General True Crime Shows

[LuvMyShows]

Accused: Guilty or Innocent is such a captivating show!  The last episode, Killer Mom or Innocent Parent, was heart-breaking and infuriating.  The case was basically suspected murder of her baby (child shaking), and during the time between the charges being filed and the actual hearing (over 2 years), her 3 children were removed from her (went to live with boyfriend/baby daddy and she visited daily), she lost her good job due to the charges and had to take a worser job on an overnight shift, and had to wear an ankle monitor with all the attendant restrictions, all because some prosecutor thought the baby looked "off" in a picture taken shortly before the baby died.  Turns out it was due to rare complications from Sickle Cell Trait, and fortunately the prosecutor dropped the charges when they learned about the medical evidence (but they kept the "without prejudice", which means the charges can be filed again at any time).  I was very surprised that she and her boyfriend/baby daddy managed to stay together during this time, because it would seem to be sooo hard to go through that.

In the episode prior to that, Reckless Driving or Tragic Accident, that woman was sooo lucky that the original officer died of Covid before the trial, and therefore the prosecutor offered to plea to a lesser charge, because I think she would have been found guilty of whatever reckless charge they were bringing. 

[One Tough Cookie]

23 minutes ago, LuvMyShows said:

Accused: Guilty or Innocent is such a captivating show!  The last episode, Killer Mom or Innocent Parent, was heart-breaking and infuriating.  The case was basically suspected murder of her baby (child shaking), and during the time between the charges being filed and the actual hearing (over 2 years), her 3 children were removed from her (went to live with boyfriend/baby daddy and she visited daily), she lost her good job due to the charges and had to take a worser job on an overnight shift, and had to wear an ankle monitor with all the attendant restrictions, all because some prosecutor thought the baby looked "off" in a picture taken shortly before the baby died.  Turns out it was due to rare complications from Sickle Cell Trait, and fortunately the prosecutor dropped the charges when they learned about the medical evidence (but they kept the "without prejudice", which means the charges can be filed again at any time).  I was very surprised that she and her boyfriend/baby daddy managed to stay together during this time, because it would seem to be sooo hard to go through that.

In the episode prior to that, Reckless Driving or Tragic Accident, that woman was sooo lucky that the original officer died of Covid before the trial, and therefore the prosecutor offered to plea to a lesser charge, because I think she would have been found guilty of whatever reckless charge they were bringing. 

Yeah, I am enjoying this show, it's interesting to see how charges are downgraded and the game of negotiating them. I too think the driving episode was a miscarriage of justice. 

[LuvMyShows]

I saw an episode of A&E's Killer Cases called Murder on County Road M.  The case was apparently also covered on 48 Hours.  It's about Todd Kendhammer, and if you've seen this story, you'll probably recognize it when I say that he's the guy who said that he was driving with his wife, when a pipe came through the windshield and killed her.  More memorable to me, is that when asked where they were going, he gave an answer about going to see a guy to install a windshield for him...but that was completely untrue.  So in later interrogation he said he was just mixed up because he had been asked that question right after the accident and he was confused, but the real person he was going to install the windshield for was guy #2...except that again it was untrue.  And then when he took the stand in his own defense after being charged with her murder, they asked him again where they had been headed that day, and he named guy #3.  So while he was still testifying, the prosecution contacted guy #3 and found out that was false. What a piece of work!

[LuvMyShows]

From watching the recent See No Evil episode Angel of Death, about nurse William Davis who killed patients by injecting air into their arterial lines, I was mystified by how little investigating the hospital apparently did even after becoming concerned.  As shown in the episode, it appears to have been several years before they even analyzed the duty logs to see who had been on duty the evenings of the deaths (and there was too much finger-pointing between doctors and nurses as to where the fault lay for the deaths).  And even after getting a new camera system (not sure if it was related to the incidents or not), they didn't look at the footage, or apparently at the footage from the old system, for quite some time. 

That seems lawsuit-worthy, so I tried to find information about whether any of the families have sued Christus Trinity Mother Frances Hospital in Tyler, TX, and all I can find is articles saying they have retained lawyers.  Does anyone know if there has been any legal action taken?

[Annber03]

2 hours ago, LuvMyShows said:

I saw an episode of A&E's Killer Cases called Murder on County Road M.  The case was apparently also covered on 48 Hours.  It's about Todd Kendhammer, and if you've seen this story, you'll probably recognize it when I say that he's the guy who said that he was driving with his wife, when a pipe came through the windshield and killed her.  More memorable to me, is that when asked where they were going, he gave an answer about going to see a guy to install a windshield for him...but that was completely untrue.  So in later interrogation he said he was just mixed up because he had been asked that question right after the accident and he was confused, but the real person he was going to install the windshield for was guy #2...except that again it was untrue.  And then when he took the stand in his own defense after being charged with her murder, they asked him again where they had been headed that day, and he named guy #3.  So while he was still testifying, the prosecution contacted guy #3 and found out that was false. What a piece of work!

Yes! I also saw that story covered on some other show on the HLN network, but I can't remember what one. Very strange, weird story. 

I mainly remember that one, though, because when I saw it on the HLN network, I kid you not, the very first ad that came on when they went to commercial was...

...an ad for a windshield repair company. 

[andromeda331]

8 hours ago, LuvMyShows said:

I saw an episode of A&E's Killer Cases called Murder on County Road M.  The case was apparently also covered on 48 Hours.  It's about Todd Kendhammer, and if you've seen this story, you'll probably recognize it when I say that he's the guy who said that he was driving with his wife, when a pipe came through the windshield and killed her.  More memorable to me, is that when asked where they were going, he gave an answer about going to see a guy to install a windshield for him...but that was completely untrue.  So in later interrogation he said he was just mixed up because he had been asked that question right after the accident and he was confused, but the real person he was going to install the windshield for was guy #2...except that again it was untrue.  And then when he took the stand in his own defense after being charged with her murder, they asked him again where they had been headed that day, and he named guy #3.  So while he was still testifying, the prosecution contacted guy #3 and found out that was false. What a piece of work!

What an idiot.

[andromeda331]

On 2/26/2023 at 10:23 PM, One Tough Cookie said:

Is anyone watching  the Murdagh trial?  I've been watching it on and off and am just clean amazed at his selective memory and agility in lying. However, my SIL is down in the are and she's pretty sure he's gonna walk -apparently he is still influential down there.  Between the murders and the massive financial misconduct he is going away for life, no matter what.

Just what's shown on the news. I think he's guilty but I wonder what the jury is thinking. Nothing he says or did makes any sense. I was impressed with  his ex-co-worker response to the defense lawyer trying to make it sound like he was testifying to get back at Murdagh for embezzling from the company. He said he was still pissed about that but was testifying because there were two people dead.

[One Tough Cookie]

MURDAGH GUILTY!!!!!!!!!!!! 3 hour considerations!

[One Tough Cookie]

I see a suicide in his future--a la Epstein. Someone with his hubris will never want to be imprisoned. JMHO

Edited March 3, 2023 by One Tough Cookie

[Vermicious Knid]

Once he admitted lying about being at the kennels within minutes of their estimated deaths he was toast. That would have overridden everything. He also confirmed stealing money and having a drug habit. I expect he will appeal, because the actual evidence isn't that strong and the guy's still a lawyer.  

Hallmark or Lifetime movie for sure. 

[andromeda331]

46 minutes ago, Vermicious Knid said:

Once he admitted lying about being at the kennels within minutes of their estimated deaths he was toast. That would have overridden everything. He also confirmed stealing money and having a drug habit. I expect he will appeal, because the actual evidence isn't that strong and the guy's still a lawyer.  

Hallmark or Lifetime movie for sure. 

Yeah, that was really it. The stealing and drug habit is important. But he was thee with in minutes of the murders. During the defense lawyer talked about how no one would kill their family to keep their family from finding out. Would you like me to point you to many Forensic Files and other cases where husbands or wives killed for that reason? There's been teens and adults who killed their parents for that very reason too.

4 hours ago, One Tough Cookie said:

MURDAGH GUILTY!!!!!!!!!!!! 3 hour considerations!

I am so glad he was found guilty! I'm really surprised by how quick it was. I really didn't think it would go to the jury until late tomorrow. But that's great. Guilty!

