Sonny Franzese was one of the most formidable mobsters in America. With a career spanning over the course of 80 years, Franzese rose through the ranks of the Colombo Crime Family, ultimately earning the title of "underboss." Much of the family's success was due to the oath of Omertà, a sacred vow of silence which new recruits were ordered to take to prove their loyalty. When Sonny Franzese was sentenced to 50 years in prison, his son, Michael took it upon himself to make that vow and enter into ...
May 02, 2023•1 hr 20 min
While genetic genealogy is typically used to reveal more details about one's ancestry, it can also be incredibly helpful in aiding law enforcement with their criminal investigations. With just one piece of DNA, scientists can identify both violent criminals and human remains, bringing answers to even the most mysterious cold cases. Chief Genetic Genealogist at Parabon Nanolabs CeCe Moore explains the background behind the genetic genealogy field, how DNA databases operate, and how the science ha...
Apr 27, 2023•37 min
In the middle of the night in February 2010, a young woman was raped, strangled, and left to die in a snowy Virginia forest. After flagging down a couple driving by, the woman recounted the horrific story of the night before. Later that day, law enforcement would arrest Jorge Avila-Torrez for the attack. Little did they know that upon collecting his DNA, a string of previous assaults and murders connected to Avila-Torrez would be revealed. Former Federal and State Prosecutor Jonathan Fahey led t...
Apr 25, 2023•1 hr 21 min
The United States Marshals Service is a federal agency responsible for the arrests of federal fugitives. With origins dating back to the nation's beginnings, the U.S. Marshals continue to serve the country by protecting the federal judiciary. Retired U.S. Marshal Bill Sorukas discusses the history of the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Apprehension Program, how the group operates, and some of its high-profile cases. After working as an undercover officer in Indiana, Bill Sorukas became a Deputy U.S. Mars...
Apr 20, 2023•36 min
In October 2002, a series of sniper attacks terrorized residents of Washington D.C. and the surrounding area. For three weeks, civilians were shot at random, sporadically injured, and killed while completing mundane activities in their day-to-day routine. As the shootings continued to unfold, people within the D.C. communities were paralyzed with fear, too afraid to step outside and live their lives. With virtually no actionable leads, law enforcement was tasked with the difficult mission of hun...
Apr 18, 2023•1 hr 27 min
To everyone that knew her, Ashley Eiffert was a ray of sunshine in her hometown of New Orleans, Louisiana. At 19 years old, Ashley was pregnant with her first child with her boyfriend at the time, Joe Hill. During one of her prenatal doctor's appointments, Ashley met a woman named Nicole Johnson. Nicole, who had just lost a child, offered to donate baby clothes and furniture to Ashley. Shortly after arriving at her house, Nicole claimed Ashley had gotten into an argument with Joe on the phone, a...
Apr 13, 2023•22 min
The Hells Angels Motorcycle Club became the face of the rebellion against the status quo during the midpoint of the 20th century. Known for their leather jackets and Harley-Davidson-riding packs, the group developed notoriety for their involvement in various violent crimes, including drug trafficking, extortion, assault, and homicide. Becoming a member of the mysterious organization is a feat that's as difficult as it is dangerous. Retired ATF Special Agent Jay "Jaybird" Dobyns discusses his inv...
Apr 11, 2023•1 hr 13 min
One of the Secret Service's greatest assets is its K-9 units. The teams consist of highly-trained Belgian Malinois and their handlers, who together, detect and prevent threats while providing the highest levels of protection to the country's political leaders. One K-9 hero, Hurricane, was recognized for his immense bravery when protecting President Obama and the first family from an intruder who jumped the White House fence. Retired U.S. Secret Service Special Operations Officer and Hurricane's ...
Apr 06, 2023•44 min
The art of Ken Perenyi is remarkable, but it's extremely difficult to detect which pieces are his. As a teenager, Ken entered New York City's art scene, admiring famous pieces alongside artists and celebrities alike. Feeling inspired to learn the craft, he taught himself how to paint. Ken soon learned that not only was he a talented artist, but a talented forger as well. With his remarkable ability to reproduce the art of well-known painters, Ken began a 34-year career of forgery, tricking some ...
Apr 04, 2023•1 hr 25 min
In missing person cases, the first 48 hours is the most important window for the beginning of the investigation. However, complications between state and local police can be an obstacle to bringing federal agencies onto the case. Former Secret Service Special Agent and Liason to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children Jeffrey James explains the function and purpose of NCMEC, how the federal government is activated when a missing persons case occurs, and the challenges he's faced t...
Mar 30, 2023•32 min
On February 15th, 1999, Carole Sund, her 15-year-old daughter Juli, and 16-year-old family friend Silvina Pelosso went missing from their motel room during a trip to Yosemite National Park. An intensive search ensued as law enforcement searched for the trio. The bodies of Carole and Silvina would later be found charred in the shell of their burnt rental car, with Juli's remains to be discovered separately just days later. Horror would again strike Yosemite months later when 26-year-old Joie Arms...
Mar 28, 2023•1 hr 58 min
During his reign of terror, Pablo Escobar was feared not only by Colombians but by people across the world. The lives of police, politicians, journalists, rival gangs, and innocent civilians were lost during his notorious acts of violence at the height of his cocaine smuggling career. Former DEA Special Agents Javier Peña and Steve Murphy were tasked with the impossible mission of taking down Escobar and his deadly cartel. In part two of this story, the duo details the capture and final moments ...
Mar 23, 2023•46 min
Pablo Escobar was one of the world's richest and most dangerous men at the height of his drug smuggling career. Capitalizing on the rise in demand for cocaine within the 70s and 80s, Escobar formed the infamous Medellin Cartel to traffic large shipments of the drug across international borders. Escobar was feared across his home country of Colombia due to his ability to take down any of his adversaries. Although he seemed untouchable, two brave Americans were tasked with the mission of bringing ...
Mar 21, 2023•1 hr 26 min
In a rare courtroom occurrence, Alex Murdaugh's defense attorney requested to bring jurors to the infamous Moselle estate where Maggie and Paul Murdaugh were brutally murdered. The jury toured the Murdaughs' hunting lodge, finding bullet holes from the night of the murder. The following day, the jury reached a verdict, and Alex Murdaugh was found guilty on all counts of the murder of his wife and son. Criminal defense lawyer and former South Carolina U.S. Attorney Bill Nettles explains what happ...
Mar 16, 2023•25 min
On February 9th, 2004, 21-year-old nursing student Maura Murray packed her belongings, emptied her bank account, and left her campus dorm room. After crashing her car along a snowbank in New Hampshire that night, Maura was never seen again. Authorities have worked on the cold case disappearance for years to no avail, leading Maura's family to take it upon themselves to find answers. Julie Murray, Maura's older sister, discusses the details of her sister's disappearance, her efforts to uncover mo...
Mar 14, 2023•1 hr 19 min
In 1993, 12-year-old Polly Klaas was abducted from her own home during a slumber party with her friends. Polly was later murdered by her killer, Richard Allen Davis, a man with an extensive criminal history. Marc Klaas, Polly's father, has never stopped fighting for justice, even 30 years later. On this bonus edition of the FOX True Crime Podcast, Emily speaks with Marc to discuss his work with the KlaasKids, a foundation he started to advocate for laws to prevent crimes against children. Later,...
Mar 09, 2023•25 min
For young girls, slumber parties are a childhood essential. On October 1st, 1993, 12-year-old Polly Klaas and two of her friends had planned a sleepover after school. It was a night filled with dancing, goofing off, and playing games, but it would soon take a turn for the worse. As the girls got ready for bed, a stranger broke into the home, bound the trio of girls, and kidnapped young Polly at knifepoint, beginning a more than 60-day mystery that captivated the nation. Retired FBI Agent Eddie F...
Mar 07, 2023•1 hr 37 min
In April of 2013, using his experience on both the Hostage Rescue Team and the Crisis Negotiation Unit, retired FBI Special Agent Kyle Vowinkel worked with the CNU in order to secure the peaceful surrender of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, one of the two Boston Marathon bombers. On this bonus edition of The FOX True Crime Podcast, Emily takes a look at Kyle's illustrious career in law enforcement. Kyle Vowinkel served for 24 years as an FBI Special Agent is a former U.S. Army officer, and is a West Point gr...
Mar 02, 2023•20 min
With century-old origins deep in South Carolina's Lowcountry region, the Murdaugh family was known for its long-established legal dynasty within the state. On the night of June 7th, 2021, Maggie Murdaugh and her son, Paul, were found shot dead at the family's hunting lodge. Just over a year later, Alex Murdaugh would be put on trial for the double murder of his wife and son, surfacing a web of mysterious deaths and financial crimes linked to the family. FOX News Atlanta-based Correspondent Jonat...
Feb 28, 2023•1 hr 5 min
Warning: This podcast episode contains graphic audio. Midland City, Alabama is the kind of small town where everyone knows their neighbor, for better or for worse. Neighbors of Jimmy Lee Dykes knew him as a hostile recluse to be avoided at all costs. The extent of the danger that Dykes posed wouldn't be realized until January 29th, 2013, when he boarded a school bus, murdered the driver, and took 5-year-old Ethan Gilman hostage. Retired FBI Special Agent Kyle Vowinkel discusses his experience wo...
Feb 28, 2023•1 hr 32 min
“The FOX True Crime Podcast with Emily Compagno” will tell the stories of those impacted by true crime in America. Each week, Emily Compagno – Co-Host of Outnumbered on The FOX News Channel - will be joined by a team of FOX News Digital true crime reporters, legal and law enforcement experts, along with the latest insights from the FOX News Investigative Team. Emily will bring stories of survival, solved and unsolved murders, America's Most Wanted killers, missing persons, and celebrity crime tr...
Feb 24, 2023•2 min
