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Malice in the Mitten

Tracy Preston

Three Michigan shows, one voice. 

Malice in the Mitten - Michigan-focused True Crime.

Round Robin - Upbeat round-table talk.

F-Bomb - Michigan folklore and frights.  

New episodes every Monday, Wednesday & Friday

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  • 37 episodes
  • a few times a week
  • Avg 34 min
  • English

Episodes 37

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  • S14 · E1
    Yesterday · 24 min

    S14 E1 - Rough on Rats - A Farm, a Fortune, and a Fatal Promise

    In 1883, sixty-year-old Michigan farmer John Guild transferred his property to a woman who promised him a home for the remainder of his life. Not long after the deal, he was dead. An examination reportedly revealed arsenic. A neighbor testified about purchasing a product called Rough on Rats. And investigators questioned what happened to Guild's missing money. Korun Larson was convicted of first-degree murder. Her husband, Ole, was acquitted. But the story didn't end with the verdicts. A campaign to secure Korun's pardon would raise further questions about one of Michigan's forgotten nineteenth-century murder cases. Join Tracy Preston and Christine Mulligan as they examine the historical evidence and remember the life of John Guild. #MaliceInTheMitten #MichiganTrueCrime #HistoricalTrueCrime #JohnGuild #TrueCrimePodcast Written, recorded, edited & produced by Tracy Preston, featuring Christine Mulligan Original music created exclusively for Malice in the Mitten by Tracy Preston Original artwork by Todd Preston Sources: “The ‘Rough on Rats’ Murder.” Kalamazoo Gazette, 20 Feb. 1884, p. 1. Reproduced in Murder by Gaslight, 12 July 2014. Read historical newspaper transcription. The Clinton Republican. Historical newspaper issue containing reports of Ole Larson's acquittal and Korun Larson's pardon effort. Clinton County Historical Newspaper Archives. Historical newspaper archive. “Woman's Christian Temperance Union.” Social Welfare History Project, Virginia Commonwealth University. Historical background. “Microfilm & Obituary Request.” Muskegon Area District Library. Newspaper collection information.

  • S13 · E30
    Friday · 21 min

    S13 E30 - F-Bomb - Don't Stop on Purgatory Road - Michigan's Goat Man and the Devil Dog

    Deep in southwest Michigan, Purgatory Road cuts through woods, wetlands and the Three Rivers State Game Area—a place associated with strange local stories for years. By 2019, one legend had emerged clearly in writing: a mysterious Goat-Man said to roam Purgatory with an even stranger companion known as the Devil Dog. On this episode of F-Bomb Friday, Tracy explores what can actually be documented about Purgatory, where the written trail disappears, how Goat-Man folklore appears elsewhere in America, and why some legends survive even when nobody remembers exactly where they began. #FBombFriday #MichiganFolklore #GoatMan #PurgatoryRoad #MaliceInTheMitten Recorded, edited, & produced by Tracy Preston, featuring Todd Preston Researched & written by Todd Preston Original music created exclusively for F-Bomb by Tracy Presotn Original artwork by Todd Preston Sources: Michigan Department of Natural Resources. “State Game/Wildlife Areas.” Michigan.gov, Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Accessed 26 Sept. 2026. Michigan DNR state game areas Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Jones Area State Game Areas Master Plan. Michigan Department of Natural Resources, 2016. Accessed 26 Sept. 2026. DNR master plan Michigan Natural Features Inventory. “Bog.” Michigan State University Extension. Accessed 26 Sept. 2026. Michigan Natural Features Inventory — Bog Tsmola. “Purgatory.” Geocaching, 27 June 2008. Accessed 26 Sept. 2026. Purgatory geocache archive Cox, Steve. “Kalamazoo Dirt Road Challenge Ride.” Pedal Press, Kalamazoo Bicycle Club, May 2012. Accessed 26 Sept. 2026. Kalamazoo Bicycle Club source “Small-Town Memories; Small-Town Future. Part 2: Welcome to Michiana-Plus.” Eggshells, 20 Aug. 2019. Accessed 26 Sept. 2026. Eggshells Purgatory article University of Maryland. “Folklore (University of Maryland’s Version).” Maryland Today, University of Maryland, 2023. Accessed 26 Sept. 2026. University of Maryland folklore archive article Puglia, David J. “Getting Maryland’s Goat: The Goatman Legend.” Contemporary Legend, Indiana University ScholarWorks. Accessed 26 Sept. 2026. Academic Goatman folklore source

  • S13 · E29
    Wednesday · 34 min

    S13 E29 - Round Robin - Malibu, Movie Stars & Money in the Banana Stand

    What do Malibu Beach, surfing, frozen bananas, John Wayne, Shirley Temple and Barbie have in common? More than you'd think. This week on Round Robin, Tracy, Christine and Nina head to Southern California to explore the Chumash origins of Malibu, the Hawaiian roots of modern surfing culture, Duke Kahanamoku, Gidget, Malibu Barbie, Balboa Island's frozen banana wars, John Wayne's surprising connection to bodysurfing, and the famous Shirley Temple drink its namesake couldn't stand. Then Shirley Temple Black takes center stage as Woman of the Week for the remarkable second act of her life as a U.S. diplomat and ambassador. #RoundRobinPodcast #Malibu #SurfingHistory #OldHollywood #CaliforniaHistory Written, recorded, edited & produced by Tracy Preston, featuring Christine & Nina Mulligan Original music created exclusively for Round Robin by Tracy Preston Original artwork by Todd Preston Sources: City of Malibu. “Profile of the City of Malibu.” City of Malibu, www.malibucity.org/DocumentCenter/View/16760. City of Malibu. “Chapter Six: Historic Resources.” City of Malibu, www.malibucity.org/DocumentCenter/View/398/Chapter-Six. City of Malibu. “Cultural Resources.” City of Malibu, Nov. 2014, www.malibucity.org/DocumentCenter/View/10301. City of Malibu. “Malibu Surfing Area Listed in National Register of Historic Places.” City of Malibu, 6 May 2018, www.malibucity.org/DocumentCenter/View/17035. National Museum of American History. “Surfboard Shaped by Duke Kahanamoku on the Beach at Corona Del Mar, California in 1928.” Smithsonian Institution, americanhistory.si.edu/collections/object/nmah_1760837. Sony Pictures Entertainment. “Gidget.” Sony Pictures Entertainment, 1959, www.sonypictures.com/movies/gidget. Mattel. “1970s Barbie Dolls: Malibu Barbie, Superstar Barbie & More.” Mattel Creations, creations.mattel.com/pages/barbie-1970s-malibu-dreams-superstar-style. Smith, K. Annabelle. “The History of the Frozen Banana Stand.” Smithsonian Magazine, 24 May 2013, www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/the-history-of-the-frozen-banana-stand-80551198/. John Wayne Enterprises. “Wayne in LA.” John Wayne, www.johnwayne.com/journal/duke/wayne-in-la/. John Wayne Enterprises. “Big Jake at 50.” John Wayne, www.johnwayne.com/journal/duke/big-jake-at-50/. Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. “The 7th Academy Awards: 1935.” Oscars.org, 27 Feb. 1935, www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1935. National Museum of American History. “Shirley Temple Doll.” Smithsonian Institution, americanhistory.si.edu/collections/object/nmah_2034834. United States Department of State, Office of the Historian. “Shirley Jane Temple Black (1928–2014).” Office of the Historian, history.state.gov/departmenthistory/people/black-shirley-jane-temple. Rothman, Lily. “Inside the Shirley Temple: How Did the Mocktail Get Its Name?” TIME, 11 Feb. 2014, time.com/6659/shirley-temple-drink/.

