The usual suspects traveled to Orlando for CrimeCon ‘23 and took the stage for a special live episode – and we got you a front row ticket to the show! Our co-host and CrimeCon veteran, the one and only Paul Holes, leads the team in their live-show debut.
Please, Stop Me!
A serial killer is loose in the early 1980s. His attacks are increasingly brutal and his choice of victim is seemingly random. Then, after he commits his crimes he does something confounding: He calls the police and, while seeming to cry, asks them to stop him. But despite his apparent guilt, he continues to kill, while the police desperately try to track him down.
The Dance
In today’s briefing: You’ve got a suspect in the interview room. Do you want to break them down? Or build them up? Do you want a confession? Or to catch them in a lie? Detectives Dave and Dan walk you through their interview techniques and discuss the pitfalls of not being prepared. And they respond to your feedback from Classroom Safety Check.
Split Second
In a split second, your entire life can change. Detective Aaron is a school resource officer. As he does his daily patrol, he stops a man who appears out of place near the local high school. Indeed, this routine stop turns dangerous as the man, who is found to have warrants and is carrying weapons, runs directly onto school property. A confrontation outside classrooms forces Aaron in a split-second decision.
Stand-off
A mother calls police to her condominium over concerns that her son, Mike, is acting erratically and is a threat to both himself and his own son. Because Mike is armed with a gun, police attempt to isolate him. A stand-off ensues which turns violent.
Left for Dead
A passing car notices what appears to be a bag of trash tossed onto the road. Upon closer inspection, the driver finds a woman bundled up in the garbage, left for dead. Retired Deputy Chief Constable Tom returns to the podcast to talk about why this cold case was such an eye-opener for his police department.
The Runaway
Police get called to a seedy motel after reports of a fight. They find two women injured, one badly, as well as a group of men standing around videotaping the incident on their phones. As Det. Scott begins to investigate, he quickly realizes there is much more than meets the eye as he follows the evidence into a world of gangs and human trafficking.
The Fourth Man
A military general from a Southeast Asian country gets arrested in the United States, along with his bodyguard, for orchestrating a million-dollar heroin deal. However, not content to sit and wait for their trial to begin, the two men plan a jailbreak. They just need two other participants to pull it off, which is how one of our favorite guests, Sgt. David becomes the Fourth Man.
The Imposition
A mother gets home to find her infant Mariah’s head lolling from side to side when she holds her in her arms. The mother asks Mariah’s father, who had been looking after the baby, “What happened?!” He says he doesn’t know and that the child was fine when he put her to sleep. The parents rush Mariah to the hospital and, when the doctors examine her, they immediately call the police to investigate.
Bad Company, Part 2
This is Part 2 of Detective Jay’s three-month investigation into the murder of a homeless man who was viciously stabbed to death in a public park restroom. With the help of two confidential informants, detectives close in on three men suspected in the killing.
Cut and Run
Detectives George, Dan, and Dave are called to a deceased subject. There’s blood everywhere, but it’s not immediately apparent how the victim died. A mountain of lies from multiple suspects make solving this case especially challenging.
You Don’t Know Me
Rachel, Allison, and Kim don’t know each other. They don’t even live in the same town. Using old-school detective work and modern-day cyber tools, Detective Dave uncovers the disturbing way in which the three victims are linked and, in the process, reveals a family of like-minded predators.
Stalked
Yeardley shares a personal story of being targeted and stalked at a time in her career when her success and notoriety as an actress were starting to get some much sought-after traction. Brought up to assume she can handle whatever comes her way without asking for help, Yeardley quickly finds herself in over her head. Zibby, Detective Dan and Detective Dave help her unpack the details of this cautionary tale.
Goofy Loop
Zibby shares a personal story of being violently attacked and then waiting for hours before she called the police. Law enforcement refers to this delay as, “The Goofy Loop.” In this episode Detectives Dan and Dave explain how easily it happens to civilians and law enforcement personnel, alike.