The Witness Who Changed Everything - May 13 2025

August 11th: Mary Russell Murders Trial Begins (1828) Paranoia can make the most mild mannered person into something unrecognizable. On August 11th 1828 a man was brought to trial for a crime that was motivated by paranoia and, in his opinion, God himself.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Russell_murders, https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/646849/mary-russell-19th-century-massacre-legal-case, https://www.historyireland.com/forced-from-this-world-massacre-on-the-mary-russell/, https://drvitelli.typepad.com/providentia/2017/10/massacre-at-sea.html, Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

11 Aug 202313min

August 10th: Warrant for Aurora Hammer Slayer Issued (2018) DNA can make or break an investigation but only if the people involved are willing to push for results. On August 10th 2018 a man was officially charged for a decades old murder that, had it not been for the DNA and for proactive investigators, might never have been solved.  https://www.denverpost.com/2021/08/06/hammer-killer-guilty-alex-ewing/, https://www.denverpost.com/2018/08/11/aurora-lakewood-hammer-killer-dna-testing/, https://sentinelcolorado.com/orecent-headlines/suspected-aurora-hammer-killer-arrives-in-colorado/, https://www.investigationdiscovery.com/crimefeed/id-shows/dna-test-stunningly-accurate-as-serial-hammer-slayer-with-predicted-last-name-arrested, https://www.9news.com/article/news/investigations/blame/preliminary-hearing-day-2-1984-bennett-family-attack-suspect/73-57292ee9-9dc2-4bb3-b444-7212f23f3bba, https://kdvr.com/news/local/sole-survivor-of-1984-aurora-hammer-attack-testifies-on-opening-day-of-murder-trial/, https://www.denverpost.com/2018/08/25/1984-aurora-hammer-killer-fbi-profile/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

10 Aug 202310min

August 9th: Sumter County Jane  & John Doe Found(1976) The journey to find a Doe’s identity can be a long one. And it doesn’t always lead to all the answers. On August 9th 1976 a pair of unknown victims were found that would remain Jock and Jane Doe for over 40 years. Their identities, though invaluable to their loved ones, did not help in explaining exactly what happened to them the day of their murders.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murders_of_Pamela_Buckley_and_James_Freund, https://www.theitem.com/stories/names-of-sumter-countys-1976-john-jane-doe-murder-mystery-released,357953, https://www.wltx.com/article/news/local/man-helped-identify-couple-in-cold-case/101-cc057d49-f6d4-4b09-8fbf-a01f910d3e4b, https://wpde.com/news/local/the-lives-of-pamela-buckley-and-james-freund-sumter-countys-1976-jane-and-john-doe, https://medium.com/@csvoll/after-more-than-40-years-the-sumter-county-duo-get-their-identities-5584f9da0359, https://www.kktv.com/2021/01/21/colorado-springs-woman-identified-as-one-victim-in-a-44-year-old-cold-case-out-of-south-carolina/, Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

9 Aug 202310min

August 8th: Shawn Grate Born (1976) One act of bravery can bring down even the most dangerous individual. On August 8th 1976 a man was born who would go on to commit heinous acts against women. It was the act of one of those potential victims who would bring this man down before his victim count got any higher.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shawn_Grate, https://allthatsinteresting.com/shawn-grate, https://www.distractify.com/p/where-is-shawn-grate-now, https://www.mansfieldnewsjournal.com/story/news/2021/06/08/request-reopen-shawn-grates-death-penalty-case-denied-court/7600813002/, https://www.mansfieldnewsjournal.com/story/news/2021/02/12/serial-killer-shawn-grate-case-ohio-ashland-new-attorney/6719364002/, https://www.truecrimeedition.com/post/shawn-grate Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

8 Aug 202314min

August 7th: Glenn and Justin Helzer Arrested (2000) Families should stick together. At least, that’s the motto. On August 7th 2000 a pair of brothers who worked together to commit heinous crimes were arrested after the bodies, or at least pieces, of their victims started to float to the surface.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glenn_Helzer, https://murderpedia.org/male.H/h/helzer-brothers.htm, https://thecinemaholic.com/is-glenn-helzer-dead-or-alive-where-is-he-now/, https://www.sfgate.com/crime/article/Justin-Helzer-hangs-himself-in-prison-4436354.php, https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2309952/Justin-Helzer-case-Notorious-killer-murdered-people-bizarre-plot-speed-Christs-return-Earth-hangs-death-row.html, https://people.com/crime/helzer-brothers-stockbroker-turned-cult-killer-people-magazine-investigates/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

7 Aug 202313min

August 6th: Thomas G. Woolfolk Kills(1887) When only one person survives a massacre it's hard not to point a finger at them as a suspect. On August 6th 1887 almost an entire family was brutally slaine inside their home and the sole survivor, a man with a less than stellar reputation, became the one and only suspect in the eyes of an entire community.  https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/history-archaeology/woolfolk-murder-case/, https://murderpedia.org/male.W/w/woolfolk-thomas.htm, https://www.todayingeorgiahistory.org/tih-georgia-day/woolfolk-murders/, http://www.murderbygaslight.com/2010/02/bloody-woolfolk.html Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

6 Aug 202312min

August 5th: Vina del Mar Psychopaths' First Murder (1980) One active serial killer is bad enough. Two, working together, makes things even worse. On August 5th 1980 two Chilean serial killers, working together, took the life of what would be their first of many victims.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vi%C3%B1a_del_Mar_psychopaths, https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psic%C3%B3patas_de_Vi%C3%B1a_del_Mar, https://www.wattpad.com/amp/832064518 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

5 Aug 20237min

August 4th: Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman Murdered (2002) When children go missing the fight to try and find them becomes more desperate by the second. On August 4th 2002 a pair of best friends went out for a snack and were never seen again. The investigation into their disappearance was fast, desperate and, in the end, devastating.  *Suggested by Mel Brown on Instagram and Martin Cleaver on Facebook* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soham_murders, https://inews.co.uk/culture/holly-wells-jessica-chapman-what-happened-soham-murders-ian-huntley-channel-5-documentary-1510021, https://www.hellomagazine.com/film/20220309135021/soham-murders-holly-jessica-what-happened/, https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/reports/a11435528/soham-murders-jessica-chapman-holly-wells-ian-huntley/, https://www.entertainmentdaily.co.uk/tv/soham-murders-ian-huntley-holly-wells-jessica-chapman-murder-how/, https://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/ian-huntley-now-prison-throat-26421998, https://www.nationalworld.com/culture/television/holly-wells-and-jessica-chapman-soham-killer-ian-huntley-3602615 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

4 Aug 202320min