One of television's most popular true-crime series is now adapted for your ears with the “48 Hours” podcast. Every week, award-winning CBS News correspondents investigate the most intriguing crime and justice cases. Here’s a preview of a new “48 Hours” episode, “The Night of the Idaho Student Murders”. "48 Hours" correspondent Peter Van Sant sits down with family members of Kaylee Goncalves and Xana Kernodle, two of the four University of Idaho students shockingly murdered the night of November ...
Nov 14, 2023•8 min
In 1983, Diane Downs shot her three children and blamed it on someone who wanted to steal her car. Diane had a superficial gunshot wound to her arm as she pulled her car into the ambulance bay of a hospital in Springfield, Oregon. She told hospital staff and later law enforcement that a shaggy-haired man had shot them while attempting to steal her car. One of Diane's daughters was pronounced dead at the hospital, while her other two children lived but suffered significant life-changing injuries....
Nov 12, 2023•55 min•Ep. 282
In 2022, 17-year-old Riley Whitelaw was murdered by her co-worker, 28-year-old Joshua Johnson, in the breakroom of the Walgreens where they worked. Riley had been harassed by Joshua and had made complaints to management. For a time, the two worked different schedules. But, to get more hours, Riley had to be on the schedule with Johnson. Join Mike and Morf as they discuss Riley Whitelaw and her murderer, Joshua Johnson. Riley was put in a situation where she did not feel safe. Ultimately, that fe...
Nov 05, 2023•56 min•Ep. 281
In our annual Halloween episode, we discuss Dennis Depue, the inspiration for the creature in Jeepers Creepers. Like Depue, there have been many real-life cold-blooded killers who have inspired horror movies. These include Ed Gein, Ted Bundy, Gary Heidnik, John Wayne Gacy, and Ronald Defeo Jr., to name a few. Join Mike and Morf as they discuss Dennis Depue, a man who blamed his ex-wife for all his troubles. If there was a common theme in his life, nothing was his fault. He blamed his ex-wife Mar...
Oct 29, 2023•45 min•Ep. 280
Tristan Redman is a journalist who doesn’t believe in ghosts. But weird things happened in his teenage bedroom – weirder than normal. When, years later, he discovers subsequent occupants of his family home say they have been visited by the ghost of a faceless woman, he’s curious. It just so happens that the house Tristan grew up in is right next door to the house where his wife’s great-grandmother, Naomi Dancy, was murdered – killed by two gunshots to the face. Could there be a connection? Trist...
Oct 24, 2023•9 min
In 1978, five men disappeared in Northern California. Although some of their remains were eventually found, it only led to a more profound mystery, more questions, and countless theories about what happened to this group of men who’ve come to be known as the Yuba County Five. Join Mike and Morf as they discuss The Yuba County Five. Jack Huett, Ted Weiher, Bill Sterling, Jack Madruga, and Gary Mathias disappeared after a basketball game in 1978. Their car was found up a mountain road in the Pluma...
Oct 22, 2023•54 min•Ep. 279
Timothy Bliefnick murdered his wife Rebecca after appearing on the game show The Family Feud. The murder occurred a couple of years later, but one answer Timothy gave on the show was very telling. It provided a glimpse into the marriage and foreshadowed its ending. Join Mike and Morf as they discuss Timothy Bliefnick, who has been called The Family Feud killer. Tim and Rebecca had three children, but their marriage spiraled after the show aired. Rebecca's friends and family have said that Tim wa...
Oct 15, 2023•57 min•Ep. 278
In 1980, Charles and Catherine Romer disappeared on their way from Florida back home to New York. The Romers were snowbirds finishing the winter in Florida and heading back home. The police know they arrived at the Holiday Inn in Brunswick City, GA, to check-in. Housekeeping alerted management after it looked like the room had not been slept in for several days, and the Romers were due to have already checked out. Join Mike and Morf as they discuss the mysterious disappearance of Charles and Cat...
Oct 08, 2023•47 min•Ep. 276
In the 1990s, a series of murders rocked Perth, Western Australia. They became known as the Claremont serial killings. The murders rocked the area to the point that people were afraid to leave their homes. Join Mike and Morf as they discuss the Claremont Killer. This serial killer went unidentified for twenty years. In the end, it was good old-fashioned detective work that cracked the case. Advancements in DNA allowed evidence collected at the crime scenes to identify the killer. You can help su...
Oct 01, 2023•1 hr•Ep. 276
On February 21st, 2001, 22-year-old Ashley Ellerin was stabbed to death in her Los Angeles home. The tabloids covered the murder because actor Ashton Kutcher was set to have a first date with Ashley that night. He ran late at a Grammy's party, and he said that by the time he got to Ashley's house, she didn't answer the door. Join Mike and Morf as they discuss the murders committed by the Hollywood Ripper. It took some time but Ashley's murder along with several others was tied to a man named Mic...
