The First Degree

On Episode 47, Jac, Alexis and Billy conclude with part two of the story of Joel Rifkin. In 1993, the discovery that a serial killer had been operating in the shadows of New York dominated the headlines. Rifken’s gruesome confessions—recounting his sexual perversion and utter disregard for human life—tore at the fabric of the quaint suburbs of Long Island, shattering the sense of security that the...

The police chase that began in that late evening in June revealed the body of a murdered woman in the bed of a pickup truck driven by Joel David Rifkin. At the start of his interrogation, there was one murder victim. By the end, there were 17, all buried throughout the Tri-State area, all killed by the hands of Rifkin. On episode 46, Jac, Alexis & Billy recount the bizarre life, disturbances, and...

On May 5th of 2019, police were called to an apartment in the Dallas suburb of Denton. The door was ajar, and the scene inside was straight out of a horror movie. But the most ominous thing at the scene was ironically not what they could observe, rather… what was missing—which was the head of the victim. On episode 46, Jac, Alexis & Billy explore an active case that's still unfolding with a first...

There's a moment in every child's life when they discover what death is, whether it's through losing a grandparent or flushing a pet fish down the toilet...” In episode 44, Jac, Alexis and Billy speak with special First Degree guest Jared Monaco (lead guitarist for Emo band The Maine). Jared takes us back to when he was force fed the concept of mortality at the age of 9-years-old—when the life of...

It’s a case nightmares are made of. As Kaitlyn mentioned this week, we’ve got your sneak peek into the new true-crime series, 22 Hours: An American Nightmare. It's the frightening story of a D.C. power couple, their 10-year-old son, and housekeeper who were held hostage, tortured, and brutally murdered inside their burning D.C. mansion. You won’t believe what happened during those last 22 hours al...

A 19-year-old student at Kansas State University home for the summer, was found by her father murdered in a pump room at a community pool in Leawood, Kansas. In episode 43, Jac, Alexis & Billy discuss the harrowing details of the case, the innovative methods implemented during the investigation, and one father's relentless pursuit to catch his daughter's killer. 🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes p...

On August 20th, 2016, Terra Newell was attacked on the roof of her apartment building by her mother’s estranged husband, John Meehan. Against all odds, Terra was able to fight him off, fatally wounding him in the process. Her story is the focus of the popular podcast and series of the same name, Dirty John. In Episode 43, Jac, Alexis and Billy are joined by Terra in the studio to discuss her heroi...

On episode 42, Jac, Alexis & Billy examine the bizarre 2009 disappearance of 54-year-old Gloria Marmolejo, who vanished mysteriously from her El Paso home after a months-long vacation in Phoenix. The investigation into her disappearance was puzzling, and would come to expose the sadistic serial offender who was responsible, as well as a dark family secret. 🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per mon...

On episode 41, Jac, Alexis and Billy conclude with part two of the story of Bob & Diane Ward, and their two daughters' decade-long fight to prove their father's innocence. We learn about the Space Chicken, the struggle against the media and how they found an incredibly key piece of evidence years after their mother’s death. 🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full video episodes over...

On the night of September 21st 2009, police responded to a 911 call at the Isleworth mansion of Bob and Diane Ward. Inside they found Diane dead from a gunshot wound. It launched one of the biggest courtroom sagas in Florida and a textbook example of trial by media. In Episode 40, Jac, Alexis and Billy are joined by First Degree guest, Sarah Ward-Rupp as she walks us through trauma of losing her m...

On episode 39, Jac, Alexis and Billy conclude the puzzling case of family annihilator William Bradford Bishop. The international manhunt for Bishop has spanned nearly four decades and lured law enforcement across international lines. Many questions remain, did Bradford Bishop use his international savvy to relocate abroad, or is he in the US hiding in plain sight? 🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes...

In March of 1976, police were drawn to a fiery stretch of North Carolina woods. At the time, first responders had no idea that the horrors revealed there would prompt a world wide and decades long search for the person responsible. On Episode 38, Jac, Alexis and Billy explore the mysterious force that unprecedentedly and unexpectedly snuffed out what appeared to be a perfect family. 🎟 Catch up to...

Psychopaths make up about one percent of the general population. We work with them, we're friends with them—and some of us even date, fall in love with, and marry them. On Episode 37, Jac, Alexis and Billy speak with two sisters whose lives were uncomfortably intertwined with a dangerous psychopath, and how they were able to survive him to tell their tale. Higher Education Skincare - Head over to...

Black Friday is the name assigned to the notorious shopping day after Thanksgiving. Although the original derivative of the term has been diluted, some say that the phrase was originally coined by police in the 1950's to describe the mayhem prompted by a high volume of shoppers who cause traffic accidents, trample over each other, and resort to intentional brutality... all in the name of a bargain...

There is no crime more difficult to comprehend than the murder of a child by his or her own parents. Nevertheless, tales of the killing of newborn children are as old as time. On episode 35, Jac, Alexis and Billy explore the elusive concept of neonatacide, and delve into the incredibly disturbing case of the Debeers, who didn’t stop at killing just one of their newborns. SeroVital - Try SeroVital...

Women are 70 times more likely to be killed in the two week window after leaving their partners than at any other time during the relationship. And on Episode 34, Jac, Alexis and Billy profile a case that illustrates the horror of that statistic and shows the devastating aftermath when they’re joined by a first degree connection who was at the very center of the story in the worst possible way. Se...

On April 19, 2015, a 21-year-old named Samantha Young was found brutally murdered behind her ex boyfriend's house. Her killing was horrific; but even more chilling was the revelation of the months of planning the perpetrators undertook before the murder. On episode 33, Jac, Alexis and Billy discuss the facets of the case, the conspiracy, and how dysfunctional puppy love can lead to a decent into m...

Is there a serial killer gang murdering college-age men in the waters of America? Jac, Alexis & Billy conclude the story of the Smiley Face Killer theory, with the help of Kevin Gannon, Mike Donovan, Anthony Duarte, and Doc Gilbertson. Daily Harvest - Go to Daily-Harvest.com now and use Promo code FIRST for 3 free cups in your first box Kopari - Check out KopariBeauty.com/FIRST for $5 off your fir...

Dozens of young men found dead in bodies of water in the northeast and Midwest. Most were last seen leaving parties or bars. Most of their deaths were classified as accidental drownings. But a group of retired detectives believe their deaths are the result of something much more sinister—an elusive network of individuals who are murdering these young men. On episode 31, Jac, Alexis & Billy explore...

22-year-old Todd Geib goes missing after an orchard party in rural Michigan. For 20 days, his family and friends frantically search for him. On the 21st day, they find his body, floating upright in a private lake. Was Todd's death an accident, or did he fall victim to something sinister? In episode 30, Jac, Alexis and Billy speak with Todd's mother, examine the evidence, and deconstruct the curiou...

A married couple is found murdered in the bedroom of their home. Their teenage daughter runs out of the house screaming that someone killed her parents. In episode 29, Jac, Alexis and Billy discuss the case of Sarah Johnson, shedding light on the motives, the opportunity, and the pink bathrobe that held one of the secrets that led to a conviction. But they also show the coverage and concern it rec...

On episode twenty eight of The First Degree, Jac, Alexis and Billy tell the story of the vicious murder of Maggie Guardado. When the charred body of 16 year Old Maggie was discovered in front of her house, suspicion immediately fell on her much older boyfriend. But Maggie also had a jealous ex. Police use cell phone records and a dried blood stain to piece together who killed Maggie and set her on...

Have you ever gotten mad at a sibling? Sure. But have you ever conspired to kill them? On episode twenty seven of The First Degree, Jac, Alexis & Billy dive head first into the curious crimes committed within the Hawes family, a case as perplexing as it is gruesome. A family conspiracy, numerous crime scenes, hidden weapons, and a second death that remains a mystery to this day. Care Of - Go to Ta...

In episode twenty six, Jac, Alexis and Billy conclude with part three of the Ted Bundy series. Covering Bundy's time on death row, his bizarre romantic relationships, his desperate last minute confession, the ensuing media circus, and finally, his execution. The chilling details of Ted Bundy's final moments are shared by First Degree guest Tony Panaccio, who at 23-years-old watched Ted Bundy die i...

In part two of this First Degree three-part special on Ted Bundy, Jac, Alexis and Billy detail his horrific killing rampage in Florida following his second escape, his capture after killing a 12 year old girl, and his trial where he represented himself and cross-examined witnesses. 🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full video episodes over on Patreon: patreon.com/thefirstdegree 📸 I...