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- [00:01]
Katie Ring
Crime House has the perfect new show for spooky season, Twisted Tales. Hosted by Heidi Wong. Each episode of Twisted Tales is perfect for late night scares and daytime frights, revealing the disturbing real life events that inspired the world's most terrifying blockbusters and the ones too twisted to make it to screen. Twisted Tales is a Crime House original powered by Pave Studios. Listen wherever you get your podcasts new episodes out every Monday.
- [00:41]
Crime House Host
This is Crime House. Today we're covering two major cases in the news. The first case is about Alabama plumber Muhammad AH Muhammad, who pleaded guilty after allegedly trying to hire a hitman and to kill his estranged wife and six adult children. And unbeknownst to him, the hitman he hired was actually an undercover FBI agent. Today's second case is about Lorenz Kraus of Albany, New York who went on local TV and claimed in a live on air interview that he killed his parents years ago. He's now charged and has pleaded not guilty. So this missing person case has turned into a double homicide investigation. Let's get into it.
- [01:31]
Narrator
Out of a Hoover man who's accused of trying to hire a hitman to take out his own family. And he was in federal court today.
- [01:39]
Crime House Host
His name Muhammad. Muhammad. Records indicate he bought burner phones and met with an informant showing them pictures.
- [01:45]
Katie Ring
Of his family to have them killed.
- [01:47]
Reporter
Police arrested 53 year old Lorenz Krause in upstate New York after he confessed to killing his parents and then burying them in the backyard of the their home eight years ago with a smile on his face. Lawrence Krauss appeared here in Albany county court this morning to answer to those new charges which include first degree murder. All this comes after last week's grand jury indictment related to the death of his parents Franz and Teresia Kraus. We have confirmed the couple's son, Lorenz Kraus was arrested right outside of the Channel 6 Studios in Schenectady after an apparent confession during an interview.
- [02:31]
Katie Ring
Hi, I'm Katie Ring, a true crime.
- [02:32]
Crime House Host
Analyst, self defense instructor and fierce advocate for victims. And this is Crime House Daily, your essential true crime companion. Every weekday morning and night here at.
- [02:42]
Katie Ring
Crime House Daily, we dig into the.
- [02:44]
Crime House Host
True crime stories making headlines right now where justice is unfolding, arrests are happening and new evidence is emerging. Every morning, First Watch gets you up to speed on the biggest cases. Every night, Nightwatch takes you deeper. If you want to follow a case from the first 911 call to the final verdict, this is the place for you. Follow Crime House Daily. Wherever you get your podcasts leave a Review and for ad free listening, subscribe to Crime House plus on Apple Podcasts. For video, check out our YouTube channel RimehouseDaily. This episode discusses active criminal cases and breaking news. The information we share is based on what's publicly available at the time of recording and may change as new evidence comes to light. We aim to inform, not to decide, guilt or innocence. So everyone mentioned is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
- [03:42]
Katie Ring
I cover some horrendous true crime stories every day, but there is something about the paranormal that terrifies me, and Shelby Oaks grabbed me from the first scene.
- [03:51]
Crime House Host
And did not let go.
- [03:53]
Katie Ring
It's about a woman desperately searching for her sister, and the deeper she goes, the more she starts to realize that the demon they thought was imaginary as kids might not be imaginary after all. No spoilers, but let's just say I was glued to the screen. Critics are raving about it, calling it deeply wicked and downright evil. Truly terrifying and the Blair Witch Project meets hereditary. And honestly, they're not exaggerating. What makes it even cooler is that it's written and directed by Chris Stuckman, a YouTuber turned filmmaker, and it's executive produced by Mike Flanagan, the mastermind behind some of the best horror in recent years. Shelby Oaks is one of the most unnerving films I've seen this year, and it's meant to be experienced in theaters, so don't miss it. Shelby oaks hits theaters October 24th.
- [04:46]
Crime House Host
Okay, before we get into today's main cases, I want to tell you guys about a case I saw recently. It's related to Halloween, but it's not a fun, spooky season case at all. In Kentucky, Halloween decorations landed a man in jail. He had fake bodies on his property for Halloween, but there's something a little more sinister to the festive decor. On closer examination, the fake bodies, which were wrapped in garbage bags, were labeled with positions of elected officials. Four of the bodies were labeled Mayor, California SIS and Zoning Manager, and one of the bodies was hung from an elevated position with the label District Judge. The district judge body was hung with a rope around its fake neck. The man responsible is 58 year old Stephen Marcum. According to his arrest citation, Stephen is being charged with intimidating a participant in the legal process and third degree terroristic threatening the county's judge Executive Eddie Barnes said it was something you didn't see every day and that he thought the decorations were, quote, kind of harsh. Steven is currently being held on a $5,000 bond in the Powell County Detention Center. Authorities say that his actions don't qualify as acts of free speech because threatening speech is not protected under the First Amendment. It's definitely an interesting story here, and one that the Crime House team will be watching closely. For today's case, we're covering the crimes of 64 year old Muhammad Ah Muhammad, an Alabama plumber who allegedly wanted his estranged wife and his six kids out of the picture. In 2024, Muhammad started asking around for someone to get rid of his family for him permanently. He found someone he thought was willing to kill them, only to find out he was speaking to an undercover FBI agent. A few weeks ago, Muhammad pleaded guilty to seven counts of murder for hire. His sentencing is scheduled for December 10, 2025, and he faces up to 10 years in prison for each count. Let's get caught up on everything that's happened in this case so far. Muhammad Ah Muhammad lived in the quiet city of Hoover, Alabama, population about 93,000. Nestled along the southern foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, it's hardly the kind of place you'd expect a murder for hire plot. Mohamed owned American Plumbing Services LLC for a number of years, and on March 18, 2021, Mohammed marries his wife, named only in court documents as SA for her, there are also six children in the family aged between 21 and 34. Reports don't specify which children biologically belong to which parent, but SA refers to them as her kids, so regardless of their relationship, she is extremely close with them. However, these bonds don't last for Muhammad. According to his wife, Muhammad runs his house like a tyrant, lashing out over minor things and threatening his family with severe violence on a regular basis. In a court affidavit, SA writes that Muhammad threatens to lock her and the kids who are still living there in the basement and kill them. He allegedly injures them so badly that they are sent to the er, places guns and knives at their heads and throats, and even shoots guns at them. And in November 2021, just a few months after their wedding, Muhammad is arrested on a domestic violence charge for assaulting one of his daughters and sending her to the hospital. These charges are eventually dismissed, but it's not the last time Muhammad is investigated for threatening his family's safety. Shortly after the November 2021 arrest, Sa and two of her children file for protection from Abuse orders against Mohammed. Legally, the protection from Abuse orders prevent Mohamed from assaulting, threatening, abusing, harassing, following, interfering or stalking his family. But Mohamed ignores the orders and in April of 2022, he's arrested again by the Hoover Police Department for stalking his family. He had placed GPS tracking devices on their cars, trying to keep tabs on their locations. Mohammed is allowed to remain free on bond and goes on to continue his dangerous behavior. About eight months later, on January 3, 2023, Hoover firefighters are called to the home of one of SA's friends. Their car, which Mohammed had bought for them, has been lit on fire. The next day, Mohammed's eldest son, named in court documents as Im, has a silver Ram truck set on fire in his family's driveway. Police investigate Mohamed's potential involvement in both arson cases, but there's not enough evidence to arrest him. And a few months later, in September 2023, the car belonging to another one of Muhammad's sons is also burned in a fire that also destroys a few other cars. Then, in December 2023, there's another suspicious fire near the home SA shares with two of the children. At this point, Mohammed and SA are deep into divorce proceedings. But Mohammed doesn't want to go through with it. That same month, one of Mohammed's friends calls SA and asks her to take Mohammed back. She says no immediately. The next day, Mohammed's daughter's car is set on fire. After this, the police find enough evidence that Mohammed is involved to arrest him for violating the protective orders against him. During the court hearing, the prosecution plays a recording of a conversation between Mohamed and a friend. His friend says Mohammed will go to hell if he hurts his family. But Mohammed doesn't think so. In response, he says, God will reward me. But still, Mohammed once again gets out on bond the following February of 2024, although this time he has to wear an ankle monitor. If he goes anywhere near his family, the courts will know and he'll go right back to jail. A few months later, Mohammed complains to a friend that his family has destroyed his pride and he's willing to die to preserve his dignity. But he wants his family to go first. However, Mohammed can't do anything to them because of his ankle monitor, so he wants someone to take care of them for him. After bringing this up a few more times, Mohammed's friend promises to put him in contact with someone. A few days later, Mohammed drops a man off at a nearby Walmart to buy two burner phones. Investigators can't identify the man, but security footage shows him wearing a T shirt with the logo of Mohamed's company, American Plumbing Services, LLC. Mohammed activates the phones, and in September 2024, he contacts the number his friend had supplied. But Mohamed wasn't speaking to a hitman like he thought he was. On the phone with an undercover FBI agent. And Mohamed was about to tell him everything.
- [12:10]
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- [12:46]
Crime House Host
The detective said. Missing kids usually come home. What happens when they don't?
- [12:51]
Peacock Promo Voice
Based on a true story.
- [12:53]
Narrator
Police looking for John Gacy.
- [12:55]
Peacock Promo Voice
We discovered bodies. By the looks of it, they're younger men. The things he did to those kids. He's sick.
- [13:04]
Crime House Host
The system failed.
- [13:05]
Reporter
These families.
- [13:06]
Peacock Promo Voice
Devil in disguise. John Wayne Gacy. Streaming now only on Peacock.
- [13:11]
Reporter
Do you know how many there are?
- [13:12]
Peacock Promo Voice
Up to you to find out.
- [13:18]
Crime House Host
In September 2024, Muhammad Muhammad calls someone he thinks is a hitman who will kill his wife and children. But he has no idea he is talking to an undercover FBI agent. After Muhammad repeatedly bothered his friend about helping him find someone to kill his wife and family, his friend did reach out, but he reached out to local law enforcement. They put him in touch with the FBI, who instruct him to keep up the ruse. That way, they can get enough evidence to arrest Mohamed. And on September 21, 2024, Mohammed meets the agent at an undisclosed location. Mohammed allegedly shows the agent pictures of what's described as burned structures belonging to his family members. He explains that they had taken away his dignity by turning against him and that he wants to punish them for it. He then shows the agent pictures of his wife and kids along with photos of their homes. He says, quote, six kids and the mom. You pick and choose who you gonna take out and get paid. He offers the agent $5,000 for each one of his kids, totaling 30 grand. But he's willing to pay a bigger price for his wife. SA $20,000, since, according to him, she's a, quote, big whore. He tells the agent, quote, start with one. Take your time. Second, third, fourth, five. I don't give. Just start with one. Eventually, the agent pretends to agree to the job. As a down payment, Mohammed pays him $550 with the understanding that the rest would be paid once the job was done. That's all the agent needs to arrest him. A few days later, Mohamed is arrested and charged with seven counts of murder for hire. I'm glad this guy was stupid enough to think an FBI agent was a real hitman. But the story is yet another example of how our legal system needs to take domestic violence and stalking more seriously. He abused one of his kids so badly, they were sent to the hospital, but his charges were dismissed. He stalked them continuously and was finally arrested, but but then shortly released. He set his wife's car on fire, and surveillance caught a car that Muhammad owned, but they said they didn't have enough evidence. He burned his son's car the next day. No consequences. Months later, he burns another son's car that catches other cars on fire. Still no consequences. He burns his daughter's car after the mother told one of his friends she was not getting back with him. He's only arrested for breaking the restraining order by contacting his wife through an intermediary. Bond is revoked. But then they changed their mind and let him out on bond. If he was locked up after putting a family member in the hospital, none of this would have ever happened. A year after his arrest, on September 24, 2025, Muhammad AH Muhammad pleads guilty to all seven charges. He faces a maximum sentence of 10 years for each charge. With his guilty plea in place, he likely won't face anywhere close to the maximum sentence. But for a man in his mid-60s, even a mild sentence could be for life. We'll find out what happens during his sentencing in December. And if any new information comes out between now and then, we'll be sure to bring it to you here. Our second case today is another family murder. But this time the suspect not only openly admitted committed to their crime, but he did it on TV. On September 24, 2025, the remains of Franz and Teresa Krause were discovered buried in their backyard in Albany, New York, Just one day later, their son Lorenz Krause sat down for an interview with the local station CBS 6 and claimed that he'd killed them eight years earlier out of mercy because they were getting older and more frail. As of this recording, Lorenz Kraus has pleaded not guilty. But this case is rapidly evolving. Let's dive right in. According to their son, Franz and Teresa Krause both grew up during the chaos of World War II. Franz was born in Yugoslavia and spent years in a Soviet prison camp, while Teresa was born in Germany a few years before the country surrendered. They both immigrated to the United states in the 1950s and and went on to meet, get married and have their son Lorenz. In 1972, when asked about his relationship with his parents, Lorenz says, quote, I wouldn't characterize it as loving. In 1988, when Lorenz was 16, his younger sister Rosa died of cancer. Watching her difficult, painful death had a huge impact on him and made his relationship with his parents even more strained. Lorenz graduated from Albany High School two years later and attended nearby Siena College, which was renamed Siena University this year. Lorenz graduated in 1994 with a degree in Political Science and went on to get a Master's of Business Administration from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Lorenz works a variety of jobs including as a window Salesman and around 2015 he became interested in cryptocurrency and claims to have created a quote secure dual coin digital value exchange with long term strategic advantages over Bitcoin. Without getting into the intricacies of crypto, he doesn't really deliver. Meanwhile, his parents are getting older and more frail. His father, who is now in his 80s, is nearly deaf and needs surgery for his cataracts. His mother, who is in her 70s, is dealing with slight cognitive decline and was noticing small things like forgetting to use her turn signals when she drove. Lorenz claims that he was worried about his parents well being. His family had a history of Alzheimer's disease and he's not sure how they do in an environment in a nursing home. Lorenz believes aging is a societal crisis and that society needs a better solution and he has a few ideas. According to Lorenz, in May or June of 2017 his mother wrote to him explaining that she'd fallen while walking. He takes the letter as a sign from her to help ease his parents suffering. He doesn't want his parents to die a slow death like his sister rosa, so in August 2017 he decides to do what he thinks is his duty to them. For most people, that would mean helping out around the house or hiring some extra hands. In Lorenz's mind, it means taking their lives.
- [20:08]
Reporter
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- [20:10]
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- [20:20]
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- [20:21]
Crime House Host
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- [20:35]
Crime House Host
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- [20:40]
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- [21:03]
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- [21:31]
Crime House Host
According to Lorenz Kraus's own confession, he goes to his parents house at 6 Crestwood Drive in Albany in August of 2017 with the intention of killing them. First he shuts all the windows in his home and then goes into his parents bedroom. He suffocates his father Franz with his hands and then strangles his mother Teresa with a rope until she is dead. In his words. It was quote, so quick. He says that they were aware of what he was doing while it was happening and believes they wanted him to kill them even though they never explicitly said so afterward. Lorenz isn't sure what to do with the bodies. He spends days deliberating as they begin to decay. Eventually, he decides to bury his parents in their backyard. He digs the graves in broad daylight using a statue of a lamb his mother received as a gift when Rosa died as Teresa's grave marker. A little while later, he plants a peach tree next to their grave. Lorenz claims he didn't kill his parents with any malice and says that he doesn't think of his acts as murder. In his mind, killing his parents was an act of mercy. He says, quote, I did the right thing for them. Based on the situation, my concern for their misery was paramount. But this is not the only radical viewpoint he holds. His parents both grew up in the shadow of Nazism during World War II, and while there's no indication that they agreed with Hitler's ideas, Lorenz certainly does. For years, Lorenz wrote for a neo Nazi blog called the Renegade Tribune, posting birthday messages for Angel Hitler and writing hateful, conspiracy laden articles about Jewish people. In 2020, Lorenz even ran for president and appeared on the ballot in New Hampshire. His proposed governmental plan was to split America into four regions to loosen the control of the so called deep state. British agents, Rhodes scholars and Jews. And his now defunct campaign website is called banjoes.com In 2022, Lorenz established a new private cash device company in the Philippines called Pinda Technology Inc. Which he describes as a cash solution to the danger of central bank digital currencies. Again, it doesn't appear to have been very successful because in the years after his parents deaths, Lorenz continued to cash their Social Security checks. According to him, he donated most of the money. Even so, the government realizes something is off. Starting in early 2025 they start trying to contact Lorenz's parents parents to make sure they're still alive. Eventually, after a five month long financial crimes investigation, investigators searched the Kraus's home and discover the remains buried in the backyard. When their bodies are exhumed, many questions are suddenly raised about their deaths and why they weren't reported. And all signs point to one person, Lorenz Kraus. Two days later, Stone Grissom, the news director at Albany's CBS 6 station receives an email from Lorenz. It contains a selfie and a two page statement outlining his political views, including his belief that the federal government should be dissolved in favor of a board of trustees. Stone wants to pursue the story and he calls Lorenz to verify his identity. When he asks Lorenz if he killed his parents, Lorenz says he pleads the fifth. But Stone wants to get a confession from him. So he offers to post Lorenz's statement online in exchange for an interview. Lorenz goes for it. He shows up at the station within an hour in a T shirt and shorts. The CBS 6 News team barely has time to prepare. While Stone personally frisks Lorenz to make sure he's not carrying a weapon. Anchor Greg Floyd has just 10 minutes to prep. Greg conducts the interview in the lobby to prevent Lorenz from accessing the rest of the building. A plainclothes police officer stands nearby just in case Lorenz tries to hurt anybody. Nobody knows what he might be capable of. Over the next 32 minutes, Greg tries to get Lorenz to open up about what he'd done to his parents. At first Lorenz says he can't comment about exactly what happened. He says he needs to stand up for his fifth amendment rights, ironically the right to not self incriminate. But eventually Lorenz admits to the murders. After describing his father's death, Lorenz says about his mother, quote, I finished her. At the end of the interview, Lorenz stands up and thanks Stone Grissom. They shake hands, and Stone gives Lorenz his business card. But he doesn't leave a free man. When Lorenz walks outside, the police are waiting for him and arrests him right in the middle of the parking lot. When Lorenz goes in front of a judge, he pleads not guilty to double charges of second degree murder and concealment of a human corpse. He's remanded without bail, which means he'll stay in jail until trial. The next day, Greg Floyd sits down in another interview with Lorenz, this time in jail. He asks Lorenz if he feels relieved now that the world knows his secret. Lorenz says only somewhat. Journalists still aren't sure how Lorenz's confession will affect his case now that he's pleaded not guilty. The virality of the interview could complicate jury selection, since jurors have to be impartial and can't have prior knowledge about the case. Additionally, since Lorenz's confession occurred outside the legal system, his defense team will likely move to make it inadmissible evidence. If that becomes the case, the largest piece of evidence against Lorenz will be missing from the trial. Whatever happens, we hope that Franz and Teresa Kraus will get the justice they deserve. We'll let you know as more updates come in about Lorenza's case. Foreign what did you think of today's cases? Drop your thoughts and theories in the comments. See you next time. If you haven't already, subscribe to our YouTube channel @Crime House Daily and follow us on social media rimehouse24.7 for real time updates. Because the pursuit of justice never stops. Foreign.
- [28:00]
Katie Ring
Twisted Tales with Heidi Wong is perfect for spooky season Dive into the real events behind the world's most terrifying blockbusters and beyond. Twisted Tales is a Crime House original. Listen wherever you get your podcasts. New episodes out every Monday.