Morbid

When Stephen Spielberg released his iconic film Jaws in the summer of 1975, he not only kicked off the phenomenon of the summer blockbuster, but also reignited the public’s fascination with and fear of shark attacks. Although based on a book of the same name, that novel was itself heavily influenced on several real-life events from the past, including one particular summer on the Jersey Shore. In the early twentieth-century, most Americans didn’t think much about sharks or the other potentially dangerous fish and animals that lived in the ocean. In fact, the majority of Americans don’t live in coastal areas and probably didn’t know there were differences between species. That all changed in the summer of 1916, when a loan shark killed four people and critically injured one person in the waters along the Jersey Shore. More than merely accidental bites, the attacks seemed almost intentional, leading to the widespread belief that a man-eater was stalking the waters of the northeastern state. In the century that has passed since, the Jersey Shore shark attacks have fueled Americans imaginations and nightmares, leading to widely celebrated novels and films about sharks, but also contributing to serious misunderstandings about sharks and their behavior, often with terrible consequences. References Asbury Park Press. 1916. "Bathers need have no fear of sharks." Asbury Park Press, July 5: 11. —. 1916. "Governor urges safeguards such as Asbury Park has." Asbury Park Press, July 13: 1. —. 1916. "Nets and armed motorboat patrol to protect bathers." Asbury Park Press, July 7: 1. —. 1916. "Shak driven from city bathing ground." Asbury Park Press, July 8: 1. Capuzzo, Micahel. 2001. Close to Shore: A True Story of Terror in An Age of Innocence. New York, NY: Broadway Books. Central New Jersey Home News. 1916. "Man and two boys fall victims to new raid of shark in Matawan Creek." Central New Jersey Home News, July 13: 1. Florida Museum of Natural History. 2024. Yearly Worldwide Shark Attack Summary. Accessed July 30, 2025. https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/shark-attacks/yearly-worldwide-summary/. Morning Call. 14916. "Swimmer mangled by shark at sea dies in two hours." Morning Call (Paterson, NJ), July 4: 7. New York Times. 1916. "Human bones found in shark's stomach." New York Times, July 16: 5. —. 1916. "Many hunt sharks." New York Times, July 9: 3. —. 1916. "Many see sharks, but all get away." New York Times, July 14: 1. —. 1916. "Shark guards out at beach resorts." New York Times, July 8: 18. The Times. 1916. "Creek yields body of boy shark slew." The Times (Trenton, NJ), July 14: 1. Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022) Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023) Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

When Stephen Spielberg released his iconic film Jaws in the summer of 1975, he not only kicked off the phenomenon of the summer blockbuster, but also reignited the public’s fascination with and fear of shark attacks. Although based on a book of the same name, that novel was itself heavily influenced on several real-life events from the past, including one particular summer on the Jersey Shore. In the early twentieth-century, most Americans didn’t think much about sharks or the other potentially dangerous fish and animals that lived in the ocean. In fact, the majority of Americans don’t live in coastal areas and probably didn’t know there were differences between species. That all changed in the summer of 1916, when a loan shark killed four people and critically injured one person in the waters along the Jersey Shore. More than merely accidental bites, the attacks seemed almost intentional, leading to the widespread belief that a man-eater was stalking the waters of the northeastern state. In the century that has passed since, the Jersey Shore shark attacks have fueled Americans imaginations and nightmares, leading to widely celebrated novels and films about sharks, but also contributing to serious misunderstandings about sharks and their behavior, often with terrible consequences. Recommendations in this Episode Listen to Laughing in the Dark an 'Are You Afraid of the Dark' Rewatch Podcast with @mikie_sirois & Dave (@thatqueerwolf) (in addition to Bryan and Aileen!) Grab SIGNED EDITIONS of The Butcher Legacy from Barnes & Noble before they run out! References Asbury Park Press. 1916. "Bathers need have no fear of sharks." Asbury Park Press, July 5: 11. —. 1916. "Governor urges safeguards such as Asbury Park has." Asbury Park Press, July 13: 1. —. 1916. "Nets and armed motorboat patrol to protect bathers." Asbury Park Press, July 7: 1. —. 1916. "Shak driven from city bathing ground." Asbury Park Press, July 8: 1. Capuzzo, Micahel. 2001. Close to Shore: A True Story of Terror in An Age of Innocence. New York, NY: Broadway Books. Central New Jersey Home News. 1916. "Man and two boys fall victims to new raid of shark in Matawan Creek." Central New Jersey Home News, July 13: 1. Florida Museum of Natural History. 2024. Yearly Worldwide Shark Attack Summary. Accessed July 30, 2025. https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/shark-attacks/yearly-worldwide-summary/. Morning Call. 14916. "Swimmer mangled by shark at sea dies in two hours." Morning Call (Paterson, NJ), July 4: 7. New York Times. 1916. "Human bones found in shark's stomach." New York Times, July 16: 5. —. 1916. "Many hunt sharks." New York Times, July 9: 3. —. 1916. "Many see sharks, but all get away." New York Times, July 14: 1. —. 1916. "Shark guards out at beach resorts." New York Times, July 8: 18. The Times. 1916. "Creek yields body of boy shark slew." The Times (Trenton, NJ), July 14: 1. Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022) Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023) Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In November 1958, Frank Duncan’s pregnant wife, Olga Kupczyk, disappeared without a trace from their Santa Barbara home after enduring months of abusive treatment from her mother-in-law. A short time later, Frank’s marriage was inexplicably annulled after his mother, posing as Olga, showed up at the local courthouse with a man she’d hired to pose as her son, Frank. One month later, in mid-December, investigators in the small coastal town of Carpinteria, California, were directed to the location of Olga’s body in a shallow grave, after one of her killers confessed to kidnapping and murdering her the previous month. The arrest of Augustine Baldonado and his accomplice, Luis Moya, solved the mystery of what happened to Olga, but when it came to the motive for the murder, the truth was more shocking than anyone had expected. References Associated Press. 1959. "Mrs. Duncan shouts 'liar' at friend in court." Modesto Bee, March 1: 2. Blake, Gene. 1958. "Body of missing bride unearthed." Los Angeles Times, December 22: 1. —. 1959. "Find Mrs. Duncan guilty of murder." Los Angeles Times, March 17: 1. —. 1959. "Mrs. Duncan held sane, faces death." Los Angeles Times, March 25: 1. —. 1959. "Mrs. Duncan tried to hire her to kill, carhop says." Los Angeles Times, February 25: 2. —. 1959. "Mrs. Duncan's son weeps when death story is told." Los Angeles Times, February 27: 2. Hertel, Howard, and Paul Weeks. 1962. "Mrs. Duncan dies with 2 conspirators." Los Angeles Times, August 9: 1. Holt, Bob. 1959. "Frank Duncan in court outburst as D.A. Gustafson questions mother." Ventura County Star, March 5: 1. —. 1959. "Jury out 4 hours, 51 min. debating fateful verdict in murder-for-hire case." Ventura County Star, March 17: 1. —. 1959. "Mrs. Duncan testifies in own defense; admits 'plot' to break up marriage." Ventura County Star, March 4: 1. Larkin, Deborah Holt. 2022. A Lovely Girl: The Tragedy of Olga Duncan and the Trial of One of California's Most Notorious Killers. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster. Los Angeles Times. 1958. "Body of missing wife pointed out." Los Angeles Times, December 22: 1. Martinez, Arlene. 2013. "Love, scandal and murder: Ventura County case drew national attention." Ventura County Star, June 30: 2013. Renner, Joan. 2013. "Mother-in-law knows murdwer: The tragic death of Olga Kupczyk." Los Angeles Magazine, June 17. The People of California v. Elizabeth Ann Duncan. 1960. 6490 (California Appeals Court, March 11). Ventura County Star. 1958. "Grand jury set for murder case." Ventura County Star, December 23: 1. Welsh, Nick. 2022. Elizabeth Duncan: The Last Woman Executed in California. October 13. Accessed November 11, 2025. https://www.independent.com/2022/10/12/elizabeth-duncan-last-woman-executed-california-history/. Williams, Brad. 1958. "Mother-in-law in jail on charge of fake annulment." Los Angeles Times, December 16: 1. Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022) Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023) Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In November 1958, Frank Duncan’s pregnant wife, Olga Kupczyk, disappeared without a trace from their Santa Barbara home after enduring months of abusive treatment from her mother-in-law. A short time later, Frank’s marriage was inexplicably annulled after his mother, posing as Olga, showed up at the local courthouse with a man she’d hired to pose as her son, Frank. One month later, in mid-December, investigators in the small coastal town of Carpinteria, California, were directed to the location of Olga’s body in a shallow grave, after one of her killers confessed to kidnapping and murdering her the previous month. The arrest of Augustine Baldonado and his accomplice, Luis Moya, solved the mystery of what happened to Olga, but when it came to the motive for the murder, the truth was more shocking than anyone had expected. Grab SIGNED EDITIONS of The Butcher Legacy from Barnes & Noble before they run out! Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022) Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023) Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In today’s March Bonus Episode, Ash & Alaina sit down to unpack Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model, the new documentary that takes a long, hard look at ANTM, the world of reality TV, and the price paid by young contestants chasing swift fame. This isn’t a criminal case but it is Morbid: power dynamics, exploitation, public scrutiny, looking back with adult hindsight… so, yeah, we had to discuss it! Join in the conversation on socials by clicking the episode post on MORBID Instagram! What parts of this documentary left your jaw on the floor? Get ready for next month's Book Club Bonus Episode by reading Postmortem by Patricia Cornwell wherever books are sold! We are THRILLED to have Chef Reilly joining us on the day his book A Little Bit Extra comes out (3/31/26) to discuss all things Scarpetta! Preorder his book! Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022) Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023) Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Weirdos! Get ready to get abducted by this month's batch of listener tales brought to you By you FOR you and ALL ABOUT YOU! This month Listeners are giving the deets of encounters from visitors from other planets, with a few ghostly and all-out-jumpscare stories! Because of the MASSIVE blizzard, we're kicking it OG style, with audio only and sans Nicholas, but fret not!! Both will be coming back in March! If you’ve got a listener tale please send it to DEB by emailing us at Morbidpodcast@gmail.com with “Listener Tales” somewhere in the subject line- and if you share pictures- please let us know if we can share them with fellow weirdos! :) Mentions: Follow Sarah James on TikTok! Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022) Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023) Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In the news cycle, an elderly woman attempting to poison her husband would have garnered a pretty small amount of attention from the press, then faded away when a larger story came along. But it didn’t take long for the press to learn that the poisoning of Melissa Ann Shepard's new husband wasn't the first time she had been suspected or convicted of attempted murder. In fact, Melissa Ann Shepard had a criminal history in two countries that went back decades, including many crimes that were very similar to the one she had just perpetrated only with a much worse outcome. Recommendations Follow @itsmartymiller on TikTok References As It Happens. 2016. Victim questions release of notorious Internet Black Widow. March 16. Accessed May 14, 2024. https://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/as-it-happens-tuesday-edition-1.3492260/victim-questions-release-of-notorious-internet-black-widow-she-ll-never-change-1.3492579. Associated Press. 2005. "'Black Widow' pleads guilty." Kingston Whig-Standard, March 15: 2005. Canadian Press. 2013. "'Black Widow' pleads guilty to drugging husband's coffee days after wedding." Globe and Mail, June 11. —. 2016. "Internet black widow off the hook." Hamilton Spectator, December 23: 10. —. 2013. "'Black Widow' gets 3 1/2 years for drugging husband." Toronto Star, June 12. —. 2013. "Alleged victim of 'Black Widow' holds no ill will as trial set to start." Windsor Star, June 7: 35. 2012. The Fifth Estate: The Widow's Web. Television. Directed by CBC News. Performed by CBC News. Elash, Anita. 2012. Police were asked to warn husband of 'Internet Black Widow'. October 5. Accessed May 15, 2024. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/police-were-asked-to-warn-husband-of-internet-black-widow-1.1163836. L'Heureux, Catie. 2016. "The real-life Gone Girl is 80, and terrifying." The Cut, April 13. McMahon, Tamsin. 2005. "Robert Friedrich was alive and well, then he met this woman." Kingston Whig-Standard, April 9: 1. O'Connor, Joe. 2012. "Romancing the 'Black Widow' ." National Post, October 3: 1. Sherren, Reg. 2013. "Internet Black Widow 'will do it again,' says former husband." CBC News, September 16. Starnes, Richard. 2005. "'Black widow' arrested in Florida." Ottawa Citizen, January 13: 7. Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022) Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023) Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Since the late nineteenth century, amusement parks have been providing countless hours of enjoyment for people all around the world. Often driven by the latest technology and advances in mechanical engineering, the thrill rides at parks like Disney Land, Great America, and other independent parks offer a controlled environment to experience terror and excitement. While these rides, and the parks in general, are very safe and held to strict safety standards, there are times when the unthinkable happens—a cable snaps, a safety harness breaks—and the once safe ride becomes a nightmare for passengers. Far more often than not, tragic amusement park accidents are the result of human foolishness or, far less often, operator error. But other times, they are a bizarre fluke; a one in a million mechanical problem no one saw coming. Either way, the results can be shocking, horrifying, and even deadly. Recommendations: Jawsh on tikTok References Adler, Eric, and Katy Bergen. 2016. "Questions swirl as grief befalls family of boy killed on slide." Wichita Eagle, August 9: 1. Associated Press. 2016. "Slide complaints surface." Iola Register (Iola, KS), August 10: 2. Bella, Timothy. 2019. "How a freak accident happens." Esquire, January 29. Boston Globe. 1923. "Couple injured on Derby Racer." Boston Globe, May 31: 14. Brennan v. Ocean View Amusement Company. 1935. Unknown (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, January 16). Daily Item. 1911. "Fatal accident on Revere Beach roller coaster." Daily Item (Lynn, MA), June 9: 19. —. 1911. "Fatally hurt on roller coaster." Daily Item (Lynn, MA), May 22: 9. Merrill, Jamie. 2015. "The funfair disaster that Britain forgot." The Independent on Sunday, June 7. Omaha Evening Bee-News. 1930. "Ban coaster after plunge kills four." Omaha Evening Bee-News, July 25: 1. —. 1930. "Survivor tells story of tragedy." Omaha Evening Bee-News, July 25: 2. O'Neil, Elise. 2023. Benson's almost forgotten amusement park. July 27. Accessed February 4, 2026. https://douglascohistory.org/9743-2/. Pound, Cath. 2022. The scandalous roots of the amusement park. August 21. Accessed February 3, 2026. https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20220818-the-surprisingly-scandalous-origins-of-disneyland. Saner, Emine. 2024. "The rollercoaster I was on hurtled backwards and crashed." The Guardian, September 23. Standard-Times. 1922. "New Bedford man, thrown from roller coaster, on danger list." Standard-Times (New Bedford, MA), September 12: 1. The Times. 1973. "Big dipper a death trap, Crown says." The Times, November 6. —. 1973. "Engineer says many parts of big dipper were unsafe." The Times, March 2. —. 1972. "Two teenage boys and a girl killed in Battersea big dipper crash." The Times, May 5. Vockrodt, Steve. 2018. "The making of Schlitterbahn’s Verrückt water slide: Too much, too fast? ." Kansas City Star, April 3. Yesterday's America. n.d. The early history of theme parks in America. Accessed February 4, 2026. https://yesterdaysamerica.com/the-early-history-of-theme-parks-in-america/. Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022) Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023) Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In the summer of 1998, eighty-two-year-old New York socialite Irene Silverman disappeared from her Manhattan townhouse without a trace. Silverman’s friends were immediately concerned, as it was completely out of character for Irene to leave town without telling anyone. Coincidentally, on the same day Irene Silverman disappeared, authorities in New York arrested Sante Kimes and her son, Kenny, on a charge of check fraud. Unbeknownst to investigators, these two events were directly linked. In the wake of the arrest of Kimes and her son, investigators discovered a number of links between the mother and son con artists and Irene Silverman that would not only lead to the discovery of Silverman’s body, but also to a years’ long crime spree that included everything from check fraud and impersonation to arson and murder. In the annals of American crime, it’s rare to find a series of violent crimes committed by a woman. And among those women, it is rarer still to find one so brutal, cunning, and manipulative as Sante Kimes. References Associated Press. 1985. "Couple charged with slavery." The Union (Grass Valley, CA), August 6: 4. Bashinsky, Ruth, and Larry Sutton. 1998. "She lived in the present, belebrated ballet past." Daily News (New York, NY), July 8: 2. Finkelstein, Katherine. 2000. "Mother and son are given life sentences." New York Times, June 28. Kirsta, Alix. 1999. "The lady vanishes." The Guardian, November 20. Kocieniewski, David. 1998. "Deed ceding widow's house to suspects is found, police say." New York Times, July 25. NBC News. 2025. "The devil wore white." Dateline, January 1. Rohde, David. 1998. "2 now face murder charge in widow's disappearance." New York Times, December 17. —. 2000. "Jury hears a murder defendant's outburst; a woman screams for fairness." New York Times, April 29. Rohde, David, and Julian Barnes. 2000. "Without a body, murder case of widow relies on circumstantial evidence." New York Times, May 16. Sante Kimes v. United States. 1989. 86-1267 (District of Columbia Court of Appeals, October 31). Walker, Kent. 2001. Son of a Grifter: The Twisted Tale of Sante and Kenny Kimes, the Most Notorious Con Artists in America. New York, NY: William Morrow. Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022) Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023) Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

(Part 3 of 3) On the morning of February 8, 1983, a plumber working in London’s Muswell Hill neighbor opened a drainage cover behind a Cranley Gardens apartment building and made a horrific discovery—the drain was blocked by pieces of bone and human tissue. Upon investigation, detectives traced the blockage back to one apartment in the building, where additional evidence suggested things were far worse than they’d initially thought. When the occupant of the apartment, Dennis Nilsen, was confronted with the human remains, he began telling investigators a shocking story and when he was finished, Nilsen had confessed to murdering and dismembering at fifteen men over the course of five years. In the annals of British crime, Dennis Nilsen ranks among the worst serial killers the country has ever seen, not only because of the number of people he killed, but also the method of disposal and the motive. Mentioned in the Episode Read Jay Manuel’s Fictional book inspired by ANTM The Wig, The Bitch & The Meltdown References Barlass, Tim, and Robert Mendick. 2006. "Killer: This was my first victim." Evening Standard (London, UK), November 9: 1. Davies, Nick. 1983. "A nice person, says the man who escaped." The Guardian, October 26: 5. —. 1983. "Nilsen 'claimed to have no tears for victims, bereaved, or himself'." The Guardian, October 26: 5. —. 1983. "Nilsen 'enjoyed power of his victims'." The Guardian, November 1: 4. —. 1983. "Nilsen tells of horror and shame at killings." The Guardian, October 28: 2. Henry, Ian. 1983. "'My fury if visitors didn't listen to me'." Daily Telegraph (London, UK), October 27: 3. —. 1983. "Nilsen 'has admitted 15 or 16 killings'." Daily Telegraph (London, UK), October 25: 3. Liverpool Echo. 1983. "London body: Man in court." Liverpool Echo, February 12: 1. Masters, Brian. 1985. Killing for Company: The Case of Dennis Nilsen. London, UK: J. Cape. McMillan, Greg. 1980. "Family scours Britain for missing son." Hamilton Spectator (Hamilton, ON), January 31: 10. Murphy, Fin. 2021. "I struck up a friendship with serial killer Dennis Nilsen. Then I edited his memoirs." Vice, January 29. Nicholson-Lord, David. 1983. "Doctor tells jury of Nlsen's false-self." The Times, October 28: 1. —. 1983. "Nilsen given 25-year sentence." The Times, November 5: 1. Tatchell, Peter. 2022. Police failed Dennis Nilsen’s victims. Decades later, little has changed. January 24. Accessed September 15, 2025. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/jan/24/police-dennis-nilsen-victims-homophobic-murders. The Guardian. 1983. "State of mind issue put to Nilsen jury." The Guardian, November 3: 3. The Times. 1983. "Nilsen strangled, cut up and burnt men he met in pubs, jury told." The Times, October 25: 1. —. 1984. "Prisoners live in fear of Nilsen." The Times, June 21: 3. Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022) Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023) Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Part 2 of 3) On the morning of February 8, 1983, a plumber working in London’s Muswell Hill neighbor opened a drainage cover behind a Cranley Gardens apartment building and made a horrific discovery—the drain was blocked by pieces of bone and human tissue. Upon investigation, detectives traced the blockage back to one apartment in the building, where additional evidence suggested things were far worse than they’d initially thought. When the occupant of the apartment, Dennis Nilsen, was confronted with the human remains, he began telling investigators a shocking story and when he was finished, Nilsen had confessed to murdering and dismembering at fifteen men over the course of five years. In the annals of British crime, Dennis Nilsen ranks among the worst serial killers the country has ever seen, not only because of the number of people he killed, but also the method of disposal and the motive. Mentioned in the episode: Book Counter DecorReferences Barlass, Tim, and Robert Mendick. 2006. "Killer: This was my first victim." Evening Standard (London, UK), November 9: 1. Davies, Nick. 1983. "A nice person, says the man who escaped." The Guardian, October 26: 5. —. 1983. "Nilsen 'claimed to have no tears for victims, bereaved, or himself'." The Guardian, October 26: 5. —. 1983. "Nilsen 'enjoyed power of his victims'." The Guardian, November 1: 4. —. 1983. "Nilsen tells of horror and shame at killings." The Guardian, October 28: 2. Henry, Ian. 1983. "'My fury if visitors didn't listen to me'." Daily Telegraph (London, UK), October 27: 3. —. 1983. "Nilsen 'has admitted 15 or 16 killings'." Daily Telegraph (London, UK), October 25: 3. Liverpool Echo. 1983. "London body: Man in court." Liverpool Echo, February 12: 1. Masters, Brian. 1985. Killing for Company: The Case of Dennis Nilsen. London, UK: J. Cape. McMillan, Greg. 1980. "Family scours Britain for missing son." Hamilton Spectator (Hamilton, ON), January 31: 10. Murphy, Fin. 2021. "I struck up a friendship with serial killer Dennis Nilsen. Then I edited his memoirs." Vice, January 29. Nicholson-Lord, David. 1983. "Doctor tells jury of Nlsen's false-self." The Times, October 28: 1. —. 1983. "Nilsen given 25-year sentence." The Times, November 5: 1. Tatchell, Peter. 2022. Police failed Dennis Nilsen’s victims. Decades later, little has changed. January 24. Accessed September 15, 2025. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/jan/24/police-dennis-nilsen-victims-homophobic-murders. The Guardian. 1983. "State of mind issue put to Nilsen jury." The Guardian, November 3: 3. The Times. 1983. "Nilsen strangled, cut up and burnt men he met in pubs, jury told." The Times, October 25: 1. —. 1984. "Prisoners live in fear of Nilsen." The Times, June 21: 3. Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022) Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023) Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On the morning of February 8, 1983, a plumber working in London’s Muswell Hill neighbor opened a drainage cover behind a Cranley Gardens apartment building and made a horrific discovery—the drain was blocked by pieces of bone and human tissue. Upon investigation, detectives traced the blockage back to one apartment in the building, where additional evidence suggested things were far worse than they’d initially thought. When the occupant of the apartment, Dennis Nilsen, was confronted with the human remains, he began telling investigators a shocking story and when he was finished, Nilsen had confessed to murdering and dismembering at fifteen men over the course of five years. In the annals of British crime, Dennis Nilsen ranks among the worst serial killers the country has ever seen, not only because of the number of people he killed, but also the method of disposal and the motive. Want to help out the people of Minneapolis? Click here to help small business owners impacted by current events! References Barlass, Tim, and Robert Mendick. 2006. "Killer: This was my first victim." Evening Standard (London, UK), November 9: 1. Davies, Nick. 1983. "A nice person, says the man who escaped." The Guardian, October 26: 5. —. 1983. "Nilsen 'claimed to have no tears for victims, bereaved, or himself'." The Guardian, October 26: 5. —. 1983. "Nilsen 'enjoyed power of his victims'." The Guardian, November 1: 4. —. 1983. "Nilsen tells of horror and shame at killings." The Guardian, October 28: 2. Henry, Ian. 1983. "'My fury if visitors didn't listen to me'." Daily Telegraph (London, UK), October 27: 3. —. 1983. "Nilsen 'has admitted 15 or 16 killings'." Daily Telegraph (London, UK), October 25: 3. Liverpool Echo. 1983. "London body: Man in court." Liverpool Echo, February 12: 1. Masters, Brian. 1985. Killing for Company: The Case of Dennis Nilsen. London, UK: J. Cape. McMillan, Greg. 1980. "Family scours Britain for missing son." Hamilton Spectator (Hamilton, ON), January 31: 10. Murphy, Fin. 2021. "I struck up a friendship with serial killer Dennis Nilsen. Then I edited his memoirs." Vice, January 29. Nicholson-Lord, David. 1983. "Doctor tells jury of Nlsen's false-self." The Times, October 28: 1. —. 1983. "Nilsen given 25-year sentence." The Times, November 5: 1. Tatchell, Peter. 2022. Police failed Dennis Nilsen’s victims. Decades later, little has changed. January 24. Accessed September 15, 2025. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/jan/24/police-dennis-nilsen-victims-homophobic-murders. The Guardian. 1983. "State of mind issue put to Nilsen jury." The Guardian, November 3: 3. The Times. 1983. "Nilsen strangled, cut up and burnt men he met in pubs, jury told." The Times, October 25: 1. —. 1984. "Prisoners live in fear of Nilsen." The Times, June 21: 3. Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022) Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023) Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In the early hours of March 3, 1993, someone snuck into the Maryland home of Millie Horn, where she lived with her disabled eight-year-old son, Trevor, and his nurse, Janice Saunders. After shooting both women in the head multiple times, the intruder smothered Trevor Horn to death, then quietly left the house. Hours later, the bodies of all three were discovered by Millie’s sister, who stepped by to check on them. Almost immediately, suspicion fell on Millie Horn’s ex-husband, Lawrence, who lived thousands of miles away in California, but with whom she’d spoken just hours before the murders occurred. In time, investigators were able to establish a financial motive, linking Lawrence Horn to the murders, yet they were unable to place Horn in Maryland when the murders occurred. Ultimately, Lawrence Horn would be tried and convicted for all three murders, but by that time, he wasn’t sole perpetrator of the crime. And when prosecutors were finally able to pin down the men responsible for the deaths, it turned out the killers received guidance from a very surprising source. Recommendations: Phantasma By Kaylie SmithHappy Place By Emily HenryReferences Associated Press. 1993. "Man says he wasn't involved in slaying of ex-wife and son." Star-Democrat (Easton, MD), March 10: 5. Baltimore Sun. 1993. "Murder suspect denies threatening former wife." Baltimore Sun, April 9: 27. Brooke, James. 1996. "Lawsuit tests lethal power of words." New York Times, February 14. Hermann, Peter. 1994. "Father arrested in 3 murders." Baltimore Sun, July 21: 21. James Edward Perry v. State of Maryland. 2002. 0667, Sept. Term, 2001 (Court of Special Appeals of Maryland, November 7). James Edward Perry v. State of Maryland. 1996. 119, Sept. Term, 1995 (Court of Appeals of Maryland, December 16). Smolla, Rodney. 1999. Deliberate Intent: A Lawyer Tells the True Story of Murder by the Book. New York, NY: Crown. Sullivan, Kevin. 1994. "Accused went from glamour of Motown to a life of modest means." Washington Post, July 20. Vick, Karl. 1996. "Horn convicted for three murders." Washingotn Post, May 4: 1. Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022) Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023) Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Weirdos!! It's here! the second deep dive into the twisted world of the Twilight Saga! Grab your brown-tinted filters and emotional support glitter, because Ash and Alaina are back in Forks for a full-throttle deep dive into New Moon. For this month’s BONUS EPISODE we’re unpacking Edward’s dramatic exit, Bella’s months-long depression montage (hello, spinning seasons), and the introduction of a jort-wearing werewolf jamborees: Jacob Black. We debate whether ghost Edward is helpful or wildly unhinged, and try to make sense of the Volturi’s whole vibe! There’s chaos, hot takes, and Bella imitations that will make you howl! Light a candle, stare moodily out a window, and join us, because the angst is real, the wolves are howling, and we’re all #TeamMessy! 🖤 Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022) Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023) Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Weirdos! We invite you to don your softest apparel, get comfy, and settle in for a batch of haunted listener tales! Nicholas DEFINITELY took note of the theme, and set the mood! This episode POPPED OFF before we even officially started the show. Curious to hear what freaked us out? Listen after the ending theme for the wild moments that didn't make the audio version! LISTEN on all podcast platforms OR WATCH on Youtube! Want to watch the episode on Sam & Colby's- Click Here! Want to book at the SK Pierce Mansion? Book Here! If you’ve got a listener tale please send it to DEB by emailing us at Morbidpodcast@gmail.com with “Listener Tales” somewhere in the subject line- and if you share pictures- please let us know if we can share them with fellow weirdos! :) Huge shout out to our video edtitor @aidanmcelman Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022) Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023) Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Lizzie Halliday was known in the late nineteenth century as “the worst woman on earth” and ended up being the first woman EVER to be sentenced to die in the electric chair. References Brooklyn Citizen. 1893. "Mrs. Halliday guilty." Brooklyn Citizen, September 10: 4. Buffalo Conmmercial. 1894. "Murderess Lizzie Hallidfay sentenced this morning." Buffalo Commercial, June 22: 1. Buffalo Courier. 1891. "An interesting Newburgh pair." Buffalo Couirier, June 24: 1. —. 1893. "Her first connected story anent the recent tragedy." Buffalo Courier, October 21: 2. Buffalo Evening News. 1895. "Crazy murderess, assisted by another maniac, tries to kill an attendant at Matteawan." Buffalo Evening News, September 2: 6. —. 