Siblings in Crime

Tina Brown was born into chaos—abuse, addiction, and survival were her only constants. But in 2010, that survival instinct took a deadly turn when her 19-year-old neighbor, Audreanna Zimmerman, was lured into a Florida trailer. The once-close group of girls began turning on each other, one by one, leaving behind a burning trail.In this weeks case of Siblings in Crime, we unpack the story behind one of Florida’s most haunting murders—from childhood trauma to courtroom testimony. Told in real time, this episode traces the unraveling of four lives—and the dying girl who spoke her killers’ names with her final breath.Sourceshttps://youtu.be/jl16HH-PVLc?si=SGpUwUr1DI3nvVzuhttps://supremecourt.flcourts.gov/content/download/381187/file/12-2159_InitialBriefMerits_42213.pdfhttps://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/20/20-7732/175305/20210409094436691_Brown%20SCOTUS%20Appendix.pdfhttps://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/2689191/tina-lasonya-brown-v-state-of-florida/https://www.yahoo.com/news/tina-brown-convicted-burning-woman-230353185.htmlhttps://weartv.com/news/local/pensacola-woman-accused-of-murder-as-a-teen-resentencedhttps://www.northescambia.com/2013/05/teen-sentenced-to-life-for-ensley-burning-deathhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Audreanna_Zimmermanhttps://law.justia.com/cases/florida/supreme-court/2020/sc19-704.html

In this week’s episode of Siblings in Crime, we dive into the chilling case of a job ad that promised hope—and delivered horror.Three men vanish after answering a Craigslist listing for a caretaker position on a remote Ohio farm. No one suspects foul play—until a fourth man emerges from the woods, wounded and terrified, with a story that turns the entire case upside down.As investigators follow the digital trail, they uncover a shocking plot, a stolen identity, and a teenage accomplice groomed into silence. With each layer peeled back, the line between manipulation and murder grows more twisted.This is the true story of trust exploited, second chances stolen, and the predator who used opportunity as bait.Sources:The Atlantic – “Advertisement for Murder” https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2013/09/advertisement-for-murder/309435GQ – “The Craigslist Killers” https://www.gq.com/story/craigslist-killersCBS News – Coverage of Richard Beasley’s trial https://www.cbsnews.com/news/craigslist-murder-case-prosecutors-present-evidence-against-richard-beasleyCourt News Ohio – Beasley resentencing & Supreme Court updates https://www.supremecourt.ohio.gov/rod/docs/pdf/0/2018/2018-ohio-493.pdfOxygen – “Craigslist Killer: How Richard Beasley Lured His Victims” https://www.oxygen.com/mastermind-of-murder/crime-news/craigslist-killer-richard-beasley-baited-victims-with-job-adPatch.com – Detective’s interview with Brogan Rafferty https://patch.com/ohio/stow/listen-detective-s-interview-with-brogan-rafferty-placd7de2fcd2ABC News – “Ohio Teen Brogan Rafferty Convicted in Craigslist Killings” https://abcnews.go.com/US/ohio-teen-brogan-rafferty-headed-trial-craigslist-killingsCourt filings and arrest records – Summit County & Supreme Court of Ohio https://www.supremecourt.ohio.govNational Organization of Victims of Juvenile Murderers – Brogan Rafferty Case Profile https://teenkillers.org/juvenile-lifers/offenders-cases-state/ohio-offenders/brogan-rafferty

Welcome to Siblings in Crime!In this week’s episode, we dive into the bizarre events of August 2016, when five members of an Australian family vanished without warning—only to reappear under even stranger circumstances.No phones. No passports. No plan.Over the next five days, they scattered across the country — abandoning cars, stealing vehicles, and hiding in the most unlikely places.What caused the Tromp family to flee?Were they running from something real — or something imagined?In this episode, we unravel one of Australia’s most unsettling and unexplained disappearances… where every answer only leads to more questions.SourcesThe Age – “This is why I left my family”: The Tromp family’s bizarre road tripThe Guardian – “Police baffled by mysterious disappearance of Tromp family”ABC News Australia – Timeline and interviews on the Tromp caseSydney Morning Herald – Psychological analysis of shared delusions in family cases7News Australia – Exclusive interviews with Mitchell Tromp and law enforcementPsychology Today – Understanding ‘Folie à Deux’ and its variantsThe Australian – “The road to nowhere: inside the Tromp mystery”BBC – Case overview and expert commentary on shared psychosis

In the spring of 2008, two friends head into the Appalachian wilderness for what should’ve been a quiet weekend of fishing. The kind of trip they’d taken countless times before—until a soft-spoken stranger named Ricky asks to share their campfire. What happens next will leave both men scrambling for their lives in the dead of night. But as the investigation unfolds, a chilling connection emerges: another set of hikers brutally murdered on the same trail nearly three decades earlier. In this episode, we follow two timelines—one of survival, one of silence—and expose the terrifying truth that had been hiding in plain sight for over 25 years.Sources:Strange Outdoors: The Appalachian Trail Murders of Robert Mountford Jr. and Laura Susan RamsayWashington Post: Blood on the Mountain: The Appalachian Trail MurdersUPI Archives: Randall Smith Guilty Plea and Psychological EvaluationMurderpedia: Randall Lee Smith Case SummaryInvestigation Discovery: Dead Silent – Hunted on the TrailNBC Dateline: Secrets in the Smoky MountainsCrime and Coffee Couple Podcast: Terror on the Appalachian TrailFordham Ram: The Chilling Case of the Appalachian Trail Killer

On a quiet autumn night in 2009, horror shattered the peaceful town of Mount Vernon, New Hampshire. In this heart wrenching episode of Siblings in Crime, we uncover the shocking true story of the brutal home invasion that took the life of 42-year-old Kimberly Cates and nearly claimed her 11-year-old daughter, Jaimie. This story is told with real quotes, shocking court records, and exposes the disturbing formation of the self-proclaimed gang called "Disciples of Destruction." With detailed planning, senseless violence and zero remorse, the group's actions stunned the little community- and the nation. Follow the investigation as detectives track down the killers through a single flashlight, jailhouse confessions, and the haunting words of a remorseless teen.Listen now as Jaimie Cates' strength becomes the most powerful legacy of all.Sources:https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/mont-vernon-new-hampshire-murder-kimberly-cates-jaimie-cates/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Kimberly_Cateshttps://youtu.be/Hd-jD35NqRM?si=1Cg4P75UQ9TdO-xBhttps://www.wmur.com/article/sentence-suspension-mont-vernon-quinn-glover/62694689https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/nh-man-convicted-of-killing-kimberly-cates-maiming-child-re-sentenced-to-life-in-prison/https://www.wmur.com/article/david-cates-my-life-changed-in-the-blink-of-an-eye/5193792https://www.wmur.com/article/survivor-jaimie-cates-makes-mark-in-college-sports/5193788https://www.wmur.com/article/mont-vernon-suspect-sends-angry-letter-to-newspaper/5163938https://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/local-news/2010/11/04/fellow-inmate-says-spader-bragged-about-killing/

Welcome back to SIC!In this episode we will go all in on what happens when a devoted mother of two vanishes after a routine morning school drop-off, a quiet Pennsylvania town is left reeling. Her car is found abandoned. Her keys and purse are inside. But Brenda Heist is gone — without a single trace.As days turn into weeks, the investigation zeroes in on her estranged husband. Whispers spread. Theories spiral. Was this a planned disappearance, or did something far more sinister happen behind closed doors?In this heart wrenching case, we dig into the evidence, the failed leads, and the dark suspicions that tore a family — and a community — apart. After 11 years since the day of her disappearance, we will find out what really happened to Brenda Heist. Sources:CBS News – Children describe shock, anger at discovery of missing momThe Independent – Brenda Heist reappears after 11 yearsFox 8 – Brenda Heist back in jail for probation violationDaily Mail – Runaway mom’s secret past lifeWKRG – Brenda Heist found in FloridaBBC News – Brenda Heist case backgroundL.A. Meredith – The Return of Brenda HeistNews-Journal Online – Reality can’t be avoidedDr. Phil Interview – Brenda Heist opens upYouTube – Brenda Heist news footageYouTube – Additional news segment

Welcome to another episode of SIC!In 1991, seven Buddhist monks and two lay worshipers were brutally murdered inside a serene temple in the Arizona desert. The crime shocked the nation, and under immense pressure to solve the case, investigators zeroed in on four young men from Tucson. What followed was a series of relentless interrogations that led to coerced confessions, a wrongful arrest scandal, and a shocking twist that turned the entire case upside down.In this episode, we unravel the unnerving details of the massacre, the flawed investigation that put innocent men behind bars, and the real killers who nearly got away with it. From the moment the bodies were discovered to the intense police interrogations and the trial that shattered lives, we break down one of the most disturbing miscarriages of justice in modern history.How did the wrong men end up confessing to a crime they didn’t commit? What interrogation tactics led to their downfall? And how was the truth finally uncovered? Join us as we expose the dark side of criminal investigations and the high cost of getting it wrong.Sources 1.Los Angeles Times - Arizona Murder Probes Put Wrong Men Behind Bars2.Wikipedia - Waddell Buddhist Temple Shooting3.Google Books - Innocent Until Interrogated by Gary L. Stuart4.UPI - Judges Drop Charges Against Four in Buddhist Slayings5.JSTOR - The True Story of the Buddhist Temple Massacre and the Tucson Four6.Arizona Attorney - Murder in the Temple: Coercion in the Constabulary7.Phoenix New Times - Taken for a Ride: The Confessions of Mike McGraw8.Reuters - Arizona Man Convicted of Murder in Nine Buddhist Temple Deaths9.AZPM - New Book Details Role of Coerced Confessions in ’91 Buddhist Temple Massacre10.Phoenix New Times - The Sheriff’s Suspects11.Justia Law - Jonathan Doody v. Charles Ryan, et al (9th Circuit Court Opinion)

Welcome back to SIC!In this episode, we take an in-depth look at the chilling case of Ted Price’s murder and the long road to justice. In 2002, Price was lured into the Arizona desert and executed by a shooter with a violent past and deep ties to Ted’s ex-wife, Katherine Lecher. We unravel the series of events that led to the murder, from the volatile relationships between those involved to the critical testimony of Jennifer Garcia, the key witness who provided a firsthand account of what happened that night.The episode also explores Aaron Gunches’ years on the run, his capture, and his ultimate execution by lethal injection in 2025. Through trial records, eyewitness accounts, and the final moments leading up to Gunches’ death, we piece together one of Arizona’s most haunting true crime stories.Sources1. Wikipedia - Aaron Gunches2. AP News - Arizona Executes Aaron Gunches3. CBS News - Arizona Executes Aaron Gunches4. Fox10 Phoenix - Remembering Ted Price5. Myers Mortuary - Ted Price Obituary6. FindLaw - Case Law and Testimony Details7. KJZZ - Arizona Executes Aaron Gunches8. Unilad - Aaron Gunches Last Meal9. ABC15 - Aaron Gunches Execution Information

Some survival stories defy logic. They push the boundaries of what the human body—and mind—can endure.In 2013, Harrison Okene, a Nigerian cook aboard the Jascon-4 tugboat, found himself in the unthinkable. A sudden storm capsized his vessel, plunging it to the ocean floor, 100 feet below the surface. The crew perished instantly. But in a twist of fate, Harrison didn’t die.For three days, he survived in a tiny air pocket—alone, in pitch darkness, trapped inside a steel tomb at the bottom of the Atlantic. He had no food, no clean water, and only a shrinking supply of oxygen. Surrounding him were the lifeless bodies of his crewmates and the eerie sounds of unseen creatures stalking the wreck.This is the unbelievable true story of Harrison Okene—the man who lived underwater.Sources:Harrison Okene’s Testimonial Interview on YouTube  The Guardian: “I survived three days in a capsized boat on the ocean floor, praying in my air bubble” Badass of the Week: Harrison Okene ExplorersWeb: Great Survival Stories – The Accidental Aquanaut 

Welcome to SIC!In this episode, we unravel the chilling and long-unsolved mystery of the “Lady of the Dunes” – a murder case that baffled investigators for nearly 50 years. Ruth Marie Terry’s body was discovered in 1974 on Cape Cod, but her identity remained a mystery for decades. We dive into the strange and unsettling events surrounding her life, including her troubled marriages and the man who became the prime suspect – Guy Rockwell Muldavin, a man with a disturbing past. Through a remarkable breakthrough the painful truth unveils after decades of searching for answers. Join us as we explore the twists and turns of this haunting true crime story, filled with dark secrets, buried truths, and the quest for closure.Sources:https://www.oxygen.com/lady-of-the-dunes-hunting-the-cape-cod-killer/crime-news/ruth-marie-terry-murder-killerhttps://www.nbcboston.com/investigations/cape-cods-lady-of-the-dunes-murder-case-closed-as-killer-is-ided/3122569/https://www.capecodtimes.com/story/news/crime/2024/11/23/lady-dunes-ruth-marie-terry-richard-hanchett-provincetown-oxygen-documentary/76402318007/https://www.nbcboston.com/investigations/it-hurts-sons-search-for-biological-mom-ends-with-discovery-that-she-was-a-murder-victim/2910245/https://www.nbcboston.com/investigations/what-makes-a-killer-tick-inside-the-writings-of-the-lady-of-the-dunes-suspect/3099309/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Ruth_Marie_Terryhttps://www.ancientfaces.com/person/guy-muldavin-birth-1923-death-2002/14370459