Tempted by the Taboo: Investigation Discovery's New Series "DARK TEMPTATIONS" Delves into Outrageous Obsessions and Freaky Fetishes

(Silver Spring, MD) - We all know how powerful temptations are, from taking the last cookie in the company kitchen, to sneaking peeks at surprise birthday gifts. But what happens when these fixations evolve from trivial to terrifying? From a stiletto obsession that turned sickening, Black Magic that ends in murder, and bondage that goes beyond, Investigation Discovery's new series, DARK TEMPTATIONS uncovers the dark realities when perverse fascinations take deadly turns. Prying the lid off these taboo worlds, each one hour episode offers viewers a rare glimpse of lives dictated by DARK TEMPTATIONS. The six-episode first season world premiere is Wednesday, July 2 at 10/9c on Investigation Discovery.

"DARK TEMPTATIONS takes viewers directly into the disturbing psyche of fanatics, showing how strange behaviors, can have dangerous and, even, deadly consequences," said Henry Schleiff, Group President of Investigation Discovery, American Heroes Channel, Destination America, and Discovery Fit & Health. "The series steers ID viewers to a shadowy place, offering them a window into the hidden worlds of compulsive obsessions, bizarre infatuations, twisted rituals and freaky fetishes - it's all here!"

Each episode of DARK TEMPTATIONS features two stories interlaced with expert commentary from local authorities, true-crime experts, and psychologists, as well as first-person accounts from survivors and perpetrators.

The six episodes are:

Premiering Wednesday, July 2 at 10/9c

· Crush Me Okeechobee, FL (1999) When friends visit Bryan Loudermilk's Florida home one summer's afternoon, they find a shocking sight. Bryan is pinned under the rear wheel of his car, barely alive. He dies hours later. Is this a terrible accident? Or did someone deliberately run over Bryan? The answer is more horrifying than anyone can imagine. Bryan and his wife were embroiled in a sordid world of cruelty and perversion - that all began with a foot fetish.

· Black Magic Murder New York, NY (1949) Respected New York businessman Raymond Fernandez and Florida nurse Martha Beck meet through a Lonely Hearts column and quickly fall in love. For 200-hundred-pound Martha, this handsome gentleman is her dream-come-true. But she soon learns Raymond is not so much Prince Charming, as Voodoo Prince. Raymond practices voodoo, and is obsessed with Black Magic. Once he and Martha start dabbling in the dark arts, they start preying on lonely widows, and cross a line from magic to murder.

Premiering Wednesday, July 9 at 10/9c

· Snake Pit Scottsboro, AL (1991) When paramedics respond to a call from a frightened Darlene Summerford, they are stunned when Darlene drops the bombshell about the source of her two rattlesnake bites. According to Darlene, her husband, Pastor Glenn Summerford, forced her hand into the rattlesnake cage, in a bid to kill her. When police search the property, they uncover a tremendous collection of killer reptiles along with a twisted ritual to prove their "faith."

· The Deepest Cut Bournemouth, England (2002) When Heather Barnett's children came home from school, they discovered the mutilated body of their mother in the bathroom. As police raced to the quiet English home, the children sought comfort from kindly neighbor, Danilo Restivo. Investigators struggle to connect the unique calling card- a lock of hair- with any leads, leaving the case a mystery for more than six years. But when police receive a call from Italian law enforcement, they discover a bizarre infatuation that goes too far.

Premiering Wednesday, July 16 at 10/9c

· Hollywood Bondage Los Angeles, CA (1957) In the 1950's, Playboy had just been launched and Hollywood was full of starlets willing to pose as glamorous "photographers' models", hoping to hit the big time. Several stunning pin-ups randomly disappear, leaving police lost until model Lorraine Vigil tells investigators about photographer Harvey Glatman. Obsessed with auto-erotic asphyxiation and bondage, investigators soon learn the perverse lengths Harvey went to in his search for pleasure.

· Thirst for Blood Parker, FL (2011) When 16 year old Jacob Hendershot went missing from his mother's home, police originally thought they were dealing with a runaway teen. While searching for Jacob, police made the eerie discovery of local cats killed in what looked like ritual slayings, just meters from the Hendershot's home. An informant quickly directed police attention to a group of youths living out their True Blood fantasies as members of a vampire cult.

Premiering Wednesday, July 23 at 10/9c

· Dungeon of Death Washington, NC (1988) Leith and Bonnie Von Stein were brutally attacked in their North Carolina home in the early hours, leaving Leith murdered and Bonnie severely injured. While the break-in looked like a robbery gone wrong, detectives find clues that suggest the theft was staged. The Von Stein's son, Chris, was away at college playing Dungeons and Dragons with friends, while their daughter, Angela, claimed she slept through the entire attack in the next room. Could these children be responsible for their parents' demise?

· If The Shoe Fits Salem, OR (1968) On a cold winter's day, pretty blonde Linda Slawson set out on another working day selling encyclopedias door to door, and was never seen again. Throughout the year, three more young women also disappeared without a trace. With no real leads, investigators are lost until the mutilated remains of two of the missing women appear. The foot of one woman had been removed, and investigators discover how dangerous a secret shoe obsession can become.

Premiering Wednesday, July 30 at 10/9c

· No Leg to Stand On San Diego, CA (1998) When 79 year old New Yorker Phillip Bondy is found dead, with one leg cut off, in a San Diego hotel room, serious questions arise. Who killed him, and where is his leg? Investigators unravel a horrifying tale of shady deals with a doctor, botched medicine in Mexico and a freaky fetish that quickly turns fatal.

· Devil in the OC

Orange County, CA (1970) Beloved teacher and mother of five, Florence Brown, goes missing in the OC while en route to a PTA meeting. When her body is recovered, investigators make a shocking discovery - her heart has been removed from her chest. Police link the case to a cult that worships the devil. The cult leader believes he is the Son of Satan, and wants to please his "father" with a string of horrifying deeds. Premiering Wednesday, August 6 at 10/9c

· Recipe for Murder Paris, France (1994) When restaurateur Thierry Bisonnier is brutally killed in his own home, detectives trace the murder to a man obsessed with death. The suspect has robbed graves, tampered with corpses, and collects human teeth and bones. Has his obsession tempted him to commit murder?

· Tuned for Terror Stroudsburg, PA (2009) Two Pennsylvania teenagers with a passion for hard-core rap music take their song writing to the extreme. These self-proclaimed music junkies want to base their violent lyrics on real death. One frosty winter's night, they lure unsuspecting army veteran Michael Goucher into a deadly trap.

DARK TEMPTATIONS is produced by Beyond Productions with Geoff Fitzpatrick as executive producer, and Paula Bycroft as series producer. For Investigation Discovery, Lorna Thomas is executive producer, Sara Kozak is senior vice president of production, Kevin Bennett is general manager, and Henry Schleiff is Group President of Investigation Discovery, Destination America, American Heroes Channel, and Discovery Fit & Health.

About Investigation Discovery

Investigation Discovery (ID) is the leading mystery-and-suspense network on television and America's favorite "guilty pleasure." From harrowing crimes and salacious scandals to the in-depth investigations and heart-breaking mysteries that result, ID challenges our everyday understanding of culture, society and the human condition. One of our nation's fastest growing cable networks, ID delivers the highest-quality programming to nearly 85 million U.S. households and is available in both high definition (HD) and standard definition (SD). For more information, please visit InvestigationDiscovery.com, facebook.com/InvestigationDiscovery, or twitter.com/DiscoveryID. Investigation Discovery is part of Discovery Communications (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK), the world's #1 nonfiction media company reaching more than 2 billion cumulative subscribers in 220 countries and territories.