A two-part series

A Canadian teenager from Nova Scotia is invited to stay with his wealthy school friend on the Jersey Shore, but finds himself at the centre of an American horror story.

The intention of this series is to take a look back at a shocking crime sensationalized through headlines across the US and Canada, and explore its impact on relevant communities.

Some names have been changed to respect the privacy of those involved.

Make sure you’re ready to vote!
- Elections Canada - Check if you are registered to vote
- Voting in Ontario February 27? Want a change? Here’s how to VoteWell in your riding.

Part 2 will be available to all in a week.
Listen now, ad-free on CTC premium feeds: available on Amazon Music (included with Prime), Apple Podcasts, Patreon and Supercast. Please note: case-based episodes will always be available to all, we will never put them exclusively behind a paywall.

Canadian true crime donates monthly to those facing injustice.
This month we have donated to the Canadian Mental Health Association, who advocates and provides resources for the 1 in 5 people in Canada who have a mental illness.

Credits:

Research and writing: Lisa Gabriele
Script Consultant: Carol Weinberg
Audio Editor, voice of disclaimer: Erik Krosby
Senior Producer: Lindsay Eldridge
Additional research and writing, narration, sound design: Kristi Lee
Theme song: We Talk of Dreams
All other music from Epidemic Sound and Blue Dot Sessions

Sources

Court document:
State V. Curtis , Jul 18, 1984

Book:
Blood Knot: The Trial and Conviction of Bruce Curtis by David Hayes.

News archives:

Collection of articles and trial reporting most notably from Asbury Park Press, the Star Ledger, and the Daily Register of New Jersey, and the Toronto Star, the Evening-Press Globe, and Southam News. Accessed via Windsor Public Library and newspapers.com.

Notable articles:

1983_Oct_19 Montreal Gazette “Canadian drawn into Murderous Trap”
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-gazette/21825221/
1984_Apr_14 Toronto Star (1971-2009) Toronto Star Saturday Magazine feature. “Downfall of A Shy Scholar” Pt 1 Retrieved from https://ezp.windsorpubliclibrary.com:4048/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/newspapers/page-m1/docview/1399728758/se-2
1984_Apr_21 Toronto Star Shy Scholar pt 2 Page M4. (1984, Apr 14). Toronto Star (1971-2009) Retrieved from https://ezp.windsorpubliclibrary.com:4048/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/newspapers/page-m4/docview/1399728785/se-2
1984_Jul_19 Toronto Star (1971-2009) US rejects Canadian youth claim Retrieved from https://ezp.windsorpubliclibrary.com:4048/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/newspapers/page-a3/docview/1399597281/se-2
1985_Jan_23 Toronto Star (1971-2009) Canadian turns 21 in jail Retrieved from https://ezp.windsorpubliclibrary.com:4048/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/newspapers/page-a3/docview/1404778302/se-2
1986_Nov_16 Toronto Star Michael Hanlon, T. S. (1986, Nov 16). Bruce curtis: No easy answers: [SU2 edition]. Toronto Star Retrieved from https://ezp.windsorpubliclibrary.com:4048/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/newspapers/bruce-curtis-no-easy-answers/docview/435522909/se-2
1986_Nov_17 Toronto Star Alan Story, T. S. (1986, Nov 17). Curtis' choice: Canadian prison or new trial: [FIN edition]. Toronto Star Retrieved from https://ezp.windsorpubliclibrary.com:4048/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/newspapers/curtis-choice-canadian-prison-new-trial/docview/435486652/se-2
1986_Dec_26 nova scotian loses bid for freedom Toronto Star (1971-2009) https://ezp.windsorpubliclibrary.com:4048/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/newspapers/page-a1/docview/1404785762/se-2
1987_Jan_25 Toronto Star Bill Schiller, T. S. (1987, Jan 25). 40 chilled protesters plead case of man jailed in U.S.: [SU2 edition]. Toronto Star Retrieved from https://ezp.windsorpubliclibrary.com:4048/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/newspapers/40-chilled-protesters-plead-case-man-jailed-u-s/docview/435544541/se-2
1987_July_30 Press, C. (1987, Jul 30). No clemency for canadian jailed 20 years in new jersey: [FIN edition]. Toronto Star Retrieved from https://ezp.windsorpubliclibrary.com:4048/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/newspapers/no-clemency-canadian-jailed-20-years-new-jersey/docview/435587954/se-2
1987_Nov_04 Toronto Star (CP). (1987, Nov 04). Canadian in U.S. jail asks for transfer north: [ME1 edition]. Toronto Star Retrieved from https://ezp.windsorpubliclibrary.com:4048/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/newspapers/canadian-u-s-jail-asks-transfer-north/docview/435685404/se-2
1988_Feb_23. Political deal to decide fate of canadian jailed in U.S.: [ONT edition]. Toronto Star Retrieved from https://ezp.windsorpubliclibrary.com:4048/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/newspapers/political-deal-decide-fate-canadian-jailed-u-s/docview/435718776/se-2
1988_Feb_27 Toronto Star Alan Story, T. S. (1988, Feb 27). Jailed canadian is coming home mother 'elated' after family wins fight to free son from U.S. prison: [SA2 edition]. Toronto Star Retrieved from https://ezp.windsorpubliclibrary.com:4048/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/newspapers/jailed-canadian-is-coming-home-mother-elated/docview/435718891/se-2
1988_Apr_1 Toronto Star Julian Beltrame Special to,The Star. (1988, Apr 17). Bruce curtis: Growing up in prison: [SU2 edition]. Toronto Star Retrieved from https://ezp.windsorpubliclibrary.com:4048/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/newspapers/bruce-curtis-growing-up-prison/docview/435738170/se-2
1988_Apr_13 [ Five years of prison have made bruce... ]. CanWest News Retrieved from https://ezp.windsorpubliclibrary.com:4048/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/wire-feeds/five-years-prison-have-made-bruce/docview/461006550/se-2
1989_Sept_23 Toronto Star Rob Tripp Special to,The Star. (1989, Sep 23). Curtis puts U.S. prison behind him: [SA2 edition]. Toronto Star Retrieved from https://ezp.windsorpubliclibrary.com:4048/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/newspapers/curtis-puts-u-s-prison-behind-him/docview/436023015/se-2
1991_Sept_24 Toronto Star Valerie Mansour Special to,The Star. (1991, Sep 24). Chilling story of killer teens still a puzzler: [FIN edition]. Toronto Star Retrieved from https://ezp.windsorpubliclibrary.com:4048/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/newspapers/chilling-story-killer-teens-still-puzzler/docview/436474440/se-2
1991_Nov_03 Toronto Star Greg Quill, T. S. (1991, Nov 03). Curtis mystery story intriguing: [SU2 edition]. Toronto Star Retrieved from https://ezp.windsorpubliclibrary.com:4048/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/newspapers/curtis-mystery-story-intriguing/docview/436525360/se-2
1986_Nov_16 Toronto Star (1971-2009) Retrieved from book review https://ezp.windsorpubliclibrary.com:4048/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/newspapers/page-g10/docview/1403369131/se-2

Other online sources:

Scott Franz Captured:
https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-04-03-me-379-story.html
Scott Franz Dead:
https://www.ancientfaces.com/person/scott-r-franz-birth-1964-death-1997/19685834
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/223784376/scott-robert-franz
Copy of the book, Blood Knot by David Hayes: https://archive.org/details/bloodknot00haye/bloodknot00haye

Sources for Part 1 intro:

Alfred and Rosemary Podgis

Credits:

Sources

The Huenemann and Leatherbarrow Murders