On April 7th, 1919, a violent explosion ripped through the U.S. Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth — a blast so powerful it shattered windows a mile away and left dozens of soldiers dead.
The government called it an accident.
The prisoners called it revenge.
And more than a century later, guards still whisper that something beneath those walls remembers.

In this Halloween finale, Becca unearths the haunting true story of The Blast Inside the Walls — a mix of fact, fire, and the ghosts of justice gone wrong.

This episode of Deadly Truths contains historical accounts of death, military justice, and violence. Listener discretion is advised.
All sources are cited and verified through official records and archival materials.
While the haunting elements are dramatized for storytelling, the historical foundation remains factual.📚 Resources & References:

• The Leavenworth Times (1919–1921 incident reports)

• Army Signal Corps Archives

• U.S. Disciplinary Barracks Fire Investigation Records (1919)

• Fort Leavenworth Military Historical Society

🔗 Connect & Support:

Follow, rate, and share Deadly Truths on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube — it helps keep these forgotten histories alive.
🎥 Watch the video versions and short visual stories on TikTok and YouTube under Only Deadly Truths with Becca.
🩶 New bonus season out now: Morally Bankrupt — the true stories of America’s 1930s bank robbers, from Dillinger to Bonnie & Clyde.

He robbed banks when the banks were robbing everyone else.
He burned mortgage records so families could keep their homes.
And when the FBI called him Public Enemy Number One, Oklahoma called him a hero.

In this episode of Deadly Truths, we uncover the rise and fall of Pretty Boy Floyd — from barefoot farm boy to Depression-era legend — and how the government’s war on crime turned a desperate man into an American myth.

Was he a cold-blooded killer… or the outlaw America needed most?

Some will rob you with a six-gun, and some with a fountain pen.
— Woody Guthrie

Share, Follow, and Like!

She wasn’t a mastermind. She was a mother — and Hoover needed a monster.

Before she was a headline, she was just a woman standing in a kitchen in the Ozarks — a pot boiling, four boys yelling, and a husband running out of patience.
Arizona Donnie Clark Barker — “Ma” — wasn’t born a monster. She was born poor, in a world that punished women for being anything but quiet.

When the FBI raided her Florida hideout in 1935, they claimed she was the criminal mastermind behind one of America’s most dangerous gangs — a gray-haired matriarch orchestrating kidnappings and murders while knitting in the corner.

But what if that was never true?
What if J. Edgar Hoover needed a story more than he needed the truth?

In this episode of Deadly Truths: Morally Bankrupt, Becca pulls back the curtain on the real Ma Barker — tracing her path from poverty in the Ozarks to the myth that made her a national villain. Using declassified FBI files, firsthand accounts, and Alvin Karpis’s own words, this story explores how one mother’s loyalty became a weapon — and how the government turned grief into propaganda.

🔎 Featuring:
– The Barker-Karpis Gang and the Edward Bremer kidnapping
– Hoover’s PR war and the creation of America’s first “gangster mother”
– Newly declassified records that reveal the truth behind the bullets at Ocklawaha

Was Ma Barker the most dangerous woman in America — or just the most convenient scapegoat?

Listen now to uncover the mother of all lies.

Written, narrated, and produced by Becca
Research sources include FBI declassified case files, On the Rock by Alvin Karpis, and contemporary press archives from The St. Paul Pioneer Press and The New York Times.

🎧 Follow, rate, and share on Spotify, YouTube, and Apple Podcasts — it helps keep these forgotten histories alive.

He wasn’t just another outlaw — he was a storm with a gun.
Lester Gillis, better known as Baby Face Nelson, wasn’t driven by fame like Dillinger or fantasy like Bonnie and Clyde. He was driven by rage.

In this episode of Deadly Truths: Morally Bankrupt, we unravel the violent rise and fall of America’s most unpredictable Public Enemy — from his days under Al Capone to the bloody shootout in Barrington that left federal agents dead and the country shaken.

Nelson wanted respect. What he got was infamy.
And in the end, even his trigger couldn’t save him.

📚 Research sources include FBI archives, Chicago Tribune (1934), Bureau of Investigation case files, and eyewitness accounts from Barrington, Illinois.

⚠️ Content Warning:
This episode contains discussions of violence, death, and historical crime. Listener discretion is advised.

• FBI Historical Records: Public Enemies, 1933–1935

• Chicago Tribune Archives, November 1934

• Bureau of Investigation Case Files (Barrington Shootout)

• “Baby Face Nelson: The End of the Public Enemies Era,” History.com

• Federal Bureau of Investigation, Official Public Enemy List (1934)

You’ve been listening to Deadly Truths: Morally Bankrupt — where America’s myths meet its crimes.
If you found this story compelling, follow, rate, and share on Spotify, YouTube, and Apple Podcasts — it helps keep these forgotten histories alive.

They were young, reckless, and deadly — and America couldn’t look away.

In this episode of Deadly Truths: Morally Bankrupt, Becca unravels the myth of Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow, the outlaw lovers who turned bloodshed into legend. From dusty backroads and stolen Fords to the FBI ambush that ended their story, this is the truth behind the glamour — the grief, the bodies, and the lies we told ourselves to make it all sound romantic.

Discover how newspapers turned criminals into celebrities, how Hollywood kept the fantasy alive, and why our obsession with outlaw love stories still won’t die.

⚠️ Content Disclaimer: This episode includes discussions of violence, historical crime, and death. Listener discretion advised.

📚 Sources include FBI archives, Dallas Morning News reports (1934), and firsthand accounts from the Barrow and Parker families.

🔗 Follow & Share
Listen to more on Spotify, YouTube, and Apple Podcasts — and leave a review to help keep these forgotten histories alive.

#BonnieAndClyde #TrueCrime #DeadlyTruths #OutlawMyth #MorallyBankrupt

He was the man who made America fall in love with crime.
John Dillinger didn’t just rob banks — he robbed the line between fame and infamy.

In this episode, Deadly Truths unravels how a restless boy from Indianapolis became the “Gentleman Bandit,” how the media built his legend, and how J. Edgar Hoover used his death to build the FBI’s empire.

From the charm to the bloodshed, from the wooden gun to the Biograph alley — this is the story of the outlaw who taught America that fame can outlive morality.

⚠️ Content Disclaimer:

This episode contains discussions of violence, death, and historical crime. Listener discretion is advised.

Written and narrated by Rebecca Clark
Research sources include FBI archives, Chicago Tribune reports (1934), and contemporary accounts from Life Magazine and the Indianapolis Star.

🔗 Follow & Share

If you found this story compelling, follow Deadly Truths on Spotify, YouTube, and Apple Podcasts — and leave a rating or review to help keep these forgotten histories alive.

Share this episode with someone who loves true crime, history, or the darker side of American legend.

It was tradition at the Leavenworth Penitentiary: before a man walked to the gallows, he was offered one last drink. Some refused. Some asked for whiskey. Others stayed silent.
But behind that ritual lay a darker story — one about the guards who built the scaffolds, the warden who signed the orders, and the soldiers who watched death become routine.

In this episode of Deadly Truths, Becca uncovers the hidden history of execution at Leavenworth — the hangmen, the condemned, and the uneasy morality that lingered long after the trapdoor fell. From the 1920s Prohibition era to the final military hangings, this is the story of America’s most haunted prison ritual: the last call before judgment.

Follow, rate, and share Deadly Truths on Spotify, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music for more true stories where history, horror, and humanity collide.

🔜 Coming Soon:

Season Two continues through October with Leavenworth: Halloween in the Big House — exploring the darkest corners of America’s most infamous military prison.

Then in November, tune in for a special bonus season, “Morally Bankrupt: The 1930s Bank Robbers,” reexamining the myths and the gruesome truths behind Dillinger, Bonnie & Clyde, and the cult of outlaw fame.

And this winter, Season Three: Kentucky Bloodlines begins — a deep dive into unsolved murders, historical crimes, and haunted legacies from the Bluegrass State.

⚖️ Disclaimer:

Deadly Truths is written and produced for educational and documentary purposes. All accounts are drawn from verified historical and legal sources. Sensitive content, including violence and execution, is presented with respect for victims and accuracy of record.

📚 Sources & References:

• National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) – Leavenworth Penitentiary Files

• U.S. Army Historical Division – Execution Orders and Records, Fort Leavenworth

• Leavenworth Times Historical Editions (1923–1949)

• Bureau of Prisons Historical Reports

• Kansas Historical Society Archives

• Library of Congress: Federal Prison System Records

They called them Public Enemies — men who robbed banks by day and captured headlines by night.
But by the end of the 1930s, their hideouts had been replaced with cellblocks, and their getaway cars with wooden coffins.

This is The Last Withdrawal — the true story of America’s final outlaw generation and the gallows that waited for them inside the walls of Leavenworth.

The Great Depression gave birth to desperate men who became legends: John Dillinger, Pretty Boy Floyd, Baby Face Nelson, Machine Gun Kelly, and Alvin Karpis. They turned crime into rebellion — robbing banks that had already robbed the people. But when the FBI rose under J. Edgar Hoover, those headlines turned to obituaries.

Inside the stone walls of Leavenworth, the government perfected a quieter form of justice. No mobs, no gunfights — just the creak of the federal gallows. Among those condemned was Anthony Chebatoris, whose 1938 Michigan bank robbery gone wrong led to the only federal execution ever carried out in that state’s history.

Leavenworth became the final stop for the age of the outlaw — the place where rebellion met the rope.

Narrated and written by Becca, this episode of Deadly Truths takes you inside the last years of the Public Enemy era — where greed, fame, and desperation collided with a justice system learning how to kill by the book.

Follow Deadly Truths for new episodes every week — where history, horror, and humanity collide.

🎧 Watch full video episodes on YouTube Podcast
🎙️ Listen anywhere — Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Audible, and TikTok clips
📜 Next episode: The Last Call at Leavenworth — the tragic, smoky close of the Prohibition age, where the last toast ends with the drop of a rope.

This episode contains historical descriptions of crime, execution, and real events. It is intended for mature audiences and educational storytelling.

• Federal Bureau of Investigation Archives (1930s Public Enemy Files)

• Department of Justice – Federal Execution Records, Leavenworth Penitentiary

• Midland Daily News (1938) – “Dentist Fires at Bank Robbers”

• U.S. Marshals Service Historical Files

• Leavenworth Historical Society, The Federal Gallows (1930–1939)

Public Enemies, Leavenworth Prison, Anthony Chebatoris, Bank Robbers, Great Depression, Machine Gun Kelly, John Dillinger, Baby Face Nelson, FBI History, True Crime Podcast, American History, Deadly Truths, Becca Clark, Leavenworth Gallows, Depression Era, 1930s Crime, Prohibition, Execution Stories, Historical Crime, Murder History

He traded his pen for a microphone — and his freedom for a cell.

This is the story of Robert Henry Best, the American journalist who defected to Nazi Germany and became “Mr. Guess Who,” one of Hitler’s English-speaking propagandists.
He believed he was telling the truth. Instead, he became the vice of treason.

Captured by Allied troops in 1945, Best was convicted of twelve counts of treason and sentenced to life in prison at Leavenworth.
His broadcasts were delusional — rants dressed up as patriotism.
He died in federal custody in 1952, alone and forgotten.

Disclaimer

This episode contains historical material involving treason, war propaganda, and mental illness.
It is intended for educational and documentary purposes only.
Listener discretion advised.

Resources & References

• U.S. Department of Justice Archives – United States v. Robert Henry Best (Case File, 1948)

• National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) – Treason Trials Collection: WWII Broadcasters

• Time Magazine – “Treason—None Too Good,” May 1948 Issue

• The New York Times – Coverage of Best’s Capture and Trial, 1946–1948

• Reuters Historical Reports – “American Broadcaster Convicted of Treason”

• Oddly Historical – “Mr. Guess Who: The Strange Story of Robert Henry Best”

• U.S. Army Corrections Command – Federal Prisoners at Leavenworth, 1900–1960

Like • Share • Follow

If this story made you think — or made your skin crawl — share it.
Follow Deadly Truths on:
🎧 Spotify
▶️ YouTube
🎙️ Amazon Music
🍎 Apple Podcasts
🎥 TikTok @OnlyDeadlyTruths

Rate, follow, and share to keep these forgotten histories alive.

On June 25, 1876, Major Marcus Albert Reno led part of the 7th Cavalry into the valley of the Little Bighorn River — and straight into legend.
He survived what became known as Custer’s Last Stand, but instead of glory, he inherited disgrace.

Branded a coward, court-martialed, and forgotten by history, Reno’s story became one of survival turned scandal.
This episode explores the man behind the myth — the officer who lived through America’s most infamous defeat and spent the rest of his life trying to prove he shouldn’t have.

From the chaos of the battle to the courtroom drama at Fort Leavenworth, this is the untold tragedy of the man who lived when Custer died.

📚 Resources & References

• U.S. Army Court of Inquiry Transcripts (1879) – National Archives, Record Group 153: Judge Advocate General’s Office (Army)

• National Park Service – Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument
  https://www.nps.gov/libi/index.htm

• Connell, Evan S. Son of the Morning Star: Custer and the Little Bighorn (North Point Press, 1984)

• Donovan, James. A Terrible Glory: Custer and the Little Bighorn – The Last Great Battle of the American West (Back Bay Books, 2009)

• Utley, Robert M. Cavalier in Buckskin: George Armstrong Custer and the Western Military Frontier (University of Oklahoma Press, 1988)

• Hardorff, Richard G. The Reno Court of Inquiry: The Official Record of Proceedings of a Court of Inquiry in the Case of Major Marcus A. Reno (Stackpole Books, 1996)

• U.S. Army Center of Military History – Fort Leavenworth Historical Files

⚠️ Disclaimer

This episode contains historical material involving violence, battlefield deaths, and post-war trauma.
It is intended for educational and historical purposes only. Listener discretion is advised.

🔗 Like • Share • Follow

If this story made you think — or made your skin crawl — share it.

Follow Deadly Truths on:
🎧 Spotify
📺 YouTube
🎙️ Apple Podcasts
🎵 Amazon Music
🎬 TikTok — @OnlyDeadlyTruths

⭐ Rate, follow, and share to help keep these forgotten histories alive.

On October 27, 1995, Sgt. William J. Kreutzer Jr. opened fire on a brigade formation during morning PT at Fort Bragg. He killed Major Stephen Mark Badger and wounded 18 fellow soldiers. This episode unpacks the events before, during, and after the shooting — from Kreutzer’s mindset to the struggle to subdue him, the trial, and the long legacy of that day.

In this episode you’ll hear about:

• Kreutzer’s history, mental health struggles, and motives

• The sequence of the shooting — hidden in the trees, sniper fire, the assault from staff and Special Forces, and how the gun was wrested from him

• The victims, including Maj. Badger, and the injured soldiers who survived

• Court-martial, sentence reduction, and how this incident influenced military mental health discussions

Resources & References (non-Wikipedia):

• Army News Service, “Judge Sets Sentence for Bragg Shooting Spree” — details of trial and sentence U.S. Army

• U.S. Army Court of Criminal Appeals, U.S. v. Kreutzer (opinion, 2005) — legal findings and appeal background United States Courts - Arm for

• Fayetteville Observer, “20 Years Ago, Chaos at Fort Bragg’s Towle Stadium” — contemporaneous report of the shooting and aftermath Fayetteville Observer

• WRAL / Soldier Pleads Guilty to Bragg Shooting Rampage — plea, motivations, case summary WRAL.com

• Los Angeles Times, “Soldier Gets Life in ’95 Ft. Bragg Attack” — sentencing coverage and victim impact Los Angeles Times

This episode contains graphic descriptions of gun violence, military trauma, mental health struggles, and suicide themes.
It is intended for mature listeners.
If you are a veteran, active service member, or sensitive to these topics — please listen with care or skip if you need to.

If this episode resonated or if you think someone else should hear it:

• Like it

• Share it with friends, family, or communities

• Follow / Subscribe on:
    • TikTok
    • Spotify
    • Amazon Music
    • YouTube
    Or anywhere you listen, I'm on them all!

Thank you for listening, and for keeping these stories alive.

On the night of March 11, 2012, Staff Sergeant Robert Bales left his post in Kandahar and murdered 16 Afghan civilians, including children, in two villages — triggering one of the most brutal massacres by a U.S. soldier in modern history.
In this episode of Deadly Truths, we explore:

• Who Robert Bales was — before, during, and after

• The sequence of events in the villages of Alkozai and Balandi

• Testimonies, investigations, and the military trial that followed

• The moral, psychological, and political fallout — both in Afghanistan and at home

Trigger/Content Warning: This episode contains graphic descriptions, discussions of combat trauma, and suicide.
If you are a veteran or active-duty service member and some of this hits too close, you are not alone — resources and help are available. 🛠️ Resources & Help for Veterans & Service Members

• Veterans Crisis Line — Dial 988 then press 1, or text 838255, or chat online. Military OneSource+3veteranscrisisline.net+3Mental Health VA+3

• VA Mental Health & Suicide Prevention — confidential support, treatment, and information Veterans Affairs+2Mental Health VA+2

• Military OneSource — free support and counseling resources for active-duty, Guard, Reserve, and their families Military OneSource+1

📣 Like, Share & Follow

If this episode resonated with you, here’s how you can help support the show:

• Like this episode

• Share it with friends, family, or communities who might benefit

• Follow / Subscribe on:   • TikTok  • Spotify  • Amazon Music  • YouTube
  or anywhere else you listen :-) I'm on there too!

  Thank you for listening — and thank you for helping more people hear these stories.

📚 Sources & References

• U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command. Case Files: United States v. Staff Sgt. Robert Bales (Joint Base Lewis-McChord, 2012–2013).

• Department of Defense Press Release. Sentencing of Staff Sergeant Robert Bales (U.S. Army Public Affairs, August 23, 2013).

• BBC News. “US soldier Robert Bales gets life for Afghan killings.” BBC News, 23 Aug 2013.
  https://www.bbc.com/news/world-23804370

• Reuters. “US soldier sentenced to life without parole for Afghan massacre.” Reuters, 23 Aug 2013.
  https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-afghanistan-soldier-idUSBRE97M0B320130823

• The New York Times. “U.S. Soldier’s Rampage Kills 16 Afghans, Including 9 Children.” The New York Times, March 11, 2012.
  https://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/12/world/asia/us-soldier-kills-afghan-civilians.html

• The Guardian. “Robert Bales: soldier guilty of Afghan killings spared death penalty.” The Guardian, 23 Aug 2013.
  https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/aug/23/robert-bales-afghanistan-killings-life-sentence

• NPR. “Soldier Who Killed 16 Afghans Apologizes at Sentencing Hearing.” NPR, August 22, 2013.
  https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2013/08/22/214586113/soldier-who-killed-16-afghans-apologizes-at-sentencing-hearing

• Associated Press. “Staff Sgt. Robert Bales’ rampage: What led to Afghan massacre?” AP / Military Times, March 12, 2012.
  https://www.militarytimes.com/2012/03/12/soldier-kills-16-in-afghanistan/

• CNN. “Afghan villagers recount deadly rampage by U.S. soldier.” CNN World, March 13, 2012.
  https://www.cnn.com/2012/03/13/world/asia/afghanistan-shooting-reaction

• Seattle Times. “Who is Robert Bales? Neighbors, soldiers try to understand.” Seattle Times, March 17, 2012.
  https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/who-is-robert-bales-neighbors-soldiers-try-to-understand/

• Army Times. “Bales tells jury he is sorry for killing 16 Afghans.” Army Times, August 21, 2013.
  https://www.armytimes.com/news/2013/08/ap-bales-trial-day-2-082113/

• U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. PTSD and Moral Injury Resources for Veterans and Families.
  https://www.ptsd.va.gov/

Bonus Episode:

Before the Civil War ever began, Kansas was already on fire.
In the 1850s, one man made it his mission to end slavery — not with speeches, but with blood.

This episode dives into the life and legacy of John Brown, the radical abolitionist who turned the Kansas frontier into America’s first civil war. From the Pottawatomie Massacre to the Battle of Osawatomie, Brown’s war on slavery changed the course of a nation — and set the stage for the bloodiest conflict in American history.

🔥 Deadly Truths: The Firebrand of Kansas explores the line between righteousness and fanaticism, and the price one man paid to ignite a revolution.

🎧 Available on Spotify, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music & Castbox
📅 Bonus Episode — Deadly Truths: Frontier Bloodlines Series

Deadly Truths does not sensationalize tragedy — we illuminate the darker corners of history to better understand humanity.

If you enjoyed this episode:👍 Like the video
🔔 Subscribe to the channel
💬 Share it with a history-minded friend
🎧 Follow @onlydeadlytruths for more episodes uncovering the bloodlines of America’s past.

Resources and References:

Long before his legendary last stand, George Armstrong Custer strutted through Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, a golden-haired Civil War hero convinced the rules didn’t apply to him. He was America’s “Boy General” — brave, photogenic, and utterly reckless — until the Army’s most haunted posttried to teach him humility.

