Mississippi’s fight over first responder retirement benefits is heating up at the Capitol — and tonight we’re breaking down what it means for the people on the front lines.

On this episode of Investigation: Homicide, hosts Therese Apel and Nicole Kral are joined by Southern States Police Benevolence Association President Andy Matuszewski, also known to many in law enforcement as “Ski.”

Matuszewski will discuss the progress of several bills currently moving through the Mississippi Legislature that could directly affect first responders across the state. One of the biggest debates centers around Tier 5 of the Public Employees’ Retirement System of Mississippi (PERS).

The changes placed many newer first responders into a 35-year retirement plan with reduced benefits, and law enforcement leaders say that shift is already affecting recruitment and retention in agencies across Mississippi. Matuszewski will explain why public safety organizations believe the system puts officers, deputies and other first responders at a disadvantage compared to previous tiers — and how a coalition of public safety groups has been working to push for reforms.

But the conversation doesn’t stop there.

Therese and Nicole will also talk with Matuszewski about other key public safety issues making their way through the Legislature, including the ongoing push to allow radar use for sheriff’s departmentsand how proposed laws could impact policing, staffing and community safety statewide.

If you want to understand what’s happening behind the scenes at the Capitol — and how those decisions affect the men and women protecting Mississippi communities — this is an episode you won’t want to miss.

This episode, like all our others, is brought to you by The Southern Connection Police Supplies, serving and protecting Mississippi first responders so they can serve and protect us.

New episodes of Investigation: Homicide drop wherever you listen to podcasts.

This episode is produced by Daniel Anderson at Audio Alchemy Productions. 

On this episode of Investigation: Homicide, Therese Apel and Amanda Johansson sit down with Byron Swilley, sheriff of Copiah County, to take a deep dive into the case of Jack Donald Cole — a case that raises difficult questions about self-defense, property rights and the limits of Mississippi’s Castle Doctrine.

Jesse James Chapman knew someone had been slipping onto his property to steal catalytic converters. What he didn’t know was what would unfold the day he came face to face with suspected trespassers. Chapman walked away from that encounter — but weeks later, Cole was dead.

This story is about a shooting — was it justified? Or did it cross a legal line?

Sheriff Swilley walks listeners through the timeline of events, the evidence investigators uncovered and how Mississippi law applies when someone claims they were protecting their property. We break down what the Castle Doctrine actually says (and what it doesn’t) in a case that sits at the intersection of fear, firearms and the fine print of the law.

It’s a story about confrontation, consequences and the gray areas that can turn a property dispute into a homicide investigation.

Many thanks to The Southern Connection Police Supplies for making this important conversation possible.The Southern Connection is Mississippi’s Glock Distributor for law enforcement and specializes in the sale of firearms (new and used), custom vehicle graphics and lighting by an ASE Master Certified Automotive Technician, police supplies, SWAT gear, tactical uniforms, laser engraving, custom embroidery, apparel, patch and badge design, and more. They are Mississippi’s destination for law enforcement supplies and vehicle outfitting!

This episode is produced by Daniel Anderson at Audio Alchemy Productions.

August 2025: Two front doors kicked in. Two men shot multiple times inside their own homes. One suspect who would ultimately confess to both killings.

Tonight on Investigation: Homicide, Therese Apel and Nicole Kral Woods sit down with Rankin County Investigator Tyler Burnell to walk through the chilling case that stunned Rankin and Madison counties and ended with a rare courtroom moment: a double guilty plea to murder and capital murder just two months after the crimes were committed.

Investigator Burnell gives listeners an inside look at how the Rankin County Sheriff’s Department and the Brandon Police Department worked together with urgency and precision to build the case and ensure the families saw justice.

This episode is about coordination, confession, and swift closure. Join us as we take you inside the investigation.

This episode is brought to you by The Southern Connection Police Supplies

274 Commerce Park Dr, Ridgeland, MS 39157

www.thesouthernconnection.com

(601) 853-3106

#InvestigationHomicide #TrueCrimePodcast #MississippiCrime #RankinCounty #MadisonCountyMS #TrueCrimeCommunity #BehindTheInvestigation #LawEnforcement #JusticeServed #PodcastRelease

This episode is produced by Daniel Anderson at Audio Alchemy Productions. 

Human trafficking is dominating headlines around the world — dramatic rescues, sweeping arrests, viral claims. But what does human trafficking actually look like here in Mississippi?

On tonight’s episode of Investigation: Homicide, hosts Therese Apel and Amanda Johansson sit down with Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch and Favian Jones, the supervisor of her Human Trafficking Task Force, for a grounded, no-nonsense conversation about the realities behind the rhetoric.

They break down how trafficking cases really begin, who is most at risk in the Magnolia State, and why some of the most popular narratives can distract from identifying and helping real victims. The discussion also puts large-scale national and international trafficking stories into context — showing where they align with local cases, where they don’t, and why that distinction matters.

If you’re looking to separate fact from fiction and understand what Mississippians should truly be paying attention to, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.

This episode is brought to you by The Southern Connection Police Supplies at 274 Commerce Park Dr, Ridgeland, MS 39157, Online at www.thesouthernconnection.com (http://www.thesouthernconnection.com/), or Call (601) 853-3106

#InvestigationHomicide #HumanTrafficking #Mississippi #LynnFitch #ThereseApel #AmandaJohansson #FavianJones #TrueCrimePodcast #CrimeAwareness #MagnoliaState #StopHumanTrafficking #PublicSafety #TrueCrimeCommunity

This episode is produced by Daniel Anderson at Audio Alchemy Productions.

Tonight on Investigation: Homicide, brought to you by The Southern Connection Police Supplies, we sit down with Warren County Sheriff Martin Pace to revisit a case that, more than two decades later, still weighs heavily on his mind — the death of Angela Shires Barrentine.

In November 2004, the 27-year-old Vicksburg mother left home the evening before Thanksgiving to pick up cigarettes. She never returned. When she failed to show up for holiday dinner the next day, her family reported her missing, launching a search that would stretch on for months.

Angela was last reportedly seen in Edwards on Thanksgiving Day. Investigators explored numerous leads, including questions surrounding her movements and the people she encountered in the hours before she disappeared. Nearly nine months later, as water levels dropped along the Big Black River, a grim discovery brought partial answers. Angela’s 1997 Ford F-150 was found submerged and overturned in a remote area near the Kansas City Southern Railroad Bridge. Her remains were inside.

One critical question has never been resolved: Was Angela’s death an accident — or a homicide?

Sheriff Pace joins us to discuss the investigation, the challenges posed by time and evidence, and why this case has never left him. What do investigators know? What remains unanswered? And could advances in forensic science finally bring clarity to a case that has haunted Warren County for more than 20 years?

Join us as we take a closer look at the enduring mystery of Angela Shires Barrentine.

Visit The Southern Connection Police Supplies at 274 Commerce Park Dr, Ridgeland, MS 39157, Online at www.thesouthernconnection.com, or Call (601) 853-3106

This episode is produced by Daniel Anderson at Audio Alchemy Productions.

Tonight’s episode of Investigation: Homicide steps away from case files, crime scenes, and criminals to focus on something many first responders quietly rely on every day: faith.

Tonight, Therese Apel and Amanda Johansson will host Clint Hatch, an investigator with the Rankin/Madison District Attorney’s Office, for an honest conversation about belief, resilience, and the importance of protecting mind and spirit.

Hatch will talk about how his reliance on Christ has helped him navigate the trauma, stress and despair that often accompany the life of a first responder. From scenes that linger long after the job is done to the emotional weight of seeking justice for victims, Hatch will tell us his stories about how faith has been an anchor when the work becomes overwhelming.

The episode will also highlight a project Hatch has been developing that centers on faith-based support for first responders — an effort aimed at helping others in the profession find hope, healing and purpose beyond the badge.

While Investigation: Homicide often focuses on the facts of a case, tonight’s episode looks inward, exploring how belief can sustain those who spend their careers walking alongside tragedy.

This episode is produced by Daniel Anderson at Audio Alchemy Productions.

Tonight on Investigation: Homicide, the focus turns to one of the most disturbing and complex fronts in modern law enforcement: Internet Crimes Against Children.

The episode features Jay Houston, a veteran investigator who spent more than two decades confronting online child exploitation in Mississippi and around the world. Houston now serves as director of training for the Child Rescue Coalition, but his expertise was earned in the field.

Houston served 24 years in law enforcement before retiring in 2021, spending more than half of his career with the Mississippi Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, where he rose from investigator to commander and earned multiple commendations. Since 2009, he has trained child exploitation investigators internationally for agencies including the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, INTERPOL, Brazil’s Federal Police and Australia’s ARGOS task force, and has been qualified as an expert witness in child exploitation investigations and victim identification.

In this episode, Houston talks with Therese Apel and Amanda Johansson about  how investigators identify predators who hide behind screens, locate victims across borders, and manage the emotional toll of work few people ever see. It is a rare look at how the men and women fighting online child exploitation do their jobs—and why it matters.

This episode is produced by Daniel Anderson at Audio Alchemy Productions.

Mississippi’s first responders are pushing back as lawmakers debate the future of public employee retirement during the current legislative session. In this episode of Investigation: Homicide, we sit down with Reservoir Fire Chief Josh Swales to break down what Tier 5 of the Public Employees’ Retirement System really means for those on the front lines.

Set to apply to new hires beginning March 1, 2026, Tier 5 requires 35 years of service for full retirement and replaces a traditional pension with a hybrid plan that includes a smaller guaranteed benefit and a market-based investment account. First responder organizations warn the changes could worsen recruitment and retention problems and ultimately impact public safety.

Swales also responds to recent remarks by Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann suggesting first responders live longer because they “stay healthy,” a claim law enforcement and fire leaders say ignores the medical realities of high-risk professions.

This conversation explores the facts behind Tier 5, the concerns being raised by police and fire leadership across Mississippi, and what’s at stake as the Legislature considers the future of retirement benefits for those who protect and serve.

This episode is produced by Daniel Anderson at Audio Alchemy Productions.

On this episode of Investigation: Homicide, host Therese Apel and Nicole Kral are joined by veteran Memphis-area journalist Ron Maxey to revisit one of the most haunting and high-profile cases in the Mid-South: the 2014 murder of Jessica Chambers.

Both Apel and Maxey covered the case from its earliest days, when the Panola County teenager was found burned alive on a remote rural road — a crime that drew national and international attention and stunned even seasoned investigators and reporters. The case went to trial twice, ending in hung juries both times, leaving Jessica’s murder officially unresolved.

Now, more than a decade later, the story has taken several chilling and devastating new turns. District Attorney John Champion, Investigator Tim Douglas, and now DOJ Analyst Paul Rowlett have all died in the years that have followed, in addition to other key figures in the case, and the man accused in the Chambers case is facing trial in Louisiana in another brutal homicide, raising new questions about whether justice delayed may still be justice pursued. 

In this episode, Apel and Maxey discuss with Kral what it was like reporting on the Chambers case as it unfolded, what the trials revealed and failed to resolve, and how the latest developments may reshape the public’s understanding of one of Mississippi’s most disturbing unsolved murders.

Investigation: Homicide examines the cases that leave lasting scars and the questions that refuse to go away.

This episode is produced by Daniel Anderson at Audio Alchemy Productions.

It’s a day Mississippi will never forget. October 1, 1997, a nerdy teenager walked into a high school and changed everyone’s life forever. We talk with Greg Eklund, who was an investigator with the Rankin County Sheriffs Dept at the time. Eklund takes us through the events leading up to that day and what the ripple effect has been over time.

This episode is produced by Daniel Anderson at Audio Alchemy Productions.