Forensic Tales

Latest Episodes:

Robert Roberson Apr 06, 2026

Show notes

#327 - For years, prosecutors across the United States relied on a diagnosis known as Shaken Baby Syndrome to explain the sudden deaths of infants and toddlers. In many cases, that diagnosis became the foundation for criminal convictions.

But over time, some doctors and forensic experts began questioning the science behind it.

In 2002, a two-year-old girl in Texas died after being rushed to the hospital. Her father was later accused of shaking her to death and was ultimately sentenced to death.

More than twenty years later, his case has become part of a growing debate over whether some convictions may have relied on flawed or misunderstood evidence.

Forensic Tales is a Rockefeller Audio production. The show is written and produced by Courtney Fretwell.

If you’d like to support the show and help fund research, production, and editing, you can do so with a small monthly contribution on Patreon.

Patreon supporters get early access to ad-free episodes and exclusive bonus content.

You can learn more at Patreon.com/ForensicTales.

You can also watch Forensic Tales on YouTube. Just search Forensic Tales Podcast and be sure to subscribe.

And if you enjoy the show, leaving a positive rating or review really helps others discover it.

For a full list of sources used in this episode, visit ForensicTales.com.

Thank you for listening. And I’ll see you next week.

Until then… remember: not all stories have happy endings.

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Mackenzie Cowell Mar 30, 2026

Show notes

#326 - When a 17-year-old beauty school student went missing in February 2010, the residents of a small Washington town were left stunned. Then just days later, the teen's body was discovered by a passerby on the banks of the Columbia River. What began as a desperate search quickly turned into something far more disturbing—an investigation filled with false leads, unsettling rumors, and a suspect hiding in plain sight.

Because in this case… the answers weren’t just buried in secrets.

They were written in the forensic evidence.

This is the murder of Mackenzie Cowell.

Forensic Tales is a Rockefeller Audio production. The show is written and produced by Courtney Fretwell.

If you’d like to support the show and help fund research, production, and editing, you can do so with a small monthly contribution on Patreon.

Patreon supporters get early access to ad-free episodes and exclusive bonus content.

You can learn more at Patreon.com/ForensicTales.

And if you enjoy the show, leaving a positive rating or review really helps others discover it.

For a full list of sources used in this episode, visit ForensicTales.com.

Thank you for listening. And I’ll see you next week.

Until then… remember: not all stories have happy endings.

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BREAKING: Arrest Made in the Lovers Lane Murders Mar 28, 2026

Show notes

Five years ago, I covered the murders of Cheryl Henry and Andy Atkinson, the case often referred to as the Lovers Lane Murders.

At the time, the case remained unsolved and was widely considered one of Houston's most notorious cold murder cases.

But this week, more than thirty years later, investigators announced something that many people thought might never happen: an arrest.

This is a Forensic Tales Bonus Episode on the Lovers Lane Murders.

a Rockefeller Audio production. The show is written and produced by Courtney Fretwell.

If you’d like to support the show and help fund research, production, and editing, you can do so with a small monthly contribution on Patreon.

Patreon supporters get early access to ad-free episodes and exclusive bonus content.

You can learn more at Patreon.com/ForensicTales.

You can also watch Forensic Tales on YouTube. Just search Forensic Tales Podcast and be sure to subscribe.

And if you enjoy the show, leaving a positive rating or review really helps others discover it.

For a full list of sources used in this episode, visit ForensicTales.com.

Thank you for listening. And I’ll see you next week.

Until then… remember: not all stories have happy endings.

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Cathy Swartz Mar 23, 2026

Show notes

#325 - When the body of a 19-year-old mother was discovered murdered inside her apartment in 1988, the residents of Three Rivers, Michigan, were shocked. But the brutal details of her murder weren’t the one thing that left people in the community on the edge. It was the fact that when the young mother’s body was discovered by her fiancé, the victim’s eight-month-old daughter was found still sleeping in her crib in the bedroom next door. But without any solid leads, the investigation quickly turned cold. And the victim’s family would have to wait over three decades and new advancements in forensic science technology to finally get justice.

If you’d like to support the show and help fund research, production, and editing, you can do so with a small monthly contribution on Patreon.

Patreon supporters get early access to ad-free episodes and exclusive bonus content.

You can learn more at Patreon.com/ForensicTales.

You can also watch Forensic Tales on YouTube. Just search Forensic Tales Podcast and be sure to subscribe.

And if you enjoy the show, leaving a positive rating or review really helps others discover it.

For a full list of sources used in this episode, visit ForensicTales.com.

Thank you for listening. And I’ll see you next week.

Until then… remember: not all stories have happy endings.

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SPECIAL EPISODE: A Forensic Breakdown of the Kouri Richins Trial Mar 18, 2026

Show notes

In March 2022, 39-year-old Eric Richins was found unresponsive in his Utah home. His death was initially believed to be the result of a fentanyl overdose, a tragic loss for his family.

But what followed would shock investigators.

Eric’s wife, Kouri Richins, later published a children’s book about grief, written to help her young sons cope with the sudden loss of their father. At first glance, it seemed like a story of heartbreak and healing.

Until questions began to surface.

As investigators dug deeper, the case took a dramatic turn, one that would ultimately lead to charges and a high-profile trial.

In this special episode of Forensic Tales, we break down the trial from a forensic perspective, examining the toxicology findings, digital evidence, and key testimony presented in court. From the prosecution’s theory to the defense’s strategy, we walk through the most critical moments that shaped this case.

What did the forensic evidence really reveal? And how did it influence the outcome of the trial?

Forensic Tales is a Rockefeller Audio production. The show is written and produced by me, Courtney Fretwell.

If you’d like to support the show and help fund research, production, and editing, you can do so with a small monthly contribution on Patreon.

Patreon supporters get early access to ad-free episodes and exclusive bonus content.

You can learn more at Patreon.com/ForensicTales.

You can also watch Forensic Tales on YouTube. Just search Forensic Tales Podcast and be sure to subscribe.

And if you enjoy the show, leaving a positive rating or review really helps others discover it.

Remember...not all stories have happy endings.

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Shirley Ramey Mar 16, 2026

Show notes

#324 - It was supposed to be a normal night for 78-year-old Shirley Ramey and her husband of 57 years, Daryl, from Hope, Idaho. Daryl went to play cards with friends while Shirley stayed inside at their quiet home near the Canadian border. But when Daryl returned home that evening with a bacon cheeseburger she had asked for, he found the sliding glass door open and Shirley lying on the floor in a pool of blood. His wife of nearly six decades had been shot twice at close range.

But just when the police thought they had everything figured out, the case went ice-cold.

Who would want a 78-year-old wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother dead?

Forensic Tales is a Rockefeller Audio production. The show is written & produced by Courtney Fretwell.

If you’d like to support the show and help fund research, production, and editing, you can do so with a small monthly contribution on Patreon.

Patreon supporters get early access to ad-free episodes and exclusive bonus content.

You can learn more at Patreon.com/ForensicTales.

Forensic Tales is now on YouTube. Be sure to subscribe for even more content.

For a full list of sources used in this episode, visit ForensicTales.com.

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Stella Nickell Mar 09, 2026

Show notes

#323 - In 1986, a Washington woman was convicted of intentionally killing two people with cyanide-laced extra-strength Excedrin capsules. One of the victims was her very own husband. The other was a complete stranger.

Her conviction and 90-year prison sentence became the first under federal product tampering laws instituted after the 1982 Chicago Tylenol murders that killed at least 7 people.

Is she a victim of a system that got it wrong during a time when people were paranoid of product tampering? Or is she guilty as charged?

Forensic Tales is a Rockefeller Audio production. The show is written & produced by Courtney Fretwell.

If you’d like to support the show and help fund research, production, and editing, you can do so with a small monthly contribution on Patreon.

Patreon supporters get early access to ad-free episodes and exclusive bonus content.

You can learn more at Patreon.com/ForensicTales.

You can also watch Forensic Tales on YouTube. Just search Forensic Tales Podcast and be sure to subscribe.

And if you enjoy the show, leaving a positive rating or review really helps others discover it.

For a full list of sources used in this episode, visit ForensicTales.com.

Until then… remember: not all stories have happy endings.

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Melissa Lucio Mar 02, 2026

Show notes

#322 - In 2007, two-year-old Mariah Alvarez was rushed to a hospital in Brownsville, Texas. She wasn’t breathing. Doctors were unable to revive her.

Within hours, suspicion turned toward her mother, Melissa Lucio.

After a lengthy interrogation, Melissa said four words that prosecutors would later present as a confession. She was charged with capital murder, convicted, and sentenced to death.

But over the years, serious questions have been raised about the case from the forensic conclusions surrounding Mariah’s death, to the interrogation tactics used by investigators, to testimony the jury never heard.

Forensic Tales is a Rockefeller Audio production.

The show is written and produced by Courtney Fretwell.

If you’d like to support the show and help fund research, production, and editing, you can do so with a small monthly contribution on Patreon.

Patreon supporters get early access to ad-free episodes and exclusive bonus content.

You can learn more at Patreon.com/ForensicTales.

You can also watch Forensic Tales on YouTube. Just search Forensic Tales Podcast and be sure to subscribe.

And if you enjoy the show, leaving a positive rating or review really helps others discover it.

For a full list of sources used in this episode, visit ForensicTales.com.

Remember... not all stories have happy endings.

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Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Johnia Berry Feb 23, 2026

Show notes

#321 - In December 2004, 21-year-old Johnia Berry was attacked inside her Knoxville, Tennessee apartment.

The crime scene raised more questions than answers. There were no clear signs of forced entry. The weapon came from inside the home. And despite the brutality of the attack, there was no obvious motive.

Investigators initially focused on someone close to her, but forensic evidence would soon complicate that theory.

A partial fingerprint. A single shoe print. And an unidentified DNA profile left behind at the scene.

For years, the case seemed stalled. Then, an unexpected lead shifted the investigation in a new direction.

In this episode of Forensic Tales, we examine the forensic evidence, the missteps, the turning points, and the lasting impact this case had on DNA laws in Tennessee.

Because sometimes the science speaks clearly even when the “why” never does.

Forensic Tales is a Rockefeller Audio production. The show is written and produced by Courtney Fretwell.

If you'd like to support the show and gain access to exclusive content, early and ad-free episodes, please consider joining the show's Patreon.

You can support the show for as low as $3/month.

Subscribe to Forensic Tales on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen so you don't miss an episode. Also, be sure to follow us on YouTube.

If you love the show, please leave a positive review or tell friends and family about us.

For a complete list of sources used in this episode, visit our website.

Remember... Not all stories have happy endings...

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Fred Engel Feb 16, 2026

Show notes

#320 - In 2008, a South Carolina man disappeared while checking his mail outside his home. His body was soon found in nearby woods, and an autopsy revealed he had been strangled to death.

At first, the police had few suspects. But right before the case turned cold, investigators did something outside the box. They turned to cell phone forensics.

Forensic Tales is a Rockefeller Audio production. The show is written and produced by Courtney Fretwell.

If you'd like to support the show and get access to early, ad-free episodes, consider joining the show's Patreon page. You can support the show for as little as $3/month.

For a complete list of sources used in this episode, please visit our website.

Listen on YouTube: Search Forensic Tales and subscribe.

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Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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