165: A Missing Bullet & the Black Widow of Las Vegas

Hate ads? The entire LGTC catalog is available ad-free on Patreon! Alice Anderson was in a state of alarm. Her fifteen year old son, Bruce Brenizer had just called with disturbing information. His father, Rick, was missing. So was his father’s girlfriend, Ruth Berentson. Ruth’s daughters, Mindy and Heidi, along with Bruce’s half-sister, Crystal, had vanished as well. Alice made several phone calls before she determined that it was time to involve the police. Someone needed to find this missing family. And now for a note about our process. For this episode, Brandi copy and pasted from the best sources on the web. And sometimes Wikipedia. (No shade, Wikipedia. We love you.) We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the real experts who covered these cases. In this episode, Brandi pulled from: “The Brenizer/Berentson Family” episode Family Massacre “‘I Did It. I Killed Them All’: 15-Year-Old Shot And Incinerated 5 Family Members” by Joe Dziemianowicz, oxygen.com “The Brenizer Berentson Family” episode Crimelines Podcast “Rumors Fly, But Murders Still A Puzzle” by Rogers Worthington and Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune “Deal possible in killing of five” by The Associated Press, Wisconsin State Journal “Two years later, Brenizer relatives seek answers” by The Associated Press, Leader Telegram “Brenizer ruled insane” by The Associated Press, The Oshkosh Northwestern “Life terms for Brenizer in family slayings” by Richard Meryhew, Star Tribune “Appeals Court Says Wis. Killer Should Remain In Mental Hospital” by The Associated Press, CBS News “State v. Bruce C. Brenizer” justia.com YOU’RE STILL READING? My, my, my, you skeezy scunch! You must be hungry for more! We’d offer you some sausage brunch, but that gets messy. So how about you head over to our Patreon instead? (patreon.com/lgtcpodcast). At the $5 level, you’ll get 50+ full length bonus episodes, plus access to our 90’s style chat room!

13 Sep 20231h 46min

Hate ads? The entire LGTC catalog is available ad-free on Patreon! Peggy Carr didn’t feel well. She was nauseous. She could barely speak. Her feet felt as though they were burning from the inside out. Her family rushed her to the hospital, but the doctors were stumped. They wondered if Peggy had the flu. They also wondered if it was all in her head. It wasn’t.  Over the next few days, her condition improved. Peggy was sent back home, only to become more ill than she’d been before. This time, a neurologist took a look at Peggy’s symptoms and posited that she might have thallium poisoning. The doctor’s hunch was correct. Nearly every member of the Carr household tested positive for thallium.  And now for a note about our process. For this episode, Kristin read a bunch of articles, then spat them back out in her very limited vocabulary. We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the real experts who covered these cases. In this episode, Kristin pulled from: American Justice episode, “Kill thy neighbor” “Murder genius is outfoxed by simple ‘country cops,’” by Mike McLeod for the Orlando Sentinel Vengeance: Killer Neighbors episode, “Poison Mastermind” “Murder on the mind” by David Walton for the Tampa Bay Times “Condemned killer wants another trial,” by Bill Heery for the Tampa Tribune “Poison killer Trepal awaits judge’s ruling on poor defense argument,” by Bill Heery for the Tampa Tribune “High court rejects death row appeal in Highlands County case,” News Service of Florida YOU’RE STILL READING? My, my, my, you skeezy scunch! You must be hungry for more! We’d offer you some sausage brunch, but that gets messy. So how about you head over to our Patreon instead? (patreon.com/lgtcpodcast). At the $5 level, you’ll get 50+ full length bonus episodes, plus access to our 90’s style chat room!

6 Sep 20232h 16min

Hate ads? The entire LGTC catalog is available ad-free on Patreon! Martre Coles was no stranger to tragedy. When he was just 16 years old, his mother died suddenly. A month later, Martre’s father invited his new girlfriend, Denise Gay, to live with them. Martre struggled with the loss of his mother and the many changes to his life. But he was excited about his future. He had dreams of becoming an artist, and it looked like he was about to fulfill them. Then he disappeared.  And now for a note about our process. For this episode, Brandi copy and pasted from the best sources on the web. And sometimes Wikipedia. (No shade, Wikipedia. We love you.) We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the real experts who covered these cases. In this episode, Brandi pulled from: “The Art of Death” episode Killer Motive “Denise Gay” podcast episode, Sistas Who Kill “Woman Forges Art School Email To Lure Boyfriend's Teen Son To His Death” by Joe Dziemianowicz, oxygen.com “‘It was betrayal’: Charges upgraded against women suspected of killing Henrico teenager” by Kristin Smith, ABC8 News “13-year-old witness testifies in case where victim was suffocated and stuffed in rubber storage bin” by Sean Gorman, The Roanoke Times “Witness testimony: Henrico murder victim yelled 'Get off me!' before death” by Ashley Monfort, NBC12 News “Father testifies against ex-girlfriend accused of murdering his son” by Liza David, The Capital News Service “Mother and daughter sentenced for roles in killing of teen found in storage container” by Vernon Freeman Jr., CBS6 News “Henrico woman gets life in prison for murder of boyfriend's teen son” by Kelly Avellino, NBC12 News YOU’RE STILL READING? My, my, my, you skeezy scunch! You must be hungry for more! We’d offer you some sausage brunch, but that gets messy. So how about you head over to our Patreon instead? (patreon.com/lgtcpodcast). At the $5 level, you’ll get 50+ full length bonus episodes, plus access to our 90’s style chat room!

