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Mail-Order Murder: The Story of Michelle & Jonathan Nyce Nov 17, 2020

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New Jersey mom Michelle Nyce spent the last night of her life working the makeup counter at Macy’s, followed by a romantic tryst with her lover. When she finally arrived home, her husband was waiting for her in a jealous rage.

Michelle had come all the way from the Philippines when she was just 20-years old to be the wife of 41-year old Dr. Jonathan Nyce. After 15 years of marriage, they were raising three children together in their luxurious $1.6 million home. But Jonathan, the former chief executive of a pharmaceutical company, was failing in his career and in his marriage. He was about to lose everything, including Michelle.

Join us at the quiet end for Mail-Order Murder: The Story of Michelle & Jonathan Nyce. Michelle and Jonathan were an unlikely couple, but they seemed to make things work for a time. By 2004, their relationship was strained and Michelle had fallen in love with their former gardener. Was Jonathan capable of killing his pretty, young wife, or was her lover responsible for her death?

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Read “Never Leave Me” by Jon Glatt

Blood Pact: The Victims of Kelly Cochran Nov 10, 2020

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Sex is a powerful motivator. So, when 53-year old Christopher Regan became involved with younger married woman Kelly Cochran, no one was completely shocked, even though Kelly was not Chris’ type. In fact, she was quite rough around the edges, abrasive, and only minimally attractive. But she was friendly, easy, and, most importantly, willing. She seemed to have no moral concerns about cheating on her husband, but Chris would learn the hard way that she had no morals at all.

When Chris disappeared in October of 2014, his family was concerned. The police decided that he had either taken his own life out in the vast forests of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula or moved away to start a new life. But one investigator, Iron River police chief Laura Frizzo, believed that Chris had been murdered.

Join us at the quiet end for Blood Pact. Chris Regan’s disappearance set off an investigation into the world of Kelly and her husband, Jason. What they found included a wedding night blood pact, a chain of lies, and the horrific likelihood of a cannibalistic barbeque.

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May December Murder Nov 03, 2020

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Sometimes a small thing in life can change everything. That’s what happened when high school student Susan Mae Bolling was sent to a psychotherapist for treatment of depression and anxiety. Her therapist, Dr. Felix Polk, was married with two children, but that didn’t stop him from beginning a sexual relationship with Susan.

Susan and Felix Polk married in 1982, shortly after he divorced his wife. Despite the huge 26-year age difference, they seemed very happy. But with several years of marriage and raising three sons together, the couple had a contentious relationship. This resulted in more than one call to the police with allegations of domestic violence.

Join us at the quiet end for May December Murder. When Dr. Felix Polk was found dead at age 70, their youngest son Gabriel blamed Susan. Their oldest son, Adam, called Susan “cuckoo.” And Susan herself seemed unfazed by her husband’s death, leading investigators to contend she had planned his murder for money.

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Murder on Her Mind: Joy Aylor Oct 27, 2020

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Rozanne Gailiunas was smart, caring, and a devoted parent. In 1983, her marriage to physician Peter Gailiunas was on the rocks. She was in love with contractor Larry Aylor, a man also in the middle of a contentious divorce. In fact, the two were making plans to spend the rest of their lives together.

Then, a little past 6 p.m. on Oct. 4, 1983, police found Rozanne murdered in her suburban home. She was bound, nude and face down on her bed. Her 4-year-old son was in the home, thankfully unharmed.

Rozanne’s husband, Peter, and her lover, Larry, were the first people police wanted to speak with. Rozanne appeared to have been sexually assaulted. There were no signs of a burglary. Peter seemed to have the strongest motive, but he pointed the finger at Larry or his wife, Joy. All three had an alibi.

Join us at the quiet end for Murder on Her Mind. The events leading up to the murder of Rozanne and the events that followed her death make up a complex web of lust, hatred, and greed. It would take years for police to solve the case. When the truth was finally exposed, it shocked an entire community.

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Read “To Hatred Turned” by Ken Englade

The Doctor’s Wife Oct 20, 2020

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Heart surgeon Dr. Darryl Sutorius thought he had found a second chance at true love when he married attractive divorcee Dante Britteon. But soon after the wedding, Darryl was depressed and disillusioned. Dante wasn’t who she had claimed to be and she worked hard to alienate him from his children.

Much of what Dante had told Darryl about herself were lies. Her real name was Della Hall. She was not a college graduate as she had claimed, but a high school drop-out. She had a secret daughter and grandchildren. And she had been married five times.

Join us at the quiet end for the story of a man who found himself married to a complete fraud. He tried to make the marriage work in spite of it all, but Della had a history of violence. She purchased a gun and Darryl began to fear for his life. When he decided to leave and he began divorce proceedings, Della made her own evil plans to end their marriage and inherit his fortune.

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Read “Della’s Web” by Aphrodite Jones

The “Dungeons & Dragons” Murder Oct 13, 2020

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Family life is not always rooted in love. For the blended family of Lieth and Bonnie Von Stein, life was marked by disappointments, resentment, and deep-seated hate. One summer night in 1988, Bonnie and Lieth were viscously attacked in their own bed. Daughter Angela said that she had slept through the attack. Son Christopher was away, living in student housing at North Carolina University.

The primary investigation led to Christopher and his Dungeons & Dragons playing friends. During this era of satanic panic, there was a public perception that the brutal attacks were a real life manifestation of the role-playing game.

At the quiet end today, we’re looking into the dark heart of family life in a small southern town. It’s a terrifying story of greed and callousness and the story of a mother forced to consider the worst about her own son.

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No Accident: The Death of Kristine Fitzhugh Oct 06, 2020

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When Palo Alto music teacher Kristine Fitzhugh was found in a pool of coagulated blood at the bottom of her basement stairs, her husband Ken blamed her shoes. That’s right, her shoes. He had warned her over and over, he said, that those shoes were dangerous. She must have stumbled and fallen in them.

But it didn’t take long for investigators to question Ken Fitzhugh’s theory. The position of Kristine’s body and her injuries were not consistent with a fall. And the blood evidence made Ken the primary suspect in her suspicious death. Blood found in the Fitzhugh’s kitchen suggested that she had been attacked there. Further inquiries exposed financial problems and an extramarital affair resulting in a pregnancy.

Join us at the quiet end for No Accident: The Death of Kristine Fitzhugh. Ken Fitzhugh denied any involvement in his wife’s death, but inconsistencies in his story and forensic examination results led to his arrest and a dramatic, highly publicized trial.

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Seaworthy: Murder on Palmyra Sep 29, 2020

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On the remote island of Palmyra, about 970 nautical miles south of Hawaii, a series of crimes occurred against experienced sailing couple Mac and Muff Graham. A handful of other sailors spent time with the Grahams on the island, but the Grahams were eventually left alone with a desperate young couple: Stephanie Stearns and her fugitive boyfriend Lesley “Buck” Walker.

Then the Grahams went missing. Soon afterward, their boat was seen at a busy marina, repainted and in the possession of Stearns and Walker. The logical conclusion was that they had stolen the Graham’s boat and murdered the couple, but finding evidence and bringing Stearns and Walker to trial would take years.

Join us at the quiet end for Seaworthy: Murder on Palmyra. Learning what it takes to sail the ocean on a small sailboat and survive on a deserted island has been fascinating. At the core of the case is the seaworthiness of Stearns’ and Walkers’ boat. The couple sailed to the island on a rickety boat with inadequate food and supplies. This leads to the very valid question of whether their plan from the beginning was to steal a seaworthy, well-stocked boat and murder its crew.

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Journey to Justice: An Interview with Jeffrey Deskovic Sep 15, 2020

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In 2006, Jeffrey Deskovic’s indictment charging him with the rape and murder of a high school classmate was dismissed on the grounds of actual innocence. Post conviction DNA testing proved his innocence. It also identified the real killer.

When a classmate of 16-year old Jeffrey was found raped and murdered in a local park, he was upset. The police said his behavior seemed odd. They were suspicious of him because he was late for school the day after the murder and he seemed “overly distraught” about the death of a girl who was not even a close friend. Jeffrey was questioned at length and eventually manipulated into giving a false confession.

Since his release from prison, Jeffrey has earned his law degree and established the Jeffrey Deskovic Foundation for Justice, devoting his life to fighting wrongful convictions and helping those exonerated to reclaim their lives.

Join us at the quiet end for the story of Jeffrey Deskovic. Dick was able to be in touch with Mr. Deskovic for an interview recently. We hope you will find what he had to say as fascinating as we did.

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Doomsday Parents Part Two: Chad & Lori Daybell Sep 08, 2020

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For today’s episode, we’re diving back into the murky waters of the Lori Vallow Daybell and Chad Daybell case. Last week, we went over the marriages, families, strange religious beliefs, disappearances, and untimely deaths. This week, we’re delving deeper into everything and talking about what has happened since Lori and Chad’s shocking November 2019 wedding.

Join us at the quiet end for Doomsday Parents Part Two. There’s still a lot to learn about this case as we await forensic examination results, but there’s plenty already known for us to discuss, debate, and consider as well.

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