Malice in the Mitten

Deep in the forests surrounding White Cloud, Michigan, something is said to walk upright between the trees. Witnesses and local storytellers describe a towering creature with the body of a man, the head of a wild boar, and dark, intelligent eyes that watch from beyond the reach of the firelight. Known as the Pig Man of White Cloud, this obscure Michigan cryptid has haunted the campfire stories of hunters, hikers, and thrill-seeking teenagers for generations. But where did the legend begin? Was the Pig Man once an angry farmer transformed by a horrific accident? Was the story created to keep children away from the dangerous swamps, creeks, and forests surrounding White Cloud? Or could something truly be hiding near the mysterious place locals call Pig Man Island? #PigManOfWhiteCloud #MichiganFolklore #MichiganCryptids #FBombFriday #MaliceInTheMitten Hosted and produced by Tracy Preston, featuring Todd Preston Researched and written by Todd Preston Original music created exclusively for F-Bomb by Tracy Preston Original artwork by Todd Preston Sources: U.S. Forest Service. Huron-Manistee National Forests. Michigan Department of Natural Resources. The White River. University of Detroit Mercy. The James T. Callow Folklore Archive. Strange & Unexplained. “Dirty Deeds in the Dudgeon Swamp.”

What did people use before shampoo? Long before modern bottles filled our bathrooms, civilizations around the world developed ingenious ways to clean and care for their hair using nature. In this episode of Round Robin, we travel from India to Ancient Egypt, Indigenous North America, Japan, and beyond to discover the fascinating history of hair care. Learn how soapberries, shikakai, yucca root, rice water, camellia oil, black soap, herbs, and even kitchen ingredients helped people maintain healthy hair for thousands of years. We also celebrate our Woman of the Week, Madam C. J. Walker, whose groundbreaking business transformed the beauty industry while creating unprecedented opportunities for Black women entrepreneurs and forever changing American business history. Whether you love history, fascinating forgotten traditions, or discovering the surprising origins of everyday life, this episode proves that some of humanity's greatest innovations were growing in nature long before they were sitting on store shelves. If you enjoyed today's episode, please follow Malice in the Mitten wherever you listen to podcasts. Following the show helps more people discover Michigan's forgotten stories and supports everything we do. Thank you for being part of the MALICE family! #RoundRobinPodcast #History #HairHistory #MadamCJWalker #DidYouKnow Hosted and produced by Tracy Preston, featuring Christine Mulligan, Nina Mullligan and Todd Preston Original music created exclusively for Round Robin by Tracy Preston Original artwork by Todd Preston Sources: A'Lelia Bundles. On Her Own Ground: The Life and Times of Madam C. J. Walker. Scribner, 2001. National Park Service. "Madam C. J. Walker: African American Millionaire, Philanthropist, Activist." National Women's History Museum. "Madam C. J. Walker." Guinness World Records. "Madam C. J. Walker." Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. "Madam C. J. Walker." Encyclopaedia Britannica. "Madam C. J. Walker." Library of Congress. African American History Collections. National Park Service. "Native Plant Use" (Yucca and Soapweed traditions). Encyclopaedia Britannica. "Shampoo." Encyclopaedia Britannica. "Camellia." Encyclopaedia Britannica. "Ancient Egypt." Encyclopaedia Britannica. "Ancient Greece." Encyclopaedia Britannica. "Ancient Rome."On Her Own Ground (Netflix adaptation source material). Netflix. Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C. J. Walker.  

In January 1974, 27-year-old Robert A. Woods left his Bay City home to wash his new car before reporting to work at General Motors in Saginaw. He never made it to his shift. His car was later found near City Auto Parts on Broadway, parked in a place his wife said did not fit the man she knew. Robert left behind his wife, Carol, two young daughters, Shelly and Kristy, unanswered questions, and a family forced to live inside the silence. If you have information about Robert A. Woods or any missing person in Michigan, contact your local law enforcement agency, the Michigan State Police Missing Persons Coordination Unit, or submit information through NamUs, the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System. And if this episode moved you, please follow Malice in the Mitten wherever you listen. It helps more people discover Michigan’s forgotten stories — and it helps us keep saying the names that deserve to be remembered. #MaliceInTheMitten #RobertWoods #BayCityMichigan #MichiganMissing #TrueCrimePodcast Hoted and produced by Tracy Preston, featuring Christine Mulligan Researched and written by Tracy Preston Original music created exclusively for Malice in the Mitten by Tracy Preston Original artwork by Todd Preston Sources: “Robert A. Woods Missing Article.” The Bay City Times, 1974. Newspaper clipping provided by anonymous Bay City listener. “Woods, Robert Arthur.” Bay City Times obituary, Legacy / MLive, 2003. The obituary listing confirms Robert Arthur Woods of Bay City died January 24, 1974, at age 27, and notes his GM Saginaw employment, Shrine Temple membership, and interest in automobiles, motorcycles, and snowmobiling. “Missing Persons.” Michigan State Police, Michigan.gov. “Missing Persons Coordination Unit.” Michigan State Police, Michigan.gov. “NamUs: Home.” National Missing and Unidentified Persons System, National Institute of Justice.

On this episode of F-Bomb Friday, we travel to Old Scio Cemetery in Dexter, Michigan, where an eerie local legend has survived for generations: the story of Warlock Willie. Hidden among weathered stones, tangled branches, and two thorn trees said to have grown around a lonely grave, the legend claims Willie was buried in a way meant to keep something trapped beneath the earth. But who was he really? A forgotten pioneer? A misunderstood outsider? A name shaped by oral tradition? Or was Warlock Willie never one man at all? #FBombFriday #MichiganFolklore #WarlockWillie #DexterMichigan #MaliceInTheMitten Check out Crossroads of Curosity's short film - The Possession Tape! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZnKoemd7qw Hosted and Produced by Tracy Preston, featuring Todd Preston Researched and written by Todd Preston Original music created exclusively for F-Bomb by Tracy Preston Original artwork by Todd Preston Sources: Robinson, John. “Warlock’s Grave: Warlock Willie Legend.” 99.1 WFMK, 2017. “Old Graveyard in Dexter, Michigan.” WKFR. “Scio Township History.” MIGenWeb Washtenaw County. “Scio Township Historical Resources.” MIGenWeb Washtenaw County. “Cemetery Records and Burial Research.” Find a Grave. “Genealogical and Historical Records.” FamilySearch. “Local History Collections.” Ann Arbor District Library. This episode also draws from Michigan folklore, local oral tradition, cemetery research, genealogical records, and narrative interpretation surrounding the Warlock Willie legend. Some possible historical connections remain unverified and should be understood as folklore-based interpretation rather than confirmed fact.

What did history actually smell like? In this episode of Round Robin, Tracy and the panel take a strange, funny, and surprisingly emotional trip through history using one forgotten sense: smell. From the ancient Olympics and the signing of the Declaration of Independence to Waterloo, Queen Victoria’s wedding, the Wright Brothers’ first flight, Woodstock, old malls, carnivals, and childhood memories, this conversation asks what was really in the air when history happened. Inspired by a History Facts article, this episode blends weird history, sensory memory, laughter, and a few smells we may never recover from. #RoundRobinPodcast #WeirdHistory #HistoryFacts #SensoryMemory #PodcastEpisode Hosted and produced by Tracy Preston, featuring Christine Mulligan, Nina Mulligan, Angela Hoefler and Todd Preston Original music created exclusively for Round Robin by Tracy Preston Original artwork by Todd Preston

In April 1943, America was at war. Headlines were filled with Allied advances, Nazi atrocities, rationing, rubber shortages, war bonds, casualty lists, and young men being called into service. But inside one Bay City, Michigan home, the pressure of the outside world reportedly became part of a family argument with devastating consequences. Special thank you to our anonymous listener in Bay City, Michigan, for sending us the original article that led us to this story. Because of you, we were able to look beyond one old headline and bring Vivian, Kathleen, Geraldine, Bernice, Josephine, and Cecil Jr. back into the light with the care they deserved. #MaliceInTheMitten #MichiganTrueCrime #BayCityMichigan #TrueCrimePodcast #VictimCenteredTrueCrime Hosted and produced by Tracy Preston, featuring Christine Mulligan Story researched and written by Tracy Preston Original music created exclusively for Malice in the Mitten by Tracy Preston Original artwork by Todd Preston

