It's hard to believe that today, July 31 2025, marks 38 years since the devastating Edmonton tornado on July 31, 1987—often remembered as “Black Friday.” That day, a powerful F4 tornado tore through the city’s southeast, leaving a trail of destruction and heartbreak. It claimed 27 lives and injured hundreds more, becoming one of Canada’s deadliest and costliest natural disasters.

Since then, it’s stood as a sobering reminder of nature’s force, but also of the resilience and solidarity of Albertans. Each year around this time, many still pause to reflect, remember, and honor those affected.

Time moves forward, but the stories and strength of that day remain.

This episode it pulled from our Patreon in memory of this day 38 years ago.

Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tornadoes_by_province_(Canada) https://bulletin.cmos.ca/tornadoes-on-the-canadian-prairies-1826-1939-part-2-project-results/ www.eas.ualberta.ca https://www.eas.ualberta.ca/jdwilson/EAS270_11/lec26.pdf http://nwafiles.nwas.org/digest/papers/2005/Vol29No1/Pg47-Dupilka.pdf https://www.iclr.org/wp-content/uploads/PDFS/Pine_Lake_Tornado.pdf https://ia601300.us.archive.org/34/items/tornadoreportedm00albe_0/tornadoreportedm00albe_0.pdf https://bulletin.cmos.ca/tornadoes-on-the-canadian-prairies-1826-1939-part-1-project-overview/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edmonton_tornado https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/edmonton-tornado-1987 https://www.smokeandashpodcast.com/post/black-friday-tornado-ep-3-city-of-champions https://www.tornadotalk.com/edmonton-alberta-f4-tornado-july-31-1987/ https://miragelandscaping.ca/landscaping/tornadoes-in-alberta-are-more-common-than-you-think/ https://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/mrgnc-mngmnt/ntrl-hzrds/trnd-en.aspx

For a full list of sources used in this episode, please email us at homebrewmurdercrew@gmail.com

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On November 5, 2021, Travis Scott's Astroworld Festival, named after Houston's beloved defunct theme park, turned into a nightmare. This episode explores the event's tragic unraveling, from the park's nostalgic past to Scott's "rage" concert culture, known for its chaotic energy and a history of crowd-related incidents. We detail the fateful day: early gate breaches and overwhelming crowds signaled trouble long before Scott took the stage. As the densely packed audience surged, a deadly crush ensued, leading to 10 deaths from compressive asphyxiation. Despite desperate pleas and visible distress, the concert continued for over 30 minutes. We examine the critical failures in planning, communication, and emergency response, including disputed reports to Scott's earpiece. The aftermath saw numerous lawsuits, but no criminal indictments, leaving a lasting debate about accountability and the urgent need for safety reforms in live music.

Sources:

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/astroworld-what-happened-travis-scott-b1958007.html https://www.highsnobiety.com/p/six-flags-astroworld-theme-park/ https://www.tiktok.com/@forrestfromtexas/video/7511843330330725674 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Six_Flags_AstroWorld https://www.fox26houston.com/news/51-years-ago-astroworld-opened https://www.khou.com/article/news/local/astroworld-houston-closed-15-years-ago/285-6bbb8f0d-e391-4dcd-93b9-bff05cd1df4c https://www.reddit.com/r/hiphopheads/comments/qocc6p/what_happened_at_travis_scott_concert_how_crowd/ https://www.tiktok.com/@bigbadaboom__/video/7467981689164401966

For a full list of resources, please email us at homebrewmurdercrew@gmail.com

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In this gripping episode, we peel back the curtain on one of South Korea’s most controversial and haunting institutions: the Brothers Home orphanage. Once considered a haven for orphans and runaways in the 1970s and '80s, the truth that later emerged tells a chilling story of abuse, exploitation, and systemic cover-up.

Through survivor testimonies, investigative reports, and historical analysis, we unravel how thousands of children—alongside adults labeled as vagrants—were forcibly detained under government-sanctioned sweeps. What truly went on inside those walls, and how did a place meant for care become a symbol of cruelty?

💡 We also explore the role of media, past and present—how fake news and misinformation both obscured and, in some cases, protected the institution’s operations. And how today, digital narratives can either bury the truth… or help bring justice.

This episode is not just a story of a single orphanage—it's about the power of truth, the danger of silence, and the fight to preserve memory in the age of misinformation.

Sources:

https://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_national/1056196.html?hl=en-CA

https://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_national/1056196.html?hl=en-CA

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brothers_Home?hl=en-CA#:~:text=While%20Park%20In%2Dgeun%20was,to%20Siloam's%20House%20in%201989.

https://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_national/1056197.html?hl=en-CA

https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2021/12/10/secrets-of-south-koreas-house-of-horrors-hidden-in-australia?hl=en-CA#:~:text=Park%20In%2Dkeun%20and%20his,power%20at%20the%20facility%20%5BCourtesy

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How far would you go to hide a secret? David Viens had a recipe...

When Dawn Viens vanished in 2009, her disappearance baffled authorities—until a shocking confession from her husband, celebrity chef David Viens, unveiled a truth more horrifying than fiction. In this episode, we peel back the layers of this tragic case, exploring the chilling details, the psychological unraveling, and the confession that stunned a nation.

Sources:

islander.org

LA murder trial: Gruesome confession, closing drama - Anna Maria Island Newspaper

bruzzolaw.com

David-Viens Tag Archives | Orange County Criminal Lawyer Blog Published by Law Offices of William W. Bruzzo

geilsfuneralhome.com

David L. Viens Obituary - Geils Funeral Home

islander.org

David Viens, former islander who killed wife and cooked her body in LA County, fires attorney, delays sentencing

cbsnews.com

Did California chef David Viens kill, then cook wife? - CBS News

laist.com

Lawyer For Cafe Owner Who Allegedly Killed and Cooked His Wife Argues It Wasn't Murder

apnews.com

California chef sentenced in wife's death | AP News

For a full list of references please email us at homebrewmurdercrew@gmail.com

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In this episode, we unravel one of the most iconic and controversial UFO encounters in American history: the 1961 abduction of Betty and Barney Hill. Driving through the mountains of New Hampshire, the couple claimed they were taken aboard an extraterrestrial spacecraft in what would become the first widely publicized alien abduction case. We dive into the couple’s harrowing memories recovered under hypnosis, government investigations, and the social impact their story had. Were they truly visited by beings from another world—or was something else at play?

Sources:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barney_and_Betty_Hill_incident?hl=en-CA

https://www.history.com/articles/first-alien-abduction-account-barney-betty-hill?hl=en-CA

https://www.outdoors.org/resources/amc-outdoors/history/the-story-of-betty-and-barney-hill/?hl=en-CA

Barney and Betty Hill incident - Wikipedia

https://www.seacoastnh.com/history/history-matters/the-ufo-romance-of-betty-and-barney-hill/?hl=en-CA

https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/649683/betty-and-barney-hill-alien-abduction?hl=en-CA

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AUNTIE B IS BACK!

In this episode, we uncover a nearly forgotten but pivotal moment in Canadian history—the Cypress Hills Massacre. On June 1, 1873, a group of American wolf hunters and whisky traders crossed into what is now Saskatchewan, seeking revenge for stolen horses. Their arrival at an Assiniboine camp ended in a deadly confrontation that left at least thirteen Indigenous people dead. We explore the events that led to the massacre, the chaotic frontier justice of the time, and how this tragedy spurred the creation of the North-West Mounted Police—Canada’s first national law enforcement agency. Join us as we piece together the story from conflicting accounts and examine its lasting impact on the Canadian West

Sources:

https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/cypress-hills-massacre-feature

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cypress_Hills_Massacre

https://www.pc.gc.ca/apps/dfhd/page_nhs_eng.aspx?id=1633

https://teaching.usask.ca/indigenoussk/import/cypress_hills_massacre.php

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Lou Pearlman was the mastermind behind some of the biggest boy bands of the late '90s and early 2000s, including *NSYNC and the Backstreet Boys. But behind the glitz and chart-topping hits was a web of deception. This episode dives into Pearlman’s meteoric rise in the music industry, the financial scandal that unraveled his empire, and the lasting impact of his fraudulent schemes. From pop superstardom to prison, we explore the highs, the lows, and the shocking truth behind one of the biggest scams in entertainment history.

Sources:

"Dirty Pop" - Netflix Limited Series

How Did Lou Pearlman Die? A Look at the Boy Band Mogul's Last Days Behind Bars

startribune.com

Upbeat end to bank loan fiasco - Star Tribune

esquire.com

What Happened to Lou Pearlman, the Disgraced Boy Band Manager? - Esquire

youtube.com

Victims of Lou Pearlman's scheme to get money - YouTube

bbc.com

Backstreet Boys and NSync founder Lou Pearlman dies - BBC News

react-wp.keen-studio.com

Did O-Town's Journey REALLY End This Way? A Shocking Look Back

entertainmentnow.com

Lou Pearlman Cause of Death: How Did the Boy Band Mogul Die? - EntertainmentNow

refinery29.com

For a full list of references used for this episode, please email us at homebrewmurdercrew@gmail.com

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In June 1997, the quiet community of Salado, Texas, was gripped by a perplexing mystery: the disappearance of Lela and Raymond Howard. This elderly couple, known for their independence, embarked on what should have been a routine, short drive to a local festival. Instead, they vanished without a trace, only to be found deceased 13 days later, hundreds of miles away in a ravine in Arkansas. Their story, initially a regional news item, quickly garnered national attention due to its unsettling and inexplicable nature. Just a year later, in 1998, and alternative rock band would find musical inspiration from this tragedy, and release a song that would become a chart-topping hit. Sources:

https://poprockradio.com.au/news/flashback/fastball_the_way/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_the_Pain_Money_Can_Buy https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/48399133/lela-joan-copeland_howard https://www.reddit.com/r/90smusic/comments/183b3hq/what_is_the_song_the_way_by_fastball_about/ https://www.wgcu.org/arts-and-culture/2024-06-27/a-missing-texas-couple-led-to-our-song-of-the-day-for-june-28 https://news.wgcu.org/arts-and-culture/2024-06-27/a-missing-texas-couple-led-to-our-song-of-the-day-for-june-28

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