Dawn of Mantis: True Crime, Mysteries and More
Join longtime friends Joe and Ivan on a comedic journey through the mysteries of true crime. Since 2002, Joe and Ivan have been crafting comedy bits and skits together, honing their unique style. With their producer and co-host, Sam, at the sound processing helm, the trio dives into the depths of true crime mysteries, as well as music, history, and various other topics, with a twist.
Joe and Ivan's comedic banter adds levity to even the darkest of subjects but always with a respectful approach. Their motto: Victims are never the subject of the joke; instead, the focus is on the perpetrators, pointing out irony and puns along the way. So buckle up and get ready to laugh, cringe, and ponder the mysteries of the human psyche with Joe, Ivan, and Sam on Dawn of Mantis!
Episodes
372 episodes
DOM Revisited - Ruby Stapleton - An Interview With Author Catherine Rathe
In episodes 309 through 311, we did a three part series on the unsolved murder of Ruby Stapleton. A huge part of the information in that series came from the book "The Washeteria Mystery: Who Killed Ruby?", written by Catherine Rathe. In this e...
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57:14
DOM Ep333 - Jim Jones and The Peoples Temple...of Doom (Pt. 10) - Jim's Jonesin' to Leave
In this tenth part of our series on Jim Jones and the Peoples Temple, we cover Jim’s seduction of San Francisco’s political elite, some major defections that severely impacted his mental state, and the damning magazine article that caused his e...
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51:56
DOM Ep332 - Jim Jones and The Peoples Temple...of Doom (Pt. 9) - It's Just Another Chicken Gut Thing
In part 9 of our series on Jim Jones and the Peoples Temple. We talk about Jim's continued sexual deviancy, the beginning of the construction of Jonestown, and Jim's earliest hints that he may some day expect the ultimate sacrifice from h...
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45:52
DOM Ep331 - Jim Jones and The Peoples Temple...of Doom (Pt. 8) - Potty Mouth Preacher
In part eight of our series on Jim Jones, we cover the retaliation of the recently defected "Gang of Eight", and the extreme paranoia it created in Jim, which resulted in harsh punishments for the remaining Temple members. We'll also cove...
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50:57
DOM Ep330 - Jim Jones and The Peoples Temple...of Doom (Pt. 7) - Pills and Paranoia
In part seven of our series on Jim Jones and the Peoples Temple, we cover the Temple’s most prosperous period, Jim Jones’ deteriorating mental state and the bizarre behaviors it manifested, the church’s expansion into LA and San Francisco, and ...
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54:19
DOM Ep329 - Jim Jones and The Peoples Temple...of Doom (Pt. 6) "But Jim Said I Could!"
In part 6 of our series on Jim Jones and the Peoples Temple, we cover the Temple’s complicated assimilation into Ukiah, the eventual growth of the Temple, Jim’s spiraling mental state, growing paranoia and his decision to keep a mistress. ...
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58:47
DOM Ep328 - Jim Jones and The Peoples Temple...of Doom (Pt. 5) - Goin' To California
In this episode, we cover Jim's increasing nuclear paranoia, his search for a new home for the Peoples Temple, and their move to California.
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1:20:21
DOM Ep327 - Jim Jones and The Peoples Temple...of Doom (Pt. 4) - Insubordinates!!!
In this episode, we introduce you to "Father Divine," the holy man who significantly influenced Jones. We'll also continue covering the expansion of Jim's own family as well as the Peoples Temple empire and discuss how the stress of...
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1:04:02
DOM Ep326 - Jim Jones and The Peoples Temple...of Doom (Pt. 3) - A Means To An End
In part three of our series, we cover Jim's departure from the Methodist church, his foray into evangelism and faith healing, his rise in influence in the city of Indianapolis, and the origins of the church that would eventually become the Peop...
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1:06:54
DOM Ep325 - Jim Jones and The Peoples Temple...of Doom (Pt. 2) - Attack Monkey
In this episode, we cover how Jim met Marceline Baldwin, the couple's move from Lynn to Richmond, the failed adoption of Ronnie Baldwin, and Jim's first preachin' gig. Oh, and there's an attack monkey in there somewhere, too.
