On this episode of They Walk Among America… It was a dark evening in Chicago, Illinois, on February 21st, 1977, when the distinct smell of smoke began to engulf an apartment complex at 2740 N. Pine Grove. Residents of the apartment complex rushed outside to safety as firefighters were summoned to find the blaze and tackle it. As the firefighters proceeded through the apartment complex, smoke began to billow out from an apartment on the 15th floor. Once the flames were extinguished, firefighters discovered a much more sinister scene inside…
Read moreSeason 7 - Episode 29
The manager of an amusement arcade on the corner of Gerrard Street and Wardour Street in Soho, London, went to open the premises for business — it was just before 8 AM on Monday, April 3rd, 1989. Accompanied by his assistant, when the manager entered the building, he heard faint cries from the basement, and a strong smell of smoke hung in the air. They moved cautiously through the property, heading down some stairs to a locked storeroom. When they opened the door and went inside, they discovered a desperate situation…
Read moreSeason 7 - Episode 28
Throughout the first two decades of the 20th century, life in Britain began to change rapidly. In the years preceding the first world war and the great depression, the economy was stable — although the divide between classes was significant, women were getting closer to equality, and the first female police officers began to patrol the streets. It had been many years since Jack the Ripper had terrified women in London, but a new predator was in their midst, someone who could lull his victims into such a false sense of security they had no idea he would strike when they were at their most vulnerable…
Read moreGreed
On this episode of They Walk Among America… On the morning of December 26th, 2007, Carnation post office worker, Linda Thiele, noticed that her colleague and long-time friend, Judy Anderson, had not arrived for work. Judy and Linda had worked together for over a decade, and it was entirely out of character for Judy to miss the post-holiday season rush at the mailroom in Carnation, King County, Washington…
Read moreCold-Blooded
On this episode of They Walk Among America… Located in the heart of the Pocono Mountains in North Eastern Pennsylvania, Coolbaugh Township, Monroe County, is a quiet, rural area with easy access to major cities like Philadelphia and New York. The picturesque landscape of the Pocono Mountains and State Parks offer thousands of acres of woodlands, fields, trails, and lakes. It is the perfect location to get away from it all, especially for those anticipating the end of days…
Read moreSeason 7 - Episode 27
Elstree Studios is based in Borehamwood, an area where hundreds, if not thousands, of movies and TV shows have been filmed — it's not unusual to see the odd celebrity. But, in December, the high street is abuzz with a different excitement — it's Christmas time, and the festivities are in full swing…
Read moreThe Edge
On this episode of They Walk Among America… Huntington Hartford rubbed shoulders with some of the elites during his “playboy” years throughout the 1950s and 1960s. In photographs, he posed alongside Salvador Dalí and the Duke and Duchess of Windsor. In the wake of his father’s death in 1922, he had become one of the heirs to the estate of his grandfather, George Huntington Hartford, who headed the great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company. At just 12 years old, Hartford inherited $90 million, equivalent to around $1.25 billion today. In 1942, he purchased a 160-acre estate in the picturesque Hollywood Hills of Los Angeles and named it The Pines. On the morning of July 20th, 1959, Henry Brugger and Salvador Senjas were beginning their caretaking shift at the lavish estate. As they worked outside under the sultry summer sun, a man scrambled up Sullivan Canyon, which fronted The Pines. He looked extremely dishevelled as he muttered something about an accident at the cliff ledge…
Read moreSeason 7 - Episode 26
November 1991 — rumours were circulating around the village of Northiam in Sussex, about 52-year-old Terry Daddow and his 51-year-old wife, Jean. The malicious gossip focused on their love life as well as Terry’s business dealings. In an attempt to set the record straight, Terry and Jean went to unusual measures. They addressed a letter to the local newspaper requesting that it be printed…
Read moreVanished
On this episode of They Walk Among America… A common fear that TV anchors and reporters share is the spectre of a viewer becoming infatuated with them. They dominate our televisions morning, afternoon and night. However, on rare occasions, this infatuation can sometimes turn deadly…
Read moreSeason 7 - Episode 25
Late on the night of December 11th, 1975, police constables Stuart MacKenzie and Tony White were on patrol in the Nottinghamshire area of Mansfield Woodhouse, when they noticed a man walking in the shadows with his head down and a holdall bag over his shoulder… (Part 3 of 3).
Read moreSeason 7 - Episode 24
On February 10th, 1975, almost a month since Lesley Whittle’s kidnapping, detectives announced that the suspect was “the most wanted man in Britain”… (Part 2 of 3).
Read moreFanatical
On this episode of They Walk Among America… It was a quiet morning in Deerfield, Illinois, on October 4th, 2007. Deerfield is about 26 miles from Chicago, making it the ideal commuter village for people searching for somewhere safe to raise their families. Located just a stone’s throw from the centre of Deerfield lies Elm Street, a leafy neighborhood consisting of well-kept homes and condominiums. The tranquillity was shattered shortly before 8 AM, when a deafening scream echoed throughout Elm Street, followed by a loud banging sound…
Read moreSeason 7 - Episode 23
Highley is a village built along the banks of the River Severn in Shropshire. Previously a mining area — the collieries closed in 1969 — the village became a market town. In 1975, the population was small, around 3,000 residents. Among them were 17-year-old Lesley Whittle and her mother, Dorothy Walker… (Part 1 of 3).
Read moreBonus Episode 24
Soon after midday, on Tuesday, January 19th, 2021, the London Ambulance Service received a hysterical phone call from Susan Oliver. Susan lived in Mottingham, South London, with her 74-year-old husband, David. She hysterically told the operator that her partner had been stabbed at their home…
Read moreBad Science
On this episode of They Walk Among America… There is nothing more terrifying for a parent than watching your child become critically unwell and knowing there is nothing you can do to help them. We hand our children over to doctors and trust that they know how to treat whatever is making the child sick. It’s important that doctors report any suspected abuse to the authorities, but what if their judgement is based on inaccuracies? To lose a child is an unthinkable tragedy, and to be accused of causing their death is another…
Read moreSeason 7 - Episode 22
It was quiet in Ardoyne on Saturday, March 15, 2014. However, during the early morning hours, a woman living on Ardoyne Place was awoken by the sound of shouting. It was coming from somewhere in the neighbourhood, but at first, she couldn't make out the exact location. The loud voices sounded like several men who were upset — it was difficult to decipher what they were yelling about. As she lay in bed, the Ardoyne resident then heard a rhythmic thumping sound. She got up out of bed and glanced out the window. Illuminated by the street lights, a man could be seen kicking the front door of a property, adjacent to hers…
Read moreThe Trap
On this episode of They Walk Among America… The rest of the neighbourhood were preparing for the day ahead, much like the Post family were. Many were eating breakfast, while others were reading the daily newspaper or sitting down to watch some television. As they carried on with their daily routine, a thunderous explosion erupted in the neighbourhood, smashing windows and sending objects crashing to the floor…
Read moreSeason 7 - Episode 21
Residents of Balne Lane were settling in for the night, preparing dinner and searching for something good to watch on television. It was March 15th, 1994 — a quiet Tuesday evening in Wakefield, West Yorkshire. Some employees at Green’s Printers, which overlooked the neighbourhood, were working late. Shortly after 6 PM, one of the silk screen print workers noticed a man approaching a red-brick, end-of-terrace property. The home belonged to 52-year-old Wendy Speakes…
Read moreDark Side
On this episode of They Walk Among America… Bountiful is among the top 20 most populous cities in Utah. It’s a desirable area for families, and boasts of having one of the best school systems in the state. The city is ranked 23rd of the safest cities in the entire state, and it’s only a short drive away from Salt Lake City. The short commute makes Bountiful the perfect commuter city for those who want to be close to the hustle and bustle but still far away enough for a peaceful and quiet life. Among the residents of Bountiful in 1984 was 40-year-old Patricia York…
Read moreSeason 7 - Episode 20
Desperation can lead people to flee the country they call home in search of somewhere safer, a place where they might have better work prospects and a better quality of life. In some cases, they feel they have no choice but to turn to traffickers to get them out. When they arrive at their intended destination, they know they will be financially indebted to the traffickers, perhaps for the rest of their lives. But sometimes, the trafficked do not make it that far...
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