True Crime Couple

The stillness of the hot June morning in Barberton, OH was broken by the creaking of floorboards beneath the small feet of a six year old girl. She was unsure of what had happened or what she had suffered, she just knew she was scared. As she searched the home she was in, the brutality of the previous night revealed itself to her. Just hours earlier she had been laughing with her beloved grandmother and now she lay dead at her feet. Someone had slipped in their home in the middle of the night and destroyed a family’s world. And yet, the most haunting part of this story wouldn’t be the bloodshed itself,  it would be the years that followed. Because the little girl who staggered through the neighborhood at sunrise, traumatized and barely alive, carried with her the only account of what happened inside that house. Her words would shape the investigation, divide a family, and eventually help lead to justice because the killer had always been right there…Sources: https://www.newspapers.com/image/296313955/?match=1&terms=Clarence%20elkins https://www.newspapers.com/image/297064102/?match=1&terms=Clarence%20elkins https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/32300943/judith_ann-johnson https://www.cleveland19.com/story/6729058/prisoner-indicted-in-1998-murder-case/?utm_source=chatgpt.com https://www.cbsnews.com/news/wifes-detective-work-frees-hubby/ https://transcripts.cnn.com/show/lkl/date/2005-12-26/segment/01 https://web.archive.org/web/20140715131515/http://www.nbcnews.com/id/17562131/ns/dateline_nbc-killer_instinct/t/killer-instinct/#.U63PM_boct4 https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCOURTS-ohnd-5_06-cv-03004/pdf/USCOURTS-ohnd-5_06-cv-03004-2.pdf https://lawlit.net/adcrimlaw4/images/elkins_timeline-1.pdf https://www.newspapers.com/image/1075753446/?match=1&terms=earl%20mann https://magazine.uc.edu/editors_picks/recent_features/Innocence/elkins.html https://content.next.westlaw.com/Document/Ice513343a49311df952a80d2993fba83/View/FullText.html?transitionType=Default&contextData=(sc.Default) https://innocenceproject.org/cases/clarence-elkins/ https://law.justia.com/cases/ohio/ninth-district-court-of-appeals/2003/2003-ohio-4522.html https://www.casemine.com/judgement/us/5914b1beadd7b0493475b518 https://web.archive.org/web/20140403061401/http://www.crimelibrary.com/criminal_mind/forensics/ff313_clarence_elkins/4.html https://abcnews.com/US/hicks-baby-adoptee-sold-georgia-doctor-50-years/story?id=32743492

Transcribed - Published: 2 June 2026

If I were to tell someone from Wood County Texas to close their eyes and try to imagine what the tiny town of Hawkins, which sits at the intersections of Highway 80 and Farm Road 14 in the south east corner of the county, looked like in 1986 they would not have to use their imagination. Moving with a slow east Texas rhythm the town has not changed with time, but rather has found itself suspected within it. The town sits as an Americana time capsule, arrested to the last time that they knew the innocence, hope, and freedom they once prided themselves on for within hearts of the residence sits a wound that has never healed. Time is only measured in two ways in Hawkins, TX before what happened to them in 1986 and after…or as they refer to it…before and after, “The kids”. For this case I am bringing you into a town named Hawkins, in 1986, and to be honest the vibes of the town seem strikingly similar to another Hawkins you are all well acquitted with, time period and all…and there is one more similarity…high school students going missing. But in our case the disappearances are real and the effects of what happened to the children of Hawkins in 1986 have reverberated through the quiet roads ever since. So let’s step back in time…Sponsors: Rula.com/tcc You deserve mental healthcare that works with you, not against your budget!Avery After Dark PodcastSources:  https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F3/166/757/630178/ https://texasstandard.org/stories/upshur-county-courthouse-gilmer-tx-jerry-mcfadden-jail-cell/ https://law.resource.org/pub/us/case/reporter/F3/166/166.F3d.757.98-50485.html https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerry_Walter_McFadden https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/6653351/gena_lee-turner#view-photo=141666582 https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/6653379/suzanne_denise-harrison https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/6653334/bryan_drew-boone/flower https://www.newspapers.com/image/639801109/?match=1&terms=jerry%20mcfadden https://www.newspapers.com/image/1314219208/?match=1&terms=jerry%20mcfadden https://www.newspapers.com/image/1205660661/?match=1&terms=suzanne%20harrison https://barnwellmountainra.com/ https://www.txexecutions.org/reports/191-Jerry-McFadden.htm https://www.newspapers.com/image/649944728/?match=1&terms=gerald%20mcfadden https://www.newspapers.com/image/1158959852/?match=1&terms=Anna%20Marie%20Hlavka

Transcribed - Published: 17 May 2026

After a late night church service Dawnia Dacosta began the familiar half and hour ride home. She had done the drive so many times she could have done it with her eyes closed. But as she cruised down I95 she felt her car sputter then slow. She had run out of gas. As she eased onto the shoulder, she may have thought of her mother and the lessons drilled in long before moments like this ever came. Be prepared. Stay alert. Know what to do. So Dawnia followed those rules. Windows up. Doors locked. Hazards flashing. From where she stood, she could see the glow of a Texaco sign just off the exit ramp, not far at all. As she clutched an empty gas can, she stepped into the night, convinced it would be a quick walk… she’d make it. Sources: https://caselaw.findlaw.com/court/fl-supreme-court/1720973.html https://flcourts-media.flcourts.gov/content/download/347254/file/02-1590_AmdInit.pdf https://library.law.fsu.edu/Digital-Collections/flsupct/dockets/sc02-1590/02-1590amdinit.pdf https://www.iexitapp.com/exits/Florida/I-95/North/686 https://www.newspapers.com/image/229834760/?terms=dawnia%20dacosta&match=1 https://abc3340.com/news/nation-world/lucious-boyd-cold-case-jane-doe-eileen-truppner-dawnia-dacosta-murder-rape-resolved-indictment-convicted-murderer-rapist-death-row-broward-county-sheriff-detectives-florida-december-5-2023 https://www.sun-sentinel.com/1998/12/13/hundreds-celebrate-life-of-slain-nursing-student/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/638261922/?match=1&terms=Roderick%20Bullard https://www.cnn.com/2023/12/05/us/florida-murder-rape-cold-case-dna/index.html https://web.archive.org/web/20090830185850/http://www.fadp.org/news/Sun-Sentinel-20040115.htm https://cbs12.com/news/local/lucious-boyd-cold-case-jane-doe-eileen-truppner-dawnia-dacosta-murder-rape-resolved-indictment-convicted-murderer-rapist-death-row-broward-county-sheriff-detectives-florida-december-5-2023 https://www.newspapers.com/image/238640528/?match=1&terms=melissa%20floyd https://pubapps.fdc.myflorida.com/OffenderSearch/detail.aspx?Page=Detail&DCNumber=699893&TypeSearch=AI newspapers.com/article/the-palm-beach-post-gina-marie-moore/9867526/

Transcribed - Published: 5 May 2026

After a late night church service Dawnia Dacosta began the familiar half and hour ride home. She had done the drive so many times she could have done it with her eyes closed. But as she cruised down I95 she felt her car sputter then slow. She had run out of gas. As she eased onto the shoulder, she may have thought of her mother and the lessons drilled in long before moments like this ever came. Be prepared. Stay alert. Know what to do. So Dawnia followed those rules. Windows up. Doors locked. Hazards flashing. From where she stood, she could see the glow of a Texaco sign just off the exit ramp, not far at all. As she clutched an empty gas can, she stepped into the night, convinced it would be a quick walk… she’d make it. Sources: https://caselaw.findlaw.com/court/fl-supreme-court/1720973.html https://flcourts-media.flcourts.gov/content/download/347254/file/02-1590_AmdInit.pdf https://library.law.fsu.edu/Digital-Collections/flsupct/dockets/sc02-1590/02-1590amdinit.pdf https://www.iexitapp.com/exits/Florida/I-95/North/686 https://www.newspapers.com/image/229834760/?terms=dawnia%20dacosta&match=1 https://abc3340.com/news/nation-world/lucious-boyd-cold-case-jane-doe-eileen-truppner-dawnia-dacosta-murder-rape-resolved-indictment-convicted-murderer-rapist-death-row-broward-county-sheriff-detectives-florida-december-5-2023 https://www.sun-sentinel.com/1998/12/13/hundreds-celebrate-life-of-slain-nursing-student/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/638261922/?match=1&terms=Roderick%20Bullard https://www.cnn.com/2023/12/05/us/florida-murder-rape-cold-case-dna/index.html https://web.archive.org/web/20090830185850/http://www.fadp.org/news/Sun-Sentinel-20040115.htm https://cbs12.com/news/local/lucious-boyd-cold-case-jane-doe-eileen-truppner-dawnia-dacosta-murder-rape-resolved-indictment-convicted-murderer-rapist-death-row-broward-county-sheriff-detectives-florida-december-5-2023 https://www.newspapers.com/image/238640528/?match=1&terms=melissa%20floyd https://pubapps.fdc.myflorida.com/OffenderSearch/detail.aspx?Page=Detail&DCNumber=699893&TypeSearch=AI newspapers.com/article/the-palm-beach-post-gina-marie-moore/9867526/

