Haunting History Podcast

The Battle of Los Angeles For 76 years the morning of February 25, 1942 has been  explained, denied, defended and debated. What do you think?

The week we turn the mics around and listen to your ghost stories, and of course a few of our own. Stories from Utah, Pennsylvania and California. Thank you to all who called in and emailed us!

As part of our Halloween episodes, Haunting History Podcast is starting a series we will come back to occasionally based on Hauntings in  California. This week is The Ghosts of San Juan Capistrano. San Juan Capistrano, better known for its Mission and swallows that leave and return every year, is a town full of ghosts, legends and lore. The locals and residents not only speak freely of their neighbors beyond the veil,they cherish them. Join us as we travel back in time to when the legends began.   Drawing of their lady in white, that started my search for and about Modesta Avila, some people say the picture above doesn't resemble the drawing, I disagree, the Modesta in the booking photo has to be terrified and looks like she had been crying. What do you think? I got this photo from San Quentin, their files say she was discharged 3/3/1892. I still want to know what really happened to her, I refuse to believe she died in prison. When I say I do research, I wasn't kidding, you can't even see all the paperwork, most of it regarding Modesta, maybe I should write a book on her!       Letter where her attorney says Modesta was pregnant Prison Census Record Asking for her releaseNewspaper Articles Special thank you to the Marin County Libraries and San Quentin State Prison   None of the photos on this page belong to Haunting History Podcast. No copyright infringement intended and are only used as enhancements to the story told.  At times when reporting facts regarding a true crime, (and photos) multiple sources  use the same wording. Every effort is made to avoid any copyright infringements and no single work  was intentionally plagiarized when reporting the facts of the crimes.  Below is a  list of resources  used during the research and telling of this story. (partial)  San Juan Capistrano Modesta Avila Resources https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modesta_Avila  Brennan, Paul (October 30, 2003). "The White Lady Was Brown 100 years ago, fighting the Southern Pacific could get you killed in OC". Orange County Weekly. ^  Orange Coast Magazine. Emmis Communications. February 1989. pp. 87–8. ISSN 0279-0483.  Ruiz, Vicki L.; Korrol, Virginia Sánchez (May 3, 2006). Latinas in the United States, set: A Historical Encyclopedia. Indiana University Press. pp. 70–. ISBN 0-253-11169-2. Arellano, Gustavo (September 16, 2008). Orange County: A Personal History. Simon and Schuster. p. 175. ISBN 978-1-4391-2320-1. Emmons, Steve (August 22, 1988). "'In an act of pure frustration, Modesta chose a symbolic act to voice her displeasure.' : Act of Defiance Stops Them In Their Tracks". Los Angeles Times.   Tryon, Don. "First Felon was Railroaded – story of Modesta Avila". Sanjuancapistrano.net.  Acuña, Rodolfo (1996). Anything But Mexican: Chicanos in Contemporary Los Angeles. Verso. p. 34. ISBN 978-1-85984-031-3.  Frank, L.; Hogeland, Kim (2007). First Families: A Photographic History of California Indians. Heyday. p. 119. ISBN 978-1-59714-013-3. Haas, Lisbeth (1995). Conquests and Historical Identities in California, 1769–1936. University of California Press. p. 1. ISBN 978-0-520-20704-2. Hallan-Gibson, Pamela; Tryon, Don; Tryon, Mary Ellen (2005). San Juan Capistrano. Arcadia Publishing. p. 52. ISBN 978-0-7385-3044-4.  "Avila, Modesta" (PDF). Brooklyn College. Retrieved August 6, 2014.  Chalquist, Craig (June 2008). Deep California: Images and Ironies of Cross and Sword on El Camino Real. Craig Chalquist, PhD. p. 146. ISBN 978-0-595-51462-5.  Oboler, Suzanne (November 24, 2009). Behind Bars: Latino/as and Prison in the United States. Palgrave Macmillan. pp. 265–6. ISBN 978-0-230-10147-0.  Olguín, B. V. (2010). "Toward a Materialist History of Chicana/o Criminality: Modesta Avila as Paradigmatic Pinta". La Pinta: Chicana/o Prisoner Literature, Culture, and Politics. University of Texas Press. pp. 37–64. ISBN 978-0-292-77885-6.  Rasmussen, Cecilia (February 1, 2004).

Happy Halloween month!  November 13, 1974, Butch DeFeo using a .35-caliber Marlin rifle murdered his family one by one while they slept. Did Butch act alone on that cold November morning?Was there something even more sinister than murder going on at the DeFeo home? Help us decide if what happened at the Amityville house was a horror or a hoax. Ronald DeFeo Jr aka Butch The DeFeo Family The house as it looked when the Lutz family moved in. The Lutz Family George & Kathy Lutz 911 Transcipt Operator: “Suffolk County Police. May I help you?” Man: “Hah?” Operator: This is Suffolk County Police. May I help you?” Man: “We have a shooting here. Uh, DeFeo.” Operator: “Sir, what is your name?” Man: “Joey Yeswit.” Operator: “Can you spell that?” Man: “Yeah. Y-E-S W I T.” Operator: “Y-E-S-W. . Man: “Hah?” Operator: “Y-E-S . . Man: “Y-E-S-W-I-T.” Operator: “. . . W-I-T. Your phone number?” Man: “I don’t even know if it’s here. There’s, uh, I don’t have a phone number here.” Operator: “Okay, where you calling from?” Man: “It’s in Amityville. Call up the Amityville Police, and it’s right off, uh . . .” Man: “Ocean Avenue in Amityville.” Operator: “Austin?” Man:  “Ocean Avenue. What the … ?” Operator: “Ocean … Avenue? Offa where?” Man: “It’s right off Merrick Road. Ocean Avenue.” Operator: “Merrick Poad. What’s … what’s the problem, Sir?” Man: “It’s a shooting!” Operator: “There’s a shooting. Anybody hurt?” Man: “Hah?” Operator: “Anybody hurt?” Man: “Yeah, it’s uh, uh-everybody’s dead.” Operator: “Whattaya mean, everybody’s dead?” Man: “I don’t know what happened. Kid come running in the bar. He says everybody in the family was killed, and we came down here.” Operator: “Hold on a second, Sir.” (Police Officer now takes over call) Police Officer: “Hello.” Man: “Hello.” Police Officer: “What’s your name?” Man: “My name is Joe Yeswit.” Police Officer: “George Edwards?” Man: “Joe Yeswit.” Police Officer: “How do you spell it?” Man: “What? I just … How many times do I have to tell you? Y-E-S-W-I-T.” Police Officer: “Where’re you at?” Man: “I’m on Ocean Avenue. Police Officer: “What number?” Man: “I don’t have a number here. There’s no number on the phone. “ Police Officer: “What number on the house?” Man: “I don’t even know that.” Police Officer: “Where’re you at? Ocean Avenue and what?” Man: “In Amityville. Call up the Amityville Police and have someone come down here. They know the family.” Police Officer: “Amityville.” Man: “Yeah. Amityville.” Police Officer: “Okay. Now, tell me what’s wrong.” Man: “I don’t know. Guy come running in the bar. Guy come running in the bar and said there-his mother and father are shot. We ran down to his house and everybody in the house is shot. I don’t know how long, you know. So, uh . . .” Police Officer: “Uh, what’s the add … what’s the address of the house?” Man: “Uh, hold on. Let me go look up the number. All right. Hold on.” Man: “Hello. Hello?” Police Officer: “Yes.” Man: “One-twelve Ocean Avenue, Amityville.” Police Officer: “One-what?” Man: “One-twelve Ocean Avenue, Amityville.” Police Officer: “Is that Amityville or North Amityville?” Man: “Amityville. Right on … south of Merrick Road.” Police Officer: “Is it right in the village limits?” Man: “No, it’s uh … you know where the high school is?” Police Officer: “Yeah.” Man: “It’s in the village limits, yeah.” Police Officer: “Yeah. That’s the village hmits, right?” Man: “Yeah.” Police Officer: “Eh, okay, what’s your phone number?” Man: “I don’t even have one. There’s no number on the phone. “ Police Officer: “All right, where’re you calhng from? Pubhc phone?” Man: “No, I’m calling right from the house, because I don’t see a number on the phone.” Police Officer: “You’re at the house itself?” Man: “Yeah.”

Halloween! We are beginning our 3 weeks of Halloween with this episode. The Hollywood Forever Cemetery is home to the ghosts of Hollywood's past. Join us as we discuss history, true crime and the ghost stories at one of Southern California's oldest cemeteries. Hattie McDaniel didn't get to be buried at Hollywood Forever, but, the new owners thought it important to recognize her there.     One of the biggest Hollywood scandals began with the death of one and the end of a career for the other Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle & Virginia Rappe Virginia Rappe  His death caused bedlam on two coasts, women were said to faint and there is at least one report of a women committing suicide at the news of Rudolph Valentino's death A bunch of the ladies in black, I'd rather believe in the one I met personally! Clifton Webb Haunts the mausoleum where he is interred. 

The Whaley House of San Diego has been named the most haunted house in America by Life magazine and The Travel Channel. Is Yankee Jim the only spirit from the past or did the Whaley family never leave their beloved home?Corrine Whaley Violet Whaley Birth October 14, 1862 Death August 18, 1885. Only 22 years of age, and ended her life because of embarrassment and sadness Whaley Family George Hay Ringgold Whaley Thomas Whaley Sr I don't know why, but, the people in the stories are just people in a story, UNTIL I find records that they actually lived lives just like we do, signing documents and being parts of records. Above is the death record for Thomas Whaley Sr....Capitalist???     None of the photos on this page belong to Haunting History Podcast. No copyright infringement intended and are only used as enhancements to the story told.    At times when reporting facts regarding a true crime, (and photos) multiple sources  use the same wording. Every effort is made to avoid any copyright infringements and no single work  was intentionally plagiarized when reporting the facts of the crimes.  Below is a  list of resources  used during the research and telling of this story. (partial)  The Whaley House Resources http://whaleyhouse.org/familyhistory.htm http://whaleyhouse.org/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whaley_House_(San_Diego,_California)  "Historical Landmarks Designated by the San Diego Historical Resources Board" (PDF). City of San Diego.  "Whaley House". Office of Historic Preservation, California State Parks.   "The Whaley Family". whaleyhouse.org. Save Our Heritage Organisation. In August 1857, Whaley established his general store in this residence, and solicited cash customers only.  Strudwick, June A. (April 1960). "The Whaley House". Journal of San Diego History. 6 (2).  "Whaley Chronology". whaleyhouse.org. Save Our Heritage Organisation. "The Bridge Of Sighs Poem by Thomas Hood - Poem Hunter". Poemhunter.com. ^   Engstrand, Iris (2005). San Diego: California's Cornerstone. Sunbelt Publications. pp. 82–83. ISBN 978-0-932653-72-7.  "Ghostly Legends of the Whaley House". whaleyhouse.org. Save Our Heritage Organisation. "The Whaley House". The San Diego Historical Society Quarterly. 6 (Special Issue): Forward. April 1960.  Graham, David E. (August 5, 2007). "Ciaudella House upgrades alarms, to hire caretaker". San Diego Union Tribune.  "Whaley Quote".   Bell, Diane (October 28, 2011). "Get into the Halloween spirits at a real haunted house". San Diego Union-Tribune.  https://www.ghostsandgravestones.com/san-diego/whaley-house http://www.oldtownsandiegoguide.com/whaleyhouse.html https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-whaley-house-san-diego-california http://www.sohosandiego.org/main/whaley2.htm Videos https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efyvBo5timY https://californiathroughmylens.com/ and of course Ancestry.com, MyHeritage.com, Newspaperarchives, FamilySearch.org     This presentation is protected by US & International copyright laws. Reproduction & distribution of the presentation without written permission of the sponsor is prohibited. 

Most don’t associate women with serial murders, contrary to popular belief, there is a list, a long list of women who kill and kill and kill again. Join us we travel back in time to meet a couple of the most puzzling and notorious women who almost got away with murder.   Grandma Nannie Doss, 49, admitted poisoner of four husbands, displays grandmotherly pride in a courthouse corridor during a hearing to decide her fate for the death of her fifth mate, Samuel Doss. She holds Janice Dianne Haynes, 4, with her arms around Peggy Lou Haynes, 8. They are daughters of Melvina Hedrick, Doss' daughter. Copied from Oklahoman print archive Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2011. Photo by Doug Hoke, The Oklahoman Photo we discussed in the episode! How did Melvina stand by her side, and hold her daughters???     None of the photos on this page belong to Haunting History Podcast. No copyright infringement intended and are only used as enhancements to the story told.    At times when reporting facts regarding a true crime, multiple sources  use the same wording. (along with photos) Every effort is made to avoid any copyright infringements and no single work  was intentionally plagiarized when reporting the facts of the crimes.  Below is a  list of resources  used during the research and telling of this story. (partial)  Lady Killers  Resources "Nannie Doss Biography". Who2 Biographies. Who2 LLP.   "Nannie Doss - Encyclopedia of Alabama". Encyclopedia of Alabama.  Manners, Terry, Deadlier than the Male, 1995. Page 76 ISBN 0-330-33711-4.  https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/7454796/samuel-luther-doss  Curtis, Gene (October 27, 2007). "Only in Oklahoma: Black widow enjoyed the limelight". Tulsa World.  Gribben, Mark (June 20, 2006). "The Giggling Grandma". The Malefactor's Register. Mark Gribben https://www.thoughtco.com/serial-killer-nannie-doss-973101 https://allthatsinteresting.com/nannie-doss-giggling-granny https://murderpedia.org/female.D/d/doss-nannie.htm http://tonsoffacts.com/25-interesting-and-bizarre-facts-about-nannie-doss/ https://boredomtherapy.com/giggling-granny-serial-killer/ https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/nannie-doss-41380.php http://www.encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/h-3619 https://sites.psu.edu/harringpassion/2018/11/29/nannie-doss/ https://gizmodo.com/the-giggling-granny-serial-killer-who-smiled-all-the-1718086506 http://www.encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/h-3619 https://criminalminds.fandom.com/wiki/Nannie_Doss http://www.lifedaily.com/story/murderous-giggling-granny-poisons-husbands-children-and-laughs-at-sentencing/ https://serialkillersinfo.com/serial-killers/nannie-doss-serial-killer/ https://www.shekillslit.com/2018/10/29/true-crime-nannie-doss-the-giggling-grannie/ http://www.criminalhistorian.com/jolly-jane-misunderstanding-a-female-serial-killer/ https://www.123helpme.com/active-serial-killers-jane-toppen-preview.asp?id=403934 https://brightkite.com/essay-on/active-serial-killers-jane-toppen https://darkdeeds.susanfleet.com/blog_1.php?category=Serial+Killers Documentaries https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GDpgrCoP5I https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Jg036HNDZ4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3pSMfeLyxw Books https://www.amazon.com/NANNIE-DOSS-SERIAL-KILLER-GIGGLING-ebook/dp/B00SAD62YW https://www.amazon.com/Black-Widow-Giggling-Granny-Nannie/dp/1097268535/ref=asc_df_1097268535/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=343206877892&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=13201778072213269660&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1013701&hvtargid=aud-799727667774:pla-758014218433&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=66484627102&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=343206877892&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=13201778072213269660&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1013701&hvtargid=aud-799727667774:pla-758014218433 https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-giggling-granny-annette-rice/1125699777?ean=9781542950794&st=PLA&sid=BNB_ADL+Core+Generic+Books+-+Desktop+Medium&sourceId=PLAGoNA&dpid=td...

A sleepy Southern California town is turned upside down with the murders of 4 boys. So much so, the town changed its name. Join us as we look into the crime that rocked this small town and meet the monster who called it home almost 100 years ago.   Looking for more information on The Wineville Chicken Coop Murders check out these books The Road Out of Hell: Sanford Clark and the True Story of the Wineville Murders by Anthony Flacco and Jerry Clark (Sanford's son). or Nothing Is Strange with You: The Life and Crimes of Gordon Stewart Northcott by Janes Jeffrey Paul More info that wasn't mentioned in the episode.... Pictures of the murder farm in 1928 (top, obvi :) and then sometime in the 90's-2009 (bottom) the picture on bottom was taken before 2009. Like I did mention, many people visit the Wineville Murder Farm, especially during Halloween season, its harder to imagine now, what it once looked like, but, as recently as 10 years ago the house pretty much looked the same. Many of the surrounding neighbors report of hearing the sounds of boys running around and at times,  in the still of the night they still hear their sobs.   None of the photos on this page belong to Haunting History Podcast. No copyright infringement intended and are only used as enhancements to the story told.  At times when reporting facts regarding a true crime, (and photos) multiple sources  use the same wording. Every effort is made to avoid any copyright infringements and no single work  was intentionally plagiarized when reporting the facts of the crimes.  Below is a  list of resources  used during the research and telling of this story. (partial)  Wineville Chicken Coop Murder Resources https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wineville_Chicken_Coop_murders https://www.crimemuseum.org/crime-library/serial-killers/wineville-chicken-coop-murders/ https://allthatsinteresting.com/wineville-chicken-coop-murders https://www.nydailynews.com/news/justice-story/california-crop-horror-1920s-article-1.1229595 https://www.ranker.com/list/facts-about-wineville-chicken-coop-murders/amandasedlakhevener https://the-line-up.com/gordon-northcott-wineville-chicken-coop-murder http://www.theoccultmuseum.com/family-affair-gordon-northcott-wineville-chicken-coop-murders https://highschool.latimes.com/ontario-high-school/murder-flashbacks-wineville-chicken-coop-murders/ https://www.facebook.com/pages/Wineville-Chicken-Coop-Murders/143884638962102 https://criminalminds.fandom.com/wiki/Gordon_Northcott https://murderpedia.org/male.N/n/northcott-gordon.htm http://www.rarenewspapers.com/view/570624?imagelist=1 https://www.whittierdailynews.com/2008/12/21/clark-chief-witness-in-20s-child-murders-led-exemplary-life/ http://infoczarina.blogspot.com/2008/12/wineville-chicken-coop-murders.html https://www.cvltnation.com/grisly-perverse-crimes-gordon-stewart-northcott/ Documentaries https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5EiOrpgXZNE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NT16Sht4URI  "During the 1920s, Boys Became the Prey of a Brutal Killer". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 6, 2019. Johnson, Kim Jarrell (2006). Jurupa. Arcadia Publishing. p. 67. ISBN 0-7385-3082-4.  Kurz, John (1988-12-15). "Mira Loma History, Riverside County, California: Wineville Chicken Murders". Rubidoux Historical Society. Retrieved 2008-01-26.  Paul, James Jeffrey, Nothing Is Strange with You, p.88  "Jurupa Valley History: Mira Loma History". Riverside CountyPlanning Department. 2006. Retrieved 2008-01-26  Rasmussen, Cecilia (October 31, 2004). "During the 1920s, Boys Became the Prey of a Brutal Killer". Los Angeles Times. Tronc. Retrieved September 13, 2008. "Northcott Murders: James Jeffrey Paul's Research Materials". Riverside Public Library. Retrieved 2010-03-06.  "Murder Farm' Fugitive Held: Young Northcott Arrested by Canadian Police Mother Also Believed to be in Their Custody Blood Found on Suspects' Ranch Called Human". Los Angeles Times.

One of LA's most famous hotels, known mostly for its dark history. Was the Cecil a victim to changing times and a bad location, or is something more sinister going on? Come with us as delve into the Cecil's past of murder, suicide and unsolved crimes. Want more information on the Cecil Hotel? Check this out on Amazon Horror at the Cecil Hotel Season 1 One of the most sinister places in America, for decades, The Cecil Hotel in Los Angeles has been home to a series of bizarre mysteries, murders and other suspicious deaths. Horror at the Cecil Hotel tells stories from the hotel's terrifying history.     The day Hotel Cecil Opened, who knew it would become known as Suicide Hotel!   I love the HC on the service lift~I wonder what the new owners will do with all that stuff. The "opulent" lobby.   None of the photos on this page belong to Haunting History Podcast. No copyright infringement intended and are only used as enhancements to the story told.  Hotel Cecil  Resources None of the photos on this page belong to Haunting History Podcast. No copyright infringement intended and are only used as enhancements to the story told.  At times when reporting facts regarding a true crime, multiple sources use the same wording. Every effort is made to avoid any copyright infringements and no single work  was intentionally plagiarized when reporting the facts of the crimes.  Below is a  list of resources  used during the research and telling of this story. (partial)  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cecil_Hotel_(Los_Angeles) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_deaths_and_violence_at_the_Cecil_Hotel https://allthatsinteresting.com/cecil-hotel-los-angeles https://www.countryliving.com/life/travel/a45235/creepy-history-cecil-hotel-los-angeles/ https://www.ranker.com/list/creepy-stories-about-the-history-of-the-cecil-hotel/cat-mcauliffe https://listverse.com/2018/08/05/10-creepiest-events-that-happened-at-the-cecil-hotel/ https://curiosity.com/topics/the-cecil-hotel-is-known-as-las-most-haunted-for-many-horrifying-reasons-curiosity/ https://la.curbed.com/2016/5/24/11760508/cecil-hotel-baron-redevelopment https://www.news.com.au/before-the-ghost-photo-the-disturbing-gruesome-past-of-the-cecil-hotel/news-story/b452bde56346ec83fa3bfe4f876d0229 https://www.lamag.com/citythinkblog/spending-a-night-at-the-cecil-hotel-where-serial-killers-and-eerie-deaths-abound/ https://laist.com/2016/10/18/cecil_hotel_historical.php https://www.eonline.com/news/1015704/from-the-black-dahlia-to-american-horror-story-inside-the-dark-history-of-los-angeles-deadliest-hotel https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Elisa_Lam https://allthatsinteresting.com/elisa-lam-death https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/3bkmg3/elisa-lam-drowned-in-a-water-tank-two-years-ago-but-the-obsession-with-her-death-lives-on-511 https://the-line-up.com/cecil-hotel Videos https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73nFHbnaJc0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfPTbcNjy54 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fw0W8FkQMvQ https://documentaryheaven.com/elisa/   and of course Ancestry.com, MyHeritage.com, Newspaperarchives, FamilySearch.org This presentation is protected by US & International copyright laws. Reproduction & distribution of the presentation without written permission of the sponsor is prohibited. 

The podcast that reaches back into the past for the events that shocked us all, tales of true crime, mystery and the macabre. Now, who doesn't love a good ghost story, right?