Historical True Crime Episodes

In 1948, eleven-year-old Sally Horner was kidnapped by Frank La Salle after he pretended to be an FBI agent and threatened to send her to reform school. For twenty-one months, he took her across the country, convincing others she was his daughter while she endured manipulation, isolation, and abuse. Although Sally was eventually rescued, her story was largely forgotten—even as another name became famous.

In this episode, we discuss The Devil in Pew Number 7 by Rebecca Nichols Alonzo, a powerful true story set in rural North Carolina that explores tragedy, faith, fear, and forgiveness. We dive into the shocking events that unfolded in the small community of Sellerstown, NC, the devastating impact they had on one family, and the remarkable journey that followed. This story raises difficult questions about evil, resilience, and what it really means to forgive when the unthinkable happens.

In Moore County, North Carolina, sixteen-year-old Isabel Hussey was traveling from Robbins to Asheboro. She accepted a ride from a stranger and never made it home. What began as a seemingly ordinary decision ended in a brutal murder that devastated a family and shocked the community. In this episode, we examine the life and tragic death of Isabel Hussey, the disturbing background of the man responsible, and the troubling pattern of repeat offenses that raises difficult questions about the justice system — both then and now.

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.

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...

On New Year’s Eve, 1947, Winston-Salem was still glowing with Christmas decorations when a tragedy unfolded that shocked Forsyth County and made headlines across the state of North Carolina.  Everett and Margaret Phillips were a devoted couple who waited eight years for their only child, Tommy Lee. They poured their lives into him, indulging him with love, music, and opportunity. But when young love, secrets, and defiance collided, the results were catastrophic.

In the early 1950s, the quiet community then known as Fuquay Springs - today's Fuquay-Varina in Wake County, North Carolina - was shaken by the violent killing of Dr. Cozart, a respected local physician. His sudden death stunned the town and left behind questions that linger more than a century later. In this episode, we revisit the case of Dr. Cozart's murder, exploring the historical records, the small-town setting, and the community impact of a crime that occurred when Fuquay was sti...

In July of 1906, Rowan County, North Carolina, was shaken by one of the most brutal crimes in state history. Isaac Lyerly, his wife Augusta, and two of their young children were murdered in their farmhouse near Barber Junction. Bludgeoned with the family’s own axe and left in a fire meant to destroy the evidence, the crime horrified Salisbury and quickly drew national attention. Three of the surviving Lyerly sisters escaped the burning home, carrying their wounded sister Alice to safety, only...

In the warm summer of 1955, Judge Curtis Chillingworth, Florida’s youngest ever circuit judge and a man known for his fairness would vanish from his beachside cottage in Manalapan, just south of West Palm Beach. His wife, Marjorie, disappeared with him.  Footprints led to the sea and never came back. What followed was one of Florida’s most shocking  true crime cases: a tale of organized corruption, political ambition, and backroom rackets. The judge had made powerful enemies because he didn’t bend the law for anyone. This episode of Hard Times and True Crimes digs into the Chillingworth legacy, the dangerous underground justice system of 1950s Florida, and how one murder unraveled an entire network of dirty power. If you love true crime stories steeped in Southern history, old Florida glamor, and morally complex characters, this is one you won’t want to miss.

In this special mini-episode, we revisit 102. Murder on Route 66: The Welch Family Tragedy with a surprising update. The link to the original episode is in the show notes below. One of the individuals directly connected to the original case recently reached out to share his personal account - a version of events that includes powerful and deeply personal claims involving details not known to the public. While we don't claim to validate or endorse these elements, we believe every voice matt...

In 1931, a little girl named Vera Leonard vanished while waiting for the school bus in Guilford County, NC. Hours later, her body was found in the ashes of her burned-down home. The man arrested—“Will Moore”—turned out to be an escaped convict named Asbury Respus, who would go on to confess not only to Vera’s murder but to as many as nine others across North Carolina. Some of his confessions were confirmed. Others remain unverified. Asbury Respus became North Carolina’s first known serial killer...

In 1949, deep in the Smoky Mountains of Sevier County, Tennessee, a savage double murder shattered the stillness of a quiet Appalachian community. Charlie Perry—a former Knoxville bootlegger turned tourist camp owner—and his longtime housekeeper, Josie Law, were brutally killed in their home at Perry’s Camp, a rustic riverside lodge in Flat Branch Hollow. Charlie had been tortured—his body bearing the marks of cruelty before the final blow was delivered. Josie was slain trying to defend him. Th...

There is an UPDATE on this story, which we recorded as a bonus/MINI episode. It is linked below in the show notes. 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 Be…

Show Notes: 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. Daniel L...

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 ...

📍 Episode Summary: 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...

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 Hosts: Melody Gwyn and Darlene Hildreth Narrator: Curtis Hildre...

Episode Summary: On Valentine’s Day 1971, a young couple Jesse McBane and Patricia Mann vanished after a romantic night in Durham, North Carolina. Days later, their bound and strangled bodies were discovered deep in the woods. Their deaths were no accident—this was a meticulously staged murder. Over 50 years later, the case remains unsolved. Who was behind this horrific crime, and why have investigators struggled to bring justice to Jesse and Patricia? Join us as we unravel the chilling...

On Christmas Eve in 1881, the bodies of three teenagers were found in a burning house. The brutal way in which they were killed would shock the country. Listen to the conclusion of the story on this episode. Music By Riley Hildreth Sources: https://sites.rootsweb.com/~kycarter/journals/neal_craft_murder.htm The Story of the First Hanging in Carter County by Glen R. Haney findagrave.com newspapers.com The Ashland Tragedy: Murder, a Mob and a Militia in Kentucky by H E Joe Castle and J. M. Huff F...

On Christmas Eve in 1881, the bodies of three teenagers were found in a burning house in Ashland, Kentucky. The brutal way that they died would shock not only the community, but the entire nation. Music by Isaiah and Riley Hildreth Sources: findagrave.com wikipedia.com The Ashland Tragedy: MURDER, A MOB & A MILITIA IN KENTUCKY by Joe Castle and JM Huff Fresh Hell Podcast https://sites.rootsweb.com/~kycarter/journals/neal_craft_murder.htm Send us a text Support the show hardtimesandtruecrimes.c...

On Thanksgiving Eve in 1930 , a dairy farming family of four were brutally murdered. Their deaths shocked the nation. Ninety-five years later, the murders are still unsolved. Listen to the episode to see if you think you know who the killer is. Male Narrator: Curtis Hildreth Music: Isaiah Hildreth Sources: findagrave.com newspapers.com modernfarmer.com The Germond Family Murders: A Scientific Conclusion to a Cold Case by Vincent Cookingham PHD Old Timey Crimey Podcast Between the Cracks Podcas...

With the discovery of radium by the Curies in 1898, great strides were made in the scientific field. Along with the possibilities were risks not yet known. One of the inventions - luminous paint- made painting watch dials big business in the early 1900s. But within two decades the dangers were coming to light. Sources: Narrator: Curtis Hildreth Intro and Outro Music: Isaiah Hildreth Sound Effect Music: Radium Dance - Composer: Schwartz, Jean , Victor Dance Orchestra. Public Domain: Recorded Sou...

In 1973 a movie opened in theaters that scared the nation - The Exorcist. But you may not be aware that it was based on true events that took place in 1949. Billy Graham urged audiences not to see it due to its depiction of evil, but audiences continued to flock to see it for its scare factor. These are the details of what happened and the truth is scarier than fiction. Intro and Outro Music: Isaiah Hildreth Narrator: Curtis Hildreth Sources: O'Reilly, B., & Dugard, M. (2023). Killing the Witc...

A rocky marriage, a controlling husband, an estranged wife, and alcohol addiction; a destructive combination that led down a deadly path and ultimately ended in tragedy for several families. Narrator: Curtis Hildreth Intro and Outro Music: Isaiah Hildreth Sources: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-4948199 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carthage_nursing_home_shooting https://www.newspapers.com/image/960980039/?match=1&terms=Wanda%20Neal https://www.newspapers.com/image/632593184/?match=1&terms=Wanda%2...