626 episodes
Morbid Wondery
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- True Crime
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4.5 • 88.9K Ratings
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It’s a lighthearted nightmare in here, weirdos! Morbid is a true crime, creepy history and all things spooky podcast hosted by an autopsy technician and a hairstylist. Join us for a heavy dose of research with a dash of comedy thrown in for flavor.
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Fred & Rose West (Part 4)
This episode comes out for free on 05/27, and is available early and ad-free for Wondery+ subscribers.
Part four focuses on Fred & Rose West's final crimes, and the events leading up to their arrest. Their subsequent trials would become the focus of the nation as people learned of the atrocities performed at their home.
Thank you to the wondrous Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for Research!
References
Amis, Martin. 2000. When darkness met light. May 11. Accessed March 21, 2024. https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/2000/may/11/features11.g2.
BBC News. 1998. Fred West 'admitted killing waitress'. March 25. Accessed March 19, 2024. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/69928.stm.
—. 2001. How many more did Fred West kill? September 27. Accessed March 19, 2024. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/1567038.stm.
—. 2021. The 12 victims of Fred and Rosemary West. May 27. Accessed March 18, 2024. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-gloucestershire-57182844.
Bennett, Will. 1995. Step-daughter Charmaine was first to die. November 22. Accessed March 19, 2024. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/stepdaughter-charmaine-was-first-to-die-1583071.html.
Birmingham Evening Mail. 1974. "Missing girls theory." Birmingham Evening Mail, January 7: 1.
Birmingham Post. 1968. "Missing waitress mystery deepens." Birmingham Post, January 23: 2.
—. 1974. "Student missing for six days may return ton university-police." Birmingham Post, January 2: 2.
—. 1968. "Yard detectives join search for Gloucester girl." Birmingham Post, January 9: 1.
Campbell, Duncan. 1995. "How a string of girls came to die in depraved and appalling circumstances." The Guardian, October 7.
Duce, Richard. 1995. "West's suicide avenged killings, QC tells jurors." The Times, November 16.
Duce, Richard, and Bill Frost. 1995. "Court told of depravity at 25 Cromwell Street." The Times, October 7: 4.
Evening Post. 1968. "Helicopter joins hunt for Mary." Evening Post, January 8: 1.
Evening Standard. 1974. "Have you spotted this girl?" Evening Standard, July 4: 18.
Frost, Bill. 1995. "Cromwell Street murders case man is dead." The Times, Janaury 2.
Frost, Bill, and Richard Duce. 1995. "I'm being made a scapegoat, says West." The Times, November 2.
—. 1995. "No place for sentiment, West jurors are told." The Times, October 4.
—. 1995. "West: I fell under Fred's spell." The Times, October 31.
Gloucester Echo. 1994. "Did builder know Mary?" Gloucester Echo, March 8: 3.
—. 1994. "Graden bodies: Who were they?" Gloucester Echo, March 2: 1.
Gloucestershire Echo. 1995. "From angelic child to coldest of killers." Gloucestershire Echo 5.
—. 1995. "Fred West found dead." Gloucestershire Echo, January 2: 1.
—. 1995. "I'll see you in court, Rose." Gloucestershire Echo, January 4: 1.
Knight, Adam. 2014. Fred West's brother denies incest claims. November 7. Accessed March 17, 2024. https://www.herefordtimes.com/news/11587578.fred-wests-brother-denies-incest-claims/.
Lee, Adrian, Tim Jones, and Damian Whitworth. 1996. "Fred West's brother hangs himself." The Times, November 29.
Ovington, Paul. 1974. "Hunt steps up as fear grows for Lucy, 21." Western Daily Press and Times, January 4: 1.
Sounes, Howard. 1995. Fred & Rose: The Full Story of Fred and Rose West and the Gloucester House of Horrors. New York, NY: Open Road Media.
United Press International. 1995. "British jury convicts West of 10 murders." UPI Archive, November 22.
West, Mae, and Neil McKay. 2018. Love as Always, Mum: The True and Terrible Story of Surviving a Childhood with Fred and Rose West. London, UK: Seven Dials Press.
Williams, Martin. 1994. "'Our sister is still alive'." Gloucester Echo, February 26: 1. -
Fred & Rose West (Part 3)
This episode comes out for free on 05/23, and is available early and ad-free for Wondery+ subscribers.
Part three focuses on the pattern formed by the West's subsequent murders, as well as a hiatus from killing that was marked by countless sexual assaults.
Thank you to the wondrous Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for Research!
References
Amis, Martin. 2000. When darkness met light. May 11. Accessed March 21, 2024. https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/2000/may/11/features11.g2.
BBC News. 1998. Fred West 'admitted killing waitress'. March 25. Accessed March 19, 2024. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/69928.stm.
—. 2001. How many more did Fred West kill? September 27. Accessed March 19, 2024. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/1567038.stm.
—. 2021. The 12 victims of Fred and Rosemary West. May 27. Accessed March 18, 2024. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-gloucestershire-57182844.
Bennett, Will. 1995. Step-daughter Charmaine was first to die. November 22. Accessed March 19, 2024. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/stepdaughter-charmaine-was-first-to-die-1583071.html.
Birmingham Evening Mail. 1974. "Missing girls theory." Birmingham Evening Mail, January 7: 1.
Birmingham Post. 1968. "Missing waitress mystery deepens." Birmingham Post, January 23: 2.
—. 1974. "Student missing for six days may return ton university-police." Birmingham Post, January 2: 2.
—. 1968. "Yard detectives join search for Gloucester girl." Birmingham Post, January 9: 1.
Campbell, Duncan. 1995. "How a string of girls came to die in depraved and appalling circumstances." The Guardian, October 7.
Duce, Richard. 1995. "West's suicide avenged killings, QC tells jurors." The Times, November 16.
Duce, Richard, and Bill Frost. 1995. "Court told of depravity at 25 Cromwell Street." The Times, October 7: 4.
Evening Post. 1968. "Helicopter joins hunt for Mary." Evening Post, January 8: 1.
Evening Standard. 1974. "Have you spotted this girl?" Evening Standard, July 4: 18.
Frost, Bill. 1995. "Cromwell Street murders case man is dead." The Times, Janaury 2.
Frost, Bill, and Richard Duce. 1995. "I'm being made a scapegoat, says West." The Times, November 2.
—. 1995. "No place for sentiment, West jurors are told." The Times, October 4.
—. 1995. "West: I fell under Fred's spell." The Times, October 31.
Gloucester Echo. 1994. "Did builder know Mary?" Gloucester Echo, March 8: 3.
—. 1994. "Graden bodies: Who were they?" Gloucester Echo, March 2: 1.
Gloucestershire Echo. 1995. "From angelic child to coldest of killers." Gloucestershire Echo 5.
—. 1995. "Fred West found dead." Gloucestershire Echo, January 2: 1.
—. 1995. "I'll see you in court, Rose." Gloucestershire Echo, January 4: 1.
Knight, Adam. 2014. Fred West's brother denies incest claims. November 7. Accessed March 17, 2024. https://www.herefordtimes.com/news/11587578.fred-wests-brother-denies-incest-claims/.
Lee, Adrian, Tim Jones, and Damian Whitworth. 1996. "Fred West's brother hangs himself." The Times, November 29.
Ovington, Paul. 1974. "Hunt steps up as fear grows for Lucy, 21." Western Daily Press and Times, January 4: 1.
Sounes, Howard. 1995. Fred & Rose: The Full Story of Fred and Rose West and the Gloucester House of Horrors. New York, NY: Open Road Media.
United Press International. 1995. "British jury convicts West of 10 murders." UPI Archive, November 22.
West, Mae, and Neil McKay. 2018. Love as Always, Mum: The True and Terrible Story of Surviving a Childhood with Fred and Rose West. London, UK: Seven Dials Press.
Williams, Martin. 1994. "'Our sister is still alive'." Gloucester Echo, February 26: 1. -
Fred & Rose West (Part 2)
Part two delves into Fred's life after he met Rose, exploring the origins of the affair leading to their marriage and the beginning of the sadistic crimes that would horrify the world at large.
Thank you to the wondrous Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for Research!
References
Amis, Martin. 2000. When darkness met light. May 11. Accessed March 21, 2024. https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/2000/may/11/features11.g2.
BBC News. 1998. Fred West 'admitted killing waitress'. March 25. Accessed March 19, 2024. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/69928.stm.
—. 2001. How many more did Fred West kill? September 27. Accessed March 19, 2024. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/1567038.stm.
—. 2021. The 12 victims of Fred and Rosemary West. May 27. Accessed March 18, 2024. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-gloucestershire-57182844.
Bennett, Will. 1995. Step-daughter Charmaine was first to die. November 22. Accessed March 19, 2024. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/stepdaughter-charmaine-was-first-to-die-1583071.html.
Birmingham Evening Mail. 1974. "Missing girls theory." Birmingham Evening Mail, January 7: 1.
