True Crime Couple

Two screams pierced the silent, unseasonably warm and windy night of October 13, 1997 in Lawrenceville, Illinois. The first, was that of 10 year old Joel Kirkpatrick as he desperately sought help against the person who had entered his room in the black of night and had attacked him with a knife. The second scream was that of his mother’s as she ran to her neighbors house and pounded on their door desperately seeking help. She begged for them to open up. “They’ve got Joel”, she bellowed into the closed door, “They took Joel.”Once the shock of what had happened settled, and the years went on the question that lingered was whether or not the person that hurt Joel was the least likeliest suspect or the dangerous stranger that had rolled into town with that warm wind.Trigger warning: violence against a childSources:https://www.greatnorthinnocenceproject.org/news/bloodstain-pattern-analysis-another-subjective-science-convicting-innocent-people/https://www.heraldtimesonline.com/story/news/2004/06/26/court-overturns-rea-convictio/118184118/https://www.uis.edu/illinoisinnocenceproject/julie-reahttps://nationalpublicdata.com/people/r/julie-rea/tn/martin/pd06p1qslq5zi0nmlilw2zf05nyb8p17/https://www.illinoistimes.com/news/who-killed-joel-11440266/https://www.propublica.org/article/bloodstain-pattern-analysis-jury-wrongful-conviction-acquitted-exoneratedhttps://www.newspapers.com/image/84706396/?terms=Joel%20Kirkpatrickhttps://www.newspapers.com/image/84742918/?match=1&terms=Joel%20Kirkpatrickhttps://www.newspapers.com/image/84769767/?match=1&terms=Joel%20Kirkpatrickhttps://www.newspapers.com/image/84769827/?terms=Joel%20Kirkpatrickhttps://www.illinoistimes.com/news/who-killed-joel-11440266/https://www.facebook.com/ABC2020/videos/julie-rea-recalls-what-happened-night-her-son-was-killed-2020-goodnight-mother/854470515223652/https://wwws.law.northwestern.edu/legalclinic/wrongfulconvictions/documents/nulawreporterwparticle.pdfThrough the Window: The Terrifying True Story of Cross-Country Killer Tommy Lynn Sells by Diane Fanning

In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, guilt does not stay buried. It festers beneath crowns and costumes, slipping through rehearsed smiles and whispered prayers. A kingdom rots from the inside, not because of the murder alone, but because of the secret that follows it, heavy and impossible to silence. “O, my offence is rank,” King Claudius confesses, discovering that even a throne cannot shield a poisoned conscience. In the bedroom of a teenager, centuries later, those same words would land a little too close to home.In this case we will explore a modern tragedy shaped by Shakespearean shadows: ambition without a crown, desperation without a dagger, and a confession that would echo far beyond the pages of a play. Because sometimes the most dangerous poison isn’t poured into a cup, it’s carried in the heart, waiting for its moment to speak.Sourceshttps://www.texasmonthly.com/true-crime/poisoning-daddy/https://www.folger.edu/explore/shakespeares-works/hamlet/read/3/3/https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/US/en/product/sigald/243671https://www.newspapers.com/image/644815133/?terms=Marie%20Robardshttps://www.newspapers.com/image/823666883/?match=1&terms=Marie%20Robardshttps://www.newspapers.com/image/644815129/?match=1&terms=Marie%20Robardshttps://www.newspapers.com/image/646308983/?match=1&terms=Marie%20Robards

In today’s case a similar situation to the one we covered in Episode 224 arose in central Florida in the Spring of 2011, but this time with a 21st century twist. The teens exhibited the same type of behavior we saw in 1965 in Tucson but this time social media was present to fan the flames of an all too familiar fire caused by jealous, and hierarchical, high-conformity behavior…and just like last time someone would lose their life. Join me as I tell John the case of Seath Jackson. SponsorsFactor Mealsfactormeals.com/truecrimecouple50off and use code truecrimecouple50off to get 50 percent off and free breakfast for a yearNOCDGo to NOCD.com to schedule a free 15-minute call with their team and find out more about how they can help.Sources:https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1557636/#:~:text=Rather%20than%20a%20sense%20of,Steinberg%20&%20Silverberg%2C%201986).https://psychcentral.com/lib/click-or-clique-positive-and-negative-teen-social-groups#:~:text=Members%20are%20discouraged%20from%20being,are%20valued%20for%20their%20individuality.&text=Natural%20leaders%20may%20emerge%20but,t%20find%20mutually%20trusting%20relationships.https://www.marionschools.net/parents__students__and_community/parents/Student_Enrollment/your_zoned_schoolhttps://www.circuit5.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/soto-sentencing-5-30-12.pdfhttps://www.ocala.com/story/news/crime/2012/09/05/man-charged-as-accessory-in-seath-murder-case-ruled-incompetent/64312725007/https://pubapps.fdc.myflorida.com/offenderSearch/detail.aspx?Page=Detail&DCNumber=U46099&TypeSearch=AIhttps://www.ocala.com/story/news/crime/2018/03/20/guilty-plea-to-accessory-in-murder-of-seath-jackson/12948232007/https://www.ocala.com/story/news/crime/2020/06/17/charlie-ely-wins-freedom/42153993/https://www.gainesville.com/story/news/2011/04/21/facebook-posts-show-troubled-relationship-before-murder/64298523007/https://www.gainesville.com/story/news/state/2016/02/23/amber-wright-sentenced-to-life-in-prison-a-second-time-for-summerfield-murder/31892000007/https://caselaw.findlaw.com/court/fl-supreme-court/1866390.html#footnote_ref_2"Seath Jackson - Sleeping With a Killer (Season 1, Episode 12)". Apple TV. 2021. Retrieved February, 2026.

By the summer of 1965 three teenage girls had gone missing from Tucson, AZ. When the truth would finally come to light the members of the community would be forced to question everything they knew to be true…and also what their children had been up to.Join me as I tell John the cases of Alleen Rowe and Gretchen and Wendy Fritz. Patreon.com/truecrimecoupleSponsors:NOCDIf you're struggling with OCD or unrelenting intrusive thoughts, NOCD can help. Book a free 15 minute call to get started:https://learn.nocd.com/TCCSources:https://altsclass.weebly.com/uploads/3/8/8/0/38808759/lifemagazinepiedpiper.doc.pdfhttps://tucson.com/morguetales/article_db508906-e3de-11df-af58-001cc4c002e0.htmlhttps://tucson.com/morguetales/article_0826e27c-e245-11df-b65f-001cc4c03286.htmlhttps://www.findagrave.com/memorial/166810356/james_mcilroy-fritz#view-photo=162428330https://law.justia.com/cases/arizona/supreme-court/1973/1720-0.htmlNewspapers.com Access to the Daily News,Arizona Daily Star, and the Los Angeles Times from 1966-182

The city of Austin found itself in a predicament in late 1988. A horrific crime was committed against a young mother in broad daylight, in a well known establishment on a busy street. The unsolved crime would largely impact the city’s reputation for having the lowest crime rate of all of Texas’s great cities…so it was time to solve the murder of Nancy DePriest, let’s see how they did it.Instagram: TruecrimecouplePatreon.com/truecrimecouple | Join for ad free episodes and two bonus episodes a month!Sponsors:True Crime Society PodcastSources:https://exonerationregistry.org/cases/10386https://law.justia.com/cases/texas/third-court-of-appeals/1991/4881.htmlhttps://www.newspapers.com/image/649638052/?match=1&terms=nancy%20depriesthttps://www.newspapers.com/image/364054228/?match=1&terms=nancy%20depriesthttps://www.newspapers.com/image/363966719/?match=1&terms=nancy%20depriesthttps://www.facebook.com/groups/742034912983989/posts/2019627575224710/https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/hector-polanco-andre-causey-false-confessions/https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/burden/innocents/danziger.htmlhttps://www.themarshallproject.org/2017/03/09/facing-her-daughter-s-killer-at-lasthttps://www.justice.gov/archives/dag/file/877741/dl?inline=#:~:text=Forensic%20hair%20examiners%20generally%20recognize,Forensic%20Examination%20ofhttps://nij.ojp.gov/nij-hosted-online-training-courses/crime-scene-and-dna-basics-forensic-analysts/history-and-types-forensic-dna-testing/polymerase-chain-reaction-pcr/dq-alphahttps://www.kvue.com/article/news/crime/true-crime/austin-police-hector-polanco-yogurt-shop-murders/269-160c495f-9212-420c-ad47-edf02bea3d5ahttps://law.wisc.edu/fjr/clinicals/ip/https://innocenceproject.org/about/#:~:text=We've%20helped%20free%20more,and%20advance%20the%20innocence%20movement.https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2006-jun-21-me-confess21-story.htmlhttps://www.findagrave.com/memorial/261908704/richard_edward-danziger

On Halloween night of 1992 something happened that divided the small farming town of Kipling, Saskatchewan. A young single mother accused the town’s well respected doctor of sexual assault while under his care. Wanting to save his reputation, the doctor took a blood test to prove his DNA was not a match for the samples found during the performance of a sexual assault exam. It was not a match. Despite this, Candice, the accuser, was adamant about what had happened. Join me as I tell John about the case of the ‘Good Doctor’.Sponsors:MasterclassMasterclass.com/tcc to get an additional 15% off any annual membershipSources:https://www.newspapers.com/image/497356653/?terms=john%20schneebergerhttps://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/the-endless-nightmare-of-lisa-dillman/article761440/https://forensictales.com/case-of-dr-john-schneeberger/https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/drugs/19616-midazolam-injectionhttps://www.iflscience.com/a-doctor-cheated-dna-tests-by-implanting-somebody-elses-blood-into-his-arm-59380https://www.newspapers.com/image/496716610/?match=1&terms=john%20schneebergerForensic Files Interviews Season8, Episode 8

In today's case we have an entire family at the center of our story and theirs is one of love, good times, and wealth but when the good times stop rolling tragedy strikes. Join me as I tell John the case of the Grossman/Jenkins Family.Sponsors:QuinceQuince.com/crimecoupleSources:https://www.newspapers.com/image-view/575629657/?match=1&terms=george%20jenkinshttps://www.socialaw.com/services/slip-opinions/slip-opinion-details/commonwealth-vs.-joshua-y.-jenkinshttps://drive.google.com/file/d/13g5GyHJibNFmwlo1004jfIiTX7F6ZXeq/viewhttps://www.vistadelmarhospital.com/programs/adolescenthttps://www.newspapers.com/image-view/575629657/?match=1&terms=george%20jenkinshttps://lasvegassun.com/news/1996/feb/27/police-say-teen-plotted-slaying/

The Ewell family celebrated Easter weekend together at their beach house in Pajaro Dunes, CA. They spent those days together playing tennis and walking on the beach, their vacation home echoing with warmth and familiarity. The family of four had no clue that those beautiful moments they shared that weekend would be their last. Back at their home in Fresno someone waited, silent, patient, and merciless for them to return. Late that Sunday afternoon, as they stepped inside, they were murdered one by one.Because things are so hectic we decided to release a patreon episode into our regular feed (this was patreon episode 150 released in the fall just after John had missed an episode the week before). Don't worry we cleared it with our AMAZING patreon subscribers first! We also think its a great way to show you what is available on our patreon feed twice a month for just $5! Please enjoy!

On December 11, 1974 Patricia Ann Ross had a hot date, or at least one that she hoped would be. Unfortunately, she would never find out because as she got ready to go out that night she was brutally attacked in her apartment. Join me as I tell John the case of Annie Greenthings.Sponsors:QuinceQuince.com/CRIMECOUPLE for free shipping on your order and 365-day returnsUncommon GoodsUncommongoods.com/tcc for 15% off! Sources:https://behindthebadge.com/anatomy-cold-case-40-years-la-palma-police-believe-killer/https://lizjin.medium.com/victims-dog-helps-solve-city-s-oldest-cold-case-a0c0c1317a96https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-prison-sentence-oc-killing-20180507-story.htmlAccess to archived articles from the LA Times, Press Telegram, Daily News-Post, Anaheim Bulletin through Newspapers.com

In 1995, the Campbellton Road neighborhood of southwest Atlanta was rocked by the brutal murder of 14 year old Nacole Smith. The crime would haunt the community for decades. Nearly ten years later, a young girl in nearby East Point survived a horrific attack with unsettling echoes of Nacole’s case. Join me as I tell John the heartbreaking cases of Nacole Smith and Betty Brown and we explore the parallel stories of two young victims, the forensics that tied their experiences together, and the long, painful wait for the truth. Sponsors: Uncommon Goods Uncommongoods.com/tcc for 15% off Sources: https://www.disastercenter.com/georgia/crime/2726.htm https://www.atlantapublicschools.us/page/832 https://www.newspapers.com/image/799530544/?match=1&terms=Nacole%20SMith https://www.aetv.com/real-crime/atlanta-nicole-smith https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/30/us/atlanta-child-murders.html https://www.ajc.com/news/local/years-later-year-old-brutal-killing-remains-unsolved/jBg57t8HJscJGpObfClDQL/ Newspapers.com Accessed archived articles from the Atlanta Journal Constitution, Atlanta Daily World, Atlanta Voice, and the Fulton COunty Daily Report from 1995-2022 Cold Case Files: a Fatal Path https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlHQTDFNufg

On December 7, 2003, 13-year-old Daniel Morcombe decided to spend his Sunday shopping at the Sunshine Plaza, hoping to find Christmas gifts for his family. To get there, he would need to take a 20-minute bus ride. As he waited for the bus, unaware that it had broken down, Daniel could never have imagined that a predator was lurking nearby, ready to take advantage of his unfortunate situation.Warning: This episode includes violence against children. A warning before this is discussed is provided within the show. Uncommongoods.com/tcc for 15% offSources:Kiels Mountain Road Underpasshttps://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/10-years-later-the-life-and-death-of-daniel-morcombe/news-story/9f19aadc0645ea907316d2816e9b752dhttps://archive.sclqld.org.au/qjudgment/2013/QSC13-337.pdfhttps://archive.sclqld.org.au/qjudgment/2015/QCA15-087.pdfConfession Videohttps://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/act-2003-040https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/prisoner-who-tortured-daniel-morcombes-killer-said-he-had-it-coming/0b69o2v2hhttps://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-12-01/child-killer-laws/100665802https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/daniel-morcombe-murder-trial-brett-peter-cowans-second-confession-shown-in-court-20140227-33md8.htmlCrime Investigation Australia

Join us for our ninth installment of listener stories!

On the morning of January 16, 2014 a man was found yelling out for help on the sidewalk outside of his home in Walsenburg, CO. He had a traumatic brain injury and his wife had been murdered. After looking into the couple's family history the Colorado Bureau of Investigation discovered there were many possible suspects both within the family and out.Patreon.com/truecrimecoupleSponsors:QuinceQuince.com/crimecouple for free shipping and a 365-day returnSources:https://worldjournalnewspaper.com/tag/ralph-candelario/Newspapers.com Access

On September 8, 1978 15 year old Raynham, MA resident, Mary Lou Arruda, was kidnapped while riding her bike to her friends house on the first friday of the new school year. Could her disappearance have had something to do with the fact that she grew up in the middle of what paranormal psychologists had coined the Bridgewater Triangle? Could it have been the work of the satanic cult who practiced their rituals in the Freetown State forest, or had the devil himself rode into town? Join me as I tell John the case of Mary Lou Arruda. Patreon.com/truecrimecoupleJoin to get ad free episodes and two full-length bonus episodes a month!SponsorsIQBARIQBAR is offering our special podcast listeners 20% off all IQBAR products—including the sampler pack—plus FREE shipping. To get your twenty percent off, text TCC to 64-000. See terms for details.Sources:https://caselaw.findlaw.com/court/ma-supreme-judicial-court/1038292.htmlhttps://www.wickedlocal.com/story/journal-news-independent/2016/01/26/no-tears-in-raynham-on/987501007/https://www.silvafuneralhome.com/obituaries/joanne-arrudahttps://www.enterprisenews.com/story/news/crime/2016/01/31/steve-damish-time-to-delete/32590506007/https://lailasnews.com/international/mary-lou-arruda-death-obituary-how-james-kater-death-happened/https://www.wickedlocal.com/story/journal-news-independent/2016/02/01/decades-later-arruda-case-looms/32587202007/https://www.patriotledger.com/picture-gallery/entertainment/2020/10/28/enter-the-bridgewater-triangle-if/581946007/https://law.justia.com/cases/massachusetts/supreme-court/1983/388-mass-519-2.html#:~:text=*522%20On%20November%2011%2C%201978,afternoon%20of%20September%208%2C%201978.Articles from the Boston Globe from 1978-2002 accessed via Newspapers.com

Crime doesn’t take a day off. And neither does Crime House Daily. Hosted by self-defense instructor and advocate for victims, Katie Ring, Crime House Daily is coming to you twice every weekday, covering the biggest crime stories as they unfold. Morning episodes give you the need-to-know. The latest headlines, breaking developments, andwhere things are going next. Evening episodes go deeper. Into the people, the evidence, and the moments that matter most. The pursuit of justice never stops. And with Crime House Daily, you won’t have to either.Follow Crime House Daily on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or listen here: https://link.podtrac.com/swmkd35w

In August of 2003 Sonya Ivanoff went missing after parting ways with her best friend and roommate. Within hours of being reported missing her body was found in a remote old mining road in Nome, Alaska. Police were shocked by the lack of evidence at the scene. It made them wonder if their killer had done this before…NOTE: In the show I used the term Native American, however, it has been brought to my attention that this is the incorrect terminology. Rather I should have used the term Alaska Native when referencing Sonya Ivanoff and other peoples indigenous to Alaska. I apologize. Patreon.com/truecrimecoupleSponsors:IQ BarText TCC to 64000 to get twenty percent off all IQBAR products, plus FREE shipping.Message and data rates may apply.Sources:https://law.justia.com/cases/alaska/court-of-appeals/2021/a-13016.htmlhttps://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Ivanoff-24https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/rural-alaska/2018/08/23/from-2003-nome-police-must-work-to-regain-trust-after-officer-charged-with-murder/https://www.oxygen.com/dateline-unforgettable/crime-news/alaska-officer-matt-owens-convicted-murder-sonya-ivanoffhttps://www.newspapers.com/image/579071706/?match=1&terms=sonya%20ivanoffhttps://www.newspapers.com/image/1061988740/?match=1&terms=sonya%20ivanoffhttps://www.newspapers.com/image/1061933416/?match=1&terms=sonya%20ivanoffhttps://www.newspapers.com/image/1137349180/?match=1&terms=sonya%20ivanoff‘

In the sleepy Fort Worth enclave of River Oaks football, like in all Texas towns, was king. The energy surrounding Friday nights under the stadium lights was electric. Football wasn’t just a game, it was a way of life. The players were hometown heroes, the cheerleaders their shining counterparts, and together they stood at the center of the community’s pride. To many, they were untouchable teenage gods living out through their glory years. But when whispers of fear began to spread, that illusion of safety cracked. Someone out there was watching the cheerleaders. Hunting them. One by one, the girls who had once been celebrated as the town’s brightest stars would become targets in a chilling game of obsession that would end in blood. What seemed like the plot in the newest slasher film quickly became the reality for the students of Castleberry High School in 1981.Sources:https://www.cbsnews.com/news/dangerous-reunion/Murder Under the Friday Night Lights, Season 1 Episode 1 https://www.khou.com/article/news/local/convict-to-return-to-prison-for-jailhouse-romance/285-342720631https://law.justia.com/cases/texas/second-court-of-appeals/2010/21828.htmlhttps://caselaw.findlaw.com/court/tx-court-of-appeals/1410329.htmlhttps://www.tuko.co.ke/facts-lifehacks/celebrity-biographies/485957-where-wesley-miller-today-retha-strattons-prison-sentence/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/dangerous-reunion/Newspapers.com