  • S13 · E28
    October 5 · 35 min

    S13 E28 - The Woman They Tried to Erase - The Death of Emily Hal

    In 1895, a young Englishwoman named Emily Hall crossed the Atlantic and arrived at a house on Lincoln Avenue in Detroit while pregnant. Less than two weeks later, she was dead. But Emily Hall wasn't the name written on her death certificate. She became “Myrtle Cook”—a supposedly New York-born woman said to have died of pneumonia at an address where Emily had never lived. Then her embalmed body remained unburied for more than two months. When a newspaper reporter discovered it, the strange death began to unravel. Investigators uncovered letters from England, money sent in Emily's name, conflicting stories, testimony from other women, and evidence surrounding Dr. Dennis J. Seaman and Alice Lane. Seaman's first conviction would eventually reach the Michigan Supreme Court—but even that wasn't the end. This episode of Malice in the Mitten investigates the documented story behind Emily Hall's death, the extraordinary effort surrounding her concealed identity, and the young woman almost lost beneath the name “Myrtle Cook.” More than 130 years later, we say her real name again. Emily Hall #MaliceInTheMitten #MichiganTrueCrime #DetroitHistory #HistoricalTrueCrime #EmilyHall Written, recorded, edited & produced by Tracy Preston, featuring Christine Mulligan Original music created exclusively for Malice in the Mitten by Tracy Preston Original artwork by Todd Preston Sources: People v. Seaman. 107 Mich. 348, 65 N.W. 203. Supreme Court of Michigan, 10 Dec. 1895. Go Syfert, People v. Seaman, 107 Mich. 348. Accessed 5 Oct. 2026. “An Erring Clergyman.” Otago Daily Times, 25 May 1895, p. 3. Papers Past, National Library of New Zealand, Otago Daily Times historical article. Accessed 5 Oct. 2026. “That Detroit Mystery Cleared Up.” The Lowell Ledger, 26 Apr. 1895. Kent District Library Digital Archives, The Lowell Ledger, 26 Apr. 1895. Accessed 5 Oct. 2026. “Arranged for the Murder of Emily Hall.” The North Platte Semi-Weekly Tribune, 7 June 1895. Chronicling America, Library of Congress, North Platte Semi-Weekly Tribune, 7 June 1895. Accessed 5 Oct. 2026. “Rev. Jonathan Bell Located.” The Clinton Republican, June 1895. Clinton County Historical Newspaper Archive, The Clinton Republican historical issue. Accessed 5 Oct. 2026. “Mrs. Lane Is Convicted.” Lowell Journal, 11 Mar. 1896. Kent District Library Digital Archives, Lowell Journal, 11 Mar. 1896. Accessed 5 Oct. 2026. “Mrs. Lane Gets Ten Years.” The Clinton Republican, Mar. 1896. Clinton County Historical Newspaper Archive, The Clinton Republican historical issue. Accessed 5 Oct. 2026.

  • S13 · E27
    October 2 · 27 min

    S13 E27 - F-Bomb - The Friendless Dead - Grave Secrets & Anatomy Lessons

    This week on F-Bomb Friday, we uncover one of Michigan's darkest medical history stories: the resurrectionists, grave robbing, and the unclaimed dead who supplied 19th-century anatomy rooms in Detroit and Ann Arbor. From Detroit Medical College and Michigan's 1881 Anatomy Act to Willie Brown, the "friendless dead," and the shocking 1893 discovery of two human skeletons in Detroit's garbage, this true story reveals a chilling real-world parallel to Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. Join Tracy and Todd as they explore the forgotten people behind Michigan's medical progress and ask the unsettling question at the heart of Frankenstein: Just because science can do something, should it? #DetroitHistory #Frankenstein # Resurrectionists #MedicalHIstory #GraveRobbing Written, edited, hosted & produced by Tracy Preston, featuring Todd Preston Original music created exclusively for F-Bomb by Tracy Preston Original artwork by Todd Preston Sources: Bragg, Amy Elliott. “International Garbage Crime.” Little Detroit History Letter, 2025, littledetroithistoryletter.substack.com/p/international-garbage-crime. Accessed 25 Sept. 2026. “History.” Wayne State University School of Medicine, Wayne State University, med.wayne.edu/about/history. Accessed 25 Sept. 2026. “History of Detroit and Wayne County and Early Michigan: A Chronological Cyclopedia of the Past and Present, Vol. I.” LDS Genealogy, 1890, ldsgenealogy.com/MI/books/History-of-Detroit-and-Wayne-County-and-early-Michigan-A-Chronological-Cyclopedia-of-the-Past-and-Present-Vol-I-part-118.htm. Accessed 25 Sept. 2026. “Anatomist and Janitor.” University of Michigan Human Resources, University of Michigan, hr.umich.edu/anatomist-janitor. Accessed 25 Sept. 2026. Tobin, James. “The Bells of Michigan.” University of Michigan Human Resources, University of Michigan, hr.umich.edu/node/158583. Accessed 25 Sept. 2026. “Historical Events.” Wayne State University Fact Book 2019–20, Wayne State University, gme.med.wayne.edu/pdfs/2019-20_wsu_fact_book.pdf. Accessed 25 Sept. 2026. Shackman, Grace. “In the Archives: The Friendless Dead.” The Ann Arbor Chronicle, 1 Oct. 2013, annarborchronicle.com/2013/10/01/in-the-archives-the-friendless-dead/index.html. Accessed 25 Sept. 2026. Shelley, Mary Wollstonecraft. Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus. Lackington, Hughes, Harding, Mavor & Jones, 1818.

  • S13 · E29
    September 30 · 44 min

    S13 E29 - Round Robin - Duct Taped at 30,000 Feet - Did COVID Break Public Behavior?

    What happened to basic human behavior—especially at 30,000 feet? This week on Round Robin, Tracy, Christine, and Nina dive into the wild case of an American Airlines first-class passenger who became so disruptive that fellow passengers restrained him with zip ties and duct tape before the flight diverted for an emergency landing. He later claimed he couldn’t remember what happened. But this story opens a much bigger conversation: Have people always behaved this badly, or did something fundamentally change during the COVID-19 pandemic? From airline meltdowns and public confrontations to declining patience, alcohol, stress, entitlement, and the loss of social restraint, the panel looks at why public behavior seems to have gone completely off the rails. #UnrulyPassengers #AirTravel #PassengerMeltdown #PublicBehavior #COVIDAftermath Written, edited, hosted & produced by Tracy Preston, featuring Christine & Nina Mulligan Original music created exclusively for Round Robin by Tracy Preston Original artwork by Todd Preston Sources: Lynn, Bryan. “Man Duct-Taped to Airplane Seat and Diverted to Baltimore Says ‘I Don’t Remember Any of It.’” CBS News Baltimore, 16 Sept. 2026. Accessed 29 Sept. 2026. CBS News article “US Passenger Duct-Taped to Plane Seat Says: ‘I Don’t Remember Any of It.’” The Guardian, 17 Sept. 2026. Accessed 29 Sept. 2026. The Guardian article Federal Aviation Administration. “Unruly Passengers.” Federal Aviation Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation. Accessed 29 Sept. 2026. FAA Unruly Passenger Statistics Federal Aviation Administration. “FAA Releases New PSA, Levies $119K Against 9 Passengers for Alleged Unruly Behavior.” Federal Aviation Administration, 6 July 2021. Accessed 29 Sept. 2026. FAA 2021 report Federal Aviation Administration. “FAA: Zero-Tolerance Policy Against Unruly Passengers Here to Stay.” Federal Aviation Administration, 20 Apr. 2022. Accessed 29 Sept. 2026. FAA Zero-Tolerance Policy International Air Transport Association. “Unruly Passengers.” IATA. Accessed 29 Sept. 2026. The IATA reports that disruptive incidents include violence, harassment, verbal abuse, and refusal to follow safety instructions; its recent data continues to show the problem internationally. IATA Unruly Passengers Associated Press. “Bette Nash, Recognized as the World’s Longest-Serving Flight Attendant, Dies at 88.” AP News, May 2024. Accessed 29 Sept. 2026. Nash began flying in 1957 and worked for nearly seven decades. Association of Professional Flight Attendants. “In Memoriam: DCA Flight Attendant Bette Nash.” APFA, 25 May 2024. Accessed 29 Sept. 2026. APFA Bette Nash memorial

  • S13 · E25
    September 28 · 41 min

    S13 E25 - Four Graves and a Pardon - The Sparling Family Poisonings

    Between 1908 and 1911, four men from Michigan's Sparling family died after suffering eerily similar illnesses. When arsenic was discovered, suspicion fell on their family physician, Dr. Robert MacGregor. In 1912, MacGregor was convicted of murdering twenty-year-old Scyrel Sparling and sentenced to life in Michigan State Prison. Four years later, Governor Woodbridge Ferris declared MacGregor innocent and granted him a full pardon—after conducting a secret investigation whose findings were never made public. Then came one final unbelievable twist: MacGregor returned to the same prison as its physician. Malice in the Mitten investigates the Sparling family poisonings, the disputed toxicology, the insurance money, the murder trial, and a mystery Michigan never truly solved. #MaliceInTheMitten #MichiganTrueCrime #SparlingPoisonings #MichiganHistory #HistoricalTrueCrime Written, edited, hosted & produced by Tracy Preston, featuring. Todd Preston Original music created exclusively for Malice in the Mitten by Tracy Preston Original artwork by Todd Preston Sources: People v. MacGregor. 178 Mich. 436, 144 N.W. 869. Michigan Supreme Court, 5 Jan. 1914. Go Syfert, syfert.com/michigan/cases/178-mich-436/people-v-macgregor. Accessed 20 Sept. 2026. “Robert MacGregor.” National Registry of Exonerations, University of Michigan Law School, 19 Aug. 2021, exonerationregistry.org/cases/4729. Accessed 20 Sept. 2026. Borchard, Edwin M. Convicting the Innocent: Errors of Criminal Justice. Yale University Press, 1932. pp. 113–17. Justice Denied, forejustice.org/convictingtheinnocent.pdf. Accessed 20 Sept. 2026. “A Wholesale Poisoning Is Alleged.” The Valdosta Times, 23 Mar. 1912, p. 8. Georgia Historic Newspapers. Accessed 20 Sept. 2026. “Carrie B. Sparling Is Innocent of Wrongdoing…” Ingham County News, 30 Apr. 1914. Capital Area District Libraries, Local History Online. Accessed 20 Sept. 2026. Jolliffe, David M., et al. “Fowler's Solution and the Evolution of the Use of Arsenic in Modern Medicine.” Clinical Hemorheology and Microcirculation, 2016. PubMed, National Library of Medicine. Accessed 20 Sept. 2026. National Research Council. “Therapeutic Uses of Arsenic.” Arsenic in Drinking Water. National Academies Press, 1999. NCBI Bookshelf, National Library of Medicine. Accessed 20 Sept. 2026. University of Michigan Medical School. “Microbiology & Immunology History.” University of Michigan Medical School. Accessed 20 Sept. 2026. University of Michigan Department of Chemistry. “Archive: Vaughan Symposium.” University of Michigan. Accessed 20 Sept. 2026.

  • #37
    September 18 · 37 min

    S13 E24-F-Bomb- The Red Harbinger-Detroit's Nain Rouge-Before the Fire, Before the Bloodshed, Before Disaster...Detroit Saw Red

    Detroit has a monster of its own—and according to generations of folklore, he appears when something terrible is coming. In this episode of F-Bomb Friday, Tracy and Todd explore the legend of the Nain Rouge, Detroit’s mysterious Red Dwarf and alleged harbinger of disaster. From Cadillac and Bloody Run to the Great Fire of Detroit, the War of 1812, and a haunting 1964 folklore account describing the creature openly sobbing during Detroit’s 1943 racial violence, the legend changes with every generation. Along the way, we uncover the much older Indigenous history beneath Historic Fort Wayne and separate documented history from the stories Detroit has carried for centuries. Is the Nain Rouge a demon, an omen, a witness—or something that belongs to Detroit itself? #FBombFriday #NainRouge #DetroitFolklore #MichiganLegends #HistoricFortWayne Hosted, edited & produced by Tracy Preston, featuring Todd Preston Researched & written by Todd Preston Original music created exclusively for Malice in the Mitten by Tracy Preston Original music created by Todd Preston Sources: DeVito, Lee. “The Legend of the Legend of Detroit’s Nain Rouge.” Detroit Metro Times, 16 Mar. 2016, updated 8 Aug. 2025. Accessed 16 Sept. 2026. Detroit Metro Times article Detroit Historical Society. “Great Fire of 1805.” Encyclopedia of Detroit, Detroit Historical Society. Accessed 16 Sept. 2026. Great Fire of 1805 Detroit Historical Society. “Legends of le Détroit.” Encyclopedia of Detroit, Detroit Historical Society. Accessed 16 Sept. 2026. Legends of le Détroit Detroit Historical Society. “Race Riot of 1943.” Encyclopedia of Detroit, Detroit Historical Society. Accessed 16 Sept. 2026. Race Riot of 1943 FrankenFest. “FrankenFest Detroit.” FrankenFest, 2026. Accessed 16 Sept. 2026. FrankenFest Detroit Hamlin, Marie Caroline Watson. Legends of Le Détroit. T. Nourse, 1883. Google Books. Accessed 16 Sept. 2026. Legends of Le Détroit Hamlin, Marie Caroline Watson. “Beware the Nain Rouge! A Chapter of Detroit Folklore.” Model D, 18 Mar. 2014. Transcribed by Matthew Lewis. Accessed 16 Sept. 2026. Model D Nain Rouge article Historic Fort Wayne Coalition. “History.” Historic Fort Wayne. Accessed 16 Sept. 2026. Historic Fort Wayne history Historic Fort Wayne Coalition. “Timeline.” Historic Fort Wayne. Accessed 16 Sept. 2026. Historic Fort Wayne timeline James, Sheryl. Michigan Legends: Folktales and Lore from the Great Lakes State. University of Michigan Press, 2013. Michigan Legends National Park Service. “Fort Wayne: Detroit.” National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, last updated 30 Aug. 2020. Accessed 16 Sept. 2026. Fort Wayne: Detroit National Park Service. “Springwells.” National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. Accessed 16 Sept. 2026. Springwells Skinner, Charles M. “The Nain Rouge.” Myths and Legends of Our Own Land, vol. 2, J. B. Lippincott Company, 1896. Wikisource. Accessed 16 Sept. 2026. Skinner’s The Nain Rouge University of Detroit Mercy Libraries. “Le Gnomme Rouge.” James T. Callow Computerized Folklore Archive, 8 July 1964. University of Detroit Mercy. Accessed 16 Sept. 2026. Le Gnomme Rouge archive entry

  • S13 · E23
    September 16 · 45 min

    S13 E23 - Round Robin - Grave Diggers, Opera Snakes & Things We Thought Were Fancy

    This week on Round Robin, Tracy, Christine and Nina chase the chaos through some of the strangest stories of the week. A boa constrictor auditions for the Metropolitan Opera, competitive grave diggers race in Hungary and Brach's creates candy-corn perfume. Plus, the ladies remember the things they thought were fancy as kids, reveal their useless superpowers, battle over controversial foods and resurrect discontinued childhood favorites. Dr. Temple Grandin is honored as Woman of the Week. #RoundRobinPodcast #FunnyPodcast #WeirdNews #PopCulture #KeepSpinning Hosted, edited, produced & written by Tracy Preston, featuring Christine & Nina Mulligan Original music created exclusively for Round Robin by Tracy Preston Original artwork by Todd Preston Sources: Associated Press. “Even Snakes Have to Audition for the Opera at the Met. Princess the Boa Constrictor Got the Part.” AP News, Sept. 2026. Associated Press. “Competitors Dig Deep in Hungarian Grave-Digging Contest.” AP News, Sept. 2026. Chavez, Adriana. “You Can Now Buy Candy Corn Perfume.” Food Network, 11 Sept. 2026. Colorado State University. “Temple Grandin.” News & Media Relations, Colorado State University. Colorado State University. “Temple Grandin Named to the National Women's Hall of Fame.” Colorado State University, 10 Feb. 2017. “Best in Show.” Rotten Tomatoes, Fandango Media. Accessed 14 Sept. 2026.

