Murder Under the Big Top: The Story of Lobster Boy

On the surface, Charlie Brandt looked like a quiet, ordinary man who loved fishing, drinking, and his wife, Teri. But in 2004, when he murdered Teri and brutally killed his niece Michelle Jones before hanging himself, investigators uncovered a nightmare decades in the making. This episode dives into Charlie’s violent past, beginning at age 13 when he killed his mother—the secrets his family buried, and the trail of victims he likely left behind. From the confirmed murder of Sherry Perisho to cold cases eerily matching his signature brutality, we’ll piece together how one man hid his darkness in plain sight. What makes a serial killer? Was Charlie a product of trauma, a family that refused to face the truth, or something much darker? And how many victims will never be known? Sources: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/deadly-obsession/ https://www.10minutemurder.com/blog/a-family-torn-apart-the-dark-secrets-of-charles-brandt/ https://allthatsinteresting.com/charlie-brandt https://murderpedia.org/male.B/b/brandt-carl.htm Follow me here: ► YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@SerialNapper/ ► Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/serialnappernik/ ► Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/SerialNapper/ ► TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@serialnappernik *Go Ad-Free on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SerialNapper * Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

19 Sep 37min

In 1995, 17-year-old Nathan Brooks promised his classmates he’d be “famous by Saturday.” What no one realized was just how horrifyingly true that would become. On September 30th, in Bellaire, Ohio, Nathan murdered his parents in what he believed was a satanic ritual — shooting and decapitating his father, stabbing and bludgeoning his mother, and leaving behind a chilling hit list of names that included his own brother. The brutality of the crime shook the entire town, cancelling Halloween and sparking decades of fear and questions about how no one stopped him sooner. Almost thirty years later, Nathan Brooks is serving a life sentence but is now eligible for parole. Has he changed, or are some crimes too horrific for second chances? Join me as we unpack the warning signs, the murders, the trial, and the ongoing debate over whether the so-called “Devil in Bellaire” should ever walk free again. Sources: https://fox8.com/news/id-like-to-kill-you-ohio-man-who-murdered-parents-set-to-go-before-parole-board-local-sheriff-recounts-case/ https://weelunk.com/the-night-nathan-brooks-canceled-halloween/ https://www.theintelligencer.net/news/top-headlines/2025/08/bellaire-man-who-killed-parents-in-1995-up-for-parole/ https://appgateway.drc.ohio.gov/OffenderSearch/Search/Details/A337726? Follow me here: ► YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@SerialNapper/ ► Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/serialnappernik/ ► Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/SerialNapper/ ► TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@serialnappernik  *Go Ad-Free on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SerialNapper * Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

15 Sep 31min

Hope “Onyx” Cornish was just 18 years old when her life was stolen inside her Caldwell, Idaho home. Bold, stylish, and unapologetically herself, Onyx was queer, trans, and known for her kindness, empathy, and fierce individuality. She was thriving—sober for over a year, in a new relationship, working shifts at Wendy’s—when her adoptive father, Delbert Cornish, carried out a plan he admitted he had been thinking about for more than a year. On August 18, 2025, Delbert shot his daughter in the head, then draped her body in a Pride flag in what he later claimed was a twisted gesture of “honor.” He wrote suicide notes on the walls, killed her cat, and confessed that he had wanted to kill all of his children before taking his own life. Onyx’s younger brother fought back, disarming him and escaping, saving his own life in the process. Now, Delbert faces charges of first-degree murder, aggravated assault, and animal cruelty. Prosecutors say their case is built on overwhelming evidence, including Delbert’s own confessions and notes. A trial date is set for January 2026. Meanwhile, Onyx’s family, friends, and community continue to mourn and demand justice—not just in the courtroom, but in how she is remembered: as an outspoken, radiant teen who lived authentically in a world that too often wanted her quiet. Sources: https://people.com/dad-accused-killing-daughter-because-she-was-getting-bullied-allegedly-wrapped-pride-flag-to-honor-her-11796231?utm_source=chatgpt.com https://www.kivitv.com/caldwell/i-did-it-dude-court-records-show-caldwell-man-confessed-to-killing-18-year-old-daughter https://www.idahostatesman.com/news/local/crime/article311755785.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com Follow me here: ► YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@SerialNapper/ ► Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/serialnappernik/ ► Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/SerialNapper/ ► TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@serialnappernik *Go Ad-Free on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SerialNapper * Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

