Hot Justice Podcast

Jared Bridegan was gunned down in Jacksonville Beach after stopping to move a tire from the road, with his two-year-old daughter still strapped safely in the back seat. Investigators say the tire was planted as part of an alleged murder-for-hire plot tied to a bitter custody battle involving his ex-wife, Shanna Gardner, her then-husband Mario Fernandez Saldana, and Henry Tenon. All defendants are...

Heather and Ciara were in the courtroom as Precious Arzuaga pleaded guilty in the murder of Sam Nordquist. Arzuaga pleaded guilty to all 11 charges against her, including first-degree murder, with no plea agreement on the table. Her sentencing is scheduled for September 4, and she could face life in prison without parole. In this update, we break down what happened in court, the emotional reaction...

Heather and Ciara are back from CrimeCon 2026 in Las Vegas, and they’re sharing the full Hot Justice experience! In this episode, the hosts recap their trip, talk about what it was like being surrounded by the true crime community, share their favorite moments from the event, and reflect on the cases, conversations, and people that made CrimeCon such a memorable weekend. From the energy of Las Veg...

Gary Heidnik’s crimes were so disturbing that his story is often connected to the fictional Buffalo Bill from The Silence of the Lambs . But when you compare Gary Heidnik to Buffalo Bill, sometimes the truth is stranger than fiction. #GaryHeidnik #BuffaloBill #SilenceOfTheLambs #TrueCrime #TrueCrimeShorts #CrimeStory #SerialKillerCase #HotJusticePodcast #YouTubeShorts #TrueCrimeCommunity

A rainy high school track meet in Frisco, Texas ended with 17-year-old Austin Metcalf dead and another 17-year-old, Karmelo Anthony, charged with murder. In this episode of Hot Justice , we break down the confrontation under the team tent, the stabbing, the self-defense argument, the murder conviction, the rejected sudden-passion claim, the 35-year sentence, and the appeal that may focus on jury s...

Stephen McCullagh tried to use a fake YouTube livestream as his alibi — but investigators uncovered the truth. In this Hot Justice Short, we break down the chilling case of Natalie McNally, who was 15 weeks pregnant when she was murdered in Lurgan, Northern Ireland. McCullagh was later convicted and sentenced to life with a minimum of 31 years. #StephenMcCullagh #NatalieMcNally #TrueCrime #TrueCri...

In Part 2 of our deep dive into the murder of Sam Nordquist , we focus on the crime itself, the disturbing allegations surrounding Patty’s Lodge , and the backgrounds of the seven people accused in connection with Sam’s death. This episode looks closer at what investigators say happened, who the defendants are, and why this case has shocked so many people following it. No one featured as accused i...

In Part 2 of our Minute Files series, we continue breaking down the case involving David Anthony Burke , known professionally as D4vd , and Celeste Rivas Hernandez . According to the People’s Brief, investigators allege that Celeste spent significant time with David throughout 2024, including trips and weekends at his Hollywood Hills home. The filing also claims that messages between the two becam...

New court documents in the case against David Anthony Burke , known professionally as D4vd , lay out disturbing allegations about the death of 14-year-old Celeste R. In this Minute Files update, we break down what prosecutors claim happened, why the Tesla is central to the investigation, and the evidence they say will be presented in court. Burke is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty...

Stephen Vincent Chavez of Moorpark has pleaded guilty to felony incest and providing alcohol to a minor in connection with his daughter, Makayla Renee Settles. He was immediately remanded into custody and now faces up to three years in state prison, along with a 20-year sex offender registration requirement. But for many who loved Makayla and have followed this case, this outcome does not feel lik...

Sam Nordquist was a sweet, sensitive 24-year-old trans man from Oakdale, Minnesota who traveled to Upstate New York in September 2024 to meet someone he believed could be the love of his life. Instead, Sam’s trip to the Canandaigua/Hopewell area became the beginning of a nightmare. In Part 1 of Sweet Sam: The Sam Nordquist Story, we focus on who Sam was before the headlines: a beloved son, brother...

A toxic family affair inside a Minnesota mansion ended in murder. Jennifer Lieber began a relationship with her cousin, who was living in the pool house on the property — but when the relationship unraveled, the story took a deadly turn. Watch this Hot Justice Minute File as we break down the shocking Jennifer Lieber case. #JenniferLieber #TrueCrimeShorts #HotJusticePodcast #TrueCrime #CrimeStory...

Sara Anne Wood was only 12 years old when she disappeared while riding her bike home from church in Sauquoit, New York. Convicted child killer Lewis Lent later admitted to murdering Sara, but he has never revealed where her body is. In this episode, we center Sara’s story while also examining the other known victims connected to Lent, including James “Jimmy” Bernardo and James “Jamie” Lusher, alon...

Julie Rea was convicted for the murder of her 10-year-old son, Joel Kirkpatrick, after a horrifying attack inside their Lawrenceville, Illinois home. But Julie always said an intruder killed her son — and years later, serial killer Tommy Lynn Sells confessed to the crime. Was Julie Rea failed by the justice system? This is one of the most heartbreaking wrongful conviction cases we’ve covered. Watc...

Two days. That's how long it took. Makayla Settles had just moved in with her biological father, Steven Vincent Chavez, in Moorpark, California — and within two days, he allegedly raped her. She spoke up. She gave her statements. DNA evidence was collected. And then, five months later, Makayla ended her life. April 21, 2026 — there is a hearing. The case must go forward. Makayla is not here to tes...

Part 2 of our Arthur Shawcross series explores the making of the Genesee River Killer. We examine Shawcross’s childhood, early life, and the nature vs. nurture question at the center of his story. This episode also covers his first murders, including Jack Blake and Karen Hill, as we look at the early violence that foreshadowed the crimes that would later make him infamous. Apple Podcasts Hashtags...

It was supposed to be a normal night out. On April 1, 2006, Ohio State medical student Brian Shaffer joined friends for drinks at the Ugly Tuna Saloona in Columbus, Ohio — and then vanished without a trace. Surveillance footage shows him entering the bar. It never shows him leaving. No remains were ever found. No suspect was ever named. Nearly two decades later, the case has never been solved. In...

He Was Just As Evil As Bundy & Dahmer. So Why Don't You Know His Name? Gacy. Dahmer. Bundy: Three names everyone knows but Arthur Shawcross, the Genesee River Killer from Rochester, NY was every bit as horrifying. Full episode Monday April 5th. Don't sleep on this one. 🎙️ #TrueCrime #ArthurShawcross #GeneseeRiverKiller #TrueCrimePodcast #SerialKiller

The killing of Jerry Smith shocked Blacksburg and put former Virginia Tech football player Isimemen Etute at the center of a case that quickly sparked national attention. In this Short, we break down what happened, why Etute was charged with second-degree murder, and how a self-defense argument led to his acquittal. This case still raises tough questions about fear, violence, and justice #JerrySmi...

This week on Hot Justice Podcast, we examine the murder of 5-year-old Nefertiti “Neffy” Harris and the sentencing of her mother, Latasha Mott. We walk through the reported timeline, from Neffy’s death and the alleged concealment of her body to the investigation, plea, and final sentence. We also discuss the disturbing gaps that allowed this case to go unchecked for weeks, the allegations involving...

In this Minute Files episode, we cover the disappearance and reappearance of Michele Hundley Smith. After going missing in 2001, she was found alive in 2026, closing one mystery while opening up many more. We examine the timeline, the family’s reaction, and the unresolved questions still hanging over this extraordinary case. #MicheleHundleySmith #MichelleHundleySmith #MissingPerson #TrueCrime #Sol...

Justice served — again. 🚫 Lamon McKoy, convicted of the murders of Ashley Vincent and Monique McKoy in Geneva, NY, has been denied parole. A community fought. Families showed up. And the parole board listened. Ashley and Monique are not forgotten. 🕯️ #TrueCrime #ParoleDenied #NewYorkTrueCrime #Fingerlakes #TrueCrimePodcast

Shelley Mook disappeared after what should have been a routine custody exchange, and she has never been found. In this episode, we examine the case against the backdrop of later allegations involving her ex-husband, Tyler Mook, who was later convicted in Florida in a case involving the attempted drowning of a girlfriend. We explore why that later violence has shaped public suspicion, what is known...

On a quiet winter morning in 1993, the small city of Oneida, New York woke up to a mystery that would haunt the community for decades. 22-year-old Christine Markey vanished without a trace. No solid leads. No confirmed sightings. Just silence… and whispers of jealousy, tension, and a toxic relationship she may have been trying to escape. In this episode of The Hot Justice Podcast, Heather and Ciar...

 On the night of December 6, 2014, 19-year-old Jessica Lane Chambers from Courtland, Mississippi was brutally assaulted and burned alive in what would become one of the most shocking and confounding murder investigations in recent American history. In this case, her final words became both a haunting clue and a legal minefield. They would divide juries, fuel reasonable doubt, and ultimately help p...