Devonte Hart was twelve when a photo of him hugging a police officer went viral.

A Black child and a white police officer.

A moment of connection in a time of tension.

But behind that image was a very different reality.

A family that appeared devoted, vocal about justice, and committed to raising six children they had adopted from the foster care system.

Inside the home, there were warning signs. Reports. Concerns raised by teachers, doctors, and neighbours. Moments that didn’t quite add up, but were explained away, again and again.

This episode explores the Hart family case, what was seen, what was missed, and how it ended in 2018.

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Mee Kuen "Deborah" Chong had spent decades building a quiet life in London. She was independent, deeply faithful, and known for her generosity.

So when she formed a close friendship with someone from her church, there was no reason to question it.

At first, it looked like support. Then guidance. Then something more.

Behind closed doors, conversations about faith slowly became conversations about money. Plans were made. Trust deepened. And then, without warning, it shifted.

When Deborah disappeared from her home in Wembley, the explanation didn’t quite hold. There were no sightings. No contact. No evidence she had gone anywhere at all.

But there was CCTV.

A suitcase.

And a trail that led far away from London.

A case about trust, manipulation… and the moment it’s used against you.

★ To see todays case photos head over to the Cup of Coffee and Crime Facebook Discussion Group

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Sarah Ludemann was eighteen. Close with her family, focused on her future, and not someone who chased drama, until she met someone who brought it with him.

The relationship was complicated. Then messy. Then deadly.

Behind the scenes, there was someone else. Another girl who thought she was the only one.

At first, it looked like typical teenage drama. Arguments. Jealousy. Messages sent in anger. Threats that, at the time, didn’t seem real. Until one night, outside a house in Florida, everything came to a head.

★ To see todays case photos head over to the Cup of Coffee and Crime Facebook Discussion Group

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Hatton Garden, London’s jewellery district, is a place where, behind unmarked doors and beneath the street, millions of pounds’ worth of diamonds, gold, and cash sit locked away in safety deposit boxes. So when one of the area’s most secure vaults was breached over the Easter holiday weekend in 2015… it didn’t make sense. There were no alarms that stopped them. No immediate suspects. And no sign of forced entry above ground.

As investigators began to piece the case together, they soon realised this wasn’t a fast, opportunistic robbery. It was planned. Carefully. Over years. And the people behind it weren’t who anyone expected.

This episode explores the Hatton Garden heist, how it was carried out, where it went wrong, and the small decisions that ultimately led police straight to those responsible.

A case about planning, confidence… and the moment it all started to unravel.

★ To see todays case photos head over to the Cup of Coffee and Crime Facebook Discussion Group

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Helen Bailey, a successful children’s author, had rebuilt her life after the loss of her husband. She’d even found love again.

But then she abruptly disappeared from her home in Hertfordshire, England. Along with her dog, Boris.

According to her partner, she’d gone away for a few days. Needed space. Time to herself.

But the more time passed, the less that story made sense.

Helen hadn’t told anyone she was leaving. Only a note explaining her absence.

There were no confirmed sightings.

Full 999 call: https://youtu.be/ZsS8X4Zspr4?si=rHOZs0bEFrgGzjgJ

And the last trace of her led straight back to the place she vanished from.

As the investigation unfolded, the story being told began to shift.

Because Helen… and Boris… hadn’t gone anywhere at all.

★ To see todays case photos head over to the Cup of Coffee and Crime Facebook Discussion Group

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When twelve-year-old Ashley Pond disappeared on her way to school in Oregon City, it was first believed she might have run away.

But when her friend Miranda Gaddis vanished just weeks later under nearly identical circumstances, that explanation no longer held.

Both girls lived in the same apartment complex. Both were last seen heading to the bus stop. And neither ever made it there.

What began as confusion quickly turned into fear, as investigators realised this wasn’t coincidence.

Someone was watching.

Someone was waiting.

And whoever was responsible… already knew them.

★ To see todays case photos head over to the Cup of Coffee and Crime Facebook Discussion Group

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Nicola Fellows and Karen Hadaway were nine years old and best friends, living just three doors apart.

One afternoon, they went out to play...but they never came home.

When they were found the next day, police quickly focused on a man who had been seen nearby. He was arrested, charged, and brought to trial.

But… he was found not guilty.

Three years later, he would attack another child.

It would take more than three decades, advances in forensic science, and a change in the law before the truth could finally be proven in court.

★ To see todays case photos head over to the Cup of Coffee and Crime Facebook Discussion Group

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Megan Barroso was 20 years old, living in a quiet California community, and spending the Fourth of July with friends at the beach.

Hours later, she set off on the short drive home.

She never made it.

Her car was found abandoned beneath a highway overpass, engine still running, her belongings left behind. Inside, there were signs of violence that immediately told investigators something was very wrong, but no sign of Megan.

What followed would uncover a predator who had been hiding in plain sight for years… and a case built on one tiny piece of evidence that would catch a killer.

★ To see todays case photos head over to the Cup of Coffee and Crime Facebook Discussion Group

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Sixteen-year-old Claire Tiltman left home one evening in Greenhithe to visit a friend just minutes away.

It was a short walk along streets she had known her whole life.

Except,she never arrived.

What followed was a huge investigation, witnesses who reported hearing screams, and a case that would haunt the community for more than two decades… until detectives uncovered the disturbing truth about a man who had been terrorising the local area for years.

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Twenty-three-year-old Marine Todd Sommer was young, healthy, and just living life with his wife and their children in San Diego, California. So when he suddenly became violently ill and died in the early hours of the morning, the explanation seemed tragic but simple. A sudden cardiac event. A devastating loss for a young family. But months later, new testing would raise a chilling possibility: Poisoning. As investigators began looking closer at Todd’s final days, attention quickly turned to his wife, Cynthia. What followed was an investigation built on toxicology results, circumstantial evidence, and a controversial picture of grief, money, and motive. In this episode, I explore a case that went from certainty to doubt and back again… leaving one haunting question behind. What really happened to Todd Sommer?

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