Episode 619: Peter Bryan

On April 25, 2004, Broadmoor Hospital inmate Peter Bryan attacked a killed fellow inmate Richard Loudwell, a man awaiting sentencing for the murder of an eighty-two-year-old woman. The fact that the murder occurred in England’s most famous and supposedly secure psychiatric hospital was shocking, but more shocking was that this was Bryan’s third murder, and the second in as many months. Indeed, just two months earlier, while he was under the care of doctors and social workers in an open in-patient mental health hospital, Bryan left the facility in February and a few hours later he’d killed, dismembered, and partially cannibalized forty-three-year-old Brian Cherry.Peter Bryan’s murders were highly sensationalized by the press, particularly the tabloids, who fueled the ongoing moral panic over the abysmal state of England’s mental health system. While the reporting did little more than exacerbate the public’s growing anger with the government, they nonetheless highlighted a very important question everyone wanted answered: How was a man with Bryan’s mental health and criminal history able to get released institutional care, and moreover, why was he not under surveillance when he murdered a third time—this time in heavily guarded psychiatric hospital?ReferencesBennetto, Jason. 2005. "Care in the community patient sought `buzz' from killing and eating his victims." The Independent, March 16.Bowcott, Owen. 2009. "Cannibal who killed three had seemed normal, NHS finds." The Guardian, September 3.Chelsea News. 1994. "Grudge ended in murder." Chelsea News, March 3: 1.Cheston, Paul. 2005. "Cannibal set free to kill in London." London Evening Standard, March 15.Feller, Grant. 1993. "Police hunt evil King's Road murderer." Chelsea News, March 24: 3.Garvey, Geoff, and Peter Dobbie. 1993. "Girl battered to death in King's Road." Evening Standard (London, England), March 19: 73.Mishcon, Jane, Tim Exworthy, Stuart Wix, and Mike Lindsay. 2009. Independent Inquiry into the Care and Treatment of Peter Bryan - Part I. Mental Health Treatment Review, London, England: National Health Service (NHS).Raif, Shenai, and Andrew Barrow. 2005. "Triple-killer 'cannibal' told: you'll never be freed." The Independent, March 14.Tendler, Stewart, and Laura Peek. 2004. "Cannibal fears after body found cut apart." The Times (London, England), February 19.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

At first glance, there wasn’t much to the mild and unassuming Jerry Brudos; however, when investigators looked into his background, they discovered several arrests for theft, prowling, and sexual assault. And the more they learned about Brudos’ life, the more certain they became that he was the man they were looking for.Ultimately, Jerry Brudos was convicted of the murders of Jan Whitney, Karen Sprinker, and Linda Salee and given three life sentences. His capture and incarceration were a big relief to the women of Oregon, but his cooperation with law enforcement and the FBI would prove invaluable as the latter established what would eventually become the Behavioral Analysis Unit.ReferencesAssociated Press. 1969. "Fisherman's grim discovery started search for slayer." Albany Democrat-Herald, June 30: 21.—. 1969. "Coed provided first lead in murder case." Oregonian, June 4: 11.Capital Journal. 1969. "Salem student, 19, feared kidnaped." Capital Journal, March 29: 1.Carbonell, Dan De. 2006. "36 years later, killer's death relieves victims' families." Statesman Journal (Salem Oregon), March 29: 2.Leibman, Faith H. 1989. "Serial Murderers: Four Case Histories." Federal Probation 41-45.Long, James. 1969. "Photo found in Brudos' home shows girl hanging by rope." Oregon Daily Journal, June 7: 1.Morrison, Allen. 1969. "Brudos tells of attacks, killings." Oregon Statesman , June 28: 1.—. 1969. "Indicted in death of Miss Sprinkler." Statesman Journal (Salem, Oregon), June 5: 1.Olmos, Robert. 1969. "Crews widen river search for clues in girls murders." Oregonian , May 15: 19.Oregon Journal. 1968. "2 teen-age girls missing." Oregon Daily Journal, February 6: J7.Oregonian. 1968. "Help sought in search." Oregonian, December 23: 24.—. 1969. "Office aide disappears ." Oregonian, April 26: 14.Painter, John. 1969. "Sudden shift in plea signals end of trial." Oregonian , June 28: 1.—. 1969. "Tests stall state trial of Brudos." Oregonian, June 6: 1.Roby, Larry. 1969. "Parole agency explains eligibilty of Brudos." Capital Journal (Salem, Oregon), July 2: 15.—. 1969. "Judge discloses warrant details on Brudos." Capital Journal, June 6: 1.Rule, Ann. 1983. Lust Killer. New York, NY: Random House.Statesman Journal. 1969. "Brudos home alleged site of 2 slayings." Staesman Journal (Salem, Oregon), June 18: 1.Wong, James. 1969. "Somebody probably saw Linda Salee's killer--but will the person speak up?" Oregon Daily Journal , May 15: 5.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Over the course of 1968 and well into 1969, several young women in Salem, Oregon went missing and would later turn up dead—all murdered and showing signs of having been tortured. Many of the cases bore certain similarities, but it wasn’t until investigators questioned the friends of one of the victims, Karen Sprinker, that they came to identify a suspect and eventually arrested thirty-year-old Jerome “Jerry” Brudos.At first glance, there wasn’t much to the mild and unassuming Jerry Brudos; however, when investigators looked into his background, they discovered several arrests for theft, prowling, and sexual assault. And the more they learned about Brudos’ life, the more certain they became that he was the man they were looking for.Thank you to the Incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research and Writing support!ReferencesAssociated Press. 1969. "Fisherman's grim discovery started search for slayer." Albany Democrat-Herald, June 30: 21.—. 1969. "Coed provided first lead in murder case." Oregonian, June 4: 11.Capital Journal. 1969. "Salem student, 19, feared kidnaped." Capital Journal, March 29: 1.Carbonell, Dan De. 2006. "36 years later, killer's death relieves victims' families." Statesman Journal (Salem Oregon), March 29: 2.Leibman, Faith H. 1989. "Serial Murderers: Four Case Histories." Federal Probation 41-45.Long, James. 1969. "Photo found in Brudos' home shows girl hanging by rope." Oregon Daily Journal, June 7: 1.Morrison, Allen. 1969. "Brudos tells of attacks, killings." Oregon Statesman , June 28: 1.—. 1969. "Indicted in death of Miss Sprinkler." Statesman Journal (Salem, Oregon), June 5: 1.Olmos, Robert. 1969. "Crews widen river search for clues in girls murders." Oregonian , May 15: 19.Oregon Journal. 1968. "2 teen-age girls missing." Oregon Daily Journal, February 6: J7.Oregonian. 1968. "Help sought in search." Oregonian, December 23: 24.—. 1969. "Office aide disappears ." Oregonian, April 26: 14.Painter, John. 1969. "Sudden shift in plea signals end of trial." Oregonian , June 28: 1.—. 1969. "Tests stall state trial of Brudos." Oregonian, June 6: 1.Roby, Larry. 1969. "Parole agency explains eligibilty of Brudos." Capital Journal (Salem, Oregon), July 2: 15.—. 1969. "Judge discloses warrant details on Brudos." Capital Journal, June 6: 1.Rule, Ann. 1983. Lust Killer. New York, NY: Random House.Statesman Journal. 1969. "Brudos home alleged site of 2 slayings." Staesman Journal (Salem, Oregon), June 18: 1.Wong, James. 1969. "Somebody probably saw Linda Salee's killer--but will the person speak up?" Oregon Daily Journal , May 15: 5.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Just because October is over doesn't mean that Spooky Season needs to end!! Today, our friend Bridget Marquardt drops by to tell us about her NEW PODCAST-- "Ghost Bunny" available everywhere you find podcasts, NOW! On today's show Bridget shares spine tingling ghostly encounters she had, and Ash & Alaina talk about ABSOLUTELY TERRIFYING games that none of US would want to play... like ever! For more games, check out 'Dangerous Games to Play in the Dark' by Lucia Peters!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Weirdos! Are you ready to talk about Vampires? Today we are joined by the ICONIC actor Doug Jones, the nicest monster in Hollywood! He has played everyone from Billy Butcherson in the Hocus Pocus films, the Fawn & the Pale Man in Pan’s Labyrinth, to the Amphibian Man in the Academy Award winning film The Shape of Water, as well as the titular role in David Lee Fisher’s Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror available NOW on AppleTV, Amazon Prime, and other purchasing platforms! We ask him about his experience playing the hilarious Baron Afanas on What We Do in the Shadows which entered its final season on October 21st on FX! Ash tops off the episode telling us about a vampire legend from Poland. It has goat throwing! It has pacts with the devil! It has supernatural halitosis! It is the vampire story that keeps giving, hopefully, with the aid of our friend Dougie, will come to a theater near you at some point in the future! Looking for the Full story of Cuntius?? Visit https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/An_Antidote_Against_Atheism/Book_III/Chapter_IXSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Weirdos! It's *ACTUALLY* Halloween!!! Join us for a fresh batch of tales brought TO you, BY you, For you, FROM you, and ALLLLL about you! Today we have shadow men throwing ass, ghostly exes, sinister DIY masks, annoying kids scaring young treat or treaters, and Big Wave bringing it all home for you! AND as a special treat! Check out the VIDEO from this episode available on ALL platforms on 10/31/24!If you’ve got a listener tale please send it on over to [email protected] with “Listener Tales” somewhere in the subject line :)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In January 2014, a strange article appeared in the Indianapolis Star about Latoya Ammons, an Indiana single mother of three who claimed that for more than a year, she and her children were besieged by demons in their rented home. Ammons claimed, among other things, that the house was constantly infested with black flies, the children were levitated from their beds, and her nine-year-son became possessed and walked up a wall backwards. And that was only the beginning; by the end of just one year in the house, the Ammons family claim they were terrorized by all manner of supernatural assaults, from ghostly apparitions to demonic entities.    Latoya Ammons’ story might well have gone unnoticed, had it not been for the surprising number of witnesses to the paranormal events, from family and friends to police officers and social workers. Still, Latoya was not without her critics or skeptics—some accused her of fabricating the story to get out of her lease, while others assumed she was simply delusional. Regardless of the explanation for the cause of the events, there’s no denying that Latoya Ammons story is one of the most terrifying paranormal experiences heard in decades.Thank you to the Incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research and Writing support!ReferencesBiddle, Kenny. 2018. Demon House Deconstructed. May 21. Accessed September 30, 2024. https://skepticalinquirer.org/exclusive/demon-house-deconstructed/.Dawn, Randee. 2024. Is 'The Deliverance' based on a true story? August 30. Accessed September 30, 2024. https://www.today.com/popculture/movies/the-deliverance-true-story-latoya-ammons-rcna167984.Kwiatkowski, Marisa. 2014. "The exorcisms of Latoya Ammons." Indianapolis Star, January 26: A1.Maginot, Mike. 2012. "Report seeking permission of bishop for exorcism." Indianapolis Star. May 21. Accessed September 27, 2024. https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/1005721-report-to-bishop.html.Nickell, Joe. 2014. "The '200 demons' house: a skeptical demonologist's report." Skeptical Inquirer 20-24.Washington, Valerie. 2012. Intake officer's report of preliminary inquiry and investigation. Intake report, Indianapolis, IN: Indiana Department of Children's Services.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On the afternoon of February 9, 1958, a complaint was called into Long Island’s seventh police precinct regarding a series of “strange occurrences” taking place in the caller’s home. According to the caller, Lucille Herrmann, for nearly a week the caps and lids of bottles in the basement had been popping off inexplicably, while other bottles and containers were tipping over and spilling their contents for no obvious reason. Elsewhere in the house, items were flying off shelves without the aid of human hands, and toys were breaking without explanation. Not only were the disturbances destructive to the Herrmann’s home and property, but they were also psychologically upsetting, since they seemed to be happening on their own.Lucille Herrmann’s call to the Seaford Police Department kicked off a two-month-long fascination with what many came to believe was genuine poltergeist activity in the Herrmann’s Long Island, NY home. What began as a simple call to the police for assistance quickly escalated into near daily media coverage and interest from a variety of paranormal investigators and skeptics, all determined to identify and explain the cause of the ostensibly supernatural occurrences in what became known as “the house of flying objects.”The Herrmann’s case of poltergeist activity is considered by many to be the first modern investigation into poltergeist disturbances and would serve as the inspiration for Stephen Spielberg’s 1982 horror film, Poltergeist. Despite the considerable attention, however, the case remains unexplained to this day.Thank you to the Incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research and Writing support!ReferencesAllen, Tom. 1958. "A haunted house is not a home." Daily News (New York, NY), March 9: 30.Aronson, Harvey. 1958. "Expert sees no hoax in bottle-popping." Newsday, March 7: 3.Associated Press. 1958. "Bottles--all kind--flip their tops." Democrat and Chronicle , February 11: 1.—. 1958. "Bottle tops rout pop." Elmira Star-Gazette, February 23: 1.—. 1958. "Bottles pop, Davy falls for angel." Press and Sun-Bulletin, February 17: 11.Dorman, Michael. 1987. "Ghost stories." Newsday, October 25: 9.Elmira Advertiser. 1958. "Herrmanns' house quiet." Elmira Advertiser, March 27: 4.Kahn, Dave. 1958. "Bottle-popping force shakes our reporter." Newsday, February 24: 3.—. 1958. "Bottle-popping report points to Jimmy." Newsday, May 15: 5.—. 1958. "Experts are working, bottle-pop force isn't." Newsday, February 27: 4.—. 1958. "Flying figurines drive family out of Seaford home." Newsday, February 22: 5.—. 1958. "Has the LI bottle-popping force popped its last." Newsday, March 17: 7.—. 1958. "Jimmy a bottle-popper? No, sasy father." Newsday, February 28: 5.—. 1958. "Our bottle-proper's decision: he's baffled." Newsday, February 25: 5.—. 1958. "'Spirit' gets rough, starts hurling things." Newsday, February 21: 5.—. 1958. "Two more bottles blow tops at LI house." Newsday, February 12: 4.Newsday. 1958. "All's quiet on the bottle front." Newsday, March 3: 5.—. 1958. "Clues remnmain cold in bottle mystery, but bottles get hot." Newsday, February 17: 5.—. 1958. "Expert ponders bottle popping." Newsday, February 15: 10.—. 1958. "Look out! Things are popping again." Newsday, March 4: 5.Nickell, Joe. 2012. The Science of Ghosts: Searching for Spirits of the Dead. Buffalo, NY: Prometheus Books.Roll, William G. 1976. The Poltergeist. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press.United Press. 1958. "Boy likely was spook, says expert." Press and Sun-Bulletin (Binghamton, NY), May 15: 25.Ziaman, Ronald. 1958. "Teen interviews." Brooklyn Daily, June 26: 14.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In the early hours of June 30, 1987, Boise resident Clinton Sparks was awoken by someone pounding frantically on his storm door. A moment later, Sparks heard a loud scream in the distance, and he went inside to call 911.Although he didn’t know it at the time, what Clinton Sparks heard was the last desperate cry of twenty-one-year-old Preston Murr, Two of Murr’s associates, Daniel Rodgers and Daron Cox, were arrested and tried and convicted for the murder.The trial and conviction should have been where the story ended, but for the house on Linden Street where the murder occurred, it was only the beginning. Since Murr’s tragic death more than thirty-five years ago, the house has become a source of local legends, with claims ranging from the appearance of ghostly apparitions to blood inexplicably dripping down the walls. As a result, Boise’s “Murder Mansion” has become known as one of the most haunted houses in America.Thank you to the Incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research and Writing support!!ReferencesEnsunsa, David. 1987. "Boisean held on drug charges has prison record." Idaho Statesman , July 2: 1.—. 1987. "Murder suspect cared for foster teens." Idaho Statesman, July 8: 1.—. 1987. "Sister says Rodgers, slaying victim fought over drugs, money." Idaho Statesman, July 8: 1.Fiorentino, Alyssa. 2022. The True Story of the Boise Murder House Is Straight Out of a Horror Movie.September 7. Accessed September 7, 2024. https://www.housebeautiful.com/lifestyle/a41059891/boise-murder-house/.Heart, Michelle. 2021. 7 chillding and real stories from Boise's infamous murder house. September 15. Accessed September 06, 2024. https://liteonline.com/7-chilling-and-real-stories-from-boises-infamous-murder-house/.—. 2024. Dare to enter? Boise's fascinating Murder House will open for public tours soon. May 23. Accessed September 7, 2024. https://liteonline.com/murder-house-tours/.—. 2017. Nightmare on my street: Boise's Murder House. October 5. Accessed September 5, 2024. https://liteonline.com/nightmare-on-my-street-boises-murder-house-video-2/.Idaho Statesman. 1988. "Fingerprints tied to murder victim." Idaho Statesman, March 10: 7.KBOI News. 2012. The Murder House: Is site of decades-old murder haunted? June 27. Accessed September 6, 2024. https://bakersfieldnow.com/news/nation-world/the-murder-house-is-site-of-decades-old-murder-haunted-11-17-2015.Lamay, Colleen. 1988. "Court told gun bore Rodgers' prints." Idaho Statesman, March 15: 10.McFarland, Kelsey. 2016. Murder house: Is site of decades old crime scene haunted. October 27. Accessed September 6, 2024. https://idahonews.com/news/local/murder-house-is-site-of-decades-old-crime-scene-haunted.Peterson, Anne, and Julie Stutts. 1987. "Police discover blood on street in southeast Boise." Idaho Statesman, July 1: 26.Pewitt, Jana. 1988. "Deal frees Cox of murder charge." Idaho Statesman, March 22: 13.—. 1988. "Nampa man says he found body parts." Idaho Statesman, March 11: 19.—. 1987. "Police: disposal of body recounted." Idaho Statesman, September 5: 15.—. 1988. "Rodgers' lawyer asks for mistrial." Idaho Statesman, March 8: 7.—. 1988. "Rodgers says blood sickens him." Idaho Statesman, March 18: 21.—. 1987. "Screams prompted call to police." Idaho Statesman, September 4: 9.—. 1988. "Crime lab expert testifies bullet in skull belonged to Rodgers' gun." Idahome Statesman, March 17: 19.Romine, Dannye. 1989. "She led two lives." Parade Magazine, June 25: 4-6.State of Idaho v. Daniel Rodgers. 1990. 17785 (Court of Appeals of Idaho, November 13).Stutts, Julie. 1987. "Ada to suspend 2 dispatchers over call." Idaho Statesman, July 16: 1.Stutts, Julie, and Jana Pewitt. 1988. "Verdict: Rodgers guilty of murder, dismemberment ." Idaho Statesman, March 19: 1.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On December 18, 1975, George and Kathy Lutz moved their family into their new house on Ocean Avenue in Amityville, NY, where, just one year earlier, Ronald DeFeo Jr. had murdered all six members of his family. Twenty-eight days later, the Lutz family fled the home, leaving behind all their belongings and vowing never to return again. According to the Lutzes, their time in the house on Ocean Avenue was a nightmare of psychic attacks and demonic activity that put them in fear for their lives.The supposed experience of the Lutz family served as the basis for the iconic haunted house story, The Amityville Horror, and the countless films adapted from or inspired by the original novel. However, unlike most other stories of paranormal experiences, The Amityville Horror became a phenomenon that influenced everything from Ronald DeFeo’s criminal defense to the American public’s belief in the supernatural. Yet for all their talk of it being a genuine story of demonic activity, in the years since the publication of The Amityville Horror, a large body of evidence from skeptical evaluations to court records and interview transcripts suggest that America’s most notorious haunted house might not have been quite so haunted after all.Thank you to the Incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research and Writing support!!ReferencesAnsen, Jay. 1978. The Amityville Horror. New York, NY: Bantam Books.Bartholomew, Robert, and Joe Nickell. 2016. "The Amityville Hoax at 40." Skeptic Magazine 8-12.Carter, A.J. 1976. "DeFeo house: legal twist." Newsday, February 17: 3.Drehsler, Alex, and Jim Scovel. 1977. "Fact or fiction." Newsday, November 17: 188.Gelder, Lawrence Van. 1977. "A real-life horror story." New York Times, October 9: L12.Lutz v. Hoffman et al. 1979. 77-032D-T (Southern District of California ).Nickell, Joe. 2003. "Amityville: The Horror of it All." Skeptical Inquirer 13-14.Nickell, Joe. 2009. "The questionable research of Hans Holzer, dean of ghost hunters (1920-2009)." Skeptical Inquirer 5-6.Schemo, Diane Jean. 1992. "'Amityville' prisoner says movie money tained defense." New York Times, June 25: B6.Snider, Jane. 1977. "New owners call house beautiful, not haunted ." Newsday, May 13: 23.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.