Antemortem

Today’s episode is about the unpredictable (and occasionally man-eating) phenomenon known as the sinkhole. They appear all over the world and can be large or small, deadly or innocuous. We’ll learn the different types and explore notable sinkholes throughout history.

The history of the Scottish clans is lousy with strife. One particular incident saw a group of MacDonalds slaughtered by government forces. Due to its circumstances, the Glencoe Massacre has gone down in history as a gross violation of civility.

Antemortem's first female serial killer is Velma Barfield. Driven by an addiction to prescription drugs, the Death Row Granny was convicted of and executed for just one of her murders. It had followed a string of arson, poisoning, and fraud.

As the northern hemisphere sheds winter, marathon season commences. Cue the sweating, side stitches, and thoughts of “why did I sign up for this?” While most runners will live to race another day, let’s reflect on some of those who won’t.

After years of searching, the CIA follows an al-Qaeda operative to Osama bin Laden’s hideout in Abbottabad, Pakistan. The preparation for the raid can finally begin. SEAL Team Six successfully plans, practices, and executes the operation, losing only one helicopter along the way.

Episode one of the Osama bin Laden series covers the long manhunt for the notorious terrorist. He co-founded al-Qaeda in 1988 and aided in countless attacks before and after 9/11. From Sudan to Afghanistan to whereabouts unknown, U.S. intelligence tries to catch up.

When the Civil War ended, thousands of former prisoners of war needed to travel north from Vicksburg to get home. Their transport was the steamboat Sultana. Greed and bribery led to massive overcrowding. When the boat’s boilers exploded, her passengers were hurled into the Mississippi River.

Antemortem delves into the postmortem. This episode contains assorted information about burial traditions and all the best ideas for what to do with cremated remains. Wash yourself and dress in a white shroud for best results.

Known to the youth of Tucson as Smitty, Charles Howard Schmid Jr. was a pathological, murderous, boot-wearer. He killed three girls and may or may not have met some members of the mafia.

Long ago (when the years counted backwards and the names were hard to pronounce), a small Greek force went up against the might of Xerxes’ Persian Empire at the pass of Thermopylae. Under the direction of King Leonidas, they staved off their enemy for three days until they were utterly defeated.

In 1911, the employees of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory were practically working in a tinderbox. And that was on top of being overworked, underpaid and disrespected. The tragic fire took dozens of lives and brought attention to their plight.

Cholera is a waterborne bacterial illness but don’t bother telling that to the medical community of the 1830s. The disease confounded doctors for decades while pandemics raged across the world, killing millions. It remains deadly in some parts of the world today.

A mysterious illness spreads through a family, killing one. Years later, it reappears at a place of business and two more die. Is the culprit food poisoning? Radiation sickness? Or could it be the young man involved in both?

Times were hard for the pioneers who traveled westward across North America in the 1840’s. For the Donner Party, a series of unfortunate events and bad advice turned very fatal. The snowbound people resorted to extreme measures to stay alive and almost half of them died.

This collection of stories is brought to you by the Freedom of Information Act. Thanks to Florida's high degree of transparency regarding public records, everyone can learn about crimes involving alligators, small swords, nudity, and more!

The riot rages on this episode as we get an account of the violence inside the New Mexico State Penitentiary. As the siege continues, there will be demands, confusion, and eventually the retaking of the prison by law enforcement. Not for the faint of heart.

Antemortem begins the grisly tale of the New Mexico Penitentiary riot in this episode. We’ll first look at the precipitating incidents and poor conditions that led to the uprising. Then, we’ll move on to the events at the beginning of the riot.

There was a time when everyone thought of molasses as a slow and harmless product for making rum but that all changed in Boston in 1919. On that fateful day, a tank holding 2.3 million gallons of molasses burst its seams and spewed through the North End. The ensuing chaos was both deadly and sticky.

Between 1973 and 1983, Robert Hansen killed at least 17 people. Operating in and around Anchorage, Alaska, he used his wild surroundings to his benefit. Antemortem explores his life, victims, and many crimes.

What has 80 electrons and will destroy your brain? Mercury. It's in your fish, your fluorescent light bulbs, and your old-timey hats. Find out more about this deadly element on today's episode of Antemortem.