The First Wife: John Meehan's Reign of Terror Podcast with Rachel Louise Snyder cover art

The First Wife: John Meehan's Reign of Terror

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The First Wife: John Meehan's Reign of Terror

By: Tonia Bales, Laura Richards, AYR Media
Narrated by: Rachel Louise Snyder
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Many listened to the Dirty John podcast, which introduced the world to John Meehan, a dangerous serial predator who infiltrates the life of Debra Newell and ultimately dies at the hand of her daughter, Terra. But there was an overlooked story that’s now being told, in full, for the first time. In The First Wife: John Meehan’s Reign of Terror, Tonia Bales recounts her harrowing experiences as John’s wife of 10 years and the mother of their daughters, Emily and Abby. Highlighting new details and revelations, Tonia shares the abuse she suffered from the man she once believed to be her soulmate, but who ultimately revealed himself as a coercive and controlling terrorist. Through exclusive archival materials and all-new interviews with the people who knew her and John best, uncovering long-held secrets and including perspective from their daughters, Tonia embarks on a re-investigation of the man she thought she knew. The multiple bombshells she unearths include one that will change her and her daughters’ lives forever.©2021 AYR MEDIA, LLC (P)2021 Audible Originals, LLC Con Artists, Hoaxes & Deceptions True Crime
Episodes
  • Trailer

    Trailer
    Jul 12 2021

    You can listen to The First Wife: John Meehan's Reign of Terror full podcast on Thursday, July 22.

    Many people listened to the Dirty John podcast, about a scheming psychopath who infiltrates the life of a woman and ultimately dies at the hand of her daughter. But there was an overlooked story, now being told in full, for the first time. Tonia Bales, John Meehan’s first wife, recounts the harrowing story of her life as John’s wife and mother of his two daughters. Tonia reveals the abuse she suffered from the man who started as her soulmate and became a terrifying emotional terrorist. Through new interviews with the people who knew her and John best and exclusive archival materials, Tonia learns that there’s a lot about her traumatic marriage that she never knew, including one bombshell that will change her and her daughters’ lives forever.
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    1 min
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  • Episode 1: Filthy John Meehan

    Episode 1: Filthy John Meehan
    Jul 22 2021
    As Tonia prepares to begin the podcast about her life with John Meehan, her daughter Abby gets a Facebook message from a man claiming to be John’s long-lost son, allegedly conceived during Tonia and John’s engagement. The revelation prompts Tonia to re-investigate her marriage to John, and discover what else she doesn’t know about him and their relationship. She remembers their storybook courtship and marriage, and how it began to fall apart.
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    37 mins
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  • Episode 1: Bonus Episode

    Episode 1: Bonus Episode
    Jul 22 2021
    Criminal Behavioral Analyst Laura Richards joins Tonia Bales for a deep dive into "Episode 1: Filthy John Meehan".
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    15 mins
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This podcast is a must for all women and men who want to stand against domestic violence and coercive control. The brave women who stood up to this man to defend themselves and their children are impressive and we all should listen to their stories.

Insightful and interesting

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Although the sound copy was terrible and full of interference,the true life story was too good to not listen to it all. Definitely recommend to any true crime life fans. So glad he died in the end. I binge listened all in the same day.

Terrible sound and interference

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Laura Richards’ expert analysis of the harm a coersive conteoller and serial perpetrator causes and the focus on the victims and survivors is as ever vitally educational and respectful of those harmed and their families. The victims/survivors were very brave to tell their stories even though it was so painful and embarrassing for them at times. I hope they know how much they have helped to shed a light on the insidious terrorism that is coersive control and how perpetrators slowly entrap and break down a person’s entire sense of self. It’s time that courts protect children and women from abusers and it’s high time that perpetrators are the ones looking over their shoulders and scared to go to court instead being able to use the courts to coercively control and abuse their targets even further and endangering children that they have no interest in other than to use to control and abuse their targets.

Excellent analysis of coersive control

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Not only is this podcast a fascinating narrative, it also contains perfect examples of how a victim can get sucked in and manipulated by a psychopathic/ sociopathic/ narcissistic partner. I found the conversations between the wife and the therapist particularly enlightening. I am so glad I came across this podcast

Excellent eye opener for emotionally manipulated

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Having watched the movie Dirty John this was very interesting and enjoyable but I thought Laura should have been a separate narrator. Her ‘discussions’ were overpowering and dominated the conversation so it seem she was speaking AT the interviewee rather than with them. Not really allowing them to talk about how they felt in depth but rather she was doing it for them. I found this slightly jarring but it’s a good listen overrall

Interesting but narrator annoying

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