Not Today

On Halloween night in 2004, three roommates spent the evening handing out candy to trick-or-treaters before going to bed. A few hours later, Lauren Meanza was awoken to the sounds of the screams of her roommates, Adriane Insogna and Leslie Mazzara, above her. As she opened her bedroom door, she heard whoever had been attacking her friends coming down the staircase toward her, so she bolted out the backdoor. Leslie and Adriane would be found brutally murdered in an upstairs bedroom, and Lauren would live tormented by the survivors' guilt from that night. The investigation would bring to light that their killer was a lot closer to the girls than anyone could have imagined.

In April of 2009 four Somali pirates boarded the Maersk Alabama, a US/Danish cargo ship off the coast of Africa, a notorious piracy hotspot. The crew aboard the Alabama did everything they could to keep the pirates from gaining control of the ship, however the pirates still held multiple crew members hostage, including Captain Richard Phillips. After chief engineer, Mike Perry, managed to capture one of the pirates, the crew attempted to negotiate an exchange of hostages. However the failed attempt led to Captain Phillips being held on a lifeboat with the pirates, who demanded a $2 million ransom for his release. The captain's capture resulted in a standoff between the pirates and the US Navy, including Navy SEAL Team Six.

Let's talk about some terrifying Reddit Let's Not Meet stories!

In this episode we're talking about two terrifying instances of intruders living in their victim's home. In our first story, Tina Bowen, her sister Karen, and thier friend Kathy, believed the ghost of their mother haunted the Bowen home, but after months of terrifying signs they would learn that a highly disturbed 16-year-old boy named Daniel Laplante had been living in the cellar for six months. In the second, an intruder broke into a couple's brand new home and left something surprising in the basement.

Christopher Thomas’ obsession with Samantha Stites began in 2011 after meeting her through a Christian student group. What began as seemingly innocent contact quickly devolved into constant unwanted attention. His behavior grew more sinister over the years as he relentlessly harassed and tracked her through her college years and beyond. Stites was granted a personal order of protection which lasted six years, however as soon as it expired Christopher was back as if he had never left. In October 2022, Christopher broke into her home, kidnapped her and took her to a soundproof bunker he had built inside a rented storage unit. While inside the bunker, he told Samantha he had been inspired by Joe Goldberg from the thriller series, You.

On April 25th 2006, a small earthquake triggered an underground rockfall at the Beaconsfield gold mine in northern Tasmania. Of the seventeen people who were in the mine at the time, fourteen escaped immediately following the collapse, however three men were unaccounted for. Larry Knight, Brant Webb and Todd Russell were missing and only two of them would come out alive after two weeks being trapped nearly 1 kilometer below the surface.

Let's talk about some terrifying Reddit Let's Not Meet stories, including two men in purge masks on the side of the road, an attempted kidnapping, a dog named parmesan that saved her family from a man with a very large knife, and more!

Benjamin Obadiah Foster was the subject of a statewide multi-day manhunt after he attacked his ex-girlfriend, Justine Siemens, beat her unconscious, then fled the scene. Local police would soon discover that Foster had a history of violence against women years before he attacked Siemens. This man was extremely dangerous and needed to be caught fast.

On December 20, 1980 in Lengby, Minnesota, 19-year-old Jean Hilliard was involved in a car crash in sub-zero temperatures. Instead of staying in her car and potentially freezing to death, Jean decided to walk to a friend’s house about 2 miles away. Because it was -22 degrees outside, Jean’s body gave out only 15 feet from her friend’s front door. She was found the next morning and rushed to the hospital. Her body was so frozen that medical staff couldn't even administer a hypodermic needle without it snapping.

On July 29th 2023, five people sat down for what was supposed to be a special lunch at the home of Erin Patterson, a 48-year-old woman from Victoria Australia. Within 24 hours, 4 of those guests had fallen violently ill with what appeared to be food poisoning, and within a week, three of them were dead.

In 2010, Cynthia Guy-Thomas, an addiction therapist, blackmailed her patient into helping her find a hitman to kill her ex-husband.

This week we'll be diving into some of the stories of our listeners!

17-year-old Anthony Templet was charged with second degree murder after he shot and killed his father, Burt Templet, in June of 2019. On the surface, the case seemed simple: a young man shot his father in the midst of an argument. Anthony had even called 911 and confessed to the crime directly after committing it, being described as calm and emotionless. But Anthony's case was anything but simple. Anthony was the victim in the story, and the first time he received the help and care he deserved was after killing his father.

In Part 2 we'll be diving into the many crimes of the Barrow Gang and the inevitable demise of Bonnie and Clyde.

Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow were a pair of infamous American outlaws who, along with their gang, engaged in a spree of bank robberies and murders across the United States during the Great Depression.

Best friends, Jamie Andrew and Jamie Fisher, decided to leave their group vacation to take on one of the most difficult climbs in the French Alps. While climbing the pair found themselves trapped on a tiny ledge in a sudden and viscous storm.

Phrogging is the act of secretly living in someone else's home without their knowledge or permission. It's a form of hidden intrusion, where the perpetrator lives alongside the homeowners, often in unused spaces like attics, basements, or crawl spaces, while avoiding detection.

In 2014, Carlesha Freeland-Gaither was abducted at random off the street in Philadelphia. Thanks to Carlesha's quick thinking and a witness to the crime calling 911, investigators were able to find Carlesha before it was too late.

Five teenage boy scouts and their guides had a plan to hike one of the most difficult trails into the Grand Canyon. They only had enough water to make it down to the Colorado River, but once they made it there, they would refill and have plenty of water to hike back out. They didn't expect to hike into a heatwave and run out of water well before they could get down to the river.

Seemona Sumasar spent seven months in jail after her ex-boyfriend orchestrated an elaborate scheme to frame her in a spree of faked armed robberies.This show is sponsored by BetterHelp. To get 10% off your first month go to betterhelp.com/nottoday

In this episode we'll be discussing people who almost lost their lives after a freak fall off a cruise ship, over Niagara Falls, and even from an airplane mid flight!

On November 8th, 2010, Jennifer Pan called 911 to report a home invasion. Three men had entered her home, tied her to a banister and shot both of her parents, Hann and Bich Pan, before fleeing the scene. Markham Ontario police had to figure out why this brutal attack happened to a seemingly normal and innocent family. Was the Pan family chosen at random, or were they targeted for a specific reason?

In July 2014, Gregg Hein survived six days on Mt. Goddard in Kings Canyon National Park after a boulder came loose and hit his leg causing a compound fracture.

On December 9th 2019, Whakaari Volcano on White Island in New Zealand explosively erupted. The volcano was a popular tourist destination, and at the time of the eruption 47 people were on the island taking a tour.

Stacey Castor wanted people to believe that her life had been crippled by tragedy, but when authorites investigated her second husband’s “suicide” things werent adding up. After looking into her past, investigators uncovered the terrifying reality of the situation. Stacey Castor wanted to keep her secrets concealed and would do anything to keep it that way, including attempting to take her own daughter’s life.

The West End Baptist Church Explosion and the Kentucky Meat Shower are the odd and unexplained mysteries we'll be covering this week. On Wednesday March 1st 1950 at 7:27pm, a gas leak at the West End Baptist Church in Beatrice Nebraska caused the building to explode. The church choir should have begun their rehearsal that night at 7:25pm, however every member of the church was uncharacteristically running late and missed the explosion. In 1876 in Rankin Kentucky, a woman stood on her farm and watched pieces of meat rain down from the sky.

Natascha Kampusch was only 10 years old when a deranged man abducted off the street in March of 1998 and held her captive in the cellar of his house for eight and a half years.

Mary Mallon, commonly known as Typhoid Mary, was an Irish-born American cook who is believed to have infected between 51 and 122 people with typhoid fever in the early 1900s. The infections caused three confirmed deaths, with unconfirmed estimates of as many as 50.This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/NOTTODAY and get on your way to being your best self!

Movie stunts are an iconic part of action films, but not all of them go according to plan. This episode explores some of the most memorable stunt mishaps in movie history, including on-set injuries and life-threatening accidents.

In early August of 1991, the Oceanos was close to finishing a seven day cruise from Cape Town, South Africa to Durban. While sailing through a treacherous storm all the power went out on board, and the passengers were left in the dark in more ways than one. Neither the crew nor the captain told the passengers what had caused the black out or that the ship was actually going down. After most of the crew abandoned ship, it was up to the entertainment staff on board to save everyone's lives.

On September 13th 2016 at 6:48AM, 911 received a call from a woman reporting her own kidnapping. After police arrested the man responsible, they would soon learn about the years of disturbing and terrifying crimes Shawn Grate had committed.

On July 14th 2003, Dan Bigley was wrapping up a day of fishing with his friend John when moments from the safety of their car, the pair unknowingly put themselves between a furious mama grizzly bear and her three cubs. The bear focused in on Dan and charged at him at full speed. Before Dan could even process what was happening, the bear was already on him. The mauling that Dan endured was beyond brutal. After the attack, Dan’s fight to survive was had only just begun.

On June 8, 1998, a spark caused by jammed machinery and ignited by highly flammable grain dust caused a massive explosion at the DeBruce Grain elevator. The facility was the largest grain elevator in the world at the time, which killed seven people and injured 10 others.

This week we'll be discussing some Reddit Let's Not Meet stories about a terrifying sound proof "music studio", a man in a crawlspace, a creep and a dead body, and more!

On December 10, 2003, the Whittacre family went out to dinner to celebrate their son Bart’s college graduation,but when they returned home they found a masked man in their home with his gun drawn. Kent, his wife, and two sons were shot, however Kent and Bart were the only two who would survive. As the investigation into who attacked the family continued, Kent learned that the killer may be a lot closer to him than he ever could have imagined.

In 1979, Sherry Hopsen met a charming parachute instructor named Bruce Lindahl and the two hit it off. After dating for a few months, Bruce became very interested in learning about Sherry's best friend Beth who had been recently murdered and found in the woods near the local university. Bruce had some less than desirable qualities, but Sherry didn't notice how alarming some of his habits actually were before she broke it off with him. It wouldn't be until many years later that Sherry found out her boyfriend at the time was not only a serial killer, but her best friends killer as well.This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/NOTTODAY and get on your way to being your best self!

After the Unabomber was seen after placing his 12th bomb in 1987, he disappeared for six years. The public hoped he was finished, however Ted Kaczynski was far from done. Over the years the Unabomber task force had very little information about Ted to get closer to a suspect. That was until Ted's sister-in-law started to piece together the similarities in the bomber and her husband's brother. After nearly twenty years of terror, Ted Kaczynski was finally caught on April 3rd 1996.

In 1978 Ted Kaczynski began what would become a series of bombings around the United States over the next two decades. Kaczynski, who was then an unknown serial bomber, wanted to rid the country of modern technology which he believed was destroying human minds and society. By 1996, the Unabomber had killed three and injured twenty nine others with his carefully crafted homemade bombs. The investigation into the Unabomber was the most expensive investigation in the history of the FBI with an estimated to cost around 50 million dollars.

In 1971, Noel Marshall, Tippi Hedren, and their family raised and purchased over 100 lions, tigers, and other big cats for an adventure comedy movie they planned to make called Roar. So many things went wrong while filming, the movie has been described as “the most dangerous film ever made”. A memorably eye-catching tagline for the film was "No animals were harmed in the making of this movie, 70 members of the cast and crew were."

From a very young age Benedict Allen dreamed of becoming an explorer. At the age of twenty two he saved up just enough money to get himself to South America and back, with the plan that he would cross the north of the Amazon basin. After spending five months in the rainforest with two local guides, Benedict found himself with two illegal gold miners, who one night, decided they would kill him. Benedict managed to get away, however he found himself alone in the middle of the Amazon rainforest. Benedict knew if he wanted to live and see his family again, he needed to do whatever it took to find a way out.

In 1988 Steve Cartisano founded the Challenger Foundation Camp in southern Utah for troubled teens. The program brought the teens into the Utah desert and was designed to help kids by instilling discipline, kicking them out of their bad habits and giving treatment. However after the death of 16-year-old Kristin Chase, the abuse occuring at this camp would finally come to light. Steve Cartisano was never held responsible and instead of finding a new line of work, decided to open multiple other wilderness therapy programs. His final program, Pacific Coast Academy in Samoa, was shut down after a video that was secretly taken at the camp exposing the abuse came to light. Head to acorns.com/nt or download the Acorns app to start saving and investing for your future today!

