Vanessa Richardson

After briefly looking at the map on her own, DeFalco showed it to another state trooper who'd been at the scene the day of the murders. He said that it looked accurate. Some of the specifics were wrong, but the route to the murder scene and the positions of the bodies seemed to be correct. As DeFalco drove back to the state police headquarters, she continued to puzzle over the map.

After briefly looking at the map on her own, DeFalco showed it to another state trooper who'd been at the scene the day of the murders. He said that it looked accurate. Some of the specifics were wrong, but the route to the murder scene and the positions of the bodies seemed to be correct. As DeFalco drove back to the state police headquarters, she continued to puzzle over the map.

It could be a false confession, but if so, it was hard to believe that Franklin just happened to get so many of the details right. I'm Vanessa Richardson, and this is Serial Killers, a Spotify podcast. You can find us here every Monday. Be sure to check us out on Instagram, at Serial Killers Podcast, and we'd love to hear from you.

It could be a false confession, but if so, it was hard to believe that Franklin just happened to get so many of the details right. I'm Vanessa Richardson, and this is Serial Killers, a Spotify podcast. You can find us here every Monday. Be sure to check us out on Instagram, at Serial Killers Podcast, and we'd love to hear from you.

So if you're listening on the Spotify app, swipe up and give us your thoughts. In today's episode, we're taking a look at the Rainbow Murders. In 1980, a joyous adventure between two friends turned to tragedy and sparked a years-long hunt for the killer, or killers. Were Nancy Santomero and Vicky Durian killed by West Virginian locals, as law enforcement believed?

So if you're listening on the Spotify app, swipe up and give us your thoughts. In today's episode, we're taking a look at the Rainbow Murders. In 1980, a joyous adventure between two friends turned to tragedy and sparked a years-long hunt for the killer, or killers. Were Nancy Santomero and Vicky Durian killed by West Virginian locals, as law enforcement believed?

Or were they victims of serial killer Joseph Paul Franklin, who made multiple confessions? Stay with us. On the evening of June 25th, 1980, a college student carefully drove through the winding, forested roads in Pocahontas County, West Virginia. He lived in a lean-to cabin on the face of Briary Knob, one of the dozens of small mountains in the area.

Or were they victims of serial killer Joseph Paul Franklin, who made multiple confessions? Stay with us. On the evening of June 25th, 1980, a college student carefully drove through the winding, forested roads in Pocahontas County, West Virginia. He lived in a lean-to cabin on the face of Briary Knob, one of the dozens of small mountains in the area.

As the sun began to set and his truck bumped along the muddy road, he saw a sudden flash of color. Two people were lying to the left of the road. The young man instinctively averted his eyes. It looked like they might have been sharing an intimate moment and he didn't want to intrude. But as his truck trundled by, the bodies didn't seem to move at all.

As the sun began to set and his truck bumped along the muddy road, he saw a sudden flash of color. Two people were lying to the left of the road. The young man instinctively averted his eyes. It looked like they might have been sharing an intimate moment and he didn't want to intrude. But as his truck trundled by, the bodies didn't seem to move at all.

The young man parked his truck in front of the cabin a few yards away from the pair. The people still weren't moving. The daylight was fading fast, so he hiked over to get a closer look. Two women lay next to each other on their backs, their feet facing the dirt path. One had a red University of Iowa sweatshirt on, the other a blouse with embroidered blue flowers.

The young man parked his truck in front of the cabin a few yards away from the pair. The people still weren't moving. The daylight was fading fast, so he hiked over to get a closer look. Two women lay next to each other on their backs, their feet facing the dirt path. One had a red University of Iowa sweatshirt on, the other a blouse with embroidered blue flowers.

And they'd both been shot multiple times. Panicked, he called the authorities. A sheriff's deputy arrived first, then a state trooper. A pair of volunteer EMTs slowly made their way up the mountain in one of the county's three ambulances. One of the EMTs examined the bodies. They were still warm. Rigor mortis hadn't set in at all, meaning that the girls had died in the last few hours.

And they'd both been shot multiple times. Panicked, he called the authorities. A sheriff's deputy arrived first, then a state trooper. A pair of volunteer EMTs slowly made their way up the mountain in one of the county's three ambulances. One of the EMTs examined the bodies. They were still warm. Rigor mortis hadn't set in at all, meaning that the girls had died in the last few hours.

And their eyes were wide open. The EMTs loaded the bodies onto gurneys and carefully drove back to the morgue at a nearby hospital. Robert Alkire, another trooper from the West Virginia State Police, met them there. Alkire stepped into the cold room. One woman had two gunshot wounds to the chest. The other had three around her upper torso.

And their eyes were wide open. The EMTs loaded the bodies onto gurneys and carefully drove back to the morgue at a nearby hospital. Robert Alkire, another trooper from the West Virginia State Police, met them there. Alkire stepped into the cold room. One woman had two gunshot wounds to the chest. The other had three around her upper torso.

He would later learn that they were both young, one in her late teens and the other in her mid-20s. And there was no evidence of sexual assault. It looked like they'd been shot with large-caliber bullets at incredibly close range. All of the bullets entered at about a 45-degree downward angle.

He would later learn that they were both young, one in her late teens and the other in her mid-20s. And there was no evidence of sexual assault. It looked like they'd been shot with large-caliber bullets at incredibly close range. All of the bullets entered at about a 45-degree downward angle.

This either meant that the shooter was elevated above them, or that they were sitting or kneeling when the bullets hit. None of this pointed to a clear scenario, and Alkire remained baffled. So far, nobody knew the identities of the victims, but their belongings gave investigators a clue. A folded-up flyer for the rainbow gathering had been found in their pockets.

This either meant that the shooter was elevated above them, or that they were sitting or kneeling when the bullets hit. None of this pointed to a clear scenario, and Alkire remained baffled. So far, nobody knew the identities of the victims, but their belongings gave investigators a clue. A folded-up flyer for the rainbow gathering had been found in their pockets.