EP44: Denise Amber Lee - The 911 Calls

In 1997, Christina Marie Riggs, a single mother from Arkansas, made a decision that would shock the nation. Struggling with depression and financial hardship, she convinced herself that there was only one way out—for her and her children. What followed was an unspeakable tragedy that left her two innocent children dead and a community searching for answers.In this Early Release episode, available exclusively to our Apple and Patreon subscribers, we take a deep dive into the heartbreaking case of Christina Riggs—what led her to commit the unthinkable, her shocking confession, and the legal battle that ended with her becoming the first woman executed in Arkansas in over 150 years.🎧 Listen now before the episode is released to the public.Content Warning: This episode contains discussions of filicide, mental illness, and execution. Listener discretion is strongly advised.

13 Mar 41min

Ricky “Coolie” Gray, his nephew, Ray “Lucky” Dandridge, and Ashley Baskerville (Ricky’s girlfriend) were cruising the streets of Richmond in Ricky’s van during the mid-morning of January 1, 2006 "looking for a house to rob" when they ended up in the middle-class neighborhood of Woodland Heights. By the time they were caught, 7 people were dead, and one was beaten so badly, he'd never use his right arm again.SOURCES:1) Court Records2) House of Freaks Singer Murdered3) Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: Stepfather didn't trust Gray4) Fox News: Jury Weighing Execution for Killer of Richmond Family Hears Testimony of Violence5) CBS6: Friday Morning Blog - Arlington Attack Testimony6) Death Penalty Information Center: Independent Pathologist Says Autopsy Reveals Problems With Virginia’s Execution of Ricky Gray7) Richmond.com: Dandridge Gets Three Life Sentences8) CourtTV Crime Library: Tucker/Baskerville Family Murders--"She Never Really Had a Life..."9) inRich.com: Dandridge pleads guilty; sentenced to life without parole10) Fredericksburg.com: Culpeper indicts Gray Man convicted of Richmond murders charged in slaying of Sheryl Ann Embrey.11) StarExponent.com: Not guilty plea from convicted killer Gray12) TimesDispatch.com: Execution date set for Harvey family killer but appeal likely13) CBS6: Supreme Court will not hear appeal of Harvey family killer Ricky Gray13: CBS6: Richmond killer should not endure ‘chemical torture’ lawyers argue14: CNN: Virginia executes convicted family killer Ricky Gray

27 Feb 38min

A small Pennsylvania town was forever changed on Halloween night in 1992 when 11-year-old Shauna Howe vanished while walking home from a Girl Scout event. Days later, her body was found beneath a railroad bridge, sending shockwaves through the tight-knit community of Oil City. The investigation spanned more than a decade, filled with dead ends, false leads, and unanswered questions—until the truth finally came to light.In this early release episode, available exclusively to our Apple and Patreon subscribers, we unravel the haunting details of Shauna Howe's murder, the community’s decades-long search for justice, and the dark secrets that were hiding in plain sight.🎧 Listen now—before the episode drops for the public.Content Warning: This episode discusses child abduction, violence, and murder. Listener discretion is advised.

19 Feb 43min

On the morning of May 1, 1990, at around 10:10 PM, Pamela Smart was pulling onto her street to the condo she shared with her husband, Gregg. When she noticed the porch light wasn't on, she sensed something was amiss. After parking her car in the garage, Pamela walked inside and turned on the foyer light. What she saw next shocked her to the core. She saw her twenty-four-year-old husband's body, lying in a pool of his own blood.SOURCES: 1) Inside The Brutal Murder Of Greggory Smart At The Hands Of His Wife’s Underage Lover2) Sex, Lies & Murder: The Pamela Smart Case3) How Pamela Smart Conspired With Her Teen Lover To Kill Her Husband4) Billy Flynn Today: Where Is Pamela Smart’s Teen Lover Now?5) New Hampshire Journal; A Small-Town Drama Of Life, Love and Death

14 Feb 48min

Before he was unmasked as a serial killer, Todd Kohlhepp was a seemingly successful real estate agent with a terrifying secret. We dive into the chilling case of the South Carolina murderer who kept his victims hidden on a secluded property while living a double life in plain sight. From his disturbing past to the shocking moment of his capture, this episode uncovers the twisted mind of a killer who eluded justice for years.Join us as we break down the details, the psychology, and the eerie final confessions of Todd Kohlhepp. But be warned—this story is as unsettling as it gets.

12 Feb 49min

Nubia Barahona was a ten-year-old little girl with blonde hair and hazel eyes who was brutally murdered before she reached her eleventh birthday. Her time on this planet was filled with horrors and abuse so terrible that many people could not even imagine it. Everyone that was put in place to help her ended up letting her down at every turn. Some people did the right thing, but it was just never enough.SOURCES:1) The Misery Machine Podcast--The Case of Nubia Barahona2) Associated Press: Police: Inmates attack man accused in girl’s torture death3) The Murder of Nubia Barahona Wikipedia Page4) NBC Miami: Jorge Barahona, charged in 2011 twin murder-abuse case, incompetent to stand trial5) Find a Grave: Nubia Docter Barahona

29 Jan 41min

On the morning of April 29, 1992, Sidney Reso did what he did almost every morning: he took the long drive down to the end of his driveway to pick up the daily newspaper. However, this morning was different: the husband and father of five never made it to work that morning. Sidney was shot in the arm, bound and gagged, and thrown into the back of a waiting van at his home in Morris Township, New Jersey. Sidney’s kidnappers quickly contacted not only Exxon but Sidney’s wife, Pat. They asked for a notorious amount of money in exchange for the safe return of Sidney: $18.5 million in $100 bills. With a series of complex ransom notes, detectives worked against the clock in an attempt to rescue Sidney.SOURCES:1) YouTube--"Kidnapped: The Story of Sidney Reso"2) The Seattle Times: Mystery: Powerful, Private Man Vanishes -- No Clues In Disappearance Of Key Exxon Executive3) Obituary for Gregory Steve Reso4) Find a Grave: Sidney Reso5) The New York Times: Portrait of 2 Accused of Kidnapping: Ardent, Hapless Pursuit of Affluence6) United States of America v. Arthur Seale 7) The New York Times: Kidnapped Executive Dies After 4 Days in a Locked Wooden Box8) TIME Magazine: Four Days in Hell9) NJ.com: Killer involved in 1992 kidnapping and murder of Exxon executive denied compassionate release

20 Jan 34min

Beneath the surface of a seemingly tight-knit friend group lurked jealousy, deception, and a chilling plot that ended in tragedy. In this episode, we unravel the haunting story of Rachel Burkheimer, a spirited young woman whose life was cut short by those she trusted most. From the petty grudges that festered into violence to the web of lies that unraveled under investigation, this case reveals how quickly friendship can turn deadly.Join us as we dive into the events leading to Rachel’s murder, the twisted motivations behind it, and the aftermath that left a community in shock. Betrayal runs deep, and in this story, it’s fatal.Listener discretion is advised.

16 Jan 35min