Episode 306: Moe The Chimp

Today, we are sharing part one of a two-part series from the award-winning true crime podcast RedHanded, hosted by Suruthi Bala and Hannah Maguire. RedHanded is the UK's #1 True Crime podcast, covering everything from high-profile murders and cults to con artists and cultural catastrophes, always asking not just what happened, but why.In part one, Suruthi and Hannah dive into the case of Kouri Richins, a Utah mother who published a children's book about grief after her husband Eric died in what was ruled an accidental overdose. Just a month after appearing on local TV to promote it, Kouri was arrested and charged with murdering Eric herself. Was she a grieving wife trying to rebuild her family's life, or a Black Widow who plotted to poison her husband for his money? Head over to RedHanded to catch part two, where Hannah and Suruthi pull apart the trial and discuss how Kouri unwittingly destroyed her own defence while trying to outwit the prosecution.Follow and listen to more episodes of RedHanded here:  https://link.mgln.ai/xyAtHU

St. James and LaDonna Davis raised a chimpanzee named Moe in their home from infancy until he was in his 30s. After an incident, Moe was removed from the Davis’s home forcing them to visit Moe at the facility he was being held in. In March of 2005, while celebrating Moe’s birthday at the Animal Haven Ranch, LaDonna and St. James would be viciously attacked, however Moe wouldn’t be behind the mauling.

On November 10, 2012 a natural gas explosion occurred at a home in the Richmond Hill neighborhood in Indianapolis. The massive explosion leveled Monserrate “Moncy” Shirley’s home, heavily damaged dozens of surrounding homes, and resulted in severe injuries for individuals in the area and the deaths of her next door neighbors. At the time of the explosion, Monserrate and her boyfriend Mark Leonard, were away for the night at a casino, Shirly’s 12-year-old daughter was staying with friends, and they had boarded their cat snowball for the weekend. Given the severity of the explosion and the suspicious circumstances, investigators believed there was foul play involved and quickly uncovered the shocking truth.

This week we're discussing some truly terrifying reddit stories both criminal and paranormal! Prepared to be unsettled!

On October 31, 1984, 31-year-old Doreen Erbert, who was eight months pregnant, was brutally murdered in her San Jose home by a masked intruder. Doreen's 4-year-old daughter Deanna was the only witness and survivor of the crime, telling investigators the "big bad wolf" had come into her home and hurt her mother. Investigators were at first skeptical of the statement of a child so young, however they would soon find out that Deanna's account wasn't just a product of her imagination. This crime quickly became one of the most shocking and gruesome in California’s history.

In Part 2 we'll discuss each of the cult members' breaking points, how they got away, and how Larry Ray was his own undoing. 

After their freshman year of college, a friend group decided they'd all live together for their sophomore year. Early into the year, one of their roommates, Talia Ray, informed the house that her father was getting out of prison and she was so excited for him to finally visit. When Larry Ray first arrived, it seemed like he made a real positive change in some of their lives with his advice and guidance. However what followed was a decade-long web of conspiracy, emotional turmoil, psychological and physical abuse.

In May 2023, a small plane carrying a mother, her four children (ages 13, 9, 4, and 11 months), and two other adults crashed into the dense Amazon rainforest. The adult passengers didn’t survive the impact, however the children walked away from the crash and survived 40 days in the jungle. An unprecedented rescue mission was launched for the children which combined every tool at the Colombian Military’s disposal and the invaluable tracking skills and ancient knowledge of Indigenous volunteers.

In August of 1981, Tami Ennis believed she’d be spending a relaxing afternoon on a sailboat with friends, however after a few seemingly minor setbacks, Tami and the group were left stranded in the ocean clinging to a sinking boat. After a tense night out on the water, Tami told the group they needed to attempt to swim to shore. Tami not only successfully swam multiple miles back to shore, but also witnessed the terrifying moment her friend was attacked and killed by a shark. 

Daniel Perez, who went by the alias "Lou Castro", claimed to be an immortal, centuries-old angel with supernatural powers. He could predict the future, raise the dead, change the weather and more. His followers believed “Lou” had these supernatural abilities because on more than one occasion, he correctly predicted when a member would pass away. But in reality, the only reason he knew when certain people were going to die was because he was the one responsible.