Love Marry Kill: Just the Facts

When 29-year-old Michelle Young was found dead in her Raleigh, North Carolina home, the discovery sent shockwaves through her family, her circle of friends, and the community. Michelle was married, the mother of a toddler, and expecting her second child. She was beautiful, bright, and driven; by all accounts, a woman with so much ahead of her. Michelle’s brutal murder baffled the quiet suburban ne...

In November 2001, beloved medical resident Andrew Bagby was found brutally murdered in a Pennsylvania park. The prime suspect, his former girlfriend Dr. Shirley Turner, immediately fled to St. John’s, Newfoundland, where she revealed she was pregnant with Andrew’s child. What followed was a complex, years-long international legal battle that pitted Andrew’s grieving parents against a foreign justi...

In August 1989, José, 45, and Kitty Menendez, 47, were shot to death in their Beverly Hills home. Their sons, Lyle, 18, and Erik, 21, would later confess to the killings—setting off one of the most polarizing murder trials in American history. What initially looked like a mob-style hit unraveled into a story of family control, extreme dysfunction, and disturbing allegations of long-term sexual abu...

On Valentine’s Day 2006, Cory Lovelace was found dead in her Quincy, Illinois home, her cause of death undetermined. Eight years later, her husband, Curt Lovelace, a former star football player, prosecutor, and school board president, long regarded as a hometown hero, was charged with her murder shocking the community. The state’s case hinged on disputed forensic timelines, interpretations of rigo...

In August 1989, José, 45, and Kitty Menendez, 47, were shot to death in their Beverly Hills home. Their sons, Lyle, 18, and Erik, 21, would later confess to the killings—setting off one of the most polarizing murder trials in American history. What initially looked like a mob-style hit unraveled into a story of family control, extreme dysfunction, and disturbing allegations of long-term sexual abu...

In August 1989, José, 45, and Kitty Menendez, 47, were shot to death in their Beverly Hills home. Their sons, Lyle, 18, and Erik, 21, would later confess to the killings—setting off one of the most polarizing murder trials in American history. What initially looked like a mob-style hit unraveled into a story of family control, extreme dysfunction, and disturbing allegations of long-term sexual abu...

When Susan Kuhnhausen came home from work on a September evening in 2006, she noticed something felt…off. Minutes later, a man charged at her from the shadows with a hammer in hand. What followed was a shocking and harrowing fight for survival—and an investigation that uncovered a dark and twisted plot involving betrayal, manipulation, and a hitman with a violent past. This week, we tell the story...

On the night of November 8, 1983, David Hendricks returned home from a business trip to find his wife, Susan, and their three young children brutally murdered in their beds. They had been killed with an axe and a butcher knife—both from the family home. Investigators quickly turned their focus to David. There were no signs of forced entry, the burglary attempt seemed staged, and there were no othe...

On the night of November 8, 1983, David Hendricks returned home from a business trip to find his wife, Susan, and their three young children brutally murdered in their beds. They had been killed with an axe and a butcher knife—both from the family home. Investigators quickly turned their focus to David. There were no signs of forced entry, the burglary attempt seemed staged, and there were no othe...

Content warning: This episode contains discussions of domestic violence, mental illness, suicide, and graphic violence that may be disturbing to some listeners. Listener discretion is strongly advised. Katherine Knight was known in her small Australian town in New South Wales, Aberdeen, as tough, unpredictable, and deeply troubled.  She had a history of violent relationships, a fierce temper, and...

Melissa Dawn Patton grew up in a deeply unstable environment and spent much of her life trying to build something safer for herself and her children. Quiet, shy, and trusting, she married young, became a mother almost immediately, and hoped that starting her own family would bring the stability she never had. Instead, her life became increasingly chaotic. By her early twenties, Melissa was working...

In October 1999, 48-year-old librarian Gail Fulton was shot and killed outside the Lake Orion, Michigan library where she worked. What initially appeared to be a cold-blooded, random attack soon revealed itself as something far more personal—and far more calculated. At the center of the case: a crumbling marriage, a secret affair, and a woman named Donna Trapani who refused to be cast aside. The i...

In October 1999, 48-year-old librarian Gail Fulton was shot and killed outside the Lake Orion, Michigan library where she worked. What initially appeared to be a cold-blooded, random attack soon revealed itself as something far more personal—and far more calculated. At the center of the case: a crumbling marriage, a secret affair, and a woman named Donna Trapani who refused to be cast aside. The i...

In January 1999, Miriam Illes was gunned down in her kitchen while on the phone with a friend. There were no witnesses. No fingerprints. And the few pieces of physical evidence—an oversized shoe print, a cigarette butt, and a homemade silencer—seemed to point nowhere. Her estranged husband, Dr. Richard Illes, was a respected heart surgeon with a thriving career, a new girlfriend, and a bitter cust...

Jennair and Mark Gerardot had been married for 24 years and together for 28, with a relationship marked by its share of highs and lows. Mark, often passive, contrasted sharply with Jennair, who could be more assertive, even aggressive at times. The couple, without children or much family nearby, were content to focus on their pets, which they both adored. However, when Jennair lost her job and str...

Jennair and Mark Gerardot had been married for 24 years and together for 28, with a relationship marked by its share of highs and lows. Mark, often passive, contrasted sharply with Jennair, who could be more assertive, even aggressive at times. The couple, without children or much family nearby, were content to focus on their pets, which they both adored. However, when Jennair lost her job and str...

On February 14, 2013 — Valentine’s Day — the world was stunned by the news that South African Olympic athlete Oscar Pistorius had shot and killed his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, inside his home in Pretoria. What followed was one of the most closely watched criminal trials of the 21st century — a case that forced the public to grapple with uncomfortable questions about celebrity, justice, gender-b...

On December 30, 2025, a missed workday raised alarms. When dentist Spencer Tepe failed to show up for work, concern quickly escalated, leading police to a home in Columbus, Ohio, where Spencer and his wife Monique Tepe were found shot and killed. Their two young children were alive inside the house. There were no signs of forced entry. No struggle. This was not a random act. GoFundMe for Spencer a...

On February 14, 2013 — Valentine’s Day — the world was stunned by the news that South African Olympic athlete Oscar Pistorius had shot and killed his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, inside his home in Pretoria. What followed was one of the most closely watched criminal trials of the 21st century — a case that forced the public to grapple with uncomfortable questions about celebrity, justice, gender-b...

On February 14, 2013 — Valentine’s Day — the world was stunned by the news that South African Olympic athlete Oscar Pistorius had shot and killed his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, inside his home in Pretoria. What followed was one of the most closely watched criminal trials of the 21st century — a case that forced the public to grapple with uncomfortable questions about celebrity, justice, gender-b...

In 1988, Russell Stager was shot and killed in Durham, North Carolina. His wife Barbara claimed that Russ kept a gun under his pillow for safety and what resulted was a tragic accident. As investigators dug deeper though, Barbara’s past came back to haunt her. Support us on Patreon Sources: Before He Wakes, by Jerry Bledsoe https://loriajohnston.medium.com/barbara-stager-shots-in-the-dark-41969347...

Ben Novack, Jr. was the heir to a fortune built on an iconic American institution – The Fontainebleau hotel in Miami Beach. Benji was an eccentric and abrasive millionaire who managed to alienate nearly everyone he met. With a drug habit, multiple mistresses, and a jaw-dropping collection of jewelry and pop culture memorabilia, he lived a life of excess. There was a long list of people who might h...

Ben Novack, Jr. was the heir to a fortune built on an iconic American institution – The Fontainebleau hotel in Miami Beach. Benji was an eccentric and abrasive millionaire who managed to alienate nearly everyone he met. With a drug habit, multiple mistresses, and a jaw-dropping collection of jewelry and pop culture memorabilia, he lived a life of excess. There was a long list of people who might h...

Sarah Widmer was found dead in the bathtub of her Ohio home just 114 days after marrying her husband, Ryan. What initially appeared to be a tragic accident quickly turned into a complicated legal battle involving disputed forensic evidence, questionable investigative decisions, and three separate trials. This case raises enduring questions about science in the courtroom, jury conduct, and whether...

Amy and Stephen Allwine were a happy, devout Christian couple living in Cottage Grove, Minnesota. Amy was a successful dog trainer; Stephen, a church elder and IT specialist. Shockingly, in 2016 the FBI came to Amy and warned her that someone had tried to hire a hitman to kill her through a dark web site called Besa Mafia. Who could possibly wish this wonderful, kind woman dead? Months later when...