Introducing “Broken: The Black Dahlia Murder” - A Once Upon a Crime Original Series

A teenage boy goes missing in 1984. Authorities would quickly decide that he was a runaway, but his family didn’t agree. Fourteen years later his fate would be learned in a shocking and unusual way.  Resources:  The New Detectives: Grave Secrets - Season 8, Episode 7, The Discovery Channel  Articles (Jackson Vallarta/Christopher Denoyer/Dale Vallarta) from The Californian newspaper, Feb 17 1998 to Feb 10, 2000 - Clipped from Newspapers.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

27 Jun 202137min

In this month’s series “Buried Truth” I share cases where a person goes missing never to be seen again. Just when it seemed their fate would remain a mystery, the truth would be uncovered. This time, a neighborhood menace harbors dark secrets in his own backyard. This is the case of Russell Tillis and The House of Horrors.  You can now receive texts from Once Upon a Crime! Text OUAC to 408-676-1770 to opt-in!  Links:  www.truecrimepodcast.com Resources: https://www.thedailybeast.com/womans-body-found-under-booby-trapped-mobile-home http://www.cncpunishment.com/forums/showthread.php?11401-Death-Penalty-Trial-Tentatively-Set-for-November-5-2018-for-Russell-David-Tillis-in-May-2015-FL-Murder-of-Joni-Lynn-Gunter&p=101924&viewfull=1 https://www.firstcoastnews.com/article/features/5-things-you-need-to-know-house-of-horrors-death-penalty-trial-starts-april-5-crime/77-611a8a49-232b-4d4e-b31f-fd367cf2b587 https://www.news4jax.com/news/local/2021/04/08/russell-tillis-expected-to-testify-in-own-defense-at-murder-trial/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

14 Jun 202145min

This is a double episode to conclude the month-long miniseries where I detail the case of serial killer David Carpenter, known as “The Trailside Killer”. Carpenter stalked and killed men and women on the hiking trails of Marin County, San Francisco and Santa Cruz. Other suspected victims would disappear from San Jose and Daly City, California.  Resources: The Sleeping Lady: The Trailside Murders Above the Golden Gate by Robert Graysmith, Penguin Books, (1990) People v. Carpenter, Supreme Court of California, Nov 29, 1999.  “The Frightening Case of the Trailside Killer”, Strange Outdoors, November 27, 2020.  “DNA ties Trailside Killer to ‘79 SF Slaying”, Jaxon Van Derbeken, San Francisco Chronicle, Feb 24, 2010. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

24 Mai 20211h 51min

In Part 2 of this 3-part mini-series, I’ll continue the story about a random series of attacks that took place on hiking trails in northern California beginning in 1979, soon after David Carpenter was released from prison for an earlier violent crime spree. After three women were found murdered on Mount Tamalpais, investigators began to suspect that a serial killer was on the loose and targeting local hikers.  This is the case of “The Trailside Killer”.  Resources: The Sleeping Lady: The Trailside Murders Above the Golden Gate by Robert Graysmith, Penguin Books, (1990) People v. Carpenter, Supreme Court of California, Nov 29, 1999.  “The Frightening Case of the Trailside Killer”, Strange Outdoors, November 27, 2020.  Links: Website: www.truecrimepodcast.com Patreon: www.patreon.com/onceuponacrime See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

17 Mai 202129min

This month I’ll be sharing a 3-part miniseries. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Northern California was terrorized by a series of random murders that took place on hiking trails in state parks, national forests and coastal lands. The public began to suspect that a serial killer was lurking among them and the media began referring to him as “The Trailside Killer”. In this first part, I’ll detail some of the Trailside Killers earliest victims and describe how he was allowed to slip through the cracks in the criminal justice system and set loose to stalk and kill more than ten people.  Resources: The Sleeping Lady: The Trailside Murders Above the Golden Gate by Robert Graysmith, Penguin Books, (1990) People v. Carpenter, Supreme Court of California, Nov 29, 1999. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

10 Mai 202135min

In 2002, two paintings were stolen from The Van Gogh Museum worth $30 million dollars. The investigation into this crime would involve law enforcement in several countries. Special investigators in both art crimes and organized crime units would also be brought in to solve the case of the missing Van Goghs.  Resources:  Documentary: Stealing Van Gogh (2018), Julian Hendy, Director. “How 20 Stolen Van Gogh Paintings were Recovered” by Erik Shilling for Atlas Obscura, Sept. 30, 2016. https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/how-20-stolen-van-gogh-paintings-were-recovered-35-minutes-after-a-heist “As Stolen Van Goghs Return to View, a Thief Tells All” by Nina Siegal for The New York Times, Mar 19, 2017. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/19/arts/design/van-gogh-museum-theft-octave-dunham.html “Italian police bust drug trafficking Camorra Clan”. Posted on Gangsters, Inc., Mar 21, 2017. https://gangstersinc.ning.com/profiles/blogs/italian-police-bust-drug-trafficking-camorra-clan-and-retrieve-st “How Two Stolen Van Gogh Paintings Made it Home After a 14-Year Saga” by Isaac Kaplan for Artsy.Net, Mar 21, 2017. https://www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-two-stolen-van-gogh-paintings-made-14-year-saga See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

26 Apr 202125min

Famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright begins an affair with Martha “Mamah” Borthwick. When the scandal threatens his career and reputation, he builds a home near Spring Green, Wisconsin. Called “Taliesin”, it was supposed to be a place of peace and refuge for the couple, but in 1914, it became the site of a horrifying massacre.  Resources:  “Soulmate Stunt Loses its Zest”, Kokomo Daily Tribune, August 3, 1910. Frank Lloyd Wright by Jan Adkins, published by Penguin Random House, 2008  “Cook massacres seven at Wisconsin home Frank Lloyd Wright built for his mistress”, by Mara Bovsun for The New York Daily News, Jan 25, 2014.  Links: Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1730325570622505 Patreon: www.patreon.com/onceuponacrime See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

19 Apr 202140min

To celebrate reaching 200 episodes we created a bonus episode to answer listener questions. Thanks everyone for submitting them! Links: www.Patreon.com/onceuponacrime To listen to our "haunted" episode go to Episode #108 - Haunted Homicides: The LaLaurie Mansion. Some hear a "ghost" at minute 20 or so. The Scott Peterson episodes with my sister, Yolanda is #71 and #72 - The 12 Crimes of Christmas - Laci Peterson, Part 1 and 2. Special thanks to Lorena Garcia for co-hosting this episode with me and to all the listeners who sent in questions!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

14 Apr 202159min