This Deadly Truths bonus episode traces Custer’s rise frombattlefield celebrity to court-martialed officer, his stormy year of disgrace at Leavenworth, and the eerie echoes that still linger in the fort’s limestone walls. We’ll follow the chain of arrogance that began on those parade groundsand ended nine years later in the dust of Little Bighorn.

Hear how:
• Custer deserted his men to see his wife — and nearly lost his career.
• Leavenworth’s ghosts remind soldiers what unchecked ego can cost.
• Modern military schools still use him as a lesson in what not to do.

Bravery made him famous. Ego made him immortal. And Leavenworth may stillbe keeping score.

🔗 Listen now to uncover the truth —and the irony — behind the legend of George Armstrong Custer.

Disclaimer

This episode contains historical discussion related to military violence and death, intended for educational and storytelling purposes. Deadly Truths strives for accuracy while acknowledging that historical accounts may varybetween sources. Listener discretion is advised.

Like, Share & Follow

If you enjoyed this episode of Deadly Truths, please:
👍 Like the episode
💬 Share it with your fellow dark history fans
🔔 Follow for more true crime, history, and haunted legends fromAmerica’s past.

🎧 Listen on YouTube, Spotify, ApplePodcasts, Amazon Music, or wherever you get your dark history fix.
📲 Follow @OnlyDeadlyTruths on all platforms.

Resources & References

National Park Service — Battle of the Little Bighorn: Custer’s Last Stand
https://www.nps.gov/libi/index.htm

U.S. Army Command and General Staff College / Fort Leavenworth — Combined Arms Research Library & Archives

CARL Digital Library: https://cgsc.contentdm.oclc.org/National Archives / Court-Martial of George A. Custer, 1867

Libbie Custer, Boots and Saddles (1885)Robert M. Utley, Custer and the Great Controversy (1962)T. J. Stiles, Custer’s Trials: A Life on the Frontier of a New America (2015)Frontier Army Museum — Fort Leavenworth, Kansas
https://home.army.mil/leavenworth/units-tenants/frontier-army-museum U.S. Army Home+1
https://www.leavenworthks.gov/visitors/page/frontier-army-museum leavenworthks.gov
(Also see NPS listing: Frontier Army Museum, Fort Leavenworth)Kansas Historical Society / Custer House / Fort Leavenworth HistorySmithsonian Magazine — How the Battle of Little Bighorn Was Won (as a representative Smithsonian article on Custer’s Last Stand)
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/how-the-battle-of-little-bighorn-was-won-63880188/

During World War II, thousands of German prisoners of war were held in camps across the United States — but some never made it home.
Inside the barbed-wire fences of places like Camp Gruber, Tonkawa, and Fort Meade, Nazi loyalists turned on their own — murdering fellow soldiers accused of betraying Hitler or showing kindness to Americans.

In the summer of 1945, fourteen of those killers were executed at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas — the largest mass execution of enemy soldiers on U.S. soil.

This episode of Deadly Truths digs into the forgotten story of the Leavenworth 14 — from the brutal lynching of Johannes Kirsch in Oklahoma, to the burning of Karl Beck in Maryland — and explores what happens when fanaticism outlives the war that created it.

History remembers them as war criminals… but their story still echoes today as a warning about propaganda, obedience, and the price of blind loyalty.

• U.S. Army Court-Martial Records, Fort Leavenworth (1943-1945)

• The Leavenworth 14: Execution of German POWs in the U.S. — Kansas Historical Society Archives

• “Camp Tonkawa: The POW Lynching of Johannes Kirsch” — Oklahoma Historical Society Journal, 2019

• “Fort Meade Executions: The Beck Murder Case” — Military Law Review, Vol. 8

• “Enemy Within: Nazi Discipline in U.S. POW Camps” — Smithsonian Magazine, July 2015

• National WWII Museum: POW Camps in America, 1942-1946

• Eyewitness Account, U.S. Army Chaplain’s Log, Fort Leavenworth, July–August 1945

If this episode made you think — share it.
If it taught you something new — like it.
And if you believe forgotten history deserves a voice — follow Deadly Truths on Spotify, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and CastBox.

Every share, follow, and review helps this show reach more listeners who believe the past still matters — and that truth, no matter how dark, should never stay buried.

This podcast discusses real historical crimes involving death, war, and execution. It is intended for mature audiences and should be heard with care and respect for the individuals and victims involved.
All research is based on verified historical documents, declassified military records, and reputable archival sources.
No dramatization or speculation replaces factual reporting.

Leavenworth 14, Fort Leavenworth, World War II POWs, German Prisoners, Military Executions, Camp Tonkawa, Camp Gruber, Fort Meade, Nazi Loyalists, American History Podcast, True Crime History, War Crimes, WWII Justice, Deadly Truths Podcast, Becca True Crime, Forgotten Murders, Military History, Execution Stories, Historical Crimes, Kansas History

In January 1901, a young Black man named Fred Alexander was dragged from his jail cell by a mob and burned alive outside Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. His only “crime” was being accused — not tried, not convicted — accused. This bonus episode of Deadly Truths: Death in the Big House examines how racism, mob violence, and media hysteria collided to create one of Kansas’s darkest moments. Through historical records, modern reflection, and the city’s recent efforts at remembrance, we revisit the story of Fred Alexander — and the reckoning that came more than a century too late.

⚠️ Trigger Warning: Contains descriptions of racial violence and lynching.

📘 Show Notes & Resources:

📜 Disclaimer:This episode discusses historical racial violence and lynching. Some descriptions may be distressing. This content is intended for educational and historical awareness purposes. All research is drawn from public historical records, newspapers, and scholarly sources.

🎧 Closing Call to Action:Like, share, and follow to help keep these stories alive — because history doesn’t haunt us because it’s gone. It haunts us because it’s not forgotten.

#DeadlyTruthsPodcast #TrueCrimePodcast #FredAlexander #LeavenworthKS #RacialJustice #EqualJusticeInitiative #AmericanHistory #CivilRightsHistory #FortLeavenworth #HistoricalTrueCrime #DeathInTheBigHouse #JusticeForFredAlexander #KansasHistory #PodcastSeasonTwo #RacialViolenceInAmerica

Fort Leavenworth, Kansas — the oldest military prison in the United States, and the only one authorized to carry out executions.
In this episode of Deadly Truths: Season Two — Death in the Big House, host Becca takes you inside the walls of the U.S. Disciplinary Barracks to uncover the stories of the men currently on military death row — soldiers once sworn to serve, now condemned for murder, rape, and wartime atrocities.

From paratrooper Ronald Gray, to Hasan Akbar, Timothy Hennis, and Nidal Hasan, these cases reveal what happens when discipline collapses, and the military justice system turns inward on its own.

This is the hidden world of military death row — where honor, duty, and death meet in silence.

🎧 Season Two, Episode Four

This episode contains descriptions of murder, sexual assault, and military executions that may be disturbing to some listeners.
It is intended for mature audiences and for educational and historical awareness only.

All research and reporting were conducted using public court records, news archives, and verified historical documentation.

If you found this episode powerful, don’t let these stories fade into silence.

👉 Like, share, and follow Deadly Truths on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.
⭐ Rate the show to help more people uncover the stories that history tried to bury.

Every listen helps keep these voices alive — because history doesn’t haunt us because it’s gone.
It haunts us because it’s not forgotten.

Death Penalty Information Center — Descriptions of Cases for Those Sentenced to Death in U.S. Military
deathpenaltyinfo.org

Death Penalty Information Center — U.S. Military Death Penalty: Facts and Figures

Associated Press — A Look at the Six Inmates on U.S. Military Death Row

Army Times — What Death Row Executions May Mean for Soldiers at Leavenworth

We Are The Mighty — The 4 Inmates on Military Death Row for a Combined 80 Years

NCO Journal — NCOs Help Keep Life Quiet at the Disciplinary Barracks

U.S. Army Corrections Command — United States Disciplinary Barracks Overview

Equal Justice Initiative — Two Systems of Justice

United States v. Ronald A. Gray — U.S. Army Court of Criminal Appeals

#DeadlyTruthsPodcast #TrueCrimePodcast #FortLeavenworth #MilitaryDeathRow #RonaldGray #HasanAkbar #TimothyHennis #NidalHasan #LeavenworthPrison #MilitaryJustice #DeathPenalty #TrueCrime #HistoricalTrueCrime #SoldiersCondemned #USArmy #PodcastSeries #DeathInTheBigHouse #HalloweenInTheBigHouse #JusticeSystem #TrueCrimeStory

Before true crime was a genre, one story changed everything — the brutal 1959 murders of the Clutter family in Holcomb, Kansas. Their deaths shocked the nation and inspired Truman Capote’s groundbreaking book In Cold Blood, a work that blurred the line between journalism and literature.

In this bonus Halloween episode of Deadly Truths: Season 2 — Leavenworth, Death in the House, host Becca Clark revisits the crime that redefined American true crime. From the quiet Clutter farmhouse to the execution of Perry Smith and Richard Hickock at the Kansas State Penitentiary near Leavenworth, this episode dives into how it happened, why it haunted the country, and how justice was ultimately carried out.

📚 Resources:

⚠️ Disclaimer:

This episode discusses murder, capital punishment, and violent crime. Listener discretion is advised.
All historical details are drawn from verified records, official case files, and published works by journalists and historians.

❤️ Support & Engagement:

If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, rate, and share Deadly Truths on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.
Your support helps independent creators bring haunting history and true stories of justice to light.

Fort Leavenworth, April 13, 1961 — thunder rolled across the Kansas sky as Private John A. Bennett became the last soldier ever executed by the U.S. military.

Convicted of raping an 11-year-old Austrian girl, Bennett’s case raised hard questions about justice, race, mental health, and mercy within America’s armed forces. He confessed to the assault, was tried by court-martial, and hanged at Fort Leavenworth — yet controversy still follows his story decades later.

In this Bonus episode of Deadly Truths: Season 2 — Halloween in the Big House, host Becca Clark revisits Bennett’s early life, the crime in Austria, the military trial, and the storm-soaked night of his execution. We’ll examine what happened, why it ended the era of military hangings, and how unequal justice shaped the outcome.

📚 Resources:

Los Angeles Times: “The Last Soldier to Die at Leavenworth”

⚠️ Disclaimer:

This episode contains discussions of sexual assault, racial injustice, and capital punishment. Listener discretion is strongly advised. All information is sourced from verified public records, historical archives, and journalistic reports.

If this story moved you, please follow, rate, and share Deadly Truths on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.
Your support helps independent storytelling thrive — and keeps history’s darkest truths from being forgotten.

Welcome to Season Two of Deadly Truths. I’m Becca, your host — and this season, we’re stepping inside the heart of America’s most haunted fortress: Fort Leavenworth.

Behind these stone walls, soldiers were tried, executed, and buried under numbered headstones — their stories silenced, but never gone. Between 1875 and 1961, at least 136 men were executed at the Old U.S. Disciplinary Barracks, making it one of the most chilling sites in U.S. military history.

In this Halloween bonus episode — The Ghosts of the Disciplinary Barracks — we’ll uncover the dark history of Fort Leavenworth’s executions, the real soldiers who met their fate there, and the eerie encounters reported long after the last gallows fell silent.

From Private John Bennett, the last man hanged by the U.S. military, to the infamous Leavenworth Seven, their spirits still echo through the halls — boots on the catwalk, whispers in the dark, and the creak of a rope that never stops swinging.

This is Leavenworth: Death in the House — where history and horror share the same address.

👉 Sources:
U.S. Army Combined Arms Center – Fort Leavenworth Historical Office
Haunted Kansas: Ghost Stories and Other Eerie Tales (Lisa Hefner Heitz, 1997)
The Old USDB at Fort Leavenworth Archives
Leavenworth Times Historical Reports

🎧 Disclaimer:
This episode contains historical descriptions of execution and death that may be disturbing to some listeners. All accounts are sourced from public military archives and verified publications.

💀 Like, Share & Follow for more real crime, real history, and the echoes that refuse to die.

#DeadlyTruthsPodcast #HauntedLeavenworth #FortLeavenworth #USDisciplinaryBarracks #HauntedPrison #TrueCrimePodcast #HistoricalCrime #HauntedHistory #MilitaryPrison #GhostStories #BeccaClark #ParanormalPodcast #RealGhostStories #LeavenworthGhosts #HalloweenPodcast #HauntedKansas #AmericanHauntings #DeadlyTruthsSeason2 #LeavenworthDeathInTheHouse #CreepyHistory