Hard Times and True Crimes
Listen to two Southern, Christian women tell each other historical true crime stories.Â
134. Purgatory Mountain: NC’s Civil War Ghost Story
There’s a mountain in the Uwharries just outside Asheboro, North Carolina, that went without a name until the last winter of the Civil War. Today the North Carolina Zoo sits on it, and families walk the Purgatory Trail without thinking much about what happened there. This week we go back to 1864, when Randolph County was divided over the Civil War.
Darlene tells the history behind the legend of the “The Hunter.” Melody picks up with the real man behind the story, Peter Garner Jr., what really happend, and why some people still won’t walk that mountain...
133. The Job Corps Murder: Remembering Colleen Slemmer
The murder of Colleen Slemmer by fellow Job Corps student Christa Pike is a story that hits painfully close to home for me, bringing back memories of my own years at Job Corps in the 1990s.
 January 12, 1995, 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer walked away from the Knoxville Job Corps Center with three other students and never came back. The next morning, a groundskeeper found her body near the greenhouses on the University of Tennessee's agricultural campus.Â
Music
"90's Oldskool – Retro Instrumental Background Music" by FeelTheAmbiences
SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/feeltheambiencesPatreon: https://www.patr...132. Jonestown Massacre: Jim Jones, Peoples Temple & the 1978 Tragedy
In November 1978, more than 900 people died in Jonestown, Guyana, in one of the darkest tragedies in modern history. At the center of it all was Jim Jones, the charismatic and deeply manipulative leader of the Peoples Temple.Â
In this episode of Hard Times & True Crimes, we take a look at Jim Jones, the rise of the People's Temple, the move to Jonestown, and the disturbing events that unfolded on November 18, 1978.Â
We'll explore how Jones gained power over his followers, the warning signs that were missed, the visit from Congressman Leo Ryan, and how a...
131. The Horrors of 10 Rillington Place: John Christie & Timothy Evans
At 10 Rillington Place in Notting Hill, Timothy and Beryl Evans lived upstairs with their baby daughter, Geraldine.
Downstairs lived their quiet, helpful neighbors—John and Ethel Christie.
When Beryl and Geraldine were found strangled, Timothy Evans was arrested, tried, convicted of his daughter’s murder, and sentenced to death.
On March 9, 1950, 25-year-old Timothy Evans was hanged.
But three years later, another tenant at 10 Rillington Place found the bodies of three women hidden in the walls.
As police began tearing apart the house and searching the garden, they found more.
...
130. Andrea Yates: Postpartum Psychosis, Depression & the Deaths of Her Five Children
Andrea Yates became one of the most infamous mothers in American true crime history when she drowned her five children in her Houston bathtub in 2001. But the story of Andrea Yates is far more complicated than the headlines suggest.Â
In this episode of Hard Times and True Crimes, we examine Andrea Yates, the deaths of her five children, her history of severe mental illness and postpartum psychosis, and the circumstances surrounding this devastating tragedy.Â
We also take a closer look at some of the questions that continue to surround the case. Was religion or having mu...
129. The Monster and the Martyr: Irma Grese & Sophie Scholl
For listeners of history, WWII, and true crime podcasts.
In this episode, we examine the lives of Irma Grese, an SS Aufseherin (guard) at Ravensbrück and Auschwitz-Birkenau known for extraordinary cruelty toward prisoners, and Sophie Scholl, a member of the White Rose resistance group executed for distributing anti-Nazi leaflets at the University of Munich. Both women came of age under the Third Reich. Both were tried and executed by the same system. Their choices — and their legacies — could not be more different.
⚠️ This episode contains graphic historical content related to the Holocaust...
128: Who Killed Tupac and Biggie? The Murders That Changed Hip-Hop Forever
The murders of Tupac Shakur and The Notorious B.I.G. remain two of the most infamous unsolved cases in music history. Decades later, questions still linger: Were the murders connected? Was it really East Coast vs. West Coast? And what evidence has emerged over the years?Â
In this episode, we take a deep dive into the lives of Tupac and Biggie, the legendary rivalry that captivated the hip-hop world, the events leading up to their deaths, and the investigations that followed. We separate fact from fiction, explore the conspiracy theories that refuse to die, and examine w...
127. Remember Sally Horner
In 1948, eleven-year-old Sally Horner was kidnapped by Frank La Salle after he pretended to be an FBI agent and threatened to send her to reform school.
For twenty-one months, he took her across the country, convincing others she was his daughter while she endured manipulation, isolation, and abuse.
Although Sally was eventually rescued, her story was largely forgotten—even as another name became famous.
Sources
Books
Sarah Weinman, The Real Lolita: The Kidnapping of Sally Horner and the Novel That Scandalized the WorldVladimir Nabokov, Lolita...
126. The Devil in Pew Number 7: A Murder in Rural North Carolina
In this episode, we discuss The Devil in Pew Number 7 by Rebecca Nichols Alonzo, a powerful true story set in rural North Carolina that explores tragedy, faith, fear, and forgiveness.Â
We dive into the shocking events that unfolded in the small community of Sellerstown, NC, the devastating impact they had on one family, and the remarkable journey that followed. This story raises difficult questions about evil, resilience, and what it really means to forgive when the unthinkable happens.Â
Sources:
Alonzo, Rebecca Nichols, and Robert G. DeMoss. The Devil in...
125. Buried Near the Cabin: The Annville Murders of 1887
In May 1887, two little boys vanished from their grandfather’s home in South Annville, Pennsylvania. What followed was a community search, a shocking discovery buried near a log cabin, and one of the most notorious murder cases in Lebanon County history.
Sources
Primary research for this episode came from historical newspapers accessed through Newspapers.com, including coverage from:
* Lebanon Daily News
* Lebanon Daily Times
* Pottsville Republican
* Harrisburg Telegraph
* Philadelphia newspapers of the period
* Additional Pennsylvania newspapers reporting on the investigation, tri...
124. The Murder of Isabel Hussey | A North Carolina Hitchhiking Tragedy
In Moore County, North Carolina, sixteen-year-old Isabel Hussey was traveling from Robbins to Asheboro. She accepted a ride from a stranger and never made it home. What began as a seemingly ordinary decision ended in a brutal murder that devastated a family and shocked the community.
In this episode, we examine the life and tragic death of Isabel Hussey, the disturbing background of the man responsible, and the troubling pattern of repeat offenses that raises difficult questions about the justice system — both then and now.
We also reflect on the vulnerability and confidence of youth, th...
123. Jimmy Dale Hudson: The Greensboro Dentist Who Killed His Family
In March of 1986, Greensboro, North Carolina was shaken by a brutal crime. On the surface, Dr. Jimmy Dale Hudson appeared to have the perfect life. He was a respected dentist, a UNC supporter, a husband, and a father. But behind the image of success was a marriage unraveling, emotional instability, jealousy, and a darkness no-one saw coming.
When police arrived at a quiet apartment complex on Farmington Drive, they discovered a horrifying scene that would leave investigators stunned. Inside were 36-year-old Kathryn “Kay” Hudson and 3-year-old Wilma Dale Hudson. Waiting at the police station was Kay’s husband...
122. Emily Anderson: The Full Story (What Happened After Part 1)
Some stories don't feel finished - and this is one of them.
In 2005 and 2006, in Caldwell County, NC, the story of Emily Anderson began to unfold - one that would leave more questions than answers.Â
Some listeners may have heard part of this case before. But if you've ever found yourself wondering what happened next, this episode takes a deeper look.Â
We walk through the full timeline - from the early details to the key moments that shaped the case - bringing together everything we could find to present the complete story in on...
121. Reverend: The Case That Drew Harper Lee
Beginning in 1972, a series of suspicious deaths in rural Alabama left a community fearful, divided, and searching for answers. At the center of it all was a man known simply as “The Reverend,” whose life seemed marked by tragedy, rumor, and lingering suspicion.
Whispers of voodoo, insurance payouts, and unanswered questions spread quietly through the region — eventually capturing the attention of one of America’s most celebrated authors, Harper Lee.
What followed would become one of the South’s most unsettling true crime stories… a haunting case that blurred the lines between faith, folklore, justice, and revenge...
120. MJ Auman: Suicide or Murder? The Heather Hicks Auman Trial in Randolph County, NC
In this episode of Hard Times & True Crimes, we take a deep dive into a local Randolph County case that captured the community's attention - the trial of Heather Auman, accused in the death of her husband, MJ, a local firefighter.Â
After attending the trial in person, we walk you through the case from beginning to end - starting with the events leading up to that day at the lake, the 911 call, and the questions that quickly followed.Â
Heather claimed that MJ died by suicide. But as investigators began to examine the scene, and as te...
119. The Murder of Bridget Cleary: The Irish Fairy Burning of 1895
In March of 1895, a young Irish woman named Bridget Cleary was brutally murdered by her husband and several relatives in the small village of Ballyvadlea in County Tipperary. For several days, Bridget was subjected to interrogations, forced herbal mixtures, and violent rituals meant to “drive out” the fairy believed to be inhabiting her body. On the night of March 15, 1895, she was burned to death in the family home.
Sources
Books
The Burning of Bridget Cleary – Angela BourkeIrish Superstitions – Lady WildeMeeting the Othe...118. Bitter Blood (Part 2): The Collapse of a Southern Dynasty — Re-Released in Memory of Jerry Bledsoe
In Part 2 of our Bitter Blood series, we continue the shocking true story made famous by North Carolina author Jerry Bledsoe in his bestselling book Bitter Blood.
What began as a volatile marriage spiraled into paranoia, obsession, and a custody battle that would end in one of the most devastating family murder-suicides in North Carolina history.
We re-released this series in memory of Jerry Bledsoe, who passed away in December 2025. His reporting preserved this case with depth, compassion, and journalistic integrity — and without his work, many details would have been lost to time.
🎙️ Epis...
117. Bitter Blood Pt. I (Re-Release) | In Memory of Jerry Bledsoe | North Carolina True Crime
Jerry Bledsoe, North Carolina’s #1 New York Times bestselling true crime author, passed away on December 31, 2025, in Asheboro, NC. In honor of his life and legacy, we are re-releasing our two-part episode on Bitter Blood — the book that brought national attention to one of the most disturbing murder cases in North Carolina history.
Sources
We researched and built this episode using:
...
116. Marion Parker: The Infamous 1927 Los Angeles Kidnapping and Murder
In this special Christmas episode of Hard Times and True Crimes, we examine one of the most disturbing crimes in American history: The kidnapping and murder of Marion Parker in Los Angeles in 1927.Â
In December 1927, Los Angeles was rocked by the kidnapping and murder of Marion Parker, a crime so horrific it dominated national headlines and left a permanent mark on American true crime history.Â
This episode explores the details of the crime, the historical context of 1920s Los Angeles, and why the Marion Parker murder continues to haunt true crime hi...
115. A Christmas Nightmare: The Crimes of Ronald Gene Simmons
Ronald Gene Simmons lived quietly in Arkansas throughout the 1980s, keeping mostly to himself and his large family. Outwardly, he appeared to be living a simple life in the country—but behind closed doors was a world shaped by control, fear, and long-term abuse.
In December of 1987, during the week of Christmas, the darkness inside the Simmons home finally erupted. What unfolded became the largest family mass murder in American history. In this episode, we walk through the days leading up to the killings, the psychological unraveling that no one around him fully saw, and the series of...
