True Crime Sleep Stories

On this episode of True Crime Sleep Stories, we explore the chilling truth that monsters rarely look the part. They wear friendly smiles, live next door, or even share your home as family or partners, the people meant to love and protect us. Beneath the trimmed hedges and warm porch lights of ordinary suburbs, unimaginable darkness can hide in plain sight. Settle in under the covers as we slowly unpack four cases where trust was shattered, innocence violated, and the facade of normalcy crumbled. Before we begin, a heartfelt note: researching and writing this episode left me deeply unsettled. The brutality, the betrayal by those closest to the victims, and the violation of such profound trust truly broke my heart. My deepest sympathies go out to everyone impacted by these horrific crimes, as always. True crime podcasting can take a real emotional toll, especially with so much heaviness in the world right now. So next time, I think we'll shift to something completely different and lighter. We could all use a pallet cleanser, right? I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments or on social media. What type of case should we cover? Heists? Cons? White collar crimes? Something silly? This episode delves into four haunting cases of hidden evil in everyday homes: The Ken and Barbie Killers (Paul Bernardo and Karla Homolka) — A seemingly perfect Canadian couple whose charm masked serial rapes and the torture-murders of three young women, including Homolka's own sister. The John List Family Annihilation — In 1971, a devout accountant and Sunday school teacher in affluent Westfield, New Jersey, methodically killed his wife, mother, and three children in their grand home before vanishing for 18 years under a new identity. The Caffey Family Murders — In rural Alba, Texas, in 2008, 16-year-old Erin Caffey orchestrated the brutal killing of her mother and two younger brothers over a forbidden romance, with her boyfriend and accomplices carrying out the violence while the house burned. The Iowa City Sueppel Murders — On Easter Sunday 2008, former banker Steven Sueppel bludgeoned his wife and four children to death in their quiet Iowa City home amid financial shame and impending charges, before taking his own life. These stories build on the theme: you can never judge a book by its cover. Evil often hides behind the most disarming disguises. As you drift toward sleep, carry this quiet reminder: cherish the light you see in the world, the warmth of smiles, the comfort of familiar faces, but remember that the people who seem the safest can sometimes hide the deepest shadows. If these stories moved you (or unsettled you), subscribe, rate, and review us on your favorite platform. It helps us keep sharing these haunting tales. Thank you for spending this quiet night with us. We'll meet you in the shadows next time—something gentler on the horizon. Until then, stay safe out there, and lock your doors. Goodnight. 🌙 SUPPORT THE SHOW ON PATREON! If you enjoyed this episode and want more exclusive content (including ad-free episodes, bonus stories, and behind-the-scenes insights), join our Patreon community at patreon.com/kellibrink. Your support helps keep the shadows alive. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel for creepy stories to help you drift off to sleep: https://www.youtube.com/@SleepyTimeCreepyTime --- --- --- --- Thank You for Listening If you liked this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and recommend True Crime Sleep Stories to your fellow true crime enthusiasts. Follow along for more dark and mysterious tales to ease you into your evening. And as always, stay curious and stay safe. --- --- --- --- Buy The Books: True Crime Sleep Stories, Volume 1: https://amzn.to/3Z8jx5L True Crime Sleep Stories, Volume 2: https://amzn.to/4kAthhj True Crime Sleep Stories, Volume 3:https://amzn.to/3H9xfPQ --- --- --- --- Support the show by joining Patreon https://www.patreon.com/KelliBrink Social...

Welcome to True Crime Sleep Stories. On July 10, 2016, 27-year-old DNC staffer Seth Rich was shot twice in the back in Washington, D.C.'s Bloomingdale neighborhood, just one block from his apartment. Police called it a botched robbery (however... nothing was stolen, signs of struggle), but the case remains unsolved nearly ten years later. Weeks after his death, WikiLeaks released over 20,000 internal DNC emails, sparking questions about whether Seth may have been a source. Julian Assange's unprompted mention of Seth's murder on Dutch TV, a $20,000 WikiLeaks reward, and since-retracted private investigator claims of evidence linking him to WikiLeaks keep the mystery alive. Seth was a young man from Omaha who moved to D.C. to make democracy work better for regular people. Whether or not he ever touched those emails, his death in the middle of one of the most explosive political moments of the decade feels too coincidental to dismiss outright. His story isn't about picking sides. It's about asking whether we still live in a country where asking hard questions can cost you everything. Who killed Seth Rich? Thank you for helping us keep the light on these shadows. Sweet dreams, stay curious, and lock your doors. See you in the next deep dive. SUPPORT THE SHOW ON PATREON! If you enjoyed this episode and want more exclusive content (including ad-free episodes, bonus stories, and behind-the-scenes insights), join our Patreon community at patreon.com/kellibrink. Your support helps keep the shadows alive. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel for creepy stories to help you drift off to sleep: https://www.youtube.com/@SleepyTimeCreepyTime --- --- --- --- Thank You for Listening If you liked this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and recommend True Crime Sleep Stories to your fellow true crime enthusiasts. Follow along for more dark and mysterious tales to ease you into your evening. And as always, stay curious and stay safe. --- --- --- --- Buy The Books: True Crime Sleep Stories, Volume 1: https://amzn.to/3Z8jx5L True Crime Sleep Stories, Volume 2: https://amzn.to/4kAthhj True Crime Sleep Stories, Volume 3:https://amzn.to/3H9xfPQ --- --- --- --- Support the show by joining Patreon https://www.patreon.com/KelliBrink Social Media: FACEBOOK: facebook.com/truecrimesleepstories INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/truecrimesleepstories Instagram.com/kellibrink YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@SleepyTimeCreepyTime APPLE PODCASTS: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-sleep-stories/id1649396201 SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/3qDUjSgEY2T6KMHrFoLTaQ?si=f532504c83f34669 TIKTOK: @truecrimeirl Support usSuggest a case#Truecrimepodcast #sleepstories #unsolvedmysteries #truecrimerelaxation

In this episode of True Crime Sleep Stories, we explore the haunting case of Herb Baumeister, a suburban Indianapolis businessman and family man who hid a deadly secret. Over the course of more than a decade, he is believed to have murdered numerous young men—many last seen at gay bars in central Indiana—and buried their remains on his 18-acre estate, Fox Hollow Farm. The discovery of thousands of bone fragments in 1996 revealed the scale of the horror, yet many questions remain unanswered nearly 30 years later. SUPPORT THE SHOW ON PATREON! If you enjoyed this episode and want more exclusive content (including ad-free episodes, bonus stories, and behind-the-scenes insights), join our Patreon community at patreon.com/kellibrink. Your support helps keep the shadows alive. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel for creepy stories to help you drift off to sleep: https://www.youtube.com/@SleepyTimeCreepyTime --- --- --- --- Thank You for Listening If you liked this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and recommend True Crime Sleep Stories to your fellow true crime enthusiasts. Follow along for more dark and mysterious tales to ease you into your evening. And as always, stay curious and stay safe. --- --- --- --- Buy The Books: True Crime Sleep Stories, Volume 1: https://amzn.to/3Z8jx5L True Crime Sleep Stories, Volume 2: https://amzn.to/4kAthhj True Crime Sleep Stories, Volume 3:https://amzn.to/3H9xfPQ --- --- --- --- Support the show by joining Patreon https://www.patreon.com/KelliBrink Social Media: FACEBOOK: facebook.com/truecrimesleepstories INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/truecrimesleepstories Instagram.com/kellibrink YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@SleepyTimeCreepyTime APPLE PODCASTS: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-sleep-stories/id1649396201 SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/3qDUjSgEY2T6KMHrFoLTaQ?si=f532504c83f34669 TIKTOK: @truecrimeirl Support usSuggest a case#Truecrimepodcast #sleepstories #unsolvedmysteries #truecrimerelaxation

Welcome back to True Crime Sleep Stories. This episode is a recording from a recent Iowa show I took part in for a great community cause... On June 9, 1912, in quiet Villisca, Iowa, the Moore family and two young guest sisters, the Stillinger girls, returned home from church, happy. In the dead of night, with the whole town darkened by a power issue, someone slipped inside with an axe from their own shed. Eight people (six children) were brutally murdered in their sleep. The killer covered windows, draped mirrors, ate from the pantry, and left a slab of bacon beside the weapon. He lingered for hours before vanishing at dawn. Despite suspects, trials, and over 100 years of investigation, no one was ever convicted. The case remains unsolved. The Villisca house stands today as a museum and one of America’s most haunted sites... cold spots, slamming doors, children’s laughter that stops, and whispers on recordings. Settle in, get cozy, and let this true Iowa mystery carry you to sleep. Sweet dreams… and maybe leave a light on tonight. Thank you for listening. Stay safe out there. SUPPORT THE SHOW ON PATREON! If you enjoyed this episode and want more exclusive content (including ad-free episodes, bonus stories, and behind-the-scenes insights), join our Patreon community at patreon.com/kellibrink. Your support helps keep the shadows alive. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel for creepy stories to help you drift off to sleep: https://www.youtube.com/@SleepyTimeCreepyTime --- --- --- --- Thank You for Listening If you liked this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and recommend True Crime Sleep Stories to your fellow true crime enthusiasts. Follow along for more dark and mysterious tales to ease you into your evening. And as always, stay curious and stay safe. --- --- --- --- Buy The Books: True Crime Sleep Stories, Volume 1: https://amzn.to/3Z8jx5L True Crime Sleep Stories, Volume 2: https://amzn.to/4kAthhj True Crime Sleep Stories, Volume 3:https://amzn.to/3H9xfPQ --- --- --- --- Support the show by joining Patreon https://www.patreon.com/KelliBrink Social Media: FACEBOOK: facebook.com/truecrimesleepstories INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/truecrimesleepstories Instagram.com/kellibrink YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@SleepyTimeCreepyTime APPLE PODCASTS: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-sleep-stories/id1649396201 SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/3qDUjSgEY2T6KMHrFoLTaQ?si=f532504c83f34669 TIKTOK: @truecrimeirl Support usSuggest a case#Truecrimepodcast #sleepstories #unsolvedmysteries #truecrimerelaxation

In this episode of True Crime Sleep Stories, we drift into one of the internet's most delightfully absurd "conspiracy theories": the long-running joke, sparked by comedians Tom Segura and Christina Pazsitzky on their podcast Your Mom's House, that country music legend Garth Brooks might be hiding a very dark secret. From emotional Facebook Lives and endless tears, to the infamous Chris Gaines alter ego, massive stadium tours where people gomissing, and that unforgettable catchphrase, "Where are the bodies, G?" we explore the origins of this theory. Go to Patreon for an even deeper dive, video content, and photos: SUPPORT THE SHOW ON PATREON! If you enjoyed this episode and want more exclusive content (including ad-free episodes, bonus stories, and behind-the-scenes insights), join our Patreon community at patreon.com/kellibrink. Your support helps keep the shadows alive. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel for creepy stories to help you drift off to sleep: https://www.youtube.com/@SleepyTimeCreepyTime --- --- --- --- Thank You for Listening If you liked this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and recommend True Crime Sleep Stories to your fellow true crime enthusiasts. Follow along for more dark and mysterious tales to ease you into your evening. And as always, stay curious and stay safe. --- --- --- --- Buy The Books: True Crime Sleep Stories, Volume 1: https://amzn.to/3Z8jx5L True Crime Sleep Stories, Volume 2: https://amzn.to/4kAthhj True Crime Sleep Stories, Volume 3:https://amzn.to/3H9xfPQ --- --- --- --- Support the show by joining Patreon https://www.patreon.com/KelliBrink Social Media: FACEBOOK: facebook.com/truecrimesleepstories INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/truecrimesleepstories Instagram.com/kellibrink YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@SleepyTimeCreepyTime APPLE PODCASTS: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-sleep-stories/id1649396201 SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/3qDUjSgEY2T6KMHrFoLTaQ?si=f532504c83f34669 TIKTOK: @truecrimeirl Support usSuggest a case #Truecrimepodcast #sleepstories #unsolvedmysteries #truecrimerelaxation

Gather close on this frosty December night for a special holiday bonus episode of True Crime Sleep Stories. We’re stepping away from real cases tonight to bring you something delightfully dark and festive: a twisted true crime parody of the beloved classic poem, 'Twas the Night Before Christmas. Imagine the quiet anticipation of Christmas Eve… but instead of reindeer on the rooftop, shadowy figures descend the chimney. Evidence bags hang by the fire. A blood-spattered moon illuminates the snow. And a sinister crew of history’s most infamous killers arrives in a black unmarked van. This chilling, rhyming retelling blends holiday cheer with macabre true crime flair — perfect for drifting off to uneasy dreams under the glow of your Christmas lights. No real murders tonight… just a little festive fright to tingle your spine. SUPPORT THE SHOW ON PATREON! If you enjoyed this bonus episode and want more exclusive content (including ad-free episodes, bonus stories, and behind-the-scenes insights), join our Patreon community at patreon.com/kellibrink. Your support helps keep the shadows alive. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel for creepy stories to help you drift off to sleep: https://www.youtube.com/@SleepyTimeCreepyTime --- --- --- --- Thank You for Listening If you liked this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and recommend True Crime Sleep Stories to your fellow true crime enthusiasts. Follow along for more dark and mysterious tales to ease you into your evening. And as always, stay curious and stay safe. --- --- --- --- Buy The Books: True Crime Sleep Stories, Volume 1: https://amzn.to/3Z8jx5L True Crime Sleep Stories, Volume 2: https://amzn.to/4kAthhj True Crime Sleep Stories, Volume 3:https://amzn.to/3H9xfPQ --- --- --- --- Support the show by joining Patreon https://www.patreon.com/KelliBrink Social Media: FACEBOOK: facebook.com/truecrimesleepstories INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/truecrimesleepstories Instagram.com/kellibrink YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@SleepyTimeCreepyTime APPLE PODCASTS: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-sleep-stories/id1649396201 SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/3qDUjSgEY2T6KMHrFoLTaQ?si=f532504c83f34669 TIKTOK: @truecrimeirl Support usSuggest a case #Truecrimepodcast #sleepstories #unsolvedmysteries #truecrimerelaxation

In this chilling holiday-season episode of True Crime Sleep Stories, we delve into the brutal 1979 murder of 18-year-old Michelle Martinko in a Cedar Rapids mall parking lot. For nearly four decades, her killer lived freely just an hour away, until groundbreaking DNA technology and genetic genealogy finally brought justice. Host Kelli Brink shares the full story, including eerie coincidences, lingering questions, and her own shocking personal connection to the case. As always, lock your doors and hold your loved ones close this holiday season. Thank you for listening to True Crime Sleep Stories. Goodnight. 🌙 SUPPORT THE SHOW ON PATREON! Subscribe to our YouTube Channel for creepy stories to help you drift off to sleep: https://www.youtube.com/@SleepyTimeCreepyTime --- --- --- --- Thank You for Listening If you liked this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and recommend True Crime Sleep Stories to your fellow true crime enthusiasts. Follow along for more dark and mysterious tales to ease you into your evening. And as always, stay curious and stay safe. --- --- --- --- Buy The Books: True Crime Sleep Stories, Volume 1: https://amzn.to/3Z8jx5L True Crime Sleep Stories, Volume 2: https://amzn.to/4kAthhj True Crime Sleep Stories, Volume 3:https://amzn.to/3H9xfPQ --- --- --- --- Support the show by joining Patreon https://www.patreon.com/KelliBrink Social Media: FACEBOOK: facebook.com/truecrimesleepstories INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/truecrimesleepstories Instagram.com/kellibrink YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@SleepyTimeCreepyTime APPLE PODCASTS: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-sleep-stories/id1649396201 SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/3qDUjSgEY2T6KMHrFoLTaQ?si=f532504c83f34669 TIKTOK: @truecrimeirl Support usSuggest a case #Truecrimepodcast #sleepstories #unsolvedmysteries #truecrimerelaxation

Welcome to True Crime Sleep Stories On Christmas Eve 1945, a devastating fire destroyed the Sodder family home in Fayetteville, West Virginia. George and Jennie Sodder escaped with four of their ten children, but five siblings—Maurice (14), Martha (12), Louis (9), Jennie (8), and Betty (5)—vanished in the flames. No remains were ever found. What followed was a lifetime of questions, strange clues, and a family's unwavering belief that their children may have survived. Join host Kelli Brink as she explores one of America's most enduring unsolved mysteries. SUPPORT THE SHOW ON PATREON! Subscribe to our YouTube Channel for creepy stories to help you drift off to sleep: https://www.youtube.com/@SleepyTimeCreepyTime --- --- --- --- Thank You for Listening If you liked this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and recommend True Crime Sleep Stories to your fellow true crime enthusiasts. Follow along for more dark and mysterious tales to ease you into your evening. And as always, stay curious and stay safe. --- --- --- --- Buy The Books: True Crime Sleep Stories, Volume 1: https://amzn.to/3Z8jx5L True Crime Sleep Stories, Volume 2: https://amzn.to/4kAthhj True Crime Sleep Stories, Volume 3:https://amzn.to/3H9xfPQ --- --- --- --- Support the show by joining Patreon https://www.patreon.com/KelliBrink Social Media: FACEBOOK: facebook.com/truecrimesleepstories INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/truecrimesleepstories Instagram.com/kellibrink YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@SleepyTimeCreepyTime APPLE PODCASTS: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-sleep-stories/id1649396201 SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/3qDUjSgEY2T6KMHrFoLTaQ?si=f532504c83f34669 TIKTOK: @truecrimeirl Support usSuggest a case #Truecrimepodcast #sleepstories #unsolvedmysteries #truecrimerelaxation

On a quiet Thanksgiving night in 2013, while Seattle slept off its turkey dinners, two ordinary plumbers executed the the most audacious wine theft in Pacific Northwest history. Over 13 meticulous hours, Samuel Harris and Luke Thesing cut through walls, disabled cameras, and walked away with more than $648,000 worth of rare Bordeaux, California Cabernets, and priceless collectibles, only to be undone by a city tow truck and their own explosive overconfidence. This is the true story of the spiral notebook titled “The Plan,” spray-painted security lenses, gas lines sliced, and the single camera they never saw. It’s a caper so perfectly planned and hilariously botched it feels scripted, except every detail actually happened. Pour yourself a (legally purchased) glass, dim the lights, and let me walk you through the night two men tried to steal Thanksgiving… and almost burned down half of SoDo trying to cover it up. Sweet dreams, and Happy Thanksgiving. Cheers! ❤️ SUPPORT THE SHOW ON PATREON! Subscribe to our YouTube Channel for creepy stories to help you drift off to sleep: https://www.youtube.com/@SleepyTimeCreepyTime --- --- --- --- Thank You for Listening If you liked this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and recommend True Crime Sleep Stories to your fellow true crime enthusiasts. Follow along for more dark and mysterious tales to ease you into your evening. And as always, stay curious and stay safe. --- --- --- --- Buy The Books: True Crime Sleep Stories, Volume 1: https://amzn.to/3Z8jx5L True Crime Sleep Stories, Volume 2: https://amzn.to/4kAthhj True Crime Sleep Stories, Volume 3:https://amzn.to/3H9xfPQ --- --- --- --- Support the show by joining Patreon https://www.patreon.com/KelliBrink Social Media: FACEBOOK: facebook.com/truecrimesleepstories INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/truecrimesleepstories Instagram.com/kellibrink YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@SleepyTimeCreepyTime APPLE PODCASTS: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-sleep-stories/id1649396201 SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/3qDUjSgEY2T6KMHrFoLTaQ?si=f532504c83f34669 TIKTOK: @truecrimeirl Support usSuggest a case #Truecrimepodcast #sleepstories #unsolvedmysteries #truecrimerelaxation

