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This week, we’re talking about cases profiled by America’s Most Wanted.

Kristin starts us off with the story of David James Roberts -- the first fugitive featured in the pilot episode of America’s Most Wanted. Coincidentally, he was also the first fugitive ever captured thanks to America’s Most Wanted. 

David James Roberts was a terrible dude. He murdered a husband and wife, set their house on fire, and left their infant to die in the home. When he was out on bond, he raped a woman twice, locked her in the trunk of her car, then set her infant son out to die in an Indiana winter. Juries were horrified by what they heard. He was ordered to spend the rest of his life in prison. But a few years later, he escaped.

Then Brandi tells us about the murder of Ashley Peoples. Ashley was just 22. She was hard working and responsible. So when she suddenly stopped returning her mother’s phone calls and didn’t show up for work, her friends and family knew something was up. Suspicion quickly turned to a man named Darryl Crenshaw. News outlets refer to him as Ashley’s boyfriend or ex-boyfriend, but her family says either term is too strong. He was just a guy she’d seen a few times, and didn’t want to see again.  

And now for a note about our process. For each episode, Kristin reads a bunch of articles, then spits them back out in her very limited vocabulary. Brandi copies and pastes from the best sources on the web. And sometimes Wikipedia. (No shade, Wikipedia. We love you.) We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the real experts who covered these cases.

“Top 10 America’s Most Wanted Captures,” by Claire Suddath for Time Magazine

“Episode 1: Show About Fugitives Leads to Arrest,” by Christopher Drew, Chicago Tribune

“David James Roberts,” Murderpedia

“Gasoline can presented as murder link,” The Daily Journal

“Formidable armchair posse ropes in ‘America’s Most Wanted,” by Peter Genovese for The Central New Jersey Home News

“Angola jury convicts Roberts of murder,” The Daily Journal

“Testifies in murder-rape case: Woman identifies suspect,” The Daily Journal

“Jury finds Roberts guilty,” The Daily Journal

“'He didn't have to kill her' Parents of Ashley Peoples talk about their ordeal and justice in the aftermath of her murder” by Laura F. Alix, Journal Inquirer

“America's Most Wanted Leads To Fugitive's Capture In Mexico” by David Owens, Hartford Courant

“Trial Underway In 2008 Slaying Of Ashley Peoples” by Christine Dempsey, Hartford Courant

“MURDER, NOT MANSLAUGHTER: Jury convicts Crenshaw of more serious charge based on evidence of intent in killing of Ashley Peoples” by Alex Wood, Journal Inquirer

“78 Years for Convicted Murderer” by Bob Connors, NBC Connecticut

“Man Resentenced In Kidnapping, Murder Of Girlfriend” by Kelly Glista, Hartford Courant

“Prisoner Doing 78 Years For Murder Charged With Having Child Porn In Prison” by David Owens, Hartford Courant 

“State v. Crenshaw” casetext.com