Crime Junkie

When Morgan Patten is killed in a mysterious auto crash while visiting her fiancé in North Carolina, police are quick to call it a tragic accident. But her loved ones believe she was the victim of foul play, and they won’t rest until they learn the truth.

When a local news anchor vanishes in the pre-dawn hours, the entire community is struck by the irony. The person who typically broke stories in their small town was now the focus of the biggest missing persons case in the Midwest. Leads and suspects are plentiful, but somehow, almost three decades have passed without a shred of evidence pointing to anyone in particular.

In 1843 Daniel M’naghten gunned down another man in broad daylight. But when he was taken to trial things got complicated. His defense argued that he shouldn’t be held fully responsible because he wasn’t in his right mind. However, the courts didn’t know what to do with that because there was no precedent for this kind of thing. So his defense team got to work putting in place a defense strategy that is still used, almost in the exact same way, almost 200 years later.

When the body of a man is found in the burned remains of the Roberts home, the family assumes it’s 52-year-old Clarence. But the question surrounding his identity remains for years… until another fire 10 years later leaves everyone with more questions than answers.

If you’ve been following Alissa Turney’s case, you’ll know that her stepfather, Michael Turney, has been acquitted of her murder which has left us all with too many questions. What does all this mean? What exactly happened in court? And what’s next? Well Alissa’s biggest advocate, Sarah Turney, is here to give us the answers.

When a young woman goes missing under mysterious circumstances, questions swirl around a local businessman. But throughout the next 15 years, authorities figure out he may be involved in much more.

When a young woman vanishes, police think she left willingly. That changes when her body is discovered months later and it’s clear she was brutally murdered. Small town secrets keep this case a mystery for decades…. Until a cold case team is finally able to get people talking.

When a promising young woman fails to show up for a Father’s Day celebration in 2013, her dad knows immediately that something is very wrong. And as investigators work to unravel the chaotic timeline of the night she went missing, they find no lack of viable persons of interest. But when her case goes ice cold, they’re forced to ask if they’ve been overlooking a monster in their midst.

The update episode you all have been waiting for! On July 13th, 2023, Suffolk County ended the search for their Gilgo Murder suspect and charged 59-year-old, Rex Heuermann, for the murders of Amber Costello, Melissa Barthelemy, and Megan Waterman.

On July 26th, 2021, we covered the case of MISSING: Alicia Navarro. On July 26th, 2023, exactly two years after the release of our episode, 18-year-old Alicia Navarro showed up at a small police station in Montana and stated she was the person who vanished almost four years ago from Glendale, Arizona.

When a beautiful young woman and her mother go missing, all eyes turn to the strange behavior of her father. And when he crumbles under the scrutiny, a lifetime of secrets make their way to the surface.

When a successful career woman goes missing in Washington, D.C., her family immediately knows something is wrong. And when the investigation’s winding path eventually leads detectives right back to the place they started, her family’s long fight for justice produces a stunning result.

When 36-year-old Maribel Ramos doesn’t show up to her weekly softball game, her friends and family immediately know something is wrong. And that sense of dread only increases when they go to her house, only to discover there’s no trace of her—despite her car still being in the garage. As investigators dig into the case, the signs quickly begin to point to one of the people closest to Maribel.

When young women start disappearing from the streets of Honolulu only to soon be found brutally murdered, investigators at first dismiss any connection between the cases. But as the disappearances continue and the similarities pile up, they’re forced to confront a brutal truth...there’s a serial killer in paradise.

When Shawn O’Brien is found unconscious in his Cranston, RI, apartment and dies days later in the hospital, the unusual circumstances spark suspicions of foul play. But the investigation quickly stalls out, leaving a grieving family searching for answers on their own.

On a Friday afternoon in 1986, 18-year-old Denise Pflum leaves her home in Connersville, Indiana, to go searching for a purse she had left at a party the night before. When she doesn’t return home, it’s just the beginning of a nightmare that will haunt her parents for over thirty years.

When police and federal agents descended on the home of the Todt family, they never expected to discover the gruesome scene waiting for them inside. While investigators had been able to piece together bits and pieces of what may have happened, questions still remained about who instigated everything... and why.

When Amber Hagerman was abducted in 1996 there was a witness who saw a man and a distinctive car near where she was taken. But there was no way to get this information out to the mass public in time and to this day the mystery of what happened to Amber still remains. But her story changed the way the country handles child abductions and a precedent to issue an Amber Alert in situations like hers, was made.

When firefighters responded to 33-year-old Joey Lynn Offutt’s burning house in Sykesville, Pennsylvania, on July 12th, 2007, they were shocked to discover the remains of her infant son, Alexis Brolin III. Joey was nowhere to be found and at the time, investigators didn’t know if she was a victim of the crime -- or the perpetrator. But her family is convinced she was set up and their only hope is that someone will come forward with the information they’ve been desperately seeking for 15 years.

When a friend is MIA after a night out, loved ones worry that she didn’t make it home safely. When police do a wellness check, they see that she did make it to her apartment… but surprisingly, she was far from safe.

Brian Wehrle vanished without a trace during a trip to his hometown of Carrollton, Georgia. Everyone suspects foul play, but no one knows what could have happened to him. And nearly 14 years after his disappearance, his family is hoping someone out there has the information they need to bring Brian home.

When 57-year-old Bruce Cucchiara was gunned down in the parking lot of a New Orleans East apartment complex in 2012 his murder devastated his family and stumped law enforcement. For more than a year CounterClock's Delia D'Ambra has investigated the case and unraveled a web of bizarre information and circumstances about his life and those who benefitted from his death.

When a fire destroys the Krentel home, family and friends are devastated to learn that one member, Nanette, didn’t make it out. But despite her death clearly being a homicide, her death remains unsolved.

When 20-year-old Ashley Loring HeavyRunner goes missing on the Blackfeet Reservation in Montana, her older sister Kimberly is forced to pick up the slack of a system that’s designed to fail those it’s supposed to protect. Her investigation leads her to three people who may know what happened to her sister… but none will talk.

When a young mother is reported missing, investigators quickly realize she was probably murdered. Their prime suspect is her husband, but a slew of suspicious statements and circumstantial evidence isn’t enough to put him behind bars... until a lucky discovery gives them everything they need.

Elizabeth Santos’ unexpected and tragic death in 2020 left behind a million questions. Some believe it was the result of a mental health crisis, but many of her loved ones think she’s a victim of foul play, and they’ve been pushing for answers.

When a young mother is found brutally beaten to death in 2007, investigators are able to quickly apprehend her killer. But as the years go by, he decides to open up and reveal he has a darker past than anyone could’ve ever imagined.

Oakley Carlson was only 4 years old when she went missing in 2021. Investigators launched a desperate search to bring her home, but with each new piece of evidence, they learned that home may not have been the safest place for her. And systems put in place to protect her may have been the very thing that put her in the hands of the people responsible for her disappearance.

In 1981 a young boy named Adam was abducted by a stranger from a shopping plaza. It would take almost three decades to bring closure to his family but in that time Adam’s legacy would forever change the way America views and handles missing children cases.

When mother-of-three QC Chadwick and her husband, Peter, don’t pick their kids up and the bus stop, their friends and neighbors immediately know something’s wrong. But, they never could have guessed the horrors that had already occurred behind closed doors… and the lengths a man would go to in order to avoid capture.

When 23-year-old Phoenix Coldon walks out the front door of her family home, her parents never could have guessed that she wouldn’t come back. The search for her only turned up more questions, and over 10 years later, many of those questions still remain.

Darlene Hulse was forcibly taken from her home in Argos, Indiana on August 17, 1984. Her two oldest daughters witnessed the attack but they didn’t recognize the man who took their mother.

When Julie Kibuishi’s body is discovered in Sam Herr’s apartment, investigators immediately launch a manhunt to track Sam down. But things take an unexpected turn when a new suspect places himself front and center, and confesses to a crime so callous, it’s as if it’s a movie.

Strangeland Season 2: Murder in Maple Shade is available right now wherever you listen to podcasts.

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, multiple young women and girls go missing in the Vernon-Tolland area of Connecticut. For years, investigators have wondered if these seemingly unrelated cases might share too strong a connection to be ignored. Three, in particular —Janice Pockett, Lisa White, and Debbie Spickler—bear striking similarities to each other, and have become known as the Vernon-Tolland Three.

