This episode is rated a 5 (on my Serious Crime Scale). In the spring of 2017, Timothy Piazza was like many college sophomores — eager to find his place, to build lasting friendships, and to be part of something bigger than himself. At just 19 years old, he had his sights set on Beta Theta Pi, one of the most respected fraternities at Pennsylvania State University. To Tim, pledging meant brotherhood — an unbreakable, lifelong bond with men who would have his back. But what he couldn’t see was the...
Jul 28, 2025•28 min•Season 5Ep. 100
This episode is rated a 5 (on my Serious Crime Scale). In the spring of 2017, Timothy Piazza was like many college sophomores — eager to find his place, to build lasting friendships, and to be part of something bigger than himself. At just 19 years old, he had his sights set on Beta Theta Pi, one of the most respected fraternities at Pennsylvania State University. To Tim, pledging meant brotherhood — an unbreakable, lifelong bond with men who would have his back. But what he couldn’t see was the...
Jul 14, 2025•29 min•Season 5Ep. 100
This episode is rated a 5 (on my Serious Crime Scale). In the spring of 2017, Timothy Piazza was like many college sophomores — eager to find his place, to build lasting friendships, and to be part of something bigger than himself. At just 19 years old, he had his sights set on Beta Theta Pi, one of the most respected fraternities at Pennsylvania State University. To Tim, pledging meant brotherhood — an unbreakable, lifelong bond with men who would have his back. But what he couldn’t see was the...
Jun 30, 2025•36 min•Season 5Ep. 100
This episode is rated a 5 (on my Serious Crime Scale). Brandy Stevens-Rosine was a bright 20-year-old college student with a passion for understanding human behavior. Studying psychology and sociology at Youngstown State University in 2012, she was driven by the question: Why do people do what they do? But Brandy would never get the chance to answer that question for herself. That spring, Brandy was lured into the woods by someone she once trusted, only to be ambushed, beaten, strangled, and the...
Jun 16, 2025•31 min•Season 5Ep. 99
This episode is rated a 5 (on my Serious Crime Scale). It was supposed to be routine — just another custody handoff between two parents in rural Madison County, Tennessee. Tyeasha Starks, a bright young student at Austin Peay State University, had done this before. She was there to pick up her 1-year-old son. But what happened next would shatter everything. A heated argument. A gunshot. And then, sheer chaos. In broad daylight, in front of her child’s grandparents’ home, Tyeasha was gunned down....
Jun 02, 2025•35 min•Season 5Ep. 98
This episode is rated a 5 (on my Serious Crime Scale). In June 2017, Yingying Zhang — a 26-year-old Ph.D. student and visiting scholar from China — vanished after being seen at a campus bus stop at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. What followed was a heartbreaking search, a chilling investigation, and a devastating truth – that Yinying Zhang was no longer alive. While a suspect was identified and convicted, Yingying’s body has never been found, and her final resting place still re...
May 19, 2025•37 min•Season 5Ep. 94
Hey y’all — quick heads up, I’m taking a little break this week. BUT, I didn’t want to leave you hanging with no episode at all. So today, I’m re-airing a story that originally ran back in 2022. It’s Chronicle 40, titled “From Friend to Foe.” Now, I didn’t just pick this one at random — there’s a specific reason I wanted to bring it back. There’s actually been a new development in this case in 2025, and I’ll be sharing that update at the very end of this episode. So definitely stick around for t...
May 05, 2025•28 min•Season 5Ep. 96
Today’s episode is rated a 3 (on my Serious Crime Scale). With March Madness still somewhat fresh in our minds and brackets either busted or celebrated, I figured it was the perfect time to explore a different kind of madness – one that doesn’t involve murder, but still raises serious questions about integrity, pressure, and the high-stakes world of college basketball. In 1994, Stevin “Hedake” Smith was the star point guard at Arizona State University and the leading returning scorer in the Pac-...
Apr 21, 2025•37 min•Season 5Ep. 95
This episode is rated a 5 (on my Serious Crime Scale). It was a warm summer night in July 2016 when 23-year-old Kaylee Sawyer crossed paths with a public safety officer from Central Oregon Community College. A simple offer for a ride – something meant to ensure safety – became the start of a nightmare. What happened next was a fight for survival that ended in tragedy. Listen now to hear the full story. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/campus-crime-chronicles/exclusive-content Adve...
Apr 07, 2025•38 min•Season 5Ep. 94
This episode is rated a 5 (on my Serious Crime Scale). Now, as you can probably tell from the title on your screen, this is an UPDATE to a previous episode I covered about a year ago, back in March 2024. That episode, Chronicle 72, was titled “Suspension Sparks Murder.” In that episode, I told you the chilling story of Sydney Powell, a college student at the University of Mount Union in Ohio. After being placed on academic suspension for poor grades, Sydney's defense claimed she suffered a psych...
