May 12, 2023

Happy Best Evidence Anniversary!

Plus: your true crime weekend plans and some big Best Evidence (audio) news

the true crime that's worth your time

Hilariously, Sarah and I didn’t even realize we were about to turn four when we spoke yesterday about the future of the publication you’re reading right now. But it’s true: the first issue, which went to a handful of patient and kind folks, went out on May 13, 2019 — that’s four years ago tomorrow.

Topics included my almost-forgotten brush with Elizabeth Holmes at a (sadly, now shuttered) juice spot and Buried in the Backyard, a then-newish Oxygen show about human remains discoveries that’s now spanned multiple seasons. The more things change…

Speaking of change, and of Sarah’s and my conversation Thursday: We circled up to talk about Best Evidence as a regular gut check/editorial refresh, and as a result, we’re making a couple of scheduling and format tweaks. Here’s the deal:

• When we launched, two of our weekly issues were paywalled; we dropped the wall completely when the pandemic began. As lockdowns waned, we brought the Monday paywall back, and as of next week we’ll have a paywall on our Monday and Wednesday issues, which we’ve in-house entitled the “big idea” issues. Expect a meaty review, report, or examination of a present or past property. We’ll also include bulleted links to news you should know or content we think will interest you (project announcements, longreads we like, news on cases we’re following).

• Tuesdays will be our new discussion thread day, and will be open to all. Those days are fun, right?

• Thursdays will be a free-to-all audio issue. Many of you came here because you enjoyed the dearly departed The Blotter Presents podcast, but this isn’t going to be TBP 2.0: instead, expect a loose and chatty 20-30 minutes on a current property and a second, squishier true-crime topic. Comments on each issue will be open to all as well, so you can all join in the discussion. You’ll be able to listen to the audio issues through your browser or via the podcast platform of your choice (based on past issues involving audio, most of you use your browser, Overcast, or Apple to listen — if you use another app and are struggling to find us, let’s talk once that launches to find you a solution). The RSS feed for all Best Evidence audio is https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/9493.rss. We are super-excited about launching this one, and we hope you enjoy it.

• Fridays will be a weekend watch/free skate. Like Tuesday and Thursday, this issue (and its comments) will be open to all subscribers. It’ll always include at least one weekend true-crime property recommendation, links to stuff we’re thinking about, and the open-ended invitation to discuss all things true crime. This will also be the day we do the budget sweep, of all the items we meant to get to and didn’t.

We’re hopeful that these tweaks allow us all to have our (anniversary!) cake and eat it too. It’s important to us that we bring all of you — regardless of subscription level — a good value for the time and attention you dedicate to us.

We firmly believe that time we spend here, with you lot, is some of the wisest time we can spend, and we’re thrilled and grateful that we’ve had four years with you folks already. — EB

After all that, it feels a little anti-climactic to talk about Missing: Dead or Alive. But, I can’t lie to you folks: the episodic Netflix docuseries, which dropped on Wednesday, is exactly what the doctor ordered. I am exactly in the mood for single-serving crime coverage, as opposed to a multi-episode lift. And I have to figure out what it is about the series that has prompted so many folks to think it’s made up.

A review in Decider offers a hint:

The way that executive producer Graeme McAulay, director Alex Irvine-Cox and the crew that created Missing: Dead Or Alive have assembled the series is a bit unusual in this genre. It plays out more like a scripted drama, with narration from both Rains and Jackson overlaying scenes that seem to give the show a narrative propulsion you don’t often see from true-crime docuseries.

It’s a technique that critic Joel Keller terms “effective,” ultimately writing, “While the production of Missing: Dead Or Alive stretches the idea of “reality” in ways that feel forced, it’s still gratifying to see these smart investigators doing their job, as well as getting some insight into their lives and why they’re doing what they do.” That’s a lukewarm endorsement, at best, but it’ll do.

The other true crime I’m consuming this weekend is Tweakerworld, Jason Yamas’ recently-released memoir of his life as “one of San Francisco’s top drug dealers.” SF is a small enough town that I am pretty sure I met Yamas at one point or another; his photo sure feels familiar. I’ve been looking forward to this one for a while! Stay tuned for my review in next Wednesday’s BE.

Now, how about you? What is on your true crime agenda this weekend? — EB

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Hearsay:1

• US appeals court overturns first 'Varsity Blues' scandal convictions {Reuters] In a 154-page decision, all convictions for former casino executive Gamal Aziz were dropped, as were all convictions of private equity executive John Wilson save a false tax return claim. Between the two of them, they were accused of funneling nearly $2 million to schools to ensure their kids’ admissions.

• Jonathan Majors Appears Via Zoom for Assault Case Hearing, Next Court Date Set for June [Variety] Nothing really happened in the hearing, except that a judge confirmed that Majors will be required to appear in person on June 13.

• A TikTok ‘investigator’ faces fallout after claiming to crack a serial killer case [NBC] Not quite a longread, this report is about million-followered TikToker Ken Waks. He’s now the focus of a so-called “Kentroversy” after claiming he’d started to unravel the Smiley Face Killers case.

Monday on Best Evidence: Paid subscribers will get Sarah on Anthony Bourdain’s true crime leanings; we’ll see the rest of you Tuesday.

What is this thing? This should help. Follow Best Evidence @bestevidencefyi on Instagram, email us at editorial at bestevidence dot fyi, or call or text us any time at 919-75-CRIME.