Dark Stranger: The Crimes of Earle Leonard Nelson

There’s an old saying that if you hear hoofbeats, you should think horses, not zebras. It means that in most situations, the simplest, most likely explanation is probably the right one. But you know we deal in “stranger than fiction” here, folks, and sometimes you turn around expecting horses and you get a stampeding herd of zebras instead. Things are not always what they seem at first glance. And today, we’ll tell you two stories where digging down below the surface pulled investigators through the looking glass, and into the strangest cases they’d ever seen.Join Katie and Whitney, plus the hosts of Last Podcast on the Left, Sinisterhood, and Scared to Death, on the very first CRIMEWAVE true crime cruise! Get your fan code now--tickets go on sale February 7: CrimeWaveatSea.com/CAMPFIRESource:https://fox11online.com/news/local/man-accused-of-faking-his-own-death-to-face-another-status-conference-ryan-borgwardt-green-lake-county-kayak-europe-charges-obstruction-restitution-search-missinghttps://www.wmtv15news.com/2025/06/04/another-status-conference-scheduled-wisconsin-man-accused-faking-his-death/https://www.milwaukeemag.com/what-happened-to-the-kayaker-who-faked-his-drowning-in-green-lake/https://spectrumnews1.com/wi/milwaukee/news/2024/11/21/ryan-borgwardt--wisconsin-kayaker--fake-deathInvestigation Discovery's "Forensic Files" episode "Grave Danger"NBC's "Dateline," episode "Bodies of Evidence"https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/man-burned-alive-no-limbs-33703446Follow us, campers!Patreon (join to get all episodes ad-free, at least a day early, an extra episode a month, and a free sticker!): https://patreon.com/TrueCrimeCampfirehttps://www.truecrimecampfirepod.com/Facebook: True Crime CampfireInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/truecrimecampfire/?hl=enTwitter: @TCCampfire https://twitter.com/TCCampfireEmail: [email protected]! https://true-crime-campfire.myspreadshop.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime-campfire--4251960/support.

There’s a saying that goes, “All regulations are written in blood.” And it’s true. If given the opportunity, companies will cut corners and find loopholes to make their jobs easier or cheaper or skirt some kind of oversight. And when it all goes wrong, when there’s blood on their hands, when there’s a dozen microphones in their face, the people in charge always look contrite. And that’s infuriating, isn’t it? The mundanity of that kind of evil. They wanted to save a couple of bucks and now people are dead and hurt and they’re sorry. Today, we’re talking about two cases where hundreds of people lost their lives because some bigwig at the top didn’t like the idea of spending a little more money. These stories will make your blood boil! Join Katie and Whitney, plus the hosts of Last Podcast on the Left, Sinisterhood, and Scared to Death, on the very first CRIMEWAVE true crime cruise! Get your fan code now--tickets go on sale February 7: CrimeWaveatSea.com/CAMPFIRESources:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErzjQIGit_0https://bostonfirehistory.org/the-story-of-the-cocoanut-grove-fire/http://ampoleagle.com/polish-kid-endures-years-of-fire-falsities-p16302-152.htm https://mgriblog.org/2022/11/28/how-the-cocoanut-grove-fire-changed-burn-care-at-mass-general-and-beyond/https://www.deseret.com/utah/2024/11/28/deseret-news-archives-coconut-grove-nightclub-fire-resulted-in-492-deaths/https://insights.taylorduma.com/post/102k197/how-bostons-coconut-grove-fire-changed-the-law#:~:text=On%20that%20night%20492%20lives,broken%20bones%20to%20pulmonary%20edema.https://www.jlconline.com/projects/remodeling-historic-preservation/the-cocoanut-grove-fire-lessons-learned_ohttps://storyfunding.kakao.com/episode/611https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22079499/ https://www.engr.psu.edu/ae/thesis/failures/MKP/failures/failures.wikispaces.com/Sampoong_Department_Store.htmlhttp://koreaherald.com/article/3188019 https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2015/may/27/seoul-sampoong-department-store-disaster-history-cities-50-buildingsCollapse: When Buildings Fall Down by Phillip Wearne https://www.britannica.com/event/Sampoong-Department-Store-collapse https://sandyriverreview.com/2025/04/11/the-sampoong-mall-collapse-how-greed-led-to-south-koreas-largest-peacetime-disaster/Disastrous History on TikTokhttps://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2003/10/06/economy/Lee-Joon-81-convicted-in-Sampoong-deaths/2040664.htmlFollow us, campers!Patreon (join to get all episodes ad-free, at least a day early, an extra episode a month, and a free sticker!): https://patreon.com/TrueCrimeCampfirehttps://www.truecrimecampfirepod.com/Facebook: True Crime CampfireInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/truecrimecampfire/?hl=enTwitter: @TCCampfire https://twitter.com/TCCampfireEmail: [email protected]! https://true-crime-campfire.myspreadshop.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime-campfire--4251960/support.

In last week’s episode, we learned about the troubled early life of Earle Nelson, and witnessed his first steps towards becoming one of the most prolific serial killers in North American history. This week, his journey of mayhem across America really kicks into high gear. Join us for part 2 of this terrifying true story.Join Katie and Whitney, plus the hosts of Last Podcast on the Left, Sinisterhood, and Scared to Death, on the very first CRIMEWAVE true crime cruise! Get your fan code now--tickets go on sale February 7: CrimeWaveatSea.com/CAMPFIRESources:Bestial by Harold SchechterThe Laughing Gorilla by Robert GraysmithFollow us, campers!Patreon (join to get all episodes ad-free, at least a day early, an extra episode a month, and a free sticker!): https://patreon.com/TrueCrimeCampfirehttps://www.truecrimecampfirepod.com/Facebook: True Crime CampfireInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/truecrimecampfire/?hl=enTwitter: @TCCampfire https://twitter.com/TCCampfireEmail: [email protected]! https://true-crime-campfire.myspreadshop.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime-campfire--4251960/support.

If you think about the 1920s in the United States, a few things might come to mind—jazz, prohibition, Babe Ruth, and, right at the end, the Wall Street Crash. And if you think of crime, you probably think of Al Capone, bootlegging, and fast-talking wise guys with Tommy guns. But the 1920s were also in some ways the nation’s introduction to crimes that could shock and horrify the entire country. Leopold and Loeb’s thrill killing, the kidnapping and murder of the Lindbergh baby, the utter horror of child-killer and cannibal Albert Fish. And possibly the most prolific killer of the decade was a man whose strange desires sent him on a trail of murder all across a continent.Join Katie and Whitney, plus the hosts of Last Podcast on the Left, Sinisterhood, and Scared to Death, on the very first CRIMEWAVE true crime cruise! Get your fan code now--tickets go on sale February 7: CrimeWaveatSea.com/CAMPFIRESources:Bestial by Harold SchechterThe Laughing Gorilla by Robert GraysmithFollow us, campers!Patreon (join to get all episodes ad-free, at least a day early, an extra episode a month, and a free sticker!): https://patreon.com/TrueCrimeCampfirehttps://www.truecrimecampfirepod.com/Facebook: True Crime CampfireInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/truecrimecampfire/?hl=enTwitter: @TCCampfire https://twitter.com/TCCampfireEmail: [email protected]! https://true-crime-campfire.myspreadshop.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime-campfire--4251960/support.

I saw a meme one time that said, “It’s funny how sometimes the people you’d take a bullet for are the ones behind the trigger.” Most of the time that’s just a metaphor, a way to describe the way it feels when a loved one betrays you. But not always. Sometimes betrayals come written in blood—and more often than not, from somebody you loved and trusted. You couldn’t find a clearer example of that than this week’s case, a story where two of the most powerful forces in the world—love and greed—clash, and three innocent people end up paying the price.Join Katie and Whitney, plus the hosts of Last Podcast on the Left, Sinisterhood, and Scared to Death, on the very first CRIMEWAVE true crime cruise! Get your fan code now--tickets go on sale February 7: CrimeWaveatSea.com/CAMPFIRESources:CNBC's "American Greed," episode "Blood Relatives"OU Daily: https://www.oudaily.com/news/former-ou-student-alan-hruby-to-serve-three-life-sentences-for-family-murders/article_694a7d1e-e6f6-11e5-9140-5bdaa97cf79f.htmlOU Daily: https://www.oudaily.com/news/university-explains-precautions-taken-during-duncan-murders-investigation/article_f6e27d1a-5643-11e4-910c-001a4bcf6878.htmlOU Daily: https://www.oudaily.com/news/alan-hruby-gave-a-fake-name-when-he-was-pulled/article_c5de1850-5b02-11e4-b5ea-001a4bcf6878.htmlJim Fisher: https://jimfishertruecrime.blogspot.com/2014/10/the-alan-hruby-murder-case-in-cold.htmlThe Lawton Constitution: https://www.swoknews.com/police-find-pistol-linked-to-hruby-case/article_af4bb9d6-dbd4-5c4f-80fa-ee8b5f5342b9.htmlFollow us, campers!Patreon (join to get all episodes ad-free, at least a day early, an extra episode a month, and a free sticker!): https://patreon.com/TrueCrimeCampfirehttps://www.truecrimecampfirepod.com/Facebook: True Crime CampfireInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/truecrimecampfire/?hl=enTwitter: @TCCampfire https://twitter.com/TCCampfireEmail: [email protected]! https://true-crime-campfire.myspreadshop.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime-campfire--4251960/support.

Motivational speakers started really gaining popularity in the 70s and 80s, the golden age of “self-help.” And in recent years, they’ve been even more in-demand, especially in the business world. You can’t swing a dead cat these days without hitting some self-proclaimed entrepreneurial guru who claims to have the formula for success and would be happy to share it with you, if you sign up for their seminar for the low-low price of thousands of dollars. Or buy their TikTok course. But you don’t have to get certified or trained to be a motivational speaker, and their industry is almost totally unregulated—meaning, anybody with a megawatt smile and a catchphrase can do it. And according to a Harvard study, most of these guys focus more on entertaining you than teaching you the way to win. It all makes you wonder—are the ones who claim to have all the answers really so enlightened? Well, today we’re gonna tell you about two who most definitely weren’t.Join Katie and Whitney, plus the hosts of Last Podcast on the Left, Sinisterhood, and Scared to Death, on the very first CRIMEWAVE true crime cruise! Get your fan code now--tickets go on sale February 7: CrimeWaveatSea.com/CAMPFIRESources:True Crime with Aphrodite Jones, S3E4, “Chosen to Kill” https://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/25/nyregion/25speaker.html https://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/19/nyregion/man-seeks-plea-deal-at-retrial-in-assisted-suicide-of-long-island-counselor.html?searchResultPosition=2 https://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/04/nyregion/new-trial-for-man-who-helped-motivational-speaker-kill-himself.html?searchResultPosition=3 https://archive.nytimes.com/cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/04/04/killer-of-l-i-motivational-speaker-is-sentenced/?searchResultPosition=6CNBC's American Greed, Episode "Making a Killing"Court papers: https://www.casemine.com/judgement/us/5914e231add7b049348ef740/amphttps://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/national/2009/08/02/several-questions-remain-in-investors-disappearance/2a3002f5-3c83-4c8d-8e1a-c0f115273394/https://patch.com/california/sanclemente/shawkey-admits-his-stories-sound-unbelievableFollow us, campers!Patreon (join to get all episodes ad-free, at least a day early, an extra episode a month, and a free sticker!): https://patreon.com/TrueCrimeCampfirehttps://www.truecrimecampfirepod.com/Facebook: True Crime CampfireInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/truecrimecampfire/?hl=enTwitter: @TCCampfire https://twitter.com/TCCampfireEmail: [email protected]! https://true-crime-campfire.myspreadshop.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime-campfire--4251960/support.

Nobody likes to be embarrassed. More often than not, people are kind of weird in one way or another, have some secret history or fascination they’d hate to have dragged out into the light of day. It’s normal. What’s less normal is just how far some people will go to avoid their embarrassing secrets coming out…even to the point of murder.Join Katie and Whitney, plus the hosts of Last Podcast on the Left, Sinisterhood, and Scared to Death, on the very first CRIMEWAVE true crime cruise! Get your fan code now--tickets go on sale February 7: CrimeWaveatSea.com/CAMPFIRESources:Blood Will Tell by Carlton SmithPalo Alto Online: https://www.paloaltoonline.com/news/2013/11/30/palo-alto-murderer-dies-after-compassionate-parole/ SFGate: https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/FITZHUGH-CONVICTED-Palo-Alto-jury-rejects-2892363.phpFollow us, campers!Patreon (join to get all episodes ad-free, at least a day early, an extra episode a month, and a free sticker!): https://patreon.com/TrueCrimeCampfirehttps://www.truecrimecampfirepod.com/Facebook: True Crime CampfireInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/truecrimecampfire/?hl=enTwitter: @TCCampfire https://twitter.com/TCCampfireEmail: [email protected]! https://true-crime-campfire.myspreadshop.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime-campfire--4251960/support.

The heart has been the subject of mythology for humanity for centuries. Egyptians believed that in the afterlife, your heart was weighed against a feather and if all your life’s sins didn’t outweigh the feather, you could join Osiris in the afterlife. If it was heavier, your heart was consumed by Amuut, a demon, and your soul disappeared forever. Ancient Greeks believed that the heart was the anchor of the soul and instinctively thought it was the source of heat for the body. Cultures all over the world recognized the importance of the heart, before even realizing how crucial it was to survival. Today’s case is about matters of the heart, both literally and figuratively. A heart surgeon’s wife is murdered in her locked house, shot through her heart in the middle of their nasty divorce and when the police find mounds of evidence, it all seems to lead them nowhere.Join Katie and Whitney, plus the hosts of Last Podcast on the Left, Sinisterhood, and Scared to Death, on the very first CRIMEWAVE true crime cruise! Get your fan code now--tickets go on sale February 7: CrimeWaveatSea.com/CAMPFIRESources:https://www.bestplaces.net/city/pennsylvania/williamsport https://www.pennlive.com/news/2016/01/heart_surgeon_convicted_of_kil.htmlInvestigation Discovery's "A Perfect Murder," episode "Heart Shot"CBS's 48 Hours, episode "A Shot in the Dark"Follow us, campers!Patreon (join to get all episodes ad-free, at least a day early, an extra episode a month, and a free sticker!): https://patreon.com/TrueCrimeCampfirehttps://www.truecrimecampfirepod.com/Facebook: True Crime CampfireInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/truecrimecampfire/?hl=enTwitter: @TCCampfire https://twitter.com/TCCampfireEmail: [email protected]! https://true-crime-campfire.myspreadshop.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime-campfire--4251960/support.

If there’s one thing that gets people’s blood pumpin’, it’s sports. All over the world on any given day, you can find people getting into passionate arguments about whose team has a better chance of making the playoffs, or the finals, or the World Cup or whatever. Sometimes there are fisticuffs involved! There are pubs in Scotland where you’re not allowed to wear your football team colors, for fear of a brawl breaking out. In my hometown, when our college team won a big basketball game, people would celebrate by turning over cars and setting stuff on fire. Parents often treat their elementary school kids’ Little League games like the fate of the free world is at stake. My point is, people get INTENSE about this stuff. And things can get real, real weird. This week, we bring you two stories that exemplify that weirdness.Case 1: The Wild Lies of Kevin Hart. Case 2: The Cleveland Ten-Cent Beer Night Riot.Join Katie and Whitney, plus the hosts of Last Podcast on the Left, Sinisterhood, and Scared to Death, on the very first CRIMEWAVE true crime cruise! Get your fan code now--tickets go on sale February 7: CrimeWaveatSea.com/CAMPFIRESources:https://www.espn.com/espn/eticket/story?page=kevinhart&redirected=true https://www.espn.com/college-sports/recruiting/football/story/_/id/7525340/kevin-hart-recruit-lied-california-golden-bears-sign-missouri-western-stateCleveland Magazine Archives: https://clevelandmagazine.com/in-the-cle/terminal/articles/1974-cheap-beers-cause-mayhemCleveland Magazine: https://clevelandmagazine.com/in-the-cle/sports/articles/10-cent-beer-night-an-oral-history-of-cleveland-baseball's-most-infamous-nightNew York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5528679/2024/06/03/cleveland-10-cent-beer-night-50-anniversary/YouTube Channel Kristian Crow, "The Absolute Chaos of Ten Cent Beer Night" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2ZTGtMFVT8Follow us, campers!Patreon (join to get all episodes ad-free, at least a day early, an extra episode a month, and a free sticker!): https://patreon.com/TrueCrimeCampfirehttps://www.truecrimecampfirepod.com/Facebook: True Crime CampfireInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/truecrimecampfire/?hl=enTwitter: @TCCampfire https://twitter.com/TCCampfireEmail: [email protected]! https://true-crime-campfire.myspreadshop.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime-campfire--4251960/support.

A young woman found naked and dead in the water. A diary that held clues to a secret life. Dark truths hidden behind suburban walls, and a mind at war with itself. This week we have a tale of mystery and madness where the borders of reality itself start to crumble.Join Katie and Whitney, plus the hosts of Last Podcast on the Left, Sinisterhood, and Scared to Death, on the very first CRIMEWAVE true crime cruise! Get your fan code now--tickets go on sale February 7: CrimeWaveatSea.com/CAMPFIRESources:Deadly Whispers by Ted SchwarzInvestigation Discovery's "Swamp Murders," S1E1, “Multiple Personalities”UPI archives: https://www.upi.com/Archives/1988/11/11/Video-shows-accused-killer-as-Satan/7506595227600/Court paperwork: https://law.justia.com/cases/north-carolina/supreme-court/1991/38a89-0.html Follow us, campers!Patreon (join to get all episodes ad-free, at least a day early, an extra episode a month, and a free sticker!): https://patreon.com/TrueCrimeCampfirehttps://www.truecrimecampfirepod.com/Facebook: True Crime CampfireInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/truecrimecampfire/?hl=enTwitter: @TCCampfire https://twitter.com/TCCampfireEmail: [email protected]! https://true-crime-campfire.myspreadshop.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime-campfire--4251960/support.