The Brenizer Family Murders [Bruce Brenizer]

This Feels Criminal: A True Crime Podcast (Formerly Killer Queens)

This Feels Criminal | Formerly Killer Queens

Society & Culture, True Crime

4.4 • 3.1K Ratings

🗓️ 22 April 2026

⏱️ 46 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In 1991 in a small, rural town in Wisconsin, five members of the Brenizer/Berentson family left their home to go shopping. When they didn't return, 15-year-old Bruce was concerned that his father, stepmother, and sisters were missing. As the investigation unfolded, rumors of an ax murderer or satanic worship were afoot, but when the truth was revealed, it was much worse than anyone in this small town could imagine.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Did you ever hear a story and think, we're not getting the full picture?
0:08.6	That's where we start.
0:10.2	On this field's criminal, we unpack crime, corruption, and conspiracy with curiosity,
0:15.4	context, and just a touch of chaos.
0:17.5	We step outside the timelines and ask better questions and explore the systems
0:21.9	behind the story, all in a voice that feels more like a friend than a reporter. Because when you
0:26.4	identify the patterns, you can't unsee how often they show up. In 1991, in a small rural
0:35.9	town in Wisconsin, five members of the Brunizer-Barrinson family
0:40.3	left their home to go shopping.
0:42.5	When they didn't return, 15-year-old Bruce was concerned that his father, his stepmother,
0:46.6	and his sisters were missing.
0:48.6	As the investigation unfolded, rumors of an axe murderer or satanic worship were afoot. But when the truth was revealed,
0:56.7	it was much worse than anyone in this small town could imagine. Wow, we're in for it today.
1:03.1	We're in for it. You want to know how I know that it's not satanic worship because people thought it was.
1:09.7	Exactly. Literally every time. Every time. But before we get started,
1:14.9	welcome to this feels criminal. We're so glad you're here. Yes. And this episode was requested by
1:22.4	Roberta Mathini. So thanks, girl. Thank you. And shout out to Beth for writing it up for us. Thanks for that.
1:32.0	All right. Ooh, also, we need to give you trigger warnings. We are talking about a family homicide.
1:37.2	This does include children, young children. Yeah. It's rough stuff. If you can't do it, I understand.
1:47.4	Yes. We are going to go back to 1991 to a place called Pushing, Wisconsin. It's an unincorporated rural town in Polk County.
1:55.0	It's just north of St. Croix Falls, and it sits near the border of Minnesota. The pictures of
2:00.8	this place are beautiful.
	...

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