Real Life Real Crime

On today’s episode of True Crime Time For, Woody opens with updates on Justice for Hailey and What Happened to Madison. Hailey’s case remains under review, while Woody says the Madison investigation is still moving forward and asks listeners to continue sending information to 313-RLRC-TIP.

For On This Day in Crime, Woody remembers Emmett Till, the 14-year-old Black teenager who was brutally murdered in Mississippi in 1955. Roy Bryant and J. W. Milam were charged with the murder, acquitted by an all-white jury, and later publicly admitted killing Till. Woody reflects on the racism surrounding the case and the importance of remembering that history.

Woody then turns to convicted British murderer John Sweeney, known as the “Scalp Hunter”, who died in prison without ever answering whether he had additional victims. Sweeney was serving a whole-life sentence for the murders of former girlfriends Melissa Halstead and Paula Fields, whose dismembered remains were found years apart in canals in the Netherlands and England. Police also investigated him in connection with other missing women. His former girlfriend Delia Balmer survived a violent axe attack by Sweeney and later wrote about her experience.

Next, Woody covers the murder of Star-Michael Tucker and the life sentence imposed on Charles Carson-Dowdy. Prosecutors said Tucker tried to end their relationship, after which Carson-Dowdy traveled from Alabama to Pensacola, broke into her apartment, waited for her, shot her repeatedly, and then ran over her body multiple times with her own vehicle.

In Family Matters, Woody heads to Indiana, where Adriana Velasquez is accused of intentionally driving her Honda into her husband as he left a divorce hearing on a motorcycle. Police say she struck and dragged him, then got out of the vehicle with a knife and stabbed him in the arm. She now faces attempted murder and additional charges.

Then it’s F’d Up Professionals. A Nebraska police captain and her partner are accused of leaving their two-year-old daughter alone inside a locked minivan while they went fishing. Another couple heard the child crying and called 911. The toddler was reportedly left inside for at least 28 minutes but was not injured.

Woody also covers an Indiana case involving Amy Fuller, who is accused of repeatedly striking a child in the head in a church parking lot after the child asked her for water. Witnesses told police the child was hit several times, and doctors later documented a large lump on the back of the child’s head.

Then comes one of the most satisfying stories of the episode: a 45-year-old cold case fina

On today’s episode of True Crime Time For, Woody opens with another message for everyone following What Happened to Madison: hang on. Because the episode was recorded a day early, he still can’t reveal what he believes is coming, but promises the Lifers will hear about any break in the case as soon as he can share it.

For On This Day in Crime, Woody looks back at Edmund “Ed” Kemper, the infamous Co-Ed Killer, who committed his first murders in 1964 when he killed his grandparents, Edmund Emil Kemper Sr. and Maude Matilda Kemper. Kemper would later murder six more women, including his mother and her friend, before surrendering to authorities.

Then it’s F’d Up Professionals, and Woody turns to the arrest of San Francisco 49ers principal owner Jed York in East Palestine, Ohio. York was arrested after allegedly responding to an undercover prostitution advertisement. He later pleaded no contest to misdemeanor charges of disorderly conduct and possessing criminal tools. Court records show the original prostitution-related charge was amended, and York was fined $1,150.

The episode then moves into a case that hits several familiar RLRC themes at once. Jeremy Perrin, a Missouri fire chief, reserve deputy sheriff, and assistant coroner, has been charged in connection with the 2025 shooting death of his wife, Shelby Kessler Perrin. Her death was initially reported as a possible self-inflicted gunshot wound after Jeremy allegedly told investigators she pulled a gun from the center console and shot herself while he was driving on Interstate 55.

But investigators kept digging. According to the case described in the episode, they discovered video hidden on Shelby’s phone that allegedly showed Jeremy striking, choking, and threatening her. Investigators also recovered an earlier message in which Jeremy allegedly warned that his escalating rage could ultimately leave Shelby needing a “body bag.” Because of Jeremy’s positions within local public-safety agencies, the investigation was turned over to the Missouri State Highway Patrol. He now faces charges including second-degree murder, domestic assault, harassment, and tampering with physical evidence.

