Criminal Motives

“I’m Not the Convict, I’m the Convict’s Mama”  The Viral Video Dividing the Internet A video celebrating a man’s release from prison went viral with nearly 4 million views and it has the internet completely divided. The family hopped on a popular trend to welcome him home, but instead of a birthday or a graduation, the occasion was a conviction. Some people found it heartwarming. A lot of people f...

He Assumed She Wouldn't Know Anything About Cameras He Was Wrong What a stolen heirloom reveals about manipulation, gaslighting, and who gets believed When Kai's mom handed her a 1960s Rolleiflex camera found in her late grandmother's drawer, it wasn't just a camera. It was a connection to someone she lost. A piece of history. Something irreplaceable. So when she took it to a repai...

A six-year-old boy stole a gun from his mother’s purse, brought it to school, and shot his teacher. The body cam footage that followed is unlike anything you’ve ever seen. As a therapist, I break down what the footage reveals about this child’s home environment, the role of domestic violence in shaping his behavior, and why blaming ADHD misses the real story entirely.📰 Join my free Substack for e...

A recruiter with 16 years of experience went viral after saying Gen Z candidates showing up to interviews with iced coffee is unprofessional and the internet had a LOT to say about it. Is she gatekeeping or is she right? We break down both sides of the debate.📰 Join my free Substack for exclusive case updates, court document insights, and bonus discussions: https://substack.com/@criminalmotives15...

THIS EPISODE IS SUPPORTED BY BETTERHELPGet 15% off your first month here: http://betterhelp.com/mattphiferShe served her husband divorce papers on a Friday. Two days later, she was found dead in a North Carolina river. Micah Miller was 30 years old married to Pastor John-Paul “JP” Miller of Solid Rock Church in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, a man she’d known since she was a teenager. Her death was...

If this story brought something up for you personally real support is available. Get started with BetterHelp online therapy today.👉 http://betterhelp.com/mattphiferWant to get your finances organized? I use Monarch Money to track everything in one place.👉 https://monarch.com/referral/174kyzqlww?r_source=shareCreating content of your own? I use Opus Pro to repurpose my long form content into shor...

New photos and videos of Nolan Wells are going viral. But are they actually credible? And what are the people closest to Nolan his friends and his football coach actually saying about what happened on Horn Island on July 4th? In this episode Matt Phifer reacts to the latest footage and gives his full unfiltered breakdown including some serious concerns about the way Ben Crump is handling this inve...

Atlanta called itself "the city too busy to hate." Then, between 1979 and 1981, at least 29 Black children and young adults were murdered — and the city's response became almost as controversial as the killings themselves. This episode follows the case from the first bodies found off Niskey Lake Road, through the mothers who forced a reluctant city to act, the fiber evidence that built a case with...

I Didn't Kill Her on the Side of the Road' — How Taylor Parker Gaslit an Entire InvestigationNetflix's Maternal Instinct covers one of the most disturbing true crime cases in recent memory — but the body cam footage and interrogation recordings reveal something the documentary can't show you. As a therapist, I break down Taylor Parker's Cluster B behavior, her sophisticated gaslighting tactics, an...

Karmelo Anthony Said He Did It On Camera — So Why Are People Still Debating This? For the first time since the verdict the evidence from the Karmelo Anthony trial is public. The surveillance footage from the track meet. The body cam video of his arrest. The knife. And the moment Karmelo Anthony looked at a police officer and said "I'm not alleged. I know how this goes. I did it." In this episode M...

15% off Therapy with Betterhelp: http://betterhelp.com/mattphiferCriminal Motives with Matt Phifer — Behavioral analysis of true crime cases through the lens of psychology and human behavior.🔔 Subscribe for new episodes every [DAY]:👉 https://youtube.com/@criminalmotives?si=7jL5n87VfmGSWH9p📝 Get case files and deeper dives, join my substack:👉 https://substack.com/@criminalmotives📚 Guides & Res...

Karmelo Anthony Had a Right to Defend Himself — So Why Is He Going to Prison? A Texas jury took less than 3 hours to find Karmelo Anthony guilty of murdering Austin Metcalf and then sentenced him to 35 years in the same afternoon. What does a verdict this fast actually tell us about the case, the evidence, and the community it came from? This case isn't just about a track meet it's about what happ...

Every Single Witness Said It Wasn't Self-Defense — Even The Ones Karmelo's Team CalledThe defense has rested. Karmelo Anthony will not take the stand. And twelve jurors are about to decide the rest of his life — armed with one question nobody in that courtroom answered: why was there a knife at a track meet in the first place?🧠 If this case brought up something personal about conflict, fear, or a...

Michael Jackson Was Found Not Guilty — His Behavior Was Still IndefensibleNetflix just dropped Michael Jackson: The Verdict — but the most damning parts of this story didn't make the cut. Behavioral analyst Matt Phifer breaks down everything the documentary left out, and what Michael Jackson's admitted behavior tells us regardless of what a jury decided. Get 15% off your first month of therapy wit...

Mackenzie Shirilla's Prison Record EXPOSED: Sexual Misconduct, Contraband & More | Criminal MotivesIs Mackenzie Shirilla sabotaging her own future behind bars? In this episode, therapist Matt Phifer dives deep into 58+ pages of conduct reports from Ohio's Department of Corrections revealing a pattern of infractions that could keep Mackenzie locked up for the rest of her life. From bein...

He Ran Over a Woman 100 Times. His Fans Called It a MisunderstandingWade Wilson the so-called "Deadpool Killer" was convicted of two brutal murders, yet somehow amassed a cult-like following of women who believed he was innocent. In this episode, therapist Matthew Phifer reacts to the shocking case of Wade Wilson, breaks down the psychology behind trauma bonding, and explains why so many victims a...

Jury selection is officially underway in McKinney, Texas — and the tension outside the courthouse is already building. Demonstrators are gathering on both sides, the GiveSendGo fundraiser for Karmelo Anthony has now surpassed $600,000, and opening statements could begin as early as tomorrow. In Episode 2 of our ongoing trial series, we break down Karmelo Anthony's self-defense claim, why attorneys...

He Admitted He Did It — So Why Are Millions Defending Carmelo Anthony? The Karmelo Anthony murder trial is officially underway and this one hits close to home. A confrontation at a high school track meet in Frisco, Texas ended with 17-year-old Austin Metcalf stabbed in the chest and dying in his twin brother's arms. Now, Karmelo Anthony faces a first-degree murder charge that could land him in...

Sorry, But Mackenzie Shirilla Was Convicted of the Wrong CrimeWas Mackenzie Shirilla wrongly convicted of murder? Professionals weigh in on The Crash — Netflix's explosive new documentary — and the verdict may surprise you. A forensic scientist & former CSI, a defense attorney, and a trauma therapist all agree: Mackenzie Shirilla may be guilty of manslaughter, but not murder. In this video, we...

McKenzie Sharilla was sentenced to two consecutive 15-to-life terms for the murders of Dominic Russo and DaVon Flanigan. But what is she really like behind bars? Two women who were incarcerated with her — including someone who was in a romantic relationship with McKenzie — are sharing their firsthand accounts. From her lack of remorse, to her prison lifestyle funded by her mother and sugar daddies...

15% off Therapy with Betterhelp: http://betterhelp.com/mattphiferSouth Jersey influencer Ashley Robinson, known online as Ashley Jana, was found dead in a luxury villa in Zanzibar, Tanzania just days after getting engaged to her fiancé Joe McCann. Police say she was found unconscious and later pronounced dead at a hospital — but her family says the story doesn't add up. In this episode, we break d...

Former Virginia Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax shot and killed his wife, Serena Fairfax, before turning the gun on himself in an Annandale, Virginia home while their two teenage children were inside. In this video, therapist Matthew Phifer breaks down the psychology behind this murder-suicide, why the moment divorce papers were served became the deadly trigger, and what this tragedy reveals ab...

15% off Therapy with Betterhelp: http://betterhelp.com/mattphiferA man was caught on Ring doorbell camera banging on a homeowner's door, demanding to know where his daughter was — and threatening to break the door down and end his life. What started as a terrifying confrontation took a surprising turn. In this episode, I break down the footage and give my take on what was really going on with...

15% off Therapy with Betterhelp: http://betterhelp.com/mattphiferAnna Kepner Case Explained, Step Brother Facing Life in Prison | Therapist Reacts16-year-old Timothy Hudson has been indicted on charges of first-degree murder and aggravated sexual abuse in the death of his stepsister Anna Kepner aboard a Carnival cruise ship in November 2025 — and in this video, therapist Matthew Phifer breaks down...

Social media influencer Ashlee Jenae Found Dead by Suicide, but Her Fiancé is Silent and Her Family Wants Answers was found dead in Zanzibar, Tanzania just days after her fiancé proposed and authorities are calling it a suicide. But her family isn't buying it, and neither am I. In today's video, I break down the timeline of events surrounding Ashley's death, including the explosive argument that g...