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Ash Kelley & Alaina Urquhart

It’s a lighthearted nightmare in here, weirdos! Morbid is a true crime, creepy history and all things spooky podcast hosted by an autopsy technician and a hairstylist. Join us for a heavy dose of research with a dash of comedy thrown in for flavor.

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Morbid

In late 1916, while treating a group of patients at his psychiatric clinic at the University of Vienna, Dr. Constantin von Economo began noticing the appearance of strange symptoms that he could not account for. At the same time, in France, Rene Cruchet began noticing similarly strange and unexpected symptoms in his patients. Though the two men had never met and knew nothing of one another’s patients, they would come to learn they were both witnessing the emergence of a new mysterious disease that would soon affect millions of people around the world.

The illnesses documented by von Economo and Cruchet would eventually come to be know as encephalitis lethargica, or sleeping sickness, a strange condition that caused profound lethargy, hypersomnia, and a wide range of other frightening symptoms. Between 1919 and the early 1930s, millions of people all around the world contracted the illness, with nearly half of all cases resulting in death, and many more suffering long-term effects; yet a cause of the illness has never been established and the terrifying epidemic appears to have faded from memory not long after the disease itself ostensibly disappeared. 
References
Brook, Harry Ellington. 1921. "Care of the body." Los Angeles Times, March 6: 18.

Crosby, Molly Caldwell. 2011. Asleep: The Forgotten Epidemic that Remains One of Medicine's Greatest Mysteries. New York, NY: Penguin Publishing Group.

Hassler, Dr. William. 1919. "No sleeping sickness in S.F." San Francisco Examiner, March 10: 1.

Hoffman, Leslie A., and Joel A. Vilensky. 2017. "Encephalitis lethargica: 100 years after the epidemic." Brain: A Journal of Neurology 2246-2251.

Montreal Star. 1920. "Sleeping sickness puzzling doctors." Montreal Star, January 15: 3.

New York Times. 1936. "Awakens from sleep continuing 440 days." New York Times, June 14: 13.

R.R. Dourmashkin, MD. 1997. "What caused the 1918-30 epidemic of encephalitis lethargica?" Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine 515-520.

Sacks, Oliver. 1973. Awakenings. New York, NY: Vintage.

San Francisco Examiner. 1919. "New sleeping sickness hits S.F. residents." San Francisco Examiner, March 14: 1.

—. 1921. "Ten succumb to sleeping sickness." San Francisco Examiner, August 18: 13.

Western Morning News. 1919. "Notices." Western Morning News, January 1: 1.

Williams, David Bruce. 2020. "Encephalitis Lethargica: The Challenge of Structure and Function in Neuropsychiatry." Archives of Medicine and Health Sciences 255-262.

Wright, Oliver. 2002. "His life passed in a trance but his death may solve medical." The Times, December 14.

Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022)

Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023)

Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley

Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally

Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025)

 
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Sleeping Sickness Epidemic (1919-1930)

Weirdos!! On today's episode Alaina announced the third chapter in the Wren Muller series- The Butcher Legacy . Be sure to visit to PREORDER NOW by visiting butcherlegacy.com . Order NOW to get exclusive signed editions from BN.com AND the Special Edition from Target!

In the winter of 1980, wealthy socialite Martha “Sunny” von Bulow was found unconscious in the bathroom of the mansion she shared with her husband, Claus, in Newport, Rhode Island. An ambulance was called and Sunny was rushed to the nearest emergency room, but paramedics and doctors were unable to revive her and Sunny would remain in a coma until her death in 2008. 

At first, Sunny’s coma was a mystery to doctors, but soon suspicion fell on her husband, Claus, who appeared indifferent to her condition and was openly carrying on an affair with another woman. The family launched a private investigation and eventually turned up strong evidence they believed implicated Claus in the attempted murder of Sunny, but, as they soon learned, believing it and proving it were two very different things.
References
Associated Press. 1985. "von Bulow stepchildren sue him for $56 million." New York Times, July 20: 30.

Burton, Tony, and William Kutik. 1981. "Charge socialite tried to kill wife." Daily News (New York, NY), July 7: 4.

Clendinen, Dudley. 1982. "von Bulow trial going to the jury." New York Times, March 11: 20.

Friendly, Jonathan. 1985. "von Bulow's mistress told of plea not to tesitfy about their affair." New York Times, June 6: B15.

Kutik, William. 1981. "Claus returns to the scene." Daily News (New York, NY), July 9: 4.

—. 1981. "In her will, $35M for hubby." Daily News (New York, NY), July 8: 189.

Nemy, Enid. 2019. "Claus von Bulow, tarred by scandal in the death of his wife, dies at 92." New York Times, May 31.

—. 2008. "Sunny von Bulow, whose near death started a society drama, dies at 76." New York Times, December 7.

New York Times. 1982. "von Bulow lover testifies on affair." New York Times, February 19: B14.

State of Rhode Island v. Claus von Bulow. 1984. 82-462-CA (Supreme Court of Rhode Island, May 24).

The Economist. 2019. "Did he or didn't he?" The Economist, June 15.

1997. American Justice. Performed by Towers Productions.

Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022)

Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023)

Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley

Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally

Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025)

 
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Mysterious Case of Sunny von Bulow

On the afternoon of August 23, 2003, Erie, Pennsylvania pizza delivery driver Brian Wells walked into the local branch of the PNC Bank and handed the teller a note warning that he had a bomb and they had fifteen minutes to hand over $250,000 or it would detonate. Unable to access the vault, the teller gave Wells all the cash on hand and he left as the employees triggered the emergency protocol.

Fifteen minutes later, Wells was spotted by police and placed under arrest. However, when they went to put handcuffs on the suspects, the officers discovered that Wells did indeed have an explosive device on him—it was strapped to his neck and rigged to explode. Officers cleared the area, but failed to alert the bomb squad in time and the device eventually exploded, killing Wells just three minutes before the bomb squad arrived.

The bizarre death of Brian Wells seemed to bring his brief criminal career to an end; yet as investigators began digging into the background of the delivery driver-turned-bank robber, they discovered the plot to rob the PNC Bank was far more elaborate than anyone had imagined. 
References
Associated Press. 2003. "Witness also helped in 1977 slaying." Scranton Times, September 25: 5.

—. 2003. "Woman charged in roomate's death." The Sentinel (Carlisle, PA), September 23: 2.

Dao, James. 2003. "A childlike pizza deliveryman at the center of a puzzling crime." New York Times, September 5: A12.

Fuoco, Linda Wilson. 2003. "Robber, co-worker death query." Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, September 1.

Fuoco, Michael. 2007. "Feds say collar bomb victim was part of plot." Pitsburgh Post-Gazette, July 12: 1.

Lin, Judy. 2003. "Erie bank robber explodes in police custody." Citizens' Voice (Wilkes-Barre, PA), August 31: 5.

—. 2003. "Bomb-case probers urge patience." Patriot-News (Harrisburg, PA), September 5: B5.

—. 2003. "Man may have been forced to rob Erie bank." The Daily Item (Sunbury, PA), August 31: 3.

Mandak, Joe. 2011. "Woman gets life plus 30 in collar-bomb death." Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, March 1: 1.

Nephin, Dan. 2003. "Woman acquitted of boyfriend's death 15 years ago charges with killing another." The Morning Call (Allentown, PA), September 23: 14.

Schapiro, Rich. 2011. "Collar bomb." Wired, Janaury.

Times-Tribune. 2005. "Woman pleads guilty in killing." Times-Tribune (Scranton, PA), January 9: 2.

United States of America v. Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong. 2009. 1:07-cr-26-SJM (United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, September 8).

United States of America v. Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong. 2012. 11-1601 (United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, September 25).

Wire News Service. 2003. "Neighbors say bank robber led quiet life." Patriot-News (Harrisburg, PA), September 4: B3.

Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022)

Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023)

Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley

Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally

Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025)

 
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Pizza Bomber Conspiracy

When firefighters discovered the body of forty-year-old Terry King inside the charred remains of his Cantonment, Florida home in November 2001, they assumed the man had been asleep when the fire broke out and died as a result. Upon further inspection, investigators found that King hadn’t died as a result of the fire, but from severe blunt force trauma to his head. And even more alarming than that was the fact that King’s two boys, thirteen-year-old Derek and twelve-year-old Alex, were missing.

Having occurred immediately in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Terry King’s murder could have easily been one of many tragedies lost in the fog of national trauma and grief; however, when King’s killers were arrested and identified in the days that followed, the story was so shocking, and the motive so heartbreaking, that it managed to break through the wall-to-wall coverage of the attacks. 
References
Associated Press. 2002. "Convicted molester denies urging boys to kill dad." Miami Herald , February 1: 33.

—. 2002. "Convicted child molester accused of writing love letter to boy in jail." Miami Herald, April 4: 363.

—. 2001. "Grandmother: Boys couldn't have killed dad." Miami Herald, November 29: 438.

Canedy, Dana. 2002. "Judge throws out brothers' murder conviction." New York Times, October 18.

—. 2002. "Reject sympathy, jury is told in boys' trial." New York Times, September 6.

CBS News. 2002. Man gets 30 years in killer boys case. November 7. Accessed December 9, 2025. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/man-gets-30-years-in-killer-boys-case/.

Clark, Lesley. 2001. "Boys accused of bluedgeoning father, setting home on fire." Miami Herald, December 4: 1.

Gomez, Alan. 2002. "Boys take stand against friend." Pensacola News Journal, August 28: 1.

—. 2002. "Chavis judge denies request for acquittal." Pensacola News Journal, August 29: 1.

Graybiel, Ginny. 2002. "Slaying suspect vows he could hurt no one." Pensacola News Journal, August 4: 1.

Kaczor, Bill. 2002. "Sons change story, still to be tried for murder." Miami Herald, August 25: 970.

Keith Morrison. 2009. Second chances. September 7. Accessed December 6, 2025. https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna32664652.

2003. American Justice: Blood Brothers. Performed by Bill Kurtis.

Midico, Kathryn, and Mollye Barrows. 2004. A Perversion of Justice: A Southern Tragedy of Murder, Lies, and Innocence Betrayed. New York, NY: Avon .

New York Times. 2002. "Boy, 13, testifies he and brother didn't kill their father." New York Times, September 5.

Scandlen, Monica. 2002. "Testimonies quiet, simple." Pensacola News Journal, August 28: 1.

Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022)

Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023)

Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley

Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally

Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025)

 
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Shocking Murder of Terry King (Part 2)

The Shocking Murder of Terry King (Part 1)

Happy Holidays Weirdos! For Alaina's Second Episode Revisit, she wanted to choose an episode that introduced us to a true hero!

OG Notes: Guys, this Alaina "Mini" Morbid is a doozy. How did we never know about this harrowing tale of 26 children and their heroic bus driver who survived over 24 hours of terror while being buried alive? Seriously, this one if intense but it has a happy ending that will leave you satisfied....at least somewhat satisfied. 

Resources:
https://www.cnn.com/2015/11/19/us/rewind-chowchilla-school-bus-kidnapping/index.html

https://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/hero-bus-driver-ed-ray-saved-kidnapped-children-1976-dies-91-article-1.1081059

https://www.latimes.com/visuals/photography/la-me-fw-archives-the-1976-chowchilla-bus-kidnapping-20190709-htmlstory.html

https://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/doi/10.1176/ajp.138.1.14?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori%3Arid%3Acrossref.org&rfr_dat=cr_pub++0pubmed&

Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022)

Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023)

Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley

Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally

Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025)

 
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Episode Revisit: The Schoolbus Kidnapping of 1976

For Alaina’s first EPISODE REVISIT this week, we are hopping into the way back in time machine and transporting ourselves to 2018! In the first MiniMORBID, Ash & Alaina talk about some of the spooky figures of the holiday season!

OG Notes: "It's the holidays, weirdos! Time to get freaky, brutal and murderous. Tonight on our first mini-Morbid episode, we are covering Santa's scary helpers who will beat you, eat you and maybe steal your candles.”

Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022)

Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023)

Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley

Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally

Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025)

 
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Episode Revisit: Santa’s Dark Helpers

Weirdos! Get ready to welcome the holidays with Krampus and tales brought to you By you FOR you and ALL ABOUT YOU! This month we're talking holiday related tales, and Nicholas was so engaged, that it was impossible to edit him out! We're talking near death experiences, phantom hikers and two instances of neighbors being the absolute worst!

LISTEN on all podcast platforms OR WATCH on Youtube!

If you’ve got a listener tale please send it to DEB by emailing us at Morbidpodcast@gmail.com with “Listener Tales” somewhere in the subject line- and if you share pictures- please let us know if we can share them with fellow weirdos! :)

Huge shout out to our video editor @aidanmcelman

Music: Www.purple-Planet.com

Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022)

Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023)

Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley

Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally

Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025)

 
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Listener Tales 105: Krampus Edition!

During the second decade of the twentieth century, an unidentified serial killer was believed to have operated in Atlanta, Georgia, brutally killing at least twenty Black woman. Due to the similarities between the Whitechapel victims and the victims in Atlanta, the Georgia press dubbed their killer “the Atlanta Ripper,” an anonymous monster whose presence held the city’s Black population in a grip of fear. For a period of roughly five years, the Atlanta Ripper killed with regularity on the city streets, slashing, mutilating, and otherwise brutalizing the bodies of the women they killed. Despite having at least six viable suspects, investigators were never able to conclusively identify the Atlanta Ripper and the murders remain unsolved.
References
Atlanta Constitution . 1912. "Negro woman slain; suspect arrested." Atlanta Constitution, January 21: 5.

Atlanta Constitution. 1912. "Jack the Ripper believed to be a modern Bluebeard with 12 wives as victims." Atlanta Constitution , August 11: 1.

Atlanta Journal. 1910. "Deaths." Atlanta Constitution, April 5: 10.

—. 1911. "Antoher negress killed; black butcher at work?" Atlanta Journal, June 16: 14.

—. 1911. "Black 'Jack the Ripper' slays another negress." Atlanta Journal, July 2: 7.

—. 1911. "Has 'Jack the Ripper' fallen into dragnet?" Atlanta Journal, July 13: 4.

—. 1912. "Jack the Ripper caught at last, say detectives." Atlanta Journal, August 10: 1.

—. 1911. "'Jack the Ripper' foiled in 8th attempt Saturday." Atlanta Journal, July 9: 3.

—. 1912. "Negro woman murdered just outside the city." Atlanta Journal, April 8: 20.

—. 1911. "One of the Ripper crimes is no longer a mystery." Atlanta Journal, August 4: 11.

—. 1911. "Rosa Trice foully murdered." Atlanta Journal, January 23: 9.

—. 1911. "Will "Jack the Ripper" claim eight victim this Saturday?" Atlanta Journal, July 8: 8.

—. 1911. "Young negro is held for 'Ripper's' crime." Atlanta Journal, July 12: 17.

Constitution, Atlanta. 1911. "Negro woman killed; no clew to slayer." Atlanta Constitution , May 29: 7.

Franklin Evening Star. 1912. "Nineteenth horrid crime of Atlanta's Jack the Ripper." Franklin Evening Star, April 9: 2.

New York Times. 1911. "Eight victims now of Atlanta Ripper." New York Times, July 3: 3.

—. 1906. "Rioting goes on, despite troops." New York Times, September 24: 1.

Wells, Jeffrey. 2010. 

The Atlanta Ripper: The Unsolved Case of the Gate City's Most Infamous Murders. Cheltenham, UK: The History Press.

Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022)

Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023)

Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley

Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally

Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025)

 
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Atlanta Ripper

It’s a paranormal crossover for the ages 👻 In this very special bonus episode, we’re joined by YouTube’s resident ghost-hunters Sam & Colby as we talk about our investigation of one of the most infamous haunted locations in America: the S.K. Pierce Mansion. Known for its dark history, aggressive energy, and “absolutely not” vibes, this house did not come to play. To take things to the next level, Sam & Colby brought in three psychics to independently tap into the mansion’s energy, and what they uncovered was chilling, emotional, and occasionally “we should probably leave right now.” From unsettling validations to shocking overlaps in what each psychic sensed, this investigation got intense fast. Grab your EMF readers, light a protection candle, and join us for a bonus episode where we go behind the scenes of the investigation CURRENTLY AVAILABLE on Sam & Colby's Youtube Channel!

Subscribe to Sam & Colby's Channel here and WATCH the episode!
 

Want to visit the S.K. Pierce Mansion? Click here to experience it firsthand!
 

Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022)

Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023)

Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley

Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally

Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025)

 
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

December Bonus Episode: Secrets of the S.K. Pierce Mansion with Special Guests Sam & Colby

Mackenzie Cowell was a beautiful 17 year old girl with her entire life ahead of her. She was going to high school, on the dance team, modelling and taking classes at the Wenatchee Academy of Hair design. Mackenzie’s life was cut short and in such a brutal manner that it left Wenatchee stunned. Mackenzie's body was found stabbed, strangled, and mutilated. The case takes so many twists and turns with drug informants, potential cases of mistaken identity and eventually a conviction that left some wondering if the right person was behind bars.

Gabby Petito GoFundMe <~~This will aid in search efforts to find her!

Washington Post article Ash mentioned in the episode 

As always, thank you to our sponsors:

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Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022)

Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023)

Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley

Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally

Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025)

 
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Murder of Mackenzie Cowell

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