Why Did the FBI Get Involved in a Cruise Ship Death? The Anna Kepner Case

The jury convicted Richard Allen — but the appeal argues they never saw the full picture. They didn’t see the eyewitness sketch rated “10 out of 10” by the witness who helped create it — a sketch that looked nothing like Allen. They didn’t hear expert testimony challenging the reliability of the State’s bullet-matching evidence. They didn’t hear about alternative suspects, unverified alibis, or investigative paths involving ritualistic elements that were explored and then excluded. The jury also never heard audio from Allen’s confinement — only muted video — even as prosecutors described his confessions as “logical and organized.” Timeline evidence that allegedly contradicts the State’s “detail only the killer would know” theory was also kept out. Bob Motta explains what defendants are constitutionally entitled to present, when exclusion of defense evidence becomes reversible error, and whether this trial crossed that line. #DelphiTrial #SuppressedEvidence #WrongfulConvictions #RichardAllen #HiddenKillers #TrueCrimeAnalysis Join Our SubStack For AD-FREE ADVANCE EPISDOES & EXTRAS!: https://hiddenkillers.substack.com/ Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872

5 Jan 18min

Breaking case update: Ashlee Buzzard has been arrested and charged with first-degree murder in the killing of her 9-year-old daughter Melodee Buzzard. The criminal complaint alleges Ashlee shot Melodee multiple times in the head with a 9mm handgun, with special allegations of cruelty, viciousness, and lying in wait. Here's what investigators say happened. On October 7th, Ashlee rented a Chevrolet Malibu and left California with Melodee. Surveillance footage captured both wearing wigs — Melodee in a dark, straight-haired wig that looked nothing like her natural curls. Over three days, the car traveled through Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Wyoming, Nebraska, Kansas, and Colorado. Ashlee allegedly swapped the plates and backed into gas stations to avoid detection. The last confirmed sighting of Melodee was October 9th near the Colorado-Utah border. Ashlee returned home October 10th without her daughter. She refused to explain where Melodee was. For ten weeks, investigators watched Ashlee while building the case — but couldn't arrest her without proof Melodee was dead. That proof came December 6th when a couple found remains in a remote Utah desert. Ballistic evidence matched a shell casing from Ashlee's home. DNA confirmed the body was Melodee. Ashlee was arrested December 23rd, two days before Christmas. She has pleaded not guilty. Prosecutors are seeking life without parole. The murder weapon has not been recovered. No motive has been established. Melodee's paternal grandmother, who hadn't seen her in years, told reporters: "How can you do that to a baby?" #AshleeBuzzard #MelodeeBuzzard #TrueCrimePodcast #CaliforniaCrime #JusticeForMelodee #TrueCrimeAudio #FBI #UtahCrime #Lompoc #HiddenKillers Join Our SubStack For AD-FREE ADVANCE EPISDOES & EXTRAS!: https://hiddenkillers.substack.com/ Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872

5 Jan 18min

Before trial. Presumed innocent. No criminal history. And yet Richard Allen spent over a year in maximum-security solitary confinement — a unit designed for the most dangerous convicted offenders. According to the appeal, Allen entered prison coherent and physically stable. Months later, he was psychotic, severely underweight, eating feces, drinking toilet water, and making confessions while asking if he was already dead. The State of Indiana already knew what prolonged solitary does to mentally ill detainees. They’d been sued. They’d settled. They had a 30-day policy meant to prevent exactly this outcome. Bob Motta breaks down what the State knew, what it allegedly ignored, and how confessions obtained during extreme psychological deterioration raise serious due-process concerns. The discussion also examines constant surveillance, loss of privacy with attorneys, control over basic necessities, and whether these conditions crossed the legal line into coercion. If a confession is produced by isolation, dependency, and mental collapse — can it ever be considered voluntary? #SolitaryConfinement #FalseConfessions #DelphiCase #RichardAllen #DueProcess #HiddenKillers #CriminalJustice Join Our SubStack For AD-FREE ADVANCE EPISDOES & EXTRAS!: https://hiddenkillers.substack.com/ Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872

5 Jan 15min

Sarah Grace Patrick goes to trial January 5th, 2026, charged as an adult with murdering her mother and stepfather. She's seventeen. She's been held without bond since July. Prosecutors have promised mountains of evidence. So what do we actually know heading into trial? Kristin and James Brock were found shot to death in their bed on February 20th, 2025. Their five-year-old daughter discovered the bodies. Sarah called 911. No signs of forced entry. Nothing stolen. One door left ajar. For months after, Sarah posted grief content on TikTok, reached out to true crime creators, and gave a eulogy investigators called suspicious. She allegedly told one content creator the coverage "would be a really big hit." That's the digital evidence that's been made public. What hasn't been disclosed: the murder weapon, a motive, or any physical evidence tying Sarah to the shootings. Her defense says they haven't received full discovery. Her grandfather insists she's innocent. The Brock family says they fear for their lives. Court documents reveal a troubled family history — custody battles, drug allegations, a stepfather on probation for meth offenses, a 2022 accusation that the mother tried to run the stepfather over before they married. And the prosecution's key witness may be a six-year-old child testifying against her own sister. We break down everything publicly known about this case before the trial begins. #SarahGracePatrick #TrueCrime #TrueCrimeToday #CarrollCounty #KristinBrock #JamesBrock #GeorgiaMurder #MurderTrial #CourtTV #TrialWatch Join Our SubStack For AD-FREE ADVANCE EPISODES & EXTRAS!: https://hiddenkillers.substack.com/ ​Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod

5 Jan 21min

Everything in the Delphi case traces back to one document: the probable cause affidavit used to search Richard Allen’s home. According to the appeal, that affidavit didn’t just summarize evidence — it allegedly reshaped it. Defense attorney Bob Motta walks through claims that witness descriptions were altered, contradictions were omitted, and statements were presented to the judge in ways that made Allen appear far more consistent with “Bridge Guy” than the actual record supports. Key eyewitness descriptions that conflicted with Allen’s age, height, hair, and vehicle were left out. Statements allegedly attributed to Allen about his clothing and movements may not match what he actually said in interviews. If those allegations are accurate, the legal consequences are enormous. A misleading affidavit can invalidate a warrant — and if the warrant falls, so does everything that came after it: the gun, the cartridge comparison, the arrest, and potentially the confessions. This conversation breaks down what officers are legally required to disclose in a probable cause affidavit, when omissions become constitutional violations, and why the denial of a Franks hearing is now a central issue on appeal. #DelphiMurders #DelphiAppeal #RichardAllen #ProbableCause #FranksHearing #HiddenKillers #TrueCrimeLaw Join Our SubStack For AD-FREE ADVANCE EPISDOES & EXTRAS!: https://hiddenkillers.substack.com/ Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872

5 Jan 17min

The Devil’s Den tragedy shocked the nation — but the most revealing accounts aren’t found in police reports. They come from the people who lived those first moments: the 911 dispatcher who heard the terror unfold in real time, and an eyewitness who watched the horror play out before authorities arrived. In this exclusive Hidden Killers episode, Tony Brueski takes you inside those raw, frantic first minutes of the double homicide that forever changed a Kentucky community. The dispatcher recounts the moment the call came in — the panic in the caller’s voice, the uncertainty, the split-second decisions that can mean life or death. Her account exposes the confusion, fear, and heroism of a system responding to the unimaginable. The eyewitness adds a second layer to the timeline, describing what she saw, what she felt, and the shock that still lingers. But the episode doesn’t stop there. In the second half, we hear from Katie — a stylist who interacted with alleged killer Andrew McGann multiple times before the murders. Her story reveals the chilling mundanity of evil: the soft-spoken man in a salon chair, the too-curious questions about her daughter, the awkward smiles, the unannounced after-hours visit that didn’t feel overtly threatening… but didn’t feel safe either. She didn’t know then. She knows now. Piece by piece, Tony unpacks the patterns — the subtle red flags, the overlooked signals, the institutional failures that allowed McGann to move from school to school without accountability. These first-person accounts are not speculation; they are the lived experiences that help explain how someone who seemed “normal enough” could allegedly commit something so monstrous. This is the Devil’s Den story like you’ve never heard it — up close, unfiltered, and unforgettable. #DevilsDen #AndrewMcGann #HiddenKillers #TonyBrueski #911Call #Eyewitness #TrueCrimePodcast #RedFlags #BehavioralAnalysis #DevilsDenMurders Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872

5 Jan 1h 1min

On September 19th, 2024, the justice system in Whitesburg, Kentucky ruptured in the most shocking way imaginable: Sheriff Shawn “Mickey” Stines walked into Judge Kevin Mullins’ chambers and opened fire, killing his longtime friend — just minutes after they’d shared lunch. The entire murder was captured on courthouse surveillance, leaving the community stunned and searching for answers. In this gripping episode of Hidden Killers, Tony Brueski is joined by psychotherapist and author Shavaun Scott to examine the psychological unraveling behind a sheriff killing a judge on camera. Was this an act of madness? A collapse under pressure? Or something far more calculated? Just three days before the shooting, Stines had been deposed in a civil case involving allegations of corruption and misconduct inside his own office. Investigators are now asking whether mounting legal pressure pushed him toward a breaking point, or whether he believed silencing Mullins would somehow change his fate. Bodycam footage captured immediately afterward shows Stines muttering paranoid claims like “you’re going to kill me,” even as he surrendered without resistance. Was this genuine psychosis, trauma, or an attempt to set the stage for an insanity defense? In the second half, Tony, Stacy Cole, Todd Michaels, and attorney Eric Faddis break down newly released grand jury transcripts revealing that key evidence — including a mental-health diagnosis the day before the shooting — was never presented to jurors. Intake records describing Stines as “actively psychotic,” footage showing visible paranoia, and behind-the-scenes prosecutorial decisions all raise a critical question: was justice compromised before the trial even began? This is the story of a sheriff’s psychological collapse — and the cracks in a justice system now forced to confront its own failures. #MickeyStines #JudgeMullins #HiddenKillers #TonyBrueski #CourthouseMurder #TrueCrimePodcast #MentalHealthDefense #GrandJury #EricFaddis #PsychologicalAnalysis Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872

4 Jan 31min

Was Kevin Franke a victim of psychological manipulation — or a bystander who found it easier not to look too closely? In this gripping Hidden Killers deep dive, Tony Brueski and psychotherapist Shavaun Scott analyze one of the most troubling dynamics explored in Hulu’s Devil in the Family: a father who insists he never recognized the abuse happening under his own roof. The episode begins with the psychology of Kevin’s denial. How does a spouse convince themselves that extreme parenting is “discipline” rather than danger? Shavaun Scott breaks down the mechanisms of thought-reform, coercive influence, and the slow erosion of intuition. And then the most haunting question of all: what makes a father step away from his own children for an entire year because an outside “guru” told him to? But the story doesn’t end with the collapse of the Franke family. Kevin recently announced his engagement, just six months after finalizing his divorce from Ruby — who is now serving a possible 30-year prison sentence for aggravated child abuse. The public reaction has been split: is this healing, deflection, or strategic rebranding? Tony and Shavaun examine the psychology of rapid re-partnering after trauma, the desire to rewrite personal identity, and the fine line between moving forward and bypassing accountability. We also explore Kevin’s recent support of Utah’s new “child influencer” law — a step toward protecting children exploited in monetized online content. His testimony was powerful, but does it reconcile the years he stood behind a camera while harmful parenting was broadcast to millions? This episode asks the hardest questions:  Was Kevin controlled — or complicit?  Is he rebuilding — or rebranding?  And what does accountability look like for the children who had no choice? #KevinFranke #RubyFranke #8Passengers #HiddenKillers #PsychologicalAbuse #DevilInTheFamily #ParentalAccountability #TrueCrimeAnalysis #TonyBrueski #ShavaunScott Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872

4 Jan 29min