On June 12th, 2016, Omar Mateen committed one of the most violent mass shootings in American history when he attacked Pulse Nightclub in Orlando. It was an attack that was 29 years in the making. Throughout Omar’s life, there were signs that things weren’t right. Expulsions from school. Being fired from the police academy. And even an investigation by the FBI. In Part 1 of our 4-part series, we’re going to dive into the events leading up to the shooting, and try to answer the question: What could have been done to stop it before it happened? 

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Sources:https://docs.google.com/document/d/1eTYeCoYyxm58DXXdoFbHQyWHlWbcH9iKGIefFcQToW4/edit?tab=t.y2yayotxnlcb

Listen to our new show, "THE CONSPIRACY FILES"!:

-Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/5IY9nWD2MYDzlSYP48nRPl

-Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-conspiracy-files/id1752719844

-Amazon/Audible - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/ab1ade99-740c-46ae-8028-b2cf41eabf58/the-conspiracy-files

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Feeling spooky? Follow Colin as he travels state to state (and even country to country!) investigating claims of extreme paranormal activity and visiting famous haunted locations on The Paranormal Files Official Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheParanormalFilesOfficialChannel

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(c) BLOOD IN THE SINK PRODUCTIONS 2026

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When firefighters rushed to a hotel room in December of 1979, they had no idea they were stumbling into the den of a serial killer. On the bed, they discovered the bodies of two women — their heads and hands cut off, and their torsos set on fire and left on display for first responders to find. It was the first glimpse into the madness of Richard Cottingham, the Torso Killer. Little did first responders know, his reign of terror went back decades, leaving a twisted trail that, to this day, we haven’t uncovered the full truth behind. Even now, as he sits in jail, we’re left to wonder: How many victims did he truly have?

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Sources:https://docs.google.com/document/d/1eTYeCoYyxm58DXXdoFbHQyWHlWbcH9iKGIefFcQToW4/edit?tab=t.y2yayotxnlcb

Listen to our new show, "THE CONSPIRACY FILES"!:

-Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/5IY9nWD2MYDzlSYP48nRPl

-Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-conspiracy-files/id1752719844

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Feeling spooky? Follow Colin as he travels state to state (and even country to country!) investigating claims of extreme paranormal activity and visiting famous haunted locations on The Paranormal Files Official Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheParanormalFilesOfficialChannel

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(c) BLOOD IN THE SINK PRODUCTIONS 2026

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When firefighters rushed to a hotel room in December of 1979, they had no idea they were stumbling into the den of a serial killer. On the bed, they discovered the bodies of two women — their heads and hands cut off, and their torsos set on fire and left on display for first responders to find. It was the first glimpse into the madness of Richard Cottingham, the Torso Killer. Little did first responders know, his reign of terror went back decades, leaving a twisted trail that, to this day, we haven’t uncovered the full truth behind. Even now, as he sits in jail, we’re left to wonder: How many victims did he truly have? 

-

Sources:https://docs.google.com/document/d/1eTYeCoYyxm58DXXdoFbHQyWHlWbcH9iKGIefFcQToW4/edit?tab=t.y2yayotxnlcb

Listen to our new show, "THE CONSPIRACY FILES"!:

-Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/5IY9nWD2MYDzlSYP48nRPl

-Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-conspiracy-files/id1752719844

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Stay Connected:

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Feeling spooky? Follow Colin as he travels state to state (and even country to country!) investigating claims of extreme paranormal activity and visiting famous haunted locations on The Paranormal Files Official Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheParanormalFilesOfficialChannel

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(c) BLOOD IN THE SINK PRODUCTIONS 2026

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"Are you a kidnapper?" Those are some of the last words that Athena Strand ever said. She was just 7 years old, standing in the back of a FedEx van, where an adult had told her she was safe, that things would be okay. But things would never be okay again. The man driving the van was not only a predator... but a killer. And his plans for Athena would be captured on camera, leading to one of the most horrific trials in modern history. A trial that still has everyone asking: How could someone be so evil? 

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Sources:https://docs.google.com/document/d/1eTYeCoYyxm58DXXdoFbHQyWHlWbcH9iKGIefFcQToW4/edit?tab=t.y2yayotxnlcb

Listen to our new show, "THE CONSPIRACY FILES"!:

-Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/5IY9nWD2MYDzlSYP48nRPl

-Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-conspiracy-files/id1752719844

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Stay Connected:

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Feeling spooky? Follow Colin as he travels state to state (and even country to country!) investigating claims of extreme paranormal activity and visiting famous haunted locations on The Paranormal Files Official Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheParanormalFilesOfficialChannel

-

(c) BLOOD IN THE SINK PRODUCTIONS 2026

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No one thought a 13-year-old boy was capable of such evil. But when 5-year-old Tara Sue Huffman was discovered bludgeoned to death, all the evidence pointed to neighbor, middle-schooler Timothy Buss, being her killer. After just 12 years of incarceration, Timothy returned to his hometown a reformed man. But not long after his release, another child disappeared. And this time, no one doubted what he was capable of. 

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Sources:https://docs.google.com/document/d/1eTYeCoYyxm58DXXdoFbHQyWHlWbcH9iKGIefFcQToW4/edit?tab=t.y2yayotxnlcb

Listen to our new show, "THE CONSPIRACY FILES"!:

-Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/5IY9nWD2MYDzlSYP48nRPl

-Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-conspiracy-files/id1752719844

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Stay Connected:

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Feeling spooky? Follow Colin as he travels state to state (and even country to country!) investigating claims of extreme paranormal activity and visiting famous haunted locations on The Paranormal Files Official Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheParanormalFilesOfficialChannel

-

(c) BLOOD IN THE SINK PRODUCTIONS 2026

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Elizabeth Peña and Jennifer Ertman were just two teens enjoying a walk home on a hot summer night on June 24th, 1993. When they took a shortcut home, they stumbled upon the aftermath of the unthinkable: A violent gang initiation. What happened to them afterward is the stuff of nightmares.  
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Sources:https://docs.google.com/document/d/1eTYeCoYyxm58DXXdoFbHQyWHlWbcH9iKGIefFcQToW4/edit?tab=t.y2yayotxnlcb

Listen to our new show, "THE CONSPIRACY FILES"!:

-Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/5IY9nWD2MYDzlSYP48nRPl

-Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-conspiracy-files/id1752719844

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Stay Connected:

Join the Murder in America fam in our free Facebook Community for a behind-the-scenes look, more insights and current events in the true crime world: https://www.facebook.com/groups/4365229996855701

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Feeling spooky? Follow Colin as he travels state to state (and even country to country!) investigating claims of extreme paranormal activity and visiting famous haunted locations on The Paranormal Files Official Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheParanormalFilesOfficialChannel

-

(c) BLOOD IN THE SINK PRODUCTIONS 2026

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Part 2 of this series brings us to the unmasking of the Baseline Killer, a man who terrorized Phoenix for over a year. His name was Mark Goudeau. A father. A husband. A hardworking member of the community. But beneath it all, he was the monster stalking the streets. As 2005 turned to 2006, his thirst for murder and violence only grew, and police knew they had to stop him before it was too late. 

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Sources:https://docs.google.com/document/d/1eTYeCoYyxm58DXXdoFbHQyWHlWbcH9iKGIefFcQToW4/edit?tab=t.y2yayotxnlcb

Listen to our new show, "THE CONSPIRACY FILES"!:

-Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/5IY9nWD2MYDzlSYP48nRPl

-Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-conspiracy-files/id1752719844

-Amazon/Audible - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/ab1ade99-740c-46ae-8028-b2cf41eabf58/the-conspiracy-files

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Stay Connected:

Join the Murder in America fam in our free Facebook Community for a behind-the-scenes look, more insights and current events in the true crime world: https://www.facebook.com/groups/4365229996855701

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Feeling spooky? Follow Colin as he travels state to state (and even country to country!) investigating claims of extreme paranormal activity and visiting famous haunted locations on The Paranormal Files Official Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheParanormalFilesOfficialChannel

-

(c) BLOOD IN THE SINK PRODUCTIONS 2026

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They were known as the Summers of Terror. From 2005 to 2006, Phoenix, Arizona, lived in a state of permanent dread. People and pets were being shot in the streets at random. Women and children were pulled into dark alleys and assaulted. In part 1 of this 2-part series, we’ll dive into the attacks that kicked off a year of chaos, violence, and mystery, which left the police department scrambling for answers. They may not have known their killer, but they knew one thing for certain: He would strike again. And again. And again. 

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Sources:https://docs.google.com/document/d/1eTYeCoYyxm58DXXdoFbHQyWHlWbcH9iKGIefFcQToW4/edit?tab=t.y2yayotxnlcb

Listen to our new show, "THE CONSPIRACY FILES"!:

-Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/5IY9nWD2MYDzlSYP48nRPl

-Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-conspiracy-files/id1752719844

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Stay Connected:

Join the Murder in America fam in our free Facebook Community for a behind-the-scenes look, more insights and current events in the true crime world: https://www.facebook.com/groups/4365229996855701

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Feeling spooky? Follow Colin as he travels state to state (and even country to country!) investigating claims of extreme paranormal activity and visiting famous haunted locations on The Paranormal Files Official Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheParanormalFilesOfficialChannel

-

(c) BLOOD IN THE SINK PRODUCTIONS 2026

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There were signs that things were not right at home for 12-year-old Lori Paige. Not just tiny ones: blazing red flags that followed her all her life. She came to school without shoes. She was hit with a belt in front of her classmates. She cried to friends and teachers, saying she couldn’t take the abuse any longer. And then… she vanished. What followed was an investigation that came far too late—one that revealed sexual abuse, violence, and cruelty at the hands of the person who was supposed to care for her most: her father.

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On April 29th, 1998, Houston Police dragged Charles Victor Thompson out of his ex-girlfriend’s apartment, where he had started a fight with her new boyfriend. Charles was a jealous man, a drunk man, but the police didn’t think he was a killer. At least, not for another 3 hours. What began as a jealous feud spiraled into murder, and from there, into one of the most shocking cases in Texas history: where a death row inmate escaped from prison and proved that he wasn’t done wreaking havoc. Not yet.

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Sources:https://docs.google.com/document/d/1eTYeCoYyxm58DXXdoFbHQyWHlWbcH9iKGIefFcQToW4/edit?tab=t.y2yayotxnlcb

Listen to our new show, "THE CONSPIRACY FILES"!:

-Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/5IY9nWD2MYDzlSYP48nRPl

-Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-conspiracy-files/id1752719844

-Amazon/Audible - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/ab1ade99-740c-46ae-8028-b2cf41eabf58/the-conspiracy-files

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-CastBox - https://castbox.fm/channel/id6193084?country=us

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Stay Connected:

Join the Murder in America fam in our free Facebook Community for a behind-the-scenes look, more insights and current events in the true crime world: https://www.facebook.com/groups/4365229996855701

If you want even more Murder in America bonus content, including ad-free episodes, come join us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/murderinamerica

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Feeling spooky? Follow Colin as he travels state to state (and even country to country!) investigating claims of extreme paranormal activity and visiting famous haunted locations on The Paranormal Files Official Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheParanormalFilesOfficialChannel

-

(c) BLOOD IN THE SINK PRODUCTIONS 2026

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Two offices. Thirteen people bleeding out on their workplace floor. And humid air full of the smell of iron, smoke, and gunfire. That’s exactly what Mark Orrin Barton wanted on the afternoon of July 29th, 1999 – and it’s just what he got. In part two of this series, we’ll walk you through the tragic, chaotic massacre that Mark Barton unleashed at his former offices. We’ll look at the victims, the survivors, and lastly – the shocking end to Mark’s rampage, which concluded with two final gunshots that no one saw coming.

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Sources:https://docs.google.com/document/d/1eTYeCoYyxm58DXXdoFbHQyWHlWbcH9iKGIefFcQToW4/edit?tab=t.y2yayotxnlcb

Listen to our new show, "THE CONSPIRACY FILES"!:

-Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/5IY9nWD2MYDzlSYP48nRPl

-Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-conspiracy-files/id1752719844

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-iHeart - https://iheart.com/podcast/186907423/

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-CastBox - https://castbox.fm/channel/id6193084?country=us

-

Stay Connected:

Join the Murder in America fam in our free Facebook Community for a behind-the-scenes look, more insights and current events in the true crime world: https://www.facebook.com/groups/4365229996855701

If you want even more Murder in America bonus content, including ad-free episodes, come join us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/murderinamerica

Instagram: http://instagram.com/murderinamerica/

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/people/Murder-in-America-Podcast/100086268848682/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MurderInAmerica

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theparanormalfiles and https://www.tiktok.com/@courtneybrowen

Feeling spooky? Follow Colin as he travels state to state (and even country to country!) investigating claims of extreme paranormal activity and visiting famous haunted locations on The Paranormal Files Official Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheParanormalFilesOfficialChannel

-

(c) BLOOD IN THE SINK PRODUCTIONS 2026

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices