The Brown's Chicken Massacre

November 08, 2021 by Tara Hardin in True Crime Podcast

Photo Credit: The Daily Herald File Photo 1993

In this episode… It’s now Jen’s turn for a Hometown murder story. She happened to choose one that, regardless of proximity to the crime, many of us remember seeing the horrific story unfold on the news. This week, Jen walks us through the Brown’s Chicken massacre that took place in Palatine, IL back in January of 1993.

Seven people tragically lost their lives in one of the most gruesome crimes committed in the Chicagoland area. Despite the sheer number of police officers assigned to the case and the overwhelming amount of tips called in, it went cold quickly. It would take nearly a decade and several advancements in DNA technology for the victim’s families to finally see the killers behind bars.

Jen’s Sources

dailyherald.com

medium.com Article by Chelsea Rose

dailyherald.com

dhbusinessledger.com

rollingstone.com Article by Brittany Spanos

Belle Gunness: Black Widow and her Indiana Murder Farm

November 01, 2021 by Tara Hardin in True Crime Podcast, True Crime

Photo Credit: Nicolas Cassez @ Unsplash

In this episode… Tara takes us back to her hometown of LaPorte, Indiana to the site of a very well known “Murder Farm” once owned by Hell’s Belle herself. Belle Gunness is arguably one of history’s most notorious female serial killers. Her story is one of greed, murder and manipulation. It also happens to have a surprise twist that may leave you guessing. Did she die a slow, painful death in the end or did she get away with it?

Tara’s Sources

laportecountyhistory.com

indystar.com

nydailynews.com

Wikipedia

legendsofamerica.com

aetv.com

Part 2 - The Murder of James Jordan

May 30, 2021 by Tara Hardin in True Crime Podcast

Photo Credit: Brooke Cain for “The News & Observer”

In this episode… Jen picks up where she left us hanging...waiting for answers and hoping for justice. We know what happened, the circumstances of the crime, along with the suspects in question. This week, we move on to the investigation itself, the trial and ultimately, a very shaky conclusion that, right or wrong… doesn’t quite sit right.

There are recent updates that pertain to the two inmates who were convicted of this crime as well.

If you haven’t listened in to Part 1 yet, we highly recommend catching up.

Here is the synopsis for Episode 36 (Part 1 - The Murder of James Jordan) below:

Jen takes us back to the early 1990’s with her athlete story this week and we couldn’t help but get a little nostalgic. The early 90’s was especially exciting for those of us who were Chicago Bulls fans as they were racking up championship after championship. Even if you weren’t big into basketball or the NBA growing up, you knew who Michael Jordan was. Everyone wanted to “Be Like Mike.” Kids across America were sporting Air Jordans and eating Wheaties for breakfast.

It was 1993…the year of the (1st) 3-peat for the Chicago Bulls. It was sure to have been one of the greatest highlights of Jordan’s career. Sadly, just a few short weeks later…he would receive the heartbreaking news that his father, James Jordan had been murdered.

James was a wonderful, devoted father. He was a businessman who would travel the country to watch his son work his magic on the court from his time at the University of North Carolina to his career in the NBA. James, himself, was quite an athlete, as he had gone semi-pro in baseball back in his heyday.

Those close to James spoke highly of his character. He may have been the proud father of an iconic legend in the world of basketball and beyond…but he was humble and grounded, remaining true to his roots and his family.

Unfortunately, James Jordan’s tragic murder still remains shrouded in mystery. What really happened to James on that fateful day he decided to pull over and rest on the side of the Highway? Why was this man who was so loved by friends and family not reported as a missing person for 3 whole weeks?!

Jen’s Additional Sources For Part 2:

The Murder of Melissa James

May 03, 2021 by Tara Hardin in True Crime

Photo Credit: Ahmad Odah @ Unsplash

In this episode…Tara discusses the bizarre cover-up & murder of Melissa James. Her story will forever be intertwined with that of power couple, Craig Titus and Kelly Ryan, who were well known in the fitness world at one time. They also seemed to enjoy the dangerous side of Sin City, taking up a dangerous lifestyle of sex, drugs and partying.

In October of 2005, when a 911 call comes in reporting a car fire in the desert, it doesn’t sound all that unusual to the fire chief heading out to the scene. Car fires happen often enough out west, but when a body is found in the trunk of a high end Jaguar, that’s when things really start to heat up…

Tara’s Sources:

imdb.com: Wicked Attraction - “Built For Murder”

cbsnews.com

Yippee-Ki-Yay Mother F%&*#ers...DNA for the WIN

December 14, 2020 by Tara Hardin

Photo by: Josh Redd on Unsplash

Tara’s Episode Notes:

The 1979 case of a murdered 18-year-old baffled local police officers for decades, until they got a break from evidence the victim left behind.

In the early hours of December 20, 1979, the body of 18-year-old Michelle Martinko was found in her car in the parking lot of a mall in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. She was stabbed multiple times. The murder baffled investigators for several generations. As fate would have it…& with new technology in DNA and genealogical testing, in the end…Michelle would be the one that actually helped police solve her murder.

Article Source: CBS News: Jamie Yuccas Reports

Tara’s Episode Sources:

Wikipedia

The Gazette

USA Today

Little Village Mag - Source for the Parabon Nano Labs Photos of Jerry Burns we discuss in the podcast to compare with actual pics along with several photos of Michelle in her youth. RIP Sweet Girl.

The Los Feliz Murder House

December 07, 2020 by Tara Hardin

Photo Credit: Google Maps

2478 Glendower Place Listing on Trulia

Jen’s Episode Notes:

The story of Harold Perelson and the Los Feliz Murder House can be summed up in a passage from his copy of Dante’s Divine Comedy, left open on Perelson's nightstand on the night he murdered his wife and then took his own life:

Midway upon the journey of our life, I found myself within a forest dark, for the straightforward pathway had been lost…

At one point, Harold had it all: a flourishing career in medicine, a beautiful spouse, a loving family, and a palatial house in the Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles. Then, in the early morning hours of December 6th, 1959, neighbors awoke to the sound of Harold’s daughter Judye screaming and pounding at their door.

When the police finally arrived on the scene, they found Harold’s wife dead in her bed and Harold himself dead from a massive drug overdose—an apparent suicide.

But even after Harold Perelson was long gone and the surviving Perelson family members had scattered across the country, the so-called Los Feliz Murder House remained empty for decades. Now, despite passing into the hands of new owners, there are rumors that the place is more than just a monument to that horrific December night in 1959—some say it’s haunted.

Source: The Line-Up Article by Chris Mahon