1894. "Lizzie Halliday sentenced to die by electricty." Buffalo Evening News, June 22: 7. Buffalo Sunday Morning News. 1894. "Lizzie's crazy antics." Buffalo Sunday Morning News, June 24: 1. Evening World . 1894. "A weird murderess." Evening World, June 20: 1. Evening World. 1894. "Lizzie Halliday's trial." Evening World, June 18: 1. Levine, David. 2020. Lizzie Brown Halliday: The Worst Woman On Earth. August 25. Accessed January 29, 2024. https://hvmag.com/life-style/lizzie-brown-halliday-serial-killer/. New York Times. 1918. "Lizzie Halliday dead." New York Times, Junbe 29: 20. —. 1893. "Lizzie Halliday makes statement." New York Times, October 21: 9. —. 1894. "Lizzie Halliday soon to be tried." New York Times, June 10: 8. —. 1906. "Mrs. Halliday, insane, stabs nurse 200 times." New York Times, September 28: 5. Owen, Kevin. 2019. illing Time in the Catskills: The twisted tale of the Catskill Ripper Elizabeth "Lizzie" McNally Halliday. Unknown: Independent. Sun and Erie County Independent. 1893. "A triple tragedy; awful crimes charged against Mrs. Halliday." Sun and Erie Times, September 15: 2. The World. 1893. "Lizzie Halliday in Philadelphia." The World, November 8: 2. Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022) Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023) Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On the afternoon of March 26, 1997, the San Diego County Sherrif’s Department received an anonymous call through 911 reporting a mass suicide at an address in Rancho Santa Fe, California. A single sheriff’s deputy was dispatched to the address and knocked on the front door, but got no response. Finding a side door to the home unlocked, the deputy entered the house and was horrified to discover nearly forty bodies of adults, all of whom appeared to have taken their own lives in what appeared to be some kind of ritual. Not since the terrible mass deaths at Jonestown decades earlier had Americans seen such a bizarre and ultimately tragic occurrence and few were able to understand how such a thing could have happened in the modern age. What could have caused so many people to willingly give up their lives, and who was he enigmatic man who’d convinced them to do it? References Ayers, B. Drummon. 1997. "Families learning of 39 cultists who died willingly." New York Times, March 29. CNN. 1997. Applewhite sought cure for his homosexual urges. March 29. Accessed January 6, 2026. https://www.cnn.com/US/9703/29/applewhite/. Lamotte, Greg. 1997. Heaven's Gate 911 call eerily calm. April 18. Accessed January 5, 2026. https://www.cnn.com/US/9704/18/cult.911/index.html. Locke, Michelle. 1997. "Comet cult's stairway led to downfall." Record Searchlight (Redding, CA), March 31: 1. Miller, Craig. 1997. "Web page business supported sect's life." North Country Times (Oceanside, CA), March 28: 1. Perry, Tony. 1997. "Cult left no survivors, police say." Los Angeles Times, April 1: 3. Perry, Tony, Michael Granberry, and Anne-Marie O'Connor. 1997. "39 dead in apparent suicide." Los Angeles Times, March 27: 1. Purdum, Todd. 1997. "Videotapes left by 39 who died described cult's suicide goal." New York Times, March 28. Steinberg, Jacques. 1997. "From religious childhood to reins of a U.F.O. cult." New York Times, March 29. Weinraub, Claire, Christina Ng, Acacia Nunes, and Haley Yamada. 2022. Surviving member of Heaven's Gate cult reflects on mass suicide 25 years ago: 'It meant everything'. March 14. Accessed January 7, 2026. https://abc7.com/post/cult-next-door-diane-sawyer-special-heavens-gate-2020/11642749/. Wilkens, John. 2017. "Cilt sought to 'exit' via spaceship." Los Angeles Times, March 20: B2. Zeller, Benjamin. 2014. Heaven's Gate: America's UFO Religion. New York, NY: New York University Press. —. 2014. "Anatomy of a mass suicide: The dark, twsited story behind a UFO death cult." Salon, November 15. Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022) Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023) Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In the early hours of March 13, 1964, twenty-eight-year-old Kitty Genovese returned home from work and parked her car in a lot near her Queens apartment, completely unaware that someone was following her. As she approached the door to her apartment building, Kitty’s stalker ran up behind her and stabbed her in the back twice before being scared off by a neighbor who yelled from his window. Wounded, Kitty managed to get to the back of the building, but her attacker soon returned and brutally assaulted her. By the time an ambulance arrived an hour later, it was too late; Kitty Genovese died before she reached the hospital. Kitty’s murder and the arrest of her killer, Winston Moseley, were quickly overshadowed by what were believed to be the facts of the attack, primarily the widely held belief that at least thirty-eight neighbors had seen the assault or heard Kitty’s cries for help and did nothing. Despite there having been no evidence to support that belief, the narrative quickly became about urban apathy, with the death of a Queens bartender merely a footnote. The murder of Kitty Genovese is one of the most notorious violent crimes in modern American history—not because of the details or circumstances of the crime, but because of the legend and mythology that has built up around it. References Cook, Kevin. 2014. Kitty Genovese: The Murder, the Bystanders, the Crime that Changed America. New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company. Gallo, Marcia M. 2014. "The Parable of Kitty Genovese, the New York Times, and the Erasure of Lesbianism." Journal of the Hisotry of Sexuality 273. Gansberg, Martin. 1964. "37 who saw murder didn't call the police." New York Times, March 27: 1. New York Times. 1964. "Queens man seized in death of 2 women." New York Times, March 20: 21. Pearlman, Jeff. 2004. "'64 murder lives in heart of woman's 'friend'." Chicago Tribune, March 12: 4. Peltz, Jennifer. 2015. Kitty Genovese Killer Denied Parole in Notorious 1964 Case . November 17. Accessed January 9, 2026. https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/kitty-genovese-killer-denied-parole-notorious-1964-stabbing-new-york-city/1274332/. Roberts, Sam. 2020. "Sophia Farrar dies at 92; belied indifference to Kitty Genovese." New York Times, September 10. Rosenthal, Abe. 1964. "Apathy is puzzle in queens killing." New York Times, March 28: 21. —. 1964. "Study of the Sickness called apathy." New York Times, May 3: 24. Simon, Scott. 2016. The Witness' Tells A Different Story About The Kitty Genovese Murder. May 28. Accessed January 9, 2026. https://www.npr.org/2016/05/28/479824705/-the-witness-tells-a-different-story-about-the-kitty-genovese-murder. Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022) Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023) Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In the early summer of 1984, seventeen-year-old Gary Lauwers was murdered by his friend Richard “Ricky” Kasso in the small Long Island suburb of Northport, New York. Lauwers was stabbed more than thirty times in the attack and his body showed signs of what appeared to be torture. The death itself was shocking to the tiny community of Northport, but the details that emerged in the wake of Kasso’s arrest would shock the entire nation. References Breskin, Davkd. 1984. "Kids in the Dark." Rolling Stone, November 22. Cassidy, Jerry. 1984. "Cops say 2 teens sought corpses for satanic rites." Daily News, April 26: 352. Gruson, Lindsey. 1985. "L.I. jury acquits defendant in killing of youth in woods." New York Times, April 26: B2. —. 1985. "L.I. murder trial opens; confession is described." New York Times, April 5: B2. Maier, Thomas J., and Rex Smith. 1984. "2 teens arraigned in murder." Newsday (Suffolk edition), July 7: 3. McFadden, Robert. 1984. "Youth found hanged in L.I. cell after his arrest in ritual killing." New York Times, July 8: 1. Newsday. 1984. "Police reports; Grave robbing." Newsday (Suffolk Edition), April 25: 33. O'Neill, Jim, and Dennis Hevesi. 1984. "2 Northport youths charged in 'Satanic' killing of teen." Newsday (Suffolk edition), July 6: 3. Pollack, Jesse P. 2018. The Acid King. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster. Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022) Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023) Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In late 1916, while treating a group of patients at his psychiatric clinic at the University of Vienna, Dr. Constantin von Economo began noticing the appearance of strange symptoms that he could not account for. At the same time, in France, Rene Cruchet began noticing similarly strange and unexpected symptoms in his patients. Though the two men had never met and knew nothing of one another’s patients, they would come to learn they were both witnessing the emergence of a new mysterious disease that would soon affect millions of people around the world. The illnesses documented by von Economo and Cruchet would eventually come to be know as encephalitis lethargica, or sleeping sickness, a strange condition that caused profound lethargy, hypersomnia, and a wide range of other frightening symptoms. Between 1919 and the early 1930s, millions of people all around the world contracted the illness, with nearly half of all cases resulting in death, and many more suffering long-term effects; yet a cause of the illness has never been established and the terrifying epidemic appears to have faded from memory not long after the disease itself ostensibly disappeared. References Brook, Harry Ellington. 1921. "Care of the body." Los Angeles Times, March 6: 18. Crosby, Molly Caldwell. 2011. Asleep: The Forgotten Epidemic that Remains One of Medicine's Greatest Mysteries. New York, NY: Penguin Publishing Group. Hassler, Dr. William. 1919. "No sleeping sickness in S.F." San Francisco Examiner, March 10: 1. Hoffman, Leslie A., and Joel A. Vilensky. 2017. "Encephalitis lethargica: 100 years after the epidemic." Brain: A Journal of Neurology 2246-2251. Montreal Star. 1920. "Sleeping sickness puzzling doctors." Montreal Star, January 15: 3. New York Times. 1936. "Awakens from sleep continuing 440 days." New York Times, June 14: 13. R.R. Dourmashkin, MD. 1997. "What caused the 1918-30 epidemic of encephalitis lethargica?" Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine 515-520. Sacks, Oliver. 1973. Awakenings. New York, NY: Vintage. San Francisco Examiner. 1919. "New sleeping sickness hits S.F. residents." San Francisco Examiner, March 14: 1. —. 1921. "Ten succumb to sleeping sickness." San Francisco Examiner, August 18: 13. Western Morning News. 1919. "Notices." Western Morning News, January 1: 1. Williams, David Bruce. 2020. "Encephalitis Lethargica: The Challenge of Structure and Function in Neuropsychiatry." Archives of Medicine and Health Sciences 255-262. Wright, Oliver. 2002. "His life passed in a trance but his death may solve medical." The Times, December 14. Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022) Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023) Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.