244: The Halloween Candy Killer, Ronald O'Brien | USA
OCT 19, 202518 MIN
244: The Halloween Candy Killer, Ronald O'Brien | USA
OCT 19, 202518 MIN
Description
<div>On Halloween night in 1974, eight-year-old Timothy O’Brien came home from trick-or-treating in Deer Park, Texas, excited to sample his candy haul. Among the treats was a Pixy Stix — one that would become infamous in American true crime history. Within hours, Timothy was dead, poisoned by cyanide.<br>
Investigators soon discovered that the killer wasn’t a mysterious stranger slipping poison into Halloween candy. It was someone much closer to home — his own father, Ronald Clark O’Brien. His crime forever changed the way parents across the United States viewed Halloween, giving rise to decades of fear over tampered sweets.<br>
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<strong>Resources</strong><br>
<strong>Articles</strong><br>
<a href="https://abc13.com/post/1974-candyman-turned-halloween-terrifying-pasadena-texas/375883/">In 1974, 'Candyman' turned Halloween truly terrifying in Pasadena, Texas - ABC13 Houston</a><br>
<a href="https://www.fwweekly.com/2024/10/23/the-man-who-killed-halloween/">The Man Who Killed Halloween - Fort Worth Weekly</a><br>
<a href="https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Man-Who-Killed-Halloween-still-haunts-holiday-1971811.php">'Man Who Killed Halloween' still haunts holiday - Houston Chronicle</a><br>
<a href="https://www.aetv.com/real-crime/the-man-who-killed-halloween">The Haunting Legacy of Ronald Clark O'Bryan, the Man Who Killed Halloween - A&E True Crime</a><br>
<a href="https://www.khou.com/article/news/local/candyman-killer-pasadena-texas-halloween/285-c577b150-1945-47d4-baf1-733499b711fb">50 years ago, a Houston killer dubbed the 'Candyman' poisoned his son's Halloween candy - KHOU</a><br>
<a href="https://breckenridgetexan.com/2021/10/28/looking-into-the-eyes-of-evil-the-day-i-covered-the-execution-of-texas-infamous-halloween-killer/">Looking into the eyes of evil: The day I covered the execution of Texas' infamous Halloween killer - Breckenridge Texan</a><br>
<a href="https://www.vice.com/en/article/halloween-killer-ronald-clark-o-bryan-candy-man/">The True Story of the Notorious Trick-or-Treat Murderer - Vice</a><br>
<a href="https://vocal.media/criminal/halloween-horrors-the-poisoning-of-timothy-o-bryan">Halloween Horrors: The Poisoning of Timothy O'Bryan - Criminal</a><br>
<a href="https://www.upi.com/Archives/1984/03/30/The-ex-wife-of-Ronald-Clark-OBryan-awaiting-execution-for/6595449470800/">The ex-wife of Ronald Clark O'Bryan - UPI Archives</a><br>
<a href="https://www.upi.com/Archives/1984/03/25/The-neighbor-who-accompanied-condemned-killer-Ronald-Clark-OBryan/3945449038800/">The neighbor who accompanied condemned killer Ronald Clark O'Bryan - UPI Archives</a><br>
<strong>Web Resources</strong><br>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronald_Clark_O'Bryan">Ronald Clark O'Bryan - Wikipedia</a><br>
<a href="https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/15208882/timothy_marc-o'bryan">Timothy Marc O'Bryan - Find a Grave Memorial</a><br>
<a href="https://murderpedia.org/male.O/o1/obryan-ronald-clark.htm">Ronald Clark O'Bryan - Murderpedia</a><br>
<a href="https://alchetron.com/Ronald-Clark-O'Bryan">Ronald Clark O'Bryan - Alchetron</a><br>
<a href="https://www.executedtoday.com/2011/03/31/1984-ronald-clark-obryan-candyman/">1984: Ronald Clark O'Bryan, candyman - Executed Today</a><br>
<strong>Court Documents</strong><br>
<a href="https://www.hcdistrictclerk.com/Common/HistoricalDocument/pdf/COTM_Oct_2021.pdf">THE CASE OF THE HALLOWEEN CANDY KILLER - Harris County District Clerk</a><br>
<strong>Video Archives</strong><br>
<a href="https://texasarchive.org/2017_03761">Ronald Clark O'Bryan Murder Trial (1975) - KPRC-TV Collection<br>
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<em>Created & Produced by Sonya Lowe</em><br>
<em>Narrated by Noel Vinson</em><br>
<em>Music: “Nordic Medieval” by Marcus Bressler</em><br>
<em>Background track: Doblado Studios: </em><a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/DobladoStudios"><em><a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/DobladoStudios">https://www.youtube.com/c/DobladoStudios</a><br>
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<em>This True Crime Podcast was researched using open-source or archival materials.</em>
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