The Stranger You Know

In 2019, Alexis Crawford was a bright and beautiful senior at Clark Atlanta University looking forward to graduation. Growing up in a family of ten, there was rarely a day that passed that Alexis didn't speak to her parents or one of her siblings. Which is why when her family couldn't get a hold of her on October 31, 2019, they wasted little time in reporting her missing. Alexis' family knew that something terrible must have happened to her and they feared the worst. But nothing they imagined could have prepared them for the truth and for who was behind Alexis' disappearance. 

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SOURCES

Here’s everything to know about the Alexis Crawford murder. By: Cox Media Group & The Atlanta Journal Constitution.

https://www.wsbtv.com/news/local/here-s-everything-to-know-about-the-alexis-crawford-murder/1007226633/

‘Her Best Friend…’: Warrants Reveal Alexis Crawford was Choked, Smothers to Death Before Jordyn Jones and Barron Brantley Dumped Her Body. By: Tanasia Kenney.

https://atlantablackstar.com/2019/11/12/her-best-friend-warrants-reveal-alexis-crawford-was-choked-smothered-to-death-before-jordyn-jones-and-barron-brantley-dumped-her-body/

Jordyn Jones denied bond in Alexis Crawford murder case. By: 11Alive Staff

https://www.11alive.com/article/news/crime/trials/bond-hearing-jordyn-jones-alexis-crawford-case/85-1772dd46-1efd-4147-b966-3ca64c2cf877

Where Are Jordyn Jones and Barron Brantley Now: By: Deepra Sarkar.

https://thecinemaholic.com/where-are-jordyn-jones-and-barron-brantley-now/

New Audio Reveals the Startling Reason Jordyn Jones Called 911 the Night Alexis Crawford Was Assaulted. By: Tanasia Kenney.

https://atlantablackstar.com/2019/11/28/new-audio-reveals-the-startling-reason-jordyn-jones-called-911-the-night-alexis-crawford-was-assaulted/

Alexis Crawford death: Accused killer in court for preliminary hearing.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R59IPOot48c

When Amanda first posted videos questioning her adoption on TikTok she didn't expect her videos to go viral. Since then, hundreds of thousands of people have followed her wanting to know more about her past and why she has come to believe that at minimum her adoption was fraudulent and at worst, she may have been kidnapped. While Amanda is still on a journey for answers, this is her story about her upbringing and her efforts to piece together the puzzle pieces of her childhood to learn more about where she came from.

You can follow Amanda on all social media platforms @amandakorneghy1

You can follow the The Stranger You Know on Instagram @TheStrangerYouKnowPodcast, on Twitter @TSYKPod and now on TikTok @TheStrangerYouKnowPod.

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MUSIC:

Uncertainty by Arthur Vyncke | https://soundcloud.com/arthurvost

When a family of four seemingly vanishes into thin air, friends and family search desperately for answers. How could an entire family just disappear? The answer was simple: they didn't. Someone close to them knew exactly where they were. 

SOURCES

McStays, Taken Too Soon: A True Story. By: Patrick McStay.

‘They just vanished’: A busines partner murdered a family of four with a sledgehammer, jury finds. By: Meagan Flynn. https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2019/06/11/chase-merritt-joseph-mcstay-summer-mcstay-sledgehammer-mojave-desert/

McStay murder trial: Man is convicted of killing family and burying their bodies in the Mojave Desert. By: Alene Tchekmedyian. https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-mcstay-family-murders-verdict-20190610-story.html

Timeline: McStay Family Mystery. By: R. Stickney. https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/timeline-mcstay-family-mystery-fallbrook-disappearance/1936736/

McStay Computer Searched Mexico Travel. By: Mari Payton. https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/mcstay-family-computer-used-to-research-travel-to-mexico/1890556/#ixzz2kjOg3xbl

Greed Led to McStay Family’s Killing, Prosecutors Tell Jurors. By: Artie Ojeda and R. Stickney. https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/mcstay-family-murder-trial-charles-merritt-closing-arguments-jury/159073/

Parents of man who disappeared with his wife and kids detail their desperate search for them in Mexico after police said the family had left the country - before learning they had been brutally murdered by son's business partner. By: Erica Tempesta. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-9177713/Parents-Joseph-McStay-open-familys-disappearance-murder.html

Nine years after the McStay family disappeared, their accused killer heads to trial. By: Marisa Gerber. https://www.scribd.com/article/396975159/Nine-Years-After-The-Mc-Stay-Family-Disappeared-Their-Accused-Killer-Heads-To-Trial

What Clue Led Investigators To Discover The McStay Family’s Killer? By: Jill Sederstrom. https://www.oxygen.com/true-crime-buzz/what-clue-revealed-mcstay-familys-killer-as-charles-merritt

