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Halloween dates back over 2000 years to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced Sown). November 1st, the Celtic new year, marked the end of summer and harvest and the beginning of a long, cold, dark winter for Celts, who inhabited areas that are now known as Ireland, the United Kingdom and northern France. This time of year in particular was associated with human death and Celts believed that on the night before new year, the boundaries between the worlds of the living and the dead became murky and blurred. On the evening of October 31st, Celts and Druids would celebrate Samhain, where it was believed that the ghosts of the deceased returned to earth, by building large bonfires where people gathered to burn crops and animals as a sacrifice to the Celtic deities. The Celts wore costumes, such as animal heads and skins, they attempted to tell each other’s fortunes and when the celebrations were over, the fires were re-lit to protect them during winter.

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The idea of being murdered by a complete stranger is a significant fear that has been mentioned several times on this podcast, however, more recently, has been discussed at length in the news and on social media following the murder of Sarah Everard. This horrific murder has solidified women’s fear around walking alone in the dark, and has ignited significant conversations surrounding women’s trepidations and how men can make us feel safer. According to a recent survey by UN Women UK, 97% of women in the UK have experienced sexual harassment.

Follow us on Twitter and Tumblr (@murderandmore), Instagram (@murderandmorepod) and Facebook (Murder and More Podcast/@mandmpod). View the sources and pictures for this episode at www.murderandmorepodcast.wordpress.com. Become a patron of Murder and More by heading to www.patreon.com/murderandmore. This episode's promo is The Unseen. Music: Atmospheric Backing, https://purple-planet.com.

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A huge thank you to Mel from Mask of Sanity and Bobbie from Killer Stories for their voice over for this episode.

If you have any information relating to Cherrie's disappearance, you are urged to contact Pennsylvania police's Missing Person Unit on 724-284-8100.

It’s impossible to put an exact number on the amount of stranger abductions in the US in the 1980s. Child Find, a missing children organisation, suggested the number was roughly 600 per year, with the FBI reporting 67 cases and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children holding records for 142 cases of stranger abduction. Law enforcements suggested that 95% of missing children in the 1980s were runaway teens, who typically returned home within 3 days. The majority of the rest of that proportion are parental abductions who are in custody disputes and only a small minority of missing children are actually abducted by a complete stranger.

Follow us on Twitter and Tumblr (@murderandmore), Instagram (@murderandmorepod) and Facebook (Murder and More Podcast/@mandmpod). View the sources and pictures for this episode at www.murderandmorepodcast.wordpress.com. Become a patron of Murder and More by heading to www.patreon.com/murderandmore. This episode's promo is Basement Surge.

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DISCLAIMER: I misremembered the facts regarding the Oscar Pistorius case - please accept my sincerest apologies.

This is a very special episode featuring our first ever guest, Ellyn Marsh. Ellyn co-hosts the true crime/comedy podcast, Obsessed With Disappeared, alongside Patrick Hinds (from True Crime Obsessed). Join Ellyn and I, as we play Would You Rather, Innocent or Guilty and Ellynism or Not.

Obsessed With Disappeared can be found wherever you get your podcasts. You can follow them on Twitter (@disappearedpod) and Instagram (@thedisappearedpod). Ellyn can be found on Twitter and Instagram (@ellynmarsh).

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***This episode is sponsored, in part, by Away Travel***

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Nature vs nurture is a longstanding debate in the world of psychology that discusses the extent to which certain aspects of our behaviour are either inherited via genetics, or the influence of external factors. Approaches vary, with the biological approach focusing on genetics and hormones to explain behaviour, and behaviourism suggesting that all behaviour is learned, via conditioning, from the surrounding environment. In more recent years, psychologists have become interested in how genetics and external influences interact with each other to shape our behaviour, rather than seeing them as 2 separate entities. It seems likely that our behaviour is a result of both genetics inherited from our parents, and learned behaviours from our environment.

Follow us on Twitter and Tumblr (@murderandmore), Instagram (@murderandmorepod) and Facebook (Murder and More Podcast/@mandmpod). View the sources and pictures for this episode at www.murderandmorepodcast.wordpress.com. Become a patron of Murder and More by heading to www.patreon.com/murderandmore. This episode's promo is CrimeLapse. Music: Leave Without Me and Atmospheric Piano Backing, https://purple-planet.com.

A huge thank you to Stuart from British Murders and Jenny from It’s Murder Up North for their voice over for this episode.

Plan International UK suggests that 63% of women in Britain feel unsafe walking alone in the dark. It’s an innate fear, one that’s reinforced in childhood. Stranger danger dictates that all strangers are dangerous, and that you should never interact with strangers in the street, a child should never accept sweets off of a stranger and you should never walk off or get into a car with a stranger. The occurrence of the Moors Murders, murders committed by Levi Bellfield and the abduction and murder of Sarah Payne in 2000, has made the idea of stranger danger even more significant. While most of these warnings are aimed at children, adults should remain wary of strangers too, because while stranger abductions are extremely rare in the UK, they do happen.

Follow us on Twitter and Tumblr (@murderandmore), Instagram (@murderandmorepod) and Facebook (Murder and More Podcast/@mandmpod). View the sources and pictures for this episode at www.murderandmorepodcast.wordpress.com. Become a patron of Murder and More by heading to www.patreon.com/murderandmore. This episode's promo is True Consequences. Music: Leave Without Me and Atmospheric Piano Backing, https://purple-planet.com.

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If you have any information relating to Brianna's disappearance, you are urged to contact Vermont State Police on 802-524-5993.

Huge thank you to Nat and Ash for their voice over work for this episode.

They say your teenage years are the best years of life. You begin to make long-term friendships and these friends become an important fixture in your life, you start going to parties and school either becomes more or less of a priority. You get your first ever job, you learn how to drive and buy your first car with your savings, you start to develop an interest in the opposite, or same, sex. Your personality blossoms, you learn more about yourself everyday and you develop independence and a sense of identity. Whilst most teenagers develop mentally and physically, others get lost and lose direction in their life.

Follow us on Twitter and Tumblr (@murderandmore), Instagram (@murderandmorepod) and Facebook (Murder and More Podcast/@mandmpod). View the sources and pictures for this episode at www.murderandmorepodcast.wordpress.com. Become a patron of Murder and More by heading to www.patreon.com/murderandmore. This episode's promo is True Crime Witch.

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Social media has taken the world by storm in the last decade. It’s become a platform to express your thoughts and feelings and a way to connect with old friends you’ve not spoken to for years. You can see what your aunt had for dinner last night, how your nephew’s first day of school went or the troubles the couple down the street are having in their relationship, all just a click away. Most people use social media nowadays to share funny stories, news, successes, selfies, pictures of their pets, kids and houses. While most use social media to keep up with the lives of their friends and family, predators use it to prey on, potentially vulnerable, victims and lull them into a false sense of security.

Follow us on Twitter and Tumblr (@murderandmore), Instagram (@murderandmorepod) and Facebook (Murder and More Podcast/@mandmpod). View the sources and pictures for this episode at www.murderandmorepodcast.wordpress.com. Become a patron of Murder and More by heading to www.patreon.com/murderandmore. This weeks promo is for Hometown Homicide. Music: Atmospheric Backing Music, https://purple-planet.com.

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Singapore was considered one of the British Empire’s most impenetrable islands, which is why the Fall of Singapore is described as one of the British Army’s biggest defeats and by far the worst defeat it suffered during World War 2. The Battle of Singapore began on the 8th of February 1942, when Japan, who were experienced in combat after several battles, invaded Singapore. The battle, which was fought fast and violently by Japan, took place over a 7 day period, resulting in roughly 10,000 casualties, anywhere between 80,000 and 100,000 troops becoming prisoners of war, and eventually, the surrender of Singapore. Whilst the Japanese and the British army were fighting for occupation of Singapore, police in Britain were fighting a battle of their own; attempting to identify a brutal killer, before he had the chance to claim any more women’s lives.

Follow us on Twitter and Tumblr (@murderandmore), Instagram (@murderandmorepod) and Facebook (Murder and More Podcast/@mandmpod). View the sources and pictures for this episode at www.murderandmorepodcast.wordpress.com. Become a patron of Murder and More by heading to www.patreon.com/murderandmore. This episode's promo is Harpy Hour. Music: Leave Without Me and Atmospheric Piano Backing, https://purple-planet.com.

Crimestoppers anonymous form: https://crimestoppers-uk.org/give-information/forms/give-information-anonymously
Crimestoppers number: 0800 555 111
Missing People's number: 116 000

To provide information:
Bruce - West Yorkshire's Homicide and Enquiry team, 101
Patricia - Brierley Hill police, 0345 113 5000 or Dudley Neighbouring Policing Unit, 101
Kenneth - Glenrothes police, 101
Linda - Major Crime Review Team, 101 (reference MP4472/11)
Herbert - Kent police, 101 (reference 94-000696)

It’s not a crime to go missing, adults voluntarily go missing all the time. The charity Missing People suggest that roughly 176,000 individuals are reported missing each year, with 100,000 of these being adults. 75% of adults either return or are found within 24 hours and 5% are missing longer than a week. As of the 31st of March 2019, nearly 3000 adults were classed as “long-term missing individuals''. As Christmas 2020 is around the corner, lots of families will have an empty chair at the dinner table, a chair that for many, has been vacant for far too long. Alongside Fern from Evidence of a Crime and Madeline from Crimeatorium, I’m going to tell you about a few of their stories. Maybe one of our listeners holds the key to finding even one of these missing individuals.

Listen to Evidence of a Crime's episode: linktr.ee/evidenceofacrime
Listen to Crimeatorium's episode: linktr.ee/crimeatorium

Follow us on Twitter and Tumblr (@murderandmore), Instagram (@murderandmorepod) and Facebook (Murder and More Podcast/@mandmpod). View the sources and pictures for this episode at www.murderandmorepodcast.wordpress.com. Become a patron of Murder and More by heading to www.patreon.com/murderandmore. Music: Leave Without Me, Atmospheric Piano Backing and Deadlock: https://purple-planet.com.

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Credit for this episode goes to Joseph Cusack and his documentary, The Murder of Charlene Downes.

The 25th of May is International Missing Children’s Day, first initiated by Ronald Reagan in 1983 and is in place to not only bring awareness to the thousands of missing children worldwide but to also honour organisations who put up a daily fight for these missing children. Whilst most children run away of their own accord, due to bullying or a poor family life, 1 in 5 are at risk of being sexually exploited. There are several charities based in the UK that work to support children and young adults. The Child Exploitation and Online Protection centre provide useful resources and advice to safeguard children against the dangers of sexual exploitation and online sexual abuse. Missing People is a well-known charity that works to support the families of people who have gone missing and also attempt to support the people who go missing too, by offering a listening ear if a child wants to confide in someone but doesn’t trust or have anyone they can talk to. They try to provide advice to children who are considering going missing, but also act as a mediator for children who have run away and don’t wish to talk to their families. Childline is run 24/7, provided by the NSPCC and is a service to provide advice and guidance to children who are suffering from domestic violence, abuse or who are considering running away from home.

Follow us on Twitter and Tumblr (@murderandmore), Instagram (@murderandmorepod) and Facebook (Murder and More Podcast/@mandmpod). View the sources and pictures for this episode at www.murderandmorepodcast.wordpress.com. Become a patron of Murder and More by heading to www.patreon.com/murderandmore. This episode's promo is Always Time for True Crime. Music: Leave Without Me, https://purple-planet.com.