Santana True Crime

In this episode of Santana True Crime , we sit down with former Chicago homicide detective Michele Wood , author of Model Detective: A True Story of Heels, Handcuffs and Homicides . Michele’s story is unlike anything you’ve heard—balancing two completely different worlds: modeling and homicide investigations. From working brutal 30-hour murder cases to interviewing violent offenders and solving se...

What really happened to the Yuba County Five? In this episode of Santana True Crime , I’m joined by author Tony Wright , author of Things Aren’t Right , and criminologist David Hayes to examine one of America’s strangest unsolved mysteries. We break down the major theories surrounding the disappearance and deaths of the Yuba County Five, including: Misadventure and exposure Foul play theories Why...

The murder of Liz Barraza was caught on camera—but the killer is still unidentified. In this episode of Santana True Crime , former FBI profiler Julia Cowley joins the show to break down one of the most disturbing unsolved cases in recent years: the Liz Barraza murder case. Julia walks through what the suspect’s behavior, planning, and actions at the scene reveal about the type of person responsib...

In this episode of Santana True Crime , we break down NEW details learned from a recent phone conversation with the person who discovered Virginia’s body . While the witness is not appearing on the show, we will be sharing what he told us—information that adds new perspective to the crime scene and timeline. With the anniversary of her death tomorrow, this episode takes a deeper look into one of N...

She spent years writing to one of America’s most notorious serial killers—the Green River Killer. What he revealed in those letters is disturbing, personal, and something most people never hear. In this episode of Santana True Crime, author Maria DiLorenzo shares her direct correspondence with Gary Ridgway, offering rare insight into the mind of a serial killer. Also joining the show is Dr. Bill K...

What if there was a real group of elite investigators solving murders that law enforcement couldn’t? In this episode, we’re joined by New York Times bestselling author Michael Capuzzo to discuss his book The Murder Room —a deep dive into the Vidocq Society, a real-life network of profilers, forensic experts, and detectives working cold cases that have gone unsolved for years. We break down: The or...

Long before the Jeffrey Epstein scandal made global headlines, there was another disturbing case centered around a remote island in Michigan—North Fox Island. In this episode, we sit down with forensic psychologist and criminologist Dr. David C. Hayes to break down the North Fox Island case, an alleged trafficking network that operated decades before the internet, and its possible connections to t...

Tonight on Santana True Crime , we are going live to examine one of the most disturbing unsolved murders connected to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. On June 30, 1965, 21-year-old Suellen Evans was attacked while walking through Coker Arboretum on the UNC campus. The attack occurred in broad daylight. Evans fought back against her attacker and was able to tell witnesses that the m...

Crime journalist Maria DiLorenzo joins Santana True Crime to discuss her upcoming book Confessions of the Green River Killer: A True Story of Manipulation, Madness, and a Search for Justice . After writing to serial killer Gary Ridgway , Maria expected silence. Instead, the man known as the Green River Killer called her from prison. Over the following years, Ridgway contacted her hundreds of times...

In December 1981, 19-year-old Rhonda Hinson was shot while driving home in Burke County, North Carolina. More than four decades later, her murder remains unsolved. In this episode of Santana True Crime , I am joined by Captain John Hoyle with the Burke County Sheriff’s Office — the agency currently leading the investigation — to discuss the crime scene, timeline, and ongoing efforts to bring justi...

In this episode of Santana True Crime, we examine the 1987 disappearance of 16-year-old Theresa Bier from Fresno, California. After Theresa vanished in the Sierra National Forest, a shocking claim emerged — that she had been taken by Bigfoot. But was that story a distraction from something far more human? Joined by Kelli Brink, we break down the known timeline, the individuals connected to the cas...

What happens when the justice system gets it wrong? In this clip from Santana True Crime , I’m joined by author Steffen Hou as we discuss a chilling case where a person was executed — and later evidence suggested they were innocent. How does that happen? And what does it say about the death penalty? Steffen dives deeper into wrongful convictions and death row cases in his book The Deprived , which...

As the Winter Olympics are happening right now , we revisit one of the darkest chapters in Olympic history — the 1996 Atlanta bombing and the years-long manhunt that followed. In this episode of Santana True Crime , I’m joined by investigative journalist Gracey Sneed , who has interviewed investigators, family members, and neighbors connected to Eric Rudolph . Gracey recently published in-depth ar...

In this episode, Cameron Santana is joined by author Steffen Hou to discuss his book Moms of the Missing , a powerful true-crime collection of real abduction and missing person cases told through the voices of families still searching for answers. Steffen shares what he learned from interviewing mothers whose children vanished, the patterns seen across these cases, and why awareness and prevention...

Tonight at 8:30 PM EST , join Cameron Santana and Dr. Brian Santana LIVE as we dive deep into the unsolved murder of Liz Barraza — a Texas woman who was gunned down while setting up for a garage sale in January 2019 . Liz was 29 years old when she was shot multiple times in her driveway in Tomball, Texas . Investigators believe the killing was planned , and surveillance footage captured a dark-col...

Former Forensic Files producer Ed and co-host Melissa from the hit podcast Murder Unscripted join Cameron Santana and Dr. Brian Santana for a wide-ranging conversation about the evolution of true crime storytelling. Ed shares behind-the-scenes insight into what it was like producing one of the most influential true crime television shows of all time, including how cases were selected and how foren...

In this exclusive interview, I sit down with documentary producer Steffen Hou , the creator behind Faces of Hate , a powerful and disturbing look into the world of extremism, radicalization, and hate-based ideology. We discuss: • What inspired the documentary • How extremist groups recruit and operate • The dangers of online radicalization • The human cost behind hate movements • The real people i...

In this special live episode of Santana True Crime , Cameron Santana is joined by Sam McDonald , the sister of missing man Matthew McDonald , who disappeared from Washington County, Pennsylvania in March 2023. Matthew was last heard from on March 7, 2023 and last seen on March 9, 2023 in the California Borough / Long Branch area . Nearly two years later, his family is still searching for answers —...

In this live episode of Santana True Crime , we take a deep look at the JonBenét Ramsey case through a media lens: how headlines, leaks, television coverage, and repeating narratives shaped public opinion and influenced which theories people believed . I’m joined by Dr. David Hayes , who researched this exact topic in his doctoral dissertation, and Dr. Brian Santana , a college professor and true...

In this episode of Santana True Crime , we take a deep dive inside the Mexican Mafia , also known as La Eme — one of the most powerful and feared prison gangs in the United States. My guest is William Noguera , who brings firsthand knowledge of the prison system and the realities of gang power behind the walls. Together, we discuss how the Mexican Mafia formed, how a relatively small group maintai...

In this episode, we finally break down the Debra Espey murder case — a tragic cold case from 1973 in Niceville, Florida that went unsolved for more than 52 years until a DNA breakthrough cracked it open. Debra was a 19-year-old college student who disappeared after class and was later found murdered in a nearby wooded area. After decades of unanswered questions and faded leads, forensic genealogy...

n this episode of Santana True Crime , we cover a major federal update in the case of Mica Miller . Mica Miller’s ex-husband, John-Paul Miller (also known as JP Miller) , has been federally indicted on charges of cyberstalking and making false statements to federal investigators , according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Federal prosecutors allege that between November 2022 and April 2024 , Mi...

In this episode of Santana True Crime , I’m joined by Julia Cowley , former FBI Behavioral Analysis Unit member and host of The Consult , to discuss the JonBenét Ramsey case with a focused look at one of its most debated pieces of evidence: the ransom note . Rather than rehashing the entire case, we examine the language, tone, length, and placement of the note—and what those elements may suggest f...

In this live episode of Santana True Crime , we explore the unsettling and fascinating world of serial killer art . I’m joined by Dr. Bill Kimberlin , author of Watch Me Die , who has been sent more than 4,000 pieces of artwork created by incarcerated offenders, including individuals on death row. Alongside Dr. Brian Santana , we examine specific pieces of art and discuss the psychology, symbolism...

In this episode of Santana True Crime , we break down the Karen Read case from start to finish, covering Trial One, Trial Two, and the civil case connected to the death of Boston police officer John O’Keefe. Joining me is my wife Laura , who followed the Karen Read trial closely and shares her detailed observations, reactions, and questions about the evidence, testimony, and courtroom strategies u...