Birmingham Post. 1968. "Missing waitress mystery deepens." Birmingham Post, January 23: 2.
—. 1974. "Student missing for six days may return ton university-police." Birmingham Post, January 2: 2.
—. 1968. "Yard detectives join search for Gloucester girl." Birmingham Post, January 9: 1.
Campbell, Duncan. 1995. "How a string of girls came to die in depraved and appalling circumstances." The Guardian, October 7.
Duce, Richard. 1995. "West's suicide avenged killings, QC tells jurors." The Times, November 16.
Duce, Richard, and Bill Frost. 1995. "Court told of depravity at 25 Cromwell Street." The Times, October 7: 4.
Evening Post. 1968. "Helicopter joins hunt for Mary." Evening Post, January 8: 1.
Evening Standard. 1974. "Have you spotted this girl?" Evening Standard, July 4: 18.
Frost, Bill. 1995. "Cromwell Street murders case man is dead." The Times, Janaury 2.
Frost, Bill, and Richard Duce. 1995. "I'm being made a scapegoat, says West." The Times, November 2.
—. 1995. "No place for sentiment, West jurors are told." The Times, October 4.
—. 1995. "West: I fell under Fred's spell." The Times, October 31.
Gloucester Echo. 1994. "Did builder know Mary?" Gloucester Echo, March 8: 3.
—. 1994. "Graden bodies: Who were they?" Gloucester Echo, March 2: 1.
Gloucestershire Echo. 1995. "From angelic child to coldest of killers." Gloucestershire Echo 5.
—. 1995. "Fred West found dead." Gloucestershire Echo, January 2: 1.
—. 1995. "I'll see you in court, Rose." Gloucestershire Echo, January 4: 1.
Knight, Adam. 2014. Fred West's brother denies incest claims. November 7. Accessed March 17, 2024. https://www.herefordtimes.com/news/11587578.fred-wests-brother-denies-incest-claims/.
Lee, Adrian, Tim Jones, and Damian Whitworth. 1996. "Fred West's brother hangs himself." The Times, November 29.
Ovington, Paul. 1974. "Hunt steps up as fear grows for Lucy, 21." Western Daily Press and Times, January 4: 1.
Sounes, Howard. 1995. Fred & Rose: The Full Story of Fred and Rose West and the Gloucester House of Horrors. New York, NY: Open Road Media.
United Press International. 1995. "British jury convicts West of 10 murders." UPI Archive, November 22.
West, Mae, and Neil McKay. 2018. Love as Always, Mum: The True and Terrible Story of Surviving a Childhood with Fred and Rose West. London, UK: Seven Dials Press.
Williams, Martin. 1994. "'Our sister is still alive'." Gloucester Echo, February 26: 1.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. -
Fred & Rose West (Part 1)
In this four part series, we dive into the horrific crimes of Fred & Rose West. We begin by exploring Fred's formative years which laid a foundation for his callousness and depraved appetites.
Thank you to the wondrous Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for Research!
References
Amis, Martin. 2000. When darkness met light. May 11. Accessed March 21, 2024. https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/2000/may/11/features11.g2.
BBC News. 1998. Fred West 'admitted killing waitress'. March 25. Accessed March 19, 2024. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/69928.stm.
—. 2001. How many more did Fred West kill? September 27. Accessed March 19, 2024. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/1567038.stm.
—. 2021. The 12 victims of Fred and Rosemary West. May 27. Accessed March 18, 2024. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-gloucestershire-57182844.
Bennett, Will. 1995. Step-daughter Charmaine was first to die. November 22. Accessed March 19, 2024. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/stepdaughter-charmaine-was-first-to-die-1583071.html.
Birmingham Evening Mail. 1974. "Missing girls theory." Birmingham Evening Mail, January 7: 1.
Birmingham Post. 1968. "Missing waitress mystery deepens." Birmingham Post, January 23: 2.
—. 1974. "Student missing for six days may return ton university-police." Birmingham Post, January 2: 2.
—. 1968. "Yard detectives join search for Gloucester girl." Birmingham Post, January 9: 1.
Campbell, Duncan. 1995. "How a string of girls came to die in depraved and appalling circumstances." The Guardian, October 7.
Duce, Richard. 1995. "West's suicide avenged killings, QC tells jurors." The Times, November 16.
Duce, Richard, and Bill Frost. 1995. "Court told of depravity at 25 Cromwell Street." The Times, October 7: 4.
Evening Post. 1968. "Helicopter joins hunt for Mary." Evening Post, January 8: 1.
Evening Standard. 1974. "Have you spotted this girl?" Evening Standard, July 4: 18.
Frost, Bill. 1995. "Cromwell Street murders case man is dead." The Times, Janaury 2.
Frost, Bill, and Richard Duce. 1995. "I'm being made a scapegoat, says West." The Times, November 2.
—. 1995. "No place for sentiment, West jurors are told." The Times, October 4.
—. 1995. "West: I fell under Fred's spell." The Times, October 31.
Gloucester Echo. 1994. "Did builder know Mary?" Gloucester Echo, March 8: 3.
—. 1994. "Graden bodies: Who were they?" Gloucester Echo, March 2: 1.
Gloucestershire Echo. 1995. "From angelic child to coldest of killers." Gloucestershire Echo 5.
—. 1995. "Fred West found dead." Gloucestershire Echo, January 2: 1.
—. 1995. "I'll see you in court, Rose." Gloucestershire Echo, January 4: 1.
Knight, Adam. 2014. Fred West's brother denies incest claims. November 7. Accessed March 17, 2024. https://www.herefordtimes.com/news/11587578.fred-wests-brother-denies-incest-claims/.
Lee, Adrian, Tim Jones, and Damian Whitworth. 1996. "Fred West's brother hangs himself." The Times, November 29.
Ovington, Paul. 1974. "Hunt steps up as fear grows for Lucy, 21." Western Daily Press and Times, January 4: 1.
Sounes, Howard. 1995. Fred & Rose: The Full Story of Fred and Rose West and the Gloucester House of Horrors. New York, NY: Open Road Media.
United Press International. 1995. "British jury convicts West of 10 murders." UPI Archive, November 22.
West, Mae, and Neil McKay. 2018. Love as Always, Mum: The True and Terrible Story of Surviving a Childhood with Fred and Rose West. London, UK: Seven Dials Press.
Williams, Martin. 1994. "'Our sister is still alive'." Gloucester Echo, February 26: 1.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. -
A Deeper Look at the Crimes of Joran van der Sloot With Christopher Cassel
We are joined by Christopher Cassel, Director of 'Pathological: The Lies of Joran Van Der Sloot', We discuss his documentary which dives deep into the crimes of the Van Der Sloot, and the countless people his actions have negatively impacted.
Want to see the documentary? Stream it now on Peacock!
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. -
The Murder of Natalee Holloway
On the afternoon of May 30, 2005, the senior students from Mountain Brook High School gathered at the airport in Aruba to make their return flight to Alabama after their celebratory trip, when chaperones noticed that one of the students was missing. Eighteen-year-old Natalee Holloway was last seen around 1:30 am that morning, leaving a bar with a student from the local International School of Aruba, but no one had seen or heard from her since and when they checked the hotel, Natalee’s luggage and other belongings were still in her room.
It would take nearly twenty years before her killer was held responsible and the truth about her disappearance was brought to light.
Thank you to the wondrous Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for Research!
References
ABC News. 2006. Exclusive: van der Sloot talks about night out. February 22. Accessed March 26, 2024. https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=1648218.
Associated Press. 2005. "Three young suspects can be held in case of missing girl, judge rules." New York Times, June 12.
—. 2005. "Two suspects to be held in girl's case." New York Times, June 9.
—. 2012. "Natalee Holloway declared dead by judge six years after disappearance." The Guardian, January 12.
Burrough, Bryan. 2006. "Missing White Female." Vanity Fair, November 20.
Chandler, Kim. 2023. "Attorney describes Joran van der Sloot's confession." Montgomery Advertiser, November 11: 1.
CNN News. 2010. Interpol: Van der Sloot tried to extort Holloway's mother. June 9. Accessed March 27, 2024. http://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/06/08/us.van.der.sloot.alabama/.
CNN Wire. 2012. Van der Sloot sentenced to 28 years for Peru murder . January 13. Accessed March 27, 2024. https://www.cnn.com/2012/01/13/world/americas/peru-van-der-sloot-sentence.
Holloway, Beth. 2007. "My daughter disappeared." Good Housekeeping, November 1: 185.
Holloway, Dave, R. Stephanie Good, and Larry Garrison. 2023. Aruba: The Tragic Untold Story of Natalee Holloway and Corruption in Paradise. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishing.
Lybrand, Holmes, Jean Casarez, and Evan Perez. 2023. FBI details how van der Sloot’s confession in Natalee Holloway’s death came together. October 24. Accessed March 27, 2024. https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/24/us/joran-van-der-sloot-holloway-plea-deal/index.html.
Lyman, Rick. 2005. "Missing woman's case spurs discussion of news coverage." New York Times, August 7.
NBC News. 2005. Aruban police again search landfill for Holloway. July 28. Accessed March 26, 2024. https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna8745217.
—. 2010. Van der Sloot admits Holloway family extortion plot: 'Why not?'. September 6. Accessed March 27, 2024. https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna39023617.
Nelson, Andrew. 2005. "Missing teen's friends, family continue hope." Birmingham Post-Herald, June 6: 24.
News, ABC. 2006. "Dutch teen tells Primetime about night with Natalee Holloway." ABC News, February 23.
Norton, Michael. 2005. "FBI answers mother's plea to aid search." Montgomery Advertiser, June 4: 1.
Robinson, Carol. 2023. Listen to Joran van der Sloot describe Natalee Holloway’s final moments in chilling confession. October 18. Accessed March 27, 2024. https://www.al.com/news/2023/10/listen-to-joran-van-der-sloot-describe-natalee-holloways-final-moments-in-chilling-confession.html.
Robinson, Carol, and Ivana Hrynkiw. 2023. Joran van der Sloot confesses to killing Natalee Holloway: ‘You terminated her dreams,’ mother says. October 18. Accessed March 27, 2024. https://www.al.com/news/2023/10/joran-van-der-sloot-expected-to-plead-guilty-in-natalee-holloway-extortion-case-today-latest-updates.html.
Robinson, Gene. 2005. "Missing white women and the media." Washington Post, June 14.
The Independent. 2010. "Sex, lies and a murder suspect with a story to sell." The Independent, June 23.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Customer Reviews
Interrupted Flow
This is by far one of my all time favorite podcast!
But lately I have noticed that when they are telling the story they have been interrupting the flow of the story to talk about how they feel, or how awful something is, or whatever they stop to say!
Now I understand, it is their podcast and they can do whatever they please. However, it gets frustrating because I want to hear the story and the story is intense and so good and then bam they stop to put in their input about how bad it is!
This is true crime we know it is a horrendous crime and unfortunately some of us (for instance me personally) have live awful lives, with sexual assault, rape, manipulation, domestic abuse and every other abuse you can think of!
Please ladies do not take this as a negative thing because I do love you both! You ladies do a fantastic job!
It would be nice if they could stop interrupting the flow of the story and wait for a better time/spot to give their inputs instead of right in the middle of something important. Especially when the go on long rants in the middle of the story that lasts for 5 minutes. I just noticed they have been doing this more and more lately. Especially during all 4 parts of the Fred and Rose case.
love love LOVE
listening to morbid really feels like talking true crime with your besties. whereas other shows can feel like you’re just having the facts thrown at you, the way that ash and alaina make each episode feel like a discussion that you the listener get to be a part of is an art form in an of itself. i love the banter and the way their personalities shine while remaining entirely respectful of the cases they discuss. they compliment each other so well and they have found a very special place in this weirdo’s heart<3
Stories meh. Hosts annoying.
They talk too much they repeat each other they say stupid things. It just seems very thrown together and it’s almost like they feel like they don’t have to even try to be remotely professional. Also, they use these dumb cringy fake voices like they’re trying to be catchy and cute Why can’t they ever just hear a story? The second one girl makes a comment the other makes it even dumber comment and then they go back-and-forth for repeating the same thing. If these girls are not in middle school, they really need to grow up. Seriously dumb commentary and they go back-and-forth like dumb dumb dumb dumb yeah dumb dumb dumb mean mean horrible, horrible horrible, horrible, vile, vile, vile, vile. I just don’t think these girls are intelligent or well read or even remotely prepared. They’re basically just ripping off other podcasts and Wikipedia. Absolutely no level of originality they take too long to tell a story. And the perpetual repeating of inane sounds like Uhh uhhh uhhh uhhh is unbearable. I can no longer listen to this so adios wondery. I wosh they would have stopped the fake voices. I wish they would just told the story. And I was the one who wasn’t telling the story would just shut the F up. There’s no need for her to participate especially if she’s just going to be annoying. Also, their vocabulary is horrendous. They need to increase their knowledge of the English language in terms of pronunciation of words. They say words wrong. They use words wrong. And they have a very limited knowledge of usable words. They think it’s cute that they’re. For podcasting it’s bottom shelf mediocre for a low brow audience. In terms of journalism it’s absolutely horrific.