Murder: True Crime Stories

In 1918, Russia’s last royal family vanished into the chaos of revolution. Tsar Nicholas II, his wife Alexandra, and their five children were being held by Bolshevik forces as the Russian Empire collapsed around them, and rumors about their fate quickly spread across the world. In this episode of Murder: True Crime Stories, Carter Roy examines the final days of the Romanov family, the secretive execution that ended a dynasty, and the decades of mystery that followed as rumors of surviving heirs and hidden graves fueled one of history’s most enduring royal mysteries. Head over to our Murder True Crime Stories YouTube channel to WATCH our video episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@MurderTrueCrimeStories If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Murder True Crime Stories to never miss a case! For Ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Murder True Crime Stories is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios 🎧 Need More to Binge? Listen to other Crime House Originals Clues, Crimes Of…, Serial Killers & Murderous Minds, Crime House 24/7, and more wherever you get your podcasts! Follow me on Social Instagram: @Crimehouse TikTok: @Crimehouse Facebook: @crimehousestudios YouTube: @murdertruecrimestories To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Three days after the taping of The Jenny Jones Show, the tension that had lingered off camera turned deadly. What began as a daytime television surprise became a national tragedy, thrusting Scott Amedure and Jonathan Schmitz back into headlines under far darker circumstances. In Part 2, Murder: True Crime Stories examines the murder of Scott Amedure, the urgent investigation that followed, and the courtroom battle that put Schmitz on trial. Carter Roy breaks down the prosecution’s case, the defense’s argument that the televised reveal triggered overwhelming emotional distress, and the broader cultural attitudes toward sexuality that shaped public reaction. As the verdict was delivered, the case raised unsettling questions about media ethics, personal responsibility, and the limits of entertainment built on public confession. The fallout extended beyond the criminal trial, leading to a landmark civil lawsuit against The Jenny Jones Show and forcing a national reckoning over how far television should go in the pursuit of ratings. Head over to our Murder True Crime Stories YouTube channel to WATCH our video episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@MurderTrueCrimeStories If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Murder True Crime Stories to never miss a case! For Ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Murder True Crime Stories is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios 🎧 Need More to Binge? Listen to other Crime House Originals Clues, Crimes Of…, Serial Killers & Murderous Minds, Crime House 24/7, and more wherever you get your podcasts! Follow me on Social Instagram: @Crimehouse TikTok: @Crimehouse Facebook: @crimehousestudios YouTube: @murdertruecrimestories To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Scott Amedure was 32 years old when he stepped onto the stage of The Jenny Jones Show, prepared to share a deeply personal confession. In 1995, he revealed on national television that he had a crush on Jonathan Schmitz, a moment designed for daytime drama that would soon take on far more serious consequences. In Part 1, Murder: True Crime Stories examines Scott’s life leading up to the taping and the cultural climate surrounding daytime talk shows in the 1990s, where sensational reveals and emotional confrontations drove ratings. Carter Roy traces how producers recruited guests, what participants were told in advance, and how the episode was framed behind the scenes. As the cameras rolled and the surprise was revealed on stage, laughter, shock, and visible discomfort filled the studio. Schmitz’s stunned reaction became part of the spectacle, but when the taping ended, the tension lingered. Within days, the fallout from that televised moment would escalate into one of the most controversial crimes of the decade. Head over to our Murder True Crime Stories YouTube channel to WATCH our video episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@MurderTrueCrimeStories If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Murder True Crime Stories to never miss a case! For Ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Murder True Crime Stories is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios 🎧 Need More to Binge? Listen to other Crime House Originals Clues, Crimes Of…, Serial Killers & Murderous Minds, Crime House 24/7, and more wherever you get your podcasts! Follow me on Social Instagram: @Crimehouse TikTok: @Crimehouse Facebook: @crimehousestudios YouTube: @murdertruecrimestories To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Murder: True Crime Stories, Carter Roy investigates the Smiley Face Killers theory, a controversial claim that a hidden network of predators is responsible for the drowning deaths of dozens of young men across the United States. What authorities have often ruled accidental drownings, some investigators argue may be something far more coordinated and sinister. The theory points to clusters of college-aged men found in rivers and lakes, often after nights out with friends, with graffiti of smiley faces reportedly discovered near several recovery sites. Supporters believe the similarities are too consistent to ignore. Critics counter that the markings are common urban graffiti and that the circumstances reflect tragic but explainable patterns involving alcohol and water. As families search for answers and law enforcement agencies push back against the theory, the case raises unsettling questions about pattern recognition, confirmation bias, and the power of narrative in the age of viral true crime. Is there evidence of an organized killing network, or has a modern myth taken hold in the absence of certainty? Head over to our Murder True Crime Stories YouTube channel to WATCH our video episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@MurderTrueCrimeStories If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Murder True Crime Stories to never miss a case! For Ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Murder True Crime Stories is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios 🎧 Need More to Binge? Listen to other Crime House Originals Clues, Crimes Of…, Serial Killers & Murderous Minds, Crime House 24/7, and more wherever you get your podcasts! Follow me on Social Instagram: @Crimehouse TikTok: @Crimehouse Facebook: @crimehousestudios YouTube: @murdertruecrimestories To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

75 years after the Rosenberg trial gripped the nation, its legacy still sparks debate about justice, fear, and political power. In Part 2 of this two-part special, Conspiracy Theories, Cults, and Crimes turns to the courtroom battle that would cement Julius and Ethel Rosenberg’s place in history and ignite decades of controversy. Carter Roy is joined again by Vanessa Richardson, host of Conspiracy Theories, Cults, and Crimes, to break down the prosecution’s strategy, the defense’s uphill fight, and the testimony that shaped the jury’s decision. Against a backdrop of anti-Communist hysteria and the looming threat of nuclear annihilation, the case raises urgent questions about due process, loyalty, and the influence of public opinion. As the verdict is delivered and the sentence shocks the world, the fallout reverberates far beyond the courtroom. Public protests, international appeals, and lingering doubts ensure that the Rosenberg case endures as one of the most polarizing chapters of Cold War history. Head over to our Murder True Crime Stories YouTube channel to WATCH our video episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@MurderTrueCrimeStories If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Murder True Crime Stories to never miss a case! For Ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Murder True Crime Stories is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios 🎧 Need More to Binge? Listen to other Crime House Originals Clues, Crimes Of…, Serial Killers & Murderous Minds, Crime House 24/7, and more wherever you get your podcasts! Follow me on Social Instagram: @Crimehouse TikTok: @Crimehouse Facebook: @crimehousestudios YouTube: @murdertruecrimestories To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

At the height of Cold War paranoia, one American couple stood accused of betraying their country in a case that would divide a nation. In Part 1 of this two-part special, Murder: True Crime Stories examines the explosive investigation that placed Julius and Ethel Rosenberg at the center of an alleged atomic spy ring. Carter Roy is joined by Vanessa Richardson, host of Conspiracy Theories, Cults, and Crimes, to unravel the earliest cracks in a story shaped by fear, ideology, and the race for nuclear dominance. As the United States grappled with the threat of Soviet expansion, whispers of stolen secrets and hidden allegiances began to fuel a rapidly intensifying manhunt. What began as quiet suspicion soon escalated into sweeping accusations, mounting pressure, and a tightening circle of scrutiny around family and friends. The tension reaches a breaking point with a pivotal arrest, a moment that reshapes the investigation and sets the stage for one of the most controversial espionage trials in American history. Head over to our Murder True Crime Stories YouTube channel to WATCH our video episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@MurderTrueCrimeStories If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Murder True Crime Stories to never miss a case! For Ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Murder True Crime Stories is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios 🎧 Need More to Binge? Listen to other Crime House Originals Clues, Crimes Of…, Serial Killers & Murderous Minds, Crime House 24/7, and more wherever you get your podcasts! Follow me on Social Instagram: @Crimehouse TikTok: @Crimehouse Facebook: @crimehousestudios YouTube: @murdertruecrimestories To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Serial killers. Unsolved murders. Investigations that gripped America. If you think you know these cases, think again. America's Most Infamous Crimes is a Crime House original hosted by Katie Ring. Each week, we go deep on one of the most notorious true-crime cases in American history. Not the quick recap version, but the full story told across multiple episodes every Tuesday through Thursday. We break down: What happened: the crimes, the victims, and the evidence How investigators closed in: the breakthroughs, the dead ends, and the mistakes Why it still matters: the lasting impact on American law, culture, and justice From the serial killers who terrorized entire cities to the cold cases that still don't have answers, this is the podcast that takes you beyond the headlines and inside the investigation. New episodes drop every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. America’s Infamous Crimes is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios. Listen wherever you get your podcasts. For more, Follow us on Instagram at @Crimehouse To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Murder: True Crime Stories, Carter Roy examines the disappearance of Joseph Force Crater, the New York Supreme Court justice who walked out of a Manhattan restaurant in 1930 and was never seen again. What began as a routine summer evening quickly spiraled into one of the most baffling missing persons cases in American history. As newspapers seized on the story, the vanishing judge became front-page news across the country. Rumors of political corruption, backroom deals, organized crime, and secret affairs swirled through New York City at the height of Tammany Hall power. Witness accounts conflicted. Leads evaporated. Evidence surfaced and then seemed to disappear just as quickly. Despite grand jury investigations, nationwide searches, and years of speculation, no body was ever found and no clear answers emerged. Was Joseph Force Crater the victim of a calculated murder, a casualty of political scandal, or the architect of his own disappearance? Nearly a century later, his fate remains one of true crime’s most enduring mysteries. Head over to our Murder True Crime Stories YouTube channel to WATCH our video episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@MurderTrueCrimeStories If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Murder True Crime Stories to never miss a case! For Ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Murder True Crime Stories is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios 🎧 Need More to Binge? Listen to other Crime House Originals Clues, Crimes Of…, Serial Killers & Murderous Minds, Crime House 24/7, and more wherever you get your podcasts! Follow me on Social Instagram: @Crimehouse TikTok: @Crimehouse Facebook: @crimehousestudios YouTube: @murdertruecrimestories To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

All the threats against Veronica Guerin reached a head one day in 1996, when the Irish investigative journalist was shot multiple times while stopped at a red light outside Dublin. For years, Guerin had exposed powerful Dublin drug gangs in the Sunday Independent, naming crime bosses and revealing how heroin was devastating communities across Ireland, despite escalating intimidation and violence. In this episode of Murder: True Crime Stories, we examine the murder of Veronica Guerin, the urgent investigation that dismantled key figures in Ireland’s criminal underworld, and the sweeping anti organized crime laws that followed. Her assassination became a turning point in Irish history, reshaping the country’s fight against organized crime and cementing her legacy as a journalist who changed a nation. If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Murder True Crime Stories to never miss a case! For Ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Murder True Crime Stories is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios 🎧 Need More to Binge? Listen to other Crime House Originals Clues, Crimes Of…, Serial Killers & Murderous Minds, Crime House 24/7, and more wherever you get your podcasts! Follow me on Social Instagram: @Crimehouse TikTok: @Crimehouse Facebook: @crimehousestudios YouTube: @murdertruecrimestories To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Veronica Guerin was a fearless Irish investigative journalist who became known for exposing Dublin’s powerful drug gangs in the 1990s. After leaving a career in public relations, she joined the Sunday Independent and quickly built a reputation for naming suspected crime bosses and detailing how heroin was devastating communities across Ireland. In Part 1, Murder: True Crime Stories traces Guerin’s rise as a crime reporter, her high profile investigations into organized crime, and the escalating threats she faced as a result of her reporting. Her home was shot at, she was assaulted, and she received repeated warnings to stop writing. Even as the danger grew more personal and more public, Veronica Guerin refused to be intimidated, determined to continue reporting on Ireland’s criminal underworld. If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Murder True Crime Stories to never miss a case! For Ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Murder True Crime Stories is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios 🎧 Need More to Binge? Listen to other Crime House Originals Clues, Crimes Of…, Serial Killers & Murderous Minds, Crime House 24/7, and more wherever you get your podcasts! Follow me on Social Instagram: @Crimehouse TikTok: @Crimehouse Facebook: @crimehousestudios YouTube: @murdertruecrimestories To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Murder: True Crime Stories, Carter Roy investigates the Beast of Gévaudan, one of the most infamous unsolved mysteries in true crime history. Between 1764 and 1767, a series of brutal attacks terrorized the rural French province of Gévaudan, leaving dozens of men, women, and children dead. Witnesses described a massive wolf-like creature with unusual features, sparking panic, superstition, and a nationwide manhunt ordered by King Louis XV. Professional hunters, local militias, and royal forces all attempted to track and kill the beast, turning the case into an international sensation. When a hunter named Jean Chastel claimed to have finally slain the creature, the killings stopped, but the mystery only deepened. Was the Beast of Gévaudan a rogue wolf, multiple animals, a serial killer, or something else entirely? If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Murder True Crime Stories to never miss a case! For Ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Murder True Crime Stories is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios 🎧 Need More to Binge? Listen to other Crime House Originals Clues, Crimes Of…, Serial Killers & Murderous Minds, Crime House 24/7, and more wherever you get your podcasts! Follow me on Social Instagram: @Crimehouse TikTok: @Crimehouse Facebook: @crimehousestudios YouTube: @murdertruecrimestories To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For nearly 30 years, Ken McElroy terrorized the small town of Skidmore, Missouri. Accused of theft, assault, arson, statutory rape, and intimidation, he manipulated the legal system and silenced witnesses through fear. When he shot 70-year-old grocery store owner Bo Bowenkamp in broad daylight—and still managed to delay justice yet again—the town’s patience began to crack. In Part 1 of this two-episode series, host of Minds of Madness, Tyler Allen joins Carter Roy to help unravel how one man’s unchecked violence exposed the limits of the justice system and pushed a quiet farming community toward the brink. If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Murder True Crime Stories to never miss a case! For Ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Murder True Crime Stories is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios 🎧 Need More to Binge? Listen to other Crime House Originals Clues, Crimes Of…, Serial Killers & Murderous Minds, Crime House 24/7, and more wherever you get your podcasts! Follow me on Social Instagram: @Crimehouse TikTok: @Crimehouse Facebook: @crimehousestudios YouTube: @murdertruecrimestories To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After decades of intimidation and legal loopholes, Ken McElroy’s reign of terror came to a sudden end on July 10, 1981. In front of 30 to 45 witnesses, he was shot dead in the middle of Skidmore, Missouri, and no one claimed to see who pulled the trigger. In Part 2, Carter Roy reconstructs the tense town meeting that preceded the shooting, the fatal confrontation outside a local tavern, and the investigation that unraveled when an entire community closed ranks. Then, Tyler Allen of Minds of Madness joins for an extended conversation examining the legacy of the case and why this act of collective silence remains one of the most infamous instances of vigilante justice in American history. If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Murder True Crime Stories to never miss a case! For Ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Murder True Crime Stories is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios 🎧 Need More to Binge? Listen to other Crime House Originals Clues, Crimes Of…, Serial Killers & Murderous Minds, Crime House 24/7, and more wherever you get your podcasts! Follow me on Social Instagram: @Crimehouse TikTok: @Crimehouse Facebook: @crimehousestudios YouTube: @murdertruecrimestories To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Murder: True Crime Stories, Carter Roy investigates the disappearance of the Sodder children, who vanished after a fire destroyed their West Virginia home on Christmas Eve in 1945. George and Jennie Sodder escaped with four of their children, but five were believed to have died inside. No remains were ever recovered, raising immediate doubts about the official ruling of accidental fire. As questions mounted, troubling details surfaced, including a cut phone line, a missing ladder, and reports of strangers near the home before the blaze. Convinced their