Murder Unscripted

On Jan. 29, 1999, a family friend entered the Reed family's Manassas, Virginia home where he killed 16-year-old Stacie Reed and then raped, stabbed, and choked 14-year-old Kristie Reed, leaving her for dead. Clinging to life, Kristie is about to mouth the name of her killer to police...Paul Warner Powell. Powell is arrested just hours later. Powell is eventually found guilty and sentenced to life...

The 1989 murder of Carol Stuart in Boston was a high-profile crime that captivated national attention and exposed deep racial and social tensions in the city. Carol Stuart, a pregnant white woman, was shot and killed on October 23, 1989, as she and her husband, Charles Stuart, drove through the Mission Hill neighborhood after attending a childbirth class. Charles claimed that an African American m...

Ed and Melissa dive into the twisted case of Richard Biegenwald, a man dubbed by the media as "The Jersey Shore Thrill Killer." The serial killer and arsonist murdered six people, four women and two men, in Monmouth County, New Jersey between 1958 and 1983. He is suspected in at least two other murders.

Jami met Steven Sherer in 1986. He had a prior criminal record for abusing and hospitalizing a previous girlfriend at the time. His file included documented threats, harassment complaints and restraining orders from the same woman. Jami's family and friends noticed an obvious change in her behavior after becoming romantically involved with Steven. They stated that she became withdrawn and dyed her...

In November of 1985, two 27-year-old friends, David Tyll and Brian Ognjan disappeared without a trace while on a hunting trip to the remote Michigan town of Mio. For 18 years, rumors swirled around Mio's most feared family - the Duvalls - namely, brothers Donald and Raymond. The duo had been linked to several unexplained deaths in the area, and even took credit for the hunters' murders. Unfortunat...

In 1990, high schooler Jennifer McWhorter Taylor's life turned upside down when she learned her "Aunt Bet" (Betty Jones) had been brutally murdered in Starkville, Mississippi while visiting a friend. For nearly 30 years, her aunt's killer remained a mystery, until cold case investigator Bill Lott (fmr. Starkville Police Department) made it his mission to find the person responsible. Leaning on adv...

After covering the case for a soon-to-air spinoff of A&E's Cold Case Files, producer Ed Hydock tells the very personal tale of the murder of Betty Jones and sexual assault of Kathryn Crigler. Labor Day evening, 1990, Starkville, Mississippi-native, Betty Jones, heard a knock at the door. She'd been staying with her friend, 81-year-old amputee, Kathryn Crigler, to help her through some health i...

In episode 24 (BLOCK: "Friends Til the End"), the MU team dives into a tragic local case which rocked the close-knit community of Fishtown - a blue collar Philadelphia neighborhood. No one should have to die the way Jason did...especially in an area like that. Our hearts go out to his friends, family, and loved ones. R.I.P. Jason Keel Sweeney 1986 - 2003 In 2003, 16-year-old Jason Sweeney was work...

MU closes out October, and their block entitled, "Hollywood Horrors," in a conversation with the great Dr. Buzz Von Ornsteiner. Dr. Buzz has offered expert commentary on hundreds of high-profile cases for CNN, Fox News, E! Entertainment, MSNBC, WNYW, Court TV News, Tru TV, WPIX, Investigation Discovery and many more! But perhaps he's best known for his role as the recurring psychologist on Reelz N...

The Lizzie Borden murders of 1892 and the Queen Anne axe murder by James Cushing in 1990 represent two strikingly different yet similarly sensational cases of violent crime that captured public attention in their respective eras. Lizzie Borden Murders (1892): In Fall River, Massachusetts, Lizzie Borden was accused of the brutal murders of her father, Andrew Borden, and stepmother, Abby Borden, usi...

The attempted murder of Payton Leutner, often referred to as the "Slenderman Stabbing," occurred in May of 2014 in Waukesha, Wisconsin. 12-year-old Payton was brutally attacked by her two friends, Anissa Weier and Morgan Geyser, who believed they needed to commit a murder to become proxies for a fictional internet character known as Slenderman. The attack took place during a sleepover when the gir...

In episode 2 of MU's block on "Hollywood Horrors," Ed and Melissa go down under to analyze the tragic disappearance/murder of Peter Falconio, as well as the 2005 feature film Peter's case inspired - "Wolf Creek." On the night of July 14th, 2001, 28-year-old British tourist, Peter Falconio and his girlfriend, Joanne Lees, were ambushed while on a backpacking trip through Australia's Northern Territ...

On November 9, 1971, John Emil List brutally murdered his wife, mother, and three children inside their Westfield, New Jersey home, before vanishing and starting a new life. Nearly a month passed before anyone suspected that anything was amiss. After moving across country, List assumed his new identity as "Bob Clark," remarrying and eluded police for nearly 18 years. Finally, in 1989, after the st...

Denise Sam-Cali was nearly a victim of one of America's youngest serial killers. In 1993, Harvey Miguel Robinson broke into Sam-Cali's home, raped and choked her, and left her for dead, but she managed to break free of Robinson's grip and run outside. Robinson attempted to attack Sam-Cali again but she fled. Police later used Sam-Cali as bait to lure Robinson in order to capture him. Tune in every...

In 2001, Teri Jendusa Nicolai survived the unthinkable. Her ex-husband, David Larsen, tried murdering her with a baseball bat, stuffing her bloody body into a garbage can, driving her across state lines and placing her in a storage locker - all in sub-zero weather. Less than an hour from death, Teri was miraculously rescued by paramedics - ending her grueling 26-hour fight for survival. Tune in ev...

In 1988, Shannon Myers Barrientos suffered a series of vicious attacks at the hands of Joseph Scott Hatley - the same man who murdered 30-year-old Susan Woods in cold blood just months earlier. Thanks to Shannon's story, and a dedicated cold case detective, Susan's case was finally solved in 2006, bringing to an end a monster's reign of terror. Today, Shannon joins Ed and Melissa for an empowering...

MU dives into the horrific 1987 murder of Susan Woods in Stephenville, TX. For nearly two decades, detectives chase the wrong suspect as the real killer continues his reign of terror. Then, police finally uncover the truth. Evil is lurking in their quiet, conservative community. Join your hosts, veteran true crime producer (Ed) and true crime super fan (Melissa) every Tuesday as they dive into the...

A rare night out on the town turns near-deadly for Arkansas single mom, Christi Flynn. To survive, Christi shifts focus to her young son, Chris, and making it home to him alive. Join MU Tuesday, September 3rd, as we kick off Block 4 with a fearless survivor's story sure to empower! #applepodcasts #podcast #investigatory #apple #crime #spotify #truecrimecommunity #crime #youtube #crimestory #murder...

We've seen the damage caused by false murder accusations on a college campus, and an entire town... but what happens when the entire WORLD believes you committed murder? This week, MU explores the tragic 1996 Olympic Park bombing, and the fallout endured by prime suspect, Richard Jewell.

What happens when police, the community, and even your own family suspect you of cold-blooded killer? The incredible, amazing, inspiring Jodie Laird joins the show to discuss her harrowing 35-year journey to find justice for her murdered sister, Reesa Trexler.

When 15-year-old Reesa Trexler is murdered while visiting her grandparents' house, everyone in Salisbury, NC wonders who's to blame...except for police, who spend the next 35 years focusing on the unlikeliest of suspects before forensic technology points them toward the real killer.

Two murders at a world-renowned university for the deaf maKe one man's life a living hell, as the real killer continued his murderous rampage on campus.

MU wraps up their block on hedonistic killers by diving into the documented psychosis of Cosmo DiNardo before analyzing the horrific actions of Alyssa Bustamante - a troubled teen brimming with homicidal curiosity.

Friend and fellow true crime producer, Phil Claroni, joins MU for a conversation about the challenges of turning a local horror story into a gripping, small screen phenomenon.

In the conclusion of MU’s look at the Lost Boys of Bucks County, a hedonistic killer reveals his twisted motives as four Pennsylvania families get the answers they didn’t want to hear.