Murder, Mischief & Mayhem!

Justin Vyor is the creator and writer of Murder, Mischief & Mayhem!, the anthology podcast that explores sensational but long-forgotten American murder cases from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Justin's deep fascination with the odd corners of American history —especially when crime, character, and culture collide — has resulted in a unique podcast series that features compelling narration and dramatic recreations of some really bizarre cases. 

With a sharp eye for detail and a deep love for history, Justin dives into the strange crimes and stranger characters that haunted the late 19th and 20th centuries—cases that were once national scandals but have since faded into obscurity. 

Justin’s interest in crime and human behavior isn’t just academic—it’s personal. We discuss Justin's career on the West Coast as a educator. He holds a AA, BA, and an MA. Since moving to Los Angeles from Long Island, Justin has taught every grade K–12 in Los Angeles public schools, worked in the prison system, and currently serves as adjunct faculty at Santa Monica College. He previously wrote and hosted Transit TV Teacher, a public service series that aired on LA County buses for six years.

What continues to drive Justin is his passion for seeking out and crafting a great story. Every current and future episode of Murder, Mischief & Mayhem! is built from that passion: a forgotten crime, a vivid character, and a mystery worth retelling.

Upon the discovery of the body of Ocey Snead, the three Wardlaw sisters are apprehended and indicted on first degree murder charges. The circumstances surrounding the girl’s passing are incriminating. The “women in black” all steadfastly maintain their innocence in a courtroom unnerved by the untimely death of Virginia Wardlaw (who starves herself in her jail cell) and the egomaniacal ravings of Caroline Martin during the proceedings. However, the trial takes a dramatic turn when a surprise witness, Albert Wardlaw – the sisters’ brother – takes the stand. 

East Orange New Jersey was an affluent, tree-lined, mansion-filled community in 1909, populated by oil tycoons and Newark industrialists. In November of that year, its tranquility was suddenly shattered by a phone call to the police from Virginia Wardlaw, one of the three Wardlaw women (the Sisters in Black) who were well known in East Orange for their weird attire and strange behavior. That disturbing call resulted in a visit by the authorities to the Wardlaw home, where they discovered the body of a 19-year girl, Miss Ocey Snead, in an upstairs bathtub. Despite the protests of Virginia Wardlaw that this was an accident (or a possible suicide) the authorities felt otherwise. The investigation that followed and the evidence that surfaced painted a far different picture of how the three sisters treated the young girl in their care. Hardly the benevolent custodians they claimed to be, the sisters plotted to rob the young victim of her inheritance, her sanity, and her life. Join our host, G.W. Bailey, as we chronicle another true story from America’s criminal past—a tale of betrayal, gaslighting and murder.

Three sisters disturb the peace in East Orange New Jersey in 1909 when they take a 19-year-old girl hostage and imprison her in their hovel. Their plan for the girl (the daughter of one of the sisters) is diabolical: gaslight their victim into submission, gain control over her inheritance, and then starve her to death. 

The trial of Dr. Rosenzweig attracted national attention, thanks to its relentless coverage in the New York press. Abortion was relatively common in Post-Civil War New York. In fact, an underground network of providers openly advertised their services in the classified sections of the local newspapers. However, in 1871, it was an unsafe and often fatal pursuit. The Rosenzweig trial went well beyond arguing the facts of the case; it quickly became a forum on the legality and morality of the practice. With the overturning of Roe v. Wade by the Supreme Court in 2022, the reproductive rights battle rages on – as contentious and intractable an issue in the 21st century as it was in the 19th.