Criminology

Emash Digital & Mike Ferguson, Mike Morford

Criminology is a true crime podcast that takes a deep dive into some of the most famous cases in the annals of crime. Hosts Mike Ferguson and Mike Morford will give you every details of these infamous crimes. New episodes come out every Saturday night at 10 PM.

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34 episodes
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Avg 50 min
English

Episodes 34

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#431
Sunday · 47 min
Bernadette Vander Meer
In August 2006, Bernadette Vander Meer and her husband traveled to Utah’s Zion National Park to celebrate their tenth wedding anniversary. The couple planned to revisit Angels Landing, the breathtaking spot where he had proposed years earlier. But shortly after reaching the summit at sunrise, Bernadette plunged more than a thousand feet to her death. Her death was ruled a tragic accident, but those closest to Bernadette had doubts. Join Mike and Morf as they discuss Bernadette Vander Meer. Bernadette was an experienced hiker, and behind the image of a happy marriage were troubling signs of control, unhappiness, and secrets. As investigators took another look at the case years later, inconsistencies, hidden relationships, financial motives, and a startling new witness would completely change the story of what may have happened on Angels Landing. You can help support the show through Patreon. We'd love to connect with listeners on social media. We are available on the following platforms: Facebook - Facebook Discussion group - Instagram - Threads - X Formerly Twitter - Blue Sky - Twitch - Tik Tok Criminology is an Emash Digital production hosted by Mike Ferguson and Mike Morford. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
#430
October 18 · 53 min
Janet Abaroa
In April 2005, 25-year-old Janet Abaroa was found brutally stabbed to death inside her Durham, North Carolina, home. Her six-month-old son was found unharmed, but there were no obvious signs of forced entry and very little appeared to be missing. As investigators dug into Janet’s life and relationships, they uncovered financial problems, infidelity, troubling behavior, and a number of details that raised questions about what really happened that night. Join Mike and Morf as they discuss the murder of Janet Abarora. For years, Janet’s murder remained unresolved. But a seemingly insignificant clue involving her contact lenses eventually caused investigators to take another look at the timeline of her death. We discuss Janet’s life, the brutal crime, the clues investigators initially struggled to explain, and the painstaking investigation that eventually brought them closer to the truth. You can help support the show through Patreon. We'd love to connect with listeners on social media. We are available on the following platforms: Facebook - Facebook Discussion group - Instagram - Threads - X Formerly Twitter - Blue Sky - Twitch - Tik Tok Criminology is an Emash Digital production hosted by Mike Ferguson and Mike Morford. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
#429
October 11 · 56 min
Mary Shotwell Little and Diane Shields
In 1965, newlywed Mary Shotwell Little vanished after an evening at Atlanta’s Lenox Square Shopping Center. Her car was later found with blood inside and signs that it had traveled somewhere before being returned to the parking lot. Two years later, Diane Shields—the woman who had replaced Mary at the same bank and even sat at her desk—was found murdered in the trunk of her car. Join Mike and Morf as they discuss Mary Little and Diane Shields. As investigators dug deeper, they uncovered a remarkable series of connections between the two women, including shared coworkers, acquaintances, and even a former roommate. Nearly six decades later, Mary’s disappearance and Diane’s murder remain unsolved, leaving behind the haunting question of whether solving one case could finally unlock the truth about the other. You can help support the show through Patreon. We'd love to connect with listeners on social media. We are available on the following platforms: Facebook - Facebook Discussion group - Instagram - Threads - X Formerly Twitter - Blue Sky - Twitch - Tik Tok Criminology is an Emash Digital production hosted by Mike Ferguson and Mike Morford. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
#428
October 4 · 56 min
Sherri Rasmussen
When Sherri Rasmussen was found brutally murdered inside her own home, the crime scene seemed to tell a simple story: a burglary gone horribly wrong. But beneath the overturned furniture and apparent signs of a break-in were clues pointing to something far more calculated—and far more personal. The 29-year-old nursing director had been beaten, shot multiple times, and bitten during a violent struggle. Join Mike and Morf as they discuss the murder of Sherri Rasmussen. For more than two decades, her killer remained free while investigators pursued the wrong theory. Then, DNA from that bite mark changed everything, leading detectives toward someone connected to Sherri’s husband—and someone who had spent years building a respected career with the LAPD. You can help support the show through Patreon. We'd love to connect with listeners on social media. We are available on the following platforms: Facebook - Facebook Discussion group - Instagram - Threads - X Formerly Twitter - Blue Sky - Twitch - Tik Tok Criminology is an Emash Digital production hosted by Mike Ferguson and Mike Morford. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
#427
September 27 · 53 min
Henry McCabe
In September 2015, 32-year-old Henry McCabe disappeared after a night out with friends in Minnesota. Hours after he was last seen, Henry left his wife a bizarre and disturbing voicemail filled with strange sounds, moaning, and apparent cries of distress. Nearly two months later, his body was found in Rush Lake, but an autopsy revealed no signs of trauma or foul play, and his death was ruled a probable drowning with the manner undetermined. Join Mike and Morf as they discuss the death of Henry McCabe. Questions remain about conflicting accounts of Henry’s final movements, an anonymous letter predicting his body would be found near water, and mysterious activity from his phone in the days after he vanished. Although police eventually closed the case, Henry’s family remains convinced there is more to the story, leaving the circumstances surrounding his death a troubling mystery. You can help support the show through Patreon. We'd love to connect with listeners on social media. We are available on the following platforms: Facebook - Facebook Discussion group - Instagram - Threads - X Formerly Twitter - Blue Sky - Twitch - Tik Tok Criminology is an Emash Digital production hosted by Mike Ferguson and Mike Morford. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
#426
September 20 · 54 min
The Karpis-Barker Gang
During the Great Depression, the Karpis-Barker Gang became one of America’s most notorious criminal organizations, leaving behind a trail of bank robberies, kidnappings, and murder. At the center was Alvin “Creepy” Karpis, who partnered with Fred and Doc Barker and became one of the FBI’s most wanted men. Join Mike and Morf as they discuss the Karpis-Barker gang. The gang’s crimes included the high-profile kidnappings of William Hamm Jr. and Edward Bremer, while corruption and a growing federal investigation helped shape their rise and eventual downfall. Join Mike and Morf as they discuss the violent history of the Karpis-Barker Gang, the controversy surrounding Ma Barker’s role, and the man who became one of the Depression era’s most infamous criminals. You can help support the show through Patreon. We'd love to connect with listeners on social media. We are available on the following platforms: Facebook - Facebook Discussion group - Instagram - Threads - X Formerly Twitter - Blue Sky - Twitch - Tik Tok Criminology is an Emash Digital production hosted by Mike Ferguson and Mike Morford. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
#425
September 13 · 52 min
The Bennington Triangle
In this episode of Criminology, Mike and Morf explore the mysterious Bennington Triangle in southern Vermont, examining a series of disappearances and deaths dating back to the 1940s. The cases include hunters Carl Herrick and Middie Rivers, college student Paula Jean Welden, World War I veteran James Tedford, eight-year-old Paul Jepson, hiker Frieda Langer, and the disappearance of Martha Jeannette Jones, who was eventually found alive. Join Mike and Morf as they discuss the Bennington Triangle. Explanations range from accidents and getting lost in the rugged wilderness to abduction and foul play. Also examined is the area's eerie reputation, the legendary Bennington Monster, and Native American stories of cursed land. You can help support the show through Patreon. We'd love to connect with listeners on social media. We are available on the following platforms: Facebook - Facebook Discussion group - Instagram - Threads - X Formerly Twitter - Blue Sky - Twitch - Tik Tok Criminology is an Emash Digital production hosted by Mike Ferguson and Mike Morford. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
#424
September 6 · 1 hr
Gary Heidnik
In 1987, Josefina Rivera escaped from Gary Heidnik and led Philadelphia police to his home, where they discovered three women chained and imprisoned in his basement and human remains in the freezer. Heidnik had spent years preying on vulnerable and intellectually disabled women, including a previous victim he kidnapped from a state hospital in 1978. Between November 1986 and March 1987, he abducted seven women and subjected them to horrific abuse, captivity, starvation, and torture. Two victims, Sandra Lindsay and Deborah Dudley, were murdered. Join Mike and Morf as they discuss Gary Heidnik. Rivera ultimately escaped and called the police, bringing Heidnik’s reign of terror to an end. At trial, his defense argued insanity, citing his history of mental illness, while prosecutors maintained that he knew right from wrong. Heidnik was convicted of two counts of first-degree murder along with numerous kidnapping, rape, and assault charges and sentenced to death. After years of appeals and a last-minute stay, Gary Heidnik was executed by lethal injection on July 6, 1999—the last execution carried out in Pennsylvania. His Philadelphia home, known as the “House of Horrors,” still stands today. You can help support the show through Patreon. We'd love to connect with listeners on social media. We are available on the following platforms: Facebook - Facebook Discussion group - Instagram - Threads - X Formerly Twitter - Blue Sky - Twitch - Tik Tok Criminology is an Emash Digital production hosted by Mike Ferguson and Mike Morford. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
#423
August 30 · 55 min
Eugene and Raymond Horsch
Eugene Horsch was arrested in June 2026 after authorities found drugs, illegal firearms, fake IDs, and law-enforcement credentials in his vehicle, leading investigators to his Philadelphia home. The investigation uncovered evidence connected to four missing women—Amy McHale, Blair Tonzelli, Maribel Fresses, and Gabrielle Amarando—with digital evidence suggesting Fresses and Amarando may be dead. Join Mike and Morf as they discuss Eugene and Raymond Horsch. Eugene’s father, Raymond Horsch, who died in 2025, had a long criminal history and produced disturbing films and photographs depicting sex, violence, and apparent deaths. Investigators are now working through hundreds of thousands of images and videos while searching the property for evidence. Eugene remains in federal custody, and the investigation into the missing women is ongoing. You can help support the show through Patreon. We'd love to connect with listeners on social media. We are available on the following platforms: Facebook - Facebook Discussion group - Instagram - Threads - X Formerly Twitter - Blue Sky - Twitch - Tik Tok Criminology is an Emash Digital production hosted by Mike Ferguson and Mike Morford. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
August 25 · 39 min
Introducing: 'Burden of Proof: Luigi Mangione' from ABC Audio
Today, we’re sharing a special look at a podcast we think you’ll like from our friends at ABC Audio and 20/20. It’s called “Burden of Proof: Luigi Mangione.” In this five-part series, ABC News Legal Analyst Brian Buckmire goes deep into the case of Luigi Mangione and Brian Thompson. He’ll unpack the murder itself, the two men at the heart of the story, and how this case has affected the conversation about healthcare in America. This is episode one, “Christmastime in Altoona.” In this episode, the manhunt for the alleged shooter of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson comes to an end at a McDonald’s in Altoona, PA. To hear the rest of the series, follow "Burden of Proof: Luigi Mangione" for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Or listen ad-free on Apple Podcasts by subscribing to 20/20 True Crime+. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
#422
August 23 · 51 min
The Hog Trail Murders
In the 1990s, a series of brutal murders and disappearances in Southwest Florida became known as the Hog Trail Murders. Investigators began focusing on Daniel Owen Conahan Jr. after survivor David Payton described being lured into Conahan’s car with an offer of beer and money. Payton escaped by stealing the car, while another survivor, Stanley Burden, described being taken into the woods, tied to a tree, and attacked. Join Mike and Morf as they discuss Daniel Conahan Jr. Multiple bodies were discovered in remote areas of Charlotte and Sarasota Counties, with several victims displaying similar injuries, rope marks, and mutilation. Investigators believe he may have been responsible for additional victims, including some of the Fort Myers Eight, though he was never charged in those cases. You can help support the show through Patreon. We'd love to connect with listeners on social media. We are available on the following platforms: Facebook - Facebook Discussion group - Instagram - Threads - X Formerly Twitter - Blue Sky - Twitch - Tik Tok Criminology is an Emash Digital production hosted by Mike Ferguson and Mike Morford. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
#422
August 23 · 51 min
The Hog Trail Murders
In the 1990s, a series of brutal murders and disappearances in Southwest Florida became known as the Hog Trail Murders. Investigators began focusing on Daniel Owen Conahan Jr. after survivor David Payton described being lured into Conahan's car with an offer of beer and money. Payton escaped by stealing the car, while another survivor, Stanley Burden, described being taken into the woods, tied to a tree, and attacked. Join Mike and Morf as they discuss Daniel Conahan Jr. Multiple bodies were discovered in remote areas of Charlotte and Sarasota Counties, with several victims displaying similar injuries, rope marks, and mutilation. Investigators believe he may have been responsible for additional victims, including some of the Fort Myers Eight, though he was never charged in those cases. You can help support the show through Patreon. We'd love to connect with listeners on social media. We are available on the following platforms: Facebook - Facebook Discussion group - Instagram - Threads - X Formerly Twitter - Blue Sky - Twitch - Tik Tok Criminology is an Emash Digital production hosted by Mike Ferguson and Mike Morford.
#421
August 16 · 43 min
The Chino Hills Kidnapping
On July 29, 2026, 60-year-old Shukur Aikebaer was at his home in Chino Hills, California, with his wife and 13-year-old daughter when the power to their house was intentionally cut. When Shukur went outside to check the electrical panel, two men ambushed him, shot him, and forced him into the trunk of their car. Join Mike and Morf as they discuss the Chino Hills kidnapping. A neighbor called 911 after hearing gunshots and screams, and deputies quickly located the suspects' silver Nissan Altima.
August 10 · 7 min
Introducing THE FIRST 48, a new A&E and Crime House podcast!
For homicide detectives, their chance of solving a murder is cut in half if they don't get a lead within the first 48 hours. Adapted from the hit A&E true crime series The First 48, Crime House Studios brings you the podcast that drops you inside that critical window: the interrogations, the dead ends, and the breakthroughs that crack a case wide open. Each week, we revisit a landmark investigation from the franchise, pairing its signature investigative depth with immersive, long-form storytell
#420
August 9 · 57 min
Jeremy Bryan Jones
In 1992, 20-year-old Jennifer Judd was murdered in Baxter Springs, Kansas. Jennifer had been married for only nine days when she was brutally stabbed in her home. Her husband, Justin, immediately suspected his friend Jeremy Bryan Jones, but investigators initially lacked enough evidence to arrest him. Join Mike and Morf as they discuss Jeremy Bryan Jones. Jones had a long history of violence, sexual assault allegations, drug abuse, and fleeing authorities. He eventually assumed the identity of J
#450
August 2 · 1 hr 1 min
Mississippi Burning Replay
Although we aren't covering a new case this week, we wanted to bring you this replay episode from the Criminology vault. It's the Mississippi Burning case which originally aired on episode 49 in 2019. We will be back soon with an all new episode of Criminology. In the summer of 1964, three civil rights workers went missing in Mississippi. They were in the state working to help African Americans get registered to vote. Their station wagon was found burned and then their bodies were found after a
#419
July 26 · 52 min
Alyssa Romine Olson
This week, Mike and Morf examine the baffling death of Alyssa Romine Olson, a deeply religious Arizona woman whose body was discovered in a shallow pond at Gilbert's Riparian Preserve in June 2016. Despite an extensive investigation, authorities have never determined whether Alyssa's death was the result of murder, suicide, or a tragic accident. Ten years later, the case remains one of the most perplexing unsolved mysteries in Arizona. You can help support the show through Patreon. We'd love t
#418
July 19 · 52 min
Sammy Wheeler
In June 1992, 35-year-old Samuel "Sammy" Wheeler was found murdered inside his Isuzu Trooper in Virginia's George Washington National Forest. His SUV had been riddled with bullets, wiped clean of fingerprints, and someone had unsuccessfully tried to burn it to destroy evidence. The investigation quickly focused on a bitter custody dispute involving Sammy, his fiancée, her estranged husband, and even Sammy's identical twin brother. Join Mike and Morf as they discuss the murder of Sammy Wheeler. F
#417
July 12 · 49 min
Mackenzie Shirilla
On the morning of July 31, 2022, Mackenzie Shirilla's Toyota Camry slammed into a commercial building in Strongsville, Ohio, at approximately 100 mph. Dominic Russo died instantly, while Davion Flanagan succumbed to his injuries shortly afterward. Despite catastrophic injuries, Shirilla survived. Join Mike and Morf as they examine the highly publicized case of Mackenzie Shirilla, the Ohio teenager convicted of intentionally causing a high-speed crash that killed her boyfriend, Dominic Russo, and
#413
July 5 · 51 min
Tina Marcotte and Tom Kueter
In June 1994, two closely connected deaths occurred in Rapid City, South Dakota. The disappearance of Tina Marcotte and the mysterious death of Tom Kueter fueled decades of speculation before advances in DNA evidence finally led investigators to officially close the case. Join Mike and Morf as they discuss the disappearance of Tina Marcotte and the death of Tom Kueter. Tina disappeared after getting a ride after work when she found one of her tires had been slashed. She told a friend it was some

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