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210. Freeway Killer(s) – Cold Cases Cracked by DNA
54:23||Ep. 210After more than four decades of silence, Parabon Nanolabs and cutting-edge genetic genealogy are reigniting public interest in three men who were—separately and confusingly—all referred to as the ‘Freeway Killer’: Patrick Kearney, William Bonin, and Randy Kraft. Kraft, convicted of 16 murders in California, is suspected of killing dozens more young men across the West Coast—often targeting Marines, hitchhikers, and teenagers. Many of his victims, if his infamous “scorecard” is to be believed, likely remain unidentified to this day.In this episode, we examine the recent identifications of Larry Eugene Parks and Michael Ray Schlict—both previously known only as John Does. Their cases, reopened thanks to advances in DNA technology and genetic genealogy, mirror the disturbing patterns seen in Randy Kraft’s known crimes: victims hogtied, drugged, mutilated, and left near highways like I-5. We explore the haunting evidence that investigators believe may link Kraft to these cold cases—including personal belongings, drug traces, and the cryptic list of coded names that earned him his nickname: the “Scorecard Killer.”If you're drawn to forensic breakthroughs, unsolved murders, and the darkest corners of the 1970s and ’80s true crime landscape, this case will stay with you.Visit our website! Find us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Patreon, & more! If you have any true crime, paranormal, or witchy stories you'd like to share with us & possibly have them read (out loud) on an episode, email us at pnwhauntsandhomicides@gmail.com or use this link. There are so many ways that you can support the show: BuyMeACoffee, Spreaker, or by leaving a rating & review on Apple Podcasts. If you're interested in our source material for this episode please feel free to reach out - due to the sensitive, potentially offensive nature of the subject matter we are currently unable to publish the complete list via Pastebin.
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Mimosas & Mayhem at the Stanley Hotel
48:23|Summertime is upon us! We’ve penciled in some time to sip rosé and soak up the sunshine so we’ll be sprinkling in some periodic breaks from our own content creations. Of course, we’d never leave you high and dry. This week, our friends Shea & Jody of the Rainy Day Rabbit Holes podcast are taking us down a previously Patreon-Only rabbit hole of haunted history and horror movies!In this bonus episode, Shea recounts her own spine-tingling visit to the legendary Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado—the very place that inspired Stephen King's The Shining. From the hotel's origins in the early 1900s to its brush with horror fame in the 1970s, you'll hear all about its ghostly reputation and eerie vibes. But things get even wilder when Shea and Jody, fueled by Mad Dog Mimosas, dive into their favorite horror flicks. As the champagne flows, so do the laughs—and Shea's voice gets a little, uh, spirited too! This one's a fun, fizzy ride through history and horror.Visit our website! Find us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Patreon, & more! If you have any true crime, paranormal, or witchy stories you'd like to share with us & possibly have them read (out loud) on an episode, email us at pnwhauntsandhomicides@gmail.com or use this link. There are so many ways that you can support the show: BuyMeACoffee, Spreaker, or by leaving a rating & review on Apple Podcasts.
Operation Beaver Drop: Idaho's 1948 Aerial Wildlife Relocation
29:30|Summertime is upon us! We’ve penciled in some time to sip rosé and soak up the sunshine so we’ll be sprinkling in some periodic breaks from our own content creations. Of course, we’d never leave you high and dry. This week, our friends Shea & Jody of the Rainy Day Rabbit Holes podcast share the story of one of the weirdest—and most unbelievable—government projects in Pacific Northwest history. In 1948, Idaho launched one of the strangest wildlife relocation efforts in U.S. history—dropping live beavers out of airplanes into the remote wilderness. Sounds like folklore, but it’s true.Join their exploration of this bizarre historical event in depth: who greenlit it, how they pulled it off, and what happened to the beavers who took the plunge. The story combines government problem-solving at its most eccentric, animal relocation tactics of the 20th century, and the lasting legacy of this truly wild conservation effort. Whether you’re a fan of weird history, bizarre and yet somehow true stories from the wild, or simply love an offbeat narrative based in the Pacific Northwest, this episode is for you. Visit our website! Find us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Patreon, & more! If you have any true crime, paranormal, or witchy stories you'd like to share with us & possibly have them read (out loud) on an episode, email us at pnwhauntsandhomicides@gmail.com or use this link. There are so many ways that you can support the show: BuyMeACoffee, Spreaker, or by leaving a rating & review on Apple Podcasts.
209. Ghosts, Gays, & Gambling - Portland’s Crystal Hotel
51:41||Ep. 209In this spooky and delightfully unhinged episode, we’re joined by “extra special” guests Shea & Jody from Rainy Day Rabbit Holes to explore the strange history and haunted happenings of Portland’s Crystal Hotel, a pizza-slice-shaped building with a century of stories baked in.Located in the Pearl District, this vibrant, music-themed boutique hotel—now owned by McMenamins—has a rich and colorful past. It’s been everything from an auto parts store and a hotspot for underground gambling, to a string of lively nightclubs and a men’s-only subterranean bathhouse. Today, thanks to its significance as a safe and social space for Portland’s LGBTQ+ community, it can be found on the National Register of Historic Places.Whether you’re into true crime, paranormal encounters, or offbeat local history, this episode has something for you. Don’t miss this deep dive into one of Portland’s most fascinating hotels!Visit our website! Find us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Patreon, & more! If you have any true crime, paranormal, or witchy stories you'd like to share with us & possibly have them read (out loud) on an episode, email us at pnwhauntsandhomicides@gmail.com or use this link. There are so many ways that you can support the show: BuyMeACoffee, Spreaker, or by leaving a rating & review on Apple Podcasts. Sources
208. Deadly Domestic Violence in Vancouver: Meshay & Layla
01:01:03||Ep. 208In March 2023, Meshay Melendez and her daughter Layla Stewart disappeared from Vancouver, Washington. Despite multiple red flags and an active no-contact order, Meshay’s abusive ex-boyfriend, Kirkland Warren, was free — with devastating consequences. In this heart-wrenching episode, we uncover the tragic story of Meshay Melendez and her 7-year-old daughter, Layla Stewart, whose lives were cut short. This case shines a light on the cracks in the system when it comes to domestic violence protections and the urgent need for systemic change and nuanced dialogue that produce real change.Join us as we trace the chilling timeline:Meshay’s turbulent history with Warren, including prior domestic violence.Court decisions that left Warren free despite extreme risk assessments.The heartbreaking discovery of Meshay and Layla’s bodies.Warren’s shocking criminal past, his manipulation of the legal system, and the final sentencing.⚠ If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233), text "START" to 88788, or visit thehotline.org.Visit our website! Find us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Patreon, & more! If you have any true crime, paranormal, or witchy stories you'd like to share with us & possibly have them read (out loud) on an episode, email us at pnwhauntsandhomicides@gmail.com or use this link. There are so many ways that you can support the show: BuyMeACoffee, Spreaker, or by leaving a rating & review on Apple Podcasts. Sources
207. Portland's Shanghai Tunnels
57:24||Ep. 207Booze, Brothels, and the Dark Side of Portland’s Past (Feat. Rainy Day Rabbit Holes)What happens when you toss two hilarious Pacific Northwest history podcasts into Portland’s creepiest tunnels with beer, ghosts, and a whole lot of sass? This. You get this glorious chaos.In this unhinged crossover episode, Shea and Jody from Rainy Day Rabbit Holes team up with Caitlyn and Cassie from PNW Haunts & Homicides for a deep, dark dive beneath the streets of Portland, Oregon. From damp brick passageways to flannel-wearing apparitions, the crew recounts their visit to the Shanghai Tunnels Tour at Old Town Pizza & Brewing, while also dissecting the problematic roots of the term “shanghaied,” historic embellishments, and whether ghost pee is a thing. Expect history, hilarity, hauntings—and maybe some drunken shenanigans. 👻 Learn more or book your own tunnel tour: Shanghai Tunnels Tour at Old Town Pizza & Brewing🎙 Support the podcasts:Rainy Day Rabbit Holes → WebsitePNW Haunts & Homicides → Website
206. The Cliff House Curse: Ghosts, Shipwrecks, & Fiery History in San Francisco
01:26:51||Ep. 206Remember Jake the Alligator Man? Turns out his bizarre backstory might be tangled up with one of San Francisco’s most mysterious landmarks — The Cliff House. In this episode, we dig into the cursed history of this seaside icon: from explosive shipwrecks and devastating fires to ghostly apparitions, secret tunnels, and maybe even a mummy curse (?!).We’ll explore how The Cliff House rose, burned, rose again (multiple times) and how the Land’s End area had everything from seedy roadhouses to Victorian castles, extravagant bathhouses, amusement parks, taxidermied sea lions, forgotten cemeteries, and yes — Egyptian artifacts. We dive into the tale of Adolph Sutro, his cliffside empire, the ruins of Sutro Baths, and the eerie hauntings that still chill this foggy coastline.Is the area cursed by misplaced relics? Haunted by forgotten souls? Or just steeped in really bad luck? If you love lost history, ghost stories, and a healthy dose of weird… this one’s for you.Visit our website! Find us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Patreon, & more! If you have any true crime, paranormal, or witchy stories you'd like to share with us & possibly have them read (out loud) on an episode, email us at pnwhauntsandhomicides@gmail.com or use this link. There are so many ways that you can support the show: BuyMeACoffee, Spreaker, or by leaving a rating & review on Apple Podcasts. Sources