Bonus: The First Suspects - The Black Dahlia Files

In this month’s series, we’ll take a look at the fascinating phenomenon of narcissistic family cults - a family unit that exhibits all the hallmarks of a traditional cult group but is led by a narcissistic family member - usually a parent.  In this episode, a couple with thirteen children spend decades isolating themselves from the outside world. The public would be shocked when it was discovered their children had been subjected to long-term ritualistic abuse, neglect, and deprivation in one of the worst cases of child abuse ever recorded in California.  Links: Patreon - www.patreon.com/onceuponacrime - Become a Patreon member of Once Upon a Crime to get ad-free, early release episodes, and more perks.  Military Murder Podcast - Check out my friend Margo’s podcast - Military Murder! www.militarymurderpodcast.com.  Resources: The Family Next Door by John Glatt, St. Martin’s Press, 2019.  David Turpin Biography: 13 Things About Perris, California Engineer Turpin Trial: Couple Jailed for Life for ‘Inhuman’ Child Abuse All That’s Interesting: Louise Turpin California Torture House: Louise Turpin’s Sister Said Sibling Experimented with Religion, Sex People: Couple Accused in Calif. House of Horrors Case ‘Ran Away’ to Marry When She was 16 and He Was 23 David and Louise Turpin Eloped - Daily Mail Inside the Turpin “Horror House” as Young Survivors Reveal Ongoing Struggles ABC 20/20, S44/E7 - Escape from a House of Horror - A Diane Sawyer Special Event Classmate Says Oldest Turpin Sibling Was Bullied, Frail During Grade School in Viral Facebook Post Turpins: 1 Sibling’s Desperate Escape Attempt Foiled When Police Forced Her Back to the House California Torture Case Raises Questions About Home School Regulation People: I Lived with the House of Horrors Family: What Relative Says She Saw Years Before Child Torture Case Came to Light  CNN: Judge Bars Turpins from Contacting Children People - From a Desperate Escape to Revelations of Shocking Abuse: How Abuse of Horrors Case Unfolded Huffpost - Turpin Children Speak Out About Life in California ‘House of Horrors’See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

9 Apr 202259min

A young man’s racist ideology lead him to take the lives of 51 people and injure dozens more all while recording and uploading a video of the murders to Facebook Live.  Resources: Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Terrorist Attack on Christchurch Mosques on 15 March 2019. https://christchurchattack.royalcommission.nz “Massacre Suspect Traveled the World but Lived on the Internet” by David D. Kirkpatrick for The New York Times, March 15, 2019.  “NZ gunman to stay silent at sentencing after families bring court to tears” by Nick Perry for The Times of Israel, 26 August 2020.  “The Christchurch shooting was streamed lived, but think twice about watching it” by Colleen Murrelll for abc.net.au, Mar 15, 2019.  “Family of alleged gunman apologises to Christchurch victims” by Padraig Collins for The Irish Times, Mar 17, 2109.  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.

28 Mar 202230min

A young man who identifies with as an Incel carries out a mass shooting at an Arizona mall while livestreaming it via Snapchat. Special thanks to Dr. Sohom Das for lending his expertise in this episode. Check out his YouTube Channel A Psych for Sore Minds for more insights into the criminal mind and the psychology of true crime! https://www.youtube.com/c/APsychForSoreMinds Resources: “Dark Side: The Westgate Shooting” by Erica Stapleton for News 12 Phoenix, Feb 18, 2021. “‘God had such mercy’: Mother of 19-year-old Westgate shooting victim speaks about son’s recovery” by BrieAnna J. Frank for The Arizona Republic, May 23, 2020. “A Mass Shooter Live-streamed his Attack on Snapchat at an Arizona Mall” by David Gilbert for Vice News, May 21, 2020. “This real-life Air Force superhero saved 28 people from an active shooter in Arizona” by David Roza for Task and Purpose, May 27, 2021. “Armando ‘Junior’ Hernandez: Glendale Westgate Shooting Suspect Arrested” by Emliy Bicks fr The Heavy, May 21, 2020. Links: CrimeCon - www.crimecon.com and www.crimecon.co.uk - Use promo code ONCEUPON22 for 10% off your registration. Patreon - www.patreon.com/onceuponacrimeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

