The First Degree

On January 4, 2001, a 20-year-old college student is found dead in his fraternity dorm room on the UC Davis campus. He has suffered 29 stab wounds, two of which are fatal. When authorities look around the room, they find evidence of a possible struggle. But there’s also a piece of paper that appears to be a suicide note. Right away, the campus police rule his death as a suicide. However, the coroner’s office finds the circumstances suspicious and orders a full investigation. Over the following months, authorities struggle to reach a consensus on the circumstances surrounding the student's death. In episode 296, Jac and Alexis break down the investigation into the death of Andrew Wieman, and his family’s fight for answers along the way. 🎟 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 the girls and the ginger are back for another half-fact-filled episode of Killing Time! In what might be our most intelligent sounding episode, we’re talking about deep ocean aliens, Einstein, space, and so much more that we know nothing about! Then! Today I Learned! We’re talking OJ, Tongues, Eclipses, and a Firstie calls in with another Roald Dahl fact! 🎟 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 November 2, 2001, a 40-year-old woman is viciously bludgeoned and strangled to death inside her apartment in San Diego, California. Family, friends, and neighbors of the mother of one and passionate advocate for those living with Alagille Syndrome, are stunned and heartbroken, especially her teen daughter. While the killer is quickly apprehended, this doesn’t lessen the pain when his identity is revealed. If anything, it highlights the tragedy of the victim’s loss and only leads to more questions about the disturbing details of her death, with those left behind mourning the passing of someone who still had so much to give. In episode 295, Jac and Alexis detail the sickening murder of Julie Kelin at the hands of Gabriel John Bradway, the dangers of obsession, and why the safest place for perpetrators of such crimes who fail to respect other’s boundaries in such a malicious way is behind bars. 🎟 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 the girls and the ginger return and we’re killing time in epic fashion! Jac has some spelling struggles, Lex has safety tips, and Jer has frog facts! Today I learned returns! Then! We’re revisiting our new favorite segment “Chat in the Hat” for some topical tangents! Join 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

On April 19, 1973, a 7-year-old girl in Hillsdale, New Jersey, goes out selling Girl Scout cookies in her neighborhood. She knows she’s not allowed far, so when she doesn’t come home her family is instantly on high alert, as are the authorities. A widely publicized search for the youngster swings into action. But three days later, a grisly find brings the hunt to a sudden and devastating end. When the identity of the perpetrator emerges and it’s revealed how he assaulted and murdered his helpless victim, it becomes clear that the little girl didn’t even make it to the end of her street. In episode 294, Jac and Alexis detail the heartbreaking murder of Joan D’Alessandro and her family’s fight not just for justice, but for swift and meaningful legislative reform to prevent the horror they lived through from becoming a painful reality for any other family. Please visit http://joansjoy.org/ to learn more about Joan's story and Rosemarie's work. 🎟 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

Well well well, look who it is! The girls and the ginger return yet again for another episode of Killing Time! This week we’re bringing you more fun facts with Today I Learned, including a very special listener submission! Famous last words, a pringles coffin, extinct bananas, and… eating mummies? Join 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

On June 26, 2009, a 26-year-old college graduate is attacked and stabbed multiple times inside her apartment complex in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The young woman calls 911, and law enforcement arrives on the scene while the assault is in progress. They do their best to gain access and incapacitate the assailant but tragically are unable to save the victim’s life. Her friends and family are shattered when they learn not only how she died, but the identity of the perpetrator. In a twist to the investigation, the attacker attempts to place responsibility for the death with the actions of the officers who responded. In episode 293, Jac and Alexis detail the tragic murder of a young woman by her ex-boyfriend , and discuss how the emotional fallout from fatalities resulting from domestic violence ripples throughout the community in ways that forever change the lives of those whose sole mission is to protect and serve. 🎟 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 the girls and the ginger return with another half-fact-filled episode of Killing Time! Join us for a special revival of “On the Stand” featuring animal bonding, street meat, and migraines! Then, we’re jumping into some current events since we procrastinated and recorded this episode yesterday! Yeehaw! 🎟 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 hours of January 3, 2009, a 29-year-old man is found shot in his truck outside a bar in College Station, Texas. He’s still alive at this point, so first responders rush him to the hospital, where he sadly passes away. Detectives get to work and quickly identify a suspect - a 36-year-old car salesman with a history of violence. However, detectives struggle to figure out a motive behind the shooting. In fact, the victim and the murderer never even exchanged words. In episode 292, Jac and Alexis delve into the tragic murder of William Rufus Stephens Jr., and his killer’s history of “psycho” behavior. 🎟 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 the girls and the ginger return for a Killing Time of epic proportions! Today I Learned returns for another fact-filled feature including info about the platypus, Robert Pattinson, and more! Then it’s time for chat in a hat! Strap in! 🎟 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 morning of November 29, 2005, a fire breaks out at a Morgantown, West Virginia home, engulfing the quiet neighborhood in chaos. Amidst the smoke and flames, responders discover the badly burned body of a 33-year-old man, lying in his bed. As investigators sift through the evidence, they quickly realize this is no ordinary house fire - it's arson, and the man had been dead before the blaze began. As the investigation continues, the evidence keeps leading investigators back to one person in particular. Someone very close to the victim who had multiple motives to want him gone. In episode 291, Jac and Alexis unravel the harrowing tale of James “Jimmy” Michael's murder, and his family’s journey to justice, and for some, forgiveness. 🎟 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 Killing Time the girls are joined by true crime royalty, the one and only Tamron Hall. Throughout her career, Tamron has dominated all corners of the media as crime reporter, talk show host and novelist. On today’s episode we share our full interview with Tamron, delving into topics like love, loss, success, and the real life cases that have inspired her writing. 🎟 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 a very special episode of The First Degree, Alexis & Jac talk to award winning crime journalist, talk show host and author, Tamron Hall. Tamron opens up about the true crime cases that have stuck with her throughout her career, and coping with the personal tragedy of losing of her sister. Renate Newton, Tamron’s sister, was murdered on July 11th of 2004, and to this day her killer has not been apprehended. Tamron candidly sheds light on her new novel, Watch Where They Hide, delving into the real life parallels that inspired her work. 🎟 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 the girls are joined by our good friend and bombshell Holly Madison for a very special Killing Time! We’re talking hauntings, aliens, conspiracies and more! Plus! Corn cob! Stick around til the end to find out what it means! 🎟 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 this episode, Holly Madison shares a peek behind the curtain of the forbidden world of Playboy. During her time at the mansion she encountered several Playboy hopefuls, looking for a way into Hef’s impenetrable inner circle... women just like Jill Ann Spaulding. As Host and EP of Season 2 of Investigation Discovery’s “The Playboy Murders,” Holly takes us through a story that began in tinsel town and ended in tragedy. 🎟 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

Hello Firsties! The girls and the ginger are back under quite rare circumstances! Today is leap day! Join us as we explore some interesting happenings in history from this bizarre bonus day. Then! A couple new segments today: Today I learned, and Chat in the Hat! 🎟 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 conclude with part two of our coverage of the Denise & Aaron’s unbelievable story. Delving into the catastrophic failure of law enforcement in this case, the dogged female detective that broke the case wide open, the troubling past of the perpetrator, and the questions that still linger. 🎟 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 the girls and the ginger return and dive deep down the rabbit hole of Reddit! Also, we’re banging the gavel yet again. Straight to jail this week: Senior living housing prices, Elon Musk, and bowls! And stick around until the end for a cringe confession from a thrifty thief! 🎟 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 part one, Lex and Jac sit down with Denise Huskins and Aaron Quinn, the couple at the center of the earth shattering story that’s captivated the nation. Whether you know them from their book, Victim F. or the explosive Netflix Documentary “American Nightmare,” what you think you know about their story and the bizarre elements of this case is just the tip of the iceberg. 🎟 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 girls and the ginger return with another episode of Killing Time! Don those tin foil hats because this week Alexis has uncovered some very bizarre information regarding the alleged time traveling capability of a certain recent US president and his family. Hoo boy. Even for me (hi it’s Jared) this is a lot to process. Also! The introduction of a brand new segment: Cringe Confessions! 🎟 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 27, 1990, a 19-year-old man is shot and his body concealed inside a commercial freezer at his workplace in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The killer steals cash from the register and flees the scene. The investigation drags on, much to the frustration and distress of not only the victim's family and friends, but the local community which is shaken in the aftermath of the seemingly random and brutal killing. But soon, the much-needed breakthrough comes thanks to the killer’s conscience, who reveals to law enforcement it was a catastrophic case of robbery gone wrong. In episode 286, Jac and Alexis detail the tragic case of Greg Hunter, his death at the hands of Richard James Yarger, and how, when someone is intent on selfish and desperate action, sometimes a dreadful collision of malevolence and circumstances result in the senseless loss of innocent and promising young life. 🎟 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’RE BACK! Did you miss us? Killing Time returns today, and the gang is back in the studio! Two girls, one ginger, here yet again with more half-facts than ever! Couple new segments today: Straight to Jail and Down the Rabbit Hole. Join 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

On July 16, 2011, a 54-year-old man and his 47-year-old wife are bludgeoned to death at their home in Port St Lucie, Florida. The community is shocked beyond belief. The couple, who have been married for 25 years, leave behind a shell-shocked and heartbroken family, including two sons, who are left questioning the motivation for such an incomprehensible attack. When the perpetrator is identified, and their rationale for committing such a brutal double murder, those close to the victims are left wondering whether anything could have really stopped such a monstrous act. In episode 285, Jac and Alexis detail the disturbing case of Blake Hadley and his wife Mary-Jo, and how, when someone appears intent on heading down a certain path, sometimes no possible intervention can ever really prevent a person from making the most horrifying decision any of us could ever imagine. 🎟 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 a usually quiet neighborhood in Bakersfield, California, a family of five was murdered in their home on a sleepy Sunday afternoon. At first, police thought a random intruder could be responsible, but then, to the community’s surprise, detectives reveal this murder was not a random killing. Instead, it involved a suspect in another state, a history of abuse allegations and a connection much closer to home. 🎟 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 Halloween, 2005, a 25-year-old woman disappears in Two Rivers, Wisconsin. Almost a week later, search parties find her Toyota RAV4 concealed in a salvage yard business where the young woman was last headed for a work assignment. Utimately, the property owner and his young nephew are convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison. 10 years later, the documentary series ‘Making A Murderer’ raised serious questions about the men’s guilt, including allegations of police corruption in framing at least one of the killers, who had previously been previously wrongfully convicted. The much-lauded series went on to win awards for what many were led to believe was a balanced presentation of all the facts. But the filmmakers had in fact omitted key evidence contradicting their narrative. In episode 284, Jac and Alexis detail the tragic murder of Teresa Halbach at the hands of Steven Avery and Brendan Dassey, and how the fallout of exposing unethical media practices proves that consumers of true crime content should always be thinking critically. 🎟 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

A note for our listeners: The New Year means a brand spankin’ new Killing Time. Don’t worry, we’re not leaving you hanging while we revamp our Thursday episodes. We’re dropping some of our favorite Patreon shows in the feed in the meantime. If you like what you hear join us over there. If not, hang tight, Killing Time will be back before you know it. A young girl vanishes on her way to the bus stop. Two months later, the best friend of the missing girl vanishes under identical circumstances. There’s no doubt about it, the cases are linked, but it takes the investigators months to uncover the cruel truth of what happened to them - revealing the dark family history of the perpetrator. 🎟 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 29, 2021, police respond to a 911 call from a home in Peoria, Arizona. Inside the residence, they find a 33-year-old nurse unresponsive on the floor of the bedroom, her estranged husband frantically attempting CPR, and his mother also present. He tells first responders the couple had been out drinking earlier in the evening, and his wife stopped breathing after being put in the shower. It all appears to be a terrible case of accidental death for the mother of two. But when paramedics observe injuries to the victim inconsistent with her husband’s account, things start to unravel, and law enforcement learns that all was not well within the couple’s marriage. In episode 283, Jac and Alexis detail the tragic mysterious death of Leanne Irene Davidson, the questions that linger around the circumstances, and why Leanne’s loved ones are not giving up until they find justice. 🎟 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

A note for our listeners: The New Year means a brand spankin’ new Killing Time. Don’t worry, we’re not leaving you hanging while we revamp our Thursday episodes. We’re dropping some of our favorite Patreon shows in the feed in the meantime. If you like what you hear join us over there. If not, hang tight, Killing Time will be back before you know it. A college student goes on her dinner break in Santa Clara, California. As she walks to her car, a mysterious man attacks the 19-year-old and drives off with her. Decades went by and many gave up hope that the ice cold case would ever be solved. Until a new revelation connects her death to a known serial killer along with a list of other victims. 🎟 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 December 13, 1990, 27-year-old Kimberly Kaye “Kim” Wallace travels to her estranged husband 62-year-old Dr. Jack Ray Wallace’s home in Cobb County, Georgia to grab Christmas decorations. She is never seen alive again. Hours later, a small airplane lands 300 miles to the south near the Okefenokee Swamp. Those piloting the Cessna 172 aircraft did not turn on the radio-activated runway lights while landing, and an onlooker calls the authorities. When the officers arrive, they find Kim’s nude body on board the plane stuffed into a large, black toolbox with a plastic bag tied over her head. Piloting the plane is Dr. Wallace’s divorce attorney, 53-year-old Michael Glean, and his former neighbor, 43-year-old Frederick Steven Speas. Both men, along with Dr. Wallace and a fourth co-conspirator, are arrested, charged, and tried for orchestrating Kim’s murder. In episode 282, Jac and Alexis reveal how an elaborate murder-for-hire plot unraveled through sheer chance. 🎟 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

A note for our listeners: The New Year means a brand spankin’ new Killing Time. Don’t worry, we’re not leaving you hanging while we revamp our Thursday episodes. We’re dropping some of our favorite Patreon shows in the feed in the meantime. If you like what you hear join us over there. If not, hang tight, Killing Time will be back before you know it. A student murder becomes the center of speculation at Hofstra University in New York. The sophomore was missing from campus for three weeks. The case had hit a standstill. But investigators found out that was because the killer was burying their tracks across Long Island. 🎟 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 Sunday, November 13, 2016, Pat Comunale worries about his son, 26-year-old Joey Comunale. Joey was supposed to arrive at his father’s house to watch football, but he never shows up. After a brief investigation, investigators discover that Joey has been brutally murdered by either 25-year-old Jimmy Rackover, 28-year-old Larry Dilione, or both. Jimmy and Larry, both affluent men with powerful friends, met Joey at a late night after party held in Jimmy’s New York City luxury apartment. Following a drug-fueled argument, Joey was brutally beaten and stabbed to death. After failing to dismember Joey’s body in Jimmy’s bathtub, Larry and Jimmy push Joey out of Jimmy’s penthouse’s fourth floor window onto the busy Manhattan sidewalk. To this day, Larry claims Jimmy dealt the final blow to Joey, while Jimmy claims the opposite. In episode 281, Alexis unravels the complicated politics, scandals, and accusations that shroud Joey Comunale’s murder in mystery. 🎟 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 the girls and the ginger ring in the new year with a good ol’ fashioned Q&A! We polled our firsties and then proceeded to offer some slightly solicited advice! Take it at your own risk! On the stand today: Sub-tweets, Trader Joe’s potstickers, and broccoli cheddar soup! Happy New Year! 🎟 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 Friday, September 17, 1971, 10-year-old Pamela Kay Wills returns from Boyd Elementary School to her home in northern Jackson, Mississippi. That afternoon, Pamela and her friend, 11-year-old Patricia Ann Mizell, spend time together at Pamela’s house. The two girls tell Pamela’s father that they are going to walk the two-block journey to a nearby department store. Hours later, the Jackson Police Department is notified that Pamela and Patricia are missing. The ensuing investigation reveals little new information. It’s unclear if that’s due to a particularly careful child abductor or a lack of effort on behalf of the Jackson Police Department. On February 14th of 1975, two farmers discover the skeletal remains of Pamela and Patricia. They are located in a leafy ravine west of Vicksburg, Mississippi. In episode 280, Jac and Alexis unveil how two young girls vanished off the face of the Earth with zero explanation, few leads, and no evidence leading to their killer. 🎟 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 the girls and the ginger are hanging on by a holiday thread! It’s trash week! The best week of the year for those of us who just want to sit around and do nothing! On the stand today: auto-reply emails, fancy outfits on NYE, and wearing high heels to a house party! Then! We’re getting into some very bizarre traditions, stay tuned! 🎟 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 Christmas Eve, 2016, an 81-year-old woman is shot dead at her family-owned business in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The sudden and senseless slaying had an added layer of heartbreak, as the grocery store owner was a beloved community figure and familiar face known by everyone in the neighborhood. When it emerges that the victim wasn’t the target of the shooting this only adds to the confusion. But law enforcement quickly learns the offender’s likely identity, coming to realise the killing is not just a matter of ‘wrong place, wrong time’, but also sadly a case of payback at any cost. In episode 279, Jac and Alexis detail the devastating murder of Marie Buck at the hands of Maurice Green, and how, when pride and the desire for revenge take hold, it can have tragic consequences that override one’s moral compass in irrevocable ways. 🎟 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 girls and the ginger are back and we’re getting festive yet again! It’s a Christmas episode! Do people even listen to podcasts around the holidays? Who knows! But we’re here to give you some high quality content because you know we always have your back. On the stand today: Food gifts, Matching xmas PJ’s, and adult Christmas lists. Then! A worstie gets a surprisingly stinky present! 🎟 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

Alexis and Jac conclude with the second installment of the coverage on the case of Wilbur and Wilma Williams. 🎟 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 the girls and the ginger return for some sort of necklace personality quiz designed by none other than our emo queen Jacquelene. Come find out which early 2000’s neckwear you are! On the stand this week: Viral symbolic items, gravy, referring to yourself in third person, and cereal! Then, a surprise ending you’re gonna want to stick around for! It’s Killing Time! 🎟 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 Tuesday, August 3, 1999, 14-year-old identical twin brothers Donell and Ronell Williams break into a house in Wyandotte County, Kansas City, Kansas. They steal numerous items, including a handgun and ammunition. Later that day, the brothers are wandering their neighborhood aimlessly with the stolen pistol and live rounds in their possession. By chance, Ronell and Donell spot 79-year-old Wilbur John Williams (no relation) walking toward his mailbox. Shortly after, Ronell holds Wilbur and his wife, 73-year-old Wilma Faye Williams, at gunpoint in their own home while Donell steals their valuables. Afterward, as Donell readies the getaway car, Ronell shoots and kills both Wilbur and Wilma. He leaves as the elderly couple lay dying. Then, corruption in the Kansas City Police Department brings up questions. In episode 277, Jac and Alexis detail the atrocities caused by two teens’ unthinkable decisions and the far-reaching impact their crimes continue to have on the lives of others. 🎟 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 the girls and the ginger are back with a big time full-fact! Did you know the origin of the Michelin star rating system? We didn’t, but today we’re breaking it down, and it’s making us hungry! Then, we’re getting into some low IQ crimes. On the stand today: Removable sports bra padding, birthday instagram posts, and dessert dips! And finally, a Worstie with a sizable smackdown! 🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full video episodes over on Patreon: patreon.com/thefirstdegree ❤️ The Heavy Metal Project: theheavymetalproject.com 📸 Instagram: instagram.com/thefirstdegree 🕺 TikTok: tiktok.com/@thefirstdegreee 👤 Facebook: facebook.com/thefirstdegree ⚖️ On the Stand: (818) 446-6889 💩 Worst Thing You’ve Ever Done: (818) 446-6889 🤝 Advice: [email protected] 🎟 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 second installment of Alexis and Jac’s two part episode covering the Murdaugh Murders, featuring interviews with Mandy Matney and Carolyn Murnick, authors of “Blood on Their Hands.” 🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full video episodes over on Patreon: patreon.com/thefirstdegree ❤️ The Heavy Metal Project: theheavymetalproject.com 📸 Instagram: instagram.com/thefirstdegree 🕺 TikTok: tiktok.com/@thefirstdegreee 👤 Facebook: facebook.com/thefirstdegree ⚖️ On the Stand: (818) 446-6889 💩 Worst Thing You’ve Ever Done: (818) 446-6889 🤝 Advice: [email protected] 🎟 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

Hello Firsties! We’re back again for another week of Killing Time! We’re talking about Catherine the Great! A woman of great power and an even greater body count! She also had some wild chairs, but we’ll get into that later. On the stand today: moaning at a massage, Taco Bell, pickle ball, and new movies being pulled from theaters too early. Then, a worstie returns some soiled shorts! 🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full video episodes over on Patreon: patreon.com/thefirstdegree ❤️ The Heavy Metal Project: theheavymetalproject.com 📸 Instagram: instagram.com/thefirstdegree 🕺 TikTok: tiktok.com/@thefirstdegreee 👤 Facebook: facebook.com/thefirstdegree ⚖️ On the Stand: (818) 446-6889 💩 Worst Thing You’ve Ever Done: (818) 446-6889 🤝 Advice: [email protected] 🎟 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 February 24, 2019, a 19-year-old woman and her friends are on a private boat ride in the very early hours of the morning near Beaufort, South Carolina. The carefree night turns ugly when the 19-year-old skipper crashes the boat into a bridge, killing the young woman. The saga that follows is something, few people could have predicted. Two more people close to the case end up losing their lives in a brutal double slaying, before other previous deaths in the community soon become linked to a prominent local family at the center of the investigation. In episode 275, Jac and Alexis detail the tragic deaths of Gloria Satterfield, Stephen Smith, and Mallory Beach, followed by the shocking murders of Paul Murdaugh and his mother Maggie, the latter two orchestrated by their husband and father, local attorney Alex. This is a story about how all the power, prestige, and privilege in the world don’t make us untouchable when it comes to the law, and what happens when someone is brought to account by those whose job it is to expose the truth, no matter the risk. 🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full video episodes over on Patreon: patreon.com/thefirstdegree ❤️ The Heavy Metal Project: theheavymetalproject.com 📸 Instagram: instagram.com/thefirstdegree 🕺 TikTok: tiktok.com/@thefirstdegreee 👤 Facebook: facebook.com/thefirstdegree ⚖️ On the Stand: (818) 446-6889 💩 Worst Thing You’ve Ever Done: (818) 446-6889 🤝 Advice: [email protected] 🎟 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 girls and the ginger return for a Thanksgiving episode STUFFED with all kinds of convo to distract you from the horrors of family gatherings! On the stand this week: overusing the word “perfect”, voice messages, catching up after a happy birthday text, and a quick revisit to EGG NOG! Then it’s on to Thanksgiving Day crimes! And finally, a Worstie skips school! 🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full video episodes over on Patreon: patreon.com/thefirstdegree ❤️ The Heavy Metal Project: theheavymetalproject.com 📸 Instagram: instagram.com/thefirstdegree 🕺 TikTok: tiktok.com/@thefirstdegreee 👤 Facebook: facebook.com/thefirstdegree ⚖️ On the Stand: (818) 446-6889 💩 Worst Thing You’ve Ever Done: (818) 446-6889 🤝 Advice: [email protected] 🎟 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 November 4, 2021, a 32-year-old woman and her 7 year old daughter are riding along as passengers with the woman’s 32-year-old boyfriend in his Honda Civic, along the I-26 in Charleston, South Carolina. Suddenly, their evening takes a turn when their vehicle accidentally has a minor collision with another. The Honda drives away, but a 24-year-old man witnesses the hit and run. He calls 911 but then pursues in his Mazda. After both vehicles turn off the highway, the Honda collides with the Mazda three times. Without warning, the Mazda driver fires a gun at the passenger side of the Honda several times, killing the woman inside and destroying multiple lives forever. In episode 274, Jac and Alexis detail the devastating death of Christina Colon, resulting from the actions of her boyfriend Austin Blayne Faltermeier and Parker Norman Gour, and the tragic story of how a split-second decision inflicts life-altering consequences you can’t come back from. 🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full video episodes over on Patreon: patreon.com/thefirstdegree ❤️ The Heavy Metal Project: theheavymetalproject.com 📸 Instagram: instagram.com/thefirstdegree 🕺 TikTok: tiktok.com/@thefirstdegreee 👤 Facebook: facebook.com/thefirstdegree ⚖️ On the Stand: (818) 446-6889 💩 Worst Thing You’ve Ever Done: (818) 446-6889 🤝 Advice: [email protected] 🎟 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 girls and the ginger are back yet again for another week of Killing Time! Today, Jac has brought a Twilight presentation. We didn’t ask for this, but here we are. On the stand: bagel to cream cheese ratios, wheat bread, unsalted butter, and big pumpkin! 🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full video episodes over on Patreon: patreon.com/thefirstdegree ❤️ The Heavy Metal Project: theheavymetalproject.com 📸 Instagram: instagram.com/thefirstdegree 🕺 TikTok: tiktok.com/@thefirstdegreee 👤 Facebook: facebook.com/thefirstdegree ⚖️ On the Stand: (818) 446-6889 💩 Worst Thing You’ve Ever Done: (818) 446-6889 🤝 Advice: [email protected] 🎟 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 6th of 2021, Catholic high school music teacher 45-year-old Joseph Martin “Joe” Heidesch is arrested for multiple counts of sexual exploitation of a child and breach of privacy. Further investigation reveals that, from 2016 to 2021, the choir director secretly filmed his female students changing into their performance outfits in his private office. Court documents revealed that Mr. Heidesch would strongly encourage his female students to use his office to change clothes. He told the girls there was a “‘special lock” on his office door that would make their experience safer. Ultimately, more than 100 young women who attended St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Overland Park, Kansas, are notified that they were victimized by Mr. Heidesch’s crimes. In episode 273, Jac and Alexis unravel how one man’s pedophilia, lies, and exploitation negatively impacted many young women, their families, and the community as a whole. 🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full video episodes over on Patreon: patreon.com/thefirstdegree ❤️ The Heavy Metal Project: theheavymetalproject.com 📸 Instagram: instagram.com/thefirstdegree 🕺 TikTok: tiktok.com/@thefirstdegreee 👤 Facebook: facebook.com/thefirstdegree ⚖️ On the Stand: (818) 446-6889 💩 Worst Thing You’ve Ever Done: (818) 446-6889 🤝 Advice: [email protected] 🎟 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 the girls and the ginger return and things go immediately off the rails. What starts as a casual conversation turns into an entire episode of on the stands! We’re talking all things self-improvement. Do we really need to be our best selves? Are cigarettes part of a healthy organic lifestyle? Is aluminum the key to smelling good? We can’t promise we have the answers, but we definitely have some half-facts for you! 🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full video episodes over on Patreon: patreon.com/thefirstdegree ❤️ The Heavy Metal Project: theheavymetalproject.com 📸 Instagram: instagram.com/thefirstdegree 🕺 TikTok: tiktok.com/@thefirstdegreee 👤 Facebook: facebook.com/thefirstdegree ⚖️ On the Stand: (818) 446-6889 💩 Worst Thing You’ve Ever Done: (818) 446-6889 🤝 Advice: [email protected] 🎟 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 1, 2002, two 16-year-old and 17-year-old young women, total strangers, are each parked with male companions up near a popular lovers' lane in Quartz Hill, California. Suddenly, their night is interrupted when the girls are kidnapped by a felon on the run in need of a getaway vehicle. For the next 12 hours, the girls endure a terrifying ordeal, as finding them safe and well becomes a race against time. But with law enforcement on the trail of the highly publicised kidnapping, it’s only a matter of time before the net closes in on the perpetrator. However, the sensational coverage of the case doesn’t end there. In episode 272, Jac and Alexis detail the shocking kidnap and assault of two young women at the hands of Roy Ratliff, and the incredible story of what happens when victims fight back to reclaim their voices in the aftermath of violent crime. 🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full video episodes over on Patreon: patreon.com/thefirstdegree ❤️ The Heavy Metal Project: theheavymetalproject.com 📸 Instagram: instagram.com/thefirstdegree 🕺 TikTok: tiktok.com/@thefirstdegreee 👤 Facebook: facebook.com/thefirstdegree ⚖️ On the Stand: (818) 446-6889 💩 Worst Thing You’ve Ever Done: (818) 446-6889 🤝 Advice: [email protected] 🎟 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 the girls and the ginger return with a chilled out episode of Killing Time. That’s right, we’re going off the rails this week. 2 Days post-Halloween, and we’re just embracing the hangover. On the stand this week: sleeping while sitting shotgun, knocking on doors at night, small talk while in a hurry, and early flights! Then! A worstie plays the blame game! Also, how is it November? 🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full video episodes over on Patreon: patreon.com/thefirstdegree ❤️ The Heavy Metal Project: theheavymetalproject.com 📸 Instagram: instagram.com/thefirstdegree 🕺 TikTok: tiktok.com/@thefirstdegreee 👤 Facebook: facebook.com/thefirstdegree ⚖️ On the Stand: (818) 446-6889 💩 Worst Thing You’ve Ever Done: (818) 446-6889 🤝 Advice: [email protected] 🎟 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