Finding Gems in the Graveyard
If you’ve ever found yourself laughing inappropriately at horrific crime scenes or wondering what the real estate market looks like in towns plagued by grisly homicides, then you’re probably already familiar with the comedic true crime masterpiece that is “Small Town Murder.”
For the uninitiated, comedians James Pietragallo and Jimmie Whisman have spent years taking their listeners on darkly hilarious journeys through America’s forgotten burgs and the shocking murders that briefly put them on the map. Between James’s obsessive research and Jimmie’s perfectly timed wisecracks, they’ve created hundreds of episodes detailing bizarre crimes in places you couldn’t find on a map with a GPS and a prayer.
But with an archive deeper than some of the graves they discuss, newcomers might wonder where to begin. Fear not, fellow murder enthusiasts, I’ve compiled the best episodes of this podcast so good they’ll make you both terrified of small-town America and inexplicably eager to visit it.
#169 – A Brutal, Silly & Victimless Murder in Layland, West Virginia
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In Layland, West Virginia, officers discovered a corpse hanging by one foot from a bridge as bystanders scattered. The events leading to this bizarre scene involve family violence, reckless decisions, and questionable sympathy for the victim. The story highlights coal mining dangers, children’s failed attempts at body disposal, and a victim whose actions raise uncomfortable questions about justified homicide.
#212 – Horses Of A Feather – Dean, Texas
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In Dean, Texas, a seemingly prosperous man meets an untimely demise, leaving authorities questioning multiple suspects: his discontented spouse, her close friend who also serves as his assistant, his children, or his business associate. Investigators benefit from unexpected leads, unveiling a meticulously orchestrated, ruthless conspiracy. Will justice be served? The case reveals surprising insights: soil’s unexpected cost, cranberry juice’s potential hazards, and how perpetrators sometimes evade appropriate consequences for their actions.
#339 – The Happiest Meal – Jenks, Oklahoma
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In Jenks, Oklahoma, a woman’s late-night Walmart trip ends mysteriously when she vanishes, her vehicle abandoned with a flat tire roadside. By dawn, she’s discovered injured among tall grass, distant from her car. What seems accidental quickly reveals itself as a sordid tale of infidelity, avarice, carnal encounters, deception, and calculated homicide. Could her spouse, entangled with a young fast-food employee, be responsible, or does another sinister scheme exist? Eventually, the disturbing truth emerges.
The investigation demonstrates how certain individuals remain undeterred by environmental calamities, suggests that prominently displaying significant baldness might be unwise, and illustrates the folly of enlisting murder accomplices from struggling academic programs.
#130 – I Killed The Devil… You’re Welcome in Jackson, Michigan
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In Jackson, Michigan, the proprietors of a pizza and taco establishment projected an image of marital bliss, enjoying travels together and appearing flawlessly matched. This façade crumbled when one spouse disappeared, prompting relatives to investigate. Their pursuit of truth culminated in authorities uncovering an unusually disturbing crime scene of exceptional brutality. The motivation remains puzzling, was it related to neurological procedures, cannabis consumption, or perhaps a delusional belief in eliminating evil incarnate? The outcome was catastrophic.
#60 – A Triangle of Tragedy in Phillips, Oklahoma
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In the declining community of Phillips, Oklahoma, a charismatic individual attracted several women into his sphere of influence, eventually persuading them to participate in unthinkably heinous activities. This bizarre chronicle of complex and disturbed relationships culminates in terrifying consequences, with unexpectedly comical elements throughout. The narrative reveals insights about excessive coal consumption, karma’s predictive capabilities, and the unsuccessful attempt to claim “White Trash” status as legitimate grounds for challenging legal proceedings.
#579 – Millions To Murder – Sunnyside, California
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In Sunnyside, California, the execution of three individuals in an affluent residential property sparked community panic, though the violence proved far from arbitrary. The bloodshed stemmed from a meticulously devised scheme orchestrated by a youth who venerated imprisoned financial fraudsters and homicidal affiliates of “The Billionaire Boys Club.” This merciless deed granted him access to substantial wealth, enabling extravagant expenditures reminiscent of the Menendez siblings. The question remains whether justice would ultimately prevail.
#272 – STM Express – Groundhog for Breakfast – Elizabeth, West Virginia
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In Elizabeth, West Virginia, an extraordinary sequence of chaotic incidents unfolds in the remote countryside. An unconventional clan, who consume marmot meat, imbibe distilled spirits, and engage in physical altercations before midday, becomes embroiled in a bitter rivalry demanding immediate resolution. As adversaries scour the modest settlement and neighboring valley, escalating hostility culminates in a communal confrontation featuring gunfire exchange. This account ranks among the most astonishing narratives ever documented.
#199 – Hello, I’m My Sister… in Anniston, Alabama
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In Anniston, Alabama, we revisit a location for an unprecedented second examination, justified by the case’s remarkable peculiarity. This extraordinary narrative encompasses unexplained maladies, unexpectedly manifesting identical siblings, and a companion lacking upper limbs. The bewildering enigma appears resolved, only to transform into an even more confounding puzzle before reaching its definitive conclusion. The circumstances are utterly mind-boggling!
#349 – Blood Icicles – Oakley, Utah
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In Oakley, Utah, an extended household enjoys what should be an idyllic winter retreat in a picturesque alpine lodge. Their bliss disintegrates when a pair of malevolent individuals transform the serene setting into a fiery massacre. The brutality and savagery unfold in successive horrific acts, yet one family member’s survival narrative proves astonishingly remarkable, nearly beyond credibility. Could you imagine a blood-covered individual operating a snowmobile barefoot amid temperatures twenty degrees below zero?
#32 – Broken Bones & Brutal Murder in Baraboo, Wisconsin
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In Baraboo, Wisconsin, a community renowned for its circus heritage, an individual perpetrated violence of unprecedented ferocity. A youthful victim’s remarkable survival instinct thwarted what might have become a multiple murderer’s campaign. The narrative reveals who to contact when confronted with a wandering pachyderm on your property, explores the inner workings of circus exhibition facilities, and demonstrates emergency descent techniques for navigating staircases with dual fractured lower limbs.
#446 – The Carnival Mafia – Great Bend, Kansas
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In Great Bend, Kansas, an ordinary couple stumbles into the bizarre underworld of carnivals and carnies. Things take a dark turn when a gang of carnival workers becomes convinced that the couple is trying to join the so-called “carnival mafia”, and that committing murder is the only way in. They carry out the killing in a gruesome and horrifying manner, but fortunately for justice (and unfortunately for them), they leave behind a trail that points straight to their door. What follows is a cascade of absurd decisions and foolishness.
#489 – Psycho Stepmom – Edgerton, Kansas
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In Edgerton, Kansas, a chaotic family relationship spirals into conflict, harsh words, deep resentment, and ultimately, a sinister murder scheme hatched by the most unlikely suspect. Though heartless and savage, the plan nearly succeeds without a hitch. But when the body is discovered by chance, the intricate facade begins to unravel, sparking betrayal as a mother turns on her son and a daughter turns on her mother. It’s a tangled disaster from start to finish, one of the wildest stories you’ll ever hear!
#55 – The Neighborhood Cannibal in South Kingstown, Rhode Island
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In the historic town of South Kingstown, Rhode Island, we dive into a baffling disappearance that sparked a massive, nationwide search, only for a gruesome revelation to surface right in plain sight, hidden where no one thought to look. A savage murder sets the stage for this dark and twisted saga. Along the way, we uncover the meaning of a Swamp Yankee, marvel at how thousands of people managed to overlook something glaringly obvious, and explore just how despicable someone has to be for others to crave vigilante justice!
#294 – A Dumb Ted Bundy – Conway, South Carolina
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In Conway, South Carolina, a well-liked local teenager is discovered brutally murdered, sending shockwaves through the community and placing everyone under suspicion. Police interview dozens of friends and relatives, but answers remain elusive, until a breakthrough comes from a brand-new investigative tool: DNA evidence. With the help of an FBI profiler, a suspect emerges whose behavior fits the profile to a tee, and so does their DNA. The shocking twist? It’s someone nobody ever suspected. Some townsfolk even doubt that DNA science is real. But it is, and this individual is undeniably guilty. The big question now: will they face the death penalty?
#59 – A Picturesque Murder House in Raymond, Washington
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The spotlight turns to the old logging town of Raymond, Washington, where a seemingly kind-hearted couple lived an idyllic life in a picture-perfect setting, complete with a red farmhouse and a white picket fence. Known for opening their home to those in need, they appeared to embody small-town generosity. But that peaceful image shattered when people in their orbit began to vanish. As the story unfolds, it reveals the charm of one of the best small-town parades around, the shocking extent of cruelty one adult can endure at the hands of another, and the disturbing number of deaths that can occur right under the noses of local authorities before anyone decides to take a closer look.
#179 – Deep Beneath The Goat Heads in Gunnison, Colorado
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Gunnison, Colorado: a cheerful, carefree young man vanishes without a trace, leaving his friends to wonder, did he leave town to start fresh, or is someone in his own family hiding what really happened? Over the course of the two years he’s missing, countless rumors swirl through the community about who he truly was and where he might have gone. Was he a violent, drug-using slacker who mistreated his ailing elderly mother, or a fun-loving guy who just enjoyed a clean, harmless good time? No matter the story, one question remains, what happened to him? The answer is both shocking and unsettling.
#193 – A Stalking From Within in Darby, Montana
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In Darby, Montana, a dark scheme and a two-year reign of terror culminate in a brutal killing that leaves the entire community stunned. But the real shock comes when the layers start to peel back, nothing is as it appeared, and everyone’s assumptions are turned upside down. When the full story is revealed, it’s hard to believe just how deeply unhinged someone would have to be to carry out such a twisted act. This is one seriously deranged murder plot!
#431 – My Daddybrother Did It – Clayton, Georgia
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In Clayton, Georgia, a family with a turbulent and criminal past unravels amid a tangle of unusual relationships, jealousy, and custody disputes. At the center of it all is one of the most bizarre marriages imaginable, sparking chaos and deepening family tensions. Eventually, everything boils over in a violent outburst, followed by some of the most absurd getaway attempts you’ll ever hear about, shockingly laid-back police work, and the total collapse of a once-intact family.
#189 – The Lego Murders in Holladay, Utah
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Holladay, Utah: a well-known woman is savagely murdered in her home, leaving detectives with almost no clues, except for some bloodstains and a strange trail of Legos scattered near the body and throughout the house. The investigation stalls, and the case goes cold for 23 years. Then, a second, even more gruesome killing takes place in Arizona. At first, the two crimes appear completely unrelated, until someone takes a closer look at those Legos. What follows is a truly unbelievable story.
#201 – A Mystery Deepens in Gormania, West Virginia
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In Gormania, West Virginia, a young woman bolts out of her home after receiving a cryptic phone call, and vanishes without a trace. A massive search effort is launched, involving a community-wide volunteer search, along with the FBI, state troopers, and local law enforcement, all racing against time in hopes of finding her alive. In a town this small, suspicion touches everyone. But will the mystery ever be solved?
#68 – Too Many Dead Husbands in Gun Barrel City, Texas
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Gun Barrel City, Texas, a town where a string of toxic relationships and broken marriages spiraled into violence and mysterious disappearances, all pointing to a single suspect. Then, an unexpected tip leads investigators to two shocking revelations! Along the way, we learn how simple it is to form a town, the harsh reality of living without windows, and why if a relationship ends in gunfire, you should “never” marry that person again.
#116 – A Vampire Pyramid Scheme in Marshfield, Massachusetts
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In Marshfield, Massachusetts, a seemingly ordinary house fire uncovers a gruesome homicide. At first, theories swirl, but soon, the investigation takes a bizarre turn: “Was she murdered by a vampire… because she, too, was a vampire?” And do vampires really have to climb some kind of supernatural hierarchy, like a twisted multi-level marketing scheme? These questions, and others you never thought to ask, will finally be answered in this shocking episode.
#243 – How Not To Kill A Sugar Daddy – Climax Springs, Missouri
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Climax Springs, Missouri, where a retired doctor has embraced a wild new lifestyle, complete with drugs and younger women. When he meets a woman decades his junior, he believes he’s found his ideal partner. But what he doesn’t know is that his new wife, along with a bizarre crew of accomplices, is secretly plotting to kill him. Miraculously, he stumbles through life, accidentally foiling one murder attempt after another… until everything explodes in a shockingly violent finale, leaving behind a trail of blood, lies, and furious accusations.
#135 – A Sun Powered Killer in Edinburg, Virginia
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Edinburg, Virginia, where a deeply troubled man from an equally troubled family brings a bitter feud to a horrifying and bloody end. When authorities finally uncover his crimes, the explanation he gives is beyond unbelievable, a wild, delusional scheme so outlandish you’ll wonder how anyone thought it could possibly succeed. (Spoiler: It didn’t.) But just when you think this story can’t get any crazier…it does.
#339 – The Happiest Meal – Jenks, Oklahoma
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In Jenks, Oklahoma, a woman vanishes without a trace after stopping at Walmart at 2 AM, her abandoned car left on the roadside with a flat tire. By dawn, she’s discovered badly beaten in a field, far from where she disappeared. What first seems like a random attack soon unravels into a sordid tale of lust, betrayal, and pure greed, culminating in a merciless murder.
Read our review of Small Town Murder