A Study in Crime

Air Force officer Philip Shue left home on April 16th, 2003, and vanished. The next 2 ½ hours of his life are unaccounted for. Until 8:14 AM, when witnesses saw him veer off the highway and strike a tree. He was killed on impact. Paramedics found duct tape on his wrists and ankles. The tip of his pinky was missing. He had a large chest wound, and his nipples had been cut off. Wounds not caused by the accident. Had someone tried to kill Philip Shue? In this episode, 13. The Mysterious Death of Philip Shue, I speak with retired FBI profiler Julia Cowley.

Julia Cowley is a retired FBI agent and profiler. She spent 22 years in the FBI investigating violent crime, including serial killing and sex offenses, white-collar crime, public corruption, and civil rights. Julia was also a long-time member and team leader of the FBI’s Evidence Response Team. Prior to joining the FBI, Julia was a Special Agent/Forensic Scientist with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. She currently hosts The Consult: Real FBI Profilers, a true crime podcast that analyzes crimes from a behavioral perspective.

NOTES:  This episode includes a discussion of suicide. If you are considering suicide or in a crisis, you can call the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988 on your cell phone or 1-800-273-8255 from a landline. Help is available, and you can speak with someone 24/7.

Show transcripts are available in the Apple Podcasts app. You can find Julia Cowley here: https://www.truecrimeconsult.com and @TheConsultPod on X (the artist formerly known as Twitter), Facebook, and Instagram. 

Sources for this episode include the following documents and articles:

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FOLLOW: @StudyinCrimePod on Facebook  | X | Instagram | YouTube | and Scott Fulmer on LinkedIn

SUPPORT:  Support the show by giving us a 5-star rating and review on Apple and Spotify.

DONATE:  Buy my book Confessions of a Private Eye on Amazon or Buy me a Dr Pepper at https://buymeacoffee.com/studyincrimepod.

A Study in Crime™ is written and produced by Scott Fulmer, author of the true-crime memoir Confessions of a Private Eye. Scott is a veteran private investigator and has conducted investigations throughout the U.S., everything from fraud and cheating spouses to kidnapping and missing persons. He lives in the Texas hill country near San Antonio. 

In the fall of 2001, a young man admired a 400-year-old bugle on display at the Richard Wagner Museum in Switzerland, grabbed it, and placed it under his coat while no one looked.  Then Stéphane Breitwieser walked out of the museum.  From 1994 through 2001, he stole 239 pieces of art worth over $2 Billion.  Stéphan was not just any thief.  He was the greatest art thief of all time.  In this episode, 12.  The Greatest Art Thief of All Time, I speak with author Micheal Finkel.

Michael Finkel is a journalist and the best-selling author of The Art Thief, The Stranger in the Woods, and True Story.  The latter was nominated for an Edgar Award in 2006 and made into a major motion picture in 2015, starring Jonah Hill and James Franco.  Finkel has reported from over 50 countries across six continents and has written for National Geographic, GQ, The Atlantic, and The New York Times Magazine.  He lives with his family in northern Utah.

NOTES:  Show transcripts are available in the Apple Podcasts app. Take a listener survey and help shape future episodes!

You can find Michael Finkel here: www.MichaelFinkel.com, Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FinkelMichael, Instagram: mike_finkel, and X (the artist formerly known as Twitter): @MikeFinkel.

Michael is the author of 4 books, including:

The Art Thief: A True Story of Love, Crime, and a Dangerous Obsession

The Stranger in the Woods: The Extraordinary Story of the Last True Hermit.

True Story: Murder, Memoir, Mea Culpa

Alpine Circus: A Skier’s Exotic Adventures at the Snowy Edge of the World

Michael’s journalism articles: https://www.MichaelFinkel.com/journalism/.

LISTEN:  Apple | Spotify | https://astudyincrime.com |

FOLLOW: @StudyinCrimePod on Facebook  | X | Instagram | YouTube | and Scott Fulmer on LinkedIn

SUPPORT:  Support the show by giving us a 5-star rating and review on Apple and Spotify.

