Horrorwood: True Crime in Tinseltown
**2025 Ambie Award Nominee: Best Indie Podcast Hosts** 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, where they mostly sit around and talk about 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 Nov 13, 2023
Monday Nov 13, 2023
We're back for Part 2 and things just keep getting weirder. In our conclusion of the Tammy Lynn Leppert case we talk more about that friend that Tammy called to pick her up on the morning of July 6th, 1983. But he wasn't the only person raising a red flag regarding her disappearance. At the time there were two monsters lurking in the area, committing sexual assaults and a slew of murders. Yet the more we learn, the more questions there are. This one is a lot. BONUS: Kevin sings a song about vampires.
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Episode Sources:
Charley Project - Tammy Lynn Leppert
“Christopher Wilder Lured Beautiful Women With The Promise Of A Modeling Contract — Instead, He Brutalized Them” by Leah Silverman, Updated Nov. 7, 2023
“Unsolved Mysteries”, Season 5, Ep. 1, 1992
“Missing Beauty Queen: Tammy Lynn Leppert 7-6-83”
“The Disappearance of Tammy Lynn Leppert: Dangers of Diversion”
“Murder on the Space Coast: Obsessed with Murder” by John A. Torres
“Breaking In” by Billy Cox, Florida Today, March 31, 1983
Arrests In Brevard County: Space Coast Daily, July 21, 2018
“Dying Mother Keeps Fighting for clues to Daughter's fate” by Billy Cox, Florida Today, Sept. 20, 1995 via tapatalk
My Missing Sister Tammy Leppert - Suzanne’s Facebook page
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Monday Nov 06, 2023
Monday Nov 06, 2023
18-year-old Tammy Lynn Leppert was no stranger to the spotlight. By the time she'd reached high school she'd already competed in hundreds of pageants, winning close to 300 titles. She even graced the cover of Cover Girl Magazine when she was just 13. Her pageant and modeling career opened the door to acting opportunities - Tammy's true passion. She worked her way up from local commercials to bit parts in movies like "Spring Break" and "Scarface." But right as her acting career was starting to gain momentum, Tammy began exhibiting odd behavior. Then one day in the summer of 1983 she went on a drive with a friend...and never returned.
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Episode Sources:
“Cover Girl” by Helene de Groodt, The Orlando Sentinel, Sept. 7, 1978
“Missing Beauty Queen: Tammy Lynn Leppert 7-6-83”
“The Disappearance of Tammy Lynn Leppert: Dangers of Diversion”
“Video Wars” (1983)
“Tammy - Brevard’s Answer To Shirley Temple” by Jeff Kunerth, Orlando Sentinel, Feb. 9, 1975
Florida Today, March 18, 1990
“Whiz Kid Faces Failure On Way To Success” by Billy Cox, Florida Today, April 18, 1982
“Breaking In” by Billy Cox, Florida Today, March 31, 1983
“Lawyer Acquitted in Baby-Sale Case” by Marylyn Springer, The Miami News, Nov. 21, 1972
“Atlanta’s Premier Forensic Dentist Helps Put Bite On Criminals” by Kevin Sack, The Atlanta Journal, Dec. 1, 1985
“Dying Mother Keeps Fighting for clues to Daughter's fate” by Billy Cox, Florida Today, Sept. 20, 1995 via tapatalk
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Monday Oct 30, 2023
Monday Oct 30, 2023
At 8:45pm on April 22, 1987, Chicago police received a call from Ruthie Mae McCoy, a 52-year-old black woman living on Chicago's South Side in the Grace Abbott Homes, part of the ABLA Housing Project. Ruthie cried for help saying, “They want to come through the bathroom.” Due to police negligence, racism, and a complete failure on the part of the Chicago Housing Authority at the time, Ruthie's cries for help were not given proper attention. Two days later she was found dead in her apartment. This story would later be referenced in the movie Candyman (1992 and 2021) about a hook-handed man that appears and kills you if you say his name five times into a mirror. This episode explores Ruthie Mae McCoy, her murder, the history of Chicago Public Housing, and how Candyman explores themes of racism, classism, and violence in the projects.
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Episode Sources:
“They Came in Through the Bathroom Mirror: A Murder in the Projects” by Steve Bogira, September 3, 1987, Chicago Reader
“How a tragic unsolved murder and a public housing crisis led to Candyman” by Aja Romano, August 27, 2021, Vox
“The True Story Of Candyman That Inspired The Horror Classic” by Morgan Dunn, Edited by John Kuroski, August 11, 2022, updated August 7, 2023, All That’s Interesting
“How a Real-Life Housing Project Inspired ‘Candyman’” by Shreejit Nair, October 16, 2022, Collider
“How Candyman Reclaims the History of Cabrini-Green” by Andrew R. Chow, August 27, 2021, Time
“Cabrini-Green” by The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica, last revised and updated September 29, 2023 by J.E. Luebering, Encyclopedia Britannica
“About” section of the Chicago Housing Authority website
“Candyman (2021)” from iMDB.com
“Candyman (1992)” from iMDB.com
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Monday Oct 23, 2023
Monday Oct 23, 2023
CW: This episode focuses on the death of an innocent Black man at the hands of the LAPD
A Beverly Hills mansion, Halloween weekend, a costume party...all the ingredients for what should have been a fun and celebratory evening. And for Anthony Lee, it did start out that way. He was on top of the world having just wrapped an acting role on NBC's "ER" as well as becoming a leader in the Buddhist organization he'd been a part of for many years. But what began as an evening partying with friends ended with Anthony dead on the floor and conflicting reports as to what exactly happened.
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Episode Sources:
“Investigators: An Unexpected Turn” by David Kohn, 48 Hours, October 23, 2002
“Friends, Family Share Farewells for Slain Actor” by Nancy Vogel, LA Times, November 19, 2000
“Can-Do Guy -- Actor Anthony Lee Won't Let Any Obstacle Stand In The Way Of His Dream” by Misha Berson, The Seattle Times, October 14, 1993
“Anthony Lee's life was short, meaningful” by Misha Berson, The Seattle Times, October 31, 2000
“Friends outraged over police killing of Halloween partygoer” by Judy Lin, Herald-Journal, p. A-2, October 30, 2000
“Police Release Details of Party Shooting” by Josh Meyer, Sue Fox and Kurt Streeter, LA Times, October 31, 2000
“Officer’s Bullets Hit Actor in Back, Autopsy Finds” by Jeffrey L. Rabin, Kurt Streeter and Jean Merl, LA Times, December 5, 2000
“$100 Million Sought in Shooting of Actor” by Kurt Streeter, LA Times, December 12, 2000
“Accord Reached in Police Slaying” by Steve Berry, LA Times, February 6, 2003
“LAPD officer shoots, kills actor at party” by Bill Higgins, Variety, October 29, 2000
“Report on the Death of Anthony Lee” Justice System Integrity Division, Steve Cooley, District Atty.
“Slaying by Officer Is Ruled Justified” by Scott Glover and Matt Lait, LA Times, October 23, 2001
“Police shooting of costumed man upsets friends” by Judy Lin, Allegheny Times, p. D2, October 26, 2000
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Monday Oct 16, 2023
Monday Oct 16, 2023
"Every horrible day in history has a much happier day before it." --Andy Ostroy
On Halloween night in 2006, Adrienne Shelly was having a blast chatting with friends and helping little kids try to bust open the ghost-shaped piñata hanging in her NYC apartment. She and her husband Andy were hosting a party and enjoying the trick-or-treat holiday with their toddler, Sophie.
Adrienne was also waiting to hear if her most recent film, "Waitress," which she not only wrote and directed but also acted in, had been accepted into Sundance. Sadly, she would never find out. The next day...Adrienne was dead.
The Adrienne Shelly Foundation
DONATE HERE to The Adrienne Shelly Foundation
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Episode Sources:
“Adrienne” on HBO Max
“Greenwich Village Mystery” Oxygen True Crime: New York Homicide, Season 2, Ep. 15
“The mysterious killing of indie actress Adrienne Shelly: How a suicide turned into a murder” by Eva Guimil, February 22, 2022
“Who Was… Adrienne Shelly?” by Vanessa Zimmer, November 30, 2022
"Remembering Adrienne Shelly, the Feminist Filmmaker Murdered in Her New York City Apartment” by Nick Schager, November 15, 2021
“Actress’s Death Is Ruled Murder, and Worker in Building Is Charged” by Thomas J. Lueck, November 7, 2006
“Who is Adrienne Shelly’s daughter Sophie Ostroy?” by Amber Peake, December 2, 2021
“Indie Film Sweetheart Adrienne Shelly” by Timothy Rhys, August 1, 1996
“The Unbelievable Truth” by Gaby Wood, July 15, 2007
“With ‘Sudden Manhattan,’ Adrienne Shelly Writes and Directs Her Future” by Deirdre Guthrie
“Husband: Actress-wife's death suspicious” WABC
“Slay suit nixed” by Dareh Gregorian, July 7, 2011
“‘Adrienne’ HBO Documentary Explores Incredible Career And Tragic Death Of ‘Waitress’ Filmmaker Adrienne Shelly” by Risa Sarachan, November 29, 2021
“‘ROT,’ BASTARD!” By Laura Italiano, New York Post, p. 19, March 14, 2008
“Koch Removes Baden as the City's Medical Examiner” by Richard Severn, New York Times, Section A, pg. 1, August 1, 1979
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Monday Oct 09, 2023
Monday Oct 09, 2023
It's all about YOU today, Misfits! It's a Misfit Monday, which means we take a break from the Hollywood/celebrity/entertainment stories and instead focus on YOUR creepy tales. Today's batch of misfit stories involves a ghost who likes to mess with plumbing, a medium with special messages from loved ones, an old-timey shipwreck and a ghost girl in a pub. Hooray for spooky season!
That book from the story about the medium: "Faithful: A Spiritual Medium's Journey Beyond Fear" by Michelle Murnin-Paulson
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Monday Oct 02, 2023
Monday Oct 02, 2023
Picture it, the early 1900’s: booze, speakeasies, cigarettes, fancy dance clubs and silent films. Hollywood was on the up and up and the movie industry was booming! This era in film history gave birth to the first sex symbol, Rudolph Valentino. Roldolfo Alfonso Raffaello Pierre Filibert Guglielmi di Valentina d’Antonguolla was a famous Italian actor who was mainly known by his nickname "The Latin Lover" (even though he, uh, wasn't Latino). His story is a tumultuous one, passing away at the young age of 31. But his handsome ghost and the spirit of his doberman pinscher, Kabar, still haunt Los Angeles (and SEVERAL other locations).
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Episode Sources:
“Star of the silent-screen Rudolph Valentino dies” by History.com Editors, Published February 9, 2010, Updated August 17, 2022, A&E Television Networks, HISTORY
“Rudolph Valentino” from Turner Classic Movies
“Ars & Culture: Rudolph Valentino - American Actor” by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Brittanica, recently revised and updated by Pat Bauer on August 19, 2023, Britannica.com
“A Week to Remember: Rudolph Valentino” by Keith Chaffee, Librarian, Collection Development, Monday, May 4, 2020, Los Angeles Public Library
“Los Angeles Ghosts - The Spirit of Hollywood’s First Sex Symbol Rudolph Valentino” by Scott Markus, American Ghost Walks
“Rudolph Valentino” - Weird California
“Restless spirits” by Susan King, October 31, 2011, Los Angeles Times
“Kabar, the Doberman Pinscher Ghost” from National Purebred Dog Day ®, October 31, 2017, National Purebred Dog Day
“Blanca Errazuriz” - Wikipedia
“Rudolph Valentino IMDB Mini Biography” by Hala Pickford, IMDB.com
“Norman Kerry” - Wikipedia
“Rudolph Valentino” - Wikipedia
“June Mathis” - Wikipedia
“Meet the ghosts at LA’s most haunted hotels” by Bianca Barragan, October 10, 2019, Curbed Lost Angeles
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Monday Sep 25, 2023
Monday Sep 25, 2023
The Butcher of Elmendorf, The Bluebeard of South Texas, The Alligator Man...these are all nicknames for Joe Ball, a murderous man from a wealthy family who may or may not have fed his victims to his pet alligators. He also inspired the 1976 film "Eaten Alive" directed by Tobe Hooper of "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" fame. As far as horror movies based on true stories go, this is perhaps one of the wildest.
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Episode Sources:
Hall, Michael (July 1, 2002). "Two Barmaids, Five Alligators, and the Butcher of Elmendorf". Texas Monthly. Texas.
“Joe Ball: The Butcher of Elmendorf” by David Lohr - Crime Library
“Chilling story about the man known as ‘The Butcher of Elmendorf’” by Erica Hernandez and Roslyn Jimenez
“THE HISTORY OF ELMENDORF” by Sandra L. Christian and Elsa Hernandez; Palo Alto College
Joe Ball The Butcher Of Elmendorf Documentary - YouTube
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