Let's chat about some unbelievable stories our listeners have sent to us!

A near-death experience, or NDE, refers to a profound, often life-changing event that occurs when a person is close to death, or becomes clinically dead for a time, yet survives. For some, the experience can involves a range of vivid, unusual sensations and perceptions, such as moving through a tunnel of light, an out of body experience, encountering deceased loved ones, a life review, etc. Though many people have NDEs the question of why these types of occurrences happen remains unanswered.International Emergency/Suicide Hotlines: https://blog.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines/

Steven Stayner was abducted at the age of 7 in 1972 by Kenneth Parnell, who held him captive for seven years. Steven eventually escaped in 1980 at the age of 14 and in a courageous act, he also rescued another kidnapped child, Timothy White. His remarkable survival story immediately became a national sensation. However Steven’s story is linked to his older brother, Cary Stayner, who later gained infamy for committing a series of murders in the 1990s.

Justin Dewitt wanted to hire a hitman to murder his business partner, Chad Williams, Chad's wife Angie, and their two small children over a lost landscaping contract. When Justin approached conman Ron Robi, he believed he would have that wish taken care of, however Ron promptly went to the police. After the undercover operation put Justin behind bars, he decided he would put out a few more hits on the people who were responsible for sending him to jail.This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/nottoday and get on your way to being your best self.

On January 15, 2009, US Airways Flight 1549, piloted by Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger and First Officer Jeffrey Skiles, struck a flock of geese shortly after takeoff from LaGuardia Airport, causing both engines to fail. Facing a critical emergency, Captain Sully made the decision to execute a water landing on the Hudson River. All 155 passengers and crew survived the unprecedented ditching, thanks to the crew's expertise and the swift response of rescue teams.Check out Uncommon Goods! To get 15% your next gift go to UncommonGoods.com/nottoday

The Wizard of Oz is a classic film millions have enjoyed since its release in 1939. Based on the children's novel by L. Frank Baum, the movie recounts an adventure between Dorothy, her dog, Toto, a Scarecrow, a Tin Man, and a Cowardly Lion on their way to get help from a great and powerful wizard. While the movie is revered as a cinematic masterpiece, it’s also infamous for its disastrous production problems. There were many severe accidents on set that almost cost multiple cast members their lives. The most amazing thing about Wizard of Oz is that it even made it to theaters in the first place. Check out our Merch shop! --> https://www.teepublic.com/stores/not-today?ref_id=35928

Let's dive into some terrifying reddit let's not meet stories about creeps and stalkers! To get 15% off your next gift, go to Uncommongoods.com/nottoday

On the morning of July 24, 2016, Camron Reimhofer woke up to find his girlfriend, Kaylee Sawyer, hadn't returned home after they’d had an argument the night before. As the search for Kaylee began, a rookie-cop named Isabel Ponce-Lara came into the police station to report that her husband, Edwin Lara, had admitted to being involved with a terrible accident. After sharing that with his wife, fleeing with her gun. What followed was a multi-state crime spree involving the kidnap of Andreah Maes, an intensive manhunt, and the arrest that brought Edwin Lara’s rampage to an end.

In 1959, nine young hikers ventured into Russia’s remote Ural Mountains, but they never returned. When a search team arrived, they found the group’s tent slashed open from the inside and their belongings abandoned in an eerie silence. The hikers' bodies were discovered scattered in the snow—some barefoot, others without adequate clothing, as if they'd fled into the night in terror. All of their bodies had extremely strange and gruesome injuries with seemingly no explanation. Soviet investigators called it an “unknown compelling force” and quickly closed the case, leaving a swirl of theories and chilling questions. What happened to the Dyatlov hikers, and what horror made them flee into the deadly cold? To get 15% off your next gift, go to Uncommongoods.com/nottoday Check out our new Halloween Merch Design! https://www.teepublic.com/stores/not-today?ref_id=35928