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Book Club (Jan-Feb 2026): Dig Me a Grave

Tue, 30 Dec 2025 21:10:00 GMT

The next crimeHQ Book Club selection is Dig Me a Grave by Dick Harpootlian . Live Q&A with Dick Harpootlian on Wednesday, February 25, 2026 at 7p ET!

Dig Me A Grave tells the inside story of how Dick Harpootlian, a tough homicide prosecutor in the 1970s and 80s, pursued the most notorious serial killer in South Carolina’s history to the electric chair.

Using exclusive files never before made public, Harpootlian offers a chilling look at Donald “Pee Wee" Gaskins, who transfixed the nation as the Charles Manson of the South. He brings the reader deeply inside Gaskins’ world as a crime boss, cult leader, sexual predator, and ultimately, a backwoods killer who kept a private graveyard in the swamps of South Carolina. As brazen as he was depraved, Gaskins even attempted to kidnap Harpootlian’s four-year-old daughter while awaiting execution.

Written with New York Times bestselling author Shaun Assael, Dig Me A Grave also offers a timely meditation on the death penalty. Gaskins thought he was enforcing a societal code by killing. And as he pursued the death penalty, so did Harpootlian. The reader will feel that uneasy push and pull as this richly told story unfolds.

More than just a retelling of Gaskins’ reign of terror, Dig Me A Grave explores the pursuit of justice, the complexities of the death penalty, and the unwavering resolve of those who fight for the truth. Through the eyes of a prosecutor, political strategist, and steadfast advocate for justice, this book delivers an unflinching look at one of the most notorious killers in American history.

DICK HARPOOTLIAN WILL JOIN CRIMEHQ FOR A LIVE Q&A ON WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25 AT 7P EST. RSVP HERE →

CrimeCon 2025 Schedule Reveal Event

Mon, 28 Jul 2025 17:24:45 GMT

The wait is almost over—CrimeCon 2025 is coming into focus, and crimeHQ members are getting the first look! Join the CrimeCon and crimeHQ team as we reveal the official schedule for Denver, packed with can't-miss sessions, special events, and unforgettable experiences. This exclusive preview is your inside scoop on what’s happening, when, and where. Trust us—you won’t want to miss it!

�� When: Friday, August 1st

⏰ Time: 6:00–7:00PM ET

�� Where: crimeHQ.com

��️ RSVP HERE

Can't make it live? We'll post the recorded video the next day

Not a crimeHQ Member yet? SIGN UP HERE

Book Club (May-June 2025): What Happened to Ellen?

Mon, 02 Jun 2025 23:41:00 GMT

The next crimeHQ Book Club selection is What Happened to Ellen? An American Miscarriage of Justice by Nancy Grace . Live Q&A with Nancy Grace on Tuesday, 6/24 at 7p ET!

How could this have happened in the United States?

Is it even humanly possible that this young woman could have so brutally and with such unimaginable Herculean force fatally stabbed herself more than twenty times?

Beautiful, accomplished, and beloved, Ellen Greenberg was a vivacious and affectionate teacher of young children she adored. Always upbeat, she deeply loved her family and friends, and especially her fiancée, Sam Goldberg, with whom she was planning a wedding. In fact, they’d just sent out the save-the-date announcements when, on January 26, 2011, Ellen was found in the kitchen of the luxury apartment she shared with Sam, a knife still plunged in her chest. She’d been brutally stabbed more than twenty times, at least one of the wounds having been assessed as occurring post-mortem. The autopsy by the Philadelphia medical examiner recorded homicide as the cause of death. Following secretive meetings, including the Philadelphia Police Department, District Attorney’s Office, and possibly members of the Attorney General’s Office, the cause of death was changed to “suicide.” How could that possibly be? Could this petite, twenty-seven-year-old woman have so forcibly murdered herself, hitting parts of her body no one could reach with such Herculean force, again and again and again? Top forensics investigators who have painstakingly studied this case take huge exception to the suicide finding. They say it’s impossible. Period. So why can’t Ellen Greenberg’s still grieving parents get the Philadelphia justice system to simply reopen the case, despite a groundswell of public pressure and thirteen years of legal battles and appeals? Why is it that even the Philadelphia Supreme Court called the handling of the case questionable and even riddled with mistakes but stopped short of ordering a new investigation?

RSVP HERE TO JOIN US FOR A LIVE Q&A ON CRIMEHQ WITH AUTHOR NANCY GRACE ON TUESDAY, JUNE 24 AT 7P ET!

Convicted Killer David Hoshaw Speaks and Confesses

Sat, 10 May 2025 00:19:31 GMT

From behind bars, serving two life sentences for the murders of Vonda and Angelique Goyena, David Hoshaw admits everything in an exclusive audio-recorded prison interview with journalist and Killer Genes host, Melissa McCarty. He talks dating, deception, and details of the night he murdered Angelique and Vonda — in his own words. The confession that Prosecutor Phil Evans has waited nearly two decades to hear.

Join us for this crimeHQ exclusive event with McCarty & Evans as they take you inside the killer mind of David Hoshaw and hear of his crimes in his own words and for the first time. It’s an event you won’t want to miss.

RSVP HERE TO JOIN US FOR THIS EXCLUSIVE CRIMEHQ LIVE EVENT ON 5/15 at 7pET ON CRIMEHQ!

Inside the Lori Vallow Daybell Trial

Mon, 28 Apr 2025 17:58:03 GMT

Live Inside the Lori Vallow Daybell Trial with Prosecutor Rachel Smith & East Idaho News Director Nate Eaton

Join us live on Wednesday, April 30th, at 8 PM ET for a special CrimeHQ event featuring East Idaho News Director Nate Eaton and veteran prosecutor Rachel Smith. Together, they will break down the recent trial and second conviction of “doomsday mom” Lori Vallow Daybell.

Eaton has been covering the story since day one, and Smith served as a special prosecutor in Vallow Daybell’s Idaho trial for the murders of her two children and Chad Daybell’s first wife. During the event, they will discuss the outcome of Vallow Daybell’s Arizona trial, her decision to act as her own defense attorney, and what to expect from her upcoming trial in June for conspiracy to commit murder against her niece’s husband, Brandon Boudreaux.

Bring your questions and join us for an inside look at one of the most followed and watched cases in recent memory!

RSVP HERE TO JOIN US FOR THIS EXCLUSIVE CRIMEHQ LIVE EVENT!

Live with American Hustlers Podcast

Mon, 07 Apr 2025 20:19:23 GMT

A behind-the-scenes conversation with the creators of the hit podcast True Crime News Presents: American Hustlers

Join us live on Wednesday, 4/16 at 8p ET for a behind-the-scenes conversation with the creators of the hit podcast True Crime News Presents: American Hustlers ! Hosts Kim Kantner and Julie Golden will also be joined by Tyson Wrench. In the podcast, Tyson shares his harrowing friendships and ultimate betrayal with the two men at the center of this jaw-dropping case.

RSVP HERE TO JOIN US FOR THIS EXCLUSIVE CRIMEHQ LIVE EVENT!

Book Club (Feb-March 2025): Raised by a Serial Killer

Thu, 13 Feb 2025 17:34:43 GMT

The next crimeHQ Book Club selection is Raised by a Serial Killer: Discovering the Truth About My Father by April Balascio . Live Q&A with Author April Balascio on April 1 at 7p ET!

The untold story behind the hit true crime podcast The Clearing, this unforgettable memoir traces one daughter’s moving quest to understand her larger-than-life childhood as she searches for the truth about her father, the serial killer Edward Wayne Edwards.

One evening in 2009, April Balascio was searching online, as she had been every night, for unsolved murders in the towns her family had lived growing up, when she stumbled across the latest investigations into the “Sweetheart Murders” cold case. All at once, the buried memories of her father’s dark history were awakened, and she knew she had to take action. She picked up the phone to call a detective and the rest is infamous true crime history.

In her unflinching memoir, Balascio bravely reveals an astonishing tale of a lifetime of manipulation, unexplained upheavals, and silent fear. Some part of her had always known what her father was capable of, but the full truth of how she came to these revelations is as riveting as it is quietly terrifying. Through searing storytelling, dedicated research, and intimate insight, Raised by a Serial Killer is a gripping, courageous memoir unlike any other.

RSVP HERE TO JOIN US FOR A LIVE Q&A ON CRIMEHQ WITH AUTHOR APRIL BALASCIO ON APRIL 1 AT 7P ET!

Criminology 103: Decoding Serial Murder and Violent Crime with Dr. Honor Doro Townshend

Thu, 05 Dec 2024 17:01:03 GMT

Get ready for an exclusive sneak peek at Dr. Honor Doro Townshend’s all-new online Criminology lecture series, available as a free taster only to crimeHQ members! Join us for the first of three exciting sessions, where the renowned British Criminologist will unveil part one of her upcoming "Introduction to Criminology" package. In this session, you’ll dive into the world of Criminology and discover how it unravels the mysteries of True Crime. Curious about what Criminology really is? Wondering why theory matters or what Criminologists actually do? Dr. Honor will cover it all—and more! Plus, you'll get a first look at the next sessions “Drugs and Crime” and “Serial Murder and Other Violent Crime”, and you will have a chance to ask your burning questions and share your thoughts on what captivates you about the world of Criminology. Be the first to experience this fascinating content, which is set to debut in 2025.

Criminology 101: An Exclusive Introduction with Dr. Honor Doro Townshend | Thursday, October 3rd at 8p ET
Criminology 102: Unravelling Drugs and Crime | Thursday, November 14th at 8p ET
Criminology 103: Decoding Serial Murder and Violent Crime | Thursday, December 5th at 8p ET

Join crimeHQ now and get your first 3 days completely free to explore everything on the platform with NO restrictions. JOIN NOW →

Book Club (Nov-Dec 2024): Never Saw Me Coming

Tue, 19 Nov 2024 01:33:38 GMT

The next crimeHQ Book Club selection is Never Saw Me Coming by Tanya Smith. Live Q&A with Author Tanya Smith on December 9th at 7p ET!

A riveting true story of an unsuspecting woman who creates an ingeniously clever white-collar scheme that manipulates the Federal banking system out of millions—who eventually loses everything that is most important to her.

In Never Saw Me Coming , Tanya Smith shares her deeply personal and remarkable story of how she went from a precocious young girl to a money-grabbing, computer-savvy wiz. It starts out as a keen interest in technology and innocently acquiring phone numbers to Michael Jackson, as well as other celebrities, and moves to her successfully stealing and depositing $5,000 into her grandmother’s banking account. By the time she is 18, the risk taker has confiscated millions in cash.

The FBI is hot on her tail and hauls her in for an interview, demanding Smith let them know who she’s working for, “as these are not the kind of crimes Black people are smart enough to commit.” Their words, indicating that intelligence was determined by race, severely offended Smith. Up for the challenge, she proves the FBI wrong and over time steals $40 million dollars, while securing diamonds, gold bars, and other commodities. Her lifestyle attracts the wrong kind of people, even those who set out to kill her.

Law enforcement persisted, ultimately dubbing Smith "one of the single biggest threats to the entire United States banking system." She receives an outrageous prison sentence—the longest for a white-collar offense—and is eventually released by mounting her own brilliant defense.

Complete with unexpected twists and turns, Never Saw Me Coming is a gripping caper that reminds never to underestimate a woman.

RSVP HERE TO JOIN US FOR A LIVE Q&A ON CRIMEHQ WITH AUTHOR TANYA SMITH ON DECEMBER 9TH AT 7P ET!

Criminology 102: Unravelling Drugs and Crime with Dr. Honor Doro Townshend

Thu, 14 Nov 2024 16:52:21 GMT

Criminology 101: An Exclusive Introduction with Dr. Honor Doro Townshend | Thursday, October 3rd at 8p ET
Criminology 102: Unravelling Drugs and Crime | Thursday, November 14th at 8p ET
Criminology 103: Decoding Serial Murder and Violent Crime | Thursday, December 5th at 8p ET

Join crimeHQ now and get your first 3 days completely free to explore everything on the platform with NO restrictions. JOIN NOW →

Live from Delphi with Susan Hendricks

Mon, 28 Oct 2024 18:02:35 GMT

It’s a case we’ve followed since CrimeCon began in Indiana in 2017—the same year that Abby and Libby were killed. Over the years their family has become our family. We’ve watched as they’ve processed grief, fought for answers, and showed us all what courage really looks like.

Join the crimeHQ team and our friend Susan Hendricks, who has been in the courtroom every day, for a live event to talk about the twists and turns of the case, how the family is holding up, and what it’s like when the national media all descends on a small town like Delphi, Indiana.

October 30, 2024 at 8:00pET on crimeHQ

Book Club (September-October 2024): The Book of Murder

Tue, 24 Sep 2024 00:05:01 GMT

The next crimeHQ Book Club selection is The Book of Murder by Matt Murphy. Live Q&A with Author Matt Murphy on October 22nd!

Examining murder from an insider’s perspective, Matt Murphy—a former senior deputy district attorney and current ABC News Legal Analyst—discusses cases from his career, how they strained his personal life, and how he found peace seeking justice for victims and their families.

Part taxonomy of murder, part prosecutor’s handbook, and part personal memoir, The Book of Murder goes through a dozen cases and his recollections of his twenty-six years in the Orange County DA’s office (seventeen in the Homicide Unit). Refreshingly honest about the toll such work takes on one’s private life, Murphy weaves his personal narrative throughout his casework in a way that humanizes the people entrusted with the duty of seeking justice on behalf of the public. As he does so, he lays bare the decision-making a prosecutor goes through in building a case to ensure justice is met while telling captivating tale after captivating tale of the world’s worst crime.

See how a prosecutor looks at—and lives with—the very worst crime. The insider’s perspective that Murphy gives on the notorious cases of Skylar Deleon, Rodney Alcala, “Dirty John” Meehan, and many others is a vital read for true-crime fans everywhere.

Criminology 101: An Exclusive Introduction with Dr. Honor Doro Townshend

Tue, 27 Aug 2024 18:55:15 GMT

Criminology 101: An Exclusive Introduction with Dr. Honor Doro Townshend | Thursday, October 3rd at 8p ET
Criminology 102: Unravelling Drugs and Crime | Thursday, November 14th at 8p ET
Criminology 103: Decoding Serial Murder and Violent Crime | Thursday, December 5th at 8p ET

Join crimeHQ now and get your first 3 days completely free to explore everything on the platform with NO restrictions. JOIN NOW →

Inside the Trial of Lori Vallow from the Jury Box

Wed, 10 Jul 2024 15:12:58 GMT

Join Eastidahonews.com News Director Nate Eaton for a special live crimeHQ event where he will be joined by Laura and Tom, two jurors who served on the jury of Lori Vallows trial. In this intimate session, they will speak candidly about serving on a high profile jury and the trauma they experienced while dealing with the daily horrific details they heard and saw in the courtroom for two months.

You’re not going to want to miss this exclusive crimeHQ members-only session!

Live on Wednesday, July 17 at 7p ET

Can't make it live? Watch this recorded session on-demand the next day.

Join crimeHQ now and get your first 3 days completely free to explore everything on the platform with NO restrictions. JOIN NOW →

The Unsolved Homicide of Laralee Spear

Mon, 08 Jul 2024 16:18:58 GMT

It was 1994 in DeLand, Florida when 15-year-old Laralee Spear was getting off the school bus just like any other day, but she would never make it home. Laralee was abducted and murdered at an abandoned and burned-out house just a ¼ mile from her home on Deerfoot Road, and the person, or persons, responsible have yet to be apprehended.

For the last 30 years, investigators with the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office have been working tirelessly to solve her case. Even recently announcing a $100,000 reward for anyone that might have information that leads to an arrest and conviction of Laralee’s killer.

In this special crimeHQ session, join Sheryl “Mac” McCollum and lead detective on the case Cordell Lemay, as they take members into the life of Laralee Spear, her death, where the case sits now and what we can do as a community to help.

Live on Thursday, July 11 at 7p ET

Can't make it live? Watch this recorded session on-demand the next day.

Join crimeHQ now and get your first 3 days completely free to explore everything on the platform with NO restrictions. JOIN NOW →

Book Club (July-August 2024): Long Haul

Fri, 28 Jun 2024 18:03:59 GMT

The next crimeHQ Book Club selection is Long Haul by Frank Figliuzzi. Live Q&A with Author Frank Figliuzzi on Tuesday, August 13 at 7pm ET.

From the FBI’s former assistant director, a shocking journey to the dark side of America’s highways, revealing the FBI Highway Serial Killings Initiative’s hunt for the long-haul truckers behind an astonishing 850 murders–and counting.

In 2004, the FBI was tipped off to a gruesome pattern of unsolved murders along American roadways. Today at least 850 homicides have been linked to a solitary breed of predators: long-haul truck drivers. They have been given names like the “Truck Stop Killer,” who rigged a traveling torture chamber in the rear of his truck and is suspected to have killed fifty women, and “The Interstate Strangler,” who once answered a phone call from his mother while killing one of his dozen victims. The crisis was such that the FBI opened a special unit, the Highway Serial Killings Initiative. In many cases, the victims—often at-risk women—are picked up at truck stops in one jurisdiction, sexually assaulted and murdered in another, and dumped along a highway in a third place. The transient nature of the offenders and multiple jurisdictions involved make these cases incredibly difficult to solve.

Based on his own on-the-ground research and drawing on his twenty-five-year career as an FBI special agent, Frank Figliuzzi investigates the most terrifying cases. He also rides in a big-rig with a long-haul trucker for thousands of miles, gaining an intimate understanding of the life and habits of drivers and their roadside culture. And he interviews the courageous trafficked victims of these crimes, and their inspiring efforts to now help others avoid similar fates.

Long Haul is a gripping exploration of a violent, disordered world hiding in plain sight, and the heroes racing to end the horror. It will forever unsettle how you travel on the road.

CrimeCon 2024 Session Videos

Thu, 27 Jun 2024 15:55:23 GMT

CrimeCon 2024 session videos are available now on crimeHQ! Relive every amazing moment from Nashville or experience it for the first time with over 50 hours of videos from CC24, plus, over 250 hours of videos from past CC events. The best part? You can binge it all from your couch in your pajamas.

Not a crimeHQ Member yet? SIGN UP HERE

The Official CrimeCon 2024 Schedule Reveal

Sat, 27 Apr 2024 01:07:16 GMT

The CrimeCon 2024 schedule is here…for crimeHQ members only! Join the CrimeCon/crimeHQ team as we reveal the official Nashville schedule live in crimeHQ. You absolutely don’t want to miss this one!

CrimeCon 2024 Schedule Reveal: Tuesday, 4/30 at 8:00p ET

Not a crimeHQ Member yet? SIGN UP HERE

Book Club (March-April 2024): Zenith Man

Mon, 26 Feb 2024 02:38:00 GMT

The next crimeHQ Book Club selection is Zenith Man by McCracken Poston Jr. Live Q&A with McCracken on Tuesday, April 2 at 8pm ET.

ZENITH MAN: Death, Love, and Redemption in a Georgia Courtroom by McCracken Poston Jr. is Rain Man meets Just Mercy, a legal thriller, courtroom drama, and an unusual buddy story. It’s Georgia’s quirkiest true crime case, so unusual that it made national headlines, garnering coverage in People, Forensic Files, The Washington Post, and Wired.

When Alvin Ridley’s wife was discovered dead in her home, residents of the small town of Ringgold, GA assumed the recluse, hoarder, and odd figure naturally murdered her. Idealistic young defense attorney Poston, stinging from a failed congressional run, had already encountered the eccentric Ridley – dubbed “Zenith Man” for his work repairing televisions - and took the case. His client proved to be challenging, incomprehensible, reticent, unwashed, holding back evidence, a puzzle for his lawyer.

Alvin's late-life diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder and his wife’s long history of epilepsy would explain the couple’s reclusiveness, their past difficulties, and the ongoing challenges between lawyer and client. Improbably, the death of the fastest woman alive, Florence Griffith Joyner (“Flo-Jo”) would be key to the mystery. The case would create a bond between these two dramatically different men, giving rise to an unlikely friendship.

AUTHOR MCCRACKEN POSTON JR. WILL JOIN CRIMEHQ FOR A LIVE Q&A ON TUESDAY, APRIL 2 AT 8P ET!

The crimeHQ Podcast Club (NEW!)

Wed, 15 Nov 2023 16:21:09 GMT

We're always searching for the next podcast to binge and we know you are too so we're starting something new for all of us: The crimeHQ Podcast Club. Think of it like a traditional book club but for podcasts. Together, we'll all listen to a new podcast over 1-2 months (this will vary depending on pod length). We'll have all episodes posted in crimeHQ. Feel free to go at your own pace but after you listen to an episode, head to the bottom of that episode page to leave your thoughts and comments so we can all discuss together. Subsequently, we'll all meet for a special live event and Q&A (or 2!) in crimeHQ with the podcast host and maybe some surprise guests directly involved in the podcast.

What you'll get from Podcast Club

You'll get a few great benefits from participating:

Your new favorite podcast (maybe!) Sometimes listening to something outside of your comfort zone and not what you would typically choose is the best way to find a new favorite.
Access to exclusive content. We're partnering with podcast hosts to bring you exclusive content from the pod.
Meeting new people. crimeHQ members are as excited as you are to dive into the episodes so don't be shy about chatting and discussing along the way

CRIMEHQ PODCAST CLUB SELECTION (NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2023):

THE BAKERSFIELD THREE

Book Club (Nov-Dec 2023): Down The Hill

Wed, 01 Nov 2023 15:03:31 GMT

Our next Book Club selection is Down the Hill by Susan Hendricks. Live Q&A with Susan on December 27th at 8p ET.

Former CNN/HLN anchor and veteran broadcast journalist Susan Hendricks takes an investigative deep-dive into the still-unsolved double homicide of two teens in Delphi, Indiana—and its lasting impact on the community

On February 13, 2017, two teenage girls—13-year-old Abby Williams and 14-year-old Libby German—decided to enjoy a day off from school by exploring the popular hiking trails near the Monon High Bridge just a few minutes’ drive from Libby’s home in Delphi, Indiana. Libby’s sister, Kelsi, dropped the two girls off at the head of the trail and waved to them as they walked down the path, which was the last time they’d ever be seen alive. Less than 24 hours later, their bodies were found on the north bank of Deer Creek, about a mile from where they were last seen. There were few clues and little to go on in terms of physical evidence, except for the visual and audio remnants of a strange encounter the girls had with a stranger just hours before their disappearance, an encounter unsettling enough that Libby had thought to record it on her cellphone as it unfolded. In the years since the murders were first made public, Libby’s audio and video recordings have been released and two very different composite sketches of the suspect have been shown, but local law enforcement remained vague about developments for years—until finally, in October 2022, the long-awaited suspect was arrested and a trial date was set.

Longtime anchor and journalist Susan Hendricks was one of the first reporters to cover the case. A broadcast veteran with decades’ worth of experience under her belt, she was no stranger when it came to sharing the tragedies of the day with viewers. But there was something about this case that rattled her to her core. A year after the murders, Susan went to Delphi to interview the victims’ families for an in-depth special report where Kelsi drove Susan down the same path that she drove her sister down on the last day of her life. Over the years, Susan has built close relationships with family members, and law enforcement officials and armchair detectives alike who are determined to get justice for Abby and Libby.

In Down the Hill, Hendricks digs deeper in into the mystery that has captivated our nation for years, exploring the family's enduring resilience and advocacy, as well as the rippling impact the case has had on not just Delphi, but the very heart of the American heartland. As a result, this book is more than just a book about a double homicide; it’s about a small town in middle America that’s been haunted by an unfathomable act of violence; it’s about the ways families and communities cope with grief and move forward after tragedy; it’s about the limitations of local law enforcement and the rise of technology in helping to solve cases in new ways. But it’s also about compassion, connection, empathy, and resilience—on a very real, very human level.

AUTHOR SUSAN HENDRICKS WILL JOIN CRIMEHQ FOR A LIVE Q&A ON DECEMBER 27 AT 8P ET!

CrimeCon is better with crimeHQ

Tue, 19 Sep 2023 14:57:05 GMT

Check out all of the exclusive perks for crimeHQ members at CrimeCon 2023 Orlando!

EXCLUSIVE SESSION

CrimeCon is over for everyone but crimeHQ members with a bonus session at 3:15pm on Sunday in Breakout One: " Unraveling the Past: Applying Forensic Genetic Genealogy Towards Solving Violent Crimes & Identifying Human Remains, Presented by Othram and DNASolves. " In the ever-evolving landscape of forensic science, genetic genealogy has emerged as a powerful tool for identifying human remains and suspects of violent crimes. This session will delve into the intriguing intersections of genetics and genealogy, and its transformative role in the world of law enforcement.

In this engaging and interactive finale to CrimeCon weekend, crimeHQ members will have the opportunity to apply their newfound knowledge and detective skills to solve a hypothetical case. Using online tools and resources, coupled with their laptops or iPads, they will collaborate in small teams to crack the case. Each team will analyze genetic data, scour historical records, and follow digital breadcrumbs to uncover the truth. This hands-on experience will provide a glimpse into the challenges and rewards of modern-day forensic genetic genealogy.

By the end of this workshop, participants will not only appreciate the pivotal role of genetics and genealogy in forensic investigations, but they'll also gain a deeper understanding of the ethical and privacy considerations that accompany this groundbreaking field. Science meets sleuthing and the result is closure to cold cases and justice for the victims and their families.

VIDEO ARCHIVES

The only way to catch up on everything you missed at CrimeCon is with crimeHQ! Members get on-demand video access to all major sessions from CC23 plus archives of all past events (over 225 hours!)

MEMBERSHIP PIN

Pick up your crimeHQ membership pin at registration. You'll need to have your membership pin attached to your lanyard to get into the exclusive crimeHQ session on Sunday! If you don't get your pin at registration, you can always stop by the Help Desk or crimeHQ table to pick it up. Note: If you are a VIP badge holder and registering in your lounge, you will need to pick up your crimeHQ membership pin from the Help Desk at any point throughout the weekend.

FAST TRACK REGISTRATION

Picking up your CrimeCon badge is easy when you get to skip the lines. CrimeHQ members have a dedicated registration line so you don't have to worry about waiting with the crowds. Note: The fast track registration line is only available during the Friday morning registration period in Meet & Greet Rooms 1+2.

BOOK CLUB BONUS

Our next crimeHQ Book Club selection is Phase Line Green: The Talladega Hostage Event by Author James McGee and he'll be at CrimeCon 2023! Check out his session and book signing details HERE and don't forget to pick up a copy of Phase Line Green in the CrimeCon 2023 bookstore!

Not a crimeHQ Member yet? SIGN UP HERE

How to Investigate Cold Cases (Special 3-Part Event)

Wed, 31 May 2023 15:08:33 GMT

Over the course of three weeks, join retired NYPD Sergeant and Commanding Officer of the Bronx Cold Case Squad Joseph Giacalone, as he takes us through a series of ‘how-to’s’ when investigating cold cases.

Class #1: Wednesday, 6/7 at 8p ET
Class #2: Wednesday, 6/14 at 8p ET
Class #3: Wednesday, 6/21 at 8p ET

Can't make it live? Watch this recorded session on-demand the next day.

Join crimeHQ now and get your first 3 days completely free to explore everything on the platform with NO restrictions.

The Disappearance of the Springfield Three

Mon, 01 May 2023 16:30:11 GMT

It’s a mystery that’s haunted the nation for over 30 years, spawning a plethora of theories and suspects that continue to be the subject of fervent debate within the true crime community.

On June 6th, 1992, friends Suzanne “Suzie” Streeter and Stacy McCall celebrated their high school graduation with friends, ending their evening with a sleepover at Levitt’s home she shared with her mother, Sherrill. By the next day, Stacy, Suzie, and her mother Sherrill had vanished.

Mark your calendars for a live discussion on the Springfield Three on Monday, 5/8 at 7p ET. We will be joined by Anne Roderique-Jones, creator and host of the podcast Ozarks True Crime , and retired Missouri police officer Rick Bookout, who was the first officer on the scene. We’ll discuss Roderique-Jone’s journey delving into the disappearances that rocked her hometown, Bookout’s first impressions of the case and how his theory evolved over time.

Can't make it live? Watch this recorded session on-demand the next day.

Join crimeHQ now and get your first 3 days completely free to explore everything on the platform with NO restrictions.

Book Club Q&A with Dr. Michael Baden

Wed, 26 Apr 2023 00:31:07 GMT

The crimeHQ Book Club selection for March-April 2023 is AMERICAN AUTOPSY: ONE MEDICAL EXAMINER'S DECADES-LONG FIGHT FOR RACIAL JUSTICE IN A BROKEN LEGAL SYSTEM by Dr. Michael Baden.

Dr. Michael Baden will be live in crimeHQ for a Q&A on Wednesday, April 26 at 8p ET. RSVP HERE

Can't make it live? Watch this recorded session on-demand the next day.

Join crimeHQ now and get your first 3 days completely free to explore everything on the platform with NO restrictions.

CrimeConversations with Kelly McLear & Melissa McCarty

Fri, 07 Apr 2023 00:29:23 GMT

The first two episodes of Killing Dad: A First-Degree Mistake , hosted by Kelly McLear and Melissa McCarty are out now on all podcast platforms.

At 17, Crystal Howell killed her father Michael in their mountaintop home in North Carolina. She then put his body in a storage bin, hid it in the shed, and moved in her friends before fleeing to Georgia where she was arrested.

Crystal is now speaking for the first time. Hear why she killed her dad, along with new information and evidence in the case. It’s a new perspective that brings everything you’ve heard about this case into question. At the end of this ten-part exclusive series you will be asked, does she deserve the 30 years to life sentence?

Join Kelly McLear and Melissa McCarty live Thursday, 4/6 at 7p ET on crimeHQ as they discuss the case, the new information they’ve uncovered, and sneak peaks at whats to come for the series!

Can't make it live? Watch this recorded session on-demand the next day.

Join crimeHQ now and get your first 3 days completely free to explore everything on the platform with NO restrictions.

The Search for Dylan Rounds

Wed, 08 Mar 2023 15:37:37 GMT

Join us live on Thursday, March 9th at 8pm ET with Nate Eaton , News Director of East Idaho News, and Candice Cooley, mother of missing teen Dylan Rounds for an in-depth session on the latest developments and recent charges surrounding this bizarre missing persons case.

19-year-old Dylan Rounds of Lucin, ID has been missing since May 26, 2022 when he was last spotted at a restaurant across the border in Nevada. Since his family reported him missing, strange and bizarre incidents have occurred.

Dylan’s mother Candice Cooley says her son Dylan is not mentally distressed, has no enemies, was not dating anyone and his biggest concern was about his farm and recent planting. After an extensive 9-month investigation, Dylan’s squating-neighbor, 60-year-old James Brenner has been charged with aggravated murder and abuse or desecration of a human body.

Nate and Candice will break down the evidence found to charge Brenner, including Dylan’s boots that were found and the DNA contained on them, firearms, ballistics, clothing and cell phone video.

While Dylan has yet to be found, we hope the family is one step closer to bringing him home.

Can't make it live? Watch this recorded session on-demand the next day.

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Who Murdered Brittany Phillips?

Wed, 22 Feb 2023 16:24:26 GMT

How hard would you fight if someone murdered your loved one? In 2004, 18-year-old college student Brittany Phillips was murdered in her Tulsa apartment. Since then, her mother Dr. Maggie Zingman has fought tirelessly for answers using every method she could possibly think of. And just recently, Maggie uncovered a piece of evidence that appears to significantly shift the timeline of her daughter's murder.

Join us live on crimeHQ on Wednesday, 3/1 at 7p ET with Maggie and Sheryl "Mac" McCollum to discuss the new information and the numerous twists and turns this case has taken over the years.

Can't make it live? Watch this recorded session on-demand the next day.

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The Mysterious Disappearance of Amanda Dean

Fri, 03 Feb 2023 19:11:26 GMT

Amanda Dean has been missing for more than 5 years and her family wants answers. Join us live on Wednesday, 2/15 at 7p ET with Cleveland Family Center for Missing Children and Adults President, Chief John Majoy and Amanda’s family as they discuss the case.

In 2020, Amanda’s case was first treated as a missing person’s investigation. The Huron County, Ohio Sheriff’s Office changed the status after it was reported they talked to a domestic violence shelter and learned Amanda was living there. However, Amanda has not been seen or heard from since.

Chief Majoy, Amanda’s mother Caroline and sister Shannon need crimeHQ’s help to bring awareness to the case in the hopes of finding out what happened to Amanda and hopefully, bring her home.

Can't make it live? Watch this recorded session on-demand the next day.

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Live AMA with Chris Hansen

Wed, 25 Jan 2023 21:11:17 GMT

Join us for a live AMA (Ask Me Anything) session on Wednesday, 1/25 at 7p ET and bring your questions for the legendary journalist and child predator hunter, Chris Hansen!

Can't make it live? Watch this recorded session on-demand the next day.

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The Idaho Murders

Thu, 12 Jan 2023 16:12:45 GMT

LIVE SPECIAL EVENT: THE IDAHO MURDERS

Join Sheryl “Mac” McCollum, Joe Scott Morgan and Kelly McLear live at 7p ET on Thursday, 1/12 as they break down the investigation into the quadruple murders in Moscow, Idaho. They'll cover everything we know so far, the recent arrest, and the questions still left to be answered. Come ready with all your questions.

Can't make it live? Watch this recorded session on-demand the next day.

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Live from Delphi

Mon, 31 Oct 2022 14:50:14 GMT

Indiana State Police will give a news conference announcing a major update in the murders of Abby Williams and Libby German on Monday, 10/31 at 10am. Sheryl "Mac" McCollum is headed to Delphi, Indiana where she'll join us live after the conference. We hope that this is the day we've all been waiting for. #justiceforabbyandlibby

Watch this session on-demand with a subscription to crimeHQ. Join now and get your first 3 days completely free to explore everything on the platform with NO restrictions.

CrimeConversations with James Baysinger

Tue, 20 Sep 2022 21:04:57 GMT

CrimeConversations with James Baysinger

Tuesday, September 20 | 7pm EST

CrimeCon fan-favorite, James Baysinger, has just released season 3/part 2 of his hit podcast, Hide and Seek featuring the missing persons case of Brittany Wallace. Baysinger has stepped out of the Pacific Northwest and headed to Michigan to investigate a case that is filled with more twist and turns than an amusement park roller coaster. If you haven’t already started it, be prepared to be sucked in! Baysinger will discuss the challenges of investigating such a secretive case, the threats he’s encountered, and what’s coming up for part 2 of season 3.

As the featured case of CrimeCon’s CrowdSolve Seattle, Baysinger was a catalyst for sparking new life into the missing persons case of Nancy Moyer from Tenino, WA in 2009. Still close to the investigation, James will fill us in on how the investigation has been going since CrowdSolve in 2019.

Considering the success of Hide and Seek , the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office decided to work with James and share the case file of Logan Schiendelman, a 19-year-old who mysteriously went missing after a bizarre car crash, and helped to bring new leads to light in season 2 of the hit series.

→ LISTEN TO ALL EPISODES NOW

→ FOLLOW THE BRITTANY WALLACE CASE ON FACEBOOK

Watch this session on-demand with a subscription to crimeHQ. Join now and get your first 3 days completely free to explore everything on the platform with NO restrictions.

CrimeConversations with Nate Eaton & Skye Borgman

Mon, 12 Sep 2022 16:54:25 GMT

CrimeConversations with Nate Eaton & Skye Borgman

September 7, 2022

Award-winning director, filmmaker and cinematographer, Skye Borgman, joined East Idaho News Director and crimeHQ Special Contributor, Nate Eaton, for an exclusive CrimeConversations in anticipation of the Netflix true-crime release, " Sins of Our Mother ".

The highly anticipated 3-part documentary focusing on Lori Vallow, who is accused of killing her children JJ & Tylee, her ex-husband Charles Vallow and Chad Daybell’s deceased wife, Tammy Daybell, premieres Sept. 14th. Eaton and Borgman will dive into the challenges of taking on such horrific crimes, telling the story through Vallow’s oldest son Colby, family members and friends, and discuss the upcoming trial.

Nate Eaton has been on the Vallow/Daybell case since the start and Skye Borgman is a force to be reckoned with in the true crime space being at the helm of some of the most widely respected and watched projects such as "Abducted in Plain Sight", "Girl in the Picture", "Unsolved Mysteries" and the latest Netflix hit, "I Just Killed My Dad."

Who Killed Melissa Witt? Live Q&A with LaDonna Humphrey

Wed, 31 Aug 2022 20:11:11 GMT

Who Killed Melissa Witt? Live Q&A with LaDonna Humphrey

August 30, 2022

For over two decades, the identity of Melissa Witt’s killer has been hidden among the dense trees and thorny undergrowth rooted deeply in the uneven ground of a remote mountaintop in the Ozark National Forest.

Determined to find answers, LaDonna Humphrey has spent the past seven years hunting for Melissa’s killer. Her investigation, both thrilling and unpredictable, has led her on a journey like no other.

The Girl I Never Knew is an edge-of-your-seat account of LaDonna Humphrey's passionate fight for justice in the decades-old murder case of a girl she never knew. Her unstoppable quest for the truth has gained the attention of some incredibly dangerous people, some of whom would like to keep Melissa’s murder a mystery forever.

DNA Doe Project: What Happened After CrimeCon Las Vegas

Wed, 31 Aug 2022 20:08:43 GMT

DNA DOE PROJECT: WHAT HAPPENED AFTER CRIMECON LAS VEGAS?

August 24, 2022

Cairenn Binder of DNA Doe Project joined crimeHQ to share some updates and new details about the impact that the true crime community has had on investigative genetic genealogy since CrimeCon 2022 in Las Vegas. Also featured in this crimeHQ exclusive session was new case details about Apache Junction Jane Doe . Cairenn took questions live about DNA Doe Project, Investigative Genetic Genealogy and how you can help solve a cold case!

Cold Case Club: Who Killed Tanya Frazier?

Wed, 15 Jun 2022 20:49:20 GMT

Access to the Cold Case Club is included with a subscription to crimeHQ. Join now and get your first 3 days completely free to explore everything on the platform with NO restrictions.

About The Case

In the summer of 1994, 14-year-old Tanya Fraizer left her Seattle middle school summer course, telling friends she was heading to work at a nearby soup kitchen. After leaving the campus, she disappeared. One week later her body was found in an isolated area in a wealthy Seattle neighborhood. She'd been stabbed to death and sexually assaulted.

From day one of the case, private investigators Rose and Bob Winquist took on the case with a passion and fierce dedication that has stuck with them nearly 30 years later. Despite DNA evidence found at the autopsy, the case remains unsolved. Within the last 27 years, Rose and Bob have interviewed dozens of people, combed through Tanya's journals and notes, and retraced Tanya's steps the day she went missing countless times. They believe this case is absolutely solvable, and maintain it just has not gotten the attention it deserves.

What Happens in the Club?

The crimeHQ Cold Case Club will meet weekly over the next several weeks via Zoom. Members will have access to Rose and Bob's entire case file, Tanya's autopsy report, and crime scene photos. If you're unable to join live each Tuesday, you can watch the video recording and event recap of each session the following day. Members will hear from and interact with experts, investigators, and the people connected to the case. We encourage everyone to share their theories, findings and questions.

Schedule of Events

Who Killed Tanya ? | Tuesday, 6/14 at 7p ET

In our first Cold Case Club session, members were introduced to our case moderators, Rose and Bob Winquist, who provided an introduction to Tanya's case and explained what they hope to achieve with the club. Members were also introduced to Elizabeth "Lizzie" Hudson, a data analyst and victim advocate. Lizzie shared a data model she has been building and encouraged everyone to help contribute and maintain the spreadsheet.

My Everything | Tuesday, 6/21 at 7p ET

While most 14-year-old girls want to spend as much time as they can with friends, Tanya wanted to spend her time with her baby sister Teara. The two were incredibly close, which is why Teara and their mother knew the minute Tanya didn’t come home that something was horribly wrong. In this session we meet Tanya’s sister Teara and her mother Theresa as they share what Tanya meant to them, their thoughts on the case, and their efforts to keep the investigation alive.

Not Quite a Crime Scene | Tuesday, 6/28 at 7p ET

Investigators believe the area where Tanya’s body was found is not where she was killed. Leaving them only with a “dumpsite” and no crime scene. In this session we meet with retired homicide investigator, Kathy Decker, who solved numerous murders in Washington State, many involving “dumpsites.” Kathy explains the significance of a dumpsite and what it can tell us about the killer. Kathy also explains the challenges of working without a crime scene, and ways investigators can try to work around it.

Sharp Force Injuries | Tuesday, 7/12 at 7p ET

In this session, we dive into Tanya’s autopsy report with renowned death investigator and host of the “Body Bag” podcast, Joseph Scott Morgan. Joe will walk us through the report’s key findings and what the “dumpsite” photos reveal.

Serial | Tuesday, 7/19 at 8p ET

In this session, with the help of retired Seattle Police detective and acclaimed homicide Cloyd Steiger, we learn how to examine the possibility that Tanya was not her killer’s first victim, and what specific patterns we should look for in cases with similarities. In addition to having firsthand knowledge from investigating Tanya’s case himself, Cloyd also ran the “HITS” database for the Pacific Northwest. HITS is a database that tracks homicides and other violent crime in Washington State and Oregon. It was developed in WA as a result of the terror brought on by the high number of serial murders in the area (for example, Ted Bundy and the Green River Killer). Cloyd walks us through how detectives spot serial killings, and how we can apply the techniques to Tanya’s case.

Killer Profile | Tuesday 7/26 at 7p ET

In this session we meet with renowned criminologist and behavioral analyst, Dr. Casey Jordan. Dr. Jordan will walk us through how to take the information we have on Tanya’s case and use it to piece together a profile of her killer. We’ll discuss what evidence is most significant when forming a profile and how we can create one despite having many unanswered questions in the case.

Loose Ends | Tuesday, 8/2 at 7pm ET

For our final session of the cold case club on Tanya's case, we meet with Rose and Bob's investigative team and discuss progress made over the last two months in the case, leads from club members, and what is to come in the coming weeks. We also welcome members to join us live on camera to give input and/or ask questions if they'd like!

HOW TO JOIN THE CLUB

The Cold Case Club is included with a crimeHQ annual ($49.99/yr) or monthly ($6.99/mo) membership. Join now and get your first 3 days completely free to explore everything on the platform with NO restrictions. A crimeHQ membership also includes access to our Book Club, live virtual events with experts & creators, on-demand access to over 225 hours of session videos from past CrimeCon events and so much more. More information on crimeHQ membership here .

Did They Do It? With Dr. Nicky Jackson

Thu, 12 May 2022 14:15:15 GMT

LIVE EVENT

Did They Do It? With Dr. Nicky Jackson

A crimeHQ special series on Wrongful Convictions

Over the course of 4 weeks, Dr. Nicky Jackson will present you with cases of those who were convicted guilty and incarcerated for crimes they claim they did not commit. You will be presented with the evidence, you will hear from criminal and forensic experts, the family or friends of the convicted, and sometimes, the accused themselves. You'll then be asked: Did They Do It?

Dr. Nicky Jackson has made it her life’s work to help those wrongfully convicted and shed light on the sometimes broken justice system. Through this crimeHQ series, Dr. Jackson will present members with cases that are close to her in an effort to raise awareness of miscarriages of justice.

Did They Do It? with Dr. Nicky Jackson will premiere with a case that has garnered world-wide attention and has been surrounded by extreme controversy; the conviction of Daniel Holtzclaw. In 2015 Holtzclaw was found guilty on 18 charges relating to sexual assault and was sentenced to 263 years in prison. 13 women claimed that he assaulted them while he was on duty as a police officer for the Oklahoma City Police Department.

Dr. Jackson, along with Daniel’s sister Jenny, will dispute the evidence presented at trial, bring in experts to explain the DNA (or lack thereof) and the GPS/AVL system on Daniel’s police cruiser, explore the often over looked concept of witness ‘mistaken identification’ and you’ll hear from Daniel himself.

If you think you know this case, think again.

Week 1: The Conviction of Daniel Holtzclaw | 5/17 at 8p ET

Dr. Nicky Jackson and Daniel's sister, Jenny Holtzclaw will give you a glimpse into who Daniel is as well as a deep dive into the case against him

Week 2: The Evidence | 5/24 at 8p ET

Dr. Nicky Jackson & Jenny Holtzclaw break down the poke holes in the evidence presented at trial.

Week 3: The Witnesses | 5/31 at 8p ET

Dr. Nicky Jackson and Jenny Holtzclaw talk about what each witness claimed they allegedly saw and experienced. We will also take a look into Mistaken Witness Identification.

Week 4: Daniel Speaks | 6/7 at 8p ET

Dr. Nicky Jackson and Jenny Holtzclaw will be joined by Daniel Holtzclaw himself.

This is crimeHQ members-only content! Join now or log in here to continue reading.

crimeHQ Member Guide to CrimeCon 2022

Fri, 15 Apr 2022 02:36:49 GMT

Check out all of the exclusive perks for crimeHQ members at CrimeCon 2022 Las Vegas this year!

♣ CRIMEHQ MEMBER-ONLY SESSION

"AMA with John Ramsey" | Sunday, 5/1 at 2p

CrimeCon is over for everyone but you! John Ramsey will host an “Ask Me Anything” about the case and the investigation exclusively for crimeHQ members. Learn More.

♦ MEMBERSHIP PIN

crimeHQ members in Las Vegas will get an exclusive membership pin to wear on their lanyard. Stop by the crimeHQ booth at anytime during the Con to pick up your pin. IMPORTANT: You'll need to show your pin to get into the crimeHQ member-only session!

♠ FAST TRACK REGISTRATION
Picking up your CrimeCon badge is easy when you get to skip the lines. CrimeHQ members have a dedicated registration line so you don't have to worry about waiting with the crowds. Note: The fast track registration line is only available during the Friday morning registration period.

♥ DEDICATED MERCHANDISE CHECKOUT LINE

If you've been to CrimeCon before, you know the merchandise booth can get chaotic. As a crimeHQ member, you get to avoid the chaos with a dedicated merchandise checkout line.

♣ CRIMECON VIDEOS ON DEMAND

We know it's impossible to catch ALL the amazing CC sessions over the weekend. As a crimeHQ member, you don't have to worry about that because after the Con, you'll get on demand video access to all major sessions from CrimeCon 2022 --plus archives of all past events, over 175 hours!

CrimeCon Las Vegas Spotlight: Chris Hansen

Wed, 13 Apr 2022 16:43:53 GMT

LIVE EVENT

You’re going to want to take a seat for this crimeHQ session!

crimeHQ welcomed the legendary investigative journalist, podcast host and original predator hunter, Chris Hansen. Hear all about what stings he’s working on these days, the latest on his podcast and media projects, and get a preview of what he has in store for CrimeCon Las Vegas.

This is crimeHQ members-only content! Join now or log in here to continue reading.

CrimeCon Las Vegas Spotlight: Sheryl McCollum

Fri, 08 Apr 2022 01:51:37 GMT

LIVE EVENT

CrimeHQ and our host Kelly McLear were overjoyed to finally welcome longtime friend Sheryl McCollum to the platform, at our CrimeCon Las Vegas Spotlight special event. McCollum is the director of the Cold Case Investigative Research Institute of America, a crime scene investigator and, as McLear says, a "legend when it comes to CrimeCon."

"Mac" is known for her deep Southern drawl, in which she started by saying, "I am so excited, honey, let's get to it!" McLear points out that while Mac has been a part of CrimeCon since day one, Nancy Grace is commonly referred to as "The Queen of CrimeCon." McLear wanted to know what that makes Mac, then. "The Court Jester, I'm sure," she responded, with a laugh.

McLear asked Mac to share "when, why, and where" she started her career in law enforcement. "I caught the bug at four years old," she said. But it wasn't till age 18, when she started working at Grady Hospital in its rape crisis center, that she worked directly with detectives and the Atlanta Police Department. She also read and watched anything she could get her hands on that was true crime– or police-related, and still does. She even includes shows like "Police Woman" and "Hawaii 5-0," which she watched when she was little. She saw the film "Walking Tall" when she was only in the first grade, and it made an indelible impression on her. So from that early exposure to law enforcement, she grew up to found the Cold Case Investigative Research Institute, which is a nonprofit she started when she was a college professor. Its purpose is to assist families and law enforcement with unsolved cases, using satellite offices on college campuses. Mac estimates that the Institute works on about five cases per year, and they're coming up on their 20-year anniversary. And if that weren't enough to be proud of, Mac says, "To my knowledge, I'm the only active crime scene investigator who has an Emmy!" She gives credit to her "sidekick" Karyn Greer, an Atlanta-based investigative journalist and anchor (CBS-46). The duo has solved two of the cold cases they took on together on "CSI: Atlanta," and Mac says there are two others that are making significant progress toward being solved. Mac revealed that Greer will be joining her at CrimeCon, and that she "might have an announcement for y'all!"

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Stolen Babies: Crimes of Desire & Deception with Angeline Hartmann

Fri, 25 Mar 2022 20:26:24 GMT

LIVE EVENT

This special CrimeCon Las Vegas Session Preview event with Angeline Hartmann was hosted by our own Kelly McLear. Hartmann is a victims' advocate and journalist and Director of Communications for NCMEC (National Center for Missing and Exploited Children).

McLear started out by asking Hartmann if she was excited for the upcoming CrimeCon Las Vegas. Hartmann replied that the last CrimeCon she attended was New Orleans, so she's definitely ready! She's looking forward to not only meeting people who are already listeners of her podcast "Inside Crime With Angeline Hartmann," of which she is both producer and host, but also those who haven't discovered it yet.

McLear asked Hartmann to tell the crimeHQ community how she got into working in true crime. She began as a reporter across different markets, but after moving to Atlanta, found that crime became one of her biggest beats. Part of her job was to follow up in-person with families and victims who'd suffered crimes that she'd reported on each morning. "It was so tough to do, for obvious reasons, but it was so tough because those people always had more to say," she said. Finding that she didn't have enough time in her news coverage to really do justice to what they had to say, she eventually developed a long-form series about unsolved crimes and fugitives. She fought hard with her bosses to get it done, and was shot down over and over again. After a year or two of rejection, she finally decided to get it going on her own, and put in the work after hours. At the beginning, all of her work and even that of the camera crews was donated, but it was enough to get the ball rolling. Her network bosses were forced to acknowledge that her show was a success, so much so that they took credit for her idea. Eventually, this show became known as "Georgia's Most Wanted."

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Sneak Peek at Shattered Souls: The Car Barn Murder

Fri, 18 Mar 2022 02:37:22 GMT

LIVE EVENT

For this special event, our host Olivia LaVoice interviewed retired detective and veteran forensic investigator Karen Smith. Smith has a podcast called "Shattered Souls," which has had one season already, focused on homicide cases she worked.

Smith has some experience in radio, from before she was a police officer. But she points out that back then, editing meant using a razor blade to cut pieces of reel-to-reel tape, so not all of her skills were easily transferable. Another challenge she encountered was that since she is retired, she no longer has access to insider police databases. She had to submit a FOIA request for everything she needed for her show, just like anyone would have to. She sometimes had to wait for months for materials she needed, especially as she worked through the pandemic.

Sometimes, while researching, she'd come across stuff she didn't know about the cases, such as court testimony by people who appeared when she wasn't present. LaVoice pointed out that Smith really became a journalist reporting on her own cases. And in the process, she learned so much that she wasn't aware of at the time, including how much the events affected her law enforcement colleagues, as they didn't all discuss it at the time.

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CrimeCon Las Vegas Podcast Spotlight: TRUE CONSEQUENCES

Thu, 10 Mar 2022 19:17:55 GMT

LIVE EVENT

The next installment of crimeHQ's CrimeCon Las Vegas Podcast Spotlight introduces "True Consequences" and host Eric Carter-Landin to our community.

Our moderator Kelly McLear pointed out that Carter-Landin is already on Season 5 of his show and has produced 78 episodes. She asked him if he ever thought that would be the case when he first started. He grinned and replied, "Yeah, honestly I did! Everybody who knows me knows that I'm a compulsive planner, so I actually planned out about 10 seasons' worth of episodes before I started."

McLear asked him about his backstory and what his inspiration was to start this "true crime and mystery" show." He shared that his baby brother Jacob was murdered 35 years ago and that his killer was never brought to justice. His family fought for so long for the case to be solved, while watching other similar cases go through the news cycle in New Mexico. Overwhelmed by so many cases of horrific child abuse and murder, Carter-Landin wanted to do something to bring attention to the issue. As a podcast fan himself, he decided it was time for a podcast that focused on New Mexico's crime.

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Book Club Q&A with Paula Woodward

Fri, 04 Mar 2022 20:00:10 GMT

LIVE EVENT

This week crimeHQ hosted a live Q&A with Paula Woodward. The crimeHQ Book Club selection for January-February 2022 was Unsolved: The JonBenét Ramsey Murder 25 Years Later by Paula Woodward.

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The Cold Case Club: The Journalist and the Self-Proclaimed Serial Killer

Wed, 16 Feb 2022 19:04:33 GMT

LIVE EVENT

The crimeHQ Cold Case Club: The Murder of Debbie Williamson

This session of the Cold Case Club welcomed Phillip Hamilton, who was a a crime reporter in Lubbock, Texas in the 1980s. He joined us with Investigators George Jared and Jen Bucholtz and host Olivia LaVoice to continue our breakdown of the unsolved Debbie Williamson murder case.

Bucholtz began with a brief overview of infamous killer Henry Lee Lucas in case any crimeHQ members watching weren't familiar with him. Mostly known for his confessions these days, Lucas confessed to about 600 slayings, all across the U.S. in the 1980s. However, these were mostly false confessions, despite many police departments having closed cases based on his "admissions." In many cases, they were reopened once it was proven that Lucas could not have been the perpetrator. One of those cases was that of Debbie Williamson. Bucholtz recommends watching the Netflix series "The Confession Killer" about Lucas, as Debbie's case is featured in a couple of the episodes.

Weirdly, according to Bucholtz, authorities had fingerprint evidence showing that Lucas could not have killed Debbie before 1984, which is when he confessed to it. Additionally, Lucas wasn't the one who came forward with the confession. It was actually Lubbock, Texas, law enforcement who went to Lucas and brought him in for questioning.

About the Cold Case Club

Join the crimeHQ Cold Case Club as a citizen detective for the newly invigorated investigation into Debbie Williamson’s death. Your hosts and guides throughout the event will be CrimeCon Austin fan favorites, Jennifer Bucholtz and George Jared. Jen is a Former U.S. Army Counterintelligence Agent-turned-private investigator. George is an acclaimed crime author and investigative reporter. After cracking a difficult cold case together ( the murder of Rebekah Gould ), the pair has teamed up again to take on the murder of 18-year-old Debbie Williamson with our help.

Beginning on Tuesday, January 25th and weekly thereafter for 10 weeks, you will take a deep dive into the case files, hear from Debbie’s husband and family, learn from experts in death investigations, forensics, weapons and profiling, and be tasked to assist Bucholtz and Jared in their investigation, all with the hopes of finally catching a killer, or killers.

Join the investigation today →

CrimeCon Las Vegas Podcast Spotlight: GENERATION WHY

Fri, 11 Feb 2022 14:02:35 GMT

LIVE EVENT

This week crimeHQ brought the first in our series of CrimeCon: Las Vegas Podcast Spotlights. Aaron Habel and Justin Evans of esteemed podcast "Generation Why"—who have been part of the CrimeCon family since Indianapolis—joined us for a really fun conversation.

After host Kelly McLear introduced them, Justin said, "w e feel like the house band of CrimeCon at this point." She also offered them congratulations, as the podcast is celebrating its 10-year anniversary this year.

