Evil Everywhere: A True Crime and Horror Podcast

Dark Energy Productions, LLC
  • 4.6 (11)
  • TRUE CRIME
  • UPDATED DAILY

Welcome to the Evil Everywhere Podcast! We’re two funny besties with a passion for all things true crime and paranormal. We release a story each week on Tuesday and Thursday - so give us a listen and let us know stories you want to hear!

  1. 1D AGO

    Episode 154: Truck Stop Killer - Robert Rhoades

    They called him the “Truck Stop Killer” but for years, no one even knew his name. In the late 1970s and 80s, young men and women began disappearing along America’s highways, hitchhikers, runaways, women just trying to get from one place to another. Their last known locations? Truck stops. Rest areas. The in-between places most people pass through without a second thought. Behind the wheel of an ordinary semi-truck, Robert Ben Rhoades blended in perfectly. He was a long-haul trucker, someone no one would look at twice. But inside his cab, investigators would later uncover something horrifying: a custom-built torture chamber designed to imprison his victims. For years, he traveled across state lines, leaving behind a trail of violence that was difficult for authorities to connect. Different jurisdictions. Different victims. No clear pattern, until one routine traffic stop in 1990 changed everything. What police found that day would expose a nightmare hiding in plain sight. How did he get away with it for so long? How many victims were there, really? And what kind of person builds something like that… and lives a normal life in between? This story reminds us that evil is everywhere, and sometimes the most dangerous person you’ll ever cross paths with might already have passed you on the highway.   Sources: Discovery+ - Evil Lives Here – S3, E3 Aptnnews – Alberta woman recognizes herself in photo found in U.S. serial killer’s truck – Holly Moore – February 24, 2019 - Alberta woman recognizes herself in photo found in U.S. serial killer’s truck - APTN News CBS News – Family fights to keep convicted Sutter County killer behind bars as state law triggers resentencing hearing – Kayla Moeller – October 24, 2025 - Family fights to keep convicted Sutter County killer behind bars as state law triggers resentencing hearing - CBS Sacramento The Greenville Advocate – Rhoades Avoids Possible Death Penalty by Admitting to Strangling Teenagers – September 15, 1992 Wikipedia – BDSM - BDSM - Wikipedia The Cinemaholic – Where is Robert Ben Rhoades Now? – Viswa Vanapalli – November 22, 2021 - Robert Ben Rhoades Now: Where is The Truck Stop Killer Today? Update They Will Kill You – Robert Benjamin Rhoades - The Story of Serial Killer Robert Benjamin Rhoades | They Will Kill You

    1h 1m

  2. 3D AGO

    Episode 153: Deadly Quest for Love - Raymond James Merrill

    In March of 2006, 55-year-old musician Raymond James Merrill traveled to Brazil for the third time in five months. He told friends he was in love and was going to propose to the love of his life but he was never seen again. Ray’s online romance with a Brazilian woman named Regina Filomena Rachid quickly escalated into something deeper. Within weeks, Ray was sending her money. Within months, he had bought her a car, investing in her business and planning a future in Brazil. But behind the romance, there were warning signs: unauthorized charges. Tens of thousands of dollars disappearing from Ray’s accounts. Still hopeful, Ray kept returning to visit this woman in Sao Paulo. Then silence. No calls. No emails. As investigators began to dig, they uncovered thousands of dollars gone from his accounts. A suspicious email claiming Ray was “starting a new life.” And the last person to see him alive  refusing to talk. Then, finally, after months of silence, a break came in the case. What truly happened to Ray Merrill in São Paulo? And how did his quest for love turn into an international murder case that took 15 years to bring to justice?   Sources: “Dark end to a hunt for love” by Patrick J. McDonnell in The Los Angeles Times on December 13, 2006 (https://www.latimes.com/la-fg-merrill13dec13-story.html) “Love Story's Trail Of Tears To Brazil” on CBS News on October 28, 2006 (https://www.cbsnews.com/news/love-storys-trail-of-tears-to-brazil/) “Horrifying end for man seeking love in Brazil” by Kim Curtis and Stan Lehman in The Seattle Times on November 1, 2006 (https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/20061101/killed01/horrifying-end-for-man-seeking-love-in-brazil) “Online dating leads to brutal slaying of Calif. man in Brazil” on Tuscon.com on November 1, 2006 (https://tucson.com/news/national/online-dating-leads-to-brutal-slaying-of-calif-man-in-brazil/article_dae98b6b-be33-5fff-b9df-8fa963299729.html) “Ray Merrill, Regina Rachid: ‘Web Of Lies’ — Brazilian Beauty Killed Californian” by Traciy Reyes on Yahoo! News on February 21, 2017 (https://www.yahoo.com/news/ray-merrill-regina-rachid-lies-191513308.html) “American chases romance in Brazil, pays with his life” by The Los Angeles Times on Chicago Tribune on January 7, 2007 (https://www.chicagotribune.com/2007/01/07/american-chases-romance-in-brazil-pays-with-his-life/) “Raymond Merrill Murder: Where Are Regina Rachid and Evandro Ribeiro Now?” by Shraman Mitra on The CInemaholic on March 2, 2022 (https://thecinemaholic.com/raymond-merrill-murder-where-are-regina-rachid-and-evandro-ribeiro-now/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) “Decretada prisão de Regina Rachid, esteticista condenada pela morte de americano em São José” on Portugal Sprio Mais on June 23, 2023 – translated using Google Translate (https://spriomais.com.br/2023/06/20/decretada-prisao-de-regina-rachid-esteticista-condenada-pela-morte-de-americano-em-sao-jose/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/87710040/raymond_james-merrill https://www.britannica.com/place/Sao-Paulo-Brazil/Climate

    1 hr

  3. MAR 26

    Episode 152: Guilty or Not? - Christopher Porco

    Sources: Wikipedia – Murder of Peter Porco - Murder of Peter Porco - Wikipedia Democrat and Chronicle – UR student, after attack on parents, hires lawyer – Greg Livadas – November 21, 2004 CBS – Christopher Porco’s bid to overturn conviction in the hands of Schenectady Prosecutor – Alex Weidner – February 28, 2025 - Christopher Porco's bid to overturn conviction in the hands of Schenectady prosecutor 48 Hours – Memories of Murder – Season 20, Episode 7 Fox News – Axe murderer set to appeal verdict with support from badly maimed mother – Taylor Penley – September 14, 2023 - Axe murderer set to appeal verdict with support from badly maimed mother | Fox News Poughkeepsie Journal – Son charged with killing father, attacking mother – November 5, 2005 The Journal News – Son gets 50 years to life in ax attack that killed father, disfigured mother – Michael Virtanen – December 13, 2006

    54 min

  4. MAR 24

    Episode 151: Captain William J. Costello and The Smiling Widow

    What would you do in the face of murder charges? Most people would be frantic, pleading their innocence, and very anxious of what is to come. But that was not the case for Jessie Costello in 1933. That February, she found her husband, Captain William J. Costello, dead on the floor of their home in Peabody, MA. At the request of close friends, an autopsy was performed which found poison, despite the body having already been embalmed.  It was confirmed the poison had been sold to Mrs. Costello the night before the captain’s death, but Mrs. Costello claimed she had been using it simply as a cleaning agent. With the evidence piling up, Jessie Costello was charged with the murder of her husband. As the trial began, the media and community became obsessed with this woman. Smiling, calm, entrancing all those around her. She would receive hundreds of love letters daily from men all over the country, pose for photos as she entered the courtroom and would smile all throughout the court proceedings. But would her charm be enough to convince the jury of all men of her innocence?   Sources: “Justice and Jessie Costello” by Undine on Strange Company (https://strangeco.blogspot.com/2014/05/justice-and-jessie-costello.html) “Widow’s Illness Laid to Ordeal: Mrs. Costello’s Condition will Prevent Questioning Today” by Alfred J. Monahan in The Boston Globe on March 2, 1933 “The Smiling Widow: Jessie Costello” by Susan Edwards on Salem State University on August 4, 2020 (https://libguides.salemstate.edu/home/archives/blog/Jessie-Costello-The-Smiling-Widow) “Mrs. Costello says McMahon’s Statement ‘Tissue of Lies’” in The Boston Globe on March 22, 1933 “Jessie Costello - The Smiling Widow” by Salem State University Archives, Neighbor on Patch on October 16, 2018 (https://patch.com/massachusetts/salem/jessie-costello-smiling-widow) “Widow Must Face Trial for Murder” in The North Adams Transcript on March 18, 1933 “The Festive Murder Trial of Jessie Costello” on New England Historical Society (https://newenglandhistoricalsociety.com/festive-murder-trial-jessie-costello/) “Widow to Fight Today for her Life on Stand” by Alfred J. Monahan in The Boston Globe on August 2, 1933 “The Murder Trial of the Century” on Peabody Historical Society and Museum (https://peabodyhistorical.org/2023/02/the-murder-trial-of-the-century/) “Mrs. McMahon on stand Against ‘Other Woman’” by Alfred J. Monahan in The Boston Globe on July 27, 1933 “History of Pioneer Village in Salem, Massachusetts” by Rebecca Beatrice Brooks on History of Massachusetts Blog on March 13, 2022 (http://historyofmassachusetts.org/pioneer-village-salem/) “Crowd of 5000 at Courthouse” by Joseph F. Dinneen in The Boston Globe on July 27, 1933 “The Suspicious Death of William Costello (Massachusetts)” on Dark Downeast (https://darkdowneast.com/williamcostello/) https://www.masshist.org/object-of-the-month/march-2013#:~:text=They%20established%20a%20close%2Dknit,immigrants%20scattered%20throughout%20the%20city. https://streetsofsalem.com/tag/great-depression/#:~:text=A%20couple%20of%20years%20ago,1930s%2C%20and%20left%20its%20mark. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/141811440/william-joseph-costello https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/141810730/jessie_burnett-costello

    58 min

  5. MAR 19

    Episode 150: Urban Legend - Black Eyed Children

    Ever get that feeling like someone’s watching you but when you look, there’s nothing there? Or worse someone is there. Picture this: it’s late at night. Maybe you’re home alone, maybe you’re just starting to wind down and then there’s a knock at your door. You’re not expecting anyone. You hesitate but you check anyway. Standing outside are two children. They look… off. Pale. Quiet. Almost too calm. They speak politely, like everything is totally normal. They just want to come inside. They need to come inside. And then you notice their eyes. Completely black. No whites. No pupils. Just darkness. These are the Black-Eyed Children, one of the internet’s most chilling urban legends. A story that feels like it came straight out of a creepy pasta forum and to be fair, it kind of did. But here’s where it gets weird: reports of these encounters go all the way back to 1996, long before the legend really took off online. And the stories? They’re disturbingly consistent. The same phrases. The same behaviors. The same overwhelming sense of dread people say they feel the moment they realize something isn’t right. So what are they? Are they just a product of viral storytelling and internet folklore? Something our brains have collectively built and reinforced over time? Or are these encounters pointing to something genuinely unexplained? So lock your doors, check your windows and if you hear a knock late at night just remember: they have to be invited in.   Sources: Wikipedia – Black-eyed Children - Black-eyed children - Wikipedia Atlas Obscura – Death as a Child: The Modern Legend of the Black-Eyed Children – Emma Cieslik – October 16, 2024 - Death as a Child: The Modern Legend of the Black-Eyed Children - Atlas Obscura Mythology.net – Black-eyed Children – Prof. Geller – May 23, 2017 - Black-eyed Children - Paranormal Creatures | Mythology.net USA History Timeline – The Black-Eyed Children: Urban Legends of Fear - The Black-Eyed Children: Urban Legends of Fear Wikipedia – Creepypasta - Creepypasta - Wikipedia

    53 min

  6. MAR 17

    Episode 149: The Devil's Visit at Loftus Hall

    In one of the sunniest counties in Ireland stands a mansion, known for being haunted but it all began with a simple game of cards. On the southeastern coast of Ireland, in County Wexford, Loftus Hall stands on the Hook Head peninsula overlooking the sea. It is often described as one of the most haunted houses in the world. The land itself has 800 years of history and stories, beginning with the Norman invasion in the 1100s. Over centuries the property changed hands, eventually becoming Loftus Hall. But the story most people remember began in 1765. During a violent storm, a stranger arrived at the door of Loftus Hall seeking shelter. Welcomed inside by the Tottenham family who currently owned the estate and the stranger stayed for several nights. One evening during a game of cards, Anne Tottenham dropped a card and bent to pick it up. When she looked under the table she exclaimed the stranger was not human. Unfortunately, Anne never recovered from this incident. Seemingly going insane, she was locked away for the remainder of her life. Since then unexplained occurrences have been reported inside Loftus Hall. Disembodied voices, shadow figures, cold spots, and an overwhelming feeling of being watched. Some fully believe Anne never truly left the house.     Sources: “Loftus Hall, Ireland's Most Haunted House, Hosts a 'Paranormal Lockdown'” by Lilit Marcus on Conde Nast Traveler on October 31, 2016 (https://www.cntraveler.com/story/loftus-hall-irelands-most-haunted-house-hosts-a-paranormal-lockdown) “Loftus Hall, Ireland’s Most Notorious Haunted House, Has Hit the Market” by Michele Debczak on Mental Floss on July 25, 2020 (https://www.mentalfloss.com/culture/weird/loftus-hall-ireland-for-sale) “The Story of Loftus Hall, the most haunted house in Ireland” by Ian Middleton (https://ianmiddleton.co.uk/story-of-loftus-hall/) “Loftus Hall – Exploring Ireland’s Haunted History” on Haunted Halls Ireland (https://www.loftushall.ie/loftus-hall-set-to-reawaken-665-years-of-history) “The Story Behind Loftus Hall: The Most Haunted House In Ireland” by Keith O’Hara on The Irish Road Trip on January 9, 2026 (https://www.theirishroadtrip.com/loftus-hall-haunted-ireland/) “Loftus Hall” on Little House of Horrors on March 14, 2026 (https://thelittlehouseofhorrors.com/loftus-hall/) “Loftus Hall: Most Haunted House in Ireland Has Not Revealed All Its Dark Secrets” by Joanna Gillan on Ancient Origins on July 21, 2020 (https://www.ancient-origins.net/unexplained-phenomena/loftus-hall-most-haunted-house-ireland-has-not-revealed-all-its-dark-secrets-021750) “The Haunting History of Loftus Hall” on House of Waterford (https://www.houseofwaterford.com/blog/general-news/haunting-history-loftus-hall) https://www.ireland.com/en-us/destinations/county/wexford/county-wexford/ https://www.visitwexford.ie/historical-points-in-county-wexford-that-history-lovers-shouldnt-miss/ “Loftus Hall”  on Destination Fear, Season 3, Episode 15 on Discovery+

    41 min

  7. MAR 12

    Episode 148: Murder in the Montana Wilderness - Dustin Kjersem

    In October of 2024, 35-year-old Dustin Kjersem set up a tent at a remote campsite near Big Sky, Montana. He was planning a quiet weekend in the mountains and was supposed to pick up his girlfriend the next day so they could spend a few days camping together. But that pickup never happened, and no one could reach him. At first, the silence didn’t seem completely unusual. The campsite he had chosen was deep in the backcountry, in an area with little to no cell service. But as more time passed, the concern started to grow. So, on October 12th, his girlfriend and a friend drove out to try and find the campsite themselves. What they discovered was a scene was so violent that investigators initially believed Dustin had been attacked by a grizzly bear, and in that part of southwestern Montana, that explanation didn’t seem impossible. But as investigators began looking closer, something didn’t add up. There were no bear tracks, no signs of wildlife, nothing that suggested an animal had been there at all. And when the truth began to come out, it revealed something far more disturbing than anyone had expected: a peaceful campsite in the mountains, a friendly man who had welcomed a stranger, and a crime so brutal that it was believed only an animal could have done it. This story reminds us that evil is everywhere, and that in the wilderness, animals aren’t the only thing you have to watch out for.     Sources: Dahl Funeral & Cremation Services  - Dustin Kjersem  - Obituary  - Dustin Kjersem Obituary October 12, 2024 - Dahl Funeral & Cremation Services The Gazette – Camper wasn’t killed by a bear, police say – October 19, 2024 The Montana Standard – Suspect charged in grisly Moose Creek killing of camper Dustin Kjersem – Laurenz Busch – November 2, 2024 The Independent – White supremacist guilty of killing so brutal that it was first reported as a bear attack – AP Correspondent – November 13, 2025 - White supremacist guilty of killing so brutal that it was first reported as a bear attack | The Independent NBC Montana  - Man sentenced to 100 years for brutal campsite murder near Big Sky – February 3, 2026  - NBC Montana Staff  - Man sentenced to 100 years for brutal campsite murder near Big Sky Law & Crime – ‘Crooked a--- court system’: Man who murdered camper with screwdriver, ax during ‘chance encounter’ rages at judge who sends him to prison for a very long time – David Harris – February 5, 2026 - 'Crooked a— court system': Man who murdered camper with screwdriver, ax during 'chance encounter' rages at judge who sends him to prison for a very long time | Law & Crime KRTV – Moose Creek murder suspect pleads not guilty to killing Dustin Kjersem – MTN News - November 26, 2024 - Moose Creek murder suspect pleads not guilty to killing of Dustin Kjersem Wikipedia – Big Sky, Montana - Big Sky, Montana - Wikipedia Court TV – Darren Abbey Sentenced: I”ll be Appealing your ‘Crooked Ass Court System’ - https://www.courttv.com/title/daren-abbey-sentenced-ill-be-appealing-your-crooked-ass-court-system/ KBZK – Moose Creek murder suspect pleads not guilty to the killing of Dustin Kjersem near Big Sky – MTN News – November 26, 2024 - Moose Creek murder suspect pleads not guilty to killing of Dustin Kjersem KBZK – Moose Creek murder suspect charged with deliberate homicide in the brutal killing of Dustin Kjersem – MTN News – November 4, 2024 - Suspect in murder of Dustin Kjersem near Big Sky appears in court Yellowstone Public Radio – Moose Creek homicide documents outline suspect self-defense claim, inconsistent story – Ruth Eddy – November 22, 2024 - Moose Creek homicide documents outline suspect self-defense claim, inconsistent story | YPR CBS News – Montana man convicted in campsite killing that was originally reported as bear attack – November 12, 2024 - Montana man convicted in campsite killing that was originally reported as bear attack - CBS News

    41 min

  8. MAR 10

    Episode 147: The Murder of Michael McMorrow by the Baby-Faced Butchers

    In 1997, 44-year-old realtor Michael “Irish” McMorrow was known for his easy laugh and love of Central Park. He was always the life of the party so it came as a shock to all when he was at the center of one of the most shocking crimes New York City has seen. It started when a 15-year-old girl, Daphne Abdela, had been reported missing only to be found moments later washing blood off with her boyfriend, 15-year-old Christopher Vasquez. At first, it sounded like a rollerblading accident. Later that same night, Daphne called officers back saying “There’s a body in the lake in Central Park.” Police went to the location she described and were able to locate the body of Michael McMorrow. But the scene was more gruesome and horrific than they had expected. Evidence gathered at the scene and both teen’s homes connected both of them directly to the murder, blood evidence, a knife and the discovery of McMorrow’s wallet in Daphne’s bedroom. But the case became complicated in court. Both teenagers, who became known as the Baby Faced Butchers, were both sentenced, but it felt far from justice to the McMorrow family. Today, a memorial bench in Central Park’s Strawberry Fields honors “Irish” McMorrow, remembering the man friends say was always laughing in the park he loved.

    1h 4m
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4.6
out of 5
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About

Welcome to the Evil Everywhere Podcast! We’re two funny besties with a passion for all things true crime and paranormal. We release a story each week on Tuesday and Thursday - so give us a listen and let us know stories you want to hear!

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