Real Crime Stories

In August 2025, 34-year-old mother and small business owner Mariah Rosanna Samuels took critical steps to secure her safety by ending her relationship with David Eugene Wright and obtaining an Order for Protection. But on the morning of September 14, when Wright violated that order, the emergency response system failed her. A responding officer spent only four minutes on the scene and filed an inaccurate report, leaving Mariah vulnerable to a deadly ambush just hours later.This episode explores the devastating timeline of the tragedy in North Minneapolis, examining the systemic failures in protective order enforcement and the warning signs of escalating domestic abuse. Listeners will learn about the subsequent investigation, the indictment upgrade to first-degree premeditated murder, and the courtroom confession that ultimately brought a life sentence without the possibility of parole.**If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, call 911. If you need support for domestic violence, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE.**Real Crime Stories is a victim-centered investigative podcast examining domestic violence fatalities, warning signs, and system failures through court records, police reports, and public records.For case updates, source documents, and additional information, visit:Website:https://realcrimestories.orgFollow Real Crime Stories on Facebook:https://facebook.com/realcr1mestoriesEvery case has a story.Every victim had a life.And every warning sign matters.

Season 3 of Real Crime Stories examines domestic violence homicides through the lives of the victims, the warning signs that preceded the violence, and the investigations that followed.Monique Tepe's marriage to Michael McKee ended years before she and her husband, Spencer Tepe, were found murdered in their Columbus, Ohio home. Yet investigators would later allege that the danger had not ended at all. We explore the lives of Spencer and Monique, the investigation into their deaths, and the warning signs that can persist long after an abusive relationship appears to be over.Through court records, investigative findings, and public reporting, we examine a case that demonstrates why leaving an abusive relationship is often one of the most dangerous periods for a victim. Real Crime Stories is a victim-centered investigative podcast examining domestic violence fatalities, warning signs, and system failures through court records, police reports, and public records.For case updates, source documents, and additional information, visit:Website:https://realcrimestories.orgFollow Real Crime Stories on Facebook:https://facebook.com/realcr1mestoriesEvery case has a story.Every victim had a life.And every warning sign matters.

In the multi-state aftermath of an execution, the legal system is forced to confront its darkest technicalities. In the season finale of "The Playbook," Real Crime Stories pulls back the curtain on the extraordinary trial and appellate battle of Larry Florentine. When federal prosecutors step in under the Violence Against Women Act to close state jurisdictional loopholes, the defense strikes back with Entry 91... a motion utilizing a biblical reference to argue that burning a spouse's body after an execution does not constitute a domestic violence felony. We track the shocking 2025 appellate ruling, the final reckoning inside a federal courtroom, and the haunting reality of a system that closed the loop too late for a woman who predicted her own tragedy.⚠️ If you or someone you know is navigating the terrifying escalation of domestic abuse, please do not wait. Reach out to the National Domestic Violence Hotline by calling 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or texting "START" to 88788. Free, confidential, and available 24/7.

When the vital lifeline calls to a grandmother suddenly stop, the silence reveals a terrifying reality. In Part IV of "The Playbook," Real Crime Stories covers the fracture and collapse of a killer's timeline. On June 13, 2020, a routine morning for a Kentucky cemetery groundskeeper takes a horrific turn after discovering a shallow, makeshift grave. As state police piece together an incredibly careless trail of evidence—including a discarded gas can, ballistics, and forensic biological evidence—the cross-country dragnet begins. We follow the ten-day, multi-state flight of Larry Florentine as the pressure mounts, leading all the way to a police precinct in the Rocky Mountains⚠️ If you or someone you know is navigating the terrifying escalation of domestic abuse, please do not wait. Reach out to the National Domestic Violence Hotline by calling 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or texting "START" to 88788. Free, confidential, and available 24/7.

The timeline reconstructed by federal investigators reveals a journey across state lines that quickly devolved into a nightmare. In Part III of "The Playbook," Real Crime Stories tracks the dark center of this investigation. Somewhere along the roads of North Carolina, the vehicle becomes an execution scene. What follows is a multi-state flight defined by an unimaginable contrast: a killer driving hundreds of miles with his victim, pulling into a rural Kentucky retail shop, and bitterly arguing with a cashier over the $21.99 price of a gas can—all while his executed wife sits just yards away. We map out the chilling forensic timeline, the shallow grave at Hill Cemetery, and the horrifying precision of a plan completed to the letter.⚠️ If you or someone you know is navigating the terrifying escalation of domestic abuse, please do not wait. Reach out to the National Domestic Violence Hotline by calling 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or texting "START" to 88788. Free, confidential, and available 24/7.

