Rephonic
Artwork for American Nightmares

American Nightmares - Gardens of Evil: Inside The Zion Society Cult

Gamut Podcast Network
Daron Wint
Savopoulos Family
Washington D.C.
Vera Figueroa
Darren Wint
True Crime
Savopoulos Family Murders
Murder Trial
Mansion Murders
DC Superior Court
Justice System
Glenn Kirschner
Darron Wint
Abigail Savopoulos
Psychology Of Crime
Zion Society
Washington, D.C.
Victim Impact Statements
Sherry Crandell
Coercive Mind Control

Every headline hides a deeper story. American Nightmares pulls you into the most unsettling true crime cases—one season, one case at a time. These are the crimes that kept detectives awake, shattered families, and left entire communities on edge.Told through raw interviews, gripping investigative detail, and cinematic storytelling, each season reveals how these nightmares unfolded—and the long roa... more

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes65Founded7 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
True Crime

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for American Nightmares

Latest Episodes

Seventy Ogden police officers gather in the dark and move into Northwood at dawn, hitting multiple Zion Society homes at the exact same moment. The plan is simple on paper and terrifying in practice: secure the children, secure the evidence, and arre... more

Jeff Peterson has spent years trying to pull his kids out of the Zion Society - until the cult’s hunger for money creates an opening. When his ex-wife Carla asks for help selling the group’s lingerie line, “Sweet Things,” Jeff hires a private investi... more

From inside the Zion Society, Erin (heard in rare archival audio) explains how predators exploit vulnerability - love-bombing, isolation, and religion used as camouflage. In Northwood subdivision recruiter and enforcer Carla tightens her grip, contro... more

Investigator Mike King is officially assigned to investigate Erin’s allegation - quietly, urgently, and under the threat of destroyed evidence and stockpiled weapons. But Erin’s aunt isn’t waiting for law enforcement. She drives into Northwood to rea... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Dateline NBC
Dateline NBCNBC News
Betrayal Season 5
Betrayal Season 5iHeartPodcasts and Glass Podcasts
20/20
20/20ABC News

Recent Guests

Jeff Peterson
Father fighting for custody of his children from the Zion Society cult
Episode: S5 E4 - The Buyer
Cheryl Noggle
Wife of private investigator; went undercover to gather evidence against Zion Society
Episode: S5 E4 - The Buyer
Philip Noggle
Private investigator; collaborated with Cheryl to document the cult's actions
Episode: S5 E4 - The Buyer
Bruce Paddock
Brother of Stephen Paddock, discusses his perspective on his brother and the aftermath of the shooting.
Episode: Introducing Profiling Evil: Las Vegas Massacre, The Dark Legacy of Stephen Paddock
Eric Paddock
Another brother of Stephen Paddock who shares insights about their family's background and their brother's behavior.
Episode: Introducing Profiling Evil: Las Vegas Massacre, The Dark Legacy of Stephen Paddock
Chris Bruckman
Prosecutor in the Daron Wint case
U.S. Attorney's Office for D.C.
Episode: S4 E13 - The Appeal: A Second Look
Mike King
Former detective who led the Zion Society investigation
Episode: Prelude: Gardens of Evil
Daron Wint
Main suspect and accused in the murders of the Savopoulos family.
Episode: S4 E9 - Brother Vs. Brother: A Second Look
Darrell Wint
Daron's younger half-brother who testified in his trial.
Episode: S4 E9 - Brother Vs. Brother: A Second Look

Hosts

Megan Cloherty
Host and investigative journalist known for her sensitive and in-depth storytelling in true crime narratives. Cloherty often addresses the emotional toll of crime on families and communities while ensuring respect for the victims involved.
Jack Moore
Co-host who brings a collaborative dynamic to discussions, often providing legal insights and analysis related to the investigations highlighted in the series.

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 11.1k ratings
  • Great show but...

    It's a wonderful show. This season has weird background noise. Is it music? Someone knocking? Other than that distraction it's great.

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    Tajannah
    United States19 days ago
  • Wow just WOW

    I am so impressed and I’m only here listening bc of Patrick Hinds from True crime obsessed. Amazing reporting and amazing people behind this podcast.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Venicebby
    United States3 months ago
  • Destroyed by adds

    Adds are awful, destroys the show

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Mayhap 2
    Canada4 months ago
  • Very well done

    I’m revisiting this podcast after the recent rerelease. It’s remains an Engaging and informative podcast. Abigail is such a brave young woman and the interview with her is wonderful. Thank you for presenting this story with such care.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    pdmddc19
    United States5 months ago
  • Intriguing Podcast!

    I highly recommend listening to American Nightmares. Megan and Jack do a great job helping to understand what happened and providing in depth information.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    ShepSEA96
    United States5 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Audience comments suggest a strong emotional connection to the stories, drawing in a thoughtful and reflective audience.
Reviews highlight the high production quality and engaging narrative style, keeping listeners hooked from episode to episode.
Listeners appreciate the detailed storytelling and the respect shown towards victims and families involved in the cases.
Negative feedback focuses on occasional ads disrupting the narrative flow, but overall, the content is considered compelling and informative.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#87
United States/Top Podcasts
Apple Podcasts
#12
United States/True Crime
Apple Podcasts
#213
Canada/True Crime
Apple Podcasts
#235
Chile/Top Podcasts
Apple Podcasts
#28
Chile/True Crime
Apple Podcasts
#116
Spain/True Crime

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

S5 E2 - To Hell And Back
Q: What were some of the initial challenges faced by the victims of the Zion Society?
Both Amber and Andrea struggled with intense psychological trauma and memory loss surrounding their experiences in the cult.
Introducing Profiling Evil: Las Vegas Massacre, The Dark Legacy of Stephen Paddock
Q: What are the types of clues that you think will reveal why he did this?
There are no types of clues that can explain his actions clearly.
Paul Wagner sits down with Mike King to discuss the Sherry Crandell case
Q: What became the major roadblocks in this case that prevented it from being solved quickly?
The police thought the assailant was somebody who worked in the hospital and undertook a DNA dragnet from every man that worked there, but ruled them all out. The killer's DNA wasn't in CODIS because he had committed his violent crimes before laws required DNA to be collected.
Paul Wagner sits down with Mike King to discuss the Sherry Crandell case
Q: Can you take us back to January 13th, 1998, and kind of let everybody know what we're talking about today and what the case is about?
Sherry Crandell had just turned 50 years old. She was a nurse administrator at Prince George's Hospital Center, which was a trauma center right outside of Washington, DC. She was working late that night when she was found raped and murdered in her office.
Part 1: Megan Cloherty Talks with Gardens of Evil Host Mike King
Q: What challenges did you face when re-releasing the original podcast?
Navigating the balance of introducing new content while honoring the existing narrative without revealing spoilers was particularly challenging and required careful structuring of questions and content.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About American Nightmares

What is American Nightmares about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Exploring deeply unsettling true crime narratives, this podcast immerses listeners in notable cases that highlight the complexities of criminal investigations and the heart-wrenching realities faced by victims and their families. Each season focuses on a single case, providing an extensive look into the events surrounding violent crimes, often involving interviews with key witnesses, law enforcement officials, and other relevant parties to paint a comprehensive picture of both the crimes and their aftermaths. The distinctive storytelling approach emphasizes the emotional toll on communities and the intricate details that often lie hidden beneath the headlines, making it a compelling choice for true crime aficionados.

Where can I find podcast stats for American Nightmares?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for American Nightmares. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to American Nightmares and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does American Nightmares get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for American Nightmares, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for American Nightmares?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for American Nightmares, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does American Nightmares have?

To see how many followers or subscribers American Nightmares has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to American Nightmares?

These podcasts share a similar audience with American Nightmares:

1. Dateline NBC
2. Dead Certain: The Martha Moxley Murder
3. Betrayal Season 5
4. Something About Cari
5. 20/20

How many episodes of American Nightmares are there?

American Nightmares launched 7 years ago and published 65 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact American Nightmares?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for American Nightmares?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for American Nightmares from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for American Nightmares?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of American Nightmares. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on American Nightmares?

Recent guests on American Nightmares include:

1. Jeff Peterson
2. Cheryl Noggle
3. Philip Noggle
4. Bruce Paddock
5. Eric Paddock
6. Chris Bruckman
7. Mike King
8. Daron Wint

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days