When Officer Charles Bernoskie was gunned down during a routine patrol in 1958, his murder went unsolved for decades, protected by a family's deadly silence. This is the chilling true story of Robert Zarinsky, a serial killer who terrorized New Jersey communities throughout the 1960s and 70s, leaving behind a trail of young women who simply vanished.

From the disappearance of 17-year-old Rosemary Calandriello in 1969 to the brutal murders of Jane Durrua, Linda Balabanow, and others, Zarinsky's reign of terror was enabled by a family willing to cover up his darkest crimes.

This gripping tale reveals how one mother's obsession with appearances and family loyalty created a monster, how DNA evidence finally connected decades-old cold cases, and why some victims' families waited over 40 years for answers.

Sources:

https://murderpedia.org/male.Z/z/zarinsky-robert-deadly-secrets.htm

Suspected serial killer Robert Zarinsky dies in prison. By Laura Craven. For The Star Ledger. November 30, 2008. https://www.nj.com/news/ledger/topstories/2008/11/tony_kurdzukthe_starledgerhand.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Zarinsky

50-year-old cold case solved. By Andrew Ford for app.com. February 17, 2016.

https://www.app.com/story/news/crime/jersey-mayhem/2016/02/17/serial-killer-accused-another-murder/80513376/

https://web.archive.org/web/20150209235300/http://www.crimelibrary.com/serial_killers/predators/robert_zarinsky/index.html

In May 1982, two thirteen-year-old boys skipped school in Queensland, Australia, a decision that led one to his brutal death and the other to a nightmare of survival. When Peter Aston and Terry Ryan accepted a ride from two men, they had no idea they were entering a world of sadistic violence, a world of unimaginable pain. What followed became one of Australia's most disturbing crimes: hours of torture, sexual abuse, and murder that would leave one boy dead and another forever traumatized. This episode explores the shocking details of Peter Aston's murder, the twisted relationship between his killers, the impossible choices Terry Ryan faced to survive, and the aftermath that destroyed lives across decades. A harrowing true crime story about evil, coercion, and trauma that still haunts Australia 40 years later.

Sources:

Paul Luckman & Robin Reid: Australian Child Killers. by Paul B. Kidd For CrimeLibrary.com. https://murderpedia.org/male.R/r/reid-robin.htm

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Peter_Aston

Australia's most sadistic child killer applies for parole, sparking warning from original cop. By Staff. For news.com.au. February 25, 2021. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/australias-most-sadistic-child-killer-applies-for-parole-sparking-warning-from-original-cop/MJAMOW6ZTZXC3LGSRLVIVTNLWY/

Soldiers get life sentences for torture murder of boy. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/130833614

https://alchetron.com/Nicole-Louise-Pearce-(Paul-Luckman)

https://alchetron.com/Robin-Reid-(criminal)

https://alchetron.com/Murder-of-Peter-Aston

Robert R. Reldan had everything. Looks, charm, and money from a wealthy aunt who adored him. But in October 1975, two women named Susan disappeared from Bergen County only eight days apart. What followed exposed a decades-long pattern: assaults dismissed, paroles granted, a system that kept giving second chances to someone who shouldn't have gotten them in the first place.

It's a story about privilege, the cost of looking the other way, and two families who refused to let their Susans ever be forgotten.

A successful businessman. A perfect suburban address. And a trail of vanished men that led investigators to more than 10,000 human remains. In this episode, we trace Herb Baumeister’s double life—from teenage transgressions to “Brian Smart,” his nights cruising Indianapolis’s gay bars, the discoveries at Fox Hollow Farm, and the investigators who wouldn’t let the case go. We examine what’s known, what’s still conjecture, and why so many families still wait for answers.

If you value deep-dive, responsibly told true crime, follow the show on Spotify. For ad-free episodes and bonus content, subscribe to Almost Fiction Plus.

Explore the haunting case of Earl Richmond Jr., a former drill sergeant whose life unraveled through addiction, rape, and murder.

From his abusive upbringing in North Carolina to brutal crimes at Fort Dix and beyond, this episode unpacks the evidence, trials, and his execution, while questioning if true redemption is possible after unthinkable evil.

In this episode, we explore the complexities of friendship, focusing on trust and mutual respect. Highlighting the tragic story of Tina Marie Powell and LaFonda Faye Foster, we illustrate how their bond, rooted in shared trauma and addiction, devolved into toxicity and violence.

We recount the harrowing events of April 23, 1986, in Lexington, Kentucky, where a night of drinking led to a devastating crime spree. The episode examines the psychological motives behind their actions and the ripple effects on victims' families.

Through their reflections in prison, we capture Tina and Faye's struggle with remorse and identity, serving as a cautionary tale about the fragility of relationships under pressure and the profound consequences of our choices.

To hear this episode ad free as well as have access to bonus content, join the subscribers feed right here on Spotify for only 3 dollars a month.

Dive into the chilling true story of Australia's Truro Murders, where Christopher Robin Worrell and James William Miller's deadly partnership claimed seven young lives in just 52 days. Told through the eyes of accomplice Miller, this episode uncovers a twisted tale of manipulation, obsession, and brutal killings in 1970s Adelaide. Was Miller a reluctant participant or a willing killer? You’ll have to decide.

Sources:

Green, Ryan. The Truro Murders: The Sex Killing Spree Through the Eyes of an Accomplice (True Crime) (p. 21). (Function). Kindle Edition.

https://murderpedia.org/male.W/w/worrell-christopher.htm

Christopher Robin Worrell and James William Miller: The Truro Murderers. By Paul B. Kidd for CrimeLibrary.com.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truro_murders

Predatory Killers Who Hunt In Pairs. By Peter Haran For The Sunday Mail. September 10, 2000.

Truro Killer James Miller Dies of Cancer. By news.com.au. October 22, 2008.

In 2012, 12-year-old Autumn Pasquale left home in Clayton, New Jersey, to ride her new BMX—and never came back. This episode unpacks the facts of her killing by 15-year-old Justin Robinson, the frantic two-day search, the plea deal and sentencing, and the painful aftermath that split a small town.

We also examine the harder question this case raises: how much parental supervision is enough—and what does accountability look like when a child kills? Thoughtful, clear-eyed, and unsensational, this story looks at the people, the evidence, and the consequences.

Follow Almost Fiction for new cases, and please consider rating the show to help others find it.

Sources:

Is it a crime to raise a killer? By Lisa Belkin for YahooNews.com. September 12, 2014.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/is-it-a-crime-to-raise-a-killer--190558283.html

A killer explains the slaying of a child: 'I didn't kill her for no bike'. By Matt Gray for NJ.com. March 27, 2018.

https://www.nj.com/news/2018/03/a_killer_explains_slaying_of_a_child_i_didnt_kill.html

Man involved in Autumn Pasquale's death to remain in jail on home invasion charges. By Caitlyn Stulpin for NJ.com. June 07, 2017.

https://www.nj.com/camden/2017/06/man_behind_violent_home_invasion_and_2012_murder_o.html

Brother of Autumn Pasquale's confessed killer released from jail. By 6ABC. September 25, 2013. https://6abc.com/archive/9261014/

Dante Robinson of Clayton sentenced for role in Sicklerville home invasion. By Jim Walsh for Courier Post. October 23, 2020.

https://www.courierpostonline.com/story/news/2020/10/23/dante-robinson-clayton-sicklerville-home-invasion-robbery-autumn-pasquale/6008364002/

Autumn Pasquale's family: 'If you're going to raise a murderer, you're going to take responsibility'. By Carly Q. Romalino for South Jersey Times. October 1, 2013.

https://www.nj.com/gloucester-county/2013/10/autumn_pasquales_family_if_youre_going_to_raise_a_murderer_youre_going_to_take_responsibility.html

Autumn Pasquale murder: Judge sentences Justin Robinson to 17 years. By South Jersey Times. September 12, 2013.

https://www.nj.com/gloucester-county/2013/09/autumn_pasquale_judge_sentences_her_killer_justin_robinson_to_17_years.html

Judge dismisses civil lawsuit in death of Autumn Pasquale. By Associated Press. June 15, 2016. https://whyy.org/articles/judge-dismisses-civil-lawsuit-in-death-of-autumn-pasquale/

South Jersey investigators find young girl's body. By ABC11. October 23, 2012.

https://abc11.com/archive/8183567/

Parents of slain Autumn Pasquale settle lawsuit. February 28, 2013.

https://whyy.org/articles/parents-of-slain-autumn-pasquale-settle-lawsuit/