There’s Danger Here

Suzanne and Christopher seemed like a boring reclusive couple. They lived a simple life, but the pair held a large secret. Buried in the garden of Suzannes old family home were her parents. Another couple that had been so reclusive, nobody noticed when they went missing in 1998. It wasn't until father William would have turned 100, that the requirement for him to be checked up on in person, did the two panic and flee. A year later in France, they were out of money, Christopher called his mother in law, confessing his crimes. She dutifully notified police, finally the truth was dug up.
Sources:
The Body Under The Patio: Murder in Suburbia
⁠https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-27836459⁠
⁠https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/jun/20/william-patricia-wycherley-murder-unnoticed-15-years⁠
⁠https://inews.co.uk/culture/television/susan-christopher-edwards-now-convicted-murderers-2783077?srsltid=AfmBOopGvWNlDQ_Sehpml644BybVxII5O90oZb3cX0YI5NDuzdLgWAIq⁠
⁠https://www.judiciary.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/r-v-edwards-edwards.pdf⁠
⁠https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/oct/25/the-murderers-next-door⁠
⁠https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-27924098⁠

Azraya Ackabee-Kokopenace was born on March 6th 2002. She was found hanging April 17th, 2016. In a place, searches looked the day before after walking out of a hospital. She was supposedly noted to have suicidal ideations, yet was allowed to leave. She was a member of the same tribe that suffers from mercury poisoning. Her older brother having passed away at an early age as a result from complications from the poisoning. Yet the government refuses to take accountability or action. Creating generations affected by the same muddied waters that they made their livelihood off of. 
Sources:
https://www.cbc.ca/missingandmurdered/
https://storiesoftheunsolved.com/2020/02/12/the-death-of-azraya-ackabee-kokopenace/
http://weareherecanada.ca/azraya-ackabee-kokopenace/
https://www.cbc.ca/news2/interactives/children-of-the-poisoned-river-mercury-poisoning-grassy-narrows-first-nation/
http://culturalsurvival.org/news/them-its-money-us-its-life-grassy-narrows-60-year-legacy-poison#:~:text=Lexx%20Paul%20sits%20on%20a,babies%20were%20born%20with%20deformities.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/316376541_Proposal_to_Clean-Up_Remediate_Mercury_Pollution_in_the_English-Wabigoon_River
https://www.ontario.ca/page/ministers-five-year-report-english-and-wabigoon-rivers-remediation-funding-act-2017#:~:text=Funding%20of%20the%20remediation%20of,whether%20objectives%20have%20been%20achieved.
https://infosuperior.com/blog/2017/02/15/landmark-ontario-commits-to-mercury-cleanup/#:~:text=The%20provincial%20and%20federal%20governments,eating%20birds%2C%20mammals%20and%20people.
https://www.ontario.ca/page/2020-2021-panel-annual-report-english-and-wabigoon-rivers-remediation-trust
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2494900#:~:text=Abstract,are%20the%20preferred%20remedial%20actions.
https://www.facetsjournal.com/doi/10.1139/facets-2021-0093#:~:text=The%20objective%20of%20this%20study,being%20remobilized%20and%20transported%20downstream.
https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2021Facet...6.2002R/abstract#:~:text=Instead%2C%20our%20data%20suggest%20that,Lake%2C%20located%20154%20km%20downstream.

When a loved one passes away, they typically end up at a mortuary. A place designated to care for the after life process. Whether it be a burial or cremation, the family entrusts the funeral directors to be responsible, to properly complete the final wishes. But time and time again there are cases where morticians failed to, not only give the respect everyone deserves, but in some cases are so horrific, it becomes criminal.
Sources: 
Colorado funeral home: Inspectors find numerous decomposing bodies behind hidden door | CNN
What the discovery of improperly stored bodies in a Pueblo funeral home says about the state's death care industry
Owners of US funeral home that hid 190 bodies face families in court | Colorado | The Guardian
What To Know About Colorado’s (Scandalous) Funeral Industry - 5280
Cremation Scandals - Cremation With Confidence
6 of 24 Bodies Identified in Mortuary Scandal Involving County Coroner
US funeral home ordered to pay families $190m in decaying bodies case
Judge rejects plea deal for funeral home owner accused of stashing nearly 190 decaying bodies | PBS News
Cremation Scandals - Cremation With Confidence
https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F3/96/1451/503533/
The Mortician

Robert Eugene Brashers was arrested and convicted of multiple crimes. The first convictions should have landed him in prison for twelve years, but he served just three before getting released for good behavior. The result was multiple murdered women. It wouldn't be until Robert was buried did the truth begin to come to light. The result-a posthumous serial killer label. In 2025, he was verified to have been the offender of the yogurt shop murder. Killing four teenagers in Austin, Texas in 1991. 
Sources: 
https://www.statesman.com/news/article/robert-eugene-brashers-austin-yogurt-shop-murders-21069898.php
https://notes.mshp.dps.mo.gov/si01/si01p001.nsf/035631d21d12b3ca8625729800536894/719609083dcd88e18625831d0050ad6f?OpenDocument
https://6abc.com/post/what-know-robert-eugene-brashers-new-suspect-identified-texas-infamous-yogurt-shop-killings/17894500/
https://www.cnn.com/2025/09/29/us/robert-eugene-brashers-yogurt-shop-murders
https://www.kctv5.com/2025/09/29/30-years-later-serial-killer-with-missouri-victims-linked-texas-yogurt-shop-cold-case/
https://www.facebook.com/wachfox/videos/deceased-serial-killer-robert-eugene-brashers-has-been-identified-through-dna-as/1394065839101534/
https://abc7.com/post/dna-evidence-links-late-robert-eugene-brashers-1991-killings-4-girls-austin-texas-yogurt-shop/17889732/
https://www.newsweek.com/who-was-robert-e-brashers-what-to-know-about-yogurt-shop-murders-suspect-10792708
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l41AnSungFE
https://www.cnn.com/2025/09/29/us/robert-eugene-brashers-yogurt-shop-murders
https://www.newsweek.com/who-was-robert-e-brashers-what-to-know-about-yogurt-shop-murders-suspect-10792708

In 1991 in Austin, Texas four teenagers are murdered. Two girls are closing up the yogurt shop that they work at while younger sister and a friend wait for a ride home. Sometime during their final clean up, they are attacked. All of them are bound, shot in the head, and the shop is lit on fire. Investigators do everything they can think of to solve the crime. Eight years later four men are charged, two confess and are convicted. Later winning appeals. In order to bolster their case, DA goes back to collected DNA. It is then, that science proved they convicted the wrong men. Still the case goes cold until 2025, when it is finally solved. The murderer with a long history of such crimes, but he will never see the inside of a courtroom for these murders. Having committed suicide in 1999 during a police stand off. Still families now know, who truly was to blame. 
Sources: 
 
The Yogurt Shop Murders: HBO Max
https://www.austintexas.gov/news/significant-breakthrough-made-1991-i-cant-believe-its-yogurt-murders
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/suspect-identified-in-infamous-texas-yogurt-shop-murder-case-48-hours/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXZW5gHXj0
https://people.com/yogurt-shop-murders-victim-helped-identify-suspected-killer-11823320
https://abcnews.go.com/US/haunting-yogurt-shop-quadruple-killings-solved-3-decades/story?id=126035260

Angeline Pete
Anne Peters
Annie Pootoogook
Annie Yassie
Ashley Machiskinic
Audrey Desjarlais
All of these women are missing or died under suspicious circumstances. There are no cases of closure this month. The families often left without the knowledge of where their loved ones are or what happened in their final moments. Again this is another group of cases of missing and murdered indigenous women.
Sources:
https://www.cbc.ca/missingandmurdered/
https://www.cbc.ca/missingandmurdered/mmiw/profiles/angeline-eileen-pete
https://someonesawsomething.ca/2025/04/13/angeline-eileen-pete/
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/british-columbia/disappeared-reconstructing-a-life-to-find-a-missing-mother/article31388904/
https://www.doenetwork.org/cases/4703dfbc.html
https://www.nsnews.com/local-news/family-pleas-for-info-on-missing-north-vancouver-woman-2979187
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/health/about-bc-s-health-care-system/office-of-the-provincial-health-officer/reports-publications/special-reports/fn_womenandgirlsreport_july19.pdf
https://www.cbc.ca/missingandmurdered/mmiw/profiles/anne-rose-peters
https://unidentified-awareness.fandom.com/wiki/Audrey_Desjarlais
https://www.cbc.ca/missingandmurdered/mmiw/profiles/annie-pootoogook
https://www.aptnnews.ca/national-news/family-friends-say-inuit-artist-annie-pootoogook-lived-in-fear-before-death/
https://www.cbc.ca/missingandmurdered/mmiw/profiles/annie-yassie
https://int-missing.fandom.com/wiki/Annie_Yassie
https://storiesoftheunsolved.com/2021/02/06/the-disappearance-of-annie-yassie/
https://www.cbc.ca/missingandmurdered/mmiw/profiles/ashley-machisknic
https://www.bwss.org/day-of-action-for-ashley-machisknic/
https://www.aptnnews.ca/national-news/this-was-a-murder-2/
https://www.cbc.ca/missingandmurdered/mmiw/profiles/audrey-desjarlais
 

Fredericka Mandelbaum immigrated from Prussia to the US with her husband and small child. Peddlers in Prussia, the Jewish couple began feeling the effects of the growing anti-semitism movement. In the US they moved to "Little Germany". Marm learned to peddle quickly both legitimate and illegitimate wares.  Opening her own haberdashery to front her fence. She lived and worked in the area until the 1880's when reform finally caught up with her by the hands of the Pinkerton Agency. Even after she was caught, she paid bail and then absconded to Canada. There she, oldest son Julius, and Herman stayed until Marms death.  
 
Sources:
North Conway. Queen of Thieves. The true story of “Marm” Mandelbaum and her gangs of New York. 2014
https://www.mcny.org/story/extraordinary-mother-mandelbaum
https://www.wnyc.org/story/the-story-of-a-gilded-age-jewish-crime-boss-women-behaving-badly/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/how-a-jewish-german-woman-in-ny-became-americas-first-major-crime-boss-in-1859/
https://www.vegaspbs.org/blogs/community-events/march-11-the-queen-of-thieves-the-jewish-mother-who-built-americas-first-criminal-empire/
https://providenceathenaeum.org/media-archives/the-talented-mrs-mandelbaum/
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-life-and-crimes-of-old-mother-mandelbaum-71693582/
https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/community/articles/marm-mandelbaum-queen-fences

It seems as though almost every historic hotel has a haunting or two attached to it. They are hot beds for paranormal activity, scaring and exciting the living guests who come for their own experiences. 
Since it’s October, a time touted as spooky season, I thought it would be fun to take a break from murder and mayhem and talk about the spooky. Especially after the heavy case I spoke about last week.
Sources: 
 
https://portlandghosts.com/the-heathman-hotel/
https://frightfind.com/the-heathman-hotel/
https://fhspost.com/7010/feature/our-paranormal-investigation-portlands-hotels/https://www.fivestaralliance.com/portland-or/countdown-the-most-haunted-hotel-the-heathman-hotel
http://hauntedrooms.com/oregon/portland/haunted-places/haunted-hotels/the-heathman
https://usghostadventures.com/haunted-places/heathman-hotel/
https://ghostcitytours.com/san-antonio/haunted-places/haunted-hotels/menger-hotel/
https://www.hauntedrooms.com/texas/san-antonio/haunted-places/haunted-hotels/menger-hotel
https://ghosttexas.com/menger-hotel-hauntings-paranormal-ghosts/
https://www.concordscolonialinn.com/haunted-hotel/
https://www.hauntedrooms.com/massachusetts/haunted-places/haunted-hotels/the-colonial-inn-concord
http://usghostadventures.com/haunted-places/concords-colonial-inn/
https://www.hauntedrooms.com/maryland/haunted-places/haunted-hotels/maryland-inn-annapolis

Shawn Yamate was born and raised in California. Falling in love with the 60's era lifestyle, he tattoo'd his moniker above his eyebrows. Sick Boy. In and out of juvi, mental health facilities, and then prison from his late teens. His most recent sentence puts him on the inside for life. 
Sources:
https://kpic.com/news/local/yamate-sentenced-in-court-monday
https://theworldlink.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/yamate-trial-day-5-defendant-takes-the-stand-in-own-defense/article_e5e25066-4178-5b1a-9fdd-37108deb8a7a.html
https://theworldlink.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/gonzales-accepts-plea-deal-to-testify-in-murder-trial-of-shawn-yamate/article_fc96201c-5755-5187-86e4-7e72626349bc.html
https://kcby.com/news/local/yamate-denies-murder-charge-while-on-stand-during-trial
https://theworldlink.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/drinking-unsubstantiated-accusations-may-have-led-to-coos-bay-murder/article_72b04dc3-40d5-5e7d-a5be-f6b1b35e487f.html
https://theworldlink.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/yamate-murder-trial-day-2-3-lifestyles-and-gruesome-forensic-photos-unveiled/article_03beaa4b-374c-5e0a-ac8e-7e65d7587d0f.html
https://mugshots.com/US-States/Oregon/Coos-County-OR/Shawn-Kristofer-Yamate.68320286.html
https://www.localcrimenews.com/welcome/detail/66776068/shawn-yamate-arrest.html
https://rain-street.org/Shawn-Yamate-7l3521

Another set of women in Canada, missing or murdered. While the bulk of them remain unsolved, we did end on a known case. That doesn't make it any less tragic. Killed for $20.00, the perpetrator given a four year sentence. As always we try and shed light on the epidemic that is the MMIW. 
Sources:
https://www.cbc.ca/missingandmurdered/mmiw/profiles/angel-edna-carlick
https://www.aptnnews.ca/national-news/yukon-rcmp-putting-out-another-call-for-information-in-death-of-angel-carlick/
https://www.cbc.ca/missingandmurdered/mmiw/profiles/angela-carmen-pitseolak-meyer
https://canadiancrimeopedia.com/missing_women/meyer-angela/
https://int-missing.fandom.com/wiki/Angela_Meyer
https://medium.com/@DaniBujold/woman-went-out-for-a-cigarette-and-vanishes-angela-carmen-pitseolak-meyer-2010-98ae97843ed9
https://www.cbc.ca/missingandmurdered/mmiw/profiles/angela-hazel-williams
https://oublieesoudisparues.ca/en/cultural-mediation-kit/tools/factual-data/
https://www.cbc.ca/missingandmurdered/mmiw/profiles/angela-poorman
https://thestarphoenix.com/news/crime/no-sentencing-can-ever-bring-my-mom-back-says-daughter-of-sask-woman-killed-in-winnipeg
https://globalnews.ca/news/3095163/arrest-made-in-2014-homicide-winnipeg-police-set-to-release-more-details/
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/it-felt-like-the-whole-world-collapsed-arrest-brings-closure-for-angela-poorman-s-daughter-1.3873729