Court Junkie

In May 2008, there was a strange scene along the Catawba River in Gaston County, North Carolina - a 20-year-old college student was found dead beside her car. Two local fishermen were arrested, and one of them was convicted of murder. Years later, that conviction was overturned due to, in part, ineffective assistance of counsel. Today’s episode looks at the evidence presented at trial, the overtur...

In November 2008, 22-year-old Lateisha Green was shot and killed outside of a house party in Syracuse, New York. The suspect was tried for murder in what was New York’s first hate crime prosecution involving the death of a transgender person. Would justice be served for Lateisha? Sponsors in this episode: - Autopsy - The hit Reelz Channel show “Autopsy” is coming to PodcastOne with all new episode...

In April 2008, authorities in Santa Monica, California arrested a man for breaking into a woman’s home and brutally attacking her with a knife. She survived, but they were they shocked to find that she wasn’t his first victim. Not even close. Sponsors in this episode: - Best Fiends - Best Fiends is a 5-star rated mobile puzzle game on the Apple App Store and Google Play. Download it now for free....

It was a trial that caught the attention of people all over the country. How and why did Amber Guyger, an off-duty police officer, walk into the wrong apartment and shoot and kill an innocent man? Sponsors in this episode: - NetSuite - Download your FREE guide, “Seven Key Strategies to Grow your Profits” at NetSuite. Com/COURT. - Policygenius - Policygenius is the easy way to shop for life insuran...

In January 2006, a 33-year-old mother of three was found dead in her home after being involved in a contentious custody battle with the father of her young son. That father seems to have an airtight alibi, but one of his friends doesn’t. Will justice be served in this case and will Melissa’s killer be convicted? This episode was researched and written by Jennifer Tintner. Follow her on Twitter @Je...

29-year-old Rob McKernan and his wife, 26-year-old Colleen McKernan, spent New Years Eve together in 2014. But by the end of the night, Colleen would call 911, telling the dispatcher that she had just killed her husband. Prosecutors say she killed him in a fit of drunken anger, but her attorneys claim it was self-defense after being in an abusive relationship for years. This case doesn’t come down...

Timothy Jones Jr. was a father of five children, and in August 2014, he had primary custody of them. By early September, both Tim and the kids would disappear - from their mom, their school, and their neighbors. NOTE: This episode DOES involve crimes committed against children, and although I will never glorify any of it, or focus on unnecessary details, listener discretion is advised. This episod...

In March 2018, police officers in Oskaloosa, Iowa, responded to a call of a fight in progress. When they arrived, 24-year-old Luke Van Hemert explained that he and his friend had gotten into a physical confrontation with three college basketball players, after a minor traffic accident. He made it seem like no big deal, but investigators would soon learn that one of the basketball players had been...

In June 2015, 46-year-old Jason Carter called 911 to report that he had just found his mother deceased on the floor in her home. She had been shot twice. But investigators, along with Jason’s own family, quickly focused on him as the killer. Would a jury agree? This episode was researched and written by Jennifer Tintner. Follow her on Twitter @jennifertintner. Sponsors in this episode: - Policygen...

On March 23, 2016, a police officer in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, came across a horrifying scene while doing a routine patrol - a woman who was badly beaten and shot, by her own husband. The husband was charged with attempted murder and other charges related to the assault, but at his trial, he claimed he wasn’t trying to murder her at all. Would justice be served? Sponsors in this episode: - NetSui...

In March 2018, James Scandirito Jr. was charged with the murder of his father. But did he really do it? This episode was written by Jennifer Tintner, a writer and producer from Law & Crime. Sponsors in this episode: - Today in True Crime is Parcast’s first daily true-crime podcast. With new episodes each day, you’ll never run out of true crime content again. Follow Today in True Crime for free on...

On November 11, 1985, 43-year-old Guillermo Rodrigues was shot and killed in a restaurant parking lot in Brockton, Massachusetts. Police quickly zeroed in on 18-year-old Darrell Jones, who was adamant that he was innocent. In 1986, Darrell was convicted of murder and would spend the next 32 years in prison. In 2016, his conviction was vacated and he was released, but his nightmare was far from ove...

On June 7 2011, Amber Hilberling and her husband Josh got into an argument. Just minutes later, Josh fell out of their high-rise window, 17 stories to his death. Amber admitted to pushing him, but was it murder? Thanks to Caitlin Alexander, a local reporter for KTUL at the time, for speaking with me about this case. Follow Caitlin on Twitter @caitlinnews. Sponsors in this episode: - True and Co -...

On April 14, 2015, two groups of men got into a physical confrontation at the St. Croix River at Interstate Park in St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin. By the time first responders arrived, one man was dead.    In today's episode, I speak with Eric Nelson, from the Halberg Criminal Defense Firm, about the trial that followed, in which he represented the defendant. Would the jury convict his client, or wou...

On the night of December 7, 2012, residents in rural Alvin, Texas heard the metal-on-metal sound of a car wreck. Then, about 5 minutes later, they heard a single gunshot.    When officers arrived on the scene, they would find the remnants of a car accident, as well as a murder. Were the two related?   This episode was researched and written by Charlie Worroll.    Monthly Court Junkie Bonus Episode...

In August 2014, investigators in Blackstone, Massachusetts, responded to a home on a quiet residential street. Inside the home, they found two children who had been neglected and a house that was in squalor.  Days later, they would return with a search warrant, and what they would find was horrifying.  Sponsors in this episode: -  PROcure, maker of RosaCare cream. Try RosaCare today, and get a $3...

On August 17, 2002, Justin Barber told police that he and his wife, April Barber, had been walking hand-in-hand along the beach when a man approached them with a gun. He was shot four times and survived, but April died from a single gunshot wound to the head.    After a nearly two year investigation, Justin was arrested and charged with April's murder. Could prosecutors prove that he had murdered...

In the early morning hours of July 29, 2016, a 16-year-old boy called 911, telling the dispatcher that he heard gunshots coming from his parents' bedroom.    When police arrived, they found Antonio Armstrong Sr and his wife, Dawn Armstrong, deceased in their bed. Was it an intruder, or did the killer come from the inside?   Sponsors in this episode: PROcure Hydrocortisone Cream with Calendula is e...

After the tragic death of 10-year-old Emani Moss in October 2013, Emani's stepmother stands trial for her murder.    Sponsors in this episode: Molekule - the air you were meant to breathe is finally here. Molekule has already helped allergy & asthma sufferers around the country better cope with their conditions and significantly reduce their symptoms.  For $75 off your first order, visit Molekule....

In the 2015 murder trial of Joanna Madonna, one thing was for certain - Joanna killed her husband. But was it self-defense as she claimed, or was it calculated murder?   NOTE: To listen to the Twisted Podcast's interview with Joanna that I mentioned towards the episode, go here - http://twistedpodcast.libsyn.com/interview-with-joanna-madonna.    Sponsors in this episode: PROcure - PROcure's Hydroc...

In July 2015, a prominent chiropractor becomes fatally ill, and months after her death, it's determined that she was poisoned. Those closest to her quickly become suspects, but will justice be served in this case? Sponsors in this episode: Not Guilty Podcast - Each week, the Parcast original "Not Guilty" examines controversial criminal cases and tries to determine why solid evidence doesn't always...

In December 2012, officers in Arlington Heights, Illinois, started looking into a cold case involving a suspect named Donnie Rudd. One cold case led to another, and the shocking discovery that Donnie may have murdered multiple people as he walked free for 45 years.   In this episode, I speak to Cindy Hart, Donnie's former stepdaughter, about what life with Donnie was like behind the scenes.    Che...

In January 2008, a Hepatitis C outbreak was discovered in Las Vegas, Nevada. After investigating the outbreak, officials were able to determine that the infected patients all had one thing in common - they had all undergone procedures at the Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada.   After one of the infected patients passed away, a physician and nurse anesthetist from the Center were charged with sec...

In January 2011, 48-year-old John Lee was arrested for battery. He posted bail and within days, his alleged victims were found dead.    Sponsors in this episode: Care/Of Vitamins - For 50% off your first month of personalized Care/of vitamins, go to TakeCareOf.com and enter JUNKIE50. Please consider supporting Court Junkie with as little as $3 a month via Patreon.com/CourtJunkie. Help support Cour...

In June 2012, 54-year-old Marcus Golike was found deceased on the banks of the Ohio River. Investigators immediately focused in on four teenagers as potential suspects. What would they learn in their interrogations?   Sponsors in this episode: Breach - Breach is a podcast that takes you inside the world's biggest hacks - how they're done, who does them, and what's really at stake when your private...