Crossing the Line with M. William Phelps

Crossing the Line is a true crime podcast revealing cases of the missing and murdered, told start-to-finish each week. Using the campfire storytelling style that made Paper Ghosts a #1 hit on the charts, host M. William Phelps connects deeply with families touched by violent crime - he understands them, because he is one of them. Having gone through the murder of his own pregnant sister-in-law, Phelps brings not only his personal experience, but also 20-plus years of investigative journalism into the worlds of these stories. Follow and subscribe to Crossing the Line for a weekly dose of murder, mayhem and madness. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Black Dahlia Murder SOLVED – Elizabeth Short 07/30/2025

The Black Dahlia Murder SOLVED – Elizabeth Short Not much needs to be said about this iconic true crime case to introduce it. Phelps gives the Black Dahlia murder of Elizabeth “Beth” Short the Crossing the Line treatment—with one shocking twist! A man who says he’s solved the case and has connected Short’s murder to a second homicide some 1600 miles away, in Kansas City. Check out Eli Frankel's book, , for more information about Black Dahlia's killer, a book Jeff Guinn, New York Times bestselling author of Manson and The Road to Jonestown, someone I greatly respect, calls, "Exhaustively researched, deftly written . . . makes a convincing argument.” Sign up for your free Patreon account , where I’ll be streaming “live,” sending out newsletters, dropping an exclusive limited series podcast later in 2025, and posting other content you won’t get anywhere else. Visit to contact investigative journalist and host M. William Phelps, get more information about the show, updates to cases, and more. And don't forget to subscribe to Phelps's #1 hit podcast , now in its fourth season, wherever you get your favorite shows. is the New York Times best-selling author of 46 nonfiction and winner of the Excellence in (Investigative) Journalism Award from the Society of Professional Journalists. Phelps has written for numerous publications1, including the Providence Journal, and . Diversifying his talents, Phelps consulted on the first season of the hit Showtime cable television series Dexter and has executive produced and starred in over 350 hours of true crime television. All of which gives him a confluence of expertise and experience to bring to true crime fanatics. Phelps grew up in East Hartford, Connecticut, and now splits his time between Tolland County and N. Stonington, CT. In July 2017, he published his definitive, 10-year project about Happy Face Killer, Keith Hunter Jesperson, . **For mental health assistance or to get help, please visit the National Alliance on Mental Health website or call 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), text "HelpLine" to 62640, or email [email protected]** /episode/index/show/700310c0-7a77-428d-b93a-5cbcdb917f1d/id/37388785

'Love Her to Death:' Tara Breckenridge & the 1990’s Serial Killer Frenzy in Houston 07/23/2025

'Love Her to Death:' Tara Breckenridge & the 1990’s Serial Killer Frenzy in Houston Tara Breckenridge is working as a waitress at a popular men’s club in downtown Houston when she goes missing one night after work. With a host of serial killers active in the region, and a litany of missing and murdered females, is Tara’s case part of the bigger picture, or, a one-off committed by someone she knows? If you have any information about any of the cases in this episode, please call the Houston Police Department at 713.247.8111 Sign up for your free Patreon account , where I’ll be streaming “live,” sending out newsletters, dropping an exclusive limited series podcast later in 2025, and posting other content you won’t get anywhere else. Visit to contact investigative journalist and host M. William Phelps, get more information about the show, updates to cases, and more. And don't forget to subscribe to Phelps's #1 hit podcast , now in its fourth season, wherever you get your favorite shows. is the New York Times best-selling author of 46 nonfiction and winner of the Excellence in (Investigative) Journalism Award from the Society of Professional Journalists. Phelps has written for numerous publications1, including the Providence Journal, and . Diversifying his talents, Phelps consulted on the first season of the hit Showtime cable television series Dexter and has executive produced and starred in over 350 hours of true crime television. All of which gives him a confluence of expertise and experience to bring to true crime fanatics. Phelps grew up in East Hartford, Connecticut, and now splits his time between Tolland County and N. Stonington, CT. In July 2017, he published his definitive, 10-year project about Happy Face Killer, Keith Hunter Jesperson, . **For mental health assistance or to get help, please visit the National Alliance on Mental Health website or call 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), text "HelpLine" to 62640, or email [email protected]** /episode/index/show/700310c0-7a77-428d-b93a-5cbcdb917f1d/id/37261430

SHORT CUTS: In Cold Blood: Reggie Folks and Koby Minor 07/21/2025

SHORT CUTS: In Cold Blood: Reggie Folks and Koby Minor A man is shot dead inside his vehicle in the middle of the street. He is an up-and-coming professional wrestler with big dreams and big love for friends and family. The case is perplexing to law enforcement, who catch their man almost immediately, and yet his justification for the murder is most baffling. Welcome to a bonus feature here on the Crossing the Line feed. I come across all sorts of stories while researching books, TV series, and my iHeartMedia podcast, Paper Ghosts, in addition to the ideas you send me. A lot of them grab hold of me emotionally—especially the victims' stories and the ordeal their families go through. A good number of the cases, for myriad reasons, don’t fit into the model for a more complete CTL episode. So I wanted to create a sub platform to showcase some of those stories, as well. That said, thank you for supporting Crossing the Line, which has allowed me to produce this new expansion of the brand … Once or twice per month, maybe more, I’ll present a 15 to 20 minute episode, covering murder and missing person cases, and other interesting crimes I think you’ll want to hear about—but maybe more importantly, cases that give us a deeper understanding of the crimes and scumbags who commit them. Sign up for your free Patreon account , where I’ll be streaming “live,” dropping an exclusive limited series podcast later in 2025, and posting other content you cannot find anywhere else. Visit to contact investigative journalist and host M. William Phelps, get more information about the show, updates to cases, and more. And don't forget to subscribe to Phelps's #1 hit podcast , now in its fourth season, wherever you get your favorite shows. is the New York Times best-selling author of 46 nonfiction and winner of the Excellence in (Investigative) Journalism Award from the Society of Professional Journalists. Phelps has written for numerous publications1, including the Providence Journal, and . Diversifying his talents, Phelps consulted on the first season of the hit Showtime cable television series Dexter and has executive produced and starred in over 350 hours of true crime television. All of which gives him a confluence of expertise and experience to bring to true crime fanatics. Phelps grew up in East Hartford, Connecticut, and now splits his time between Tolland County and N. Stonington, CT. In July 2017, he published his definitive, 10-year project about Happy Face Killer, Keith Hunter Jesperson, . **For mental health assistance or to get help, please visit the National Alliance on Mental Health website or call 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), text "HelpLine" to 62640, or email [email protected]** /episode/index/show/700310c0-7a77-428d-b93a-5cbcdb917f1d/id/37420155

Fatal Encounter: Dr. Margo Prade 07/16/2025

Murder in Amish Country: Rebekah Byler and Shawn Cranston 07/09/2025

The Doctor, the Lawyer, the Drug Dealer, the Murder: Susan Winters and Greg Dennis 07/02/2025

The Doctor, the Lawyer, the Drug Dealer, the Murder: Susan Winters and Greg Dennis Everything in your life seems to be on a perfect pace. Successful career. Long term marriage. Two beautiful daughters. So why would Susan Winters, without any warning or indication, kill herself with a poison not generally associated with suicide? Law enforcement wondered the same thing—and reopened a closed death investigation, revealing the dark secrets behind a seemingly idyllic life. Sign up for your free Patreon account , where I’ll be streaming “live,” sending out newsletters, dropping an exclusive limited series podcast later in 2025, and posting other content you won’t get anywhere else. Visit to contact investigative journalist and host M. William Phelps, get more information about the show, updates to cases, and more. And don't forget to subscribe to Phelps's #1 hit podcast , now in its fourth season, wherever you get your favorite shows. is the New York Times best-selling author of 46 nonfiction and winner of the Excellence in (Investigative) Journalism Award from the Society of Professional Journalists. Phelps has written for numerous publications1, including the Providence Journal, and . Diversifying his talents, Phelps consulted on the first season of the hit Showtime cable television series Dexter and has executive produced and starred in over 350 hours of true crime television. All of which gives him a confluence of expertise and experience to bring to true crime fanatics. Phelps grew up in East Hartford, Connecticut, and now splits his time between Tolland County and N. Stonington, CT. In July 2017, he published his definitive, 10-year project about Happy Face Killer, Keith Hunter Jesperson, . **For mental health assistance or to get help, please visit the National Alliance on Mental Health website or call 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), text "HelpLine" to 62640, or email [email protected]** /episode/index/show/700310c0-7a77-428d-b93a-5cbcdb917f1d/id/37080850

The TRUE Crime is How Stupid This Murderer Is: Kathy Fortner 06/25/2025

A Sister Searches For Her Missing Sibling: The 'True Crime' of Susan Marable's Disappearance 06/18/2025

A Sister Searches For Her Missing Sibling: The 'True Crime' of Susan Marable's Disappearance Susan Marable fell into hard times during the late 1980's. After a series of life-changing, tragic events, she moves from Aberdeen to Yakima, Washington, where her life spirals—and soon, Susan's family stops hearing from her. Robyn Peery, Susan’s sister, has spent her entire adult life searching for answers in her sister's disappearance--with no help from Yakima law enforcement. Sign up for your free Patreon account , where I’ll be streaming “live,” posting exclusive content you won't get anywhere else, and dropping an exclusive limited series podcast later in 2025. Visit to contact investigative journalist and host M. William Phelps, get more information about the show, updates to cases, and more. And don't forget to subscribe to Phelps's #1 hit podcast , now in its fourth season, wherever you get your favorite shows. is the New York Times best-selling author of 46 nonfiction and winner of the Excellence in (Investigative) Journalism Award from the Society of Professional Journalists. Phelps has written for numerous publications1, including the Providence Journal, and . Diversifying his talents, Phelps consulted on the first season of the hit Showtime cable television series Dexter and has executive produced and starred in over 350 hours of true crime television. All of which gives him a confluence of expertise and experience to bring to true crime fanatics. Phelps grew up in East Hartford, Connecticut, and now splits his time between Tolland County and N. Stonington, CT. In July 2017, he published his definitive, 10-year project about Happy Face Killer, Keith Hunter Jesperson, . **For mental health assistance or to get help, please visit the National Alliance on Mental Health website or call 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), text "HelpLine" to 62640, or email [email protected]** /episode/index/show/700310c0-7a77-428d-b93a-5cbcdb917f1d/id/36767810

SHORT CUTS: Devil of the Ozarks: Ashley Bush, ‘Lucy Barrows,’ Jamie and Amber Waterman 06/16/2025

SHORT CUTS: Devil of the Ozarks: Ashley Bush, ‘Lucy Barrows,’ Jamie and Amber Waterman A young expecting mother, Ashley Bush, meets a new friend, Lucy Barrows, on Facebook. Lucy promises Ashley a job interview. After dropping her off, Ashley's fiancé, Joshua Willis, claims he never hears from her again. Welcome to a bonus feature here on the Crossing the Line feed. I come across all sorts of stories while researching books, TV series, and my iHeartMedia podcast, Paper Ghosts, in addition to the ideas you send me. A lot of them grab hold of me emotionally—especially the victims' stories and the ordeal their families go through. A good number of the cases, for myriad reasons, don’t fit into the model for a more complete CTL episode. So I wanted to create a sub platform to showcase some of those stories, as well. Thank you for supporting Crossing the Line, which has allowed me to produce this new expansion of the brand … Once or twice per month, maybe more, I’ll present a 15 to 20 minute episode, covering murder and missing person cases, and other interesting crimes I think you’ll want to hear about—but maybe more importantly, cases that give us a deeper understanding of the crimes and scumbags who commit them. Sign up for your free Patreon account , where I’ll be streaming “live,” dropping an exclusive limited series podcast later in 2025, and posting other content you cannot find anywhere else. Visit to contact investigative journalist and host M. William Phelps, get more information about the show, updates to cases, and more. And don't forget to subscribe to Phelps's #1 hit podcast , now in its fourth season, wherever you get your favorite shows. is the New York Times best-selling author of 46 nonfiction and winner of the Excellence in (Investigative) Journalism Award from the Society of Professional Journalists. Phelps has written for numerous publications1, including the Providence Journal, and . Diversifying his talents, Phelps consulted on the first season of the hit Showtime cable television series Dexter and has executive produced and starred in over 350 hours of true crime television. All of which gives him a confluence of expertise and experience to bring to true crime fanatics. Phelps grew up in East Hartford, Connecticut, and now splits his time between Tolland County and N. Stonington, CT. In July 2017, he published his definitive, 10-year project about Happy Face Killer, Keith Hunter Jesperson, . **For mental health assistance or to get help, please visit the National Alliance on Mental Health website or call 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), text "HelpLine" to 62640, or email [email protected]** /episode/index/show/700310c0-7a77-428d-b93a-5cbcdb917f1d/id/36969400

The Craziest True Crime Missing Persons Mystery You've Ever Heard: Cheryl “Sherri” Miller and Pamella Jackson 06/11/2025

The Craziest True Crime Missing Persons Mystery You've Ever Heard: Cheryl “Sherri” Miller and Pamella Jackson Sherri Miller and Pam Jackson, both 17 years old, are on their way to a keg party in the woods one night, driving down a lonely South Dakota road, following behind a car full of boys. Suddenly, the boys claim, they look behind and realize the girls and their vehicle have vanished. What happens over the next 40 years before the case is solved is stuff you hear about only in the movies. Sign up for your free Patreon account , where I’ll be streaming “live,” sending out newsletters, dropping an exclusive limited series podcast later in 2025, and posting other content you won’t get anywhere else. Visit to contact investigative journalist and host M. William Phelps, get more information about the show, updates to cases, and more. And don't forget to subscribe to Phelps's #1 hit podcast , now in its fourth season, wherever you get your favorite shows. is the New York Times best-selling author of 46 nonfiction and winner of the Excellence in (Investigative) Journalism Award from the Society of Professional Journalists. Phelps has written for numerous publications1, including the Providence Journal, and . Diversifying his talents, Phelps consulted on the first season of the hit Showtime cable television series Dexter and has executive produced and starred in over 350 hours of true crime television. All of which gives him a confluence of expertise and experience to bring to true crime fanatics. Phelps grew up in East Hartford, Connecticut, and now splits his time between Tolland County and N. Stonington, CT. In July 2017, he published his definitive, 10-year project about Happy Face Killer, Keith Hunter Jesperson, . **For mental health assistance or to get help, please visit the National Alliance on Mental Health website or call 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), text "HelpLine" to 62640, or email [email protected]** /episode/index/show/700310c0-7a77-428d-b93a-5cbcdb917f1d/id/36767690

Murder Most Cold: Greg Smith, Charles & Laura Clagett 06/04/2025

The Murder of Suzanne Wormser and the Social Media-Inspired New England Serial Killer Hoax 05/28/2025

The Murder of Suzanne Wormser and the Social Media-Inspired New England Serial Killer Hoax A social media group spreads fear about a possible serial killer lurking around New England after several sets of remains are discovered over a short period of time. Police tell everyone to chill—there is no evidence connecting any of the cases. Then the dismembered body of a local Groton, CT., woman is found near a cemetery, and fear-mongering turns into full-on mania. What is the truth? And why is M. William Phelps so aggravated about it all? Sign up for your free Patreon account , where I’ll be streaming “live,” sending out newsletters, dropping an exclusive limited series podcast later in 2025, and posting other content you won’t get anywhere else. Visit to contact investigative journalist and host M. William Phelps, get more information about the show, updates to cases, and more. And don't forget to subscribe to Phelps's #1 hit podcast PAPER GHOSTS, now in its fourth season, wherever you get your favorite shows. is the New York Times best-selling author of 46 nonfiction and winner of the Excellence in (Investigative) Journalism Award from the Society of Professional Journalists. Phelps has written for numerous publications1, including the Providence Journal, and . Diversifying his talents, Phelps consulted on the first season of the hit Showtime cable television series Dexter and has executive produced and starred in over 350 hours of true crime television. All of which gives him a confluence of expertise and experience to bring to true crime fanatics. Phelps grew up in East Hartford, Connecticut, and now splits his time between Tolland County and N. Stonington, CT. In July 2017, he published his definitive, 10-year project about Happy Face Killer, Keith Hunter Jesperson, . **For mental health assistance or to get help, please visit the National Alliance on Mental Health website or call 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), text "HelpLine" to 62640, or email [email protected]** /episode/index/show/700310c0-7a77-428d-b93a-5cbcdb917f1d/id/36521350

‘Love,’ Revenge, Murder: Gavin MacFarlane, Russell Jones, & ‘Ellie’ and Aaron Friar 05/21/2025

‘Love,’ Revenge, Murder: Gavin MacFarlane, Russell Jones, & ‘Ellie’ and Aaron Friar Gavin MacFarlane, a 19-year-old man, plans to run off with Ellen 'Ellie' Friar, a 15-year-old minor. Ellie’s father has an issue with an adult man dating his minor child. When Ellie and her father turn up missing one morning, Medford, Oregon, police send 70 officers out onto the streets to search … and yet the answer is hiding right there ... in plain sight. Sign up for your free Patreon account , where I’ll be streaming “live,” sending out newsletters, dropping an exclusive limited series podcast later in 2025, and posting other content you won’t get anywhere else. Visit to contact investigative journalist and host M. William Phelps, get more information about the show, updates to cases, and more. And don't forget to subscribe to Phelps's #1 hit podcast PAPER GHOSTS, now in its fourth season, wherever you get your favorite shows. is the New York Times best-selling author of 46 nonfiction and winner of the Excellence in (Investigative) Journalism Award from the Society of Professional Journalists. Phelps has written for numerous publications1, including the Providence Journal, and . Diversifying his talents, Phelps consulted on the first season of the hit Showtime cable television series Dexter and has executive produced and starred in over 350 hours of true crime television. All of which gives him a confluence of expertise and experience to bring to true crime fanatics. Phelps grew up in East Hartford, Connecticut, and now splits his time between Tolland County and N. Stonington, CT. In July 2017, he published his definitive, 10-year project about Happy Face Killer, Keith Hunter Jesperson, . **For mental health assistance or to get help, please visit the National Alliance on Mental Health website or call 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), text "HelpLine" to 62640, or email [email protected]** /episode/index/show/700310c0-7a77-428d-b93a-5cbcdb917f1d/id/36408990

SHORT CUTS: Julie Sulpizio and Her Doomsday Cult: God, Guns, & A Hero's Murder 05/20/2025

SHORT CUTS: Julie Sulpizio and Her Doomsday Cult: God, Guns, & A Hero's Murder Julie Sulpizio, her husband and two children are certain God has given them a sign that the end of the world is near … and so they hatch a racist, murderous plan to take out as many ‘lost souls’ as they can before the Rapture begins. Welcome to a bonus feature here on the Crossing the Line feed. I come across all sorts of stories while researching books, TV series, and my iHeartMedia podcast, Paper Ghosts, in addition to the ideas you send me. A lot of them grab hold of me emotionally—especially the victims' stories and the ordeal their families go through. A good number of the cases, for myriad reasons, don’t fit into the model for a more complete CTL episode. So I wanted to create a sub platform to showcase some of those stories, as well. That said, thank you for supporting Crossing the Line, which has allowed me to produce this new expansion of the brand … Once or twice per month, maybe more, I’ll present a 15 to 20 minute episode, covering murder and missing person cases, and other interesting crimes I think you’ll want to hear about—but maybe more importantly, cases that give us a deeper understanding of the crimes and scumbags who commit them. Sign up for your free Patreon account , where I’ll be streaming “live,” dropping an exclusive limited series podcast later in 2025, and posting other content you cannot find anywhere else. Visit to contact investigative journalist and host M. William Phelps, get more information about the show, updates to cases, and more. And don't forget to subscribe to Phelps's #1 hit podcast , now in its fourth season, wherever you get your favorite shows. is the New York Times best-selling author of 46 nonfiction and winner of the Excellence in (Investigative) Journalism Award from the Society of Professional Journalists. Phelps has written for numerous publications1, including the Providence Journal, and . Diversifying his talents, Phelps consulted on the first season of the hit Showtime cable television series Dexter and has executive produced and starred in over 350 hours of true crime television. All of which gives him a confluence of expertise and experience to bring to true crime fanatics. Phelps grew up in East Hartford, Connecticut, and now splits his time between Tolland County and N. Stonington, CT. In July 2017, he published his definitive, 10-year project about Happy Face Killer, Keith Hunter Jesperson, . **For mental health assistance or to get help, please visit the National Alliance on Mental Health website or call 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), text "HelpLine" to 62640, or email [email protected]** /episode/index/show/700310c0-7a77-428d-b93a-5cbcdb917f1d/id/36562220

Julie Doe and Pamela Leigh Walton: Missing and Murdered 05/14/2025

HORROR HOUSE: Kimberly Sullivan & the Boy Who Spent 20 Years Locked in a Closet 05/07/2025

HORROR HOUSE: Kimberly Sullivan & the Boy Who Spent 20 Years Locked in a Closet A fire inside a Waterbury, Connecticut, home leads to one of the most shocking, alleged domestic abuse and confinement cases of the past 20 years. The victim’s own firsthand account is so horrible and unbelievable, defying the limits of humanity, questions arise over the possible complicity of the Connecticut Department of Children and Families (DCF). Sign up for your free Patreon account , where I’ll be streaming “live,” sending out newsletters, dropping an exclusive limited series podcast later in 2025, and posting other content you won’t get anywhere else. Visit to contact investigative journalist and host M. William Phelps, get more information about the show, updates to cases, and more. And don't forget to subscribe to Phelps's #1 hit podcast PAPER GHOSTS, now in its fourth season, wherever you get your favorite shows. is the New York Times best-selling author of 46 nonfiction and winner of the Excellence in (Investigative) Journalism Award from the Society of Professional Journalists. Phelps has written for numerous publications1, including the Providence Journal, and . Diversifying his talents, Phelps consulted on the first season of the hit Showtime cable television series Dexter and has executive produced and starred in over 350 hours of true crime television. All of which gives him a confluence of expertise and experience to bring to true crime fanatics. Phelps grew up in East Hartford, Connecticut, and now splits his time between Tolland County and N. Stonington, CT. In July 2017, he published his definitive, 10-year project about Happy Face Killer, Keith Hunter Jesperson, . **For mental health assistance or to get help, please visit the National Alliance on Mental Health website or call 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), text "HelpLine" to 62640, or email [email protected]** /episode/index/show/700310c0-7a77-428d-b93a-5cbcdb917f1d/id/36108815

SAY HER NAME: Emily Pike 04/30/2025

SAY HER NAME: Emily Pike *Emily Pike is 14 years old, and living in a Mesa, Arizona group home. In early 2025, it is believed Emily kicked out the screen inside her bedroom and took off. But did she have help? Was she going to meet someone? Was she heading back to the San Carlos Reservation where her family lives? Weeks go by … before police make a startling, gruesome discovery. If you have any information about Emily Pike’s case, or know the whereabouts of Veronica Cruz, please call the Gila County Sheriff's Office non-emergency phone number at 928-402-8888. *Thanks to Madonna and “H” for writing this one in and asking me to cover. Sign up for your free Patreon account , where I’ll be streaming “live,” sending out newsletters, dropping an exclusive limited series podcast later in 2025, and posting other content you won’t get anywhere else. Visit to contact investigative journalist and host M. William Phelps, get more information about the show, updates to cases, and more. And don't forget to subscribe to Phelps's #1 hit podcast PAPER GHOSTS, now in its fourth season, wherever you get your favorite shows. is the New York Times best-selling author of 46 nonfiction and winner of the Excellence in (Investigative) Journalism Award from the Society of Professional Journalists. Phelps has written for numerous publications1, including the Providence Journal, and . Diversifying his talents, Phelps consulted on the first season of the hit Showtime cable television series Dexter and has executive produced and starred in over 350 hours of true crime television. All of which gives him a confluence of expertise and experience to bring to true crime fanatics. Phelps grew up in East Hartford, Connecticut, and now splits his time between Tolland County and N. Stonington, CT. In July 2017, he published his definitive, 10-year project about Happy Face Killer, Keith Hunter Jesperson, . **For mental health assistance or to get help, please visit the National Alliance on Mental Health website or call 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), text "HelpLine" to 62640, or email [email protected]** /episode/index/show/700310c0-7a77-428d-b93a-5cbcdb917f1d/id/36065420

Ted Bundy & the Cigarette Butt: The Rita Curran Cold Case 04/23/2025

SHORT CUTS: Held Captive: Tanya Kach/Nikki Allen, and Thomas Hose 04/21/2025

SHORT CUTS: Held Captive: Tanya Kach/Nikki Allen, and Thomas Hose A child runs away from home and into the arms of a sociopath--a real scumbag. Her ordeal is shaped by a culture of judging and blaming victims. A case that defines a journey of loss, abuse, and hope, but also how victim-shaming in true crime has not changed in 20 years. Sign up for your free Patreon account , where I’ll be streaming “live,” sending out newsletters, dropping an exclusive limited series podcast later in 2025, and posting other content you won’t get anywhere else. Welcome to a bonus feature here on the Crossing the Line feed. I come across all sorts of stories while researching books, TV series, and my iHeartMedia podcast, Paper Ghosts, in addition to the ideas you send to me. A lot of them grab hold of me emotionally—especially the victims stories and the ordeal their families go through. My empathetic nature is to want to cover them all. Yet a good number of the cases, for myriad reasons, don’t fit into the model for a more complete CTL episode. So I wanted to create a sub platform to showcase some those stories, as well. That said, thank you for supporting Crossing the Line, which has allowed me to produce this expansion of the brand … Once or twice per month, maybe more, I’ll present a 15-to-20-minute episode, covering murder and missing person cases, and other interesting crimes I think you’ll want to hear about—but maybe more importantly, cases that give us a deeper understanding of the crimes and the people who commit them. Visit to contact investigative journalist and host M. William Phelps, get more information about the show, updates to cases, and more. And don't forget to subscribe to Phelps's #1 hit podcast PAPER GHOSTS, now in its fourth season, wherever you get your favorite shows. is the New York Times best-selling author of 46 nonfiction and winner of the Excellence in (Investigative) Journalism Award from the Society of Professional Journalists. Phelps has written for numerous publications1, including the Providence Journal, and . Diversifying his talents, Phelps consulted on the first season of the hit Showtime cable television series Dexter and has executive produced and starred in over 350 hours of true crime television. All of which gives him a confluence of expertise and experience to bring to true crime fanatics. Phelps grew up in East Hartford, Connecticut, and now splits his time between Tolland County and N. Stonington, CT. In July 2017, he published his definitive, 10-year project about Happy Face Killer, Keith Hunter Jesperson, . **For mental health assistance or to get help, please visit the National Alliance on Mental Health website or call 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), text "HelpLine" to 62640, or email [email protected]** /episode/index/show/700310c0-7a77-428d-b93a-5cbcdb917f1d/id/36159540

The Education of a Serial Killer: Charles Davis and Roseann Sturtz 04/16/2025

The Education of a Serial Killer: Charles Davis and Roseann Sturtz A Baltimore woman fails to show up for work. Her family is concerned and reports her missing. Meanwhile, a slew of other women in the same county are found dead, one after the other. A police officer’s son living in Reno, Nevada, is brought in and asked questions about a stolen credit card. Fifty years later, the answers everyone has been waiting for finally come. Sign up for your free Patreon account , where I’ll be streaming “live,” sending out newsletters, dropping an exclusive limited series podcast later in 2025, and posting other content you won’t get anywhere else. Visit to contact investigative journalist and host M. William Phelps, get more information about the show, updates to cases, and more. And don't forget to subscribe to Phelps's #1 hit podcast PAPER GHOSTS, now in its fourth season, wherever you get your favorite shows. is the New York Times best-selling author of 46 nonfiction and winner of the Excellence in (Investigative) Journalism Award from the Society of Professional Journalists. Phelps has written for numerous publications1, including the Providence Journal, and . Diversifying his talents, Phelps consulted on the first season of the hit Showtime cable television series Dexter and has executive produced and starred in over 350 hours of true crime television. All of which gives him a confluence of expertise and experience to bring to true crime fanatics. Phelps grew up in East Hartford, Connecticut, and now splits his time between Tolland County and N. Stonington, CT. In July 2017, he published his definitive, 10-year project about Happy Face Killer, Keith Hunter Jesperson, . **For mental health assistance or to get help, please visit the National Alliance on Mental Health website or call 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), text "HelpLine" to 62640, or email [email protected]** /episode/index/show/700310c0-7a77-428d-b93a-5cbcdb917f1d/id/35856740

A Brutal True Crime: Sandra Pagniano is Missing 04/09/2025

Serial Killer Richard Cottingham & Dr. Peter Vronsky – Part 2 04/02/2025

Serial Killer Richard Cottingham & Dr. Peter Vronsky – Part 1 03/26/2025

Serial Killer Richard Cottingham & Dr. Peter Vronsky – Part 1 An elevator opens and out walks one of the most notorious serial killers of our time, Richard “Torso Killer” Cottingham. You cross paths with him and get up to your floor, only to realize there’s a fire. In the first of a two-part special, I speak to Dr. Peter Vronsky, who tries to convince me that Cottingham murdered a young girl, Lisa Thomas, I profiled on a previous episode of the show, and claimed there’s not a chance Cottingham killed her. Sign up for your free Patreon account , where I’ll be streaming “live,” sending out newsletters, dropping an exclusive limited series podcast later in 2025, and posting other content you won’t get anywhere else. Visit to contact investigative journalist and host M. William Phelps, get more information about the show, updates to cases, and more. And don't forget to subscribe to Phelps's #1 hit podcast PAPER GHOSTS, now in its fourth season, wherever you get your favorite shows. is the New York Times best-selling author of 46 nonfiction and winner of the Excellence in (Investigative) Journalism Award from the Society of Professional Journalists. Phelps has written for numerous publications1, including the Providence Journal, and . Diversifying his talents, Phelps consulted on the first season of the hit Showtime cable television series Dexter and has executive produced and starred in over 350 hours of true crime television. All of which gives him a confluence of expertise and experience to bring to true crime fanatics. Phelps grew up in East Hartford, Connecticut, and now splits his time between Tolland County and N. Stonington, CT. In July 2017, he published his definitive, 10-year project about Happy Face Killer, Keith Hunter Jesperson, . **For mental health assistance or to get help, please visit the National Alliance on Mental Health website or call 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), text "HelpLine" to 62640, or email [email protected]** /episode/index/show/700310c0-7a77-428d-b93a-5cbcdb917f1d/id/35435745

Guns Don’t Kill People, Scumbags Do: The Rock Road Massacre 03/19/2025

Guns Don’t Kill People, Scumbags Do: The Rock Road Massacre Robert Haggart meets Garnetta Post in 1981—and her life is never the same again. Soon after marrying Haggart, Garnetta realizes the guy is lazy, vulgar, and abusive. And within six months of the marriage, the true nature of just how violent this guy is presents itself—and the outcome is one of Michigan’s most violent and deadly crimes ever. Sign up for your free Patreon account , where I’ll be streaming “live,” sending out newsletters, dropping an exclusive limited series podcast later in 2025, and posting other content you won’t get anywhere else. Visit to contact investigative journalist and host M. William Phelps, get more information about the show, updates to cases, and more. Email: [email protected] And don't forget to subscribe to Phelps's #1 hit podcast PAPER GHOSTS, now in its fourth season, wherever you get your favorite shows. is the New York Times best-selling author of 46 nonfiction and winner of the Excellence in (Investigative) Journalism Award from the Society of Professional Journalists. Phelps has written for numerous publications1, including the Providence Journal, and . Diversifying his talents, Phelps consulted on the first season of the hit Showtime cable television series Dexter and has executive produced and starred in over 350 hours of true crime television. All of which gives him a confluence of expertise and experience to bring to true crime fanatics. Phelps grew up in East Hartford, Connecticut, and now splits his time between Tolland County and N. Stonington, CT. In July 2017, he published his definitive, 10-year project about Happy Face Killer, Keith Hunter Jesperson, . **For mental health assistance or to get help, please visit the National Alliance on Mental Health website or call 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), text "HelpLine" to 62640, or email [email protected]** /episode/index/show/700310c0-7a77-428d-b93a-5cbcdb917f1d/id/35367725

SHORT CUTS: Missing: Emma Baum, Ja'Niyah McMichael, & My Rant About True Crime Social Media 03/14/2025

SHORT CUTS: Missing: Emma Baum, Ja'Niyah McMichael, & My Rant About True Crime Social Media Two cases out of Gary, Indiana—young women missing from the same general neighborhood a few months apart, one of whom we know for certain was 9 months pregnant. With help, these cases can be solved. Anyone with information on Ja’Niyah’s or Emma's disappearances, please contact the Gary Police Department at (219) 881-1209. Welcome to a bonus feature here on the Crossing the Line feed. I come across all sorts of stories while researching books, TV series, and my iHeartMedia podcast, Paper Ghosts, in addition to the ideas you send me. A lot of them grab hold of me emotionally—especially the victims' stories and the ordeal their families go through. A good number of the cases, for myriad reasons, don’t fit into the model for a more complete CTL episode. So I wanted to create a sub platform to showcase some of those stories, as well. That said, thank you for supporting Crossing the Line, which has allowed me to produce this new expansion of the brand … Once or twice per month, maybe more, I’ll present a 15 to 20 minute episode, covering murder and missing person cases, and other interesting crimes I think you’ll want to hear about—but maybe more importantly, cases that give us a deeper understanding of the crimes and scumbags who commit them. Sign up for your free Patreon account , where I’ll be streaming “live,” sending out newsletters, dropping an exclusive limited series podcast later in 2025, and posting other content you won’t get anywhere else. Visit to contact investigative journalist and host M. William Phelps, get more information about the show, updates to cases, and more. And don't forget to subscribe to Phelps's #1 hit podcast PAPER GHOSTS, now in its fourth season, wherever you get your favorite shows. is the New York Times best-selling author of 46 nonfiction and winner of the Excellence in (Investigative) Journalism Award from the Society of Professional Journalists. Phelps has written for numerous publications1, including the Providence Journal, and . Diversifying his talents, Phelps consulted on the first season of the hit Showtime cable television series Dexter and has executive produced and starred in over 350 hours of true crime television. All of which gives him a confluence of expertise and experience to bring to true crime fanatics. Phelps grew up in East Hartford, Connecticut, and now splits his time between Tolland County and N. Stonington, CT. In July 2017, he published his definitive, 10-year project about Happy Face Killer, Keith Hunter Jesperson, . **For mental health assistance or to get help, please visit the National Alliance on Mental Health website or call 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), text "HelpLine" to 62640, or email [email protected]** /episode/index/show/700310c0-7a77-428d-b93a-5cbcdb917f1d/id/35632440

Murder in Honolulu: Dawn Momohara 03/12/2025

Threesome Turns Deadly: Fred Tones, Carolyn Lima, & Leslie Ashley 03/05/2025

Threesome Turns Deadly: Fred Tones, Carolyn Lima, & Leslie Ashley A local real estate broker is found dead in 1961 Houston. Two local “women” seem to be the last to have seen him. As a nationwide manhunt begins, law enforcement is not so sure they are searching for two females, but perhaps a woman and a man dressed as a woman. In what is one of the more remarkable true crime cases of the century, you won’t believe how two people go from death row to freedom … all set against the shocking cultural norms we once lived under. Sign up for your free Patreon account , where I’ll be streaming “live,” sending out newsletters, dropping an exclusive limited series podcast later in 2025, and posting other content you won’t get anywhere else. Visit to contact investigative journalist and host M. William Phelps, get more information about the show, updates to cases, and more. And don't forget to subscribe to Phelps's #1 hit podcast PAPER GHOSTS, now in its fourth season, wherever you get your favorite shows. is the New York Times best-selling author of 46 nonfiction and winner of the Excellence in (Investigative) Journalism Award from the Society of Professional Journalists. Phelps has written for numerous publications1, including the Providence Journal, and . Diversifying his talents, Phelps consulted on the first season of the hit Showtime cable television series Dexter and has executive produced and starred in over 350 hours of true crime television. All of which gives him a confluence of expertise and experience to bring to true crime fanatics. Phelps grew up in East Hartford, Connecticut, and now splits his time between Tolland County and N. Stonington, CT. In July 2017, he published his definitive, 10-year project about Happy Face Killer, Keith Hunter Jesperson, . **For mental health assistance or to get help, please visit the National Alliance on Mental Health website or call 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), text "HelpLine" to 62640, or email [email protected]** /episode/index/show/700310c0-7a77-428d-b93a-5cbcdb917f1d/id/35064690

Murder in the Family: Ashley Pond and Miranda Gaddis 02/26/2025

The Camper Murder: Emily and Joe Ferlazzo 02/19/2025

The Camper Murder: Emily and Joe Ferlazzo Emily and Joe Ferlazzo take off on a trip into the Green Mountains of Vermont to celebrate their one-year wedding anniversary. But only one of them, Joe, returns home … with Emily now missing, and the Vermont State Police searching for answers. With eerie similarities to the Gaby Petito case, law enforcement takes note and tailors its investigation in a direction nobody wants to believe could be true. Sign up for your free Patreon account , where I’ll be streaming “live,” sending out newsletters, dropping an exclusive limited series podcast later in 2025, and posting other content you won’t get anywhere else. Visit to contact investigative journalist and host M. William Phelps, get more information about the show, updates to cases, and more. And don't forget to subscribe to Phelps's #1 hit podcast PAPER GHOSTS, now in its fourth season, wherever you get your favorite shows. is the New York Times best-selling author of 46 nonfiction and winner of the Excellence in (Investigative) Journalism Award from the Society of Professional Journalists. Phelps has written for numerous publications1, including the Providence Journal, and . Diversifying his talents, Phelps consulted on the first season of the hit Showtime cable television series Dexter and has executive produced and starred in over 350 hours of true crime television. All of which gives him a confluence of expertise and experience to bring to true crime fanatics. Phelps grew up in East Hartford, Connecticut, and now splits his time between Tolland County and N. Stonington, CT. In July 2017, he published his definitive, 10-year project about Happy Face Killer, Keith Hunter Jesperson, . **For mental health assistance or to get help, please visit the National Alliance on Mental Health website or call 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), text "HelpLine" to 62640, or email [email protected]** /episode/index/show/700310c0-7a77-428d-b93a-5cbcdb917f1d/id/34993570

SHORT CUTS: Beth Ann Bosworth 02/14/2025

SHORT CUTS: Beth Ann Bosworth It’s the middle of the night. Crystal Lake, Illinois. A house is on fire. A neighbor breaks in and saves a baby from the flames … but as firefighters head in to put out the inferno, they discover the body of a popular teenager inside the bathroom–and a murder inquiry begins. Welcome to a bonus feature here on the Crossing the Line feed. I come across all sorts of stories while researching books, TV series, and my iHeartMedia podcast, Paper Ghosts, in addition to the ideas you send me. A lot of them grab hold of me emotionally—especially the victims stories and the ordeal their families go through. My empathetic nature is to want to cover them all. Yet a good number of the cases, for myriad reasons, don’t fit into the model for a more complete CTL episode. So I wanted to create a sub platform to showcase some those stories, as well. That said, thank you for supporting Crossing the Line, which has allowed me to produce this new expansion of the brand … Once or twice per month, maybe more, I’ll present a 15 to 20 minute episode, covering murder and missing person cases, and other interesting crimes I think you’ll want to hear about—but maybe more importantly, cases that give us a deeper understanding of the crimes and scumbags who commit them. Sign up for your free Patreon account , where I’ll be streaming “live,” sending out newsletters, dropping an exclusive limited series podcast later in 2025, and posting other content you won’t get anywhere else. Visit to contact investigative journalist and host M. William Phelps, get more information about the show, updates to cases, and more. And don't forget to subscribe to Phelps's #1 hit podcast PAPER GHOSTS, now in its fourth season, wherever you get your favorite shows. is the New York Times best-selling author of 46 nonfiction and winner of the Excellence in (Investigative) Journalism Award from the Society of Professional Journalists. Phelps has written for numerous publications1, including the Providence Journal, and . Diversifying his talents, Phelps consulted on the first season of the hit Showtime cable television series Dexter and has executive produced and starred in over 350 hours of true crime television. All of which gives him a confluence of expertise and experience to bring to true crime fanatics. Phelps grew up in East Hartford, Connecticut, and now splits his time between Tolland County and N. Stonington, CT. In July 2017, he published his definitive, 10-year project about Happy Face Killer, Keith Hunter Jesperson, . **For mental health assistance or to get help, please visit the National Alliance on Mental Health website or call 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), text "HelpLine" to 62640, or email [email protected]** /episode/index/show/700310c0-7a77-428d-b93a-5cbcdb917f1d/id/35071550

Crossing the Line with M. William Phelps

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