The First Degree

We’re all over the place with this weeks deep dive! Starting off with the headlines: government bimbo fetishes, Lindsey Graham (who has no kids) waving around a bubble wand at Disneyland while TSA workers still aren’t being paid, and allegedly the bullet that killed Charlie Kirk didn’t match Tyler Robinson’s gun (surprise surprise!). Then we pull the Epstein string to uncover some disgustingly similar operations in the 1970’s. It truly doesn’t stop! 🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full video episodes over on Patreon: patreon.com/thefirstdegree 📸 Instagram: instagram.com/thefirstdegree 🕺 TikTok: tiktok.com/@thefirstdegreee 👤 Facebook: facebook.com/thefirstdegree 📓 Substack: http://thefirstdegree.substack.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In February 2008, two trusted members of the Turlock, California community - a police officer and a teacher - are both accused of exploiting their positions to prey on a 17-year-old student. As the cases unfold, shocking details emerge about how the abuse began and how it was hidden. Years later, another respected educator from the same town is exposed for an inappropriate relationship with a student, setting off a chain of events that will eventually lead to a Dr. Phil appearance and a criminal investigation that stretches across decades. In episode 396, Jac and Alexis explore the crimes of officer Jorge Cruz and teacher James Hooker, and how patterns of grooming, manipulation, and abuse continued long after the first warning signs appeared. 🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full video episodes over on Patreon: patreon.com/thefirstdegree 📸 Instagram: instagram.com/thefirstdegree 🕺 TikTok: tiktok.com/@thefirstdegreee 👤 Facebook: facebook.com/thefirstdegree 📓 Substack: http://thefirstdegree.substack.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“I’m not Epstein, I’m Palm Beach Pete!” Or, at least that’s what Epstein’s new viral doppelgänger says. We deep dive this fascinating man on today’s episode, as well as other bizarre Epstein related headlines. But the important topic at hand is a book called The Tell, by a woman named Amy Griffin who allegedly stole an entire life story of abuse from her former classmate. It. Is. Wild. 🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full video episodes over on Patreon: patreon.com/thefirstdegree 📸 Instagram: instagram.com/thefirstdegree 🕺 TikTok: tiktok.com/@thefirstdegreee 👤 Facebook: facebook.com/thefirstdegree 📓 Substack: http://thefirstdegree.substack.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this special true crime crossover, we joined Vanessa Richardson and forensic psychologist Dr. Tristin Engels on Serial Killers and Murderous Minds for a two-part deep dive into Heaven’s Gate. For part 2 and our extended discussion with Dr. Engels , follow Serial Killers and Murderous Minds wherever you listen to podcasts. In the 1970s, Marshall Applewhite and Bonnie Nettles emerged with a radical message: they were celestial beings sent to guide humanity to the “Next Level.” What began as a small spiritual study group slowly transformed into a tightly controlled community built on isolation, strict behavioral codes, and the rejection of earthly identity. As belief deepened, individuality disappeared, and devotion to the mission became absolute. In Part 1, Vanessa and Dr. Engels examine how Applewhite’s personal crises, religious fixation, and apocalyptic thinking evolved into a doctrine that demanded total surrender. It’s a chilling look at how ordinary people searching for purpose and connection became entangled in a worldview where doubt was no longer allowed to exist. To hear us in Part 2, including our extended discussion with Vanessa Richardson and Dr. Engels, be sure to follow Serial Killers and Murderous Minds wherever you get your podcasts. Follow and listen here: https://play.megaphone.fm/fsc89gpqrvo6x6s_v1clyw 🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full video episodes over on Patreon: patreon.com/thefirstdegree 📸 Instagram: instagram.com/thefirstdegree 🕺 TikTok: tiktok.com/@thefirstdegreee 👤 Facebook: facebook.com/thefirstdegree 📓 Substack: http://thefirstdegree.substack.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Another week, another handful of Epstein bombshells. We’re talking about the prison guard working during Epstein’s death being set to testify to congress, Hillary Clinton’s Epstein inspired merch, and Vera Wang’s bizarre connection to Epstein. And we end the episode on a completely unrelated mini deep dive of Rebel Wilson’s wild scandal we’ve never even heard about before today! It’s nuts, we promise. 🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full video episodes over on Patreon: patreon.com/thefirstdegree 📸 Instagram: instagram.com/thefirstdegree 🕺 TikTok: tiktok.com/@thefirstdegreee 👤 Facebook: facebook.com/thefirstdegree 📓 Substack: http://thefirstdegree.substack.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In early January 1985, a 20-year-old National Guardsman is on a training exercise in Henderson, Nevada. The ambitious and intelligent young man has a strong moral compass guiding him in his career. That is, until one day, when he’s confronted with a difficult choice and thrust into a situation out of his control. The cascade of choices he makes next change the course of his life in an entirely unanticipated way, altering his path forever. In episode 395, Jac and Alexis detail the intriguing story of Jerry Mathes, and how his journey through the criminal justice system and out the other side of incarceration forced him to mourn the kind of man he not only had been, but deep down face who he really wanted to be. This is a tale of the spiritually redemptive power of memoir and using one’s voice to reclaim both the truth and a new perspective on life-changing events. 🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full video episodes over on Patreon: patreon.com/thefirstdegree 📸 Instagram: instagram.com/thefirstdegree 🕺 TikTok: tiktok.com/@thefirstdegreee 👤 Facebook: facebook.com/thefirstdegree 📓 Substack: http://thefirstdegree.substack.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Even though the world has seemingly moved on from Epstein, we refuse to stop talking about it. This week we are diving into the headlines of the week, including the new bestie statues of Trump & Epstein, the new search of Zorro Ranch, and the Clinton questioning. Then we’re going through the latest release of two victim’s accounts from Epstein’s Palm Beach home. And we end the episode with a good ole fashioned existential crisis. 🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full video episodes over on Patreon: patreon.com/thefirstdegree 📸 Instagram: instagram.com/thefirstdegree 🕺 TikTok: tiktok.com/@thefirstdegreee 👤 Facebook: facebook.com/thefirstdegree 📓 Substack: http://thefirstdegree.substack.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In February 2006, a newly married 29-year-old man is walking home from a Mardi Gras celebration in New Orleans when a black truck nearly strikes him and his wife. One block later, the truck circles back, runs him down, and flees, leaving his wife screaming in the intersection. Detectives call it a deliberate burst of road rage. But as weeks turn into months, the homicide investigation loses momentum. Years pass without an arrest, and his family is left questioning whether the urgency this case deserved was ever truly there. In episode 394, Jac and Alexis examine the unsolved murder of Toby Beaugh, and the years-long fight his sister has taken on to keep his case from being forgotten. 🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full video episodes over on Patreon: patreon.com/thefirstdegree 📸 Instagram: instagram.com/thefirstdegree 🕺 TikTok: tiktok.com/@thefirstdegreee 👤 Facebook: facebook.com/thefirstdegree 📓 Substack: http://thefirstdegree.substack.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We’ve been pulled into a few different rabbit holes this week, and it’s yet again a crazy ass ride. First, we look into Epstein’s ties to the Interlochen Center for the Arts summer camp in Michigan, and its infamous “Epstein Lodge”. We also learn the whistleblower’s identity who worked at the jail who posted on 4Chan the night of Epstein’s death (and what he said was pretty damning to say the least!). And lastly, we discuss the fact that the FBI willingly wiped the jail cell tapes to destroy all of the evidence from the night. Not sketchy at all! 🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full video episodes over on Patreon: patreon.com/thefirstdegree 📸 Instagram: instagram.com/thefirstdegree 🕺 TikTok: tiktok.com/@thefirstdegreee 👤 Facebook: facebook.com/thefirstdegree 📓 Substack: http://thefirstdegree.substack.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On October 29, 2010, a 50-year-old woman is shot at her home in Cresson Township, Pennsylvania. The same day, her college aged son is also involved in a car crash. The tiny community where the family lives is thrown into a state of turmoil as residents grapple with the incomprehensible news. The much-loved school nurse, wife, and mother of two leaves behind a heartbroken family and school community who are left to pick up the pieces. But when the killer’s identity is revealed, the profound sadness and disbelief everyone is experiencing is magnified. Could this tragedy have been avoided? The victim seemed to have everything. But there was one threat she couldn’t contain. One that bubbled and festered under the surface, in her periphery. In episode 393, Jac and Alexis detail the devastating case of Sharon Choros, and how those who appear to have it all can be more at risk of violence and heartbreak than we think. 🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full video episodes over on Patreon: patreon.com/thefirstdegree 📸 Instagram: instagram.com/thefirstdegree 🕺 TikTok: tiktok.com/@thefirstdegreee 👤 Facebook: facebook.com/thefirstdegree 📓 Substack: http://thefirstdegree.substack.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Another week of chipping away at the iceberg. Today we’re diving into the Gislaine sighting in Canada, Bill Gates admitting to affairs with two Russian women, Trump releasing the alien files (anything but release the Epstein files we guess), Epstein’s FedEx account being used after his death, and apparently Epstein’s autopsy findings (apparently the dude can grow new body parts?). Tin foil hats ON. 🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full video episodes over on Patreon: patreon.com/thefirstdegree 📸 Instagram: instagram.com/thefirstdegree 🕺 TikTok: tiktok.com/@thefirstdegreee 👤 Facebook: facebook.com/thefirstdegree 📓 Substack: http://thefirstdegree.substack.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On a quiet February morning in an upscale Virginia suburb, a 911 call shattered the quiet. An au pair reported an intruder. A federal agent said he fired his weapon to protect his family. By sunrise, two people had lost their lives. At first, it sounded like a tragic act: a heroic husband trying to protect his wife, Christine. But as investigators began pulling at the threads, the story started to unravel.In episode 392 of The First Degree, Jac and Alexis walk you through the double murder that gripped northern Virginia — and the arrogance, betrayal, and devastating choices that left a child without her mother and two families forever changed. 🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full video episodes over on Patreon: patreon.com/thefirstdegree 📸 Instagram: instagram.com/thefirstdegree 🕺 TikTok: tiktok.com/@thefirstdegreee 👤 Facebook: facebook.com/thefirstdegree 📓 Substack: http://thefirstdegree.substack.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Firsties, we are so excited to introduce you to an amazing true crime podcast hosted by some new friends to The First Degree, Hannah Smith and Patia Eaton. The Knife is a journalistic, true crime podcast with immersive, narrative interview episodes and additional episodes where producers and hosts Hannah Smith and Patia Eaton tell eachother a crime story. Hannah and Patia formerly produced The Opportunist before launching The Knife in 2025.We have become huge fans and we know you'll love them too. Find them whenever you listen to podcasts. 🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full video episodes over on Patreon: patreon.com/thefirstdegree 📸 Instagram: instagram.com/thefirstdegree 🕺 TikTok: tiktok.com/@thefirstdegreee 👤 Facebook: facebook.com/thefirstdegree 📓 Substack: http://thefirstdegree.substack.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

And we're back for round three... This week, we're diving into the latest updates surrounding the Epstein files, discussing the DOJ's recent release of documents and the implications of missing information. Then, Ghislaine Maxwell's testimony, the bizarre obsession with jerky in the files, and the potential for Epstein's offspring. Zorro Ranch, scopolamine, it just goes on and on! 🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full video episodes over on Patreon: patreon.com/thefirstdegree 📸 Instagram: instagram.com/thefirstdegree 🕺 TikTok: tiktok.com/@thefirstdegreee 👤 Facebook: facebook.com/thefirstdegree 📓 Substack: http://thefirstdegree.substack.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On October 26, 2007, a 55-year-old military veteran was found murdered in his home on the outskirts of Memphis, Tennessee. The family of the father of four was heartbroken. They, along with investigators, wondered who could be responsible for the brutal beating. Within days, the perpetrators were identified, charged, and eventually convicted. But for at least one family involved, something was amiss. Soon, cracks in the investigation revealed that someone had been wrongfully convicted while the real killer walked free; it sets Stephanie Tinsley on an unrelenting quest to expose the truth. In episode 391, Jac and Alexis detail the haunting murder of Danny Harris, and Stephanie’s journey towards the truth, which she chronicled in her hit podcast, Everything They Missed. 🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full video episodes over on Patreon: patreon.com/thefirstdegree 📸 Instagram: instagram.com/thefirstdegree 🕺 TikTok: tiktok.com/@thefirstdegreee 👤 Facebook: facebook.com/thefirstdegree 📓 Substack: http://thefirstdegree.substack.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week we continue to chip away at the Epstein files, starting off with the top headlines of the week. We dive into bizarre code words throughout the files (shrimp, cheese, sushi, white tuna), learn about Gislaine’s dad owning the company that produces American textbooks, and did you know Epstein won the lottery? Yep, nothing surprises us anymore. 🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full video episodes over on Patreon: patreon.com/thefirstdegree 📸 Instagram: instagram.com/thefirstdegree 🕺 TikTok: tiktok.com/@thefirstdegreee 👤 Facebook: facebook.com/thefirstdegree 📓 Substack: http://thefirstdegree.substack.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After more than a year of stalking, threats, and repeated pleas for help, the danger in Peggy Klinke’s life reaches its breaking point. As the criminal case against her stalker inches toward trial, she does everything she can to stay hidden - even moving a thousand miles away to protect herself. But her stalker refuses to stop. He searches relentlessly, exploiting gaps in the system, until he finally finds her. In episode 390, Jac and Alexis examine Peggy Klinke’s preventable murder and her sister Debbie’s determination to ensure Peggy’s death saves as many lives as possible. 🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full video episodes over on Patreon: patreon.com/thefirstdegree 📸 Instagram: instagram.com/thefirstdegree 🕺 TikTok: tiktok.com/@thefirstdegreee 👤 Facebook: facebook.com/thefirstdegree Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Where do we even begin? Over 3 million files and we are just at the tip pf the iceberg. This week we’re going over the biggest Epstein related headlines: Epstein swerving Elon, Bill Gates drugging Melinda, files getting deleted in real time, Epstein getting banned from XBOX, and is Epstein really still alive? All we know it it’s not a conspiracy anymore. 🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full video episodes over on Patreon: patreon.com/thefirstdegree 📸 Instagram: instagram.com/thefirstdegree 🕺 TikTok: tiktok.com/@thefirstdegreee 👤 Facebook: facebook.com/thefirstdegree Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the late 1990s, a driven and bright woman builds a life in New Mexico, staying deeply connected to her family back in Ohio. But after meeting a man through a study group, her life begins to shift. What starts as control quickly escalates into a years-long campaign of stalking, intimidation, and fear. As the behavior intensifies, she reports threats, files charges, seeks protection, and even moves a thousand miles away to stay safe - only to find that the systems meant to help her consistently fall short. In episode 389, Jac and Alexis begin the story of Peggy Klinke, tracing the early warning signs, the relentless escalation of stalking, and the critical moments where intervention could have prevented Peggy’s murder. 🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full video episodes over on Patreon: patreon.com/thefirstdegree 📸 Instagram: instagram.com/thefirstdegree 🕺 TikTok: tiktok.com/@thefirstdegreee 👤 Facebook: facebook.com/thefirstdegree Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You asked for it, you’ve got it. We are diving DEEP into all of the recently released documents in the Blake vs Justin saga, and we are going line by line analyzing the “Taylor texts”. We’ve had almost a week to hyper analyze the docs and we are coming with receipts! 🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full video episodes over on Patreon: patreon.com/thefirstdegree 📸 Instagram: instagram.com/thefirstdegree 🕺 TikTok: tiktok.com/@thefirstdegreee 👤 Facebook: facebook.com/thefirstdegree Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On May 30, 2022, the body of a 40-year-old mother of three is found in a creek on the outskirts of Tulsa, Oklahoma. At first, it appears the woman has tragically taken her own life. Questions about the possibility of an accidental death are also raised. The much-loved woman’s estranged husband seems just as bewildered about what happened. But soon, evidence reveals a different cause - and manner - of death than what was initially believed. And that’s just the beginning of the story. In episode 388, Jac and Lex take you through the devastating case from start to finish, landing at a place of hope for legislation that could change some of these senseless outcomes. 🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full video episodes over on Patreon: patreon.com/thefirstdegree 📸 Instagram: instagram.com/thefirstdegree 🕺 TikTok: tiktok.com/@thefirstdegreee 👤 Facebook: facebook.com/thefirstdegree Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We were graced by the Deep Dive gods this week with Brooklyn Beckham’s very public break up with his parents (including that BIZARRE wedding dance mention? We NEED to see the video!). Plus, Stephen Hawking carnival, Aaron Rodgers and his AI wife, and Jeffrey Epstein’s weird ass masks. And P.S., we recorded this ep right before the Blake / Taylor texts dropped, so we’ll be deep diving all of that next week! 🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full video episodes over on Patreon: patreon.com/thefirstdegree 📸 Instagram: instagram.com/thefirstdegree 🕺 TikTok: tiktok.com/@thefirstdegreee 👤 Facebook: facebook.com/thefirstdegree Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today we’re stepping back to examine a case that has swept the nation — and shaken public trust in places meant to be sacred. At the center of it is Jonathan Gerlach, a man prosecutors say was involved in the systematic theft and trafficking of human remains, allegedly targeting hundreds of graves across multiple states. Much of the investigation focuses on Mt. Moriah Cemetery in Pennsylvania — one of the largest historic cemeteries in the country — but the scope of the alleged crimes extends far beyond a single location. As details have emerged, Gerlach has been dubbed a “modern-day Ed Gein.” In today's episode, Jac and Lex take you through all the information available so far tied to a rapidly expanding case. Buckle up. 🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full video episodes over on Patreon: patreon.com/thefirstdegree 📸 Instagram: instagram.com/thefirstdegree 🕺 TikTok: tiktok.com/@thefirstdegreee 👤 Facebook: facebook.com/thefirstdegree Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices