True Crime with Elli Mac: Recent Episodes
Elli Mac
When An Ex-Boyfriend Won't Take No For An Answer: The Murder Of Lilie James | True Crime DocumentaryWhen a 000 call came in from an anonymous person, reporting a body inside the bathroom of a Sydney private school, horror rippled throughout the country.Police arrived at St. Andrew's Cathedral School just after midnight on the 25th of October 2023, and were confronted with a gruesome scene.A young woman in her early 20s was discovered dead with extensive head injuries. Detectives concluded that she had been attacked by a hammer and murdered, just hours earlier.Who had made this chilling call? And had this person been responsible for murdering this young woman?This is the heartbreaking murder of Lilie James.
When 19-year-old Kristin Smart vanished without a trace after attending an off-campus party on the night of the 24th of May 1996, everyone wondered where she could be.Some speculated that she might have gone on a trip, while others were concerned for her safety, fearing that something more sinister had occurred.As days turned into weeks, weeks into months, and months into years, there was still no sign of Kristin Smart.Over time, the dreadful possibility that she had met with a terrible fate became increasingly difficult to dismiss.Despite their efforts, law enforcement hit a dead end with their only lead and suspect. They dedicated countless hours over the ensuing decades to conducting interviews and gathering information, hoping to find a breakthrough. However, the case eventually went cold.What had happened to Kristin Smart? Would she ever be found?The truth began to emerge 23 years later, pieced together bit by bit when a podcaster became engrossed in the case and vowed to seek justice for Kristin Smart.
On the 8th of March 2007, amidst the peaceful town of Brunswick, Georgia, Christopher Barrios Jr., a bright-eyed, shy six-year-old, vanished without a trace, leaving his family shattered.As the hours turned into days and the days into an agonizing week, the search for Christopher intensified.Christopher’s family prayed every day for his safe return, while law enforcement and many volunteers from all over searched for him day in and day out.Exactly a week later, however, on the 15th of March, every parent’s worst fears became their reality when Christopher’s little body was found only a few miles from where they lived.Who could be so cruel to do this to an innocent 6-year-old? And had they acted alone?This is the heartbreaking case of Christopher Barrios Jr.
On the 24th of February 2011, the quiet of the afternoon was suddenly shattered by the piercing wail of sirens.Neighbours emerged from their homes concerned, as smoke began to billow from the windows of Jackie’s Child Care.Firefighters rushed toward the engulfing flames, attempting to extinguish the fire and rescue the nine children trapped inside the daycare.However, it was too late; tragically, four children lost their lives, and two more were severely burned and injured.How had the fire started? Where was Jessica Tata, the owner of the daycare? How did this tragedy occur under the supervision of the person who had been trusted to watch over the children?
When 9-year-old Felicia Kononchuk heard banging on her front door, she immediately started to panic.As her angry neighbour continued to pound and shout through the door for over an hour, the terrified little girl picked up her phone and turned to social media, to document what was happening and to try and get people’s advice on what to do.Tragically, however, 15 minutes after posting her video to TikTok, little Felicia lost her life…Why had her neighbour been so angry, to the point where he decided to fatally shoot the 9-year-old?
When Gregory Scott Traver was not picked up by his colleague Jerry Lynn Dean on the morning of the 14th of June 1983, Gregory immediately started to panic.
As Jerry lived nearby in an apartment complex on the northwest side of Houston, Gregory headed over to Jerry’s house to see if everything was okay.
As he got to Jerry’s home, Gregory noticed that the door was slightly open, so he let himself in.
Instantly, Gregory knew that something was off as he saw that Jerry’s motorcycle was missing and that the television had been moved.
Hoping to find his friend alive and well, he started going through the house, looking inside every room.
But devastatingly, Gregory stumbled upon the most horrific sight. Inside one of the spare bedrooms, Gregory found the body of his friend Jerry Dean, and close by was the body of a woman, with a 3-foot-long pickaxe protruding from her heart.
Who could have committed these brutal murders, and would they ever be found to face justice for their heinous actions?
On the 13th of June 2007, tragedy struck the peaceful neighbourhood of Stretham, England, leaving its residents in complete shock and disbelief.
The Kumari-Baker household, a seemingly ordinary home, became the site of a heinous crime that would grip the nation, when in the dead of night, a mother slaughtered her own flesh and blood, her 2 daughters, Davina and Jasmine.
How could a mother set out to buy kitchen knives to use in the slaughter of her children?
This is the harrowing story, of the murders of 16-year-old Davina Baker, and 13-year-old Jasmine Baker.
On the morning of the 29th of January 2009, Arthur Freeman drove his three children to school and on his journey, he stopped at the top of the West Gate Bridge in Melbourne, Victoria.He then proceeded to put on his hazard lights and got out of the car.He told his 4-year-old daughter Darcey to climb onto the passenger seat, and he then took her out of the car and carried her over to the railing, dropping her over the side into the water below.Arthur then got back into his car and drove off.How could a man, throw his daughter, 58 metres to her death?
On the 29th of January, 1979 in San Diego, California, sixteen-year-old student, Brenda Ann Spencer, was armed with a rifle and began firing at the Grover Cleveland Elementary School of the San Diego Unified School District, shooting anyone that was in sight. Officers from the San Diego Police Department were soon on site to prevent more casualties and to protect the school, but regretfully, amongst those injured at the school, were two members of staff as well as eight children. When the Police confronted Brenda about her actions and asked her why she had done this, she unemotionally replied: I don’t like Mondays. This livens up the day”. This is the story of Brenda Spencer and the Cleveland Elementary School shooting.
On the 14th of February 2007, Valentine's Day, Art and Lois Serrin, had just finished their date night and decided to go over to their daughter's house, Jodine Serrin to check up on her as they had not heard from her all day.As they got to Jodine's condo, they saw that the lights were on inside, but when no one answered the door, Art and Lois immediately started to panic.Using their spare key, they tried to enter the house, but the door was still on the latch, so Art smashed his way in.Once inside the property, they made their way towards Jodine's bedroom, hoping she was there.As they walked inside the room, they saw Jodine naked on her bed, with a man on top of her, having sex.Embarrassed that they had just walked in on their daughter having an intimate moment with this man, her parents quickly left the room, telling them to get dressed and to come out and talk to them.As the minutes went past, and Art and Lois waited, no one came out to greet them, so Art went back into his daughter's room.The man however was gone, but his daughter was still there, and when he touched her, Jodine was ice cold.Jodine had been dead for over 10 hours, and Art had just walked in on the most shocking scene…Who had killed Jodine Serrin? And would this monster ever be caught?
In December 2008, Karlie Pearce-Stevenson, a vibrant young woman, suddenly left Alice Springs with her two-year-old daughter, Khandalyce, and her then boyfriend Daniel Holdom, in search of work and a better life.She left her loved ones with little answers and when they could no longer reach her and Canderlease, concerned for their safety, they filed a missing persons report.2 years later, Karlie’s remains were devastatingly found in the Belanglo State Forest in New South Wales, but with no knowledge that this Jane Doe was actually Karlie, the case went cold.3 years later, another harrowing discovery was made 1200 kilometers away. the remains of a young child inside a suitcase.With this new discovery, investigators jumped straight into action, and both bodies were quickly linked and confirmed as those of Karlie Pearce-Stevenson and Khandalyce Pearce.How had this mother and her precious child died? And why were they found 1200 kilometers apart from one another?Where was Karlie’s boyfriend Daniel Holdom? Was he also dead? Or was he really the one behind their murders?
When 45 year old Timothy Schuster did not turn up for breakfast with his friend Mary Solis on the morning of the 10th July 2003, everyone immediately started to panic.As Tim had recently lost his job and was going through a messy divorce and a custody battle with his wife Larissa Schuster, police thought that maybe he had done something to harm himself.As the search for Tim continued, their hopes of finding him alive, quickly disappeared, and the hunt for a missing as they knew something was not right when his wallet, car, keys and phone were found abandoned in his house.Everybody’s worst fears were confirmed however, when, 5 days after his disappearance, Tim’s half-dissolved body was found in a 55-gallon barrel filled with hydrochloric acid hidden in a storage unit.Who owned this storage unit? And who had murdered Tim Schuster so brutally?Had his divorce turned so bitter that his ex-wife Larissa Schuster could go this far?This is the brutal killing of Timothy Schuster.
When Judy Anderson, did not appear for work on, the morning of December 26, 2007, Boxing Day, her friend and co-worker Linda Thiele immediately felt that something was off so drove to the Anderson family home to check on her.And here, she stumbled across a completely horrific scene.As she entered the home, Linda found the body of Scott Anderson, Judy’s son, along with Scott’s wife, Erica, and their two young children.Behind the house, she discovered her friend Judy, lying next to her husband Wayne, also dead.Who had murdered this whole family so heartlessly, and where was Linda’s other daughter Michele Anderson? Was she also dead? Or was she the one who had committed this horrible crime.This is the story of the Anderson Family Christmas Massacre.
On Christmas Eve night, the 24th of December, 2008, the Ortegas gathered in their Covina home, Los Angeles County, California, for their annual Christmas Eve celebration.As the night went on, the festive spirit filled the air, and the room was filled with laughter and love, three generations together. However, no one was prepared for what was about to happen.Just at the stroke of half-past eleven, the doorbell rang, and 8-year-old Katrina ran to the door. As she flung the front door open, she saw Santa Clause standing there and she squealed excitedly, "Santa Claus, Santa Claus," as she flung open the front door.The Santa however, was armed with four handguns and in the blink of an eye, he aimed straight at the little girl and pulled the trigger.As he raged through the home, he opened fire on the unsuspecting family, taking the lives of both young and old.Who was this mysterious shooter, and what sinister motive propelled this horrific act?
When 19-year-old Céline Figard disappeared on the 19th of December whilst making her way from France to the UK to visit her cousin for the Christmas season, everyone started to panic and the authorities immediately stepped into action in order to find her.Had Celine runaway? Or had she been abducted? Or worse, had a serial killer taken her as one of their victims.As the Christmas festivities would come and go, and the hunt for Celine was well underway, sadly, her naked body would be found on the 29th of December, 10 days after she went missing.With the missing persons investigation now turning into a murder case, the police were on the hunt for Céline’s killer.With eyewitnesses catching a glimpse of her killer as she got into his vehical, on the 19th of December, never to be seen alive again, the hunt was well and truly on.Would they find her murderer before he did this to another woman?This is the devastating case of French Student, Céline Figard.
At approximately 8:00 p.m. on Sunday, the 19th of December 2010, Greg Reardon, returned to his flat in Bristol, which he shared with his girlfriend, Joanna Yeates, after a fun yet brief weekend visit to his parents in Sheffield.Greg was eager to see his girlfriend, Joanna, as he was worried about her. He had not heard from her, since Friday evening, 2 days prior, Friday the 17th December.On entering the apartment, something immediately felt different and out of place as he noticed that the doors were open and the lights were switched on.What was even more concerning, was that Joanna Yeates was nowhere to be found.Searching for clues as to her whereabouts, he noticed that she had left her purse, glasses, and keys behind. But worse, even Bernard, her most loved cat, looked unkempt and neglected.Greg decided to try her phone and call her, but as he did so, he heard Joanna’s familiar ringtone playing from inside her coat pocket, which was sitting in the empty apartment.As the hours passed by, he began to panic more and more and he then decided to try phoning her parents, hoping she had left in a hurry to theirs, but they had told him she wasn't with them. Fearing the worst, he then called their landlord, Christopher Jefferies, to inquire if he had seen her or if anything had happened in his absence. However, Greg received the same response, no one had seen her. Where is Joanna? Would she be found? Could she have gone out in the cold without her coat for a walk? Was she at her neighbour's?Things would then take a turn for the worst when the lifeless body of a young woman curled up on her side wearing a pink top pulled up and frozen in the snow was found, 6 days later, on the 25th of December 2010, Christmas morning.
When residents of Marling Way heard an argument break out next door on the evening of the 28th August 2001, nothing could have prepared them for what was to come.Shortly after the shouting began, the Bluestones’ six-year-old daughter who they knew so well appeared at their door, crying and in a frenzy.Their blood ran cold when she told them, “Daddy banged my head on the wooden floor! My daddy is hitting my mummy! Please call the police, I don’t want Daddy to kill Mummy!”This is the heartbreaking story, of the Bluestone Family Murders.
In the early hours of May 11th, 2012, a distressed call from anguished parents was answered by a 999 operator. The father, Mick Philpott, was heard shouting that his 6 of his children were trapped inside their family home which was ferociously ablaze. While his wife, Mauraid, frantically explained to the operator what had happened, neighbours and friends of the family desperately tried to find a way into the house to save the six young children that remained inside. Despite the best efforts of the local community and the rescue services, tragically, Jade Philpott, aged 10, and her brothers John (9), Jack (7), Jesse (6), and Jayden (5) were pronounced dead on the scene, with their half-brother Duwayne (13) dying in hospital two days later.What had caused this terrible tragedy and who was to blame?
Dispatcher: 911, what is the address of your emergency?Jane Doe: 4th St Laundromat.Dispatcher: What’s the problem?Jane Doe: I’ve been abducted.Dispatcher: Who abducted you?Jane Doe: Shawn Grate.On the 13th September 2016, a terrified young woman identified only as Jane Doe for her own anonymity placed an emergency call to 911, breathily pleading with the operator to get officers to the yellow-coloured house as soon as possible.Dispatcher: Where’s he at now?Jane Doe: Asleep.Dispatcher: Where’s he sleeping at?Jane Doe: In the bedroom. Dispatcher: But you’re at the laundromat?Jane Doe: No, I’m in the bedroom with him.Dispatcher: Does he have a weapon?Jane Doe: He has a taser.As the horrific story of Jane Doe’s abduction unfolded, nobody could have been prepared for the truth about Shawn Grate, who would become known as the infamous “Ohio Strangler”.
On the 31st October, 1974, Halloween night, the children of Deer Park, Texas were out knocking on doors.Ronald Clark O'Bryan, was out, watching over his 8 year old son Timothy who was dressed as a character from the movie Planet of the Apes and his 5 year old daughter Elizabeth. Joining them was their neighbor Jim Bates and his 2 children, Mark and Kimberley.That Halloween night, Ronald decided to take his children around Jim’s neighbourhood, as Jim lived in a nicer area, and Ronald believed the trick-or-treating would be better there.As they went from house to house trick or treating in the suburban neighbourhood near their home, they approached a home which had all its light switched off.After knocking on the door a few times with no reply, the kids and Jim grew impatient, so they ran off to another house, leaving Ronald behind still waiting in case someone did answer. He remained behind for about thirty seconds.A short while later, Ronald caught up with the rest of the group, showing them that the owners of the house had finally answered and had given him 5x 21-inch Pixy Stix, tubes of powdered sour candy saying that it must be their lucky day as ”rich neighbours” had given him “expensive treats”.Ronald offered to carry the pixy styx for the children and the group carried on trik or treating for a bit longer, but once it began to rain, Ronald took his children home, before handing out 4 of the Pixy Stix to each of the children there, leaving him with one.Later that night, a group of children knocked on Ronald’s door and Ronald offered the children some gum and sweets and then pulled out the last Pixy Stix from behind his back, asking the kids who wanted it.All the kids exclaimed in excitement, but one 10 year old boy named Whitney Parker shouted out that he knew Ronald from church as being one of the church leaders, so Ronald gave Whitney the last Pixy Stix.Before bed, Ronald’s son Timothy O'Bryan asked if he was allowed some of his candy, and his parents said he could have 1 item.Timothy chose his Pixy Stix tube—but the powdered sugar was stuck in the straw and the opening of the Pixy Stix had been stapled shut so he had difficulty opening it and so Ronald helped him to dislodge it so that Timothy could take his first mouthful.Immediately, Timothy complained that the powdered sugar tasted bitter, so his father RonaldI gave him a glass of Kool-Aid to wash the taste away.Timothy immediately started having stomach pains, and he ran to the bathroom vomiting and convulsing, but less than an hour later, Timothy O’Bryan was dead.
When 3 month old Ryan was rushed to hospital as he had laboured breathing and was vomiting uncontrollably, it was found, that his tiny body contained high levels of ethylene glycol and acetone in his blood.
Both compounds that are usually found in everyday household items such as nail polish remover and anti-freeze.Sadly, just 3 months later, at 6 months old, baby Ryan would pass away from this poisoning and his parents were immediately the prime suspects.His mother Patricia was arrested and charged for his murder, and put in jail, but during this time, she gave birth to another baby boy, David Junior.
David Junior was immediately put in states hands, but when he also starting showcasing the same symptoms as his older brother Ryan, everyone was confused.Had Patricia stallings really poisoned her some Ryan, and had she somehow also positioned her newborn baby David Junior? And if she had, why had she done it?
In early July 2003, the city of Bakersfield, California, was rocked by the horrific slaying of 5 members of the same family, the youngest of which was just six weeks old.When police entered the house, the the crime scene initially seemed like a home invasion gone wrong, but a closer look revealed that nothing had been stolen, and the killings had been so aggressive and brutal. Someone wanted this family dead.With their main suspect offering a solid alibi, the investigators tasked with solving these murders knew they needed to call in reinforcements and dig deep in order to capture the murderer and to put this monster behind bars.This is the tragic case of the Harper family murders.
On the 26th January 2015, Jan Moffatt went out for a drive after cleaning her house as she needed some air.As she drove around the neighbourhood she saw a turquoise pickup truck catching up with her in her rearview mirror, it was her husband Tim Moffatt.Jan sped away and made a quick left turn to try to lose him, but as she got to the dead end of a culde sac, Tim followed her, and slammed into her SUV and then fired a gun at Jan, hitting her 4 times.Why had Jan’s husband attacked her so suddenly and violently, and would Jan Moffatt be okay and survive?
When Ashley Young failed to meet up with her mother on the 29th November 2018, Kristine Young immediately knew that something was wrong and her daughter was most likely in trouble.Kristine called 911 and reported her daughter missing, but a few days later, the most horrifying discovery was made.A man called the police to let them know that he had found a tarp down in the basement of his apartment block.The police searched further around the basement and found two fired casings located inside the furnace duct.This furnace duct led from the basement furnace to an apartment, this apartment belonged to a man named Jared Chance, a friend of Ashley Young.Could this torso they had found belong to missing Ashley Young? Had Jared Chance murdered his own friend?
In the early hours of the 7th November, 2014, Joseph Parker called 911 and told the operator the most horrifying thing.
Joseph had just confessed to murdering his wife and to then putting her in the freezer, but miraculously after 48 hours he believed her to still be alive.
He asked the dispatcher to send out paramedics to help his wife who he believed to still be alive as he still loved her.
But contrary to what Joseph had said, when police arrived at the 246 Clydesdale Lane home, they found Samantha Parker dead stuffed inside the freezer, and Joseph was nowhere to be found.
Was this true? Had Joseph really done this to his own wife? And finally, where was Joseph Parker?
When firefighters entered 21 Rue le Sueur in Paris’ 16th arrondissement on the 11th March 1944, nothing seemed too out of the ordinary – except for the foul-smelling smoke from the chimney.The foul smoke had been pouting out of the chimney for 5 days, and the neighbours had had enough so had notified the police who then in turn called firefighters.The firefighters proceeded to enter the home through the 2nd story window and then made their way down to the basement. Nothing could have prepared them for what they were about to stumble upon.Sticking out of a furnace, as if waving hello, was a charred human arm.Neighbours said the property belonged to Dr Marcel Petiot, but he was nowhere to be found. Could this well-respected doctor really be capable of this? Who were the bodies in the basement, and how many were there? And finally, where was Dr. Petiot?
In the early hours of the 28th March 2005, 5-year-old Tia Herneln called 911, saying that she had just found both her parents lying on the floor covered in blood.
Donna, the dispatcher spoke to little Tia and tried to keep her calm and focused, whilst she sent out for someone to go to the house.
When the police finally arrived, to their utmost horror, they found 5-year-old Tia still on the phone with Donna, and her mother Julie dead in the bedroom, lying next to her husband Aeneas, Tia’s father, who was clinging to life.
Who had committed this horrible act? And why had they done it? Was this a robbery gone wrong? Or was this a brutal act of revenge?
On the surface, Wendi Andriano appeared to be a caring wife to her husband Joe Andriano and a loving mother to their 2 children.
But in reality, behind closed doors, Wendi resented her terminally ill husband and wished to be free from him. She hated what her life had become with him and in fact, despised being his caregiver.
As her husband's health slowly deteriorated at home, Wendi did everything in her power to try and get a life insurance policy for him. But as Joe was too sick, no company would go through with this and so she failed again and again.
In the early hours of the 8th of October, a fed-up Wendi decided to take things into her own hands and end Joe’s life prematurely as things were not moving fast enough.
Incredibly when Wendi called 911, she accused Joe of attacking her first, which then caused her to kill him in self-defence.
Was this true? What had really happened that fateful night? Had Wendi really acted in self-defence? Or had her patience worn thin, and had she finally decided to take matters into her own hands and brutally murder her husband?
On February 23, 1991 Dan Willoughby and his wife Trish Willoughby arrived in Mexico with their three children for a family holiday.
Later that afternoon, Dan and the children headed off to the nearby museum, whilst Trish stayed behind to have a nap as she said she was very tired.
When the family arrived home, 2 hours later, the children excitedly ran into their mothers room to tell her what they had seen at the museum.
But to there utmost horror, they found their mother clinging onto life.
When police arrived at the crime scene, Dan them that over $400 in cash and two rings were missing from the scene, so they thought it might have been a robbery gone bad.
10 days later, a woman was arrested on unrelated charges, and in her possession they found the missing jewellery Dan had described, including Trish's wedding ring.
As the police got further into their investigation, they quickly realised that this woman, was not just a random woman.
It turned out she was incredibly closely connected to the family. But by the time, they figured that she may have been involved in Trish’s murder, the woman had already been released and she was now missing.
Who was this woman and where was she? How did she know the family and close was she to them? Was she involved in Trish’s murder? And if so, did she act alone?
When 3-year-old Ryan, 2-year-old Hannah, 1-year-old Lydsey, and 4-month-old Danny were supposedly kidnapped on the 7th of January 2008, their parents Lam Luong and Kieu Phan, reported them missing.
The following day, however, in a horrible turn of events, their father Lam Luong told investigators that they wouldn't find the children as they were all dead.
When they asked Lam Luong, to take them to where the children were, Lam directed them to drive to the highest point of the 80-foot Dauphon bridge.
In complete disbelief, Captain Wilson turned around in his patrol car and looked at Lam Luong and asked him “Do you mean to tell me that you threw your four children off the top of the Dauphin Island Bridge?” To which Lam Luong simply replied, “Yes”
Was this true? Had Lam Luong committed this unspeakable act? If he had, why had he done it? And were the children still alive?
This is the absolutely heartbreaking case of how and why, this vile person, decided to play God and murder his helpless and innocent young children in the most cruel way.
When Dru Sjodin, mysteriously vanished from the Columbia Mall parking lot, after her shift at work on the 22nd November 2003, the community immediately jumped into action to try and find her.
Hundreds of members of the community, police officers and the FBI spent months looking for her, but sadly, five months later, her body was found in a ravine.
The police already knew who was behind her kidnapping and murder, and had already arrested someone, five months earlier.
Their suspect had a horrendous criminal record and had just been released from jail, 17 years early.
Why on earth was this monster on the streets and living amongst the community. Why had he been given another chance to commit such horrible crimes against innocent women?
When 23-year-old Linda Fleming disappeared in West Yorkshire on the 22nd of January 1993, the community immediately stepped up and began looking for her.
6 days into the search, there was still no sign of Linda or any clues to her whereabouts, so her boyfriend, Stuart Williamson, her father Derek, and her brother, also named Stuart, appealed for information before press and television cameras.
During the press conference, fighting back tears, Linda’s father, Derek Fleming, said, “Wherever you are and whatever the reason, please come home or just ring. We all love you and want you back.”
The appeal, however, bought no new leads, and Linda was still missing, but three days later, everybody’s worst fears were confirmed when Linda’s body was found in a moorland ditch eight miles from her home. Linda was a loved member of the community and had no enemies, so it was hard to believe that someone could kill her and then dump her body in a ditch so heartlessly.
With no obvious motive, police began to suspect that Linda had been killed by someone she knew, somebody close to her.
Who had killed Linda Fleming so violently, and why had they done it?
On the 9th of January 2008, Sophie Elliott was excited and ready for a new stage in her life. She had recently ended an on and off again relationship with her abusive ex-boyfriend Clayton Weatherston, and was looking forward to a free and happy future.
She was packing up her life in her bedroom as she had just gotten her dream job 500 miles away and was due to leave shortly.
But her ex-boyfriend Clayton wouldn't let this happen. He turned up unannounced at her house and stabbed her 216 times in her bedroom, killing her violently and mutilating her body.
When police arrived at the scene and asked him why he had killed her, Clayton calmly responded because of `The emotional pain she has caused me over the past year'.
Clayton did not resist arrest, but at the trial, he pleaded not guilty to murder but admitted to manslaughter, claiming Sophie had provoked him into stabbing her. Was this true? Had Sophie attacked Clayton first? Or was this narcissistic monster lying through his teeth and painting his ex-girlfriend in a bad light?
When 36-year-old Army Veteran Maribel Ramos didn't show up to her softball game on the 3rd of May, 2013, her family immediately began to worry.
Her roommate KC Joy, had also reported her missing at around 10:40am, saying that she had not come home that previous night.
Her family made several attempts to contact her but when this failed, they immediately sprung into action and started searching for her.
They scoured the city for any trace of her, but sadly, in a horrifying twist of events, about 2 weeks after her disappearance, Maribel’s lifeless body was discovered.
Who had murdered Maribel Ramos?
The search for Maribel’s murderer quickly lead them to someone who had once been close to her, someone she called a friend.
This is the story of Maribel Ramos’ tragic murder and what happened when attraction turned to jealousy and obsession.
On January 27th 2008 at around 8:35 pm, in Bridgwater, a town in Canada, the Police Department received a report of a missing 12-year-old girl, Karissa Boudreau.
The report came in from her mother Penny Boudreau. Penny claimed that she had left her daughter sat in the car in the supermarket’s shopping centre, as she went inside to shop for groceries. On Penny’s return to the vehicle, Karissa was no longer inside.
As the extensive investigation and search for Karissa went underway, Penny made a tearful plea to the media for her daughter to return, as well as asking for assistance from the community in finding her.
The town rallied together in an attempt to find Karissa and to return her home safely, but sadly nearly two weeks later on the 9th of February 2008, Karissa Bourdreau’s was found buried in the snow.
The police searched tirelessly for Karissa’s murder, but after reaching multiple dead ends, they decided to launch an undercover operation, in order to trick their prime suspect into telling the truth.
And the suspect did just that. In a recorded confession, the suspect describe in grim detail what had happened to Karissa Boudreau that day, and the motive behind why she had to die….
When Chad Hebert heard that his 2 children, Camille and Braxton Hebert, had not arrived at school that day, and his ex-wife had also not gone to work, he immediately panicked and contacted the police.When police arrived at Amy’s house, they found the doors deadlocked and no response was coming from inside, so they broke in.When they reached the master bedroom, they found Amy Hebert in bed with her 2 children and the family dog.What had caused Amy Hebert to do this to her children and the family dog?Was she suffering from a psychotic disorder? Or was she purely acting in a state of revenge and hatred towards her ex-husband?This is the heartbreaking story of how and why Amy Hebert took the lives of her young children.
On the 23rd January 2014, 5-year-old Garnett Spears sadly passed away in hospital due to swelling in his brain.He had been fatally poisoned by the one person who was meant to love him and protect him, the person in whose care he ought to feel the safest, and the person he should call family - his own mother, Lacey Spears.Why did Lacey Spears murder her own son in such a cruel and evil way? How could she do something so unspeakable to her own child?As the investigation unfolded, the true horror of what happened to Garnett and his mother’s motives behind his murder was revealed.This is the tragic tale of young Garnett Spears, whose life was untimely snatched from him by his own mother, all in a desperate attempt to gain sympathy and attention in the era of social media.
On June 15th 1990, Rosie Alfaro went to a friend's house in Anaheim, California as she desperately needed some money and planned to break in and steal some valuables.When she got to the house, she knocked on the front door, and her friends 9-year-old little sister Autumn answered. Little Autumn Wallace recognised her older sister's friend Rosie and let her inside as Rosie told her she needed to use the bathroom.As Autumn returned to what she had been doing – colouring paper dolls with crayones – Rosie Alforo took a knife from the kitchen and then went to the bathroom. Rosie knew she couldn’t leave any witnesses to the theft, so she called little Autumn Wallace over to help her with something in the bathroom.Trusting and helpful, Autumn got up from her colouring and headed over to help her sister’s friend.Rosie’s actions in the bathroom that day, led her to become the first woman in Orange County to get the death penalty.
On February 11, 2011, police found 10-year-old Nubia Barahona, wrapped in a plastic garbage bag in the back of her adoptive step-father Jorge Barahona’s pickup truck along Interstate 95 in Palm Beach County.Her twin brother Victor, was also found inside the vehicle, severely injured but alive; he was suffering seizures due to being covered in chemical burns and inhalation of toxic gas.Their adoptive father, Jorge Barahona, was found passed out nearby.How had Nubia died? And who had hurt her twin brother Victor? Had they been hurt by the two people who had vowed to love and care for them?This is the tragic and heartbreaking case of Nubia Barahona and how she was failed by so many people.
On the 18th of April 1987, Easter Weekend, 26-year-old Shani Warren’s body was found face down in Taplow Lake in England. Her wrists were tied with a car jump lead, and her ankles were tied by a tow rope. Her car was found abandoned nearby, with her personal items everywhere.Outrageously, a theory was suggested by a forensic pathologist that Shani had done this to herself, based on the looseness of the ties on her hands and that no other footprints were found alongside her stiletto heelprints at the scene.With the first 48 hours critical in her murder investigation now lost, a murder investigation was finally launched 4 days later after her body was found, when a postmortem examination found she had died by drowning, with the press quickly dubbing Shani as the Lady of The Lake.Despite the case gaining a lot of publicity, due to the lack of evidence and not enough advancement in DNA testing, police were unable to charge anyone with her murder. And so, 34 years passed and the case went cold until it was finally solved in 2021…
On the morning of 27th January 2015, police arrived at the doors of 12 Goske Street after receiving a strange call stating that intruders had broken into a house in one of the most exclusive estates in Stellenbosch, South Africa and attacked and killed the whole family with an axe.The call had come in just after 7am, from one of the survivors of the attack, 20-year-old Henri Van Breda, who strangely sounded very unphased…
"Grandad shot me mummy" were some of six-year-old Stanley Metcalf's last words.No one could foresee the tragedy that would occur in the village of Sproatley in Hull, England, on the 26th of July, 2018, when Stanley was shot in the abdomen by with own great-grandfather.As Stanley’s family mourned the loss of his innocent young life, questions were raised about how such a terrible event could have happened during a close-knit family gathering.Why would a 78-year-old fire towards his own great-grandson?Had he intentionally shot little Stanley Metcalf, or was it a horrible accident?
In the early hours of New Year’s Day 2013, tragedy struck young parents Jordan Monaghan and Laura Gray when their three-week-old baby, Ruby, was found dead in her Moses basket. Merely eight months later, their 21-month-old son, Logan, was also found dead in his pushchair after a trip to the swimming baths with his father.Six years after that, Jordan Monaghan’s new partner Evie Adams died from an overdose of prescription medication.How could one man suffer such misfortune, losing three loved ones in seven years to tragic, untimely deaths?Was the tragic loss of these three precious lives truly an unfortunate tragedy, or could one man be responsible for all three deaths?
On March 6th 1995 Scott Amedure and Donna Riley took their friend Jonathan Schmitz on The Jenny Jones talk show and planned to drop a bombshell on Jon.In front of a live studio audience, Scott told Jon that he had a gay crush on him.In a shocking twist of events, three days later, one would end up dead.On March 9th 1995, Scott Amedure was shot and killed in his trailer home in Lake Orion, Michigan.Just minutes after his death, Jonathan Schmitz called 911 to confess.When asked by the 911 operator why they had killed Scott, the Jon answered, ‘because he played a very bad (profanity) thing on me, he took me to The Jenny Jones show.’What had set Jonathan Schmitz off and caused him to shoot and murder his so-called friend? Scott Amedure?
On the evening of the 26th of January 2018, Georgia Hooper aged just 14, was sitting in the car just inches away from her mother Cheryl Hooper.
Suddenly a familiar ominous presence filled with jealousy and rage appeared out of nowhere and shot Cheryl twice through the windscreen at point-blank with a double-barrelled shotgun.
With her daughter being the prime witness and there during the gruesome attack, they knew exactly who had murdered Cheryl Hooper, but why had he done it?
When Carol Jarvis, a loving mother of 4 disappeared, her concerned children questioned their father Harry, about her whereabouts.
After telling his children that she was in Dundee and would be back soon, they knew he was lying and hiding something.
They reported Carol missing to the police, and after getting a search warrant to gain access to the family home, the police made a disturbing discovery decomposing under the floorboards of the house.
They had found Carol, their mother, but now their father, Harry was missing and on the run.
Was he responsible for their mother's death? How had Carol died? Had it been an accident or cold-blooded murder?
In 2009 on Valentine's day, Tiana Notice’s life was brutally taken away from her by her ex-boyfriend James Carter.
In the months leading up to her murder, Tiana went to the police station over 33 times to report multiple violations of the restraining order she had against him, only to be sent away and told by the officers “it was a long weekend and they were short-staffed.”
When James Carter left a handwritten letter on her door, she went directly to the police with the evidence she needed that he had been close to her home and for protection.
They finally took some interest in her claims and told her they would look into it.
But the police did not arrest him. Instead, they called him and asked him for a sample of his handwriting.
Having been tipped off as to Tiana going to the police to seek protection, an angry James Carter, went to her apartment and lay in wait until she returned home.
This is the tragic story of Tiana Notice’s death and how her it could have been prevented.
On March 13th, 1964, while walking back to her apartment in the Kew Gardens district of Queens, New York, Kitty Genovese was brutally attacked and killed.
"For more than half an hour 38 respectable, law‐abiding citizens in Queens watched a killer stalk and stab a woman in three separate attacks in Kew Gardens"
These were the words the New York Times would release about the attack.
Kitty’s murder became a staple of psychological textbooks when discussing “the bystander effect” because it was publicized at the time that there were 38 witnesses to her murder, but no one called the police or did anything.
Was this true, or was the story exaggerated by the media?
How could 38 people witness a woman being killed and refrain from getting involved?
On Monday, August 2nd, 1993, in the quaint village of Savona, New York, four-year-old Derrick Robie was found dead in a small patch of woods just half a block away from his home. An entire week would pass before his parents, Doreen and Dale Robie, and the rest of the village would get any answers.
Derrick was only four years old. He had been lured away from the path he was walking and brutally beaten, choked and killed.
Everyone in the community struggled to understand how anyone could impose such violence on an innocent child.
The true identity of the killer would shock the community.
When 17-year-old Je'Rean Blake was shot dead outside a store in May 2010, the police found themselves with a suspect, Chauncey Owens.
In a raid to arrest their suspected killer, the police stormed a house at Lillibridge, and a gunshot was heard; They would then discover that an innocent young girl had been shot.
Her killer would try to justify his actions, claiming it was a mistake triggered by Aiyana’s grandmother's actions.
The shooter insisted he had lost control of his gun for a few seconds.
What had really happened to Aiyana Jones? Who had shot and killed her? Was she the intended target? Was this shooting racially charged?
This is the story of how an innocent 7-year-old child's life was taken away from her by those who were supposed to protect her.
When Devi Unmathallegadoo split from her husband, Ramanodge Unmathallegadoo, it was not long before she found love again.
After marrying her new husband, Imtiaz Muhammed, Devi would become Sana Muhammed and would have high hopes of moving on, ready to start a new life filled with love and happiness...
Her ex-husband, Ramanodge, however, would be filled with anger and jealousy, and he would do anything in his power to stop this from happening, quickly becoming a dangerous stalker in her life.
How far would Ramanodge take it? Would he try and harm Sana and her new husband? Would he try and attack her whilst she was pregnant?
Sadly, Ramanodge would do anything in his power in the hopes of destroying Sana’s dreams of forever with her newfound love. He would resort to a harrowing crime of passion plagued by hatred, jealousy, and deadly obsession.
On Christmas morning in 2002, a policeman entered the Wholaver household to find all three Wholaver women dead. Jean Wholaver and her two daughters, Victoria and Elizabeth.
All the phone lines had been cut, and the only survivor found inside was 9-months-old baby Madison, who was left in the arms of her deceased mother, Victoria Wholaver.
Law enforcement immediately knew that the murders had been premeditated and extremely personal.
Who would commit such a heinous crime and pull apart and break a whole family on Christmas day?
This is the tragic tale of the Wholaver family Christmas massacre.
Just five days after Christmas in 2017, at 10:19pm, Suffolk police received what they later described as one of the most bizarre 999 calls they had ever received.
Stephen Searle calmly explained to police that he had killed his wife in their suburban house in the sleepy Suffolk town of Stowmarket.
When paramedics arrived, 62 year old Anne Searle was found unresponsive and despite their best efforts, she was pronounced dead at the scene.
Anne had been strangled by her husband of 45 years, before suffering from a fatal cardiac arrest.
When police arrived, he joked that he had ‘been a very naughty boy’, and ‘sometimes you’ve just had enough’. Stephen claimed it to be self-defence, and that Anne had come at him with a steak knife.
But how could someone who had accidentally killed their wife of 45 years, and the mother of their children, joke so casually after her traffic death?
It was a cold and gloomy Sunday afternoon in Beckton, East London, on the 2nd of October, 1994. Daniel Handley, a helpful nine-year-old, had returned home after earning a few coins at the local supermarket, where he often helped out customers to load their cars with their shopping.
As he always did in his free time, he had then asked his mother, Maxine, if he was allowed to go to play at Alan's house, his best friend. Unknown to the dangers lurking around, Maxine had agreed to his request with strict instructions to be back at 6 o'clock.
However, by the time 6 o'clock had rolled around, Daniel still needed to come home. Four hours more passed and there was still no sign of him.
Maxine Handley, immediately knew something was wrong and started looking for him. She went door to door, searching, going to all the neighbours with whom she knew to be Daniel's playmates, yet, there was no sign of her son anywhere.
Soon hours turned into days, and then weeks, and there was still no Daniel. Witnesses would come forward saying they had seen him riding his silver saddle-less bike that night, but all the conflicting information and signs of Daniel did not help find him.
Where was Daniel Handley? Had he run away? Had he been hurt by his mother’s boyfriend?? Or worse, has he been abducted? Law enforcement would look into every possible scenario, each leading to a dead end.
On April 2nd 1993, Ellie Nesler took the law into her own hands in a Northern California courtroom, by shooting to death Daniel Driver in the head and neck 5 times.
35-year-old Daniel Driver was a Christian camp employee who in the summer of 1988 allegedly abused the then 6-year-old son of Ellie Nesler, Willie Nesler.
Ellie Nesler was praised by some as a protective mother, driven to act by the prospect of having her traumatised son testify against Driver in open court.
Others criticised her for brushing aside the legal system and taking the law into her own hands, which would then spark a national debate about Vigilantism.
The sympathetic portrait of Ellie Nesler painted by her defence team began to disappear however within weeks of the crime when tests found Ellie to have been high on methamphetamine at the time of the shooting. It had also come to light that Ellie had a criminal record with a conviction at 18 for auto theft and had served several months in a California Youth Authority facility.
Had Ellie Nesler gone too far, or was she simply protecting her son and the world from a very dangerous man?
On the evening of the 11th September 1994, a gang of at least three men, one wearing a clown’s mask and a boiler suit, brandishing a knife, broke into Carol and Gordon Wardell's home in Bonneville Close, Meriden. Only Carol was home during the break-in.
When her husband Gordon returned home from the pub later that night, he was attacked and drugged. He was overpowered and knocked unconscious with a chemical, and when he came around he found himself bound and gagged on the floor, alone, his wife Carol missing.
Only a few hours later Carol Wardell was found dead in a lay-by and the building society where she worked, had been robbed. A devastated Gordon Wardell would then go on to make a public plea to try and help catch the men who had brutally murdered his wife.
Choking back the tears he said “I still don’t believe this has happened. We must catch these men. I think they are evil”….
When 22 year old Janet Chandler was abducted whilst working her Night Shift at the Blue Mill Inn, detectives first believed it to be part of a robbery.
However, when her naked body was found at 1am (2am?) in a wooded area buried in the snow, it would become clear to investigators that foal play was involved. Janet had died of strangulation, with clear evidence she had been bound and gagged for long periods before her death.
Law enforcement would interview hundreds of people over years, chasing dead ends and finding no significant leads.
The case would go cold for nearly 25 years. What happened to Janet Chandler in 1979? And how did what started out as just a documentary project for a film school class, lead to the world finally getting some answers.
Terry King loved being a dad and always wanted to be a good father to his two sons, Derek and Alex, but the family was destroyed when Terry died in a mysterious fire and the boys went missing.
Who bludgeoned Terry King to death and then set the house on fire to cover it up?
And were his two missing sons safe?
Were they in danger, or even worse also dead?
As the case would unfold, a twisted world of lies and deceit would be revealed.
This is the chilling case of the King Family.
All week, Tyler had been telling his friends that he was going to throw a house party, but nobody believed him.
He had never thrown a party before and there was no way his strict parents, Blake and Mary Jo would give their consent.
However, the hours leading up to the party, Tyler confirmed that It was indeed happening over Facebook, saying that his parents would be out of town.
Where exactly were Tyler’s parents and where had they travelled to?
This is the shocking and horrible story of a troubled Florida teen and his wild house party.
One of Britain's youngest killers walks among us today, completely anonymous.
After serving only 11 years in jail for the brutal manslaughter of 4-year-old Martin Brown, and 3-year-old Brian Howe, she was released at the age of 23.
No one will ever know the whereabouts of a woman who, at the tender age of 11, took the lives of 2 young boys.
This is the story of child killer Mary Bell.
17-year-old Jessica Dishon is missing, and all that’s left behind at the scene are her mobile phone, purse, backpack and 1 of her shoes.
Who abducted and killed Jessica Dishon?
Unfortunately, the world would have to wait fifteen years for her case to be solved due to issues such as police misconduct, contamination of evidence and false accusations...
This is the story of the tragic murder of Jessica Dishon.