After killing his family in the winter of 1971, John List went on the run, initiating a worldwide manhunt that would last nearly twenty years before he was finally apprehended. In that time, the List case would become one of the largest and most notorious investigations since the kidnapping of the Lindbergh baby.

References

Associated Press. 1972. "John List is still missing and local police are baffled." Courier-News (Bridgewater, NJ), February 22: 9.

—. 1972. "Highjack-slaying ties denied." Press of Atlantic City, January 15: 4.

Bailey, Bruce. 1972. "Worldwide hunt fails to find Wrstfield exec." The Star-Ledger (Newark, NJ), June 11: 1.

Balog, Kathy. 1990. "The confession to his pastor was the most damning of all." The Courier-News (Bridgewater, NJ), April 13: 1.

Benford, Timothy, and James Johnson. 1991. Righteous Carnage: The List Murders in Westfield. New York, NY: Scribner.

Bullock, Marilyn, and Bruce Bailey. 1971. "The Lists were a neighborhood mystery." The Star-Ledger (Newark, NJ), December 9: 11.

Chung, Connie. 2002. 1971 family killer breaks silence. February 20. Accessed August 1, 2026. https://abcnews.com/2020/story?id=132646&page=1.

Cohen, Robert. 1971. "'Daddy, you're all I have left...'." The Star-Ledger (Newark, NJ), December 12: 1.

—. 1971. "Husband hunted in mass slaying." The Star-Ledger (Newark, NJ), December 9: 1.

Douthat, Strat. 1989. "The fugitive." Los Angeles Times, June 18: 2.

Fiedler, Lore. 1973. "John List disappearance still unsolved." The Courier-News (Bridgewater, NJ), December 3: 11.

—. 1971. "Westfielder sought in slaying of 5." The Courier-News (Bridgewater, NJ), December 8: 1.

Hampton, Pat. 1980. "After 9 years, John List still a suspect-and still a mystery." The Courier-News (Bridgewater, NJ), December 6: 5.

Hann, Christopher. 1989. "For stunned neighbors, news of arrest hits home." The Courier-News (Bridgewater, NJ), June 2: 7.

LA Times Wire Service. 1989. "Suspect in family-slaying may be famed D.B. Cooper." Los Angeles Times, June 30.

McNeel, John M. 1976. "What ever happened to John List." The Courier-News (Bridgewater, NJ), October 15: 11.

Romano, Mary. 1989. "For the family, a chapter closes, a wound reopens." The Courier-News (Bridgewater, NJ), June 2: 1.

Stout, David. 2008. "John E. List, 82, killer of 5 family members." New York Times, March 25.

Sullivan, Joseph. 1990. "Slaying suspect saw 2 choices, doctor testifies." New York Times, April 7: 30.

—. 1990. "Suspect wrote about killing family in '71." New York Times, March 29.

Talmont, Tek, and Jill Vejnoska. 1990. "Attorney admits client is John List." The Courier-News (Bridgewater, NJ), February 15: 1.

The Courier-News. 1990. "Two specialists describe List." The Courier-News (Bridgewater, NJ), April 10: 1.

The Courier-Times. 1976. "Psychic gleaned varied impressions of List." The Courier-Times (Bridgewater, NJ), October 15: 11.

Thompson, Robert. 1972. "List case unsoved after seven months." The Courier-News (Bidgewater, NJ), June 28: 1.

Vejnoska, Jill. 1990. "Defense: List killed with love in his heart." The Courier-News (Bridgewater, NJ), April 3: 1.

—. 1990. "Doctor recounts List's getaway." The Courier-News (Bridgewater, NJ), April 11: 1.

—. 1990. "Doctor: Stressed List just snapped." The Courier-News (Bridgewater, NJ), April 7: 1.

—. 1989. "FBI nabs John List." The Courier-News (Bridgewater, NJ), June 2: 1.

—. 1990. "Letter: List shot family, prayed." The Courier-News (Bridgewater, NJ), March 29: 1.

—. 1990. "List 'didn't trust God' to help him." The Courier-News (Bridgewater, NJ), April 6: 1.

—. 1990. "List guilty." The Courier-News (Bridgewater, NJ), April 13: 1.

—. 1989. "Prime-time spotlight focuses on long-time fugitve John Lisr." The Courier-News (Bridgewater, NJ), May 22: 1.

—. 1989. "Westfield cops hope TV can help catch John List." The Courier-News (Bridgewater, NJ), April 14: 1.

Wirt, George. 1977. "5-Year hunt: Cops 'haven't forgotten' slaughter of famil." The Star-Ledger (Newark, NJ), May 30: 10.

Yates, Terry, and Robert Thompson. 1971. "'Nobody knew them too well'." The Courier-News (Bridgewater, NJ), December 8: 1.

Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022)

Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023)

Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley

Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally

Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025)

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In early December 1971, after a month of watching the lightbulbs in the List house slowly burn out one after another, neighbors finally became concerned about the List family and called the Westfield, NJ police to report their suspicions. Acting on the calls, officers arrived at house on the morning of December 7 to perform a wellbeing check, and when no one answered the door, they managed to gain access to the house through a basement window. 

When they reached the first floor, the officers found the bodies of the List family—including the couple’s three children—dead from gunshot wounds to the head they’d suffered a month earlier. Noticeably absent from the remains in the house were those of the family patriarch, John List. In his office, investigators discovered a letter List had written to the pastor of his local church, in which he claimed to have murdered his family in order to spare them the pain of living in a world he believed had become corrupt and morally bankrupt.

References

Associated Press. 1972. "John List is still missing and local police are baffled." Courier-News (Bridgewater, NJ), February 22: 9.

—. 1972. "Highjack-slaying ties denied." Press of Atlantic City, January 15: 4.

Bailey, Bruce. 1972. "Worldwide hunt fails to find Wrstfield exec." The Star-Ledger (Newark, NJ), June 11: 1.

Balog, Kathy. 1990. "The confession to his pastor was the most damning of all." The Courier-News (Bridgewater, NJ), April 13: 1.

Benford, Timothy, and James Johnson. 1991. Righteous Carnage: The List Murders in Westfield. New York, NY: Scribner.

Bullock, Marilyn, and Bruce Bailey. 1971. "The Lists were a neighborhood mystery." The Star-Ledger (Newark, NJ), December 9: 11.

Chung, Connie. 2002. 1971 family killer breaks silence. February 20. Accessed August 1, 2026. https://abcnews.com/2020/story?id=132646&page=1.

Cohen, Robert. 1971. "'Daddy, you're all I have left...'." The Star-Ledger (Newark, NJ), December 12: 1.

—. 1971. "Husband hunted in mass slaying." The Star-Ledger (Newark, NJ), December 9: 1.

Douthat, Strat. 1989. "The fugitive." Los Angeles Times, June 18: 2.

Fiedler, Lore. 1973. "John List disappearance still unsolved." The Courier-News (Bridgewater, NJ), December 3: 11.

—. 1971. "Westfielder sought in slaying of 5." The Courier-News (Bridgewater, NJ), December 8: 1.

Hampton, Pat. 1980. "After 9 years, John List still a suspect-and still a mystery." The Courier-News (Bridgewater, NJ), December 6: 5.

Hann, Christopher. 1989. "For stunned neighbors, news of arrest hits home." The Courier-News (Bridgewater, NJ), June 2: 7.

LA Times Wire Service. 1989. "Suspect in family-slaying may be famed D.B. Cooper." Los Angeles Times, June 30.

McNeel, John M. 1976. "What ever happened to John List." The Courier-News (Bridgewater, NJ), October 15: 11.

Romano, Mary. 1989. "For the family, a chapter closes, a wound reopens." The Courier-News (Bridgewater, NJ), June 2: 1.

Stout, David. 2008. "John E. List, 82, killer of 5 family members." New York Times, March 25.

Sullivan, Joseph. 1990. "Slaying suspect saw 2 choices, doctor testifies." New York Times, April 7: 30.

—. 1990. "Suspect wrote about killing family in '71." New York Times, March 29.

Talmont, Tek, and Jill Vejnoska. 1990. "Attorney admits client is John List." The Courier-News (Bridgewater, NJ), February 15: 1.

The Courier-News. 1990. "Two specialists describe List." The Courier-News (Bridgewater, NJ), April 10: 1.

The Courier-Times. 1976. "Psychic gleaned varied impressions of List." The Courier-Times (Bridgewater, NJ), October 15: 11.

Thompson, Robert. 1972. "List case unsoved after seven months." The Courier-News (Bidgewater, NJ), June 28: 1.

Vejnoska, Jill. 1990. "Defense: List killed with love in his heart." The Courier-News (Bridgewater, NJ), April 3: 1.

—. 1990. "Doctor recounts List's getaway." The Courier-News (Bridgewater, NJ), April 11: 1.

—. 1990. "Doctor: Stressed List just snapped." The Courier-News (Bridgewater, NJ), April 7: 1.

—. 1989. "FBI nabs John List." The Courier-News (Bridgewater, NJ), June 2: 1.

—. 1990. "Letter: List shot family, prayed." The Courier-News (Bridgewater, NJ), March 29: 1.

—. 1990. "List 'didn't trust God' to help him." The Courier-News (Bridgewater, NJ), April 6: 1.

—. 1990. "List guilty." The Courier-News (Bridgewater, NJ), April 13: 1.

—. 1989. "Prime-time spotlight focuses on long-time fugitve John Lisr." The Courier-News (Bridgewater, NJ), May 22: 1.

—. 1989. "Westfield cops hope TV can help catch John List." The Courier-News (Bridgewater, NJ), April 14: 1.

Wirt, George. 1977. "5-Year hunt: Cops 'haven't forgotten' slaughter of famil." The Star-Ledger (Newark, NJ), May 30: 10.

Yates, Terry, and Robert Thompson. 1971. "'Nobody knew them too well'." The Courier-News (Bridgewater, NJ), December 8: 1.

Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022)

Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023)

Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley

Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally

Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025)

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Tragic Case of Molly Bish 

Molly Bish was 16 years old and working as a lifeguard at Comins Pond in Warren. She’d only been working there about a week on June 27th, 2000 when her mother dropped her off for her 10:00 shift. Swimmers would be arriving any minute, but just minutes later when they started piling in for swim lessons, there was no lifeguard on duty. In a matter of minutes Molly vanished, but it would be three years before her partial remains would be discovered, and over twenty with no answers. This case remains unsolved to this day, although the investigation is very much active. **Anyone With information about the Molly Bish case should call the State Police tip line at 508-453-7575

Morbid Chats With Heather Bish

Before recording episode 214, The Tragic Case of Molly Bish, we reached out to Molly’s sister Heather who has been working tirelessly to get Molly’s case solved. Heather was kind enough to join us for an episode to give us an inside scoop on all the work she’s been doing to get Molly’s case solved, and just to let us in on who Molly was as a sister, a daughter and as a friend. Let’s all work together and get this case solved! 

TO HELP YOU CAN:

Call the MA state police with any tips regarding Molly’s case at 508-453-7575

Contact your regional State Legislator to ask them to support S1595, An act permitting familial searching and partial DNA matches in investigating certain unsolved crimes. (You can find their numbers and email here:

Molly Bish Foundation

Sources:

https://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-xpm-2003-06-22-0306220015-story.html

https://www.telegram.com/article/20090128/NEWS/901280281

https://www.boston25news.com/news/molly-bish-rodney-stanger-may-have-crossed-paths-1/141310989/

https://www.bizjournals.com/boston/blog/mass_roundup/2013/09/molly-bish-remains-palmer-racetrack.html

https://storiesoftheunsolved.com/2019/04/10/the-murder-of-molly-bish/: 

https://www.masslive.com/news/2013/09/family_of_murdered_teenager_mo.html
 

Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022)

Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023)

Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley

Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally

Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025)

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Weirdos! We're revisiting Whitechapel in this MASSIVE episode which includes all 5 episodes of Alaina's Roman Empire, Jack the Ripper!

Alaina takes us to the streets of Whitechapel for part one of Jack The Ripper, and boy is it a stark picture she’s painting us. Whitechapel was dark, damp, dirty and downright desolate at the time Jack The Ripper was roaming the streets. People were living in all kinds of horrible conditions, butchers and slaughterhouse workers were walking around covered in blood and because things were like this, it made the perfect stomping ground for a vicious murderer. Mary Ann "Polly" Nichols was the Ripper’s first victim and the main person that we’ll go over in part one while Alaina also gives us a background on a couple of other potential early victims. Stay tuned for (we’re thinkin’) three more!

Jack the Ripper part two brings us the absolutely horrifying murder of Annie Chapman. Annie’s story, much like the rest of the women who were killed, is incredibly devastating. She was struggling with sobriety when she landed on the shady streets in Spitalfields in the East end and was having a terrible time trying to find work to just get by. Robert Anderson, the head of the criminal investigations department was still on vacation, Sir Charles Warren’s ego stepped on the scene and they were not even one step closer to uncovering the culprits identity.

Jack the Ripper Part three will cover what is known as, “the double event.” Both Elizabeth Stride and Catherine Eddowes were found killed on this September night. Both women shared a lot in common with the previous two victims. They’d struggled through pretty much their entire lives just to make ends meet and then were met with this as their end. In this part we’ll start to entertain the theory that Jack perhaps had some kind of medical background and you’ll see just why one might think so once you dive into the episode! Hold onto your butts!

Jack the Ripper part 4 is here weirdos! This installment will cover the horrific, and most brutal murder yet: the murder of Mary Jane Kelly. Mary Jane was the youngest victim at just twenty five years old and the only victim that was killed in her own room. When the police arrived on scene they were shocked, but still not any closer to uncovering the identity of the ripper. OH and also, Alaina has some HOT TAKES on the letters we went over in part 3.

YOU HAVE REACHED THE CONCLUSION!!!! Alaina’s final part of Jack the Ripper is here and we are talking all things suspects, confirmation bias, science, mitochondrial DNA and Patricia Cornwell. Do we know who Jack the Ripper is by now? No. Do we know who he isn’t? Sorta. Stay tuned for years to come because Alaina claims one day she will have our answers!!!

"SOMEDAY I WILL"- Alaina

Check out these great books on the case:

Jack the Ripper and The Case For Scotland Yard's Prime Suspect by Robert House

The Complete Jack the Ripper by Donald Rumbelow

The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper by Hallie Rubenhold

The Hidden Lives of Jack the Ripper's Victims by Robert Hume

The Ripper Code by Thomas Toughill

Jack the Ripper: Scotland Yard Investigates by Stewart Evans & Donald Rumbelow

Jack the Ripper: The definitive Casebook by Richard Whittington-Eagan

Portrait of a Killer: Jack the Ripper by Patricia Cornwell

Also check out these sites on the case:

JackTheRipper.org

Casebook: Jack The Ripper

Jack the Ripper Tour

History blog mentioned in the episode:

The History Girls

An even DEEPER dive into this case:

Season 3 of Unobscured with Aaron Mahnke

Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022)

Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023)

Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley

Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally

Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025)

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This Bonus Episode is brought to YOU by our friends at State Farm!

Weirdos!! Get ready to return to Forks for the epic conclusion of our MORBID recap of the Twilight franchise!  Today we're diving into Breaking Dawn (Part 2) and part 3 of the book, and what a gift it is! Bella is the BEST at everything, even though her selfishness gets the Cullens in hot water AGAIN! Jacob is the new creep on the block with his imprinting escapades. And the Volturi are walking... I guess? Prepare yourself for Alaina's masterful impression of Bella's singsong voice, worry with Ash about dear Charlie's heart health, and join us as we attempt to untangle the host of inconsistencies that had us angry, confused or howling with laughter! Grab the nearest tissue box and prepare to cry-laugh with us!

Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022)

Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023)

Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley

Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally

Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025)

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On the morning of March 20, 1995, millions of rush hours commuters boarded trains across Tokyo, just as they countless other mornings. Unbeknownst to those millions of riders, five of those trains were carrying large quantities of a nerve agent called Sarin, a colorless, odorless liquid that, when released into the air, can cause extreme respiratory problems and eventually death. As the trains traveled to their respective destinations through the underground system, the bags of Sarin became punctured and released the gas into the packed trains cars and within seconds, the first victims began dropping to floor, choking and vomiting. 

The Tokyo gas attacks killed thirteen people and injured nearly 6,000 others, and they remain the worst case of domestic terrorism in Japan’s history. Yet beyond the obvious trauma of the incident, the attack has left a deep wound in the nation’s psyche. When the perpetrators of the attack, a doomsday cult known as Aum Shinrikyo, were apprehended, the nation was shocked that a small religious cult had managed to cause such tremendous damage. Even now, thirty years later, the impact of Aum Shinrikyo and the sarin gas attacks are still felt around Japan.

References

BBC News. 2018. Aum Shinrikyo: The Japanese cult behind the Tokyo Sarin. July 6. Accessed July 16, 2025. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-35975069.

Kristof, Nicholas D. 1995. "In shrine of Japan cult, police find labratory." New York Times, March 27: 2.

—. 1995. "Japanese police raid the offices of a sect linked to poison gas." New York Times, March 22: 1.

Monterey Institute of International Studies. 2016. Chronology or Aum Shinrikyo's CBQ Activities. Timeline , Monterey Institute of International Studies.

Murakami, Haruki. 2001. Underground: The Tokyo Gas Attack and the Japanese Psyche. Translated by Alfred Birnbaum and Philip Gabriel. New York, NY: Vintage.

Watanabe, Teresa. 1995. "Police seize toxic chemicals in raid on Japanese sect." Los Angeles Times, March 23: 1.

—. 1995. "Raid on sect spurs civil-liberties worries." Los Angeles Times, March 23: 4.

WuDunn, Sheryl. 1995. "Fear stalks Tokyo: safe no more." New York Times, March 21: 13.

—. 1995. "Sect says government staged the gas attack." New York Times, March 22: 10.

Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022)

Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023)

Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley

Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally

Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025)

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Weirdos! We are 7 days away from PUB DAY for THE BUTCHER LEGACY, and we're celebrating with a special sneak peak of the audio title! We are thrilled to introduce you to the newest member of the cast, Cary Hite, who is narrating for detective John Leroux! Keep an eye on Instagram for additional clips with Sophie Amoss and Joe Knezevich! 

Preorder the Audiobook now!

Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022)

Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023)

Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley

Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally

Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025)

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

When a realtor entered the Toronto home of Barry and Honey Sherman on December 15, 2017, she expected the couple to be out of town and the house to be empty. The agent showed a young couple around the massive home, room by room, and when they reached the bottom floor, where the pool was located, they found the bodies of the Shermans, leather belts cinched around their necks and secured to a metal railing.

To the Toronto Police Homicide Squad, the deaths of Barry and Honey were suspicious, but they were hesitant to label the deaths a homicide and thought it was possible they were dealing with a case of murder-suicide. There was no sign of forced entry, nothing appeared to be missing, and other than the belts around their necks, only Honey had suffered obvious injuries. 

It took multiple autopsies and significant advocacy from the family, but eventually the Sherman’s deaths were labeled a homicide. But the question remained, who would have wanted to kill the older couple, and if not for money, why?

Mentioned in this Episode

• Preorder THE BUTCHER LEGACY! 
• Can’t make it to The Butcher Legacy Book Tour in person? Buy a Virtual ticket and get a signed copy and stream the Event live on 8/11!

References

Campbell, Matthew. 2018. The unsolved murder of an unusual billionaire. October 24. Accessed July 26, 2026. https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2018-apotex-billionaire-murder/.

Donovan, Kevin. 2019. The Billionaire Murders: The Mysterious Deaths of Barry and Honey Sherman . New York, NY: Viking.

—. 2025. "'I'm playing blind' on who killed Barry and Honey Sherman, lead Toronto police detective admits." Toronto Star, October 28.

—. 2019. "Police have working theory in Sherman case, court told." Toronto Star, April 25: 1.

—. 2020. "Sherman probe focuses on video evidence." Toronto Star, Janaury 18: 1.

Donovan, Kevin, Wendy Gillis, and Emma McIntosh. 2018. "Targeted." Toronto Star, January 27: 1.

Friscolanti, Michael. 2018. What’s slowing the cops down at Apotex headquarters. January 29. Accessed July 27, 2026. https://macleans.ca/news/barry-and-honey-sherman-murders-whats-slowing-the-cops-down-at-apotex-headquarters/.

Gibson, Victoria , and Janet Kerr. 2017. "Billionaire and his wife found dead in home." Toronto Star, December 16.

Gillis, Wendy, and Tamar Harris. 2017. "Family of Apotex drug founder blast Toronto police, call for a 'thorough, objective' investigation ." Toronto Star, December 17.

Kingston, Anne. 2018. The other side of Barry Sherman. April 5. Accessed July 27, 2026. https://macleans.ca/news/canada/barry-honey-sherman-murders/.

Lancaster, John. 2021. Court documents reveal more details about 2017 homicides of Barry and Honey Sherman. January 5. Accessed July 27, 2026. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/barry-honey-sherman-murder-2021-1.5860527.

McKeen, Alex. 2017. "'I have always been very conscious on my personal mortality'." Toronto Star, December 21: 1.

Tsekouras, Phil. 2022. Relative believes 'someone was making a statement' in murder of Barry and Honey Sherman, unsealed documents show. January 14. Accessed July 26, 2026. https://www.ctvnews.ca/toronto/article/relative-believes-someone-was-making-a-statement-in-murder-of-barry-and-honey-sherman-unsealed-documents-show/.

Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022)

Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023)

Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley

Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally

Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025)

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

For this month's bonus episode, we are joined by one of our favorite storytellers, Aaron Mahnke of Lore Podcast, to discuss his upcoming book  Exhumed: Unearthing the History of the American Vampire. We discuss this fascinating book which dives into one of history's strangest rabbit holes: the New England vampire panic. We touch on the tragic story of Mercy Brown, corpse medicine, pseudoscience, folklore, and the very real fears that led ordinary people to do some truly diabolical things!  Aaron shares the inspiration for the book, some unconventional  home theft deterrents, and talks about his favorite moments from his incredible podcast!

Preorder Exhumed: Unearthing the History of the American Vampire

Purchase tickets to see Aaron Mahnke in conversation with Alaina Urquhart at the Wilbur in Boston on 8/4/26!

Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022)

Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023)

Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley

Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally

Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025)

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Weirdos! Let's pack up the MORBID family station wagon and get ready to go on a little vacation! This time, Deb has found vacation tales that will have you freaked out AND cackling with laughter. OH! And these tales are BY you FOR  you and ALL ABOUT YOU! So, buckle your seatbelt and hold onto your butts, friends! Check out the YOUTUBE version is packed with extra Nicholas footage!

If you’ve got a listener tale please send it to Deb by emailing us at  [email protected] with “Listener Tales” somewhere in the subject line, and if you share pictures, please let us know if we can share them with fellow weirdos! :)

Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022)

Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023)

Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley

Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally

Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025)

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

After Lorenna Bobbitt’s husband John sexually assaulted her at their home in Virginia in the summer of 1993, she retaliated by waiting until he was asleep, she decided to fight back. Following the attack, Lorena fled the house in her car and eventually pulled over to the side of the road to call 911 and report the incident, at which time she was arrested. Though salacious, this incident of domestic violence would likely have gone unnoticed by the rest of the American public; however, at the time, debates about domestic violence and marital rape were raging and the Bobbitt case came to serve as an example of the consequences and effects of that violence, for arguments on both sides. As a result, the Bobbitt case became one of the most high-profile criminal cases in the country—and then it became a national joke.

References

Anolik, Lili. 2018. "Lorena Bobbitt's American Dream." Vanity Fair, June 28.

Chozick, Amy. 2019. "You know the Lorena Bobbitt story. But not all of it." New York Times Magazine, January 30.

Effron, Lauren, and Sean Dooley. 2019. John Bobbitt speaks out 25 years after wife infamously cut off his penis. January 4. Accessed July 10, 2026. https://abcnews.com/US/john-bobbitt-speaks-25-years-wife-infamously-cut/story?id=60023049.

Labton, Stephen. 1993. "Husband acquitted of assault in mutilation case." New York Times, November 11: 18.

Lentz, Kelsey. 2025. "Where Is Lorena Bobbitt Now? All About Her Life 32 Years After She Cut Her Husband's Genitals Off." People Magazine, June 23.

New York Times. 1993. "Battle of the sexes joined in case of mutilation." New York Times, November 8: 16.

—. 1993. "Husband tells court of sexual mutilation by wife." New York Times, November 10: 20.

—. 1993. "Tearful woman tells jury why she cut off her husband's penis." New York Times, November 9: B8.

—. 1993. "Tearful woman tells jury why she cut off her husband's penis." New York Times, November 9: B8.

News, CBS. 2008. Lorena Bobbitt, 15 years later. June 25. Accessed July 14, 2026. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/lorena-bobbitt-15-years-later/.

Potomac News. 1993. "Maimed man ponders TV offers for his story." Potomac News, July 11: 1.

Silman, Anna. 2019. "The Bobbitt penis doctor on the surgery he'll never forget." The Cut, February 13.

Tannenbaum, Denyse. 1993. "No rape, mutilated man says." Potomac News, July 13: 1.

Valle, Ana. 1994. "Bobbitt trial to resume Tuesday after emotional Friday." Potomac News, January 16: 8.

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Williams, Marcia. 1993. "Ebert needs to watch his words carefully." Potomac News, December 3: 10.

Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022)

Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023)

Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley

Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally

Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025)

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