True Crime Arizona

Latest Episodes:

The Unsolved Murder of Mercedes Vega Nov 15, 2023

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In April 2023, 22-year-old Mercedes Vega was leaving her Tempe, Arizona apartment to meet friends for dinner. The next morning, her body was found burning in a car off the I-10 freeway 60 miles away in the rural desert. Once the autopsy report was released, the details revealed one of the most gruesome murders and causes of death. Now 7 months later, her parents are sitting down for the first time to open up about what they know, the last known surveillance footage of Mercedes, and what the desperately seek as her killer, or killers, still walk free.

The Little Boy Found Dead and the Father Set Free Oct 31, 2023

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In 2004, 5-year-old Josh Eberle Martinson was found dead on a bunk bed in his father’s Phoenix apartment, while his father, Jeffrey Martinson, was in the next room passed out from an attempted suicide with prescription drugs and liquor. The medical examiner ruled Josh’s death was from an overdose of prescription meds, and his father was charged with his murder. However, multiple years and trials later, he was set free. It’s something Joshua’s mother has struggled to comprehend.

The Jamie Yazzie Murder Verdict Oct 18, 2023

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More than four years after Jamie Yazzie disappeared on the Navajo Nation, her boyfriend learned his fate in a federal courtroom after being charged with her murder and assaulting other women.

Cracked Cold Case Murder Leads to Serial Rapist Sep 27, 2023

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DNA cracked the case in the brutal murder of a college student over three decades ago along a popular hiking trail. The Prescott, Arizona murder of Cathy Sposito in June of 1987 was unsolved but remained open and active for 36 years. In September 2023, the Yavapai County Sheriff named Bryan Scott Bennett as Sposito’s killer, but the investigation found Bennett also had more victims who were attacked and sexually assaulted in northern Arizona. While the discovery solved several cases, an unexpected twist is the reason why there’s no arrest now.

Who Killed Reporter Don Bolles? The Daughters on Dueling Sides Sep 12, 2023

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In June 1976, Phoenix newspaper journalist Don Bolles was blown up by a bomb placed under his car while he took a business meeting at the Hotel Clarendon about a possible land fraud story. Because of Bolles' reporting on Mafia involvement in Arizona and poor business dealings, rumors swirled about who was behind the murder. This is the story of the daughters–the daughter of the man twice convicted for masterminding the attack who says her father was framed, and the daughter of Don Bolles, who shares her thoughts on the new revelations and who she believes was involved in her father’s death.

The Man Wrongfully Convicted to Death Row Aug 31, 2023

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Barry Jones was convicted of first degree murder for the death of 4-year-old Rachel Gray in 1994, and sentenced to death. But as the decades went on, several attorneys and officials found issues with how the case legally played out. In 2023, the AG’s office granted Barry Jones a plea deal and said he did not cause the girl’s injuries, but should have sought out medical care for her. He walked out of death row after 29 years, with the unexpected support of the victim’s sister.

THE FORGOTTEN: No Longer Forgotten Aug 15, 2023

Show notes

Tiffany confronts her dad, Edison Sorrell, about her belief that he was involved in her mom’s disappearance. Briana interviews Edison on the phone, who shares his side of the story. The True Crime Arizona team learns there are more people among ‘The Forgotten’ who they interviewed, sharing details they never have before. The team gives updates on what’s happened since the documentary came out, and where the MMIW crisis progress stands in Arizona.

THE FORGOTTEN: The Beginning of Change Aug 08, 2023

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We ask top Arizona officials how they are going to fix the MMIW crisis, and for the first time, they are putting plans in motion.

THE FORGOTTEN: Abandoned Evidence Aug 01, 2023

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We learn the details of what happened to Jamie Yazzie, an arrest is made, and court documents reveal a sinister discovery.

THE FORGOTTEN: Jamie Yazzie’s disappearance Jul 25, 2023

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In summer of 2019, Jamie Yazzie disappeared from the Navajo Nation, after hanging out at her boyfriend’s house. Her family frantically begins to search for her, when Jamie’s aunt makes a stunning discovery.

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