12 Sep 31min

When 16-year-old Sarah Grace Patrick picked up the phone to call 911, she said she had just found her mother and stepfather brutally murdered in their Carroll County, Georgia home. Her 5-year-old sister made the gruesome discovery first, walking into their bedroom to see the unimaginable. But months later, investigators say Sarah wasn’t just a witness—she was the killer. Charged with two counts of murder and two counts of aggravated assault, Sarah now faces the rest of her life in prison. In this episode, we’ll walk through the disturbing case that has left a small southern community in shock: the custody battles, the chaotic family history, Sarah’s haunting eulogy at the funeral, and her bizarre social media activity where she allegedly reached out to true crime bloggers before her arrest. Was Sarah a cold-blooded teen murderer, or is there more to this story than meets the eye? Sources: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/teen-sarah-patrick-charged-with-parents-murder-after-sisters-discovery/LML7VYTYR5GIPGNHKRBMNHJVH4/ https://www.newsweek.com/father-teen-charged-murder-says-she-didnt-show-any-red-flags-2105680 https://nypost.com/2025/08/19/us-news/georgia-teen-sarah-grace-patrick-accused-of-killing-mom-stepdad-denied-bond/ https://toofab.com/2025/07/12/sarah-grace-patrick-eulogy-mother-stepfather-murder/?fbclid=IwY2xjawMlRmpleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHpwZcw9ld05DpATobxAWkbDL-Tq2M27nhdtET34unXg0FyvIBNg8nYqOwI_8_aem_wTptBSn-6EIoDmj_z4Y0NA https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14926671/father-georgia-teen-sarah-grace-patrick-branded-murdered-mom-unfit.html Follow me here: ► YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@SerialNapper/ ► Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/serialnappernik/ ► Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/SerialNapper/ ► TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@serialnappernik  *Go Ad-Free on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SerialNapper * Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

5 Sep 37min

In July 2005, 19-year-old Army Private First Class LaVena Johnson was found dead on a U.S. base in Balad, Iraq. The Army ruled it a suicide. Her family has spent nearly two decades saying otherwise. From the very beginning, the official story didn’t add up. The gunshot wound was inconsistent with her M16 rifle. Her body showed burns, bruises, and evidence of sexual assault. Acid had been poured on her, gloves glued to her hands, and her body was discovered inside a burning contractor’s tent — details that somehow never made it into the Army’s report. The Johnson family has fought relentlessly for answers, uncovering documents, autopsy reports, and crime scene photos that point to murder and a cover-up. But nearly twenty years later, the case remains closed, stamped as “suicide.” This episode looks at who LaVena was, what really happened to her in Iraq, and why her family refuses to let the truth be buried. Sources: https://exhibits.stanford.edu/saytheirnames/feature/lavena-johnson https://thesource.com/2014/01/21/justice-for-lavena-johnson-raped-murdered-or-suicide-the-evidence-says-one-thing-u-s-military-says-another/ https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2009-mar-08-na-women-soldier-suicides8-story.html https://www.stlpr.org/government-politics-issues/2015-07-19/10-years-later-a-soldiers-family-still-grieves-and-questions-the-armys-version-of-her-death https://www.huffpost.com/entry/the-silent-truth-document_b_782798 https://www.ntdaily.com/opinion/deaths-of-lavena-johnson-and-others-spotlight-systemic-abuse-within-military/article_6204f0d6-ec3e-5f38-9f52-d3e74e0bf875.html Follow me here: ► YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@SerialNapper/ ► Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/serialnappernik/ ► Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/SerialNapper/ ► TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@serialnappernik  *Go Ad-Free on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SerialNapper * I will be in London at CrimeCon UK and I would love to meet you! Use my discount code NAPPER10 for 10% off the ticket price! Visit https://www.crimecon.co.uk/Our Sponsors:* Check out Mood.com and use my code SERIALNAPPER to save 20% off your first order. https://mood.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

