The FOX True Crime Podcast

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Bonus Episode: The Challenges Of Solving Missing & Exploited Children Cases Mar 30, 2023

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In missing person cases, the first 48 hours is the most important window for the beginning of the investigation. However, complications between state and local police can be an obstacle to bringing federal agencies onto the case. Former Secret Service Special Agent and Liason to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children Jeffrey James explains the function and purpose of NCMEC, how the federal government is activated when a missing persons case occurs, and the challenges he's faced throughout his career working on these types of crimes.

In 1996, Jeffrey James was sworn in as a United States Secret Service Special Agent, beginning his 22-year-long career within the federal government. During his time in the Secret Service, he was promoted to Assistant Special Agent in Charge and also served as the Liason to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Now, he works as the President of Capitol Security Consultants, as well as the Chief of Police at Robert Morris University.

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The Yosemite Park Murders: A Serial Killer's Confession Mar 28, 2023

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On February 15th, 1999, Carole Sund, her 15-year-old daughter Juli, and 16-year-old family friend Silvina Pelosso went missing from their motel room during a trip to Yosemite National Park. An intensive search ensued as law enforcement searched for the trio. The bodies of Carole and Silvina would later be found charred in the shell of their burnt rental car, with Juli's remains to be discovered separately just days later. Horror would again strike Yosemite months later when 26-year-old Joie Armstrong was found murdered near her cabin. Two days later, law enforcement tracked down Cary Stayner, the man responsible for the string of crimes. Former FBI Agent Jeffrey Rinek was the lead investigator on the case. He shares details from the investigation, as well as how he was able to obtain a confession from Stayner himself.

More about Jeff:

Jeffrey Rinek retired from the FBI after 30 years of service. Throughout his career, Rinek worked on active and cold cases related to crimes against children. In 2003, Rinek received the California Sexual Assault Investigators Association Investigator of the Year Award, making him the first FBI agent to be given the title. In 2006, he was given the International Homicide Investigators Association Award for Excellence. In his book, In the Name of Children, Rinek details some of the cases that defined his career, as well as the impact they had on him. Jeff is also the author of In the Name of the Children: An FBI Agent's Relentless Pursuit of the Nation's Worst Predators.

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The Downfall Of Pablo Escobar: Real Life Narcos Part 2 Mar 23, 2023

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During his reign of terror, Pablo Escobar was feared not only by Colombians but by people across the world. The lives of police, politicians, journalists, rival gangs, and innocent civilians were lost during his notorious acts of violence at the height of his cocaine smuggling career. Former DEA Special Agents Javier Peña and Steve Murphy were tasked with the impossible mission of taking down Escobar and his deadly cartel. In part two of this story, the duo details the capture and final moments of the notorious drug lord, Pablo Escobar.

Steve Murphy was the recipient of numerous awards and honors throughout his law enforcement career, including the “DEA Special Agent of the Year Award,” the “DEA Administrator’s Group Achievement Award,” the “Director’s Award” from DOJ’s OCDETF Program, the “Distinguished Service Cross” from the Republic of Colombia (first time presented to a non-Colombian official), and the “International Award of Honor” from the International Narcotic Enforcement Officers Association.

For his efforts, Javier Peña received Colombia’s highest award given to someone, not a Colombian citizen, as well as commendation awards from the DEA and the international community. Additionally, the U.S. Government honored Javier in 2010 with the Presidential Rank Award in 2010, awarded to exceptional career Senior Executive Service (SES) members and Senior Career Employees.

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The Rise Of Pablo Escobar: Real Life Narcos Part 1 Mar 21, 2023

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Pablo Escobar was one of the world's richest and most dangerous men at the height of his drug smuggling career. Capitalizing on the rise in demand for cocaine within the 70s and 80s, Escobar formed the infamous Medellin Cartel to traffic large shipments of the drug across international borders. Escobar was feared across his home country of Colombia due to his ability to take down any of his adversaries. Although he seemed untouchable, two brave Americans were tasked with the mission of bringing down the murderous kingpin. Former DEA Special Agents Javier Pena and Steve Murphy discuss their careers in law enforcement, their work within the war on drugs, and the manhunt for Pablo Escobar.

Steve Murphy was the recipient of numerous awards and honors throughout his law enforcement career, including the "DEA Special Agent of the Year Award," the "DEA Administrator's Group Achievement Award," the "Director's Award" from DOJ's OCDETF Program, the "Distinguished Service Cross" from the Republic of Colombia (first time presented to a non-Colombian official), and the "International Award of Honor" from the International Narcotic Enforcement Officers Association.

For his efforts, Javier Peña received Colombia's highest award given to someone, not a Colombian citizen, as well as commendation awards from the DEA and the international community. Additionally, the U.S Government honored Javier in 2010 with the Presidential Rank Award in 2010, awarded to exceptional career Senior Executive Service (SES) members and Senior Career Employees.

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Bonus Episode: Inside A Jury's Crime Scene Visit Mar 16, 2023

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In a rare courtroom occurrence, Alex Murdaugh's defense attorney requested to bring jurors to the infamous Moselle estate where Maggie and Paul Murdaugh were brutally murdered. The jury toured the Murdaughs' hunting lodge, finding bullet holes from the night of the murder. The following day, the jury reached a verdict, and Alex Murdaugh was found guilty on all counts of the murder of his wife and son. Criminal defense lawyer and former South Carolina U.S. Attorney Bill Nettles explains what happens when juries visit crime scenes, and why it happens during some trials.

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The Disappearance of Maura Murray: Her Sister's Fight For Answers Mar 14, 2023

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On February 9th, 2004, 21-year-old nursing student Maura Murray packed her belongings, emptied her bank account, and left her campus dorm room. After crashing her car along a snowbank in New Hampshire that night, Maura was never seen again. Authorities have worked on the cold case disappearance for years to no avail, leading Maura's family to take it upon themselves to find answers. Julie Murray, Maura's older sister, discusses the details of her sister's disappearance, her efforts to uncover more information, and the impact the case has had on her family.

Julie has spearheaded an online campaign dedicated to telling Maura's story, finding more details and information related to the case, and sharing the emotional toll that Maura's disappearance has had on her family.

For more updates and information about Maura Murray, visit: https://www.mauramurraymissing.org/

Follow Julie on TikTok: @MauraMurrayMissing

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Bonus Episode: Inside America's "Three Strikes" Laws Mar 09, 2023

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In 1993, 12-year-old Polly Klaas was abducted from her own home during a slumber party with her friends. Polly was later murdered by her killer, Richard Allen Davis, a man with an extensive criminal history. Marc Klaas, Polly's father, has never stopped fighting for justice, even 30 years later.

On this bonus edition of the FOX True Crime Podcast, Emily speaks with Marc to discuss his work with the KlaasKids, a foundation he started to advocate for laws to prevent crimes against children. Later, he shares some of his favorite memories of his daughter.

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The Slumber Party Nightmare: The Kidnapping & Murder Of Polly Klaas Mar 07, 2023

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For young girls, slumber parties are a childhood essential. On October 1st, 1993, 12-year-old Polly Klaas and two of her friends had planned a sleepover after school. It was a night filled with dancing, goofing off, and playing games, but it would soon take a turn for the worse. As the girls got ready for bed, a stranger broke into the home, bound the trio of girls, and kidnapped young Polly at knifepoint, beginning a more than 60-day mystery that captivated the nation.

Retired FBI Agent Eddie Freyer was the lead investigator on the case. He shares the efforts that both local and federal law enforcement made to locate Polly and bring her home. Later, he explains how the case would go on to leave a lasting impact on America's criminal justice system.

Eddie started his law enforcement career when he joined the FBI in April 1972 (J. Edgar Hoover was still the Director), and worked in the Pittsburgh Field Office. He became an agent in 1976 and was transferred to the Phoenix Office until 1979 when he came to California and was assigned to the San Francisco Field Division. There he worked on financial crimes, special operations, and bank robberies. He was transferred to the Santa Rosa Resident Agency in 1989 as the Senior Agent.

Eddie finished his FBI career as the Senior Team Leader of the regional SWAT team, retiring after the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City in 2002. Eddie was the lead investigator of the 1993 Polly Klaas kidnapping/murder case in Petaluma, California. He also created the High Sierra SWAT Team Challenge in 1996 which later became Urban Shield.

Eddie instructed at several locations in the Bay Area including, Santa Rosa Training Center, Alameda Regional Training Center, and Mendocino College. Eddie also worked in the private industry as a security consultant. Eddie developed public safety curriculum for a high school career tech program between 2008 and 2009 in the north bay which was offered in 11 area high schools. In 2009, Eddie accepted an assignment with the US Army and was deployed to Iraq for one year where he worked on anti-terrorism targeting and rule of law programs.

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Bonus Episode: The Capture Of The Boston Bomber Mar 02, 2023

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In April of 2013, using his experience on both the Hostage Rescue Team and the Crisis Negotiation Unit, retired FBI Special Agent Kyle Vowinkel worked with the CNU in order to secure the peaceful surrender of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, one of the two Boston Marathon bombers.

On this bonus edition of The FOX True Crime Podcast, Emily takes a look at Kyle's illustrious career in law enforcement.

Kyle Vowinkel served for 24 years as an FBI Special Agent is a former U.S. Army officer, and is a West Point graduate. Kyle served on both the FBI’s elite Hostage Rescue Team (HRT) and the Crisis Negotiation Unit (CNU). After his assignments on HRT and the CNU, he used his leadership experiences as a supervisor at multiple FBI offices and retired as Assistant Special Agent in Charge (ASAC) in the Miami Division.

During his Bureau career, Kyle was deployed to over twenty countries, including China, Qatar, Kenya, South Korea, and Peru, and as a tactical operator on HRT on hundreds of high-risk missions domestically as well as overseas in Iraq and Afghanistan.

While a member of CNU, he negotiated with kidnappers, pirates, and more.

Kyle is a keynote inspirational speaker at events around the world for companies and institutions such as West Point, Cornell University, Google, hostage negotiation seminars, and FBI National Academy events. Later, in 2023, he plans to publish a book sharing stories from his career. Learn more about Kyle: https://www.apexriskconsulting.us/

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Drugs, Deceit & Death: The Murdaugh Double-Murder Trial Feb 28, 2023

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With century-old origins deep in South Carolina's Lowcountry region, the Murdaugh family was known for its long-established legal dynasty within the state. On the night of June 7th, 2021, Maggie Murdaugh and her son, Paul, were found shot dead at the family's hunting lodge. Just over a year later, Alex Murdaugh would be put on trial for the double murder of his wife and son, surfacing a web of mysterious deaths and financial crimes linked to the family. FOX News Atlanta-based Correspondent Jonathan Serrie has been closely following the case and joins to discuss the latest updates. Later, former South Carolina 7th Circuit Solicitor and former U.S. Assistant Attorney Trey Gowdy provides his unique perspective on the trial.

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