Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by Audiochuck Media Company.
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Recent Episodes
MISSING: Kerry O’Brien-Krueger
Aug 03, 2026When Kerry O’Brien-Krueger vanished in 1989, her husband claimed she left for a work trip that never existed. Decades later, investigators are still untangling shifting stories, missing evidence and s...
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Crime Junkie investigates the 1989 disappearance of Carrie O'Brien Kruger, a 32-year-old Wisconsin PR professional who vanished after allegedly leaving for a work trip that never existed. Her husband Tracy's suspicious behavior, convenient amnesia, and constantly changing story made him the prime suspect, but Carrie's body has never been found. Investigator Tommy Sherritt needs help from listeners to solve two crucial mysteries: identifying a basement where concrete work was done around the time of her disappearance, and deciphering old Wisconsin Bell phone records that could prove Tracy's story false.
- The Disappearance of Carrie O'Brien Kruger
- Tracy's Inconsistent Story and Suspicious Behavior
MURDERED: Joyce LePage Part 2
Jul 27, 2026In part two of Joyce’s story, we dig deep into the case file and letters left behind by Joyce herself, which reveal even more suspects, including the roommate she’d been avoiding that summer. If y...
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This episode covers the decades-old unsolved murder of Joyce LePage, a WSU student who disappeared in July 1971 and was found dead in a canyon months later. The investigation examines multiple suspects and theories, including members of her meditation group who lived near where her car was found, her roommate Bruce with a history of concerning behavior, and other individuals in her life that summer. Despite 55 years passing, there's a $100,000 reward and ongoing investigation, with new focus on her roommate Bruce Beerbaum.
- The Meditation Group Connection
- Mark Wadley's Disturbing Past
EXCLUSIVE: Nancy Guthrie
Jul 22, 2026In this special episode of Crime Junkie on the Nancy Guthrie abduction case, breaking news reporter Briana Whitney and host Ashley Flowers reveal all details from the ransom notes you haven't heard ye...
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Ashley Flowers and Brianna Whitney provide an in-depth analysis of the Nancy Guthrie kidnapping case six months after her disappearance. The episode reveals previously undisclosed details about the ransom notes, investigative missteps by law enforcement, and presents a compelling theory about how the abduction may have been orchestrated by a foreign mastermind working with a local accomplice. Despite extensive investigation, Nancy remains missing with no arrests made.
- The Disappearance and Initial Investigation
- The Ransom Notes and Demands
MURDERED: Joyce LePage
Jul 20, 2026In the summer of 1971, 21-year-old Joyce LePage disappears after a skydiving lesson followed by a beer with friends. In the beginning, the only clue is a piece of missing carpet that was cut out from ...
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In July 1971, 21-year-old WSU student Joyce LePage vanished after a skydiving lesson. Her car was found blocks away, her belongings in a dorm she was secretly living in, and a large section of carpet was missing. Nine months later, her remains were discovered wrapped in that carpet at the bottom of a canyon, launching a 55-year investigation that remains unsolved. This episode examines multiple suspects and theories about what happened that fateful night.
- Joyce LePage's Summer at WSU
- The Last Known Hours
WARNING: Roger Hueber
Jul 13, 2026In August 2005, a woman disappeared just days before she was supposed to testify against her boyfriend, a corrections officer accused of sexually abusing minors. For years, her family says she was tre...
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This Crime Junkie episode tells the disturbing story of Roger Huber, a corrections officer and convicted sex offender in Lockport, New York, and the suspicious disappearance of his girlfriend Cheryl Rucci in 2005. The investigation begins when a high school student's journal reveals Huber's inappropriate relationship with minors. Cheryl was set to testify against Huber when she vanished the day before receiving a grand jury subpoena. Despite Huber's conviction on sex abuse charges, Cheryl has never been found, and her family believes she was silenced before she could testify. The episode explores a disturbing pattern of grooming, alleged corruption within law enforcement, and a critical witness sighting that was dismissed by investigators.
- The Journal Entry That Started Everything
- Roger's Pattern of Grooming and Abuse
MURDERED: Carmen Van Huss
Jul 06, 2026On March 23, 1993, screams tore through the thin walls of a gated Indianapolis apartment complex as 19-year-old Carmen Van Huss fought for her life. Neighbors heard the attack, but no one called 911. ...
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This episode tells the story of Carmen Van Huss, a 19-year-old woman brutally murdered in her Indianapolis apartment in 1993. After 31 years, the case was finally solved thanks to the relentless efforts of Sergeant Bill Carter, who worked the cold case despite departmental pushback. DNA evidence and genetic genealogy eventually led to the arrest and conviction of Dana Shepard, a former neighbor who pled guilty in 2026. Carmen's sister Pam successfully championed 'Carmen's Law' to expand DNA testing access in cold cases.
- The Night of the Murder
- Initial Investigation and Carmen's Life
MURDERED: Christine Banfield & Joseph Ryan
Jun 29, 2026When 37-year-old Christine Banfield and 39-year-old Joseph Ryan were found fatally injured inside a Virginia home in 2023, investigators were initially told that Ryan was a violent intruder and that C...
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This Crime Junkie episode investigates the twisted murders of Christine Banfield and Joseph Ryan on February 24, 2023, in Fairfax County, Virginia. What initially appeared to be a home invasion gone wrong was revealed to be an elaborate premeditated plot. Federal agent Brendan Banfield and the family's au pair, Juliana Perez Magalhanes, orchestrated a catfishing scheme using a fake BDSM profile to lure Joe Ryan to their home, where they murdered both Joe and Brendan's wife Christine. The case exposed a secret affair, meticulous planning including soundproof windows, and a 15-minute gap between 911 calls that proved critical to the prosecution. Both perpetrators were convicted, with Brendan receiving life without parole.
- The 911 Calls and Initial Scene
- The Catfishing Scheme Revealed
MISSING: Brittany Wallace Shank
Jun 22, 2026On November 30, 2018, 23-year-old Brittany Wallace Shank showed up barefoot and bleeding at a stranger's door asking for help. She said the man she was with had crashed their car and ran away. Deputie...
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In this Crime Junkie episode, hosts Ashley Flowers and Britt explore the mysterious 2018 disappearance of 23-year-old Brittany Wallace Shank, who vanished after a car went off a rural Michigan road. What begins as a seemingly simple incident spirals into a complex web of conflicting stories, suspicious relationships, and unanswered questions involving her boyfriend Sheldon, her estranged husband Eric, and a friend named Ashley Hooley who keeps inserting herself into the investigation.
- The Night of the Disappearance
- The Missing Person Investigation Begins
MURDERED: Alberta O. Jones
Jun 15, 2026Alberta O. Jones was breaking barriers in Louisville, Kentucky. She was the first Black woman prosecutor in the city’s history, she helped register some 6,000 Black citizens to vote, and she was a lea...
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This episode investigates the 1965 murder of Alberta O. Jones, a groundbreaking Black female prosecutor and civil rights attorney in Louisville, Kentucky. After being lured from her home late at night, Alberta was brutally beaten and drowned in the Ohio River. Despite abundant evidence including fingerprints, blood, and witness testimony, the case remained unsolved for 60 years amid suspicious evidence destruction, possible police involvement, and theories ranging from robbery to targeted assassination related to her civil rights work or management of Muhammad Ali's finances.
- Alberta's Final Night and Discovery
- Trail of Evidence and Suspicious Bridge Sightings
MYSTERIOUS DEATH OF: Tripp Brazeale
Jun 08, 2026In November 2024, 15-year-old Tripp Brazeale was found hanging from a tree in the middle of the woods of Forrest City, Arkansas. His death was quickly ruled a suicide, but in the weeks and months that...
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A detailed investigation into the death of 15-year-old Tripp Brazil, who died on November 3, 2024, after a high-speed ATV pursuit by Arkansas deputies. While officially ruled a suicide, numerous discrepancies in the case—including missing body cam footage, questionable evidence, and contradictory statements—have led his family and a private investigator to believe foul play may have been involved.
- The Pursuit and Initial Search
- Discovery and Official Ruling
WARNING: AI Voice Cloning and Virtual Kidnappings
Jun 03, 2026A call from someone you love in crisis is terrifying enough - but what if the voice begging for help isn’t really them? We break down how AI voice cloning is fueling virtual kidnapping scams, why pani...
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This Crime Junkie episode explores the terrifying world of AI-powered voice cloning scams, focusing on Jennifer DiStefano's harrowing experience when she received a call from what sounded exactly like her daughter being kidnapped. The episode examines how scammers use readily available AI technology to clone voices from as little as three seconds of audio, the devastating psychological impact on victims, and practical steps listeners can take to protect themselves from these increasingly sophisticated crimes.
- The Fake Kidnapping Call
- The Technology Behind Voice Cloning Scams
SERIAL KILLER: David Meirhofer
Jun 01, 2026In the summer of 1973, the Jaeger family wakes at a Montana campground to every parent's nightmare: their young daughter, Susie, is gone. Searches turn up nothing, until a man begins tormenting the fa...
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This episode examines the chilling case of David Meyerhofer, a Montana serial killer who abducted 7-year-old Susie Yeager from her family's tent in 1973. The investigation became one of the first cases where FBI criminal profiling proved instrumental in catching a killer, despite the suspect passing multiple polygraph tests. Meyerhofer's reign of terror included at least four confirmed murders, taunting phone calls to victim's families, and a disturbing collection of trophies from his crimes.
- Susie Yeager's Abduction from Montana Campground
- Ransom Calls and FBI Investigation
INTRODUCING: CounterClock Season 8
May 28, 2026In February 2008, six women were held hostage in a women’s clothing store in Tinley Park, Illinois.. Rhoda McFarland, Carrie Hudek Chiuso, Connie Woolfolk, Sarah Szafranski, and Jennifer Bishop were e...
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This episode serves as a teaser for CounterClock Season 8, which investigates the unsolved 2008 Lane Bryant massacre in Tinley Park, Illinois. Host Ashley Flowers introduces the case of a gunman who held six women at gunpoint in a clothing store, killing five of them. Despite having a surviving witness, composite sketch, and the suspect's voice on a 911 call, the case remains unsolved nearly two decades later. The investigation reveals unexpected connections to churches, mental health facilities, street gangs, and other violent crimes, suggesting the case may be far more complex than initially thought.
- Introduction to the Lane Bryant Case
- The Investigation Deepens
MYSTERIOUS DEATH OF: The Jamison Family
May 25, 2026Bobby, Sherilynn, and 6-year-old Madyson Jamison went to the Sans Bois Mountains in southeastern Oklahoma in search of a fresh start. The family planned to live off the land in a remote, rugged area o...
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The Jameson family disappeared on October 8, 2009, while exploring remote land in Oklahoma's Panola Mountain. Their truck was found abandoned with their dog, $32,000 in cash, phones, and keys inside. Four years later, their skeletal remains were discovered 2.6 miles away in rugged terrain. Despite evidence pointing to foul play, their deaths remain classified as undetermined and the case is no longer actively investigated.
- The Abandoned Truck Discovery
- The Family's Troubled Background
MISSING: Christopher “Cole” Thomas
May 18, 2026On Black Friday 2016, 22-year-old Christopher “Cole” Thomas was driving through rural North Carolina with two coworkers. Hours later, the coworkers approached police and said Cole had suddenly panicke...
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This episode investigates the mysterious disappearance of Christopher Cole Thomas, a 22-year-old who vanished on Black Friday 2016 in Benson, North Carolina. What began as a story about a young man allegedly running off in paranoia quickly unraveled into a complex web of lies involving drug deals, multiple suspects, and constantly evolving stories. Despite surveillance footage, phone data, and testimonies proving the initial accounts were false, Cole's body has never been found and no one has been held accountable for what investigators believe was his murder.
- The Initial Missing Person Report
- The Family's Shocking Discovery About Drug Deals
MYSTERIOUS DEATH OF: Spencer Irwin
May 11, 2026Spencer Irwin was just 30 years old when he vanished one Sunday morning in July 2024. Days later, his body was found in a way that raised questions – naked, alone and quickly dismissed by authorities....
