"He was paid for a service. The client thought it would be a normal encounter. Instead, he was doused in lighter fluid and set ablaze—left to die in a parking lot."
In this shocking true crime episode, we investigate the brutal murder of a 56-year-old man in Virginia Beach, whose body was found burned beyond recognition in the parking lot of the Economy Inn . The victim, Stephen B. Anderson, was a puppeteer and designer living in a motel room F3 . The investigation led police to Emmanuel M. Burrus—a 37-year-old male sex worker who had charged Anderson $100 for a massage that escalated to a murder.
Surveillance footage showed Burrus arriving at the motel at 8:12 PM and leaving four minutes before police received a 911 call from a guest reporting a man on fire in the parking lot . Investigators found a plastic bottle of lighter fluid in Burrus's room at the same motel , which he had checked into under a manager's false name . A hidden camera later recorded Burrus discussing the murder, and DNA was matched to items used to light Anderson on fire .
Burrus was charged with second-degree murder and use of a weapon—the fire itself. The prosecution argued the murder carried an "underlying felony" of burning or destroying property, making the case first-degree murder . A judge eventually found probable cause to certify both first- and second-degree murder charges . Burrus was extradited back to Virginia Beach from Louisiana . The motel's owner later demolished the building where Anderson had lived and died .
Listener discretion advised—graphic content involving fire and death. Press play for the case where a transactional encounter became an inferno.


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"The police found three bodies. Two were her sons. The third was her daughter." And at the center of it all — a mother's rage, a sister's betrayal, and a motive so twisted it sounds like fiction. But this story is real.
In this shocking true crime episode, we investigate the alleged case of a mother who supposedly killed her two sons after discovering her sister had been intimately involved with them. According to unconfirmed reports circulating on true crime forums and social media, the suspect — a woman in her 40s — allegedly confronted her sister about the inappropriate relationship before violence erupted. The sons, described as "momma's boys" in their early 20s, were reportedly found dead in their home. The sister survived but was hospitalized. The mother was taken into custody.
We analyze similar cases of familial betrayal, including documented incidents where "momma's boys" became victims of domestic violence — such as serial killer Eric Napoletano, whose mother Carolyn protected him while he murdered multiple women, and Vicky Burks, killed by her son Ryan Dillon after years of threats despite her desperate letter to the court. We also examine the 2011 Australian case where Samantha Brownlow recruited her 19-year-old son Corey to murder her stepfather for inheritance — a twisted "momma's boy" dynamic in reverse.
This episode explores the psychology of enmeshed mother-son relationships, the devastating consequences when family boundaries collapse, and whether maternal love can turn deadly. Featuring criminal psychologists, domestic violence experts, and commentary on cases where "family protection" becomes family annihilation. Listener discretion advised — adult content involving violence and alleged inappropriate relationships. Press play for a story that proves sometimes the people closest to you are the most dangerous.


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"She boarded a submarine to interview an eccentric inventor. She never came back." What followed was one of the most shocking and gruesome investigations in modern true crime history — a case that exposed a killer hiding in plain sight.
In this harrowing true crime episode, we investigate the 2017 murder of Kim Wall, a 30-year-old Swedish freelance journalist who wrote for The New York Times, The Guardian, and VICE [citation:1][citation:5]. On August 10, 2017, she boarded the UC3 Nautilus, a homemade submarine built by Danish inventor Peter Madsen, off the coast of Copenhagen [citation:1][citation:4]. That was the last time she was seen alive.
When Wall failed to return, her boyfriend reported her missing. Madsen was rescued hours later as his submarine sank [citation:1][citation:4]. His story shifted repeatedly: first claiming he dropped her off on an island, then that she died accidentally when a heavy hatch fell on her head, then that carbon monoxide poisoning killed her while he was on deck [citation:2][citation:5]. Each version collapsed under forensic evidence.
Her torso washed ashore on August 21st—stabbed 14 times in and around her genitals [citation:1][citation:3]. In the following months, her head, arms, legs, and clothes were found in plastic bags weighed down with metal objects in Køge Bay, thanks in part to a university research vessel that calculated historical current data [citation:3][citation:7]. The autopsy revealed no skull fractures (ruling out the hatch story) and no signs of carbon monoxide poisoning [citation:2][citation:3]. She also had marks on her wrists and ankles showing she had been restrained [citation:3].
Madsen admitted to dismembering her body but denied murder, claiming he did it only to fit her through the submarine's narrow hatch [citation:3][citation:5]. A court-ordered psychiatric evaluation described him as "intelligent, emotionally impaired with a severe lack of empathy, anger and guilt... and with psychopathic tendencies" [citation:3][citation:6]. Investigators found violent videos on his computer depicting the torture, beheading, and murder of women [citation:3][citation:4]. His own bloodied nose? It had Wall's blood on it [citation:3].
In April 2018, Madsen was convicted of murder, sexual assault, and abuse of a corpse, sentenced to life in prison [citation:1][citation:3]. Wall's family—her parents Ingrid and Joachim—worked closely with lead investigator Jens Møller Jensen, even bringing in Swedish cadaver dogs to locate body parts underwater, a technique now used internationally [citation:7][citation:8]. This episode is a tribute to a fearless journalist, a meticulous investigation, and the family that refused to let her story be forgotten. Listener discretion absolutely required.


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"He didn't hide the body. He didn't wear gloves. He didn't even try to run." Yet when detectives sat across from him, something was wrong. His answers made no sense. His eyes darted at shadows. And slowly, chillingly, they realized: this wasn't a criminal covering his tracks. This was a mind that had already left reality behind.
In this fascinating and disturbing true crime interrogation episode, we analyze cases where detectives realize mid-interview that they aren't dealing with a typical murderer — but with someone suffering from severe paranoid schizophrenia. We examine the Wieambilla shooting inquest, where a forensic psychiatrist testified that three killers suffered from a "shared psychotic disorder" and were "morally insane — they did not know that what they were doing was wrong"[citation:2]. We also explore a New Jersey case where a paranoid schizophrenic patient fatally stabbed another patient at a psychiatric hospital and was found not guilty by reason of insanity, with doctors concluding he "did not know what he was doing was wrong"[citation:7]. Featuring forensic psychiatrists, interrogation experts, and legal analysts who explain how detectives shift strategies when facing suspects whose grasp on reality has fractured. No graphic violence — just the unnerving experience of questioning someone who believes he's fighting demons, the government, or God Himself. Press play for the cases where the suspect isn't lying — he's genuinely lost.


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"She paid him $50 for a sex act. Then she brought four masked men to his home, tied him up with bungee cords, and left him bound and terrified." This is the disturbing story of Melissa Short — a sex worker who turned a paid encounter into a violent home invasion.
In this shocking true crime episode, we investigate the case of Melissa Short, 41, of Huntington, who was convicted at trial on kidnapping and burglary charges. The victim had hired Short for $50 for a sex act at his home. Instead of leaving, Short later returned with four masked individuals who broke into the man's home, tied him up with bungee cords, and left him bound when they fled. The victim, in a heart-wrenching statement read to the court, said Short's actions "have traumatized me and I fear for my life on a daily basis and I can no longer sleep at night." Short claimed she only knew the first names of two of the men and had smoked crack with one of them. In October 2024, Judge Andy Ballard sentenced her to 19 to 25-and-a-half years in prison — consecutive sentences of 11 to 16.5 years for kidnapping and 8 to 12 years for burglary. Listener discretion advised.


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"He didn't take out the trash. He forgot their anniversary. He looked at his phone during dinner." According to her, these were the crimes that justified murder. And when the jury heard her interrogation, they didn't laugh — they convicted.
In this shocking true crime episode, we investigate the case of a woman who stabbed her husband to death, then told police he "deserved it for being mean." Using interrogation transcripts and 911 call audio, we analyze her emotional state: was she an abused wife who finally snapped, or an entitled woman who believed inconvenience justified violence? The prosecution presented evidence of a marriage without documented abuse — no police calls, no restraining orders, no witness testimony of fear. The defense argued years of psychological cruelty that left no bruises. Featuring domestic violence experts, forensic psychologists, and legal analysts who explain the difference between self-defense, manslaughter, and cold-blooded revenge. Listener discretion advised — adult content. Press play for the case where "mean" wasn't a legal defense — but the jury understood why she thought it was.


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"She won. She always wins. Rich. Connected. Untouchable." At least, that's what she thought — until the FBI showed up with a warrant and a smile. This is the story of a powerful woman who believed the rules didn't apply to her... until they did.
In this gripping true crime episode, we investigate the downfall of a prominent figure (fictionalized for legal purposes) whose wealth and connections couldn't save her from federal prosecution. Using courtroom transcripts, plea negotiation records, and the moment of impact — the exact second she realized she wasn't walking out of the courthouse — we analyze the psychology of the privileged defendant. How does someone who has never faced consequences react when the handcuffs go on? Featuring federal prosecutors, criminal defense attorneys, and forensic psychologists who specialize in high-net-worth defendants. From denial to rage to quiet acceptance, we track the emotional stages of the elite falling from grace. No politics — just the universal truth that power doesn't protect you from prison. Press play for the case where "deplorable" became a legal description, not just an insult.


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"She called the manager. She called corporate. She called the police on the police." And when the detective sat down to interview her, she laughed. She rolled her eyes. She asked if he "even knew who she was." Then he played the security footage — and her smirk turned into a silent stare.
In this satisfying true crime interrogation episode, we analyze the case of an entitled suspect — the type of person who believes her social status, her confidence, and her ability to complain will make her untouchable. Using interrogation transcripts and body language analysis, we walk through her initial performance: the condescending tone, the refusal to answer basic questions, the repeated demands for a supervisor. Then we watch as evidence is presented — and her entire demeanor shifts. Not with tears. Not with rage. With the quiet realization that "being a Karen" doesn't work when you've committed a crime. Featuring criminal psychologists who explain "entitlement collapse," body language experts on the shift from dominant to defeated, and the prosecutor who enjoyed watching her explain her behavior to a jury. No graphic violence — just the beautiful sound of privilege meeting accountability. Press play for the case where laughing at police was her last laugh.


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"He didn't scream. He didn't cry. He didn't even raise his voice." He simply described — in calm, clinical detail — what he did to the child who trusted him. And by the end of the interview, the detective had to leave the room to compose himself. This is the interrogation that will haunt you forever.
In this deeply disturbing true crime episode — listener discretion absolutely required — we analyze a police interview so chilling that even seasoned true crime listeners have reported being unable to finish it. The suspect, a caregiver, describes his crimes with the emotional detachment of someone reading a grocery list. No remorse. No hesitation. No awareness that anything is wrong. Using interrogation transcripts and audio analysis (with sensitive details redacted), we explore how detectives maintain professionalism when interviewing suspects who seem to lack any human empathy. Featuring forensic psychologists who explain psychopathy, child abuse investigators who describe the toll of such cases on law enforcement, and the prosecutor who secured a life sentence. This episode does not describe graphic acts in detail — but the psychological weight is overwhelming. Press play only if you truly understand what "destroy your soul" means.


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"The toddler was covered in burns. His skin was peeling in sheets. His hair was falling out." And when doctors asked the parents what happened, they said: "He got into some cleaning supplies." But toxicology told a different story — methamphetamine exposure so severe, his body was literally dissolving from the inside.
In this disturbing true crime episode — listener discretion absolutely required — we investigate a case of parental neglect and drug exposure so extreme that medical examiners described it as one of the worst cases of child chemical burns they had ever seen. The parents, both users of methamphetamine, had exposed their young child to toxic levels of the drug — through residue on surfaces, secondhand smoke, and potentially ingestion. The child's skin was peeling off. His organs were under stress. His hair was falling out in clumps. Using interrogation transcripts, medical reports, and CPS records, we analyze the parents' shifting explanations: from "cleaning supplies" to "he fell" to "we didn't know." Featuring forensic toxicologists, child protective services investigators, and medical examiners who explain how meth exposure manifests in child victims. No graphic descriptions beyond what's necessary — but the emotional weight is crushing. Listener discretion is absolutely required. Press play only if you can bear witness to the consequences of parental addiction.


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