims he killed Willette 26 May 1996. Though also suspected in her disappearance, Hicks was never charged with her death because of lack of evidence. That is until he was handed a 55-year sentence in Lubbock, Texas, and confessed to the three killings and led authorities to their bodies. Hicks was convicted in Texas of holding a gun to the head of a 67-year-old woman, forcing here to write a check to him and sign over the title to her car, and then write a suicide note. He planned to drug and drown the woman to make it look like a suicide, but she somehow managed to escaped. When he was convicted to 55 years in prison Hicks asked to cut a deal with authorities in Maine whereby he agreed to direct them to the bodies of the three missing in exchange for serving his time in Maine instead of Texas. Back in Maine Hicks located the remains of his three victims after two days of digging around his former home in Etna and at several roadside sites in Aroostook County, Maine. The remains of his former wife and Towers were found 100 feet apart next to the home where he grew up. Willette's remains were found in concrete buckets buried next to the road in Aroostook County. Apparently all the bodies were dismembered and some parts he allegedly tossed in a nearby river. Join Our Facebook Group to Request a Topic: https://t.co/DeSZIIMgXs?amp=1 Support Our Patreon For More Unreleased Content: https://www.patreon.com/themiserymachine PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/themiserymachine Instagram: miserymachinepodcast Twitter: misery_podcast #truecrime #podcast #mystery #documentary

20 Huhti 202039min

This week, Drewby and Yergy review the unsolved murders of Abigail Williams and Liberty German, two teenage girls from the small town of Delphi, Indiana. On February 14, 2017, the bodies of Abigail Williams and Liberty German were discovered near the Monon High Bridge Trail, which is part of the Delphi Historic Trails in Delphi, Indiana, United States, after the young girls had disappeared from the same trail the previous day. The murders have received significant media coverage because a photo and audio recording of an individual believed to be the girls' killer was found on German's smartphone. Despite these recordings of the suspect that have been circulated, and the more than 26,000 tips that police have received, no arrest in the case has been made. Please email abbyandlibbytip@cacoshrf.com if you know ANYTHING about this case. The reward is currently $225,000 for anyone that can provide evidence that will lead to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the killings. Stay safe and practice social distancing! Join Our Facebook Group to Request a Topic: https://t.co/DeSZIIMgXs?amp=1 Support Our Patreon For More Unreleased Content: https://www.patreon.com/themiserymachine PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/themiserymachine Instagram: miserymachinepodcast Twitter: misery_podcast #truecrime #podcast #mystery

6 Huhti 202031min

This week, Drewby and Yergy discuss the case of Joe Exotic, recently thrust back into the spotlight as the subject of the new Netflix docuseries "Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness." Joseph Allen Maldonado-Passage, (né Schreibvogel; born March 5, 1963), popularly known as Joe Exotic, is an American former zoo operator. He previously owned and ran the Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park in Oklahoma. He claimed to be the most prolific breeder of tigers in the United States. He ran as a candidate for President of the United States as well as for Governor of Oklahoma, but neither campaign garnered significant public support. In 2019 he was convicted on 17 federal charges of animal abuse (eight violations of the Lacey Act and nine of the Endangered Species Act) and two counts of murder-for-hire, for a plot to kill Carole Baskin, the chief executive officer of Big Cat Rescue, an animal rescue organization for exotic cats. He is currently serving 22 years in federal prison. This week's episode was brought to you by our sponsor True Crime XS: https://www.truecrimexs.com/ Join Our Facebook Group to Request a Topic: https://t.co/DeSZIIMgXs?amp=1 Support Our Patreon For More Unreleased Content: https://www.patreon.com/themiserymachine PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/themiserymachine Instagram: miserymachinepodcast Twitter: misery_podcast #truecrime #podcast #mystery #documentary #sanctuary

30 Maalis 202052min

This week we are covering a chilling and ghastly case of Fan Man Yee(樊敏儀), a young woman who was tortured and ultimately killed by three men: Chan Man-lok(陳文樂), Leung Shing-cho(梁勝祖), and Leung Wai-lun(梁偉倫) in the Kowloon District of Hong Kong over stolen money despite it being paid back over double the amount taken. The slaying gets its name from the victim's skull being discovered in a plush Hello Kitty stuffed animal mermaid, after she was dismembered, boiled, and had her remains disposed of in a trash pickup. Only her skull, a tooth, and some internal organs were recovered. The trio were eventually sentenced to life in prison due to the testimony of a thirteen year old girl that took part in the torture. Two films were made based off these events: There is a Secret in My Soup, and Human Pork Chop Join Our Facebook Group to Request a Topic: https://t.co/DeSZIIMgXs?amp=1 Support Our Patreon For More Unreleased Content: https://www.patreon.com/themiserymachine Instagram: miserymachinepodcast Twitter: misery_podcast #truecrime #podcast #mystery #urban #legend

23 Maalis 202032min

This week, Drewby and Yergy delve deep into the chilling real-life story of Chris Benoit, a Canadian professional wrestler with an illustrious career (WWF/WWE, WCW, ECW, NJPW) that was found dead by suicide due to hanging after murdering his wife and young son. This was a high profile case given Benoit being at the top of the WWE at the time, and came with many theories about what the motive was or if Benoit was the one responsible at all. Also present in the autopsy was Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) which claimed Benoit had the brain of "an 85 year old Alzheimer's patient" by one doctor. We cover the rampant use of steroids and painkillers in wrestling, the lack of action from promotions who discover their wrestlers are abusing drugs, and the string of deaths of wrestlers at young ages from heart complications tied to the misuse of steroids and other substances.  Join Our Facebook Group to Request a Topic: https://t.co/DeSZIIMgXs?amp=1 Support Our Patreon For More Unreleased Content: https://www.patreon.com/themiserymachine Instagram: miserymachinepodcast Twitter: misery_podcast #truecrime #documentary #mystery

16 Maalis 20201h 7min

This week, Yergy and Drewby take a break from the macabre and discuss a few of the many tales and urban legends surrounding their home state of Maine. Stories we cover are: -The Sabattus Well (which we take a journey to try to find) -Colonel Buck’s Tomb in Bucksport  -The Robie-Andrews Dorm which is an allegedly haunted dorm at The University of Southern Maine's (USM) Gorham campus  -The Wood Island Lighthouse -The Seguin Island Lighthouse Hauntings  -Pamola (not the beer)  -The Hermit of North Pond Christopher Knight  -Paul Bunyan -The Monster Of Pocomoonshine Lake -The Ghost Bride Of Haynesville Woods -The Fort William Henry Haunting -Maiden's Cliff Haunting in Camden  -The Legend of Wessie -Bigfoot -Andre the Seal -The Royal Tar Circus Ship That Sank Off Vinalhaven -Portland's Whorehouse Riots -The Turner Beast Join Our Facebook Group to Request a Topic: https://t.co/DeSZIIMgXs?amp=1 Support Our Patreon For More Unreleased Content: https://www.patreon.com/themiserymachine Instagram: miserymachinepodcast Twitter: misery_podcast #truecrime #documentary #mystery

9 Maalis 202056min