In this episode of Hard Times & True Crimes, we take a deep dive into a local Randolph County case that captured the community's attention - the trial of Heather Auman, accused in the death of her husband, MJ, a local firefighter. After attending the trial in person, we walk you through the case from beginning to end - starting with the events leading up to that day at the lake, the 911 call, and the questions that quickly followed. Heather claimed that MJ died by suicide. But as investigators began to examine the scene, and as testimony unfolded in court, a different narrative began to emerge. This episode is based on testimony, evidence, and firsthand observations from inside the courtroom.#JusticeforMJ
In this special Christmas episode of Hard Times and True Crimes, we examine one of the most disturbing crimes in American history: The kidnapping and murder of Marion Parker in Los Angeles in 1927. In December 1927, Los Angeles was rocked by the kidnapping and murder of Marion Parker, a crime so horrific it dominated national headlines and left a permanent mark on American true crime history. This episode explores the details of the crime, the historical context of 1920s Los Angeles, and why the Marion Parker murder continues to haunt true crime history nearly a century later - especially during a season associated with family, innocence, and hope. Listener discretion is advised.
In 2023, Erin Patterson sat down to lunch with her in-laws. A fatal family lunch in rural Australia. A handful of mushrooms. Three deaths. One survivor. And a woman at the center of a case that grabbed the world's attention almost overnight. In this episode, we break down the 2023 Erin Patterson Australia mushroom poisoning case step-by-step - the timeline, the medical findings, the early interviews, the evidence released so far, and why investigators believe this incident is anything but ordinary. From the quiet town of Leongatha to global headlines, this is the full story of the case that left a community stunned and the world asking the same question: what really happened during that deadly meal? Was it truly a tragic accident or planned evil?
Episode Summary: In our Halloween special, we step into the dark history of women’s mental health in early 20th-century America. Two women — Catherine Ward and Carrie Selvage — entered the asylum system from different directions. One commited a horrific crime. One guilty of nothing. Both lives ended tragically. We explore how fear, misunderstanding, and limited medical knowledge shaped their fates. Themes Included: • Asylums — hope vs. harm • Postpartum mental health • Trauma and “nervo...
🎙️ In this episode, we uncover the chilling truth behind The Amityville Horror — separating fact from fiction in one of America’s most infamous stories. Long before the bestselling book and Hollywood movies, there was a real tragedy inside 112 Ocean Avenue: the DeFeo family murders.Join us as we explore what really happened that night in Amityville, New York — the crime, the haunting that followed, and how a story of horror became a pop-culture phenomenon. Was the house truly cursed, or was it all a hoax?Listen now to discover the real Amityville Horror story and decide for yourself.
On our latest episode we tell about a tragic event in the history of westward expansion. The Donner Party, named for brothers George and Jacob Donner, and included the James Reed family, made some vital mistakes as they took their families across th…

Melody, married to Tim for over three decades, has spent the bulk of her parenting years homeschooling her five children, while simultaneously working a side hustle or two. She became interested in true crime as a teen after discovering a local author's books at the library. Her love of reading, writing, and murder mysteries converged when she met Darlene and they discovered their mutual desire to produce a podcast telling true crime stories. Since she is the "Type-A" personality in the partnership, she takes care of the filing, back-ups, and techie stuff. This also involves trying to keep Darlene organized and on track while they try out her rather creative and impressive ideas.

Darlene loves Southern culture, history and a good story! For her fifteenth birthday, her G-pa gifted her an Encyclopedia of Serial Killers. She owes her fascination of psychology, true crime and fear of the dark to him.
Darlene has been married to her husband ( the narrator) for twenty-five years. They have four children together. They've spent the majority of the past twenty-six years homeschooling and learning how to parent. Just as they were getting the parenting thing figured out, three of the four grew up. This year Curtis and Darlene were blessed with two daughters-in-law and their first grand baby.
Darlene is a true-crime podcast fan as well. As much as she loves to hear good stories, she loves to tell them! Hosting and creating this podcast is a dream come true for her.