Laura continues her conversation with Bill Thomas, brother of Cathy Thomas, and researcher, writer and advocate Kristin Dilley about the brutal murders of Cathy Thomas and Rebecca Dowski and the other three double murders often referred to as the ‘Colonial Parkway Murders.’ In this episode Bill shares some new information he discovered from further interviews with David Knobling’s brother about David Knobling and Robin Edwards case. Laura, Bill and Kristin also discuss new information about Dani...
Mar 14, 2023•42 min•Ep. 121
Laura continues her interview with Bill Thomas, brother of Cathy Thomas, and researcher, writer and advocate Kristin Dilley about the brutal murders of Cathy Thomas and Rebecca Dowski and the other three double murders often referred to as the Colonial Parkway Murders. In this episode, Laura and Bill and Kristin discuss the crime scene behaviour of the perpetrator who murdered Cathy and Rebecca and what it reveals about him as well as possible stalking prior to the murder. We also discuss whethe...
Mar 07, 2023•58 min•Ep. 120
In this short update Laura shares the good news and explains why it is so important that dangerous domestic abusers will be included on the violent and sexual offender register as well as further detail about the law reform. Announcing the reform on Monday 20 February, Home Secretary Suella Braverman said ‘domestic violence is completely unacceptable and cases torment, pain fear and anxiety.’ Finally, after 22 years of recommending and campaigning for this – it’s going to happen! Laura thanks al...
Mar 01, 2023•25 min•Ep. 119
Laura interviews Bill Thomas, brother of Cathy Thomas, and researcher, writer and advocate Kristin Dilley about the brutal murders of Cathy Thomas and Rebecca Dowski and the other three double murders often referred to as the ‘Colonial Parkway Murders.’ From 1986 to 1989 six young people were murdered and two disappeared and the FBI believed it was most likely a serial killer. The cases included Cathy Thomas and Rebecca Dowski who were murdered between October 9/10 1986; David Lee Knobling and R...
Feb 28, 2023•57 min•Ep. 118
Laura continues her conversation with award winning investigative journalist, author and outdoors expert Kathryn Miles about her re-investigation into the double murder of Lollie Winans and Julie Williams, which is detailed in her book Trailed: One Woman’s Quest to Solve the Shenandoah Murders. Laura and Kathryn discuss Kara Robinson’s abduction and rape by predatory stalker, Richard Marc Evonitz. Evonitz abducted Kara in the blink of an eye, in broad daylight, and no-one knew it had even happen...
Feb 21, 2023•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 117
Laura continues her interview with award winning investigative journalist, author and outdoors expert Kathryn Miles about her re-investigation into the double murder of Lollie Winans and Julie Williams, which is detailed in her book Trailed: One Woman’s Quest to Solve the Shenandoah Murders. Laura and Kathryn discuss the investigation, including the delay processing the crime scene, key forensics that were destroyed and what remains as well as other potential cases that might be linked including...
Feb 14, 2023•50 min•Ep. 116
Laura interviews award winning investigative journalist, author and outdoors expert Kathryn Miles about her re-investigation into the double murder of Lollie Winans and Julie Williams, which is detailed in her book Trailed: One Woman’s Quest to Solve the Shenandoah Murders. In May 1996, Lollie Winans and Julie Williams, two skilled and competent backcountry leaders, entered Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park for a week-long camping trip. The free-spirited and remarkable young couple had met and...
Feb 07, 2023•50 min•Ep. 115
Laura interviews Dr Emma Katz about her new book ‘Coercive Control in Children’s and Mother’s Lives.’ Emma is an Associate Professor at Durham University and is the leading academic expert on how coercive control impacts on children and young people. Laura and Emma deconstruct and analyze numerous cases using a coercive control framework including Tausha Haight, her five children and mother Gail Earl who were brutally murdered by Michael Haight in Utah on January 4 2023, the murders of Claire an...
Jan 31, 2023•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 114
In this episode Laura continues her fascinating interview with Sam McAlister, the producer and booker extraordinaire who secured the BBC Newsnight Interview with Prince Andrew. Laura and Sam discuss the set-up of the interview and continue to discuss the psychology of the interview and Prince Andrew’s behaviour and actions including what he did and what he should have done. You will not want to miss this. #PrinceAndrew #Scoops #BBCNewsnight #VirginiaGiuffre #Epstein #GhislaineMaxwell #WomenMatte...
Jan 24, 2023•47 min•Ep. 113
In this episode Laura speaks with Sam McAlister, producer, and booker extraordinaire for the BBC, who secured the BBC Newsnight Interview with Prince Andrew in 2019. Sam is a former barrister and author of the book, Scoops. Scoops details all the behind the scenes of the BBC most shocking interviews, which includes the BBC interview with Prince Andrew, which changed history forever. Sam shares behind the scenes details about the interview with Prince Andrew and Laura provides insight into the ps...
Jan 17, 2023•1 hr 23 min•Ep. 112
In this special tribute episode Diana Parkes, Hetti Nanton and friends share memories and reflections of Jo, in their own words. This episode and series are dedicated to correcting the narrative and memory of Joanna Simpson. #JoannaSimpson #HerNameWasJoSimpson #CoerciveControl #Stalking #MurderInSlowMotionä #WomenMatter #DomesticAbuse #MaleViolence #CrimeAnalyst #Expert #Analysis #TrueCrime #Podcast #Crime #DomesticHomicide Resources www.jsfoundation.org.uk www.refuge.org.uk www.thelaurarichards...
Jan 11, 2023•21 min•Ep. 111
In this episode Laura is once more joined by Hetti Nanton, Joanna Simpson’s best friend and chair of the national domestic violence charity, Refuge. In the aftermath of Jo’s brutal death, and following the previous in-depth interview, Hetti had lingering questions she wanted answered including, as Jo’s best friend, why didn’t she know Jo was at risk? Why didn’t she know the risks were escalating? Why didn’t she convince Jo to protect herself? In this authentic and honest conversation Laura answe...
Jan 10, 2023•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 110
Laura shares a special holiday message to each and every one of you lovely lot – which then turned into breaking news and a breakdown of the jury’s split verdict in the LA Harvey Weinstein’s trial. AND…..Laura gives her two cents about the Harry and Meghan Netflix docuseries and Jeremy Clarkson’s vile, misogynistic rant, because you asked for it! This Christmas message turned into so much more! #CrimeAnalyst #Expert #Analysis #Behaviour #TrueCrime #Podcast #Crime #MaleViolence #LanguageMatters #...
Dec 20, 2022•23 min•Ep. 109
Laura interviews Louise Godbold, a survivor of Harvey Weinstein who came forward in October 2017. By this time, Louise had been a trauma specialist for nearly a decade and is the executive director of the non-profit Echo. Echo provides trauma and resilience training for families, communities, professionals, and organizations. Laura and Louise discuss how women’s experience of male sexual harassment and male violence is on a continuum, how women’s experience of abuse is normalized, victim blaming...
Dec 14, 2022•50 min•Ep. 108
In this episode Laura, Diana Parkes, Joanna’s mother and Hetti Nanton, Joanna’s best friend and chair of the national domestic violence charity, Refuge discuss the events leading up to Jo being brutally killed by Robert Brown, as well as how Jo was killed and what happened afterwards in terms of Brown’s post offence behaviour. Diana shares what happened at the trial including how she and her family were treated inside and outside court and how Jo was mischaracterised at court by Brown and others...
Dec 13, 2022•53 min•Ep. 107
Laura interviews Louise Godbold, a survivor of Harvey Weinstein who came forward in October 2017. By this time, Louise had already been a trauma specialist for nearly a decade and is the executive director of the non-profit Echo. Echo provides trauma and resilience training for families, communities and professionals and organizations. We discuss the LA trial, which has received little media attention, including the tactics used by Weinstein’s defense team. We also breakdown the defense’s strate...
Dec 11, 2022•1 hr•Ep. 106
Laura interviews Diana Parkes, Joanna’s mother and Hetti Nanton, Joanna’s best friend and chair of the national domestic violence charity, Refuge. Joanna Simpson was brutally killed on October 31, 2010, by her ex-husband Robert Brown a British Airways pilot, one week before their divorce would be finalized at the High Court. Brown dropped the two children home. He took a claw hammer with him and bludgeoned Jo to death, hitting her at least 14 times. At Brown’s trial, the court heard how he bundl...
Dec 06, 2022•55 min•Ep. 105
In part 2 of Laura’s interview with award winning investigative journalist Nicki Weisensee Egan, Laura and Nicki discuss Bruce Castor’s decision not to prosecute Bill Cosby in 2005 and the non-prosecution agreement, which none of the prosecutors or police knew about, nor was it written down or signed off by a Judge. Laura and Nicki talk about Cosby’s release from prison on the afternoon of 30th June 2021, following the decision that was made public in the morning and how a journalist had tipped ...
Nov 29, 2022•1 hr 21 min•Ep. 104
Laura interviews award winning investigative journalist Nicki Weisensee Egan. For years Nicki was the one reporter who investigated Bill Cosby. Nicki documented her investigation in the book Chasing Cosby, which was the basis for her award winning podcast of the same name. More than sixty women made allegations against Cosby across the years. In December 2015, the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office announced it had filed an aggravated incident assault charge in Andrea Constand’s case. ...
Nov 22, 2022•57 min•Ep. 103
Laura continues her conversation with Tonia Bales, John Meehan’s first wife of 10 years. In part 2, Tonia details the night her world was shattered forever, when she accessed John’s hard drive and read all his emails he had sent to other women - and men. John had feelings for another man, and whilst Tonia was desperately trying to fix her marriage, John was proactively pursuing him and others. We also discuss how John manipulated many people who were taken in by his charm and how they enabled Jo...
Nov 15, 2022•39 min•Ep. 102
Laura interviews Tonia Bales, John Meehan’s first wife of 10 years about her life with John. Tonia had two daughter’s, Emily and Abigail, with John. Having listened to the podcast ‘Dirty John’ and watched scripted Bravo show of the same name and the documentary ‘Dirty John the Dirty Truth’ Tonia realized there was so much she did not know – and she and Laura wanted to go back and re-investigate John. The re-investigation was documented in the eight-part investigative podcast, ‘The First Wife: Jo...
Nov 08, 2022•46 min•Ep. 101
Laura highlights key events, witnesses and evidence in the timeline and sequence of events, revisiting Gabby and Brian’s Instagram and what friends have said about Gabby and Brian’s relationship. Laura also breaks down the 9-minute video footage that was released on October 19 2022 of Gabby and Brian’s trip to Whole Foods on August 27 2021 and explains why it is so significant. Laura highlights the lessons that must be learned from Gabby’s case and what needs to happen next. You won’t want to mi...
Nov 01, 2022•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 100
Laura concludes her analysis of the 99-page Moab City Police Investigative Review by detailing and breaking down Captain Ratcliffe’s conclusion and recommendations. Laura shares her professional thoughts about why the conclusion makes little sense and why the recommendations will not create the change that’s urgently required to save the next Gabby’s life. Trigger warning: Listener discretion is advised. This episode may be upsetting and/or triggering and it will be angry making. You can follow ...
Oct 25, 2022•46 min•Ep. 99
Laura continues to analyze the police report filed by Officer Pratt and Officer Robbins and the 99-page Moab City Police Investigative Review of the Police Stop was published on 12th January 2022. Laura reveals that another witness came forward and stated Brian hit Gabby with a closed fist, as well as a number of bizarre revelations made by Officer Pratt on interview with Captain Ratcliffe. Laura also takes a deeper dive into the DV 101 Manual for Police and Prosecutors in Utah and what it lists...
Oct 18, 2022•45 min•Ep. 98
Laura continues to analyze the police report filed by Officer Pratt and Officer Robbins and the 99-page Moab City Police Investigative Review of the Police Stop was published on 12th January 2022. Laura outlines why the predominant aggressor law in Utah has been misunderstood and misapplied including one major detail which Brian disclosed to police. This important detail appears to have been overlooked or ignored. Laura also details important guidance written by the Utah Attorney General’s Offic...
Oct 11, 2022•45 min•Ep. 97
Laura continues to analyze the police report filed by Officer Pratt and Officer Robbins and the 99-page Moab City Police Investigative Review of the Police Stop was published on 12th January 2022. Astonishingly, the report concluded that ‘several unintentional mistakes stemmed from the fact the officers failed to cite Ms Petito for domestic violence.’ Laura disagrees with this preposterous conclusion and explains why. You won’t want to miss this. Trigger warning: Listener discretion is advised. ...
Oct 04, 2022•46 min•Ep. 96
Laura analyzes the police report filed by Officer Pratt and Officer Robbins and answers a number of burning questions including: whether it was known and recorded by police that the van belonged to Gabby, and; what’s happened to the police officers involved in the case? The 99-page Moab City Police Investigative Review of the 12th August Gabby and Brian Police Stop was published on 12th January 2022. Laura shares the headlines of the review and begins her analysis of the review report starting w...
Sep 27, 2022•44 min•Ep. 95
In this episode, Laura analyses the most significant aspects of the state’s motion report requesting that Adnan Syed’s conviction be vacated. The report was filed on September 14 2022 and it ultimately led to Adnan Syed being freed on Monday 19th September, after 23 years in prison. Adnan Syed was convicted of first-degree murder, kidnapping and false imprisonment of his 18 year old ex-girlfriend, Hae Min Lee, in 1999. Adnan has steadfastly maintained his innocence and denied any involvement in ...
Sep 21, 2022•41 min•Ep. 94
In this episode, Laura interviews survivor and shero Debra Newell from the podcast “Dirty John,” Bravo show of the same name and Oxygen documentary, “Dirty John, the Dirty Truth,” which Laura served as consultant producer on. Now Debra has written a book called “Surviving Dirty John” to set the record straight about what really happened. Laura and Debra discuss how Debra went to four different police stations, desperate for help. Despite Debra’s 319-page report about John’s history, the police t...
Sep 13, 2022•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 93
Thank you for tuning in and for all your support. Crime Analyst wouldn’t be possible without you lovely lot. I’m taking some much-needed time out. More soon - so stay tuned! #TrueCrime #Podcast #CrimeAnalyst #Selfcare #Rafi #FirstBirthday You can follow Laura and her work on: Instagram @crimeanalyst @laurarichards999 TikTok @crimeanalystpod Twitter @thecrimeanalyst @laurarichards999 Leave a Review If you want to support my work and Crime Analyst and if you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-...
Sep 07, 2022•5 min•Ep. 92
