Who Killed Strawberry?

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It has been over a decade since former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick was convicted on federal racketeering charges. Will he ever pay off his debt to the city? Apr 15, 2024

Kwame Kilpatrick went from being the future of Detroit to one of the city's most notable felons. While Kilpatrick is out of prison, he still owes hundreds of thousands dollars. On a new Daily J, WWJ's Zach Clark wonders what it will take for Kilpatrick to clear his debt. (PHOTO: Phillip Faraone/Getty)

Ruth DiRienzo-Whitehead: the Mother, the Monster - Part 2 Apr 03, 2024

No one wants to believe a mother could actually kill her own son; holding a belt tight around his neck and squeezing until he took his last breath. No, an act this disturbing would defy comprehension, go against every innate parental instinct to protect, care for, and love your child. According to prosecutors, the evidence was conclusive: a suburban Philadelphia mom knowingly and purposefully strangled her 11-year old in an act of retribution. She wanted to get back at her husband for letting her down. Could this really be true? Was Ruth DiRienzo-Whitehead the monster Montgomery District Attorneys made her out to be? Or, did she snap? Did the pressures in her life become too much to bear? In Ruth DiRienzo-Whitehead: the Mother, the Monster, KYW Newsradio Suburban Bureau Chief Jim Melwert empties his notebook from nearly a year of covering this chilling, gut wrenching case that left a trail from the Philadelphia suburbs to the Jersey Shore. Be sure to listen to both parts.

Further reading:

Horsham mom tells police she strangled son

Ruth DiRienzo-Whitehead sentenced to life in prison

Did a Downriver man suffer a leg cramp 35 years ago, or did he murder his four young children? Apr 01, 2024

In August of 1989, Larry DeLisle drove a station wagon with his wife and four children in it into the Detroit River, killing the kids. On a new Daily J On The Case, WWJ's Christy Strawser and Zach Clark explore whether he had a leg cramp and a deficient car, or if he's a cold-blooded killer. (PHOTO: Fox 2 Detroit/YouTube)

"This is the best person you're going to get and this is what happens?" -- Will Dr. Devon Hoover's brutal murder ever be solved? Feb 16, 2024

Dr. Devon Hoover was one of Detroit's most well-respected doctors who lived in one of the city's most beautiful mansions. All of that came crashing down last spring when he was found brutally murdered inside of his house. On a new Daily J, WWJ's Christy Strawser and Zach Clark dig into the quest for justice for Dr. Hoover. (PHOTO: Ascension Michigan; Eric Seals/USA Today)

Coming soon: Ricochet Jan 19, 2024

Gun violence is a national crisis. In Philadelphia, more than 10,000 people have been shot in the last five years. 2,100 people have died.

Every bullet fired has a ripple effect. In this series from Gone Cold, we’ll examine the issues through stories from those affected the most: victims, defendants, law enforcement, medical workers, judges and families, while highlighting unsolved cases. What makes someone pull the trigger? What is the lasting impact? And what, if anything, can make it stop?

Hear the first episode of “Ricochet” on Wednesday, January 24 on the Gone Cold: Philadelphia Unsolved Murders feed.
Subscribe wherever you get podcasts for free downloads delivered to your phone every week.

Host: Kristen Johanson
Producer: Sabrina Boyd-Surka
Production Assistant: Winston Harris

Tamara Greene has been in the headlines for decades. But will we ever know who killed Strawberry? Jan 09, 2024

In 2003, Tamara Greene, a young mother, was murdered at a stop sign while sitting in her car. One a new Daily J, WWJ's Zach Clark talks to Christy Strawser, the creator of 'Who Killed Strawberry,' and discusses her daughter's now viral claims that she was the target of an orchestrated hit by the former mayor. Will 2024 bring justice for her family? (PHOTO: File/WWJ)

BONUS: The Set Trailer Jun 14, 2023

It’s the crack era.The most violent time in New York City history. The NYPD is fighting a losing battle and instead of protecting the city from drug dealers, some police officers have become them. This is the never-before told, first-person documentary of the biggest police corruption scandal in NYPD history and the investigation that uncovered it all. From Audacy Originals and Zak Levitt, the Emmy, Peabody, and NY Press Club Investigative Journalism Award winning creator of Root of Evil, Gangster Capitalism, and Relative Unknown.

9: What We Know And What We Can Prove May 04, 2023

In order to believe the murder of exotic dancer Tamara 'Strawberry' Greene had ties to former Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, you have to believe the never-proven Manoogian Mansion party happened. And that covering it up was the motive. In this episode, host, reporter and producer Christy Strawser lays out the evidence for the party and explores whether any of it led to murder. Produced by Zach Clark.

8: The Lawsuit That Went Nowhere Apr 27, 2023

You would never know from the outside that India -- a wholesome college student with an optimistic viewpoint and loving family -- lost her birth mother in a violent and terrifying way. India is the youngest daughter of Tamara 'Strawberry' Greene. Host, producer and writer Christy Strawser talks to India for the first time and reveals in this episode produced by Zach Clark what went on behind the scenes in the $150 million lawsuit brought by India and Greene's two other children in her death.

7: Strawberry And The Governor's Race Apr 20, 2023

At the intersection of the mystery surrounding Tamara 'Strawberry' Greene the murdered exotic dancer and former Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick is the state police investigation. Writer, producer and host Christy Strawser uncovers how controversy about the investigation poured gas on the fire of conspiracy theories and spread it to a campaign for the governor’s office. Also produced by Zach Clark.

6: The World's Biggest Small Town Apr 13, 2023

To understand how Tamara 'Strawberry' Greene's life ended, you have to understand where it began. In this episode, host, writer and producer Christy Strawser visits the streets of Detroit with historian Ken Coleman and they hit all the hotspots in the lives of Kwame Kilpatrick and Tamara Greene. The clubs, the neighborhoods, even the houses where the alleged-but-never-proven party happened. You'll meet some characters along the way because as you'll find out, this place is a small town trapped in the body of a big city.

5: Old Theories And New Suspects Apr 06, 2023

In this episode, writer, host and producer Christy Strawser and producer Zach Clark talk to the man police name as the main suspect in Tamara 'Strawberry' Greene's murder. So, 20 years later, why has he never been charged? That's one of the many twists and turns in 'Old Theories And New Suspects.' There's also the mystery of what's missing in the murder file, disappearing case notes, why police higher-ups seemed to want so many updates on the case and whether her murder had the hallmarks of a professional hit.

4: Where Murder Cases Go To Die Mar 30, 2023

When exotic dancer Tamara 'Strawberry' Greene was shot to death, her case went cold and it has stayed that way for 20 years. But it's not the only case that was cold. In fact, only 11% of homicides were solved at the time of her death In this episode of the true crime podcast Who Killed Strawberry, writer, host and producer Christy Strawser and producer Zach Clark dive into why the case was unsolved from the perspective of police experts and why so many other cases in Detroit suffered the same fate.

3: Whistleblowers And Torn Panties Mar 23, 2023

In this episode of the true crime podcast Who Killed Strawberry, writer, host and producer Christy Strawser and producer Zach Clark reveal why police started investigating a connection between the homicide of Tamara 'Strawberry' Greene and a wild party at the mayor's mansion, and then what happened to them once they did. We also reveal new details about the depth of depravity among some cops at the time.

2: The Surprising Ties That Bind Tammy and Kwame Mar 16, 2023

While single mother and exotic dancer Tamara 'Strawberry' Greene and one of America's most celebrated mayors at the time, Kwame Kilpatrick, may not have had anything in common at first glance, the story is more complicated under the surface. Writer, host and producer Christy Strawser and producer Zach Clark delve into how Kwame and Tammy's names became connected and what was going on beneath the surface in both of their lives.

1: The Curse of the Liar Mar 09, 2023

Six months after she allegedly danced at a never-proven party at the Detroit mayor's mansion, Tamara 'Strawberry' Greene was shot to death. Was her death connected to covering up the party? Was it tied to money, a grudge ... or something else. Writer, producer and host Christy Strawser, along with producer Zach Clark, dive into one of Detroit's most notorious cold cases in this 9 episode series, exploring theories and uncovering evidence. It’s a story about the corrosive lure of power. How cover-ups backfire. How lies can spread like water on hot concrete in directions the liar in the middle of it all ultimately can’t control.

Who Killed Strawberry: The Trailer Mar 06, 2023

The murder of Tamara 'Strawberry' Greene, one of Detroit's most notorious cold cases, remains unsolved after 20 years. Writer, host and producer Christy Strawser dives deep into the mystery in a nine-episode podcast that reveals new information, uncovers key witnesses and pieces together for the first time answers to all the major questions about the death of the exotic dancer. Was her death related to a wild party at the mayor's mansion? Was it over money, a grudge ... or something else? The first episode drops Thursday, March 9 with new episodes every Thursday. Written, reported and produced by Christy Strawser; Produced and sound engineered by Zach Clark.

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