My Innocence Is RUINED After Learning These Disturbing Truths

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Hi friends! I am crystal, what I write is It’s dark Newsletter, BuzzFeed’s weekly roundup of all things creepy, creepy, and scary AF. If you like this kind of content, you should subscribe! ! ! !

Here’s what’s in this week’s newsletter:

WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT AHEAD, INCLUDING STORY OF MURDER.

1. Most of you are probably very familiar with the JonBenét Ramsey case, but you may have forgotten (or didn’t even know) that it unfolded around Christmas, and that she was probably killed on Christmas night, in a house that still had twinkling lights and wrapped presents.

The front page of the newspaper shows a young girl and in the background people walking on the street — Axel Coster/Sygma via Getty Images

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On December 26, 1996, 6-year-old JonBenet was found dead in the basement of her home in Boulder, Colorado. She was struck on the head and strangled, and a ransom note found in the house quickly aroused suspicion.

ZUMA Press, Inc. / Alamy

For years, attention has focused on her parents, her brother and the possibility of an intruder, while the Ramsey family endured intense public scrutiny, legal battles and decades of speculation. Despite multiple investigations and re-testing of DNA, no one has been charged with her murder.

Two people were sitting on the sofa, one of them holding a poster offering a reward for a missing child. Both looked serious, showing concern about the situation — Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post via Getty Images

2. On Christmas Eve 2008, in the midst of the holiday season, as houses were packed, doors opened and families gathered to celebrate, one of the darkest Christmas crimes in modern American history occurred in Covina, California.

cbs news

That night, a man named Bruce Pardo came to his former in-laws’ house. Wearing a Santa Claus suit and opened fire on those inside, killing nine people, including his ex-wife. He also used a homemade flamethrower to set the house on fire, during which his costume caught fire and severely burned him.

Homemade flamethrower made from a compressor — UPI / Alamy

Pardo fled the scene and was later found dead at his brother’s home from a gunshot wound. Investigators said the attack was related to a recent divorce and serious financial problems.

Makeshift memorial with flowers, candles and teddy bears on the roadside, in front of a burned-out building surrounded by police tape — ZUMA Press, Inc. / Alamy

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3. The bizarre and tragic story of the Sword children who disappeared on Christmas Eve.

Two grayscale portraits above five silhouettes on textured background

[1945年12月24日，一场大火烧毁了索德一家位于西弗吉尼亚州费耶特维尔的住宅。索德的10个孩子中，有5人成功逃脱……另外5人失踪了。当局表示，失踪儿童的年龄从5岁到14岁不等，他们已在火灾中死亡，但尚未找到遗骸，而且火势还不足以完全火化尸体。

父母乔治·索德和珍妮·索德从未接受这种解释，他们花了数十年的时间寻找线索，报告目击事件，并公开询问信息。两人都在不知道自己的孩子发生了什么事的情况下就去世了。

4. 奇怪的维基百科页面关于一种叫做圣诞猫的令人毛骨悚然的东西。

夜间城市环境中的大型发光猫雕塑，背景是建筑物 — Kati Leinart/Alami

In Icelandic folklore, Christmas comes with the threat that if you don’t receive new clothes before the holiday, the Yule Cat will eat you. Known as Jólakötturinn, this giant supernatural cat is said to roam the countryside during the Christmas season, hunting those who have not received new clothes as gifts, especially children.

Illustration of a cat with an arched back and a fluffy tail, showing a surprised or scared gesture — Science & Society Photo Library/SSPL via Getty Images

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It’s a story rooted in ancient labor traditions, used to shame or intimidate people into working harder, which makes it less of a piece of holiday folklore and more of a reminder that some holiday traditions are built on motivational ideas of fear, punishment, and serious chaos.

A giant cat sitting in a large bowl looks at a small person standing on the edge of the table, creating a whimsical scene — DEA / BIBLIOTECA AMBROSIANA / De Agostini via Getty Images

5. Notable Death Anniversary of the Week: George Michael died of a heart attack on December 25, 2016.

Man with styled hair wearing cross earrings, dark top and watch posing with arms crossed in front of textured background — Michael Putland/Getty Images

The British pop star was found dead at her home in Goring-on-Thames, England, on Christmas Day at the age of 53. An inquest later ruled he died of natural causes, specifically dilated cardiomyopathy with myocarditis.

The memorial features candles, flowers and a photo commemorating a man — Andrew Matthews – PA Pictures/PA Pictures via Getty Images

The timing of his death carries an unavoidable irony: for decades, Michael had been closely associated with the holidays for his iconic Christmas song “Last Christmas,” recorded with his former band Wham! His death added a darker tone to the song’s legacy and festival.

There were four people at the dining table, one of whom was looking at the camera intently. There are bottles and glasses on the table

6. Finally, there is the story of killer Charles Starkweather.

Man wearing glasses sitting against wall in relaxed pose, wearing white shirt and dark pants — Bateman/Bateman Archives

Normally I focus on serial killer stories and last meals, but this week’s entry has a technical exception: Starkweather is classified as a mad killer rather than a serial killer. I include him because his crimes occurred during the holidays.

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In late 1957 and early 1958, just days before Christmas, Starkweather and his teenage girlfriend, Caril Ann Fugate, murdered 11 people in Nebraska and Wyoming, including members of Fugate’s family.

The two people sat side by side, smiling broadly. The person on the left is wearing a patterned jacket and holding a white bag. The person on the right is wearing jeans and holding a cigarette — Bateman/Bateman Archives

The spree ended when Starkweather was pulled over by a Wyoming state trooper after a series of sightings. He was arrested without a fight, while Fugate was held incommunicado. In 1959, 20-year-old Starkweather was convicted and executed by electric chair in Nebraska, while Fugate later served time in prison and was paroled. The case shocked the nation and inspired films such as wasteland (1973).

A man wearing glasses is escorted by two men, one of whom is wearing a suit and hat; the man being escorted appears to have been detained — Bateman/Bateman Archives

His last meal: turning down a traditional steak dinner and asking for cold cuts instead.

There is a sandwich on the lunch tray with two slices of bread, one is bologna and the other is cheese — Crystal Luo/BuzzFeed

Do you have a strange, creepy, or shocking story you’d like to share? Maybe there’s a weird Wikipedia page you want to talk about? Please tell me all about it at thatgotdark@buzzfeed.com and who knows, maybe it will be in a future edition It’s dark!

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