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51:30
DOM Ep324 - Jim Jones and The Peoples Temple...of Doom (Pt. 1) - Swearin' For Sodas
In our first ever episode from the brand new studio, we begin a series on the most infamous cult leader in American history- Jim Jones. In this episode, we cover the first seventeen years of Jim's life, from his birth in the Spring of 1931 to t...
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58:39
DOM Ep323 - The Charles Starkweather Murder Spree (Pt. 2)
In our second and final episode on the Charley Starkweather Murder Spree, we cover the latter part of Charley's reign of terror, as well as his and Caril's apprehension by police. We also discuss their trials, Charley's execution, and Caril's l...
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1:11:23
DOM Ep322 - The Charles Starkweather Murder Spree (Pt. 1)
From November of 1956 to January of 1957, nineteen year old Charley Starkweather killed eleven people across 2 states. He had his fourteen year old girlfriend, Caril Ann Fugate, with him during the murder spree, and her exact role in the slayin...
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56:39
DOM Ep321 - Are You Being Served?
In this episode, we talk about one of our favorite shows ever- the raunchy, enuendo filled British comedy "Are You Being Served?".
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1:05:26
DOM Ep320 - The Spectacular Life of John Murray Spear (Pt. 2)
In our second and final episode on John Murray Spear, we cover the second, far wackier part of John's life.
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1:02:16
DOM Ep319 - The Spectacular Life of John Murray Spear (Pt. 1)
This is part one of a two part series on John Murray Spear- a Universalist pastor turned Spiritualist turned low-key cult leader who operated in the mid to late 1800s. In this episode we cover the first half of his life, in which he achieved a ...
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57:00
DOM Ep318 - A Fire Down Below: Centralia, Pennsylvania
In the 1960s, the Centralia City council set fire to a trash pile on top of an abandoned coal mine, and ignited an an underground coal fire that would eventually spell the end of the town.
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55:26
DOM Ep317 - America's Most Toxic Town - Picher, Oklahoma
In just a few decades, Picher went from a booming mine town of over 14,000 residents, to a literal ghost town. Turns out, the very industry that gave the town life would also be its undoing, and today all that remains are a few dilapidated stru...
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59:48
DOM Ep316 - The Murder of Fern Rodgers (Pt. 4)
We conclude our series on Fern Rodgers by covering the trials of the three conspirators, as well as their lives after sentencing.
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1:06:38
DOM Ep315 - The Murder of Fern Rodgers (Pt. 3)
In the third part of our four part series, we continue covering Fern's ongoing investigation as well as the initial arrests made in the case.
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55:07
DOM Ep314 - The Murder of Fern Rodgers (Pt. 2)
In part 2 of our 4 series, we cover the details of Fern's murder, as well as the genesis of the investigation.
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48:00
DOM Ep313 - The Murder of Fern Rodgers (Pt. 1)
In late September, 1974, a wealthy doctor's wife and socialite named Fern Rodgers was found lying dead in the floor of her sprawling colonial home. She had been shot twice in the head. The evidence soon led investors straight to her estranged h...
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1:15:17
DOM Ep312 - The "37th Annual" Christmas Special!!!
Welcome to yet another Dawn of Mantis Christmas Special! In this episode, we review the dozen killers that we covered over 2024, and rank them from worst to worstest in a sort of Santa's top ten naughty list. Merry Christmas.
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1:06:20
DOM Ep311 - The Murder of Ruby Stapleton (Pt. 3)
In our third and final episode on the unsolved murder of Ruby Stapleton, we discuss several theories as to what may have happened and who may have committed the murder.
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38:30
DOM Ep310 - The Murder of Ruby Stapleton (Pt. 2)
This is part two of our three part series on the abduction and murder of Harding College professor Ruby Stapleton. In this episode, we delve into the very interesting and complicated life of Ruby's husband, Ray. We also discuss the discovery of...
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1:20:49