Campus Crime Chronicles

This episode is rated a 5 (on my Serious Crime Scale). It's the story of Illinois State University graduate student Jelani Day. Earlier this year, on Aug. 25, Jelani was reported missing and shortly after, on Sept. 4, Jelani's body was found floating face down in the Illinois River in Peru, Illinois. After an autopsy supposedly revealed no evidence of assault or altercation, the county coroner concluded the cause of his death was, simply, drowning. BUT, Jelani's family, friends, and thousands of supporters think there is much more to the story than an accidental drowning. Find out all the details of this story on Chronicle 19, #WhatHappenedtoJelaniDay.

This episode is rated a 5 (on my Serious Crime Scale). It's the story of Marissa Pagli, an 18-year-old freshman volleyball player attending Manhattanville College in Purchase, New York. Marissa's life was tragically cut short at the hands of her OWN mother, who was experiencing a severe mental breakdown at the time of the crime. Check out this episode to hear more details of Marissa's story.

This episode is rated a 4 (on my Serious Crime Scale). It's the story of a young woman, 17, who accused a 20-year-old college student from the University of Kansas of rape. She alleged he sexually assaulted her after the two met at a popular college hangout called "The Hawk" in Lawrence, Kansas. That former KU student, Albert N. Wilson, has always denied the accusations and maintained his innocence, claiming not only did he not rape her, but he says the two NEVER had sexual intercourse at all. Find out what happens in this whirlwind of a he-said, she-said case that seems like it could be the storyline of an episode of "Law & Order: SVU."

This episode is rated a 5. It's the story of a University of Miami football player who was gunned down and killed in the parking lot of his apartment complex – and after 15 years of, basically, no public suspects or “official” suspects – police finally announced that they made an arrest for this crime JUST this year, on August 19, 2021.

This episode is rated a 5 (on my Serious Crime Scale). It's the story of one South Carolina college student who was simply trying to be responsible and call a ride share after a night out drinking with her friends. When a black Chevy Impala pulled up beside her, the student got in, thinking it was the Uber ride she ordered… but, instead, it was a terrible, evil person waiting for her behind the wheel of that car… and that person would go on to brutally attack her, leaving her for dead on the side of the road. This episode is titled “The Wrong Car”… and it's bound to make you think twice before hopping into that next Uber or Lyft.

This episode is rated a 5 (on my Serious Crime Scale). It's the story of how one of America's most notorious serial killers escaped from a prison in Colorado and made his way to Tallahassee, Florida. While there, that escaped convict, the infamous Ted Bundy, entered the Chi Omega sorority house on the campus of Florida State University. Once inside the house, he killed two young women that night and severely beat and injured two others. Then, he fled the home and made his way to a duplex down the street where he beat and nearly killed a fifth woman the same night.

This episode is rated a 3… and also a 2 (on my Serious Crime Scale). That's right! This week I have a double rating because I tell you two different stories with a similar theme; both of which are about a professor's worst nightmare coming true -- when a distraught student decides to take revenge. In both situations, the professors escape their situations relatively unharmed, hence the ratings of 3 and 2. BUT, not without some disturbing emotional trauma that they likely endured. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

This episode is rated a 5 (on my Serious Crime Scale). It's the story of two college students, 19-year-olds Dominique Hurd and Peter Robertson, who were attending the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff in 1998. After having dinner at a restaurant one night, the two students were in the parking lot, taking pictures, when a stranger approached them from seemingly out of nowhere, held them at gunpoint, and forced them to drive to a discrete rural area. Once there, the gunman taunted the students for a while before ultimately pumping bullets into both of them and leaving them for dead. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

This episode is rated a 5 (on my Serious Crime Scale). Yesterday, Aug. 1, 2021, marked the 55th anniversary of the first public mass shooting in U.S. history. In this episode, I tell the story of how one man climbed to the top of the clock tower on the University of Texas campus, loaded with plenty of guns and ammo, and wreaked havoc on people below for 96 minutes. By the time three brave men took him out, he had killed a total of 14 people and injured another 31 more. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

This episode is rated a 5 (on my Serious Crime Scale). It's the story of how one college, Eastern Michigan University, accrued the largest fine in history (at the time) from the Department of Education in violation of the Clery Act. In 2008, the school had to pay $350,000 in fines after administration lied about the death of 22-year-old Laura Dickinson. For 10 weeks, they allowed not only Laura's own parents, but also the entire university community and students, believe there was no foul play involved and that Laura had suddenly died of natural causes. But 10 weeks after Laura's death, the university announced they had arrested a suspect for Laura's murder, and they had actually been investigating it as a homicide the whole time. Find out the rest of the story in this episode, "A Killing Kept Secret." --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

This episode is rated a 5 (on my Serious Crime Scale). It's the story of Australian baseball player Chris Lane, who was going to college at East Central University in Ada, Oklahoma, on a baseball scholarship. For reasons that seem to only point to summertime boredom of three teenagers, Chris was randomly gunned down and killed while he was out on a run. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

This episode is rated a 5 (on my Serious Crime Scale). It's the story of Australian baseball player Chris Lane, who was going to college at East Central University in Ada, Oklahoma, on a baseball scholarship. For reasons that seem to only point to summertime boredom of three teenagers, Chris was randomly gunned down and killed while he was out on a run. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

This episode is rated a 1 (on my Serious Crime Scale). It's the first official 1 I've ever rated! The title speaks for itself, but in this episode you'll find out what happens when four college students make some not so great decisions after a night full of binge drinking. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

This episode is rated a 4 (on my Serious Crime Scale). A pre-med student at UCLA was stabbed in an organic chemistry lab -- in front of tons of witnesses! Miraculously, the victim lived through the seemingly unprovoked encounter. This is the story of the attack and SURVIVAL of Katherine Rosen, who was stabbed five times in her chest and slashed in her throat by another student in the class. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

This episode is rated a 3 (on my Serious Crime Scale). What do an heiress to the Hot Pockets empire, a Hallmark star and a former “Desperate Housewives” actress all have in common? Well, they’re all super affluent people who paid one man, Rick Singer, to get their kids into college through a scheme called the side door. In this episode I dive into the story of the largest college admissions scandal in American history where a total of 50 people were indicted and charged by the U.S. Department of Justice.  --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

This episode is rated a 5 (on my Serious Crime Scale of 1 to 5). I tell the tragic story of the Virginia Tech shootings that occurred April 16, 2007, in Blacksburg, Virginia, from the perspective of several surviving victims. As a result of the massacre, 27 students and five professors died and another 17 people were shot or injured. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

When 2nd Lt. Richard Collins III, a senior at Bowie State University, visited his friends for the weekend at the University of Maryland to celebrate his graduation (which was only THREE days away), he didn't know another man would ultimately take his life, and he would never get the chance to walk across the stage and accept his degree. Find out why one man, a complete stranger, made the decision to end Richard's life, in a seemingly random encounter. Or was it...? --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

This is the story of missing college student Jason Landry. Jason packed up his car to head home for winter break in December 2020, but he only made it about 30 minutes into the trip before he lost control of his vehicle and crashed into some trees and a fence on the side of the road. Police believe Jason walked away relatively unharmed, but he left all of his personal belongings behind, including his cellphone, keys, clothes, backpack and computer. He has not been seen or heard from since. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

This is part TWO of the tragic story of Lauren McCluskey, a University of Utah student who was ultimately murdered as the result of domestic violence. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

This is the tragic story of Lauren McCluskey, a University of Utah student who was ultimately murdered as the result of domestic violence. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

This is the first OFFICIAL episode of Campus Crime Chronicles! It's the full story of Jeanne Clery, a student who was brutally assaulted and murdered in her dorm room in the 1980s. It takes a deep dive into the Clery Act, which mandates all federally funded colleges and universities to publicly report crime statistics on their campuses. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

If you want to know all about true crime stories that have occurred on school campuses, colleges, and universities, then this is the podcast for YOU! The first two episodes of Campus Crime Chronicles drop March 1! Stay tuned.  --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Hello, Campus Chronies! I've decided to take a two-month break from recording and producing new episodes of Campus Crime Chronicles. But I WILL be back on Monday, October 3, 2022, with ALL NEW episodes, starting with Chronicle 36. Until then, feel free to go back and listen to your favorite true crime stories I've covered, and you can keep checking out my social media where I'll continue to post and be active. ALSO, please keep sharing it with your friends and family, OR take this time to rate and review CCC on Apple Podcasts (if you haven't done so already, of course). See y'all in October! Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/campus-crime-chronicles/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

This episode is rated a 5 (on my Serious Crime Scale). So, I'm sure you're familiar with the tragedy associated with one of America's oldest and most famous road races, the Boston Marathon. On April 15, 2013, two brothers detonated a pair of homemade bombs in the crowd of spectators watching the race, ultimately killing three people and severely injuring at least 260 others. It took law enforcement an impressive 102 hours to identify, pursue, and arrest the suspects, from the moment the bombs went off to the capture. But sometime around hour 80 of that pursuit, the bombing suspects walked onto the campus of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, commonly known as MIT, and blatantly took another life – the life of 27-year-old MIT police officer Sean Collier. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/campus-crime-chronicles/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

This episode is rated a 5 (on my Serious Crime Scale). Eleven days after the shootings at Kent State University by the Ohio National Guard, Jackson State College (which is now Jackson State University) in Jackson, Mississippi, faced a similar tragedy, where two young people were killed by Jackson police officers and Mississippi state troopers. The two campus shootings by America's own were so close together in time, and circumstances appeared so similar (at least in the public eye, that is), that the headline of an editorial piece written for the Indiana Daily Student literally crossed out the words “Kent State” and replaced them with “Jackson State”; and an article in TIME magazine referred to the shootings at Jackson State as “Kent State the II.” But, you see, even though these two events seem strikingly similar on the surface, the driving forces and underlying reasoning of the two tragedies were very, very different.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/campus-crime-chronicles/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

This episode is rated a 5 (on my Serious Crime Scale). May the 4th is a significant date for numerous reasons. For some, it's more of happy date on the calendar that represents a nod to the iconic Star Wars franchise and a play on words for "May the Force Be with You." But for Kent State University in Ohio, May 4th has a much more serious, significant, and somber meaning. On May the 4th of 1970, members of the Ohio National Guard fired shots into a crowd of students who were protesting the Vietnam War. As a result, four students were killed and nine were injured. Listen now for the full story. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/campus-crime-chronicles/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

This episode is rated a 5 (on my Serious Crime Scale). It's the story of Humboldt State University student David Josiah Lawson. In 2017, Josiah, who was commonly known by his middle name, was stabbed to death at a house party off campus. Even though there are TONS of witnesses from the scene who can testify about exactly what they saw happen, nobody has been convicted of Josiah's murder. In fact, the one person police suspected of the crime was arrested and released after only five days of testimony at a preliminary hearing. That hearing was less than a MONTH after Josiah was killed. To find out more, check out this week's episode of Campus Crime Chronicles. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/campus-crime-chronicles/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

This episode is rated a 5 (on my Serious Crime Scale). It's the story of 18-year-old Anita Knutson, a freshman at Minot State University in Minot, North Dakota. In June of 2007, Anita was killed in her off-campus apartment. Initially, police had a very large circle of suspects, and none of those suspects were ever officially cleared, which means police could never build what they would consider a provable case against any particular person… that is, until now, nearly 15 years after Anita's murder. Just this year, in March of 2022, Minot Police announced the arrest of a suspect, and they charged that suspect with felony murder. Listen to the episode to find out who that person is! Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/campus-crime-chronicles/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

This episode is rated a 4 (on my Serious Crime Scale). It's the story of missing Ohio State University medical student Brian Shaffer. In 2006, Brian walked in to a bar with some friends. When closing time came and went, Brian's friends can be seen leaving the bar, but Brian is nowhere in sight. He is never seen leaving the bar he walked into less than an hour earlier. For over 15 years, police still have no answers and Brian is considered an endangered missing person. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/campus-crime-chronicles/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

This episode is rated a 2 (on my Serious Crime Scale). This story is partially what sparked the conspiracy theories (AKA rumors) that the coronavirus was developed in a lab in China. While the man in this story was found guilty of blatantly lying to the IRS about millions of dollars and his ties to China, he was NOT found guilty in any way of developing the coronavirus or even charged with anything of the sorts. It's the story of 62-year-old Harvard University professor Dr. Charles Lieber, who covered up his involvement with the Wuhan University of Technology and his participation in a program called China's Thousand Talents Plan.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/campus-crime-chronicles/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

This episode is rated a 4 (on my Serious Crime Scale). It's the story of Lauren Spierer, a 20-year-old Indiana University student who seemed to disappear without a trace. But THIS story, this episode, has several possibilities of what might have happened to her. You see, in the summer of 2011, Lauren went out one night with some friends, but the last time she was seen seems to have left more questions than answers, especially among the group of friends she was last seen with.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/campus-crime-chronicles/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

This episode is rated a 5 (on my Serious Crime Scale). It's the story of 19-year-old Shannon Melendi, a young woman attending Emory University, a private research institution in Atlanta, Georgia. On one morning in March of 1994, Shannon was working her part-time job as a score keeper at a community softball complex; but when she left the softball fields that day for lunch, she was never seen or heard from again. The person responsible for her disappearance and, ultimately, her murder, would not be brought to justice until over 10 years later, in 2005, and he wouldn't ADMIT to his crime until a year after that, in 2006.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/campus-crime-chronicles/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

This episode is rated a 4.5 (on my Serious Crime Scale). How would you feel, or how would you react, if you were sitting in a college psychology class, and it was a typical day, just like any other day in a college classroom (at least you thought so when you first walked in); but, when you get there, the professor tells you and the rest of your peers, his deepest, darkest secret? Right then and there, in the middle of class, your professor admits to being a cold-blooded killer. Yes, this actually happened and it is a very real story… even though it seems almost preposterous… But don't jump to conclusions just yet, at least, not before you hear the full extent of the story and the circumstances surrounding it.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/campus-crime-chronicles/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

This episode is rated a 5 (on my Serious Crime Scale). On Oct. 7, 1998, a teenager was riding his mountain bike in some fields just outside of Laramie, Wyoming, when he discovered what he thought was a scarecrow that had fallen off its post. Or, perhaps it was some type of Halloween gag, a dummy lying on the ground, maybe? It WAS October, after all. But when the teen got closer, he realized it was a person. The person was still alive, but barely breathing. It was 21-year-old Matthew Shepard, a University of Wyoming freshman, and he had been tortured and tied to a log fence with a rope. He had been there, left to die in the frigid cold temperatures, for at least 18 hours before the teen discovered him. This is the story of one of the nation's most heinous and unprecedented anti-gay hate crimes.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/campus-crime-chronicles/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

This episode is rated a 5 (on my Serious Crime Scale). On Oct. 7, 1998, a teenager was riding his mountain bike in some fields just outside of Laramie, Wyoming, when he discovered what he thought was a scarecrow that had fallen off its post. Or, perhaps it was some type of Halloween gag, a dummy lying on the ground, maybe? It WAS October, after all. But when the teen got closer, he realized it was a person. The person was still alive, but barely breathing. It was 21-year-old Matthew Shepard, a University of Wyoming freshman, and he had been tortured and tied to a log fence with a rope. He had been there, left to die in the frigid cold temperatures, for at least 18 hours before the teen discovered him. This is the story of one of the nation's most heinous and unprecedented anti-gay hate crimes.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/campus-crime-chronicles/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

This episode is rated a 4.5 (on my Serious Crime Scale). It's another one of those stories that DOES involve homicide, but under what some might call extenuating circumstances… and, honestly, you're probably going to be left scratching your head or maybe even questioning the justice system at the end of it. In my opinion, there were TWO victims in this case. There were TWO wrongs that clearly DID NOT make a right… and no, I'm not sure justice has been served, even though there was a court trial and a verdict. But all of that is, just MY opinion. So, check out the episode to find out exactly how this Tinder match went wrong. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/campus-crime-chronicles/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

This episode is rated a 5 (on my Serious Crime Scale). It's the story of not one, or two, but THREE different murders on the grounds of Stanford University. In the course of two years, THREE young women were violently killed at the college in Stanford, California, and all three remained cold cases for nearly 50 years! That is... until DNA technology brought out the smoking guns investigators needed to finally link the killers to their heinous crimes.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/campus-crime-chronicles/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

This episode is rated a 5 (on my Serious Crime Scale). It's the story of two separate murders that occurred on the campus of Gallaudet University, a prestigious school in Washington, D.C., and the nation's only liberal arts university for the deaf and hard of hearing. The acclaimed university was deemed a safe, happy place, with a 10-foot rod iron fence enclosing the entire 99-acre campus in the heart of D.C. But for students attending the university in the year 2000, they had no idea Gallaudet would become the hunting grounds for a serial killer in the making.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/campus-crime-chronicles/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

This episode is rated a 3 (on my Serious Crime Scale). It's the story of a former college professor, who has ties to several colleges across the country, and allegedly went on an "arson-setting" spree in the summer of 2021. He allegedly set a string of wildfires in the vicinity of California's Dixie Fire, the state's second largest wildfire in history, which burned for over three months from July to October 2021.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

This episode is rated a 5 (on my Serious Crime Scale). It's the story of two roommates attending the very prestigious Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In the spring of 1995, after Trang Phuong Ho told her friend and roommate Sinedu Tadesse that she would no longer be rooming with her the next school year, Sinedu took the ultimate revenge, tragically ending the lives of both of these young women in a brutal murder/suicide event.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/campus-crime-chronicles/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy