Murder In The Black

Private First Class LaVena Johnson was just 19 years old when she died while serving in Iraq in 2005. The U.S. Army ruled her death a suicide, but her family—led by her father, John Johnson —has spent nearly two decades questioning that conclusion. In this episode, we examine the official investigation, the inconsistencies that continue to fuel public debate, and why LaVena's death remains one...

In this episode of Murder in the Black, we look at the case of Jesse Leroy Matthew Jr. and the murders of Morgan Harrington and Hannah Graham. This story is not just about how Matthew was eventually caught. It is about the years before that: the college allegations, the DNA that sat without a name attached to it, the missed opportunities, and the systems that treated each warning sign like it belo...

Lisa Eatmon was a Brooklyn mother, Army veteran, and expectant mom preparing to welcome her son, Jaden Marquis. In April 2005, Lisa was found in the Hudson River, and what first seemed unclear soon became a homicide investigation. In this episode of  Murder in the Black , we walk through Lisa’s life, the discovery in Manhattan, the evidence left behind at home, and the investigation that led detec...

In this episode, we revisit the tragic case of Chiquita Tate, a rising Baton Rouge criminal defense attorney whose life was violently taken inside her own law office. Chiquita was brilliant, ambitious, and building a name for herself in the courtroom when her final night at work became the center of a murder investigation. We walk through Chiquita’s life, the timeline of her last hours, the eviden...

In this episode of  Murder in the Black , the host reflects on Latasha Harlins’ life, death, and legacy while connecting her story to racial violence, community grief, policing, and justice in America. She also shares her firsthand experience attending the Karmelo Anthony trial and examines how Black youth are viewed in courtrooms, media, and public opinion. Key Topics Latasha Harlins’ life, famil...

In this episode of  Murder in the Black , we examine the heartbreaking case of the Hart family murders—a tragedy that exposed serious failures within the child welfare system and challenged the carefully curated image of a family celebrated by many. What appeared to be a picture-perfect family on social media concealed years of abuse, neglect, and unanswered cries for help. Through court records,...

In this episode, we revisit the disappearance of Keeshae Jacobs, a 21-year-old woman from Richmond, Virginia, whose mother, Toni Jacobs, knew from the beginning that something was wrong. Keeshae’s case is not just about one missing person investigation. It is about family intuition, delayed urgency, forensic evidence, unanswered questions, and the pain of a mother forced to keep fighting through u...

A 21-year-old pregnant woman is murdered inside her father’s Philadelphia home just days before giving birth. A Maryland teacher disappears three days before he is set to testify in court. In this episode of  Murder in the Black , we discuss the murder of  Natise Johnson  and the unsolved disappearance of  Oliver Wendell Munson , two cases connected by haunting questions about loyalty, vulnerabili...

In 2003, a Philadelphia neighborhood was shaken by the murders of Patricia, Nikki, and James inside their own home. What investigators found at the scene — an untouched slice of pizza, an extra Coke can, and victims covered after death — pointed toward something more personal and psychologically unsettling than a random act of violence. In this episode of Murder in the Black , Steph examines the i...

Christina believed she understood exactly who she was and the kind of life she was building. But as wedding plans move forward, a quiet conversation and an unexpected new presence begin to disturb the certainty she has spent years protecting. In this first episode of What I Didn’t See, Christina introduces the world she thought was stable, the man she believed made sense of it, and the first subtl...

In this episode of Murder in the Black , we examine the heartbreaking 1987 murder of Anna Mae Florence—a case that remained unsolved for decades before modern forensic technology finally uncovered the truth. What began as a brutal attack investigation evolved into a complex story involving unreliable witnesses, false identities, overlooked evidence, and the persistence of investigators who refused...

Christina thought she understood exactly who she was and the life she was supposed to want. But as her wedding approaches, two men force her to confront the parts of herself she has spent years refusing to see. What I Didn’t See is a psychological thriller about love, denial, self-deception, and the truths that circle us long before we are ready to name them. Listen & Subscribe

The Murder of Carlnell Walker | Riverdale, Georgia In 2006, college student Carlnell Walker was found dead under deeply disturbing circumstances—his body discovered in the trunk of a car in Clayton County, Georgia. What initially appeared to be a missing persons case quickly evolved into something far more complex. In this episode, we examine how perception, identity, and image —both online and in...

In this episode of Murder in the Black , we examine the devastating murders of Gloria Short, her son Caleb, and her granddaughter Gianna—a case that forces us to confront what happens when violence comes not from strangers, but from within trusted circles. Through forensic evidence, investigative breakthroughs, and reflection, we explore how care, access, and familiarity were manipulated in one of...

The disappearance and murder of Michael Giles is a case built on manipulation, deception, and a trail of circumstantial evidence that couldn’t be ignored. In this episode, we break down how Kwaneta Harris constructed narratives, controlled perceptions, and left behind patterns that investigators couldn’t overlook. From a suspicious backyard slab… to financial records, false alibis, and forged docu...

This episode explores the case of Ciara Ingram—a mother, nurse, and veteran whose life was cut short just as she was preparing to start over. What begins as a tragic discovery inside her Columbus, Georgia apartment quickly unfolds into a layered investigation marked by conflicting accounts, shifting timelines, and unanswered questions. As the case develops, attention turns to the people closest to...

Episode Breakdown: What happens when silence isn’t just fear—but culture, history, and survival? In this episode, we unpack the murder of Rene Charles—a case that sat in the shadows not because there were no answers, but because the truth lived inside a community that wasn’t quick to speak. This story forces us to look at how loyalty, fear, and unspoken rules can shape justice—and delay it. This e...

Dawnia DaCosta was just minutes away from where she was supposed to be. What started as a routine night—a late prayer vigil, a familiar drive—turned into something far more unsettling. Within a matter of hours, Dawnia would vanish, leaving behind a trail of questions, conflicting witness accounts, and a case that wouldn’t fully come together until years later. In this episode, we walk through the...

Discover the heartbreaking case of April Lynn Holt , a young woman whose life was tragically cut short amid emotional manipulation, unanswered questions, and a justice system that left her family fighting for more. In this episode of Murder in the Black , we walk through April’s story — from her vibrant life as a beauty entrepreneur and social media influencer to the disturbing details surrounding...

In this episode of Murder in the Black , we explore the heartbreaking story of 14-year-old Nacole Smith , a young girl with dreams of becoming a pediatrician who never made it to school on the morning of June 7, 1995. What began as a devastating crime in an Atlanta neighborhood would become a case that stretched across decades. Despite eyewitness descriptions, community efforts to identify a suspe...

In this episode of Murder in the Black , we examine the heartbreaking murder of Kenyadda Patterson , a 31-year-old mother whose life was taken in Charlotte, North Carolina. When her body was discovered behind a church, investigators were faced with a disturbing crime scene and very few answers. As detectives began piecing together Kenyadda’s final hours, suspicion initially fell on people close to...

In this episode of Murder in the Black , we examine the chilling Seminole Heights serial shootings in Tampa, Florida — a case that left a neighborhood paralyzed by fear and ultimately led to the arrest of Howell Donaldson III. Four strangers. No connection. No clear motive. Just proximity. We break down the victims’ stories, the psychological layers behind violence without motive, the investigativ...

In this episode of Murder in the Black , we examine two intentional homicide cases connected by a deeper pattern of proximity, access, and life transition. In Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 19-year-old Sade Robinson disappeared after a first date. Her dismembered remains were later discovered near Lake Michigan. Investigators arrested Maxwell Anderson , who now faces charges including first-degree intentio...

In this episode of Murder in the Black , we examine the devastating loss of LoLetha Hall — a woman simply doing her job who became entangled in a deadly situation fueled by fear, misinformation, and an AI-driven scam. As technology evolves, so do the dangers surrounding it. Steph and Maia unpack how impersonation scams are changing the landscape of crime, the legal complexities of self-defense in...

When Jermaine Ross stopped answering his phone and missed his barber appointments, concern quickly turned into something far more disturbing. On October 3, 2018, Jermaine was found dead inside his home on Elm Street in Cahokia, Illinois. At first, investigators believed his death may have been natural. But forensic findings, an autopsy, and unsettling details inside the home revealed the truth—Jer...