logo
episode-header-image
Aug 2024
36m 18s

American Serial Killer Family: Bloody Be...

History Hit
About this episode

When a series of mysterious disappearances and gruesome murders happened on the American Frontier in the 19th century, fingers started to point in the direction of not one murderer…but a family of killers. As the case unraveled, their grisly crimes cemented their place in history and earned their nickname as the 'Bloody Benders'.


Joining Maddy Pelling and Anthony Delaney this episode is Susan Jonusas, historian and author of 'Hell's Half-Acre: The Untold Story of the Benders, A Serial Killer Family on the American Frontier'.


This episode was edited by Tomos Delargy and produced by Freddy Chick. The senior producer is Charlotte Long.


Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Sign here for up to 50% for 3 months using code AFTERDARK

You can take part in our listener survey here.


After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal is a History Hit podcast.


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Up next
Feb 5
Al Capone and the Valentine's Day Massacre
Bootleg liquor. Tommy guns. Gangs ruling the city with crooked cops.The Valentine's Day Massacre in 1929 Chicago sounds cinematic, but the fear and the bloodshed was very real.What was the perfect storm that created this horrifying moment? How did it unfold? And how did the cops ... Show More
36m 47s
Feb 2
Dark Truth About Victorian 'Freak Shows'
Julia Pastrana was a Mexican woman exploited as a sideshow attraction in life and grotesquely exhibited even after her death because of her appearance. Her story is part of the dark history of the Victorian 'freak show'. Anthony tells Maddy the story.This episode was edited by Ha ... Show More
49m 16s
Jan 29
Essex's Darkest Witch Hunt
This is the story of a 16th century cunning woman, a folk healer, who was found guilty of being a witch. Accusations spiralled until more than a dozen women faced the threat of death. The St Osyth witch hunt became a landmark case, setting a dark precedent for the witch hunts tha ... Show More
45m 11s
Recommended Episodes
Jan 2019
Introducing Root of Evil
When Elizabeth Short, also known as "The Black Dahlia," was brutally killed in 1947, it gripped the entire country. More than 70 years later, it remains America's most infamous unsolved murder. Many believe Dr. George Hodel was the killer, thanks to an investigation by Hodel's ow ... Show More
4m 44s
Feb 2025
Introducing: CRIME HOUSE TRUE CRIME STORIES
Crime House True Crime Stories is the ultimate destination for true crime fans. Every episode features two notorious cases from that week in crime history, tied by a common theme like infamous serial killers, mysterious disappearances, tragic murders, and more. Every Monday, unco ... Show More
6m 11s
Oct 2025
316: Introducing a chilling new podcast: TWISTED TALES WITH HEIDI WONG
Reality is the real horror.Every Monday, poet and paranormal obsessive Heidi Wong unearths the chilling true stories behind the world’s most terrifying legends. From haunted dolls to cursed houses, each episode of Twisted Tales reveals the disturbing real-life events that inspire ... Show More
8 m
Oct 2025
Spooky Listen! Jack the Ripper | CLUES Podcast
**There is no ad-free version of this episode since it's not part of Heart Starts Pounding ** Today I’m sharing a special bonus episode from Clues, where Morgan Absher and I dig into the chilling mystery of Jack the Ripper. In 1888, a brutal killer stalked London’s Whitechapel di ... Show More
1h 54m
Feb 2025
Introducing: CRIME HOUSE TRUE CRIME STORIES
Crime House True Crime Stories is the ultimate destination for true crime fans. Every episode features two notorious cases from that week in crime history, tied by a common theme like infamous serial killers, mysterious disappearances, tragic murders, and more. Every Monday, unco ... Show More
15m 48s