Malice in the Mitten

Deep within the marshlands of Grosse Ile, Michigan, locals have whispered for generations about something lurking beneath the reeds. Is the mysterious Mud-Walker simply another cryptid born from fear and folklore—or could there be something far stranger hiding in the wetlands?
Whether you believe in cryptids or not, one thing is certain...
The marsh remembers.
If you enjoy Michigan folklore, cryptids, mysterious creatures, haunted places, urban legends, and unexplained history, be sure to follow Malice in the Mitten. Every follow helps more people discover Michigan's forgotten stories
#MaliceInTheMitten #FBombFriday #MichiganFolklore #MudWalker #Cryptids
Hosted and produced by Tracy Preston, featuring Todd Preston
Researched and written by Todd Preston
Original music created exclusively for F-Bomb by Tracy Preston
Original artwork by Todd Preston
Sources:
Beachcombing's Bizarre History. The Rolling Muff of Gross(e) Isle. Strange History, 4 Nov. 2017, https://www.strangehistory.net/2017/11/04/rolling-muff-gross-isle/. Accessed 22 July 2026.
ClickOnDetroit. Truth or Tall Tale? Legends of Creatures Reportedly Seen in Michigan. WDIV-TV, 29 Oct. 2024, https://www.clickondetroit.com/news/local/2024/10/29/truth-or-tall-tale-legends-of-creatures-reportedly-seen-in-michigan/. Accessed 22 July 2026.
James T. Callow Folklore Archive. University of Detroit Mercy Libraries. University of Detroit Mercy, https://libraries.udmercy.edu/find/special_collections/digital/cfa/index.php?fl_id=38844. Accessed 22 July 2026.
Pure Michigan. Michigan Urban Legends to Tell Around the Campfire. Michigan Economic Development Corporation, https://www.michigan.org/article/trip-idea/michigan-urban-legends-tell-around-campfire. Accessed 22 July 2026.

Christian Longo appeared to have everything—a devoted wife, three beautiful children, faith, and the promise of a successful future. But behind the carefully crafted image was a lifetime of deception, financial fraud, infidelity, and a desperate need to reinvent himself whenever reality caught up.
Malice in the Mitten follows Longo's journey from his years living in Michigan through the collapse of his marriage, the murders of his wife MaryJane and their three young children, the international manhunt that ended in Mexico, and the courtroom battle that exposed one of the most chilling family annihilation cases in modern American history.
This episode explores the psychology of deception, family annihilators, identity theft, and the devastating consequences of living a life built on lies—while honoring the memories of MaryJane, Zachery, Sadie, and Madison Longo.
At Malice in the Mitten, we believe every victim deserves to be remembered with dignity, compassion, and truth.
#MaliceInTheMitten #ChristianLongo #MichiganTrueCrime #FamilyAnnihilator #TrueCrimePodcast
Hosted and produced by Tracy Preston, featuring Christine Mulligan
Researched and written by Tracy Preston
Original music created exclusively for Malice in the Mitten by Tracy Preston
Original artwork by Todd Preston
Sources:
Biography.com. Christian Longo Biography.
Finkel, Michael. True Story: Murder, Memoir, Mea Culpa. Harper Perennial, 2005.
Oregon Judicial Department. State of Oregon v. Christian Michael Longo, Oregon Supreme Court.
Oregon Department of Corrections. Christian Michael Longo Offender Information.
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Historical case information regarding Christian Longo.
Court TV Archives. The Trial of Christian Longo.
The New York Times. Contemporary reporting on the Longo investigation and prosecution.
The Oregonian. Coverage of the Longo investigation, trial, and sentencing.
Associated Press. Contemporary reporting on the Longo murders, arrest in Mexico, and court proceedings.
IMDb. True Story (2015) film information.

This week on Round Robin, we are traveling back to one of television’s most unforgettable destinations—the original Fantasy Island.
Tracy, Christine and Nina revisit the mysterious Mr. Roarke, the lovable Tattoo, the glamorous guest-star arrivals and the fantasies that rarely unfolded the way anyone expected. We remember the magic of Saturday-night appointment television, explore the hidden life lessons behind the island’s wishes and ask the ultimate question: What fantasy would each of us request if Mr. Roarke invited us aboard the plane?  Pack carefully, choose your fantasy wisely and remember—on Fantasy Island, every wish may come with a lesson.
#FantasyIsland #ThePlaneThePlane #ClassicTelevision #TVNostalgia #RoundRobinPodcast #BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor
Hosted and produced by Tracy Preston, featuring Christine and Nina Mulligan.
Original music created exclusively for Round Robin by Tracy Preston
Original artwork by Todd Preston

A lonely stretch of Gratiot Road. A violent rainstorm. And a young woman in a faded yellow raincoat standing motionless on the shoulder.
For generations, drivers have shared stories of the Northbound Girl—a mysterious hitchhiker who appears along Gratiot Road when the weather turns dark. Some say she silently accepts a ride before vanishing from the vehicle. Others describe fogged windows, the smell of stagnant water and copper, and a scream that seems to come from another time.
Is she the spirit of someone who never made it home? A warning left behind on one of Michigan’s oldest roads? Or is the legend of the Gratiot Road Hitchhiker simply another version of the vanishing-hitchhiker stories told around the world?
#GratiotRoad #MichiganLegends #VanishingHitchhiker #MichiganGhostStories #FBombFriday
Hosted and produced by Tracy Preston, featuring Todd Preston
Researched and written by Todd Preston
Original music created exclusively for F-Bomb by Tracy Preston
Original artwork by Todd Preston
Sound effects from Uppbeat:  Frightend-horror-scream-female-heudek-reverb-delay-3-00-05.mp3
Sources:
DeLoye, Logan. “This Is Michigan’s ‘Creepiest’ Legend.” iHeart, 27 Oct. 2022, https://www.iheart.com/content/2022-10-27-this-is-michigans-creepiest-legend/. 
University of Detroit Mercy Libraries. “Legend: Knock-Knock Street.” The James T. Callow Computerized Folklore Archive, 12 Apr. 1965, https://libraries.udmercy.edu/archives/special-collections/cfa/index.php?field=keyword&term=GHOST. 
University of Detroit Mercy Libraries. “The Legend of Elmwood Cemetary.” The James T. Callow Computerized Folklore Archive, circa 1950, https://libraries.udmercy.edu/archives/special-collections/cfa/index.php?field=keyword&term=GHOST. 
“Vanishing Hitchhiker.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia, Wikimedia Foundation, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanishing_hitchhiker. 
“A Haunting on Gratiot Road: Episode 10.” YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdH7OAEMsDU. 
“A Haunting on Gratiot Road: Episode 11.” YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2vrWZAlxKs. 
“The Ghost Hitchhiker.” Mostly True Stories, YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeOB21UeD5k. 

In this episode of Malice in the Mitten, Tracy and Christine return to 1920s Lansing to investigate the violence hidden behind an ordinary fruit stand, carefully separating verified court history from the mythology surrounding La Cosa Nostra and Michigan’s produce trade.
Most importantly, they remember the people nearly erased beneath the legend: John Ciardullo, who lost his life, and the unnamed Mrs. Rosse, who survived a bullet wound while attempting to reclaim control of her future.
Because before Lansing’s Fruit War became local folklore—it was someone’s life.
#MaliceInTheMitten #REOTown #LansingHistory #MichiganTrueCrime #ForgottenMichigan
Hosted and produced by Tracy Preston, featuring Christine Mulligan
Story researched and written by Tracy Preston
Original music created exclusively for Malice in the Mitten by Tracy Preston
Original artwork created by Todd Preston
Sources:
“Four Held for Bombing Michigan Fruit Company.” The Ingham County News, 23 Feb. 1928. Capital Area District Libraries Local History Online, www.cadl.org/lhonline/ICN1928-02-23.pdf. Accessed 1 Aug. 2026.
This contemporary report identifies J. Frank Rosse and the three Jackson defendants, describes the prosecution following the Michigan Fruit Company bombing, and references Rosse’s earlier trial for killing John Ciardullo.
“Rosse Family Again Resorts to Violence.” The Ingham County News, 22 Aug. 1929. Capital Area District Libraries Local History Online, www.cadl.org/lhonline/ICN1929-08-22.pdf. Accessed 1 Aug. 2026.
This report documents Frank Rosse’s bombing conviction and 10-to-25-year sentence, Mrs. Rosse’s pending divorce, Harry Rosse’s alleged shooting of her, her neck wound, Harry’s flight, and the discovery of his automobile.
REO Town. “Wayback Wednesday: For Over a Decade Now, 1147 S. Washington Avenue in REO Town Has Been Home to Saddleback BBQ.” Facebook, REO Town Commercial Association, www.facebook.com/reotown/posts/1342617594716966. Accessed 1 Aug. 2026.
This modern local-history account identifies 1147 South Washington Avenue as the location of Frank Rosse’s fruit stand and presents the broader “Fruit War” interpretation, including the alleged roles of the fruit companies and organized-crime associates. Those portions should remain attributed as later historical claims rather than established court findings.
REO Town. “Wayback Wednesday: 1147 S. Washington Avenue.” Instagram, REO Town Commercial Association, www.instagram.com/p/DbYU42nxYVK/. Accessed 1 Aug. 2026.

Come aboard—we’re expecting you! This week, Round Robin continues its nostalgic television voyage with a trip aboard The Love Boat. Tracy, Christine, Nina, Angela and Todd revisit Captain Stubing, Julie, Isaac, Doc and Gopher; the unforgettable theme song; the weekly parade of celebrity passengers; and the wonderfully fast-moving romances of the Pacific Princess.
Pack your bags, grab a seat by the pool and prepare for a joyful journey back to the days when Saturday night meant The Love Boat followed by Fantasy Island.
#TheLoveBoat #ClassicTelevision #TelevisionNostalgia #RoundRobinPodcast #MaliceInTheMitten
Hosted and Produced by Tracy Preston, featuring Christine and Nina Mulligan
Original music created exclusively for Round Robin by Tracy Preston
Original artwork by Todd Preston
Sources:
Princess Cruises. “Princess Cruises and ‘The Love Boat’ Connection.” Princess Cruises, www.princess.com/news/backgrounders-and-fact-sheets/princess-cruises-and-the-love-boat-connection-2. Accessed 28 July 2026.
Saunders, Jeraldine. The Love Boats. Pinnacle Books, 1974.
“The Love Boat.” Paramount+, Paramount Global, www.paramountplus.com/shows/the_love_boat/. Accessed 28 July 2026.
Winton, Richard. “Jeraldine Saunders, Whose Book Inspired the Hit TV Series ‘The Love Boat,’ Dies.” Los Angeles Times, 26 Feb. 2019.
 

Every small town has secrets—but some monsters do not hide in forests, cemeteries, or abandoned buildings.On this episode of F-Bomb Friday, Tracy Preston introduces the UH-vintling, a green-eyed creature born from envy, jealousy, and resentment. Disguised as an ordinary, helpful member of the community, she gathers information, plants suspicion, spreads half-truths, and convinces good people to carry darkness for her.Where the UH-vintling lingers, friendships fracture, families choose sides, and rumors begin to sound like concern. But according to the legend, this monster can be weakened by something she cannot understand: gratitude, shared success, and people who refuse to tear one another down.
#FBombFriday #MichiganFolklore #GreenEyedMonster #OriginalFolklore #MaliceInTheMitten
Hosted and produced by Tracy Preston, featuring Todd Preston
Original music created exclusively for F-Bomb by Tracy Preston
Original artwork by Todd Preston

When 52-year-old Michigan mother, grandmother, farmer, and businesswoman Dee Warner missed Sunday breakfast with her daughter in April 2021, her family immediately knew something was wrong.
Dee's vehicles remained behind. Her young daughter was waiting for her. And as days became months and then years, those closest to Dee refused to accept the suggestion that she had simply walked away.
What followed was an extraordinary fight for answers involving a troubled marriage, business and financial conflict, digital evidence, a murder prosecution begun without a body—and, more than three years after Dee disappeared, the discovery that changed everything.
But this story does not end with her killer.
It ends with Dee.
And with a Michigan family who refused to let her disappear.
#DeeWarner #JusticeForDee #MichiganTrueCrime #TrueCrimePodcast #MaliceInTheMitten
Hosted and produced by Tracy Preston, featuring Christine Mulligant
Story researched and written by Tracy Preston
Original music created exclusively for Malice in the Mitten by Tracy Preston
Original artwork by Todd Preston
Sources:
Associated Press. “Michigan Man Convicted of Killing His Wife Whose Body Was Stuffed in a Farm Tank Years Ago.” AP News, 10 Mar. 2026.
Court TV. “MI v. Dale Warner: Hidden Murder of Dee Warner.” Court TV, 2026.
“Dale Warner Sentenced to 70 Years in the Murder of His Wife, Dee Warner.” 13abc WTVG, 7 May 2026.
“Dale Warner Sentenced to Up to 70 Years in Prison for Murder of Wife, Dee.” WTOL 11, 7 May 2026.
“Dale Warner Sentenced to More Than 30 Years in Prison for Second-Degree Murder of Wife.” WXYZ 7 Action News, 7 May 2026.
“Day 4 of Witness Testimony in Dale Warner Murder Trial.” WTOL 11, 18 Feb. 2026.
“Man to Spend at Least 31 Years in Prison for Murdering Wife Dee Warner.” ClickOnDetroit, 7 May 2026.
“WATCH: Cell Phone, Vehicle Data Experts; Dee's Nanny and Personal Assistant Testify in Dale Warner Trial.” 13abc WTVG, 18 Feb. 2026.
“Michigan Man Convicted of Murdering Wife Found in Fertilizer Tank 3 Years After She Vanished.” People, 10 Mar. 2026.
“‘They Fought About Money Before She Vanished’—and Was Found Sealed in a Fertilizer Tank Years Later.” People, 2026.
“Michigan Man Convicted of Killing His Wife Whose Body Was Stuffed in a Farm Tank Years Ago.” KBTX, 11 Mar. 2026.
“Dale Warner Sentenced to 70 Years in Prison for Wife's Murder.” WILX News 10, 7 May 2026.
“‘Dateline’ Revisits Michigan Farmer Dee Warner's Murder in ‘The Day Dee Disappeared.’” Our Midland, 5 Aug. 2026.
Additional primary-source material represented in reporting:
Lenawee County Circuit Court proceedings in People of the State of Michigan v. Dale Warner, including the 2024 preliminary examination, February–March 2026 jury trial, verdict rendered 10 Mar. 2026, and sentencing hearing held 7 May 2026.

We celebrate National Lazy Day and National S'mores Day before tackling the $10 Million Challenge: would you take the money if it meant leaving home behind? Then we're heading back to the days of classic Nintendo after a remarkable discovery of old video games raises the possibility of a massive collector payday.What would it take for you to pack up your life and move away forever — $10 million? It's money, memories, movies, nostalgia, weird internet theories, and plenty of laughs as the wheel takes us wherever the conversation lands.
#RoundRobinPodcast #PopCulture #Nostalgia #MaliceintheMitten 
Hosted and produced by Tracy Preston, featuring Christine & Nina Mulligan
Original music created exclusively for Round Robin by Tracy Preston
Original artwork by Todd Preston
Sources:
Girl Scouts of the USA. “Create a Delicious Dessert.” Girl Scouts of the USA, https://www.girlscouts.org/en/activities-for-girls/juniors/junior-simple-meals-badge-activity.html. 
Girl Scouts of the USA. “Juliette Gordon Low.” Girl Scouts of the USA, https://www.girlscouts.org/en/discover/about-us/history/juliette-gordon-low.html. 
Hatchett, Keisha. “The Boroughs Welcomes You This May.” Netflix Tudum, 25 Feb. 2026, https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/the-boroughs-release-date-first-look. 
National Day Calendar. “National S’mores Day — August 10.” National Day Calendar, https://nationaldaycalendar.com/celebrations/national-smores-day-august-10. 
Netflix. “The Boroughs.” Netflix, 2026, https://www.netflix.com/title/81627130. 
Richards, Bailey. “Usher Addresses Viral ‘Clone’ Rumors as Fans Claim He Hired a Lookalike to Perform at His Concerts.” People, 9 Aug. 2026, https://people.com/did-usher-hire-clone-to-perform-concerts-singer-addresses-viral-lookalike-rumor-12037185. 
Time and Date. “Lazy Day.” Timeanddate.com, https://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/fun/lazy-day. 
Tom’s Hardware. “97 Untouched Duck Hunt and Super Mario Bros. Cartridges Worth Thousands Discovered in Retro Shop Storage Room.” Tom’s Hardware, 1 Aug. 2026, https://www.tomshardware.com/video-games/retro-gaming/97-untouched-duck-hunt-and-super-mario-bros-cartridges-worth-thousands-discovered-in-retro-shop-storage-room-never-before-seen-version-of-popular-nes-games-include-five-perfect-10-psa-items.
 

What if Michigan had a glitch in reality?
On this episode of F-Bomb Friday, we explore the strange modern legend of Michigan Blue Hell — a mysterious place said to exist outside the boundaries of our world. Inspired by video-game glitches, abandoned buildings, underground tunnels, the Great Lakes, internet folklore, and stories of people disappearing into places they were never meant to find.  Blue Hell has evolved into one of Michigan’s strangest modern legends.
Because sometimes the creepiest part of folklore isn’t whether the legend is true.
It’s watching the legend become real in people’s minds.
Welcome to Michigan Blue Hell.
#MichiganBlueHell #MichiganFolklore #FBombFriday #UrbanLegends #MichiganParanormal
Hosted, edited and produced by Tracy Preston, featuring Todd Preston
Written by Todd Preston
Original music created exclusively for F-Bomb by Tracy Preston
Original artwork by Todd Preston
Sources:
Dead Rabbit Radio. “Honestly, Probably Three Weeks.” Dead Rabbit Radio: The Daily Paranormal Podcast, episode 13, June 2018.
Dead Rabbit Radio. “Michigan Blue Hell Explained.” YouTube, 2018.
dubiouspanda. “Michigan Blue Hell.” Dubious Panda, 8 Jan. 2018.
dubiouspanda. “Michigan Blue Hell: 2.” Dubious Panda, 22 Mar. 2018.
“Michigan Blue Hell.” ObscUrban Legend Wiki, Fandom.
“Michigan Blue Hell Discussion.” Reddit, 2023.
Zen Zero. “Michigan Blue Hell.” Bandcamp, 2020.