True Crime Recaps

In April 1997, Judy Smith, a 23-year-old nurse from Newton, Massachusetts, vanished while on a sightseeing trip in Philadelphia with her husband. Initially, she was seen at the hotel, but when her husband returned from the conference, she was gone. Days of searching turned up no trace, and several confusing sightings suggested she may have traveled alone. Five months later, Judy’s remains were discovered in a shallow grave in Pisgah National Forest, near Asheville, North Carolina, over 600 miles from Philadelphia. She had been stabbed, and the clothing on her body indicated hiking gear, none of it hers. Her red backpack, a signature item she always carried, was missing. Investigators have never solved how she got there or who killed her. The case remains a haunting mystery. If you have any information that could help bring Judy’s family answers, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS. Until then, the question remains: what happened to Judy Smith? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On a quiet winter night in 1994, 23-year-old Tessa Van Hart leaves her job at a small pizza shop on Chincoteague Island, Virginia, to complete what seems like a routine delivery. The address leads her to an empty summer home in a secluded area, and after she leaves, she never returns. Hours later, her car is discovered parked behind a vacant house, and Tessa is found inside the back seat, shot twice in the head, with the undelivered pizza still sitting in the front.The small island community is left in shock. With no clear suspects and limited forensic technology at the time, the investigation stalls for years. Then, more than two years later, a local man named Brian Cherrix comes forward while in custody on unrelated charges. He initially offers secondhand information about the crime, but eventually gives a detailed confession describing how he lured Tessa, assaulted her, and ultimately killed her before later retracting his statement and claiming coercion.Despite inconsistencies, investigators recover a rifle linked to the murder, and other evidence helps secure a conviction. Brian Cherrix is sentenced to death, later executed in 2004 after years of appeals. Tessa’s murder remains one of the most disturbing cases in the island’s history, forever changing the belief that nothing violent could ever happen in such a quiet, close-knit place.#TrueCrimeRecaps #TessaVanHart #ChincoteagueIsland #BrianCherrix #DeathPenalty Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Before Jeffrey Epstein was found dead in his jail cell in August 2019, there was another disturbing incident just weeks earlier that raised serious questions inside the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York.After guards found Epstein injured on the floor of his cell on July 23rd, conflicting stories immediately emerged. Epstein reportedly claimed his cellmate, former police officer and convicted murderer Nicholas Tartaglione, may have attacked him. Tartaglione denied it completely, saying he woke up to find Epstein unconscious and called for help himself. Investigators later concluded there was no evidence linking Tartaglione to the incident and officially classified it as an attempted suicide.Now, years later, a newly unsealed handwritten note allegedly written by Epstein has resurfaced, adding another bizarre layer to one of the most controversial jail deaths in modern history. From missed guard checks and policy failures to disputed medical findings and conflicting witness accounts, this case continues to fuel debate and speculation nearly seven years later.#TrueCrimeRecaps #JeffreyEpstein #NicholasTartaglione #Epstein Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A newly released nine-page preliminary brief has laid out a chilling roadmap of the evidence prosecutors intend to use against musician David Anthony Burke, known as d4vd. The filing alleges a dark, years-long history of grooming that began when Celeste was just 11, eventually turning into a sexual relationship. According to the D.A.’s office, the motive was purely professional: Celeste allegedly threatened to expose their relationship, which would have destroyed Burke’s career and multi-million dollar deals just as his debut album was about to drop.The brief details an incredibly calculated and gruesome cover-up that allegedly took place right under the public's nose. Prosecutors claim that after Celeste was killed, Burke used an alias to order a body bag, chainsaws, and an inflatable pool to dismember her in his garage. While Celeste’s remains were allegedly hidden in the trunk of his Tesla, Burke continued his life as a rising star, even embarking on a national tour and performing songs with themes that mirrored the real-life horror investigators would later uncover.This mountain of evidence, which includes DNA found in his garage and plastic fragments from a pool embedded in her remains, led to Burke being charged with murder under special circumstances. While his defense team maintains his innocence, prosecutors are pushing for the highest penalties. That’s the latest in the case and we’ll keep you updated as it unfolds. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In June 2023, Netflix released a documentary called “Take Care of Maya,” which takes an in-depth look at her story and the case against All Children's Hospital. They say you should always trust the experts, but even the experts get it wrong sometimes. It’s up to the jury to decide if the Kowalski family tragedy could’ve been prevented and if their actions drove Beata Kowalski to take her own life. But what do you think of this case? Have you watched the documentary yet? #TrueCrimeRecaps #MayaKowalski #TrueCrime #Tragedy #BeataKowalski Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For decades, the murder of 17-year-old Laura Ann Aime remained stuck in a frustrating gray area. Investigators and the public widely suspected Ted Bundy was responsible, but there was never enough evidence to prove it. After disappearing on Halloween night in 1974, Laura’s body was found weeks later in American Fork Canyon. She had been beaten, assaulted, and strangled. Her case closely matched a series of disappearances happening around Salt Lake City at the same time.Other victims, including Nancy Wilcox, Melissa Smith, and Debra Kent, were either found murdered or are still missing. The similarities between the cases were impossible to ignore, but even Bundy’s own confession could not officially close Laura’s case. He was known for lying and manipulating details, which made investigators cautious about relying on his statements alone. As a result, her case remained unresolved for nearly 50 years.Now, advances in DNA technology have finally provided a clear answer. Newly tested evidence has confirmed that Ted Bundy was responsible for Laura Ann Aime’s murder. This breakthrough not only brings long-awaited closure but also gives investigators a powerful tool. With Bundy’s DNA profile now confirmed, other unsolved cases connected to him may finally be reexamined, including victims who have never been identified.#TrueCrimeRecaps #TedBundy #LauraAnnAime #NancyWilcox #MelissaSmith #DebraKent #CarolDaRonch #AnneMarieBurr Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A 28-year-old single mother was balancing work, family, and a complicated dating life when one late-night message changed everything. After telling a man she had been secretly seeing that she was pregnant with twins, her life took a deadly turn. Within days, she was found murdered in her apartment. The attack was brutal and showed clear signs of a struggle. There was no forced entry, which suggested she may have known and trusted the person who killed her.As investigators looked closer, a chilling timeline began to form. The man she texted believed the babies were his, but evidence later revealed they were not. Even so, in the days after that message, he made a sudden and expensive trip across the country. Records placed him in her neighborhood at the exact time she disappeared. Surveillance, phone data, and digital history revealed a pattern of planning, panic, and an attempt to cover his tracks.When DNA results confirmed what detectives suspected, the case became clear. Prosecutors argued that fear of losing his double life pushed him to commit the crime. Years later, a jury found him guilty and he was sentenced to life in prison. Meanwhile, her two young sons were left to grow up without their mother, carrying the lasting impact of a crime driven by secrecy and fear. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices