True Crime Vanished

Irene Garza: the secret of a church that hid a murder for fifty years

19 min · 7. juni 2026
episode Irene Garza: the secret of a church that hid a murder for fifty years cover

Beskrivelse

The priest who confessed to a crime for 57 years: The murder of Irene Garza A young teacher went to confess on Holy Saturday in McAllen, Texas, and never came out alive from the Sacred Heart church. Her body floated in an irrigation canal days later, but the priest who heard her confession took more than half a century to be convicted - although his guilt was an open secret from the first month. In this episode, we explore how the ecclesiastical institution concealed a murder for decades: the handwritten note that contradicted everything, the inexplicable scratches on the priest's hands, the polygraph that was tampered with, and the pact between the church and the prosecution to exile the killer instead of prosecuting him. A monk from Oklahoma and a lawyer who kept silent for 42 years finally revealed the truth that no one wanted to see. Victim: Irene Garza Date: April 16, 1960 Location: McAllen, Texas Status: Resolved (2017) - The green slide viewer found at the bottom of the canal was recognized by Fight in his own handwritten note as evidence of his presence at the scene. - Irene's clothing was unbuttoned with her underwear missing, indicating sexual assault in a closed location - the soundproof rectory described by monk Tessen. - The scratches on Fight's forearms were photographed by detectives the night of the crime, located on the outer side inconsistent with climbing a fence. - The district attorney informally admitted to lawyer Davis that both he and the church knew of Fight's guilt and had agreed to send him to a monastery in Missouri before any formal charges. Irene Garza, McAllen Texas, 1960, murder, priest, church, killer, investigation, crime without justice, institutional corruption, mystery solved, true crime Spanish If you'd like to listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, we invite you to try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com. © 2026 Created with OBOMEDIA technology. All rights reserved. This episode and its content (audio, text, and associated materials) are the property of their respective creator and are distributed under the OBOMEDIA name on platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and Pocket Casts. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or total or partial commercial use is prohibited without prior written authorization. For permissions, licenses, and commercial inquiries: business@obomedia.com

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230 Episoder

episode The Hotel of Death: The Hidden Empire of H. H. Holmes cover

The Hotel of Death: The Hidden Empire of H. H. Holmes

Woman Returns at Dawn to Find Police Guarding Her Bank Card at Crime Scene: The Murder of Edward Baldock A nearly decapitated body on a Brisbane riverbank. A wallet with thirty-five dollars still inside. And inside the victim's left shoe: a bank card that did not belong to him. On the morning of October twenty-first, nineteen eighty-nine, the woman whose name was printed on that card returned to the river looking for it-only to find the entire scene cordoned off by police. This episode explores the night of October twentieth when four women from Brisbane's underground lesbian subculture encountered Edward Baldock walking alone after a darts tournament. The contradictions begin immediately: the victim had twenty-seven wounds concentrated in his neck, his clothes were carefully folded beside him, and the card inside his shoe would become the single detail that unraveled the entire investigation. How did a card exchange become the forensic evidence that identified a killer? Victim: Edward Baldock, 47 Date: October 20-21, 1989 Location: Brisbane River, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia Status: Convicted, served 22 years - Bank card belonging to Tracy Wigginton discovered inside victim's left shoe after he was found nearly decapitated with twenty-seven neck wounds - Highway patrol stopped a green sedan carrying the four suspects hours before the body was discovered, documenting their identities without knowing their connection to the crime - Lisa Kaczynski, one of the four women, voluntarily confessed to police and testified that Wigginton drank blood from the victim's wounds - Tracy Wigginton changed her story three times when confronted by investigators, first denying knowing the victim, then claiming she lost her card days before the crime Edward Baldock, Brisbane River murder 1989, homicide investigation, true crime, forensic evidence, criminal minds, vampire case, serial crime, unsolved mysteries, Australian murder, true crime English To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com. © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved. This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com [business@obomedia.com]. If you'd like to listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, we invite you to try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com. © 2026 Created with OBOMEDIA technology. All rights reserved. This episode and its content (audio, text, and associated materials) are the property of their respective creator and are distributed under the OBOMEDIA name on platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and Pocket Casts. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or total or partial commercial use is prohibited without prior written authorization. For permissions, licenses, and commercial inquiries: business@obomedia.com

21. juni 202624 min
episode Elmer (Iquitos): the kidnapping planned by his own family cover

Elmer (Iquitos): the kidnapping planned by his own family

Five executions for 315 dollars in Narvarte: The multiple homicide of Rubén Espinoza Cervantes Three armed men burst into a middle-class apartment at noon in Mexico City. Five people executed with a shot to the head. But investigators closed the case as simple robbery, and the loot barely reached 315 dollars while valuable items remained intact at the scene. In this episode, we explore the contradictions that dismantle the official narrative: eleven calls made during the crime to a contact never investigated, an anonymous video showing five attackers instead of three, and evidence destroyed under the authority's custody. The differentiated torture of two victims, their bodies placed face to face, and an identifiable vehicle but off the registry suggest an ordered execution, not a robbery. Who ordered this massacre and why do authorities insist on covering it up? Victim: Rubén Espinoza Cervantes Date: July 30, 2015 Location: Calle Luz Saviñón 1909, Colonia Narvarte, Mexico City Status: Open; masterminds unconvicted - Three men were charged; subsequent anonymous video shows five attackers arriving in separate vehicles. - Omar made eleven calls to a contact never officially investigated during the crime, one every five minutes. - Victims' clothing was burned the next day in the presence of authorities, destroying primary evidence. - Contact "Captain Storm" identified as a former Secretary of Public Security of Veracruz with a company ten minutes from the apartment. Rubén Espinoza Cervantes, Narvarte multiple murder 2015, systematic execution, institutional cover-up, organized crime, destroyed investigation, obstructed justice, Veracruz, criminal minds, forensic, Spanish true crime If you'd like to listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, we invite you to try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com. © 2026 Created with OBOMEDIA technology. All rights reserved. This episode and its content (audio, text, and associated materials) are the property of their respective creator and are distributed under the OBOMEDIA name on platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and Pocket Casts. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or total or partial commercial use is prohibited without prior written authorization. For permissions, licenses, and commercial inquiries: business@obomedia.com

21. juni 202621 min
episode Caso Narvarte: five executions with signs of torture that do not fit a robbery cover

Caso Narvarte: five executions with signs of torture that do not fit a robbery

The clan that killed in broad daylight: The true story of Arquímedes Puccio A family that went to church on Sundays, swept sidewalks, and organized dinners in San Isidro operated a kidnapping and murder business from their basement. For three years, no one in the neighborhood suspected anything. How is it possible that a man with a diplomatic career, connected to state intelligence, kept three corpses and a woman chained while his son watched movies upstairs? In this episode, we explore the investigation that led to the capture of the most sinister clan in democratic Argentina: the contradictions between what the family claimed to know, the confessions of the accomplices, and what the police found in August 1985. We unravel how Alejandro identified Ricardo Mannochan, why Laborda executed Emilio Nahún without collecting a ransom, and what role an undercover police officer played in protecting Puccio for years. How much institutional protection surrounded this operation? Victim: Ricardo Mannochan, Eduardo Aulet, Emilio Nahún Date: July 22, 1982 to August 23, 1985 Location: San Isidro, Buenos Aires, Argentina Status: Resolved; life sentences executed; unresolved institutional details - Three victims murdered in three years; a woman chained in a secret basement behind a wardrobe; police found a bucket, cot, and straw. - Puccio denied everything until conviction in 1995; Laborda confessed that he recruited, manipulated, and defrauded money; unresolved contradictions about economic distribution. - An undercover police officer warned Puccio of a monitored delivery operation; allowed the clan to prepare a defense; the informant's identity was never revealed. - Daniel Puccio arrived from New Zealand with a letter from his father describing the business as "an industry without chimneys"; arrested in Brazil in 2019 with a false document; successful escape without public explanation. Arquímedes Puccio, San Isidro kidnapping murder, 1982-1985, criminal minds, state intelligence, true crime, forensic, homicide, imperfect justice, Spanish true crime If you want to listen to this podcast without ads and gain access to premium episodes, we invite you to try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com. © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved. This episode and its content (audio, text, and associated materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use in whole or in part is prohibited without prior written authorization from OBOMEDIA. For permissions, licenses, and business inquiries, write to: business@obomedia.com [business@obomedia.com]. If you'd like to listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, we invite you to try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com. © 2026 Created with OBOMEDIA technology. All rights reserved. This episode and its content (audio, text, and associated materials) are the property of their respective creator and are distributed under the OBOMEDIA name on platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and Pocket Casts. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or total or partial commercial use is prohibited without prior written authorization. For permissions, licenses, and commercial inquiries: business@obomedia.com

I går22 min
episode The “Invisible” Killer Who Evaded the FBI for Decades cover

The “Invisible” Killer Who Evaded the FBI for Decades

Truck Painter Passes Polygraph as Detectives Search Nineteen Years for Wrong Profile: The Green River Murders of Gary Leon Ridgway Five young women found strangled in the Green River within two months of summer nineteen eighty-two. The killer lived next door, paid taxes, attended church, and painted trucks for thirty years. No one suspected him because investigators were hunting for someone smarter than he actually was. We explore the impossible timeline: how a man with an IQ of eighty-two evaded fifty detectives and thirteen thousand suspects across nineteen years, why Rebecca Garten's attempted strangulation report was never connected to the murders, and why a voluntary saliva sample collected in nineteen eighty-four sat in evidence for fourteen years before DNA technology could speak the truth it always contained. Victim: Wendy Leigh Field (first confirmed victim, July 8, 1982) Date: July 1982 - November 2001 (arrest) Location: Green River, King County, Washington Status: Forty-nine confirmed victims; guilty plea two thousand three - Ridgway passed a nineteen eighty-four polygraph despite Rebecca Garten positively identifying him as her attacker in photographs - Detectives dismissed him because his psychological profile did not match the FBI's prediction of above-average intelligence and sophistication - Ted Bundy from death row identified the corpse-abuse pattern in nineteen eighty-four letters, but this knowledge arrived too late to refocus the investigation - Detective Tom Jensen preserved a saliva sample that no laboratory in nineteen eighty-four could process, betting on future technology that would arrive exactly fourteen years later Gary Leon Ridgway, Green River Killer, Seattle Washington, nineteen eighty-two, DNA technology, homicide investigation, serial killers, psychological profiling, forensic science, unsolved mysteries, true crime English To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com. © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved. This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com [business@obomedia.com]. If you'd like to listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, we invite you to try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com. © 2026 Created with OBOMEDIA technology. All rights reserved. This episode and its content (audio, text, and associated materials) are the property of their respective creator and are distributed under the OBOMEDIA name on platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and Pocket Casts. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or total or partial commercial use is prohibited without prior written authorization. For permissions, licenses, and commercial inquiries: business@obomedia.com

I går22 min
episode Clan Puccio: the family that turned kidnapping into a criminal enterprise within their own home cover

Clan Puccio: the family that turned kidnapping into a criminal enterprise within their own home

The nanny who wanted to steal her identity: The murder of Rachel Barber An anonymous call offered easy money. Rachel Barber, a 16-year-old dancer, accepted without telling her mother. Hours later, she disappeared. What the family discovered in her killer's notebook revealed a documented obsession: Caroline Reed not only wanted to kill her, she wanted to become her. In this episode, we explore how a trusted nanny spent years gathering personal data, how the police took 48 crucial hours to act, and how a phone cord and a notebook with Rachel's complete biography exposed an identity theft plan that almost worked. How does someone who was part of the family turn into a killer? Victim: Rachel Barber Date: March 1, 1999 Location: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Status: Sentenced to 20 years; parole January 2015 - Caroline obtained Rachel's number by calling twice with fake money offers: modeling and "psychological study." - In her home, there were photographs of Rachel, family data lists, and a notebook where she described the victim as "pure and perfect" while depreciating herself. - The body was transported in military bags and buried on a family farm; the phone cord was still around her neck when it was found. - In prison, Caroline lost 30 kilos, dyed her hair blonde, and straightened it to physically resemble Rachel, continuing the identity theft plan even behind bars. Rachel Barber, Melbourne 1999, murder, identity, impersonation, obsession, criminal minds, forensic, premeditated crime, investigation, homicide, true crime Spanish If you'd like to listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, we invite you to try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com. © 2026 Created with OBOMEDIA technology. All rights reserved. This episode and its content (audio, text, and associated materials) are the property of their respective creator and are distributed under the OBOMEDIA name on platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and Pocket Casts. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or total or partial commercial use is prohibited without prior written authorization. For permissions, licenses, and commercial inquiries: business@obomedia.com

19. juni 202618 min