TRUE CRIME with Bratterstein

As always, thank you for hanging out and remembering Shanda Renee Sharer with me today. In January 1992, 12-year-old Shanda Renee Sharer was brutally abducted, tortured, and murdered by four teenage girls in Madison, Indiana. The crime was fueled by jealousy and rivalry, one girl believed Shanda was encroaching on her romantic relationship. Shanda was lured under false pretenses, restrained, beaten, stabbed, and ultimately set on fire. The perpetrators left her body in a remote field; investigators believed they tried to conceal her identity by burning her face and hands. All four assailants were charged as adults. Melinda Loveless and Laurie Tackett received 60-year sentences; Hope Rippey got 35 years; Toni Lawrence was sentenced to 20 years.

In 2008 in McKeesport, Pennsylvania, 18-year-old Kia Johnson, who was 36 weeks pregnant, disappeared. She was later found murdered, and her unborn child was stolen from her womb. The perpetrator, Andrea Curry-Demus, had lured Kia to her apartment under false pretenses, then performed the horrific act before attempting to pass the baby off as her own. Kia’s body was discovered in Curry-Demus’s apartment.Curry-Demus was found guilty of second-degree murder with a verdict of “guilty, mentally ill.”

As always, thank you for hanging out and remembering Steven Robards with me today. Dorothy Marie Robards was just 16 years old when she secretly laced her father’s dinner with barium acetate, a toxic chemical she stole from her high school chemistry lab. What seemed like a sudden heart attack in 1993 turned out to be a carefully planned murder, committed by an honor roll student who wanted only one thing, to live with her mother. For over a year, Marie Robards’ dark secret stayed buried… until a tearful confession to a friend unraveled the entire case.In this disturbing episode, we dive deep into the shocking true crime story of Marie Robards, the Texas teen who poisoned her father and nearly got away with it. We'll explore how forensic science, a preserved tissue sample, and one friend's conscience brought the truth to light. If you're interested in true crime cases involving teenage killers, parent-child murders, and chilling stories of high-achieving students turned murderers, this is a case you won’t forget.

As always, thank you for hanging out and remembering Dawn and Richard Heikkila with me today. On January 30, 1991, Dawn and Richard Heikkila were discovered murdered after a welfare check was requested by Dawn's coworkers. Their son, Matthew Heikkila, initially told coworkers his parents had left due to a family emergency involving his brother at Dartmouth, but immediately, they were not buying it. When police entered the couple's New Jersey home, they found Dawn, a successful real estate agent, and Richard, a prominent Parkinson’s disease researcher, shot to death.. with a sawed-off shotgun and slugs that were labeled.. "Mom" and "Mom and Dad." This gruesome double murder stunned the local community and led investigators to quickly focus on the couples own son, Matthew, as the prime suspect.

As always, thank you for hanging out and remembering Adrianne Jones with me today. In December 1995, the brutal murder of 16-year-old Adrianne Jones shocked the quiet town of Mansfield, Texas. Adrianne was a bright high school student whose life was tragically cut short when her body was discovered near Joe Pool Lake. Investigators learned she had been lured out of her home under false pretenses, beaten, and then executed with gunshots to the head. The case quickly gained national attention, not only for the heartbreaking loss of such a young life but also because of the shocking identities of her killers, Diane Zamora, a Naval Academy midshipman, and David Graham, a U.S. Air Force Academy cadet.Dubbed the “Texas Cadet Murder” case, the crime exposed a deadly love triangle fueled by jealousy, obsession, and betrayal. Zamora allegedly ordered Graham to kill Adrianne after learning of his brief romantic encounter with her. Their arrest in 1996 and subsequent murder trials captivated the media, leading to convictions that put both behind bars for life. The tragic story of Adrianne Jones continues to stand as one of Texas’ most infamous true crime cases, often featured in documentaries, news specials, and the made-for-TV film Love’s Deadly Triangle.

As always, thank you for hanging out and remembering Lauren Landavazo with me today. In September 2016, 13-year-old Lauren Landavazo was walking home from school in Wichita Falls, Texas, with her best friend when she was ambushed and shot multiple times. Her friend, Makayla Smith, survived the attack.The perpetrator, 20-year-old Kody Lott, later confessed that his crime was driven by jealousy, he was upset Lauren had a boyfriend. He admitted to planning the shooting and claiming he spoke with “the devil” before carrying it out. At trial, Lott was convicted for Lauren’s murder and also pleaded guilty to aggravated assault for wounding Makayla. He was sentenced to life in prison plus an additional 20 years for the assault charge.

As always, thank you for hanging out and remembering Felicia Marie Johnson with me today. GOFUNDME for Felicia's Family: https://www.gofundme.com/f/x7jqsf-family-in-needIn April 2022, 24-year-old Felicia Johnson flew from San Diego to Houston to celebrate her birthday and look for work. After arranging a meeting via Snapchat, she vanished. Her phone and purse were later found, abandoned and bloodied, near a Houston park. Months later, human remains discovered in the Sam Houston National Forest were confirmed by dental records to be Felicia’s. Police identified Chukwuebuka Nwobodo, 28, as the prime suspect. Evidence suggests he picked her up, killed and dismembered her in his apartment, then attempted to dispose of the body and conceal the crime.Investigators found disturbing clues during the investigation: items like a saw, trash bags, and latex gloves in Nwobodo’s possession, Felicia’s blood in his car, and internet searches tied to violent crimes.Though he has been charged, he remains a fugitive.

In February 2008, 36-year-old father Ben Oxley was brutally murdered in his own home in Minden, Nevada. While he slept in bed next to his wife Melissa Oxley, an intruder entered the bedroom and shot him point-blank in the head with a shotgun. What made this case even more chilling was that his young daughter was also in the house that night. Melissa woke up covered in blood, but with no idea what had just happened, leaving investigators to wonder if the killer had been right beside her all along. At first, suspicion fell on Melissa and her teenage brother, who lived with them, but as detectives dug deeper, a shocking trail of evidence began to point elsewhere.The truth unraveled into a dark story of custody battles, jealousy, and deadly betrayal. Investigators discovered that Ben’s ex-wife, Dawn Oxley, and her boyfriend James Matlean had conspired to get Ben out of the picture. Matlean eventually confessed to pulling the trigger after Dawn allegedly encouraged the murder and even drew him a map of the home. In 2012, James Matlean was sentenced to life in prison without parole, while Dawn avoided murder charges by testifying against him. The case of Ben Oxley’s murder is one of the most haunting true crime stories of a father executed in his sleep, a wife under suspicion, and a family torn apart by violence.

As always, thank you for hanging out and remembering Kaysi McLeod, LeAnn Emry, Jennifer Marcum, and Terry Kimball with me today. Scott Kimball is a police informant turned murdered who preyed on vulnerable human beings and was responsible for the tragic deaths of Kaysi McLeod, Jennifer Marcum, LeAnn Emry, and Terry Kimball. Initially, he got a pretty lenient plea deal from the authorities, but when he failed to produce Jennifer's body (something he promises), he ended up receiving a 70-year prison sentence. Which.. was more than he bargained for. Despite claiming to be just a conman, investigators suspect he might be linked to even more unsolved murders, including those of Katrina Powell and West Mesa Bone Collector victims.

As always, thank you for hanging out and remembering Andrew Bagby and Zachary Turner with me today. In one of the most heartbreaking true crime cases Canada has ever seen, 13-month-old Baby Zachary Turner was murdered by his own mother, Shirley Turner, in 2003. Just two years earlier, Shirley had been accused of killing her ex-boyfriend, Dr. Andrew Bagby, after he ended their relationship. While she awaited extradition to the United States to stand trial for Andrew’s murder, Shirley was shockingly released on bail, despite clear warnings that she posed a danger. During that time, she gave birth to Zachary, Andrew’s son. Andrew’s devastated parents, David and Kathleen Bagby, moved to Canada to fight for custody of their grandson, determined to protect him. But in a horrifying twist, Shirley drugged herself and Zachary before walking into the Atlantic Ocean, committing a murder-suicide that left the Bagbys shattered and outraged the nation.The Baby Zachary case revealed devastating flaws in Canada’s bail and child protection systems, sparking nationwide outrage and demands for reform. How could a woman accused of one murder be left free long enough to kill again, this time, an innocent baby? This tragic story is immortalized in the powerful documentary Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father, which began as a love letter to Andrew but ended up exposing a systemic failure that cost Zachary his life. It’s a case that forces us to confront uncomfortable questions about justice, accountability, and how many red flags can be ignored before it’s too late.

In March 1982, 38-year-old Leslie DeVeau committed a crime that stunned Washington D.C. She shot and killed her 10-year-old daughter, Erin, as the child slept, before attempting to take her own life. Leslie survived, losing an arm from the injury, and was later found not guilty by reason of insanity.Confined to St. Elizabeths Hospital, her story took another strange turn when she began a relationship with fellow patient John Hinckley Jr., the man who had attempted to assassinate President Ronald Reagan.

In March 2017, Alisa Mathewson was kidnapped by her estranged husband, Trevor Summers, in Florida. Despite a restraining order, he broke into her home, tied her up, sexually assaulted her, and tried to kill her. For 55 hours he held her captive, forcing her into his car and driving across several counties before she managed to escape with the help of a bystander.In 2022, Summers was convicted on 11 charges, including kidnapping, sexual battery, and attempted murder. He was sentenced to three life sentences plus 224 years in prison.

In March 2023, 27-year-old Levi Axtell walked into the Cook County Sheriff’s Office in Minnesota, covered in blood, and confessed to killing 77-year-old Lawrence Scully, a convicted sex offender.Axtell had long believed that Scully posed a danger to children in the community. Armed with a shovel and a moose antler, he attacked Scully inside his home, bludgeoning him to death in what prosecutors later described as a vigilante-style killing.After the murder, Axtell immediately turned himself in, admitting what he had done. The case quickly drew national attention, raising questions about vigilantism, justice, and mental health.At hearings in 2025, doctors testified that Axtell suffered from severe delusions and believed he was chosen to eliminate child predators. A judge ultimately ruled him incompetent to stand trial, and he remains in state custody under psychiatric care.

As always, thank you for hanging out and remembering Frankie Fitzgerald with me today. In July 2022, 25-year-old Frankie Fitzgerald was murdered in his home in Havant, Hampshire, by his girlfriend, 27-year-old Shaye Groves.Shaye, who was obsessed with true crime and violent fantasies, stabbed Frankie more than 20 times in a frenzied attack after their relationship had become increasingly toxic and controlling. Investigators later revealed that Shaye kept an extensive collection of knives and swords, and she used one of them to carry out the killing.After the murder, she attempted to cover up her crime by calling friends for help and creating a false narrative to mislead police. But evidence, including CCTV and messages, quickly exposed her role.At trial, prosecutors described the killing as “jealous and obsessive,” while her defense argued she had acted in self-defense. The jury rejected her claims, and in 2023, Shaye Groves was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison with a minimum of 23 years.

As always, thank you for hanging out and remembering Greg Williams and Brynn Fletcher with me today. In March 2018, 37-year-old Greg Williams and his 17-year-old girlfriend, Brynn Fletcher, were brutally murdered inside Greg’s apartment in Overland Park, Kansas.Investigators soon discovered that the crime was anything but random. The killers were 18-year-old Logan Mott and 17-year-old Justice Fae, but behind them stood a disturbing influence, Michele Williams, Greg’s estranged ex-wife. Michele had harbored deep resentment toward Greg and manipulated the teenagers into carrying out the murders, preying on their vulnerabilities and fueling their violence.Prosecutors revealed that Michele orchestrated much of the plot, promising the teens protection and support if they killed Greg and Brynn. The shocking revelation turned the case into one of betrayal, obsession, and manipulation that left the community reeling.In the end, Michele Williams was sentenced to life in prison for her role in masterminding the murders. The teens who carried out the killings also received lengthy sentences, ensuring all involved would spend decades, if not their entire lives, behind bars.

As always, thank you for hanging out and remembering Robert Dienes and Myriam Dienes with me today.In August 2015, the quiet suburb of Carrollwood, Florida, was shaken by a brutal double murder. Twenty-one-year-old college student Nicole Nachtman shot and killed her stepfather, Robert Dienes, inside their family home and hours later, ambushed her own mother, Myriam Dienes, in the driveway.What could drive a daughter to such violence? Prosecutors argued cold-blooded murder. The defense claimed years of emotional abuse had pushed Nicole into a psychological collapse, trapped between ending her own life, or ending her mother’s.In this episode, we dive deep into the chilling details of the Nachtman case. From the harrowing 911 calls, to Nicole’s haunting confession to her brother, to the high-stakes courtroom battle over battered child syndrome, this story reveals the dark complexity of family trauma, mental illness, and murder.Nicole Nachtman was found guilty on two counts of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole.

As always, thank you for hanging out and remembering Kirsten Marina Costas with me today. In the summer of 1984, the quiet suburb of Orinda, California, was rocked by the brutal murder of 15-year-old Kirsten Marina Costas. A high school swimmer and varsity cheerleader, Kirsten embodied the “All-American” teen, until she was lured to her death by someone she trusted.Her classmate, Bernadette Protti, invited her under the false pretense of a sorority-like dinner, only to stab her five times with a kitchen knife in front of a neighbor’s house. Witnesses initially mistook the attack for a fight; by the time the truth emerged, it was already too late.The investigation dragged on for nearly six months. Protti passed a lie-detector test and lied about her whereabouts, until an FBI agent showed her the evidence, prompting a full confession in a letter to her mother.At trial, her motive was revealed as raw envy and rejection, frustration over not fitting in, and intense feelings of inadequacy toward the more popular Kirsten. Protti was convicted and sentenced to nine years, of which she served seven, before being paroled at age 23 in 1992.

As always, thank you for hanging out and remembering Jane Kuria, Isabelle Kuria, and Annabelle Kuria with me today. In August 2007, the quiet town of Powder Springs, Georgia, was rocked by a horrifying and still unsolved family murder. Jane Kuria, a single mother who had immigrated from Kenya, was found bludgeoned to death along with her two teenage daughters, Isabella and Annabelle, inside their suburban home. What makes the Kuria family case even more chilling is that two young boys, Jane’s son Jeremy and her nephew Peter, miraculously survived the brutal attack, but both were left with severe head injuries and no memory of what happened. Despite an intense investigation, this family massacre remains one of Georgia’s most disturbing unsolved true crime cases.With no suspects, no weapon, and the only witnesses suffering from amnesia, the Kuria family murders have baffled investigators for nearly two decades. The case has drawn comparisons to other high-profile cold cases due to its violent nature and total lack of leads. True crime enthusiasts continue to revisit this mystery, hoping new attention will spark long-overdue answers. Who slaughtered an innocent family in their sleep, and why? This is the haunting story of the Kuria family slaughter, two young survivors with no recollection of the horror, and a killer who may still be free.

As always, thank you for hanging out and remembering Michele "Missy" Avila with me today. In October 1985, 17-year-old Michele “Missy” Avila vanished after going for a ride with her close friends, girls she trusted implicitly. She never came home. Three days later, her body was discovered face-down in a shallow creek within Angeles National Forest, her waist-length hair hacked off and a heavy log placed on top to hold her down.As the investigation turned cold, grief wove into betrayal. One of Missy’s supposed best friends, Karen Severson, even moved in with Missy’s grieving mother, portraying herself as a comforting presence while hiding unimaginable guilt. Three years later, another teenage peer, Eva Chirumbolo, broke the case wide open, leading authorities to arrest Karen and another friend, Laura Doyle, for second-degree murder.Both were eventually convicted and sentenced to 15 years to life. Karen Severson was released in December 2011 after serving 21½ years; Laura Doyle followed in December 2012 after 22 years behind bars.

In early August 2025, the lifeless body of 8-year-old Genesis Ariah Mata was found in the bathtub of a La Quinta Inn in Bakersfield, California. The discovery revealed a scene so horrific that first responders were visibly shocked, her body showing signs of extreme abuse including scalding burns, crushed hands, whip marks, and missing fingernails.Arrested and charged were her father, Ray Mata Jr., and her stepmother, Graciela Bustamonte. Court documents allege they worked in concert over multiple days, torturing Genesis with scalding water poured over her skin, crushing her fingers in a door frame, and inflicting repeated physical abuse that led to her death.Adding to the tragedy, events leading up to Genesis’s death raise haunting questions about systemic neglect. Reports reveal that Child Protective Services had been alerted over 20 times regarding suspected abuse or neglect within their home, yet no meaningful intervention occurred.In the courtroom, both parents pleaded not guilty to multiple charges, including first-degree murder, torture, aggravated mayhem, and child cruelty. The broader community has responded with shock and calls for accountability, demanding answers not just from the judicial process, but also from the child welfare system that failed Genesis.