11 Bruce Pardo’s Christmas Rampage
On Christmas Eve 2008, Bruce Pardo, dressed as Santa, attacked his former in-laws’ home in Covina, California, killing nine people and injuring three. Motivated by his recent divorce, financial issues, and resentment towards his ex-wife, Pardo used handguns and an improvised flame thrower to carry out the massacre. After setting the house on fire, he drove to his brother’s residence and ended his own life. His escape plan, which included rented vehicles and a plane ticket, failed due to severe burns from the fire.
12 Joshua Powell’s Deadly Control
In December 2009, Susan Powell mysteriously disappeared from her Utah home, and her husband, Joshua Powell, was considered a prime suspect. Joshua claimed he had taken their sons camping late at night, leaving Susan at home, but evidence pointed to financial troubles and Joshua’s controlling behavior as possible motives for her murder. Despite extensive investigations, Susan’s body was never found. In February 2012, Joshua killed himself and their two young sons, Charles and Braden, by setting their rental house on fire during a supervised visit, bringing the case to a tragic end. Authorities suspect Joshua’s brother Michael played a role in concealing Susan’s death, yet they did not press charges.
13 Rowan Baxter’s Domestic Violence
In February 2020 in Brisbane, Australia, Rowan Baxter killed his estranged wife Hannah Clarke and their three children-Aaliyah, Laianah, and Trey-before taking his own life. Hannah was about to leave Baxter due to domestic violence, which fueled his brutal actions. Baxter ambushed Hannah and the kids during a school run, set the car on fire, killing all three children, and then stabbed himself. Hannah managed to escape with severe burns but tragically succumbed to her injuries shortly after, having learned of her children’s deaths.
14 Hart Family’s Tragic Facade
Two women, Jennifer and Sarah Hart, adopted six children and attempted to present themselves online as a wholesome, perfect family unit. However, they were actually very abusive towards the children, and when case workers began investigating, they killed the entire family and themselves. On March 26, 2018, in Mendocino County, California, Jennifer drove their SUV off a cliff, resulting in the deaths of all six children and both women. Toxicology reports revealed that Jennifer had alcohol in her system, and Sarah had searched for methods of death prior to the incident, indicating premeditated intent in this tragic murder-suicide.
15 Ronald Simmons’ Christmas Massacre
Ronald Gene Simmons, dubbed the “Hillbilly from Hell,” committed a horrific series of murders in 1987, killing 16 people, including 14 members of his own extended family, shortly after Christmas. Following a history of violent and abusive behavior, Simmons strangled and drowned his children, hiding their bodies in a rain barrel and burying them to avoid detection. He even went as far as to retrieve car keys from the pockets of his victims, using them to kill others he felt had wronged him. After the murders, he was arrested and later executed, leaving behind a chilling legacy of brutality.
16 Chris Watts’ Family Annihilation
In 2018, Chris Watts murdered his pregnant wife, Shanann, and their two daughters, Bella and Celeste, in a horrific act that shocked the nation. After initially denying involvement, he confessed to smothering Shanann and then placing his daughters in their car seats before disposing of their bodies in crude oil tanks, demonstrating a chilling detachment. His motivation stemmed from an affair and the desire to escape his family responsibilities, leading to a calculated and brutal execution of the crime. The court ultimately sentenced Watts to multiple life terms in prison without the possibility of parole.
17 Rhoden Family Custody Murders
In 2016, eight members of the Rhoden family were brutally murdered in rural Ohio by another family, the Wagners, in a premeditated plot to gain custody of a young child. The Wagners, motivated by a custody dispute, meticulously planned the killings, murdering the victims as they slept, including mothers nursing babies. Initially, there was speculation that the murders were drug-related, but it was later revealed that the motive was the Wagners’ belief that they were above the legal process for custody. The consequences were severe, with several Wagner family members taking plea deals and facing life sentences, leaving a community devastated and children orphaned.
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18 John Sharpe’s Spear Gun Murders
In 2004, John Sharpe brutally murdered his pregnant wife, Anna Kemp, and their 20-month-old daughter, Gracie, in Australia using a spear gun. Motivated by a desire to escape his family responsibilities, Sharpe first killed his wife before taking his daughter to a store to buy additional spears, which he used to murder her after a failed initial attempt. The gruesome details include Sharpe having to retrieve the spear from his daughter’s head to fire again, showcasing the horrific nature of his crime. Eventually, authorities caught him and sentenced him to life in prison.
