We Would Be Dead

In September of 1852, Maria Kirwan and her husband took a small ferry boat from the seaside town of Howth to a little island called Ireland's Eye. Both Kirwan' stepped off the ferry boat, full of excitement for the pleasant day ahead. The Kirwan's planned to swim and sketch and eat a delicious picnic lunch. What they didn't plan though, was that by the end of that day, only one of them would be getting back on that ferryboat....alive. Join us for our 6th St. Paddy's day episode as we discuss the ancient but fascinating cold case that shocked an entire community among the beautiful Irish landscape. Click to learn more (sources) https://ragingfluff.wordpress.com/2013/09/22/the-irelands-eye-murder-case-1852/ https://crowehistory.com/2018/11/09/the-irelands-eye-murder-case/ https://murderpedia.org/male.K/k/kirwan-william.htm#google_vignette https://www.nli.ie/news-stories/stories/irelands-eye-murder https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/books/death-on-ireland-s-eye-tragedy-and-mystery-on-a-lonely-patch-of-rocky-shore-1.4792036 Briggs, Katharine – An Encyclopedia of Fairies (1976) Croker, Thomas Crofton – Fairy Legends and Traditions of the South of Ireland (1825) Wilde, Lady Jane – Ancient Legends of Ireland (1887) Campbell, John Francis – Popular Tales of the West Highlands (1860) Keightley, Thomas – The Fairy Mythology (1850) McGowan, Joseph – Irish Monsters (2009) Duchas.ie – The Irish Folklore Commission Collection Episode Credits: Hosts/writers: Holly Knapp and Leslie Weidel Editor/Composer/Producer: Jon Katity WWBD Merch Buy your WWBD swag here! Join the Conversation

In the fall of 2006, the city of New Orleans was still wading through the immense wreckage of Hurricane Katrina. Local author Chris Rose calls it "The storm that keeps killing" and it was. So, on October 17th 2006, when a man was found dead of apparent suicide, laid out on the lower rooftop of the Omni Royal Gardens Hotel, the police thought at first, that the storm had struck again. In some ways it had, but this case was is much more than meets the eye. The victim had, in his pocket, US Army issued dog tags, a key and a note. The dog tags bore his name: Zachary Bowen. The note said that he had taken his own life as payment for taking the life of another, his girlfriend Addie Hall. The key was to the apartment where the police would find her body, and that is just the beginning of the story of Addie and Zach. It's the story of a love that ripped through their lives...like a hurricane. Click to learn more (sources) https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna15338473 https://www.weremember.com/zackery-bowen/4x5v/memories?utm_campaign=findagrave&utm_source=findagrave https://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/27/books/27maslin.html https://www.ranker.com/list/zack-and-addie-new-orleans/patrick-thornton?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=creepy&pgid=1011190218967434&utm_campaign=zack-and-addie-new-orleans-comment&utm_content=zscmyrogkwxlpvxp&fbclid=IwY2xjawQDLYdleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETJNa200cjJKMnVDekFkbEQwc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHpvwEdXqakKjI73YR7X3NItwsL-gUbKRqb-n_mIcCQxpNTKbw4lkTYp0_vmW_aem_jQm30W6behD6TGP4TiWJcA https://www.ksla.com/story/5560421/suicide-leads-police-to-gruesome-murder-scene/ https://ghostcitytours.com/new-orleans/ghost-stories/zack-addie/ https://www.risk-show.com/podcast/raw/ http://www.blather.net/theblather/2006/11/the_war_at_home_the_story_of_zachary_bow/ Episode Credits: Hosts/writers: Holly Knapp and Leslie Weidel Editor/Composer/Producer: Jon Katity WWBD Merch Buy your WWBD swag here! Join the Conversation

Hey we know we have rebroadcasted this before, but with Valentines Day coming up, I wanted to highlight the man I love! No not Jason, but our Editor/Composer and my Husband, Jon Katity!! It's always a great episode to celebrate today with. We really should have Jon back on for another episode! ________ Hey there fiends, Leslie is taking a little time off to be the cutest and spookiest new mom in all the land, which means...(imagine a drum roll) guest hosts! Happy Friday the 13th! This week in honor of this the luckiest unlucky of all days we brought our editor and composer Jon Katity on to help tell the story of the horrific murder of Sharon Gregory by a man named Mark Branch. Mark was obsessed with horror films, and aren't we all? Mark however took the concept of life imitating art to a new level when he decided to act out his own horror movie in real life. Knock on wood and cross your fingers because this is the story of the Friday the 13th killer. Click to learn more https://www.amazon.com/Crystal-Lake-Memories-Complete-History/dp/B00ETHN9L2 https://mylifeofcrime.wordpress.com/2006/07/26/sharon-gregory-murder/ Episode Credits: Hosts/writers: Holly Knapp and Leslie Weidel Editor/Composer/Producer: Jon Katity Validate Us: WWBD Merch Shop Buy us a cup of validation WWBD Official Soundtrack, Vol. 1 WWBD Official Soundtrack, Vol. 2 Shadows of Christmas (WWBD Christmas Album) Sponsors Try Audible Plus Give the Gift of Audible! Kindle Unlimited Membership Amazon Prime Free Trial Join the Conversation

Did the Netflix series Stranger Things take over your life this holiday season? Do you like conspiracy theories, government secrets, magic and monsters? Have you ever wondered how much the United States Government would pay for a psychic division? Then boy do we have a good news for you! This episode is the second in a series of the true, and not true stories that inspired the world of Stranger Things. In this episode we'll cover: Project Stargate and The Men Who Stare at Goats FYI: If you didn't watch the show, don't worry. The stories we are going to explore in this series exist on their own, you don't need to have seen the show to understand or appreciate them. We just love a theme! If you are curious though, any images we think may be relevant, or are interesting points of comparison, will be included in the corresponding week's photo suite. Click to learn more (sources) https://www.aclu.org/issues/immigrants-rights https://www.standwithminnesota.com/ https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/docs/CIA-RDP96-00789R002800180001-2.pdf https://lifeoutofbounds.com/2015/06/01/jim-channon-intergalactic-shaman/ https://www.reddit.com/r/RBI/comments/1hvio2n/gate_the_nefarious_gifted_and_talented_programme/ https://www.casemine.com/judgement/us/5e1ede584653d00964acbb49 Episode Credits: Hosts/writers: Holly Knapp and Leslie Weidel Editor/Composer/Producer: Jon Katity WWBD Merch Buy your WWBD swag here! Join the Conversation

Did the Netflix series Stranger Things take over your life this holiday season? Do you like conspiracy theories, government secrets, magic and monsters? Have you ever wondered what it would be like to hear Holly struggle to explain quantum physics? Then boy do we have a good news for you! This episode is the first in a series of the true, and not true stories that inspired the world of Stranger Things. In this episode we'll cover: The Montauk Monster, Camp Hero, The Philadelphia Experiment/ Project Rainbow, The Montauk Project, and Nina Kulagina the Russian Woman with telekinetic powers. FYI: If you didn't watch the show, don't worry. The stories we are going to explore in this series exist on their own, you don't need to have seen the show to understand or appreciate them. We just love a theme! If you are curious though, any images we think may be relevant, or are interesting points of comparison, will be included in the corresponding week's photo suite. Click to learn more (sources) https://www.cnn.com/2008/US/07/29/montauk.monster/ https://www.huffpost.com/entry/montauk-monster-dead-racco_b_116550 https://nypost.com/2008/07/29/montauk-monster/ https://www.livescience.com/2772-montauk-monster-likely-raccoon.html https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/what-happens-when-a-body-decomposes-in-water-180963994/ https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2013/06/06/history-plum-island-animal-disease-center https://parks.ny.gov/parks/fortterry/details.aspx https://www.usace.army.mil/About/History/HistoricalVignettes/Fort-Terry/ https://www.archives.gov/research/foreign-policy/related-records/paperclip https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/operation-paperclip-167222690/ https://www.gsa.gov/real-estate/gsa-properties/plum-island https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nina_Kulagina https://www.cia.gov/readingroom https://web.randi.org https://archive.org/details/archive-search-report-camp-hero-2000/page/n75/mode/2up https://www.flickr.com/photos/sparetimeradio/2587438677 https://roadtrippers.com/magazine/camp-hero-montauk-conspiracy-theories/ https://www.nae.usace.army.mil/Missions/Projects-Topics/Camp-Hero-FUDS-Montauk-New-York/ https://patch.com/new-york/easthampton/bp--the-story-of-camp-hero-in-montauk https://www.history.navy.mil/research/library/online-reading-room/title-list-alphabetically/p/philadelphia-experiment.html https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7984451/ https://www.amazon.com/Montauk-Project-Experiments-Time-ebook/dp/B004OEKH5Q Episode Credits: Hosts/writers: Holly Knapp and Leslie Weidel Editor/Composer/Producer: Jon Katity WWBD Merch Buy your WWBD swag here! Join the Conversation

In late July 2023 Erin Patterson invited her former in-laws to lunch at her home in Leongatha, Australia. This gesture of hospitality was framed as a chance for them all to reconnect. Instead, it became the center of a case that shocked the world. Over night all 4 lunch guests became desperately ill. Rumors began to fly immediately, and investigators began piecing together a chain of events that no one in this small community could have imagined. In this installment we will examine how this horrible event was able to occur and what lead up to it. Click to learn more (sources) https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-05-28/erin-patterson-mushroom-murder-trial-wednesday-may-28/105348612 https://www.theaustralian.com.au/subscribe/news/1/?sourceCode=TAWEB_WRE170_a_GGL&dest=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theaustralian.com.au%2Fnation%2Ferin-patterson-trial-death-cap-mushrooms-seen-near-accuseds-home-months-before-fatal-lunch%2Fnews-story%2Fb9a4b965adbe1070edcf03b430484abc&memtype=anonymous&mode=premium&v21=GROUPA-Segment-2-NOSCORE&V21spcbehaviour=append https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08-08/erin-patterson-mushroom-murder-trial-jury-evidence/105476940 https://www.9news.com.au/national/erin-patterson-guilty-the-timeline-of-events-that-led-to-the-verdicts/8af7134e-ea24-41e2-a55c-46d114949195 https://www.nbcnews.com/world/australia/australia-mushroom-murderer-left-half-alive-lone-surviving-victim-says-rcna226920 https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c74zwevy181o https://www.sgst.com.au/news/timeline-of-erin-pattersons-mushroom-murders https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/jul/07/erin-patterson-hospital-visit-beef-wellingtons-mushroom-exhibits-revealed-ntwnfb https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4g8zr16y21o https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-05-06/erin-patterson-mushroom-murder-trial-evidence-timeline/105245152 https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ce82lj7g1g7o https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0m8glx2zleo https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/may/28/erin-patterson-computer-text-messages-mushroom-lunch-trial-australia-ntwnfb https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-09-08/mushroom-murder-erin-patterson-legacy-analysis/105745284?fbclid=IwY2xjawOIi_VleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyCGNhbGxzaXRlAjMwAAEe9mUhuPckO6bqE0lX5CHydZajfAcGS0emygIXlUEj-mt_T8EXhBsQEtEnNIc_aem_hIds4nARmeVO7kJnq5fBLQ Episode Credits: Hosts/writers: Holly Knapp and Leslie Weidel Editor/Composer/Producer: Jon Katity WWBD Merch Buy your WWBD swag here! Join the Conversation

Happy Thanksgiving Fiends! We took a little break this week to enjoy family and get ready for the Christmas season but we didn't want to leave you hanging entirely! Next week we will be back with part 2 of the Mushroom Murders saga, but for today we are rebroadcasting our episode on Joel Michael Guy, Jr. One of our fiends posted about this becoming their unintentional yearly thanksgiving re-listen, so we thought we would all get onboard. ------------------------ For most of us, our childhood home is a sacred place; it holds our memories, our daydreams, our secrets. It's a place where we learned and grew and discovered who we were. Your childhood home should radiate safety especially, around the holidays. It should be a place that appears in your dreams and photographs for the rest of your life. It should never be the scene of your worst nightmare come to life. That is, unfortunately, exactly what the Guy family of Knoxville, Tennessee, had to face. Just after spending a wonderful thanksgiving together, Joel and Lisa were brutally murdered in their home. On Monday November 28th, 2016, The Knox County sheriff's department was called in to do a wellness check on 55 year old Lisa Guy and her husband Joel, but what they found has gone down in history as one of the worst crime scenes imaginable. The officer's who found Joel and Lisa could only describe it as "A diabolical stew of human remains". What kind of monster could do this you might ask? Only one who was very close to home, a monster that one could say, hid under the bed... A monster that Joel and Lisa spent 28 years caring for... their son. Click to learn more Helpful hints for holiday family stress WWBD Merch Buy your WWBD swag here! Join the Conversation

In late July 2023 Erin Patterson invited her former in-laws to lunch at her home in Leongatha, Australia. This gesture of hospitality was framed as a chance for them all to reconnect. Instead, it became the center of a case that shocked the world. Over night all 4 lunch guests became desperately ill. Rumors began to fly immediately, and investigators began piecing together a chain of events that no one in this small community could have imagined. In part one we'll examine the "who", "what" and "where" of this case, but you'll have to wait until part 2 for the "how" and "why"! Click to learn more (sources) All sources will be provided in the show notes for Part 2 of this case. We don't want to give anything away! Episode Credits: Hosts/writers: Holly Knapp and Leslie Weidel Editor/Composer/Producer: Jon Katity WWBD Merch Buy your WWBD swag here! Join the Conversation

When the darkness reaches its Zenith And the moon floats high and white When the spirits scream And knife blades gleam It’s…. Shortly After Midnight Hello fiends, and welcome to the darkest time of day. In this week's original story, we bring you, Engulfed, a dark, slow-burn story about a glance that turns into an obsession. What starts as a spark of connection becomes something dangerous, something that smolders beneath the surface until it can't be contained. Desire, loneliness, and fire. They all have one thing in common: once they start they're hard to control. Engulfed is a We Would Be Dead Production, written by Leslie Weidel and read by Jon Katity. Sound and score by Jon Katity, and sparkling prologue / epilogue commentary by cohosts Holly Knapp and Leslie Weidel. WWBD Merch Buy your WWBD swag here! Join the Conversation

Happy Halloween Fiends! Join us for a deep dive into the world of Victor Frankenstein, his monstrous creations, and all the tortured poets and mad scientists who inspired OG goth girl Mary Shelley to write this torrid tale. Click to learn more (sources) https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/history-quirky-science-science-science-everywhere/professor-aldinis-strange-antics https://www.grahamhenderson.ca/percy-bysshe-shelley-blog/shelleys-mighty-heart https://www.britannica.com/biography/Luigi-Galvani https://www.britannica.com/biography/Alessandro-Volta https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/things-to-do-gernsheim-frankenstein-castle WWBD Merch Buy your WWBD swag here! Join the Conversation

When the darkness reaches its Zenith And the moon floats high and white When the spirits scream And knife blades gleam It’s…. Shortly After Midnight Hello fiends, and welcome to the darkest time of day. This week's original story, Polly Pocket, is a spellbinding blend of nostalgia and nightmares told through the eyes of the scariest creatures known to man, Middle school girls. Set In the not so distant past, this terrifying tale takes us on a trip to a charming little hideaway deep in the woods, filled with dappled sunlight, singing birds and terrifying secrets. Polly Pocket is a We Would Be Dead Production, written and read by Holly Knapp, with sound and score by Jon Katity, and sparkling prologue / epilogue commentary by cohosts Holly Knapp and Leslie Weidel. WWBD Merch Buy your WWBD swag here! Join the Conversation

REPOST: Due to the sensational new season of the Netflix show "Monster", Ed Gein has been everywhere lately. Monster: The Ed Gein Story promises an accurate retelling of the life this deeply troubled man, but instead delivers a considerable amount of inaccuracies and copious amounts of downright fabricated information. Ever the truth enthusiasts, upon hearing this, we decided to share our coverage of what Holly considers to be the most interesting person we've ever explored. We would argue that the word "monster" is actually not appropriate in this case. Perhaps after listening, or re-listening you'll think so too! Either way, hop on over to our social media to let us know your thoughts. --------- On the morning of November 16th, 1957, Waushara County Wisconsin police officers responded to the report of missing local hardware store owner, Bernice Worden. Berince lived and worked in the nearby village of Plainfield. The investigation that followed lead authorities to an old farm on the outskirts of town. They were in search of a local man who had been the last reported customer Bernice served before the hardware store went mysteriously dark for the rest of the day. What the police would soon discover in that house however, would put sleepy Plainfield on the map, and change the face of horror movies forever. This episode takes a look at the deeply twisted story of Ed Gein, a quiet and unassuming man who did things beyond the realms of most human imaginations. Hang on to your hats this week fiends, because things get graphic! WWBD Merch Buy your WWBD swag here! Join the Conversation

Lets get October started with re-listen to episode 130... We will be back next week with a Shortly After Midnight, followed by some terrifying tales perfect for this Halloween season! ------------- Thankfully not all horror movies are based on a true story, but if we look hard enough we can almost always find that if art isn't imitating life, life will imitate art. In the case of Michael Meyers, finding a real life equivalent wasn't easy, but I think we did it this year. (No it's not Stanley Stiers, that one is made up. Sorry guys). Charlie Brandt was a quiet man, a loving husband and a good friend. All in all Charlie was what you might call normal. His sudden death however, was anything but. In the process of investigating what appeared to be a gruesome murder suicide, law enforcement discovers a horrifying secret that Charlie and his family kept buried for decades. CBS news Deadly Obsession Angela's Police Interview ATI Charlie Brandt WWBD Merch Buy your WWBD swag here! Sponsors Try Audible Plus Give the Gift of Audible! Kindle Unlimited Membership Amazon Prime Free Trial Join the Conversation

Let's get prepped for the spooky season! While we put the finishing touches on our second Shortly After Midnight episode, we wanted give you one of our scariest true crime episodes - wells scariest for Leslie. This is also the episode that we introduce our first, and possibly favorite, neighborhood fiend - Neighbor Pam! Head over to our Facebook group or on patron to discuss the episode! ------------ Halloween is right around the corner, and everyone is entitled to one good scare. This week we decided it was Leslie's turn, so Holly is bringing us all a tale of mysterious murder, a shadow figure, things that go bump in the night, and the most terrifying home invasion yet... all of Leslie's least favorites. We don't want to reveal any more in the description, as that would spoil the twists and turns that this story is famous for. Just listen, and maybe sleep with the light on. Happy Halloween! Click to learn more WWBD Merch Buy your WWBD swag here! Join the Conversation

In late 2021, successful journalist and podcaster Chico Felitti relocated to a quiet, old money neighborhood of the mega city of Sáo Paulo Brazil called Higienópolis. One day while on a walk with his dogs he stumbled on an abandoned old manor house, a ghostly figure, and an unbelievable secret hidden right in plain sight. In part 2 we will learn more about Margarida Bonetti's terrible secret. We'll uncover the details of her strange life in America, examine the circumstances that would let her keep such a monumental secret, and ultimately tell the story of the woman she kept in modern day slavery for 19 years: Hilda Rosa Dos Santos. Click to learn more The Fugitive Heiress Next Door (WAPO Article) Abandoned: The Woman in the Decaying House Documentary Rene's Appeal Documents Original WAPO article Hilda reunites with the detective on her case 35 Potluck Ideas (just in case) WWBD Merch Buy your WWBD swag here! Join the Conversation

In late 2021, while the waves of deadly corona virus were still cresting and falling, Sao Paulo Brazil, one of the most densely populated cities in the world was a pretty stressful place to be. Desperate to escape the frighteningly close quarters, successful journalist and podcaster Chico Felitti relocated to a quiet, old money neighborhood called Higienópolis. One day while on a walk with his dogs he stumbled on an abandoned old manor house, a ghostly figure, and an unbelievable secret hidden right in plain sight. This story is so shocking an unpredictable that it took me several hours of research to be convinced that it wasn't fiction. At the end of this episode, you may be tempted to think that you've heard everything this case could possibly entail, but hang in there, because remember, there's a part 2. Click to learn more *No peeking! Sources will be listed in full in the show notes of part 2. WWBD Merch Buy your WWBD swag here! Join the Conversation

We’re back this week with a rebroadcast of one of our favorites - Nightmare Fuel (Cursed Objects). Unfortunately, Holly’s been under the weather with Covid, so our brand-new episode is on pause. But with Annabelle making headlines again, we figured there’s no better time to revisit the creepy origins and lore behind her (and a few other famously cursed objects). This one’s a fun, spooky ride. Perfect for a re-listen, or a first dive if you missed it the first time around! --------------------- This week the girls dig into the chilling world of cursed objects. Holly exploits everyone's inexplainable (well kind of explainable) fear of creepy dolls with the tales of Annabelle, the doll that launched a thousand nightmares with her series of films, and Robert the Doll. Leslie dips into the weirder side of cursed object with the Dibbuk Box and the painting that haunted Ebay "The hands Resist Him". This is a fun one, fiends; we hope you enjoy! Special guest appearance by Post Malone! (Well, he's mentioned; the girls don't actually speak to him.) * WWBD regrets to inform you that Warren's Occult Museum is currently closed due to structural issues with the building, which would seem to be the price of doing business with roughly 200 demons. Owners of the estate are looking for a new building to house all of their cursed objects. We hope none of them escape in the intrim. Sleep tight fiends. Click to Learn More Post Malone Cursed! Dibbuk Box by Jason-Haxton on Amazon The Warrens' Occult Museum Join the Conversation