Next, Woody stays close to home with a domestic violence case in East Feliciana Parish, Louisiana involving two people connected to the local criminal justice system. Shelby Nelson, who works for the 20th Judicial District Attorney’s Office, and her husband, David Nelson, a Slaughter police officer and part-time Jackson marshal, were both arrested following a domestic dispute. Video recorded by their son allegedly captured part of the altercation, while Shelby told investigators that the video did not show the full context and alleged that her husband had also ass

On today’s episode of True Crime Time, Woody opens with anticipation that a major development may finally be breaking in one of the cases the Real Life Real Crime community has been fighting for. Because this episode was recorded two days early, he can’t say exactly what has happened yet—but he tells the Lifers he hopes they’ve already heard the news by the time this episode drops. Woody also continues the call for What Happened to Madison, Justice for Hailey, Justice for Barbara Blount, and justice for every family still searching for answers.

For On This Day in Crime, Woody goes back to August 26, 1980, and the incredible bombing of Harvey’s Resort Hotel, where men posing as delivery workers rolled what appeared to be a copy machine into the hotel. Inside was an elaborate bomb containing approximately 1,000 pounds of dynamite and a ransom demand for $3 million. Attempts to disarm the device triggered an explosion that destroyed five stories of the hotel.

Then Woody shares a reminder that law enforcement’s responsibility doesn’t end when a suspect runs. In Texas, deputies pursued a 53-year-old theft suspect who fled from a Walmart, crashed his vehicle, and became trapped as the car burst into flames. The same deputies he had just run from risked their own lives to pull him from the burning vehicle before it exploded.

Next, one of Tennessee’s Most Wanted fugitives is captured in Georgia. Kenneth Spruell, wanted in connection with an alleged violent home invasion and attempted murder, was taken into custody after cooperation among Tennessee authorities, Fulton County deputies, federal task forces, and other agencies.

Woody then turns to a controversial juvenile murder sentence out of Washington. Caleb Prince Tramble, who was 15 at the time of the crime, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder after video allegedly showed him and another teenager confronting Messiah Washington inside an apartment elevator. The other teen opened fire, and prosecutors say Tramble then pulled his own gun and pointed it at the already-wounded victim. Woody questions the decision to keep Tramble in the juvenile system until age 25 and whether the sentence adequately recognizes the young man who lost his life.

In Family Matters, a Connecticut father faces criminal charges after his one-year-old son died after being left inside a pickup truck at the family’s strawberry farm. The father told police the baby had fallen asleep, that he left the air conditioning running, and that he was working when he later returned to find his child blue and unresponsive. Woody discusses the tragedy while questioning the $1 million bond and distinguishing the circumstances from other hot-car deaths the show has covered.

Then comes a case Woody simply cannot understand. A Virginia man who was found

On today’s episode of True Crime Time, Woody opens with updates on What Happened to Madison, Justice for Barbara Blount, and Justice for Hailey, saying he knows movement is coming and hopes this is the week. He reminds listeners that the Georgia oversight review in Hailey’s case is still pending and promises to update the Lifers as soon as there is something he can share.

For On This Day in Crime, Woody looks back at several major historical cases, including the 1913 conviction of Leo Frank, the 1967 assassination of American Nazi Party founder George Lincoln Rockwell, the escalation of the St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre, a deadly 1927 Florida law-enforcement shootout, and a landmark Canadian murder prosecution involving Inuit defendant Nulakock.

In F’d Up Professionals, Woody covers the arrest of Hollywood actor, director, and producer Shane Ryan Gledhill, also known professionally as Shane Ryan or Shane Ryan-Reed, who now faces 24 felony charges tied to allegations of child sexual abuse and exploitation. Investigators say he allegedly used casting calls and filmmaking projects to gain access to underage victims, and detectives believe his conduct may have spanned decades.

Then it’s Family Matters, where Woody tells the bizarre story of a Florida woman accused of biting off part of her husband’s ear during an argument while he was driving on the interstate with their two children in the car. The husband required surgery, and investigators ultimately identified the wife as the primary aggressor.

Woody also covers the guilty plea of former University of Kentucky cheerleader Laken Snelling, who admitted to manslaughter in the death of her newborn son after previously giving investigators multiple different explanations for what happened. Prosecutors are recommending a prison sentence that Woody says is far too lenient for the death of a baby who was born alive.

Another devastating case comes from Wisconsin, where a mother admitted that she turned music up louder to drown out the cries of her four-year-old son while her boyfriend allegedly beat him. The child later died, and investigators say the abuse was extensive.

In North Dakota, a 22-year-old mother faces murder and attempted murder charges after authorities say two of her young children died and a third was seriously injured. According to court documents, she allegedly threatened the children’s father before officers entered the home and found the children unresponsive.

Woody closes on a lighter note with a Tennessee middle-school football game where a 16-year-old girl ran out of the stands and leveled a player on the field, leading to her arrest and lifetime ban from the school system’s prop

On today’s episode of True Crime Time, Cyndi takes over the mic and begins with a thank-you to the Lifers—and a reminder of just how much the Real Life Real Crime community means to the people who trust Woody with their stories. After spending Saturday at Guardian Day at Firman Ranch, Cyndi talks about meeting listeners and seeing firsthand how many people approach Woody looking for help, hope, or simply a chance to say thank you.

Cyndi also shares the meaning behind Guardian Day, an annual fundraiser supporting first responders and their families throughout the greater Baton Rouge area. She recounts Cy Daquila’s emotional story of the first responders who entered his burning home in the middle of the night and woke his family, allowing Si, his wife Heather, their twins, and their older children to escape. At Saturday’s event, Si was able to publicly recognize and thank the first responders who helped save his family.

Then it’s time for true crime.

Cyndi starts locally with a story involving a Louisiana institution familiar to generations of Livingston Parish residents: Navarre’s Pastries in Springfield. Known throughout the area for its donuts and especially its famous king cakes, the Navarre family’s bakery history stretches back decades. Cyndi explains how the business grew from Ernie Navarre Jr.’s small donut shop into an operation whose king cakes have been shipped around the country and world, including orders from businesses, celebrities, politicians, and other high-profile customers.

But on August 12, authorities executed a search warrant at Navarre’s Pastries. According to the Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office, investigators uncovered what Sheriff Jason Ard described as a distribution hub for various narcotics. Authorities reported seizing suspected cocaine, MDMA, Adderall, Vyvanse, Xanax, Valium, anabolic steroids, cash, and 52 firearms, including one reportedly stolen weapon.

Jules Navarre, one of Ernie Navarre’s sons, was arrested and reportedly faces 62 charges, including numerous firearm-related counts and possession-with-intent-to-distribute allegations. Cyndi also explains what remains unknown: publicly available information has not yet revealed what initially led investigators to the bakery or whether the case began with a tip, surveillance, another investigation, or some other source. She stresses that she found nothing indicating other members of the Navarre family were involved and reminds listeners that Jules Navarre is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Then Cyndi returns to the crime that happened on this day in 1985 and takes listeners inside the terrifying story of Richard Ramirez—the Night Stalker.

Beginning with Ramirez’s childhood in El Paso, Texas, Cyndi examines the violence, head inju

On today’s episode of True Crime Time, Woody opens with a message the Lifers have been waiting to hear: justice is coming. While he cannot yet reveal which case or exactly what is happening, Woody says he has received confirmation that a major step forward is coming in one of the cases the Real Life Real Crime community has helped fight for. He asks listeners to continue calling 313-RLRC-TIP, reminding everyone that there is no such thing as too much information when pursuing justice.

Woody also celebrates the release of A Mother’s Fight for Justice, written by Stephanie Belgard, Courtney Coco’s mother. The book tells Courtney’s story and Stephanie’s decade-long fight for answers and accountability from her own perspective. Woody credits Stephanie’s refusal to give up as one of the reasons Real Life Real Crime continues taking on difficult Justice For cases today. Signed copies are available directly, while Kindle, paperback, and hardcover editions are available through Amazon.

For On This Day in Crime, Woody remembers 13-year-old Mary Catherine Olchuck, whose decomposed body was discovered beneath hay on a Maine property in 1970 after she had been missing for nearly two weeks. More than five decades later, no one has been charged with her murder—another reminder that every unsolved case represents a family still waiting for justice.

Woody then gives a personal shout-out to former special prosecutor Hugo Holland, who prosecuted David Anthony Burns for Courtney Coco’s murder. Woody reflects on their early differences during the case, Holland’s courtroom performance, and why he considers him one of the strongest prosecutors he has ever watched work. Holland is now running for district judge in Louisiana’s First Judicial District.

In F’d Up Professionals, a Tennessee pastor who spent years traveling the country through his ministry is convicted of multiple counts of aggravated rape of a child and aggravated sexual battery. His wife was also convicted of facilitating sexual abuse and child neglect. Investigators say the case began with allegations involving a five-year-old child and eventually expanded to additional victims. Woody discusses how positions of trust, religious authority, language barriers, and vulnerable communities can all be exploited by predators.

Next, Woody covers the case of 16-year-old Howl Rafael Hernandez Castro, whose death was initially reported as a suicide. Investigators became suspicious when the witness’s story repeatedly changed. Detectives later found evidence inconsistent with suicide—including the distance of the shot, trajectory, and lack of gunshot residue—and the victim’s 21-year-old roommate was ultimately charged with murder. Woody connects the case directly to Justice for Hailey, where scien

On today’s episode of True Crime Time, Woody takes a deep dive into one of the most disturbing serial killer cases in American history: Robert Hansen, the so-called Butcher Baker of Alaska. Hansen abducted, raped, and murdered women in and around Anchorage, often flying victims into remote wilderness areas where he hunted them after releasing them into the open. He ultimately confessed to 17 murders and more than 30 rapes and was sentenced to 461 years in prison without parole.

Woody traces Hansen’s early life, criminal history, repeated brushes with the justice system, and the warning signs that were missed long before he became known as one of Alaska’s most notorious killers. Hansen had already been arrested for sexual violence and other crimes before the murder spree fully emerged, yet short sentences and plea deals repeatedly returned him to the community.

The episode also examines Hansen’s pattern of targeting vulnerable women, including sex workers and teenagers, and the terrifying methods he used to control, assault, and kill them. Woody recounts the escape of Cindy Paulson, a 17-year-old victim whose survival became a major turning point in the investigation. Paulson escaped from Hansen while he was preparing his airplane and later gave police critical information about her attacker.

From there, Woody explores how investigators connected Hansen to multiple bodies found across Alaska. Detective Glenn Flothe sought help from legendary FBI profiler John Douglas, whose offender profile closely matched Hansen. Armed with Paulson’s account and the profile, authorities secured search warrants and found jewelry belonging to missing women, firearms, and an aviation map marked with dozens of X’s corresponding to known and suspected burial sites.

Woody then walks listeners through the known and suspected victims, including Eklutna Annie, Cia Van Zanten, Megan Emrick, Mary Catherine Thill, Joanna Messina, Roxanne Easland, Lisa Futrell, Mali Larsen, Sherry Morrow, Andrea Mona, Sue Luna, Tammy Peterson, Angela Fetterin, DeLynn “Sugar” Frey, Teresa Watson, Paula Golding, Cindy Paulson, and Robin Pelkey. He highlights how many of the women disappeared without immediate public attention because they were considered high-risk victims, and how some remained unidentified for decades.

The episode closes with Hansen’s eventual plea agreement, his cooperation in identifying some burial sites, and the disturbing fact that several marks on his map remained unexplained. Authorities believe the true number of victims may have been higher than the murders he admitted to. Hansen died in prison in 2014 at age 75, but the questions surrounding every unknown victim have never fully disappeared.

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On today’s episode of True Crime Time, Woody opens with updates on What Happened to Madison and Justice for Hailey. He says the Madison case is actively being worked and asks listeners to keep sending information. In Hailey’s case, Woody confirms that the Georgia oversight committee has the case and is reviewing it, but stresses that this is not the time to stop. He asks listeners to continue contacting the media, the governor’s office, and the district attorney’s office to keep the pressure on.

For On This Day in Crime, Woody looks back at the August 20, 1986, Edmond, Oklahoma, post office massacre. Postal worker Patrick Henry Sherrill opened fire on coworkers, killing 14 people and wounding others before taking his own life—an attack widely associated with the origin of the phrase “going postal.”

In Family Matters, Woody follows the Massachusetts trial of Lindsay Clancy, who admits killing her three young children in 2023. Prosecutors presented digital forensic evidence showing searches involving depression, suicidal ideation, postpartum psychosis, and medications in the days before the killings. Her defense argues that severe postpartum mental illness left her without criminal responsibility. Woody discusses the difficult questions surrounding mental illness, intent, and accountability as the case moves toward the jury.

Across the pond, a convicted murderer who refuses to reveal where he left the body of his estranged wife, Linda Razzell, remains behind bars after a High Court judge overturned a decision that could have led to his release. Woody discusses the UK’s Helen’s Law, designed to make parole more difficult for killers who refuse to disclose the location of their victims’ remains, and connects it to families still waiting to bring their own loved ones home.

Then it’s a definite Dumb Dumb in the Court out of Polk County, Florida. A 21-year-old man returned to the sheriff’s office to retrieve a legally owned handgun that deputies had stored after an earlier arrest. There was just one problem: before handing back the gun, deputies ran a routine check and discovered he now had an active felony warrant. Instead of leaving with his Glock, he left in handcuffs.

Woody also covers the disturbing murder of 76-year-old pastor Billy Shoneman, who was killed in what authorities described as a crucifixion-style attack. The killer admitted he intended to target additional religious leaders across multiple states and ultimately received consecutive sentences after accepting a plea agreement that removed the death penalty.

Another Family Matters case takes the episode to Hollywood, Florida, where two young parents are charged in connection with the death of their seven-week-old daughter. Investiga

On today’s episode of True Crime Time, Woody opens with the message that continues to drive Real Life Real Crime: justice for everybody. He urges listeners to keep supporting What Happened to Madison, Justice for Hailey, Barbara Blount, and the many other families still fighting for answers. Woody also reflects on why some high-profile cases receive years of national attention while countless other victims and families struggle to get anyone to notice their cases at all.

Today’s stories include a disturbing investigation at a Chicago elementary school, where two custodians were found with gunshot wounds to the head inside the building while no students were present; and a Washington State Costco employee charged with murder after police say jealousy led him to deliberately ram a coworker’s motorcycle with his vehicle, killing the 20-year-old rider.

Woody then shares an extraordinary cold-case development nearly 38 years in the making. In 1987, 20-year-old Melissa “Missy” Taylor Ellison was found murdered in her Jacksonville bedroom while her 13-month-old daughter was left alive in the home. Decades later, a 70-year-old man walked into law enforcement and allegedly confessed that he struck Melissa with a log during a burglary. Woody discusses the generations of pain left behind by an unsolved homicide and the family members—including Melissa’s daughter—who waited almost four decades for an arrest.

In F’d Up Professionals, a New Jersey mother demands answers after her nine-year-old son fell asleep on a school bus, was never noticed by the driver, and later woke up alone inside a hot bus parked at the depot. The child managed to get himself out and find an adult for help.

The episode then turns to an especially horrific child abuse case in Cincinnati, where three women face murder and child-endangering charges following the death of a seven-year-old boy. A detective testified that investigators found evidence consistent with repeated beatings, burns, prolonged submersion in water, and other abuse before the child was discovered dead after reportedly being duct-taped and placed inside a closet.

Woody also discusses an Indiana man convicted of murdering his 11-month-old stepdaughter who was released early after serving just over 20 years of a 55-year sentence—only to be returned to prison months later for alleged parole violations.

Finally, Woody ends with a wildlife crime out of Texas, where game wardens are offering a reward for information about the illegal shooting of alligators at the Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge. His message is simple: if you hunt, respect the animal and follow the law.

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On today’s episode of True Crime Time, Woody opens with updates on What Happened to Madison and Justice for Hailey, asking listeners to continue submitting tips, making calls, and contacting the people who have the power to move these cases forward. Woody says he believes a turn in the Madison case may be coming sooner rather than later and hints that several major cases and breakthroughs are developing behind the scenes.

Woody also talks about another side of his work that listeners may not hear about as often: helping investigate potential wrongful convictions. He shares the story of being asked to assist an Innocence Project with the case of an Angola inmate serving life, only to have his request to enter the prison denied because officials said they could not guarantee his safety. That leads to a candid discussion about life inside maximum-security prisons and the importance of fighting just as hard for an innocent person as he does to put a guilty person behind bars.

Today’s cases include the conviction of serial rapist and murderer Horace Van Vaultz Jr., whose decades-old California murders were finally solved through DNA and genetic genealogy; a double murderer in a maximum-security British prison accused of stabbing a correctional officer in the neck and attempting to strangle him; and the justice-system failures that allegedly allowed that same offender to remain free before committing additional murders.

In F’d Up Professionals, Woody covers a lawsuit stemming from a deadly Florida Walmart shooting. According to the allegations, an employee believed shoppers were threatening him but, instead of notifying management as required, called armed friends to the store. A confrontation followed and 23-year-old Nathaniel Baez was killed while an elderly bystander was also shot.

The episode then turns to a disturbing Massachusetts case involving a 17-year-old accused of killing his mother and 14-year-old brother. Prosecutors say the teenager had demonstrated concerning behavior before the killings, including internet and ChatGPT activity involving hypothetical or fantasy scenarios about killing his family. His father had reportedly become concerned enough about his behavior to begin hiding knives in the home.

Woody also revisits the nearly two-decade-old mystery surrounding Joey Lynn Offutt, whose infant son was found dead in a bathtub after their Pennsylvania home was deliberately set on fire. Joey disappeared, her vehicle was later discovered miles away, and her family continues searching for answers about what happened to her and her baby.

Finally, Woody covers an Arizona couple accused of child abuse after authorities say they were intoxicated while walking for approximately three hours in 108-degree heat with their two- and four-year-old