Buried with Head Sticking Out of Ground: The Brutal Murder of Sam Holthaus

Kenneth McNally shot 59-year-old Samuel Holthaus in the face, tied an extension cord around his neck and the other end to the victim's pickup truck, dragged the mortally wounded man more than 300 feet, buried most of his body in a shallow grave, leaving his head sticking out from the ground. Joseph Scott Morgan and Dave Mack discuss the death of a well-liked man, Samuel Holthaus, by a man who was on probation for attacking a dog with an axe.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As a child, he was the sensational frontman of the Jackson 5 who was accused of the most heinous crimes against children. As a man, his career sales figures haven't been matched by anyone: The only artist with five solo studio albums that each sold more than 20 million. His album "Thriller" is still the best-selling album of all time with over 70 million sold. In the first year after his death, he sold more than 75 million records worldwide. His death is often viewed as a “sad ending” for a “troubled man,” but the truth is Michael Jackson was MURDERED! Joseph Scott Morgan and Dave Mack discuss the shocking homicide of the man once dubbed “the King of Pop” by a man who swore to “do no harm.”  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

His talent made him a first-round pick of the New York Jets in the NFL. His use of the term "stabby looking wounds" would make him the butt of a lot of jokes in locker rooms around the country if he wasn’t accused of murdering his girlfriend!  Joseph Scott Morgan and Dave Mack take a look at the case of accused killer,  Darron Lee, a 30-year-old football player who had the talent to be an all-pro but may very well end up being "all-CON", as in "convict".  Lee is accused of killing his girlfriend,  Gabriella Pepetuo, in their home in Ooltewah, Tennessee.  The professor explains the autopsy report that documents 12 different injuries including a broken neck, severe brain trauma, stab Wounds to her legs, bruising across her body, a large bite mark on her shoulder, a large bite mark on her thigh, and significant facial trauma. Prosecutors claim Darron Lee inflicted the injuries on Gabriella - Darron Lee says Gabriella had narcolepsy and hurt herself after she fell asleep in the shower.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On Easter Sunday, the community of Troy, Indiana is rocked with a shocking home explosion and fire that kills three people.  Before the police investigation was complete or charges filed, the father of one of the victims filed a Civil Wrongful Death lawsuit against Colton Cissell, Kenneth Cissell, and Roberta Cissell. Joseph Scott Morgan and Dave Mack explain how homemade fireworks and explosives led to the deadly explosion and fire that claimed the lives of three;  Ayden Hendrickson, 19, Madeleine (Maddie) Cissell/Maxeiner, 18, and Paisley Nishwitz, 12.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A homeless man tells a local artist in Deshong Park in Chester, Pennsylvania, he knows where a body is buried in the park. The artist passes along the information to law enforcement and days after the homeless man approached the artist with a crazy story about a body buried in the park, investigators find the remains of a decomposed corpse buried in a shallow grave. The victims fingertips had been removed and the decomposed remains had been buried for at least three months, making identification difficult. Joseph Scott Morgan and Dave Mack investigate the remains found in the park, take a close look at the "finder" and explain how Othram used Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing to change the name of the deceased from "Jane Doe" to Dorraine Wilkins.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lompoc, California police respond to a report of a father and son fighting.  While traveling to the address, officers get another 911 call from someone stating the father was being beaten-up by the son. Arriving on scene, police are prevented from entering the home by Joseph Garcia Jr. Looking through a window, officers see 68-year-old Joseph Garcia Sr sitting in his recliner, holding his dog, Charlie. Before officers are able to gain entry into the home, Garcia Jr throws Tiki Torch Fluid on his father and Charlie, then lights them on fire. Officers make forced entry into the home and find Joseph Garcia Sr "engulfed" in flames. Officers immediately put the fire out, but Garcia Sr suffers second and third-degree burns to 35 percent of his body. Joseph Scott Morgan and Dave Mack breakdown the events that led up to the fire and Professor Morgan goes into detail about the injuries suffered by Joseph Garcia Sr and how, after 10 days of excruciating pain, Joseph Garcia Sr, dies, and his son, Joseph Garcia Jr, charged with First-Degree Murder.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

37-year-old mother of four, Crystal Rasch, vanishes into thin air. The last time she was seen was on surveillance video as she and her estranged husband, Zachariah Rasch, go out to eat and run errands around town. Crystal is reported missing by her stepmother and investigators interview Zachariah Rasch since he was the last person known to see Crystal before she disappeared.  It turns out Crystal's soon-to-be ex-husband lies to investigators about using Crystal's personal bank account and debit card as he makes hundreds of dollars in purchases after the date Crystal was last seen. Zachariah is captured on surveillance video using Crystal's debit card without Crystal being present. This leads investigators to search Zachariah Rasch's property that includes an active "burn pile". Joseph Scott Morgan and Dave Mack take a look at what investigators uncovered in the "Missing Person" case and how a single tooth found in the burn pile turned into a charge of first-degree homicide.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Michaela Rylaarsdam, an Only Fans content creator, and Michael Dale become friendly online and agree to get together for some "fetish" fun. Dale tells Rylaarsdam he wants to have some very specific things done to him during their encounter including the use of gorilla glue to close his eyes shut, ladies boots glued to his feet, and many other things that eventually take place. Joseph Scott Morgan and Dave Mack pull the curtain back on the BDSM community and examine the result of the encounter between Rylaarsdam and Dale that ended with Rylaarsdam in a jail cell and Dale in a casket.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Chelsea, Massachusetts, November 2000, the mutilated remains of a young woman are found in a parking lot behind a home for disabled veterans.  The head and hands of the remains are missing, but investigators find surveillance video of the possible killer dropping off the remains in the parking lot. Using the video, investigators are able to identify and arrest a suspect in the homicide, Eugene McCollum.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The New Hampshire Supreme Court overturned the second-degree murder conviction of Adam Montgomery in the death of his 5-year-old daughter, Harmony Montgomery. Joseph Scott Morgan and Dave Mack go over the case file to try and determine why the Supreme Court of New Hampshire made the decision to overturn the conviction and what will happen next. The body of Harmony Montgomery was only 5 when she vanished, her remains have never been recovered.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.