True Crime Creepers

On a stormy Mother’s Day morning in 2019, a 911 call sends first responders to a secluded property in Milledgeville, Georgia. What they expect to find is a drowning victim in a hot tub. What they actually discover is a scene so bizarre that almost nothing about it makes sense.

Dr. Marianne Shockley, a beloved University of Georgia professor, pioneering entomologist, and passionate advocate for the future of eating insects, is found unconscious beside a dangerously hot hot tub. Two men are with her: her boyfriend, Marcus Lillard, and their friend, Dr. Clark Heindel. Both men have a story about what happened. Neither story seems to explain the evidence.

There are bloody towels, unexplained injuries, strange spiritual rituals, drugs, a delayed 911 call, and a medical examiner who ultimately determines that Marianne didn't drown at all.

Then, before investigators can get all the answers, one of the two men is dead.

As detectives begin piecing together the final hours of Marianne's life, Marcus's story keeps changing. Was this a tragic accident? A drug fueled night gone horribly wrong? A bizarre spiritual ritual? Or was someone hiding what really happened in that hot tub?

And when the case finally reaches a courtroom, the question becomes even more complicated: can a murder be proven when almost every piece of the puzzle raises more questions than answers?

This is the strange and unsettling death of Dr. Marianne Shockley.

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Sources:

Podcast: Blood Town Season 1

The Strange Death of Professor Shockley | 48 Hours

What really happened the night Marianne Shockley died? "Evil came to play," says boyfriend acquitted of her murder

Marcus Lillard acquitted in strangulation death of University of Georgia professor

Medical examiner ruled Shockley died from ‘manual strangulation’ | The Union-Recorder

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Originally released 1/18/2024, but for the first time here are parts 1 and 2 together in one episode!

December 20, 2019 is when the world became aware of Lori Vallow after police in Rexberg, Idaho sent out a news release reporting two missing siblings: 7 year old JJ Vallow and 17 year old Tylee Ryan. The story quickly made national news when it was revealed that their mother, Lori, had fled to Hawaii, all the while insisting the kids were safe and happy, and refusing to answer any questions about their whereabouts. It left us all wondering: was it true and she was hiding them somewhere for some unknown reason? Had she had something to do with their disappearance? Did this have anything to do with her new husband, Chad Daybell? The answers to these questions would turn out to be far more baffling than anyone realized.

Sources:

Sins of our Mother - Netflix

Daybell, Vallow complete timeline in alleged murders

Joseph Smith 1805-1844

What to Know About Lori Vallow Daybell, the Mother Found Guilty of Murdering 3 in Doomsday Plot.

Murders of Tylee Ryan and J. J. Vallow - Wikipedia

Lori Vallow's third husband's body was found decomposed on bed | Daily Mail Online

Lori Vallow’s brother stun-gunned her third husband & threatened to murder him years before he killed her fourth husband

Charles confronted Lori about affair before he was killed: Vallow Daybell murder trial day 9

Lori's sister-in-law talks of demon possession and burning: Day 10 of Lori Vallow Daybell murder trial

Discrepancies in Charles' death: Day 12 Vallow Daybell murder trial

'She's lost her mind': Estranged husband warned Gilbert Police about Lori Vallow months before his death, kids' disappearance

​​Before J.J. Vallow Vanished, Mom Lori Said He Had 'Evil Spirit' in Him, Was 'Difficult': Friend

The 7 most damning pieces of evidence presented during the first week of 'cult mom' Lori Vallow's murder trial

Coroner: Tammy Daybell's initial cause of death was a cardiac event

Moroni (Book of Mormon prophet) - Wikipedia

Documents sent by Chad Daybell reveal so-called 'past lives' of Lori Vallow

Lori Vallow and Chad Daybell exchanged loving texts 24 hours after they allegedly killed his wife

What an Amazon order reveals about Lori Daybell's wedding ring - East Idaho News
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Originally published on our Patreon on 6/22/26. We usually wouldn't release episodes so recent from the vault, but this was a very special one!

This week, Mogab is telling the story! We're heading to the heart of Kentucky horse country for a case involving wealth, power, and murder.

Seventeen-year-old Jessica Whitaker seemed to have it all. The daughter of one of the most prominent families in the Derby world, Jessica was known as a rising equestrian star with a bright future ahead of her. But after attending the Whitakers' annual Spring Soirée, she was found dead near the family pool, the victim of blunt force trauma.

Police quickly focused on Daniel Preed, a worker at the Whitaker estate who was seen near the barn on the night of the murder. With an arrest made and the community eager for answers, the case appeared to be closed.

But not everyone was convinced.

Jessica's friend Emma believes investigators arrested the wrong person. Even her mother—a prosecutor who worked on the case—had serious doubts about Daniel's guilt. When she pushed back against the official narrative, it cost her everything.

Determined to uncover the truth, Emma launches her own investigation into the secrets hidden behind the gates of one of Kentucky's most powerful families.

What really happened to Jessica Whitaker?
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Originally posted on our Patreon 12/16/2024

Alison Botha is an incredible survivor from South Africa whose story is nothing short of unbelievable. In 1994, she endured a brutal attack

Alison Botha is an incredible survivor from South Africa whose story is nothing short of unbelievable. In 1994, she endured a brutal attack where she was kidnapped, assaulted, and left for dead by two men. Against all odds, Alison not only survived but went on to inspire millions with her resilience and determination. She’s become a sought-after motivational speaker and the author of I Have Life, where she shares her journey of survival and triumph over unimaginable adversity. Alison’s story is a testament to the power of courage and hope in the face of darkness.

Sources:

Book: I Have Life by Alison Botha

Documentary: Alison
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We're on our break, so we're busting some episodes out of the vault! Originally posted on our Patreon 4/21/2026.

When Nikki agreed to help a neighbor with a simple favor - a late-night drive to pick up some family members - she never imagined it would e

When Nikki agreed to help a neighbor with a simple favor - a late-night drive to pick up some family members - she never imagined it would end with her in handcuffs on the side of a West Texas road. But that’s exactly what happened.

In this episode, we’re telling a listener story, one filled with manipulation, betrayal, an elaborate web of lies, and the price Nikki paid for believing a friend.

What do you do when someone you trusted turns out to be a con artist? How far can a lie go before it costs someone their freedom?

This is the story of how Nikki's kindness was weaponized against her, and how she’s trying to rebuild her life in the aftermath.
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