Grief, Suspicion and Murder - June 19 2025

July 12th: Jim Mitchell Dies (Mitchell Brothers) (2007) Money and success don’t shield you from tragedy. On July 12th 2007 a man died inside his home years after he took the life of a man who he not only loved deeply, but helped him live a life of success. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitchell_brothers, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitchell_Brothers_O%27Farrell_Theatre, https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-02-20-mn-3543-story.html, https://www.foundsf.org/index.php?title=Mitchell_Brothers, https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/James-Mitchell-gets-35-to-life-for-killing-his-ex-2334979.php, https://georgepallas.com/blog/2021/02/mitchell-brothers/, https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2011/07/12/heir-to-mitchell-brothers-porn-empire-convicted-of-murder-kidnapping/, https://patch.com/california/millvalley/james-mitchell-and-the-sins-of-the-brothers Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

12 Juli 202413min

July 11th: Beast of Birkenshaw (Peter Manuel) Dies (1958) When members of a community wake to read the news and find that, again and again, murder overtakes the headlines, it’s hard not to descend into complete chaos and fear. On July 11th 1958 a serial killer’s reign of terror was permanently ended after over a year of frenzied fear. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Manuel, https://www.crimeandinvestigation.co.uk/shows/once-upon-a-true-crime/peter-manuel-the-beast-of-birkenshaw-glasgow-s-worst-serial-killer, https://murderpedia.org/male.M/m/manuel-peter.htm, https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-9660625/True-story-ITVs-Plain-Sight-Killer-dubbed-Beast-Birkenshaw-terrorised-Scotland.html, https://www.britishmurders.com/petermanuelpart1/, https://the-line-up.com/peter-manuel-beast-of-birkenshaw Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

11 Juli 202411min

July 10th: Marcus Shrader Dies (2007) Monsters who take the lives of the innocent should spend what remains of their life behind bars. On July 10th 2007 a man who was eligible for parole passed away before being given the chance to walk free. A monster who took the lives of a handful of young girls and ruined the life of a living victim who he forced to join him in his terror. https://murderpedia.org/male.S/s/shrader-marcus.htm, https://www.wfmynews2.com/article/news/local/jacksonville-man-convicted-in-1974-murder-denied-parole/83-403636647, https://wcti12.com/archive/killer-dies-in-prison Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

10 Juli 20248min

July 9th: Leigh Matthews Disappeared (2004) We always imagine the sense of closure a family feels after their loved one’s killer is placed in prison. But, this is not always the case. On July 9th 2004 a young woman disappeared in a case that saw a quick arrest and a speedy trial. But, even all these decades later, the family feels a lack of closure despite the fact that her killer remains behind bars. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Leigh_Matthews, https://www.news24.com/news24/southafrica/news/leigh-matthews-fear-and-shock-as-donovan-moodleys-parole-process-begins-to-unfold-20220120, https://www.news24.com/news24/southafrica/news/leigh-matthews-murder-convicted-killer-donovan-moodley-changes-version-again-during-parole-hearing-20230330, https://www.iol.co.za/pretoria-news/news/convicted-killer-donovan-moodley-face-to-face-with-leigh-matthews-parents-in-parole-bid-f777157e-1047-4735-beb3-96780cd2360d, https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2022-01-21-leigh-matthews-murderer-donovan-moodley-to-apply-for-parole/, https://www.2oceansvibe.com/2023/03/30/sub-leigh-matthews-murder-donovan-moodley-lies-again-during-parole-bid/, https://www.citizen.co.za/news/south-africa/courts/leigh-matthews-killer-donovan-moodley-denied-parole/, https://mg.co.za/article/2005-07-25-how-leigh-matthews-was-murdered/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

9 Juli 20248min

July 8th: Ken McElroy Tries to Kill Bo Bowenkamp (1980) What happens when the victim of a crime is someone everyone seems to hate? On July 8th 1980 a man described as the town’s bully attempted to take a life. It became the straw that broke the camel’s back for citizens who became desperate to put an end to his reign of terror. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ken_McElroy, ,https://fox2now.com/news/true-crime/missouri-town-keeps-bullys-murder-a-secret-for-40-years/, https://www.fourstateshomepage.com/local-news/missouri-town-keeps-bullys-murder-a-secret-for-40-years/, https://patch.com/us/across-america/who-killed-ken-rex-mcelroy-town-keeps-its-secret-38-years, https://medium.com/lessons-from-history/the-craziest-cold-case-in-history-the-murder-of-ken-rex-mcelroy-b0bfcc34adac, , https://www.insideedition.com/the-unsolved-murder-of-missouri-town-bully-ken-rex-mcelroy-no-one-saw-a-thing-54856https://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/16/us/16bully.html, https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/574749/ken-mcelroy-murder-skidmore-missouri, https://www.grunge.com/715399/the-unsolved-murder-of-ken-mcelroy/, https://www.themidwestcrimefiles.com/post/the-curse-of-skidmore-missouri Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

8 Juli 202410min

July 7th: Robert Bierenbaum Kills (1985) Just because there is an obvious suspect, doesn’t always mean there is enough evidence to actually arrest them. On July 7th 1985 a young woman disappeared in a case that saw everyone pointing the finger at one man. Despite this, it took decades to finally prove it. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Bierenbaum, https://abc7ny.com/robert-bierenbaum-gail-katz-murder-disappearance-2020-tonight/11151762/, https://abcnews.go.com/US/surgeon-confesses-wifes-body-airplane-ocean/story?id=80647310, https://murderpedia.org/male.B/b/bierenbaum-robert.htm, https://www.kiro7.com/news/trending/former-new-york-surgeon-admits-killing-wife-throwing-body-airplane-1985/4DZD7BHILJHQRGCC4UIJU446OA/, https://thecrimewire.com/true-crime/Dr-Robert-Bierenbaum-Gail-Katz, https://www.nytimes.com/2000/11/30/nyregion/doctor-gets-20-years-to-life-for-the-murder-of-his-wife.html Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

7 Juli 202414min

July 6th: Skylar Neese Killed (2012) Best friends aren’t always forever. On July 6th 2012 a young girl was last seen with people who, she thought, were her BFFs. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Skylar_Neese, https://www.investigationdiscovery.com/crimefeed/murder/stabbed-in-the-back-skylar-neese-was-murdered-by-her-best-friends, https://www.wdtv.com/2023/03/29/petition-deny-parole-teens-murderer-reaches-thousands/, https://www.wboy.com/only-on-wboy-com/morgantown-teen-murder-victim-skylar-neese-remembered-10-years-later/, https://allthatsinteresting.com/skylar-neese-murder, https://www.unilad.com/news/skylar-neese-murder-ten-years-20220923, https://www.ranker.com/list/skylar-neese-facts/amandasedlakhevener Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

6 Juli 202411min

July 5th: First of the July 2017 Pennsylvania Murders (2017) A lot of times we tell stories of disappearances that take years, sometimes even decades, to solve. But this isn’t always the case. On July 5th 2017 the first of what would be four young men disappeared in a case that saw incredibly quick police work that, though the news was devastating, did give the families the closure they needed.  *Suggested by Caitlin Yost and Alanna Benares* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/July_2017_Pennsylvania_murders, https://www.phillyburbs.com/story/news/local/2023/03/05/cosmo-dinardo-ae-show-lost-boys-of-bucks-county-murders-solebury-city-confidential/69964391007/, https://www.phillyburbs.com/story/news/crime/2022/07/05/5-years-later-a-look-back-at-disappearance-murder-of-4-men-in-bucks/65356774007/, https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/bucks-county-missing-men-murder/bucks-county-murders-cosmo-dinardo-sean-kratz-new-hope-farm/2442167/, https://whyy.org/articles/kratz-guilty-in-gruesome-2017-slaying-of-three-men-at-bucks-county-farm/, https://www.reuters.com/article/us-pennsylvania-crime/two-men-charged-with-killing-four-in-pennsylvania-idUSKBN19Z2BV, https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/07/13/537008395/police-identify-1-of-4-missing-men-in-common-grave-in-rural-pennsylvania, https://www.phillymag.com/news/2020/02/25/cosmo-dinardo/, https://www.phillyvoice.com/bucks-county-murders-home-for-sale-solebury-cosmo-dinardo-kratz/, https://www.inquirer.com/entertainment/cosmo-dinardo-investigation-discovery-lost-boys-bucks-county-jimi-patrick-dean-finocchiaro-mark-sturgis-tom-meo-20200616.html Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

5 Juli 202411min