True Crime Reporter

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Unmasking Evil: Face-to-Face with the Son of Sam Jan 23, 2024

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David Berkowitz, known as the “Son of Sam,” terrorized New York City for a year in the late 1970s with a series of random murders and cryptic taunts to police and the press. Ever since then, the question of why he did it and if Berkowitz had accomplices from a Satan-worshipping cult has produced ceaseless speculation. Now, Dr. Michael Caparrelli provides new insights into the mind of David Berkowitz in a new book titled Monster Mirror. Dr. Caparrelli is a behavioral scientist and was a pastor for 16 years. Drawing from 100 hours of face-to-face interviews, Dr. Caparrelli explores Berkowitz’s transformation from an infamous serial killer to a figure of introspection. My interview with Dr. Caparrelli sheds light on the complex psychological factors and experiences that shaped Berkowitz's path to violence. It also examines his claims of religious conversion in prison and features a new confession.

The Axe Falls: The Shocking Execution of the Teenage Queen Jan 02, 2024

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I opened my reporter's notebook to the historical case called the "Nine Days Queen." It's a tragic story from 16th-century England about Lady Jane Grey. Her life, a fleeting moment in the annals of English royalty, ended abruptly with her execution at just 16 years old. I take you to London's National Gallery to see her last moment poignantly captured in oil on canvas. National Gallery painting "Execution of Lady Jane Grey": https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/paul-delaroche-the-execution-of-lady-jane-grey

The Bank Robber, The Fugitive, The Pilot, and The Mena Arkansas Conspiracy. Dec 19, 2023

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This story shrouded in mystery, involves a Texas prison escapee that could be ripped straight from a spy novel. Bank robber and suspected drug smuggler Charles J. Woods of Dallas made a daring escape from a Texas prison and subsequently disappeared into the realm of the Mena Arkansas Conspiracy. In my exclusive interview with fugitive hunter Louis Fawcett, we unravel the threads of Woods' escape to the mysterious town of Mena, Arkansas. The town's small airport in the Quachirta mountains was the base of operations for Barry Seal, a notorious drug and arms smuggler known for his connections to the CIA and narco Pablo Escobar. What was Charles Woods, a pilot, doing using the alias Richard Arthur Mills on a government identification card at the Naval Ammunition Depot in Oklahoma? Sit back and listen to this fugitive’s tale from the world of crime, mystery, and intrigue. Links to Stories about the Eastham Prison Unit You can hear more about Bonne and Clyde in my April 11th, 2023 episode The Enduring Fascination of Bonnie and Clyde: A Love Story Gone Wrong. You can hear just how tough Eastham was from David Stacks, one of its former wardens, in my November 28th, 2023 episode, Hard Time In Hell Among Texas Most Dangerous Prisoners.

Why A Serial Killer’s Cell Phone Threats from Death Row Haunt Us Today Dec 12, 2023

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I delve into the shadowy underworld of contraband communication, where prisoners wielding illegal cell phones orchestrate a web of threats and criminal enterprises from behind bars. My story revolves around the chilling case of Richard Tabler, a serial killer on Texas Death Row. Tabler's audacious use of a smuggled cell phone to threaten a Texas Senator ignited a political firestorm, unmasking a glaring security breach within the prison system. Contraband Cell Phones Seized at the Polunsky Prison Unit in Texas I reveal the alarming extent to which inmates can exploit contraband technology to reach beyond prison walls, posing a significant threat to public safety and the integrity of the penal system. Serial Killer Richard "Blue" Tabler on Texas Death Row 2007 You will also get a look inside the mind of a bizarre, cold-blooded serial killer who recruited an Army soldier from Fort Hood as his accomplice. And shocker, Tabler was a police drug informant committing murders. Serial Killer Richard Tabler -- Mugshot Texas Death Row In a typewritten letter to me from death row, Tabler claimed he had found Jesus there. Once you hear this, tell me if you believe him. READ: Serial Killer Richard Tabler's Death Row Letter To Reporter Robert Riggs

A Texas Prison Warden’s Tips On How To Stay Safe From Criminal Minds Dec 05, 2023

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In the vast, rugged terrain of Texas, where the stories of outlaws and the law are etched into the very soil, we find a beacon of knowledge in an unexpected place: the walls of a maximum-security prison. My guest, David Stacks guest is a seasoned Texas prison warden, a guardian of society's most dangerous individuals. The retired Warden is now the Director of the Texas Prison Museum in Huntsville, Texas. Having spent decades overseeing some of the most notorious criminals in the state, Stacks brings a wealth of insight into the criminal psyche. But more than that, he offers invaluable tips on personal safety, gleaned from his years of experience amid danger. What can ordinary citizens learn from the strict protocols and keen observations of a prison warden? For one thing, nothing good happens after midnight. As we uncover these insights, we not only peer into the abyss of criminal minds but also learn how to safeguard ourselves in a world where unpredictability is the only certainty. The Texas Prison Museum The Texas Prison Museum, established in 1989 in Huntsville, Texas, offers a profound insight into the history and operations of the state's prison system, the largest in the world. Huntsville, known for its pivotal role in the Texas Prison System, houses this museum due to its historical significance, being the site of the first prison and the headquarters for the state's Department of Criminal Justice. The museum features a diverse array of artifacts and exhibits, including an original electric chair used for 361 executions and various inmate-made objects, from craftwork to contraband.

Hard Time In Hell Among Texas Most Dangerous Prisoners Nov 28, 2023

Show notes

In this episode, I’m going to take you behind the high walls and razor wire into the dark corners of the largest prison system in the world. David Stacks, a former Texas prison warden with 30 years of frontline experience, provides an unfiltered look at life behind bars. Today, Stacks is the director of the Texas Prison Museum. He’s here with stories from inside the toughest Texas prisons that held the meanest of the mean.

Echoes of Evil: Serial Killer Kenneth McDuff 25 Years Later. Nov 18, 2023

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This episode marks a somber milestone. The 25th anniversary of the execution of Kenneth Allen McDuff – a name that chills the soul of the men and women in law enforcement who hunted him down – and the families of his victims. McDuff, infamously dubbed the 'Broomstick Killer,' was a figure of unparalleled brutality. His story isn't just a tale of sadistic crimes. It's a saga that shook the very foundations of the Texas criminal justice system. Kenneth Allen McDuff being escorted into the Texas Death House. McDuff, was believed to be the only condemned inmate in the nation ever paroled and then returned to death row for another murder. He went to death row in 1968 for killing two teenage boys, was paroled after the death penalty was overturned, and returned to death row in 1991 for killing two women. 11/17/1998 He was released on parole in the late 1980s under a cloud of corruption. McDuff, within a day of his release, unleashed a reign of terror – abducting, raping, and murdering countless women, his actions embodying the darkest impulses of humanity. My original reporting on this case exposed not just a man's evil but a system's failures. It led to a sweeping overhaul of the parole and prison systems in Texas, revealing a disturbing scheme of parole selling that shook public trust to its core. As I delve into this grim chapter, I do so with a purpose. We seek to understand, to remember the victims, and to reflect on the lessons learned. The echoes of McDuff's crimes still reverberate, reminding us of the vigilance needed to safeguard justice and integrity within our system. Here’s an episode from my award-winning podcast series that led to us producing a five- part streaming documentary called “Freed To Kill.”

The John Dillinger Enigma: Did The FBI Really Kill Public Enemy #1? Oct 02, 2023

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PDuring the Great Depression, Newsreels about John Dillinger, the first gangster declared Public Enemy #1, drew cheers from movie audiences across America and hisses when pictures of J. Edgar…

Crisis-Proof Your Life: Fieldcraft Survival on Personal Safety & Preparedness Sep 18, 2023

Show notes

There's a crime trend sweeping the United States of flash mob thieves charging into department stores to make off with armfuls of loot. Gangs rush inside affluent suburban neighborhoods in night to break into cars. This episode of the True Crime Reporter® podcast responds to those of you asking me what they should do amid a growing wave of violence in urban America and overseas. A U.S. businesswoman recently told me she is afraid to work alone in a big city. I contacted Kevin Estela, the Director of Training for Fieldcraft Survival. L-R. Jared Taylor, USAF Vet - Andy Stumpf, Navy Seal Vet - Robert Riggs, Reporter - Mike Glover, Green Beret Vet & Founder Fieldcraft Survival Its founder, Mike Glover, was a Sergeant Major in the Army Green Berets. He deployed fourteen times to combat zones with Special Forces and the CIA. But don’t expect his Director of Training to teach that every threatening scenario requires a gun. Kevin Estela - Director of Training - Fieldcraft Survival - Courtesy "Recoil OffGrid Magazine" Kevin Estela taught Advanced Placement High School History for 14 years. He is about using your head and being prepared. His Phillipino father, who hid from the Japanese army in jungles and caves during World War II, influenced his survival skills. Kevin offers advice on responding to a criminal assault, car accident, or natural disaster. In closing, here’s my Reporter’s recap and reflections. As Kevin Estela stressed, survival depends on preparedness. He recommends carrying a tourniquet, a good flashlight, a BIC lighter, a Ferro Rod, a fire starter that can be used as an emergency signal, and a bandana. His book is titled 101 Skills You Need To Survive In The Woods. A second book covering advanced skills is on the way. I have placed links to his resources in these show notes. You’ve been listening to the True Crime Reporter® Podcast: Stay True. Stay Safe. Stay Tuned for more stories from inside the crime scene tape. This is Robert Riggs Reporting.

No Justice for A Texas Cowboy: A $750 Million Elder Abuse Tragedy Sep 11, 2023

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Investigative Reporter Stephen Michaud, among the nation’s best, spent six years unraveling how an iconic ranch was taken from a dying Texas Cowboy. It's a sprawling Texas ranch near the border with Mexico where the biggest producing gas well in the United States was struck in 2004. The ranch and its mineral assets have amassed a 750 Million dollar fortune. But, the cowboy who once owned it and his relatives never saw a penny. According to my guest, it’s a case of elder abuse like none other. Hello. I’m investigative reporter Robert Riggs with a longtime friend and fellow investigative journalist Stephen Michaud. You may recognize his name in the world of true crime. Michaud, in collaboration with Hugh Aynesworth, another giant of investigative journalism, wrote the definitive book about serial killer Ted Bundy in 1983 titled The Only Living Witness. In 2019, Netflix premiered a four-part documentary, Conversations With A Killer, based on 150 hours of audio recordings of their interviews with Bundy in prison. Now Michaud is back with a fascinating look inside South Texas ranching royal families titled Robert’s Story, A Texas Cowboy's Troubled Life And Horrifying Death. It likely came from these ranches if you ate steak in the 1960s. If you cooked with natural gas in the 2000s, some of it likely came from there. Sadly, people close to Texas cowboy Robert East, the sole heir to all of this, allegedly took advantage of his simplicity. He died a lonely death on the iconic ranch. Here's our interview.

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