NEW True Crime Series from Gamut Podcast Network.

Gardens of Evil: Inside the Zion Society Cult begins February 3rd.

It was just another quiet neighborhood in small town America. At least, that’s how it looked. But the immaculately groomed yards, trimmed hedges, and brightly colored flower gardens hid an insidious secret.

More than a hundred residents were members of a cult called The Zion Society. Hiding in plain sight, they hoarded guns and ammunition. They created, sold, and modeled sexy lingerie. They took children away from parents and groomed them for sexual abuse.

Their beliefs were centered around satisfying the perverted desires of one man – their leader: an unassuming, soft-spoken landscaper. Neighbors knew something was amiss, but it wasn’t until a brave young woman broke away from the secretive group and confessed to authorities that everything began to unravel for this dangerous cult. This is the story of that unraveling told by the people who lived it.

Subscribe to Gardens of Evil: Inside the Zion Society Cult:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/gardens-of-evil-inside-the-zion-society-cult/id1748894795

https://open.spotify.com/show/5w7xyH8ttWZKc64D9q08H4

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He was known as the Terror of East Baltimore who wrote poetry and went to readings.

A convicted criminal at 15 who started a prison riot. That’s just a some of what we’ve learned about Edward Watts/Baari Shabazz — the man police say is responsible for the 1998 murder of Sherry Crandell. A man Sherry’s oldest son calls a monster.

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How did a 2012 murder in Baltimore, a name from an obituary, and DNA entered into an ancestry database lead to solving the 1998 murder of Sherry Crandell? 

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In this bonus episode, Mike King (American Nightmares: Garden of Evil, Season 5 – Coming Feb 3) sits down with investigative journalist Paul Wagner (American Nightmares: Murder in a Safe Place, Season 2) to revisit the Sherry Crandell case — and to unpack the long road that led to justice.

Together, they break down the original investigation, the controversial hospital-wide DNA dragnet, and the relentless efforts of a retired detective who refused to let Sherry’s case fade into obscurity. The conversation also explores how Wagner’s reporting helped keep pressure on the case when leads ran dry and answers seemed impossible.

Most importantly, they examine the 2025 breakthrough that finally identified Edward Barry Watts — also known as Baari Shabazz — as Sherry Crandell’s killer through investigative genetic genealogy. Paul and Mike discuss what this moment means for Sherry’s family, the ethical questions surrounding genetic genealogy, and the growing power of this technology to solve violent crimes once thought unsolvable.

#ProfilingEvil #MurderInASafePlace #AmericanNightmares #SherryCrandell #PrinceGeorgesHospital #CheverlyMaryland #ColdCase #GeneticGenealogy #BaariShabazz #EdwardWatts #BernieNelson #FBI #HospitalMurder #VictimJustice #TrueCrimePodcast #InvestigativeJournalism

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