After Lauren broke down the Jesse Mack Butler case, John is here with his analysis...how a now convicted predator, is walking free with no jail time, what risks that creates and how society sees cases like these.

Jesse Mack Butler Backstory:

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sadistic-teen-predator-they-refused-to-stop/id1521619380?i=1000738639418

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0y1YfCREO2HqBX5WwST4c0?si=be73ece100ab42fb

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About Hidden True Crime

What started as a simple conversation at their dinner table became a captivating podcast. Join the dynamic duo of Dr. John Matthias, a criminal psychologist, and Lauren Matthias, an investigative journalist, as they delve into the psychological facets of unthinkable crimes every week. Their unique perspectives and in-depth analysis offer a fresh take on true crime storytelling.

Thank you for your support through sponsorships, subscribing, listening, and becoming a Patreon member at⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon.com/HiddenTrueCrime⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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In this episode, Lauren breaks down the newest and most unsettling developments in the disappearance of Melodee Buzzard, including the wigs, the multi-state road trip, the switched license plates, the bizarre “zoo couple” Ashlee claims took her daughter, and the troubling interview with Tyler Brewer that only raises more questions. With conflicting statements, dismissed charges, disturbing behavior, and a timeline that grows shakier by the day, we ask the question investigators—and Melodee’s family—are desperate to answer: Where is Melodee Buzzard?

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About Hidden True Crime

What started as a simple conversation at their dinner table became a captivating podcast. Join the dynamic duo of Dr. John Matthias, a criminal psychologist, and Lauren Matthias, an investigative journalist, as they delve into the psychological facets of unthinkable crimes every week. Their unique perspectives and in-depth analysis offer a fresh take on true crime storytelling.

Thank you for your support through sponsorships, subscribing, listening, and becoming a Patreon member at⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon.com/HiddenTrueCrime⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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In a case that is going viral, 18 year old Jesse Mack Butler, who was charged with a slew of crimes against two young girls, has walked free, despite a 78 year sentence. In this episode, Lauren breaks down the case, what happened and what legal decisions led to Jesse walking free.

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Go to  https://shopbeam.com/TRUECRIME to get up to 50% off Dream while the Black Friday sale lasts.

About Hidden True Crime

What started as a simple conversation at their dinner table became a captivating podcast. Join the dynamic duo of Dr. John Matthias, a criminal psychologist, and Lauren Matthias, an investigative journalist, as they delve into the psychological facets of unthinkable crimes every week. Their unique perspectives and in-depth analysis offer a fresh take on true crime storytelling.

Thank you for your support through sponsorships, subscribing, listening, and becoming a Patreon member at⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon.com/HiddenTrueCrime⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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A retired security engineer, a small Minnesota town, and two teens who picked the wrong house on Thanksgiving Day—what happened in Byron Smith’s basement has been debated for more than a decade as one of the most chilling self-defense cases in America.

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After the probable cause affidavit has come out, Dr. John compares his interview with Stacey to the affidavit... The moments that stand out, what he thinks a defense will be, and what Stacey's confessions mean.

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About Hidden True Crime

What started as a simple conversation at their dinner table became a captivating podcast. Join the dynamic duo of Dr. John Matthias, a criminal psychologist, and Lauren Matthias, an investigative journalist, as they delve into the psychological facets of unthinkable crimes every week. Their unique perspectives and in-depth analysis offer a fresh take on true crime storytelling.

Thank you for your support through sponsorships, subscribing, listening, and becoming a Patreon member at⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon.com/HiddenTrueCrime⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Our guest today is Briana Whitney, a local Phoenix reporter who just finished a new documentary on Jodi Arias. Briana joins us to talk about the Jodi Arias case and what she learned about Jodi while they communicated.

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About Hidden True Crime

What started as a simple conversation at their dinner table became a captivating podcast. Join the dynamic duo of Dr. John Matthias, a criminal psychologist, and Lauren Matthias, an investigative journalist, as they delve into the psychological facets of unthinkable crimes every week. Their unique perspectives and in-depth analysis offer a fresh take on true crime storytelling.

Thank you for your support through sponsorships, subscribing, listening, and becoming a Patreon member at⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon.com/HiddenTrueCrime⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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A 3:40 a.m. 911 call. A man waiting outside with a hammer in one hand and a cross in the other. Inside, a crime scene so brutal seasoned detectives called the victim “unrecognizable.” In this episode of Hidden True Crime, Lauren sits down with the family of 31-year-old Paxton April Wallace—a daughter, big sister, caretaker and dog mom whose life was stolen by the man they once welcomed into their home. We walk through the chilling police report, Jeffrey Rael’s “demon mode” claims, Paxton’s desperate attempts to escape escalating abuse, and the systemic failures that left her without safe options. This is the story behind the headline—a family’s grief, a community’s wake-up call, and why Paxton’s loved ones are begging you to listen.

About Hidden True Crime

What started as a simple conversation at their dinner table became a captivating podcast. Join the dynamic duo of Dr. John Matthias, a criminal psychologist, and Lauren Matthias, an investigative journalist, as they delve into the psychological facets of unthinkable crimes every week. Their unique perspectives and in-depth analysis offer a fresh take on true crime storytelling.

Thank you for your support through sponsorships, subscribing, listening, and becoming a Patreon member at⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon.com/HiddenTrueCrime⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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In January of 2024, at the request of 3rd parties, Dr. John interviewed Stacey Wondra, who at the time, was a suspect in the case of missing 5-year-old Michael "Monkey" Vaughan. Just a couple of weeks ago, Stacey was charged with kidnapping and murdering Michael. And now, Hidden True Crime is publicly releasing the interview between John and Stacey.

About Hidden True Crime

What started as a simple conversation at their dinner table became a captivating podcast. Join the dynamic duo of Dr. John Matthias, a criminal psychologist, and Lauren Matthias, an investigative journalist, as they delve into the psychological facets of unthinkable crimes every week. Their unique perspectives and in-depth analysis offer a fresh take on true crime storytelling.

Thank you for your support through sponsorships, subscribing, listening, and becoming a Patreon member at⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon.com/HiddenTrueCrime⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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“I don’t even know anything about this little boy…” That’s what Stacey Wondra told Dr. John in our January 2024 interview—now he and his then-wife, Sarah, are charged with first-degree murder, second-degree kidnapping, and destruction of evidence in the disappearance of 5-year-old “Monkey” Vaughan. In this hard but essential episode, we walk through the newly released probable-cause affidavits, timeline, and key evidence—alongside excerpts from our interview—to reveal what investigators say happened the night Michael vanished.

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About Hidden True Crime

What started as a simple conversation at their dinner table became a captivating podcast. Join the dynamic duo of Dr. John Matthias, a criminal psychologist, and Lauren Matthias, an investigative journalist, as they delve into the psychological facets of unthinkable crimes every week. Their unique perspectives and in-depth analysis offer a fresh take on true crime storytelling.

Thank you for your support through sponsorships, subscribing, listening, and becoming a Patreon member at⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon.com/HiddenTrueCrime⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Ashlee Buzzard was arrested on Friday, November 7th on a felony charge of false imprisonment and the victim has now publicly come forward. Plus, Lauren is joined by Anne Emerson of the Criminally Obsessed Network to discuss her experience in covering this case and a bit about what she uncovered on Ashlee's childhood.

Subscribe to ⁠ @CriminallyObsessed ⁠

About Hidden True Crime

What started as a simple conversation at their dinner table became a captivating podcast. Join the dynamic duo of Dr. John Matthias, a criminal psychologist, and Lauren Matthias, an investigative journalist, as they delve into the psychological facets of unthinkable crimes every week. Their unique perspectives and in-depth analysis offer a fresh take on true crime storytelling.

Thank you for your support through sponsorships, subscribing, listening, and becoming a Patreon member at⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon.com/HiddenTrueCrime⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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