Tag Archives: true story

Halloween 2021 Special



This is the Halloween Special: 2021 

We are going to go over a bunch of Scary Movies that were either inspired by or based on true stories.  I’ll give a brief synopsis of the movie in case you want to watch them this Halloween season, and then I’ll give you the details of the true story that inspired each one.

Merch on Sale at links below:

Cherry Avenue Retro – Cherry Avenue Logo – T-Shirt | TeePublic

Skull cherries – Cherries – Crewneck Sweatshirt | TeePublic

Happy Halloween!  Thank you for listening!  If you’d like to leave a voicemail about this or any other episode you can do so on my website:  True Crime | Cherry Avenue True Crime Podcast

and you can also let me know if you want your voicemail aired on a future episode or not.  You can leave your name, or not leave your name…it’s up to you.

Visit me on social media on Instagram @CherryAvenueTrueCrime or

On Twitter @AvenueCrime   

 

Sources for this episode:

Nosferatu – Wikipedia

Nosferatu: Origins of the Vampire-Death Wish Coffee Company

The True Story Behind Nosferatu (grunge.com)

Nosferatu, A Symphony of Horror and Shadow of the Vampire (nosferatumovie.com)

Jack the Ripper – Wikipedia

IMDB.com

Jack the Ripper – History, Victims, Letters, Suspects. (jack-the-ripper.org)

Two Barmaids, Five Alligators, and the Butcher of Elmendorf – Texas Monthly


Boston Stranglers: The Untold Story



This one is way more interesting than I thought it would be.  And I don’t usually inject too much of my opinion on this podcast, wanting you to just have the story and the facts as I have found them in my research…..but I have lots of thoughts on this, and I really want to know what you all think.  Stay tuned at the end for information on the new voice message I have for all of you and how we will start doing an update episode here and there if you guys all like it.

The case covered in this episode is The Boston Strangler, The Untold Story, because most people still assume that Albert DeSalvo was the Boston Strangler and murdered all of the 13 women accredited to the “Boston Strangler.”  Albert DeSalvo confessed to 11 murders.  However, his confessions have been disputed, and there is a lot to this story.

We will be going over the movie: The Boston Strangler: The Untold Story and then covering the Real Story and the developments that have happened since then.

 

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Boston Strangler Case Solved 50 Years Later – ABC News (go.com)

  1. Lee Bailey – Wikipedia

Boston Strangler – Wikipedia

Boston Strangler: A Serial Killer Who Probably Never Got Caught (anomalien.com)

 

Albert DeSalvo: The Man Who Confessed To Being The ‘Boston Strangler’ (allthatsinteresting.com)

The Conviction of Albert DeSalvo – Virtual Boston (wordpress.com)

 

The Boston Strangler – Crime Museum


Gold Digger Killer



Gold Digger Killer

Multimillionaire, Steven Beard fell for the younger, attractive waitress who worked at his country club.   Soon he and Celeste were married. When Steve calls 911 and is discovered in his bedroom shot in the stomach, suspicion falls on Celeste’s friend, Tracey.  Months later Tracey implicates Celeste.

We will be going over the movie made about this case and then the true story behind it.

The movie is Secrets of a Gold Digger Killer. It’s a 2021 Lifetime Movie, Starring Julie Bentz, Eli Gabay and Roan Curtis.  It can be found on Lifetime and is available to rent on Amazon Prime.

Social Media:

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email: host@cherryavenuetruecrime.com

CherryAvenueTrueCrime.com

 

Sources for this episode:

Man is fatally shot while sleeping, at the request of his wife – Horror History .net

Betrayed By Her Own Children – CBS News

Twins, Lesbian Lover Unravel Texas Murder – ABC News (go.com)

Celeste Beard – Wikipedia

Celeste Beard | Murderpedia, the encyclopedia of murderers


Trial By Fire



Welcome Back to Cherry Avenue True Crime Podcast.  Just a quick reminder that new episodes come out on the 15th and the 30th of each month, with occasional bonus episodes thrown out there in between so please hit subscribe so you don’t miss anything.

I’ll be the first to admit that when I hear that a parent or parents escaped a burning house unharmed and all of the kids die, I’m a little suspicious.  And when you start watching this movie, that is how you feel. 

But there are questions….

And the more you learn, the more you question……

The movie and the case for this episode is:  Trial By Fire  (2018-2019) movie that I found available for streaming on  (Prime Video) and  (Hulu).  It stars Jack O’Connel, Laura Dern and Emily Meade.

The tragic and controversial story of Cameron Todd Willingham, who was sentenced to death in Texas for killing his three children even after scientific evidence and expert testimony bolstered his claims of innocence

We will cover the movie, the story of what really happened, and the controversy.

Website:  CherryAvenueTrueCrime.com

Email: host@cherryavenuetruecrime.com

Twitter@AvenueCrime

Instagram: Cherry Avenue True Crime

 

New Yorker article:

Trial by Fire | The New Yorker

Sources for this episode:

Cameron Todd Willingham’s Ex-Wife Stacy Kuykendall Says Texas Shouldn’t Pardon Him [EXCLUSIVE] | HuffPost

Cameron Todd Willingham – Wikipedia

Cameron Todd Willingham: Wrongfully Convicted and Executed in Texas – Innocence Project

Murder of his three young children by Cameron Todd Willingham examined on Evil Lives Here (monstersandcritics.com)

5 Things To Know About The Cameron Todd Willingham Case | Crime History | Investigation Discovery

Stacy Kuykendall Now: Where is Cameron Todd Willingham’s Ex-Wife Today? Update (thecinemaholic.com)

Where Is Stacey Willingham From Trial By Fire In 2019? (refinery29.com)

Where Is Trial By Fire Playwright Elizabeth Gilbert Now (refinery29.com)

Disturbing Evidence That Texas Executed An Innocent Man, Cameron Todd Willingham (ranker.com)

A dad was executed for deaths of his 3 girls. Now a letter casts more doubt. – The Washington Post

Jury Clears the Prosecutor Who Sent Cameron Todd Willingham to Death Row | The Marshall Project

Willingham v. State :: 1995 :: Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Decisions :: Texas Case Law :: Texas Law :: US Law :: Justia

Interviews – Elizabeth Gilbert | Death By Fire | FRONTLINE | PBS

Posthumous pardon denied for Case of Texas man Cameron Todd Willingham, executed for arson that killed his kids, puts spotlight on “pardons after death” – CBS News

10 Executed Prisoners That Were Later Found to Be Innocent (unbelievable-facts.com)

Trial by Fire | The New Yorker

Trial by Fire: True story of innocent dad executed for killing his three children – Mirror Online

Myths and Facts about the Willingham Case – Innocence Project


The Last Hangman



The Last Hangman

Today’s case and movie is The Last Hangman which is based on the life and career of Albert Pierrepoint, who was one of the head executioners in the UK between 1931 and 1956.  It is estimated he executed between 435 and 600 people, 200 of these were war criminals right after WWII.

We will cover the movie, the real story of Pierrepoint, and some of the infamous murderers that he executed.

cherryavenuetruecrime.com

email: host@cherryavenuetruecrime.com

Twitter: @AvenueCrime

Instagram.com/cherryavenuetruecrime

 

Sources for this episode:

Josef Kramer – Wikipedia

Josef Kramer | Nazi commander | Britannica

Pictures that changed the World – Dr Fritz Klein in a mass grave | Belfast Child (belfastchildis.com)

Beast of Belsen and his lover in Nuremberg exhibit | UK news | The Guardian

A Soho Stabbing | True Crime Library

Waddingham, Dorothea (1899–1936) | Encyclopedia.com

Albert Pierrepoint – Wikipedia

ExecutedToday.com » 1945: The Belsen war criminals

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9045279/British-hangman-sent-Beasts-Belsen-hell.html

17 October 1941 – Antonio Mancini | Execution of the day (wordpress.com)


The Burning Bed



The Burning Bed (Based on a True Story)

800-799-SAFE (7233)  Domestic Violence Support | The National Domestic Violence Hotline (thehotline.org)

Welcome Back to Cherry Avenue True Crime Podcast.  Just a quick reminder that new episodes come out on the 15th and 30th of each month, with mini-episodes and the occasional bonus episodes in-between, so be sure to hit subscribe so you don’t miss anything!

The movie for this episode is The Burning Bed (1984)  (Tubi TV) (IMDB free with ads) streaming services.  Stars:  Farrah Fawcett, Paul Le Mat and Richard Hauser.  We will go over the movie and then the case behind the movie.

This was the case that became central to the battered women’s movement. It turned the national attention to cases like Francine’s where women were brutalized by their husbands, and to help women like her through a system of life-saving shelters and laying the foundation for a modern awareness of domestic violence.

If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233 or chat with a worker  on thehotline.org

In the UK: FAMILYHELP.ORG.UK  and REFUGE.ORG.UK  Phone# 0808 2000 247

Show Website:  CherryAvenueTrueCrime.com

My e-mail:  host@cherryavenuetruecrime.com

Visit me on social media:  Twitter: @AvenueCrime  Instagram: Cherry Avenue True Crime

Francine Hughes Killed Her Abusive Husband—And Changed U.S. Views on Domestic Violence – HISTORY

Francine Hughes – Wikipedia

Francine Hughes Wilson, 69, Domestic Violence Victim Who Took Action, Dies – The New York Times (nytimes.com)

The Burning Bed – Wikipedia

James Berlin “Mickey” Hughes (1945-1977) – Find A Grave Memorial

“The Burning Bed”: A turning point in fight against domestic violence (lansingstatejournal.com)

Francine Wilson, domestic abuse victim and subject of TV film “The Burning Bed,” dies at 69 – Chicago Tribune

‘Burning Bed’ murder case: defense attorney looks back | WKAR

Francine Hughes Wilson, who inspired ‘The Burning Bed,’ dies at 69 (lansingstatejournal.com)

The mother of a man killed in an incident… – UPI Archives

Francine Hughes Wilson, whose ‘burning bed’ became a TV film, dies at 69 – The Washington Post

Francine Hughes Killed Her Abusive Husband—And Changed U.S. Views on Domestic Violence – HISTORY

Statistics (ncadv.org)

The facts – Refuge Charity – Domestic Violence Help


At Close Range



Welcome Back to Cherry Avenue True Crime Podcast.

Just a quick reminder that new episodes come out on the 15th and 30th of each month, with the occasional random bonus episode thrown out there, so please hit subscribe so you don’t miss any episodes.

At Close Range  is an incredibly good movie.  It’s from 1986 and I found it on Amazon Prime, as well as Tubi which is a free streaming service and it looks like it is available on Showtime as well, although I currently don’t have that one.

It has a star studded cast including:

Sean Penn, Mary Stuart Masterson, Chris Penn, Christopher Walken, Crispin Glover and Kiefer Sutherland.

It is an excellent movie all on it’s own. One of the reviews I read said “I recommend this movie to anyone and everyone.”

This is one of the few old true crime movies that I hadn’t seen, and hadn’t heard about the case before watching.  I’m not kidding when I say that there were at least two parts that had me absolutely speechless.  Like jaw dropping.

I was so blown away by this movie that I decided to move it up in the recording schedule.

The movie starts out with the words:  Based on a True Story.

And I’m going to tell you….this movie follows so close to the real story…it’s one of the closest to the real stories I’ve ever seen.  So, I’ll tell you about the movie which is just about the whole real story, and then at the end I’ll tell you about the bits that were included just for the movie, and I’ll go over what really happened in those instances.

CherryAvenueTrueCrime.com

Email: host@cherryavenuetruecrime.com

Twitter:  @AvenueCrime

Instagram:  Instagram.com/cherryavenuetruecrime

Sources for this episode:

Bruce Johnston (criminal) – Wikipedia

The Kiddie Gang: The True Crime Story Behind the Film ‘At Close Range’ (didyouknowfacts.com)

Bruce Johnston Sr., 63; Notorious Killer Dies in Prison – Los Angeles Times (latimes.com)

James Foley’s “At Close Range” and the Real Story of the Johnston Gang (treepony.com)  This is an excellent review of the movie.

Com. v. Johnston, 42 A.3d 1120 – CourtListener.com

Latest appeal denied for Norman and David Johnston | News | delcotimes.com

‘Tired’ Escapee Gives Up The Fight – The Washington Post

Escape revives a town’s bad memories (post-gazette.com)

The Actual Truth Behind Devil’s Road in Chadds Ford, PA (wjbr.com)


Executioner’s Song



Welcome back to Cherry Avenue True Crime Podcast.

Just a quick reminder that new episodes are out on the 15th and 30th of each month, with occasional bonus episodes, so be sure to hit subscribe so you don’t miss one.

This continues our series of Based on a True Story movies and the true crime cases behind them.  Let me tell you that doing the research for these movies for my podcast has become a little Rabbit Hole of it’s own.  While I was researching for this episode I found another movie, on this case, that I had never heard of.  Turned out to be really good and well worth the time, and worth featuring.  I have found many other movies while researching the cases, so I have a long list to cover….and to use as bonus movie names for you.

cherryavenuetruecrime.com

email: host@cherryavenuetruecrime.com

Twitter: @avenuecrime

Instagram: @cherryavenuetruecrime

 

Sources for this episode:

The movie Texas Killing Fields found on TubiTV

The movies The Executioner’s Song found on Amazon Prime and Shot in the Heart found on You tube

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Executioner’s_Song_(film)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Gilmore_(criminal)

Gary Gilmore: Facing the Firing Squad | Full Documentary | Biography – Bing video

Execution by firing squad – Wikipedia

Gary Gilmore (criminal) – Wikipedia

 


UK Killers



UK Killers.  Based on a True Story Movie Series.

This podcast is currently covering the movies that are made about true crime cases and going over the real story and details behind it.

Two new movies today:  The Pembrokshire Murders and London Road. .  Two serial killers from the UK.   

Instagram:  @CherryAvenueTrueCrime

Twitter: @AvenueCrime

Email: host@cherryavenuetruecrime.com

CherryAvenueTrueCrime.com

 

Sources:

Steve Wright (serial killer) – Wikipedia

Ipswich serial murders – Wikipedia

Who is Steve Wright and where is he now? – The Sun

The Real Pembrokeshire Murders: Inside the True Story | Heavy.com

John Cooper (serial killer) – Wikipedia

 The horrifying unknown details of John Cooper’s life which culminated in multiple murders – Wales Online

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/13731762/pembrokeshire-murderer-john-cooper-wife-pat/


Rabbit Hole Two: More Movies



Welcome Back to Cherry Avenue True Crime Podcast.  We have two new true crime cases today that movies were made about, continuing with our Based on a True Story theme. Each episode stands on it’s own, so you don’t have to be caught up on episodes in the series or anything like that.  Each episode will have movies that were based on a true story, and we will go over the movie and the real story behind it.  This is Rabbit Hole 2. The two movies today are:  Out of The Darkness and Hunt For The I-5 Killer.

CherryAvenueTrueCrime.com

Email:  host@cherryavenuetruecrime.com

Twitter: @AvenueCrime

Instagram:  Cherry Avenue True Crime

 

Sources:

Randall Woodfield | Murderpedia, the encyclopedia of murderers

Randall Woodfield, the I-5 killer, former Green Bay Packer | Longform – SI.com  Sports Illustrated article by BY L. JON WERTHEIM

Randall Woodfield – The I-5 Killer | Crime Scene Database (crimescenedb.com)

David Berkowitz – Wikipedia

David Berkowitz – Crimes, Letters & Facts – Biography

Inside the Son of Sam Case – Biography


Rabbit Hole: Based on a True Story



Rabbit Hole:  Based on a True Story: Serial Killer Edition

Welcome back to Cherry Avenue True Crime Podcast!

I am continuing here with our Based on a True Story series.  This is the first one on Serial Killers.

There are a lot of movies made about serial killers.   For instance, there are at least four movies about Ted Bundy.  There are at least two on Jeffrey Dahmer, two or more on John Wayne Gacy, two on the Zodiac Killer, etc.  For this series we will go over the movies and the crimes of these as well as all the lesser known serial killers.   Hopefully you will find a few movies you want to watch and possibly along the way learn a few interesting things, you didn’t know before. And of course, there will be names of some bonus movies at the end.

CherryAvenueTrueCrime.com

Email:  host@cherryavenuetruecrime.com

Twitter: @Avenuecrime

Instagram: Cherry Avenue True Crime

Patreon: Cherry Avenue True Crime Podcast is creating True Crime Podcasts | Patreon

Sources:

Cindy Paulson Now: Where is Robert Hansen Survivor Today? Update (thecinemaholic.com)

Robert Hansen – Wikipedia

Robert Hansen’s Wife Had No Idea He Was a Serial Killer | Heavy.com

‘Butcher Baker’ prosecutor says Robert Hansen was ‘a small guy’ who quickly transformed into ‘a monster’: doc | Fox News

Keith Hunter Jesperson – Wikipedia

12 Disturbing Facts About The Happy Face Killer (ranker.com)

Happy Face Killer Wiki: 5-Year Rampage Leads to 8 Murders (crimeola.com)

IMDB

Book to Check out:

I: The Creation of a Serial Killer by Jack Olsen


Based On A True Story



Based on a True Story: This is the first episode in a series of episodes to feature cases that also have movies based on them.  Our own Based on a True Story series.  Some movies are much more obscure than others but with a little searching you can find them on your streaming services or possibly on youtube.  For each episode: I will tell you all about what happened for real in the case and give you the name of a movie that it is based on it.  Also, stay tuned at end of each episode as I will give you some bonus movie names that you can look up and watch, and of course, are based on true crime stories.

The True Crime Movie that was based on this first case is:  And Never Let Her Go (2001 movie) Starring: Mark Harmon, Kathryn Morris, Paul Michael Glaser and Steven Eckhold. The movie is Based on the Ann Rule book of the same name.  I found the movie on TubiTV at the time of research for this recording.

CherryAvenueTrueCrime.com

Email:  host@cherryavenuetruecrime.com

Twitter: @AvenueCrime

Instagram:  Cherry Avenue True Crime

 

Sources:

Movie:  AND NEVER LET HER GO(2001)

BOOK:  AND NEVER LET HER GO BY ANN RULE

Anne Marie Fahey: Person, pictures and information – Fold3.com

Notorious convicted killer Thomas Capano found dead in Delaware prison cell – WHYY

 

Bonus Movies:

1) THE HILLSIDE STRANGLERS (1989) Based on the true story of serial killers Kenneth Bianchi and Angelo Buono and the investigation and capture. Starring: Richard Crenna, Billy Zane, and Dennis Farina.

2) WHEN LOVE KILLS: THE SEDCUTION OF JOHN HEARN (1993) When Love Kills: The Seduction of John Hearn (1993)

3) Goodnight Sweet Wife: A Murder in Boston (1990)

 


Different Degrees of Murder



All New Ad-Free Episode!  Three cases, Three Different sets of murders.  One from 1900, one from 1926, and one from 1978-1993.  Marty Bergen, George Jefferson Hassell, and Robert Spangler.

cherryavenuetruecrime.com

email: host@cherryavenuetruecrime.com

Twitter: @avenuecrime

 

 

Marty Bergen – Society for American Baseball Research (sabr.org)    Written by Brian McKenna

Marty Bergen (baseball) Wikipedia

Marty Bergen, Profile (razzball.com)  The Tragedy at Snowball Farm by Paulie Allnuts

George J. Hassell – Parmer County, Texas (genealogytrails.com)

The Case of George J. Hassell — Criminally Intrigued

Wikipedia

https://thisismonsters.com/robert-spangler/

Robert Spangler murdered five members of his own family: Devil Among Us investigates (monstersandcritics.com)

 

 


Abducted From Home



Cases where children go missing or are murdered really haunt me.

It’s terrifying when they are missing.  So many horrible scenarios are considered as to how they are being treated or if they are still alive.

When children are found dead after having gone missing, often the parents or other family members are looked into.

Unfortunately, we have seen on many occasions where the parents or one of the parents does indeed turn out to be the one responsible.  Usually, after they had been in the news, tearfully asking for their child, or step-child  to be returned.

Today’s case is a about a little girl who goes missing and when she is found dead authorities look to her parents.  It does not seem to me that her parents were in any way responsible, but you be the judge.

 

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email:  host@cherryavenuetruecrime.com

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There is a movie about Jaclyn Dowaliby’s case:  Gone In The Night,  1996 TV movie with Shannon Doherty and Kevin Dhillon.  There is a book by the same title

 

For more on Zahra Baker’s story check out the podcast:  Suffer The Little Children Podcast, Episode 38

 

Some sources:

https://www.law.northwestern.edu/legalclinic/wrongfulconvictions/exonerations/il/david-dowaliby.html

 

https://abc7chicago.com/jaclyn-dowaliby-doawliby-murder-unsolved-case/1338090/

 

https://www.leagle.com/decision/19911825582ne2d124311761


Unearthed Bones



A Heavy Equipment Operator was working on the property of an old yellow house that had been falling into disrepair.  It had been empty for quite a while and he was starting the steps of demolishing the old farm house, when up comes a ragged black trash bag with bones and fabric in it.

Police were called of course.

It was eventually determined to be the bones of a human being.

 

 

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The Caller



A business office in the front of a factory building, gets a phone call.  A man’s voice tells the receptionist, Rose, that there is a body behind their building.

The caller tells the receptionist:  “There is a dead body in the back of your lot.”

Now I have had to answer the phones working in business offices many times over the years and I have got some crank calls, but never that.

The caller hangs up soon after telling her to please report it to authorities.

Mississauga

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Show to check out:  ID show:   The Case That Haunts Me:   Stranger Calling


Looking for Mr. Goodbar Murder



This is the true story of the murder of Roseann Quinn.

It was the basis for the Novel, Looking For Mr. Goodbar,  written by Judith Rossner.  The novel was the basis for the 1977 movie Looking for Mr. Goodbar staring Dianne Keaton and Richard Gere.  Both the novel and movie were loosely based on Rosanne’s murder. In the movie and the novel Rosann’s name was changed to Theresa.

There is another book , Closing Time, by Lacey Forsburgh which says up front that it is The True Story of the “Looking for Mr. Goodbar” murder but names were changed and some parts , especially some of the dialogue, was fictionalized.  In this book Closing Time, Rosann was called Katherine.   I definitely recommend this book.  There is a lot more in it than I could ever tell you here an it’s an addictive read.

After you hear the whole story you will understand why it was covered in so many newspaper accounts.  It was an ongoing case, and investigation, and was covered just about every step of the way through it, and even after it.

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