The Macabre

I Really Hate When People Get Murdered. I Would Hope So.

In Season 2 Episode 2, we discussed the continuing journey of BTK. In part 2, we discuss Dennis Rader’s marriage and his first murder, a family annihilation. In 1974, Dennis Rader walked into the Otero family home where he brutally killed Mr. Joseph Otero and Mrs. Julie Otero and their two children who were home at the time, 8-year-old Joseph and 11-year-old Josephine. Then, we talked about the recent Choctaw High School shooting in Oklahoma. We discussed the media coverage, the victims, and the ongoing investigation.

We're Back!

In Season 2 Episode 1, we discussed the Denver Movie Theatre Shooting 2012. We discussed the premeditation as well as Holmes's prison experience. Then we talked about the journey that is BTK. In part 1, we discuss Dennis Rader’s childhood upbringing to try and figure out where it all went wrong.Works Cited“Aurora Shooting Leaves 12 Dead, 70 Wounded.” History.Com [http://History.Com], A&E Television Networks, 2 Dec. 2013, www.history.com/this-day-in-history/12-people-killed-70-wounded-in-colorado-movie-theater-shooting [http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/12-people-killed-70-wounded-in-colorado-movie-theater-shooting].“Aurora Theater Shooting: Profiles of the Victims.” The Denver Post, extras.denverpost.com/trial/aurora-shooting-victims.html [http://extras.denverpost.com/trial/aurora-shooting-victims.html]. Accessed 22 Jan. 2023.Beeman, Amy. “Inside Dennis Rader’s Childhood: What Made Him the BTK Killer?” Heavy.Com [http://Heavy.Com], 6 Jan. 2023, heavy.com/entertainment/2020/09/inside-dennis-raders-childhood-btk-killer/ [http://heavy.com/entertainment/2020/09/inside-dennis-raders-childhood-btk-killer/].“Evolution of a Serial Killer: Dennis Rader, BTK.” Psychology Today, Sussex Publishers, www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/wicked-deeds/202202/evolution-serial-killer-dennis-rader-btk#:~:text=He%20attended%20Riverview%20Elementary%20School,while%20still%20in%20grade%20school [http://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/wicked-deeds/202202/evolution-serial-killer-dennis-rader-btk#:~:text=He%20attended%20Riverview%20Elementary%20School,while%20still%20in%20grade%20school]. Accessed 25 Aug. 2023.“Map, Timeline of Shooting in Aurora.” CNN, Cable News Network, www.cnn.com/interactive/2012/07/us/aurora.shooting/index.html [http://www.cnn.com/interactive/2012/07/us/aurora.shooting/index.html]. Accessed 22 Jan. 2023.Mayer, Chloe. “James Holmes’ Prison Life, 10 Years on from Aurora Movie Theater Shooting.” Newsweek, Newsweek, 20 July 2022, www.newsweek.com/aurora-movie-shooting-where-james-holmes-now-prison-1725658 [http://www.newsweek.com/aurora-movie-shooting-where-james-holmes-now-prison-1725658].“Powerful Photos Released from Aurora Theater Shooting.” CBS News, CBS Interactive, 18 Oct. 2015, www.cbsnews.com/pictures/powerful-photos-released-from-aurora-theater-shooting/27/ [http://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/powerful-photos-released-from-aurora-theater-shooting/27/].Press, The Associated. “What Led James Holmes into the Aurora Theater Shooting? New Book Suggests Answers Aren’t Likely.” Colorado Public Radio, Colorado Public Radio, 25 Sept. 2019, www.cpr.org/2018/08/06/what-led-james-holmes-into-the-aurora-theater-shooting-new-book-suggests-answers-arent-likely/ [http://www.cpr.org/2018/08/06/what-led-james-holmes-into-the-aurora-theater-shooting-new-book-suggests-answers-arent-likely/].Rosewood, Jack. “Dennis Rader.” Big Book of Serial Killers, Createspace Independent, 2017, pp. 300–302.

Don't Be Grabbed...

In episode 8, we talked about Diane Downs, a mom who claimed that she and her three children were attacked by a “bushy-haired stranger,” but later investigation led detectives to believe that something more sinister may have happened. Then we talk about the murder of college student Haruka Weiser and the conviction of her murderer Meechaiel Criner. Works Cited Blanco, Juan Ignacio. “Diane Downs: Murderpedia, the Encyclopedia of Murderers.” Diane Downs | Murderpedia, the Encyclopedia of Murderers, https://murderpedia.org/female.D/d/downs-diane.htm [https://murderpedia.org/female.D/d/downs-diane.htm]. “Diane Downs.” Crime Museum, 11 June 2021, https://www.crimemuseum.org/crime-library/famous-murders/diane-downs/ [https://www.crimemuseum.org/crime-library/famous-murders/diane-downs/]. Fox News. “Police Nab Homeless Teen in on-Campus Killing of University of Texas Freshman.” Fox News, FOX News Network, 9 Apr. 2016, https://www.foxnews.com/us/police-nab-homeless-teen-in-on-campus-killing-of-university-of-texas-freshman [https://www.foxnews.com/us/police-nab-homeless-teen-in-on-campus-killing-of-university-of-texas-freshman]. Margaritoff, Marco. “Diane Downs Shot Her Three Young Children - and Then Tried to Blame It on a Carjacking.” All That's Interesting, All That's Interesting, 11 Jan. 2022, https://allthatsinteresting.com/diane-downs [https://allthatsinteresting.com/diane-downs]. McCausland, Phil. “Man Found Guilty in Killing of Texas College Student Haruka Weiser.” NBCNews.com [http://NBCNews.com], NBCUniversal News Group, 20 July 2018, https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/man-found-guilty-killing-texas-college-student-haruka-weiser-n893316 [https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/man-found-guilty-killing-texas-college-student-haruka-weiser-n893316]. Reese, Lyla. “A Parent's Worst Nightmare.” Medium, Medium, 4 Sept. 2021, https://lylareese.medium.com/a-parents-worst-nightmare-bbf3a8766cad [https://lylareese.medium.com/a-parents-worst-nightmare-bbf3a8766cad]. Richkoff, Cheryl Adams. “12 Horrifying Stories of Murder on College Campuses.” Ranker, Ranker, 19 May 2022, https://www.ranker.com/list/scary-university-murder-stories/cheryl-adams-richkoff [https://www.ranker.com/list/scary-university-murder-stories/cheryl-adams-richkoff]. Tisdale, Jennifer. “A New '20/20' Special Features the Daughter of ‘Mommy Murderess’ Diane Downs.” Distractify, Distractify, 5 Feb. 2022, https://www.distractify.com/p/diane-downs-now [https://www.distractify.com/p/diane-downs-now].

Santa's Coming To Town...

In episode 7, we talked about the Larry Rudolph trial. We discuss if his wife died by accident or malice and what could be his motive? Was it for money or his other woman? Then we talk about the Covina Christmas Massacre. In 2008, Bruce Pardo dresses up as Santa to crash the annual Ortega family Christmas party, where his ex-wife Sylvia and her elderly parents resided. Pardo then brutally murders 9 members of the Ortega family. Toward the end of the massacre, Pardo engulfs the entire house in flames with a homemade flamethrower. Works Cited The Associated Press. “Dentist Admitted to Killing His Wife on African Safari, Federal Prosecutor Says.” NBCNews.com [http://NBCNews.com], NBCUniversal News Group, 14 July 2022, https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/dentist-confessed-killing-wife-african-safari-federal-prosecutor-says-rcna38178 [https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/dentist-confessed-killing-wife-african-safari-federal-prosecutor-says-rcna38178]. Becerra, Hector, and Tami Abdollah. “More Grim Details of Christmas Eve Shooting Rampage in Covina Emerge.” Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 31 Dec. 2008, https://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-santa-shooting31-2008dec31-story.html [https://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-santa-shooting31-2008dec31-story.html]. Blanco, Juan Ignacio. “Bruce Pardo: Murderpedia, the Encyclopedia of Murderers.” Bruce Pardo | Murderpedia, the Encyclopedia of Murderers, https://murderpedia.org/male.P/p/pardo-bruce.htm [https://murderpedia.org/male.P/p/pardo-bruce.htm]. “Covina Massacre.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 24 Dec. 2022, Griffin, Allie. “Millionaire Dentist Found Guilty of Shooting Wife Dead on African Safari.” New York Post, New York Post, 2 Aug. 2022, https://nypost.com/2022/08/02/millionaire-pennsylvania-dentist-larry-rudolph-found-guilty-of-killing-wife-on-african-safari/ [https://nypost.com/2022/08/02/millionaire-pennsylvania-dentist-larry-rudolph-found-guilty-of-killing-wife-on-african-safari/]. Karimi, Faith. “An American Dentist and Big-Game Hunter Is Found Guilty of Killing His Wife on Their African Safari.” CNN, Cable News Network, 2 Aug. 2022, https://www.cnn.com/2022/08/02/us/lawrence-rudolph-guilty-safari-murder-cec/index.html#:~:text=Lawrence%20Rudolph%2C%2067%2C%20killed%20his,death%20almost%20six%20years%20ago [https://www.cnn.com/2022/08/02/us/lawrence-rudolph-guilty-safari-murder-cec/index.html#:~:text=Lawrence%20Rudolph%2C%2067%2C%20killed%20his,death%20almost%20six%20years%20ago]. Rob. “Santa's Slay: Bruce Pardo Massacred His Whole Family on Christmas 2008.” Sinister Isles, Sinister Isles, 30 Dec. 2021, https://www.sinisterisles.com/post/bruce-pardo-santa-massacre [https://www.sinisterisles.com/post/bruce-pardo-santa-massacre]. “Santa Slayer Planned More Murders.” CBS News, CBS Interactive, 30 Dec. 2008, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/santa-slayer-planned-more-murders/ [https://www.cbsnews.com/news/santa-slayer-planned-more-murders/]. “Sylvia Ortega (1965-2008) - Find a Grave Memorial.” Find a Grave, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/32415013/sylvia-ortega [https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/32415013/sylvia-ortega].

Are We Ready? No...

In episode 6, we talked about Za'Zell Preston and the domestic violence she endured throughout her relationship with William Wallace and her eventual brutal murder on Christmas Eve in 2011. Then we talk about the kidnapping and eventual murder of Dorothy Jane Scott by her phone stalker. In addition, we talk about theories of this unsolved case and possible related cases, such as the case of Patricia Schneider. National Domestic Violence Hotline 800-799-7233 Works Cited Allan, Laura. “The Deeply Unsettling and UNSOLVED MURDER of Dorothy Jane Scott.” Ranker, Ranker, 2 Sept. 2022, https://www.ranker.com/list/unsolved-dorothy-jane-scott/laura-allan [https://www.ranker.com/list/unsolved-dorothy-jane-scott/laura-allan]. Bandyopadhyay, Alakananda. “Za'zell Preston's Dead Body Was 'Cold', Says Daughter after Killer Put It on Couch on Christmas.” MEAWW, 8 June 2021, https://meaww.com/who-za-zell-preston-dead-body-cold-says-daughter-william-wallace-put-on-sofa-christmas-life-in-prison [https://meaww.com/who-za-zell-preston-dead-body-cold-says-daughter-william-wallace-put-on-sofa-christmas-life-in-prison]. Brown, Lee. “Man Who Killed Wife, Propped up Body While Kids Opened Presents Gets 15 Years to Life.” New York Post, New York Post, 7 June 2021, https://nypost.com/2021/06/07/man-who-killed-wife-propped-up-body-while-kids-opened-presents-sentenced/ [https://nypost.com/2021/06/07/man-who-killed-wife-propped-up-body-while-kids-opened-presents-sentenced/]. “Dorothy Jane Scott.” Unsolved Mysteries Wiki, https://unsolvedmysteries.fandom.com/wiki/Dorothy_Jane_Scott [https://unsolvedmysteries.fandom.com/wiki/Dorothy_Jane_Scott]. Emery, Sean. “Anaheim Man Gets 15-to-Life for Killing Wife Whose Body He Propped on Couch for Kids at Christmas.” Orange County Register, Orange County Register, 5 June 2021, https://www.ocregister.com/2021/06/04/anaheim-man-gets-15-to-life-for-killing-wife-who-he-then-propped-on-couch-for-kids-at-christmas/ [https://www.ocregister.com/2021/06/04/anaheim-man-gets-15-to-life-for-killing-wife-who-he-then-propped-on-couch-for-kids-at-christmas/]. Margaritoff, Marco. “He Killed His Wife on Christmas, Then Sat Her on the Couch in Sunglasses While His Kids Opened Presents.” All That's Interesting, All That's Interesting, 11 Mar. 2021, https://allthatsinteresting.com/za-zell-preston [https://allthatsinteresting.com/za-zell-preston]. Martinez, Taylor, and News Staff. “Zazell Preston.” NBC Palm Springs, 4 June 2021, https://nbcpalmsprings.com/tag/zazell-preston/ [https://nbcpalmsprings.com/tag/zazell-preston/]. Mickadeit, Frank. “Column: Suspect Says He 'Creamed' Za'zell.” Orange County Register, Orange County Register, 25 May 2012, https://www.ocregister.com/2012/05/25/column-suspect-says-he-creamed-zazell/ [https://www.ocregister.com/2012/05/25/column-suspect-says-he-creamed-zazell/]. Nucleus. “Dorothy Scott.” The True Crime Database, 13 Nov. 2022, https://www.thetruecrimedatabase.com/case_file/dorothy-scott/ [https://www.thetruecrimedatabase.com/case_file/dorothy-scott/]. . . .