True Crime Creepers

Bardstown was once called the most beautiful small town in America. Bourbon country. Quiet streets. A place where nothing bad was supposed to happen. Then came the ambush of Officer Jason Ellis. A year later, the brutal murders of Kathy and Samantha Netherland. Soon after, Crystal Rogers vanished on the Fourth of July. Three crimes. Three families. One town. No answers. For years, everything sat in silence. But this summer, something shifted. Trials. Testimony. Secrets rising to the surface. Part 1 takes us back to where it all began. And it’s only the beginning. Sponsors: AquaTru Head to ⁠AquaTru.com⁠ now and get 20% off your purifier using promocode CREEPERS. AquaTru even comes with a 30-day best-tasting water guarantee or your money back. Quince Go to ⁠quince.com/creepers⁠ for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns! Happy Mammoth Right now, you can try Prebiotic Collagen Protein and Hormone Harmony risk-free AND get 15% off your entire first order with code CREEPERS at checkout. Sources: Youtube Channel: True Crime with Amanda Warner Podcast: Bardstown Documentary: The Disappearance of Crystal Rogers on Oxygen DAY-BY-DAY BREAKDOWN | The trial of Brooks Houck and Joseph Lawson Trial Blog | Defense rests in Crystal Rogers trial after attempts to discredit state witnesses LIVE BLOG: Seven testimonies given to attempt to discredit Houck’s timeline Commonwealth rests its case in trial of Brooks Houck, Joseph Lawson Crystal Rogers updates | Cadaver dog was 'very interested' in Houck grandmother's car, witness says: BLOG LIVE BLOG: Cybersecurity expert testifies about Lawson phone records the night Crystal Rogers disappeared Steve Lawson stands trial in Warren County for Crystal Rogers case Who is Steve Lawson? | First man to face trial in Crystal Rogers case | whas11.com 'Bombshell' testimony, deleted calls: Takeaways from Day 2 of Steve Lawson's trial in Crystal Rogers case Steve Lawson had minor involvement in Crystal Rogers case, but didn't help in murder, attorney says | In-depth | wdrb.com Steve Lawson first to stand trial in Crystal Rogers case | updates Steve Lawson trial in Crystal Rogers case continues into Day 2: BLOG | whas11.com In Memory of Jason Ellis Brooks Houck police interview - 2015 | Crystal Rogers case Brooks Houck on Nancy Grace Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 1993, Amarillo attorney and former judge David Glenn Lewis vanished on Super Bowl Sunday, leaving behind turkey sandwiches, laundry in the wash, and a recording of the game on his VCR. Eleven years later, he was shockingly identified as a John Doe found 1,600 miles away in Washington state. How did he get there—and why? Sources: David Glenn Lewis (1953-1993) - Find a Grave Memorial 1993 hit-run victim is finally identified David Glenn Lewis: Cross Country Conundrum Sponsors: AquaTru Head to AquaTru.com now and get 20% off your purifier using promocode CREEPERS. AquaTru even comes with a 30-day best-tasting water guarantee or your money back. Quince Go to quince.com/creepers for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns! Happy Mammoth Right now, you can try Prebiotic Collagen Protein and Hormone Harmony risk-free AND get 15% off your entire first order with code CREEPERS at checkout. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It was Thanksgiving Day, 2012, in the small town of Little Falls, Minnesota. That morning, cousins Nick Brady and Haile Kifer set out to visit family for dinner. But when they never showed up, their loved ones were thrown into a desperate search. By the next day, their worst fears were confirmed—Nick and Haile had been killed inside the home of 64-year-old Byron Smith. At first glance, it looked like a tragic but lawful case of self-defense under Minnesota’s Castle Doctrine. Smith claimed he’d been terrorized by repeated break-ins and had finally snapped when the teens entered his home. But the investigation revealed something far more chilling: Byron Smith hadn’t been caught off guard. He’d been lying in wait. This week, we dive into the audio recordings that changed everything, the trial that divided the community, and the chilling words Smith used to justify what he’d done, which leaves us with the question: was this self defense… or murder? Sources: Minnesota man guilty of murdering teenage intruders | US crime | The Guardian One break-in tied to slain Little Falls teens, others being investigated Minn. man says he "fired more shots than I needed" |AP Jury Hears Audio Recording Of Little Falls Killings - CBS Minnesota Little Falls shooter protected U.S. embassies from terrorists and spies | MPR News Byron Smith Murder Trial Case Sent To Jury Byron David Smith Killed teens Haile Kifer and Nicholas Schaeffel because he feared weapons cops say US Supreme Court Byron David Smith v Jeff Titus, Warden, Minnesota Correctional Facility Byron Smith | Murderpedia, the encyclopedia of murderers Byron Smith Murder Trial Case Sent To Jury Byron David Smith Full Length Interrogation Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Crime doesn’t take a day off. And neither does Crime House Daily. Hosted by self-defense instructor and advocate for victims, Katie Ring, Crime House Daily is coming to you twice every weekday, covering the biggest crime stories as they unfold. Morning episodes give you the need-to know. The latest headlines, breaking developments, and where things are going next. Evening episodes go deeper. Into the people, the evidence, and the moments that matter most. The pursuit of justice never stops. And with Crime House Daily, you won’t have to either. Follow Crime House Daily on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or listen here: https://link.podtrac.com/xu152swu⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Imagine being a teenager. Your phone is constantly going off, but every time it buzzes, it isn’t a friend. Instead, it’s a threat. For almost two years, high school students Lauryn Licari and Owen McKenny couldn’t escape the messages, the calls, the feeling that someone was always watching. What began as unsettling interruptions grew into a campaign of harassment, and when they found out who was actually behind the messages, their entire world would change. Sources: Documentary: Unknown Number: The High School Catfish Sponsors: Blissy get 60 days risk free and 30% off at Blissy.com/creeperspod and use code CREEPERSPOD BetterHelp get 10% off your first month at Betterhelp.com/creepers Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The FBI thinks they’ve got a handle on the anthrax attacks until people start dying in ways that don’t make sense. What follows is a years-long investigation full of obsession, surveillance, false accusations, ruined lives… and a final suspect with secrets darker than anyone imagined. Sources Amerithrax or Anthrax Investigation Amerithrax Investigative Summary Anthrax Bioterrorism: Lessons Learned and Future Directions - PMC 2001 anthrax attacks  Death of Robert Stevens  Hijacker Visited Crop-Duster Airfield - ABC News Paul Keim American Airlines Flight 11 Ames strain  Paul Keim: "We Were Surprised It Was the Ames Strain" | FRONTLINE Terror plot feared in anthrax outbreak | World news | The Guardian. Anthrax attacks 2001: Poison panic after contaminated letters sent to Daschle, Brokaw, postal workers. New York Hospital Worker Dies of Inhalation Anthrax | PBS News The investigation of Dr. Shaikh - POLITICO Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Three weeks after 9/11, a man in Florida is rushed to the hospital with a mysterious illness. As soon as doctors realize what’s killing him, it sets off one of the largest and most bizarre FBI investigations in U.S. history. Anthrax. In the mail. Targeting the media and members of Congress. And absolutely no one was prepared for what came next. Sources: Amerithrax or Anthrax InvestigationAmerithrax Investigative SummaryAnthrax Bioterrorism: Lessons Learned and Future Directions - PMC2001 anthrax attacks Death of Robert Stevens Hijacker Visited Crop-Duster Airfield - ABC NewsPaul KeimAmerican Airlines Flight 11Ames strain Paul Keim: "We Were Surprised It Was the Ames Strain" | FRONTLINETerror plot feared in anthrax outbreak | World news | The Guardian.Anthrax attacks 2001: Poison panic after contaminated letters sent to Daschle, Brokaw, postal workers.New York Hospital Worker Dies of Inhalation Anthrax | PBS NewsThe investigation of Dr. Shaikh - POLITICO Podcast: Aftermath: Hunt for the Anthrax Killer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 2018, 68-year-old Canadian expat Malcom Madsen vanished after a night out in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. What looked like a celebration quickly turned into a mystery that would take years—and a relentless daughter’s fight for justice—to unravel. With shocking surveillance footage, missing money, and a trail of corruption, this case is as heartbreaking as it is unbelievable. Sources:Book:  Malcolm Is Missing by Robert Osborne Malcom Is Missing | Documentary | YouTube Malcom is Missing | documentary Channel Brooke’s Justice - Watershed Magazine Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We will return from our break in just a few weeks, and in the meantime we hope you enjoy this bonus episode from 2023! Early in the morning on January 14, 2018, police in Perris, California performed a welfare check at 160 Muir Woods Road. David and Louise Turpin took several minutes to answer the door, and when they did, they looked terrified. Louise’s eyes were huge, and they were breathing heavily. Their decades-long secret was about to be revealed, but deputies were not prepared for what was inside that house. Sponsors: Better Help Get 10% off your first month at Betterhelp.com/CREEPERS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Originally released as a Mini Creep on our Patreon on 12/9/24! Today Mogab tells Kristin all about one of her absolute heroes: The man, the myth, the legend: Eddie Aikau. Eddie was more than just a legendary surfer—he was a true waterman, lifeguard, and Hawaiian icon. Known for riding massive waves at Waimea Bay and for saving hundreds of lives as Oahu’s first lifeguard on the North Shore, Eddie lived his life with courage and aloha. But his story goes deeper than surfing, with a fateful journey on the Hokule’a canoe cementing his place in history and his bittersweet legacy, one that still echoes in Hawaii and beyond. Eddie would go! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While we're on break, we're busting open the vault and releasing some of our favorite bonus episodes we've done over the years, so please enjoy this bonus episode from 2022!! This is a case that inspired everything from the movie When A Stranger Calls to the urban legend The Babysitter and the Man Upstairs. Think "the call is coming from inside the house." It was March 18, 1950, a truly dark and stormy night. In Columbia, Missouri, 13 year old Janett Christman arrived at the Romack's home to babysit their 3 year old son. The boy was already sleeping when Janett arrived, so it should have been an easy night. But when the Romack's returned late that night, they found a horrible scene. Janett had been raped and strangled with an electric cord. As law enforcement investigates, they are stunned to see so many similarities between Janett's murder and another murder that happened nearby, 4 years previously.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're on our break, so enjoy this release of an episode from 2022, originally released exclusively on our Patreon! This is the true story behind the 2012 Richard Linklater movie, Bernie, starring Jack Black, Shirley McClaine, and Matthew McConaughey. It’s about an assistant funeral director, Bernie Tiede, who everyone in town loves, and who befriends a rich, elderly widow named Marjorie Nugent, who nobody likes. Marjorie becomes more and more controlling and more demanding, and Bernie goes to extreme lengths to get out from under her grasp. It’s described as a black comedy, of course with Jack Black at the helm, but after hearing more of the details of the case, it left people wondering: was the real Bernie Tiede the doting saint he was portrayed to be, or a conniving con man? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mogab asked what was going on with Fyre Fest 2, Kristin answered, and the update did not disappoint!! **Originally this was going to be a mini creep for our Patreon bonus content, but since we're on our break, we decided to release it on the regular feed! ** Sponsors: K12 Go to K12.com/CREEPER today to find a tuition-free K12-powered school near you and enroll now! Mint Mobile This year, skip breaking a sweat AND breaking the bank. Get this new customer offer and your 3-month Unlimited wireless plan for just 15 bucks a month at MINT MOBILE.COM/CREEPERS. Acorns Sign up now and join the over 14 million all-time customers who have already saved and invested over $25 billion dollars with Acorns. Head to acorns.com/creepers or download the Acorns app to get started. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, we’re covering the shocking double murder of Holly Williams and her boyfriend Bill Lanway who were found shot to death in a car off the highway in Nashville in March 2020. At first, it looked like a tragic car accident, but what police uncovered pointed to something far more sinister. Holly, a Nashville aesthetician with a secret life, had unknowingly become the center of a dangerous web involving blackmail and a hit squad of ex-military operatives, hired not by a cartel or crime boss, but by a wealthy Texas car dealer trying to protect his reputation. Sponsors: Mint MobileGet your summer savings and shop premium wireless plans at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mintmobile.com/creepers⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Happy MammothFor a limited time, you can get 15% off on your entire first order at ⁠⁠⁠happymammoth.com⁠⁠⁠ just use the code CREEPERS at checkout! HomeaglowAction: Take home cleaning off your plate by using Homeaglow. Head to Homeaglow.com/creepers to get your first 3 hours of cleaning for only $19! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It started as a normal evening in Longview, Texas. Dana Blair and her daughter Alexa were packing for a trip to the Cotton Bowl, where Alexa was set to perform for the first time as a Kilgore College Rangerette. But when a woman knocked on their door wearing a wig and covering her face with a greeting card, everything changed. This week, Kristin tells the unbelievable true story of a home invasion and kidnapping driven by drill team drama, Facebook connections, and a shocking grudge. The case would lead police to Nancy Motes, a mother whose obsession with her daughter’s high school dance career escalated into a violent act that no one could have predicted. Sponsors: Mint MobileGet your summer savings and shop premium wireless plans at ⁠⁠⁠⁠Mintmobile.com/creepers⁠⁠⁠ Happy MammothFor a limited time, you can get 15% off on your entire first order at ⁠happymammoth.com⁠ just use the code CREEPERS at checkout! Sources: Search warrant offers new details in Rangerette kidnapping case | Police | news-journal.com Rangerette was kidnapping victim; Kilgore woman arrested in abduction | Police | news-journal.com​​ The Positively True Adventures of the Kilgore Rangerette–Kidnapping Mom – Texas Monthly Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s one of the most bizarre and disturbing cases we’ve covered yet: when Sarah Boone called 911 in 2020 to report her boyfriend dead, she claimed it was all a tragic accident during a game of hide and seek. But the body of Jorge Torres told a different story.... and so did the videos Sarah forgot to delete. This week, we’re diving into the shocking case of Sarah Boone, the Florida woman who said she zipped her boyfriend into a suitcase “as a joke” and then left him there overnight. But investigators quickly found evidence that shattered her version of events, including horrifying footage of Jorge pleading for his life and Sarah laughing in response. We’ll break down the twisted timeline, the toxic relationship history, the long delayed trial, and the controversial use of battered woman syndrome as a defense. Was this a case of reactive abuse pushed to the limit, or calculated revenge? And what does justice look like when both people in a relationship have been hurt? Sponsors: Mint MobileGet your summer savings and shop premium wireless plans at ⁠⁠⁠Mintmobile.com/creepers⁠⁠ Happy MammothFor a limited time, you can get 15% off on your entire first order at happymammoth.com just use the code CREEPERS at checkout! Sources: Florida woman charged after boyfriend dies in suitcase 'I AM NOT THE PROBLEM': Sarah Boone submits 58-page letter to court Sarah Boone case: What to know about Winter Park woman facing murder charge after boyfriend dies in suitcase | FOX 35 Orlando Florida woman charged after boyfriend dies in suitcase Report: Man died of asphyxiation after girlfriend locked him in suitcase for ‘up to 11 hours' Sarah Boone case: Florida woman who allegedly put boyfriend in suitcase accuses her lawyer of lying | FOX 35 Orlando Sarah Boone case: Attorney plans to argue battered spouse defense in 2020 death of Boone's boyfriend | FOX 35 Orlando Alleged Suitcase Killer Sarah Boone Nabs 9th Lawyer With Handwritten Flyer - Newsweek Sarah Boone: Florida Woman Left Boyfriend to Die in Suitcase, Cops Say Sarah Boone case: Florida woman charged in suitcase murder has gone through 7 lawyers, court docs reveal Eight is enough: Judge rules Sarah Boone forfeits right to attorney | Court TV Sarah Boone loses 8th lawyer, must now represent herself in Florida murder trial, judge rules | FOX 35 Orlando Sarah Boone, searching for 9th attorney, represents herself at hearing Alleged Suitcase Killer Sarah Boone Nabs 9th Lawyer With Handwritten Flyer - Newsweek Sarah Boone's Long-Delayed Murder Trial Begins For Alleged Suitcase Killing - Newsweek Florida woman to be sentenced Monday in suitcase murder trial Hurricane delays murder trial of accused suitcase killer Hurricane delays murder trial of accused suitcase killer TIMELINE: Where things stand for Sarah Boone, Florida woman accused in suitcase death Sarah Boone attorney formally withdraws, won't let her call him a 'buffoon' | Court TV Jury hears witnesses in trial of Sarah Boone, accused of leaving boyfriend in suitcase to die Sarah Boone Sentenced to Life in Prison for Suffocating Boyfriend By Leaving Him Inside Suitcase Sarah Boone Sentenced to Life After Claiming Prison Was One of Her 'Greatest Experiences' - Newsweek Sarah Boone 58 page letter Sarah Boone 5 page letter Sarah’s Texts Court Junkie Ep 281: FL v Sarah Boone Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Due to unforeseen scheduling craziness, we were unable to record an episode this week, so thought we'd drop one of our favorites from the vault! In this bonus episode, Kristin tells Mogab all about the Satanic Panic of the 80's and 90's, starting with the book Michelle Remembers, a controversial "memoir" detailing repressed memories of satanic ritual abuse, and culminating in the McMartin Preschool Trial where several employees at the preschool were accused of performing satanic ritual abuse on children (spoiler... none of it was true). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On New Year’s Eve 1997, 17-year-old Olivia Hope and her close friend Ben Smart vanished after a party at the remote Furneaux Lodge in New Zealand’s stunning Marlborough Sounds. They were last seen boarding a water taxi in the early hours of the morning with a man who’s never been conclusively identified. What followed was one of New Zealand’s most high-profile investigations, leading to the arrest and conviction of Scott Watson — a man who still claims he’s innocent. But the deeper you look into this case, the murkier it gets. With wildly conflicting witness statements, contaminated evidence, an allegedly unreliable memory, and new information buried for decades, this case has everything: mystery, obsession, media bias, and a whole lot of reasonable doubt ... or is there? Today, Kristin dives deep into the 40,000-page police file and multiple sources on both sides of this controversial case to try and answer one big question: Did Scott Watson really kill Ben and Olivia… or was he wrongfully convicted? Sponsors Acorns Early Head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠acorns.com/creepers⁠⁠⁠⁠ or download the Acorns app to get started. Homeaglow Head to ⁠⁠https://homeaglow.com/creepers⁠⁠ to get your first 3 hours of cleaning for only $19. Thanks so much to Homeaglow for sponsoring this episode! Mint Mobile Get your summer savings and shop premium wireless plans at ⁠⁠Mintmobile.com/creepers⁠⁠ Sources: The Scott Watson Case: What Really Happened to Ben and Olivia? – IanWishart.com The case against Scott Watson - Newsroom Chasing Ghosts: Murder In The Sounds Hope-Smart murders 25 years on: Memories of the case as Scott Watson awaits court for appeal decision - The Front Page Convicted double murderer Scott Watson’s parole hearing abandoned after running over time - NZ Herald Ben and Olivia: What Really Happened? By Ian Wishart and Jayson Rhodes Elementary: The Explosive File on Scott Watson and the Disappearance of Ben and Olivia by Ian Wishart Elementary 2.0: The Unreleased Police Evidence on the Scott Watson Case by Ian Wishart Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When a beloved nurse anesthetist fails to show up for work, police find a gruesome scene inside his family home. But what initially looks like a murder-suicide quickly unravels into something far more twisted — involving fraud, a camgirl, and a chilling betrayal no one saw coming. Sponsors Acorns Early Head to ⁠⁠⁠acorns.com/creepers⁠⁠⁠ or download the Acorns app to get started. Homeaglow Head to ⁠https://homeaglow.com/creepers⁠ to get your first 3 hours of cleaning for only $19. Thanks so much to Homeaglow for sponsoring this episode! Mint Mobile Get your summer savings and shop premium wireless plans at ⁠Mintmobile.com/creepers⁠ Sources: Coworkers made 911 calls about Cody Amato - Orlando Sentinel Amato weeps after seeing photos of slain family | FOX 35 Orlando Florida Man Killed Family after fight over $200,000 he sent to online 'girlfriend' cops say Cops Say Florida Man Killed Family, Stole $210K for His Porn Site 'Girlfriend' Florida Man Who Allegedly Killed His Family Over Bulgarian Call Girl Has Been Granted Bond Florida Man Stole $200,000 From Family and Sent It to Bulgarian Camgirl Before Murdering Parents, Brother: Police - Newsweek https://www.newsweek.com/florida-man-killed-parents-webcam-model-death-penalty-1453971 Florida man obsessed with Bulgarian camgirl before allegedly killing his family, records show | Fox News Florida nurse spared death penalty For The Love Of A Cam Girl. Grant Amato stole hundreds of thousands… | by AJ Wiseman | CrimeBeat GRANT AMATO TRIAL: Surviving brother of man accused of killing parents, brother testifying in court - WFTV Grant Amato Executed His Mom, Dad, And Brother For A Bulgarian Sex Cam Model Grant Amato Murdered His Family for a Webcam Model He Never Met - A&E True Crime Triple-Murderer Grant Amato Sentenced to Life Without Parole Grant Amato appeals murder convictions, life sentence for killings of parents, brother – Orlando Sentinel https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2019/01/29/he-spent-bulgarian-cam-girl-police-say-obsession-led-massacre/ Grant Amato's brother testifies for prosecution in death penalty case Obsession, money, lies tore Grant Amato’s family apart. A jury will decide whether he killed them – Orlando Sentinel 'Ghost Adventures' Actor Aaron Goodwin's Estranged Wife Victoria Pleads Guilty to Conspiring His MurderCTRL+ALT+DESIRE | Paramount+ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When 43-year-old Crystal Jones was found dead in her Oak Grove, Louisiana home in 2023, local law enforcement quickly ruled it a suicide. But nearly two years later, her sister Jana is still fighting for answers because so many things about Crystal’s death just don’t add up. From an oddly premature conclusion, to a mysteriously delayed shell casing finding, to troubling inconsistencies in her husband’s story, this case is full of red flags that were seemingly ignored. With help from private investigator Sheila Wysocki, Jana is doing everything she can to uncover the truth. So was this a tragic suicide… or something far more sinister? Sources: Obituary information for Crystal McCrory Jones Private Investigator Continues to Raise Cocerns Nearly Two Years After West Carroll Woman's Death Ruled Suicide Podcast: Without Warning Acorns Early Head to ⁠⁠acorns.com/creepers⁠⁠ or download the Acorns app to get started. Homeaglow Head to https://homeaglow.com/creepers to get your first 3 hours of cleaning for only $19. Thanks so much to Homeaglow for sponsoring this episode! Mint Mobile Get your summer savings and shop premium wireless plans at Mintmobile.com/creepers Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices