The First Degree

On February 25, 1999, a 24-year-old environmental and Indigenous rights activist and two Native American advocates disappear from Arauca, Colombia, after meeting with local U'Wa people. The U'Wa's lives and lands are under direct threat from multinational oil extraction, and the activists are there to help facilitate protection of the tribes' indigenous sovereignty and environment. A week later, their bodies are found near a river, shot to death. And so the long and complicated battle begins for their loved ones to find answers and have the killers held accountable in the midst of political instability and armed conflict. In episode 357, Jac and Alexis detail the heartbreaking case of Terence Freitas, Ingrid Washinawatok, and Lahe'ena'e Gay, and Indigenous communities' fight against the complex and nuanced geopolitical backdrop of the threat of extractive industries on both fragile ecosystems and their custodians' very way of life.

Everyone seems to be crashing out this week, and we are here to cover it all for you! R Kelly's “alleged” murder attempt in jail, Kanye showing up at Diddy's trial, Trace Cyrus' wilddddd accusations against Brenda Song, Justin Bieber posting his personal conversations on IG, and of course the latest insanity with Blake vs Justin.

On November 13th of 2021, two young women, aged 26 and 24, head out for a night on the town that finishes up near Beverly Hills, California. They dance the night away at a warehouse party into the wee hours. But come daybreak, the friends - one a successful model, the other an aspiring architect - haven't made it home. By the end of the day, the women are located separately but in highly disturbing circumstances, each abandoned outside LA hospitals by unknown individuals, suffering the effects of a suspected drug overdose. In the aftermath of the young women's tragic passing, questions turn to who they were with the night before. When the truth emerges, it's everyone's worst nightmare. In episode 356, Jac and Alexis speak with former L.A. prosecutor Joshua Ritter, and detail the shocking murders committed at the hands of David Pearce, and the fact he could possibly have been stopped if only women felt they would be believed in reporting violent crimes against them.Subscribe here to Joshua Ritter's youtube series, Courtroom Confidential

There's a lotttt that happened last week and we're covering it all: JP Miller (the creepy abusive pastor) married his mistress just a year after his wife mysteriously took her own life, Justin Baldoni's lawsuit was dismissed (but is it really what it seems??? We're breaking it down for you), new info leaning towards Ocean Gate being a suicide mission, and of course the latest Diddy updates. 

Over a span of 39 years, at least 14 aliases, 17 arrests, and nearly a dozen imprisonments, Robert Spears had lived a con artists' life of unparalleled adventure and intrigue. His crimes culminated in an ultimate act of evil, when he downed a crowded aircraft to fake his own death. This is a tale of one man who became obsessed with this story and the dichotomy of the man at the center of it.  Get Jerry Jamison's new true crime book Vanishing Act: A Crashed Airliner, Faked Death, and Backroom Abortions everywhere books are sold.

It's part two of our Diddy trial coverage, and this week we FINALLY learn wow and why the infamous tape from The Intercontinental hotel was covered up for so long (hint: $100k). We go through the rest of the highlights from this week in trial, plus Blake drops her emotional distress claims against Justin Baldoni, and Celine Dion has a satanic children's clothing line???

In the early morning hours of July 18, 2021, a 23-year-old woman is standing in line at a food truck outside a Phoenix nightclub when gunfire erupts. She is struck in the chest and later dies at the hospital, leaving her family devastated. As police investigate, they uncover very little evidence—aside from a grainy video of a dark-colored car speeding away. To this day, her case remains unsolved. In episode 354, Jac and Alexis revisit the night Destiny McClain's life was stolen, and the powerful ways her mother has kept her memory alive ever since.

We're back and (almost) live, giving you the latest updates of the Diddy trial.  This week, Lex is bringing Jac up to speed on everything that has gone down the past few weeks at trial, including details about Kid Cudi's car bombing, Cassie's bombshell testimony, and the insane stories that Diddy's numerous personal assistants had to share.  We will be back next week for more!

A 911 call brought firefighters to the home of Melissa Lamesch in November 2020. Melissa was only days away from being induced and delivering her first child, a son. Instead, first responders would find her unconscious on the kitchen floor. What seemed at first to be an accidental fire soon turned into a murder investigation. And the suspect? Melissa's on-again, off again firefighter boyfriend and the father of her baby.  In episode 353, Jac and Alexis dive into the case that left a small town in Illinois devastated and a family grieving.

IT'S TIME! This week, the girls are finally deep diving into Shen Yun. And this time, it's personal. Jac and Lex went to a Shen Yun show themselves to see what all of the fuss was about. They're diving into the bizarre history of Shen Yun itself, what going to a Shen Yun show is REALLY like, and figuring out once and for all if Shen Yun is actually a cult (spoiler alert: it is). 

Around 11am on the morning of November 8th, 2004, a resident of the Bixby Knolls neighborhood in Long Beach saw what looked to be a prowler hoping the fence into the backyard of Lynn Schockner.  Concerned, the neighbor immediately called the police. Within minutes, police were at Lynn's front door, asking her to open her side gate. In the span of minutes, with police outside her house, Lynn was stabbed to death by an intruder. What initially seemed like a burglary gone wrong soon unfurled into a murder for hire plot that crossed Southern California. In episode 352, Jac and Alexis dig into the shocking events that left one woman dead and three men in jail for life.

The bitch is back! This week Jac and Lex are joined by their fav, Holly Madison to gossip about all of the latest dark news. We get her hot takes on Blake vs Justin, the disgusting slew of female teacher predators, and of course Diddy (and was there really a tunnel connecting his house to the Playboy Mansion???). 

On August 21, 2023, a 53-year-old husband and father fails to return home from work not far from Oakland, Maryland. News eventually reaches his family that he's been involved in a terrible incident. While driving home, the crane operator's vehicle skids off the road and ends up in a ravine, his life hanging in the balance. The man is taken to the hospital, where he tragically dies. But it's not injuries from the car crash that have claimed his life. The reason the victim ran off the road in the first place was a gunshot wound to the head. But exactly who is responsible and how it all unfolded remains a mystery. In episode 351, Jac and Alexis detail the heartbreaking unsolved homicide of Ascenzio ‘Slanz' Bilello, exploring the questions around the events of that night, the subsequent police investigation, and how his family continues to deal with the trauma of his senseless loss.

This week Jac and Alexis dive into the long awaited start of the Diddy trial (and why haven't we seen ANYTHING about it on the news???), bringing the latest updates including the complexity of jury selection, celebrity names mentioned we've never heard before, and what will or will not be included during trial.  Then, the latest with the Blake and Ryan cringe machine, and finishing it off with the weirdest “realistic 3D model” of Madeline McCann we've ever seen.

On July 30, 2000, an 85-year-old man and his 78-year-old wife are taken hostage and soon after killed in a home in Concord, California. In the following days, three more murders are committed as a trio of offenders seek to leave minimal witnesses behind. When the perpetrators are apprehended and their motivations revealed, the truth behind the bloodbath is as bizarre as it is frightening - a dark and elaborate plan so disconnected from reality it's impossible to comprehend how such violence could be justified in anyone's mind. In episode 350, Jac and Alexis, with the help of none other than Holly Madison, detail the grisly spree killings of Ivan and Annette Stineman, Selina Bishop, Jennifer Villarin, and James Gamble, and discuss how close Playboy magazine's September 2000 playmate, Kerissa Fare, came to this horrifying powder keg situation.

This week Jac and Alexis unpack their recovery from Stagecoach and dive into the latest headlines: from Katy Perry's tour flop (why was she fighting an HVAC tube???) to Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds' Time 100 Gala outing (why was she on the list???), and the Elizabeth Moss sighting at L Ron Hubbards bday party (why is a dead man still throwing birthday parties???). Another weird, wild week

Molly Frequemont's family wants answers and they refuse to stop advocating for her.  Their determination and unwavering commitment to Molly is what ultimately unearthed the existence of a serial killer who had likely been operating under the radar for decades. Which begs the question, how many more victims could this predator be connected to? In episode 349, Jac and Alexis conclude with part 2 of the story and search for Molly Franquemont.

There's a lot to talk about this week! Since the Blue Origin fiasco, people have been digging up Katy Perry's past of stealing a house from a convent of nuns and one of the nuns dropping dead IN COURT, plus we dive into a dead guy making music with his brain cells post mortem, the conspiracy theory of cemeteries (where are all the bodies ACTUALLY buried), and Prince Charles playing a carrot harmonica. Plus Blake & Ryan updates (spoiler alert: Taylor is getting subpoenaed!) 

In March 2013, a 37-year-old California woman suddenly stops calling her mother and daughter, who live on the East Coast. Her family has no idea that just weeks earlier, she had moved in with a man she'd quickly grown afraid of. When her phone stops working and a check from her mother goes uncashed, concern sets in. As detectives begin looking into her disappearance, they uncover a disturbing pattern involving other women who died after crossing paths with the same man Molly had been living with. In episode 348, Jac and Alexis break down the disappearance and suspected murder of Molly Franquemont, the investigation that followed, and the unsettling details that reveal she had been unknowingly living with a serial killer.

This week we were blessed by the cringe gods for giving us the gift of the absolute disaster of the Blue Origin trip!  We dive into the nitty gritty of the controversies, dive deep into the conspiracies, and have a little chuckle at Jess Bezos eating shit.  Who knew it was possible for celebrities to be THIS tone deaf!

Four days after Megan Barroso disappeared, another woman was attacked. This time in broad daylight. Then came a break—an arrest that had nothing to do with murder or rape. A petty burglary. A bag in the trash. A call to the police. And suddenly, everything changed. In Part 2 of our coverage on the Simi Valley Rapist,  Jac and Alexis follow the unraveling of the mystery: the evidence hidden in plain sight, the roommates who unknowingly lived with a predator, and the moment police discovered who had been behind the mask all along. The truth would shock a city—and reveal just how many lives had come terrifyingly close to the edge.

This week we are deconstructing Chris Watt's new letters to God blaming his mistress for him murdering his wife and children, the return of the Direwolf (can we bring back the T-Rex next??), Russel Brand blaming his new allegations on an attack from the Deep State, and can Mountain Dew actually predict the future??

Between 1996 and 2001, a series of violent attacks terrorized the seemingly idyllic community of Simi Valley, California. Women were being terrorized in their homes. Families were jolted from sleep by the sounds of screams—and silence. There was no pattern. No suspect. No name. In episode 346, Jac and Lex  trace the early crimes of the man the press would eventually dub the Simi Valley Rapist.  And just when the community began to breathe again, a bright, beloved 20-year-old college student vanished without a trace. The search for her would reignite the hunt for a man no one had ever seen—but who was always watching.

We're back again breaking down this week's wildest headlines.  From new Diddy claims implicating Gloria Estefan, Beyonce, and LeBron James, to Virginia Giuffre's bizarre IG post claiming she was hit by a school bus, to even more Justin Bieber updates, to an Elizabeth Holmes x Nathan Fielder collab??  It's been a weird week, that's for sure.

On February 9, 2023, police conduct a welfare check at a home in a neighborhood of Oak Grove, Louisiana. Inside the residence, they find a 43-year-old business owner, wife, and mother dead from a gunshot wound. The woman's husband is devastated, as is the rest of the victim's family. After a speedy investigation, the shooting is soon ruled a suicide. But when the woman's family uncovers glaring holes in the investigation and learns that corners have been cut, things start to look extremely questionable, and it emerges that not everyone close to the victim has been adequately eliminated in the rush to declare the death a suicide. In episode 345, Jac and Alexis detail the heartbreaking suspicious death of Crystal Deniece McCrory Jones, the many lingering questions focusing on the local sheriff's department's involvement, and why Crystal's loved ones continue to fight for a full and thorough investigation into her death.

This week we're diving into the dark side of AI, technology, and the existential dream of trying to live forever.  We're talking about implanting memories into murderers, doing head transplants on billionaires, and that weird dude who thinks he's never gonna die.  And then of course, we have Blake vs Justin updates, and Justin Bieber's cryptic IG post.  It's a lot!

On the morning of November 12th of 1991, 41-year-old Janice Aschraft Lillie left her volunteer work at Belle Chasse High School to go to her office in Gretna, Louisiana. Janice's husband, 41-year-old Norman Lillie, needs her help collecting back rent from their tenants. The couple co-manage and co-own several apartments in the Greater New Orleans metropolitan area. Around 10:15 a.m., Janice arrives at the office. Two hours later, Janice's body is discovered lying behind her desk. Someone stabbed her more than ten times and left her to die. For years, Gretna police struggled to investigate Janice's homicide. Despite interviewing more than 180 people, they had little to go on. Then, in 1995, the murder weapon was discovered and several arrests were made in relation to Janice's case. However, members of Janice's family think the individuals arrested, indicted, and sentenced for Janice's murder weren't even involved. In episode 344, Jac and Alexis detail the strange events and evidence surrounding Janice's killing, including her then-husband's suspicious affair with a 25-year-old tenant.

This week we're talking about the Ghost Adventurers murder for hire plot that just got 10x wilder, Ryan Reynolds throwing Blake Lively under the bus, and we're just getting to the tip of the ice berg of Hailey Bieber's obsession with Justin & Selena and how it might even be darker than anyone thinks. 

On May 8th, 2016, a successful 46-year-old business manager and CPA is sitting an FBI polygraph test in Los Angeles, California. The well-respected executive partner with numerous high-profile, world-famous clients from the entertainment industry has it all. A happy marriage, three kids, and a career trajectory where the sky is the limit. But it's all about to come crashing down in a very public and life-changing way due to addiction, insecurity, and denial. In episode 343, Jac and Alexis detail the life and crimes of Jonathan Schwartz, and how his descent into addiction and hubris not only destroyed the life and career he'd worked so hard for, but how his immediate remorse propelled him to a place of personal growth, healing, and self-forgiveness, with the ultimate aim of finding redemption through helping others who are now where he once was.

This week we're diving the murder for hire plan to kill the star of Ghost Adventurers, the sad truth of Gene Hackman's death, Blake Lively being cringe as hell at SXSW, and the story about a mom who is convinced her son was murdered and his body was sold to the Bodies Exhibit in Vegas. It was a dark week, people.

Rumors and conflicting information are rife in what appears to be an unsolvable case. But years later, when the killer is finally identified and convicted at trial, it's not the end of the story. In episode 342, Jac and Alexis detail the haunting murder of Anastasia Elizabeth WitbolsFeugen, and how some people close to the case remain convinced that all is possibly not as it seems when it comes to the evidence.

This week we're diving deep into the weeks dark headlines: Luigi Mangione's alleged sex tape scandal, Gene Hackman's bizarre death, Blake Lively hiring an ex-CIA agent for her crisis PR, and Casey Anthony joining TikTok like nothing ever happened???

On October 22, 1997, an 18-year-old high school graduate is shot to death in a cemetery near Independence, Missouri. Her family is heartbroken, but sadly, she is not the only victim. Less than 72 hours later, someone close to the young woman then takes their own life. As the months drag on, the police investigation takes a series of twists and turns as suspicion focuses on a complex web of teenage relationships involving those closest to the victim. The case seems to stall until 3 years later a suspect is named. But is he The Real Killer? In episode 341, Jac and Alexis detail the haunting murder of Anastasia Elizabeth WitbolsFeugen.

We're coming back at you with this week's dark headlines!  We're talking Diddy's lawyer quitting (saying “under no circumstances can I continue”), Kim K allegedly having satanic art in her house, and Fyre Fest is BACK BABY!  And of course we've got the Blake & Justin updates, including how Jenny Slate somehow twisted being offered $15,000 into a bad thing????

On November 26, 1981, four men were killed and two others were wounded in a shooting massacre on Thanksgiving night in Chicago, Illinois. The murders make headlines as being the worst multiple slayings in the city in four years. The son of one of the men whose life was stolen is our guest on this very special episode of The First Degree. Four members of his family were taken in foul swoop, and he takes us through the heart breaking aftermath of that loss and the continued injustice following the release of the men convicted of the murders.

MAKE IT STOPPPP!  We're back for another Blake vs Justin update, because the bombs just don't stop dropping.  We break down Blake & Ryan's first public appearance at SNL's 50th Anniversary (what the hell was THAT??), the new HR complaints that every news outlet refused to report on, and Blake's updated suit that kindaaaa seems like it was written by Ryan Reynolds himself??

In the early hours of September 6, 1994, a 21-year-old woman is found murdered in her apartment in Bakersfield, California. Just days earlier, she'd been hanging out with friends, laughing and talking. Now, her friends are left to question how someone could have taken her life so brutally—and why. Despite the tragedy, there's no full investigation into her case, leaving her close friend to take matters into his own hands. What he uncovers during his personal investigation shocks him—and continues to haunt him to this day. In episode 339, Jac and Alexis explore the haunting murder of Stacy Renee Shaw, the unsettling details her friend Brian uncovers, and how a case with more questions than answers still remains unsolved.

Another week, another round of messed up and delusional celeb shenanigans.  We bring you the Blake vs Justin updates, Taylor & Travis Super Bowl conspiracies, Armie Hammer eating more body parts, & Allison Holker (allegedly) writing fake Amazon reviews for her new memoir?  These people truly are the gift that keeps on giving.

On July 25, 2015, a man went to check on his neighbors, a married couple living in the suburbs of Phoenix, Arizona. When the 43-year-old husband opens the door, the neighbor outside recoils in horror when he sees the man has a severed arm. Realizing that a much more gruesome scene far beyond anyone's nightmares lies inside the home, the neighbor calls police. When they arrive they find the man has not only gouged out his eye, but that his 49-year-old wife is dead. As investigators try to piece together the events leading to such incomprehensible violence, even the most seasoned of detectives are shocked at what's occurred. In episode 338, Jac and Alexis detail the heart breaking murder, and question to what extent such unimaginable incidents are truly preventable, if at all.

Another week, another Blake vs. Justin vs. Ryan deep dive, and this one is a DOOZY.  Justin Baldoni's lawyer followed through with his promise and launched THELAWSUITINFO.COM detailing the updated complaint as well as a 198 page timeline of events.  We're going through all of the highlights and break down everything you need to know, including some of the cringiest texts known to man.

In episode 337 Jac and Alexis conclude with part 2 of the Gilbert Gutjahr case. While the case is technically adjudicated, questions may always loom about the driving force behind the murder itself. And information revealed during the court proceedings leads to startling revelations. This episode explores so much more than a shocking crime, they delve into family dynamics, how they shape who we become, and how to escape if needed.

It Ends With Us NEVER ENDS, and this week we're learning that the ultimate villain might be none other than…Ryan Reynolds?? We're going through all of the latest bombshells including why Colleen Hoover REALLY deleted her social media, evidence that Ryan Reynolds might be responsible for all of this mess, It Ends With Us Coloring Book???, exposing the NYT smear campaign, and Taylor Swift finally enters the chat (and it looks like Khaleesi might have lost one of her dragons).