Cold Case Murder Mysteries

Join host Ryan Kraus for the final episode of a two-part series exploring the disappearance of 12-year-old paperboy Johnny Gosch on September 5, 1982. In part I, we examined the crime itself, but this time we'll take a deep dive into the events that transpired in the aftermath of the kidnapping. From local pedophiles to mass conspiracies, this perplexing, unsolved abduction offers no shortage of potential answers. But to this day, we're all still asking the same question... Which one is true?

Join host Ryan Kraus for Part I of a two-part series delving into one of the strangest, most complex disappearances in US history, the kidnapping of 12-year-old West Des Moines, Iowa paperboy Johnny Gosch on the morning of September 5, 1982. In this episode, we'll explore the crime itself, while part II will examine the various theories and conspiracies that arose in the aftermath.

August 29, 2014. A Bladenboro, NC woman rises shortly after 7am to find a deceased black male hanging by a makeshift noose from an old swing set in the yard of the predominantly white trailer park where she lives. Her subsequent call to 911 draws police to the scene of the crime to investigate. They quickly determine the person in question is a 17-year-old high school student and football player named Lennon Lacy, who lives up the road about a quarter of a mile away. Before long, his death is hastily ruled a suicide by local authorities, a sentiment later shared by the state police as well. But something is wrong with this scene. Lennon is wearing shoes that don't belong to him, and are too small for his feet. Even more baffling is the fact that the hanging appears to have been impossible for him to accommodate on his own. Soon enough, what was initially deemed a suicide starts looking a whole lot more like it could be a racially motivated lynching. But to this day, the truth remains a mystery. Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological journey into the underlying emotional narrative of this tragic death in an effort to learn the truth about what happened to Lennon Lacy that fateful night.

On November 2, 2016, husband and father of two young children, Keith Papini, arrived home to discover his wife, Sherri, was missing. After using an app to locate her phone, he found it lying on the side of the road about a mile from their house. Keith dialed 911 and reported the incident, hoping the disappearance was just some type of a misunderstanding. But Sherri never came home that day, or even the next. Weeks passed, and there was still no word from someone described as a loving mother and devoted spouse. Early Thanksgiving morning, however, a beaten, battered, and frightened woman was spotted 150 miles away trying to flag down help at the entrance ramp to the I-5 freeway. It was Sherri Papini, who promptly offered a harrowing tale of abduction, captivity, and ultimately, freedom from her imprisonment. Yet, to this day, her captors remain unidentified, and the details surrounding her disappearance have caused some to question the integrity of her story. So, was Sherri telling the truth about her ordeal, or did she have reason to fabricate an abduction? Join host Ryan Kraus for a comprehensive psychological analysis of the event in an effort to answer that question once and for all.

On the night of September 26, 2014, a 30-year-old woman named Kayelyn Louder dialed 911 to report an altercation involving guns in the clubhouse at her condo development. What followed over the next 24 hours was a series of inexplicable events shrouded in mystery, at the culmination of which Kayelyn was missing. Surveillance footage later discovered by police depicted her fleeing home on foot, but there was no evidence of anyone chasing her. Extensive searches in the aftermath also produced no leads as to her whereabouts. More than two months later, however, her decomposing body was discovered by workers unclogging a drainage pipe along Utah's Jordan River five miles downstream from her home in Murray. So, was Kayelyn a victim of a predator lurking in the shadows, or did she fall prey to some type of mental illness that caused her to lose control? Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological exploration of this fascinating, yet tragic tale of a young woman's descent into darkness.

When a mother fails to show up for her 10-year-old son's birthday party, his father drives home to check on her, only to learn she's been murdered in the shower with a shotgun blast to the head. In the aftermath, Tom Foley, Dar's husband, becomes the focus of the police investigation. Before long, he finds himself convicted of the crime and sent to prison. But a retrial based on new evidence reveals the jury choosing not guilty the second time around. In the end, justice has not been served for Dar Foley. So, did Tom Foley murder his wife, or was she an unfortunate victim in the process of a robbery? Join host Ryan Kraus for a look inside the psychology of the killer's choices in an effort to unearth the truth.

On the night of May 28, 1980 a 32-year-old single mother named Dorothy Jane Scott, who had recently been stalked by an unknown man, left her 4-year-old son in the care of her parents as she went to a staff meeting being held at work. During the meeting, she noticed a coworker seemed ill, and had some type of swollen, red mark on his arm that was getting worse. After taking him to the hospital with another coworker along for the ride, they learned he'd been bitten by a Black Widow. Once he was released, and had gone to the hospital pharmacy to fill a prescription, Dorothy went out to the parking lot alone to pull her car up to the emergency room doors. Yet, as her coworkers came outside to meet her, she was nowhere to be found. Moments later, her car sped right past them, and disappeared in the distance. Dorothy Jane Scott was never seen alive again. Nearly 40 years later, we're still searching for answers. Join host Ryan Kraus for a deep dive into this fascinating, yet harrowing unsolved mystery.

On July 13, 2014 the body of 18-year-old Conrad Roy was found inside the cab of a pickup truck in the parking lot of the Fairhaven, MA K-Mart store, a scene which suggested the young man had succumbed to suicide by way of inhaling carbon monoxide from a gas generator found at the scene. Before long, however, police not only discovered his cell phone, but also an extensive thread of revealing text messages inside that offered the notion Conrad's death wasn't quite as it seemed. Soon enough, his girlfriend, 17-year-old Michelle Carter, became a suspect in the case, and was ultimately convicted of involuntary manslaughter for her involvement. But in the process, the legal system, in addition to the public, were asked to answer a question for which there was seemingly little precedent in a burgeoning digital world: Is it a crime to tell a person to kill himself, or is such an action protected by the freedom of speech guaranteed in the US Constitution? Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological exploration of this event in an effort to understand the mental illness that precipitated the horrifying result.

Enter the strange mind of Cold Case Murder Mysteries host Ryan Kraus for the fascinating final episode of a two-part series in which he answers questions posed by listeners. SPONSOR: CDL.com With plenty of new jobs and schools around the country, get your trucking career started at CDL.com. Explore a truckload of jobs for the trucker in you.

December 6, 1991. Austin, TX. The local fire department is called to the scene of a blaze at the I Can't Believe It's Yogurt store after 11pm when a police officer notices smoke coming from the rear of the building. But when the flames subside, it soon becomes clear something much more sinister is at play. Inside, the money is missing from the cash register, and four teen girls lay dead on the floor. The subsequent investigation yielded hundreds of suspects, dozens of confessions, and even sent two men to prison. Nearly thirty years later, however, we're still searching for the truth about what happened that night. Join host Ryan Kraus for a journey through the crime scene and beyond in an effort to unveil the face of evil.

Enter the strange mind of Cold Case Murder Mysteries host Ryan Kraus for the fascinating first episode of a two-part series in which he answers questions posed by listeners. SPONSOR: CDL.com With plenty of new jobs and schools around the country, get your trucking career started at CDL.com. Explore a truckload of jobs for the trucker in you.

On the afternoon of July 24, 2006 a 33-year-old man named Sean Dickus arrived home from work to discover his 26-year-old wife Chynna and 10-year-old son Blake had been brutally murdered inside their house in Franklin, IN. As the investigation proceeded, two possibilities quickly became apparent as the most likely scenario that rendered this horrifying result: one is that Sean Dickus himself could be the killer, and the other pointed the finger at a connection to a local string of burglaries that occurred in the area. Thirteen years after the crime, however, the assailant remains unknown, as does his motive. Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological evaluation of the available evidence in an effort to piece together a narrative that finally offers the truth.

At 10:40pm on the night of May 19, 1983 a young mother named Diane Downs pulled her Nissan Pulsar up to the ER entrance of a hospital near Springfield, OR and informed the staff her children had been shot by a strange man who tried to carjack her out on a dark, desolate road nearby. Inside the vehicle, doctors and nurses discovered three kids who had suffered severe wounds delivered by a .22 handgun, leaving one of them dead and the other two barely clinging to life. It was a mother’s worst nightmare. As the police began to investigate, however, it soon became clear Diane’s story of what happened conflicted with the forensic evidence found at the scene. Before long, Diane was arrested, charged, and convicted of the shootings, leaving the world to wonder how a loving mother could perpetrate this unspeakable act against her offspring. Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological exploration of Diane’s childhood to uncover the irreconcilable emotional wound from her past that led to murder. Sponsor: UTEP Connect Go to utepconnect.utep.edu or call UTEP Connect at 1-800-684-UTEP today for information.

On the morning of June 20, 1994 police in Dunedin, NZ responded to an emergency call placed by 22-year-old David Bain that eerily proclaimed, "They're all dead." Upon arriving at his home, authorities soon discovered a massacre that left the other five family members deceased, seemingly a result of a murder-suicide carried out by patriarch Robin Bain. Yet, as the investigation began, it quickly became apparent something wasn't right with this crime scene. Before long, David Bain was arrested, charged with the murders, and convicted. After spending nearly fourteen years in prison, however, a successful appeal led to a second trial that set him free. In the aftermath, the public is forever left to wonder what really happened on that fateful morning. Join host Ryan Kraus for an extensive psychological exploration of the crime scene and suspects to determine, once and for all, who killed the Bain family: Robin ... or David?

Around 8pm on the night of December 16, 2011, young father Justin DiPietro put his 20-month-old daughter to sleep in her crib at their Waterville, ME home, leaving his sister to check on the child a while later. All seems fine. But sometime during the night, Ayla Reynolds disappears, prompting Justin to phone 911 when he wakes in the morning and realizes what's happened. Yet, despite the largest search for a missing person in the state's history, the little girl's whereabouts remain a mystery to this day, and police believe the adults in the house that night may know why. Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological journey through the blood evidence at the crime scene in an attempt to establish a truthful narrative about what really took place in Justin's home on that fateful evening.

On the morning of June 5, 1960, a grim discovery was made along the shoreline of Lake Bodom in Espoo, Finland. Four local teens on a camping trip were found brutally bludgeoned and stabbed inside their tent, with three of them having succumbed to their injuries. The survivor, Nils Gustafsson, suffered a broken jaw and multiple facial fractures, leaving him with almost no memory of the incident. Yet, before long, the suspicion mounted, and many came to believe Gustafsson was actually the killer. But did he really do it? Or was the real perpetrator one of several other shady men who came under police scrutiny in the aftermath of the crime? Either way, the case remains unsolved, and the murderer never saw justice. Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological exploration of evidence found at the scene in an attempt to finally uncover the truth of this baffling mystery.

On the evening of January 3, 2017, 24-year-old Alex Stevens and 20-year-old Megan Shaffer ventured to High Rock overlook in Western Maryland accompanied by multiple animals, where they abandoned their cars, hiked a mile up a dark trail in the freezing cold, and held a strange ritual in the nude near the edge of a cliff. As the hours passed, and nobody heard from them, a friend became concerned enough that he drove to their location to check on them. But they were nowhere to be found. By the next morning, one of them will call 911 for help, and the other will be dead. Join host Ryan Kraus for another trip down the rabbit hole to assess the psychology lurking within this fascinating mystery.

September, 2015. 32-year-old Liberian immigrant Henry McCabe, an auditor for the Minnesota Department of Revenue, leaves his Mounds View home to go drinking at a nearby night club with two acquaintances. But within hours, Henry will make a desperate, eerie, and alarming phone call to his wife, at which point the line goes dead, and nobody ever hears from him again. Nearly two months later, the man's body is discovered by a kayaker in Rush Lake, only miles from his house, but that event brings more questions than answers, and the truth remains a mystery. Join host Ryan Kraus for an examination of this baffling case in an effort to learn what really happened to Henry McCabe on that fateful night.

In the early morning hours of June 3, 2003, a 20-year-old Indiana University student named Lauren Spierer vanished off the streets of Bloomington while walking home after a long night of partying. Nearly 8 years later, there's still no sign of what happened to her. Some believe she was snatched off the roadside by a serial predator, and others think there's rampant dishonesty among the people who accompanied Lauren that fateful evening. But no matter which theory you choose, one thing is for sure... The truth remains a mystery. Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological examination of this enduring enigma in an effort to see what evil is lurking beneath the surface.

June 18, 2014. Justin Ross Harris straps his 22-month-old son Cooper into a rear-facing car seat located in the back of his SUV after exiting an Atlanta Chik-Fil-A restaurant where the two just ate breakfast. He kisses the boy on the head and says "I love you", before getting in the vehicle and driving off. But instead of making a left turn at the next intersection to drop Cooper off at daycare, Harris continues straight down the road until he arrives at work. Seven hours later, upon leaving his office for the day, with the temperature nearly 90 degrees, the father realizes every parent's worst nightmare: Cooper is dead in the back seat, a victim of hyperthermia. As police investigate, what initially seems a tragic accident on the surface soon reveals the potential for a much more sinister reality lurking beneath. Join host Ryan Kraus for a fascinating journey through the psychology of this mysterious event to undercover the secrets lurking in Ross Harris's mind.

April 20, 1999. Seniors Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold enter Columbine High School armed with bombs and guns, murdering twelve students and a teacher, while injuring dozens more in what becomes the most iconic school shooting in US history. In the aftermath, a shocked community, and even the nation, searched for understanding that wouldn’t come easily. Twenty years later, we still want to know the answer to one question: why? Join host Ryan Kraus for a journey through the evolutionary architecture of existence, starting 200,000 years ago with the foundations of modern humanity, moving through the times of Egyptian pyramids, to the formation of the post-WWII middle class mindset, to the rise of Marilyn Manson, the mental health crisis, and finally, inside the doors of Columbine High School on that fateful day as he examines how we ended up with Eric and Dylan, why they killed, and, most importantly, how we can address the problem to finally put an end to mass shootings.

August, 2008. Kanika Powell, a 28-year-old Army veteran working in national security, is paid a visit at home by a man claiming to be an FBI agent, setting off a series of strange events culminating in her shooting death only days later. More than a decade after the crime, the case remains unsolved, and without leads, begging the question of who wanted this young woman dead. Without enemies, or even a romantic rival, many have suggested Kanika might have been the target of a government assassination intended to silence her. Join host Ryan Kraus for a journey into the psychology of this baffling homicide case in an attempt to identify the killer and bring the truth to light.

On the morning of April 12, 1981, 14-year-old Sheila Sharp returned from a neighbor's home after a sleepover to find her mother, 36-year-old Sue Sharp, 15-year-old brother John, and John's 17-year-old best friend Dana dead on the floor, victims of an apparent massacre by way of knife and hammer. They were bound, and had been tortured, leaving many in shock, wondering who could do such a thing. But that's when they realized 12-year-old Tina Sharp, Sue' daughter, was missing from the home. She'd been abducted by the perpetrators. It would be three long years before answers arrived, though, in the form of learning Tina's remains were discovered in a remote location outside Keddie. To this day, however, the case remains unsolved. Join host Ryan Kraus for a unique profile of the killers, an examination of the autopsies, and a tour through the crime scene, as we endeavor to unlock the truth in this terrifying case.

It's 4:18am on April 18, 2016. 45-year-old fitness instructor and mother of three, Missy Bevers, arrives at the Creekside Church in Midlothian, TX to host a boot-camp style workout that's being held indoors due to heavy rain. Upon entering the building alone, however, Missy is attacked by a vicious assailant, and soon after found unresponsive when her students begin to arrive. In the aftermath, investigators make a harrowing discovery on the church's motion-activated surveillance footage: a person in full police tactical gear carrying a hammer the cops say matches Missy's wounds. Three years later, however, we still don't know the killer's identity, and the investigation is no closer to bringing closure to the family than when it started. Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological examination of the crime, in an effort to uncover the motive and profile of a killer, and finally answer one burning question: Who killed Missy Bevers?

August 15, 2016 - A Tequesta, FL couple sat watching TV in their garage on a hot summer night like any other. It was a normal routine for them, one they tended to repeat every evening, taking advantage of a cool nighttime breeze and conversation with neighbors. But little did they know this night would be their last. Within moments, the couple was attacked by a strange young man who suddenly entered their garage looking confused and on the verge of violence. Within minutes, two people would be dead, another would suffer serious stab wounds, and the perpetrator would be feeding on someone's face as the police tried everything they could to stop him. In the end, we're left with but one question: why? Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological deconstruction of American middle-class values to unearth the seed from which these alarming incidents grow.

In May 2008, Swedish-born twins Ursula and Sabina Eriksson fled Sabina’s home without warning in the middle of the night, leaving her partner and two children ignorant of their whereabouts. Later that day, they arrived in Liverpool, England, presumably by ferry, where they proceeded to kick off one of the strangest events in recent years, one so mired in psychological uncertainty that even professionals have been left scratching their heads as to how it culminated in murder. Join host Ryan Kraus for an analytical dissection of the event from start to finish, including a theoretical road map for eliminating such mysterious emotional ailments in the future. Sponsor: Care/Of URL: http://takecareof.com Code: CCMM50 (for 50% off your first month of personalized Care/Of vitamins)

In the late afternoon of February 2, 2008, a 24-year-old real estate agent named Lindsay Buziak meets a mysterious couple for a home viewing at a large executive property in Saanich, British Columbia. Concerned about the legitimacy of the buyers, but eager to make a big sale, Lindsay arranges for her boyfriend to meet her there just in case something goes wrong. But he's late arriving. Soon after, Lindsay's found murdered in an upstairs bedroom ... and the couple is gone. More than a decade later, everybody's still asking one question: "Who killed Lindsay Buziak?" Join host Ryan Kraus for a fascinating psychological exploration of the event in an effort to learn the truth.

On Monday, December 7, 2009, Josh Powell and his wife, Susan, failed to show up for work, or even call to say they'd be out that day. Their young sons, Charlie and Braden, are also no-shows at daycare, drawing the concern of extended family and friends. Before long, panic has set in, as nobody can find the missing family, despite extensive efforts to locate them. Soon enough, however, Josh Powell returns safely with the boys in his minivan, claiming they'd gone camping overnight in sub-freezing temperatures and a blinding snowstorm. When asked about Susan, he says he hasn't seen her since they left. Yet ... her purse is still in the house. And there's blood on the couch in the living room. What happened to Susan Powell? Join host Ryan Kraus for the final installment in this series.

After enduring an abusive childhood in which Josh is essentially raised by his father to be a sociopath, his foray into the real world finds him unprepared to become a man. Faced with the choice to grow up or continue his increasingly antisocial behavior to full-blown sociopathy in adulthood, Josh travels the road that leads to darkness. Before long, he marries a young woman named Susan Cox, and their life slowly descends into a nightmare, until one day she disappears ... and never returns. Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological examination of the events leading up to that fateful event. Part II of a 3-part series.

In December 2009, Josh Powell came under suspicion of murder when his wife, Susan, disappeared from their West Valley City, Utah home at a time he claims to have taken his young boys camping after midnight, and in freezing temperatures. Able to evade arrest for several years, Josh finally snapped in February 2012 when he learned he wouldn't regain custody of his children, and did the unthinkable. He attacked the boys with a hatchet and burned down the rental home, consuming all of them with carbon monoxide. And we know why he did it. Josh Powell was a sociopath. But how did he become one? Join host Ryan Kraus for Part I of a series examining the psychology behind antisocial behavior within the traditional family structure.

On April 1, 2014, young Dutch tourists Kris Kremers and Lisanne Froon took a day-hike into the mountains overlooking the small, picturesque town of Boquete, Panama, and were never seen alive again. Their remains were discovered soon after, but the mysterious clues to follow didn't seem to add up to a simple conclusion. So, in the wake of their untimely deaths, a controversy has arisen regarding the elusive answer to one question: accident ... or murder? Was this just a case of two young women lost in the wilderness? Or was there something more sinister at play? Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological exploration of the hours and days of the struggle in an effort to uncover the truth.

On August 4, 1892, the town of Fall River, MA became witness to one of the more horrifying, yet fascinating crimes in modern history, the gruesome axe murders of Andrew and Abby Borden, which remain unsolved to this day. At the time, however, strong suspicion was cast upon Andrew's daughter, Lizzie, who not only held contempt and disdain for Abby, but supposedly had her eye on her father's money as well. Despite significant circumstantial evidence, Lizzie's day in court saw her walk free and claim her inheritance. But the mystery remains. Did Lizzie Borden commit cold-blooded murder? And, if so, what really drove such a seemingly docile woman over the edge? Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological exploration of the sociopath, from its conception by nature, through the act of murder, and beyond the stars into a distant future. SPONSOR: Audible URL: Audible.com/EVILCCMM SMS code: EVILCCMM to 500 500

On the frigid morning of February 20, 2009, a 4-year-old girl appeared on the doorstep of a rural Wampum, PA home sobbing and proclaiming her pregnant mother wouldn't wake up. Police soon arrived on the scene to find the woman had been shot in the back of the head while sleeping, but there was no evidence of an intruder. Before long, all signs pointed to an unlikely suspect, and an arrest was made. But it wasn't a stranger. Or her menacing ex-boyfriend. Not even her fiancee. According to police, the culprit was an 11-year-old boy.

On February 1, 1959, a group of Russian ski hikers stray off-course due to low visibility caused by snow and wind, only to find themselves forced to set up their tent for the night on the slopes of a remote peak in the northern Ural range called Kholat Syakhl, which translates to "dead mountain". At some point during the night, however, the group flees the tent with no regard for anything but getting away, leaving themselves prone to the elements, and without any resources. Soon after, all of them are dead, but under seemingly bizarre circumstances that haven't been explained to this day. Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological examination of the evidence in this baffling mystery.

On the night of July 22, 1991 Milwaukee police entered the apartment of 31-year-old Jeffrey Dahmer in response to a complaint by a man who said he'd been handcuffed and held hostage there only minutes earlier. Having been to the residence in the past, the cops thought this might be another case of a domestic dispute between two young lovers. Once inside, however, what they found was far more sinister. Join host Ryan Kraus for Part II of a psychological journey through the emotional plight of the Milwaukee Cannibal, arguably the most infamous serial killer to have ever lived. SPONSORS: Audible URL: Audible.com/EVILCCMM SMS code: EVILCCMM to 500 500 Care/Of URL: takecareof.com Code: CCMM (for 25% off your first month of personalized Care/Of vitamins)

On the morning of June 4, 2010, 7-year-old Kyron Horman was photographed by his stepmother while standing proudly in front of his project at an elementary school science fair. The bespectacled, gap-toothed child was all smiles, as it was also the last day of school before summer vacation. After the picture, Kyron's stepmom left him outside of his classroom, where he was last seen walking toward the door. But he never made it. Once she turned her back, little Kyron Horman was gone. Forever. Join host Ryan Kraus in an effort to deconstruct the psychology of the event and unearth the long-awaited truth.

Join host Ryan Kraus for a fascinating journey through the terrifying psychology embedded in Stephen King’s horror classic Pet Sematary. Sponsor: Green Chef Visit www.GreenChef.us/ccmm to get $50 off your first box.

On Thursday, July 9, 2015, little DeOrr Kunz left Idaho Falls with his family for a camping and fishing trip more than 120 miles away at the remote Timber Creek campground, but by the next afternoon he had vanished without a trace. At first, it was believed the boy might have been abducted, or even attacked by a wild animal. But as the search remained fruitless, investigators began to wonder if DeOrr had ever been up on the mountain at all. That's when they turned their attention to the campers, and named DeOrr's parents suspects. To this day, however, the little boy remains missing. Join host Ryan Kraus for a journey into the psychology of this fascinating mystery in an effort to uncover the truth.

At 11:38pm on the night of December 3, 2003, Assistant US Attorney Jonathan Luna disappeared from his desk at the Baltimore federal courthouse, leaving behind his cell phone and glasses he needed for driving. Moments later, security footage captured his vehicle leaving the parking garage, at which point it embarked on a strange 5-hour journey that seemed to have no clear destination. By 5:30am, however, Jonathan Luna was dead. 15 years later, we still have no answers about what really happened that night inside his car. Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological exploration of this baffling case in an effort to uncover the truth about one question: suicide ... or murder?

From 1971 to 1983, a madman roamed the remote wilderness outside of Anchorage, Alaska hunting attractive women as his prey. By the end of his reign of terror, Robert Christian Hansen, otherwise known as the Butcher Baker, would commit 30 rapes and at least 17 murders, attributing them to his intense hatred for the girls who rejected him in his youth. Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological examination of his younger years in an effort to uncover what really went wrong, and how we can fix these issues moving into the future.

On May 21, 1960, proud parents Lionel and Joyce Dahmer welcomed their baby boy Jeffrey into the world. By 1991, he would become one of the more notorious serial killers of all time. Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological journey back in time to Jeff’s childhood to learn what went wrong. Part I of a limited series. Sponsor: Maeltopia - A New World of Horror https://maeltopia.podbean.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Maeltopia Promo: The Murder in My Family https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-murder-in-my-family/id1396717244?mt=2

On April 15, 2005, Centre County, PA District Attorney Ray Gricar told his girlfriend he was taking a day off to go for a scenic drive and check out some antique stores. But as day turns to night, and night becomes the next morning, Ray never comes home. Soon his car is found abandoned next to a bridge, and it seems as though another person may have been inside. As time passes, we learn somebody disposed of his laptop as well. But the trail ends there. Was Ray murdered? Did he commit suicide? Or leave voluntarily to start a new life? Join host Ryan Kraus for an examination of what lies beneath the surface in this case.

On the night of March 31, 1922, six members of a rural Bavarian family were viciously murdered inside their farmstead with a weapon believed to be something akin to a pickaxe. In the aftermath, many suspects came to light, as did rumors that the event was perhaps the result of paranormal activity. To this day, however, the crime remains unsolved. Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological exploration of the truth hidden behind the facade of this perplexing mystery.

On the evening of February 24, 1978, four mentally challenged men set off on a road trip fifty miles from their homes in the Yuba City, CA area to watch a college basketball game in Chico. Expected back only hours later, they never arrive. But soon their car is found abandoned on an isolated road high up in the Plumas National Forest, and before long the spring thaw will reveal their fate. Though one lingering question remains ... What happened to the Yuba County 5? Did they take a wrong turn and get lost? Or was it something much more sinister? Join host Ryan Kraus for a look inside the psychology of this enduring mystery.

Circleville, OH. 1976. A local woman begins receiving threatening letters in the mail that instruct her to end an extramarital affair she swears is a fabrication. But when the letters continue, and the threats grow stronger, things finally come to a head as her husband loses his life trying to confront the writer. And that's just the beginning. Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological exploration of this fascinating mystery.

At 11:30pm on August 28, 2013, a 19-year-old Sierra College student named Bryce Laspisa got behind the wheel of his SUV heading south on California's Interstate 5 headed in the direction of his parents' home nearly 500 miles away, soon after telling his mother he had something important to talk to her about. But Bryce never makes it home. Throughout one of the strangest road trips in recent memory, one that lasts in excess of 30 hours, Bryce will do everything he can to avoid arriving at his destination, up to and including an attempt on his own life, before disappearing without a trace. Join host Ryan Kraus for a fascinating look at the psychology of the truth hidden within the mystery.

On December 24, 2002, a young pregnant woman named Laci Peterson seemingly vanishes from the face of the earth while walking her dog. In the aftermath, media attention turns to her husband, Scott, who embarks on a series of odd behaviors before the bodies of his wife and unborn son finally turn up. Years later, Scott Peterson sits on California's Death row for the crime. But did he really do it? Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological profile of the man convicted of this infamous crime.

Sometime after 2:30am on February 14, 2000, a 9-year-old girl from Shelby, NC named Asha Degree left her parents home in a rainstorm and began walking Highway 18 south toward an unknown destination. 1.3 miles later, and in temperatures barely above freezing, she was spotted by a passing motorist, but fled into the woods when he called out to her. Asha hasn't been seen since. Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological examination of her journey in an effort to uncover the origin story that propelled this child to run away.

When 6-year-old Max Shacknai, son of wealthy pharmaceutical executive Jonah Shacknai, plummets to his death in a mysterious fall over a second-floor banister at the Spreckels mansion in Coronado, CA, the family is left in a state of shock. But only two days later, Jonah's live-in girlfriend, Rebecca Zahau, succumbs under equally suspicious circumstances, leaving both deaths begging the question: suicide or murder?

On the evening of December 7, 1993 a 35-year-old Jamaican immigrant named Colin Ferguson boarded the number 3 train at Penn Station in New York City headed for long Island. He took a seat in the third car, among 80 other passengers, and remained silent until they pulled into the Merillon station. Before the train stopped, Colin stood up, revealed a Ruger 9mm pistol accompanied by 160 rounds of ammunition, and began firing.