
Episode 561: “Jolly Jane” Toppan: Angel of Mercy (Part 2)
6 May 2024 - 1 hour 4 mins explicitConsidered among the first (and certainly the most prolific) American female serial killers and so-called angels of mercy, Jane Toppan’s killing spree went unnoticed for more than fifteen years, as she transitioned from one hospital to another, leaving an unprecedented trail of carnage in her wake. Jane was finally arrested in 1901, after killing the entire family of a man for whom she’d been hired to provide care. The arrest and trial were a sensation, as murder and cruelty were a direct contradiction of the norms and standards long relied upon to define American womanhood.
Thank you to the amazing Dave White of Bring me the Axe Podcast for research!
References
Boston Globe. 1902. "Agre...

The Kidnapping of J. Paul Getty III
explicitThroughout the twentieth century, few names loomed as large in the business and financial worlds as John Paul Getty. Once the richest man in the world, Getty made his fortune in the oil industry and an avid art collector, with a massive collection that served as a basis for the Getty Museum, the wealthiest museum in the world.
1 hour 21 mins
20 October Finished

The Wyrick Family Haunting
explicitWhen Andy and Lisa Wyrick moved into their new home in Georgia in 1989, the young couple thought they’d lucked out when they finally found a place they could afford. Within a few months, however, Andy and Lisa started noticing strange behavior in their three-year-old daughter, Heidi, and soon after, the Wyricks were forced to face the fact that they might not be alone in the house.
1 hour 1 min
16 October Finished

Esther Cox and the Great Amherst Mystery
explicitIn the summer of 1878, eighteen-year-old Esther Cox was assaulted at gunpoint by a male acquaintance, leaving the Nova Scotia teenager traumatized and afraid. In the days that followed, Esther and those with whom she shared a house in rural Amherst began to notice unusual things occurring around the house including knocking on the walls and floors, objects flying around the house, and Esther suffering frequent seizures without any apparent cause.
1 hour 5 mins
13 October Finished

October Bonus Episode - Corpse Medicine: Tomb to Table
explicitWeirdos! It's our SECOND BONUS EPISODE!!! This month, Ash is ready to give you a dose of corpse medicine! From mummy dust & king's drops to blood jam & human fat poultices, this month's bonus covers the weird remedies of yesteryear that will make you PRAISE modern medicine!
51 mins
10 October Finished

The Dartmouth College Murders
explicitOn the evening of January 27, 2001, Roxana Verona arrived at the Etna, NH home of her friends Half and Susanne Zantop for a dinner the couple had planned with friends that night. When no one answered the door, Verona entered the home and found the brutalized bodies of Half and Susanne, both dead from multiple stab wounds.
1 hour 20 mins
9 October Finished

Forensics, Fiction, and the Fine Line Between Them: A Sit Down with Patricia Cornwell
explicitWeirdos! Today we are joined by legendary crime novelist Patricia Cornwell, the mastermind behind the Kay Scarpetta series and one of the pioneers of the forensic thriller genre! Whether you’re a longtime Scarpetta stan or newly forensic-curious, this episode is packed with morbid stories, writing wisdom, and bone-deep passion for the truth!
1 hour 16 mins
6 October Finished