Murder: True Crime Stories

In 1892, a woman calling herself Lottie Bernard checked into the Hotel del Coronado alone, sick, and afraid — and was found dead five days later, the bullet in her body not matching the gun she bought. Over forty years later, a young man registered as Roland T. Owen sat alone in a dark Kansas City hotel room with the door unlocked, as if waiting for whoever came to kill him. In this episode of Murder: True Crime Stories, Carter Roy investigates both cases — separated by decades and a thousand miles, but united by fake names, unanswered questions, and killers who were never found. Head over to our Murder True Crime Stories YouTube channel to WATCH our video episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@MurderTrueCrimeStories If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Murder True Crime Stories to never miss a case! For Ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Murder True Crime Stories is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios 🎧 Need More to Binge?  Listen to other Crime House Originals Clues, Crimes Of…, Serial Killers & Murderous Minds, Crime House 24/7, and more wherever you get your podcasts! Follow me on Social Instagram: @Crimehouse TikTok: @Crimehouse Facebook: @crimehousestudios YouTube: @murdertruecrimestories To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In Part 2 of Murder: True Crime Stories, Carter Roy picks up where the Greenbrier Ghost case left off. After Zona Heaster Shue's exhumed body reveals a broken neck and fingerprints on her throat, prosecutor John Preston builds a case against her husband Edward — a man who had already buried two wives under suspicious circumstances. The trial that follows tests the limits of what a jury will accept as evidence, culminating in testimony that no American courtroom had ever heard before or since. Head over to our Murder True Crime Stories YouTube channel to WATCH our video episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@MurderTrueCrimeStories If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Murder True Crime Stories to never miss a case! For Ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Murder True Crime Stories is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios 🎧 Need More to Binge?  Listen to other Crime House Originals Clues, Crimes Of…, Serial Killers & Murderous Minds, Crime House 24/7, and more wherever you get your podcasts! Follow me on Social Instagram: @Crimehouse TikTok: @Crimehouse Facebook: @crimehousestudios YouTube: @murdertruecrimestories To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In 1897, 23-year-old Zona Heaster Shue was found dead in her rural West Virginia home, and the doctor quickly ruled it natural causes — but her new husband's suspicious behavior and a history of violence told a different story. In Part 1 of Murder: True Crime Stories, host Carter Roy traces Zona's life, her whirlwind marriage to the charming but dangerous Edward Shue, and the events of the cold January afternoon she was found at the foot of her stairs. Head over to our Murder True Crime Stories YouTube channel to WATCH our video episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@MurderTrueCrimeStories If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Murder True Crime Stories to never miss a case! For Ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Murder True Crime Stories is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios 🎧 Need More to Binge?  Listen to other Crime House Originals Clues, Crimes Of…, Serial Killers & Murderous Minds, Crime House 24/7, and more wherever you get your podcasts! Follow me on Social Instagram: @Crimehouse TikTok: @Crimehouse Facebook: @crimehousestudios YouTube: @murdertruecrimestories To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In November 2022, four University of Idaho students — Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin — were stabbed to death inside their off-campus home in Moscow, Idaho, after a night out with friends. For weeks, the case gripped the nation as investigators traced a circling white Hyundai Elantra and a lone DNA clue to criminology PhD student Bryan Kohberger. In this episode of Murder: True Crime Stories, Carter Roy describes the crime, the arrest, the trial, the guilty plea followed, and the questions that still remain. Head over to our Murder True Crime Stories YouTube channel to WATCH our video episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@MurderTrueCrimeStories If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Murder True Crime Stories to never miss a case! For Ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Murder True Crime Stories is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios 🎧 Need More to Binge?  