The Pandemonium Witches: Murders, Mystery, and Mayhem

The Pandemonium team is back, discussing the horrific crimes committed by serial killers David Birnie and Catherine Birnie, known as the Moorhouse Murderers. In the mid-1980s, the couple lured young women back to their home on Moorhouse Street in Perth, where their victims were assaulted and murdered. For months, their crimes went unnoticed until one victim managed to escape and tell police what had happened inside the house. This episode walks through the timeline of the murders, the survivor whose courage exposed the truth, and the investigation that finally brought the killings to an end. The crimes committed...

The Pandemonium team is back, unpacking a case that feels less like a crime and more like a devastating unraveling. In 1985, 14-year-old Carmen Gayheart left her home in Florida after an argument with her mother *- never knowing it would be the last time she’d be seen alive. What followed was a chilling chain of events involving manipulation, violence, and a group of teenagers whose actions would shock the nation. This episode walks through Carmen’s final days, the people she trusted, and the brutal truth of what really happened after she disappeared. As the investigation unfolded, a dist...

It’s that time again - it’s Serotonin Saturday. This week we’re taking a trip to the California coast to explore the incredible history of Hearst Castle. Perched high above the Pacific Ocean, this sprawling estate began as a dream of newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst, who wanted to transform his family’s ranch into a lavish retreat unlike anything else in the United States. Working alongside groundbreaking architect Julia Morgan, the project evolved into a massive hilltop estate filled with European art, grand architecture, and over-the-top luxury. But Hearst Castle was more than just an extravagant home - i...

The Pandemonium team is back, and this week Cat and Rachel discuss the murder of Robin Lawrence, a suburban mother whose life ended in a crime that shocked her quiet community. What initially appeared to be a tragic death inside her own home quickly turned into a complicated investigation filled with conflicting stories, troubling evidence, and questions about what really happened behind closed doors. This episode walks through the timeline of Robin’s final days, the investigation that followed, and the details that left many people searching for answers. Robin was more than the circumstances surrounding her death. This ep...

This week, the Pandemonium team discusses the heartbreaking case known for decades as “The Boy in the Box.” In February 1957, the body of a young boy was discovered inside a cardboard box in the woods of Philadelphia. He had no name, no missing persons report, and no one who seemed to be searching for him. For more than 65 years, investigators and amateur sleuths worked to identify the child once called “America’s Unknown Child.” This episode walks through the discovery of the boy, the many theories that followed, and the decades-long effort to finally give him back his name. Because ev...

This week, Pandemonium covers the devastating case of Rebecca Park, known as Becca - a 22-year-old mother of two who was 38 weeks pregnant and reportedly in early labor when she was dismissed from the hospital, only to disappear after being last seen getting into a dark vehicle on November 3, 2025. What began as a missing persons search led friends, volunteers, and search teams through Boon Township before ending in tragedy when Becca’s body was discovered on November 25 in the Manistee National Forest, her newborn baby still missing. As investigators dug deeper, the case revealed a chilling web of family be...

This week, the Pandemonium team heads to Victorian England for one of history’s most shocking mass poisoning events - the Bradford sweets poisoning. In Bradford in 1858, what should have been a simple batch of peppermint lozenges turned into a deadly mistake when arsenic was accidentally used instead of sugar substitute, leaving more than 200 people sick and at least 20 dead. We dig into how a cost-cutting shortcut, a breakdown in oversight, and a chain of small decisions created a public health disaster that changed food safety laws forever. From confectioner Joseph Neal to supplier James Archer, and the tragic st...

In this second installment of Serotonin Saturday, Cat and Rachel are talking about the people who show up every single day and quietly hold the world together - teachers. We start with special education teacher Kati Jo Christensen in Weber County, who went viral for dancing on TikTok to erase student lunch debt - turning a small $4,000 goal into support for multiple schools and recognition from the West Haven City Council. Then we expand to stories like a teacher in Cleveland securing donated washers and dryers from Lowe’s, alongside nationwide efforts through DonorsChoose, programs from Whirlpool, and care cl...

The Pandemonium team is back, and this week Cat and Rachel take on one of the most infamous names in true crime - Ted Bundy, who we’ve lovingly renamed Sparkle T*ts because - absolutely not. From his carefully crafted charm to the trail of violence he left across multiple states, this episode breaks down how Bundy manipulated victims, media, and the justice system while hiding in plain sight.We focus on the facts, the failures that allowed him to keep killing, and the women whose lives were taken - because they deserve to be remembered fa...

The Pandemonium team is back, and this week Rachel and Cat head to 1930s Italy to examine the case of Leonarda Cianciulli, a woman whose fear, superstition, and desperation spiraled into calculated murder. Known as the “Soap-Maker of Correggio,” Leonarda claimed she was trying to protect her son from a prophetic curse when she lured women into her home and killed them. What followed was a chilling blend of ritual, manipulation, and a community that trusted her completely. This episode walks through Leonarda’s troubled past, the cultural climate of Fascist-era Italy, the disappearances that raised suspicion, and th...

S2.E8 - When Trust Turns Deadly: The Lisa Knoefel CaseThe Pandemonium team is back, and this week Cat and Rachel examine the case of Lisa Knoefel, a mother whose life was taken in a calculated act that unfolded inside her own home. What initially appeared to be a brutal attack soon revealed a disturbing conspiracy involving manipulation, control, and betrayal. As investigators dug deeper, the relationships at the center of the case exposed a dynamic far more complex than it first seemed. This episode walks through Lisa’s background, the night of the attack, the sh...

The Pandemonium team is back, and this week Rachel and Cat examine one of the most infamous unsolved murders in American history: the killing of Elizabeth Short, known to the press as the Black Dahlia. In 1947, Elizabeth’s body was discovered in Los Angeles in a crime so brutal it captured national headlines and fueled decades of speculation. But behind the sensational nickname was a 22-year-old woman with plans, friends, and a life that deserved more than myth-making. This episode walks through the timeline of her disappearance, the discovery that shocked the country, the investigation th...

The Pandemonium team is switching gears this week for our first installment of Serotonin Saturday, as Cat and Rachel round up some of the most hopeful, fascinating, and downright delightful stories you may have missed in 2025. From California’s historic ban on cat declawing and new rules on ultra-processed school lunches, to goats preventing wildfires in Spain and breakthroughs in treating Huntington’s disease. This episode is packed with wins for animals, people, and the planet all around. We also celebrate a posthumous degree for Māori scholar, the booming secondhand clothing market, the world’s tiniest injectable pacemaker, along r...

Addendum: Amy Jo’s fiancee was Jerimah. Her ex husband was Chris. Cat had the names scrambled and she was mortified to learn of this error! The Pandemonium team is back, and this week Cat and Rachel are joined by Pam Nelson and Abbie Nelson Vann to honor the life and legacy of Amy Jo Nelson. This episode steps away from speculation and into remembrance. Pam and Abbie share who Amy Jo truly was, the unanswered questions surrounding her death, and the investigation her family continues to pursue in the search for justice. Through th...

The Pandemonium team is back, and this week Rachel and Cat examine the case of Anna Marie Hahn, one of the first women in the United States to be executed in the electric chair - and yes, once again we’re asking: WHY is it always arsenic? In the 1930s, Hahn was accused of poisoning elderly men in Ohio, earning headlines that painted her as manipulative and calculating. Her case marked the eighth time we’ve covered arsenic on this show - bringing our running total to 8 cases and 63 victims linked to this particular poison. This episode walks through the...

The Pandemonium team is back, and this week Cat and Rachel step into Chicago, where Prohibition-era power struggles turned a winter morning into one of the most infamous crimes in American history. On February 14, 1929, seven men were gunned down inside a North Side garage in a brazen act of organized crime violence that shocked the nation. Often linked to Al Capone’s war with rival gangs, the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre remains a symbol of unchecked corruption, criminal empires, and justice that never fully arrived. Join us as we break down what happened, who was believed to be resp...

The Pandemonium team is back, and this week Rachel and Cat travel deep into the jungles of Guyana, where a secluded religious community became the site of one of the deadliest mass unalivings in modern history. On November 18, 1978, more than 900 members of the Peoples Temple died after cult leader Jim Jones ordered a coordinated act of mass death that stunned the world.What began as a utopian experiment in faith, equality, and escape from oppression collapsed into paranoia, control, and unimaginable tragedy.Join us as we break down how Jonestown was built, what...

The Pandemonium Witches are back, and we’re kicking off the season with a look at where true crime stands as of 2025 - starting with the renewed momentum in the JonBenét Ramsey case nearly 30 years later. From modern DNA testing and genetic genealogy to media pressure and long-awaited cold case breakthroughs, we break down what’s changing, what’s finally being solved, and what still haunts investigators and families alike.We also introduce our brand-new Knife Scale 🔪, rating this year’s biggest true crime documentaries so you know exactly what kind of emotional damage you’re signing up for...

The Pandemonium team is back for the season one finale, and this week Cat, Rachel, Em, and Meg journey to New Mexico - the number 1 state on our Haunted Road Trip top ten list. From haunted adobe homes and ghostly desert highways to chilling small-town legends and restless spirits in historic hotels, New Mexico proves that the Land of Enchantment has a dark side.We explore eerie places, unsettling true crime stories, and local folklore that keeps the state at the top of our haunted list.As we wrap up Season 1, join us for a...

The Pandemonium team is back, and this week Meg, Rachel, and Cat are taking the top spot on our Haunted Road Trip with the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel in Alberta, Canada. Known as the “Castle in the Rockies,” this luxury hotel is steeped in history - and haunted tales. Guests and staff report sightings of phantom brides, wandering bellhops, and mysterious footsteps echoing through the halls. From tragic accidents to ghostly legends, the Banff Springs has earned a reputation as one of the most haunted hotels in the world. Join us as we explore its dark corners, spine-chilling stories, and...