Mortal Mysteries: Crime Throughout Time is a gripping true crime podcast that delves deep into the annals of history, hosted by the dynamic duo of Caitlin Abrams and Michael Bergen. With a passion for unsolved mysteries and a knack for storytelling, this podcast takes listeners on a captivating journey through some of the most enigmatic and perplexing criminal cases from different eras.
Each episode of Mortal Mysteries is a meticulously researched exploration of a particular historical crime, from notorious cold cases to lesser-known mysteries that have puzzled generations. Caitlin and Michael bring these stories to life with their engaging narrative style, complete with a touch of humor— drawing on their extensive knowledge of criminology, forensics, and the human psyche.
- Mortal Mysteries: Meet Your Hosts
Caitlin Abrams
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Caitlin Abrams is a Vermont-based content creator with a flair for storytelling, an obsession with history, and a talent for unearthing secrets hidden in cemeteries.
Hailing from New England and raised by a family of genealogists, Caitlin has always been drawn to the shadowy corners of the past. Her curiosity led her to study Russian in college, even spending a semester in Moscow—where she, of course, couldn’t resist exploring a local cemetery. Professionally, she honed her skills in higher education change management, guiding institutions through tech transformations.
In 2020, Caitlin turned her fascination with history into action, restoring neglected graves with her state’s cemetery association. She began sharing her work on TikTok as @manicpixiemom, captivating nearly 2.8 million followers with videos that blend grave cleaning and genealogical storytelling. Her unique content has been spotlighted by Vice and Vermont Public Radio.
Now, Caitlin brings her passion for the macabre to Mortal Mysteries: Crime Throughout Time, where she and writer Michael Bergen investigate history’s strangest and most unsolved cases.
Michael Bergen
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Michael is most widely known as a writer for the massively popular Youtube series Game Theory, Film Theory, and Food Theory. Michael wrote over 100 episodes of these shows which have been viewed more than 750 million times, and several reached the #1 spot on Youtube’s Trending List. With Michael on the writing staff, Game Theory won the Streamy Award for Gaming Show of the Year in both 2016 and 2019. As a performer, Michael has appeared on professional stages from New Jersey to North Carolina, Tennessee to Texas, and his comedy writing has been produced in New York City at the Magnet Theater, People’s Improv Theater, and Michael Howard Studios. In all his projects, Michael welcomes his viewers to laugh or learn—or better yet, both.
Michael Bergen never met a fact he didn’t like—or find interesting. The son of two teachers, Michael is a New Jersey-based writer and performer with a talent for making information engaging, whether it’s about true crime, movies and TV, or dense academics. Nicknamed “The Human Search Engine,” Michael pairs his depth of knowledge with a nerdy lumberjack aesthetic and excited tour guide energy. A firm believer that education and entertainment should overlap, Michael makes content that is both amusing and enlightening, helping audiences see connections they never realized were there.
- Mortal Mysteries: Latest Episodes
The Mothman Cometh
- 40 minutes
On November 15, 1966, two couples saw a mysterious creature by an old World War II munitions plant. It was tall and muscular like a man, but with glowing red eyes. When they fled, it flew after them screeching. Soon more sightings occurred. And when the local bridge collapsed—killing 46 people—the creature was called a harbinger of doom.
The Monster With 21 Faces
- 46 Minutes
On March 18, 1984, the president of a popular Japanese candy company was kidnapped from his home. Masked men calling themselves “The Monster with 21 Faces” demanded ransom, claiming they’d poisoned the company’s candy with cyanide. Was it the yakuza? An angry labor union? A rival confectioner? No one was ever caught.
Pearl Hart: Legendary Lady Outlaw
- 44 Minutes
In 1899, Pearl Hart, a rebellious woman with a taste for adventure, became one of the few female stagecoach robbers in American history. Dressed in men’s clothing and wielding a .38 revolver, she and her partner-in-crime held up a stagecoach in Arizona, stealing $431 and making a death-defying escape into the desert.
The Cold Killings at Hinterkaifeck
- 49 Minutes
On March 31, 1922, six people were brutally murdered on a rural German farm. Four of the bodies were found stacked in the barn, where the killer had apparently lured them one by one. He then lived in the victims’ house for 3 days, cooking in their kitchen, feeding their animals, and sleeping in their beds. No one was ever caught.
The Grisly Murder of Carrie Brown
- 35 Minutes
On April 24, 1891, the butchered body of a prostitute was found in a New York City lodging house. The woman had been strangled; her entrails cut out with a knife. The mutilation made front page news due to its similarity to Jack the Ripper’s recent murders in London. Had the Ripper escaped England and landed in America?
The Mystery of the Museum Heist
- 36 Minutes
On March 18, 1990, two men posing as policemen tied up the guards at the Gardner Museum in Boston, Massachusetts. The men stole 13 works of art valued at over half a billion dollars—the highest-value museum heist in history. Was it the Irish mob? The Italian mafia? An inside job? None of the artwork has ever been found.
The Blood Countess: Elizabeth Báthory
- 37 Minutes
On New Year’s Eve 1610, a Hungarian noblewoman was arrested for the murder of hundreds of girls. Legend said the countess, Elizabeth Báthory, tortured young peasants and bathed in their blood. Báthory’s servants were executed; she died in prison. Was Báthory the most prolific female serial killer of all time? Or was it all a witch-hunt?
The Axeman of New Orleans
- 37 Minutes
On March 13, 1919, a serial killer was on the loose in Louisiana. When New Orleans residents opened their newspapers that Thursday, they found a chilling letter from the killer himself. The Axeman of New Orleans claimed at least 6 lives over his two-year spree. And just as his letter taunted, he would never be caught.
The Lost Colony of Roanoke
- 56 Minutes
On August 18, 1590, John White landed at Roanoke Island, in what is now the Outer Banks of North Carolina. He was returning to his family and over 100 colonists after sailing to England for supplies. But the settlement was empty. Everyone was gone. And only a mysterious word was left carved on a tree: “CROATOAN.” The colonists would never be found.
The Mystery of D.B. Cooper
- 48 Minutes
On November 24, 1971, a middle-aged man identifying himself as “Dan Cooper” hijacked a Boeing 727 from Portland to Seattle, demanding parachutes and $200,000. Unassuming, methodical and calm, Cooper jumped from the plane and vanished into the night. It is the only unsolved case of air piracy in aviation history.
The Mystery of D.B. Cooper
- 48 Minutes
On November 24, 1971, a middle-aged man identifying himself as “Dan Cooper” hijacked a Boeing 727 from Portland to Seattle, demanding parachutes and $200,000. Unassuming, methodical and calm, Cooper jumped from the plane and vanished into the night. It is the only unsolved case of air piracy in aviation history.
The Lost Colony of Roanoke
- 56 Minutes
On August 18, 1590, John White landed at Roanoke Island, in what is now the Outer Banks of North Carolina. He was returning to his family and over 100 colonists after sailing to England for supplies. But the settlement was empty. Everyone was gone. And only a mysterious word was left carved on a tree: “CROATOAN.” The colonists would never be found.
Margaret Kilcoyne: Lost on an Island
- 43 Minutes
On January 25, 1980, Dr. Margaret Kilcoyne had dinner with friends on the island of Nantucket. She told them she was on the verge of a medical breakthrough that might earn her a Nobel Prize. But it might also upend the pharmaceutical industry. The next day Margaret went missing. And would never be seen again.