Listen to other Crime House Originals Clues, Crimes Of…, Serial Killers & Murderous Minds, Crime House 24/7, and more wherever you get your podcasts! Follow me on Social Instagram: @Crimehouse TikTok: @Crimehouse Facebook: @crimehousestudios YouTube: @murdertruecrimestories To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After the discovery of 16-year-old Jeannette DePalma’s body in a New Jersey quarry, investigators were left with more questions than answers. With no clear cause of death and a crime scene that some believed pointed to something ritualistic, rumors of the occult quickly took hold and began to shape both public fear and the direction of the case. In Part 2 of Murder: True Crime Stories, Carter Roy examines how speculation and early theories may have derailed the investigation, the suspects who emerged as detectives searched for answers, and the possible connections to other murders in the area. As the case grew more complex, one man came under increasing scrutiny, but proving his involvement would be far more difficult. Decades later, Jeannette’s murder remains unsolved, and the truth of what happened to her is still out of reach. Head over to our Murder True Crime Stories YouTube channel to WATCH our video episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@MurderTrueCrimeStories If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Murder True Crime Stories to never miss a case! For Ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Murder True Crime Stories is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios 🎧 Need More to Binge?  Listen to other Crime House Originals Clues, Crimes Of…, Serial Killers & Murderous Minds, Crime House 24/7, and more wherever you get your podcasts! Follow me on Social Instagram: @Crimehouse TikTok: @Crimehouse Facebook: @crimehousestudios YouTube: @murdertruecrimestories To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In 1972, 16-year-old Jeannette DePalma disappeared from her quiet suburban neighborhood in Springfield, New Jersey, and at first, no one treated it as a crisis. Known as a rebellious teenager with a complicated reputation, many believed she had simply run away. But as weeks passed with no word, that assumption began to unravel. In Part 1 of Murder: True Crime Stories, Carter Roy examines Jeannette’s life, the conflicting perceptions that shaped her story, and the early investigation that struggled to gain traction. When her remains were discovered weeks later in a nearby quarry under unsettling circumstances, the case took a darker turn and set the stage for a mystery that would only grow more complex. Head over to our Murder True Crime Stories YouTube channel to WATCH our video episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@MurderTrueCrimeStories If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Murder True Crime Stories to never miss a case! For Ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Murder True Crime Stories is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios 🎧 Need More to Binge?  Listen to other Crime House Originals Clues, Crimes Of…, Serial Killers & Murderous Minds, Crime House 24/7, and more wherever you get your podcasts! Follow me on Social Instagram: @Crimehouse TikTok: @Crimehouse Facebook: @crimehousestudios YouTube: @murdertruecrimestories To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In 1945, a series of shocking murders gripped Chicago, each more disturbing than the last, and one marked by a message scrawled in lipstick that would haunt the city. Police soon arrested 17-year-old William “Bill” Heirens, who quickly became known as the Lipstick Killer. In this episode of Murder: True Crime Stories, Carter Roy examines the investigation, the intense interrogation that led to Heirens’ confession, and the lingering doubts that have fueled decades of debate over whether the right person was held responsible. Head over to our Murder True Crime Stories YouTube channel to WATCH our video episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@MurderTrueCrimeStories If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Murder True Crime Stories to never miss a case! For Ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Murder True Crime Stories is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios 🎧 Need More to Binge?  Listen to other Crime House Originals Clues, Crimes Of…, Serial Killers & Murderous Minds, Crime House 24/7, and more wherever you get your podcasts! Follow me on Social Instagram: @Crimehouse TikTok: @Crimehouse Facebook: @crimehousestudios YouTube: @murdertruecrimestories To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After suspicion fell on Shrien Dewani in the murder of his wife, Anni, the case quickly expanded into an international legal battle over whether he would be extradited to South Africa to stand trial. As prosecutors worked to build their case, the question of what truly happened on the couple’s honeymoon became even more contested. In Part 2 of Murder: True Crime Stories, Carter Roy examines the fight over Dewani’s extradition, the courtroom proceedings that followed, and the testimony surrounding Anni’s killing. The prosecution argued that the attack had been carefully orchestrated, while the defense challenged the credibility of key witnesses and the deals made in exchange for their cooperation. As the case moved toward a verdict, it left behind deep uncertainty about the truth. More than a decade later, the murder of Anni Dewani remains one of the most debated and controversial international true crime cases. Head over to our Murder True Crime Stories YouTube channel to WATCH our video episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@MurderTrueCrimeStories If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Murder True Crime Stories to never miss a case! For Ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Murder True Crime Stories is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios 🎧 Need More to Binge?  