Who killed one of the most influential artists of all time? — Narrator: Good evening and welcome back to Friday Night Crimes. According to Far Out Magazine, Tupac’s best song was “Keep Ya Head Up.” However, I found that his second-best song “How Long Will They Mourn Me?” was more prophetic when discussing his tragic and still unsolved murder. Let’s get into…

Over 70 years have gone by and the disappearance of the Sodder children remains unsolved. — Narrator: Good evening and welcome back to Friday Night Crimes. The turn of the 19th century brought a swarm of immigrants to the United States. Hundreds upon thousands of people fled their homelands in search of a better life and a chance to live the American Dream. …

Even the cruelest killers can slip between the cracks. — Narrator: Good evening and welcome back to Friday Night Crimes. It goes without saying that serial killers are a source of fascination for many. There have been numerous instances of macabre acts committed by villains throughout history. Unfortunately, many of them escaped justice for one reason or another. That said…

Before Susan Smith, there was Diane Downs. — Narrator: Good evening and welcome back to Friday Night Crimes. Certain cases leave an indelible mark on the minds of investigators and the morbidly curious. The story of Diane Downs, an Oregonian mother of three who attempted to kill all of her children in 1983, is one of them. Though…

Can people be born bad? — Narrator: Good evening and welcome back to Friday Night Crimes. Certain states have clichés prescribed to them by the people who live there. For Minnesota, there’s an expectation of “Minnesota nice” or the “Minnesota goodbye.” That doesn’t mean they're excluded from the occasional madman/woman/nonbinary person. For the Land of 10,000…

School buses shouldn’t go missing. — Narrator: Good evening and welcome back to Friday Night Crimes. A few years ago, my dad drove buses for a local school district. While he enjoyed the job, he would often tell me frustrating stories wherein drivers “blew his reds.” “Blowing the reds” is a colloquial phrase for ignoring the…

Parents are supposed to protect their children. — Narrator: Good evening and welcome back to Friday Night Crimes. This week, we’re looking into the dubious world of faith healing. For context, faith healing is the act of relying on religion to heal all sicknesses, from the common cold to terminal diseases to disabilities. …

Social media, and the internet as a whole, has proven itself to be a double-edged sword. — Moving to a new place can be confusing, terrifying, and lonely. I myself experienced this when my family and I relocated from one part of our city to another. I struggled to make friends. I gravitated toward the adults rather than the kids my age. Why? They had all formed friendships…

Was there actually a serial killer on the loose, or did eight people die because of a local madman? — Narrator: Good evening and welcome back to Friday Night Crimes. This week, we’re dipping our toes back into the pool of infamous tales. …