Crimelore

Ostension Happens

Kristina Downs Season 1 Episode 2

In our second episode we continue our discussion of "The Killer in the Backseat," but move on to discuss the concept of "ostension," discussing the possibilities of criminals using legends to get ideas for crime. Should we ACTUALLY be checking our backseats? Probably. Along the way we get a story of the time Kristina thought she had a killer in her backseat (She did not! It was Jesse's fault!)

Volvo heartbeat sensor commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUsg8R2DVj4

Sources:
Associated Press. 2011. “Man Hiding in Back Seat Flees When Horn Honked,” May 3, 2011.

———. 2014. “Man Apologizes for Tacoma Back-Seat Robbery,” March 5, 2014.

———. 2016. “Teen Calls Escort, Is Robbed by Man Hiding in Backseat,” May 21, 2016.

Covarrubias, Amanda. 2010. “Ex-Girlfriend Stabs Man with Ice Pick after Hiding in Back Seat of His Car in Yorba Linda, Police Say.” L.A. Now, August 31, 2010.

Eldred, Georgia. 2000. “Woman Doctor in Car Ambush; Drug Addict Armed with Screwdriver Hides on Back Seat.” Evening Standard, February 16, 2000.

Ellis, Bill. 1989. “Death by Folklore: Ostension, Contemporary Legend, and Murder.” Western Folklore 48 (3): 201–20. https://doi.org/10.2307/1499739.

English, Nordeka. 1992. “Teen Hiding in Back Seat Part of ‘Lowjacking’ of Woman’s Car.” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, November 11, 1992.

Fletcher, Mike. 2011. “Would-Be Abductor Was Hiding in Back Seat, Police Say.” Kokomo Tribune, March 10, 2011.

Hamilton Spectator. 2019. “Man Who Was Hiding in Back Seat of Car Assaulted Female Driver, OPP Say,” April 24, 2019.

Moorhead, Molly. 2007. “McDonald’s Manage Abducted by Suspect Hiding in Back Seat.” St. Petersburg Times, December 7, 2007.