Love and Murder: Heartbreak to Homicide

Three children disappeared into the ocean in the middle of the night. Hours later, they were found along the shoreline of Coney Island, and their mother was wandering barefoot, soaking wet, repeatedly telling family that the children were "gone."

As investigators pieced together the final hours before Zachary, Liliana, and Oliver Merdy died, they uncovered years of mental health struggles, custody battles, reports of neglect, and repeated concerns that some believe should have triggered stronger intervention long before that September morning.

This episode examines one of New York City's most heartbreaking family tragedies, the guilty plea entered by Erin Merdy, and the ongoing debate over whether the system failed these children.

Past Cases Mentioned in this Episode:

She Killed Her Children — But Was it Mental Health Illness or Murder? | The Lindsay Clancy Case
https://murderandlove.com/she-killed-her-children-but-was-it-mental-health-illness-or-murder-the-lindsay-clancy-case/

Ate His Eye; He Believed His Brother Had to Be Sacrificed to Save the World | Matthew Hertgen
https://murderandlove.com/ate-his-eye-he-believed-his-brother-had-to-be-sacrificed-to-save-the-world-matthew-hertgen/

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Do you have thoughts about this case, or is there a specific true crime case you’d like to hear about? Let me know with an email or a voice message: https://murderandlove.com/contact

Find the sources used in this episode and learn more about how to support Love and Murder: Heartbreak to Homicide and gain access to even more cases, including bonus episodes, ad-free and intro-free cases, case files and more at: https://murderandlove.com

Music:
℗ lesfreemusic

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/love-and-murder-heartbreak-to-homicide--4348896/support.

Amy Vilardi was the one who called 911 after finding four members of her family dead inside their South Carolina home.

For nearly eight years, no one was charged.

Then investigators went back to evidence that had been sitting in the case file ... including a photograph that led them right to Amy and Ross Vilardi.

But the case was built on circumstantial evidence. Would it be enough to prove four murders beyond a reasonable doubt?

Listen now on Love and Murder

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Podcast Promo: Darkcast Network

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Do you have thoughts about this case, or is there a specific true crime case you’d like to hear about? Let me know with an email or a voice message: https://murderandlove.com/contact

Find the sources used in this episode and learn more about how to support Love and Murder: Heartbreak to Homicide and gain access to even more cases, including bonus episodes, ad-free and intro-free cases, case files and more at: https://murderandlove.com

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Please take some time to Rate, Share, Subscribe! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
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Thanks for stopping by and remember that it’s All Love and No Murder Yall!

Intro music by:
Shalash by Alexander Nakarada
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/4899-shalash
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ 

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/love-and-murder-heartbreak-to-homicide--4348896/support.

Taylor Schaefer told police that a “gut feeling” led her to check the cameras inside her home, where she watched her boyfriend beating her five-year-old son. But when detectives seized the surveillance system, they discovered that the cameras had captured much more than one violent morning.

How did a woman who worked for a child-protection organization become part of what investigators described as one of the worst abuse cases they had ever seen?

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Follow me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/relationshipcrimes

Do you have thoughts about this case, or is there a specific true crime case you’d like to hear about? Let me know with an email or a voice message: https://murderandlove.com/contact

Find the sources used in this episode and learn more about how to support Love and Murder: Heartbreak to Homicide and gain access to even more cases, including bonus episodes, ad-free and intro-free cases, case files and more at: https://murderandlove.com

Music:
℗ lesfreemusic

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/love-and-murder-heartbreak-to-homicide--4348896/support.

John Eisenman said he killed Andrew Sorensen because Andrew had trafficked his daughter, and that story turned him into a vigilante hero to people across the country.

But investigators couldn’t prove the trafficking accusation.

Then John’s fiancée, Brenda Kross, started talking and confessed that she had been there when Andrew was killed. 

Years later, both were standing in court, and the story that had followed Andrew’s name since his death finally began to unravel.

Original Episode:
https://www.spreaker.com/episode/midweek-mini-a-father-rescues-his-daughter-from-sex-trafficking-and-murders-the-alleged-trafficker-john-eisenman--60053072

Join the Facebook - www.facebook.com/relationshipcrime

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Do you have thoughts about this case, or is there a specific true crime case you’d like to hear about? Let me know with an email or a voice message: https://murderandlove.com/contact

Find the sources used in this episode and learn more about how to support Love and Murder: Heartbreak to Homicide and gain access to even more cases, including bonus episodes, ad-free and intro-free cases, case files and more at: https://murderandlove.com

Music:
℗ lesfreemusic

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/love-and-murder-heartbreak-to-homicide--4348896/support.

A 16-year-old boy hides in a bedroom and calls 911 while his stepfather is still somewhere inside the house with a gun.

His mother, Tenisha Williams, has already been shot.

But when investigators review the family’s security cameras, they learn that the violence didn’t begin that night. Prosecutors say Kelvin Williams had spent years controlling Tenisha.

Then they reveal one more disturbing detail: on the day Tenisha died, prosecutors say Kelvin made her buy and load the gun himself.

Follow me on Facebook for more cases: www.facebook.com/relationshipcrime

Join the Patreon to hear my rant: www.patreon.com/loveandmurder

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Do you have thoughts about this case, or is there a specific true crime case you’d like to hear about? Let me know with an email or a voice message: https://murderandlove.com/contact

Find the sources used in this episode and learn more about how to support Love and Murder: Heartbreak to Homicide and gain access to even more cases, including bonus episodes, ad-free and intro-free cases, case files and more at: https://murderandlove.com

Music:
℗ lesfreemusic

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/love-and-murder-heartbreak-to-homicide--4348896/support.

A terrified wife called 911 to report that her husband was armed. Before deputies could arrive, the dispatcher heard gunshots, and the suspect's own words would become some of the most chilling evidence in the case. 

When officers entered the home, they found a family forever changed. One child was dead, two more victims were critically injured, and investigators soon uncovered a connection that made the case even more extraordinary.

This episode examines the deadly family shooting involving Luis Sanchez, the investigation that followed, and why the criminal case ended without ever reaching a jury.

Follow on Facebook: www.facebook.com/relationshipcrime

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Do you have thoughts about this case, or is there a specific true crime case you’d like to hear about? Let me know with an email or a voice message: https://murderandlove.com/contact

Find the sources used in this episode and learn more about how to support Love and Murder: Heartbreak to Homicide and gain access to even more cases, including bonus episodes, ad-free and intro-free cases, case files and more at: https://murderandlove.com

Music:
℗ lesfreemusic

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/love-and-murder-heartbreak-to-homicide--4348896/support.

Matthew Hertgen’s family knew he was seriously mentally ill. His older brother spent hours with him on the night Joseph died, saw that he was struggling with terrifying visions, and even warned Joseph to call if he needed help.

Less than an hour later, Matthew called 911 and reported “a fire and a dead body.”

What investigators uncovered inside the apartment was horrific, but the legal question became much more complicated. 

This episode has a shocking and VERY sad ending.

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If you or someone you know is struggling with Mental Health or in crisis, confidential and free, 24/7/365 help is available.

Call or text 988Chat at 988lifeline.orgTTY users can use their preferred relay service or dial 711 then 988

If you are in need of support, but not in crisis, consider reaching out to a warmline. 

Warmlines offer a place to call when you just need to talk to someone.

Speaking to someone on these calls is typically free, confidential, and run by people who understand what it’s like to struggle with mental health problems.

Find a warmline at mhanational.org/warmlines.

Visit my site for more resources: https://wp.me/PdbuVw-X4f

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Chez Shea Candles:

For your luxury, clean burning candles, and to support LaM while you get 15% off, go to:

https://murderandlove.com/chezshea15

Or use LAMLOVE

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Podcast Promo: Darkcast Network

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Do you have thoughts about this case, or is there a specific true crime case you’d like to hear about? Let me know with an email or a voice message: https://murderandlove.com/contact

Find the sources used in this episode and learn more about how to support Love and Murder: Heartbreak to Homicide and gain access to even more cases, including bonus episodes, ad-free and intro-free cases, case files and more at: https://murderandlove.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Please take some time to Rate, Share, Subscribe! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks for stopping by and remember that it’s All Love and No Murder Yall!

Intro music by:
Shalash by Alexander Nakarada
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/4899-shalash
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ 

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/love-and-murder-heartbreak-to-homicide--4348896/support.

Rachel Barber thought she was leaving dance class to make some easy money.

The person offering the job wasn’t a stranger; Caroline Robertson had once babysat Rachel and her younger sisters and had been trusted by the Barber family.

But Caroline had secretly spent months studying Rachel’s looks, personality, family, boyfriend, and life. Then Rachel disappeared and Caroline started calling her family asking how the search was going.

Listen to the full story right now on Love and Murder

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Podcast Promo: Darkcast Network

Follow on Facebook www.facebook.com/relationshipcrime

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Do you have thoughts about this case, or is there a specific true crime case you’d like to hear about? Let me know with an email or a voice message: https://murderandlove.com/contact

Find the sources used in this episode and learn more about how to support Love and Murder: Heartbreak to Homicide and gain access to even more cases, including bonus episodes, ad-free and intro-free cases, case files and more at: https://murderandlove.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Please take some time to Rate, Share, Subscribe! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks for stopping by and remember that it’s All Love and No Murder Yall!

Intro music by:
Shalash by Alexander Nakarada
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/4899-shalash
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ 


Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/love-and-murder-heartbreak-to-homicide--4348896/support.

In 1906, Grace Brown left home believing Chester Gillette was finally going to make a decision about their future. She packed her belongings, traveled through New York with him, and even mailed her mother a postcard saying she was having a lovely time.

The next day, Grace was found at the bottom of Big Moose Lake.

Chester said she had taken her own life, prosecutors said something different, and more than a century later, new questions about Grace’s injuries still leave one part of this famous case open to debate: What really happened in that rowboat?

Facebook: www.facebook.com/relationshipcrime

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Podcast Promo: Darkcast Network

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Do you have thoughts about this case, or is there a specific true crime case you’d like to hear about? Let me know with an email or a voice message: https://murderandlove.com/contact

Find the sources used in this episode and learn more about how to support Love and Murder: Heartbreak to Homicide and gain access to even more cases, including bonus episodes, ad-free and intro-free cases, case files and more at: https://murderandlove.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Please take some time to Rate, Share, Subscribe! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks for stopping by and remember that it’s All Love and No Murder Yall!

Intro music by:
Shalash by Alexander Nakarada
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/4899-shalash
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ 

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/love-and-murder-heartbreak-to-homicide--4348896/support.

Tommy Randolph called 911 claiming he had just walked into every husband's worst nightmare.

He said he found his wife, Sharon, shot on the floor of their Las Vegas home, confronted the masked intruder responsible, and killed him in self-defense.

But detectives quickly began questioning nearly every part of his story.

In this episode, we examine the evidence that led two separate juries to convict the man prosecutors dubbed the "Black Widower" and why one of those convictions was later overturned.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/relationshipcrime


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Podcast Promo: Darkcast Network

*************************************************************************************************
Do you have thoughts about this case, or is there a specific true crime case you’d like to hear about? Let me know with an email or a voice message: https://murderandlove.com/contact

Find the sources used in this episode and learn more about how to support Love and Murder: Heartbreak to Homicide and gain access to even more cases, including bonus episodes, ad-free and intro-free cases, case files and more at: https://murderandlove.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Please take some time to Rate, Share, Subscribe! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks for stopping by and remember that it’s All Love and No Murder Yall!

Intro music by:
Shalash by Alexander Nakarada
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/4899-shalash
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ 

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/love-and-murder-heartbreak-to-homicide--4348896/support.