Dark Thirty

On this episode of Dark Thirty, Catherine and Jessica discuss the case that gave them the idea of a mother-daughter true crime podcast: The rise and fall of Alec Murdaugh. Murdaugh's world unravels after his son's deadly boat crash, leading to one of South Carolina's most shocking murder trials. It's Southern Gothic at its finest!

Catherine and Jessica discuss how Tennessee prepares for a grim milestone as new execution dates are set for 2026, including the only woman on death row in Tennessee, Christa Pike. In this episode we examine the state's latest capital punishment decisions, and the uneasy tension between justice, mercy and the ghosts of crimes past. We also have an update on the past episode "Murder in the Holler", set in Townsend, TN. 

In 2006, the quiet town of Selmer, TN, was shaken when Pastor Matthew Winkler was found dead in his home. What unfolded next pulled back the curtain on a seemingly perfect family and left a community reeling. 

On a quiet stretch of Solway Road in Tennessee lived Raynella Leath-a nurse, a widow, and a woman linked to not one, but two mysterious deaths. Was she cursed by tragedy, or a calculating Black Widow? Listen as Catherine and Jessica break down her story. 

When Mike Williams vanished on a Florida lake, it looked like a tragic hunting accident-until the truth revealed a chilling story of greed and murder. Tune in as Catherine and Jessica discuss this case.

In 1880s Austin, Texas, a brutal serial killer known as the Servant Girl Annihilator murdered at least eight people—mostly servant women—dragging victims from their beds and mutilating them. Despite over 400 arrests, the killer was never caught. Some say he was America's first urban serial killer—striking before Jack the Ripper. Listen to Catherine and Jessica as they discuss their newest case!

In this episode of Dark Thirty, we explore the chilling theory that renowned British painter Walter Sickert may have been the man behind the infamous Jack the Ripper murders. We dig into the circumstantial evidence, his disturbing artwork, and the suspicions raised by modern investigators—asking whether art was a mask for something far more sinister.

In the summer of 1992, fear gripped the streets of Knoxville, TN, as the bodies of young women began turning up. The city would come to know one man as the "Zoo Man", a shadowy figure who preyed on some of the community's most vulnerable. In this episode, we will see how Dr. Bill Bass of the Body Farm helped to provide evidence against Thomas Huskey-a seemingly unremarkable zoo employee whose double like as a sadistic serial killer shocked everyone. Join Catherine and Jessica as they discuss this case that leaves more questions than answers. 

In 2015 Irish businessman Jason Corbett was killed by his wife Molly and her father, former FBI agent Tom Martens. They claimed it was self defense. Catherine and Jessica will examine the complexities of this case as the evidence gives a very conflicting portrait of a tragic marriage gone wrong. 

In 2012, nursing student Megan Sharpton told relatives she was on her way to a family dinner. Hours later, her body was discovered on fire on the side of a road in rural Tennessee. Megan had big dreams until her life was stolen. Catherine and Jessica discuss the case to uncover the truth behind her murder and bring her killer to justice. 

In this episode Catherine and Jessica will dive into some of the most chilling true crime updates making headlines. They discuss new developments surrounding Gary Hilton, the notorious serial killer and death row inmate. Then, they break down the disturbing details revealed in Hulu's new documentary on Ruby Franke. Finally, they explore the unsettling reports and rising fears of a possible serial killer operating in Austin, Texas. Tune in for a deep, thoughtful, and gripping conversation on these high-profile cases. 

It's hard to believe this little true crime podcast is two year old! Catherine and Jessica reminisce about all their cases and bring a new one from Yorktown, VA while they're on a grand historical tour of the south. 

On a hot afternoon in August of 2014, James Chambers got a ride from a co-worker and was never seen again. This case takes some twists and turns. Tune in as Catherine and Jessica discuss. 

THIS is the Patricia Cornwell episode.   

The Body Farm Continues...Catherine and Jessica discuss how Dr. Bass met the famous crime writer Patricia Cornwell. He never expected a brief interaction and a request for an experiment would cause the Body Farm to burst into the spotlight. This is the story of how the Body Farm gained world wide fame!

The history of "The Body Farm" continues and Catherine and Jessica finish up their discussion. Catherine says Part 2 is "SO MUCH BETTER" than Part 1. You be the judge!

In 1981 Dr. Bill Bass established the University of Tennessee's Anthropological Research Facility, AKA "The Body Farm". The research done here is used by law enforcement, forensic scientists, and medical professionals. How did this cutting edge facility come to be? In this episode, Jessica and Catherine will discuss the history of The Body Farm.

In this episode, Catherine and Jessica discuss the 2007 carjacking, abduction, rape and murder of Channon Christian and her boyfriend Chris Newsom. This horrific crime happened in Knoxville, TN, and five defendants all blamed each other, leading to a complicated case. To make it worse, a corrupt judge was in charge of the trial! 

Margo Bennett was an instructor at the FBI academy when she met and had an affair with best selling crime author Patricia Cornwell. This affair fueled an already explosive relationship between her and her FBI agent husband, Eugene. This case is full of twists and turns. Listen and you'll also hear a special Halloween song!

It's been over three decades since Rhonda Sue Coleman was murdered in Jeff Davis County. No one has ever been charged with the homicide of this high school senior, who was last seen leaving a party just two weeks before graduation. We know Catherine doesn't like a cold case, but the updates in this investigation have led to some startling revelations. Listen as Catherine and Jessica discuss!