Notorious Bakersfield
Notorious Bakersfield
Robert Petersen
Notorious Bakersfield is a podcast that steps back in time to look at some of Bakersfield's most notorious crimes, events, and characters that have impacted this Central California Valley community.
Aunt Babe
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Jun 4
8 min
Notorious Bakersfield Update II
Send Robert a Text! Hey Notorious Bakersfield fans, I wanted to jump on here and explain why I haven’t released a new episode recently. A couple of weeks ago, a family member entered hospice care, and to say my focus hasn’t been on Notorious Bakersfield would be an understatement. Honestly, my head and heart just haven’t been in it. When the time feels appropriate, I’ll share another update regarding the future of the podcast. For now, my attention is where it needs to be — wit...
May 18
46 sec
Kidnapped! | E204
Send Robert a Text! In December 1988, four-year-old Deisy Herrera vanished without a trace from her East Bakersfield yard. Six months later, another young girl from Bakersfield went missing. As her family and authorities launched a frantic search, fear gripped the entire community. Support the show
Apr 28
21 min
Knock Nock: The Hillcrest Murder | E203
Send Robert a Text! This week marks the 16th anniversary of this crime. After listening to this episode, you'll think twice before answering a stranger's knock on your door. Support the show
Apr 14
18 min
The Nude Beach | E202
Send Robert a Text! This Notorious Bakersfield story unfolds 150 miles west of Bakersfield, along the coast in Santa Barbara County. But this story has tentacles reaching all the way back to Bakersfield. Support the show
Mar 31
30 min
Final Curtain Call In Bakersfield | E201
Send Robert a Text! In 1908 Bakersfield, an afternoon visit to a hotel room set off a chain of events that would ripple through the town for years. What began as a quiet, private meeting quickly turned into one of the most talked-about incidents in Bakersfiel of its time. Support the show
Mar 17
21 min
The Notorious Onion Field | E200
Send Robert a Text! On a March night in 1963, two LAPD officers were kidnapped during what should have been a routine traffic stop—and driven north into the dark farm fields just outside Bakersfield. This episode of Notorious Bakersfield revisits that horrific crime and it's chilling connection to Kern County. Support the show
Mar 3
37 min
The Boy Who Never Came Home | E199
Send Robert a Text! In 1931, a 6-year-old boy never came home. What happened to him, shocked the Bakersfield community. Support the show
Feb 24
21 min
Radio Silence | E198
Send Robert a Text! For decades, anyone with a scanner could listen as Bakersfield police officers and Kern County deputies responded to calls in real time. Now, a massive countywide radio overhaul could encrypt those transmissions, silencing the airwaves to the public. The question is whether this change will enhance officer safety, or will it put a wall between law enforcement and the community they serve. Support the show
Feb 17
36 min
Bakersfield's Bad Ass Bully | E197
Send Robert a Text! His name probably isn’t familiar to you—and that’s what makes the story of Percy Douglas so intriguing. In Bakersfield’s Wild West days, he was feared, violent, and impossible to ignore… yet today he survives only as an obscure footnote in local history. Support the show
Feb 3
28 min
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