Murder Unscripted

⚠️ Content warning: domestic violence, sexual assault, animal abuseOn November 7th, 1997, Sheila Bellush was murdered inside her own home in Sarasota, Florida. It was a murder-for-hire... planned at a distance, carried out by strangers. And it would never have happened if the man she'd married had faced even one consequence for any of the things he had done before.This is Part 1 of MU's two-part deep dive into one of Ann Rule's most chilling books — "Every Breath You Take." But before we get to the crime, Ed takes us inside the mind and the history of the man behind it: Allen Blackthorne.Allen was a liar, a manipulator, a predator, and a con artist from childhood. He destroyed two marriages before Sheila, drove his in-laws into bankruptcy, killed two people on a highway and walked free, and told his sister-in-law, point blank, that if Sheila ever left him, he would kill her.Part 1 is the origin story. The red flags nobody acted on. The system that failed at every turn. And the moment the crow should have been cued...long before it was.Part 2 drops next week. Subscribe and don't miss it.Based on Ann Rule's "Every Breath You Take" (2001) | Researched & written by Sue Grice | Hosted by Ed Hydock | A Money Beet Media Production in association with the Darkcast Network

Crime scene cleaner Anthony Vogel has walked into homicides, suicides, and unattended deaths. He's found things nobody expected and carried the weight of other people's worst days home with him.In the finale of our 2026 Spring Cleaning block, Ed and Melissa sit down with Anthony for one of the most fascinating conversations we've ever had — covering the training, the tools, the humor, the haunting scenes, and what crime TV gets completely wrong about his job.This is the side of true crime nobody talks about.

The night before Irene Izak left Cleveland, she woke up screaming. She had dreamed of a faceless figure beating her over the head with rocks. Her family calmed her down. It was just a dream. Two nights later, on June 10th, 1968, Irene's body was found at the bottom of a wooded ravine on Wellesley Island, New York — just one mile from the Canadian border. She had been bludgeoned with rocks. Killed exactly as she had dreamed. Irene Juliana Izak was 25 years old. A child of Ukrainian war refugees, she had survived bombings, displacement, and poverty to become a beloved French teacher fluent in six languages — a woman who radiated warmth, chased adventure, and trusted the goodness in people. She was on her way to a job interview in Quebec City but never made it. The only real suspect was the state trooper who pulled her over that night — and then, just 30 minutes later, found her body. He had blood on his uniform. He gave three different stories for how it got there. He refused to meet with Irene's heartbroken father. He lawyered up mid-interview and was never questioned again. He died in 2009, taking any secrets to his grave. No one has ever been arrested. No one has ever been charged. Ed and Melissa bring you this episode with a heavy heart, and with personal connection. This case is dedicated MU listener and longtime friend of the pod, Cassandra, whose family has spent decades seeking justice for her great-aunt Irene. Cassandra's mother, Lisa, shares her family's story in her own words throughout this episode. If you have any information about the murder of Irene Izak, please contact the New York State Police Cold Case Unit. This case remains open. This one is for Irene. 🖤

⚠️ CONTENT WARNING: This episode covers the deaths of infants. Ed and Melissa handle it with care, but please listen accordingly.In 2015 and 2016, the neonatal unit at the Countess of Chester Hospital in the UK recorded a disturbing spike in unexplained infant deaths. The investigation — codenamed Operation Hummingbird — eventually zeroed in on one suspect: a quiet, introverted nurse named Lucy Letby.After a 10-month trial, Lucy was convicted of murdering 7 babies and attempting to murder 6 more. She received 15 whole life terms — the longest sentence possible in the UK. The case rocked Britain.But not everyone is convinced justice was served.A panel of 14 elite international neonatal physicians — assembled voluntarily by the Canadian doctor whose research was used to convict her — reviewed all 17 cases and unanimously concluded: no crimes were committed. The medical evidence, they say, was misunderstood.Add to that: a lead prosecution expert witness with a documented pattern of tailoring testimony to whichever side hires him. A defense team that called zero medical experts. And a handwritten note that reads 'I AM EVIL, I DID THIS' — which prosecutors called a confession and the defense called the journal of a gaslit, scapegoated nurse.Ed and Melissa break down every angle of one of the UK's most divisive cases, from Lucy's unusually quiet childhood and rocky nursing school days, to the questionable testimony, the missing evidence, and the international doctors who may have just blown the case wide open.This one will make you question everything. 🖤Submitted by listener Kate M. | Written by Sue Grice | Hosted by Ed Hydock & Melissa Spivey

On Thanksgiving Day 2018, 29-year-old flight instructor and mother Kelsey Berreth vanished from her Woodland Park, Colorado condo. She'd been at the grocery store that morning. She'd texted her mom about Thanksgiving dinner recipes. She'd left cinnamon rolls on the stove for her baby daughter. Then she was gone.What followed was one of the most gripping murder investigations in Colorado history... a missing person case that turned into a homicide investigation when a single blood smear on a toilet changed everything. And a critical break that came not from physical evidence, but from a nurse in Idaho with a secret she could no longer keep.In this episode, Ed covers the full Kelsey Berreth case, including: How Patrick Frazee (her fiancé and the father of her daughter) planned and carried out a premeditated murder.How he enlisted his secret girlfriend Krystal Lee Kenney to clean up the evidence and help disappear Kelsey's body.How an extraordinary web of phone records, surveillance footage, and one woman's devastating testimony put a killer in prison for the rest of his life.This is a case about domestic violence, manipulation, and coercive control. It is also a case about a woman who deserved better, and a little girl growing up knowing who her mother really was. Case suggested by listener Tiange678. Thank you!!!

On New Year's Eve 2013, 23-year-old Ashley Kline left her Robesonia, PA home to meet a friend — and never came home. While her best friend waited at a party and her father held onto hope, Ashley had vanished without a trace. What followed was a chilling investigation: scattered belongings in a snow-covered field, a Tinkerbell keychain pulled from a drained water tank, and a body found burned in a wildlife preserve 16 miles away. Ed and Melissa walk through every haunting detail... from the obsessive prison pen pal writing letters from behind bars, to the surveillance footage that cracked the case wide open. This case was submitted by listener Amy F., who grew up near Robesonia. Thank you, Amy. ⚠️ Content Warning: This episode contains descriptions of murder, sexual assault, and violence. Subscribe, rate & review — and join us on Patreon for behind-the-scenes content and bonus episodes!

30 Years Fighting for Murder Victims: An Interview with Andy Kahan Andy Kahan has dedicated over three decades to victims' advocacy at Crime Stoppers Houston. He's the expert families call when they need someone to fight for them, whether it's navigating the parole system, keeping cold cases in the public eye, or understanding why the justice system doesn't always deliver what they expect. He leads meetings for Parents of Murdered Children that can draw 30-40 attendees, and he's personally helped keep serial killers behind bars through publicity campaigns he calls the 'horsefly effect.' In this interview, Ed and Melissa sit down with Andy to discuss his work with grieving families, the Texas mandatory release law that has allowed violent offenders to walk free, the Coral Eugene Watts and Genene Anne Jones cases where last-minute interventions changed everything, and what meaningful criminal justice reform could look like. Plus, a special mini-game that tests Andy's encyclopedic knowledge of the cases that have shaped victims' rights.

In June 1996, twenty-two-year-old Aimee Willard — a two-sport All-American athlete at George Mason University and a beloved daughter of the Philadelphia suburbs — vanished on her drive home from a night out with friends. Her car was found running on an Interstate 476 off-ramp in the early morning hours, door open, radio still playing. She was nowhere. What followed was a sprawling, shocking investigation: a police impersonator who showed up at the crime scene, an off-duty state trooper with a suspicious story, an actual officer who lied to investigators, and ultimately, a convicted murderer who never should have been free. In this episode, Ed and Melissa walk through the case that haunted a region, examine the catastrophic failures of the interstate parole system, and reveal how Aimee's mother, Gail Willard, channeled unimaginable grief into action — fighting all the way to Washington D.C. for a federal law that now carries her daughter's name. Aimee's Law, signed by President Clinton in 2000, allows states to be financially penalized when they release violent offenders who go on to commit the same crimes elsewhere. It was born from one community's worst nightmare and one mother's refusal to let her daughter's story end with tragedy. This episode is part of Murder Unscripted's February theme: Short Sentences — stories about violent offenders released early, and the devastating consequences that followed. ⚠️ Content Warning: This episode contains detailed descriptions of violence, sexual assault, and homicide. Listener discretion is advised.

On March 5, 1984, a Houston father discovered both of his daughters murdered in their Heights-area home. Yleen Kennedy, 33, had been sexually assaulted, stabbed four times in the throat, and shot. Her younger sister Lillie, 23, was executed with a single bullet to the back of the head. A neighbor spoke directly to the killer that morning, and police released a composite sketch within 48 hours. Tips flooded in by the hundreds. But one by one, every suspect was eliminated, and the case went ice cold. For over 30 years, the girls' mother Rose called the Houston media every year on the anniversary of their deaths, begging them to remember her daughters. Then DNA technology caught up, and an informant's tip from Indiana changed everything. In this episode, Ed and Melissa explore the brutal crime, the decades of dead ends, the DNA breakthrough that identified the killer, and the Texas sentencing law that delivered a bitter lesson in imperfect justice.

He begged prison officials not to release him. He told them he would kill. They let him out anyway.Nineteen days later, four people were dead in Omaha, Nebraska.This is the story of Nikko Jenkins—a man failed by every system designed to help him, who then committed one of the most preventable killing sprees in recent memory. It's also the story of four victims: Juan Uribe-Pena, Jorge Cajiga-Ruiz, Curtis Bradford, and Andrea Kruger. Some made headlines. Others were barely mentioned. All deserved justice from the start.In this episode, Ed and Melissa examine the catastrophic failures that led to tragedy—from a childhood marked by documented mental illness and abuse, to a prison system that ignored years of warnings, to a media landscape that only paid attention when the "right" victim was killed.This is Block 21: Sentencing Failures. Because sometimes the scariest part of true crime isn't the killer—it's the system that could have stopped them and didn't.Content Warning: This episode contains discussions of violence, mental illness, childhood abuse, and systemic failures in the criminal justice system.In This Episode:The August 2013 Omaha killing spreeHow media coverage differs based on who the victim isThe documented history of mental illness that was repeatedly ignoredWhy Nikko Jenkins was released directly from solitary confinement with zero supervisionThe families who are still seeking answersSupport the Show: Leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, screenshot it, and send it to us for a free Murder Unscripted sticker!Connect With Us: Patreon | Instagram | Facebook | TikTok | Reddit: r/MurderUnscripted

He was called "The Snaggletooth Killer." His crooked teeth sentenced him to death row. But Ray Krone was innocent.In 1991, bartender Kim Ancona was brutally murdered at the CBS Lounge in Phoenix, Arizona. Police arrested Ray Krone—a mail carrier with no criminal record—based primarily on bite mark evidence that a forensic expert claimed was "100% certain, better than a fingerprint."Ray was convicted. Twice. He was sentenced to death. He spent over 10 years in prison, including time on Arizona's death row, before DNA evidence proved his innocence and identified the REAL killer: Kenneth Phillips, who had been living just 600 yards from the crime scene the entire time.This case is personal for Ed—he was the associate producer on the original Forensic Files episode "Once Bitten" back in 2003. It was his very first case in the true crime industry.In this episode, we break down:The brutal murder of Kim Ancona at the CBS LoungeHow flawed bite mark evidence led to a wrongful convictionThe "nationally known expert" who got it completely wrongRay's battle through two trials and two convictionsLife on Arizona's death rowThe DNA breakthrough that changed everythingKenneth Phillips: the real killer who walked free for over a decadeThe emotional moment Kim's mother apologized to the man she'd twice asked to executeThis case changed forensic science in America and exposed the dangerous flaws in bite mark analysis. It's a story of injustice, perseverance, and the power of DNA to set the innocent free.Stay tuned—Ray Krone himself joins us as a guest in an upcoming episode.

In this episode of Murder Unscripted, we dive deep into one of the most shocking wrongful conviction cases in American history. In 1991, bartender Kim Ancona was brutally murdered at the CBS Lounge in Phoenix, Arizona. Police arrested Ray Krone, a mail carrier with no criminal record, based primarily on bite mark evidence that a forensic expert claimed was “better than a fingerprint.”Ray was convicted TWICE and sentenced to death. He spent over 10 years in prison - including time on Arizona’s death row - before DNA evidence proved his innocence and identified the REAL killer, Kenneth Phillips, who had been living just 600 yards from the crime scene the entire time.This case changed forensic science in America and exposed the dangerous flaws in bite mark analysis. It’s a story of injustice, perseverance, and the power of DNA to set the innocent free.👉 FOLLOW for more true crime content every week!📚 SOURCES: The Arizona Republic newspaper archives (1991-2006) Forensic Files - “Once Bitten” (Season 8, Episode 7) National Registry of Exonerations Innocence Project case files🔗 RESOURCES: - Innocence Project: https://innocenceproject.org - National Registry of Exonerations: https://law.umich.edu/special/exoneration

In October 2003, Kimberly Long’s life was permanently altered when she discovered her boyfriend, Oswaldo “Ozzy” Conde, murdered in their home. What followed was not justice — but a catastrophic failure of it.In this gripping episode of Murder Unscripted, hosts Ed Hydock and Melissa Spivey examine how Kimberly was wrongfully convicted of second-degree murder despite a lack of physical evidence, ignored forensic indicators, and alternate suspects who were never fully investigated.Through flawed testimony, untested DNA, and a rushed legal process, Kimberly was sentenced to 15 years to life — even as the trial judge openly stated he believed she was innocent. Years later, the California Innocence Project uncovered critical evidence that should have been presented from the start, leading to her conviction being vacated.This episode explores the emotional, legal, and human toll of wrongful convictions — and asks the question: how many others are still waiting for justice?

An innocent man lost 30 years to prison. The real killer? He stabbed another woman 90+ times and walked free. This case will ENRAGE you. 🔍⚖️In this episode of Murder Unscripted, we dive deep into one of Texas' most heartbreaking wrongful conviction cases. In 1981, Carol Elaine Armstrong was found murdered on a rural dirt road in Navarro County, Texas,,,stabbed 45 times and left to die. The investigation led nowhere until two jailhouse informants pointed the finger at Randolph Arledge. But here's what the jury never knew: those informants LIED for plea deals. There was NO physical evidence. And while Randolph sat behind bars for three decades, the alleged REAL killer, David Sims, was out there, free to attack again. 📚 SOURCES: - National Registry of Exonerations - Innocence Project of Texas - Corsicana Daily Sun Archives (1981-1984) - Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Records - CBS News Investigation (2013) #TrueCrime #WrongfulConviction #MurderMystery #ColdCase #InnocenceProject #Texas #Documentary #TrueCrimePodcast #MurderUnscripted #Justice #Exoneration #CriminalJustice #Investigation #UnsolvdMurder #CarolArmstrong #NavarroCounty #Corsicana #JailhouseInformant #DNAEvidence #TrueCrimeDocumentary #TrueCrimeCommunity #CrimePodcast #MurderPodcast #JusticeSystem #WrongfullyConvicted