True Crime Arizona

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TV sports anchor almost on high-profile jury Feb 14, 2025

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It was an unexpected role reversal! Briana sits down with Mark McClune, the sports director and anchor at 3TV and CBS 5. Why? Because Mark was almost chosen to serve on the jury for a conspiracy to commit murder trial with the death penalty on the table. The case itself is wild: A secret lover, coded text messages, parents at the wrong place at the wrong time, and the targeted victim transitioning from a woman to a man. Mark reveals what the jury selection process was like and what extreme questions he had to answer that nearly got him a seat on the jury, as Briana begins covering the months-long high-profile trial.

The Stalking Murders Feb 05, 2025

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It’s a case that involves GPS tracking devices, cryptic messages, and a plan to flee the country. After the State of Arizona files their intent to seek the death penalty against a murder suspect, the True Crime Arizona team learns no media or news outlet has ever reported on this case. How? We take you behind the scenes of uncovering who the two victims are, the details of what happened in this case that led up to their deaths, and the dramatic capture of the man allegedly responsible for it all.

If you or anyone you know is suffering from domestic violence, please visit these links and resources for help:

https://noabuse.org/

https://des.az.gov/domestic-violence

https://www.phoenix.gov/law/victims/domestic-violence/resources-and-referrals

A New Cold Case Era Jan 22, 2025

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For the first time, the Arizona Attorney General’s Office has a new cold case unit that’s starting their work with 5 unsolved cases. Who killed these people, and why? We dive into details of each case, where it stands now, and explore the new evidence that’s come to light. The unit also vows to work on Missing and Murdered Indigenous People cases, and explores how AI could be a way forward with case investigations.

Fall of the new FLDS prophet Jan 09, 2025

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In the wake of infamous FLDS prophet Warren Jeffs locked up in prison, a new leader emerged: Samuel Bateman. Bateman started his own offshoot of the polygamous religion, taking in multiple wives and child brides as young as 9 years old. An FLDS survivor and advocates tried to sound the alarm to the FBI for years, but it wouldn’t be until a bizarre traffic stop in Flagstaff that Bateman would be caught. From there this story exploded: sex trafficking schemes, naked “sacred ordinances,” kidnapping, and an FBI raid. After years and multiple plea deals, Samuel Bateman learned his prison fate in a Phoenix federal courtroom in December 2024. And for the first time, the once child victims spoke directly to him before the judge had the last word.

The Christmas Eve murders and an attorney’s secret struggle Dec 20, 2024

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What happened during the 2023 Christmas Eve murders inside a Central Phoenix home was largely a mystery until now, though the public knew the killer was the husband of late Maricopa County Attorney Allister Adel. As the victim’s son reveals exactly what unfolded that night and how he narrowly escaped alive, a woman shares her story for the first time about the secret and silent domestic abuse Allister Adel suffered before her death at the hands of the same man.

If you or anyone you know is suffering from domestic violence or mental health, please visit these links and resources for help:

https://des.az.gov/domestic-violence

https://www.phoenix.gov/law/victims/domestic-violence/resources-and-referrals

https://www.thehotline.org/

The Teen Killer Trial Dec 11, 2024

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The Teen Killer Trial

In February 2019, a 14-year-old stabbed his aunt to death during a family reunion in Arizona. He was charged as an adult with first degree murder, and confessed to the crime. But in an unprecedented trial where mental health was not admissible, one family was split on either side of the courtroom as this unraveled in front of a jury, with an unexpected outcome. Emotional testimony and words came from all sides, including the young defendant himself.

Mental health resources:

https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/find-help

https://www.maricopa.gov/5065/Resources

https://www.nami.org/support-education/nami-helpline/

Unsolved murder of the Yellow Pages heiress Nov 26, 2024

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In 1979, a young woman from Ohio was found shot dead near the Hoover Dam. With a renewed search to find her killer, True Crime Arizona dives into the bizarre clues and evidence surrounding a powder blue Bronco, as detectives try to find new leads on the murder of the “Yellow Pages” heiress, who was set to inherit $40 million at the time of her death.

A Detective’s Confession: I Killed My Wife Nov 12, 2024

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On July 31st 2024, Elizabeth Byrd’s longtime best friend knew something was wrong when Liz didn’t show up for their workout class. After calling police for a welfare check when loved ones found out three young kids were left alone, officers found Liz Byrd dead in her bedroom. Her husband, John Byrd, was a detective for the Maricopa County Attorney’s office, and specialized in justice for domestic violence victims. He was nowhere to be found, and once police caught up to him, he confessed to killing his wife. Liz’ brother and best friend detail what happened that day before and after the murder, what they’ve learned since, and how they’re helping care for the Byrd’s kids who lost so much in this tragedy.

A Detective’s Confession: I Killed My Wife Nov 12, 2024

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The Murders in Room 18 Oct 31, 2024

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True Crime Arizona takes on a haunted tale for Halloween in Globe, Arizona, exploring the unsolved murders in Room 18 inside a former brothel above a saloon that is still in business today. The team gets access to where the mysterious crimes happened, learns about the paranormal spirits that the owner, bartender, and patrons see regularly upstairs and at the bar. The owner also tells us who she believed killed the victims and why, based on history preserved in the saloon and archived newspaper articles.

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