Cold Case Murder Mysteries

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

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 emo

*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 scapeg

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 tragi

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 det

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?