Coworkers & Crime

A nurse disappears in broad daylight in Philadelphia. Five months later, her remains are found 600 miles away on a remote North Carolina mountainside — dressed in clothes she never owned, carrying items she never bought. No timeline makes sense. No theory fits cleanly. And nearly 30 years later, investigators still can’t answer the most basic question: How did Judy Smith get from a crowded city to...

The CSI Effect: Myth, Media, and Misconceptions Episode Summary: In this episode, we break down the CSI Effect — the belief that crime‑show viewers enter jury duty expecting high‑tech forensic evidence in every case. But what does the research actually say? We explore the myth, the data, the courtroom impact, and how TV crime dramas could help reduce misconceptions about forensic science. What We...

Colorado DNA Lab Scandal A veteran Colorado Bureau of Investigation DNA scientist admitted to manipulating DNA testing and falsifying records, placing more than 1,000 criminal cases under review. We discuss how one person's misconduct can shake confidence in forensic science and what it could mean for future appeals. Massachusetts Drug Lab Scandals We revisit the infamous Annie Dookhan and Sonja F...

In this episode, Rachel and Krystal explore two groundbreaking cases where cat DNA helped solve homicides — one in England, one in Canada. From a torso found on a British beach to a leather jacket buried near a shallow grave, these cases reshaped forensic science and expanded the definition of trace evidence. Featuring the first use of cat DNA in a UK homicide trial and the first animal‑DNA convic...

On December 18, 2011, 23‑year‑old Phoenix Lucille Coldon left her family’s home in Spanish Lake, Missouri, got into her mother’s black Chevy Blazer, and drove away without explanation. Two hours later, the SUV was found abandoned in East St. Louis — engine running, driver’s door open, personal belongings inside. Her parents wouldn’t learn about the vehicle for two weeks . In this episode, we explo...

Seventeen‑year‑old Brianna Maitland vanished on March 19, 2004, after leaving her shift at the Black Lantern Inn in Montgomery, Vermont. Hours later, her car was found backed into an abandoned farmhouse known as the Dutchburn House — driver’s door unlocked, turn signal still blinking, personal items scattered on the ground. But Brianna was gone. In this episode, we break down the timeline, the con...

On January 2nd, 1999, 11‑year‑old Mikelle Biggs walked outside with her little sister to wait for the ice cream truck. Minutes later, she was gone. Her purple bike lay on its side. The front wheel was still spinning. Two quarters were on the pavement. And no one saw what happened. This episode examines one of Arizona’s most haunting cold cases — a disappearance that unfolded in under two minutes,...

Before the world knew the phrase Highway of Tears , families in northern British Columbia were already losing daughters, sisters, and mothers — and fighting to be heard. In this episode, we revisit the earliest known cases connected to Highway 16: Gloria Moody (1969), Helen Claire Frost (1970), and Tracey Clifton (1970s) . Their stories reveal the roots of a crisis decades in the making. This epis...

In this episode, Rachel and Krystal trace the surprising, often chaotic history of America’s 911 system — from the days when emergencies meant dialing local fire stations, to the first 911 call in a small Alabama town, to the tragedies that exposed the need for a universal number. We explore the cases that pushed the nation toward reform, including the murder of Kitty Genovese, the Texas Tower sho...

This week at the water cooler, we’re diving into three major cases making headlines and sparking debate across the true crime world. 🔹 Kouri Richins Sentencing The Utah mom and children’s book author accused of poisoning her husband continues to face intense scrutiny as the legal process moves toward sentencing discussions and trial preparation. We break down the latest courtroom developments, pu...

In May 2002, 24‑year‑old Evelyn Hernández — nine months pregnant — vanished from her San Francisco neighborhood along with her five‑year‑old son, Alex. Nearly three months later, Evelyn’s torso was found in the San Francisco Bay. Her unborn baby was missing. Alex was missing. And the case received only a fraction of the attention given to similar Bay Area disappearances that same year. This episod...

Across Europe, dozens of women were found murdered or dead under suspicious circumstances — and for decades, no one knew their names. In 2023, INTERPOL launched Identify Me , the first public release of Black Notice extracts, asking the world to help identify 22 women whose bodies were discovered in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany. The initiative has since expanded to 46 cases across six cou...

In 1996, nine‑year‑old Amber Hagerman was abducted in broad daylight in Arlington, Texas. Her murder remains unsolved — but her name sparked a nationwide movement that has saved over a thousand children. In this episode, we explore Amber’s case, the creation of the AMBER Alert, what qualifies (and doesn’t qualify) for an alert, and the other alert systems that exist today. We also highlight a real...

is episode explores the Texas Killing Fields, a stretch of land between Houston and Galveston where multiple women were found over decades. What began as isolated disappearances—like Heidi Fye, Laura Miller, and Audrey Cook—eventually revealed a disturbing pattern centered around Calder Road. Despite early suspicions and a key suspect, Clyde Hedrick, the case went unresolved for years due to limit...

Special Episode: Interview with a Correctional Nurse (Krystal’s Grandmother) In this special Orientation episode, we sit down with a very important guest — Krystal’s grandmother — to talk about her real-life experience working as a correctional nurse inside a jail .

This week, we’re breaking down three cases that have everyone talking — from unfolding investigations to courtroom battles and questions that just won’t go away. Genesis Nova Reid — A developing case with limited confirmed details but growing attention due to inconsistencies and unanswered questions surrounding her death. https://www.live5news.com/2026/03/10/mother-genesis-reid-charged-with-capita...

Description: In 1992, six‑year‑old Jeremy Guillory disappeared while looking for a friend in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana. Hours later, deputies found his body in the closet of a man named Ricky Joseph Langley — a man with a long history of mental illness and a criminal past. What followed was one of the most legally complex homicide prosecutions in Louisiana history: three trials, an overturned de...

Content Warning: This episode discusses missing persons, violence against Indigenous women and girls, and systemic racism. Highway 16 in northern British Columbia — a 724‑km (450‑mile) stretch of remote road — has been the site of dozens of disappearances over the past five decades. In this episode, we share the stories of: • Tamara Chipman (2005) — Gitxsan Nation, last seen near Prince Rupert Mad...

A small-town Nebraska case that never let go—17-year-old Mary Kay Heese was murdered in 1969, and it took over 50 years to see a legal outcome. But when that outcome finally came, it left more questions than answers. Justice was served… or was it? #CoworkersAndCrime #WahooNebraska #ColdCase #TrueCrimePodcast #JusticeDelayed #UnsolvedMystery #TrueCrimeCommunity #Podcastduo

In November 1978, four young employees were abducted from a Burger Chef in Speedway, Indiana during a closing shift and later found murdered miles away. Despite multiple investigations and persons of interest over the years, the case remains unsolved. In this episode, Rachel and Krystal break down the case with guest host Tracie, exploring the investigation and why it still raises questions today....

Kouri Richins was charged in connection with the 2022 death of her husband, Eric Richins, who was found unresponsive at their home. Prosecutors alleged he died from a lethal dose of fentanyl, and the case drew national attention after Richins later published a children’s book about grief. A jury has since found Kouri Richins guilty , concluding the trial and establishing criminal responsibility in...

The Fifth Amendment’s Double Jeopardy Clause protects individuals from being tried twice for the same offense. The U.S. Supreme Court has clarified when jeopardy begins, when retrials are allowed, and how prosecutions can occur across jurisdictions. Crist v. Bretz — Jeopardy attaches when the jury is sworn in a jury trial. Serfass v. United States — In a bench trial, jeopardy attaches when the fir...

Rachel and Krystal break down the biggest myths about the Double Jeopardy Clause — and explain why Hollywood gets it wrong. From the “I was acquitted, so now I can confess!” trope to the idea that a hung jury means freedom, this episode uses real Supreme Court cases to separate legal fact from pop‑culture fiction. We also explore where double jeopardy does protect you, and why the real doctrine is...

In 1998, DNA evidence from the rape kit in the murder of Michelle Moore-Bosko matched Omar Ballard , who confessed and stated he acted alone. Despite this, prosecutors continued pursuing convictions against four Navy sailors whose earlier confessions conflicted with each other and with the forensic evidence. The men were convicted or pled guilty to avoid the death penalty, and their appeals lasted...

In July 1997, 18-year-old Michelle Moore-Bosko was found murdered in her Norfolk, Virginia apartment. Investigators quickly obtained confessions from four young Navy sailors after lengthy interrogations — despite inconsistencies in their statements and DNA evidence that did not match them. A year later, the DNA identified another man, Omar Ballard, who confessed and said he acted alone. The case w...