Murder Unscripted

Billings, Montana, November 1973. Cliff and Linda Bernhardt set their dinner table for three and welcomed a guest they trusted. By the next morning, the young couple were dead, and the killer had staged the scene in a way so strange it would puzzle investigators for the next 45 years.Cliff had survived the jungles of Vietnam. He didn't survive dinner at his own table.Melissa covers Week 3 of Killer Connections: a bizarre 1973 cold case, decades of dead ends, and the genetic genealogy breakthrough that finally gave the Bernhardt family a name. Ep. 117 | Killer Connections | Murder Unscripted | August 2026Hosted by Ed Hydock & Melissa Spivey | A Darkcast Network Production Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/murder-unscripted/id1750146409Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2AUGh12ei1wk8x7CvcX9qHPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/MurderUnscriptedPod/[email protected] | @murderunscripted

On the morning of May 2, 2001, Leslie Preer -- a warm, generous 48-year-old woman who her family said saw the world through rose-colored glasses -- didn't show up to work in Washington DC. Her boss drove to the family home in Chevy Chase, Maryland. Her husband Sandy met him there. When police arrived, they found Leslie on the bathroom floor, under the running shower, having suffered a brutal attack. From the beginning, investigators focused on Sandy. He failed a polygraph. His behavior seemed odd. The couple had debt, arguments, a history of tension. But the male DNA found at the scene and under Leslie's fingernails was never his. Sandy was never charged. He was also never cleared. In 2017, sixteen years after Leslie's murder, Sandy Preer died -- still, in the eyes of many in his community and even Leslie's own family, a suspect. In 2022, two female cold case detectives picked up the file with fresh eyes, refused to accept Sandy's guilt, and campaigned to get the case approved for forensic genetic genealogy through Othram, a Texas lab specializing in advanced DNA sequencing. The results pointed to a surname: Gligor. A Romanian family with deep roots in Chevy Chase -- and a connection to Lauren, Leslie's daughter, that nobody had looked at closely enough. Getting the suspect's DNA without alerting him required ingenuity. When he landed at Dulles Airport in June 2024, detectives had bottles of water waiting. He drank. He left. They collected the bottle. The DNA matched the evidence from Leslie's home, definitively and completely. Melissa covers the full story: Leslie's life and family, the decades of wrongful suspicion, the two detectives who cracked it open, and the interrogation scene that has to be heard to be believed. Sandy didn't live to see his name cleared. Lauren did. And she had 23 years worth of things to say at sentencing. Hosted by Ed Hydock & Melissa Spivey | A Darkcast Network Production Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/murder-unscripted/id1750146409Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2AUGh12ei1wk8x7CvcX9qHPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/MurderUnscriptedPod/[email protected] | @murderunscripted

35 years cold. 6 cells worth of DNA. One pink-haired genealogist. ⬇️ Roxanne Wood was murdered in her home in Niles, Michigan in February 1987. Her husband Terry was never charged, but he was never cleared either. For 35 years, a small town called him "Slash" to his face. The real killer was a stranger who lived a few miles away and had never been in the case file. The case was cracked by genetic genealogy using a DNA sample so degraded that experts called it unsolvable, and a genealogist named Gabriella Vargas who disagreed. She built a family tree back to the 1820s and came up with a name in four days. An undercover trooper bummed a cigarette off the suspect outside a laundromat to get the confirmation sample. The match was one in billions. Ed covers the full story... Roxanne's victimology, the cold case, the genealogy work, the exoneration, and an ending that will stay with you. The perfect first episode to kick off August's Killer Connections block. LISTEN ON AUDIO: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/murder-unscripted/id1750146409 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2AUGh12ei1wk8x7CvcX9qH SUPPORT THE SHOW: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/MurderUnscriptedPod/membership 20% of every membership goes to Courthouse Dogs Foundation 🐾 CONNECT WITH US: Email: [email protected] Socials: @murderunscripted If this one moved you, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. #MurderUnscripted #RoxanneWood #GeneticGenealogy

She brought dogs into the courtroom! Listen to find out how.Most true crime content is about catching the bad guy. This episode covers what happens afterwards - specifically, the moment a child has to walk into a room full of strangers and say out loud what happened to them. Courthouse facility dogs sit with victims and witnesses (many of them children) during forensic interviews, depositions, and testimony. They reduce cortisol. They increase accuracy. They make the impossible feel possible. And in most courtrooms, the jury never even knows they're there. To close out the Dog Days of Summer block, Ed and Melissa sit down with Dr. Celeste Walsen - co-founder and Executive Director of the Courthouse Dogs Foundation, the organization that coined the term, built the field, and has been MU's charity partner from the beginning. Watch til the end to see Celeste take part in a round of "Paw & Order." It gets good! Learn more and donate: https://www.courthousedogs.org LISTEN ON AUDIO: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/murder-unscripted/id1750146409 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2AUGh12ei1wk8x7CvcX9qH SUPPORT THE SHOW: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/MurderUnscriptedPod/membership 20% of every membership goes directly to Courthouse Dogs Foundation 🐾 CONNECT WITH US: Email: [email protected] Socials: @murderunscripted If this one moved you, please consider leaving us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. #MurderUnscripted #CourthouseDogs #TrueCrime

Frances Fritts was murdered in a house fire in Brenham, Texas in 1994. Her husband Charles walked out without a scratch. He had $800,000 in insurance lined up, a girlfriend abroad, and a Mercedes ad running in the local paper. Investigators had plenty of motive. What they needed was proof the fire was set deliberately. That proof came from two dogs named Samantha and Jager - hydrocarbon-sniffing K-9s who alerted to accelerant in the ruins of the Fritts home and helped put Charles away for life. And when the defense challenged their evidence in court, the Texas Court of Appeals made history. Fitts versus State, decided in 1998, became the case that put arson dogs in Texas courtrooms permanently. Melissa covers Frances's case and the remarkable legal legacy it left behind - including a note from the heart about a victim she couldn't find enough about, and the reason she still needed to say her name. LISTEN ON AUDIO: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/murder-unscripted/id1750146409 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2AUGh12ei1wk8x7CvcX9qH SUPPORT THE SHOW: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/MurderUnscriptedPod/membership 20% of every membership goes to Courthouse Dogs Foundation 🐾 CONNECT WITH US: Email: [email protected] Socials: @murderunscripted If you knew Frances Fritts, please reach out to [email protected]. We would love to tell her story properly. If this one moved you, please consider leaving us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. #MurderUnscripted #FrancesFritts #TrueCrime

He named his murder plan "Operation Slop Shop" and his neighbor was first on the list. Carlos Maldonado was a 55-year-old dad rebuilding his life - starting a window tinting business and rekindling a relationship with his daughter Talisa. On April 14th, 2024, he vanished without a trace. His body wasn't found until October 30th - wrapped in tarp and garbage bags, tied with rope, hidden on a wooded hill less than 200 feet from his own front door. A trail camera in a tenant's garden captured Maldonado's 63-year-old neighbor, Kevin Lychwick, making trips to the hillside at 12:41am. His explanation: he feeds the rabbits at night. But his apartment told a different story. In the living room, police find a stack of handwritten documents. One was labeled 'Operation Slop Shop.' It named his neighbor Carlos Maldonado as a threat. It was stamped November 2023...six months before Maldonado's murder. Lychwick represented himself during a shocking and entertaining trial, and was eventually found guilty of first-degree intentional homicide. Sentencing is scheduled for August 20, 2026. Subscribe so you don't miss the update. LISTEN ON AUDIO: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/murder-unscripted/id1750146409 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2AUGh12ei1wk8x7CvcX9qH SUPPORT THE SHOW: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/MurderUnscriptedPod/membership 20% of every membership goes to Courthouse Dogs Foundation 🐾 CONNECT WITH US: Email: [email protected] Socials: @murderunscripted If this one resonated with you, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. #MurderUnscripted #OperationSlopShop #TrueCrime

Two fires. One night. Four bodies. His own brother was behind everything. In the early hours of November 20th, 2018, a 911 call came in reporting a house fire in Ocean Township, New Jersey. Within hours, a second 911 call came in from a neighborhood fifteen miles away in Colts Neck. A man had gone outside to check on his generator after a mysterious power failure. He never came back in. His wife and two children were still inside when the house was set on fire. The victims were Keith Caniero, 50. His wife Jennifer, 45. Their son Jesse, 11. And their daughter Sophia, 8. The man who set the first fire at his own home, as a decoy) was Paul Caniero...Keith's older brother. The man who had been secretly embezzling from Keith's life insurance trust for years, spending the money on a lavish lifestyle and a mistress, and who faced financial ruin the moment Keith discovered the truth. If not for a New Jersey State Police K-9 named Creed, he might've gotten away with it. LISTEN ON AUDIO: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/murder-unscripted/id1750146409 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2AUGh12ei1wk8x7CvcX9qH SUPPORT THE SHOW: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/MurderUnscriptedPod/membership 20% of every membership goes to Courthouse Dogs Foundation 🐾 CONNECT WITH US: Email: [email protected] Socials: @murderunscripted #MurderUnscripted #CanieroFamily #TrueCrime

Kaylee's parents sit down to address the recently released autopsy details, the relentless online conspiracies, and share never-before-heard stories about their daughter Kaylee. The media dubbed them "The Idaho Four." But behind that moniker were four individuals with four families and four futures. One of them was Kaylee Goncalves...a bright, bubbly 21-year-old who had the world by a string. And while everyone knows the story of what happened to her few know the REAL Kaylee. Like how fiercely independent she was from the time she was small...the kind of kid who didn't ask for help and didn't need to be told twice. Like the prankster who liked throwing cell phones in the toilet and once told her dad she saw a cougar, only to show him a photo of an African leopard. That was Kaylee. In this powerful conversation, Steve and Kristi Goncalves also address the relentless media scrutiny, the release of case details not meant for the public, and the hateful online conspiracies that keep them up at night. They also speak to the work of the Murder Has a Name Foundation, which they founded in Kaylee's memory to advocate for victims' families navigating the criminal justice system. This is an interview that personifies Murder Unscripted, and it's one of the most important conversations we've ever had. To learn more about the Kaylee Goncalves Foundation: "Murder Has a Name" visit: www.murderhasaname.com LISTEN ON AUDIO: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/murder-unscripted/id1750146409 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2AUGh12ei1wk8x7CvcX9qH SUPPORT THE SHOW: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/MurderUnscriptedPod/membership 20% of every membership goes to Courthouse Dogs Foundation CONNECT WITH US: Email: [email protected] Socials: @murderunscripted If this one moved you, please consider leaving us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. #MurderUnscripted #KayleeGoncalves #SteveGoncalves

They were the 3 musketeers. One of them was a killer. In February 1980, 18-year-old University of South Alabama freshman Katherine Foster was supposed to meet her two best friends for a trip to the mall. She never showed up. Days later, a search party found her body in the woods just a few hundred yards from campus -- laying flat on her back, fully clothed, makeup intact, looking for all the world like she had simply laid down to take a nap. She had been shot twice in the head. Investigators were baffled. There was no struggle, no drag marks, no sign of sexual assault. Whoever did this, Katherine had trusted enough to walk into the woods with. Police chased every lead they had, but Katherine's case went cold for more than 22 years. Until a single phone call from an AA sponsor changed everything. Ed and Melissa cover the full case: the friend group at the center of it, the disturbing items found in a dead security guard's garage, the forensic science breakthrough at the University of Tennessee's Body Farm that rewrote the entire timeline, and the obsession that drove Jamie Kellam Letson to kill the friend who stood between her and a boyfriend who barely knew she existed. Content warning: murder, stalking, obsessive behavior. LISTEN ON AUDIO: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/murder-unscripted/id1750146409 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2AUGh12ei1wk8x7CvcX9qH SUPPORT THE SHOW: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/MurderUnscriptedPod/membership 20% of every membership goes to Courthouse Dogs Foundation CONNECT WITH US: Email: [email protected] Socials: @murderunscripted If this one got you, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. #MurderUnscripted #KatherineFoster #TrueCrime

On April 5th, 1986, Howard and Connie Clery returned home from a vacation in Bermuda to find a police car waiting in their driveway. Their 19-year-old daughter Jeanne had been found murdered in her dorm room at Lehigh University. What the Clerys discovered in the aftermath was as infuriating as it was devastating. In the three years before Jeanne's murder, there had been 38 violent crimes at Lehigh including rapes, robberies, aggravated assaults. Campus security had received over 2,000 reports of propped-open dorm doors in the year she was killed. 188 of those came from her building. None of this information had been available to them when they chose the school. Nobody was required to share it. The man who killed Jeanne - fellow student, Josoph Henry - had walked through a propped door and found her room unlocked because her roommate didn't have her key. He was convicted of first-degree murder. But Howard and Connie Clery were not finished. In 1990, the Crime Awareness and Campus Security Act was signed into law -- later renamed the Jeanne Clery Act. It requires every college and university receiving federal funding to publicly disclose campus crimes, issue timely warnings, and give students and families the safety information they need before choosing a school. Four decades later, it is still one of the most important pieces of campus safety legislation in the country.

Alaskan Sophie Sergie came from a remote Yupik village of 70 people. She was going to be the first in her family to graduate college. The last thing she told her family was a promise to bring her little brother a brand new kite. She never came home.On April 25th, 1993, Sophie Sergie was found violently murdered in a University of Alaska Fairbanks dorm bathroom. Her case went cold, and it stayed that way for more than a quarter century, until a woman uploaded her DNA to an ancestry site and unknowingly pointed investigators straight at her nephew, Steven Downs, who had been quietly living as a nurse in Maine the entire time.Ed covers Sophie's emotional story, the 28-year cold case, and the genetic genealogy breakthrough that finally brought justice. Ep. 107 | Collegiate Crimes Block | Murder Unscripted | June 2026https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/murder-unscripted/id1750146409https://open.spotify.com/show/2AUGh12ei1wk8x7CvcX9qH

Yeardley Love was 22 years old and ten weeks from graduating from the University of Virginia. She was a D1 lacrosse player, a political science major with plans for law school in New York, and by every account, the kind of person who made every room warmer just by being in it.She was also in an abusive relationship with a men's lacrosse player, George Huguely V, that had been escalating for years. Obsessive contact. Jealousy. Physical violence. In February 2010, just weeks before her death, he had her pinned to a bed with his hands around her throat. Witnesses pulled him off. Yeardley told her mother. She even wrote a letter ending the relationship. Yeardley locked her door...but he kicked it in.In the early hours of May 3rd, 2010, Yeardley's roommate came home to find her unresponsive on her bed. She was gone. That's when police find an email from George in her inbox that read: 'I should have killed you.' In this episode, Melissa walks through the full story of Yeardley's life and death, including: the escalation pattern that followed every textbook sign of a dangerous relationship, the trial that convicted George Huguely of second-degree murder and sentenced him to 23 years, the 2022 civil verdict of $15 million in damages, and the most important thing to come out of all of it: the One Love Foundation, built by Yeardley's mother Sharon and sister Lexie, dedicated to teaching young people to recognize the warning signs of unhealthy relationships before they become fatal.This one is heavy, but it matters. If this episode makes you think of someone in your life, please take that seriously.One Love Foundation: https://www.joinonelove.orgWritten by Sue Grice | Hosted by Melissa Spivey Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/murder-unscripted/id1750146409Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2AUGh12ei1wk8x7CvcX9qHPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/MurderUnscriptedPod/[email protected] | @murderunscripted

If you haven't listened to our DC Sniper episode yet (E104), start there first. This is the conversation that follows it.Dr. Mildred Muhammad was married to John Allen Muhammad for 12 years. She knew him as a soldier, a father, a man she loved. What she didn't know was that after their separation, he had begun stalking her, that he had kidnapped their three children and taken them to Antigua for 18 months using forged documents, that she had been living under a restraining order that still permitted visitation, and that during October of 2002...while the DC metropolitan area was being terrorized by a sniper...she was living in that same region with no idea the man behind it was her ex-husband.And then she found out she was allegedly the intended target all along.In this episode, Dr. Muhammad walks us through her entire story. Growing up in Baton Rouge. Meeting John. What the marriage looked like from the inside. The kidnapping of her children and the 18 months she spent fighting to bring them home. The moment she learned his name. The aftermath. Being treated as a potential accessory. The court refusing to allow domestic violence evidence at trial. And what she has built since as an author, advocate, speaker, podcaster, and appointed member of the Maryland State Board of Victim Services.Oh and listen until the end. We play a fun little game at the end testing Mildred's knowledge of all things Louisiana. She's from Baton Rouge. Melissa is not. It went about as well as you'd expect. 😂🎧 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/murder-unscripted/id1750146409 🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2AUGh12ei1wk8x7CvcX9qH 💛 Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/MurderUnscriptedPod/membership 📬 [email protected] | @murderunscripted

In October 2002, the Washington DC area woke up to something it had never felt before. People were being shot at gas stations, in parking lots, at bus stops, at a school...apparently at random, by someone nobody could see, in a car nobody could find. Police were sprinting between active scenes. Schools canceled outdoor activities. People crouched at gas pumps trying to make themselves smaller targets. Senators got police escorts to the Capitol. Ten people would be killed in three weeks. Three more wounded. And almost none of it was random.In today's spine-chilling episode, Ed walks through the case of the DC Sniper, including: the months of seemingly disconnected shootings across six states before the DC attacks began, the investigation that kept missing the blue Caprice that was hiding in plain sight, the tarot card left at a middle school, and the motive reveal that reframes everything.Ed also shares something personal: in October 2002, he was a first-day intern at Forensic Files... and the DC Sniper case was his very first assignment. He watched it unfold, frame by frame, on two hours of raw news tape. It's what drew him into the true crime industry.

In post-Soviet Siberia, women were disappearing from the streets of Angarsk. Their bodies turned up in forests and industrial wastelands, mutilated beyond recognition. The weapons changed every time, but the tire tracks at the scenes were always from the same vehicle: a Lada Niva, the standard-issue Soviet police truck. The man driving it was Mikhail Popkov: junior police lieutenant, champion biathlete, beloved neighbor, husband and father. His wife Elena, a fellow officer in the same department, called him a 'perfect husband and father.' His colleagues said he was the soul of every party. When women were attacked on his city's streets, he was often first on scene. Because he was the one who had attacked them. Popkov used his badge, his uniform, and the trust people place in law enforcement to lure women into his patrol vehicle on freezing Siberian nights. He killed them with weapons stolen from his own department's evidence room, varying the method each time to prevent investigators from finding a pattern. He then returned to work, attended briefings on his own murders, and offered his observations to his colleagues. When a 15-year-old survivor picked him out of a photo lineup, his wife gave him an alibi. When biological evidence linked him to a victim, his wife gave him an alibi again. Investigators shelved the case. Popkov kept killing. By the time a 3,500-officer DNA sweep finally caught him in 2012, Popkov had confessed to 87 murders, making him the most prolific serial killer in Russian recorded history. Some investigators believe the true number may be closer to 200. When a judge asked how many total murders he had committed, Popkov shrugged and said: 'I can't say exactly. I didn't write them down.' Ed walks through the full story for the Who the Bleep Did I Marry block: the victims, the system failures, the jaw-dropping confession, and the impossible question Popkov's own daughter asked aloud while pregnant: would her child grow up to be a monster like him? She said she still didn't fully understand what her father was. And that she still loved him. Researched & written by Sue Grice | Hosted by Ed Hydock | A Darkcast Network Production Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/murder-unscripted/id1750146409Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2AUGh12ei1wk8x7CvcX9qHPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/MurderUnscriptedPod/[email protected] | @murderunscripted

His 13-year-old son found a skull in the backyard. Herb Baumeister said it was from his father's medical collection. His wife believed him.Over ten thousand human bone fragments were eventually recovered from Fox Hollow Farm — the 18-acre Indiana estate where Herb hosted family pool parties, ran a thrift store empire, and murdered at least eleven men, possibly twenty-five, while his wife and kids had no idea.Melissa walks through one of the most disturbing cases in our "Who the Bleep Did I Marry?" block cases MU has ever covered — including the I-70 Strangler theory, the missing tapes, and the DNA work that is still identifying victims in 2026.

⚠️ Content warning: domestic violence, child abandonment, shooting. She was abandoned by both parents before she was 17. She spent her life searching for a man who would finally take care of her. She found a 73-year-old millionaire who led her on for seven years — and then tried to walk away with a restraining order. He didn't make it out of the parking lot. Episode 101 is the finale of MU's "Rules of Murder" block — and one of the most psychologically complex cases Melissa has ever covered. Based on Ann Rule's "Old Man's Darling" from Crime Files Vol. 10: "Worth More Dead." Ep. 101 | Rules of Murder Block Finale | Murder Unscripted | April 2026https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/murder-unscripted/id1750146409https://open.spotify.com/show/2AUGh12ei1wk8x7CvcX9qH

At age 14, her mother introduced her to Ted Bundy, and by 17, she was photographing killers in courtrooms. For our special 100th episode, Murder Unscripted welcomes the incredible Leslie Rule - author, paranormal investigator, and daughter of true crime legend, Ann Rule! In a wide-ranging conversation, Leslie takes us inside her extraordinary childhood living in a haunted house, her decades of ghost hunting, and what she thought of America's most notorious serial killer. We talk about what it was like to grow up in Ann Rule's shadow, and how Leslie has carried the torch with her book: A Tangled Web, which details the murder of Nebraska mother Cari Farver. Milestone episode. Legendary guest. Don't miss it! 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/murder-unscripted/id1750146409 🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2AUGh12ei1wk8x7CvcX9qH ❤️ Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/MurderUnscriptedPod/membership 📧 [email protected] | @murderunscripted #MurderUnscripted #LeslieRule #AnnRule

In this Murder Unscripted bonus episode, Ed and Melissa take you through a brief but essential overview of the murder of Cari Farver—a case that spirals far beyond a simple missing persons story.What begins as a sudden disappearance quickly unravels into a disturbing web of obsession, manipulation, and deception that went on for years before the truth came to light.This case is the subject of Leslie Rule’s book, A Tangled Web, and we highly recommend listening to this episode before diving into our upcoming interview with Leslie for the full experience.Consider this your primer… because once you hear what really happened, everything changes.

⚠️ Content warning: domestic violence, murder, child endangerment.If you haven't listened to Part 1 (Ep. 98) yet — start there. This is the conclusion of one of the most devastating cases MU has ever covered.Sheila Bellush had done everything right. She got out of the marriage, fled across the country in the middle of the night, and built a new life in Sarasota, Florida with her husband Jamie and six children - including the quadruplets who made her a local celebrity known as "The Quad Mom." She was safe,,..or so she thought.Allen Blackthorne had spent years manipulating a golf buddy named Danny Rocha.... feeding him lies about Sheila being an abusive mother, escalating his rage, and eventually putting a $50,000 contract on her life. The man who took the job, Joey Del Torro, drove from Texas to Florida and hid inside Sheila's home while she played with her babies and did laundry, completely unaware. In Part 2, Ed walks through the murder, the investigation that unraveled the conspiracy piece by piece, and the trial that finally brought Allen Blackthorne to justice — two life sentences without the possibility of parole. And the aftermath: what happened to Jamie, to Stevie, to Daryl, to the quads, and to Sheila's heartbroken mother Jean, who lost her third child in the month of November.Based on Ann Rule's "Every Breath You Take" (2001) | Researched & written by Sue Grice | Hosted by Ed Hydock | A Money Beet Media Production, in association with The Darkcast Network🎧 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/murder-unscripted/id1750146409🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2AUGh12ei1wk8x7CvcX9qH💛 Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/MurderUnscriptedPod/membership📬 [email protected] | @murderunscripted

⚠️ Content warning: domestic violence, sexual assault, animal abuseOn November 7th, 1997, Sheila Bellush was murdered inside her own home in Sarasota, Florida. It was a murder-for-hire... planned at a distance, carried out by strangers. And it would never have happened if the man she'd married had faced even one consequence for any of the things he had done before.This is Part 1 of MU's two-part deep dive into one of Ann Rule's most chilling books — "Every Breath You Take." But before we get to the crime, Ed takes us inside the mind and the history of the man behind it: Allen Blackthorne.Allen was a liar, a manipulator, a predator, and a con artist from childhood. He destroyed two marriages before Sheila, drove his in-laws into bankruptcy, killed two people on a highway and walked free, and told his sister-in-law, point blank, that if Sheila ever left him, he would kill her.Part 1 is the origin story. The red flags nobody acted on. The system that failed at every turn. And the moment the crow should have been cued...long before it was.Part 2 drops next week. Subscribe and don't miss it.Based on Ann Rule's "Every Breath You Take" (2001) | Researched & written by Sue Grice | Hosted by Ed Hydock | A Money Beet Media Production in association with the Darkcast Network

Crime scene cleaner Anthony Vogel has walked into homicides, suicides, and unattended deaths. He's found things nobody expected and carried the weight of other people's worst days home with him.In the finale of our 2026 Spring Cleaning block, Ed and Melissa sit down with Anthony for one of the most fascinating conversations we've ever had — covering the training, the tools, the humor, the haunting scenes, and what crime TV gets completely wrong about his job.This is the side of true crime nobody talks about.

The night before Irene Izak left Cleveland, she woke up screaming. She had dreamed of a faceless figure beating her over the head with rocks. Her family calmed her down. It was just a dream. Two nights later, on June 10th, 1968, Irene's body was found at the bottom of a wooded ravine on Wellesley Island, New York — just one mile from the Canadian border. She had been bludgeoned with rocks. Killed exactly as she had dreamed. Irene Juliana Izak was 25 years old. A child of Ukrainian war refugees, she had survived bombings, displacement, and poverty to become a beloved French teacher fluent in six languages — a woman who radiated warmth, chased adventure, and trusted the goodness in people. She was on her way to a job interview in Quebec City but never made it. The only real suspect was the state trooper who pulled her over that night — and then, just 30 minutes later, found her body. He had blood on his uniform. He gave three different stories for how it got there. He refused to meet with Irene's heartbroken father. He lawyered up mid-interview and was never questioned again. He died in 2009, taking any secrets to his grave. No one has ever been arrested. No one has ever been charged. Ed and Melissa bring you this episode with a heavy heart, and with personal connection. This case is dedicated MU listener and longtime friend of the pod, Cassandra, whose family has spent decades seeking justice for her great-aunt Irene. Cassandra's mother, Lisa, shares her family's story in her own words throughout this episode. If you have any information about the murder of Irene Izak, please contact the New York State Police Cold Case Unit. This case remains open. This one is for Irene. 🖤

⚠️ CONTENT WARNING: This episode covers the deaths of infants. Ed and Melissa handle it with care, but please listen accordingly.In 2015 and 2016, the neonatal unit at the Countess of Chester Hospital in the UK recorded a disturbing spike in unexplained infant deaths. The investigation — codenamed Operation Hummingbird — eventually zeroed in on one suspect: a quiet, introverted nurse named Lucy Letby.After a 10-month trial, Lucy was convicted of murdering 7 babies and attempting to murder 6 more. She received 15 whole life terms — the longest sentence possible in the UK. The case rocked Britain.But not everyone is convinced justice was served.A panel of 14 elite international neonatal physicians — assembled voluntarily by the Canadian doctor whose research was used to convict her — reviewed all 17 cases and unanimously concluded: no crimes were committed. The medical evidence, they say, was misunderstood.Add to that: a lead prosecution expert witness with a documented pattern of tailoring testimony to whichever side hires him. A defense team that called zero medical experts. And a handwritten note that reads 'I AM EVIL, I DID THIS' — which prosecutors called a confession and the defense called the journal of a gaslit, scapegoated nurse.Ed and Melissa break down every angle of one of the UK's most divisive cases, from Lucy's unusually quiet childhood and rocky nursing school days, to the questionable testimony, the missing evidence, and the international doctors who may have just blown the case wide open.This one will make you question everything. 🖤Submitted by listener Kate M. | Written by Sue Grice | Hosted by Ed Hydock & Melissa Spivey

On Thanksgiving Day 2018, 29-year-old flight instructor and mother Kelsey Berreth vanished from her Woodland Park, Colorado condo. She'd been at the grocery store that morning. She'd texted her mom about Thanksgiving dinner recipes. She'd left cinnamon rolls on the stove for her baby daughter. Then she was gone.What followed was one of the most gripping murder investigations in Colorado history... a missing person case that turned into a homicide investigation when a single blood smear on a toilet changed everything. And a critical break that came not from physical evidence, but from a nurse in Idaho with a secret she could no longer keep.In this episode, Ed covers the full Kelsey Berreth case, including: How Patrick Frazee (her fiancé and the father of her daughter) planned and carried out a premeditated murder.How he enlisted his secret girlfriend Krystal Lee Kenney to clean up the evidence and help disappear Kelsey's body.How an extraordinary web of phone records, surveillance footage, and one woman's devastating testimony put a killer in prison for the rest of his life.This is a case about domestic violence, manipulation, and coercive control. It is also a case about a woman who deserved better, and a little girl growing up knowing who her mother really was. Case suggested by listener Tiange678. Thank you!!!

On New Year's Eve 2013, 23-year-old Ashley Kline left her Robesonia, PA home to meet a friend — and never came home. While her best friend waited at a party and her father held onto hope, Ashley had vanished without a trace. What followed was a chilling investigation: scattered belongings in a snow-covered field, a Tinkerbell keychain pulled from a drained water tank, and a body found burned in a wildlife preserve 16 miles away. Ed and Melissa walk through every haunting detail... from the obsessive prison pen pal writing letters from behind bars, to the surveillance footage that cracked the case wide open. This case was submitted by listener Amy F., who grew up near Robesonia. Thank you, Amy. ⚠️ Content Warning: This episode contains descriptions of murder, sexual assault, and violence. Subscribe, rate & review — and join us on Patreon for behind-the-scenes content and bonus episodes!

30 Years Fighting for Murder Victims: An Interview with Andy Kahan Andy Kahan has dedicated over three decades to victims' advocacy at Crime Stoppers Houston. He's the expert families call when they need someone to fight for them, whether it's navigating the parole system, keeping cold cases in the public eye, or understanding why the justice system doesn't always deliver what they expect. He leads meetings for Parents of Murdered Children that can draw 30-40 attendees, and he's personally helped keep serial killers behind bars through publicity campaigns he calls the 'horsefly effect.' In this interview, Ed and Melissa sit down with Andy to discuss his work with grieving families, the Texas mandatory release law that has allowed violent offenders to walk free, the Coral Eugene Watts and Genene Anne Jones cases where last-minute interventions changed everything, and what meaningful criminal justice reform could look like. Plus, a special mini-game that tests Andy's encyclopedic knowledge of the cases that have shaped victims' rights.

In June 1996, twenty-two-year-old Aimee Willard — a two-sport All-American athlete at George Mason University and a beloved daughter of the Philadelphia suburbs — vanished on her drive home from a night out with friends. Her car was found running on an Interstate 476 off-ramp in the early morning hours, door open, radio still playing. She was nowhere. What followed was a sprawling, shocking investigation: a police impersonator who showed up at the crime scene, an off-duty state trooper with a suspicious story, an actual officer who lied to investigators, and ultimately, a convicted murderer who never should have been free. In this episode, Ed and Melissa walk through the case that haunted a region, examine the catastrophic failures of the interstate parole system, and reveal how Aimee's mother, Gail Willard, channeled unimaginable grief into action — fighting all the way to Washington D.C. for a federal law that now carries her daughter's name. Aimee's Law, signed by President Clinton in 2000, allows states to be financially penalized when they release violent offenders who go on to commit the same crimes elsewhere. It was born from one community's worst nightmare and one mother's refusal to let her daughter's story end with tragedy. This episode is part of Murder Unscripted's February theme: Short Sentences — stories about violent offenders released early, and the devastating consequences that followed. ⚠️ Content Warning: This episode contains detailed descriptions of violence, sexual assault, and homicide. Listener discretion is advised.

On March 5, 1984, a Houston father discovered both of his daughters murdered in their Heights-area home. Yleen Kennedy, 33, had been sexually assaulted, stabbed four times in the throat, and shot. Her younger sister Lillie, 23, was executed with a single bullet to the back of the head. A neighbor spoke directly to the killer that morning, and police released a composite sketch within 48 hours. Tips flooded in by the hundreds. But one by one, every suspect was eliminated, and the case went ice cold. For over 30 years, the girls' mother Rose called the Houston media every year on the anniversary of their deaths, begging them to remember her daughters. Then DNA technology caught up, and an informant's tip from Indiana changed everything. In this episode, Ed and Melissa explore the brutal crime, the decades of dead ends, the DNA breakthrough that identified the killer, and the Texas sentencing law that delivered a bitter lesson in imperfect justice.

He begged prison officials not to release him. He told them he would kill. They let him out anyway.Nineteen days later, four people were dead in Omaha, Nebraska.This is the story of Nikko Jenkins—a man failed by every system designed to help him, who then committed one of the most preventable killing sprees in recent memory. It's also the story of four victims: Juan Uribe-Pena, Jorge Cajiga-Ruiz, Curtis Bradford, and Andrea Kruger. Some made headlines. Others were barely mentioned. All deserved justice from the start.In this episode, Ed and Melissa examine the catastrophic failures that led to tragedy—from a childhood marked by documented mental illness and abuse, to a prison system that ignored years of warnings, to a media landscape that only paid attention when the "right" victim was killed.This is Block 21: Sentencing Failures. Because sometimes the scariest part of true crime isn't the killer—it's the system that could have stopped them and didn't.Content Warning: This episode contains discussions of violence, mental illness, childhood abuse, and systemic failures in the criminal justice system.In This Episode:The August 2013 Omaha killing spreeHow media coverage differs based on who the victim isThe documented history of mental illness that was repeatedly ignoredWhy Nikko Jenkins was released directly from solitary confinement with zero supervisionThe families who are still seeking answersSupport the Show: Leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, screenshot it, and send it to us for a free Murder Unscripted sticker!Connect With Us: Patreon | Instagram | Facebook | TikTok | Reddit: r/MurderUnscripted

He was called "The Snaggletooth Killer." His crooked teeth sentenced him to death row. But Ray Krone was innocent.In 1991, bartender Kim Ancona was brutally murdered at the CBS Lounge in Phoenix, Arizona. Police arrested Ray Krone—a mail carrier with no criminal record—based primarily on bite mark evidence that a forensic expert claimed was "100% certain, better than a fingerprint."Ray was convicted. Twice. He was sentenced to death. He spent over 10 years in prison, including time on Arizona's death row, before DNA evidence proved his innocence and identified the REAL killer: Kenneth Phillips, who had been living just 600 yards from the crime scene the entire time.This case is personal for Ed—he was the associate producer on the original Forensic Files episode "Once Bitten" back in 2003. It was his very first case in the true crime industry.In this episode, we break down:The brutal murder of Kim Ancona at the CBS LoungeHow flawed bite mark evidence led to a wrongful convictionThe "nationally known expert" who got it completely wrongRay's battle through two trials and two convictionsLife on Arizona's death rowThe DNA breakthrough that changed everythingKenneth Phillips: the real killer who walked free for over a decadeThe emotional moment Kim's mother apologized to the man she'd twice asked to executeThis case changed forensic science in America and exposed the dangerous flaws in bite mark analysis. It's a story of injustice, perseverance, and the power of DNA to set the innocent free.Stay tuned—Ray Krone himself joins us as a guest in an upcoming episode.

In this episode of Murder Unscripted, we dive deep into one of the most shocking wrongful conviction cases in American history. In 1991, bartender Kim Ancona was brutally murdered at the CBS Lounge in Phoenix, Arizona. Police arrested Ray Krone, a mail carrier with no criminal record, based primarily on bite mark evidence that a forensic expert claimed was “better than a fingerprint.”Ray was convicted TWICE and sentenced to death. He spent over 10 years in prison - including time on Arizona’s death row - before DNA evidence proved his innocence and identified the REAL killer, Kenneth Phillips, who had been living just 600 yards from the crime scene the entire time.This case changed forensic science in America and exposed the dangerous flaws in bite mark analysis. It’s a story of injustice, perseverance, and the power of DNA to set the innocent free.👉 FOLLOW for more true crime content every week!📚 SOURCES: The Arizona Republic newspaper archives (1991-2006) Forensic Files - “Once Bitten” (Season 8, Episode 7) National Registry of Exonerations Innocence Project case files🔗 RESOURCES: - Innocence Project: https://innocenceproject.org - National Registry of Exonerations: https://law.umich.edu/special/exoneration

In October 2003, Kimberly Long’s life was permanently altered when she discovered her boyfriend, Oswaldo “Ozzy” Conde, murdered in their home. What followed was not justice — but a catastrophic failure of it.In this gripping episode of Murder Unscripted, hosts Ed Hydock and Melissa Spivey examine how Kimberly was wrongfully convicted of second-degree murder despite a lack of physical evidence, ignored forensic indicators, and alternate suspects who were never fully investigated.Through flawed testimony, untested DNA, and a rushed legal process, Kimberly was sentenced to 15 years to life — even as the trial judge openly stated he believed she was innocent. Years later, the California Innocence Project uncovered critical evidence that should have been presented from the start, leading to her conviction being vacated.This episode explores the emotional, legal, and human toll of wrongful convictions — and asks the question: how many others are still waiting for justice?

An innocent man lost 30 years to prison. The real killer? He stabbed another woman 90+ times and walked free. This case will ENRAGE you. 🔍⚖️In this episode of Murder Unscripted, we dive deep into one of Texas' most heartbreaking wrongful conviction cases. In 1981, Carol Elaine Armstrong was found murdered on a rural dirt road in Navarro County, Texas,,,stabbed 45 times and left to die. The investigation led nowhere until two jailhouse informants pointed the finger at Randolph Arledge. But here's what the jury never knew: those informants LIED for plea deals. There was NO physical evidence. And while Randolph sat behind bars for three decades, the alleged REAL killer, David Sims, was out there, free to attack again. 📚 SOURCES: - National Registry of Exonerations - Innocence Project of Texas - Corsicana Daily Sun Archives (1981-1984) - Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Records - CBS News Investigation (2013) #TrueCrime #WrongfulConviction #MurderMystery #ColdCase #InnocenceProject #Texas #Documentary #TrueCrimePodcast #MurderUnscripted #Justice #Exoneration #CriminalJustice #Investigation #UnsolvdMurder #CarolArmstrong #NavarroCounty #Corsicana #JailhouseInformant #DNAEvidence #TrueCrimeDocumentary #TrueCrimeCommunity #CrimePodcast #MurderPodcast #JusticeSystem #WrongfullyConvicted

Before the red suit and the reindeer, Sgt. Christopher Kringle spent three centuries solving murders at the North Pole. Now, for the first time ever, he's breaking his silence on the case that nearly destroyed Christmas. 🦌 THE CASE: On December 22nd, just days before Christmas Eve, Blitzen was found dead in his stable...an antler removed at the base. What looked like an accident quickly became the most explosive investigation in North Pole history. 🔍 THE INVESTIGATION: Rival reindeer with motive. An elf with secrets. A 156-million-toy embezzlement scheme. And evidence hidden in the most unexpected place. 📺 SUBSCRIBE for weekly true crime deep dives: https://www.youtube.com/@MurderUnscriptedPod 🎧 LISTEN on your favorite platform: Apple Podcasts: [LINK] Spotify: [LINK] Website: https://murderunscriptedpod.com 👥 ABOUT MURDER UNSCRIPTED: Join veteran true crime producer Ed Hydock (Forensic Files, Cold Case Files, City Confidential) and true crime super-fan Melissa Spivey as they break down the barrier between true crime fan and true crime creator. New episodes every Tuesday! 📱 FOLLOW US: • Instagram: @MurderUnscripted • TikTok: @MurderUnscripted 💬 Join the Crime Crew! Drop your theories in the comments below. Or start a conversation on Reddit: www.reddit.com/r/murderunscripted #truecrimecommunity #MurderUnscripted #ChristmasSpecial #ColdCase #TrueCrimePodcast #MurderMystery #CrimePodcast #TrueCrimeCommunity #Detective #Homicide #Christmas #Holiday #SantaClaus #Reindeer #NorthPole #CrimeStory #Investigation #ForensicFiles #ColdCaseFiles #TrueCrimeAddicts #CrimeCommunity #PodcastEpisode #NewEpisode #ChristmasContent #HolidaySpecial

In Part Two of our coverage of Richard Speck, Murder Unscripted details the night of terror inside the Chicago townhouse where eight student nurses were attacked and murdered.We walk through the crime scene, honor each victim’s story, and explain how Speck was identified, arrested, and ultimately convicted. This episode also examines his time in prison and his death — closing the chapter on one of the most infamous crimes in American history.This is a victim-focused conclusion to a case that continues to haunt generations.

Before Richard Speck murdered eight student nurses in Chicago, there were years of warning signs no one stopped.In Part One of our coverage, Murder Unscripted explores Speck’s childhood, his deeply troubled relationships, and the violent misogyny that fueled his crimes. We examine his belief that “all women are whores,” the rage that defined his interactions, and his first known murder — Mary Pierce in Illinois — a chilling precursor to what was to come.This episode lays the groundwork for understanding how Richard Speck became one of America’s most notorious killers — and why the system failed to intervene.Part Two continues with the night that shocked the nation.#TrueCrime#TrueCrimePodcast#MurderUnscripted#TrueCrimeCommunity#CrimePodcast #RichardSpeck #SpeckMurders #ChicagoCrimes #NursesMurders #MaryPierce #TrueCrimeYouTube #TrueCrimeSeries #CrimeDocumentary #UnsolvedHistory #AmericanCrime

Cold cases spanning years suddenly collided when a long-overdue DNA match pointed straight to Shore. In Part Two of our investigation into Anthony Allen Shore, we uncover the forensic break that finally exposed the man responsible for some of Houston’s most haunting murders. As Shore’s violence escalated, investigators struggled to connect the cases — until one pivotal DNA match changed everything. This episode brings together the threads that detectives spent years chasing, and shows how close Shore came to continuing his cycle of violence.#TourniquetKiller #AnthonyAllenShore #TrueCrimePodcast #MurderUnscripted #DNAColdCase #ForensicFiles #HoustonCrime #SerialKillerCaseFiles #TrueCrimeCommunity

In Part One of our two-episode deep dive into Anthony Allen Shore — The Tourniquet Killer, we explore the early life of a predator who hid in plain sight. We trace Shore’s abusive upbringing, his escalating behavior, and the first murders later linked to him through DNA: Laurie Tremblay in 1986 and Maria del Carmen Estrada in 1992.This episode lays the foundation for understanding how Shore selected his victims, how he evaded detection for years, and why these early cases remained unsolved for so long. A victim-centered, psychologically informed examination of the beginnings of one of Texas’ most haunting serial killer cases.#TourniquetKiller #AnthonyAllenShore #TrueCrimePodcast #MurderUnscripted #TrueCrime #SerialKillerCaseFiles #ForensicBreakthroughs #HoustonMurders

How reliable is your memory of a face? In this episode of Murder Unscripted, Melissa and Ed sit down with world-renowned forensic sketch artist and cognitive-interviewing expert Gil Zamora.Gil shares his remarkable journey from law enforcement to becoming one of the most outspoken reformers in forensic art. He breaks down how traditional eyewitness interviews can contaminate memory, how his Mindful Interview Methodprotects cognitive evidence, and what really happens behind the scenes of high-stakes investigations—including his work on the 2003 Kathy Loreck murder.Gil also takes us inside the transformative Dove “Real Beauty Sketches” campaign, revealing what it taught him about perception, identity, and the stories we tell ourselves about our own faces.Then we put his skills (and our memories) to the test in a forensic-sketch mini-game featuring a young Tim Allen, whose pre-fame criminal past becomes the basis for an unforgettable demonstration.If you love true crime, psychology, memory science, or behind-the-scenes investigative work, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.

On a sunny afternoon in 2003, 49-year-old Kathleen “Kathy” Loreck stepped out for her regular lunchtime walk along a quiet Concord, California trail. Minutes later, she was brutally attacked in broad daylight — a crime so evil it shook the entire community to its core. In this episode of Murder Unscripted, we unpack the chilling details behind Kathy's murder, the witnesses who stepped up to help, and the composite sketch that brought a ruthless killer to justice.#TrueCrime #TrueCrimePodcast #MurderUnscripted #KathyLoreck #KathleenLoreck #TrailMurder #ConcordMurder #CaliforniaCrime #DNACase #CrimeStories #BroadDaylightMurder #TrailKiller #PredatorStrikes #SavageAttack #ForensicFiles _________________________________________________________________________________ 🎙️ Welcome to Murder Unscripted — the weekly true-crime podcast where veteran producer Ed Hydock (Forensic Files, Cold Case Files & many more) teams up with his bestie - super-sleuth fan Melissa Spivey - to explore real life murder investigations. Our unique dynamic resonates with both seasoned true-crime fans and those new to the genre, while our unscripted interviews with detectives, forensic scientists, prosecutors, and victims’ families bring you far beyond recycled headlines - immersing you in the world of true-crime like no one else. 🔍 Expect deep dives into obscure stories, serial killers, cold cases, DNA breakthroughs & courtroom drama, plus Friday Minis, Shorts and live Q&As. Built on Insight, Integrity & Advocacy, we keep victims front-and-center, while adding a touch of humor to brighten even the darkest tales. 👉 New episodes every Tuesday. Subscribe, join the MU Crew & tap the bell! 🌐 For more information about us and the show, visit our website at: www.MurderUnscriptedPod.com E-mail us at: [email protected] Follow us on socials 👇FB - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61557418124048 Insta - https://www.instagram.com/murderunscripted/ TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@murderunscripted ⚠️ Graphic details; listener discretion advised. #TrueCrime #MurderUnscripted #ColdCase #UnsolvedMysteries #ForensicScience #VictimAdvocacy 🕵️‍♀️🩸

A survivor’s courage. A forensic artist’s skill. A killer exposed.In this episode of Murder Unscripted, we tell the story of Daniel Lee Corwin, a Texas serial killer whose crimes haunted Huntsville in the 1980s — and how a single forensic sketch helped identify him before he could strike again.Through survivor accounts, investigative records, and forensic breakthroughs, we trace Corwin’s descent into violence and the remarkable teamwork that finally stopped him.This episode explores:The moment a survivor’s memory reshaped the investigationThe artistry and science behind forensic sketchesHow law enforcement used those tools to track Corwin downFollow Murder Unscripted for more cases where truth hides in the details — and where justice depends on the smallest clues.

When 44-year-old real-estate broker David Swinehart was found brutally murdered in his car in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, in January 1982, the quiet Montgomery County town was stunned. What began as a violent homicide soon unraveled into a twisted web of family betrayal, greed, and forbidden love.Investigators discovered that the successful businessman’s estranged wife, Patricia Swinehart, and her young lover — who was also her nephew — were at the center of the plot. What followed was one of Pennsylvania’s most sensational murder trials of the decade, complete with wiretaps, secret recordings, and a half-million-dollar life-insurance motive.In this episode of Murder Unscripted's Forensic Fridays, Ed dives deep into the timeline of the crime, the shocking forensic discoveries, and the legal aftermath that still fascinates true-crime fans more than 40 years later.🎙️ Join us as we unpack the lies, money, and manipulation behind the murder of David Swinehart — a chilling reminder that sometimes, the most dangerous people are the ones closest to home.

A gifted grad student. A city on edge. And a composite sketch that changed everything.Melissa unpacks the 2003 murder of Ottawa’s Ardeth Wood, from her disappearance to the forensic artistry that led investigators to her killer, Chris Myers. This episode of Murder Unscripted explores how one powerful drawing helped bring justice — and how art and science combined to solve a chilling Canadian true crime case.

Dr. Katherine Ramsland sits down to discuss haunted crime scenes, paranormal forensics, and HBO’s The Serial Killer’s Apprentice What happens when true crime crosses into the paranormal? In this spine-chilling episode of Murder Unscripted, forensic psychologist and author Dr. Katherine Ramsland explores haunted crime scenes, paranormal forensics, and the eerie mysteries behind real-life haunted institutions. From the terrifying Todville Murder Mansion and the dark past of The Dozier School for Boys, to the ghostly echoes of Pennhurst Asylum, Ramsland reveals how the dead may still speak through forensic evidence. We also dive into her creative process, her books, the making of HBO’s hit documentary The Serial Killer’s Apprentice, as well as her candid thoughts on the growing flood of AI-generated true crime content. If you love true crime, psychology, the supernatural, and paranormal investigation, this episode is a must-watch. 📚 About Katherine Ramsland: Dr. Ramsland is a forensic psychologist, professor, and author of over 70 books, including works on serial killers, crime scene forensics, and the supernatural. She is also one of the creative forces behind HBO’s hit documentary, "The Serial Killer’s Apprentice." #KatherineRamsland #ParanormalForensics #HauntedCrimeScenes #MurderUnscripted #TrueCrimePodcast #TheSerialKillersApprentice #ForensicPsychology #HauntedLocations #TrueCrimeAndParanormal #TodvilleMurderMansion #DozierSchool #PennhurstAsylum #GhostsAndCrime #RealHauntedPlaces #ParanormalInvestigation #TrueCrimeCommunity #CrimeDocumentary #SupernaturalEvidence #AIInTrueCrime #DarkHistory __________________________________________________________________________ 🎙️ Welcome to Murder Unscripted — the weekly true-crime podcast where veteran producer Ed Hydock (Forensic Files, Cold Case Files & many more) teams up with his bestie - super-sleuth fan Melissa Spivey - to explore real life murder investigations. Our unique dynamic resonates with both seasoned true-crime fans and those new to the genre, while our unscripted interviews with detectives, forensic scientists, prosecutors, and victims’ families bring you far beyond recycled headlines - immersing you in the world of true-crime like no one else. 🔍 Expect deep dives into obscure stories, serial killers, cold cases, DNA breakthroughs & courtroom drama, plus Friday Minis, Shorts and live Q&As. Built on Insight, Integrity & Advocacy, we keep victims front-and-center, while adding a touch of humor to brighten even the darkest tales. 👉 New episodes every Tuesday. Subscribe, join the MU Crew & tap the bell! 🌐 For more information about us and the show, visit our website at: www.MurderUnscriptedPod.com E-mail us at: [email protected] Follow us on socials 👇 FB - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61557418124048Insta - https://www.instagram.com/murderunscripted/ TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@murderunscripted ⚠️ Graphic details; listener discretion advised. #TrueCrime #MurderUnscripted #ColdCase #UnsolvedMysteries #ForensicScience #VictimAdvocacy 🕵️‍♀️🩸

Killed for the Family Farm tells the chilling true story of Jack and Linda Myers - a beloved couple brutally murdered in their own home on a quiet stretch of rural Ohio farmland. What began as a peaceful family life ended in betrayal, greed, and violence — all while a 4-year-old child lay pretending to sleep just feet away. In this episode of Murder Unscripted's Forensic Fridays, we break down the investigation, the shocking motive behind the killings, and how detectives uncovered the truth buried beneath the family farm. 🔍 Watch to learn: – How the murders unfolded inside the farmhouse – The shocking role inheritance and jealousy played – The forensic and witness details that cracked the case #TrueCrime #MurderUnscripted #KilledOnTheFamilyFarm #JackAndLindaMyers #OhioMurders #TrueCrimePodcast #crimedocumentary Music by Bensound Artist: FoePound License code: D64M0URLDB52NIXV

In 1991, Salem’s “Official Witch,” Laurie Cabot, claimed she could see where missing woman Martha Brailsford was hidden. Days later, police recovered the body, and arrested neighbor Thomas Maimoni for her murder. This chilling true crime story blurs the line between witchcraft, intuition, and justice. When Martha Brailsford went missing after a day of sailing, Salem police faced a mystery with no leads — until famed witch and psychic Laurie Cabot stepped in. Her visions led searchers toward the harbor, where Brailsford’s body was later discovered weighted with an anchor. Soon after, police arrested Tom Maimoni, who was convicted of second-degree murder in 1993.🎧 Listen & Subscribe 🎙️ Murder Unscripted 📺 Watch → https://www.youtube.com/@MurderUnscriptedPod/videos 🔔 Subscribe for weekly true crime deep dives 📚 Sources Counterpoint: A Murder in Massachusetts Bay – Margaret Press Unsolved Mysteries – Martha BrailsfordPatheos: “The True Story of a Witch Who Solved a Murder” Massachusetts Parole Board records (public summaries) Local Salem & Boston reporting archives 🔖 Hashtags #TrueCrime #SalemWitch #LaurieCabot #MarthaBrailsford #PsychicDetective #Witchcraft #SalemMassachusetts #UnsolvedMysteries #MurderUnscripted 🔑 Keywords Martha Brailsford disappearance, Tom Maimoni conviction, Laurie Cabot Salem witch, psychic helps police, witch solves murder, Salem Massachusetts true crime, 1991 murder case, paranormal crime story, psychic detective, true crime podcast episode ___________________________________________________________________________ 🎙️ Welcome to Murder Unscripted — the weekly true-crime podcast where veteran producer Ed Hydock (Forensic Files, Cold Case Files & many more) teams up with his bestie - super-sleuth fan Melissa Spivey - to explore real life murder investigations. Our unique dynamic resonates with both seasoned true-crime fans and those new to the genre, while our unscripted interviews with detectives, forensic scientists, prosecutors, and victims’ families bring you far beyond recycled headlines - immersing you in the world of true-crime like no one else. 🔍 Expect deep dives into obscure stories, serial killers, cold cases, DNA breakthroughs & courtroom drama, plus Friday Minis, Shorts and live Q&As. Built on Insight, Integrity & Advocacy, we keep victims front-and-center, while adding a touch of humor to brighten even the darkest tales. 👉 New episodes every Tuesday. Subscribe, join the MU Crew & tap the bell! 🌐 For more information about us and the show, visit our website at: www.MurderUnscriptedPod.com E-mail us at: [email protected] Follow us on socials 👇 FB - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61557418124048 Insta - https://www.instagram.com/murderunscripted/ TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@murderunscripted ⚠️ Graphic details; listener discretion advised.

For over a century, the Dozier School for Boys in Marianna, Florida operated under the guise of reform. But behind its walls, countless young boys endured abuse, neglect, and unimaginable atrocities at the hands of those meant to protect them. In this episode, we uncover: 📜 The disturbing history of the Dozier Reform School ⚠️ The horrifying abuse and crimes that took place behind closed doors 🗣️ The powerful voices of survivors who lived to tell their stories 🪦 The tragic discoveries of unmarked graves and the legacy that still haunts Florida today This is not just history — it’s a story of survival, resilience, and the fight for justice.

A promising 19-year-old college student disappears after a softball game. Weeks later, a chilling phone call reveals a voice that will haunt investigators for years. This is the story of Shannon Melendi — a case of obsession, deception, and a killer hiding in plain sight. 🔪 Who was the man behind the call? And how did justice finally catch up? #ShannonMelendi #TrueCrime #MurderUnscripted #AtlantaCrime #ColdCaseSolved #ForensicFridays

We open our October block with one of Texas’ most chilling stories: the Todville Murder Mansion in Seabrook. Built by William “Bill” List, this eerie mansion became the site of his twisted crimes—until one victim turned the tables and killed him inside his own home.In this episode, we uncover the dark history of List’s reign of terror, the murder that ended it, and why the ruins of Todville Mansion are still whispered to be haunted.👉 Follow Murder Unscripted for weekly true crime stories that blur the line between history and the paranormal.