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PODCAST

Almost Fiction

Crimes that are so diabolical that they seem like almost fiction. Based on real events, Almost Fiction is a Podcast where we try to imagine what it was like when some of the worst crimes occurred. Using facts, reports, and evidence, we attempt to reconstruct what the crime scenes might have looked like as the crimes were happening. So, join us each week as we peek behind the curtain at some of the worst scenes from some of the worst crimes ever committed. I’m Chase Ellerman, and welcome to… Almost

true crime

All Episodes

00:20:22

Peter Britton Tobin (Read Description)

Almost Fiction ·

2025/12/18

Hello everyone, I fully expected to have the season finale of Almost Fiction ready to go, but sadly that won't be the case. The holidays can be a hectic time of the year and sometimes things happen outside of our control. So, in lieu of releasing a full episode, I will instead make the last episode of Almost Fiction Plus public, so you at least have something. A family event has taken place lately, one that is very serious, so I am putting things aside for a few weeks in order to help out as

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00:35:30

Joel Michael Guy Jr.

Almost Fiction ·

2025/12/09

When 28-year-old Joel Michael Guy Jr. learned his parents were cutting off his financial support after nearly a decade of funding his lifestyle, he devised a horrifying plan. This deep-dive true crime investigation uncovers how an entitled college dropout meticulously plotted to murder his own parents for a $500,000 insurance payout, only to be caught by his own incompetence and the security cameras he most likely never knew existed.Sources:STATE OF TENNESSEE v. JOEL MICHAEL GUY, JR. Appeal from the

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00:30:40

Robert Yale Shulman

Almost Fiction ·

2025/12/02

Between 1991 and 1995, a seemingly ordinary postal worker living in suburban New York concealed a horrifying secret. Robert Yale Shulman targeted vulnerable sex workers, brutally murdering at least five women before dismembering their bodies and disposing of them in dumpsters across the region. This is the chilling true story of how a shy, introverted mail handler became one of New York's most brutal serial killers, and how dogged detective work finally brought him to justice.This episode

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00:41:05

Robert Zarinksy Part 2

Almost Fiction ·

2025/11/25

When Officer Charles Bernoskie was gunned down during a routine patrol in 1958, his murder went unsolved for decades, protected by a family's deadly silence. This is the conclusion to the story of Robert Zarinsky, a serial killer who terrorized New Jersey communities throughout the 1960s and 70s, leaving behind a trail of young women who simply seemed to just vanish without a trace.This gripping tale reveals how one mother's obsession with appearances and family loyalty created a monster,

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00:39:00

Robert Zarinsky Part 1

Almost Fiction ·

2025/11/17

When Officer Charles Bernoskie was gunned down during a routine patrol in 1958, his murder went unsolved for decades, protected by a family's deadly silence. This is the chilling true story of Robert Zarinsky, a serial killer who terrorized New Jersey communities throughout the 1960s and 70s, leaving behind a trail of young women who simply vanished.From the disappearance of 17-year-old Rosemary Calandriello in 1969 to the brutal murders of Jane Durrua, Linda Balabanow, and others,

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00:35:33

The Murder of Peter Aston

Almost Fiction ·

2025/11/11

In May 1982, two thirteen-year-old boys skipped school in Queensland, Australia, a decision that led one to his brutal death and the other to a nightmare of survival. When Peter Aston and Terry Ryan accepted a ride from two men, they had no idea they were entering a world of sadistic violence, a world of unimaginable pain. What followed became one of Australia's most disturbing crimes: hours of torture, sexual abuse, and murder that would leave one boy dead and another forever traumatized. This

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00:37:32

Robert R. Reldan

Almost Fiction ·

2025/11/04

Robert R. Reldan had everything. Looks, charm, and money from a wealthy aunt who adored him. But in October 1975, two women named Susan disappeared from Bergen County only eight days apart. What followed exposed a decades-long pattern: assaults dismissed, paroles granted, a system that kept giving second chances to someone who shouldn't have gotten them in the first place.It's a story about privilege, the cost of looking the other way, and two families who refused to let their Susans ever be

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00:40:55

Herb Baumeister

Almost Fiction ·

2025/10/28

A successful businessman. A perfect suburban address. And a trail of vanished men that led investigators to more than 10,000 human remains. In this episode, we trace Herb Baumeister’s double life—from teenage transgressions to “Brian Smart,” his nights cruising Indianapolis’s gay bars, the discoveries at Fox Hollow Farm, and the investigators who wouldn’t let the case go. We examine what’s known, what’s still conjecture, and why so many families still wait for answers.If you value deep-dive,

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00:29:44

George Waterfield Russell

Almost Fiction ·

2025/10/21

Dive into the chilling true story of George Waterfield Russell Jr., a man whose repeated rejections fueled a deadly rage against women. From his abandoned childhood in Florida to a string of brutal murders in 1990s Washington State, this episode uncovers the twisted path of a serial killer who staged his victims in horrifying poses. Explore the investigations, key evidence, and trial that brought him to justice. Listen now and subscribe for more gripping tales, as well as ad-free options available

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00:31:35

Earl Richmond Jr.

Almost Fiction ·

2025/10/14

Explore the haunting case of Earl Richmond Jr., a former drill sergeant whose life unraveled through addiction, rape, and murder. From his abusive upbringing in North Carolina to brutal crimes at Fort Dix and beyond, this episode unpacks the evidence, trials, and his execution, while questioning if true redemption is possible after unthinkable evil.

