SYSK's Fall True Crime Playlist: Who Committed the 1912 Villisca Ax Murders?
The hosts recount the 1912 Villisca axe murders in Iowa, describing the Moore family and Stillinger girls, the killer's methodical actions inside the house, and the chaotic discovery that destroyed much of the crime scene evidence. They examine early suspects including state senator Frank F. Jones and traveling preacher George Kelly, then lay out the modern theory that the crime was likely part of a series of connected Midwestern axe murders committed by an unidentified serial killer using the railroad. The episode closes with a listener email about how their earlier hookworm episode helped a listener's cousin finally receive an accurate medical diagnosis.
SYSK's Fall True Crime Playlist: The Tylenol Murders, Part I
Josh and Chuck recount the 1982 Chicago-area Tylenol murders, in which seven people died after ingesting cyanide-laced extra-strength Tylenol capsules. They walk through the broader context of a tense year in America, the detailed timeline of each victim's death, how investigators discovered cyanide in the capsules, and the ensuing public panic and copycat tampering incidents. The episode closes with the formation of a multi-agency task force and the leading "mad poisoner" theory that the tampering occurred at or around retail stores rather than in the factory.
SYSK's Fall True Crime Playlist: The Chowchilla Bus Kidnapping
Hosts Josh Clark and Charles W. "Chuck" Bryant recount the 1976 Chowchilla school bus kidnapping, in which 26 children and their bus driver Ed Ray were hijacked, transported, and buried alive in a moving van trailer as part of a bungled ransom plot. They detail the conditions inside the buried trailer, the escape led largely by 14-year-old Mike Marshall with crucial help from Ray, and the frantic search and relief in the town of Chowchilla. The episode also examines the wealthy but inept perpetrators, the planning and failures of the crime, the legal aftermath and parole debates, the long-term trauma experienced by the victims, and closes with a listener email about structural reasons behind racial disparities in traffic ticketing.
SYSK's Fall True Crime Playlist: The Tale of the Bloody Benders
Hosts Josh and Chuck recount the story of the "Bloody Benders," a 19th-century family of serial killers who operated a small inn and store along the Osage Trail in southeastern Kansas. They describe how the Benders lured travelers into their crude roadhouse, murdered and robbed them, how the crimes were eventually discovered after the disappearance of a doctor and his neighbor, and how the family escaped and was never definitively found. The episode also explores Kansas's violent frontier context, later investigations into the Benders' true identities, theories about their fate, and the case's legacy in books, media, and local lore.
SYSK's Fall True Crime Playlist: The Harvey's Casino Bombing of 1980
The hosts recount the 1980 Harvey's Casino bombing in Lake Tahoe, a meticulously planned extortion attempt involving a uniquely sophisticated 1,000‑pound dynamite bomb that ultimately detonated without injuring anyone. They walk through the placement of the bomb, the detailed ransom note and helicopter instructions, the failed money drop, the FBI's risky attempt to disable the device, and the investigation that led to mastermind John Waldo Burgess Sr., his family, and accomplices. The episode closes with listener mail about using positive behavior interventions and supports (PBIS) in child behavior management.
SYSK's Fall True Crime Playlist: The Strange Unsolved Murder of Ken McElroy
Hosts Josh and Chuck recount the history of Ken Rex McElroy, a violent criminal who terrorized the small town of Skidmore, Missouri for decades through theft, assault, sexual abuse of minors, and systematic intimidation of witnesses and officials. They describe how repeated failures of the legal system and law enforcement to stop him culminated in a daytime vigilante killing in front of dozens of townspeople, none of whom ever cooperated with investigators. The episode explores McElroy's background, his pattern of coercive marriages to underage girls, the shooting of grocer Bo Bowenkamp, the town meeting that preceded his death, and the unresolved questions around who pulled the trigger.
SYSK's Fall True Crime Playlist: The Harrowing Story of the North Hollywood Shootout
The hosts recount the 1997 North Hollywood shootout, detailing the backgrounds of bank robbers Larry Phillips and Emil Matasoranu, their prior crimes, the meticulously planned Bank of America robbery, and the ensuing 44‑minute gun battle with hundreds of police officers. They describe how the event exposed gaps in police firepower, contributed to the militarization of U.S. police forces, and raised ethical questions about medical treatment of wounded suspects. In a closing listener mail segment, they read and respond to a detailed correction from Kenton "Factor" Grua's widow about a previous episode, emphasizing accuracy and sensitivity when portraying real people.
SYSK's Fall True Crime Playlist: The Unsolved Indiana Dunes Disappearances
Hosts Josh Clark and Charles "Chuck" Bryant examine the unsolved 1966 disappearance of three young women-Patricia Blau, Ann Miller, and Renee Brule-from Indiana Dunes State Park on Lake Michigan. They reconstruct the women's last known movements, the delayed but extensive search, and eyewitness reports involving mysterious boats. The hosts then explore multiple theories ranging from accidental drowning to links with an illegal abortion clinic and a violent Chicago crime figure, emphasizing how little hard evidence exists and how haunting the lack of resolution is for the families.
SYSK's Fall True Crime Playlist: How The Great Train Robbery Worked
Josh Clark and Charles W. "Chuck" Bryant walk through the 1963 Great Train Robbery in the UK, in which a gang robbed the Glasgow-to-London mail train of around £2.6 million without using guns. They explain how the plan came together, how the heist was executed, the role of the inside man, and how forensic mistakes at a rural hideout helped police track the robbers. The hosts also cover the dramatic trials, harsh sentences, escapes and long years on the run-especially Ronald Biggs-along with the robbery's cultural legacy and a closing listener segment about fermented horse milk (kumis).