True Murder: The Most Shocking Killers

A twisting, deeply engrossing investigation into the many lingering questions surrounding the sudden disappearance of the McStays, a family of four who vanished from their suburban San Diego home without a trace—until their skeletal remains were found in the Mojave Desert nearly four years later—from New York Times bestselling author Caitlin Rother.On February 15, 2010, Joseph McStay, his wife Summer, and their two young sons were reported missing from their new home in San Diego County. They left eggs and fruit rotting on the counter. Their Dodge truck sat in the driveway. Their dogs were abandoned outside without food. But investigators found no blood, signs of a struggle, or clues to their whereabouts. Did the family take an unannounced vacation? Were they running away from personal problems? Or were they victims of foul play? Nearly four years later, a motorcyclist found the McStays’ remains in and around two shallow graves, one hundred miles away in the Mojave Desert. Their skulls showed signs of blunt-force trauma, likely due to the sledgehammer buried with them. Authorities focused on Charles "Chase" Merritt, a close friend and subcontractor for Joseph’s company. Despite a lack of physical evidence, scenarios that defied logic, and numerous unanswered questions, prosecutors convinced a jury of Merritt’s guilt. After an emotional sentencing hearing, the judge imposed the death penalty. But did another possible suspect, who was ignored by investigators and ducked a subpoena to testify, get away with murder?In this twisting, deeply researched true-crime mystery, New York Times bestselling investigative journalist Caitlin Rother hunts for answers to reveal the truth behind a heinous crime that became a nation’s obsession, with a controversial trial in its wake, and lingering questions of justice.Joining me to discuss, DOWN TO THE BONE: A Missing Family's Murder and the Elusive Quest for Justice—Caitlin Rother

FOLLOW-UP TO THE #1 NATIONAL BESTSELLER 22 MURDERSThe truth about the deadliest criminal incident in Canadian history has remained untold—until now.Investigative journalist Paul Palango’s 22 Murders examined the April 2020 shooting spree committed by Gabriel Wortman that began in Portapique, Nova Scotia, and ended thirteen and a half hours later when Wortman was shot dead by RCMP officers. The episode left numerous serious questions in its wake—most especially why was the killer able to evade police in such limited geography for so long?Since then, the government called a public inquiry into the massacres—the Mass Casualty Commission. Though Palango unearthed a treasure trove of evidence pointing to the possibility that Wortman or someone close to him was acting as a police agent, the commission evaded all the big questions and let the RCMP off with a slap on the wrist. To this day, no one has been held accountable.In his new book, Palango continues to crack the case, delving deeper into the evidence and testimonies of the witnesses who have been ignored. Drawing on his vast experience as an investigative reporter, he has mined the thousands of pages of commission documents to reveal the wall of secrecy and deceptions constructed by the RCMP and the criminal justice system, exposing new facts that may alter the public’s perception of what really happened.A tour-de-force of reportage, Anatomy of a Cover-Up accomplishes what the commission set out to do—uncover the truth about the Nova Scotia massacres and bring long overdue justice to its victims. ANATOMY OF A COVERUP: The Truth about the RCMP and the Nova Scotia Massacres—Paul PalangoReplyForwardAdd reaction

John Lisle, a historian and CIA expert, sheds light on the dark secrets of MKUltra, the infamous mind control project led by Sidney Gottlieb. He reveals shocking accounts of unethical experiments on unsuspecting subjects, including the LSD dosing of Frank Olson. Lisle shares chilling stories of victims seeking justice and explores the CIA's Cold War assassination attempts. With new testimonies from perpetrators, he unveils the moral implications of such experiments and how their legacy continues to impact society today.

On September 6, 1982, convicted murderer Leroy James Chasson made a daring break for freedom from the Massachusetts Correctional Institute-Walpole—one of the most infamous, escape-proof prisons in the country. But this wasn't just any prison break. It was a meticulously planned, five-year effort, made possible by an unlikely accomplice—Kathleen MacDonald, Chasson's former pen-pal turned wife.True crime author Daniel Zimmerman (SHOTS IN THE DARK) brings the shocking escape to life, detailing how Chasson, wounded and bleeding from self-inflicted wounds was first transferred to a hospital for treatment. Then, using a .45 automatic smuggled to him by his wife who was disguised as a nurse, took hospital guards and staff hostage, before fleeing under a hail of gunfire.Dubbed the "Bonnie and Clyde" of Massachusetts, the couple’s daring run across the country captivated the nation and they would evade capture for years. Living under assumed identities, they nearly made it—until a tip from America's Most Wanted led to their eventual capture in 1989. Joining me to discuss, CHASSON’S RUN: The Prison Break That Captivated America and the Love Story That Fueled It—Daniel Zimmerman

In 1971, Montgomery County Deputy Sheriff James Tappen Hall was gunned down outside a Maryland country club. The case went cold—no suspect, no answers, no closure. But his daughter never gave up trying to find her father's killer.Fifty years later, cold case detectives finally reopened the investigation and identified a suspect whose shocking confession revealed a detail never released to the public: Hall was shot twice. A Second Shot by Dr. Michael Weisberg is a gripping true crime story of justice delayed but not denied—and a deeply personal tale of second chances for both a grieving family and the author himself. Joining me to discuss, A SECOND SHOT: The Pursuit of Justice in Maryland's Oldest Cold Case Murder—Michael F. Weisberg Follow and comment on Facebook-TRUE MURDER: The Most Shocking Killers in True Crime History   https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064697978510Check out TRUE MURDER PODCAST @ truemurderpodcast.com

"It was the most horrific crime ever to come before this Court,” said the Judge. A renowned forensic pathologist shouted from the witness stand, “Torture!” when describing the beating three-year-old Kyson Rice took at the hands of a 6-foot 3-inch, 240-pound monster. Read the account of an ambulance team desperately trying to keep a badly beaten boy alive and a high-risk arrest by a well-equipped professionally trained police force to take down a murderer. Follow in the footsteps of four investigators who reached as far as Arizona to gather information. Relive the courtroom drama as a seasoned District Attorney and a skilled Assistant District Attorney forge a compelling case in which there were no witnesses, no weapons, and a questionable motive. Follow the longest trial in Monroe County Court history, with the most witnesses ever to testify, often leaving the jury in tears. Read the heartbreaking account of a mother and community losing a loving, intelligent, and happy youngster to a painful and excruciating death at the hands of a cowardly psychopath who refused to accept responsibility for torturing Kyson to death. Author Larry Scheckel joins me to discuss, MURDER IN A SMALL TOWN: The Kyson Rice Case—Larry Scheckel  Follow and comment on Facebook-TRUE MURDER: The Most Shocking Killers in True Crime History   https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064697978510Check out TRUE MURDER PODCAST @ truemurderpodcast.com

Anne JaegerFrom her small-town Michigan roots to becoming a New York Times bestselling author, Ann Rule’s life journey is as fascinating as the cases she covered. Discover how she revolutionized crime writing, influenced FBI profiling, and Rule's fateful encounter with a murderer at just nine years old.Go behind the scenes of Rule’s most infamous cases—including Ted Bundy (The Stranger Beside Me), Randy Woodfield (The I-5 Killer), and Diane Downs (Small Sacrifices)—and explore her personal insights into the murderers Rule and Jaeger both studied.Featuring never-before-revealed true crime cases, jaw-dropping interviews, and the little known story of Rule’s time as a sex decoy for the Seattle Vice Squad, this book also delves into the extraordinary three-decade friendship between Rule and Jaeger. With exclusive letters from notorious killers and an inside look at Diane Downs' chilling correspondence with Manson murderer Susan Atkins and I-5 Killer Randy Woodfield.Anne Jaeger and I discuss Ann Rule's fateful journey to become the undisputed "Queen of True Crime"—her families' law enforcement background that shaped her own perceptions of crime and punishment, and her transformative role in true crime writing, and true crime history. THE RULE OF CRIME AND ME: An Intimate View of Ann Rule Shared by her Friend of 30 Years—Anne Jaeger Follow and comment on Facebook-TRUE MURDER: The Most Shocking Killers in True Crime History   https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064697978510Check out TRUE MURDER PODCAST @ truemurderpodcast.com

London, 1953. Police discover the bodies of three young women hidden in a wall at 10 Rillington Place, a dingy terrace house in Notting Hill. On searching the building, they find another body beneath the floorboards, then an array of human bones in the garden. But they have already investigated a double murder at 10 Rillington Place, three years ago, and the killer was hanged. Did they get the wrong man?A nationwide manhunt is launched for the tenant of the ground-floor flat, a softly spoken former policeman named Reg Christie. Star reporter Harry Procter chases after the scoop. Celebrated crime writer Fryn Tennyson Jesse begs to be assigned to the case. The story becomes an instant sensation, and with the relentless rise of the tabloid press the public watches on like never before. Who is Christie? Why did he choose to kill the women, and to keep their bodies near him? As Harry and Fryn start to learn the full horror of what went on at Rillington Place, they realize that Christie might also have engineered a terrible miscarriage of justice—in plain sight.In this riveting true story, Kate Summerscale mines the archives to uncover the lives of Christie's victims, the tabloid frenzy that their deaths inspired, and the truth about what really happened inside that house. Joining me to discuss, THE PEEPSHOW: The Murders at Rillington Place— Kate Summerscale  Follow and comment on Facebook-TRUE MURDER: The Most Shocking Killers in True Crime History   https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064697978510Check out TRUE MURDER PODCAST @ truemurderpodcast.com

What drove the inconspicuous sociopath to become a ruthless killer? During his nearly fifteen-year reign of terror, Ronald Lloyd Bailey’s depraved obsession with sexual sadism held communities across southeast Michigan in a shroud of fear. From the early 1970’s to the mid-1980’s, the former patient at one of Michigan’s foremost psychiatric hospitals, abducted as many as fifteen teens and over time became a sadistic serial killer.In this shocking, fast-paced account, retired police officer and true crime author Rod Sadler examines law enforcement's dedicated efforts in connecting the dots to stop an unknown killer, and he poignantly chronicles the determination of the victims' families to triumph over tragedy.Sadler also examines Bailey’s insanity defense that centered on the alleged abuse he endured at the hands of his psychiatrist. In doing so, the bestselling author of KILLING WOMEN asks and answers the question: What drove the inconspicuous sociopath to become a ruthless killer? Joining me to discuss, DEPRAVED OBSESSION: The Gripping True Story of Law Enforcement's Hunt for a Sadistic Serial Killer—Rod Sadler   Follow and comment on Facebook-TRUE MURDER: The Most Shocking Killers in True Crime History   https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064697978510Check out TRUE MURDER PODCAST @ truemurderpodcast.com

L.A. Coroner is a gripping true crime biography of Dr. Thomas Noguchi, the controversial “Coroner to the Stars,” who performed the autopsies of Marilyn Monroe, Robert F. Kennedy, Sharon Tate, Natalie Wood, and hundreds of other notable personalities. Choi, an award-winning historian and professor, deftly blends Los Angeles history, death investigation and forensic science, and Asian American history in a feat of exquisite storytelling. Anne Soon Choi discusses the incredible role Nogucci played in these famous death investigations and historic murder trials.L.A. Coroner is the first-ever biography of Dr. Thomas Noguchi, the Chief Medical Examiner–Coroner of Los Angeles County from 1967 to 1982. Throughout his illustrious career, Dr. Noguchi conducted the official autopsies of some of the most high-profile figures of his time. His elaborate press conferences, which often generated more controversy than they did answers, catapulted him into the public eye.Noguchi was also the inspiration for the popular 1970s–80s television drama Quincy, M.E., starring Jack Klugman. Featuring never-before-published details about Noguchi’s most controversial cases, L.A. Coroner is a meticulously researched biography of a complex man, set against the backdrop of the social and racial politics of the 1960s and 1970s and Hollywood celebrity culture. Joining me to discuss L.A. Coroner: Thomas Noguchi and Death in Hollywood—Anne Soon Choi Follow and comment on Facebook-TRUE MURDER: The Most Shocking Killers in True Crime History   https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064697978510Check out TRUE MURDER PODCAST @ truemurderpodcast.com