  • S13 · E22
    September 14 · 36 min

    S13 E22 - The Perfect Alibi - The Murder of Mary H. Latimer & the Prison Escape That Killed Again

    In January 1889, Jackson widow Mary H. Latimer was found murdered inside her home. Her only son, young druggist Robert Irving Latimer, appeared to have an extraordinary alibi: he was in Detroit, where hotel workers and others had seen him. But an unused hotel bed, railroad timetables, blood evidence and financial questions began telling another story. Latimer's conviction was only the beginning. Months later came an explosive prison-break plot. Four years later came poisoned food, cyanide-laced lemonade, the death of Deputy Gate Keeper George W. Haight and a successful escape from Michigan State Prison. Then, after forty-six years behind bars, came something almost unimaginable—a full pardon. #MaliceInTheMitten #HistoricalTrueCrime #JacksonMichigan #MaryLatimer #GeorgeHaight Written, edited, hosted and produced by Tracy Preston, featuring Christine Mulligan Original music created exclusively for Malice in the Mitten by Tracy Preston Original artwork by Todd Preston Sources: Buhk, Tobin T. Pardonable Matricide: Robert Irving Latimer, from Michigan’s “Most Dangerous Inmate” to Free Man. McFarland & Company, 2019. The book is a major modern reconstruction of Captain Jack Boyle’s investigation and Latimer’s later prison history. “Her Son Arrested for the Murder.” Michigan historical newspaper archive, Jan. 1889. Clinton County Archives. Contemporary account of Mary H. Latimer's murder, discovery of her body, family finances, Irving's Detroit alibi and arrest. “Latimer Murder Trial.” Michigan historical newspaper archive, May 1889. Clinton County Archives. Contemporary defense summation discussing the blood evidence, revolver allegation, railroad evidence and state's circumstantial case. “Irving Latimer on Trial.” The Galveston Daily News, 3 May 1889. Portal to Texas History. Contemporary report of Latimer's testimony and cross-examination. Buchanan Record. 4 July 1889. Buchanan District Library. Contemporary report noting the jury's extremely short deliberation and Latimer's life sentence. “A Plot to Blow Up a Prison.” The Morning News, 27 Aug. 1889. Georgia Historic Newspapers. Contemporary reporting on the Hercules-powder escape scheme at Michigan State Prison. Buchanan Record. 17 Apr. 1890. Buchanan District Library. Contemporary report describing Latimer's imprisonment and his statement concerning life confinement. “Breaks Jail.” The Galveston Daily News, 4 Apr. 1893. Portal to Texas History. Period reporting on Latimer's prison privileges, poisoned lemonade, George Haight's death and escape. Michigan Department of Corrections. “Deputy Gate Keeper George W. Haight—Michigan State Prison at Jackson.” State of Michigan. Official memorial history of Haight's line-of-duty death and service. Note: its description of Mary's cause of death conflicts with contemporary 1889 evidence. Michigan Corrections Organization. “Fallen Officers.” MCO. Biographical information regarding Haight, his family and the Latimer escape. “Odds and Ends.” The Lowell Ledger, 2 May 1935. Kent District Library Digital Archives. Contemporary report announcing Latimer's full pardon on the forty-sixth anniversary of his imprisonment. Salisbury, Danielle. “CO Trying to Add Officer to Memorial 120 Years After Death.” MLive, reproduced by Corrections1, 2 Dec. 2013. Reporting on Jeff Reasoner's effort to restore George Haight to Michigan corrections history. Michigan Department of Corrections. “Highway Dedicated for Fallen Corrections Professionals.” Corrections Connection, Sept. 2020. State documentation of the George W. Haight Memorial Highway dedication. State Bar of Michigan. “First to Abolish the Death Penalty.” Michigan Legal Milestones. History of Michigan's 1846 abolition legislation and its 1847 effective date.

  • S13 · E21
    September 11 · 26 min

    S13 E21 - F-Bomb - Something Guards the Dead - The Witchy Wolves of Omer Plains

    Deep in Michigan’s Omer Plains, near the winding Rifle River, an old legend tells of strange wolf-like guardians said to watch over the resting places of the dead. Some describe shadowy animals. Others remember an eerie, laughing bark coming from somewhere beyond the trees. And over the decades, curious visitors have reported scratches, unexplained sounds, and the unnerving feeling that something was following them. #WitchyWolves #MichiganFolklore #OmerMichigan #MichiganLegends #FBombFriday Hosted, edited and produced by Tracy Preston, featuring Todd Preston Researched and written by Todd Preston Original music created exclusively by Tracy Preston Original artwork by Todd Preston Sources: Elder, Colin. “Tracking the Early History of the Upper Great Lakes Using Anishinaabeg’s Histories: From Ma’iingan (Wolf) to Animosh (Dog).” eScholarship, 2025. Godfrey, Linda S. I Know What I Saw: Modern-Day Encounters with Monsters of New Urban Legend and Ancient Lore. TarcherPerigee, 2019. Michigan Department of Natural Resources. “Wolf History and Legal Status in Michigan.” Michigan.gov. Michigan Department of Natural Resources. “Wolves in Michigan.” Michigan.gov. Russell, Lindsey. “The Witchy Wolves of Omer Plains.” Mysterious Michigan, originally published 2007, revised 2022. Shuker, Karl P. N. “Witchie Wolves, Medicine Wolves, and the Waheela.” ShukerNature, 16 Feb. 2011. Sonnenberg, Mike. “In Search of the Witchy Wolf.” Lost in Michigan, 29 Oct. 2016.

  • S13 · E20
    September 9 · 49 min

    S13 E2 - Round Robin - When Motherhood Doesn't Feel Safe - Pospartum Mental Health

    The Lindsay Clancy mistrial has reopened a difficult national conversation about postpartum mental health. In this special Round Robin, Tracy, Christine and Nina talk about depression, postpartum anxiety and OCD, postpartum psychosis, severe insomnia, intrusive thoughts, hallucinations and the warning signs families may miss. This episode is not about sensationalizing tragedy or deciding criminal guilt. It's about helping women recognize when something isn't right — and making sure mothers and families know where to find help. #PostpartumMentalHealth #PostpartumPsychosis #MaternalMentalHealth #MomsSupportingMoms #RoundRobinPodcast Hosted, edited and produced by Tracy Preston, featuring Christine & Nina Mulligan Written by Tracy Preston Original music created exclusively for Round Robin by Tracy Preston Original artwork by Todd Preston National Maternal Mental Health Hotline Call or text: 1-833-TLC-MAMA / 1-833-852-6262 Free, confidential, 24/7. Postpartum Support International HelpLine 1-800-944-4773 Text HELP to 800-944-4773 in English. Spanish text: 971-203-7773. PSI is not an emergency crisis service. 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline Call or text 988. For immediate danger or suspected postpartum psychosis requiring emergency intervention, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department. Sources: Alford, Alexandria Y., et al. “A Systematic Review of Postpartum Psychosis Resulting in Infanticide: Missed Opportunities in Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment.” Archives of Women’s Mental Health, vol. 28, no. 2, 2025, pp. 297–308. PubMed, doi:10.1007/s00737-024-01508-3. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. “Screening and Diagnosis of Mental Health Conditions During Pregnancy and Postpartum.” ACOG Clinical Practice Guideline No. 4, June 2023. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. “Summary of Perinatal Mental Health Conditions.” ACOG, www.acog.org. Associated Press. “Key Moments in the Lindsay Clancy Case: The 911 Call, Mental Health Care, Mistrial.” AP News, 4 Sept. 2026. Associated Press. “A Mistrial Is Declared in the Murder Case Against Lindsay Clancy. Here’s What Could Happen Next.” AP News, 5 Sept. 2026. Cook, Christopher C. H. “Religious Psychopathology: The Prevalence of Religious Content of Delusions and Hallucinations in Mental Disorder.” International Journal of Social Psychiatry, vol. 61, no. 4, 2015, pp. 404–425. Death Penalty Information Center. “Andrea Yates Found Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity—Prosecutors Had Originally Sought Death.” Death Penalty Information Center, 27 July 2006, updated 14 Mar. 2025. Health Resources and Services Administration. “National Maternal Mental Health Hotline.” Maternal and Child Health Bureau, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, mchb.hrsa.gov. Khalifeh, Hind, et al. “Postpartum Psychosis: A Preventable Psychiatric Emergency.” American Journal of Psychiatry, 2024. PubMed Central, PMC11058913. “Killer Mom Found Guilty.” News24, 12 Sept. 2007. Lewis, Katherine J. S., et al. “Phenomenology, Epidemiology and Aetiology of Postpartum Psychosis: A Review.” Brain Sciences, vol. 11, no. 1, 2021. PubMed Central, PMC7824357.

  • S13 · E19
    September 7 · 45 min

    S13 E19 - The Last Witness Couldn't Testify - The Murder of Martin "Marty" Duram

    Martin “Marty” Duram survived a devastating 1995 car crash, a coma and life-changing brain injuries before rebuilding his life in West Michigan. Years later, he reunited with his teenage love, Glenna Duram. But on May 12, 2015, Marty was shot five times inside their Newaygo County home. Glenna was found beside him with gunshot wounds to her head — and survived. Investigators uncovered foreclosure problems, gambling, goodbye letters, disturbing cellphone searches involving the murder weapon and evidence prosecutors argued pointed toward a failed murder-suicide. Then Marty's African grey parrot, Bud, began talking. According to Marty's ex-wife, the bird repeatedly mimicked an argument between two voices that ended with the chilling words: “Don't fucking shoot.” Did Bud witness a murder? #MaliceInTheMitten #MartinDuram #GlennaDuram #MichiganTrueCrime#TrueCrimePodcast #BudTheParrot Hosted, edited and produced by Tracy Preston, featuring Christine Mulligan. Written by Tracy Preston Original music created exclusively for Malice in the Mitten by Tracy Preston Original artwork created by Todd Preston Sources: Michigan Court of Appeals. People of the State of Michigan v. Glenna Mary Duram. No. 340486, 30 Apr. 2019. Michigan Supreme Court. People of the State of Michigan v. Glenna Mary Duram. No. 159805, 23 Dec. 2019. CBS News / Associated Press. “Wife Convicted of Murder Apparently Witnessed by Pet Parrot.” CBS News, 21 July 2017. CBS News / Associated Press. “Michigan Woman Gets Life for Murder in Parrot Case.” CBS Detroit, 29 Aug. 2017. FOX 17 West Michigan. “‘Don't ****** Shoot!’ — Did Pet Parrot Witness Owner's Murder?” FOX 17, 24 June 2016. FOX 17 West Michigan. “More Details Emerge in Newaygo Co. Murder Case.” FOX 17, 7 July 2016. FOX 17 West Michigan. “Woman Found Guilty in Murder of Her Husband in Newaygo Co.” FOX 17, 19 July 2017. ABC News. “Talking Parrot May Be the Sole Witness to a Homicide.” ABC News, 6 June 2016. Lartey, Jamiles. “‘Don't Shoot’: Pet Parrot's Words May Be Used in Michigan Murder Trial.” The Guardian, 27 June 2016. 'Til Death Do Us Part. “Don't Shoot!” Season 1, episode 1, Investigation Discovery, 9 July 2019. “Woman Was Alive at Homicide Scene for Hour Before Authorities Realized.” NBC reporting, Jan. 2016.

  • S13 · E18
    September 4 · 29 min

    S13 E18 - F-Bomb - Till Death Do Us Part - Michigan's Ghost Brides Who Never Reached Tomorrow

    Three Michigan brides. Three futures cut tragically short. At Morris Chapel near Niles, Kathryn is said to wait where her wedding should have begun. Along Milan-Oakville Road, a woman in white searches for help after a fatal crash. And inside Central Lake’s Blue Pelican Inn, a young bride may still be trying to complete the escape that ended with her death. This week on F-Bomb Friday, Tracy and Todd explore the history, folklore, and heartbreak behind Michigan’s ghostly brides—and ask why some promises refuse to stay buried. #FBombFriday #MichiganGhostStories #HauntedMichigan #GhostlyBrides #MaliceInTheMitten Hosted, edited and produced by Tracy Preston, featuring Todd Preston Written by Tracy Preston Original music created exclusively for F-Bomb by Tracy Preston Original artwork by Todd Preston Sources: “Haunted History.” The Blue Pelican Inn & Restaurant, thebluepelican.com/haunted-history. Accessed 3 Sept. 2026. “Haunted Locations: Michigan.” GhostQuest.net, ghostquest.net/haunted-places-michigan-usa. Accessed 3 Sept. 2026. “The Legend of Morris Chapel.” Geocaching, created by Tsmola, 26 Apr. 2008, geocaching.com/geocache/GC1BM1F. Accessed 3 Sept. 2026. “Murphy’s Lamplight Inn—The Blue Pelican Inn.” Haunted Places, hauntedplaces.org/item/murphys-lamplight-inn-the-blue-pelican-inn. Accessed 3 Sept. 2026. Robinson, John. “The Ghostly Bride of the Blue Pelican: Central Lake, Michigan.” 99.1 WFMK, 24 Mar. 2020, 99wfmk.com/bluepelicaninn. Accessed 3 Sept. 2026. Robinson, John. “The Graveyard Ghosts of Morris Chapel: Niles, Michigan.” 99.1 WFMK, updated 24 Apr. 2020, 99wfmk.com/haunted-morris-chapel. Accessed 3 Sept. 2026. Robinson, John. “The Spectre of Milan-Oakville Road.” 99.1 WFMK, 9 Dec. 2019, 99wfmk.com/milan-oakville-road. Accessed 3 Sept. 2026. Sonnenberg, Mike. “The Haunted Blue Pelican Inn.” Lost in Michigan, 28 Oct. 2025, lostinmichigan.net/the-haunted-blue-pelican-inn. Accessed 3 Sept. 2026.

  • S13 · E17
    September 2 · 32 min

    S13 E17 - Round Robin - From Dowries to Drinking Horns

    This week on Round Robin, Tracy, Christine and Nina dig into the surprisingly strange history of bridal and couples showers—from Dutch dowry legends and Victorian gift-filled parasols to outdated etiquette rules, toilet-paper wedding dresses and the rise of modern Jack and Jill parties. #RoundRobinPodcast #WeddingHistory #BridalShower #WeddingTraditions #CouplesShower Hosted, edited and produced by Tracy Preston, featuring Christine and Nina Mulligan Written by Tracy Preston Original music created exclusively for Round Robin by Tracy Preston Original artwork by Todd Preston Sources: “Bridal Shower.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation. “Bridal Shower History: The Facts You Need to Know.” The Knot. “Bridal Shower Etiquette.” Emily Post Institute. “Old, New, Borrowed, Blue.” Victoria and Albert Museum, 17 Apr. 2024. “Wedding Cake.” Royal Collection Trust. “Christina Koch: Record-Breaking Spacewalker.” Guinness World Records, 2026. You're Cordially Invited. Directed by Nicholas Stoller, Amazon Studios, 2025. Prime Video.

  • S13 · E16
    August 31 · 38 min

    S13 E16 - The Perfect Murder - The Killing of Patty Artz

    In July 1999, Patricia “Patty” Artz disappeared from the Jackson County restaurant she owned with her husband, Kevin “Kip” Artz. What investigators discovered inside Kipp's Pizza and Taco became one of Michigan's most disturbing murder cases—and eventually spawned an enduring urban legend. But behind the sensational stories was a documented history of marital violence, statements about murder, a recent brain hemorrhage, an insanity defense, and a later claim of marijuana-induced psychosis. Malice in the Mitten separates court-documented fact from folklore and puts Patty back at the center of her own story. #MaliceInTheMitten #PattyArtz #MichiganTrueCrime #JacksonMichigan #TrueCrimePodcast Hosted, edited and produced by Tracy Preston, featuring Christine Mulligan. Researched and written by Tracy Preston Original music created exclusively for Malice in the Mitten by Tracy Preston Original artwork created by Todd Preston Sources: People of the State of Michigan v. Kevin Lloyd Artz. No. 233471. Michigan Court of Appeals, 24 Apr. 2003. Justia. Artz, Kevin Lloyd v. Paul Klee. No. 14-2035. United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, 11 Mar. 2016. Justia. Di Forti, Marta, et al. “The Contribution of Cannabis Use to Variation in the Incidence of Psychotic Disorder across Europe (EU-GEI): A Multicentre Case-Control Study.” The Lancet Psychiatry, vol. 6, no. 5, 2019, pp. 427–436. Murrie, Benjamin, et al. “Transition of Substance-Induced, Brief, and Atypical Psychoses to Schizophrenia: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.” Schizophrenia Bulletin, vol. 46, no. 3, 2020, pp. 505–516. United States Department of Justice, National Drug Intelligence Center. National Drug Threat Assessment 2008. U.S. Department of Justice. Marijuana Potency Monitoring Project data. “Chef Faces Trial over ‘Cooking Wife in Eaterie.’” Irish Examiner, 2 Mar. 2001.

  • S13 · E15
    August 28 · 35 min

    S13 E15 - Hatchet Man Road

    Michigan's Hatchet Man Road is a lonely stretch of 28th Avenue near Gobles where an unverified legend tells of a Cold War-era bunker, a murdered family and a killer with a hatchet. But the real mystery may be what visitors have reported since: disappearing headlights, shadow figures, stalled cars, strange lights, whistling from the woods—and the pale face of a child among the trees. On this episode of F-Bomb Friday, Tracy separates documented history from folklore and asks why this southwest Michigan back road continues to terrify the people who dare to drive it after dark. #HatchetManRoad #MichiganFolklore #MichiganHauntings #UrbanLegends #FBombFriday Hosted, edited and produced by Tracy Preston, featuring Todd Preston Story researched and written by Todd Preston Original music created by Tracy Preston Original artwork created by Todd Preston Sources: Bishop, Thomas. “Digging Up the History of the Nuclear Fallout Shelter.” Smithsonian Magazine, 2022. Brenzing, Bob, and Alyssa Hearin. “‘Hatchet Man Road’ Continues to Creep Out Drivers in Van Buren County.” FOX 17, 31 Oct. 2016. GhostQuest.net. “28th Avenue — ‘Hatchet Man Road.’” Haunted Locations: Michigan. Accessed 27 Aug. 2026. Mysterious Michigan. “The Strange Happenings on Hatchet Man Road.” Mysterious Michigan, story originally submitted ca. 2008. Robinson, John. “HAUNTED MICHIGAN: Hatchet Man Road.” 99.1 WFMK, 26 Aug. 2016. Robinson, John. “HAUNTED MICHIGAN: Hatchet Man Road Re-visited.” 99.1 WFMK, 28 Aug. 2017. Robinson, John. “HAUNTED MICHIGAN: Pics of My Midnight Trip Down Hatchet Man Road.” 99.1 WFMK, 18 Sept. 2018.

  • S13 · E14
    August 26 · 50 min

    S13 E14 - Round Robin - Squid Happens, Lucky Charms and the Two Sides

    Twenty tons of squid on a Rhode Island roadway. A lucky pinkie ring that picked a $250,000 lottery ticket. contradictory personalities and manifesting! Plus, meet 82-year-old Guinness World Records powerhouse Annie Judis, our Woman of the Week! #RoundRobinPodcast #Squidpocalypse #FunnyConversations #WomanOfTheWeek #PodcastRecommendations Hosted, edited and produced by Tracy Preston, featuring Christine and Nina Mulligan Written by Tracy Preston Original music created exclusively for Round Robin by Tracy Preston Original Artwork by Todd Preston Sources: El-Bawab, Nadine, and Luke Barr. “Over 20 Tons of Squid Spill onto Rhode Island Road Blocking Traffic for 8 Hours.” ABC News, 18 Aug. 2026. Hooper, Ben. “N.C. Man Let His Lucky Ring Choose $250,000 Lottery Ticket.” UPI, 18 Aug. 2026. Guinness World Records. “‘Health Is Wealth’: Meet the 82-Year-Old Fitness Fan Who Can’t Stop Breaking Records!” Guinness World Records, 21 Aug. 2026.

  • S13 · E13
    August 24 · 41 min

    S13 E13 - MURDERESS - The 33-Year Fight to Clear Nellie Pope

    In February 1895, Detroit dentist Dr. Horace Eliot Pope was brutally murdered with an axe inside his Michigan Avenue home. William Brusseau admitted wielding the weapon—but after first claiming self-defense, he changed his story and accused Horace's wife, Nellie Pope, of planning the killing for insurance money. The sensational trial transformed Nellie into one of Detroit's most infamous “murderesses” and sent her to prison for life. After more than two decades behind bars, Nellie walked free, still insisting she had nothing to do with her husband's murder. Then, in 1928, Michigan Governor Fred W. Green granted her a full pardon. Was Nellie Pope the mastermind behind a cold-blooded axe murder—or did unreliable testimony and sensational Victorian journalism help condemn an innocent woman? #MaliceInTheMitten #NelliePope #MichiganTrueCrime #DetroitHistory #HistoricalTrueCrime Hosted, edited & produced by Tracy Preston, featuring Christine Mulligan Written by Tracy Preston Original music created exclusively for Malice in the Mitten Original artwork by Todd Preston Sources: Buhk, Tobin T. Wicked Women of Detroit. History Press, 2009. Buhk, Tobin T. “So, I Married an Axe Murderer (Detroit, Michigan, 1895).” Dark Corners of History, 23 Feb. 2017. “Confessed! Brusseau Broke Down Completely Last Night.” Detroit Free Press, 5 Feb. 1895, p. 1. “Horrible! Dr. Horace Eliot Pope Brutally Murdered.” Detroit Free Press, 3 Feb. 1895, p. 1. “Murderess: Mrs. Nellie Pope So Branded by a Jury of Her Peers.” Detroit Free Press, 5 June 1895, p. 1. “She Did It! Brusseau Makes a Renewal of His Confession.” Detroit Free Press, 6 Feb. 1895, p. 1. “The Murder of Dr. Pope.” Detroit Free Press, 4 Feb. 1895, p. 1. “William Brusseau Dies in Prison.” Monroe Democrat, 2 Feb. 1906, p. 8. “Innocent Woman Vindicated.” Pinang Gazette and Straits Chronicle, 10 Jan. 1929. “Mrs. Nellie Pope Found Guilty.” St. Paul Pioneer Press, 5 June 1895. “Murderess: Three Female Killers & Their Stories.” Crime Capsule, Arcadia Publishing. Robinson, John. “Nellie Pope, the 1895 ‘Lizzie Borden’ of Detroit.” 99.1 WFMK, 13 Aug. 2021. “Woodlawn Cemetery.” Woodlawn Cemetery Detroit, Memorial Planning, www.woodlawncemeterydetroit.com

  • S13 · E12
    August 21 · 37 min

    S13 E12 - F-Bomb - The Presque Isle Monster

    Lake Superior is massive, freezing, unpredictable—and according to more than a century of strange stories, something enormous may be moving beneath its surface. On this episode of F-Bomb Friday, Tracy dives into the legend of Pressie, the Presque Isle Monster, a serpent-like creature reportedly seen across Lake Superior since the late 1800s. From steamship crews describing enormous humps rising from the water to an alleged attack near Duluth, frightened fishermen, a bizarre deer encounter, and Randy Braun’s famous 1977 photograph, the stories surrounding Pressie are as murky as the lake itself. Could witnesses have seen giant lake sturgeon, waves, driftwood, or optical illusions? Or does Lake Superior still hold secrets we haven't discovered? Because unexplained doesn't mean monster. But unexplained still means…we don't know. #Pressie #LakeSuperior #MichiganCryptids #MichiganFolklore #FBombFriday Hosted, edited and produced by Tracy Preston, featuring Todd Preston Researched and written by Todd Preston Original music created exclusively for F-Bomb by Tracy Preston Original artwork by Todd Preston Sources Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society. “Wreck of the Western Reserve.” 10 Mar. 2025. Michigan Department of Natural Resources. “Lake Sturgeon.” State of Michigan. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. “Lake Superior.” State of the Great Lakes Ecosystem Conference. Woolheater, Craig. “Pressie, The Lake Superior Monster.” Cryptomundo, 10 July 2013. “Pressie: Lake Superior’s Serpent Legend.” Yooper, 21 July 2026. “Pressie: A Lake Superior Monster or Copper Loving, Ojibwe Mishipeshu?” Cryptids Across the Atlas, 9 Dec. 2022.

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