In a tragic case of double filicide & suicide 34 year old Brock Mater shot his 7 year old son Alec & 6 year old daughter Lydia to death inside his home on May 29th 2024 in Surprise, Phoenix, Arizona before killing himself.

He was going through a divorce from his wife Hope & was undergoing mental health treatment. Despite concerning signs that he could present a real danger to himself & others the courts still awarded him 50/50 custody of Alec & Lydia .

Hope Hooton talks to us today about the ongoing campaign for filicide awareness she started after the devastating loss of her children.She has created the 'Alec & Lydia Act' which incredibly is soon to be introduced into Arizona.

Hope is a fierce advocate for reform & child safety & works tirelessly to raise awareness on these issues. Giving those who lost their lives in such horrific circumstances a voice when they no longer have one.

She tells us about her campaign for victims of filicide & how she believes the system failed not just her, Alec, & Lydia but also failed Brock too.

This is episode 144:

Hope Hooton's Fight Against Filicide: The Tragic Case Of Alec & Lydia Mater

You can find/follow Hope on...

Instagram: Hope_In_The_Pain

Tik tok: Hope.in.the.pain

Facebook: Hope In The Pain

YouTube: @hopeinthepain

'Voices Against Filicide' podcast on Spotify

Website: voicesagainstfilicide.odoo.com

Sources: voicedagainstfilicide.odoo.com/ daily mail/ therowanproject.org/

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News of the double murder of two teenage cousins sent ripples of shock through the community of Little Falls, Minnesota .

It was Thanksgiving day 2012, but what would usually be a day of celebrating with loved ones & making memories instead became a real life nightmare for the family of 18 year old Haile Kifer & 17 year old Nicholas Brady.

Their killer 64 year old Byron David Smith claimed he had shot them in fear of them breaking in to his house again.

But soon more information came to light about what really happened that night, exposing the extraordinary lengths Smith had gone to to prepare for the break in & murders.

This case instantly became polarising, splitting the opinions of people across America & still continues to do so, despite Smith being sentenced to life in prison where he remains to this day . 

So was it self defence, committed by a terrified man who felt his burglarised home was no longer his safe sanctuary? Or was it infact meticulously planned , cold blooded murder ???

This is episode 143

The Murders Of Haile Kifer & Nicholas Brady 

Crime talk Time Stamp: 8:50 minutes in

Sources: Tomo US YouTube/ Wikipedia/  abcnews.go.com/ mprnews.org/ Murderpedia / theguardian.com / CBS News/ Skynews.com/ allthatsinteresting.com

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The second body of a young woman, 27 year old Ciara Glennon is tragically discovered in Claremont, Perth, Western Australia in 1997. 

Now with two confirmed murder victims & a third girl missing but feared to have met the same fate, residents of Australia are terrified to learn the police are now hunting a serial killer . 

But it won't be for another 20 years before the net finally closes in around the violent predator that had been snatching women as they made their way home.

In December 2016 Bradley Robert Edward's a man who seemed very normal on the surface was finally arrested. 

Bringing the campaign of terror & fear he had wrought upon the people of Claremont to an end once & for all...

This is episode 142:The Claremont Killer Part 2 

Crime talk timestamp: 9:02 minutes in 

Sources:

Stalking Claremont: Inside The Hunt For A Serial Killer-book by Brett Christian /Wikipedia /All that's interesting.com/ Sky News.com/ www.abc.net.au/ www.tandfonline.com / bbc.news.com/ the guardian.com

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A young girl suddenly disappears after leaving a club to head home in a suburb of Perth, Western Australia in 1996.

As the search for Sarah Spiers intensified two more young girls soon also vanish, from the same area & under similar circumstances.

Tragically after they were both later found violently murdered police in Claremont realise they have a deadly serial killer on their hands, one so dangerous that he was hunting young women at an alarming pace.

A huge hunt was launched, the task force assembled for the job was the biggest of its time & the case became the longest running, most expensive investigation the state had ever seen.

 But it wouldn't be until 2016 that the identify of the brutal killer that had left women across Claremont terrified would finally be revealed. 

This is Episode 141:

The Claremont Killer Part 1

Crime talk timestamp: 14:51 minutes

Sources:

Stalking Claremont: Inside The Hunt For A Serial Killer-book by Brett Christian /Wikipedia /All that's interesting.com/ Sky News.com/ www.abc.net.au/ www.tandfonline.com / bbc.news.com/ the guardian.com

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After 3 year old Caylee Anthonys remains were tragically found in Orlando Florida in 2008 after she was reported missing months earlier, her mother Casey is charged with her murder.

.

22 year old Casey Anthony had not bothered reporting her daughter's alleged 'abduction' despite claiming she hadn't seen her for weeks & continuing to party in the meantime.

In a case that gripped America & people the over her court case became a huge media event totally dominating headlines across the country.

Despite her bizarre behaviour, ever changing version of events & outrage amongst the public she was found not guilty of her daughter's murder & walked free. However, many still believe to this day that Casey Anthony got away with cold blooded murder....

This is episode 138: America's Most Hated Woman? The murder of Caylee Part 2

Crime talk timestamp: 7:39 minutes in

Sources:

The Guardian / A&E Casey Anthony's Parents: The Lie Detector Test / Discovery - Casey Anthony: An American Murder Mystery / Crime Investigation - Casey Anthony Where the Truth Lies / Oxygen -The Case of Caylee Anthony / ABC News / Oxygen / Biography / People / Parade /

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When a 3 year old girl is reported missing in Orlando Florida in 2008 hope amongst people soon turned to fear.

Suspicion quickly fell on her mother 22 year old Casey Anthony who didn't bother reporting her daughter's alleged abduction despite claiming she hadn't seen her for weeks.

In a case that gripped America & people around the world everyone demanded justice when Caylee's skeletal remains were discovered just a stones throw from the family home.

Despite her bizarre behaviour, ever changing version of events & outrage amongst the public she was found not guilty of her daughter's murder & walked free. However, many still believe to this day that Casey Anthony got away with cold blooded murder....

This is episode 138: America's Most Hated Woman? The murder of Caylee Part 1

Crime talk timestamp: 8:38 minutes in

Sources:

The Guardian / A&E Casey Anthony's Parents: The Lie Detector Test / Discovery - Casey Anthony: An American Murder Mystery / Crime Investigation - Casey Anthony Where the Truth Lies / Oxygen -The Case of Caylee Anthony / ABC News / Oxygen / Biography / People / Parade /

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A beautiful 21 year old woman was savagely murdered & decapitated by the person whom she really believed loved her. 

Phoenix Spencer Horn had spoken to her mother that evening before she was brutally slain by her boyfriend, 27 year old Ewan Methven in their flat in South Lanarkshire on 18th November 2024.

Unbelievably Methven then continued to live alongside her body whilst taking over her text messages whilst pretending she was alive for two days before the tragic, gruesome truth was revealed.

With Methven now serving a sentence of minimum 23 years for her murder we take a look at how sadly those closest to us can sometimes also be our biggest threat .....

Crime talk timestamp: 13:20 minutes

Sources : BBC.co.uk / Sky News.com / www.scotlandpolice.uk/ Wikipedia.com/

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Finally after 34 years the violent serial killer responsible for the brutal yogurt shop murders has been identified thanks to advancements in DNA technology. 

Prolific sexual predator Robert Eugene Brashers had frustratingly gone through life without anyone realising he was a killer.

But we can reveal he definitely did commit other rapes & murders that he was not linked to until after his death. Which we will go into today... 

Now although the families of victims Jennifer Harbison, Sarah Harbison, Eliza Thomas & Amy Ayers have the answer they needed for so long no doubt the pain is still as raw for them as it was all those years ago.

We can only hope the answer to who this monster is can bring them even some small relief after the tremendous losses they have endured for so long.

Crlme talk timestamp: 6:20 minutes in

Sources: Wikipedia/ allthatsinteresting.com/ The Yogurt Shop Murders HBO documentary series/ The Guardian.com/ ABC News/ CNC News/

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In December 1991 emergency responders were called to a blaze in a yogurt shop in Austin, Texas. As the smoke cleared they were met with a horrifying sight...

Four girls 17 year old Jennifer Harbison, 17 year old Eliza Thomas, 15 year old Sara Harbison & 13 year old Amy Ayers had been bound, sexually assaulted & shot execution style. 

Two men were falsely imprisoned for the crimes. 

But it wasn't until September 26th 2025, 34 years after the murders, that the identity of the real killer finally came to light, thanks to advancements in DNA technology.

Revealing that Robert Eugene Brashers a prolific sexual predator, serial killer & mass murderer was the real monster who took the lives of the innocent young victims.

Crime talk begins- 11:30 minutes

Sources: Wikipedia / all thats interesting.com / The Yogurt Shop Murders HBO Documentary series/ The Guardian / Sky News.com/ 48 Hours/ ABC News/ CBC News /

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It was a vicious murder that shocked the residents of British Columbia, Canada, when 24 year old Lindsay Buziak was found dead in February 2008.

The smart, kind, & popular real estate agent had been showing a mysterious couple around a property.

When her boyfriend Jason Zalio couldn’t get in contact with Lindsay he entered the viewing property. Inside he found Lindsay lying in a pool of blood, tragically she had been stabbed over 40 times.

Despite her case receiving huge media attention Lindsays killers have never been identified.

In this episode Lindsay’s devoted father Jeff Buziak bravely spoke with us about his devastating loss & incredible ongoing 18 year quest for justice.

He reminds us that questions still remain unanswered. Her baffling case still remains unsolved. And most importantly Lindsay Buziak still deserves justice.....

ko-fi.com/dontblamethemom

*Crime talk begins 5:15 minutes in

Sources : The Guardian.com/ Medium/ all that's interesting.com/ BBC.com/ Capital Daily/ Saanichnews.com / Vancouver.citynews.ca / chillingcrimes.com/ Timescolonist.com/ cbc.ca/ Oxygen.com/ Vicnews.com/ statcan.gc.ca/ Murderpedia/ Wikipedia/ Lindsaybuziakmurder.wordpress.com/ murderondesoisa.com/ Jeff Buziak

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