Sep 24, 2023•56 min•Ep. 275
On September 11, 2001, the United States was rocked by terrorism and terrible loss of life. In the chaos of the day's events, a murder and a disappearance unfolded that remain unsolved. Mystery surrounds both cases. Join Mike and Morf as they discuss the murder of Henryk Siwiak and the disappearance of Dr. Sneha Ann Phillip. Henry was a Polish immigrant working hard to feed himself and send money back home to his family in Poland. He was shot and killed while on his way to a cleaning job. Dr Sne...
Sep 17, 2023•57 min•Ep. 274
Lucy Letby is one of England's most notorious female killers. In 2015, infants began dying in the NICU at an alarming rate at the Countess of Chester Hospital in Chester, Chesire, England. It was like nothing the hospital had experienced before or since. Nurse Lucy Letby was making infants sick, and many of them died. Join Mike and Morf as they discuss the notorious Lucy Letby. Even though people voiced their suspicions to upper management at the hospital, nothing was done, and more infants died...
Sep 10, 2023•1 hr•Ep. 273
The 1994 murders of Nicole Brown and Ronald Goldman turned into the trial of the century. The murders were brutal and heartbreaking. But, the fact that Nicole Brown was married to famed football star O.J. Simpson drew massive media attention to the murders. Everything exploded when police began to zero in on O.J. as the possible murderer. Join Mike and Morf for part 2 of 2 on the murders of Nicole Brown and Ronald Goldman. To say that the case at the time made huge headlines would be an understa...
Sep 03, 2023•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 272
The 1994 murders of Nicole Brown and Ronald Goldman turned into the trial of the century. The murders were brutal and heartbreaking. But, the fact that Nicole Brown was married to famed football star O.J. Simpson drew massive media attention to the murders. Everything exploded when police began to zero in on O.J. as the possible murderer. Join Mike and Morf for part 1 of 2 on the murders of Nicole Brown and Ronald Goldman. To say that the case at the time made huge headlines would be an understa...
Aug 27, 2023•54 min•Ep. 271
In 2016, eight members of the Rhoden family were murdered at multiple residences. The crime scenes were all discovered on the same day, April 22nd, 2016. These murders shocked the residents of Pike County, which is in a rural part of Ohio. They also drew the attention of online sleuths who poured over the details of the murders while awaiting the murders to be solved. Join Mike and Morf as they discuss the Rhoden family murders. The press gave several monikers to these murders, including The Rho...
Aug 20, 2023•58 min•Ep. 270
In the winter of 2015, 19-year-old Katelin Akens flew from Arizona back home to Virginia to visit family. She was excited because her sister Gabi had given birth to a baby boy named Landon. Katelin also caught up with some friends, and one encounter turned intimate even though Kateline had a fiancé waiting for her back in Arizona. Join Mike and Morf as they discuss the disappearance of Kateline Akens. Katelin never made it on her flight back to Arizona. Her stepfather has come under scrutiny by ...
Aug 13, 2023•52 min•Ep. 268
Someone has been arrested in the 1993 abduction and murder of 12-year-old Jennifer Odom. Jennifer went missing after getting off the school bus near her Saint Joseph, Florida home. The only real lead that police had to go on was the sighting of a light blue pickup truck that people saw following Jennifer that day. Join Mike and Morf as they discuss the murder of Jennifer Odom and the identification of Jeffrey Crum Sr., who has been charged with Jennifer's murder. It seems as though Crum hit poli...
Aug 06, 2023•1 hr•Ep. 268
H.H. Holmes is often referred to as America's first serial killer. He became fascinated as a child with death and later studied medicine in college. Holmes didn't make all of his money legally. He used arson to con insurance companies and cadavers to collect life insurance. It seems that he began killing mainly to cover up his crimes. Join Mike and Morf as they discuss the infamous H.H. Holmes. Holmes confessed to over 20 murders but the real number is in question. Some people believe Holmes ele...
Jul 30, 2023•58 min•Ep. 267
On Friday, July 14th, 2023, 59-year-old Rex Andrew Heuermann was arrested for several unsolved murders. Heuermann has so far been charged with three murders. But, these murders are part of a cold case or a set of cold cases commonly referred to as the Gilgo Beach murders, the Long Island Serial Killer, or LISK for short. Join Mike and Morf as they discuss this breaking news on what has been a highly discussed topic in the true crime community for many years. The evidence against Rex Heuermann fo...
Jul 23, 2023•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 266
Leon Benson spent 24 years in an Indiana state prison for the 1998 murder of a young man named Kasey Schoen. His conviction hinged on the testimony of two eyewitnesses – but what if their memories turned out to be wrong? And what if the people who knew what really happened had never been allowed to speak? Suspect Season 3: Five Shots in the Dark is the story of two victims: one murdered, one sentenced to life. Follow host Matt Shaer and attorney Lara Bazelon as they investigate how the justice s...
Jul 19, 2023•6 min
In 2019, Elizabeth Barraza was gunned down in front of her home in the early morning of January 25th. The whole thing was captured on the Barraza's doorbell camera with audio and video. Despite this, there have been no arrests in the case. Join Mike and Morf as they discuss the brazen murder of Elizabeth Barraza. Elizabeth was holding a garage sale that morning and was setting up when the killer approached her. Her husband, Sergio, had just left for work, which has led many to believe that timin...
Jul 16, 2023•52 min•Ep. 265
Steven Pladl murdered his wife, Katie, their son Bennett, and Katie's father, Anthony Fusco. This story made the headlines because Katie was not just Steven's second wife; she was also his biological daughter. Steven and his first wife, Alyssa, put Katie up for adoption when she was just a baby. Join Mike and Morf as they discuss Steven Pladl and the murders he committed. Steven had a horrible temper and a history of grooming young girls. He began grooming his first wife, Alyssa, when she was on...
Jul 09, 2023•54 min•Ep. 264
In 2017, Alisa Summers and her five children went through a harrowing ordeal. What made it even worse was that the entire thing was set into motion and then perpetrated by Alisa's husband, Trevor Summers. The two had been married for 15 years but were going through a divorce. Join Mike and Morf as they discuss Trevor Summers and the crimes he committed against his wife and children. Trevor had become increasingly controlling of Alissa over the years. Toward the end, he wouldn't go to work for fe...
Jun 25, 2023•57 min•Ep. 263
In 2015, Tiffany Valiante died in what many consider to be a very mysterious way. Just after 11:00 PM, Tiffany was struck by a train and killed in Southern New Jersey. The authorities ruled it a suicide, but Tiffany's family does not believe that to be true. Join Mike and Morf as they discuss the mysterious death of Tiffany Valiante. Tiffany had graduated from high school and was set to attend college on a volleyball scholarship. She had a lot to look forward to. She did have an incident before ...
Jun 18, 2023•57 min•Ep. 263
In this episode, we discuss how forensics played a pivotal role in various cases. In the case of Vincent Brothers, Entomology was the key to figuring out who really killed Vincent's family. Join Mike and Morf as they discuss some interesting aspects of the world of forensics in fighting crime. In the case of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman, forensic ecology and botany were used fascinatingly to nail the person who had killed them. You can help support the show at patreon.com/criminology An Emash...
Jun 11, 2023•57 min•Ep. 259
In July 2021, 50 yr old Bart Halderson and his 53 yr old wife Krista Halderson of Windsor, Wisconsin, disappeared. They were later found murdered. People who knew them were shocked that anyone would want to hurt the couple. But they were even more shocked to find out who was responsible. Join Mike and Morf as they discuss the murders of Bart and Krista Halderson. Together they had two adult sons who both seemed to be on the right path in life. But their youngest son Chandler was hiding behind a ...
Jun 04, 2023•1 hr•Ep. 260
In 1974, 14-year-old Margaret Fox disappeared in New Jersey. She was set to meet a man named John Marshall, who was looking for someone to watch his 5-year-old son. This man had responded to an ad that Margaret and her cousin Lynne had placed in the paper. Margaret made it to the bus stop where this man was supposed to pick her up, but she was never heard from or seen again. Join Mike and Morf as they discuss the mysterious disappearance of Margaret Fox. From the start, investigators did not bel...
May 28, 2023•57 min•Ep. 259
11-year-old Gannon Stauch went missing in 2020 in Colorado. His stepmother, Leticia, was the last person known to have seen him, and as the community searched for Gannon, they also offered support to Leticia. But, she told a number of different stories to the authorities that made them suspicious of her. Join Mike and Morf as they discuss the disappearance and murder of Gannon Stauch. Leticia's stories about what happened to Gannon became more varied and more bizarre. When Gannon's body was foun...
May 21, 2023•58 min•Ep. 258
In 1980, wife and mother Betty Gore was murdered in Texas. It was an especially brutal murder caused by many blows from an axe. Initially, police believed that it must have been a man who murdered Betty because of the vicious nature of the crime. But, the evidence started to point to a woman. The sensational nature of the case has led to numerous television series over the years. Join Mike and Morf as they discuss the murder of Betty Gore. Suspicion in Betty's death soon fell on her friend Candy...
May 14, 2023•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 257
On September 10th, 1988, Cynthia and David Dowaliby woke up to find their daughter Jaclyn missing from the house. The local police, as well as the FBI, started an investigation. They originally thought that the Dowalibys might receive a ransom demand from a kidnapper. But, suspicion soon turned to David and Cynthia. Join Mike and Morf as they discuss the case of Jaclyn Dowaliby. Sadly, 7-year-old Jaclyn's body was found just days later. The Dowaliby family was in a nightmarish situation, and thi...
May 07, 2023•1 hr•Ep. 256