30 Aug 20231h 33min

Hate ads? The entire LGTC catalog is available ad-free on Patreon! BREAKING NEWS! We just discovered the biggest weight loss breakthrough of the 21st century!! It’s definitely not a scam!!!!!!!!!1  You don’t need to diet! You don’t need to exercise! Simply sprinkle Sensa on your food, then watch the weight fall off! IT’S THAT EASY!  …Please don’t ask any questions about how the product works. Definitely don’t ask about the clinical trials. Just hand over your credit card and check those critical thinking skills at the door. And now for a note about our process. For this episode, Kristin read a bunch of articles, then spat them back out in her very limited vocabulary. We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the real experts who covered these cases. In this episode, Kristin pulled from: “The healthy skeptic: Sensa promises to curb eating,” by Chris Woolston for the Los Angeles Times “Chicago doctor’s claims fail FTC smell test,” by Julie Deardorff and Karisa King for the Chicago Tribune “Feds crack down on 4 bogus weight loss aids,” by Matthew Perrone for the Associated Press “Sensa products feels weight of FTC,” by Ricardo Lopez for the Los Angeles Times Sensa’s 2011 Infomercial Sensa Dance Commercial YOU’RE STILL READING? My, my, my, you skeezy scunch! You must be hungry for more! We’d offer you some sausage brunch, but that gets messy. So how about you head over to our Patreon instead? (patreon.com/lgtcpodcast). At the $5 level, you’ll get 49+ full length bonus episodes, plus access to our 90’s style chat room!

23 Aug 20231h 39min

Hate ads? The entire LGTC catalog is available ad-free on Patreon! Bill Butterworth claimed he had no idea what happened. He awoke in a haze, hundreds of miles from home. He’d driven from Kansas to Florida in a car that wasn’t his. The vehicle belonged to a family whose house he’d been working on. But how had he come into possession of their car? Then, Bill says he heard a horrifying story on the radio. Phil Fager had been shot dead in his home. His daughters, Kelli and Sherri, had been killed as well. Their killer had not been found. And now for a note about our process. For this episode, Brandi copy and pasted from the best sources on the web. And sometimes Wikipedia. (No shade, Wikipedia. We love you.) We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the real experts who covered these cases. In this episode, Brandi pulled from: “Kansas Trails: Sedgwick County” genealogytrails.com “Wichita murder suspect in custody” by AP, The Salina Journal “Suspect charged in family slayings” upi.com “Methods described by police” by Kaye Schultz, The Wichita Eagle “Prosecution rests case in Butterworth murder trial” by Jim Cross, The Wichita Eagle “Most self-professed amnesiacs fake it, psychologist testifies” by Kaye Schultz, The Wichita Eagle “Wichita triple-slaying case now up to jury” by Lynn Byczynski, The Kansas City Times “Jury weighs evidence in triple slaying” by AP, The Kansas City Star “Butterworth acquitted in deaths” by Bill Hirschman, The Wichita Eagle "Police report on Face case still in works” by Jim Cross, The Wichita Eagle “State of Kansas v. William T. Butterworth” “1988 murder trial still haunts jury foreman” by Roy Wenzl, The Wichita Eagle “The Fager Murders” episode, The Generation Why Podcast YOU’RE STILL READING? My, my, my, you skeezy scunch! You must be hungry for more! We’d offer you some sausage brunch, but that gets messy. So how about you head over to our Patreon instead? (patreon.com/lgtcpodcast). At the $5 level, you’ll get 49+ full length bonus episodes, plus access to our 90’s style chat room!

16 Aug 20231h 47min

Hate ads? The entire LGTC catalog is available ad-free on Patreon! Are you ready to get buff? Boy, have you come to the right place! In this episode, we learn from the VERY REAL strongman duo, Chop and Steele. They’ll lead you through workouts you’ve probably never heard of… like chopping twigs in half! Wanna work those legs? Try stomping on an Easter basket! When you’re really ready to get your pump on, fill a jug with some leftover turbo gravy. Do a few reps. You’ll definitely feel the burn! (What’s turbo gravy, you ask? What a weird question! You’ve obviously never heard of Chef Keith Guerke.) … are you starting to think that these guys aren’t the real deal? Well, that probably means you’re smarter than the morning news anchors who invited Chop and Steele on air. And now for a note about our process. For this episode, Kristin read a bunch of articles, then spat them back out in her very limited vocabulary. We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the real experts who covered these cases. In this episode, Kristin pulled from: The documentary, “Chop and Steele” “Fake strongman duo Chop and Steele prank morning TV shows,” Found Footage Fest channel on YouTube “Fake strongman duo Chop and Steele in North Dakota,” Found Footage Fest channel on YouTube “K-Strass the yo-yo guy super compilation,” Comedy for Profit channel on YouTube “The Found Footage Festival has triumphed in its copyright lawsuit,” by Jim Vorel for Paste Magazine “Gray Television Group, Inc v. Found Footage Festival, LLC” court documents “Chasing the story of Chop & Steele” by Richard Whittaker for the Austin Chronicle “Meet the comedy duo who got sued for pranking the news,” by Oliver Noble for Vice.com YOU’RE STILL READING? My, my, my, you skeezy scunch! You must be hungry for more! We’d offer you some sausage brunch, but that gets messy. So how about you head over to our Patreon instead? (patreon.com/lgtcpodcast). At the $5 level, you’ll get 48+ full length bonus episodes, plus access to our 90’s style chat room!

9 Aug 20231h 59min

Hate ads? The entire LGTC catalog is available ad-free on Patreon! Plenty of people saw Michelle Martinko at the Westdale Mall on December 19, 1979. She spoke to a few friends, tried on a winter coat, and grabbed a bite to eat at Orange Julius. By the time she was ready to leave, Michelle was a little apprehensive about walking through the parking lot alone. Nevertheless, she walked out to her family’s car. No one witnessed what happened next. And now for a note about our process. For this episode, Brandi copy and pasted from the best sources on the web. And sometimes Wikipedia. (No shade, Wikipedia. We love you.) We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the real experts who covered these cases. In this episode, Brandi pulled from: “And Then There Were Three” episode Dateline “Murder at the Mall: The Michelle Martinko Case” episode 48 Hours “Michelle Martinko” chilling crimes.com “Michelle Martinko’s murder ‘haunted’ the Cedar Rapids community for 40 years. Now, her suspected killer is set to go on trial.” By Jen Moulton, littlevillagemag.com “Police search of DNA behind much of the argument in Jerry Burns' appeal” by Shannon Moody, CBS2 Iowa News “Supreme Court affirms Jerry Burns' conviction in 1979 Michelle Martinko murder” by William Morris, Des Moines Register “Michelle Martinko” iowacoldcases.org “Martinko v. HNW ASSOCIATES” justia.com “State of Iowa v. Jerry Lynn Burns” iowacourts.gov “Murder of Michelle Martinko” wikipedia.org YOU’RE STILL READING? My, my, my, you skeezy scunch! You must be hungry for more! We’d offer you some sausage brunch, but that gets messy. So how about you head over to our Patreon instead? (patreon.com/lgtcpodcast). At the $5 level, you’ll get 47+ full length bonus episodes, plus access to our 90’s style chat room!

2 Aug 20231h 34min

Hate ads? The entire LGTC catalog is available ad-free on Patreon! The Haunted Castle at Six Flags Great Adventure always drew a big crowd. People often waited for more than an hour to get into the spooky, dimly-lit corridors of the castle. But the Haunted Castle was scarier than the crowds at Six Flags would have ever imagined. The attraction was filled with flammable decor. It had very few emergency exits. There were no smoke detectors. Six Flags’ management was well aware of the Haunted Castles’ defects, but they refused to take basic safety precautions. Afterall, those efforts would have cost money. And now for a note about our process. For this episode, Kristin read a bunch of articles, then spat them back out in her very limited vocabulary. We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the real experts who covered these cases. In this episode, Kristin pulled from: Storybook Amusement channel on YouTube, “The disaster that changed theme parks forever: Haunted Castle at Six Flags Great Adventure” The Documentary “Doorway to Hell? The Mystery and Controversy Surrounding the Fire at the Haunted Castle” “Officials recall code violations at Theme Park,” by Donald Janson, New York Times “Blaze fatal to 8 linked to lighter,” by Lindsey Gruson, New York Times “Worker at Great Adventure cites delay in reporting fire,” by Donald Janson, New York Times “Girl tells court about escaping fun house fire,” by Donald Janson, New York Times “Amusement park owners go on trial for fire that killed 8,” New York Times “Closing statements to jurors are made in park fire trial,” by Donald Janson, New York Times “Fire safety official criticized for testimony on fatal Jersey blaze,” by Thomas J. Knudson, New York Times “Charges dropped in Six Flags case,” Associated Press “Settlement in fire at park in Jersey,” Associated Press “Amusement park crisis management,” Joe Costal Rowan University YOU’RE STILL READING? My, my, my, you skeezy scunch! You must be hungry for more! We’d offer you some sausage brunch, but that gets messy. So how about you head over to our Patreon instead? (patreon.com/lgtcpodcast). At the $5 level, you’ll get 48+ full length bonus episodes, plus access to our 90’s style chat room!

26 Juli 20231h 42min