[SunnyBeBe]

I have a couple of questions, if anyone knows, please chime in.  

Does anyone know the name of the Murdaugh law partner who testified and said he had forgiven Alex and acted like what he did at the firm didn’t upset him that much?  
 

Also, does anyone recall a real crime that was featured on one of the major true crime shows a few years ago…..maybe 5-8 yrs?   Either 48 Hrs, 20/20 or Dateline.  It was about a husband who was acquitted of murdering his wife in their garage by shooting her with a crossbow.  He plead self defense.  The case happened in NC.  I recall it well, but now can’t locate it at all!  It’s surprising how many people get killed by crossbows, according to Google. Lol.   

[badhaggis]

@SunnyBeBe Is this it?

https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna26609035 "The crossbow incident"

Its close to what you described but I'm not sure.

Edited March 5, 2023 by badhaggis

[SunnyBeBe]

30 minutes ago, badhaggis said:

@SunnyBeBe Is this it?

https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna26609035 "The crossbow incident"

Its close to what you described but I'm not sure.

Sounds close, but it’s not the same one.  The one I’m searching for definitely happened in NC.  Thanks for trying though.  That one is interesting too.  

[SunnyBeBe]

Found it!  
 

This is the one.  
 

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/48-hours-mystery-a-killer-defense-01-05-2010/

[Razzberry]

So, Jared From Subway is on tonight.  3 hours of it.  Subway ran a commercial right after the ID promo, but I'm sure that was just an unfortunate coincidence.  lol

[One Tough Cookie]

9 hours ago, Razzberry said:

So, Jared From Subway is on tonight.  3 hours of it.  Subway ran a commercial right after the ID promo, but I'm sure that was just an unfortunate coincidence.  lol

I dvr'd it any will probably watch it tomorrow.  What's your take on it?

[kathyk24]

I liked it but I think it could have been two hours long and been fine. I really admired Rochelle I thought the FBI dragged the case on for too long and it took a toll on her.

[Annber03]

I just felt like I REALLY needed to take a shower after watching this. It was one thing to be aware of the story in general, but to hear all those details, all the things Jared said, and then everything with that Russell creep as well... Ick. Utterly, utterly horrifying. 

[One Tough Cookie]

1 minute ago, Annber03 said:

I just felt like I REALLY needed to take a shower after watching this. It was one thing to be aware of the story in general, but to hear all those details, all the things Jared said, and then everything with that Russell creep as well... Ick. Utterly, utterly horrifying. 

You can take maybe some small comfort in thinking he probably gets the shit beat out  of him on a daily basis.  Prisoners, no matter how heinous their crime HATE child molesters.

[andromeda331]

Someone They Knew with Tamora Hall-Wow, Mommy Dearest episode was horrible. The mother shoots and kills her soon to be ex-husband and claims self-defense. She claims she had a knife and while there was on in his hand. Detectives know that's not possible. If he had been holding the knife he would have dropped it after being shot. They also realize there is no way that he could be advancing on given where he was shot. Her son Kevin who's eight or ten witnessed the murder and he's the one to call 911 not his mother. The case should be a slam duck. She asked her husband if he has a life insurence policy a couple weeks or months before he's killed in front of mortgage or lawyer. Her extact words were if he was dead she'd have the million dollars, kids, and be able to keep the house. But first the judge won't allow any mention the mother's threats. But worse Kevin ends up testifying for his mother. Insisting that his dad was threatening his mother with a knife. Yep, that bitch made her son testify.  When he called 911 he said nothing about his father trying to kill his mother but that his father was shot. She's found not guilty despite all the evidence because Kevin testifed. She gets off scot free. 

But it gets worse. Years later when Kevin's in his late teens. His mother shoots him. That's right. The bitch shoots her own son. He's paralyized for the rest of his life but once again he testifies for his mother insisting that he shot himself. He still lives with his mother.

[Razzberry]

12 hours ago, One Tough Cookie said:

I dvr'd it any will probably watch it tomorrow.  What's your take on it?

I don't want to say too much if you haven't seen it, but.... the first hour covers Jared's backstory with the Subway diet and his growing fame and popularity.  Rochelle is a journalist and radio host who develops a long friendship with him and tape records their conversations.  She's the one who eventually goes to the FBI.  Her own two kids were put at risk and suffered because of her clandestine activities though.  I wanted to hear more about that.

 

[IntrovertRed]

On 3/2/2023 at 9:07 PM, One Tough Cookie said:

I see a suicide in his future--a la Epstein. Someone with his hubris will never want to be imprisoned. JMHO

Murdaugh is such a good bullshitter and knows the way to charm people that I honestly believe he will do well in prison. Not to mention he could apply his law degree with fellow inmates which could help as well.  

Edited March 9, 2023 by KLJ

[One Tough Cookie]

1 hour ago, KLJ said:

Not to mention he could apply his law degree with fellow inmates which could help as well.  

I thought he was broke and owed millions?

[Tdoc72]

On 2/18/2023 at 11:04 PM, Vermicious Knid said:

Discovered that SiriusXM has an HLN channel, which is just audio of whatever is being broadcast that moment. So I was tooling around town listening to Forensic Files. I couldn't remember the outcome of the last episode on before I left the car but I managed to get home before it was over to watch the end. 

Years ago when I had Sirius, I worked until 1 am and had a 45 min ride home so I would listen to FF but sometimes b/c it was late, dark, & no traffic around, I would get freaked out and have to turn it off. 
~~~
Re:Subway/Jared show

Totally agree with those saying it should’ve been shorter. I felt bad for Rochelle who did all that work and then it was something different that took him down. I admire the 2 stepdaughters for telling their stories publically. That takes guts to put their horrible childhood out there. I can’t believe their mother—I can’t even type out what I think of her. 

Edited March 11, 2023 by Tdoc72

[Annber03]

26 minutes ago, Tdoc72 said:

I admire the 2 stepdaughters for telling their stories publically. That takes guts to put their horrible childhood out there. I can’t believe their mother—I can’t even type out what I think of her. 

Their completely matter-of-fact, frank discussion of what all they went through made their story that much more disturbing, somehow. I share in your admiration, and I hope their story did prove helpful to anyone watching who'd been in a similar situation, or knew someone who was. And I hope their talking about it helped them, too, where possible. Just...yeah, this show was not playing around with its disclaimer at the beginning, that's for damn sure. 

[auntjess]

This is the 3rd Death in the Deep South, the first 2 were in Virginia, NOT deep south, and this one, a really strange family one, is in Oklahoma.
To me, deep south is Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana, South Carolina, maybe Tennessee too.

 

[oliviabenson]

Why did Alex Murdock kill his family?

[One Tough Cookie]

28 minutes ago, oliviabenson said:

Why did Alex Murdock kill his family?

Theory is that

1. His wife was planning to divorce him and his audacious egregious financial mismanagement would come out in court

and/or

2. His son Paul was in a huge liability lawsuit alleging Paul's negligence resulted in a a death and massive damages wherein his shady financial mismanagement and theft would come out in court

or his reason:  The pills made me do it.

3.  He wasn't there {woof woof}

Edited March 12, 2023 by One Tough Cookie

[oliviabenson]

https://people.com/crime/kristin-smart-case-paul-flores-sentenced-25-years-life-1996-death-disappearance/
 

 

Finally justice for Kristin.

[ForumLou]

On 3/2/2023 at 8:07 PM, One Tough Cookie said:

I see a suicide in his future--a la Epstein. Someone with his hubris will never want to be imprisoned. JMHO

Yeah i had the same thoughts.  How long before a 'suicide' or an assisted suicide lol happens

[One Tough Cookie]

3 hours ago, ForumLou said:

Yeah i had the same thoughts.  How long before a 'suicide' or an assisted suicide lol happens

Some one up thread said he would be too influential {or words to that affect} on the inside--maybe for a while, but believe me, if he's in gen pop, there will be someone who "gets" him for bragging rights.  Remember Jeffrey Dahmer?

[ForumLou]

11 hours ago, One Tough Cookie said:

Some one up thread said he would be too influential {or words to that affect} on the inside--maybe for a while, but believe me, if he's in gen pop, there will be someone who "gets" him for bragging rights.  Remember Jeffrey Dahmer?

Oooooh yes indeedy.  Someone will want bragging rights.  Why did they shave his head?  To make sure he wasn't holding?

[LuvMyShows]

 

On 3/11/2023 at 2:42 AM, Tdoc72 said:

~~~
Re:Subway/Jared show

I felt bad for Rochelle who did all that work and then it was something different that took him down.

