Morbid

This podcast discusses the tragic and disastrous lobotomy on Rosemary Kennedy and thousands more. It explores the disturbing treatment of Rosemary and the unethical practices of Walter Freeman. The rise and fall of transorbital lobotomy is also examined, highlighting the consequences of Freeman's reckless behavior.

American neurologist Walter Freeman developed a non-surgical procedure for lobotomy called transorbital lobotomy. The podcast discusses the horror and indiscriminate use of lobotomy, explores the mother-child relationship, and explores Walter Freeman's academic struggles and career decision. It also covers the importance of frontal lobes, effects of lobotomy on patients, and varying outcomes of the surgical procedure for mental illnesses.

This podcast explores the shocking murder of Sophie Lancaster, who was brutally attacked for being a Goth. It delves into the motives of the teenage killers and raises questions about youth culture in the UK. The chapter highlights the heroic actions of a witness and discusses the trial, verdict, and subsequent appeals. The podcast also includes interviews with individuals involved in the case, offering different perspectives on the assault on Sophie.

Actress Jodie Sweetin joins the hosts to discuss the legend of the Jersey Devil, sharing creepy experiences, and the challenges of being misunderstood. They explore the different versions of the Jersey Devil story and its cultural impact throughout history.

On August 19, 1986, a curious news item appeared in the Wilkes-Barre Times Leader regarding the home of West Pittston, PA family Jack and Janet Smurl. The couple claimed, for more than eighteen months their home had been a battleground of spiritual warfare that included everything from ghosts wandering the halls and tormenting the family dog to demons attacking the children and even sexually assaulting the adults in the house.The article in the Times Leader began a weeks-long fascination with the family and their ordeal, drawing reporters from all over Pennsylvania and the surrounding states, and eventually attracting the attention of self-proclaimed demonologist and psychic medium Ed and Lorraine Warren. At first, the Smurls' claims of demonic infestation were taken seriously by the church, many members of the press, and countless of the Smurls neighbors. As time wore on, however, the inability of both the Smurls and the Warren’s to produce any evidence of their supposed haunting led many to believe the claims were just a hoax perpetrated by the family for attention and fame. Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022)Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023)Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash KelleyListener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra LallyListener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On August 19, 1986, a curious news item appeared in the Wilkes-Barre Times Leader regarding the home of West Pittston, PA family Jack and Janet Smurl. The couple claimed, for more than eighteen months their home had been a battleground of spiritual warfare that included everything from ghosts wandering the halls and tormenting the family dog to demons attacking the children and even sexually assaulting the adults in the house.The article in the Times Leader began a weeks-long fascination with the family and their ordeal, drawing reporters from all over Pennsylvania and the surrounding states, and eventually attracting the attention of self-proclaimed demonologist and psychic medium Ed and Lorraine Warren. At first, the Smurls' claims of demonic infestation were taken seriously by the church, many members of the press, and countless of the Smurls neighbors. As time wore on, however, the inability of both the Smurls and the Warren’s to produce any evidence of their supposed haunting led many to believe the claims were just a hoax perpetrated by the family for attention and fame. Thank you to David White for research assistance ReferencesCitizen's Voice. 2017. John James Smurl obituary. June 23. Accessed July 5, 2023. https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/citizensvoice/name/john-smurl-obituary?id=15953106.—. 1986. "Ghosdt briefing turns into shouting match." The Citizen's Voice, August 26: 5.—. 1986. "Haunted family nregotiating movie deal." The Citizen's Voice, September 6: 2.Collins, Jim. 1986. "West Pittston Mystery: Is basis murder or mishmash." Scranton Times, August 22: 3.—. 1986. "If you like sideshows, there's one close to home." Times-Tribune, August 31: 23.—. 1986. "Screen exorcist Jason Miller visits site of demonic doings." Times-Tribune, August 22: 3.Corbett, Steve. 1986. "Family: Home is under siege by evil spirits." Times Leader, August 19: 1.Curran, Robert. 1988. The Haunted: One Family's Nightmare. New York, NY: St. Martin's Press.—. 1986. "Brain surgery revelation casts demon dwelling doubts." The Scrantonia, August 24: 15.—. 1986. "Smurls credit prayers of many with cleansing house of demons." The Tribune, October 27: 3.DeAndrea, Francis. 1986. "Different kind of scare job." Times-Tribune, August 30: 3.Kurtz, Paul. 1987. "A case study of the West Pittston 'haunted' house." The Skeptical Inquirer 11 (Winter): 137-146.Lancaster New Era. 1986. "Scientists, priest skeptical about 'demons' in house." Lancaster New Era, August 23: 1.Morning Call. 1986. "Demons: Exorcisms fail to end family's nightmare." The Morning Call, August 22: 3.Porter, Jill. 1986. "A demon by any other name." Philadelphia Daily News, August 29: 2.Rotstein, Gary. 1986. "Bedeviled: Town is divided over 'haunted' family." Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, August 25: 1.Shurmaitis, Dawn. 1986. "Demonologist says family is 'under attack'." Times Leader, August 19: 12.Singleton, David. 1986. "Publicity has cost haunted family." Danville News, August 23: 1.Trosky, Pat. 1986. "Are ghosts haunting West Pittston family?" Citizen's Voice, August 20: 3. Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022)Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023)Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash KelleyListener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra LallyListener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The more Gwinnett County detectives dug into Bart Corbin’s life and history, the more convinced they were that the forty-year-old dentist wasn’t just responsible for the death of his wife, but also for the death of his girlfriend nearly a decade and a half earlier. For two years Corbin denied any involvement in the deaths, insisting both women had killed themselves. Then, just days before his trial was to begin, he shocked everyone by pleading guilty to both murders in exchange for two life sentences with the possibility of parole after fifteen years.Thank you so much to David White for research assistance :)ReferencesAtlanta Journal Constitution. 2006. "Timeline of events in Barton Corbin's case." The Atlanta Journal Constitution, September 17.Bentley, Rosalind. 2004. "Corbin arrest is 'hard'." The Atlanta Journal-Constituion , December 23.Bentley, Rosalind, and Lateef Mungin. 2006. "Barton Corbin case: How they nailed him." The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, September 17.Bentley, Rosalind, Lateef Mungin, and Beth Warren. 2006. "Guilty guilty: Corbin pleads." The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, September 16.Bruner, Tasgola Karla. 2004. "The Corbin case: Med-school girlfriend was fearful." Atlanta Journal-Constitution, December 16.—. 2004. "Parallels revive case of Augusta tragedy." The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, December 13.—. 2004. "Similarities in 'suicides' are haunting ." The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, December 16.Bruner, Tasgola Karla, and John Ghirardini. 2004. "Dentist main 'focus'." The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, December 13.Glatt, John. 2007. The Doctor's Wife: A True Story of Marriage, Deception and Two Grusom Deaths.New York, NY: St. Martin's Press.Hansen, Jane. 2006. "Dolly's truth: To her family, her death in 1990 was never a mystery." The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, October 15.Mungin, Lateef. 2004. "Dacula man sought after wife's shooting." The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, December 8.—. 2004. "Death called homicide, not suicide." The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, December 8.—. 2004. "Dentist's kin to testify before grand jury today." The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, December 15.Rankin, Bill, and Bill Topry. 2005. "Corbin faces double danger." The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, January 9.Stafford, Rob. 2006. Death and the Dentist. October 18. Accessed June 25, 2023. https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna15253153. Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022)Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023)Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash KelleyListener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra LallyListener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