DONATE:  Buy my book Confessions of a Private Eye on Amazon or Buy me a Dr Pepper at https://buymeacoffee.com/studyincrimepod.

A Study in Crime™ is written and produced by Scott Fulmer, author of the true-crime memoir Confessions of a Private Eye.  Scott is a veteran private investigator and has conducted investigations throughout the U.S., e

Julia was in love with Kerry. However, she had never met him in person. He was out of the country working and told Julia his bank account was locked. Could she send him $100 to tide him over? And an Apple Gift card. And money through CashApp. And…you get the picture. When it was all over, Julia had sent Kerry $130,000. In this episode, 11. The Cautionary Tale of Kerry the Catfish, I speak with former FBI Special Agent Jane Mason.

Jane Mason is a New Jersey private investigator and a retired FBI Special Agent. In her 28 years investigating financial crimes, she has uncovered millions in stolen funds and exposed countless scams. Things became personal when her loved one fell victim to a scam. She says that online scammers, whether grandparent cons, IRS impersonations, or utility scams, can be incredibly manipulative. Everyone is susceptible. Jane works with victims of catfishing and helps people identify and avoid romance scams. She aims to equip people with the knowledge they need to protect themselves and their loved ones.

Find her here: janexfbi.com and on most social media at @janexfbi.

This episode includes a promotion.  For a limited time, Jane is offering three (3) of her products for free:

You will need the promo code to claim these free products. The promo code will be provided during the podcast episode.  Play the episode, listen for the promo code, and then claim your free product at janexfbi.com. You may only choose a single product for free. You cannot combine products. The promotion ends when all free products are claimed.  Jane graciously offers these products and has the final say on all matters

Take a listener survey and help shape future episodes!

NOTES:  This episode contains subject matter that may be inappropriate for some audiences. Listener discretion is advised.

FIND:  https://astudyincrime.com

LISTEN:  Apple | Spotify | astudyincrime.com

FOLLOW: @StudyinCrimePod on Facebook  | X | Instagram | YouTube | LinkedIn

SUPPORT:  Support the show by giving us a 5-star rating and review on Apple and Spotify.

DONATE:  Buy my book, Confessions of a Private Eye, and Buy me a Dr Pepper.

A Study in Crime™ is written and produced by Scott Fulmer, author of the true-crime memoir, Confessions of a Private Eye. Scott is a veteran private investigator and has conducted investigations throughout the U.S.; everything from fraud and cheating spouses to kidnapping, and missing persons. He lives in the Texas hill country near San Antonio. 

© 2024 A Study in Crime™. All Rights Reserved. Any reproduction, recording, transcription, or other use of this podcast without written consent is prohibited.

Frank was the muscle for a loan shark named Pete. Andy owed Pete $250k. One day Frank encouraged Andy to repay the loan by firing a handgun at him. The bullet whizzed past Andy’s ear narrowly missing him. And with that, Andy agreed to wear a wire for the FBI. In this episode, 10. The Case of the Pugilistic Loan Shark, I speak with retired FBI Special Agent Jerri Williams.

Jerri Williams is a retired FBI special agent who spent 26 years specializing in economic fraud and corruption investigations. She’s now on a mission to show the public who the FBI is and what the FBI does. The FBI Agents Association recognized Jerri as their Distinguished Service Honoree for sharing FBI stories through her books, blog, and true crime podcast – FBI Retired Case File Review and debunking misconceptions about the FBI found in books, TV, and movies. She consults for major TV studios in developing realistic FBI characters and storylines. 

NOTES:  This episode contains subject matter that may be inappropriate for some audiences. Listener discretion is advised.

Take a listener survey and help shape future episodes!

