Jenn Wood of FITSNews joins the podcast to talk about previously unseen text messages she discovered tied to Alex Murdaugh's 2023 double homicide trial, in which he was convicted of murdering his wife Maggie and son Paul. The uncovered texts were between Murdaugh and his alleged drug dealer, Curtis “Eddie” Smith, whom the defense suggested as an alternative suspect. Murdaugh is currently appealing those convictions – and the life sentence he received for them – on multiple grounds, including doc...
Jul 22, 2025•35 min
In February, South Carolina US House of Representative, Nancy Mace gave a "scorched earth" speech on the house floor. In the speech she accused several men of serious crimes, including rape, physical abuse and sex trafficking. In the Impact of Influence previous episode you can hear part of that speech and a discussion of some off the fallout. None of the men Mace accused have been charged with any of the crimes she accused them of and all have denied her allegations. In this episode you will he...
Jul 18, 2025•48 min
In February, SC US Representative, Nancy Mace gave a 53 minute speech on the House floor that accused four men of terrible crimes against women. All the men of denied the accusations and none have been charged with the crimes. Mace accused SC AG and Gubernatorial candidate, Alan Wilson, of not doing his job to protect women from men like those she accused. The U.S. Constitution has some legal protection from anything they say on the floor. However; questions remain if those same protections can ...
Jul 10, 2025•25 min
This episode starts with a few minutes of taking listener comments and questions. Then a replay of an episode from November 2023. A few weeks ago Matt and Seton Interviewed Dick Harpootlian who prosecuted Pee Wee Gaskins. In this episode you will hear from the other side of the courtroom in the Gaskins trial. Donald Henry "Pee Wee" Gaskins Jr. is one of South Carolina's most notorious serial killers. He murdered more than a dozen people between 1970 and 1975. Gaskins was sentenced to 10 concurre...
Jul 02, 2025•46 min
Michael Colucci, a Summerville, South Carolina jeweler, was once again on trial for the death of his wife, seven years after his initial trial ended in a mistrial. Michael Colucci is accused of killing his wife, Sara Lynn Colucci, in May 2015. During his first trial in 2018, prosecutors alleged that Michael strangled Sara. His defense argued that she died by suicide, claiming she hanged herself with a garden hose on a nearby fence while Michael was sitting in their car just 25 feet away. Just mo...
Jun 23, 2025•1 hr 7 min
Michael Colucci, a Summerville, South Carolina jeweler, is once again on trial for the death of his wife, seven years after his initial trial ended in a mistrial. Michael Colucci is accused of killing his wife, Sara Lynn Colucci, in May 2015. During his first trial in 2018, prosecutors alleged that Michael strangled Sara. His defense argued that she died by suicide, claiming she hanged herself with a garden hose on a nearby fence while Michael was sitting in their car just 25 feet away. The retr...
Jun 15, 2025•31 min
June 7, 2021 Maggie and Paul Murdaugh were found murdered on their estate in rural Colleton County, SC. Prominent South Carolina attorney, Alex Murdaugh made the 911 call to authorities about the murders. After a nearly six week trial Alex Murdaugh was found guilty of killing his wife and son on July 14, 2022. Murdaugh is appealing the conviction. In this episode Seton and Matt discuss how the podcast came to be and discuss listeners comments on various cases. Seton Tucker and Matt Harris began ...
Jun 11, 2025•36 min
A 2023 road rage incident near Myrtle Beach turned deadly. Weldon Boyd fatally shot and killed 33 year old Scott Spivey. Boyd claimed self defense under South Carolina's Stand Your Ground Law. Questions emerged about the investigation after Boyd's phone calls were released. There are also questions abut Boyd's relationship with law enforcement and how the investigation was handled In this episode we discuss South Carolina's Stand Your Ground Law with Seton's father and attorney Matt Siembieda. M...
Jun 06, 2025•45 min
A 2023 road rage incident near Myrtle Beach turned deadly. Weldon Boyd fatally shot and killed 33 year old Scott Spivey. Boyd claimed self defense under South Carolina's Stand Your Ground Law. Questions emerged about the investigation after Boyd's phone calls were released. There are also questions abut Boyd's relationship with law enforcement and how the investigation was handled. In this episode you will hear 911 calls from the scene. Do they help or hurt Boyd's defense. In the May 1 episode W...
May 29, 2025•46 min
Becky Hill, the former Colleton County clerk of court, was arrested and charged with obstructing justice and misconduct in Colleton County and perjury in Richland County. The perjury charge stems from her testimony in a January 2024 hearing into whether Alex Murdaugh would get a new trial based on Hill's alleged jury tampering. Justice Toal ruled that Murdaugh should not get a new trial. Murdaugh's defense team has appealed that decision to the SC State Supreme Court. Seton Tucker and Matt Harri...
