In this episode, we talk about the hostage situation that unfolded when three college-age friends from Bakersfield headed to their remote family cabin in the California hills. We break down how a man named Benjamin Ashley, armed and delusional, ambushed them on private land, held them at gunpoint, and later murdered a retired dentist. We cover the fifteen-day manhunt that followed, the DNA evidence police used to ID the suspect, and the tactical shootout that ended it all. This is the story of a planned summer getaway that turned into a survival test with real casualties.

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In this episode, we talk about Liverpool’s long history of gang violence, from the brutal murder of Richard Morgan by the Cornermen in 1874 over a sixpence, to Curtis Warren’s £40 million heroin operation in the 1990s. We cover how the city’s docks turned it into a global smuggling hub, how economic collapse fueled the rise of the Liverpool Mafia, and how Warren became one of Interpol’s most wanted men. We break down the public outrage, the failures of law enforcement, the rise of organized drug trafficking, and the operations that finally brought Warren down.

Join us on Apple Podcasts or Patreon to explore all topics covered by the National Media Archive:

• Power & Influence
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In this episode, we talk about the Chicago Outfit's internal power shifts from the 1930s through the 1990s, covering the rise and fall of mob frontmen like Salvatore Battaglia and Felix “Milwaukee Phil” Alderisio, and how Tony Accardo maintained control using brutal enforcers like Frank Schweihs and Harry Aleman. We break down the Chop Shop War that tore through the Chicago Heights crew, the Outfit’s expansion into Las Vegas under Accardo’s leadership, and the murders tied to the Vegas casino skim. We also cover the FBI’s wiretap campaigns, the assassinations of Allen Dorfman and Daniel Seifert, the death of Tony Spilotro, and how advancing technology ultimately brought an end to the Outfit's most profitable rackets.

Join us on Apple Podcasts or Patreon to explore all topics covered by the National Media Archive:

• Power & Influence
• Luxury & Prestige
• Wealth & Finance
• Erotic Audio
• Personal Growth & Achievement
• Crime & Corruption (True Crime)
• Knowledge & Ideas
• History & Legacy
• News, Culture & Society
• Technology & Innovation
• Exploration & Wonder