Charles Schmid Jr., better known as the “Pied Piper of Tucson,” was the kind of small‑town troublemaker who tried to turn himself into a legend—platform shoes, pancake makeup, and all. In the mid‑1960s, he charmed Tucson’s teenagers with a mix of bravado and bad eyeliner, only to reveal a far darker side: behind the swagger lurked a manipulative killer responsible for the deaths of at least three young women.

Schmid cultivated an image somewhere between Elvis impersonator and desert outlaw, using his odd charisma to lure in admirers—until his crimes shocked the community and landed him behind bars. His story became infamous enough to inspire a Life magazine exposé and even a Joyce Carol Oates short story.

In short: he was the teen scene’s self‑appointed icon who turned out to be a nightmare in lift‑heeled boots—a chilling reminder that sometimes the scariest monsters are the ones who desperately want to be cool.

Intro Audio: Gavin Prater

Outro Audio: Jason Poe

Source Credit:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Schmid

https:/www.investigationdiscovery.com/crimefeed/crime-history/pied-piper-tuscon-charles-howard-schmid

Robert Wayne Danielson Jr. carved out a grim legacy across the American West, leaving investigators chasing a trail as unpredictable as his movements. Born in 1946 and largely a mystery in his early years, Danielson drifted through life with a mix of depression, drug use, and a knack for turning roadside encounters into deadly confrontations.

After an early manslaughter conviction in 1970, he resurfaced in the early ’80s with a spree that stretched from Arizona to Oregon and California—robbing, kidnapping, and killing with chilling efficiency. Authorities ultimately tied him to at least seven victims, though suspicions lingered across multiple states.

Intro Audio: Gavin Prater

Outro Audio: Jason Poe

Source Credit:

https://www.buzzfeed.com/dannicaramirez/weird-facts-fs

https://truecrimearchives.blog/robert-wayne-danielson-jr-the-untold-story-of-a-serial-killer/

https://crimesolverscentral.com/serialkillers/357

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Wayne_Danielson

A mother. A wife. A killer - again and again. This Monday we travel back to the 19th century England, where poison was silent, grief was unquestioned, and one woman left a trail of death inside her own home. Mary Ann Robson didn't murder strangers. she murdered those closest to her.

Intro Audio: Gavin Prater

Outro Audio: Jason Poe

Source Credit:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Ann_Cotton

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Mary-Ann-Cotton