children had been abducted, possibly linked to George Sodder’s outspoken views, the family spent decades searching for answers. This episode explores the fire, the inconsistencies, and the mystery that refuses to fade. If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Murder True Crime Stories to never miss a case! For Ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Murder True Crime Stories is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios 🎧 Need More to Binge? Listen to other Crime House Originals Clues, Crimes Of…, Serial Killers & Murderous Minds, Crime House 24/7, and more wherever you get your podcasts! Follow me on Social Instagram: @Crimehouse TikTok: @Crimehouse Facebook: @crimehousestudios YouTube: @murdertruecrimestories To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the aftermath of Sister Margaret Ann Pahl’s murder, suspicion lingered within the walls of Mercy Hospital. Early attention focused on clergy members and hospital staff, but despite initial questioning and forensic work, the case stalled and eventually went cold. In Part 2, Murder: True Crime Stories examines how new evidence and renewed scrutiny more than two decades later led investigators back to a priest who had once been questioned and released. As prosecutors built their case, allegations surfaced about prior misconduct and institutional silence within the Catholic Church. The trial would hinge on circumstantial evidence, witness testimony, and a jury’s interpretation of events that had taken place years earlier. This episode explores the reopening of the case, the conviction that followed, and the lingering debate over whether justice was truly served in the killing of Sister Margaret Ann Pahl. If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Murder True Crime Stories to never miss a case! For Ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Murder True Crime Stories is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios 🎧 Need More to Binge? Listen to other Crime House Originals Clues, Crimes Of…, Serial Killers & Murderous Minds, Crime House 24/7, and more wherever you get your podcasts! Follow me on Social Instagram: @Crimehouse TikTok: @Crimehouse Facebook: @crimehousestudios YouTube: @murdertruecrimestories To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sister Margaret Ann Pahl had devoted her life to faith, service, and the Catholic Church. A hospital chaplain in Toledo, Ohio, she spent her days comforting the sick and ministering to those in need. In Part 1, Murder: True Crime Stories traces Sister Margaret’s life from her early calling to the Sisters of Mercy to her years at Mercy Hospital. Known for her discipline and deep commitment to her vocation, she was respected by many and quietly at odds with others inside the institution she served. On Holy Saturday in 1980, Sister Margaret was found brutally stabbed and strangled inside the hospital chapel, her body positioned in a way that stunned even seasoned investigators. As rumors spread and early suspects emerged, her killing sent shockwaves through the Catholic community and left investigators facing a crime that felt both deeply personal and profoundly unsettling. If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Murder True Crime Stories to never miss a case! For Ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Murder True Crime Stories is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios 🎧 Need More to Binge? Listen to other Crime House Originals Clues, Crimes Of…, Serial Killers & Murderous Minds, Crime House 24/7, and more wherever you get your podcasts! Follow me on Social Instagram: @Crimehouse TikTok: @Crimehouse Facebook: @crimehousestudios YouTube: @murdertruecrimestories To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In January 1997, Scott Falater appeared to be a devoted husband, father, and successful engineer living a quiet suburban life in Arizona—until his wife, Yarmila Falater, was found brutally stabbed and drowned in their backyard pool. Scott was discovered nearby with blood on his clothes, yet he claimed he had no memory of the attack, insisting he was sleepwalking during the murder. In this episode, Up and Vanished’s Payne Lindsey introduces us to the case and discusses what makes this case so fascinating. We explore the shocking crime, the rare “homicidal sleepwalking” defense that divided experts, and the chilling question at the center of the case: was this a calculated act of violence, or a tragic nightmare carried out unconsciously? The Scott Falater story remains one of the most controversial and unsettling murder trials in modern history. If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Murder True Crime Stories to never miss a case! For Ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Murder True Crime Stories is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios 🎧 Need More to Binge? Listen to other Crime House Originals Clues, Crimes Of…, Serial Killers & Murderous Minds, Crime House 24/7, and more wherever you get your podcasts! Follow me on Social Instagram: @Crimehouse TikTok: @Crimehouse Facebook: @crimehousestudios YouTube: @crimehousestudios To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the aftermath of Joan Risch’s sudden disappearance, investigators were left staring at a scene filled with unsettling clues. Blood on the kitchen floor. A phone torn from the wall. Two young children alone in the house. In Part 2, Murder: True Crime Stories examines how police processed the evidence and why the case quickly split into competing theories. Detectives traced blood types, followed reports of a woman seen walking along a nearby road, and scrutinized Joan’s recent interest in crime and disappearance stories. Was she the victim of a violent abduction, or had she carefully staged her own vanishing? As leads faded and the years passed, Joan’s disappearance became one of New England’s most enduring mysteries, leaving investigators and her family still searching for answers. If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Murder True Crime Stories to never miss a case! For Ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Murder True Crime Stories is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios 🎧 Need More to Binge? Listen to other Crime House Originals Clues, Crimes Of…, Serial Killers & Murderous Minds, Crime House 24/7, and more wherever you get your podcasts! Follow me on Social Instagram: @Crimehouse TikTok: @Crimehouse Facebook: @crimehousestudios YouTube: @crimehousestudios To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Joan Risch seemed to embody suburban perfection. A devoted mother of two building a quiet life in Massachusetts in the early 1960s. In Part 1, Murder: True Crime Stories traces Joan’s journey from her childhood and adoption to her marriage and move to the small town of Lincoln. As neighbors describe her as intelligent and reserved, subtle details emerge in the days leading up to October 1961. When Joan vanishes from her kitchen, leaving behind bloodstains and two young children alone in the house, the community is left stunned. This episode sets the stage for one of New England’s most haunting and puzzling disappearances. If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Murder True Crime Stories to never miss a case! For Ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Murder True Crime Stories is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios 🎧 Need More to Binge? Listen to other Crime House Originals Clues, Crimes Of…, Serial Killers & Murderous Minds, Crime House 24/7, and more wherever you get your podcasts! Follow me on Social Instagram: @Crimehouse TikTok: @Crimehouse Facebook: @crimehousestudios YouTube: @crimehousestudios To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Murder: True Crime Stories, Carter Roy is joined by Sarah Turney and Kourtney Nichole from Crime House's new show, The Final Hours. Carter examines the disappearance of 15-year-old Emanuela Orlandi, a Vatican citizen who vanished after a music lesson in Rome in 1983. What began as a missing-person case quickly spiraled into one of the most complex and disturbing mysteries in modern history, involving anonymous phone calls, audio recordings, international terrorism claims, the mafia, and alleged Vatican cover-ups. As decades pass, new witnesses, secret documents, and shocking accusations raise a haunting question: did the Vatican know where Emanuela was all along? Her case remains unsolved—and uniquely chilling—as the only disappearance of a Vatican citizen in history.Listen to and follow The Final Hours with Sarah Turney and Kourtney Nichole wherever you listen to podcasts: https://play.megaphone.fm/zl8pwmgtteoqb01h_o7oww If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Murder True Crime Stories to never miss a case! For Ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Murder True Crime Stories is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios 🎧 Need More to Binge? Listen to other Crime House Originals Clues, Crimes Of…, Serial Killers & Murderous Minds, Crime House 24/7, and more wherever you get your podcasts! Follow me on Social Instagram: @Crimehouse TikTok: @Crimehouse Facebook: @crimehousestudios YouTube: @crimehousestudios To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Murder: True Crime Stories, Carter Roy examines the final days of Selena Quintanilla’s life and the devastating events that followed when a trusted relationship fractured beyond repair. As Selena attempts to distance herself from someone she once relied on, a private conflict escalates into public tragedy. This episode walks through the confrontation that ended her life, the immediate aftermath, and the investigation that followed—along with the lasting impact Selena left on her family, her fans, and music history. If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Murder True Crime Stories to never miss a case! For Ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Murder True Crime Stories is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios 🎧 Need More to Binge? Listen to other Crime House Originals Clues, Crimes Of…, Serial Killers & Murderous Minds, Crime House 24/7, and more wherever you get your podcasts! Follow me on Social Instagram: @Crimehouse TikTok: @Crimehouse Facebook: @crimehousestudios YouTube: @crimehousestudios To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Murder: True Crime Stories, Carter Roy traces the rise of Selena Quintanilla from a gifted child performer in a family band to one of the most influential figures in Tejano music. As Selena’s fame grows, she inspires millions with her talent, warmth, and ambition—while quietly navigating the pressures of success and trust. The episode explores Selena’s close-knit world, the devoted fan base that surrounded her, and the gradual rise of a trusted insider whose admiration slowly turned into something far more dangerous, setting the stage for an unimaginable tragedy. If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Murder True Crime Stories to never miss a case! For Ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Murder True Crime Stories is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios 🎧 Need More to Binge? Listen to other Crime House Originals Clues, Crimes Of…, Serial Killers & Murderous Minds, Crime House 24/7, and more wherever you get your podcasts! Follow me on Social Instagram: @Crimehouse TikTok: @Crimehouse Facebook: @crimehousestudios YouTube: @crimehousestudios To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Murder: True Crime Stories, Carter Roy investigates the mysterious death of journalist Danny Casolaro, who was found dead in a West Virginia hotel room in 1991 just as he claimed to be on the verge of exposing a vast global conspiracy he called “the Octopus.” Danny believed powerful government officials, intelligence agencies, and criminal networks were secretly connected through stolen software, covert weapons programs, and international corruption. After his death was ruled a suicide, his most critical files vanished—fueling decades of suspicion. Was Danny unraveling under pressure, or was he silenced for getting too close to the truth? If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Murder True Crime Stories to never miss a case! For Ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Murder True Crime Stories is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios 🎧 Need More to Binge? Listen to other Crime House Originals Clues, Crimes Of…, Serial Killers & Murderous Minds, Crime House 24/7, and more wherever you get your podcasts! Follow me on Social Instagram: @Crimehouse TikTok: @Crimehouse Facebook: @crimehousestudios YouTube: @crimehousestudios To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On the 40-year anniversary of Sherri Rasmussen’s murder, Murder: True Crime Stories continues the story of a case that refused to stay buried. Carter and Vanessa examine the decades-long fight for justice, as ignored evidence, stalled leads, and mounting frustration finally give way to a shocking breakthrough. As forensic science advances and old assumptions are challenged, the investigation exposes deep flaws within the system meant to protect victims. This episode reflects on the cost of delayed accountability—and how perseverance ultimately brought long-overdue answers in a case that defined institutional failure for an entire generation. If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Murder True Crime Stories to never miss a case! For Ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Murder True Crime Stories is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios 🎧 Need More to Binge? Listen to other Crime House Originals Clues, Crimes Of…, Serial Killers & Murderous Minds, Crime House 24/7, and more wherever you get your podcasts! Follow me on Social Instagram: @Crimehouse TikTok: @Crimehouse Facebook: @crimehousestudios YouTube: @crimehousestudios To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On the 40-year anniversary of the murder of Sherri Rasmussen, Murder: True Crime Stories revisits the beginning of a case that would haunt Los Angeles for decades. Carter is joined by Vanessa Richardson, host of Conspiracy Theories, Cults, & Crimes, to explore Sherri’s life, her new marriage, and the volatile love triangle unfolding just out of sight. What was initially labeled a burglary gone wrong quickly reveals deeper warning signs—obsession, jealousy, and investigative blind spots that shaped the case from day one. Four decades later, this episode examines how early assumptions and missed red flags set the stage for one of the most troubling failures of justice in modern true crime history. If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Murder True Crime Stories to never miss a case! For Ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Murder True Crime Stories is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios 🎧 Need More to Binge? Listen to other Crime House Originals Clues, Crimes Of…, Serial Killers & Murderous Minds, Crime House 24/7, and more wherever you get your podcasts! Follow me on Social Instagram: @Crimehouse TikTok: @Crimehouse Facebook: @crimehousestudios YouTube: @crimehousestudios To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices