Legally Brunette

When a bomb destroyed Pan Am Flight 103, killing 270 people, it launched one of the largest terrorism investigations in history. And the case still isn't over.

Former FBI agent Dick Marquise reveals how investigators tracked down the killers, the secrets behind the investigation, what it was like serving as a consultant on the Netflix series The Bombing of Pan Am 103 and being portrayed by Patrick J. Adams.

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Greer Grammer reveals how Leslie Van Houten went from an ordinary California teenager to a convicted Manson Family killer and shares her surprising personal connection to the woman who participated in the brutal murders.

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Two women in Michael Peterson’s life had a fatal fall down a staircase… Is it a coincidence or alleged murder pattern? The case is much more complicated than you’d think.

Is there a possibility that an owl was involved in the death of his second wife? Could infidelity have anything to do with this case? Where is Michael Peterson now?

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Elizabeth Chambers joins Jennifer Fessler to break down the devastating Haight family murders and the chilling warning signs that preceded the tragedy. Discussing her Investigation Discovery special, Toxic: What Happened in the Haight House?, Elizabeth reveals the controlling behaviors, financial abuse, and red flags that may have been missed before Tausha Haight, her five children, and her mother were killed. She also explains the one assessment she believes everyone should know about, why domestic violence can turn deadly, and what Tausha’s story can teach us about recognizing dangerous relationships before it’s too late.

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Emily and Shane have updates on many of the cases they’ve covered recently… 

A man was finally sentenced for his role in Tupac Shakur’s murder, Christa Pike had 10 needles in her arm during her botched execution, Diddy has poor prison behavior, and more.

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A New Jersey father of two vanishes, only for his dismembered remains to turn up in three suitcases along the Virginia coast. His wife is convicted of murder, but investigators never establish exactly where the gruesome dismemberment took place.

How could someone commit such a horrific crime without leaving behind an obvious bloody crime scene? Actor and attorney Michael Roark joins Elisa to examine the disturbing evidence and the possibility that Melanie McGuire didn't act alone.

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Emily and Shane are joined by Dateline NBC correspondent Andrea Canning to discuss the trial of Matthew Farwell and his alleged role in the murder of Sandra Birchmore.

Why is the trial not being filmed? What key evidence did the prosecution present against Matthew? What do they expect the defense to do next?

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Halloween is all about costumes, candy, and spooky fun, but these true crime stories are scarier than fiction. 🎃 Jen Fessler and Elisa Donovan discuss three chilling cases involving a Halloween-night murder, a devastating family massacre, and a father who poisoned his child’s Halloween candy. It’s a haunting look at the real-life horrors behind the holiday.

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Elizabeth Holmes is back in mainstream media, but she’s almost a different person… What happened to the black turtlenecks and the fake, deep voice? Is this just another front?

What did Elizabeth do, exactly, to end up in prison for 11 years? How did her company Theranos manage to get away with fraud for so long? Is it her fault?

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What did romantic rejection have to do with the Unabomber's murderous rage? Possibly more than anyone realized.

Former FBI profiler James Fitzgerald joins Elisa Donovan to reveal the disturbing stories buried in Ted Kaczynski's private writings: including a disastrous date, a humiliating workplace incident, and the resentment Fitzgerald believes helped fuel his violence. 

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Lee Gilley was convicted of killing his pregnant wife in Texas while his two children slept in the same home. However, before his trial, he managed to escape to Italy…

How did he gain a 60-hour head start from authorities, despite having an ankle monitor? How are Italy’s laws influencing the outcome of this case?

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Convicted sex offender Howard John Gombert Jr. is nearing release from prison, and investigative journalist Paul Solotaroff believes he may hold the key to solving the 30-year-old disappearance of 17-year-old Robin Murphy. Jennifer Fessler speaks with the host of The Devil’s Quarry about the clues investigators may have missed, why Gombert was never aggressively pursued as a suspect, and whether new developments could finally bring answers to Robin’s family.

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Ken McElroy terrorized an entire town and kept getting away with it. Until the day his luck ran out. He was gunned down in front of dozens of witnesses, and suddenly “nobody saw a thing.”

In Broad Daylight author Harry MacLean joins Elisa Donovan to unpack this wild true crime story, how McElroy became untouchable, and why everyone stayed silent.

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Elisa Donovan and Jenn Fessler are still trying to process Nathan Fielder's You Can See Everything.

From outrageous revelations to laugh-out-loud absurdity, the new Elizabeth Holmes documentary is unlike anything they've ever watched. Elisa and Jenn break down the wildest moments and debate the question at the heart of it all: Who's manipulating whom?

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Sandra Birchmore was failed by law enforcement as an adolescent, and it followed her through adulthood.

She was groomed, taken advantage of by authority figures, and her life was taken. Allegedly, someone wanted to ensure that she kept their secrets…

Emily and Shane are diving into the background of this case, what happened to Sandra, and the main players in this horrific crime.

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What did relatives know, and what did they keep secret?

Actress Marlene Forte, who played the brothers' aunt in Netflix's Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, joins Killer Thriller to reveal the disturbing family secrets, the warning signs that may have been ignored, and why José Menendez's own sister defended the nephews who murdered him. 

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Mark Winger portrayed himself as a hero. His wife, Donnah, was allegedly murdered by a lunatic, and Mark tried to avenge her. 

However, after Mark remarried, he had three more children and started a new life for himself. Then, detectives received new information that painted him as Donnah’s murderer.

Why did he kill his wife? What was the evidence against him?

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A teenage girl, a major cocaine operation, and seven years in federal prison. Jennifer Fessler sits down with Denise Trigo Fleming, author of Dealing: Memoirs of a Cocaine Teenpin, to explore how she went from a teenager caught up in Southern California’s glamorous drug scene to serving time in federal prison. Denise opens up about the dangerous relationships and fierce loyalties that kept pulling her deeper into that world, the devastating loss of her best friend, and the choices that changed her life forever. She also reflects on surviving prison, rebuilding her life, and how she sees her past today.

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He may seem sweet, attentive and genuinely interested in your daughter. But what if the romance is actually a trap?

In Stolen From the Suburbs, starring Sydney Sweeney, teenage girls are manipulated by young men they think they can trust before being abducted into a sex trafficking ring.Actress Brooke Nevin explains the real grooming tactic known as the “Romeo trap,” how traffickers exploit emotional vulnerability and her warning to unsuspecting parents that this can happen anywhere.

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With Gypsy Rose back in headlines after her ex-fiancés tragic passing, Emily and Shane are diving into the crime that initially put her behind bars.

What did Münchausen syndrome by proxy look like for Gypsy growing up? How far did her mother’s abuse extend? Did Dee Dee have everyone, including Gypsy, fooled?

There is no justification for murder; was it Gypsy’s only way out?

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Ted Kaczynski has been remembered as a brilliant, isolated killer, but people who actually knew him described another side. A local librarian who befriended him said he tutored her child and could make her laugh for hours.

Sharlto Copley, who plays him in Ted K, reveals the startling details he uncovered while researching Kaczynski and the side of the notorious killer most people have never heard about.

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Thomas Randolph was married six times, yet four of his wives had died… What happened to these women? How did he get away with these crimes for so long?

 Plus, there’s a Rod Stewart song about killing your wife and it’s a detail that Shane can’t quite get over.

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A woman is murdered, her body dumped in the Mississippi River, and nearly 30 years later, her ghost may help lead investigators back to her killer. Jennifer Fessler sits down with writer and director Philip Cairney to unpack HBO’s The Pet Cemetery Murders: A Ghost Story, a chilling true-crime investigation filled with mob ties, buried secrets, shocking twists, and eerie encounters that challenge even the biggest skeptics. Is it guilt, coincidence, or something paranormal?

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The first woman to be executed in Tennessee in over 200 years actually…survived. 

Christa Pike was given two lethal injections and has since recovered. According to her attorneys, she is now speaking and walking. 

This is not the first botched lethal injection in Tennessee this year. So, what happens next? 

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Denise Brown recounts the terrifying night she says she watched O.J. Simpson grab Nicole by the throat and lift her off the ground as Denise desperately tried to pull him away.

Nicole left with her that night but returned the next day. Denise explains why she once blamed herself and what she now understands about why victims go back.

