S04E51 Too Bright, Too Brief : Joseph Barsi

S04E52 The Man No One Stopped : Vernon Brown

NEXT EPISODE WILL RELEASE ON JULY 9TH! SEASON 5!!! Today's case is about how some cases aren’t just about what happened—they’re about everything that almost stopped it. From the 1970s through the mid-1980s, across Indianapolis, Indiana and St. Louis, Missouri, and twenty-one additional states, a pattern quietly takes shape. Complaints that don’t go far enough. Identities that shift just enough. Moments that, on their own, don’t seem like proof—but together tell a much darker story. At the center is Vernon Brown, a man who was able to move through lives and communities without drawing the kind of attention that might have stopped what came next. Listen to this episode to hear Claire unravel a timeline filled with missed chances, overlooked connections, and the chilling reality of how long danger can go unnoticed—until it can’t anymore, and all the lives one man can destroy. Sources: Brown v. Luebbers. United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, 19 Sept. 2003. ECF CA8, ecf.ca8.uscourts.gov/opndir/03/09/021845P.pdf. Accessed 18 Apr. 2026. “Execution Date Set For Convicted Killer Vernon Brown.” Missourinet, 15 Apr. 2005, www.missourinet.com/2005/04/15/execution-date-set-for-convicted-killer-vernon-brown/. Accessed 18 Apr. 2026. (Missourinet) State v. Brown. 902 S.W.2d 278. Supreme Court of Missouri, 25 July 1995. Justia, law.justia.com/cases/missouri/supreme-court/1995/71264-0.html. Accessed 18 Apr. 2026. (Justia Law) “Vernon Brown Case Notes.” User-provided source text, uploaded in conversation, Apr. 2026. “50 American Serial Killers You’ve probably never heard of” Volume 5, By Robert Keller

S04E51 Too Bright, Too Brief : Joseph Barsi

In 1988, inside a quiet home in Canoga Park, ten-year-old child star Judith Barsi—a girl worth hundreds of thousands of dollars to Hollywood—was living in fear of her own father, József Barsi. And despite desperate warnings, cries for help, and visible signs of abuse… no one was able to stop what he would do to her and her mother, Maria Barsi. Listen to today's episode to hear about the tragic end for Judith Barsi. Sources: https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-07-28-me-6114-story.html https://www.apnews.com/article/child-actress-killed-judith-barsi-1988 https://people.com/archive/a-childs-terror-vol-30-no-7/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1988/07/29/child-actress-and-mother-found-slain/ https://allthatsinteresting.com/judith-barsi [https://allthatsinteresting.com/judith-barsi] https://murderpedia.org/male.B/b/barsi-jozsef.htm https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0058823/ [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0058823/] https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095489/ [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095489/] https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096787/ [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096787/] https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093300/ [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093300/] https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/6693/judith-eva-barsi https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/6694/maria-agnes-barsi

S04E50 The Monster on Parole : Joseph Duncan III

In 2005, a quiet town in Idaho was shattered by a crime so brutal it shocked the entire country. A man with a long, violent past slipped through the cracks of the justice system and into the lives of one family—with devastating consequences. What followed was a nightmare that crossed state lines, exposed failures in the system meant to stop predators, and left behind a story of unimaginable horror… and one survivor whose testimony would reveal just how far evil can go. This episode unpacks the chilling trail of Joseph Duncan III—the warnings that were missed, the crimes that escalated, and the case that still haunts investigators to this day. Sources [1] Joseph Edward Duncan - Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Edward_Duncan [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Edward_Duncan] [2] In 2005 Joseph Duncan killed three members of the Groene family ... https://www.reddit.com/r/serialkillers/comments/hannh7/in_2005_joseph_duncan_killed_three_members_of_the/ [https://www.reddit.com/r/serialkillers/comments/hannh7/in_2005_joseph_duncan_killed_three_members_of_the/] [3] Man in Idaho case has sex crime history - NBC News https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna8446152 [https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna8446152] [4] Joseph Edward Duncan III - Crime Library https://crimelibrary.org/serial_killers/notorious/joseph_duncan/ [https://crimelibrary.org/serial_killers/notorious/joseph_duncan/] [5] Idaho suspect's records show violent history - NBC News https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna8485031 [https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna8485031] [6] Joseph Duncan III | Criminal Minds Wiki - Fandom https://criminalminds.fandom.com/wiki/Joseph_Duncan_III [https://criminalminds.fandom.com/wiki/Joseph_Duncan_III] [7] Convicted serial killer who murdered 10-year-old Beaumont boy 24 ... https://rivcoda.org/news/convicted-serial-killer-who-murdered-10-year-old-beaumont-boy-24-years-ago-dies-indiana [https://rivcoda.org/news/convicted-serial-killer-who-murdered-10-year-old-beaumont-boy-24-years-ago-dies-indiana] [8] Joseph Duncan III was an American pedophile and serial killer most ... https://www.reddit.com/r/CreepyWikipedia/comments/1bgs61q/joseph_duncan_iii_was_an_american_pedophile_and/ [https://www.reddit.com/r/CreepyWikipedia/comments/1bgs61q/joseph_duncan_iii_was_an_american_pedophile_and/] [9] The Groene Case - CBS News https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/the-groene-case/ [https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/the-groene-case/] [10] United States v. Duncan, III, No. 08-99031 (9th Cir. 2011) - Justia Law https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/ca9/08-99031/08-99031-2011-07-11.html [https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/ca9/08-99031/08-99031-2011-07-11.html] [11] Joseph Duncan III | Photos 2 https://murderpedia.org/male.D/d/duncan-joseph-edward-photos-2.htm [https://murderpedia.org/male.D/d/duncan-joseph-edward-photos-2.htm] [12] I Survived the Serial Killer Who Murdered My Family https://www.oprahdaily.com/life/wholeness/a65383797/shasta-groene-survival-story/ [https://www.oprahdaily.com/life/wholeness/a65383797/shasta-groene-survival-story/] [13] [PDF] Former jurors still haunted by Idaho trial of Joseph Duncan III https://www.courts.wa.gov/content/PublicUpload/eclips/Clips%20The%20Olympian%2002.11.13.pdf [https://www.courts.wa.gov/content/PublicUpload/eclips/Clips%20The%20Olympian%2002.11.13.pdf] [14] Convicted Child Murderer Joseph Edward Duncan, III, Dies on ... https://www.justice.gov/usao-id/pr/convicted-child-murderer-joseph-edward-duncan-iii-dies-death-row [https://www.justice.gov/usao-id/pr/convicted-child-murderer-joseph-edward-duncan-iii-dies-death-row] [15] Serial Killer Documentary: Joseph Edward Duncan (The Boogeyman) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbXcZkrNp7k [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbXcZkrNp7k]

S04E49 A Mother's Grief : Marianne Bachmeier / Klaus Grabowski

This week's episode is another fan recommended case, Thank you Paulina! In 1981, the quiet town of Lübeck, West Germany is shattered when 7-year-old Anna Bachmeier goes missing. What follows is every parent’s worst nightmare. Anna is found brutally sexually assaulted and murdered—her body discarded in a cardboard box near a canal. The man accused of the crime, 35-year-old Klaus Grabowski, quickly becomes the focus of a case that grips the nation. At the center of it all is Anna’s mother, Marianne Bachmeier—a woman navigating unimaginable grief, mounting anger, and a justice system that many felt moved too slowly. As the trial unfolds, emotions intensify. Listen to today's episode to hear about how on a March morning inside a packed courtroom, Marianne’s pain, frustration, and fury reach a breaking point—resulting in a moment that would shock the world and ignite a lasting debate about justice, vengeance, and the limits of grief. Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marianne_Bachmeier https://allthatsinteresting.com/marianne-bachmeier https://www.9news.com.au/world/today-in-history-march-6-what-happened-on-this-day-marianne-bachmeier/6e82226b-53c7-42a0-8d68-3ac8d77fc915 https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-1378009700/view?sectionId=nla.obj-1632952514&partId=nla.obj-1378056127 https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/mar/06/marianne-bachmeier-germany-courtroom-shooting https://www.nytimes.com/1981/03/07/world/woman-kills-man-accused-of-daughter-s-murder-in-german-court.html https://www.upi.com/Archives/1983/03/02/Six-years-for-avenging-mother/1014415429200/ [https://www.upi.com/Archives/1983/03/02/Six-years-for-avenging-mother/1014415429200/?utm_source=chatgpt.com] https://www.dw.com/en/the-revenge-of-marianne-bachmeier/a-16690545 https://theywillkillyou.com/profile/marianne-bachmeier [https://theywillkillyou.com/profile/marianne-bachmeier?utm_source=chatgpt.com] https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087794/ [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087794/] https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090663/ [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090663/]

S04E48 The Dardeen Family Massacre : Tommy Lynn Sells

In 1987, a quiet town in Ina, Illinois became the site of one of the most horrifying unsolved crimes in American history. When Keith Dardeen didn’t show up for work, police went to check on his family—and discovered a scene of unimaginable brutality. His pregnant wife Elaine Dardeen, their toddler Peter Dardeen, and a newborn baby girl had been murdered inside their home. The violence shocked investigators. The motive made no sense. And decades later, no one has ever officially been held responsible. Who could commit such a brutal attack on an entire family—and vanish without a trace? Sources [1] Dardeen family homicides - Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dardeen_family_homicides [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dardeen_family_homicides] [2] Inside the Chilling Dardeen Family Murders: Who Killed Them? https://people.com/dardeen-murders-unsolved-who-killed-illinois-family-8649561 [https://people.com/dardeen-murders-unsolved-who-killed-illinois-family-8649561] [3] On the evening of November 18, 1987, police went to the ... - Reddit https://www.reddit.com/r/TrueCrimeDiscussion/comments/1fzq8zj/on_the_evening_of_november_18_1987_police_went_to/ [https://www.reddit.com/r/TrueCrimeDiscussion/comments/1fzq8zj/on_the_evening_of_november_18_1987_police_went_to/] [4] Dardeen Family Homicides and Red Herrings : r/UnresolvedMysteries https://www.reddit.com/r/UnresolvedMysteries/comments/18oqhzu/dardeen_family_homicides_and_red_herrings/ [https://www.reddit.com/r/UnresolvedMysteries/comments/18oqhzu/dardeen_family_homicides_and_red_herrings/] [5] New episode of Voices for Justice Podcast: The Dardeen Family In ... https://www.facebook.com/SarahETurneyVFJ/posts/new-episode-of-voices-for-justice-podcast-the-dardeen-family-in-november-1987-ke/1198714468963137/ [https://www.facebook.com/SarahETurneyVFJ/posts/new-episode-of-voices-for-justice-podcast-the-dardeen-family-in-november-1987-ke/1198714468963137/] [6] The Dardeen Family: Unsolved Massacre - YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QqPILHtw6g [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QqPILHtw6g] [7] The Dardeen Family Murders (1987) On November 18, 1987, police ... https://www.facebook.com/groups/1996529647535547/posts/2370659936789181/ [https://www.facebook.com/groups/1996529647535547/posts/2370659936789181/] [8] The Chilling, Unsolved Case Of The Dardeen Family - Facebook https://www.facebook.com/KendallsPlace/posts/the-chilling-unsolved-case-of-the-dardeen-family/1391519799316911/ [https://www.facebook.com/KendallsPlace/posts/the-chilling-unsolved-case-of-the-dardeen-family/1391519799316911/] [9] The Dardeen Family Murders #dardeen #dardeenfamilymurders ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TJOM9WjCdg [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TJOM9WjCdg] [10] The Gruesome Murder of the Dardeen Family by True Crime Recaps https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/amyjnathan/episodes/An-Unsolved-Mystery-The-Gruesome-Murder-of-the-Dardeen-Family-e34vbcr [https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/amyjnathan/episodes/An-Unsolved-Mystery-The-Gruesome-Murder-of-the-Dardeen-Family-e34vbcr] [11] The Unsolved Dardeen Family Murders | True Crime Sleep Stories https://podcasts.apple.com/es/podcast/the-unsolved-dardeen-family-murders-true-crime-sleep/id1649396201?i=1000715370376 [https://podcasts.apple.com/es/podcast/the-unsolved-dardeen-family-murders-true-crime-sleep/id1649396201?i=1000715370376] [12] The Dardeen Family Murders - YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ziSuS4pUTQk [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ziSuS4pUTQk] [13] MURDERED: The Dardeen Family | Crime Junkie Podcast https://crimejunkiepodcast.com/murdered-the-dardeen-family/ [https://crimejunkiepodcast.com/murdered-the-dardeen-family/] [14] Keith and Elaine Dardeen: A Family Trying to Escape Death https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ka3wZyiIlSA [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ka3wZyiIlSA]