The First Degree

He was an eccentric doctor in charge of fighting VD in Los Angeles. He held lavish parties at his Frank Lloyd Wright-designed home, entertaining famous artists and actors. He went to trial for raping his 14-year-old daughter. And he is the suspect that makes the most sense in the biggest murder mystery in American History. On episode 77, Jac, Alexis and Billy are joined Yvette Gentile and Rasha Pecoraro of the Root of Evil podcast, and together they delve deep into their great grandfather George Hodel, investigate the horrific things he did to their family and stack up the evidence that shows how he may very well have killed Elizabeth Short, the Black Dahlia.

The body of a woman is found in a vacant lot in suburban Los Angeles. She has been mutilated, cut in two with surgical precision, and her face has been slashed at both ends of her mouth, giving her a ghastly, horrific smile. In episode 76, Jac, Alexis and Billy delve into Elizabeth Short’s life in Hollywood and the lives—and lies— of the early suspects of the case, before landing on the one man who checks all the boxes of the psychological profile of the killer.

A mother and her two children seemingly disappear from their home in rural Missouri. An officer searching for them from the air spots something strange floating in a pond near their house. When he lands and investigates, a horrific nightmare begins to reveal itself. On episode 75, Jac, Alexis and Billy explore a case that begins in the countryside of Missouri, spans the United States with a national manhunt, and ends with two perpetrators confessing to one of the most sickening crimes—and one of the most brutal causes of death—ever covered on The First Degree

Aurora Duran was busy getting her children ready for school when she heard a commotion at her front door. When she went to investigate, she saw two men dragging her 17-year-old daughter out of the house and into a waiting car. It was the stuff of nightmares for any parent. On episode 74, Jac, Alexis and Billy delve into one of the most unique cases—and speak with one of the most unique guests— in First Degree history.

On New Year's Day of 2014, the parishioners of St. Bernard's Roman Catholic Church were waiting patiently for morning mass to commence in Eureka, California. Father Eric Freed was slated to lead services, but when he failed to show up that morning, concern began to fill the room. Worry grew to panic when a horrific discovery was made in the church rectory. On episode 73, Jac, Alexis and Billy explore the case, recount the bizarre events that proceeded the crime, and attempt to find a motive in a case of senseless violence.

On today’s very special New Years Day episode, Jac, Alexis, and Billy revisit one of the nations most infamous child abduction cases. On October 1, 1993, s 12-year-old girl was abducted from her room during a slumber party. Her name was Polly Klaas, and abduction and murder were a catalyst to vast policy reform.

On episode 71 of the first degree, Jac, Alexis and Billy discuss Alexis' most recent first degree connection which acts as a chilling reminder for the fact that a murderer could be hiding in your family whether you realize it or not.

Comedian Margaret Cho joins Jac, Alexis and Billy to tell the harrowing tale of how she found out a former romantic flame had taken a turn towards darkness. The story begins on a high note: Cho in Hollywood for her big break, a sit-com based on her life. Living the dream and working on the show, an accomplished TV writer caught her eye. The relationship never went far, but years later, Cho happened to google his name. His description had changed a bit. Now it read: American sit-com writer, television producer, and convicted murderer. On episode 70, Cho and our hosts explores her intimate connection to a man who went on to kill his own wife, hiding her body in his attic for weeks until he was caught

New Years day, 2003. The small town of Fillmore, California. A horrific discovery is made in a drainage ditch. The community is in shock. But as they file out of the church after the funeral, their shock multiplies when the location of the crime scene is revealed. On episode 69, Jac, Alexis and Billy examine the ripple effect of tragedy within a small town—and the evidence that led police to capture a budding serial killer.

It was January of 2013 when friends and family lost touch with sisters Rose & Daisy Edwards. The radio silence from the girls would come to destroy a family and baffle the community of Billings, Montana. On episode 68, Jac, Alexis & Billy are joined for the first time by two first degrees on opposite sides of this story; the brother of the victims and someone who grew up with the perpetrator.

They crossed paths by an abandoned house in Dayton, Ohio. 27-year-old Curtis Gray and 51-year-old Daniel Mooty were strangers, but this chance encounter would drastically change the course of one of their lives...and immediately end the other. On episode 67, Jac, Alexis and Billy deconstruct the evidence with Courtney, one of Curtis' best friends and our First Degree guest.

Things didn’t add up when a neighbor found Becky Sutton’s two year old strolling the apartment building courtyard unattended. Becky was known to be a responsible parent, and the two of them were known to be joined at the hip. On episode 66 Jac, Alexis and Billy look into her mysterious disappearance which turned a quiet suburb upside down and took several false starts and over a decade to crack.

What happens when you fall for a bad boy—a boy your parents refuse to let you to see? On episode 65, Jac, Alexis and Billy discuss a tragic murder case that destroyed an entire family and took away First Degree connection Audrina's best friend in high school. Through Audrina, they delve into the months leading up to the crime, the toxic influence on her friend's life, the horrific details of the murder, and finally, the pain in the aftermath.

Mike Gargiulo was a chameleon who possessed the ability to blend into the gritty backdrop of Los Angeles, slipping into the lives and proximity of his targets without a trace. Gargiulo committed crimes that both proceeded and followed the murder of Ashley Ellerin. His method of choice? Stalking each beautiful woman from the outskirts of their lives, acquainting himself with each of their habits before Striking at their most vulnerable moment. On episode 64, Jac, Alexis and Billy are joined again by Ashley Ellerin's childhood best friend Carolyn Murnick, as they discuss the hunt for the monster who would come to be known as The Hollywood Ripper.

22-year-old Ashley Ellerin was standing outside her Hollywood home next to a car with a flat tire when a handsome guy approaches and insisted on helping. This "chance encounter" would eventually be revealed as the first step in a carefully choreographed scenario designed to win Ashley's trust. It’s through this story that America would be introduced to a methodical serial killer; one who would leave a path of destruction and catch hundreds of people -- from a close-knit family in Illinois to Ashton Kutcher in Los Angeles -- in his wake. In episode 63, Jac, Alexis and Billy explore Ashley's life and the mysterious identity of the man who stole it.