The First Degree

Man, 2026 is off to a bizarre start. This week a group of people were locked up in jail for posting tweets about Brigitte Macron (yep, you can get arrested for “online bullying”…who knew!). Plus, we share the story of Sascha Riley, an Epstein adjacent survivor who’s story is getting squashed by mainstream media, and dive into Hailey Bieber sending a cease and desist to a TikToker simply sharing their opinion. Moral of the story: rich and powerful people are once again above the law! 🎟 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 March 30, 1981, the 40th President of the United States, Ronald Reagan, is just two months into his presidency when he attends a speaking engagement at the Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C. As the president exits the building and makes his way towards his limousine, six shots ring out. Members of the public and the Secret Service pounce on a 25-year-old man wielding a handgun nearby. In the affray, the president has been struck, along with three others. All recover, but when the motivation for the attack is revealed to be not about politics, but instead an obsession with a Hollywood star, the questions around the would-be assassin deepen. In episode 386, Jac and Alexis detail the bizarre attempted assassination of President Reagan by John Hinckley Jr, and ponder whether someone who acts on their obsession in such an extreme way can -or should - ever really go on to live a life without scrutiny. 🎟 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

There’s a hell of a lot going on in the world right now, but we are hyper obsessing about Ashley Tisdale being booted from her mom group (it’s not an airport you don’t need to announce your departure!). Plus we give you updates on D4VD, Nick Reiner, David Harbor, Justin v Blake and more. 🎟 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 January 2023, a 36-year-old man is found shot inside his vehicle outside his Fort Lauderdale apartment in the early morning hours. As detectives investigate, the case quickly stalls. With no arrests and no clear motive, the man’s family is left grappling not only with his sudden loss, but with the silence that follows. Living hundreds of miles away, they struggle to advocate from afar, returning to Florida year after year to keep his case from being forgotten. In episode 385, Jac and Alexis examine the unsolved murder of Jason Marous, and the unbreakable bond between a mother and son that continues long after his death. 🎟 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

Happy 2026! It’s a new year but we are still obsessing over the same ole shit. We’re deep diving into the latest Epstein files, and why doesn’t anyone talk about Bill Gates?? We chat about Epstein island and all of the lame ass Lolita quotes. Plus, what the HELL is going on with Riley Keough and John Travolta?? 🎟 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 this New Year’s installment of The First Degree, Jac and Lex take you through the crime stories that defined 2025. From trials that dominated Court TV to investigations that exposed deep institutional failures, this episode revisits the cases that captured national attention and forced difficult conversations about accountability, justice, and trust in the system. As the year comes to a close, we reflect on what has changed, what still hasn’t, and why staying informed remains one of the most powerful tools we have. 🎟 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

It’s time to reflect on the past year and break down all of the celebrity scandals, cultural moments and conspiracies that shaped this year. We’re diving into UFO sightings, the Blake and Justin saga, the Diddy trial and aftermath, the Epstein files, and everything in between. It’s been a wild year and we can only imagine how batshit next year will be! 🎟 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

This week, we are stepping outside our usual format to bring you a rare combination in true crime. First, we revisit a case we covered in episode 326. The 1981 disappearance of Lonene “Lonnie” Rogers, a young mother who vanished during a blizzard in rural Pennsylvania. For decades, her family lived with questions and silence. Now, after years of tireless advocacy by Lonnie’s daughter, there has been a major and unexpected development that may finally bring accountability. Then, we turn overseas to a case that stunned us to learn about for the first time. An American student living in London finds himself at the center of a brutal homicide investigation after a young woman is found murdered in her apartment. What followed was an international trial, a disturbing defense strategy, and a verdict that has sparked intense conversation about power, control, and violence. Two cases. Two very different paths. One episode that reminds us how long justice can take, and why telling these stories still matters. 🎟 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

This week we delve into the shocking events surrounding the tragic deaths of Rob and Michelle Reiner, exploring the complex family dynamics, and the chilling accusations against their son Nick. Plus, we’ve got Diddy and D4VD updates and spoiler alert: it’s not looking good. 🎟 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 2006, things come crashing down around Arthur ‘Art’ J Williams Jr. One of the country’s top counterfeiters, a skill he first learned in his teens, the law finally catches up with him in the form of US Secret Service Agent Brad Beeler, who’s keen to understand how the man he’s been pursuing for seven years has managed to pull off one of the most daring counterfeit currency operations in the country undetected. As a result, three generations of one family all end up behind bars, including Art’s 18-year-old son. But it’s not the end of the story. In episode 382, Jac and Alexis detail the path of redemption for Art following his release, the impact and influence of generational trauma, and how sometimes the parallels between those on both sides of the law highlight just how similar we are, instead of our differences being the defining factors in shaping our character, spiritual path, and future. 🎟 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

The OG Diddy Deep Dive is back! Like everyone else in the world, we binged 50 Cent’s new Diddy doc and we have THOUGHTS. We are chatting about bombshells in the doc, the aftermath on social media, and the main takeaway: Diddy was a LOSER. 🎟 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 1999, a young US Secret Service special agent is assigned to the counterfeit squad in Chicago, Illinois. Aside from dignitary protection, one of the agencies’ roles is to investigate counterfeiting. Across the Midwest, someone is spending up big with $100 counterfeit notes. The level of skill, expertise, and execution required to break the most secure and sophisticated note in the history of the US Treasury is equal parts impressive and intimidating. But the con can’t last forever. In episode (insert number), Jac and Alexis detail the life and crimes of Arthur ‘Art’ J Williams Jr, whose journey from street crime to becoming the top currency counterfeiter in the country brought him face to face with Special Agent Brad Beeler. This two-part story shows how two men from opposite sides of the law can come to develop respect for each other as they each make their way to the top of their chosen careers, and how redemption is never too late. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

New photos of Epstein Island just dropped, and we’re going through them all including yet ANOTHER dentist office?? Plus, we deep dive into the craziest Epstein / Gislaine / Richard Branson rabbit hole we’ve never heard about before: TerraMar. And it is a WILD ride. Plus Luigi updates, Kate Beckensale thinks her daughter’s boyfriend is laying eggs, and tin foil hats on for the Kim K / Elon Neuralink conspiracy. 🎟 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 September 2001, a 14-year-old high school freshman fails to come home after a night out with friends in Cantonment, Florida. As detectives begin searching for her, a troubling picture emerges - one involving older men, threats, and details her mother waited days to reveal. With each revelation, the focus shifts from assumptions of a runaway to something far more alarming. But with no sign of her anywhere, charges remain elusive. As the case stalls, her older sister begins her own investigation, stepping into the role their mother never fulfilled. In episode 380, Jac and Alexis explore the disappearance and suspected murder of Danielle Bell, and her sister Bonnie’s decades-long mission to uncover the truth. 🎟 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 an Epstein deep dive, you’re getting an Epstein deep dive. We decided to sift through the headlines and find the bizarre and random celebs in the Epstein emails, as well as analyze his “radical breakthroughs”. Spoiler alert: they’re not radical. Plus, updates on DV4D, Slenderman, and Kevin Spacey is NOT poor you guys. 🎟 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

This Thanksgiving week, we’re switching things up. Instead of one deep dive, we’re hitting three breaking cases lighting up the headlines.We look at the mysterious death of 18-year-old Anna Kepner aboard a Carnival Cruise, the shocking criminal evolution of Ryan Wedding, from Olympian to one of the FBI’s most wanted, and the explosive Long Island love triangle that ended in a fatal shooting outside a luxury yacht club.Three cases. One chaotic holiday week. And a whole lot to unpack. 🎟 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

Tin foil hats ON this week, people because there’s a lot to talk about. D4VD is finally named a suspect by authorities, Blake Lively’s team doing weird shit again, an adorable proposal turned into murder confession, and is Kris Jenner’s bday party the new Bohemian Grove? You tell us! 🎟 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

