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.
On the afternoon of March 22nd, 1944, eleven-year-old Betty June Binnicker and eight-year-old Mary Emma Thames set out on their bicycles from their homes in Alcolu, South Carolina, a lumber town divided by railroad tracks separating Black and white residents. The girls were looking for maypops, a type of wild passionflower common in the area. … More Betty June Binnicker and Mary Emma Thames
The Carteron family lived a simple, impoverished life on their small farm called Ajoncs-Barrats, located a little over three hundred feet from the nearest neighbor’s house in a remote area near Bommiers in Indre département, central France. The head of the household, Kléber Carteron, was a peasant farmer who supplemented his meager income with occasional … More The Carteron Family Murders
Seven-year-old Maria Ridulph was born in Sycamore, a small town in northern Illinois known for its peaceful, rural charm. The youngest of four children, she lived with her parents, Michael and Frances Ivy Ridulph, on Archie Place. Michael worked at a local factory, while Frances was a homemaker. Maria was described as a bright, honor-roll … More Maria Ridulph
The Münsterland Murders (known in German as the Münsterlandmorde or Anhalterinnenmorde, meaning “hitchhiker murders”) represent one of West Germany’s most chilling unsolved serial killing cases from the early 1970s. Between 1971 and 1974, at least four young women were abducted, strangled, and left in remote rural areas in the Münsterland region (primarily North Rhine-Westphalia) and … More The Münsterland Murders
The Miami Strangler remains one of Florida’s most haunting unsolved serial murder cases. Between 1964 and 1970, an unidentified killer terrorized Miami, claiming the lives of at least nine women. The moniker “Miami Strangler” emerged from the media and police due to the frequent use of strangulation or similar asphyxiation methods, though not every victim … More The Miami Strangler
Carl Bridgewater was a thirteen-year-old schoolboy from the Stourbridge area in the West Midlands, England. Born on January 2nd, 1965, he was a hardworking paperboy who delivered newspapers on his bicycle to supplement his family’s income. Described as polite, cheerful, and reliable, Carl was well-liked in his community. On the afternoon of September 19th, 1978, … More Carl Bridgewater
Sinéad Kelly was a twenty-one-year-old woman from Dublin, Ireland who made her living as a sex worker in the city center. Like many in her situation during the era, she struggled with heroin addiction, which often intertwined with survival sex work and debts to dealers or those controlling parts of the trade. Reports from the … More Sinéad Kelly
Katarzyna Zowada, often called Kasia, was a twenty-three-year-old student of religious studies at the prestigious Jagiellonian University in Kraków, Poland. She was described by those who knew her as quiet, shy, sensitive, trusting, and somewhat withdrawn. Following the death of her father, she struggled with depression and received treatment at a psychiatric clinic in Kraków’s … More Katarzyna Zowada
John Arthur “Jaki” Byard Jr. was born on June 15th, 1922, in Worcester, Massachusetts. A highly versatile and eclectic musician, Jaki was proficient on multiple instruments, including piano (his primary), trumpet, saxophones, and more. His playing style masterfully blended stride piano, bebop, avant-garde, ragtime, classical influences, and even elements of vaudeville and theater music, earning … More Jaki Byard
On the evening of June 1st, 1999, in the quiet Burgundian city of Mâcon, France, seventeen-year-old Vanessa Thiellon left her family home on boulevard Henri-Dunant after a heated argument. Vanessa, an apprentice chef who was described as lively and determined, reportedly left to meet her boyfriend, known in reports as Seyit, following the dispute that … More Vanessa Thiellon
Crime Immemorial 