A gentle note before we begin This week’s episode is 100% original crime fiction—a cozy, atmospheric holiday thriller I wrote especially for you. If you’re strictly here for real-life cases, feel free to save this one for a night when you’re in the mood for a creative bedtime story. Next time we’ll return to our usual true-crime format. But if you love a resourceful heroine, glittering empty mansions, and justice served with a side of Midwestern politeness… you’re in exactly the right place. About the story Sarah “Sunny” Jensen was once one of Chicago’s most trusted luxury real-estate agents. After a brutal divorce leaves her secretly living in her own vacant listings, one November night in a breathtaking Winnetka mansion she stumbles upon something monstrous hiding behind the Christmas lights: a high-society trafficking ring using the city’s empty homes as staging points. With nothing but her ring of master keys, and the kind of grit that comes from growing up in the Heartland, Sunny dismantles the operation, saves four terrified girls, loses her real estate license…and accidentally launches an entirely new chapter of her life. Part thriller, part love letter to women who refuse to stay down. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart Creating these stories—whether pulled from real headlines or spun straight out of my imagination—is the source of great joy in my life. Knowing you’re here listening, blanket pulled high, means the world to me. Thank you for letting me be part of your wind-down ritual. About the ads I keep every ad in the first few minutes so the story itself is never interrupted. Those few ads are what allow me to keep the podcast free for everyone, week after week. If you’d prefer an ad-free experience (I completely understand!), you can join our Patreon family for just $5/month at patreon.com/kellibrink. This will give you instant access to every episode ad-free the moment it’s finished, plus exclusive bonus stories and behind-the-scenes notes. Your support in any form keeps the lights on and the stories flowing. Should “The Keys She Kept” become a full novel (or series)? Sunny still has an entire key ring of empty houses and a new job recovering missing people… Let me know in the comments wherever you listen! Reply with YES if you want more of Sunny Jensen’s adventures! Thank you for being here with me in the dark. Change your alarm codes this season… just in case. Sweet dreams, Kelli ❤️ SUPPORT THE SHOW ON PATREON! Subscribe to our YouTube Channel for creepy stories to help you drift off to sleep: https://www.youtube.com/@SleepyTimeCreepyTime --- --- --- --- Thank You for Listening If you liked this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and recommend True Crime Sleep Stories to your fellow true crime enthusiasts. Follow along for more dark and mysterious tales to ease you into your evening. And as always, stay curious and stay safe. --- --- --- --- Buy The Books: True Crime Sleep Stories, Volume 1: https://amzn.to/3Z8jx5L True Crime Sleep Stories, Volume 2: https://amzn.to/4kAthhj True Crime Sleep Stories, Volume 3:https://amzn.to/3H9xfPQ --- --- --- --- Support the show by joining Patreon https://www.patreon.com/KelliBrink Social Media: FACEBOOK: facebook.com/truecrimesleepstories INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/truecrimesleepstories Instagram.com/kellibrink YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@SleepyTimeCreepyTime APPLE PODCASTS: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-sleep-stories/id1649396201 SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/3qDUjSgEY2T6KMHrFoLTaQ?si=f532504c83f34669 TIKTOK: @truecrimeirl Support usSuggest a case #Truecrimepodcast #sleepstories #unsolvedmysteries #truecrimerelaxation

In the fog-choked alleys of 1888 Whitechapel, a phantom killer stalked the most vulnerable women of Victorian London. Five brutal murders – Mary Ann Nichols, Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride, Catherine Eddowes, and Mary Jane Kelly – turned the East End into a nightmare and gave the world its first modern serial-killer legend: Jack the Ripper. Tonight we walk those blood-soaked streets again. We’ll meet the women behind the headlines, explore the desperate poverty that made them targets, follow the frustrated police hunt, and examine the letters that taunted Scotland Yard. Finally, we’ll look at the 21st-century breakthrough that many believe has finally unmasked the Ripper after 137 years, and the lingering doubts that keep the mystery alive. Dim the lights, lock your doors, and let the story carry you into the shadows. SUPPORT THE SHOW ON PATREON! Subscribe to our YouTube Channel for creepy stories to help you drift off to sleep: https://www.youtube.com/@SleepyTimeCreepyTime --- --- --- --- Thank You for Listening If you liked this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and recommend True Crime Sleep Stories to your fellow true crime enthusiasts. Follow along for more dark and mysterious tales to ease you into your evening. And as always, stay curious and stay safe. --- --- --- --- Buy The Books: True Crime Sleep Stories, Volume 1: https://amzn.to/3Z8jx5L True Crime Sleep Stories, Volume 2: https://amzn.to/4kAthhj True Crime Sleep Stories, Volume 3:https://amzn.to/3H9xfPQ --- --- --- --- Support the show by joining Patreon https://www.patreon.com/KelliBrink Social Media: FACEBOOK: facebook.com/truecrimesleepstories INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/truecrimesleepstories Instagram.com/kellibrink YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@SleepyTimeCreepyTime APPLE PODCASTS: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-sleep-stories/id1649396201 SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/3qDUjSgEY2T6KMHrFoLTaQ?si=f532504c83f34669 TIKTOK: @truecrimeirl Support usSuggest a case #Truecrimepodcast #sleepstories #unsolvedmysteries #truecrimerelaxation

Thanksgiving 2012 was meant to be a quiet day for 64-year-old Byron David Smith in Little Falls, Minnesota. After suffering at least six burglaries in the prior year—including one the night before, he sat armed in his darkened basement, waiting. When two teenagers, Haile Kifer & Nicholas Brady, entered his home, he opened fire. The entire sequence was captured on over six hours of audio and video, recordings that revealed not just the shootings, but chilling taunts and “finishing shots” after the intruders were down. Smith claimed he acted in self-defense under Minnesota’s castle doctrine. Prosecutors argued it was premeditated murder. The case became a flashpoint in debates over fear, lethal force, and the limits of protecting one’s home. SUPPORT THE SHOW ON PATREON! Subscribe to our YouTube Channel for creepy stories to help you drift off to sleep: https://www.youtube.com/@SleepyTimeCreepyTime --- --- --- --- Thank You for Listening If you liked this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and recommend True Crime Sleep Stories to your fellow true crime enthusiasts. Follow along for more dark and mysterious tales to ease you into your evening. And as always, stay curious and stay safe. --- --- --- --- Buy The Books: True Crime Sleep Stories, Volume 1: https://amzn.to/3Z8jx5L True Crime Sleep Stories, Volume 2: https://amzn.to/4kAthhj True Crime Sleep Stories, Volume 3:https://amzn.to/3H9xfPQ --- --- --- --- Support the show by joining Patreon https://www.patreon.com/KelliBrink Social Media: FACEBOOK: facebook.com/truecrimesleepstories INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/truecrimesleepstories Instagram.com/kellibrink YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@SleepyTimeCreepyTime APPLE PODCASTS: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-sleep-stories/id1649396201 SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/3qDUjSgEY2T6KMHrFoLTaQ?si=f532504c83f34669 TIKTOK: @truecrimeirl Support usSuggest a case #Truecrimepodcast #sleepstories #unsolvedmysteries #truecrimerelaxation

