Jack the Ripper · Suge Knight · JFK
How is it already time for the October budget sweep?
the true crime that's worth your time
It’s scary how time flies. I feel like it was just a few days ago that I was clearing the September budget, and now we’re here again? Yikes. But the budget doc never lies, and we’ve accumulated a lot of great stuff this past month. I hope paging through the gems below can help the boring parts of your work week move more swiftly — that’s the kind of fast-forward motion I think we all like to see. — EB
Wendy's launches 'The Burger Files' true fast-food crime podcast series [Mobile Marketing]
There was a time, not that long ago, when brands couldn’t get away from crime content swiftly enough, but either the power of the true crime “trend” or UK sensibilities mean we have this show to listen to, if we so desire. The ad agency for Wendys UK is behind this effort, which “turns real stories found and submitted on social media into a seven-episode true crime-style podcast, each focusing on poor fast-food experiences, from being served soggy buns and barely-melted cheese to frozen beef.” Sure, OK, but that lead image…I haven’t listened, but if anyone here has, I’d love a report. — EB
Tenderfoot TV’s “up And Vanished” Continues Shedding Light On Missing Persons Cases Across Indigenous Reservations With New Limited Spinoff Series, “Yhe Vanishing Point” [press release]
I credit the buzz around Killers of the Flower Moon for the sudden proliferation of content focused on Indigenous folks; see Navajo Police: Class 57 as another example, I suppose. Get those shows and podcasts green-lit while you can, folks, and keep this wave going! This podcast premiered on Oct. 25 with two episodes; both are solid but I’m still waiting for that moment of “click” that makes me look forward to next week’s drop. — EB
Chasing Jack the Ripper Through the Streets of Modern London [NY Times gift link]
Whitechapel has always had a Jack the Ripper tourism economy, but recently, folks are questioning the ethics of the tours. “There’s been a shift toward victimology,” one tour director said. “When I started, everyone wanted the gruesome stuff.” There’s a joke in here about how now even Jack the Ripper is woke but I’ll leave that to your drunk uncle at Thanksgiving. — EB
Confession Brings Natalee Holloway Case to an End After 18 Years [NY Times gift link]
It’s hard, at least for me, not to feel like this is very anti-climactic. I’m not sure why (opinions welcomed in the comments), and I hope this resolution brings the closure Natalee’s family needs. That it took this long for what seemed to be a clear-cut case still frustrates me, and I’ve often felt bad for the Holloways that they bore the brunt of public charges of Missing White Woman Syndrome, when it’s the industry that’s to blame — but then, there’s Beth Holloway’s own true-crime series deal to reckon with. I’m glad this is over, and I hope we can move on. — EB
When Foster Parents Don’t Want to Give Back the Baby [ProPublica]
This longread is more hopeful than you might think! This collab between ProPublica and the New Yorker (I gave you the free link, not the mag one) opened my eyes to a cottage industry of attorneys using the courts to upend the foster system; this article does a lovely job of humanizing both sides of the parenting equation and making clear that the legal loopholes and arguable attorney exploitation is the real issue here. The legal approach feels very similar to patent trolling or ADA exploitation suits, but the results are even more devastating for all the parents involved. This needs a Pain Hustlers or Dopesick-style adaptation. — EB
Hair Strand and DNA Sleuths Crack 1983 Murder of Teen Girl [The Daily Beast]
Rashell Ward’s slaying was one of a slew of false confessions made by serial killer Henry Lee Lucas, and a local sheriff was long rumored to be the suspect. Through forensic DNA analysis, that sheriff’s office now says they’ve found the real killer, a guy who died in 2019. — EB
Knight launches "Collect Call With Suge Knight" podcast from prison [TMZ]
I don’t think incarcerated music magnate Suge Knight is a good guy, but I am a little interested in his podcast. There’s only one episode out, and it’s a mess. Will I keep listening? I don’t know, I guess it depends on my mood. But right now it just seems like a bored and lonely guy who wants to complain, not the product of a once-powerful record exec. — EB
A $50 Million Twist in the Kevin Spacey Scandal [Puck gift link]
The dek summarizes the story better than I could: “The production company behind Netflix’s House of Cards is claiming that Spacey’s alleged sex addiction should have triggered its insurance policy. But Lloyd’s of London suggests the studio knew all about his ‘condition’—and lied about it from the start.” This is a good look at how the misbehavior — often to a criminal degree — of people believed to have talent gets enabled across the entertainment industry (but the same is true in others, I believe). Is anyone truly that irreplaceable that keeping them around is worth abuse? (And, guys, was Spacey ever really that great? I honestly think the dude was overrated from the jump.) — EB
The "True Crime Stories" Unlocked Channel Is Now Streaming. Watch Free with No Sign-In Needed on ABC.com & the ABC App! [press release]
I do love media materials with an exclamation point in the subject line! But seriously, given how even the worst dreck is being locked behind paywalls or available only for, like, $10 a month, this is not the worst news. No, none of the content here is the prestige-y stuff you put your phone down to watch, but Texas True Crime or Missing? or the other shows on the streaming service are the kind of thing I love to have on as I decide which items in my sock drawer truly bring me joy. So, sure, why not. — EB
Paid subscribers know the drill. All readers get to vote on what property Sarah will consume and review for her monthly bonus review, and BE members will receive that review in their inboxes toward the end of the month. For November, she’s tackling adaptations and their originating property, and I’ve already put my money on Gangs of New York mainly because I want to hear her go off on the film’s fashion/wardrobe (which I recall loving, am I wrong in this?). Save her from my apparel dreams or join me by voting today:
Lifetime Plugs True-Crime Film Slate With Trivia-Night Event in Los Angeles [Movie Web]
Skip the dumb trivia night stuff and head to the Lifetime October slate info, some of which does not sound bad! The brilliant Wendi McLendon-Covey as Vicky White? How did I miss this one? Someone find me some time so I can give it an immediate watch, please. — EB
Introducing “The Kids of Rutherford County,” a New Podcast From Serial Productions [NY Times/press release]
This is a four-episode collab between NYT/Serial, ProPublica, and Nashville Public Radio that builds on the pubs’ joint investigation into Rutherford County, TN’s longstanding practice of “arresting and illegally jailing children.” Two episodes dropped late last week; the other two will drop on subsequent Thursdays.
A married couple listening to a true-crime podcast led to a man’s exoneration in the murder of a priest [LA Times]
These folks listened to Crime Junkie during long drives to visit family; after an episode led them concerned about the disposition of a case, they used their connection to a local cop to get the case reopened. I can’t say anything bad about Crime Junkie for once, and this story is exactly why you see me calling for accessible or dramatic adaptations of cases that distress me — these properties really do have the power to prompt change if the right person consumes them. This is a good story; read it. — EB
Barry Levinson Set To Direct Al Pacino Starring, David Mamet-Scripted JFK Thriller ‘Assassination’ [Deadline]
Mamet was originally was set to direct the movie. Anything to do with how he went from being simply “conservative” to flat-out awful in recent years, likely making him a liability with whom to work? Sarah and I talked about this film when it was first announced, but I haven’t had a chance to ask her how she feels about the Diner director hopping on board. Speaking of problematic, Shia LaBeouf and Al Pacino reportedly remain in the cast. — EB
The Nation’s Obsession With True Crime Meets a Mother’s Grief [NY Times gift link]
Stacy Chapin’s son, Ethan, was one of the University of Idaho students killed in the now infamous mass stabbing last year; she went to CrimeCon in hopes that “her presence would help people remember what had been lost. She also wanted to connect with other victim families who were looking to find community and build support for a foundation that will award college scholarships in her son’s honor.” Did she find that? After reading the article, I’m still not sure. — EB
Dan Abrams’ Law&Crime True Crime Network Acquired By Jellysmack [Deadline]
I could sit here and feel mad about craven exploitative assholes making money, or I could cut and paste this bullshit quote from Jellysmack’s president: “This acquisition aligns seamlessly with our mission to provide high-quality content that resonates with global audiences across platforms. Dan Abrams’ expertise and his network’s impressive track record in legal and true crime storytelling make it a perfect fit for Jellysmack and creates exciting new synergies and opportunities for our creators.” Just in case you still had any illusions that this network was anything beyond a cash grab! — EB
New Podcast Delves Into Murder of Hugh Dancy's Great-Grandmother, Shot to Death in Her Sleep in 1937 [CNN]
I mainly know Dancy from the TV series Hannibal, and I’m not clear how involved he is in the show, which is hosted by his brother-in-law, Tristan Redman. The Financial Times just published a very positive review of the show, a seven-parter called Ghost Story that has four eps available to check out now. — EB
‘Rust’ Producers “Obstructed” Criminal Probe Into Death Of Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, Prosecutors Say [Deadline]
Alec Baldwin isn’t off the hook yet, as a new prosecutorial team says he might have made some fatal errors. The NYT also has a good explainer to get us all up to speed. — EB
Diana Nyad’s Swimming Brought Her Glory, Fame, And An Adversary Dedicated To Exposing Her Lies [Defector]
The upcoming film Nyad is generating awards buzz for its stars, but will that glow dim the more folks hear about longstanding allegations that many of swimmer Diana Nyad’s claims are false? You tell me. — EB
Lin ‘Spit’ Newborn and Daniel Shersty were murdered 25 years ago. Their legacies still reverberate through Las Vegas [Nevada Public Radio]
When two members of Skinheads Against Racial Prejudice thought they were going on a double date, but it was actually a Las Vegas-area ambush by the Independent Nazi Skinheads. This Nevada-set longread is a stunner. — EB
CAA, Disney Sued For Allegedly Enabling Sex Crimes By Harvey Weinstein [The Hollywood Reporter]
Like the Spacey item above, another story about demands for accountability when it comes to “open secret” misconduct and criminal behavior. Root it all out, I say! Get the bleach, spray it into every crack and crevice! — EB
Home Depot Tracked a Crime Ring and Found an Unusual Suspect [WSJ gift link]
With organized retail theft entering the national discourse as a signifier for other urban issues (often coded in a racist way), I was braced for this Wall Street Journal piece to trigger me in Fox News-y style. I was so wrong! This is a wild and twisty tale about a retail theft ring led by a white Florida pastor, who moved tools and other items stolen from Home Depot via eBay. The scheme is so simple that it’s a little beautiful, and makes you wonder how many other, smarter people are doing this, too. — EB
Raider of the Lost Art [Princeton Alumni Weekly]
The dek does my job for me again: “Edoardo Almagià ’73 ‘got away’ with trafficking looted Italian antiquities for decades, says the Manhattan district attorney’s office. Now the Princeton University Art Museum and other museums are facing scrutiny for being homes to his artifacts.” How much do I love that Princeton’s alumni mag focuses on the baddies it produced, not just the superstars? SO much! — EB
‘The tenant from hell’: She refused to pay for her luxury Airbnb for 540 days. She says she has a legal right to stay [LA Times]
As you can imagine, this piece has been all the rage on the various Airbnb host forums and Facebook groups I subscribe to but almost never visit these days, as they all gripe about the same thing (“hey, we bought a bunch of cheap houses in developing neighborhoods and evicted the tenants with the hope of STR wealth! But no one is coming to stay!” Cry me a river, gentrifiers). But this isn’t as simple as it seems: per the tenant’s attorney, “The landlord broke the law and tried to make money by renting out an illegal bootleg unit … After he was caught, instead of doing the right thing, he has resorted to bullying, harassment and the filing of frivolous lawsuits containing elaborate false stories, all in attempt to cover his tracks.” It’s a great story of claims, counterclaims, and cat dander. — EB
The Inside Job [Toronto Life]
Another glorious dek: “Robert Konashewych was a young police officer with expensive tastes, two girlfriends and a mountain of debt. Heinz Sommerfeld was recently deceased with a large unclaimed estate. Problem, meet solution.” This is a super-fun one; set it aside to savor. — EB
What ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ taught my Oklahoma town [Washington Post]
The author of this op-ed, Dennis McAuliffe Jr., is an Osage tribe member and the author of The Deaths of Sybil Bolton: Oil, Greed, and Murder on the Osage Reservation — a book that tackled the Reign of Terror and headrights issue from an Indigenous perspective. (Was his book a reaction to David Grann’s white-specific book? It’s rumored so, but McAuliffe hasn’t publicly said as much.) Here he asks why the filmmakers, who lived and worked in Fairfax, OK to make the film, didn’t do more to support the local businesses and economy. “It seems the movie will be another example of outsiders, even if well-intentioned, taking something from the Osage people for personal gain and leaving the community with nothing but movie images,” McAuliffe’s cousin said of the situation. — EB
One doctor’s decadeslong trail of injured women, babies began in New York [Gothamist]
As noted in the sidebar, “This is the first in a five-part investigative series on how an OB/GYN named Thomas J. Byrne managed to regain his medical license in multiple states after health officials in New York declared him to be an “imminent danger” to the public and revoked his license decades earlier.” There’s also an audio version of this piece; with WNYC basically giving up on podcasts, this might be one of your last chances to listen to their reporters’ work. — EB
These Podcasters Were Digging Into A Murder Case. Then Someone Sent Them Graphic Crime Scene Photos. [HuffPost]
”Two true crime podcasters investigating the 2017 killings of two young Indiana girls found themselves at the center of the turbulent high-profile case after they received gruesome crime scene photos leaked from a defense attorney’s office earlier this month,” reads the lead graf of this interview with The Murder Sheet hosts Áine Cain and Kevin Greenlee. It’s wild stuff! — EB
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