We Would Be Dead
A weekly true crime podcast that finds humanity in the darkness, humor in the history and the devil in the details.
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Episodes
Tuesday Jan 26, 2021
Tuesday Jan 26, 2021
On November 2nd 2007 Amanda Knox went home to her Italian Villa to take a shower and pack her bags before leaving on a weekend getaway with her boyfriend, but something was off. When Amanda arrived home she noticed blood spots in the bathroom sink, blood on the bath mat and her roommates were nowhere to be found. Shortly after that, the police would discover that Amanda's roommate Meredith had been brutally murdered in their home.
In the series of events that followed, police would mistake Amanda's behavior as that of a guilty woman and send her down 4 year spiral of wrongful convictions, imprisonment and a scorching media character assassination that would change the way many of us view the legal system, and make many of us pause and think about which people in our lives we could actually trust.
In the second installment of this case we will cover Amanda's time in prison, her trials, appeals and ultimate exoneration. We also explore theories as to what actually happened to Meredith and the person (people) who committed this crime.
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Amanda's website with links to what she's doing now
Dr. Saul Kassin explains false confessions
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Tuesday Jan 19, 2021
Tuesday Jan 19, 2021
On November 2nd 2007 Amanda Knox went home to her Italian Villa to take a shower and pack her bags before leaving on a weekend getaway with her boyfriend, but something was off. When Amanda arrived home she noticed blood spots in the bathroom sink, blood on the bath mat and her roommates were nowhere to be found. Shortly after that, the police would discover that Amanda's roommate Meredith had been brutally murdered in their home.
In the series of events that followed, police would mistake Amanda's behavior as that of a guilty woman and send her down 4 year spiral of wrongful convictions, imprisonment and a scorching media character assassination that would change the way many of us view the legal system, and make many of us pause and think about which people in our lives we could actually trust.
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Waiting to be Heard by Amanda Knox
Honor Bound by Raffaele Sollecito
Meredith by John Kercher
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Tuesday Jan 12, 2021
Tuesday Jan 12, 2021
On November 19th 2011 Williamsburg West Virginia police got a series of disturbing 911 calls. There has been as terrible accident, and all that remained were a body in the middle of the road and a car idling against the guard rail 3/10 if a mile down the highway. Upon arrival authorities discovered the remains of 20 year old Jaleayah Davis, naked from the waist up, decapitated in the middle on interstate 77. Her bloodied jacket, shirt and bra were neatly hung on the guard rail, and her 2006 Silver Kia Optima was 3/10 of a mile away, idling in the shoulder of the road pressed against the guardrail, doors still locked, keys in the ignition.
When her family arrived on the scene they revealed that Jaleayah had been out with friends that night, and just moments before she was discovered, had made a series of disturbing phone calls to her sister, asking through tears to be picked up first from one location and then another. What Happened to Jaleayah Davis? Officially the Williamsburg police say she died in a single driver drunk driving accident, but there is so much more to this story. In this episode we discuss a truly senseless, tragic and mysterious death. We hope that some day the Davis family finds the answers they are looking for. PLEASE visit the Justice for Jaleayah Facebook page (link below) to learn more, and if you have any information about this case please message the facebook page immediately.
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Justice for Jaleayah Facebook page
Kim Davis on The Bread Lab Live
How to watch Jaleayah's case on ID
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Tuesday Jan 05, 2021
Tuesday Jan 05, 2021
In late March of 1996 a box containing the mutilated remains of an unidentified man washed up on the shores of Miller Field in Staten Island. Little did authorities know that this discovery was indelibly linked to the who's who of New York City Nightlife, and the king of the club kids himself, Michael Alig. Join WWBD as we take an ultra deep dive into the world in 1980's and 90's New York City night life. We trace the road to the concept of being famous for being famous and explore the rise of the elusive, colorful, living works of art and influence that were known simply as the club kids. This counter cultural phenomenon would change the landscape of art, music, and night life in a way no one knew was possible, and sadly, it culminated in one of the most shocking and grizzly murders of it's time.
*There were a great many sources this week, most of which you can find below, but we will post more of the talk show appearances in our social media this week. As always, we encourage you to read more if you can. Also Glory Daze will be available on Netflix soon, it is an incredible watch :)
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Glory Daze: The Life and Times of Michael Alig
Party Monster on Tubi
Limelight on Tubi
Michael Musto's Village Voice article, originally published in 1996
More recent coverage by Michael Musto
Party Monster (originally titled "Disco Bloodbath" by James St. James
Clubland By Frank Owen
The Club Kids on Joan Rivers
DragCon 2017 NYC panel featuring Michael Musto, James St. James, Amanda Lepore and photographer John Simone
New York City Club Kids by WaltPaper.