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00:30:09

LaFonda "Fay" Foster and Tina Marie Hickey Powell

Almost Fiction ·

2025/10/07

In this episode, we explore the complexities of friendship, focusing on trust and mutual respect. Highlighting the tragic story of Tina Marie Powell and LaFonda Faye Foster, we illustrate how their bond, rooted in shared trauma and addiction, devolved into toxicity and violence.We recount the harrowing events of April 23, 1986, in Lexington, Kentucky, where a night of drinking led to a devastating crime spree. The episode examines the psychological motives behind their actions and the ripple effects

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00:44:20

Christopher Robin Worrell and James William Miller

Almost Fiction ·

2025/09/30

Dive into the chilling true story of Australia's Truro Murders, where Christopher Robin Worrell and James William Miller's deadly partnership claimed seven young lives in just 52 days. Told through the eyes of accomplice Miller, this episode uncovers a twisted tale of manipulation, obsession, and brutal killings in 1970s Adelaide. Was Miller a reluctant participant or a willing killer? You’ll have to decide.Sources: Green, Ryan. The Truro Murders: The Sex Killing Spree Through the Eyes of an

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00:31:32

The Murder of Autumn Pasquale

Almost Fiction ·

2025/09/23

In 2012, 12-year-old Autumn Pasquale left home in Clayton, New Jersey, to ride her new BMX—and never came back. This episode unpacks the facts of her killing by 15-year-old Justin Robinson, the frantic two-day search, the plea deal and sentencing, and the painful aftermath that split a small town. We also examine the harder question this case raises: how much parental supervision is enough—and what does accountability look like when a child kills? Thoughtful, clear-eyed, and unsensational, this

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00:01:13

Almost Fiction Plus

Almost Fiction ·

2025/09/18

For only $5 a month you can get exclusive access to episodes of Almost Fiction, as well as access to ad free episodes moving forward. Exclusively on Spotify.

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00:54:46

Edgar Herbert Smith

Almost Fiction ·

2025/09/16

Dive into the chilling true crime story of Edgar Herbert Smith, the manipulative killer who charmed his way off death row only to strike again. From the brutal 1957 murder of 15-year-old cheerleader Victoria Zielinski in New Jersey to Smith's bestselling books, celebrity endorsements, and shocking 1976 attack on another victim, this episode uncovers a tale of deception, false redemption, and justice delayed. Explore how a sociopath exploited hope for second chances, fooling intellectuals like

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00:55:45

James Anthony Daveggio and Michelle Lyn Michaud

Almost Fiction ·

2025/09/09

Description: Dive into the chilling true crime saga of Michelle Lyn Michaud and James Anthony Daveggio, the infamous killer couple who terrorized California and Nevada in the 1990s. From abductions in a modified "torture van" to brutal rapes, tortures, and the murder of Vanessa Samson, this episode uncovers their meth-fueled rampage, twisted fantasies inspired by other killers, and the shocking assaults on victims including their own family members. Explore Jim's violent youth,

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00:46:30

Paul Frederick Runge

Almost Fiction ·

2025/09/03

Description: In this episode, we investigate the case of Paul Frederick Runge, an Illinois predator whose crimes spanned rape, murder, dismemberment, and even arson. From the disappearance of Stacey Frobel to the murders of sisters Džanet and Amila Pagenbegović, and the mother-daughter killings of Yolanda Gutierrez and 10-year-old Jessica Muñiz, we trace how patterns, DNA, and a rare immunity deal finally broke the case. We also examine the overlooked role of his then-wife, Charlene, and how some

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00:33:00

The Geronimo Bank Murders

Almost Fiction ·

2025/08/26

Dive into one of America's most brutal true crime stories: the 1984 Geronimo Bank Murders. In this gripping episode of Almost Fiction, uncover how two debt-ridden lovers, Jay Wesley Neill and Robert Grady Johnson, turned desperation into a deadly Oklahoma bank robbery, stabbing and shooting innocent victims, including a pregnant woman, in a small-town heist gone horrifically wrong. Explore conflicting confessions, survivor testimonies, and the long fight for justice that ended in execution and

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00:34:05

Frank Athen Walls

Almost Fiction ·

2025/08/19

Description: In 1967, Frank Athen Walls was born blue, a medical condition that would mark the beginning of a troubled life. By 19, he became one of America's youngest serial killers, leaving a trail of victims across Florida's beaches and neighborhoods. This episode explores his descent from a struggling teen to death row inmate, through the heartbreaking stories of Tommie Lou Whiddon, Cynthia Condra, Audrey Gygi, and the double homicide of Edward Alger and Ann Peterson. It’s a haunting

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00:33:55

George Kent Wallace aka The Mad Paddler

Almost Fiction ·

2025/08/12

In this gripping true crime episode, we unravel the story of George Kent Wallace, a man infamously known as "The Mad Paddler", whose decades-long trail of violence haunted communities across North Carolina, Arkansas, and Oklahoma. Explore how Wallace, hiding in plain sight and exploiting law enforcement failures, preyed on young victims in a chilling pattern of kidnapping, assault, and murder. We delve into his troubled upbringing, the red flags ignored, and the loopholes in the justice

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113 results

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