Ransom

New facts about McKay’s murder come out at trial: A dead-ringer for R. L. Remmington is found and a murder-for-hire plot comes to light. But an explosive event prompts the defense to ask for a mistrial. Thank you for supporting our sponsors: SimpliSafe: Get 20% off any new SimpliSafe system with Fast Protect Monitoring at https://SimpliSafe.com/RANSOM Better Help: This episode is sponsored by Better Help. Visit https://BetterHelp.com/RANSOM today to get 10% off your first month

Grief takes many forms and recently psychiatrists realized that some suffer from extended grieving which may require therapy to get over. Dr. Shear worked to investigate this phenomenon, which was officially recognized as ‘prolonged grief disorder’ in 2022. Studies show it’s particularly common with tragedies like McKay’s – following the sudden, unexpected death of a spouse or child, especially in horrific circumstances like murder. Thank you for supporting our sponsors: SimpliSafe: Get 20% off any new SimpliSafe system with Fast Protect Monitoring at https://SimpliSafe.com/RANSOM

Paulette is overwhelmed by grief and rage at the tragedy. As she looks back, she realizes another accomplice might be in their midst, bringing up a bigger question: When someone hurts a child, how far does the culpability extend? Thank you for supporting our sponsors: SimpliSafe: Get 20% off any new SimpliSafe system with Fast Protect Monitoring at https://SimpliSafe.com/RANSOM Better Help: This episode is sponsored by Better Help. Visit https://BetterHelp.com/RANSOM today to get 10% off your first month

Author Tannie Shannon spent years interviewing Hilton Crawford in prison. In the early days, Tannie was allowed to document the conversations on a tape recorder. On one of the tapes Hilton talks about his early life, his relationship with his wife and his law enforcement career with the Beaumont police and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Departments. Thanks for supporting our sponsors! SimpliSafe: Get 20% off any new SimpliSafe system with Fast Protect Monitoring at https://SimpliSafe.com/RANSOM

What would drive a “family friend” to kidnap a 12-year-old boy? And how can someone capable of that darkness go unnoticed for decades? Hilton Crawford was a former sheriff’s deputy and was respected in the community. We explore Hilton's backstory and the red flags that were overlooked before the kidnapping. Thank you for supporting our sponsors: SimpliSafe: Get 20% off any new SimpliSafe system with Fast Protect Monitoring at https://SimpliSafe.com/RANSOM Better Help: This episode is sponsored by Better Help. Visit https://BetterHelp.com/RANSOM today to get 10% off your first month

The night deputy Marcus Guidry discovered McKay’s body something else happened – he nearly got into a shootout. Guidry was ununiformed and got into a tense encounter with a deputy from a different parish, Jerry Stassi. The two say they’ve investigated many crimes at Whiskey Bay – a strange no man’s land out in the middle of the Achafalaya swamp.

Using Hilton’s jailhouse map, a mad scramble is made to the Atchafalaya swamp, where McKay is found. Then, investigators learn the supposed motivation behind the kidnapping and a claim that becomes one of the biggest mysteries in the case – Hilton’s accomplice R. L. Remington. Thanks for supporting our sponsors! SimpliSafe: Get 20% off any new SimpliSafe system with Fast Protect Monitoring at https://SimpliSafe.com/RANSOM Better Help: This episode is sponsored by Better Help. Visit https://betterhelp.com/Ransom to get 10% off your first month.

For her role as the raspy-voiced ransom caller, Irene Flores was convicted of aggravated kidnapping and served 23 years in prison. Producer Ben Kuebrich interviewed her outside her home. She speaks about the her relationship with Hilton Crawford, the mindset that led to her involvement in the crime, and how she feels about the whole ordeal. Thank you for supporting our sponsors! SimpliSafe: Get 20% off any new SimpliSafe system with Fast Protect Monitoring at https://SimpliSafe.com/RANSOM

The Everetts make a heart-wrenching plea for the kidnappers to spare McKay’s life. But with a suspect in custody, things escalate to a whole new level – How many accomplices are involved and where are they holding McKay?

FBI agent Cindy Rosenthal worked on the McKay Everett case as both an FBI agent and a lawyer, as chief division counsel for the Houston office. She walks us through how the FBI decides to pull the trigger and arrest someone they suspect of involvement in a crime. Thank you for supporting our sponsors! SimpliSafe: Get 20% off any new SimpliSafe system with Fast Protect Monitoring at https://SimpliSafe.com/RANSOM