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You may remember Jenny Lupton, the Southwest flight attendant who allegedly jumped off of a 24th floor hotel room in Honolulu, HI.
Emily and Shane are sitting down with two of Jenny’s best friends to discuss this mysterious case and WHY the alleged suicide attempt doesn’t make sense…
How was her body conveniently found in a dumpster? Why is her family not getting any answers? Would she ever leave her teenage son without saying goodbye?

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Emily and Shane are joined by psychologist Dr. Hillary Goldsher to discuss the case between Jane Doe and “The Cornell 7”. 
This episode will discuss alleged sexual assault, drug, and alcohol use which may be triggering to some listeners. 
If you or someone you know has been affected by sexual violence, support is available 24/7 through the RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 or online at rainn.org

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Nicole Brown Simpson’s sister Denise reveals the warning signs of abuse her family missed, including a shocking photo of Nicole’s battered face that she explained away as 'movie makeup.'

More than 30 years later, Denise opens up about what Nicole was hiding from the people closest to her, and what she wishes she had understood before it was too late.

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Drew Peterson collected wives, then collected murders… As a decorated police officer, Peterson flew under the radar when things started to look suspicious. What finally implicated him?

Did Peterson allegedly kill TWO of his wives? Did his children testify against him? Is he still in prison to this day?

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Comedian and actor Dane Cook joins Jen Fessler and Elisa Donovan to open up about the shocking betrayal at the center of his new documentary, Funny Money: The Dane Cook Story. After discovering his half-brother had stolen millions from him, Dane’s life, career and relationship with his family unraveled in ways he never saw coming. He reveals what the betrayal did to him personally, how he rebuilt his life after one of its darkest periods, and the lessons he learned the hard way about money and trust. Plus the surprising answer to whether he would ever sit down with him face-to-face.

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Michelle Carter told her suicidal boyfriend Conrad Roy to go through with it and when he tried to back out, prosecutors said she told him to get back in the truck.

The Girl From Plainville creator Patrick Macmanus takes Killer Thriller inside the explosive “texting suicide” case and reveals what he discovered in thousands of private messages about their complicated relationship.

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Elisa Donovan and Jenn Fessler react to the guilty verdict in the American Idol murder case and the stunning evidence that convinced a jury despite no recovered murder weapon, no gunshot-residue test and no blood on Caleb.

Jenn says the more than 100,000 messages between Caleb and his mistress may have essentially become the prosecution’s “murder weapon.”

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Lindsay Clancy had her first hearing since the mistrial, and Kevin Reddington made a shocking move… What’s next?
Plus, Caleb Flynn’s fate is now in the hands of the jury. What do Emily and Shane think about the AI songs and 100,000+ text messages between him and his mistress? 

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This month, Tomasz Kosowski represented himself at trial after being charged with first-degree murder… Unsurprisingly, the judge found him guilty in approximately 15 minutes.

Why did Kosowski commit such a gruesome crime against Steven Cozzi? What evidence did the prosecution present? Will Kosowski receive the death penalty for this?

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John Wayne Gacy buried victim after victim beneath his home until he ran out of room. 

'Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy' showrunner Patrick Macmanus takes us inside Gacy's house into the crawl space where victims were buried and exposes the shocking failures that allowed the murders to continue.

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Former American Idol contestant, Caleb Flynn, is currently on trial for the murder of his wife, Ashley. Though Caleb pleads “not guilty”, the prosecution has hard evidence against him, including over 100,000 text messages with his mistress…

**Disclaimer: this trial is ongoing. We will provide updates as it progresses. 

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What started as a high school sociology project became a real cold-case investigation. Jennifer Fessler sits down with teacher Alex Campbell, whose students spent hundreds of hours digging through evidence, building timelines, challenging theories and chasing answers in the infamous Redhead Murders. Campbell shares what they uncovered, why he believes teenagers are an untapped resource for cold-case investigations, and how their work has now led to a new investigation into a 46-year-old suspicious death.

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Ted Kaczynski terrorized America for 17 years while eluding the FBI. But before he was the Unabomber, he was a 16-year-old Harvard prodigy subjected to controversial psychological experiments.

Director Janus Metz joins Killer Thriller to reveal the disturbing story behind the new Netflix film and why Kaczynski’s warnings about technology feel eerily relevant in the age of AI.

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The gruesome double homicide that Lizzie Borden was accused of back in 1892 is being brought to light in Netflix's latest “Monsters” anthology…

What did the docuseries get right & what was completely fabricated?

Do we believe that Lizzie Borden actually killed her father and stepmother?

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Why was Patrick Clancy’s “60 Minutes” interview just 14 minutes long?! Do we think lawyers got involved?
Rachel Danis has officially confirmed her pregnancy. Did this announcement come across as…inappropriate?
Plus, what’s our final takeaway after seeing Patrick in this new light?

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The Lindsay Clancy case is far from over. Jenn Fessler and Elisa Donovan react to Patrick Clancy’s emotional 60 Minutesinterview and the intense scrutiny he continues to face, including the question of why he felt he had to defend himself publicly. They then break down the shocking 11-1 jury split that ended in a mistrial, the lone holdout who refused to budge, and the big question now: will Lindsay face another trial? Plus, they examine the complicated debate over postpartum psychosis and criminal responsibility, discuss the changes to postpartum care already being proposed in Massachusetts, and look ahead to what could happen when the case returns to court on September 29th.

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The murder of Dan Markel is as complex as it gets… When overprotective family members involve themselves in a bitter divorce, how do things end in murder?

Why were five people charged with Dan Markel’s death? What role did each of the guilty parties play? How was his ex-wife never implicated?!

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Jenn Fessler is joined by A Killer Story director Matthew Galkin and executive producer Josh Levine to unpack the murder case with no clear answer. They reveal the twists that changed their view of the case, the amateur sleuths who gave up everything to prove Dana Chandler’s innocence, the alternative suspect, and the shocking decision that changed the third trial. Plus, why they wouldn’t have convicted Chandler and why, after six years investigating, they’re still not sure who killed Mike and Karen.

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After years of horrific abuse, Rickie Kananen admitted killing both his parents. Then he accused his sister Stacey of being responsible for the murders.

Brendan Taylor joins Elisa to reveal the real Rickie behind "Monster in the Family" and the chillingly “normal” man he saw while watching the actual court footage.

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Jurors from the Lindsay Clancy trial are speaking out, but is it a good call?

Do we understand why the one holdout juror had his doubts? Where did the other jurors go wrong?

Plus, will Lindsay Clancy be receiving a Presidential pardon? 

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Kevin Reddington will be appearing in another murder trial very soon… He is representing Kelsie Cote, who is accused of murdering her grandmother, Doris.

The details of Doris Cote’s gruesome death has the public questioning: what will Kelsie’s defense be? 

Does it seem plausible that Doris died at the hands of anyone other than her granddaughter?

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Randy Roth knew exactly how to charm vulnerable women. Actor Colin Egglesfield explains how that charm could turn into something much darker.

Colin joins Elisa to unravel the convicted killer’s web of love bombing, control and lies, the suspicious death of another wife and the chilling question of how Randy kept convincing women to trust him.

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Tim Bliefnick gave the public a reason to dislike him before he pulled the trigger on his wife… Was his answer on “Family Feud” a foreshadowing of their fate?

Plus, how did a divorce attorney turn into a criminal attorney for Bliefnick? What are the reasons you should NEVER do this?

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Jennifer Fessler sits down with filmmakers Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato to unpack HBO’s Murder in Glitterball Cityand the shocking murder of hairdresser and drag performer James “Jamie” Carroll.

Jamie’s body was found buried beneath a Louisville home shared by former lovers Joey Banis and Jeffrey Mundt and both men blamed the other. The filmmakers reveal the disturbing evidence they uncovered, the questions that still linger and the surprising RuPaul’s Drag Race connection.

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A pregnant mom and her family are held at gunpoint for three terrifying days. And what really happened inside that house is even darker than the movie reveals.

Terror Comes Knocking actor Ivan Lopez joins Elisa to talk about the shocking true crime, the desperate fight to survive, and the disturbing details that never made it to screen.

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The trial that we’ve been following for weeks has finally come to a close… What does a mistrial mean for Lindsay Clancy and her team?

Kevin Reddington tried to get an appeal & is now asking the President for a pardon. Is it possible?

Plus, we’ve found similar cases to Clancy’s that may make you think twice. Is an acquittal truly the best option?

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Caroline Herrling may have come across as a sweet, innocent woman at first glance… At least to her neighbors.

Little did they know, she was taking over a dead man’s life & stealing his money before dismembering him on the roof of her building. And that's just the beginning. 

How did investigators catch Caroline and uncover her devious plans? Where is she now?

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“The Pastor’s Wife” is a new Netflix documentary that dives into the death of a devoted Christian woman, Mica Miller, who suffered grooming and abuse by her pastor and husband, JP Miller.

Do Emily and Shane believe that Mica killed herself, or was something more nefarious going on? 

How did JP continue to have followers, considering all he had done?!

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Five women. Five Hooters restaurants. Five shocking murders.

Jennifer Fessler sits down with The Hooters Murders: Deadly Shift showrunner Kevin Brennecke to uncover the disturbing connections between the cases and the warning signs that may have been missed. From workplace vulnerabilities to questions of safety and accountability, the documentary explores what happened to these women and why some former Hooters employees are still afraid to speak publicly.

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She killed her three children. But was Lindsay Clancy capable of understanding that what she was doing was wrong?

Elisa Donovan and Jennifer Fessler take on the case and find themselves struggling with the same question that has divided so many people: How much should severe mental illness change the way we judge an unthinkable crime?

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Emily and Shane are recapping this month’s true crime cases. 

From pastors to satanic rituals and fake doctors to scorned daughters…

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The jury is deliberating and they hold the fate of Lindsay Clancy in their hands… The question that everyone is asking: can Lindsay be fully acquitted?

What do Emily and Shane believe the final verdict will be? 

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Robert Baker, who plays school security guard Tom Hose in Lifetime’s The Girl Locked Upstairs: The Tanya Kach Story, breaks down how Hose kept a teenage girl captive for years without locks or chains and why psychological control can be just as powerful

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With the Clancy trial blowing up, there is another case of a husband framing his wife for suicide and it’s going viral… Coincidentally, they share the same name: Lindsey and Patrick.

Why did Patrick Barnett stage his wife’s suicide and where did he go wrong? Are there similarities between this case and what the public is allegedly assuming happened between the Clancy’s?

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Jordyn Ashley Olson, who portrays Tanya Kach in The Girl Locked Upstairs, breaks down one of the most chilling parts of Tanya’s story: why she was the perfect target for a predator.

At just 14, Tanya was isolated, vulnerable, and desperate for connection. Jordyn explains how a school security guard recognized those vulnerabilities and systematically exploited them until Tanya became dependent on the very man abusing her.

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Kevin Harper was sentenced to life in prison after a jury found him guilty of killing his 6-month-old son. Investigators claimed the cause of death was shaken baby syndrome.

Kevin was sentenced to prison, unable to grieve the loss of his son, and forced into survival mode for 13 years while he remained behind bars. 

He is here to tell his story about being wrongfully convicted, and shedding a light on The Northern California Innocence Project, who stepped in to free him.

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Why are we so obsessed with the lawyers behind true crime’s biggest cases? Elisa Donovan and Jennifer Fessler dive into our fascination with courtroom stars lie Johnny Cochran, Marcia Clark, and Camille Vasquez – and why Kevin Reddington has become a standout in the Lindsay Clancy trial.  They break down how charisma, confidence and courtroom presence can turn lawyers into celebrities and even chang the way we see the people on trial.

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Christa Pike was just 18 years old when she murdered her fellow classmate, Colleen Slemmer, and carved Satanic pentagrams into her body. Was this a calculated murder? Did Christa and her accomplices try to hide their involvement?

Christa became the youngest woman in modern history to be sentenced to death for her crimes. On September 30, 2026, she is scheduled for execution... Is there a way out? 

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A Wall Street titan. A secret affair. A brutal murder inside a Hamptons mansion.

Missing security footage. A millionaire murdered in his own home. More than 20 years later, people are still asking the same question: What really happened? Elisa Donovan and actor Shawn Christian unpack the twists, motives, and mysteries behind this infamous Hamptons case.

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Steven Beard was a widowed man with a fortune, and that caught the attention of a young woman named Celeste. Though she received a hefty allowance, lived in a beautiful home & had a husband that loved her, it wasn’t enough…

That’s when a mental hospital, a crazed lover and a murder plot arose. Who pulled the trigger and attempted to murder Steven?

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Eva LaRue is breaking her silence on the terrifying 12-year stalking ordeal she kept private for years and the shocking reality that her stalker is now out of prison and back in society. LaRue reveals the threats that left her living in constant fear, how the ordeal impacted her daughter Kaya, and why stalking victims can feel trapped even when no physical crime has occurred. Now, she is telling her story in My Nightmare Stalker: The Eva LaRue Story and revealing what finally made her ready to speak out.

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After immersing himself in the Night Stalker's life to prepare for his starring role, Lou Diamond Phillips put on a hoodie and prowled a neighborhood like Richard Ramirez . What happened next stopped the experiment in its tracks.

Plus, Lou reveals the chilling truth about the killer that disturbed him most.

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With the Lindsay Clancy trial still in full swing, Emily and Shane are going over the most shocking discoveries from the past week.

The prosecution has rested its case, and now the defense has the floor… What will happen?

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Hann Pan and Bich Pan may have been strict parents to their daughter, Jennifer, but they had no idea how deep her hatred ran…

How did Jennifer devise the ultimate crime against the people who brought her into this world? Where did she go wrong? Who helped her commit this heinous act?

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Everyone thinks they know the Sherri Papini case. Jaime King isn’t so sure.

In a candid conversation with Elisa Donovan, Jaime opens up about questioning the headlines and her gut instinct to tell Sherri’s story.

She also shares the words in the script she almost couldn’t say out loud and why she believes the truth may be more complicated than the public wants it to be.

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Lori Hacking was married to her high school sweetheart, Mark, and began to tell her friends the great news: she was pregnant.

Mark claimed he was in medical school. They were packing up to move to a different state just for his education… But, was it all a lie? What was he willing to do to keep this secret?

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Filmmaker Josh Zeman joins Killer Thriller to revisit The Killing Season, the groundbreaking docuseries that took viewers inside the investigation into the Gilgo Beach murders years before a suspect was arrested. Josh opens up about the victims whose cases were overlooked, the failures and infighting that plagued the investigation, and what his team uncovered while following the trail of missing women and suspected serial killers along Long Island’s South Shore. He also reflects on the emotional toll of working alongside victims’ families and reveals a crucial clue his team discovered during the making of The Killing Season that he wishes they had pursued further.

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Francine Hughes confessed to killing her husband, but millions of Americans still believed she was the victim.

Richard Masur takes us inside the true story behind The Burning Bed, the landmark true story crime drama that changed the national conversation about domestic violence. Did the jury get it right?

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Emily and Shane are diving into one of the most talked about & controversial cases happening right now, regarding a postpartum mother and a horrific crime against children.

Did Lindsay Clancy murder her 3 children while in a state of psychosis? Do we believe the theories that suggest she didn’t commit the crime at all? 

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Filmmaker Joe Berlinger joins Killer Thriller Docu to go inside Netflix’s The Idaho Murders: College Nightmare and explain why he refused to rush one of America’s most closely watched murder cases.

Joe discusses putting the victims, not the killer, at the center, the unanswered questions around the plea deal, and how online theories have changed the way we consume real-life tragedy.

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David Vander Meer was a pastor in Las Vegas, NV who got away with his wife’s death for 20 years… What happened?

David wasn’t only a murderer, he was also a pedophile, known to groom the children that attended his youth program. He even married one of his victims. How does a man this vile get away with his actions for so long? 

Plus, once David was arrested for his crimes, what happened to him? Did the police let something slip through the cracks? 

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Elisa Donovan and Jennifer Fessler examine two cases that captivated the nation: the Idaho murders and Lindsay Clancy, the Massachusetts mother accused of killing her three children.

They explore the role of mental health, the responsibility of true crime storytellers, and why we’re drawn to stories that confront the darkest parts of the human experience.

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An Amish husband secretly living as "Amish Stud." Multiple affairs. A wife who never saw it coming.

Kirsten Vangsness joins Elisa Donovan to explore the shocking true story behind Amish Stud, revealing how charm, loneliness, and manipulation can lead someone to do the unthinkable.

Follow Kirsten on Instagram: @kirstenvangsness

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Emily and Shane are recapping the most intriguing cases from this month's true crime lineup. 

From Bryan Kohberger to the 16 children found in their “house of horrors”, they’re giving you the latest updates.  

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Emily and Shane are diving into the case behind Netflix’s new documentary “A Toxic Love Story”. What key details did they leave out of this movie? Is there more to the victim’s story than we initially thought?

Plus, we’re providing updates on the new Netflix docuseries about the Idaho Murders. What information did this series shed a light on? What details of this case still stand out to us the most?

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Why do people become killers? Criminal Minds star Kirsten Vangsness joins Elisa Donovan to explore the psychology behind violent crime, why understanding behavior matters more than simple labels, and what more than 20 years as Penelope Garcia taught her about the darkest parts of the human mind.

Follow Kirsten on Instagram: @kirstenvangsness

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Sara Gilson was an influencer who was dealing with an abusive and unpredictable ex-husband in privacy.
Once she pulled back the curtain and revealed he was a pedophile, things spiraled out of control and left a murder-suicide in its wake. Is this the true danger of social media?

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Filmmaker Sophia Maddox joins Killer Thriller Docu to discuss "My Grandfather Charles Manson" and the shocking discovery that one of America's most infamous killers was her grandfather. Sophia shares how the revelation unraveled generations of family secrets, forever changed her relationship with her father, and inspired a deeply personal documentary about identity, generational trauma, healing, and breaking the cycle.

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When survival depends on outsmarting the person holding you captive, courage takes on an entirely different meaning.

Elisa Donovan talks with Girl in the Coffin star Tahirah Sharif about the psychology of captivity, why victims adapt in ways outsiders often misunderstand, and what stories like these reveal about fear, resilience, and the incredible instinct to survive.

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Emily and Shane are discussing the Los Angeles Innocence Project’s effort to prove Scott Peterson’s innocence. Is there enough evidence to sway a jury?

How do Emily and Shane feel? From a lawyer’s perspective, does he deserve a retrial at the very least?! Was circumstantial evidence enough to convict him in the first place? 

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The murder of Laci Peterson and her unborn son, Conner, was one of the most talked about crime cases in the early 2000’s. 
Scott Peterson: the husband, soon-to-be father & convicted murderer was picked apart by the media… But was it well deserved?
The truth is, Scott didn’t do himself any favors by having an affair, looking particularly uninterested in finding his wife, and allegedly trying to flee the state. Despite all of this circumstantial evidence, does Emily still believe his innocence?

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Jenn Fessler and Elisa Donovan revisit the infamous Pamela Smart case, unpacking the scandalous relationship with her 15-year-old student that set the stage for one of the most controversial murder convictions in modern American history.

They unpack the latest developments and court hearing in Smart's decades-long fight for freedom, debate whether she received a fair trial, and ask the question that still divides people more than 35 years later: Did the punishment fit the crime?

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Larry Millete was recently found guilty of murdering his wife, Maya. Her body was never found… What circumstantial evidence was enough for the prosecution to prove his guilt?!

When spell casters, poisons and strict rules for Maya were found, the conclusion seemed obvious.

Plus, Maya had claimed abuse before her disappearance. Scientific studies show that you’re 7x more likely to kill your spouse if there’s a history of strangulation.

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Most murders aren't committed by serial killers or lifelong criminals. They're carried out by ordinary people whose emotions, relationships, and decisions spiral out of control.

Elisa Donovan talks with David Lascher about starring alongside Melissa Joan Hart in Twisted Desire, a true crime drama inspired by real events that explores how teenage obsession, manipulation, and emotional turmoil can drive seemingly ordinary people to commit unimaginable act

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Kristine Bunch was sentenced to prison at just 21-years-old for killing her son, Tony. She was sentenced to a maximum security prison while being pregnant with her second son.

Kristine trusted the justice system, but the prosecution presented an altered report and junk science that led her jury to believe she was guilty. 

She was imprisoned for 17 years. She lost time with her son, and she didn’t have time to grieve her child that had passed. Yet, she was freed… How? 

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Director Margaret Brown joins Killer Thriller Docu to discuss HBO's The Yogurt Shop Murders, the gripping documentary series exploring the 1991 murders of four teenage girls in Austin, Texas, and the decades-long search for justice.

Margaret shares what drew her to one of Texas' most haunting unsolved cases, the emotional responsibility of telling a story rooted in unimaginable loss, and how false confessions and flawed interrogation tactics led to wrongful convictions.

She also reveals what happened when the unimaginable occurred: just weeks after the documentary premiered, the case was finally solved - prompting the series to return for a stunning final episode.

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Donna Yaklich alleged that her police detective husband repeatedly abused her, threatened her life and left her believing there was nowhere she could safely turn. Then she recruited two young men to kill him.

David Lascher joins Elisa Donovan to revisit the shocking case behind Cries Unheard, why the movie was far more brutal than he remembered, and the complicated question at its center: What happens when a victim of abuse becomes responsible for a crime herself?

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Fox Hollow Farm wasn’t just the Baumeister family home… On this property, investigators discovered 10,000 bone fragments of various men who went missing in the 1990’s. How did their bodies end up there?

After 30 years, why are we left with more questions than answers? Did Herb Baumeister have an accomplice that’s still alive? How did the police botch an investigation that involved so many deaths? 

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On this episode of Killer Thriller, Elisa Donovan is joined by Danielle Panabaker to discuss Lifetime’s new thriller Crowning at the Prom. Danielle opens up about playing a mother whose daughter’s carefully crafted perfect life begins to unravel after a devastating secret is revealed.

The episode explores the real-life tragedies that mirror the film, the pressure to maintain a perfect image, hidden pregnancies, eating disorders, and the importance of creating a safe space for young people to ask for help.

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When Sarah Boone locked her boyfriend in a suitcase, she documented it on her phone as he begged to be let out... Did she know he’d be dead the next morning?

What was her unique trial process like? When she was up on the stand, what did she claim her defense was? Did the jury find her guilty?

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Jennifer Fessler sits down with former Stratton Oakmont insiders Ross Portenoy and Howie Gelfand to reveal the real story behind The Wolf of Wall Street. They share firsthand stories from inside Jordan Belfort's infamous firm, expose what the Leonardo DiCaprio movie didn't show, and separate fact from fiction. They also open up about the dark side of Stratton Oakmont - from addiction and the infamous yacht disaster to the lasting fallout, accountability, and rebuilding their lives after one of the biggest financial scandals in history.

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For more than 20 years, the murders of Laci Peterson and her unborn son, Conner, seemed like a closed case. But A&E's Scott Peterson: The New Evidence is challenging everything we thought we knew.

This week on Killer Thriller Docu, Jennifer Fessler sits down with veteran defense attorney and ABC News legal consultant Chris Pixley to unpack the explosive new documentary, the evidence that could change the case forever, and why the Los Angeles Innocence Project believes Scott Peterson may not have received a fair trial. From overlooked witnesses to new forensic analysis, this is a conversation that will leave you questioning one of the most notorious murder convictions in modern history.

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Unbeknownst to neighbors, local schools, or hospitals, sixteen children were being locked in a 12x12 foot room in rural Ohio by their parents and grandparents.

How did police accidentally stumble upon this scene? What is the state of these children, aged 18 months to 18 years old?! Is the mother a victim, considering she was giving birth almost every year for 17 years, or is she an accomplice?

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For years, Natalee Holloway's disappearance left more questions than answers.

Long before Joran van der Sloot finally confessed to killing Natalee on a beach in Aruba in 2023, actress Amy Gumenick helped bring her story to millions of viewers.

Amy looks back on playing Natalee while the case remained unsolved, the emotional responsibility of portraying a real victim, and how Joran van der Sloot's confession forever changed the way she sees the story.

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