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Most recently published stories in Criminal.

Alabama's Deadliest Family Murder. Content Warning.
One in three women experiences domestic violence with an intimate partner during their lifetime. Many endure multiple abusive relationships, some starting while they are very young.
By Criminal Matters19 days ago in Criminal
Pedro Rodrigues Filho: Brazil’s Most Notorious Vigilante Killer
Pedro Rodrigues Filho, often referred to in the media as “Pedrinho Matador,” is one of the most infamous figures in Brazilian criminal history. His life story is frequently cited as an extreme example of how cycles of violence trauma and vigilantism can intertwine, producing a legacy that remains deeply unsettling decades later.Filho’s story begins even before his birth, in a household marked by severe domestic abuse. His father was violently abusive toward his mother throughout her pregnancy, a level of brutality that would shape the narrative of Filho’s life from the very beginning. Growing up, he was surrounded by instability, fear, and violence, conditions that would later be used by commentators and psychologists alike to explain—though not excuse—his actions.
By Kure Garba20 days ago in Criminal
The Blanket of White
Frankie kept his eyes glued to the windshield, the wipers grunting a losing battle against the heavy, wet snow. It came down in thick, relentless sheets, coating the world in a blinding, suffocating white. Every few seconds, the beam of an oncoming headlight would cut through the storm, a fleeting ghost, before disappearing back into the swirling void. His knuckles ached, white against the steering wheel, and his stomach churned, a cold, hard knot tightening with every mile. The old van, a rusted-out Ford Econoline, rattled and groaned, its heater barely spitting lukewarm air, doing nothing to thaw the chill that had settled deep in Frankie's bones.
By HAADI20 days ago in Criminal
The Dardeen Family Murders
On November 18, 1987 one of the most horrifying and perplexing crimes in American true-crime history unfolded in the small rural community of Ina, Illinois. The Dardeen family — Keith Dardeen, his wife Elaine, their two-year-old son Peter, and a newborn baby — were all brutally murdered in a crime so extreme that it shocked law enforcement and residents alike. Nearly four decades later, the case remains officially unsolved.Keith Dardeen, 29, and Elaine Dardeen, 30, were known as quiet, hardworking and deeply religious people. They were active in their local Baptist church, where they sang and played music together. Keith worked at a water treatment plant, while Elaine worked at an office supply store. They lived in a modest mobile home surrounded by woods along Route 37. Friends and family later revealed that the couple had recently put their home up for sale, reportedly because Keith felt uneasy about living in the isolated area with young children.
By Kure Garba21 days ago in Criminal
The Weight of Unspoken Words
The motel room smelled like desperation and cheap disinfectant. Frank sat hunched at the wobbly Formica table, the kind that always had a sticky residue no matter how much you wiped it. A single, bare bulb hung from the ceiling, throwing harsh shadows that made his reflection in the smudged window look like a stranger. He picked at a loose thread on the sleeve of his ripped jacket. His knuckles ached, bruised purple from the scramble, the escape. Or maybe from slamming them into something, or someone, he couldn’t quite recall.
By HAADI21 days ago in Criminal
The Unsolved Disappearance of Kyron Horman
The Unsolved Disappearance of Kyron Horman The disappearance of Kyron Horman remains one of the most troubling unsolved child missing-person cases in the United States. On June 4, 2010 seven-year-old Kyron vanished from Skyline Elementary School in Portland, Oregon, after attending a school science fair. Despite extensive searches, media attention, and years of investigation, no definitive answers have ever been found regarding what happened to him.Kyron Horman was a second-grade student described by teachers and classmates as shy, intelligent, and well-liked. On the morning of his disappearance, Kyron attended a science fair at his school with his stepmother, Terri Horman. Photographs taken that morning show Kyron standing proudly next to his science project, smiling. Terri reported that she left Kyron inside the school around 8:45 a.m. so he could go to his classroom. However, Kyron never made it to class, and he was marked absent later that day.
By Kure Garba22 days ago in Criminal
The Spine Breaker's Silence
The air in the old municipal library tasted like old paper and forgotten secrets. Elias pulled his hoodie tighter, the rough fabric chafing his neck. Moonlight, thin and watery, sliced through the grimy arched windows, laying down pale, ghost-like stripes across the polished linoleum floor. It was past three AM. The city outside snored, but here, every creak of the ancient building felt like a gunshot. He gripped the worn handle of the crowbar tucked inside his jacket, the cold metal a small, hard comfort.
By HAADI22 days ago in Criminal
RIVER THAT SWALLOWED RANSOM | True Crime Story of Nazroo Narejo
Some men are not born criminals. They are broken first. The kidnapping was supposed to be silent. A clean grab. A frightened man pulled into darkness. A ransom negotiated through whispers and intermediaries. The Indus had hidden hundreds like this before.
By Aarsh Malik22 days ago in Criminal
Suspect Taken In Alive After Pointing Gun At Ohio Cop, Allegedly Pulling Trigger
What is it with white people who point guns at cops? Why did this young male in Canton, Ohio who allegedly got caught shoplifting, aim a firearm at an off duty cop working at a Wal-Mart as a security personnel.
By Skyler Saunders22 days ago in Criminal
When One Jail Keeps Getting Sued, It’s Not Bad Luck — It’s a Warning. AI-Generated.
If one person complains about a jail, it’s easy to dismiss it. When dozens of lawsuits pile up over years, something else is happening.
By Megan Stroup23 days ago in Criminal
The Smell of Salt and Diesel
Leo sat in the idling sedan, the exhaust fumes thick enough to taste, mixing with the stale cigarettes and cheap air freshener that clung to the upholstery. His knuckles were white on the steering wheel, even though the car wasn't moving. Not yet. Just waiting. Always waiting. This particular wait felt heavier, tighter in his chest, like a fist squeezing his lungs. Rain slicked the windshield, turning the grimy storefronts into blurred, ugly watercolors. He hated the rain. Hated this street. Hated everything about this damp, dead-end city.
By HAADI23 days ago in Criminal
Meurtres en Périgord Vert: When Crime Shatters a Quiet French Region. AI-Generated.
The Périgord Vert, located in the northern part of the Dordogne region in France, is known for its rolling green hills, historic villages, and calm rural lifestyle. For many, it represents the image of a peaceful countryside untouched by major social unrest. However, a series of tragic events known collectively as meurtres en perigord vert have deeply shaken this image and left a lasting impact on the local population.
By Mohammed Azam24 days ago in Criminal