Our True Crime Podcast

357. Waiting in the Dark: The Murder of Beverly Guenther

In the early 1990s, long before his name would be tied to something unthinkable, Scott McLaughlin was already unraveling. Untreated childhood trauma, cognitive struggles, and severe mental illness shaped his life. Suicide attempts. Institutionalizations. Heavy medication. And yet, nothing seemed to stick. The help he received was fleeting.  A decade later, in 2002, his path crossed with Beverly Guenther, a woman who knew hardship in a very different way. Beverly had lived through devastating loss, including the death of her young child, and years of grief that followed. But she fought her way back. She found purpose in her work, her creativity, and her compassion for others. To those who knew her, she was kind, intelligent, and resilient, someone who believed in helping people, even when they were broken. “She was really turning her life around,” her brother once said. And then… she met Scott McLaughlin. Join Cam and Jen for this episode of Our True Crime Podcast, titled ‘Waiting in the Dark: The Murder of Beverly Guenther.’ This episode is sponsored by Hello Fresh. Go to HelloFresh.com/otcp10fm now to get 10 Free meals plus a Free Nutribullet® Ultra Plus+ 2-in-1 Compact Kitchen System—that’s a $189.99 value after you order your 3rd box! Listener discretion is by @octoberpodVHS. All music and editing is by our team @theinkypawprint. Sources:  https://www.pbs.org/newshour/tag/amber-mclaughlin [https://www.pbs.org/newshour/tag/amber-mclaughlin] https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/missouri-governor-refuses-clemency-to-first-openly-transgender-woman-to-be-executed-in-u-s https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11539779/Transgender-inmate-Missouris-death-row-asks-mercy.html [https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11539779/Transgender-inmate-Missouris-death-row-asks-mercy.html] https://www.stlpr.org/law-order/2023-01-03/missouri-executes-transgender-woman-amber-mclaughlin-2003-murder [https://www.stlpr.org/law-order/2023-01-03/missouri-executes-transgender-woman-amber-mclaughlin-2003-murder] https://prisonjournalismproject.org/2024/02/25/remembering-first-trans-woman-executed-us/ https://www.cnn.com/2023/01/03/us/amber-mclaughlin-missouri-execution https://edition.cnn.com/2022/12/16/us/missouri-transgender-inmate-death-row/index.html [https://edition.cnn.com/2022/12/16/us/missouri-transgender-inmate-death-row/index.html] https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/news/missouri-set-to-execute-amber-mclaughlin-on-january-3-in-first-u-s-execution-of-a-transgender-person [https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/news/missouri-set-to-execute-amber-mclaughlin-on-january-3-in-first-u-s-execution-of-a-transgender-person] https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/jan/03/amber-mclaughlin-missouri-transgender-person-execution [https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/jan/03/amber-mclaughlin-missouri-transgender-person-execution] https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/MODOC/bulletins/340c2a4 https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/stop-the-execution-of-amber-mclaughlin-in-missouri https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/federal-appeals-court-reinstates-death-penalty-in-2003-st-louis-county-rape-murder/article_aa1dc368-0f70-5560-b9cd-6d9c7cdcc149.html Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

356. In the Boat Shed: The Houston Heights Murders & Dean Corll

The 1970s were more than just shag carpet and polyester; they were a time of deep contradiction. While things felt full of possibility, a shadow of distrust hung over everything—fueled by Vietnam, Watergate, and a struggling economy. As more parents headed to work to keep up, many children were left unsupervised for long stretches. By this time, neighborhoods like Houston’s “The Heights” had become run-down and poverty-stricken. Many teenage boys were dropping out of school just to help their families survive. Growing up in a world that felt increasingly unstable and often without a father figure at home, these boys were vulnerable. They were searching for belonging and a mentor, but tragically, they found a monster who used his own teen accomplices to lure them into a trap. Join Jen and Cam as they discuss "In the Boat Shed: The Houston Heights Murders." A huge Thank You to our team: Listener Discretion by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Edward October ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8626939889451216631/8144135965963493092#] Research & Writing by Lauretta Allen Executive Producers Nico & Jesse of The Inky Pawprint ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://theinkypawprint.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8626939889451216631/8144135965963493092#] Sources: available on ourtruecrimepodcast.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Unsolved: The Disappearance of Paige Renkoski with Nina from Already Gone

This month, Nina Innsted of the Already Gone podcast joins Cam and Jen to discuss the disappearance of Paige Renkoski. Paige was a 30-year-old substitute teacher who seemingly vanished into thin air in May of 1990. It’s a curious case because it happened in broad daylight, on a busy highway. The only thing she left behind was her shoes and her purse. We are thrilled to have Nina on Our True Crime Podcast. Not only did she just celebrate the 10-year anniversary of her podcast Already Gone, but she’s also an Ambie Award winner for her collaboration with Payne Lindsey for the podcast Up and Vanished: The Trial. Plus, she just published her first book, "Unsolved Michigan". Please make sure to subscribe to Nina's podcast, Already Gone. It's a must for any true crime fan. You can find Nina's book, Unsolved Michigan , HERE [https://www.amazon.com/Unsolved-Michigan-True-Crime-Innsted/dp/1467159336] If you want more information on the organization Missing in Michigan, you can find it HERE [https://www.missinginmich.com/] If you have any information on the disappearance of Paige Renkoski, please call the Livingston County Sheriff's office at 517-546-8477. Music by Nico [https://theinkypawprint.com/] Audio Editing by Jesse [https://theinkypawprint.com/] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

355. Firestarter: Crimes of Bruce George Peter Lee

In the early hours of December 4, 1979, something jolted Edith Hastie awake—and within seconds, her worst fears were confirmed. Fire was already inside her home on Selby Street in Kingston upon Hull, climbing fast, swallowing the staircase, cutting off escape.Her four young sons were still inside.What followed was a frantic, desperate race against heat and smoke, one that would end in unimaginable loss, an act of quiet heroism, and questions that would linger long after the flames were extinguished. Three boys would be pulled from the wreckage with catastrophic burns. But this wasn’t just a tragic house fire. It was something far more disturbing.Because as investigators began to piece together what happened that night, a chilling pattern would emerge, one that pointed not to an accident, but to a firestarter hiding in plain sight.  Join Cam and Jen on this episode of Our True Crime Podcast as we discuss ‘Firestarter: Crimes of Bruce George Peter Lee.’ Listener discretion is by @octoberpodVHS Music is by our editor @theinkypawprint.  Episode is sponsored by Hello Fresh.  Go to HelloFresh.com/otcp10fm now to Get 10 Free meals + Free Nutribullet® Ultra Plus+ 2-in-1 Compact Kitchen System (a $189.99 value) on your 3rd box. Free meals are applied as a discount on the first box, new subscribers only, varies by plan. Disclaimer: Must order the 3rd box by May 31st, 2026. Sources: https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/news/hull-east-yorkshire-news/hulls-worst-serial-killer-bruce-6621713 [https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/news/hull-east-yorkshire-news/hulls-worst-serial-killer-bruce-6621713] http://infotrac.galegroup.com/itw/infomark/531/644/115751697w16/purl=&dyn=11!pdy_3_0FFO-1981-JAN21-003-F?sw_aep=corlonli Ron Sagar MBE Hull, Hell And Fire The Extraordinary Story Of Bruce Lee (Highgate publications, 1999) The Daily Mail (Hull) December 5th 1979- January 31st 1981, February 11th 1981, 10th December 1983. http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/features/A-city39s-memories-branded-in.5883752.jp http://infotrac.galegroup.com/itw/infomark/32/498/118877646w16/purl=rc1_TTDA_0_CS85296526&dyn=5!xrn_1_0_CS85296526&hst_1?sw_aep=corlonli [http://infotrac.galegroup.com/itw/infomark/32/498/118877646w16/purl=rc1_TTDA_0_CS85296526&dyn=5!xrn_1_0_CS85296526&hst_1?sw_aep=corlonli] https://www.itv.com/news/calendar/2022-02-08/serial-arsonist-bruce-lee-loses-appeal-over-string-of-fatal-fires-in-1970s [https://www.itv.com/news/calendar/2022-02-08/serial-arsonist-bruce-lee-loses-appeal-over-string-of-fatal-fires-in-1970s] https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/nostalgia/fire-master-forgotten-manchester-born-31350618 [https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/nostalgia/fire-master-forgotten-manchester-born-31350618] https://criminalminds.fandom.com/wiki/Bruce_George_Peter_Lee https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-humber-58876813 https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-humber-58876813 https://web.archive.org/web/20181019135453/https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/analysis/a-city-s-memories-branded-in-fire-of-killer-s-reign-of-terror-30-years-ago-1-2314856 https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/news/hull-east-yorkshire-news/hulls-notorious-serial-killer-bruce-6625127 http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/features/A-city39s-memories-branded-in.5883752.jp The Yorkshire Post, The Daily Mirror, The Daily Telegraph (January 21st-23rd 1981) http://infotrac.galegroup.com/itw/infomark/531/644/115751697w16/purl=&dyn=11!pdy_3_0FFO-1981-JAN21-003-F?sw_aep=corlonli Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

354. Out of the Fire: Suzanne Capper

***Content Warning*** This episode contains discussion of violence, torture, and murder. Listener discretion is strongly advised. At 16, Suzanne Capper was just a girl trying to find her place in the world and hanging out with a group she thought were her friends. But on a freezing morning in December 1992, a man named Barry and some of his coworkers were driving to work when their headlights caught a figure in the darkness. Standing by the side of the road was a young girl, her hair was gone, and her skin was blackened and charred from fire. Somehow, against all odds, she had crawled out of the woods to find help. The chaos that followed was something that none of the men in the van that morning would ever forget. The UK would wake up to news that there were people who lived among them, who had a main objective in life, which was to inflict pain. And the story would prove to be too much for them. A huge Thank You to our team: Listener Discretion by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Edward October ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8626939889451216631/8144135965963493092#] Research & Writing by Lauretta Allen Executive Producers Nico & Jesse of The Inky Pawprint ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://theinkypawprint.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8626939889451216631/8144135965963493092#] Sources: https://www.newspapers.com/image/912473189/?match=1&terms=Suzanne%20Capper [https://www.newspapers.com/image/912473189/?match=1&terms=Suzanne%20Capper] https://www.newspapers.com/image/909560806/?match=1&terms=Suzanne%20Capper [https://www.newspapers.com/image/909560806/?match=1&terms=Suzanne%20Capper] https://www.newspapers.com/image/1275999766/?match=1&terms=Suzanne%20Capper [https://www.newspapers.com/image/1275999766/?match=1&terms=Suzanne%20Capper] https://www.newspapers.com/image/909562093/?match=1&terms=Suzanne%20Capper [https://www.newspapers.com/image/909562093/?match=1&terms=Suzanne%20Capper] https://www.newspapers.com/image/751595698/?match=1&terms=Suzanne%20Capper [https://www.newspapers.com/image/751595698/?match=1&terms=Suzanne%20Capper] https://www.newspapers.com/image/804903275/?match=1&terms=Suzanne%20Capper [https://www.newspapers.com/image/804903275/?match=1&terms=Suzanne%20Capper] https://www.newspapers.com/image/804903275/?match=1&terms=Suzanne%20Capper [https://www.newspapers.com/image/804903275/?match=1&terms=Suzanne%20Capper] https://www.newspapers.com/image/819771054/?match=1&terms=Suzanne%20Capper [https://www.newspapers.com/image/819771054/?match=1&terms=Suzanne%20Capper] https://www.newspapers.com/image/260286579/?match=1&terms=Suzanne%20Capper [https://www.newspapers.com/image/260286579/?match=1&terms=Suzanne%20Capper] https://www.newspapers.com/image/718999408/?match=1&terms=Suzanne%20Capper [https://www.newspapers.com/image/718999408/?match=1&terms=Suzanne%20Capper] https://www.newspapers.com/image/914588854/?match=1&terms=Suzanne%20Capper [https://www.newspapers.com/image/914588854/?match=1&terms=Suzanne%20Capper] https://www.newspapers.com/image/914590083/?match=1&terms=Suzanne%20Capper [https://www.newspapers.com/image/914590083/?match=1&terms=Suzanne%20Capper] https://www.newspapers.com/image/881733646/?match=1&terms=Suzanne%20Capper [https://www.newspapers.com/image/881733646/?match=1&terms=Suzanne%20Capper] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVyc4GeDMuw [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVyc4GeDMuw] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Suzanne_Capper [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Suzanne_Capper] https://confidentials.com/manchester/exclusive-20-years-on-the-suzanne-capper-case [https://confidentials.com/manchester/exclusive-20-years-on-the-suzanne-capper-case] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]