Episode 18: TROUBLED WATERS: The Murder of Pegye Bechler

In July 1997, a rental speedboat was found circling aimlessly off the coast of Newport Beach, California. Nearby, Eric Bechler floated alone on a body board. His wife, Pegye Bechler, was gone.

Eric claimed it was a tragic boating accident. A rogue wave. A heartbreaking loss.

But as investigators dug deeper, they uncovered a story involving financial pressure, life insurance policies worth millions, disturbing conversations about murder, missing 35-pound dumbbells, and a girlfriend who would secretly record the man she once planned to marry.

Pegye’s body has never been found.

Yet years later, a jury would convict Eric Bechler of first-degree murder in one of Orange County’s most compelling no-body homicide cases.

In this episode of Murder on the Mic, Vanessa takes you through Pegye’s life, the investigation that spanned years, the shocking witness testimony, the secret recordings, and the courtroom battle that ultimately led to a conviction without a body.

Because sometimes the ocean doesn’t give up its secrets.

But killers do.

Houston, Texas. The early 1970s.

One by one, young boys began disappearing from neighborhoods across Houston and Pasadena. Families searched. Missing persons reports were filed. But too often, their loved ones were told the same thing: they probably ran away.

What nobody knew was that a predator was hiding in plain sight.

Known to local children as “The Candy Man,” Dean Corll built trust within the community while secretly operating one of the most horrific murder schemes in American history. With the help of teenage accomplices, boys were lured away, never to be seen again.

In this episode of Murder on the Mic, Vanessa dives into the heartbreaking story of the 29 identified victims, the families who never stopped searching, and the shocking discovery that exposed years of unimaginable horror hidden beneath the streets of Houston.

This isn’t just the story of a serial killer.

It’s the story of the boys who never came home.

⚠️ Listener discretion advised. This episode contains discussions of child victims, kidnapping, sexual assault, torture, and murder.

#TrueCrime #MurderOnTheMic #The29BoysWhoNeverCameHome #CandymanMurders #HoustonMassMurders #TrueCrimePodcast #VictimFocused #ColdCases #CrimePodcast #HoustonTexas

Episode 16: Hidden Behind the Wall: The Murder of Renia Lewis

When 28-year-old Renia Lewis suddenly stopped answering calls and texts, her family knew something wasn’t right.

What started as a desperate search for a missing loved one quickly turned into one of the most disturbing cases out of California.

A phone found on the roof of a nearby school.

A hidden attic space concealed behind a wall.

And a discovery investigators almost missed the first time they searched the property.

In this episode of Murder on the Mic, Vanessa Wilson breaks down the chilling timeline surrounding Renia’s disappearance, the family’s relentless search efforts, the Ebony Alert that pushed the case statewide, and the horrifying discovery hidden inside a Vallejo property.

This case is more than a murder investigation—

it’s a reminder that sometimes the most terrifying things are hidden in plain sight.

⚠️ Listener discretion is strongly advised. This episode contains discussions of violence, dismemberment, and the concealment of human remains.

#MurderOnTheMic #TrueCrimePodcast #ReniaLewis #TrueCrime #CaliforniaCrime #Vallejo #Podcast

At just 21 years old, Richard “Ricky” Cowles Jr. was doing everything right. He was working long hours as an apprentice electrician, preparing to become a father, and building a future for the family he loved.

But behind closed doors, a horrifying betrayal was unfolding.

What began as young love spiraled into a shocking murder-for-hire plot involving jealousy, manipulation, secrets, and a deadly setup that would leave Ricky fighting for his life inside his own home. For years, the truth stayed buried beneath lies, performances, and whispered suspicions — until one confession finally cracked the entire case wide open.

In this episode of Murder on the Mic, Vanessa Wilson dives into the tragic murder of Richard “Ricky” Cowles Jr., the investigation that spanned over a decade, and the devastating betrayal that changed a family forever.

Because sometimes the most dangerous person in your life… is the one you trust the most.

This week on Murder on the Mic, Vanessa Wilson dives into one of the most disturbing family violence cases to come out of Palm Beach and Las Vegas.

What began as a wealthy Florida divorce spiraled into decades of manipulation, emotional control, murder, and attempted murder—all tied to the same .357 Magnum.

In 1992, prominent Palm Beach attorney James Cooney was shot and killed inside his home while his young sons were nearby. Nearly twenty years later, history shockingly repeated itself when Kevin Cooney was shot by the very same weapon that killed his father.

This episode explores the dark realities of coercive control, narcissistic manipulation, family trauma, and the devastating cycle of violence hidden behind wealth and status.

🎙️ Reloading the Past: The Murder of James Cooney and His Twice-Broken Sons is streaming now.

The case may be closed… but the story isn’t.

🎙️ Vanessa Wilson dives into the disturbing case of Zack Bowen and Addie Hall…

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Zack and Addie became known around New Orleans as the couple who stayed behind during the storm. Walking through empty streets, drinking in abandoned buildings, and surviving inside a city that had been left underwater—it almost looked like a twisted love story.

But behind the walls of their apartment at 826 North Rampart Street, their relationship was unraveling fast.

Cheating. Instability. Isolation. Psychological collapse.

And what happened next would leave one of the most horrifying crime scenes New Orleans had ever seen.

This episode breaks down the relationship between Zack Bowen and Addie Hall, the warning signs leading up to the murder, the disturbing confession left behind, and the devastating aftermath that followed.

A late-night phone call.

A familiar voice.

A front door opened.

And within hours, everything changed.

On this week’s episode of Murder on the Mic, Vanessa Wilson breaks down the Short family murders in a town right side of Columbus in Upatoi, Georgia—where what started as a planned burglary escalated into a brutal act heartbreaking triple homicide.

This is a case about access, decisions, and the moments where everything could have stopped… but didn’t.

On February 24, 2023, a quiet home in Herndon became the center of a shocking double homicide investigation.

Inside that home, 37-year-old pediatric ICU nurse Christine Banfield was found dead. Also killed was Joseph Ryan, a man who, according to investigators, believed he was arriving for a consensual encounter.

What initially appeared to be a home invasion quickly began to unravel.

As detectives examined digital evidence and timelines, prosecutors allege that the situation may have been carefully orchestrated — involving Christine’s husband, Brendan Banfield, and the family’s live-in au pair, Juliana Peres Magalhães.

In this episode, we break down the investigation, the alleged online deception, and the events that led to two lives being lost inside the same home.

This is a case of betrayal, manipulation, and devastating consequences.

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⚠️ Trigger Warning: This episode contains discussions of violence, murder, and domestic betrayal. Listener discretion is advised.

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🎧 New episodes drop every Wednesday at noon.

Always victim-focused. Always truth-driven.

🎙️ Episode 10: Peace, Love… and a Predator Among Them — The Dating Game Murders

In 1978, a man stepped onto the stage of The Dating Game and won the heart of a bachelorette in front of a national audience.

To viewers, he was charming.

To producers, he was just another contestant.

But behind the smile… was a predator who had already committed unimaginable acts of violence—and would continue to do so.

In this episode of Murder on the Mic, Vanessa Wilson breaks down the disturbing case of the victims of the Dating Show killer Rodney Alcala, a man who slipped through the cracks of the justice system again and again.

From the brutal attack on 8-year-old Tali Shapiro…

to the murders of Robin Samsoe, Jill Parenteau, and others…

This case is more than a timeline of violence—

it’s a chilling look at missed warnings, system failures, and the importance of trusting your instincts.

Because sometimes…

the most dangerous people don’t look dangerous at all.

🎧 New episodes drop every Wednesday at noon.

Always victim-focused. Always truth-driven.

It started as a simple date.

But by the end of the night, Nicole White was gone.

In this episode, we break down the 2015 murder of a young mother in Washington, the investigation that followed, and the evidence that led to justice. This is the story of Nicole White—her life, her final hours, and the truth behind what happened.