Transcribed - Published: 4 May 2026

The stillness of a warm September morning in the South was broken by something that didn’t belong: a bright red Jeep, abandoned and half-submerged in the murky edge of a quiet creek. Not far from it, drifting in the same dark water, was a young mother of two. What should have been a peaceful start to the day instead became the beginning of a mystery as clouded as the water itself.For the detectives called to the scene, nothing about this case came easily. The deeper they looked, the more the details seemed to twist. Unanswered questions, unsettling circumstances, and relationships that were far more complicated than they first appeared. But as the truth slowly surfaced, it revealed something far more disturbing than anyone had been prepared to face.Sponsors Visit Rula.com/tcc  to get affordable, high-quality therapy that’s actually covered by insuranceSources: https://www.newspapers.com/image/244437525/?match=1&terms=18%20years%20later%3A%20What%20to%20know%20about%20Lee%20Ann%20Mangrum%27s%20killing https://www.newspapers.com/image/276089133/?match=1&terms=%20Lee%20Ann%20Mangrum https://www.tncourts.gov/press/2013/03/27/supreme-court-affirms-convictions-upon-finding-no-prosecutorial-misconduct https://law.justia.com/cases/tennessee/court-of-criminal-appeals/2011/m2009-01810-cca-r3-cd.html Snapped Season 24, Episode 25

Transcribed - Published: 19 April 2026

The danger of a predator that stalks their victims online, the one that moves silently through glowing screens, is that they use cunning to trap those they prey upon. They study the patterns of their victims, learn their rhythm of life through late night posts and quiet confession. To them vulnerability isn’t a tragedy but rather a signal. With unsettling precision they are able to step in and be or say whatever they need to to become whatever their target needs. They lead with understand, compassion. They listen, they mirror, they comfort. They are exactly what their target craves or needs. Pieces by piece they build trust, an assurance of safety. But behind the carefully chosen words and curated personas lies something sinister. It had been orchestrated in a way that by the time the illusions cracks their victim has already been trapped and the cage that has been so meticulously built around them has consumed them. The greatest weapon of the 21st century against the safety and sanctity of our homes is the internet, because it has allowed predators an opportunity to be stealthy enough to prey on your children and infiltrate your home…from the comfort of theirs. Sources: Newspaper articles accessed through Newspapers.com from 2002-2021. Papers include: The Sun and The Mountain Echo https://arkansasgravestones.org/view.php?id=821033 Caught in the Web: Four Part Series by Cathy Frye for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Investigation Discovery: Web of Lies Aired 1/15/2014 https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2002-dec-07-na-slay7-story.html https://www.fbicollector.com/historybaltimoreinnocentimages.html https://katv.com/community/good-morning-arkansas/officer-shares-personal-tragedy-to-warn-families-and-children-about-online-dangers?fbclid=IwAR3TIHuLlb56dvkRSQ9xaLc0LXJHrz8OmNrIs4LdxOIF8AA2UIv00U84ByE

Transcribed - Published: 9 April 2026

Two screams pierced the silent, unseasonably warm and windy night of October 13, 1997 in Lawrenceville, Illinois. The first, was that of 10 year old Joel Kirkpatrick as he desperately sought help against the person who had entered his room in the black of night and had attacked him with a knife. The second scream was that of his mother’s as she ran to her neighbors house and pounded on their door desperately seeking help. She begged for them to open up. “They’ve got Joel”, she bellowed into the closed door, “They took Joel.”Once the shock of what had happened settled, and the years went on the question that lingered was whether or not the person that hurt Joel was the least likeliest suspect or the dangerous stranger that had rolled into town with that warm wind.Trigger warning: violence against a childSources: https://www.greatnorthinnocenceproject.org/news/bloodstain-pattern-analysis-another-subjective-science-convicting-innocent-people/ https://www.heraldtimesonline.com/story/news/2004/06/26/court-overturns-rea-convictio/118184118/ https://www.uis.edu/illinoisinnocenceproject/julie-rea https://nationalpublicdata.com/people/r/julie-rea/tn/martin/pd06p1qslq5zi0nmlilw2zf05nyb8p17/ https://www.illinoistimes.com/news/who-killed-joel-11440266/ https://www.propublica.org/article/bloodstain-pattern-analysis-jury-wrongful-conviction-acquitted-exonerated https://www.newspapers.com/image/84706396/?terms=Joel%20Kirkpatrick https://www.newspapers.com/image/84742918/?match=1&terms=Joel%20Kirkpatrick https://www.newspapers.com/image/84769767/?match=1&terms=Joel%20Kirkpatrick https://www.newspapers.com/image/84769827/?terms=Joel%20Kirkpatrick https://www.illinoistimes.com/news/who-killed-joel-11440266/ https://www.facebook.com/ABC2020/videos/julie-rea-recalls-what-happened-night-her-son-was-killed-2020-goodnight-mother/854470515223652/ https://wwws.law.northwestern.edu/legalclinic/wrongfulconvictions/documents/nulawreporterwparticle.pdf Through the Window: The Terrifying True Story of Cross-Country Killer Tommy Lynn Sells by Diane Fanning

Transcribed - Published: 22 March 2026

In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, guilt does not stay buried. It festers beneath crowns and costumes, slipping through rehearsed smiles and whispered prayers. A kingdom rots from the inside, not because of the murder alone, but because of the secret that follows it,  heavy and impossible to silence. “O, my offence is rank,” King Claudius confesses, discovering that even a throne cannot shield a poisoned conscience. In the bedroom of a teenager, centuries later, those same words would land a little too close to home.In this case we will explore a modern tragedy shaped by Shakespearean shadows: ambition without a crown, desperation without a dagger, and a confession that would echo far beyond the pages of a play. Because sometimes the most dangerous poison isn’t poured into a cup, it’s carried in the heart, waiting for its moment to speak.Sources https://www.texasmonthly.com/true-crime/poisoning-daddy/ https://www.folger.edu/explore/shakespeares-works/hamlet/read/3/3/ https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/US/en/product/sigald/243671 https://www.newspapers.com/image/644815133/?terms=Marie%20Robards https://www.newspapers.com/image/823666883/?match=1&terms=Marie%20Robards https://www.newspapers.com/image/644815129/?match=1&terms=Marie%20Robards https://www.newspapers.com/image/646308983/?match=1&terms=Marie%20Robards

Transcribed - Published: 9 March 2026

In today’s case a similar situation to the one we covered in Episode 224 arose in central Florida in the Spring of 2011, but this time with a 21st century twist. The teens exhibited the same type of behavior we saw in 1965 in Tucson but this time social media was present to fan the flames of an all too familiar fire caused by jealous, and hierarchical, high-conformity behavior…and just like last time someone would lose their life. Join me as I tell John the case of Seath Jackson. Sponsors Factor Meals factormeals.com/truecrimecouple50off and use code truecrimecouple50off to get 50 percent off and free breakfast for a yearNOCD Go to NOCD.com to schedule a free 15-minute call with their team and find out more about how they can help.Sources: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1557636/#:~:text=Rather%20than%20a%20sense%20of,Steinberg%20&%20Silverberg%2C%201986). https://psychcentral.com/lib/click-or-clique-positive-and-negative-teen-social-groups#:~:text=Members%20are%20discouraged%20from%20being,are%20valued%20for%20their%20individuality.&text=Natural%20leaders%20may%20emerge%20but,t%20find%20mutually%20trusting%20relationships. https://www.marionschools.net/parents__students__and_community/parents/Student_Enrollment/your_zoned_school https://www.circuit5.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/soto-sentencing-5-30-12.pdf https://www.ocala.com/story/news/crime/2012/09/05/man-charged-as-accessory-in-seath-murder-case-ruled-incompetent/64312725007/ https://pubapps.fdc.myflorida.com/offenderSearch/detail.aspx?Page=Detail&DCNumber=U46099&TypeSearch=AI https://www.ocala.com/story/news/crime/2018/03/20/guilty-plea-to-accessory-in-murder-of-seath-jackson/12948232007/ https://www.ocala.com/story/news/crime/2020/06/17/charlie-ely-wins-freedom/42153993/ https://www.gainesville.com/story/news/2011/04/21/facebook-posts-show-troubled-relationship-before-murder/64298523007/ https://www.gainesville.com/story/news/state/2016/02/23/amber-wright-sentenced-to-life-in-prison-a-second-time-for-summerfield-murder/31892000007/ https://caselaw.findlaw.com/court/fl-supreme-court/1866390.html#footnote_ref_2 "Seath Jackson - Sleeping With a Killer (Season 1, Episode 12)". Apple TV. 2021. Retrieved February, 2026.

Transcribed - Published: 23 February 2026

By the summer of 1965 three teenage girls had gone missing from Tucson, AZ. When the truth would finally come to light the members of the community would be forced to question everything they knew to be true…and also what their children had been up to.Join me as I tell John the cases of Alleen Rowe and Gretchen and Wendy Fritz. Patreon.com/truecrimecoupleSponsors: NOCD If you're struggling with OCD or unrelenting intrusive thoughts, NOCD can help. Book a free 15 minute call to get started: https://learn.nocd.com/TCCSources: https://altsclass.weebly.com/uploads/3/8/8/0/38808759/lifemagazinepiedpiper.doc.pdf https://tucson.com/morguetales/article_db508906-e3de-11df-af58-001cc4c002e0.html https://tucson.com/morguetales/article_0826e27c-e245-11df-b65f-001cc4c03286.html https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/166810356/james_mcilroy-fritz#view-photo=162428330 https://law.justia.com/cases/arizona/supreme-court/1973/1720-0.html Newspapers.com Access to the Daily News,Arizona Daily Star, and the Los Angeles Times from 1966-182

Transcribed - Published: 8 February 2026

The city of Austin found itself in a predicament in late 1988. A horrific crime was committed against a young mother in broad daylight, in a well known establishment on a busy street. The unsolved crime would largely impact the city’s reputation for having the lowest crime rate of all of Texas’s great cities…so it was time to solve the murder of Nancy DePriest, let’s see how they did it.Instagram: Truecrimecouple Patreon.com/truecrimecouple | Join for ad free episodes and two bonus episodes a month!Sponsors: True Crime Society PodcastSources: https://exonerationregistry.org/cases/10386 https://law.justia.com/cases/texas/third-court-of-appeals/1991/4881.html https://www.newspapers.com/image/649638052/?match=1&terms=nancy%20depriest https://www.newspapers.com/image/364054228/?match=1&terms=nancy%20depriest https://www.newspapers.com/image/363966719/?match=1&terms=nancy%20depriest https://www.facebook.com/groups/742034912983989/posts/2019627575224710/ https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/hector-polanco-andre-causey-false-confessions/ https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/burden/innocents/danziger.html https://www.themarshallproject.org/2017/03/09/facing-her-daughter-s-killer-at-last https://www.justice.gov/archives/dag/file/877741/dl?inline=#:~:text=Forensic%20hair%20examiners%20generally%20recognize,Forensic%20Examination%20of https://nij.ojp.gov/nij-hosted-online-training-courses/crime-scene-and-dna-basics-forensic-analysts/history-and-types-forensic-dna-testing/polymerase-chain-reaction-pcr/dq-alpha https://www.kvue.com/article/news/crime/true-crime/austin-police-hector-polanco-yogurt-shop-murders/269-160c495f-9212-420c-ad47-edf02bea3d5a https://law.wisc.edu/fjr/clinicals/ip/ https://innocenceproject.org/about/#:~:text=We've%20helped%20free%20more,and%20advance%20the%20innocence%20movement. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2006-jun-21-me-confess21-story.html https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/261908704/richard_edward-danziger

Transcribed - Published: 31 January 2026

On Halloween night of 1992 something happened that divided the small farming town of Kipling, Saskatchewan. A young single mother accused the town’s well respected doctor of sexual assault while under his care. Wanting to save his reputation, the doctor took a blood test to prove his DNA was not a match for the samples found during the performance of a sexual assault exam. It was not a match. Despite this, Candice, the accuser, was adamant about what had happened. Join me as I tell John about the case of the ‘Good Doctor’.Sponsors: Masterclass Masterclass.com/tcc to get an additional 15% off any annual membershipSources: https://www.newspapers.com/image/497356653/?terms=john%20schneeberger https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/the-endless-nightmare-of-lisa-dillman/article761440/ https://forensictales.com/case-of-dr-john-schneeberger/ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/drugs/19616-midazolam-injection https://www.iflscience.com/a-doctor-cheated-dna-tests-by-implanting-somebody-elses-blood-into-his-arm-59380 https://www.newspapers.com/image/496716610/?match=1&terms=john%20schneeberger Forensic Files Interviews Season8, Episode 8

Transcribed - Published: 11 January 2026

In today's case we have an entire family at the center of our story and theirs is one of love, good times, and wealth but when the good times stop rolling tragedy strikes. Join me as I tell John the case of the Grossman/Jenkins Family. Sponsors: Quince Quince.com/crimecouple Sources: https://www.newspapers.com/image-view/575629657/?match=1&terms=george%20jenkins https://www.socialaw.com/services/slip-opinions/slip-opinion-details/commonwealth-vs.-joshua-y.-jenkins https://drive.google.com/file/d/13g5GyHJibNFmwlo1004jfIiTX7F6ZXeq/view https://www.vistadelmarhospital.com/programs/adolescent https://www.newspapers.com/image-view/575629657/?match=1&terms=george%20jenkins https://lasvegassun.com/news/1996/feb/27/police-say-teen-plotted-slaying/

Transcribed - Published: 28 December 2025

The Ewell family celebrated Easter weekend together at their beach house in Pajaro Dunes, CA. They spent those days together playing tennis and walking on the beach, their vacation home echoing with warmth and familiarity. The family of four had no clue that those beautiful moments they shared that weekend would be their last. Back at their home in Fresno someone waited, silent, patient, and merciless for them to return. Late that Sunday afternoon, as they stepped inside, they were murdered one by one. Because things are so hectic we decided to release a patreon episode into our regular feed (this was patreon episode 150 released in the fall just after John had missed an episode the week before). Don't worry we cleared it with our AMAZING patreon subscribers first! We also think its a great way to show you what is available on our patreon feed twice a month for just $5! Please enjoy!