G’day to our Aussie listeners (and everyone else) - this one’s for you! In the quiet Hunter Valley town of Aberdeen, in Australia, beloved miner and father John Price trusted the wrong person. What began as a volatile relationship ended in a crime so shocking it earned Katherine Knight the title of Australia’s most horrific female murderer. From her traumatic childhood to her chilling expertise in an abattoir (a slaughterhouse where animals are processed for meat), we trace the red flags ignored until it was too late. This is a sobering look at untreated mental illness, domestic abuse, and a betrayal that scarred a family forever. SUPPORT THE SHOW ON PATREON! Trigger Warning: This episode discusses domestic violence, murder, acts of desecration following death, and has profanity. It is intended for mature audiences and may be disturbing. Listener discretion is advised. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel for creepy stories to help you drift off to sleep: https://www.youtube.com/@SleepyTimeCreepyTime --- --- --- --- Thank You for Listening If you liked this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and recommend True Crime Sleep Stories to your fellow true crime enthusiasts. Follow along for more dark and mysterious tales to ease you into your evening. And as always, stay curious and stay safe. --- --- --- --- Buy The Books: True Crime Sleep Stories, Volume 1: https://amzn.to/3Z8jx5L True Crime Sleep Stories, Volume 2: https://amzn.to/4kAthhj True Crime Sleep Stories, Volume 3:https://amzn.to/3H9xfPQ --- --- --- --- Support the show by joining Patreon https://www.patreon.com/KelliBrink Social Media: FACEBOOK: facebook.com/truecrimesleepstories INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/truecrimesleepstories Instagram.com/kellibrink YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@SleepyTimeCreepyTime APPLE PODCASTS: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-sleep-stories/id1649396201 SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/3qDUjSgEY2T6KMHrFoLTaQ?si=f532504c83f34669 TIKTOK: @truecrimeirl Support usSuggest a case #Truecrimepodcast #sleepstories #unsolvedmysteries #truecrimerelaxation

On a quiet September evening in 1937, retired greeting-card tycoon Charles Sherman Ross pulled over on a suburban Chicago road to let a trailing car pass—only to find a revolver tapping his window. What followed was a chilling 15-day ordeal that captivated the nation: a meticulously planned $50,000 ransom, two hidden woodland dugouts, a murderous double-cross, and one of the FBI’s most sweeping manhunts. SUPPORT THE SHOW ON PATREON! Subscribe to our YouTube Channel for creepy stories to help you drift off to sleep: https://www.youtube.com/@SleepyTimeCreepyTime --- --- --- --- Thank You for Listening If you liked this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and recommend True Crime Sleep Stories to your fellow true crime enthusiasts. Follow along for more dark and mysterious tales to ease you into your evening. And as always, stay curious and stay safe. --- --- --- --- Buy The Books: True Crime Sleep Stories, Volume 1: https://amzn.to/3Z8jx5L True Crime Sleep Stories, Volume 2: https://amzn.to/4kAthhj True Crime Sleep Stories, Volume 3:https://amzn.to/3H9xfPQ --- --- --- --- Support the show by joining Patreon https://www.patreon.com/KelliBrink Social Media: FACEBOOK: facebook.com/truecrimesleepstories INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/truecrimesleepstories Instagram.com/kellibrink YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@SleepyTimeCreepyTime APPLE PODCASTS: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-sleep-stories/id1649396201 SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/3qDUjSgEY2T6KMHrFoLTaQ?si=f532504c83f34669 TIKTOK: @truecrimeirl Support usSuggest a case #Truecrimepodcast #sleepstories #unsolvedmysteries #truecrimerelaxation

In the snow-dusted driveway of a Pennsylvania estate, one of America’s wealthiest men raised a .44 Magnum and ended the life of an Olympic champion. This is the story of John Eleuthère du Pont—chemical heir, self-proclaimed ornithologist, wrestling messiah, and murderer. In this episode of True Crime Sleep Stories, we dive deep into the bizarre world of Foxcatcher Farm: where Olympic gold medalists trained alongside thoroughbred horses, where a private army patrolled the grounds, and where paranoia finally exploded into bloodshed on January 26, 1996. From the intoxicating lure of unlimited money to the slow unraveling of a mind convinced he was being hunted by underground forces, this episode explores how absolute power, mental illness, and the American obsession with winning created one of the most haunting true-crime sagas of the 20th century. SUPPORT THE SHOW ON PATREON! Subscribe to our YouTube Channel for creepy stories to help you drift off to sleep: https://www.youtube.com/@SleepyTimeCreepyTime --- --- --- --- Thank You for Listening If you liked this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and recommend True Crime Sleep Stories to your fellow true crime enthusiasts. Follow along for more dark and mysterious tales to ease you into your evening. And as always, stay curious and stay safe. --- --- --- --- Buy The Books: True Crime Sleep Stories, Volume 1: https://amzn.to/3Z8jx5L True Crime Sleep Stories, Volume 2: https://amzn.to/4kAthhj True Crime Sleep Stories, Volume 3:https://amzn.to/3H9xfPQ --- --- --- --- Support the show by joining Patreon https://www.patreon.com/KelliBrink Social Media: FACEBOOK: facebook.com/truecrimesleepstories INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/truecrimesleepstories Instagram.com/kellibrink YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@SleepyTimeCreepyTime APPLE PODCASTS: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-sleep-stories/id1649396201 SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/3qDUjSgEY2T6KMHrFoLTaQ?si=f532504c83f34669 TIKTOK: @truecrimeirl Support usSuggest a case #Truecrimepodcast #sleepstories #unsolvedmysteries #truecrimerelaxation

In this haunting episode of True Crime Sleep Stories, we trace the chilling rise and mysterious fall of Jeffrey Epstein, a man who built an empire of influence among the world’s most powerful, only to die in a federal jail cell under circumstances that still defy explanation. From his improbable beginnings in Brooklyn to the private island where secrets were allegedly traded like currency, this is a story of ambition, abuse, and unanswered questions. SUPPORT THE SHOW ON PATREON! Subscribe to our YouTube Channel for creepy stories to help you drift off to sleep: https://www.youtube.com/@SleepyTimeCreepyTime --- --- --- --- Thank You for Listening If you liked this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and recommend True Crime Sleep Stories to your fellow true crime enthusiasts. Follow along for more dark and mysterious tales to ease you into your evening. And as always, stay curious and stay safe. --- --- --- --- Buy The Books: True Crime Sleep Stories, Volume 1: https://amzn.to/3Z8jx5L True Crime Sleep Stories, Volume 2: https://amzn.to/4kAthhj True Crime Sleep Stories, Volume 3:https://amzn.to/3H9xfPQ --- --- --- --- Support the show by joining Patreon https://www.patreon.com/KelliBrink Social Media: FACEBOOK: facebook.com/truecrimesleepstories INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/truecrimesleepstories Instagram.com/kellibrink YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@SleepyTimeCreepyTime APPLE PODCASTS: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-sleep-stories/id1649396201 SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/3qDUjSgEY2T6KMHrFoLTaQ?si=f532504c83f34669 TIKTOK: @truecrimeirl Support usSuggest a case #Truecrimepodcast #sleepstories #unsolvedmysteries #truecrimerelaxation

In the quiet woods of Allenstown, New Hampshire, two rusted barrels hidden beneath the leaves held a secret that would take 40 years to unravel. Four lives—Marlyse Honeychurch, her daughters Marie and Sarah, and a little girl known only as “the middle child”—were stolen by a man who changed names as easily as seasons. Terry Peder Rasmussen, the “Chameleon Killer,” left a trail of aliases and vanished women across the country. But science, persistence, and the refusal to forget finally gave the victims their names back. Tonight, drift into the chilling true story of the Bear Brook Murders, where genetic genealogy cracked a case that time tried to bury. We’d love to hear your thoughts on this episode. Share your reflections or suggest true crime stories for future episodes. Sweet dreams, and stay inspired! SUPPORT THE SHOW ON PATREON! Subscribe to our YouTube Channel for creepy stories to help you drift off to sleep: https://www.youtube.com/@SleepyTimeCreepyTime --- --- --- --- Thank You for Listening If you liked this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and recommend True Crime Sleep Stories to your fellow true crime enthusiasts. Follow along for more dark and mysterious tales to ease you into your evening. And as always, stay curious and stay safe. --- --- --- --- Buy The Books: True Crime Sleep Stories, Volume 1: https://amzn.to/3Z8jx5L True Crime Sleep Stories, Volume 2: https://amzn.to/4kAthhj True Crime Sleep Stories, Volume 3:https://amzn.to/3H9xfPQ --- --- --- --- Support the show by joining Patreon https://www.patreon.com/KelliBrink Social Media: FACEBOOK: facebook.com/truecrimesleepstories INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/truecrimesleepstories Instagram.com/kellibrink YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@SleepyTimeCreepyTime APPLE PODCASTS: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-sleep-stories/id1649396201 SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/3qDUjSgEY2T6KMHrFoLTaQ?si=f532504c83f34669 TIKTOK: @truecrimeirl Support usSuggest a case #Truecrimepodcast #sleepstories #unsolvedmysteries #truecrimerelaxation

