Reverie True Crime

In March of 2015, Denise Huskins was kidnapped, drugged, sexually assaulted, and held for 48 hours. When she was released, police called it a hoax and demanded that she apologize for wasting resources. The media dubbed it the "Gone Girl" case and death threats started flooding in. Except it wasn't a hoax at all. It was a Harvard-educated serial rapist named Matthew Muller who'd been terrorizing California for years. In this episode, we'll go through the kidnapping, the police misconduct that revictimized the survivors, Detective Misty Carausu's brilliant investigative work that finally caught Muller, and how Denise and Aaron turned trauma into national advocacy. From victims to suspects to survivors...their story changed how law enforcement handles sexual assault cases across America.

For Survivors of Sexual Violence:

- RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)
- RAINN Online Chat:https://hotline.rainn.org/online
- Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741
- National Sexual Violence Resource Center:https://www.nsvrc.org/

For Victims of Police Misconduct:

- ACLU:https://www.aclu.org/
- National Police Accountability Project:https://www.nlg-npap.org/
- Innocence Project:https://innocenceproject.org/

Mental Health Support:

- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988
- SAMHSA National Helpline: 1-800-662-4357
- Psychology Today Therapist Finder:https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists



Sources:

San Francisco Chronicle (Henry K. Lee's Reporting):

- https://www.sfchronicle.com/ (Search "Denise Huskins" for extensive archive)

Major National News Outlets:

- https://abcnews.go.com/ 
- https://www.nbcnews.com/ 
- https://www.cnn.com/ 
- https://www.nytimes.com/ 
- https://www.latimes.com/ 
- https://www.usatoday.com/ 

Bay Area Local News:

- https://www.ktvu.com/ 
- https://www.kron4.com/ 
- https://www.mercurynews.com/ 
- https://www.sfgate.com/ 
- https://www.timesheraldonline.com/ 

People Magazine & Entertainment:

- https://people.com/ (Search "Denise Huskins" for features)

American Nightmare (2024):

- https://www.netflix.com/title/81456520 

"Victim F: From Crime Victims to Suspects to Survivors" (2021):

- https://www.amazon.com/Victim-Crime-Victims-Suspects-Survivors/dp/1538720558

Federal Court Case:

- https://www.justice.gov/usao-edca 
- Case: USA v. Matthew Daniel Muller, Case No. 2:15-cr-00242-TLN
- https://www.pacer.gov/ 

State Court Cases:

- https://www.solano.courts.ca.gov/ 
- https://www.santaclaracourt.org/ 
- https://www.cc-courts.org/ 

Defamation Lawsuit:

- Huskins v. City of Vallejo - Settled March 2018 for $2.5 million


Denise Huskins' Attorneys:

- Doug Rappaport
- https://www.rappaportlaw.com/ 

Aaron Quinn's Attorneys:

- Daniel Russo
- https://russoandrusso.com/ 

Law Enforcement Training:

- The case is now taught at police academies nationwide
- Featured in FBI training materials on sexual assault investigations
- https://www.fbi.gov/services/training-academy 
Criminal History & Background:

- https://www.bop.gov/inmateloc/ (Federal Bureau of Prisons Inmate Locator)
- Search: Matthew Daniel Muller, Register Number: 04664-111

California State Bar:

- https://www.calbar.ca.gov/ 
- Search for Matthew Muller's disciplinary records and disbarment
YouTube:

- https://www.youtube.com/@ABCNews 
- https://www.youtube.com/@DatelineNBC 
- https://www.youtube.com/@netflix 

2015 News Archives:

- https://www.newspapers.com/ 
- https://news.google.com/newspapers 

Articles Analyzing the Case:

- https://www.vulture.com/ (Vulture - entertainment analysis)
- https://www.rollingstone.com/ (Rolling Stone features)
- https://www.vanityfair.com/ (Vanity Fair long-form)

"Gone Girl" Film (2014):

- https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2267998/ 

Denise & Aaron's Advocacy Work:

- They've trained law enforcement agencies nationwide
- Spoken at conferences on sexual assault investigation best practices
- Worked with prosecutors on Muller's cold cases

California Prosecutors' Recognition:

- 2025: Named "Witnesses of the Year" by California prosecutors
- https://www.cdaa.org/

California District Attorneys Association:

- https://www.cdaa.org/ (2025 Witnesses of the Year announcement)

Snopes:

- https://www.snopes.com/ (Search "Denise Huskins" for fact-checking)
FBI Press Releases:
- https://www.fbi.gov/news/press-releases (Search "Matthew Muller")
U.S. Attorney's Office:
- https://www.justice.gov/usao-edca/pr (Press releases on Muller's prosecution)

Vallejo Police 2021 Apology:


- Issued by Chief Shawny Williams on August 25, 2021
- Archived in news articles and official city records


$2.5 Million Settlement (March 2018):

- City of Vallejo settled defamation lawsuit
- No admission of wrongdoing required by settlement terms
- Covered extensively in news media

Denise & Aaron's Media Appearances:

- ABC News 20/20
- Dateline NBC
- Various podcast interviews
- Law enforcement training events
- Public policy panels

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/reverie-true-crime--4442888/support.

Keep In Touch:

• Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/reveriecrimepod
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reverietruecrime
• Tumblr: https://reverietruecrimepodcast.tumblr.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/reverietruecrime
• Contact: [email protected] 

Intro & Outro by Jahred Gomes: https://www.instagram.com/jahredgomes_official

January 25, 2023, arranged in a line in a frozen Pennsylvania backyard laid a father, mother, and daughter who had executed a planned suicide pact nine months in the making. Over the years the Daub family withdrew from the world until they vanished entirely. 


National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988
Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741
NAMI Helpline (National Alliance on Mental Illness): 1-800-950-NAMI (6264)

If you or someone you know is experiencing auditory hallucinations, paranoia, or any symptoms of psychosis, please contact a mental health professional immediately. These conditions are treatable.



Sources:

• https://www.yorkdispatch.com/story/news/local/2024/01/25/neighbors-ready-for-new-chapter-one-year-after-familys-mysterious-suicide-pact/72343325007/
• https://www.yorkdispatch.com/story/news/local/2023/01/26/west-manchester-township-pa-police-daub-family-deaths-ruled-murder-suicide/69843414007/
• https://www.pennlive.com/crime/2023/01/3-dead-in-apparent-pa-murder-suicide-pact.html
• https://www.pennlive.com/news/2023/01/3-family-members-found-dead-in-backyard-of-york-county-home.html
• https://www.wgal.com/article/york-county-loman-avenue-deaths-investigation/42584807
• https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/york-county/3-people-found-dead-west-manchester-township-york-county/521-e4d7e0d7-8f4e-4f7e-9c7a-5d0e5b5c5d7e
• https://www.abc27.com/local-news/york/3-people-found-dead-in-west-manchester-township/
• https://dailyvoice.com/pennsylvania/york/news/3-relatives-found-dead-in-pa-backyard-were-part-of-suicide-pact-officials/850584/

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/reverie-true-crime--4442888/support.

Keep In Touch:

• Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/reveriecrimepod
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reverietruecrime
• Tumblr: https://reverietruecrimepodcast.tumblr.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/reverietruecrime
• Contact: [email protected] 

Intro & Outro by Jahred Gomes: https://www.instagram.com/jahredgomes_official

For 27 years, she was just Jane Doe, a nameless woman found decomposed in an Iowa ditch in 1978. In 2006, a fingerprint match finally gave her a name: Wilma June Nissen, a 23-year-old mother. Wilma's daughter Krissi spent nearly 30 years believing her mother had abandoned her, only to learn the devastating truth that she'd been murdered just after Krissi's first birthday. Now, Krissi is fighting to solve her mother's cold case, and investigators believe they know who did it. This is the story of a woman who was failed by every system that should have protected her. Someone out there knows what happened that summer night in 1978, and Wilma June Nissen deserves justice.


To Report Information:

• Crime Stoppers USA: 1-800-222-TIPS (8477)
• Website: crimestoppersusa.org
• Cold Case Coalition Tip Line: (385) 258-3313
• WeTip Anonymous Tip Line: 1-800-78-CRIME (1-800-782-7463)
• Sioux Falls Crime Stoppers: (605) 367-7007 or toll-free (877) 367-7007
• Website: crimestopperssiouxempire.com

Support Resources: If you or someone you know has experienced child abuse, neglect, or sexual exploitation:

• National Child Abuse Hotline: 1-800-422-4453
• RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-4673
• National Human Trafficking Hotline: 1-888-373-7888

Krissi's Platforms:

• Justice4WilmaJuneNissen.com
• wilmasdaughter.substack.com
• Bluesky: @krissihaas1977.bsky.social
• TikTok: Krissi_1977
• medium.com/@justice4wilma
• X (Twitter): @MyMomsMurder
• Change.org petition: https://c.org/7jyxTjGVzC

SOURCES:

• https://iowacoldcases.org/case-summaries/wilma-june-nissen/
• https://projectcoldcase.org/2025/05/12/wilma-nissen/
• https://www.nwestiowa.com/news/new-lead-for-lyon-county-cold-case/article_31e9c062-1961-11e6-a014-53443c67e206.html
• https://www.the-sun.com/news/14825036/wilma-nissen-cold-case-mom-murdered-krissi-atkisson-iowa/
• https://www.nbcnews.com/dateline/cold-case-spotlight/wilma-nissen-rock-rapids-iowa-homicide-unsolved-rcna232527
• https://siouxcityjournal.com/news/article_6820cdc8-6145-5524-9fc2-3e96212da18e.html
• https://muscatinejournal.com/news/state-regional/crime-courts/article_e6a2c980-b20e-5d53-a74c-435d649b4828.html
• https://nonpareilonline.com/news/state-regional/crime-courts/article_4409d496-4e68-5e8e-b907-f5e1c42decc8.html
• https://siouxlandnews.com/archive/arrest-made-in-1978-lyon-county-cold-case-01-26-2016
• https://www.dakotanewsnow.com/2025/05/08/missing-murdered-who-killed-wilma-june-nissen-1978/
• https://medium.com/@CrimeStoriesNow/unraveling-the-cold-case-the-wilma-june-nissen-mystery-e6908d9e9ed2
• https://storiesoftheunsolved.com/2021/02/14/the-murder-of-wilma-june-nissen/
• https://seasonofjustice.org/featured/wilma-june-nissen/
• https://original.newsbreak.com/@fatim-hemraj-561392/2226594487639-who-killed-wilma-june-nissen-help-solve-this-43-year-old-cold-case
• https://medium.com/chameleon/who-killed-wilma-june-nissen-help-solve-this-43-year-old-cold-case-41b784aba10
• https://www.maryhallbergmedia.com/post/unsolved-the-murder-of-wilma-nissen
• https://synovaink.com/2025/03/12/jane-doe-mother-identified-cold-case-of-wilma-june-nissen/
• Dakota Spotlight Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/krissis-search-the-murder-of-wilma-june-nissen/id1451783176?i=1000704327368

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/reverie-true-crime--4442888/support.

Keep In Touch:

• Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/reveriecrimepod
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reverietruecrime
• Tumblr: https://reverietruecrimepodcast.tumblr.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/reverietruecrime
• Contact: [email protected] 

Intro & Outro by Jahred Gomes: https://www.instagram.com/jahredgomes_official

In this final episode, we learn where the killers are today (spoiler: they're all still in prison and likely always will be), the two laws passed in Channon and Chris's names that protect future victims, the families' ongoing fight to ensure they're never forgotten, a little about the families and some personal struggles they’ve faced, the racial controversy that surrounded the case, and more.

Resources and Support For Survivors of Sexual Violence:

• RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)
• RAINN Online Chat: online.rainn.org

For Crime Victims and Families:

• National Center for Victims of Crime: 1-855-4-VICTIM (1-855-484-2846)
• Parents of Murdered Children: www.pomc.org

For Mental Health Support:

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988
• Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741
• SAMHSA National Helpline: 1-800-662-4357

IN LOVING MEMORY

Channon Gail Christian April 29, 1985 - January 9, 2007 Beloved daughter, friend, student, golfer, and beautiful soul.

Hugh Christopher Newsom Jr. September 21, 1983 - January 7, 2007 Beloved son, carpenter, baseball player, and kind heart.

They were loved. They are remembered. They will never be forgotten.







Sources:

• https://www.newspapers.com/ (Historical archive - subscription required)
• https://www.knoxnews.com/ (Search "Christian Newsom" for extensive archive)
• https://abcnews.go.com/ (Search "Channon Christian")
• https://www.cnn.com/ (Coverage of trials and scandal)
• https://www.foxnews.com/ (Michelle Malkin coverage 2007)
• https://www.wbir.com/ (WBIR-TV extensive trial coverage)
• https://www.wate.com/ (WATE 6 On Your Side)
• https://www.wvlt.tv/ (WVLT Local 8 News)
• https://www.tncourts.gov/ (Tennessee State Courts)
• https://www.tsc.state.tn.us/ (Tennessee Supreme Court opinions)
• https://www.knoxcounty.org/criminal/ (Knox County Criminal Court)
• https://law.justia.com/cases/tennessee/ (Tennessee case law database)
• https://scholar.google.com/ (Search: "State v. Davidson" "State v. Cobbins" etc.)
• https://www.govinfo.gov/app/collection/uscourts (Federal case records)
• https://pacer.uscourts.gov/ (Public Access to Court Electronic Records - fee required)
• https://www.capitol.tn.gov/ (Tennessee General Assembly)
• https://publications.tnsosfiles.com/acts/108/pub/pc0962.pdf (Chris Newsom Act - SB 2552/HB 2658)
• https://publications.tnsosfiles.com/acts/108/pub/pc0963.pdf (Channon Christian Act - SB 2553/HB 2659)
• https://www.rainn.org/ (RAINN - Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network)
• https://www.pomc.org/ (Parents of Murdered Children)
• https://victimsofcrime.org/ (National Center for Victims of Crime)
• University of Tennessee Foundation: https://www.utfi.org/
• "The Christian-Newsom Murders: 10 Years Later" - Knoxville News Sentinel Special Report
• https://www.aetv.com/ (A&E "Injustice with Nancy Grace")
• https://www.oxygen.com/ (Oxygen Network coverage)
• https://www.investigationdiscovery.com/ (Investigation Discovery features)
• https://www.aafs.org/ (American Academy of Forensic Sciences)
• https://www.forensicscienceeducation.org/ (Forensic science education resources)
• https://www.ncjrs.gov/ (National Criminal Justice Reference Service)
• https://bjs.ojp.gov/ (Bureau of Justice Statistics)
• https://apps.tn.gov/foil-app/ (Tennessee Felon Offender Information Lookup)
• Search names: Davidson, Cobbins, Thomas, Coleman, Boyd
• https://www.tn.gov/correction/sp/death-row.html (Tennessee Death Row information)
• https://www.knoxnews.com/archives/ (January-February 2007)
• https://www.knoxnews.com/archives/ (Trial coverage)
• https://www.knoxnews.com/archives/ (March-December 2011)
• https://www.knoxnews.com/archives/ (Coleman & Thomas retrials)
• https://www.knoxnews.com/archives/ (August 2019)
• https://www.tba.org/ (Tennessee Bar Association resources)
• https://www.knoxcounty.org/ (Knox County government)
• https://www.knoxvilletn.gov/ (City of Knoxville)
• https://www.britannica.com/place/Knoxville-Tennessee (Knoxville history)
• https://www.utk.edu/ (University of Tennessee)

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/reverie-true-crime--4442888/support.

Keep In Touch:

• Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/reveriecrimepod
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reverietruecrime
• Tumblr: https://reverietruecrimepodcast.tumblr.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/reverietruecrime
• Contact: [email protected] 

Intro & Outro by Jahred Gomes: https://www.instagram.com/jahredgomes_official

By January 2007, all five suspects were in custody. Prosecutors had charged them with 46 counts including murder, rape, kidnapping, and robbery. Between 2008-2010, four separate trials resulted in convictions. It seemed like justice had finally been served and the families could breathe. Then a scandal involving the judge, who presided over the trials, would rock their worlds. Because of his demons, the families would have to go through it all over again.


Support ResourcesFor Survivors of Violence:

• https://www.rainn.org/ - RAINN (1-800-656-4673)
• https://www.thehotline.org/ - National Domestic Violence Hotline (1-800-799-7233)
• https://www.crisistextline.org/ - Crisis Text Line (Text HOME to 741741)
• https://988lifeline.org/ - 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

For Families of Murder Victims:

• https://www.pomc.org/ - Parents of Murdered Children
• https://victimsofcrime.org/ - National Center for Victims of Crime
• https://www.ncvc.org/ - National Crime Victim Law Institute

Sources:

• https://www.newspapers.com/ (Historical archive - subscription required)
• https://www.knoxnews.com/ (Search "Christian Newsom" for extensive archive)
• https://abcnews.go.com/ (Search "Channon Christian")
• https://www.cnn.com/ (Coverage of trials and scandal)
• https://www.foxnews.com/ (Michelle Malkin coverage 2007)
• https://www.wbir.com/ (WBIR-TV extensive trial coverage)
• https://www.wate.com/ (WATE 6 On Your Side)
• https://www.wvlt.tv/ (WVLT Local 8 News)
• https://www.tncourts.gov/ (Tennessee State Courts)
• https://www.tsc.state.tn.us/ (Tennessee Supreme Court opinions)
• https://www.knoxcounty.org/criminal/ (Knox County Criminal Court)
• https://law.justia.com/cases/tennessee/ (Tennessee case law database)
• https://scholar.google.com/ (Search: "State v. Davidson" "State v. Cobbins" etc.)
• https://www.govinfo.gov/app/collection/uscourts (Federal case records)
• https://pacer.uscourts.gov/ (Public Access to Court Electronic Records - fee required)
• https://www.capitol.tn.gov/ (Tennessee General Assembly)
• https://publications.tnsosfiles.com/acts/108/pub/pc0962.pdf (Chris Newsom Act - SB 2552/HB 2658)
• https://publications.tnsosfiles.com/acts/108/pub/pc0963.pdf (Channon Christian Act - SB 2553/HB 2659)
• https://www.rainn.org/ (RAINN - Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network)
• https://www.pomc.org/ (Parents of Murdered Children)
• https://victimsofcrime.org/ (National Center for Victims of Crime)
• University of Tennessee Foundation: https://www.utfi.org/
• "The Christian-Newsom Murders: 10 Years Later" - Knoxville News Sentinel Special Report
• https://www.aetv.com/ (A&E "Injustice with Nancy Grace")
• https://www.oxygen.com/ (Oxygen Network coverage)
• https://www.investigationdiscovery.com/ (Investigation Discovery features)
• https://www.aafs.org/ (American Academy of Forensic Sciences)
• https://www.forensicscienceeducation.org/ (Forensic science education resources)
• https://www.ncjrs.gov/ (National Criminal Justice Reference Service)
• https://bjs.ojp.gov/ (Bureau of Justice Statistics)
• https://apps.tn.gov/foil-app/ (Tennessee Felon Offender Information Lookup)
• Search names: Davidson, Cobbins, Thomas, Coleman, Boyd
• https://www.tn.gov/correction/sp/death-row.html (Tennessee Death Row information)
• https://www.knoxnews.com/archives/ (January-February 2007)
• https://www.knoxnews.com/archives/ (Trial coverage)
• https://www.knoxnews.com/archives/ (March-December 2011)
• https://www.knoxnews.com/archives/ (Coleman & Thomas retrials)
• https://www.knoxnews.com/archives/ (August 2019)
• https://www.tba.org/ (Tennessee Bar Association resources)
• https://www.knoxcounty.org/ (Knox County government)
• https://www.knoxvilletn.gov/ (City of Knoxville)
• https://www.britannica.com/place/Knoxville-Tennessee (Knoxville history)
• https://www.utk.edu/ (University of Tennessee)

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/reverie-true-crime--4442888/support.

Keep In Touch:

• Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/reveriecrimepod
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reverietruecrime
• Tumblr: https://reverietruecrimepodcast.tumblr.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/reverietruecrime
• Contact: [email protected] 

Intro & Outro by Jahred Gomes: https://www.instagram.com/jahredgomes_official

Between January 6-9, 2007, Channon Christian and Christopher Newsom were held captive, tortured, raped, and murdered by five perpetrators at a house on Chipman Street in Knoxville, Tennessee.The details are documented through court testimony, medical examiner reports, and forensic evidence are among the most horrific ever presented in an American courtroom. Prosecutors, judges, and jurors struggled to maintain composure. This episode documents what happened during those 36 hours. It is extremely difficult to hear but their families insisted the world know the truth because only by understanding the full horror can we appreciate why justice mattered so much.

In memory of Channon and Chris, whose families demanded the truth be told.

Support ResourcesFor Survivors of Violence:

• https://www.rainn.org/ - RAINN (1-800-656-4673)
• https://www.thehotline.org/ - National Domestic Violence Hotline (1-800-799-7233)
• https://www.crisistextline.org/ - Crisis Text Line (Text HOME to 741741)
• https://988lifeline.org/ - 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

For Families of Murder Victims:

• https://www.pomc.org/ - Parents of Murdered Children
• https://victimsofcrime.org/ - National Center for Victims of Crime
• https://www.ncvc.org/ - National Crime Victim Law Institute

Sources:

• https://www.newspapers.com/ (Historical archive - subscription required)
• https://www.knoxnews.com/ (Search "Christian Newsom" for extensive archive)
• https://abcnews.go.com/ (Search "Channon Christian")
• https://www.cnn.com/ (Coverage of trials and scandal)
• https://www.foxnews.com/ (Michelle Malkin coverage 2007)
• https://www.wbir.com/ (WBIR-TV extensive trial coverage)
• https://www.wate.com/ (WATE 6 On Your Side)
• https://www.wvlt.tv/ (WVLT Local 8 News)
• https://www.tncourts.gov/ (Tennessee State Courts)
• https://www.tsc.state.tn.us/ (Tennessee Supreme Court opinions)
• https://www.knoxcounty.org/criminal/ (Knox County Criminal Court)
• https://law.justia.com/cases/tennessee/ (Tennessee case law database)
• https://scholar.google.com/ (Search: "State v. Davidson" "State v. Cobbins" etc.)
• https://www.govinfo.gov/app/collection/uscourts (Federal case records)
• https://pacer.uscourts.gov/ (Public Access to Court Electronic Records - fee required)
• https://www.capitol.tn.gov/ (Tennessee General Assembly)
• https://publications.tnsosfiles.com/acts/108/pub/pc0962.pdf (Chris Newsom Act - SB 2552/HB 2658)
• https://publications.tnsosfiles.com/acts/108/pub/pc0963.pdf (Channon Christian Act - SB 2553/HB 2659)
• https://www.rainn.org/ (RAINN - Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network)
• https://www.pomc.org/ (Parents of Murdered Children)
• https://victimsofcrime.org/ (National Center for Victims of Crime)
• University of Tennessee Foundation: https://www.utfi.org/
• "The Christian-Newsom Murders: 10 Years Later" - Knoxville News Sentinel Special Report
• https://www.aetv.com/ (A&E "Injustice with Nancy Grace")
• https://www.oxygen.com/ (Oxygen Network coverage)
• https://www.investigationdiscovery.com/ (Investigation Discovery features)
• https://www.aafs.org/ (American Academy of Forensic Sciences)
• https://www.forensicscienceeducation.org/ (Forensic science education resources)
• https://www.ncjrs.gov/ (National Criminal Justice Reference Service)
• https://bjs.ojp.gov/ (Bureau of Justice Statistics)
• https://apps.tn.gov/foil-app/ (Tennessee Felon Offender Information Lookup)
• Search names: Davidson, Cobbins, Thomas, Coleman, Boyd
• https://www.tn.gov/correction/sp/death-row.html (Tennessee Death Row information)
• https://www.knoxnews.com/archives/ (January-February 2007)
• https://www.knoxnews.com/archives/ (Trial coverage)
• https://www.knoxnews.com/archives/ (March-December 2011)
• https://www.knoxnews.com/archives/ (Coleman & Thomas retrials)
• https://www.knoxnews.com/archives/ (August 2019)
• https://www.tba.org/ (Tennessee Bar Association resources)
• https://www.knoxcounty.org/ (Knox County government)
• https://www.knoxvilletn.gov/ (City of Knoxville)
• https://www.britannica.com/place/Knoxville-Tennessee (Knoxville history)
• https://www.utk.edu/ (University of Tennessee)

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/reverie-true-crime--4442888/support.

Keep In Touch:

• Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/reveriecrimepod
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reverietruecrime
• Tumblr: https://reverietruecrimepodcast.tumblr.com
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• Contact: [email protected] 

Intro & Outro by Jahred Gomes: https://www.instagram.com/jahredgomes_official

On January 6, 2007, Channon Christian (21) and Christopher Newsom (23) went on a date. They were young, in love, and planning to attend a friend's birthday party.They never arrived. What happened to Channon and Chris over the next 36 hours is known as one of the most brutal crime sprees in Tennessee history. But before we discuss the horror, we need to know who they were, the real people behind the headlines, the beloved children whose families would spend 18 years fighting for justice.This four-part series tells their complete story: the victims, the crimes, the trials, the judicial scandal that forced retrials, and the lasting legacy. In this episode, let's learn who Channon Gail Christian and Hugh Christopher Newsom Jr. were. Not as victims, but as the vibrant, beautiful people they were.

Support ResourcesFor Survivors of Violence:

• https://www.rainn.org/ - RAINN (1-800-656-4673)
• https://www.thehotline.org/ - National Domestic Violence Hotline (1-800-799-7233)
• https://www.crisistextline.org/ - Crisis Text Line (Text HOME to 741741)
• https://988lifeline.org/ - 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

For Families of Murder Victims:

• https://www.pomc.org/ - Parents of Murdered Children
• https://victimsofcrime.org/ - National Center for Victims of Crime
• https://www.ncvc.org/ - National Crime Victim Law Institute

Sources:

• https://www.newspapers.com/ (Historical archive - subscription required)
• https://www.knoxnews.com/ (Search "Christian Newsom" for extensive archive)
• https://abcnews.go.com/ (Search "Channon Christian")
• https://www.cnn.com/ (Coverage of trials and scandal)
• https://www.foxnews.com/ (Michelle Malkin coverage 2007)
• https://www.wbir.com/ (WBIR-TV extensive trial coverage)
• https://www.wate.com/ (WATE 6 On Your Side)
• https://www.wvlt.tv/ (WVLT Local 8 News)
• https://www.tncourts.gov/ (Tennessee State Courts)
• https://www.tsc.state.tn.us/ (Tennessee Supreme Court opinions)
• https://www.knoxcounty.org/criminal/ (Knox County Criminal Court)
• https://law.justia.com/cases/tennessee/ (Tennessee case law database)
• https://scholar.google.com/ (Search: "State v. Davidson" "State v. Cobbins" etc.)
• https://www.govinfo.gov/app/collection/uscourts (Federal case records)
• https://pacer.uscourts.gov/ (Public Access to Court Electronic Records - fee required)
• https://www.capitol.tn.gov/ (Tennessee General Assembly)
• https://publications.tnsosfiles.com/acts/108/pub/pc0962.pdf (Chris Newsom Act - SB 2552/HB 2658)
• https://publications.tnsosfiles.com/acts/108/pub/pc0963.pdf (Channon Christian Act - SB 2553/HB 2659)
• https://www.rainn.org/ (RAINN - Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network)
• https://www.pomc.org/ (Parents of Murdered Children)
• https://victimsofcrime.org/ (National Center for Victims of Crime)
• University of Tennessee Foundation: https://www.utfi.org/
• "The Christian-Newsom Murders: 10 Years Later" - Knoxville News Sentinel Special Report
• https://www.aetv.com/ (A&E "Injustice with Nancy Grace")
• https://www.oxygen.com/ (Oxygen Network coverage)
• https://www.investigationdiscovery.com/ (Investigation Discovery features)
• https://www.aafs.org/ (American Academy of Forensic Sciences)
• https://www.forensicscienceeducation.org/ (Forensic science education resources)
• https://www.ncjrs.gov/ (National Criminal Justice Reference Service)
• https://bjs.ojp.gov/ (Bureau of Justice Statistics)
• https://apps.tn.gov/foil-app/ (Tennessee Felon Offender Information Lookup)
• Search names: Davidson, Cobbins, Thomas, Coleman, Boyd
• https://www.tn.gov/correction/sp/death-row.html (Tennessee Death Row information)
• https://www.knoxnews.com/archives/ (January-February 2007)
• https://www.knoxnews.com/archives/ (Trial coverage)
• https://www.knoxnews.com/archives/ (March-December 2011)
• https://www.knoxnews.com/archives/ (Coleman & Thomas retrials)
• https://www.knoxnews.com/archives/ (August 2019)
• https://www.tba.org/ (Tennessee Bar Association resources)
• https://www.knoxcounty.org/ (Knox County government)
• https://www.knoxvilletn.gov/ (City of Knoxville)
• https://www.britannica.com/place/Knoxville-Tennessee (Knoxville history)
• https://www.utk.edu/ (University of Tennessee)

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Intro & Outro by Jahred Gomes: https://www.instagram.com/jahredgomes_official

In May of 2002, a St. Louis reporter received a letter with a map marked with an X and a chilling message: "To prove I'm real, here's directions to number seventeen." The map leads police to a body. And one digital mistake exposed a killer's darkest secrets. Between 2000 and 2002, at least twelve women vanished from the streets of St. Louis, their deaths barely noticed by a society that had already dismissed them. What investigators found in a suburban basement would out one of the most disturbing serial killers in American history.

Sources:

• https://www.stltoday.com/ (Main site - archival articles from 2002)
• https://www.nytimes.com/2002/06/11/us/internet-used-to-find-man-who-is-charged-in-2-of-10-killings.html
• https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2002-jun-17-na-serial17-story.html
• https://abcnews.go.com/Primetime/story?id=132005&page=1 (Serial Killer's Home Movies)
• https://abcnews.go.com/US/woman-found-serial-killer-lived-home-watching-tv/story?id=24467447
• https://www.bnd.com/news/local/crime/article311186715.html
• https://fox2now.com/news/true-crime/serial-killer-maury-travis-the-street-walker-strangler/
• https://www.semissourian.com/story/77256.html
• Forensic Files: "X Marks the Spot" (Season 7, Episode 35) - Available on streaming platforms
• Cold Case Files: "A Map to Murder" (Season 2, Episode 19) - Originally aired on A&E
• Evil, I: "Hell's Basement" episode
• Unknown Serial Killers of America (2025)
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maury_Travis
• https://web.archive.org/web/20120509185024/http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/criminal_mind/forensics/vernon_geberth/12.html
• https://www.fbi.gov/
• https://isp.illinois.gov/
• https://www.slmpd.org/
• https://nij.ojp.gov/topics/forensics/digital-evidence
• https://dnadoeproject.org/

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Intro & Outro by Jahred Gomes: https://www.instagram.com/jahredgomes_official

In January of 2011, 27-year-old first-grade teacher Ellen Greenberg came home early from work and was found dead hours later on her kitchen floor by her fiance. She had twenty stab wounds covering her body, ten of them to the back of her neck and head, and a ten-inch knife buried deep into her heart. The Medical Examiner called it suicide. Ellen's parents have spent fourteen years and over $800,000 proving that's impossible. Renowned forensic experts find evidence of wounds inflicted after death, a crime scene was cleaned before investigators could properly examine it, and a fiancé who called his attorney uncle before calling 911. Ellen was planning her wedding, loved her students, and didn't like the sight of blood. Can someone really stab themselves ten times in the back of the head? And if Ellen didn't kill herself, why won't Philadelphia call it murder?


Sources:

• Hulu Documentary: "Death in Apartment 603: What Happened to Ellen Greenberg?"
• https://www.cnn.com/2025/10/13/us/ellen-greenberg-death-philadelphia-cec
• https://edition.cnn.com/2025/02/03/us/ellen-greenberg-philadelphia-case-update-cec
• https://www.cnn.com/interactive/2024/01/us/ellen-greenberg-mystery-dg
• https://www.foxnews.com/us/ellen-greenberg-case-pennsylvania-woman-found-dead-20-stab-wounds-ruled-suicide
• https://www.foxnews.com/us/pennsylvania-teacher-found-stabbed-20-times-ruled-suicide-parents-fight-justice
• https://www.inquirer.com/news/ellen-greenberg-suicide-ruling-philadelphia-parents-lawsuit-20250210.html
• https://www.inquirer.com/news/ellen-greenberg-death-suicide-philadelphia-lawsuit-20241217.html
• https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/ellen-greenberg-case-philadelphia-suicide-ruling
• https://www.oxygen.com/crime-news/ellen-greenberg-death-ruled-suicide-despite-20-stab-wounds
• https://www.cbsnews.com/philadelphia/news/ellen-greenberg-case-pennsylvania-supreme-court
• https://lawandcrime.com/high-profile/ellen-greenberg-case-pennsylvania-supreme-court-to-hear-case
• https://people.com/ellen-greenberg-death-investigation-timeline

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Intro & Outro by Jahred Gomes: https://www.instagram.com/jahredgomes_official

Ghost Bites is a weekly podcast from Mike and J.T. of Brew Crime, for quick, 5–10 minute dives into the haunted, spooky, and paranormal. Get your weekly dose of all things creepy, served with a side of laughs. It’s the perfect podcast for anyone looking for a fun and frightening experience that won’t take up their whole day.


This week on Ghost Bites, Mike and J.T. crack open the creepy tale of the Dybbuk Box. Allegedly a wine cabinet possessed by a restless, dislocated spirit, this little antique has a reputation for bringing misfortune, nightmares, and even physical harm to anyone who dares to own it. Join us as we explore this potentially furniture-based evil entity and ponder if buying haunted antiques on eBay is ever a good idea. Spoiler: it's not.


Sources used for this episode:

• The Dybbuk Box by Jason Haxton
• "A Nightmare on Elm Drive: The True Story of the Dybbuk Box" (documentary)
• "The Haunted Dybbuk Box: A True Story of Possession?" (All That's Interesting article)
• The Possession (2012 film, for entertainment purposes only, definitely not a documentary)

Intro Music by - Jayme McDonald (Chatterless) ⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Linktree ⁠



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• Contact: [email protected] 

Intro & Outro by Jahred Gomes: https://www.instagram.com/jahredgomes_official