On 3/7/2023 at 12:53 AM, kathyk24 said:

I thought the FBI dragged the case on for too long and it took a toll on her.

I was stunned at the fact that she had to keep playing that persona and recording calls for three years, and nothing came of it.  What brought him down ended up being because of his association with Russell Taylor, and what the authorities found in the search warrant.  So...why on earth didn't the FBI, with all the recordings, just apply for a search warrant?  They certainly had probable cause that the home contained evidence of illegal dealings. 

[SunnyBeBe]

My take on the Murdaugh family murder motive was not addressed in the trial and I’m not sure why.  Maybe, the state couldn’t prove it….idk.  But, my belief was that as his son’s murder trial neared, the son’s defense attorneys wanted their money.  Perhaps, he had promised to pay the legal fee and had kept putting it off.  Now, that the trial was really approaching, he was in a pickle, if he didn’t have the funds to pay them.   At that point, the options were few.  Since his son was over 18, a civil judgment against Paul wouldn’t have attached to the father, though liability insurance, if they had it on the boat, would likely have covered a settlement or judgment, under family purpose doctrine, if SC has that.  I also suppose that Alex didn’t want a convicted felon in the family.  🥴

[LuvMyShows]

More lame cops.  In a recent episode of ID's A TIme to Kill, "Anchorage Cold Case", the cops were going to a house to look for their lead suspect at the time in a murder.  They went to knock on the front door and inquire about his whereabouts, but didn't have the brains to position someone in back of the house, in case, oh, I don't know, the person tries to flee out a back door?  Which of course is exactly what happened (turns out it wasn't him, but they spent months trying to find him in the Alaskan wilderness). 

Then later these same idiots had found a bag of trash that included email printouts, near the victim's body.  They questioned the woman whose name was on the emails, and she said that her car had been broken into in January (it was now March), and she had indeed reported it.  So they all just assumed that the emails had randomly shown up at the crime scene, after having been included with whatever was stolen from the lady's car.  Except...the idiots never noticed that the date of the emails was a few months AFTER the time she said her car had been broken into.  And indeed, the emails hadn't been taken at the time her car was broken into; it was her son who had dumped the bag of trash and emails when he murdered the victim months later.

[oliviabenson]

Death in the dorms (abc, Hulu)

Good lord how depressing. First episode the victim was murdered for some speakers! She was asleep in bed. Guy got life no parole! 

Edited March 16, 2023 by oliviabenson

[Vermicious Knid]

Came across another case that needs to be withdrawn from Forensic Files, and the other shows that used it. Although I don't think they've pulled the two or three episodes featuring bite mark analysis that's now considered 'junk science' and is no longer accepted in trials, and the people convicted with that evidence have been released. The murder of Las Vegas millionaire Ron Rudin by his wife, characterized as a Black Widow, was made into the FF episode "For Love or Money", as well as an episode of ID's The Perfect Murder, and episodes of 48 Hours, Snapped, Beyond Reasonable Doubt, and American Justice. Plus three books. It's a pretty juicy story; both husband and wife on their fifth marriages, both cheating, 5 bullets to the skull and lots of money. 

Except. The entire conviction was vacated based on professional misconduct by her lawyer, who among other things didn't bother to question witnesses. The evidence isn't a slam dunk either. She's released after 20 years in jail, that lawyer is dead and Clark County declined to re-try her. Which I believe makes her innocent, legally anyway, because she is no longer guilty. 

[Minivanessa]

9 hours ago, Vermicious Knid said:

The entire conviction was vacated based on professional misconduct by her lawyer, who among other things didn't bother to question witnesses. The evidence isn't a slam dunk either. She's released after 20 years in jail, that lawyer is dead and Clark County declined to re-try her. Which I believe makes her innocent, legally anyway, because she is no longer guilty. 

Wow. I didn't realize she'd been released. Having now read a couple of news stories and the Ninth Circuit's revised opinion, I'm stunned by the depth of ineptitude of her defense counsel. What a fustercluck. 

[LuvMyShows]

Watched ID's Killer in Question show, episode 1, "The Hunted".  I remember seeing this story on another franchise and not thinking there was enough to prove the guy was guilty.  I'm glad he was released, even though he did spend a long time in jail. On the other show, I seem to remember they showed more about what convicted him, and there was even something about the expression on his face in the picture where he is pointing at where he discovered the gun.  Him discovering the gun, after the authorities had already searched the same area, is used as evidence against him.  But apparently their search was at night, and only went so many feet beyond where the victim was found.  IIRC, it was on his property, and he kept looking in daylight, beyond where the official search radius had been, and found it. 

I think this is also the one where a man was seen speeding off right around the time of the murder, and ended up in a ditch, and didn't want the police called to help him get out, but the authorities never really made an effort to find him.  And when asked about it, their logic was something like, "Well it wasn't that guy, cause we caught the right guy."

 

[kathyk24]

I saw a Dateline episode that was new to me. It was the Ranch about a Mexican man who survived being kidnapped for seven months. He survived but his wife who worked so hard to free him tragically died from breast cancer. It was very moving.

[LuvMyShows]

Watched ID's Killer in Question show, episode 1, "The Hunted".  I remember seeing this story on another franchise and not thinking there was enough to prove the guy was guilty, and that they were really stretching with what they did think was evidence.  I'm glad he was released, even though he did spend a long time in jail. On the other show, I seem to remember they showed more about what convicted him, and there was even something about the expression on his face in the picture where he is pointing at where he discovered the gun.  Him discovering the gun, after the authorities had already searched the same area, is also used as evidence against him.  But apparently their search was at night, and only went so many feet beyond where the victim was found.  IIRC, it had occurred on his pretty big hunting property, and he kept looking, in daylight, beyond where the official search radius had been, and found it. 

I think this is also the one where a man was seen speeding off right around the time of the murder, and ended up in a ditch, and didn't want the police called to help him get out, but the authorities never really made an effort to find and identify him.  And when asked about it, their logic was something like, "Well it wasn't that guy, cause we caught the right guy." 

 

[Minivanessa]

I'm not sure where to put this, but straight from this morning's local news: https://www.denverpost.com/2023/03/20/colorado-dentist-poisoned-wife-cyanide-arsenic-james-craig/ - soon to be all over the true crime shows. But no dramatic long wait for the case to be solved. The murdering eejit is already in jail, less than a week after his wife died. And he left enough bread crumbs to save the cops a lot of time in arriving at his door. Six children are motherless, and if even most of what's in that affidavit is true, he's locked up for good. 

[One Tough Cookie]

2 hours ago, Jeeves said:

I'm not sure where to put this, but straight from this morning's local news: https://www.denverpost.com/2023/03/20/colorado-dentist-poisoned-wife-cyanide-arsenic-james-craig/ - soon to be all over the true crime shows. But no dramatic long wait for the case to be solved. The murdering eejit is already in jail, less than a week after his wife died. And he left enough bread crumbs to save the cops a lot of time in arriving at his door. Six children are motherless, and if even most of what's in that affidavit is true, he's locked up for good. 

Kinda scary that this guy went to MEDICAL SCHOOL, ISN'T IT?

[Schnickelfritz]

54 minutes ago, One Tough Cookie said:

Kinda scary that this guy went to MEDICAL SCHOOL, ISN'T IT?

Well, someone always graduates last in the class.

[Razzberry]

That computer search printout was classic.  How stupid IS this guy?  If their kids stand behind him proclaiming his innocence I'll scream.

[Annber03]

Quote

An Aurora dentist bought arsenic and cyanide days before his wife was poisoned to death, searched online about how to poison someone and was having an affair, police alleged in his arrest affidavit.

My god, we're just going straight through the "true crime" checklist here, aren't we? I swear, you could make a drinking game out of how often these sorts of details pop up in these stories. 

[LexieLily]

1 hour ago, Annber03 said:

My god, we're just going straight through the "true crime" checklist here, aren't we? I swear, you could make a drinking game out of how often these sorts of details pop up in these stories. 

I think the game you're looking for here is bingo. How Not To Get Away With Your Murder bingo. :p.

[Vermicious Knid]

Quote

bought arsenic and cyanide days before his wife was poisoned to death, searched online about how to poison someone and was having an affair

I can hear Peter Thomas in my head, narrating this. I bet you could literally cut and paste from FF episodes him saying these exact words. 

There are two ongoing cases right now here in Las Vegas that I fully expect to be featured on multiple true crime shows once a trial is concluded. One is former actor Nathan Chasing Horse who has been indicted for running a sex cult and abusing women and girls. Probably eventually a TV movie. The other is the murder of Review-Journal reporter Jeff German by a county official who lost re-election after a series of investigative stories put him in a very bad light. And, now the alleged murdered has decided to represent himself. He actually has a law degree but never practiced criminal law. Since he sounds pretty incompetent and the evidence is fairly compelling this will hopefully be a quick trial. 

 

[Minivanessa]

13 hours ago, Annber03 said:

My god, we're just going straight through the "true crime" checklist here, aren't we? I swear, you could make a drinking game out of how often these sorts of details pop up in these stories. 

This one stands out to me because the cops composed a 52-page arrest affidavit and arrested the guy within *hours* after his wife was removed from life support and died. She'd been admitted to the hospital on Wednesday (after prior hospitalization and illness) and he was arrested the following Sunday. IMO, that was fast. Speeding bullet fast.

It won't surprise me if we find out that this guy doesn't have a lot of friends and supporters. I bet his wife's relatives were feeding info to the cops, and it seems his business partner was very cooperative as well. Law enforcement just doesn't pierce into the details of someone's private life that deeply without a reason to do it, and also a reason for a busy city police department to devote the time and resources to it.  FYI, Aurora at 386,000 is the third most populous city in the State of Colorado and the 51st most populous city in the United States. It sprawls into two counties and has plenty of crime for its police department to handle, plus the department's seen a lot of internal turmoil lately. It's not like the Sheriff of Mayberry sitting around the office hunting for something to work on. They got lots to do, believe me. 

My random thoughts based on the article:

• He used a "a communal computer at his workplace to conduct numerous searches about poison." Dental offices are covered by HIPAA, which means they should have a HIPAA compliant computer network. User logins, tracking, security, records of user activity. And that's in addition to whatever his co-workers noticed, for example that he was on the computer at a certain day and time. Dude couldn't search on his phone? On a laptop at home that could later suffer a convenient hard drive failure from being pounded by a hammer and then extra-conveniently lost in a dumpster somewhere? Sheesh.
• He ordered arsenic from Amazon.com (good Lord - I had no idea you could DO that!), which was delivered two days before his wife was first sickened and admitted to the hospital. Seriously. Good old Amazon delivery status tracking. Not infallible, but overall darn reliable. 
• "[W]hile his wife was hospitalized, a woman with whom [he] had exchanged sexually explicit messages flew from Texas into Colorado to visit him." I think the cops hopped right on to this mobile carrier and got into his text messages, or maybe this was an email the doofus sent from work. 
• Also while his wife was hospitalized he "ordered two additional poisons — cyanide and oleandrin — from medical suppliers, according to the affidavit. (He never received the oleandrin because the package was intercepted by police.)" He ordered those sent to this office, told the staff he was expecting a personal package and not to open it. A staffer accidentally opened the cyanide, then closed it up and reported it to one of the doofus's business partners. After the doofus laid an insanely incredible bunch of lies on the partner about what was in the box (didn't know it had been opened and resealed), the partner told him "to stop talking and hire a lawyer. The next day, on March 15, [the doofus] sent a long text message to the business partner and asked the man not to tell anyone about their conversation." More evidence that the cops had access to his text messages - or the partner shared his, or both.
• His wife's sister said there should be an autopsy in case the wife died of something with genetic implications for their six kids, and he refused. Admittedly, a statement from an arguably biased source, the defense can argue. OTOH she might have been wired and that conversation was recorded. BTW an autopsy is/was being performed. 

So yeah, I think his in-laws and even his business partners and maybe employees were practically lining up to drop a dime on him. If everyone around him had closed ranks, no WAY the cops would have accessed all that information in such a short time.