"The Crash" Mackenzie Shirilla Commentary & The AI Related Death of Sam Nelson

Timestamps:
(9:02) - Mackenzie / The crash
(29:20) - Matthew Hertgen Update
(34:13) - Sam Nelson
* Note - Timestamps may slightly vary due to dynamic ads

The AI tool ChatGPT is used by over 800 million people per week. In a recent poll, a majority of 13- to 17-year-olds said they use AI chatbots, with 28% saying they use them daily.

Sam Nelson (19) started using ChatGPT when he was in high school. He began initially using it for general questions and homework help.

Over time, it is alleged that Sam began to use the chatbot to get information about taking illicit drugs. In the early morning hours of May 31, 2025, Sam told the chatbot about drugs he had ingested and asked for help with the side effects that he was experiencing. ChatGPT’s last alleged message to Sam was “If you’re still nauseous after an hour, I can help troubleshoot further (Benadryl combo, timing, food intake, etc.). Just let me know your symptoms and how intense the nausea is right now.” Sam’s mother would find him dead in his bedroom hours later.

In May 2026, Sam’s parents filed a lawsuit against OpenAI. They allege wrongful death and the unauthorized practice of medicine. Sam’s family are asking for financial damages and for the court to pause the operation of ChatGPT Health.

In this episode of the True Crime Society Podcast, we discuss the case of Sam Nelson - did AI contribute to his death?

Read our blog for Sam - https://truecrimesocietyblog.com/2026/05/20/did-ai-contribute-to-the-death-of-sam-nelson/

In this episode, we also discuss the case of Mackenzie Shirilla, subject of the new Netflix documentary The Crash. We first covered this case on our podcast in 2023 and we will be re-releasing that episode this week. Be sure to check it out before listening to this episode for context!

Be sure to check the timestamps to get straight to the episode section that you want to listen to.

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