Until the End of Crime

20. The Murder of the Harper Family

In 2003, a horrifying discovery rocked Bakersfield, California: five members of the Harper family, including three young children, were brutally murdered in their home. Behind the crime was a web of deceit spun by Vincent Brothers, a respected vice principal who thought he could evade justice with an elaborate alibi. But investigators weren’t easily fooled. With groundbreaking forensic techniques—and a few surprising clues—the truth emerged, unraveling a tale of betrayal and cold-blooded calculation. Join us as we explore how justice caught up to Vincent Brothers, exposing a shocking story that still haunts the community.
Sources:
Oxygen - Family MassacreArticle: "Vincent Brothers Slaughtered Family Caught"URL: https://www.oxygen.com/family-massacre/crime-news/vincent-brothers-slaughtered-family-caught
Wikipedia - Vincent BrothersURL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vincent_Brothers
Criminally Intrigued BlogArticle: "The Bakersfield Parricide"URL: https://www.criminallyintrigued.com/blog/2017/9/24/the-bakersfield-parricide
Vocal Media - CriminalArticle: "Vincent Brothers: The Vice Principal Who Killed His Family Because They Were a Financial Burden"URL: https://vocal.media/criminal/vincent-brothers-the-vice-principal-who-killed-his-family-because-they-were-a-financial-burden
NBC NewsArticle: Coverage of Vincent Brothers’ CaseURL: https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna32086189
Find A Grave - Joanie HarperMemorial page: Joanie HarperURL: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/7747684/joanie-harper
KGET - Kern County Crime WatchArticle: "Vincent Brothers Killed His Family 20 Years Ago"URL: https://www.kget.com/news/crime-watch/kern-crime-vincent-brothers-killed-his-family-20-years-ago/
Fox News RadioPodcast/Article: "An Evil Vice Principal: The Case of Vincent Brothers"URL: https://radio.foxnews.com/2023/12/19/an-evil-vice-principal-the-case-of-vincent-brothers/
Murderpedia - Vincent BrothersURL: https://murderpedia.org/male.B/b/brothers-vincent.htm
UC Davis NewsArticle: "Buggy Entomology Prof Helps Unravel Murder"URL: https://www.ucdavis.edu/news/buggy-entomology-prof-helps-unravel-murder

19. The Kidnapping, Torture, and Death of Junko Furuta

Junko Furuta was biking home from her part-time job when she was involved in a staged accident that resulted in her bicycle being stolen and a friendly face offered to escort her home...but she wasn't taken home, she was kidnapped and held for over a month, subjected to sexual assault, torture, and eventually murder. 
Sources:
https://medium.com/@lisariggio1994/40-day-nightmare-the-torture-and-murder-of-junko-furuta-bd2e131ad18d
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Junko_Furuta
https://www.tokyoreporter.com/crime/junko-furuta-killer-again-on-trial-chaos-in-the-courtroom/
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/218631863/junko-furuta
https://allthatsinteresting.com/junko-furuta

18. The Murder of Sara Ambrusko Tokars

In 1992, the brutal murder of Sara Tokars shattered the peaceful suburbs of Atlanta, leaving her two young sons to witness a crime that would haunt them forever. What seemed like a random act of violence soon unraveled into a complex web of dark secrets and hidden motives. In this episode, we delve into the shocking investigation and the lasting impact it had on Sara’s family, as they struggled to rebuild their lives in the wake of unimaginable trauma.
Sources:
Fretthold & Hamp Cremation & Funeral Services & Hamp Funeral Home, Inc. (2020, April 27). Michael Tokars Obituary. Retrieved from frettholdandhamp.com.
Harrison, E. (1993, March 1). Haunted by Clues From the Grave. Los Angeles Times.
McDonald, R. (2020, May 14). Sara’s Story. Atlanta Magazine.
McDonald, R. R. (2020, May 13). Former Attorney Fred Tokars Dies in Prison, 28 Years After Arranging Wife’s Murder. law.com.

17. Serial Killer Couple: Martha Beck and Raymond Fernandez

A Lonely Hearts advertisement, a misunderstood religion, a glandular condition, a traumatic brain injury, greed, and a desire for affection...this episode is all over the place, literally. When Martha Beck received a response to her Lonely Hearts advertisement from Raymond Fernandez, she picked up her life again and moved from Florida to New York. When she found out she had moved in with a criminal, she asked, "How can I help?" This lead the couple down a dark path that ended with each of them in an electric chair. 
Sources: 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raymond_Fernandez_and_Martha_Beck
https://murderpedia.org/female.B/b/beck-martha.htm
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-lonely-hearts-killers-are-executed

16. The Shooting of Al Benitez

In this episode, Cameron and Hayden unravel a chilling tale of love turned deadly in the quiet town of Kingsville, Texas. What begins as a seemingly normal relationship between a former border patrol agent, Al Benitez, and an aspiring police officer, Elizabeth Reynolds, soon takes a darker turn. As cracks start to show in their relationship, Al finds himself caught in a violent attack that leaves him fighting for his life.
But the real shock comes when investigators discover that someone close to Al may have played a key role in the attempt on his life. As secrets are revealed and loyalties are questioned, the hosts delve into the psychological twists of a case where obsession and betrayal collide. Tune in as Cameron and Hayden piece together the events of that fateful morning and explore the dangerous lengths one person is willing to go to keep control.
Sources:
A&E (Director). (2008, December 8). EPISODE 3: Jewish Federation; Alberto; Tamara (season 2, episode 3) [Streaming].
Snapped, EPISODE 5: Elizabeth Reynolds (season 6, episode 5). (2007, November 4). Oxygen.

15. The Bling Ring

In 2008, a group of bored teenagers living only miles from Los Angeles had an idea that started off relatively small, but quickly grew into a scheme that allowed them to clear millions of dollars worth from the homes of the rich and even the famous. With the inception of social media and the credibility lent by celebrity, the group was caught and dubbed the Bling Ring, a name almost as flashy as the items they were able to walk away with for months. 
Sources:
Alexis Haines. (2024, September 16). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexis_Haines
Blayden-Ryall, M. (Director). (2022). The Real Bling Ring: Hollywood Heist [Film]. Channel 4 Television & Double Act Productions.
Bling Ring. (2024, September 1). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bling_Ring
Carr, E. L. (Director). (2021). The Ringleader: The Case of the Bling Ring [Film]. HBO Documentary Films, Story Syndicate, & Carr Lot Productions.
Coppola, S. (Director). (2013). The Bling Ring [Film]. American Zoetrope, FilmNation Entertainment, & NALA Films.
Kaplan, I. (2023, September 29). With Erin Lee Carr's 'The Ringleader,' Rachel Lee finally tells her side of the Bling Ring case. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 2, 2024, from https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/tv/story/2023-09-29/the-ringleader-bling-ring-rachel-lee
Lembeck, M. (Director). (2011). The Bling Ring [Film]. Dick Clark Productions & SilverScreen Pictures.

14. The Story of Rodney Hyden and Cocaine Island

In this episode, Cameron and Hayden delve into the bizarre and almost unbelievable story of Rodney Hyden, a seemingly ordinary man who found himself caught up in a farcical quest for buried cocaine in Puerto Rico. What began as a tale told over drinks at a local gathering spiraled into a federal sting operation, resulting in Rodney’s arrest and a strange journey through the criminal justice system.
Sources: 
Netflix Documentary: The Legend of Cocaine Island (2018) directed by T. L.
Article: "The Crazy (True) Story of One Man’s Hunt for $2 Million in Buried Cocaine Treasure" by Nich Schager, The Daily Beast (2018).

13. The Murder of the Gustafson Family

After suffering the tragic loss of their mother, Tina and Karen Bowen begin to encounter terrifying incidents around their house. The doorbell rings, but no one is there. Windows are cracked. Phone lines cut and burned. Knocking in the walls. Electrical panel covers flying across the room. The contents of their shed being strewn across the yard. And a silhouette illuminated in their dining room during a storm. No one believes the young girls, chalking up their experiences to active imaginations and acting out after the loss of their mother. That is, until their father brings them home one night, and they discover the house has every light turned on, radios and televisions all set to the same respective stations and turned up to top volume…What he finds leads to a nightmare for two small towns in Massachusetts.
Sources
“Bump in the Night,”Your Worst Nightmare. Investigation Discovery, Season 2, Episode 1. Crazy Legs Productions, 2015.“Footsteps in the Attic,”Phrogging: Hider in My House. Lifetime, Season 1, Episode 2. A&E Television Networks, 2022.“Phrogging.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 15 Sept. 2024, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phrogging.“Gustafson Murders.” The Boston Globe, 7 Dec. 1987, Newspapers.com, https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-boston-globe-gustafson-murders/34908982/.“Police Study Music Videos in Townsend Slayings.” UPI, 7 Dec. 1987, https://www.upi.com/amp/Archives/1987/12/07/Police-study-music-videos-in-Townsend-slayings/5739565851600/.“Daniel LaPlante: The Real-Life Horror.” Talk Murder With Me, 3 Feb. 2021, https://www.talkmurderwithme.com/blog/2021/2/3/daniel-laplante.
“Priscilla Gustafson, Abigail Gustafson, William Gustafson, and Unborn Baby.” Teen Killers, https://teenkillers.org/memorials/massachusetts-victims/priscilla-gustafson-abigail-gustafson-william-gustafson-and-unborn-baby/.

12. Murders at Alpine Manor Nursing Home

In this unsettling episode, Cameron and Hayden take you into the dark and disturbing world of Gwendolyn Graham and Cathy Wood, two women whose deadly pact led to the deaths of vulnerable elderly patients at Alpine Manor Nursing Home in Michigan during the 1980s. Their toxic relationship fueled a series of murders, with their twisted love story taking center stage. The pair killed for control, power, and an unbreakable bond—then celebrated their heinous acts with sex. This episode uncovers the chilling details of their relationship, the psychological motivations behind their murders, and the quest for justice that followed.
Sources: 
Blanco, J. I. (n.d.). Catherine May Wood | Murderpedia, the encyclopedia of murderers. https://murderpedia.org/female.W/w/wood-catherine.htm
Hayden, A. V. (2020, September 26). Murderous nursing home aides guilty of killing multiple patients in Michigan. Oxygen Official Site. https://www.oxygen.com/license-to-kill/crime-news/cathy-wood-gwendolyn-graham-guilty-nursing-home-murders
Kirschner, J. K., & Zeiser, C. Z. (Directors). (2020, September 25). A match made in hell (season 2, episode 8) [Streaming].
Kolker, K. (2019a, June 13). WOODTV.com. WOODTV.com. https://www.woodtv.com/news/target-8/alpine-manor-killer-keep-accomplice-in-prison/
Kolker, K. (2019b, October 16). WOODTV.com. WOODTV.com. https://www.woodtv.com/news/kent-county/nursing-home-killer-granted-parole/
Kolker, K. (2020, January 16). WOODTV.com. WOODTV.com. https://www.woodtv.com/news/target-8/3-decades-later-alpine-manor-killer-released-from-prison/
Wikipedia contributors. (2024, July 31). Gwendolyn Graham and Cathy Wood. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gwendolyn_Graham_and_Cathy_Wood

11. The Murders of Lynda Mann and Dawn Ashworth

During the mid-1980s in Leicestershire, England, teenage girls were being targeted by an assailant who escalated from flashing to kidnapping to sexual assault and then to murder. After two girls, Lynda Mann and Dawn Ashworth, were each found deceased 3 years apart, new scientific advancements made their way into the field of forensics. These new forensic methodologies allowed for the identification of the perpetrator and afforded the families of these young women the opportunity to seek justice. 
Sources:
https://aboutforensics.co.uk/colin-pitchfork/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colin_Pitchfork
https://inews.co.uk/news/colin-pitchfork-double-child-killer-rapist-released-prison-granted-parole-2414035?srsltid=AfmBOoq0O7zzxx7cvYN2qsgkXVYT5h56CFROPwb7qe44BCWDNgogIDUo
https://inews.co.uk/news/colin-pitchforks-parole-hearing-held-in-private-due-to-fresh-allegations-3166178?srsltid=AfmBOoqQNIX63Zor9SeE35U5Q0YBhiElOwQVT_hPD76VQ3aOMVz0Q8SC
https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/news/7645070/child-killer-colin-pitchfork-new-name-confess-crimes-girlfriend/
https://www.bustle.com/p/where-is-colin-pitchfork-now-the-conviction-of-dawn-ashworth-lynda-manns-murderer-was-a-world-first-19198184
https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/monster-who-raped-murdered-schoolgirls-29185503
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTY5HXqy1NA
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-leicestershire-68276868
https://podscripts.co/podcasts/murder-with-my-husband/141-lynda-mann-and-dawn-ashworth-the-pathway-murders