misconduct. a true crime podcast

On October 17th, 2014 the body of a young woman was found in a Motel 6 in Indiana. She was found in the bathtub with the shower running by her friend who had grown concerned when her repeated texts were not being returned. When her body was found, it was clear she had been strangled.  Police quickly narrowed down a suspect based on cell phone records and security camera footage. Once arrested, the suspect confessed to the murder. Law enforcement thought they were dealing with an open-shut case. That was until the suspect confessed to 6 additional murders and told police he was willing to lead them to the bodies.  Today we will discuss a suspected serial killer who’s killings may span multiple decades and multiple states. We will look at the circumstances that surrounded his capture and where the investigation is as of today.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

On the evening of Friday March 6th, 1992, Melanie Enkleman was looking for her younger sister Elizabeth. Elizabeth DeCaro was supposed to meet her for dinner at 5, but she didn’t show. Repeated calls to her house phone were going unanswered and Melanie beginning to worry. The normally bubbly and kind 28-year-old mother of 4 has been acting differently as of late. She had been more anxious and worried and the two sisters had had conversations about the state of Elizabeth’s marriage. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy

In 1913 Dolly Oesterreich seemed like an ordinary housewife, married to Fred. However, for a decade she kept a secret lover, Otto, hidden in her attic. The affair would only end when her lover killed Fred, and Dolly was arrested for the murder. Dolly and Otto’s unorthodox relationship shocked the people of Los Angeles during the 1920’s. Even to this day this is a case that is truly stranger than fiction.

This week we are discussing the Papin Sisters, two maids, who horrifically murdered the wife and daughter of their employer in 1933 in Le Mans, France. The murders caused an uproar among French people during a time when class structure was inflexible. Were the Papin Sisters’ experiencing a Folie a Deux? Were they lovers, who were terrified of being separated? The case of the murdering sister maids has inspired books, plays, and movies. This crime is still considered to be one of the most notorious murders in France’s modern history. 

This week we are discussing the case of Angie Zapata. Angie was 18 when she was murdered for being trans. The landmark case was notable because it was the first time that the hate crime statute was applied to a case involving a crime against a transgender person in Colorado. It was also the first example of a hate crime statute being successfully applied to get a conviction for the murder of a transgender person in the United States. This case is particularly heartbreaking because it involves the senseless, bigoted murder of a teenager who was very much loved by her friends and family. If you are struggling with or questioning your gender identity or sexual orientation you should know that you aren’t alone. GLAAD’s website has a huge list of resources and information you can read more about transgender resources here and LGBTQ resources here.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Jane Bautista was a 41 year old woman living with her two sons in a suburb in southern California. In January 2003, a body missing the head and hands was found at the bottom of a steep cliff off of highway 74. One week later, Jane’s oldest son confessed to her murder and both boys were taken into custody. What led two sons to kill their mother? And could something have been done to prevent it?  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Today we are discussing the trial, conviction, and eventual exoneration of Clarence Lee Brandley. In 1980 he was working as a janitor at a high school in Texas. On the morning of August 23rd 1980, Cheryl Dee Fergeson was found murdered in a loft above the auditorium where Clarence worked. Some forensic evidence was recovered from the scene but was lost or destroyed before it was tested for trial. Eventually the evidence was tested and it was proven that it could not have come from Clarence. Even with all the issues with the evidence, Clarence, an African American, man was convicted in front of an all white jury in 1981. Eleven months later, he was sentenced to death.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

I cannot tell if it’s because the urgency of it, as he is set to be executed on April 25th, 2017? Is it because he’s from a large family, much like mine, and it hits closer to home; or is it the just blatant misconduct? Whatever it is, I feel deeply about this case and Ivan and I really wanted to get his story out there and hopefully get people calling/emailing the governor and signing the petition because I truly believe they are about to kill an innocent man. As we said in the show, I think if you’re pro or anti death penalty, that’s besides the point because I think we can all agree that if someone is being put to death as a punishment for a crime, we better be damn sure they are guilty, with no doubts whatsoever.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This week we wanted take a break from covering cases with heavier content and cover the disappearance of Aimee Semple McPherson. It’s unknown if she was truly kidnapped or if she staged her disappearance, possibly to cover up an affair. Even though she was preaching nearly 100 years ago, there is a ton of photographs of Aimee at different stages in her life. While researching, I thought it would be cool to include pictures I found. So, what do you think? Do you think she was kidnapped? Or did she stage her disappearance? Let us know in our Facebook group!  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We are joined again by Nichole, all the way from Virginia, via Skype! Apologies for any audio bumps, when recording with someone remote, it can be a bit tricky! This week, Nichole takes us through the story of Jonathan Luna. Luna was an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Baltimore, MD. On the morning of December 4th, 2003, Jonathan Luna was found drowned in a creek in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania after being stabbed and mutilated. The FBI deemed his death a suicide, while Lancaster County Authorities suspect homicide. Tonight Nichole will take us through his story and theories of what could have happened to this prosecutor.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This week I wanted to share some of the things I came across during my research First off, these girls look incredibly similar. Some of these pictures look like they could be multiple pictures of the same girls. References and Further Reading Unresolved Mysteries Rodney Halbower I also came across a couple articles from the 70’s. It may be a little difficult to read so you can find them online here and here.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight we are discussing the murder of Skylar Neese, a 16-year-old girl from West Virginia. She went missing in July 2012 and rumors swirled as to what happened to her. Her parents tirelessly searched for her hoping for the best. The community was shocked when remains were found just across the state border in Pennsylvania was found in January 2013. The community suffered another stunning blow when Skylar’s two best friends were arrested for her murder. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy

Thank you, Jill, for sending us this case. I found this case very intriguing, not only because of his horrendous crime but his dark journey that led him there. I applaud the Animal Beta Project and the Facebook investigators that worked tirelessly to bring him to justice.  Here is a link to the article about Luka’s life in prison. As I talked about, you can see he seems to be reveling in the attention. Here is a link to the mini documentary by CBC News. A lot of good interviews with his ex girlfriend Barbie and the anonymous investigators from the Animal Beta Project. There is some information on Jun Lin as well. You can see how he was thriving in his new life, only to have it cut short by Luka.    See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Today’s case is the Jamison Family Deaths. My dear friend Nichole brought this case to our attention and researched it. She did an amazing job and Colleen and I felt it was fitting that she co-hosts this episode. As a writer, Nichole adds a flair and charming descriptive nature to this story. As we talk about in the show, we’ve added a picture (or two!) of Sheriff Israel Beauchamp at the bottom of this post.

Tonight we are discussing the case of Evelyn Hernandez. She was a 24 year old woman who was due to give birth in a week who was last seen alive on May 1st 2002 with her 5 year old son, Alexis. Her body was found floating along the Embarcadero in the San Francisco Bay on July 24th 2002 and her son has never been found. As of today, the case remains unsolved, although foul play is suspected. 5 months after Evelyn’s body was discovered in, Laci Peterson would go missing in nearby Modesto, California and coverage of the investigation would grip the nation for months. Although these cases are strikingly similar, one received worldwide attention and the other was barely covered locally. Tonight we will be discussing what happened to Evelyn and the disparities in the media coverage between the two cases.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.