When Gwinnett County sheriff’s officers responded to a call about a shooting at the home of Dr. Barton Corbin on the morning of December 4, 2004, they discovered the body of the doctor’s wife, Jennifer Corbin, dead from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Within a few days, however, investigators learned some things about Bart Corbin that led them to believe that the thirty-three-year-old mother of two may not have taken her own life. Thank you so much to David White for research assistance :)References:Atlanta Journal Constitution. 2006. "Timeline of events in Barton Corbin's case." The Atlanta Journal Constitution, September 17.Bentley, Rosalind. 2004. "Corbin arrest is 'hard'." The Atlanta Journal-Constituion , December 23.Bentley, Rosalind, and Lateef Mungin. 2006. "Barton Corbin case: How they nailed him." The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, September 17.Bentley, Rosalind, Lateef Mungin, and Beth Warren. 2006. "Guilty guilty: Corbin pleads." The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, September 16.Bruner, Tasgola Karla. 2004. "The Corbin case: Med-school girlfriend was fearful." Atlanta Journal-Constitution, December 16.—. 2004. "Parallels revive case of Augusta tragedy." The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, December 13.—. 2004. "Similarities in 'suicides' are haunting ." The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, December 16.Bruner, Tasgola Karla, and John Ghirardini. 2004. "Dentist main 'focus'." The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, December 13.Glatt, John. 2007. The Doctor's Wife: A True Story of Marriage, Deception and Two Grusom Deaths. New York, NY: St. Martin's Press.Hansen, Jane. 2006. "Dolly's truth: To her family, her death in 1990 was never a mystery." The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, October 15.Mungin, Lateef. 2004. "Dacula man sought after wife's shooting." The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, December 8.—. 2004. "Death called homicide, not suicide." The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, December 8.—. 2004. "Dentist's kin to testify before grand jury today." The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, December 15.Rankin, Bill, and Bill Topry. 2005. "Corbin faces double danger." The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, January 9.Stafford, Rob. 2006. Death and the Dentist. October 18. Accessed June 25, 2023. https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna15253153 Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022)Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023)Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash KelleyListener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra LallyListener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

It’s Listener tales 76 and guess what!?! It’s brought to you by you, for you, from you, and ALL ABOUT YOU! This installment is all about your spooky haunted demon homes. We’ve got ghosts on ghosts up in here. We don’t know which is the scariest but we do know we would like to never live in these homes. Like…. Ever. If you’ve got a listener tale please send it on over to Morbidpodcast@gmail.com with “Listener Tales” somewhere in the subject line :) Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022)Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023)Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash KelleyListener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra LallyListener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On October 15, 1977, seventeen-year-olds Christine Eadie and Helen Scott met some friends at the World’s End Pub in Edinburgh’s Old Town neighborhood to celebrate their new jobs and what they assumed would be the start of their adult lives. The next day, Christine’s body was discovered by hikers near Gosford Bay, while Helen’s body was discovered in a cornfield several miles away. The Lothian and Borders Police mounted a massive investigation to identify and apprehend the killer but, despite their best efforts, evidence was sparse and by the following year the case had gone cold. The World’s End Murders, as they’d come to be known, became one of Scotland’s most notorious cold cases, until it was reactivated in 1997 in hopes that scientific and technological advances of the previous two decades could lead them to the girls’ killer.Thank you To the Fabulous Dave White for Research Assistance References:Amos, Ilona. 2019. Scots soil experts hit paydirt in old murder cases. February 28. Accessed March 17, 2023. https://www.scotsman.com/news/scots-soil-experts-hit-paydirt-old-murder-cases-2512052.BBC News. 2007. Victim 'strangled with stocking'. August 29. Accessed March 15, 2023. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/6968530.stm.—. 2007. World's End father gives evidence. August 30. Accessed March 15, 2023. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/6970429.stm.Brooks, Lib. 2014. "Serial killer guilty of World's End murders." The Guardian, November 15.Carrel, Severin. 2007. Trial of World's End murders suspect collapses. September 11. Accessed March 15, 2023. https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2007/sep/11/ukcrime.scotland\.Carrell, Severin. 2007. "Murder jury told of 'shifty' man." The Guardian, August 30.Edinburgh Evening News. 1999. "World's End killer probe is wound up." Edinburgh Evening News, March 25.Gibbons, Katie. 2014. "Accused saw murdered girls as OBJECTs, he tells World's." The Times, November 12.Howie, Michael, and John Robertson. 2007. "Thirty years ago he murdered two innocent young women." The Scotsman, September 11.Johnston, David, and Tom Wood. 2008. The World's End Murders: A Thirty-Year Quest for Justice. Edinburgh, Scotland: Birlinn Publishing .Leask, David. 2014. "Edinburgh World's End murder trial underway." The Herald, October 14.Leicester Mercury. 1977. "Douible murder hunt starts after teenage girls found dead." Leicester Mercury, October 17: 17.Macaskill, Mark. 2014. "World's End 'shows killers won't escape'." Sunday Times, November 16.Mega, Marcello. 1997. "Gangster linked to girls' murder." Sunday Times, March 23.Robertson, John. 2007. "World's End accused blames brother-in-law." The Scotsman, August 28.Rodrick, Vic, and Marcello Mega. 2014. "'One-in-billion chance DNA is not Sinclair's'." The Herald, October 25.The Herald. 2014. "Defendant touched 'most if not all' ligatures, says expert." The Herald, November 5.—. 2022. "My parents feared for me after World's End horror, says Ian." The Herald, October 17.—. 2014. Victim of World's End murder struggled as killer tied her up. October 21. Accessed March 15, 2023. https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/13185780.victim-worlds-end-murder-struggled-killer-tied/.The Times. 2007. "Wife of man accused in World's End murder trial agrees to speak." The Times, September 1. Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022)Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023)Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash KelleyListener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra LallyListener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.