Mother’s Day
Dennis McDougal
A book-length account for readers who want more detail.
1984–1985 · California, United States
Theresa Knorr & her daughters
The story behind Mother’s Day
Photo credit
San Bernardino County Sheriff, via Wikimedia Commons · Public domain (U.S.). Cropped/resized.Photographs are cropped to fit. Photo dates and original images are available through the source credits.
Suesan and Sheila Knorr died in separate incidents in California after prolonged abuse by their mother, Theresa Knorr. Other children in the household were drawn into concealing the crimes. Their surviving sister Terry later helped bring the deaths to investigators’ attention. Theresa pleaded guilty to murdering both daughters.
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The Story
When1984–1985
WhereCalifornia, United States
In this collection30 resources
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Most Evil — Murderous Women (2006)
IMDb · TV episode
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About Time for True Crime — Theresa Knorr, Part 2 (Episode 75)
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Blogs & Essays
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Blogs & essays
1 itemsAbout these sources
Outside essays and reading guides reflect their authors’ perspectives. Compare claims with reported and primary sources.
loveandmurder · Substack · Blog / essay
The Horrifying Case of Theresa Knorr and more True Crime
An outside blog or essay discussing Theresa Knorr & her daughters. Read the author’s analysis alongside the dated reporting and court sources in this case guide. Some publishers require a subscription.
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Books
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Books
1 itemsDennis McDougal
Mother’s Day
A nonfiction account of this case. See the linked edition for publication details and available formats.
BookCatalog / Availability
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Movies & TV
Movies
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TV & documentaries
3 itemsAbout these sources
Episodes, documentaries and title listings. Season and episode numbers follow the linked catalog and can differ by service. Air dates are separate from crime dates. Playback availability varies by service and region.
IMDb · TV episode
Most Evil — Murderous Women (2006)
IMDb episode reference connected to the Theresa Knorr & her daughters case. Listed release: 2006. Cast, credits, and title information; viewing availability is separate.
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IMDb · TV episode
Deadly Women — The Sacred Bond (2010)
IMDb episode reference connected to the Theresa Knorr & her daughters case. Listed release: 2010. Cast, credits, and title information; viewing availability is separate.
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IMDb · TV episode
Cold Case Files — Mommy Rules (2000)
IMDb episode reference connected to the Theresa Knorr & her daughters case. Listed release: 2000. Cast, credits, and title information; viewing availability is separate.
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Audiobooks
Listen to a book connected to this story. Each edition below is matched to its author and audiobook source.
Audiobook
Mother's Day
Unabridged
Audio edition verified at the linked source. The Amazon button is a title search; Amazon availability is not confirmed.
Edition checked 2026-10-12
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Fiction Work
Fiction Work
Browse all →Scripted stories and fictional inspirations. Scenes, characters, and dialogue can differ from the record.
No verified fictional adaptation or inspiration has been identified in this collection. Nonfiction coverage is listed in the other media sections.
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Podcasts
Podcasts
15 itemsAbout these sources
Audio episodes and oral histories. Personal recollections are attributed perspectives; some services require sign-in.
Spotify
About Time for True Crime — Theresa Knorr, Part 2 (Episode 75)
Direct episode page for this case or its screen adaptation. Open it for listening options and the publisher’s episode notes.
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Obscura: A True Crime Podcast
KILLER: Theresa Knorr | Sacramento, CA 1983
Podcast coverage of the Theresa Knorr & her daughters case. Released March 1, 2023. About 39 minutes.
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This Is Monsters
Theresa Knorr : Murder Mother Extraordinaire
Podcast coverage of the Theresa Knorr & her daughters case. Released April 24, 2023. About 54 minutes.
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True Crime Brewery
My Mother, My Killer: Theresa Knorr
Podcast coverage of the Theresa Knorr & her daughters case. Released September 18, 2018. About 107 minutes.
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True Crime Psychology and Personality: Narcissism, Psychopathy, and the Minds of Dangerous Criminals
Theresa Knorr | Mother Murders Two Daughters After Repeated Rejections by Men
Podcast coverage of the Theresa Knorr & her daughters case. Released October 17, 2022. About 19 minutes.
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My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark
84 - Harvard 2
Podcast coverage of the Theresa Knorr & her daughters case. Released August 31, 2017. About 84 minutes.
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Show 9 more podcasts
Murder In America
EP. 138 CALIFORNIA - The WORST MOM In America: Theresa Knorr (She Tortured & Killed Her Children)
Podcast coverage of the Theresa Knorr & her daughters case. Released January 5, 2024. About 109 minutes.
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Momicide
EPISODE 27 // Theresa Knorr
Podcast coverage of the Theresa Knorr & her daughters case. Released February 16, 2025. About 223 minutes.
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About Time for True Crime
Theresa Knorr: Worst Mother Ever (Part 2)
Podcast coverage of the Theresa Knorr & her daughters case. Released June 6, 2023. About 64 minutes.
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About Time for True Crime
Theresa Knorr: Worst Mother Ever Part 1
Podcast coverage of the Theresa Knorr & her daughters case. Released May 30, 2023. About 66 minutes.
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Bang to Rights
MATERNAL MADNESS: The Atrocities of Theresa Knorr Unveiled | Emma Kenny Crime Time
Podcast coverage of the Theresa Knorr & her daughters case. Released August 7, 2023. About 84 minutes.
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Nebel der Schuld – Wahre Verbrechen. Kalte Spuren.
Nebel der Schuld - E29 - Theresa Knorr - Die Mutter, die hasste
Podcast coverage of the Theresa Knorr & her daughters case. Released September 13, 2026. About 19 minutes.
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Murder and Moonshine
Episode #53 Theresa Knorr
Podcast coverage of the Theresa Knorr & her daughters case. Released December 19, 2023. About 99 minutes.
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Serial Killers: Real Life Documentaries
Serial Killer - Theresa Knorr (Documentary) - Craziest Woman Who Has Ever Lived
Podcast coverage of the Theresa Knorr & her daughters case. Released June 30, 2024. About 48 minutes.
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Human Monsters
Theresa Knorr Part 1
Podcast coverage of the Theresa Knorr & her daughters case. Released December 5, 2024. About 66 minutes.
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Social Media
BRING YOUR PERSPECTIVE
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News & Reading
More Reading & Audio
1 sourcesExplore book records, previews, library audiobooks and selected documents. Access labels distinguish free material from library loans and paid subscriptions.
Google Books · Catalog / Availability
Mother's Day
Related book record. Google may offer selected pages or another edition; full-book access is not confirmed.
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Reading Access Notes
Search reviewed 2026-09-16. Sources searched: Google Books, Internet Archive, Open Library, Library of Congress, Smithsonian Magazine, The Atavist Magazine, Google Books (case/title search), Scribd, Everand, OverDrive and hoopla (combined title search). Search indexing is incomplete; this is not an exhaustive list of the web. Access can change by edition, country and library membership. Library loans may require sign-in or a wait. Everand titles may need a paid subscription; a trial is not permanent free access. Scribd documents are third-party uploads, with uploader details noted where checked. We link to source pages and write our own descriptions rather than reproducing copyrighted books.
A separate Texas Monthly search was blocked by the publisher’s automated-access rules and could not be verified.
News & reporting
1 itemsDeseret News
Reporting and case background
Linked reporting or commentary. Read the source date for its historical context; access may require a subscription.
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Newspaper clippings
2 itemsFeatured newspaper clipping
Read our original summary below. The archive link opens the newspaper’s own clipping viewer.
The Berkshire Eagle · 1993-11-15 · Page 3
Daughter’s account reopens the Knorr investigation
Los Angeles Times reporting explains how Terry Knorr’s account helped investigators identify two victims.
Pretrial reporting with graphic descriptions of abuse.
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Read the original at Newspapers.com. Access and subscription requirements are set by the archive.
Open full clipping at Newspapers.comMore from the newspaper archive
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The Hanford Sentinel · 1993-12-21 · Page 7
Theresa Knorr arraigned
A court report covers Knorr’s arraignment and the response of family members.
Charges and reported allegations precede the later pleas.
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Internet Archive
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Court & Files
Court records & documents
1 itemsAbout these sources
Documents are labeled by type and scope. Allegations in filings are not findings of guilt. This collection is not the complete case file.
Parole-board recordGovernment repository
Theresa Knorr — official parole-hearing outcome entry
The board’s weekly record lists Theresa Jimmie Knorr’s scheduled hearing and the outcome “Waive 1 yr.” This is an administrative parole record, not a trial judgment or a grant of release.
- Court / agency
- California Board of Parole Hearings
- Document date
- June 27, 2025
- Case / citation
- W59650
- Hosted by
- California Board of Parole Hearings
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Positive Outcome
Positive Outcome
0 itemsAbout these sources
Documented laws, advocacy and reforms. Listing a change does not claim it is effective or universally supported.
No case-specific reform has been verified for this collection yet.
Social Media
6 itemsAbout these sources
Case-specific posts, videos and communities. Community opinions are separate from verified reporting. Platforms may require sign-in.
Emma Kenny
MATERNAL MADNESS: The Atrocities of Theresa Knorr Unveiled | Emma Kenny Crime Time
Video from Emma Kenny covering the Theresa Knorr & her daughters case. Length: 1:21:53.
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Dr. Todd Grande
Mother Murders Two Daughters After Repeated Rejections by Men | Theresa Knorr Case Analysis
Video from Dr. Todd Grande covering the Theresa Knorr & her daughters case. Length: 16:04.
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True Crime Brewery
My Mother, My Killer: Theresa Knorr
Video from True Crime Brewery covering the Theresa Knorr & her daughters case. Length: 1:43:24.
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this is MONSTERS
Theresa Knorr : Murder Mother Extraordinaire
Video from this is MONSTERS covering the Theresa Knorr & her daughters case. Length: 54:12.
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Facebook · Creator community
Murder In America — Facebook group
Linked by this creator in the episode notes for “EP. 138 CALIFORNIA - The WORST MOM In America: Theresa Knorr (She Tortured & Killed Her Children).” This discussion group covers multiple cases. The matching case episode is linked below. Group rules or membership approval may limit access.
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Facebook · Creator channel
Murder In America — Facebook page
Linked by this creator in the episode notes for “EP. 138 CALIFORNIA - The WORST MOM In America: Theresa Knorr (She Tortured & Killed Her Children).” This creator channel covers multiple cases. The matching case episode is linked below. The platform may ask you to sign in.
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