Monstrous

Carrie Canny and Mandy Garthwaite
  • 4.6 (5)
  • TRUE CRIME
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Monstrous is a true crime and mystery podcast that also dives into legends, hauntings, and all things spooky and spine-tingling. Our show resonates with listeners who love not only true crime, but also the thrill of the unexplained. Hosted by two friends brought together by our sons — one a Southern storyteller with a passion for crime, the spine-tingling, and the unknown, but has a firm line with messing with the dead while the other is a Midwesterner with a love for true crime, an appetite for the spooky, and a passion for learning about the other side Join us every Monday as we cover murders, serial killers, cold cases, mysteries, cults and all things monstrous. Listener Discretion Is Advised.

  1. 4D AGO

    The Sallie House

    It starts with a flickering light. A misplaced toy. A child’s laughter echoing from an empty nursery. For Tony and Debra Pickman, the haunting of their Atchison, Kansas, home felt like a tragedy—until the mask began to slip. In this episode of Monstrous, Carrie and MawMaw explore the terrifying evolution of the Sallie House. We dig into the brutal history of Dr. Charles Finney, the legend of the "girl on the operating table," and the violent "oppression" phase that nearly broke a family. We also discuss brand-new 2026 data, including "Hitchhiker Effect" reports and the "human-shaped voids" caught on high-frequency scans. Is the Sallie House haunted by a victim of history, or something that simply knows how to pretend? Support the show: Buy Me a Coffee Follow our socials for case photos and updates: Facebook TikTok Got a case suggestion or a personal story? Email us at: Monstroustcpod@gmail.com

    50 min

  2. MAR 24

    The Leongatha Mushroom Murders

    On a quiet Saturday in July 2023, in the Victorian town of Leongatha, an invitation to lunch was extended as an olive branch. Erin Patterson—a former air traffic controller—hosted her estranged in-laws and a local pastor’s family for a homemade Beef Wellington. But what was presented as a gesture of reconciliation, baited by a fake terminal cancer diagnosis, turned into a forensic puzzle that would captivate the world. Within days, three of the guests were dead, and one was fighting for survival. This episode deconstructs the timeline of a tragedy that was anything but accidental. We dive into the toxicology of the Death Cap mushroom (Amanita phalloides), explaining the biological cruelty of the "False Recovery" phase and how alpha-amanitin systematically dismantles the human body. We also examine the most haunting questions of the case: How did the host’s children survive eating the "same" meal? Why did her estranged husband, Simon, narrowly avoid the table? And how did a woman trained in high-stakes precision manage to "accidentally" serve the most lethal fungus on the planet? From the "9-second" CCTV footage that dismantled her alibi to the 2026 DNA "Fingerprint" that finally linked the poison to a specific forest grove, we follow the investigation that led to a landmark life sentence in September 2025. In This Episode, We Cover: • The "Test of Patience": How a fabricated cancer diagnosis was used to lure the victims to the table. • The Science of the Silent Killer: A deep dive into the molecular hijacking of the liver by amatoxins. • The "Two-Plate" and "Two-Wellington" Theories: Analyzing the survivor's testimony and the forensic evidence regarding the children’s "safe" meal. • Digital Smoking Guns: The 2025 trial revelations including the missing "Phone A," the search for undetectable poisons, and the damning "Mushrooms on a Scale" photo. • The 9-Second Alibi: How service station CCTV debunked the host's claims of being ill herself. The 2026 Verdict & Beyond: A summary of the 2025 sentencing and the latest Forensic Mycology breakthroughs currently impacting the appeal. Social links: Buy Me a Coffee Facebook TikTok Email us at: monstroustcpod@gmail.com

    55 min

  3. MAR 17 ·  BONUS

    The Dark History of St. Patrick's Day

    This bonus episode of Monstrous peels back the layers of green glitter to reveal the 1,600-year cold case at the heart of Saint Patrick’s Day. From the teenage kidnapping of Maewyn Succat to the "Triple Death" of the Irish peat bogs, Carrie and MawMaw explore how a holiday of "parades and pints" began as a story of survival, radical transformation, and cultural erasure. We’re diving into the psychological warfare of the early Church, the "skin-suiting" of ancient goddesses, and the curdled energy of the Dullahan. We also track the Irish across the Atlantic—from the floating cemeteries of the Coffin Ships to the 1768 rebellion on the island of Montserrat. It’s a journey through vanishing lakes, headless gods, and the "Muted Green" aesthetic of 2026. Grab your iron bell and join us as we uncover the monsters that history tried to bury.

    1h 1m

  4. MAR 16

    The Disappearance of Brittanee Drexel

    "I don’t think you’re coming back." Those were the haunting final words Dawn Drexel said to her daughter before Brittanee slipped out of her New York home for a Spring Break trip she wasn’t supposed to be on. In April 2009, 17-year-old Brittanee Drexel vanished into the neon-lit humid air of Myrtle Beach. For thirteen years, her family lived in a state of suspended animation, fueled by horrific rumors of "alligator pits" and human trafficking "stash houses." But in 2022, the digital shadows finally caught up to a monster hiding in plain sight. Today, Carrie and Mawmaw walk through the entire timeline: from the "icing out" at the Bar Harbor Hotel and the "Blue Water Boys," to the 2011 "near miss" search, and finally, the 2025 sentencing of the woman who held Brittanee’s lifeline in her hand and chose to stay silent. This isn't just a story of a crime; it’s a story of a mother’s intuition, a decade of betrayal, and the legacy of Brittanee’s Law. Resources mentioned in this episode: • The Brittanee Drexel Foundations • The CUE Center for Missing Persons Social links: https://buymeacoffee.com/monstroustcpod https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61561641454715 https://www.tiktok.com/@monstrouspodcast?_r=1&_t=ZT-94Neh2zo5DJ Email us at: monstroustcpod@gmail.com Brittanees Little Angels (the missing link): https://brand.page/TheMISSINGLinkFoundationInc?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQPNDA5OTYyNjIzMDg1NjA5AAEe4_4UJod-RET4FGnB5p81FhgAv1kLImAau0v-HACoUklXuJZBlqnodNSma10_aem__6pNqXQOWS1N2i4u0DgJLg Britt’s NFMF: https://www.brittsfoundation.org/

    1h 37m

  5. MAR 16 ·  BONUS

    Megan Alert Update

    When a college student goes missing, every second counts—but for too long, a legal "gray zone" has treated 18-year-olds like they have no expectation of being looked for. In this high-stakes update, we dive into the breakthrough of Colorado’s Senate Bill 120, better known as the "Megan Alert." Joined by Mawmaw, we break down the emotional and legislative journey that began on February 9th and has now reached a fever pitch at the State Capitol. We discuss the "Golden Window" of search-and-rescue, the bipartisan "secret sauce" moving this bill at record speed, and the brave families of Megan Trussell and Kaylee Russell who turned their grief into a new national standard for campus safety. Is Colorado about to change the way we protect our students forever? Tune in for the newest updates on the bill that is officially halfway to becoming law.

    13 min

  6. MAR 9

    The Kentucky Meat Shower

    In March 1876, the residents of Bath County, Kentucky, stepped outside into a cloudless sky only to find it raining raw, red meat. What began as a quiet Friday morning for farmwife Mary Crouch quickly devolved into a global scientific puzzle and a localized nightmare. In this episode of Monstrous, we peel back the layers of the "Kentucky Meat Shower," a case that sits at the intersection of Appalachian folklore and Victorian forensic science. We move beyond the sensational headlines to explore the domestic violation of the Crouch farm, the stomach-churning "taste tests" performed by local frontiersmen, and the cutting-edge microscopic analysis that eventually identified the falling tissue as animal lung and muscle. Join us as we break down the physics of the "vomit comet," the cultural impact of the post-Civil War "signs from heaven," and why—150 years later—a single preserved chunk of that carnal rain still sits in a university jar, challenging our understanding of the natural world. Social links: https://buymeacoffee.com/monstroustcpod https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61561641454715 https://www.tiktok.com/@monstrouspodcast?_r=1&_t=ZT-94Neh2zo5DJ Email us at: Monstroustcpod@gmail.com

    51 min

  7. FEB 3

    Danielle and Kennedy Hoyle

    In February 2022, the "village" of Whitehaven in Memphis, Tennessee, was shattered by a crime that defied the natural order. When 27-year-old Danielle Hoyle was found in a roadside ditch next to her idling Chevy Cruze, the city's heart stopped—not just for the loss of a devoted mother, but for the 2-day-old infant, Kennedy, who was missing from the backseat. Join Carrie and MawMaw as they dismantle the "double life" of Brandon Isabelle. We dive deep into the forensic "Invisible Proof"—from the microscopic "diamonds on the asphalt" to the complex hydraulic physics of the Mississippi River. We also look at the landmark 2026 legal landscape, discussing how The Debbie and Marie Act, Abrial’s Law, and Savanna’s Law have turned this tragedy into a "Triple-Threat" of protection for women and children across Tennessee. Listen for: · The digital trail that broke a 25th-birthday alibi. · The "70/30" interrogation moment that chilled investigators. · Why a 147-year sentence was calculated down to the hour of a newborn's life. Resources & Links: • Safety Template: Head over to our Facebook page to download the pinned Missing Persons Media Sheet mentioned in this episode. Save it to your phone—we hope you never need it. • Domestic Violence Support: National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or text "START" to 88788. • Crisis Support: Text HOME to 741741. Connect with us: Follow us on Facebook and TikTok at monstrous tc pod. Have a case suggestion or a listener tale? Email us at monstroustcpod@gmail.com.

    1h 37m

  8. JAN 27

    Cari Farver: The Digital Ghost

    How can a woman be in two places at once? For four years, Cari Farver was a ghost. To her mother, she was a series of cruel and erratic text messages. To her boyfriend, she was a voyeuristic nightmare watching from the shadows. To the police, she was a "runaway" whose digital footprint suggested she was alive and well. But Cari Farver wasn't running. She had been erased. In this week’s episode, Carrie and Mandy peel back the digital curtain on one of the most sophisticated identity thefts in criminal history. We dive into the brilliant life of Cari Farver, a powerhouse programmer whose own expertise was weaponized against her memory. We journey through the staggering scale of a "Digital Mountain" where 1.2 million fragments of data—including 15,000 emails and 50,000 texts—were meticulously crafted to bury a murder under a mountain of code. We uncover the "Garage Secret," the agonizing reality of a car that sat for three long years in a family garage, holding the evidence of a "legal death" while a mother was systematically gaslit by her daughter's killer. You’ll hear how the investigation finally cracked the case using "Linguistic DNA," tracing a single, recurring one-letter spelling mistake that unmasked the monster hiding behind the screen. Finally, we look at the legacy of this tragedy through "Cari’s Law," a hard-fought legislative victory ensuring that in the eyes of the law, a text message can never again be used as a substitute for proof of life. Join us as we discuss the relentless work of forensic investigator Tony Kava and the mother who refused to stop fighting for the truth. Listen now to hear how a digital ghost was finally brought back to earth. #CariFarver #TheDigitalGhost #TrueCrime #MonstrousPodcast #DigitalForensics #JusticeForCari

    1h 22m
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Trailers

Ratings & Reviews

4.6
out of 5
5 Ratings

About

Monstrous is a true crime and mystery podcast that also dives into legends, hauntings, and all things spooky and spine-tingling. Our show resonates with listeners who love not only true crime, but also the thrill of the unexplained. Hosted by two friends brought together by our sons — one a Southern storyteller with a passion for crime, the spine-tingling, and the unknown, but has a firm line with messing with the dead while the other is a Midwesterner with a love for true crime, an appetite for the spooky, and a passion for learning about the other side Join us every Monday as we cover murders, serial killers, cold cases, mysteries, cults and all things monstrous. Listener Discretion Is Advised.

Information

  • Creator
    Carrie Canny and Mandy Garthwaite
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    95
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Carrie Canny and Mandy Garthwaite
  • Show Website
    Monstrous

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