All Episodes

November 11, 2025 30 mins
In small towns, fear doesn’t always hide in the shadows. Sometimes it writes letters. Sometimes it carries a shotgun. In this episode of DEVIANT, host Dan Szematowicz takes you inside two real American nightmares. In Circleville, Ohio, thousands of anonymous letters turn a quiet town inside out, exposing secrets, destroying lives and leaving behind a mystery that’s never solved. In Skidmore, Missouri, a man named Ken Rex McElroy terrorizes his neighbors for years while the law looks away. And then, one July afternoon, the town decides to take justice into its own hands. Two towns. Two reckonings. One truth: when fear becomes unbearable, silence breaks. Follow on Instagram and TikTok @deviant.podcast. SOURCES: State of Ohio v. Paul Freshour (1983); Columbus Dispatch archives; Circleville Herald archives; Unsolved Mysteries (NBC, 1993); CBS 48 Hours (2021); In Broad Daylight by Harry N. MacLean; Kansas City Star and Washington Post archives; FBI and Missouri State Highway Patrol case summaries. Copyright 2025, Cold Open Media LLC Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Listen
Watch
Mark as Played

Advertise With Us

Popular Podcasts

Stuff You Should Know
Dateline NBC

Dateline NBC

Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com

Crime Junkie

Crime Junkie

Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by Audiochuck Media Company.

Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2026 iHeartMedia, Inc.

  • Help
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • AdChoicesAd Choices