Poisoning Episodes

In November 1978, more than 900 people died in Jonestown, Guyana, in one of the darkest tragedies in modern history. At the center of it all was Jim Jones, the charismatic and deeply manipulative leader of the Peoples Temple. In this episode of Hard Times & True Crimes, we take a look at Jim Jones, the rise of the People's Temple, the move to Jonestown, and the disturbing events that unfolded on November 18, 1978. We'll explore how Jones gained power over his followers, the warning signs that were missed, the visit from Congressman Leo Ryan, and how a community that had once been presented as a utopian experiment became the scene of a mass death that shocked the world.

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?

On June 1896, Ceely Rose poisoned her family with arsenic because they wouldn't let her see or speak the name of their neighbor, Guy Berry. Her father, David, died within a week of being poisoned. Walter, her brother, died within two weeks and Rebecca, her mother, lived for a month before getting a second dose and then dying. Listen to hear the whole story. Male Narrator-Curtis Hildreth Music-Isaiah Hildreth Sources: The Ceely Rose Murders at Malabar Farm By Ma...

The seaside town of Brighton, England had a string of poisonings in the late 1870's. The victims became severely sick after eating chocolate cream candies from a local sweet shop owned by J. G. Maynard. Mr. Maynard rid his shop of the chocolate inventory, but townsfolk continued getting sick and one young boy died after eating a piece of the offending candy. Investigators were stumped until the town doctor reluctantly came forward with information that helped shed light on the po...

In 1966 a father in Georgia died suddenly from an apparent heart attack. He was just 39 years old. Just seven months later his 13-year-old son became sick suddenly and passed away within a short time. Mysterious deaths continued until people became suspicious of the true cause of so many deaths in one family. Narrator: Curtis Hildreth Intro and Outro Music: Isaiah Hildreth Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janie_Lou_Gibbs https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/60588446/janie-lou-gibbs https:...

If you were a child of the 70's and 80's , did your parents ever check your Halloween candy for poison or razor blades? If so, rumors surrounding the story in today's episode might have had something to do with that. Music by Isaiah Hildreth Male Narrator Curtis Hildreth Sources newspapers.com findagrave.com https://www.aetv.com/real-crime/the-man-who-killed-halloween https://www.investigationdiscovery.com/crimefeed/murder/candyman-poisoned-halloween-can...

In 1967 James Joseph Richardson was accused of poisoning to death all seven of his children. Without a shred of evidence he was convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to death. Years later, shocking new evidence would come to light that would clear his name and point directly to another suspect. Listen to find out what happened to James Richardson. Music by Isaiah Hildreth Male Narrator: Curtis Hildreth Sources: Documentary: Time Simply Passes Arcadia Revisited - The Story of James J...

Velma Barfield had America torn between justice and mercy. Was she a repentant murderer or an unrelenting master-manipulator? Send us a text Support the show hardtimesandtruecrimes.com buymeacoffee.com/hardtimesTC

Velma Barfield was a beloved mother, grandmother and Sunday school teacher. She was also a master manipulator and serial killer. Send us a text Support the show hardtimesandtruecrimes.com buymeacoffee.com/hardtimesTC

In 1952 Earle Dennison visited her favorite three year old niece. She gave her poison under the guise of a treat. This led to discovering the killer aunt's dark and murderous past. Send us a text Support the show hardtimesandtruecrimes.com buymeacoffee.com/hardtimesTC