He begged prison officials not to release him. He told them he would kill. They let him out anyway.

Nineteen days later, four people were dead in Omaha, Nebraska.

This is the story of Nikko Jenkins—a man failed by every system designed to help him, who then committed one of the most preventable killing sprees in recent memory. It's also the story of four victims: Juan Uribe-Pena, Jorge Cajiga-Ruiz, Curtis Bradford, and Andrea Kruger. Some made headlines. Others were barely mentioned. All deserved justice from the start.

In this episode, Ed and Melissa examine the catastrophic failures that led to tragedy—from a childhood marked by documented mental illness and abuse, to a prison system that ignored years of warnings, to a media landscape that only paid attention when the "right" victim was killed.

This is Block 21: Sentencing Failures. Because sometimes the scariest part of true crime isn't the killer—it's the system that could have stopped them and didn't.

Content Warning: This episode contains discussions of violence, mental illness, childhood abuse, and systemic failures in the criminal justice system.

In This Episode:

• The August 2013 Omaha killing spree
• How media coverage differs based on who the victim is
• The documented history of mental illness that was repeatedly ignored
• Why Nikko Jenkins was released directly from solitary confinement with zero supervision
• The families who are still seeking answers

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He was called "The Snaggletooth Killer." His crooked teeth sentenced him to death row. But Ray Krone was innocent.

In 1991, bartender Kim Ancona was brutally murdered at the CBS Lounge in Phoenix, Arizona. Police arrested Ray Krone—a mail carrier with no criminal record—based primarily on bite mark evidence that a forensic expert claimed was "100% certain, better than a fingerprint."

Ray was convicted. Twice. He was sentenced to death. He spent over 10 years in prison, including time on Arizona's death row, before DNA evidence proved his innocence and identified the REAL killer: Kenneth Phillips, who had been living just 600 yards from the crime scene the entire time.

This case is personal for Ed—he was the associate producer on the original Forensic Files episode "Once Bitten" back in 2003. It was his very first case in the true crime industry.

In this episode, we break down:

• The brutal murder of Kim Ancona at the CBS Lounge
• How flawed bite mark evidence led to a wrongful conviction
• The "nationally known expert" who got it completely wrong
• Ray's battle through two trials and two convictions
• Life on Arizona's death row
• The DNA breakthrough that changed everything
• Kenneth Phillips: the real killer who walked free for over a decade
• The emotional moment Kim's mother apologized to the man she'd twice asked to execute

This case changed forensic science in America and exposed the dangerous flaws in bite mark analysis. It's a story of injustice, perseverance, and the power of DNA to set the innocent free.

Stay tuned—Ray Krone himself joins us as a guest in an upcoming episode.

In this episode of Murder Unscripted, we dive deep into one of the most shocking wrongful conviction cases in American history. In 1991, bartender Kim Ancona was brutally murdered at the CBS Lounge in Phoenix, Arizona. Police arrested Ray Krone, a mail carrier with no criminal record, based primarily on bite mark evidence that a forensic expert claimed was “better than a fingerprint.”

Ray was convicted TWICE and sentenced to death. He spent over 10 years in prison - including time on Arizona’s death row - before DNA evidence proved his innocence and identified the REAL killer, Kenneth Phillips, who had been living just 600 yards from the crime scene the entire time.

This case changed forensic science in America and exposed the dangerous flaws in bite mark analysis. It’s a story of injustice, perseverance, and the power of DNA to set the innocent free.

👉 FOLLOW for more true crime content every week!

📚 SOURCES:

• The Arizona Republic newspaper archives (1991-2006)
• Forensic Files - “Once Bitten” (Season 8, Episode 7)
• National Registry of Exonerations
• Innocence Project case files

🔗 RESOURCES:

- Innocence Project: https://innocenceproject.org

- National Registry of Exonerations: https://law.umich.edu/special/exoneration

In October 2003, Kimberly Long’s life was permanently altered when she discovered her boyfriend, Oswaldo “Ozzy” Conde, murdered in their home. What followed was not justice — but a catastrophic failure of it.

In this gripping episode of Murder Unscripted, hosts Ed Hydock and Melissa Spivey examine how Kimberly was wrongfully convicted of second-degree murder despite a lack of physical evidence, ignored forensic indicators, and alternate suspects who were never fully investigated.

Through flawed testimony, untested DNA, and a rushed legal process, Kimberly was sentenced to 15 years to life — even as the trial judge openly stated he believed she was innocent. Years later, the California Innocence Project uncovered critical evidence that should have been presented from the start, leading to her conviction being vacated.

This episode explores the emotional, legal, and human toll of wrongful convictions — and asks the question: how many others are still waiting for justice?

An innocent man lost 30 years to prison. The real killer? He stabbed another woman 90+ times and walked free. This case will ENRAGE you. 🔍⚖️

In this episode of Murder Unscripted, we dive deep into one of Texas' most heartbreaking wrongful conviction cases. In 1981, Carol Elaine Armstrong was found murdered on a rural dirt road in Navarro County, Texas,,,stabbed 45 times and left to die. The investigation led nowhere until two jailhouse informants pointed the finger at Randolph Arledge. But here's what the jury never knew: those informants LIED for plea deals. There was NO physical evidence. And while Randolph sat behind bars for three decades, the alleged REAL killer, David Sims, was out there, free to attack again.

📚 SOURCES:

- National Registry of Exonerations

- Innocence Project of Texas

- Corsicana Daily Sun Archives (1981-1984)

- Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Records

- CBS News Investigation (2013)

#TrueCrime #WrongfulConviction #MurderMystery #ColdCase #InnocenceProject #Texas #Documentary #TrueCrimePodcast #MurderUnscripted #Justice #Exoneration #CriminalJustice #Investigation #UnsolvdMurder #CarolArmstrong #NavarroCounty #Corsicana #JailhouseInformant #DNAEvidence #TrueCrimeDocumentary #TrueCrimeCommunity #CrimePodcast #MurderPodcast #JusticeSystem #WrongfullyConvicted

Before the red suit and the reindeer, Sgt. Christopher Kringle spent three centuries solving murders at the North Pole. Now, for the first time ever, he's breaking his silence on the case that nearly destroyed Christmas.

🦌 THE CASE: On December 22nd, just days before Christmas Eve, Blitzen was found dead in his stable...an antler removed at the base. What looked like an accident quickly became the most explosive investigation in North Pole history.

🔍 THE INVESTIGATION: Rival reindeer with motive. An elf with secrets. A 156-million-toy embezzlement scheme. And evidence hidden in the most unexpected place.

📺 SUBSCRIBE for weekly true crime deep dives: https://www.youtube.com/@MurderUnscriptedPod

🎧 LISTEN on your favorite platform:

Apple Podcasts: [LINK]

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Website: https://murderunscriptedpod.com

👥 ABOUT MURDER UNSCRIPTED: Join veteran true crime producer Ed Hydock (Forensic Files, Cold Case Files, City Confidential) and true crime super-fan Melissa Spivey as they break down the barrier between true crime fan and true crime creator. New episodes every Tuesday!

📱 FOLLOW US:

• Instagram: @MurderUnscripted

• TikTok: @MurderUnscripted

💬 Join the Crime Crew! Drop your theories in the comments below. Or start a conversation on Reddit: www.reddit.com/r/murderunscripted

#truecrimecommunity #MurderUnscripted #ChristmasSpecial #ColdCase #TrueCrimePodcast #MurderMystery #CrimePodcast #TrueCrimeCommunity #Detective #Homicide #Christmas #Holiday #SantaClaus #Reindeer #NorthPole #CrimeStory #Investigation #ForensicFiles #ColdCaseFiles #TrueCrimeAddicts #CrimeCommunity #PodcastEpisode #NewEpisode #ChristmasContent #HolidaySpecial

In Part Two of our coverage of Richard Speck, Murder Unscripted details the night of terror inside the Chicago townhouse where eight student nurses were attacked and murdered.

We walk through the crime scene, honor each victim’s story, and explain how Speck was identified, arrested, and ultimately convicted. This episode also examines his time in prison and his death — closing the chapter on one of the most infamous crimes in American history.

This is a victim-focused conclusion to a case that continues to haunt generations.

Before Richard Speck murdered eight student nurses in Chicago, there were years of warning signs no one stopped.

In Part One of our coverage, Murder Unscripted explores Speck’s childhood, his deeply troubled relationships, and the violent misogyny that fueled his crimes. We examine his belief that “all women are whores,” the rage that defined his interactions, and his first known murder — Mary Pierce in Illinois — a chilling precursor to what was to come.

This episode lays the groundwork for understanding how Richard Speck became one of America’s most notorious killers — and why the system failed to intervene.

Part Two continues with the night that shocked the nation.

#TrueCrime#TrueCrimePodcast#MurderUnscripted#TrueCrimeCommunity#CrimePodcast #RichardSpeck #SpeckMurders #ChicagoCrimes #NursesMurders #MaryPierce #TrueCrimeYouTube #TrueCrimeSeries #CrimeDocumentary #UnsolvedHistory #AmericanCrime

Cold cases spanning years suddenly collided when a long-overdue DNA match pointed straight to Shore.

In Part Two of our investigation into Anthony Allen Shore, we uncover the forensic break that finally exposed the man responsible for some of Houston’s most haunting murders. As Shore’s violence escalated, investigators struggled to connect the cases — until one pivotal DNA match changed everything.

This episode brings together the threads that detectives spent years chasing, and shows how close Shore came to continuing his cycle of violence.

#TourniquetKiller #AnthonyAllenShore #TrueCrimePodcast #MurderUnscripted #DNAColdCase #ForensicFiles #HoustonCrime #SerialKillerCaseFiles #TrueCrimeCommunity

In Part One of our two-episode deep dive into Anthony Allen Shore — The Tourniquet Killer, we explore the early life of a predator who hid in plain sight. We trace Shore’s abusive upbringing, his escalating behavior, and the first murders later linked to him through DNA: Laurie Tremblay in 1986 and Maria del Carmen Estrada in 1992.

This episode lays the foundation for understanding how Shore selected his victims, how he evaded detection for years, and why these early cases remained unsolved for so long. A victim-centered, psychologically informed examination of the beginnings of one of Texas’ most haunting serial killer cases.

#TourniquetKiller #AnthonyAllenShore #TrueCrimePodcast #MurderUnscripted #TrueCrime #SerialKillerCaseFiles #ForensicBreakthroughs #HoustonMurders