Midwest USA: The Truck Stop Killer Hunt

Midwest USA: The Truck Stop Killer Hunt

Author: Shane L. Waters, Wendy Cee, Gemma Hoskins October 4, 2023 Duration: 18:29
In Episode 1 we delve into the grim story of Robert Ben Rhoades, whose reign of terror along the American highways during the late '70s and '80s culminated in the nightmarish transformation of his 18-wheeler into a chamber of horrors. This episode recounts the harrowing escape of his would-be victim, Shana Holts, and the subsequent complacency of law enforcement that allowed Rhoades to continue his murderous spree.

Listeners will be taken through a chilling narrative that includes Rhoades's beginnings, from his unsettled childhood marked by his father's suicide to his drift into the world of long-haul trucking, where he found an outlet for his sadistic impulses. The episode paints a sinister portrait of Rhoades's life, revealing the disturbing duality of his existence and his ventures into the underground scenes that possibly fed his cruel fantasies.

As the episode unfolds, we learn of the tragic fate of Regina Kay Walters, the young girl whose brutal end was discovered in a secluded barn, and the close call that led to the capture of Rhoades, as recounted by an Arizona Highway Patrol Trooper. The description leads up to the anticipation of further investigation into the depth of Rhoades's crimes in the following episode, promising more insights into the exhaustive efforts to bring him to justice. This account serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerability of those who cross paths with such hidden predators.


Find us ⁠online.⁠ Support the show by joining our Black Label to support the show and unlock exclusive benefits. You can join on ⁠Patreon⁠ and ⁠Apple Podcast Premium⁠.

Follow us on ⁠Instagram⁠, ⁠Twitter⁠, and ⁠Facebook⁠. Join ⁠Shane's Facebook Group⁠.

Hosted by ⁠Shane Waters⁠. Listen to his other crime podcast ⁠Mystery Inc⁠, or his history podcast ⁠Hometown History⁠! Our Sponsors: * Check out Mood and use my code SHANE for a great deal: https://mood.com Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Step back into an era of flickering gaslight and whispered secrets, where justice was often as murky as the London fog or as stark as a frontier town’s saloon. Foul Play: A Historical True Crime Podcast exhumes long-forgotten criminal cases from the 1800s and early 1900s, meticulously piecing together stories that newspapers sensationalized and time nearly erased. Hosts Shane Waters, a veteran whose work helped shape the genre, and Wendy Cee, alongside researcher Gemma Hoskins, guide you through each meticulously researched season. They focus on a single, complete narrative, building the tension from the crime itself through the investigation and into the courtroom’s hushed drama. You’ll hear more than just the facts; you’ll get a sense of the societal pressures, the legal limitations, and the human lives entangled in each historical moment. This isn't about quick summaries-it's a deep, immersive audio experience that treats the past with the gravity it deserves. The podcast connects the dots using original documents, period accounts, and a clear-eyed analysis that separates legend from truth. It’s for anyone who wonders about the real stories lurking in the shadows of history, told with a journalist’s precision and a storyteller’s care for the victims and the complexities of their times. Listen to Foul Play for a compelling journey where every clue matters and history itself is the most important character.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Foul Play: A Historical True Crime Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Geneva: The Poisonous Nurse [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:30
On a warm June day in 1868, the vibrant streets of Geneva were struck by the nerve-chilling act of a nurse... The nurse was known for her guiding hand, yet within her grip lurked poison and peril. In Geneva's boarding ho…
Philippines: The Priest Who Killed 57 Parishioners [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:28
In 1826, a chilling discovery marred the serene backdrop of a Philippine parish. Father Juan Severino Mallari... The trusted priest of quiet parish life horrified his community. Allegations of murder, cloaked in piety an…
Australia: The 1842 Berrima Axe Murderer [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:35
In February 1842, a dingo uncovered a shallow grave near Berrima. This harrowing discovery in Australian history... In the rolling hills near Berrima, the macabre find of a dingo engaged a nation. Kearns Landregan, an Ir…
India: Thug Behram and the Thuggee Stranglers [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:56
In colonial India, travelers often befriended strangers on the road, never suspecting these companions were Thuggee Stranglers. Thug Behram's reign of terror makes a chilling subject for analysis in this episode of Foul…
Portugal: The 1772 Foundling Wheel Killer [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:28
In 18th-century Portugal, amid olive groves, a caretaker discovered a shallow grave containing an infant's body. The Foundling Wheel Killer of 1772 walks us along the tragic paths of historical serial killers in Season 3…
Jamaica: The Edinburgh Castle Mad Master [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:41
What drives a man from Scottish grace to Caribbean bloodshed? In the sun-drenched hills of Jamaica, the Edinburgh Castle Mad Master left a trail of violence. This Season 36 episode explores serial killers who left indeli…
France: La Voisin and the Poison Affair [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:43
In the glittering court of Louis XIV's France, La Voisin built a criminal empire on the dark art of poisoning. Known for the Affair of the Poisons, she became a notorious figure, weaving crime and mysticism in a tale tha…
Roman Empire: History's First Serial Killer [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:52
In the shadowy corners of the Roman Empire, Locusta perfected the deadly art of murder. Known as history's first serial killer, her story marks the chilling beginning of one of history's deadliest professions. Season 36…
Taipei: Uncovering Evidence in The Chia Case [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:02
The final chapter of the Chia children's case scrutinizes unyielding mysteries... Join Foul Play's conclusive exploration in Season 35 as we revisit the complex case involving Charles and Jennifer Chia. In this final epi…
Taipei: Discovering The Chia Children Remains [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:23
A tragic discovery in Taipei brings the Chia children case back to light... In Season 35 of Foul Play, we continue to examine the devastating circumstances around the loss of Charles and Jennifer Chia. Nine months after…