Crime and Motive

A quiet Georgia high school becomes the site of the deadliest school shooting in the state’s history — after a series of warnings were missed.On September 4, 2024, a mass shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia left four people dead and multiple others wounded. The suspect, a 14-year-old student who had been enrolled at the school for less than a week, surrendered shortly after the attack. Days later, in a shocking development, his father was also arrested and charged in connection with the crime.In this episode, we examine what led up to the Apalachee High School shooting, including prior threats reported to authorities, breakdowns in communication between law enforcement and school officials, and the warning signs that went unheeded. We also explore the unprecedented charges filed against the suspect’s father — and what this case could mean for accountability in future school shootings.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/crime-and-motive--6152042/support.Follow Murder U on:TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@murderupodcastInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/murderupodcast/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61560484916041YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MurderUPodcastTwitter/X: https://x.com/MurderUPodcast

A 21-year-old student vanishes in Austin… and her family makes a horrifying discovery inside a condo just steps from campus. In August 2005, Jennifer Cave was days away from starting a new job and turning her life around when she went out to help a troubled friend.Hours later, she was found murdered in a West Campus condominium near the University of Texas — her body brutally mutilated in an act that stunned investigators and traumatized her family.In this episode of Murder U, we examine the killing of Jennifer Cave, the disturbing post-crime behavior of Colton Pitonyak and Laura Hall, and the unanswered questions that still haunt one of Austin’s most notorious college murder cases. From the frantic search to a shocking crime scene and a twisted cover-up, this case remains a chilling reminder of how empathy and trust can be exploited — with devastating consequences.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/crime-and-motive--6152042/support.Follow Murder U on:TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@murderupodcastInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/murderupodcast/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61560484916041YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MurderUPodcastTwitter/X: https://x.com/MurderUPodcast

A hardworking high school student in Japan disappears on her way home… and doesn’t return. For weeks, her family searches desperately, unaware that she is trapped in a nightmare unfolding behind closed doors.When her body is finally discovered—hidden in a concrete drum—the case shocks the world and exposes a terrifying failure of justice.In this episode of Murder U, we tell the story of seventeen-year-old Junko Furuta, whose bravery in the face of unimaginable cruelty sparked outrage around the world… and raised the question so many still ask: how could anyone get away with something this horrific?Spotify • Apple Podcasts • YouTube PodcastFollow Murder U on:TikTok: @murderupodcastInstagram: @murderupodcastFacebook: Murder U PodcastYouTube: Murder U PodcastTwitter/X: Murder U PodcastBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/crime-and-motive--6152042/support.Follow Murder U on:TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@murderupodcastInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/murderupodcast/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61560484916041YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MurderUPodcastTwitter/X: https://x.com/MurderUPodcast

A campus turned into a killing ground.In May 2014, the quiet college town of Isla Vista was shattered when a 22-year-old student launched a brutal, premeditated attack inspired by incel ideology and violent misogyny. What began with online rants and a 141-page manifesto exploded into one of the most infamous mass killings of the decade.In this episode of Murder U, we examine Elliot Rodger’s path from resentment to violence, the online communities that validated his rage, and the grief left behind for the families of six students whose lives were taken. We also explore how this case exposed a dangerous subculture that had been hiding in plain sight — and why experts now consider it a form of extremist violence.This is the story of the Isla Vista killings… and the warning signs that were missed.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/crime-and-motive--6152042/support.Follow Murder U on:TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@murderupodcastInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/murderupodcast/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61560484916041YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MurderUPodcastTwitter/X: https://x.com/MurderUPodcast

At Danvers High, a beloved math teacher and the new kid mysteriously vanish after class. And police uncover something more shocking than anyone imagined.In this episode of Murder U, we examine the 2013 murder of 24-year-old Colleen Ritzer — a teacher who inspired her students and was loved by everyone who knew her. What began as two missing-person reports soon exposed a crime so disturbing it left an entire community searching for answers.We trace the events from Colleen’s final class to the discovery that shattered Danvers High, the evidence that broke the case open, and the trial that forced Massachusetts to confront one of the darkest crimes ever committed on school grounds.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/crime-and-motive--6152042/support.Follow Murder U on:TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@murderupodcastInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/murderupodcast/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61560484916041YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MurderUPodcastTwitter/X: https://x.com/MurderUPodcast

Two deaths. Same dorm. Five months apart.At Gallaudet University — a prestigious school for the deaf — a tight-knit campus is shaken by back-to-back murders inside the same residence hall.At first, investigators fear a serial killer is targeting LGBTQ+ students. But as evidence unfolds, suspicion turns closer to home… and one of the witnesses becomes the prime suspect in a case that stunned the deaf community and raised urgent questions about safety, trust, and identity.This is the full story of the Gallaudet University murders — where silence wasn’t safety, and the truth was hiding in plain sight.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/crime-and-motive--6152042/support.Follow Murder U on:TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@murderupodcastInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/murderupodcast/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61560484916041YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MurderUPodcastTwitter/X: https://x.com/MurderUPodcast

He was known as the “Co-Ed Killer.”In the early 1970s, students in Northern California began vanishing while hitchhiking near campus. Behind the disappearances was Edmund Kemper, a towering figure with a history of violence dating back to the murder of his own grandparents at age 15.Over eleven months, Kemper lured six young women into his car, killed them, and mutilated their bodies. He terrorized the University of California, Santa Cruz community while socializing with local police officers who nicknamed him “Big Ed.” His crimes escalated until he turned his rage against the person he hated most — his abusive mother.In this episode of Murder U, we trace Kemper’s path from a troubled childhood to one of the most infamous killing sprees in American history. From the manipulation of psychiatrists who released him at 21, to his chilling confessions and his decision to turn himself in, this is the story of Ed Kemper — a serial killer whose calculated violence still haunts true crime history.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/crime-and-motive--6152042/support.Follow Murder U on:TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@murderupodcastInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/murderupodcast/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61560484916041YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MurderUPodcastTwitter/X: https://x.com/MurderUPodcast

A campus wrestling star found strangled in his dorm room. On February 24, 2024, Campbellsville University in Kentucky was shaken by the death of 18-year-old Josiah Kilman. A theology major and standout athlete, Josiah was known for his faith, leadership, and kindness. At first, the case looked like a mystery with no clear answers. But as investigators pieced together the evidence, they uncovered a suspect far closer than anyone on campus could have imagined.In this episode of Murder U Podcast, we follow Josiah’s journey from Montana to Campbellsville, where his promising future ended far too soon. We trace the frantic manhunt, the stunning confession, and the questions about motive and mental health that still linger. From a community in mourning to a family clinging to faith, this is the story of a young man’s life cut short and a campus forever changed.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/crime-and-motive--6152042/support.Follow Murder U on:TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@murderupodcastInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/murderupodcast/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61560484916041YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MurderUPodcastTwitter/X: https://x.com/MurderUPodcast

It was one of the most shocking crimes in University of Miami history. In April 1996, linebacker Marlin Barnes and his close friend Timwanika Lumpkins were discovered brutally beaten inside Barnes’ on-campus apartment. At first, students feared a random predator was on the loose. But as detectives pieced together the evidence, the investigation led them to someone much closer — a jealous ex with a violent history.In this episode of Murder U, we trace Marlin’s journey from Liberty City to the Hurricanes football team, where he became an inspiration to his family and community. We look at the life of Timwanika, remembered by loved ones as “Lil Bit,” and how both were pulled into a tragedy that stunned the campus and made national headlines. From the initial panic, to the trail of evidence, to the courtroom verdict, this is the story of how jealousy and rage destroyed two young lives full of promise.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/crime-and-motive--6152042/support.Follow Murder U on:TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@murderupodcastInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/murderupodcast/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61560484916041YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MurderUPodcastTwitter/X: https://x.com/MurderUPodcast

In May 1995, Harvard sophomore Trang Ho was found murdered inside her dorm suite — the attack carried out by someone shockingly close to her. The killing stunned the Harvard campus and left classmates asking how such violence could erupt behind dorm room walls. In this episode of Murder U, we follow Trang’s journey from Vietnam to Harvard, her rise as a standout scholar, and the troubling signs of obsession and isolation her roommate Sinedu Tadesse revealed before everything collapsed in violence. Behind the ivy-covered walls, this case revealed painful truths about mental health, cultural isolation, and the consequences of ignoring red flags.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/crime-and-motive--6152042/support.Follow Murder U on:TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@murderupodcastInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/murderupodcast/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61560484916041YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MurderUPodcastTwitter/X: https://x.com/MurderUPodcast

A Yale graduate student is gunned down just blocks from his fiancée’s apartment.Kevin Jiang, 26, was an Army veteran, a man of faith, and a rising scholar in environmental science. He had just proposed to the woman he loved, and the couple was planning their future together. But on a February night in 2021, a minor car collision became the opening move in a calculated attack that left Kevin dead in the street.The investigation that followed would take detectives far beyond the quiet New Haven neighborhood where it happened. Surveillance footage, stolen cars, and a trail of discarded evidence pointed to an unlikely suspect—a former MIT graduate with no connection to Kevin, but a hidden link to his fiancée. What began as a baffling, seemingly random murder unraveled into a manhunt across multiple states for a fugitive who nearly planned the perfect crime.In this episode of Murder U, we follow the case from the night of the shooting to the dramatic conclusion—and the chilling truth behind a killer driven by obsession.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/crime-and-motive--6152042/support.Follow Murder U on:TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@murderupodcastInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/murderupodcast/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61560484916041YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MurderUPodcastTwitter/X: https://x.com/MurderUPodcast

A college student vanishes after a late-night stop at a gas station. Nineteen-year-old Aniah Blanchard had just texted a friend when she pulled into a convenience store in Auburn, Alabama—and was never seen again. Her car was found days later, abandoned and damaged, miles away from where she disappeared.As investigators pieced together the timeline, surveillance footage showed a man inside the store at the same time as Aniah. He had a violent criminal history and was out on bond for attempted murder. But did their paths actually cross? What started as a missing persons case quickly turned into a race against time—and raised urgent questions about how he was free at all. The case made headlines nationwide, fueled in part by Aniah’s stepfather, UFC fighter Walt Harris, whose public pleas brought widespread attention. For many, it became a symbol of a justice system that failed her. And years later, with no trial date set, her family is still waiting for answers.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/crime-and-motive--6152042/support.Follow Murder U on:TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@murderupodcastInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/murderupodcast/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61560484916041YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MurderUPodcastTwitter/X: https://x.com/MurderUPodcast