Starting with the legend known as “The Kidney Heist,” we embark on a conversation about the realities of organ trafficking. In this legend, a man meets a woman at a bar and accompanies her to her hotel room, only to wake up missing his kidneys. What’s the truth behind this legend? Along the way we cover everything from cattle mutilations, the definition of life, and the fact that you really CAN buy everything on Craig’s List.

Sources:

Brickwood, Becky. 2020. “Forced Organ Harvesting: ‘This Is Beyond Understanding.’” Health Europa (blog). January 27, 2020. https://www.healtheuropa.eu/forced-organ-harvesting-this-is-beyond-understanding/96933/.

Campion-Vincent, Véronique. 2002. “Organ Theft Narratives as Medical and Social Critique.” Journal of Folklore Research 39 (1): 33–50.

Coffman, Keith. 2020. “Colorado Funeral Home Operators Indicted for Illegally Selling Body Parts.” Reuters, March 18, 2020. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-bodies-idUSKBN21509C.

Kish, Phillip. 2018. “Mother of Model Whose Body Was Found without Organs Still Seeks Answers.” Wusa9.Com. December 28, 2018. https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/nation-world/mother-of-model-whose-body-was-found-without-organs-still-seeks-answers/507-625177206.

Smith, Saphora. 2019. “China Forcefully Harvests Organs from Detainees, Tribunal Concludes.” NBC News. June 18, 2019. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/china-forcefully-harvests-organs-detainees-tribunal-concludes-n1018646.

Staff, DecodingScience. 2019. “Organ Harvesting, Human Trafficking, and the Black Market.” Decoded Science (blog). November 12, 2019. https://decodedscience.org/organ-harvesting-human-trafficking-and-the-black-market/.

Thompson, Don. 2015. “NorCal Inmate Was Cut Nearly in Two, Organs Missing.” KCRA. July 11, 2015. https://www.kcra.com/article/norcal-inmate-was-cut-nearly-in-two-organs-missing/6423766.

Sex Trafficking Legends Part 2 – Crimelore

In the second part of our discussion of sex-trafficking legends we discuss some actual rumored and documented cases of sex trafficking, Susana Trimarco–a mother fighting back against sex traffickers, and how legends about sex trafficking interact with these actual case in contemporary culture. National Human Trafficking Resource Center hotline (USA) 1-888-373-7888Polaris Project has resources for Trafficking victims. Sources:Anne. 2020. “Stop the Spread of Fake News: No One Is Sex Trafficking You at Target.” Iowa City Moms.  https://iowacity.momcollective.com/2020/02/08/stop-the-spread-of-fake-news-no-one-is-sex-trafficking-you-at-target/. Barron, Alexis. 2019. “Letty Serrano Was Abducted And Trafficked For Sex At 13; Two Years Later She Committed Suicide.” Mitu. https://wearemitu.com/things-that-matter/human-slavery-is-alive-and-well-letty-serrano-committed-suicide-two-years-after-being-rescued-from-sex-traffickers/. BBC News. 2013. “Argentina Convicts 10 in Marita Veron Sex Trafficking Case,.  https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-25429736. Buenos Aires Times. 2018. “32 Years after Her Kidnapping, Argentine Woman Rescued in Bolivia,” December 26. https://www.batimes.com.ar/news/argentina/32-years-after-her-kidnapping-argentine-woman-rescued-in-bolivia.phtml. Chiaramonte, Perry. 2019. “Houston Teen Takes Own Life after Surviving Sex-Trafficking Ring,.” Fox News. https://www.foxnews.com/us/houston-teen-takes-own-life-sex-trafficking-ring-ongoing-epidemic. “Corinna Paige Slusser–Charley Project.” https://charleyproject.org/case/corinna-paige-slusser. “FBI Informant Speaks with News10NBC; Says He Witnessed Brittanee Drexel’s Murder.” 2019. WHEC-TV. https://www.whec.com/news/fbi-informant-speaks-with-news10nbc-says-he-witnessed-brittanee-drexels-murder/5260439/. Jackson, Angie. 2018. “Man Named in Brittanee Drexel Investigation to Be Released on House Arrest.” Post and Courier. https://www.postandcourier.com/news/man-named-in-brittanee-drexel-investigation-to-be-released-on/article_f97655aa-9fc4-11e8-b719-e3e542ec89c4.html. Johnson, Scott C. 2012. “Argentina’s Susana Trimarco: One Mother’s Fight Against Human Trafficking.” Newsweek, https://www.newsweek.com/argentinas-susana-trimarco-one-mothers-fight-against-human-trafficking-65407. Lahman, Sean. 2019. “Jailhouse Informant in Brittanee Drexel Disappearance Files Lawsuit.” Democrat and Chronicle,  https://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/2019/02/28/brittanee-drexel-jailhouse-informant-lawsuit/3015000002/. Pasqualini, Kym L. 2020. “The Reality of Sex Trafficking in the US: Corinna Slosser Missing.” Medium. https://kympasqualini.medium.com/the-reality-of-sex-trafficking-in-the-us-corinna-slosser-missing-74e617cbd2dc. Recklein, Courtney M. 2020. “The Strange and Unsolved Disappearance of Amy Lynn Bradley.” Film Daily. https://filmdaily.co/news/amy-lynn-bradley/. Roy, Anusha. 2017. “Read This before You Share That Viral Facebook Post about Ross.” KUSA.Com. https://www.9news.com/article/news/verify/read-this-before-you-share-that-viral-facebook-post-about-ross/73-455672734. “R/UnresolvedMysteries: On the 4th of March 1998, 11-Year-Old Rui Pedro from Portugal Disappears near His Mother’s Workplace. 3 Years Later, His Photo Is Found on the Database of Wonderland Club, a Child Pornography Ring. This Is the Last Anyone Saw of Him.” n.d. Reddit.  https://www.reddit.com/r/UnresolvedMysteries/comments/9iiawr/on_the_4th_of_march_1998_11yearold_rui_pedro_from/. Staver, Anna. 2017. “Do Child Sex Traffickers Look for Victims at the Store?” KUSA.Com, https://www.9news.com/article/news/verify/verify-do-child-sex-traffickers-look-for-victims-at-the-store/73-455918970. 

1. Sex Trafficking Legends Part 2 55:00
2. Sex Trafficking Legends Part 1 48:04
3. The Boyfriend's Death 01:02:33
4. Is Crime a Laughing Matter? 54:54
5. Organ Theft Legends 59:17

In our first episode, learn about the classic contemporary legend “The Killer in the Backseat.” We also give a little nutshell description of what folklore is.

Sources

Brunvand, Jan Harold. 1981. The Vanishing Hitchhiker:  American Urban Legends and Their Meanings. New York: W. W. Norton & Co.

———. 2002. Encyclopedia of Urban Legends. Illustrated Edition. New York; London: W. W. Norton & Company.

Chun, Rene. 2019. “Modern Life Has Made It Easier for Serial Killers to Thrive.” The Atlantic, September 10, 2019. https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2019/10/are-serial-killers-more-common-than-we-think/596647/.

Cooper, Alexia, and Erica L. Smith. 2011. “Homicide Trends in the United States, 1980-2008.” Patterns and Trends. Bureau of Justice Statistics.

“Highway Serial Killings Initiative.” 2009. Federal Bureau of Investigations. April 6, 2009. https://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/2009/april/highwayserial_040609.

Kahaner, Larry. 2016. “Truckers Make Ideal Serial Killers: FBI.” FleetOwner. May 23, 2016. https://www.fleetowner.com/resource-center/driver-management/article/21695112/truckers-make-ideal-serial-killers-fbi.

In our second episode we continue our discussion of “The Killer in the Backseat,” but move on to discuss the concept of “ostension,” discussing the possibilities of criminals using legends to get ideas for crime. Should we ACTUALLY be checking our backseats? Probably. Nothing is ever really just a legend. Along the way we get a story of the time Kristina thought she had a killer in her backseat (She did not! It was Jesse’s fault!)