Before a killer drove across state lines, a mother was just trying to survive the ashes of her old life. In Part II of "The Playbook," Real Crime Stories steps away from the investigative timeline to look at the passenger seat. Nichole Florentine wasn't a case file statistic—she was a mother of four, a sister, a daughter, and a granddaughter. In an increasingly hostile environment, her family was her anchor. We explore the psychological trap of control, the devastation of losing her home to intimate partner arson, and the painful moments right before the signal went completely silent on a highway heading north.⚠️ If you or someone you know is navigating the terrifying escalation of domestic abuse, please do not wait. Reach out to the National Domestic Violence Hotline by calling 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or texting "START" to 88788. Free, confidential, and available 24/7.

Every investigator who spends enough time on the street will tell you the same thing: monsters rarely strike out of nowhere. They leave a trail. They drop hints. Sometimes, they even hand over the exact blueprint of what they intend to do.In the premiere episode of Season 2, Real Crime Stories unpacks "The Playbook"... a chilling case of systemic failure and domestic escalation out of York County, South Carolina. Beginning in December 2019, 36-year-old Nichole Florentine began leaving a terrifyingly precise paper trail with 911 dispatchers. She explicitly warned authorities of a three-step promise her husband, Larry, had made to her: that he was going to kill her, burn her, and bury her.Despite multiple domestic violence arrests, the legal system failed to close the loop. When their Rock Hill home was completely destroyed by an intentional fire on May 23, 2020, the warning signs shifted from a whisper to a scream. Yet, just eleven days later, the couple packed a vehicle and hit the highway heading north. Nichole thought she was escaping the ashes of her old life... she had no idea she was riding alongside the man about to execute the rest of his horrific plan.⚠️ If you or someone you know is navigating the terrifying escalation of domestic abuse, please do not wait. Reach out to the National Domestic Violence Hotline by calling 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or texting "START" to 88788. It is 100% free, confidential, and available 24/7.Real Crime Stories is a victim-centered investigative documentary series focused on systemic failures, behavioral warning signs, and forensic truth.

When a court issues a protective injunction, it is supposed to be a lifeline. A boundary between survival and disaster. But as investigators uncover time and time again, leaving an abusive relationship is often the most dangerous threshold a survivor will ever face.In this episode of Real Crime Stories, we look closely at the life of 58-year-old Alesa Leach...a mother, grandmother, city bus driver, and ordained minister known to her Jacksonville community as the "Quiet Storm." Alesa spent her entire adult life beating the odds, breaking cycles of domestic trauma, and sharing her story to help set other women free.Yet, when she did everything right by utilizing the legal system to protect herself from her ex-partner, Joseph Anderson, the system failed to hold the line. For deeper case information, evidence breakdowns, and updates on the upcoming trial, visit our official website: realcrimestories.org.⚠️ DOMESTIC VIOLENCE RESOURCES:If you or someone you know is facing domestic abuse, stalking, or intimate partner violence, please do not carry the burden alone. Safety planning saves lives.National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)Text: "START" to 88788Free, confidential, and available 24/7.Keywords & Social Tags:#TrueCrime #RealCrimeStories #JusticeForAlesa #DomesticViolenceAwareness #Jacksonville #TrueCrimePodcast #AlesaLeach #DomesticAbuseSupport

On December 17, 2025, two Florida men were killed just hours apart and investigators say both murders were connected to the same woman.In this episode, we break down the shocking case of Susan Avalon, who authorities accuse of targeting her ex-boyfriend Timothy Fletcher in Tampa before traveling to Bradenton and killing her ex-husband David Scott while disguised as a food delivery driver.From the haunting 911 call to the bleach cleanup and the custody dispute surrounding the case, this story has left many people asking how things escalated to such devastating violence. Susan Avalon is innocent until proven guilty in the court of law. She is currently locked up awaiting trial.This episode discusses domestic violence, coercive control, and homicide. Listener discretion is advised.Follow us for more true crime cases.#TrueCrime #DomesticViolence #SusanAvalon #FloridaCrime #TrueCrimePodcastFollow me on FacebookRead about this case here.

A Mother’s Promise, A System’s Failure: The Tragic Story of Frezja Matisse BakerOn December 4, 2025, a gray-blue Honda Accord pulled away from a Charlotte, North Carolina gas station. Inside, a brutal assault had just been captured on surveillance tape. A week later, that same car was found hidden behind an abandoned church. Inside was 31-year-old Frezja Matisse Baker, a devoted young mother whose life revolved around building a safe future for her two-year-old son.As investigators piece together Frezja’s final hours, a horrifying truth emerges: her killer was a man the justice system knew intimately. With a violent record stretching back two decades ...including a conviction for attempted murder that was overturned on a technicality ...Lorenza "Nuna" Inman Jr. was actively violating his probation when he crossed paths with Frezja.In this episode, we dissect the chilling anatomy of intimate partner violence, tracing the predictable, escalating warning signs that were hidden in plain sight. How many times does a system have to see a pattern before it finally steps in to break it?Support & Resources:If you or someone you know is experiencing intimate partner violence, tracking escalation, or feeling unsafe in a relationship, please know that you are not alone.National Domestic Violence Hotline: Call 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or text the word "START" to 88788 for free, confidential support, 24/7.

Richard Eugene Cote was a 76‑year‑old Vermont business owner killed in his own home by someone he had known for decades. This episode examines the violent final night of his life, the evidence that followed, and the long history of warning signs tied to his killer—many of them known to the justice system. A case that raises difficult questions about intervention, accountability, and what happens when patterns are ignored.

A chilling 911 call. A fake home invasion. And a Ring camera investigators say exposed everything. This episode dives into the killing of Jodi Cathcart, the alleged staging of the crime scene, and the shocking financial lie prosecutors say unraveled an entire family.

A toxic relationship on a college track team turns fatal. When 23-year-old Lincoln University sprinter Kevaughn Goldson is found with lethal stab wounds, investigators uncover a volatile history of secrets, a midnight confrontation, and a chaotic bedroom struggle. We break down the tragic timeline of betrayal, the forensic evidence, and the murder charges against his student-athlete girlfriend.

On January 16, 2026, a quiet morning on West Parker Road in Greenville County, South Carolina, shattered when twenty-three-year-old Trycina Nichole Whitehurst was found dead inside her home from a catastrophic gunshot wound. Hours later, her thirty-three-year-old boyfriend, Devortae Marquez Durham, was surrounded and arrested by a heavy tactical police response at a local Quality Inn & Suites. Authorities say he fled the scene to hide out in a cheap motel room rather than calling for help.In this episode, we dive into the chilling timeline of this devastating case, the ten-year age gap that defined their relationship, and the digital trail that led the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office straight to the suspect’s door. Durham currently faces charges of murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime. We break down the allegations, the warning signs of intimate partner violence, and the community's ongoing fight for justice for Trycina.

When 23-year-old Ashanti Allen vanished from her Houston apartment on April 10, 2026, her family received a chilling text message from her phone stating she was "leaving and not coming back." But Ashanti was eight months pregnant with her first child, her baby supplies were untouched, and her loved ones knew something was terribly wrong.What followed was a heartbreaking search that exposed an absolute failure of the justice system—and a digital trail of betrayal that led straight to her boyfriend, Kevin Faux.In this episode, we dive deep into the timeline of a tragedy that never should have happened. Just two months prior, Faux walked out of jail on an early-release plea deal for a domestic violence case involving Ashanti. We unpack the devastating evidence prosecutors say links him to the crime: from apartment surveillance and a sickening FaceTime call to an online acquaintance, to the debit card trail he allegedly left while fleeing on a Greyhound bus to Louisiana.In this episode, we discuss:The Warning Signs: The late 2025 domestic assault and the controversial early-release time credits that put a dangerous individual back on the streets.The Digital Trail: How investigators used apartment cameras, license plate readers, and cell phone tracking to reconstruct the final hours of Ashanti's life.The Shocking Witness: The FaceTime call where prosecutors allege Faux confessed to a friend while showing a lifeless body.The Cross-State Hunt: How U.S. Marshals tracked down the suspect in Louisiana after he allegedly fled using Ashanti's own debit card.Case Status: Kevin Faux is currently facing charges of capital murder and the murder of an unborn child in Harris County, Texas. He is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.*Support & Resources:If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, you are not alone. Please reach out to the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or text "START" to 88788 for free, confidential support available 24/7.Enjoyed the episode? Please leave us a 5-star review on Spotify, follow the show to never miss an update, and share this episode to help bring awareness to Ashanti’s story.

In the debut episode of Real Crime Stories, we examine the killing of Adrian Valdovinos and the events that followed. We walk through the known timeline, the key people involved, and the evidence that shaped the case. This episode focuses on verified reporting, case records, and respectful storytelling centered on the human impact behind the headlines.Listener discretion is advised: this episode discusses violent crime and loss.