True Crime Society

Skip straight to the case: (9:41) On July 15, 1986, Christopher Abeyta was around 7 months old.  He fell asleep in his older sister’s arms and was carried to his crib, which was located three feet from the bed of his parents. When his mother Bernice awoke the following morning, Christopher was nowhere to be seen.   Now, almost 40 years later, no trace of Christopher has ever been found. The Abeyta family are adamant that someone known to the family abducted Christopher.   They have publicly named a woman as a suspect.  This woman was having an affair with Christopher’s father Gil, and was known to have a history of mental health issues. Could someone have abducted Christopher and raised him as their own?  Or was the baby a victim of foul play? Read our blog for this case [https://truecrimesocietyblog.com/2025/07/22/christopher-abeyta-abducted-from-his-crib-and-still-missing-almost-40-years-later/] Be sure to follow us on Patreon [https://patreon.com/truecrimesociety] for exclusive, ad-free content Follow us on Instagram Thank you as always for your support in these trying times!  Olivia and Stephanie x

Timestamp to start the case: (13:23) In April 1993, Andrea and Russell ‘Rusty’ Yates were married.   They told friends and family that they wanted to ‘have as many babies as nature allowed.’ Between 1995 and 2000, the couple had five children - four sons and a daughter. Andrea struggled with her mental health.  After the birth of their fourth child, Andrea was hospitalized and the couple were advised to not have any more children.  Andrea’s doctor said that any more births would "guarantee future psychotic depression." Despite this, the couple had a fifth child and Andrea’s mental health decline continued.  She stopped taking all of her medication, she mutilated and cut herself, read the Bible obsessively and also stopped feeding the children. Rusty had been advised to not leave Andrea alone with the children.  Despite this, one morning in June 2001, Rusty left Andrea and the kids so that he could go to work.  His mother was scheduled to arrive at the home one hour after he left.    In that hour, Andrea filled the bathtub and drowned all five of her children - they were aged between 7 months old and 7 years old at the time. When police arrived at the home, Andrea was standing soaking wet in front of the house. “I just killed my children,” she told the officers. Be sure to check the timestamps to get straight to the crime content. Read our blog for this case here [https://truecrimesocietyblog.com/2025/07/17/andrea-yates-drowned-her-five-children-in-the-bathtub/] Be sure to follow us on Instagram for the latest crime news - Instagram.com/truecrimesociety [http://instagram.com/truecrimesociety] Join us on Patreon for weekly exclusive content.  All podcast episodes are available ad-free - Patreon.com/truecrimesociety [http://patreon.com/truecrimesociety]

Timestamps: * (7:58) - Stockdale Family In 2008, the Stockdale family from Ohio appeared on the reality TV show ‘Wife Swap.’  Kathy and Timothy Stockdale were raising their four sons in a very strict, conservative manner.   This is an excerpt from the family manual Kathy prepared for ‘Wife Swap.’  We moved to the country to get the boys away from the city. Our children are being raised away from violent language, sexual influences, drinking, smoking, drugs, rap music all the things we left behind in the city. Instead we are raising our children on a diet of wholesome activities and farm work; keeping their minds pure and their bodies healthy and keeping out the influences of modern society. That is why we home-school. By 2017, two of the children remained in the family home - Jacob and James.  One day that year, while Timothy was at work, Jacob fatally shot his brother James and his mother Kathy.   He then attempted to take his own life by shooting himself in the head.  He survived and was hospitalised for many months. After he recovered, Jacob was charged with the murders of his mother and brother.   No motive for the killings has ever been revealed. In this episode of the True Crime Society Podcast, we discuss the murder/suicide involving the Stockdale family from ‘Wife Swap.’ Read our blog for this case [https://truecrimesocietyblog.com/2025/06/28/the-murder-suicide-of-the-wife-swap-stockdale-family/] Join us on Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/Truecrimesociety] for exclusive true crime content.  You also get ALL episodes ad-free and weekly BONUS episodes! Follow us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/truecrimesociety] for the latest crime news This episode is sponsored by: * Skylight Calendar: The Skylight Calendar is here to keep your family organized. Right now, Skylight is offering our listeners $30 off their 15 inch Calendars at SkylightCal.com/TCS [https://skylightcal.com/TCS]

Skip to the case time stamp: (9:10) On May 2, 2025, siblings Lilly (6) and Jack (4) Sullivan were said to be in the kitchen of their home in Nova Scotia, Canada.  Their parents - mother Malehya Brooks-Murray and their stepfather Daniel Martell - became worried when the children fell silent. The story they have told authorities is that they believe the children slipped outside to play and wandered off.  The couple searched for the children before calling 911.   A large-scale search ensued for the children.  The search involved hundreds of people and ran for weeks.   The only traces of the children that have been found include a blanket and a possible boot print. Since their disappearance, Malehya has left the family home and has blocked Daniel on social media.   Daniel is adamant that he had nothing to do with the disappearance of the children and has told the media that he passed a polygraph test. Read our blog for Jack and Lilly - https://truecrimesocietyblog.com/2025/06/28/where-are-lilly-and-jack-sullivan/ [https://truecrimesocietyblog.com/2025/06/28/where-are-lilly-and-jack-sullivan/] Be sure to check out the GraveYard Tales podcast. Hosts Adam and Matt look at the history behind haunted places, ghost encounters, and cryptid encounters.  Find them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Rumble. Join us on Patreon for exclusive weekly true crime content.  You also get ALL episodes ad-free - patreon.com/truecrimesociety [http://patreon.com/truecrimesociety] Follow us on Instagram for the latest crime news - Instagram.com/truecrimesociety [http://instagram.com/truecrimesociety]

Timestamps: (3:17) - Karen Read Trial Update (9:40) - Lilie James Murder Coercive control is a behavior that is intended to dominate and control a partner.  Studies indicate that it can occur in up to 58% of intimate partner violence relationships. Australian woman Lilie James (21) began dating Paul Thijssen (24) in August 2023.    Paul exhibited controlling behavior, including monitoring Lilie’s location over social media and waiting outside social events for her.   By October 2023, the relationship was over. Just days after the breakup, Paul went to a location where he knew Lilie would be.  He struck her with a hammer over 25 times, killing her.   He then fled the scene and would take his own life by jumping from a cliff. Read our blog for Lilie here [https://truecrimesocietyblog.com/2025/06/17/the-brutal-murder-of-lilie-james/] Be sure to join us on Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/truecrimesociety]- you get exclusive weekly content and all of our episodes are ad-free Join us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/truecrimesociety] for the latest crime news This episode is sponsored by: * Rula - Thousands of people are already using Rula to get affordable, high-quality therapy that’s actually covered by insurance. Visit Rula.com/tcs [http://rula.com/tcs] to get started.