Morbid

By: Morbid Network | Wondery
  • Summary

  • It’s a lighthearted nightmare in here, weirdos! Morbid is a true crime, creepy history and all things spooky podcast hosted by an autopsy technician and a hairstylist. Join us for a heavy dose of research with a dash of comedy thrown in for flavor.


    © Morbid: A True Crime Podcast
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Episodes
  • Episode 664: David Carpenter: The Trailside Killer (Part 2)
    Apr 17 2025

    Throughout the 1960s and 70s, from Los Angeles to San Francisco, Californians were terrorized by multiple killers including notorious serial killers like the Zodiac Killer, the Hillside Stranglers, Herbert Mullin, and Ed Kemper. While the decade may have ended with these killers disappearing or apprehended, the threat of violence and murder simply moved north.

    Though less known than his contemporaries, David Carpenter was no less prolific and frightening a killer than those men mentioned above. Nicknamed “The Trailside Killer” by the press, Carpenter terrorized Point Reyes and Santa Cruz County for a decade, assaulting, kidnapping, and killing at least eight people, but he was suspected of more. Like those other killers, Carpenter had a long history of violent and antisocial behavior going back to his childhood, including multiple arrests and incarcerations. How was it that a man with such an alarming history of violence could go uncaught for a decade?

    Thank you to the Incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research and Writing support!

    References

    Associated Press. 1980. "Trail Killer will strike again." Santa Cruz Sentinel, December 1: 1.

    Burkhardt, Bill. 1979. "Woman found murdered on Mt. Tam." San Francisco Examiner, August 21: 1.

    Graysmith, Robert. 1990. The Sleeping Lady: The Trailside Murders Above the Golden Gate. New York, NY: Onyx.

    Keraghosian, Greg. 2020. "'Do not hike alone': For 21 months, the Trailside Killer terrorized Bay Area's outdoors." San Francisco Chronicle, October 25.

    Leader, Lewis. 1980. "Identification ends dad's long quest." San Francisco Examiner, December 2: 2.

    San Francisco Examiner. 1960. "MP's shots foil attack on woman." San Francisco Examiner, July 13: 1.

    —. 1961. "Presidio attacker gets 14 yrs." San Francisco Examiner, March 10: 11.

    —. 1960. "Sex case insanity plea." San Francisco Examiner, October 8: 5.

    Santa Cruz Sentinel. 1970. "Boulder Creek girl attacked." Santa Cruz Sentinel, January 29: 22.

    —. 1970. "Grand jury indicts con." Santa Cruz Sentinel, July 17: 7.

    —. 1970. "SLV kidnap suspect flees Calaveras jail." Santa Cruz Sentinel, April 27: 1.

    The People v. Carpenter. 1997. S004654 (Superior Court of Los Angeles County, April 28).

    The People vs. David Carpenter. 1999. S006547 (Superior Court of San Diego County, November 29).

    Todd, John. 1980. "Tam closed in hunt for clues." San Francisco Examiner, October 16: 1.

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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    50 mins
  • Episode 663: David Carpenter: The Trailside Killer (Part 1)
    Apr 14 2025

    Throughout the 1960s and 70s, from Los Angeles to San Francisco, Californians were terrorized by multiple killers including notorious serial killers like the Zodiac Killer, the Hillside Stranglers, Herbert Mullin, and Ed Kemper. While the decade may have ended with these killers disappearing or apprehended, the threat of violence and murder simply moved north.

    Though less known than his contemporaries, David Carpenter was no less prolific and frightening a killer than those men mentioned above. Nicknamed “The Trailside Killer” by the press, Carpenter terrorized Point Reyes and Santa Cruz County for a decade, assaulting, kidnapping, and killing at least eight people, but he was suspected of more. Like those other killers, Carpenter had a long history of violent and antisocial behavior going back to his childhood, including multiple arrests and incarcerations. How was it that a man with such an alarming history of violence could go uncaught for a decade?

    Thank you to the Incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research and Writing support!

    References

    Associated Press. 1980. "Trail Killer will strike again." Santa Cruz Sentinel, December 1: 1.

    Burkhardt, Bill. 1979. "Woman found murdered on Mt. Tam." San Francisco Examiner, August 21: 1.

    Graysmith, Robert. 1990. The Sleeping Lady: The Trailside Murders Above the Golden Gate. New York, NY: Onyx.

    Keraghosian, Greg. 2020. "'Do not hike alone': For 21 months, the Trailside Killer terrorized Bay Area's outdoors." San Francisco Chronicle, October 25.

    Leader, Lewis. 1980. "Identification ends dad's long quest." San Francisco Examiner, December 2: 2.

    San Francisco Examiner. 1960. "MP's shots foil attack on woman." San Francisco Examiner, July 13: 1.

    —. 1961. "Presidio attacker gets 14 yrs." San Francisco Examiner, March 10: 11.

    —. 1960. "Sex case insanity plea." San Francisco Examiner, October 8: 5.

    Santa Cruz Sentinel. 1970. "Boulder Creek girl attacked." Santa Cruz Sentinel, January 29: 22.

    —. 1970. "Grand jury indicts con." Santa Cruz Sentinel, July 17: 7.

    —. 1970. "SLV kidnap suspect flees Calaveras jail." Santa Cruz Sentinel, April 27: 1.

    The People v. Carpenter. 1997. S004654 (Superior Court of Los Angeles County, April 28).

    The People vs. David Carpenter. 1999. S006547 (Superior Court of San Diego County, November 29).

    Todd, John. 1980. "Tam closed in hunt for clues." San Francisco Examiner, October 16: 1.

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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    1 hr and 8 mins
  • Episode 662: The Exorcism of Roland Doe
    Apr 10 2025

    In the winter of 1973, director William Friedkin released his iconic horror classic The Exorcist, a film that has shocked and terrified audiences for more than fifty years. Based on William Peter Blatty’s novel of the same name, The Exorcist tells the story of a young girl who becomes possessed by a demonic entity, and the two Catholic priests who attempt to exorcise the demon. Even more terrifying than the content of the film, however, was the fact that The Exorcist was supposedly based on a true story.

    William Peter Blatty had always stated The Exorcist was based on a supposedly true story he’d heard while at Georgetown University. According to Blatty, a Maryland boy, known as “Roland Doe,” had become possessed by a demonic entity and, among other things, underwent a negative personality change and began exhibiting impossible abilities including an ability to speak Latin. It was only through the dedication of one Jesuit priest that the boy was eventually freed of his possession and went on to live a normal life.

    Since the release of both the novel and the film in the 1970s, a great deal more has been learned about “Roland Doe” and the supposedly true story that inspired The Exorcist, raising many questions about the veracity of the original claims. Who was “Roland Doe,” and was he truly possessed by a demon, or just the intense emotions of an adolescent boy?


    Thank you to the Incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research and Writing support!

    References

    Allen, Thomas. 1993. Possessed: The True Story of the Most Famous Exorcism of Modern Time. New York, NY: Doubleday.

    Associated Press. 1949. "'Evil spirit' cast out of 14-yearf-old." The Bee (Danville, Virginia), August 10: 8.

    McGuire, John M. 2005. "Priest was last of three who did 1949 exorcism." St. Louis Post-Dispatch, March 3: A1.

    News and Observer. 1964. "Tar Heel develops space ceramics." News and Observer (Raleigh, NC), September 3: 27.

    Nickell, Joe. 2001. "Exorcism!: Driving Out the Nonsense." Skeptical Inquirer 20-24.

    Opsasnick, Mark. 1999. "The haunted boy of Cottage City, the cold hard facts behind the story that Inspired The Exorcist." Strange Magazine.

    Young, Maya. 2010. Boy whose case inspired The Exorcist is named by US magazine. December 20. Accessed March 17, 2025. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/dec/20/the-exorcist-boy-named-magazine.

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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    1 hr and 9 mins
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Featured Article: The Best True Crime Podcasts of All Time


If you’re fascinated by true crime, you're not alone. The genre is among the most popular in audio today, with true crime podcasts climbing the charts, consistently drawing in new listeners and earning high ratings. When carefully crafted, true crime offers so much more than just a quick shock or thrill: these listens are created with a sense of empathy and interest that highlight the full spectrum of human nature. Find a new case to unravel.

What listeners say about Morbid

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Best true crime podcast

This is my favorite true crime podcast. Alaina and Ash provide the perfect amount of banter while still telling the story, unlike some other podcasts where it is all story and no banter. These two have great chemistry and the pace of the podcast is perfect. They also choose very interesting topics and are very knowledgeable.

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19 people found this helpful

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Love these weirdo chicks!!!

I am obsessed with their delivery of such horrible felonious crimes. I love how Ash and Alana give the facts of the cases with respect for the victims, while totally bashing the evil bastards who committed the crimes. They are hilarious and totally relatable. Love love LOVE THEM!!!

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Love these ladies!!!

This is my favorite podcast. Great stories and love how they are presented! At times true crime can be tough to listen to and this podcast is compassionate and funny.

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Favorite True Crime Podcast

I love this Podcast! I love their banter. They are weird and witty if you don’t like it don’t listen it’s not for you then. There are Thousands of us that it is for! ❤️ Ash and Alaina they are the best!

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Best Christmas gift

I put The Butcher And The Wren on my Christmas list , and my mom got it for me!!!! I am so excited!!!!!

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I'm hooked!

My niece told me about this podcast duo and i was like " I don't do podcasts " Well after listening to a few I'm hooked! I find myself laughing at the comments and saying some of the same things they are saying. I'm in law enforcement and some off these stories / cases I have never heard of, find myself doing a whole lot of googling lol... Keep it up ladies love it!!!!

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My favorite podcast

Absolutely love these ladies! This is my go to true crime podcast. They somehow manage to give respectful insight into horrific people and events while still keeping it light in some respect with their great chemistry, banter, and commentary.

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YEET YEET.....THESE LADIES ROCK MY WORLD

Alaina and Ash are my spirit animals. Local New England girls tugging at my spooky black heart. They talk about all things murder, mayhem and spooks. I feel as though we are truly kindred spooky souls and would have the best sleepovers ...... for reals. They are respectful, thorough and really put in the work. You can tell they care and are just trying to make a difference by telling these stories. Please listen and I know you'll enjoy them as much as I do. In the wise words of RuPaul Charles "EVERYBODY SAY LOVE" cause after a few episodes that's what you'll be saying.

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morning drives

this pod cast is amazballs. I love how these girls personalities really make listening to this horrific stories puts a different vibe in it. it's refreshing. while also giving the victims of these crimes the acknowledgment they deserve.. some of these stories completely blow my mind, and they are really good at painting the picture in my mind to see what's going on. I dive for about an hr every morning to work, and they help me keep my eyes peeled open to make sure I clock in the time clock and not some ones mailbox on the way to work.

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Love it

I truly enjoy listening to this podcast. I look foward to an upload every week. It keeps me entertained while I work.

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