True Crime Arizona: Recent Episodes
Arizona's Family (3TV & CBS 5)
Arizona’s Family journalists Briana Whitney and Serjio Hernandez take a deep dive into both unsolved and solved cases around Arizona — retracing steps, uncovering new evidence, and revealing new theories from those involved in the investigations.
On July 31st 2024, Elizabeth Byrd’s longtime best friend knew something was wrong when Liz didn’t show up for their workout class. After calling police for a welfare check when loved ones found out three young kids were left alone, officers found Liz Byrd dead in her bedroom. Her husband, John Byrd, was a detective for the Maricopa County Attorney’s office, and specialized in justice for domestic violence victims. He was nowhere to be found, and once police caught up to him, he confessed to killing his wife. Liz’ brother and best friend detail what happened that day before and after the murder, what they’ve learned since, and how they’re helping care for the Byrd’s kids who lost so much in this tragedy.
True Crime Arizona takes on a haunted tale for Halloween in Globe, Arizona, exploring the unsolved murders in Room 18 inside a former brothel above a saloon that is still in business today. The team gets access to where the mysterious crimes happened, learns about the paranormal spirits that the owner, bartender, and patrons see regularly upstairs and at the bar. The owner also tells us who she believed killed the victims and why, based on history preserved in the saloon and archived newspaper articles.
The True Crime Arizona team heads out to the Arizona desert where Ginger and Christina’s remains were found, and the detectives in the case reveal whether they believe there are more victims of John Flowers and where they may be located. The victims’ families share personal final thoughts about John Flowers getting out of prison in a short number of years, and Flowers himself messages back and forth with Briana from inside his prison cell – telling a story in his own words.
After detectives positively identify the other Jane Doe victim, detectives sit face to face with an incarcerated John Flowers in Reno, Nevada, where he puts on quite the performance when questioned. We learn about how each murder case unfolds in the court system, and it’s not how anyone wanted. Detectives reveal their biggest fears with this case.
When Ginger Rios’ remains are discovered in the Arizona desert, so are the remains of another unidentified girl. For years nobody knew who the Jane Doe was. Around 2008, when Myspace comes about, a Phoenix woman can’t find her long lost friend on the new social media network. She grows concerned and reports her missing to police. That ended up opening a controversial investigation, but ultimately led to the identity of the Jane Doe, and what police believe happened to her at the hands of the spy shop owner, John Flowers.
Detectives find the remains of Ginger Rios in the Arizona desert and make another horrific discovery while there: Another girl was dead and buried in the same area. While police try to figure out who the Jane Doe victim is, spy shop owner John Flowers goes on the run but is eventually caught and arrested for murder. For the first time, we hear Flowers’ side of the story as to what happened to Ginger Rios, and a new witness comes out of the woodwork with concerning information about possible other victims.
A new teenage employee of the Vegas spy shop is asked to do bizarre tasks while the owner, John Flowers, heads to his Phoenix, AZ spy shop. Meanwhile, we learn about his obnoxious antics in Phoenix, and his wife makes a shocking and unexpected confession to officials.
In April 1997, a young woman named Ginger Rios visits the Spycraft store in Las Vegas while her husband waits outside. When she seemingly vanishes after going inside, a frantic search by family and police begins with an odd response from the spy store owner, John Flowers. Police uncover a slew of odd happenings surrounding her disappearance, as we learn what Ginger’s childhood was like up to the last day before she went missing.
Jim Larkin and Michael Lacey made millions, publishing cutting-edge journalism in alternative weekly newspapers across the country. Larkin and Lacey were considered champions of the First Amendment, and their brand of journalism won thousands of awards, including a Pulitzer Prize. But the duo also created Backpage.com, a website that was known for its adult section, and according to federal prosecutors – prostitution. In this episode, Morgan Loew interviews Stephen Lemons, an investigative reporter who worked for Lacey and Larkin for two decades. Lemons details Lacey and Larkins’ rise from college paper publishers, to newspaper moguls, to Backpage, to Larkins’ death by suicide, and Lacey’s conviction in federal court.
The four-part television series "Stolen Innocence" explores the manipulation and abuse of the FLDS cult that led to the new self-proclaimed prophet Samuel Bateman’s reign and downfall as he awaits sentencing for sexually abusing and kidnapping child brides. True Crime Correspondent Briana Whitney and former AZ Family reporter Mike Watkiss discuss in detail Samuel Bateman’s rise to power, the roots of the FLDS and its corruption, the bizarre encounter Mike Watkiss had with Bateman, and where the FLDS community stands now.
As the 4th of July turned to the early morning hours of the 5th, Phoenix Police got a call to the ritzy Renaissance hotel in downtown Phoenix after a security guard found a woman dead in a hotel room. But it turns out that wasn’t the only call they got to the hotel during that time—a man was also walking around naked in the lobby telling staff he was concerned about demons upstairs. Eventually this would all come together and Phoenix Police would charge that man with the murder of 28-year-old Desiree Serpas, a mother to two young kids. But his defense attorney casts suspicion on two other people who allegedly were in the hotel room at the time.
On July 1st, 2024, 25-year-old Doris Aguilar went missing in Phoenix after leaving for the store. A week later, her car was found abandoned in a mall parking lot. Her family expressed concern about a man who was possibly stalking her outside the gym, but there seemed to be no movement in the case until they hired a private investigator in mid-July. He was able to uncover new information that led to the discovery Doris Aguilar was actually the woman found shot to death inside a car on July 7th. But alongside her also found dead? The man her family says was the stalker: 51-year-old Juan Cuellar. His cause of death: suicide. Her cause of death: homicide. Now, we’ve learned new crucial timelines and disturbing details as Phoenix Police continues to investigate what went so wrong.
On June 30th, 2024, Kelly Paduchowski was reported missing by the Flagstaff Police Department after her family said she never came back from a run and swim while training for a race. Her car was found at a local trailhead, but cell phone data put her at another trail hours prior. What then unfolded was an arrest of someone close to Kelly, damning evidence inside her home, a homicide investigation, an all-out search for the mother for days, an unexpected plea deal, and the discovery of Kelly’s remains.
On July 29, 1994, 21-year-old Angela Maher was killed in a crash while going to pick up her friend from Old Town Scottsdale as the designated driver. The woman who hit and killed her, 31-year-old Gloria Schulze, was charged with manslaughter and endangerment after admitting she had been drinking and smoking weed. But after her first court appearance, Schulze vanished and was never seen again. Now, 30 years later, the fugitive was unexpectedly found and questions about where she fled and how she lived since are finally answered, officially closing the case.
In March 2020, as the world was shutting down at the beginning of the pandemic, Sandee Hines disappeared from her Mesa, Arizona home. But she didn’t just vanish alone. Her husband, Jason Hines, was also gone. Hines was a convicted criminal and became a fugitive on the run for sex crimes against children. The last known surveillance video of Sandee Hines’ car, shows Jason getting out of it. But ever since, no one has heard from them. Now, Sandee’s mother gives insight into what happened in the days leading up to their disappearance, as she fears her daughter is dead.
For nearly two months, the Idaho man known as the “Doomsday Prophet,” Chad Daybell, faced witness after witness as he stood on trial for the murder of his wife Tammy Daybell, and the murders of Lori Vallow’s two young kids Tylee Ryan, and JJ Vallow. The killings were all tied to radical religious beliefs that a Second Coming was approaching, and people were “light and dark” spirits. Come with us as we dive into some of the most important, powerful, and emotional testimony during the trial, and the moments after the the verdict and sentencing decision on the death penalty were announced.
On May 17th, 2024, police are called out to a home in Surprise, AZ for an unknown shooting. They learn a woman, Allie, had escaped from being held hostage, but her 6-month-old baby, Jaxson, was still inside with his father and in danger. That man, Todd Marchetti, then shoots his own baby multiple times, and officers go inside to rescue Jaxson. A standoff then ensues, until the house unexpectedly goes up in flames during negotiations. What we learned next from family and friends was Marchetti had planned out days of torture and was in the middle of carrying that out when Allie escaped, after a history of domestic violence.
Link to donate to Jaxson and Allie’s recovery: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-allie-and-jaxsons-path-to-recovery
On May 17, 2024, police are called out to a home in Surprise, AZ for an unknown shooting. They learn a woman, Allie, had escaped from being held hostage, but her 6-month-old baby, Jaxson, was still inside with his father and in danger. That man, Todd Marchetti, then shoots his own baby multiple times, and officers go inside to rescue Jaxson. After, a standoff ensues, until the house unexpectedly goes up in flames during negotiations. What we learned next from family and friends was Marchetti had planned out days of torture and was in the middle of carrying that out when Allie escaped, after a history of domestic violence.
Link to donate to Jaxson and Allie’s recovery: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-allie-and-jaxsons-path-to-recovery
The newly released incident report and 911 calls from the day 22-year-old Mercedes Vega’s body was found in a burning car reveals new details about what was seen on the freeway that day in April 2023. We learn who made the 911 call, what he saw from the road, and what kind of car she was found in – a car that was not hers. Mercedes Vega was shot, hit, and eventually burned alive after going missing from her Tempe apartment complex. Mercedes’s case remains unsolved. Her parents discuss the new details we learned from the report, their frustration with investigation, and share their emotions as they prepare to spread her ashes in Hawaii.
On June 4 2022, 19-year-old Rachel Hansen woke up to a stranger in her Gilbert, AZ apartment. The suspect shot her, then left, and Rachel later died at the hospital. The teen had been working for years as a horse trainer and had just moved into that apartment after living on a ranch. Nearly two years later, her murder remains unsolved, but her parents feel two odd circumstances in the days leading up to her death weren’t properly investigated.
Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the armorer from Bullhead City, AZ, has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for an involuntary manslaughter conviction in the death of Halyna Hutchins. Hutchins was the cinematographer on the movie ‘Rust’ starring Alec Baldwin, when in 2021, a prop gun the actor was rehearsing with on set had a real bullet inside instead of a fake one. When Baldwin fired it during the scene, the bullet struck Hutchins and killed her. We hear what was said at the sentencing hearing during victim impact statements, and why the judge delivered scathing remarks in the courtroom. Alec Baldwin will be facing the same charge in a trial this summer, so does the armorer’s conviction and sentence help or hurt the A-list actor? A criminal defense attorney weighs in.
The high school basketball coach and man famously known for his “Mr. ORNG” character at Phoenix Suns game has now been arrested for soliciting sexual videos and pictures from teen boys. According to police, 37-year-old Patrick Battillo asked male students at the school he coached at to send explicit videos of themselves via Snapchat, in exchange for money. Another teacher at the high school as arrested for hindering the investigation after telling Battillo the police were at school so he could leave before they could question him. True Crime Arizona host Briana Whitney describes the disturbing messages and details we learned about in court documents, the shock from the community, and how “Mr. ORNG” used to portray himself in the media. Reporter Michael Raimondi phones in from the school grounds as students and parents learn about what happened.
Queen Creek Police released 42 minutes of 911 calls from the Halloween party where 16-year-old Preston Lord was fatally beaten on October 28, 2023, including the desperate call when people on scene were trying to save his life before police arrived. They also released more than 1,100 pages of the police report. True Crime Correspondent Briana Whitney, chief investigative reporter Morgan Loew, and senior producers Mac Colson and Cody Lillich discuss and analyze the new and notable information, including who allegedly hit and stomped on Preston Lord, which suspects incriminated themselves on Snapchat and through text, who bragged about the horrible actions, what witnesses told police they saw, and the actions one family took to try and cover up their son’s involvement. Seven suspects face first degree murder.
Chance Comanche was a well-known name in Arizona—a former University of Arizona basketball player that had gone on to play in the professional NBA G-league. Comanche was in Las Vegas in December 2023 for a basketball tournament, when he and his ex-girlfriend were the last ones to see Marayna Rodgers, from Washington state, alive. As detectives searched for Rodgers, the investigation led to a trail of hidden text messages, thousands of dollars, a Rolex watch, and a disturbing jailhouse confession.
Months after Preston Lord died after being beaten at a Halloween party, multiple suspects, including several teenagers, have been arrested and indicted for first-degree murder and kidnapping. True Crime Correspondent Briana Whitney, investigative reporter Morgan Loew, and Arizona’s Family anchor Nicole Crites analyze how prosecutors got to these charges, the shocking new information that was revealed in their first court appearances, what Preston Lord’s family and the community is saying about the arrests, where we go from here with this case, and the other cases related to the alleged “Gilbert Goons.”