21 Mar 202231min

A disgruntled, former television station employee takes out his revenge during a live news broadcast.  Resources: “Ex-Broadcaster Kills 2 on Air Virginia Shooting” by Michael D. Shear, Richard Perez-Pena, and Alan Blinder, The New York Times, August 26, 2015. “Vester Lee Flanagan: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know”, Tom Cleary, Heavy.com, April 8, 2021.  “A Life of Listing Grievances, and Then Virginia Gunman’s Final Homicidal Explosion”, Michael D. Shear and Sarah Maslin Nir, The New York Times, Aug 27, 2015.  “Murder on social media: Killer wanted the world to watch”, Emily Brown, USA Today, Aug 26, 2015.  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.

14 Mar 202232min

A bizarre and terrifying crime spree has been on the rise in the UK for the past several years. In this episode, I’ll share stories illustrating how acid attacks have increasingly been used to retaliate against a romantic partner once a relationship ends.  Resources:  “Acid Attacks on the Rise in the U.K.”, Joanna Kakissis/NPR, Aug 6, 2017. “Acid Attacks: What has led to the rise and how can they be stopped?”, George Mann/BBC News, July 14, 2017.  “Jealous woman is jailed for 14 years after scarring her boyfriend”, Rory Tingle/DailyMail.com, Nov 21, 2021.  “Woman jailed for acid attack on boyfriend”, Tristan Kirk/Evening Standard, Nov 19, 2021.  “Man recalls moment ex-girlfriend poured acid over him while he slept”, Jamie Barlow/Nottinghamshire Live, Feb 12, 2021.  The Queen v Mark Cummings and Katie Leong, Crown Court at Leicester, March 21, 2017.  “Katie Piper’s acid attacker is cleared for release”, Danny Gallagher/Daily Mail.com, Jun 18, 2020.  Links: Patreon - www.patreon.com/onceuponacrime Once Upon a Crime website - www.truecrimepodcast.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

28 Feb 202225min

In this special episode, Esther sits down with Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jake Halpern to talk about Season 2 of his podcast Deep Cover: Mob Land. They also discuss podcast storytelling and Jake reveals which well-known actor makes a surprise guest appearance on Deep Cover in Season 2.  Links:  Listen to Deep Cover on Pushkin.fm - https://www.pushkin.fm/show/deep-cover/ Become a Pushkin+ member to binge all episodes of Deep Cover ad-free. You will also have ad-free access to more than 20 Pushkin+ shows. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

21 Feb 202243min

In this episode, I’ll share with you one of the craziest “love” stories you’ve ever heard - right in time for Valentine’s Day. Burt Pagach meets Linda Riss in 1957 and quickly becomes obsessed with her. When she breaks off the relationship he plots a despicable act for revenge.  Resources:  “Burt and Linda Pugach: The story behind Crazy Love”, Amy Turner for The Sunday Times, June 29, 2008.  “CityPeople; A Sort of Love Story”, Mark Fass for The New York Times, March 21, 2004.  Crazy Love (2007), Directed by Dan Klores and Fisher Stevens, Magnolia Pictures.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

14 Feb 202240min

A 22-year-old recent graduate of a New Zealand University breaks off a short-lived relationship. Her ex would take deadly revenge on her in one of the most horrific attacks ever perpetrated in the country’s recent history.  Resources:  “Own Evidence Seals Fate” by John Hartevelt for Stuff.co.nz, July 23, 2009.  “Success accompanied by stress: Weatherston” by Kay Sinclair for the Otago Daily Times, July 9, 2009.  “The Day Sophie Died: A Mother’s Untold Story” by Lesley Elliott for NzHerald.co.nz, Jun 10, 2011.  “A Decade On: Sophie Elliott’s Family Remembers Her” by Kelley Dennett for NZHerald.co.nz, Jan 5, 2018.  “Provocation defence ‘made killer a victim”, NZ Herald, July 22, 2009.  “Sophie’s beauty not targeted court told” by Kay Sinclair for Otago Daily Times, July 14, 2009 “An examination he didn’t pass”, Otago Daily Times, July 23, 2009 “Provocation defence abolished”, Otago Daily Times, Nov 27, 2009. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

6 Feb 202237min