The Knife: A True Crime Podcast

Patia and Hannah share a behind-the-scenes update. Then, one of our favorite episodes from the archives - A Wrongful Conviction. Jennifer Thompson was a college student when a man broke into her home and sexually assaulted her. Jennifer did her best to help law enforcement capture her assailant, but years later would learn the wrong person had been held responsible.   Show Notes: Healing...

High-ranking executives at the Columbus Zoo are caught in a wild fraud scheme and experience an epic fall from grace. Marissa Gibson, who investigated their crimes, is here to tell us this bizarre story. And it all starts with a most unlikely whistle-blower.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informatio...

Hannah and Patia join Karen and Georgia on My Favorite Murder to discuss their approach to true crime storytelling, the importance of centering the voices of those affected by crime and what listeners can expect from their new show. Episode originally aired on My Favorite Murder on March 13, 2025. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kylie Bearse, a meteorologist at a local news channel in Denver, joins us to discuss what it feels like to be stalked by an obsessed man. When Kylie took legal action, she thought she’d be protected—until one night in September, when it became clear his obsession was far from over.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 2017, a family friend’s concern over a peculiar coworker led FBI Agent Mark Hastbacka straight into the path of Dana Lawrence — a serial con artist hiding behind the alias “Genna Kaplan.” Patia tells Hannah how Hastbacka pieced together the truth behind Dana’s long con.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ashlee and Kristal join us from Perth, Australia, to discuss the case of their mother, Donna Nelson. In January 2023, their 58-year-old mother was arrested in Tokyo on international drug-smuggling charges. Right away, they suspected the man Donna had been dating online. Together, Ashlee and Kristal share their family’s heartbreaking story, their ongoing fight for justice, and the warnin...

Criminal defense attorney Michael Foote joins The Knife to discuss the murder trial of Bricen Rivers. In July of 2024, 22-year-old Lauren Johansen was found dead in the trunk of her own car. Her ex-boyfriend, Bricen Rivers, is now charged with capital murder. Lauren’s father is fighting to change the system that ignored the warning signs and allowed Rivers to be released on bail. We speak wi...

When Heather Rovet met Jace Paratti, the chemistry was instant. And soon, they were making plans for the future. But when the relationship hit a rough patch, Heather wondered if maybe Jace was hiding something. What she discovered would thrust them both into international headlines and reveal that Jace Paratti wasn’t Jace Paratti at all.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informat...

The sudden passing of husband and father, Michael Cochran, in 2019, was initially a medical mystery. But when his widow, Natalie Cochran was convicted of fraud, a web of lies and a possible motive were revealed. By 2025 Natalie Cochran stood trial for his murder. Forensic Pathologist Dr. Paul Uribe walks us through the results of the autopsy he conducted on Michael Cochran’s remains and the...

In this crossover episode with lovelustfear, a podcast hosted by Jake Deptula, we hear a powerful story from a woman named Allyn. Allyn met a captivating man who swiftly declared his love, asked her to be his girlfriend, and even proposed. But as their long-distance relationship deepened, she uncovered his lingering connection with an ex, which led Allyn down a dark path of deception.  See om...

When Jaime and Ben bought their first home in Lamar, Arkansas, a charming 1800s fixer-upper with two chimneys and a wraparound porch, they were thrilled to start their new life. But soon after moving in with their kids, strange things began to happen. What started as small, unexplained events grew harder to ignore, leading the family to wonder if their dream home might be haunted.  See omnyst...

For nearly two decades Alec Couros has been the target of scammers on the internet. A professor and public speaker from Canada, Alec discovered in 2007 that his photos were being stolen and used in romance scams. Since then, his face has been used thousands of times to con victims around the world.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Elin Lantz Lesser joins us to talk about a cold case that haunted Texas for more than four decades, the 1974 murder of Carla Walker. Recently solved through DNA and genetic genealogy, Elin, host of America’s Crime Lab, walks us through how new science finally brought answers to a case that had gone cold for over 40 years.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sarah and Josh were a young couple in Boston, raising two boys and building a happy life together. But one night, everything changed. After bringing their 3-month-old to the ER with a fever, a series of events spiraled out of control, ending with both their children taken from their home in the middle of the night, without a warrant. Their story exposes how a system meant to protect kids can tear...

This week, Patia tells the story of the Trenchcoat Robbers, Ray Bowman and William “Billy” Kirkpatrick, a notorious duo who evaded capture for two decades. It’s believed they robbed at least 28 banks in the United States. Patia uncovers new details about their crime spree and even speaks with someone personally connected to the story.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy...

When Ellen was in college, she was kidnapped after leaving her shift at Applebee’s. She recounts the terrifying hour that followed as she was driven around the city, unsure if she would make it out alive.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Hannah answers a listener’s question about a man named Tommy Lee Buckley and his “Treasury Gate” scheme— a web of corruption, secret bank accounts, government conspiracy, and a billion dollar  payday that was always just around the corner.  Then, Patia dives into the dark side of sudden wealth with stories of lottery winners whose luck went sideways, inc...

Burt Rosen searched for his missing son, Matthew, for over twenty years. Matthew had been struggling with mental illness when he vanished in 2001. Burt spent day-after-day making phone calls, scouring the internet, searching for any sign of his son. And then, 23 years later, a tip came in that changed everything.  Hold On To Hope:  https://hold2hope.org/   See omnystudio.com/listene...

Patia shares a story she’s followed for years and has a personal connection to: the disappearance of Samantha Sayers, who vanished after hiking Vesper Peak in August 2018. Patia grew close with Samantha’s mother, who has never stopped searching for her daughter. Then, Hannah tells the extraordinary survival story of Robert Schock, who set out for a trail run in 2024 and survived 30 har...

This week we speak with Johnathan Walton , creator of Queen of the Con and author of Anatomy of a Con Artist . Johnathan shares how he met “Mair Smyth,” grew to love her as a sister, and then was brutally betrayed when she conned him out of $100,000. Johnathan has since spoken with hundreds of other victims and built a handbook to expose the tricks con artists use to destroy lives. &nb...

This week we’re talking scams. Hannah shares the story of a man whose photo was used to con thousands of women, and Patia takes us inside an unsettling case of identity theft.  Alex Couros’ Website: https://educationaltechnology.ca/information-for-romance-scam-victims/   Recommendations:   The Binge Cases: Catch Me If You Ken  Fanatical: The Catfishing of Tegan...

Beth Denton has always wondered what really happened to her cousin Patricia, who was murdered in 1970 in her home in Oklahoma City.  Decades later, she decided to find out. This week, we speak with Beth as she unravels this family tragedy and tells the story of Patricia's life and untimely death.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, Patia and Hannah dig into listener emails, covering a rental scam, a case of digital dating abuse (yes, it’s real), and a cold case: the 2013 disappearance of Brookelyn Farthing.  Recommendations:  Aftermath: Hunt for the Anthrax Killer (Wolf Entertainment + CBC)   Against All Odds (Wondery)  Alone (History Channel)   See omnystudio.com/listener...

Patia and Hannah speak with Cassie, who attended a Halloween party at an Oregon State University fraternity in 2008. The night started with costumes, loud music and a crowded basement full of college students.  By the end of the night, Cassie was in the ER, holding a bag that contained her bloodstained costume. She soon found herself in a police interview recounting what happened. The state b...

This week we bring you two crime stories in collaboration with Mandy and Melissa from Moms and Mysteries . Hannah and Patia discuss the killing of Richard Challen by his wife, Sally Challen. Then, Mandy and Melissa share the wild true story of the teenage serial thief known as the “Barefoot Bandit.” Plus, Patia and Hannah have recommendations.    Links:   Moms and M...