154: Sage Crawford - Safety

If you’ve ever been in a printing plant, you know how loud they tend be. The rhythmic banging and clicking of the presses combined with the purr of constant, high decibel white noise is surprisingly soothing once you get used to it. But on the morning of September 14, 1989, something about this familiar cacophony was suddenly off in a large facility in Louisville, Kentucky. It was too loud, and too erratic. Too sharp for the steady hum of the machines. And then…screaming. Because it wasn’t the machines – it was gunfire. And by the time silence descended on the Standard Gravure printing plant a half hour later, at roughly 9:00 AM, 12 people were wounded and 8 were dead. The identity of the killer was never in question – he put an SIG Sauer, a 9mm pistol, under his chin and died at the scene. The focus of the investigation was rather on a potential accomplice of this mass murderer, which you are likely already familiar with. You may know it by its street names, like “happy pills” or “bottled sunshine”; or you may know it more formally, as the popular anti-depressant Prozac. -Visit us online at obscuracrimepodcast.com -Find us on all podcasting platforms: Obscura: https://link.chtbl.com/obscura -Support Obscura on Patreon and unlock the exclusive Black Label episodes: www.patreon.com/obscuracrimepodcast -Check out our other podcasts: itsarclightmedia.com Episode Sponsors: - Download your new favorite getaway, BEST FIENDS, for FREE today on the App Store or Google Play. - AdamandEve.com. Code: OBSCURA. 50% Off 1 item+ Free Shipping in the US & Canada. some exclusions apply Our Sponsors: * Check out Chime: https://chime.com/OBSCURA * Check out Kensington Publishing: https://www.kensingtonbooks.com * Check out Mood and use my code OBSCURA for a great deal: https://mood.com * Check out Progressive: https://www.progressive.com Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/obscura-a-true-crime-podcast/exclusive-content Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

30 Mars 202230min

New York City in the 1980s was not the place we know it to be today, especially when it comes to violent crime. Almost no neighborhood was without risks, and no one was off limits. With millions of people living and working in such a confined space, commuting to and around Manhattan via the dirty, dangerous and heavily graffitied subway system was the only choice available to 3.3 million residents who relied on the subway every day. These days on the subway, transit officers have a reassuring presence. They ensure things are running smoothly and that any disturbances are dealt with swiftly. But in the 1980s, the city couldn’t afford to employ such security. Many citizens resented feeling scared, but there was little else they could do. The NYPD already had their work cut out for them in terms of responding to an overwhelming amount of daily emergency calls about violent assaults and murders. But it wouldn’t be long before widespread discontent about the amount of violent street crime in the Big Apple was about to be exposed in the most brutal and racially charged of circumstances. In 1984, four young African American men - and their white assailant, Bernhard Goetz - were unwittingly about to be the public faces of the wild west that many New Yorkers felt their city had become. CW: racial profiling, drug use, sexual assault -Visit us online at obscuracrimepodcast.com -Find us on all podcasting platforms: Obscura: https://link.chtbl.com/obscura -Support Obscura on Patreon and unlock the exclusive Black Label episodes: www.patreon.com/obscuracrimepodcast -Check out our other podcasts: itsarclightmedia.com Episode Sponser: -Download Best Fiends FREE today on the App Store or Google Play. Our Sponsors: * Check out Chime: https://chime.com/OBSCURA * Check out Kensington Publishing: https://www.kensingtonbooks.com * Check out Mood and use my code OBSCURA for a great deal: https://mood.com * Check out Progressive: https://www.progressive.com Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/obscura-a-true-crime-podcast/exclusive-content Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

2 Mars 202227min

New York City in the 1980s was not the place we know it to be today, especially when it comes to violent crime. Almost no neighbourhood was without risks, and no one was off limits. With millions of people living and working in such a confined space, commuting to and around Manhattan via the dirty, dangerous and heavily graffitied subway system was the only choice available to 3.3 million residents who relied on the subway every day. These days on the subway, transit officers have a reassuring presence. They ensure things are running smoothly and that any disturbances are dealt with swiftly. But in the 1980s, the city couldn’t afford to employ such security. Many citizens resented feeling scared, but there was little else they could do. The NYPD already had their work cut out for them in terms of responding to an overwhelming amount of daily emergency calls about violent assaults and murders. But it wouldn’t be long before widespread discontent about the amount of violent street crime in the Big Apple was about to be exposed in the most brutal and racially charged of circumstances. In 1984, four young African American men - and their white assailant, Bernhard Goetz - were unwittingly about to be the public faces of the wild west that many New Yorkers felt their city had become. CW: racial profiling, drug use, sexual assault -Visit us online at obscuracrimepodcast.com -Support Obscura on Patreon and unlock the exclusive Black Label episodes: www.patreon.com/obscuracrimepodcast -Check out our other podcasts: itsarclightmedia.com Our Sponsors: * Check out Chime: https://chime.com/OBSCURA * Check out Kensington Publishing: https://www.kensingtonbooks.com * Check out Mood and use my code OBSCURA for a great deal: https://mood.com * Check out Progressive: https://www.progressive.com Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/obscura-a-true-crime-podcast/exclusive-content Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

16 Feb 202229min

In the case of Craig Price, otherwise known as the Warwick Slasher, there was every indication he was a wolf in sheep’s clothing. His inherent charisma effectively deceived those closest to him. Little did they know he would go down in history as being Rhode Island’s most notorious serial killer. At the same time, his case would serve as a major catalyst for widespread reform. -Visit us online at obscuracrimepodcast.com -Support Obscura on Patreon and unlock the exclusive Black Label episodes: www.patreon.com/obscuracrimepodcast Episode Sponser: -Download Best Fiends FREE today on the App Store or Google Play Our Sponsors: * Check out Chime: https://chime.com/OBSCURA * Check out Kensington Publishing: https://www.kensingtonbooks.com * Check out Mood and use my code OBSCURA for a great deal: https://mood.com * Check out Progressive: https://www.progressive.com Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/obscura-a-true-crime-podcast/exclusive-content Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

5 Jan 202236min

On the October long weekend of 1997, 14-year-old Lauren Barry and 16-year-old Nichole Collins were enjoying a camping trip with some friends at a popular bush spot just outside Tathra, on the far south south coast of NSW. At the campsite there was relatively constant adult supervision, with parents checking in at regular intervals to ensure everyone was safe and well. As the Sunday night wore on, Nichole became contemplative about her recent relationship breakup. She knew her ex was at a party at a house a few kilometres away, and wanted to walk over to talk to him about getting back together. But by this time it was dark, and not necessarily safe to go walking through the bush alone given the risk of misadventure. If Nichole fell and injured herself, there’d be no way of calling for help, and these were the days before every teenager had a mobile phone. Nichole and Lauren decided to walk to the party together, and at 9pm they set off. It wasn’t unusual for teens in the area to walk to where they wanted to get to. It was a relatively safe community, and after all, Lauren and Nichole were extremely familiar with their surroundings. Learning the necessary precautions and steps to take should they ever find themselves in trouble was an important part of growing up in the country. But sometimes, the perils of the outdoors don’t manifest themselves in the unpredictability of mother nature. Sometimes, it’s something much more sinister and infinitely more horrifying... CW: child sexual assault, family violence, drug use -Visit us online at obscuracrimepodcast.com -Support Obscura on Patreon and unlock the exclusive Black Label episodes: www.patreon.com/obscuracrimepodcast Episode Sponser's: -Right nowRitual is offering my listeners 10% off your first three months. Visit ritual.com/OBSCURA and turn healthy habits into a Ritual. That’s 10% off at ritual.com/OBSCURA. -Match with a licensed therapist when you go to talkspace.com and get $100 off your first month with the promo code OBSCURA -Grow your business with Shopify today -go to SHOPIFY.COM/obscura right Our Sponsors: * Check out Chime: https://chime.com/OBSCURA * Check out Kensington Publishing: https://www.kensingtonbooks.com * Check out Mood and use my code OBSCURA for a great deal: https://mood.com * Check out Progressive: https://www.progressive.com Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/obscura-a-true-crime-podcast/exclusive-content Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

22 Dec 202122min

On the October long weekend of 1997, 14-year-old Lauren Barry and 16-year-old Nichole Collins were enjoying a camping trip with some friends at a popular bush spot just outside Tathra, on the far south south coast of NSW. At the campsite there was relatively constant adult supervision, with parents checking in at regular intervals to ensure everyone was safe and well. As the Sunday night wore on, Nichole became contemplative about her recent relationship breakup. She knew her ex was at a party at a house a few kilometres away, and wanted to walk over to talk to him about getting back together. But by this time it was dark, and not necessarily safe to go walking through the bush alone given the risk of misadventure. If Nichole fell and injured herself, there’d be no way of calling for help, and these were the days before every teenager had a mobile phone. Nichole and Lauren decided to walk to the party together, and at 9pm they set off. It wasn’t unusual for teens in the area to walk to where they wanted to get to. It was a relatively safe community, and after all, Lauren and Nichole were extremely familiar with their surroundings. Learning the necessary precautions and steps to take should they ever find themselves in trouble was an important part of growing up in the country. But sometimes, the perils of the outdoors don’t manifest themselves in the unpredictability of mother nature. Sometimes, it’s something much more sinister and infinitely more horrifying... CW: child sexual assault, family violence, drug use -Visit us online at obscuracrimepodcast.com -Support Obscura on Patreon and unlock the exclusive Black Label episodes: www.patreon.com/obscuracrimepodcast Episode Sponsors: -Right now Ritual is offering my listeners 10% off your first three months. Visit ritual.com/OBSCURA and turn healthy habits into a Ritual. That’s 10% off at ritual.com/OBSCURA -Download Best Fiends FREE today on the App Store or Google Play -Grab your favorite Liquid I.V. flavors you can get 25% off when you go to LIQUIDIV.COM and use code OBSCURA at checkout. Our Sponsors: * Check out Chime: https://chime.com/OBSCURA * Check out Kensington Publishing: https://www.kensingtonbooks.com * Check out Mood and use my code OBSCURA for a great deal: https://mood.com * Check out Progressive: https://www.progressive.com Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/obscura-a-true-crime-podcast/exclusive-content Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

9 Dec 202148min

On 1 November 2006, Kerry Nicol was worried. She hadn’t heard from her 19-year-old daughter Tania since she’d left their house just 2 nights earlier. The family lived on the outskirts of Ipswich, the biggest town in the county of Suffolk, in the East Anglia region of southeast England. The fact Tania hadn’t been in contact gave Kerry further cause to be concerned. She’d known for some time that Tania was an injecting drug user, and at one stage had even found syringes in her bedroom. Tania had sought help for her drug dependency, but the pull of addiction was strong. Tania soon found that sex work paid the money she needed to fund her habit, and she joined the group of around 30 to 40 street sex workers who worked the red-light district of Ipswich. Sometimes Tania stayed out with friends and didn’t come home until the next day. Which was why Kerry was so troubled when Tania didn’t return home or call like she usually did. Kerry reported her missing daughter to the police. There were conflicting reports that Tania was last seen around 12.30am on 31 October in Burlington Road, and also outside a petrol station. Either way, she’d last been spotted in the red-light district, but hadn’t been seen again. Sadly, in the coming months, Kerry wouldn’t be the only mother in the area to never see her daughter again. A man named Steve Wright saw to that.www.justgiving.com/fundraising/gemmasgift CW: drug use, sexual assault, family violence -Visit us online at obscuracrimepodcast.com -Support Obscura on Patreon and unlock the exclusive Black Label episodes: www.patreon.com/obscuracrimepodcast Episode Sponsors: -Right now Ritual is offering my listeners 10% off your first three months. Visit ritual.com/OBSCURA and turn healthy habits into a Ritual. That’s 10% off at ritual.com/OBSCURA -Download Best Fiends FREE today on the App Store or Google Play -Grab your favorite Liquid I.V. flavors you can get 25% off when you go to LIQUIDIV.COM and use code OBSCURA at checkout. Our Sponsors: * Check out Chime: https://chime.com/OBSCURA * Check out Kensington Publishing: https://www.kensingtonbooks.com * Check out Mood and use my code OBSCURA for a great deal: https://mood.com * Check out Progressive: https://www.progressive.com Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/obscura-a-true-crime-podcast/exclusive-content Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

27 Nov 202127min

(Part 1) On 1 November 2006, Kerry Nicol was worried. She hadn’t heard from her 19-year-old daughter Tania since she’d left their house just 2 nights earlier. The family lived on the outskirts of Ipswich, the biggest town in the county of Suffolk, in the East Anglia region of southeast England. The fact Tania hadn’t been in contact gave Kerry further cause to be concerned. She’d known for some time that Tania was an injecting drug user, and at one stage had even found syringes in her bedroom. Tania had sought help for her drug dependency, but the pull of addiction was strong. Tania soon found that sex work paid the money she needed to fund her habit, and she joined the group of around 30 to 40 street sex workers who worked the red-light district of Ipswich. Sometimes Tania stayed out with friends and didn’t come home until the next day. Which was why Kerry was so troubled when Tania didn’t return home or call like she usually did. Kerry reported her missing daughter to the police. There were conflicting reports that Tania was last seen around 12.30am on 31 October in Burlington Road, and also outside a petrol station. Either way, she’d last been spotted in the red-light district, but hadn’t been seen again. Sadly, in the coming months, Kerry wouldn’t be the only mother in the area to never see her daughter again. A man named Steve Wright saw to that.www.justgiving.com/fundraising/gemmasgift CW: drug use, sexual assault, family violence -Visit us online at obscuracrimepodcast.com -Support Obscura on Patreon and unlock the exclusive Black Label episodes: www.patreon.com/obscuracrimepodcast Episode Sponsors: -Right now Ritual is offering my listeners 10% off your first three months. Visit ritual.com/OBSCURA and turn healthy habits into a Ritual. That’s 10% off at ritual.com/OBSCURA -Download Best Fiends FREE today on the App Store or Google Play -Grab your favorite Liquid I.V. flavors you can get 25% off when you go to LIQUIDIV.COM and use code OBSCURA at checkout. Our Sponsors: * Check out Chime: https://chime.com/OBSCURA * Check out Kensington Publishing: https://www.kensingtonbooks.com * Check out Mood and use my code OBSCURA for a great deal: https://mood.com * Check out Progressive: https://www.progressive.com Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/obscura-a-true-crime-podcast/exclusive-content Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

12 Nov 202139min