Going to the bank is the worst. Standing in line for what seems to be hours versus using an app? There is no contest. In this episode from Horrifying History, going to the bank resulted in death for one U.S. pizza delivery man.
All in Murder History 101
Vicious Serial Killers From the 19th Century
Some of the most disturbing murders were committed in the 19th century. A lot of these cases have never been talked about and aren’t too publicized. Because technology wasn’t as developed back then, these serial killers were able to commit their crimes for longer periods of time, though most of them were eventually caught.
The Story of 'The Candyman' Who Killed His Young Son on Halloween
On Halloween in 1974, father of two Ronald Clark O’Bryan took his children, Timothy and Elizabeth, trick-or-treating in their neighborhood. Just after Timothy ate a pixy-stick later in the evening, he began complaining of stomach pains and ultimately collapsed. He would later die from cyanide poisoning and his father would be dubbed ‘The Candyman’ for his role in Timothy’s murder.
The Murder of Adam Walsh
On July 27, 1981, six-year-old Adam John Walsh was abducted from a Sears department store in Hollywood, Florida. His severed head would be found two weeks later along a Florida Turnpike. In the aftermath of the horrifying crime Adam’s father John Walsh became a victims rights advocate.
The Wall Street Bombing: NYC's First Massive Terror Attack
The bombing occurred on September 16th, 1920, and would kill 38 people and injure hundreds more. Though suspicions of anarchist or communist terrorism ran wild, nobody was ever convicted, and nobody ever confessed.
The Heaven’s Gate Tragedy
In 1997, authorities responded to an emergency call in the Rancho Santa Fe San Diego suburb, where they discovered thirty-nine bodies, all members of the new religious movement Heaven’s Gate. This would be the largest mass suicide in the United States.
The Assassination of Lord Louis Mountbatten
On August 27, 1979, a sunny day off of Mullaghmore Peninsula in County Sligo in Ireland meant good fortune for those who wanted to enjoy the last few weeks of summer. What began as a normal boat ride turned deadly when a bomb detonated by the Provisional Irish Republican Army killed Lord Louis Mountbatten, one of his grandchildren, a boat worker, and Doreen Bradbourne.
Julius and Ethel Rosenberg: America's Most Infamous Spies
It was the biggest trial of the Cold War. On one end, most American media supported the death penalty that loomed for Julius and Ethel Rosenberg. But sixty-nine years after the execution, the case may never be settled to absolute satisfaction, and scholars still debate whether Ethel died innocent.
The Lattimer Massacre
On the afternoon of September 10, 1897, 19 unarmed miners were shot and killed and dozens more injured in the outskirts Lattimer, Pennsylvania while they peacefully protested for better working conditions and wages.
The Beltway Snipers: A Trail of Victims Across the Nation
October 2002 heralded a three-week murder spree that would terrorize citizens across the Washington Metropolitan Area. However, the Beltway snipers had already claimed several victims earlier that year, and accumulated a body count that neared 20 before they were apprehended.
The Burger Chef murders
It was 44 years ago, on November 17th, 1978, when fellow employees at Burger Chef in Speedway, Indiana were abducted and murdered while closing and cleaning the restaurant.
This Week in History: The Manson Family Murders
From August 8-10 1969, the Manson Family brutally murdered six people in Los Angeles, California. The sheer depravity of the killings cemented the Manson Family in infamy, with actress Sharon Tate becoming a cultural icon.
Deadly Exorcisms in the Modern Era
It’s not just a menacing movie tradition or a practice of the past — exorcisms of supposed demons are still actively performed by clergy across the world. When they go wrong, they can go violently, deadly wrong.
This Week In History: The Axe Murder of Andrew and Abby Borden
On August 4, 1892, Andrew and Abby Borden were killed in Fall River, Massachusetts. Investigators would stumble upon a horrific scene where both were killed with an ax. In searching for a suspect, police landed on Andrew Borden’s 31-year-old daughter Lizzie Borden.
John Dillinger: America's Favorite Bank Robber
The Great Depression brought ruin to American families and livelihoods, eroding hope in the idea of the self-made man. This dissatisfaction gave rise to the Gangster Era, and in the Gangster Era, few were as successful, or popular, as the Dillinger Gang.
The Lindbergh Baby Kidnapping: America's Most Sensational Trial
In 1932, America was electrified by the kidnapping of renowned aviator Charles Lindbergh’s 20-month-old son. The legendary trial to come would launch the true crime genre into the media titan we know it as today.
The true story behind ‘The Haunting in Connecticut’
The Haunting in Connecticut is a 2009 supernatural horror film about a family that decides to relocate to be closer to the doctors of their ill child. After moving in, they begin to have supernatural experiences in the home. The movie is based on the story of the Snedeker family.
New Podcast Episode: Victims of Alton Coleman and Debra Brown
Alton Coleman and Debra Brown were a young couple from Illinois who together went on a murderous rampage across the midwest in 1984. The duo's 53 day reign of terror spanned 6 states, and resulted in a trail of murders, rapes, and robberies.
Bloody Elizabeth Bathory: Stories of the Serial Killer Countess
Along with Vlad the Impaler, Countess Elizabeth Bathory may be one of history’s most infamous inspirations for the vampire legend. Her reputation for brutality emerged from the torture of her victims — an habit she allegedly enjoyed for years until even her royal background could not save her.
