Bad Acts: A True Crime Podcast

Ep. 259 — A Wild West Torture Murder: The Murder of Dr. J.A. Ramsey

Send us a textBack in 1926, south Texas was still the wild west, and Dr. J.A. Ramsey was a prominent citizen of Mathis, Texas. After a late night call to a patient’s bedside, Dr. Ramsey disappeared. Soon, Harry Leahy, another promising citizen of Mathis approached Dr. Ramsey’s wife, trying to claim the reward for his return. Only, he couldn’t return Dr. Ramsey alive.This case has cowboys, an elaborate plan, rumored hitmen, Ma Ferguson again, Texas Rangers, a whole bunch of corruption, two rich widows, a victim that lit up the ranch with his wonderful personality, a dumbass criminal, and a whole bunch of side crimes. We’re starting 2026 with a bang! Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/badactspodPodMoth: https://podmoth.network/Ad: The ODDentity Podcast — https://linktr.ee/oddentitypod Episode Source List:https://case-law.vlex.com/vid/leahy-v-state-no-891058101https://authentictexas.com/the-dead-mans-gun/https://digital.utsa.edu/digital/collection/p9020coll2/id/9830/ https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth289161/m1/5/ https://www.txgenwebcounties.com/sanpatricio/Bios/Timon_Walter.htm https://easttexashistory.org/items/show/41 https://www.ojp.gov/pdffiles1/Digitization/16022NCJRS.pdf#:~:text=The%20first%20woman%20convict%20was,occupation%20upon%20entering%20the%20penitentiary. https://www.genealogy.com/ftm/s/p/a/Lacey-Sparks-Texas/GENE84-0005.html https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/104698225/james-abner-ramsey https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/216434091/harry-john-leahy 

Ep. 258 — The Infamous Santa Claus Bank Robbery of 1927

Send us a textThis case is so wild, y’all! It takes place in 1927 in Cisco, Texas, and involves a Santa, a robbery, bounties, a whole town full of people shooting at each other, murders, and mayhem. Merry Christmas from Bad Acts!Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/badactspodPodMoth: https://podmoth.network/Ad: Rowan & Pine — https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rowan-pine-a-feminist-folklore-mythology-podcast/id1632401774 Episode Source List:https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/santa-claus-bank-robberyhttps://member.texasbankers.com/Magazine/magazine/Vault/22-01-The-Cisco-Santa-Robbery.aspx https://www.fwweekly.com/2007/12/26/santa-got-a-gun-and-a-rope/ https://texashighways.com/culture/history/sinister-santa-a-look-at-the-1927-cisco-bank-robbery/ https://www.tsl.texas.gov/exhibits/prisons/inquiry/henry_helms_sep6_1929_1.html https://www.mentalfloss.com/crime/santa-claus-bank-robbery-1927 https://www.newspapers.com/image/62068287/ https://www.behindbadge.org/newsroom/ym10hz2l6rw15fy6jj9zp4vsdqlncb texasescapes.com/MaggieVanOstrand/The-Night-the-Posse-Chased-Santa.htm https://member.texasbankers.com/Magazine/magazine/Vault/23-01-Reward-Dead-bank-robbers.aspx https://mbcpathway.com/2023/12/04/infamous-1927-santa-claus-robbery-provides-go-to-spiritual-lesson-for-texas-pastor/ https://www.nydailynews.com/2018/12/09/bad-santa-robs-bank-gets-lynched/ https://www.wideopencountry.com/the-great-santa-claus-bank-robbery/ https://www.hotcars.com/fastest-cars-1920s/ https://www.americantreasuretour.com/vintage-automobiles-1920-to-1929 https://blog.americansafetycouncil.com/the-history-of-speed-limits-in-america/ 

Ep. 257 — The Luna Family Murders

Send us a textOne morning, Patricia Luna opened her door to accept a flower bouquet. Seven hours later, Patricia, her husband Albert, Sr., and two of their children were discovered in a ghastly crime scene that encompassed three rooms in their home. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/badactspodPodMoth: https://podmoth.network/Ad: Brutal, Bizarre, and Boozy — https://open.spotify.com/show/44Z9VDxjEVGpbPBkYzQorh?si=0556a1a9b65048bd&nd=1&dlsi=7e42cb75c47e4fc4Episode Source List:https://law.justia.com/cases/arizona/supreme-court/1998/cr960296-1.htmlhttps://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/opinions/2019/07/24/08-99027.pdfhttps://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/USCOURTS-ca9-08-99027https://www.azcourts.gov/Portals/0/News%20Release%20-%20Arizona%20Supreme%20Court%20Issues%20Execution%20Warrant%20for%20Richard%20Kenneth%20Djerf.pdf https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCOURTS-azd-2_02-cv-00358/pdf/USCOURTS-azd-2_02-cv-00358-0.pdf https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/19/19-7856/141574/20200414125520981_2020.04.14%20SHELL%20Reply.pdf https://caselaw.findlaw.com/court/az-supreme-court/1006872.html https://www.azcourts.gov/Portals/0/0000-AppellantsOpeningBrief-03179299-0.PDF https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/19/19-7856/139577/20200331181604111_BIO%20-%202.pdf https://maricopacountyattorney.org/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=1249 https://corrections.az.gov/news/execution-scheduled-inmate-richard-djerf-adcrr-121385 https://corrections.az.gov/news/scheduled-execution-inmate-richard-djerf-adcrr-121385-completed https://apnews.com/article/arizona-execution-richard-djerf-bb1cb163898fcb3163092448b24f9e9f https://apnews.com/article/arizona-execution-richard-djerf-fe353b3bd4d9d4243ffa5b911fc958fa 

Ep. 256 — The Murders of Jennifer & Robbie Tower

Send us a textIn 2023, Jennifer and Robbie Tower welcomed their 21-year-old adopted son back into their home. They’d rescued him from a Ukrainian orphanage, but he repaid them in blood. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/badactspodPodMoth: https://podmoth.network/Ad: Thick Thighs and Creepy Vibes — https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thick-thighs-and-creepy-vibes/id1736179086 Episode Source List:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAWjmT4pkhghttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbAMekrZe1A https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlmRs7vLgvchttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c60dygOWurghttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_z0wmqPczEhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZcW8M99FLU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBs9DwRlObM https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/courts/2025/11/17/dima-tower-murder-trial-parents-sarasota-north-port-florida-sentence/87270341007/ https://www.mysuncoast.com/2025/11/14/dima-tower-found-guilty-first-degree-murder-parents-deaths/https://www.mysuncoast.com/2025/11/14/an-evil-spirit-judge-hands-down-maximum-penalty-convicted-killer/ https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/crime/dima-tower-stabbed-parents-florida-b2407066.htmlhttps://www.fox13news.com/news/florida-man-accused-killing-adoptive-parents-could-face-life-prison https://people.com/adoptive-son-on-trial-parents-massacred-bodies-found-head-to-head-11848252 https://robersonfh.com/obituary/robbie-tower/https://robersonfh.com/obituary/jennifer-christine-tower/ https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Parents-Who-Get-Killed-and-the-Children-Who-Kill-Heide/2065d32fb8cd2957a8cfbb7392da17252bc2e668 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31463985/ https://www.ojp.gov/ncjrs/virtual-library/abstracts/adoption-and-murder-advances-psychology-and-law-p-274-280-1997 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34131962/ 

Ep. 255 — Hell-House: The Murders of Heike Poike, Lyrik Poike, and Dakota Smith

Send us a textOn September 18, 2015, 50-year-old Heike Poike missed school pickup for her 8-year-old grandson. When police went to check on Heike, they found a disturbing crime scene and an unhinged man who’d done the unthinkable. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/badactspodPodMoth: https://podmoth.network/Ad: Getting Down & Wordy Podcast — https://linktr.ee/gettingdownandwordy Episode Source List:https://law.justia.com/cases/utah/supreme-court/2024/20220560.html https://caselaw.findlaw.com/court/ut-supreme-court/115885520.html https://www.scribd.com/doc/283369702/Alexander-Tran-Charges https://www.saltlakecounty.gov/district-attorney/Media/judge-orders-alexander-hung-tran-to-three-life-sentences-without-the-possiblity-of-parole-for-2015-aggravated-murders/https://www.saltlakecounty.gov/district-attorney/Media/jury-finds-alexander-hung-tran-guilty-of-three-2015-aggravated-murders/ https://www.cbsnews.com/news/triple-murder-suspect-allegedly-said-mom-made-me-do-it/ https://www.ksl.com/article/51367190/jury-finds-salt-lake-man-guilty-of-3-counts-of-aggravated-murder-in-2015-triple-killing https://www.deseret.com/2015/10/1/20573462/homeowner-accused-in-triple-homicide-had-wanted-renters-to-leave-charges-state/ https://www.ksl.com/article/36596650/neighbor-killed-man-grandmother-2-month-old-baby-police-sayhttps://www.deseret.com/2015/9/21/20572866/motive-for-3-killings-unknown-but-dad-says-answers-may-never-be-known/ https://archive.sltrib.com/article.php?id=2977019&itype=CMSID https://www.premierfuneral.com/obituaries/heike-poike-23208/obituary https://www.premierfuneral.com/obituaries/lyrik-amorpoike-23208/obituary https://www.peelfuneralhome.com/obituaries/dakota-smith https://www.justice.gov/usao-ut/pr/four-federal-indictments-unsealed-alleging-sex-trafficking-children-transportation-minorshttps://www.ksl.com/article/37687105/sandy-woman-accepts-plea-deal-in-child-sex-trafficking-casehttps://kutv.com/news/local/8-charged-after-child-trafficking-bust https://archive.sltrib.com/article.php?id=3287203&itype=CMSID https://lawandcrime.com/crime/increasingly-obsessive-murderer-fixated-on-woman-blows-away-her-mom-infant-daughter-in-a-baby-bouncer-and-a-family-friend/