

The First Degree
Alexis Linkletter, Jac Vanek
Do you ever wonder what it’s like to be friends with a murderer? Or escape a kidnapping? Or have a father who was a serial killer? Join Jac Vanek and Alexis Linkletter on a chilling ride into the darkest corners of your worst nightmares. Murders, cults, kidnappings, and conspiracies—all told through the eyes of a guest who is one degree of separation from the story itself. From infamous serial killers to the unbelievable unknown murder in your own backyard, The First Degree delivers a new perspective to the already fascinating true crime landscape. And who knows... you may be our next guest. (Plus, join them every Thursday for Killing Time, the light-hearted, true crime-adjacent aftershow!)
Episodes
Mentioned books

Feb 8, 2023 • 55min
Episode 234: Ana Carrillo
On September 3, 2017, a 35 year old mother of three goes missing from Wyoming, Michigan, after failing to pick up her three children from her 38 year old ex-boyfriend’s house. The next day, when the woman still hasn’t made contact with anyone, her roommate reports her disappearance. As the weeks turn into months without any sign of the missing woman, the mystery deepens. Her family has their suspicions but can’t be sure about anything until a body is found. But when the killer’s identity and their motive for the murder is revealed, this is just the start of unraveling a network of individuals involved in protecting the perpetrator. In episode 234, Jac and Alexis detail the grisly case of Ana Carrillo, and how the most seemingly benign people from our everyday lives can sometimes turn out to be something straight from our nightmares.🎟 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⚖️ On the Stand: (818) 446-6889💩 Worst Thing You’ve Ever Done: (818) 446-6889
🎟 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 2, 2023 • 57min
BONUS: KILLING TIME: THE OREGON TRAIL
This week the girls and the ginger are heading west to discover all the different ways you can die on the Oregon trail! On the stand this week: the pronunciation of Oregon, not wearing shoes, barging onto an elevator, and excessive group texts! ALSO! Another worstie with a sexual sin! Hallelujah!🎟 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⚖️ On the Stand: (818) 446-6889💩 Worst Thing You’ve Ever Done: (818) 446-6889
🎟 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 1, 2023 • 1h 4min
Episode 233: Lauri Waterman
On the afternoon of Sunday, November 14th, 2004, Carl “Doc” Waterman and his 16-year-old daughter, Rachelle Waterman, return home to small-town Craig, Alaska, after a weekend trip. But, when they enter their house, Doc and Rachelle notice something strange: an empty wine bottle, a wine glass, and no sign of Rachelle’s mother, 48-year-old Lauri Waterman. In a forest 40 miles north of Craig, local hunters find a still-burning Chrysler van with bones inside. Experts confirm they are Lauri’s human remains and that she was undoubtedly murdered. Law enforcement officials investigate Doc, the potentially cheating husband, and Rachelle, the rebellious daughter with a blog called My Crappy Life. But when Rachelle’s two 24-year-old lovers, Jason Arrant and Brian Radel, break under police questioning, the entire community unravels at what is revealed. In episode 233, Jac and Alexis expose the unexpected killers responsible for the assassination of Lauri Waterman.🎟 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⚖️ On the Stand: (818) 446-6889💩 Worst Thing You’ve Ever Done: (818) 446-6889
🎟 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 26, 2023 • 58min
BONUS: KILLING TIME: HOLLY MADISON
This week, the girls are joined again by the one and only Holly Madison for a Killing Time of epic proportions! Turns out, Holly brought her own On The Stand, so we’re putting on the stand compact car spaces, Playboy bunny tanning stickers, and body glitter! Then for this week’s true crime rewind, we’re taking a deep dive into the sometimes dark and always intriguing inner workings of the Playboy lifestyle!Also - Don't miss Holly's new show "The Playboy Murders" airing on Discovery ID and streaming on D+. Premiering 1/23 and airing Mondays at 8/9 central.🎟 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⚖️ On the Stand: (818) 446-6889💩 Worst Thing You’ve Ever Done: (818) 446-6889
🎟 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 25, 2023 • 1h 13min
Episode 232: Stacy Arthur with Holly Madison
Playboy is an internationally recognized brand and household name. Whether you were a fan of E!’s hit reality show Girls’ Next Door or whether your brother had a stack of playboys under his mattress- you’ve been exposed to Playboy. Considering the indulgences that the Playboy brand represents-- sex, money, women, and power-- it should be no surprise how many crimes are connected to the institution. And today, with the help of the incomparable Holly Madison, we're going to take you through one of them: the case of January 1991 issue's playmate, Stacy Arthur.Also- Don't miss Holly's new show "The Playboy Murders" airing on Discovery ID and streaming on D+. Premiering 1/23 and airing Mondays at 8/9 central.🎟 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⚖️ On the Stand: (818) 446-6889💩 Worst Thing You’ve Ever Done: (818) 446-6889
🎟 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 19, 2023 • 47min
BONUS: KILLING TIME: EDGAR ALLAN POEM
This week the girls and the ginger are waxing poetic as they learn some perplexing and polarizing facts about Poe. That’s right, Edgar Allan Poe. Did you know the dude was a lightweight? Anyways. On the stand this week: bathroom door disturbances, self-quoting poets, and sweet gherkins! PLUS! A firstie worstie with some poorly timed bad news! Get ready to snap those fingers, it’s a poem party!🎟 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⚖️ On the Stand: (818) 446-6889💩 Worst Thing You’ve Ever Done: (818) 446-6889
🎟 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 18, 2023 • 1h 1min
Episode 231: Marcell Eads Jr.
On June 29, 2001, the badly beaten body of a 58 year old Native American man is pulled from his burning home in Wichita, Kansas. The victim has been robbed and left for dead before his attackers set the house ablaze. Within hours, police learn that an 18 year old man and a 16 year old teen may know something about the murder. As police talk to associates of the young men, and the victim’s own family, it becomes apparent that the perpetrators have committed a hate crime - they claim the victim, who was gay, made unwanted advances. When the evidence piles up against the offenders, it seems as though justice will be served. However, this is just the start of a long and painful road for the victim’s family. In episode 231, Jac and Alexis detail the heartbreaking murder of Marcell Eads Jr at the hands of Zachary Steward and his friend Brandon Boone.🎟 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⚖️ On the Stand: (818) 446-6889💩 Worst Thing You’ve Ever Done: (818) 446-6889
🎟 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 11, 2023 • 57min
Episode 230: Bennie William Schuck
In the early 2000s, the US Army opens a misconduct investigation on Bennie William Schuck II. Bennie’s teenage daughter is accusing him of sexually molesting her seven years ago when she was only five years old. But, when the Criminal Investigation Division struggles to secure an interview with the daughter, they close the investigation. Eleven years later, Bennie retires from the US Army as a respected Sergeant First Class. During his military tenure, Bennie was deployed twice, received multiple medals for excellent service, and was an esteemed expert among his peers. His record was spotless. But on August 8th, 2019, 45-year-old Bennie William Schuck II is arrested for creating and distributing child pornography with his girlfriend, 35-year-old Amber K. Talley. One of their victims is Amber’s 9-year-old daughter. In episode 230, Jac and Alexis discover the shocking truth behind why Bennie William Schuck II was able to escape justice for so long while working for the US Army.🎟 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⚖️ On the Stand: (818) 446-6889💩 Worst Thing You’ve Ever Done: (818) 446-6889
🎟 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 9, 2023 • 55min
BONUS: KILLING TIME: THE MOSCOW MURDERS
This week, we're releasing our Killing Time episode early to discuss the Idaho Murders. Jac and Lex will be discussing the strange details surrounding the case, and what we know so far after the release of an affadavit on Thursday.🎟 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⚖️ On the Stand: (818) 446-6889💩 Worst Thing You’ve Ever Done: (818) 446-6889
🎟 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 5, 2023 • 45min
BONUS: KILLING TIME: DEAD CELEB ISLAND
🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full video episodes over on Patreon:patreon.com/thefirstdegreeGreetings and Happy New Year Firsties! It’s our first Killing Time of 2023 and we’ve got a lot to talk about. On the stand today: multi-level Target stores, bottle service, small talk with your dentist, and byobh (bring your own bottle home). Then we’re doing a deep dive into the wild world of famous alleged celebrity deaths! Then, our Worsties call in with a pregnancy predicament and a dead mouse (not the DJ).📸 Instagram: instagram.com/thefirstdegree🕺 TikTok: tiktok.com/@thefirstdegreee👤 Facebook: facebook.com/thefirstdegree⚖️ On the Stand: (818) 446-6889💩 Worst Thing You’ve Ever Done: (818) 446-6889
🎟 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices


