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Before he killed Sonya Massey, Deputy Sean Grayson was already a walking liability — fired from department after department, discharged from the Army for misconduct, arrested for DUI, and still somehow cleared to wear a badge in Illinois. In this powerful conversation, Tony Brueski, Stacy Cole, and Todd Michaels and attorney Bob Motta expose how that happened — and why it keeps happening. From failed background checks to lax hiring standards, the system designed to protect the public instead recycles problem officers. The result: tragedy after tragedy. Grayson's conviction for second-degree murder feels hollow when the larger machine that put him in that kitchen still runs unchecked. Tony and Bob unpack the loopholes, the union protections, and the culture of silence that let Grayson slip through every filter. They also explore Illinois' new “Sonya's Law,” the state's attempt to patch the holes after it was too late — and whether any of it will stop the next preventable death. Hidden Killers — where we hold the system accountable, one case at a time. #SonyaMassey #SeanGrayson #PoliceReform #HiddenKillers #TonyBrueski #BobMotta #TrueCrime #JusticeForSonya #SystemicFailure #LawEnforcement #Accountability #Podcast Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872
Hidden Killers With Tony Brueski | True Crime News & Commentary
Before he killed Sonya Massey, Deputy Sean Grayson was already a walking liability — fired from department after department, discharged from the Army for misconduct, arrested for DUI, and still somehow cleared to wear a badge in Illinois. In this powerful conversation, Tony Brueski, Stacy Cole, and Todd Michaels and attorney Bob Motta expose how that happened — and why it keeps happening. From failed background checks to lax hiring standards, the system designed to protect the public instead recycles problem officers. The result: tragedy after tragedy. Grayson's conviction for second-degree murder feels hollow when the larger machine that put him in that kitchen still runs unchecked. Tony and Bob unpack the loopholes, the union protections, and the culture of silence that let Grayson slip through every filter. They also explore Illinois' new “Sonya's Law,” the state's attempt to patch the holes after it was too late — and whether any of it will stop the next preventable death. Hidden Killers — where we hold the system accountable, one case at a time. #SonyaMassey #SeanGrayson #PoliceReform #HiddenKillers #TonyBrueski #BobMotta #TrueCrime #JusticeForSonya #SystemicFailure #LawEnforcement #Accountability #Podcast Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872
After weeks of testimony and emotional bodycam footage, the jury finally spoke: Sean Grayson is guilty of second-degree murder for killing Sonya Massey — the unarmed woman who called 911 for help. But “second-degree” feels like a technicality, not justice. In this Hidden Killers exclusive, Tony Brueski and defense attorney Bob Motta pull apart the verdict, the courtroom strategy, and the dangerous precedent it sets. How did prosecutors lose the first-degree charge when the evidence seemed iron-clad? Did the defense successfully reframe Grayson's panic as “fear for his life”? Together they analyze how “imperfect self-defense” keeps shielding officers from full accountability, why juries hesitate to call it murder when the killer wears a badge, and what this means for police reform going forward. This isn't about one bad cop — it's about a system that keeps lowering the bar for justice. Hidden Killers — real verdicts, raw truth. #SeanGrayson #SonyaMassey #BobMotta #HiddenKillers #TonyBrueski #TrueCrime #JusticeForSonya #PoliceShooting #LegalBreakdown #CourtAnalysis #Accountability Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872
She called 911 for help. And they sent her a bullet. When 36-year-old Sonya Massey phoned the Sangamon County Sheriff's Office on a quiet July night, she thought officers would protect her. Instead, Deputy Sean Grayson — a man with a trail of DUIs, firings, and a dishonorable discharge — shot her in the face inside her own kitchen. In this episode of Hidden Killers, Tony Brueski sits down with defense attorney and Defense Diaries host Bob Motta to dissect a verdict that's enraged a nation. A jury found Grayson guilty of second-degree murder — not first — despite crystal-clear bodycam footage showing an unarmed woman holding a pot of water, doing exactly what officers asked. How does someone with Grayson's record keep getting hired? Why did the system that should have screened him out instead hand him a gun? And what does this verdict say about how America still treats police violence as a “mistake,” not a crime? Tony and Bob dive into the broken hiring pipeline, the psychology of a cop who panics behind a badge, and the legal gymnastics that turn murder into “imperfect self-defense.” Hidden Killers — because “serving and protecting” shouldn't mean burying the evidence. #SonyaMassey #SeanGrayson #HiddenKillers #TonyBrueski #BobMotta #PoliceAccountability #JusticeForSonya #TrueCrimePodcast #Bodycam #PoliceReform #LegalAnalysis Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872
Before he killed Sonya Massey, Deputy Sean Grayson was already a walking liability — fired from department after department, discharged from the Army for misconduct, arrested for DUI, and still somehow cleared to wear a badge in Illinois. In this powerful conversation, Tony Brueski, Stacy Cole, and Todd Michaels and attorney Bob Motta expose how that happened — and why it keeps happening. From failed background checks to lax hiring standards, the system designed to protect the public instead recycles problem officers. The result: tragedy after tragedy. Grayson's conviction for second-degree murder feels hollow when the larger machine that put him in that kitchen still runs unchecked. Tony and Bob unpack the loopholes, the union protections, and the culture of silence that let Grayson slip through every filter. They also explore Illinois' new “Sonya's Law,” the state's attempt to patch the holes after it was too late — and whether any of it will stop the next preventable death. Hidden Killers — where we hold the system accountable, one case at a time. #SonyaMassey #SeanGrayson #PoliceReform #HiddenKillers #TonyBrueski #BobMotta #TrueCrime #JusticeForSonya #SystemicFailure #LawEnforcement #Accountability #Podcast Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872
Hidden Killers With Tony Brueski | True Crime News & Commentary
After weeks of testimony and emotional bodycam footage, the jury finally spoke: Sean Grayson is guilty of second-degree murder for killing Sonya Massey — the unarmed woman who called 911 for help. But “second-degree” feels like a technicality, not justice. In this Hidden Killers exclusive, Tony Brueski and defense attorney Bob Motta pull apart the verdict, the courtroom strategy, and the dangerous precedent it sets. How did prosecutors lose the first-degree charge when the evidence seemed iron-clad? Did the defense successfully reframe Grayson's panic as “fear for his life”? Together they analyze how “imperfect self-defense” keeps shielding officers from full accountability, why juries hesitate to call it murder when the killer wears a badge, and what this means for police reform going forward. This isn't about one bad cop — it's about a system that keeps lowering the bar for justice. Hidden Killers — real verdicts, raw truth. #SeanGrayson #SonyaMassey #BobMotta #HiddenKillers #TonyBrueski #TrueCrime #JusticeForSonya #PoliceShooting #LegalBreakdown #CourtAnalysis #Accountability Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872
Hidden Killers With Tony Brueski | True Crime News & Commentary
She called 911 for help. And they sent her a bullet. When 36-year-old Sonya Massey phoned the Sangamon County Sheriff's Office on a quiet July night, she thought officers would protect her. Instead, Deputy Sean Grayson — a man with a trail of DUIs, firings, and a dishonorable discharge — shot her in the face inside her own kitchen. In this episode of Hidden Killers, Tony Brueski sits down with defense attorney and Defense Diaries host Bob Motta to dissect a verdict that's enraged a nation. A jury found Grayson guilty of second-degree murder — not first — despite crystal-clear bodycam footage showing an unarmed woman holding a pot of water, doing exactly what officers asked. How does someone with Grayson's record keep getting hired? Why did the system that should have screened him out instead hand him a gun? And what does this verdict say about how America still treats police violence as a “mistake,” not a crime? Tony and Bob dive into the broken hiring pipeline, the psychology of a cop who panics behind a badge, and the legal gymnastics that turn murder into “imperfect self-defense.” Hidden Killers — because “serving and protecting” shouldn't mean burying the evidence. #SonyaMassey #SeanGrayson #HiddenKillers #TonyBrueski #BobMotta #PoliceAccountability #JusticeForSonya #TrueCrimePodcast #Bodycam #PoliceReform #LegalAnalysis Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872
Hidden Killers With Tony Brueski | True Crime News & Commentary
Before he killed Sonya Massey, Deputy Sean Grayson was already a walking liability — fired from department after department, discharged from the Army for misconduct, arrested for DUI, and still somehow cleared to wear a badge in Illinois. In this powerful conversation, Tony Brueski, Stacy Cole, and Todd Michaels and attorney Bob Motta expose how that happened — and why it keeps happening. From failed background checks to lax hiring standards, the system designed to protect the public instead recycles problem officers. The result: tragedy after tragedy. Grayson's conviction for second-degree murder feels hollow when the larger machine that put him in that kitchen still runs unchecked. Tony and Bob unpack the loopholes, the union protections, and the culture of silence that let Grayson slip through every filter. They also explore Illinois' new “Sonya's Law,” the state's attempt to patch the holes after it was too late — and whether any of it will stop the next preventable death. Hidden Killers — where we hold the system accountable, one case at a time. #SonyaMassey #SeanGrayson #PoliceReform #HiddenKillers #TonyBrueski #BobMotta #TrueCrime #JusticeForSonya #SystemicFailure #LawEnforcement #Accountability #Podcast Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872
She called 911 for help. And they sent her a bullet. When 36-year-old Sonya Massey phoned the Sangamon County Sheriff's Office on a quiet July night, she thought officers would protect her. Instead, Deputy Sean Grayson — a man with a trail of DUIs, firings, and a dishonorable discharge — shot her in the face inside her own kitchen. In this episode of Hidden Killers, Tony Brueski sits down with defense attorney and Defense Diaries host Bob Motta to dissect a verdict that's enraged a nation. A jury found Grayson guilty of second-degree murder — not first — despite crystal-clear bodycam footage showing an unarmed woman holding a pot of water, doing exactly what officers asked. How does someone with Grayson's record keep getting hired? Why did the system that should have screened him out instead hand him a gun? And what does this verdict say about how America still treats police violence as a “mistake,” not a crime? Tony and Bob dive into the broken hiring pipeline, the psychology of a cop who panics behind a badge, and the legal gymnastics that turn murder into “imperfect self-defense.” Hidden Killers — because “serving and protecting” shouldn't mean burying the evidence. #SonyaMassey #SeanGrayson #HiddenKillers #TonyBrueski #BobMotta #PoliceAccountability #JusticeForSonya #TrueCrimePodcast #Bodycam #PoliceReform #LegalAnalysis Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872
After weeks of testimony and emotional bodycam footage, the jury finally spoke: Sean Grayson is guilty of second-degree murder for killing Sonya Massey — the unarmed woman who called 911 for help. But “second-degree” feels like a technicality, not justice. In this Hidden Killers exclusive, Tony Brueski and defense attorney Bob Motta pull apart the verdict, the courtroom strategy, and the dangerous precedent it sets. How did prosecutors lose the first-degree charge when the evidence seemed iron-clad? Did the defense successfully reframe Grayson's panic as “fear for his life”? Together they analyze how “imperfect self-defense” keeps shielding officers from full accountability, why juries hesitate to call it murder when the killer wears a badge, and what this means for police reform going forward. This isn't about one bad cop — it's about a system that keeps lowering the bar for justice. Hidden Killers — real verdicts, raw truth. #SeanGrayson #SonyaMassey #BobMotta #HiddenKillers #TonyBrueski #TrueCrime #JusticeForSonya #PoliceShooting #LegalBreakdown #CourtAnalysis #Accountability Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872
Before he killed Sonya Massey, Deputy Sean Grayson was already a walking liability — fired from department after department, discharged from the Army for misconduct, arrested for DUI, and still somehow cleared to wear a badge in Illinois. In this powerful conversation, Tony Brueski, Stacy Cole, and Todd Michaels and attorney Bob Motta expose how that happened — and why it keeps happening. From failed background checks to lax hiring standards, the system designed to protect the public instead recycles problem officers. The result: tragedy after tragedy. Grayson's conviction for second-degree murder feels hollow when the larger machine that put him in that kitchen still runs unchecked. Tony and Bob unpack the loopholes, the union protections, and the culture of silence that let Grayson slip through every filter. They also explore Illinois' new “Sonya's Law,” the state's attempt to patch the holes after it was too late — and whether any of it will stop the next preventable death. Hidden Killers — where we hold the system accountable, one case at a time. #SonyaMassey #SeanGrayson #PoliceReform #HiddenKillers #TonyBrueski #BobMotta #TrueCrime #JusticeForSonya #SystemicFailure #LawEnforcement #Accountability #Podcast Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872
Jessie and Andie are thrilled to share a new podcast. BURIED: Inside the John Wayne Gacy Investigation is a true-crime podcast featuring never-before-heard recordings of John Wayne Gacy and new admissions from the detectives who investigated him. Hosted by criminal defense attorney Bob Motta, whose father defended Gacy at trial, the series re-examines the investigation that brought a serial killer to justice. Through exclusive interviews, thousands of pages of police files, and newly remastered audio, BURIED exposes what's been hidden for over 40 years and reveals the shocking truth behind one of America's most infamous cases.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
There's a disturbing pattern in America's justice system — one that stretches from the past into the present. From the John Wayne Gacy investigation of the 1970s to Aaron Spencer's prosecution today, we keep coming back to the same haunting question: Why does the system protect predators and punish those who fight them? In the first half of this episode, Defense Attorney Bob Motta — host of Defense Diaries and BURIED: Inside the John Wayne Gacy Investigation — takes us deep inside the newly remastered Gacy Tapes: never-before-heard recordings of Gacy speaking with his defense attorneys, including Bob's own father. For decades, those tapes sat in darkness. Now, with enhanced audio and new detective interviews, BURIED exposes how the Gacy investigation really unfolded — revealing police shortcuts, ignored victims, and the desperation that finally cracked the case. It's a chilling reminder of how often the system gets it wrong — even when it's trying to get it right. Then, in the second half, we shift to Lonoke County, Arkansas, where a father named Aaron Spencer is facing second-degree murder charges after allegedly shooting a known predator he found with his 14-year-old daughter. The twist? Spencer is now running for sheriff — against the very department that arrested him. His slogan: “Restoring Trust.” To some, he's a hero. To others, a vigilante. But to many, he's proof that faith in law enforcement has been replaced by something darker — a belief that justice only comes when you take it into your own hands. From Gacy's crawl space to Arkansas courtrooms, this is the connective tissue of true crime: the failure of systems built to protect us, and the people forced to fill the gaps. Hosted by Tony Brueski | Guest: Bob Motta (Defense Diaries, BURIED) Subscribe for more true-crime conversations that challenge the system — and the stories we think we know. #JohnWayneGacy #AaronSpencer #BobMotta #DefenseDiaries #HiddenKillers #BuriedPodcast #JusticeSystem #TrueCrimePodcast #VigilanteJustice #TonyBrueski Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872
Hidden Killers With Tony Brueski | True Crime News & Commentary
There's a disturbing pattern in America's justice system — one that stretches from the past into the present. From the John Wayne Gacy investigation of the 1970s to Aaron Spencer's prosecution today, we keep coming back to the same haunting question: Why does the system protect predators and punish those who fight them? In the first half of this episode, Defense Attorney Bob Motta — host of Defense Diaries and BURIED: Inside the John Wayne Gacy Investigation — takes us deep inside the newly remastered Gacy Tapes: never-before-heard recordings of Gacy speaking with his defense attorneys, including Bob's own father. For decades, those tapes sat in darkness. Now, with enhanced audio and new detective interviews, BURIED exposes how the Gacy investigation really unfolded — revealing police shortcuts, ignored victims, and the desperation that finally cracked the case. It's a chilling reminder of how often the system gets it wrong — even when it's trying to get it right. Then, in the second half, we shift to Lonoke County, Arkansas, where a father named Aaron Spencer is facing second-degree murder charges after allegedly shooting a known predator he found with his 14-year-old daughter. The twist? Spencer is now running for sheriff — against the very department that arrested him. His slogan: “Restoring Trust.” To some, he's a hero. To others, a vigilante. But to many, he's proof that faith in law enforcement has been replaced by something darker — a belief that justice only comes when you take it into your own hands. From Gacy's crawl space to Arkansas courtrooms, this is the connective tissue of true crime: the failure of systems built to protect us, and the people forced to fill the gaps. Hosted by Tony Brueski | Guest: Bob Motta (Defense Diaries, BURIED) Subscribe for more true-crime conversations that challenge the system — and the stories we think we know. #JohnWayneGacy #AaronSpencer #BobMotta #DefenseDiaries #HiddenKillers #BuriedPodcast #JusticeSystem #TrueCrimePodcast #VigilanteJustice #TonyBrueski Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872
There's a disturbing pattern in America's justice system — one that stretches from the past into the present. From the John Wayne Gacy investigation of the 1970s to Aaron Spencer's prosecution today, we keep coming back to the same haunting question: Why does the system protect predators and punish those who fight them? In the first half of this episode, Defense Attorney Bob Motta — host of Defense Diaries and BURIED: Inside the John Wayne Gacy Investigation — takes us deep inside the newly remastered Gacy Tapes: never-before-heard recordings of Gacy speaking with his defense attorneys, including Bob's own father. For decades, those tapes sat in darkness. Now, with enhanced audio and new detective interviews, BURIED exposes how the Gacy investigation really unfolded — revealing police shortcuts, ignored victims, and the desperation that finally cracked the case. It's a chilling reminder of how often the system gets it wrong — even when it's trying to get it right. Then, in the second half, we shift to Lonoke County, Arkansas, where a father named Aaron Spencer is facing second-degree murder charges after allegedly shooting a known predator he found with his 14-year-old daughter. The twist? Spencer is now running for sheriff — against the very department that arrested him. His slogan: “Restoring Trust.” To some, he's a hero. To others, a vigilante. But to many, he's proof that faith in law enforcement has been replaced by something darker — a belief that justice only comes when you take it into your own hands. From Gacy's crawl space to Arkansas courtrooms, this is the connective tissue of true crime: the failure of systems built to protect us, and the people forced to fill the gaps. Hosted by Tony Brueski | Guest: Bob Motta (Defense Diaries, BURIED) Subscribe for more true-crime conversations that challenge the system — and the stories we think we know. #JohnWayneGacy #AaronSpencer #BobMotta #DefenseDiaries #HiddenKillers #BuriedPodcast #JusticeSystem #TrueCrimePodcast #VigilanteJustice #TonyBrueski Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872
Inside the John Wayne Gacy Investigation is a true-crime podcast featuring never-before-heard recordings of John Wayne Gacy and new admissions from the detectives who investigated him. Hosted by criminal defense attorney Bob Motta, whose father defended Gacy at trial, the series re-examines the investigation that brought a serial killer to justice. Through exclusive interviews, thousands of pages of police files, and newly remastered audio, BURIED exposes what's been hidden for over 40 years and reveals the shocking truth behind one of America's most infamous cases.
There are stories we think we know — and then there's the John Wayne Gacy case. The killer clown. The crawl space. The 33 victims. But BURIED: Inside the John Wayne Gacy Investigation exposes what the public never heard — the story behind the story. In this conversation, criminal defense attorney Bob Motta joins me to go inside his groundbreaking podcast BURIED, featuring the remastered Gacy tapes — real recordings of John Wayne Gacy speaking with his defense attorneys, including Motta's own father, Robert Motta Sr., who defended Gacy during his insanity trial. For decades, these tapes were locked away, unheard by the public. Now, they've been restored with pristine clarity — revealing not just Gacy's chilling words, but the inner workings of the investigation that brought him down. We dig into the revelations that shook even the detectives who worked the case — shocking admissions, hidden police files, and details from evidence logs that tell a different story than the official narrative. BURIED isn't another Gacy biography — it's an investigation into the investigation itself, uncovering how systemic bias, bad assumptions, and desperation shaped one of the most infamous manhunts in American history. If you've seen Devil in Disguise on Peacock, this conversation goes even deeper — beyond the horror, into the human failures that let Gacy kill for so long. This is justice under a microscope. And it's a story that will make you question everything you thought you knew about the Gacy case. #JohnWayneGacy #BobMotta #BuriedPodcast #DefenseDiaries #TrueCrimePodcast #HiddenKillers #SerialKillerFiles #TheGacyTapes #TrueCrimeCommunity #JusticeUncovered Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872
There's a disturbing pattern in America's justice system — one that stretches from the past into the present. From the John Wayne Gacy investigation of the 1970s to Aaron Spencer's prosecution today, we keep coming back to the same haunting question: Why does the system protect predators and punish those who fight them? In the first half of this episode, Defense Attorney Bob Motta — host of Defense Diaries and BURIED: Inside the John Wayne Gacy Investigation — takes us deep inside the newly remastered Gacy Tapes: never-before-heard recordings of Gacy speaking with his defense attorneys, including Bob's own father. For decades, those tapes sat in darkness. Now, with enhanced audio and new detective interviews, BURIED exposes how the Gacy investigation really unfolded — revealing police shortcuts, ignored victims, and the desperation that finally cracked the case. It's a chilling reminder of how often the system gets it wrong — even when it's trying to get it right. Then, in the second half, we shift to Lonoke County, Arkansas, where a father named Aaron Spencer is facing second-degree murder charges after allegedly shooting a known predator he found with his 14-year-old daughter. The twist? Spencer is now running for sheriff — against the very department that arrested him. His slogan: “Restoring Trust.” To some, he's a hero. To others, a vigilante. But to many, he's proof that faith in law enforcement has been replaced by something darker — a belief that justice only comes when you take it into your own hands. From Gacy's crawl space to Arkansas courtrooms, this is the connective tissue of true crime: the failure of systems built to protect us, and the people forced to fill the gaps. Hosted by Tony Brueski | Guest: Bob Motta (Defense Diaries, BURIED) Subscribe for more true-crime conversations that challenge the system — and the stories we think we know. #JohnWayneGacy #AaronSpencer #BobMotta #DefenseDiaries #HiddenKillers #BuriedPodcast #JusticeSystem #TrueCrimePodcast #VigilanteJustice #TonyBrueski Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872
Hidden Killers With Tony Brueski | True Crime News & Commentary
There's a disturbing pattern in America's justice system — one that stretches from the past into the present. From the John Wayne Gacy investigation of the 1970s to Aaron Spencer's prosecution today, we keep coming back to the same haunting question: Why does the system protect predators and punish those who fight them? In the first half of this episode, Defense Attorney Bob Motta — host of Defense Diaries and BURIED: Inside the John Wayne Gacy Investigation — takes us deep inside the newly remastered Gacy Tapes: never-before-heard recordings of Gacy speaking with his defense attorneys, including Bob's own father. For decades, those tapes sat in darkness. Now, with enhanced audio and new detective interviews, BURIED exposes how the Gacy investigation really unfolded — revealing police shortcuts, ignored victims, and the desperation that finally cracked the case. It's a chilling reminder of how often the system gets it wrong — even when it's trying to get it right. Then, in the second half, we shift to Lonoke County, Arkansas, where a father named Aaron Spencer is facing second-degree murder charges after allegedly shooting a known predator he found with his 14-year-old daughter. The twist? Spencer is now running for sheriff — against the very department that arrested him. His slogan: “Restoring Trust.” To some, he's a hero. To others, a vigilante. But to many, he's proof that faith in law enforcement has been replaced by something darker — a belief that justice only comes when you take it into your own hands. From Gacy's crawl space to Arkansas courtrooms, this is the connective tissue of true crime: the failure of systems built to protect us, and the people forced to fill the gaps. Hosted by Tony Brueski | Guest: Bob Motta (Defense Diaries, BURIED) Subscribe for more true-crime conversations that challenge the system — and the stories we think we know. #JohnWayneGacy #AaronSpencer #BobMotta #DefenseDiaries #HiddenKillers #BuriedPodcast #JusticeSystem #TrueCrimePodcast #VigilanteJustice #TonyBrueski Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872
Hidden Killers With Tony Brueski | True Crime News & Commentary
There are stories we think we know — and then there's the John Wayne Gacy case. The killer clown. The crawl space. The 33 victims. But BURIED: Inside the John Wayne Gacy Investigation exposes what the public never heard — the story behind the story. In this conversation, criminal defense attorney Bob Motta joins me to go inside his groundbreaking podcast BURIED, featuring the remastered Gacy tapes — real recordings of John Wayne Gacy speaking with his defense attorneys, including Motta's own father, Robert Motta Sr., who defended Gacy during his insanity trial. For decades, these tapes were locked away, unheard by the public. Now, they've been restored with pristine clarity — revealing not just Gacy's chilling words, but the inner workings of the investigation that brought him down. We dig into the revelations that shook even the detectives who worked the case — shocking admissions, hidden police files, and details from evidence logs that tell a different story than the official narrative. BURIED isn't another Gacy biography — it's an investigation into the investigation itself, uncovering how systemic bias, bad assumptions, and desperation shaped one of the most infamous manhunts in American history. If you've seen Devil in Disguise on Peacock, this conversation goes even deeper — beyond the horror, into the human failures that let Gacy kill for so long. This is justice under a microscope. And it's a story that will make you question everything you thought you knew about the Gacy case. #JohnWayneGacy #BobMotta #BuriedPodcast #DefenseDiaries #TrueCrimePodcast #HiddenKillers #SerialKillerFiles #TheGacyTapes #TrueCrimeCommunity #JusticeUncovered Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872
There's a disturbing pattern in America's justice system — one that stretches from the past into the present. From the John Wayne Gacy investigation of the 1970s to Aaron Spencer's prosecution today, we keep coming back to the same haunting question: Why does the system protect predators and punish those who fight them? In the first half of this episode, Defense Attorney Bob Motta — host of Defense Diaries and BURIED: Inside the John Wayne Gacy Investigation — takes us deep inside the newly remastered Gacy Tapes: never-before-heard recordings of Gacy speaking with his defense attorneys, including Bob's own father. For decades, those tapes sat in darkness. Now, with enhanced audio and new detective interviews, BURIED exposes how the Gacy investigation really unfolded — revealing police shortcuts, ignored victims, and the desperation that finally cracked the case. It's a chilling reminder of how often the system gets it wrong — even when it's trying to get it right. Then, in the second half, we shift to Lonoke County, Arkansas, where a father named Aaron Spencer is facing second-degree murder charges after allegedly shooting a known predator he found with his 14-year-old daughter. The twist? Spencer is now running for sheriff — against the very department that arrested him. His slogan: “Restoring Trust.” To some, he's a hero. To others, a vigilante. But to many, he's proof that faith in law enforcement has been replaced by something darker — a belief that justice only comes when you take it into your own hands. From Gacy's crawl space to Arkansas courtrooms, this is the connective tissue of true crime: the failure of systems built to protect us, and the people forced to fill the gaps. Hosted by Tony Brueski | Guest: Bob Motta (Defense Diaries, BURIED) Subscribe for more true-crime conversations that challenge the system — and the stories we think we know. #JohnWayneGacy #AaronSpencer #BobMotta #DefenseDiaries #HiddenKillers #BuriedPodcast #JusticeSystem #TrueCrimePodcast #VigilanteJustice #TonyBrueski Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872
There are stories we think we know — and then there's the John Wayne Gacy case. The killer clown. The crawl space. The 33 victims. But BURIED: Inside the John Wayne Gacy Investigation exposes what the public never heard — the story behind the story. In this conversation, criminal defense attorney Bob Motta joins me to go inside his groundbreaking podcast BURIED, featuring the remastered Gacy tapes — real recordings of John Wayne Gacy speaking with his defense attorneys, including Motta's own father, Robert Motta Sr., who defended Gacy during his insanity trial. For decades, these tapes were locked away, unheard by the public. Now, they've been restored with pristine clarity — revealing not just Gacy's chilling words, but the inner workings of the investigation that brought him down. We dig into the revelations that shook even the detectives who worked the case — shocking admissions, hidden police files, and details from evidence logs that tell a different story than the official narrative. BURIED isn't another Gacy biography — it's an investigation into the investigation itself, uncovering how systemic bias, bad assumptions, and desperation shaped one of the most infamous manhunts in American history. If you've seen Devil in Disguise on Peacock, this conversation goes even deeper — beyond the horror, into the human failures that let Gacy kill for so long. This is justice under a microscope. And it's a story that will make you question everything you thought you knew about the Gacy case. #JohnWayneGacy #BobMotta #BuriedPodcast #DefenseDiaries #TrueCrimePodcast #HiddenKillers #SerialKillerFiles #TheGacyTapes #TrueCrimeCommunity #JusticeUncovered Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872
If the system's goal was to quiet the Ellen Greenberg case with one last official ruling — it failed. Badly. The 2025 report from Philadelphia's Medical Examiner, reclassifying nothing and explaining even less, is now being dissected by the people who understand just how dangerous this kind of language can be. In this episode, defense attorney Bob Motta joins Tony Brueski and Stacy Cole to pull the curtain back on how institutions like the M.E.'s office use carefully worded findings to sidestep accountability. They examine what the report conveniently redefines, what it conveniently omits, and why this case now represents a larger crisis in public trust. This isn't theory. This is what happens when legal self-preservation takes precedence over factual clarity — and it's playing out in plain sight. The Ellen Greenberg case isn't just unsolved. It's being strategically sealed shut. #EllenGreenberg #JusticeForEllenGreenberg #EllenGreenbergCase #BobMotta #HiddenKillersPodcast #TrueCrimeTruth #SystemicFailure #MedicalExaminerReport #InstitutionalDeflection #TonyBrueski Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872
Hidden Killers With Tony Brueski | True Crime News & Commentary
If the system's goal was to quiet the Ellen Greenberg case with one last official ruling — it failed. Badly. The 2025 report from Philadelphia's Medical Examiner, reclassifying nothing and explaining even less, is now being dissected by the people who understand just how dangerous this kind of language can be. In this episode, defense attorney Bob Motta joins Tony Brueski and Stacy Cole to pull the curtain back on how institutions like the M.E.'s office use carefully worded findings to sidestep accountability. They examine what the report conveniently redefines, what it conveniently omits, and why this case now represents a larger crisis in public trust. This isn't theory. This is what happens when legal self-preservation takes precedence over factual clarity — and it's playing out in plain sight. The Ellen Greenberg case isn't just unsolved. It's being strategically sealed shut. #EllenGreenberg #JusticeForEllenGreenberg #EllenGreenbergCase #BobMotta #HiddenKillersPodcast #TrueCrimeTruth #SystemicFailure #MedicalExaminerReport #InstitutionalDeflection #TonyBrueski Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872
If the system's goal was to quiet the Ellen Greenberg case with one last official ruling — it failed. Badly. The 2025 report from Philadelphia's Medical Examiner, reclassifying nothing and explaining even less, is now being dissected by the people who understand just how dangerous this kind of language can be. In this episode, defense attorney Bob Motta joins Tony Brueski and Stacy Cole to pull the curtain back on how institutions like the M.E.'s office use carefully worded findings to sidestep accountability. They examine what the report conveniently redefines, what it conveniently omits, and why this case now represents a larger crisis in public trust. This isn't theory. This is what happens when legal self-preservation takes precedence over factual clarity — and it's playing out in plain sight. The Ellen Greenberg case isn't just unsolved. It's being strategically sealed shut. #EllenGreenberg #JusticeForEllenGreenberg #EllenGreenbergCase #BobMotta #HiddenKillersPodcast #TrueCrimeTruth #SystemicFailure #MedicalExaminerReport #InstitutionalDeflection #TonyBrueski Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872
Peacock's Devil in Disguise just dropped—a gripping dramatized take on the John Wayne Gacy case. But if you want the real investigation—told from inside the case files—you need to hear this.
Peacock's Devil in Disguise just dropped—a gripping dramatized take on the John Wayne Gacy case. But if you want the real investigation—told from inside the case files—you need to hear this.
Hidden Killers With Tony Brueski | True Crime News & Commentary
Peacock's Devil in Disguise just dropped—a gripping dramatized take on the John Wayne Gacy case. But if you want the real investigation—told from inside the case files—you need to hear this.
The name Ellen Greenberg has come to represent something larger than a single case — it's now a symbol of what happens when systems prioritize self-protection over truth. In 2025, the Philadelphia Medical Examiner's Office released a highly anticipated “independent review” of Ellen's death — only to double down on the original ruling of suicide. Despite 23 wounds, unanswered questions, and growing national outrage, the system closed ranks once again. In this episode, criminal defense attorney Bob Motta joins Tony Brueski and Stacy Cole to unpack why this report has so many legal experts — and the public — demanding accountability. Together, they break down how the language of “reasonable certainty” shields agencies from scrutiny, why internal reviews rarely lead to justice, and how Ellen's case reflects a larger failure in forensic oversight. This isn't just about one ruling. This is about how easy it is to rewrite reality when no one wants to face the cost of being wrong. If you've followed the Ellen Greenberg case, this conversation gives voice to everything the report tried to quiet. And if you haven't? This is where you need to start. #EllenGreenberg #JusticeForEllenGreenberg #EllenGreenbergCase #HiddenKillers #BobMotta #TonyBrueski #ForensicFailure #InstitutionalCoverup #TrueCrimePodcast #SystemicFailure Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872
If the system's goal was to quiet the Ellen Greenberg case with one last official ruling — it failed. Badly. The 2025 report from Philadelphia's Medical Examiner, reclassifying nothing and explaining even less, is now being dissected by the people who understand just how dangerous this kind of language can be. In this episode, defense attorney Bob Motta joins Tony Brueski and Stacy Cole to pull the curtain back on how institutions like the M.E.'s office use carefully worded findings to sidestep accountability. They examine what the report conveniently redefines, what it conveniently omits, and why this case now represents a larger crisis in public trust. This isn't theory. This is what happens when legal self-preservation takes precedence over factual clarity — and it's playing out in plain sight. The Ellen Greenberg case isn't just unsolved. It's being strategically sealed shut. #EllenGreenberg #JusticeForEllenGreenberg #EllenGreenbergCase #BobMotta #HiddenKillersPodcast #TrueCrimeTruth #SystemicFailure #MedicalExaminerReport #InstitutionalDeflection #TonyBrueski Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872
Most true crime stories fall into the same trap—fixating on the killer, sensationalizing the violence, and leaving victims as footnotes. Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy doesn't play that game. In this episode, we sit down with executive producer Patrick McManus, actor Michael Chernus, and attorney/podcaster Bob Motta to talk about how this new Peacock series does something different. Something overdue. It centers the victims. It challenges the system. And it strips the monster of his myth. We explore the challenges of dramatizing a case with so much historical weight. McManus shares how the writers chose to humanize the victims through standalone narrative arcs. Chernus discusses the internal conflict of embodying Gacy without glorifying him. And Motta opens up about inheriting his father's defense tapes and hearing, for himself, the voice of a man who had no remorse, no empathy, and no soul. This is one of the most grounded, respectful, and important retellings of a true crime story in years. And we're honored to bring you the story behind the series. #DevilInDisguise #PeacockGacySeries #TrueCrimeDoneRight #VictimCentered #JohnWayneGacy #BobMotta #DefenseDiaries #HiddenKillers #TrueCrimePodcast #GacyDrama Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872
There's no way around it — the 2025 Ellen Greenberg report is a system defending itself, not an honest reevaluation of a suspicious death. Ellen Greenberg was 27, engaged, and planning a wedding when she was found with 23 wounds. Years later, after national media coverage, civil litigation, and public pressure, the Philadelphia Medical Examiner's Office claimed to conduct an “independent review.” The result? No change. Still suicide. Still silence on the most disturbing details. In this powerful breakdown, defense attorney Bob Motta joins Tony Brueski and Stacy Cole to take apart the legal language, institutional incentives, and forensic deflections used to make this ruling appear conclusive. They explore how government agencies rewrite their own mistakes — and why Ellen's case is one of the most chilling examples of procedural finality being used as a weapon. The public deserves better. Ellen's family deserves the truth. And this episode holds nothing back. #EllenGreenberg #JusticeForEllenGreenberg #EllenGreenbergCase #BobMotta #HiddenKillers #TonyBrueski #TruthNotClosure #ForensicReviewFail #SystemProtectsItself #TrueCrimeAnalysis Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872
Hidden Killers With Tony Brueski | True Crime News & Commentary
The name Ellen Greenberg has come to represent something larger than a single case — it's now a symbol of what happens when systems prioritize self-protection over truth. In 2025, the Philadelphia Medical Examiner's Office released a highly anticipated “independent review” of Ellen's death — only to double down on the original ruling of suicide. Despite 23 wounds, unanswered questions, and growing national outrage, the system closed ranks once again. In this episode, criminal defense attorney Bob Motta joins Tony Brueski and Stacy Cole to unpack why this report has so many legal experts — and the public — demanding accountability. Together, they break down how the language of “reasonable certainty” shields agencies from scrutiny, why internal reviews rarely lead to justice, and how Ellen's case reflects a larger failure in forensic oversight. This isn't just about one ruling. This is about how easy it is to rewrite reality when no one wants to face the cost of being wrong. If you've followed the Ellen Greenberg case, this conversation gives voice to everything the report tried to quiet. And if you haven't? This is where you need to start. #EllenGreenberg #JusticeForEllenGreenberg #EllenGreenbergCase #HiddenKillers #BobMotta #TonyBrueski #ForensicFailure #InstitutionalCoverup #TrueCrimePodcast #SystemicFailure Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872
Hidden Killers With Tony Brueski | True Crime News & Commentary
Most true crime stories fall into the same trap—fixating on the killer, sensationalizing the violence, and leaving victims as footnotes. Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy doesn't play that game. In this episode, we sit down with executive producer Patrick McManus, actor Michael Chernus, and attorney/podcaster Bob Motta to talk about how this new Peacock series does something different. Something overdue. It centers the victims. It challenges the system. And it strips the monster of his myth. We explore the challenges of dramatizing a case with so much historical weight. McManus shares how the writers chose to humanize the victims through standalone narrative arcs. Chernus discusses the internal conflict of embodying Gacy without glorifying him. And Motta opens up about inheriting his father's defense tapes and hearing, for himself, the voice of a man who had no remorse, no empathy, and no soul. This is one of the most grounded, respectful, and important retellings of a true crime story in years. And we're honored to bring you the story behind the series. #DevilInDisguise #PeacockGacySeries #TrueCrimeDoneRight #VictimCentered #JohnWayneGacy #BobMotta #DefenseDiaries #HiddenKillers #TrueCrimePodcast #GacyDrama Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872
Hidden Killers With Tony Brueski | True Crime News & Commentary
There's no way around it — the 2025 Ellen Greenberg report is a system defending itself, not an honest reevaluation of a suspicious death. Ellen Greenberg was 27, engaged, and planning a wedding when she was found with 23 wounds. Years later, after national media coverage, civil litigation, and public pressure, the Philadelphia Medical Examiner's Office claimed to conduct an “independent review.” The result? No change. Still suicide. Still silence on the most disturbing details. In this powerful breakdown, defense attorney Bob Motta joins Tony Brueski and Stacy Cole to take apart the legal language, institutional incentives, and forensic deflections used to make this ruling appear conclusive. They explore how government agencies rewrite their own mistakes — and why Ellen's case is one of the most chilling examples of procedural finality being used as a weapon. The public deserves better. Ellen's family deserves the truth. And this episode holds nothing back. #EllenGreenberg #JusticeForEllenGreenberg #EllenGreenbergCase #BobMotta #HiddenKillers #TonyBrueski #TruthNotClosure #ForensicReviewFail #SystemProtectsItself #TrueCrimeAnalysis Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872
Hidden Killers With Tony Brueski | True Crime News & Commentary
If the system's goal was to quiet the Ellen Greenberg case with one last official ruling — it failed. Badly. The 2025 report from Philadelphia's Medical Examiner, reclassifying nothing and explaining even less, is now being dissected by the people who understand just how dangerous this kind of language can be. In this episode, defense attorney Bob Motta joins Tony Brueski and Stacy Cole to pull the curtain back on how institutions like the M.E.'s office use carefully worded findings to sidestep accountability. They examine what the report conveniently redefines, what it conveniently omits, and why this case now represents a larger crisis in public trust. This isn't theory. This is what happens when legal self-preservation takes precedence over factual clarity — and it's playing out in plain sight. The Ellen Greenberg case isn't just unsolved. It's being strategically sealed shut. #EllenGreenberg #JusticeForEllenGreenberg #EllenGreenbergCase #BobMotta #HiddenKillersPodcast #TrueCrimeTruth #SystemicFailure #MedicalExaminerReport #InstitutionalDeflection #TonyBrueski Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872
The name Ellen Greenberg has come to represent something larger than a single case — it's now a symbol of what happens when systems prioritize self-protection over truth. In 2025, the Philadelphia Medical Examiner's Office released a highly anticipated “independent review” of Ellen's death — only to double down on the original ruling of suicide. Despite 23 wounds, unanswered questions, and growing national outrage, the system closed ranks once again. In this episode, criminal defense attorney Bob Motta joins Tony Brueski and Stacy Cole to unpack why this report has so many legal experts — and the public — demanding accountability. Together, they break down how the language of “reasonable certainty” shields agencies from scrutiny, why internal reviews rarely lead to justice, and how Ellen's case reflects a larger failure in forensic oversight. This isn't just about one ruling. This is about how easy it is to rewrite reality when no one wants to face the cost of being wrong. If you've followed the Ellen Greenberg case, this conversation gives voice to everything the report tried to quiet. And if you haven't? This is where you need to start. #EllenGreenberg #JusticeForEllenGreenberg #EllenGreenbergCase #HiddenKillers #BobMotta #TonyBrueski #ForensicFailure #InstitutionalCoverup #TrueCrimePodcast #SystemicFailure Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872
There's no way around it — the 2025 Ellen Greenberg report is a system defending itself, not an honest reevaluation of a suspicious death. Ellen Greenberg was 27, engaged, and planning a wedding when she was found with 23 wounds. Years later, after national media coverage, civil litigation, and public pressure, the Philadelphia Medical Examiner's Office claimed to conduct an “independent review.” The result? No change. Still suicide. Still silence on the most disturbing details. In this powerful breakdown, defense attorney Bob Motta joins Tony Brueski and Stacy Cole to take apart the legal language, institutional incentives, and forensic deflections used to make this ruling appear conclusive. They explore how government agencies rewrite their own mistakes — and why Ellen's case is one of the most chilling examples of procedural finality being used as a weapon. The public deserves better. Ellen's family deserves the truth. And this episode holds nothing back. #EllenGreenberg #JusticeForEllenGreenberg #EllenGreenbergCase #BobMotta #HiddenKillers #TonyBrueski #TruthNotClosure #ForensicReviewFail #SystemProtectsItself #TrueCrimeAnalysis Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872
If the system's goal was to quiet the Ellen Greenberg case with one last official ruling — it failed. Badly. The 2025 report from Philadelphia's Medical Examiner, reclassifying nothing and explaining even less, is now being dissected by the people who understand just how dangerous this kind of language can be. In this episode, defense attorney Bob Motta joins Tony Brueski and Stacy Cole to pull the curtain back on how institutions like the M.E.'s office use carefully worded findings to sidestep accountability. They examine what the report conveniently redefines, what it conveniently omits, and why this case now represents a larger crisis in public trust. This isn't theory. This is what happens when legal self-preservation takes precedence over factual clarity — and it's playing out in plain sight. The Ellen Greenberg case isn't just unsolved. It's being strategically sealed shut. #EllenGreenberg #JusticeForEllenGreenberg #EllenGreenbergCase #BobMotta #HiddenKillersPodcast #TrueCrimeTruth #SystemicFailure #MedicalExaminerReport #InstitutionalDeflection #TonyBrueski Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872
For decades, the story of John Wayne Gacy has been sensationalized, flattened into caricature, and spun into horror tropes. But in Peacock's new limited series Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy, that mask is coming off—and in this interview, we go behind the scenes with the team responsible for flipping the true crime genre on its head. Joining us are series showrunner and executive producer Patrick McManus, actor Michael Chernus—who portrays Gacy with terrifying subtlety—and criminal defense attorney Bob Motta, whose father was on Gacy's original legal team. Together, we dissect how the show avoids glorifying the killer and instead places the focus exactly where it belongs: on the victims, their families, and the systemic failures that allowed Gacy to operate in plain sight. This isn't a glorified biopic. There are no salacious murder scenes. No glamorizing evil. What you get is a chilling, grounded retelling that treats its subject matter—and its audience—with respect. We also dig into what it takes to play a predator without slipping into caricature, what it's like to listen to Gacy's original defense tapes, and why true crime needs to evolve beyond its fascination with monsters and lean into the wreckage they leave behind. If you care about accuracy, nuance, and storytelling with a conscience, this episode is essential. #JohnWayneGacy #DevilInDisguise #PeacockOriginals #TrueCrimeSeries #MichaelChernus #BobMotta #HiddenKillersPodcast #TrueCrimeInterview #GacySeries #VictimCenteredStorytelling Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872
Hidden Killers With Tony Brueski | True Crime News & Commentary
For decades, the story of John Wayne Gacy has been sensationalized, flattened into caricature, and spun into horror tropes. But in Peacock's new limited series Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy, that mask is coming off—and in this interview, we go behind the scenes with the team responsible for flipping the true crime genre on its head. Joining us are series showrunner and executive producer Patrick McManus, actor Michael Chernus—who portrays Gacy with terrifying subtlety—and criminal defense attorney Bob Motta, whose father was on Gacy's original legal team. Together, we dissect how the show avoids glorifying the killer and instead places the focus exactly where it belongs: on the victims, their families, and the systemic failures that allowed Gacy to operate in plain sight. This isn't a glorified biopic. There are no salacious murder scenes. No glamorizing evil. What you get is a chilling, grounded retelling that treats its subject matter—and its audience—with respect. We also dig into what it takes to play a predator without slipping into caricature, what it's like to listen to Gacy's original defense tapes, and why true crime needs to evolve beyond its fascination with monsters and lean into the wreckage they leave behind. If you care about accuracy, nuance, and storytelling with a conscience, this episode is essential. #JohnWayneGacy #DevilInDisguise #PeacockOriginals #TrueCrimeSeries #MichaelChernus #BobMotta #HiddenKillersPodcast #TrueCrimeInterview #GacySeries #VictimCenteredStorytelling Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872
For decades, the story of John Wayne Gacy has been sensationalized, flattened into caricature, and spun into horror tropes. But in Peacock's new limited series Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy, that mask is coming off—and in this interview, we go behind the scenes with the team responsible for flipping the true crime genre on its head. Joining us are series showrunner and executive producer Patrick McManus, actor Michael Chernus—who portrays Gacy with terrifying subtlety—and criminal defense attorney Bob Motta, whose father was on Gacy's original legal team. Together, we dissect how the show avoids glorifying the killer and instead places the focus exactly where it belongs: on the victims, their families, and the systemic failures that allowed Gacy to operate in plain sight. This isn't a glorified biopic. There are no salacious murder scenes. No glamorizing evil. What you get is a chilling, grounded retelling that treats its subject matter—and its audience—with respect. We also dig into what it takes to play a predator without slipping into caricature, what it's like to listen to Gacy's original defense tapes, and why true crime needs to evolve beyond its fascination with monsters and lean into the wreckage they leave behind. If you care about accuracy, nuance, and storytelling with a conscience, this episode is essential. #JohnWayneGacy #DevilInDisguise #PeacockOriginals #TrueCrimeSeries #MichaelChernus #BobMotta #HiddenKillersPodcast #TrueCrimeInterview #GacySeries #VictimCenteredStorytelling Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872
Hidden Killers With Tony Brueski | True Crime News & Commentary
For decades, the story of John Wayne Gacy has been sensationalized, flattened into caricature, and spun into horror tropes. But in Peacock's new limited series Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy, that mask is coming off—and in this interview, we go behind the scenes with the team responsible for flipping the true crime genre on its head. Joining us are series showrunner and executive producer Patrick McManus, actor Michael Chernus—who portrays Gacy with terrifying subtlety—and criminal defense attorney Bob Motta, whose father was on Gacy's original legal team. Together, we dissect how the show avoids glorifying the killer and instead places the focus exactly where it belongs: on the victims, their families, and the systemic failures that allowed Gacy to operate in plain sight. This isn't a glorified biopic. There are no salacious murder scenes. No glamorizing evil. What you get is a chilling, grounded retelling that treats its subject matter—and its audience—with respect. We also dig into what it takes to play a predator without slipping into caricature, what it's like to listen to Gacy's original defense tapes, and why true crime needs to evolve beyond its fascination with monsters and lean into the wreckage they leave behind. If you care about accuracy, nuance, and storytelling with a conscience, this episode is essential. #JohnWayneGacy #DevilInDisguise #PeacockOriginals #TrueCrimeSeries #MichaelChernus #BobMotta #HiddenKillersPodcast #TrueCrimeInterview #GacySeries #VictimCenteredStorytelling Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872
In this first segment of Hidden Killers Live, we dig into the shocking breakdown of Richard Allen's appeal process in the Delphi murders case. With defense attorney and Defense Diaries host Bob Motta joining the panel, we unpack the bureaucratic chaos surrounding missing exhibits tied to the now-infamous 136-page Franks memo—a document that accused law enforcement of misleading the court to obtain a search warrant. Why does this matter? Because those exhibits, including documents that point toward alternate suspects, weren't formally entered into evidence—meaning they've been omitted from the official trial transcript. The appellate court now has a certified record that's incomplete, and Richard Allen's legal team has been forced to file a motion to compel the transmission of those exhibits just to keep the appeal alive. Bob explains how different jurisdictions handle this kind of mess, what's at stake, and how this may set precedent for how other wrongful conviction appeals are sabotaged through procedural technicalities. We also discuss the very real possibility that Richard Allen's appeal could fail—not because of the merits, but because of broken systems, missing paperwork, and a Kafkaesque legal process that seems more interested in protecting itself than in seeking justice. This isn't just another paperwork delay. It's potentially the death knell for a man already sentenced to die in prison—and it raises serious questions about transparency, accountability, and whether justice can survive in a system this broken. #RichardAllen #DelphiMurders #TrueCrime #FranksMemo #AppealProcess #HiddenKillers #BobMotta #DelphiCase #Injustice #WrongfulConviction Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872
Hidden Killers With Tony Brueski | True Crime News & Commentary
In this first segment of Hidden Killers Live, we dig into the shocking breakdown of Richard Allen's appeal process in the Delphi murders case. With defense attorney and Defense Diaries host Bob Motta joining the panel, we unpack the bureaucratic chaos surrounding missing exhibits tied to the now-infamous 136-page Franks memo—a document that accused law enforcement of misleading the court to obtain a search warrant. Why does this matter? Because those exhibits, including documents that point toward alternate suspects, weren't formally entered into evidence—meaning they've been omitted from the official trial transcript. The appellate court now has a certified record that's incomplete, and Richard Allen's legal team has been forced to file a motion to compel the transmission of those exhibits just to keep the appeal alive. Bob explains how different jurisdictions handle this kind of mess, what's at stake, and how this may set precedent for how other wrongful conviction appeals are sabotaged through procedural technicalities. We also discuss the very real possibility that Richard Allen's appeal could fail—not because of the merits, but because of broken systems, missing paperwork, and a Kafkaesque legal process that seems more interested in protecting itself than in seeking justice. This isn't just another paperwork delay. It's potentially the death knell for a man already sentenced to die in prison—and it raises serious questions about transparency, accountability, and whether justice can survive in a system this broken. #RichardAllen #DelphiMurders #TrueCrime #FranksMemo #AppealProcess #HiddenKillers #BobMotta #DelphiCase #Injustice #WrongfulConviction Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872
In this first segment of Hidden Killers Live, we dig into the shocking breakdown of Richard Allen's appeal process in the Delphi murders case. With defense attorney and Defense Diaries host Bob Motta joining the panel, we unpack the bureaucratic chaos surrounding missing exhibits tied to the now-infamous 136-page Franks memo—a document that accused law enforcement of misleading the court to obtain a search warrant. Why does this matter? Because those exhibits, including documents that point toward alternate suspects, weren't formally entered into evidence—meaning they've been omitted from the official trial transcript. The appellate court now has a certified record that's incomplete, and Richard Allen's legal team has been forced to file a motion to compel the transmission of those exhibits just to keep the appeal alive. Bob explains how different jurisdictions handle this kind of mess, what's at stake, and how this may set precedent for how other wrongful conviction appeals are sabotaged through procedural technicalities. We also discuss the very real possibility that Richard Allen's appeal could fail—not because of the merits, but because of broken systems, missing paperwork, and a Kafkaesque legal process that seems more interested in protecting itself than in seeking justice. This isn't just another paperwork delay. It's potentially the death knell for a man already sentenced to die in prison—and it raises serious questions about transparency, accountability, and whether justice can survive in a system this broken. #RichardAllen #DelphiMurders #TrueCrime #FranksMemo #AppealProcess #HiddenKillers #BobMotta #DelphiCase #Injustice #WrongfulConviction Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872
How Cops Manufactured Confessions — The True Cost of the Yogurt Shop Cover-Up This is the segment that should make every law‑and‑order headline pause. We're not rehashing the solved case — we're pulling the thread that destroyed lives for decades: the interrogation tactics, investigative tunnel vision, and prosecutorial rush that produced false confessions in the Yogurt Shop murders. On Hidden Killers Live, defense attorney Bob Motta sits with us and we play back the press conference moments that acknowledged what so many suspected for years: Michael Scott and Robert Springsteen confessed under intense interrogation, and there was never physical evidence tying them to the scene. We walk through how those confessions were obtained, why they stuck in courtrooms, and how the system rewarded certainty over truth. This segment breaks that process down in plain language. We explain, with examples and legal perspective, why an 18‑hour interrogation — or five hours of repeated suggestion and pressure — can make a person confess to something they never did. We talk psychological coercion: minimization, false‑evidence ploys, repeated suggestion, exhaustion — techniques that produce the appearance of confession without producing truth. Bob describes the prosecutorial incentives that let that evidence carry the day: a damning audio tape, a nervous jury, and a DA office under pressure to close a city‑shattering crime. But it's not just psychology. We cover the procedural failures: why exculpatory DNA was ignored for years, how labs and evidence management fell short, and why internal checks — from supervisory review to independent oversight — failed to catch the drift. We also tackle the human cost: men who lost their freedom, reputations, and futures; families who were misled; and the chilling reality that the real killer stayed on the road. This is a call for accountability, not spectacle. Bob lays out concrete reforms that would have prevented these confessions from being the lynchpin of a criminal case: mandatory video of all interrogations, strict limits on session length, independent review when confessions are central, and a presumption against charging when DNA excludes suspects. We finish asking the question every viewer should be asking: how many other cases are resting on coerced admissions right now? If you want a legal, psychological and human breakdown of how police failures become life sentences — and what to do about it — watch this. This isn't just a true crime story. It's a warning.
Hidden Killers With Tony Brueski | True Crime News & Commentary
How Cops Manufactured Confessions — The True Cost of the Yogurt Shop Cover-Up This is the segment that should make every law‑and‑order headline pause. We're not rehashing the solved case — we're pulling the thread that destroyed lives for decades: the interrogation tactics, investigative tunnel vision, and prosecutorial rush that produced false confessions in the Yogurt Shop murders. On Hidden Killers Live, defense attorney Bob Motta sits with us and we play back the press conference moments that acknowledged what so many suspected for years: Michael Scott and Robert Springsteen confessed under intense interrogation, and there was never physical evidence tying them to the scene. We walk through how those confessions were obtained, why they stuck in courtrooms, and how the system rewarded certainty over truth. This segment breaks that process down in plain language. We explain, with examples and legal perspective, why an 18‑hour interrogation — or five hours of repeated suggestion and pressure — can make a person confess to something they never did. We talk psychological coercion: minimization, false‑evidence ploys, repeated suggestion, exhaustion — techniques that produce the appearance of confession without producing truth. Bob describes the prosecutorial incentives that let that evidence carry the day: a damning audio tape, a nervous jury, and a DA office under pressure to close a city‑shattering crime. But it's not just psychology. We cover the procedural failures: why exculpatory DNA was ignored for years, how labs and evidence management fell short, and why internal checks — from supervisory review to independent oversight — failed to catch the drift. We also tackle the human cost: men who lost their freedom, reputations, and futures; families who were misled; and the chilling reality that the real killer stayed on the road. This is a call for accountability, not spectacle. Bob lays out concrete reforms that would have prevented these confessions from being the lynchpin of a criminal case: mandatory video of all interrogations, strict limits on session length, independent review when confessions are central, and a presumption against charging when DNA excludes suspects. We finish asking the question every viewer should be asking: how many other cases are resting on coerced admissions right now? If you want a legal, psychological and human breakdown of how police failures become life sentences — and what to do about it — watch this. This isn't just a true crime story. It's a warning.
34 Years Late: Bob Motta Reacts to the DNA That Solved the Yogurt Shop Murders In this segment of Hidden Killers Live, defense attorney Bob Motta joins us to go beyond the headlines of the Austin Police press conference. Yes, DNA and forensic genealogy have now identified Robert Eugene Brashers as the killer in the 1991 Yogurt Shop Murders. But Bob's focus isn't just how it was solved — it's why it wasn't solved sooner. We break down how a single .380 shell casing sat in evidence for decades before being resubmitted to NIBIN, how a rare 27‑marker Y‑STR DNA profile languished without a match, and how a cold case detective finally pushed for manual searches across labs to find Brashers' name. Bob explains how these delays happen, why evidence can sit untouched, and what this means for other cold cases nationwide. This isn't a victory lap. It's a lesson in what happens when systems don't keep up with science — and why families shouldn't have to wait a lifetime for truth. #YogurtShopMurders #RobertBrashers #DNAJustice #BobMotta #HiddenKillersLive #ForensicGenealogy #ColdCaseBreakthrough #AustinCrime #SerialKillerID #TrueCrimeAnalysis Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872
Yogurt Shop Murders Solved After 34 Years: Press Confession Reactions + Bob Motta's Legal Analysis This is the episode that finally puts everything in perspective. In this special Hidden Killers Live breakdown, we take you inside the full Austin Police press conference announcing the long-awaited resolution of the Yogurt Shop Murders—a case that haunted Austin for 34 years. But we don't just play the tape. We unpack every revelation, contradiction, and implication in real time. And joining us for this explosive episode is defense attorney Bob Motta, host of Defense Diaries, to offer a no-BS legal breakdown from the defense side—a perspective the public rarely hears. Here's what we cover: The Y-STR DNA match that finally named Robert Eugene Brashers as the killer Why that match took decades—despite the evidence being in storage for years The false confessions that led to two innocent men being convicted—one of them sentenced to death How prosecutors ignored exculpatory DNA, clung to a collapsing narrative, and refused to back down Bob's analysis of the coercive tactics used in the interrogations, and why courts continue to let this happen The broader systemic problem: tunnel vision, evidence suppression, and a culture of “win the case” over “get it right” Why Brashers was never on the radar, despite a violent criminal record and ties to multiple sexual assaults What real accountability looks like—and what reforms might actually prevent this from happening again This is more than a reaction. It's a legal autopsy of one of the most high-profile failures in American cold case history. Watch as we connect the dots the justice system refused to for over three decades.