The Murder of Blaze Bernstein by Neo-Nazi Samuel Woodward

Leon Benson spent more than half of his life, a total of 24 years, in an Indiana state prison for a murder he didn't commit. Despite the lack of physical evidence and a questionable eyewitness identification, he was convicted. But new realities start to come to light when attorney Lara Bazelon takes up his case and is determined to secure Benson's release.  Season three of Suspect, co-produced by Campside Media and Wondery, delves into the flaws in the criminal justice system that led to Benson's wrongful conviction for the 1998 shooting of Kasey Schoen in Indianapolis. The investigation aims to uncover the truth about who really committed the crime and why the eyewitness testimony that led to Benson's conviction was so shaky.  Host Matthew Shaer joins co-producer and writer Bazelon to take a deep dive into the nature of memory and how it can be fallible and result in an innocent man's life being wasted, while the real perpetrator remains unpunished. As the investigation unfolds, will Bazelon and her team gather enough evidence to free Benson? And what will happen to Schoen’s real killer?  Listen to Suspect: Five Shots in the Dark early and ad-free on Wondery Plus. Find Wondery Plus in the Wondery App or on Apple Podcasts: https://wondery.app.link/Suspects3_TCS

26 Juni 20235min

Belgian man Theo Hayez was living his dream and traveling around Australia in 2019.   He had seen amazing sites like the Great Barrier Reef and Australian outback.   In May 2019, Theo ended up in Australia’s famous beachside town Byron Bay.  He made some friends at the hostel where he was staying and they visited the notorious Cheeky Monkey’s bar for a night out.   Theo was having fun dancing and socializing, but a security guard thought he was bordering on intoxication.  He was asked to leave the bar, which he did quickly and quietly.  Theo has never been seen again.  The investigation into Theo’s disappearance is one of the largest ever conducted in Australia.  A $500,000 reward exists for information in his case.   Was Theo a victim of misadventure?  Or did he come across the wrong person that night? There are some gaps in the timeline of his disappearance and his family believe someone in Byron Bay may hold the answer as to what happened to Theo.   In this episode of the True Crime Society Podcast, we discuss the disappearance of Theo Hayez. If you’d like to skip straight to the story, please goto (7:45) Read our blog for this case -  https://truecrimesocietyblog.com/2023/06/14/has-missing-man-theo-hayez-been-found/ This episode is sponsored by: Microdose Gummies - To learn more about microdosing THC, goto microdose.com and use code TCS to get free shipping and 30% off your first order. MasterClass - With MasterClass, you can learn from the world’s best minds – anytime, anywhere, and at your own pace.  Visit MasterClass.com/tcs to get 15% off an annual membership.

22 Juni 20231h 9min

It’s bonus episode time at True Crime Society!  DISCLAIMER – THIS EPISODE FEATURES NO CRIME CONTENT!    For anyone who has been following us since our 2017 beginnings, you would know that podcast hosts Stephanie and Olivia are based on opposite sides of the world.  Stephanie is in New York and Olivia is in Australia. We have always done the podcast remotely and never met in person.  Until now! Stephanie got married in a beautiful ceremony in upstate New York in early June and Olivia was able to make the trip to join in the celebrations. In this highly requested bonus episode of the True Crime Society Podcast, we discuss meeting for the first time and our New York adventures! We will be back with our usual crime episode later this week – scheduled to be released 12am EST Thursday.   If you’re planning a wedding and looking for some amazing vendors, these are Stephanie’s recommendations: Venue/ Catering: Emerson Resort & Spa   Photographer: Megan Niger   DJ: DJ Mav Entertainment - DJ Loren Latham   Flowers: Something Borrowed Blooms   Cake: Adams Fairacre Farms

20 Juni 20231h 13min

TW – minor sexual assault and murder. On Monday May 1, 2023, a Missing and Endangered Alert was issued for two missing teens in Oklahoma.  Ivy Webster and Brittany Brewer had last been seen at the home of Jesse McFadden, the step-father to their friend Tiffany.  Police obtained a search warrant on that day, and when they entered the property, they found seven bodies.   Jesse McFadden had killed the two girls as well as his entire family before turning a gun on himself.  Jesse was a sex offender who was due to go back to court on May 1 for soliciting child pornography.  He decided that he wasn’t going to do that and he took 6 others out with him.    Police seemed to have decided that an investigation into the murders was not needed.  When family members searched Jesse’s property, what was found could be described as a house of horrors.   After a week off, the True Crime Society Podcast is back with the horrifying story of the Henryetta Murders. Listen by searching True Crime Society on your podcast platform.  #truecrimesociety #truecrimesocietypodcast #truecrimepodcast #podcast #henryetta #jessemcfadden #oklahoma  Read our blog for these cases - https://truecrimesocietyblog.com/2023/06/13/horror-in-henryetta/ If you’d like to skip straight to the crime content, please goto (9:52) This episode is sponsored by: June’s Journey – Can you crack the case?  Download June’s Journey for free today on iOS and Android. Care/Of – Care/of ships high-quality, personalized vitamins, supplements and powders conveniently to your door every month.  For 50% off your first Care/of order, goto TakeCareOf.com and enter code tcs50 BetterHelp – If you’re thinking of starting therapy, give BetterHelp a try.  Visit www.betterhelp.com/society today to get 10% off your first month.

15 Juni 20231h 20min

Terrifyingly, an estimated 1.7 million people are stalked each year in the United States. In this episode of the True Crime Society Podcast, we discuss three cases where stalking has ended in murder. - In March 2023, Podcast host Zohreh Sadeghi and her husband were murdered by a man who had become obsessed with her.  This man even organized for a jazz band to play outside Zohreh’s home at one point. - In 1989, actress Rebecca Schaeffer replied to a fan mail letter that she received.   That fan mistook her kindness for more and he traveled to LA.  He tracked Rebecca down and shot her as she opened her front door to him. - In 2016, Christina Grimmie was one of America’s rising stars.  Her public presence was skyrocketing and the world was her oyster.  Kevin Loibl waited after her show to meet Christina, and as she offered him a hug, he shot her dead.  Episode Timestamps: (5:53) - Gabby Petito Update/ Burn After Reading Letter (13:45) - Stalking Murders   Read our blog for these cases - https://truecrimesocietyblog.com/2023/05/08/the-terrifying-world-of-stalking/ This episode is sponsored by: Babbel - Start your new language-learning journey today with Babbel.  Visit Babbel.com/tcs for up to 55% off your subscription.

1 Juni 202359min

In March 2022, Kouri and Eric Richins were apparently celebrating the purchase of a new multi-million dollar home.  Kouri made her husband a Moscow Mule and took it to him in bed, as part of the celebrations.  Kouri went to bed and when she woke, she found Eric cold and dead in their bed. After he died, Kouri wrote a children’s book regarding grief titled ‘Are you with me?’  Police eventually determined that Eric died from a fentanyl overdose.   Following a police investigation, police determined that Kouri allegedly purchased the fentanyl on the black market, days before Eric died.  She had also taken out numerous life insurance policies on her husband.  Eric had learned of some of the life insurance changes before his death, and he wrote Kouri out of his will.  When she found this out, she assaulted a family member of Eric’s. In May 2023, Kouri was arrested and charged one first degree felony count of aggravated murder, as well as three second degree felony counts of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. There has been a huge update in the case of missing person Beau Mann.  We first covered Beau’s case in February 2022.  In April 2023, Beau’s remains were found in the yard of an abandoned building in Santa Monica, just 0.2 miles from where he was dropped off in an Uber.   In this episode of the True Crime Society Podcast, we discuss the cases of Wicked Wife, Kouri Richins and the recovery of Beau Mann. ** If you’d like to skip straight to the crime content, please goto (8:12) ** Read our blog for Eric’s case - https://truecrimesocietyblog.com/2023/05/22/wicked-wives-kouri-richins/ Read our blog for Beau Mann - https://truecrimesocietyblog.com/2023/05/08/beau-mann-found-deceased-in-a-yard-in-los-angeles/ This episode is sponsored by: MasterClass – With MasterClass, you can learn from the world’s best minds – anytime, anywhere, and at your own pace.  Visit MasterClass.com/tcs to get 15% off an annual membership.

25 Maj 202358min

In April 2023, we bought you the story of Gannon Stauch, who was 11 years old when he was murdered by his stepmother Letecia ‘Tee’ Stauch in 2020. Gannon’s case finally went to trial, starting in late March of this year.  During this time, we learned all about Tee’s ‘multiple personalities’ and about her jail cell conversations with vampires.  Thankfully, the jury saw through her lies and found Tee guilty on all counts.  She has been sentenced to two life sentences without parole.   In this episode of the True Crime Society Podcast, we discuss the Gannon Stauch murder trial and outcome. Justice for Gannon has finally been served! Read our blog for Gannon - https://truecrimesocietyblog.com/2023/05/08/gannon-stauch-murder-trial-daily-updates/ If you’d like to skip straight to the crime content, please goto (6:38) for an update on Beau Mann and (10:07) for the start of Gannon’s murder trial.   This episode is sponsored by: Microdose Gummies – To learn more about microdosing THC, goto microdose.com and use code TCS to get free shipping and 30% off your first order.

18 Maj 20231h 31min

SKIP THE PRE-EPISODE CHAT & CASE UPDATES: Timestamp - (12:36) On January 29, 2022, Boston Police Officer John O’Keefe went out for a night of drinking with his girlfriend Karen Read.  After midnight, they decided to leave the bars and head to an after-party at a friend’s home.   What happened next is unclear.  We know that both John and Karen were likely intoxicated.  Karen eventually told police that she felt unwell so she dropped John off and headed home.  She woke up at around 5am and realized that John had not returned home.  She started retracing her steps and she went back to the house where the after-party was held.  There she found John’s cold and lifeless body in the snow.   This case is very convoluted.  Karen was charged with manslaughter following John’s death – her SUV had apparent damage to the back and it was insinuated that she hit him while driving intoxicated.  In the past few weeks though, Karen’s attorneys have filed documents that indicate there may have been a cover up by John’s colleagues, other members of law enforcement.  It is claimed that John was likely beaten to death at the after-party and that he may have been attacked by a dog on the premises.  An attendee at the after-party also googled ‘how long to die in the cold’ at around 2.30am on the morning that John died.   In this episode of the True Crime Society Podcast, we discuss the death of John O’Keefe – was he killed by his girlfriend or is there a cover-up involving law enforcement?   You can read our blog for this case - https://truecrimesocietyblog.com/2023/05/07/what-happened-to-john-okeefe/   If you’d like to skip straight to the crime content, please goto (7:03) for updates on Madeline Kingsbury, Casey and Vicky White. Please go to (12:36) for the start of the John O'Keefe episode.

11 Maj 20231h 11min