Alternative Interests

Episode 58: Kitty Genovese

The murder of Kitty Genovese is one of the most infamous murders in United States history. Psych 101 students everywhere learn about Bystander Syndrome using her murder as an example. It is often the most infamous cases that go misunderstood, and this story is no exception. We discuss just how wrong the media got it, and the truth behind what really happened on the night Kitty Genovese was brutally killed. 

Episode 57: Josef Fritzl Part 2

WARNING: Sexual abuse of children and incest.

Part 2 of this horrific case we pick up where we left off in Part 1 documenting the conditions Elisabeth Fritzl was forced to survive in for over two decades. From the mind of a disturbed man came the basement chambers that held Elisabeth and her children captive for 24 years. This story truly illustrates new depths of depravity that only monsters are capable of.

Episode 56: Josef Fritzl Part 1

Austria, 1984. Josef and Rosemarie Fritzl call the police to report their 18 year old daughter, Elisabeth, missing. Elisabeth would not reappear for 24 years. As it would be revealed, she was being held captive below the family apartment the entire time. In part one, Kat goes into the background of Josef's childhood and the day Elisabeth disappeared to set the scene for the details of her imprisonment.

Episode 55: Cassie Jo Stoddart

One Sunday in September 2006, the Contreras’ return to their home after a weekend away. Expecting to be greeted by their niece, Cassie Jo, who had been house and pet-sitting for them, the family made their way inside. The horrifying screams of their daughter as she found the brutal scene inside the home began a nightmare of piecing together exactly what happened to Cassie during that awful weekend.

Episode 54: The Cannibal Cop

The NYPD may have made a mistake employing this guy... This week we discuss the very oddly specific fetish of Gilberto, who has since been dubbed the Cannibal Cop. He happens to be an online buddy of the individual we discussed in our previous episode, so you can imagine what kind of disturbing fantasies Gil is into. His wife's intuition made her take drastic measures that completely changed the trajectory of both of their lives. Do you think he's guilty, or did the appellate court make the right call? 

Episode 53: Dale Bolinger

*This episode briefly discusses child pornography*

The Dark Web is a mysterious place where the most twisted minds go to find content that speaks to their darkest desires and curiosities. In the next two episodes, we scratch the surface of one of the corners of the Dark Web with the tale of two men with their own stories who both drew the attention of the FBI. We begin with the Canterbury Cannibal and his disgusting ideas of what he considers "interesting as a food source". 

 

Episode 52: The Hartlepool Killing

Some people are dealt a tough hand at life. Some people can make do and rise above it, but often people cannot and need support, resources, and the system to step in. What happens when the system fails people? Some are left vulnerable, alone, and make easy targets. Others, with no one watching or caring, see the targets and become the predators. This week's story is one where the system failed all involved parties, leaving two very different ends of the spectrum to come crashing together.

Episode 51: Savannah Spurlock

22 year old Savannah Spurlock was a vivacious and spunky mother of four in January of 2019. Taking advantage of an opportunity for a night out, she and a friend went to a bar to let loose and enjoy themselves. Unfortunately, Savannah's last moments are caught on a surveillance camera as she leaves with 3 men she had met that night. Endless searches came up as dead ends time and time again in the months following her disappearance. Police honed in on a suspect and unfortunately her remains were found 7 months later in a shallow grave. The man responsible has been put behind bars but it doesn't seem like enough. This case is disappointing on so many levels, but most of all because her loved ones have still not received closure on how their mother, sister, daughter, and friend was killed. 

Episode 50: Dena Schlosser

WARNING: This episode involves discussion of the mutilation and murder of an infant.

Dena had a rough medical history growing up that did not get easier as she grew to adulthood. When Dena and her husband found a support system in the form of a new church, they devoted themselves fully to the teachings of the leader of the church; they just happened to be very opinionated concerning the role of modern medicine in their devotions. Mainly, that it was witchcraft and prayer was the true path toward healing. This decision would prove to have heartbreaking and fatal consequences that Dena still pays for to this day - all because she never received the post-natal care every mother should expect after the birth of their child. 

Episode 49: James William Parillo

A man of many names and many stories can be intriguing but when those names and stories end up painting a picture as dark and disturbed as this, we have to keep each other safe. This episode details the alleged and convicted crimes of one man who poses a threat to anyone who crosses his path. Be safe out there, and take care of each other, because this guy isn't messing around. 

Link to Kira and James' timeline: https://www.timetoast.com/timelines/kira-moon-pct