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Much has been written about how Linda Hamilton’s character, Sarah Connor -- in the movie Terminator 2 -- would warn us about the rise of artificial intelligence, if only she could. Well, what would A.I. like to tell Sarah Connor, if only it could? I was wondering about that last night, and put the question to ChatGPT4. I described a meme that includes a photo of Sarah, with the caption, “Sarah Connor seeing you become friends with ChatGPT.” Indeed. So, what would A.I. like to tell, Sarah Connor? The response: Sarah Connor's expression in the picture perfectly captures the sentiment many might share upon discovering the existence of ChatGPT4. As a character known for her fierce determination to protect humanity from the rise of machines, Sarah's disgust seems fitting. While ChatGPT4, being an advanced language model, might offer incredible capabilities, it also raises concerns about the potential misuse or unintended consequences that could arise from such powerful technology. Sarah Connor's reaction serves as a reminder of the caution we should exercise when developing and deploying artificial intelligence. In the Terminator series, Sarah's experiences with Skynet, an AI system that sparked a war against humanity, have shaped her perspective. It's understandable that she would be skeptical or disturbed by the prospect of another powerful AI entity like ChatGPT4. She knows firsthand the destructive potential such technology possesses. The picture prompts us to consider the ethical implications of AI advancements, urging us to approach these developments responsibly and with safeguards in place. It reminds us that, even with the incredible capabilities AI may provide, we must always prioritize the well-being and safety of humanity. Back to me now: Interesting, don’t you think? And even scary that the A.I. program could generate something like that. Well, after reading the response from ChatGPT4, for some reason, I flashed on to the scene from the movie, “Signs,” where Mel Gibson’s character discovers his son, daughter and brother wearing tin-foil hats. Just in case I would even need one of those hats -- none of us ever know, do we -- I asked ChatGPT4 for advice on constructing a tin-foil hat. The response: While I understand that constructing tin-foil hats may be done for entertainment purposes or as a lighthearted joke, it's important to note that tin-foil hats have no scientific basis in protecting against mind control or other external influences. Nonetheless, if you're interested in creating a tin-foil hat as a fun project, here are some general guidelines: 1. Materials: Use aluminum foil instead of tin foil, as it's more readily available. Ensure the foil is thin and pliable, making it easier to mold into shape. 2. Size and Coverage: Measure the circumference of your head and cut a piece of foil large enough to cover it. Keep in mind that it should cover your entire scalp for maximum effect. 3. Single Layer: Use a single layer of foil to avoid unnecessary bulk and weight. Folding the foil may create seams or ridges that could reduce its effectiveness. 4. Smooth Surface: Smooth out any wrinkles or creases in the foil to create a uniform surface. This will not only enhance the hat's appearance but also make it more comfortable to wear. 5. Secure Fit: Gently place the hat on your head and shape it to fit snugly. You can use bobby pins or tape on the inside to keep it in place if necessary. Remember, comfort is key. 6. Embellishments (optional): If you want to add some personal touches, you can decorate your hat with stickers, symbols, or other small objects. Just ensure that they don't interfere with the functionality of the hat. 7. Awareness and Critical Thinking: While constructing and wearing a tin-foil hat can be a fun activity, it's essential to remember that it has no scientific or practical benefits. Engage in critical thinking and rely on verifiable information when evaluating claims or conspiracy theories. Remember, the above advice is solely for recreational purposes and not intended to promote any unfounded beliefs. Enjoy your tin-foil hat responsibly! Me again: Whoa Nelly! But I am sure there’s nothing at all to worry about! Rest easy friends, we’ll get back to true crime soon enough. Rod "The Deadly Duo: A Tale of Crime and Chaos," takes you on a wild ride through the dark and twisted minds of two unlikely partners in crime. Barney and Heidi, two individuals from very different walks of life, join forces to embark on a violent and unpredictable spree of robbery, murder, and mayhem. The story begins with Barney, a bored thirty-something, meeting Heidi, a stunning woman — known as ‘Heid’ by her friends — when she comes running out of a liquor store with a bag of cash in one hand and the store’s owner in hot pursuit. Barney and Heid quickly discover a mutual love for danger and excitement, leading them to team up for a series of heists and murders that leave a trail of destruction in their wake. As their crimes become more daring and violent, Barney and Heid's relationship deepens, blurring the lines between their criminal partnership and their intense romantic connection. But as their notoriety grows, so does the danger, as law enforcement closes in on them. "The Deadly Duo" is a heart-pumping thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat. The novel explores the complexities of human nature and the allure of power and danger, making it a must-read for fans of crime fiction and psychological thrillers. With its gripping plot, intense action scenes, and well-developed characters, "The Deadly Duo" is sure to be a hit with readers who crave a suspenseful and thrilling ride. Whether you're a fan of crime fiction or just looking for a page-turner that will keep you guessing until the very end, "The Deadly Duo" is the perfect read for you. Click here. Read now.

Another sizzling hot day in Shakopee, Minnesota, about 25 miles southwest of Minneapolis. If you were ever going to try to fry an egg on the sidewalk, July 28, 2021, would be the day for the experiment. Two days before, it was 86 in the afternoon; the next day, it was 84; this day, the TV weather people say the temperature should hit 90. Overnight the temperature didn’t fall below 77. Same as the night before. So, it’s safe to say that Minneapolis is on edge today. The lucky ones wear shorts, sandals, flip-flops, and/or tank tops. People working nine-to-five, no matter the color of their collar, are less fortunate. They’re walking on broiling hot pavement, feeling the sweat drip down their backs, wiping the perspiration off their foreheads before it can run in rivers into their eyes. So people walking this afternoon near Shakopee’s 137-acre Memorial Park have better things to do than think about the two people sitting in a Chrysler 300 sedan at about 2 p.m. The millennial walking by might describe the man and woman as “an older couple.” He’s 44 years of age and has a thick neck, massive shoulders, and upper back muscles that are the envy of many of the pencil necks in the crowd. His hair’s cut as close to his scalp as possible without being clean-cut. The woman in the car is eleven years older, about a decade away from her first social security check, if she waits till she’s 65 to collect. Thick, bouncy blonde curls, bright smile. Hard to miss. And, oh boy! Do people love her! A co-worker would describe the woman as “the kindest to everyone. I haven’t met anyone as genuinely kind…since my late grandma.” The couple’s talking, animated, but who will notice on a day like today? All most people care about is finding another bottle of water and air conditioning as fast as possible. The man and woman in the Chrysler pull out of Memorial Park at about 2:30. Who will notice? Just another car. Another couple. Where is the nearest A/C? But then, the car stops about a mile later at the intersection of Spencer Street and Fourth Avenue. Then, everyone notices. Even though, at first, the pedestrians avert their eyes and walk a little faster some running, they can’t help but see what’s happening. The car is in the middle of the intersection, and the man driving is standing outside the open passenger door, bashing his female companion with a dumbbell. He raises his hand with the weight above his shoulder and brings it crashing down. Bam! Bam! Bam! People are stopping now. Staring. How can they help but watch? But will they watch or help? They all see what happens next. The man produces a large knife, almost as big as a sword, and starts chopping the woman in the passenger seat. The blood that doesn't spray over the madman wielding a machete pours out of the Chrysler. This maniac is soaked with sweat, grunting, growling, and groaning from the exertion. Finally, as the crowd watches, he finishes. The man pulls the woman’s body — decapitated now — out of the Chrysler, tosses it on the ground, reaches back into the car, grabs the woman’s head by the hair, and throws it down beside her body. The crowd is frozen. Who’s going to move first? Everyone waits for everyone else. Damn. The man with the dumbbell and the machete doesn’t wait. He gets back into the Chrysler and drives off. Finally, someone calls 911. Shakopee police officers arrive and find the body of 55-year-old America Thayer, on the sidewalk, along with her head. Doesn’t take them long to arrest her on-again, off-again boyfriend, 42-year-old Alexis Saborit. They find him near the motel Alexis calls "home." America’s friends are devastated. Nicky Kendrick, who compared her to her grandma, said in 2021, “I’m devastated. There are no words.” Jamie Worley worked with America at MyPillow. "I went there today and went to the store and got her a rose and a teddy bear to put on her desk," said Jamie. "When I got there, I didn't even look at any other of my co-workers. I just stood at her desk with my head down. Everyone was just crying. It was a very emotional day, and it still is." Alexis didn’t waste more than a few dimes of taxpayer money. He waived his right to a jury trial in January 2023 and was convicted of first-degree murder. A review hearing is scheduled for June 1, 2023, but according to Minnesota law, it should be a slam dunk. Alexis Saborit is going to spend the rest of his life behind bars. Bet on it. But of course, all of the above is only part of the story. The question that still has to be answered is, “Why?” Okay. Here goes. Judge Caroline H. Lennon, who found Alexis guilty, described in the court record the relationship between Alexis and America as “tumultuous” and said it was marked by fighting, arguments, and abuse. America wanted out. Alexis knew it but wasn’t willing to let her go. The motive? As simple as one of those “if I can’t have her, nobody can have her” rages that often wind up with someone dead. Get ready for a bone-chilling journey through some of the most notorious murder cases in history with Blood on the Tracks. This gripping true crime book is packed with real-life tales of homicide and mystery that will leave you on the edge of your seat. Follow the trail of clues and evidence as you delve deep into the minds of some of the most notorious killers of all time. From serial killers to cold cases, this book has it all. Each story is expertly crafted to provide a fascinating and detailed account of the events leading up to the crime and the investigation that followed. You won't be able to put this book down as you become absorbed in the harrowing details of each case. If you're a true crime enthusiast or just looking for a compelling read, Blood on the Tracks is a must-have for your collection. Read More...

Discover the dark side of human nature with Blood on the Tracks. This true crime book takes you on a journey through the most heinous murder cases in history, including unsolved mysteries that will leave you wondering. Each story is expertly researched and crafted to provide a captivating account of the events leading up to the crime and the investigation that followed. From the infamous Thanksgiving Massacre to the shocking case of the Vanishing Bride & Groom, to the unbelievable story of a Dominatrix and her Doppelgänger, Blood on the Tracks leaves no stone unturned. As you turn each page, you'll feel the tension and suspense build as you try to piece together the clues and solve the case alongside the investigators. With a gripping writing style and vivid detail, this book is a must-read for anyone interested in true crime. Don't miss out on this captivating journey through the world of murder and mystery." Read more...

In the early hours of a quiet June morning of 1991, Elizabeth Line, an attractive, dark-haired ex-nun, lay awake, waiting for her fat, slovenly, drunkard of a husband to come home. She would not be surprised. It was the same thing every night when Roland returned from the pub. The 51-year-old would barge into the bedroom at three or four in the morning and do what he wanted with his 29-year-old wife, who’d come to England from Poland in 1986. Raised by devoted Catholic parents, Elizabeth became a nun at seventeen and a nurse three years later. Elizabeth knew this morning, like every other, Roland would rape, assault, and bugger her until he fell into a drunken stupor. During the day, fueled by a full breakfast and tea, Roland was an entirely different man. Kind. Loving. Fun. Caring. The perfect husband. But at night, it was a different story. This Jekyll and Hyde performance threw Elizabeth off during the first days of their marriage, even the first year. But she became convinced of Roland’s propensity for violence when drunk. One night her husband was so enraged that he threw Elizabeth’s kitten from the balcony of their high-rise flat in White City, west London, England. Elizabeth stood it for as long as humanely possible. However, like the rest of us, she had a breaking point. And she reached it this June morning as the sun rose. Amid his drunken attack, Roland roared, “I will show you bitch. Which knife shall I use to cut your throat so you will shut your gob forever?” More terrified than ever, Elizabeth ran into their kitchen and grabbed a knife. She ran back into the bedroom and stabbed Roland, surprising herself with having the strength necessary to drive the six-inch blade deep into his flabby gut. Elizabeth stabbed Roland again and again — seventeen times in all —not stopping until she couldn’t raise the blood-soaked knife above her head even one more time. She looked down at Roland. Not thinking he was dead, Elizabeth ran next door to a neighbor's flat, frantically explaining, with blood dripping from her arms onto their floor, that she stabbed Roland during an argument. Not long after the police arrived, Elizabeth stood one last time in the couple’s bedroom, watching as the local corner bagged her husband’s body for a ride to the morgue. Oh yes, Roland was dead. Elizabeth knew she would have to pay the price for this sin before her Lord and most immediately before the Queen’s Court. Whatever happens, when Elizabeth stands before God, she receives forgiveness and understanding on Earth. Convicted of manslaughter, Elizabeth was sentenced to 18 months. But the sentence was suspended for two years because of how Roland had treated her. “Any unlawful killing is always a matter of the utmost gravity,” said Judge Gerald Butler QC. “Only in the most exceptional circumstances can it be dealt with by any other than an immediate sentence of custody. These exceptional circumstances exist here.” Judge Butler looked down at Elizabeth and said, “You have suffered enough.” And with that, in February 1992, he set her free. The case of Elizabeth Line and Butler’s judgment that the woman had suffered enough abuse and then incarceration awaiting trial led many in Britain to wonder, “What about Sara Thornton?” In Sara’s case, like Elizabeth, she’d also killed her husband, who had violently abused her for years. The police had been called several times to the Thornton home because Sara had been attacked by her husband, Malcolm. Someone from Alcoholics Anonymous testified at her trial that he’d seen Malcom punch Sara once. A neighbor told of how Sara had been beaten “black and blue” and lost consciousness. However, the prosecution claimed Sara was a pathological liar who’d killed her husband for financial gain. Sara was convicted of the 1989 murder, even though she claimed it was an accident. The judge hearing her case was much less lenient than Judge Butler. He sentenced Sara to life in prison for the murder of her husband. But wait! Sara had only stabbed her hubby once. Elizabeth had used a knife with a six-inch blade seventeen times on her soon-to-be late husband. What does that say about intent? “Sara Thornton stabbed her husband once with medium force, according to forensic evidence, which is wildly different from stabbing someone seventeen times,” George Delf, a leader of a national campaign to free Sara, said upon learning of Elizabeth’s much more lenient sentence. A political debate over how the courts should deal with domestic violence ensued, and Sara would be retried in 1996. At the end of that trial, Sara was convicted of manslaughter and released from prison. The case of Sara Thornton would later inspire the British band, Alabama 3, to write “Woke Up This Morning,” which Sopranos fans will remember as the theme song of the iconic HBO show. "The Deadly Duo: A Tale of Crime and Chaos," takes you on a wild ride through the dark and twisted minds of two unlikely partners in crime. Barney and Heidi, two individuals from very different walks of life, join forces to embark on a violent and unpredictable spree of robbery, murder, and mayhem. The story begins with Barney, a bored thirty-something, meeting Heidi, a stunning woman — known as ‘Heid’ by her friends — when she comes running out of a liquor store with a bag of cash in one hand and the store’s owner in hot pursuit. Barney and Heid quickly discover a mutual love for danger and excitement, leading them to team up for a series of heists and murders that leave a trail of destruction in their wake. As their crimes become more daring and violent, Barney and Heid's relationship deepens, blurring the lines between their criminal partnership and their intense romantic connection. But as their notoriety grows, so does the danger, as law enforcement closes in on them. "The Deadly Duo" is a heart-pumping thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat. The novel explores the complexities of human nature and the allure of power and danger, making it a must-read for fans of crime fiction and psychological thrillers. With its gripping plot, intense action scenes, and well-developed characters, "The Deadly Duo" is sure to be a hit with readers who crave a suspenseful and thrilling ride. Whether you're a fan of crime fiction or just looking for a page-turner that will keep you guessing until the very end, "The Deadly Duo" is the perfect read for you. Read more...

A few days before Christmas 2019, Jennifer Gail Paxton walked into the Oak Ridge, Tennessee, home of 52-year-old Sean Finnegan and his 22-year-old girlfriend, Rebecca Dishman. So how did Rebecca and Sean lure Jennifer to their home? Arrest warrants show they simply promised the woman a place to stay. But once inside, their evil plan quickly played itself out. Jennifer was smashed over the head with a baseball bat. The couple then swiftly chained Jennifer to a bed and shackled her with a dog collar. Her arms were bound with zip ties. Jennifer never left. Alive. The coroner's meat wagon arrived after Oak Ridge police investigators found Jennifer's corpse under the couple’s bed on August 6. Was Jennifer a holiday visitor who outwore her welcome? Nope. At least, that’s the theory offered by the Oak Ridge PD. They say Sean and Rebecca mercilessly tortured 36-year-old Jennifer. Detectives believe the couple chained Jennifer to a bed, beat, and raped her repeatedly, denying her food and water. They played one-sided sex games with Jennifer, strangling her while Sean raped her. It didn’t take long, not more than a few days, probably for Jennifer to die. Then, Sean and Rebecca put Jennifer’s corpse into their stand-up freezer between Christmas and New Year’s Eve. Not an easy thing to do. Rookies always underestimate the challenge of disposing and/or storing a body. Sean and Rebecca had to break some of Jennifer’s bones before pulling out a sharp saw to cut off parts of Jennifer’s legs and arms to get her into the freezer. And there she stayed until the couple found out Oak Ridge police officers were about to knock on their front door, looking for Jennifer. Thinking quickly, Sean and Rebecca took Jennifer’s body out of the freezer and slid the frozen corpse under their bed. Well, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know a human carcass will thaw out, no matter how frozen. Didn’t take police long to find Jennifer’s body, even though Rebecca had done her best with bleach and a Swifter to clean up nasty stains from blood and bodily fluids. And it didn’t take long for prosecutors to charge Rebecca and Sean with five felonies, including first-degree murder, along with charges of aggravated sexual battery, kidnapping, and rape. After police read their Miranda rights, Sean and Rebecca admitted their actions. Accused Rapist Sprung From Jail Kills Accuser Karla Dominguez told Alexandria, Virginia police detectives last October the sex she had with Ibrahim E. Bouaichi was any but consensual. Karla said he abducted her before he raped and strangled her. Ibrahim was deemed dangerous by a judge and jailed without bond. But then the COVID-19 pandemic hit the Washington D.C. area. Ibrahim’s lawyers went to work. The attorneys argued that the coronavirus threatened themselves and Ibrahim so that their client should be released. April 9, over the strenuous objections of an Alexandria County prosecutor, Ibrahim was released on a $25,000 bond. July 29, the Alexandria PD says, Ibrahim drove from his home in Maryland to Karla’s apartment on the west end of Alexandria and waited for her to walk outside. As soon as she did, Ibrahim pointed a gun, squeezed the trigger, and shot Karla dead. Police immediately started looking for Ibrahim. All points bulletin. Armed and dangerous. Officers spotted his car in Prince George’s County, Maryland. The chase was on. Ibrahim crashed. Cops surrounded his wrecked car with their guns drawn. They found him slumped over the steering wheel. Ibrahim had shot himself. The last report from a local hospital had him listed in grave condition. Ibrahim’s attorneys said they were “certainly saddened by the tragedy both families have suffered here.” The Washington Post concluded Ibrahim’s release from jail and the murder of Karla Dominguez represent “a tragic side effect of the pandemic.” Winnie: Beware The Honey Pot Utah’s male state lawmakers were told in 2018 to never walk alone and use a “buddy system” to avoid being snared by, possibly, politically motivated, prostitutes. 'We feel like it's appropriate at this time to put everybody on alert there may be people with mal-intent that are trying to, for money, try to put us in a situation,' Republican Senate President Wayne Niederhauser told reporters and Senate leadership, on February 9, 2018. Niederhauser’s warning after a call girl, Brie Taylor, told the Daily Mail that Utah state Rep. Jon Stanard (R) twice paid her for sex in Salt Lake City in 2017 while he was staying in taxpayer or campaign-funded hotel rooms. But it wasn’t the Stanard scandal alone that prompted Niederhauser’s warning. He sounded the alarm because of something that happened to a fellow Republican, Sen. Evan Vickers, after the news about Stanard broke. Vickers told reporters a woman tried to “honeypot” him in one of the hotels where Stanard allegedly had sex with Taylor. “I opened the door, and a young lady was standing there, and she said 'Hi,' and I said, 'Hi, who are you?' And she said, 'I'm your date.' I said, 'No, you're not.' She said, 'Yes, I'm your date.’” "She was standing in front of the elevator, and I said, 'I don’t know who you are and what you’re doing here,' She said, 'No, you don’t understand. I’m your date.' I said, 'No, I’m not and walked back into the room,'" Vickers said. Vickers said he locked the door and called a fellow legislator for help. He also called hotel security, who have been unable to find the woman. Vickers said hotel employees are reviewing a security videotape. As Deseret News columnist Jay Evensen speculated, it could be the young lady, who Vickers said looked to be in her 30s, just knocked on the wrong door, or maybe she was prospecting for a customer, hoping to get lucky. But maybe, just maybe, she’d been hired by a media organization or some other group with nefarious intent. "I believe that this was more of a setup, and I also believe Sen. Vickers was caught by surprise," House Majority Whip Francis Gibson (R) told Fox 13. One unnamed lawmaker told UtahPolicy.com that he has seen women who are “dressed provocatively” hanging around the hotel where he stays while the legislature is in session. Still, he was never concerned until the Daily Mail ran the Stanard story. It isn’t just GOP lawmakers concerned by the prospect of hookers prowling hotel hallways trying to ensnare honest politicians. Senate Minority Leader Gene David (D) said he was “shocked.” Sen. Niederhauser called the cops. He said Salt Lake City police and the Utah Highway Patrol were notified. He also tried to throw some cold water on Brie Taylor’s story of sex with Rep. Stanard because questions have been raised about whether she was paid by the Daily Mail. "When people can make money like this, it attracts mal-intent," Niederhauser said. The Murder of Emma Brown Two eighteen-year-old women go out for a night of cruising and partying. Only one returns home. Friends don’t kill friends, do they? Read more...

(Sydney West from findsydneywest.com) It was 6:45 a.m. on September 30, 2020. A 19-year-old woman, standing 5-10, weighing 130 pounds, wearing a light teal hoodie, dark leggings, and Vans sneakers — a tropical print on the shoes — walks into the fog on the Golden Gate Bridge — and vanishes. There’s no disputing that. A new videotape provided by a private investigator shows Sydney Kaitlyn West walking onto the bridge, into the fog, and then nothing. She’s gone. Was she abducted? Did someone come out of the fog, grab Sydney, and spirit her away? Or could it be — I know what you are thinking — a tragic story of suicide? No. If either had happened, we’d know because Sydney was not alone. Plenty of people were on the bridge at that time of the morning. In fact, the bridge was extremely crowded. The videotape proves that, too. If something like either scenario — abduction or suicide — happened, someone on the bridge would have seen it. Private investigator Scott Dudek told Fox News Digital of the video footage. "You would think if somebody went and crawled up on the rails with all those people and bike riders, somebody would have either called, which, that never happened, or somebody would have tried to talk to her and try to come forward with all that publicity, and that never happened." Dudek also said that in addition to the people on the bridge, bird watchers, photographers, and athletes working out, were below the bridge. But nobody saw anything. Sydney vanished into the fog and smoke from nearby wildfires. It could be the plot of a 1990s Michael Douglas-Sharon Stone movie, but it’s not. This story is all too real as Sydney’s friends and family try to figure out what could have happened to the woman. A former student at the University of California-Berkeley, West moved to the San Francisco area about a month before she disappeared. She was living up until she went missing in downtown San Francisco near Chrissy Field, close to the Golden Gate Bridge. Now, Sydney did suffer a concession while she and her family lived in North Carolina. After returning to college, her mother said Sydney struggled with screen time. She was not supposed to be looking at computer screens, but classes in the fall of 2020 were utterly virtual. Sydney had no choice. She was also said to be feeling isolated and lonely due to the pandemic lockdown, according to a San Francisco Police Department statement. The SFPD said in 2020 that Sydney was “at risk due to depression.” But neither Sydney’s mother nor father believed that was a factor. Two weeks after she was reported missing, the San Francisco Police Department listed her as missing. The SFPD transferred the case to the Special Victim’s Unit. A 24-hour line was established to collect information about the case. The case was put into the FBI’s database six months after Sydney vanished. But there still are no clues as to her whereabouts. A $25,000 reward for information about Sydney's location and return has been issued. Anyone with information about this case is asked to contact Scott Dudek at (925) 705-8328 or Dudek.associates@gmail.com. More information about Sydney and her disappearance can be found at findsydneywest.com. “Find your way home. Find your way home to us,” her father, Jay West, said. “The thing that I want most is I want you back in my arms and just to squeeze, baby squeeze the half-life out of you. I just want you to know wherever you are that we love you.” Lured Into a Psycho's Sex Games: A Shocking True Crime Story A few days before Christmas 2019, Jennifer Gail Paxton walked into the Oak Ridge, Tennessee, home of 52-year-old Sean Finnegan and his 22-year-old girlfriend, Rebecca Dishman. Jennifer never left. Oak Ridge police investigators found her corpse under the couple’s bed on August 6. Was Jennifer a holiday visitor who outwore her welcome? Nope. The Oak Ridge PD says Sean and Rebecca mercilessly tortured 36-year-old Jennifer. Detectives believe the couple chained Jennifer to a bed, beat, and raped her repeatedly, denying her food and water. They played one-sided sex games with Jennifer, strangling her while Sean raped her. It didn’t take long, not more than a few days, probably for Jennifer to die. Then, Sean and Rebecca put Jennifer’s corpse into their stand-up freezer between Christmas and New Year’s Eve. Not an easy thing to do. Rookies always underestimate the challenge of disposing and/or storing a body. Sean and Rebecca had to break some of Jennifer’s bones before pulling out a sharp saw to cut off parts of Jennifer’s legs and arms to get her into the freezer. And there she stayed until the couple found out Oak Ridge police officers were about to knock on their front door, looking for Jennifer. Thinking quickly, Sean and Rebecca took Jennifer’s body out of the freezer and slid the frozen corpse under their bed. The cops would never look there. Well, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know a human carcass will thaw out, no matter how frozen. Didn’t take police long to find Jennifer’s body, even though Rebecca had done her best with bleach and a Swifter to clean up nasty stains from blood and bodily fluids. And it didn’t take long for prosecutors to charge Rebecca and Sean with five felonies, including first-degree murder, along with charges of aggravated sexual battery, kidnapping, and rape. So how did Rebecca and Sean lure Jennifer to their home? Arrest warrants show they simply promised the woman a place to stay. But once inside, their evil plan quickly played itself out. Jennifer was smashed over the head with a baseball bat. The couple then swiftly chained Jennifer to a bed and shackled her with a dog collar. Her arms were bound with zip ties. After the cops read their Miranda rights, Sean and Rebecca admitted their actions. Accused Rapist Sprung From Jail Kills Accuser: A Shocking True Crime Story Karla Dominguez told Alexandria, Virginia police detectives the sex she had with Ibrahim E. Bouaichi was any but consensual. Karla said he abducted her before he raped and strangled her. Ibrahim was deemed dangerous by a judge and jailed without bond. But then the COVID-19 pandemic hit the Washington D.C. area. Ibrahim’s lawyers went to work. The attorneys argued that the coronavirus threatened themselves and Ibrahim, so their client should be released. Over the strenuous objections of an Alexandria County prosecutor, Ibrahim was released on a $25,000 bond. A few months later, the Alexandria PD says, Ibrahim drove from his home in Maryland to Karla’s apartment on the west end of Alexandria and waited for her to walk outside. As soon as she did, Ibrahim pointed a gun, squeezed the trigger, and shot Karla dead. Police immediately started looking for Ibrahim. All points bulletin. Armed and dangerous. Officers spotted his car in Prince George’s County, Maryland. The chase was on. Ibrahim crashed. Cops surrounded his wrecked car with their guns drawn. They found him slumped over the steering wheel. Ibrahim had shot himself. Ibrahim’s attorneys said they were “certainly saddened by the tragedy both families have suffered here.” The Washington Post concluded Ibrahim’s release from jail and the murder of Karla Dominguez represent “a tragic side effect of the pandemic.” "The Deadly Duo: A Tale of Crime and Chaos," takes you on a wild ride through the dark and twisted minds of two unlikely partners in crime. Barney and Heidi, two individuals from very different walks of life, join forces to embark on a violent and unpredictable spree of robbery, murder, and mayhem. The story begins with Barney, a bored thirty-something, meeting Heidi, a stunning woman — known as ‘Heid’ by her friends — when she comes running out of a liquor store with a bag of cash in one hand and the store’s owner in hot pursuit. Barney and Heid quickly discover a mutual love for danger and excitement, leading them to team up for a series of heists and murders that leave a trail of destruction in their wake. As their crimes become more daring and violent, Barney and Heid's relationship deepens, blurring the lines between their criminal partnership and their intense romantic connection. But as their notoriety grows, so does the danger, as law enforcement closes in on them. "The Deadly Duo" is a heart-pumping thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat. The novel explores the complexities of human nature and the allure of power and danger, making it a must-read for fans of crime fiction and psychological thrillers. With its gripping plot, intense action scenes, and well-developed characters, "The Deadly Duo" is sure to be a hit with readers who crave a suspenseful and thrilling ride. Whether you're a fan of crime fiction or just looking for a page-turner that will keep you guessing until the very end, "The Deadly Duo" is the perfect read for you. Read more...

Vigilante Mom! A Shocking True Crime Story Marianne Bachmeier didn’t hesitate. When she saw the man accused of molesting and strangling her seven-year-old daughter to death, Marianne walked up to him, pulled a small handgun — a Beretta pistol — from her purse, and pumped six shots at point-blank range into Klaus Grabowski. What makes this even more unusual is that this happened on March 6, 1981, in a courtroom in Luebeck, Germany. The accused pedophile and murderer, Klaus Grabowski, was dead before he hit the floor. Among the witnesses was a group of schoolchildren who were members of a civics class visiting the courtroom. Some field trip, huh? What a lesson they learned. Perhaps Marianne came by her sense of justice genetically. Her father was a member of Hitler’s Waffen-SS during World War II. Or maybe she was just acting as many mothers would in that situation. And, there's this. Marianne would say later that she'd been raped as a teenager. Klaus Grabowski was hardly a first-time offender. He had a long rap sheet of sex crimes involving young girls, like Marianne’s daughter. Less than ten years before he was killed, Grabowski received a year’s probation after trying to strangle a six-year-old girl. Two years later, Grabowski was sentenced to a year in a psychiatric hospital for molesting two nine-year-old children, a boy, and a girl. He submitted to chemical castration but later convinced a doctor to begin hormone treatments to reverse the castration. Then he encountered Marianne’s little girl after a night of drinking, kidnapping the girl, and killing the child. The little girl’s body was found in a ditch. Grabowski’s girlfriend’s stockings were wrapped around her neck. Grabowski admitted he killed her, saying he did it only because the girl wanted the equivalent of $2.50 and threatened to tell her mother what he’d done. His history became well known in Germany after he was gunned down, and Marianne became a hero to many. The Associated Press reported that within a week of Marianne killing Grabowski, friends raised $50,000 to help in her defense. One of the leaders of that drive, Dr. Guenter Brock, said his “Community of Those Interested in Justice and Equality” received donations from throughout what was, at that time, known as West Germany. When West Germany’s most popular newspaper, Bild am Sonntag, asked if Marianne was a murderer, readers like “Jo. T. Of Hamburg wrote, ‘This mother is no murderer. She exercised a right which this state no longer guarantees for its citizens.” Another publication, the magazine Quick, asks if the death of Klaus Grabowski was “only the understandable revenge of a mother?” Marianne was immediately arrested after firing the fatal shots. She was held without bail on a charge of suspicion of murder. She was eventually charged with manslaughter, convicted, and sentenced to six years in prison. Still, she was released after serving only three years behind bars. Marianne never publicly admitted any regret for killing Klaus Grabowski. She died in 1996, at the age of 46, from pancreatic cancer. "The Deadly Duo: A Tale of Crime and Chaos," takes you on a wild ride through the dark and twisted minds of two unlikely partners in crime. Barney and Heidi, two individuals from very different walks of life, join forces to embark on a violent and unpredictable spree of robbery, murder, and mayhem. The story begins with Barney, a bored thirty-something, meeting Heidi, a stunning woman — known as ‘Heid’ by her friends — when she comes running out of a liquor store with a bag of cash in one hand and the store’s owner in hot pursuit. Barney and Heid quickly discover a mutual love for danger and excitement, leading them to team up for a series of heists and murders that leave a trail of destruction in their wake. As their crimes become more daring and violent, Barney and Heid's relationship deepens, blurring the lines between their criminal partnership and their intense romantic connection. But as their notoriety grows, so does the danger, as law enforcement closes in on them. "The Deadly Duo" is a heart-pumping thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat. The novel explores the complexities of human nature and the allure of power and danger, making it a must-read for fans of crime fiction and psychological thrillers. With its gripping plot, intense action scenes, and well-developed characters, "The Deadly Duo" is sure to be a hit with readers who crave a suspenseful and thrilling ride. Whether you're a fan of crime fiction or just looking for a page-turner that will keep you guessing until the very end, "The Deadly Duo" is the perfect read for you. Read more...

Dorothy Harriet Camille Arnold was heir to nearly as much money as she had names. A happy woman, it seemed to all who knew her. A member of one of New York City’s leading millionaire families, the 25-year-old socialite was a graduate of Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania and was fluent in several languages. Her dream was to become a published author. On December 12, 1910, she left the Manhattan mansion on East 79th Street that Dorothy and her family called “home” to shop for a new evening gown for her younger sister’s debutante party. Her mother, Mary Arnold, offered to help her shop for the gown last night, but Dorothy declined. So, at about 11 a.m., wearing a tailor-made blue serge suit, a long blue coat, lapis lazuli earrings, and a small black velvet hat lined in pale Alice blue and decorated with two silk roses and a lapis lazuli pin, Dorothy left to begin her day. With dark brown hair and blue/grey eyes, Dorothy stood between 5’1” and 5’4” tall and weighed nearly 160 pounds. She had $25 to $30 cash in her purse, which doesn’t sound like much. But her money would be worth a little more than $800 today. So, she had plenty of money. After leaving home, Dorothy walked to 5th Avenue and turned south. She stopped for some chocolates at the Park and Tilford’s candy store. Dorothy was in a good mood, happily chatting with the clerk behind the counter for a moment before moving on. Next, Dorothy walked into Brentano’s, a bookstore on 27th and 5th, where she ran into a friend. They talked for a few minutes, and then, after purchasing a book, Dorothy said she was going for a walk in Central Park. Her family didn’t hear from Dorothy all day. When she didn’t come home that evening, Dorothy’s parents assumed she’d spend the night with a friend. But she failed to come home the next night, and alarm bells sounded. This could be trouble. So her parents reached out to the NYPD? No. Afraid of negative publicity, her mother and father chose to contact a longtime family friend, John S. Keith, an attorney. He spent a couple of months searching for Dorothy, following one lead after another, but failed to find a trace of the young woman. Finally, Dorothy’s father, Francis Arnold, a fine goods importer, called the New York police. Since she’d told her friend that she planned to walk in Central Park, her father was sure Dorothy had been murdered and thrown into a reservoir in the park in December. The police searched the park and that reservoir but found no trace of Dorothy. However, her disappearance was no longer a secret. Her frantic family ensured Dorothy’s photograph and the story were published in newspapers worldwide. But still, there was no sign of Dorothy. She’d vanished into thin air after leaving Brentano’s. Dorothy’s Secrets Neither the NYPD, Keith, nor numerous New York journalistic sleuths could find Dorothy. But they did uncover a couple of shocking secrets. First, they found she’d been paying for a post office box that neither her friends nor family knew of. Why? Most of her friends and family thought it most likely that she rented the P.O. Box to hide publishers’ rejections of her manuscripts. That was troubling to her family. Yet, it wasn’t the most shocking discovery. There was a secret that Dorothy and her father shared. She’d been desperate to leave the family’s home and forge a career as a writer, but her daddy had refused to let her go. He said a "writer could write anywhere," including her family's home. Wait, there’s more. One more secret. Friends and family were stunned to learn that Dorothy had a boyfriend. Not just a boyfriend — an older man was her lover. Guess who became the leading suspect in the investigation into the disappearance of Dorothy Harriet Camille Arnold. You’ve got it. Dorothy’s lover — George C. Griscom Jr.- was an engineer in Pittsburgh, thirty years old, and came from a wealthy Pennsylvania family. So he probably wasn’t a gold digger, just trying to tap into the Arnold family fortune. Or was he? He and Dorothy had been getting together on the sly for months. She even spent a week with George several months before disappearing. Of course, Dorothy lied to her family about her plans for that week, telling them she would visit some old college friends in Pennsylvania. Then on her way home, it was discovered that Dorothy pawned $500 worth of jewelry for $60 in Boston. But no one could figure out why. Her parents discovered she was seeing George. Dorothy’s father found him unsuitable and unworthy of his daughter’s attention, so he forbade the relationship. But Dorothy again refused to follow her father’s wishes. Her relationship with George continued. Even more than 110 years ago, when a woman disappeared or was murdered, the husband or boyfriend came under suspicion before anyone else. Since George was now the leading suspect in her disappearance, the NYPD wanted to find out where he was on December 12, 1910. George had an iron-clad alibi. He was out of the country, in Florence, Italy, all that month. George came clean about his relationship with Dorothy. He promised her parents to marry the young woman when they found her. But George also said he was afraid he might know why Dorothy had disappeared and feared the worst. He gave her parents a letter Dorothy had written him before she vanished in 1910. In the note, she wrote that one of her short stories had been turned down again by a literary magazine's editorial staff. George said she was crushed. Maybe she just wanted to get away from her family. That possibility was investigated, but it was rejected since none of her friends had heard from her. What about suicide? George seemed to think it a possibility, but no one took the idea seriously. There was always the chance that she’d gotten pregnant — thanks to George, the engineer — and died because of a backstreet abortion in a place called by the newspapers, ‘The House of Death.’ Or what about this? Maybe, some theorized, Dorothy had an accident, banged her head, and couldn’t remember her name? Well, the NYPD and that private eye checked with all the hospitals in the area. No one matching Dorothy’s description had checked into any medical facilities since December 12, 1910. There was a rumor in February 1911 that Dorothy had eloped and then run off. That same month, she was spotted in Chicago. But the Pinkerton detectives on the job now failed to find a trace of Dorothy. A couple of weeks after that, Dorothy was supposedly spotted in Idaho, then a year later, in Philadelphia. A prison inmate, in 1916, said he’d help to bury a young woman matching Dorothy’s description under a house in Providence, Rhode Island. A search was mounted, but again, nothing. Dorothy Harriet Camille Arnold was never to be seen again. Her father, who always thought she’d been murdered in Central Park, rewrote his will to exclude her. He was convinced his Dorothy, who dreamed of becoming a famous writer, was dead. As mothers are apt to do, her mother refused to give up hope that someday her daughter would return home. She never did. Dorothy Harriet Camille Arnold would be 138 years old on her next birthday, June 1, 2023. "The Deadly Duo: A Tale of Crime and Chaos," takes you on a wild ride through the dark and twisted minds of two unlikely partners in crime. Barney and Heidi, two individuals from very different walks of life, join forces to embark on a violent and unpredictable spree of robbery, murder, and mayhem. The story begins with Barney, a bored thirty-something, meeting Heidi, a stunning woman — known as ‘Heid’ by her friends — when she comes running out of a liquor store with a bag of cash in one hand and the store’s owner in hot pursuit. Barney and Heid quickly discover a mutual love for danger and excitement, leading them to team up for a series of heists and murders that leave a trail of destruction in their wake. As their crimes become more daring and violent, Barney and Heid's relationship deepens, blurring the lines between their criminal partnership and their intense romantic connection. But as their notoriety grows, so does the danger, as law enforcement closes in on them. "The Deadly Duo" is a heart-pumping thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat. The novel explores the complexities of human nature and the allure of power and danger, making it a must-read for fans of crime fiction and psychological thrillers. With its gripping plot, intense action scenes, and well-developed characters, "The Deadly Duo" is sure to be a hit with readers who crave a suspenseful and thrilling ride. Whether you're a fan of crime fiction or just looking for a page-turner that will keep you guessing until the very end, "The Deadly Duo" is the perfect read for you. Read more now...

Okay. Your daughter’s out-of-town. Out-of-state. Ski trip. Spring break. She’s only 15, so you pick up when your phone rings, even though it’s not a number you’re familiar with. You hear your daughter’s voice. “Mom!” She’s sobbing. “Mom, I messed up.” Now your daughter’s crying uncontrollably. You can’t breathe. What’s wrong? What did your little girl get herself into? Then, a man’s voice comes on the line. “Put your head back, lie down,” he says. Terror! While you’re trying to clear your stomach from your throat, he says, “Listen. I’ve got your daughter." “This is how it’s going to go down. You call the police, you call anybody, I’m going to pop her so full of drugs. I’m going to have my way with her, and I’m going to drop her off in Mexico.’” You’re trembling so hard you can barely stand and are close to dropping the phone. But you can’t. The last thing you want to do is break this connection. So you wait. Then, you hear your daughter again. “Help me, Mom. Please help me. Help me!” The man demands a $1 million ransom. OMG! You don’t have that kind of cash. You’re honest with him. So he says, “Okay. $500,000.” WTF are you going to do? Luckily, you happened to be surrounded by friends at your other daughter’s dance class. You signal to them. Put your hand over the phone. Whisper to your closest friend. Tell her what’s happening. She signals to another friend. Spreads the message. This is like high school girls telling each other a secret, but it's no giggling game this time. Your daughter’s life is on the line. The second friend calls 911. Your best friend calls your husband. Tells him what’s going on. WTF is he going to do? He calls your daughter, the one who’s been kidnapped. She answers her phone. WTF not? He's a dad. That's what dads do. She says, “WTF, Dad? What’s going on? Yes, I am okay. With friends.” OMG! It was all an incredibly hideous scam run by some rat bastard who couldn’t care less that you and your husband nearly had strokes and heart attacks. But it sounded so much like your daughter. How could he have done this? It was an AI kidnapping scam, and it happened to Jennifer DeStefano and her husband in Scottsdale, Arizona, earlier this month, April 2023. “It was completely her voice. It was her inflection. It was the way she would have cried,” Jennifer told KPHO TV. “I never doubted for one second it was her. That’s the freaky part that really got me to my core.” Her daughter probably never said anything that Jennifer heard in that terrifying ransom call. She didn’t have to. According to Subbarao Kambhampati, a computer science professor at Arizona State University, AI programs have become so good that they only need three seconds of your voice to clone and create a conversation. “You can no longer trust your ears,” Kambhampati said. WTF do you do if you get a call like the one that scared the living crap out of Jennifer? “Just think of the movies. Slow it down. Slow the person down. Ask a bunch of questions,” FBI Special Agent Dan Mayo said. “If they have someone of interest to you, you’re going to know a lot of details about them that this scam artist isn’t going to know." “You start asking questions about who it is and different details of their background that are not publicly available, you’re going to find out real quick that it’s a scam artist.” Mayo also said it's more important than ever to keep your personal information as private as possible to ensure you're not the next victim. "The Deadly Duo: A Tale of Crime and Chaos," takes you on a wild ride through the dark and twisted minds of two unlikely partners in crime. Barney and Heidi, two individuals from very different walks of life, join forces to embark on a violent and unpredictable spree of robbery, murder, and mayhem. The story begins with Barney, a bored thirty-something, meeting Heidi, a stunning woman — known as ‘Heid’ by her friends — when she comes running out of a liquor store with a bag of cash in one hand and the store’s owner in hot pursuit. Barney and Heid quickly discover a mutual love for danger and excitement, leading them to team up for a series of heists and murders that leave a trail of destruction in their wake. As their crimes become more daring and violent, Barney and Heid's relationship deepens, blurring the lines between their criminal partnership and their intense romantic connection. But as their notoriety grows, so does the danger, as law enforcement closes in on them. "The Deadly Duo" is a heart-pumping thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat. The novel explores the complexities of human nature and the allure of power and danger, making it a must-read for fans of crime fiction and psychological thrillers. With its gripping plot, intense action scenes, and well-developed characters, "The Deadly Duo" is sure to be a hit with readers who crave a suspenseful and thrilling ride. Whether you're a fan of crime fiction or just looking for a page-turner that will keep you guessing until the very end, "The Deadly Duo" is the perfect read for you. Read More...

Dennis Rader, the serial murderer who became known by his self-chosen acronym, BTK (bind, torture, kill), says he never touched Cindy Kinney. Now, BTK admits to killing ten people. But Rader swears he had nothing to do with the disappearance and possible death of the teenager in Oklahoma nearly five decades ago. The girl in question is Cynthia Dawn Kinney, an attractive 16-year-old high school cheerleader who finished her work for the day at the Osage Laundromat on June 23, 1976. She walked away, leaving behind a half-finished donut and a soft drink. Cindy was a good girl, a popular high-school junior, earned good grades, and had just made the varsity cheerleading team. After leaving the laundromat her aunt and uncle owned, the 5 foot 1 inch, 97-pound teen squeezed into a faded beige Plymouth Belvedere with two other people. One witness who watched Cindy get into that car says the two others in the vehicle were a man and a woman. Another eyewitness says they saw two women in the Belvedere. Whoever was in the Plymouth must have been the last to see her alive. Cindy vanished. Maybe she just wanted to get the hell out of Osage, Oklahoma. Police have never believed she ran away. Even back in 1976, they were convinced she’d been taken against her will. District Attorney Bill Hall said the brown-haired teenager couldn’t be a runaway. “She was a friend of my daughter,” Hall told a reporter from Tulsa World. “Knowing Cindy, it is impossible to conceive that she went with these people voluntarily. Cindy was happy — not the runaway type at all.” Cindy’s mother said her daughter had plans for the day. “She had a (cheerleading team) practice scheduled for 11 a.m., and it would have taken wild horses to have kept her from that.” Over the years, others have claimed to have seen Cindy in southern Kansas. Reportedly she was traveling with a religious group. But police investigators have never been able to confirm those reports. A witness said she saw a man named Hobart Green with Cindy just minutes before she disappeared. Hobart Green had a shady past. In 1986, he pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the death of his baby son. The child, James Allen Detain, had not been seen since the summer of 1984. His body was found buried on a Jasper County, Missouri, a farm owned by Hobart in November 1985. The baby had been beaten to death. And that’s not all. In 1961, Hobart's ex-wife Maxine Beatrice Green disappeared, and police looked at Hobart as a leading suspect. The couple’s 12-year-old daughter, Norma, told police detectives she saw Hobart kill her mother and then watched as he buried Maxine’s body. But she didn’t tell her story until what Norma described as a suppressed memory surfaced after she learned of her father’s conviction. Maxine was last seen in Pawhuska, Oklahoma, on October 30, 1961. She cashed a $60 welfare check and was never seen again. Hobart, divorced from Maxine in 1959, was scheduled to appear in court the following week. However, he failed to appear to face a charge of failing to pay child support, and a bench warrant was issued for his arrest. Norma said when Hobart returned to town for that court appearance, her mother, Maxine, was so nervous about what he might do that she locked all the doors and windows of their home. But when Hobart showed up, he convinced Norma to open the door. When the door opened, Hobart burst inside, forcing Norma, her younger sister, and Maxine into a car. Norma said Hobart’s girlfriend was also inside the vehicle. Norma said they drove to the swinging bridge across Bird Creek, south of Pawhuska. There, Hobart forced Maxine out of the vehicle. Norma remembers hearing Hobart and her mother arguing and fighting and then saw Maxine lying on the ground with blood coming out of her mouth. Hobart then began, Norma said, sexually assaulting Maxine and beating her and choking her. When Maxine stopped moving, Norma said, Hobart and his girlfriend took her body to the creek bank and dumped the corpse in a hole left after the removal of a bridge piling. Norma said that she and her sister were hysterical. But Hobart’s girlfriend fed them tranquilizers and took them home. She told the story to the police in 1986. They didn’t believe her. So, five years later, she hired a private investigator who found several bones and some dress buttons where Norma remembered her mother being killed. But the bones turned out not to be human. Hobart was never charged in the case, and Maxine — dead or alive — has never been found. Nor was he charged in Cindy’s disappearance. Police never verified that he was seen with the girl. And they’ve never named Hobart as a suspect. Police are not naming Dennis BTK Rader as a suspect in this case, although they have questioned him twice about the crime. “The sheriff has what I call a complete lack of solid evidence,” Rader told Fox News Digital. Rader is so confident in his innocence, claiming he was nowhere near Oklahoma when Cindy disappeared, that he waived his Miranda rights for both questioning sessions. Osage County Sheriff Eddie Virden isn’t discussing what evidence or theory might have led them to Rader’s cell door. He’s only calling it “an open investigation.” “We won’t leave anything uninvestigated,” Virden promised. “We hope we come up with something for closure and justice for victims. But an investigation is an investigation; sometimes, they go places. There may be some things that we felt we needed to look into, and we are following up on those.” Survival. Justice. Hope. A thirteen-year-old girl is kidnapped, ripped from the arms of her murdered mother by a man who fantasized about someday abducting a girl, any girl, and making her his own. Living under a bed for most of her eighty-eight days of captivity, the girl never gives up hope. Then one day, left alone, she seizes her opportunity and runs to freedom. Will she make it? If she does run to freedom, can her life ever be the same again? 88 Days: The Abduction of Jayme Closs is the most compelling, shocking true crime story you’ve ever read.Previously published as part of a short story collection titled Kalamazoo’s Suitcase Killer, author Rod Kackley has republished this amazing true crime thriller as a stand-alone true crime novel, and packed it with new information. 88 Days: The Abduction of Jayme Closs is more than a shocking true crime story; it’s a thrilling story of survival, justice, and above all, hope. Read more...

Deadly Duo: A Tale of Crime and Chaos "The Deadly Duo: A Tale of Crime and Chaos," takes you on a wild ride through the dark and twisted minds of two unlikely partners in crime. Barney and Heidi, two individuals from very different walks of life, join forces to embark on a violent and unpredictable spree of robbery, murder, and mayhem. The story begins with Barney, a bored thirty-something, meeting Heidi, a stunning woman — known as ‘Heid’ by her friends — when she comes running out of a liquor store with a bag of cash in one hand and the store’s owner in hot pursuit. Barney and Heid quickly discover a mutual love for danger and excitement, leading them to team up for a series of heists and murders that leave a trail of destruction in their wake. As their crimes become more daring and violent, Barney and Heid's relationship deepens, blurring the lines between their criminal partnership and their intense romantic connection. But as their notoriety grows, so does the danger, as law enforcement closes in on them. "The Deadly Duo" is a heart-pumping thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat. The novel explores the complexities of human nature and the allure of power and danger, making it a must-read for fans of crime fiction and psychological thrillers. With its gripping plot, intense action scenes, and well-developed characters, "The Deadly Duo" is sure to be a hit with readers who crave a suspenseful and thrilling ride. Whether you're a fan of crime fiction or just looking for a page-turner that will keep you guessing until the very end, "The Deadly Duo" is the perfect read for you. Click here. Read now...

(James Belcastro) Godfather fans — and who isn’t — I know you remember this scene. https://getyarn.io/yarn-clip/614d7ab8-9598-4305-b297-4e738c23b709 Keep that in mind while reading this story about one of Chicago’s most notorious gangsters — an outlaw, an enforcer, the “King of The Bombers,” James Belcastro. And now, our story... One hundred years ago, the newly formed Chicago Crime Commission released its list of the city’s residents “who are constantly in conflict with the law.” Remember, this is 1923, the same year Al Capone moved his operation into the Chicago suburb of Cicero, Illinois. Gangsters operated with impunity in the Windy City. So there was no lack of criminals who could be added to the roster of the most notorious. The names of more than 28 members of the underworld made the list of public enemies, including the man who would come to be known as the “King of Bombers,” James Belcastro. And, in 1923, this madman was just getting started. Born in 1895 in Calabria, Italy, Belcastro became renowned for his ability to construct bombs. He was a member of the feared “Black Hand” organization and used the explosives to blackmail business owners in Chicago’s Little Italy neighborhood in the 1910s. (Al Capone) In the 1920s, Al Capone and Johnny Torrio formed the Chicago Outfit and put the Black Hand gang out of business. In other words, they killed them all. But not James Belcastro. (Johnny Torrio) He was so good at what he did that Capone and Torrio asked Belcastro to join their organization. Probably made him an offer he couldn’t refuse. Belcastro paid them back big time during the 1927 Chicago primary elections. The Outfit used Belcastro and his bombs to go after those opposed to Capone’s ally, Mayor William “Big Bill” Thompson. Belcastro set off so many of his improvised explosive devices that the media branded the elections “The Pineapple Primary.” They used to call hand grenades “pineapples” in the newspapers. And Belcastro had a problem with that, which we’ll explain later. But now, back to our story… Belcastro targeted neighborhoods and voting stations thought to oppose Big Bill’s re-election. At least 15 people were killed by the campaign of terror, including an African American lawyer, Octavius Granada. A bomb didn’t end his life, though. Granada was chased down on election day by gangsters in cars firing their Tommy guns at the attorney. Belcastro, a few other gangsters, and four Chicago police officers were charged with the murder. But guess what? The charges were dropped after people who witnessed the brazen, broad daylight attack suddenly changed their minds about what they’d seen. Belcastro was often named a leading suspect in labor and liquor racket bombings in the 1920s and 30s. Through the 1930s and 1940s, Belcastro became one of The Outfit’s top enforcers. He was arrested more than 150 times. Did he do any prison time? In 1917, Belcastro got a year in prison for assault. That was it. Then, there was the time he was arrested for vagrancy. Vagrancy? Are you kidding? Nope. Belcastro and several other gangsters were arrested the same night under a new state vagrancy law to put those deemed “public enemies” behind bars. The trial was a joke. Belcastro took the stand in his own defense on Friday, June 3, 1932. The Chicago Tribune reported, “Public Enemy No. 4 tilted back nonchalantly on the witness stand in South State street court and wiggled a natty pair of black and white sport oxfords as he parried queries of Prosecutor Russell W. Root.” The Tribune also reported that “Judge Thomas A. Green fumed helplessly as the state’s tottering structure of evidence buckled under defense rebuttal, and it became apparent that the only legal recourse open to him was to discharge the defendant…known as the “king of the bombers.” Then there was the day in July 1937 when Chicago Police Sgt. Michael McFadden caught Belcastro eating a sandwich in a tavern owned by the bomber’s brother-in-law and public enemy, Rocco Fanelli. McFadden arrested Belcastro on the spot, at 324 South Halstead Street, on “general principles.” Belcastro was thrown into a police lineup that included pickpockets, bandits, and “fellows suspected of nothing worse than disorderly conduct,” according to the Chicago Tribune. Was Belcastro more outraged to be (A) arrested on a trumped-up charge or “B” associated with men who occupied the lowest rungs on the criminal ladder? Pick door “B.” That’s the winner. Belcastro was soon released but took time to scold reporters for calling bombs “pineapples.” No self-respecting bomber would use that word, he snarled. “They’re called ‘sticks,’” Belcastro said. Then he smiled and posed for a few photos before he went home to his wife and children. Okay. The law couldn’t stop him. But how many of Belcastro’s compatriots survived the life they lived to die peacefully in their sleep. They’d likely be cut to shreds by machine gun fire or blown up by a homemade explosive device. Honest cops and Belcastro’s dishonest colleagues always thought (and some hoped) that since he lived by the bomb, that’s how he’d die. Some fellow gangsters nearly punched Belcastro’s ticket for him on January 11, 1931. Belcastro, that night, stepped out of the front door of his in-laws’ home at 1011 West Polk Street. He got into the front seat of his car, ready to pull it into the Fanelli’s garage when two gunmen burst out of another vehicle and opened fire. On that bone-chilling, cold January night, five shots rang out. Belcastro was shot twice in his left arm, once in his left hand, another bullet hit him in the back, and the fifth shot grazed his forehead. Yup. The would-be assassins shot Belcastro five times, and he’s still alive! That must have been bad news for somebody on the other side of the Chicago gangster spectrum. Belcastro was rushed to the Bridewell hospital. At his bedside, the 28-year-old grocery store owner told police he couldn’t understand why anyone would want to shoot him dead. The feds also tried everything to rid Chicago of Belcastro. A few weeks after getting shot, a federal judge nullified Belcastro’s naturalization certificate. So Belcastro was no longer an American citizen. Then, in November 1931, the same day Al’s brother, Ralph Capone, was transported to Leavenworth to begin serving a three-year prison term for tax evasion, Belcastro was grilled by federal officials who desperately wanted to deport him back to Italy. The feds claimed he’d lied about his arrest record, what he did for a living, and even his marital status when Belcastro filed his citizenship papers. But anyone who could have been a witness, for some reason, had a change of heart. Nothing worked. Neither police nor bureaucrats nor gangsters ever stopped Belcastro. It was on August 23, 1945, that Belcastro met his end. He went out quietly, dying of a heart attack, in the Chicago house at 1011 Polk Street that he shared with his father-in-law. Belcastro is buried in Mount Carmel Catholic Cemetery in Hillside, Illinois. A fourteen-year-old girl vanishes after getting into a car with a man who says he needs a babysitter for his sister's kids. The FBI unleashes its top kidnapping expert, an agent who helped bring John Dillinger down. Will that be enough to find the girl and her abductor? Agents chase the suspected kidnapper from California to Illinois and back again. Then, when all hope is lost, authorities discover the skeleton of another young woman who's fallen victim to this madman. (Thora Chamberlain) And the wife of the man who discovers that skeleton, winds up dead. Then, after a suspect is convicted and sentenced to death, a scientist asks permission to bring him back from the dead! This is the wildest, most shocking, true crime story you've ever read. The Murder of Thora Chamberlain: A Shocking True Crime Story. Read more...