The Greatest True Crime Stories Ever Told

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Latest Episodes:

Jenny Geddes and Her Revolutionary Stool Jul 29, 2025

Show notes

In this episode, we look all the way back to seventeenth century Scotland, to Jenny Geddes and her revolutionary acts. It's the story of the butterfly effect, the impact one voice can have on a nation, and empires' intent on controlling us.

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• Explore more: diversionaudio.com
This series is hosted by Mary Kay McBrayer. Check out more of her work at www.marykaymcbrayer.com.
This episode was written by Mary Kay McBrayer
Developed by Scott Waxman, Emma DeMuth, and Jacob Bronstein

Associate Producer is Leo Culp
Produced by Antonio Enriquez
Theme Music by Tyler Cash
Executive Produced by Scott Waxman and Emma DeMuth

Special thanks to:
Carter, Stephen L.. Invisible. Henry Holt and Co.. Kindle Edition.

Order Mary Kay's true crime book 'Madame Queen: The The Life and Crimes of Harlem’s Underground Racketeer, Stephanie St. Clair' here

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Real Scarlet Letter Jul 22, 2025

Show notes

In this episode, we examine the story of Sarah Cornell, a young Methodist textile worker who was the inspiration for Hester Prynne in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter. The difference, of course, is that Hester Prynne wasn’t murdered. And she certainly didn’t kill herself.

• Follow Diversion Audio on Instagram

Associate Producer is Leo Culp
Produced by Antonio Enriquez
Theme Music by Tyler Cash
Executive Produced by Scott Waxman and Emma DeMuth

Special thanks to:
Carter, Stephen L.. Invisible. Henry Holt and Co.. Kindle Edition.

Order Mary Kay's true crime book 'Madame Queen: The The Life and Crimes of Harlem’s Underground Racketeer, Stephanie St. Clair' here

Check out Kate Winkler Dawson's book The Sinners All Bow at Penguin Random House

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Snakehead of Chinatown Jul 15, 2025

Show notes

In this episode, we look at the underground world of Sister Ping. It's a story about desperation, ambition, and the shadowy world of human smuggling. It’s about the lengths people will go in search of a better life—and those who build their empires by making that journey possible.

• Follow Diversion Audio on Instagram

• Explore more: diversionaudio.com
This series is hosted by Mary Kay McBrayer. Check out more of her work at www.marykaymcbrayer.com.
This episode was written by Grace Heerman
Developed by Scott Waxman, Emma DeMuth, and Jacob Bronstein

Associate Producer is Leo Culp
Produced by Antonio Enriquez
Theme Music by Tyler Cash
Executive Produced by Scott Waxman and Emma DeMuth

Special thanks to:
Carter, Stephen L.. Invisible. Henry Holt and Co.. Kindle Edition.

Order Mary Kay's true crime book 'Madame Queen: The The Life and Crimes of Harlem’s Underground Racketeer, Stephanie St. Clair' here

Sources

Check out Patrick Radden Keefe's book 'The Snakehead' at Pan Macmillan

Read 'A Path out of Purgatory' by Patrick Radden Keefe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Teresita Basa: Stretching the Boundaries of Belief Jul 08, 2025

Show notes

In this episode, a woman comes back from the dead to solve her own murder, something beyond the realm of what most people consider possible. And yet, the story of Teresita Basa was credible enough to appear in a U.S. court of law, come before a judge and jury, and send a man to jail for murder.

• Follow Diversion Audio on Instagram

• Explore more: diversionaudio.com
This series is hosted by Mary Kay McBrayer. Check out more of her work at www.marykaymcbrayer.com.
This episode was written by Zoe Louisa Lewis
Developed by Scott Waxman, Emma DeMuth, and Jacob Bronstein

Associate Producer is Leo Culp
Produced by Antonio Enriquez
Theme Music by Tyler Cash
Executive Produced by Scott Waxman and Emma DeMuth

Special thanks to:
Carter, Stephen L.. Invisible. Henry Holt and Co.. Kindle Edition.

Pre-order Mary Kay's forthcoming true crime book 'Madame Queen: The The Life and Crimes of Harlem’s Underground Racketeer, Stephanie St. Clair' here

SOURCES

General

https://books.google.ca/books?id=CM4DAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA56&lpg=PA56&dq=allan%2Bshowery%2Bjob%2Bedgewater&source=bl&ots=dS98q23rpz&sig=ACfU3U3EjQ7VZNBaUSThOMZEh_O0gVvLGQ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwisuLnG-b72AhUGa80KHd84DwYQ6AF6BAg0EAM#v=onepage&q=allan%20showery%20job%20edgewater&f=false

https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1978/09/17/voice-from-the-grave-evokes-a-murder-trial/13b6d805-2413-4015-b70a-b9b28ab5d40d/

https://jimharold.com/the-strange-and-sad-case-of-teresita-basa-by-em-hilker/

Chuas Obituary

https://legacy.suntimes.com/us/obituaries/chicagosuntimes/name/jose-chua-obituary?id=30203

Possession in the Philippines

https://www.studocu.com/ph/document/central-luzon-state-university/psychological-assessment/understanding-spirit-possession-in-the-philippines/67778613

https://www.aswangproject.com/spirit-possession-sapi-in-the-philippines/#google_vignette

https://pssc.org.ph/wp-content/pssc-archives/Philippine%20Journal%20of%20Psychology/2004/Num%202/05_Dissociative%20Symptoms%20in%20Filipino%20College%20Students.pdf

https://www.iheart.com/content/2023-10-17-classes-cancelled-at-high-school-in-philippines-following-mass-possession/

https://www.newsflare.com/video/520014/seven-students-exorcised-after-being-possessed-by-evil-spirits-in-the-philippines

Edgewater Hospital

https://www.edgewaterhistory.org/ehs/local/rise-and-fall-of-edgewater-hospital

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The Woman Who Went Off the Grid Jul 01, 2025

Show notes

In this episode, we examine the story of Rebecca Vance: one of a mother’s misdirected love, the line between self-determination and mental illness, and the way conspiracy theories can compel us to make very dangerous decisions, even in the name of safety.

• Follow Diversion Audio on Instagram

Associate Producer is Leo Culp
Produced by Antonio Enriquez
Theme Music by Tyler Cash
Executive Produced by Scott Waxman and Emma DeMuth

Special thanks to:
Carter, Stephen L.. Invisible. Henry Holt and Co.. Kindle Edition.

Pre-order Mary Kay's forthcoming true crime book 'Madame Queen: The The Life and Crimes of Harlem’s Underground Racketeer, Stephanie St. Clair' here

SOURCES

The Women Who Walked Away, Elizabeth Weil

“Please I Will Give Anything for You to Come Back,” Ted Conover

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Diane Schuler: The Wrong Way Home Jun 24, 2025

Show notes

In this episode, we look at the story of an ordinary suburban mom, Diane Schuler, who did something extraordinarily terrible. And how the people who were left to pick up the pieces found themselves asking the same question over and over again, why?

• Follow Diversion Audio on Instagram

Associate Producer is Leo Culp
Produced by Antonio Enriquez
Theme Music by Tyler Cash
Executive Produced by Scott Waxman and Emma DeMuth

Special thanks to:
Carter, Stephen L.. Invisible. Henry Holt and Co.. Kindle Edition.

Pre-order Mary Kay's forthcoming true crime book 'Madame Queen: The The Life and Crimes of Harlem’s Underground Racketeer, Stephanie St. Clair' here

Check out Jackie Hance's book on Diane Schuler: 'I'll See You Again' at Simon and Schuster

SOURCES

Transcript for the HBO Doc

https://transcripts.cnn.com/show/se/date/2013-05-25/segment/03

Taconic State Parkway

https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/new-york/deadliest-road-ny/
https://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/18/nyregion/18taconic.html

Police Report

https://www.autopsyfiles.org/reports/policereport/schuler,%20diane_police_report.pdf

Pre Autopsy News Stories

https://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/31/nyregion/31funeral.html

Post Autopsy Stories

https://nymag.com/news/features/62043/
https://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/07/nyregion/07taconic.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/08/nyregion/08bigcity.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/06/nyregion/06crash.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/07/nyregion/07crash.html
https://www.comingsoon.net/documentaries/news/1721259-theres-something-wrong-with-aunt-diane-did-anyone-survive-taconic-parkway-crash
https://nypost.com/2009/08/06/wed-woes-drove-crash-ma-to-drink/

Lawsuits

https://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/11/nyregion/11taconic.html?searchResultPosition=5
https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/settlements-reached-in-4-taconic-parkway-wrong-way-crash-lawsuits/
https://abcnews.go.com/Health/MindMoodNews/jackie-hance-lost-daughters-taconic-crash-sues-daniel-schuler/story?id=14169392
https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/report-widower-sues-state-after-tragic-wrong-way-crash-on-taconic-parkway/
https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/husband-of-taconic-driver-sues-state-in-law/1924357/

TIA

https://www.stroke.org/en/about-stroke/types-of-stroke/tia-transient-ischemic-attack

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Harvard's Forgotten Murder/Suicide Jun 17, 2025

Show notes

In this episode, we look at the collegiate tragedy of Sinedu Tedesse: friendship gone wrong, the limits of human ambition, and the dark underbelly of the American dream. Because the thing they don’t tell you about having your greatest dream come true, is what to do with yourself afterwards.

• Follow Diversion Audio on Instagram

Associate Producer is Leo Culp
Produced by Antonio Enriquez
Theme Music by Tyler Cash
Executive Produced by Scott Waxman and Emma DeMuth

Special thanks to:
Carter, Stephen L.. Invisible. Henry Holt and Co.. Kindle Edition.

Pre-order Mary Kay's forthcoming true crime book 'Madame Queen: The The Life and Crimes of Harlem’s Underground Racketeer, Stephanie St. Clair' here

SOURCES

The Harvard Student Who Killed Her Roommate, Melanie Thernstrom
Harvard Deaths Leave a Puzzle Whose Central Piece May Never Be Found, Fox Butterfield
Hostage to The Past: The 1995 Murder Suicide in Dunster, Hillary A. McLauchlin
Rethinking the American Dream: The Cost of Coming to America: Immigration and Depression in the Case of Sinedu Tadesse, Menna Demessie
Halfway Heaven: Diary of a Harvard Murder, Melanie Thernstrom

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gloria Allred: The Most Famous Female Lawyer in the World Jun 11, 2025

Show notes

In this episode, we look at the sprawling career and casework of Gloria Allred. She’s an icon who’s been involved in so many major legal cases, OJ, Bill Cosby, the fight for gay marriage, priest abuse cases and AIDS discrimination. She’s seen it all. She’s been practicing law for nearly fifty years, and in that time she’s been a hero, a villain, and everything in between.

• Follow Diversion Audio on Instagram

Associate Producer is Leo Culp
Produced by Antonio Enriquez
Theme Music by Tyler Cash
Executive Produced by Scott Waxman and Emma DeMuth

Special thanks to:
Carter, Stephen L.. Invisible. Henry Holt and Co.. Kindle Edition.

Pre-order Mary Kay's forthcoming true crime book 'Madame Queen: The The Life and Crimes of Harlem’s Underground Racketeer, Stephanie St. Clair' here

SOURCES

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-04-24-me-1698-story.html
https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-09-05-me-463-story.html
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12970625/Distraught-sister-latest-Rex-Heuermann-victim-weeps-outside-court-says-losing-Maureen-wound-never-truly-heals-Long-Island-serial-killer-pleads-not-guilty.html

East LA Walkouts

https://guides.loc.gov/latinx-civil-rights/east-la-walkouts

Girls Schools

William Allred

Rape

https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/video/1.4679070

Rita Milla

https://www.bishop-accountability.org/news2007/11_12/2007_12_05_Green_ShatteredFaith.htm
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2002/04/03/forgotten-in-the-flock/
https://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-gloria-allred-20151113-story.html
https://archive.org/details/goodcatholicgirl00bona/page/60/mode/1up?q=%22rita+milla%22

General

Harvey Wienstein

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Family Betrayal: The Susie Newsom Lynch Story (Pt 3) Jun 03, 2025

Show notes

In this third of three parts, we look the troubled life of Susie Newsom Lynch. A story steeped in paranoia and deceit, it has everything you need from a southern gothic tale.

• Follow Diversion Audio on Instagram

Associate Producer is Leo Culp
Produced by Antonio Enriquez
Theme Music by Tyler Cash
Executive Produced by Scott Waxman and Emma DeMuth

Special thanks to:
Carter, Stephen L.. Invisible. Henry Holt and Co.. Kindle Edition.

Pre-order Mary Kay's forthcoming true crime book 'Madame Queen: The The Life and Crimes of Harlem’s Underground Racketeer, Stephanie St. Clair' here

Check out "Bitter Blood" by Jerry Bledsoe here

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Family Betrayal: The Susie Newsom Lynch Story (Pt 2) May 27, 2025

Show notes

In this second of three parts, we look the troubled life of Susie Newsom Lynch. A story steeped in paranoia and deceit, it has everything you need from a southern gothic tale.

• Follow Diversion Audio on Instagram

Associate Producer is Leo Culp
Produced by Antonio Enriquez
Theme Music by Tyler Cash
Executive Produced by Scott Waxman and Emma DeMuth

Special thanks to:
Carter, Stephen L.. Invisible. Henry Holt and Co.. Kindle Edition.

Pre-order Mary Kay's forthcoming true crime book 'Madame Queen: The The Life and Crimes of Harlem’s Underground Racketeer, Stephanie St. Clair' here

Check out "Bitter Blood" by Jerry Bledsoe here

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.