Transcribed - Published: 14 December 2025

On December 11, 1974 Patricia Ann Ross had a hot date, or at least one that she hoped would be. Unfortunately, she would never find out because as she got ready to go out that night she was brutally attacked in her apartment. Join me as I tell John the case of Annie Greenthings. Sponsors: Quince Quince.com/CRIMECOUPLE for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns Uncommon Goods Uncommongoods.com/tcc for 15% off!  Sources: https://behindthebadge.com/anatomy-cold-case-40-years-la-palma-police-believe-killer/ https://lizjin.medium.com/victims-dog-helps-solve-city-s-oldest-cold-case-a0c0c1317a96 https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-prison-sentence-oc-killing-20180507-story.html Access to archived articles from the LA Times, Press Telegram, Daily News-Post, Anaheim Bulletin through Newspapers.com 

Transcribed - Published: 30 November 2025

In 1995, the Campbellton Road neighborhood of southwest Atlanta was rocked by the brutal murder of 14 year old Nacole Smith. The crime would haunt the community for decades. Nearly ten years later, a young girl in nearby East Point survived a horrific attack with unsettling echoes of Nacole’s case. Join me as I tell John the heartbreaking cases of Nacole Smith and Betty Brown and we explore the parallel stories of two young victims, the forensics that tied their experiences together, and the long, painful wait for the truth. Sponsors: Uncommon Goods Uncommongoods.com/tcc for 15% off Sources: https://www.disastercenter.com/georgia/crime/2726.htm https://www.atlantapublicschools.us/page/832 https://www.newspapers.com/image/799530544/?match=1&terms=Nacole%20SMith https://www.aetv.com/real-crime/atlanta-nicole-smith https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/30/us/atlanta-child-murders.html https://www.ajc.com/news/local/years-later-year-old-brutal-killing-remains-unsolved/jBg57t8HJscJGpObfClDQL/ Newspapers.com Accessed archived articles from the Atlanta Journal Constitution, Atlanta Daily World, Atlanta Voice, and the Fulton COunty Daily Report from 1995-2022 Cold Case Files: a Fatal Path  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlHQTDFNufg

Transcribed - Published: 16 November 2025

On December 7, 2003, 13-year-old Daniel Morcombe decided to spend his Sunday shopping at the Sunshine Plaza, hoping to find Christmas gifts for his family. To get there, he would need to take a 20-minute bus ride. As he waited for the bus, unaware that it had broken down, Daniel could never have imagined that a predator was lurking nearby, ready to take advantage of his unfortunate situation. Warning: This episode includes violence against children. A warning before this is discussed is provided within the show.  Uncommongoods.com/tcc for 15% off Sources: Kiels Mountain Road Underpass https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/10-years-later-the-life-and-death-of-daniel-morcombe/news-story/9f19aadc0645ea907316d2816e9b752d https://archive.sclqld.org.au/qjudgment/2013/QSC13-337.pdf https://archive.sclqld.org.au/qjudgment/2015/QCA15-087.pdf Confession Video https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/act-2003-040 https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/prisoner-who-tortured-daniel-morcombes-killer-said-he-had-it-coming/0b69o2v2h https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-12-01/child-killer-laws/100665802 https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/daniel-morcombe-murder-trial-brett-peter-cowans-second-confession-shown-in-court-20140227-33md8.html Crime Investigation Australia

Transcribed - Published: 2 November 2025

Join us for our ninth installment of listener stories!

Transcribed - Published: 19 October 2025

On the morning of January 16, 2014 a man was found yelling out for help on the sidewalk outside of his home in Walsenburg, CO. He had a traumatic brain injury and his wife had been murdered. After looking into the couple's family history the Colorado Bureau of Investigation discovered there were many possible suspects both within the family and out. Patreon.com/truecrimecouple Sponsors: Quince Quince.com/crimecouple for free shipping and a 365-day return Sources: https://worldjournalnewspaper.com/tag/ralph-candelario/ Newspapers.com Access

Transcribed - Published: 5 October 2025

On September 8, 1978 15 year old Raynham, MA resident, Mary Lou Arruda, was kidnapped while riding her bike to her friends house on the first friday of the new school year. Could her disappearance have had something to do with the fact that she grew up in the middle of what paranormal psychologists had coined the Bridgewater Triangle? Could it have been the work of the satanic cult who practiced their rituals in the Freetown State forest, or had the devil himself rode into town? Join me as I tell John the case of Mary Lou Arruda.  Patreon.com/truecrimecouple Join to get ad free episodes and two full-length bonus episodes a month! Sponsors IQBAR IQBAR is offering our special podcast listeners 20% off all IQBAR products—including the sampler pack—plus FREE shipping. To get your twenty percent off, text TCC to 64-000. See terms for details. Sources: https://caselaw.findlaw.com/court/ma-supreme-judicial-court/1038292.html https://www.wickedlocal.com/story/journal-news-independent/2016/01/26/no-tears-in-raynham-on/987501007/ https://www.silvafuneralhome.com/obituaries/joanne-arruda https://www.enterprisenews.com/story/news/crime/2016/01/31/steve-damish-time-to-delete/32590506007/ https://lailasnews.com/international/mary-lou-arruda-death-obituary-how-james-kater-death-happened/ https://www.wickedlocal.com/story/journal-news-independent/2016/02/01/decades-later-arruda-case-looms/32587202007/ https://www.patriotledger.com/picture-gallery/entertainment/2020/10/28/enter-the-bridgewater-triangle-if/581946007/ https://law.justia.com/cases/massachusetts/supreme-court/1983/388-mass-519-2.html#:~:text=*522%20On%20November%2011%2C%201978,afternoon%20of%20September%208%2C%201978. Articles from the Boston Globe from 1978-2002 accessed via Newspapers.com

Transcribed - Published: 21 September 2025

Crime doesn’t take a day off. And neither does Crime House Daily. Hosted by self-defense instructor and advocate for victims, Katie Ring, Crime House Daily is coming to you twice every weekday, covering the biggest crime stories as they unfold. Morning episodes give you the need-to-know. The latest headlines, breaking developments, and where things are going next. Evening episodes go deeper. Into the people, the evidence, and the moments that matter most. The pursuit of justice never stops. And with Crime House Daily, you won’t have to either. Follow Crime House Daily on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or listen here: https://link.podtrac.com/swmkd35w

Transcribed - Published: 15 September 2025

In August of 2003 Sonya Ivanoff went missing after parting ways with her best friend and roommate. Within hours of being reported missing her body was found in a remote old mining road in Nome, Alaska. Police were shocked by the lack of evidence at the scene. It made them wonder if their killer had done this before… NOTE: In the show I used the term Native American, however, it has been brought to my attention that this is the incorrect terminology. Rather I should have used the term Alaska Native when referencing Sonya Ivanoff and other peoples indigenous to Alaska. I apologize.  Patreon.com/truecrimecouple Sponsors: IQ Bar Text TCC to 64000 to get twenty percent off all IQBAR products, plus FREE shipping. Message and data rates may apply. Sources: https://law.justia.com/cases/alaska/court-of-appeals/2021/a-13016.html https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Ivanoff-24 https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/rural-alaska/2018/08/23/from-2003-nome-police-must-work-to-regain-trust-after-officer-charged-with-murder/ https://www.oxygen.com/dateline-unforgettable/crime-news/alaska-officer-matt-owens-convicted-murder-sonya-ivanoff https://www.newspapers.com/image/579071706/?match=1&terms=sonya%20ivanoff https://www.newspapers.com/image/1061988740/?match=1&terms=sonya%20ivanoff https://www.newspapers.com/image/1061933416/?match=1&terms=sonya%20ivanoff https://www.newspapers.com/image/1137349180/?match=1&terms=sonya%20ivanoff ‘

Transcribed - Published: 7 September 2025

In the sleepy Fort Worth enclave of River Oaks football, like in all Texas towns, was king. The energy surrounding Friday nights under the stadium lights was electric. Football wasn’t just a game, it was a way of life. The players were hometown heroes, the cheerleaders their shining counterparts, and together they stood at the center of the community’s pride. To many, they were untouchable teenage gods living out through their glory years. But when whispers of fear began to spread, that illusion of safety cracked. Someone out there was watching the cheerleaders. Hunting them. One by one, the girls who had once been celebrated as the town’s brightest stars would become targets in a chilling game of obsession that would end in blood. What seemed like the plot in the newest slasher film quickly became the reality for the students of Castleberry High School in 1981. Sources: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/dangerous-reunion/ Murder Under the Friday Night Lights, Season 1 Episode 1  https://www.khou.com/article/news/local/convict-to-return-to-prison-for-jailhouse-romance/285-342720631 https://law.justia.com/cases/texas/second-court-of-appeals/2010/21828.html https://caselaw.findlaw.com/court/tx-court-of-appeals/1410329.html https://www.tuko.co.ke/facts-lifehacks/celebrity-biographies/485957-where-wesley-miller-today-retha-strattons-prison-sentence/ https://www.cbsnews.com/news/dangerous-reunion/ Newspapers.com

Transcribed - Published: 24 August 2025

Hudson, Wisconsin is a sleepy, quiet community bordering the St. Croix river. In 2002, as the rest of the country adjusted to the growing crime rates of the 21st century Hudson locked itself away in its tight northwest corner of the state. Everyone truly knew everyone and daily interactions between the residents resembled episodes from Leave It to Beaver and The Andy Griffith Show. That was why, when a beloved member of their community was murdered, the town was left reeling. It would be difficult, but, in order to catch the killer, the town would have to face their demons.  Sources: Source 1 Source 2 Source 3 Source 4 Source 5 Source 6

Transcribed - Published: 10 August 2025

In late October of 2012 the sudden disappearance of Katrina Smith left an Illinois community reeling. As the days went on the search for her revealed troubling clues as to what had happened to her. Detectives in this case were confronted with many bizarre circumstances and possible suspects, but it would be the revelation of a shocking secret that would lead them straight to their killer.  Sponsors: Rula Rula.com/tcc to get started today. After you sign up they ask you where you heard about them. PLEASE support our show and tell them our show sent you. Mint Mobile Get this new customer offer and your 3-month Unlimited wireless plan for just 15 bucks a month at mintmobile.com/tcc Sources: https://abcnews.go.com/US/hidden-past-led-katrina-smiths-killer/story?id=104055372 https://www.yahoo.com/news/katrina-smith-her-husband-thought-033832831.html https://www.illinoiscourts.gov/Resources/fd640f4a-f898-4ca4-9e9a-bb6ddcbf9afe/2170299_R23.pdf#:~:text=Trial%20court%20affirmed.,in%20the%20Department%20of%20Corrections. Articles retrieved from the Chicago Tribune, The Times (Streator, Il), Northwest Herald, Southtown Star, and The Daily Republican-Register through Newspapers.com between the dates of 2012-2018  20/20 Aired October 23, 2023

Transcribed - Published: 27 July 2025

In the late afternoon of July 12, 1988 the neighborhood search for four year old Barbara Jean Horn would end abruptly after the girl’s body was discovered completely washed and nude in a television box just over a quarter of a mile from her home. The hunt for the man that committed the horrific crime and the subsequent trials that would follow would expose other wrong doings and injustices in the city of Philadelphia.  Patreon.com/truecrimecouple  Sources: https://www.newspapers.com/image/186267498/?match=1&terms=barbara%20jean%20horn https://www.newspapers.com/image/169372109/?match=1&terms=barbara%20jean%20horn https://unsolvedmysteries.fandom.com/wiki/Barbara_Jean_Horn https://northeasttimes.com/2020/04/09/barbara-jean-horns-mom-release-walter-ogrod-he-is-innocent/ https://www.cbsnews.com/philadelphia/news/barbara-jean-horn-murder-philadelphia-walter-ogrod/ https://www.poconorecord.com/story/news/2003/07/17/man-confesses-to-1987-rape/50978184007/ https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/6825730-The-Snitch-Career-Thief-A-Master-at-Dropping-the/ https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/investigations/former-philadelphia-police-detectives-frank-jastrzembski-manuel-santiago-martin-devlin-perjury-lying-trial-wrongfully-convicted-man-anthony-wright/4144229/ The Trials of Walter Ogrod by Thomas Lowenstein Chicago Review Press

Transcribed - Published: 14 July 2025

In the second part of our two part series on the Eastburn family we will cover the suspect and the subsequent court hearings that will follow. Please be advised that this episode contains sexual assault and crimes against children.  Sponsors: Greenlight Start your risk free greenlight trial today at greenlight.com/tcc IQ Bar IQBAR is offering our special podcast listeners 20% off all IQBAR products, plus get FREE shipping. To get your 20% off, text TCC to 64-000 Check out the Crime and Coffee Couple Podcast! Sources: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2011/11/14/three-trials-for-murder Three trial for murder By Nicholas Schmidle Innocent Victims: The True Story of the Eastburn Family Murders by Scott Whisnant Open Roads Media https://www.armfor.uscourts.gov/newcaaf/opinions/2019OctTerm/170263.pdf https://www.scotusblog.com/cases/case-files/hennis-v-united-states/ https://5clpp.com/2020/02/10/the-relationship-between-dual-sovereignty-and-double-jeopardy-the-trials-of-tim-hennis/ https://www.stripes.com/news/soldier-on-death-row-will-ask-the-military-s-highest-court-to-overturn-his-conviction-1.603983 https://www.foxnews.com/us/25-years-later-widower-recalls-slain-family https://abcnews.go.com/2020/3rd-trial-master-sgt-timothy-hennis-guilty-1985/story?id=10324918 https://www.newspapers.com/image/655987126/?match=1&terms=Timothy%20Hennis https://www.newspapers.com/image/984728037/?match=1&terms=Timothy%20Hennis https://www.newspapers.com/image/655994809/?match=1&terms=Timothy%20Hennis https://abcnews.go.com/US/gary-jana-eastburns-nightmare-odyssey-convict-familys-killer/story?id=11644539 https://www.cityviewnc.com/stories/president-leaves-military-defendants-on-death-row-after-commuting-others/

Transcribed - Published: 29 June 2025

On Mother's Day 1985, a call came into the Cumberland County Sheriff's Department that neighbors had not seen a mother of three, nor her three children in days. When they had gone to check on the welfare of the family, they could hear the youngest of the daughters crying. When they had looked through her window, they saw the toddler alone, wailing, desperately seeking comfort. A deputy came to respond to the distressing call, but it would not be the condition of the poor child that would shock the city of Fayetteville, it would be the horrors that lay beyond her room. Sponsors: Greenlight Start your risk free greenlight trial today at greenlight.com/tcc IQ Bar IQBAR is offering our special podcast listeners 20% off all IQBAR products, plus get FREE shipping. To get your 20% off, text TCC to 64-000 Check out the Crime and Coffee Couple Podcast! Sources: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2011/11/14/three-trials-for-murder Three trial for murder By Nicholas Schmidle Innocent Victims: The True Story of the Eastburn Family Murders by Scott Whisnant Open Roads Media https://www.armfor.uscourts.gov/newcaaf/opinions/2019OctTerm/170263.pdf https://www.scotusblog.com/cases/case-files/hennis-v-united-states/ https://5clpp.com/2020/02/10/the-relationship-between-dual-sovereignty-and-double-jeopardy-the-trials-of-tim-hennis/ https://www.stripes.com/news/soldier-on-death-row-will-ask-the-military-s-highest-court-to-overturn-his-conviction-1.603983 https://www.foxnews.com/us/25-years-later-widower-recalls-slain-family https://abcnews.go.com/2020/3rd-trial-master-sgt-timothy-hennis-guilty-1985/story?id=10324918 https://www.newspapers.com/image/655987126/?match=1&terms=Timothy%20Hennis https://www.newspapers.com/image/984728037/?match=1&terms=Timothy%20Hennis https://www.newspapers.com/image/655994809/?match=1&terms=Timothy%20Hennis https://abcnews.go.com/US/gary-jana-eastburns-nightmare-odyssey-convict-familys-killer/story?id=11644539

Transcribed - Published: 15 June 2025

The history of Craig County Oklahoma is filled with stories of sadness and chaos. Today we will be discussing another time that blood was spilled on the dirt of Craig County, but this time there was no massive conflict or war, this was an entirely different kind of modern tragedy for two families in late December of 1999. It was an exciting time, not only was it one of their 16th birthdays but they were on the precipice of new millennium, an exciting new year. To celebrate this the girls planned a sleepover. The night was supposed to be filled with whispered secrets, junk food and laughter, but instead it encompassed their final hours, which were marked by unimaginable terror.  Sources: https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2002/04/18/records-released-in-shooting-death/62098673007/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/662257052/?match=1&terms=shane%20freeman https://www.newson6.com/story/67731da48a4b0cd5008f7dd9/25-years-later:-the-1999-disappearance-of-lauria-bible-and-ashley-freeman https://unsolved.com/gallery/lauria-bible-ashley-freeman/ https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2002/04/18/records-released-in-shooting-death/62098673007/ https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/13038073/kathy-eleta-freeman https://www.fox61.com/article/news/local/outreach/awareness-months/more-than-12-people-kept-silent-after-oklahoma-girls-disappeared-in-1999-prosecutors-say/520-b2f75c47-9eea-48fa-b88f-31a7b5797532 https://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry?entry=PI002 https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/lauria-bible-and-ashley-freeman-murder-mystery-dark-forces-at-work/2XAINSQXRXXVT4NKWFNS22R3OQ/ https://people.com/crime/people-magazine-investigates-overlooked-clue-broke-open-1999-murder-case/ https://web.archive.org/web/20180926224748/https://www.tulsaworld.com/specialreports/missingwelchgirls/ https://odcr.com/detail?court=018-&casekey=018-CF++1800056 https://www.okhouse.gov/posts/news-20250312_5 https://www.koamnewsnow.com/phil-welch-mug/image_2e20efd4-f88a-11ef-8546-eb0aed0f10dc.html https://kfor.com/news/local/25-years-later-families-continue-search-for-missing-oklahoma-teens/ https://www.koco.com/article/oklahoma-welch-girls-cold-case-picher-ashley-freeman-lauria-bible/41759447 Hell in the Heartland Murder, Meth, and the Case of Two Missing Girls By Jax Miller 

Transcribed - Published: 1 June 2025

On a cold February night in Pontiac Michigan the dream an expecting mother would have to one day hold her son would be ripped from her when she was brutally murdered in her bedroom. The suspects would be plentiful because many had the opportunity, but this case would come down to who had the motive to murder.\ Patreon.com/truecrimecouple Sponsors: IQBAR IQBAR is offering our special podcast listeners twenty percent off all IQBAR products, plus get FREE shipping. To get your twenty percent off, text TCC to 64-000 MASTERCLASS See MasterClass’s latest deal–at least 15% off–at masterclass.com/tcc  Sources: https://law.justia.com/cases/michigan/court-of-appeals-unpublished/2009/20090825-c284096-63-284096-opn.html https://uk.practicallaw.thomsonreuters.com/Document/I007ebf67fee611d99439b076ef9ec4de/View/FullText.html?rank=0&docSource=8cf8e70f113a456abfe2b487d42da885&transitionType=Document&contextData=%28sc.Document%29 https://mdocweb.state.mi.us/OTIS2/otis2profile.aspx?mdocNumber=235484 https://caselaw.findlaw.com/court/us-6th-circuit/1429205.html https://www.courts.michigan.gov/siteassets/case-documents/uploads/Opinions/Final/COA/19960917_C173448(0049)_173448.OPN.PDF

Transcribed - Published: 18 May 2025

In Jacksonville, FL a shocking discovery was made in the early morning hours of October 28, 2012. A husband returned home from work to find his wife dead in their bedroom. The crimes against her were brutal and the suspects were plentiful, including the husband himself.  Sources: https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/jacksonville-fl/kim-dorsey-5292665 https://law.justia.com/cases/florida/first-district-court-of-appeal/2022/21-0683.html#:~:text=Kirkpatrick%20vs%20State%20of%20Florida,-Annotate%20this%20Case&text=2%20Kirkpatrick%20entered%20the%20victim's,testimony%20from%20the%20victim's%20husband. In Cold Blood Dateline 4/9/2017  https://www.nbcnews.com/dateline/video/in-cold-blood-part-12-928230467821 https://www.fdle.state.fl.us/Forensics/News/Rape-and-murder-of-Kim-Dorsey-%E2%80%93-FDLE-did-DNA-testi https://www.jacksonville.com/story/news/crime/2015/04/15/jury-deliberates-case-man-accused-killing-firefighters-wife/15658889007/ https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/213046206/kim_marie-dorsey https://www.jacksonville.com/story/news/crime/2015/04/08/jurors-hear-about-infidelities-firefighters-wifes-death/987163007/ Newspapers.com

Transcribed - Published: 5 May 2025

Join hosts Morgan Absher and Kaelyn Moore as they take you deep into the world of the most notorious crimes ever — where a single clue can crack a case wide open.  From shocking murders to serial killers, Clues dives into all the forensic details and brilliant sleuthing of the world's most infamous cases. CLUES is a Crime House Original, powered by PAVE Studios. Follow and listen now wherever you get your podcasts

Transcribed - Published: 1 May 2025

In October of 1983 Detectives were stumped by the brutal murder of 33 year old Rozanne Gailiunas. I would take years of drama, another murder attempt, and loss to bring this case to a close. And trust us, you will not see this twist coming... Hello Everyone! We still are releasing our old Patreon Episodes for the month of April because of the arrival of our beautiful baby girl. We will be able to our regular schedule and release an episode on May 4th. Sources: Open Secrets by Carlton Stowers Macmillan Publishers 2002 Abilene Reporter - 22 May 1994 https://www.newspapers.com/image/765266883/?terms=rozanne%20gailiunas&match=1 https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/218519948/peter-gailiunas https://lakehighlands.advocatemag.com/2014/03/18/true-crime-lake-highlands-mom-hit-man/ https://thecrimewire.com/true-crime/Joy-Davis-Aylor

Transcribed - Published: 27 April 2025

** We are releasing a past patreon episode in place of a new episode as promised. Pray for us as we are deep in the newborn trenches** The crimes of the man who was given the moniker of Mr. Cruel have been emblazoned in the minds of the residents of the greater Melbourne area for almost four decades now. We do not know if the man who inflicted so much pain into the lives of so many will ever be caught, but we do know the hunt for him will never stop. Sources https://melbinmarvels.com/2021/01/26/mr-cruel-serial-rapist-and-murderer-overview-of-case/ https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/mr-cruels-victim-sharon-wills-wants-closure-after-childhood-abduction/news-story/5a7d31b10436dc70b8d47ccb4810a4fe https://melbinmarvels.com/2021/09/04/the-abduction-of-sharon-wills/ https://www.google.com/search?q=sunrise+on+december+27+1988+ringwood+austalia&rlz=1C5CHFA_enUS789US789&oq=sunrise+on+december+27+1988+ringwood+austalia&aqs=chrome..69i57j33i10.17560j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8 https://allthatsinteresting.com/mr-cruel https://melbinmarvels.com/2021/02/24/mr-cruel-2-the-lower-plenty-attack/ https://melbinmarvels.com/2022/01/20/the-abduction-of-nicola-lynas https://www.newspapers.com/image/120653574/ https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-age/22082407/ https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/8c5f843543b740bc96d972e9519ea122 https://whoismrcruel.com/suspects/ Mr. Cruel | The Mystery Murderer of Melbourne (Phyllis Chan’s plea is the first clip in doc.) Hunting Mr. Cruel

Transcribed - Published: 7 April 2025

During a bitterly cold day on January 30, 2002 a man was witnessed by multiple people running for his life while his hands were restrained with duct tape. Unfortunately, no one called the police. The following day he was found murdered in a car on the busy Las Vegas Blvd. Join me as I tell John just what happened to Richard Carno.  Sources: https://www.newspapers.com/image/150826370/?match=1&terms=richard%20carno https://www.sevenhillsbi.com/about/las-vegas-community-resources/vegas-suicide-rates/#:~:text=For%20example%2C%20in%202008%2C%20National,higher%20than%20for%20those%20who https://lasvegassun.com/news/2004/jan/22/siblings-facing-off-against-each-other-in-murder-t/ Access to local newspapers through Newspapers.com

Transcribed - Published: 29 March 2025

In the summer of 1990 the bar scene of Bellevue Washington was being stalked by a sadistic killer. Join me for part two of our two part episode as I tell John how this monster was caught. Sources: https://law.justia.com/cases/washington/supreme-court/1994/60673-1-1.html https://www.researchgate.net/publication/8158272_The_Rarity_of_Unusal_Dispositions_of_Victim_Bodies_Staging_and_Posing https://www.newspapers.com/image/738777312/?match=1&terms=Mary%20Ann%20Pohlreich The News Tribune, Article by Michael Gilbert dated 1/10/1991 accessed through Newspapers.com  The News Tribune, Article by the Associated Press 10/14/94 accessed through Newspapers.com

Transcribed - Published: 11 March 2025

In the summer of 1990 the bar scene of Bellevue Washington was being stalked by a sadistic killer. Join me for part one of our two part episode as I tell John just what this monster did. (Part two will be released on Tuesday). Sources: https://law.justia.com/cases/washington/supreme-court/1994/60673-1-1.html https://www.researchgate.net/publication/8158272_The_Rarity_of_Unusal_Dispositions_of_Victim_Bodies_Staging_and_Posing https://www.newspapers.com/image/738777312/?match=1&terms=Mary%20Ann%20Pohlreich The News Tribune, Article by Micheal Gilbert dated 1/10/1991 accessed through Newspapers.com  The News Tribune, Article by the Associated Press 10/14/94 accessed through Newspapers.com 

Transcribed - Published: 9 March 2025

In late September of 2015 Joseph Smedley was reported missing from the off campus house he shared with his fraternity brothers. The investigation that will follow will make you question everything except for the dedication and commitment his sister had to get answers for her little brother.  Sources: Walnut street and 7th location Distance from walnut and 7th to Griffy Lake Distance from Griffy Lake to Old State Rd 37 https://www.heraldtimesonline.com/in-depth/news/crime/2022/11/08/iu-students-body-found-in-lake-2015-coverage-of-joseph-smedleys-death/69626638007/ https://www.investigationdiscovery.com/crimefeed/id-shows/still-a-mystery/an-indiana-family-still-wants-answers-in-a-young-mans-mysterious-death https://gordie.studenthealth.virginia.edu/learn/hazing-education/alcohol-hazing#:~:text=Since%20January%202000%2C%20over%20100,substance%20use%2C%20nearly%20always%20alcohol. http://www.hazemovie.com/ https://www.wrtv.com/news/local-news/iu-president-issues-statement-on-student-deaths https://www.investigationdiscovery.com/crimefeed/id-shows/still-a-mystery/an-indiana-family-still-wants-answers-in-a-young-mans-mysterious-death Access to local and nationwide newspapers through Newspapers.com

Transcribed - Published: 23 February 2025

Crime House True Crime Stories is the ultimate destination for true crime fans. Every episode features two notorious cases from that week in crime history, tied by a common theme like infamous serial killers, mysterious disappearances, tragic murders, and more. Every Monday, uncover the full stories behind the headlines as host Vanessa Richardson takes you through high-profile investigations like the murder of Gabby Petito, the kidnapping of Elizabeth Smart, and the mass suicide of the Heaven's Gate cult. Follow Crime House True Crime Stories — a Crime House Original — wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Transcribed - Published: 17 February 2025

On February 19, 1982 Jim Krauseneck came home to his Brighton, NY residence to find his wife brutally murdered and his three year old daughter alive within the chaos. It would take forty years for a trial to hopefully bring justice to the family of Cathy Krauseneck. Join me as I tell John this tragic case and let us know if you believe justice was served.  Sponsor: IQBAR To get your twenty percent off and free shipping, just text TCC to 64-000 Sources: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/70070758/cathleen_rose-krauseneck https://www.cbsnews.com/news/brighton-ax-murder-timeline-cathy-krauseneck-jim-krauseneck/ https://www.cbsnews.com/news/james-krauseneck-cathy-krauseneck-ax-murder-convicted-48-hours/# https://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/2022/09/12/stephanie-kupchynsky-life-death-new-book-stepsister-rachel-rear/65467249007/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/933875862/?match=1&terms=Cathy%20Krauseneck https://www.newspapers.com/image/884838132/?match=1&terms=Cathy%20Krauseneck https://www.newspapers.com/image/1011251995/?match=1&terms=Cathy%20Krauseneck https://www.newspapers.com/image/881672664/?match=1&terms=Cathy%20Krauseneck Source 9

Transcribed - Published: 9 February 2025

17 year old Jessica Dishon was abducted from the driveway of her when she was leaving for school on the morning of September 10, 1999. The investigation, or lack thereof, that would follow would call into question just how safe the people of Shepherdsville, KY were and would shatter entire families in the process. Nothing can prepare you for this case.   Trigger Warning: Sexual assault and abuse Sponsor: Beam Try Beam’s best-selling Dream Powder and get up to 40% off for a limited time when you go to shopbeam.com/TCC and use code TCC at checkout! Sources: https://www.wdrb.com/news/stanley-dishon-pleads-guilty-in-1999-death-of-jessica-dishon/article_0f2fd29d-c76b-5599-b6ba-ae80a4c09cd3.html https://www.belivewire.com/9864/features/too-close-to-home-the-tragic-case-of-jessica-dishon/ http://kool.corrections.ky.gov/KOOL/Details/92165 https://www.cbsnews.com/news/jessica-dishon-cold-case-stanley-dishon-ky-teens-uncle-charged-with-her-murder-14-years-later/ https://www.belivewire.com/10649/features/too-close-to-home-the-tragic-case-of-jessica-dishon-2/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/111647898/?terms=Jessica%20Dishon https://www.newspapers.com/image/180897664/?match=1&terms=david%20brooks Local newspapers accessed through Newspapers.com

Transcribed - Published: 26 January 2025

On January 13, 1995 Detectives in Knoxville, TN arrived at a murder scene in Tyson Park. This was unlike anything they had ever seen before. In the dirt leading up to the victim’s body they found finger marks, which implied the victim had been physically dragged to a more remote location while fighting desperately to save her life. Her clothes were strewn up in the surrounding trees, covered in blood, and she had been beaten horrifically and slashed with what they assumed as a knife. She had a deep impact wound on the left side of her head and it appeared that brain matter was visible.  This was a brutal murder and they knew it would rock the community of Knoxville, especially because the victim was college aged, and they had many universities and post high school programs located around them. But what the detectives feared far more than fielding phone calls from concerned parents was the fact that, in the midst of America’s ‘Satanic Panic’, their victim had a pentagram carved into her chest.  Sponsors: IQBAR To get your 20% off, just text TCC to 64-000 Acorns Head to acorns.com/tcc or download the Acorns app to start saving and investing for your future today! Sources: A Love to Die For by Patricia Springer Amazon Link for book https://casetext.com/case/state-v-shipp-13 Newspapers.com Access to TN newspapers  https://myfox8.com/news/court-upholds-sentence-for-only-woman-on-death-row/ https://nashvillebanner.com/2024/09/17/christa-pike-death-sentence-isolation/ https://casetext.com/case/pike-v-state-15 https://www.opn.ca6.uscourts.gov/opinions.pdf/19a0205p-06.pdf https://www.tncourts.gov/sites/default/files/docs/response_-_to_motion_1.pdf https://archive.ph/20130127053544/http://www.ksdk.com/news/crime/article/311792/147/Death-row-inmate-woos-NJ-man-and-guard-to-help-plan-escape https://www.opn.ca6.uscourts.gov/opinions.pdf/19a0205p-06.pdf https://www.chattanoogan.com/2016/3/11/319852/Chattanooga-Federal-Judge-Upholds.aspx

Transcribed - Published: 12 January 2025

On the night of January 27, 1983 John Duffield fell asleep to his television in his bedroom. His wife, Carole, was a nurse who worked the night shift, so sleeping alone was something that he had grown accustomed to, and why the droning noise of the television kept him company. But in the early morning hours he was awoken by the worst sound a parent could hear. He heard the frantic calls and moans of pain from his 15 year old son Paul, whom he knew had fallen asleep on the couch in the family living room. He rushed downstairs to his son and found him unresponsive and in a large pool of his own blood, a massive wound to his head. John could barely process what was happening. He was in shock. He rushed to the phone to call 911…but the phone lines were dead. He had no idea that the chaos of that night had only just begun.  Sponsors: Masterclass Head over to MASTERCLASS.com/TCC and save up to 50% off  Miracle Made TryMiracle.com/ TCC -  If you order today you can save over 40%. AND if you use our promo TCC at checkout you’ll get 3 FREE TOWELS and SAVE an extra 20%! Sources: Newspaper articles obtained through Newspapers.com ranging in date from January 29, 1983- February 2018 from the following news sources: Wichita Eagle Olathe News Council Grove Republican The Salina Journal  Kansas City Star Kansas City Times St. Joseph’s News State v. Cade, Johnson County, No. K-44347 https://law.justia.com/cases/kansas/supreme-court/1987/59-019-2.html https://www.kmbc.com/article/man-convicted-in-35-year-old-olathe-murder-wants-out-of-prison/18917466 https://www.facebook.com/groups/in-loving-memory-of-john-carole-paul-kelly-and-janelle-duffield-273705412361/ https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-salina-journal-duffield-murders-20/49041/

Transcribed - Published: 29 December 2024

In the tightknit community of the Woodside Apartments the residents gather each year for the Yuletide fest where everyone in the complex can eat, drink, and be merry as their children play games and visit with Santa. But, as is often the case, when we feel comfortable to let our guard down, that evil takes its opportunity to strike. In the middle of the residents catching up and talking about their holiday plans on that December night in 1989 a 5 year old girl, who had just been seen by her mother a minute prior, was kidnapped in the presence of 115 people. No one had seen anything.  MasterClass Head over to MASTERCLASS.com/TCC for the current offer of up to 50% off  Miracle Made Upgrade your sleep with Miracle Made! Go to TryMiracle.com/TCC and use the code TCC to claim your FREE 3 PIECE TOWEL SET and SAVE over 40% OFF.  Sources: https://oig.justice.gov/sites/default/files/archive/special/9704a/11branne.htm https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WPcap/1999-11/27/005r-112799-idx.html https://casetext.com/case/hughes-v-commonwealth-7 https://www.woodsideapartmentslorton.com/sitemap.aspx https://www.newspapers.com/image/1071961330/?match=1&terms=Melissa%20Brannen https://www.newspapers.com/image/919607331/?match=1&terms=Melissa%20Brannen https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/man-convicted-in-1989-child-abduction-sent-back-to-prison/3728108/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/crime-law/2019/04/19/abductor-year-old-melissa-brannen-be-released-prison-after-years/ Forensic Files: Innocence Lost (TV 1999) Season 4 Episode 5

Transcribed - Published: 15 December 2024

Jane Mackle had been nursing her daughter, Barbara, back to health after she caught the flu during her finals week at Emory College in December of 1968 when two masked assailants rushed into their motel room and kidnapped 20 year old Barbara. What would follow would be one of the largest manhunts and rescue missions the FBI would ever take on. Join me as I tell John the story of Barbara Mackle.  Patreon.com/truecrimecouple Join to receive ad free episodes and 129+ bonus episodes! Sponsors: Uncommon Goods To get 15% off your next gift, go to uncommongoods.com/tcc Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mackle_Brothers  https://www.themacklecompany.com/index https://people.com/barbara-mackle-kidnapping-buried-alive-8736831 https://web.archive.org/web/20071110191155/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,900442,00.html https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/topten/topten-history/hires_images/FBI-293-RuthEismannSchier.jpg/view https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/USCOURTS-alsd-1_06-cr-00057/USCOURTS-alsd-1_06-cr-00057-0 "Buried Alive". FBI: The Untold Stories. Season 1. Episode 13 Book: https://www.everand.com/read/305263613/True-Crime-Florida-The-State-s-Most-Notorious-Criminal-Cases https://www.everand.com/read/606716727/The-Fall-of-the-FBI-How-a-Once-Great-Agency-Became-a-Threat-to-Democracy Barbara’s Book: 83 Hours Until Dawn Herald from that day: https://www.newspapers.com/image/621746964/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/621747024/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/621747030/

Transcribed - Published: 1 December 2024

Getting Ready for Thanksgiving? We have a bonus patreon episode for you to listen to. If you want another 128 bonus episodes join our patreon today!  Patreon.com/truecrimecouple As five residents slept peacefully in their beds in Lebanon, Maine, on the night of March 29, 1999, a sudden knock at their door would change all of their lives forever. Join me as I tell John about the case of Deborah Brown.

Transcribed - Published: 27 November 2024

Over the span of three decades a man left bread crumbs for law enforcement officers to find all over the country. Luckily, time and technology would eventually catch up to him and Roy Melanson would have to pay for the crimes he had committed and what he had taken from his victims and their families.  Sponsors: IQ Bar To get your twenty percent off, just text TCC to 64-000 Uncommon Goods To get 15% off your next gift, go to uncommongoods.com/TCC Miracle Made Go to TryMiracle.com/TCC and use the code TCC to claim your FREE 3 PIECE TOWEL SET and SAVE over 40% OFF Sources: https://www.chicagotribune.com/1998/03/22/flower-child/?clearUserState=true https://vocal.media/criminal/murder-on-kebler-pass-road-michele-wallace https://www.chicagotribune.com/1998/03/22/flower-child/ https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/9551613/michele_cecile-wallace https://www.chicagotribune.com/1994/02/20/now-they-can-say-goodbye/ https://www.chieftain.com/story/news/2008/07/06/state-case-with-local-link/8483778007/ https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/83432208/margaret-cecilia-wallace https://www.wafb.com/story/12581570/deputies-charge-73-year-old-in-connection-with-1988-murder/ Smooth Talker: Trail of Death by Steve Jackson  Available: https://www.amazon.com/Smooth-Talker-Trail-Steve-Jackson/dp/194226643X

Transcribed - Published: 17 November 2024

Three members of the Colegrove family were brutally murdered in their home during a thunderstorm in a Pennsylvania town of roughly 379 people. Is the killer walking among them or is it the residents of the town that can help detectives find out who the killer is with their inside knowledge of the family.  Patreon.com/truecrimecouple Sponsors: Uncommon Goods uncommongoods.com/tcc for 15% off! Sources: https://law.justia.com/cases/pennsylvania/superior-court/2020/1220-mda-2019.html Newspaper articles arcdieved through Newspapers.com from: The Star-Gazette Times Tribune Citizen's Voice Press and un Bulletin 2007-2009

Transcribed - Published: 3 November 2024

Join us as we read creepy stories from our listeners. Thank you for all that submitted! If your story did not appear in this episode it will be next week's Patreon episode. Happy Halloween!

Transcribed - Published: 20 October 2024

On Monday October 19, 1970 in the midst of the Manson family murder trials and with two serial killers on the loose, both the Zodiac and the Co-ed Killer, firefighters in Soquel, CA discover the bodies of five people in the swimming pool of a wealthy home in the Santa Cruz mountains. Through a note left at the scene a murderous cult took responsibility for the Ohta family murders. Join me as I tell John just what happened and who was responsible.  Sponsors: Ibiana Unlock your inner wit today by downloading the Ibiana app and sign up. Or get more information at ibiana.com. Join the hunt today (it’s free).  Sources: https://law.justia.com/cases/california/supreme-court/3d/5/287.html https://projects.scpr.org/timelines/capital-punishment-in-california/ https://www.sfgate.com/crime/article/Santa-Cruz-mass-murderer-kills-self-in-prison-3221281.php https://history.santacruzpl.org/omeka/files/original/571aa1b2b278eb1f40c3970e109bbcb4.PDF https://lookout.co/i-wanted-to-see-the-co-ed-killer-in-a-wheelchair-old-and-broken-down-revisiting-edmund-kemper/ https://www.sfweekly.com/archives/yesterday-s-crimes-the-santa-cruz-serial-killer-epidemic/article_9b3d46d5-6be8-5fc0-9779-93e77924685a.html Murder in California: Rage and Revenge  By Marques Vickers, 2021 Accessed through Everand Newspaper articles from the Santa Cruz Sentinel from October 20, 1970-November 23, 1973 accessed through Newspapers.com

Transcribed - Published: 6 October 2024