People are the Worst

In September 1993, Donna Palomba woke up to a masked intruder standing in her bedroom. What follows is a terrifying attack that leaves her fearing for her life and the safety of her two children. But when she turns to the police for help, the investigation takes an unimaginable turn and Donna's the one being questioned.  

Years later, a shocking new crime brings investigators the break they've been waiting for, and nothing could prepare them for what they uncovered.

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Research Assistance: Jim Rowley

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In 2004, the decomposing body of a young woman was found at an abandoned house in Winnie, Texas. The woman didn't have any belongings with her: no phone, no ID, no wallet. The only clue as to who she is was a class ring on her finger. It indicated she graduated high school in 2003, making her roughly 19 years old. When they look inside the ring, they see a name inscribed: Courtney Coco. The only problem is: Courtney lived about 3 hours away in Alexandria, Louisiana and had no ties to Texas. How did she end up there? This would be the...

In 1969, Liz Kendall was a newly divorced single mom who moved to Seattle with her bestfriend for a fresh start.  On her first night out she meets Rob Nelson at the Sandpiper Tavern and end up spending nearly a decade together. He's the kind of guy who gets up early to make scrambled eggs, runs around with the neighborhood kids, and literally brings a kitten back to life. According to her daughter, Molly, he was the last puzzle piece to their family. 

Then women in their neighborhood start getting attacked and the cops are looking at everyone, includ...

Today's palate cleanser is a nice reminder that some people are not the worst (but most are)

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In 2018, Pam Hutchinson & Lois Riess met while sitting at a bar in Ft. Myers Beach, Florida. Pam had recently gotten a divorce and Lois's husband, Dave Riess, had recently died, so they were both starting a new chapter in their late 50s. The two hit it off and even though they had just met, it was as if they were lifelong friends. What they didn't know was that this chance encounter would lead to a horrific tragedy and a nationwide manhunt of an unexpected killer.

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When Anna Pleskovic looked out the window of her parents’ Strongsville, Ohio, home and saw a stranger pressing his face against the glass, she had no idea it was the beginning of a nightmare. Over the next several months, the Pleskovic family experienced a bizarre series of break-ins, strange noises, missing keys, cut security-camera cords, and people lurking around their property. They were convinced someone was targeting their home, but they had no idea why. On October 23, 2017, they got their answer. 

Research Assistant: Jim Rowley

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In 2001, Leslie & Sandy Preer were empty nesters with a picture perfect life in Chevy Chase, Maryland. Their daughter Lauren lived nearby and even though she was an adult, the 3 of them were closer than ever.  But on May 2, 2001, tragedy struck. Leslie's boss called Sandy to tell him Leslie didn't show up for work and within hours, the Preer family's lives changed forever. Even with a few immediate suspects, the case would go cold for over 20 years before an arrest is made with the help of customs agents at Washington Dulles International Airport. And they learn the person behind it w...

Cynthia Hoffman was 19-years-old living in Anchorage, Alaska with her family who she was extremely close with. On June 2, 2019 Cynthia told her father she was going on a "highke" with her friend,  Angela. Then she vanished. As her friends & family frantically searched for her, police uncovered a motive that's so bizarre, they initially didn't believe it. But the further they dug, the more disturbing the truth became.

*Trigger warning: small portions of this episode involve minors (not the main story)

Research Assistance: Molly McGuigan

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For todays palate cleanser, we're going to tell you about a (hilarious-turned-not-so-much) scuffle between husband and wife over the name of their unborn baby

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Reddit is an endless archive of humanity’s most disturbing, bizarre, and deeply human stories. If you love going down internet rabbit holes, you are going to love CRIMES OF REDDIT with Alexis Linkletter and Sabrina Deana-Roga.

Every Tuesday, one host brings a set of true-crime stories while the other reacts in real time with no prep, no spoilers asking the questions on everyone’s mind. They pull at every thread until the whole twisted picture comes into view. It’s dark, it’s messy, and the scariest part is simple: THESE ARE STORIES POSTED B...

In 2016, a young couple named Charlie Carver and Kala Brown went missing from Anderson, South Carolina. After over two months of searching, investigators were led to a 95-acre property owned by successful real estate agent, Todd Kohlhepp. What they find on the property is chilling and it will help them solve crimes they didn't even know were connected. They'll also discover some creepy product reviews left by the killer buying his weapons off of Amazon.

Research Assistance: Jim Rowley

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From the outside, Isaiah Carvalho and Valerie Cincinelli's life looked picture-perfect. But behind closed doors there was a crumbling marriage, a secret relationship, accusations of abuse, and bunch of restraining orders! In 2019, karma finally does its thing and the chain of events that follows is so unbelievable that even seasoned investigators struggled to process it. 

Research Assistance: Molly McGuigan

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Kat Torres had a terrible childhood growing up in Brazil. She was determined to break away from her family & make a name for herself. After a modeling agency discovered her, that dream became a reality and she started jet setting all over the world. In 2013, she landed in LA where she rubbed elbows with the Hollywood elite -- she was even rumored to date Leonardo Dicaprio. As her social media followers grew, so did her naysayers, specifically another famous Brazilian model, Yasmin Brunet. Millions of people watched their public feud over Instagram and in 2022, it would unveil an incredibly dark...

On August 2, 1979 at 3:30 a.m. Donna Ferres was working the overnight shift at a 7-Eleven when a man walked through the door. He kept his hat low and his head down, immediately making her uncomfortable, but when he asked about her sister—by name—Donna’s guard came down. 

They made small talk, but when Donna asked his name, he wouldn’t tell her. Then he walked outside, lifted the hood of his perfectly functioning car, and returned to the store with a request: to help him start his car. 

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Imagine donating to a cause and accidentally donating 100x more than you meant to...

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In 1994, 19-year-old Emory University student, Shannon Melendi, was working as a scorekeeper at a softball game when she left in between games and never came back. She seemingly vanished without a trace until 10 days later when an anonymous phone call came in from a man claiming to have her. And he did...he even left proof. This kicks the investigation into high gear and would become Georgia's first "no body" murder conviction.

Click here to sign the change.org petition to keep Shannon's killer behind bars!

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In 2005, 27-year-old EMT, Jennifer Holliday, was living in Lufkin, TX with her son and 18-year-old cousin, Ana Franklin. 

On the night of May 29th, Jennifer was picking Ana up from a babysitting job when they decided to stop at a convenience store for a midnight snack. They had no idea that while making this (very) innocent errand there was a dangerous man watching them. What followed was a series of terrifying events, AND one of the most remarkable survival strategies you'll ever hear.

Produced by Jacob Hollabaugh

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In August 1990, a small mountain town in California was shocked when two people were shot at the beloved Camp Nelson Lodge, a retreat in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The victims: the owner, Bonnie Hood, and the lodge's handyman, Rudy Manuel. Investigators speak to the staff and patrons of the lodge and learn about a stranger that everyone seemed to notice. They finally find out that he is an out-of-towner Bruce Beauchamp, but his connection makes no sense. Before we find the truth, a slew of secrets come out and there will be a 3rd shooting.

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Today is a bonus for everyone! This will NOT take away from this week's episode, you're getting 2 because you rock. Today we're talking about specific cases we learned about at CrimeCon and an update on one of our most popular cases.  

Produced by Jacob Hollabaugh

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This episode is a special edition where we sit down with Murderish podcast host, Jami Rice, to talk about the Netflix documentary, Maternal Instinct, which details the heinous crime committed by Taylor Parker. We covered this case last year in episode 143, but re-released it right before this episode in case you need a recap because honestly, the documentary left A LOT out. Check it out if you want a real deep dive then join us and Jami Rice here to talk mad shit.

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Originally aired 3/13/2025

Following the new Netflix documentary, Maternal Instinct, we are re-releasing our own episode on Taylor Parker. Truth be told, the documentary left out alotttt of details out so if you want a deep dive, give it a listen.

Also check out our next episode (#214), where we discuss the documentary with the host of Murderish podcast, Jami Rice. Let the sh*t talking begin!

________

Wade Griffin and Taylor Parker lived on a hog farm in rural TX. In 2020, they fell on hard times and were looking to sell some of...

When Detective Morris McGowan walked into the brutal crime scene of a 33-year-old woman in Dallas, TX, he knew it wasn't going to be an ordinary investigation...but holy shit he could've never guessed it would be like this!

What starts as a (seemingly) straightforward homicide turns far more complicated when everyone's secrets start coming out. 

Produced by Jacob Hollabaugh

Research Assistance: Jim Rowley

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Another month, another problematic fiance. In today's AITW ep, we discuss boundaries and overstepping in-laws.

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On October 2, 1987, a city worker in Central City, Kentucky noticed a car parked where it shouldn't be. Upon examining the car, he realized blood was dripping out of the trunk. He called 911 and lead homicide detective Billy Fields arrived to find 20-year-old Corinna Mullen brutally murdered. There was very little physical evidence, yet a few possible suspects surfaced. Even so, it would be almost 20 years before there was justice and the true story behind what happened and who is behind it is absolutely batsh*t.

Produced by Jacob Hollabaugh

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In March 2015, a developer was checking his construction site in North Ridgeville, Ohio when he finds the body of a young woman behind a mound of snow. She was beaten, bound and naked from the waist down. There was no purse, no ID, no phone and no missing persons report. Nothing. After two days and zero leads, police do something they almost never do: they show a black-and-white photo of her face on the evening news... post-mortem.

Across town, a 45-year-old mother is sitting on her couch when she looks up and sees her own daughter's dead fa...

In 2015, Matthew Yussman and his 70-year-old mother were held hostage and Matthew was forced to rob the very credit union that employed him. The entire situation is bizarre and the FBI can't determine if Michael is actually a victim or a criminal mastermind. A few months later and 800 miles away in Tennessee, three different families experience the exact same thing. Finally, not one but TWO high speed chases hold the answer to everything.

Produced by Jacob Hollabaugh

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It was 1981 in Naperville, IL. A woman, who lived alone, woke up to use the bathroom in the middle of the night. In her groggy state, she walked out of her bedroom and saw a man she didn't know stabbed to death on her living room floor. It was 18-year-old Charles Huber and he had been stabbed 28 times... and right on top of him was her boyfriend, Bruce Lindahl, who had also been stabbed.  Naperville was not a place that had double homicides so the police were stumped. It would take investigators over 40 years before they fully understood what they...

Wedding edition! One guy thinks his sister is verrrrrrrrry pretty

Produced by Jacob Hollabaugh

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In 1974, 17-year-old Carla Walker went to a high school dance with her boyfriend Rodney McCoy and never came home. Countless people were interviewed, there was a confession that turned out bogus, and sadly it would be 46 years and a trip to CrimeCon before the Walker Family finally got answers

Produced by Jacob Hollabaugh

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In 1988, Katie Callaway was working at a casino in South Lake Tahoe when she suddenly heard a voice say  her name. Without looking, she knew exactly who it was because that voice has been haunting her for 11 years. Hoping she was wrong, she looked up and saw that sadly she wasn't. The man she sent to prison for life was suddenly in front of her and she has no idea how.

She was so shaken from the encounter that she quit her job and disappeared for nearly 20 years; but when she heard his name on...

In 2012, the murder of successful venture capitalist, Raveesh Kumra, shook the town of Monte Sereno, California. This was the first murder in 20 years. Even though the suspect pool seemed pretty big, it was solved quickly when DNA from the crime scene got 3 hits in CODIS. We're always told DNA doesn't lie, so case closed right? NOPE.

We also have not one, but two stories within the story. We also discuss the Phantom of Heilbronn and the murder of Anne Marie Foy.

Produced by Jacob Hollabaugh

Erie, IL is a small town with a great community. People say hello on the streets and relationships stretch back decades. It's the type of place where, on any given day, you'll run into someone you've known since childhood. However, in this idyllic community there was evil hiding in plain sight, and one night in 2017, a couple woke up to find it inside their bedroom

Produced by Jacob Hollabaugh

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"Guests, like fish, begin to smell after three days." - Benjamin Franklin... If you have a mother in law with boundary issue, take a page from this person's book

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Fred and Carol Neulander were pillars of the community in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. Fred was a rabbi and Carol owned a very successful bakery. In 1994, Carol pulled into her driveway and before she could get out, a man she didn't know knocked on her window. He had an envelope for Fred, who wasn't home, but asked to use the bathroom. Carol said sure, so he used the bathroom, gave her the envelope, and left. The envelope was empty and 1 week later "bathroom man" returned to do something horrific.

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22-year-old Rebecca Park was only weeks away from giving birth to her baby boy when she disappeared. November 2025, her biological mother watched her get into a black sedan with tinted windows, never to be seen again. As a result, social media blew up trying to track down who was in this car, and the truth that emerged was more devastating and twisted than anyone could have imagined

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In 2012, the small town of Fowler, Colorado was shocked when mortician Byron Griffy was found murdered in cold blood at his farmhouse. Even though he was known as a pillar of his community, there were plenty of suspects who could have it out for Byron and the investigation would unveil a ton of secrets that shook southern Colorado.

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Imagine waking up to your dog licking your face, in a room you don't recognize, wearing different clothes. There's a needle in your arm, and someone in the corner staring at you. This is the case of Isabel Eriksson

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On March 5, 1994, Clifford Lynn Draper armed himself with a gun and homemade bomb and went down to the Salt Lake City Public Library where he carried out a plan that he had been working on for months. He took 10 people hostage and they spent the next several hours terrified of the unknown. The entire ordeal ended after one of the hostages, Lloyd Prescott, revealed a secret he had been keeping.

Produced by Jacob Hollabaugh

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Your monthly palate cleanser from the darkness of true crime where we read real-life dilemmas from the internet that has people questioning “was I the worst in that situation or were they the worst?”

In this episode, we discuss whether someone is the worst for not accepting her husbands CRINGEY new habit

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In July of 1960, a 32-year-old San Francisco woman named Lois DeAndrade accepted a ride from a coworker. They were friends but, truth be told, she felt sorry for him. He had a pronounced stutter that he was insecure about so Lois went out of her way to make him feel comfortable.  However, moments after getting into his car, the stutter stopped...and Lois's life was forever changed.This eerie case was discussed decades later on a very unexpected platform so stick around until the end 

Produced by Jacob Hollabaugh

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