Michigan Monsters

On June 23, 2001, Bernita White was killed by a single shot from a high-powered sniper rifle while at the zoo with her 5-year-old daughter. What at first seemed like an open-shut case subsequently became Lansing's most notorious unsolved crime. As the 25th anniversary approaches, we revisit Bernita's story while her family continues to fight for justice.Case: Bernita WhiteAudio production by Bill Bee.

When 18-year-old Amanda Davies returned from a cross-country spring break road trip in April of 1992, her parents breathed a huge sigh of relief. What no one could have predicted was that the real danger was waiting for Amanda at home, and that before she could even unpack her suitcase, she'd be gone forever. As authorities searched frantically for Amanda, and then for her murderer, her tight-knit friend group, known as The Circle, began to wonder if there might be a killer among them.Case: Amanda DaviesAudio production by Bill Bee.

The 1970s saw a surge in the prominence of religious cults with groups like the Manson Family, Peoples Temple, and Heaven's Gate making headlines around the world. But smaller cults began popping up in rural communities all over the country, including right here in Michigan. In this episodes, we'll talk about two such cults- the House of Judah and the Theocratic Commune Natural Health Service- who committed unspeakable acts against their most vulnerable members, their own children. Cases: House of Judah, Theocratic Commune Natural Health ServiceAudio production by Bill Bee.

His name isn't likely one you've heard before, but his story should feel eerily familiar. Matthew Emmanuel Macon is well-known as Lansing, Michigan's first (and only) serial killer, a young Black man who targeted elderly women living alone in the Capital City- quite a deviation from the standard serial killer trope. But two decades before Macon, there was Michael Darnell Harris- a young Black man who targeted elderly women living alone in the Capital City. They say history repeats itself, and when it comes to Lansing's serial killers, that's definitely, oddly, true.Case: Michael Darnell HarrisAudio production by Bill Bee.

For nearly a month, a picturesque cabin on northern Lake Michigan hid a ghastly secret. The bodies of wealthy ad executive Dick Robison, his wife Shirley, and their four children lay waiting for someone to find them following a brutal attack on a summer afternoon. From the moment a caretaker stumbled upon the murder scene while investigating reports of a foul odor coming from the property, nothing would ever be the same in the small town of Good Hart.

In 1903 Chicago, a peculiar murder unfolded on the city's south side. Despite her insistence that a burglar broke in and shot her husband in bed, authorities immediately suspected Jane Quinn, who was covered from head to toe in blood. And that was BEFORE they found out about the pile of dead bodies Jane left behind when she fled Michigan years earlier.Violent Ends is sponsored by BetterHelp.

On a Monday afternoon in May of 1930, the world's first set of identical quadruplets were born in Lansing, Michigan- even though nobody knew they were coming. Instant celebrities, the Morlok quads were treated like a sideshow attraction by the community that insisted on naming them and claiming them as their own. While the girls were paraded around the country in matching dresses performing adorable song-and-dance routines as they racked up Guiness World Records, their sweet smiles hid ghastly secrets. Behind the picture of a wholesome American family was a house of horrors.This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/violentends and get on your way to being your best self.To learn more about microdosing THC, visit microdose.com and enter code violentends for free shipping and 30% off your first order.

It's been 100 years since a Lansing socialite was murdered inside the brand new manor her politician husband built for her. Was she the victim of a traveling carnival run by outlaws? Targeted by an enemy of her husband's? Or was the police department's wide-reaching witch hunt an attempt to cover up something much more diabolical?

Since opening its doors in 1850, The University of Michigan's School of Medicine has been one of the most prestigious medical schools in the country. But not all of its pupils perfected the art of saving lives. Some of them went on to do the exact opposite. In 1882, two men with similar names and matching handlebar mustaches entered the program. One went on to become America's first serial killer, while the other became the subject of the most infamous transatlantic manhunt in history. Both men would eventually be sent to the gallows and hanged for murder. But not before each, separately, was accused of being Jack the Ripper. Did the world's most infamous unknown serial killer get his start at Michigan's most infamous college?

In honor of 100 episodes, we celebrated with a live show at The Robin Theatre. Special guests included Michigan State University's School of Criminal Justice, author Rod Sadler, and the co-host with the most, our old friend Dani Fairman.

It was 35 below, the wind was howling, and the snow was waist-deep when three young men burst through the door of Hotel St. James in the remote town of Ironwood, Michigan during the early morning hours of Feb 1, 1959. They were inadequately dressed for the dangerous weather, disheveled, and visibly shaken from a near-death experience. Even still…there was something about them. They were handsome. Charming. Special, even. That much, the townsfolk knew. What they didn’t know, couldn’t have known, was that the events that unfolded on the desolate highway that separates Northern Wisconsin from Michigan’s Upper Peninsula started a chain reaction, leading to an unspeakable tragedy that rocked the world less than 48 hours later. (And yes, I said toin coss.)Turn your food waste into dirt with the press of a button with Lomi. Use the code VIOLENT to save $50 at lomi.com/VIOLENT. Read more about what foods can be used with Lomi HERE.

With a blood lust so strong no prison could hold him, a Michigan man preyed on a coastal California town still reeling from the Bundy murders. And even with the world's most infamous serial killer behind bars, pretty young girls with long, brown hair parted down the middle still weren't safe.Turn your food waste into dirt with the press of a button with Lomi. Use the code VIOLENT to save $50 at lomi.com/VIOLENT. Read more about what foods can be used with Lomi HERE.

The Vanished is a true crime podcast that explores the stories of those who have gone missing. The Vanished goes beyond conventional news reports to take a deep dive into the story of a different missing person each week. Host Marissa Jones brings you exclusive interviews with family members, friends, law enforcement and experts on mainstream cases, as well as little known ones.Listen in to hear what The Vanished will uncover next: http://wondery.fm/thevanished.