Tales From the Underworld — Authentic True Crime

Tales From the Underworld — Authentic True Crime

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1960s

"The Dating Game Killer": The Story of Rodney Alcala and 'Woman of the Hour'
Anna Kendrick's 2023 directorial debut Woman of the Hour highlights the surreal moment that vicious serial killer Rodney Alcala appeared as a contestant…
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Kelly J. Sullivan
1
Murder Next Door: The Horrifying True Story Behind 2007's "The Girl Next Door"
The 2007 film The Girl Next Door shocked and repulsed viewers with its grim depiction of a girl being tortured at the hands of her caretaker. However…
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Rachael Elizabeth
Horror on the Highway: The True Story Behind the 2010 Film Freeway Killer
The 2010 film Freeway Killer explores the brutal reign of terror of California serial killer William Bonin and his accomplices
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Kirsten Ford
Murders In The Heartland: The True Story Behind "In Cold Blood"
In 1967, Truman Capote's novel "In Cold Blood" was brought to the big screen. The film details the brutal November 1959 murders of the Clutter family in…
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Kelly J. Sullivan
The Man Who Exposed The Mob: "The Valachi Papers"
The 1972 film The Valachi Papers starring Charles Bronson depicts the life and times of mafia turncoat Joe Valachi
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Timothy Reynolds
1
Buried By The FBI: The Bitter Tale of Joe Salvati
In 1968, Joe Salvati was sentenced to life in prison for a murder he had nothing to do with. Years later, it would come to light that the FBI knowingly…
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Timothy Reynolds
1
A Deadly Grievance: The Troubling Tale of Theodore Streleski
In August 1978, a troubled and struggling Stanford grad student named Theodore Streleski bludgeoned a highly regarded professor to death in what he…
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Timothy Reynolds
1
The Life of "Joe Bananas": A Tale of Greed, Manipulation, and Murder
He is the namesake of one of New York City's five mafia families. A shrewd and cunning mobster, his 1983 autobiography caught many off guard and ended…
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Timothy Reynolds
Activist, Revolutionary, and Wanted Fugitive: The Harrowing Tale of Assata Shakur
In 1979, political activist and Black revolutionary Assata Shakur was serving a life sentence for murder when she escaped from a New Jersey prison. She…
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Kates Lara
1
Escaping "The Rock?": Five Men Who Challenged Alactraz's Reputation As Escape Proof
Two separate escapes in 1937 and 1962 captured the public's imagination, as these men had seemingly done the impossible: Escape from Alcatraz
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Timothy Reynolds
The Daring Escapes of "Gentleman" Bank Robber "Slick" Willie Sutton
Known as much for his daring prison escapes as his intricate bank robberies, "Slick" Willie Sutton was nothing if not resourceful. His infamous…
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Timothy Reynolds
"Old Blue Eyes" and the Mob: Investigating Frank Sinatra's Organized Crime Ties
For years, rumors have persisted that iconic American singer and actor Frank Sinatra was connected to underworld figures. In fact, the FBI kept a file…
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Timothy Reynolds
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