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Tuesday Dec 22, 2020
Tuesday Dec 22, 2020
Gather 'round the fire fiends and let's bring back a time honored tradition: Christmastime ghost stories. This episode is perfect for a chilly and festive evening. Holly is reading you the classic chiller The Kit Bag by Algernon Blackwood, Leslie is reading the festive hide and seek scare fest 'Smee by A.M. Burrage, and finally, Holly offers an original ghost story in the traditional style called Mrs. Grove. We hope you enjoy, and maybe if all of us get on board, we can bring this fantastic tradition back to life. Merry Christmas, fiends!
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Tuesday Dec 15, 2020
Tuesday Dec 15, 2020
Step right up fiends, we're taking a trip to the sideshow! Join us as we explore the fascinating history of this uniquely American art form. Holly explores the roots of the side show and some of it's most famous human exhibits, Leslie recounts the haunting story of the Lobster Boy murders, and we have our first guest! Join WWBD as we explore the world of the modern sideshow from the perspective someone who lives it. Show organizer and performer Jason Lutz, AKA Mister E The Clown Prince of darkness, takes us behind the curtain for a unique look at the art, the magic and the reality of a working sideshow performer.
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Mister E on Instagram
Dead Flowers on Instagram
Dead Flowers on Facebook
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Tuesday Dec 08, 2020
Tuesday Dec 08, 2020
It was Christmas Eve 2008, and the Ortega family of West Covina, California, were enjoying the tail end of their annual Christmas Eve bash. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. It appeared that Santa Clause had come to town, only this time he didn't bring presents, he brought a small arsenal. As you may have guessed, the Santa in question hadn't come down from the North Pole. No, Bruce Pardo, the man behind the beard, had driven a rental car from his Montrose home to the Ortega's house with one goal and one goal only, and that was to annihilate them all. Hang on to your jingle bells fiends, because this week we tell the story of the baddest Santa there ever was.
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Tuesday Dec 01, 2020
Tuesday Dec 01, 2020
Every year on Thanksgiving eve, they descend from the heavens to delight children and frustrate parents the world over. Elves. Whether on shelves, at the north pole, on Santa's sleigh, or at Macy's snapping a keepsake photo, elves are usually distinctly bonded to Christmas. Surprisingly enough, though, our diminutive misfit friends only made their way into the big man's employment in the late 1800s; their dark and mysterious history, however, goes back so much further. Join WWBD as we explore a time when elves were sickness-causing, blindingly attractive, kidnapping, forest dwellers. It's time for a lesson in dark history fiends, let's talk elves!
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Tuesday Nov 24, 2020
Tuesday Nov 24, 2020
On August 13th, 2018, Shanann Watts and her two daughters. Bella and Celeste went missing from their Fredrick, Colorado, home. When young, healthy, and well-liked people go missing, we never want to assume the unthinkable has happened, but in this case, it had. The truth that unfurled over the next three days would shock the entire country and create a new landmark in this history of American crime. In this heavily requested and sometimes difficult to process episode, WWBD explores the unthinkable actions of Chris Watts.
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Netflix documentary
Vice MLM exposé
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Tuesday Nov 17, 2020
Tuesday Nov 17, 2020
On February 8th, 1983, the residents of number 23 Cranley Gardens, located in a small North London suburb eagerly awaited the arrival of drain cleaning company Dyno-rod. The clogged drains had been a nuisance for a while and resolving this situation would surely be a huge relief; when the drain cleaner arrived, however, he would discover one of the most horrifying scenes in British true crime history. This discovery would launch investigators down the bizarre and sadistic trail of narcissist and serial killer, Dennis Nilsen.
In part two of our investigation we explore Dennis's confession, conviction, trial and incarceration. In typical WWBD fashion we also dive deep into Dennis's psychological evaluations and tell the stories of three of his surviving victims.
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The Real Des Documentary
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About Us
We are Holly & Leslie, the hosts of We Would Be Dead. A weekly true crime podcast that finds humanity in the darkness, humor in the history, and the devil in the details. Above all else we recognize that if we had to walk a mile in any of the stories that we tell, we would be dead.