McLear asked the guys to share their "origin story" of how the "Generation Why" podcast began. Just shared that he met Aaron at a "little crappy restaurant" called Stephenson's Apple Tree in 1993. It was Justin's first day on the job as a dishwasher, where he was reporting to Aaron. Right away Justin noticed Aaron's Psychic TV T-shirt, which impressed him. The two quickly formed a friendship based on shared musical taste. Aaron said, "We quickly realized we were working at a place where we were underpaid and overworked. And by overworked I mean like 12-hour days."

Justin, who described himself as being a "young, punk kid" back then, said there was one day on the job when they were both being harassed by the other staff. When one waiter wouldn't stop harassing them, Justin started breaking plates until he stopped talking and "walked away in a huff." Aaron said that day was the cornerstone of their friendship, and it's only "built up since."

McLear wondered what got each of the guys into true crime and the unexplained. Aaron confessed that it started when he was a child watching Leonard Nimoy host the classic "In Search Of …" That led to a voracious appetite for true crime books, which has stuck with him. "True stories where there are lives on the line, justice on the line, there's something about that that really gets its hooks in and I think about it long afterward," he said.

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Revolutionizing Cold Cases

Fri, 04 Feb 2022 16:00:50 GMT

LIVE EVENT

On February 2, crimeHQ hosted a special event with Alex Baber and J-Lynn Baber of the Cold Case Consultants of America , led by Kelly McLear.

McLear began by asking the couple to share their backstories. Alex said that it started for him when he was a child, growing up surrounded by his mother's true crime magazines. As he got older and was diagnosed with a neurodiversity, a form of autism, his IQ was tested and was in the 160s when he was a teenager. This focus and intelligence came with a downside though. "I typically do not sleep much, my brain is always processing information, like a computer," Alex said. He befriended members of law enforcement who urged him to "join the fight" because of his specific abilities. He declined repeatedly, choosing to focus on his family, but finally got involved in March of 2007. What drew him in was David Fincher's "Zodiac" movie, although Alex had not known anything about the case before then.

That evening, a Friday, he decided to take a crack at solving one of the infamous cyphers associated with the case. Alex claims that he solved it that evening—after 4,527 attempts. His solution gave him a name. Next, he went online to a forum devoted to the Zodiac Killer, and posted the name he came up with. On Sunday, he received a phone call asking, "Do you want to play a game?" After Alex replied no, the speaker said, "I want to compliment you on cracking my cypher." A little shocked and freaked out at this point, especially because he didn't know how the caller got his number, Alex said that he didn't want any trouble and volunteered to remove the post from the forum that mentioned the man's name. The caller then went to to prove that he knew Alex's full name, place of work, address, and fiancée's full name. At that point, Alex said again he'd take the post down and hung up on the caller.

He reported the call to local law enforcement who didn't take it seriously, found it humorous, and poked fun at him for believing that the Zodiac Killer had called him. Within two months, Alex had sold his house, switched jobs, and relocated, moving off-grid. He lived in paranoia, keeping close watch on his son and fiancée, doing everything he could to keep them safe. But after a while, with no new threats, the fear faded away. When some law enforcement and FBI buddies came to him and once more urged him to use his skills toward fighting crime, he rethought it.

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The Cold Case Club: A Sister's Fight For Answers

Wed, 02 Feb 2022 15:43:06 GMT

LIVE EVENT

The crimeHQ Cold Case Club: The Murder of Debbie Williamson

Cold Case Club moderators Jen Bucholtz and George Jared and host Olivia LaVoice tried to dig into the victimology of Debbie Williamson's sister in this session. They led the discussion based on interviews with Liz Flatt, Debbie's sister; and Paula Chase, Debbie's step-sister. LaVoice pointed out that in addition to being informative for the investigation, studying the victimology honors Debbie by focusing on her life as well as her untimely death.

LaVoice asked Jared what stood out to him as he interviewed Debbie's loved ones. He explained that after meeting at CrimeCon, he and Bucholtz spent hours on the phone with Flatt, as she had requested that they look into her sister's case. She shared a very detailed account of her last moments with her sister and a timeline of the murder and investigation.

After traveling to Lubbock, Texas, Jared met up with Paula, who was very close with Debbie since they were both about eight years old. From her, they learned that the two girls shared a very typical late '60s, early '70s childhood, which helped to humanize the victim to the investigators.

About the Cold Case Club

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The Cold Case Club: Who Killed Debbie?

Thu, 27 Jan 2022 17:49:30 GMT

LIVE EVENT

The crimeHQ Cold Case Club: The Murder of Debbie Williamson

The first crimeHQ Cold Case Club session "Who Killed Debbie?" was led by case moderators Jen Bucholtz, a former U.S. Army Counterintelligence Agent turned private investigator; and George Jared, an investigative reporter and true crime author. Olivia LaVoice, an investigative crime reporter, was our host who guided us through the conversation and urged participants to send in their questions for the Q&A.

Bucholtz began by saying how excited they are for the crimeHQ Cold Case Club and that they are eager to use the power of crowdsourcing to help solve this case. Jared opened by explaining that he and Bucholtz met after she sent him an email about the then-unsolved Arkansas murder of Rebekah Gould. After their friendship and investigative collaboration grew as they both worked on behalf of Gould, it was their efforts and crowdsourcing which lured Gould's alleged killer to a Facebook group they duo hosted. After that success and their appearance at CrimeCon in 2021, they decided to continue working together, looking for a case that met their criteria. After they met Debbie Williamson's sister at CrimeCon and learned about the unsolved murder, they realized that Debbie's case was what they were looking for. Bucholtz emphasized: " I really like putting that out there, because I think that is one of the purposes of CrimeCon and crimeHQ, is to bring people together who can help some of these victims and their families."

About the Cold Case Club

Join the investigation today →

The Fugitive

Thu, 20 Jan 2022 15:38:17 GMT

LIVE EVENT

We discussed the fascinating case of "Thomas Randele" who confessed on his deathbed that he was really a fugitive named Ted Conrad. Conrad had been wanted since 1969 for a bank robbery in Cleveland, Ohio.

The US Marshal in charge of the case, Peter Elliot, who has served under two Presidents, also joined us. This case is very personal to him, as his father, John Elliot, was the original Marshal on this case, and grew up in the same small town as the culprit.

Host Kelly McLear asked Elliot to fill us in on what happened on July 11, 1969, and why Conrad was such a wanted man. It was the day after his 20th birthday when he stole $215,000 from a bank where he worked. That day he walked out of the bank with a paper bag containing the cash, a bottle of whiskey, and a pack of cigarettes — and disappeared. According to Kelly, the dollar amount would be worth $1.6 million today.

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crimeHQ Workshop: Citizen Sleuth Academy

Fri, 14 Jan 2022 16:59:25 GMT

LIVE EVENT

In this crimeHQ Workshop event, members learned and practiced Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) from one of the leading experts in cyber intelligence!

Crowd sourcing can be a valuable tool in investigations when it comes to cold cases, unsolved murders and missing person’s cases, but do you know how to use the Internet to the fullest when it comes to gathering public information? Founder and Principal Instructor at The OSINTion Joe Gray taught crimeHQ members the foundations of Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) and how to use it responsibly when looking into true crime cases.

This is crimeHQ members-only content! Join now or log in here to continue reading.

The Cold Case Club

Tue, 11 Jan 2022 17:04:19 GMT

LIVE EVENT

COMING SOON! crimeHQ Cold Case Club: The Murder of Deborah Williamson

Join the investigation today →

Internet Romance Scams with Chris Salgado

Thu, 06 Jan 2022 15:40:26 GMT

LIVE EVENT

For the first CrimeConversation of the New Year, we welcomed Security and Investigations Leader and CEO of All Point Investigations, Christopher Salgado . The chat focused on internet romance scams and phishing schemes, and how to protect against them.

Host Kelly McLear started by asking what prompted his interest and start in the industry. It was by chance, really, and started when he got a gig by answering a newspaper ad for a law firm in Chicago. The company ended up asking him if he wanted to transition into an investigator role, and he decided, why not? Now, 20 years later, he's an expert who has been involved in many different types of investigations, but particularly cyber and social media security. He's worked for Facebook and, this past summer, he even presented to the FBI and Homeland Security.

To start the discussion of scams, McLear brings up common ones we all know, like the "Nigerian Prince." She shared that to prepare for this chat, she looked up some statistics and learned that just in 2020, there were $304 million in losses just from romance scams. Shockingly, Salgado said that the FBI claims that the number is actually $600 million, and that the results depend on the source.

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Inside the Courtroom: Ghislaine Maxwell

Tue, 21 Dec 2021 17:32:04 GMT

LIVE EVENT

crimeHQ was treated to a visit from John Sweeney, investigative reporter and host of podcast "Hunting Ghislaine."

Sweeney has been in the courtroom throughout Gishlaine Maxwell's trial, and stopped by to share his insights. Our host Kelly McLear asked Sweeney what he thought of today's proceedings. He had to admit that he missed some of this morning's trial due to needing to queue up to book a COVID test in preparation for flying back to the U.K. for the holidays.

He did finally arrive around 11am, however, and so was able to provide some thoughts. He said that while the prosecution is setting out the evidence that Maxwell is guilty of being a predator, her defense is fighting back. According to Sweeney, they "ripped up the prosecution" by saying it had not done enough to prove Maxwell's guilt. And he allowed that "there is no direct evidence…which shows Ghislaine with one of the four accusers." By direct evidence, he meant photos or videos.

The strongest evidence against Maxwell are the four witnesses who say she groomed them, but Sweeney said it's all circumstantial evidence. The defense also posits that the accusers are after a financial payout. They say that it makes them look suspicious that back when they filed against Epstein, they never mentioned her.

Maureen Comey, one of the lead prosecutors in the case, says that these four women claim they were groomed by Maxwell to "sate the perversion" of Jeffrey Epstein. And although there aren't pictures of her with any of the four accusers, Sweeney believes that the photos of Epstein and Maxwell together for 15 years prove that she was in his world and under his influence during the time that the women claim the events happened.

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Holiday Happy Hour

Thu, 16 Dec 2021 14:53:43 GMT

LIVE EVENT

Holiday Happy Hour with crimeHQ was a success! We gathered over Zoom for a little over an hour (and I know we all could have gone on longer if there weren't a time constraint). The event was hosted by Kelly McLear, who is always amazing at getting everyone thinking and talking. While it wasn't mandatory, a few attendees rocked holiday gear, including one in superfun light-up Christmas bulb jewelry. And some were chasing the entertaining and compelling conversation with a few sips of something festive. The first topic of discussion brought up by McLear was:

"What was your obsession case in 2021?"

Unsurprisingly, more than one person brought up Delphi, and how the recent headlines associated with the case had gotten all of our hopes up. Another one of our moderators, Leah Ciriaco, said that the recent Michigan school shooter was the case that she couldn't stop thinking about, because of its many layers.

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CrimeConversations with Paula Woodward

Thu, 09 Dec 2021 14:45:52 GMT

LIVE EVENT

Paula Woodward, a highly respected veteran investigative journalist from Colorado who was deeply involved in the reporting of the murder of JonBenét Ramsey, joined us live on crimeHQ.

The brutal slaying of six-year-old JonBenét is one of the top cases that haunts most people, so unforgettable partly because there were so many beautiful photos and videos shared of her due to her participation in the pageant world. When most of us think of her, we picture her dressed and made up to compete in a beauty pageant. But of course that's not all that there was to JonBenét. Host Kelly McLear asked what Woodward can tell us about JonBenét aside from the pageant scene. Woodward has interviewed four of JonBenét's teachers, and they all had the same thing to say about her. They used the same words to reminisce about her, all describing her as "kind and nice." One teacher said the child was very supportive and kind with her classmates and was often called upon to walk them to the nurse's office. One reason she was so good and empathetic with other children, especially if they were sick, was that she had experience dealing with her mother, Patsy, who'd had cancer.

McLear asked Woodward to refresh the audience about the details of the killing. She shared the horrible litany of abuse that the child endured: She was stun-gunned, sexually abused, strangled with a garotte, and had a blow to her head that left an eight-inch crack in her skull, which partially caved in. In an usual decision, the coroner provided two causes of death: the blow to the head and the strangulation. He explained to Woodward that he couldn't tell which happened first, so he listed both. So according to him, they were almost simultaneous, which can make one wonder if there was more than one assailant.

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Parents Charged in Michigan School Shooting

Mon, 06 Dec 2021 20:54:40 GMT

LIVE EVENT

The parents of the alleged Michigan school shooter have been charged with Involuntary Manslaughter. Defense attorney and former Lawrence County District Attorney Matthew Mangino recently joined CrimeCon founder Kevin Balfe to answer questions about the charges, what will need to be proven in court, and what comes next. Watch the full video from the crimeHQ special event above.

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Medicolegal Systems in America with Joseph Scott Morgan

Thu, 02 Dec 2021 18:50:01 GMT

LIVE EVENT

Wednesday night's guest for our crimeHQ CrimeConversation was Joseph Scott Morgan. You're probably familiar with him for any of his many projects, including his "Body Bags" podcast, which is a satellite podcast within the Crime Online network. He contributes to Nancy Grace's "Crime Stories" pod a few times a week, and you've also seen him on Oxygen's "Murdered and Missing in Montana." In addition to these and other shows, he's the author of the memoir, "Blood Beneath My Feet: The Journey of a Southern Death Investigator." And then there's his day job, as Distinguished Scholar of Applied Forensics at Jacksonville State University in Alabama, which he's held since 2014. And on top of that, he also instructs at the local police academy — in his spare time.

Morgan shared that he's looking forward to a human anatomy lab opening where he teaches so that he can expose his young students to what might be the first dead body they've ever seen. He explained that it's not uncommon that when a rookie cop encounters a dead body on the job, that it's the first one they've ever seen. Morgan wants to help his students "divest themselves of the mystery of death."

Our host Kelly McLear asked Morgan to share a bit more about his background and work experience. He revealed that his interest in death investigation can probably be traced back to a high school course he took on thanatology, in which he was introduced to many death-related subjects including the coroner system.

He started out working in the field as a young man in New Orleans, where he worked in a morgue and performed hundreds of autopsies a year. He said, "The best classroom I was ever in was the morgue, because I learned form and function," and he likened it to a mechanic spending time hanging around a garage.

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Crime Scene Cleanup with Cory Chalmers

Thu, 18 Nov 2021 15:15:53 GMT

LIVE EVENT

Cory Chalmers, host and expert cleaner on the TV show "Hoarders" and the founder and president of Steri-Clean, Inc., joined us live this Wednesday. His company specializes in not only cleaning hoarding situations, but also the aftermath of accidents, death, and violent crime.

Our crimeHQ host Kelly McLear began by pointing out that while we in the community are all so immersed in the true crime world and spend our time thinking about and studying violent crimes, many of us don't really think about what happens in the aftermath.

In too many instances, loved ones of victims of crime or suicide are left to clean up the blood, gore, and other bodily fluids while they are still reeling from their trauma and grief.

Chalmers, who McLear describes as an "unsung hero" in the crime world, started his career as a paramedic on an ambulance and was exposed to a lot of horrible and bloody crime scenes. While going from crisis to crisis, he always felt such sympathy for the loved ones who have to clean up the grisly results, whether it was a homicide or suicide. He was directly inspired by these experiences and his feelings for these families and loved ones of victims to start his company. Back then there was no business model for a crime scene cleanup company or any available certifications about things like working with biohazard, so he is self-taught. While he was a pioneer in the industry, learning as he went, these days such businesses have a lot of standards and regulations in place about handling hazardous materials.

As Chalmers began to talk about what might be a typical day on the job, he said, "It starts with a phone call."

He shared a touching image of a teenage girl having to mop up bloody remains after both of her parents were fatally shot. It's stories like that that propelled Chalmers to take on the difficult work that he does, to relieve others of the burden.

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Psychological Criminal Profiling with Paul Britton

Thu, 11 Nov 2021 14:35:06 GMT

LIVE EVENT

Paul Britton, the founder of modern day psychological criminal profiling in the United Kingdom, joined us live for a CrimeConversation this week.

Our host, Kelly McLear, asked Britton what drew him to the field in which he works, and he explained that he is a clinical psychologist by vocation, and was actually pulled into the profiling aspect. It began when one of his patients had an entanglement with a police officer that he had to get involved with. That officer then referred his superior to Britton, as the department was in need of some psychological insight into cases. Before visiting his first crime scene, the officer told Britton to make sure to have a good breakfast, "because you won't feel like lunch."

Britton told McLear that all these years later he still remembers details of that case, which involved a "dog beautician" who lived in Leicester. After taking her dogs out for a walk, they later returned home without her. Soon after, the woman's bound body was discovered with several knife wounds resting near a drawing of a pentagram. Britton was brought in after the police found themselves unable to identify any suspects even after interviewing several thousand locals. After conducting his investigation and analysis, Britton provided the department with a report containing 19 different aspects of the unidentified suspect's profile, with everything from their age and what area they likely lived in.

Despite his obvious expertise and the confidence with which he came up with his profile, Britton told McClear that when he turns one in, he likes to say, "For every point I make, please challenge me. It's not magic."

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Featured Case: DeOrr Kunz Jr.

Fri, 05 Nov 2021 20:10:14 GMT

One of our priorities at crimeHQ is helping to shine a light on unsolved cases. Just like with our live CrowdSolve events, we believe the power of community and crowdsourcing can make a difference. With the assistance and direction of appropriate and well-qualified experts, we'll turn a laser focus to open cases that we believe are solvable.

The first deep dive for the crimeHQ community was the 2015 disappearance of DeOrr Kunz Jr. With the guidance of moderator Nate Eaton, our community learned about the case and dug into the details, looking into every angle for a period of five months. Eaton is the news director and a reporter for East Idaho News and has been covering the case since the beginning.

DeOrr Kunz Jr. Case Overview

Eaton kicked us off with a detailed overview, sharing case materials and answering questions. It was a perfect primer so that even crimeHQ members who weren't fluent in the case could start to research.

Watch Nate's session on the DeOrr Kunz Jr. Case from CrimeCon 2021 Austin →

Live Q&A with Lemhi County Sheriff, Steve Penner

The next live event featured the Lemhi County Sheriff, Steve Penner. Penner has worked the case since 2015 and talked with Eaton to dispel some of the many myths and rumors swirling around this mysterious missing persons case.

Live Q&A with DeOrr’s grandmother, Trina Bates Clegg

By now, our community was hooked and determined to do their best to secure justice for DeOrr. Eaton hosted an intimate talk with the missing boy's grandmother, Trina Clegg , and it was as emotional as you'd expect. We were honored to have Clegg share her story with crimeHQ.

Live Q&A with Private Investigator, Philip Klein

Next, Private Investigator Phillip Klein was our guest for a Q&A. Klein has a lot of history and exclusive knowledge of the investigation. Having his insider take was both "enlightening" and "explosive," according to crimeHQ members who participated.

Watch a clip from our interview with Philip Klein here →

Live Q&A with K9 Specialty Search Associates

In an effort to provide more insight into investigative techniques, Eaton spoke with Marcia Koenig of K9 Specialty Search Associates . Koenig's expertise in search-and-rescue and cadaver-dog usage was super interesting and useful in considering this investigation.

Case Wrap Up

After all these amazing and significant guests who shared their time and insight with crimeHQ, Eaton presented his own wrap up of the case and fielded questions from crimeHQ members. One asked Eaton if he thought that DeOrr would ever be found, dead or alive. Eaton said that he goes back and forth with that all the time. She shared the story of another case he worked on involving a missing child who was found alive after several days of being lost in the outdoors. "I didn't think that kid would ever be found, and sure enough, he was. I wanna say yes, I hope he's found dead or alive. Either way. … I hope we're not here in ten years, 20 years, doing anniversary stories about where is DeOrr Kunz." Eaton also promised that if DeOrr is found or if charges are brought against anyone in the case, he'll be back with crimeHQ with a whole new series of events with updates.

Here's hoping! And please join us as well for our next Featured Case deep dive!

CrimeConversations with Melissa Moore

Wed, 20 Oct 2021 15:34:37 GMT

LIVE EVENT

This week's guest for our crimeHQ CrimeConversation was Melissa Moore. Moore is a true crime author, TV personality, and podcaster. She is also the daughter of Keith Jesperson, a serial killer serving multiple life sentences for eight murders who is known as " The Happy Face Killer ."

Moore and McLear started off on a friendly, chummy tone, both hefting their glasses of wine — Moore drinking white, and McLear drinking red.

McLear started off by asking Moore about the most recent episodes of her podcast " Life After Happy Face ." Moore shared that the podcast is based on the raw, uncut, private conversations that survivors of violent crime have with each other. On each episode forensic criminologist (and CrimeCruise guest!) Dr. Laura Pettler, who Moore made friends with when they were both on the "Dr. Oz" show, joins her to offer her professional take on each case.

Somewhat ominously, Moore brought up that just in the past couple of weeks there have been some new developments regarding her father that have led to her having some concern for her privacy and protection. First, "20/20" will soon be revisiting the stories of his cases. Also, Moore explained that in the wake of her mother's recent passing, she was opening up to the idea of visiting her father in prison. In the brain fog of her grief after losing her mom, she sent a letter to her dad using her home return address — a "101" mistake. She was trying to plan a visit with the "20/20" crew tagging along. She felt it might be helpful to other relatives of killers and criminals who struggle with the dilemma of whether to visit their incarcerated family members. But when Jesperson heard a little bit about this idea, he envisioned it happening a different way than Moore did. He expected that she would play the role of loving daughter and teammate with him, and produce a true crime show featuring him. She had to break the news to him that she had no interest in maintaining any sort of friendly, family relationship with him, and had only wanted to meet with him out of curiosity, to find out, as she said, "What made you?"

This rejection of his fantasy angered Jesperson. Moore said, "As you know, serial killers, when they don't get their way, feel rejected, that's when they kill, or when bad things happen." Jesperson actually started writing to the offices of "20/20," saying that fellow inmates had been telling him that if she were their daughter, they would kill her. Next, Jesperson began writing Moore cryptic letters asking her about visiting him, and asking to tell her when she was going to visit him in gen pop. But Moore surmised that if and when she and "20/20" crews showed up to visit and film, that Moore would be attacked with the film crews documenting it. In one recent letter from her father, he wrote,

"Be careful what you wish for, Melissa, because it just might happen."

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CrimeConversations with Rodie Sanchez

Wed, 13 Oct 2021 18:46:01 GMT

LIVE EVENT

Retired homicide detective Rodie Sanchez joined our moderator and host Kelly McLear for a CrimeConversation on Wednesday night, and it was an emotional roller-coaster! Sanchez is a CrimeCon favorite and well-known for appearing in Investigation Discovery's "The Killing Fields," about the unsolved Louisiana murder of Eugenie Boisfontaine.

Sanchez, with his slow Cajun drawl, talked about his more than 30 years in law enforcement, his passion for cold cases, his health scares, caring for his elderly parents, and even his ongoing divorce case. Now that he's not working with the department anymore, Sanchez shared that he's moved back to Iberville Parish to spend as much time as he can with his parents, who are both 91. He's had some health challenges himself, but was happy to report that right now he is cancer-free. He said to McLear, "Thank God I'm still here and I wake up every morning still breathing; that's the main thing."

Even though he's glad to be able to rest and spend time with family now, he confessed that he does miss working and said that if ID called him to be in another show, he'd go back in a heartbeat. He's never forgotten about Boisfontaine and her family, with whom he became very close. McLear pointed out that detectives aren't really supposed to get close with victims' families, and Sanchez acknowledged that. But he said that he broke that rule with this case, and explained that

"Eugenie reminded me of Rodie Sanchez."

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The Hunt for Brian Laundrie

Wed, 06 Oct 2021 18:15:57 GMT

LIVE EVENT

Yesterday evening we were treated to a video call from Brian Entin, a correspondent from the NewsNation network. He has been camped out by the home of Chris and Roberta Laundrie, the parents of missing man Brian Laundrie, who is a person of interest in the Gabby Petito homicide case. Entin has been living and reporting from basically right next to the Laundries' North Port, Florida, house since the case began, and providing his very intimate, in-depth observations of the daily goings-on at the site.

Kelly McLear of crimeHQ interviewed Entin as he phoned in on live video to share his exclusive insights with our community. In the background of Entin's call, we could see the Laundries' camper and pickup truck that have become so familiar to those following the case. The neighborhood was quiet, as the protestors who had been gathering at the house with bullhorns had been asked to stop and move on out of respect for the other neighbors on the street.

Entin said that when the protestors were still active, they were stationed for a while outside of Cassie Laundrie's nearby house, where they were causing a disturbance with their bullhorns. To everyone's surprise, Cassie, Brian's sister, came out to speak with them for about 20 minutes. She shared that she saw her missing brother on September 1st, when he and their parents came to her house in their Mustang. Next, on the sixth, she stopped by Fort DeSoto, the site of a family camping trip, where she spent time with the family, including Brian. Cassie also confirmed for the protestors that her brother had left Gabby on her own in Salt Lake City in August, while he flew back to Florida for a few days to clean out a storage unit, and then back to Salt Lake City. Cassie even claimed that she'd Facetimed with Gabby during this period. This highlight in the timeline, according to Entin, "shows that Gabby was alive at that point."

CrimeHQ members watching Entin's broadcast wondered about Cassie and her status within the Laundrie family. Entin said that at the beginning of the investigation, "she made it seem like she was close to her brother." But recently she seems to be distancing herself and that when asked if she thought her brother had killed Gabby or if her parents were protecting Brian, she simply said she didn't know, and didn't defend them. Entin thinks that the Laundrie family is "coming disjointed."

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CrimeConversations with Kyra Breslin

Wed, 29 Sep 2021 18:51:52 GMT

LIVE EVENT

On Wednesday, September 29, we were joined by Kyra Breslin for a CrimeConversation hosted by our own Kelly McLear. Breslin is the writer, producer, and host of the podcast "Finding Lauren," which delves into the unsolved disappearance of Lauren Spierer. Spierer was an Indiana University student who went out to party with friends on June 3, 2011, and was never seen again.

Breslin's connection to the case came when she transferred to Indiana University in her sophomore year and arrived to a flurry of missing posters, from the airport to all over campus. While she never knew Spierer, she did know a lot of her friends and classmates, and even lived in the same apartment complex that Spierer had lived in.

Breslin was perhaps predisposed to take an investigative and journalistic path, as her grandfather was the famous New York Daily News columnist Jimmy Breslin. The podcaster grew up hearing stories about her grandfather investigating the Mafia and receiving letters at work from David Berkowitz, the "Son of Sam."

Breslin said she'll never forget arriving on campus that first day, being overwhelmed by all the missing posters. It's been ten years since Spierer disappeared, and Breslin can't believe that no new information has come to light, that more people aren't talking about the case, and especially that it hasn't been solved yet.

McLear asked Breslin why she felt compelled to launch the podcast digging into Spierer's case. Breslin explained that not only has it always haunted her, but she was there, lived a very similar lifestyle, and knew the culture at the school. She felt she'd be able to shine a light on the still unsolved case while making the story come alive for her audience with her own personal insight and experiences at Indiana University.

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Live Special: Making Sense of the Chaos

Wed, 22 Sep 2021 18:04:29 GMT

LIVE EVENT

This has been an extraordinary week of true crime news and case updates! Our crimeHQ moderator and host Kelly McLear sat down with retired U.S. Marshal Art Roderick, East Idaho News Station Director Nate Eaton, and East Idaho News' Andrea Olsen to go over recent events and field questions from the crimeHQ community.

Of course on the top of everyone's minds right now are the fast-moving developments in the homicide of Gabby Petito. As of the time of the event and this writing, person of interest Brian Laundrie is in the wind and the subject of a national manhunt.

Roderick mentioned that he believes that the authorities should have had Laundrie under surveillance, since he's a person of interest in Petito's disappearance, and then homicide. And as Roderick said, "as we all know, a 'person of interest' is just another name for a suspect."

The experts and attendees seemed to be on the same page that law enforcement hadn't done all they could have to surveil the Laundries, and suspect that the lack of quick action might have afforded Brian's parents time and opportunity to help him leave the area. Roderick pointed out that if that is what happened, Brian's parents could be charged with aiding and abetting if they helped their son hide or flee from law enforcement.

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Book Club (Jan-Feb 2026): Dig Me a Grave

The next crimeHQ Book Club selection is Dig Me a Grave by Dick Harpootlian . Live Q&A with Dick Harpootlian on Wednesday, February 25, 2026 at 7p ET!

CrimeCon 2025 Schedule Reveal Event

Book Club (May-June 2025): What Happened to Ellen?

The next crimeHQ Book Club selection is What Happened to Ellen? An American Miscarriage of Justice by Nancy Grace . Live Q&A with Nancy Grace on Tuesday, 6/24 at 7p ET! ﻿

Convicted Killer David Hoshaw Speaks and Confesses

Inside the Lori Vallow Daybell Trial

Live Inside the Lori Vallow Daybell Trial with Prosecutor Rachel Smith & East Idaho News Director Nate Eaton

Live with American Hustlers Podcast

A behind-the-scenes conversation with the creators of the hit podcast True Crime News Presents: American Hustlers ﻿

Book Club (Feb-March 2025): Raised by a Serial Killer

The next crimeHQ Book Club selection is Raised by a Serial Killer: Discovering the Truth About My Father by April Balascio . Live Q&A with Author April Balascio on April 1 at 7p ET!

Criminology 103: Decoding Serial Murder and Violent Crime with Dr. Honor Doro Townshend

Book Club (Nov-Dec 2024): Never Saw Me Coming

The next crimeHQ Book Club selection is Never Saw Me Coming by Tanya Smith. Live Q&A with Author Tanya Smith on December 9th at 7p ET!

Criminology 102: Unravelling Drugs and Crime with Dr. Honor Doro Townshend

Live from Delphi with Susan Hendricks

Book Club (September-October 2024): The Book of Murder

The next crimeHQ Book Club selection is The Book of Murder by Matt Murphy. Live Q&A with Author Matt Murphy on October 22nd!

Criminology 101: An Exclusive Introduction with Dr. Honor Doro Townshend

Inside the Trial of Lori Vallow from the Jury Box

The Unsolved Homicide of Laralee Spear

Book Club (July-August 2024): Long Haul

The next crimeHQ Book Club selection is Long Haul by Frank Figliuzzi. Live Q&A with Author Frank Figliuzzi on Tuesday, August 13 at 7pm ET.

CrimeCon 2024 Session Videos

The Official CrimeCon 2024 Schedule Reveal

Book Club (March-April 2024): Zenith Man

The next crimeHQ Book Club selection is Zenith Man by McCracken Poston Jr. Live Q&A with McCracken on Tuesday, April 2 at 8pm ET.

The crimeHQ Podcast Club (NEW!)

Book Club (Nov-Dec 2023): Down The Hill

Our next Book Club selection is Down the Hill by Susan Hendricks. Live Q&A with Susan on December 27th at 8p ET.

CrimeCon is better with crimeHQ

Check out all of the exclusive perks for crimeHQ members at CrimeCon 2023 Orlando!

EXCLUSIVE SESSION

VIDEO ARCHIVES

MEMBERSHIP PIN

FAST TRACK REGISTRATION

BOOK CLUB BONUS

How to Investigate Cold Cases (Special 3-Part Event)

The Disappearance of the Springfield Three

Book Club Q&A with Dr. Michael Baden

CrimeConversations with Kelly McLear & Melissa McCarty

The Search for Dylan Rounds

Who Murdered Brittany Phillips?

The Mysterious Disappearance of Amanda Dean

Live AMA with Chris Hansen

The Idaho Murders

LIVE SPECIAL EVENT: THE IDAHO MURDERS

Live from Delphi

CrimeConversations with James Baysinger

CrimeConversations with James Baysinger

Tuesday, September 20 | 7pm EST

CrimeConversations with Nate Eaton & Skye Borgman

CrimeConversations with Nate Eaton & Skye Borgman

Who Killed Melissa Witt? Live Q&A with LaDonna Humphrey

Who Killed Melissa Witt? Live Q&A with LaDonna Humphrey

DNA Doe Project: What Happened After CrimeCon Las Vegas

DNA DOE PROJECT: WHAT HAPPENED AFTER CRIMECON LAS VEGAS?

Cold Case Club: Who Killed Tanya Frazier?

About The Case

Did They Do It? With Dr. Nicky Jackson

LIVE EVENT

crimeHQ Member Guide to CrimeCon 2022

CrimeCon Las Vegas Spotlight: Chris Hansen

LIVE EVENT

CrimeCon Las Vegas Spotlight: Sheryl McCollum

LIVE EVENT

Stolen Babies: Crimes of Desire & Deception with Angeline Hartmann

LIVE EVENT

Sneak Peek at Shattered Souls: The Car Barn Murder

LIVE EVENT

CrimeCon Las Vegas Podcast Spotlight: TRUE CONSEQUENCES

LIVE EVENT

Book Club Q&A with Paula Woodward

LIVE EVENT

The Cold Case Club: The Journalist and the Self-Proclaimed Serial Killer

LIVE EVENT

CrimeCon Las Vegas Podcast Spotlight: GENERATION WHY

LIVE EVENT

The next crimeHQ Book Club selection is What Happened to Ellen? An American Miscarriage of Justice by Nancy Grace . Live Q&A with Nancy Grace on Tuesday, 6/24 at 7p ET!

A behind-the-scenes conversation with the creators of the hit podcast True Crime News Presents: American Hustlers