May 19, 2025•42 min
This is part two of an interview with Joe McCulloch and Dick Harpootlian. In this episode, Harpootlian discusses his new book about South Carolina serial killer, Pee Wee Gaskins, talks about the chances of Alex Murdaugh getting a new trial, and how he feels about a new Murdaugh series coming out soon. Seton Tucker and Matt Harris began the Impact of Influence podcast shortly after the murders of Maggie and Paul Murdaugh. Now they cover true crime past and present from the southeast region of the...
May 12, 2025•30 min
A man described as a “budding serial killer” was placed in a state-approved mental health residential care home in Columbia, South Carolina, where he allegedly killed and cannibalized two individuals over a five-month period. The accused consumed the ears of both victims and drank one victim’s blood. Jared Ondrea was the first victim. Attorneys Joe McCulloch, and Dick Harpootlian filed lawsuits on behalf of Peggy Ondrea, the grandmother of Jared. In this interview, McCulloch and Harpootlian lay ...
May 06, 2025•42 min
In this new installment of her true crime series, journalist Carol Costello delves into the complex case of the Ohio Craigslist Killings, and in doing so, unearths the untold story of the crimes that preceded the murders – and the victims who’ve never received justice. Richard Beasley was convicted of murdering three men and attempting to kill a fourth in the fall of 2011, but before that heinous spree, authorities were building a human trafficking case against him. Now, Carol examines all of th...
May 02, 2025•12 min
A 2023 road rage incident near Myrtle Beach turned deadly. Weldon Boyd fatally shot and killed 33 year old Scott Spivey. Boyd claimed self defense under South Carolina's Stand Your Ground Law. Questions emerged about the investigation after Boyd's phone calls were released. There are also questions abut Boyd's relationship with law enforcement and how the investigation was handled. Seton and Matt talked with Wall Street Journal reporter Valerie Bauerlein about the case. Bauerlein is a WSJ Nation...
May 01, 2025•1 hr 9 min
The South Carolina State Supreme Court granted the State and additional 120 days to respond to Alex Murdaugh's appeal of his double murder conviction. Questions are raised about the pace of the Becky Hill investigation. Alex's banker buddy, Russell Lafitte, takes a plea deal. There is some movement on the Beach/Parkers outrage case. Seton Tucker and Matt Harris began the Impact of Influence podcast shortly after the murders of Maggie and Paul Murdaugh. Now they cover true crime past and present ...
Apr 23, 2025•25 min
On September 30, 2024, Ty'Ran Tyrell Dixon, a professional football player from Columbia, SC was detained by law enforcement and told there was a warrant for his arrest of murder that occurred in Barnwell, SC on October 15, 2023. Dixon not only did not commit the murder, he was never even charged with the murder and he was never in Barnwell, SC. Dixon spent 66 days imprisoned. That included trips on "con-air" and over thirty days in solitary confinement. Dixon and his attorney, Joe McCullouch, t...
Apr 17, 2025•59 min
Asha Degree was just nine years old when she disappeared from her home in Shelby, North Carolina, more than 25 years ago. Since then, various law enforcement agencies, including local, state, and federal authorities, have been working to solve the case. In the past few months there appears to have been some movement in the case. In this episode we hear from the hosts of the podcast Crackhouse Chronicles https://www.crackhousechronicles.com/ . Donnie Peeler and Dale Champion, have been involved i...
Apr 09, 2025•50 min
Andy Moorman and Mark Moyer are the defense attorneys for Zachary Hughes, who was convicted of murdering Christina Parcell. The case was dubbed the Rose Petal Murder by Fitsnews. Andy and Mark discussed the case on this episode. In the previous episode we heard about the case from the solicitor's perspective. The trial of the murder of Christina Parcell began on February 10, 2025. It concluded 2/21/2025 with Zachary Hughes being sentenced to life for the murder of Parcell. Hughes had a very unus...
Apr 03, 2025•54 min
Walter Wilkins, The Solicitor for the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit, joined the podcast to discuss his prosecution of Zachary Hughes. Wilkins discussed his strategy for the trial and the testimony that surprised him from the "Rose Petal Murderer" Here is the background on the case. The trial of the murder of Christina Parcell began on February 10, 2025. It concluded 2/21/2025 with Zachary Hughes being sentenced to life for the murder of Parcell. Hughes had a very unusual defense. He admitted to ki...
Mar 27, 2025•46 min
A win for Buster Murdaugh's team. Seton and Matt break it down. Alex Murdaugh's hopes to get a new trial take another step. Russell Lafiite gets news on his new federal trial. Seton Tucker and Matt Harris began the Impact of Influence podcast shortly after the murders of Maggie and Paul Murdaugh. Now they cover true crime past and present fro the southeast region of the U.S. Impact of Influence is part of the Evergreen Podcast Company. Look for Impact of Influence on Facebook and the Impact of I...
Mar 19, 2025•22 min
Lori Murray (Lawyer Lori on TikTok) joined the show to discuss the meeting she attended with Kaden Moses's parents with SLED and the solicitor. Murray doesn't hold back on her thoughts that there should be charges brought against the juvenile that was in the room with Kaden the night Kaden was shot. What did authorities tell Kaden's family and Murray? To hear more about this tragic case listen to the two previous episodes on the case on December 5 and February 12. In the episode released Februar...
Mar 11, 2025•35 min
The trial of the murder of Christina Parcell began on February 10, 2025. It concluded 2/21/2025 with Zachary Hughes being sentenced to life for the murder of Parcell. Hughes had a very unusual defense. He admitted to killing Parcell but he claimed it was to protect her daughter. In this episode we discuss with Seton's father and attorney Matt Siembieda, how a Hughes appeal might play out, and what he thought of the strategies used by the State and defense, Matt Siembieda is an attorney and law p...
Mar 04, 2025•51 min
The trial of the murder of Christina Parcell began on February 10, 2025. It concluded 2/21/2025 with Zachary Hughes being sentenced to life for the murder of Parcell. Hughes had a very unususal defense. His testimony and the verdict are discussed in this episode. There are five other episodes on this case. Those were released on January 10, 13, 21 February 14th and Feb 17th. This is the background. On Oct 13, 2021, 41 year old Christina Parcell was found brutally murdered in Greer, SC. Parcell h...
Feb 24, 2025•1 hr 1 min
The trial of the murder of Christina Parcell began on February 10, 2025. In this epsiode a review of the fourth and fifth days of the trial. The defense rested following day 5. There are four other episodes on this case. Those were released on January 10, 13, and 21amd February 14th This is the background. On Oct 13, 2021, 41 year old Christina Parcell was found brutally murdered in Greer, SC. Parcell had suffered 31 stab wounds and www.Fitsnews.com dubbed the homicide the Rose Petal Murder beca...
Feb 17, 2025•29 min
The trial of the murder of Christina Parcell began on February 10, 2025. Seton Tucker attended the trial and she discusses the first two days of the trial. There are three other episodes on this case. Those were released on January 10, 13, and 21. This is the background. On Oct 13, 2021, 41 year old Christina Parcell was found brutally murdered in Greer, SC. Parcell had suffered 31 stab wounds and www.Fitsnews.com dubbed the homicide the Rose Petal Murder because rose petals were found scattered...
Feb 14, 2025•59 min
In this follow up episode we discuss the release of Kaden's Date Certificate. On the death certificate it reads, "How injury Occurred Shot by another person". Former District Attorney, John Snyder joins us to talk about the case from a D.A.'s perspective. The following is the description from the previous episode on Dec 5, 2024 titled "A Grieving Mother Wants Answers Surrounding Tragic Death of Her Son" That episode contains an interview with Kaden's mother. On December 30, 2023, 14 year old Kad...
Feb 12, 2025•35 min
Jaden’s Law We talk to the mother of Jaden Phillips about a proposed legislation, bill H 3602, “Jaden’s Law.” The bill is of great significance to Jaden’s family after tragically losing their 19 year old son in a boating accident. “Jaden’s Law” is designed to address critical gaps in the South Carolina’s response system for boating accents. It would enact new requirements for 911 dispatchers to access injuries and the nature of the accident. Additionally, it would implement improvements on how l...
Feb 03, 2025•34 min
On July 27, 2022, 17 year old Gavin Guffey of York County, SC took his life after being a victim of a sextortion scheme. A Nigerian man, Hassanbunhusssein Abolore Lawal has been extradited to SC and faces charges. It is alleged that Lawal coerced Gavin into sending sexually explicit images and then attempted to extort Gavin and family members by threatening to release the images. Seton Tucker and Matt Harris began the Impact of Influence podcast shortly after the murders of Maggie and Paul Murda...
Jan 29, 2025•26 min
In the previous 2 episode we went in to detail on what has been dubbed the Rose Petal Murder. The trial was scheduled to begin January 13. It has been delayed and you will hear why. On Oct 13, 2021, 41 year old Christina Parcell was found brutally murdered in Greer, SC. Parcell had suffered 31 stab wounds and www.Fitsnews.com dubbed the homicide the Rose Petal Murder because rose petals were found scattered around Parcell’s body. When word of Christina Parcell’s murder spread, there was an outpo...
Jan 21, 2025•25 min
In the previous episode we went in to detail on what has been dubbed the Rose Petal Murder. In this episode we discuss the strategies and problems facing the defense and the prosecution as the trial is scheduled to begin January 13. We discuss with Seton's father and attorney Matt Siembieda. Matt Siembieda is an attorney and law professor at Temple Law School. On Oct 13, 2021, 41 year old Christina Parcell was found brutally murdered in Greer, SC. Parcell had suffered 31 stab wounds and www.Fits...
Jan 13, 2025•29 min
