Post what you think are the FIVE Scariest Cases/Segments!

Mine:

01. The Blind River Rest Stop Murders
02. Angela Hammond's abduction at a phone booth
03. Dick Hansen's random murder by a crazed fan
04. The Orange Socks Murders
05. Matthew Chase's abduction at an ATM

Honorable Mention to Beverly McGowan's murder case.

Post what you think are the FIVE Scariest Cases/Segments!

Mine:

01. The Blind River Rest Stop Murders
02. Angela Hammond's abduction at a phone booth
03. Dick Hansen's random murder by a crazed fan
04. The Orange Socks Murders
05. Matthew Chase's abduction at an ATM

Honorable Mention to Beverly McGowan's murder case.

Does it make it scarier that they are unsolved? Well except Beverly McGowan

Does it make it scarier that they are unsolved? Well except Beverly McGowan

Absolutely. That may add to the creepiness of all of them.

Absolutely. That may add to the creepiness of all of them.


1) I say Rick Church. It was the filming of the re-enactment. It was one of those cases where you hope they catch the psycho.
2)"Debbie".
3) The murder of Dorothy Donovan
4) Murder of Doreen Picard.
5)NH Serial Killer or "Carol". I can't decide

Mine:

Son of Sam
Omar's Arsonist
ATV murders
Lisa Kimmel
The Queen Mary

1) I say Rick Church. It was the filming of the re-enactment. It was one of those cases where you hope they catch the psycho.
2)"Debbie".
3) The murder of Dorothy Donovan
4) Murder of Doreen Picard.
5)NH Serial Killer or "Carol". I can't decide

I was going to add Dorothy Donovan's murder, but I can only add 5 :happyface

Mine are (in no particular order):
1) Devil's Backbone (haunted area in TX)
2) Beverly McGowan
3) Mabel Woods (someone burned down her kennel, killing 60 of her dogs). This case also makes me sad and mad at the same time.
4) Cindy James
5) Teresita Basa

SageSlowdive - who is that in your avatar?

As a kid these were the five scariest to me (in no particular order):

-Blind River Rest Stop murders.
-Tallman's haunted bunk beds.
-The Queen Mary ghost ship.
-Don Henry & Kevin Ives (boys on the tracks).
-Tie between the Circleville Writer and the Wackers.

My personal picks...

1) ATM case... so creepy seeing Matt's most likely assailant standing behind him on the ATM camera. this is the last image of Matt alive. poor guy. :/ I'm a 27 year old man but I never go out late at night like I used to for anything anymore because of this segment.

2) Tara Calico... Despite the fact debate goes back and fourth on the authenticity of the found photos you can't deny how creepy it is.

3) boys on train tracks... really. need I say more? what happened to them? who was the creeper out in the middle of the night wearing Army fatigues?? :/ ugh!

4) Cindy... were her reported nightmares a ruse to start a new life? or was she actually kidnapped by someone from her office?

5) Kurt Sova... WTH... from 3 a.m. calls to searching a shady duplex to finding a bed that looks like it was slept in. not to mention the Weirdo knowing too much

6) Cindy James... the harassment may have been her own doing. I dunno what's more scary that alleged fact? or maybe she was actually being stalked.

7) Le'fant segment... who are these people?? who was behind the sinister phone calls and vandalism all those years?? :/ just really scares me knowing people were that dedicated to terrorizing one person.

SageSlowdive - who is that in your avatar?

It is Glenda Jackson from "A Touch of Class" (for which she won an Oscar)

My top 5 scariest would be:

1. Phillip Innes Fraser - This segment was so creepy, it gave me nightmares for months as a kid...Its even scarier to know the guy is still out there!!!!
2. Dorothy Donovan Murder- WAY too coincidental and just plain creepy
3. Blind River Rest Stop Murders - enough said
4. Unidentified man killed for SS Payments- Haven't even seen the segment but the image on the old UM website gave me nightmares!!!
5. Matthew Chase abduction/murder - I NEVER go out at night alone b/c of this segment!

Honorable Mention: Beverly McGowan Case - the guy in drag gave me the creeps

SageSlowdive - who is that in your avatar?

Refer to the comment above.

Love me some Glenda Jackson.

This is a tough one....there are sooo many that freaked me out over the years, especially when I was a kid! Here's my list, in no particular order:
1) Omar the arsonist
2) East Area Rapist
3) Beverley McGowan
4) Ethel Kidd
5) i-70 serial killer? (Can't remember if this is the segment I am referring to....the one where the women keep turning up dead and the pregnant lady is attacked in a parking lot in the middle of the night and got away...that's the segment I mean).

I reserve the right to edit this list later LOL, as there are so many scary segments! There are a few things that happened in certain segments that happened that have freaked me right out...the segment itself may not be scary, but certain moments have made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. For example, when they played the tape "Cindy dead meat soon" I thought I was going to brown out in my jeans!

1. Tallman's Ghost:
I don't care you believe this story or not, this is one brilliantly produced sequence, and at the age of nine, was the most terrifying thing I'd EVER seen!

2. Blind River Rest Stop Murders:
Not only scary, but the whole story just flat-out BOTHERED me as well!

3. Allagash Abductions:
Again, even if you're a skeptic about UFOs, that hypnosis session is scary as hell!

4. Connecticut River Valley Killer:
The rest stop sequence. Nuff said.

5. Chaim Weiss:
As someone who was once startled awake when a drunk stranger accidentally entered the wrong dorm room at 3 AM, I'm always particularly creeped out by the shot of the killer entering the wrong room and abruptly shutting the door when the boy wakes up.

Wow, so hard to choose, but here goes (and in no order):

1. Le'Fant
2. The Circleville Letters
3. Cindy James
4. Doreen Picard/Susan Laferte
5. The I-70 Serial Killer

Runners-up: Cindy Anderson, Angela Hammond, The Wackers, Ohio Prostitute Killer, The Two Mary Murders, Connecticut Serial Killer, Son of Sam, Beverly McGowan, Dorothy Donovan, The Tallman's Ghost.

5. Chaim Weiss:
As someone who was once startled awake when a drunk stranger accidentally entered the wrong dorm room at 3 AM, I'm always particularly creeped out by the shot of the killer entering the wrong room and abruptly shutting the door when the boy wakes up.


I don't know why, but the part that always creeped me out about the Chaim Weiss segment was when RS mentioned the jogger at the end who saw the kid, and the kid is just sitting on that park bench.

5. Robert Dirscherl
4. Ethel Kidd
3. Circleville Writer
(5-3) Anything with epistolary samples from the killer freaked me out
2. Kurt Sova
1. NH Serial Killer

I don't know why, but the part that always creeped me out about the Chaim Weiss segment was when RS mentioned the jogger at the end who saw the kid, and the kid is just sitting on that park bench.

Glad to hear I'm not the only who found that moment creepy! I really can't explain even why, but it just gives me chills, for whatever reason. Maybe it's the idea that this boy could have committed murder or knows who committed the murder and is just sitting out there pondering it.

Glad to hear I'm not the only who found that moment creepy! I really can't explain even why, but it just gives me chills, for whatever reason. Maybe it's the idea that this boy could have committed murder or knows who committed the murder and is just sitting out there pondering it.

I thought I was the only one that thought this part was creepy, and it always gives me chills. Come to think of it, everytime Robert Stack announced, "THERE IS ONE FINAL CHILLING CLUE..." and it showed the re-enactment (like for instance the military man showing up at Danny Casalero's funeral, the man in military fatigues shooting at the police officer in the "Boys on the Tracks" segment, etc.) that always gave me chills too. It's almost as if UM was saving the most "mysterious" part of a case (that could have held no relevance to the case, but it may also have been the clue that helped sove it) for last, and in most instances this was always my favorite part of the segment.

1. Ethel Kidd - the image of her tied to the tree freaks me out.
2. Haunted Bunkbeds - I think we all know why.
3. Rick Church - the music during the murders is so scary.
4. Blind River Rest Stop - totally creepy.
5. Rhonda Hinson - the hypnosis part of it is beyond creepy. "It's gray, it's in primer. The front end is messed up."

Just thinking of all those segments is making me paranoid!!

I thought I was the only one that thought this part was creepy, and it always gives me chills. Come to think of it, everytime Robert Stack announced, "THERE IS ONE FINAL CHILLING CLUE..." and it showed the re-enactment ...

It's like UM is saying "if you thought that was freaky, wait till you see this!"

1. Ethel Kidd - the image of her tied to the tree freaks me out.
2. Haunted Bunkbeds - I think we all know why.
3. Rick Church - the music during the murders is so scary.
4. Blind River Rest Stop - totally creepy.
5. Rhonda Hinson - the hypnosis part of it is beyond creepy. "It's gray, it's in primer. The front end is messed up."

Just thinking of all those segments is making me paranoid!!

I forgot all about Ethel Kidd, I never thought UM would actually show her "body" tied up to the tree like that. And the shot of the man getting out of the car coming up to Ethel was scary as hell too.

1. Ethel Kidd - the image of her tied to the tree freaks me out.
2. Haunted Bunkbeds - I think we all know why.
3. Rick Church - the music during the murders is so scary.
4. Blind River Rest Stop - totally creepy.
5. Rhonda Hinson - the hypnosis part of it is beyond creepy. "It's gray, it's in primer. The front end is messed up."

Just thinking of all those segments is making me paranoid!!

I think the Blind River Rest Stop case has been solved.

The Rhonda Hinson case is most baffling for me since it happened near where I live now. I was only 6 years old when it happened and the business she worked for as long closed now. I think the cops know who did it but don't have enough evidence to get a conviction.

I thought I was the only one that thought this part was creepy, and it always gives me chills. Come to think of it, everytime Robert Stack announced, "THERE IS ONE FINAL CHILLING CLUE..." and it showed the re-enactment (like for instance the military man showing up at Danny Casalero's funeral, the man in military fatigues shooting at the police officer in the "Boys on the Tracks" segment, etc.) that always gave me chills too. It's almost as if UM was saving the most "mysterious" part of a case (that could have held no relevance to the case, but it may also have been the clue that helped sove it) for last, and in most instances this was always my favorite part of the segment.
not one of my scariest 5, but bob stack uses the one final chilling sequence... in the angela hammond case.

"I didn't need to use the phone anyway" said the abductor.

I think the Blind River Rest Stop case has been solved.

The Rhonda Hinson case is most baffling for me since it happened near where I live now. I was only 6 years old when it happened and the business she worked for as long closed now. I think the cops know who did it but don't have enough evidence to get a conviction.
has it been solved? I've heard that they apprehended a suspect that fits the description of the killer, but still aren't able to prove it. he was charged for other crimes though.

My top 5, but it changed from childhood to adulthood lol...

when I was a kid this would have been filled with UFO and ghosts

but now the serial killings are probably the most haunting because they are so tough to solve and prevent

1. East area rapist(unsolved)
2. NH serial killer(freaky scenario when she followed him later and he went back and drove off) Unsolved?
3. Blind River Murder...suspect in jail?
4. Dorothy Donovan (solved and is a must watch on forensic files)
5. the 49er hugs segment and the woman from connecticut that was randomly shot in her face. both still scary and were terrifying when I first watched them as a child. unsolved?

has it been solved? I've heard that they apprehended a suspect that fits the description of the killer, but still aren't able to prove it. he was charged for other crimes though.

Blind River suspect (and in my opinion, the culprit) is Ronald Glenn West. He was found guilty of two murders committed in the early 1970s. He fit the description of the killer and if you dig into the case, the little clues point directly to him.

http://i52.tinypic.com/qz0if8.jpg

Blind River suspect (and in my opinion, the culprit) is Ronald Glenn West.

I agree, he looks just like the composite and IIRC was in the area around the time of the Blind River Rest Stop murders. Just wish Gord was still around to positively ID the guy.

1. Son of Sam
2. Tallman Bunk Beds
3. Blind River
4. Black Hope Cemetary
5. Keith Warren (the scene with the crime scene photos arriving on his mom's doorstep actually gave me nightmares)

1. NH serial killer, hands down
2. I-70 killer
3. "Debbie"
4. Kevin Ives and Don Henry
5. Mary Ann Perez

1. Judith Himes-- scared the CRAP out of me as a kid. Couldn't look at the screen.
2. Rachael Runyon-- see above.
3. "Omar" arsonist
4. Dennis Dupre
5. Elizabeth Campbell's purse-- the update on her segment freaked me the heck out.

1. NH serial killer, hands down
2. I-70 killer
3. "Debbie"

I'm sure it's not a coincidence that your top three choices all have that same ultra-scary synthesizer music score playing over the re-enactments while the crimes are being committed. You always knew it was going to be a REALLY scary segment whenever UM brought out that music cue :eek: .

I'm sure it's not a coincidence that your top three choices all have that same ultra-scary synthesizer music score playing over the re-enactments while the crimes are being committed. You always knew it was going to be a REALLY scary segment whenever UM brought out that music cue :eek: .

You got it. Nightmare fuel.

I don't know about the rest of my list but the scariest for me has to be the Blind River Rest Stop. Just the way it was shot and how utterly random and pointless the crime was...:eek:

There were so many scary segments. It's extremely difficult to limit them to a top 5 in overall scariness. But I'll do my best.

#5: Gretchen Burford:

http://v026o.popscreen.com/eGFpeXgyMTI=_o_gretchen-burford.jpg

Nobody has mentioned this, I believe. As a force of habit, I always lock my car no matter where I'm driving, no matter what time of day it is. It's like second nature to me. It's a reflex. But after all these years, I obsessively always peak into my backseat before entering my car to make sure somebody isn't hiding there with a knife because of this segment. The reenactment is frightening. And at the end, they do a closeup shot of Gretchen exiting her car in slow motion screaming, "He stabbed me," with the haunting music playing in the background. Very scary stuff.


#4: ATV murders on Signal Mountain:

http://img3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20140118111220/unsolvedmysteries/images/c/cf/ATVMurderVictims.png

I was 11 the night this episode first aired. On top of that, it was thunderstorming outside in my neighborhood. I was too scared to sleep that night. There's not a single moment of that segment that isn't terrifying. Moments in particular include:

*The three men (literally) riding off into the sunset.
*The police officer picking up the leaves to reveal the pools of blood.
*The behind shot of the killer raising his rifle to shoot the men and then firing.
*The shot of Earl Smock limping away to try and escape and then the killer shooting him again.
*The eyewitness sighting from far away seeing two men unload the ATV's into the trash dump.
*The killer and his accomplice pulling the bodies out of the back of his pickup truck.


#3. Angela Hammond abduction:

http://www.unsolved.com/ajaxfiles/images/cases/mis_angela_hammond2.jpg

It's not often you hear a story about an abduction where the person is literally talking on the phone while it's happening. On top of that, the reenactment really draws out the tension before she's kidnapped with all the details Angie is able to give about the man and the truck. The scream, the fact Rob passes the truck and then the behind shot of the truck driving away with the man still trying to restrain Angela. Scary and sad at the same time.


#2. Orange sock murders:

http://www.unsolved.com/ajaxfiles/images/cases/mur_oberholzer_schnee2.jpg http://www.unsolved.com/ajaxfiles/images/cases/mur_oberholzer_schnee4.jpg

The entire first half of the segment has some of the scariest and eerie music ever featured on the show. The discoveries of the backpack and the bodies. The shots of both women being picked up while hitchhiking and knowing their fate. Both murders and the women's attempts to escape are reenacted and in Annette's case, we see the killer firing his gun. This case still haunts me to this day and it kills me nobody has been arrested for these murders.


#1. Blind River Rest stop murders:

http://www.x-entertainment.com/articles/unsolvedmysteries/4.jpg

I can't really add anything else that hasn't already been said about this terrifying ordeal. "I'm going to rob you and then I'm going to kill you." The composite sketch. The music. Even the actor playing the killer looks scary as hell. On top of the murder of Jackie McCallister that we just saw, Unsolved Mysteries went the extra mile to terrorize us by reenacting Brian Major not being able to get his car started before the killer raises his rifle to shoot him through his windshield. I don't think there's any way to prove that actually happened but it was horrifying to watch.

In no particular order:
1) Connecticut River Valley killer, especially the beginning with Ellen Fried speaking on the phone and the killer circling around in his car and the photos of the victims with ominous music and the dates of the murders. Horrifying!
2) EARS/ONS. This was a later segment of UM, but to me that doesn't dull how horrifying the case is, particularly the "dish" method. Dear God, what a nefarious thing to do to stop a husband from protecting his wife.
3) "Debbie." I can't watch the attack scene where he chases her and they do something to alter his voice. He sounds like the devil.
4) Boston Rapist. These victims were just doing their jobs when this horrible person scarred them for life.
5) Dorothy Donovan. The coincidence of him finding the house and the shot of him walking across the lawn is still enough to scare the crap out of me.

Runners up:
Rachel Runyan :(
Jessica Keen. The cemetery chase is just awful and sad to watch.
Don Devereux/Mistake Hit/INSLAW
Mothman when he runs up to the window
Nelson DeCloud chasing Julie down the street in a car and following her to Tim Santi's house scared the crap out of me as a kid, but now I laugh at Tim's brother chasing him out with a baseball bat.
Joe Weldon Smith attempting to kill the homeowner.

2) EARS/ONS. This was a later segment of UM, but to me that doesn't dull how horrifying the case is, particularly the "dish" method. Dear God, what a nefarious thing to do to stop a husband from protecting his wife.

I get freaked out when the investigator speculates that that may have been something the EARS/ONS had done to him as a child. The whole thing is just amazingly disturbing.

Runners up:
Rachel Runyan :(

Ditto. Scary music, scary composite, scary imagery, scary suggestion re: the "snuff film". It makes you want to throw up.

Nelson DeCloud chasing Julie down the street in a car and following her to Tim Santi's house scared the crap out of me as a kid, but now I laugh at Tim's brother chasing him out with a baseball bat.

I loved Tim Santi. He didn't give a FLIP about Nelson DeCloud.

I thought he was kind of cute to boot, too. :p

Almost forgot this one--VERY close runner-up: Kathy Bonderson. :eek:

#1. Blind River Rest stop murders:

http://www.x-entertainment.com/articles/unsolvedmysteries/4.jpg

I can't really add anything else that hasn't already been said about this terrifying ordeal. "I'm going to rob you and then I'm going to kill you." The composite sketch. The music. Even the actor playing the killer looks scary as hell. On top of the murder of Jackie McCallister that we just saw, Unsolved Mysteries went the extra mile to terrorize us by reenacting Brian Major not being able to get his car started before the killer raises his rifle to shoot him through his windshield. I don't think there's any way to prove that actually happened but it was horrifying to watch.

^ this.

What is it about this segment that scares all of us? I've had countless nightmares about this.

Due to the activity of this segment on the threads, I've been thinking about the 3D composite that Gord helped put together... and it terrorizes me. I had trouble going to sleep last night.

Damn.

Due to the activity of this segment on the threads, I've been thinking about the 3D composite that Gord helped put together... and it terrorizes me. I had trouble going to sleep last night.

Damn.

Yikes!

I still have trouble sleeping whenever I see this segment. Glad I'm not the only one.

I love how you've put the screen shots in for your 5 cases.

My scariest 5 cases are in no particular order:

1: The Son of Sam "possibly more than 1 killer" story. The re-enactments, the spooky composites, found this very unsettling as a kid when I first saw it.

2: Tara Calico. THAT photo! enough said!

3: The Unibomber. Ok he's been arrested now but when I first saw this in the late 80's it was scary. Especially that scene where the witness is observing him through the blinds and he looks up.

4: Brad Bishop. Terrible crime, scary re-enactment.

5: The various Ghost stories including the Queen Mary segment. Scary to watch when younger.

Yikes!

I still have trouble sleeping whenever I see this segment. Glad I'm not the only one.

I third this.

I sort of stumbled upon the composite too and what do you know, trouble sleeping.:(

The guy at the atm was spooky. Also blind river was crazy and senseless.

I loved Tim Santi. He didn't give a FLIP about Nelson DeCloud.

I thought he was kind of cute to boot, too. :p
Me, too! I would love to know how things worked out between him and Julie. I love the update that shows them walking together and Stack telling the audience that they were engaged. I think he even gives one of his rare smiles when he says it. :) I hope they're both living happy lives now.

Me, too! I would love to know how things worked out between him and Julie. I love the update that shows them walking together and Stack telling the audience that they were engaged. I think he even gives one of his rare smiles when he says it. :) I hope they're both living happy lives now.

"WHERE IS JEWLIE!?"

"oh, we're the police"

"WHERE IS JEWLIE!?"

"oh, we're the police"
"WHERE'S TIM?"

"You guys aren't cops!"

I love how he and his crony get chased out with a baseball bat.

"WHERE'S TIM?"

"You guys aren't cops!"

I love how he and his crony get chased out with a baseball bat.

This scene is on the forbidden website if anyone wants to get a really good laugh.


'OFFER YOUR SHOES!'

5. Dennis DePue - That whole intro with the car and the van was so creepy. They found the perfect creepy spot to film it too. And Dennis' horrifying mug was the icing on the cake.

4. The ATV murders - Was always creeped out by the seemingly un-provoked murders of that many people. In Deliverance country.

3. The Comedy Club - As stupid as that segment is, the black floating cloud thing in the basement always freaked me out.

2. The wife-murderer guy who had bone fragments, skulls, and bags of human flesh blasted across his backyard. Seriously, wtf.

1. Dave Bocks - The case and re-enactments didn't scare me. The thought of being tossed into a blast furnace alive did.

This scene is on the forbidden website if anyone wants to get a really good laugh.


'OFFER YOUR SHOES!'

I've always found that segment to be gold. The guy who plays DeCloud....such ham.

This scene is on the forbidden website if anyone wants to get a really good laugh.


'OFFER YOUR SHOES!'
Oh, I will definitely go hunting for it. I always thought he said, ''Off with your shoes'' but ''offer your shoes'' is kind of hilarious. It's a sad segment, but some of the reenactment is gold like here_thar_be_yetis said. I love when Tim Santi meets DeCloud for the first time and doesn't treat him like the special man he thinks he is and the guy playing DeCloud pouts and walks away.

Oh, I will definitely go hunting for it. I always thought he said, ''Off with your shoes'' but ''offer your shoes'' is kind of hilarious. It's a sad segment, but some of the reenactment is gold like here_thar_be_yetis said. I love when Tim Santi meets DeCloud for the first time and doesn't treat him like the special man he thinks he is and the guy playing DeCloud pouts and walks away.

It is sad, but DeCloud is so ridiculous, hilarity ensues.

Reminds me of the Alamo segment when he is preaching:

"I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT JOBE, YOU IDIOT! I'M TALKING ABOUT ABRAHAM!!"

It is sad, but DeCloud is so ridiculous, hilarity ensues.

Reminds me of the Alamo segment when he is preaching:

"I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT JOBE, YOU IDIOT! I'M TALKING ABOUT ABRAHAM!!"
I laugh uncontrollably every time.

''I DIDN'T SAY MOSES, YOU LIAR!''
''YOU SORRY WEASEL. WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING WHILE EVERYONE'S BEEN READING THEIR BIBLES?!'

You're right; both men are scumbags, the cases are sad, but the actors just make it great to watch. I still get creeped out by Alamo stealing his wife's body though.

I laugh uncontrollably every time.

''I DIDN'T SAY MOSES, YOU LIAR!''
''YOU SORRY WEASEL. WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING WHILE EVERYONE'S BEEN READING THEIR BIBLES?!'

You're right; both men are scumbags, the cases are sad, but the actors just make it great to watch. I still get creeped out by Alamo stealing his wife's body though.

LOL it was Moses, not Jobe. :crazy:

The only time I ever jumped when watching a UM segment was during the Robert Arcieri segment when the home invasion takes place. The guy jumping out at the woman startled (and scared) the hell out of me. That's definitely a scary one for me. The others that really creeped me out were the Queen Mary ghost ship, the teenage thrill killers, Dale Kerstetter, and the Dexter Stefonek case.

The only time I ever jumped when watching a UM segment was during the Robert Arcieri segment when the home invasion takes place. The guy jumping out at the woman startled (and scared) the hell out of me.
That one really got to me, too. It's been a while since I've seen it, but didn't they use slow motion when they zoomed in on her horrified face? And she was pleading with them not to do anything? :eek:

Home invasion episodes tended to scare the most of of me anyway when I was a kid. The first UM episode I ever watched was about the two men in masks breaking into a woman's house and tying her and her grandson up and slamming her head into a microwave so she would tell them the safe combo. I was TERRIFIED that burglars would break into the house for months!

That one really got to me, too. It's been a while since I've seen it, but didn't they use slow motion when they zoomed in on her horrified face? And she was pleading with them not to do anything? :eek:

Home invasion episodes tended to scare the most of of me anyway when I was a kid. The first UM episode I ever watched was about the two men in masks breaking into a woman's house and tying her and her grandson up and slamming her head into a microwave so she would tell them the safe combo. I was TERRIFIED that burglars would break into the house for months!

Yep that was the one that went into slow motion as soon as the intruder was seen. I was always freaked out by home invasions...still am to this day.

Wadada.

The guy was just insane.

Honorable mention to the Eric and Pam Ellender segment. Every single one of those supposed witnesses and suspects, without exception, had a distinctly freaky look to them.

Wadada.

The guy was just insane.
Yeah that was a weird one.

The blind river rest stop always got me. Ear/ons was scary too.

For me it goes (in no particular order, as they'll all just as scary I.M.O.)

1: The Blind River Rest Stop Murders
2: Sacramento Thrill Killer
3: The Attacker Of "Debby"
4: Matthew Chase
5: Tracy Kirkpatrick

Honorable mentions for me would go to Rhonda Hinson, Diana Robertson/Mike Reimer, The New England Serial Killer, The I-5 Killer, Elizabeth Campbell, Debra Poe, Susan Laferte & Doreen Picard, Roxanne Jeeves, The Texas Teenage Thrill Killers, Angela Hammond, Colleen Reed, Lisa Ziegert, Kimberly Pandelious, Marlene Santana, Rachel Runyan, Nyleen Kay Marshall, The Crazy Glue Bank Robber, Michaela Garecht, The Edmonton Child Rapist & Killer, Charles Holden/Dorothy Donovan, Harold & Thelma Swain, Tara Calico/Michael Henry, Dexter Stefonex, Gretchen Burford, Mike Emert, and of course the classic, legendary Son Of Sam segments, mainly Part 1.

Going by what scared me as a child...in no particular order...

The Ellenders - I saw this during the original run. Some of the allegations, such as there being a video taken at this party, were really terrifying. I actually feared seeing this in reruns on Lifetime. It was never syndicated until the Spike revamp.

Rachel Runyon - heinous crime, the graffiti, the snuff film allegations, the music. As an aside, maybe it is just me but does it freak anyone else out when the criminal "reaches out" by leaving a message in a public place such as the graffiti writers in the Runyon case, Stefonek case, the Gary Grant Jr. case, the Mikki Jo West etc.? By reach out, I mean leave some note in public about their crime that any average Joe can stumble upon. I guess it just weirds me out to think that we share common space with a killer. Sort of related, but on my my morning run yesterday I saw a used syringe on the ground. Just weird to think some junkie had been shooting up at that exact spot probably the night before.

Gary Grant Jr - heinous crime, the notes left behind for his dad. Possibility of Boo being involved. When I saw this as a kid, it didn't occur to me that a kid could actually kill another kid. That was a weird concept to wrap my mind around.

Tara Calico - I didn't see the UM segment until I was an adult but I did see the photo on A Current Affair. I never forgot it.

Son of Sam - the composites, the re-enactments, the music, the seemingly sleazy people allegedly involved (John Carr) then the Satanic allegations with the killing of dogs. Horrible.

Honorable mentions -

Jeremy Bright and Kurt Sova. Nothing scary about the cases themselves and the explanations are seemingly down to Earth enough. Just the way UM presented these stories made them the stuff of nghtmares.

Jeremy Bright and Kurt Sova. Nothing scary about the cases themselves and the explanations are seemingly down to Earth enough. Just the way UM presented these stories made them the stuff of nghtmares.

I thought the scene with Kurt Sova writhing in pain on that sofa bed in the basement was pretty creepy. Also pretty terrifying to think how Jeremy may have suffered for a week before expiring.

Not the scariest per se, but I did want to give a shout out to the Paul Ferrell 'Final Appeal' episode.

There is actually very little music OR dialog (with the exception of the trial scenes) throughout the whole thing. When music is used, it's almost always unusually soft and apprehensive. The one exception is the part where RS narrates that Kim Nelson had heard screams coming from the Ferrell trailer. The camera--in apparently what is supposed to be the Nelson home--is focused on an open window with a clear view of what is supposed to be Ferrell's trailer. The camera kind of zooms in and we hear a musical build-up to a horrible, screechy, scream-like sound effect.

On top of it, the real lack of any substantial information about the victim Cathy Ford makes for a pretty unsettling presentation. I've never even seen another photo of Ford anywhere except for the one used for the show.

I could see why others would find Kurt Sova & Jeremy Bright a bit creepy too, even if they weren't quite as scary as the segments which personally scared me the most. Although Jeremy was never confirmed to be dead, he surely did meet a grim fate, and could only speculate on what must of happened to him once he went missing. Kurt Sova always fascinated me too, and always wondered what happened between the time he was missing, then found dead.

The fact that they couldn't even really determine how Kurt died made the case all the more mystifying. I also wondered what happened with the other boy (Eugene Kvet) and why his death was so similar to Kurt's? That, and was strange how he looked like he was around ten years old in the photo U.M. showed of his face, yet appeared to be a full grown man (or at least teenager) when the segment showed a brief glimpse of his body, unless there simply wasn't a more recent photo of him available at the time of his death.

There is a part in the Terri McClure segment that is really creepy to me. It's in the unedited version. At the end, Tim McClure is saying something to the effect of, "you know if you saw my mother's murder...now would be a good time to come out with it" and they cut to a picture of Terri and play this really creepy little synth line. Gives me chills just thinking about it.

There is a part in the Terri McClure segment that is really creepy to me. It's in the unedited version. At the end, Tim McClure is saying something to the effect of, "you know if you saw my mother's murder...now would be a good time to come out with it" and they cut to a picture of Terri and play this really creepy little synth line. Gives me chills just thinking about it.

I literally just noticed that a couple of hours ago after re-watching the segment. You took the words right out of my mouth. (Ironic, since I just played that song by Meat Loaf yesterday).

Double Weird.

And I'll have to concede the point about Stack saying McClure alleged the lie detector was done improperly. I still think it was implied, but he doesn't outright say it.

You took the words right out of my mouth. (Ironic, since I just played that song by Meat Loaf yesterday).

I assure you it wasn't when I was kissing you.

Like most of my fellow UM fans, I have a hard time limiting myself to five, but here goes...

5. Matthew Chase. (I always avoid ATM's at night because of his case.)

4. Angela Hammond. (Though it turned out differently, I also had a scary encounter at a pay phone one night located at a deserted bus depot.)

3. Matt Flores. (Not a single eye witness??)

2. Dave Bocks. (This case speaks for itself.)

1. Patsy Wright. (I swore off of cough medicine for years after seeing this segment!)

The Blind River Killer. Tara Calico. Angela Hammond. Black Hope Curse. The case where the actor looked really vacant & killed his dinner date in the woods-like the Blind River one the actors face & mannerisms made it scary.

Interesting topic. Blind River definitely, Chaim Weiss for sure, Dale Hyde (the child molester who, in one part of the segment is sitting on the floor crying and saying he thinks there is something wrong with him and he needs help... genuinely terrifying), and I'd need to think about another 2 to make sure I don't miss any one that really freaks me out. Creepy composites often have a lot to do with this.

I can't remember the name of the victim (sorry!!) but he was the doctor's son from Alaska who was driving Highway One and the Canadian authorities confiscated his handgun, after which he encountered a scary dude who killed him and assumed his identity. The scene where he's about to pull away from the roadside restaurant and the murderer basically forces his way into the car... for some reason that scares the hell out of me. They showed the rerun on Lifetime not too long ago and yep, still scares me. :(

I can't remember the name of the victim (sorry!!) but he was the doctor's son from Alaska who was driving Highway One and the Canadian authorities confiscated his handgun, after which he encountered a scary dude who killed him and assumed his identity. The scene where he's about to pull away from the roadside restaurant and the murderer basically forces his way into the car... for some reason that scares the hell out of me. They showed the rerun on Lifetime not too long ago and yep, still scares me. :(

Philip Fraser.

How can ANYONE forget to mention Jasper Watkins, aka The Steamtrunk John Doe? Ugh! Worst. Picture. Ever.

1. Dale Kerstetter

The greatest case of all time. Such an incredible incident for the time period in a small isolated town in the middle of nowhere. What really happened will probably never be known.

2. Keith Reinhard/Tom Young

Another case where the truth isn't quite clear as there are so many theories and it's still unsolved. Again another outrageous incident happening in an isolated town and so far only one has been found. The segment left out ALOT of information.

3. Clarence Roberts

What this man and his wife pulled off is nothing short of amazing. But did he die in the first fire, or the second fire? Did his wife really hide him for that long before she too decided to give up?

4. Adam Hecht

The well-off son of a famous hollywood producer goes missing off the face of the earth after exploring another side of life from befriending and helping a homeless man. No trace of him has ever been found and I think it takes the cake as being one of the only cases that you can find absolutely NO information about anywhere. His father was involved with alot of well known movies.

5. Hugh Harlan

On a small coastal area of California lived an eccentric couple. Although they had some ups and downs, nobody ever thought something like what happened would happen. One day his wife ends up being found dead on the beach after walking her dogs. LE questions him and he ends up slipping up a few times, but because of lack of evidence, he's off the hook. Fast forward 4 years later and his truck is found on the side of the road. He's never seen again. Did he skate by on lack of evidence, then start feeling guilty and off himself? Or did something nefarious happen to him too? Just another one of those weird cases were the cycle of events is totally bizarre.

Philip Fraser.
How can ANYONE forget to mention Jasper Watkins, aka The Steamtrunk John Doe? Ugh! Worst. Picture. Ever.

Thank you! I really prefer to mention the victim's name so they are front and center but couldn't recall Philip Fraser's name.

The Jasper Watkins case is just so sad. :(

My top five creepiest cases:

Dale Kerstetter
Matthew Chase
Angela Hammond
Blair Adams
Dave Bocks

The Church Murders, Patsy Wright, Blind River Killer, and Kurt Sova unsettled me a lot, too. Mostly due to the way UM portrayed them.

Alicia Showalter Reynolds scared the crap out of me when I was a kid. I used to freak out and think that was going to happen to my mom.

When I was younger:

1. Omar the arsonist - once this one was solved it became a case of kids being stupid
2. Kurt Sova
3. Kurt McFall
4. Angela Hammond (this one riled me for years)
5. Orange Sock Murders

As an adult:
1. Wendy Camp & Family
2. Jodi Huisentruit
3. Diana Robertson & Mike Reimer - Mostly because of Mike's remains being found. When I thought he was the killer this one was less chilling.
4. Claudia Kirschoch
5. John and Linda Sohus (even though the culprit has been caught)

1-Chaim Weiss
2-Doreen Picard
3-The Original Night Stalker
4-Angela Hammond
5-Matthew Chase

When I was younger:

1. Omar the arsonist - once this one was solved it became a case of kids being stupid
2. Kurt Sova
3. Kurt McFall
4. Angela Hammond (this one riled me for years)
5. Orange Sock Murders

As an adult:
1. Wendy Camp & Family
2. Jodi Huisentruit
3. Diana Robertson & Mike Reimer - Mostly because of Mike's remains being found. When I thought he was the killer this one was less chilling.
4. Claudia Kirschoch
5. John and Linda Sohus (even though the culprit has been caught)thats a good way to put it.


When I was little I may have only watched 5 cases out of pure fear lol just joking. My childhood five from a very limited selection:
1. Civil war LA ghosts.
2. Wanted updates where stack profiles several wanted criminals at once. It may have been the mohan case.
3. Carol
4. 49er hugs(I loved football as a child and somehow thought if I had a team on my plate I could be shot)
5. IH 70 killer after watching this one I took a long hiatus.

thats a good way to put it.


When I was little I may have only watched 5 cases out of pure fear lol just joking. My childhood five from a very limited selection:
1. Civil war LA ghosts.
2. Wanted updates where stack profiles several wanted criminals at once. It may have been the mohan case.
3. Carol
4. 49er hugs(I loved football as a child and somehow thought if I had a team on my plate I could be shot)
5. IH 70 killer after watching this one I took a long hiatus.

I lol'd at "long hiatus"--I totally did the same thing as a kid courtesy of another segment.

My childhood 5:

1. Laura Burbank (this was the segment in question). The actor who played David Harry Fisher couldn't have been more perfect for that role, and he invaded my nightmares for about a month afterward.

2. The Bike Path Rapist. I was a few years older for this one and remember clearly the footage of that detective standing near those railroad tracks explaining how one of the rapes occurred. And then those composites at the end. The one with the heavy, dark eyes stuck with me for YEARS.

3. The Hum. Still terrified of that sound approximation to this day. It sounds like it's coming out of hell somewhere.

4. Tallman haunting. That radio dial spinning around = Meg sleeps with her head under the covers for months.

5. Kevin Hughes. This was the first UM segment I ever saw, and all I knew is that Nashville was in Tennessee, I lived in Tennessee, and the killer could've been down at the Wal-Mart for all I knew (and eventually, Richard d'Antonio did actually end up in my city--for trial).

I lol'd at "long hiatus"--I totally did the same thing as a kid courtesy of another segment.

My childhood 5:

1. Laura Burbank (this was the segment in question). The actor who played David Harry Fisher couldn't have been more perfect for that role, and he invaded my nightmares for about a month afterward.

2. The Bike Path Rapist. I was a few years older for this one and remember clearly the footage of that detective standing near those railroad tracks explaining how one of the rapes occurred. And then those composites at the end. The one with the heavy, dark eyes stuck with me for YEARS.

3. The Hum. Still terrified of that sound approximation to this day. It sounds like it's coming out of hell somewhere.

4. Tallman haunting. That radio dial spinning around = Meg sleeps with her head under the covers for months.

5. Kevin Hughes. This was the first UM segment I ever saw, and all I knew is that Nashville was in Tennessee, I lived in Tennessee, and the killer could've been down at the Wal-Mart for all I knew (and eventually, Richard d'Antonio did actually end up in my city--for trial).
Ha...So your number 5 is like my number 5. When bob said the killer was last seen in Arlington texas I thought....ok I'm done. It was like ok this is the scariest segment ever but at least it's on IH 70....900 miles north. Then that last line delivered by bob makes my heart sink.

When I was younger my family had a vacation house in Cape Cod. The house had nothing but woods in the backyard but there was one area that was completely clear. My older brother used to tell me that that's where the UFO's would land. After watching the episode about "missing time" where the military guy got off the bus in front of the convenience store in Massachusetts, I was convinced of his evil story. Hehe.

As an adult my top 5 would be:

1) the murder of Scott Rossiter. Maybe not so much the story of his murder but the update. I fast forward this case as soon as I hear Robert Stack say "time is of the essence." (or whatever the exact words are)

2) the Signal Mountain murders. I don't fast forward it, I just don't watch it at night.

3) Micki Jo West. I don't know why but the fact that letters kept showing up at malls creeped me out a little.

4) Matthew Chase abduction. When they show that one picture where the guy appears on the corner of the screen next to Matthew it just gives me the chills. I used to go to the bank to use the ATM at night after hours, but now? Hell to the no. If I absolutely need money right away I'll use the drive up ATM after locking the hell out of my car doors.

5) Jeffrey MacDonald. Maybe it's the music that's played at the beginning of the segment or the fear of me waking up to find a woman wearing a floppy hat. I don't know. Maybe more bizarre than scary.

1. Angela Hammond
2. EAR/ONS
3. ATV murders
4. Blind River Rest Stop
5. Cindy James

The boys on the tracks instantly comes to mind. One of the most inscrutable, creepy episodes ever.

hmm...replace my Jeffrey MacDonald with Danny Williams. That case just creeps me out. The way the segment was portrayed, the music, the blood on the TV, that nosy neighbor...I just need to hit the fast forward button.

All really great ones so far. When I watched the show as a kid I only watched the aliens and ghosts segments, but the Jenny Pratt case always stuck with me. All the other cases I didn't watch until a couple of years ago.

In no particular order:

-Philip Fraser
-Eric & Pam Ellender. The part about the baby.
-San Mateo fires
-Stephen Marfeo (not really the segment, but holy sh** that update! I rewatched it some time later and I thought to myself, "man he ended up killing himself")
-Keith Warren. The crime scene pictures. Thankfully UM only showed vague areas of the pictures.

I did some research online about Keith Warren some years ago and found an archived edition of Jet that had a story about the case, and many of the full crime scene photos were published. They're awful. I would be shocked and horrified to receive something like that in the mail, as Mrs. Warren did.

1. Blind river killer.. The sketch was freaky..

2. Angela Hammond abduction.. "I didn't need to use the phone anyway"

3. Connecticut river valley killer.. When "Jane" drove for help and ended up right behind her attacker..

1. Blind Freakin' River Rest Stop!

2. I-70 Serial Killer
Between the composites and the re-enactment...

3. Alicia Showalter Reynolds.
The thought that someone would troll women on the road is just freaky.

4. Philip Fraiser
College kid gets killed by a hitch hiker who has the freakiest composites ever.

5. Boys on the Tracks

Honorable Mentions:
Angie Harmmond
Matt Flores
Dave Bocks
Patsy Wright
Lady who was shot in the head in CT (?) by a guy in a truck who seemed to be "stalking" people on the road.

"Carol" was the name of the segment where a truck stopped infront of a woman and shot her almost dead. Very creepy segment.

"Carol" was the name of the segment where a truck stopped infront of a woman and shot her almost dead. Very creepy segment.

Hasho, I don't know whether to be scared or laugh at the composite in your Avatar! :eek:

Hasho, I don't know whether to be scared or laugh at the composite in your Avatar! :eek:
Isn't that the sketch of the wanted hit and run perp?

That's the point :lol:

It is from the segment where four black guys are driving towards a mall for christmas shopping, but meets a creepy roadrage guy who bumps their car and they end up in a ditch. They suspected that the crime was racially motivated.

1-EAR..........cannot believe only one person added this, um hello!
2-Circeville..more as a kid than now
3-Wackers...again, more as a kid
4-Dale Kersetter...ski mask get me every time
5-Lisa segment...she was a teacher and worked at a store. The scene with her in the truck on the gravel road with the equally creepy red headed lady witness *shivers*/Kansas city serial killer who simply shot up the strip mall and walked up a hill wtf?

1-EAR..........cannot believe only one person added this, um hello!

I went back in the thread just to make sure I was that one person. :lol: I could never have left him out. Home invasion segments were scary enough, but he takes the cake!

I went back in the thread just to make sure I was that one person. :lol: I could never have left him out. Home invasion segments were scary enough, but he takes the cake!


:lol: I think you got it there: Home invasion. THAT is scary. Your home is suppose to be your safety. These people locked there doors and double checked because he eventually was on the news and they were STILL attacked! Frickin' Michael Myers indeed. Another is the rich lady who was killed in her room. I think she had a feeling she was stalked...then there goes the damn ski mask re-inactment. He tip toes down the hall and leaves the sliding glass open so the alarm could tip off the man who hired him. *NIGHTMARES*:eek:

1. The teen thrill kill spree
2. The strip mall rapist
3. Angela Hammond
4. Cindy James
5. Those creepy highway snipers

Like I said, the scariest cases are generally the ones where you can't discern a tangible motive. Others, well, if you bend your mind and pretend to be a sociopath, you can almost make sense of the motive. Like all those spouses on UM, who basically decided, "If I can't have her, no one will." Or all those cases where they just came to rob someone, but they put up a harder fight than the killer thought they would and things went south from there.

The Blind River Rest Stop is emblematic of this. Every time I try to bend my mind, I just can't figure out what exactly the Killer gained by committing such a horrendous crime. He didn't know any of his victims, so it probably wasn't personal, but the sheer brutality...I don't think the guy who committed that crime gained anything by hurting those people. I don't even think the guy picked his victims' pockets afterwards, so it wasn't a financial motivation.

Those are the scariest kind of crimes, because with the tangible motive cases, you can somewhat predict what the perp will do next. But Blind River Rest Stop...:O

Not to mention, the fact that the raw pain is still visible on the survivor's face as he talks about how he wished he'd died that night with his wife...

I admit that the "Omar" Arsonist creeped me out like crazy while I was a kid. I remember seeing that episode and couldn't unhear the voice...stayed up all night with a flashlight!

I went back in the thread just to make sure I was that one person. :lol: I could never have left him out. Home invasion segments were scary enough, but he takes the cake!

I mentioned EAR on the first page of this thread, so you aren't the only one! :lol: I, too, could never have left him out!

I mentioned EAR on the first page of this thread, so you aren't the only one! :lol: I, too, could never have left him out!
Makes sense. One person putting him would be shocking. :lol: Even if it was a later UM segment.

Oh, and thanks for the Sudden Terror recommendation you gave a while back. :) Such an amazing read! Terrifying, of course, but gave so many details I hadn't known of.

Definitely agree with Blind River Rest stop and the New Hampshire serial killer.
The Eileen Mangold segment creeped me out when I first saw it, and still does.
Rebecca Young (with the exception of that idiot dancing around and pulling up his shirt).
The actress playing Pamela Ray knocking on the window and later following the man into the lot.
Ricardo Caputo is another unsettling segment. Stack's comment on how Caputo used his charms to kill again, and again, and again, as well as the image of Laura Gomez's body.

1. The Signal Mountain Murders

2. Omar the Arsonist

3. Beverly McGowan

4. Ethel Kid

5. Oba Chandler/Rogers woman

I admit that the "Omar" Arsonist creeped me out like crazy while I was a kid. I remember seeing that episode and couldn't unhear the voice...stayed up all night with a flashlight!

Does anyone know if the names and pictures of the guys in this segment were ever released? Last I saw, they were minors and they blurred out their faces on video and did not mention names.

That's the point :lol:

It is from the segment where four black guys are driving towards a mall for christmas shopping, but meets a creepy roadrage guy who bumps their car and they end up in a ditch. They suspected that the crime was racially motivated.

I wasn't aware comic book characters were capable of running people off the road. :lol:

The actor portraying the perp was a lot more scarier. Will post a screenshot of him later.

I remember the Eric and Pam Ellender segment made me uneasy the first time I saw it over 20 years ago.

I think every segment in 1989-92ish scared me.

My top five:

5. Mann House/Tallman Bunk Beds
4. Angela Hammond and Tami Lynn Leppert, as well as LeZhan Williams (tie).
3. Connecticut Valley Killer/I-70 Killer.
2. Allagash Abductions
1. Beverly McGowan

In no particular order...

The Allagash Abductions
"Debbie"
"Laurie" (Rufino Castaneda)
Rick Church
Doreen Picard

My scariest episode list seems to change throughout the years.

When I was a kid, I was terrified of the La Posada Hotel and the Kelsay House segments.

^ this.

What is it about this segment that scares all of us? I've had countless nightmares about this.

My .02...

I think it's just the senselessness of it. Also the idea that people could be targeted at a rest stop just because. No rules, no conscience. Plus, rest stops are a bit isolated anyway. I haven't stopped in one in a while, but I remember a few times in the past where you'd stop and you'd be one of the only cars there. Definitely makes you look over your shoulder, and you shouldn't have to.

1. The Signal Mountain Murders

2. Omar the Arsonist

3. Beverly McGowan

4. Ethel Kid

5. Oba Chandler/Rogers woman

I am weirdly glad I am not the only one who still feels strongly about the Beverly McGowan case. My heart breaks for her family (who didn't even get the satisfaction of seeing Elaine Parent go to trial.)

Yep that was the one that went into slow motion as soon as the intruder was seen. I was always freaked out by home invasions...still am to this day.

Having had the alarm go off in the middle of the night a couple times and 5 a.m. when all the doors were closed and locked and there was no wind, I completely agree. Luckily the alarm scared off the bad guys, but...

Can't believe I never responded to this thread. I tried to narrow it to five and just simply could not.

Blind River Rest Stop Murder(s)
Boys on the Tracks
Brayman Road Attacker
Murder of Rhonda Hinson
New Orleans Serial Killer
Tallman House

And what do all of these have in common? They aired between 1988 and 1994, when UM's production value was through the roof. The show was shot on film, which I maintain added a realism and, at the same time, a dreamlike quality to all the segments that the later seasons that were shot on tape simply do not have.

I'm going to put an honorable mention in here for Orange Sock Murders. The idea that these two women were abducted hitchhiking, and the chilling (pun intended) music when both of them are running to get away from the killer...nightmare fuel. On the Dennis Farina version, they show the case. I thought that Bobbie Jo's husband came off as calm and sympathetic and i immediately felt for the guy. The picture of the killer they arrested gave me the creeps. It's in the eyes with all these murderers. There's just no humanity in them.

I’m surprised people think the Elaine Parent segment is one of the scariest. Wadada might have been one of the scariest I can recall. One of the scariest is the ATM murder. I also recall an old man vanishing or being murdered in a PNW parking lot, but I can’t find it. The circleville letters and the pay phone murder were frightening, but the absolute most terrifying was the one with Matthew McConaughey.

I’m surprised people think the Elaine Parent segment is one of the scariest. Wadada might have been one of the scariest I can recall. One of the scariest is the ATM murder. I also recall an old man vanishing or being murdered in a PNW parking lot, but I can’t find it. The circleville letters and the pay phone murder were frightening, but the absolute most terrifying was the one with Matthew McConaughey.

I do think the Edward Harold Bell (aka the McConaughey segment) one is terrifying, as is Wadada. The others are too. Any cases where something happened to a child are the ones I really have trouble watching.

The fact that Bell confessed to the murders of Sharon Shaw and her friend (also profiled on UM), invaded that woman's house, and also shot his victim before going back and getting a rifle to do it again is sickening.

I think the brutality of the Beverly McGowan murder (although every case you mention is brutal) for $1000, plus the very disturbing "Sam" composite, and Parent's cold-blooded spree (there may be more murder victims out there, who knows) are all reasons why it still gives us chills. Also the fact that no one knew it was Elaine Parent for years. And that even today, after she's dead and gone (and cheating Beverly's brother and sister out of the satisfaction of seeing her in handcuffs in a courtroom). Also, that there is still some doubt in people's minds whether or not "Sam" really existed and escaped responsibility.

On a personal note, I have known people--including women--exactly like Elaine Parent. I was lucky. I got them out of my life before anything potentially tragic could happen.

I never really found UM episodes particularly scary except one. The Howard Bell (Mathew McConaughey) case. A cold blooded killing in a nice neighborhood on a warm summer day in Texas. Probably the safest place and time of the year. We were supposed to spend the night within a couple of blocks a year later in 1979. We heard about the murder and that the killer was still loose. When I saw the segment on TV in the 1990s my blood ran cold.

I never really found UM episodes particularly scary except one. The Howard Bell (Mathew McConaughey) case.

What amazes me most is what did the mom do to deserve that kind of fate? On the phone with police, having to describe her son being killed. All I can think of is God wants us to be happy about death; but I have to say I don’t understand the point of putting a mother through a lifetime of raising another human just so she can happy she gets to see him go to Heaven in cold-blooded murder. Reminds me of Mary, the mother of Jesus. Enjoy

Well, I just rewatched the Blind River segment, and it’s definitely scary. It amazes me that a guy like Ronald Glenn West can get remarried. What woman willingly marries a divorced, sideways guy with kids? She can’t find a decent man?

Philip Fraser is another contender for scariest segment. Gaye and Tina Frocklage, the mother and daughter running the cafe where Philip meets the hitchhiker, had a narrow escape. They knew the hitchhiker wasn't right.

The Blind River rest stop killings, the Connecticut River Valley serial murders/attack on Jane Boroski, the segments on Eileen Mangold, Rachel Runyan and Su Ya Kim stood out to me as some of the most disturbing.

Tara Breckenridge's segment disturbed me. Maybe it's not as gruesome as the ATV/Signal Mountain Murders, Edward Harold Bell, Su Ya Kim, Blind River, and the others, but any woman who has felt vulnerable like that can relate, and anyone who has a sister or daughter can relate.

I've probably mentioned this elsewhere but one that's migrated onto my list as an honorable mention or sixth man is Tim Barry.

The whole thing freaks me out: the drunken confession to the priest. The fact that he married his victim's sister and apparently behaved like a perfectly normal brother-in-law for seven or eight years before he murdered her. That it was only after the fact that everyone discovered that he'd been narrowly acquitted of the murder of another soldier in Germany while he was in the Army. Just walking off from a work detail and disappearing. Then literally COMING OUT OF THE WOODS years later and talking to his kids for ten minutes before going back into the woods and disappearing yet again.

I don't care that he was caught years ago and has been in prison ever since. That dude scares the hell out of me.

Tallman Ghost.

I am convinced that the pastor in that segment was right and that something dark or demonic came in with the bunk bed. Energy can be attached to objects.

My 5 Scariest have now been updated.

1. Brazos River Attackers (they assaulted the mom without a thought that her son was present)
2. EAR/ONS (the level of pathology is sadistic)
3. Beverly McGowan (always in my top 5)
4. Angela Hammond
5. Orange Sock Murders