Four years after David Berkowitz was locked away for life, the Son of Sam—chained in an upstate prison—whispered a chilling prophecy to a fellow inmate: “A ritual killing is coming soon near Greenwich Village. They’ll be shot in the head.” Weeks later, on Halloween 1981, it happened exactly as he foretold. Photographer Ronald Sisman and 20-year-old Smith College student Elizabeth Platzman were beaten, executed, and left in a ransacked Chelsea apartment. The killers took only two things: Sisman’s .25-caliber pistol, and both victims' IDs… amid rumors they were hunting a snuff film said to show Berkowitz’s final Son of Sam murder. Investigative journalist Maury Terry spent 40 years proving Berkowitz didn’t act alone. From prison, the killer named his handlers: “The Children”—a violent offshoot of the Process Church, tied to Scientology’s fringes, ritual sacrifice, and a coast-to-coast web of drugs, porn, and elite cover-ups. This is the story Terry died chasing—and the prophecy that cannot be explained away. This episode is a direct follow-up to our Halloween 1981 Sisman-Platzman murders episode. Listen to that first for full context. We’d love to hear your thoughts on this episode. Share your reflections or suggest true crime stories for future episodes. Sweet dreams, and stay inspired! SUPPORT THE SHOW ON PATREON! Subscribe to our YouTube Channel for creepy stories to help you drift off to sleep: https://www.youtube.com/@SleepyTimeCreepyTime --- --- --- --- Thank You for Listening If you liked this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and recommend True Crime Sleep Stories to your fellow true crime enthusiasts. Follow along for more dark and mysterious tales to ease you into your evening. And as always, stay curious and stay safe. --- --- --- --- Buy The Books: True Crime Sleep Stories, Volume 1: https://amzn.to/3Z8jx5L True Crime Sleep Stories, Volume 2: https://amzn.to/4kAthhj True Crime Sleep Stories, Volume 3:https://amzn.to/3H9xfPQ --- --- --- --- Support the show by joining Patreon https://www.patreon.com/KelliBrink Social Media: FACEBOOK: facebook.com/truecrimesleepstories INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/truecrimesleepstories Instagram.com/kellibrink YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@SleepyTimeCreepyTime APPLE PODCASTS: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-sleep-stories/id1649396201 SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/3qDUjSgEY2T6KMHrFoLTaQ?si=f532504c83f34669 TIKTOK: @truecrimeirl Support usSuggest a case #Truecrimepodcast #sleepstories #unsolvedmysteries #truecrimerelaxation

Picture Halloween night, 1981, in New York City's vibrant Chelsea neighborhood. Amid the chaos of costumes and celebrations, a quiet apartment becomes the scene of a brutal double execution. Freelance photographer Ronald Sisman, 40, and college student Elizabeth Platzman, 20, are shot at close range in a ransacked apartment—seemingly targeted for something hidden in plain sight. Was it a drug debt hit? A random burglary? Or a chilling connection to the Son of Sam cult? Settle in for this haunting, uninterrupted true crime tale designed to lull you to sleep... but with a mystery that might keep you awake. Dim the lights, lock your doors, and let the shadows tell the story. We’d love to hear your thoughts on this episode. Share your reflections or suggest true crime stories for future episodes. Sweet dreams, and stay inspired! SUPPORT THE SHOW ON PATREON! Subscribe to our YouTube Channel for creepy stories to help you drift off to sleep: https://www.youtube.com/@SleepyTimeCreepyTime --- --- --- --- Thank You for Listening If you liked this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and recommend True Crime Sleep Stories to your fellow true crime enthusiasts. Follow along for more dark and mysterious tales to ease you into your evening. And as always, stay curious and stay safe. --- --- --- --- Buy The Books: True Crime Sleep Stories, Volume 1: https://amzn.to/3Z8jx5L True Crime Sleep Stories, Volume 2: https://amzn.to/4kAthhj True Crime Sleep Stories, Volume 3:https://amzn.to/3H9xfPQ --- --- --- --- Support the show by joining Patreon https://www.patreon.com/KelliBrink Social Media: FACEBOOK: facebook.com/truecrimesleepstories INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/truecrimesleepstories Instagram.com/kellibrink YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@SleepyTimeCreepyTime APPLE PODCASTS: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-sleep-stories/id1649396201 SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/3qDUjSgEY2T6KMHrFoLTaQ?si=f532504c83f34669 TIKTOK: @truecrimeirl Support usSuggest a case #Truecrimepodcast #sleepstories #unsolvedmysteries #truecrimerelaxation

Drift into the shadows of a foggy autumn night in 1922 with True Crime Sleep Stories as host Kelli Brink unravels the chilling tale of the Lovers Lane Murders. In a quiet corner of New Jersey, a forbidden romance between a rector and a choir singer ended in a brutal crime that shocked a nation. Found beneath a crabapple tree, their bodies were surrounded by scattered love letters, a calling card tucked grimly in the rector’s mouth. Who pulled the trigger? Who slashed the singer’s throat? And why did this scandalous affair turn deadly? Join us as we explore the suspects, the trial dubbed the “trial of the century,” and the enduring enigma of De Russey’s Lane. We’d love to hear your thoughts on this episode. Share your reflections or suggest true crime stories for future episodes. Sweet dreams, and stay inspired! SUPPORT THE SHOW ON PATREON! Subscribe to our YouTube Channel for creepy stories to help you drift off to sleep: https://www.youtube.com/@SleepyTimeCreepyTime --- --- --- --- Thank You for Listening If you liked this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and recommend True Crime Sleep Stories to your fellow true crime enthusiasts. Follow along for more dark and mysterious tales to ease you into your evening. And as always, stay curious and stay safe. --- --- --- --- Buy The Books: True Crime Sleep Stories, Volume 1: https://amzn.to/3Z8jx5L True Crime Sleep Stories, Volume 2: https://amzn.to/4kAthhj True Crime Sleep Stories, Volume 3:https://amzn.to/3H9xfPQ --- --- --- --- Support the show by joining Patreon https://www.patreon.com/KelliBrink Social Media: FACEBOOK: facebook.com/truecrimesleepstories INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/truecrimesleepstories Instagram.com/kellibrink YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@SleepyTimeCreepyTime APPLE PODCASTS: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-sleep-stories/id1649396201 SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/3qDUjSgEY2T6KMHrFoLTaQ?si=f532504c83f34669 TIKTOK: @truecrimeirl Support usSuggest a case #Truecrimepodcast #sleepstories #unsolvedmysteries #truecrimerelaxation