May 6, 2025 • 83 mins
There were no screams. Just photographs.
For years, Rob Berdella tortured and killed in near silence—his victims disappearing without a sound, their agony captured in Polaroids and handwritten logs. Neighbors heard nothing. The house stayed quiet. But behind closed doors, a methodical horror unfolded, room by room, tape by tape.
Berdella kept records like trophies: Polaroids, notes, fragments of lives erased.
This isn’t just the story of a killer. It’s a catalog of cruelty... and the moment one survivor finally shattered the silence. And it also begs the question, what would you do if were suffering but no one was around to hear it?
Let us know what you think! Please rate, review, subscribe & tell a friend. Every little bit helps! Lucky reviewers have a chance of scoring some free LT swag!
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For years, Rob Berdella tortured and killed in near silence—his victims disappearing without a sound, their agony captured in Polaroids and handwritten logs. Neighbors heard nothing. The house stayed quiet. But behind closed doors, a methodical horror unfolded, room by room, tape by tape.
Berdella kept records like trophies: Polaroids, notes, fragments of lives erased.
This isn’t just the story of a killer. It’s a catalog of cruelty... and the moment one survivor finally shattered the silence. And it also begs the question, what would you do if were suffering but no one was around to hear it?
Let us know what you think! Please rate, review, subscribe & tell a friend. Every little bit helps! Lucky reviewers have a chance of scoring some free LT swag!
Write to us - lesstakenpod@gmail.com
FOLLOW US BEFORE WE FOLLOW YOU!
FB & IG - @lesstakenpod
Discover more and check out our merch - www.lesstakenpod.com
Submit your ideas for future episodes - www.lesstakenpod.com/ideas
Listen - lesstakenpod | Instagram, Facebook | Linktree
Some sound effects & background music are supported by www.pixabay.com and Audio Jungle/Envato Elements, providers of copyright and royalty-free media for content creators.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/less-taken--5431283/support.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
This take and contains content that may not be suitable
for all audiences. Listener's discretion is advised. Jerry Howell stares
(00:23):
out of the passenger seat, half listening to Bob Burdella,
the driver speak, as everything familiar melts away into a blur.
The rhythmic drone of the tires on asphalt fills the
silence between Bordella's words it's trance like. Burdella occasionally glances
(00:45):
at Jerry from the corner of his eye with an
unreadable expression as he continues to talk about the dance
contest and marry him. All of Burdella's words are a
bit of a blur to Jerry. A low hum in
the background. Jerry nods absently, the edge of his energy
(01:08):
dulled by alcohol warming his veins. His movements feel slower now,
his thoughts clouded, though he can't quite place why. Of course,
he's had a few drinks tonight, provided by no other
than Burdella himself, But he shouldn't feel this drunk. This
(01:32):
quick drunk may not even be the best word to
describe how Jerry feels. The car rolls to a stop
in Burdella's driveway. The house looms ahead. It's outline, an
(01:52):
ugly splotch against the dim yellow street lights. Amazingly, the
glow of the dim light ends just before the windows
of his house. Jerry stumbles slightly as Burdella helps him
out of the car, his grip firm. Inside Burdella's house,
(02:23):
the air feels cooler, and there's the faint scent of
antiseptic filling the air, masking something metallic beneath. The eerie
silence is broken by the soft clink of glasses as
Burdella pours another drink and places it into Jerry's on
(02:44):
steady hands. The action seems deliberate, as though rehearsed. As
(03:19):
Jerry SIPs, his limbs grow heavier. His head begins to tilt,
as though he no longer has control. There's a strange
fog filling the room, and it thickens, swallowing him inch
by inch until his awareness collapses entirely. Verdella moves without hesitation,
(03:46):
guiding Jerry's now unconscious body toward the bedroom. His footsteps
are measured. Every moment has been made before countless times
in his mind. He can't wait to see every part
of him. He can't wait to make parts out of him,
(04:10):
the bettest stripped bare save for a grid of ropes
coiled neatly at the corners. Waiting. Burdella secures Jerry's wrist
and ankles, pulling each knot tight with an unsettling precision.
He stands back. His breath is steady as he reaches
(04:30):
for a syringe waiting on a nightstand. The liquid inside
glints in the faint light, a cocktail of chemicals chosen
with care, chosen with only the most warped sense of
mercy in mind. The needle slides into Jerry's arm with
the practiced ease, the plunger pressing down slowly. Burdella watches,
(04:55):
his head tilted curious as the tranquilizer takes hold. The
room feels smaller to Jerry now, the shadows darker outside.
The distant sound of a train rumbles past, unnoticed, carrying
on as the nothing's wrong. But in here, in this
(05:19):
silent house, it's relentless horror, and everything is wrong. There
(06:02):
were no screams, just photographs. In this episode, we'll explore
the story of Roberdella, who tortured and killed in near silence,
his victims disappearing without a sound through agony captured in
polaroids and handwritten logs. The neighbors heard nothing, The house
(06:23):
stayed quiet, but behind closed doors. A methodical horror unfolded
room by room, tape by tape. This isn't just the
story of a killer. It's a catalog of cruelty and
the moment one survivor finally shattered the silence. Thank you
so much for checking out the second full length story
(06:46):
of Less Taken Season four, hollow Lands, called the Kansas
City Butcher. When you're done with this story, please let
us know what you think by leaving a fair rating
in review. Wherever you're listening, you can also leave reviews.
Check out additional info and our merch at lesstakanpod dot com,
(07:08):
and be sure to follow us before we follow you
on Facebook, Instagram and threads under the handle at less
Taken Pod. I'm Steve Humphries and this is Less Taken
real life horror stories from the Midwest. Once again, thanks
for listening, and I hope you enjoy at Kansas City
(07:30):
Butcher from Less Taken Season four, Hollo Lands. Inside of
(08:16):
a modest house in Cayuga Falls, Ohio, a five year
old Robert Burdella squints through thick glasses as he sits
on the floor and pours over a book. His younger
brother Daniel is nowhere to be seen, perhaps outside with
their father. From the kitchen, the faint sounds of his mother,
(08:40):
Mary Louise, preparing dinner drift into the room, accompanied by
the sharp tick of a wall clock. Occasionally, her voice
cuts through the silence to call for Daniel or to
remind their father about mass the next day. Robert doesn't
look up. His world is in the pages.
Speaker 2 (09:02):
There.
Speaker 1 (09:03):
He can be anything, and there's no one around to
call him slow, clumsy, or a failure. The ticking grows louder,
punctuated by the sound of footsteps approaching. His father's shadow
falls across the doorway, a heavy presence that makes Robert's
(09:24):
shoulders stiffened.
Speaker 3 (09:26):
How many times somebody told you to go outside, just
do something.
Speaker 1 (09:32):
His father's voice booms.
Speaker 3 (09:35):
You just sit there with your nose in a book
while your brother's barning c real skills, real smarts.
Speaker 1 (09:43):
The lecture is familiar, and Warren Robert doesn't respond his father.
He snaps he sat in, yank on his arm, and
his father pulls him to his feet. The book, tumbling
to the ground with a thud.
Speaker 4 (10:02):
What good are you up enough?
Speaker 1 (10:07):
His father mutters, before walking away, leaving Robert's standing in
the empty doorway. He bends to retrieve his book, but
the words on the page blurn to meaningless shapes. Behind
his glasses, a salty tears burned at the corners of
his eyes. The church's cavernous, with fractured light bleeding through
(10:44):
the stained glass windows and onto the wooden pews. Robert
sits with his family, his hands clasped tightly in his lap.
His father's voice joins the congregation and practice prayers, loud
and commanding, while his mother bows in reverence. Seven year
(11:04):
old Daniel fidgets beside him, earning a soft look of
warning from their mother. Robert's lips move, but no sound escapes.
The holy phrases feel foreign on his tongue. He gazes
at the crucifix above the altar, the figure of Christ
staring down with either agony or grace, He's not sure which.
(11:29):
In either way, it doesn't comfort him. Back at home,
Daniel paces around the kitchen as he recounts the day's sermon,
(11:52):
which draws a rare smile from their father. Robert lingers
at the edge of the room, aware of his own awkwardness.
When the conversation shifts, his father's expression hardens, and you,
he says, turning toward Robert.
Speaker 3 (12:14):
Don't think I didn't notice you mumbling during that.
Speaker 4 (12:18):
You can't even.
Speaker 3 (12:19):
See a prayer.
Speaker 1 (12:24):
The leather strap is in his hand before Robert can respond.
The first crack of the strap against his skin stings,
but Robert doesn't cry. He grits his teeth, his eyes
fixed on the spot on the wall, His father's muttered
words mixed with the sound of the strap until they
(12:49):
almost become a single, indistinguishable noise. When it's over, Robert
retreats to his room, the faint marks on his back
already fading. He sits on his bed, staring at the floor,
his hands clenched at a fist. The childish glimmer in
(13:12):
his eyes fades away, varnished, and is replaced with what
might be described as a vacant stare. But his mind
isn't empty, It's just clouded by growing darkness. Low murmurs
(14:06):
and the Russell papers fill the otherwise silent classroom as
the teacher scribbles on the chalkboard Robert sits near the back,
hunched over his desk. His thick glass is slipping down
his nose. His pen flows its ink, nearly bleeding out
across the page. He takes copious notes, so meticulous that
(14:30):
they remain unrivaled amongst his peers. Despite his academic strength,
Robert is known to his teachers as difficult, his aloof
nature making him hard to reach. He's a bit of
a paradox. Outside the classroom, his isolation is more pronounced.
(14:50):
He's anti social or socially awkward at best. While other
students gather in tight knit groups or clicks, Robert keeps himself,
navigating the hallways with quite determination, his head held low.
His efforts to stay small and ineffectual often fail. The
(15:12):
bullying is subtle but constant. A whisper here, a mocking
laugh there. He tries his best not to react. It's
difficult to determine whether such silence is a shield or
a prison. Once the walls are up, they tend to
stay up. His inability to connect with his peers only
(15:37):
deepens the sense of otherness, making the line between him
and the rest of the world feel impassable. For Robert Burdella,
everything is us versus them, and everyone else is them.
(16:18):
Christmas Day, nineteen sixty five, the Burdella family car hums
steadily along the icy roads toward Canton, Ohio, where relatives
wait anxiously, with holiday cheer stalling the holiday festivities. Robert
(16:45):
sits in the back seat, his face turned toward the
frosted window. He listens half heartedly to his younger brother
Daniel's excitement from the front seat, the warmth of the
conversation reaching everyone but him. The family gathering is a
cacophony of laughter and clinking glasses. Robert lingers on the periphery,
(17:11):
as quiet as ever, but the lightness of the evening
shatters when his father suddenly clutches his chest, his face
twisting in pain. The rumor reps into chaos, voices shouting,
someone dialing for help, but it's too late. Robert Burdella, Sr.
(17:32):
Dies that night of a massive heart attack at just
thirty nine years old. Two days later, Robert returns to
Kyuka Falls alone. The house feels different, emptier, quieter. His
(18:01):
mother greets him at the door, his voice thin and
trembling as she tells her son that his father is gone.
Robert doesn't cry. He nods and steps past her into
the bedroom, as though in a trance. He sits at
the edge of his bed and stares at his hands.
(18:23):
Four hours grief drives Robert to the one place he
(18:45):
believes might offer some solas, the church. He attends matt
kneeling in the same hue his family has occupied for years.
But it all feels so different now. The incense, the hems,
the carefully recited prayers. They no longer carry the comfort
(19:06):
they once did, even if he didn't know all of
the words. They feel empty, merely part of a routine
and nothing more. In his search for meaning, Robert reads
extensively about other religions and philosophies. He devours text on Buddhism, Hinduism,
and even ancient pagan practices, hoping to find something that
(19:30):
will fill the void left by his father's death or
whatever he's feeling right now. But the deeper he digs,
the more disillusion he becomes. Every doctrine crumbles under his scrutiny.
There's no truth for him to find. They're meaningless and hollow.
(19:54):
By the time he closes the last book, Robert has
abandoned the faith that brought him so much solace before,
but nothing now. Religion to him becomes nothing more than
a construct, a set of stories designed to soothe the
fears of those too weak to face reality, and only
(20:17):
one of many. Cynicism takes root, spreading through him like
a slow acting poison. The questions that once plagued him
remained unanswered, but his once unquenchable need for answers fades,
replaced by something colder, replaced by something darker. The theater
(21:31):
is dark, the rotating hum of the projector filling the air,
as Robert Bridella's eyes remain glued to the screen. The
nineteen sixty five film adaptation of The Collector plays out
before him, its plot unraveling with unsettling intensity. The main character,
(21:52):
a disturbed man who stalks and abducts a young woman,
holds his captive in a cold, windowless basement, treating her
as little more than an object for study, a specimen.
Burdella watches the plot unfold, his fascination sharpening as the
man works to maintain his control over his prisoner. Even
(22:15):
as the woman's health fails, Her captor's efforts to preserve
her life seems shaded with desperation and marked with obsession,
and finally she dies. As the credits roll, Burdella lingers
in his seat. The film leaves something behind in him,
(22:37):
an impression far deeper than mere entertainment. It's not just
the story, it's the concepts of power, control, and possession
that revel in his mind. Though he doesn't know it yet,
the themes of this fictional tale will echo in his
mind for decades, influencing choices that will eventually define him
(23:01):
in horrifying ways. The summer of nineteen sixty seven marks
a turning point for Robert Bridella. Having graduated from Cayuga
(23:27):
Falls High School with excellent grades, he leaves behind the
familiar streets of his hometown and relocates to Kansas City.
His destination is the Kansas City Art Institute KCAI, where
he enrolls with aspirations of becoming a college professor. The
move feels like a fresh start, a chance the channel
(23:48):
is academic potential into a creative and meaningful career. In
his first year at the college, Bridella thrives. His professors
know mention the detail and talent, and he immerses himself
in the study of art, but As months pass, a
shift begins to take place. It all seems so sudden,
(24:13):
but truth is, it's been brewing for years. By his
second year, Verdella's demeanor changes. He grows increasingly vocal in
his criticism of authority, aligning himself with a group of
students who share his anti establishment views. Through these connections,
(24:33):
he gains access to drugs, which he begins selling to
his peers for profit. At the same time, as use
of alcohol becomes more frequent, adding another layer of complexity
to his life, and he's getting as fucked up as
his customers. Then, Verdella's behavior takes a much darker turn.
(24:56):
On at least two occasions, he engages in acts of
cruelty towards animals, disturbing incidents that alarm those around him.
In one instance, Bridella shocks his peers by decapitating a duck,
an act he later defends as part of an artistic experiment.
The backlash from this event is immediate, sharp, with college
(25:19):
administrators and peers alike condemning his actions. In nineteen sixty nine,
facing harsh criticism and disillusion with his academic path, Verdella
makes the decision to withdraw from kc AI, His aspiration
to become a college professor dissolves, and he steps away
(25:40):
from formal education altogether before he transitions into a more
fragmented and unpredictable phase of his life. At nineteen, Robert
(26:24):
Bridella's involvement with drugs catches up with him. Once sweltering
Kansas City evening, he's arrested for attempting to sell methamphetamine
to an undercover officer. After posting at three thousand dollars
bond the equivalent to roughly twenty seven two hundred dollars today,
(26:45):
Bardella is released to await his sentencing. When the time comes,
he pleads guilty in is handed a five year suspended sentence,
a second chance that allows him to avoid jail but
leaves a permanent mark on his record. Only a month later,
another misstep lands Burdella back into custody. This time, he
(27:08):
and two other students are called with marijuana LSD in
Johnson County. Unable to postpond, Burdella spends five days in
jail and experience that briefly disrupts his life in Kansas City.
The charges against them and one of the other students
are ultimately dropped due to a lack of evidence. Following
(27:47):
his withdrawal from college, Burdella chooses to remain in Kansas
City and carves out a new life for himself. In
September nineteen sixty nine, he moves into a modest home
at forty three fifteen teen Charlotte Street, located in the
Hyde Park district. By this time, Bardella has been openly
(28:07):
gay for several years, setting him apart in a society
still grappling with the acceptance of LGBTQ plus identities. At
his new home, Burdella begins to spend much of his
time with individuals living on the fringes of society, mal prostitutes,
drug addicts, petty criminals, and runaways. Often portraying himself as
(28:31):
a mentor or a caretaker. Burdella claims to help these
young men escape their destructive lifestyles. To his neighbors, he
describes his efforts with pride, comparing himself to a foster
parent providing shelter and guidance. Of course, this is far
from the truth. Throughout the nineteen seventies, Bordella maintains that
(28:59):
his relationship with the individuals he takes in are primarily altruistic,
aimed at steering them away from crime and addiction. He
loans the money, offers them a temporary home, and provides
what he describes as mentorship. Yet as the years go by,
(29:20):
cracks begin to form in this carefully constructed narrative. Brdella's
frustration grows as many of the young men he tries
to help fail to make lasting changes, continuing down paths
of self destruction. His reliance on these individuals from companionship
(29:40):
becomes increasingly apparent, and his relationships often blur the boundaries
of support and control. By the early nineteen eighties, Whordella's
social circle has shifted. Many of his older acquaintances have
drifted away, leaving him more isolate. In their absence, he
(30:03):
turns to the young men who passed through his home,
forming relationships that are both transactional and exploitative. Bordella later
admits to engaging in sexual relationships with some of these men,
leveraging financial support the free lodging to establish a degree
of dominance over them, But once appeared as mentorship, reveals
(30:28):
itself as something far more complex and troubling. By the
(30:52):
nineteen seventies, Ordella cultivates a reputation in his Hyde Park
neighborhood that is as complex as the man himself. To
his neighbors, he comes across as flamboyant yet civic minded,
often stepping forward to help with community initiatives despite the
unkempt state of his property. In his somewhat haughty demeanor,
(31:18):
Bardella becomes actively involved with the South Hyde Park Crime
Prevention and Neighborhood Association, eventually rising to the position of
chairmen in the early nineteen eighties. In this role, he
encourages neighborhood watch patrols and works to foster a sense
of safety and unity within the community, or so the
(31:39):
tagline goes. His civic engagement extends beyond the boundaries of
Hyde Park. Bardella volunteers at fundraising events for a local
public television station, dedicating his time and energy causes that
bolster his public image, sadly reminiscent of his college career.
(32:01):
But the mid nineteen eighties he begins to withdraw from
many of these activities, stepping down from his leadership role
in the neighborhood Association and ceasing his volunteer work entirely.
Speaker 2 (32:14):
But why.
Speaker 1 (32:18):
Shortly before moving into his home on Charlotte Street, Ordella
begins working as a short order cook in various Kansas
City restaurants. Initially, the job serves as a practical purpose,
helping him pay off lawyer fees and fine stemming from
earlier drug arrests. Over time, and quite surprisingly, Ordella's culinary
(32:42):
talents shine. By the mid nineteen seventies, he secures positions
as a senior cook at several well regarded restaurants in
the city. His dedication earns him a place in a
local chef's association, and he plays a key role in
his establishing a training program for aspiring chefs at a
(33:03):
community college. You can see a pattern forming once again. Simultaneously,
Brdella channels his passion for art and antiques and to
a side business. Through contacts established in Africa, Asia, South America,
and Pacific rim countries, he begins selling and trading items
(33:23):
from his personal collection. He initially operates this venture out
of his home, balancing it with his culinary career. By
nineteen eighty, Bordella secures several national and international contracts, allowing
him to transition full into the antiques trade and retire
from professional cooking. In nineteen eighty two, Bordella expands his
(33:47):
antiques business by renting a booth at the Westport Flea Market.
He names the store of Bob's Bizarre Bizarre, a title
that reflects his eclectic taste and the unusual items he curates.
There's primitive art, jewelry, and antiques, and they lined the
shelves of his booth, attracting a mix of curious shoppers
(34:08):
and serious collectors. And for those into something a little
more exotic, skulls, bones, teeth and hair most not real. Luckily,
or so he says. While the business occasionally generates profit,
more often than not it struggles to cover Burdella's expenses.
(34:33):
To fill the gap, it begins scavenging or stealing items
to sell out the flea market and taking in more
lodgers at his Charlotte Street home to earn even more money.
At the flea market, Burdella meets a man named Paul Howell,
a fellow merchant whose booth is adjacent to his own.
(34:53):
Their casual acquaintance leads Burdella to meet Paul's teenage son, Jerry. Initially,
Jerry and his friend's mock Burdella or his overt homosexuality,
teasing him during their interactions. However, Bardella recalls that over time,
Jerry begins to confide in him, revealing that he and
(35:13):
his friends occasionally work as male prostitutes. By the early
nineteen eighties, Paul relocates his business to a storefront near
thirty ninth in Main Street, where the Howe family lives
in an apartment above the shop. Burdella continues to maintain
a casual friendship with the family, occasionally offering Jerry advice
(35:35):
or help whenever he finds himself in trouble. By the
summer of nineteen eighty four, Jerry Howell has turned nineteen.
In his connection to Burdella had just toward a grim
and faithful intersection. The basement smells like old rod, damp, concrete, sweat,
(36:29):
something sharp underneath. Ordella kneels by Jerry Howell, who's gone
slack tied to the stained mattress, his chest barely moves.
Bordella presses his fingers against his neck. There's no pulse.
He curses under his breath, grabs a glass of water,
(36:52):
splashes it on Jerry's face.
Speaker 2 (36:54):
Nothing.
Speaker 1 (36:56):
He slaps him once, twice harder, Still nothing. A panic
breath rattles out of him. He fumbles a first aid kit,
open bandages spilling out across the floor. He tries chest compressions,
too fast, too shallow. It's no use. Burdella slumps back,
(37:19):
hands on his knees, staring. His breath slows. The panic
drains out, leaving something colder behind. Night settles in the
(37:45):
basement's quiet except for the buzz of a bare light
bulb overhead. Bardella works with a strange calm. Now plastic
tarps laid out, boning knife hands, saw chainsaw lined up
beside him. He lifts Jerry's arms, making clean cuts inside
(38:07):
the yelbow and nearly a perfect slice around the juggler.
He sets buckets nearby to catch the blood as he
lets Jerry's body drain overnight. It's a process. It's not rushed.
(38:37):
It's nothing emotional. It's just steady, methodical. Burdella wipes his forehead,
eyes the clock on the wall. He knows there's still
plenty of time before the garbage truck comes tomorrow morning.
By midnight, the body is drained by really morning more.
(39:02):
Cutting The chainsaw roars only in short burst. Most of
the work he does with the knife, flesh, bone. It
all takes time. He wraps each piece in the newspaper,
taping it tight, sliding the bundles into black trash bags,
(39:28):
and he piles them up by the back door, waiting
to have someone else take them away. The sky starts
(40:09):
to pale as Bordella hauls the trash bags outside.
Speaker 2 (40:13):
He stacks them.
Speaker 1 (40:14):
Neatly at the curb, lined up like any other pile
of garbage. The garbage truck rumbles closer. Here's grinding, metal, clanking.
Burdella stands back, arms folded tight, watching his throats dry.
The trashmen jumped down, grabbing the bags and tossing them
(40:37):
into the compactor, but then one pauses, his hand resting
on one of the bag. He feels like the weight
might be a little too heavy and the shape is
a little too firm. For a split second, Bardella's heart stops,
(41:02):
but the trash man just shrugs, pulls the bag up,
and heaves it in the compactor, groans, crushing everything inside.
As Burdella stays on the porch, watching the truck as
it rumbles down the street until it's out of sight.
(41:46):
The knock at the door comes on a quiet April
evening in nineteen eighty five, Bardella opens it to find
Robert Sheldon standing on his porch with a weary expression
stretched across his face. Sheldon, a former lodger, asks if
he can stay for a short time. Bardella hesitates, but
(42:09):
ultimately agrees, his mind already weighing the inconvenience against the
familiar company of the young man. For two days, Sheldon
occupies his space in Burdella's home, paying his rent responsibly,
but disrupting the carefully controlled solitude Verdella has built. On
(42:33):
April twelfth, Ardella returns home from work to find Sheldon intoxicated.
It's in this moment that something shifts in Burdella's demeanor,
a quiet, simmering frustration that finds its outlet in the
presence of this unassuming guest. Over the next three days,
(42:53):
Sheldon becomes the focus of Burdella's dark, intrusive impulses. The
room becomes there's a chamber of calculated cruelty, each act
and expression of the anger and frustration Burdella claims to
harbor towards others. Drain cleaner is swabbed in the Sheldon's
left eye. Needles are inserted beneath his fingertips, and piano
(43:19):
wire binds his wrist, its tension designed to permanently damage
the nerves in his hands. Calking is pressed into his ears,
muting the world around him and isolating him further and
his suffering. Ostensibly, Bardella does some of these awful things
(43:43):
not just because he would rather see these men dead,
but also because well, he's simply curious. On April fifteenth,
(44:26):
the sound of footsteps under roof interrupts Bridella's grim routine.
A workman has arrived to perform scheduled repairs, his presence
and unwelcome intrusion. Bridella acts swiftly, placing a sack over
Sheldon's head and tightening it with a piece of rope
until the young man struggles cease. The house falls silent
(44:51):
once more, and later Bardella will go on to dissect
Sheldon's body in the third floor bathroom. The storm rages outside,
(45:22):
it's thunder echoing through the night as Mark Wallace seeks
shelter and Verdella's toolshed. There aren't too many other places
for him to go. It's June nineteen eighty five. In Wallace,
a casual acquaintance who has helped Burdella with yardwork in
the past, is desperate for refuge. Bardella finds him there,
(45:45):
drenched from head to toe in tents. Burdella invites him inside,
and Wallace accepts, noting us his visible anxiety and depression.
Brudella offers him an injection of chloropromazine, explaining that it
(46:08):
will help him relax somewhat beside himself. Wallace agrees, assuming
his cohort is acting in good faith. Within thirty minutes,
everything around Wallace blurs until there isn't anything at all.
(46:32):
Ordella decides to render Wallace captive, carrying him to the
second floor bedroom, where the horrific cycle begins again. Wallace's
(46:59):
captivity is brief but harrowing. Or Della experiments with electrical
shocks using alligator clips. The jolt Wallace awake back to
consciousness whenever the pain causes him to begin to drift.
He sometimes attaches to clips to Rawless's gentle tools as punishment,
(47:21):
and again, if he passes him out, he shocks him
back Tolive hypodermic needles pierce the muscles of his back.
Some insertions are an act of calculated control. Whereas others
or just for fun. Each insertion is about control. It's
(47:49):
all about control, always has been. The hour stretch on
as Rallis sits in the room, suffering. By seven pm
on June twenty third, Whillas it comes to a combination
of drugs, oxygen deprivation, and the gag that silences its
(48:10):
final breaths. Burdella notes the time of death with clinical detachment.
To Burdella, Wallas isn't a person but another sadistic box
to check. It's late September nineteen eighty five when Burdella
(48:48):
receives a phone call from a man named James Ferris,
another acquaintance, seeking a place to stay for a short time.
It's an awe too formiliar plea Burdella agrees it arranges
to meet Ferris at a bar that evening. What Ferris
doesn't know is that Burdella has already decided that this
(49:08):
will be more than just an act of hospitality. The
evening begins with casual conversation and drinks, but when Ferris
enters Burdella's home, the atmosphere shifts. The entire vibe is off.
Under the guise of a welcoming meal, Bardella administers crushed tranquilizers,
(49:30):
masking his intentions beneath a calm exterior, Ferris begins to
feel the effects of his surroundings. Blur. See He's well
practiced now, and he knows more ways of drugging his
victims than pills and injections. There's really nothing he can't
poison you with. Ferris begins to feel the effects of
(49:54):
his surroundings blur, and Burdella takes control, securing him to
the with that familiar precision and efficiency. Each scenario has
its unique flare, but Verdella's acts are largely formulaic. The
following hours consist of nearly unspeakable things. Verdella experiments, pushing
(50:21):
the boundaries of control and infliction, leaving Ferris delirious. As
time stretches on, Verdella's meticulous logs capture each moment until
Ferris grows weak. As the hours pass, the room grows heavy,
and Verdella marks the last entry in his notes using
(50:41):
a term that echoes his culinary past. Eighty six June
(51:07):
nineteen eighty six brings an unexpected encounter at the Liberty
Memorial Park, where Burdella spots Todd stoops a young man
with whom he's cross paths before Stoops, a struggling individual
seeking financial aid, accepts Burdella's invitation for lunch, a gesture
laced with underlying motives. The two share a meal, but
(51:32):
Stoope's visit stretches far beyond an innocent exchange at Burdella's home.
Stoope's captivity spans weeks during which Burdella's methods evolve from
(51:53):
electrical shocks designed to blind two chemical injections aimed at silencing.
Each action reflects It's a disturbing combination of control and experimentation,
a complete disregard for the other human being. In fact,
Stoop quickly becomes a guinea pig for one of Burdella's
(52:13):
latest flavors of a home brewed tranquilizer. But that's not
the worst of it. Days blur together in Burdella's second
floor bedroom. It's always dark there, heavy curtains shut, tight
windows sealed, trapping heat and stale air. As the torture continues,
(52:38):
Stoops lies on the mattress, wrist and ankles, bound, skin
rubbed raw from fighting the ropes. His breathing is shallow
and irregular, sometimes and seems like he's not breathing at all.
His eyes are wide and bloodshot swollen. Burdella enters quietly,
(53:01):
gloves snap tight, no expression to be found on his face.
Stoops tries to speak, but nothing more than a horse
whisper escapes, clearly a result of the chemicals Burdella's been
feeding him, injecting into him. They're burning his throat raw,
they're silencing his screams. Bardella walks up to him and
(53:27):
calmly arranges the wires, clamps various equipment he's prepared. As
Stoop starts to panic, Della leans in close, pausing to
meet Stoop's terrified gaze, right before gently pressing the metal
clamps against Stoupe's eyelids. There's a humming buzz, a sharp
(53:50):
snap of electricity. Than Stoop's body shudders violently, his muscles rigid,
his teeth clenched. His scream is barely audible, just a
strain means full rasp. It's as though his lips won't move,
and his words become oppressed by silence. After a couple
of weeks, stoop Sell's little fight left. He's feverish, he's weakened,
(54:15):
his breathing is labored even more irregular. He barely reacts
as Burdella checks on him, noting the signs of infection
spreading rapidly. By the next morning, it's over as before.
Burdella's max moves are precise, the devoid of hesitation. In
(54:43):
the dead quiet at the night, he dismember Stoop's lifeless body,
wrapping the pieces in thick newspaper bundles, selling them all
carefully inside of black plastic trash bags, and just like before,
he lines them up neatly by the curb aut on,
just like any other trash heap, waiting for pickup h h.
(55:59):
In the spring of nighteen eighty seven, Larry Pearson steps
into Bob's bizarre bizarre and pursues a conversation with Burdella
about witchcraft and childhood interest, and this sparks a casual friendship.
Pearson begins staying with Burdella. He pays rent by doing chores,
and for a time their dynamic remains unassuming, but an
(56:22):
offhand comment during a car ride one Pearson delivers as
a joke planks an evil seed in Verdella's mind. The
house on Charlotte Street remains silent. The curtains are perpetually drawn,
concealing every room in darkness. Larry Pearson, once a visitor,
(56:46):
is now a captive, and he lies restrained in the
upstairs bedroom. Bardella enters the room, his demeanor calm, almost clinical.
He approaches Pearson, who flinches at his mere presence. Bridella
speaks in a measured tone.
Speaker 3 (57:07):
You've been cooperative to Larry.
Speaker 4 (57:09):
That's good.
Speaker 1 (57:12):
Burdella ad just the restraints, ensuring that they're still secure,
and then leaves without saying another word. Days past, the
routine is unchanged. Pearson endures, hoping for a moment of relief,
a chance to breathe or maybe even escape. So he complies,
(57:34):
and he endures the torment, and he waits. One evening,
during a moment of force intimacy, Pearson seizes an opportunity.
Summoning his remaining strength, he bites down hard, causing Burdella
to recoil in pain. Enraged, Bridellas swatchs his hand through
the darkness and grabs a nearby object, striking Pearson with force,
(57:59):
and the room falls island once more. Later, Bardella descends
into the basement the same methodic behavior. He prepares his
actions completely devoid of any emotion, any personal attachment. Pearson's
(58:22):
body is dismembered with precision, each piece wrapped carefully. At
this time, the head is placed in a plastic bag
and stored in a freezer under the cloak of darkness.
Bardella buries the head in the backyard. The rest of
(58:45):
the remains are placed in trash bags and set out
for collection. The garbage truck arrives the next morning. In
its arms lift the bags, and its mechanical jaws crush them,
swallowing them whole. Their content's now completely indistinguishable from the
(59:06):
entire city's trash.
Speaker 4 (59:47):
You did not choose to be here who you are,
for you to survive being here, and for you too,
you know, make it. It could either rough, or it
could be.
Speaker 3 (01:00:01):
Easy if I grow to like you and to trust you,
and I could do special things for you, such as
value cigarettes, pick up a movie on the way home
from work, and so forth. Don't try to fight me,
(01:00:22):
or you'll just get more of what you had earlier.
See what you got is nothing compared to what you
have it.
Speaker 1 (01:00:36):
The clock strikes one am on March twenty ninth, nineteen
eighty eight. As Christopher Bryson steps into Robert Burdella's home again,
there's the promise of payment for his services, and it
lingers in the air, unspoken, elaborate, but understood. Bryson's demeanor
(01:00:57):
is calm. I don't where the danger that awaits him.
Moments later, an iron bar strikes Bryson, rendering him unconscious.
When he awakes, he finds himself bound to a bed,
the restraints tight and unyielding. The room is dim, the
(01:01:18):
air is heavy, and there's a faint chemical scent. Burdella's
voice cuts through the silence, calm yet chilling.
Speaker 3 (01:01:30):
The only things you need to think about are you me?
Speaker 4 (01:01:35):
In this house?
Speaker 1 (01:01:38):
Ammonia burns Bryson's eyes, the sharp sting, blinding and disorienting him.
Bardella warns him of the fate that has befallen others
who made mistakes. It's imperative that he follows Burdella's every command.
(01:02:01):
By the third day, Bryson begins to earn Burdella's trust.
He convinces his captor to tie his hands in front
of him rather than above his head, citing circulation issues.
He also persuades Burdella to leave a television on in
the room, with the remote control placed within reach. These
(01:02:22):
small victories become lifelines, each one a step closer to freedom,
or at least Bryson hopes so. Escape is the only
thing Bryson can think about, and he'll do about anything
to achieve it.
Speaker 2 (01:02:41):
Anything.
Speaker 1 (01:03:07):
He studies his surroundings, searching for any opening that opportunity
comes along. When Burdella ineverently leaves a book of matches
within Bryson's reach alone in the house, Bryson works quickly,
using the matches to burn through his restraints. The ropes
give way and he moves quickly, his heart pounding as
he navigates the unfamiliar space. Wearing nothing but a dog collar,
(01:03:34):
Bryson leaps from a second story window. The impact sends
pain shooting through his foot, but he doesn't stop. He
runs toward a meter maid on the street, his voice
hoarse as he shouts for help. Alarmed by his cause
for help, the meter maid rushes over to Bryson. It
helps guide him to a nearby house, where they call
(01:03:56):
the police. Less than an hour later, the officers arrive.
Bryson's trembling and injured as he recounts the entire ordeal.
Although his words are hesitant, they're vivid, and they paint
a picture of captivity, a picture of torture, and a
(01:04:18):
picture of survival. The officers note the scars and welts
all over his body, the redness of his swollen eyes,
and the broken foot that bears testament to his desperate escape.
What the hell is going on about? Burdella's place sits
(01:05:00):
within the confines of the Kansas City Police Department, his
voice strained as he recounts the horrors that he's endured
at the Burdella residence. He describes the polaroid images as
captor had shown him, images of men who appeared lifeless.
Their face is frozen in expressions of pure pain, an
(01:05:20):
image of decapitated and partially frozen head. Burdella's words echo
in Bryson's memory, a chilling promise that he would never
leave the house alive unless he complied to everything. Meanwhile,
officers prepare to act. On the afternoon of Bryson's escape.
(01:05:44):
Robert Burdella is arrested on charges related to the assault
and captivity of Bryson, and when officers arrive at his home,
Bardella refuses them entry It's demeanor, calm but clearly uninviting
the search war and is quickly drafted, granting investigators access
to the property at forty three point fifteen Charlotte Street,
(01:06:07):
whether Burdella likes it or not, but no one is
prepared for what they're about to find there. The house
(01:06:41):
is an eerie sort of quiet as investigators step inside,
their footsteps echoing against the walls. Everything within the second
floor bedroom is exactly as Bryson described, burnt ropes hanging
from the post at the foot of the bed, and
electrical train sits plugged into the wall, its wires trailing
(01:07:03):
toward the bed. Nearby, a metal tray holds syringes, small
bottles of prescription drugs, swabs, and eye drops, all the
tools Bryson said Bredella used for control and manipulation. As
the search continues, the discoveries grow darker. In a closet
(01:07:27):
also on the second floor, a human skull rests in
the darkness. The madness doesn't end inside the house itself.
In the backyard, it partially decomposed human head lies beneath
the soil, and all over There are relatively fresh mounds
scattered across the backyard. Investigators discover another partially decomposed human
(01:07:52):
head beneath the soil. Other investigators continue to comb through
the rest of the house. It's all more this until
they travel down to the cellar. The basement reveals more
vertebrates scarred by hacksaw and knife marks, human teeth stored
(01:08:12):
in envelopes and had chainsaws stained with blood and flesh.
Luminol tests light up the basement floor and trash barrels,
revealing extensive bloodstains that speak to the violence that unfolded there.
It's all just as Bryson described. Among the most chilling
finds are the polaroid photographs, hundreds of them. The images
(01:08:36):
capture men in very states of life and death, their
faces and bodies bearing the marks of torture, some of
them absolutely destroyed in ways the officers had never seen before.
There's even a photo of a man mid electrocution. Some
photos even show Christopher Bryson is suffering, frozen in time.
(01:09:01):
Others depict unidentified men their fate's unknown. The stenographer's pad
lies atop a chest of drawers, its pages filled with
meticulous logs detailing the torment inflicted on each victim. There's
nothing really that malicious in his words, But on the
opposite end, there's nothing too remorseful or empathetic either, as
(01:09:23):
words are cold and calculated, as though data for any
other medical study. As the search concludes, the Kansas City
(01:09:50):
Police Department assembles a task force to unravel the full
scope of Brudella's crimes. Detectives delve into his history and
covering a reputation among Kansas City male hustlers as a
predator who prayed under vulnerable. Rumors of his involvement in disappearances,
including those of Jerry Howell and James Ferris, resurface, adding
(01:10:14):
weight to the evidence found in his home. Family members
of the missing come forward, identifying their loved ones and polaroids.
James Ferris's wife recognizes her husband in several images, some
of them taken after his death. Paul Howell identifies his
son Jerry in a photograph that shows him hanging upside
down in Verdella's basement. The task force works to identified
(01:10:38):
the other men in the photos, piecing together the fragments
of all the lives that have been lost. Verdella, now
in custody, invokes his right to silence investigators attempt to
gather handwriting samples to match the notes in the stenographer's pad,
but Verdella refuses to cooperate, earning a contempt of court
(01:10:59):
sentence and the process. Despite its resistance, the evidence continues
to mount. Dental records confirmed the identities of Robert Sheldon
and Larry Pearson. The remains found amongst the horrors of
forty three fifteen Charlotte Street. Burdellas destroyed, lives, families remain broken.
(01:11:25):
For Purdella remained stowing. The courtroom is quiet as the
(01:11:53):
grand jury formerly indicts Robert Burdella in July twenty second,
nineteen eighty eight, for the murder of Larry Wayne Pearson.
This is all a culmination of months of investigation and
piles of damning evidence. The following month, Burdellas stands before
Judge Alvin C. Randall in the fourth Circuit of the
(01:12:14):
Jackson County Court. The arrainment proceeds as expected until a
late morning recess shifts the course of events. When the
court reconvenes, Burdella's attorneys announce his decision to plead guilty
to the first degree murder Larry Pearson. His declaration catches
both the judge and the prosecution team off guard. Assistant
(01:12:37):
Prosecutor Pat Hall later explains the decision to accept the
plea as being in the best interest of our client
the people of the state of Missouri. Judge Randall, however,
insists on hearing Burdella's confession under oath. The entire room
holds its breath as Burdella, his voice completely of emotion,
(01:13:01):
as is his trademark, recounts.
Speaker 2 (01:13:03):
The act.
Speaker 3 (01:13:06):
I put a plastic bag over his head and tied
it with rope and allow can to suffocate.
Speaker 1 (01:13:13):
When asked if he acted deliberately and with malice a forethought,
Verdella responds with a single word yes. The sentence is
life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. Bridella is transferred
to the Missouri State Penitentiary to begin his sentence, though
concerns for his safety later lead to his temporary placement
(01:13:36):
and protective custody at the Potosi Correctional Center. On August
twenty fourth, nineteen eighty eight, Bridella returns to court, this
time to face charges related to the sault and captivity
of Christopher Bryson. In a plea bargain, Bridella pleads guilty
to one charge of forcible soomy, earning another life term
(01:13:57):
without parole. Additional charges aside a mean a saw are
dropped as part of the agreement, though Bridella also receives
a seven year sentence for felonious restraint. As summer turns
to fall, Bridella initially pleads not guilty to the remaining
five murder charges, but by December, his defense attorneys negotiated
(01:14:18):
plea bargain to spare him the death penalty. In exchange
for his life, Bridella agrees to confess in graphic detail
to all of the murders, the indignities inflicted on his
victims in the nasty way he's so casually disposed of
their remains. Between December thirteenth and fifteenth, nineteen eighty eight,
(01:14:39):
Bridella sits with prosecutors recounting the horrors he orchestrated. His
confessions are meticulous, each detail a hint at the grim
riddle investigators work tirelessly dissolved. The agreement ensures that Burdella
will avoid the death penalty, but it's still cementsus as
(01:15:00):
one of Missouri's most infamous criminals. On December nineteenth, nineteen
(01:15:51):
eighty eight, Ordella formally waives his right to trial for
the remaining charges. In a closed hearing before Judge Robert Myers,
he pleads guilty to one count on a first degree
murder in four counts of second degree murder. There are
no public spectators inside of the courtroom, with only the
victims' families and select reporters permitted to witness the proceedings.
(01:16:13):
Judge Myers imposes five concurrent life sentences, ensuring that Burdella
would never ever again walk free. The additional condition barring
parole for the first degree murder charge steals his fate.
In a dim room between December thirteenth and fifteenth, nineteen
(01:16:34):
eighty eight, Burdella sits across from prosecutors, this demeanor calm
yet detached. Over the course of three days, Burdella recounts
the details of his crimes with absolute precision, chilling his words,
painting a grim portrait of controlling cruelty. He also spends
(01:16:56):
a good deal of time speaking of the collector, the
film that left an indelible mark on his psyche. The
story of possession and captivity resurfaced in his mind after
his first murder becoming a psychological force that shaped his actions.
These were not people that.
Speaker 4 (01:17:13):
I thought of.
Speaker 3 (01:17:16):
Once I had them bound, he was.
Speaker 1 (01:17:18):
Using them for Della states they became something other than
people to me. The shorthand entries and his torture logs
are decoded, revealing the methods behind the madness. For instance,
DC refers to the use of drain cleaner on his
victim's eyes or vocal cords. Other entries detailed the anatomical
(01:17:41):
locations of his experiments. All his actions are so calculated
an ice cold Fordella's confessions extend to the disposal of
his victims. They're dismembered, remains, stowed in trash bags, and
taken to unknown landfill sites. Not all of the bodies
(01:18:02):
are fully recovered. Following his convictions, Verdella begins his life
sentence at the Missouri State Penitentiary. From behind bars, he
attempts to reshape his image, granting interviews and corresponding with
the individuals who seek to understand the man behind the crimes.
He portrays himself as a misunderstood figure, claiming that he
(01:18:24):
has been unfairly demonized by the media and failed by
the law enforcement's inability to stop him sooner. How's that
for an excuse. Despite his efforts, Verdella's complaints about prison
conditions and his health fall on death fears. He writes
letters to a local minister alleging that his prescribed heart
(01:18:44):
medication is being withheld from him, as attempts to garner
sympathy or meb of pure skepticism, as dark past overshadowing
whatever he considers his present. On October eighth, nineteen ninety two,
(01:19:22):
Bardella complains of severe chest pains. He's taken from his
cell to the prison infirmary, where medical staff determine his
heart is unstable. An ambulance rushes him to the hospital
in Columbia, Missouri. About a three fifty five pm, Robert
Burdella is pronounced dead from a heart attack at forty
three years old. News of his death spreads quickly. Judge
(01:19:45):
Alvin Randall, who presided over Burdella's trial, responds with sarcasm
as he says it kind of ha happened to a
nicer guy. The public reaction is similar. It's unsympathetic. The
memory of Burdella's crime fresh to allow anything that resembles mourning.
In the months following Burdella's conviction, his possessions were auctioned
(01:20:09):
off to cover his mounting legal fees. The auctions attract
national attention, with bids pouring in from across the country.
By the end of the first day, over sixty thousand
dollars is raised, all out of a morbid curiosity surrounding
the case. In December nineteen eighty eight, Bridella's house at
(01:20:29):
forty three point fifteen Charlotte Street is sold to a
local businessman. The property, a sight of unimaginable horrors, is
later demolished, erasing the physical remnants of Burdella's crimes, Yet
the legacy of his actions still lingers, a dark chapter
(01:20:49):
in the history of Kansas City. Thank you so much
(01:21:39):
for checking out the latest episode, The Kansas City Butcher
from Less Taken Season four. We hope you enjoyed this
episode and please let us know what you think by
leaving a fair rating and review wherever you're listening. You
can also leave reviews at our website, let's takipod dot com,
where you can find everything lest Taken and also pick
(01:22:02):
up some of our new merch If you like this episode,
stick around in the next couple of weeks for the
roads Let's Taken episode covering a few additional details, and
we'll also take a wild road trip to our next destination.
Also coming up will be another seven minute Less Taken
that we're going to call benders in. Until then, be
(01:22:25):
sure to follow us before we follow you on Facebook, Instagram,
and threads under the handle at less Taken Pod. A
quick note on our storytelling. While we do our best
to stick to the facts, we sometimes take creative liberties
to maintain narrative cohesiveness. I'm seem Humphries and this is
Less Taken real life horror stories from the Midwest. Once again,
(01:22:50):
thanks for listening.
Speaker 2 (01:23:00):
No time
Speaker 3 (01:23:02):
Check
This take and contains content that may not be suitable
for all audiences. Listener's discretion is advised. Jerry Howell stares
(00:23):
out of the passenger seat, half listening to Bob Burdella,
the driver speak, as everything familiar melts away into a blur.
The rhythmic drone of the tires on asphalt fills the
silence between Bordella's words it's trance like. Burdella occasionally glances
(00:45):
at Jerry from the corner of his eye with an
unreadable expression as he continues to talk about the dance
contest and marry him. All of Burdella's words are a
bit of a blur to Jerry. A low hum in
the background. Jerry nods absently, the edge of his energy
(01:08):
dulled by alcohol warming his veins. His movements feel slower now,
his thoughts clouded, though he can't quite place why. Of course,
he's had a few drinks tonight, provided by no other
than Burdella himself, But he shouldn't feel this drunk. This
(01:32):
quick drunk may not even be the best word to
describe how Jerry feels. The car rolls to a stop
in Burdella's driveway. The house looms ahead. It's outline, an
(01:52):
ugly splotch against the dim yellow street lights. Amazingly, the
glow of the dim light ends just before the windows
of his house. Jerry stumbles slightly as Burdella helps him
out of the car, his grip firm. Inside Burdella's house,
(02:23):
the air feels cooler, and there's the faint scent of
antiseptic filling the air, masking something metallic beneath. The eerie
silence is broken by the soft clink of glasses as
Burdella pours another drink and places it into Jerry's on
(02:44):
steady hands. The action seems deliberate, as though rehearsed. As
(03:19):
Jerry SIPs, his limbs grow heavier. His head begins to tilt,
as though he no longer has control. There's a strange
fog filling the room, and it thickens, swallowing him inch
by inch until his awareness collapses entirely. Verdella moves without hesitation,
(03:46):
guiding Jerry's now unconscious body toward the bedroom. His footsteps
are measured. Every moment has been made before countless times
in his mind. He can't wait to see every part
of him. He can't wait to make parts out of him,
(04:10):
the bettest stripped bare save for a grid of ropes
coiled neatly at the corners. Waiting. Burdella secures Jerry's wrist
and ankles, pulling each knot tight with an unsettling precision.
He stands back. His breath is steady as he reaches
(04:30):
for a syringe waiting on a nightstand. The liquid inside
glints in the faint light, a cocktail of chemicals chosen
with care, chosen with only the most warped sense of
mercy in mind. The needle slides into Jerry's arm with
the practiced ease, the plunger pressing down slowly. Burdella watches,
(04:55):
his head tilted curious as the tranquilizer takes hold. The
room feels smaller to Jerry now, the shadows darker outside.
The distant sound of a train rumbles past, unnoticed, carrying
on as the nothing's wrong. But in here, in this
(05:19):
silent house, it's relentless horror, and everything is wrong. There
(06:02):
were no screams, just photographs. In this episode, we'll explore
the story of Roberdella, who tortured and killed in near silence,
his victims disappearing without a sound through agony captured in
polaroids and handwritten logs. The neighbors heard nothing, The house
(06:23):
stayed quiet, but behind closed doors. A methodical horror unfolded
room by room, tape by tape. This isn't just the
story of a killer. It's a catalog of cruelty and
the moment one survivor finally shattered the silence. Thank you
so much for checking out the second full length story
(06:46):
of Less Taken Season four, hollow Lands, called the Kansas
City Butcher. When you're done with this story, please let
us know what you think by leaving a fair rating
in review. Wherever you're listening, you can also leave reviews.
Check out additional info and our merch at lesstakanpod dot com,
(07:08):
and be sure to follow us before we follow you
on Facebook, Instagram and threads under the handle at less
Taken Pod. I'm Steve Humphries and this is Less Taken
real life horror stories from the Midwest. Once again, thanks
for listening, and I hope you enjoy at Kansas City
(07:30):
Butcher from Less Taken Season four, Hollo Lands. Inside of
(08:16):
a modest house in Cayuga Falls, Ohio, a five year
old Robert Burdella squints through thick glasses as he sits
on the floor and pours over a book. His younger
brother Daniel is nowhere to be seen, perhaps outside with
their father. From the kitchen, the faint sounds of his mother,
(08:40):
Mary Louise, preparing dinner drift into the room, accompanied by
the sharp tick of a wall clock. Occasionally, her voice
cuts through the silence to call for Daniel or to
remind their father about mass the next day. Robert doesn't
look up. His world is in the pages.
Speaker 2 (09:02):
There.
Speaker 1 (09:03):
He can be anything, and there's no one around to
call him slow, clumsy, or a failure. The ticking grows louder,
punctuated by the sound of footsteps approaching. His father's shadow
falls across the doorway, a heavy presence that makes Robert's
(09:24):
shoulders stiffened.
Speaker 3 (09:26):
How many times somebody told you to go outside, just
do something.
Speaker 1 (09:32):
His father's voice booms.
Speaker 3 (09:35):
You just sit there with your nose in a book
while your brother's barning c real skills, real smarts.
Speaker 1 (09:43):
The lecture is familiar, and Warren Robert doesn't respond his father.
He snaps he sat in, yank on his arm, and
his father pulls him to his feet. The book, tumbling
to the ground with a thud.
Speaker 4 (10:02):
What good are you up enough?
Speaker 1 (10:07):
His father mutters, before walking away, leaving Robert's standing in
the empty doorway. He bends to retrieve his book, but
the words on the page blurn to meaningless shapes. Behind
his glasses, a salty tears burned at the corners of
his eyes. The church's cavernous, with fractured light bleeding through
(10:44):
the stained glass windows and onto the wooden pews. Robert
sits with his family, his hands clasped tightly in his lap.
His father's voice joins the congregation and practice prayers, loud
and commanding, while his mother bows in reverence. Seven year
(11:04):
old Daniel fidgets beside him, earning a soft look of
warning from their mother. Robert's lips move, but no sound escapes.
The holy phrases feel foreign on his tongue. He gazes
at the crucifix above the altar, the figure of Christ
staring down with either agony or grace, He's not sure which.
(11:29):
In either way, it doesn't comfort him. Back at home,
Daniel paces around the kitchen as he recounts the day's sermon,
(11:52):
which draws a rare smile from their father. Robert lingers
at the edge of the room, aware of his own awkwardness.
When the conversation shifts, his father's expression hardens, and you,
he says, turning toward Robert.
Speaker 3 (12:14):
Don't think I didn't notice you mumbling during that.
Speaker 4 (12:18):
You can't even.
Speaker 3 (12:19):
See a prayer.
Speaker 1 (12:24):
The leather strap is in his hand before Robert can respond.
The first crack of the strap against his skin stings,
but Robert doesn't cry. He grits his teeth, his eyes
fixed on the spot on the wall, His father's muttered
words mixed with the sound of the strap until they
(12:49):
almost become a single, indistinguishable noise. When it's over, Robert
retreats to his room, the faint marks on his back
already fading. He sits on his bed, staring at the floor,
his hands clenched at a fist. The childish glimmer in
(13:12):
his eyes fades away, varnished, and is replaced with what
might be described as a vacant stare. But his mind
isn't empty, It's just clouded by growing darkness. Low murmurs
(14:06):
and the Russell papers fill the otherwise silent classroom as
the teacher scribbles on the chalkboard Robert sits near the back,
hunched over his desk. His thick glass is slipping down
his nose. His pen flows its ink, nearly bleeding out
across the page. He takes copious notes, so meticulous that
(14:30):
they remain unrivaled amongst his peers. Despite his academic strength,
Robert is known to his teachers as difficult, his aloof
nature making him hard to reach. He's a bit of
a paradox. Outside the classroom, his isolation is more pronounced.
(14:50):
He's anti social or socially awkward at best. While other
students gather in tight knit groups or clicks, Robert keeps himself,
navigating the hallways with quite determination, his head held low.
His efforts to stay small and ineffectual often fail. The
(15:12):
bullying is subtle but constant. A whisper here, a mocking
laugh there. He tries his best not to react. It's
difficult to determine whether such silence is a shield or
a prison. Once the walls are up, they tend to
stay up. His inability to connect with his peers only
(15:37):
deepens the sense of otherness, making the line between him
and the rest of the world feel impassable. For Robert Burdella,
everything is us versus them, and everyone else is them.
(16:18):
Christmas Day, nineteen sixty five, the Burdella family car hums
steadily along the icy roads toward Canton, Ohio, where relatives
wait anxiously, with holiday cheer stalling the holiday festivities. Robert
(16:45):
sits in the back seat, his face turned toward the
frosted window. He listens half heartedly to his younger brother
Daniel's excitement from the front seat, the warmth of the
conversation reaching everyone but him. The family gathering is a
cacophony of laughter and clinking glasses. Robert lingers on the periphery,
(17:11):
as quiet as ever, but the lightness of the evening
shatters when his father suddenly clutches his chest, his face
twisting in pain. The rumor reps into chaos, voices shouting,
someone dialing for help, but it's too late. Robert Burdella, Sr.
(17:32):
Dies that night of a massive heart attack at just
thirty nine years old. Two days later, Robert returns to
Kyuka Falls alone. The house feels different, emptier, quieter. His
(18:01):
mother greets him at the door, his voice thin and
trembling as she tells her son that his father is gone.
Robert doesn't cry. He nods and steps past her into
the bedroom, as though in a trance. He sits at
the edge of his bed and stares at his hands.
(18:23):
Four hours grief drives Robert to the one place he
(18:45):
believes might offer some solas, the church. He attends matt
kneeling in the same hue his family has occupied for years.
But it all feels so different now. The incense, the hems,
the carefully recited prayers. They no longer carry the comfort
(19:06):
they once did, even if he didn't know all of
the words. They feel empty, merely part of a routine
and nothing more. In his search for meaning, Robert reads
extensively about other religions and philosophies. He devours text on Buddhism, Hinduism,
and even ancient pagan practices, hoping to find something that
(19:30):
will fill the void left by his father's death or
whatever he's feeling right now. But the deeper he digs,
the more disillusion he becomes. Every doctrine crumbles under his scrutiny.
There's no truth for him to find. They're meaningless and hollow.
(19:54):
By the time he closes the last book, Robert has
abandoned the faith that brought him so much solace before,
but nothing now. Religion to him becomes nothing more than
a construct, a set of stories designed to soothe the
fears of those too weak to face reality, and only
(20:17):
one of many. Cynicism takes root, spreading through him like
a slow acting poison. The questions that once plagued him
remained unanswered, but his once unquenchable need for answers fades,
replaced by something colder, replaced by something darker. The theater
(21:31):
is dark, the rotating hum of the projector filling the air,
as Robert Bridella's eyes remain glued to the screen. The
nineteen sixty five film adaptation of The Collector plays out
before him, its plot unraveling with unsettling intensity. The main character,
(21:52):
a disturbed man who stalks and abducts a young woman,
holds his captive in a cold, windowless basement, treating her
as little more than an object for study, a specimen.
Burdella watches the plot unfold, his fascination sharpening as the
man works to maintain his control over his prisoner. Even
(22:15):
as the woman's health fails, Her captor's efforts to preserve
her life seems shaded with desperation and marked with obsession,
and finally she dies. As the credits roll, Burdella lingers
in his seat. The film leaves something behind in him,
(22:37):
an impression far deeper than mere entertainment. It's not just
the story, it's the concepts of power, control, and possession
that revel in his mind. Though he doesn't know it yet,
the themes of this fictional tale will echo in his
mind for decades, influencing choices that will eventually define him
(23:01):
in horrifying ways. The summer of nineteen sixty seven marks
a turning point for Robert Bridella. Having graduated from Cayuga
(23:27):
Falls High School with excellent grades, he leaves behind the
familiar streets of his hometown and relocates to Kansas City.
His destination is the Kansas City Art Institute KCAI, where
he enrolls with aspirations of becoming a college professor. The
move feels like a fresh start, a chance the channel
(23:48):
is academic potential into a creative and meaningful career. In
his first year at the college, Bridella thrives. His professors
know mention the detail and talent, and he immerses himself
in the study of art, but As months pass, a
shift begins to take place. It all seems so sudden,
(24:13):
but truth is, it's been brewing for years. By his
second year, Verdella's demeanor changes. He grows increasingly vocal in
his criticism of authority, aligning himself with a group of
students who share his anti establishment views. Through these connections,
(24:33):
he gains access to drugs, which he begins selling to
his peers for profit. At the same time, as use
of alcohol becomes more frequent, adding another layer of complexity
to his life, and he's getting as fucked up as
his customers. Then, Verdella's behavior takes a much darker turn.
(24:56):
On at least two occasions, he engages in acts of
cruelty towards animals, disturbing incidents that alarm those around him.
In one instance, Bridella shocks his peers by decapitating a duck,
an act he later defends as part of an artistic experiment.
The backlash from this event is immediate, sharp, with college
(25:19):
administrators and peers alike condemning his actions. In nineteen sixty nine,
facing harsh criticism and disillusion with his academic path, Verdella
makes the decision to withdraw from kc AI, His aspiration
to become a college professor dissolves, and he steps away
(25:40):
from formal education altogether before he transitions into a more
fragmented and unpredictable phase of his life. At nineteen, Robert
(26:24):
Bridella's involvement with drugs catches up with him. Once sweltering
Kansas City evening, he's arrested for attempting to sell methamphetamine
to an undercover officer. After posting at three thousand dollars
bond the equivalent to roughly twenty seven two hundred dollars today,
(26:45):
Bardella is released to await his sentencing. When the time comes,
he pleads guilty in is handed a five year suspended sentence,
a second chance that allows him to avoid jail but
leaves a permanent mark on his record. Only a month later,
another misstep lands Burdella back into custody. This time, he
(27:08):
and two other students are called with marijuana LSD in
Johnson County. Unable to postpond, Burdella spends five days in
jail and experience that briefly disrupts his life in Kansas City.
The charges against them and one of the other students
are ultimately dropped due to a lack of evidence. Following
(27:47):
his withdrawal from college, Burdella chooses to remain in Kansas
City and carves out a new life for himself. In
September nineteen sixty nine, he moves into a modest home
at forty three fifteen teen Charlotte Street, located in the
Hyde Park district. By this time, Bardella has been openly
(28:07):
gay for several years, setting him apart in a society
still grappling with the acceptance of LGBTQ plus identities. At
his new home, Burdella begins to spend much of his
time with individuals living on the fringes of society, mal prostitutes,
drug addicts, petty criminals, and runaways. Often portraying himself as
(28:31):
a mentor or a caretaker. Burdella claims to help these
young men escape their destructive lifestyles. To his neighbors, he
describes his efforts with pride, comparing himself to a foster
parent providing shelter and guidance. Of course, this is far
from the truth. Throughout the nineteen seventies, Bordella maintains that
(28:59):
his relationship with the individuals he takes in are primarily altruistic,
aimed at steering them away from crime and addiction. He
loans the money, offers them a temporary home, and provides
what he describes as mentorship. Yet as the years go by,
(29:20):
cracks begin to form in this carefully constructed narrative. Brdella's
frustration grows as many of the young men he tries
to help fail to make lasting changes, continuing down paths
of self destruction. His reliance on these individuals from companionship
(29:40):
becomes increasingly apparent, and his relationships often blur the boundaries
of support and control. By the early nineteen eighties, Whordella's
social circle has shifted. Many of his older acquaintances have
drifted away, leaving him more isolate. In their absence, he
(30:03):
turns to the young men who passed through his home,
forming relationships that are both transactional and exploitative. Bordella later
admits to engaging in sexual relationships with some of these men,
leveraging financial support the free lodging to establish a degree
of dominance over them, But once appeared as mentorship, reveals
(30:28):
itself as something far more complex and troubling. By the
(30:52):
nineteen seventies, Ordella cultivates a reputation in his Hyde Park
neighborhood that is as complex as the man himself. To
his neighbors, he comes across as flamboyant yet civic minded,
often stepping forward to help with community initiatives despite the
unkempt state of his property. In his somewhat haughty demeanor,
(31:18):
Bardella becomes actively involved with the South Hyde Park Crime
Prevention and Neighborhood Association, eventually rising to the position of
chairmen in the early nineteen eighties. In this role, he
encourages neighborhood watch patrols and works to foster a sense
of safety and unity within the community, or so the
(31:39):
tagline goes. His civic engagement extends beyond the boundaries of
Hyde Park. Bardella volunteers at fundraising events for a local
public television station, dedicating his time and energy causes that
bolster his public image, sadly reminiscent of his college career.
(32:01):
But the mid nineteen eighties he begins to withdraw from
many of these activities, stepping down from his leadership role
in the neighborhood Association and ceasing his volunteer work entirely.
Speaker 2 (32:14):
But why.
Speaker 1 (32:18):
Shortly before moving into his home on Charlotte Street, Ordella
begins working as a short order cook in various Kansas
City restaurants. Initially, the job serves as a practical purpose,
helping him pay off lawyer fees and fine stemming from
earlier drug arrests. Over time, and quite surprisingly, Ordella's culinary
(32:42):
talents shine. By the mid nineteen seventies, he secures positions
as a senior cook at several well regarded restaurants in
the city. His dedication earns him a place in a
local chef's association, and he plays a key role in
his establishing a training program for aspiring chefs at a
(33:03):
community college. You can see a pattern forming once again. Simultaneously,
Brdella channels his passion for art and antiques and to
a side business. Through contacts established in Africa, Asia, South America,
and Pacific rim countries, he begins selling and trading items
(33:23):
from his personal collection. He initially operates this venture out
of his home, balancing it with his culinary career. By
nineteen eighty, Bordella secures several national and international contracts, allowing
him to transition full into the antiques trade and retire
from professional cooking. In nineteen eighty two, Bordella expands his
(33:47):
antiques business by renting a booth at the Westport Flea Market.
He names the store of Bob's Bizarre Bizarre, a title
that reflects his eclectic taste and the unusual items he curates.
There's primitive art, jewelry, and antiques, and they lined the
shelves of his booth, attracting a mix of curious shoppers
(34:08):
and serious collectors. And for those into something a little
more exotic, skulls, bones, teeth and hair most not real. Luckily,
or so he says. While the business occasionally generates profit,
more often than not it struggles to cover Burdella's expenses.
(34:33):
To fill the gap, it begins scavenging or stealing items
to sell out the flea market and taking in more
lodgers at his Charlotte Street home to earn even more money.
At the flea market, Burdella meets a man named Paul Howell,
a fellow merchant whose booth is adjacent to his own.
(34:53):
Their casual acquaintance leads Burdella to meet Paul's teenage son, Jerry. Initially,
Jerry and his friend's mock Burdella or his overt homosexuality,
teasing him during their interactions. However, Bardella recalls that over time,
Jerry begins to confide in him, revealing that he and
(35:13):
his friends occasionally work as male prostitutes. By the early
nineteen eighties, Paul relocates his business to a storefront near
thirty ninth in Main Street, where the Howe family lives
in an apartment above the shop. Burdella continues to maintain
a casual friendship with the family, occasionally offering Jerry advice
(35:35):
or help whenever he finds himself in trouble. By the
summer of nineteen eighty four, Jerry Howell has turned nineteen.
In his connection to Burdella had just toward a grim
and faithful intersection. The basement smells like old rod, damp, concrete, sweat,
(36:29):
something sharp underneath. Ordella kneels by Jerry Howell, who's gone
slack tied to the stained mattress, his chest barely moves.
Bordella presses his fingers against his neck. There's no pulse.
He curses under his breath, grabs a glass of water,
(36:52):
splashes it on Jerry's face.
Speaker 2 (36:54):
Nothing.
Speaker 1 (36:56):
He slaps him once, twice harder, Still nothing. A panic
breath rattles out of him. He fumbles a first aid kit,
open bandages spilling out across the floor. He tries chest compressions,
too fast, too shallow. It's no use. Burdella slumps back,
(37:19):
hands on his knees, staring. His breath slows. The panic
drains out, leaving something colder behind. Night settles in the
(37:45):
basement's quiet except for the buzz of a bare light
bulb overhead. Bardella works with a strange calm. Now plastic
tarps laid out, boning knife hands, saw chainsaw lined up
beside him. He lifts Jerry's arms, making clean cuts inside
(38:07):
the yelbow and nearly a perfect slice around the juggler.
He sets buckets nearby to catch the blood as he
lets Jerry's body drain overnight. It's a process. It's not rushed.
(38:37):
It's nothing emotional. It's just steady, methodical. Burdella wipes his forehead,
eyes the clock on the wall. He knows there's still
plenty of time before the garbage truck comes tomorrow morning.
By midnight, the body is drained by really morning more.
(39:02):
Cutting The chainsaw roars only in short burst. Most of
the work he does with the knife, flesh, bone. It
all takes time. He wraps each piece in the newspaper,
taping it tight, sliding the bundles into black trash bags,
(39:28):
and he piles them up by the back door, waiting
to have someone else take them away. The sky starts
(40:09):
to pale as Bordella hauls the trash bags outside.
Speaker 2 (40:13):
He stacks them.
Speaker 1 (40:14):
Neatly at the curb, lined up like any other pile
of garbage. The garbage truck rumbles closer. Here's grinding, metal, clanking.
Burdella stands back, arms folded tight, watching his throats dry.
The trashmen jumped down, grabbing the bags and tossing them
(40:37):
into the compactor, but then one pauses, his hand resting
on one of the bag. He feels like the weight
might be a little too heavy and the shape is
a little too firm. For a split second, Bardella's heart stops,
(41:02):
but the trash man just shrugs, pulls the bag up,
and heaves it in the compactor, groans, crushing everything inside.
As Burdella stays on the porch, watching the truck as
it rumbles down the street until it's out of sight.
(41:46):
The knock at the door comes on a quiet April
evening in nineteen eighty five, Bardella opens it to find
Robert Sheldon standing on his porch with a weary expression
stretched across his face. Sheldon, a former lodger, asks if
he can stay for a short time. Bardella hesitates, but
(42:09):
ultimately agrees, his mind already weighing the inconvenience against the
familiar company of the young man. For two days, Sheldon
occupies his space in Burdella's home, paying his rent responsibly,
but disrupting the carefully controlled solitude Verdella has built. On
(42:33):
April twelfth, Ardella returns home from work to find Sheldon intoxicated.
It's in this moment that something shifts in Burdella's demeanor,
a quiet, simmering frustration that finds its outlet in the
presence of this unassuming guest. Over the next three days,
(42:53):
Sheldon becomes the focus of Burdella's dark, intrusive impulses. The
room becomes there's a chamber of calculated cruelty, each act
and expression of the anger and frustration Burdella claims to
harbor towards others. Drain cleaner is swabbed in the Sheldon's
left eye. Needles are inserted beneath his fingertips, and piano
(43:19):
wire binds his wrist, its tension designed to permanently damage
the nerves in his hands. Calking is pressed into his ears,
muting the world around him and isolating him further and
his suffering. Ostensibly, Bardella does some of these awful things
(43:43):
not just because he would rather see these men dead,
but also because well, he's simply curious. On April fifteenth,
(44:26):
the sound of footsteps under roof interrupts Bridella's grim routine.
A workman has arrived to perform scheduled repairs, his presence
and unwelcome intrusion. Bridella acts swiftly, placing a sack over
Sheldon's head and tightening it with a piece of rope
until the young man struggles cease. The house falls silent
(44:51):
once more, and later Bardella will go on to dissect
Sheldon's body in the third floor bathroom. The storm rages outside,
(45:22):
it's thunder echoing through the night as Mark Wallace seeks
shelter and Verdella's toolshed. There aren't too many other places
for him to go. It's June nineteen eighty five. In Wallace,
a casual acquaintance who has helped Burdella with yardwork in
the past, is desperate for refuge. Bardella finds him there,
(45:45):
drenched from head to toe in tents. Burdella invites him inside,
and Wallace accepts, noting us his visible anxiety and depression.
Brudella offers him an injection of chloropromazine, explaining that it
(46:08):
will help him relax somewhat beside himself. Wallace agrees, assuming
his cohort is acting in good faith. Within thirty minutes,
everything around Wallace blurs until there isn't anything at all.
(46:32):
Ordella decides to render Wallace captive, carrying him to the
second floor bedroom, where the horrific cycle begins again. Wallace's
(46:59):
captivity is brief but harrowing. Or Della experiments with electrical
shocks using alligator clips. The jolt Wallace awake back to
consciousness whenever the pain causes him to begin to drift.
He sometimes attaches to clips to Rawless's gentle tools as punishment,
(47:21):
and again, if he passes him out, he shocks him
back Tolive hypodermic needles pierce the muscles of his back.
Some insertions are an act of calculated control. Whereas others
or just for fun. Each insertion is about control. It's
(47:49):
all about control, always has been. The hour stretch on
as Rallis sits in the room, suffering. By seven pm
on June twenty third, Whillas it comes to a combination
of drugs, oxygen deprivation, and the gag that silences its
(48:10):
final breaths. Burdella notes the time of death with clinical detachment.
To Burdella, Wallas isn't a person but another sadistic box
to check. It's late September nineteen eighty five when Burdella
(48:48):
receives a phone call from a man named James Ferris,
another acquaintance, seeking a place to stay for a short time.
It's an awe too formiliar plea Burdella agrees it arranges
to meet Ferris at a bar that evening. What Ferris
doesn't know is that Burdella has already decided that this
(49:08):
will be more than just an act of hospitality. The
evening begins with casual conversation and drinks, but when Ferris
enters Burdella's home, the atmosphere shifts. The entire vibe is off.
Under the guise of a welcoming meal, Bardella administers crushed tranquilizers,
(49:30):
masking his intentions beneath a calm exterior, Ferris begins to
feel the effects of his surroundings. Blur. See He's well
practiced now, and he knows more ways of drugging his
victims than pills and injections. There's really nothing he can't
poison you with. Ferris begins to feel the effects of
(49:54):
his surroundings blur, and Burdella takes control, securing him to
the with that familiar precision and efficiency. Each scenario has
its unique flare, but Verdella's acts are largely formulaic. The
following hours consist of nearly unspeakable things. Verdella experiments, pushing
(50:21):
the boundaries of control and infliction, leaving Ferris delirious. As
time stretches on, Verdella's meticulous logs capture each moment until
Ferris grows weak. As the hours pass, the room grows heavy,
and Verdella marks the last entry in his notes using
(50:41):
a term that echoes his culinary past. Eighty six June
(51:07):
nineteen eighty six brings an unexpected encounter at the Liberty
Memorial Park, where Burdella spots Todd stoops a young man
with whom he's cross paths before Stoops, a struggling individual
seeking financial aid, accepts Burdella's invitation for lunch, a gesture
laced with underlying motives. The two share a meal, but
(51:32):
Stoope's visit stretches far beyond an innocent exchange at Burdella's home.
Stoope's captivity spans weeks during which Burdella's methods evolve from
(51:53):
electrical shocks designed to blind two chemical injections aimed at silencing.
Each action reflects It's a disturbing combination of control and experimentation,
a complete disregard for the other human being. In fact,
Stoop quickly becomes a guinea pig for one of Burdella's
(52:13):
latest flavors of a home brewed tranquilizer. But that's not
the worst of it. Days blur together in Burdella's second
floor bedroom. It's always dark there, heavy curtains shut, tight
windows sealed, trapping heat and stale air. As the torture continues,
(52:38):
Stoops lies on the mattress, wrist and ankles, bound, skin
rubbed raw from fighting the ropes. His breathing is shallow
and irregular, sometimes and seems like he's not breathing at all.
His eyes are wide and bloodshot swollen. Burdella enters quietly,
(53:01):
gloves snap tight, no expression to be found on his face.
Stoops tries to speak, but nothing more than a horse
whisper escapes, clearly a result of the chemicals Burdella's been
feeding him, injecting into him. They're burning his throat raw,
they're silencing his screams. Bardella walks up to him and
(53:27):
calmly arranges the wires, clamps various equipment he's prepared. As
Stoop starts to panic, Della leans in close, pausing to
meet Stoop's terrified gaze, right before gently pressing the metal
clamps against Stoupe's eyelids. There's a humming buzz, a sharp
(53:50):
snap of electricity. Than Stoop's body shudders violently, his muscles rigid,
his teeth clenched. His scream is barely audible, just a
strain means full rasp. It's as though his lips won't move,
and his words become oppressed by silence. After a couple
of weeks, stoop Sell's little fight left. He's feverish, he's weakened,
(54:15):
his breathing is labored even more irregular. He barely reacts
as Burdella checks on him, noting the signs of infection
spreading rapidly. By the next morning, it's over as before.
Burdella's max moves are precise, the devoid of hesitation. In
(54:43):
the dead quiet at the night, he dismember Stoop's lifeless body,
wrapping the pieces in thick newspaper bundles, selling them all
carefully inside of black plastic trash bags, and just like before,
he lines them up neatly by the curb aut on,
just like any other trash heap, waiting for pickup h h.
(55:59):
In the spring of nighteen eighty seven, Larry Pearson steps
into Bob's bizarre bizarre and pursues a conversation with Burdella
about witchcraft and childhood interest, and this sparks a casual friendship.
Pearson begins staying with Burdella. He pays rent by doing chores,
and for a time their dynamic remains unassuming, but an
(56:22):
offhand comment during a car ride one Pearson delivers as
a joke planks an evil seed in Verdella's mind. The
house on Charlotte Street remains silent. The curtains are perpetually drawn,
concealing every room in darkness. Larry Pearson, once a visitor,
(56:46):
is now a captive, and he lies restrained in the
upstairs bedroom. Bardella enters the room, his demeanor calm, almost clinical.
He approaches Pearson, who flinches at his mere presence. Bridella
speaks in a measured tone.
Speaker 3 (57:07):
You've been cooperative to Larry.
Speaker 4 (57:09):
That's good.
Speaker 1 (57:12):
Burdella ad just the restraints, ensuring that they're still secure,
and then leaves without saying another word. Days past, the
routine is unchanged. Pearson endures, hoping for a moment of relief,
a chance to breathe or maybe even escape. So he complies,
(57:34):
and he endures the torment, and he waits. One evening,
during a moment of force intimacy, Pearson seizes an opportunity.
Summoning his remaining strength, he bites down hard, causing Burdella
to recoil in pain. Enraged, Bridellas swatchs his hand through
the darkness and grabs a nearby object, striking Pearson with force,
(57:59):
and the room falls island once more. Later, Bardella descends
into the basement the same methodic behavior. He prepares his
actions completely devoid of any emotion, any personal attachment. Pearson's
(58:22):
body is dismembered with precision, each piece wrapped carefully. At
this time, the head is placed in a plastic bag
and stored in a freezer under the cloak of darkness.
Bardella buries the head in the backyard. The rest of
(58:45):
the remains are placed in trash bags and set out
for collection. The garbage truck arrives the next morning. In
its arms lift the bags, and its mechanical jaws crush them,
swallowing them whole. Their content's now completely indistinguishable from the
(59:06):
entire city's trash.
Speaker 4 (59:47):
You did not choose to be here who you are,
for you to survive being here, and for you too,
you know, make it. It could either rough, or it
could be.
Speaker 3 (01:00:01):
Easy if I grow to like you and to trust you,
and I could do special things for you, such as
value cigarettes, pick up a movie on the way home
from work, and so forth. Don't try to fight me,
(01:00:22):
or you'll just get more of what you had earlier.
See what you got is nothing compared to what you
have it.
Speaker 1 (01:00:36):
The clock strikes one am on March twenty ninth, nineteen
eighty eight. As Christopher Bryson steps into Robert Burdella's home again,
there's the promise of payment for his services, and it
lingers in the air, unspoken, elaborate, but understood. Bryson's demeanor
(01:00:57):
is calm. I don't where the danger that awaits him.
Moments later, an iron bar strikes Bryson, rendering him unconscious.
When he awakes, he finds himself bound to a bed,
the restraints tight and unyielding. The room is dim, the
(01:01:18):
air is heavy, and there's a faint chemical scent. Burdella's
voice cuts through the silence, calm yet chilling.
Speaker 3 (01:01:30):
The only things you need to think about are you me?
Speaker 4 (01:01:35):
In this house?
Speaker 1 (01:01:38):
Ammonia burns Bryson's eyes, the sharp sting, blinding and disorienting him.
Bardella warns him of the fate that has befallen others
who made mistakes. It's imperative that he follows Burdella's every command.
(01:02:01):
By the third day, Bryson begins to earn Burdella's trust.
He convinces his captor to tie his hands in front
of him rather than above his head, citing circulation issues.
He also persuades Burdella to leave a television on in
the room, with the remote control placed within reach. These
(01:02:22):
small victories become lifelines, each one a step closer to freedom,
or at least Bryson hopes so. Escape is the only
thing Bryson can think about, and he'll do about anything
to achieve it.
Speaker 2 (01:02:41):
Anything.
Speaker 1 (01:03:07):
He studies his surroundings, searching for any opening that opportunity
comes along. When Burdella ineverently leaves a book of matches
within Bryson's reach alone in the house, Bryson works quickly,
using the matches to burn through his restraints. The ropes
give way and he moves quickly, his heart pounding as
he navigates the unfamiliar space. Wearing nothing but a dog collar,
(01:03:34):
Bryson leaps from a second story window. The impact sends
pain shooting through his foot, but he doesn't stop. He
runs toward a meter maid on the street, his voice
hoarse as he shouts for help. Alarmed by his cause
for help, the meter maid rushes over to Bryson. It
helps guide him to a nearby house, where they call
(01:03:56):
the police. Less than an hour later, the officers arrive.
Bryson's trembling and injured as he recounts the entire ordeal.
Although his words are hesitant, they're vivid, and they paint
a picture of captivity, a picture of torture, and a
(01:04:18):
picture of survival. The officers note the scars and welts
all over his body, the redness of his swollen eyes,
and the broken foot that bears testament to his desperate escape.
What the hell is going on about? Burdella's place sits
(01:05:00):
within the confines of the Kansas City Police Department, his
voice strained as he recounts the horrors that he's endured
at the Burdella residence. He describes the polaroid images as
captor had shown him, images of men who appeared lifeless.
Their face is frozen in expressions of pure pain, an
(01:05:20):
image of decapitated and partially frozen head. Burdella's words echo
in Bryson's memory, a chilling promise that he would never
leave the house alive unless he complied to everything. Meanwhile,
officers prepare to act. On the afternoon of Bryson's escape.
(01:05:44):
Robert Burdella is arrested on charges related to the assault
and captivity of Bryson, and when officers arrive at his home,
Bardella refuses them entry It's demeanor, calm but clearly uninviting
the search war and is quickly drafted, granting investigators access
to the property at forty three point fifteen Charlotte Street,
(01:06:07):
whether Burdella likes it or not, but no one is
prepared for what they're about to find there. The house
(01:06:41):
is an eerie sort of quiet as investigators step inside,
their footsteps echoing against the walls. Everything within the second
floor bedroom is exactly as Bryson described, burnt ropes hanging
from the post at the foot of the bed, and
electrical train sits plugged into the wall, its wires trailing
(01:07:03):
toward the bed. Nearby, a metal tray holds syringes, small
bottles of prescription drugs, swabs, and eye drops, all the
tools Bryson said Bredella used for control and manipulation. As
the search continues, the discoveries grow darker. In a closet
(01:07:27):
also on the second floor, a human skull rests in
the darkness. The madness doesn't end inside the house itself.
In the backyard, it partially decomposed human head lies beneath
the soil, and all over There are relatively fresh mounds
scattered across the backyard. Investigators discover another partially decomposed human
(01:07:52):
head beneath the soil. Other investigators continue to comb through
the rest of the house. It's all more this until
they travel down to the cellar. The basement reveals more
vertebrates scarred by hacksaw and knife marks, human teeth stored
(01:08:12):
in envelopes and had chainsaws stained with blood and flesh.
Luminol tests light up the basement floor and trash barrels,
revealing extensive bloodstains that speak to the violence that unfolded there.
It's all just as Bryson described. Among the most chilling
finds are the polaroid photographs, hundreds of them. The images
(01:08:36):
capture men in very states of life and death, their
faces and bodies bearing the marks of torture, some of
them absolutely destroyed in ways the officers had never seen before.
There's even a photo of a man mid electrocution. Some
photos even show Christopher Bryson is suffering, frozen in time.
(01:09:01):
Others depict unidentified men their fate's unknown. The stenographer's pad
lies atop a chest of drawers, its pages filled with
meticulous logs detailing the torment inflicted on each victim. There's
nothing really that malicious in his words, But on the
opposite end, there's nothing too remorseful or empathetic either, as
(01:09:23):
words are cold and calculated, as though data for any
other medical study. As the search concludes, the Kansas City
(01:09:50):
Police Department assembles a task force to unravel the full
scope of Brudella's crimes. Detectives delve into his history and
covering a reputation among Kansas City male hustlers as a
predator who prayed under vulnerable. Rumors of his involvement in disappearances,
including those of Jerry Howell and James Ferris, resurface, adding
(01:10:14):
weight to the evidence found in his home. Family members
of the missing come forward, identifying their loved ones and polaroids.
James Ferris's wife recognizes her husband in several images, some
of them taken after his death. Paul Howell identifies his
son Jerry in a photograph that shows him hanging upside
down in Verdella's basement. The task force works to identified
(01:10:38):
the other men in the photos, piecing together the fragments
of all the lives that have been lost. Verdella, now
in custody, invokes his right to silence investigators attempt to
gather handwriting samples to match the notes in the stenographer's pad,
but Verdella refuses to cooperate, earning a contempt of court
(01:10:59):
sentence and the process. Despite its resistance, the evidence continues
to mount. Dental records confirmed the identities of Robert Sheldon
and Larry Pearson. The remains found amongst the horrors of
forty three fifteen Charlotte Street. Burdellas destroyed, lives, families remain broken.
(01:11:25):
For Purdella remained stowing. The courtroom is quiet as the
(01:11:53):
grand jury formerly indicts Robert Burdella in July twenty second,
nineteen eighty eight, for the murder of Larry Wayne Pearson.
This is all a culmination of months of investigation and
piles of damning evidence. The following month, Burdellas stands before
Judge Alvin C. Randall in the fourth Circuit of the
(01:12:14):
Jackson County Court. The arrainment proceeds as expected until a
late morning recess shifts the course of events. When the
court reconvenes, Burdella's attorneys announce his decision to plead guilty
to the first degree murder Larry Pearson. His declaration catches
both the judge and the prosecution team off guard. Assistant
(01:12:37):
Prosecutor Pat Hall later explains the decision to accept the
plea as being in the best interest of our client
the people of the state of Missouri. Judge Randall, however,
insists on hearing Burdella's confession under oath. The entire room
holds its breath as Burdella, his voice completely of emotion,
(01:13:01):
as is his trademark, recounts.
Speaker 2 (01:13:03):
The act.
Speaker 3 (01:13:06):
I put a plastic bag over his head and tied
it with rope and allow can to suffocate.
Speaker 1 (01:13:13):
When asked if he acted deliberately and with malice a forethought,
Verdella responds with a single word yes. The sentence is
life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. Bridella is transferred
to the Missouri State Penitentiary to begin his sentence, though
concerns for his safety later lead to his temporary placement
(01:13:36):
and protective custody at the Potosi Correctional Center. On August
twenty fourth, nineteen eighty eight, Bridella returns to court, this
time to face charges related to the sault and captivity
of Christopher Bryson. In a plea bargain, Bridella pleads guilty
to one charge of forcible soomy, earning another life term
(01:13:57):
without parole. Additional charges aside a mean a saw are
dropped as part of the agreement, though Bridella also receives
a seven year sentence for felonious restraint. As summer turns
to fall, Bridella initially pleads not guilty to the remaining
five murder charges, but by December, his defense attorneys negotiated
(01:14:18):
plea bargain to spare him the death penalty. In exchange
for his life, Bridella agrees to confess in graphic detail
to all of the murders, the indignities inflicted on his
victims in the nasty way he's so casually disposed of
their remains. Between December thirteenth and fifteenth, nineteen eighty eight,
(01:14:39):
Bridella sits with prosecutors recounting the horrors he orchestrated. His
confessions are meticulous, each detail a hint at the grim
riddle investigators work tirelessly dissolved. The agreement ensures that Burdella
will avoid the death penalty, but it's still cementsus as
(01:15:00):
one of Missouri's most infamous criminals. On December nineteenth, nineteen
(01:15:51):
eighty eight, Ordella formally waives his right to trial for
the remaining charges. In a closed hearing before Judge Robert Myers,
he pleads guilty to one count on a first degree
murder in four counts of second degree murder. There are
no public spectators inside of the courtroom, with only the
victims' families and select reporters permitted to witness the proceedings.
(01:16:13):
Judge Myers imposes five concurrent life sentences, ensuring that Burdella
would never ever again walk free. The additional condition barring
parole for the first degree murder charge steals his fate.
In a dim room between December thirteenth and fifteenth, nineteen
(01:16:34):
eighty eight, Burdella sits across from prosecutors, this demeanor calm
yet detached. Over the course of three days, Burdella recounts
the details of his crimes with absolute precision, chilling his words,
painting a grim portrait of controlling cruelty. He also spends
(01:16:56):
a good deal of time speaking of the collector, the
film that left an indelible mark on his psyche. The
story of possession and captivity resurfaced in his mind after
his first murder becoming a psychological force that shaped his actions.
These were not people that.
Speaker 4 (01:17:13):
I thought of.
Speaker 3 (01:17:16):
Once I had them bound, he was.
Speaker 1 (01:17:18):
Using them for Della states they became something other than
people to me. The shorthand entries and his torture logs
are decoded, revealing the methods behind the madness. For instance,
DC refers to the use of drain cleaner on his
victim's eyes or vocal cords. Other entries detailed the anatomical
(01:17:41):
locations of his experiments. All his actions are so calculated
an ice cold Fordella's confessions extend to the disposal of
his victims. They're dismembered, remains, stowed in trash bags, and
taken to unknown landfill sites. Not all of the bodies
(01:18:02):
are fully recovered. Following his convictions, Verdella begins his life
sentence at the Missouri State Penitentiary. From behind bars, he
attempts to reshape his image, granting interviews and corresponding with
the individuals who seek to understand the man behind the crimes.
He portrays himself as a misunderstood figure, claiming that he
(01:18:24):
has been unfairly demonized by the media and failed by
the law enforcement's inability to stop him sooner. How's that
for an excuse. Despite his efforts, Verdella's complaints about prison
conditions and his health fall on death fears. He writes
letters to a local minister alleging that his prescribed heart
(01:18:44):
medication is being withheld from him, as attempts to garner
sympathy or meb of pure skepticism, as dark past overshadowing
whatever he considers his present. On October eighth, nineteen ninety two,
(01:19:22):
Bardella complains of severe chest pains. He's taken from his
cell to the prison infirmary, where medical staff determine his
heart is unstable. An ambulance rushes him to the hospital
in Columbia, Missouri. About a three fifty five pm, Robert
Burdella is pronounced dead from a heart attack at forty
three years old. News of his death spreads quickly. Judge
(01:19:45):
Alvin Randall, who presided over Burdella's trial, responds with sarcasm
as he says it kind of ha happened to a
nicer guy. The public reaction is similar. It's unsympathetic. The
memory of Burdella's crime fresh to allow anything that resembles mourning.
In the months following Burdella's conviction, his possessions were auctioned
(01:20:09):
off to cover his mounting legal fees. The auctions attract
national attention, with bids pouring in from across the country.
By the end of the first day, over sixty thousand
dollars is raised, all out of a morbid curiosity surrounding
the case. In December nineteen eighty eight, Bridella's house at
(01:20:29):
forty three point fifteen Charlotte Street is sold to a
local businessman. The property, a sight of unimaginable horrors, is
later demolished, erasing the physical remnants of Burdella's crimes, Yet
the legacy of his actions still lingers, a dark chapter
(01:20:49):
in the history of Kansas City. Thank you so much
(01:21:39):
for checking out the latest episode, The Kansas City Butcher
from Less Taken Season four. We hope you enjoyed this
episode and please let us know what you think by
leaving a fair rating and review wherever you're listening. You
can also leave reviews at our website, let's takipod dot com,
where you can find everything lest Taken and also pick
(01:22:02):
up some of our new merch If you like this episode,
stick around in the next couple of weeks for the
roads Let's Taken episode covering a few additional details, and
we'll also take a wild road trip to our next destination.
Also coming up will be another seven minute Less Taken
that we're going to call benders in. Until then, be
(01:22:25):
sure to follow us before we follow you on Facebook, Instagram,
and threads under the handle at less Taken Pod. A
quick note on our storytelling. While we do our best
to stick to the facts, we sometimes take creative liberties
to maintain narrative cohesiveness. I'm seem Humphries and this is
Less Taken real life horror stories from the Midwest. Once again,
(01:22:50):
thanks for listening.
Speaker 2 (01:23:00):
No time
Speaker 3 (01:23:02):
Check
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