ChaoticMusings

Magica · Still Here!

RE: Is anyone into True Crime stories on telly or YouTube?

Digger · Admin

At the height of the dreaded norovirus, all I wanted to watch was this. I find it oddly soothing.

Date: Dec 10 9:12 PM, 2025

Digger wrote:
At the height of the dreaded norovirus, all I wanted to watch was this. I find it oddly soothing.

Disappointed at first, thinking it was one of those bleak grisly Nordic noir crime shows (which I love), even made myself a cuppa in anticipation. 5 mins in and I'm enjoying the warm glows, the serenity and crunchy sounds.

Syl · FIRM BUT FAIR.

Ooh, it is rather relaxing to watch.
I love walking in the snow at night, but it's very nice to be warm and cosy indoors and still experirnce it.

I always found the Chris Rea Chrismas video, Driving home for Christmas, very soothing to watch.

-- Edited by Syl on Thursday 11th of December 2025 11:35:56 AM

Digger · Admin

Syl wrote:
Ooh, it is rather relaxing to watch.
I love walking in the snow at night, but it's very nice to be warm and cosy indoors and still experirnce it.

I always found the Chris Rea Chrismas video, Driving home for Christmas, very soothing to watch.

-- Edited by Syl on Thursday 11th of December 2025 11:35:56 AM

A couple of years ago it snowed very early one morning. I got up at 5am with my husband - he starts work at 6, and decided I was going to drive over to Monton and walk the dog. Monton has lots of trees and very old Victorian houses and all the Christmas lights were on and the snow was about ankle deep and it glittered under the lamplight and squeaked underfoot and it was magical.

Syl · FIRM BUT FAIR.

Digger wrote:
Syl wrote:
Ooh, it is rather relaxing to watch.
I love walking in the snow at night, but it's very nice to be warm and cosy indoors and still experirnce it.

I always found the Chris Rea Chrismas video, Driving home for Christmas, very soothing to watch.

-- Edited by Syl on Thursday 11th of December 2025 11:35:56 AM
A couple of years ago it snowed very early one morning. I got up at 5am with my husband - he starts work at 6, and decided I was going to drive over to Monton and walk the dog. Monton has lots of trees and very old Victorian houses and all the Christmas lights were on and the snow was about ankle deep and it glittered under the lamplight and squeaked underfoot and it was magical.

I love doing stuff like that, I never do it early morning, but at night, when it's snowing and everyone's houses are lit up, especially out of town where, like you say there are lots of trees and hedges, everything looks so beautiful in the snow.

Date: Feb 6 11:56 AM, 2026

For anyone interested in unusual true crime I'd recommend American Nightmare on Netflix if you haven't already seen it. Definitely worth watching.

Date: May 13 5:55 PM, 2026

Murdaughs convictions have been overturned today - he will be retried. Bet he'll get off this time.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cedpvnq7wn1o#:~:text=A%20South%20Carolina%20court%20has,over%20the%20June%202021%20killings.

Vam · Go Outside.

JJ wrote:
Murdaughs convictions have been overturned today - he will be retried. Bet he'll get off this time.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cedpvnq7wn1o#:~:text=A%20South%20Carolina%20court%20has,over%20the%20June%202021%20killings.

Insane!

He’s still very deeply entangled with a whole bunch of other charges/legal issues, though. I heard a CNN pundit say (wte) ‘In case people are worried, there is zero chance he’ll be out on the streets again anytime soon’.

Digger · Admin

I've been reading a crime book I downloaded onto my Kindle....I never knew the Son of Sam murders was a group of satanists.

Magica · Still Here!

Digger wrote:
I've been reading a crime book I downloaded onto my Kindle....I never knew the Son of Sam murders was a group of satanists.

No me neither. He murdered 6 people, I thought he murdered them on his own tbh.

Date: May 20 12:46 PM, 2026

Recommending a podcast - "Love Trapped" - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/love-trapped/id1878220033

In 2023, Arizona-based podcaster Laura Owens filed a lawsuit claiming Echard impregnated her with twins. Echard consistently denied the claims, and the ensuing family court battle ultimately proved the pregnancy never existed.

Criminal Charges: The investigation revealed Owens had altered an ultrasound image, fabricated a pregnancy video, and lied under oath. She was indicted on seven felony charges* in May 2025.
Additional Indictments: In November 2025, Owens was indicted on a second set of charges involving identity theft, forgery, and extortion stemming from accusations made against another man

*Owens is now facing 17 charges.

One woman's never-ending lies, using the legal/court system for years to effectively "punish" the men who didn't want to further a relationship with her.

There are, apparently, many YouTube videos (and forum discussions!), but I've literally just finished the podcast so I haven't got around to them as yet.

Digger · Admin

Magica wrote:
Digger wrote:
I've been reading a crime book I downloaded onto my Kindle....I never knew the Son of Sam murders was a group of satanists.
No me neither. He murdered 6 people, I thought he murdered them on his own tbh.

He? Them.

Magica · Still Here!

Digger wrote:
Magica wrote:
Digger wrote:
I've been reading a crime book I downloaded onto my Kindle....I never knew the Son of Sam murders was a group of satanists.
No me neither. He murdered 6 people, I thought he murdered them on his own tbh.
He? Them.

Son of Sam was Richard Berkowitz. Are you thinking of those nutters Manson Family. Charles Manson who murdered Sharon Tate, they were on drugs etc. Satanic lot!

Digger · Admin

Magica wrote:
Digger wrote:
Magica wrote:
Digger wrote:
I've been reading a crime book I downloaded onto my Kindle....I never knew the Son of Sam murders was a group of satanists.
No me neither. He murdered 6 people, I thought he murdered them on his own tbh.
He? Them.
Son of Sam was Richard Berkowitz. Are you thinking of those nutters Manson Family. Charles Manson who murdered Sharon Tate, they were on drugs etc. Satanic lot!

No, I'm not thinking of Manson. It's kind of controversial as to whether Berkowitz acted alone or not....but he was the only one who confessed to the crimes. Several witnesses and one survivor gave descriptions that didn't match Berkowitz which led to the assumption he was not working alone. But who knows. I think the murders went on for so long that the powers that be were just satisifed they'd caught someone.

Magica · Still Here!

Digger wrote:
Magica wrote:
Digger wrote:
Magica wrote:
Digger wrote:
I've been reading a crime book I downloaded onto my Kindle....I never knew the Son of Sam murders was a group of satanists.
No me neither. He murdered 6 people, I thought he murdered them on his own tbh.
He? Them.
Son of Sam was Richard Berkowitz. Are you thinking of those nutters Manson Family. Charles Manson who murdered Sharon Tate, they were on drugs etc. Satanic lot!
No, I'm not thinking of Manson. It's kind of controversial as to whether Berkowitz acted alone or not....but he was the only one who confessed to the crimes. Several witnesses and one survivor gave descriptions that didn't match Berkowitz which led to the assumption he was not working alone. But who knows. I think the murders went on for so long that the powers that be were just satisifed they'd caught someone.

I think he enjoyed the notoriety. I thought it was just him, but maybe the book you're reading has delved deeper to believe there could be others.

Red Okktober · Musing at the Chaos

I read a book about Son of Sam 30+ years ago - the things that stuck with me were that he used to creep up to cars and shoot young couples, and that he heard voices in his head, maybe from a dog.

A good book about murderers is the Jigsaw Man by Paul Britton, a forensic pyschologist - he covers lots of famous cases, including Rachel Nickell on Wimbledon Common, and the honey trap set up to wrongfully snare Colin Stagg

Date: May 21 10:56 AM, 2026

Red Okktober wrote:
I read a book about Son of Sam 30+ years ago - the things that stuck with me were that he used to creep up to cars and shoot young couples, and that he heard voices in his head, maybe from a dog.

A good book about murderers is the Jigsaw Man by Paul Britton, a forensic pyschologist - he covers lots of famous cases, including Rachel Nickell on Wimbledon Common, and the honey trap set up to wrongfully snare Colin Stagg

maybe I’m mis-remembering but didn’t he mention it was his neighbour’s dog?

Magica · Still Here!

Red Okktober wrote:
I read a book about Son of Sam 30+ years ago - the things that stuck with me were that he used to creep up to cars and shoot young couples, and that he heard voices in his head, maybe from a dog.

A good book about murderers is the Jigsaw Man by Paul Britton, a forensic pyschologist - he covers lots of famous cases, including Rachel Nickell on Wimbledon Common, and the honey trap set up to wrongfully snare Colin Stagg

Sounds good, I will.look for that.

Date: May 21 5:15 PM, 2026

Anonymous wrote:
Red Okktober wrote:
I read a book about Son of Sam 30+ years ago - the things that stuck with me were that he used to creep up to cars and shoot young couples, and that he heard voices in his head, maybe from a dog.

A good book about murderers is the Jigsaw Man by Paul Britton, a forensic pyschologist - he covers lots of famous cases, including Rachel Nickell on Wimbledon Common, and the honey trap set up to wrongfully snare Colin Stagg
maybe I’m mis-remembering but didn’t he mention it was his neighbour’s dog?

Edit: my memory, or lack of, was bugging me re the dog so found this via Google AI…

” Serial killer David Berkowitz ("Son of Sam") initially claimed that demonic voices instructing him to murder were communicated to him through his neighbor's Labrador Retriever, "Harvey," which belonged to a man named Sam Carr. He later confessed that the talking dog story was a complete fabrication.

Berkowitz admitted the deception to authorities and mental health experts in 1979, stating he invented the demon-possessed dog tale to establish an insanity defense and evade responsibility for his crimes. In reality, the voices were a hoax he used to manipulate the public. He ultimately pleaded guilty to the murders and is serving consecutive life sentences.”