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Scream and Sugar True Crime Coffee Hour, 435 Stoker Avenue, Reno, NV (2026)

01/08/2026

Hey Spooky Squad! Welcome back to another episode of Scream and Sugar, your true crime coffee hour. Today, we’re stepping into the courtroom for one of the most controversial and emotionally charged cases at the intersection of music, morality, and the law—the Judas Priest su***de trial.

In the mid-1980s, two young men attempted su***de after listening to heavy metal music, leaving one dead and the other permanently injured. Their families would later take the band Judas Priest to court, alleging that hidden subliminal messages in the music pushed the teens toward self-destruction. What followed was a landmark trial that forced society to confront fear, censorship, and the power we assign to art.

Can music be held responsible for violence and su***de—or was this a case of grief searching for answers? In this episode, we break down the trial, the science behind subliminal messaging, and how this case helped define artistic freedom in America.

Grab your coffee and your curiosity, and remember to stay spooky, y’all!

Case Notes:
Rising for People Coffee:
https://risingforpeoplecoffeeco.com/?srsltid=AfmBOopWrZbsnHq6KQ_GUf4HAkNbjdMcm4BrKuACy8DpPUoMlWpjZNeu

http://www.thestacksreader.com/the-dreamer-deceiver-the-reno-trial-of-judas-priest/
https://english.elpais.com/culture/2025-12-14/when-judas-priest-were-accused-of-inducing-two-fans-to-kill-themselves-a-chronicle-of-the-most-infamous-trial-in-music-history.html

https://thewind.org/episodes/judaspriestontrial

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGeNjfRWzXI&rco=1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHOFI5UNNck

https://www.hulu.com/watch/f2c6e1ed-0f73-431f-af00-8803b5b73ded

https://ultimateclassicrock.com/judas-priest-better-by-you-better-than-me-lawsuit/

https://blabbermouth.net/news/how-judas-priest-debunked-existence-of-hidden-messages-in-its-songs

https://everyrecordtellsastory.com/2012/05/27/judas-priest-dream-deceivers/

Halford quote: https://www.loudersound.com/features/how-a-su***de-pact-was-almost-the-end-of-judas-priest

Tags
heavymetalpanic judaspriesttrial murdermystery musicontrial realcrime reallifetrials roc

12/27/2025

Hey Spooky Squad! Sorry for the delay. We are running on USPS time this holiday season.

Welcome back to another episode of Scream and Sugar, your true crime coffee hour. Today, we’re heading to Toronto to uncover the chilling story of Bruce McArthur—an unassuming mall Santa, landscaper, and serial killer who hid in plain sight for years.

Between 2010 and 2017, men from Toronto’s LGBTQ+ community began disappearing, many of them last seen in the city’s Gay Village. Despite mounting concerns, their disappearances were repeatedly dismissed—until a shocking arrest exposed a predator who had been trusted around children, neighbors, and clients alike. As investigators dug deeper, they uncovered a pattern of violence, neglect, and systemic failure that allowed McArthur to continue killing unchecked. How did so many warning signs go ignored? And what does this case reveal about whose lives are prioritized—and whose are overlooked?

In this episode, we examine the victims, the investigation, and the institutional blind spots that helped a killer remain invisible for far too long.

Grab your coffee and your curiosity, and remember to stay spooky, y’all!

Case Notes:

The Roost Cafe:
https://www.theroostreno.com/
https://www.bbc.com/bbcthree/article/01086f21-e102-4de0-8e4b-567a13c66c5chttps://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-47125443https://www.imdb.com/title/tt16587970/

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12/19/2025

Hey Spooky Squad! Welcome back to another episode of Scream and Sugar, your true crime coffee hour. Today, we’re unpacking a case that shocked reality TV audiences and true crime fans alike—the brutal murders tied to the Wife Swap family that once appeared wholesome on screen.

In 2017, Jacob Stockdale murdered his mother and brother in rural Ohio, years after his family had been featured on the hit reality show Wife Swap. What initially looked like an isolated act of violence soon raised deeper questions about religious extremism, control, abuse, and what was really happening behind the cameras.

As details emerged, many began to reexamine the family’s past, the warning signs that were missed, and the disturbing dynamics that may have led to this tragedy. Was this simply a sudden act of violence—or the inevitable outcome of years of psychological damage hidden beneath a carefully curated image?
In this episode, we explore the murders, the trial, and the unsettling reality of how darkness can thrive even in plain sight.

Grab your coffee and your curiosity, and remember to stay spooky, y’all!

Case Notes:
https://www.dutchbros.com/
https://www.hulu.com/series/wife-swap-9569e2c9-2ae6-4b82-a3aa-65ce80775248
Stockdale Family Band Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEmqBw1X9Jw (we do not have ownership of this music, but are using it to enhance the understanding of the case!)

Tags
murderpodcast ohiocrime realcrime realitytvcrime reallifehorror religiousextremism screamandsugarpodcast shockingcrimes stayspooky stockdalefamily stockdalemurders truecrimecommunity truecrimepodcast truecrimestories wifeswapmurder

12/12/2025

Hey Spooky Squad! Welcome back to another episode of Scream and Sugar, your true crime coffee hour.

Today, we’re diving into one of the most puzzling and hotly debated cases in recent true crime history—the mysterious death of Ellen Greenberg. In 2011, the 27-year-old teacher was found dead in her Philadelphia apartment with twenty stab wounds—including ten to the back of her neck. Despite the shocking details, her death was ruled a su***de, a decision that left investigators, medical experts, and the public in disbelief.

Over a decade later, Ellen’s parents continue to fight for justice, pushing to reopen the case and uncover what really happened that night. Was Ellen’s death truly self-inflicted, or is this a murder hidden beneath layers of error and cover-up? In this episode, we unravel the evidence, conflicting reports, and the ongoing battle for truth that refuses to fade.

Grab your coffee and your curiosity, and remember to stay spooky, y’all!

**CORRECTION TO ADD: the su***de loss survivor community has update the verbiage from "committed" to "died of". This episode was recorded prior to that correction, but it will be fixed in future episodes. We appreciate the community for letting us know and will adjust that in all future cases!**

Case Notes:
Big Kitchen Cafe: https://judysbigkitchen.com/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7400770/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20202068/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3728425/
https://www.reddit.com/r/EllenGreenberg/comments/1nzricr/timeline_vs_main_four_theories_of_when_ellen_died/https://www.hulu.com/series/death-in-apartment-603-what-happened-to-ellen-greenberg-b0338377-2cf8-43c4-98b7-5f907e9d51d1https://www.cnn.com/interactive/2024/12/us/ellen-greenberg-death-philadelphia-cec-cnnphotos/https://nypost.com/2001/07/23/models-bizarre-su***de/https://www.reddit.com/r/UnsolvedMysteries/comments/1h8yke5/ellen_greenberg_case_updates/https://static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/10/dr-simon-report-on-ellen-greenberg.pdf?utm
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11/27/2025

Hey Spooky Squad! Welcome back to another episode of Scream and Sugar, your true crime coffee hour. Today, we’re heading to our own backyard—Reno, Nevada—for a case that gripped the community and left lasting scars: the 2008 murder of 19-year-old Brianna Denison.

After a night out with friends, Brianna vanished from a friend’s home near the University of Nevada campus. Weeks later, her body was found—her death linked to a string of violent assaults that had already been haunting the area. As investigators raced against time, DNA evidence became the key to exposing a predator hiding in plain sight: James Biela.

How did this case change the way Reno saw safety, trust, and its college-town nightlife? And how did Brianna’s memory inspire a movement for awareness and justice? In this episode, we revisit the investigation, the trial, and the legacy that still echoes through the Biggest Little City.

Grab your coffee and your curiosity, and remember to stay spooky, y’all!

Case Notes:

2PhatVegans - https://www.instagram.com/2phatvegansnola/?hl=en
Big Kitchen Cafe | San Diego https://share.google/uthBaXQfTzFIafqGO
Damning DNA — The Murder of Brianna Denison — Crime Library https://share.google/IMqxG3hhpo4z4iRp3Tip, DNA lead to arrest in student's slaying - CNN.com https://share.google/p1piGflOxiTLo5a0P
Photos: The Brianna Denison case https://share.google/5Dnto1UZOHR7wfZLp
https://open.spotify.com/episode/62aAaptGmj4TKg1K3wK83T?si=Dfux1ymfRMO0WCa3BAjEZQ
�https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/19/19-6204/117740/20191002123643407_Appendix%20Exhibits.pdf
James Biela | Murderpedia, the encyclopedia of murderers https://share.google/e3seakvBt4hMF952K
https://youtu.be/xZLPJAQRx9E?si=7oflKaSkjc0wo9MP

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11/14/2025

Hey Spooky Squad! Welcome back to another episode of Scream and Sugar, your true crime coffee hour.
Today, we’re traveling to Kolkata, India, to uncover a story that’s as heartbreaking as it is infuriating—the murder of Dr. Moumita, allegedly at the hands of another hospital worker, Sanjay Roy. In 2023, the young doctor’s brutal death sent shockwaves across India, igniting public outrage and sparking powerful conversations about women’s safety, gender-based violence, and systemic silence. As activists and students flooded the streets with the Reclaim the Night movement, demanding justice for Moumita, many began to question how deeply patriarchy and corruption run within the very systems meant to protect women.
Was this tragedy the result of one man’s violence—or a reflection of a society that still fails to value women’s lives?
Grab your coffee and your curiosity, and remember to stay spooky, y’all!

Case Notes:
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/kolkata-doctor-rape-murder-post-mortem-report-highlights-brutal-assault-confirms-multiple-injuries-signs-of-struggle/articleshow/112484225.cmshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_Kolkata_rape_and_murder -livemint-18https://www.businesstoday.in/india/story/kolkata-rape-murder-case-150-mg-of-semen-found-in-doctors-body-doctors-say-it-could-be-gang-rape-441513-2024-08-14https://www.instagram.com/turf_supper_club/?hl=en

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/scream-and-sugar-true-crime-coffee-hour--6015946/support.

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11/06/2025

Hey Spooky Squad! Welcome back to another episode of Scream and Sugar, your true crime coffee hour. Today, we’re heading to Green Bay, Wisconsin, to unravel one of the most shocking and gruesome cases in recent memory—the murder of Shad Thyrion at the hands of Taylor Schabusiness.

In 2022, a late-night encounter spiraled into a horror scene that stunned investigators. Police arrived to find evidence of a brutal killing that defied comprehension—acts so disturbing they shook even seasoned officers. As the trial unfolded, questions of mental health, manipulation, and pure depravity collided, leaving the nation wondering what drove Taylor Schabusiness to commit such an unthinkable crime.
In this episode, we examine the timeline, the evidence, and the chilling courtroom revelations that turned a small Wisconsin town into the setting of a nightmare.

We also want to call out Laughing Cat Coffee here in town!

So grab your coffee and your curiosity, and remember to stay spooky, y’all!

Case Notes:

Laughing Cat Coffee Roasters: https://www.laughingcatcoffee.com/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0WUmwmzzkU

Tags

10/31/2025

Hey Spooky Squad! Welcome back to another episode of Scream and Sugar, your true crime coffee hour. Today, we’re confronting one of the most harrowing modern true crime stories—the Turpin family, whose Perris, California home became known as the House of Horrors.

In 2018, seventeen-year-old Jordan Turpin escaped the unthinkable, breaking free from years of abuse at the hands of her parents, David and Louise Turpin. What she revealed to police was almost beyond comprehension—thirteen siblings trapped in filth, chained to beds, starved, and silenced. Her courage not only exposed the horrors hidden behind suburban walls but also raised painful questions about how such cruelty could go unnoticed for so long. How did this nightmare go undetected for years? And what became of the Turpin children after their rescue? In this episode, we uncover the haunting truth of survival, neglect, and the lasting strength of one girl’s bravery.

Grab your coffee and your curiosity, and remember to stay spooky, y’all!

Case Notes:

Eve's Eatery: https://www.eveseaterynv.com/

https://time.com/5109959/turpin-parents-children-torture/https://www.desertsun.com/story/news/crime_courts/2018/10/05/louise-turpin-denied-mental-health-diversion/1538158002/https://www.desertsun.com/story/news/crime_courts/2018/06/22/turpin-children-were-choked-caged-thrown-down-stairs-prosecutor-says/726304002/?gnt-cfr=1&gca-cat=p&gca-uir=true&gca-epti=z113803e000200v113803b0043xxd004365&gca-ft=121&gca-ds=sophihttps://www.desertsun.com/story/news/crime_courts/2018/08/31/david-and-louise-turpin-re-enter-not-guilty-pleas/1158228002/?gnt-cfr=1&gca-cat=p&gca-uir=true&gca-epti=z113803e007600v113803b0043xxd004365&gca-ft=160&gca-ds=sophihttps://www.patrickwanis.com/the-psychology-behind-the-house-of-horrors-and-child-torture/https://www.cnn.com/2022/07/27/us/turpin-children-foster-home-attorney-interviewhttps://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-turpin-mental-health-20181005-story.html #:~:text=Judge%20rejects%20request%20by%20mother,of%20prosecution%20%2D%20Los%20Angeles%20Timeshttps://www.independent.co.uk/voices/turpin-family-parents-why-do-it-children-perris-california-captives-psychology-motive-a8162136.htm

10/24/2025

Welcome back, Spooky Squad, to another episode of Scream and Sugar, your true crime coffee hour.
In this haunting and thought-provoking episode of Scream & Sugar, we join journalist and spooky sleuth Matthew Berrey as he unearths a lesser-known chapter of Northern Nevada history: the mass burials on the grounds of the former Northern Nevada Adult Mental Health Services (NNAMS) campus in Reno. For decades, the campus—originally established in the late 19th century as part of Nevada’s institutional mental healthcare system—laid claim to a cemetery where hundreds of individuals, many forgotten and unidentified, were laid to rest.

Matthew takes us behind the scenes of the research: the historical context of the asylum system in Nevada, the working-farm and self-sufficient model of the institution, and the shadows cast by minimal record-keeping, unmarked graves, and, maybe, institutional neglect.

Grab your coffee and your curiosity, and remember to stay spooky, y’all!

Case Notes:
http://friendsofnorthernnevadaadultmentalhealthservicescemetery.com/powerpointpresentation.html (need to use wayback machine)

http://friendsofnorthernnevadaadultmentalhealthservicescemetery.com/cemeteryhomepage.html (need to use wayback machine)

https://historicreno.org/media/custom/docs/FPv14n2.pdf
https://www.historicreno.org/media/custom/docs/FPv13n2.pdf

https://www.historicreno.org/media/custom/docs/FPv12n3.pdf

https://nvtami.com/2023/08/06/nevada-insane-asylum-the-desecrated-cemetery/

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/scream-and-sugar-true-crime-coffee-hour--6015946/support.

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10/16/2025

Hey Spooky Squad! Welcome back to another episode of Scream and Sugar, your true crime coffee hour.

Today, we’re diving into the haunting tales of two women bound by death and legend—Margaret Dickson, better known as Half-Hanged Maggie, and the eerie Romanian figure known as Loana Bloodthirster.
In early 18th-century Edinburgh, Maggie’s story shocked society when she was executed for concealing a pregnancy—only to wake up alive in her coffin. Meanwhile, in rural Romania, whispers of Loana’s vengeance linger long after her death, tied to disappearances, strange illnesses, and a chilling legend that refused to die.
Were these women victims of superstition and circumstance—or did something darker follow them beyond the grave? Join us as we untangle myth from history, exploring punishment, folklore, and the macabre line between life and death.

Grab your coffee and your curiosity, and remember to stay spooky, y’all!

Case Notes:

Ana's Taco Grill: https://www.instagram.com/anastacogrillmidtownreno/
https://www.anastacogrillreno.com/

https://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/usbiography/d/maggiedickson.html
https://oldedinburghclub.org.uk/margaret-dickson-half-hangit-maggie/
https://maggiedicksons.co.uk/maggies-story/
https://surgeonshallmuseums.wordpress.com/2022/07/06/half-hangit-maggie-dickson-did-anatomy-students-really-squabble-over-her-body/
https://www.scotsman.com/whats-on/arts-and-entertainment/half-hangit-maggie-the-scots-woman-who-survived-hanging-622567
https://www.edinburghexpert.com/blog/edinburghs-local-heroes-hauf-hangit-maggie-dickson
https://thelittlehouseofhorrors.com/half-hangit-maggie/
https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/west-midlands/crime-chronicles-part-3-the-tale-of-half-hangit-maggie-the-woman-they-couldnt-hang/
https://sjhstrangetales.wordpress.com/2016/03/27/ioana-the-bloodthirster/
https://www.vintag.es/2018/03/loana-the-bloodthirster.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com
https://www.facebook.com/SpookifyOfficial/posts/a-photo-of-loana-the-bloodthirster-that-was-believed-to-have-died-in-1909-as-she/1399234413577495/

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/scream-and-sugar-true-crime-coffee-hour--6015946/support.

10/09/2025

Welcome back, everyone, to another episode of Scream and Sugar, your true crime coffee hour. In today's episode, we revisit the 1975 murder of 15-year-old Martha Moxley in the affluent community of Greenwich, Connecticut. She was found viciously murdered - bludgeoned to death with a golf club in her own backyard on Mischief Night, the night before Halloween.
Martha’s case shocked the nation and remained unsolved for decades. In the second part of this episode, we explore the events that occur after the case goes cold, with more on the influence of the wealthy Skakel family, and the twists, trials, and controversies that lead to an arrest, but not a conviction. As we lead up to the 50th anniversary of Martha's murder, we want to remind you all to be careful out there, and to keep her family in your thoughts.
So grab your coffee and sip along as we go through this tragic case, and remember to stay spooky, y'all!

Case Notes:
https://daddystacosnv.com/

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/scream-and-sugar-true-crime-coffee-hour--6015946/support.

This content is not appropriate for all viewers; viewer discretion is advised. PS. Let's just umbrella all our content with a blanket statement: allegedly, supposedly! Stay spooky, squad.

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10/03/2025

Welcome back, Spooky Squad, to another episode of Scream and Sugar.
In this episode, we review the 1975 murder of 15-year-old Martha Moxley in the affluent community of Greenwich, Connecticut. Found bludgeoned to death with a golf club, Martha’s case shocked the nation and remained unsolved for decades. We explore the events leading up to that Halloween night, the influence of the wealthy Skakel family, and the twists, trials, and controversies that kept this case in the headlines for years.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/scream-and-sugar-true-crime-coffee-hour--6015946/support.

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Scream and Sugar True Crime Coffee Hour

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11/27/2025

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