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Kelly Irwin's 30-year-old son Spencer was found dead, naked, and covered in dirt at a Fresno loading dock in August 2024. Police immediately dismissed it as a homeless overdose, but toxicology proved otherwise. With no autopsy performed and critical evidence lost, Kelly has been forced to investigate her son's death herself, uncovering suspicious circumstances, potential witnesses, and investigative failures that suggest something far more sinister than the 'natural causes' ruling authorities settled on.
- The Devastating Discovery and Immediate Dismissal
- Spencer's Last Known Movements and Disappearance
MURDERED: Brittany McGlone
May 04, 2026On May 4, 2007, 19-year-old Brittany McGlone did something she rarely did. Instead of going home after work, she went to her boyfriend’s house. By that afternoon, she was found dead in his bed, brutal...
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In this Crime Junkie episode, hosts Ashley Flowers and Britt investigate the 2007 murder of 19-year-old Brittany McGlone in Winsboro, Texas. Brittany was found brutally beaten to death in her boyfriend's bed after working an overnight shift. The case focuses on Chad Carr, the boyfriend's sister's partner, who became the prime suspect due to circumstantial evidence, a pattern of violent behavior, and a failed polygraph. Despite an arrest in 2022, a grand jury issued a no bill, and the case remains unsolved with DNA evidence still being analyzed.
- The Discovery and Initial Investigation
- Boyfriend Jeff's Alibi and Family Dynamics
UPDATE: Melissa Casias
Apr 29, 2026The Melissa Casias case keeps unraveling, and the more we learn, the less anything makes sense. New details have emerged about the strange woman who showed up at Sierra's job to deliver $50 in graduat...
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This Crime Junkie podcast episode provides critical updates on the mysterious disappearance of scientist Melissa Casillas, revealing increasingly strange connections and complications in the investigation. The episode covers mounting public pressure and media attention linking Melissa to other deceased scientists, aggressive tactics by a private investigator hired by the Mondragon family, new details about witness Rick Valerio, and most disturbingly, a bizarre encounter involving a woman named Wendy who visited Melissa's daughter Sierra after the disappearance but now denies knowing the family. The episode uncovers potential connections to defense contractors and government facilities that raise troubling questions about what really happened to Melissa.
- Growing Media Attention and FBI Involvement
- Private Investigator's Aggressive Tactics
MISSING: Melissa Casias
Apr 27, 2026In June 2025, Melissa Casias dropped her husband off at work in Los Alamos, New Mexico… then did something nobody expected. She turned around and drove home. By that afternoon, she had vanished, leavi...
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This Crime Junkie episode investigates the June 2025 disappearance of Melissa Casillas from Taos, New Mexico. The case divides her family into two opposing camps: her husband Mark and daughter Sierra believe she walked away voluntarily due to financial and marital stress, while Melissa's parents and extended family (the Mondragons) suspect foul play. Surveillance footage shows Melissa walking alone on Highway 518 after wiping her phones clean, but her motivation and ultimate fate remain unknown. The investigation reveals questionable police work, conflicting testimonies, mysterious tips, and potential connections to missing scientists from Los Alamos National Laboratory.
- The Discovery and Initial Response
- The Family Divide and Lloyd's Tip
MURDERED: Melanie Howell
Apr 23, 2026In 1976, a 22-year-old nursing student was murdered in her Los Angeles apartment, leaving behind just one clue: a bloody fingerprint. Decades later, that print was matched—and the case was quietly mar...
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Crime Junkie hosts Ashley Flowers and Britt investigate the 1976 murder of Melanie Howell, a case that was mysteriously marked 'solved' but the killer's name was never shared publicly. Through investigative journalism, they uncover that Paul Bustamante killed both Melanie and another woman, Elizabeth Wolf, using fingerprint evidence that wasn't matched until decades later. The episode reveals how bureaucratic secrecy and technological limitations allowed a killer to go unidentified even after being caught.
- The Mystery of a 'Solved' Unsolved Case
- Melanie Howell's Final Days and Brutal Murder