Categories
In this episode I’ll share two separate cases of women who became part of a very small and exclusive club - women who made the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted List.
Nazira Ugalde killed for financial gain and flees to South America. A young woman in Texas, Brenda Delgado, plans the murder of her romantic rival and disappears soon after being questioned by police.
Resources:
"New details emerge about Reno 'Black Widow', Behind the Crime Tape Blog, Nov. 27, 2012
"Fugitive Black Widow wanted in ex-husband's 2008 murder arrested i Peru", by Nina Golgowski for New York Daily News, Jun 5, 2014.
"Mother of Hygenist at center of deadly love triangle sas her daughter is 'not the jealous type'", by Shekhar Bhatia for DailyMail.com, Sep 12, 2015.
"Duo Behind Killing of Dentist in Murder-for-Hire Plot May be Linked to Drug Cartel", Chicago 5 News, Oct 23, 2015.
"Brenda Delgado: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know", Heavy.com, Jun 7, 2019.
"The State of Texas vs Brenda Delgado", Criminal Indictment, October 2, 2018.
Sponsors:
Onyx and Rose: www.onyxandrose.com/ONCE and use offer code ONCE at checkout for 15% off your first purchase.
Hello Fresh: www.hellofresh.com/ONCE9 and enter ONCE9 at checkout for 9 free meals plus free shipping on your first box.
Podcast Recommendations:
Crime Machine by Jack Luna and Sam Swenson. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/crime-machine/id1484881599
You can now find us on Stitcher Premium! https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/esther-ludlow/once-upon-a-crime
A small time drug dealer kidnaps a rival's younger brother in order to settle a debt. The unfolding series of events would become one of California's most bizarre and tragic kidnapping cases on record and would even inspire an award-winning Hollywood movie.
Resources:
Jesse Katz for Los Angeles Magazine, "The Last Ride of Jesse James Hollywood", February 2002.
Colby Frazier for Daily Sound, "Hollywood tells his story", June 24, 2009.
Henry Chu and Solomon Moore for The Los Angeles Times, "Fugitive Kept Low Profile in Quiet Brazilian Beach Town", March 11, 2005.
Chris Hansen for Dateline, "The Real Story Behind 'Alpha Dog', Jan 15, 2007.
Tyler Hayden for The Santa Barbara Independent, "Meet Mrs. Jesse James Hollywood", Feb 4, 2014.
Sponsors:
Native Deodorant - www.nativedeodorant.com - Use promo code ONCE for 20% off your first purchase.
Truman's Cleaning Products - www.trumans.com - enter promo code ONCE for 50% off your starter kit plus subscription.
Solid Gold Pet Food - www.solidgoldpet.com/ONCE for 30% off your first order.
Music Credits:
Music from https://filmmusic.io
"Floating Cities" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
"Life of Riley" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com) License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
In this episode I dig into my file of spooky stories to share some haunted happenings in the world of rock and roll.
#themansionatlaurelcanyon #redhotchilipeppers #slipknot #hauntedhouses #bonscott #joshuatreeinn #halloween #ghoststories
Resources:
Corey Taylor, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Heaven (Or How I Made Peace with the Paranormal and Stigmatized Zealots and Cynics in the Process), (Da Capo Press, 2013).
Inside the Laurel Canyon Houdini Estate, www.wildabouthoudini.com, March 30, 2012.
Funky Monks - Uncut Full Documentary (1st edit uncut w/bonus footage), YouTube, uploaded by MakingMonstersInk, April 10, 2013. https://youtu.be/z0tTJ4SakE0
Sponsors:
Bombas Socks - www.bombas.com/ONCE for 20% off your first purchase.
Promo: Murder In My Family: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-murder-in-my-family/id1396717244
Music credits from https://filmmusic.io - License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
"Halloween Theme 1" by Alexander Nakarada (https://www.serpentsoundstudios.com/)
"Graveyard Shift" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
"Myst on the Moor" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
"Waltz of Treachery" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
"On My Way" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
"Life of Riley" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Bob Marley went from singing R&B harmonies in Trenchtown, Kingston, Jamaica to becoming a pioneer of reggae music, bringing his own blend of reggae, rock and ska music to a global audience. But as a popular figure in Jamaica, he was unwillingly thrust into the country’s political strife. The situation became so dangerous for Marley that on December 3, 1976, he became a target of assassins.
Several resources were used in the research for this episode including:
Chris Salewicz, Bob Marley: The Untold Story, (New York: Faber and Faber), 2010.
Biolgraphy.com, "Bob Marley", https://www.biography.com/musician/bob-marley
Vivien Goldman, The Guardian, "Dread, beat and blood", July 16, 2006.
Hua Hsu, The New Yorker, "Manufacturing Bob Marley", July 17, 2017
Mike Lanchin, BBC World Service, "I was there when gunmen tried to kill Bob Marley," December 4, 2016.
Kief Davidson, Remastered: Who Shot the Sheriff?, Netflix, 2015.
Sponsors:
Truman's: www.trumans.com - use promo code ONCE at checkout for 50% off your starter kit and subscription.
Solid Gold: www.solidgoldpet.com/once for 30% off your first order.
Music Credits:
Music from https://filmmusic.io
Sunny Rasta" by Alexander Nakarada (https://www.serpentsoundstudios.com/) License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
"Stealth Groover" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
"Dub Feral" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com) License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
A free concert took place in northern California in December of 1969 featuring The Rolling Stones. It would descend into chaos due to poor planning, rampant drug use and the ill-advised use of the Hells Angels as concert security.
Resources:
Joel Selvin, Altamont: The Rolling Stones, the Hells Angels and the Inside Story of Rock's Darkest Day, (New York: Harper Collins), 2016.
Lester Bangs, Reny Brown, John Burks, Sammy Egan, Michael Goodwin, Geoffrey Link, Greil Marcus, John Morthland, Eugene Schoenfeld, Patrick Thomas, and Langdon Winner, Rolling Stone Magazine, "The Rolling Stones Disaster at Altamont: Let It Bleed," January 21, 1970.
Albert & David Maysles and Charlotte Zwerin, Gimme Shelter (1970), http://watchdocumentaries.com/rolling-stones-gimme-shelter/
Note: Meredith Hunter can be seen in the crowd at timestamp 1:18:50. The attack on him begins at 1:23:26.
Sponsors:
Hello Fresh: www.HelloFresh.com/ONCE80 and enter ONCE80 at checkout for $80 off your first month of meal kits.
Away Travel: www.awaytravel.com/ONCE20 and use promo code ONCE20 at checkout for $20 off a suitcase.
Native Deodorants: www.nativedeodorant.com and use promo code ONCE during checkout for 20% off your first purchase.
A woman begins receiving harassing phone calls and letters from a stalker. It would take years to discover who the anonymous man was, but when he was finally identified a shocking secret would be revealed.
Several resources were used in the research for this episode including:
Book: Little Girl Fly Away by Gene Stone
Articles:
'Poet" makes life a living horror for Wichita Woman by Scott Kraft for AP in the Garden City Telegram, Jan 24, 1980
'Poet' strikes again and Wichita police still baffled by Scott Kraft for AP in Garden City Telegram, Feb 21, 1980
Harassed by an Unknown Author of Vicious Rhymes, Ruth Finley Confronts the Stranger Within Herself by Gene Stone for People Magazine, Sept. 5, 1988
Sponsors:
Truman's - www.Trumans.com - use offer code ONCE for 50% off your cleaning product starter kit.
Solid Gold - www.SolidGoldPet.com/ONCE to get 30% off your first pet food order.
Social Media:
Once Upon a Time Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/1730325570622505/
Patreon: www.Patreon.com/OnceUponaCrime
A 7-year-old goes missing while on a family camping trip in 1973. Anonymous calls would be placed demanding a ransom, but, the trail would grow cold until exactly one year later when the kidnapper would call her mother to brag about taking her daughter.
Several resources were used in the research of this episodes including:
Documentary: The FBI Files, "Dark Woods", Season 5, Episode 13.
Articles:
Bible Verse May Have Spurred Meirhofer, The Daily Interlake, October 4, 1974
Small Town Terror by Joseph MacNamara for The New York Daily News, December 22, 1994
The Quality of Mercy by Antoinette Martin for The Detroit Free Press, August 21, 1994
Not Another Victim by Amy Linn for The Missoula Independent, November 5, 2015
Music Credits: Music from https://filmmusic.io"Floating Cities" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Sponsors:
Italic - www.Italic.com - use offer code ONCE for 15% off your first order
Bombas - www.Bombas.com/ONCE for 20% off your first purchase.
Links:
Patreon: www.patreon.com/onceuponacrime
CrimeCon CrowdSolve - https://www.crimecon.com/crowdsolve-seattle
In a small French village, a little boy goes missing and the family receives anonymous letters from a person taking responsibility who is dubbed "The Crow". This strange case could be considered the Jon Benet Ramsey case of France.
Several resources were used in the research for this episode including:
Articles:
The Long Shadow of the Crow by Scott Kraft for The Los Angeles Times, December 9, 1993
Gregory by Anthony Davis for CrimeMagazine.com, April 30, 2009
The Murder of Little Gregory: The unsolved case that haunted France by John Henley for The Guardian, August 28, 2017
Sponsors:
Everlywell - www.everlywell.com/ONCE and enter offer code ONCE for 15% off your test.
Native Deodorants - www.nativedeodorant.com - use promo code ONCE for 20% off your first purchase.
Links:
Let's Taco 'Bout True Crime episode: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bonus-episode-lets-taco-bout-crime-junkie-plagiarism/id1452118167?i=1000447888185
A young girl goes missing in South Carolina in 1985. Soon after, her kidnapper would begin calling her family - but not to make demands for her safe return, but only to cruelly taunt them. This is the first chapter in the series "Taunting Terrors".
Several resources were used in the research for this episodes including:
Book: Murder in the Midlands: Larry Gene Bell and the 28 Days of Terror that Shook South Carolina by Rita Y. Shuler
Articles:
South Carolina serial killer forced girl to write a farewell note and tormented his victims' families after sick spree in mid-80s by Mara Bovsun, New York Daily News, November 15, 2014
Left Behind: Survivors of Capital Crimes Don't want the Victims to be Forgotten by Becky Beane for PFM.org
Court Records:
United States Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit. Larry Gene Bell v. Parker Evatt, Commissioner, South Carolina Department of Corrections, T. Travis Medlock, Attorney General, State of South Carolina, December 18, 1995
Sponsors:
Simple Health - www.SimpleHealth.com/ONCE or enter ONCE at checkout to try Simple Health for free.
Italic - www.Italic.com - use offer code ONCE for $15 off your first order.
Social Media:
Twitter - @uponacrime
Patreon - www.patreon.com/onceuponacrime
Facebook and Instagram @onceuponacrimepod
A horror film franchise is seemingly cursed when it experiences tragedies including hauntings, serious accidents, fatal illness and murder.
Today's sponsors:
Italic - www.Italic.com - Use offer code ONCE for $15 off your purchase.
NutraThrive - www.HealthyDog4.com
Westside Fairytales Podcast: www.westsidefairytales.com
Let's Taco 'Bout True Crime: https://www.truecrimepodcast.com/lets-taco-bout-true-crime
Several resources were used in the research for this episode including:
https://www.ranker.com/list/victims-of-the-poltergeist-curse/melissa-brinks
https://www.grunge.com/35883/bizarre-things-happened-set-poltergeist/
http://www.the13thfloor.tv/2015/12/22/the-shocking-history-of-the-poltergeist-curse/
http://www.iconsoffright.com/IV_Oliver.htm
http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/143731%7C0/Heather-O-Rourke/
https://www.statesman.com/article/20110202/NEWS/302029646
From 1922 to the 1940s over 40 child actors would be cast in a popular series of short films and many of them would later fall victim to strange accidents, illnesses, drug addiction, financial hardship, murder and suicide. This is The Curse of The Little Rascals.
Today's Sponsor:
NutraThrive: www.HealthyDog4.com
Several resources were used in the research for this episode including:
Television Episode: E! True Hollywood Story: Curse of the Little Rascals
Alfalfa's Mysterious Death - www.tvparty.com
Convicted killer of "Little Rascal" dies - AP, The Monitor, McAllen, Texas, July 19, 2014
Every manifestation of the Man of Steel - comic books, television shows and films - has been marked by bad blood, shattered careers, tragic accidents and even murder. This is the Curse of Superman.
Several resources were used in the research for this episode including:
George Reeves Revealed: An Inside Look at the Life and Tragic Death of Television's First Superman by Ed Gross for CloserWeekly.com, Feb. 27, 2019
Who Killed Superman? TheGuardian.com, Nov. 17, 2006
Link to Listener Survey: https://survey.libsyn.com/onceuponacrime
Sponsor Links:
Italic - www.italic.com - Use offer code ONCE for $15 off your first order.
Native - www.nativedeodorant.com and use promo code ONCE for 20% off your first purchase
Three child actors become stars after being cast in the sitcom Diff'rent Strokes in 1978. But, all three would go on to live troubled adult lives including drug addiction, legal troubles and untimely death.
These are the stories of Todd Bridges, Dana Plato and Gary Coleman.
Several resources were used in the research for this episode including:
The Tragic Stars of Different Strokes, People Magazine, March 25, 1991
Gary Coleman dies at 42; child star of hit sitcom Diff'rent Strokes by Dennis McClellan for The Los Angeles Times, May 29, 2010.
The Overdose Death of Dana Plato by Frank Wilkins for ReelReviews.com.
Todd Bridges book: Killing Wills: From Diff'rent Strokes to the Mean Streets to the Life I Always Wanted, Simon and Schuster, 2010.
Sponsor:
Away Travel - www.AwayTravel.com/ONCE20 and use ONCE20 at checkout for $20 off a suitcase.
You can listen to Let's Taco 'Bout True Crime here: https://truecrimepodcast.squarespace.com/lets-taco-bout-true-crime or subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, Pandora, Spotify and anywhere you listen to podcasts!
Susan Polk enters into a relationship with her therapist when she is a young girl. Years later, after 20 years of marriage, she will claim she has been abused by her husband for decades. After he is found dead in their guest house the question would be, was this a case of self-defense or a cold-blooded murder?
Several resources were used in the research of this case including:
Court record: The People, Plaintiff and Respondent, v. Susan Mae Polk, Defendant and Applellant, Contra Costa County Super. Ct. No. 031668-7, December 13, 2010
Articles:
A California Murder Raises Troubling Issues by Carol Pogash for The New York Times, September 18, 2005
Obituary of Dr. F. Felix Polk, SFGate.com, November 5, 2002.
Slaying rips apart a family in Orinda by Jason Dearen for Bay Area News Group, October 10, 2005.
Convicted Orinda killer Susan Polk denied parole, kicked out of hearing midway through by Nate Gartrell for Bay Area News Group, July 17, 2019.
Sponsor:
Italic - www.italic.com use offer code ONCE for $15 off your first purchase.
Patreon: www.patreon.com/onceuponacrime
A mother seeks help for her special needs child, but a church prayer service ends tragically.
Several resources were used in the research for this episode including:
Book:
True Stories of Law and Order by Kevin Dwyer and Jure Fiorillo
Articles:
Death by Exorcism by David Krajicek for the New York Daily News, October 8, 2006
Sponsor:
Native Deodorants - www.nativedeodorant.com - Use promo code ONCE for 20% off your first purchase.
Subscribe to "Let's Taco 'Bout True Crime"
On iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/lets-taco-bout-true-crime/id1452118167
On Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7k3cQGC0unJGSMhlEZRiWG?si=dLyaqKydRDi_SA3wYkhWnw
On Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=379086
In the second chapter of the series "Deadly Therapy" a young girl who grows up in an unstable home is placed up for adoption. Her adoptive mother finds her behavior problematic and has her undergo a new and controversial therapy - with tragic results.
Several resources were used to research this episode including:
Her Name was Candace by Carla Crowder and Peggy Lowe for Denver Rocky Mountain News, Oct. 29, 2000 https://culteducation.com/group/1115-rebirthing/17893-her-name-was-candace.html
Seeking Child’s Love, A Child’s Life is Lost by Barry Siegel for the Los Angeles Times, Feb. 4, 2001 https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-feb-04-mn-21072-story.html
Links from this episode:
https://store.23skidoovintage.com
https://www.facebook.com/events/493288214744272/
Today's Sponsor:
Warby Parker - www.warbyparker.com/ONCE for a free Home Try-On kit.
In this month's series, "Deadly Therapy", I’ll detail cases of people who sought help from experts, but rather than receiving healing and transformation, their journeys came to an abrupt and deadly end. In this first chapter, you’ll hear how James, Arthur Ray, a self-described success coach and guru required his followers to perform increasingly more extreme mental and physical challenges all in the pursuit of “enlightenment” with deadly results.
Several resources were used in the research for this episode including:
Articles:
The Death Dealer by Matt Stroud in The Verge.
Arizona Sweat Lodge: The Inside Story of James Ray's Fatal Retreat by Miguel Sancho and Kimberley Brown for ABC News.
Blogs:
https://spiritualityisnoexcuse.wordpress.com/james-rays-first-victim-colleen-conaway/
Films:
Enlighten Us: The Rise and Fall of James Arthur Ray (2016)
Sponsor:
Care/of - www.TakeCareOf.com - Enter promo code ONCE at checkout for 25% off your first order.
Identical twin sisters, Sunny and Gina Han were lifelong rivals. One sister's jealousy would lead her to plot her twin's murder.
Several sources were used in the research for this episode including:
Court Transcripts:
People v. Han, Court of Appeal, Fourth District, Division 3, California, Feb. 25, 2000
Opposition of Parole letter from Orange County District Attorney's Office to Office of Governor Jerry Brown, November 20, 2017.
Articles:
'Evil Twin' Granted Parole Despite DA's Objections by Nathan Solis for Courthousenews.com, June 21, 2018.
www.patreon.com/onceuponacrime
On this bonus episode I take you along with me to CrimeCon 2019 in New Orleans and my travels to New York City and Toronto for the Toronto True Crime Film Festival.
#CrimeCon #NewOrleans #TorontoTrueCrimeFilmFestival #truecrimedocumentaries #NewYorkCity
In this bonus episode, I interview Jan Broberg and Skye Borgman about their documentary film "Abducted in Plain Sight" LIVE at CrimeCon 2019 in New Orleans.
#AbductedinPlainSight #truecrimedocumentary #CrimeCon2019
I continue the story of the Gibbons Sisters - twins who were locked in a battle their entire lives. Neither believed they could survive without the other, but controlled each other so completely they only spoke to or associated with one another. When they reached adolescence, they knew they had to find some way to break out of this destructive twin bond or both would perish. Their desperation lead them to commit increasingly antisocial and criminal acts. This is part two of "The Silent Twins".
Several resources were used in the research for this episode including:
Marjorie Wallace, The Silent Twins, (London, Vintage Books 1998).
BBC: Inside Story, The Silent Twin: Without my Shadow. YouTube, Uploaded by GottaFindPants, Nov 20, 2017. https://youtu.be/98WtP1qC61s
Links:
Website: www.truecrimepodcast.com
Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/onceuponacrimepod
June and Jennifer Gibbons were identical twins who, from a very young age, were so bonded to one another that they created their own “twin language” to communicate speaking only to one another. They rejected any other relationships including their own parents and siblings. Later, they would construct a fantasy world that only they inhabited. This lead to more serious anti-social behavior that resulted in a shocking crime spree.
Several resources were used in the research for this episode including:
Marjorie Wallace, The Silent Twins, (London, Vintage Books 1998).
BBC: Inside Story, The Silent Twin: Without my Shadow. YouTube, Uploaded by GottaFindPants, Nov 20, 2017. https://youtu.be/98WtP1qC61s
Music credits:
Music from https://filmmusic.io:
"Reflections" by Alexander Nakarada (https://www.serpentsoundstudios.com/)
Licence: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
"Lost and Found" was the very first series of Once Upon a Crime in June, 2016. In that series I covered the story of three young women who were held captive and abused by Ariel Castro for over a decade. In this bonus episode we give you an update about these survivors - Michelle Knight, Amanda Berry and Gina De Jesus.
Links:
Our website: www.truecrimepodcast.com
CrimeCon: www.CrimeCon.com - Use offer code ONCE19 for 10% off your registration.
Toronto True Crime Film Festival: www.torontotruecrimefilmfestival.com
Our Social Media:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/onceuponacrimepod
Click here to join our Facebook group.
Twitter: www.twitter.com/uponacrime www.twitter.com/tacoboutcrime
Instagram: www.instagram.com/onceuponacrimepod
This bonus episode gives news and announcements for the month of May including information on Season 4.
Website: www.truecrimepodcast.com
Social Media:
Twitter - @uponacrime and @tacoboutcrime
Facebook and Instagram - @onceuponacrimepod
Patreon - www.patreon.com/onceuponacrime
CrimeCon: www.crimecon.com - use discount code ONCE19 for 10% off your registration
Toronto True Crime Film Festival - www.torontotruecrimefilmfestival
A mother takes justice into her own hands in Jamestown, California in 1993 when she discovers her son has been abused by a child molester. Some called her a hero, others denounced her actions as vigilantism. This is Chapter 2 of "Disorder in the Court".
Sponsors:
Hask Beauty: www.haskbeauty.com or purchase in store at CVS or online at www.cvs.com.
Backblaze: www.Backblaze.com/ONCE for a fully-featured 15-day no risk free trial.
Several resource materials were used for this episode including:
The Nesler Family's Tragic Past - www.oprah.com
Pushed Over Edge, Mother Chose Own Brand of Justice by Mark Arak, Times Staff Writer, April 11, 1993.
William Nesler Still a Fugitive by Lloyd Vries for CBS News, July 29, 2004.
Ellie Nesler's Family Buries their Hero in Angels Camp, by John Holland in The Modesto Bee, January 2, 2009.
Links:
www.CrimeCon.com - use ONCE19 for 10% off your registration
www.TorontoTrueCrimeFilmFestival.com - June 14th & 15th
www.facebook.com/onceuponacrimepod