On Jan. 29, 1999, a family friend entered the Reed family's Manassas, Virginia home where he killed 16-year-old Stacie Reed and then raped, stabbed, and choked 14-year-old Kristie Reed, leaving her for dead. Clinging to life, Kristie is about to mouth the name of her killer to police...Paul Warner Powell.

Powell is arrested just hours later. Powell is eventually found guilty and sentenced to life in prison for Stacie's murder.

From prison, Paul Powell writes profane, taunting letters to the family and prosecutor, boasting about the crime...believing he couldn't be re-tried due to the double jeopardy clause. Powell's letters are enough to charge him with capital murder, where a jury again finds him guilty. This time, he's given the death penalty and executed by electric chair in 2010.

Tune in every Tuesday as your hosts, veteran true crime producer (Ed) and true crime super fan (Melissa), dive into the cases that keep you up at night - offering behind-the-scenes insight while breaking down the barrier between fan and creator.

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The 1989 murder of Carol Stuart in Boston was a high-profile crime that captivated national attention and exposed deep racial and social tensions in the city. Carol Stuart, a pregnant white woman, was shot and killed on October 23, 1989, as she and her husband, Charles Stuart, drove through the Mission Hill neighborhood after attending a childbirth class. Charles claimed that an African American man had carjacked them, shot Carol in the head, and wounded him in the stomach. His account triggered a massive police investigation, during which Black men in the area were aggressively stopped and questioned. The case stoked racial divisions and sparked outrage among Boston's Black community.

The investigation took a dramatic turn when police arrested a young Black man, Willie Bennett, based on Charles Stuart's identification of him as the assailant. However, the narrative unraveled in January 1990 when Charles's brother, Matthew Stuart, came forward with shocking revelations implicating Charles in the murder. Matthew admitted to helping Charles dispose of evidence, including the gun and Carol's purse. Investigators soon concluded that Charles had staged the entire attack, likely motivated by financial gain, as he stood to collect a substantial life insurance payout upon Carol's death. When confronted with this evidence, Charles Stuart jumped off the Tobin Bridge in Boston, killing himself. The case left a lasting scar on Boston, highlighting systemic racial bias within the criminal justice system and the media's role in perpetuating stereotypes. The wrongful targeting of the Black community led to widespread criticism of law enforcement practices and a public reckoning with issues of race and inequality.

The murder of Carol Stuart remains a tragic reminder of how prejudice and manipulation can distort justice and devastate communities. Tune in every Tuesday as your hosts, veteran true crime producer (Ed) and true crime super fan (Melissa), dive into the cases that keep you up at night - offering behind-the-scenes insight while breaking down the barrier between fan and creator.

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Ed and Melissa dive into the twisted case of Richard Biegenwald, a man dubbed by the media as "The Jersey Shore Thrill Killer." The serial killer and arsonist murdered six people, four women and two men, in Monmouth County, New Jersey between 1958 and 1983. He is suspected in at least two other murders.

Jami met Steven Sherer in 1986. He had a prior criminal record for abusing and hospitalizing a previous girlfriend at the time. His file included documented threats, harassment complaints and restraining orders from the same woman. Jami's family and friends noticed an obvious change in her behavior after becoming romantically involved with Steven. They stated that she became withdrawn and dyed her hair blonde at his insistence, along with receiving breast implants. She was also fired from a job at that time due to poor attendance. All signs pointed to an abusive relationship and Jami's loved ones tried to convince her not to marry Steven.

However, they wed in 1987. Their son was born in 1988. By 1987, Steven was convicted of choking and assaulting a police officer in a drunken rage. Steven had been labeled as a habitual offender by the late 1980's, mainly due to a string of theft convictions and traffic violations. Another troubling sign came in the form of Steven's consistent invitations to friends and his advertisements in adult magazines for group sexual activities with himself and his wife. Jami apparently had enough of Steven's abuse by September of 1990. The couple had been arguing for some time when she finally drove to her parents home nearby with their son on September 29, 1990.

Jami told her parents that she intended to leave Steven the following day and planned to move into her parents house. Steven telephoned Jami later that evening and asked her to return to the couple's residence, she refused and informed him she wanted a divorce. According to Jami's mother, Steven did not accept that answer and pleaded with Jami to meet him the following day. She agreed to meet him outside of their home the next morning. Jami phoned her mother shortly after 08:30 AM on September 30, 1990. She left their son in her parents care. She said that Steven grabbed her purse and ran off shortly after meeting him. Jami also said that she figured Steven was en route to the couple's home and she intended to go there to reclaim her purse. Jami called her parents again at approximately 11:45 AM that morning. She said that Steven was at their residence and she was heading back to her parents house after stopping for lunch at Taco Time, a fast food restaurant. Her mother told investigators that Jami did not seem to be distressed at the time of her final phone call. Jami has never been seen nor heard from again.

Jami's 1980 Mazda RX7 was discovered as an abandoned vehicle in a church parking lot in Shoreline, Washington several days after her initial disappearance. Her purse was missing from the car. A suitcase with her clothing was located in the vehicle but her underwear was not included with her belongings.

There was no trace of Jami at the scene. Friends told police that Steven began acting very strangely immediately following Jami's disappearance. He frequented bars after his wife vanished and wore her panties tied around his arm. Steven also wore her necklace around his neck. He told friends the trinkets made him feel "closer to Jami." His sister informed police that she had seen a "large red spot" on the carpet of Steven and Jami's home the week she went missing. Investigators found evidence that the carpet in question had been repeatedly steam cleaned and a new piece of carpet was placed on the floor. Witnesses stated that Steven hired a carpet cleaning service the week Jami disappeared.

Steven was found guilty of first degree murder in June 2000. He was sentenced to 60 years in prison.

In November of 1985, two 27-year-old friends, David Tyll and Brian Ognjan disappeared without a trace while on a hunting trip to the remote Michigan town of Mio. For 18 years, rumors swirled around Mio's most feared family - the Duvalls - namely, brothers Donald and Raymond.

The duo had been linked to several unexplained deaths in the area, and even took credit for the hunters' murders. Unfortunately, with no proof, and no help from the tight-lipped community, the case went colder than a Michigan winter.

Almost two decades later, a dogged cold case detective picks up the case and quickly uncovers a witness to the murders. After earning her trust, the witness shares an unbelievable story. Not only did she see the hunters brutally killed with her own eyes, she overheard the Duvall brothers discussing plans to put the their bodies in a wood chipper and feed them their angry hogs.

The witness' account is enough to bring charges against Donald and Raymond Duvall, and in 2003, convict them of first-degree murder. Both were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Tune in every Tuesday as your hosts, veteran true crime producer (Ed) and true crime super fan (Melissa), dive into the cases that keep you up at night - offering behind-the-scenes insight while breaking down the barrier between fan and creator.

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In 1990, high schooler Jennifer McWhorter Taylor's life turned upside down when she learned her "Aunt Bet" (Betty Jones) had been brutally murdered in Starkville, Mississippi while visiting a friend. For nearly 30 years, her aunt's killer remained a mystery, until cold case investigator Bill Lott (fmr. Starkville Police Department) made it his mission to find the person responsible.

Leaning on advancements in DNA technology, and the revolutionary concept of genetic genealogy, the dogged investigator soon homed in on 52-year-old Michael Wayne DeVaughn - ending three decades of pain end heartache for Betty's family.

Today, MU is joined for a conversation by both Jennifer McWhorter Taylor and Homicide investigator Bill Lott - who have developed an unbreakable bond through this violent tragedy. Hear Jennifer discuss her emotional journey as Bill details his quest for justice.

Tune in every Tuesday as your hosts, veteran true crime producer (Ed) and true crime super fan (Melissa), dive into the cases that keep you up at night - offering behind-the-scenes insight while breaking down the barrier between fan and creator.

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After covering the case for a soon-to-air spinoff of A&E's Cold Case Files, producer Ed Hydock tells the very personal tale of the murder of Betty Jones and sexual assault of Kathryn Crigler.

Labor Day evening, 1990, Starkville, Mississippi-native, Betty Jones, heard a knock at the door. She'd been staying with her friend, 81-year-old amputee, Kathryn Crigler, to help her through some health issues. When Betty answered the door, she was immediately met by a fierce attack. The suspect, a young man with spiked blonde hair and a "swarthy" complexion,

proceeded to slit Betty's throat before raping Kathryn Crigler and disappearing into the balmy Mississippi night. The brutal attacks sent shockwaves through the peaceful, tight-knit community.

For nearly three decades, the killer eluded police, until DNA technology and a dogged cold case investigator caught up with him. In 2018, 52-year-old Michael Wayne DeVaughn was arrested and charged with capital murder and sexual assault in connection with the crimes.

Tune in every Tuesday as your hosts, veteran true crime producer (Ed) and true crime super fan (Melissa), dive into the cases that keep you up at night - offering behind-the-scenes insight into what it takes to bring the headlines to life on the small screen.

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In episode 24 (BLOCK: "Friends Til the End"), the MU team dives into a tragic local case which rocked the close-knit community of Fishtown - a blue collar Philadelphia neighborhood.

No one should have to die the way Jason did...especially in an area like that. Our hearts go out to his friends, family, and loved ones.

R.I.P. Jason Keel Sweeney

1986 - 2003

In 2003, 16-year-old Jason Sweeney was working for his father, a contractor, on a building project in Philadelphia. He recently met a girl he liked, 15-year-old Justina Morley, with whom he had a date on the evening of Friday, May 30th. Unbeknownst to Sweeney, Morley had been engaging in sexual relations with two other 16-year-olds, Nicholas Coia and Eddie Batzig Jr. Batzig was Sweeney's best friend since the fourth grade. Nicholas Coia and his 17-year-old brother, Domenic, were also friends with Sweeney.

With the promise of sex, Morley lured Sweeney to "The Trails," a wooded area of Fishtown near the Delaware River, where Batzig and the Coia brothers were lying in wait. There, they brutally murdered Jason using multiple deadly weapons - stealing $500 from his wallet. After a short investigation, police charged all four suspects with Jason's murder, citing jealousy and robbery as the motives.

Tune in every Tuesday as your hosts, veteran true crime producer (Ed) and true crime super fan (Melissa), dive into the cases that keep you up at night - offering behind-the-scenes insight into what it takes to bring the headlines to life on the small screen.

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