Death and Taxes: A True Crime Podcast

It’s the morning of February 24 2023, and emergency services in Herndon (Fairfax County, Virginia) have just received an abandoned call for help from within a quiet suburban house occupied by the Banfield family. The call is brief - only eight-seconds long - but within it, quiet groans can be heard.When dispatchers phone the Banfield residence back, the family’s au pair answers. From here, police will learn that a shocking and violent crime has just taken place within the home, and there are multiple fatalities. Clare presents this case.Theme music by MVM Productions.

It’s Monday December 4th, 1972, in a city called Merced, California. Seven-year-old Steven Stayner has spent an ordinary Monday in elementary school. When his mother arrives at school to collect him, there is no sign of Steven, and it soon becomes clear that Steven has not made it home on foot either.Theme music by MVM Productions.

In the early hours of the 14th February 2013, world record holding athlete Oscar Pistorius phoned emergency services to report that he had fatally shot his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. Steenkamp, a 29 year old paralegal, model and TV presenter had allegedly been mistaken for an intruder within the bathroom of Oscar's own home. Theme music by MVM Productions.

On the evening of December 9th, 2001, beloved wife and mother Kathleen Peterson is found at the bottom of a staircase in a pool of blood. Accusations are quickly levelled against her husband, Michael Peterson, whose defence claims it was just a tragic accident and that Kathleen had slipped and fallen. This is a case that is still fiercely dissected and debated 25 years later, and is the subject of the 2004 documentary series 'The Staircase'.Theme music by MVM Productions.

During the 1990s, a Hungarian ice hockey player named Attila Ambrus would become notorious not for his goalkeeping abilities but for committing a string of high-stakes robberies in and around Budapest. Clare presents the fascinating story  of a man who would become known as 'The Whiskey Robber of Hungary'. Theme music by MVM Productions.

In 1969, the son of a wealthy shoe manufacturer in Brantford, New Hampshire would go missing. Twenty-six years later there would be a major break. Clare recounts this mysterious case, and the questions that haunt the community of Brandtford over half a century later.#jumanji #robinwilliamsTheme music by MVM Productions.

On the 25th of February, 2016, academy award winning actress Gwyneth Paltrow was skiing at Deer Valley Resort in Park City, Utah, when she claims she was struck from behind by fellow skier, retired optometrist Terry Sanderson. This incident would result in lengthy and highly publicised legal proceedings. Carrie takes us through a summary of Gwyneth's controversies and scandals, culminating in her loss of a half-day skiing. Sources:Top 12 moments from Gwyneth Paltrow ski collision trial: https://youtu.be/m6opTRJUQ2QJimmy Kimmel Live: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_puiv3-p8wTheme music by MVM Productions.

In July of 2011, two mysterious deaths will take place only days apart from one another. Both occur within a renowned and historic beachside mansion (the ’Spreckels Mansion’) in the resort city of Coronado, California. The incidents are separate, however also seemingly related. This case is considered closed by the local County Sheriff’s Office, however it still intrigues and divides true-crime enthusiasts to this day. Presented by Benny.Resources:https://www.autopsyfiles.org/reports/Other/zahau,%20rebecca_report.pdfhttps://www.autopsyfiles.org/reports/Other/shacknai,%20max_report.pdf‘Death on Ocean Boulevard: Inside the Coronado Mansion Case’ by author Caitlin Rother.911 Call - https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/mile-higher/id1332383970?i=1000508224277Theme music by MVM Productions.

On the 2nd February 1986, nurse and former pageant queen Anita Cobby finished work at Sydney Hospital at 3pm and met friends for dinner in nearby Redfern. She then boarded a train from Central Railway station heading home. Arriving at Blacktown, she would usually ring her father who would pick her up, however on this day she found all the phones out-of-operation and decided to walk the small distance home . The next day, Anita Cobby failed to arrive at work. Clare presents this case.7 News | Miss X tape: Anita Cobby: https://www.facebook.com/7NEWSMelbourne/videos/7-news-miss-x-tape-anita-cobby/171052996599968/Theme music by MVM Productions.

On the 24th October 1997 a dinner party is held in Canberra, Australia. Rumour has it that the young couple hosting this dinner (25-year-old Anu Singh and her 26-year-old boyfriend Joe Cinque) have together chosen to end their lives, and this dinner is to be their unspoken "farewell". Nobody mentions the rumour, and nobody warns Joe.Sources:- Joe Cinque's Consolation, by Helen Garner- Australasian Legal Information Institute https://www6.austlii.edu.au/- Audio clip from Seven Network's 'Sunday Night': https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msFwfRA8xs4Theme music by MVM Productions.

Laci Peterson, the pregnant 27-year-old wife of Scott Peterson, disappeared from her home of Modesto, California, in December 2002. Scott Peterson became a suspect from the outset. Within days, a woman came forward saying that she was having a romantic relationship with Scott Peterson, and that he had claimed he was a widower preparing to spend his first Christmas alone... several weeks before his wife's actual disappearance.Theme music by MVM Productions.

On August 2nd 2006, thirty-two year old Robert Wone was finishing up work late. It was 10:24pm when he cabbed to the residence of a friend whose house he planned on staying at overnight. At 11:49pm, emergency services received a call for help, saying that someone in the residence had been stabbed by an intruder.Sources:The Prosecutors Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-prosecutors/id1513765512'Who Killed Robert Wone?' (Peacock Documentary)'Positive prostate-specific antigen (PSA) reaction in post-mortem rectal swabs: a cautionary note' https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19733329/Theme music by MVM Productions.

On the 22nd of November 2024, a group of eleven Lithuanians were attempting a multi-day rafting expedition down Tasmania's Franklin River when disaster struck.Theme music by MVM Productions.

On Sunday March 23 1997, emergency services received a call from 16-year-old Mark Duke, crying uncontrollably and saying "they killed my family". Investigators would find symbols associated with local gangs had been carved into the walls of the family home.Warning: this case contains graphic details and involves crimes against children. Theme music by MVM Productions.

Benny presents the mysterious and disastrous story about a Broadway musical back in 2012, which will be plagued with problems beyond the usual missed cues, technical glitches, and poor ticket sales. We’re talking about multi-million lawsuits, shadowy figures who will do anything to make sure the production goes ahead, anonymous threats, FBI raids, and the revelation that somebody within its production wants to see it fail... This is the story of Rebecca: the Musical.Sources:Wait in the Wings: https://youtu.be/roIueOG7_N4Theme music by MVM Productions.

It’s the very early morning hours of September 23rd 2007, and 20-year-old Matthew Leveson is in Arq nightclub, on Sydney’s Oxford Street. At around 3am, one of Matty's friends realises that he hasn’t seen Matty for a while, and they exchange  a few short text messages. This will be the last communication anybody has with him, and he’ll never be seen alive again.Theme music by MVM Productions.

On a chilly Autumn morning on the 9th October 2009, the Jamison family journeyed into Oklahoma’s San Bois Mountains, where Bobby and Sherilynn were considering buying a 40-acre plot. Nine days later, their truck was found on a remote mud road, with their dog Maisie still inside but alive. Also discovered were the family's ID cards, wallets, mobile phones, GPS system and about US$32,000 in cash.Note: We had some technical issues this week, and apologise for the audio quality.Theme music by MVM Productions.

On the 18th August 1992, Australian schoolgirl Ebony Simpson came home and told her mother that students had received a talk during a school assembly about stranger danger. Ebony's mother recalls "I said to her, if anything ever comes up in your life, if anything ever happens, come home any tell me. Then I read her a story and she went to bed. And the next day, when she went to school, she didn't come home."Sources:Crimes that Shook Australia - The Murder of Ebony SimpsonGarforth's Application for Special Leave: https://www8.austlii.edu.au/au/other/HCATrans/1994/149.rtfSentencing for "Life" in New South Wales, Research in Progress by John Anderson: https://anzsoc.org/files/conferencearchives/1998/anderson.pdfContact us at [email protected] or comment on our instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deathandtaxespodTheme music by MVM Productions.

In 1993, three eight-year-old boys (Steve Branch, Michael Moore, and Christopher Byers) are reported missing in West Memphis, Arkansas. Their bodies are found the following day.  This case will go on to generate decades of widespread controversy, and will be subject of several documentaries beginning with HBO's 'Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills'. It will be known as the case of the 'West Memphis Three'.Sources: - 'Devil's Knot: The True Story of the West Memphis Three' by Mara Leveritt- Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0117293- Paradise Lost: Revelations: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0239894- Paradise Lost: Purgatory: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2028530Theme music by MVM Productions.Theme music by MVM Productions.

In 1993, three eight-year-old boys (Steve Branch, Michael Moore, and Christopher Byers) are reported missing in West Memphis, Arkansas. Their bodies are found the following day.  This case will go on to generate decades of widespread controversy, and will be subject of several documentaries beginning with HBO's 'Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills'. It will be known as the case of the 'West Memphis Three'.Sources: 'Devil's Knot: The True Story of the West Memphis Three' by Mara LeverittTheme music by MVM Productions.

On July 15 2008, Cindy Anthony phoned Orlando police to report that her car had been stolen, and that she wished to bring somebody in to have them placed in police custody. Over the course of multiple calls, it is revealed that the person is her own daughter, 22-year-old Casey Anthony. Furthermore, Casey's 2-year-old daughter Caylee is missing, and has not been seen for 31 days.Clare presents this week's case, and this is Part 2 of 2.Court audio from https://www.youtube.com/@WESHTheme music by MVM Productions.

On July 15 2008, Cindy Anthony phoned Orlando police to report that her car had been stolen, and that she wished to bring somebody in to have them placed in police custody. Over the course of multiple calls, it is revealed that the person is her own daughter, 22-year-old Casey Anthony. Furthermore, Casey's 2-year-old daughter Caylee is missing, and has not been seen for 31 days.Clare presents this week's case, and this is Part 1 of 2.Court audio from https://www.youtube.com/@WESHTheme music by MVM Productions.

It's April 1935 in Sydney, Australia. In Coogee, a beachside suburb in the east, there's a new attraction called the 'Coogee Aquarium Baths'. The owner and his son head out on the harbour determined to bring in Sydney's next must-see attraction: a one-tonne tiger shark. A series of unexpected events will soon occur, leading police to investigate multiple suspected homicides... Theme music by MVM Productions.

Joss Stone is an English singer, songwriter and actress. She rose to prominence in late 2003 with her multi-platinum debut album, The Soul Sessions. But what does this artist have to do with two men, a map, and a samurai sword? Lizzie covers this fascinating case.Theme music by MVM Productions.

In this bonus episode, Benny covers the 1986 abduction of a toddler by his 16 year old babysitter and half-sister, Sarah Williams.#Labyrinth #DavidBowie #JimHenson #JenniferConnellyTheme music by MVM Productions.

It's an incredibly famous building - perhaps one of the most recognisable modern buildings in the world - but the Sydney Opera House will also forever be linked to a crime that changed Australia forever. Benny presents this weeks case.Sources:https://www.amazon.com.au/Kidnapped-Crime-that-Shocked-Nation/dp/1925310221https://www.nsw.gov.au/departments-and-agencies/nsw-treasury/about-us/nsw-treasury-bicentenary/walking-a-tightrope/moments/house-lotteries-builtCrime Investigation Australia, episode “Kid for Ransom”Theme music by MVM Productions.

In 2021, 41-year-old veterinarian Christina Parcell was found brutally stabbed inside her South Carolina home. Her body appeared to have been posed, with rose petals strewn around her in what appeared to be some kind of ritual associated with the killing. Clare presents this fascinating case. This case does also include discussion of crimes involving children.Sources:https://www.tiktok.com/@courttvlive/video/7473226329081531679https://crimetimelines.com/rose-petal-murder/Theme music by MVM Productions.

Asbestos and amphetamines and explosions - oh my! In our season 3 premiere, Carrie covers the disastrous production of 1939's 'The Wizard of Oz'.Sources:Sesame Street - Wicked Witch Scenes from Episode 847 (1976) - RARE! (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RytWnZbOA9s)Judy Garland on the Munchkins (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-zYbKiK6Gs)Theme music by MVM Productions.

In 1910, two wealthy sisters would respond to an advertisement that promised wellness in the Seattle wilderness. An institution devoted to natural therapeutics, "Wilderness Heights" was run by Dr Linda Burfield Hazzard. To locals, however, the grounds were infamously dubbed "Starvation Heights"... Benny covers this week's case.Theme music by MVM Productions.

On November 4 2018, Tamla Horsford was discovered dead in the backyard of a home where she had been attending a slumber party with other "football mums" the night before. Some  argue that her race played a role in the events leading up to her death and in the investigation that followed, and her death became a topic of advocacy during the George Floyd anti-police brutality protests of 2020.Theme music by MVM Productions.

Lana Jean Clarkson was an American actress and fashion model. During the 1980s, she rose to prominence in several sword-and-sorcery films. On the morning of February 3, 2003, Lana was found dead inside the California mansion of record producer Phil Spector.Theme music by MVM Productions.

We've all been there. You've had a big night of partying, wake up the next morning, and you don't remember all that much about the night before.On February 4 1979, this was the case for Joseph "Joey" Giarratano. Only when he woke up, he was confronted by two dead bodies and the sinking feeling that he might be responsible.Clare covers this fascinating case and it's legacy.Theme music by MVM Productions.

At around 3:30pm on Tuesday, June 22nd 1954, a woman named Agnes Ritchie is working in a small tearooms or kiosk in a parkland known as Victoria Gardens. Suddenly she hears some commotion and hears footsteps running up the stone steps that lead to this kiosk window. She turns to see two young girls, around 15 years old, running frantically up the stairs. The girls cry out, “Please, somebody help us, mummy has been hurt! It’s mummy, she’s terribly hurt! She’s dead!”Benny covers the case of Pauline Parker (aka Rieper) & Juliet Hulme.Theme music by MVM Productions.

The show Glee, which ran from 2009 to 2015, jumpstarted the careers of actors like Lea Michele, Cory Monteith, and Naya Rivera.But the show's cast and crew fell victim to a number of tragedies and scandals during the end of its run and since it went off the air. Carrie covers this week’s episode on the ‘Glee Curse’.Theme music by MVM Productions.

On the 8th June 1973, the body of 26-year-old, Lynette (Lyn) White, was found by her husband, Paul, in their Coogee apartment. She had suffered horrific injuries, but their 11-week-old son was found in his cot unharmed. Lizzie covers this tragic case.https://www.police.nsw.gov.au/can_you_help_us/rewards/1000000_reward/reward_announced_for_information_into_the_1973_murder_of_lynette_whitehttps://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-06-06/murder-by-the-sea-opener/8588358?utm_campaign=abc_news_web&utm_content=link&utm_medium=content_shared&utm_source=abc_news_webTheme music by MVM Productions.

It’s February 1920 in Berlin, Germany. A young woman has been found floating in a canal. She's still alive, but barely.Clinging to life, the woman refuses to give any information about her identity. She is dubbed ‘Frauline Unbekannt’, an equivalent of Jane Doe meaning ‘Miss Unknown’.But then people come forward with an extraordinary claim: Frauline Unbekannt is actually Princess Anastasia, one of the four daughters of Tsar Nicholas II. But how? The entire Romanov family had  been executed four years earlier. But now, there is hope that at least one of them may have survived... A special guest host joins us for this case! (Remastered)Theme music by MVM Productions.

Daniel Markel was a Canadian-born attorney and a law professor, who wrote various works on retribution in criminal law and sentencing, with a focus on the role of punishment in the criminal justice system. Shortly before 11 a.m. on July 18, 2014, Markel was gunned down. Clare presents this case.Theme music by MVM Productions.

Barbara Potter is in a bit of a predicament. The year is 2011, Barbara is in her early sixties, and she lives with her husband Buddy and youngest daughter, 30 year old Jenelle. For some time now Jenelle has been the victim of severe online bullying. Benny presents this weeks case about a Facebook feud that will have  terrible real-life consequences.  (Remastered)Theme music by MVM Productions.

In 1989, actress Rebecca Schaeffer is on the verge of becoming a big star. Her celebrity status has taken off with the sitcom "My Sister Sam" and she is preparing to audition for Francis Ford Coppola's "The Godfather Part III". But for the past two years, Rebecca has been receiving some intense fan-mail... Carrie presents this weeks case. Theme music by MVM Productions.

Clare joins the team again to present one of her favourite cases! On the morning of April 30, 1989, the congregation at the Olive Branch Church waited patiently for their service to begin. Reverend Robert Pelley never showed. Even his family was absent from their pews. After walking next door to check on the family, churchgoers found a horrifying scene. (Remastered)Theme music by MVM Productions.

This week, Benny covers the case of a woman whose actions are said to have contributed to, perhaps even caused, one of the most talked about maritime disasters of all time. But she will escape any interrogation or conviction for her role in the disaster, disappearing under a false identity and living a successful life as an illegal immigrant in the United States. This episode has been release April 1st 2024, almost 112 years since the incident occured on the April 14th, 1912. (Remastered)#Titanic #RoseDeWittBukater #JamesCameron #JackDawson #CalHockleyTheme music by MVM Productions.

Seoul, South Korea. June 29th, 1995. Within a luxury mall known as the Sampoong Department Store, an emergency board meeting is taking place. Members of the board have been called together within this nine story, pastel pink building to discuss serious concerns with the buildings structural integrity. (Remastered)Theme music by MVM Productions.

This week Carrie introduces us to Paul Bern, a film director, screenwriter, and producer for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. He helped launch the career of Jean Harlow, whom he married in July 1932. But only two months later, he was found dead of a gunshot wound, leaving what appeared to be a suicide note. Theme music by MVM Productions.

Want to raise your profile? New Reality TV show seeks contestants! June 2002-2003. One year, £100,000. If you’re characterful, resourceful and energetic, email Nikita Russian.Benny covers this bizarre story about a TV show that "ruined lives" during the dawn of the reality TV era. Theme music by MVM Productions.

At 11pm on Friday December 6th, 1991, two seventeen-year-old girls lock the front door of a popular yogurt store and commence the nightly closing procedure. Two fifteen-year-old girls are also inside waiting for a lift home, and they are excited to be having a sleepover.This week, Benny covers a shocking unsolved crime that will haunt Austin to this day: the Austin Yogurt Shop Murders.Theme music by MVM Productions.

In 1979,  the president of a small country on the west coast of Central Africa was found guilty of genocide, mass murder, embezzlement of public funds, violations of human rights and treason. He was sentenced to death, but nobody was willing to form part of a firing squad in order to execute him. The reason for this? The President was also a witch doctor, and swore that his ghost would return and take vengeance on anybody who had helped condemn him.In this week's case, Benny covers one of the most brutal dictators in history; a man by the name of Macías Nguema.Theme music by MVM Productions.

In this episode, Carrie brings you a Hollywood mystery that still endures(?) almost ninety years on. Who killed "Hot Toddy"? Was it a cold-blooded, sinister murder plot? A lovers tiff with accidental, tragic consequences? Or did she decide to take her own life? Theme music by MVM Productions.

This week, Lizzie covers the horrific story of five divers who were meant to be performing routine maintenance but ended up being sucked into a vortex and trapped in a narrow oil pipe... on the ocean floor. This case is crazy, and not for the claustrophobic. (Remastered)Theme music by MVM Productions.

This week’s case is about a young autistic boy who put every aspect of his life up on the internet and gained a phenomenal following in modern internet culture. Some say he’s the most documented person on the internet. But this vulnerability made him a prime target for trolls. Obsessed with every detail of his life, those online trolls would eventually discover that the boy’s mental state and home life had deteriorated so horrifically, they would report him to the authorities for incest. (Remastered)Theme music by MVM Productions.

This week, Carrie shares two cases of world records... gone wrong! Balloonfest 1986, and the 2016 Verrückt waterslide fatality. And this week, special guest Clare joins the team!Theme music by MVM Productions.