Advertise on podcast: Curator 135

Send us a text In the summer of 1967, Detroit was already burning when a far quieter tragedy unfolded behind the doors of the Algiers Motel. As the city reeled from six days of unrest, three young Black men—Carl Cooper, Auburey Pollard, and Fred Temple—were detained, terrorized, and killed during a police raid that would later become one of the most disturbing chapters of the Detroit Uprising. In this milestone 100th episode of Curator135, we explore what led Detroit to the brink, how the uprising began, and what happened inside the Algiers Motel that night. We examine survivor testimony, the failed prosecutions that followed, and how the justice system ultimately left families without answers. But this episode is also about what came after. About a city shaped by fire, injustice, and loss—and one that refused to disappear. From population collapse and decades of disinvestment to the resilience, revival, and renewed energy seen today, Detroit’s story is more than its worst moment. This is a story about memory, accountability, and survival. And about why some histories demand to be remembered. Support the show

Send us a text What started as a quiet investigation into a vandalized mausoleum at Mount Moriah Cemetery quickly spiraled into something much darker. In this episode, we explore the recent arrest of Jonathan Christian Gerlach — accused of stealing human remains from Philadelphia’s historic cemeteries — and the eerie digital trail he left behind. From curated Instagram posts to disturbing discoveries in his home, police uncovered a scene that felt more like a horror film than real life. But this isn’t just about one man. It’s about a culture. A curiosity. And a line that gets crossed when fascination becomes exploitation. With historical context, family legacies, and a respectful look at ethical collecting, Episode 99 unearths the names behind the tombs — and what happens when the dead are no longer left to rest. Support the show

Send us a text In the mid-1850s, America was expanding westward — fast, hungry, and ruthless. The ink was barely dry on the Gadsden Purchase when settlers began pouring into the unforgiving deserts of what would one day become southern Arizona. The land was harsh, lawless, and already inhabited by Native nations like the Apache, who fiercely resisted encroachment. This episode begins in that volatile moment — where empires shifted, cultures clashed, and ordinary people stepped into extraordinary danger. At the heart of this story is Larcena Pennington Page, a young woman who journeyed west with her family in search of a new life. What happened to her in the mountains outside Tucson — kidnapped by Apache warriors and left for dead in the wilderness — became one of the most remarkable survival stories in Arizona’s early history. But before we get to that, we explore the world she lived in: a borderland shaped by conflict, hope, and unimaginable hardship. This is more than a tale of survival. It’s about the collision of nations, the resilience of a frontier family, and the woman who walked back from the edge of death. Support the show

Send us a text Since the reinstatement of the death penalty in 1976, the United States has executed over 1,500 people — but only 17 of them have been women. In this episode, we walk cell-by-cell through their stories. The crimes. The trials. The years spent on death row. And, ultimately, the moments the state said it was time to die. From Velma Barfield to Lisa Montgomery, we examine not just what they did — but who they were. And we ask: Does gender change the way we see justice? Or does justice demand that we don’t look away? One by one, we tell the final stories of the women the state could not — or would not — save. Support the show

Send us a text She wasn’t a monster in the shadows — she was a nurse at your bedside. In this chilling episode, we uncover the twisted life of Jane Toppan, the 19th-century caregiver who confessed to murdering at least 31 people — not out of hatred, but for pleasure. A seemingly cheerful and devoted nurse, “Jolly Jane” used her position to experiment with fatal doses of morphine and atropine, holding patients as they died… and enjoying every second. Before Charles Cullen or Beverley Allitt, there was Toppan — America’s first documented female serial killer of the medical kind. We dive deep into: Her traumatic childhood and fractured identity The experimental murders that began under hospital supervision The intimate betrayals of her victims, including her own foster sister Her psychological profile — and why she was declared insane but brilliant The legacy she left behind in criminal profiling and forensic psychiatry Trust us: this story isn’t just about a killer nurse — it’s about how easily trust can become a weapon. Support the show

Send us a text This Halloween, we dig deep — literally — into one of the most disturbing true crime tales in medical history. Step into 1820s Edinburgh, where cobblestone streets echoed with the footsteps of scholars by day… and the shovels of grave robbers by night. This episode uncovers the chilling story of William Burke and William Hare, two men who didn’t just rob graves — they skipped the digging and began murdering for fresh corpses, selling the dead to fuel the booming anatomy lectures of Dr. Robert Knox. From the shadowy world of the Resurrection Men to the public execution and dissection that shocked a nation, we explore how science, desperation, and greed collided in a city that called itself enlightened. Featuring: The rise of grave robbing in Britain and beyond Real 19th-century news quotes, nursery rhymes, and courtroom drama The chilling legacy of Burke & Hare — and how it reshaped medical ethics forever So light a candle, lock your door, and settle in. Because tonight… the dead don’t stay buried. Support the show

Send us a text Between June of 1911 and June of 1912, America’s heartland lived in fear. From Oregon to Iowa, entire families were slaughtered in their beds — curtains drawn, lamps dimmed, the blunt edge of an axe left behind. The trail of terror ran through Ardenwald, Rainier, Colorado Springs, Monmouth, Ellsworth, and Paola, before ending with the infamous Villisca murders. Was it the work of one shadowy figure riding the rails, or a series of eerie coincidences? Detectives of the day struggled with poor science, conflicting rumors, and too many suspects — men like Henry Lee Moore, William Mansfield, Rev. George Kelly, Charles Marzyck, Nathan B. Harvey, and George Wilson. None were ever proven guilty. In this episode of Curator135, we retrace that chilling year of violence, the communities shattered in silence, and the questions that remain more than a century later. Support the show

Send us a text He was the sheriff with a big stick and an even bigger legend. Buford Pusser fought crime on the Tennessee-Mississippi border with his fists, a badge, and a whole lot of vengeance. His story inspired Walking Tall, a string of sequels, ballads, and generations of folk-hero worship.  But behind the headlines, beneath the scars, there’s a different story.  In this episode of the Curator135 Podcast, we dive deep into the life, myth, and legacy of Buford Pusser—from his early days as a wrestler, to bloody shootouts with the State Line Mob, to the tragic death of his wife, Pauline. And for the first time, we’ll explore the shocking new investigation that may rewrite everything we thought we knew about who Buford really was.  Because sometimes, legends aren’t broken—they were built that way.  Support the show

Send us a text In the late 1800s, Nellie Titus had a dream about a missing girl. A dream so precise, so disturbingly accurate, that it drew the attention of scholars, spiritualists, and skeptics alike — including America’s most famous psychologist, William James. In this episode, we step back in time to a snow-covered mill town, where a woman who’d had visions all her life claimed to see what no one else could.  Support the show

Send us a text In 1878, a quiet town in Nova Scotia became the stage for one of Canada’s strangest hauntings. Esther Cox, an ordinary young woman, was suddenly surrounded by raps in the walls, flying objects, and ghostly messages carved into plaster. Neighbors, doctors, ministers — even a touring actor — all claimed to witness the terror firsthand. Was it the work of restless spirits, the echoes of trauma, or a mystery no one will ever solve? Join me as we travel back to Amherst, where a haunting once gripped the Maritimes and left behind one unforgettable name: Esther Cox. Support the show

Send us a text An up-and-coming NBA star who had it all. The talent, the money, the fame, the women... but then he just walked away. And soon, he would vanish altogether. Learn about Brian Williams, who, after changing his name to Bison Dele, found that the NBA lifestyle was no longer for him. He bought a boat, reconnected with an old flame, and then reconnected with his brother. The last move may have cost him his life.  A lost at sea mystery.  Support the show

Send us a text Episode 89 of the podcast highlights the criminal careers of Dennis Lincoln and John Wolfenbarger and goes into correspondence between the defendants and myself back in 2014. This is chapters 24, 25, and 26 of the book, A Wolf in Suburbia - The Pesce Family Murders. Some of the language used in this podcast is not intended for younger listeners. Parental discretion is advised; bad language is beeped out. The voices used for Lincoln and Wolfenbarger are AI-generated.  Support the show

Send us a text Episode 88 of the podcast covers days 12, 13, 14, the verdict and sentencing portions of the Pesce Family Murder Trial and chapters 20, 21, 22, & 23 of the book, A Wolf in Suburbia - The Pesce Family Murders. The trial hears from some key witnesses for the prosecution and the defense and is ultimately deliberated on for less than four hours before a verdict was reached.  Support the show

Send us a text Episode 87 of the podcast covers days 8, 9, 10, & 11 of the Pesce Family Murder Trial and chapters 17, 18, & 19 of the book, A Wolf in Suburbia - The Pesce Family Murders. Some important witnesses are called to the stand, and health issues delay the trial by nearly one month.   Support the show

Send us a text In Part 5 of the series, we cover days 6 and 7 of the trial and chapters 15 and 16 of the book, A Wolf in Suburbia: The Pesce Family Murders.  These two days were important ones in the trial as attorneys finished up with Betty Faye Smith before moving on to a Copa Lounge bartender and the Letts family. Finally, at the end of day 7, Diane Pesce is called to the stand.  Support the show