Like something out of a horror movie, Cassie Jo Stoddart is staying in a secluded house when suddenly, the lights shut off and she begins to hear strange noises from the basement. What happens next would shock a community, and reveal two sadistic killers living among them.

Sources:

Argyle, A. D. “The Loss of Cassie Stoddart - A.D. Argyle - Medium.” Medium, 17 Sept. 2023, adargyle.medium.com/the-loss-of-cassie-stoddart-ae61f2ee77c5.

Teen Made Columbine References. Newspapers.com, Casper Star-Tribune, October 4, 2006, https://www.newspapers.com/article/casper-star-tribune/150135751/

Tinning, Danielle. “Cassie Jo Stoddart and the Grisly Story of the ‘Scream’ Murder.” All That’s Interesting, 7 June 2023, allthatsinteresting.com/cassie-jo-stoddart.

McConnell, Kelsey Christine. “The Heinous Scream Murder of Cassie Jo Stoddart.” https://the-line-up.com, 17 Nov. 2022, the-line-up.com/cassie-jo-stoddart.

Kazlauskas, Jasmine. “Inside the Mind of a ‘Sick’ Teen Psychopath.” News, 28 Jan. 2024, www.news.com.au/lifestyle/real-life/news-life/chilling-interview-with-a-disturbed-teenage-killer/news-story/3786bb4ed81f84562b04ae24799d0bc5.

State v. Adamcik, 272 P.3d 417, 152 Idaho 445 (Idaho 2012)

Crime Circus. “Cassie Jo Stoddart’s Boyfriend MATT BECKHAM Police Interrogation - THE ORIGINAL SUSPECTED KlLLER.” YouTube, 14 Feb. 2022, www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lda5WgzXdQ.

John Johnson’s Video Archive. “The Scream Killers | Brian Draper and Torey Adamciks Full Tape | Cassie Jo Stoddart Killer [1080p60].” YouTube, 28 Feb. 2023, www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ctrb9gu7NQ.

Sederstrom, Jill. “Idaho Teen Is Found Brutally Stabbed to Death in Terrifying Crime Inspired by ‘Scream.’” Oxygen Official Site, 10 Apr. 2024, www.oxygen.com/crime-news/brian-draper-torey-adamcik-convicted-killing-cassie-jo-stoddart.

Micallef, Catherine, and Nicole Cord-Cruz. “What Happened to Cassie Jo Stoddart?...” The US Sun, 18 Feb. 2024, www.the-sun.com/news/6643581/what-happened-cassie-jo-stoddart.

Shelbie Harris Sharris Journalnet.Com. “Remembering Cassie Jo — Brother Opens up as 10th Anniversary of Grisly Murder Nears | AP News.” AP News, 25 Sept. 2016, apnews.com/article/5941d6d84531438e8825976560d6c276.

News Team and By News Team. “Torey Adamcik Requests New Trial for the Murder of Cassie Jo Stoddart - LocalNews8.com - KIFI.” Local News 8, 22 July 2015, localnews8.com/news/2015/07/21/torey-adamcik-requests-new-trial-for-the-murder-of-cassie-jo-stoddart.

Two similar crime scenes are found within days of each other in the same apartment complex. Is it a coincidence, or the beginning of a serial killer’s reign of terror in Houston, TX?

Sources:

Dogan, Kamil Hakan & M.D, Serafettin & M.D, Idris & Erkol, Zerrin. (2010). Decapitation and Dismemberment of the Corpse: A Matricide Case*. Journal of Forensic Sciences. 55. 542 - 545. 10.1111/

"Houston Decapitator - Police try to link killings - 14 AUG 1979" Newspapers.com, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, August 14, 1979, https://www.newspapers.com/article/fort-worth-star-telegram-houston-decapit/55075340/

Alys Elaine McDonald Rankin (1946-1979) - Find A... 7 July 1946, www.findagrave.com/memorial/140901551/alys-elaine-rankin.

“Slashing Deaths Thought Related “Newspapers.com, Longview News-Journal, August 14, 1979, https://www.newspapers.com/article/longview-news-journal/19537489/

“Houston Tenants Frightened By 2nd Murder at Apartments” "08131979" Newspapers.com, Austin American-Statesman, August 13, 1979, https://www.newspapers.com/article/austin-american-statesman-08131979/33026184/

“Second Murder Checked” Newspapers.com, Corpus Christi Times, August 13, 1979, https://www.newspapers.com/article/corpus-christi-times/149658900/

“Police Unsure About Slasher” Newspapers.com, Tyler Morning Telegraph, August 14, 1979, https://www.newspapers.com/article/tyler-morning-telegraph-houston-decapita/55075141/

“Woman Assaulted, Decapitated” Newspapers.com, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, July 29, 1979, https://www.newspapers.com/article/fort-worth-star-telegram/149659242/

Ehrlich, Brenna. “Why Were There so Many Serial Killers Between 1970 and 2000 — and Where Did They Go?” Rolling Stone, 25 Mar. 2021, www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/serial-killers-1970s-2000s-murders-1121705.

Pinkerton, James. “Horrific 1979 killings left bodies headless” Chron. April 9, 2012. https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/horrific-killings-in-1979-left-bodies-headless-3467505.php

Winskog, C., Byard, R.W. Decapitation: a rare form of postmortem mutilation. Forensic Sci Med Pathol 12, 98–100 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12024-015-9714-4

When horrible murder is committed by a 13-year-old boy, his family decides to hide his dark secret from the world. But when he is linked to another murder 30 years later, police begin to suspect that they are dealing with a terrifying serial killer who flew under their radar for decades.

Sources:

DeLong, William. “Charlie Brandt Killed His Mom at 13, Then Walked Free to Kill Again.” All That’s Interesting, 24 Feb. 2020, allthatsinteresting.com/charlie-brandt.

Holt, Tony. “Cold Case of Osteen Girl Abducted From Bus Stop Unsolved 40 Years Later.” The Daytona Beach News Journal, 24 Sept. 2018.

McReynolds, Marcus. “Wrongful Death Serial Series: Charlie Brandt.” Robert J. DeBry and Associates, 1 Aug. 2019, robertdebry.com/wrongful-death-serial-series-charlie-brandt.

Perez, Robert. “Evidence Boosts Murder Theories.” The Orlando Sentinel, 25 Sept. 2004.

Perez, Robert, and Melissa Harris. “Man May Have Been Serial Killer.” The Orlando Sentinel, 3 Oct. 2004.

Schorn, Daniel. “Deadly Obsession: A Family Tragedy Unmasks a Killer’s Secret Past.” CBS News, 21 Sept. 2011, www.cbsnews.com/news/deadly-obsession.

Carl Brandt | Murderpedia, the Encyclopedia of Murderers. murderpedia.org/male.B/b/brandt-carl.htm.

Taylor, Gary. “Killings Spark More Inquiries: Investigators in Germany and Holland Seek Details About the Gruesome Slayings in Seminole County. Deadly Rage Brewed in ‘quiet Kid.’” The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Oct. 2004.

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