Join host Ryan Kraus for an introduction to his new podcast: Rock Bottom Rising https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rock-bottom-rising/id1717006062 If you would like to assist Ryan in his fight against homelessness, please visit the links below with your donation. Thank you! PayPal.Me/RyanKraus411 https://www.patreon.com/coldcasemm

If you would like to assist Ryan Kraus in his journey to overcome homelessness, please visit the links below: PayPal.Me/RyanKraus411 patreon.com/coldcasemm

Join host Ryan Kraus for an update about the future of the show. This podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. To get 10% off your first month, go to betterhelp.com/ccmm.

March 8, 2014. Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 departs Kuala Lumpur in the darkness of night, heading for Beijing. It suddenly disappears from radar, and is never seen or heard from again. Nearly a decade later, the mystery of where it went and what happened next to the 227 passengers and 12 crew members onboard remains a mystery. Join host Ryan Kraus for a strange journey through the psychology of the event as we seek to uncover the truth.     

It's the night of November 16, 1957. In the aftermath of Bernice Worden's murder, law enforcement enters the home of suspect Ed Gein to search the premises for evidence related to the local businesswoman's disappearance. What they discovered inside the reclusive bachelor's dilapidated farmhouse, however, was nearly unspeakable, a sight so terrifying and disturbing that it changed the landscape of American culture forever. Join host Ryan Kraus for the conclusion to the Ed Gein series as we tour the contents of his home in an effort to extract the psychological narrative lurking within his evil logic. This podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. To get 10% off your first month, go to betterhelp.com/ccmm.  

In the aftermath of Ed Gein's mother dying, his loneliness drives him into a psychosis in which he is going to try to satisfy both his need to be with another woman and her demand that he never does such a thing, leading to a horrific abomination of romantic love between a man and a woman. This podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. To get 10% off your first month, go to betterhelp.com/ccmm.

Join host Ryan Kraus for the third installment in the Ed Gein series as we delve into the fascinating, yet disturbing psychology inherent within his adolescent upbringing in which Ed's unrequited childhood affections for Mother suddenly boil over into a sexually charged adulthood that leaves him desperate and alone without her, inspiring the legendary character Norman Bates from the film Psycho and TV show Bates Motel. 

Haunted by troubled pasts, young married couple George and Augusta unleash their demons upon each other and their sons, Henry and Eddie, foreshadowing the house of horrors their infamous home would one day become. Join me as we examine the formation of the devastating emotional wounds that led to the creation of a child destined to commit unspeakable acts. This podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. To get 10% off your first month, go to betterhelp.com/ccmm.

Sergeant Jill Evans is a small-town cop in Wales with an impressive record in her job, and a less than impressive record in her love life. After three engagements, two divorces and one affair, she’s beginning to worry that love is only true in fairy tales. That is until she meets: Dean. He’s a wealthy beauty entrepreneur with his own range of toiletries. Girl meets boy. Boy meets girl. They kiss and fall in love. Roll credits. But that would be boring, wouldn’t it? Instead, this is a love story like no other. It’s all going so well for Jill and Dean, until Halloween night, when Dean disappears. And Sgt. Jill is left to pick up the pieces. From Wondery and Novel, comes a new series. Hosted by Kerry Godliman. Follow Stolen Hearts on Amazon Music of wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen early and ad-free by subscribing to Wondery+ in Apple Podcasts or the Wondery App.  Listen to Stolen Hearts: Wondery.fm/SH_CCMM

Join host Ryan Kraus for the introductory episode in a series examining the harrowing psychology lurking behind the life and crimes of the Butcher of Plainfield, Ed Gein. In preparation for examining the events to come, we'll first break down Gein's disturbing and irrational logic that led him to inspiring a number of legendary horror film villains, from Norman Bates to Leatherface.      

Join host Ryan Kraus for a strange psychological journey into the circumstances surrounding the stabbing death of 27-year-old school teacher Ellen Greenberg as we endeavor to answer one pertinent question: suicide or murder?

The most difficult part of examining true crime is often the gruesome, fatal injuries associated with extreme physical violence, but beneath those gratuitous offerings of gore lies a deeply enlightening and fascinating emotional context that tells us everything we need to know about the pain the killer felt inside psychologically, and why he transferred that horrific and prolonged suffering to the unsuspecting victims. Join host Ryan Kraus for a neurodivergent journey through our evolutionary narrative as we endeavor to understand why a murderer chooses a particular method or weapon in the act of killing. This podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. To get 10% off your first month, go to betterhelp.com/ccmm.

Sheree Warren left her job in Salt Lake City on a mild October evening in 1985. She told a coworker she was headed to meet her estranged husband, Charles Warren, at a car dealership. But she never made it, Sheree vanished. When her car mysteriously surfaced weeks later, hundreds of miles away in Las Vegas, no one could say how it got there. When a young mother disappears under unexplained circumstances, police always turn suspicious eyes towards the husband. And although there was distrust around Charles Warren, he wasn’t the only suspect when Sheree went missing. She also had a boyfriend, a former cop named Cary Hartmann, who lived a sinister double life. Season three follows two suspects– men who both raised suspicion for investigators. But with two strong persons of interest with competing facts and evidence, it muddied the murder investigation. This season, host Dave Cawley, digs into the lives of these two men, the details of the case and examines the intersections between domestic abuse and sexual violence. The COLD team seeks to answer the question: what really happened to Sheree Warren? Listen to COLD: The search for Sheree, early and ad-free by subscribing to Wondery Plus in Apple Podcasts or the Wondery app: https://wondery.app.link/cold_ccm

A fascinating journey through the psychological implications lurking beneath the explicit motivations and actions of Idaho Murders suspect Bryan Kohberger. This show is sponsored by BetterHelp. Visit betterhelp.com/ccmm today to get 10% off your first month.

On the evening of February 12, 1971, in Durham, NC, young lovers Jesse McBane and Pat Mann left a Valentine's dance and parked at a local "lovers' lane" spot called the Croasdaile Hotel, but never arrived home later that night. The next day, Jesse's car was found abandoned, and soon after a local worker discovered their bodies when he saw Pat's leg sticking out from a pile of leaves underneath a tree three miles away. To this day, however, the case remains unsolved. Join host Ryan Kraus for an evolutionary and psychological breakdown of the crime scene and circumstances in an effort to understand who the killer was, and why he did it. This podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. To get 10% off your first month, go to betterhelp.com/ccmm.

Join host Ryan Kraus for an examination of the shocking murders of four college students near the University of Idaho in the early morning hours of November 13, 2022. This podcast is sponsored by HelloFresh. Go to hellofresh.com/ccmm18 and use code ccmm18 for 18 free meals plus free shipping! 

Join host Ryan Kraus for a short conclusion to the LISK episodes, followed by a reading of--and commentary on--the Affidavit of Probable Cause in the Delphi Murders case. This podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. To get 10% off your first month, go to betterhelp.com/ccmm.

Join host Ryan Kraus to examine the discovery of the victims' remains in the Long Island Serial Killer case. picking up where we left off in the Shannan Gilbert episode. This podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. To get 10% off your first month, go to betterhelp.com/ccmm.

Join host Ryan Kraus for a look back at some of the most sensational updates in cases throughout 2022, including the Delphi Murders, Adnan Syed, and JonBenet Ramsey, followed by a bit of motivation for making your dreams come true in the coming year. This podcast is sponsored by HelloFresh, America's #1 meal kit. Go to hellofresh.com/ccmm65 and use code ccmm65 for 65% off plus free shipping. This podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. To get 10% off your first month, go to betterhelp.com/ccmm.

Join host Ryan Kraus for a strange journey through the emotional narrative lurking beneath the mysterious disappearance and untimely death of 24-year-old sex worker Shannan Gilbert in the early morning hours of May, 1, 2010, an event which led to the discovery of multiple victims of the Long Island Serial Killer (LISK).  This podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. To get 10% off your first month, go to betterhelp.com/ccmm.

Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological breakdown of the events leading to the disappearance of college student Josh Guimond on November 9, 2002. This podcast is sponsored by Magic Mind. For a limited time, get 40% off your subscription at magicmind.co/ccmm and 20% off a one-time purchase using code CCMM20.

On the evening of September 12, 1980, lovers Roger Atkison and Rose Burkert checked into the Amana Holiday Inn in Williamsburg, IA, to kick off a weekend getaway of fun and romance. By morning, however, they would be discovered bludgeoned to death inside the room, leaving behind an enduring mystery that remains unsolved today. Sponsor: The Girl in Cabin 13 by A. J. Rivers: https://www.amazon.com/Girl-Cabin-Emma-Griffin-Mystery/dp/1658306856

Ryan Kraus is seeking your help. Please consider this quick message from the show's creator. Thank you! Cold Case Murder Mysteries homepage: www.coldcasemurdermysteries.com

Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological examination of the mysterious death of Tiffany Valiante in May's Landing, NJ, on July 12, 2015. This podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. To get 10% off your first month, go to betterhelp.com/ccmm.

On the evening of May 3, 2014, 88-year-old Russell Dermond and his 87-year-old wife, Shirley, were expected to arrive at a friend's house in their gated community along Lake Oconee in GA to watch the Kentucky Derby. When the couple never arrived, and phone calls went unanswered for days, their friends came knocking on the door. What they discovered is a baffling, gruesome mystery that no one could have seen coming... This podcast is sponsored by HelloFresh, America's #1 meal kit. Go to hellofresh.com/ccmm65 and use code ccmm65 for 65% off plus free shipping.

In the early morning hours of September 11, 2000, 8-year-old Zachary Bernhardt disappeared from a Clearwater, FL apartment when his mother went for a short walk and a swim. To this day, there has been no evidence recovered to suggest what his fate might have been, leaving many to wonder if there was ever an intruder in the home. Join host Ryan Kraus for a fascinating psychological breakdown of the events surrounding this mysterious, unsolved case. This podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. To get 10% off your first month, go to betterhelp.com/ccmm.

On the morning of November 4, 2018, 40-year-old wife and mother of five Tamla Horsford was found dead in the back yard of a friend's house in Cumming, GA, seemingly the victim of an accidental fall from a balcony during a party; however, a closer look at the scene revealed inconsistencies that left many wondering if something more sinister occurred. Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological excursion through the night of Tamla's death and the discovery of the body the next morning. This podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. To get 10% off your first month, go to betterhelp.com/ccmm.

Join host Ryan Kraus for an examination of one of the most feared men in the history of La Cosa Nostra, notoriously violent hitman and Gambino family Capo, Roy DeMeo. 

On the afternoon of December 5, 2015, 19-year-old Katelin Akens was supposed to board a flight leaving Virginia and returning home to Arizona after visiting family. Upon being dropped off at the airport, Katelin unleashed a bizarre series of texts that concerned family and friends. She hasn't been seen since. Join host Ryan Kraus for a fascinating examination of this baffling, unsolved disappearance. This podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. To get 10% off your first month, go to betterhelp.com/ccmm.

January 28, 1993. An attorney from Amarillo, TX named David Lewis tells coworkers at the firm that he's leaving because he doesn't fell well. They never saw him again. What happened after his disappearance was difficult to believe. Join host Ryan Kraus for a strange psychological journey through the enigma of a troubled man's mind in an effort to learn the truth about his intentions. This podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. For 10% off your first month, go to betterhelp.com/ccmm.

Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological excursion through the baffling, unsolved disappearance of Timmothy Pitzen, in addition to the shocking suicide of his mother, Amy Fry Pitzen, in May 2011.  

Join host Ryan Kraus for a deep dive into the harrowing psychology lurking beneath the motivations of 10-year-old child killers Robert Thompson and Jon Venables, who abducted, tortured, and murdered 2-year-old James Bulger. This podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. For 10% off your first month, go to betterhelp.com/ccmm.

On the evening of April 22, 1974, a small group of armed men entered a home audio store in Ogden, UT called the Hi-Fi Shop with the intention of stealing its inventory. By the time they left, three people were dead, and two more suffered life-threatening injuries, leaving the survivors to tell a nearly unspeakable tale about the torture and suffering that occurred within those walls. 

Join host Ryan Kraus for a strange trip through the harrowing psychological narrative lurking beneath the events leading to the death of 29-year-old model Reeva Steenkamp at the hands of her 26-year-old boyfriend, Olympic and Paralympic sprinter Oscar Pistorius. This podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. For 10% off your first month, go to betterhelp.com/ccmm. 

We all have unrealized monsters lurking in the abyss of our emotional lives, locked behind an invisible barrier, banging on the glass to break through to the other side. And sometimes they do. Join host Ryan Kraus for the conclusion to a limited series examining Frank Darabont's 2007 horror film, The Mist, which is based upon Stephen King's novella of the same name. In this episode, we'll do a comprehensive, scene-by scene psychoanalysis of the evolutionary and political narratives present in the movie. This podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. For 10% off your first month, go to betterhelp.com/ccmm.  

Join host Ryan Kraus for this introductory episode in a limited series examining our political and evolutionary systems through the conduit of Frank Darabont's 2007 horror film, The Mist, which is based upon Stephen King's novella of the same name. *Please note: The film itself will be analyzed in Part 2. Part 1 is a roadmap for the fascinating concepts we'll explore.*

Join host Ryan Kraus for part 3 of the Ryan Shtuka series as we conclude our in-depth psychological assessment of what really happened that fateful night the young man disappeared.

Join Ryan Kraus for part 2 of a limited series examining the baffling disappearance of 20-year-old Ryan Shtuka.

Join host Ryan Kraus for part 1 of the mysterious, unsolved disappearance of Ryan Shtuka, who vanished leaving a party near Sun Peaks resort in BC, Canada on the night of February 17, 2018. This podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. For 10% off your first order, go to betterhelp.com/ccmm.

Join host Ryan Kraus for the conclusion to the Tyler Davis series as we switch gears from the factual timeline and endeavor to assemble the harrowing psychological narrative lurking beneath the circumstances leading to his mysterious disappearance. This podcast is sponsored by Microdose Gummies. For free shipping and 30% off your first order, visit microdose.com and enter code CCMM.

Join host Ryan Kraus for an examination of the baffling, unsolved disappearance of 29-year-old Tyler Davis in Columbus, OH. In part 1, we retrace the events leading to the moment this young man seems to vanish into thin air, and ask what drove him to flee. This podcast is sponsored by Microdose Gummies from Lumi Labs. For 30% off your first order, visit microdose.com and enter code CCMM.

Join host Ryan Kraus for the conclusion to a limited series examining the evolutionary implications of the Mindhunter pilot episode, in which we unlock the door to the next dimension of criminal behavioral analysis, and peer into the darkness of the abyss. 

Holden Ford sets off on his journey to become the Mindhunter and enlighten his audience about criminal psychology, but his progress comes to a screeching halt when faced with a terrifying, unavoidable question staring back at him in the classroom: How do I get my audience to feel empathy for Charles Manson? This podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. Special offer for Cold Case Murder Mysteries listeners: 10% off your first month at betterhelp.com/ccmm. 

Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological breakdown of the Mindhunter pilot episode. Part 2 of a limited series. A time comes when we meet our shadow face to face. The monster. When we do, we rise above that darkness into the light or descend into the abyss below. Either way, we’re always becoming something. What will you become?

Join host Ryan Kraus for this introductory episode in a trilogy examining the hit crime series, Mindhunter, where we'll first descend into the basement of reality to uncover the driving force behind the show's revolutionary criminal psychology. What was its origin? Where do we go from here?

Join host Ryan Kraus for the conclusion to this limited series examining the terrifying “Scream” murder of Cassie Jo Stoddart in Pocatello, ID on September 22, 2006. This podcast is sponsored by Better Help. Special offer for Cold Case Murder Mysteries listeners: 10% off your first month at https://www.betterhelp.com/ccmm.  

Pocatello, ID. September 22, 2006. 16-year-old high school student Cassie Jo Stoddart is house-sitting for family members who don’t want to leave their new dream home unoccupied while they’re away. She has a couple of friends come over to watch a movie, along with her boyfriend. Soon enough, the friends leave, followed by her boyfriend, and that’s when the nightmare begins. Cassie would be terrorized by a pair of masked killers waiting inside the house, two people who modeled their approach using their love of horror movies, particularly the film Scream, for reference. But who were these tag-team killers, and why did they really do it? Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological excursion through the horrifying landscape of teens looking for love they can’t find, as exhibited in the mental illness displayed by murderers Torey Adamcik and Brian Draper. This podcast is sponsored by Better Help. Special offer for Cold Case Murder Mysteries listeners: 10% off your first month at https://www.betterhelp.com/ccmm.

Join host Ryan Kraus for the conclusion of an intriguing journey into the psychology present in Amy Bradley’s final moments before her baffling disappearance while vacationing aboard Rhapsody of the Seas cruise liner in March 1998. Where did Amy go?

Join host Ryan Kraus for the first installment in a two-part series examining the baffling disappearance of 23-year-old Amy Bradley, who vanished into thin air while on a Caribbean cruise with her family in March 1998.

Join host Ryan Kraus for the conclusion to the Delphi Murders series covering the psychological narrative present in the deaths of Libby German and Abby Williams. Where will the case go from here? Will it ever be solved? 

In October 1978, horror movie audiences were introduced to a new killer, Michael Myers, who dressed in blue with his collar up, carried a knife, and covered his face with a white mask. In February 2017, an eerily familiar figure appeared on the Monon High Bridge in Delphi, IN, a killer dressed in blue with his collar up, one who was carrying a knife, and seemingly had some sort of white scarf or mask that had previously covered his face. Is it just a coincidence, or do these men have more in common than we ever realized? Are they truly the embodiment of the devil, in the form of the antichrist? Join host Ryan Kraus for part 6 of the Delphi Murders as we go down the hill into the abyss to find the truth about boys who struggle to become men by emotionally exorcising their demons.   

Why did law enforcement try to implore empathy from the suspect by mentioning The Shack at the 2019 Delphi press conference? Who is the mystery man they’re addressing? They said he could be in the room. Was he?

Join host Ryan Kraus for a fascinating psychological breakdown of the events leading up to the murders of Liberty German and Abigail Williams in Delphi, IN on February 13, 2017.

Join host Ryan Kraus for a structural breakdown of Bridge Guy. Who is the evil man in the video?

Join host Ryan Kraus for an intriguing journey deep into the evil mind of the mysterious man who took the young lives of Libby German and Abby Williams on February 13, 2017, including the hidden meaning behind that bone-chilling command: "down the hill".

Join host Ryan Kraus for the introductory episode of a series examining the disturbing psychology lurking behind the predator's intentions in the unsolved Delphi Murders of 14-year-old Liberty German and 13-year-old Abigail Williams.

Join host Ryan Kraus for a fascinating, 5-hour exploration into the deepest psychological implications of the gruesome crimes and abusive lifestyle of serial killers Fred and Rosemary West.

Join host Ryan Kraus for a compelling excursion into the events surrounding the mysterious death of actress Natalie Wood.

Join host Ryan Kraus in part two for a fascinating psychological exploration of the emotional wound that haunted OJ Simpson throughout his life, and acted as the catalyst for the explosive violence that erupted on June 12, 1994.

Join host Ryan Kraus for Part I of a limited series examining OJ Simpson through the lens of the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman. (I’ll be back in a few days with the second installment.)

In October 2010, Russell Williams, a former Canadian Armed Forces Colonel, was sentenced to life in prison for the murders of two women, and given 82 separate, year-long sentences for breaking and entering, among other crimes related to sexual assault. Most notably, Williams had a penchant for breaking into the homes/bedrooms of women and girls for the purpose of posing in their underwear and photographing himself. While his crimes are notorious, his motivation for committing them is unknown. The only trauma noted from his childhood is a divorce between his parents, and then another later in adult life when he became upset at his mother and stepfather divorcing. But that’s the key to the lock we need to open to reveal his truth. Join host Ryan Kraus for a fascinating journey through a monster’s life and crimes as we uncover the secret emotional wound that caused his rage to become unmanageable. *Please note there may be issues with audio volume when streaming this episode. If so, please download it for better quality. Thank you.*

Join host Ryan Kraus for a fascinating psychological exploration of the unsolved 1989 murder of 10-year-old Amy Mihaljevic from Bay Village, OH. (Please note this episode was originally released to the CCMM premium-subscription catalogue on coldcasemurdermysteries.com.)

Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological and evolutionary exploration of the tragic events surrounding the disappearance of Sneha Anne Philip among the chaos that erupted in NYC on the morning of September 11, 2001.

Doubleheader episode: Join host Ryan Kraus for a fascinating journey through the psychological and evolutionary implications of the triple homicide in Pinyon Pines, CA, on September 17, 2006, followed by a special presentation about psychological abuse.

Join host Ryan Kraus for a comprehensive psychological evaluation of the mysterious, unsolved disappearance of Robert Hoagland in July 2013.

Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological journey through the crime scene of the December 30, 2000 Mizayawa Family Murders in the Setagaya ward of Tokyo, Japan.

Join host Ryan Kraus for a fascinating psychological journey through the events leading up to the December 2000 disappearance of Trevor Deely in Dublin, Ireland.

Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological examination of the power of transformation present in the pilot episode of The Walking Dead.

Join host Ryan Kraus for in-depth analysis of the 1982 film E.T.

Join me for the inaugural episode of STORY with Ryan Kraus as we take a fascinating excursion into the evolutionary architecture of the 2013 sci-fi thriller GRAVITY.

Join host Ryan Kraus for a comprehensive psychological exploration of the unsolved murder of Faith Hedgepeth.

49-year-old Kelli Peters was a dedicated PTA mom who volunteered at her daughter's elementary school in Irvine, CA. One day in February 2011, shortly after arriving at the school for work, she received a call asking her to come to the main office. Fearing a family emergency, she was shocked to find a police officer who wanted to check her sobriety and search her car for drugs. Apparently, someone called 911 to report her erratic driving. That person also witnessed her placing a large bag that seemingly contained drugs behind the driver's seat. Defiant but cooperative, Kelli underwent a sobriety test and allowed a search of her car. The officer found the drugs, yet she swore they weren't hers. But the cop had heard it all before. If they weren't hers, he asked, whose were they? Kelli was silent a moment, as though peering back upon the past, and then spoke. It was just a name: Jill Easter. Join host Ryan Kraus for a social and evolutionary exploration of the power of transcendence to understand how one locked door inspired a vendetta.

Join host Ryan Kraus for an evolutionary exploration of the mysterious events surrounding the unsolved vanishing of 19-year-old Logan Schiendelman on May 19, 2016.

Join host Ryan Kraus for a fascinating psychological exploration of the baffling disappearance of Amy Wroe Bechtel.

Join host Ryan Kraus for a fascinating evolutionary excursion into the warped mind of serial killer Wayne Williams, the primary suspect in the mysterious Atlanta Child Murders that haunted America from 1979 - 1981.

Join host Ryan Kraus for a comprehensive psychological analysis of the Oakland County Child Killer.

Join host Ryan Kraus for a compelling journey into the tortured mind of infamous 2017 Las Vegas shooter, Stephen Paddock, whose murderous rampage ended abruptly in suicide, and subsequently left a stunned, silent nation without answers to the most important question one could ask: why?

In late 1982, a nurse from Richmond, BC, Canada started receiving calls from a mysterious man who would increasingly terrorize and stalk her over the course of the next 7 years in what amounted to nearly 100 encounters between the two of them. During this time, the police made every attempt possible to apprehend the culprit through extensive surveillance, but were never able to identify the presence of an outside party in these incidents. Accordingly, the situation continued to get worse, and Cindy eventually disappeared, only to be discovered dead two weeks later lying in the grass outside of an abandoned house. To this day, however, the nature of her fate remains a mystery, and the stalker's identity is unknown. Was it suicide… or murder? Join host Ryan Kraus for a fascinating exploration of the human psyche in an effort to bring the truth to light.

On the night of September 12, 1982, 21-year-old Kristina Nelson and her 18-year-old stepsister Jacqueline “Brandy” Miller left Kristina’s Lewiston, ID apartment on foot, heading out to do laundry and buy groceries. A note was found at the residence informing Kristina’s boyfriend to make himself at home because they’d be right back. They never returned. Later that same evening, only blocks away, 35-year-old janitor and set painter Stephen Pearsall was dropped off by his girlfriend at the Civic Theater, where he’d been working earlier in the night. He decided to return to do laundry and practice his clarinet. Once the door closed, though, he was never seen again. Authorities initially believed Stephen Pearsall might have abducted the young women, but it’s soon revealed another man was in the theater too. Intrigued by the possibility he might have been involved in Stephen’s disappearance, law enforcement investigated his whereabouts that night, only to learn that Kristina and Brandy would have crossed his path as well. To this day, however, the cases remain unsolved. Join host Ryan Kraus for a fascinating psychological evaluation of the Civic Theater disappearances in this final episode of the Lewis Clark Valley trilogy.

Join host Ryan Kraus for a very special episode as we delve deep into the darkest recesses of the human mind to uncover the truth about who we are. First is an extensive, in-depth discussion of the evolutionary trajectory of humanity, from the battlefield to the movie theater to creation of new universes. Following that, we’ll enter the weird, wacky, and strange mind of tomb raider Carl Tanzler, who preserved a dead young woman as his corpse bride in order to accommodate an irreconcilable emotional ailment that prevented him from being able to distinguish purpose in his work and passion in his love life, leading him to shortcut technology in search of a solution. But what resulted was an abomination of nature.

On the morning of June 26, 1981, 22-year-old college student Kristin David disappeared during a solo bike ride from Moscow, ID to Lewiston, ID. Despite numerous searches over the course of the next week, no trace of Kristin was found. But to the horror of the local community, her dismembered body was discovered in the Snake river on July 4, 1981, wrapped in newspapers that were stuffed inside trash bags. Join host Ryan Kraus for a strange psychological journey into the mind of a killer in an effort to bring his identity to light.

On the afternoon of April 28, 1979, 12-year-old Christina White disappeared after leaving a friend's home on her bike in the town of Asotin, WA. While no one could have known it then, this would be the first of at least five unsolved disappearances and murders from 1979 - 1982 that would haunt the surrounding community to this day. Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological journey through the evolutionary logistics of the crime in an effort to unveil the perpetrator's identity.

Join host Ryan Kraus for an in-depth psychological examination of the infamous wrongful conviction of the Central Park Five.

Join host Ryan Kraus for a strange journey into the sensational 2005 disappearance of Natalee Holloway in Aruba.

Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological exploration of the baffling, unsolved 1992 disappearances of Stacy McCall, Sherill Levitt, and Suzie Streeter in Springfield, MO.

On the night of July 12, 1994, friends Sebastian Burns and Atif Rafay left the Rafay family’s Bellevue, WA home for some fun out on the town. When they returned hours later, however, what they discovered inside the house was nothing less than a massacre. Atif’s parents, along with his sister, had been brutally murdered with a baseball bat by at least one unknown assailant during a break-in. As the investigation proceeded, police began to suspect the teens might have been involved, which is something they vehemently denied. Without sufficient evidence to press charges, the RCMP intervened with a controversial tactic called Mr. Big to extract a confession. It’s illegal in the US where the crime occurred, but the suspects were both Canadian citizens who fled to their home country in the aftermath of the crime. Soon enough, the pair found themselves convicted of the crime. But in the years since, other motives and facts, combined with insufficient physical evidence, have cast doubt upon the result in this case. It seems there might have been others who wanted the family dead. So, is it possible the wrong men are in prison? Did the authorities force a false confession? Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological dissection of the controversial Burns & Rafay case in an effort to understand what really happened.

On January 26, 1996, police in Newtown Square, PA were called to the estate of John du Pont, a wealthy heir who'd become well known for starting the Foxcatcher wrestling team in recent years. He supported the dreams of future Olympians by offering training facilities, money, and housing they would otherwise be unable to afford. But on this day, the most prominent figure in the endeavor, head coach Dave Schultz, was gunned down in cold blood by Jon du Pont, who proceeded to engage in a standoff with the authorities. Soon after, the world would learn the utopia that seemed to exist within the gates of the estate was little more than a facade. In truth, du Pont was gradually losing his mind, and as the games he played became more dangerous with each passing day, tragedy was bound to follow. Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological exploration of John du Pont's descent into psychosis in an effort to understand what made him kill.

In August 1987, a local handyman named Harrison "Marty" Graham, who entertained kids with a Cookie Monster puppet, was evicted from his North Philadelphia apartment after residents repeatedly complained of a foul odor permeating the third floor of the building, a smell that seemed to originate from behind his locked door. While he complied with the order to vacate, Marty nailed the door shut and removed the handle, leaving all of his belongings inside with the promise he'd return for them. The landlord sent two of his people to the unit, instructing them to clean it out immediately. But when they arrived and peered through the keyhole, the secrets Marty had been hiding became all too real. Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological exploration of the life, home, and crimes of '"The Corpse Collector" aka "The Cookie Monster", serial killer Harrison Graham.

On the evening of April 8, 1997, attorney Jeffrey Smith waited for his wife, Judy, to meet him at a cocktail party hosted inside the DoubleTree Hotel in Center City Philadelphia. The couple had traveled from Boston the day prior, with Jeffrey scheduled to attend a conference while Judy enjoyed some sightseeing around town. But as 6pm came and went, Jeffrey quickly realized something was wrong. Judy failed to arrive that evening, and her husband's search efforts were fruitless, so he called the police for assistance. Despite the best effort of local detectives, Judy's absence remained a mystery. Five months, later, however, a father and son hunting in the mountains outside Asheville, NC discovered the remains of what seemed to be a middle-aged woman who was stabbed to death. Soon enough, her identity is revealed through dental work, and it's apparent the mystery woman is indeed Judy Smith. But how did she end up there, and, more importantly, who killed her? Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological exploration of the emotional narrative Judy Smith left in the wake of her baffling disappearance.

On the night of June 3, 1995, a young woman was found deceased from a gunshot wound to the forehead on the 28th floor of the Oslo Plaza hotel in Norway. As she had just checked into the facility a few days earlier with her husband, it was initially thought some type of domestic dispute ended in murder. But as authorities began to investigate, they couldn't seem to validate the existence of the woman's husband. To make matters worse, they didn't know who she was either. And once the police concluded the death was likely a suicide, the forensics conducted in the aftermath seemed to suggest the woman had never fired the gun found in her hand. Twenty-five years later, the world is still trying to unravel the mystery behind the true identities of Lois and Jennifer Fergate. Were they a real couple, perhaps even spies? Was Jennifer Fergate really murdered? Or was it all a ruse, a plan devised to cover up the shame of one person's suicide? Join host Ryan Kraus for a fascinating journey into the psychology of the emotional narrative rendered by the victim's actions.

*Please note: The omitted 911 call has been added. Please delete the episode and download again, if you downloaded the original version without it.* October 12, 2013. 2am. Mark Waugh, Rahul Gupta, and Taylor Gould are caught on surveillance entering the Silver Spring, MD hi-rise where Gupta and Gould share a studio on the 16th floor. They seem in good spirits returning from an alcohol-fueled night of partying celebrating Gupta's 24th birthday. There's no sign of distress, an argument, or anything similar. But within an hour, one of them will be dead, the victim of a vicious stabbing, and the survivors claim they can't remember who the assailant was. In the end, one of them would walk free, while the other got life in prison. But the question remains... What really happened that night behind closed doors? Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological investigation into the narrative surrounding the death of Mark Waugh in an attempt to uncover the truth.

In August 2018, 33-year-old Chris Watts, a young father with a seemingly perfect life, found himself the subject of sensational headlines around the world when he viciously murdered his 34-year-old pregnant wife, Shanann, along with the couple’s daughters, 4-year-old Bella and 3-year-old Celeste. In the aftermath, Watts admitted his wrongdoing, and went to prison for life; however, one question remains: why? Why did he throw it all away? Join host Ryan Kraus for a fascinating journey deep inside the criminal mind of a family annihilator, examining cognitive function, the evolutionary mechanics of thought, relationship dynamics, development of sociopathic behaviors, and more, in an effort to uncover why men kill.

On September 5, 2012, a British family of five on holiday in the French Alps near Lake Annecy decided to go for a scenic drive into the wilderness in search of a nice place to take a walk. Yet, before they could reach their destination, something caused them to pull over into a lay-by on the side of the road, at which point a gunman appeared and opened fire. In the end, four people were dead, including a local cyclist, and another was severely wounded. Unfortunately, the killer escaped without a trace, and the case remains unsolved to this day. So, who would want to murder this family? And why? Or, was the cyclist the intended target, and the family simply got in the way? Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological exploration of the crime scene and beyond in an effort to learn the truth.

On September 29, 1982, a chain of events began that rendered 7 Chicago-area residents the victims of a sadistic killer who tainted over-the-counter- medications in local pharmacies. It was an incident that not only spread confusion, fear, and paranoia far and wide, but ultimately revolutionized the pharmaceutical industry's safety standards. However, decades later, the crime remains unsolved, and the victims have received no justice. Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological profile of the perpetrator in an attempt to unveil the evil face lurking in the shadows.

On the night of December 24, 1945, the Sodder family of Fayetteville, WV went to bed in preparation for Christmas the next morning. But as they closed their eyes, they never could have imagined the nightmare that was about to ensue. A fire would break out in the upper level of their home, which contained two bedrooms thought to have held a total of five children at the time, ranging in ages from 5 to 14. Yet, as the remaining family members escaped, and the home burned to the ground, what seemed to be the imminent death of five young people as the result of a vicious arson soon proved to offer no evidence they succumbed in the fire. Despite an endless search for truth, their parents died never knowing what happened that fateful night. Did the kids perish in the fire, or were they already gone? Join host Ryan Kraus for an examination of this enduring mystery in an effort to uncover the truth about the disappearance of the Sodder children.

Sometime during the night of August 7, 1985, a gruesome mass murder took place within the residence located at White House Farm in Essex, England. Homeowners June and Nevill Bamber, 61, were hosting their 28-year-old daughter, Sheila, and her twin sons, Daniel and Nicolas, who were both 6 years old. Sadly, by morning, all of them will have been shot to death. Even more tragically, the crime scene appears to show the incident was a murder-suicide orchestrated by Sheila, who was troubled by severe mental illness, and seemingly on the verge of losing custody of her kids. But the police can feel something isn't right. Living nearby is the Bamber's son Jeremy, whose story appears to have some holes. Soon enough, he finds himself under suspicion, and a controversy ignites about the true identity of the killer. Was it Sheila, motivated by paranoid delusions related to her Schizophrenia, or did Jeremy Bamber have his sights set on inheriting the family estate for himself, and saw Sheila as an easy target for a scapegoat? Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological examination of this fascinating, yet horrific crime in an effort to learn the truth about what really happened that fateful night.

On the afternoon of February 16, 2009, a 70-year-old woman named Sandra Herold called 911 in Stamford, CT to report her 200-lb. chimp, Travis, had gone on a rampage outside her home, and was eating her friend, 55-year-old Charla Nash. The docile primate, who had been raised by humans and socialized among the public, from starring in TV commercials and print advertisements to making special appearances, had never harmed a fly. But something changed. And Travis snapped. The question is why. Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological exploration of the evolutionary divide between humans and wild animals that leads to these tragedies.

On the evening of September 16, 2009, 24-year-old Mitrice Richardson drove to the beach in Malibu, CA alone to enjoy watching the sunset, after which she stopped at a local restaurant to have a nice dinner. But while there, Mitrice's behavior went from curious to inexplicable, and she soon found herself taken to jail for failure to pay the check. Even though it was apparent to the staff she was suffering from some type of mental health issue, deputies at the scene processed her as being of sound mind. And this would have tragic consequences. Hours later, Mitrice was released from jail, and walked off into the darkness of night through some difficult and dangerous terrain. That was the last anybody saw of her ... until August of 2010, nearly a year later, when park rangers discovered her remains at the base of a steep canyon. But despite locating Mitrice, the body didn't afford the definitive answers everyone was hoping to get regarding her fate. In the aftermath, one looming question remains... Was it a tragic accident, or did Mitrice Richardson fall victim to a vicious predator lurking in the shadows? Join host Ryan Kraus for a journey into the mind of madness in an effort to unearth the secrets to the mystery surrounding her death.

In the mid-1980s, on the heels of suffering an abusive childhood, a troubled Townsend, MA teen named Daniel LaPlante began a crime spree that terrorized the residents of the local area where he lived. It started as a string of burglaries, but a thirst for greater thrills developed over time, and his antisocial rampage finally ended with the vicious murders of a pregnant woman and her two young children. By the time it was all said and done, LaPlante was not only serving three consecutive life sentences in prison, but had become the subject of great speculation and legend, making himself a regular topic of conversation around campfires and Ouija boards. Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological exploration of Daniel LaPlante's mysterious, yet terrifying persona to trace his issues back to their roots.

*Please enjoy this free episode from the back catalog of premium episodes available only on coldcasemurdermysteries.com. Please remember to rate/review the podcast with 5 stars, and also hit the “subscribe” button wherever you listen. Doing this allows CCMM to offer more free content.* On the afternoon of December 23, 2012, a Houston, TX woman named Sandra Melgar was discovered bound and trapped inside her bathroom closet, while her husband Jim lay nearby in a pool of blood, the victim of a vicious stabbing. In the aftermath, what initially seemed like a home invasion became a situation where detectives zeroed in on Sandy as the prime suspect. But could this seemingly fragile woman, limited by physical ailments such as two hip replacements and arthritis, really butcher her husband in cold blood? A jury believed so, and convicted Sandy. But did she do it? Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological journey through the evolutionary implications of the crime scene and beyond in search of the truth.

From 1972 to 1978, infamous serial killer John Wayne Gacy, the "Killer Clown" murdered no fewer than 33 young men and teen boys in his ranch home located in Cook County, IL near Chicago, a truth that came to light when the remains of 29 victims were discovered buried in the crawlspace of his house and elsewhere on the property. It was an atrocity that defied words, and left the investigators, in addition to the general public, wondering how any man could be such a cruel, heartless monster. And as they searched for answers in the cold eyes of the 36-year-old predator, what was lurking beneath in his soul revealed that the story started long before the murders, back when Gacy was just a little boy living under the tyrannical wrath of his abusive, alcoholic father. Join host Ryan Kraus for a journey back in time to explore John Wayne Gacy's childhood inside his father's house of horrors, and how it led to him creating his own one day.

On June 12, 1977, busloads of enthusiastic young campers arrived at rural Camp Scott in Mayes County, OK for a two-week getaway hosted by the Girl Scouts that kicked off the summer season. It should have been the time of their lives, a carefree reprieve from the long school year that preceded it. But when night fell, a predator was revealed lurking in darkness throughout the surrounding woods, stalking them like prey. By morning, three innocent girls would be found dead, victims of a vicious assault that shocked a community, and caused the facility to close its doors forever. While numerous suspects came to light in the aftermath, and one even stood trial, the crime remains unsolved to this day. Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological evaluation of the killer's action in an attempt to create an accurate profile that will, once and for all, finally put a face to this monster.

On the evening of November 16, 1957, Deputy Sheriff Frank Worden entered a Plainfield, WI hardware store owned by his mother, Bernice, only to discover the woman was missing. After finding blood all over the floor, his initial investigation revealed that the last customer who had purchased something that day was a local man named Ed Gein. Authorities soon learned Bernice had been shot, and her decapitated body was found inside a shed on Gein’s property. But the nightmare was just beginning. When police entered the home, what they saw was nearly unspeakable. Body parts, from bone to skin, had been repurposed for use as common household items such as lampshades, belts, and other accessories. Gein soon admitted to another murder, in addition to dozens of grave robberies intended to exhume women who looked like his deceased mother. He had also sealed off his mother’s bedroom, and turned it into a shrine dedicated to her. Disturbed by this news, local author Robert Bloch took a particular interest in trying to determine what had driven Ed Gein to commit such heinous acts, a question which, no matter how it’s answered, always leads back to the killer’s relationship with his mother. It was apparent, one way or another, that Gein was intent upon keeping his mother alive, no matter what it took physically, or what it cost him emotionally. Lurking beneath that insanity, however, is a heartbreaking story about the devastating effects of loneliness and loss. Not long after, in 1959, Robert Bloch published a book called Psycho, which indirectly examined Ed Gein’s emotional issue by way of a fictional story that shows us a man who will stop at nothing to keep his mother alive and prevent the fragile facade of his deception from coming to light. In that same year, director Alfred Hitchcock was made aware of Bloch’s novel. He quickly purchased the rights in order to adapt the story into a 1960 film. And the rest is history. Join Cold Case Murder Mysteries host Ryan Kraus for a comprehensive, in-depth psychological analysis of this cinematic masterpiece in an effort to examine the terrifying truth about our humanity lurking beneath the smile we offer the outside world.

On the morning of September 14, 2007, an accomplished 14-year-old student named Andrew Gosden skipped school for unknown reasons and boarded a train headed to Kings Cross Station in London, at which point he was captured alone on surveillance video exiting to the street. But that was the last confirmed sighting of the teen. He was never heard from again. Many theories about his vanishing have gained traction in the aftermath, yet his disappearance remains a mystery to this day. Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological exploration of Andrew's actions leading up to the event in an effort to understand why he left, in addition to how he might have met his untimely demise.

On April 14, 2013, 87-year-old Chip Northup and his 76-year-old wife, Claudia Maupin, were found brutally stabbed to death in the bedroom of the couple's Davis, CA home. Someone had broken into their house during the previous night and murdered them as they slept. But in the aftermath, investigators weren't able to identify anything missing from the home, nor could they establish any other motive. Soon enough, suspicion fell upon the shoulders of family members, including Chip's son Robert. Before long, however, the leads dried up, and the case seemed as though it might go cold. That's when a 911 operator receives a call from a local high school student who claims his best friend, 15-year-old Daniel Marsh, is the killer. Join host Ryan Kraus for a journey through the twisted mind of a sadistic psychopath in an effort to understand what drove him to commit murder.

Join host Ryan Kraus for the final episode of a two-part series exploring the disappearance of 12-year-old paperboy Johnny Gosch on September 5, 1982. In part I, we examined the crime itself, but this time we'll take a deep dive into the events that transpired in the aftermath of the kidnapping. From local pedophiles to mass conspiracies, this perplexing, unsolved abduction offers no shortage of potential answers. But to this day, we're all still asking the same question... Which one is true?

Join host Ryan Kraus for Part I of a two-part series delving into one of the strangest, most complex disappearances in US history, the kidnapping of 12-year-old West Des Moines, Iowa paperboy Johnny Gosch on the morning of September 5, 1982. In this episode, we'll explore the crime itself, while part II will examine the various theories and conspiracies that arose in the aftermath.

August 29, 2014. A Bladenboro, NC woman rises shortly after 7am to find a deceased black male hanging by a makeshift noose from an old swing set in the yard of the predominantly white trailer park where she lives. Her subsequent call to 911 draws police to the scene of the crime to investigate. They quickly determine the person in question is a 17-year-old high school student and football player named Lennon Lacy, who lives up the road about a quarter of a mile away. Before long, his death is hastily ruled a suicide by local authorities, a sentiment later shared by the state police as well. But something is wrong with this scene. Lennon is wearing shoes that don't belong to him, and are too small for his feet. Even more baffling is the fact that the hanging appears to have been impossible for him to accommodate on his own. Soon enough, what was initially deemed a suicide starts looking a whole lot more like it could be a racially motivated lynching. But to this day, the truth remains a mystery. Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological journey into the underlying emotional narrative of this tragic death in an effort to learn the truth about what happened to Lennon Lacy that fateful night.

On November 2, 2016, husband and father of two young children, Keith Papini, arrived home to discover his wife, Sherri, was missing. After using an app to locate her phone, he found it lying on the side of the road about a mile from their house. Keith dialed 911 and reported the incident, hoping the disappearance was just some type of a misunderstanding. But Sherri never came home that day, or even the next. Weeks passed, and there was still no word from someone described as a loving mother and devoted spouse. Early Thanksgiving morning, however, a beaten, battered, and frightened woman was spotted 150 miles away trying to flag down help at the entrance ramp to the I-5 freeway. It was Sherri Papini, who promptly offered a harrowing tale of abduction, captivity, and ultimately, freedom from her imprisonment. Yet, to this day, her captors remain unidentified, and the details surrounding her disappearance have caused some to question the integrity of her story. So, was Sherri telling the truth about her ordeal, or did she have reason to fabricate an abduction? Join host Ryan Kraus for a comprehensive psychological analysis of the event in an effort to answer that question once and for all.

On the night of September 26, 2014, a 30-year-old woman named Kayelyn Louder dialed 911 to report an altercation involving guns in the clubhouse at her condo development. What followed over the next 24 hours was a series of inexplicable events shrouded in mystery, at the culmination of which Kayelyn was missing. Surveillance footage later discovered by police depicted her fleeing home on foot, but there was no evidence of anyone chasing her. Extensive searches in the aftermath also produced no leads as to her whereabouts. More than two months later, however, her decomposing body was discovered by workers unclogging a drainage pipe along Utah's Jordan River five miles downstream from her home in Murray. So, was Kayelyn a victim of a predator lurking in the shadows, or did she fall prey to some type of mental illness that caused her to lose control? Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological exploration of this fascinating, yet tragic tale of a young woman's descent into darkness.

When a mother fails to show up for her 10-year-old son's birthday party, his father drives home to check on her, only to learn she's been murdered in the shower with a shotgun blast to the head. In the aftermath, Tom Foley, Dar's husband, becomes the focus of the police investigation. Before long, he finds himself convicted of the crime and sent to prison. But a retrial based on new evidence reveals the jury choosing not guilty the second time around. In the end, justice has not been served for Dar Foley. So, did Tom Foley murder his wife, or was she an unfortunate victim in the process of a robbery? Join host Ryan Kraus for a look inside the psychology of the killer's choices in an effort to unearth the truth.

On the night of May 28, 1980 a 32-year-old single mother named Dorothy Jane Scott, who had recently been stalked by an unknown man, left her 4-year-old son in the care of her parents as she went to a staff meeting being held at work. During the meeting, she noticed a coworker seemed ill, and had some type of swollen, red mark on his arm that was getting worse. After taking him to the hospital with another coworker along for the ride, they learned he'd been bitten by a Black Widow. Once he was released, and had gone to the hospital pharmacy to fill a prescription, Dorothy went out to the parking lot alone to pull her car up to the emergency room doors. Yet, as her coworkers came outside to meet her, she was nowhere to be found. Moments later, her car sped right past them, and disappeared in the distance. Dorothy Jane Scott was never seen alive again. Nearly 40 years later, we're still searching for answers. Join host Ryan Kraus for a deep dive into this fascinating, yet harrowing unsolved mystery.

On July 13, 2014 the body of 18-year-old Conrad Roy was found inside the cab of a pickup truck in the parking lot of the Fairhaven, MA K-Mart store, a scene which suggested the young man had succumbed to suicide by way of inhaling carbon monoxide from a gas generator found at the scene. Before long, however, police not only discovered his cell phone, but also an extensive thread of revealing text messages inside that offered the notion Conrad's death wasn't quite as it seemed. Soon enough, his girlfriend, 17-year-old Michelle Carter, became a suspect in the case, and was ultimately convicted of involuntary manslaughter for her involvement. But in the process, the legal system, in addition to the public, were asked to answer a question for which there was seemingly little precedent in a burgeoning digital world: Is it a crime to tell a person to kill himself, or is such an action protected by the freedom of speech guaranteed in the US Constitution? Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological exploration of this event in an effort to understand the mental illness that precipitated the horrifying result.

Enter the strange mind of Cold Case Murder Mysteries host Ryan Kraus for the fascinating final episode of a two-part series in which he answers questions posed by listeners. SPONSOR: CDL.com With plenty of new jobs and schools around the country, get your trucking career started at CDL.com. Explore a truckload of jobs for the trucker in you.

December 6, 1991. Austin, TX. The local fire department is called to the scene of a blaze at the I Can't Believe It's Yogurt store after 11pm when a police officer notices smoke coming from the rear of the building. But when the flames subside, it soon becomes clear something much more sinister is at play. Inside, the money is missing from the cash register, and four teen girls lay dead on the floor. The subsequent investigation yielded hundreds of suspects, dozens of confessions, and even sent two men to prison. Nearly thirty years later, however, we're still searching for the truth about what happened that night. Join host Ryan Kraus for a journey through the crime scene and beyond in an effort to unveil the face of evil.

Enter the strange mind of Cold Case Murder Mysteries host Ryan Kraus for the fascinating first episode of a two-part series in which he answers questions posed by listeners. SPONSOR: CDL.com With plenty of new jobs and schools around the country, get your trucking career started at CDL.com. Explore a truckload of jobs for the trucker in you.

On the afternoon of July 24, 2006 a 33-year-old man named Sean Dickus arrived home from work to discover his 26-year-old wife Chynna and 10-year-old son Blake had been brutally murdered inside their house in Franklin, IN. As the investigation proceeded, two possibilities quickly became apparent as the most likely scenario that rendered this horrifying result: one is that Sean Dickus himself could be the killer, and the other pointed the finger at a connection to a local string of burglaries that occurred in the area. Thirteen years after the crime, however, the assailant remains unknown, as does his motive. Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological evaluation of the available evidence in an effort to piece together a narrative that finally offers the truth.

At 10:40pm on the night of May 19, 1983 a young mother named Diane Downs pulled her Nissan Pulsar up to the ER entrance of a hospital near Springfield, OR and informed the staff her children had been shot by a strange man who tried to carjack her out on a dark, desolate road nearby. Inside the vehicle, doctors and nurses discovered three kids who had suffered severe wounds delivered by a .22 handgun, leaving one of them dead and the other two barely clinging to life. It was a mother’s worst nightmare. As the police began to investigate, however, it soon became clear Diane’s story of what happened conflicted with the forensic evidence found at the scene. Before long, Diane was arrested, charged, and convicted of the shootings, leaving the world to wonder how a loving mother could perpetrate this unspeakable act against her offspring. Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological exploration of Diane’s childhood to uncover the irreconcilable emotional wound from her past that led to murder. Sponsor: UTEP Connect Go to utepconnect.utep.edu or call UTEP Connect at 1-800-684-UTEP today for information.

On the morning of June 20, 1994 police in Dunedin, NZ responded to an emergency call placed by 22-year-old David Bain that eerily proclaimed, "They're all dead." Upon arriving at his home, authorities soon discovered a massacre that left the other five family members deceased, seemingly a result of a murder-suicide carried out by patriarch Robin Bain. Yet, as the investigation began, it quickly became apparent something wasn't right with this crime scene. Before long, David Bain was arrested, charged with the murders, and convicted. After spending nearly fourteen years in prison, however, a successful appeal led to a second trial that set him free. In the aftermath, the public is forever left to wonder what really happened on that fateful morning. Join host Ryan Kraus for an extensive psychological exploration of the crime scene and suspects to determine, once and for all, who killed the Bain family: Robin ... or David?

Around 8pm on the night of December 16, 2011, young father Justin DiPietro put his 20-month-old daughter to sleep in her crib at their Waterville, ME home, leaving his sister to check on the child a while later. All seems fine. But sometime during the night, Ayla Reynolds disappears, prompting Justin to phone 911 when he wakes in the morning and realizes what's happened. Yet, despite the largest search for a missing person in the state's history, the little girl's whereabouts remain a mystery to this day, and police believe the adults in the house that night may know why. Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological journey through the blood evidence at the crime scene in an attempt to establish a truthful narrative about what really took place in Justin's home on that fateful evening.

On the morning of June 5, 1960, a grim discovery was made along the shoreline of Lake Bodom in Espoo, Finland. Four local teens on a camping trip were found brutally bludgeoned and stabbed inside their tent, with three of them having succumbed to their injuries. The survivor, Nils Gustafsson, suffered a broken jaw and multiple facial fractures, leaving him with almost no memory of the incident. Yet, before long, the suspicion mounted, and many came to believe Gustafsson was actually the killer. But did he really do it? Or was the real perpetrator one of several other shady men who came under police scrutiny in the aftermath of the crime? Either way, the case remains unsolved, and the murderer never saw justice. Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological exploration of evidence found at the scene in an attempt to finally uncover the truth of this baffling mystery.

On the evening of January 3, 2017, 24-year-old Alex Stevens and 20-year-old Megan Shaffer ventured to High Rock overlook in Western Maryland accompanied by multiple animals, where they abandoned their cars, hiked a mile up a dark trail in the freezing cold, and held a strange ritual in the nude near the edge of a cliff. As the hours passed, and nobody heard from them, a friend became concerned enough that he drove to their location to check on them. But they were nowhere to be found. By the next morning, one of them will call 911 for help, and the other will be dead. Join host Ryan Kraus for another trip down the rabbit hole to assess the psychology lurking within this fascinating mystery.

September, 2015. 32-year-old Liberian immigrant Henry McCabe, an auditor for the Minnesota Department of Revenue, leaves his Mounds View home to go drinking at a nearby night club with two acquaintances. But within hours, Henry will make a desperate, eerie, and alarming phone call to his wife, at which point the line goes dead, and nobody ever hears from him again. Nearly two months later, the man's body is discovered by a kayaker in Rush Lake, only miles from his house, but that event brings more questions than answers, and the truth remains a mystery. Join host Ryan Kraus for an examination of this baffling case in an effort to learn what really happened to Henry McCabe on that fateful night.

In the early morning hours of June 3, 2003, a 20-year-old Indiana University student named Lauren Spierer vanished off the streets of Bloomington while walking home after a long night of partying. Nearly 8 years later, there's still no sign of what happened to her. Some believe she was snatched off the roadside by a serial predator, and others think there's rampant dishonesty among the people who accompanied Lauren that fateful evening. But no matter which theory you choose, one thing is for sure... The truth remains a mystery. Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological examination of this enduring enigma in an effort to see what evil is lurking beneath the surface.

June 18, 2014. Justin Ross Harris straps his 22-month-old son Cooper into a rear-facing car seat located in the back of his SUV after exiting an Atlanta Chik-Fil-A restaurant where the two just ate breakfast. He kisses the boy on the head and says "I love you", before getting in the vehicle and driving off. But instead of making a left turn at the next intersection to drop Cooper off at daycare, Harris continues straight down the road until he arrives at work. Seven hours later, upon leaving his office for the day, with the temperature nearly 90 degrees, the father realizes every parent's worst nightmare: Cooper is dead in the back seat, a victim of hyperthermia. As police investigate, what initially seems a tragic accident on the surface soon reveals the potential for a much more sinister reality lurking beneath. Join host Ryan Kraus for a fascinating journey through the psychology of this mysterious event to undercover the secrets lurking in Ross Harris's mind.

April 20, 1999. Seniors Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold enter Columbine High School armed with bombs and guns, murdering twelve students and a teacher, while injuring dozens more in what becomes the most iconic school shooting in US history. In the aftermath, a shocked community, and even the nation, searched for understanding that wouldn’t come easily. Twenty years later, we still want to know the answer to one question: why? Join host Ryan Kraus for a journey through the evolutionary architecture of existence, starting 200,000 years ago with the foundations of modern humanity, moving through the times of Egyptian pyramids, to the formation of the post-WWII middle class mindset, to the rise of Marilyn Manson, the mental health crisis, and finally, inside the doors of Columbine High School on that fateful day as he examines how we ended up with Eric and Dylan, why they killed, and, most importantly, how we can address the problem to finally put an end to mass shootings.

August, 2008. Kanika Powell, a 28-year-old Army veteran working in national security, is paid a visit at home by a man claiming to be an FBI agent, setting off a series of strange events culminating in her shooting death only days later. More than a decade after the crime, the case remains unsolved, and without leads, begging the question of who wanted this young woman dead. Without enemies, or even a romantic rival, many have suggested Kanika might have been the target of a government assassination intended to silence her. Join host Ryan Kraus for a journey into the psychology of this baffling homicide case in an attempt to identify the killer and bring the truth to light.

On the morning of April 12, 1981, 14-year-old Sheila Sharp returned from a neighbor's home after a sleepover to find her mother, 36-year-old Sue Sharp, 15-year-old brother John, and John's 17-year-old best friend Dana dead on the floor, victims of an apparent massacre by way of knife and hammer. They were bound, and had been tortured, leaving many in shock, wondering who could do such a thing. But that's when they realized 12-year-old Tina Sharp, Sue' daughter, was missing from the home. She'd been abducted by the perpetrators. It would be three long years before answers arrived, though, in the form of learning Tina's remains were discovered in a remote location outside Keddie. To this day, however, the case remains unsolved. Join host Ryan Kraus for a unique profile of the killers, an examination of the autopsies, and a tour through the crime scene, as we endeavor to unlock the truth in this terrifying case.

It's 4:18am on April 18, 2016. 45-year-old fitness instructor and mother of three, Missy Bevers, arrives at the Creekside Church in Midlothian, TX to host a boot-camp style workout that's being held indoors due to heavy rain. Upon entering the building alone, however, Missy is attacked by a vicious assailant, and soon after found unresponsive when her students begin to arrive. In the aftermath, investigators make a harrowing discovery on the church's motion-activated surveillance footage: a person in full police tactical gear carrying a hammer the cops say matches Missy's wounds. Three years later, however, we still don't know the killer's identity, and the investigation is no closer to bringing closure to the family than when it started. Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological examination of the crime, in an effort to uncover the motive and profile of a killer, and finally answer one burning question: Who killed Missy Bevers?

August 15, 2016 - A Tequesta, FL couple sat watching TV in their garage on a hot summer night like any other. It was a normal routine for them, one they tended to repeat every evening, taking advantage of a cool nighttime breeze and conversation with neighbors. But little did they know this night would be their last. Within moments, the couple was attacked by a strange young man who suddenly entered their garage looking confused and on the verge of violence. Within minutes, two people would be dead, another would suffer serious stab wounds, and the perpetrator would be feeding on someone's face as the police tried everything they could to stop him. In the end, we're left with but one question: why? Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological deconstruction of American middle-class values to unearth the seed from which these alarming incidents grow.

In May 2008, Swedish-born twins Ursula and Sabina Eriksson fled Sabina’s home without warning in the middle of the night, leaving her partner and two children ignorant of their whereabouts. Later that day, they arrived in Liverpool, England, presumably by ferry, where they proceeded to kick off one of the strangest events in recent years, one so mired in psychological uncertainty that even professionals have been left scratching their heads as to how it culminated in murder. Join host Ryan Kraus for an analytical dissection of the event from start to finish, including a theoretical road map for eliminating such mysterious emotional ailments in the future. Sponsor: Care/Of URL: http://takecareof.com Code: CCMM50 (for 50% off your first month of personalized Care/Of vitamins)

In the late afternoon of February 2, 2008, a 24-year-old real estate agent named Lindsay Buziak meets a mysterious couple for a home viewing at a large executive property in Saanich, British Columbia. Concerned about the legitimacy of the buyers, but eager to make a big sale, Lindsay arranges for her boyfriend to meet her there just in case something goes wrong. But he's late arriving. Soon after, Lindsay's found murdered in an upstairs bedroom ... and the couple is gone. More than a decade later, everybody's still asking one question: "Who killed Lindsay Buziak?" Join host Ryan Kraus for a fascinating psychological exploration of the event in an effort to learn the truth.

On Monday, December 7, 2009, Josh Powell and his wife, Susan, failed to show up for work, or even call to say they'd be out that day. Their young sons, Charlie and Braden, are also no-shows at daycare, drawing the concern of extended family and friends. Before long, panic has set in, as nobody can find the missing family, despite extensive efforts to locate them. Soon enough, however, Josh Powell returns safely with the boys in his minivan, claiming they'd gone camping overnight in sub-freezing temperatures and a blinding snowstorm. When asked about Susan, he says he hasn't seen her since they left. Yet ... her purse is still in the house. And there's blood on the couch in the living room. What happened to Susan Powell? Join host Ryan Kraus for the final installment in this series.

After enduring an abusive childhood in which Josh is essentially raised by his father to be a sociopath, his foray into the real world finds him unprepared to become a man. Faced with the choice to grow up or continue his increasingly antisocial behavior to full-blown sociopathy in adulthood, Josh travels the road that leads to darkness. Before long, he marries a young woman named Susan Cox, and their life slowly descends into a nightmare, until one day she disappears ... and never returns. Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological examination of the events leading up to that fateful event. Part II of a 3-part series.

In December 2009, Josh Powell came under suspicion of murder when his wife, Susan, disappeared from their West Valley City, Utah home at a time he claims to have taken his young boys camping after midnight, and in freezing temperatures. Able to evade arrest for several years, Josh finally snapped in February 2012 when he learned he wouldn't regain custody of his children, and did the unthinkable. He attacked the boys with a hatchet and burned down the rental home, consuming all of them with carbon monoxide. And we know why he did it. Josh Powell was a sociopath. But how did he become one? Join host Ryan Kraus for Part I of a series examining the psychology behind antisocial behavior within the traditional family structure.

On April 1, 2014, young Dutch tourists Kris Kremers and Lisanne Froon took a day-hike into the mountains overlooking the small, picturesque town of Boquete, Panama, and were never seen alive again. Their remains were discovered soon after, but the mysterious clues to follow didn't seem to add up to a simple conclusion. So, in the wake of their untimely deaths, a controversy has arisen regarding the elusive answer to one question: accident ... or murder? Was this just a case of two young women lost in the wilderness? Or was there something more sinister at play? Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological exploration of the hours and days of the struggle in an effort to uncover the truth.

On August 4, 1892, the town of Fall River, MA became witness to one of the more horrifying, yet fascinating crimes in modern history, the gruesome axe murders of Andrew and Abby Borden, which remain unsolved to this day. At the time, however, strong suspicion was cast upon Andrew's daughter, Lizzie, who not only held contempt and disdain for Abby, but supposedly had her eye on her father's money as well. Despite significant circumstantial evidence, Lizzie's day in court saw her walk free and claim her inheritance. But the mystery remains. Did Lizzie Borden commit cold-blooded murder? And, if so, what really drove such a seemingly docile woman over the edge? Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological exploration of the sociopath, from its conception by nature, through the act of murder, and beyond the stars into a distant future. SPONSOR: Audible URL: Audible.com/EVILCCMM SMS code: EVILCCMM to 500 500

On the frigid morning of February 20, 2009, a 4-year-old girl appeared on the doorstep of a rural Wampum, PA home sobbing and proclaiming her pregnant mother wouldn't wake up. Police soon arrived on the scene to find the woman had been shot in the back of the head while sleeping, but there was no evidence of an intruder. Before long, all signs pointed to an unlikely suspect, and an arrest was made. But it wasn't a stranger. Or her menacing ex-boyfriend. Not even her fiancee. According to police, the culprit was an 11-year-old boy.

On February 1, 1959, a group of Russian ski hikers stray off-course due to low visibility caused by snow and wind, only to find themselves forced to set up their tent for the night on the slopes of a remote peak in the northern Ural range called Kholat Syakhl, which translates to "dead mountain". At some point during the night, however, the group flees the tent with no regard for anything but getting away, leaving themselves prone to the elements, and without any resources. Soon after, all of them are dead, but under seemingly bizarre circumstances that haven't been explained to this day. Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological examination of the evidence in this baffling mystery.

On the night of July 22, 1991 Milwaukee police entered the apartment of 31-year-old Jeffrey Dahmer in response to a complaint by a man who said he'd been handcuffed and held hostage there only minutes earlier. Having been to the residence in the past, the cops thought this might be another case of a domestic dispute between two young lovers. Once inside, however, what they found was far more sinister. Join host Ryan Kraus for Part II of a psychological journey through the emotional plight of the Milwaukee Cannibal, arguably the most infamous serial killer to have ever lived. SPONSORS: Audible URL: Audible.com/EVILCCMM SMS code: EVILCCMM to 500 500 Care/Of URL: takecareof.com Code: CCMM (for 25% off your first month of personalized Care/Of vitamins)

On the morning of June 4, 2010, 7-year-old Kyron Horman was photographed by his stepmother while standing proudly in front of his project at an elementary school science fair. The bespectacled, gap-toothed child was all smiles, as it was also the last day of school before summer vacation. After the picture, Kyron's stepmom left him outside of his classroom, where he was last seen walking toward the door. But he never made it. Once she turned her back, little Kyron Horman was gone. Forever. Join host Ryan Kraus in an effort to deconstruct the psychology of the event and unearth the long-awaited truth.

Join host Ryan Kraus for a fascinating journey through the terrifying psychology embedded in Stephen King’s horror classic Pet Sematary. Sponsor: Green Chef Visit www.GreenChef.us/ccmm to get $50 off your first box.

On Thursday, July 9, 2015, little DeOrr Kunz left Idaho Falls with his family for a camping and fishing trip more than 120 miles away at the remote Timber Creek campground, but by the next afternoon he had vanished without a trace. At first, it was believed the boy might have been abducted, or even attacked by a wild animal. But as the search remained fruitless, investigators began to wonder if DeOrr had ever been up on the mountain at all. That's when they turned their attention to the campers, and named DeOrr's parents suspects. To this day, however, the little boy remains missing. Join host Ryan Kraus for a journey into the psychology of this fascinating mystery in an effort to uncover the truth.

At 11:38pm on the night of December 3, 2003, Assistant US Attorney Jonathan Luna disappeared from his desk at the Baltimore federal courthouse, leaving behind his cell phone and glasses he needed for driving. Moments later, security footage captured his vehicle leaving the parking garage, at which point it embarked on a strange 5-hour journey that seemed to have no clear destination. By 5:30am, however, Jonathan Luna was dead. 15 years later, we still have no answers about what really happened that night inside his car. Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological exploration of this baffling case in an effort to uncover the truth about one question: suicide ... or murder?

From 1971 to 1983, a madman roamed the remote wilderness outside of Anchorage, Alaska hunting attractive women as his prey. By the end of his reign of terror, Robert Christian Hansen, otherwise known as the Butcher Baker, would commit 30 rapes and at least 17 murders, attributing them to his intense hatred for the girls who rejected him in his youth. Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological examination of his younger years in an effort to uncover what really went wrong, and how we can fix these issues moving into the future.

On May 21, 1960, proud parents Lionel and Joyce Dahmer welcomed their baby boy Jeffrey into the world. By 1991, he would become one of the more notorious serial killers of all time. Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological journey back in time to Jeff’s childhood to learn what went wrong. Part I of a limited series. Sponsor: Maeltopia - A New World of Horror https://maeltopia.podbean.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Maeltopia Promo: The Murder in My Family https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-murder-in-my-family/id1396717244?mt=2

On April 15, 2005, Centre County, PA District Attorney Ray Gricar told his girlfriend he was taking a day off to go for a scenic drive and check out some antique stores. But as day turns to night, and night becomes the next morning, Ray never comes home. Soon his car is found abandoned next to a bridge, and it seems as though another person may have been inside. As time passes, we learn somebody disposed of his laptop as well. But the trail ends there. Was Ray murdered? Did he commit suicide? Or leave voluntarily to start a new life? Join host Ryan Kraus for an examination of what lies beneath the surface in this case.

On the night of March 31, 1922, six members of a rural Bavarian family were viciously murdered inside their farmstead with a weapon believed to be something akin to a pickaxe. In the aftermath, many suspects came to light, as did rumors that the event was perhaps the result of paranormal activity. To this day, however, the crime remains unsolved. Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological exploration of the truth hidden behind the facade of this perplexing mystery.

On the evening of February 24, 1978, four mentally challenged men set off on a road trip fifty miles from their homes in the Yuba City, CA area to watch a college basketball game in Chico. Expected back only hours later, they never arrive. But soon their car is found abandoned on an isolated road high up in the Plumas National Forest, and before long the spring thaw will reveal their fate. Though one lingering question remains ... What happened to the Yuba County 5? Did they take a wrong turn and get lost? Or was it something much more sinister? Join host Ryan Kraus for a look inside the psychology of this enduring mystery.

Circleville, OH. 1976. A local woman begins receiving threatening letters in the mail that instruct her to end an extramarital affair she swears is a fabrication. But when the letters continue, and the threats grow stronger, things finally come to a head as her husband loses his life trying to confront the writer. And that's just the beginning. Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological exploration of this fascinating mystery.

At 11:30pm on August 28, 2013, a 19-year-old Sierra College student named Bryce Laspisa got behind the wheel of his SUV heading south on California's Interstate 5 headed in the direction of his parents' home nearly 500 miles away, soon after telling his mother he had something important to talk to her about. But Bryce never makes it home. Throughout one of the strangest road trips in recent memory, one that lasts in excess of 30 hours, Bryce will do everything he can to avoid arriving at his destination, up to and including an attempt on his own life, before disappearing without a trace. Join host Ryan Kraus for a fascinating look at the psychology of the truth hidden within the mystery.

On December 24, 2002, a young pregnant woman named Laci Peterson seemingly vanishes from the face of the earth while walking her dog. In the aftermath, media attention turns to her husband, Scott, who embarks on a series of odd behaviors before the bodies of his wife and unborn son finally turn up. Years later, Scott Peterson sits on California's Death row for the crime. But did he really do it? Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological profile of the man convicted of this infamous crime.

Sometime after 2:30am on February 14, 2000, a 9-year-old girl from Shelby, NC named Asha Degree left her parents home in a rainstorm and began walking Highway 18 south toward an unknown destination. 1.3 miles later, and in temperatures barely above freezing, she was spotted by a passing motorist, but fled into the woods when he called out to her. Asha hasn't been seen since. Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological examination of her journey in an effort to uncover the origin story that propelled this child to run away.

When 6-year-old Max Shacknai, son of wealthy pharmaceutical executive Jonah Shacknai, plummets to his death in a mysterious fall over a second-floor banister at the Spreckels mansion in Coronado, CA, the family is left in a state of shock. But only two days later, Jonah's live-in girlfriend, Rebecca Zahau, succumbs under equally suspicious circumstances, leaving both deaths begging the question: suicide or murder?

On the evening of December 7, 1993 a 35-year-old Jamaican immigrant named Colin Ferguson boarded the number 3 train at Penn Station in New York City headed for long Island. He took a seat in the third car, among 80 other passengers, and remained silent until they pulled into the Merillon station. Before the train stopped, Colin stood up, revealed a Ruger 9mm pistol accompanied by 160 rounds of ammunition, and began firing.

In the early morning hours of June 6, 1996 a frantic young mother of three from suburban Rowlett, TX makes a frantic call to 911 to report an intruder entered her home and viciously stabbed two of her sons to death. But when police arrive, they begin to notice disparities between the story Darlie Routier tells and the narrative the evidence creates. In the end, she receives the death penalty for her crimes. But one question persists. Was there really an intruder in the house that night?

On the night of August 2, 2006 a 32-year-old Washington, DC-area attorney named Robert Wone went to the home of a college roommate with plans to sleep at the residence in anticipation of arriving at work early the next day. But within an hour of his arrival, 911 received a call that he’d been murdered by an unknown intruder. When police arrived, they found no signs of forced entry, and it seemed Robert had been sexually assaulted. Twelve years later, we’re still asking what happened to Robert Wone.

On the morning of January 24, 2006 a young Orlando, FL woman named Jennifer Kesse failed to show up for work, causing concern among her family, friends, and employer. Hours later, it was apparent nobody could account for her whereabouts, but the scene back at her condo indicated she'd gotten ready for work and left in her car as usual. That is, until security footage from a nearby apartment complex rendered video of an unknown person abandoning her car at noon on the day of her disappearance. Twelve years later, however, there's still no sign of Jennifer Kesse ... or that strange man.

On the night of July 13, 1966 career criminal Richard Speck knocked at the door of a townhome on E. 100th St. in Chicago, IL with bad intentions. What followed changed the psychological landscape of American society forever.

On the evening of November 28, 2012 two police officers discovered a distressed 26-year-old woman named Emma Fillipoff sitting outside the Empress Hotel in Victoria, BC clutching her shoes. After a 45-minute interview in which she barely spoke, they decided she was not a threat to herself or anyone else, and went about their business. But Emma Fillipoff was never seen again. Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological reconstruction of the narrative present in the final days before her disappearance.

On Thanksgiving Day 2012, 65-year-old Little Falls, MN resident Byron David Smith fatally shoots two burglars in his home, seemingly enacting his right to protect his property by use of deadly force. But when the police arrive, the crime scene suggests something much different took place that afternoon in Byron's basement. Something much more sinister. Join host Ryan Kraus for a journey into the mind of a killer in an attempt to uncover the origin of his evil.

In the early morning hours of December 2, 2011 a young woman named Morgan Ingram was found dead inside her parents’ Carbondale, CO home after several months of reporting terrifying encounters with a vicious stalker. But when the toxicology report returned controversial results in the aftermath, one questioned remained at the center of this heated debate: suicide … or murder?

BONUS EPISODE: In the early morning hours of August 8, 2014 a young woman named Warriena Wright plunged to her death from the hi-rise balcony of an apartment building located along Australia's Gold Coast. In the aftermath, her date for the evening, a local playboy named Gable Tostee, found himself charged with the crime. But one question remained: accident ... or murder? Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological exploration of the events that precipitated the most infamous Tinder hookup in recent memory. **Please note**: All new full-length episodes of Cold Case Murder Mysteries are now available only by premium subscription on www.coldcasemurdermysteries.com PayPal donations made through the link on the website are also greatly appreciated. Thank you for your support!

In November, 2004 somebody entered the home of Delmar, NY residents Joan and Peter Porco in the middle of the night, armed with a fireman's axe and the worst of intentions. By the next morning, local police had arrived at the house to find one of the more perplexing massacres in recent memory. Join host Ryan Kraus for a look deep inside the mind of a vicious killer and the venomous sociopathy that fueled his rage.

On February 9, 2004, a 21-year-old college student named Maura Murray disappears after a car accident on route 112 in Haverhill, NH and is never seen again. What follows is one of the more baffling mysteries in American true crime lore. Join host Ryan Kraus for an in-depth look at the psychology of the event as he travels inside the mind of Maura Murray.

On May 3, 2007, a 3-year-old British girl disappears from her family's holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal, igniting one of the most infamous missing persons cases in modern history. But in the 12 years since, from allegations of a kidnapper to suspicions cast upon the parents, one question remains unanswered: what happened to Madeleine McCann? Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological examination of the evidence in an effort to uncover the truth.

At 10pm on June 9th, 1912, the Moore family of Villisca, Iowa returns home from the Children's Day Program at their local Presbyterian church along with two guests. But as night turns to dawn, the family of six never emerges from behind the drawn curtains of the residence. Soon after, a suspicious neighbor sets off a chain of events that leads to a gruesome discovery: eight dead bodies, all bludgeoned with an axe. Two adults. Six children. And no answers more than 100 years later. Join host Ryan Kraus for a casual stroll through the crime scene as he attempts to extract motive and possible suspects from the psychology present in the murders.

Join host Ryan Kraus in part II of this series covering Elliot Rodger and the Isla Vista Massacre, in which he takes the audience down the rabbit hole once again for a psychological examination of evolution's war on introversion and its resulting societal implications that lead to violence.

On the evening of May 23, 2014, 22-year-old UCSB student Elliot Rodger murdered three students in his apartment near campus before taking his rampage to the streets behind the wheel of a fast-moving car. After killing or wounding more than a dozen people in his path, the perpetrator crashed the vehicle and took his own life, leaving us with one very important question: why? Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological examination of the early years documented in Elliot's manifesto "My Twisted World" to learn what brought forth the demon. With a special appearance by Jessica from the Asian Madness Podcast.

On August 5, 1962, the world learned of the death of Hollywood icon Marilyn Monroe, who succumbed to an overdose of barbiturates at age 36. Decades later, however, many still speculate the actress was the victim of murder. Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological profile of the life and death of a legend.

On November 18, 1993, 9-year-old Angie Housman vanished after getting off a school bus less than a block from her home. In the following days, terror gripped the residents of St. Ann, MO as police searched desperately for a missing little girl and her abductor. Their worst fears were confirmed when Angie's frozen body was discovered tied to a tree in a remote wilderness nearby. 25 years later, her killer's identity remains unknown. Join host Ryan Kraus as he paints a psychological portrait of evil from the scarce palette of clues left on this canvas.

On May 31, 2014, a 12-year-old middle school student from Waukesha, WI was discovered lying on a bike path covered in blood, the victim of a vicious stabbing. Police soon learned the attackers were the girl's best friend Morgan Geyser and classmate Anissa Weier, who were apprehended while attempting to flee to a fictional mansion in the forest. When prompted for motive, they claimed a paranormal being named Slender Man was going to kill their families if they didn't comply with his demands to eliminate their friend. But more than 5 years later, we still don't have an answer that's even remotely grounded in reality. Join host Ryan Kraus on a psychological journey for the truth.

On the morning of November 24, 1997, parents Steve and Marlene Aisenberg called 911 to report their 5-month-old daughter, Sabrina, had been taken from her crib in the middle of the night. But the police didn't find any evidence of an intruder. So, what began as a kidnapping quickly became whispers of foul play, with the cops pointing the finger at the parents. 20 years later, we're still wondering what happened to Sabrina Aisenberg. Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological exploration of the truth beneath the lies.

On March 31, 2006, a 27-year-old Ohio State medical student named Brian Shaffer went out for a night of drinking with a friend, one that culminated at the Big Tuna Saloona, where Brian is seen on security footage talking to two young women outside the entrance at 1:55am. He then walks off camera back into the bar, and subsequently disappears from the face of the Earth, never to be heard from again. Join host Ryan Kraus as he examines the most likely explanations for this baffling mystery.

August 20, 1989 - Two brothers, Lyle and Erik Menendez, enter their parents Beverly Hills mansion shortly before midnight and execute the couple with shotgun blasts, garnering the suspicion of police in the aftermath as they spend a fortune on lavish gifts and vacations. But soon the evil deeds will catch up with them, and the brothers are arrested for the murders. What follows in the trial is a battle for the truth that pits allegations of sexual assault against monetary greed. But, in the end, we're still left with one pertinent question: why? Join host Ryan Kraus as he attempts to answer this question through the societal implications of that time period in America.

On October 1, 1974 director Tobe Hooper unleashed a horror film that silenced US audiences from coast to coast with its unflinching look at a group of young people who run out of gas on a road trip and end up getting slaughtered by a crazed family living in a decrepit house nearby. But beneath the surface of this iconic film, and behind the mask of its star, Leatherface, is the mystery of its origin. Join host Ryan Kraus as he peels back the curtain on the evolutionary implications of a horror masterpiece.

On the afternoon of October 24, 1961 a little girl shows up at the doorstep of her neighbor's home in Lincoln, MA to proclaim, "Mommy's gone and the kitchen is covered in red paint." What follows is one of the most baffling disappearances in American history, one that remains unsolved to this day. Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological study of movement in an attempt to uncover the truth.

Join host Ryan Kraus for the final chapter of this series covering the infamous Robin Hood Hills child murders. In this episode, we examine Terry Hobbs, the stepfather of 8-year-old victim Stevie Branch, who garnered strong suspicion in the case when DNA testing revealed a hair possibly matching his own was found in a ligature of another victim, Michael Moore.

On June 3, 1993, a 17-year-old boy with a low IQ named Jessie Misskelley confessed to the Robin Hood Hills murders at the West Memphis police department. The minor was not represented by an attorney, nor were his parents present. By the end of the interrogation, however, he'll have implicated Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin, and himself as the perpetrators of this horrific crime. But was he telling the truth?

Nearly 25 years after the bodies of Christopher Byers, Stevie Branch, and Michael Moore were pulled from the murky waters of a shaded gully in the forest of Robin Hood Hills, we still don't have a clear picture of what transpired that afternoon that led to murder. Join me as I attempt to extract the truth by way of the symbolism apparent in the killer's actions.

May 5, 1993 - When three young boys out for an afternoon bike ride through West Memphis, Arkansas never return home, a search the next morning reveals they were brutally murdered, their bodies concealed in a drainage ditch. A police report filed that day shows that an incident at a nearby restaurant the night before involved a mysterious man covered in blood and mud who just disappeared into the night without a trace. But to this day, nobody knows his identity, or if he had anything to do with the murders. Join me as I examine the infamous Mr. Bojangles.

The Lutz family has finally settled into their new home at 112 Ocean Ave in Amityville after a demanding move. But at 3:15am, in the dark silence of the of the night, George awakens to loud noises coming from downstairs. As he goes to check on the problem, however, one fact immediately becomes apparent: something uninvited has made its way into this house.

December, 1975 - Thirteen months after the murders of the DeFeo family, George and Kathy Lutz purchase the Dutch Colonial located at 112 Ocean Avenue in Amityville with the same "High Hopes" as their predecessors. But 28 days later, they flee in terror. Join me as I examine the psychological impetus for the haunting.

Join me for the most clinical entry in the series as I examine the impetus for convicted killer Butch DeFeo's claims of demonic possession leading to murder, and how it became the transitional psychology that rendered the terrifying haunting the following year.

Join me for the second chapter of this series as I go inside 112 Ocean Avenue to diagram the psychology behind the DeFeo murders, specifically dissecting the killer's methods by way of the only survivor of the massacre: Shaggy the Sheepdog. Only days before the crime, Ronald DeFeo Jr. swore to his father he was going to kill the animal. But in the end, the canine was the only one spared. Why?

Amity, NY. In the early morning hours of November 13, 1974, Suffolk County police make a gruesome discovery inside the DeFeo residence located at 112 Ocean Avenue. The bodies of two adults, in addition to four children, are found in different bedrooms throughout the home, victims of a shooting. But while it was relatively simple for police to deduce the surviving 23-year-old son, Ronald DeFeo Jr., was the culprit, no one ever could have expected the terror that would ensue when he was unable to answer this question: why?

On November 22, 1963, a nation was silenced in the aftermath of the shocking assassination of its leader, John F. Kennedy. But as quickly as we were introduced to the prime suspect, Lee Harvey Oswald, he suffered the same fate at the hands of a Dallas nightclub owner named Jack Ruby. Yet, well past the 50th anniversary of the crime, Ruby's true motive has never been exposed. Join me as I examine why.

When a nationally televised program about the murder of JonBenet Ramsey aired in late 2016, I found myself in agreement with host Jim Clemente's opinion that Burke Ramsey committed the crime. But there's still one question we really need to answer. Join me in my inquiry.

The son of martial arts pioneer Bruce Lee, rising actor Brandon Lee managed to carve out a niche of his own in the entertainment world starring in low-budget action flicks. But with a major release in his near future, complete with the starring role that would make him famous, Brandon Lee was mysteriously shot to death on set by another actor.

Philadelphia, 1987. Police officers executing a search warrant at the home of Gary Heidnik uncover of a shocking house of horrors, including chained women imprisoned in a basement dungeon. But in the aftermath of the crimes, he not only gained notoriety for his evil acts, but also for owning a Rolls Royce. Years later, I saw it listed for sale, and picked up the phone to make an offer.

By age 15, Edmund Kemper had committed two brutal murders and been locked away in a mental institution. When he turned 21, however, he was deemed fit to rejoin society. And that's when the real killing began. Join me as I open the hatch on this man's head and take a quick peek inside the mind of a murderer.

Dennis Rader, aka the BTK Killer, brutalized the Wichita, KS area with a series of vicious murders throughout the 1970s. This is the story of a woman who barely managed to escape his wrath with a single stroke of luck. But a few months later, the killer returned with a terrifying message.

In the early morning hours of May 14, 2008, a 19-year-old college student driving home from a party got his car stuck in a ditch while navigating the back roads of rural Minnesota. But as he contacted his father and attempted to meet him at a nearby location, the call suddenly dropped. And that's the last time anybody ever heard from Brandon Swanson.

Few men have inspired the disgust and awe of polite society to the extent of Ed Gein, a man possessed with a psyche so disturbing it became the backbone of the modern horror film. But while the torment might have been in his mind, the real terrors were inside his home.

February, 1957: The beaten, bruised body a of a deceased young boy is found abandoned in a cardboard box along the side of the road in an undeveloped section of northeast Philadelphia. In the six decades since the crime, nobody has been able to identify him.

July, 1974: It's a beautiful summer afternoon at Lake Sammamish in Issaquah, Washington, a great day for families to have some fun in the sun. But lurking among them is a manipulative sociopath, one with a handsome face, a charming smile, and a burning desire to murder young women.

The Nightstalker was a heartless monster who roamed the streets of Los Angeles in the mid-1980s, unleashing a reign of terror upon its citizens that was finally brought to an end on August 31, 1985, when he was pummeled by an angry mob. Here's how it happened.

On November 28, 1969, 22-year-old Penn State student Betsy Aardsma collapsed to the library floor during a study session, leaving onlookers and medical personnel rushing to her aid. But it soon became apparent this was no emergency; it was murder. Nearly 50 years have passed since, yet no one has ever been brought to justice for the crime.

On April 6, 1996, a 48-year-old New Jersey man was attacked in his apartment by two unknown assailants, and then disappeared without a trace. Soon after, it became apparent to police that his wife of more than 25 years, Rita Gluzman, was the mastermind behind the crime. But where was the body?

A harrowing discovery was made on Halloween morning, 1975, when 15-year-old Greenwich, CT resident Martha Moxley was found bludgeoned to death underneath a tree in the family's backyard. It soon became apparent a monster was lurking somewhere in the shadows of a wealthy, gated community, but more than four decades later, we're still asking one pertinent question. Who really killed Martha Moxley?

Join host Ryan Kraus for the second part of this psychological examination of the motivations behind the 1999 murder of high school senior Hae Min Lee. In this episode, we dissect the possibilities of what occurred in the controversial 21 minutes for which her ex-boyfriend, Adnan Syed, still can't seem to account for his whereabouts, and offer theories as to why these memories escape him.

Enter the strange, analytical mind of host Ryan Kraus as Part I of this series scratches the surface of motive in this case by specifically examining the psychological impetus for 17-year-old Adnan Syed to murder his ex-girlfriend Hae Min Lee after school on January 13, 1999.

Gunshots rang out on the streets of LA shortly after midnight on March 9, 1997, and when the chaos subsided one of the greatest rappers to ever grace the game was dead. Twenty years later, we're still asking ourselves who killed Biggie Smalls. Who was the man in the dark suit and bowtie who reached out the window of a Chevy Impala SS with a 9mm and pulled the trigger? Was he an associate of Death Row Records founder Suge Knight? Was it retaliation for Tupac Shakur's murder only months earlier? Let's take a look.

On October 8, 2009, Bobby and Sherilynn Jamison leave their Eufaula, OK home in the family truck with 6-year-old daughter Madison and her dog Maisy in tow. They trek 30 miles away into the Sans Bois Mountains, where they supposedly scout property to buy where they could make a new life. But that's the last anybody ever hears from them. Days later, their truck is found abandoned, with all their personal belongings still inside, including the suffering dog and an envelope full of $32,000 cash under the seat. The only item missing is a .22 that belonged to Sherilynn, leading some to speculate this was a murder-suicide. But what about the ghosts? The ones Bobby and Sherilynn told their pastor about. The ones that were chasing them. Are they coming to get us, too?

July 26, 2009. A Ford Windstar minivan enters the Taconic State Parkway shortly after 1:30pm and accelerates to a speed of 85 mph ... going the wrong way into oncoming traffic. Behind the wheel is 36-year-old Diane Schuler, high on marijuana with a blood-alcohol level of .19, more than twice the legal limit. She's out of control, weaving around cars with a bottle of Vodka next to her and 5 children as passengers. The terror continues for 1.7 miles, until the van collides head-on with an SUV, killing everybody but Diane's 5-year-old son, Bryan. In the aftermath, an investigator reveals conversations with more than 50 family members and friends proves nobody had ever seen Diane drunk, or even consume more than a single drink. So, what pushed this responsible, loving mother over the edge? A panic attack? A stroke? Or was it something more sinister?

On February 19, 2013, a maintenance worker at the Cecil Hotel in downtown Los Angeles checks the 4 towering water tanks on the building's rooftop after complaints from guests about a strange taste and smell emanating from the supply to their rooms. Inside one of the structures he finds the floating dead body of 21-year-old Canadian tourist Elisa Lam, who'd checked into the hotel only weeks earlier and subsequently disappeared. In the aftermath, the LAPD releases surveillance video from the hotel's elevator the morning of Lam's death, which depicts the young woman engaging in incredibly odd behavior. And, as the footage goes viral, so do speculations of everything from foul play to paranormal activity. But was there really something hiding in the shadows?

26-year-old father and oil-field worker Brandon Lawson leaves his San Angelo, TX home shortly before midnight on August 9, 2013, at the culmination of an argument with his common-law wife, Ladessa. After calling his father, he drives north on Highway 277 toward the man's house until his truck runs out of gas in a dark, remote wilderness near the town of Bronte. Only minutes later, Brandon makes a chilling 911 call where he claims somebody is chasing him, and begs for the cops to hurry ... but the line goes dead. Shortly after, he calls his brother to say he's bleeding, yet the call drops again. And that's the last anybody ever hears from Brandon Lawson. Join me in the search for the truth.

On the morning of November 1, 2007, Amanda Knox, an American college student living abroad in Perugia, Italy, returns to her apartment to find the front door open, blood in the bathroom, and her unresponsive roommate locked inside a bedroom. Fearing the worst, she calls her boyfriend, and the two of them try to break down the door, to no avail. So, they call police, who discover the body of 22-year-old English student Meredith Kercher inside. But the nightmare has only just begun ... because now the police are looking at the couple's strange behavior. And, before long, they'll be separated and confined to jail cells, interrogated until they finally break and point the finger at each other, ultimately spawning a desperate quest for justice and redemption that would span a decade.

On July 5, 2011, Casey Anthony was acquitted of numerous charges related to the asphyxiation death of her 3-year-old daughter Caylee in Orlando, FL, drawing outrage from the media and general public that persists to this day, even garnering her the moniker "World's Most Hated Mom." But years later, still lost in the shuffle is what really happened to little Caylee Anthony. In a case predicated upon lies, join me as I endeavor to uncover the truth by way of reverse-engineering the psychology and linguistics of this madness in the absence of fact.

In the early morning hours of December 9, 2001, novelist and aspiring politician Mike Peterson makes a harrowing 911 call to report that his wife Kathleen has fallen down the stairs of their Durham, NC mansion and is barely breathing. By the time police arrive, however, they find Kathleen dead in a pool of blood, and what's been reported as an accident suddenly seems like murder. But the only other person in the house that night was her loving husband. So, did he do it? And is the truth buried in a dark secret from his past? Let's take a look.

In a 2-part episode, we first delve into the unsolved Santa Rosa Hitchhiker Murders, a series of unexplained deaths throughout the 1970s involving young female victims being dumped along roadsides, a case in which there is still very little evidence. Everybody from Ted Bundy to the Hillside Stranglers have been investigated, to no avail. However, there is a prime suspect, one we know all too well. But did he do it? Then, in the second part of our show, we take a closer look at some of the evidence in the JonBenet Ramsey case, specifically analysis of the 911 call, ransom note, and bowl of pineapple.

On September 27, 1969, a young woman named Cecelia Shepard died while being rushed to the hospital after she and fellow student Bryan Hartnell were viciously stabbed as they picnicked along an isthmus on a beautiful day at Lake Berryessa in Northern California. But before succumbing to her injuries, she provided a detailed description of a man dressed in a black executioner's hood who carried a gun and a foot-long knife. This was the face of evil. This was the Zodiac. But despite one of the largest manhunts in American history, his identity remains unknown. Or does it?

On the morning of December 26, 1996, a frantic mother named Patsy Ramsey calls 911 to report that her daughter is missing and a ransom note was left on their back staircase demanding $118,000. As authorities investigate the disappearance, however, it quickly becomes apparent that not everything is what seems. And their suspicions are validated when the little girl's dead body is discovered in the wine cellar near a broken basement window. But was there really an intruder? Or were parents John and Patsy hiding something? Maybe even a dark secret about their 9-year-old son, Burke? Let's find out.