Serial Killers Episodes
July 8, 2025
105. North Carolina's First Serial Killer: The Chilling Confession of Asbury Respus
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 ...
May 28, 2025
102. Murder On Route 66: The Welch Family Tragedy
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 …
March 19, 2025
96. A True Crime Mystery Solved: The Murders of Aundria Bowman and Kathleen Doyle
In this gripping episode of Hard Times and True Crimes, we uncover the hauntingly intertwined stories of Aundria Bowman and Kathleen Doyle - two women connected by tragedy and a ruthless predator who evaded justice for decade...
March 5, 2025
94.Sean Patrick Goble: The Serial Killer Truck Driver
🔎 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 h…
Feb. 26, 2025
93. The Gaffney Strangler: Murder, Mystery and Sweet Potato Pone in South Carolina
🔊 Narrator: Curtis Hildreth 🎼 Music by: Isaiah Hildreth 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. Betwe…
Oct. 2, 2024
75. A Murder Farm in Quiet Dell, West Virginia
In August 1931, police were investigating the disappearances of Asta Eicher and her three children. They found love letters, which led them to a man named Harry Powers in Quiet Dell, West Virginia. Nespresso Vertuo Amazon Lin...
Aug. 28, 2024
71. Peggy Carr- A Polk County Murder
The 1988 murder of 41 year old Peggy Carr is one of the most bizarre crimes in Polk County Florida history. Music by Isaiah Hildreth Narrator-Curtis Hildreth Sources newspapers.com Poison Mind : The True Story of the Mensa Mu...
Aug. 28, 2024
71. Peggy Carr - A Polk County Murder Mystery
41 year old Peggy Carr fell sick with a mysterious illness that doctors couldn't explain in October of 1988. You don't want to miss this real life murder mystery that took place in Polk County Florida. Music by Curtis Hildret...
June 11, 2024
63. The Ceely Rose Murders
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…
May 29, 2024
61. The Bitter Blood Murders Pt. 2
On June 3, 1985, police cautiously pursued a Chevy Blazer with four passengers. A slow chase had persisted for several miles-- from Greensboro into Summerfield, North Carolina. Suddenly, the Blazer stopped and a bomb was de...
May 21, 2024
60. The Bitter Blood Murders Pt.1
In the years between 1984 and 1985, three intertwined families experienced the murders of close family members. The murders spanned from Louisville, Kentucky to Winston Salem and Greensboro, NC. Susie Newsome Lynch and Fritz...
April 24, 2024
57: The Bloody Benders: Homicidal Homesteaders
As Westward expansion began in the US after the Civil War, homesteaders staked land claims across the plains. One family set up a crude store and Inn along the trail, taking advantage of the location where many a weary travel...
March 19, 2024
52. Father Hans Schmidt: A Killer Priest
Today's episode is about the life and crimes of Father Hans Schmidt. He was executed in 1916 for murder. Schmidt is the only priest ever to be executed in the United States. Music- Isaiah Hildreth Male Narrator- Curtis Hildreth Sources newspapers.com murderpedia wikipediahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wi…
Feb. 14, 2024
47. A Valentine from Belle Gunness
Belle Gunness also known as Hell's Princess was a pig farmer in the early 1900's. She posted help wanted and lonely hearts ads in newspapers--luring men to their deaths with promises of love and wealth. Music By Isaiah Hildreth Male Narrator Curtis Hildreth Sources: newspapers.com Hell's Princess: …
Jan. 10, 2024
43. The Crimes of Georgia Tann
Georgia Tann was a social worker whose crimes spanned three decades from the 1920s to 1950. What appeared to be benevolence on her part was actually greed and downright evil that affected many families during those years. She...
Dec. 19, 2023
41. Janie Gibbs: The Serial Killing Mother
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 conti...
Oct. 17, 2023
34. "Countess Dracula" - Elizabeth Bathory
Countess Elizabeth Bathory is in The Guinness Book of World Records for being the most prolific serial killer in the western world. She is alleged to have killed more than 600 virgins in order to drink their blood and bathe ...
Oct. 11, 2023
33. The Austrian Angels of Death
Beginning in 1983, a group of four nurse aides began a killing spree that lasted for over six years. It began with a "mercy killing" but soon escalated into murder. The mastermind of the group came up with horrendous methods...
June 15, 2023
17. Wineville Chicken Coop Murders Pt 2
In 1928, twenty-one year old serial killer Gordon Northcott stalked the streets of Los Angeles and the surrounding areas looking for young boys to lure back to his chicken farm. Darlene and Melody tell his victims' stories...
June 8, 2023
16. Wineville Chicken Coop Murders Pt. 1
In part one Darlene and Melody discuss the disappearance of Walter Collins. On March 8, 1928 Christine Collins was called in to work for a few hours at her job as a telephone operator. Her son, nine year old Walter Collin...
Jan. 5, 2023
5. Velma Barfield / Death Row Granny Pt.2
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
Dec. 22, 2022
3. Killer Aunt Earle Dennison
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 hardti...