In Part 2 of our Bitter Blood series, we continue the shocking true story made famous by North Carolina author Jerry Bledsoe in his bestselling book Bitter Blood.

What began as a volatile marriage spiraled into paranoia, obsession, and a custody battle that would end in one of the most devastating family murder-suicides in North Carolina history.

We re-released this series in memory of Jerry Bledsoe, who passed away in December 2025. His reporting preserved this case with depth, compassion, and journalistic integrity — and without his work, many details would have been lost to time.

🎙️ Episode Credits

Researched and Written by: Darlene Hildreth & Melody Gwyn

• Male Narration: Curtis Hildreth
• Original Music: Isaiah Hildreth

📚 Sources

• Jerry Bledsoe, Bitter Blood
• Contemporary newspaper archives via Newspapers.com
• Memorial records via Find a Grave
• Court records and historical reporting from North Carolina regional outlets

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Jerry Bledsoe, North Carolina’s #1 New York Times bestselling true crime author, passed away on December 31, 2025, in Asheboro, NC. In honor of his life and legacy, we are re-releasing our two-part episode on Bitter Blood — the book that brought national attention to one of the most disturbing murder cases in North Carolina history.

Sources

We researched and built this episode using:

• Bledsoe, Jerry. Bitter Blood (book)
• Newspapers.com (archived newspaper reporting, obituaries, and contemporary coverage)
• FindAGrave.com (burial records and memorial details)

Credits

Hosted by: Darlene Hildreth & Melody Gwyn

Male Narration: Curtis Hildreth

Original Music: Isaiah Hildreth

Send us a text

To purchase your merch - email us at hardtimesandtruecrimes@gmail.com with what you want, size, and a shipping address. We can accept Venmo or CashApp

Support the show

hardtimesandtruecrimes.com buymeacoffee.com/hardtimesTC

In this special Christmas episode of Hard Times and True Crimes, we examine one of the most disturbing crimes in American history: The kidnapping and murder of Marion Parker in Los Angeles in 1927.

In December 1927, Los Angeles was rocked by the kidnapping and murder of Marion Parker, a crime so horrific it dominated national headlines and left a permanent mark on American true crime history.

This episode explores the details of the crime, the historical context of 1920s Los Angeles, and why the Marion Parker murder continues to haunt true crime history nearly a century later - especially during a season associated with family, innocence, and hope.

Listener discretion is advised.

Sources:

Book: Taylor, T. (2017). I Want To Come Home Tonight: The Haunting Story of Marion Parker. Whitechapel Productions. Narrated on Audible by Charles Huddleston

Where you can purchase the book: https://www.amazon.com/Want-Come-Home-Tonight-Haunting/dp/1892523833

Music credit: Music used in this episode appears courtesy of the audiobook narrator of I Want to Come Home Tonight: The Haunting Story of Marion Parker by Troy Talor and is used with permission.

www.newspapers.com

Narrator of episode: Curtis Hildreth

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To purchase your merch - email us at hardtimesandtruecrimes@gmail.com with what you want, size, and a shipping address. We can accept Venmo or CashApp

Support the show

hardtimesandtruecrimes.com buymeacoffee.com/hardtimesTC