Jenny Ashford is a horror, true crime, and paranormal writer, graphic designer, and podcaster. Her most recent books are a three-volume true crime compilation collectively known as The Faceless Villain: A Collection of the Eeriest Unsolved Murders of the Twentieth Century. Volume One was published in 2017, Volume Two in 2018, and Volume Three in 2019. Her other books include four paranormal nonfiction books: The Unseen Hand: A New Exploration of Poltergeist Phenomena, The Mammoth Mountain Poltergeist (with Tom Ross), House of Fire and Whispers: Investigating the Seattle Demon House, and The Rochdale Poltergeist (both with Steve Mera); as well as three horror novels, Red Menace, Bellwether, and The Five Poisons; two short story collections, Hopeful Monsters and The Associated Villainies; and a graphic novel, The Tenebrist. A second edition of The Associated Villainies was published in 2019, featuring four new stories, an enhanced print layout, and an audio book version. A second edition of The Five Poisons was published in 2020. Her short stories have appeared in several anthologies, including The Nightmare Collective, History Is Dead, 2012AD, ChimeraWorld #3, and ChimeraWorld #4. Her horror blog, Goddess of Hellfire, contains writing news, short stories and articles, and her reviews and opinions on horror films and books. She also co-hosts a podcast with Tom Ross called 13 O'Clock, on which they discuss true crime, unexplained mysteries, paranormal weirdness, horror movies and books, food, and other fun, creepy topics. They recently collaborated on a 13 O'Clock cookbook. Jenny's graphic design work can be seen on everything from books and business cards to posters and packaging. She runs an online store called Gravecake selling products with her designs, and also has a board-and-card game concern called Giallo Games, which produces games based around the beloved Italian horror/crime genre, among many other themes.
In the early spring of 1967, twenty-four-year-old secretary Gloria Fay Slump was excited to introduce her parents to a nice new man she had met. She phoned them on March 3rd and said she would bring him over for a weekend visit. She never arrived. On Monday, March 6th, workers at the Burlington Railroad discovered … More Gloria Fay Slump
Seventeen-year-old Judy Ann Corbin had always been something of a wild child, and during her younger years had spent some time in the juvenile justice system during her family’s stint in California, while her father was serving there in the Navy. After the Corbins had moved back to their native Iowa, Judy had struck out … More Judy Ann Corbin
Denise Sue Clinton was an adorable nine-year-old with a reddish-blonde pixie cut, freckles, and a maturity far beyond her years. In early July of 1965, she had just come back from a two-week vacation in California with her parents and her six-year-old sister Diana. On the evening of July 7th, her parents dropped her off … More Denise Sue Clinton
In early June of 1965, in Louisiana, there would be another racially-motivated killing that recalled the previous slaying of businessman Frank Morris from late 1964, as well as the Mississippi murders of Louis Allen and Clifton Walker from earlier in the same year. Oneal (alternately spelled O’Neal) Moore was appointed the first black deputy sheriff … More Oneal Moore
On April 17th, 1954, in Des Moines, Iowa, two teenage boys out fishing along a river bank found a body floating beneath the Court Avenue bridge. Police first thought the victim had simply drowned, but the man’s skull bore fractures consistent with blows from a heavy, blunt object, and the fact that there was no … More Charles Sanders
Thirty-six-year-old Barbara Colby had been born in New York City, and began her acting career in the theater, eventually parlaying her talents into television and movie roles. Beginning in the early 1970s, Barbara appeared on programs such as Columbo, The Odd Couple, Kung Fu, and Gunsmoke, and thereafter starred in a handful of films and … More Barbara Colby and James Kiernan
At around six p.m. on the evening of October 18th, 1971, twenty-one-year-old Karen Theresa Streed was spotted on a street corner in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, attempting to thumb a ride. Earlier that day, she had informed her coworkers at the American Optical Co. that she was planning to hitchhike to the campus of the University … More Karen Theresa Streed
It was the evening of October 18th, 1971, and seventeen-year-old Madelyn “Maddy” Summerer was at the home of her fifteen-year-old friend and schoolmate, Lynne Pionk. At a little past six-thirty p.m., the two teenagers began walking to Port Huron Northern High School, in Michigan, where they were to attend a meeting of the Girls’ Athletic … More Madelyn Summerer
Seventeen-year-old Maureen Brubaker Farley originally hailed from Sioux City, Iowa, and was the oldest of her parents’ seven children. In 1971, despite her young age, she had married her husband, David Farley, but not long after the couple’s wedding, David had gotten arrested for some minor infraction and was incarcerated at the correctional facility in … More Maureen Brubaker Farley
Just as March of 1970 gave way to April, there would be a brutal child murder in England with very little in the way of motive or suspects. Eleven-year-old Philip Green had been hanging out with friends at a field near his home in Bristol on the morning of Tuesday, March 31st. After lunch, he … More Philip Green
Crime Immemorial 