19 Brett Ryan’s Crossbow Killings
In 2016, Brett Ryan, also known as the “Fake Beard Bandit,” murdered his mother, Susan Ryan, and two of his brothers, Christopher and Alexander, in Toronto, Canada. Motivated by fear that his mother would expose his lies about being financially stable and planning a future with his fiancée, Ryan killed his family members to prevent them from revealing his secret. Armed with a crossbow and rope, he executed a meticulously planned attack, but his youngest brother managed to escape and call the police. Ryan faced arrest, entered a guilty plea, and received a life sentence in prison.
20 Adrian Dunne’s Monageer Tragedy
In 2007, Adrian Dunne murdered his wife, Ciara, and their two daughters, Leanne (5) and Shania (3), before taking his own life in Monageer, County Wexford, Ireland. The family had made chilling preparations, such as paying for funerals and picking out coffins, yet despite warnings from an undertaker and a priest, no intervention occurred to prevent the tragedy. Adrian, who was viewed as the more controlling figure, had feared the authorities would take his children away, and his wife, who had an intellectual disability, is thought to have been under his influence. Although an official inquiry concluded the murders could not have been prevented, many saw it as a tragic failure of the system to act on visible warning signs.
RE: Fact #10 (Steven Sueppel’s Final Despair) – Oh! I’m just wondering if anyone actually comments on any of these cases.
RE: Fact #28 (Lowell Andrews’ Dark Fantasy) – Wow, that’s a pretty quick stay on death row. Guess hanging’s easier to arrange than getting those drugs nobody sells anymore.
RE: Fact #8 (Jennifer Pan’s Murderous Plot) – Busted. They’re on to us. Game over. Wait, what the heck?!
It’s probably because of messed up stuff from their childhood, you know? I’ve heard some terrible stories about parents pushing their kids too hard. It’s not an excuse for murder, though.
I have a few buddies from back in the day who don’t see their parents much, or barely at all. Their folks weren’t physical, but the pressure to do well was a lot, like maybe mental abuse. One friend got grounded for three months because of a C- on a test! Now his parents are complaining to mine that he doesn’t come around enough. He told me straight up that he wouldn’t go at all if it wasn’t for his kids wanting to see their grandparents.
Then there’s this girl who went to college way across the country just to get away from her parents. She stayed there after graduating and only comes back for weddings and funerals.
It’s crazy how often this happens. So many similar examples in this article.
I’ve never met anyone who tried to kill their parents, but I have known people who pretended to still be in college even after dropping out. My college roommate ran out of money after six years, quietly dropped out, got a factory job making walls for trailers, and just told his parents he graduated and got a job. He did go back to school and graduate later though.
RE: Fact #19 (Brett Ryan’s Crossbow Killings) – Whoa, 60 grand in debt in your mid-twenties? That’s rough, but not impossible to get out of. Why would someone rob banks? Maybe there were some deeper problems going on.
Ten years ago, Ryan was living the high life. He had a taste for the finer things – think fancy jeans, fancy belts, and a brand new truck. But the thing is, he didn’t have a real job.
His ego was way out of control. He couldn’t stand the thought of his fiancée finding out he was broke, so he ended up killing his family. Crazy.
RE: Fact #14 (Hart Family’s Tragic Facade) – The Harts were foster parents to a fifteen-year-old girl before they adopted their six kids. Right before their first three kids came home, they took the girl to a kindergarten near the therapist’s office. The therapist then told the girl the Harts wouldn’t be back for her.
At least the therapist was there for her abandonment issues.
Probably better in the long run, though.
That story is just awful. How could anyone let that happen if the social workers were even halfway decent at their jobs?
They’d bounce whenever the cops started sniffing around. The social workers in one place couldn’t really follow them to another, they didn’t have the power or the money.
She got to live, though. Crazy, right? The whole family thing is messed up.
I listened to a podcast about this family a while back. I don’t remember if they abandoned a kid, but it’s been a while.
It’s a really sad story. They adopted two sets of black triplets, and the moms were white. They were all over Facebook about how great they were for keeping the siblings together.
They posted a ton of pictures. Apparently, there’s one picture of the kids painting, but the brushes didn’t even have paint on them! One of the kids escaped a couple of times and ran to a neighbor’s house, where they gave her food. I can’t remember if anyone called CPS, but they were investigating the family for a while before the moms killed themselves and the kids.
Just awful. What a tragedy.
RE: Fact #26 (Michael Haight’s Divorce Revenge) – He used to abuse his family. It just makes his obituary even more infuriating. How could he be so angry that his wife wouldn’t let him abuse their kids anymore? I don’t believe his family didn’t know what kind of person he was.
That obituary was wild. 😠
The obit in the Spectrum didn’t even mention the murders. It just made him sound like some kind of perfect guy, saying he was “a Sterling scholar” and “excelled at everything he did.”
They even said he was an Eagle Scout and made sure to spend time with his kids.
They said he “lived a life of service” and even talked about how he worked in Alaska after graduating.
They even mentioned his mission for the Mormon Church!
What a bunch of jerks. They didn’t say a single word about the family he killed.
It was totally messed up. A family friend killed his kids, his wife, and himself a few years back. He had some serious issues from being in the military, which isn’t right, but it helps understand why he did it instead of just thinking he was a crazy person. Doesn’t make it better, but it explains things. Anyway, NO ONE in the whole town ever talked about him like he was a good guy. Not his family, not his friends. They all thought of his wife and kids and were just as heartbroken as everyone else. I worked with his brother and grandfather and they never would have said anything good about him, because he had lost everyone’s respect. Even the parts of them that still remembered the good things would never disrespect the others by talking about him.
RE: Fact #27 (Yaser Said’s Taxi Murders) – RIP Amina & Sarah, you deserved so much better.
RE: Fact #11 (Bruce Pardo’s Christmas Rampage) – Imagine someone just walking around a building with a flamethrower, hunting people down. You couldn’t even hide, because the heat and the fuel would stick to you, and rolling around on the floor wouldn’t do anything. Talk about a nightmare!
RE: Fact #2 (Jean-Claude Romand’s Deception Unveiled) – That’s just wild! You’d think he could put that much effort into a regular job and take care of his family, right? But then again, that wouldn’t fit into his whole “search for truth” thing. It’s kinda ironic that his own downfall might have been caused by the little crimes he had to do to support himself and his family while he was pretending to work at the W.H.O.
RE: Fact #12 (Joshua Powell’s Deadly Control) – You should check out the Cold podcast. It’s about Susan Cox Powell and Josh Powell, and dives into how messed up Josh’s family was, how he was raised, and the abuse he went through. His dad was a total creep. I grew up in the PNW and remember hearing about Susan going missing, then Steve Powell getting arrested for taking pics of the neighbor girls, and then the house explosion. It was awful. The whole thing was just a nightmare for Susan, her kids, and her family.
That podcast is totally wild and digs deep into this crazy guy and his messed up family. It’s the best true crime podcast I’ve ever heard, seriously. Be warned, it’ll have you hooked and you might even cry.
RE: Fact #22 (Marcus Wesson’s Cult Murders) – This guy was the absolute worst. He wouldn’t stop touching himself, then he’d rub it all over his hair. They had to hose down his whole cell after he was sent to death row.
The crime scene was a mess, and it turned out all the s*men was Wesson’s. Cops thought maybe there were more guys involved, maybe a cult or something, but it was all just him.
That’s just… wow.
Man, I wish I hadn’t read that.
So, I was wondering, what was he like when he interacted with the staff and other people in prison?
RE: Fact #8 (Jennifer Pan’s Murderous Plot) – You’ve probably heard of this crazy case, right? This French guy, he was pretending to be a doctor, but he wasn’t even close to passing his exams! He just started lying to everyone. And, get this, he even ended up killing his family. It’s pretty messed up. There’s a movie about it, you should check it out, but I’ll warn you, it’s not a happy ending.
It’s insane that he fooled everyone into thinking he was a doctor for 18 years! The guy had a wife, two kids, and even a mistress. How in the world did he manage it? Was he rich or were French doctors paid peanuts back then?
Apparently he lived off his wife’s money, what they got from selling their apartment, and some cash from relatives. He told them he was investing it in all sorts of fancy stuff. He also stole the money he raised for his father-in-law’s funeral… which he’s thought to have killed. What a jerk!
The craziest thing about that case is he pretended to be a doctor for the WHO for 18 YEARS! Seriously, how did nobody check that out? Then, before he got caught, he killed his wife, kids, parents, and dog. He even went after his ex, but somehow she talked him out of it! He let her live and then went home and killed himself.
It’s unbelievable that he’s on parole as of 2019. He should be locked up for life!
It’s wild that everyone, even doctors, thought he was a big deal in research. A heart doctor even said he felt like a nobody after talking to him about his supposed medical studies.
This guy was super into medical research and the latest stuff in all kinds of fields. He definitely knew more than anyone who wasn’t actually working on the stuff. But seriously, this story is crazy.
RE: Fact #14 (Hart Family’s Tragic Facade) – One year of community service? That’s it? For beating kids? Seriously?
It’s still legal to spank kids in the US.
You find people defending it everywhere, it’s just weird.
They always go with the “my parents smacked me and I turned out fine” argument. They don’t realize they *didn’t* turn out fine.
One of the boys would always go over to the neighbor’s for something to eat.
The neighbors finally tipped off the state, and they started looking into things the day before the killings.
That’s crazy, they didn’t take the kids away?
This is just plain awful. No way a social worker wouldn’t have seen those kids were in danger. And taking them out of school every time someone raised concerns? That’s a huge warning sign.
People think CPS is like some super-powered team swooping in to save kids. It’s more like the DMV – you’ve got a tired worker with a clipboard and a huge pile of cases. Each case needs paperwork, and that paperwork means more detective work. A child abuse case could be on their books for years and still not move. But people on factrepublic keep screaming about CPS like it’s a magic solution that protects kids instantly.
RE: Fact #24 (Burari Family’s Ritual Suicide) – It’s wild how they just handed authority over to one person and went along with whatever they said. Like, they’re not dumb, right? This whole thing is just so sad. At least the dog was okay.
At least they didn’t mess with the dog. And thank goodness for that guy who saved the dog. The poor thing would have been toast if he hadn’t stepped in. What a hero!
Sad news, the dog died from a heart attack 22 days after someone saved it.
RE: Fact #13 (Rowan Baxter’s Domestic Violence) – Man, that’s just awful! Burning them alive? That poor woman and her kids. This whole thing is just messed up, worse than anything I’ve heard before. I thought the Chris Watts thing was bad, but this? This is just evil. Good thing he went out the same way he hurt those people. Hopefully, it was slow and painful for him.
RE: Fact #22 (Marcus Wesson’s Cult Murders) – This guy, Wesson, started his own little church thing, but it was super weird. He thought Jesus was a vampire and that he was God. His whole “church” was just his family, especially his daughters, stepdaughters, and nieces. He basically groomed them into having sex with him, and had a bunch of kids with them. He wouldn’t let his daughters talk to their brothers or moms, and made them do stuff like clean his dreadlocks and scratch his armpits. He was homeless, lived off of welfare, and moved his family around, living in boats, empty houses, and buses.
In 2004, some of his nieces ran away and told the police what was happening. Wesson ended up killing nine of his kids, including his “daughter wives,” Sebhrenah and Elizabeth, and some babies. He was sentenced to death in California, but they don’t execute people anymore.
The whole thing makes me feel sick, but the thought of someone being forced to scratch that monster’s armpits makes me want to puke. Those kids never got to experience a normal life, they were just abused.
RE: Fact #14 (Hart Family’s Tragic Facade) – It’s tough to make sure foster and adoptive families are good fits. Usually, things work out, but sometimes there are awful accidents. You know, like the Susan Cox Powell case in Washington. Her husband was thought to have killed her in the Utah desert, but he wasn’t arrested. He got to see his kids, and one day he blew up their house with them inside.
That case still really gets to me. The whole thing is just awful. What happened to Susan was horrible, but what happened to her boys after was even worse. It never should have happened.
Susan’s parents got custody of the kids. A social worker brought her two little boys to see their dad, and he beat them to death with a hatchet and then blew up the house.
They figured out pretty quickly that the explosion was planned. The official reason for Joshua and the boys dying was carbon monoxide poisoning, but they also found cuts on the kids’ heads and necks from the hatchet. They found the hatchet near Joshua’s body, so they think he attacked the kids with it before the smoke and fumes got to him.
Susan Cox Powell’s case is one of the few that I just can’t watch. It’s too hard to stomach. The stuff that happened to her before she disappeared was awful, and what happened to her boys is just plain wrong.
It’s a tragedy.
The people who let that monster see his kids after they found out what he was capable of have blood on their hands.
RE: Fact #17 (Rhoden Family Custody Murders) – I live pretty close to where it all went down, the whole custody thing with Jake’s daughter. I’ve seen all the documentaries and I’m totally convinced Angela Wagner, the mom, planned the whole thing. She didn’t want anyone else to have that baby, just her. Last I heard, the little girl’s with the state. Those Wagners are seriously messed up. It’s gross that Angela’s walking free in 30 years.
RE: Fact #19 (Brett Ryan’s Crossbow Killings) – In 2007, Brett Ryan was 26 and in a whole lot of debt. He was one of four brothers. The oldest was Chris, followed by Leighland, then Brett, and the youngest was A.J.
Brett robbed his first bank in Toronto on October 20, 2007. He covered his face with bandages and pretended to have a broken arm. He walked into the bank and gave the teller a note saying he had a gun and demanded money. The teller gave him $1,115 and he got away. Over the next eight months, he robbed 12 more banks. He stole a total of $28,000.
After the second bank robbery, he bought a fake beard and people started calling him the “Bearded Bandit.”
The police caught Brett after seeing his truck on a security camera. He got caught when he tried to rob another bank. He pleaded guilty and spent seven months in jail.
Brett was sentenced to five years but got out early. He was back home with his family in late 2010.
Brett started dating Kristen Baxter in 2011 and they got engaged.
In 2015, Brett dropped out of school, but he didn’t tell Kristen. She and his family thought he was still studying.
Brett got a job at a Toronto tech company in 2016. He was really happy and celebrated with his family and Kristen. But his new employer found out about his past as the “Bearded Bandit” and fired him. Instead of telling everyone, he kept pretending to have the job.
A month before his wedding, Brett finally told his mother, Sue, the truth. Sue gave him an ultimatum: tell Kristen, or she would.
Brett argued with Sue, and she called Chris to come over. Brett ran to the garage and grabbed a bolt with three sharp blades. He stabbed Sue in the face and ear, then choked her with a rope.
Brett grabbed a crossbow from the garage. He knew that Chris was on his way and was ready for him. When Chris came into the garage, Brett shot him in the neck with the crossbow.
Then A.J. came home. Brett stabbed him in the neck, too.
Leighland was sleeping and heard the noise. He went outside to see what was happening. He saw A.J. lying in the driveway and ran to call 911. Brett followed Leighland inside and they fought. Leighland ran out of the house and found A.J. still alive. Brett chased him across the street and Leighland asked his mom’s friends to call the police.
Brett was waiting on the front steps when the police arrived. A.J. died before the paramedics got there. Brett told the police that he killed Chris and A.J. with the crossbow.
Brett got a life sentence for each murder and 10 years for trying to kill Leighland. He will be eligible for parole in 2041.
RE: Fact #26 (Michael Haight’s Divorce Revenge) – It’s seriously getting weird, with all these family annihilations happening in Utah. It seems like it’s a yearly thing, and I don’t know if it’s even politically correct to say this, but… it’s kind of scary.
It’s super messed up, like it just encourages guys to think they can get away with anything.
RE: Fact #19 (Brett Ryan’s Crossbow Killings) – Brett Ryan was 26 and in a hole, 60 grand in debt. He was the third of four brothers, Chris being the oldest, then Leighland, and finally the youngest, A. J.
On October 20, 2007, Brett hit his first bank in Toronto. He was wearing bandages, his left arm was in a sling, and he shuffled into the bank. He gave the teller a note saying he had a gun and demanded $2,000. The teller gave him $1,115, and he got away. Over the next eight months, he robbed 12 more banks. He got away with a total of $28,000.
After his second robbery, he bought a glue-on beard, earning him the nickname “the Bearded Bandit.”
After one of Brett’s robberies, the police spotted his truck and traced it back to his house. When he went to rob his last bank, the police were waiting. He pleaded guilty and spent seven months in jail.
Brett was sentenced to five years. He was back home with his family in late 2010, ready to start over.
In 2011, Brett started dating Kristen Baxter and they got engaged.
In 2015, Brett dropped out of school, but didn’t tell Kristen. She and his family thought he was still studying.
In 2016, Brett got a job at a tech company. He celebrated with Kristen and his family. But his new boss found out about his past as the Bearded Bandit, and he lost the job. Instead of telling his family, he kept lying. He had to lie every day.
Less than a month before the wedding, after a year of lying, Brett finally told his mother, Sue, the truth. Sue told Brett that he had to tell Kristen or she would. She also said she wouldn’t give him any more money until he came clean.
Brett hoped his mother would understand. But she was firm. She said if he didn’t tell Kristen, she would. They argued, and Sue called her oldest son, Chris, for help. Brett knew he was in trouble. He ran outside and into the garage. Sue followed him.
In the garage, Brett grabbed a bolt with three sharp blades and stabbed Sue in the cheek and ear. Then he wrestled her to the ground. She fell on some hardwood flooring from their kitchen renovation. He took a piece of rope and strangled her until she died.
After killing his mother, Brett took a crossbow from the garage. He knew Chris was on his way, and he needed to be ready. When Chris came into the garage, Brett shot him from close range. The blades went through Chris’s neck and lodged in his mouth. Chris died instantly.
Shortly after killing Chris, Brett’s younger brother, A. J., arrived. Brett had another crossbow bolt in his hand. He stabbed A. J. in the neck. He collapsed onto the driveway.
Brett’s third brother, Leighland, woke up and went outside. He saw A. J. bleeding and called 911. Brett followed Leighland inside. They fought, and Brett was covered in blood. They fought through the house, knocking over furniture. Leighland had a head wound and was bleeding a lot. They left a trail of blood on the walls, floors, and ceilings.
Meanwhile, A. J. crawled down the driveway towards the street. Leighland escaped and ran across the street to his mother’s friends, Warren and Marie. He begged them to call 911. A. J. was still alive when the police arrived, but he died before the paramedics arrived.
Brett told the police that he should have taken A. J. to the hospital and admitted that he killed his brothers with a crossbow.
Brett got life sentences for each murder, plus 10 years for trying to kill Leighland. He will be eligible for parole in 2041.
That Leighland testimony in court is just so sad. He talked about how his life is completely messed up because of what happened. He’s super anxious, barely leaves the house, can’t sleep or focus, and all he can think about is his little brother A.J. dying on the driveway.
RE: Fact #24 (Burari Family’s Ritual Suicide) – There’s a Netflix documentary about it, totally wild. You should check it out.
RE: Fact #1 (Chandler Halderson’s Deadly Lies) – The prosecutor laid out this whole crazy story about how the guy was lying through his teeth – fake emails, burner phones, even pretending to be someone else when he talked to his parents. All that energy he spent keeping his lies going, he could have used to find a real job.
Anyway, did they ever say why he killed his parents?
His dad was catching him in lies.
That’s what really blows my mind. How can someone go from getting caught lying to killing their parents? It seems like admitting they lied and coming clean would be a whole lot easier than that.
RE: Fact #21 (Bradford Bishop’s Disappearance) – That’s wild, right? A woman who was adopted found out through a DNA test that Bishop was her real dad. The FBI even confirmed it. Crazy!
RE: Fact #10 (Steven Sueppel’s Final Despair) – It’s messed up how family annihilators think they’re doing the right thing.
RE: Fact #5 (John List’s Familial Execution) – I wonder what happened to the woman he remarried. Can you imagine? Being married to a guy for all that time and then finding out he killed his whole family? It’d be hard to ever be normal again.
RE: Fact #2 (Jean-Claude Romand’s Deception Unveiled) – I don’t know why, but I kept picturing Jean Claude Van-Damme. It was a wild ride!
Jean Claude Van Damme is the best one.
RE: Fact #5 (John List’s Familial Execution) – His Forensic Files episode was a wild. They totally nailed him with those glasses!
This sculptor was amazing! He doesn’t go for those programs that make people look older, he thinks they just add wrinkles. He used psychology to make the bust, and it’s crazy accurate. He figured this guy would have jowls and wrinkles from stress. He even chose the glasses based on his personality — he said the guy wouldn’t be vain enough for contacts. He even put in a scar behind the guy’s ear, and used photos of his parents to see how his face would age. The detail is insane, it’s perfect! And the glasses? Almost exactly the same ones he wore, chosen just by the sculptor’s understanding of the guy’s personality. That’s incredible!
RE: Fact #25 (Peter Keller’s Survivalist Plot) – That Ray William Johnson case really stuck with me.
Is that the dude who was convinced the world was going to end and spent years building a bunker?
I haven’t watched it in a while, but the YouTube channel “Explore With Us” did a cool video about this guy.
He thought the world was ending, and spent eight years building a bunker in the woods he called “Camp Keller.” I don’t think they ever figured out why he killed his family, he was just totally nuts.
Watching his vlogs was weird. He was just so calm and normal about everything.
RE: Fact #23 (Bever Brothers’ Brutal Attack) – This is seriously messed up. I mean, do you ever think about why we’re so into reading about all this crazy, messed-up stuff on factrepublic? Sometimes I feel like I’m reading these horrible stories just to know what’s going on, like maybe it’ll help the people who were hurt feel a little less alone. But then I feel bad because I think maybe the real reason is that I just like seeing all this messed-up stuff, you know? I just want to understand this, someone help me out here!
I’ve been thinking about this, and I ran across something interesting. It’s kind of like our brains are always checking in with us, making sure we still find certain things awful and repulsive. I mean, it’s almost like intrusive thoughts are trying to reassure us that we’re still on the right track. It’s like there’s this idea that understanding something will keep us safe, but I think it’s more about that feeling of confirmation, you know? It’s like scratching an itch, knowing that we still find things bad, and that makes us feel better.
I wonder why we’re so drawn to true crime. I guess we’ll never really understand it completely. It’s kind of funny, actually, because most people who love true crime seem to think people are good at heart. I think that’s why they want to understand it, to get to the bottom of it all. But there are some people who just get off on the bad stuff, you know? Just my opinion, though.
I’ve got friends who are really cynical but good people, and they couldn’t care less about true crime.
Reading about bad stuff makes me want to try and spread love, kindness, and hope. It’s probably a lost cause, but I’ll try anyway.
RE: Fact #27 (Yaser Said’s Taxi Murders) – He was super controlling. He brought his kids to the US, but didn’t want them to act like American kids? That whole family is messed up.
RE: Fact #13 (Rowan Baxter’s Domestic Violence) – That guy was a monster, a real monster to those kids. I’m just speechless, I can’t even describe how awful it makes me feel.
I agree. The good thing that came out of this is that it made people talk about controlling relationships. You know, people didn’t think these situations were dangerous because there wasn’t any physical violence. I really hope that the police are better equipped to help people in these situations now.
RE: Fact #7 (Neil Entwistle’s False Success) – Neil Entwistle, originally from Nottingham, England, grew up in Worksop. He met Rachel, an American studying abroad, at the University of York. They got married, moved to Worcestershire, and had a daughter, Lillian. After a short stay with Rachel’s family in Carver, they bought a house in Hopkinton, Massachusetts.
On January 22nd, 2006, police found Rachel and Lillian dead in their Hopkinton home. Rachel’s friend had reported her missing. Neil had shot Rachel in the head and then Lillian in the chest on the 20th, killing them both. The bullet that hit Lillian also went through Rachel’s breast.
Before the murders, Neil searched for information on how to kill someone online. He also checked out websites for hiring escorts.
After the murders, Neil flew from Boston and took a train to London. His DNA was found on the gun, which belonged to his father-in-law, Joseph. It turned out Neil was in $30,000 debt and had been investigated for fraudulent eBay transactions.
Neil claimed he was innocent and had stumbled upon the bodies. He told police he was so devastated by the murders that he tried to kill himself with a knife. He said he then went to get a revolver from Joseph’s house, but it was locked, so he flew home.
Neil was arrested on February 8th and sentenced to life in prison without parole. He was caught on camera giggling when shown pictures of Rachel and Lillian’s bodies, but some people say it was just a nervous laugh.
Neil’s family claims he’s innocent and that Rachel killed Lillian and then herself.
After threats from a white supremacist gang, Neil was put in protective custody.
That wasn’t a nervous laugh, it was pure joy, like he was having the time of his life! He was laughing so hard his eyes were practically disappearing. It was almost too much to handle. I thought maybe he was crying when he covered his mouth, but his eyes looked way too happy. Then his hand would move and you could see this huge grin on his face. He’s a real joker.