What a Creep Season 29, Episode 9 “The Bloody Benders” <a href="https://blogs.loc.gov/headlinesandheroes/2024/10/bloody-benders/" target="_blank"></a><a href="https://blogs.loc.gov/headlinesandheroes/2024/10/bloody-benders/" target="_blank">The Bloody Benders</a> were a family of serial killers who operated a small inn and general store in Labette County, Kansas, during the early 1870s. They are considered one of America’s first known serial killer families. The Benders lived along a remote stretch of the Osage Trail (later part of the Santa Fe Trail), where they ran a waystation for travelers. Guests who stayed at the Bender property were sometimes never seen again. Sources for this episode  <ul><li><a href="https://people.com/bender-family-serial-killers-welcomed-weary-travelers-11737278" target="_blank">People </a></li><li><a href="https://blogs.loc.gov/headlinesandheroes/2024/10/bloody-benders/" target="_blank">Library of Congress Blog </a></li><li><a href="https://www.humanitieskansas.org/get-involved/kansas-stories/people/true-crime-in-kansas-the-mystery-of-the-benders" target="_blank">Humanities Kansas</a></li><li><a href="https://www.kctv5.com/2024/07/04/kansas-bloody-benders-digging-clues-century-old-murders/" target="_blank">KCTC TV</a></li><li><a href="https://www.aetv.com/real-crime/bloody-benders" target="_blank">A&amp;E </a></li><li><a href="https://kansasalumnimagazine.org/magazine-article/bloody-benders-property/" target="_blank">Kansas Alumni Group</a></li><li><a href="https://www.kwch.com/2025/05/28/ku-students-excavate-artifacts-19th-century-serial-killer-family/" target="_blank">KWCH-TV</a></li><li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pBHiXY_C74" target="_blank">The Wild West Extravaganza YouTube</a></li><li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Hell-Comes-Play-Americas-Murdering/dp/B0CGYVW6MS" target="_blank">Hell Comes to Play by Lee Ralph </a></li><li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Hells-Half-Acre-Benders-American-Frontier/dp/1984879839" target="_blank">Hell’s Half Acre by Susan Janusas</a></li><li> <a href="https://www.kansashistory.gov/kansapedia/bender-knife/10106#:~:text=Serial%20Killers,the%20smell%20gagging%20the%20searchers." target="_blank">Kansas History </a></li><li><a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/10/31/a-mysterious-murder-site-has-a-new-owner-hes-looking-for-answers-about-the-bloody-benders/" target="_blank">Kansas Reflector</a> </li><li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBSrAanYqpc" target="_blank">Legends of the West podcast </a></li><li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloody_Benders" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a> </li></ul> Trigger Warnings: Murder and incest Be sure to follow us on social media. But don’t follow us too closely … don’t be a creep about it!  <ul><li>Subscribe to us on <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-a-creep/id1460298336" target="_blank">Apple Podcasts</a></li><li>Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/785355681984504" target="_blank">Join the private group</a></li><li><a href="https://bsky.app/profile/whatacreep.bsky.social" target="_blank">BlueSky</a> </li><li>Instagram @WhatACreepPodcast</li><li>Visit our Patreon page: <a href="https://www.patreon.com/whatacreep" target="_blank">https://www.patreon.com/whatacreep</a></li><li>Email: WhatACreepPodcast@gmail.com </li><li>We’ve got merch here! <a href="https://whatacreeppodcast.threadless.com/" target="_blank">https://whatacreeppodcast.threadless.com/#</a></li><li>Our website is <a href="http://www.whatacreeppodcast.com/" target="_blank">www.whatacreeppodcast.com</a> </li><li>Our logo was created by Claudia Gomez-Rodriguez. Follow her on Instagram @ClaudInCloud</li></ul>

What a Creep
Season 29, Episode 9
“The Bloody Benders”

https://blogs.loc.gov/headlinesandheroes/2024/10/bloody-benders/ were a family of serial killers who operated a small inn and general store in Labette County, Kansas, during the early 1870s. They...

What a Creep Season 29, Episode 9 “The Bloody Benders” <a href="https://blogs.loc.gov/headlinesandheroes/2024/10/bloody-benders/" target="_blank"></a><a href="https://blogs.loc.gov/headlinesandheroes/2024/10/bloody-benders/" target="_blank">The Bloody Benders</a> were a family of serial killers who operated a small inn and general store in Labette County, Kansas, during the early 1870s. They are considered one of America’s first known serial killer families. The Benders lived along a remote stretch of the Osage Trail (later part of the Santa Fe Trail), where they ran a waystation for travelers. Guests who stayed at the Bender property were sometimes never seen again. Sources for this episode  <ul><li><a href="https://people.com/bender-family-serial-killers-welcomed-weary-travelers-11737278" target="_blank">People </a></li><li><a href="https://blogs.loc.gov/headlinesandheroes/2024/10/bloody-benders/" target="_blank">Library of Congress Blog </a></li><li><a href="https://www.humanitieskansas.org/get-involved/kansas-stories/people/true-crime-in-kansas-the-mystery-of-the-benders" target="_blank">Humanities Kansas</a></li><li><a href="https://www.kctv5.com/2024/07/04/kansas-bloody-benders-digging-clues-century-old-murders/" target="_blank">KCTC TV</a></li><li><a href="https://www.aetv.com/real-crime/bloody-benders" target="_blank">A&amp;E </a></li><li><a href="https://kansasalumnimagazine.org/magazine-article/bloody-benders-property/" target="_blank">Kansas Alumni Group</a></li><li><a href="https://www.kwch.com/2025/05/28/ku-students-excavate-artifacts-19th-century-serial-killer-family/" target="_blank">KWCH-TV</a></li><li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pBHiXY_C74" target="_blank">The Wild West Extravaganza YouTube</a></li><li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Hell-Comes-Play-Americas-Murdering/dp/B0CGYVW6MS" target="_blank">Hell Comes to Play by Lee Ralph </a></li><li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Hells-Half-Acre-Benders-American-Frontier/dp/1984879839" target="_blank">Hell’s Half Acre by Susan Janusas</a></li><li> <a href="https://www.kansashistory.gov/kansapedia/bender-knife/10106#:~:text=Serial%20Killers,the%20smell%20gagging%20the%20searchers." target="_blank">Kansas History </a></li><li><a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/10/31/a-mysterious-murder-site-has-a-new-owner-hes-looking-for-answers-about-the-bloody-benders/" target="_blank">Kansas Reflector</a> </li><li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBSrAanYqpc" target="_blank">Legends of the West podcast </a></li><li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloody_Benders" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a> </li></ul> Trigger Warnings: Murder and incest Be sure to follow us on social media. But don’t follow us too closely … don’t be a creep about it!  <ul><li>Subscribe to us on <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-a-creep/id1460298336" target="_blank">Apple Podcasts</a></li><li>Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/785355681984504" target="_blank">Join the private group</a></li><li><a href="https://bsky.app/profile/whatacreep.bsky.social" target="_blank">BlueSky</a> </li><li>Instagram @WhatACreepPodcast</li><li>Visit our Patreon page: <a href="https://www.patreon.com/whatacreep" target="_blank">https://www.patreon.com/whatacreep</a></li><li>Email: WhatACreepPodcast@gmail.com </li><li>We’ve got merch here!...</li></ul>

"The Bloody Benders" of Labette County, Kansas