When 17-year-old Tracy Kirkpatrick is found murdered in March 1989, investigators struggle to find any evidence pointing to who killed her. Despite numerous efforts to dig up leads and strong tips through the investigation, the case has remained a mystery for nearly 40 years.

When Theresa Allore vanishes from her college campus in Quebec, Canada, in 1978, local police dismiss her as runaway and force her family to start their own investigation that would span across 45 years. Over the decades, they piece together evidence and uncover an array of conspiracies from a potential serial killer on the prowl to the possibility of corrupt law enforcement.

David Josiah Lawson headed off to college in Arcata, California with big dreams…only to be stabbed to death at a party off-campus. But a case that seemed straightforward when it began proves to be anything but…and years later, his mom is still fighting for justice.

When Christina Calayca disappeared on a camping trip in Ontario, Canada, in 2007, investigators expected to find her in a few short hours. But despite numerous search efforts, no sign of her was ever found. And 16 years later, her family is still searching for answers.

When 15-year-old Sharmini Anandavel doesn’t come home from her first day at a new job, her family is immediately suspicious of one of their neighbors. But despite an overwhelming amount of circumstantial evidence, her death remains unsolved… at least, in the eyes of the law.

When Nichol Olsen and her two daughters are found shot in the home they shared with her boyfriend, a theory quickly emerges that lays the blame on Nichol. But to those who knew her, that’s not an option, and points to someone else as the culprit. Over three years later, the question still remains: what happened in that house on January 9th, 2019?

Aaron Taylor was 36 and experiencing homelessness when he was lit on fire on Christmas Day in 2007. Police think they know who’s responsible… but a lack of physical evidence…coupled with reluctant witnesses…has kept this case open for years. But multiple people know what happened…and investigators are hoping they’ll come forward.

Natanalie Perez was chasing her dream of being a singer when she fell victim to a violent sex-trafficking ring in Florida and disappeared in June of 2012. More than a decade later, her family and investigators from the Anti-Predator Project are still trying to find her…or find out what happened to her.

In 1963 Ernesto Miranda was arrested for kidnapping, rape and armed robbery. Ultimately, he gave police a confession but only because he didn’t know he had the option not to talk to them… or to get an attorney. Miranda’s path through the justice system set a precedent for informing those arrested of their rights. And now the Miranda Warning is something so engrained in us Crime Junkies we could probably recite it on our sleep.

There are Crime Junkies far and wide and SURPRISE! Conan O’Brien is in fact a Crime Junkie. On this special bonus episode, Ashley sits down with Conan to deep dive into what it is about true crime that has got them absolutely hooked. From the first case that caught each of their attention to the one that keeps them up at night, Ashley and Conan share it all!

When 16-year-old Phylicia Simone Barnes is found dead in a river 40 miles from where she was staying, her family suspects one man is responsible. But bringing him to justice is far more difficult than anyone could have expected.

When 16-year-old Phylicia Simone Barnes goes missing while visiting her half-sister in Baltimore, the whole community comes together to search. But what started as a missing persons investigation that consumed the city of Baltimore quickly turns into something far more sinister.

For our 5-year celebration episode, we take a look back at the impact Crime Junkie has made. From funding DNA testing to solving crimes, nothing would have been possible without the support of everyone who has tuned in every week for the last 5 years!

When federal prosecutor Jonathan Luna was found face-down in a creek with multiple stab wounds, homicide seemed like the obvious answer. Over time, though, public officials started to pose a different theory: that he took his own life. But for those who knew Jonathan, that wasn’t an option – and the more they learned about the circumstances surrounding his death, the more they started to wonder if it was being covered up by those in charge.

11-year-old Jaycee Dugard was abducted as she was walking to school in June of 1991. No one would see her again for 18 years, until two campus police officers did what parole and police officers couldn’t. But her story isn’t just one of survival – it’s one of strength, resiliency, and life after tragedy.

When a 9-year-old girl vanishes from her home overnight, investigators must try and overcome a lack of evidence and follow a number of shocking, but ultimately dead-end tips that have them convinced she is still out there somewhere more than 3 decades later.

Nadia Malik was trying to break free of an abusive relationship when she disappeared only to be found dead in a car. And while her family and many others are sure that one person is responsible for her death, the mysterious circumstances have made finding justice elusive.