On this episode of F-Bomb Friday, we travel into one of the oldest and strangest pieces of Great Lakes folklore tied to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula: the Talking Head of Sault Ste. Marie. Along the Saint Marys River, where fog settles low over the water and sound can lose all direction, stories once told of a severed head that continued to speak after death. Some versions connect the legend to French missionaries, fur traders, frontier violence, and the early colonial tensions surrounding one of the most important waterways in North America. Hosted and produced by Tracy Preston, featuring Todd Preston Story researched and written by Todd Preston Original music created exclusively for F-Bomb by Tracy Preston Original artwork by Todd Preston But was there ever truly a talking head along the river? Or did fear, fog, isolation, and history create something that felt just real enough to survive? #FBombFriday #MichiganFolklore #GreatLakesLegends #SaultSteMarie #MaliceInTheMitten Sources: “The Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents.” The Jesuit Relations, Creighton University, moses.creighton.edu/kripke/jesuitrelations/. Accessed 30 June 2026. “The French Lead the Way: c. 1500 to 1763.” Library of Congress, www.loc.gov/collections/pioneering-the-upper-midwest/articles-and-essays/history-of-the-upper-midwest-overview/french-lead-the-way/. Accessed 30 June 2026. “Sault Sainte Marie.” Encyclopaedia Britannica, www.britannica.com/place/Sault-Sainte-Marie-Michigan. Accessed 30 June 2026. “Fur Trade.” Virtual Museum of New France, Canadian Museum of History, www.historymuseum.ca/virtual-museum-of-new-france/economic-activities/fur-trade/. Accessed 30 June 2026. “MSU Libraries.” Michigan State University Libraries, Michigan State University, lib.msu.edu/. Accessed 30 June 2026. “Great Lakes Digital Library.” University of Michigan Digital Collections, University of Michigan, quod.lib.umich.edu/g/glrr. Accessed 30 June 2026.

This week on Round Robin, Tracy recaps an unforgettable day at Frankenfest — from the Malice in the Mitten booth and the people who stopped by, to meeting fellow podcasters, festival vendors, spooky creators, and listeners who made the day deeply meaningful. #RoundRobinPodcast #Frankenfest #MaliceInTheMitten #SpookyCommunity #FestivalSeason Hosted and Produced by Tracy Preston, featuring Christine & Nina Mulligan, and Todd Preston Original music created exclusively for Round Robin by Tracy Preston Original artwork by Todd Preston Sound Effects from Uppbeat:  large-celebration-applause-and cheers-gfx-sounds-1-00-08.mp3

In 1978, six-year-old Sally Ann Chesebro died in a bathtub inside her Battle Creek, Michigan home. At first, her death was described as a tragic accident. But for years, investigators suspected there was more to the story. More than two decades later, Calhoun County’s cold-case team reopened Sally’s case. What followed would bring arrests, courtroom testimony, an acquittal, and a second-degree murder conviction against David Lee Walton. This listener-submitted case comes to us from Jessica Elliott. Thank you, Jessica, for helping bring Sally’s name back into the light. #MaliceInTheMitten #SallyAnnChesebro #MichiganTrueCrime #ColdCase #BattleCreekMichigan Hosted and produced by Tracy Preston, featuring Christine Mulligan Story researched and written by Tracy Presotn Original music created exclusively for Malice in the Mitten by Tracy Preston Original artwork by Todd Preston Sources: Chesebro, Sally Ann. Find a Grave Memorial. Find a Grave. “Cold-Case Review Leads to Arrests in 1978 Death of Child.” Midland Daily News, 21 May 2002. “Cold Case Teams Shed Light on Old Crimes.” Michigan Lawyers Weekly, 9 Feb. 2004.

On this episode of F-Bomb Friday, we step into Michigan’s unsettling psychiatric history through the lens of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. From the massive institutional city of Eloise Psychiatric Hospital, to the carefully designed Kirkbride architecture of Traverse City State Hospital, to the long-term confinement and haunted folklore surrounding Northville Psychiatric Hospital, this episode explores the question at the heart of the Michigan “Frankenstein” Complex: what happens when a system decides a human being can be repaired, corrected, redesigned, or rebuilt? This is not a story about one monster. It is a story about institutions, intention, overcrowding, medical experimentation, containment, and the human cost of believing suffering can be processed at scale. Blending Michigan history, asylum folklore, haunted locations, and the eerie legacy of psychiatric care, F-Bomb Friday asks whether the scariest creation was ever a creature at all — or the systems built with certainty that they were doing the right thing. #FBombFriday #MichiganHistory #Frankenstein #HauntedMichigan #MaliceInTheMitten Hosted and Produced by Tracy Preston, featuring Todd Preston Story researched and writtten by Todd Preston Original music created exclusively for F-Bomb by Tracy Preston Original artwork by Todd Preston Sources: “Eloise Psychiatric Hospital.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eloise_(psychiatric_hospital). Accessed 23 June 2026. “Michigan’s Most Haunted: Eloise Psychiatric Hospital.” ClickOnDetroit, 24 Oct. 2016, https://www.clickondetroit.com/features/2016/10/24/michigans-most-haunted-eloise-psychiatric-hospital/. Accessed 23 June 2026. Eloise Historical Society. https://www.eloisemuseum.org. Accessed 23 June 2026. The Eloise Asylum. https://eloiseasylum.com. Accessed 23 June 2026. “Traverse City State Hospital.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traverse_City_State_Hospital. Accessed 23 June 2026. “Traverse City State Hospital.” Kirkbride Buildings, https://www.kirkbridebuildings.com/buildings/traversecity/. Accessed 23 June 2026. “Traverse City Regional Psychiatric Hospital.” Northern Michigan History, https://northernmichiganhistory.com/traverse-city-regional-psychiatric-hospital/. Accessed 23 June 2026. “History.” The Village at Grand Traverse Commons, https://www.thevillagetc.com/about. Accessed 23 June 2026. “Historical & Haunted Traverse City State Hospital.” Awesome Mitten, https://www.awesomemitten.com/traverse-city-state-hospital/. Accessed 23 June 2026. “Northville Regional Psychiatric Hospital.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northville_Regional_Psychiatric_Hospital. Accessed 23 June 2026. “State to Build New Psychiatric Hospital.” Michigan Department of Health & Human Services, 17 Apr. 2023, https://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/inside-mdhhs/newsroom/2023/04/17/new-psychiatric-hospital. Accessed 23 June 2026. Detroit Free Press. https://www.freep.com. Accessed 23 June 2026. Northville Historical Society. https://www.millracenorthville.org. Accessed 23 June 2026. Kirkbride Buildings. https://www.kirkbridebuildings.com. Accessed 23 June 2026. “Thomas Story Kirkbride.” Expedition Magazine, Penn Museum, https://www.penn.museum/sites/expedition/thomas-story-kirkbride/. Accessed 23 June 2026. “Kirkbride Plan.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirkbride_Plan. Accessed 23 June 2026. “Lobotomy.” Encyclopaedia Britannica, https://www.britannica.com/science/lobotomy. Accessed 23 June 2026. “Insulin Shock Therapy.” Encyclopaedia Britannica, https://www.britannica.com/science/insulin-shock-therapy. Accessed 23 June 2026. “Electroconvulsive Therapy.” Encyclopaedia Britannica, https://www.britannica.com/science/electroconvulsive-therapy. Accessed 23 June 2026. “Hydrotherapy.” U.S. National Library of Medicine, https://www.nlm.nih.gov/exhibition/historicalanatomies/hydrotherapy.html. Accessed 23 June 2026.

In this episode of Round Robin, Tracy Preston and the panel explore Bruce Lee beyond the legend — not just as a martial artist and movie icon, but as a disciplined, centered, deeply philosophical human being. This week’s Woman of the Week is Shannon Lee, who has carried her father’s legacy forward through writing, producing, speaking, podcasting, and the Bruce Lee Foundation. The panel also rates the role of self-discipline in living a peaceful life on the Round Robin Spin Scale and recommends the documentary Be Water for anyone who wants to understand the person and philosophy behind the icon. #RoundRobinShow #BruceLee #BeWater #ShannonLee #MindsetMatters Hosted & produced by Tracy Preston, feauring Christine Mulligan, Nina Mulligan, Angela Hoefler and Todd Preston Original music created exclusively for Round Robin by Tracy Preston Original artwork created by Todd Preston

Tracy and Christine open with updates on Rebecca Park and Danielle Stislicki before turning to the developing Willard Road investigation in Genesee County, Michigan. Michigan State Police have confirmed at least four sets of human remains were found at a Forest Township property. The remains have not been publicly identified, and the investigation remains active. This episode examines the public reporting, the 2017 police report described by Clutch Justice, and the painful question of who gets missed when victims are unhoused, struggling, exploited, isolated, or living complicated lives. There are no disposable people. Every missing person matters. If you have information connected to the Willard Road investigation, contact the Michigan State Police Flint Post at 810-732-1111. Crime Stoppers of Flint and Genesee County: 1-800-422-JAIL / 1-800-422-5245. Tips may be made anonymously. Michigan State Police Missing Persons: 855-642-4847 Email: [email protected] NamUs — pronounced “NAME-us” — National Missing and Unidentified Persons System: namus.nij.ojp.gov If someone you love is missing, do not assume your information is too old, too small, or already known. A complicated life is still a life. Every missing person matters. #MaliceInTheMitten #MichiganTrueCrime #WillardRoad #MissingPersons #NoDisposablePeople Hosted and produced by Tracy Preston, featuring Christine Mulligan Story researched and written by Tracy Preston Original music created exclusively for Malice in the Mitten by Tracy Preston Original artwork by Todd Preston Sources: Big Rapids Pioneer. “Michigan State Police Investigate after 4 Sets of Human Remains Found.” 11 June 2026. Nalewyko, Julie. “No Complainant, No Victim.” Clutch Justice, 12 June 2026. Michigan State Police. “Missing Persons.” Michigan State Police. “Tip Lines.” NamUs. “National Missing and Unidentified Persons System.” WNEM. “At Least Four Sets of Human Remains Found on Willard Road Property, MSP Says.” 10 June 2026. Midland Daily News. “Michigan State Police Work to Identify Suspected Human Remains in Genesee County.” 26 Mar. 2026.

Before Paul Bunyan became America’s most famous lumberjack legend, Michigan may have had a real-life giant of its own. On this episode of F-Bomb Friday, Tracy and Todd dig into the strange, violent, and larger-than-life story of Saginaw Joe, also known as Fabian Fournier. In the rough lumber camps and saloons of 1800s Michigan, Saginaw Joe became famous for his incredible size, brutal strength, barroom brawls, and bizarre stories about his teeth. His legend grew along the Saginaw River, through Bay City’s notorious Hell’s Half Mile, and into the campfire tales of Great Lakes logging country. #FBombFriday #SaginawJoe #MichiganFolklore #PaulBunyan #MaliceInTheMitten Hosted and produced by Tracy Preston, Featuring Todd Preston Story researched and written by Todd Preston Original music created exclusively for F-Bomb by Tracy Preston Original artwork by Todd Preston Sources: “Fabian Fournier.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fabian_Fournier. Accessed 17 June 2026. “Paul Bunyan.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Bunyan. Accessed 17 June 2026. “Fabian Fournier.” Sindeuse Museum, www.sindeusemuseum.org/blog/fabian-fournier. Accessed 17 June 2026. “Celebrate National Lumberjack Day in the Straits of Mackinac.” Michigan Digital, michigandigital.com/celebrate-national-lumberjack-day-in-the-straits-of-mackinac/. Accessed 17 June 2026. “The Legend Lives On.” Mackinac Views, mackinacviews.com/vintage-views/the-legend-lives-on/. Accessed 17 June 2026. “Was Paul Bunyan a Real Person?” History, A&E Television Networks, www.history.com/articles/was-paul-bunyan-a-real-person. Accessed 17 June 2026. “Paul Bunyan Folklore.” Hektoen International: A Journal of Medical Humanities, hekint.org/2021/01/29/paul-bunyan-folklore/. Accessed 17 June 2026. “Making Legend Medium.” Reading Is Fundamental, www.rif.org/literacy-central/reading-experience/making-legend-medium. Accessed 17 June 2026. “Lumbering: A Brief History.” Michigan History, www.michigan-history.org/lumbering/LumberingBriefHistory.html. Accessed 17 June 2026. “Upper Peninsula Lumber History.” Stormy Kromer, 21 Aug. 2023, blog.stormykromer.com/2023/08/21/upper-peninsula-lumber-history/. Accessed 17 June 2026.

This week on Round Robin, Tracy and the team dive into tipping culture, iPad guilt screens, subscription overload, self-checkout, public etiquette, and the invisible rules nobody remembers agreeing to. From “Who are we tipping now?” to “Why is everything a monthly fee?” this episode takes a funny, honest look at modern money chaos. #RoundRobinPodcast #TippingCulture #SubscriptionFatigue #ModernMoneyChaos #TheMenu Hosted and Produced by Tracy Preston, Featuring Christine Mulligna, Nina Mulligan and Todd Preston Original music created exclusively for Round Robin by Tracy Preston Original artwork by Todd Preston

In 1973, thirteen-year-old Jan Marie Rohrer left her Bay City home for a short walk to school and never made it to class. Nearly a year later, her remains were found in the Crow Island Game Area. More than fifty years later, her murder remains unsolved. This episode tells Jan’s story — her life, her family, the search, the investigation, the possible connection to another unsolved death next door, and the call for justice that still echoes through Bay City. If you have information about Jan’s case, contact Bay City Public Safety 989-894-0161 / 989-892-8571 or CrimeStoppers 800-422-5245. Do not post accusations online. Bring credible information to law enforcement. #JusticeForJan #JanMarieRohrer #BayCityMichigan #MichiganTrueCrime #MaliceInTheMitten Hosted and produced by Tracy Preston, Featuring Christine Mulligan.  Researched and written by Tracy Preston Original music created exclusively for Malice in the Mitten by Tracy Preston Original artwork by Todd Preston Sound Effects from Uppbeat: Rainfall in Autumn Sources: MLive.com. “Arrest in Bay City Cold Case Doesn’t End Mystery of 13-Year-Old’s Murder in 1973.” MLive, 25 Nov. 2019. Waterman, Cole. “Family in Bay City Cold Case Seeks ‘Justice for Jan.’” MLive, 26 Nov. 2019. Waterman, Cole. “Police Confirm an Arrest Was Made This Year in 1973 Slaying of Bay City Teen.” MLive, 5 Dec. 2018. Waterman, Cole. “Nov. 26 Marks 40th Anniversary of Disappearance of Bay City Girl Later Found Slain.” MLive, 26 Nov. 2013. Waterman, Cole. “Little Girl Lost: Conviction of Bay City-Born John List 19 Years after Killing Family Proves Cold Cases Can Be Solved.” MLive, 29 Nov. 2012. Waterman, Cole. “Little Girl Lost: 1973 Slaying of Bay City Teen Is Not Forgotten by Local Police.” MLive, 29 Nov. 2012. Waterman, Cole. “Little Girl Lost: Bay City Man Seeks Justice for Mother’s Unsolved Slaying and Says He Was Questioned in 13-Year-Old’s Disappearance.” MLive, 28 Nov. 2012. Waterman, Cole. “Little Girl Lost: Former Bay City Police Detective Shares Theory on 1973 Jan Rohrer Slaying.” MLive, 28 Nov. 2012. Waterman, Cole. “Little Girl Lost: Neighbor of Slain Bay City 13-Year-Old Met Violent End in Second Unsolved Case.” MLive, 27 Nov. 2012. MLive.com. “Live Chat: Brother of Slain Bay City 13-Year-Old Jan Rohrer to Discuss 39-Year-Old Death Cold Case.” MLive, 27 Nov. 2012. Waterman, Cole. “Little Girl Lost: Best Friend of Slain Bay City Teen Says ‘It’s Been a Struggle for Me.’” MLive, 27 Nov. 2012. Waterman, Cole. “Little Girl Lost: Brothers of Slain Bay City Teen Seek Closure in 39-Year-Old Cold Case.” MLive, 26 Nov. 2012. Waterman, Cole. “Little Girl Lost: Slaying of 13-Year-Old Bay City Girl in 1973 Remains a Mystery Today.” MLive, 26 Nov. 2012. Bay City Department of Public Safety. “Cold Cases.” City of Bay City, accessed 2026.

On this episode of F-Bomb Friday, Tracy Preston brings listeners another haunting Michigan tale rooted in the shadows, strange details, and unsettling atmosphere that make Michigan folklore so unforgettable, this episode leans into the question every good ghost story leaves behind: what if the thing we laugh off… is the thing we should have listened to? With eerie storytelling, Michigan atmosphere, and a little Todd-and-Tracy commentary, this F-Bomb Friday episode is perfect for fans of ghost stories, local legends, haunted Michigan, folklore, and true tales that feel just a little too close to home. #FBombFriday #MichiganFolklore #HauntedMichigan #GhostStories #MaliceInTheMitten Hosted and Produced by Tracy Preston Story Researched and Written by Todd Preston Music created exclusively for F-Bomb by Tracy Preston Original artwork by Todd Preston Sound Effect from Uppbeat: knocking-on-door-heavy-betacut-1-00-01.mp3 Sources: https://www.brianbethel.com https://www.coasttocoastam.com https://www.mysteriousuniverse.org https://www.liveabout.com/black-eyed-kids-2594425 https://www.thoughtco.com/black-eyed-kids-2594425 https://www.legendsofamerica.com https://www.strangeoutdoors.com

It’s festival season in Michigan! Tracy, Christine & Nina talk FrankenFest, Halloween energy, people-watching, themed events, finding your weird little tribe. Plus, Best in Show is the movie pick, and Cassandra Peterson — the woman behind Elvira — is honored as Woman of the Week. Hosted and Produced by Tracy Preston, Featuring Christine and Nina Mulligan. Original music created exclusively for Round Robin by Tracy Preston Sound Effects from Uppbeat: Yay-cheerful-crowd-applause-soundroll-1-00-04.mp3 Original artwork by Todd Preston

In this episode of Malice in the Mitten, Tracy Preston and Christine Mulligan tell the story of Michelle Ann Kukulski, a 46-year-old mother, grandmother, daughter, sister, and CNA from Grayling, Michigan. Michelle was killed in December 2017 by John Robert O’Connor, her former partner, who was later convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to 31 years and 3 months to 50 years in prison. Court records show O’Connor claimed he was provoked by concern over Michelle’s boyfriend, Larry Farley, being around their daughter, but the jury rejected a manslaughter framing and convicted him of murder. This case is often remembered by the shocking phrase “murder by yams,” because court records and reporting state Michelle was repeatedly struck with a can of yams. But this episode centers Michelle — not the object used against her. We examine the relationship, the claimed motive, the concealment of Michelle’s body, the trial, the sentencing, the appeal, and the warning signs of control disguised as concern. Michelle’s obituary remembers her as a CNA at Grayling Nursing and Rehabilitation and as a woman deeply connected to her children, grandchildren, and family. This is not a story about a strange headline. This is the story of Michelle Kukulski — where the story matters, but the truth matters more. #MichelleKukulski #MaliceInTheMitten #MichiganTrueCrime #TrueCrimePodcast #VictimCentered Hosted and Produced by Tracy Preston, Featuring Christine Mulligan Researched and Written by Tracy Preston Original music created exclusively for Malice in the Mitten by Tracy Preston Original artwork by Todd Preston Sources: Michigan Court of Appeals. People of Michigan v. John Robert O’Connor. 26 Aug. 2021. Sorenson-Lockwood Funeral Home. “Michelle Ann Kukulski Obituary.” Sorenson-Lockwood Funeral Home. UpNorthLive. “Man Sentenced for Killing Long-Time Former Girlfriend.” WPBN/WGTU, 12 July 2019. UpNorthLive. “Crawford County Man Found Guilty of Girlfriend’s Murder.” WPBN/WGTU, 26 Apr. 2019. MidMichiganNow. “Suspect Admits to Killing 46-Year-Old Woman with Can of Yams.” MidMichiganNow, 10 Feb. 2018. Crawford County Avalanche. “Grayling Man Awaits Pending Court Ruling in Crawford County Open Murder Case.” Crawford County Avalanche, 14 Feb. 2018.

On this episode of F-Bomb Friday, we pull the camera back from a single Michigan legend and look at the bigger, stranger pattern hiding inside folklore itself. From the Michigan Dogman to European werewolves, Bigfoot to the Yeti, lake monsters to Nessie, shadow people to the Hat Man, Melon Heads, witches, Wendigo stories, little people, and winged creatures like the Thunderbird and Mothman — cultures across the world have described eerily similar monsters for centuries. Are these stories simply proof that human fears are universal? Are they warnings passed down through generations? Or do these repeated legends point to something older… something humanity has been encountering in the dark for far longer than we realize? #FBombFriday #MichiganFolklore #Cryptids #UrbanLegends #MaliceInTheMitten Hosted and Produced by Tracy Preston, Featuring Todd Preston Story Researched and Written by Todd Preston Original score created exclusively for F-Bomb by Tracy Preston Original artwork by Todd Preston Sources: https://www.britannica.com⁠ https://en.wikipedia.org⁠ https://www.legendsofamerica.com⁠ https://www.bfro.net⁠ https://www.mothmanmuseum.com⁠

This week on Round Robin, we're exploring the Butterfly Effect, sharing stories of life-changing choices, strange coincidences, and the moments that shaped who we became. Plus, we honor NASA pioneer Katherine Johnson and discuss the ripple effects of living authentically during Pride Month. #RoundRobinPodcast #ButterflyEffect #LifeChoices #KatherineJohnson #CoincidenceOrFate Hosted and Produced by Tracy Preston, Featuring Christine Mulligan and Nina Mulligan Original music created exclusively for Round Robin by Tracy Preston Original artwork by Todd Preston

On July 7, 2011, Grand Rapids, Michigan, was shaken by one of the darkest days in the city’s history. Rodrick Shonte Dantzler killed seven people across two homes before the violence spilled into the streets, leading to a police pursuit, additional shootings, a hostage standoff on Rickman Avenue, and Dantzler’s death by suicide. In this episode of Malice in the Mitten, Tracy Preston and Christine Mulligan examine the case with care, centering the victims: Jennifer Heeren, Kamrie Heeren-Dantzler, Thomas Heeren, Rebecca Heeren, Kimberlee Emkens, Amanda Emkens, and Marisa Emkens. This listener-submitted case, suggested by Tina Hughes, is not only a timeline of a mass shooting. It is also a deeper look at domestic violence, warning signs, firearm access, survival, and the long shadow left behind in a Michigan community. Content warning: This episode discusses domestic violence, mass murder, the deaths of children, gun violence, hostage-taking, suicide, and community trauma. #MaliceInTheMitten #MichiganTrueCrime #GrandRapidsMichigan #DomesticViolenceAwareness #TrueCrimePodcast Hosted and Produced by Tracy Preston, Featuring Christine Mulligan Researched and written by Tracy Preston Original music created exclusively for Malice in the Mitten by Tracy Preston Original artwork by Todd Preston Sources: Michigan Public. “Victims Names Released in Grand Rapids Shooting.” Michigan Public, 8 July 2011. Michigan Public. “Grand Rapids Police Search for Suspect in Multi-Homicides.” Michigan Public, 7 July 2011. U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Michigan. “Grand Rapids Man Who Sold Gun Used in Mass Murder Sentenced to Ten Years in Prison.” U.S. Department of Justice, 3 Feb. 2014. U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Michigan. “Grand Rapids Man Pleads Guilty to Transferring Firearm to Convicted Felon.” U.S. Department of Justice, 3 July 2013. Dowling, Jennifer. “Man Accused of Selling Rodrick Dantzler Gun Used in Shooting Spree Awaits Sentencing.” FOX 17 West Michigan, 3 July 2013. Dowling, Jennifer. “Man Charged With Selling Gun to Rodrick Dantzler Makes Guilty Plea.” FOX 17 West Michigan, 27 June 2013. Smith, Lindsey. “Grand Rapids Works on Healing One Week After Deadly Shootings.” Michigan Public, 14 July 2011. CBS News. “Names of 7 Victims of Grand Rapids, Mich. Shooting Spree Released.” CBS News, 8 July 2011. Deseret News. “Man Who Killed 7, Self in Spree Left Suicide Note.” Deseret News, 4 Oct. 2011. “The 2011 Grand Rapids Shootings.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation. Use only as a timeline cross-check, not as a primary source. Source note: This episode was researched using contemporary reporting from Michigan Public, CBS News, FOX 17 West Michigan, Deseret News, and official federal records from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan. The Wikipedia timeline was used only as a secondary cross-check against primary and contemporary reporting.

On this episode of F-Bomb Friday, Tracy Preston takes listeners beneath the crystal-clear surface of one of Michigan’s most beautiful lakes — and into the campfire legend of the Torch Lake Monster. Known as the “Caribbean of the North,” Torch Lake is famous for its turquoise water, deep drop-offs, summer cottages, and postcard-perfect beauty. But for generations, campers, counselors, locals, and lake families have whispered about something strange beneath the surface. A creature said to be long, dark, serpentine, and watching from the black water with one blue eye… and one brown. This Michigan folklore episode explores the legend’s summer camp roots, the old camp song said to have carried the story forward, eerie boating encounters, deep-water fear, possible natural explanations, and why some legends survive long after anyone can prove where they began. Beautiful by day. Black by night. And maybe not as empty as it looks. #MichiganFolklore #TorchLakeMonster #FBombFriday #MichiganCryptids #LakeMonsters Hosted and Produced by Tracy Preston, Featuring Todd Preston Story researched and written by Todd Preston Original music created exclusively for F-Bomb by Tracy Preston Original artwork by Todd Preston Sources used for this episode include Michigan.org, 99.1 WFMK, All Things Wausau, The Gander, Mix 95.7, CBS Detroit, Folk Bestiary, and the Torch Lake Township Master Plan.

Today on Round Robin, we honor Memorial Day through stories of remembrance, Arlington National Cemetery, Decoration Day, Mary Ann Williams, and the quiet power of remembering those who never came home #MemorialDay #RoundRobinPodcast #ArlingtonNationalCemetery #DecorationDay #PodcastEpisode Hosted & Produced by Tracy Preston, Featuring Christine Mulligan, Nina Mulligan and Todd Preston Original music created exclusively for Round Robin by Tracy Preston Original artwork by Todd Preston

In 1976, young pregnant mother Kathryn “Kathy” Darling was murdered in Grand Rapids, Michigan, while her 15-month-old child was nearby. Three years later, another pregnant woman, Diane Holloway, was murdered in the same city. For decades, the cases remained unresolved — until the Kent Metro Cold Case Team connected one name across both files: Russell Vane. In this episode of Malice in the Mitten, Tracy Preston and Christine Mulligan examine the cold-case investigation, the role of DNA evidence, the limits of old investigative tools, and the delayed justice that finally came after more than thirty years. Suggested by listener Becky Vander Meulen, this episode remembers Kathryn Darling and Diane Holloway not as case files, but as women whose lives, families, and futures mattered. In 1976, young pregnant mother Kathryn “Kathy” Darling was murdered in Grand Rapids, Michigan, while her 15-month-old child was nearby. Three years later, another pregnant woman, Diane Holloway, was murdered in the same city. For decades, the cases remained unresolved — until the Kent Metro Cold Case Team connected one name across both files: Russell Vane. In this episode of Malice in the Mitten, Tracy Preston and Christine Mulligan examine the cold-case investigation, the role of DNA evidence, the limits of old investigative tools, and the delayed justice that finally came after more than thirty years. Suggested by listener Becky Vander Meulen, this episode remembers Kathryn Darling and Diane Holloway not as case files, but as women whose lives, families, and futures mattered. #MichiganTrueCrime #MaliceInTheMitten #ColdCase #GrandRapids #TrueCrimePodcast Hosted and Produced by Tracy Preston, Featuring Christine Mulligan Researched and written by Tracy Preston Original music created exclusively for Malice in the Mitten by Tracy Preston Original artwork by Todd Preston Sources: Wolter, Sally. “Notes from the Field: A Multijurisdictional Team Moved Cold Cases to the Front Burner.” National Institute of Justice, 3 Dec. 2019. Price, Cynthia. “Cold Case Successes Result from Collaborative Effort.” Grand Rapids Legal News, 29 Apr. 2011. Public records and reporting vary on the spelling of Kathryn Darling’s name, with some sources using Catherine Darling and others using Kathryn/Kathy Darling. For this episode, we use Kathryn “Kathy” Darling while acknowledging the source variation. This episode relies primarily on the National Institute of Justice account by Detective Sally Wolter and reporting from Grand Rapids Legal News.

Tonight, on F-Bomb Friday, we travel to Marquette, Michigan, for the haunting legend of the Lilac Lady — a ghostly figure said to linger near the sixth floor of the historic Landmark Inn. Her story is one of love, loss, Lake Superior, and the scent of lilacs drifting through an old hotel where guests have reported strange phone calls, footsteps, cold spots, and sightings of a woman who may still be waiting for someone who never came home. This is not a monster story. It is a ghost story built from grief, memory, and the kind of folklore that refuses to die. #FBombFriday #MichiganFolklore #LilacLady #MarquetteMichigan #HauntedMichigan Hosted and Produced by Tracy Preston, Featuring Todd Preston Story Researched and Written by Todd Preston Original music created exclusively for F-Bomb by Tracy Preston Original artwork by Todd Preston Sources: “12 Incredibly Haunted Places in the Upper Peninsula.” Pure Michigan, Michigan Economic Development Corporation, n.d., michigan.org. Accessed 21 May 2026. Best Haunted Hotels. “Landmark Inn Paranormal History.” Best Haunted Hotels, n.d., besthauntedhotels.com. Accessed 21 May 2026. “Central Upper Peninsula Hauntings.” Northern Michigan History, n.d., northernmichiganhistory.com. Accessed 21 May 2026. “Haunted Places in Marquette County.” Travel Marquette, n.d., travelmarquette.com. Accessed 21 May 2026. “Haunted Stories from the Upper Peninsula.” UP Travel, n.d., uptravel.com. Accessed 21 May 2026. James, Sheryl. Michigan Legends: Folktales and Lore from the Great Lakes State. University of Michigan Press, press.umich.edu. “Lilac Scented Memories.” Mackinac State Historic Parks, n.d., mackinacparks.com. Accessed 21 May 2026. “The Ghost of the Lilac Room: Marquette, Michigan.” 99.1 WFMK, n.d., 99wfmk.com. Accessed 21 May 2026. “The Lilac Lady.” Malice in the Mitten, n.d. “Michigan Urban Legends.” My Michigan Beach & Travel, n.d., mymichiganbeach.com. Accessed 21 May 2026. “Michigan’s Ghostly Tales Not for the Faint of Heart.” My City Magazine, n.d., mycitymag.com. Accessed 21 May 2026. “Urban Legends, Haunted Hotspots, and Ghost Sightings in Michigan.” The Gander, n.d., gandernewsroom.com. Accessed 21 May 2026.

Have you ever had a moment so weird it felt like reality glitched? This week on Round Robin, we’re talking déjà vu, impossible coincidences, missing objects, gut feelings, and the stories we still can’t explain. #RoundRobinPodcast #GlitchInTheMatrix #DejaVu #WeirdButTrue #PodcastLife Hosted and Produced by Tracy Preston, Featuring Christine Mulligan, Nina Mulligan and my husband Todd Preston Original music created exclusively for Round Robin by Tracy Preston Original artwork by Todd Preston

In 1991, seventeen-year-old Christa Lynne Ruth Ferree, a Harper Creek High School junior from Battle Creek, Michigan, left home to visit someone she knew. She never came back. Days later, Christa’s body was found hundreds of miles away near Clinton, Oklahoma. She had been strangled. Three teenagers — Thomas Eugene Krause II, John Seeley Loepke Jr., and Brad Trevor Warner — were convicted in her murder and originally sentenced to life without parole. Decades later, because they had been juveniles at the time of the crime, all three were resentenced to 40 to 60 years, reopening painful questions about punishment, rehabilitation, second chances, and the life Christa never got to live.  This episode of Malice in the Mitten tells Christa’s story with care: who she was, how she is remembered, the betrayal that led to her death, the long road from Battle Creek to Oklahoma, and the legal aftermath that brought her case back into court nearly three decades later. Listener note: Thank you to Jessica Elliott for suggesting Christa’s story and helping bring her name back into the light. #MaliceInTheMitten #MichiganTrueCrime #ChristaFerree #BattleCreekMichigan #TrueCrimePodcast Hosted and Produced by Tracy Preston, Featuring Christine Mulligan Researched and written by Tracy Preston Original music created exclusively for Malice in the Mitten by Tracy Preston Original artwork by Todd Preston Sources include WWMT News Channel 3 reporting on the 2019 resentencing’s, WBCK coverage of the Battle Creek murder case, MDOC OTIS records, the Harper Creek Educational Foundation Christa Ferree Scholarship Fund, Find a Grave memorial records, The Oklahoman April 1991 article excerpt, and Battle Creek Enquirer obituary/article clippings reviewed during research. Some archival newspaper records are subscription-limited; unsupported secondary retellings were treated as leads only and were not included as verified fact unless supported by additional sourcing.

On this episode of F-Bomb Friday, we step into one of the most unsettling paranormal mysteries whispered across Michigan: Shadow People. From haunted roads near Ypsilanti to abandoned hospitals, frozen farmhouses, Upper Peninsula mining ruins, cemeteries, and lonely back roads, witnesses describe the same impossible thing — black, human-shaped figures standing in the dark, watching. Are they ghosts? Sleep paralysis? Demons? Interdimensional beings? Or are Shadow People the shape our minds give to fear itself?This haunting Michigan folklore episode explores the Hat Man, the Watchers, shadow figures in the woods, and the terrifying feeling that something is standing just out of sight… waiting for you to notice it. #ShadowPeople#MichiganFolklore#FBombFriday#TheHatMan#ParanormalMichigan Hosted and Produced by Tracy Preston, featuring Todd Preston Written and researched by Todd Prest Original music created exclusively for F-bomb by Tracy Preston Original artwork by Todd Preston Sound Effect from Uppbeat:  horror-scream-in-abandoned-place(Long).mp3 Sources:  Pure Michigan – Haunted Places in Michigan Michigan Haunted Houses – Real Haunted Places Across Michigan Shadowlands Haunted Places Index – Michigan GhostQuest – Haunted Places Michigan Haunts.com – Michigan Haunted Places Wikipedia – Shadow Person Phenomenon Reddit – Soop Cemetery Shadow Figure Reports Reddit – Michigan Urban Legends Discussion Reddit – Hat Man Experiences Reddit – Childhood Hat Man Encounter Originally From Michigan Reddit – Michigan Shadow Visitors Encounter USC Folklore Archive – Sleep Paralysis & The Hat Man

In this episode of Round Robin, Tracy Preston and the crew dive into the strange world of nightmares — where sleep science, medieval folklore, psychology, and the supernatural all collide. From the eerie origin of the word “nightmare” to old beliefs about demons sitting on sleeping chests, recurring dreams, teeth falling out, shadow people, sleep paralysis, and the shared nightmare experiences humans have reported across cultures, this mosaic episode explores why the mind terrifies itself after dark. Plus, the Woman of the Week honors Mary Shelley, the brilliant author of Frankenstein, whose own waking nightmare helped shape horror and science fiction forever. #RoundRobinPodcast #Nightmares #SleepParalysis #MaryShelley #MaliceInTheMitten Hosted and Produced by Tracy Preston, featuring Christine Mulligan, Nina Mulligan and Todd Preston Original music created exclusively for Round Robin by Tracy Preston Original artwork by Todd Preston

Janet Chandler was 22 years old. A student, a musician, and a young woman searching for her place in the world. In 1979, her life was taken in Holland, Michigan—and for nearly 30 years, no one was held accountable. This episode of Malice in the Mitten examines Janet’s life, the environment surrounding the Blue Mill Inn, and the group dynamics that led to one of Michigan’s most disturbing cold cases. When a college documentary reopened the investigation decades later, the silence finally began to break. This is Janet’s story—told with care, clarity, and respect. Hosted and Produced by Tracy Preston, Featuring Christine Mulligan. Story researched and written by Tracy Preston Original music created exclusively for Malice in the Mitten by Tracy Preston Original artwork by Todd Preston #JanetChandler #TrueCrimePodcast #MichiganTrueCrime #ColdCaseSolved #JusticeForJanet Sources: 28 Years Later, Justice for Slain Student.” CBS News, 13 Mar. 2007. McVicar, Brian. “Janet Chandler Murder Case Revisited.” MLive. “Cold Case: Janet Chandler.” The Legal News. Who Killed Janet Chandler? Directed by David Schock, Hope College, 2004. “Documentary Examines Murder of Student.” Hope College News Archive, 2004. “Student Documentary Reopens Murder Investigation.” Hope College News, 2004.

A chilling Michigan legend rooted in real tragedy. In 1922, the Dudgeon family became the center of a brutal and controversial case involving poison, staged death, and forced confessions. But the story didn’t end in the courtroom. Over time, rumor turned to legend—and Alice Dudgeon became something more than human in the eyes of the community. Locals still whisper about Dudgeon Swamp near White Cloud, where strange sightings, eerie silence, and a watching presence have kept the story alive for over a century. Was she truly a witch… or the victim of fear, rumor, and injustice? This is F-Bomb Friday—where folklore, fiction, and fear collide in the shadows of Michigan. #FBombFriday #MichiganLegends #TrueCrimeMeetsFolklore #DudgeonSwamp #UrbanLegend Hosted and Produced by Tracy Preston, Featuring Todd Preston Researched and Written by Todd Preston Original music created exclusively for F-Bomb by Tracy Preston Original artwork by Todd Preston Sources: https://www.mlive.com/news/muskegon/2010/08/looking_back_meda_hodell_freed.html https://www.iheart.com/podcast/966-true-crime-historian-29291150/episode/the-white-cloud-rolling-pin-murder-143038959/ https://www.buzzsprout.com/1387693/9533557/transcript https://thepostcalvin.com/to-find-the-place-where-spirits-romp-head-to-white-clouds-dungeon-swamp/  

Main character energy explained, are you living your life or just reacting, psychology of identity and self perception, The Truman Show meaning and breakdown, Amelia Earhart story and legacy, The Hunting Wives Netflix summary cast episodes, how to take control of your life, thought provoking podcast discussion, Round Robin podcast episode. Hosted and Produced by Tracy Preston, Featuring Christine Mulligan, Nina Mulligan, Angela Hoefler and my husband Todd Preston Music created exclusively for Round Robin by Tracy Preston Original artwork by Todd Preston

A respected Detroit neurosurgeon. A private life. A trusted connection that turned deadly. In April 2023, Dr. Devon Hoover was found murdered inside his historic Boston-Edison home—shot and hidden within the very walls he built his life around. What began as a missing person case quickly unraveled into a complex investigation involving digital evidence, financial activity, and a relationship that raised more questions than answers. In this episode of Malice in the Mitten, we take a deep, respectful dive into the life of Dr. Hoover, the timeline of his disappearance, and the investigation that led to Desmond Burks—a man he knew. This is not a story of randomness. This is a story about access, trust, and the devastating consequences when both are exploited. #TrueCrimePodcast #MaliceInTheMitten #DevonHoover #DetroitCrime #TrueCrimeCommunity  Produced and Hosted by Tracy Preston, Featuring Christine Mulligan. Researched and written by Tracy Preston Original music created exclusively for Malice in the Mitten by Tracy Preston Original artwork by Todd Preston Sources: Detroit Free Press. Coverage of Dr. Devon Hoover homicide investigation and arrest. WDIV ClickOnDetroit. Case updates and sentencing reporting. People Magazine. Investigative summary of relationship and arrest details. Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office. Official sentencing release (2026). Fox 2 Detroit. Coverage of financial activity and investigation.  

What if the monster in the closet isn’t a monster at all… but something searching? In this chilling final installment of our Cryptid Submission Series, we bring to life The Gribble—an ancient, subterranean species driven by instinct, memory, and an obsession with gold. From Aboriginal warnings in the Australian Outback to terrifying encounters in Michigan homes, a pattern begins to emerge. Closets. Children. Missing objects. Gold dust. Is it hunting… or trying to reclaim something lost? Because if the stories are true… it may not want you. It may want what you’re hiding. #FbombFriday #TheGribble #Cryptid #Folklore #MonsterInTheCloset  Special thank you Jenna Catallo for dreaming up and submitting this cryptid for our contest!   Hosted and Produced by Tracy Preston, Featuring Todd Preston. Original artwork and lore created by Todd Preston Original music created exclusively for F-Bomb by Tracy Preston

What happens when innovation moves faster than safety? In this episode of Round Robin, we explore pioneering failures—the moments where ambition, risk, and breakthrough ideas collided with devastating consequences. From the tragic story of Titan submersible and the ambitions of OceanGate, to historical disasters like the Hindenburg disaster, we ask the hard question: Where is the line between innovation and irresponsibility? We also highlight the legacy of Valentina Tereshkova—a pioneer who faced the same risks, but changed history in the process#OceanGate #TitanSubmersible #Hindenburg #EngineeringFailures #RiskVsReward Hosted and Produced by Tracy Preston, Featuring Christine Mulligan, Nina Mulligan, and Todd Preston Original music created exclusively for Round Robin by Tracy Preston Original artwork by Todd Preston  

Henry Lee Lucas was once labeled the most prolific serial killer in American history—confessing to over 600 murders across the United States. But as investigators began to verify his claims, the story unraveled into one of the most disturbing failures in modern criminal justice. In this episode of Malice in the Mitten, we take a deep dive into the life of Henry Lee Lucas—from a childhood marked by abuse and neglect to the creation of a myth that helped close hundreds of unsolved cases. We examine his relationship with Ottis Toole, the role of the Texas Rangers, and how confessions became a tool that blurred the line between truth and fiction. At the center of it all is Debra Louise Jackson—once known only as “Orange Socks”—a victim whose story reminds us that behind every confession is a real person who deserves the truth. This is not just a story about a killer. It’s a story about what happens when the system chooses answers over accuracy. #TrueCrimePodcast #MaliceInTheMitten #HenryLeeLucas #ConfessionKiller #TrueCrimeStories Hosted and Produced by Tracy Preston, featuring Christine Mulligan Researched and written by Tracy Preston Original music created exclusively for Malice in the Mitten by Tracy Preston Original artwork by Todd Preston Sources: Cox, Clifford L., et al. The Confession Killer: The True Story of Henry Lee Lucas. Texas Monthly Press. Texas Department of Public Safety. Reports on Henry Lee Lucas investigations. National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs). “Debra Louise Jackson Identification Report.” The Innocence Project. False Confession Case Studies. Texas Monthly. Investigative reporting on the Lucas confessions.

Deep in the forests of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, there are places where hunters refuse to go… and stories that refuse to die. In this chilling episode, we explore the legend of the Mothdigo—a terrifying cryptid said to stalk from above, watching, judging, and punishing those who take too much from the wild. Blending elements of the Wendigo and Mothman, the Mothdigo is more than folklore—it’s a warning whispered through generations. From vanished hunters to eerie logging camp disappearances, the stories all point to one truth: something is waiting in the trees. Is it myth… or something far older? Featuring an original cryptid concept from Jezebel Michelle Creations, brought to life through dark storytelling, Michigan folklore, and cinematic narration. If you love cryptids, urban legends, Michigan mysteries, and stories that linger long after the episode ends… this one is for you. #FBombFriday #MaliceInTheMitten #StorytellingPodcast #Mothdigo  Hosted and Produced by Tracy Preston, featuring Todd Preston Original music created exclusively for F-Bomb by Tracy Preston Original artwork by Todd Preston Sound effects from Uppbeat: owls-hooting-in-forst-long-felix-blume-1-00-12.mp3 / explosion-land-mine-gamemaster-audio-1-00-02.mp3 / car-engine-rev-epic-stock-media-2-2-00-05.mp3  

What happens when a bank vault sits unopened for over 100 years? In this episode of Round Robin, we explore the mystery of lost Habsburg jewels, forgotten fortunes, and unclaimed wealth tied to the collapse of empires after World War I. From royal treasures and hidden bank accounts to modern-day discoveries, we dive into the question—who really owns history? Join us for a fun, thought-provoking discussion filled with real-world mysteries, ethical dilemmas, and a little bit of chaos. #RoundRobinPodcast #HiddenFortune #LostTreasure #Habsburg #HistoryMystery Hosted and Produced by Tracy Preston, Featuring Christine Mulligan, Nina Mulligan, and of course my husband Todd Preston Music created exclusively for Round Robin by Tracy Preston Original artwork by Todd Preston

Michigan-born serial killer Aileen Wuornos is often remembered as one of the most infamous female killers in American history—but her story is far more complex than headlines suggest. In this episode of Malice in the Mitten, we take a deep, unflinching look at Wuornos’ life—from a childhood marked by abandonment, abuse, and survival… to the Florida highway murders that shocked the nation. Was Aileen Wuornos a calculated predator… or a woman shaped by trauma who killed in self defense? We examine the victims, the investigation, the controversial role of Tyria Moore, and the psychological patterns that continue to divide experts today. This is not a story of excuses.  This is a story of understanding. #MaliceInTheMitten #AileenWuornos #TrueCrime #SerialKiller #FemaleSerialKiller  This episode was co-written by Tracy Preston and Rebecca Hiers. Hosted and produced by Tracy Preston, Featuring Christine Mulligan Original music created exclusively for Malice in the Mitten by Tracy Preston Original artwork by Todd Preston Sources: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/135451830/leo_arthur-pittman https://www.google.com/search?q=explosive+personality+disorder&rlz=1C1HKFL_enUS1196US1196&oq=explosive+person&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqBwgAEAAYgAQyBwgAEAAYgAQyBggBEEUYOTIHCAIQABiABDIHCAMQABiABDIHCAQQABiABDIHCAUQABiABDIHCAYQABiABDIHCAcQABiABDIHCAgQABiABDIHCAkQABiABNIBCDM4OTRqMGo3qAIIsAIB8QVJlQI4BSNFUw&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8 https://www.grunge.com/342800/the-true-story-of-serial-killer-aileen-wuornos/ https://archive.org/details/onkillingday00kenn/page/24/mode/2up?q=keith https://www.aetv.com/articles/aileen-wuornos https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aileen_Wuornos#:~:text=In%201976%2C%20Wuornos%20hitchhiked%20to,within%20weeks%20of%20the%20marriage. https://people.com/who-is-aileen-wuornos-adoptive-mom-11842322 https://www.crimeandinvestigation.co.uk/crime-files/aileen-wuornos Douglas, John, and Mark Olshaker. Mindhunter: Inside the FBI’s Elite Serial Crime Unit. Scribner, 1995. Russell, Sue. Lethal Intent: The Shocking True Story of One of America’s Most Notorious Female Serial Killers. Pinnacle Books, 2001. Berry-Dee, Christopher. Talking with Serial Killers: The Most Evil People in the World Tell Their Own Stories. John Blake Publishing, 2007. Aileen: Queen of the Serial Killers. Netflix, 2021. Federal Bureau of Investigation. “Serial Murder.” FBI.gov. Biography. “Aileen Wuornos Biography.” Court TV. “The Trials of Aileen Wuornos.” The New York Times. Coverage of the Aileen Wuornos case (1991–2002).

Michigan holds its secrets in the places where land and water blur— in swamps, lakes, and forests where silence doesn’t feel natural. For decades, people have reported the same thing: a creature that moves through water and woods with unnatural speed… and emits a sound that doesn’t just echo—it disables. They call it The RazorFin Howler. From Dead Stream Swamp to Higgins Lake, witnesses describe glowing eyes, blade-like fins, and a howl so disorienting… those who hear it fully are never seen again. #Cryptid #MichiganMysteries #ScaryStories #HorrorTok #ContestWinner Cryptid Inspired by Sindee Nyte of Creep'n It Real - Contest Winner Brought to life by Todd Preston Hosted and produced by Tracy Preston, Featuring Todd Preston

What started as a quiet night around a bonfire quickly turned into something much bigger. After spotting multiple moving lights in the sky, we found ourselves asking—what are we really looking at? Satellites, space travel, and the reality of what happens beyond Earth quickly became the focus of the conversation. In this episode of Round Robin, we explore how astronauts return to Earth, the difference between space shuttle landings and modern splashdowns, and what really happens to the human body in zero gravity—including muscle loss, bone density changes, and recovery after returning home. We also dive into personal stories of unexplainable moments, ask whether we would actually go to space, and honor Christa McAuliffe, a teacher who inspired millions to look up and wonder. From curiosity to reality… this conversation goes further than we expected. #RoundRobinPodcast #SpaceMystery #NightSky #Satellites #Curiosity Hosted and Produced by Tracy Preston, Featuring Christine Mulligan, Nina and Mulligan and of course my husband Todd Preston Original artwork by Todd Preston Original music created exclusively for Round Robin by Tracy Preston

H.H. Holmes, America’s first serial killer, built a hotel designed for murder during the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair. With ties to Michigan through his medical training, this episode of Malice in the Mitten explores the truth behind the Murder Castle, the victims, and the psychology of one of history’s most calculated killers. #MaliceInTheMitten #HHHolmes #TrueCrimePodcast #SerialKillers Hosted and Produced by Tracy Preston, Featuring Christine Mulligan Original Artwork by Todd Preston Original Music created exclusively for Malice in the Mitten by Tracy Preston Sources: Larson, Erik. The Devil in the White City. Crown, 2003. Schechter, Harold. Depraved. Ballantine Books, 1994. Chicago Historical Society. “H.H. Holmes and the World’s Fair.” University of Michigan Archives. “Medical School Records, 1800s.” Federal Court Records, 1895–1896 (Holmes Trial Documentation)

A chilling Michigan cryptid story unfolds along the shores of Lake Superior. The legend of the Gitche Gumee Rockhound—an eerie, stone-like creature said to stalk Yooperlite hunters in the dark—blurs the line between folklore and reality. From 1800s miner journals to modern encounters, this F-Bomb Friday episode dives into one of Michigan’s most unsettling and little-known cryptids. If you’ve ever walked the Superior shoreline at night… you may not have been alone. #MichiganCryptids #LakeSuperior #Yooperlites #CryptidStory #FolkLoreFriday Gitche Gumee Rockhound imagined by Taebin Rice, brought to life by Todd Preston Hosted and produced by Tracy Preston, Featuring Todd Preston Lore created by Todd Preston Original artwork by Todd Preston Original music created exclusively for F-bomb by Tracy Preston  

In this episode of Round Robin, we dive into the weird realities of modern life, hilarious adulting fails, and a thought-provoking question: would you trade everything for success if it meant losing everyone you love? Then, we shift into a powerful Women of the Week spotlight on Henrietta Lacks—the woman whose cells changed modern medicine forever… without her knowledge or consent. We close with Round Robin Recommendations featuring Alias Grace on Netflix, a haunting story of a woman navigating survival, truth, and perception in the 1800s. Real conversation. Real laughs. And a story that stays with you. #RoundRobinPodcast #WomenInHistory#HenriettaLacks#HeLaCells Hosted and Produced by Tracy Preston, featuring Christine Mulligan, Nina Mulligan and Todd Preston Original artwork by Todd Preston Original music created exclusively for Round Robin by Tracy Preston

John List was a devoted father, a churchgoing man, and a respected accountant—or so it seemed. In 1971, inside a sprawling New Jersey mansion, he murdered his entire family, then disappeared without a trace. For nearly two decades, he built a new life under a different name—until one broadcast brought everything crashing down. In this episode of Malice in the Mitten, we examine the chilling case of John List—a Michigan-connected killer whose obsession with control, faith, and appearances led to one of the most disturbing family annihilation cases in American history. This is a story of deception, psychological unraveling, and the terrifying question: How far can someone go… and still believe they were right? Written by Rebecca Hiers Hosted and Produced by Tracy Preston, Featuring Christine Mulligan Original artwork by Todd Preston Original music created exclusively for Malice in the Mitten by Tracy Preston #JohnList #FamilyAnnihilator #TrueCrimeCase #UnsolvedMysteries #AmericasMostWanted Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_List_(murderer) https://crimelibrary.org/notorious_murders/family/list/ https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ytf-jsWEL6Ry5tuIh3ZC4O9DlTaJf-5NRmqzJZrW_L0/edit?tab=t.0 https://thewestendmuseum.org/history/era/immigrant-neighborhood/h-h-holmes/ https://capitalpunishmentincontext.org/cases/wuornos https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/25511539/john_emil-list https://fatherwantsusdead.com/gallery/ https://medium.com/@nightmarehousespod/the-legacy-of-breeze-knoll-an-architectural-gem-with-a-dark-history-2863efc0561d https://www.upi.com/Archives/1990/04/05/Sister-in-law-Accused-family-killer-dominated-by-bedridden-wife/2883639288000/ https://scholar.lib.vt.edu/VA-news/ROA-Times/issues/1990/rt9003/900329/03290654.htm  

In the quiet, rolling landscape of Michigan’s Irish Hills, something strange was happening. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, residents reported chilling encounters—blinding lights in the sky, missing time, and memories of being taken. Were these isolated incidents… or part of something larger? Tonight on F-Bomb, we explore the abduction phenomenon that turned a peaceful Michigan region into a hotspot for unexplained encounters. From firsthand accounts to patterns that are hard to ignore, this is a story that blurs the line between folklore… and something far more unsettling. #MaliceInTheMitten #FBombPodcast #MichiganMysteries #IrishHills #AlienAbduction #UFOEncounter Hosted and Produced by Tracy Preston, Featuring Todd Preston Researched and Written by Todd Preston Original artwork by Todd Preston Original music created exclusively for F-Bomb by Tracy Preston Sources: https://aadl.org/aa_news_19950516-emu_sociologist_examines_reports https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alien_abduction https://www.irishtimes.com/news/science/a-likely-explanation-for-alien-abductions-1.2408585 https://www.nicap.org/chronos/1994fullrep.htm  

Spring Break chaos meets real-life laughs in this episode of Round Robin. Tracy joins Christine, and Nina in Florida for a hilarious, unfiltered conversation about Spring Break, TikTok hobbies, and the joy of simply being together. Between the laughter, the crew honors Clara Barton, the founder of the American Red Cross, and wraps with must-watch recommendations including Inventing Anna on Netflix. Lighthearted, spontaneous, and full of personality—this is Round Robin at its best. #RoundRobinPodcast #SpringBreakVibes #PodcastLife #FunnyPodcast #WomenInHistory #ClaraBarton #AmericanRedCross Hosted and Produced by Tracy Preston, Featuring Christine & Nina Mulligan Original Music created exclusively for Round Robin by Tracy Preston Original artwork by Todd Preston Sound Effects from Upbeat: wine-pour-in-glass-om-fx-1-00-07.mp3  

Paula Sladewski, a 26-year-old Michigan woman, vanished after leaving Miami’s Club Space during a New Year’s weekend trip. Hours later, her burned body was found in a North Miami dumpster. In this episode of  Malice in the Mitten, we examine Paula’s final known movements, the argument with her boyfriend Kevin Klym, the surveillance footage, the suspect sketch, and the questions that still remain in this haunting unsolved case. Major public reporting consistently places Paula leaving Club Space around 7:20–7:21 a.m. on January 3, 2010, with her body later identified through dental records after being found in a burning dumpster. #MaliceInTheMitten #PaulaSladewski #TrueCrimePodcast #MichiganTrueCrime #UnsolvedMurder   Hosted and Produced by Tracy Preston, Featuring Christine Mulligan Story Researched and Written by Tracy Preston Original artwork by Todd Preson Original music created exclusively for Malice in the Mitten by Tracy Preston Sources: Harry, Ayana. “Charred Body of Playboy Model Paula Sladewski Found in Miami Dumpster.” ABC News, 7 Jan. 2010.  Harry, Ayana. “Murdered Playboy Model Seen on Nightclub Surveillance Video.” ABC News, 11 Jan. 2010.  “‘I Still Think About It To This Day’: Former Lead Detective On 10-Year-Old Murder Case Of Model Paula Sladewski.” CBS Miami, 7 Feb. 2020.  Miller, Carlin. “Paula Sladewski Pictures: Murdered Playboy Model’s Lover Kevin Klym Wanted Over Domestic Violence.” CBS News, 8 Jan. 2010.  “Club Space Says Sketch Isn’t a Staffer.” NBC Miami, 8 Feb. 2010.  Hamacher, Brian. “Bouncer Disputes Boyfriend’s Tale of Model’s Last Moments.” NBC Miami, 19 Mar. 2010.  Cardona, Alexi C. “Who Killed Playboy Model Paula Sladewski in 2010? North Miami Police Still Don’t Know.” Miami New Times, 3 Jan. 2020.   

A chilling Michigan urban legend glides through the darkness… The Phantom Skater is said to appear without warning—silent, swift, and gone before you can understand what you’ve seen. Witnesses describe a lone figure skating across frozen ground, empty streets, and icy paths… even when no ice is there at all. In this episode of F-Bomb: Fables, Fiction, Folklore & Frights, we explore the eerie legend of The Phantom Skater—where folklore meets fear, and the line between imagination and reality begins to blur. Is it residual energy… a spirit replaying its final moments… or something far more unsettling? Some say if you see him… he’s already seen you. #PhantomSkater #MichiganFolklore #UrbanLegends #GhostStories Hosted and Produced by Tracy Preston, Featuring Todd Preston Story researched and written by Todd Preston Orignal artwork by Todd Preston Original music created exclusively for F-Bomb by Tracy Preston Sources: https://99wfmk.com/phantom-skater-hickory-creek-michigan/ https://www.tvi.show/nexus/the-chilling-legend-of-michigans-phantom-skater-a-halloween-horror-story https://berrienhistory.org Sound effects from. Uppeat: ice-skater-skidding-to-stop-fascinnatedsound-1-00-02.mp3

What do secret societies, Elizabethan ruff collars, and plague doctors have in common? Power. In this episode of Round Robin, we explore the strange, fascinating, and sometimes bizarre ways humans have signaled status, control, and belonging throughout history. From hidden societies operating in secrecy to fashion that literally controlled behavior, this episode dives into how power has always been displayed—whether hidden or impossible to ignore. Plus, we introduce our new segment: 100 Women Who Changed the World, featuring Alice Ball — a brilliant chemist whose life-saving work was nearly lost to history. #RoundRobinPodcast #WeirdHistory #SecretSocieties #ElizabethanEra #HistoricalFashion Hosted and Produced by Tracy Preston, featuring Christine Mulligan, Nina Mulligan, Angela Hoefler and of course my husband Todd Preston Original artwork by Todd Preston Original music created exclusively for Round Robin by Tracy Preston Sources: “Eleusinian Mysteries.” Encyclopaedia Britannica. Daftary, Farhad. The Assassin Legends. “Knights Templar.” History.com. “Ruff.” Victoria and Albert Museum. Hunt, Alan. Sumptuary Law History. Byrne, Joseph P. Daily Life during the Black Death. Parascandola, John. “Alice Ball and Chaulmoogra Oil.” National Library of Medicine. “Alice Augusta Ball.” Full source list available upon request