{"podcast":{"title":"Conspiracy Theories, Cults, & Crimes","slug":"conspiracy-theories-cults-crimes-7424027","podcast_index_feed_id":7424027,"rss_url":"https://rss.amperwave.net/v2/feed/audacynetwork/conspiracy-theories-cults-crimes","website_url":"https://www.pavestudios.com/crimehouse","image_url":"https://images.castfire.com/image/661/0/0/0/0-8476765.jpg","author":"Crime House","episode_count":119,"summary":"Conspiracy Theories, Cults, and Crimes explores true stories of belief taken too far: murderous cults, criminal cover-ups, mass manipulation, and the conspiracies that still won't die. Hosted by Vanessa Richardson, three weekly episodes dig into cases like Jonestown, Heaven's Gate, CIA mind control experiments, and presidential assassinations. This is true crime at the intersection of faith, fear and manipulation. Conspiracy Theories, Cults, and Crimes is a Crime House Original, powered by PAVE Studios. Follow us on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe to @crimehousestudios on YouTube and follow us @crimehouse on Instagram.","last_synced_at":"2026-09-04T16:17:45.456626+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/conspiracy-theories-cults-crimes-7424027"},"episode":{"title":"CULT: Rod Ferrell & the Vampire Clan Murders","slug":"cult-rod-ferrell-the-vampire-clan-murders","published_at":"2026-05-27T07:01:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/conspiracy-theories-cults-crimes-7424027/cult-rod-ferrell-the-vampire-clan-murders","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/conspiracy-theories-cults-crimes-7424027","url":"https://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/serve.castfire.com/audio/8240488/8240488_2026-04-14-024928.256.mp3?rssID=5994","audio_url":"https://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/serve.castfire.com/audio/8240488/8240488_2026-04-14-024928.256.mp3?rssID=5994","summary":"In November 1996, a group of teenagers calling themselves the Vampire Clan drove from Kentucky to Eustis, Florida, and beat Richard Wendorf and Ruth Queen to death in their own home. Their leader, 16-year-old Rod Ferrell, believed he was a 500-year-old vampire named Vesago. But beneath the mythology was a deeply traumatized kid who had mastered the art of making lonely people feel chosen. In this episode, Vanessa traces how neglect, abuse, and an obsession with supernatural role-play created the conditions for two senseless murders. Contains descriptions of murder and extreme violence, sexual abuse including the abuse of a child, animal cruelty, and self-harm. Head over to our Conspiracy Theories, Cults, & Crimes YouTube channel to WATCH our video episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@Conspiracytheoriescultscrimes If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Conspiracy Theories, Cults, & Crimes to never miss a case! For Ad-free listening subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Conspiracy Theories, Cults and Crimes is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios 🎧 Need More to Binge? Listen to other Crime House Originals Clues, Crimes Of…, Serial Killers & Murderous Minds, Crime House 24/7, Murder True Crime Stories and more wherever you get your podcasts! Follow me on Social Instagram: @Crimehouse TikTok: @Crimehouse Facebook: @crimehousestudios X: @crimehousemedia YouTube: @crimehousestudios","meta_description":"In November 1996, a group of teenagers calling themselves the Vampire Clan drove from Kentucky to Eustis, Florida, and beat Richard Wendorf and Ruth Queen…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":2283,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/conspiracy-theories-cults-crimes-7424027/episodes/cult-rod-ferrell-the-vampire-clan-murders/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/conspiracy-theories-cults-crimes-7424027/cult-rod-ferrell-the-vampire-clan-murders.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}