Two young men, Jason Gailhouse and Michael Wachholtz, disappeared without a trace from the LGBTQ+ community in Tampa in 2003. What appeared to be a routine missing persons case soon turned into a horrific tale of torture, manipulation, and brutal murder committed by Steven Lorenzo—a man who hid his dark side behind his normal life as a small businessman. Along with his partner, Scott Schwikert, Lorenzo lured his victims through online BDSM-themed relationships that eventually turned into deadly traps. In this episode, you’ll learn how two ordinary men became cold-blooded killers, how the investigation uncovered a hidden network of violence that had been operating for years, and why Lorenzo ultimately requested the death penalty for himself. This story will leave you wondering: how far can someone go to hide the darkness within themselves? And has justice truly been served for the victims whose bodies were never found?

On the cold morning of January 15, 1974, the life of the Otero family in Wichita, Kansas, ended in the most horrific way imaginable. A seemingly ordinary man—a loving husband, father of two children, and exemplary church member—turned out to be a monster who would later be known to the world as BTK: Bind, Torture, Kill. His real name, Dennis Rader, hid a dark obsession with power, control, and human suffering. From the brutal murder of the Otero family to his psychopathic games with law enforcement through mysterious letters and packages, BTK turned terror into pleasure. In this episode, you will learn how Dennis Rader lived a double life without suspicion for 30 years, how he was finally caught because of one small mistake: a floppy disk containing metadata, and why investigators still believe BTK may have victims who have not yet been found. We will also discuss the psychological side of the killer — from his terrifying sexual fantasies to medical evaluations that reveal him to be a narcissistic predator without empathy.

In the peaceful and simple Amish community, crime is almost unheard of. However, in 1993, the tranquility of Rockdale Township in Pennsylvania turned into a nightmare. Edward Gingerich, the first Amish man on record to commit murder in over two centuries, brutally killed his wife in a manner so shocking it stunned even the most experienced investigators. This story is not just about murder, but also about neglected mental illness, misguided beliefs, and a community that rejected the modern world to the point of losing one of its own. In this episode, you will learn how cultural pressure and resistance to modern medicine drove Edward to madness, ultimately leading him to commit an unimaginable act against his wife, Katie Gingerich.

What if a tiny memory card held the key to one of Alaska’s most horrifying murder cases? In 2019, a woman stumbled upon an SD card — inside were graphic recordings of a brutal killing. When investigators followed the trail, they uncovered the shocking truth: Brian Steven Smith, a friendly hotel worker and YouTuber, was living a double life as a sadistic serial killer who documented his own crimes. In this episode, you’ll learn how one small piece of evidence exposed a monster hiding in plain sight, the stories of his victims Kathleen Henry and Veronica Abouch, and how justice finally caught up with him. But even after his conviction, one question still haunts Alaska — were there more victims?

On the morning of December 31st, 2000, Setsuko Miyazawa walked into her son’s home in Tokyo—only to uncover one of Japan’s most horrifying crime scenes. Her entire family — Mikio, Yasuko, and their two children — had been brutally murdered. What followed shocked investigators: the killer didn’t flee. Instead, he stayed for hours, eating ice cream, using their computer, and even leaving unflushed evidence behind. With mountains of DNA, fingerprints, and clothing left at the scene, this case should have been easily solved.

When the Magad family welcomed an orphaned girl named Janice into their home, they thought they were giving her the gift of love and a second chance at life. But kindness turned to horror when Janice’s jealousy and obsession with belonging led to one of the most gruesome and shocking murder cases in Philippine history. Her story eerily mirrors the movie Orphan (2009) — except this time, it wasn’t fiction. In this episode, you’ll learn how a desperate Facebook post became the first sign of tragedy, how chilling forensic evidence revealed the truth, and how a 17-year-old girl orchestrated the murder of the very family who took her in. This is the story of Janice Magad, the adopted daughter who turned love into death.

In the early hours of August 15, 1967, Canada was rocked by one of the most horrific tragedies in its history—the Peterson family massacre in Shell Lake. Nine family members were brutally murdered by a man named Victor Hoffman, who had just been released from a mental hospital. Hoffman claimed to hear demonic voices commanding him to kill. He believed he was carrying out a divine mission to exterminate the devil himself. From mystical visions to uncontrollable urges to kill, this story reveals the darkest side of the human soul and how the mental health system of the 1960s failed to recognize the real danger.

In 1996, Arkansas witnessed one of the most disturbing crimes in American true crime history. The Müller family – William, Nancy, and their 8-year-old daughter Sarah – were tortured and murdered by two men posing as FBI agents. But behind the horror lay something even darker: a white supremacist network where violence was a way of life. From a child being tortured to bodies discovered in a bayou, this case was not just about robbery—it was about ideology taken to deadly extremes. In this episode, you’ll learn how the investigation exposed Chevie Kehoe and Daniel Lewis Lee, how their extremist beliefs spiraled into merciless violence, and why justice felt uneven: the mastermind received life in prison while his partner was executed. This story will leave you questioning—was justice truly served?

On a quiet Sunday morning after prom night in 1989, four members of the Pelly family were found brutally murdered inside their parsonage home in Lakeville, Indiana. Reverend Robert Pelly, his wife Dawn, and two young stepdaughters were killed. Suspicion quickly fell on 17-year-old Jeff Pelly, who had gone to prom that night and seemed carefree. With missing murder weapons, conflicting witness statements, and a questionable investigation, the case remains one of the most controversial in Indiana’s history.

Over four decades ago, the Bennett family in Aurora, Colorado, faced a night of unimaginable horror. Bruce, Deborah, and their young daughter Melissa were brutally murdered with a hammer, while 3-year-old Vanessa survived against all odds. Investigators collected footprints, DNA, and disturbing crime scene details, but forensic science at the time was too limited to solve the case.

Sometimes, the darkest evil hides behind the most respected faces. Vincent Brothers was a beloved vice principal, but in July 2003, that image was shattered when five members of the Harper family—including a six-week-old infant—were brutally murdered in their Bakersfield, California home. From carefully planned alibis and thousands of miles driven, to the shocking clue of dead insects, this case became one of the most chilling stories in American true crime history.

On May 26th, 1896, the quiet McGlincy family farm in Campbell, California turned into the scene of one of the most horrifying massacres in American true crime history. James Dunham—son-in-law of the family—murdered his wife, mother-in-law, maid, stepfather, and brother-in-law in a frenzy of violence. Only one survived: a newborn baby. That night, the flickering lights of the farmhouse hid a nightmare of axes, gunshots, and screams. In this episode, you’ll uncover how James carefully prepared his crime, the chilling motive behind the massacre, and how he vanished without a trace despite a $43,000 bounty “dead or alive.” This story reveals the darkest corners of human nature—what drives someone to destroy their own family in cold blood.

During the Christmas season of 1959, the happy Walker family in Osprey, Florida, fell victim to one of the most brutal and baffling tragedies in American criminal history. Christine Walker, a loving young mother, was the first target when an unknown intruder attacked and shot her. Shortly thereafter, Cliff Walker arrived home with their two young children, Jimmy and Debbie, only to be ambushed by the perpetrator. What should have been a joyful evening turned into a bloody nightmare that shattered the entire family. The mystery deepened when personal belongings went missing, DNA evidence was found, and the family dog did not bark—as if they recognized the killer.

In Nashville, the city of music, young couple William Lanway and Holly Williams met a shocking and brutal end. Behind Holly’s double life as “Lea Love” and Lanway’s troubled past, authorities uncovered the involvement of Austin millionaire Eric Mond, who hired ex-Marines and private security personnel to cover up his secret affair—by eliminating the couple. In this episode, you’ll learn how a wealthy businessman orchestrated a murder-for-hire plot, the chilling details of how Lanway and Williams were hunted down, and how the FBI cracked the case through digital footprints, wire transfers, and a damning recorded phone call. This is a story of greed, deception, and how money was used to buy death.

In April 2011, France was shaken by a chilling tragedy when Agnès Dupont de Ligonnès and her four children were found dead, buried under the family’s back porch. Their husband and father, Xavier Dupont de Ligonnès, a descendant of French aristocracy, vanished without a trace and quickly became the prime suspect. Dubbed the House of Terror, this case remains one of the most haunting unsolved mysteries in modern French history. In this episode, you’ll learn how a picture-perfect aristocratic family crumbled into horror, the suspicious farewell letters Xavier left behind, and the many theories about whether he died in hiding or still walks among us today. This case reveals the dark side of financial ruin, family annihilation, and the mysterious disappearance of a father turned fugitive.

In December 1987, Arkansas was shaken by one of the deadliest family massacres in U.S. history. Ronald Jean Simmons, a decorated military veteran, murdered 16 people within seven days, including 14 members of his own family. From a shocking incest scandal, the isolated Mockingbird Hill property, to his chillingly calm execution, this case remains one of the most brutal examples of family annihilation ever recorded. In this episode, you’ll learn how a father turned into a monster, what drove him to carry out the massacre, and how justice was ultimately delivered through lethal injection. We’ll also uncover chilling details—from his militaristic household rules, to a hateful letter to his daughter, and even Bill Clinton’s role in signing Simmons’s execution order.

On Christmas Eve 2008, the Ortega family's joy in Covina, California, turned into a nightmare. A man dressed as Santa Claus entered their home, shot them, and then burned the family celebration to the ground. In an instant, nine lives were lost and a community was shattered by unimaginable brutality. Bruce Jeffrey Pardo, the family's former son-in-law, left a trail of horror that still haunts them to this day. In this episode, you will learn shocking details about the Covina Massacre—how Pardo's dark plan was hatched over months, how the Ortega family fought to save themselves, and how the survivors tried to rebuild their lives. This story is not just about death, but also about courage, loss, and the power of love.

Christopher Wilder, a wealthy playboy with flashy Porsches and expensive cameras, seemed like a ticket to fame for many young aspiring models. But behind the glamorous façade hid a predator now known as the Beauty Queen Killer. In 1984, Wilder prowled malls, beauty pageants, and city streets across America, luring young women with promises of stardom, only to kidnap, torture, and murder them. From Teresa Gonzalez to Elizabeth Kenyon, many victims vanished without a trace, their fate still shrouded in mystery. In this episode, you’ll discover how one man weaponized dreams into deadly traps, how the FBI added him to the 10 Most Wanted List, and how his violent death raised more questions than answers. This chilling story reveals the dark side of glamour, psychological manipulation, and a justice system that failed to stop him in time.

The case of Courtney Clenney and Christian Obumseli is a chilling true crime story that feels more like a Hollywood thriller than reality. Courtney, a glamorous OnlyFans model with over 2 million followers, was accused of fatally stabbing her boyfriend, Christian, a young crypto trader, inside their luxury Miami condo. What seemed like a picture-perfect life unraveled into a toxic mix of love, jealousy, and violence—ending in tragedy. Shockingly, Courtney’s parents were also arrested, accused of tampering with key evidence. In this episode, you’ll uncover the dark truth behind their relationship, the disturbing elevator footage, and the forensic details that challenge Courtney’s claim of self-defense. Was Christian truly abusive, or was this a calculated crime? We’ll also dive into the surprising role of Courtney’s parents, adding another layer of mystery to this already twisted case. Prepare to explore how fame, money, and toxic love turned deadly.

This episode explores the tragic case of Kenya Monge, a 19-year-old who vanished in downtown Denver in 2011. What started as a night out with friends turned into a nightmare when Kenya left the club intoxicated and never returned. Her family’s desperate search uncovered a disturbing connection to Travis Forbes—a repeat offender with a violent past—who would later be tied not only to Kenya’s disappearance but also to the brutal attempted murder of survivor Lydia Tillman. In this episode, you’ll learn how Kenya’s loved ones fought tirelessly for answers, how Forbes manipulated and evaded suspicion, and the chilling details he eventually confessed. Beyond the darkness of crime, this story reveals resilience, survival, and a legacy of hope through the Kenya Monge Foundation, created to support victims and families impacted by violence. 

The case of Gypsy Rose Blanchard shocked America with a story almost too twisted to believe. From being forced into a wheelchair, fitted with a feeding tube, and told she suffered from countless illnesses—her life was carefully staged by her mother, Dee Dee Blanchard. Suffering from Munchausen by Proxy, Dee Dee deceived doctors, charities, and even celebrities, all while keeping Gypsy trapped in a prison of fabricated illnesses. But this elaborate lie ended in tragedy when Gypsy and her boyfriend, Nicholas Godejohn, plotted Dee Dee’s brutal murder. In this episode, you’ll learn how Dee Dee built her web of lies for over two decades, why Gypsy believed murder was her only way out, and how this case exposed a hidden form of abuse that often goes unnoticed. Was Gypsy a victim—or a killer? Let’s unravel the truth.