Nightmares

James Rackover looked like someone who had it all. He had style, status, and a last name that carried weight. But the truth behind the image was darker. When a man goes missing after a night in Manhattan, investigators start to uncover the kind of past James hoped no one would find. He wasn’t who he said he was. And he wasn’t done breaking the rules.Get commercial free access to over a decade of Sword and Scale's true crime podcasts at http://swordandscale.com

A teenage girl’s discovery of a human skull on Iowa’s Greenbelt River Trail led investigators to the murder of missing 29-year-old Angela Nicole Bradbury. The case unraveled into a chilling confession by Nathan James Gilmore, whose digital trail and coded clues revealed a cold, deliberate killing. What began as a missing person report ended as one of Iowa’s most disturbing murder cases.Get commercial free access to over a decade of Sword and Scale's true crime podcasts at http://swordandscale.com

When a devastating fire consumed the lives of an affluent British family, suspicions arose, pointing fingers at those who knew business tycoon Chris Foster and may have wanted him dead. As detectives sifted through the ashes and debris, they uncovered even more secrets buried within the Shropshire mansion. From hidden affairs and financial troubles to long-buried grudges and shattered dreams, investigators didn’t know which direction to look in next until the killer was revealed in the family’s own CCTV footage.Get commercial free access to over a decade of Sword and Scale's true crime podcasts at http...

62-year-old Kathy Hughes Anderson spent her career tending to trees, preserving beauty and order across the towns she served. In retirement, she brought that same quiet dedication to her life at home - until one December evening when a stranger walked through her front door. Kathy had no idea who he was. But Francis Wolke had been convinced he needed to kill to join the one percent.Get commercial free access to over a decade of Sword and Scale's true crime podcasts at http://swordandscale.com

17-year-old Linda Bury’s home life was a mess, so she turned to social media to reinvent herself. There she met Joshua Mebane and this unassuming, wealthy monster would change her life forever.Get commercial free access to over a decade of Sword and Scale's true crime podcasts at http://swordandscale.com

The town of Chickasha, Oklahoma was shaken to its core when they heard the news that two were dead, one of which was a four year old child, and another was seriously maimed. Their outrage grew when they learned the name of the culprit was Lawrence Paul Anderson, a career criminal that should have never been out of prison. But nothing prepared them for when he confessed to his crimes and revealed they were far worse than first presumed.Get commercial free access to over a decade of Sword and Scale's true crime podcasts at http://swordandscale.com

Subscribe Now to This Doesn't Happen to People Like Me on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.Show kicks off March 3rd, 2025.  Available ad-free at swordandscale.com/plus

Kimberly Cargill was evil personified. She abused her children for years, circumventing the system to keep them in her clutches. Finally, the state caught on and what she did to keep from trouble was worse than the abuse itself.Get commercial free access to over a decade of Sword and Scale's true crime podcasts at http://swordandscale.com

In the tiny, rural village of Emerson, Nebraska, where only about 800 people live nestled in the northern, rolling hills, a series of inexplicable events begins to unfold. What seems like an ordinary morning turns into a nightmare as a young mother stumbles upon clues that hint at foul play on her boyfriend’s property. As the clues quickly mount, the truth reveals itself to be far worse than anyone could have imagined.Get commercial free access to over a decade of Sword and Scale's true crime podcasts at http://swordandscale.com

In San Fernando Valley, whispers of occult dealings and the lingering legacy of Charles Manson and Richard Ramirez still cast eerie shadows. This is where the chilling tale of Ron Baker's tragic demise beckons. Two years of haunting silence shroud the truth behind his untimely death, but as a relentless detective peels back layers of deception, a malevolent web begins to unravel. In the heart of Chatsworth, where an ominous tunnel bears silent witness, the dark secrets of that fateful night converge.Get commercial free access to over a decade of Sword and Scale's true crime podcasts at...

Tammy thought she met the man of her dreams when she started dating Joseph Oberhansley. He was younger than her and she found him handsome. But when he slowly became controlling and she discovered the secret of his horrible past she broke it off. Only then did Joe reveal his true self and Tammy never stood a chance.Get commercial free access to over a decade of Sword and Scale's true crime podcasts at http://swordandscale.com

The report of local businessman Tom Merriman’s death may have been overstated but when officers with the Solana Beach Police Department searched for Tom and couldn’t find him they were sent into high alert. The search for Tom would reveal a long-time betrayal and a motive for his murder for the most unlikely of suspects.Get commercial free access to over a decade of Sword and Scale's true crime podcasts at http://swordandscale.com

In July 2020, 33-year-old tech entrepreneur Fahim Saleh was found dismembered down to his torso in his New York City apartment. Bank statements would reveal who had the motive to commit such a heinous murder.Get commercial free access to over a decade of Sword and Scale's true crime podcasts at http://swordandscale.com

When a 46-year-old woman calls 9-11 for help after a sudden home birth, suspicions are raised when she shows no signs of labor. Police would soon discover the grisly truth behind the baby’s unexpected birth.Get commercial free access to over a decade of Sword and Scale's true crime podcasts at http://swordandscale.com

Cameron Kirk was a sad, depressed middle-aged man who found himself living back at home with his mother, Paula Kirk. Things had never been good between the two, but as her drinking increased, so did his resentments and it would all end in a gruesome murder. Get commercial free access to over a decade of Sword and Scale's true crime podcasts at http://swordandscale.com

A long-time dream turns into a nightmare for a Virginia man trapped in a cabin in the Oklahoma woods. Kia Aster had the highest hopes when he met a stranger at the airport. But what he thought would be a quick and painless trip landed him in the emergency room bleeding, collapsed, and unconscious.Get commercial free access to over a decade of Sword and Scale's true crime podcasts at http://swordandscale.com

In December of 2014, 19-year-old Jessica Chambers was set on fire in her car on an old country road in her rural Mississippi town. Jessica survived long enough to give a few clues as to who committed this unspeakable crime, but it would prove near impossible to apprehend her killer.Get commercial free access to over a decade of Sword and Scale's true crime podcasts at http://swordandscale.com

Colleen and Rob McKernan were set up by common friends and had a quick, whirlwind romance. But her controlling ways would turn fatal as she learned the hard way that you can’t change anyone, no matter how hard you try.Get commercial free access to over a decade of Sword and Scale's true crime podcasts at http://swordandscale.com

When 15-year-old Joanna Dennehy first met 20-year-old John Treanor in her hometown of St. Albans, Hertfordshire in the United Kingdom, the romance was like something out of “Trainspotting”. It predictably descended into madness over the course of 12 years, because Joanna had been hiding a secret. It was one that jeopardized the lives of everyone in her orbit.Get commercial free access to over a decade of Sword and Scale's true crime podcasts at http://swordandscale.com

A quaint township in Pennsylvania is shaken to its core when three dead bodies are discovered lying in a perfect line in their backyard. The police don’t immediately know what happened to Elizabeth Daub and her parents but it appears to be an execution-style killing. A bullet for each of them to the back of the head. But then strange documents and the discovery of chilling YouTube videos cast a different light on the God-fearing family.Get commercial free access to over a decade of Sword and Scale's true crime podcasts at http://swordandscale.com