The Lawless Files

Former sheriff Rick Walter explains some of the physical evidence that discredits Mark Abbott's story; we review Judge Callahan's ruling; read some troubling emails where Mark Abbott shames the victim.

Among the questions: Is there enough evidence for a conviction? What were the roles of the responding officers? Was DNA taken from Kevin Williams?

Mark Abbott made different claims about where he went after he found the body of Mischelle Lawless. In this bonus episode, Bob Miller and Tyler Graef hop in the car and retrace the routes. Was it possible for Mark to return to the crime scene and make it to Heather Pierce's by 2 a.m.? The key to that answer lies in the statement made by officer Roy Moore.

Former chief deputy Tom Beardslee gives his account of what happened in the moments following his first interview with Mark Abbott. Full interview can be found at www.thelawlessfiles.com with an access pass.

Suspects Mark Abbott and Kevin Williams continue to testify in depositions of Josh Kezer's Habeas appeal, and continue to contradict one another. Josh's attorneys catch that Williams' story has changed about who he saw at the party the night of the murder.

As Josh Kezer fights for his innocence, his attorneys call current suspects Mark Abbott and Kevin Williams to testify in depositions.

This episode explores some creative reimbursement collections by Bill Ferrell; the firing of a drug task force officer who testified at Josh Kezer's hearing; and new testimony by Chantelle Crider.

This is a breaking news episode. Stay tuned for updates as we find out more information.

This episode looks at where Mark Abbott and Kevin Williams went the morning after the murder, then an interaction that Williams had with then-sheriff Rick Walter shortly after he reopened the case.

More about the dark culture of Scott County, and new information emerges that the wrong man is in prison for the Mischelle Lawless murder.

Coming soon. The Angela Mischelle Lawless murder and Josh Kezer exoneration story, as never told before.

Just a couple of months after Josh Kezer's conviction, Mark Abbott's friend gets busted on drug possession charges. Josh Kezer's former attorney unveils a dramatic reveal about a connection involving the sheriff. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Josh's attorneys had pushed forward and received recanted statements from jailed informants. In this episode, we find out how the state pushed through the statements, accusing wrongdoing of Josh's defense attorney.

Josh Kezer's attorneys try to fight back against the murder case, calling the sheriff among others to testify under oath in depositions. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-lawless-files/support

In episode 5, we learn how the jailhouse informants that implicated Josh Kezer for the murder of Mischelle Lawless tried to recant in 1993. We learn more about how Scott County built its case against Kezer. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-lawless-files/support

Ten days after the murder, Mark Abbott told an officer that he saw a mixed-race black man at the payphone. And he knew the man at the payphone, because he'd seen him at a party earlier that night. That man was with Lyle Day all evening on the night of the murder. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-lawless-files/support

Mark Abbott makes a major change in his story, and introduces a new person near the crime scene. Meanwhile, chief deputy Tom Beardslee was not given the opportunity to interview Abbott a second time. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-lawless-files/support

In this episode, listeners learn more about who Mischelle knew, and what her diary said about some of the suspects in the case. Did she know the identical twin who claims to have found her body? What does the diary disclose about motives and other suspects? --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-lawless-files/support

Episode 1 introduces listeners to the Mischelle Lawless murder of Nov. 8, 1992. The investigation would eventually lead to the conviction of an innocent man. The first episode in Season 1 gets right into the investigation of the murder through the eyes of a former deputy and the man who would later reopen the murder as a sheriff. The first episode introduces two witnesses (or was it one?) who were identical twins. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-lawless-files/support

Don Cobb, who is challenging Amanda Oesch for the prosecutor position in Scott County, does a brief interview with the Lawless Files to discuss why neither he nor the incumbent can say much about the case.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-lawless-files/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Probable Cause state reveals details of murder charges against Jessi Wilfong's uncle.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-lawless-files/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Barb Hall, while facing a Wednesday deadline to raise money for an independent autopsy, fills us in on what the highway patrol told her when she visited them in person.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-lawless-files/exclusive-contentAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Former law enforcement officer Betty Frizzell watched her sister get convicted of murder. But she believes another family member may be responsible for the crime. Author of the book, "If you Can't Quit Cryin', You Can't Come Here No More" Frizzell offers a unique perspective on rural policing, especially in Southeast Missouri.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-lawless-files/exclusive-contentAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Last week, a Potosi police officer was charged with multiple sex crimes involving a minor. He was the third officer in the last few years to be arrested for this type of crime.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-lawless-files/exclusive-contentAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Barb Hall gives an interview about her son's disappearance and depth. She feels like law enforcement has already made a conclusion as to how Timmy Dees died.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-lawless-files/exclusive-contentAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Today is a primary election that will determine the next prosecutor in Scott County. We dig into former prosecutors who made a mess of the trial against Josh Kezer as a reminder of why choosing prosecutors is important. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-lawless-files/exclusive-contentAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Josh Kezer, wrongfully convicted of Mischelle Lawless's murder, responds to new information reported in previous episodes.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-lawless-files/exclusive-contentAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

A federal indictment charged Mark Abbott with felon in possession of a firearm.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-lawless-files/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Major news on Timmy Dees. Episode includes information concerning where Timmy's body was found in relation to the house where Timmy made a 911 call.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-lawless-files/exclusive-contentAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Would perjury be an easier case to prove than murder in the Mischelle Lawless case? Who might face perjury charges, and what evidence would there be against those who may have knowingly lied to send Josh Kezer to prison for a murder he didn't commit?Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-lawless-files/exclusive-contentAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Jessi Wilfong's body was found, and tampering charges have been filed against a woman in the case. The probable cause affidavit hints that more charges are coming, and that Jessi's uncle may have been involved.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-lawless-files/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

This episode is a continuation of the background of the Southern Illinois mobsters, who were connected to the Abbott family.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-lawless-files/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Jessi Wilfong was last seen in May of 2022 in the Millersville, Missouri area in Cape Girardeau County. This episode contains an interview with Jessi's mother about the circumstances that happened before Jessi was last seen.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-lawless-files/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Barb Hall hasn't seen or heard from her son Timothy Dees since Feb. 28, 2022. We interview the woman desperate to find answers and piece together what happened to Timmy.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-lawless-files/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Long before Mischelle Lawless was murdered, The Outfit in Chicago spread their tentacles into Southern Illinois. Two men from Sikeston were enforcers, and eventually a member of the Abbott family played an important role in making sure the coin machine revenue strategy was humming.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-lawless-files/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Former Southeast Missourian reporter Cathryn Maya shares her experience covering the 1994 trial of Josh Kezer for the murder of Mischelle Lawless. But the most interesting thing she shares is a conversation she had with the former sheriff one week before the trial started.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-lawless-files/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Sheriff Rick Walter files probable cause on two suspects for Mischelle Lawless's murder. A grand jury is convened but it does not issue an indictment.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-lawless-files/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Mark Abbott makes his first appearance on weapons charge. What happened during the hearing?Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-lawless-files/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy