The Muskoka region of Ontario is usually a beautiful summer destination for cottage owners in Canada, but this week we tell you the story of its dark underside: a side of the community that centers around one family whom many suspect to be responsible for a string of murders from the 1990's. After 77-year-old Joan Lawrence went missing in the fall of 1998, the Laan family was at the center of rumors and speculation about what could have happened to her. The police investigation that follows unve...
Jan 12, 2022•1 hr 5 min•Season 2Ep. 18
When Stefano Savioli was murdered on Cortes Island, BC, the RCMP offer up very little detail about what happened that night in 2010. Over a decade later, not even an official cause of death has been released leaving a sense of uneasiness looming over the island. Chantel Gillade was only 28 years old when her life was tragically stolen from her. Her death sparked rumours of connections with a Canadian serial killer, but no suspect has been named in this case, over 2 decades later. FIND US ON SOCI...
Jan 05, 2022•44 min•Season 2Ep. 17
Christina Whittaker went missing without a trace on November 13, 2009, from the town of Hannibal, Missouri and for years her disappearance has led to more questions than answers. When filmmaker Christina Fontana vows to crack the case for her documentary 'Relentless', it leads her down a path of twisted secrets, mysterious leads and many many red herrings. To this day, the events surrounding her disappearance are still a total mystery with rumours running rampant about what really happened. This...
Dec 29, 2021•1 hr 23 min•Season 2Ep. 16
In 2014, a touching photo of 12-year-old Devonte Hart went viral- a young black boy hugging a white police officer among protests for racial justice. It was dubbed "the hug felt around the world" and painted a picture of a socially conscious and loving family. However, what has happening behind closed doors was far from loving and it all begins when Jennifer and Sarah Hart adopt six children and begin displaying snapshots of their so-called "perfect" life on social media. The real story is one o...
Dec 22, 2021•1 hr 8 min•Season 2Ep. 15
On November 28, 2012, 26-year-old Emma Fillipoff disappeared from Victoria, British Columbia. Her last known whereabouts were outside the Empress Hotel in the downtown area, talking to the police after an acquaintance called 911 saying she was in distress and needed help. After the police talk with her and let her walk away, she is never seen again. For almost a decade, her disappearance has garnered media attention and many theories have been developed. Emma's strange behavior, frantic phone ca...
Dec 15, 2021•1 hr 20 min•Season 2Ep. 14
In September 2018, Botham Jean, an unarmed black man, was killed inside his own apartment by Amber Guyger- an off-duty police officer who mistakenly entered his apartment thinking it was her own. After a frantic 911 call, an investigation into the incident ensues and this high profile case added fuel to the national conversation about police brutality against black people in America. How does an off-duty officer resort to her gun so quickly? Did Amber's pre-existing racial biases lead to this fa...
Dec 08, 2021•1 hr 4 min•Season 2Ep. 13
On September 11, 2001, the entire world changed. The trauma and destruction that occurred in New York City sent shockwaves throughout the world and left thousands of mourning families in its wake. For one of those families, there were more questions than answers and in this episode, we tell you their story. Sneha Anne Phillip was last seen the day before 9/11 and the circumstances surrounding her last known whereabouts are shrouded in mystery. As the investigation into her disappearance uncovers...
Dec 01, 2021•1 hr 2 min•Season 2Ep. 12
**TRIGGER WARNING: THIS EPISODE CONTAINS TOPICS SUCH AS ATTEMPTED SUICIDE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT THAT MAY BE TRIGGERING FOR SOME LISTENERS. PLEASE USE DISCRETION WHEN LISTENING TO THIS EPISODE.** In the fall of 2010, Talia Ray and her friends lived on campus at Sarah Lawrence College, a private liberal arts school in Yonkers, New York. When her father Larry gets released from prison and comes to live with the students on campus, the events that would allegedly unfold are so horrific and have all the...
Nov 24, 2021•1 hr 10 min•Season 2Ep. 11
There are hundreds of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls across Canada, and these are just some of their stories. In the final part of our Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls miniseries, we discuss the Highway of Tears- a 725-km stretch of highway in British Columbia where dozens of women have gone missing since the 1970's. A vital part of the national conversation about Indigenous issues in Canada, the stories of these missing women have gone largely untold. In this epi...
Nov 17, 2021•53 min•Season 2Ep. 10
There are hundreds of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls across Canada, and these are just some of their stories. In part three of our Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls mini-series, we tell the stories of two different cases- Leona Brule and Leah Anderson. Leona Brule, an 18-year-old woman from the Northwest Territories went missing in 1989 and in an unsolved case with very little information known, possibilies are endless. Could she have been met with foul play on rou...
Nov 10, 2021•35 min•Season 2Ep. 9
There are hundreds of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls across Canada, and these are just some of their stories. In part 2 of the missing and murdered Indigenous women mini-series, we cover the case of Amber Tuccaro, a 20-year-old Indigenous woman who went missing in August of 2010 during a short vacation with a friend and her young son. En route to Edmonton, Amber was hitchhiking, grabbed a ride with an unknown man and was never seen again. A portion of this drive is captured in a...
Nov 03, 2021•53 min•Season 2Ep. 8
There are hundreds of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls across Canada, and these are just some of their stories. In part 1 of a special 4-part miniseries, we will be covering the stories of various missing and murdered Indigenous women across the country and exploring the history and circumstances that has lead to this national crisis. This week, Katie provides a brief history on the residential school system in Canada and how the deep trauma caused by these schools has lead to the...
Oct 27, 2021•45 min•Season 2Ep. 7
**Trigger Warning- This episode contains discussions about the topic of domestic violence in its various forms, which may be disturbing or triggering to some listeners. Please use discretion when listening to this episode** October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month in the US and to bring more awareness to this massive issue, we will be doing a two-part episode on the topic. In part 2 of our domestic violence awareness episode, we talk with Amy Bryant- an expert on the topic. Currently a write...
Oct 20, 2021•1 hr 12 min•Season 2Ep. 6
**Trigger Warning: This episode contains topics and discussions regarding physical and sexual abuse that may be triggering. Listener discretion is advised** October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month in the US and to bring more awareness to this massive issue, we will be doing a two-part episode on the topic. Jennifer Magnano and her children endured the physical, verbal and sexual abuse of the family's patriarch, Scott, for several years until an incident in April 2007 propelled them to leave...
Oct 13, 2021•49 min•Season 2Ep. 5
When high school teacher Tara Grinstead vanishes without a trace in October 2005, nobody could have anticipated the years-long mystery that would surround her disappearance. After leaving a friend’s barbecue on the evening of October 22, Tara was never seen or heard from again. With every discovery in the case only leading to more questions than answers, a slew of clues, tips and possible suspects makes for a missing persons case unlike any other. This wild story has a ton of twists and turns (e...
Oct 06, 2021•50 min•Season 2Ep. 4
In part 3 of our season premiere, we talk with documentary filmmaker Jia Wertz- whose debut film, 'Conviction', is all about Jeffrey Deskovic's story. In the interview, we discuss what motivated Jia to make a drastic career change into documentary filmmaking, her experience filming the doc and working with Jeff in the process as well as her connection to another wrongful conviction case we covered last season. It's another must listen interview and one you don't want to miss! FIND US ON SOCIAL M...
Sep 29, 2021•1 hr 1 min•Season 2Ep. 3
In part 2 of our special 3-part premiere, we talk to Jeffrey Deskovic himself to get all the details on his wrongful conviction- including his interrogations and botched polygraph test, his trial, his experience behind bars and his long overdue exoneration- even recalling the events of his first day post-release. Jeff's inspirational story is moving and emotional and our interview with him is a must-listen! FIND US ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Instagram: @crimefamilypodcast Twitter: @crimefamilypod1 Faceboo...
Sep 29, 2021•1 hr 27 min•Season 2Ep. 2
Crime Family is back and we're kicking off our new season with a 3-part premiere episode about Jeffrey Deskovic- a 17-year-old high school student who was wrongfully convicted of his classmate's murder and spent nearly 16 years behind bars for a crime he didn't commit. Angela Correa disappeared on November 15, 1989 in Peekskill, New York and her body was found only two days later having been beaten, raped and strangled. The police very quickly zeroed in on Jeff as the prime suspect, who was one ...
Sep 29, 2021•45 min•Season 2Ep. 1
Continuing our discussion from part one, we break down three of the most popular theories in this case and discuss the evidence that supports each theory and the evidence that contradicts it. Was it an intruder? Was someone in the family involved? Our friend Jennifer Knowles joins us once again to finish off our finale discussion about this crazy unsolved case. Also, we read theories and comments submitted by some of our listeners! FIND US ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Instagram: @crimefamilypodcast Twitter:...
Jun 23, 2021•1 hr 16 min•Season 1Ep. 20
The JonBenet Ramsey murder case is one of America's most high-profile and baffling unsolved cases. Nearly 25-years ago, Patricia Ramsey wakes up to find a nearly 3-page ransom note- stating that 6-year-old JonBenet has been abducted and the family must pay $118,000 for her safe return. Hours later, Jonbenet's dead body is found in the basement of the family's home. Between the 911 call that started it all, the mysterious ransom note, the botched investigation and compromised crime scene, there's...
Jun 23, 2021•1 hr 24 min•Season 1Ep. 19
In this bonus mini-episode, we discuss major updates in some of the cases we've covered this season. We cover updates about the ongoing Lori Vallow & Chad Daybell case from our very first episode, very exciting developments in the Adnan Syed wrongful conviction case, news in the Cooper Harris case, a shocking Supreme Court decision in the Barry & Honey Sherman murder case, and sentencing updates in the Yaser Said case from episode 15. FIND US ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Instagram: @crimefamilypodca...
Jun 21, 2021•21 min•Season 1Ep. 18
The human mind is a truly fascinating and terrifying thing. What happens when the unconscious mind controls the body? This episode explores the deadly sleepwalking cases of Scott Falater and Kenneth Parks. FIND US ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Instagram: @crimefamilypodcast Twitter: @crimefamilypod1 Facebook: Crime Family Podcast Email: crimefamilypodcast@gmail.com EPISODE RESOURCES: World Science Festival : The Mind After Midnight: Where Do You Go When You Go to Sleep? : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stXh...
Jun 16, 2021•50 min•Season 1Ep. 18
Nikki Whitehead was a troubled child who wound up pregnant at the age of 17. After giving birth to twins, Tasmiyah and Jasmiyah, Nikki was determined to give the girls a better life and upbringing than her own, but the girls grew to resent their mother no matter how hard she tried. When the girls became teenagers, their hatred towards their mother was at an all-time high and one morning in January 2010, things took a deadly turn when Nikki ended up dead from 80 stab wounds at a violent and grisl...
Jun 09, 2021•38 min•Season 1Ep. 17
This week is a 2-for-1; two different cases in one episode! Nicole Doucet and Dalia Dippolito are two very different women with one thing in common: they both wanted their husbands out of their lives for good and were both willing to do the unthinkable to make it happen. These two cases are very different versions of the classic "hitman for hire" story: One shows that these things can even happen in small towns close to home, and the other includes drama reminiscent of Hollywood with some events...
Jun 02, 2021•1 hr 4 min•Season 1Ep. 16
*Trigger Warning: This episode contains explicit language and topics/discussions involving alleged sexual abuse which may be disturbing. Listener discretion is advised* No one could have imagined the true tyranny that was happening inside the Said household in Bedford, Texas. It was a horror that sisters Sarah and Amina would experience for years which included alleged abuse and control by their father Yaser, who was determined to marry the girls off to rich strangers back in his home country. W...
May 26, 2021•1 hr 6 min•Season 1Ep. 15
Andrea Yates grew up with a long history of mental illness within her family, including bouts in the hospital for her own struggles throughout her life. After marrying Russell "Rusty" Yates in 1993, she eventually went on to have five children in an attempt at a perfect life that so many dream of. However, on the morning of June 20, 2001, Andrea makes a tragic decision that will forever change the course of her life. In what has since been deemed the "Killer Mom" case, this is the story of a wom...
May 19, 2021•51 min•Season 1Ep. 14
In the middle of a stormy night in February 2000, 9-year-old Asha Degree walks out of her home and sets off on a walk down a nearby highway, being spotted by two different motorists along the way before eventually running into the woods. After this, the little girl is never seen again. Over 21 years later, many questions still surround this unsolved case and new developments have been coming in as recently as November 2020 in one of the most perplexing cases we've covered yet. What happened to A...
May 12, 2021•52 min•Season 1Ep. 13
On July 26, 2009, an SUV driving the wrong way on a busy New York highway collided head-on with an oncoming vehicle, resulting in a devastating crash that took the lives of eight people- including four children. The circumstances leading up to the crash and the autopsy results that were released shortly after revealed a devastating truth about the SUV's driver, Diane Schuler. Twelve years after the crash, many questions still remain: was it a horrible accident, a planned murder-suicide or someth...
May 05, 2021•59 min•Season 1Ep. 12
When Andrew Bagby broke it off with Shirley Turner on November 3, 2001, he could not have known the devastation that was waiting for him and his family. When Shirley allegedly travelled over 1000 miles to confront and murder Andrew in cold blood, this is just the beginning of the heartbreak for the Bagby family. As this story unfolds, it emphasizes a tragic example of how the Canadian child protective system and the Canadian Justice system completely failed Andrew, his son Zachary, and their fam...
Apr 28, 2021•42 min•Season 1Ep. 11
In December 2017, Barry and Honey Sherman (one of Canada's wealthiest couples) were found murdered inside their home in Toronto. Initially considered a cruel murder-suicide, the case blew wide open when the police revealed that it was now being considered a targeted double murder. With a list of possible suspects and little evidence known to the public, theories are endless. Was it a professional hit? Could someone within the family have a motive for murder? FIND US ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Instagram: @...
Apr 21, 2021•1 hr 9 min•Season 1Ep. 10
