True Crime Campfire

Every night in the city, there are people out looking for something. Usually it’s just fun and excitement, but there are also those who go out looking to fulfill darker desires, who view the night city as a hunting ground where they will get what they want, no matter what. And sometimes, what they want is a nightmare of pain and suffering that shocks the conscience.

Note: This episode is about a serial killer, and the descriptions of his crimes are more graphic than most. Listener discretion is advised.

Join us for Wet Hot Bad Magic Summer Camp 2026 in September! Visit badmagicproductions.com for tickets and more info.

Registration is now open for CrimeWave 2.0! Visit crimewaveatsea.com/CAMPFIRE to get your discount code for $100 off your cabin and a private meet-and-greet with us! The cruise is Feb. 8-12, 2027.

Sources:

Delaware Online:

https://www.delawareonline.com/in-depth/news/2020/12/14/delaware-murder-serial-killer-shirley-tinker-ellis-catherine-dimauro-steven-brian-pennell/5804258002/
https://www.delawareonline.com/in-depth/news/2020/12/15/after-2-murders-detective-knew-we-have-serial-killer-steven-pennell-route-40-killer/5857068002/

https://www.delawareonline.com/in-depth/news/2020/12/16/delaware-rookie-cop-working-undercover-comes-face-face-evil-steven-pennell-route-40-killer/5937449002/

https://www.delawareonline.com/in-depth/news/2020/12/17/suspect-discovers-listening-device-his-van-steven-pennell-route-40-killer/3667098001/

https://www.delawareonline.com/in-depth/news/2020/12/18/serial-killer-takes-his-secrets-grave-steven-pennell-route-40-killer/5793180002/

Delaware Today:

https://delawaretoday.com/life-style/route-40-delaware-serial-killer/

NY Times:

https://www.nytimes.com/1992/03/15/us/delaware-carries-out-first-execution-since-46.html

Court papers:

https://law.justia.com/cases/delaware/supreme-court/1992/604-a-2d-1368-5.html

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It’s hard to convict someone of murder without a body. Even if it’s plain to everyone with a lick of common sense that the victim is dead and this is the guy who killed her, a prosecutor is wary of going to trial without being able to say with absolute certainty, this person is dead, and we know because we have her body. This week’s story is about a killer whose crime was apparent almost immediately, but who dragged on the crumbling pretense of a normal life for long weeks afterwards, until the horrific results of his actions were uncovered.

Want to join us for grown-up summer camp? Katie and Whitney will be performing live along with the podcasts Scared to Death and Astonishing Legends at Wet Hot Bad Magic Summer Camp 2026, Sept. 10-13. For tickets and more info, go to https://badmagicproductions.com

AND...Tickets are on sale now for CrimeWave 2.0! Visit crimewaveatsea.com/CAMPFIRE to get your discount code for $100 off your cabin and a private meet-and-greet with us! The cruise is Feb. 8-12, 2027, from Ft. Lauderdale to the Bahamas.

Sources:

Diane Fanning, Gone Forever

https://inmate.tdcj.texas.gov/InmateSearch/reviewDetail.action?sid=07021839&tdcj=01218516&fullName=MCFARLAND%2CRICHARD+MARVIN

Follow us, campers!

Patreon (join to get all episodes ad-free, at least a day early, an extra episode a month, and a free sticker!): https://patreon.com/TrueCrimeCampfire

https://www.truecrimecampfirepod.com/

Facebook: True Crime Campfire

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truecrimecampfire/?hl=en

Twitter: @TCCampfire https://twitter.com/TCCampfire

Email: [email protected]

MERCH! https://true-crime-campfire.myspreadshop.com

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Thanks to books and movies, and very occasionally real life, the idea of the genius killer has become pervasive. But most murderers are not dazzlingly creative schemers. If they have a plan at all, it’s usually simple and dumb—but unfortunately, that doesn’t necessarily mean the plan will fail. This week’s story is about a man who got away with one murder, and then tried to repeat the trick almost exactly.

Registration is now open for CrimeWave 2.0! Visit crimewaveatsea.com/CAMPFIRE to get your discount code for $100 off your cabin and a private meet-and-greet with us! The cruise is Feb. 8-12, 2027.

If you want to see TCC live but would rather stay on dry land, come to Wet Hot Bad Magic Summer Camp 2026, 9/10-13th in Equinunk, Pennsylvania. Visit badmagicproductions.com for full info and to buy tickets.

Sources:

Please Don’t Kill Mommy, Weinstein & Schumann

https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nc/triad/news/2018/12/13/prison-time-after-parole-for-man-who-strangled-wives-in-tubs

https://katv.com/news/nation-world/man-who-killed-two-of-his-wives-in-two-states-considered-for-parole

Follow us, campers!Patreon (join to get all episodes ad-free, at least a day early, tons of extra content, and a free sticker!): https://patreon.com/TrueCrimeCampfirehttps://www.truecrimecampfirepod.com/Facebook: True Crime CampfireInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/truecrimecampfire/?hl=enEmail: [email protected]! https://true-crime-campfire.myspreadshop.com

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Love is supposed to make you better. Your partner should push lift you up and make you want to improve yourself, improve life for you both. Sometimes, though, there are couples that do nothing but make each other worse. They become jealous, resentful, and cruel. Their relationship is a disgusting mire that sucks in the couple and everyone in their orbit. Everyone knows a couple like that. But today, we’re going to talk about a couple who committed one of the most heinous crimes we ever heard of to satisfy their own jealousy.Registration is now open for CrimeWave 2.0! Visit crimewaveatsea.com/CAMPFIRE to get your discount code for $100 off your cabin and a private meet-and-greet with us! The cruise is Feb. 8-12, 2027.Join us for Wet Hot Bad Magic Summer Camp '26, September 10-13. Go to badmagicproductions.com for more details and to buy tickets. Sources:How I Caught My Killer, Frenemies, S2E3, “Text, Lies, and Murder”A Stranger In My Home, “Mean Girls”HuffPost: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/brandy-stevens-rosine-murder_n_4065921https://www.brandyrosine.com/blogFollow us, campers!Patreon (join to get all episodes ad-free, at least a day early, an extra episode a month, and a free sticker!): https://patreon.com/TrueCrimeCampfirehttps://www.truecrimecampfirepod.com/Facebook: True Crime CampfireInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/truecrimecampfire/?hl=enTwitter: @TCCampfire https://twitter.com/TCCampfireEmail: [email protected]! https://true-crime-campfire.myspreadshop.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime-campfire--4251960/support.
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In the cases we cover, there are types of relationship that frequently crop up between killer and victim, romantic partners or romantic rivals most of all. Sometimes, though, the relationship that is broken by murder is more shocking: a parent killing a child, or a child killing a parent. And sometimes that killer is still literally a child, someone you would never suspect to be capable of such brutal action. Case 1: The Murder of Jackie Bartlam. Case 2: The Murder of Gina Padilla. Tickets are on sale now for CrimeWave 2.0! Visit crimewaveatsea.com/CAMPFIRE to book your cabin, plus get $100 off and a private meet-and-greet with us! The cruise is from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida to Nassau, Bahamas, Feb. 8-12, 2027.Sources:https://www.nottinghampost.com/news/local-news/coronation-street-obsessed-killer-who-9828273 https://www.nottinghampost.com/news/daniel-bartlam-14-year-old-255698 https://www.nottinghampost.com/news/uk-world-news/chilling-story-coronation-street-obsessed-9289922 https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2012/apr/02/teenager-daniel-bartlam-jailed-murderA&E's "Killer Kids" S1E14, “A Scream & Banana Split” https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1999-jul-23-me-58845-story.html https://www.cbsnews.com/news/2-guilty-of-iscream-i-murder/ https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1999-jul-02-me-52343-story.htmlFollow us, campers!Patreon (join to get all episodes ad-free, at least a day early, an extra episode a month, and a free sticker!): https://patreon.com/TrueCrimeCampfirehttps://www.truecrimecampfirepod.com/Facebook: True Crime CampfireInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/truecrimecampfire/?hl=enTwitter: @TCCampfire https://twitter.com/TCCampfireEmail: [email protected]! https://true-crime-campfire.myspreadshop.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime-campfire--4251960/support.
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