Malice in the Mitten

The Winter Olympics are here — and so are the stories you didn’t know. From Jason Statham’s diving career to Vera Wang’s Olympic figure skating dreams, we explore the surprising celebrities who almost made the Games. We dive into wild Olympic facts, Miracle on Ice nostalgia, dream team drafts, and the psychology behind chasing gold. It’s competitive, chaotic, and classic Round Robin fun.
#RoundRobinPodcast #WinterOlympics #AlmostOlympian #JasonStatham #VeraWang #GeenaDavis #SalmaHayek #LiamPayne
Hosted and Produced by Tracy Preston, featuring Christine Mulligan, Nina Mulligan, Angela Hoefler and of course my husband Todd Preston
Original artwork by Todd Preston
Music created Exclusively for Round Robin by Tracy Preston

The Smeet Frog of Ypsilanti explores one of Michigan’s strangest local legends — a mysterious creature said to lurk along the shadowed bends of the Huron River. Blending folklore, regional storytelling, and eerie atmosphere, this episode of F-Bomb dives into how myths take root, why strange sightings persist, and what happens when community storytelling turns something small into something unforgettable.
 
#FbombPodcast #MichiganFolklore #UrbanLegends #CryptidStories #MichiganMysteries #LocalLegends #MichiganPodcast
 
Hosted and produced by Tracy Preston
Story written and researched by Todd Preston
Original artwork by Todd Preston
Original music created exclusively for F-bomb by Tracy Preston
 
Ypsilanti District Library — “Smeet” Ypsi’s Local Legend
A community page from YDL about the Smeet Frog and associated programs.
https://www.ypsilibrary.org/2025/08/smeet/⁠
 
Ann Arbor District Library — Smeet Frog (Ypsilanti Gleanings archive)
Photo/description of the Smeet Frog as part of local history.
https://aadl.org/ypsigleanings/271047⁠
 
Ann Arbor District Library — The Smeet Frog Marker
Details about the “Smeet Frog” marker on the tridge near Frog Island.
https://aadl.org/ypsigleanings/271048⁠
 
LocalWiki — Smeet Frog Conspiracy
Entry on the plaque, myth, and link to an old site.
https://localwiki.org/ann-arbor/Smeet_Frog_Conspiracy⁠
 
Ypsilanti Historical Society Publications — Spring 2014 PDF
Archived GLS magazine article with early marker lore and historical context.
https://ypsihistory.org/publications/spring2014.pdf⁠
 
Vocal.media — Ypsilanti’s Smeet Frog cryptid overview
A general article mentioning the Smeet Frog as local cryptid.
https://vocal.media/wander/5-great-things-about-ypsilanti-michigan⁠
 
Fan wiki entry summarizing the fictional biology and lore.
https://creatures-of-myth.fandom.com/wiki/Smeet_Frog⁠
 
Reddit – Homemade Smeet Frog / community posts
Example of community discussion and affection for the Smeet Frog.
https://www.reddit.com/r/ypsi/comments/1gjjyiy/⁠
 
Reddit – Smeet Frog myth explained and old plaque discussion
User talk about the plaque on the tridge and local lore.
https://www.reddit.com/r/ypsi/comments/zv6pcg/⁠
 
Reddit – Smeet Fest event at the library
Snapshot of the Smeet Frog festival at YDL.
https://www.reddit.com/r/ypsi/comments/1n7na9x/⁠

In October 1959, a woman searching for autumn flowers in Mequon, Wisconsin made a devastating discovery — the remains of a small child hidden in a roadside culvert.
For decades, the child was known only as Case Number 6426. No name. No identity. No justice.
This episode of Malice in the Mitten explores the disappearance of Markku Edward Michael Jutila — born Chester Alfred Brieney — the adoption that changed his life, the parents who fled Michigan, the shocking confession in Chicago, and the 1966 court decision that let them walk free.
In 2024, modern DNA testing finally identified the child. Sixty-five years later, he got his name back.
This is a story about child abuse, cold case investigation, forensic genealogy, and the limits of justice in the 1960s.
Written and researched by Rebecca Hiers
Hosted and produced by Tracy Preston, featuring Christine Mulligan
Original artwork by Todd Preston
Original music created exclusively for Malice in the Mitten by Tracy Preston
#TrueCrimePodcast #ColdCase #DNAJustice #ForgottenVictim
Sources:
https://blogs.mtu.edu/archives/2024/11/23/no-justice-but-peace/
https://blogs.mtu.edu/archives/2024/11/15/he-was-someone/
https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/805532/memorial-search?firstname=chester&middlename=&lastname=&cemeteryName=Saint+Marys+Cemetery&birthyear=&birthyearfilter=&deathyear=&deathyearfilter=&bio=&linkedToName=&plot=&memorialid=&mcid=&datefilter=&orderby=r
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/276298738/josephine-a-breiney
https://images.findagrave.com/photos/2024/318/276425499_7c832625-c428-419e-add3-2c40d6fbb2a8.jpeg
https://www.miningjournal.net/news/local/2013/11/century-of-service-to-kids-at-area-orphanage/
https://www.facebook.com/VisitKeweenaw/posts/potters-fields-poor-farmswho-ended-up-at-poor-farms-people-that-were-injured-on-/10157255931740081/
https://www.tributearchive.com/obituaries/33646468/chester-alfred-breiney

This week on Round Robin, we spin from ancient legends to modern internet myths. The conversation begins with Michigan’s Nordic Fire Festival in Charlotte before diving into Viking culture, including skalds and kennings, the storytellers who shaped Norse legend.
Then we pivot to the strange world of celebrity death hoaxes and online conspiracy theories, exploring why misinformation spreads so quickly in the age of social media.
Finally, the table gives their Spin Ratings for two recommendations: the Viking adventure classic The 13th Warrior and the documentary Matthew Perry: A Hollywood Tragedy.
From Norse lore to viral rumors, this episode is all about how stories—old and new—shape what we believe.
Hosted and Produced by Tracy Preston, featuring Christine Mulligan, Nina Mulligan and of course my husband Todd Preston
Original artwork by Todd Preston
Original music created exclusively for Round Robin by Tracy Preston
#RoundRobinPodcast #VikingHistory  #NorseMythology #NordicFireFestival #CelebrityDeathHoax #The13thWarrior #MatthewPerry

Something moves in the woods… and at first glance it looks like a deer.
But its legs bend wrong. Its eyes face forward. And sometimes… it walks on two legs.
In this episode of F-Bomb Friday, we explore the eerie folklore of the Not-Deer — a creature reported across Appalachia that looks like a deer but behaves like something far more unsettling.
#FBombFriday #Folklore #UrbanLegends #Cryptids #NotDeer
Hosted and Produced by Tracy Preson
Story Researched & Written by Todd Preston
Original Artwork by Todd Preston
Original music created exclusively for F-Bomb by Tracy Preston
Sources:
https://cryptidz.fandom.com/wiki/Not_Deerhttps://howlietzer.com/2026/01/28/not-deer/https://www.mythosjourney.com/encyclopedia/pages/not-deer/index.htmlhttps://skepticalinquirer.org/exclusive/not-deer-or-a-deer/https://haunts.us/cryptids/594/https://www.reddit.com/r/cryptids/comments/o5goefhttps://www.reddit.com/r/cryptids/comments/jpgw6w

On May 27, 2011, Ruth Pyne was found murdered in her Highland Township, Michigan garage—behind a deadbolted door, with no signs of forced entry. Her son, Jeffrey Pyne, was convicted of second-degree murder in a case built largely on circumstantial evidence, disputed timelines, and injuries investigators claimed pointed to a weapon. Years later, the case still sparks debate: was justice served, or did reasonable doubt get buried under inference? In this deep-dive episode, Malice in the Mitten examines what the courts said, what the jury decided, and why some still believe Jeffrey Pyne was wrongfully convicted.
Hosted and Produced by Tracy Preston, featuring Christine Mulligan
Story Researched and Written by Tracy Preston
Music Created Exclusively for Malice in the Mitten by Tracy Preston
Original Artwork by Todd Preston
#MaliceInTheMitten #TrueCrimePodcast #MichiganTrueCrime #OaklandCounty
Sources:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akCAlGABltY
People of the State of Michigan v. Jeffrey Bernard Pyne. Michigan Court of Appeals, No. 314684, 29 Jan. 2015. Justia.
Pyne, Jeffrey v. Harry, Shirlee. “Opinion & Order Denying Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus.” United States District Court, Eastern District of Michigan, Case No. 2:17-cv-10849, filed 19 Oct. 2018. GovInfo.
“Valedictorian Murder Trial: Jeffrey Pyne Found Guilty of Killing His Mother.” ABC News, 18 Dec. 2012.
“Mother’s Brutal Murder Reveals Dark Family Secrets.” CBS News (48 Hours), 22 June 2014.
“Does the Way Ruth Pyne Was Killed Prove Premeditation?” CBS News, 10 Aug. 2013.
"MI v. Jeffrey Pyne: Valedictorian Murder Trial.” Court TV Trial Archives.
 
