Storyteller Podcast

Courtney and Teresa✨

Love true crime, mysteries, folklore, and all things strange? So do we. Each week, one host dives deep into a wild, spooky, or unbelievable story—from history’s forgotten scandals and eerie folktales to chilling true crime, bizarre conspiracies, and unexplained hauntings. The twist? Her best friend and co-host has no idea what the story is about until the mic is on. You’ll hear her genuine reactions—shock, laughter, and “wait, WHAT?!” moments—as the mystery unfolds in real time. It’s storytime meets late-night sleepover vibes: equal parts creepy, fascinating, and fun. If you’re into dark history, unsolved mysteries, and the kind of stories you can’t wait to tell your friends about, hit play—you’re in for a ride.

  1. 2 DAYS AGO

    America's First Serial Killer Family: The Bloody Benders

    Step into the lawless frontier of 1870s Kansas, where the promise of the American dream hid something far more sinister. Along the Osage Trail, travelers seeking food, rest, and refuge unknowingly stepped into a nightmare. In this episode of Storyteller, we uncover the chilling true story of the Bloody Benders—widely believed to be America’s first serial killer family. Operating a small homestead, inn, and general store in Labette County, the Benders lured unsuspecting victims with warm meals and a welcoming smile… before brutally murdering them and burying their bodies in a nearby orchard. From eerie séances and manipulation to a terrifying survivor’s escape and a growing list of missing travelers, the Benders’ crimes shocked a nation. But what makes this story even more haunting? They were never caught. Who were the Bender family, really? How did they evade justice? And what happened to them after they vanished without a trace? This is the story of Hell’s Half Acre—where hospitality turned deadly, and one family became a legend of true crime horror that still lingers more than 150 years later. Support the show ✨Follow us on Social Media✨ Instagram ⁠⁠⁠@storyteller.pod⁠⁠⁠ TikTok ⁠⁠⁠@StorytellerPod⁠⁠⁠ Facebook ⁠⁠⁠@Storyteller Podcast⁠⁠⁠ ✨⁠⁠Support the show⁠⁠✨ If you enjoy the stories we tell and want to help us keep bringing them to life, you can support the podcast here: 🔗 ⁠⁠https://www.buzzsprout.com/2535436/support⁠⁠ Every contribution goes directly back into the show — from research and recording to editing and equipment. Your support truly means the world to us and helps us continue sharing strange, mysterious, and unbelievable tales every week. Thank you for listening and being part of the Storyteller family. ✨🔮🕯 INTRO Music used :  " SINI...

    58 min
  2. 14 APR

    Brad Cunningham is a Murdering D-Bag (Part Two)

    In Part 2 of this chilling true crime podcast series, we uncover the brutal murder of Cheryl Keeton and the long road to justice that finally exposed her killer, Bradley Morris Cunningham. After years of domestic violence, coercive control, narcissistic abuse, and psychological manipulation, Cheryl made the decision to leave her husband—a decision she feared would cost her life. On September 19, 1986, Cheryl was lured to a remote location under false pretenses. Hours later, her van was discovered drifting across a Portland freeway, and inside was a horrifying scene that would shock investigators: Cheryl had been brutally beaten to death. Despite overwhelming suspicion, the case against Bradley Cunningham was anything but simple. With no immediate forensic evidence, he evaded justice—continuing his pattern of manipulation, abuse, and control while starting new relationships and maintaining his facade. This episode dives deep into:  The night of Cheryl Keeton’s murder  The shocking crime scene on a Portland freeway  The investigation and lack of physical evidence  The wrongful death civil lawsuit that changed everything  Testimonies from former wives, girlfriends, and family members  The psychology of a serial abuser and manipulator  The chaotic 1994 trial where Cunningham represented himself  The final guilty verdict—8 years after the murder Through circumstantial evidence, survivor testimony, and a relentless pursuit of justice, this case became a landmark example of how patterns of abuse can ultimately expose a killer. This is more than a murder story—it’s a deep dive into domestic violence escalation, toxic relationships, and the warning signs of abuse that should never be ignored. ⚠️ Listener discretion advised: This episode contains graphic descriptions of violence and domestic abuse. Support the show ✨Follow us on Social Media✨ Instagram ⁠⁠⁠@storyteller.pod⁠⁠⁠ TikTok ⁠⁠⁠@StorytellerPod⁠⁠⁠ Facebook ⁠⁠⁠@Storyteller Podcast⁠⁠⁠ ✨⁠⁠Support the show⁠⁠✨ If you enjoy the stories we tell and want to help us keep bringing them to life, you can support the podcast here: 🔗 ⁠⁠https://www.buzzsprout.com/2535436/support⁠⁠ Every contribution goes directly back into the show — from research and recording to editing and equipment. Your support truly means the world to us and helps us continue sharing strange, mysterious, and unbelievable tales every week. Thank you for listening and being part of the Storyteller family. ✨🔮🕯 INTRO Music used :  " SINI...

    1hr 16min
  3. 31 MAR

    Brad Cunningham is a Murdering D-Bag (Part One)

    In this chilling true crime podcast episode, we uncover the disturbing story of Bradley Morris Cunningham—a charming, wealthy manipulator whose pattern of abuse left a trail of broken women… and ultimately, murder.  Before the brutal killing of his fourth wife, Cheryl Keeton, there were warning signs—ignored, dismissed, or hidden behind his polished image. In Part 1 of this two-part series, Storyteller dives deep into Cunningham’s early life, toxic upbringing, and the shocking pattern of domestic violence, coercive control, psychological abuse, and manipulation that defined his relationships.  From his first marriage to Loni Ann Erickson—marked by escalating abuse and terrifying control—to his calculated relationships with wealthy women and vulnerable partners, Cunningham perfected a cycle: love bombing, isolation, financial exploitation, and terror.  You’ll hear how he:   Manipulated courts and custody battles  Abused and traumatized his wives and children  Built a facade of success while hiding financial ruin  Used charm and intimidation to control everyone around him  And how one woman—Cheryl Keeton—would tragically pay the ultimate price.   This episode is a deep dive into narcissistic abuse, domestic violence warning signs, and the psychology of serial abusers, setting the stage for the horrifying events that unfold in Part 2.   ⚠️ Listener discretion advised: This episode contains discussions of domestic violence and abuse. Support the show ✨Follow us on Social Media✨ Instagram ⁠⁠⁠@storyteller.pod⁠⁠⁠ TikTok ⁠⁠⁠@StorytellerPod⁠⁠⁠ Facebook ⁠⁠⁠@Storyteller Podcast⁠⁠⁠ ✨⁠⁠Support the show⁠⁠✨ If you enjoy the stories we tell and want to help us keep bringing them to life, you can support the podcast here: 🔗 ⁠⁠https://www.buzzsprout.com/2535436/support⁠⁠ Every contribution goes directly back into the show — from research and recording to editing and equipment. Your support truly means the world to us and helps us continue sharing strange, mysterious, and unbelievable tales every week. Thank you for listening and being part of the Storyteller family. ✨🔮🕯 INTRO Music used :  " SINI...

    58 min
  4. Ona Judge- George Washington's Slave...Who Got Away

    23 MAR

    Ona Judge- George Washington's Slave...Who Got Away

    In this gripping episode of Storyteller, we uncover the incredible true story of Ona Judge, the enslaved woman who made a daring escape from none other than George Washington and his household in 1796. Born into slavery at Mount Vernon, Ona Judge was raised to serve Martha Washington as a personal maid—living in close proximity to power, wealth, and the founding of a nation built on “freedom.” But behind the image of America’s first family was a calculated system of control, exploitation, and legal manipulation designed to keep people like Ona enslaved. When Ona learned she was to be “gifted” as property to a volatile granddaughter, she made a life-altering decision: run. With the help of Philadelphia’s free Black community, Ona escaped—triggering a relentless manhunt led by the sitting president of the United States. What followed was a high-stakes pursuit involving deception, political pressure, and attempted capture under the Fugitive Slave Act of 1793. But Ona refused to be reclaimed. This episode dives deep into: The hidden realities of slavery inside the presidential householdHow Washington circumvented Pennsylvania abolition lawsThe bravery of enslaved women resisting sexual and physical exploitationAnd the extraordinary life Ona built after choosing freedom—at any costThis is not just American history—this is the story they didn’t teach you. Support the show ✨Follow us on Social Media✨ Instagram ⁠⁠⁠@storyteller.pod⁠⁠⁠ TikTok ⁠⁠⁠@StorytellerPod⁠⁠⁠ Facebook ⁠⁠⁠@Storyteller Podcast⁠⁠⁠ ✨⁠⁠Support the show⁠⁠✨ If you enjoy the stories we tell and want to help us keep bringing them to life, you can support the podcast here: 🔗 ⁠⁠https://www.buzzsprout.com/2535436/support⁠⁠ Every contribution goes directly back into the show — from research and recording to editing and equipment. Your support truly means the world to us and helps us continue sharing strange, mysterious, and unbelievable tales every week. Thank you for listening and being part of the Storyteller family. ✨🔮🕯 INTRO Music used :  " SINI...

    52 min
  5. Diane Downs- Part 3

    16 MAR

    Diane Downs- Part 3

    The investigation reaches its breaking point in Part Three of our Diane Downs series. After a shocking roadside shooting leaves three children gravely wounded, investigators begin to question whether the story told that night is the truth. As the evidence starts to accumulate, detectives work to piece together what really happened on Old Mohawk Road. In this episode, the case against Diane Downs intensifies. Forensic evidence, witness statements, and troubling inconsistencies begin to reshape the investigation. At the same time, Diane takes her story to the media, captivating the public while detectives continue building their case behind the scenes. But the most powerful testimony may come from someone who was there that night. Part Three explores the investigation, courtroom drama, and the events that ultimately turned the Diane Downs case into one of the most infamous true crime trials in American history. If you follow true crime podcasts, criminal psychology, courtroom drama, famous murder trials, and investigative storytelling, this final chapter reveals how one of the most disturbing cases of the 1980s unfolded. Support the show ✨Follow us on Social Media✨ Instagram ⁠⁠⁠@storyteller.pod⁠⁠⁠ TikTok ⁠⁠⁠@StorytellerPod⁠⁠⁠ Facebook ⁠⁠⁠@Storyteller Podcast⁠⁠⁠ ✨⁠⁠Support the show⁠⁠✨ If you enjoy the stories we tell and want to help us keep bringing them to life, you can support the podcast here: 🔗 ⁠⁠https://www.buzzsprout.com/2535436/support⁠⁠ Every contribution goes directly back into the show — from research and recording to editing and equipment. Your support truly means the world to us and helps us continue sharing strange, mysterious, and unbelievable tales every week. Thank you for listening and being part of the Storyteller family. ✨🔮🕯 INTRO Music used :  " SINI...

    1hr 8min
  6. Diane Downs- Part 2

    9 MAR

    Diane Downs- Part 2

    In Part Two of our three-part true crime series on Diane Downs, the story takes a darker and more obsessive turn. After the events of Part One, Diane’s life begins to spiral around a single obsession — a coworker named Nick Knickerbocker. What starts as a workplace affair quickly grows into something far more complicated, pulling multiple lives into a storm of manipulation, jealousy, and emotional chaos. As Diane moves from Arizona to Oregon, her fixation on Nick intensifies. Relationships fracture, tensions escalate, and the instability surrounding her life deepens. Behind the scenes, diary entries reveal an increasingly obsessive mindset, while those closest to her begin to see unsettling patterns in her behavior. Then one quiet spring night in 1983, everything changes. A frantic mother races to a hospital in Oregon claiming a stranger shot her children on a dark roadside. As investigators begin asking questions, small details in Diane’s story start to raise troubling doubts. In this episode, we explore the complicated relationships, emotional turmoil, and events leading directly to the night that would shock the nation. Part Two dives deeper into the psychology, obsession, and unraveling life of Diane Downs — and sets the stage for the investigation that follows. Support the show ✨Follow us on Social Media✨ Instagram ⁠⁠⁠@storyteller.pod⁠⁠⁠ TikTok ⁠⁠⁠@StorytellerPod⁠⁠⁠ Facebook ⁠⁠⁠@Storyteller Podcast⁠⁠⁠ ✨⁠⁠Support the show⁠⁠✨ If you enjoy the stories we tell and want to help us keep bringing them to life, you can support the podcast here: 🔗 ⁠⁠https://www.buzzsprout.com/2535436/support⁠⁠ Every contribution goes directly back into the show — from research and recording to editing and equipment. Your support truly means the world to us and helps us continue sharing strange, mysterious, and unbelievable tales every week. Thank you for listening and being part of the Storyteller family. ✨🔮🕯 INTRO Music used :  " SINI...

    59 min
  7. Diane Downs- Part 1

    2 MAR

    Diane Downs- Part 1

    A mother rushes into an emergency room screaming that someone has shot her children. But long before that night, there was another story — one shaped by control, rebellion, longing, and a lifelong search for love. In Part One of our three-part series, we examine Diane Downs’ early years. Before the investigation begins, we ask a crucial question: Who was Diane Downs? ✨References✨ Child Killer Denied Parole for Fourth Time | Psychology Today United Kingdom Diane Downs - Wikipedia Father of Diane Downs Remains Vigilant After 30 Years (VIDEO) - Salem-News.Com Diane Downs Speaks from Prison Diane Downs: Her Children Got in the Way of Her Love – Crime Library What Happened to Diane Downs Children? Where are Diane Downs Children Now? Evil mom Diane Downs who murdered one of her kids and tried to kill the other two in 1983 demands prison release | Daily Mail Online The Diane Downs Story: 1983 Murder Case Focuses on Mom - ABC News Diane Downs Speaks from Prison Diane Downs | Photos 2 | Murderpedia, the encyclopedia of murderers Support the show ✨Follow us on Social Media✨ Instagram ⁠⁠⁠@storyteller.pod⁠⁠⁠ TikTok ⁠⁠⁠@StorytellerPod⁠⁠⁠ Facebook ⁠⁠⁠@Storyteller Podcast⁠⁠⁠ ✨⁠⁠Support the show⁠⁠✨ If you enjoy the stories we tell and want to help us keep bringing them to life, you can support the podcast here: 🔗 ⁠⁠https://www.buzzsprout.com/2535436/support⁠⁠ Every contribution goes directly back into the show — from research and recording to editing and equipment. Your support truly means the world to us and helps us continue sharing strange, mysterious, and unbelievable tales every week. Thank you for listening and being part of the Storyteller family. ✨🔮🕯 INTRO Music used :  " SINI...

    42 min
  8. 23 FEB

    Butte's Dimple Knees Sex Scandal

    Butte, Montana. The Berkeley Pit. The Copper Kings. And beneath it all — a city fueled by brothels, bribes, and backroom deals. In the 1960s, madam Beverly Snodgrass ran two of Butte’s most notorious houses of prostitution — until her affair with a powerful judge exposed a massive payoff scheme involving police officers, attorneys, and city officials. What followed was one of Montana’s biggest investigative journalism bombshells: the Great Falls Tribune’s explosive 8-part exposé that ignited a statewide anti-vice crusade. From 14 Wyoming Street to threats of assassination, from dynamite attacks to secret hotel registrations, this is the true story of Butte’s “Dimple Knees” sex scandal — and the woman who risked everything to blow the lid off corruption in Butte America. Support the show ✨Follow us on Social Media✨ Instagram ⁠⁠⁠@storyteller.pod⁠⁠⁠ TikTok ⁠⁠⁠@StorytellerPod⁠⁠⁠ Facebook ⁠⁠⁠@Storyteller Podcast⁠⁠⁠ ✨⁠⁠Support the show⁠⁠✨ If you enjoy the stories we tell and want to help us keep bringing them to life, you can support the podcast here: 🔗 ⁠⁠https://www.buzzsprout.com/2535436/support⁠⁠ Every contribution goes directly back into the show — from research and recording to editing and equipment. Your support truly means the world to us and helps us continue sharing strange, mysterious, and unbelievable tales every week. Thank you for listening and being part of the Storyteller family. ✨🔮🕯 INTRO Music used :  " SINI...

    1hr 19min

About

Love true crime, mysteries, folklore, and all things strange? So do we. Each week, one host dives deep into a wild, spooky, or unbelievable story—from history’s forgotten scandals and eerie folktales to chilling true crime, bizarre conspiracies, and unexplained hauntings. The twist? Her best friend and co-host has no idea what the story is about until the mic is on. You’ll hear her genuine reactions—shock, laughter, and “wait, WHAT?!” moments—as the mystery unfolds in real time. It’s storytime meets late-night sleepover vibes: equal parts creepy, fascinating, and fun. If you’re into dark history, unsolved mysteries, and the kind of stories you can’t wait to tell your friends about, hit play—you’re in for a ride.