Murder, Not Murdering

This week on Murder, Not Murdering, we’re diving into the deeply disturbing and still highly debated case of Darlie Routier.

In 1996, Darlie Routier called 911 after her two young sons were brutally attacked inside their Texas home. What followed was an investigation filled with unanswered questions, conflicting evidence, and a trial that would capture national attention.

Darlie was convicted of killing her sons and sentenced to death—but decades later, questions surrounding the evidence, the investigation, and what really happened that night continue to fuel debate.

Join us as we walk through the timeline, the evidence, the trial, and the questions that remain.

What happens when a group of reporters decides that the best way to expose corruption is to stop reporting—and start bartending?

In 1970s Chicago, a team of investigative journalists opened a tavern in one of the city’s toughest neighborhoods. But this wasn’t your average neighborhood bar. The Mirage Tavern was a carefully constructed undercover operation, designed to find out exactly what happened when city inspectors, police officers, politicians, and other officials thought nobody was watching.

For months, the reporters poured drinks, kept the books, and quietly documented a system of bribery and corruption that operated with remarkable ease. What they uncovered would become one of the most audacious pieces of undercover journalism in Chicago history—and prove that sometimes, the best way to expose a crooked system is to let it walk right through your front door.

This week on Murder, Not Murdering, we’re going behind the bar at The Mirage: The Tavern That Set a Trap—where the drinks were real, the reporters were undercover, and the corruption was very much on the record.

Murder on the Dance Floor: Audrey Jacob Kills

A night of dancing. A sudden confrontation. A deadly shot.

In this episode of Murder, Not Murdering, we travel back to the Jazz Age for the sensational case of Audrey Jacob, a young woman who found herself charged with murder after a deadly encounter on the dance floor.

What happened that night—and how did Audrey Jacob manage to get away with murder?

The newspapers had plenty to say. Now, let’s look at the facts.

New episodes are out every Tuesday wherever you get your podcasts

The Louisville Torture House of 1924 is a true crime story unlike any other.

When businessman Richard Heaton is found dead, the man who pulled the trigger insists it was self-defense. But as investigators begin peeling back the layers, they uncover a horrifying secret hidden inside a Louisville home—a place that newspapers would soon call The Louisville Torture House.

What follows is a case filled with kidnappings, torture, shocking courtroom testimony, mysterious crimes, and twists that seem too unbelievable to be true. Was William Gates an innocent victim who fought for his life, or was he hiding a darker past? And just how far did Richard Heaton’s violent reach extend?

Join Erin and Autumn as they separate fact from sensational headlines, explore the evidence, and uncover one of the most bizarre and forgotten true crime cases of the 1920s.

If you love historical true crime, obscure murder cases, courtroom drama, and stories with unbelievable twists, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.

New episodes of Murder, Not Murdering are released every Tuesday.

Everyone remembers the headline. Everyone remembers the joke. But very few people remember what actually happened.

In 1993, the Lorena Bobbitt case became one of the biggest media spectacles in American history. Television, tabloids, and late-night comedians turned a deeply complicated case into a cultural punchline, leaving millions with a version of events that often overlooked the evidence presented in court.

In this episode of Murder, Not Murdering, Erin follows the case from beginning to end: Lorena’s early life, her marriage to John Wayne Bobbitt, the allegations of domestic and sexual violence, the night of June 23, 1993, the criminal investigations, both trials, and the media frenzy that shaped public perception for decades.

This isn’t a story about taking sides. It’s about separating fact from fiction, examining the evidence, and understanding how one of America’s most infamous true crime stories became so widely misunderstood.

In this Pride Edition of Murder, Not Murdering, Erin and Autumn explore two of the most heartbreaking LGBTQIA+ true crime cases in American history.

Autumn examines the life and murder of Brandon Teena, the young transgender man whose 1993 murder became a landmark case in the fight for transgender rights, LGBTQ+ visibility, and justice. She discusses the events leading up to his death, the investigation, the trial, and the lasting impact his story continues to have decades later.

Then Erin investigates the haunting 1990 murder of Billy London, a case that became known as The Black Dahlia of West Hollywood. For decades, Billy’s killer remained unidentified while rumors, dead ends, and unanswered questions surrounded the investigation. Then, nearly 30 years later, determined detectives and an unlikely group of civilian sleuths uncovered the truth, proving that even the coldest cases can still be solved.

This episode explores cold case investigations, forensic breakthroughs, LGBTQ+ history, hate crimes, and the pursuit of justice while honoring the lives of two victims whose stories deserve to be remembered.

If you enjoy true crime, cold cases, historical murders, LGBTQ+ history, and respectful, research-driven storytelling, this episode is for you.

Content Warning: This episode contains discussions of murder, hate crimes, anti-LGBTQIA+ violence, sexual assault, and graphic descriptions of violence. Listener discretion is strongly advised.

A weekend camping trip. A shocking act of hatred. A killer obsessed with reinvention.

This week on Murder, Not Murdering, Erin tells the heartbreaking story of Rebecca Wight and Claudia Brenner, a couple seeking peace in the Pennsylvania wilderness whose lives were forever changed by a brutal anti-gay attack. Follow their journey from a joyful camping trip to a fight for survival, and learn how Claudia’s courage helped bring justice while Rebecca’s legacy continues to inspire decades later.

Then Autumn dives into the life of Andrew Cunanan, the charming con artist who spent years creating new identities and weaving elaborate lies. As his carefully crafted world began to unravel, Cunanan embarked on a deadly spree that triggered one of the largest manhunts in modern American history. From his early deceptions to the murder of fashion icon Gianni Versace and his dramatic final days, this is the story of a man who desperately wanted to be someone else—and the devastating consequences that followed.

Two unforgettable stories of identity, violence, survival, and the lives forever changed in their wake.

New episodes of Murder, Not Murdering are released every Monday.

For this special Pride Month episode of Murder, Not Murdering, we examine two chilling stories connected by prejudice, power, and the long fight for justice.

First, Autumn tells the story of Scott Johnson, an American mathematician whose body was discovered at the base of a cliff near Sydney, Australia in 1988. Authorities quickly ruled his death a suicide, but his family refused to accept the conclusion. What followed was a decades-long quest for answers that uncovered a pattern of anti-gay violence, institutional failures, and a shocking truth. We also discuss the latest developments in the case through May 2026.

Then Erin takes us back to 1919 and one of the strangest scandals in U.S. history: the Newport Naval Sex Scandal. Under the direction of Navy officials during Franklin D. Roosevelt’s tenure as Assistant Secretary of the Navy, young sailors were ordered to go undercover and entrap suspected homosexual men. The investigation spiraled into a national controversy, congressional hearings, and accusations that the government had gone dangerously too far.

From a suspicious death on the cliffs of Sydney to a government-sanctioned moral panic in Newport, this episode explores how fear and discrimination have shaped lives, investigations, and history itself.

Some stories are about murder. Others are about the systems that allow injustice to flourish. This episode is both.

This week on Murder, Not Murdering, we’re covering two heartbreaking murders that captivated communities and sparked conversations far beyond the crimes themselves.

Erin tells the story of Paul Broussard, a 27-year-old gay banker whose brutal murder in Houston, Texas, became a defining moment in the fight against anti-LGBTQ+ violence. During Pride Month, we look back at the climate that led to Paul’s death, the activism that followed, and why his story remains important more than three decades later.

Then, Autumn examines the shocking 2022 murder of elite cyclist Moriah Wilson, a rising star in the gravel racing world whose life was cut short in a case involving jealousy, obsession, and an international manhunt. From the investigation to the trial that gripped the nation, we break down the facts behind one of the most talked-about crimes in recent sports history.

Join us as we explore these tragic cases with historical context, careful research, and the compassion they deserve.

In this episode: LGBTQ+ history, hate crimes, Pride Month, cycling, true crime, criminal investigations, trials, justice, and the lives behind the headlines.

#TrueCrimePodcast #MurderNotMurdering #PaulBroussard #MoriahWilson #PrideMonth

On this week's episode, Autumn's case involves the brutal killing of two college students at a quiet Georgia lake, with the perpetrator's identity and motive shrouded in mystery. The investigation eventually leads to a shocking revelation involving the killer's own father, an FBI agent.

Next Erin delves into one of the most scandalous murder cases of the 1930's: the death of architect Francis Rattenbury. What begins as a glamorous seaside romance spiraled into jealousy, betrayal, tabloid obsession, and murder involving Alma Rattenbury and her much younger chauffer and lover George Stoner.

From shocking crimes to salacious headlines, Murder, Not Murdering brings you the stories that blur the line between scandal and true crime.

New episodes out every Monday.

Takeaways

• The random and senseless nature of the murders challenges the conventional understanding of motive and violence.
• The involvement of the killer's father, an FBI agent, adds a shocking twist to the investigation. Parental responsibility and the shock of discovering a child's involvement in a heinous crime
• The sensational and scandalous nature of high-profile murder trials

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction to Seattle's Beauty and Coffee Culture
• 05:49 Transition to the True Crime Story
• 58:07 The Seaside Murder Case: John Rattenbury's Legacy