The First Degree

In this special true crime crossover, we joined Vanessa Richardson and forensic psychologist Dr. Tristin Engels on Serial Killers and Murderous Minds for a two-part deep dive into Heaven’s Gate. For part 2 and our extended discussion with Dr. Engels , follow Serial Killers and Murderous Minds wherever you listen to podcasts. In the 1970s, Marshall Applewhite and Bonnie Nettles emerged with a radical message: they were celestial beings sent to guide humanity to the “Next Level.” What began as a small spiritual study group slowly transformed into a tightly controlled community built on isolation, strict behavioral codes, and the rejection of earthly identity. As belief deepened, individuality disappeared, and devotion to the mission became absolute. In Part 1, Vanessa and Dr. Engels examine how Applewhite’s personal crises, religious fixation, and apocalyptic thinking evolved into a doctrine that demanded total surrender. It’s a chilling look at how ordinary people searching for purpose and connection became entangled in a worldview where doubt was no longer allowed to exist. To hear us in Part 2, including our extended discussion with Vanessa Richardson and Dr. Engels, be sure to follow Serial Killers and Murderous Minds wherever you get your podcasts. Follow and listen here: https://play.megaphone.fm/fsc89gpqrvo6x6s_v1clyw 🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full video episodes over on Patreon: patreon.com/thefirstdegree 📸 Instagram: instagram.com/thefirstdegree 🕺 TikTok: tiktok.com/@thefirstdegreee 👤 Facebook: facebook.com/thefirstdegree 📓 Substack: http://thefirstdegree.substack.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In early January 1985, a 20-year-old National Guardsman is on a training exercise in Henderson, Nevada. The ambitious and intelligent young man has a strong moral compass guiding him in his career. That is, until one day, when he’s confronted with a difficult choice and thrust into a situation out of his control. The cascade of choices he makes next change the course of his life in an entirely unanticipated way, altering his path forever. In episode 395, Jac and Alexis detail the intriguing story of Jerry Mathes, and how his journey through the criminal justice system and out the other side of incarceration forced him to mourn the kind of man he not only had been, but deep down face who he really wanted to be. This is a tale of the spiritually redemptive power of memoir and using one’s voice to reclaim both the truth and a new perspective on life-changing events. 🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full video episodes over on Patreon: patreon.com/thefirstdegree 📸 Instagram: instagram.com/thefirstdegree 🕺 TikTok: tiktok.com/@thefirstdegreee 👤 Facebook: facebook.com/thefirstdegree 📓 Substack: http://thefirstdegree.substack.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In February 2006, a newly married 29-year-old man is walking home from a Mardi Gras celebration in New Orleans when a black truck nearly strikes him and his wife. One block later, the truck circles back, runs him down, and flees, leaving his wife screaming in the intersection. Detectives call it a deliberate burst of road rage. But as weeks turn into months, the homicide investigation loses momentum. Years pass without an arrest, and his family is left questioning whether the urgency this case deserved was ever truly there. In episode 394, Jac and Alexis examine the unsolved murder of Toby Beaugh, and the years-long fight his sister has taken on to keep his case from being forgotten. 🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full video episodes over on Patreon: patreon.com/thefirstdegree 📸 Instagram: instagram.com/thefirstdegree 🕺 TikTok: tiktok.com/@thefirstdegreee 👤 Facebook: facebook.com/thefirstdegree 📓 Substack: http://thefirstdegree.substack.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On October 29, 2010, a 50-year-old woman is shot at her home in Cresson Township, Pennsylvania. The same day, her college aged son is also involved in a car crash. The tiny community where the family lives is thrown into a state of turmoil as residents grapple with the incomprehensible news. The much-loved school nurse, wife, and mother of two leaves behind a heartbroken family and school community who are left to pick up the pieces. But when the killer’s identity is revealed, the profound sadness and disbelief everyone is experiencing is magnified. Could this tragedy have been avoided? The victim seemed to have everything. But there was one threat she couldn’t contain. One that bubbled and festered under the surface, in her periphery. In episode 393, Jac and Alexis detail the devastating case of Sharon Choros, and how those who appear to have it all can be more at risk of violence and heartbreak than we think. 🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full video episodes over on Patreon: patreon.com/thefirstdegree 📸 Instagram: instagram.com/thefirstdegree 🕺 TikTok: tiktok.com/@thefirstdegreee 👤 Facebook: facebook.com/thefirstdegree 📓 Substack: http://thefirstdegree.substack.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On a quiet February morning in an upscale Virginia suburb, a 911 call shattered the quiet. An au pair reported an intruder. A federal agent said he fired his weapon to protect his family. By sunrise, two people had lost their lives. At first, it sounded like a tragic act: a heroic husband trying to protect his wife, Christine. But as investigators began pulling at the threads, the story started to unravel.In episode 392 of The First Degree, Jac and Alexis walk you through the double murder that gripped northern Virginia — and the arrogance, betrayal, and devastating choices that left a child without her mother and two families forever changed. 🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full video episodes over on Patreon: patreon.com/thefirstdegree 📸 Instagram: instagram.com/thefirstdegree 🕺 TikTok: tiktok.com/@thefirstdegreee 👤 Facebook: facebook.com/thefirstdegree 📓 Substack: http://thefirstdegree.substack.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

And we're back for round three... This week, we're diving into the latest updates surrounding the Epstein files, discussing the DOJ's recent release of documents and the implications of missing information. Then, Ghislaine Maxwell's testimony, the bizarre obsession with jerky in the files, and the potential for Epstein's offspring. Zorro Ranch, scopolamine, it just goes on and on! 🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full video episodes over on Patreon: patreon.com/thefirstdegree 📸 Instagram: instagram.com/thefirstdegree 🕺 TikTok: tiktok.com/@thefirstdegreee 👤 Facebook: facebook.com/thefirstdegree 📓 Substack: http://thefirstdegree.substack.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices