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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
Our True Crime Podcast
SocietyCultureJournalsPersonalSociety & CultureTrue Crime
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

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Podcast Episodes
Mysterious Death of Brent Brand with Hopper from Final Trace [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:25:52
In this month’s special, Cam and Jen talk with Hopper from Final Trace. In the summer of 1986, 18-year-old Brent Brand went to a party in Vincennes, Indiana, and never made it home. Eight days later, across state lines,…
347. The Cruelest Betrayal: Ashley Kline [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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On a bitterly cold night just before New Year’s Eve, 23-year-old Ashley Kline disappeared from her home in Robesonia, Pennsylvania, after walking to a friend’s house just four blocks away. She was never seen alive again.…
346. Charmed: Margie's Story [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:56
In the middle of a spring night in 1988, Margie slipped from her bed, which she shared with her husband, and slowly crept into the other room where he kept his briefcase with all his important documents. There was no dou…
345. Targeted: The Killing of James Craig Anderson [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:16
For much of the twentieth century, Mississippi was a place where racial violence was not merely ignored but actively erased. Witnesses stayed silent. Juries looked away. It was just a different time, they say. James Crai…
344. Trusting Evil: The Murder of Sarah Everard [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:02
In March 2021, Sarah Everard left a friend’s house in London and started walking home. It was a normal evening, the kind of walk most people do without thinking twice. But when she didn’t return, her family and friends b…
Bill & Peggy Stephenson with Melissa From Just the Tip-Sters [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:02
In this month's special, Melissa from Just The Tip-Sters shares a case close to her heart with Cam & Jen. It's a head-scratcher. In May 2011, Bill and Peggy Stephenson, a kind, generous, and deeply loved couple from Flor…
343. Dardeen Family Massacre [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:42
In the quiet, unassuming town of Ina, Illinois—where life moved slowly and danger felt distant—Keith and Elaine Dardeen were building a modest, faith-centered future with their young son, Peter, and a baby on the way. Th…
342. Just the Tip of the Iceberg: Wayne Adam Ford [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:16
In November 1998, Wayne Ford was troubled and scared. He called his brother Rodney and said he had “hurt some people.” Rodney could hear the worry in his voice, so he drove six hours through the night to be with him. Whe…
341. Missoula Mauler: Wayne Nance [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:22
It was supposed to be an ordinary night in a quiet Missoula neighborhood, the kind where doors stayed unlocked because nothing bad ever happened. But just after 10 p.m., Doug and Kris Wells pulled into their driveway and…

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