S2 Ep1: Leonard Lake and Charles Ng, The Family Annihilators

Helen Anderson and Danni Howard are back for a whole new season of Devils in The Dark! In this episode, the girls travel back to 1970s America to learn about the vile serial killer duo, Leonard Lake and Charles Ng. After several stints in jail, Charles Ng manages to escape military detention in Hawaii to join pen pal Leonard Lake in California to enact his horrific “Miranda Plan”. Inspired by the novel The Collector by John Fowles, Leonard and Charles commit the kinds of heinous crimes seen only in horror movies. Expect dark beginnings at the hands of a grandmother, a kleptomaniac who seriously cannot keep his hands to himself, and two of the worst killers Devils in The Dark has ever seen.

Devils in The Dark contains graphic details of sexual assault and violence, including violence against children, and is not intended for all audiences. Listener discretion is strongly advised.  

00:00 - Introduction
08:32 - Where Leonard’s story begins
14:27 - Leonard’s stint in the Vietnam war and doomed first marriage
19:09 - Where Charles’ story begins
19:32 - The problem with Charles (he just can’t stop nicking stuff)
21:50 - Charles gets kicked out of the Marine Corps
22:26 - Leonard Lake and Charles Ng become unlikely pen pals
24:23 - Charles escapes Military Detention in Hawaii
28:36 - Leonard’s bunker
29:27 - The “Miranda Plan”
32:14 - The murder of Harvey and Sean Dubs
35:59 - The murder of Deborah Dubs
36:56 - The murder of Randy Jacobsen
38:04 - The murder of Brenda O’Connor, Lonnie Bond and Lonnie Junior
40:49 - Leonard Lake commits suicide
42:57 - Police search the bunker in California
51:17 - Charles is on the run
51:43 - The can of salmon incident (Charles is caught)
56:36 - The sentencing of Charles Ng
59:09 - Outro

This episode is sponsored by…

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For updates on Devils in The Dark and all things true crime, head to @devilsinthedark on Instagram! You can also follow Helen Anderson at @helenanderz and Danni Howard at @thatdannihoward. 

Special thanks to Woodcut Media. 

Produced by Alexandra Jueno at Audioboom Studios. 

If you have been affected by any of the themes in this week’s episode please consider contacting the following resources:

The Samaritans helpline: 116 123
Confidential Emotional Support Line: 01708 765200
Rape Crisis Helpline: 0808 802 9999 (help is also available at live chat at https://rapecrisis.org.uk/get-help/live-chat-helpline/ *times apply)
Sexual Assault Support Line: 01708 765200
Refuge domestic abuse helpline: 0808 2000 247 (live chat is also available at https://www.nationaldahelpline.org.uk/Contact-us *times apply)
Safeline domestic abuse helpline: 01926 402 498 
Safeline national male survivor helpline: 0808 800 5005

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