It began as a familiar face from high school, someone she once trusted. But over thirteen years, that connection twisted into something far darker. No matter how many times he was arrested or how long he was behind bars, he always came back. On episode 378 of The First Degree, Jac and Lex profile a harrowing story of an obsession without limits, and reveal what happens when the system can’t stop it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week tin foil hats are ON BABY. We discuss the wild conspiracy theory that Britney Spears was a government asset to create diversions away from Bush’s presidential corruption and scandal (pretty convincing evidence if you ask us). Plus, Diddy got caught drinking booze in jail, the Prince Andrew situation is unraveling, and we learn way too much about the Golden State Killer’s nether regions. 🎟 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 October 12, 2023, a 25-year-old nursing student goes missing while on her lunch break in Macomb Township, Michigan. Her co-workers then receive a series of strange text messages from her cell phone. Less than 12 hours after the abduction, she’s found at a gas station in Illinois, shot to death. The following day, law enforcement receives a tip from a couple. Their 26-year-old son admits to the shocking murder before telling his parents he intends to commit one final act of violence. Authorities locate the killer and close in, hoping to take him into custody before anyone else is hurt. In episode 377, Jac and Alexis detail the tragic murder of Gina N. Bryant at the hands of her ex-boyfriend Justin Wendling, and try to make sense of the out of control freight train that is the epidemic of women losing their lives to intimate partner violence. Please visit the foundation her family established in her memory here: https://www.journey4gina.com 🎟 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 least surprising news EVER, Prince Andrew has been stripped of his Prince title, but guess what? He must have some dirt on the royal family because they’re supporting his pedo ass. We deep dive this as well as creepy David Harbour updates, Tom Brady cloning dogs, and is RL Stein writing an adult novel?! Fingers crossed! 🎟 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 early morning hours of June 18, 1982, a 20-year-old mother vanishes from her night shift at a Harrisonburg, Virginia gas station, just moments after calling 911 for help. Police arrive within minutes, but she has already been taken. With no signs of struggle and no suspect identified, her case goes cold for decades. Then in 2023, a suspect emerges, bringing the investigation closer to answers than ever before. In episode 376, Jac and Alexis dive into the tragic abduction of Kelly Bergh Dove and the unwavering determination of her family, who refuses to stop fighting for the truth. 🎟 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

It’s another week full of heists, weirdos, and conspiracy theories. George Clooney denies getting a BJ from Gislaine Maxwell, Lily Allen & the dude from Stranger Things are getting a divorce and she is airing ALL their dirty laundry out via lyrics on her new album and Luigi Mangione is a Swiftie??? We knew it. 🎟 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 August 5, 2022, the peacefulness of a close-knit neighborhood is shattered in Butler Township, Ohio. A 39-year-old man goes on an armed rampage, killing a 41-year-old woman and her 15-year-old daughter before shooting dead an older couple. The most terrifying part of the senseless quadruple murder is that the victims were all shot somewhere they should have felt safe - in their own homes. The killer is not only swiftly apprehended, but confesses to the crimes. Everyone hopes for a speedy trial given the overwhelming evidence against him. Perhaps he’ll even plead guilty. But it’s not to be. In episode 375, Jac and Alexis detail the heartbreaking murders of Sarah and Kayla Anderson, and Clyde and Sally Knox, in a case that demands an answer to the deeply troubling question: how does society deal with someone so self-serving that they persist in hiding behind the system in refusing to face the consequences of their actions? Visit: https://www.sarahandkayla.org/ 🎟 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

Reality is the real horror. Every Monday, poet and paranormal obsessive Heidi Wong unearths the chilling true stories behind the world’s most terrifying legends. From haunted dolls to cursed houses, each episode of Twisted Tales reveals the disturbing real-life events that inspired horror’s biggest blockbusters and the ones too twisted to make it to screen. Some stories are stranger than fiction. These are darker. New episodes every Monday. Twisted Tales is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios. Follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Listen here: https://link.podtrac.com/listentotwistedtales Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s been a wild, crazy, and random week. We are breaking down all the details of the Louvre jewelry heist (so chic, right??), telling the insane story of a Scottish gen z girl who faked a pregnancy and fooled her friends and family with a doll, and diving into Dax Shepard and Kristen Bell’s weird ass gross relationship (spoiler alert….he sucks). 🎟 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 October 2021, a 27-year-old woman is rebuilding her life on Long Island after leaving an abusive relationship. She has a new job, a safe place to stay, and plans for the future. But when her ex-boyfriend shows up and refuses to leave, her attempt to start over ends in tragedy. In episode 374, Jac and Alexis examine the murder of Meghan Kiefer, and how her mother Bevin has dedicated her life to advocating for domestic violence survivors across the country. 🎟 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

Oh boy we’ve got a lot to catch up on this week! We’re giving you all the latest updates on D4VD, including a full timeline of everything that has happened in the last few years. Plus, not all heroes wear capes! Ian Watkins is gone from this world and burning in hell! 🎟 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 March 7, 2000, a terrifying crime spree unfolds in the suburbs of Baltimore, Maryland. A 31-year-old man goes on a rampage, killing four people before holding a family of three hostage in a standoff lasting almost four days. Almost two weeks after the fuse was lit, the ordeal finally comes to an end. But it’s not without controversy and not before another life is lost in the process. In the aftermath, fingers are pointed and unanswered questions hang in the air as people wonder if the tragedy was entirely foreseeable, if not preventable. In episode 373, Jac and Alexis detail the disturbing case of Joseph Chester Palczynski, who held a community in the grip of terror, leaving a path of devastation and destruction in his wake that continues to impact scores of lives today, raising questions about the effectiveness of the systems meant to protect the lives of the innocent, and what happens when these fail. 🎟 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

This week on a very special Deep Dive, we are joined by psychic medium Jonathan Mark! We chat with him about why celebrities trust him to do their readings, how he discovered he was different and what he really thinks about the most controversial true crime cases. He is truly a gem of a human, and we hope you enjoy our conversation as much as we did! 🎟 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

The call from Washington changed everything. When Los Angeles detectives learned Kenneth Bianchi had been arrested for a double murder hundreds of miles away, the truth about the Hillside Strangler finally began to surface. But uncovering the killers was only the beginning. In episode 372, Jac and Lex take you inside the longest murder trial in American history. A case marked by manipulations, bizarre side shows, and near-collapse, as Bianchi turned on his cousin Angelo Buono, and prosecutors fought to hold the case together. This is the story of how the Hillside Strangler murders ended in conviction, and how Los Angeles was forever changed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s officially soooky szn, and what better way to kick it off than with a PROFESSIONAL WITCH! It’s a super special Deep Dive with Sarah Potter: tarot reader, psychic medium, and yes…pro witch. She helps us lean into our own powers to be the baddest witches we can be. 🎟 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 late 1977, Los Angeles was terrorized by a string of brutal murders that the press dubbed the work of the “Hillside Strangler.” Victims were found in public places, bound and strangled, their bodies eerily posed. A witness spotted two men with one of the victims, sparking theories that the crimes were a coordinated effort. In episode 371, Jac and Lex delve into the story of the Hillside Stranglers, a case that stumped law enforcement until a phone call from Washington broke the investigation wide open. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Get in loser we’re going to reveal the bleak, disgusting truths about your favorite fashion trends (hint: they all originated as ways to hide disease in the Medieval times)! Plus, a deep dive on belly buttons and what they say about your personality and life expectancy! Oh, and how to prevent murder while taking a 💩. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For nearly ten years, investigators had no clue who killed seven people in the Palatine Brown’s Chicken on January 8th of 1993. They followed more than 4,800 leads and arrested several potential suspects, but nothing came of these efforts. The murders of Brown’s Chicken employees 16-year-old Michael Castro, 17-year-old Rico Solis, 31-year-old Tom Mennes, 32-year-old Marcus Nellsen, and 47-year-old Lupe Maldonado and owners 49-year-old Lynn Ehlenfeldt and 50-year-old Dick Ehlenfeldt were a tragic mystery. The case remained cold until April of 2002, when Anne Lockette spoke to the authorities. At the time of the crime, her boyfriend, 20-year-old Jim Degorski, and his friend, 18-year-old Juan Luna, robbed the Brown’s Chicken, stole $1,800, and told her every detail—but not before threatening Anne’s own life. In episode 370, Jac and Alexis dive into how a confounding case was solved with Anne’s key testimony and DNA technology advancments that allowed better testing of saliva samples gathered from a half-eaten chicken bone. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Move over octopuses, eels are the REAL alien in town. Jac accidentally fell into the Bermuda Triangle and she’s sharing all of her eel facts with the class (spoiler alert….we don’t know ANYTHING about them???). Plus Dancing with the Sharks and a quick Blake vs Justin update! 🎟 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

Shortly after 9 p.m. on January 8th of 1993, seven people begin the closing routine for the Brown’s Chicken & Pasta restaurant located in Palatine, Illinois. Of the seven people, five are employees: 16-year-old Michael Castro, 17-year-old Rico Solis, 31-year-old Tom Mennes, 32-year-old Marcus Nellsen, and 47-year-old Lupe Maldonado. The other two individuals are the owners: 49-year-old Lynn Ehlenfeldt and her 50-year-old husband, Dick Ehlenfeldt. When two men approach the Brown’s Chicken’s locked doors after closing, no one is alarmed. Instead, the men are welcomed into the Brown’s Chicken. One man orders food, eats a few bites, and discards the rest. Then, that same man pulls out a knife, and his companion reveals a .38 snub-nosed revolver. The men proceed to murder all seven Brown’s Chicken workers. For nearly 10 years, investigators searched high and low for these killers. But it wasn’t until Anne Lockette spoke up about her violent ex-boyfriend that 20-year-old Jim Degorski, and his friend, 18-year-old Juan Luna, were put away for their crimes. In episode 369, Jac and Alexis work with author and lawyer Patrick Wohl to explain how this needless massacre changed the Palatine community forever and nearly ended the Brown’s Chicken franchise. This is part one of a two-part series. 🎟 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

This week we’re going all over the place, so buckle up for the ride. Starting off with a dead body being found in a TikTok star’s Tesla trunk (but he’s been on tour so who put it there???), UFOs are all over the damn place, just released terrifying shirtless selfies of Bryan Kohberger, and Elizabeth Gilbert admitting to *almost* attempting to kill her partner but no one seems to care?? WHAT IS HAPPENING 🎟 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 the afternoon of October 9, 2010, police in Hickory, North Carolina, receive a report of a missing 10-year-old girl. Everyone in her life is desperate for her safe return. But as the search continues, it emerges that she hasn’t been seen outside the house for some time. Almost a month after the youngster is reported missing, her remains are found in nearby woods, her cause of death unknown. When a suspect is arrested, the community is stunned and appalled when it learns the gruesome and despicable details of what has befallen the young girl. In episode 368, Jac and Alexis detail the heartbreaking murder of Zahra Clare Baker, by someone who committed the most heinous and unforgivable of acts against a child, and the impact of catastrophic systemic failures when it comes to protecting our children. 🎟 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

The title says it all. This week we are deep diving Unknown Caller: The High School Catfish documentary, because we’ve got THOUGHTS. We analyze every moment of the documentary, what was missing from it, and share how we really feel about Kendra. Plus, Luigi Mangione modeling for SHEIN?? 🎟 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

When we first covered the disappearance of 39-year-old mother of four, Nikki Cheng Saelee McCain, in episode 330, her case was still classified as a missing persons investigation. Months later, everything has changed. Authorities have reclassified the case as a homicide, Nikki’s husband Tyler has spoken publicly for the first time, and now he’s been arrested and charged with her murder. In this update episode, Jac and Lex revisit Nikki’s story, track the dramatic turns since March, and explore how media attention and relentless advocacy from Nikki’s family have kept the case alive, and helped push it forward. 🎟 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

It’s a variety show kinda week, and we’re covering all ends of the oddity spectrum for you. From Will Smith’s AI concert promo fail, to forensic otters, to getting knives stuck in your chest for 10 years, to the Burning Man Orgy Dome, to super powered humans who feel no pain, you’e bound to learn a new random useless fact or two to take with you this 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

It began as an ordinary night in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Families were out, friends gathered, strangers hailed rides to get across town. But beneath the surface of that routine evening, something unthinkable was unfolding. A man who seemed to have everything together, a job, a family, no history of violence, suddenly broke from the life he knew. Over the course of just a few hours, a city was gripped by a series of random, senseless attacks that defied explanation. Between rides for a car service, he struck again and again, leaving investigators and residents searching for answers. On episode 366 of The First Degree, Jac and Lex dive in, exploring the answers of impossible questions. Like, what could drive someone with no warning signs to unleash chaos on total strangers? And how do you stop a threat that blends so seamlessly into the everyday? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s a week full of replacing eyeballs with teeth, con men “suicides”, and thousands of hotdogs flying through the air. Plus, Jenna Miscavige is officially on TikTok and answering all of our most burning questions about Scientology (like where the HELL is Shelly???). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Homicide detectives are trained to speak for the dead. They build cases from silence, piecing together fragments of lives they never truly knew. Rarely do they ever get to meet the people they fight for. But for one Los Angeles investigator, that changed in the fall of 1987, when a woman lived through the impossible. After being abducted, held captive for 48 hours, and shot in the head twice, she somehow survived. Her story not only defied medical odds, it reshaped a detective’s career and life, forging a bond between victim and investigator that would endure long after the case was closed. In episode 365, Jac and Lex delve into the survival story of Carol LePak, with the help of retired LA homicide investigator, Don Tabek. 🎟 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

Have you ever wondered what the inside of Jeffrey Epstein’s New York brownstone looked like? Well have no fear! The photos have been leaked and we are going through and analyzing each and every detail. Plus, cursed labubus and banned baby names! 🎟 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

She did everything right. She kept the records. Filed the reports. Changed her routines. But none of it mattered. Because the man tormenting her stayed just outside the rules. A case where psychological terror was real, constant, and intentional- and yet, legally invisible. In episode 364, Jac and Lex unravel how stalking can become a form of slow-motion violence. How the system waits for blood before it acts. And how, sometimes, the most dangerous threats are the ones hiding in plain sight, waiting, watching, and never quite crossing the line. 🎟 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

This week we’re deep diving into Matt Rife buying Ed & Lorraine Warren’s haunted house (AND the Annabelle doll WTF?!), Dave Franco x Luigi Mangioni, Radioactive Wasps, and the woman who is crashing out on tiktok from falling in love with her psychiatrist, and WOO BOY is it a ride. 🎟 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

Even with a young mother and her toddler missing, investigators don’t seem to push for answers. Instead, they accept her boyfriend’s version of events and ignore glaring red flags. For years, Jennifer Wix’s family is left to fight for the truth on their own, chasing leads and conducting their own investigation. Then, nearly two decades later, the boyfriend’s story changes and their worst fears are confirmed. In episode 363, Jac and Alexis break down the investigation, the devastating admission that Jennifer and Adrianna are dead, and the painful reality that despite everything, they’re still missing, and no one has been charged. 🎟 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, we delivered! Killing Time is back (for a limited time only) and our very own Jared is back to guest host with us. Things got weird pretty fast. We’re talking Katy Perry & Justin Trudeau going on a first date, Orlando Bloom punching Justin Bieber, Cheesecake Factory vs P.F. Chang’s, an alien invasion coming in October, and how exactly does an eel get stuck in one’s intestine?? 🎟 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