Today we are looking at CURSES. We talk about the curse of Micah Rood and his bloody apples which stems from murder, execution and a haunting! Then, we get into the truly real, fatal and terrifying events surrounding the production of the horror film, The Omen. Deaths, plane crashes and bombings? Was it really the wrath of the devil or something else entirely?

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On a cold October afternoon in 1966, billionaire heiress Doris Duke returned to her palatial Newport estate in the company of friend and interior decorator Eduardo Tirella, stopping her car just outside the large iron gate that barred entrance to the driveway. Having offered to open the gate, he stepped out of the car and walked toward the gate, when the car began rolling forward, knocking Eduardo to the ground and crushing him under the two-ton weight of Duke’s station wagon. Within four days of Tirella’s death, the Newport Police had closed the case, calling it an “unfortunate accident,” but the residents of Newport, Rhode Island weren’t as convinced. 

Thank you so much to the remarkable David White for research assistance!

References

Duca, Rob. 2021. "Newport police closed Doris Duke case, again." Newport This Week, November 24.

Duke, Pony, and Jason Thomas. 1996. Too Rich: The Family Secrets of Doris Duke. New York, NY: Harper Collins.

Lance, Peter. 2021. Homicide at Rough Point: The Untold Story of How Doris Duke, the Richest Woman In America, Got Away with Murder. Auburn, NH: Tenacity Media.

—. 2021. The triple 'murder' of Eduardo Tirella, gay confidant of Doris Duke. November 29. https://www.advocate.com/commentary/2021/11/29/triple-murder-eduardo-tirella-gay-confidant-doris-duke-newport-rhode-island.

—. 2021. "The Doris Duke Cold Case Reopens: The Only Known Eyewitness Speaks for the First Time." Vanity Fair, August 5.

Mansfield, Stephanie. 1992. The Richest Girl in the World: The Extravagant Life and Fast Times of Doris Duke. New York, NY: G.P. Putnam & Sons.

New York Times. 1964. "Divorce suit filed against Doris Duke." New York Times, January 11: 14.

—. 1935. "Doris Duke is wed to J.H.R. Cromwell." New York Times, February 14: 23.

—. 1966. "Duke estate death ruled an accident." New York Times, October 12: 25.

Newport Daily News. 1967. "Crash victim's kin asks $2.5 million of Doris Duke." Newport Daily News, December 8: 1.

—. 1966. "Death of Miss Duke's friend ruled 'unfortunate accident'." Newport Daily News, October 10: 1.

—. 1966. "Doris Duke kills friend in crash." Newport Daily News, October 8: 1.

—. 1966. "Press blasts police chief Radice on handling public information." Newport Daily News, November 3: 1.

Schwarz, Ted, and Tom Rybak. 1997. Trust No One: The Glamorous Life and Bizarre Death of Doris Duke. New York, NY: St. Martin's Press.

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Some say Lavinia would lure men to the inn and lull them into a false sense of calm, before robbing and killing them, then dumping their bodies in the cellar under Six-Mile House. Others say Lavina would drug the weary travelers with a special tea, before pulling the lever on a trap door and dropping the men into the basement, where they would be robbed and killed by John Fisher. And still others believed Lavina guilty of much darker practices involving the devil. 

But stories—especially local legends—have a way of shifting and changing over time, exchanging mundane facts for sensational speculations, and in this case, begging the question, who was the real Lavinia Fisher and just what was she guilty of?

Thank you Dave White for research assistance.

Special thanks to Suruthi and Hannah from RedHanded for joining us today! Listen to RedHanded wherever you get your podcasts, or listen early and ad-free on Amazon Music: https://link.chtbl.com/MorbidRedHanded

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In late June 1836, a group of boys hunting rabbits on a hillside on Arthur’s Seat, Edinburgh, discovered a small cave hidden behind three slabs of slate, each piece carved into a rough conical shape. When they moved the pieces of stone, they found hidden within seventeen hand-carved miniature coffins, each containing hand carved figures. For nearly two hundred years, the mystery of the miniature coffins has baffled and delighted tourists and locals alike, all wondering who carved the coffins and why. Theories have been put forth claiming they’re everything from a satanic spell or witchcraft to an ancient custom or even the work of notorious Scottish serial killers and body-snatchers Burke and Hare.

Many thanks to the smashing David White for research assistance :)

References

Blackburn Standard. 1836. "Strange discovery." Blackburn Standard, 07 27.

Brown, Allan. 2000. "Coffins that came back from the grave." Sunday Times, September 17.

Chapman, Robert. 1958. "Seventeen Tiny Coffins." Derby Evening Telegraph, July 04: 18.

Dash, Mike. 2013. Edinburgh’s Mysterious Miniature Coffins. April 15. Accessed March 18, 2023. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/edinburghs-mysterious-miniature-coffins-22371426/.

Dundee Courier. 1836. "The Lilliputian coffins." Dundee Courier, August 25.

Harrison, Jody. 2018. "Edinburgh coffin-doll mystery 'cracked at last', claims writer." The Herald, April 17.

Horton, Julia. 2005. "Buried secrets of the city murder dolls." Edinburgh Evening News, December 2.

National Museums of Scotland. n.d. The mystery of the miniature coffins. Accessed March 18, 2023. https://www.nms.ac.uk/explore-our-collections/stories/scottish-history-and-archaeology/mystery-of-the-miniature-coffins/.

O'Neill, Emma. 2019. Sevene facts you may not know about Arthur's Seat. February 28. Accessed March 19, 2023. https://www.scotsman.com/arts-and-culture/seven-facts-you-may-not-know-about-arthurs-seat-1494785.

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On Saturday June 2, 2018, students at the Oregon Culinary Institute (OCI) arrived at class that morning to find their instructor, sixty-three-year-old Daniel Brophy, dead from gunshot wounds to the back and chest. With more than fifty years’ experience in the culinary field, Brophy was a popular chef and instructor and, while detectives couldn’t rule out a disgruntled student, no one could imagine his killer was a member of the OCI community.

A massive thank you to Caleb for joining Ash on today's episode! Go check out Scream! and Horrorsoup anywhere you listen to podcasts.

Thank you to the incredible David White for research assistance!

References

Court TV. 2022. OR v. Crampton-Brophy: Romance Novelist Murder Trial. June 15. Accessed March 8, 2023. https://www.courttv.com/news/or-v-crampton-brophy-romance-novelist-murder-trial/.

Flynn, Meagan. 2018. "Novelist who wrote about 'How to Murder Your Husband' charged with murdering her husband." Washington Post, September 12.

Green, Aimee. 2019. Details of murder case against romance writer should become public in 2 weeks, judge rules. April 5. Accessed March 12, 2023. of-murder-case-against-romance-writer-should-become-public-in-2-weeks-judge-rules.html">https://www.oregonlive.com/news/2019/04/details-of-murder-case-against-romance-writer-should-become-public-in-2-weeks-judge-rules.html.

Karimi, Faith. 2022. "This romance novelist is on trial in her husband's killing. It's like a plot twist from one of her books." CNN Wire, April 7.

Kavanaugh, Shane Dixon. 2019. Gun parts bought online at center of Oregon romance novelist’s suspected spouse slaying. April 4. Accessed March 12, 2023. parts-bought-online-at-center-of-oregon-romance-novelists-suspected-spouse-slaying.html">https://www.oregonlive.com/crime/2019/04/gun-parts-bought-online-at-center-of-oregon-romance-novelists-suspected-spouse-slaying.html.

—. 2018. "Romance novelist suspected of slaying husband." Longview Daily News, September 7: B2.

—. 2020. No coronavirus ‘guest house’ for Oregon romance writer charged with murdering husband, judge rules. April 10. Accessed March 12, 2023. coronavirus-guest-house-for-oregon-romance-writer-charged-with-murdering-husband-judge-rules.html">https://www.oregonlive.com/coronavirus/2020/04/no-coronavirus-guest-house-for-oregon-romance-writer-charged-with-murdering-husband-judge-rules.html.

NBC News. 2022. Dateline. Television, New York, NY: NBC News.

O'Rourke, Ciara. 2019. A Beloved Culinary Instructor Was Murdered. What Happened Next Was Stranger Than Fiction. May 31. Accessed March 10, 2023. https://www.pdxmonthly.com/news-and-city-life/2019/05/a-beloved-culinary-instructor-was-murdered-what-happened-next-was-stranger-than-fiction.

Paul, Maria Luisa. 2022. "'How to Murder Your Husband' writer sentenced to life for." Washington Post, June 14.

Sparling, Zane. 2022. Love vs. money: Lawyers make final arguments in Oregon romance writer’s murder trial. May 22. Accessed March 12, 2023. vs-money-lawyers-make-final-arguments-in-oregon-romance-writers-murder-trial.html">https://www.oregonlive.com/crime/2022/05/love-vs-money-lawyers-make-final-arguments-in-oregon-romance-writers-murder-trial.html.

—. 2022. Oregon romance novelist grilled on amnesia claim, missing gun barrel on crucial day in her murder trial. May 18. Accessed 2023 12, 2022. romance-novelist-grilled-on-amnesia-claim-missing-gun-barrel-on-crucial-day-in-her-murder-trial.html">https://www.oregonlive.com/crime/2022/05/oregon-romance-novelist-grilled-on-amnesia-claim-missing-gun-barrel-on-crucial-day-in-her-murder-trial.html.

—. 2022. Spotlight shines on Oregon romance novelist accused of killing chef husband. May 23. Accessed March 8, 2023. shines-on-oregon-romance-novelist-accused-of-killing-chef-husband-who-is-nancy-crampton-brophy.html">https://www.oregonlive.com/crime/2022/05/spotlight-shines-on-oregon-romance-novelist-accused-of-killing-chef-husband-who-is-nancy-crampton-brophy.html.

Voorhees, Carolyn. 2018. Former students, friends mourn loss of Oregon Culinary Institute chef killed in shooting. June 3. Accessed March 8, 2023. https://www.oregonlive.com/portland/2018/06/former_students_friends_mourn.html.

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In the conclusion of the horrific crimes of William Burke and William Hare, we see them get somehow even more brutal. As time went on and they kept profiting off their violent tendencies, they began to get reckless and put their entire scheme and freedom at risk. In the end, only partial justice was served. Get ready, it's wild in here.

Thank you Dave White for research assistance.

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Throughout the first three decades of the nineteenth century, doctors and medical schools across Europe struggled to find adequate supplies of bodies that could be used for the purposes of teaching in a medical theater. The outsized demand for fresh cadavers led to the rise of “resurrection men", AKA Graverobbers. Disgusting duo William Burke and William Hare found what they believed to be a wildly easy way to provide doctors with a steady stream of recently deceased bodies. In the end, they brutally killed at least sixteen people. The crimes left an chilling mark on Edinburgh specifically, and all of Scotland in the end.

Thank you to Dave White for research assistance.

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Sweet dreams are made of this.... episode! Or maybe not because some of y'alls dreams are wildin'. But who am I to disagree? ANYWAY! We got a folder full of all your craziest dream stories and alternate universe experiences and we're devouring them this episode. There are roads that exist and then don't, prophetic dreams, and a shared dream experience. The grand finale will blow your mind with an entire village/life/murder conviction. If you have a tale that you'd like to share please send it on in to Morbidpodcast@gmail.com with "Listener Tale" somewhere in the subject line :)

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Kelly Ann Tinyes was at home babysitting her eight-year-old brother, Richie, on the afternoon of March 3, 1989 when the phone rang. Richie answered, talking briefly to the man on the other end of the line, before handing the phone to his sister, telling her it was someone named “John.” After a short conversation with “John,” Kelly hung up the phone and left the house around 3:15 pm, telling her brother she was going to her friend’s house down the street and would be right back. It was the last time Kelly’s family would see her alive.

Thank you to the prodigious David White for research assistance :)

References

Associated Press. 1990. "Sex motive charged in girl's slaying." The Journal News, February 16: 18.

Bessent, Alvin. 1989. "Defense lawyer thrown off LI murder case." Newsday, October 3: 47.

Danney, Micah. 2015. "Tinyes girl's killer denied parole." Long Island Herald, November 18.

Lyall, Sarah. 1990. "Blood tests link Golub to crime scene." New York Times, March 1: B2.

—. 1990. "Golub Case: Main Puzzle Is the Suspect." New York Times, March 5: B1.

—. 1990. "Marks on body not from bites, dentist testifies." New York Times, March 23: B4.

Milton, Pat. 1989. "Teen's murder transforms quiet L.I. neighborhood." The Journal News, March 26: 77.

Mulugeta, Samson. 1997. "Drug case brings echo of murder." Newsday, March 23: 29.

New York Times. 1978. "Not guilty verdict finds killer insane." New York Times, April 27: D21.

Nieves, Evelyn. 1998. "What Happened on Horton Road." New York Times, May 31.

Pearlman, Shirley, and Elizabeth Wasserman. 1989. "Tempers flare as murder hearing begins." Newsday, August 15: 61.

Pearlman, Shirley, and Phil Mintz. 1989. "What cops say Golub told them." Newsday, August 15: 3.

People v. Robert Golub. 1993. 196 A.D.2d 637 (Nassau County Appeals Court, August 23).

Watkins, Ronald J. 2000. Against Her Will: The Senseless Murder of Kelly Ann Tinyes. Syracuse, NY: Pinnacle Books.

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On the afternoon of October 22, 2010, fifteen-year-old Rebecca Aylward left her house in Maesteg, Wales. She had plans to meet her ex- boyfriend in a wooded area just outside of Aberkenfig, under the guise that they were reconciling. She told her mother, “Bye Mam, I love you,” as she grabbed her purse and walked out the door—it was the last time her mother would see Becca alive.

Thank you to the ravishing David White for research assistance :)

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