Episode 269: Rita And Colleen, Part 1

The First Degree

Alexis Linkletter and Jac Vanek

Society & Culture, News, True Crime

4.5 • 10K Ratings

🗓️ 18 October 2023

⏱️ 40 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

On November 3rd of 1993, 31-year-old Rita Marie Tangredi’s body is discovered on Long Island’s East Patchogue. Her cause of death is determined to be blunt force trauma to the head and strangulation. Only 18 days later, 28-year-old Sandra Costilla is found in a nearby location and in a similar fashion. Two months later, 20-year-old Colleen McNamee’s body is recovered from a nearly identical crime scene, as well. All three women were beaten, raped, and strangled. For over 20 years, their families waited patiently as their loved ones’ cases became colder and colder. Finally, in 2014, 48-year-old John M. Bittrolff’s DNA is connected to the murder of two of these victims: Rita and Colleen. In episode 269, Jac and Alexis detail how the authorities tracked down a serial killer with advanced DNA technology and nine bags full of garbage.

Transcript

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0:00.0	First degree, first degree, first degree, first degree, the first degree.
0:07.0	Get on the news, get on the trailer, get on the Facebook.
0:12.0	These things are supposed to happen in movies, not in real life.
0:22.0	It shattered everybody's world.
0:24.0	When my mom found out, she just went ballistic.
0:29.0	Because that was her baby sister.
0:31.0	Her baby sister was her maid of honor at her wedding.
0:34.0	All I can remember was these blue gloves and gauze and stuff everywhere.
0:41.0	I was surprised I didn't even clean up the place.
0:44.0	You know, when you could still see, you know, some stains.
0:48.0	You think the rain would wash that away.
0:50.0	I looked for Long Island news.
0:54.0	I wanted to see for myself.
0:57.0	And I wanted to see who was my aunt's killer.
1:02.0	And I remember looking at them and I'm like,
1:05.0	this is the guy who took my aunt's life away.
1:08.0	I just couldn't believe it.
1:11.0	Welcome to the first degree, the True Crime Podcast that you might end up on.
1:15.0	My name is Jack Viennick and I'm sitting here with Alexis Linkletter.
1:18.0	How you doing today, Lex?
1:19.0	Oh, I am feeling good.
1:21.0	We're feeling good.
	...

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