Domino Effect of Murder

Doug Fifer is a 25-year veteran of the Anchorage P.D.  He's seen his share of homicides, suicides, financial scams, and sexual deviants.  In this episode, we learn about the unique challenges of working in law enforcement within a large, sparsely populated, rugged environment such as Alaska.  Few jurisdictions have to deal with 1600-pound grizzlies, towns inaccessible by road, near-perpetual darkness in winter, snowfall measured in feet, and a pandemic of alcoholism.  Doug Fifer will take us along with him to discuss hostage negotiations, homicide investigations, death notifications and more.  He has recently authored "Fifty Shades of True Crime."

Anniversary reactions are unavoidable.  They are represent the way our brain keeps us safe.

Listen as Billi-J Heavyshields unravels the "missing-but-found-murdered" story of her brother's unprovoked homicide on the Blackfoot Kainai Blood Tribe Reserve of Southern Alberta, Canada.  Billie-J speaks not only about her grief for her brother, Lane Tailfeathers, but also how it hastened her spiritual development.  As a White Bear Woman and intuitive healer, she weaves a story of spiritual transformation, sweat lodge ceremonies, law enforcement involvement, the unexpected role of an Elder, and the impact of her brother's absence on herself and her community.

Seldom do we hear about the financial repercussions of murder on surviving family members.  Instead, the focus has always been on societal expenses. This episode focuses on the usual expenses homicide survivors face.  Knowledge is power.

As a homicide survivor, the legal process is frightening, confusing, and foreign for the majority of us.  And that goes double for testifying in a murder trial. The D.A. may prep us for our questioning.  But that's more for content.  How do we manage our anxiety and keep our peace?  How do we tell our truth and have it understood without being overwhelmed emotionally or physically before, during, or after the trial? The stakes are high. The facts are complicated.  

Our next guest is a seasoned persuasion strategist.  She describes her work as bridging law and real life.  She helps us visualize our audience, clarify our message, and present complicated facts logically and genuinely.

In addition to her work, she also hosts a podcast called Trauma Trial Transformation where she presents true stories from the witness chair.  

Please join us, won't you?

For more information see my webpage at www. jancantyphd.com  

Natalie Bedard (affectionately known as Nat Nat) is an experienced, gracious, and empathetic homicide survivor, advocate, and podcast host for Lift Oneself https://www.liftoneself.com/

Nat Nat was a second mother to her friend's son.  Everyone who knew Sheldon was going somewhere in life.  He excelled at sports, friendship, academics, and compassion.  Even in high school, he stood out head and shoulders.  He was known as "the peacemaker."  But even with all that going for him, he was the target of homicide.  No one saw it coming. (He should be turning 30 this year.)

Listen in as Nat Nat describes her own grief journey interwoven with how she came to pivot it to help others.  Like me, Natalie finds solace in nature, photography, meditation, and the healing power of the ocean.

Please tune in and get comfortable as you hear Nat Nat describe healing from tragedy.

Wrongful convictions for the murder of a loved one are rare but not unheard of (think Michael Morton, Kathleen Folbigg, Jeff Deskovick, Kristina Kurlis, Patricia Stallings, Debra Milke, Sally Clark, Nichole Harris, Hanna Overton and others). They come from all walks of life.  Men and women who faced injustice on top of grief. Can this nightmare be avoided? Listen in and know what to do. 

This episode is dedicated to Melissa Lucio in Texas who is on death row awaiting execution for the wrongful conviction of her toddler

Homicide survivors are usually forced to make irreversible funeral and burial arrangements in haste without much sleep, information, or money set aside for this expense.   This episode will address important "inside" information on funerals, burials, and cremation from a death care professional, Heather Leigh - General Manager of Greenhaven Memorial Gardens in Columbia, South Carolina.  But she brings even more expertise from her background as an academic where she taught a course on death and dying for the Child and Family Studies program at Columbia College, Columbia, South Carolina.  This helps us plan ahead. Information is power.

Most crime victims know they have the right to give a victim impact statement (VIS) before sentencing and at parole board hearings. But most people do not realize that judges seldom use our input.  That's because we don't stick to our task: giving a rationale for our sentence recommendation.

It's a relatively recent privilege to have our say in court.  It took federal legislation to make it a reality (the Victim and Witness Protection Act of 1982).  Not everyone is on board.  The ACLU has consistently opposed this right.  They believe it undermines due process.

This episode provides a quick overview of the dos and don't behind giving a victim impact statement.

The extended family of Barbara With endured two independent homicides just a few years apart.  Both killers were known to their targets.  Both victims were single parents of young children. Both of their attackers were convicted.

In this discussion, we discuss the impact of these murders on our guest Barbara With and her family.  But, we  also learn more about her background as an intuitive, creative performer and writer.