Crime Capsule: Ripped from the pages of a reporter's notebook
Join veteran television crime reporters Amanda Lamb and Chelsea Donovan—two journalists with over 50 years of combined experience—as they pull back the curtain on some of the most gripping cases they've covered. With insider access, firsthand knowledge, and a deep understanding of the criminal justice system, Amanda and Chelsea take you where few others can: behind the headlines, into the courtroom, and into the minds of those at the center of the story. From high-profile trials to hidden gems you've never heard, Crime Capsule brings you exclusive interviews with the key players—witnesses, investigators, attorneys, and others—who trust Amanda and Chelsea to get the story right. You’ve got plenty of true crime podcasts to choose from—but this one comes straight from the reporters who were there. Crime Capsule...Real stories. Real reporters. Real crimes.
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CRIME CAPSULE: Season 1 comes to an end
10/15/2026
CRIME CAPSULE: Season 1 comes to an end
It’s hard to believe it’s been a whole year since we started CRIME CAPSULE. We’ve produced 33 shows. To date, we’ve had 7200 downloads. We’ve had the chance to reconnect with people we interviewed for cases we covered many years ago. We’ve peeled back the layers of some of the most high-profile cases we both covered and even learned news details in the process. Crime reporting is the kind of thing that never really leaves you no matter how many years you get away from it. It’s like riding a bike—the wheels of curiosity that accompany an investigation start turning the second you hear about a new case that’s unfolding. It’s a puzzle to be solved, one where lives are forever changed, including ours. We’re very proud of what we’ve accomplished in the past year and we really appreciate your support. That being said, we’re not sure where the show goes from here. We’re not saying goodbye. We have a few more shows to air before the end of the year. We would love to hear from you about the direction you think we should take! You can reach us at . TO HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW:
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CRIME CAPSULE: Writer to convicted murderer
09/30/2026
CRIME CAPSULE: Writer to convicted murderer
23 years ago Kathleen Peterson was found dead in a pool of blood at the bottom of a stairwell in her Durham mansion. Her husband, novelist and one-time mayoral candidate, Michael Peterson, was the only other person in the home at the time. He vehemently denied having anything to do with his wife’s death saying it must have been an accident, that she fell down the stairs and hit her head after a long night of drinking. What followed was a captivating investigation and case that wound its way through the criminal justice system while the whole world watched…hanging on every detail…details like Michael Peterson’s involvement with a male escort and the defense’s allegation at one point that an owl had killed Kathleen. It would forever divide the Petersons’ blended family. After a 3-month trial in 2003, Michael Peterson was found guilty of beating his wife to death—the alleged weapon a fire poker—and was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole. But it didn’t end there. In this episode, we interview a local reporter who followed the case for 17 years. Julia Sims gives us a behind the scenes peek at one of North Carolina’s crimes of the century. TO HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW:
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CRIME CAPSULE: Grocery store assassinations
09/17/2026
CRIME CAPSULE: Grocery store assassinations
Picture a grocery store at closing time. The lights were still on. Employees were finishing up, getting ready to lock up, thinking about going home. But on June 6th, 1993, inside a Be-Lo grocery store in Windsor, North Carolina, someone else was already there hiding, watching, and waiting. A killer was already inside waiting for the moment the doors locked and the building became a trap. What happened next wasn’t rushed. It wasn’t chaotic. It was controlled. Six employees were rounded up, bound with gray duct tape, and forced into the back. They were stacked together. And then—execution-style—the shooting began. When it was over, three people were dead. Somehow, a critically injured man made a 911 call. The killer was gone, vanished into the night. He had made off with just $3,000. The suspect left behind a 22-caliber pistol, but nothing else. The most unsettling detail was survivors say the suspect talked and told them he used to be a police officer but had been wronged and fired. Thirty years later there still have not been any arrests. In this episode, we speak to a member of the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation about their efforts to catch this brutal killer. TO HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW:
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CRIME CAPSULE: A missing mother leads to a murder prosecution without a body
09/02/2026
CRIME CAPSULE: A missing mother leads to a murder prosecution without a body
Moni was missing, but it didn’t make any sense. She would never have left her young daughters. Her family hadn’t seen her for months. But she had been posting on social media, texting them, and had even called her landlord. Or had she? Monica Moynan actually wasn’t behind any of these communications. It was the man who killed her, the father of her children, the man that disposed of her body so expertly that investigators couldn’t find Moni. Police and prosecutors built a meticulous case against Brian Sluss—they had evidence, evidence that he had pretended to be her in digital communications, Moni’s blood beneath the floor tiles in her home, and sudden, unexplained changes to the furnishings in her home. But they still didn’t have one important thing—Moni’s body. In this episode, Kathryn Pomeroy and Melanie Shekita walk us through how they built a murder case without a body against Brian Sluss and put him behind bars for life. For more about CRIME CAPSULE: TO HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW:
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CRIME CAPSULE: Badin Lake Cold Case
08/26/2026
CRIME CAPSULE: Badin Lake Cold Case
47-year-old Teresa Richardson was found dead in her home on Bluebird Lane in New London, North Carolina exactly 21 years ago this week. She lived alone in the mobile home park. Her neighbor found her with multiple stab wounds on the floor of her home when she failed to show up for a planned social gathering. Immediately, investigators in Montgomery County had boots on the ground interviewing people who knew Teresa and taking DNA samples from anyone who would consent. More than 75 samples were taken. Family, friends, and acquaintances were eliminated through DNA and interviews. The case went cold. Now, the State Bureau of Investigation is relooking at the cold case hoping advancements in DNA technology or a tip could be the key to getting justice for Teresa. In this episode, we go behind the scenes of this cold case with an investigator from the State Bureau of Investigation. TO HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW:
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CRIME CAPSULE: Human trafficking in our backyards
08/05/2026
CRIME CAPSULE: Human trafficking in our backyards
In this episode, we’re going to be talking about a national crisis that’s happening right under our noses, in our backyards—human trafficking. What exactly is human trafficking? Well, many people still think of it as women being smuggled in a van across the border and forced into sexual servitude in a modern-day brothel. To be clear, this still happens. But what’s more common is a business that’s operating in plain sight, massage parlors that seem legitimate, but they’re not. In most cases, the only way to disband these businesses and free these women, because most of the victims are women, is to catch the people who are operating them. It’s estimated that there are 13,000 illegal massage businesses operating across the country, in every single state. They generate an estimated 5 billion dollars a year in revenue. So, whose is responsible for stopping these businesses from operating? Police departments don’t usually have the manpower or the time to handle these cases because there are so many. In addition, the business owners usually face light penalties and often reopen their illegal establishments quickly even after they’ve been charged. Plus, the ugly truth is that the employees often face penalties for prostitution even in this day and age when we know they are victims of sex trafficking. And even if employees aren’t charged, they’re reluctant to testify against the business owners for fear of retribution making these cases very difficult to prosecute. Our guest for this episode has dedicated much of his attention and energy to shining a light on human trafficking and sharing the information with law enforcement partners so they can properly charge people, prosecute them, and disband these businesses for good. Mike Longmire says these businesses represent organized crime and require community outrage to run them out of town.
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CRIME CAPSULE: Murdered on her lunch break
07/22/2026
CRIME CAPSULE: Murdered on her lunch break
29-year-old Mary Davis, a married mother of two, worked at a hardware store in Lexington, North Carolina in the 1980’s. On May 7, 1987, Mary stepped out for lunch and never returned. Mary’s body was found the next day behind a local grocery store by family members during a search for her. She had been raped and strangled. Immediately, suspicion fell on her husband and her boyfriend that she was having an extramarital affair with. This cloud hung over them for more than three decades until the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation cracked the case by testing DNA that had been expertly preserved by the Lexington Police. A suspect, Russell Grant Woods, was identified, and even though he had died a decade prior, the information gave the heartbroken family information they desperately needed to put their lives back in order. In this episode, we talk to the SBI about how the preservation of evidence and advanced technology are solving more and more cold cases. TO HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW:
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CRIME CAPSULE: Police Officer Gunned Down in the Line of Duty
07/08/2026
CRIME CAPSULE: Police Officer Gunned Down in the Line of Duty
July 11, 1997, started out like any other day for Raleigh Police investigator Patrick Niemann. He was riding with 35-year-old Raleigh Police Detective Paul Hale, who had just been promoted to investigations 5 days earlier. They approached a car at an apartment complex that they believed contained a potential witness in a murder case. 19-year-old Kwame Mays was in the back seat. He fired his 9mm handgun killing Hale. Niemann returned fire, wounding Mays. Mays was arrested on two counts of first-degree murder-one in Hale’s death, and one in the homicide of Ralph Walker who had been shot in the head earlier that morning while driving his pickup truck. In May of 1998, the jury convicted Mays in the murder of Walker, but deadlocked in the murder of Hale. Mays was retried and convicted in September 1998 of killing Hale. Mays faced the possibility of the death penalty, but instead, was sentenced to life in prison. Patrick Niemann went on to have a long career in law enforcement, one that included helping other officers who had experienced critical incidents emotionally process what they had been through. He has never sat down for a media interview about the case, until now. In this powerful conversation, Patrick describes the shooting, the trauma that followed, and ultimately, his will to move forward in large part to honor Paul Hale's legacy of service. TO HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW:
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CRIME CAPSULE: Jerri Williams, a female trailblazer in the FBI turned podcaster shatters glass ceilings
06/24/2026
CRIME CAPSULE: Jerri Williams, a female trailblazer in the FBI turned podcaster shatters glass ceilings
When Jerri Williams was sworn in as an FBI agent in 1982, she was one of just 23 Black female agents out of 7000 total. To say she is a trailblazer is an understatement. For more than two decades she uncovered corruption and investigated major crimes. She went on to be the spokesperson for the FBI in the Philadelphia area. In her fifties, Jerri blazed another trail. She became a podcaster at a time when most people didn't even know what a podcast was. Today, her show, FBI Retired Case File Review, has posted more than 400 episodes and has millions of downloads. She features the stories of retired FBI agents as they share the details of their most compelling cases. Jerri is also a successful author and a doting grandmother, not to mention an amazing person. In this bonus episode, we delve into Jerri's unique career path and some of her most compelling cases. TO HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW:
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CRIME CAPSULE: Tarot cards, horse tranquilizers, and a plastic bag equal murder
06/10/2026
CRIME CAPSULE: Tarot cards, horse tranquilizers, and a plastic bag equal murder
He was an Eagle Scout and a high school student in a small North Carolina town who volunteered at his church. But people who loved Matthew Silliman said he fell in with the wrong crowd, outcasts who partied hard and spun wild stories about being stalked by the mafia. One fateful night he went to an unoccupied home with four other teens who dabbled in Tarot cards and put horse tranquilizers in his wine. They tied his legs together, covered his mouth with duct tape, hit him in the head with a hammer, and then covered his head with a plastic bag. Several days later Matthew was found dead, zipped up in a sleeping bag. And for what? That’s the question years later that people involved in this case are still asking. The assistant district attorney at the time, Jason Waller, was prosecuting his very first high-profile murder case. The defense attorney for the ringleader, Robert Padavano, was assigned what seemed like and impossible case to defend. We speak with both of them for this episode as we unpack the details of this senseless crime. TO HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW:
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CRIME CAPSULE: Holiday Parade Horror
05/27/2026
CRIME CAPSULE: Holiday Parade Horror
It was supposed to be a celebration. Lights. Music. Families lining the streets. A holiday tradition in Raleigh where nothing bad was supposed to happen. But on November 19th, 2022—that changed in an instant. The Raleigh Christmas Parade was underway. Floats rolled down the street. Performers smiled and waved. And then—something went wrong. A vehicle towing a float lost control. In seconds, the celebration turned into chaos. People screamed. Spectators ran. A young dancer was struck and killed. Her name was Hailey Brooks. She was just 11 years old. In this interview with Wake County District Attorney Lorrin Freeman, we go through the complexities of holding someone responsible in a case like this and talk about ways to prevent it in the future. TO HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW:
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CRIME CAPSULE: Suspected serial killer stalks and murders a young woman
05/16/2026
CRIME CAPSULE: Suspected serial killer stalks and murders a young woman
It was like something out of a horror movie. A young woman fresh out of college beginning her professional life is dragged from her bed, sexually assaulted and killed in her own apartment while her roommates are out of town. Stephanie Bennett is found by an apartment manager after her friends and family can’t reach her. The scene is brutal, but the killer’s DNA is everywhere. Investigators believe this will likely help them solve the case quickly. But suddenly, everyone in the area, which is home to hundreds of apartment dwellers, is a suspect. Finding the killer will be like finding a needle in a haystack. Two years after Stephanie’s death, the case goes cold despite hundreds of interviews and DNA tests that were performed on men in the neighborhood. That’s when a pair of new detectives, Ken Copeland and Jackie Soles, are assigned the case and go back to square one. They read every single document in the file from the investigation. They quickly zero in on a man who neighbors suspect was a peeping Tom. This begins a cat and mouse game between Drew Planten and police to get his DNA. Eventually, their efforts pay off. But the case comes to an abrupt end, an end nobody wanted because it deprived everyone close to the case with the one thing they were seeking—answers. In this episode, Jackie and Ken share their memories of the case that changed both of their lives. They share their behind-the-scenes efforts to find justice for Stephanie and what it felt like to look a killer in the eyes. TO HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW:
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CRIME CAPSULE: Killer on the greenway
04/29/2026
CRIME CAPSULE: Killer on the greenway
It’s the kind of place you go to clear your head. Tree-lined. Quiet. Safe. But on October 13th, 2022, that illusion was shattered along a stretch of greenway in Raleigh. At the center of it all— a 15-year-old boy: Austin Thompson. The first calls came in just after 5 p.m. Gunshots. Multiple victims. Chaos. What unfolded next would become one of the deadliest mass shootings in Raleigh’s history. Five people were killed. Two more were injured. Among the victims—an off-duty police officer… shot in his own neighborhood. There was no clear motive. For hours the city didn’t know where the shooter was. As the sun set fear took over. Entire neighborhoods were locked down. Residents were told: stay inside, lock your doors, don’t move. Parents waited in panic as schools that were delayed in releasing students. Helicopters circled overhead because somewhere out there the suspect was still moving. Eventually, law enforcement tracked him to a home nearby. A standoff followed. Austin Thompson was taken into custody after shooting himself in the head. He survived. And that’s when the real questions began. How does a teenager carry out something like this? And more importantly—could it have been stopped? In this interview with Wake County District Attorney Lorrin Freeman we break down the details of this tragic event in Raleigh's history. TO HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW:
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CRIME CAPSULE: A mother is murdered, dismembered, and dumped in a creek full of alligators
04/15/2026
CRIME CAPSULE: A mother is murdered, dismembered, and dumped in a creek full of alligators
It was like something out of a horror movie. A mother from North Carolina goes missing and ends up dismembered in an alligator infested swamp in Texas. Laura Ackerson and the father of her children, Grant Hayes, were embroiled in a heated custody battle over their two young sons. Grant’s new wife, Amanda, who had a baby daughter of her own with Grant, was also at odds with Laura about the ongoing custody dispute. Prosecutors say Grant and Amanda lured Laura to their apartment in Raleigh, killed her, and then dismembered her body with an electric saw. They then carried her remains in coolers in the back of a rental truck to Texas where they dumped them in a swamp near Amanda's sister’s home. In this episode, the prosecutor walks us through the complex case investigators were able to build against the killer couple. We also hear from the forensic scientist who was able to all but guarantee their conviction with a single saw mark on a her bone. TO HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW:
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CRIME CAPSULE: Savannah Guthrie shares her family's nightmare with Today Show anchor Hoda Kotb and announces her upcoming return
04/01/2026
CRIME CAPSULE: Savannah Guthrie shares her family's nightmare with Today Show anchor Hoda Kotb and announces her upcoming return
It's been three months...three months since Savannah Guthrie and her siblings have seen their mother, Nancy Guthrie. Investigators believe the 84-year-old was kidnapped from her Tucson, Arizona home in the middle of the night from her bed. Despite a massive search, surveillance video of the suspect, a one million dollar reward, and unprecedented national media attention, no one has been able to find Nancy. Up until now, we've only heard from Savannah Guthrie on short social media clips. This past week she sat down with her dear friend and colleague, retired veteran anchor Hoda Kotb who has been filling in for Savannah in her absence. In this episode, we break down the extended version of this interview-what Savannah reveals about the investigation, her unbreakable bond with her siblings, how her mother is a shinining example of strength and faith for her children. She also asks once again for anyone who knows anything to come forward. At times heartbreaking, but also hopeful, Savannah is poised and resolute vowing not to allow the kidnappers to steal her joy or that of her family. She is set to return to the Today Show on April 6. She shares with Hoda that she doesn't know how she will do it because she has been forever changed by the tragedy, but she is willing to try.
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CRIME CAPSULE: What in the world happened to Cole Thomas?
03/18/2026
CRIME CAPSULE: What in the world happened to Cole Thomas?
22-year-old Cole Thomas disappeared in Benson, North Carolina on November 25, 2016. It was like he simply vanished without a trace. He was an electrical contractor and the crew members he was traveling with all had different stories about what may have happened to Cole. One consistent thread was that there was a drug deal that went bad and Cole left the car never to be seen again. A massive search of wooded areas and swamplands in the area turned up no clues. Cole’s parents immediately drove from Florida to North Carolina to help with the search, but nothing was found. Cole’s father, Chris Thomas, believes his son is dead. He had hoped that one of the men Cole was with would at least tell them where Cole’s body is. In this episode, we unpack the details of this decade long cold case with Chris who has been conducting his own investigation. We also check in with Benson’s police chief who handled the case back when he was on the street. Our goal is that by keeping the case in the public eye someone will come forward with information that could lead to justice for Cole and much needed answers for his family. TO HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW:
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CRIME CAPSULE: Blues Behind the Badge
03/05/2026
CRIME CAPSULE: Blues Behind the Badge
Law enforcement officers are dealing with intense situations that often involve danger and heartbreaking outcomes. As a result, they have unique mental health issues that are not always addressed by the agencies they work for. Nearly 200 law enforcement officers across the country take their own lives each year. A nonprofit that studied the issue from 2016 to 2024 revealed that they are 54-69 percent more likely to die by suicide than people in other careers. Researchers think this number is low because it is an underreported issue. Spouses and family members of these officers are often blindsided by their deaths. In this episode we speak with the wife of an officer who died by suicide. She shares what she now believes were signs in retrospect that her husband needed help. We also speak to an expert about how to spot red flags in advance. If you or someone you know needs support call or text the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988. TO HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW:
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CRIME CAPSULE: Veteran prosecutor Melanie Shekita shares some of her most memorable cases
02/25/2026
CRIME CAPSULE: Veteran prosecutor Melanie Shekita shares some of her most memorable cases
In this bonus episode, veteran prosecutor Melanie Shekita shares her memories of the most high-profile cases she has handled in her almost three decades with the Wake County District Attorney's Office in Raleigh, North Carolina. From murders to child sex crimes, Melanie has prosecuted some of the most challenging and emotional cases. She talks about why she is passionate about finding justice for the victims and how she has been able to do this difficult work for so many years. To learn more about Melanie: Follow and support CRIME CAPSULE: TO HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW:
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CRIME CAPSULE: Who killed the dancer?
02/19/2026
CRIME CAPSULE: Who killed the dancer?
In 1994, Beth-Ellen Vinson was chasing a dream. She wanted to be a star. A trained dancer, she knew it wasn’t going to happen in the small Eastern North Carolina town where she grew up in. So, she moved to the state capital, Raleigh, where musical theater was flourishing. But in order to pay the bills she had to get a job that paid real money. The 17-year-old went to work as an escort. Just one month after moving to the big city to find fame in the footlights, Beth-Ellen became famous for all the wrong reasons. On August 16, 1994, the teen left the apartment she shared with her boyfriend and other roommates to meet a client. Early in the morning her car was found running, the door ajar, one high heel still inside near a car dealership. Beth-Ellen had vanished. Seven days later her body was found near some warehouses in an industrial area. She had been stabbed 30 times. To this day, her murder is unsolved. It’s a cold case that continues to haunt her family, friends and investigators. In this episode, we interview private investigator and podcaster Matt Duff. He shares what he has learned about one of North Carolina’s most enduring mysteries. TO HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW:
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CRIME CAPSULE DAILY: Surveillance photos and video of Nancy Guthrie's kidnapper released
02/10/2026
CRIME CAPSULE DAILY: Surveillance photos and video of Nancy Guthrie's kidnapper released
It's been ten days since Nancy Guthrie was seen alive... Now, we have definitive evidence of a kidnapping. Authorities have released surveillance photos from Nancy Guthrie's Nest cameras that reveal the kidnapper appearing to be casually making his or her way into the home with a handgun. Ther person is masked, but the photos are clear enough and the clothing is distinctive enough that there's a good chance someone knows this person. This is the biggest break in the case so far. In this episode of CRIME CAPSULE DAILY we discuss this latest development, recent searches, and videos released by the family. For context, we recorded this Tuesday afternoon directly after the release of the photos. TO HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW:
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CRIME CAPSULE DAILY: The search for Nancy Guthrie, Savannah Guthrie's mother, continues
02/05/2026
CRIME CAPSULE DAILY: The search for Nancy Guthrie, Savannah Guthrie's mother, continues
Welcome to CRIME CAPSULE DAILY where we examine national crime stories making headlines. As former crime reporters, Chelsea Donovan and I (Amanda Lamb) can't help but investigate every high-profile crime case in the news. It's in our DNA. It's the kind of curiosity that never leaves you after spending 50+ combined years in the business. Some people might call it an obsession. We are using our expertise to discuss what we know, what we don't know, and what we hope to learn. The goal is to shed some new light on this case based on our years in the trenches. This episode focuses on the abduction of Savannah Guthrie's mother, Nancy Guthrie, and the continued search for her five days after she was reported missing. We recorded this show Thursday afternoon right after the Pima County Sheriff's latest press conference. We are sharing what we learned, dispelling myths, and examining the powerful and emotional video made by Savannah Guthrie and her siblings where they are pleading for their mother's kidnappers to reach out to them. This is a case that has captivated the country not just because the victim has a famous daughter, but because she is someone's mother, someone's grandmother, someone we could all imagine knowing and loving. If you have information that could help solve this case please call: 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or the Pima County Sheriff's Office at 520-351-4900. TO HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW:
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CRIME CAPSULE DAILY: What happened to Nancy Guthrie?
02/04/2026
CRIME CAPSULE DAILY: What happened to Nancy Guthrie?
Today, we're launching a new segment of CRIME CAPSULE where we examine national crime stories making headlines. As former crime reporters, Chelsea Donovan and I (Amanda Lamb) can't help but investigate every high-profile crime case in the news. It's in our DNA. It's the kind of curiosity that never leaves you after spending 50+ combined years in the business. Some people might call it an obsession. We are using our expertise to discuss what we know, what we don't know, and what we hope to learn. The goal is to shed some new light on this case based on our years in the trenches. This episode focuses on the abduction of Savannah Guthrie's mother, Nancy Guthrie. We recorded this show Wednesday afternoon and acknowledge the information is changing by the minute. This is a case that has captivated the country not just because the victim has a famous daughter, but because she is someone's mother, someone's grandmother, someone we could all imagine knowing and loving. If you have information that could help solve this case please call: 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or go to to leave an anonymous tip. TO HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW:
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CRIME CAPSULE: Bizarre love triangle leads to murder
02/04/2026
CRIME CAPSULE: Bizarre love triangle leads to murder
In January 2008, drivers on their morning commute saw something horrible—a body along the side of a major highway in Wake County, North Carolina. When investigators arrived, they thought they would find a hit-and-run victim, but instead, they found a murder victim. A 21-year-old accounting student from a local university had been stabbed to death thirty times and left on the side of the road to die. Immediately, their attention turned toward Latrese Curtis’ husband, Darin, and the man she was having an affair with, Steven Randolph. But both men quickly cooperated with authorities and were ruled out as suspects. Still, investigators suspected there might be some connection between her affair and her death. What they discovered was something no one ever expected. Investigators pieced together the puzzle of a bizarre love triangle that included jealousy, rage, and unrequited obsession in order to find justice for Latrese. In this interview the lead investigator on the case shares his memories of what would turn out to be the most bizarre case he ever investigated. TO HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW:
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CRIME CAPSULE: DNA helps investigators identify a victim in a decades old murder case
01/21/2026
CRIME CAPSULE: DNA helps investigators identify a victim in a decades old murder case
In April 1968, witnesses reported seeing a small fire in a field in what was then rural North Carolina. The next day, some passersby made a brutal discovery-the charred body of a woman who had been murdered. Immediately, investigators started trying to figure out who the woman was and who had killed her. But with no DNA technology available at the time, they had little to go on. Still, detectives with the Wake County Sheriff’s Office continued to work the case. In 2004, after 36 years of investigation, they were able to identify a suspect only to discover the man had died in the 1990’s. But the identity of the victim was still unknown. In 2024, the WCSO teamed up with the State Bureau of Investigation to try and get new traction on the case. Amazingly, the woman’s hair had been preserved from the crime scene. Investigators sent it to a lab that specialized in creating a DNA profile from older cases with small or degraded samples. Not only did Astrea Forensics come up with a strong profile, but it was enough for forensic genealogist Leslie Kaufman to create a family tree. Eventually, after months of work, Leslie identified the victim and investigators were able to provide closure for her family. TO HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW:
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CRIME CAPSULE: Son of woman in unsolved murder case speaks about his memories, grief, and hopes for justice
01/14/2026
CRIME CAPSULE: Son of woman in unsolved murder case speaks about his memories, grief, and hopes for justice
Jenna Nielsen was the married mother of two and 8-months pregnant at the time she was killed behind a Raleigh, North Carolina convenience store in the early morning hours of a balmy summer day in 2007. She was just doing her job as a USA Today paper carrier, trying to make a little extra money to help support her growing family. Immediately, there was hope the case would be closed quickly. Witnesses in the area who saw a man running from the scene helped police make a detailed composite, and there was DNA evidence. Early on, there were promising leads, but the case went nowhere. A man sits in a Mexican jail charged in a homicide in his native country and he is suspected in a 2002 murder in North Carolina. Investigators say he's a person of interest in Jenna's murder, but they haven't been able to get him extradited to the U.S. In this powerful bonus episode, Jenna’s son who was 3 at the time of her murder speaks publicly for the first time about his memories of his mother, his loss, and his desire for justice for Jenna. Follow Crime Capsule: TO HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW:
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CRIME CAPSULE: Scarred for Life
12/31/2025
CRIME CAPSULE: Scarred for Life
He was a beloved surgeon in the Virginia Beach community for close to 40 years. Dr. Javaid Perwaiz came to the US from Pakistan and settled into the Hampton Roads Community. He made a name for himself as a sought after solo OBGYN, delivering thousands of babies and performing standard OBGYN care. But around 2019, his beloved practice would come tumbling down as FBI agents raided his office, seizing patient records, and even diagnostic equipment. This all started because a nurse tipped off the FBII when she noticed a high number of surgeries and insurance claims that weren't adding up. They discovered that Perwaiz performed unnecessary surgeries on women like hysterectomies, sterilizations, removing ovaries, and C-sections for patients who didn't need them. He betrayed their trust and their bodies. In this bonus content from the Crime Capsule Podcast veteran reporter Margaret Kavanagh shares her experience and insight covering this case. TO HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW:
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CRIME CAPSULE: Justice for Jenna
12/10/2025
CRIME CAPSULE: Justice for Jenna
Jenna Nielsen was the married mother of two and 8-months pregnant at the time she was killed behind a Raleigh, North Carolina convenience store in the early morning hours of a balmy summer day in 2007. She was just doing her job as a USA Today paper carrier, trying to make a little extra money to help support her growing family. Immediately, there was hope the case would be closed quickly. Witnesses in the area who saw a man running from the scene helped police make a detailed composite, and there was DNA evidence. Early on, there were promising leads, but the case went nowhere. A man sits in a Mexican jail charged in a homicide in his native country and he is suspected in a 2002 murder in North Carolina. Investigators say he's a person of interest in Jenna's murder, but they haven't been able to get him extradited to the U.S. In this powerful episode, Jenna’s family and the prosecutor assigned to the case talk about their ongoing quest to get justice for Jenna. Follow Crime Capsule: TO HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW:
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CRIME CAPSULE: Spells, drugs and murder
11/26/2025
CRIME CAPSULE: Spells, drugs and murder
Mary and John McCullough did everything in their power to help their adopted son, Christopher, as he struggled with mental illness and addiction. And when he lost physical custody of his son, their grandchild, they continued to support Christopher and their precious grandson. But on a hot August day in 2023, Christopher showed up to his parents' home with one thing in mind, MURDER. He attacked his parents, beating them severely. Mary died from the attack. John survived, but with emotional trauma that can never be erased. In this episode, the prosecutor who put Christopher behind bars for life, Melanie Shekita, walks host Chelsea Donovan through the dramatic trial that featured bizarre testimony from Christopher. TO HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW:
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CRIME CAPSULE: Pregnant mother attacked at home; the killer was closer than anyone imagined
11/12/2025
CRIME CAPSULE: Pregnant mother attacked at home; the killer was closer than anyone imagined
It looked like they had it all. A lovely little girl, good jobs, a beautiful home, and a baby on the way. But something was very wrong... In November 2006, Michelle Young, who was pregnant at the time, was found beaten to death in her suburban home. Her two-year-old daughter was left alone in the home with her mother's body. The victim's husband, Jason Young, said he was on a business trip several hours away at the time of the murder. But he refused to speak to investigators. After learning more about Jason's serial infidelity, they strongly believed he had something to do with his wife's murder. A complex investigation followed where prosecutors picked apart Jason's detailed alibi piece by piece. He testified on his own behalf, charming jurors, leading to a subsequent mistrial. But the prosecutor, Howard Cummings, refused to give up seeking justice for Michelle. In this episode, we take your behind the scenes of this heartbreaking case. TO HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW:
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CRIME CAPSULE: Supermarket stabbing; was justice truly served in the case of a store owner who killed a young man?
10/29/2025
CRIME CAPSULE: Supermarket stabbing; was justice truly served in the case of a store owner who killed a young man?
In this powerful interview for this week's episode of CRIME CAPSULE: Ripped from the pages of a reporter's notebook, a mother shares her family's devastating loss over the murder of her son. He had been on a long road to recovery from addiction when a store owner in downtown Raleigh accused Mark Garrity of shoplifting a bottle of Gatorade and then stabbed him to death in broad daylight in front of many onlookers. Taiseer Zarka was found guilty and sentenced to more than five years in prison which Mark's mother, Amy, believes is a small price to pay for taking her son's life. Chelsea Donovan covered this case from the beginning. In this interview, Amy shares her heartbreak and her frustration over a justice system she believes failed her son.
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