29 Aug 37min

On March 4, 2001, 11-year-old Bethany Markowski vanished during what was supposed to be a routine weekend visit with her father, Larry. He says she went into the Old Hickory Mall in Jackson, Tennessee, while he napped in the van. But there’s one big problem—security footage shows no sign she was ever there. In this episode, we’ll dig into Bethany’s life before she disappeared, the volatile custody battle between her parents, and the messy, conflicting timeline that day. We’ll talk about phone pings that don’t match Larry’s story, witnesses who contradict his version of events, and the eerie gaps in time where no one—not even her own family—knows where Bethany was. We’ll also explore the strange reported sightings over the years, including a chilling 2016 case where a girl in East Tennessee claimed she was Bethany…and knew details only Bethany could have known. Twenty-plus years later, her mother, Jonnie, is still fighting to find her daughter, still pushing for answers, and still calling out the system that failed to protect Bethany in the first place. If you have any information about the disappearance of Bethany Markowski, please contact the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation at 1-800-TBI-FIND. Sources: https://bethanymarkowski.com/ https://www.missingkids.org/blog/2021/dear-bethany-20-years-missing https://www.facebook.com/BethanyLeanneMarkowski/ https://www.wbbjtv.com/2025/01/27/still-missing-what-happened-to-bethany-markowski/ Follow me here: ► YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@SerialNapper/ ► Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/serialnappernik/ ► Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/SerialNapper/ ► TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@serialnappernik  *Go Ad-Free on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SerialNapper * I will be in London at CrimeCon UK and I would love to meet you! Use my discount code NAPPER10 for 10% off the ticket price! Visit https://www.crimecon.co.uk/Our Sponsors:* Check out Mood.com and use my code SERIALNAPPER to save 20% off your first order. https://mood.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

22 Aug 38min

In August 2004, 12-year-old Boy Scout Garrett Bardsley vanished in Utah’s High Uintas Wilderness — just 150 feet from his campsite. He had been fishing with his father at Cuberant Lake when he stepped into cold water, soaking his shoes and socks. Garrett told his dad he was heading back to camp to change… but he never arrived. What followed was one of the largest search efforts in the state’s history — hundreds of searchers, helicopters, dogs, and thermal imaging — but no sign of Garrett was ever found. Not his fishing pole. Not his clothes. Only a single sock, later disputed as even being his. In this episode of Serial Napper, we explore the mysterious disappearance of Garrett Bardsley, the theories of what could have happened in the rugged Uintas terrain, and the heartbreaking legacy left behind — including the creation of the Garrett Bardsley Foundation, which continues to help in search and rescue operations today. Could Garrett have gotten lost? Was there an animal encounter? Or did something more sinister happen in those mountains? 🕵️‍♀️ If you have any information on this case, contact the Summit County Sheriff’s Office. Sources: https://www.strangeoutdoors.com/mysterious-stories-blog/garrett-bardsley https://charleyproject.org/case/garrett-alexander-bardsley https://www.heraldextra.com/news/2005/aug/28/in-memory-of-garrett/ Follow me here: ► YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@SerialNapper/ ► Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/serialnappernik/ ► Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/SerialNapper/ ► TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@serialnappernik  *Go Ad-Free on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SerialNapper * I will be in London at CrimeCon UK and I would love to meet you! Use my discount code NAPPER10 for 10% off the ticket price! Visit https://www.crimecon.co.uk/Our Sponsors:* Check out Mood.com and use my code SERIALNAPPER to save 20% off your first order. https://mood.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

15 Aug 34min

In December 1987, 12-year-old Trina Campbell stepped off her school bus in Brampton, Ontario—and vanished. She had survived a traumatic childhood, bounced through the foster system, and was just beginning to settle into a new group home. But the system that was supposed to protect her failed. Again. Months later, her butchered remains were found in a wooded area north of the city—dumped like garbage by a man who should have never been free. Douglas Worth was a known violent offender with a decades-long criminal record, including the rape of another young Indigenous girl. He was released from prison just six months before Trina’s murder, despite multiple warnings that he was a high-risk predator. And now, in July 2025, he’s been released on parole again—this time into a quiet community in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. This episode is about more than a murder. It’s about systemic failure, generational trauma, and a justice system that continues to roll the dice with women’s and children’s lives. 🔍 In this episode, we cover: Trina’s heartbreaking upbringing and disappearance Douglas Worth’s disturbing history and escalating violence The chilling discovery of Trina’s remains A trial that brought no closure—only outrage His recent 2025 parole and the terrifying reality of his release This case will leave you angry, shaken, and wondering how many more Trinas will be failed before something changes. 🖤 If you or someone you know is in danger or experiencing abuse, please reach out to a local support service or crisis line. You’re not alone. Sources: https://tubitv.com/tv-shows/514813/s02-e03-douglas-robert-worth-the-pictou-sadist https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/douglas-worth-murderer-paroled-halifax https://distributionarchives.cbcrc.ca/en/items/d1982b6e-2ffb-4e7c-8056-189ad25beca5 I will be in London at CrimeCon UK and I would love to meet you! Use my discount code NAPPER10 for 10% off the ticket price! Visit https://www.crimecon.co.uk/Our Sponsors:* Check out Mood.com and use my code SERIALNAPPER to save 20% off your first order. https://mood.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

8 Aug 40min