114. Erin Patterson Australia Mushroom Poisoning Case: The True Crime Story Everyone's Searching For
In 2023, Erin Patterson sat down to lunch with her in-laws. A fatal family lunch in rural Australia. A handful of mushrooms. Three deaths. One survivor. And a woman at the center of a case that grabbed the world's attention almost overnight.Â
In this episode, we break down the 2023Â Erin Patterson Australia mushroom poisoning case step-by-step - the timeline, the medical findings, the early interviews, the evidence released so far, and why investigators believe this incident is anything but ordinary.Â
From the quiet town of Leongatha to global headlines, this is the full story of the cas...
113. Halloween Special: The Asylum Edition
Episode Summary:
In our Halloween special, we step into the dark history of women’s mental health in early 20th-century America. Two women — Catherine Ward and Carrie Selvage — entered the asylum system from different directions. One commited a horrific crime. One guilty of nothing. Both lives ended tragically. We explore how fear, misunderstanding, and limited medical knowledge shaped their fates.
Themes Included:
• Asylums — hope vs. harm
• Postpartum mental health
• Trauma and “nervous breakdowns”
• Medication misuse & misdiagnosis
Hosted by:
• Darlene Hildreth
• Melody Gwyn
<...112. The Real Amityville Horror Story: What Really Happened
🎙️ In this episode, we uncover the chilling truth behind The Amityville Horror — separating fact from fiction in one of America’s most infamous stories. Long before the bestselling book and Hollywood movies, there was a real tragedy inside 112 Ocean Avenue: the DeFeo family murders.
Join us as we explore what really happened that night in Amityville, New York — the crime, the haunting that followed, and how a story of horror became a pop-culture phenomenon. Was the house truly cursed, or was it all a hoax?
Listen now to discover the real Amityville Horror story and decide for...
111. The Phillips Family Murders: Winston-Salem’s New Year’s Eve Tragedy (1947)
On New Year’s Eve, 1947, Winston-Salem was still glowing with Christmas decorations when a tragedy unfolded that shocked Forsyth County and made headlines across the state of North Carolina.Â
 Everett and Margaret Phillips were a devoted couple who waited eight years for their only child, Tommy Lee. They poured their lives into him, indulging him with love, music, and opportunity. But when young love, secrets, and defiance collided, the results were catastrophic.
🎙️ Featuring:
•Male narration by Curtis Hildreth
•Storytelling for this episode by Darlene Hildreth
•Reactions for this episode by Melody Gwyn<...
110. The Murder of Dr. Cozart in Fuquay-Varina | True Crime in Wake County
In the early 1950s, the quiet community then known as Fuquay Springs - today's Fuquay-Varina in Wake County, North Carolina - was shaken by the violent killing of Dr. Cozart, a respected local physician. His sudden death stunned the town and left behind questions that linger more than a century later.Â
In this episode, we revisit the case of Dr. Cozart's murder, exploring the historical records, the small-town setting, and the community impact of a crime that occurred when Fuquay was still building its identity. Along the way, we look at how Fuquay Springs became the modern-day F...
109.The Rowan County Axe Murders: The Lyerly Family
In July of 1906, Rowan County, North Carolina, was shaken by one of the most brutal crimes in state history. Isaac Lyerly, his wife Augusta, and two of their young children were murdered in their farmhouse near Barber Junction. Bludgeoned with the family’s own axe and left in a fire meant to destroy the evidence, the crime horrified Salisbury and quickly drew national attention.
Three of the surviving Lyerly sisters escaped the burning home, carrying their wounded sister Alice to safety, only to watch her die hours later. What followed was a wave of fear, anger, and su...
108. A Shot in the Dark: The Barbara Stager Case
In February 1988, a single gunshot shattered the quiet of a Durham, North Carolina, neighborhood. Barbara Stager told police her husband Russ's death was a tragic accident. But as investigators dug deeper, the picture-perfect image of a devoted wife began to crack.Â
In this episode of Hard Times & True Crimes, we step back into the 1980s Durham - a city caught between its tobacco past and high-tech future, where Baptist faith and family values shaped everyday life, and where appearances mattered. Against that backdrop, the story of Russ and Barbara Stager unfolds: a tale of love, b...
107. Paradise Lost: The Chillingworth Murders of 1950s Florida
In the warm summer of 1955, Judge Curtis Chillingworth, Florida’s youngest ever circuit judge and a man known for his fairness would vanish from his beachside cottage in Manalapan, just south of West Palm Beach. His wife, Marjorie, disappeared with him.Â
Footprints led to the sea and never came back.
What followed was one of Florida’s most shocking true crime cases: a tale of organized corruption, political ambition, and backroom rackets. The judge had made powerful enemies because he didn’t bend the law for anyone.
This episode of Hard T...
106. A Crime, A Conversion, A Controversy: The Karla Faye Tucker Case
In 1983, a brutal double homicide in Houston, Texas shocked the public—not just because of the violence, but because of who was eventually held responsible. Karla Faye Tucker, a 23-year-old woman with a troubled past, quickly became one of the most controversial figures in modern true crime history.
But this isn’t just a story about murder. It’s about transformation.
It’s about a young woman who claimed to find God behind bars.
It’s about a justice system unprepared for the public outcry that followed.
And it’s about the power—and limits—of rede...
MINI Episode - A Supernatural Turn in the Welch Family Case
In this special mini-episode, we revisit 102. Murder on Route 66: The Welch Family Tragedy with a surprising update. You can listen to the original episode here: https://www.hardtimesandtruecrimes.com/102
One of the individuals directly connected to the original case recently reached out to share his personal account - a version of events that includes powerful and deeply personal claims involving details not known to the public.Â
While we don't claim to validate or endorse these elements, we believe every voice matters - especially those closest to the story. In this episode, we present h...
105. North Carolina's First Serial Killer: The Chilling Confession of Asbury Respus
In 1931, a little girl named Vera Leonard vanished while waiting for the school bus in Guilford County, NC. Hours later, her body was found in the ashes of her burned-down home. The man arrested—“Will Moore”—turned out to be an escaped convict named Asbury Respus, who would go on to confess not only to Vera’s murder but to as many as nine others across North Carolina.
Some of his confessions were confirmed. Others remain unverified. Asbury Respus became North Carolina’s first known serial killer—a man whose crimes crossed racial, gender, and age lines in a...
104. Burned Alive: The Martyrdom of Graham Staines and His Sons in India
In this gripping true crime episode, we explore the harrowing and heartbreaking story of Graham Staines, an Australian missionary who was burned alive along with his two young sons by a radical mob in Odisha, India, in 1999.Â
Even in the face of horrific violence, forgiveness and faith can speak louder than hate.Â
Narrator: Curtis Hildreth
Intro and Outro Music: Isaiah Hildreth
Sources:
https://web.archive.org/web/20110409123228/http://www.hvk.org/specialrepo/wadhwa/Graham.html
https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/cover-story/st...
103. Moonshine and Murder in the Smoky Mountains: The Perry’s Camp Murders of 1949
In 1949, deep in the Smoky Mountains of Sevier County, Tennessee, a savage double murder shattered the stillness of a quiet Appalachian community.
Charlie Perry—a former Knoxville bootlegger turned tourist camp owner—and his longtime housekeeper, Josie Law, were brutally killed in their home at Perry’s Camp, a rustic riverside lodge in Flat Branch Hollow. Charlie had been tortured—his body bearing the marks of cruelty before the final blow was delivered. Josie was slain trying to defend him.
Three local men—Claude Robertson, Hermie Lee Jones, and
102. Murder On Route 66: The Welch Family Tragedy
In June 1961, JD and Utha Welch packed up their car, their four young sons, and headed west from Oklahoma to visit family in California.
It was supposed to be a simple road trip — a summer memory in the making.
But one quiet night near Seligman, Arizona, while the boys slept in a canvas pup tent, JD and Utha were gunned down in cold blood as they rested in their car.
The boys woke up as orphans.
In this tragic episode, we explore the mysterious murders that shattered a family on...
101. Boy in the Walls: The Daniel LaPlante Horror Story
Show Notes:
In 1986, Tina and Karen Bowen were just teenage girls when their mother passed away from cancer. Not long after, strange things started happening in their home.
Knocking from inside the walls.
Furniture moved.
Objects disappeared.
Messages scrawled in red across the bedroom walls:
💬 “I’m in your room. Come and find me.”
The girls thought maybe—just maybe—it was their mother trying to reach them from beyond. But what they were dealing with wasn’t a ghost. It was a monster.
...
100. The Pied Piper of Tucson: Charles Schmid's Deadly Reign Over 1960s Arizona
In this chilling episode of Hard Times and True Crimes, we dive deep into the twisted tale of Charles Schmid, the manipulative and charismatic serial killer who terrorized the young women of Tucson, Arizona, during the 1960s. Known as the Pied Piper of Tucson, Schmid lured teenage girls with his Elvis-like charm, eerie makeup, and bizarre swagger - only to reveal a monstrous dark side.Â
We unravel the disappearances and murders of Alleen Rowe, Gretchen Fritz, and Wendy Fritz, and the disturbing silence of the friends and followers who knew his secrets.Â
...
99. A Deadly Obsession: The Murder Of Olga Duncan
đź“Ť Episode Summary:
In 1958, 30-year-old nurse Olga Duncan vanished from her Santa Barbara apartment. She was newly married, seven months pregnant, and full of hope for the future. But what no one could’ve imagined was that the person behind her disappearance wasn’t a stranger… it was someone much closer to home.
This week on Hard Times & True Crimes, we tell the heartbreaking story of Olga Duncan — and the chilling, manipulative woman who plotted her murder: her mother-in-law, Elizabeth Ann Duncan.
You’ll hear...
98. The Doctor's Wife: A Searcy, Arkansas Murder Story
In 1974, the quiet town of Searcy, Arkansas, was shaken by the shocking murder of Fern Rodgers, the wife of local physician Dr. Porter Rodgers. What seemed like a tragic crime soon unraveled as more information came to light that implicated not one, not two, but three suspects.Â
If you love Southern true crime, mysteries, and small-town scandals, this episode is for you!
#truecrime #ArkansasMurders #SearcyArkansas #SouthernGothic
Hosts: Melody Gwyn and Darlene Hildreth
Narrator: Curtis Hildreth
Intro and Outro Music: Isaiah Hildreth
97. Blood in the Quarter: The 1927 Louisiana Trunk Murders
🎙️ Hard Times & True Crimes
Show Notes:
In the fall of 1927, New Orleans was buzzin’ with jazz, bootleg liquor, and secrets behind every shuttered window. But nothing prepared the city for what was found inside a quiet little apartment at 715 Ursulines Street.
Two women—Theresa Moity and her sister, Leonide Dwyer—were brutally murdered, dismembered, and stuffed into a steamer trunk. Their killer? A jealous, unraveling husband with a butcher’s knife in one hand  and a Bible in the other.
In this episode, we take you deep into the French Quarter—through the gas...
96. A True Crime Mystery Solved: The Murders of Aundria Bowman and Kathleen Doyle
In this gripping episode of Hard Times and True Crimes, we uncover the hauntingly intertwined stories of Aundria Bowman and Kathleen Doyle - two women connected by tragedy and a ruthless predator who evaded justice for decades.Â
We begin with Aundria’s heartbreaking journey: a young girl adopted into what seemed like a loving family, only to face unimaginable abuse and betrayal. Her disappearance in 1989 was dismissed as a runaway case, but her birth mother, Cathy Terkanian, never stopped searching.Â
This episode also explores Kathleen Doyle’s case...
