243: Fires

Hate ads? The entire LGTC catalog is available ad-free on Patreon! John Duffield woke to a horrifying sound. It was his 15 year old son, Paul, calling out for help. John sprang out of bed to find Paul lying on the couch, bleeding from a massive head wound. But Paul’s injuries were just the start of the horror. John’s 12-year-old daughter Janelle was dead in her room. His 17-year-old daughter Kelly was missing. Investigators were puzzled. Was Kelly taken, or did she leave willingly? Was it really possible that John slept through this bloody attack? And if so, did that mean that this attack was carried out by a cold-blooded stranger?  Then Kristin tells us about the downfall of former Subway spokesman and total creep Jared Fogle. When Jared was in college, he lost an astonishing 245 pounds by eating two Subway sandwiches a day for eleven months. His story made national headlines, and he quickly became the face of Subway. It was a win-win. Subway’s profits soared. Jared became a millionaire many times over. Subway couldn’t have asked for a better spokesman. Jared was just a genuine, boring midwestern guy. At least, that’s what everyone thought.  And now for a note about our process. For each episode, Kristin reads a bunch of articles, then spits them back out in her very limited vocabulary. Brandi copies and pastes 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, Kristin pulled from: An episode of Dr. Phil “Jared Fogle pens icky, flirty letter to woman from prison,” The Mercury-News “U.S. Atty: Jared Fogle used “wealth status and secrecy” to exploit kids,” CBS News “Why Jared Fogle was — and still might be — the perfect Subway spokesman,” The Washington Post “Subway Guy Visits Somerset,” Commonwealth Journal “Why did the Jared Fogle investigation take so long?” My Suncoast “From obesity to duplicity: Jared’s fall to Earth,” USA Today “Jared Fogle,” wikipedia In this episode, Brandi pulled from: “Silent Night” episode Ice Cold Killers “Man convicted in 35-year-old Olathe murder wants out of prison” by Peggy Breit, KMBC 9 News “Michael Cade K0044347” jococourts.org

19 Dec 20181h 40min

Hate ads? The entire LGTC catalog is available ad-free on Patreon! It was the late 1940s in Boston, Massachusetts, and a group of career criminals had a crazy idea. They wanted to rob the Brinks’ armored car depot. If they could pull it off, it would be the biggest robbery in United States history. For two years, they planned and plotted. They broke into the building to get a lay of the land. They stole the building’s lock cylinders, brought them to a locksmith, had keys made, and replaced the cylinders — all before the building reopened the next day. By the time they finally committed the robbery, they were like a well oiled machine. They were slick. They were smart. And they almost got away with it. Then Brandi tells a story that hits close to home. On June 2, 2007, 18-year-old Kelsey Smith went to Target to find an anniversary present for her boyfriend. The trip shouldn’t have taken long. When Kelsey didn’t return home right away, her family started to worry. They searched for her, hoping that maybe she’d had car trouble. But a few hours later, they discovered her car in the parking lot of a nearby mall. Their hearts sank. Her wallet, purse, and Target bags were in the vehicle — but Kelsey was nowhere to be found.  And now for a note about our process. For each episode, Kristin reads a bunch of articles, then spits them back out in her very limited vocabulary. Brandi copies and pastes 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, Kristin pulled from: “Brink’s Robbery” fbi.gov “The Great Brink’s Robbery of 1950: Not Quite the Perfect Crime,” New England Historical Society In this episode, Brandi pulled from: “Kelsey Smith: Gone in an Instant” episode See No Evil “Edwin Hall Guilty in Kelsey Smith Killing” by Diane Carroll, Laura Bauer, and Joe Lambe, The Kansas City Star “Edwin Hall: I’m So, So Sorry” KMBC 9 News “Murder of Kelsey Smith” wikipedia.org

12 Dec 20181h 52min

Hate ads? The entire LGTC catalog is available ad-free on Patreon! When Nicole Atkinson dropped her friend Shanann Watts off at home early one morning, everything seemed fine. But the next day, Shanann didn’t answer any of Nicole’s texts. Then Shanann missed her 10 a.m. doctor’s appointment. Nicole called Shanann’s husband, Chris, but he seemed kind of dismissive. That didn’t set well with Nicole. So she called the police. Then Kristin wraps things up with a murdering con man. In the post-recession era, Richard Beasley dreamt up a near-perfect con — one that preyed on men who were down on their luck. He posted a job on Craigslist that promised $300 a week and a two-bedroom trailer — all in exchange for watching over a 688-acre ranch. Applications poured in. But there was no job. Richard’s Craigslist ad was his twisted way of luring unsuspecting men to Ohio. And now for a note about our process. For each episode, Kristin reads a bunch of articles, then spits them back out in her very limited vocabulary. Brandi copies and pastes 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, Kristin pulled from: “Murder by Craigslist,” by Hanna Rosin for The Atlantic “’Craigslist’ killer Richard Beasley sentenced to death,” Cleveland.com  “Death sentence for Craigslist killer upheld by Ohio Supreme Court,” Cleveland.com  “The Craigslist Killer: Richard Beasley” episode of Monster in my Family  In this episode, Brandi pulled from: “A Secret Mistress Comes Clean & a Suspicious Bed Sheet Spotted from the Sky: How Chris Watts Was Caught” by Adam Carlson, People Magazine “Murder Suspect Husband Gave TV Interviews, Before His Arrest, Outside House Where Wife & Kids Likely Died” by Adam Carlson, People Magazine  “Chris Watts case: What we learned from unsealed affidavit” by Madison Park, CNN “Timeline: Key dates in investigation of deaths of Shanann Watts, 2 daughters in Colorado” by Sady Swanson, Fort Collins Coloradoan “Court documents: Watts children found in oil well, may have been strangled” by Coloradoan Staff, Fort Collins Coloradoan “Chris Watts sentenced to five life terms without parole for killing pregnant wife, two daughters” by Blair Miller, Denver 7 News

5 Dec 20181h 45min

Hate ads? The entire LGTC catalog is available ad-free on Patreon! When Shannon Whisnant bought a storage unit at auction, he got a whole lot more than he bargained for. He discovered a severed human foot tucked inside the unit’s BBQ grill. Turns out, the owner of the foot was alive and well, and he wanted it back. But Shannon wasn’t willing to let it go. He’d bought the foot fair and square. And plus, it might just be his ticket to fame.  Then Brandi tells us a story that’s as creepy as it is disturbing. In the late 60s, four year old Martin Brown died from a terrible accident. Later, in that same neighborhood, three year old Brian Howe went missing. But when police discovered his body, they quickly realized that Brian was the victim of a twisted killer. And in hindsight, perhaps Martin was, too. As police hunted down the responsible parties, evidence pointed them toward a surprising set of suspects — two young girls. And now for a note about our process. For each episode, Kristin reads a bunch of articles, then spits them back out in her very limited vocabulary. Brandi copies and pastes 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, Kristin pulled from: The documentary, “Finders Keepers” In this episode, Brandi pulled from: “Mary Bell” by Shirley Lynn Scott, Crime Library “Mary Flora Bell” murderpedia.org “The mob will move on, the pain never can” by Nicci Gerrard, Richard Brooks, Jonathon Calvert, Lucy Johnston and Andy McSmith, The Observer “Mary Bell” wikipedia.org

28 Nov 20181h 34min

Hate ads? The entire LGTC catalog is available ad-free on Patreon! Randy Stone played a big role in his community. He owned an insurance business, was a former marine, and was an active member of New Hope Baptist church. But seemingly out of nowhere, after years of loyal church attendance, Randy cut ties with the church. A short time later, he was murdered. But who would want Randy dead, and why? Then Kristin tells us about a kidnapping that sounds fishy as hell. A man dressed in a wetsuit woke Denise Huskins and Aaron Quinn. He blindfolded them with blacked out swim goggles, forced them to drink sedatives, put headphones on them, and eventually left with Denise. When Aaron came to, there were motion detecting cameras everywhere. There was red tape on the first floor of the home. The rules were clear: if he stepped outside the lines, Dense would be hurt. When Aaron called police to report the horrific crime, they didn’t believe him. And now for a note about our process. For each episode, Kristin reads a bunch of articles, then spits them back out in her very limited vocabulary. Brandi copies and pastes 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, Kristin pulled from: 20/20 episode, “Stranger than fiction” “‘I’m not guilty’: Matthew Muller gives jailhouse interview about bizarre kidnapping, assault on Vallejo couple,” NBC Los Angeles “Primary suspect in Gone Girl kidnapping: ‘We fancied ourselves a sort of Ocean’s Eleven,’” People.com “Harvard-educated lawyer charged in Gone Girl kidnapping that cops initially called a hoax,” People.com “Vallejo kidnapping suspect Matthew Muller faces more criminal charges,” KRON4.com “Man convicted in 2015 Vallejo kidnapping case returning to court, representing himself,” Fox40.com In this episode, Brandi pulled from: “Killer Love” by Mark Morris and Brian Burnes, The Kansas City Star “Former Marine’s Murder Exposes Wife’s Affair with Pastor” by Brooke Stangeland and Alexa Valiente

21 Nov 20181h 36min

Hate ads? The entire LGTC catalog is available ad-free on Patreon! Nancy Howard just wanted a quiet night at home. She pulled into the garage of her upscale home, got out of her car, and was about to head inside for dinner when an armed gunman grabbed her by the neck. The pair struggled. He shot her and left her for dead. But Nancy survived. Investigators were perplexed by the crime, but soon, the pieces came together. It was even stranger than they’d initially suspected. Then Brandi tells us about infamous teenaged spree killer Charles Starkweather. In just two months, Charles killed eleven people. His underaged girlfriend was with him the entire time. Starkweather’s horrific crimes won a place in pop culture. The crimes inspired the film Natural Born Killers, a truly terrible Bruce Springsteen song, and were mentioned in Billy Joel’s, “We didn’t start the fire.”  And now for a note about our process. For each episode, Kristin reads a bunch of articles, then spits them back out in her very limited vocabulary. Brandi copies and pastes 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, Kristin pulled from: “How to not get away with murder” by Michael J Mooney for D Magazine An episode of the podcast Swindled “‘They got you, didn’t they?’ Denton County woman tells prison-bound ex who tried to have her killed,” The Dallas Morning News “Love affair takes center stage in Carrollton murder-for-hire trial,” NBCDFW.com “Appeal denied in John Howard case,” Carrollton Leader “Trial begins for alleged hit man hired by North Texas man convicted of plotting to kill wife,” MySanAntonio.com In this episode, Brandi pulled from: “Charles Starkweather and Caril Fugate” by Marilyn Bardsley, Crime Library “Charles Raymond Starkweather” murderpedia.org “The Killing Spree that Transfixed a Nation: Charles Starkweather and Caril Fugate, 1958” by Lesley Wischmann, WyoHistory.org “Charles Starkweather And Caril Fugate Trials: 1958” encyclopedia.com

14 Nov 20181h 59min

Hate ads? The entire LGTC catalog is available ad-free on Patreon! When Abraham Shakespeare won a $30 million lottery, he was ecstatic. He bought himself a beautiful home and a new car. He was generous with nearly everyone he encountered. When friends needed a loan, he gave it to them. When they fell behind on their mortgages, he stepped in. But Abraham was quickly overwhelmed. He worried that people were taking advantage of him. Then he met Dee Dee Moore. She was a savvy businesswoman who wanted to help him with his money. Or so she said. Later, when Abraham went missing, his friends and family had a hunch who was to blame. Then Kristin tells us about one of the dumbest lawsuits of all time. Peter Wallis and Kellie Smith were in love, but that all changed when Kellie got pregnant. Peter proposed. She said no. Peter encouraged her to get an abortion. She said no to that too. Then like a real winner, he kicked her out of their apartment. Kellie moved in with her parents and eventually gave birth to a baby girl. A year after their daughter was born, Peter sued Kellie, claiming she lied about being on the pill. Kellie said she had been on the pill, and that the pregnancy was as surprising to her as it was to him. Peter told the world he was a victim of “contraceptive fraud.” And now for a note about our process. For each episode, Kristin reads a bunch of articles, then spits them back out in her very limited vocabulary. Brandi copies and pastes 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, Kristin pulled from: “Judge tosses man’s suit over ex-lover’s pregnancy,” Albuquerque Journal “Dismissal of Lawsuit over pregnancy upheld,” Albuquerque Journal “Man sues his ex-girlfriend for becoming pregnant,” Washington Post In this episode, Brandi pulled from: “The Lady Killer” episode American Greed “Dee Dee Moore” episode Snapped “Dorice ‘Dee Dee’ Moore” murderpedia.org

7 Nov 20181h 36min

Hate ads? The entire LGTC catalog is available ad-free on Patreon! Happy Halloween, and welcome to a very spooky episode of Let’s Go To Court! This week, we discuss crimes so terrifying that they inspired horror films.  Kristin starts us off with the most disgusting story of all time. Ed Gein was just a quiet bachelor who lived alone on his isolated Wisconsin farm. But there was more to Ed than met the eye. When police went to question him about a murder, they were horrified by what they discovered. Body parts littered his filthy home. There were lamp shades and chairs made of human skin. There was a collection of noses, and face masks on the walls. Ed’s story is so sickening that it inspired the movies Psycho, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and The Silence of the Lambs. Then Brandi tells us about an entire family who was killed in their sleep. Well… not an entire family. One family member, Ronald DeFeo, lived to tell the tale. A year later, a new family moved into the home. The disturbing story was the basis for the Amityville Horror movies. Brandi recommends the 2005 Amityville Horror remake, starring Ryan Reynolds. She’s a fan of his muscle definition. And his acting. And now for a note about our process. For each episode, Kristin reads a bunch of articles, then spits them back out in her very limited vocabulary. Brandi copies and pastes 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, Kristin pulled from: “Ed Gein,” episode of A&E’s biography “Ed Gein Biography,” Wisconsinsickness.com “The Ultimate Ghoul,” Crime Library “10 skulls found in house of horror,” Oshkosh Daily Northwestern “Judge orders Ed Gein back to mental hospital,” The La Crosse Tribune “Order Ed Gein tried on murder, robbery,” The Oshkosh Northwestern “Ed Gein found guilty of murder,” Ironwood Daily Globe “Ed Gein,” Wikipedia In this episode, Brandi pulled from: “The Real Life Amityville Horror” by Douglas B Lynott, Cirme Library “Couple and 4 children killed in ‘Amityville Horror’ murders” by Jerry Schmetterer and Daniel Driscoll Ronald Defeo Jr. “The Amityville Horror” wikipedia.org AmityvilleFiles.com

31 Okt 20181h 44min