General True Crime Shows

[Christina]

12 hours ago, KellsBells said:

I'm watching James Patterson's Murder is Forever. It's about that guy who hired those hillbillies to kill his wife, and was paying them from the millions he was stealing from his employer. I thought that was the story from the description on my DVR, but when they showed the wife for the first time it threw me off. The actress playing her is a skinny blonde; in real life she's a heavyset brunette.  That was kind of a crazy story, but it was much better done on Dateline or whatever other show it was I saw it on. This is one of those badly-acted re-enactment shows. 

 

7 hours ago, walnutqueen said:

This one was a real mess - the constant reenactments were terrible, and the story was so disjointed.  Dateline (if that's where I saw it first) did it much better.

I have several pages of posts to catch up on, but came to post a link to the article on DMagazine How Not to Get Away with Murder, which is a long write-up of the Frank and Nancy Howard case. When it started, I was watching with my mom and realized that the story was familiar and I had recently read the DMagazine article after the rerun of the other show.

Whichever show did it before (I was thinking 48 Hours but certainly don't remember for sure) was so much better, which was quite surprising to me, especially since I thought there was too much information missing so I googled it and found the linked article. My expectations for a show hosted by James Patterson were apparently too high, because it was quite disappointing. 

They barely touched on the huge amount of money he was giving to a group of people who strung him along for years. It totalled over $2 million and there were also several million spent on the girlfriend and her kids. It's a good thing he was so stupid and gullible or he would have found another way to kill her, like a car accident or something. When the money you're paying is stolen and not earned, it apparently flows out easier. 

[ButterQueen]

14 hours ago, KellsBells said:

I'm watching James Patterson's Murder is Forever. It's about that guy who hired those hillbillies to kill his wife, and was paying them from the millions he was stealing from his employer. I thought that was the story from the description on my DVR, but when they showed the wife for the first time it threw me off. The actress playing her is a skinny blonde; in real life she's a heavyset brunette.  That was kind of a crazy story, but it was much better done on Dateline or whatever other show it was I saw it on. This is one of those badly-acted re-enactment shows. 

Thanks for the heads-up.  I'll erase it from my DVR.  I was shocked they picked this story to do.  Dateline did a great job with it previously.  

[cooksdelight]

8 hours ago, InDueTime said:

I remember seeing this case. In fact was on Oxygen this past weekend. There's one thing I was wondering.  Is the baby still in Indonesian foster care, or was she ever brought to the U.S.?

As far as I know, the baby is still with them in prison. And they are allowed to walk about freely within the compound because Baby Daddy is shown carrying the child to his cell.

[KellsBells]

5 hours ago, Christina said:

 

I have several pages of posts to catch up on, but came to post a link to the article on DMagazine How Not to Get Away with Murder, which is a long write-up of the Frank and Nancy Howard case. When it started, I was watching with my mom and realized that the story was familiar and I had recently read the DMagazine article after the rerun of the other show.

Whichever show did it before (I was thinking 48 Hours but certainly don't remember for sure) was so much better, which was quite surprising to me, especially since I thought there was too much information missing so I googled it and found the linked article. My expectations for a show hosted by James Patterson were apparently too high, because it was quite disappointing. 

They barely touched on the huge amount of money he was giving to a group of people who strung him along for years. It totalled over $2 million and there were also several million spent on the girlfriend and her kids. It's a good thing he was so stupid and gullible or he would have found another way to kill her, like a car accident or something. When the money you're paying is stolen and not earned, it apparently flows out easier. 

Thanks for the link -- that's a good story. And also, his daughters are still convinced he's innocent in spite of all the evidence to the contrary. I don't think the jury even had time to eat lunch they convicted him so quickly.  

[atlantaloves]

Whoa, the new Patterson show truly reeks doesn't it? You would think they would do better by him, the guy is a terrific crime writer. Oh well, onward and downward! It was so bad I turned it off after only about 5 minutes. 

[funky-rat]

15 hours ago, walnutqueen said:

This one was a real mess - the constant reenactments were terrible, and the story was so disjointed.  Dateline (if that's where I saw it first) did it much better.

 

1 hour ago, atlantaloves said:

Whoa, the new Patterson show truly reeks doesn't it? You would think they would do better by him, the guy is a terrific crime writer. Oh well, onward and downward! It was so bad I turned it off after only about 5 minutes. 

I deleted it too.  However, next week is about Dee Dee and Gypsy Blancharde.  Such an f-ed up case.  I'll attempt to watch it, and hope it's better.

[KellsBells]

2 hours ago, funky-rat said:

 

I deleted it too.  However, next week is about Dee Dee and Gypsy Blancharde.  Such an f-ed up case.  I'll attempt to watch it, and hope it's better.

Didn't 20/20 just do that? I can't imagine we'll see an improvement in the Patterson show. 

[funky-rat]

1 minute ago, KellsBells said:

Didn't 20/20 just do that? I can't imagine we'll see an improvement in the Patterson show. 

Possibly.  I don't watch 20/20.  I saw the HBO Doc.

[SunnyBeBe]

16 hours ago, Annber03 said:

This. It's like those moments when you hear family and friends talk about how their loved one's final words to them were, "If something happens to me, so and so did it"...and then they watch the person leave for home or wherever, and that's the last they ever see of them. That is not the sort of thing people say just for the hell of it. I don't get how people just let that sort of statement go without trying to do something. 

I'm not calling anyone a liar, but, I do suspect that some of those accounts we hear are fabricated by family members who want a conviction of a person who may have abused their loved one.  Not always, but, I do believe some resort to the lies, because it will help put a guilty person away.  Just my take on it.  That's why the family member doesn't do anything.....because it didn't happen.  But, I get why they do it.  If your daughter was physically abused by her husband and he finally kills her, I get why the parents may enrich the story. 

[KellsBells]

I've seen two episodes of True Conviction. It's been really good so far. Well done and two stories I've never seen elsewhere. 

[walnutqueen]

34 minutes ago, KellsBells said:

I've seen two episodes of True Conviction. It's been really good so far. Well done and two stories I've never seen elsewhere. 

I was pleasantly surprised by this show, too.  

I'd been prepared to give it the side-eye because of the promos touting this prosecutor who had never lost a homicide case (hello, Kelly Siegler!), but  the show really isn't about her or her cases.

[SunnyBeBe]

1 hour ago, walnutqueen said:

I was pleasantly surprised by this show, too.  

I'd been prepared to give it the side-eye because of the promos touting this prosecutor who had never lost a homicide case (hello, Kelly Siegler!), but  the show really isn't about her or her cases.

What do they say about Siegler?  I'm glad I didn't see that.  I don't watch anything about her anymore.  I am a FORMER fan. 

[walnutqueen]

4 minutes ago, SunnyBeBe said:

What do they say about Siegler?  I'm glad I didn't see that.  I don't watch anything about her anymore.  I am a FORMER fan. 

They didn't say anything about Kelly.  I was just making a reference to her "also perfect" prosecutorial track record.

[SunnyBeBe]

I wonder about the actors who play on these shows.  Who knew there are so many.  You'd think that a few would stand out and become recognizable.  They must have a large pool to choose from. 

[ridethemaverick]

After watching Married with Secrets, I think I can say I've truly seen it all.

 

Spoiler

Husband cheats on his sick wife with a married co-worker. Coworker stalks the wife when husband won't divorce her. Sick wife ends up beaten to death. Police suspect co-worker but can't prove it. Case goes cold. Later, co-worker's husband's girlfriend tells police he admitted to helping his wife kill her lover's wife. Even the police were like 'WTF?'

 

I'm almost never surprised by these shows anymore so this one was a good watch. 

[atlantaloves]

Yeah, here's the deal, in L.A. , you can hire actors standing outside of Home Depot to play on ID Crime shows....you get picked up in a truck and are paid scale. THAT'S HOW BAD THESE ACTORS ARE. 

[bubbls]

On 1/25/2018 at 11:08 AM, SunnyBeBe said:

I wonder about the actors who play on these shows.  Who knew there are so many.  You'd think that a few would stand out and become recognizable.  They must have a large pool to choose from. 

 I can never tell if most are that awful or their direction is awful. Some do stand out as worse than others though. One guy was so bad I remember him to this day. Dude, go back to college or a good trade school. 

Edited January 27, 2018 by bubbls

[badhaggis]

A Crime to Remember will finally be back February 10th! 

[auntjess]

1 hour ago, bubbls said:

I can never tell if most are that awful or their direction is awful.

On ones that stage all the tacky what ifs, I blame the director, or producer"
"A middle-age kindergarten teacher is found beaten to death in a convenience store parking lot.  BUT, was she really stopping for gas, or was she perhaps turning tricks, to pick up a few extra bucks. ?"
Cut to scene of her in fishnet and hooker heels.
I think it's Nightmare Next Door that's really bad about this.

[kathyk24]

Did anyone watch Who Killed Jane Doe on Tuesday? I think Tent Girl's husband killed his first wife and her as well. I was suspicious that he used the same excuse to justify why both women left him.

[auntjess]

Yes, weren't they both wrapped in tarps, like he had at work?
I thought it was touching that they left her buried in the town that had given her a grave and marker, and just added her name.

Edited January 29, 2018 by auntjess

[Josette]

Quote

Yes, weren't they both wrapped in tarps, like he had a work?

No, we don't know what happened to the first wife other than she supposedly left the father.

Candace Clothier, the other victim, turned out not to be connected to this case.

 

Quote

I think Tent Girl's husband killed his first wife

I thought about that possibility, too.  I can't find any information about the first wife aside from the brief mention on the show. 

[SunnyBeBe]

 Last night the story on Dennis Bradford was pretty bizarre. So, your husband tells you that he's killed someone and you just think he's kidding? This man's wife was pretty dense.   They finally got the guy on DNA hit after 19 years of kidnapping, raping and cutting the throat of an 8 year old girl. (leaving her for dead.  He claimed he thought the girl died, but, why didn't he read in the papers that the girl survived?  Odd.)  The good thing about it, was that he did commit suicide awaiting trial. (He confessed.)  But, the victim wanted to give her impact statement and didn't get the chance.  She went and read it at his grave.  He was also convicted of attempting to abduct another woman. Attempted rape was dismissed.  I wonder just how many other women of children that he attacked.  

Edited January 27, 2018 by SunnyBeBe

[druzy]

13 hours ago, badhaggis said:

A Crime to Remember will finally be back February 10th! 

Thanks @badhaggis- I love that show! 

The first episode:

Quote

Once Upon a Crime

The story behind author Truman Capote's classic non-fiction novel, "In Cold Blood," which details the Clutter family murders in 1959 and the nationwide manhunt that followed for the killers.

The second episode

Quote

The Bad Old Days

Chicago is gripped with terror after three bizarre and savage murders go unsolved; police officers and newspaper reporters are eager to deliver a suspect amidst the public furor.

I didn't see a topic for this show so I guess it will be discussed here.

[cooksdelight]

On 1/25/2018 at 12:08 PM, SunnyBeBe said:

I wonder about the actors who play on these shows.  Who knew there are so many.  You'd think that a few would stand out and become recognizable.  They must have a large pool to choose from. 

A good friend has been in a couple of true crime shows, she’s SAG/AFTRA. If you appear on these shows, you have to be union, according to her. I don’t know if that has changed that they will let anyone be on a show. She was on the Paula Zahn show as a woman who got murdered (they never showed her face, just from the neck down), and an episode of Snapped.

[applecrisp]

Did anyone see The Perfect Suspect on Thursday eve. It was a small town in Ohio, 1984. two young GF/BF were found mutilated. At first people thought satanic worship.  The girl was living with her boyfriend and the family said she was trying to get away from her stepdad.

The stepdad gave police pictures. He became the prime suspect and was convicted. The kicker, the pictures he gave were of the naked step daughter. That was what really sealed his fate. He was able to secure an air tight alibi and was released. Years later a man from town confessed. 

I don't think I am a prude but I just thought those pictures were really odd.  It bothers me. 

[Razzberry]

7 hours ago, SunnyBeBe said:

 Last night the story on Dennis Bradford was pretty bizarre. So, your husband tells you that he's killed someone and you just think he's kidding? This man's wife was pretty dense. 

I know, it makes me wanna scream.  That poor little girl, I was so glad she lived.  I can't help but wonder how many other victims of his there were. 

[SunnyBeBe]

On the Dennis Bradford story last night, there was one part where the man whispered something to his wife that really upset her.  Not the part about killing a girl, but, something about wanting to be her father....is that what he said?  I barely caught it and they never repeated it again.  Anyone know for sure if that IS what he said. 

[Brattinella]

15 minutes ago, SunnyBeBe said:

On the Dennis Bradford story last night, there was one part where the man whispered something to his wife that really upset her.  Not the part about killing a girl, but, something about wanting to be her father....is that what he said?  I barely caught it and they never repeated it again.  Anyone know for sure if that IS what he said. 

He said "I wish I were dead".

[SunnyBeBe]

1 minute ago, Brattinella said:

He said "I wish I were dead".

Oh, I must have heard, I wish I were your dad or something like that.  Thanks. 

[Brattinella]

Yeah, it was completely out of left field comment.  Hurt her feelings.

[SunnyBeBe]

Her reaction was odd to me.  She seemed grossed out, not scared for his safety.  And he seemed like he was flirting at the time.  Odd. 

[ratgirlagogo]

19 hours ago, badhaggis said:

A Crime to Remember will finally be back February 10th! 

FINALLY!!! My favorite ID show!  Christmas in February!!

[badhaggis]

Just now, ratgirlagogo said:

FINALLY!!! My favorite ID show!  Christmas in February!!

I know right! I was so excited!

[cooksdelight]

17 hours ago, applecrisp said:

Did anyone see The Perfect Suspect on Thursday eve. It was a small town in Ohio, 1984. two young GF/BF were found mutilated. At first people thought satanic worship.  The girl was living with her boyfriend and the family said she was trying to get away from her stepdad.

The stepdad gave police pictures. He became the prime suspect and was convicted. The kicker, the pictures he gave were of the naked step daughter. That was what really sealed his fate. He was able to secure an air tight alibi and was released. Years later a man from town confessed. 

I don't think I am a prude but I just thought those pictures were really odd.  It bothers me. 

Could have been why she wanted to get away from her stepdad. He probably molested her.

[KellsBells]

On 1/26/2018 at 6:31 PM, atlantaloves said:

Yeah, here's the deal, in L.A. , you can hire actors standing outside of Home Depot to play on ID Crime shows....you get picked up in a truck and are paid scale. THAT'S HOW BAD THESE ACTORS ARE. 

Hilarious, but also close to true. 

[peachybean]

On 1/21/2018 at 10:07 AM, SunnyBeBe said:

I have found that on many types of crime shows, a biggie with just about everyone seems to be how a killer treats the body afterwards.  How many times do we hear about how horrified the person is that the victim was thrown away like trash or the body was dismembered.  It's talked about a lot.   It's like the way they handled the body is worse than the murder.  I don't get it. It's the murder that is horrific. That's what they should focus on.

I agree but I think, for families, having all of the person to bury is part of their grieving process. It has to be unsettling to wonder where your dad’s arm is and dreading the idea that it could be found at any time and bring the whole thing right back up again. 

As a viewer, hearing about dismemberment helps me make up my mind when the motive or evidence is weak. Snapped has had a few cases like that. 

[Annber03]

9 minutes ago, peachybean said:

I agree but I think, for families, having all of the person to bury is part of their grieving process. It has to be unsettling to wonder where your dad’s arm is and dreading the idea that it could be found at any time and bring the whole thing right back up again. 

Agreed. And it's also just the fact that it adds insult to injury. Like, you already killed the person, did you really need to shove them into some container or try and chop up their limbs or whatever? Seeing how a killer treats a body can sometimes prove just how fucked up and cruel they really are, especially if they display the body in a way that's intended to add to the degradation of the victim (wasn't the Black Dahlia's body posed in a way that was intended to be sexually degrading somehow?). 

[Brattinella]

58 minutes ago, Annber03 said:

did you really need to shove them into some container or try and chop up their limbs or whatever?

Well, yeah.  To hide their crime.

[Annber03]

Yes, there's that. But sometimes it's just to show how incredibly cruel they can be, too.

[KellsBells]

On 1/27/2018 at 3:48 PM, Brattinella said:

He said "I wish I were dead".

And she slapped the hell out of him.  Kind of startling. I mean, I know he was a killer and a horrible person, but she didn't and I wouldn't think that would be my first reaction if my husband said that to me. 

[Brattinella]

15 minutes ago, KellsBells said:

And she slapped the hell out of him.  Kind of startling. I mean, I know he was a killer and a horrible person, but she didn't and I wouldn't think that would be my first reaction if my husband said that to me. 

I think she was greatly insulted.  I know I would be too, if my soul mate said that.  I'm just over-sensitive, I guess.  It just implied that being with her made him want to die.

[Razzberry]

I'm not sure I can bear to hear another clueless relative on "Evil Lives Here" tonight.   From the previews the mother claims to have been frightened by her son since he was FOUR, yet "never dreamed he'd hurt anyone."

[KellsBells]

2 hours ago, Razzberry said:

I'm not sure I can bear to hear another clueless relative on "Evil Lives Here" tonight.   From the previews the mother claims to have been frightened by her son since he was FOUR, yet "never dreamed he'd hurt anyone."

Oh, it's even worse than you could imagine. 

[riley702]

6 hours ago, Annber03 said:

wasn't the Black Dahlia's body posed in a way that was intended to be sexually degrading somehow?

Oh, yes. Legs shoved as far apart as they would go. I was foolish enough to look at graphic images.

Spoiler

After he cut her in half, he disemboweled her and "tidied up" her pelvic area so much that one photo from her head looking down toward her feet clearly shows daylight between her legs. I don't recommend looking for it - I'm haunted by that image.

[Annber03]

Yeeeeesh. Thanks for the warning. Definitely no plans to look that up. 

[Brattinella]

The things that were done to Elizabeth Short (the Black Dahlia) are unspeakable.  She suffered.

[riley702]

Poor thing. Why her?

[Annber03]

1 hour ago, KellsBells said:

Oh, it's even worse than you could imagine. 

Watching the episode now and you are not kidding. Wow.

Spoiler

I breathed such a sigh of relief when they saved the child. Good lord, that had me nervous. 

[Brattinella]

I dunno, Riley.  She was wanting to be a movie star, and some monster said the right things to her.  She haunts me, too.