Jerri is the host of FBI Retired Case File Review. You can find it here and on all podcast formats. She is also the author of several fiction and non-fiction books, including:

LinkedIn   https://www.linkedin.com/in/jerriwilliamsauthor/

FIND:  https://astudyincrime.com

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FOLLOW: @StudyinCrimePod on Facebook  | X | Instagram | YouTube | LinkedIn

SUPPORT:  Support the show by giving us a 5-star rating and review on Apple and Spotify.

DONATE:  Buy my book,

Alvin called 911 from a payphone and said, “I think my wife passed out.” But she was already dead. Many folks didn’t know Alvin had a wife.  The ones that did, said he was keeping her hostage.  She hadn’t been seen in almost 30 years. Then Alvin was arrested for her murder. In this episode, The Secret Wife of Zenith Man, A Study in Crime speaks with attorney McCracken Poston, Jr.

McCracken Poston, Jr., is an author and criminal defense attorney and served in the Georgia House of Representatives from 1989 until 1997. McCracken graduated from The University of Georgia with a J.D. degree. He has handled several high-profile cases featured on CNN Presents, Dateline NBC, A&E’s American Justice, and Forensic Files. He lives in Ringgold, Georgia.

Find him here: McCrackenPostonJr.com,

NOTES:  This episode contains subject matter that may be inappropriate for some audiences. Listener discretion is advised.

Take a listener survey and help shape future episodes!

Sources for this episode include:

FIND:  https://astudyincrime.com

LISTEN:  Apple | Spotify | astudyincrime.com

FOLLOW: @StudyinCrimePod on Facebook  | X | Instagram | YouTube | LinkedIn

SUPPORT:  Support the show by giving us a 5-star rating and review on Apple and Spotify.

DONATE:  Buy my book, Confessions of a Private Eye, and Buy me a Dr Pepper.

A Study in Crime™ is written and produced by Scott Fulmer, author of the true-crime memoir, Confessions of a Private Eye. Scott is a veteran private investigator and has conducted investigations throughout the U.S.; everything from fraud and cheating spouses to kidnapping, and missing persons. He lives in the Texas hill country near San Antonio. 

© 2024 A Study in Crime™. All Rights Reserved. Any reproduction, recording, transcription, or other use of this podcast without written consent is prohibited.

Forensic criminologist Oscar Heinrich opened the first private crime lab in 1910 and solved 2,000 cases in his 40-year career.  We look at three of them: The Case of the Calculating Chemist; The Case of the Great Train Heist;  and The Case of Allene Lamson’s Bath. Heinrich pioneered new forensic techniques earning him the sobriquet, Oscar Heinrich the American Sherlock. A Study in Crime speaks with journalist Kate Winkler Dawson.

Kate Winkler Dawson is a seasoned documentary producer, podcaster, and true-crime historian whose work has appeared in The New York Times, WCBS News and ABC News Radio, PBS NewsHour, and Nightline. She is the creator of two hit podcasts: Tenfold More Wicked and Wicked Words, and the cohost of the Buried Bones podcast on the Exactly Right network. She is the author of American Sherlock, Death in the Air, All That Is Wicked, and a new book, The Sinners All Bow, due on January 4, 2025). Kate is a professor of journalism at The University of Texas at Austin.

Find her here: KateWinklerDawson.com, Instagram, Facebook, X, TenFoldMoreWicked, (Find all links at astudyincrime.com).

NOTES:  This episode contains subject matter that may be inappropriate for some audiences. Listener discretion is advised.

Take a listener survey and help shape future episodes!

Sources for this episode include:

FIND:  https://astudyincrime.com

LISTEN:  Apple | Spotify | astudyincrime.com

FOLLOW: @StudyinCrimePod on Facebook  | X | Instagram | YouTube | LinkedIn

SUPPORT:  Support the show by giving us a 5-star rating and review on Apple and Spotify.

DONATE:  Buy my book, Confessions of a Private Eye, and Buy me a Dr Pepper.

A Study in Crime™ is written and produced by private investigator Scott Fulmer, author of the true-crime memoir, Confessions of a Private Eye, and a decorated Gulf War veteran. A nationally known private eye, he has conducted investigations throughout the U.S.; everything from fraud, theft, and cheating spouses, to murder, kidnapping, and missing persons. Scott lives in the Texas hill country near San Antonio. 

© 2024 A Study in Crime™. All Rights Reserved. Any reproduction, recording, transcription, or other use of this podcast without written consent is prohibited.

Pat Benatar wrote her 1980 song, Hell is for Children, to bring awareness to child abuse. A topic private investigator James Hastings knows all too well. This tough Army veteran of Iraq spent eight rough years on the front lines investigating child abuse and neglect for Texas Child Protective Services. Until the heavy emotional burden of the job burned him out. In this episode, Children Should be Seen and Not Hurt, A Study in Crime speaks with private investigator James Hastings.

James Hastings is a licensed private investigator and owns Argo PI, an investigation company in Waco, Texas. He’s an Army veteran and served two tours in Iraq. After leaving the service he became a peace officer. While a police officer, he received emergency custody of his two children.  This sparked his interest in child protective services and he became an investigator with Texas Child Protective Services.

Find him here: ArgoPI.com.

NOTES:  This episode contains subject matter that may be inappropriate for some audiences. Listener discretion is advised. Be advised that child abuse and neglect are discussed.

FIND:  https://astudyincrime.com

LISTEN:  Apple | Spotify | astudyincrime.com

FOLLOW: @StudyinCrimePod on Facebook  | X | Instagram | YouTube | LinkedIn

SUPPORT:  Support the show by giving us a 5-star rating and review on Apple and Spotify.

DONATE:  Buy my book, Confessions of a Private Eye, and Buy me a Dr Pepper.

A Study in Crime™ was written and produced by private investigator Scott Fulmer. He is the author of the true-crime memoir, Confessions of a Private Eye, and a decorated Gulf War veteran. A nationally known private eye, he has conducted investigations throughout the U.S.; everything from fraud, theft, and cheating spouses, to murder, kidnapping, and missing persons. Scott lives in the Texas hill country near San Antonio. 

© 2024 A Study in Crime™. All Rights Reserved. Any reproduction, recording, transcription, or other use of this podcast without written consent is prohibited.

Pink-collar criminals are mid-level employees that embezzle from the workplace. People like Sandy Jenkins, the mild-mannered comptroller at the world-famous Collin Street Bakery. And Rita Crundwell, the former comptroller for the City of Dixon, Illinois. Sandy liked the finer things in life. Rita bred American quarter horses. They both embezzled millions from their employers. In this episode, Pink Collar Crime, A Study in Crime speaks with fraud consultant Kelly Paxton.

Kelly Paxton is the pink-collar crime lady. She’s a Certified Fraud Examiner, private investigator, author, and host of the popular podcast, Fraudish. She began her career as a Special Agent for US Customs, working on white-collar fraud, money laundering, and narcotics. She also conducted national security background investigations for the US Office of Personnel Management and Homeland Security. Kelly is the author of Embezzlement: How to Detect, Prevent and Investigate Pink-Collar Crime.

Find her here: PinkCollarCrime.com, KellyPaxton.com, LinkedIn, and her podcast Fraudish.

NOTES:  This episode contains subject matter that may be inappropriate for some audiences. Listener discretion is advised.

Sources for this episode:

FIND:  https://astudyincrime.com

LISTEN:  Apple | Spotify | astudyincrime.com

FOLLOW: @StudyinCrimePod on Facebook  | X | Instagram | YouTube | LinkedIn

SUPPORT:  Support the show by giving us a 5-star rating and review on Apple and Spotify.

DONATE:  Buy my book, Confessions of a Private Eye, and Buy me a Dr Pepper.

A Study in Crime™ is written and produced by private investigator Scott Fulmer. He is the author of the true-crime memoir, Confessions of a Private Eye, and a decorated Gulf War veteran. A nationally known private eye, he has conducted investigations throughout the U.S.; everything from fraud, theft, and cheating spouses, to murder, kidnapping, and missing persons. Scott lives in the Texas hill country near San Antonio. 

© 2024 A Study in Crime™. All Rights Reserved. Any reproduction, recording, transcription, or other use of this podcast, without written consent, is prohibited.

The media called her, “The Polish Girl.” But to friends and family in Chicago, she was Maggie. A man spotted her green Nissan Altima on his way to work. Maggie’s body was lying in the back seat. It would take homicide detective Mike Hammond, four years to identify a suspect. Carefully, and methodically, he worked the case, until he, and Maggie’s killer, were sitting in the same room looking at each other. A Study in Crime speaks with retired Chicago homicide detective Mike Hammond.

Mike Hammond is a retired Chicago homicide detective.  He served with the Chicago Police Department for 22 years and was promoted to detective in 2000. He conducted homicide investigations in several units, including the Area Four Homicide Unit, the Cold Case Homicide Unit, and the Area North Homicide Unit.  Mike is a recipient of the Chicago Police Department Superintendent Award of Valor. He retired in 2016 and now hosts Detective Story with Mike Hammond. The podcast focuses on victims and their families and discusses cases and investigations.

Find him here: Facebook, X, Instagram, Website, and his podcast, Detective Story with Mike Hammond. You can reach out to Mike here.

NOTES:  This episode contains subject matter that may be inappropriate for some audiences. Listener discretion is advised.

Sources for this episode include:

FIND:  https://astudyincrime.com

LISTEN:  Apple | Spotify | astudyincrime.com

FOLLOW: @StudyinCrimePod on Facebook  | X | Instagram | YouTube | LinkedIn

SUPPORT:  Support the show by giving us a 5-star rating and review on Apple and Spotify.

DONATE:  Buy my book, Confessions of a Private Eye, and Buy me a Dr Pepper.

A Study in Crime™ was written and produced by private investigator Scott Fulmer. He is the author of the true-crime memoir, Confessions of a Private Eye, and a decorated Gulf War veteran. A nationally known private eye, he has conducted investigations throughout the U.S.; everything from fraud, theft, and cheating spouses, to murder, kidnapping, and missing persons. Scott lives in the Texas hill country near San Antonio. 

© 2024 A Study in Crime™. All Rights Reserved. Any reproduction, recording, transcription, or other use of this podcast, without written consent, is prohibited.

Serial killer Tommy Lynn Sells left a path of destruction across the U.S. from 1979 through 1999. It is believed he murdered 22 people, including several children (although he puts the figure at 70). A steady pursuit of self-gratification and self-preservation characterized him. Sells’ teetered precariously between periods of working, staying sober, and having a relationship with a woman, to (when things boiled over in his life), abusing alcohol and cocaine, getting fired or quitting his job, committing petty crimes, and killing people. This cycle repeated itself year after year. A Study in Crime speaks with crime writer and author Diane Fanning.

Diane Fanning is the Edgar Award-nominated, best-selling author of 15 true crime books and 11 mysteries. And recipient of the Innocence Project’s, Defender of Innocence Award. She has appeared on the Today Show, 20/20, Forensic Files, Snapped, The Biography Channel, Investigation Discovery, E!, and the BBC, and served as a consultant on 48 Hours and 14 seasons of Deadly Women. HBO Max and Lifetime, each optioned one of her books for a limited series and a movie. A former resident of South Texas, Diane now lives in the shadow of the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains in Bedford, Virginia. 

Find her here: Website, Facebook, (Main) Facebook (True Crime), Facebook (Lucinda Pierce), Facebook (Scandal in the Secret City), X, and Instagram.

NOTES: This episode contains subject matter that may be inappropriate for some audiences. Listener discretion is advised.

Diane Fanning’s books include one anthology: Red Boots & Attitude (2002), and 11 fiction titles: 

And 15 non-fiction titles: