Man Lived with Seven Decomposing Bodies for Four Years Without Cleaning

Man Lived with Seven Decomposing Bodies for Four Years Without Cleaning: The Serial Murder Case of Robin DeShaser August 1987. Philadelphia police opened a sealed apartment door and found seven decomposing bodies stacked across mattresses, closets, and the roof. The man who lived there-Harrison Graham-had been sleeping on top of the remains for years. The incomprehensible question: Did he know what he was doing, or had his mind already fractured beyond repair? In this investigation, we examine the four-year killing spree that transformed a North Philadelphia apartment into a chamber of horror, the forensic evidence that contradicted Graham's own testimony, and the anonymous police call made years earlier that could have stopped the murders. Seven African American women-sex workers from the same neighborhood-went missing between 1983 and 1987. Two were identified only through forensic sculptures. One critical question haunted the case: Why did responding officers ignore Mary Hogan's anonymous call reporting a corpse in the building? Victim: Seven women identified as Robin DeShaser, Mary Mathis, Cynthia Brook, Barbara Mahoney, Patricia Franklin, Sandra Garvin, and Valerie Jameson Date: 1983-1987; Arrest: August 17, 1987 Location: 1631 North Nineteenth Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Status: Convicted; Life Sentence (Death sentences commuted 2003) - Police found an officer's peephole view revealed only the first body; seven total emerged within 24 hours of the apartment's opening - Bloodstained footprints connected all rooms; no attempt at cleaning or concealment, only accumulation of remains - Graham's mother called him and he surrendered peacefully eight days later, carrying the Cookie Monster puppet he had shown to neighborhood children - An anonymous woman witnessed a corpse and reported it to police before 1987, but officers lacked the apartment number and never investigated Robin DeShaser, Mary Mathis, Cynthia Brook, Barbara Mahoney, Patricia Franklin, Sandra Garvin, Valerie Jameson, Philadelphia serial murders, 1987, criminal minds, homicide investigation, forensic science, unsolved questions, true crime English To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com. © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved. This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com . Tired of ads? Listen to this podcast and 200+ more ad-free on OBOMEDIA. Try it free for 7 days, cancel anytime: https://obomedia.com/en/gratis?ref=desc-6981245 © 2026 Created by an independent creator of the OBOMEDIA Network. All rights reserved. This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the property of their respective creator, who is solely responsible for them, and are distributed by the OBOMEDIA Network on platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and Pocket Casts. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without the creator's prior written permission is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.