Listen to other Crime House Originals Clues, Crimes Of…, Serial Killers & Murderous Minds, Crime House 24/7, and more wherever you get your podcasts! Follow me on Social Instagram: @Crimehouse TikTok: @Crimehouse Facebook: @crimehousestudios YouTube: @murdertruecrimestories To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In 2010, newlyweds Anni and Shrien Dewani arrived in Cape Town for what was meant to be a luxury honeymoon, but within days, Anni was found shot to death in a hijacked taxi in a crime that quickly made international headlines. What initially appeared to be a tragic robbery soon took a darker turn as investigators uncovered signs that the attack may have been planned. In Part 1 of Murder: True Crime Stories, Carter Roy examines the couple’s relationship, the events leading up to the night of the killing, and the early investigation that led to multiple arrests. As witness statements and new evidence began to raise questions about what really happened, suspicion shifted toward Anni’s husband, Shrien Dewani, setting the stage for a complex and highly scrutinized case. Head over to our Murder True Crime Stories YouTube channel to WATCH our video episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@MurderTrueCrimeStories If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Murder True Crime Stories to never miss a case! For Ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Murder True Crime Stories is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios 🎧 Need More to Binge?  Listen to other Crime House Originals Clues, Crimes Of…, Serial Killers & Murderous Minds, Crime House 24/7, and more wherever you get your podcasts! Follow me on Social Instagram: @Crimehouse TikTok: @Crimehouse Facebook: @crimehousestudios YouTube: @murdertruecrimestories To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In 2005, an American teenager vanished during a high school graduation trip to Aruba, sparking an international search and years of unanswered questions. Natalee Holloway was last seen leaving a bar with three young men, and what followed became one of the most widely covered missing persons cases in modern history. In this episode of Murder: True Crime Stories, Carter Roy examines the disappearance of Natalee Holloway, the shifting accounts and stalled investigations, and the long, complicated pursuit of answers that has kept her case in the public eye for nearly two decades. Head over to our Murder True Crime Stories YouTube channel to WATCH our video episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@MurderTrueCrimeStories If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Murder True Crime Stories to never miss a case! For Ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Murder True Crime Stories is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios 🎧 Need More to Binge?  Listen to other Crime House Originals Clues, Crimes Of…, Serial Killers & Murderous Minds, Crime House 24/7, and more wherever you get your podcasts! Follow me on Social Instagram: @Crimehouse TikTok: @Crimehouse Facebook: @crimehousestudios YouTube: @murdertruecrimestories To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

At the height of his career, Sam Cooke was more than a music icon. He was becoming an increasingly outspoken figure in the civil rights movement, using his platform to challenge injustice while navigating the pressures of fame, business, and a rapidly changing America. In Part 2 of Murder: True Crime Stories, Carter Roy examines the final chapter of Cooke’s life, including his growing activism, the events leading up to a fateful night in Los Angeles, and the violent confrontation that left him dead at just 33 years old. As authorities quickly ruled the killing justified, questions began to surface about what really happened inside the motel room. Conflicting accounts, missing details, and lingering doubts have fueled decades of speculation. More than half a century later, the death of Sam Cooke remains one of the most controversial and debated cases in true crime history. Head over to our Murder True Crime Stories YouTube channel to WATCH our video episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@MurderTrueCrimeStories If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Murder True Crime Stories to never miss a case! For Ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Murder True Crime Stories is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios 🎧 Need More to Binge?  Listen to other Crime House Originals Clues, Crimes Of…, Serial Killers & Murderous Minds, Crime House 24/7, and more wherever you get your podcasts! Follow me on Social Instagram: @Crimehouse TikTok: @Crimehouse Facebook: @crimehousestudios YouTube: @murdertruecrimestories To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In 1964, Sam Cooke was one of the biggest stars in America, a pioneering soul singer whose voice and business instincts were reshaping the music industry. Behind the success, Cooke was navigating growing personal pressures and a shifting cultural landscape as the civil rights movement gained momentum. In Part 1 of Murder: True Crime Stories, Carter Roy traces Cooke’s rise from gospel prodigy to crossover icon, his fight for ownership and control in a segregated industry, and the tensions that defined his life offstage. As his influence grew, so did his willingness to challenge the status quo, culminating in a pivotal decision to walk away from a performance rather than play to a segregated audience, a moment that marked a turning point in the final chapter of his life. Head over to our Murder True Crime Stories YouTube channel to WATCH our video episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@MurderTrueCrimeStories If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Murder True Crime Stories to never miss a case! For Ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Murder True Crime Stories is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios 🎧 Need More to Binge?  Listen to other Crime House Originals Clues, Crimes Of…, Serial Killers & Murderous Minds, Crime House 24/7, and more wherever you get your podcasts! Follow me on Social Instagram: @Crimehouse TikTok: @Crimehouse Facebook: @crimehousestudios YouTube: @murdertruecrimestories To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In 2021, a powerful South Carolina legal dynasty was rocked by a brutal double murder that quickly drew national attention. Alex Murdaugh, a prominent attorney from a family with deep ties to the region’s justice system, soon became the focus of an investigation that extended far beyond the killings. In this episode of Murder: True Crime Stories, Carter Roy examines the Murdaugh murders, the unraveling of a legacy built on influence and control, and how a local tragedy exposed a pattern of deception that shocked the nation. Head over to our Murder True Crime Stories YouTube channel to WATCH our video episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@MurderTrueCrimeStories If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Murder True Crime Stories to never miss a case! For Ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Murder True Crime Stories is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios 🎧 Need More to Binge?  Listen to other Crime House Originals Clues, Crimes Of…, Serial Killers & Murderous Minds, Crime House 24/7, and more wherever you get your podcasts! Follow me on Social Instagram: @Crimehouse TikTok: @Crimehouse Facebook: @crimehousestudios YouTube: @murdertruecrimestories To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After the indictment of Quinton Tellis, the case against him moved to trial, but the search for justice for Jessica Chambers proved far from straightforward. In Part 2 of Murder: True Crime Stories, Carter Roy examines the courtroom battles that followed Jessica’s brutal murder, where prosecutors centered their case on her alleged final words and the circumstantial evidence surrounding Tellis. Defense attorneys challenged the reliability of that evidence, while forensic questions and conflicting interpretations complicated the prosecution’s case. Two trials ended without resolution, leaving Jessica’s family in painful limbo and the community still searching for answers. More than a decade later, the murder of Jessica Chambers remains unsolved, and the fight for justice continues. Head over to our Murder True Crime Stories YouTube channel to WATCH our video episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@MurderTrueCrimeStories If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Murder True Crime Stories to never miss a case! For Ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Murder True Crime Stories is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios 🎧 Need More to Binge?  Listen to other Crime House Originals Clues, Crimes Of…, Serial Killers & Murderous Minds, Crime House 24/7, and more wherever you get your podcasts! Follow me on Social Instagram: @Crimehouse TikTok: @Crimehouse Facebook: @crimehousestudios YouTube: @murdertruecrimestories To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In December 2014, 19 year old Jessica Chambers was found severely burned beside her car on a rural road in Courtland, Mississippi and soon passed away from her injuries. The horrifying crime quickly became one of the most haunting unsolved murder cases in recent memory. Before she died, Jessica reportedly identified her attacker, and her final words quickly became one of the most debated pieces of evidence in the case. As investigators searched for answers, the case exploded online, with social media users and amateur sleuths dissecting every rumor, clue, and theory. In Part 1 of Murder: True Crime Stories, Carter Roy examines the timeline of Jessica’s final hours, the intense public scrutiny surrounding the investigation, and how online speculation complicated the search for the truth. As pressure mounted and theories spread across the internet, authorities focused on a local man named Quinton Tellis, whose arrest and indictment would set the stage for a controversial legal battle to come. Head over to our Murder True Crime Stories YouTube channel to WATCH our video episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@MurderTrueCrimeStories If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Murder True Crime Stories to never miss a case! For Ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Murder True Crime Stories is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios 🎧 Need More to Binge?  Listen to other Crime House Originals Clues, Crimes Of…, Serial Killers & Murderous Minds, Crime House 24/7, and more wherever you get your podcasts! Follow me on Social Instagram: @Crimehouse TikTok: @Crimehouse Facebook: @crimehousestudios YouTube: @murdertruecrimestories To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In 1918, Russia’s last royal family vanished into the chaos of revolution. Tsar Nicholas II, his wife Alexandra, and their five children were being held by Bolshevik forces as the Russian Empire collapsed around them, and rumors about their fate quickly spread across the world. In this episode of Murder: True Crime Stories, Carter Roy examines the final days of the Romanov family, the secretive execution that ended a dynasty, and the decades of mystery that followed as rumors of surviving heirs and hidden graves fueled one of history’s most enduring royal mysteries. Head over to our Murder True Crime Stories YouTube channel to WATCH our video episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@MurderTrueCrimeStories If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Murder True Crime Stories to never miss a case! For Ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Murder True Crime Stories is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios 🎧 Need More to Binge?  Listen to other Crime House Originals Clues, Crimes Of…, Serial Killers & Murderous Minds, Crime House 24/7, and more wherever you get your podcasts! Follow me on Social Instagram: @Crimehouse TikTok: @Crimehouse Facebook: @crimehousestudios YouTube: @murdertruecrimestories To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Three days after the taping of The Jenny Jones Show, the tension that had lingered off camera turned deadly. What began as a daytime television surprise became a national tragedy, thrusting Scott Amedure and Jonathan Schmitz back into headlines under far darker circumstances. In Part 2, Murder: True Crime Stories examines the murder of Scott Amedure, the urgent investigation that followed, and the courtroom battle that put Schmitz on trial. Carter Roy breaks down the prosecution’s case, the defense’s argument that the televised reveal triggered overwhelming emotional distress, and the broader cultural attitudes toward sexuality that shaped public reaction. As the verdict was delivered, the case raised unsettling questions about media ethics, personal responsibility, and the limits of entertainment built on public confession. The fallout extended beyond the criminal trial, leading to a landmark civil lawsuit against The Jenny Jones Show and forcing a national reckoning over how far television should go in the pursuit of ratings. Head over to our Murder True Crime Stories YouTube channel to WATCH our video episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@MurderTrueCrimeStories If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Murder True Crime Stories to never miss a case! For Ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Murder True Crime Stories is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios 🎧 Need More to Binge?  Listen to other Crime House Originals Clues, Crimes Of…, Serial Killers & Murderous Minds, Crime House 24/7, and more wherever you get your podcasts! Follow me on Social Instagram: @Crimehouse TikTok: @Crimehouse Facebook: @crimehousestudios YouTube: @murdertruecrimestories To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Scott Amedure was 32 years old when he stepped onto the stage of The Jenny Jones Show, prepared to share a deeply personal confession. In 1995, he revealed on national television that he had a crush on Jonathan Schmitz, a moment designed for daytime drama that would soon take on far more serious consequences. In Part 1, Murder: True Crime Stories examines Scott’s life leading up to the taping and the cultural climate surrounding daytime talk shows in the 1990s, where sensational reveals and emotional confrontations drove ratings. Carter Roy traces how producers recruited guests, what participants were told in advance, and how the episode was framed behind the scenes. As the cameras rolled and the surprise was revealed on stage, laughter, shock, and visible discomfort filled the studio. Schmitz’s stunned reaction became part of the spectacle, but when the taping ended, the tension lingered. Within days, the fallout from that televised moment would escalate into one of the most controversial crimes of the decade. Head over to our Murder True Crime Stories YouTube channel to WATCH our video episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@MurderTrueCrimeStories If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Murder True Crime Stories to never miss a case! For Ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Murder True Crime Stories is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios 🎧 Need More to Binge?  Listen to other Crime House Originals Clues, Crimes Of…, Serial Killers & Murderous Minds, Crime House 24/7, and more wherever you get your podcasts! Follow me on Social Instagram: @Crimehouse TikTok: @Crimehouse Facebook: @crimehousestudios YouTube: @murdertruecrimestories To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Murder: True Crime Stories, Carter Roy investigates the Smiley Face Killers theory, a controversial claim that a hidden network of predators is responsible for the drowning deaths of dozens of young men across the United States. What authorities have often ruled accidental drownings, some investigators argue may be something far more coordinated and sinister. The theory points to clusters of college-aged men found in rivers and lakes, often after nights out with friends, with graffiti of smiley faces reportedly discovered near several recovery sites. Supporters believe the similarities are too consistent to ignore. Critics counter that the markings are common urban graffiti and that the circumstances reflect tragic but explainable patterns involving alcohol and water. As families search for answers and law enforcement agencies push back against the theory, the case raises unsettling questions about pattern recognition, confirmation bias, and the power of narrative in the age of viral true crime. Is there evidence of an organized killing network, or has a modern myth taken hold in the absence of certainty? Head over to our Murder True Crime Stories YouTube channel to WATCH our video episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@MurderTrueCrimeStories If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Murder True Crime Stories to never miss a case! For Ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Murder True Crime Stories is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios 🎧 Need More to Binge?  Listen to other Crime House Originals Clues, Crimes Of…, Serial Killers & Murderous Minds, Crime House 24/7, and more wherever you get your podcasts! Follow me on Social Instagram: @Crimehouse TikTok: @Crimehouse Facebook: @crimehousestudios YouTube: @murdertruecrimestories To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

75 years after the Rosenberg trial gripped the nation, its legacy still sparks debate about justice, fear, and political power. In Part 2 of this two-part special, Conspiracy Theories, Cults, and Crimes turns to the courtroom battle that would cement Julius and Ethel Rosenberg’s place in history and ignite decades of controversy. Carter Roy is joined again by Vanessa Richardson, host of Conspiracy Theories, Cults, and Crimes, to break down the prosecution’s strategy, the defense’s uphill fight, and the testimony that shaped the jury’s decision. Against a backdrop of anti-Communist hysteria and the looming threat of nuclear annihilation, the case raises urgent questions about due process, loyalty, and the influence of public opinion. As the verdict is delivered and the sentence shocks the world, the fallout reverberates far beyond the courtroom. Public protests, international appeals, and lingering doubts ensure that the Rosenberg case endures as one of the most polarizing chapters of Cold War history. Head over to our Murder True Crime Stories YouTube channel to WATCH our video episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@MurderTrueCrimeStories If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Murder True Crime Stories to never miss a case! For Ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Murder True Crime Stories is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios 🎧 Need More to Binge?  Listen to other Crime House Originals Clues, Crimes Of…, Serial Killers & Murderous Minds, Crime House 24/7, and more wherever you get your podcasts! Follow me on Social Instagram: @Crimehouse TikTok: @Crimehouse Facebook: @crimehousestudios YouTube: @murdertruecrimestories To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices