The First Degree

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Join Ladygang's Jac Vanek, true crime TV producer Alexis Linkletter, and investigative journalist Billy Jensen on a chilling ride into the darkest corners of your worst nightmares. We're talking murder, serial killers, cults, conspiracy theories and beyond, all told through the eyes of a guest who i…

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    • Oct 9, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • weekdays NEW EPISODES
    • 52m AVG DURATION
    • 629 EPISODES

    4.6 from 9,400 ratings Listeners of The First Degree that love the show mention: alexis and billy, billy and alexis, alexis linkletter, tfd, firstie, murder squad, talk murder, love the first degree, thank you alexis, love alexis, jac vanek, billy and jac, love jac, must be stopped, jeri, take on true crime, heavy breathing, love billy, jensen and holes, time at the end.


    Ivy Insights

    The First Degree podcast is an excellent true crime podcast that offers a unique perspective on crime stories. The podcast features interviews with individuals who have had personal experiences or close brushes with crimes and criminals, providing firsthand accounts that add depth and authenticity to the stories. Hosted by Alexis Linkletter, Jac Vanek, and Jared Monaco, the show combines their individual strengths to create an engaging and captivating listening experience.

    One of the best aspects of The First Degree is its ability to bring fresh and unheard stories to its listeners every week. Unlike many other true crime podcasts that focus on well-known cases, The First Degree delves into lesser-known stories and provides a platform for individuals involved in these cases to share their experiences. This unique approach keeps the content fresh and exciting for true crime enthusiasts who are always looking for new stories to explore.

    Another standout aspect of the podcast is its hosts' chemistry and dynamic. Alexis, Jac, and Jared each bring something unique to the table, creating a well-rounded hosting team. Alexis's nostalgic vibe adds a relatable element to the show, while Jac's fresh insight and warm personality bring a sense of comfort amidst the darkness of true crime. Jared's addition has been seamless, adding humor and another valuable perspective to the discussions.

    The Worst aspect of The First Degree is perhaps its tendency to veer off-topic at times. While banter between hosts can be enjoyable, there are instances where it can distract from the main story or discussion. Some listeners may find this frustrating if they prefer a more focused approach to storytelling.

    In conclusion, The First Degree podcast is a must-listen for true crime enthusiasts looking for fresh perspectives on lesser-known cases. With engaging hosts who bring their own unique strengths to the show, The First Degree offers an immersive listening experience that is both informative and entertaining. Despite occasional moments of distraction from the main topic, this podcast remains a standout in an overcrowded genre.



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    Latest episodes from The First Degree

    DEEP DIVE: PSYCHIC MEDIUM JONATHAN MARK

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 9, 2025 53:59


    This week on a very special Deep Dive, we are joined by psychic medium Jonathan Mark! We chat with him about why celebrities trust him to do their readings, how he discovered he was different and what he really thinks about the most controversial true crime cases. He is truly a gem of a human, and we hope you enjoy our conversation as much as we did!

    Episode 372: The Hillside Stranglers, Part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 8, 2025 52:21


    The call from Washington changed everything. When Los Angeles detectives learned Kenneth Bianchi had been arrested for a double murder hundreds of miles away, the truth about the Hillside Strangler finally began to surface. But uncovering the killers was only the beginning. In episode 372, Jac and Lex take you inside the longest murder trial in American history.  A case marked by manipulations, bizarre side shows, and near-collapse,  as Bianchi turned on his cousin Angelo Buono, and prosecutors fought to hold the case together. This is the story of how the Hillside Strangler murders ended in conviction, and how Los Angeles was forever changed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    DEEP DIVE: BAD WITCH CLUB

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 2, 2025 48:10


    It's officially soooky szn, and what better way to kick it off than with a PROFESSIONAL WITCH! It's a super special Deep Dive with Sarah Potter: tarot reader, psychic medium, and yes…pro witch. She helps us lean into our own powers to be the baddest witches we can be.

    Episode 371: The Hillside Strangers, Part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 1, 2025 43:33


    In late 1977, Los Angeles was terrorized by a string of brutal murders that the press dubbed the work of the “Hillside Strangler.” Victims were found in public places, bound and strangled, their bodies eerily posed. A witness spotted two men with one of the victims, sparking theories that the crimes were a coordinated effort. In episode 371, Jac and Lex delve into the story of the Hillside Stranglers, a case that stumped law enforcement until a phone call from Washington broke the investigation wide open. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    Introducing: CRIMES OF…

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 26, 2025 6:58


    Power. Fame. Obsession. Betrayal. These are more than headlines. They are the forces behind some of the most unforgettable crimes in history. Crimes Of... is a weekly true crime anthology series, hosted by Sabrina Deana-Roga and Corinne Vien of Two Girls One Ghost, that explores a new theme each season, such as crimes of the paranormal, unsolved murders, mysterious disappearances, and more. For their first season, Sabrina and Corinne are diving into Crimes of: Infamy. The real-life true crime events behind Hollywood's most iconic horror villains, from cult classics to massive franchises. Norman Bates. Buffalo Bill. Ghostface. Jason Voorhees. The names alone send a shiver down your spine. Now, discover the chilling crimes that brought them to life. Crimes Of... is a Crime House Original, powered by PAVE Studios. Listen wherever you get your podcasts. Listen here: https://link.podtrac.com/5s45q3gc Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    DEEP DIVE: BIG ASS WIGS

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 25, 2025 47:30


    Get in loser we're going to reveal the bleak, disgusting truths about your favorite fashion trends (hint: they all originated as ways to hide disease in the Medieval times)! Plus, a deep dive on belly buttons and what they say about your personality and life expectancy!  Oh, and how to prevent murder while taking a

    Episode 370: Brown's Chicken Massacre, Part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 24, 2025 55:47


    For nearly ten years, investigators had no clue who killed seven people in the Palatine Brown's Chicken on January 8th of 1993. They followed more than 4,800 leads and arrested several potential suspects, but nothing came of these efforts. The murders of Brown's Chicken employees 16-year-old Michael Castro, 17-year-old Rico Solis, 31-year-old Tom Mennes, 32-year-old Marcus Nellsen, and 47-year-old Lupe Maldonado and owners 49-year-old Lynn Ehlenfeldt and 50-year-old Dick Ehlenfeldt were a tragic mystery. The case remained cold until April of 2002, when Anne Lockette spoke to the authorities. At the time of the crime, her boyfriend, 20-year-old Jim Degorski, and his friend, 18-year-old Juan Luna, robbed the Brown's Chicken, stole $1,800, and told her every detail—but not before threatening Anne's own life. In episode 370, Jac and Alexis dive into how a confounding case was solved with Anne's key testimony and  DNA technology advancments that allowed better testing of saliva samples gathered from a half-eaten chicken bone. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    DEEP DIVE: DEEP IN OUR EELINGS

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 18, 2025 45:35


    Move over octopuses, eels are the REAL alien in town. Jac accidentally fell into the Bermuda Triangle and she's sharing all of her eel facts with the class (spoiler alert….we don't know ANYTHING about them???). Plus Dancing with the Sharks and a quick Blake vs Justin update!

    Episode 369: Brown's Chicken Massacre, Part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 17, 2025 56:12


    Shortly after 9 p.m. on January 8th of 1993, seven people begin the closing routine for the Brown's Chicken & Pasta restaurant located in Palatine, Illinois. Of the seven people, five are employees: 16-year-old Michael Castro, 17-year-old Rico Solis, 31-year-old Tom Mennes, 32-year-old Marcus Nellsen, and 47-year-old Lupe Maldonado. The other two individuals are the owners: 49-year-old Lynn Ehlenfeldt and her 50-year-old husband, Dick Ehlenfeldt. When two men approach the Brown's Chicken's locked doors after closing, no one is alarmed. Instead, the men are welcomed into the Brown's Chicken. One man orders food, eats a few bites, and discards the rest. Then, that same man pulls out a knife, and his companion reveals a .38 snub-nosed revolver. The men proceed to murder all seven Brown's Chicken workers. For nearly 10 years, investigators searched high and low for these killers. But it wasn't until Anne Lockette spoke up about her violent ex-boyfriend that 20-year-old Jim Degorski, and his friend, 18-year-old Juan Luna, were put away for their crimes. In episode 369, Jac and Alexis work with author and lawyer Patrick Wohl to explain how this needless massacre changed the Palatine community forever and nearly ended the Brown's Chicken franchise. This is part one of a two-part series.

    DEEP DIVE: SHOW ME DEM ALIENS

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 11, 2025 49:16


    This week we're going all over the place, so buckle up for the ride. Starting off with a dead body being found in a TikTok star's Tesla trunk (but he's been on tour so who put it there???), UFOs are all over the damn place, just released terrifying shirtless selfies of Bryan Kohberger, and Elizabeth Gilbert admitting to *almost* attempting to kill her partner but no one seems to care?? WHAT IS HAPPENING

    Episode 368: Zahra Baker

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 10, 2025 69:07


    On the afternoon of October 9, 2010, police in Hickory, North Carolina, receive a report of a missing 10-year-old girl. Everyone in her life is desperate for her safe return. But as the search continues, it emerges that she hasn't been seen outside the house for some time. Almost a month after the youngster is reported missing, her remains are found in nearby woods, her cause of death unknown. When a suspect is arrested, the community is stunned and appalled when it learns the gruesome and despicable details of what has befallen the young girl. In episode 368, Jac and Alexis detail the heartbreaking murder of Zahra Clare Baker, by someone who committed the most heinous and unforgivable of acts against a child, and the impact of catastrophic systemic failures when it comes to protecting our children.

    DEEP DIVE: UNKNOWN CALLER, THE HIGH SCHOOL CATFISH

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 4, 2025 49:13


    The title says it all. This week we are deep diving Unknown Caller: The High School Catfish documentary, because we've got THOUGHTS. We analyze every moment of the documentary, what was missing from it, and share how we really feel about Kendra. Plus, Luigi Mangione modeling for SHEIN??

    Episode 367: An Arrest: Nikki Cheng Saelee McCain

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 3, 2025 40:28


    When we first covered the disappearance of 39-year-old mother of four, Nikki Cheng Saelee McCain, in episode 330,  her case was still classified as a missing persons investigation. Months later, everything has changed. Authorities have reclassified the case as a homicide, Nikki's husband Tyler has spoken publicly for the first time, and now he's been arrested and charged with her murder. In this update episode, Jac and Lex revisit Nikki's story, track the dramatic turns since March, and explore how media attention and relentless advocacy from Nikki's family have kept the case alive, and helped push it forward.

    DEEP DIVE: BASED ON A FAKE STORY

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 28, 2025 48:49


    It's a variety show kinda week, and we're covering all ends of the oddity spectrum for you. From Will Smith's AI concert promo fail, to forensic otters, to getting knives stuck in your chest for 10 years, to the Burning Man Orgy Dome, to super powered humans who feel no pain, you'e bound to learn a new random useless fact or two to take with you this week!

    Episode 366: The Kalamazoo Uber Murders

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 27, 2025 51:16


    It began as an ordinary night in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Families were out, friends gathered, strangers hailed rides to get across town. But beneath the surface of that routine evening, something unthinkable was unfolding. A man who seemed to have everything together, a job, a family, no history of violence, suddenly broke from the life he knew. Over the course of just a few hours, a city was gripped by a series of random, senseless attacks that defied explanation. Between rides for a car service, he struck again and again, leaving investigators and residents searching for answers. On episode 366 of The First Degree, Jac and Lex dive in, exploring the answers of impossible questions. Like, what could drive someone with no warning signs to unleash chaos on total strangers? And how do you stop a threat that blends so seamlessly into the everyday? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    DEEP DIVE: DIZZY GLIZZY

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 21, 2025 45:11


    It's a week full of replacing eyeballs with teeth, con men “suicides”, and thousands of hotdogs flying through the air. Plus, Jenna Miscavige is officially on TikTok and answering all of our most burning questions about Scientology (like where the HELL is Shelly???). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    Episode 365: Carrie Lepak

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 20, 2025 60:45


    Homicide detectives are trained to speak for the dead. They build cases from silence, piecing together fragments of lives they never truly knew. Rarely do they ever get to meet the people they fight for. But for one Los Angeles investigator, that changed in the fall of 1987, when a woman lived through the impossible. After being abducted, held captive for 48 hours, and shot in the head twice, she somehow survived. Her story not only defied medical odds, it reshaped a detective's career and life, forging a bond between victim and investigator that would endure long after the case was closed. In episode 365, Jac and Lex delve into the survival story of Carol LePak, with the help of retired LA homicide investigator, Don Tabek.

    DEEP DIVE: TOUR DE EPSTEIN

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 14, 2025 47:46


    Have you ever wondered what the inside of Jeffrey Epstein's New York brownstone looked like? Well have no fear! The photos have been leaked and we are going through and analyzing each and every detail. Plus, cursed labubus and banned baby names!

    Episode 364: Just Outside the Line

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 13, 2025 43:34


    She did everything right.  She kept the records. Filed the reports. Changed her routines. But none of it mattered. Because the man tormenting her stayed just outside the rules.  A case where psychological terror was real, constant, and intentional-  and yet, legally invisible. In episode 364, Jac and Lex unravel how stalking can become a form of slow-motion violence. How the system waits for blood before it acts. And how, sometimes, the most dangerous threats are the ones hiding in plain sight, waiting, watching, and never quite crossing the line.

    DEEP DIVE: THE DOCTOR WILL SEE YOU NOW

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 7, 2025 50:30


    This week we're deep diving into Matt Rife buying Ed & Lorraine Warren's haunted house (AND the Annabelle doll WTF?!), Dave Franco x Luigi Mangioni, Radioactive Wasps, and the woman who is crashing out on tiktok from falling in love with her psychiatrist, and WOO BOY is it a ride.

    Episode 363: Jennifer and Adrianna Wix, Part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 6, 2025 49:21


    Even with a young mother and her toddler missing, investigators don't seem to push for answers. Instead, they accept her boyfriend's version of events and ignore glaring red flags. For years, Jennifer Wix's family is left to fight for the truth on their own, chasing leads and conducting their own investigation. Then, nearly two decades later, the boyfriend's story changes and their worst fears are confirmed. In episode 363, Jac and Alexis break down the investigation, the devastating admission that Jennifer and Adrianna are dead, and the painful reality that despite everything, they're still missing, and no one has been charged.

    KILLING TIME: EEL OSMOSIS

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 31, 2025 50:30


    You asked, we delivered! Killing Time is back (for a limited time only) and our very own Jared is back to guest host with us. Things got weird pretty fast. We're talking Katy Perry & Justin Trudeau going on a first date, Orlando Bloom punching Justin Bieber, Cheesecake Factory vs P.F. Chang's, an alien invasion coming in October, and how exactly does an eel get stuck in one's intestine??

    Episode 362: Jennifer and Adrianna Wix, Part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 30, 2025 38:39


    On March 25, 2004, a 21-year-old mother and her two-and-a-half-year-old daughter vanish without a trace from rural Robertson County, Tennessee. Their family is devastated…and immediately suspicious. In the months leading up to their disappearance, Jennifer Wix had become increasingly isolated, with no car, no job, and no way out. Her relationship with her boyfriend and his parents was volatile, and her final phone calls made one thing clear: she was scared, and she was trying to leave with her daughter Adrianna. In episode 362, Jac and Alexis trace the emotional and increasingly dangerous path that led to Jennifer and Adrianna's disappearance and the moment her family knew something was terribly wrong.

    DEEP DIVE: WELCOME BACK OZZY OSBOURNE

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 24, 2025 42:45


    Have you ever heard of the Trisha Paytas Reincarnation Theory??? Well now you have. This week we're discussing the Amy Bradley documentary (and her brothers new theory), Jeffrey Epstein updates, Bohemian Grove lawsuits, a biting lawyer, and a 38 year old woman who is living her best life in a retirement home.

    Episode 361: Brian Schaffer

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 23, 2025 50:00


    In the spring of 2006, 27-year-old Ohio State medical student Brian Shaffer walked into a popular Columbus bar called the Ugly Tuna Saloona, and was never seen again. Surveillance footage captured him entering the bar around 1:55 a.m., but he never appeared on camera leaving. No signs of a struggle. No phone activity. No trace. Nearly two decades later, Brian's disappearance remains one of the most haunting and confounding cold cases in modern true crime history. In episode 361, Jac and Lex unravel the night Brian disappeared, the theories that won't die, and the question that haunts everyone who's ever heard his story: how does someone vanish into thin air?

    DEEP DIVE: RELEASE THE LIST

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 17, 2025 39:22


    This week we literally cannot get over the gaslighting that's happening with Jeffrey Epstein. Tin foil hats are staying on until further notice. We also dive into the Annabelle doll haunting (and…murder??), a man begging to be cursed by satanists and witches, a Christmas present that ended up being a severed toe, and a TikTok cult growing in real time. Like we said…tin foil hats ON. 

    Episode 360: Jessica Gutierrez

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 16, 2025 51:15


    On June 6, 1986, a single mom of three awakes to find her 4-year-old daughter has been abducted from her bed near Lexington, South Carolina. The family is desperate to find her. The girl's sister tells law enforcement she saw a man in a ‘magic hat' carry her sister out the window. However, there is no sign of the youngster. The days, weeks, months, and years pass without answers as the missing girl's mother battles racism, corruption, and a bungled police investigation that ignores key evidence. Finally, decades after the abduction, and with the involvement of a private investigator, an arrest is made. The young girl's family is entirely unsurprised at the perpetrator's identity - it was someone they suspected all along. In episode 360, Jac and Alexis detail the heartbreaking abduction and murder of Jessica Gutierrez at the hands of Thomas Eric McDowell, and the importance of law enforcement listening to families, instead of stonewalling them.

    DEEP DIVE: JEFFREY EPSTEIN DIDN'T KILL HIMSELF

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 10, 2025 38:08


    This week we're diving into the absolute joke of the justice department declaring that “Jeffree Epstein DID in fact kill himself in prison and there is no ‘client list'”  Yeah, sure Jan.  We also chat about inmate immaculate conception, toothbrushes getting stuck in small intestines, fake Disneyland weddings, smuggling hundreds of tortillas on airplanes, and who the hell is Jacky Jhaj???

    Episode 359: Megan Trussell

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 9, 2025 43:02


    In February 2025, a college freshman is reported missing from her dorm at CU Boulder. Days later, her body is discovered in a canyon miles from campus, an area her family says she never would have gone alone. She is bruised and battered, missing one shoe, and both her phone and purse are gone. When those belongings later turn up in the possession of strangers, Megan's family braces for answers. But what they get instead is a ruling of suicide, leaving them reeling and desperate for answers. In episode 359, Jac and Alexis examine the mysterious death of Megan Trussell, and the relentless fight her parents are waging to get her case reopened.

    DEEP DIVE: RULES FOR THEE, NOT FOR ME

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 3, 2025 41:30


    It's been a terrible, horrible, no good very bad week, and we're here to talk through all of the BS: Diddy being found not guilty of his most serious crimes (literally…HOW???), Bryan Kohberger pleads guilty to escape the death penalty, and we absolutely shit on the tacky and hypocritical mess that was Jeff Bezos & Lauren Sanchez's wedding (and what's realllyyy happening behind the scenes).

    Episode 358: Anatomy of Betrayal

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 2, 2025 39:32


    When a woman made the life-changing decision to anonymously donate her kidney, she did it out of pure compassion for a total stranger. But what happens when that stranger doesn't stay anonymous? When the recipient of your organ begins threatening your safety, and turning your act of selflessness into a nightmare? In episode  358, Jac and Lex delve into the harrowing story of one woman's gift, and how it came back to haunt her. In a legal system unprepared for a case like this, she found herself caught in a web of fear, confusion, and emotional devastation. What do you do when the lines between medical ethics, personal safety, and criminal law blur? When the very act that saved someone's life puts your own in danger? And in the end… could she ever make it stop?

    DEEP DIVE: THE YELLOW DELI

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 26, 2025 47:24


    You've been asking us to deep dive The Yellow Deli (and the Twelve Tribes cult) for months now, and the day has finally come.  We're diving into their “communal living” and “child discipline”, bizarre Sabbath gatherings, and disgusting beliefs.  Don't be fooled by the friendly workers and delicious sandwiches…the Yellow Deli is a CULT.  Also, we touch on Shiloh Hill and the dark web blood cowboy boots and the latest headlines of the week.

    Episode 357: Terence Freitas

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 25, 2025 51:50


    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.

    DEEP DIVE: EVERYONE IS CRASHING OUT

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 19, 2025 46:09


    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.

    Episode 356: Christy Giles Cilliers & Hilda Cabrales-Arzola

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 18, 2025 65:04


    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

    DEEP DIVE: DEEP SEA DRAMA

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 12, 2025 42:59


    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. 

    Episode 355: Vanishing Act

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 11, 2025 52:40


    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.

    DEEP DIVE: DIDDY, BLAKE, & CELINE DION?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 5, 2025 45:16


    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???

    Episode 354: Destiny McClain

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 4, 2025 43:35


    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.

    DEEP DIVE: DIDDY TRIAL

    Play Episode Listen Later May 29, 2025 44:56


    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!

    Episode 353: Melissa Lamesch

    Play Episode Listen Later May 28, 2025 40:39


    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.

    DEEP DIVE: SHEN YUN

    Play Episode Listen Later May 22, 2025 52:30


    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). 

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