
Hosted by Our True Crime Podcast · EN

This month, we have a talk with Courtney from The Book of the Dead, who joins us to talk about the murder of Sister Tadea Benz and the execution of Johnny Frank Garret. In October 1981, the quiet city of Amarillo, Texas, was rocked by a crime that felt like a nightmare: the brutal assault and murder of 76-year-old Sister Tadea Benz inside St. Francis Convent. The pressure to catch the killer was on, and the police quickly set their sights on 17-year-old Johnny, who lived across the street. Johnny Frank Garrett was executed by the state of Texas in 1992, but was he a cold-blooded killer, or a convenient scapegoat? Don't forget to subscribe to Courtney's podcast, The Book of the Dead. We think you will like her as much as Jen and Cam do. Music by Nico Fyffe-Vettese Editing by Jesse Fyffe-Vettese Both from The Inky Pawprint Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When hunters in Bulltown Swamp discovered the remains of an unidentified woman in late 2022, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation was left with a mystery that felt impossible to solve. There were no matching missing person reports, no DNA matches, just a dental implant and a crime scene that looked like an attempt to make a person disappear forever. Months later, the GBI got the lead they needed when someone recognized the victim from an artist’s rendering that appeared on television. What they would soon hear would be unbelievable. Sponsored by Quince Refresh your everyday with luxury you'll actually use. Head to Quince.com/otcp for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! Our team: Listener Discretion by Edward October Research & Writing by Lauretta Allen Executive Producers Nico & Jesse of The Inky Pawprint Sources: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COq5nugr08w https://people.com/married-couple-on-the-run-wife-dead-who-killed-her-11854940 https://gbi.georgia.gov/press-releases/2023-05-12/unidentified-womans-remains-found-riceboro https://www.newspapers.com/image/959876255/?match=1&terms=Kassotis https://www.newspapers.com/image/1008274478/?match=1&terms=%22Nicholas%20Kassotis%22 https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/286941684/mindi-ruth-kassotis https://www.keenesentinel.com/community/announcements/mebane-kassotis-wedding/article_22c52c0b-dd2b-5b40-b57d-1ec745c0d94c.html https://bfmg.news/go/docket/georgia-v-nicholas-kassotis/ https://www.courttv.com/title/dismembered-wife-murder-trial-watch-the-verdict/ https://www.yahoo.com/news/husband-granted-bond-missing-woman-220306182.html https://coastalcourier.com/news/kassotis-found-guilty-sentenced-to-life-without-parole/ https://www.wjcl.com/article/nicholas-kassotis-pre-trial-hearing/65502593 https://people.com/crime/mindi-medane-writer-slain-husband-charged-months-later/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5bhtulFxD4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5bhtulFxD4&t=10s https://vanishinggeorgia.com/2023/09/17/portal-hunting-club-georgias-oldest/ https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/man-arrested-for-death-of-wife-whose-remains-were-found-at-georgia-hunting-club-in-2022 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the early 1990s, long before his name would be tied to something unthinkable, Scott McLaughlin was already unraveling. Untreated childhood trauma, cognitive struggles, and severe mental illness shaped his life. Suicide attempts. Institutionalizations. Heavy medication. And yet, nothing seemed to stick. The help he received was fleeting. A decade later, in 2002, his path crossed with Beverly Guenther, a woman who knew hardship in a very different way. Beverly had lived through devastating loss, including the death of her young child, and years of grief that followed. But she fought her way back. She found purpose in her work, her creativity, and her compassion for others. To those who knew her, she was kind, intelligent, and resilient, someone who believed in helping people, even when they were broken. “She was really turning her life around,” her brother once said. And then… she met Scott McLaughlin. Join Cam and Jen for this episode of Our True Crime Podcast, titled ‘Waiting in the Dark: The Murder of Beverly Guenther.’ This episode is sponsored by Hello Fresh. Go to HelloFresh.com/otcp10fm now to get 10 Free meals plus a Free Nutribullet® Ultra Plus+ 2-in-1 Compact Kitchen System—that’s a $189.99 value after you order your 3rd box! Listener discretion is by @octoberpodVHS. All music and editing is by our team @theinkypawprint. Sources: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/tag/amber-mclaughlin https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/missouri-governor-refuses-clemency-to-first-openly-transgender-woman-to-be-executed-in-u-s https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11539779/Transgender-inmate-Missouris-death-row-asks-mercy.html https://www.stlpr.org/law-order/2023-01-03/missouri-executes-transgender-woman-amber-mclaughlin-2003-murder https://prisonjournalismproject.org/2024/02/25/remembering-first-trans-woman-executed-us/ https://www.cnn.com/2023/01/03/us/amber-mclaughlin-missouri-execution https://edition.cnn.com/2022/12/16/us/missouri-transgender-inmate-death-row/index.html https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/news/missouri-set-to-execute-amber-mclaughlin-on-january-3-in-first-u-s-execution-of-a-transgender-person https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/jan/03/amber-mclaughlin-missouri-transgender-person-execution https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/MODOC/bulletins/340c2a4 https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/stop-the-execution-of-amber-mclaughlin-in-missouri https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/federal-appeals-court-reinstates-death-penalty-in-2003-st-louis-county-rape-murder/article_aa1dc368-0f70-5560-b9cd-6d9c7cdcc149.html Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The 1970s were more than just shag carpet and polyester; they were a time of deep contradiction. While things felt full of possibility, a shadow of distrust hung over everything—fueled by Vietnam, Watergate, and a struggling economy. As more parents headed to work to keep up, many children were left unsupervised for long stretches. By this time, neighborhoods like Houston’s “The Heights” had become run-down and poverty-stricken. Many teenage boys were dropping out of school just to help their families survive. Growing up in a world that felt increasingly unstable and often without a father figure at home, these boys were vulnerable. They were searching for belonging and a mentor, but tragically, they found a monster who used his own teen accomplices to lure them into a trap. Join Jen and Cam as they discuss "In the Boat Shed: The Houston Heights Murders." A huge Thank You to our team: Listener Discretion by Edward October Research & Writing by Lauretta Allen Executive Producers Nico & Jesse of The Inky Pawprint https://theinkypawprint.com Sources: available on ourtruecrimepodcast.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This month, Nina Innsted of the Already Gone podcast joins Cam and Jen to discuss the disappearance of Paige Renkoski. Paige was a 30-year-old substitute teacher who seemingly vanished into thin air in May of 1990. It’s a curious case because it happened in broad daylight, on a busy highway. The only thing she left behind was her shoes and her purse. We are thrilled to have Nina on Our True Crime Podcast. Not only did she just celebrate the 10-year anniversary of her podcast Already Gone, but she’s also an Ambie Award winner for her collaboration with Payne Lindsey for the podcast Up and Vanished: The Trial. Plus, she just published her first book, "Unsolved Michigan". Please make sure to subscribe to Nina's podcast, Already Gone. It's a must for any true crime fan. You can find Nina's book, Unsolved Michigan , HERE If you want more information on the organization Missing in Michigan, you can find it HERE If you have any information on the disappearance of Paige Renkoski, please call the Livingston County Sheriff's office at 517-546-8477. Music by Nico Audio Editing by Jesse Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the early hours of December 4, 1979, something jolted Edith Hastie awake—and within seconds, her worst fears were confirmed. Fire was already inside her home on Selby Street in Kingston upon Hull, climbing fast, swallowing the staircase, cutting off escape.Her four young sons were still inside.What followed was a frantic, desperate race against heat and smoke, one that would end in unimaginable loss, an act of quiet heroism, and questions that would linger long after the flames were extinguished. Three boys would be pulled from the wreckage with catastrophic burns. But this wasn’t just a tragic house fire. It was something far more disturbing.Because as investigators began to piece together what happened that night, a chilling pattern would emerge, one that pointed not to an accident, but to a firestarter hiding in plain sight. Join Cam and Jen on this episode of Our True Crime Podcast as we discuss ‘Firestarter: Crimes of Bruce George Peter Lee.’ Listener discretion is by @octoberpodVHS Music is by our editor @theinkypawprint. Episode is sponsored by Hello Fresh. Go to HelloFresh.com/otcp10fm now to Get 10 Free meals + Free Nutribullet® Ultra Plus+ 2-in-1 Compact Kitchen System (a $189.99 value) on your 3rd box. Free meals are applied as a discount on the first box, new subscribers only, varies by plan. Disclaimer: Must order the 3rd box by May 31st, 2026. Sources: https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/news/hull-east-yorkshire-news/hulls-worst-serial-killer-bruce-6621713 http://infotrac.galegroup.com/itw/infomark/531/644/115751697w16/purl=&dyn=11!pdy_3_0FFO-1981-JAN21-003-F?sw_aep=corlonli Ron Sagar MBE Hull, Hell And Fire The Extraordinary Story Of Bruce Lee (Highgate publications, 1999) The Daily Mail (Hull) December 5th 1979- January 31st 1981, February 11th 1981, 10th December 1983. http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/features/A-city39s-memories-branded-in.5883752.jp http://infotrac.galegroup.com/itw/infomark/32/498/118877646w16/purl=rc1_TTDA_0_CS85296526&dyn=5!xrn_1_0_CS85296526&hst_1?sw_aep=corlonli https://www.itv.com/news/calendar/2022-02-08/serial-arsonist-bruce-lee-loses-appeal-over-string-of-fatal-fires-in-1970s https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/nostalgia/fire-master-forgotten-manchester-born-31350618 https://criminalminds.fandom.com/wiki/Bruce_George_Peter_Lee https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-humber-58876813 https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-humber-58876813 https://web.archive.org/web/20181019135453/https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/analysis/a-city-s-memories-branded-in-fire-of-killer-s-reign-of-terror-30-years-ago-1-2314856 https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/news/hull-east-yorkshire-news/hulls-notorious-serial-killer-bruce-6625127 http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/features/A-city39s-memories-branded-in.5883752.jp The Yorkshire Post, The Daily Mirror, The Daily Telegraph (January 21st-23rd 1981) http://infotrac.galegroup.com/itw/infomark/531/644/115751697w16/purl=&dyn=11!pdy_3_0FFO-1981-JAN21-003-F?sw_aep=corlonli Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

***Content Warning*** This episode contains discussion of violence, torture, and murder. Listener discretion is strongly advised. At 16, Suzanne Capper was just a girl trying to find her place in the world and hanging out with a group she thought were her friends. But on a freezing morning in December 1992, a man named Barry and some of his coworkers were driving to work when their headlights caught a figure in the darkness. Standing by the side of the road was a young girl, her hair was gone, and her skin was blackened and charred from fire. Somehow, against all odds, she had crawled out of the woods to find help. The chaos that followed was something that none of the men in the van that morning would ever forget. The UK would wake up to news that there were people who lived among them, who had a main objective in life, which was to inflict pain. And the story would prove to be too much for them. A huge Thank You to our team: Listener Discretion by Edward October Research & Writing by Lauretta Allen Executive Producers Nico & Jesse of The Inky Pawprint https://theinkypawprint.com Sources: https://www.newspapers.com/image/912473189/?match=1&terms=Suzanne%20Capper https://www.newspapers.com/image/909560806/?match=1&terms=Suzanne%20Capper https://www.newspapers.com/image/1275999766/?match=1&terms=Suzanne%20Capper https://www.newspapers.com/image/909562093/?match=1&terms=Suzanne%20Capper https://www.newspapers.com/image/751595698/?match=1&terms=Suzanne%20Capper https://www.newspapers.com/image/804903275/?match=1&terms=Suzanne%20Capper https://www.newspapers.com/image/804903275/?match=1&terms=Suzanne%20Capper https://www.newspapers.com/image/819771054/?match=1&terms=Suzanne%20Capper https://www.newspapers.com/image/260286579/?match=1&terms=Suzanne%20Capper https://www.newspapers.com/image/718999408/?match=1&terms=Suzanne%20Capper https://www.newspapers.com/image/914588854/?match=1&terms=Suzanne%20Capper https://www.newspapers.com/image/914590083/?match=1&terms=Suzanne%20Capper https://www.newspapers.com/image/881733646/?match=1&terms=Suzanne%20Capper https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVyc4GeDMuw https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Suzanne_Capper https://confidentials.com/manchester/exclusive-20-years-on-the-suzanne-capper-case Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It was November 15, 2004, 52-year-old Peter Porco woke up like he always did: early, well before his alarm, with a few minutes to gather his thoughts in the quiet of his Delmar, New York, home. Peter was a fixture in the local legal community, serving as a state Appellate Division court clerk. Peter got out of bed, walked to the bathroom, and stood at the sink. He then made his way to the kitchen to pack his lunch for the day, just like any other workday. He always enjoyed the quiet mornings before the day started. He performed his morning routine like he always did. He started to load the dishwasher. He packed his lunch. He even wrote a check to pay a parking ticket. Peter was known as someone you could count on to be there every day, doing his job no matter what. So when Peter failed to show up to work, one of his coworkers was sent to his home to check on him. When he arrived at the Porco home, something immediately stood out. The house was eerily quiet, the blinds drawn. He tried calling the landline. No answer. He called the police. Officers arrived on the scene and approached the front door. He noticed something strange: a smear of blood on the doorknob, small droplets trailing down the porch. The front door was slightly ajar. With a sense of dread, Officers opened the door. And that’s when he saw it. Peter Porco was on the ground, his face covered in blood and his eyes wide open. Peter was dead. Join Cam and Jen on this episode of Our True Crime Podcast entitled ‘Family Ties, Killer Lies: The Murder of Peter Porco.’ Listener discretion by @octoberpodVHS All music is by our editing team @theinkypawprint Sources: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/the-porco-murder-did-a-college-student-take-an-ax-to-his-parents/ https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0911062/ https://www.timesunion.com/porco/ https://abcnews.com/US/LegalCenter/story?id=2179489&page=1 https://cbs6albany.com/news/local/christopher-porcos-bid-to-overturn-conviction-in-the-hands-of-schenectady-prosecutor-albany-kindlon-bethlehem-axe-murder https://www.recordonline.com/story/news/2006/08/11/porco-guilty-ax-murder-hacking/53064979007/ https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Porcos-son-indicted-578542.php https://www.spotlightnews.com/news/2006/07/20/jurors-see-video-of-yellow-jeep-leaving-campus/ https://www.spotlightnews.com/news/2006/08/11/jury-delivers-quick-verdict-porco-mom-absent/ https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/ax-murderer-Christopher-Porco-new-lawyer-17705959.php https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QK_5DMwS20Y https://web.archive.org/web/20070205100216/http://www.cbs6albany.com/sections/news/porco/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Pc8B9PQ0To http://www.dailygazette.com/news/2012/dec/05/porco-case-grist-tv-movie-drama https://www.spotlightnews.com/news/2006/12/12/christopher-porco-gets-maximum-sentence-convicted/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This month's special, Cam and Jen talk with Jenny from It's Murder Up North. Her podcast covers crimes from the north of England; everything from the obscure to the infamous. In 1986, Diane Sindall's van ran out of gas, and she set off on foot to find a gas station. Her body was found in an alley. She had been sexually assaulted and beaten to death. Peter Sullivan was convicted of Diane's murder the following