In 1971, 46-year-old John List lost his job at a bank and couldn't bear to tell his family the truth. After a failed job search, he would later say that he had only one option: murdering his family and disappearing forever.⁠ He believed without money, his family would turn away from God and, therefore, miss heaven. To ensure they go to heaven, he decided to murder them when their hearts were still right with God and then disappeared for the next 18 years.

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John List: The man who killed his family and went on the run

The name John List may not carry the same notoriety as some of the more infamous serial killers in history. But his story has intrigued and perplex...

In 1908, Houdini stood at the edge of the Harvard Bridge—commonly referred to as the Mass. Ave. Bridge—and was shackled by a Boston patrolman. His hands were handcuffed behind his back and chained to a collar around his neck. According to a Boston Globe article chronicling the feat, a signal was tooted from a towboat, and Houdini went overboard into the chilly waters below. “There is always the possibility that I will be unable to free myself, as one never can tell what will happen to a lock,” Houdini told the newspaper. “However, I am a good swimmer, have confidence in myself, and I hope to perform this feat successfully.” The Globe estimated some 20,000 spectators gathered to see Houdini’s leap, including the mayors of Boston and Cambridge. They waited 40 seconds for the magician to resurface, which he did with the shackles in his hands.

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50+ Must-See Moments In History

No one can predict the future, but we can better understand the present by looking back at history. Here are 100 must-see historical moments – si...

In 2017, a 10-year-old Florida girl Juliana Ossa fought off a deadly alligator attack by sticking her two fingers up the alligator's nose. This forced the alligator to open its mouth to breathe, which freed the girl's leg and she escaped. She had learned the trick from Gatorland.

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10 of history’s most harrowing stories of survival

In the face of extreme adversity, the human spirit has shown time and again its remarkable capacity for resilience and survival. From individuals o...

The Lovers of Valdaro, or Valdaro Lovers, are two 6,000-year-old skeletons discovered in a Neolithic tomb near Valdaro in Mantua, Italy, in 2007. Their name comes from the fact that they appear locked in an embrace. The burial dates to the Neolithic period, which lasted from 10,000 – 4,500 BCE. 1/2

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The Lovers of Valdaro – A Double Burial From Neolithic Italy

The Lovers of Valdaro, or Valdaro Lovers, are two 6,000-year-old skeletons discovered in a Neolithic tomb near Valdaro in Mantua, Italy, in 2007.

In 2010, Greg Fleniken, a 55-year-old oil executive, was found dead in his locked hotel room at the MCM Eleganté in Beaumont, Texas. He was fully clothed, no signs of struggle, and nothing in the room appeared disturbed. At first, his death seemed natural, possibly a heart attack. But the autopsy told a different story…Greg had been shot. A bullet had entered through his scrotum, ripped through his organs, and lodged in his chest. There was no blood, no gun, and no hole. It looked medically impossible. Months later, they discovered a tiny hole in the wall between Room 348 and the one next door. The bullet had come through the wall, fired accidentally by a man in the adjacent room who had been showing off a gun to coworkers. Panicked, they never reported the shot.