403: The Madman of Crystal Beach w/ M.F. Gross

Most Notorious! A True Crime History Podcast

Erik Rivenes

True Crime, History, Education

4.7 • 2.8K Ratings

🗓️ 27 August 2025

⏱️ 89 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In the sultry summer of 1949, a sleepy Florida beach town was rocked to its core. A brutal home invasion, a shocking murder, and a desperate, month-long manhunt captivated—and terrified—an entire region. At the center of the storm was John Calvin “Rastus” Russell, a cunning ex-con and former asylum patient who unleashed a wave of fear unlike anything the Gulf Coast had ever seen. My guest is M.F. Gross, author of the recently published MADMAN: The Incredible True Story of John Calvin "Rastus" Russel, the Heinous Crime, and Sensational Manhunt That Terrified Central Florida in 1949. He walks us through the horrific events of August 7th, 1949 and their aftermath. The author's website: https://mfgross.com/ The author on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mfgrossbooks The author on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@mfgross The author on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mfgrossbook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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1:32.7	Hope you are enjoying the final weeks of summer. My guest today I am very pleased to announce
1:38.9	is M.F. Gross. He is a former financial writer and trader-turned history buff and true crime detective.
1:47.9	He spent a year investigating the forgotten 1949 Crystal Beach murder that serves as the focus of our interview today.
1:58.1	The book he is here to talk about is called Madman, the incredible true story of
2:03.4	John Kelvin Rastus Russell, the heinous crime and sensational manhunt that terrified Central
2:12.2	Florida in 1949. Thank you for joining me today, and I am looking forward to chatting with you about your book.
2:21.4	My pleasure, Eric, glad to be here.
2:24.2	So do you remember when you first came across the story? How did it go from idea to book form?
2:32.2	Well, Eric, it's an interesting story.
2:35.0	I happen to live in Crystal Beach, Florida for 12 years.
	...

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