A young woman is abducted in the middle of the day, and despite seeming like an open and shut case, her family is still searching for answers almost 30 years later.

When Michael and Mary Short are found murdered in their Virginia home in August of 2002, the question on everyone’s minds is: where is their nine-year-old daughter Jennifer? But as weeks go by with no solid leads, authorities grow more and more concerned that they won’t find Jennifer alive. And those worries only intensify when a homeowner across state lines finds something horrifying in his front yard.

When Nicole Fitts is found murdered in a park in San Francisco, both her family and law enforcement have the same two questions: who killed her, and where is her 2-year-old daughter, Arianna? The investigation into Arianna’s disappearance leads them right to the people who were supposed to be watching her... but they quickly realize that this case won’t be easy solve.

Five-year-old Hassani Campbell disappears without a trace, leaving behind a community desperate for answers. No one knew four-year-old Tianna Kirchner was missing for four years, until a chilling phone call shocks law enforcement and the public. Though not connected in life, one thing is clear: they both deserve justice.

Today, October 31, 2022, the Indiana State Police, in conjunction with the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, United States Marshals Service, and the Carroll County Prosecutors Office, held a press conference where they made the announcement thousands of people have been waiting to hear: an arrest had been made for the murders of Abby Williams and Libby German.

Celina Mays was 12 years old when she vanished from her bedroom in the middle of the night back in 1996. Her disappearance helped peel back the curtain on a small controversial church where an environment of shame, isolation and fear allowed sexual abuse to flourish.

When 8-year-old Stella Nolan went missing in 1953, no one could have known that she was the first in a long list of children that would disappear throughout the 50s and 60s in Los Angeles, California. But despite child after child vanishing, it would take an unexpected twist of fate for anyone to even know there was a monster living in their midst.

Toddlers Kreneice Jones and LaMoine Allen disappear from a small town in Mississippi during a family gathering on Mother’s Day in 1992 under bizarre circumstances. The two children aren’t related – in fact, they barely know each other – and to this day, no one can make sense of what happened to them.

When two boys are found deceased on the train tracks in Bryant, Arkansas, their deaths are considered a tragic and unexpected accident. But as their parents begin looking for answers, they uncover deep-rooted corruption and a scheme to cover up their deaths that everyone from the police to the prosecutor seems to be in on.

Recently divorced and living on her own in a new city, 27-year-old Owachige Osceola’s life was in a season of transition before she was killed in the bedroom of her Norman, Oklahoma apartment in September 2013. While the medical examiner who performed her autopsy concluded her cause and manner of death were “undetermined,” a detective who remains on the case today insists a killer has been allowed to walk free for nearly a decade.

When 22-year-old Yeardley Love is found murdered in her apartment just a few weeks before graduating college, her friends all point police to one man: George Huguely, her ex-boyfriend. It doesn’t take long for investigators to uncover a disturbing history of domestic abuse, but despite multiple people knowing just how violent George could get, no one spoke up to get the help Yeardley needed.

When 17-year-old Hang Lee leaves for a job interview and never comes home, police are quick to dismiss her as a troubled runaway. But when they finally take a deeper look into her case, they discover that the last man she was seen with has a violent criminal history, and no explanation for what happened to her.

In 1983, a young Black man named Timothy Coggins is found brutally murdered in Spalding County, Georgia. But just as promising leads are uncovered, the case is inexplicably closed. And it remains that way for more than 30 years, until a new investigator comes across the file and realizes just how solvable this murder could be.

When Shakara Carter is found strangled to death on a dead-end road in Grand Rapids, Michigan, she’s days away from testifying against a serial rapist. But she’s also one of about two dozen sex workers killed in the area over the years…and unlike some of those victims, Shakara’s killer is elusive.

In 1958 John Brady, along with an accomplice, was accused of murdering his friend, William Brooks. John maintained that he had not taken part in the murder, that he was only part of a plan to rob the man. However, his accomplice turned on him and he was eventually found guilty. Though there was something the prosecution was holding back that would completely change the way a jury would view the case. And when the shady tactics of the prosecution were revealed, a new legal precedent was set that aimed to ensure a fair trial to defendants.

16-year-old Mekayla Bali vanished from a bus depot in her hometown of Yorkton, Saskatchewan in 2016, leaving no trace and no clues as to where she might be now - or why.

After days of searching for 14-year-old Jenny Lin’s killer, detectives received some promising tips that left everyone hopeful they’d solve one of the most disturbing murders Alameda County had ever seen.

In 1994, the brutal murder of a 14-year-old inside her parents' safe suburban house left a community shaken to its core, because not only had a bright and talented life been suddenly snuffed out, but police struggled to find a motive. And the more clues they uncovered, the more investigators realized the nightmare they were dealing with: Jenny Lin’s murder was more than a crime of opportunity —it had been carefully planned. For nearly 30 years, Jenny’s murder has weighed on Alameda County and terrorized detectives as they’ve pondered the same question over and over since 1994: why Jenny?

When Officer Davina Buff Jones is found dead in the middle of her shift on Bald Head Island, those in power are quick to rule her death a suicide. But the more her family learns about the circumstances surrounding her death, the more certain they are that someone got away with murder.

After Larry Gene Bell is arrested, investigators dive into his past and uncover three unsolved cases that are eerily like the two he’s convicted of. In this bonus episode, we cover the stories of the three women who detectives believe were killed by Bell.

The day has FINALLY arrived, Crime Junkies!! Ashley Flowers' debut novel ALL GOOD PEOPLE HERE is officially available NOW!If you haven’t already, go get your hands on a copy! You can find ALL GOOD PEOPLE HERE wherever books, ebooks, or audiobooks are sold or at AshleyFlowers.com/book

When 17-year-old Shari Smith is abducted from her driveway in broad daylight, it seems like her family’s nightmare can’t get any worse. But when her abductor starts calling them relentlessly, investigators hope that his recklessness will lead to his downfall... that is, until a second girl goes missing in an eerily similar manner.

When twin sisters Jeannette and Dannette Millbrook go missing in Augusta, Georgia in 1990, police are quick to write them off as runaways…even though the signs point to something much more sinister. And if not for a family that refused to give up… and a podcast that shed light on some of the injustices they’ve faced…we probably wouldn’t know anything about them. Because even though this is one of the only open cases of missing twins in the country…it took decades for them to get the national spotlight.

When a young woman is found dead in a crashed car, the first thought is a tragic accident. But after investigating the scene, investigators can clearly see this is a homicide. After interviewing friends and family, all signs point to her estranged husband... but thirty years later, he is still a free man.

Susan Robin Bender got into a van in 1986 and was never seen again. Police believe the teenage girl met with foul play and have renewed the search for answers, decades after her mysterious disappearance...but her mom thinks she knows who’s responsible.

When a New Jersey family is rocked by the disappearance of one of their own, they set up a trap to catch the man they believe to be responsible. But once that man is behind bars, police discover that the full extent of his crimes goes beyond what they expected.

In 1986, a young woman named Ruby Doss is found strangled to death in the East Sprague area of Spokane, Washington. For decades, similarities between Ruby’s death and a string of other murders in the area send investigators chasing false leads. It seems like justice for Ruby is a lost cause, until a completely unrelated crime in another state blows the case wide open.

Everything was going great for Jamie Fraley when she vanished in April of 2008, after telling a friend she was getting a ride to the hospital. Police quickly zero in on a suspect, but a bizarre development throws the investigation off course…and years later, her family still has more questions than answers.

After years of rumors, gossip and dead end leads, the investigation into 14-year-old Shawn Edwards’ murder heats up – but even a shocking confession can’t close this cold case. Anyone with information about the homicide should call Middletown Police at 845-343-3151.

When 14-year-old Shawn Edwards is stabbed and beaten to death outside of a high school in Middletown, NY, the whole community is shocked. Why would anyone want to hurt – let alone murder – this friendly, popular kid? As the investigation unfolds, police try to separate fact from fiction, only to come up emptyhanded. It seems like everyone’s a suspect…but no one has a motive. Anyone with information about the homicide should call Middletown Police at 845-343-3151.

Get ready Crime Junkies because Ashley Flowers’ debut novel All Good People Here will officially be released on August 16th! You can read the first 2 chapters on AshleyFlowers.com/book AND preorder your copy NOW!

When Dawnita Wilkerson stops answering her phone one Sunday in June of 2020, her loved ones know something is wrong – especially because she’s been telling everyone that her ex-boyfriend and one of his relatives have been threatening her. Two years after her disappearance, police and her family are still hoping someone out there will come forward with information they need to solve the case.

When 16-year-old Joseph Kinville III is brutally stabbed to death in a field in his neighborhood in Arcadia, Florida, law enforcement is stumped from the start and his mother is devastated. The mystery only deepens when the teen's estranged father is murdered a few weeks later, hundreds of miles away in Michigan. The identity of Joseph's murderer has remained unknown since his murder in 1999, but evidence from his crime scene may still hold the answers law enforcement needs.

When 19-year-old Southern Illinois University student Pravin Varughese dies unexpectedly, police quickly rule his death a tragic accident and close the case. But for many, the facts just don’t quite add up. His mother’s years-long battle for justice is marked with soaring highs and dizzying lows – but even with so much progress, there are still unanswered questions.

Casey MacPherson-Pomeroy and Caleb Guillory had plans to ring in the new year on the beautiful Caribbean island of Anguilla. But before the proverbial ball could drop, they were both dead. The four people with them that night haven’t spoken publicly about the incident since -- and until they do, the mystery of what happened to Casey and Caleb will remain on the island.

When 5-year-old Dulce Maria Alavez vanishes from a playground in New Jersey, the whole community pitches in to help search for her. But thousands of leads later - and nearly three years after her mysterious disappearance – law enforcement still isn’t sure where she is…or who took her.

Cuando Dulce María Alavez, de 5 años, se desaparece de un parque infantil en Nueva Jersey, toda la comunidad colabora para ayudar a buscarla. Pero despues de miles de pistas, y casi tres años después de su misteriosa desaparición, la policía aún no está segura dónde está... o quién se la llevó.

When six young girls are found murdered, their similarities link them all to one killer. With no witnesses and no leads, investigators are still asking who is The Freeway Phantom over forty years later.

Investigative journalist, Delia D'Ambra, is back with a fourth season of CounterClock. She jumps right into investigating a teenager's mysterious death from 2003 in rural South Florida only to find that nothing is as it seems. Twists and turns are around every corner, and finding the truth of what really happened to 17-year-old John Welles proves to be Delia's most dangerous and difficult journey yet.

Polly Klaas was taken from her own home in the middle of the night back in 1993. But had the legal system worked like it was supposed to, the man who took her never should have been walking free that night to enter her home. Her case went on to spark an outcry in the country for harsher punishment on repeat offenders. But when her case set the precedent for the three-strikes rule there was backlash no one anticipated.

If you'd like to leave words of encouragement & well wishes for Brit, we've posted a virtual card on our social media accounts as a place to do so. Please feel free to share longer messages, stories, and images, by emailing them to us at crimejunkie@audiochuck.com

When the bodies of eight missing sex workers are found in the home of a serial killer in Poughkeepsie, New York, one woman is noticeably absent: Michelle Eason. Decades after closing the case against Kendall Francois, police are still looking for Michelle - and they think there’s a good chance someone else may be responsible for her disappearance.

When Michelle Eason is reported missing, she’s the fifth sex worker in one year to vanish from Poughkeepsie, New York. As police work to get to the bottom of all the disappearances, there’s no shortage of suspects.

An anonymous letter-writer antagonized residents of Circleville, Ohio for years, singling out the school superintendent, Gordon Massie, and a local bus driver, Mary Gillispie, as the focus of much of the vitriol. When Mary finds a booby trap with a loaded gun in 1983, the gun is traced to her brother-in-law Paul Freshour – but the letters would continue long after Paul went to prison for attempted murder.

Karen Gregory dies a violent death in the hallway of her own home, on a quiet residential street in Gulfport, Florida. After a two-year search for justice, police find out that their killer was right in front of them all along.

When Erica Alonso disappears on Valentine’s Day after a night out with her ex-boyfriend, a months-long search turns up clue after clue before her body is found in the middle of nowhere. The case looks like a murder until some surprising evidence is found – and investigators come to a conclusion that, to this day, leaves many questions unanswered and has her family demanding more.