American Nightmares - Gardens of Evil: Inside The Zion Society Cult
Gamut Podcast Network
<p>Every headline hides a deeper story. <em>American Nightmares</em> pulls you into the most unsettling true crime cases—one season, one case at a time. These are the crimes that kept detectives awake, shattered families, and left entire communities on edge.Told through raw interviews, gripping investigative detail, and cinematic storytelling, each season reveals how these nightmares unfolded—and the long road to uncovering the truth. You may think you know the story. You don’t.</p><p><br></p><p>Season 5 - Gardens of Evil: Inside the Zion Society Cult</p><p>It looked like a quiet small-town neighborhood, defined by manicured lawns and flower gardens. But behind the façade, more than a hundred residents were part of the Zion Society, a secretive cult that hoarded weapons and groomed children for sexual abuse under the control of an unassuming, soft-spoken leader. When a young woman escaped and went to authorities, the truth finally began to unravel. </p><p><br></p><p>Season 4 - 22 Hours: A Second Look</p><p>Host Megan Cloherty returns for a new season of <em>American Nightmares</em>. In the upcoming season, we revisit the story that launched the series: a D.C. power couple, their 10-year-old son, and their housekeeper—held hostage for nearly 24 hours before being murdered inside their own home. Now, 10 years after the crime and 6 years since we first told the story, Season 1 returns with all-new content, fresh interviews, and exclusive updates that shed new light on a case that still resonates today.</p><p><br></p><p>Season 3 - Unknown Subject</p><p>For nearly a decade, he crept in the shadows, attacking women in the middle of the night — and then vanished. The 1998 murder of a brilliant scientist near Georgetown University marked a terrifying escalation. Investigators had DNA linking him to multiple crimes, but for years, he had no name — only the label “Unknown Subject.” This season uncovers the chilling case of the Potomac River Rapist, and the patrol cop who finally cracked it.</p><p><br></p><p>Season 2 - Murder in a Safe Place</p><p>In a quiet hospital just outside Washington, D.C., a 50-year-old nurse named Sherry Crandell was raped and murdered inside her workplace — a place that was supposed to be safe. With DNA, fingerprints, and even a witness to the crime, police had evidence — but no suspect. This season revisits the cold case that continues to baffle investigators and devastate a family, more than two decades later.</p><p><br></p><p>Season 1 - 2 Hours: An American Nightmare</p><p>One of the most shocking crimes in modern American history: a prominent couple, their 10-year-old son, and their housekeeper taken hostage and brutally murdered in their Washington, D.C. home. Over the course of 22 horrifying hours, they endured torture and terror before their killers tried to burn the evidence. This award-winning debut season revisits the infamous Mansion Murders, exposing new details and the twisted logic behind a senseless act of violence.</p>
Rank History (30 days)
Recent Episodes
20 episodesS5 E4 - The Buyer
Jeff Peterson has spent years trying to pull his kids out of the Zion Society - until the cult’s hunger for money creates an opening. When his ex-wife Carla asks for help selling the group’s lingerie line, “Sweet Things,” Jeff hires a private investigator to pose as a Las Vegas buyer and go undercover inside Northwood.What she captures on camera changes everything. But there’s a catch: Jeff’s custody deal comes with a vow of silence - until Detective Mike King’s investigation collides with Jeff’s case, freeing him to talk. With corroboration in hand and the clock ticking, Mike prepares to raid the quiet neighborhood at dawn.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
S5 E3 - The Alpha
From inside the Zion Society, Erin (heard in rare archival audio) explains how predators exploit vulnerability - love-bombing, isolation, and religion used as camouflage. In Northwood subdivision recruiter and enforcer Carla tightens her grip, controlling access to Arvin Shreeve and pushing new women through a coded doctrine of “Zion vs. Babylon,” obedience, and fear.Meanwhile, Jeff Peterson’s family is torn apart when his wife disappears into the cult with their children. Jeff’s custody battle becomes a desperate negotiation - money, legal threats, and silence agreements - while Erin begins describing what’s happening behind closed doors: coercion, sexual control, and escalating punishment for resistance. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
S5 E2 - To Hell And Back
Investigator Mike King is officially assigned to investigate Erin’s allegation - quietly, urgently, and under the threat of destroyed evidence and stockpiled weapons. But Erin’s aunt isn’t waiting for law enforcement. She drives into Northwood to reach Erin and her young daughter - and is met with intimidation and violence from Shreeve and his followers. As Erin’s family fights to pull her out, the cult’s control tightens…and the clock starts ticking.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
S5 E1 - What Lies Beneath
Welcome to a new season of American Nightmares!A pristine neighborhood in Ogden, Utah hides something rotten. When a couple moves into Northwood subdivision in 1981, they’re welcomed with free landscaping, shared supplies, and a sense of family - until the community’s leader, Arvin Shreeve, reveals a secret doctrine of polygamy and sexual manipulation.Nearly a decade later, on July 9, 1991, a woman walks into the Weber County Attorney’s Office and confesses to detective Mike King that she was part of the Zion Society, a cult she says was abusing children.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Introducing Gardens of Evil - New True Crime Series
NEW True Crime Series from Gamut Podcast Network. Gardens of Evil: Inside the Zion Society Cult begins February 3rd.It was just another quiet neighborhood in small town America. At least, that's how it looked. But the immaculately groomed yards, trimmed hedges, and brightly colored flower gardens hid an insidious secret.More than a hundred residents were members of a cult called The Zion Society. Hiding in plain sight, they hoarded guns and ammunition. They created, sold, and modeled sexy lingerie. They took children away from parents and groomed them for sexual abuse.Their beliefs were centered around satisfying the perverted desires of one man - their leader: an unassuming, soft-spoken landscaper. Neighbors knew something was amiss, but it wasn't until a brave young woman broke away from the secretive group and confessed to authorities that everything began to unravel for this dangerous cult. This is the story of that unraveling told by the people who lived it.Subscribe to Gardens of Evil: Inside the Zion Society Cult:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/gardens-of-evil-inside-the-zion-society-cult/id1748894795https://open.spotify.com/show/5w7xyH8ttWZKc64D9q08H4See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
S2 E10 - Answered Prayers
He was known as the Terror of East Baltimore who wrote poetry and went to readings.A convicted criminal at 15 who started a prison riot. That's just a some of what we've learned about Edward Watts/Baari Shabazz — the man police say is responsible for the 1998 murder of Sherry Crandell. A man Sherry's oldest son calls a monster.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
S2 E9 - Needle in a Haystack
How did a 2012 murder in Baltimore, a name from an obituary, and DNA entered into an ancestry database lead to solving the 1998 murder of Sherry Crandell? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Paul Wagner sits down with Mike King to discuss the Sherry Crandell case
In this bonus episode, Mike King (American Nightmares: Garden of Evil, Season 5 - Coming Feb 3) sits down with investigative journalist Paul Wagner (American Nightmares: Murder in a Safe Place, Season 2) to revisit the Sherry Crandell case — and to unpack the long road that led to justice.Together, they break down the original investigation, the controversial hospital-wide DNA dragnet, and the relentless efforts of a retired detective who refused to let Sherry’s case fade into obscurity. The conversation also explores how Wagner’s reporting helped keep pressure on the case when leads ran dry and answers seemed impossible.Most importantly, they examine the 2025 breakthrough that finally identified Edward Barry Watts — also known as Baari Shabazz — as Sherry Crandell’s killer through investigative genetic genealogy. Paul and Mike discuss what this moment means for Sherry’s family, the ethical questions surrounding genetic genealogy, and the growing power of this technology to solve violent crimes once thought unsolvable.#ProfilingEvil #MurderInASafePlace #AmericanNightmares #SherryCrandell #PrinceGeorgesHospital #CheverlyMaryland #ColdCase #GeneticGenealogy #BaariShabazz #EdwardWatts #BernieNelson #FBI #HospitalMurder #VictimJustice #TrueCrimePodcast #InvestigativeJournalism See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Introducing Profiling Evil: Summer Wells Abducted, Murdered, or an Accident?
Welcome back for Day 3 of our special preview of Profiling Evil, hosted by Mike King.In this episode, we dive deep into the mystery surrounding the disappearance of 5-year-old Summer Wells. Was she abducted, did she suffer a tragic accident, or could there be foul play involved? We examine the various theories, possible suspects, and the heartbreaking question: Could Summer still be alive, just waiting to be found like other children who have reappeared decades later? Join us as we look into this unsolved case, and ask the difficult questions surrounding her fate. #SummerWells #TrueCrime #MissingChildren #UnsolvedMysteries #Abduction #TrueCrimeCommunity #FindSummerWells #ColdCases #TrueCrimeTheories #JusticeForSummerWells See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Introducing Profiling Evil: Las Vegas Massacre, The Dark Legacy of Stephen Paddock
Did you enjoy Megan's conversation with Mike King? Check out a special bonus episode of Mike's show: Profiling Evil. On October 1, 2017, America faced an unfathomable tragedy. Stephen Paddock opened fire from his Mandalay Bay Hotel suite, killing 60 and injuring over 800 during the Route 91 Harvest Festival. Despite extensive investigations, his motives remain unclear, leaving a trail of unanswered questions.In this deep dive, Profiling Evil's Twisted Tales unravels the layers of Stephen Paddock's life—from his troubled childhood under the shadow of a criminal father to his calculated and chilling final act. What shaped this man? How did a seemingly ordinary life end in unthinkable violence? Join us as we explore the intricate psychological, familial, and societal factors that defined one of the most infamous mass shootings in U.S. history. Stay tuned as we connect the dots, uncover hidden truths, and learn from these dark tales. Don’t forget to LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and RING the BELL for more crime insights. Visit ProfilingEvil.com for podcasts, videos, and more. Together, we’ll unravel the mysteries. #LasVegasShooting #StephenPaddock #Route91HarvestFestival #MandalayBay #LasVegasMassacre #MassShooting #ProfilingEvil #TrueCrime #CrimeDocumentary #GunViolence #PsychologyOfViolence #CriminalProfiling #TwistedTales #CrimeStories #ProfilingEvilTwistedTalesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Introducing Profiling Evil: Chad Daybell Letter Number Nine, The Spirit Woman in Black
Welcome to Profiling Evil!In this episode, Chad Daybell drops Letter #9 about his “third near-death experience” from 2017, complete with a Spirit Woman in Black, a minute-long blackout where family says he turned purple, and a “fiery dart” that he and Tammy interpreted as a spiritual weapon. Let’s unpack how this letter fits Chad Daybell’s Death Row Marketing Plan. It’s a rebranding campaign that uses religious imagery, paranormal claims, and nostalgia to push the public away from the facts that Chad Daybell was convicted of murdering his wife, Tammy Daybell, JJ Vallow and Tylee Ryan. Shortly after Tammy’s death he secretly married Lori Vallow in Hawaii while JJ and Tylee were buried on his property. Walk through the manipulation tactics, the psychology, spiritual bypassing, magical thinking, dissociation, impression management, and the quiet sales pitch back to his books and speaking circuit. We’ll keep JJ, Tylee, Tammy, Charles Vallow, Brandon Boudreaux, and Colby Ryan front and center, where they belong.#ChadDaybell #LoriDaybell #LoriVallow #TammyDaybell #JJVallow #TyleeRyan #CharlesVallow #BrandonBoudreaux #ColbyRyan #AlexCox #MelanieGibb #ZulemaPastenes #DaybellLetters #Letter9 #ThirdNDE #WomanInBlack #FieryDart #IdahoMurdersSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Part 2: Megan Cloherty Talks with Gardens of Evil Host Mike King
This is part 2 of the special crossover episode with Mike King, criminal profiler - host of Profiling Evil and who's story is the subject of our next season of American Nightmares: Gardens of Evil..Megan and Mike sit down for an in-depth conversation about her time reporting on the Savopoulos family murders and the case against Daron Wint. Then the roles reverse. Megan turns the mic on Mike to talk about the upcoming Season 5 of American Nightmares: Gardens of Evil, premiering February 3rd. Mike offers a first look at the investigation, the survivors who came forward, and the disturbing truths behind a hidden religious community.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Part 1: Megan Cloherty Talks with Gardens of Evil Host Mike King
This is a special crossover episode with Mike King, criminal profiler - host of Profiling Evil and who's story is the subject of our next season of American Nightmares: Gardens of Evil..Megan and Mike sit down for an in-depth conversation about her time reporting on the Savopoulos family murders and the case against Daron Wint. Then the roles reverse. Megan turns the mic on Mike to talk about the upcoming Season 5 of American Nightmares: Gardens of Evil, premiering February 3rd. Mike offers a first look at the investigation, the survivors who came forward, and the disturbing truths behind a hidden religious community.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
S4 E14 - Appeal Denied: A Second Look
This is 22 Hours: A Second Look, where we revisit our original season alongside host Megan Cloherty.In this final episode, Megan continues her conversation with Abigail. She opens up about her feelings on the prosecution of Daron Wint, whether forgiveness is possible, and the questions she’d ask the man who killed her parents and brother.Original Episode-The D.C. Court of Appeals has denied Daron Wint a retrial in his quadruple murder conviction. Hosts Megan Cloherty and Jack Moore sit down to talk about the three-judge panel's decision.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
S4 E13 - The Appeal: A Second Look
This is 22 Hours: A Second Look, where we revisit our original season with host Megan Cloherty. In this episode, you’ll hear the final portion of Megan’s conversation with the prosecutors on the case. This segment dives into the investigation itself — how they coordinated with police, their thinking around Daron’s alibi, and the photos that never made it into evidence.Original Episode-An update in the case after nearly two years: Daron Wint’s lawyers have filed an appeal seeking to throw out his conviction and asking for a new trial. Hosts Megan Cloherty and Jack Moore head back into the studio to discuss the latest development. "22 Hours: An American Nightmare" is a production of WTOP News in Washington, D.C. Music featured in "22 Hours: An American Nightmare" is licensed with artist permission. Music for this episode is "Haters Hate" by Ramone Messam.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Prelude: Gardens of Evil
NEW True Crime Series from Gamut Podcast Network. Gardens of Evil: Inside the Zion Society Cult begins February 3rd.It was just another quiet neighborhood in small town America. At least, that's how it looked. But the immaculately groomed yards, trimmed hedges, and brightly colored flower gardens hid an insidious secret.More than a hundred residents were members of a cult called The Zion Society. Hiding in plain sight, they hoarded guns and ammunition. They created, sold, and modeled sexy lingerie. They took children away from parents and groomed them for sexual abuse.Their beliefs were centered around satisfying the perverted desires of one man - their leader: an unassuming, soft-spoken landscaper. Neighbors knew something was amiss, but it wasn't until a brave young woman broke away from the secretive group and confessed to authorities that everything began to unravel for this dangerous cult. This is the story of that unraveling told by the people who lived it.Click below to subscribe to Gardens of Evil: Inside the Zion Society Cult:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/gardens-of-evil-inside-the-zion-society-cult/id1748894795https://open.spotify.com/show/5w7xyH8ttWZKc64D9q08H4See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
BREAKING: Major Breakthrough in Sherry Crandell Case from Season 2
Megan Cloherty joins Paul Wagner, the host of American Nightmares: Murder in a Safe Place to discuss a major breakthrough in the Sherry Crandell case. On Monday investigators confirmed that the case has been solved.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
S4 E12 - The Breakdown Q&A #2: A Second Look
This is 22 Hours: A Second Look, where we revisit our original season with host Megan Cloherty. In this episode, Megan is joined by Jack Moore and Julia Ziegler to answer listener questions. This was the last episode before our two updates after the trial, including Daron's choice to appeal and then the outcome of the court's ruling on that matter.Original Episode-In our final episode, we again return to the studio and dig through our notes, files and transcripts of the case to answer listener questions. What happened to the $40,000 ransom and was it fully accounted for? What is the timeline of the various fires in the case? And what was the deal with Daron’s alibi, Ed?This episode is written and produced by WTOP reporters Megan Cloherty and Jack Moore. Julia Ziegler is the content adviser. Visit 22HoursPodcast.com to sign up for em ail alerts on the case, and to see photos and other evidence."22 Hours: An American Nightmare" is a production of WTOP News in Washington, D.C. Music for this episode is “Haters Hate” by Ramone Messam.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
S4 E11 - Life Without: A Second Look
This is 22 Hours: A Second Look, where we revisit our original season with host Megan Cloherty. In this episode, you'll hear what happened when Megan reached out to Daron Wint in prison. You'll learn just how many prisons he's been transferred to in the last 10 years, why he filed suit while he was inside, and what it takes to communicate with a prisoner in a federal penitentiary.New episodes drop every Tuesday.Original Episode-After Daron Wint’s conviction, federal prosecutors press the judge for the harshest possible sentence and, for the first time reveal his history of explosive rage, violent threats and assaults. At Daron’s sentencing, emotional statements from the two surviving Savopoulos daughters are read in court. As the last regular episode comes to a close, we reflect back.This episode is written and produced by reporters Megan Cloherty and Jack Moore. Julia Ziegler is the content adviser. "22 Hours: An American Nightmare" is a production of WTOP News in Washington, D.C. All music featured in "22 Hours: An American Nightmare" is licensed through Creative Commons and/or by permission of the artist. We're grateful to all the artists whose music has helped us tell this story. Music for this episode is “Haters Hate” by Ramone Messam; “Beyond the Lows” by The Whole Other and “Spookster” by Wayne Jones, available in the YouTube Audio Library. “Rhythmic Pulse” and “Closing my Eyes for a Moment” by Daniel Birch and “Harbor” by Kai Engel are licensed under Creative Commons by Attribution 4.0 International.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
S4 E10 - The Verdict: A Second Look
This is 22 Hours: A Second Look, where we revisit our original season with host Megan Cloherty. In this episode, Megan is joined once again by Abigail Savopoulos. Abigal shares stories about her brother Philip, like how he got into racing and anecdotes about her little brother's BIG personality. She also speaks candidly about losing him, and how she managed to get through the trial while in college.New episodes drop every Tuesday.Original Episode-After six weeks, dozens of witnesses and hours of testimony, emotions were running high when attorneys delivered their closing arguments. Then the United States v. Daron Wint went to the jury. Some of the men and women who decided Daron Wint’s fate take us inside the deliberation room as they weighed the evidence and came to a conclusion. This episode is written and produced by reporters Megan Cloherty and Jack Moore. Julia Ziegler is the content adviser. MUSIC: All music featured in "22 Hours: An American Nightmare" is licensed through Creative Commons and/or by permission of the artist. We're grateful to all the artists whose music has helped us tell this story. "Haters Hate" by Ramone Messam, used with permission of the artist; "Rhythmic Pulse” by Daniel Birch and “Weirder” by Drake Stafford, licensed under Creative Commons by Attribution 4.0 International; and "Cast of Pods" by Doug Maxwell and “A Great Darkness Approaches, Can You Feel It” by ELPHNT, available in the YouTube Audio Library.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.