year. In 2023, DNA from the crime scene was tested and exonerated Sullivan as Diane's murderer. He was finally released from prison in 2025. Leaving Diane Sindall's murder unsolved and Peter Sullivan as one of the UK's longest wrongful imprisonment cases. Jenny did want us to mention that Sullivan had been diagnosed with the mental age of a ten-year-old, but she misspoke; she was thinking of the case she is working on currently. A psychologist said that Peter is "suggestible" and has a "limited intellectual capacity." Please make sure to subscribe to Jenny's podcast, It's Murder Up North. Her 10-part series of the White Farm House Murders is fantastic. Listener Discretion by Edward Octoberpod from Octoberpod AM Editing and music by Nico & Jesse from The Inky Paw Print Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For many young travelers, a gap year is a chance to explore, to grow, to feel free. For Grace Millane, it was all of that and more. She had already crossed continents, shared daily memories with her family, and embraced every moment of her journey. But in Auckland, New Zealand, a simple date would mark the beginning of her final known hours. When Grace suddenly went silent, those closest to her knew something wasn’t right. As investigators retraced her steps, a chilling picture began to emerge, one that would leave an entire country asking how something like this could happen. If you or someone you love is experiencing domestic abuse, you’re not alone. Help is available through the following numbers In the United States National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or text 8878 In the UK 0808 2000 247 In Australia 1800 737 732 or text 0458 737 792 In South Africa 0800 150 150 If you would like to donate to the charities mentioned in this episode: Visit Love Grace at https://www.lovegrace.co.uk/ to donate https://www.lovegrace.co.uk/donate Visit the White Ribbon Campaign at https://www.lovegrace.co.uk/donate A huge Thank You to our team: Listener Discretion by Edward October Research & Writing by Lauretta Allen Executive Producers Nico & Jesse of The Inky Pawprint https://theinkypawprint.com Sources: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/nov/07/grace-millane-trial-cctv-footage-shows-uk-backpackers-final-hours https://www.the-sun.com/news/32364/grace-millane-inside-blood-stained-hotel-room-where-brit-backpacker-was-strangled-to-death-by-tinder-date/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Grace_Millane https://youtu.be/QSwuN4pgTmw?si=53XtPF74rqZx7xOG https://youtu.be/uP3lSc3jwMw?si=0Wk5cYYmBf7-UmG7 https://youtu.be/qvrTGrQZtSs?si=iBoAQ78eM30ewGXq Faking It: Season 1 Episode 1 https://www.newspapers.com/image/1125339782/?match=1&terms=%22Grace%20Millane%22 https://www.newspapers.com/image/1135744594/?match=1&terms=%22Grace%20Millane%22 https://www.newspapers.com/image/1133440647/?match=1&terms=%22Grace%20Millane%22 https://www.newspapers.com/image/1126113738/?match=1&terms=%22Grace%20Millane%22 https://www.newspapers.com/image/1217485915/?match=1&terms=%22Grace%20Millane%22 https://www.newspapers.com/image/1217485905/?match=1&terms=%22Grace%20Millane%22 (rough sex article) https://www.newspapers.com/image/1126158104/?match=1&terms=%22Grace%20Millane%22 https://www.newspapers.com/image/1126153960/?match=1&terms=%22Grace%20Millane%22 https://www.newspapers.com/image/1159276964/?match=1&terms=%22Grace%20Millane%22 https://www.newspapers.com/image/1137086337/?match=1&terms=%22Grace%20Millane%22 https://www.newspapers.com/image/512871617/?match=1&terms=%22Grace%20Millane%22 https://www.newspapers.com/image/1217468266/?match=1&terms=%22Grace%20Millane%22 https://www.newspapers.com/image/1217353512/?match=1&terms=%22Grace%20Millane%22 https://www.newspapers.com/image/1137052189/?match=1&terms=%22Grace%20Millane%22 https://www.newspapers.com/image/1133183143/?match=1&terms=%22Grace%20Millane%22 https://www.newspapers.com/image/1128428887/?match=1&terms=%22Grace%20Millane%22 https://www.newspapers.com/image/1126025057/?match=1&terms=%22Grace%20Millane%22 https://scholarlycommons.law.northwestern.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=6628&context=jclc https://historyandpolicy.org/policy-papers/papers/the-rough-sex-defence-lessons-from-history/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices