Hannah and Patia discuss the 1996 murder at Mountain Park Baptist Boarding Academy, where 16-year-old William Futrelle—new to the school—was killed by fellow students. They unpack the trial of Joseph Burris, who was charged with Futrelle’s murder, and examine the disturbing environment that enabled the crime. We also cover what happened with Bethesda Home for Girls, Bob and Betty Wills’ earlier “troubled teen” program in Mississippi, which was eventually shut down by the state. LA Times - https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-oct-04-me-39141-story.html https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-oct-05-mn-39651-story.html Bethesda Home for Girls: https://www.nbcnews.com/specials/bethesda-home-girls-stolen-babies/ Cult Education Institute: https://www.culteducation.com/group/1059-mountain-park-baptist-church-and-boarding-academy/14571-insiders-tell-of-boarding-school-past-and-present.html See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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51:20
Mountain Park
Meg Richter was branded a “troubled teen” and sent by her parents to Mountain Park Baptist Boarding Academy. But the rural Missouri facility wasn’t focused on education—it was more like a juvenile detention center masquerading as a Christian reform program. With no licensed therapists and a heavy reliance on corporal punishment, Mountain Park operated like a militaristic cult, where some students stayed well past their 18th birthdays. Links: I Survived A Cult: https://www.madeofmillions.com/articles/i-survived-a-cult-now-i-m-using-my-voice-to-make-a-difference Mountain Park Survivors: https://www.mountainparksurvivors.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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1:02:55
The Knife: Off Record – 108
Patia shares the story of a string of bizarre robberies in Edwardsville, Illinois—cracked not by cops, but by the sharp-eyed owner of a local spa. One of the weirdest discoveries? A Walmart-style basement packed with stolen “trophies.” Then, Hannah dives into the rise and fall of Doc Gallagher, a Texas preacher and radio host who weaponized faith to run a multimillion-dollar Ponzi scheme. Links: Texas Department of Insurance Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-texas-insurance-podcast/id1557773249 AARP podcast – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-perfect-scam/id1362050907 https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2023-03-27/texas-preacher-doc-gallagher-stole-24-million-with-ponzi-scheme Recommendation: The Telepathy Tapes podcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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48:33
On the Side of Truth
In 1991, Yolanda Thomas’ sister Jacquetta was murdered. A trial followed—conviction, life sentence—all without Yolanda or her family even knowing it happened. Sixteen years later, Yolanda finds herself in an unexpected battle: fighting to free Greg Taylor, the man convicted of killing her sister. Show Notes: Healing Justice https://healingjusticeproject.org/ https://innocencecommission-nc.gov/wp-content/uploads/state-v-taylor/state-v-taylor-brief.pdf https://triad-city-beat.com/24930-2/ Documentary on Greg Taylor’s wrongful conviction: https://inpursuitofjusticefilm.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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57:20
The Knife: Off Record – 106
Hannah unpacks the wild true story of Osama El-Atari—a flashy con man- turned-jailhouse informant, who ultimately helps take down a serial killer. Also, Patia and Hannah discuss There Is No Ethan, Anna Akbari’s gripping account of a catfishing saga. There Is No Ethan: https://www.annaakbari.com/thereisnoethan Washington City Paper article: https://washingtoncitypaper.com/article/195498/the-king-of-ashburn-the-life-and-murder-of-con-man-osama-elatari/ Additional Recommendation: The Con: Kaitlyn’s Baby See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Knife: A True Crime Podcast is a weekly true crime podcast from journalist/producers Hannah Smith and Patia Eaton.It's a show about people who’ve been dropped into a story they didn't start, but are left to finish. In-depth interviews take the listener behind the punchy headlines to hear what really happened from the people who lived it. The Knife reveals the ripple effect of crime.Through empathetic, solution-oriented journalism, Hannah and Patia find the untold stories of people who’ve been touched by crime. They’re not breaking news or solving cases, they’re cutting to the heart of the experience through gripping, first-person storytelling.Follow The Knife on Instagram @theknifepodcast and on Bluesky @theknifepodcast.bsky.social.The Knife is part of the Exactly Right podcast network that provides a platform for bold, creative voices to bring to life provocative, entertaining and relatable stories for audiences everywhere. The Exactly Right roster of podcasts covers a variety of topics including true crime, comedic interviews, news, science, pop culture and more. The network is home to My Favorite Murder hosted by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark, This Podcast Will Kill You, That's Messed Up: An SVU Podcast, Buried Bones and more.
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