Mar 24, 2025•11 min•Season 5Ep. 93
This episode is rated a 5 (on my Serious Crime Scale). It is an UPDATE to a previous episode from March 2024. That was Chronicle 72: “Suspension Sparks Murder.” In that episode, I told you the chilling story of Sydney Powell, a college student at the University of Mount Union in Ohio. After being placed on academic suspension for poor grades, Sydney's defense claimed she suffered a psychotic break, which led her to brutally attack and kill her mother, Brenda Powell. But prosecutors argued—and su...
Mar 17, 2025•39 min•Season 5Ep. 93
Today’s episode is rated a 2 on our Serious Crime Scale—but stick with me, because that scale is a little unconventional this time. While this story leans more toward human interest, the case at its center—the one that made national headlines—would have easily been rated a 5. That’s because today, we’re diving into the incredible story of a college student who used genetic genealogy to crack a decades-old cold case. It’s a fascinating look at the power of advanced DNA technology and the real imp...
Mar 03, 2025•23 min•Season 5Ep. 92
This episode is rated a 5 (on my Serious Crime Scale). It was December 2007 when 21-year-old Marshall University student Leah Hickman vanished without a trace in Huntington, West Virginia. As her family and friends desperately searched the city, police launched an investigation into her mysterious disappearance. But one week later, the search came to a devastating end – Leah’s body was discovered hidden in a crawl space beneath her apartment building. Nearly two decades later, her killer remains...
Feb 17, 2025•23 min•Season 5Ep. 91
This episode is rated a 5 (on my Serious Crime Scale). You may remember hearing something in the media from back in August of 2016 about a college student who attacked and killed a Florida couple in their garage. And, when police arrived to the scene, they found the student literally eating one of the victim’s faces. Now, at the time, there was a massive media frenzy that suggested the student, 19-year-old Austin Harrouff, had been high on bath salts or some other hallucinogenic drug that result...
Feb 03, 2025•34 min•Season 5Ep. 90
This episode is rated a 5 (on my Serious Crime Scale). In 1994, the University of Kentucky was rocked by tragedy when star offensive lineman Trent DiGiuro was shot and killed while sitting on his front porch. His death sent shockwaves through the campus, leaving fear and confusion in its wake. No one saw anything, no one heard anything, besides the gunshot itself, and there seemed to be no reason – no logical motive – for the senseless act. Ultimately, it would take years before the truth would ...
Jan 20, 2025•31 min•Season 5Ep. 89
This episode is rated a 5 (on my Serious Crime Scale). In the spring of 2008 at the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill, life was bustling and students were deep in their studies. Among them, was 22-year-old Eve Carson, a vibrant senior and the student body president, known for her leadership and passion as she juggled a double major in political science and biology. Eve was a source of inspiration for many on campus, leaving an indelible mark on her fellow students and community. But on ...
Jan 06, 2025•24 min•Season 5Ep. 88
I'm extending my break through the end of the year. But don't worry, Campus Crime Chronicles will return in January 2025. Until then, I want to wish all my listeners a very Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and peace in the new year. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/campus-crime-chronicles/exclusive-content Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy...
Dec 02, 2024•2 min
Special announcement for the month of November. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/campus-crime-chronicles/exclusive-content Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Nov 04, 2024•2 min
This episode is rated a 5 (on my Serious Crime Scale). In the summer of 1980, 18-year-old Gina Hall had just wrapped up her midterm exams at Radford University in Virginia. She was ready to unwind and celebrate, and she knew exactly how – by hitting the dance floor. That night, on June 28, she borrowed her sister’s Monte Carlo and made the short drive to a popular nightclub at the Marriott Inn in Blacksburg. But what began as a night of fun quickly spiraled into something much darker. A chance e...
Oct 14, 2024•38 min•Season 4Ep. 84
This episode is rated a 4 (on my Serious Crime Scale). On March 8, 2024, four buses filled with Delta Chi fraternity brothers from the University of Missouri arrived in Nashville, Tennessee, for a private event – the fraternity’s spring formal. Upon their arrival, the college students wasted no time hitting the streets of Nashville to visit the multitude of honkytonk bars on Broadway. But, unfortunately, their celebratory night ended in tragedy when one of the fraternity members, 22-year-old sen...
Sep 30, 2024•34 min•Season 4Ep. 86
Welcome to Part 2 of the UPDATED episode titled “Victim of a Narcissist.” In 2003, 20-year-old community college student Megan McDonald was brutally beaten and killed in a remote area of Orange County, New York. For over 20 years, the primary suspect in her murder was never publicly revealed – that is, until April 20, 2023, when the State Police announced they had finally made an arrest, and 42-year-old Edward Holley, an ex-boyfriend of Megan’s, was being charged with second-degree murder. But, ...
Sep 16, 2024•45 min•Season 4Ep. 85
This episode is rated a 5 (on my Serious Crime Scale). In March of 2003, 20-year-old community college student Megan McDonald was severely beaten and murdered, and then her lifeless body was dumped in a remote area. Like a real-life “Criminal Minds” story, the Behavioral Analysis Unit, or the BAU (a branch of the FBI), put together a profile of her killer. The BAU determined that Megan’s murderer was/is a person with textbook narcissistic personality disorder who couldn’t take no for answer. Alt...
Sep 09, 2024•35 min•Season 4Ep. 85
This episode is rated a 5 (on my Serious Crime Scale). In 2004, the University of North Carolina – Wilmington was rocked to its core when, in a matter of only a few months, not one, but TWO female students were stalked and murdered by two different male students. The latter of which should have never been admitted to the college in the first place due to their criminal histories. On my last episode, I covered the murder of Christen Naujoks, the second female to die at the hands of her stalker. N...
Aug 27, 2024•23 min•Season 4Ep. 84
This episode is rated a 5 (on my Serious Crime Scale). When college student Christen Naujoks first met John Peck in Wilmington, North Carolina, she was swept off her feet by his Southern charm. But that charm soon turned into a dark cloud of isolation and possessiveness; and, when Christen decided to break it off, John refused to let her go. After months of relentless stalking and harassment, their tumultuous story reached a tragic climax – in the form of murder. Listen now to hear the full stor...
Aug 05, 2024•31 min•Season 4Ep. 83
This episode is rated a 5 (on my Serious Crime Scale). In May of 1996, two women in their 20s took a vacation to the Shenandoah National Park, located in the state of Virginia, to embrace its beauty and enjoy the tranquility of its nature. Unfortunately, what was supposed to be a celebratory trip ended in tragedy. When the pair didn’t return home by the date originally planned, family reported them missing. After an intensive search, park authorities found the two women dead – they had been boun...
Jul 22, 2024•26 min•Season 4Ep. 82
This episode is rated a 1 (on my Serious Crime Scale). It's the story of a freshman college football player and his encounter with two members of the Newton Police Department in Newton, Iowa. What began as a routine traffic stop soon escalated and ended with the college student in handcuffs, which has sparked multiple legal litigations from both sides. Listen now to hear the full story. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/campus-crime-chronicles/exclusive-content Advertising Inquirie...
Jul 08, 2024•27 min•Season 4Ep. 81
Hey, everyone! I’m taking a break this week because I’ve been out of town on vacation, but don’t worry – I'm giving you a sneak peek of one of my EXCLUSIVE Patreon episodes. Then, I’ll be back in another two weeks with an all new Campus Crime Chronicle. And, if you love this one, then I encourage all of you to head on over to my Patreon for more exclusive content and additional campus crime stories. You can find a direct link to my Patreon on my social media pages OR in the show notes of this ep...
Jun 24, 2024•23 min
This episode is rated a 5 (on my Serious Crime Scale). During spring break of her freshman year at Texas A&M University, Tynesha Stewart packed her things and headed back home to Houston for the week. She had plans to catch up with some good friends from high school and attend a Beyonce concert with a new guy she had met that year at A&M. But when Tynesha suddenly stopped answering calls and texts from her friends, and missed the Beyonce concert, her loved ones knew that something must b...
Jun 10, 2024•35 min•Season 4Ep. 80
This episode is rated a 5 (on my Serious Crime Scale). And y’all, fair warning: it is another one of those episodes that will be extremely hard to hear because of the sheer nature of the crime. In the summer of 2006, 23-year-old Morehouse College student Carlnell Walker was found deceased in the trunk of his car. He had been bound and tortured, and it was obvious to police that they were dealing with a homicide. But answers as to who was behind the brutal crime and why they did it were not so ob...
May 27, 2024•35 min•Season 4Ep. 79
This episode is rated a 5 (on my Serious Crime Scale), but if I had anything higher, it would definitely top the scale. It was recommended by a listener a couple months ago and, as I dug into the research, I just knew I had to share the story with the rest of you as well. But, disclaimer: this episode will be hard to hear and will include some semi-graphic details, when necessary. You see, it’s the story of not just one senseless murder, but four – four innocent people horrifically lost their li...
May 13, 2024•36 min•Season 4Ep. 78
