Episodes

  • Girl In the Shed: The Kidnapping of Abby Hernandez

    Girl In the Shed: The Kidnapping of Abby Hernandez
    Jun 30 2026
    Girl in the Shed: The Kidnapping of Abby Hernandez is based on the true story of Abby Hernandez, a New Hampshire teenager who was abducted in 2013 while walking home from school. Held captive in a concealed shipping container for nine months, Abby endured unimaginable hardship but demonstrated extraordinary courage and resilience. It is ultimately a story of hope, perseverance, and the strength of the human spirit in the face of trauma. Sources: https://abcnews.com/US/kidnapping-survivor-abby-hernandez-details-life-captivity-told/story?id=57599326 https://www.oxygen.com/true-crime-buzz/how-abigail-hernandez-convinced-nathaniel-kibby-to-free-her https://hollywoodlife.com/2022/02/26/girl-in-the-shed-abby-hernandez-lifetime-movie-interview/ Girl In the Shed: The Kidnapping of Abby Hernandez https://www.kget.com/community/ricks-reviews/abigail-hernandez-tells-her-story-in-girl-in-the-shed/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    46 mins
  • 136: The Bling Ring

    136: The Bling Ring
    Jun 23 2026
    The Bling Ring is based on the true story of a group of Los Angeles teenagers who burglarized the homes of celebrities including Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, Audrina Patridge, and Orlando Bloom between 2008 and 2009. Driven by an obsession with fame, fashion, and celebrity culture, they stole millions of dollars' worth of luxury items before eventually being caught by police. Sofia Coppola's 2013 film explores not only the crimes themselves, but the culture of celebrity worship that inspired them. SOURCES:The Real Bling Ring: Hollywood Heist https://nypost.com/2023/09/30/bling-ring-leader-rachel-lee-reveals-what-fueled-celeb-crimes/https://variety.com/2023/film/news/erin-lee-carr-ringleader-case-bling-ring-rachel-lee-1235737937/https://www.etonline.com/rachel-bilson-confronts-bling-ring-member-gabby-neiers-years-after-she-robbed-her-192522 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    51 mins
  • 135: Boys Don't Cry: The Brandon Teena Story

    135: Boys Don't Cry: The Brandon Teena Story
    Jun 16 2026
    Boys Don't Cry brought Brandon Teena's story to the big screen, but how closely did the film follow the real events? In this episode, we separate fact from fiction, exploring Brandon's life, the people often left out of the story, and the lasting legacy of a case that changed conversations about transgender representation in America. Using a victim-centered approach, we'll look beyond the movie to understand the real people behind the headlines. Sources:The Brandon Teena Story All He Wanted by Aphrodite Joneshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zU6zjFkS3PcBoys Don’t Cry https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/boys-dont-cry-1999https://stroudradicalreading.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/devinescut-blackonbothsides.pdfhttps://papers.iafor.org/wp-content/uploads/papers/acah2024/ACAH2024_78518.pdfErased Podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    57 mins
  • 134: David (1988): A Survival Story

    134: David (1988): A Survival Story
    Jun 9 2026
    The story of David Rothenberg's survival would eventually reach millions of viewers through the 1988 made-for-television film David. Starring Bernadette Peters as Marie Rothenberg and Matthew Lawrence as David, the film focused not only on the horrific crime that nearly took his life, but also on his extraordinary recovery and the strength he showed in the years that followed. Sources: David’s Story by Marie Rothenberghttps://medium.com/mel-magazine/the-boy-that-fire-couldnt-destroy-the-life-and-death-of-dave-dave-aa9332120acfhttps://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-03-20-mn-2215-story.html Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    42 mins
  • 133: She Made Them Do It: Sarah Jo Pender

    133: She Made Them Do It: Sarah Jo Pender
    Jun 2 2026
    Was Sarah Jo Pender a master manipulator who orchestrated a brutal double murder, or was she a young woman caught in a flawed investigation and wrongfully convicted? One of the most controversial true-crime cases of the 2000s. Sarah Jo Pender was convicted in 2002 for the murders of Andrew Cataldi and Tricia Nordman, a crime prosecutors argued she planned and directed. Dubbed the "female Charles Manson", Pender maintained her innocence throughout her trial and imprisonment. The Lifetime movie She Made Them Do It, starring Jenna Dewan depicted Sarah's story. Sources:https://www.hulu.com/series/5eb21b90-555a-4dc3-9b6c-60c8f7087bd4She Made Them Do It https://law.justia.com/cases/indiana/court-of-appeals/2003/12090302-smb.htmlhttps://www.aetv.com/articles/sarah-pender-escaped-prison-many-call-wrongful-conviction Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    49 mins
  • 132: Cruel Doubt: The Murder of Leith Von Stein

    132: Cruel Doubt: The Murder of Leith Von Stein
    May 26 2026
    In July 1988, Washington, North Carolina businessman Leith Von Stein was fatally stabbed and bludgeoned in his bed while his wife, Bonnie, was severely injured. The violent crime was initially staged as a burglary but later exposed a twisted conspiracy motivated by a $2 million inheritance.The chilling true-crime story was famously chronicled in the 1991 bestselling book Cruel Doubt by Joe McGinniss. Cruel Doubt was adapted into a highly rated, two-part television miniseries that premiered on NBC in May 1992 starring Blythe Danner and Gwyneth Paltrow. Sources:Cruel Doubt by Joe McGuinessBlood Relatives: Death is in the Air https://finishedpages.com/from-patriarch-to-the-small-screen-the-north-carolina-murder-of-leigh-von-stein/https://www.orlandosentinel.com/1991/11/17/two-very-different-tellings-of-the-same-crime/http://www.theescapist.com/archive-pritchard01.htmhttps://law.justia.com/cases/north-carolina/supreme-court/1992/89a90-0.html Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    38 mins
  • 131: Song Sung Blue: The Mike and Claire Sardina Story

    131: Song Sung Blue: The Mike and Claire Sardina Story
    May 19 2026
    We are taking a true crime break this week, but still focusing on a "based on a true story" movie. Mike and Claire Sardina were a real-life Milwaukee husband-and-wife musical duo who formed the popular Neil Diamond tribute act "Lightning & Thunder". Their remarkable true story of soaring success, devastating heartbreak, and perseverance inspired the acclaimed feature film Song Sung Blue (2025). The duo were also the subject of the 2008 documentary of the same name. A story that proves we should all dream big. Sources:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDukMQIz1ScSong Sung Blue the Documentary (2008) Song Sung Blue https://parade.com/movies/meet-the-real-life-couple-who-inspired-song-sung-bluehttps://ew.com/song-sung-blue-true-story-fact-vs-fiction-11876118https://shepherdexpress.com/film/i-hate-hollywood/lightning-thunder-story/https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/hugh-jackman-kate-hudson-face-backlash-real-family-behind-tribute-band-filmhttps://archive.jsonline.com/entertainment/musicandnightlife/35103989.html Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    39 mins
  • 130: Abducted: The Carlina White Story

    130: Abducted: The Carlina White Story
    May 12 2026
    In this episode, we explore the shocking true story behind the Lifetime film Abducted: The Carlina White Story. A case so unbelievable it sounds fictional, yet every major detail really happened. In 1987, 19-day-old Carlina White was kidnapped from Harlem Hospital in New York City by a woman later identified as Ann Pettway, who raised her under the name Nejdra “Netty” Nance for more than two decades. What makes this story extraordinary is that the case was ultimately solved not by investigators, but by Carlina herself. Sources:Beyond the Headlines: The Carlina White Story https://nymag.com/news/features/carlina-white-2011-10/Abducted: The Carlina White Story https://allthatsinteresting.com/carlina-white Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    39 mins