Volvo heartbeat sensor commercial

Sources:
Associated Press. 2011. “Man Hiding in Back Seat Flees When Horn Honked,” May 3, 2011.

———. 2014. “Man Apologizes for Tacoma Back-Seat Robbery,” March 5, 2014.

———. 2016. “Teen Calls Escort, Is Robbed by Man Hiding in Backseat,” May 21, 2016.

Covarrubias, Amanda. 2010. “Ex-Girlfriend Stabs Man with Ice Pick after Hiding in Back Seat of His Car in Yorba Linda, Police Say.” L.A. Now, August 31, 2010.

Eldred, Georgia. 2000. “Woman Doctor in Car Ambush; Drug Addict Armed with Screwdriver Hides on Back Seat.” Evening Standard, February 16, 2000.

Ellis, Bill. 1989. “Death by Folklore: Ostension, Contemporary Legend, and Murder.” Western Folklore 48 (3): 201–20. https://doi.org/10.2307/1499739.

English, Nordeka. 1992. “Teen Hiding in Back Seat Part of ‘Lowjacking’ of Woman’s Car.” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, November 11, 1992.

Fletcher, Mike. 2011. “Would-Be Abductor Was Hiding in Back Seat, Police Say.” Kokomo Tribune, March 10, 2011.

Hamilton Spectator. 2019. “Man Who Was Hiding in Back Seat of Car Assaulted Female Driver, OPP Say,” April 24, 2019.

Moorhead, Molly. 2007. “McDonald’s Manage Abducted by Suspect Hiding in Back Seat.” St. Petersburg Times, December 7, 2007.

Sex Trafficking Legends Part 2 – Crimelore

In the second part of our discussion of sex-trafficking legends we discuss some actual rumored and documented cases of sex trafficking, Susana Trimarco–a mother fighting back against sex traffickers, and how legends about sex trafficking interact with these actual case in contemporary culture. National Human Trafficking Resource Center hotline (USA) 1-888-373-7888Polaris Project has resources for Trafficking victims. Sources:Anne. 2020. “Stop the Spread of Fake News: No One Is Sex Trafficking You at Target.” Iowa City Moms.  https://iowacity.momcollective.com/2020/02/08/stop-the-spread-of-fake-news-no-one-is-sex-trafficking-you-at-target/. Barron, Alexis. 2019. “Letty Serrano Was Abducted And Trafficked For Sex At 13; Two Years Later She Committed Suicide.” Mitu. https://wearemitu.com/things-that-matter/human-slavery-is-alive-and-well-letty-serrano-committed-suicide-two-years-after-being-rescued-from-sex-traffickers/. BBC News. 2013. “Argentina Convicts 10 in Marita Veron Sex Trafficking Case,.  https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-25429736. Buenos Aires Times. 2018. “32 Years after Her Kidnapping, Argentine Woman Rescued in Bolivia,” December 26. https://www.batimes.com.ar/news/argentina/32-years-after-her-kidnapping-argentine-woman-rescued-in-bolivia.phtml. Chiaramonte, Perry. 2019. “Houston Teen Takes Own Life after Surviving Sex-Trafficking Ring,.” Fox News. https://www.foxnews.com/us/houston-teen-takes-own-life-sex-trafficking-ring-ongoing-epidemic. “Corinna Paige Slusser–Charley Project.” https://charleyproject.org/case/corinna-paige-slusser. “FBI Informant Speaks with News10NBC; Says He Witnessed Brittanee Drexel’s Murder.” 2019. WHEC-TV. https://www.whec.com/news/fbi-informant-speaks-with-news10nbc-says-he-witnessed-brittanee-drexels-murder/5260439/. Jackson, Angie. 2018. “Man Named in Brittanee Drexel Investigation to Be Released on House Arrest.” Post and Courier. https://www.postandcourier.com/news/man-named-in-brittanee-drexel-investigation-to-be-released-on/article_f97655aa-9fc4-11e8-b719-e3e542ec89c4.html. Johnson, Scott C. 2012. “Argentina’s Susana Trimarco: One Mother’s Fight Against Human Trafficking.” Newsweek, https://www.newsweek.com/argentinas-susana-trimarco-one-mothers-fight-against-human-trafficking-65407. Lahman, Sean. 2019. “Jailhouse Informant in Brittanee Drexel Disappearance Files Lawsuit.” Democrat and Chronicle,  https://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/2019/02/28/brittanee-drexel-jailhouse-informant-lawsuit/3015000002/. Pasqualini, Kym L. 2020. “The Reality of Sex Trafficking in the US: Corinna Slosser Missing.” Medium. https://kympasqualini.medium.com/the-reality-of-sex-trafficking-in-the-us-corinna-slosser-missing-74e617cbd2dc. Recklein, Courtney M. 2020. “The Strange and Unsolved Disappearance of Amy Lynn Bradley.” Film Daily. https://filmdaily.co/news/amy-lynn-bradley/. Roy, Anusha. 2017. “Read This before You Share That Viral Facebook Post about Ross.” KUSA.Com. https://www.9news.com/article/news/verify/read-this-before-you-share-that-viral-facebook-post-about-ross/73-455672734. “R/UnresolvedMysteries: On the 4th of March 1998, 11-Year-Old Rui Pedro from Portugal Disappears near His Mother’s Workplace. 3 Years Later, His Photo Is Found on the Database of Wonderland Club, a Child Pornography Ring. This Is the Last Anyone Saw of Him.” n.d. Reddit.  https://www.reddit.com/r/UnresolvedMysteries/comments/9iiawr/on_the_4th_of_march_1998_11yearold_rui_pedro_from/. Staver, Anna. 2017. “Do Child Sex Traffickers Look for Victims at the Store?” KUSA.Com, https://www.9news.com/article/news/verify/verify-do-child-sex-traffickers-look-for-victims-at-the-store/73-455918970. 

