Horror Fuel
☰ Browse the Crypt
Category

True Crime

True crime cases with a horror edge — investigations, disappearances and the documentaries that cover them.

360 stories
Horror Fuel

John Borowski’s Serial Killer Culture

Well…here we are my Little Monsters, we’re in a brand new month. To start off this new month I would like to make a suggestion about something that you really ought to check out. Staring today, March 1st, there is a new six part series from documentary filmmaker John Borowski, entitled Serial Killer Culture TV, available for viewing or purchase at Amazon. What exactly is serial killer culture? One could posit that it is a form subculture that focuses not just on the killers themselves, but also their crimes, their motivation and the historical context. With this series, Borowski picks up where he left off with his documentary film on the subject, by further shedding light on all manner of endeavors that have arisen from people’s fascination with these real life monsters. To understand why Borowski created this series, we must go back to when he began this particular journey in 2014 with the release of his documentary Serial Killer

Continue reading →
Capt McNeely
Mar 1, 2017
Horror Fuel

John and Sarah Makin – The Murderous Baby Farmers

The world has obviously changed drastically since the 1800s, but during that time in Australia there was what is called baby farming. It was for poor parents or single parents who were unable to raise their children. They would pay another couple to take the child so that there would be the possibility of a prosperous and happy life…John and Sarah Makin robbed the babies they farmed of both a prosperous life and life in general. These two monsters were a match made in Hell. John Makin was born on February 14, 1845 and Sarah was born August 15 of the same year. The couple were wed on August 27, 1871. Sarah had been married before and brought one child into the marriage and then had another daughter with John. John worked as a drayman (a driver of a low, flatbed wagon that transported various kinds of goods) and was injured which forced him to quit and the couple was

Continue reading →
Capt McNeely
Feb 12, 2017
Horror Fuel

The True Story Of ‘Frank Johnny Garrett’s Last Word’ – Arriving On VOD This March

Simon Rumley’s ‘ film ‘Johnny Frank Garrett’s Last Word’ is set for a March release. One thing that adds to the terror of the film is that is based on a true story. So, who was the real Frank Johnny Garrett, you might ask? Let me fill you in. The Crime On October 31, 1981, at 7:30 a.m., the battered, bloodied, dead body of 76-year-old Sister Teadea Benz was discovered inside the St. Francis Convent in Potter County, Texas. The sister was found in her second story bedroom brutally attacked, raped, stabbed, and strangled. Clues, including finger prints, led police to one suspect and on November 9, 1981 Johnny Frank Garrett, who lived across the street from the convent, was arrested for Sister Benz’s murder. The Sentence Garrett was convicted of the crime and sentenced to death. He would spent his remaining days on death row in Huntsville, Texas. He was originally scheduled for execution on January 2, 1992, but

Continue reading →
Kelli Marchman McNeely
Feb 5, 2017
Horror Fuel

John Borowski’s SERIAL KILLER CULTURE TV Coming Soon to Amazon

Serial killers, there’s no doubt that it’s a subject that fascinates us as a society. The evidence can be found in the popularity of movies and books chronicling the exploits of these real life monsters. Said fascination has even served as inspiration for the creation of fictional serial killers for the printed page and the big screen, who have taken their place in popular culture right beside their real life counter parts. But truth is, if you’ll pardon the cliché, stranger than fiction. One such person, who has spent time shedding light on the truths behind some of these historical homicidal maniacs, is author and filmmaker John Borowski. To date Borowski has made four documentary films about real life serial killers: Serial Killer Culture, Carl Panzram: The Spirit of Hatred and Vengeance, Albert Fish: In Sin He Found Salvation and my personal favorite of the bunch, H.H. Holmes: America’s First Serial Killer. Additionally he has written three books on the

Continue reading →
Capt McNeely
Feb 4, 2017
Advertisement
Horror Fuel

Witness ‘Johnny Frank Garrett’s Last Word’ This March – Based On A True Story

The supernatural thriller ‘Johnny Frank Garrett’s Last Word’, will soon see release and we can’t wait. The film, inspired by a true story, follows the events of a young man executed for murder who maintained his innocence up to his last breath. After leaving behind a letter cursing all those connected to his trial, strange things begin to happen, and people begin to die. Mike Doyle, Sean Patrick Flanery, Erin Cummings, and Devin Bonnée star in this intense tale directed by Simon Rumley, and written by Ben Ketai and Tony Giglio. Synopsis: Based on a true story… a nun was murdered in her convent bedroom in Amarillo, Texas, on Halloween 1981. The police arrested a young man, Johnny Frank Garrett, who always maintained his innocence; but he was found guilty and sentenced to death. On the night of his execution, he wrote a curse letter condemning the people and their families who helped send him to his demise. Shortly after

Continue reading →
Kelli Marchman McNeely
Jan 30, 2017
Horror Fuel

The True Story That Inspired The Film ‘The Axe Murders Of Villisca’

Tony E. Valenzuela’s paranormal thriller, ‘The Axe Murders of Villisca’, is now available in select theaters, on VOD, and on Digital HD, as of January 20th. The haunting film was inspired by the true story of the viscous, unsolved murder of an entire family. The Crime Sometime around midnight on Sunday, June 9, 1912, a killer or killers entered a home in Villisca, Iowa, and slaughtered eight people in their sleep. The victims included two adults and six children from the ages of 5 to 12. The night before the murders, the family had spent the evening in church, then walked the 3 blocks to their home. Sometime after midnight one or more killers entered the residence, one armed with the father’s ax and bludgeoned to death each person in the home. By 8:00 am on the 10th, the father’s brother Ross arrived at the house. Upon entering he saw Joe and Sarah Moore’s bodies covered by a bedsheet. Ross

Continue reading →
Kelli Marchman McNeely
Jan 22, 2017
Horror Fuel

Charles Manson – The Man Who Thinks He is Both Christ and Satan

Monsters are real. Many articles have and will be written about mass murderers, serial killers, sociopaths and every other type of terror anyone can imagine. That being said, there are few monsters who come close to the topic of today’s article. This man brainwashed others to do, in his own words, Satan’s work. He was a beacon of evil for lost and damaged souls to latch onto and feel part of something. This monster gave his disciples purpose…the abominable purpose of Helter Skelter. Charles Manson was never convicted of murder himself, but he has spent nearly a lifetime in prison for composing one of the most publicised and vicious mass murders in modern history…and that is only a fraction of his reign of terror. The timing of this article coincides with Manson being admitted to a California hospital due to an undisclosed illness. Rumour is that Manson is suffering from gastrointestinal issues, but it is against federal and state law

Continue reading →
Capt McNeely
Jan 4, 2017
Horror Fuel

Jack the Stripper – Not a Typo

Everyone knows the name Jack the Ripper. The serial killer who was never captured from the 1800s in London; however, there is a much less publicized killer from England dubbed Jack the Stripper. Like his near-namesake, he slaughtered prostitutes, was never captured, and the killings ceased on their own for an unknown reason. Between the years 1964-1965 The Stripper murdered 6-8 women and deposited their bodies near the River Thames. His victims were not sexually abused, but they were left nude and horrifically mutilated for the public to discover. No connection between the victims was ever confirmed, but it was highly thought that they were all prominent members of the underground pornography scene in London. John Du Rose, the chief of Scotland Yard at the time, searched vigilantly for the killer, and a list of over 7,000 suspects were interviewed…but to no avail. Then Du Rose had another plan. He held a news conference where he announced that he list

Continue reading →
Capt McNeely
Jan 3, 2017
Horror Fuel

Anneliese Mickel: The Voice Of The Damned – A True Story Of Possession

Do you remember 2005’s possession film ‘The Exorcism of Emily Rose’, starring Jennifer Carpenter, Laura Linney, Tom Wilkinson and Campbell Scott? The film centers on the possession and exorcism of a 19 year-old college student (Carpenter). In a rare decision, the Catholic church approved her exorcism. What you might not realize is that the film is based on a true story, the tale of of a German woman, Anneliese Michel. Anneliese’s story ended in tragedy, with her death. Her parents and the priest were charged with negligent homicide. It all began when Anneliese was 17. After suffering from a seizure she was diagnosed with Grand Mal Epilepsy in 1969. Soon, she started experiencing hallucinations, and hearing voices. By 1975, she was convinced she was possessed. While exhibiting symptoms of schizophrenia, her deeply religious parents agreed she was possessed. The poor young woman struck out on a pilgrimage with another woman. She noticed the Anneliese avoided images of Jesus, refused to

Continue reading →
Kelli Marchman McNeely
Jan 2, 2017
Horror Fuel

The Grimm Sleeper – A Modern Serial Killer

I have thought about how to close out this year of absolute insanity. So many deaths! Musicians, actors, politicians…nobody was safe from 2016! So I thought that instead of a list of bests or worsts (although those are always fun and interesting) I will focus on the umbrella theme of this year: death. There was a very high profile serial killer sentenced to death this year. I knew nothing about it until researching for this article. He is horrific enough that he will surely join the lore of killers we read about in books and see in film adaptations. His story involves multiple victims, picture-trophies, possible countless other victims, and spreads over three decades. Lonnie David Franklin Jr. was born on August 30, 1952 in California. He was married, had two children and served a term in the U.S. Military. His neighbors described the man as “friendly and quiet” and he would often chat with them as he worked on

Continue reading →
Capt McNeely
Dec 29, 2016

More from True Crime

Horror Fuel

John Borowski’s Serial Killer Culture

Well…here we are my Little Monsters, we’re in a brand new month. To start off this new month I would like to make a suggestion about something that you really ought to check out. Staring today, March 1st, there is a new six part series from documentary filmmaker John Borowski, entitled Serial Killer Culture TV, available for viewing or purchase at Amazon. What exactly is serial killer culture? One could posit that it is a form subculture that focuses not just on the killers themselves, but also their crimes, their motivation and the historical context. With this series, Borowski picks up where he left off with his documentary film on the subject, by further shedding light on all manner of endeavors that have arisen from people’s fascination with these real life monsters. To understand why Borowski created this series, we must go back to when he began this particular journey in 2014 with the release of his documentary Serial Killer

Continue reading →
Capt McNeely
Mar 1, 2017
Horror Fuel

John and Sarah Makin – The Murderous Baby Farmers

The world has obviously changed drastically since the 1800s, but during that time in Australia there was what is called baby farming. It was for poor parents or single parents who were unable to raise their children. They would pay another couple to take the child so that there would be the possibility of a prosperous and happy life…John and Sarah Makin robbed the babies they farmed of both a prosperous life and life in general. These two monsters were a match made in Hell. John Makin was born on February 14, 1845 and Sarah was born August 15 of the same year. The couple were wed on August 27, 1871. Sarah had been married before and brought one child into the marriage and then had another daughter with John. John worked as a drayman (a driver of a low, flatbed wagon that transported various kinds of goods) and was injured which forced him to quit and the couple was

Continue reading →
Capt McNeely
Feb 12, 2017
Horror Fuel

The True Story Of ‘Frank Johnny Garrett’s Last Word’ – Arriving On VOD This March

Simon Rumley’s ‘ film ‘Johnny Frank Garrett’s Last Word’ is set for a March release. One thing that adds to the terror of the film is that is based on a true story. So, who was the real Frank Johnny Garrett, you might ask? Let me fill you in. The Crime On October 31, 1981, at 7:30 a.m., the battered, bloodied, dead body of 76-year-old Sister Teadea Benz was discovered inside the St. Francis Convent in Potter County, Texas. The sister was found in her second story bedroom brutally attacked, raped, stabbed, and strangled. Clues, including finger prints, led police to one suspect and on November 9, 1981 Johnny Frank Garrett, who lived across the street from the convent, was arrested for Sister Benz’s murder. The Sentence Garrett was convicted of the crime and sentenced to death. He would spent his remaining days on death row in Huntsville, Texas. He was originally scheduled for execution on January 2, 1992, but

Continue reading →
Kelli Marchman McNeely
Feb 5, 2017
Horror Fuel

John Borowski’s SERIAL KILLER CULTURE TV Coming Soon to Amazon

Serial killers, there’s no doubt that it’s a subject that fascinates us as a society. The evidence can be found in the popularity of movies and books chronicling the exploits of these real life monsters. Said fascination has even served as inspiration for the creation of fictional serial killers for the printed page and the big screen, who have taken their place in popular culture right beside their real life counter parts. But truth is, if you’ll pardon the cliché, stranger than fiction. One such person, who has spent time shedding light on the truths behind some of these historical homicidal maniacs, is author and filmmaker John Borowski. To date Borowski has made four documentary films about real life serial killers: Serial Killer Culture, Carl Panzram: The Spirit of Hatred and Vengeance, Albert Fish: In Sin He Found Salvation and my personal favorite of the bunch, H.H. Holmes: America’s First Serial Killer. Additionally he has written three books on the

Continue reading →
Capt McNeely
Feb 4, 2017
Horror Fuel

Witness ‘Johnny Frank Garrett’s Last Word’ This March – Based On A True Story

The supernatural thriller ‘Johnny Frank Garrett’s Last Word’, will soon see release and we can’t wait. The film, inspired by a true story, follows the events of a young man executed for murder who maintained his innocence up to his last breath. After leaving behind a letter cursing all those connected to his trial, strange things begin to happen, and people begin to die. Mike Doyle, Sean Patrick Flanery, Erin Cummings, and Devin Bonnée star in this intense tale directed by Simon Rumley, and written by Ben Ketai and Tony Giglio. Synopsis: Based on a true story… a nun was murdered in her convent bedroom in Amarillo, Texas, on Halloween 1981. The police arrested a young man, Johnny Frank Garrett, who always maintained his innocence; but he was found guilty and sentenced to death. On the night of his execution, he wrote a curse letter condemning the people and their families who helped send him to his demise. Shortly after

Continue reading →
Kelli Marchman McNeely
Jan 30, 2017
Horror Fuel

The True Story That Inspired The Film ‘The Axe Murders Of Villisca’

Tony E. Valenzuela’s paranormal thriller, ‘The Axe Murders of Villisca’, is now available in select theaters, on VOD, and on Digital HD, as of January 20th. The haunting film was inspired by the true story of the viscous, unsolved murder of an entire family. The Crime Sometime around midnight on Sunday, June 9, 1912, a killer or killers entered a home in Villisca, Iowa, and slaughtered eight people in their sleep. The victims included two adults and six children from the ages of 5 to 12. The night before the murders, the family had spent the evening in church, then walked the 3 blocks to their home. Sometime after midnight one or more killers entered the residence, one armed with the father’s ax and bludgeoned to death each person in the home. By 8:00 am on the 10th, the father’s brother Ross arrived at the house. Upon entering he saw Joe and Sarah Moore’s bodies covered by a bedsheet. Ross

Continue reading →
Kelli Marchman McNeely
Jan 22, 2017
Horror Fuel

Charles Manson – The Man Who Thinks He is Both Christ and Satan

Monsters are real. Many articles have and will be written about mass murderers, serial killers, sociopaths and every other type of terror anyone can imagine. That being said, there are few monsters who come close to the topic of today’s article. This man brainwashed others to do, in his own words, Satan’s work. He was a beacon of evil for lost and damaged souls to latch onto and feel part of something. This monster gave his disciples purpose…the abominable purpose of Helter Skelter. Charles Manson was never convicted of murder himself, but he has spent nearly a lifetime in prison for composing one of the most publicised and vicious mass murders in modern history…and that is only a fraction of his reign of terror. The timing of this article coincides with Manson being admitted to a California hospital due to an undisclosed illness. Rumour is that Manson is suffering from gastrointestinal issues, but it is against federal and state law

Continue reading →
Capt McNeely
Jan 4, 2017
Horror Fuel

Jack the Stripper – Not a Typo

Everyone knows the name Jack the Ripper. The serial killer who was never captured from the 1800s in London; however, there is a much less publicized killer from England dubbed Jack the Stripper. Like his near-namesake, he slaughtered prostitutes, was never captured, and the killings ceased on their own for an unknown reason. Between the years 1964-1965 The Stripper murdered 6-8 women and deposited their bodies near the River Thames. His victims were not sexually abused, but they were left nude and horrifically mutilated for the public to discover. No connection between the victims was ever confirmed, but it was highly thought that they were all prominent members of the underground pornography scene in London. John Du Rose, the chief of Scotland Yard at the time, searched vigilantly for the killer, and a list of over 7,000 suspects were interviewed…but to no avail. Then Du Rose had another plan. He held a news conference where he announced that he list

Continue reading →
Capt McNeely
Jan 3, 2017
Horror Fuel

Anneliese Mickel: The Voice Of The Damned – A True Story Of Possession

Do you remember 2005’s possession film ‘The Exorcism of Emily Rose’, starring Jennifer Carpenter, Laura Linney, Tom Wilkinson and Campbell Scott? The film centers on the possession and exorcism of a 19 year-old college student (Carpenter). In a rare decision, the Catholic church approved her exorcism. What you might not realize is that the film is based on a true story, the tale of of a German woman, Anneliese Michel. Anneliese’s story ended in tragedy, with her death. Her parents and the priest were charged with negligent homicide. It all began when Anneliese was 17. After suffering from a seizure she was diagnosed with Grand Mal Epilepsy in 1969. Soon, she started experiencing hallucinations, and hearing voices. By 1975, she was convinced she was possessed. While exhibiting symptoms of schizophrenia, her deeply religious parents agreed she was possessed. The poor young woman struck out on a pilgrimage with another woman. She noticed the Anneliese avoided images of Jesus, refused to

Continue reading →
Kelli Marchman McNeely
Jan 2, 2017
Horror Fuel

The Grimm Sleeper – A Modern Serial Killer

I have thought about how to close out this year of absolute insanity. So many deaths! Musicians, actors, politicians…nobody was safe from 2016! So I thought that instead of a list of bests or worsts (although those are always fun and interesting) I will focus on the umbrella theme of this year: death. There was a very high profile serial killer sentenced to death this year. I knew nothing about it until researching for this article. He is horrific enough that he will surely join the lore of killers we read about in books and see in film adaptations. His story involves multiple victims, picture-trophies, possible countless other victims, and spreads over three decades. Lonnie David Franklin Jr. was born on August 30, 1952 in California. He was married, had two children and served a term in the U.S. Military. His neighbors described the man as “friendly and quiet” and he would often chat with them as he worked on

Continue reading →
Capt McNeely
Dec 29, 2016
Next →