 

A powerful tornado tears through Michigan, sparking a conversation about extreme weather, storm safety, and eyewitness accounts. From there the Round Robin table spins into the unexpected—alligators appearing in unlikely places and the fascinating mythology behind the Chinese Zodiac’s fiery Year of the Fire Horse.
#RoundRobinPodcast #TornadoTalk #AlligatorStories #YearOfTheHorse
Hosted and Produced by Tracy Preston, Featuring Christine Mulligan, Nina Mulligan and of course my husband Todd Preston.
Original music created exclusively for Round Robin by Tracy Preston
Original artwork by Todd Preston

The Black Hand was America’s first wave of organized crime—and it reached Michigan. In this episode of Malice in the Mitten, we uncover the hidden history of Black Hand extortion, threat letters, bombings, and the immigrant communities caught in the crosshairs. From Detroit to Saginaw, this forgotten chapter reveals how fear spread long before the Mafia had a name.
Historical Note:Due to limited documentation and underreporting of Black Hand activity in early 20th-century Michigan, some narrative elements in this episode are reconstructed based on documented patterns, known tactics, and historical context.
#TrueCrimePodcast #MichiganTrueCrime #MaliceInTheMitten #BlackHand #CrimeHistory
Hosted and Produced by Tracy Preston
Researched and Written by Tracy Preston, featuring Christine Mulligan
Original artwork by Todd Preston
Original music created exclusively for Malice in the Mitten by Tracy Preston
Sources:
“Black Hand (Extortion).” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation,https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Hand_(extortion). Accessed 22 Mar. 2026.
“Black Hand.” Encyclopaedia Britannica,https://www.britannica.com/topic/Black-Hand-American-criminal-organization. Accessed 22 Mar. 2026.
“Joseph Petrosino.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation,https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Petrosino. Accessed 22 Mar. 2026.
“100 Years Later: NYPD Legend Is Remembered.” National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund,https://nleomf.org/100-years-later-nypd-legend-is/. Accessed 22 Mar. 2026.
“The Inspiring Rise and Tragic Fall of the Italian Sherlock Holmes.” The Mob Museum,https://themobmuseum.org/blog/the-inspiring-rise-and-tragic-fall-of-the-italian-sherlock-holmes/. Accessed 22 Mar. 2026.
Delaware, Michael. “Some History of the Black Hand in Michigan.”michaeldelaware.com,https://michaeldelaware.com/some-history-of-the-black-hand-in-michigan/. Accessed 22 Mar. 2026.
Talty, Stephan. The Black Hand: The Epic War Between a Brilliant Detective and the Deadliest Secret Society in American History. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2017.

What do secret societies, Elizabethan ruff collars, and plague doctors have in common?
Power.
In this episode of Round Robin, we explore the strange, fascinating, and sometimes bizarre ways humans have signaled status, control, and belonging throughout history. From hidden societies operating in secrecy to fashion that literally controlled behavior, this episode dives into how power has always been displayed—whether hidden or impossible to ignore.
Plus, we introduce our new segment: 100 Women Who Changed the World, featuring Alice Ball — a brilliant chemist whose life-saving work was nearly lost to history.
#RoundRobinPodcast #WeirdHistory #SecretSocieties #ElizabethanEra #HistoricalFashion
Hosted and Produced by Tracy Preston, featuring Christine Mulligan, Nina Mulligan, Angela Hoefler and of course my husband Todd Preston
Original artwork by Todd Preston
Original music created exclusively for Round Robin by Tracy Preston
Sources:
“Eleusinian Mysteries.” Encyclopaedia Britannica.
Daftary, Farhad. The Assassin Legends.
“Knights Templar.” History.com.
“Ruff.” Victoria and Albert Museum.
Hunt, Alan. Sumptuary Law History.
Byrne, Joseph P. Daily Life during the Black Death.
Parascandola, John. “Alice Ball and Chaulmoogra Oil.”
National Library of Medicine. “Alice Augusta Ball.”
Full source list available upon request

A chilling Michigan urban legend glides through the darkness… The Phantom Skater is said to appear without warning—silent, swift, and gone before you can understand what you’ve seen. Witnesses describe a lone figure skating across frozen ground, empty streets, and icy paths… even when no ice is there at all.
In this episode of F-Bomb: Fables, Fiction, Folklore & Frights, we explore the eerie legend of The Phantom Skater—where folklore meets fear, and the line between imagination and reality begins to blur.
Is it residual energy… a spirit replaying its final moments… or something far more unsettling?
Some say if you see him… he’s already seen you.
#PhantomSkater #MichiganFolklore #UrbanLegends #GhostStories
Hosted and Produced by Tracy Preston, Featuring Todd Preston
Story researched and written by Todd Preston
Orignal artwork by Todd Preston
Original music created exclusively for F-Bomb by Tracy Preston
Sources:
https://99wfmk.com/phantom-skater-hickory-creek-michigan/
https://www.tvi.show/nexus/the-chilling-legend-of-michigans-phantom-skater-a-halloween-horror-story
https://berrienhistory.org
Sound effects from. Uppeat: ice-skater-skidding-to-stop-fascinnatedsound-1-00-02.mp3