Direct Appeal

From the creators of Direct Appeal comes our new project, Women & Crime. Each episode we cover a new female focused true crime case. Enjoy this full length sample episode, and if you like it – Subscribe Now. ************** Ep 32: During the 1980s, Cindy James was purportedly the victim of over 100 attacks of physical and mental abuse by an unknown assailant. After a heavy police presence and no assailant ever identified, police grew skeptical. Was this a hoax or the diabolical plan of someone who wanted to torture and eventually murder her? Credits: • Written and Hosted by Amy Shlosberg and Meghan Sacks • Produced and Edited by James Varga • Music by Dessert Media Help is Available: If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic or other violence, there are many organizations that can offer support or help you in your specific situation.  For details please visit one of the websites below. National Domestic Violence Hotline https://www.thehotline.org/help/  RAINN https://www.rainn.org/about-national-sexual-assault-telephone-hotline Women’s Law https://hotline.womenslaw.org/ Victim Connect List of resources https://victimconnect.org/resources/national-hotlines/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For the last 13 years, Melanie McGuire has been serving a life sentence for the murder and dismemberment of her husband, whose body was found in three suitcases in the Chesapeake Bay.  With Melanie’s full cooperation, two Criminologists (Dr. Meghan Sacks, and Dr. Amy Shlosberg) will examine the evidence, consult independent experts and explore over 50 hours of exclusive interviews with Melanie (from prison), her family, her friends, witnesses and experts on both sides of the trial looking to uncover the whole truth about this murder.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

01: Three suitcases, containing human remains, surfaced in Virginia’s Chesapeake Bay in May 2004. Police identified the man in the suitcases as 39-year-old William McGuire, from Woodbridge New Jersey, and they quickly focused their attention on Bill’s wife, Melanie McGuire, who did not report him missing. Convicted three years later of murdering and dismembering her husband, Melanie McGuire has been in prison since then but did the state get it right? Is Melanie McGuire the femme fatale that the prosecution painted her to be or is she an entirely different person, prosecuted and convicted because she was the most obvious suspect in this crime? In episode 1, meet Melanie McGuire. Credits:  Hosted by: Meghan Sacks and Amy Shlosberg.  Produced by James Varga.  Written by Meghan Sacks.  Recorded, mixed, and edited by Justin Kral at JC Studios.  Music and underscore by Nick Bassett of Dessert Media.  Legal Counsel provided by Barry Janay.  Special thanks to Alan Tockerman.  Producer-At-Large, Adam Curry For Images related to this episode, visit: https://directappealpodcast.com/images/#ep01 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

02: Bill and Melanie each end their other relationships and begin a life together. However, this may not be storybook ending they had hoped for. Their marriage is a volatile relationship, filled with infidelity, lies and acts that would results in criminal convictions for both. Melanie describes the ups and downs, and details the fight where she said she should have left.   Credits: Hosted by: Meghan Sacks and Amy Shlosberg.  Produced by James Varga.  Written by Meghan Sacks.  Recorded, mixed, and edited by Justin Kral at JC Studios.  Music and underscore by Nick Bassett of Dessert Media.  Legal Counsel provided by Barry Janay.  Special thanks to Alan Tockerman.  Producer-At-Large, Adam Curry Photo credits: Joshua Davis under cc license 2.0 For Images related to this episode, visit: https://directappealpodcast.com/images/#ep02 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

03: Bill and Melanie manage to piece together their relationship after dealing with tumultuous times. They forge ahead with their dreams of owning a home in the suburbs of New Jersey even though their relationship is not entirely a happy one. They find a home and close on it April 28th, 2004, but Bill McGuire is never seen again after the closing. Was this a happy occasion for the couple or part of Melanie’s plan to kill her husband?  For Images related to this episode, visit: https://directappealpodcast.com/images/#ep03 If you have any information regarding this case, you can submit it by emailing us at [email protected] or leaving a voicemail at (732) 510-0996. If you have a question to ask Melanie, be sure to submit it to us by 7/31/19 and we may select it for a future episode. Credits: Hosted by: Meghan Sacks and Amy Shlosberg Produced by James Varga* Written by Meghan Sacks Recorded, mixed, and edited by Justin Kral at JC Studios Music and underscore by Nick Bassett of Dessert Media Legal Counsel: Barry Janay Special thanks to Alan Tockerman Photo credits: Joshua Davis under cc license 2.0 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices