fact or fiction
Is it fact or merely fiction? Fact or Fiction explores the myths and beliefs we hold about copycat killers, eyewitnesses testimony, what makes a murderer and more.
Did the Titanic Ever Sink?
Almost everyone knows the story of the RMS Titanic, "the unsinkable ship" that sank on its maiden voyage in 1912. The boat is infamous for its mass death toll of 1,517 and its lack of life boats. What if I were to throw out the idea that maybe those 1,517 people lost their lives, not on the Titanic, but on a sister ship of the giant ocean liner?
By Sage Sandoval8 years ago in Criminal
Gunshot Wounds
Everyone knows guns are dangerous. The fact that guns haven't changed much over the last 100 years will attest to that. But there is a lot more going on than just a hole in your body when you get shot. A 9mm handgun is a typical self-defense weapon and is often used by police departments. Bullets from these guns travel at 900 mph and all of that energy is absorbed by the target hit. The shock wave of the bullet greatly expands the area hit and then as the bullet passes through, the area hit collapses on itself. This effect causes major damage to the body, even where the bullet doesn't come into contact. This video demonstrates the shattering properties of a bullet, and the fluid-filled containers clearly show what happens to fluid-filled organs, like the bladder or heart. Most bullets do not go straight through a body. They ricochet around the body causing damage until they stop. Even bullets that do exit the body will ricochet, putting the exit wound in a completely different area than the entrance wound. The entrance wound will usually be smaller than the exit wound because the bullet has to punch its way out. The exit wound may be star-shaped.
By Monica Bennett8 years ago in Criminal
10 of the Creepiest Murder Cases You've Never Heard Of
Jack the Ripper. Elizabeth Bathory. Charles Manson. These are all names of some of the most famous serial killers to ever live. Truth be told, the names of high profile murderers always raise a little chill down our collective spines. To a point, people like to talk about murders simply because they're like real, modern-day ghost stories.
By Ossiana Tepfenhart8 years ago in Criminal
What Really Happened at 215 Colony Drive? Part One
When you live in a place long enough, you tend to form a bond with it. You know the entire place inside and out like the back of your hand, and it knows you just as well, if not better. It quietly witnesses you eat your meals, dream your dreams, cry your tears, celebrate your achievements, and live out your life, unaware that everything you do is documented within the cracks and crevices of the structure, just as a human brain documents memory. It has seen the real you. The person that only comes out when you can take solace in the confines of your safe haven, raw and unedited, beyond the façade that is shown to the rest of the world. It knows your habits, the good and the bad. It keeps your secrets hidden from prying eyes without ever passing a judgment. If the walls of our homes could speak, they could tell the true stories of our lives.
By Stephanie Engel8 years ago in Criminal
Can We Actually 'Sense' Danger?
Have you ever met someone, in passing, and felt this overwhelming wave of discomfort? You look at them, they have normal haircut, a nice smile, maybe they smell nice and seem, for the most part, like an upstanding human being; however, you sense something in demeanor. You simply cannot shake the feeling that there is something unimaginably wrong with them. Almost like they are simply not operating on the same brain wave as you. You sit and overanalyze yourself over the prospect of being, perhaps, a little too judgmental. "Maybe I'm just being rude... they haven't done a damn thing to me." You force yourself to speak to the person who runs this chill up and down your spine, you push down the overwhelming feeling of nausea. This person speaks, perhaps making small talk, talking about their dog, asking if you have a dog, maybe offering some assistance in carrying something or standing just a bit too close. Now, almost without much of an offer, you've become friends with this person. You have no idea how, you just know, you are trying to be a nice person. People do say you often looked rude upon seeing you in a social setting.
By Nadia Rivera8 years ago in Criminal
Lessons I've Learned From True Crime Shows
You could say I got my love of true crime shows from my mother, an avid fan of cozy English murder mysteries. Sherlock Holmes, Miss Marple, and Hercule Poirot were names I recognized before I even started kindergarten. By the time I discovered Forensic Files in the fifth grade, it seemed no different than all of the stories and television shows that I loved for years. I was completely mesmerized by the chase and all of the methods that detectives used to solve crimes. Years later, when I saw that a forensic science class was being offered at my high school, I immediately registered for it.
By Jessica Pilla8 years ago in Criminal
10 Mysterious Unsolved Hollywood Murders. Top Story - May 2018.
Real-life mysteries are always interesting. And when you combine them with the mystique of Hollywood, you've certainly captured the interest of many. It's basically reading the best must-read detective crime novels but with even more suspense and intrigue. These are the top ten most mysterious unsolved Hollywood murders. You can't make these stories up.
By Kelsey Lange8 years ago in Criminal
Why Do People Become Criminals?
There are several questions that surround this earth, and one major question I have heard throughout the years is: “why do people become criminals?" It could be a question answered, and simple as “people don’t understand right from wrong,” but it is so much deeper than that. A lot of individuals relate violence with religions, poverty, adrenalin, gangs, and many other things. However, there are also theories that believe that some individuals become criminals due to their genetics. If there are a variety of theories of why people become criminals, it makes it difficult to focus on only one area. Therefore, my primary focus will remain on the idea that your habitat, way of life, and thinking process influences the person you become.
By Lydia Cruz8 years ago in Criminal
All That Glitters
There have been all types of famous crimes, from the Great Train Robbery to Jack the Ripper, but nothing captures the imagination like a diamond heist. Maybe it's because ice is so beautiful, or that diamonds are so valuable, or perhaps it's the extreme planning of the crime or the fact that while the thieves might get caught, the diamonds almost never turn up. From December 2009 until May 2011, a gang of diamond thieves ran through eight states, stealing millions from more than two dozen jewelry stores. Like something out of Netflix's Money Heist, they had nicknames and used disposable phones so the director of the crimes, who never went into the crime scenes, can guide them through the heist. They targeted older female sales representatives because they were less likely to take the hero route. In one robbery, they used a cute little chihuahua to distract the employees, and in another, they used wave runners to escape. Every move was scripted, as were the conversations they had with the salespeople. They had background stories, expensive clothing to play out the script, and the Risk Reducer, AKA the director, who would correct mistakes made. When one of the robbers left his prints on the door of a jewelry store, the Risk Reducer went back when the cops were swarming the store and wiped the door clean. They were caught when someone identified a participant caught on CCTV and the evidence was enhanced by their antics on social media where they posted pictures with the cash they got after fencing the diamonds. The money was never recovered, nor were the diamonds. Not a bad outcome for snatch and grab robbers considering most got less than ten years.
By Monica Bennett8 years ago in Criminal
