Join me for my personal take on many of these stories and my personal connection to several as well!
I’m Ashleigh Banfield, and I’m Drop Dead Serious!
New Episodes Every Thursday!
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Join me for my personal take on many of these stories and my personal connection to several as well!
I’m Ashleigh Banfield, and I’m Drop Dead Serious!
New Episodes Every Thursday!
Copyright: © Banfield Productions, LLC
Gruesome and horrifying new details came to light during the first day of D4vd's preliminary hearing as prosecutors began presenting evidence in the murder case of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez. Detectives described the disturbing condition of Celeste's remains after they were discovered inside the front trunk of D4vd's Tesla, the court was shown graphic evidence recovered during the investigation, and prosecutors revealed new testimony about the welfare check at D4vd's Hollywood Hills home, the alleged "burn box," and other evidence they say connects to the case. In this episode of Drop Dead Serious, Ashleigh Banfield is joined by Lauren Conlin, reporter for Los Angeles Magazine, who spent the entire day inside the courtroom and witnessed every major moment firsthand. Lauren shares what it was like as Celeste's family reacted to the graphic testimony, what stood out from the prosecution's case, how the defense began pushing back, and the explosive details cameras could not capture from inside the courtroom during Day One of the hearing.
David Anthony Burke, the singer-songwriter known professionally as D4vd, has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder with special circumstances, mutilation of human remains, and lewd acts. Prosecutors have not yet decided whether to seek the death penalty if Burke is convicted.
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D4vd Case Playlist:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxEAbh-aNbMJYJQZb9PHrh23KR0Em2NN4
As Lindsay Clancy’s triple murder trial begins in Massachusetts, prosecutors say the former labor and delivery nurse deliberately sent her husband away before strangling five-year-old Cora, three-year-old Dawson and eight-month-old Callan with exercise bands. Her defense says she was suffering from severe postpartum psychosis, heard a male voice commanding her to kill the children and herself, and was not criminally responsible. Could the Andrea Yates case reveal how Lindsay Clancy’s insanity defense will unfold? In this episode of Drop Dead Serious, Ashleigh Banfield sits down exclusively with Wendell Odom Jr., one of the attorneys who represented Andrea Yates, to examine the striking parallels between two of the country’s most devastating maternal murder cases.
If you or someone you know is struggling with postpartum depression or another perinatal mental health condition, contact Postpartum Support International at 1-800-944-4773 or text HELP to 1-800-944-4773.
What is happening to the 16 children rescued from the alleged Ohio “House of Horrors” right now? The forensic interviewer who questioned the 13 Turpin siblings after their 2018 rescue, Denise Rodriguez Bowman, joins Ashleigh Banfield to explain how authorities may be working with the Siders children as they begin investigating what allegedly happened inside the Hamden, Ohio, home.
Sixteen children were found inside a rural Hamden, Ohio home in conditions officials described as “pure evil,” and four adults inside the family are now charged: Gary Siders Sr., 73; his wife, Christina Siders, 67; their son, Gary Siders Jr., 36; and his wife, Elizabeth Siders, 33.
A chilling 911 call made by Conor Hanlon after finding his wife, Brooke Hanlon, stabbed inside their secluded Chester Township, New Jersey, home is raising major questions about the still-unsolved murder. The 35-year-old psychotherapist and new mother was found bloody, unconscious and not breathing on June 6, and while the emergency was initially classified as a cardiac or respiratory arrest, the dispatch record was updated to “suspicious death” just 13 minutes later, according to Fox News Digital.
In this episode of Drop Dead Serious, Ashleigh Banfield examines the frantic call, the delay before Brooke’s wounds are mentioned, the absence of any reference to the couple’s baby and the unanswered questions surrounding forced entry, Brooke’s final movements and Conor’s timeline. Ashleigh is joined by digital journalist Sally Miley, known as True Crime Mama on Facebook, TikTok and YouTube, to break down the Brooke Hanlon murder mystery and why investigators have released so little information. No suspect has been identified, no arrest has been made, and Conor Hanlon has not been accused of any crime or wrongdoing.
Anyone who may know something about Brooke’s death can contact the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit through the Morris County Communication Center at 973-285-2900, Chester Township Police at 908-879-5100 or CrimeStoppers at 973-267-2255. If you know anything about this case, you can also send us a tip at dropdeadseriousinfo@gmail.com.
New details in the Siders family case are raising even more disturbing questions about the Ohio house of horrors where 16 children were found living in filthy, squalid conditions. Authorities say the children, ranging in age from 20 months to 18 years old, were discovered inside a Hamden, Ohio home after deputies executed a search warrant in a separate investigation. Four adults are charged: Gary Siders Sr., Christina Siders, Gary Siders Jr. and Elizabeth Siders.
In this episode of Drop Dead Serious, Ashleigh Banfield breaks down the latest reporting on the Siders family, including hospital birth records, missing school records, truancy complaints, repeated moves across Ohio, the sealed search warrant, and new accounts from people near the home, including claims of a horrible smell coming from the basement and late-night trips to Dollar General. Ashleigh is joined by Angenette Levy, a seasoned journalist and host of Crime Fix on Law&Crime, who went to Hamden, Ohio, spoke with neighbors and local residents, and uncovered new details about the family’s movements, possible warning signs, and the unanswered question at the center of this case: how did 16 children fall through the cracks for years?
Law & Crime:
https://www.youtube.com/@LawAndCrime
Crime Fix with Angenette Levy:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLoW1SIeAWaWaucjKyz7lAmqMxO86PVzZi
Angenette Levy:
https://www.youtube.com/@Angenette5
Brian Hooker’s own behavior may be creating some of the biggest problems yet for his story about what happened to his missing wife, Lynette Hooker, in the Bahamas. In this episode of Drop Dead Serious, Ashleigh Banfield is joined by body language and behavioral expert Scott Rouse, who examines Brian’s network interviews and recorded phone call with friends, including what he describes as fake crying, missing signs of genuine grief, abrupt emotional shifts, past-tense language and repeated attempts to distract from simple questions. Rouse also breaks down why Brian’s unusually detailed explanations, his inability to pinpoint where Lynette allegedly went overboard and his promise to keep searching shortly before leaving the Bahamas could raise serious new questions about whether he was grieving, performing or trying to sell a story that simply does not add up. Brian Hooker has not been charged with any crime and is presumed innocent.
Scott Rouse:
https://www.youtube.com/@UC5ZB2xWAaqZAsywmpPAj_aA
The Behavior Panel:
https://www.youtube.com/@UCQiMD0r34vn-d7ZbYzXY_kg
Breaking new information in the Lynette Hooker investigation is raising major questions about Brian Hooker’s timeline of the night his wife vanished in the Bahamas. Sources close to the investigation say that Lynette Hooker was dead before 8 p.m. on April 4, 2026, which would mean she was already dead before Brian’s story about a dinghy accident, a missing dry bag, lost passports, and an hours-long float to Marsh Harbour ever began.
In this episode of Drop Dead Serious, Ashleigh breaks down the newest timeline development in the suspected murder investigation, including evidence that Lynette made it back to the couple’s sailboat, Soulmate, signs of a fight and foul play onboard, and why Lynette’s Apple Watch could become a critical piece of evidence in determining her final moments. Ashleigh is also joined by retired Coast Guard Investigative Service agent Eric Gempp, who helped investigate the Nathan Carman “murder on the high seas” case, to discuss the parallels between the two cases, the importance of Brian Hooker’s earliest statements, and how federal investigators build a no-body case at sea.
Explosive new lies are surfacing in the Lynette Hooker investigation after sources with knowledge of the case said evidence shows Lynette made it back to the couple’s sailboat before she vanished. Now, Brian Hooker’s story about the dinghy, the dry bag, the missing passports, the so-called helpless float to Marsh Harbour, and his alleged search for Lynette are all facing new scrutiny. In this episode of Drop Dead Serious, Ashleigh Banfield speaks with Lynette’s friend Blaine Stevenson about the new boat evidence, Brian’s alleged lies, the missing passport mystery, and Facebook messages Brian sent to one of Lynette’s childhood friends in the days after she vanished.