376. Ultimate Betrayel: The Fort Leonard Wood Murders

376. Ultimate Betrayel: The Fort Leonard Wood Murders

Author: Our True Crime Podcast September 9, 2026 Duration: 1:07:53
In October 1976, two teenagers took a late-night drive near a remote military base in the Missouri Ozarks and simply vanished into thin air. Months later, a second carload of kids was pulled over by a figure of authority on those same dark roads, leading to a brutal murder and betrayal, with one brave survivor. When the predator behind the badge is finally caught, investigators are left with a troubling question: could the same man responsible for this tragedy also be the answer to what happened to the two teens who went missing months before? Our team: Listener Discretion by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Edward October ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Research & Writing by Lauretta Allen Executive Producers Nico & Jesse of ⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Inky Pawprint⁠⁠ Sources: Bates v. United States, 517 F. Supp. 1350 (W.D. Mo. 1981) :: Justia 234: Frozen Tears: The Fort Leonard Wood MP Murders w/ J.B. King Crime Traveler: The Ft. Leonard Wood Massacre TRUE CRIME STORY Alfred Elmer Hoffman Marshal – The Charley Project Teresa Joanna Gossage – The Charley Project 701 F.2d 737 Photos of Wesley August “Wes” Hawkins - Find a Grave Memorial Anthony Lee “Tony” Bates (1958-1977) - Find a Grave Memorial Fort Leonard Wood - Wikipedia History :: FORT LEONARD WOOD Article From Jan 22, 1977, page 2 - Daily American Republic at Newspapers.com™ Oct 17, 1976, page 21 - Springfield Leader and Press at Newspapers.com™ Jan 22, 1977, page 1 - The Daily Capital News at Newspapers.com™ - Newspapers.com™ May 04, 1977, page 27 - Daily American Republic at Newspapers.com™ Article From Feb 16, 1977, page 9 - Henryetta Daily Free-Lance at Newspapers.com™ May 04, 1977, page 29 - The Springfield News-Leader at Newspapers.com™ May 03, 1977, page 1 - The Springfield News-Leader at Newspapers.com™ Feb 23, 1977, page 29 - The Springfield News-Leader at Newspapers.com™ May 08, 1977, page 2 - The Kansas City Star at Newspapers.com™ Article From Jun 10, 1977, page 1 - The Kansas City Times at Newspapers.com™ Jun 10, 1977, page 4 - The Kansas City Times at Newspapers.com™ Article From Apr 16, 1980, page 2 - Daily American Republic at Newspapers.com™ Article From Jan 08, 1981, page 10 - Springfield Leader and Press at Newspapers.com™ Article From Jan 09, 1981, page 8 - Springfield Leader and Press at Newspapers.com™ Article From May 31, 1981, page 35 - Springfield Leader and Press at Newspapers.com™ Article From Aug 23, 1981, page 29 - The Kansas City Star at Newspapers.com™ The Debate Over Whether Dissociative Identity Disorder Is "Real" | Psychology Today Jul 26, 1977, page 13 - Times Record at Newspapers.com™ (found sane) Article From Jul 27, 1977, page 2 - The Montgomery Advertiser at Newspapers.com™ Jan 15, 1977, page 1 - Times Record at Newspapers.com™ Article From Jul 23, 1977, page 6 - The Kansas City Star at Newspapers.com™ Jul 27, 1977, page 27 - Journal and Courier at Newspapers.com™ Article From Jul 26, 1977, page 38 - Portland Press Herald at Newspapers.com™ Article From Jul 26, 1977, page 18 - Omaha World-Herald at Newspapers.com™ Article From Jan 15, 1977, page 1 - Springfield Leader and Press at Newspapers.com™ Article From Jan 15, 1977, page 2 - Springfield Leader and Press at Newspapers.com™ Jan 15, 1977, page 9 - The Register at Newspapers.com™ Jan 15, 1977, page 29 - The Times at Newspapers.com™ https://www.newspapers.com/image/887035596/?match=1&terms="Johnny%20Lee%20Thornton"%20&search-id=af39819e-93b9-4829-b9ea-44130a34b461&search-rank=7 Article From Feb 17, 1977, page 25 - Springfield Leader and Press at Newspapers.com™ Jul 27, 1977, page 1 - The Kansas City Times at Newspapers.com™ Jul 27, 1979, page 11 - The Springfield News-Leader at Newspapers.com™ May 20, 1979, page 83 - Springfield Leader and Press at Newspapers.com™ Jun 19, 1979, page 4 - Springfield Leader and Press at Newspapers.com™ Real 'Sybil' Admits Multiple Personalities Were Fake : NPR The Mesmerizing Story of ‘Sybil Exposed’ | Kirkus Reviews Aug 09, 1980, page 11 - Albany Democrat-Herald at Newspapers.com™ - Newspapers.com™ Frozen Tears: The Fort Leonard Wood MP Murders | # **EXCERPT FROM CHAPTER 9 - [Frozen Tears: The Fort Leonard Wood MP Murders](https://www.facebook.com/groups/682974085504257/ | Facebook Frederick E Williams (1958-1977) - Find a Grave Memorial https://phelpscountyfocus.com/2023/02/15/talking-waynesville-the-mp-murders-of-1977/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There's a whole world of strange and unsettling stories that rarely make the headlines, and that's exactly where you'll find Our True Crime Podcast. Each episode digs into one of those bizarre, lesser-known cases from any corner of the globe, stories that often defy easy explanation. Hosts Jen and Cam guide you through these peculiar narratives with a genuine sense of respect for those involved, balancing the darker details with their own conversational chemistry and a bit of well-timed humor. You might even get a smidge of song along the way, because real life, especially the strange parts, rarely follows a single tone. This isn't just a retelling of facts; it's a shared exploration of the oddities hidden within human behavior and society. Tuning into this podcast feels like pulling up a chair with two friends who have a knack for finding the most compelling, offbeat tales. You'll hear the careful research, the thoughtful discussions, and the personal touch that Jen and Cam bring to every story, making even the most obscure case feel immediate and fascinating. If you're looking for a true crime experience that ventures far beyond the usual cases and does so with character and heart, you've found it.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Our True Crime Podcast
Podcast Episodes
The Disappearance of Paige Renkoski with Nina from Already Gone [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:09:12
This month, Nina Innsted of the Already Gone podcast joins Cam and Jen to discuss the disappearance of Paige Renkoski. Paige was a 30-year-old substitute teacher who seemingly vanished into thin air in May of 1990. It’s…
355. Firestarter: Crimes of Bruce George Peter Lee [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:44
In the early hours of December 4, 1979, something jolted Edith Hastie awake—and within seconds, her worst fears were confirmed. Fire was already inside her home on Selby Street in Kingston upon Hull, climbing fast, swall…
354. Out of the Fire: Suzanne Capper [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:44
***Content Warning*** This episode contains discussion of violence, torture, and murder. Listener discretion is strongly advised. At 16, Suzanne Capper was just a girl trying to find her place in the world and hanging ou…
353. Family Ties, Killer Lies: Murder of Peter Porco [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:28
It was November 15, 2004, 52-year-old Peter Porco woke up like he always did: early, well before his alarm, with a few minutes to gather his thoughts in the quiet of his Delmar, New York, home. Peter was a fixture in the…
The Murder of Diane Sindall with Jenny from It's Murder Up North [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:26:51
This month's special, Cam and Jen talk with Jenny from It's Murder Up North. Her podcast covers crimes from the north of England; everything from the obscure to the infamous. In 1986, Diane Sindall's van ran out of gas,…
352. A Date With Evil: Grace Millane [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:46
For many young travelers, a gap year is a chance to explore, to grow, to feel free. For Grace Millane, it was all of that and more. She had already crossed continents, shared daily memories with her family, and embraced…
351. Stocking Strangler: Carlton Gary [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:10:28
In 1970, 85-year-old Nellie Farmer lived quietly in a modest retirement hotel. A retired schoolteacher, she had spent her life helping others and asking for very little in return. One night, that safety was shattered. An…
350: 700 Miles to Nowhere: Marshal Iwaasa [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:36
In November 2019, hikers traveling through a remote mountain region in British Columbia discovered a burned-out truck abandoned on a rugged forest trail. The area lies deep within the Tolkien Range, far away from any roa…
349. Dead Girls Don't Talk: The Case of Micki Jo West [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:20
On the morning of September 11, 1979, nineteen-year-old Micki Jo West left her mother’s home in St. Joseph, Missouri, as she had every morning. She wore her nurse’s aide uniform, pulled on a khaki coat, carried her white…
348: The Missing Six & The Monster of Malherbe Street [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:07:40
Thank you, Petra, for the episode suggestion. In 1990, a teenage girl escaped from a house in Pretoria, South Africa, narrowly avoiding an unimaginable fate. Her story revealed that she was not the first of several young…