In June 1961 , JD and Utha Welch packed up their car, their four young sons, and headed west from Oklahoma to visit family in California. It was supposed to be a simple road trip — a summer memory in the making. But one quiet night near Seligman, Arizona, while the boys slept in a canvas pup tent, JD and Utha were gunned down in cold blood as they rested in their car. The boys woke up as orphans. In this tragic episode, we explore the mysterious murders that shattered a family on the side of Route 66 — and the long road to identifying James Abner Bentley , a violent drifter with a chilling trail of crimes behind him. We unravel the investigation, the break in the case, and why — despite compelling evidence — Bentley was never tried for the Welch murders. Featuring quotes from those who knew the case best, courtroom drama, and the shocking behavior of Bentley during his sanity trial, this episode dives deep into a brutal killing that’s been overshadowed by time — and the four boys who survived it.

In 1986, Tina and Karen Bowen were just teenage girls when their mother passed away from cancer. Not long after, strange things started happening in their home. Knocking from inside the walls. Furniture moved. Objects disappeared. Messages scrawled in red across the bedroom walls: 💬 “I’m in your room. Come and find me.” The girls thought maybe—just maybe—it was their mother trying to reach them from beyond. But what they were dealing with wasn’t a ghost. It was a monster.

In this chilling episode of Hard Times and True Crimes, we dive deep into the twisted tale of Charles Schmid, the manipulative and charismatic serial killer who terrorized the young women of Tucson, Arizona, during the 1960s. Known as the Pied Piper of Tucson, Schmid lured teenage girls with his Elvis-like charm, eerie makeup, and bizarre swagger - only to reveal a monstrous dark side.  We unravel the disappearances and murders of Alleen Rowe, Gretchen Fritz, and Wendy Fritz, and the disturbing silence of the friends and followers who knew his secrets.

In 1958, 30-year-old nurse Olga Duncan vanished from her Santa Barbara apartment. She was newly married, seven months pregnant, and full of hope for the future. But what no one could’ve imagined was that the person behind her disappearance wasn’t a stranger… it was someone much closer to home. This week on Hard Times & True Crimes, we tell the heartbreaking story of Olga Duncan — and the chilling, manipulative woman who plotted her murder: her mother-in-law, Elizabeth Ann Duncan.

In 1974, the quiet town of Searcy, Arkansas, was shaken by the shocking murder of Fern Rodgers, the wife of local physician Dr. Porter Rodgers. What seemed like a tragic crime soon unraveled as more information came to light that implicated not one, not two, but three suspects.  If you love Southern true crime, mysteries, and small-town scandals, this episode is for you! #truecrime #ArkansasMurders #SearcyArkansas #SouthernGothic

🔎 Episode Summary: Truck stops, open highways, and a killer hiding in plain sight—Sean Patrick Goble was a long-haul trucker with a dark secret. 🚚💀 In the early 1990s, Goble crisscrossed the country, using his job as a cover to prey on vulnerable women leading to multiple murders. But what led to his capture? And could there be more victims authorities have yet to uncover? 🤔 In this episode of Hard Times and True Crimes, we dive into the chilling case of Sean Goble, the trucker-turned-serial-killer whose crimes spanned Virginia, Tennessee, and North Carolina in the 1990s. We’ll explore his known victims, the investigation that brought him down. 🔍 What You’ll Learn in This Episode: ✅ How Goble used his trucking job to target victims ✅ The details of his known crimes and how authorities linked him to multiple murders ✅ The forensic evidence that led to his arrest 🔬 ✅ The theories surrounding additional potential victims

Episode Summary: In this episode of Hard Times & True Crimes, we take you back to Gaffney, South Carolina, a small Southern town known for its peaches, its mill-town roots… and one of the most chilling murder sprees in state history. Between 1967 and 1968, the community was terrorized by a man who became known as The Gaffney Strangler—Lee Roy Martin. Martin preyed on girls and young women, leaving behind a trail of fear and devastation. But his capture? That’s a Southern story all on its own. And today, we’re not just telling you the story of the man who held an entire town hostage in fear—we’re also diving into a classic Southern dish that’s as much a part of Gaffney’s history as this dark chapter.