Hidden True Crime

A beloved Chicago special education teacher has vanished—and her family is desperate for answers. Linda Brown, 53, was last seen after leaving her home for a routine appointment and never returned, leaving behind her car, her life, and a community in fear. As her husband pleads publicly for help and new video raises troubling questions about her final movements, this case highlights the emotional...

A bombshell moment in court just changed everything in the Nick Reiner case. What was supposed to be a routine arraignment took a shocking turn when high-profile defense attorney Alan Jackson abruptly walked away—then stepped outside and declared, “Nick Reiner is not guilty of murder. Print that.” In this episode, we break down the sudden withdrawal, the meaning behind those carefully chosen words...

A single 911 call changed everything in the Spencer and Monique Tepe case—and now, for the first time, you can hear it. Newly released audio captures the exact moment fear turns into horror, as a coworker realizes there’s a body inside the Tepe home… while the children are still there. In this episode, we break down the chilling 911 call, new surveillance footage showing a hooded figure near the h...

A trusted dentist doesn’t show up for work. His wife doesn’t answer her phone. And inside a quiet Columbus neighborhood, police discover a nightmare: Spencer and Monique Tepe shot dead in their home, their two young children still inside—alive, crying, and alone. No forced entry. No weapon. No clear motive. In this episode, we walk through the chilling timeline, the missed warning moments, the une...

Four-year-old Johnathan Everett “John John” Boley has been found dead—and the ending to this search is as heartbreaking as it is haunting. After days of unanswered questions, authorities located Johnathan’s body in a rural wooded area just miles from where he vanished, with his loyal black Labrador, Buck, alive beside him. In this episode, we walk through the timeline, the explosive discoveries th...

A surprise wedding photo, a fierce daughter’s defense, and a question that still makes people angry: how do you forgive the parent who didn’t protect you? After Kevin Franke quietly remarried—and Shari publicly celebrated him as “a wonderful man,” warning critics to back off—this episode revisits the Ruby Franke/Jodi Hildebrandt case through the uncomfortable aftermath, when the headlines fade and...

Friday’s arraignment revealed just how severe prosecutors believe this case is: Ashlee Buzzard is now formally charged with murdering her 9-year-old daughter, Melodee—along with enhancements alleging “exceptional cruelty,” planning, and the chilling accusation of “lying in wait.” In this episode, we break down what those legal terms actually mean, walk through the updated timeline—from the wig-wea...

A preacher’s wife found dead in a North Carolina swamp was quickly ruled a suicide—but the story never sat right. As new federal charges are unsealed, disturbing allegations of cyberstalking, coercive control, tracking devices, and intimidation are forcing fresh scrutiny of Mica Miller’s final months and her marriage to Pastor John Paul Miller. With an FBI indictment now in play, civil lawsuits su...

Dr. John is here to weigh in on the latest developments on the Melodee Buzzard case... What led Ashlee to take Melodee's life? Why do mothers kill? Sponsors: Get 50% off LifeMD’s Weight Management Program plus free shipping during their Holiday and New Year's Sale—get started at https://lifemd.com/HIDDEN. About Hidden True Crime What started as a simple conversation at their dinner table became a...

On December 23, 2025, we learned that Melodee Buzzard had been found deceased. This episode was recorded live and includes parts of the press conference and the heartbreaking details we learned regarding the murder of Melodee Buzzard. About Hidden True Crime What started as a simple conversation at their dinner table became a captivating podcast. Join the dynamic duo of Dr. John Matthias, a crimin...

New developments in the Reiner case are forcing a far more complicated conversation. Emerging details about a schizophrenia diagnosis, recent medication changes, escalating addiction, and growing fear inside the home suggest this tragedy may have been unfolding in plain sight. From disturbing warnings at a Hollywood Christmas party to a system that couldn’t intervene before it was too late, this e...

Dr. John is here to analyze the case of Rob and Michele Singer Reiner. Sponsor: Aura Frames: Exclusive $35 off Carver Mat at https://on.auraframes.com/HIDDEN Promo Code HIDDEN About Hidden True Crime What started as a simple conversation at their dinner table became a captivating podcast. Join the dynamic duo of Dr. John Matthias, a criminal psychologist, and Lauren Matthias, an investigative jour...

Nick Reiner’s first court appearance lasted only minutes, but it raised far more questions than it answered. As new details emerge about his mental state, suicide watch status, and behavior in the days before his parents were killed, a troubling picture is coming into focus. This episode explores the Christmas party his parents didn’t want to attend without him, how their daughter Romy was alerted...

As first-degree murder charges are filed in the Reiner case, new reporting is complicating the timeline. A missed massage appointment, dinner plans that abruptly vanished, and the moment their daughter Romy was alerted something was wrong all raise new questions about when the killings occurred—and what the family may have known. With special circumstances alleged and the possibility of the death...

About Hidden True Crime What started as a simple conversation at their dinner table became a captivating podcast. Join the dynamic duo of Dr. John Matthias, a criminal psychologist, and Lauren Matthias, an investigative journalist, as they delve into the psychological facets of unthinkable crimes every week. Their unique perspectives and in-depth analysis offer a fresh take on true crime storytell...

On a quiet southern college campus, the last place anyone expects to find an 18-month-old child is inside a dorm room — but that’s exactly where baby “JD” ended up, night after night, as a volatile relationship spiraled behind closed doors. In this episode of Hidden True Crime, Lauren Matthias takes you inside the heartbreaking case that began with blurred boundaries on the Georgia Southwestern St...

In this episode, we break down the newly released 18-page probable cause affidavit in the murder of 38-weeks-pregnant Rebecca Park—a document filled with conflicting stories, shifting blame, and shocking admissions from Rebecca’s biological mother, Cortney Bartholomew, and stepfather, Bradly Bartholomew. Sponsor: Aura Frames: Exclusive $35 off Carver Mat at https://on.auraframes.com/HIDDEN Code HI...

A mother who spent months warning that she wasn’t safe. Two young twins whose lives ended far too soon. And a triple homicide that a small Arkansas town never saw coming. In this episode, Lauren unpacks the heartbreaking deaths of 40-year-old Charity Beallis and her 6-year-old twins, discovered shot inside their family home just one day after a pivotal divorce hearing. With a history of domestic v...

An 18-month-old baby found dead in her crib. Parents arrested for murder. And a shocking twist: they're directly related to Chad Daybell. In this episode, Lauren breaks down the disturbing case of baby Ruby Murray — a toddler allegedly left alone for days, fed only waffles, lulled to sleep with blasting rock music, and monitored by cameras that reveal just minutes of human contact before her death...

There are cases that shake a community, and then there are cases like this—where a 38-week-pregnant young mother vanishes, her body is later found in the forest, and her unborn baby is simply… gone. In this episode, we dive into the unfolding story of 22-year-old Rebecca Kay Park from Wexford County, Michigan—a full-term mom-to-be whose phone was tossed, and whose inner circle included a fiancé wi...

A father sets out for what should have been a simple family hike—three kids, a familiar canyon, a day in the mountains. But by nightfall, it had spiraled into a near-fatal ordeal that left two young children fighting for their lives and investigators questioning everything about his decisions. Text messages, photos, and heartbreaking statements from the children now paint a picture far more distur...

After Lauren broke down the Jesse Mack Butler case, John is here with his analysis...how a now convicted predator, is walking free with no jail time, what risks that creates and how society sees cases like these. Jesse Mack Butler Backstory: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sadistic-teen-predator-they-refused-to-stop/id1521619380?i=1000738639418 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/ep...

In this episode, Lauren breaks down the newest and most unsettling developments in the disappearance of Melodee Buzzard, including the wigs, the multi-state road trip, the switched license plates, the bizarre “zoo couple” Ashlee claims took her daughter, and the troubling interview with Tyler Brewer that only raises more questions. With conflicting statements, dismissed charges, disturbing behavio...

In a case that is going viral, 18 year old Jesse Mack Butler, who was charged with a slew of crimes against two young girls, has walked free, despite a 78 year sentence. In this episode, Lauren breaks down the case, what happened and what legal decisions led to Jesse walking free. Sponsor Go to  https://shopbeam.com/TRUECRIME to get up to 50% off Dream while the Black Friday sale lasts. About Hidd...

A retired security engineer, a small Minnesota town, and two teens who picked the wrong house on Thanksgiving Day—what happened in Byron Smith’s basement has been debated for more than a decade as one of the most chilling self-defense cases in America. Sponsors Treat yourself or someone special to the most comfortable and innovative bras on earth this holiday season. Save 20% off sitewide at https...