Conspiracy Theories, Cults, & Crimes – Details, episodes & analysis

In 1929, Peter Kürten terrorized the German city of Düsseldorf in a months-long killing spree that claimed at least nine lives, including those of young children. In this episode of Conspiracy Theories, Cults, and Crimes, Vanessa traces how decades of abuse, sadism, and unchecked violence forged one of history's most disturbing serial killers: a man so controlled in his charm that he evaded capture for years. Contains descriptions of murder and extreme violence, sexual abuse including the abuse of children, and animal cruelty.

Head over to our Conspiracy Theories, Cults, & Crimes YouTube channel to WATCH our video episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@Conspiracytheoriescultscrimes

If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Conspiracy Theories, Cults, & Crimes to never miss a case! For Ad-free listening subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Conspiracy Theories, Cults and Crimes is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios

🎧 Need More to Binge? 

Listen to other Crime House Originals Clues, Crimes Of…, Serial Killers & Murderous Minds, Crime House 24/7, Murder True Crime Stories and more wherever you get your podcasts!

Follow me on Social

• Instagram: @Crimehouse

• TikTok: @Crimehouse

• Facebook: @crimehousestudios

• X: @crimehousemedia

• YouTube: @crimehousestudios

In November 1996, a group of teenagers calling themselves the Vampire Clan drove from Kentucky to Eustis, Florida, and beat Richard Wendorf and Ruth Queen to death in their own home. Their leader, 16-year-old Rod Ferrell, believed he was a 500-year-old vampire named Vesago. But beneath the mythology was a deeply traumatized kid who had mastered the art of making lonely people feel chosen. In this episode, Vanessa traces how neglect, abuse, and an obsession with supernatural role-play created the conditions for two senseless murders. Contains descriptions of murder and extreme violence, sexual abuse including the abuse of a child, animal cruelty, and self-harm.

Head over to our Conspiracy Theories, Cults, & Crimes YouTube channel to WATCH our video episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@Conspiracytheoriescultscrimes

If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Conspiracy Theories, Cults, & Crimes to never miss a case! For Ad-free listening subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Conspiracy Theories, Cults and Crimes is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios

🎧 Need More to Binge? 

Listen to other Crime House Originals Clues, Crimes Of…, Serial Killers & Murderous Minds, Crime House 24/7, Murder True Crime Stories and more wherever you get your podcasts!

Follow me on Social

• Instagram: @Crimehouse

• TikTok: @Crimehouse

• Facebook: @crimehousestudios

• X: @crimehousemedia

• YouTube: @crimehousestudios

In 1993, David Holthouse was working on a remote cannabis farm in California's Emerald Triangle when two panicked men burst into his cabin claiming three workers had been killed in the fields—torn apart by Bigfoot. Holthouse fled the next morning and spent 25 years trying to forget what he heard. But as an investigative journalist, he couldn't let it go. In this episode of Conspiracy Theories, Cults, and Crimes, Vanessa Richardson follows Holthouse's search for the truth behind the alleged murders. His investigation takes him deep into the Emerald Triangle, a region known as "The Black Hole" for its staggering rate of disappearances and unsolved crimes. What he uncovers isn't a cryptid tale—it's a story of racial violence, greed, and terror in one of America's most lawless communities, where the legend of Bigfoot was weaponized to mask something far more sinister.

Head over to our Conspiracy Theories, Cults, & Crimes YouTube channel to WATCH our video episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@Conspiracytheoriescultscrimes

If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Conspiracy Theories, Cults, & Crimes to never miss a case! For Ad-free listening subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Conspiracy Theories, Cults and Crimes is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios

🎧 Need More to Binge? 

Listen to other Crime House Originals Clues, Crimes Of…, Serial Killers & Murderous Minds, Crime House 24/7, Murder True Crime Stories and more wherever you get your podcasts!

Follow me on Social

• Instagram: @Crimehouse

• TikTok: @Crimehouse

• Facebook: @crimehousestudios

• X: @crimehousemedia

• YouTube: @crimehousestudios

In the late 19th century, the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn emerged in Britain as a secretive society devoted to ritual magic, mysticism, and hidden knowledge. Drawing in artists, writers, and intellectuals, including figures like Aleister Crowley, the group promised spiritual enlightenment through a structured system of occult teachings. In this episode of Conspiracy Theories, Cults, and Crimes, Vanessa Richardson examines the origins of the Golden Dawn, its belief system, and the influential members who helped shape its legacy. As the order grew, internal rivalries and power struggles began to fracture the group, exposing tensions beneath its secretive surface. The Golden Dawn remains one of the most influential occult organizations in modern history, leaving a lasting impact on mysticism, magic, and esoteric traditions.

Head over to our Conspiracy Theories, Cults, & Crimes YouTube channel to WATCH our video episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@Conspiracytheoriescultscrimes

If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Conspiracy Theories, Cults, & Crimes to never miss a case! For Ad-free listening subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Conspiracy Theories, Cults and Crimes is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios

🎧 Need More to Binge? 

Listen to other Crime House Originals Clues, Crimes Of…, Serial Killers & Murderous Minds, Crime House 24/7, Murder True Crime Stories and more wherever you get your podcasts!

Follow me on Social

• Instagram: @Crimehouse

• TikTok: @Crimehouse

• Facebook: @crimehousestudios

• X: @crimehousemedia

• YouTube: @crimehousestudios

In the 1960s, residents of Point Pleasant, West Virginia reported sightings of a strange, winged figure with glowing red eyes, a creature that would become known as the Mothman. As encounters spread, so did fear, with witnesses describing eerie experiences and unexplained phenomena surrounding the sightings. In this episode of Conspiracy Theories, Cults, and Crimes, Vanessa Richardson examines the origins of the Mothman legend, the wave of reports that gripped the town, and the theories that attempt to explain what people believed they saw. From misidentified animals to supernatural warnings, the story quickly expanded beyond a local mystery. After the tragic collapse of the Silver Bridge in 1967, some began to believe the sightings were connected, transforming the Mothman into a symbol of omen and prophecy. Decades later, the legend continues to blur the line between folklore, fear, and unexplained events.

Head over to our Conspiracy Theories, Cults, & Crimes YouTube channel to WATCH our video episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@Conspiracytheoriescultscrimes

If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Conspiracy Theories, Cults, & Crimes to never miss a case! For Ad-free listening subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Conspiracy Theories, Cults and Crimes is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios

🎧 Need More to Binge? 

Listen to other Crime House Originals Clues, Crimes Of…, Serial Killers & Murderous Minds, Crime House 24/7, Murder True Crime Stories and more wherever you get your podcasts!

Follow me on Social

• Instagram: @Crimehouse

• TikTok: @Crimehouse

• Facebook: @crimehousestudios

• X: @crimehousemedia

• YouTube: @crimehousestudios

In 1926, famed evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson vanished from a California beach, sparking a nationwide search and fears that she had been kidnapped or killed. Weeks later, she reappeared with a dramatic story of abduction, claiming she had escaped from her captors in the desert. In this episode of Conspiracy Theories, Cults, and Crimes, Vanessa Richardson examines the disappearance of Aimee Semple McPherson, the investigation into her claims, and the intense public reaction that followed. As authorities began to question her account, conflicting evidence and witness testimony fueled suspicions that the kidnapping may have been staged. The case became a media sensation, blurring the line between crime, scandal, and spectacle, and leaving behind one of the most controversial and debated stories of the early 20th century.

Head over to our Conspiracy Theories, Cults, & Crimes YouTube channel to WATCH our video episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@Conspiracytheoriescultscrimes

If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Conspiracy Theories, Cults, & Crimes to never miss a case! For Ad-free listening subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Conspiracy Theories, Cults and Crimes is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios

🎧 Need More to Binge? 

Listen to other Crime House Originals Clues, Crimes Of…, Serial Killers & Murderous Minds, Crime House 24/7, Murder True Crime Stories and more wherever you get your podcasts!

Follow me on Social

• Instagram: @Crimehouse

• TikTok: @Crimehouse

• Facebook: @crimehousestudios

• X: @crimehousemedia

• YouTube: @crimehousestudios

In the 1970s, a small, radical group known as the Symbionese Liberation Army emerged in the United States, promoting a mix of revolutionary politics, anti-capitalist ideology, and violent action. The group gained national attention after the kidnapping of heiress Patty Hearst, a crime that quickly escalated into a media spectacle. In this episode of Conspiracy Theories, Cults, and Crimes, Vanessa Richardson examines the origins of the Symbionese Liberation Army, its leadership and belief system, and the events that transformed it from a fringe movement into a national headline. As the group carried out robberies and issued political statements, questions grew about coercion, indoctrination, and the true nature of Hearst’s involvement. The story of the SLA remains one of the most controversial intersections of cult dynamics, political extremism, and crime in modern American history.

Head over to our Conspiracy Theories, Cults, & Crimes YouTube channel to WATCH our video episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@Conspiracytheoriescultscrimes

If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Conspiracy Theories, Cults, & Crimes to never miss a case! For Ad-free listening subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Conspiracy Theories, Cults and Crimes is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios

🎧 Need More to Binge? 

Listen to other Crime House Originals Clues, Crimes Of…, Serial Killers & Murderous Minds, Crime House 24/7, Murder True Crime Stories and more wherever you get your podcasts!

Follow me on Social

• Instagram: @Crimehouse

• TikTok: @Crimehouse

• Facebook: @crimehousestudios

• X: @crimehousemedia

• YouTube: @crimehousestudios

In 1932, the infant son of famed aviator Charles Lindbergh was kidnapped from his family’s home in New Jersey, setting off a massive search that captivated the nation. As the investigation unfolded, the case drew unprecedented media attention, intense public scrutiny, and a wave of speculation about who was responsible. In this episode of Conspiracy Theories, Cults, and Crimes, Vanessa Richardson examines the Lindbergh kidnapping, the evidence that led to the arrest of Bruno Richard Hauptmann, and the trial that followed. While authorities presented the case as a straightforward crime, others questioned the handling of the investigation, the reliability of key evidence, and whether all aspects of the case were fully explored. Decades later, the Lindbergh kidnapping remains one of the most debated cases in American history, with lingering theories about possible accomplices, investigative missteps, and whether the full truth was ever uncovered.

Head over to our Conspiracy Theories, Cults, & Crimes YouTube channel to WATCH our video episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@Conspiracytheoriescultscrimes

If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Conspiracy Theories, Cults, & Crimes to never miss a case! For Ad-free listening subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Conspiracy Theories, Cults and Crimes is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios

🎧 Need More to Binge? 

Listen to other Crime House Originals Clues, Crimes Of…, Serial Killers & Murderous Minds, Crime House 24/7, Murder True Crime Stories and more wherever you get your podcasts!

Follow me on Social

• Instagram: @Crimehouse

• TikTok: @Crimehouse

• Facebook: @crimehousestudios

• X: @crimehousemedia

• YouTube: @crimehousestudios

In 15th century France, Gilles de Rais rose to prominence as a decorated nobleman and military commander who fought alongside Joan of Arc during the Hundred Years’ War. But after her death, his life took a dark turn, and rumors began to circulate about disturbing activities taking place on his estates. In this episode of Conspiracy Theories, Cults, and Crimes, Vanessa Richardson examines the rise and fall of Gilles de Rais, the investigation that led to his arrest, and the shocking allegations of murder, abuse, and occult practices that emerged during his trial. As testimony mounted, the case revealed a series of crimes that stood in stark contrast to his status and reputation. His story remains one of the most infamous and unsettling cases in medieval history, a chilling example of how power, secrecy, and violence can collide behind closed doors.

Head over to our Conspiracy Theories, Cults, & Crimes YouTube channel to WATCH our video episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@Conspiracytheoriescultscrimes

If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Conspiracy Theories, Cults, & Crimes to never miss a case! For Ad-free listening subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Conspiracy Theories, Cults and Crimes is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios

🎧 Need More to Binge? 

Listen to other Crime House Originals Clues, Crimes Of…, Serial Killers & Murderous Minds, Crime House 24/7, Murder True Crime Stories and more wherever you get your podcasts!

Follow me on Social

• Instagram: @Crimehouse

• TikTok: @Crimehouse

• Facebook: @crimehousestudios

• X: @crimehousemedia

• YouTube: @crimehousestudios

In the 20th century, a secret society known as the Priory of Sion claimed to protect a hidden bloodline tied to Jesus Christ and Mary Magdalene, a revelation that, if true, would rewrite the foundations of religious history. The group alleged that this lineage had been preserved for centuries and concealed from the public by powerful institutions. In this episode of Conspiracy Theories, Cults, and Crimes, Vanessa Richardson examines the origins of the Priory of Sion, the documents that brought it to global attention, and the man behind its most controversial claims. As the story spread through books and media, it blurred the line between historical theory and elaborate hoax. Was the Priory of Sion a genuine secret society guarding a hidden truth, or a myth that spiraled far beyond its origins?

Head over to our Conspiracy Theories, Cults, & Crimes YouTube channel to WATCH our video episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@Conspiracytheoriescultscrimes

If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Conspiracy Theories, Cults, & Crimes to never miss a case! For Ad-free listening subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Conspiracy Theories, Cults and Crimes is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios

🎧 Need More to Binge? 

Listen to other Crime House Originals Clues, Crimes Of…, Serial Killers & Murderous Minds, Crime House 24/7, Murder True Crime Stories and more wherever you get your podcasts!

Follow me on Social

• Instagram: @Crimehouse

• TikTok: @Crimehouse

• Facebook: @crimehousestudios

• X: @crimehousemedia

• YouTube: @crimehousestudios