In 2005, a baby girl was found dead in the women’s bathroom trash can at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport. The medical examiner rule she was suffocated, and lived just 24 hours. She became known as “Baby Skylar.” For nearly two decades, police had no idea who the baby’s mother was, or why she was killed. Now, detectives have found and arrested 51-year-old Annie Anderson of Washington state for first degree murder; the baby’s own mother. How they found her so many years later, her checkered past in Washington, and what a detective says “divine intervention” may be the reason Baby Skylar was ever found at all.
She’s analyzed the behavior and words of serial killers like Ted Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer, and Ed Kemper. She’s received videos from one of the most famous cult leaders to live. She trained Jodie Foster for her role in The Silence of the Lambs. She helped investigate where the 9/11 plan was hatched and who the bombers were. And she brought a new sense of empathy and intelligence to the behavioral science unit at the FBI. This is the story of Jana Monroe, the first female agent who ever worked in the FBI’s behavioral science unit. Told in her own words with experiences unimaginable, she details what it was like to break through gender barriers as she made a name for herself as one of the sharpest agents in the bureau.
Host Briana Whitney and Arizona Family reporters Alexis Dominguez and Casey Torres dive into and analyze the latest string of developments in the East Valley teen violence investigations, including an exclusive interview with the parents of a suspect in mutliple assaults, a teen victim's fight for change in Arizona law, and the community fallout from the Gilbert police chief's first press conference. UPDATE: We also discuss the three new arrests that happened during the recording of the episode.
True Crime Arizona host Briana Whitney and Arizona’s Family reporter Emma Lockhart break down the details in the five new arrests in East Valley teen violence cases, both admitted and possible ties to the “Gilbert Goons,” and the possible impact these arrests may have on the ongoing Preston Lord murder investigation. We hear from Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell on where the Lord investigation stands with evidence and charges, and hear from the victim’s father in one of these cases after arrests were made.
Just before Thanksgiving 2022, JoAnn Dudek was getting ready for a holiday trip to NYC to visit family, when communication suddenly stopped. JoAnn lived in Anthem, AZ with her husband and daughter, who were there the day she allegedly disappeared and told investigators she left behind most belongings. But it’s a case full of twists and turns: Bizarre phone calls that may or may not exist, another unexpected death, and the sheriff’s office officially naming this a homicide investigation even though JoAnn’s whereabouts are unknown.
Exactly two months after 16-year-old Preston Lord was beaten to death at a Halloween party in Queen Creek, Arizona, police announced they are recommending charges against seven juveniles and adults involved in his death. It is now up to the Maricopa County Attorney to decide who and what to prosecute. This comes as other investigations into teen violence in the East Valley have been reopened with possible ties to a gang police have recognized as the "Gilbert Goons." Host Briana Whitney and Arizona Family reporters Morgan Loew, Emma Lockhart, and Casey Torres discuss what is likely to happen next, the possible evidence in the case, and historical parallels to prior gang violence in the East Valley.
In August 1992, remains of an unidentified teenager were found by somebody walking their dog in Apache Junction, Arizona. 30 years later, DNA and forensic genetic genealogy have helped identify her as a girl from South Phoenix who went missing in June of 1992. Her family was able to answer some things, but how she got to the remote desert and her cause of death is unknown. The timing of her disappearance and death is eerie though, it all happened while two known serial killers were operating in the Phoenix area. Could she have been another one of their victims? True Crime Correspondent Briana Whitney and Chief Investigative Reporter Morgan Loew analyze what we know.
Sixty years ago, in November 1963, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated while driving through downtown Dallas. It’s a historic event that has fueled theories and conspiracies about what happened. But now, with modern technology, an engineering and animation lab has found something new that they said proves the “single bullet theory” is not possible scientifically. As they explain their findings, meanwhile former Mafia underboss Sammy “The Bull” Gravano reveals details during his time as a government informant when the FBI questioned him about JFK’s death. It’s an ominous and eerie meeting, and Gravano shares what he believes happened that day in Dallas.
In April 2023, 22-year-old Mercedes Vega was leaving her Tempe, Arizona apartment to meet friends for dinner. The next morning, her body was found burning in a car off the I-10 freeway 60 miles away in the rural desert. Once the autopsy report was released, the details revealed one of the most gruesome murders and causes of death. Now 7 months later, her parents are sitting down for the first time to open up about what they know, the last known surveillance footage of Mercedes, and what the desperately seek as her killer, or killers, still walk free.
In 2004, 5-year-old Josh Eberle Martinson was found dead on a bunk bed in his father’s Phoenix apartment, while his father, Jeffrey Martinson, was in the next room passed out from an attempted suicide with prescription drugs and liquor. The medical examiner ruled Josh’s death was from an overdose of prescription meds, and his father was charged with his murder. However, multiple years and trials later, he was set free. It’s something Joshua’s mother has struggled to comprehend.
More than four years after Jamie Yazzie disappeared on the Navajo Nation, her boyfriend learned his fate in a federal courtroom after being charged with her murder and assaulting other women.
DNA cracked the case in the brutal murder of a college student over three decades ago along a popular hiking trail. The Prescott, Arizona murder of Cathy Sposito in June of 1987 was unsolved but remained open and active for 36 years. In September 2023, the Yavapai County Sheriff named Bryan Scott Bennett as Sposito’s killer, but the investigation found Bennett also had more victims who were attacked and sexually assaulted in northern Arizona. While the discovery solved several cases, an unexpected twist is the reason why there’s no arrest now.
In June 1976, Phoenix newspaper journalist Don Bolles was blown up by a bomb placed under his car while he took a business meeting at the Hotel Clarendon about a possible land fraud story. Because of Bolles' reporting on Mafia involvement in Arizona and poor business dealings, rumors swirled about who was behind the murder. This is the story of the daughters–the daughter of the man twice convicted for masterminding the attack who says her father was framed, and the daughter of Don Bolles, who shares her thoughts on the new revelations and who she believes was involved in her father’s death.
Barry Jones was convicted of first degree murder for the death of 4-year-old Rachel Gray in 1994, and sentenced to death. But as the decades went on, several attorneys and officials found issues with how the case legally played out. In 2023, the AG’s office granted Barry Jones a plea deal and said he did not cause the girl’s injuries, but should have sought out medical care for her. He walked out of death row after 29 years, with the unexpected support of the victim’s sister.
Tiffany confronts her dad, Edison Sorrell, about her belief that he was involved in her mom’s disappearance. Briana interviews Edison on the phone, who shares his side of the story. The True Crime Arizona team learns there are more people among ‘The Forgotten’ who they interviewed, sharing details they never have before. The team gives updates on what’s happened since the documentary came out, and where the MMIW crisis progress stands in Arizona.
We ask top Arizona officials how they are going to fix the MMIW crisis, and for the first time, they are putting plans in motion.
We learn the details of what happened to Jamie Yazzie, an arrest is made, and court documents reveal a sinister discovery.
In summer of 2019, Jamie Yazzie disappeared from the Navajo Nation, after hanging out at her boyfriend’s house. Her family frantically begins to search for her, when Jamie’s aunt makes a stunning discovery.
We question the FBI, state, and tribal officials about how disappearances and murders have escalated to crisis level, and what’s been going wrong in their departments. Reporter Briana Whitney and her team head up to the Navajo Nation to get a first-hand look at what’s going on themselves.
On the 4th of July in 2002, Laverda Sorrell went to an anniversary dinner with her husband on the Navajo Nation, and asked to be dropped off at her workplace after around 11:30 p.m. She was never seen again. Her family describes what happened in the day leading up to her disappearance, and we learn how her case falls into the growing crisis and epidemic of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. (MMIW)
The crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women – known as MMIW- is an issue that has exploded as years have gone on, yet in the shadows with little to no attention and focus. Native women in Arizona are disappearing at staggering rates, yet the media coverage their cases have received doesn’t compare to the media spotlight on cases of white women who have gone missing, or been murdered, in the United States.
The True Crime Arizona team set out to uncover why this has spiraled out of control, where the problems stem from, and who is going to step up to fix it. We took our investigation to the Arizona governor, attorney general, head of the FBI in Phoenix, and Navajo Nation president, just to name a few.
Episode one drops on the True Crime Arizona feeds on July 10.
It’s the end of the Zombie Hunter trial after eight months. The judge sentences Bryan Patrick Miller for the Canal Murders, and explains how she came to her decision between life in prison or death penalty.
In a wild "Hail Mary" move, the "Zombie Hunter" Bryan Patrick Miller spoke to the judge and the court for the very first time before the judge decides whether Miller will face the death penalty or life in prison. Briana and Morgan discuss what Miller said...and didn't say.
Angela Brosso’s mother and Melanie Bernas’ sister describe their loved ones, and how the murders and the trial have affected their families. Briana Whitney and Morgan Loew discuss what happens next in the trial.
After days of investigation, police have arrested Zion Teasley, the suspect in the brutal murder of Lauren Heike. Briana Whitney and David Caltabiano discuss shocking new details that led police to the arrest, what he told detectives, and his criminal past. Two former FBI special agents analyze his psyche and his escalation of violence.
Lauren Heike, a 29-year-old woman and employee at a north Scottsdale golf club, was on a popular Phoenix hiking trail when she was attacked and murdered. Aided by video of the suspect fleeing the scene, police are on the hunt for her killer. After her family and friends made a tearful plea for the public's help, host Briana Whitney examines the rapidly-evolving case as it unfolds in real time and discusses the latest developments with reporter Sarah Robinson.
Click here for more coverage on AZFamily.com
Former Phoenix PD lead detective Stuart Somershoe is revealing unsettling details you didn't hear during the Zombie Hunter Trial—including a path towards cannibalism and a concerning Amazon Wish List. Bryan Patrick Miller was convicted of the Canal Murders, but this detective shines light on the other girl that can't be forgotten: 13-year-old Brandy Myers.
The verdict is in: is Bryan Patrick Miller guilty of the Canal Murders, or not guilty by reason of insanity? Briana and Morgan talk about the moment the verdict was read, and what happens next.
The prosecutors and defense attorneys make their final pitches to the judge. Briana and Morgan break down the arguments and discuss the defense theory that Bryan Patrick Miller had a split personality.
Bryan Patrick Miller’s ex-wife continued her testimony with revelations about their sadistic sex life. Briana and Morgan break down why psychologists are arguing both for the prosecution AND defense about whether or not Miller was insane at the time of the Canal Murders. And finally, we learn closing arguments are set for this week after more than six months of trial, which means a verdict is likely coming soon.
After two months, Briana and Morgan are back breaking down the testimony everyone had been waiting for since The Canal Murders trial began: Bryan Patrick Miller’s ex-wife Amy. While on the stand, Amy reveals disturbing and violent sexual fantasies he performed on her, what their roles were in the marriage, and the confession he made to her about another girl he attacked, but was never charged for. It’s a pivotal moment in the trial, so what happens next?
He confessed to 19 murders. He worked his way up to become the underboss of the Gambino crime family in New York. He ratted out Mafia boss John Gotti to the government, and witness protection brought him to Arizona. Now, he’s sharing mob secrets including details surrounding JFK’s assassination, how they pulled off high-profile hits, and where his life and legacy in U.S. history stands now. This is the story of how “Sammy the Bull” became one of the most prolific Mafia hitmen to ever live.
A twist in the case brings an unexpected person to trial for the murders. Multiple people stand trial for their involvement, but their consequences range from dying in prison to being exonerated and set free. Forty years later, is "The Last Hitman" put to death for the Redmond family slayings?
Investigators learn the man who ordered the hit against Pat Redmond and his family in Phoenix had ties to the Mafia in Chicago and Las Vegas. Turns out, he was working on an illicit deal in Las Vegas, but needed an unsuspecting place to funnel it all through. That’s where Pat Redmond comes into play.
On New Year’s Eve heading into 1981, the Redmond family was getting ready for their holiday party at their Phoenix, Arizona home. When three unknown men showed up, including a police officer, the family let them in. That’s when everything took a horrific turn. With multiple people dead from an execution-style hit, the investigation began to figure out who these men were and why the Redmond family was targeted.
On New Year’s Eve 1980, a Phoenix family is getting ready to host their holiday party, when three strangers show up at their door, and one of them dressed as a police officer. Everything takes a turn when the three men tie up the family members and shoot them execution style. However, one of the three survived. It turned out that the murders weren't random at all, but a deliberate plan orchestrated by the Mafia, and the corrupt ties spun a complicated web between Phoenix, Las Vegas, and Chicago. Three men were sent to death row for the killings, but only one is still alive today: Murray Hooper. Now, a court decides if "The Last Hitman" will finally be put to death in Arizona 40 years later.
The new limited series of True Crime Arizona premieres January 30.
Because this trial is so unconventional, there’s been a lot of time off and sporadic testimony through the holidays. But there were two key witnesses with critical information about Bryan Patrick Miller: his former mentor, and his former girlfriend. Host Briana Whitney and Chief Investigative Reporter Morgan Loew discuss and analyze what’s happened over the past month, the changes they just learned about how the rest of this trial is going to go, and when we expect a verdict.
In December 2010, 27-year-old roommates and friends Nicole Glass and Melissa Mason were found strangled to death in their Phoenix home near 42nd St and Thomas Road. Shortly after, family and authorities discovered Melissa was newly pregnant at the time. The crime scene provided little-to-no answers as to who did this or how it happened, but technology may change that today. Twelve years later, these unsolved double murders have police increasing reward money for any answers that can lead to an arrest.
In 2016, 10-year-old Jesse Wilson went missing from his Buckeye, AZ home. His adoptive mother, Crystal Wilson, said he likely climbed out the window. But when his remains were found in the desert in 2018, his disappearance became a homicide investigation, and Wilson moved out of state and stopped cooperating with authorities. Years later, police announced her arrest in connection to Jesse’s death. But it’s NOT a murder charge. Jesse’s biological family has mixed emotions, and questions remain about how the state could have better protected him.
In 2004, an armored car guard was shot dead outside a Phoenix movie theater by a man who fled with the $56,000 the guard had collected from the weekend movie receipts. Police discovered the suspect on the run is Jason Derek Brown, a Southern California man who was in debt. They also learned that Brown had been casing the area and following the armed guard’s move. It’s been 18 years and Brown has never been found, so why was he just removed off the FBI’s Top 10 Most Wanted Fugitive List?
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On November 16th 2022, the Hudgens family of five was found dead inside their Phoenix home. Wife Marla Hudgens, her 3-year-old son Christopher, and her 6-month-old twin girls Faye and Gwen were all found with trauma on their bodies, and her husband Jasen Hudgens was found with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. Police believe Jasen killed his family before taking his own life. Time may have been ticking down to the house exploding, because first responders found a disconnected gas line in the home with propane tanks on the property. The Hudgens family seemingly had everything going for them: Beautiful kids, successful careers, and a lot of community involvement. The question is: What went wrong?
For the first time ever, we hear the Zombie Hunter's voice. After a break in the trial, prosecutors come back with some crucial days of testimony and evidence, including Bryan Patrick Miller’s interrogation video after he was arrested for the Canal Murders in 2015. His former roommate also took the stand, who described the moment he realized an item found at the Melanie Bernas' murder scene was something he had seen in their apartment before.
In week two of the trial, we learn how police coordinated an undercover operation at a restaurant to get Bryan Patrick Miller’s DNA to see if it was a match to the DNA left at the Canal Murders scenes. Testimony this week ended with the first victim Miller stabbed as a teenager, detailing her experience when she was attacked. The prosecution says this establishes a pattern of violence before Angela Brosso and Melanie Bernas were killed.
In the first week of the death penalty trial for Bryan Patrick Miller, the prosecution set up their case that DNA at the crime scenes matched Miller’s, he had fantasies about killing people, and nobody but him cut these girls’ lives short. Meanwhile, the defense is arguing for a “not guilty by reason of insanity” verdict, claiming Miller’s autism and dissociative disorders made him insane at the time of the murders. For the first time in nearly 30 years, new details were revealed about the horrific injuries to Angela Brosso and Melanie Bernas when they were killed, and what the killer did with their bodies post-mortem.
Thirty years after the infamous Phoenix “Canal Murders,” the man and comic-book character accused of the killings stands trial. But Bryan Patrick Miller’s trial is unlike most - was he insane at the time, and could that let him walk free? Deciding his fate won’t be up to a jury. Hosts Briana Whitney and Morgan Loew break down why this trial is so non-traditional and what the "Zombie Hunter” is facing in a courtroom in the coming months.
In 2016, Krystal Mitchell and her boyfriend, Raymond “R.J.” McLeod headed from Phoenix to San Diego for vacation with friends. Everything takes a shocking turn when Krystal is found dead in an apartment, with Raymond nowhere to be found. Evidence pointed authorities to identity him as the prime suspect, but McLeod led the U.S. Marshalls on a 6-year international manhunt. Finally in 2022, a tip leads authorities to El Salvador, where they find Raymond McLeod, who is finally behind bars and charged with Krystal’s murder. But the person who played the biggest role in the investigation and his capture? Krystal’s mother.
Click here to see photos from the case
In 2016, Krystal Mitchell and her boyfriend, Raymond “R.J.” McLeod headed from Phoenix to San Diego for vacation with friends. Everything takes a shocking turn when Krystal is found dead in an apartment, with Raymond nowhere to be found. Evidence pointed authorities to identity him as the prime suspect, but McLeod led the U.S. Marshalls on a 6-year international manhunt. Finally in 2022, a tip leads authorities to El Salvador, where they find Raymond McLeod, who is finally behind bars and charged with Krystal’s murder. But the person who played the biggest role in the investigation and his capture? Krystal’s mother.
Click here to see photos from the case
Briana and Serjio receive a new, unexpected tip from a former homicide detective that has them investigating more than they anticipated. Everyone interviewed this season reveals where they believe Robert Fisher is, and if he’s dead or alive, based on the new information our team uncovered during their investigation.
Herb Greenbeck presents a new theory of where Robert Fisher went and what he did after the murders, based on strange questions he was asking during their camping trip together just weeks prior. Investigators share what they struggle with most trying to solve this case, which leads us back to the Fisher family home and their Scottsdale neighborhood.
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Less than a mile from where Robert Fisher’s car was found in the woods are miles and miles of underground caves. It’s thought he may have been hiding in them at one point, and written evidence found in one of them suggests that may have been the case. We investigate written messages, and dive into the caves ourselves to find out if living in them for some time is realistic. At the same time, a tip from 2004 in Canada still perplexes people with some of the most unusual investigative techniques ever used. We get to the bottom of it.
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The investigation takes our crew into the woods where Robert Fisher’s car was found as they prepare to head underground for a search. Briana and Serjio assemble a full team made up of a retired detective on the case, the lead cave searcher at the time Fisher disappeared, and experienced spelunkers, who make realizations about what happened in the woods back in 2001. Meanwhile, a bombshell tip from Mexico shakes up the case – with pictures that shock detectives.
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Who was Robert Fisher? Details unravel about the odd conversations and personality traits he displayed leading up to the murders and house explosion. Meanwhile, for the first time, we get exclusive access to the full evidence file and crime scene photos that reveal new details and tips about the investigation.
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On the morning of April 10th, 2001, residents in Scottsdale, AZ woke up to a home exploding into flames. The house belonged to the Fisher family, and investigators quickly learned there were three bodies inside, and one family member missing- Robert Fisher. After more than 20 years, the person who spent a weekend camping with Robert two weeks before the explosion reveals what Robert said and did during that trip, and why he believes there was an ulterior motive for a trip to that specific area.
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It’s one of the biggest true crime cases in United States history, and so much mystery still surrounds notorious fugitive Robert Fisher. He’s believed to have murdered his whole family and set their Scottsdale, AZ home to explode into flames in 2001 before disappearing for more than 20 years. Only so much has been publicly known about the case, until now. This season on True Crime Arizona presents: Finding Robert Fisher, host Briana Whitney and photojournalist Serjio Hernandez get exclusive access to the evidence file and crime scene photos, uncover new theories from people involved who haven’t revealed details before, and take their own investigation underground and across the globe as they search for Robert Fisher and the clues that may lead to him.
In November 2021, Claudia Moreno went missing from her Tempe, Arizona apartment. Her husband and family launched an all-out search for her, along with law enforcement. But months later, her sisters would learn somebody deceived them, and the real story revolved around a storage bin, a closet, and the desolate desert.
How do you get a suspect to crack? Is "good cop/bad cop" a real thing? We get those answers and many more in a fascinating conversation with retired homicide detective Roger Geisler.
After serving time in prison, James Ray re-emerged in the self-help world again, selling his practices and teachings. He describes in his own words what happened in Sedona and how he feels he’s learned from the tragedy. This doesn’t sit well with the families of the victims.
After our first episode release this season, the owner of Angel Valley invited us to the grounds to show us where the sweat lodge tragedy happened. For the first time in a decade, she sat down to answer questions about how James Arthur Ray's defense team tried to blame her and her husband for the deaths during the trial.
James Arthur Ray was on trial for manslaughter for the deaths of three participants. The testimony in the courtroom was fierce, powerful, and tense. It was the first time participants shared harrowing details while taking the stand to describe what happened to them. The 50-day trial led to an outcome nobody expected.
It's been a heartbreaking mystery for more than 60 years, but thanks to a scientific DNA breakthrough, the identity of a murdered four-year-old girl known as "Little Miss Nobody" is finally known. Briana Whitney examines how authorities made the discovery and what questions remain unanswered, including who killed her.
The sweat lodge activity turned into a full emergency, as participants were passing out, vomiting, and foaming from the mouth. This was supposed to be the final event to find enlightenment, but instead it led to death. Participants were looking for comfort from James Ray as the tragedy unfolded in the dark of night, but he was seemingly nowhere to be found.
It was the pinnacle of all James Ray events: the 5-day “Spiritual Warrior” retreat. Participants would pay thousands of dollars to head to Sedona, Arizona and participate in eccentric activities to help with personal growth. But concerns about all of it emerged years before the tragedy, especially about the final event of the retreat: the sweat lodge.
In the 2000s, James Arthur Ray rose to fame as a key figure in a self-help movement that mixed elements of spirituality, "harmonic wealth," and eccentric activities. Powered by appearances in "The Secret" and on TV with Oprah Winfrey and Larry King, he amassed a fortune and built an empire off of his thousands of followers. Ray was on top of the world until some of his followers felt things weren't quite what they seemed...
A convicted sex offender who calls himself "Mr. RTK" (short for Rape Torture Kill)—who also claims to have killed three boys and molested over 200 others—was arrested in Arizona after being free for over a year. An attempt to reach out to the mother of one of his victim's on social media triggered the arrest. We hear from the victim's mother and Mr. RTK as we go in-depth on this disturbing case.
An African hunting safari. A decades-long affair. Mail fraud. A mysterious death.
Years after a woman's death during a hunting trip in Africa was ruled accidental, new sordid details led the FBI to charge her husband, a prominent dentist, with her murder.
Bryan Patrick Miller is suspected in more attacks than he's been charged with. Will we ever really know if he is responsible for those? Briana and Morgan look into how the prosecutor's decision to pursue the death penalty could leave victims and their families with questions that are never answered. We also examine how an insanity defense could eventually set him free.
Following up on our episode detailing the discovery of Irene Luevano's body, we've learned new information about how she died, how police found her body, and who led them there.
After a tense several days, the search for Irene Luevano came to a tragic end when her body was found in the desert west of Phoenix. Police believe they have the murderer in custody.
Be sure to listen to our previous episode outlining the details of her disappearance, case ties to a drug cartel, and the effort made to find her after a chilling early-morning call.
It began with a frantic early-morning phone call. What followed was a case involving multiple stabbings, ties to a drug cartel, and the ongoing search for missing mother of six Irene Luevano.
Much of the Zombie Hunter’s court documents are sealed and the official police investigation was never released. But Briana Whitney and Morgan Loew glean new details and new insight about the case from those who covered Bryan Patrick Miller’s arrest and those who knew him.
To catch the Canal Murders killer, Phoenix Police detective Troy Hillman assembled a team and tried unheard of—and widely doubted—tactics. His team’s innovation was the only way an arrest was made.
For years, Hillman was not allowed to speak about the case. But just days after retiring, he sat down with us to discuss it for the very first time.
As Bryan Patrick Miller remains in jail facing charges in the deaths of Angela Brosso and Melanie Bernas, a judge just made a significant ruling that will shape how this case will play out...
On December 31, 2021, friends and family of Benjamin Anderson were unable to get ahold of him. A wild series of events, including a dangerous chase on Phoenix streets, ends with the discovery of a burned car, Benjamin's body, and a host of unanswered questions.
As we return from a holiday break, get caught up on the story of "The Zombie Hunter" Bryan Patrick Miller so far. Episode No. 8 of this season will hit your feeds on January 10!
In the early 2000s, Bryan Patrick Miller moved to the Pacific Northwest. Three brutal and bloody assaults against three women coincided with Miller’s time in the city of Everett, Washington. Investigative reporter Morgan Loew traveled to Everett to retrace Miller’s steps in an effort to answer the question: are there more victims?
As this season continues, more people are coming forward to share their first-hand experiences with Bryan Patrick Miller. From his neighborhood, to a church, to the time of Miller's arrest, hear the details of these chilling face-to-face encounters.
After listening to our initial episodes, a woman contacted us and shared a terrifying encounter she claims she had on the canal trail the night Angela Brosso went missing. She details a man on a bike stalking several people, including herself, and says she passed Brosso biking that night. The next morning, Brosso was found decapitated.
In May of 1992, 13-year-old Brandy Myers vanished in her Phoenix neighborhood while collecting money for a school project. Her case went cold for years, until Bryan Patrick Miller was arrested for the Canal Murders. That’s when police received new information that Miller may have confessed that he killed Brandy.
Decades after the Canal Murders investigation went cold, a forensic genealogist cracks the case using DNA. In doing so, the case made history.
In 2014, people knew Bryan Patrick Miller as "The Zombie Hunter," a character who frequented local fantasy and sci-fi festivals. While the "Zombie Hunter" was portrayed as a fictional crime fighter, we discovered that under the mask lurked a very real dark and violent past.
Five young women go missing in Phoenix in the early 1990s along and near the Arizona Canal. Two of them were found brutally murdered—along with a DNA link—but the killer was nowhere to be found.
Bryan Patrick Miller had established his "Zombie Hunter" character as a fixture in the local fantasy & sci-fi scene, appearing at conventions and events in Arizona. But a bombshell arrest would expose a violent and deadly string of attacks.
Season two of True Crime Arizona: THE ZOMBIE HUNTER is coming November 2.
In the early 1990s, five girls went missing near the Arizona Canal in Phoenix. Four of them were found dead and one remains missing. It left residents living in fear until a breakthrough decades later. But what police found was more bizarre—and possibly more deadly—than they had ever realized.
The first episode of season two of True Crime Arizona: THE ZOMBIE HUNTER is coming November 2.
Three days after the 9/11 terror attacks, 14-year-old Jesse Florez left his Phoenix home to walk to a friend’s birthday party and seemingly vanished. Detectives don’t know if he ever made it to the party, but they do believe witnesses know what happened to him that evening and suspect foul play is involved. Phoenix Police need people to come forward with new information.
Watch Briana's story on Jesse on azfamily.com: https://bit.ly/3uDDcKt
On January 3, 2019 Monica Chavez was last seen leaving a Phoenix motel on foot. According to her family, a man from Tucson was coming up to meet her, but she stopped responding to his calls and texts suddenly. They never met up. Monica’s family and five young children haven’t seen or heard from her since. Phoenix police suspect foul play is involved in her disappearance.
See Briana's story on Monica for 3TV here: https://bit.ly/2YjcfQi
24-year-old geologist Daniel Robinson has been missing from Buckeye, Arizona since June 23, 2021. Host Briana Whitney takes us through the brand new details released in the latest police report, and sits down one-on-one with Daniel's dad, David Robinson, to talk about the bizarre details in his son's disappearance.
In the wake of how Gabby Petito's disappearance shined a light on missing persons cases, we examine five notable disappearances in Arizona: Daniel Robinson, Alicia Navarro, Christine Mustafa, Jesse Conger, and Cookie Jacobson.
As DNA becomes a focus of solving decades-old cases with new technology, host Briana Whitney interviews the case director at Othram, a company making human identification possible with trace amounts of DNA, when other ways have failed. What they’ve developed is unique and groundbreaking in forensics.
In this bonus episode, host Briana Whitney and producer Serjio Hernandez are interviewed by Kris Pickel about their major takeaways from the investigation into the grisly murders of a young couple on Bumble Bee Road.
In this bonus episode, host Briana Whitney and producer Serjio Hernandez are interviewed by Kris Pickel about their major takeaways from the investigation into the Gary Triano case.
A one-on-one interview with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children about the three high-profile cases we investigated: Mikelle Biggs, Jhessye Shockley, and Baby Gabriel. The agency tells us the challenges of working on these cases and others, and what has changed the game in terms of solving cases today.
A key player in the missing Baby Gabriel Johnson case is Tammi Smith, who at one point tried to adopt the baby from his maternal mother, Elizabeth Johnson. Throughout the investigation, Tammi and her husband Jack Smith maintained they didn’t know the couple Elizabeth claimed to have given the baby away to, but Elizabeth said the black market adoption was all coordinated through Tammi. Host Briana Whitney has a one-on-one phone conversation about the case with Tammi, the suspicions about her involvement in Gabriel’s disappearance, and what she has to say about her once friend Elizabeth Johnson now.
On Christmas of 2009, father Logan McQueary thought he’d be spending the holiday with his baby boy Gabriel. Instead, his ex-girlfriend Elizabeth Johnson disappeared to San Antonio with their son, and soon he was nowhere to be found. First, she told authorities she killed the baby, then said she gave him away in a black market adoption, and the web of lies and deceit began. For the first time you’ll hear jailhouse recordings, phone calls, and new information, as we investigate new leads in this case.
In October 2011, Jhessye Shockley’s mom reported her 5-year-old daughter had gone missing from their Glendale, Arizona home and claimed she was abducted. But as police followed a trail of odd behavior, past arrests, and horrific claims of abuse from Jhessye’s siblings, it became clear her mom was a major problem in the investigation. Now, both her family and investigators reveal they agree on what they think happened and where they believe little Jhessye is right now.
January 1999. She was gone in 90 seconds.
Eleven-year-old Mikelle Biggs disappeared while riding her sister's bike on their Mesa, Arizona street and waiting for the ice cream truck. Her sister Kimber went inside for less than two minutes, and when she came back out, Mikelle was gone. Authorities believe Mikelle was abducted, but no arrests have ever been made. We investigate the timeline of events, and the story is told through her sister, who at 9 years old was the last person to see Mikelle alive. Now in her 30s, she hasn't given up, and both she and detectives believe Mikelle may be nearby.
The next several episodes of the True Crime Arizona podcast will focus on three high-profile missing children cases in AZ: Mikelle Biggs, "Baby Gabriel," and Jhessye Shockley. Our investigations have brought to light new leads, new information, and new theories, that we hope will generate tips to help solve these cases.
NEW SHOW COMING MAY 26: She was the perfect wife and mother for decades, until something changed. Lori Vallow is now connected in some way to six violent or mysterious deaths. A former husband, an estranged husband, two of her children, her brother and her new husband’s then-wife – all dead.
True Crime Arizona: Lori Vallow's Deadly Delusions explores the events and issues that motivated Lori Vallow, throughout her life, and during the tumultuous and tragic year of 2019. We will speak to family members, friends, investigators and forensic experts in an effort to create the most complete picture of who Vallow is, and what turned her from perfect mother to criminal defendant.
In 2018, a Scottsdale man went on a serial murder spree killing people one-by-one, and he always remained a step ahead of police. His motive wouldn’t be found and he wouldn’t be stopped until an attorney pieced together clues by who he was killing and what set him off.
In this bonus episode, host Briana Whitney and producer Serjio Hernandez are interviewed by Kris Pickel about their major takeaways from the unsolved Sean Drenth case, what they found most troubling about the investigation, and whether they believe he died by homicide or suicide.
In 1996, well-known businessman Gary Triano was assassinated by a bomb in a country club parking lot. The search for the masterminds behind the plot would take years to find, but solving the case ultimately came down to love gone wrong.
In this bonus episode, our host Briana Whitney and producer Serjio Hernandez are interviewed by Kris Pickel about how extensive their investigation was into the infamous Robert Fisher murder and disappearance case. They discuss brand new tips and information, and answer the question they always get...if they believe Robert Fisher is dead or alive.
April 10 marks the 20-year anniversary of the brutal murder of Robert Fisher's wife and children in Scottsdale. Fisher has never been found, and to this day, officials disagree over whether he is alive or dead.
In a special re-release, Briana Whitney retraces Fisher's steps and examines the details of this infamous case.
PLUS: Look for a special Case Q&A episode dropping next week taking a deep dive into the case with brand new info and discussion.
In this bonus episode, host Briana Whitney and producer Serjio Hernandez are joined by Kris Pickel to discuss the behind-the-scenes work of their investigation into the disturbing Cold Storage Killer case.
In 2010, Phoenix PD officer Sean Drenth was found shot dead while on duty. The scene was strange, and soon the conversation turned from homicide to suicide, though nobody truly knows what happened. Journalist Briana Whitney explores the theories and learns a bombshell accusation from his family.
In this bonus episode, host Briana Whitney and producer Serjio Hernandez are joined by Kris Pickel to discuss the behind-the-scenes work of their investigation into the murder of teenage paper girl Christy Ann Fornoff, and why this case was particularly emotional for them compared to most.
In this bonus episode, host Briana Whitney and producer Serjio Hernandez are joined by Kris Pickel to discuss the behind the scenes process of putting the "Valentine Sally" investigation together, including the recent break in the case.
In February 1982, a girl's body was found off a rural highway in Northern Arizona. For nearly 40 years, nobody knew who "Valentine Sally" was. The last person to see her alive speaks out about what she saw, and two weeks after journalist Briana Whitney's first story aired about the case, officials identified the girl through DNA.
In this bonus episode, host Briana Whitney and producer Serjio Hernandez are interviewed by Kris Pickel about the behind the scenes of their investigation into The Sleepwalker Murderer. They’ll share how they found all the old footage tapes from his trial, how the judge really felt about what he saw in the courtroom, and give their theories on if Scott Falater was asleep or awake when he killed his wife.
In this bonus episode, host Briana Whitney and producer Serjio Hernandez are interviewed by Kris Pickel about the behind the scenes process of putting the 1931 "Trunk Murderess" investigation together, what they found shocking and bizarre, and what they believe happened to the trunk murdered and her victims.
In 1931, Winnie Ruth Judd was accused of killing her two best friends in Phoenix, chopping up one of the bodies, then taking the dead bodies in trunks on a train to LA. Deemed the "Trunk Murderess," she was caught and charged with murder, but ended up in an insane asylum where she would escape 6 times. But did Winnie Ruth commit the murders on her own? Journalist Briana Whitney investigates.
In 1997, Scott Falater stabbed his wife 44 times at their Phoenix home, before dragging her into their pool then stashing the bloody knife and clothes in his car. But he claimed he remembered none of it because he was sleepwalking. Journalist Briana Whitney investigates if it was truly possible Falater was asleep when he murdered his wife.
In 1984, 13-year-old Christy Ann Fornoff disappeared while on her paper route in Tempe, Arizona. Her body was found near a dumpster. Her killer would end up assisting police with the investigation and attending her funeral, before being arrested and eventually executed. Journalist Briana Whitney sits down with Christy's parents 36 years later.
In 1994, a body is discovered in a man’s large freezer near Prescott, Arizona three years after a Southern California woman disappears after a concert. Authorities believe she isn’t the only victim. Journalist Briana Whitney tracks down evidence never before revealed to the public.
In 2003, a young couple goes camping overnight on Bumble Bee Road, Arizona to celebrate their one year anniversary. Both were found shot dead in their truck the next day. Their killer still hasn’t been found. Journalist Briana Whitney uncovers new theories from family and police.
In 1995, the Sunset Limited Amtrak train derailed overnight in the middle of the Arizona desert. One person died, another 75 were injured. Mysterious notes were left at the scene by the perpetrators, claiming they purposefully sabotaged the train. The case remains unsolved. Journalist Briana Whitney questions the FBI and those on the train that night.
In 2001, police believe Robert Fisher brutally killed his wife and kids in Scottsdale, Arizona, then cut a gas line so the house exploded into flames. He was never found, and officials disagree on whether he’s dead or alive. He’s still on the FBI’s Top Ten Most Wanted. Journalist Briana Whitney retraces Fisher's steps.
True Crime Arizona: The Podcast is a series that takes a deep dive into both unsolved and solved cases around Arizona.
Journalist and host Briana Whitney travels across the state to uncover new evidence and theories, and interview those involved in the most captivating cases. Some notable investigations include the disappearance of Robert Fisher, the 1995 Sunset Limited train derailment, and the Cold Storage Killer. This podcast has something for every true crime junkie to enjoy.