Horrorwood: True Crime in Tinseltown
Kate and Kevin met way back when they worked together at a (likely haunted) theatre and the two became fast friends. Skip ahead a few years to present day, when all they do is sit around and talk about skincare products and true crime. From horrific homicides to unsolved mysteries, spooky haunts to behind-the-scenes secrets, these two are here to bring you all the drama - and trauma - of Tinseltown. Settle in, Misfits.
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Episodes
Monday Sep 04, 2023
Monday Sep 04, 2023
We're back with Part 2 and these Brandos be Brandoing. We ended Part 1 with the shooting death of Dag Drollet at the hands of Christian Brando. Now we get into the he-said-she-said of it all. We're talking about Christian's arrest, his sentencing and the lives of those affected by that fateful night. Things get horrible and then they get horrible-er, and THEN...things get worse.
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SAMHSA: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
SAMHSA’s National Helpline is a free, confidential, 24/7, 365-day-a-year treatment referral and information service (in English and Spanish) for individuals and families facing mental and/or substance use disorders.
Call 1-800-662-HELP (4357)
Episode Sources:
“Christian Brando - A Hollywood Family Tragedy” by Mark Gribben
“Drollet Was Trying to Break From Brando Clan, Relatives Say” by Patt Morrison
“Inside the Most Publicly Tragic Chapter of Marlon Brando's Scandalous Family History” by Natalie Finn
“The turbulent life of Marlon Brando's children” by Peter Manso
“The boy Brando lost” by Christopher Goodwin
“My Surprising Bond With the Troubled, Tragic Christian Brando (Guest Column)” by Champ Clark
“CHRISTIAN BRANDO GETS 10-YEAR SENTENCE”
“L.A. coroner probes Christian Brando's death” by Steve Gorman
“Bravo for Champ Clark's Play, Wild Son: The Testimony of Christian Brando” by Chaz Ebert
“Christian Brando Tells of Remorse and Hopes” by Lois Timnick
“Daughter of Brando Kills Herself in Tahiti” by Eric Malnic
“Marlon Brando's Personal Apocalypse” by Peter Manso
“Christian Brando Refuses to Testify” by Andrew Blankstein
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Monday Aug 28, 2023
Monday Aug 28, 2023
"Your life together smells of tragedy, it smells of death.” Ummm, not exactly words you want your dad saying about you and your girlfriend. The Brandos were a troubled brood, there's no doubt about it. Drugs, violence, extramarital affairs...the list goes on. While many might think having a Hollywood legend for a father is all glitz and glamour, some people might say the Brando kids never stood a chance (us - we're some people). On a chilly evening in May of 1990, Marlon Brando's sprawling estate became the scene of a horrific tragedy that set off a chain of devastating events.
View photos from the episode
SAMHSA: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
SAMHSA’s National Helpline is a free, confidential, 24/7, 365-day-a-year treatment referral and information service (in English and Spanish) for individuals and families facing mental and/or substance use disorders.
Call 1-800-662-HELP (4357)
Episode Sources:
“Christian Brando - A Hollywood Family Tragedy” by Mark Gribben
“Drollet Was Trying to Break From Brando Clan, Relatives Say” by Patt Morrison
“Inside the Most Publicly Tragic Chapter of Marlon Brando's Scandalous Family History” by Natalie Finn
“The turbulent life of Marlon Brando's children” by Peter Manso
“The boy Brando lost” by Christopher Goodwin
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Nicholas Davio - nicholasdavio.com, @mr.nick.davio, @huron_coast
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Monday Aug 21, 2023
Monday Aug 21, 2023
The Cecil Hotel in downtown LA boasted 700 rooms and was originally meant for business travelers and tourists...but then came the Great Depression and things went awry. Over the years it's seen its share of murders, suicides and alleged paranormal events, not to mention it has been home to multiple (yes, MULTIPLE) serial killers. Eek.
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Episode Sources:
“History of Skid Row and the Trust,” Skid Row Housing Trust
“What Happened to Elisa Lam, Dorothy Jean Purcell, And Why You Should Never Play The Elevator Game” by Zachary Palmer, Signal Horizon
“The Twisted Story of Austrian Serial Killer Jack Unterweger” by Mark Oliver, Edited by John Kuroski, January 3, 2022, updated March 2, 2022, All That’s Interesting
“The Horrifying History of The Infamous Cecil Hotel” by Beth Braden, July 13, 2021, Travel Channel
“Elisa Lam Video” uploaded by Dennis Romero, YouTube
“The Elevator Game: Entrance to the Otherworld,” September 21, 2017, silence of the night, Sites at Penn State
“How Did Elisa Lam Die at the Cecil Hotel? All the Theories, Explained” by Korin Miller, published February 12, 2021, Women’s Health
“Notorious Serial Killers Who Stayed at the Cecil Hotel” by Hotel Chantelle Stuff, May 15, 2023, Hotel Chantelle
“How Downtown L.A.’s Cecil Hotel Went From Lively Destination to ‘Hell on Earth’” by Emma Dibdin, February 20, 2021, Town & Country Magazine
“Mysterious Deaths and Serial Killer Residents: What to Know About the Cecil Hotel’s Creepy History” by People Staff, February 16, 2021, People Magazine
“Inside the Cecil Hotel and its Eerie History of Death and Murder” by Katie Serena, edited by John Kuroski, Published May 23, 2023, updated June 7, 2023, All That’s Interesting
“Accident or Something More Sinister? Inside The Death of Elisa Lam at L.A.’s Cecil Hotel” by Aaron Rasmussen, March 31, 2023, Investigation Discovery
“LA Times Today: A year after opening 600 rooms to L.A.’s unhoused, the Cecil Hotel is still mostly empty,” January 11, 2023, 4:49 PM PT, Los Angeles Times
The Cecil Hotel Has Been Dubbed ‘A Hotbed For Death’ - Here are 16 Scary Facts About The Establishment” by Ehis Osifo, BuzzFeed Staff, July 7, 2021, BuzzFeed
“Vaughn Orrin Greenwood; A.K.A. ‘The Skid Row Slasher’” by Michael Newton, An Encyclopedia of Modern Serial Killers
For further reading: https://laghosttour.com/infamous-cecil-hotel/
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Monday Aug 14, 2023
Monday Aug 14, 2023
Garrett Warren was at the top of his game when he was gunned down in the doorway of his home - and in front of his mother, no less. But why would anyone want to murder a man described as a kind, generous friend and focused professional? This case has some wild twists and turns involving a pizza parlor, a picture taken at a party and...Home Alone's Joe Pesci???? And how did one misspelled word put the nail in the coffin, so to speak? Alright, Misfits, let's do this.
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Episode Sources:
Dateline: The Plot Thickens, S21 E1
“When It Mattered: Garrett Warren” hosted by Chitra Ragavan
“Private eye drops suit against Pesci” by the Associated Press
Interview with Garrett Warren by Brad Curran
“Husband Tells Story of Hitman Attack” - transcript, Nancy Grace
“Did Joe Pesci’s Ex Hire a Hitman?” By Christine Pelisek
"Primed for Pain" by Chitra Ragavan
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Monday Aug 07, 2023
Monday Aug 07, 2023
A Dutch Colonial house sits on the foundation at 112 Ocean Avenue in Amityville, Long Island, New York, about 30 miles outside of New York City. It’s a house with a gruesome past and a penchant for collecting the souls of its inhabitants. This personification of evil is known as The Amityville Horror House, and this is the story of Ronald DeFeo Jr., the mass murder of the DeFeo family, and the subsequent haunting that launched a movie franchise. Is the house ACTUALLY haunted, and are the ghosts (or demons!) still tormenting the residents there? Kate and Kevin speculate wildly on all things Amityville!
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Episode Sources:
“Six in Family Found Slain in Bedrooms in L.I. Home” by Pranay Gupte Special to the New York Times, November 14, 1974, The New York Times
“Surviving Son Held in Slayings of 6 in His Family at L.I. Home” by Pranay Gupte Special to the New York Times, November 15, 1974, The New York Times
“L.I. Slayings Suspect Had Used Drugs” by George Vecsey Special to The New York Times, November 16, 1974, The New York Times
“Slain Family Drugged, Police on L.I. Report” by Pranay Gupte to The New York Times, November 18, 1974, The New York Times
“Son, 24, is Guilty in Murder of Six,” November 22, 1975, The New York Times
“The Horrific True Story of Ronald DeFeo Jr. and The Amityville Murders” by Erin Kelly, Edited by John Kuroski, Published August 7, 2022, updated October 26, 2022, All That’s Interesting
“Neighbors Recall DeFeos as ‘Nice, Normal Family” by George Vecsey Special to The New York Times, November 15, 1974, The New York Times
“Amityville Horror: Inside the DeFeo Family’s Brutal Murders” by Aaron Rasmussen for Investigation Discovery
“‘Amityville’ Prisoner Says Movie Money Tainted Defense” by Diana Jean Schemo, June 25, 1992, The New York Times
“Ronald DeFeo, Whose Murder Spree Inspired ‘The Amityville Horror,’ Dies at 69” by Jacey Fortin, March 15, 2021, The New York Times
“Was ‘The Amityville Horror’ a Hoax? The True Crime Story Behind the Famous Haunted House” by Eric Shorey, October 2, 2018, Oxygen
“The True Story Behind ‘The Amityville Horror’” by Shawn Van Horn, December 16, 2022, Collider
“The Real ‘Amityville Horror’: Chilling Facts About the Crime and Haunted House,” by Biography.Com Editors, October 14, 2020, Biography.com
“9 Creepy Facts About The Amityville Horror Case” by Lucia Peters, Originally published June 28, 2017, updated on March 15, 2021, Bustle
“Crazy Facts About the Amityville Horror House” by LS Cohen, January 15, 2020, LongIsland.com
“The Crimes of Ronald DeFeo Jr, The ‘Possessed’ Man Who Killed His Family and Inspired ‘The Amityville Horror’” by Austin Harvey, Edited by Jaclyn Anglis, published May 11, 2023 and updated May 12, 2023, All That’s Interesting
“New Evidence Raises Questions in Decades-Old Amityville Horror Murders,” February 27, 2012, CBS New York
“Amityville: Inside the Case that Rattled a Seasoned Paranormal Investigator” by Beth Braden, Travel Channel
“Amityville Horror: Horror or Hoax?” by ABC News, October 31, 2002, ABC News
“William Weber: Attorney In it for Profit” by Makenzie Santana, April 17, 2019, StMU Research Scholars
“Revealing the Facts,” The Amityville Murders, AmityvilleMurders.com
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Monday Jul 31, 2023
Monday Jul 31, 2023
Last week we talked all about the film The Exorcist; the horrors, tribulations, and lore that made it one of the scariest movies ever made. But there was one main piece of trivia missing: a background actor in the movie turned out to be a real life murderer and potential serial killer. It was the early morning hours of September 14, 1977 in New York City, and 36-year-old reporter for Variety, Addison Verrill, was leaving Mine Shaft, an after-hours gay back room bar. This would be the last time that Verrill was seen alive. Journalist for the New York Times and gay activist, Arthur Bell, would later be at the center of the case, receiving a phone call confession from the murderer.
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Episode Sources:
“Paul F. Bateson” death record
“Paul Bateson: The Real-Life Killer Who Appeared in The Exorcist” by Orrin Grey, April 19, 2018, The Lineup
“Paul Bateson Was in One of the Most Horrifying Scenes of ‘The Exorcist’ Before Becoming a Murderer” by Hanna McKennett, Edited by John Kuroski, January 14, 2022, updated February 21, 2022, All That’s Interesting
“There’s Nothing Gay About Murder” by Arthur Bell, September 26, 1977, page 23, The Village Voice:
“A Talk on the Wild Side” by Arthur Bell, October 31, 1977, page 16, The Village Voice
“Phone Call from a Fugitive” by Arthur Bell, October 3, 1977, page 1 & 11, The Village Voice
“Searching for the Truth About the Actual Murderer in The Exorcist” by Matt Miller, October 25, 2018, Esquire
“Rites Held for Addison Verrill, Variety Reporter Killed in Robbery,” September 20, 1977, The New York Times
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Monday Jul 24, 2023
Monday Jul 24, 2023
"What an excellent day for an exorcism." William Friedkin's The Exorcist is one of the greatest horror movies in the history of cinema. The movie follows a mother trying to save her daughter from demonic possession and is based on William Peter Blatty’s immensely popular 1971 novel. The Exorcist was released in theaters on December 26, 1973 and stars Linda Blair, Ellen Burstyn, Jason Miller, and Max von Sydow. The production has a reputation as a cursed movie due to strange events that occurred while the movie was filming. Today we are taking a look behind the scenes and exploring the lore, superstition, and stories surrounding this classic.
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Episode Sources:
YouTube - The Exorcist | Audience Reactions “What it Was Really Like to See The Exorcist in 1973” by Benjamin Faldo, March 22, 2022, Looper“Review of The Exorcist” by Roger Ebert, December 26, 1973, rogerebert.com“Was ‘The Exorcist’ a Cursed Production?” By Rihanna Malays, October 11, 2022, Collider“Audiences had some intense reactions to The Exorcist in 1973” by Mike Vanderbilt, May 21, 2015, AV Club“Mercedes McCambridge, 87, Actress Known for Strong Roles” by The Associated Press, March 18, 2004, The New York Times“30 Wild Details Behind The Making of The Exorcist” by Christopher Fiduccia, October 21, 2018, Screen Rant“The Real and Terrifying Injury Caused on the Set of The Exorcist” by Maria Felix, June 28, 2021, LooperThe Exorcist” Blog Post by nitrategeek on October 24, 2011, Stories Behind the Screen“Boy whose case inspired The Exorcist is named by US magazine” by Maya Yang, December 20, 2021, The Guardian“Priest Frees Mt. Rainier Boy Reported Held in Devil’s Grip” by Bill Brinkley, August 20, 1949, Washington Post“Will the Real Devil Speak Up? Yes!” By Charles Higham, January 27, 1974, The New York Times“Why Was The Exorcist So Controversial?” By Aya Tsintziras, March 6, 2023, Game Rant“Pazuzu: Mesopotamian religion” by Rebecca M. Kulik, Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica, Britannica.com“Banned, cursed, evil and adored - what makes The Exorcist so terrifying?” By Matt Glasby, September 25, 2020, Flicks“True Horror Inside The Exorcist curse - from mysterious cast deaths to a frame fire and broken jaw as film is set for a reboot” by Josh Saunders, July 28, 2021, The U.S. Sun"The Exorcist: Believer’ is the Official Title of David Gordon Green’s Sequel” by John Squires, April 26, 2023, Bloody-Disgusting.com
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Monday Jul 10, 2023
Monday Jul 10, 2023
Jonshel Alexander wasn't even a teenager yet when she auditioned for the critically acclaimed film "Beasts of the Southern Wild." Though she was too old to play the lead, she impressed filmmakers so much that they cast her in a supporting role. Described as "ferociously creative," Jonshel exhibited undeniable talent and charisma. Tragically, when she was just 22 years old someone came along and cut her life short for literally no reason whatsoever. Although this episode is a bit on the shorter side in terms of length, we assure you we've included all the information we've been able to find on this case, which, as far as we can tell, is still ongoing.
Donate to the GoFundMe to help Jonshel's daughter, De'Vynne
Anyone with information can call homicide detective Brittany Kimbrough at (504) 658-5300 or call Crimestoppers of Greater New Orleans - you can do so anonymously at (504) 822-1111 or (877) 903-7867.
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Episode Sources:
“Former Child Actor From ‘Beasts of the Southern Wild’ Jonshel Alexander Fatally Shot in New Orleans at Age 22” by Joe Price
Jonshel’s Obituary
“‘Beasts of the Southern Wild’ Star Jonshel Alexander Fatally Shot In New Orleans, Murder Suspect Identified and Wanted” by Steph Sutorius
“Former child actor who was in 'Beasts of the Southern Wild,' killed in 7th Ward shooting” by Mike Perlstein
“Jonshel Alexander, child actor in 'Beasts of the Southern Wild,' killed in 7th Ward” by Missy Wilkinson
“Suspect sought after ‘Beasts of the Southern Wild’ actor, 22, killed in New Orleans shooting” by Jesse Brooks, Kaitlin Rust and Gray News staff
“'Beasts Of The Southern Wild' Child Star Jonshel Alexander Fatally Shot In New Orleans” by Dorian Geiger
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