1. Sex Trafficking Legends Part 2 55:00
2. Sex Trafficking Legends Part 1 48:04
3. The Boyfriend's Death 01:02:33
4. Is Crime a Laughing Matter? 54:54
5. Organ Theft Legends 59:17

Kristina and Jesse discuss a legend that shaped (a small portion of) their childhoods and that keeps making the news: Are Satanists injecting poison and hiding razorblades in Halloween candy? Are hippies handing out cannabis laced edibles to unsuspecting children? No. None of these things is happening (aside from the occasional isolated incident). We discuss the origins of the legend, why it is so persistent, and a few random Halloween memories.

Sources:

Associated Press. n.d. “Warning of Marijuana Halloween Candy Derided as Scare Tactic.” Snopes.Com. Accessed November 5, 2020. https://www.snopes.com/ap/2017/10/29/warning-marijuana-halloween-candy-derided-scare-tactic/.

Best, Joel, and Gerald T. Horiuchi. 1985. “The Razor Blade in the Apple: The Social Construction of Urban Legends.” Social Problems 32 (5): 488–99. https://doi.org/10.2307/800777.

Segalov, Michael. 2016. “The True Story of the Notorious Trick-or-Treat Murderer.” Vice. October 31, 2016. https://www.vice.com/en/article/8ge87v/halloween-killer-ronald-clark-o-bryan-candy-man.

Snopes Staff. 2000. “FACT CHECK: Poisoned Halloween Candy.” Snopes.Com. November 2, 2000. https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/halloween-non-poisonings/.

Sex Trafficking Legends Part 2 – Crimelore

In the second part of our discussion of sex-trafficking legends we discuss some actual rumored and documented cases of sex trafficking, Susana Trimarco–a mother fighting back against sex traffickers, and how legends about sex trafficking interact with these actual case in contemporary culture. National Human Trafficking Resource Center hotline (USA) 1-888-373-7888Polaris Project has resources for Trafficking victims. Sources:Anne. 2020. “Stop the Spread of Fake News: No One Is Sex Trafficking You at Target.” Iowa City Moms.  https://iowacity.momcollective.com/2020/02/08/stop-the-spread-of-fake-news-no-one-is-sex-trafficking-you-at-target/. Barron, Alexis. 2019. “Letty Serrano Was Abducted And Trafficked For Sex At 13; Two Years Later She Committed Suicide.” Mitu. https://wearemitu.com/things-that-matter/human-slavery-is-alive-and-well-letty-serrano-committed-suicide-two-years-after-being-rescued-from-sex-traffickers/. BBC News. 2013. “Argentina Convicts 10 in Marita Veron Sex Trafficking Case,.  https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-25429736. Buenos Aires Times. 2018. “32 Years after Her Kidnapping, Argentine Woman Rescued in Bolivia,” December 26. https://www.batimes.com.ar/news/argentina/32-years-after-her-kidnapping-argentine-woman-rescued-in-bolivia.phtml. Chiaramonte, Perry. 2019. “Houston Teen Takes Own Life after Surviving Sex-Trafficking Ring,.” Fox News. https://www.foxnews.com/us/houston-teen-takes-own-life-sex-trafficking-ring-ongoing-epidemic. “Corinna Paige Slusser–Charley Project.” https://charleyproject.org/case/corinna-paige-slusser. “FBI Informant Speaks with News10NBC; Says He Witnessed Brittanee Drexel’s Murder.” 2019. WHEC-TV. https://www.whec.com/news/fbi-informant-speaks-with-news10nbc-says-he-witnessed-brittanee-drexels-murder/5260439/. Jackson, Angie. 2018. “Man Named in Brittanee Drexel Investigation to Be Released on House Arrest.” Post and Courier. https://www.postandcourier.com/news/man-named-in-brittanee-drexel-investigation-to-be-released-on/article_f97655aa-9fc4-11e8-b719-e3e542ec89c4.html. Johnson, Scott C. 2012. “Argentina’s Susana Trimarco: One Mother’s Fight Against Human Trafficking.” Newsweek, https://www.newsweek.com/argentinas-susana-trimarco-one-mothers-fight-against-human-trafficking-65407. Lahman, Sean. 2019. “Jailhouse Informant in Brittanee Drexel Disappearance Files Lawsuit.” Democrat and Chronicle,  https://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/2019/02/28/brittanee-drexel-jailhouse-informant-lawsuit/3015000002/. Pasqualini, Kym L. 2020. “The Reality of Sex Trafficking in the US: Corinna Slosser Missing.” Medium. https://kympasqualini.medium.com/the-reality-of-sex-trafficking-in-the-us-corinna-slosser-missing-74e617cbd2dc. Recklein, Courtney M. 2020. “The Strange and Unsolved Disappearance of Amy Lynn Bradley.” Film Daily. https://filmdaily.co/news/amy-lynn-bradley/. Roy, Anusha. 2017. “Read This before You Share That Viral Facebook Post about Ross.” KUSA.Com. https://www.9news.com/article/news/verify/read-this-before-you-share-that-viral-facebook-post-about-ross/73-455672734. “R/UnresolvedMysteries: On the 4th of March 1998, 11-Year-Old Rui Pedro from Portugal Disappears near His Mother’s Workplace. 3 Years Later, His Photo Is Found on the Database of Wonderland Club, a Child Pornography Ring. This Is the Last Anyone Saw of Him.” n.d. Reddit.  https://www.reddit.com/r/UnresolvedMysteries/comments/9iiawr/on_the_4th_of_march_1998_11yearold_rui_pedro_from/. Staver, Anna. 2017. “Do Child Sex Traffickers Look for Victims at the Store?” KUSA.Com, https://www.9news.com/article/news/verify/verify-do-child-sex-traffickers-look-for-victims-at-the-store/73-455918970. 

1. Sex Trafficking Legends Part 2 55:00
2. Sex Trafficking Legends Part 1 48:04
3. The Boyfriend's Death 01:02:33
4. Is Crime a Laughing Matter? 54:54
5. Organ Theft Legends 59:17