A Study in Crime

52. Chris Takes Down the Cali Cartel and Other True Stories. You’ve watched the acclaimed series, Narcos, on Netflix. Now, meet the DEA agent who helped dismantle the Cali Cartel. Retired DEA agent Chris Feistl worked with Colombian authorities to catch the “Gentlemen of Cali.” This week, I speak with Chris Feistl about how the DEA and Colombian authorities dismantled the Cali Ca...

51. The 4 Day Meth Induced Crime Spree of David Cunningham David Cunningham was a drug addled career criminal who left a trail of misery in his wake. His last offenses include kidnapping and sexual assault, both of which occurred during a 4 day meth induced crime spree. Kevin Stonebarger was the young police officer hot on Cunningham’s trail.   This week, I speak with Kevin Stonebarger about...

43. Women Who Love Serial Killers Charles Manson, Ted Bundy, Richard Ramirez, and Wade Wilson. The list goes on and on. They each had women who wrote them letters and professed their undying love. The question is, why? Why are some women attracted to dangerous criminals and violent serial killers? And what’s the Bonnie and Clyde Syndrome?   This week, I speak with Dr. Shiloh and Dr. Scott ab...

50. A Case of Fatal Attraction Rebecca Schaeffer was a 23-year-old actress at the beginning of what promised to be a great acting career. Former Beatle John Lennon was already a legend. After a five-year hiatus, he returned to music with the release of his album, Double Fantasy . It would win a Grammy Award for Album of the Year. Both of them were senselessly cut down in their prime by stalkers.  ...

49. A Murder on Songbird Road Someone stabbed 11-year-old Jade Beasley to death in her home in a rural area of southern Illinois in 2020. Her father’s fiancee, Julia Bevely was convicted of the crime. But not everyone is convinced Julia is guilty .   In episode 49, I speak with Lauren Bright-Pacheco and Bob Motta, hosts of the new podcast, Murder on Songbird Road . LISTEN:   APPLE | SPOTIFY...

48. A Case of Self Defense Did George Zimmerman have a reasonable fear of imminent harm when he confronted Trayvon Martin? What about teenager Kyle Rittenhouse during the 2010 riots in Kenosha, Wisconsin? When is it self-defense – and when is it murder? This week, I talk with Texas private investigator Amy Ward about these two well-known self-defense cases and three other self-defense cases...

47. The Louder Prison Redemption Portia was indicted for mortgage fraud and sent to federal prison for seven years. Few places are more awful than prisons. The despair is palpable, but she held on to the one thing that could never be taken from her: hope . Or, as Andy Dufresne said in The Shawshank Redemption, “ Remember Red, hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things. And no good thing...

46. The Human Lie Detector The Unabomber, Ted Kaczynski, was caught by forensic linguistics. W hat if you could tell whether or not someone was lying by the words they use?   Is that possible? Nejolla has used Scientific Content Analysis (SCAN) in embezzlement, fraud, arson, and other investigations .   In episode 46, I speak with Nejolla Korris. Nejolla Korris is an expert in Linguistic Lie Detec...

45. The Crack City Strangler The collapse of the Detroit auto industry had unintended consequences. Unemployment soared, businesses closed, and people moved to the suburbs. In 1992, the Detroit News reported 322 abandoned buildings in Highland Park, a city of only 2.9 square miles. And late at night, Benjamin Atkins  used those abandoned buildings to rape and murder 11 women . In episode 45, I spe...

44. The Adventures of Special Agent Strange  Ken has served as an FBI Special Agent, a DOJ Special Agent in Charge, and an investigator with the US Agency for International Development. He’s traveled the world and fought terrorism, global fraud, and even the drug cartels. He’s the author of A Cop’s Son: One G-Man’s Fight Against Jihad, Global Fraud, and the Cartels. In epis...

42. A Study in School Shootings Why do school shootings happen, and can anything be done to prevent them? Will trying to understand school shooters and their motivations help us prevent shootings in the future? Are there potential warning signs to look for that may help us develop prevention strategies to protect schools and our children ?  In episode 42, I speak with Dr. Debbie Goodman. Dr. Debbi...

41. The Red Collar Crime League White-collar crime is financially motivated and almost always non-violent. Nobody gets hurt. At least not physically. However, sometimes w hite-collar criminals like Alex Murdaugh, Nancy Siegel, and Christopher Porco resort to violence to prevent someone from discovering their fraud. So w hat started as fraud…becomes murder. And that’s when it becomes a red-collar c...

40. The Problem of Human Trafficking Human trafficking, forced labor, forced marriages, and sex trafficking exist all over the world. Even here in the United States. What is the cause, and how do you stop it? Matt shares real stories of victims of this nightmarish crime.   This episode contains a conversation about sexual assault and human trafficking. Listener discretion is advised .  In episode...

39. The Robbery Crew of Gotham City  A violent, organized home invasion robbery crew was on the loose in New York City. They impersonated NYPD police officers and DEA agents to access private homes and drug stash houses. My guest today was on the task force that blew the case wide open.  In episode 39, I speak with Pete Forcelli. Peter Forcelli   is a former ATF Deputy Assistant Director, NYPD hom...

38. Your Nurse is a Serial Killer   Charles was a skilled nurse . He was also a serial killer. In over 16 years as a nurse, h e was fired or asked to resign from 5 of the 10 hospitals he worked at. By the time Charles was caught, he had killed at least 29 patients by injecting them with fatal doses of insulin or digoxin. Some believe the number is as high as 400. In this episode, I speak with Joni...

37. Murder in the Emerald Triangle   Aaron Bassler was a 36-year-old loner with a troubled past and a history of drug and alcohol abuse. He cultivated poppy and marijuana plants deep in the vast woods of the Emerald Triangle in Northern California. In August of 2011, Aaron shot and killed two men. And with that, a 36-day standoff began between Aaron and the Mendocino Country Sheriff’s Depart...

36. Bonus Episode: Murder of the Bank President’s Wife On September 18th, 1985, Frank Patton received a phone call at work. He was president of Castle Hills National Bank in San Antonio. His wife, Becky, was on the phone. She said , “Hi, Frank, there is someone here who wants to talk to you.” The next voice he heard was of a man. It was not a voice that Frank recognized. The voice told him t...

35. Bonus Episode: Q&A with Host Scott Fulmer   And now for something completely different. Happy New Year! Welcome to the first episode of 2025. We begin season 2 of A Study in Crime with 35. Bonus Episode: Q&A with Host Scott Fulmer . Scott turns over the hosting duties to Valerie Fulmer, his wife of 34 years. Valerie is the guest host, and Scott is the host that will be the guest! The f...

34. Bonus Episode: Mystery of the Vanishing Blonde   O n a cold morning in February, on the outskirts of Miami, a utility worker found a woman lying naked in the brush. She had been beaten and raped. At the hospital, police and medical staff had difficulty understanding h er due to her limited English and Eastern European accent. But the first thing she said was clear – She wanted her lawyer...

Special Agent Jim Weber of the US Department of Homeland Security had a 30-year career in law enforcement. He spent two of those years undercover in the Invaders Outlaw Motorcycle Club, a 1% Motorcycle Club in the Midwest involved in narcotics smuggling, murder-for-hire, money laundering, and a host of other crimes. In episode 33. Undercover in an Outlaw Motorcycle Club, I speak with Jim Weber . J...

On Friday, February 20th, 1976, Florida Highway Patrol Trooper Phillip Black saw a green Camaro at a rest stop on I-95. Black’s friend Donald Irwin was with him for a ride-along. Jesse Tafero, his wife, Sunny Jacobs, their two kids, and Tafero’s former prison cellmate, Walter Rhodes, were in the Camaro . In episode 32, The Murders of Phillip Black and Donald Irwin , I speak with Ellen McGarr...

Efoora was a Chicago-based medical diagnostic company that produced an HIV rapid test. In the process of awaiting FDA approval, Company CEO David Grosky and a couple of other business partners were found guilty of securities fraud and sent to federal prison. In  episode 31, US v. David Grosky , I speak with David Grosky . David Grosky is the Senior Sales Business Development Manager at Visiplex. H...

James “JP” Cargle  took what he wanted from others.   He was a drug dealer, a pimp, and a rotten excuse for a human being.   I hate to say that about another person. But after listening to today’s episode, you will understand . This episode involves a discussion of a violent assault and rape. Listener discretion is advised. In episode 30. The Girl in the Cage , I speak with Bill Geiger . Bill Geig...

Bill Tolbert was a successful businessman who donated thousands of dollars to charity and political campaigns. He was also involved in the community—a real up-and-comer.   But he was not the man everyone thought he was.   And all that money he donated? It wasn’t his. As it turns out—Bill Tolbert was a thief! In episode 29. Mr. Tolbert Goes to Prison for Embezzlement , I speak with Leah Wietholter...

Paul John was a federal correctional officer two years away from retirement. But he had some secrets. For starters, he had a steady gig bringing contraband cell phones into the prison for inmates. He also held after-hours prison pizza parties with his “favorite” inmates and pressured an inmate for sex. In episode 28. The Great Prison Contraband Adventure , I speak with Mark Anderson ....