Tales From the Underworld

<p>In this episode, we explore two haunting mysteries separated by oceans but connected by decades of unanswered questions.</p><p>First, we revisit the tragic case of Minnie “Peggy” Stott, a young woman whose life was cut short in a quiet English town. Despite early leads and a community desperate for answers, her case drifted into silence—leaving behind only rumors, fragments, and a family still searching for truth.</p><p>Then we travel to Brisbane, Australia, to examine the oldest unsolved case in the country: the death of 22-year-old Betty Shanks. Found near her home after an evening class, her case sparked one of the largest investigations in Queensland history. Yet even with numerous theories—some plausible, some wildly speculative—the mystery has endured for more than 70 years.</p><p>Together, these stories reveal how cold cases can shape communities, outlive witnesses, and linger in the public imagination long after headlines fade. We break down the timelines, the suspects, the investigative missteps, and the enduring questions that keep both cases alive today.</p><p>Join us as we trace the parallels between two women whose stories remain unresolved—and why the search for answers still matters.</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.talesfromtheunderworld.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.talesfromtheunderworld.com/subscribe</a>

<p>In this episode, we dive into two of the most disturbing criminal sagas in modern American history. First, we revisit the Cook Brothers—Anthony and Nathaniel—whose wave of targeted attacks left communities terrified and investigators scrambling to understand their motives. Their legacy remains a grim reminder of how ordinary neighborhoods can become the backdrop for unthinkable acts.</p><p>Then we shift to Fresno, where Marcus Wesson built a tightly controlled, isolated world that spiraled into one of California’s most shocking family tragedies. Through manipulation, fear, and extreme beliefs, Wesson constructed a hidden inner circle that ultimately collapsed under the weight of its own darkness.</p><p>We break down both stories with clarity and context, exploring how these seemingly separate cases reveal unsettling patterns: the power of control, the danger of unchecked extremism, and the long-lasting impact on survivors and communities.</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.talesfromtheunderworld.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.talesfromtheunderworld.com/subscribe</a>

<p>This episode dives into two infamous true crime stories that reveal how darkness can unfold in the most ordinary places.</p><p>First, we revisit the Covina Christmas case involving Bruce Pardo—a holiday gathering that turned into chaos when a trusted figure arrived in disguise and unleashed a shocking act that left a community reeling. We explore the events leading up to that night, the personal turmoil behind it, and the long-lasting impact on families who expected celebration, not catastrophe.</p><p>Then, we travel to 25 Cromwell Street, home to Fred and Rose West—one of the most disturbing criminal partnerships in modern history. Behind an unassuming façade, the couple concealed years of manipulation, cruelty, and hidden secrets that would eventually shake the UK and expose a pattern of horror no one saw coming.</p><p>Through timelines, key details, and psychological insight, this episode connects two very different crimes bound by control, deception, and the dark side of domestic life. Listeners will hear how communities coped, what investigators uncovered, and why these cases still haunt public memory.</p><p>If you’re fascinated by true crime’s most chilling turning points, this is an episode you won’t forget.</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.talesfromtheunderworld.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.talesfromtheunderworld.com/subscribe</a>

<p>On a chilly Halloween night in 1984, San Jose was celebrating like any other year—until one home became the scene of unspeakable horror. Pregnant mother <strong>Doreen Erbert</strong> answered her door expecting a trick-or-treater, but what greeted her instead was a nightmare that would scar the community forever. What unfolded inside her home that night was so gruesome, even seasoned investigators struggled to make sense of it.</p><p>In this episode, we peel back the layers of a <strong>Halloween tragedy that defied belief</strong>—a story of grief, vengeance, and a mind consumed by darkness. We’ll revisit the chilling details of that night, trace the investigation that led to a shocking suspect, and explore how the echoes of that crime still haunt San Jose decades later.</p><p>Join us as we uncover the disturbing truth behind <strong>one of California’s most horrifying Halloween murders</strong>—a night when the line between costume and killer vanished completely.</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.talesfromtheunderworld.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.talesfromtheunderworld.com/subscribe</a>

<p>In this chilling episode, we dive into two haunting cases that continue to baffle investigators decades later.</p><p>First, we revisit the Oklahoma Refrigerator Murders, where two young girls were found brutally murdered and hidden inside an abandoned icebox in 1977. Their killer, Jacqueline Roubideaux, was eventually caught — but her twisted motives and the sheer brutality of the crime left the nation stunned.</p><p>Then, we travel to Texas, where the body of a teenage girl was discovered off a rural road in 1980. For over 40 years, she was known only as the Walker County Jane Doe, until DNA technology finally revealed her identity as Sherri Ann Jarvis — a runaway searching for freedom who met a tragic end.</p><p>Join us as we unravel the dark parallels between these two stories — both tales of innocence lost, justice delayed, and the relentless pursuit of answers that came far too late.</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.talesfromtheunderworld.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.talesfromtheunderworld.com/subscribe</a>