Come Closer

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Aileen Wuornos killed seven men along Florida highways in 1989 and 1990, and the world has called her a monster ever since. But monsters are made. In this episode of Come Closer, I tell the full story of Aileen Carol Wuornos, from a childhood no adult stepped in to stop, to the girlfriend who helped police get her confession, to the trial that never heard about Richard Mallory's past. Then I hand down the Verdict.

We cover Monster (2003) vs. Precious, betrayal trauma, Tyria Moore, the Williams Rule, death row, and a historical parallel from Rome in 1599: Beatrice Cenci.

In memory of Richard Mallory, David Spears, Charles Carskaddon, Peter Siems, Troy Burress, Dick Humphreys, and Walter Antonio.

Content warning: child sexual abuse, suicide, murder. Support: 988 (US) · RAINN 1-800-656-4673

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Come closer. It's darker than you think.

Most Christmas movies want you warm. This one wants you honest.

Director Christian Jude Grillo and producer and star Andrew Hunsicker of Intruder Films join me to talk about A Cold Season. It’s a snowbound Christmas horror film about Jacob, a man so lonely and so sure he can freeze out his pain that the season starts freezing everyone around him.

Christian wrote most of the script for everyone who finds Christmas hard. Andrew plays a man who barely speaks, and he still made me laugh before breaking my heart in a therapy circle.

The Verdict: Which ring of hell does Jacob belong?

🎄 A Cold Season premieres November 10 on Roku, Tubi, Xumo, Amazon, Google Play and more.

Content note: depression, substance use, grief, an injured animal (AI-generated; no animals were harmed).

Follow Intruder Films:
Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/intruder_films/
TikTok → https://www.tiktok.com/@intruderfilms
Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61565104185164

Andrew Hunsicker:

Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/andrew.hunsicker/ ·

Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/andrew.hunsicker/

Christian Jude Grillo: on Facebook, along with Potent Media

Come closer.

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The Green River Killer was also an unassuming-looking man named Gary Ridgway. He made a bet that if he killed women society had already written off, nobody would come looking. For nearly 20 years, he won and got away with it. After he was caught, Gary Ridgway refused to talk to reporters. Then crime journalist Maria DiLorenzo mailed him a letter, and three weeks later her phone rang. For two years he called her, hundreds of times. He lied constantly. He invented rivals for his own story. He tested what she would tolerate, and he started to see her as a potential victim. She stayed on the line for the women he never named. Tonight Maria tells me what it's like to truly know a killer, what it cost her to replay every call while writing "Confessions of the Green River Killer", and the two women whose cases she's still fighting to get reopened. Viewer discretion is advised. This episode includes discussion of murder, sexual violence, and manipulation.

LINKS:

📖 Get Maria DiLorenzo's book, "Confessions of the Green River Killer": ⁠⁠https://link.amazon/B0j5A0aHt⁠⁠ 🖤 Join the Closer Circle on Patreon: my Movie Club, gated episodes, Goddess Mode album, and uncensored + gated episodes: ⁠https://www.patreon.com/cw/raereview⁠

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Betty Broderick is often remembered as the ultimate woman scorned, but that story leaves out the psychological damage, manipulation, and betrayal that pushed her to the edge. If you think you know this infamous case, this episode will change the way you see it.

Rae Review unpacks the rise and collapse of Betty and Dan Broderick’s marriage: from the years Betty supported Dan through medical school, law school, and four children, to the affair with 21-year-old legal secretary Linda Kolkina and the brutal unraveling that followed. The case is famous, but the deeper question is the one most retellings skip:

What happens when betrayal trauma, gaslighting, and a no-fault divorce system combine to strip someone of their reality, their children, and their future?

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Inside the ‘Vampire Cult’ Murder Case: Chet Hardin on Sydney Loofe, Aubrey Trail & Bailey Boswell.

🩸 GET CHET'S BOOK - "The Vampire's Cult" → https://chethardin.com/order-book 📱 FOLLOW CHET — Instagram & Threads → @chethardin, @chet-hardin.bsky.social 🖤 MY PATREON - The Closer Circle Early access to gated + uncensored episodes, Goddess Mode (my private podcast album), and my God-Tier Comeback Vault → https://www.patreon.com/cw/raereview

Rae interviews investigative journalist and author Chet Hardin about his book "The Vampire’s Cult: The Untold Story of Obsession, Control, and a Shocking Small Town Murder," exploring why the case reads like “horror crime.”

They recount how 24-year-old Sydney Loofe went on a Tinder date with Bailey Boswell. Hardin details Bailey’s troubled background, her meeting with lifelong felon Aubrey Trail, and how he used money, manipulation, and a vampire/witch “coven” con to recruit and control multiple young women with degrading rules and threats.

Credits: Video editor / Sound Design: [email protected]

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What are your thoughts?

Get my list of essential true crime docs ⁠HERE

I'm Rae Review, Aries Goddess and Keeper of Dark Stories. Today, I'm telling my version of the story of Medusa. The myth, the misogyny, and how the "monster” narrative was edited over time.

I'm 40,000 years old. I was there, and it's crazy how things get misinterpreted through time.

Athena, Poseidon, the male poets, the hair snakes. How did it all start?

Want to Come Closer? Join my Closer Circle on Patreon: HERE

00:00 Come Closer Intro

01:16 How This Podcast Works

02:49 Medusa Before The Curse

03:18 Poseidon And Athena's Punishment06:06 Exiled As A Monster

07:53 Perseus Gets The Quest

09:29 The Unfair Assassination

10:01 Medusa's Head As Trophy

11:07 Older Myths And Ovid's Edit

15:07 Was Athena Protecting Her

17:18 Modern Meaning And Moral

20:46 Final Thoughts And Outro

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In 1992, a 17-year-old girl named Amy Fisher shot Mary Jo Buttafuoco in the face on her own front step. Within weeks, America had a nickname for her: the Long Island Lolita. Within a year, all three major networks aired competing made-for-TV movies about her, and roughly half the country watched at least one.

Almost nobody asked about the 35-year-old married man who had been sleeping with her since she was 16.

This is the story of Amy Fisher, Joey Buttafuoco, and Mary Jo Buttafuoco — a case that became the blueprint for how tabloid media turns a groomed child into a villain and a predator into a lovable rogue. We cover how Joey Buttafuoco met a 16-year-old at his Long Island auto body shop, the mechanics of grooming and how predators select and isolate a target, the DARVO playbook he ran when the story broke, and the sentencing gap that gave Amy Fisher seven years while the man convicted of statutory rape served four months.

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You've seen the iceberg videos. Surface level at the top, the unspeakable at the bottom. I like the format. I just think it's shallow.

So this is mine. Nine rings, not one iceberg, because when I sort a subject by how bad it gets, I use the system I know best. I've been to all nine and I know the bartenders.

The rules are simple. Ring one is the tip: the part you've heard of, the part that sounds almost reasonable. Ring nine is the bottom, and nobody goes down there voluntarily. Each ring is worse than the last. Three rings per episode, three episodes, all the way down.

We're starting with eugenics.

Not because it's the darkest subject I know, but because it's the one that most people think is finished. It isn't. And it didn't begin with a monster; it began with a statistician, a respectable institution, and a very reasonable idea about improving the human race.

It gets worse from here. It always does.

Come closer.

xx Rae Review

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Rae is joined by defense attorney Edward Cohn as they discuss the story of Nikki Addimando.

A woman told police, very calmly, that she'd just shot the father of her children. She was telling the truth and had been for years. Nobody listened. This was a complicated case about self-defense, violence, and toxic relationship dynamics.

Listen as Edward Cohn provides his insights about his experience in the legal system, his opinion on this story and how you can protect yourself.

⚠️ Discretion advised: domestic violence and s**ual abuse.

Find Edward Cohn Defense Attorney at cohnjustice.com.

Witness Library here:

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Christopher Duntsch, "Dr. Death", maimed 33 patients and killed two, and every one of them walked into his Dallas operating room voluntarily and said thank you.

This isn't a story about a bad surgeon. It's about how much benefit of the doubt a confident man gets for free, and who pays for it.

A true crime and dark history episode on medical malpractice, institutional cover-up, and the Texas Medical Board's two-year shrug — with a verdict, and a ring of hell for everyone who earned one.

Severe discretion advised: surgical injury and death.

I tell the truth. You decide what to believe. Come closer.

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Credits: Video editor / Sound Design: [email protected]

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My hand-picked list of the true crime docs that actually got it right. Get it ⁠HERE ⁠

Everyone knows what Lorena Bobbitt did with a kitchen knife in 1993. Instead of asking WHY it happened, most people laughed instead.

The world turned a domestic-violence and marital-r*pe case into the decade's biggest punchline.

In the very first episode of Come Closer, Rae: Aries Goddess and Keeper of Dark Stories, tells it the way it actually happened: Years of documented violence, a law that barely counted her as a victim, two trials, and a culture that laughed instead of looking.

And underneath all of it, THE REAL CRIME. Because marriage was never a love story. It's a 4,000-year-old scam, and Lorena Bobbitt is the proof.

Come closer. It's darker than you think.

⚠️ Content warning: this episode discusses domestic violence, sexual assault, and abuse. Please take care.

💌 IG, TT, YT- @rae_review

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Credits: Video editor / Sound Design: [email protected]

Chapters:

0:00 The 10 seconds everyone remembers

· 1:40 Meet Rae

· 4:40 The love story

· 7:00 The marriage turns

·12:30 The night it happened

· 15:00 The media circus

· 17:00 Two trials

· 25:00 Marriage: the real crime

· 30:30 The Verdict

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I'm back, and I know what you're thinking... yes, I've had a haircut.

Come closer. It's darker than you think.

July 22nd 2026.

.

📚 The Witness Library: My hand-picked list of the true crime & dark history docs that actually got it right. Get it ⁠HERE ⁠

💌 IG, TT, YT- @rae_review

Hosted by Mercury Podcasts. See for information about the collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Credits: Video editor / Sound Design: [email protected]

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Get my list of essential true crime documentaries HERE

Velma Barfield: The “Grandmother” Serial Killer, Arsenic Poisonings, and America’s First Female Lethal Injection Rae profiles Velma Barfield, a little-known serial killer who killed at least four people and became the first woman executed in the U.S. in 22 years and the first ever by lethal injection.

The episode examines competing explanations: sociopathy, addiction-driven fraud, and dissociative identity disorder. Before detailing her death row conversion, and attempted clemency by Governor Jim Hunt, and execution on November 2, 1984. 00:00 Serial Killer You Never Suspected 00:59 Velma Barfield Overview 01:58 Content Warning And Support 02:58 Abuse And Invisibility 04:24 Marriage And Medical Spiral 07:07 Bodies Begin To Pile Up 10:32 Caretaker Deaths And Fraud 11:37 Arsenic Autopsy Breakthrough 12:42 Why Did She Kill 18:51 Death Row And Execution 21:42 Monster Or System Failure 23:10 Wrap Up And Next Steps

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Rae Review featuring Detective Dan Jackson — the Austin Police cold case detective who solved the 1991 Yogurt Shop Murders.

For 34 years, the murders of Amy Ayers, Sarah Harbison, Jennifer Harbison, and Eliza Thomas went unsolved. The case landed on Dan Jackson's desk on his very first day in the cold case unit. He never imagined he'd be the one to answer the question on the billboards: who killed these girls?

Three years later, using DNA and ballistics, he identified serial killer Robert Eugene Brashers as the man who did it.

Detective Jackson joins Rae to talk about the science that finally cracked it, who Brashers really was, the promise he made to one victim's mother, and the phone call he made to the original 1991 detective before the news broke.

Following our conversation with director Margaret Brown, whose HBO series The Yogurt Shop Murders just aired its final episode, The End of Wondering.

Content note: discusses violence against young girls, sexual assault, and wrongful convictions.

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Documentary filmmaker Margaret Brown joins Rae on Dark Stories to talk about the Yogurt Shop Murders - the 1991 case that haunted Austin, Texas for over three decades.

The fifth and final episode, "The End of Wondering," premieres Friday, May 22, 2026 on HBO and HBO Max.

On December 6, 1991, four teenage girls, Amy Ayers, Sarah Harbison, Jennifer Harbison, and Eliza Thomas, were murdered at an "I Can't Believe It's Yogurt!" shop in Austin, Texas. The case sat unsolved for 34 years. Four men were wrongfully accused. One was killed by police before his name was cleared. Then in September 2025, the case was finally solved.

Margaret spent three and a half years with the families. She joins Rae to talk about grief, resolution, the wrongfully accused, and what it means when the truth finally comes.

Content note: discusses violence against young girls, sexual assault, and wrongful convictions.

The HBO Original documentary series The Yogurt Shop Murders continues with a new 90-minute fifth episode, "The End of Wondering," directed by Margaret Brown ("Descendant"), from A24 and Fruit Tree. The episode debuts Friday, May 22 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on HBO and HBO Max.

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This video discusses the tragic case of Diane Whipple, who was fatally attacked by her neighbor's dogs. The footage highlights the court case, People vs. Knoller, which resulted in the first conviction of murder for a dog owner due to their pets' actions in U.S. history. This true crime story explores the complexities of animal attack incidents and criminal justice, raising important questions about dog owner mistakes and accountability in such cases. Viewer discretion is advised due to the graphic nature of the story. For more, visit raereview.com

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When Gisèle Pelicot found out what had been done to her, she made a decision that nobody expected. Part Two covers the trial, the 50 men, the verdict, and what Gisèle Pelicot did that no law could have required her to do and why it matters for every woman who comes after her.

She waived her anonymity. She demanded a public trial. She sat in that courtroom every single day and she made them look at her.

This is what accountability actually looks like. And it's because of her. Credits: Video editor / Sound Design: [email protected]

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For almost ten years, Dominique Pelicot was considered a model husband.

He was also drugging his wife unconscious and inviting strangers into their home to assault her while she slept. He filmed all of it. He organized all of it. And he did it so carefully that Gisèle had no idea.

Part One covers the marriage, the decade of abuse, how it was finally uncovered, and the moment investigators realized exactly how far this went.

Content warning: this episode contains detailed discussion of drug-facilitated assault. Listen with care.

Part Two drops Wednesday.

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For more dark stories like these or to get in touch, check out my TikTok, Instagram or visit my website at RaeReview.com.

Hosted by Mercury Podcasts. See for information about the collection and use of personal data for advertising. Credits: Video editor / Sound Design: [email protected]

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On November 15, 1917, 33 women were beaten, brutalized, and tortured at the Occoquan Workhouse for one simple demand: the right to vote. This is the true story of Alice Paul, the Night of Terror, and how the most horrific night in suffrage history became the catalyst for the 19th Amendment.

This is a story they don't teach you in school.

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Today, Rae tells the story of the tragic life of Rosemary Kennedy, the sister of JFK, who underwent a botched lobotomy at the age of 23.

The discussion highlights the 'Kennedy Curse,' the family's history of misfortune, and the societal pressures that led to Rosemary's tragic fate.

It explores her early life, the circumstances surrounding her lobotomy, and the devastating aftermath that left her incapacitated. The conversation serves as a poignant reminder of the historical treatment of mental health and the impact of family legacy.

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Today, we delve into the disturbing life of Ed Gein, a notorious figure whose crimes inspired iconic horror villains.

It explores his traumatic upbringing, the profound influence of his mother, and the psychological unraveling that led to his heinous acts. The discussion highlights the complexities of his mental state, the nature of his crimes, and the implications of his life story on our understanding of trauma and mental illness.

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Robert Pickton is often described as Canada’s most prolific serial killer. But this story isn’t just about one man. For years, warnings about the pig farm in Port Coquitlam were ignored. A woman survived and reported him. Employees tipped off police. Families begged for help as women disappeared from Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. Nothing changed. In this episode, we examine the full Robert Pickton timeline, the missed warnings, the failed investigation, the trial, and what this case reveals about power, institutional neglect, and the labeling of victims as “high risk", and analysis of how systems protect predators. If you value true crime that goes deeper than headlines, subscribe for weekly dark stories with cultural and psychological context. 🔔 Subscribe for more deep‑dives into true crime and dark history.

For more dark stories like these or to get in touch, check out my TikTok, Instagram or visit my website at RAEREVIEW.COM

Hosted by Mercury Podcasts. See for information about the collection and use of personal data for advertising. Credits: Video editor / Sound Design: [email protected]

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In this episode, Rae tells the dark story Maddie Clifton and Joshua Phillips to explore how violent behavior in children is often overlooked, minimized, or dismissed until tragedy occurs. Maddie Clifton was eight years old when she was killed by a fourteen-year-old boy from her neighborhood a case that forces us to confront how proximity, access, and assumptions about innocence can hide real danger.

This episode focuses on learning, context, and accountability and asks why society struggles to recognize violence when it comes from children.

Listener discretion advised.

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Rae Review tells the dark story of the disappearance of Jennifer Kesse and the surveillance footage that almost identified a suspect.

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💬 Comment below: What are your thoughts on this case?

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For more dark stories like these or to get in touch, check out my TikTok, Instagram or visit my website at ⁠raereview.com⁠.

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Credits: Video editor / Sound Design: [email protected]

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At just 10 years old, Mary Bell became one of the youngest killers in modern criminal history.

In this episode, we explore the disturbing psychological and social factors behind the Mary Bell case including severe childhood abuse, neglect, and repeated failures by the systems meant to protect her.

We also examine how trauma, environment, and early violence intersect, and why Mary Bell’s story continues to shape conversations around child psychology and criminal responsibility.

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Rae tells the dark story of Dr. Sneha Ann Philip, who vanished on the eve of the September 11 attacks.

It explores her life, the investigation that followed, the biases that influenced the narrative surrounding her disappearance, and the fight for her recognition as a victim of the tragedy.

Brace yourself and settle in with Rae Review for another Dark Story.

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💬 COMMENT BELOW: What are your thoughts on this case?

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➡️Credits:

Video editor / Sound Design: [email protected]

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Have you heard the heartbreaking story of David Reimer?

Rae tells the story of David Reimer highlights the complexities of gender identity and the potentially devastating consequences of human experimentation.

*This mini episode was originally posted on Tiktok and was reformatted to become available for listening.

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💬 Comment below: What are your thoughts on this case?

☕ Get my FREE NEWSLETTER and early access to select episodes:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠raereviewdarkvault.substack.com⁠⁠⁠⁠

For more dark stories like these or to get in touch, check out my TikTok, Instagram or visit my website at⁠⁠⁠ ⁠raereview.com⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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Rae tells the dark story of Brian Schaeffer, a 27-year-old medical student who vanished without a trace after a night out with friends in Columbus, Ohio.

This episode explores Brian's life, the events leading up to his disappearance, and the various theories surrounding what may have happened to him. The haunting nature of his case is emphasized, highlighting the lack of evidence and closure for his family and loved ones.

Settle in with Rae Review for another Dark Story.

🔔 Subscribe for more deep‑dives into true crime, psychology, and dark history.

💬 Comment below: What are your thoughts on this case?

☕ Get my FREE NEWSLETTER and early access to episodes:⁠ raereviewdarkvault.substack.com⁠⁠

For more dark stories like these or to get in touch, check out my TikTok, Instagram or visit my website at⁠ ⁠raereview.com⁠⁠.

Hosted by Mercury Podcasts. See for information about the collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Credits: Video editor / Sound Design: [email protected]

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Rae tells the tragic and EXTREMELY disturbing story of Steven Pladl and his daughter Katie Pladl. *This mini episode was originally posted on Tiktok and was reformatted to become available for listening. We'll explore the consequences of their toxic relationship and the devastating impact of their actions on their family. It highlights the psychological aspects of Steven's behavior and the tragic outcomes that ensued, including multiple deaths and the destruction of lives.

🔔 Subscribe for more deep‑dives into true crime, psychology, and dark history.

💬 Comment below: What are your thoughts on this case?

☕ Get my FREE NEWSLETTER and early access to select episodes:⁠⁠ ⁠raereviewdarkvault.substack.com⁠⁠⁠

For more dark stories like these or to get in touch, check out my TikTok, Instagram or visit my website at⁠⁠ ⁠raereview.com⁠⁠⁠.

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