UNMARKED: A True Crime Podcast

Epizodai

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  55: The Nick Reiner Pre-Trial Hearing, Lizzie Borden & Your Questions 18.09.2026 28min

  A shocking case is entering a new chapter as Nick Reiner appears in court for a pre-trial hearing in the deaths of his parents, Rob and Michele Reiner. Prosecutors have decided not to seek the death penalty, while questions over sealed grand jury evidence and what comes next in the case continue to unfold.In this Friday edition of UNMARKED, producer Jon Nadeau joins me to break down the pre-trial hearing of the Nick Reiner case and what happens next. Then we get into your questions:  Why did Lizzie Borden kill her parents?, Was Gary Heidnik really insane, and Buddy’s favourite kind of movie projects. Have a question for the show? Leave it in the comments on YouTube or Apple Podcasts, DM @unmarkedpodcast on Instagram, or find me directly @JamesBuddyDay.
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  54: Lizzie Borden: Creating a Monster with Dr. Cara Robertson 16.09.2026 39min

  What if everything we think we know about Lizzie Borden is wrong?With Netflix once again turning Lizzie Borden into a monster, we're going back to the woman behind the legend. In 1892, Lizzie stood trial for the brutal murders of her father, Andrew, and stepmother, Abby, inside their Fall River home. She was acquitted—but more than 130 years later, we're still trying to explain who she was and what could have driven her to kill, if she did.This week on UNMARKED, I’m joined by Dr. Cara Robertson, author of The Trial of Lizzie Borden and one of the foremost researchers on the case, to separate the historical Lizzie from the character we've created around her.We reconstruct the morning of the murders, examine the evidence against Lizzie, the alleged attempt to purchase poison, the disputed murder weapon, the Borden family's simmering resentments, and the psychology of parricide. And we trace how each generation has reinvented Lizzie—from Victorian spinster to abused daughter to cold-blooded heiress and, now, Netflix monster.Research in This Episode:Heide KM. Patricide and steppatricide victims and offenders: an empirical analysis of U.S. arrest data. Int J Offender Ther Comp Criminol. 2014 Nov;58(11):1261-78.Show Notes:If you want to go deeper into the Charles Manson case, my book Charles Manson: The Last Words documents years researching the story and speaking directly with members of the Manson Family — including Charles Manson himself. Read it here:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GQ6QRVQ7If you want to follow the cases as I’m working on them, you can find me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamesbuddyday/For those who want to examine the evidence directly, complete phone calls and documents are available inside UNMARKED: Case Files, our research portal, along with ad-free episodes.Join here:https://www.patreon.com/Unmarked_TrueCrimePodcastUNMARKED: A True Crime Podcast is hosted by Audioboom. 
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  53: Why Did the Lindsay Clancy Trial End in a Mistrial? | Case Notes 13.09.2026 15min

  I’m joined by Brandi Churchwell, host of the 13th Juror Podcast, to break down the mistrial in the Lindsay Clancy case. We talk about what happened in the courtroom, the reaction to the decision, what the jury actually decided—and some of the biggest misconceptions surrounding the case.We also dig into the difficult questions at the heart of this trial: mental illness, criminal responsibility, and why this case has produced such dramatically different reactions from people following it.#LindsayClancy #TrueCrime #CaseNotes #podcast #UNMARKED
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  52: The Lindsey Clancy mistrial, Gary Heidnik & Your Questions 11.09.2026 21min

  Have a question for the show? Leave it in the comments on YouTube or Apple Podcasts, DM @unmarkedpodcast on Instagram, or find me directly @JamesBuddyDay.A controversial case has taken another dramatic turn in Massachusetts, where a mistrial was declared after jurors deadlocked in Lindsay Clancy’s trial for the deaths of her three children. Now, prosecutors must decide whether to try the case again—while the debate over mental illness, accountability and what happened in the days leading up to the tragedy continues.In this Friday edition of UNMARKED, producer Jon Nadeau joins me to break down the mistrial in the Lindsey Clancy case and what happens next. Then we get into your questions:  Gary Heidnik and his connect to Silence of the Lambs, Clifford Olson’s adaptability, and a review of Charlie Hunnam’s performance of Ed Gein. 
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  50: Gary Heidnik: The Real Horror Behind The Silence of the Lambs 09.09.2026 47min

  Was Gary Heidnik legally insane—or did he know exactly what he was doing?The crimes committed inside Gary Heidnik’s North Philadelphia home became infamous for their brutality—and would later draw comparisons to The Silence of the Lambs. But beneath the mythology of the so-called “Monster Preacher” is a much more difficult question about mental illness, culpability, and the way the law defines sanity.Heidnik had a documented history of severe mental illness stretching back decades. He experienced delusions, believed God had given him a mission, and constructed an elaborate fantasy that ultimately helped drive his crimes. Yet prosecutors pointed to his ability to plan, manipulate, conceal evidence, and evade police as proof that he understood exactly what he was doing.In this episode of UNMARKED, I speak with legendary Philadelphia defense attorney Chuck Peruto, who represented Heidnik at trial, to reconstruct the case and examine the insanity defense that nearly saved him from a death sentence.Research in This Episode:Bryant, B. R., et al. (2022). “Behavioral and Emotional Dyscontrol Following Traumatic Brain Injury: A Systematic Review of Neuroimaging and Electrophysiological Correlates.” Journal of the Academy of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry, 63(5), 434–449.Show Notes:If you want to go deeper into the Charles Manson case, my book Charles Manson: The Last Words documents years researching the story and speaking directly with members of the Manson Family — including Charles Manson himself. Read it here:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GQ6QRVQ7If you want to follow the cases as I’m working on them, you can find me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamesbuddyday/For those who want to examine the evidence directly, complete phone calls and documents are available inside UNMARKED: Case Files, our research portal, along with ad-free episodes.Join here:https://www.patreon.com/Unmarked_TrueCrimePodcastUNMARKED: A True Crime Podcast is hosted by Audioboom. 
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  51: How Many Serial Killers Are Operating Right Now? | Case Notes 06.09.2026 23min

  How many serial killers are operating right now—and how many murders are we failing to connect?This week on Case Notes, I’m joined by Dr. Michael Arntfield of the Murder Accountability Project to talk about the enormous amount of homicide data hiding in plain sight—and what it can tell us about serial murder in America.We get into why homicides are underreported and misclassified, how the Murder Accountability Project uses data to identify suspicious clusters of killings, and what the numbers suggest about the serial killers who may still be operating today.We also explore something I find particularly fascinating: the relationship between serial killers and the culture surrounding them. Drawing from his new book, Dr. Arntfield explains how killers consume true crime, movies, books, and stories about other murderers—and how that media can become part of the way they understand themselves and their crimes.Show Notes:Murder Accountability Project ⬇️https://www.murderdata.orgPlease Bring Me Home ⬇️https://pleasebringmehome.comDr. Michael Arntfield ⬇️https://michaelarntfield.comCop TV: The Extraordinary Untold Story of Television Police Shows ⬇️https://www.amazon.in/Cop-TV-Extraordinary-Stories-Television-ebook/dp/B0H99WGYFH
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  51: The Bryan Kohberger appeal, Richard Ramirez & Your Questions 04.09.2026 30min

  A controversial case is entering a new chapter as Bryan Kohberger’s appeal moves forward. The challenge has reignited debate over the investigation, the evidence, and whether the justice system got it right—while the families of the victims continue to face the painful question of whether the case will ever truly be over.In this Friday edition of UNMARKED, producer Jon Nadeau joins me to break down the Bryan Kohberger plea agreement and how he is able to attempt to change his plea after pleading guilty. Then we get into your questions: What made Richard Ramirez such a terrifying predator, what Ed Kemper thought of his sisters, and did the FBI under estimate Israel Keyes?Have a question for the show? Leave it in the comments on YouTube or Apple Podcasts, DM @unmarkedpodcast on Instagram, or find me directly @JamesBuddyDay.
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  49: Richard Ramirez: The Making of the Night Stalker with Dr. Joni Johnston 02.09.2026 45min

  Was Richard Ramirez born to become the Night Stalker—or was he created?Before Richard Ramirez terrorized California as the Night Stalker, he was a quiet kid from El Paso who showed few of the early warning signs we associate with psychopathy. But over time, the ingredients began to accumulate: possible prenatal toxic exposure, neurological problems, violence at home, drugs, sexual fantasy, and the extraordinary influence of a cousin who introduced him to images and stories of rape, torture and murder.In this episode, I’m joined by forensic psychologist Dr. Joni Johnston to retrace Ramirez’s life and examine how those influences came together. We follow his progression from childhood to burglary, sexual violence and ultimately murder, while exploring the psychology behind his crimes, his seemingly unpredictable choice of victims, and the Satanic persona that helped turn him into one of the most feared serial killers in American history.Show Notes:If you want to go deeper into the Charles Manson case, my book Charles Manson: The Last Words documents years researching the story and speaking directly with members of the Manson Family — including Charles Manson himself. Read it here:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GQ6QRVQ7If you want to follow the cases as I’m working on them, you can find me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamesbuddyday/For those who want to examine the evidence directly, complete phone calls and documents are available inside UNMARKED: Case Files, our research portal, along with ad-free episodes.Join here:https://www.patreon.com/Unmarked_TrueCrimePodcastUNMARKED: A True Crime Podcast is hosted by Audioboom. 
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  47: I Survived a Serial Killer? | Case Notes 30.08.2026 19min

  What is it like to survive an encounter with a serial killer—and then learn what he did to the men who came after you?In this episode of UNMARKED Case Notes, I sit down with Mark Henderson, a survivor of Toronto serial killer Bruce McArthur.Mark takes us inside his encounter with McArthur: how they met, what happened between them, the details that have stayed with him, and what it was like to later discover that McArthur had murdered eight men.We also talk about the Bruce McArthur investigation, the warning signs that were missed, and what Mark’s experience reveals about the man behind one of Canada’s most notorious serial murder cases.This is a firsthand account of Bruce McArthur from someone who encountered him—and survived.#BruceMcArthur #TrueCrime #SerialKiller #SurvivorStory #CaseNotes 
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  48: The Lindsay Clancy Case, Bruce McArthur & Your Questions 28.08.2026 30min

  Have a question for the show? Leave it in the comments on YouTube or Apple Podcasts, DM @unmarkedpodcast on Instagram, or find me directly @JamesBuddyDay.A deeply polarizing story is unfolding in Massachusetts, where a young mother is accused of killing her three children inside their family home. As the case moves forward, it has sparked fierce debate over mental health, motherhood, responsibility—and whether the devastating events of that day could have been prevented in the days leading up to the tragedy..In this Friday edition of UNMARKED, producer Jon Nadeau joins me to break down the final arguments in the Lindsey Clancy case and what we know about the insanity defense. Then we get into your questions: How did Charles McArthur hide in plain sight for so long, why do siblings of serial killers often have normal lives, and which serial killer would James would most like to sit. 
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  46: Bruce McArthur: Inside the Toronto Serial Killer Case 26.08.2026 48min

  How did Bruce McArthur murder eight men in Toronto’s Gay Village while hiding in plain sight?In this episode of UNMARKED, James Buddy Day returns to Toronto to retrace the footsteps of one of Canada’s most notorious serial killers—speaking with people who knew McArthur, walking the streets where he found his victims, and revisiting the properties where he concealed their remains.Drawing from Buddy’s original investigation for the Canadian Screen Award-winning documentary Catching a Serial Killer: Bruce McArthur, we examine McArthur’s double life, his psychology and evolving fantasies, the murders of eight men, and the extraordinary opportunities police had to identify him before his eventual arrest.Why did investigators fail to stop McArthur despite witnesses, previous arrests, survivors, and his name appearing in an earlier investigation? And what does his case reveal about the vulnerable populations serial killers choose to target?Research in This Episode: Aggrawal, A. (2009). A new classification of necrophilia. Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine, 16(6), 316–320.Show Notes:If you want to go deeper into the Charles Manson case, my book Charles Manson: The Last Words documents years researching the story and speaking directly with members of the Manson Family — including Charles Manson himself. Read it here:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GQ6QRVQ7If you want to follow the cases as I’m working on them, you can find me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamesbuddyday/For those who want to examine the evidence directly, complete phone calls and documents are available inside UNMARKED: Case Files, our research portal, along with ad-free episodes.Join here:https://www.patreon.com/Unmarked_TrueCrimePodcastUNMARKED: A True Crime Podcast is hosted by Audioboom. 
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  45: What People Really Want to Know About Serial Killers | Case Notes 23.08.2026 16min

  What do people really want to know about serial killers?Are serial killers born or made? What actually defines a serial killer? And are female serial killers different from their male counterparts?In this episode of UNMARKED: Case Notes, I sit down with forensic psychologist Dr. Joni Johnston to tackle some of the most frequently asked—and most misunderstood—questions about serial killers.From the psychology behind repeated murder to the differences between male and female offenders, we separate popular mythology from what the research actually tells us.Read Dr. Johnston’s book: Serial Killers—101 Questions True Crime Fans Ask
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  45: The Philadelphia Serial Killer Mystery, Ed Kemper & Your Questions 21.08.2026 23min

  Have a question for the show? Leave it in the comments on YouTube or Apple Podcasts, DM @unmarkedpodcast on Instagram, or find me directly @JamesBuddyDay.A disturbing investigation is unfolding in Philadelphia, where police say evidence recovered from a home on West Chew Avenue appears to show two missing women deceased—and investigators are examining an enormous collection of images, videos and writings connected to the property.In our first Friday edition of UNMARKED, producer Jon Nadeau joins me to break down the Eugene Horsch case and what we actually know so far.Then we get into your questions: the lack of victim blood reportedly found in Bryan Kohberger’s car, the Erin Caffey case, and the blood evidence from the Manson murders.
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  44: Ed Kemper: Inside the Mind of a Psychopath with Dr. Kent Kiehl 19.08.2026 46min

  What made Ed Kemper capable of becoming one of America’s most notorious serial killers?In this episode of UNMARKED, I retrace the life and crimes of Edmund Kemper—the so-called “Co-Ed Killer”—with renowned neuroscientist Dr. Kent Kiehl, sometimes called “The Psychopath Whisperer.”Dr. Kiehl has spent decades studying psychopathy, interviewing hundreds of offenders and using brain imaging to investigate what happens inside the minds of people with extreme psychopathic traits. His connection to the Kemper story goes back to his earliest days studying forensic psychiatry, when he encountered Kemper at California’s Vacaville correctional facility.Together, we examine Kemper’s neurological vulnerability, his volatile relationship with his mother, the violent fantasy world he develops as a child, the murder of his grandparents at fifteen, his release from psychiatric custody, and the circumstances that eventually give him access to a vulnerable population of young women hitchhiking through Northern California.Featuring Dr. Kent Kiehl and Christine Falco of Ed Kemper Stories.Research in This Episode: Stein, Michelle L., Louis B. Schlesinger, and Anthony J. Pinizzotto. “Necrophilia and Sexual Homicide.” Journal of Forensic Sciences 55, no. 2 (2010): 443–446. Cherry, Kendra. “What Are Freud’s Stages of Human Development?” Verywell Mind. Updated July 5, 2026. Medically reviewed by Steven Gans, MD.Show Notes:If you want to go deeper into the Charles Manson case, my book Charles Manson: The Last Words documents years researching the story and speaking directly with members of the Manson Family — including Charles Manson himself. Read it here:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GQ6QRVQ7If you want to follow the cases as I’m working on them, you can find me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamesbuddyday/For those who want to examine the evidence directly, complete phone calls and documents are available inside UNMARKED: Case Files, our research portal, along with ad-free episodes.Join here:https://www.patreon.com/Unmarked_TrueCrimePodcastUNMARKED: A True Crime Podcast is hosted by Audioboom. 
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  43: Did Netflix Get Charles Manson Right? | Case Notes 16.08.2026 24min

  What does Netflix’s Conversations with a Killer: The Charles Manson Tapes get right about Charles Manson—and what does it leave out?In this episode of Case Notes, I’m joined by George Stimson, author of Goodbye Helter Skelter and a longtime associate of Charles Manson, to break down and react to the new Netflix documentary series Conversations with a Killer: The Charles Manson Tapes.George knew Manson personally for years and has challenged the traditional Helter Skelter narrative surrounding Manson and the Tate-LaBianca murders. We discuss his reaction to the Netflix series, what he believes it gets right and wrong, Manson’s relationship with his followers, and how more than fifty years of books, documentaries and competing firsthand accounts have shaped our understanding of the case.
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  42: Charles Manson: James Buddy Day on WGN’s The Karen Conti Show 14.08.2026 28min

  Before the release of Netflix’s Conversations with a Killer: The Charles Manson Tapes, I joined attorney Karen Conti on WGN Radio 720 in Chicago to discuss Charles Manson and what years of research into the case have revealed.Karen Conti has a fascinating connection to another notorious American murder case: she was John Wayne Gacy’s final attorney, representing him during his death-row appeals before his execution in 1994.🎙️ Originally broadcast Aug 9, 2026 on WGN Radio 720 — The Karen Conti ShowExplore our investigations into Charles Manson, the Manson Family, Sharon Tate and the murders at Cielo Drive. 
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  41: The Manson Murders: Reconstructing the Sharon Tate Murders 12.08.2026 45min

  What really happened inside 10050 Cielo Drive on the night of August 8, 1969?More than fifty years later, the Manson murders remain one of the most infamous crimes in American history. But beyond the mythology surrounding Charles Manson lies a far more complicated story.After more than a decade investigating the case—including interviews with Charles Manson and members of the Manson Family, access to rare recordings, police reports, trial transcripts, and my private research archive featured in Netflix’s Conversations with a Killer—I reconstruct the murders at Cielo Drive almost minute by minute.Research in This Episode: Schein, E. H., Schneier, I., & Barker, C. H. (1961). Coercive Persuasion: A Socio-Psychological Analysis of the "Brainwashing" of American Civilian Prisoners by the Chinese Communists. New York: W. W. Norton.Show Notes:If you want to go deeper into the Charles Manson case, my book Charles Manson: The Last Words documents years researching the story and speaking directly with members of the Manson Family — including Charles Manson himself. Read it here:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GQ6QRVQ7If you want to follow the cases as I’m working on them, you can find me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamesbuddyday/For those who want to examine the evidence directly, complete phone calls and documents are available inside UNMARKED: Case Files, our research portal, along with ad-free episodes.Join here:https://www.patreon.com/Unmarked_TrueCrimePodcastUNMARKED: A True Crime Podcast is hosted by Audioboom. 
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  38: The Green River Killer: Conversations with Gary Ridgway 05.08.2026 58min

  What does one of America's most prolific serial killers say when he's spent more than two decades behind bars?For years, author Maria DiLorenzo has corresponded with Gary Ridgway—the Green River Killer—offering a rare window into the mind of a man convicted of murdering 49 women and who later confessed to many more.In this episode of UNMARKED, I sit down with Maria to examine what Ridgway's letters, interviews, and prison conversations reveal about the psychology of one of history's most prolific serial killers. We explore the violent fantasies that preceded the murders, the role of psychopathy, why Ridgway targeted vulnerable women, how he evaded capture for nearly twenty years, and why he may still be trying to control the story of who Gary Ridgway really is.If you've heard the legend of the Green River Killer, this may change how you understand the man behind it.Read Confessions of the Green River Killer — The True Story of Manipulation, Madness and a Search for Justice: https://amzn.to/4ph903WResearch in This Episode: Levi-Minzi, M., & Shields Levi-Minzi, M. A. (2007). Serial Sexual Murderers and Prostitutes as their Victims: Difficulty Profiling Perpetrators and Victim Vulnerability as Illustrated by the Green River Case. Brief Treatment and Crisis Intervention, 7 (1), 77-89. Castillo, Natalie V., "They Have Names, Too: A Case Study on the First Five Victims of the Green River Killer: Examining the Construction of Society and Its Creation of Victim Availability" (2020). Women, Gender , and Sexuality Studies Under gr aduate Honors Theses. 2.Aggrawal, A. (2009). A new classification of necrophilia. Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine, 16(6), 316–320.Atherley, Loren T., "Profiling Ridgway: A Retrospective Analysis of Criminal Profiling through the Green River Investigation" (2010). Master of Arts in Criminal Justice Theses. 5. Show Notes:If you want to go deeper into the Charles Manson case, my book Charles Manson: The Last Words documents years researching the story and speaking directly with members of the Manson Family — including Charles Manson himself. Read it here:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GQ6QRVQ7If you want to follow the cases as I’m working on them, you can find me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamesbuddyday/For those who want to examine the evidence directly, complete phone calls and documents are available inside UNMARKED: Case Files, our research portal, along with ad-free episodes.Join here:https://www.patreon.com/Unmarked_TrueCrimePodcastUNMARKED: A True Crime Podcast is hosted by Audioboom. 
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  39: Did Bryan Kohberger Have an Accomplice? | Case Notes 02.08.2026 21min

  In this episode of Case Notes, I'm joined by bestselling author and investigative journalist Howard Blum to discuss one of the most controversial theories to emerge from the Idaho murders investigation: Did Bryan Kohberger act alone? Drawing on his reporting, Howard explains why he began questioning the official narrative and outlines the evidence that led him to consider the possibility of an accomplice. This discussion is a companion to our main episode ⬇️#BryanKohberger #IdahoMurders #TrueCrime #Netflix 
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  40: The Idaho Murders: A Psychological Autopsy of Bryan Kohberger 29.07.2026 44min

  Why did the Idaho murders happen?Bryan Kohberger has pleaded guilty to the murders of four University of Idaho students. But his plea answered only one question: who committed the crime. It told us almost nothing about why.In this episode of UNMARKED, I take a different approach. Rather than reconstructing the murders, I construct a psychological autopsy of Bryan Kohberger—examining his childhood, social isolation, personality, fantasy life, academic interests, and the evidence surrounding the case to better understand how someone becomes capable of an act like this.Research in This Episode: Clare S. Allely, Helen Minnis, Lucy Thompson, Philip Wilson, Christopher Gillberg, Neurodevelopmental and psychosocial risk factors in serial killers and mass murderers, Aggression and Violent Behavior, Volume 19, Issue 3, 2014, Pages 288-301, ISSN 1359-1789. Rubin, K. H., Coplan, R. J., & Bowker, J. C. (2009). Social withdrawal in childhood. Annual Review of Psychology, 60, 141–171.Show Notes:If you want to go deeper into the Charles Manson case, my book Charles Manson: The Last Words documents years researching the story and speaking directly with members of the Manson Family — including Charles Manson himself. Read it here:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GQ6QRVQ7If you want to follow the cases as I’m working on them, you can find me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamesbuddyday/For those who want to examine the evidence directly, complete phone calls and documents are available inside UNMARKED: Case Files, our research portal, along with ad-free episodes.Join here:https://www.patreon.com/Unmarked_TrueCrimePodcastUNMARKED: A True Crime Podcast is hosted by Audioboom.