McStay killings: Documents show suspect owed victim money. By: Dana Ford. https://www.cnn.com/2015/07/01/us/mcstay-family-killing/index.html

‘You Are a Baby Killer’: Calif. Man Sentenced to Death for Killing Family of 4. By: Monica Garske and Artie Ojeda. https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/national-international/sentencing-hearing-resumes-for-man-who-killed-mcstay-family/2295708/

To her parents, Hann and Bich Pan, Jennifer Pan was all of the things any parent would dream of. They believed she was a top student, an exceptional pianist and an obedient daughter. They didn't know the lengths Jennifer would go to and the secrets she hid to keep it that way.

If you like the show, please take a moment to leave a review and subscribe to never miss an episode.

Follow the show on social media: 

Instagram @thestrangeryouknowpodcast

Twitter @TSYKPod

SOURCES

Tragedy of ‘golden’ daughter’s fall resonates with Asian immigrant children. By: Yanan Wang. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2015/07/27/tragedy-of-golden-daughters-murder-plot-against-parents-resonates-with-asian-immigrant-children/

What is “tiger” parenting? How does it affect children? By: Su Yeong Kim. https://www.apadivisions.org/division-7/publications/newsletters/developmental/2013/07/tiger-parenting

Jennifer Pan’s Revenge: The inside story of a golden child, the killers she hired, and the parents she wanted dead. By: Karen K. Ho. https://torontolife.com/city/jennifer-pan-revenge/

Jennifer Pan Seemed Like The Perfect Daughter – Until She Hired Hitmen To Kill Her Parents. By: Marco Margaritoff. https://allthatsinteresting.com/jennifer-pan

When Sarah Stern's car was found abandoned on a bridge in her hometown of Neptune City, NJ her friends and family struggle to understand what could have happened to her. Police theorized Sarah could have left town voluntarily or worse, taken her own life. But what they didn't know was that Sarah's disappearance was part of a calculated plan formed by someone she knew and trusted. 

If you love the show, please take a minute to rate, review and don't forget to subscribe!

SOURCES

Sarah Stern murder: a shooting star text to her dad, and then forever silence. By: Kathleen Hopkins. https://www.app.com/story/news/local/courts/2019/02/05/sarah-stern-murder-trial-body-drifting-out-sea-search-began/2743513002/

Sarah Stern’s Money: Where Did the Stolen Cash Come From? By: D.L. Thompson. https://heavy.com/entertainment/2020/03/sarah-stern-money-stolen-cash-2020/

Sarah Stern’s childhood friend Liam McAtasney sentenced to life without parole for killing her, throwing her off N.J. bridge. By: Amanda Hoover. https://www.nj.com/monmouth/2019/06/liam-mcatasney-sentenced-to-life-without-parole-for-killing-childhood-friend-sarah-stern.html

Sarah Stern murder: ‘Sarah’s death just haunts me,’ dad says as killer’s sentencing looms. By: Kathleen Hopkins. https://www.app.com/story/news/2019/06/18/sarah-sterns-murder-haunts-dad-her-killers-sentencing-looms/1446602001/

Sarah stern murder: Scholarship fundraiser concert ‘keeps Sarah alive.’ By: Kathleen Hopkins. https://www.app.com/story/news/local/people/2019/12/13/sarah-stern-murder-scholarship-fundraiser-concert-keeps-sarah-alive/4408324002/

Liam McAtasney sentenced to life without parole for murdering friend Sarah Stern, dumping her body off NJ bridge. By:Allie Yang. https://abcnews.go.com/US/liam-mcatasney-sentenced-life-parole-murdering-friend-sarah/story?id=63869375

Ex-classmate guilty of all counts in New Jersey murder of Sarah Stern. https://abc7ny.com/sarah-stern-liam-mcatasney-trial-murder/5158131/

Sarah Stern murder: Victim told friend she was moving to Canada with accused killer. By: Kathleen Hopkins. https://www.app.com/story/news/local/courts/2019/01/24/sarah-stern-murder-accomplice-testifies-against-liam-mcatasney-trial/2646941002/

Did Sarah Stern’s Friend Kill Her Over a $7,000 Inheritance? By: Pilar Melendez. https://www.thedailybeast.com/did-sarah-sterns-friend-kill-her-over-a-dollar7000-inheritance

Opening Background Music by madirfan from Pixabay

ABC 20/20. Season 41, Episode 27 – “With Friends Like These.”

Contributions to the Sarah Lee Stern Memorial Fund can be sent to: P.O. Box 2301, Neptune City, NJ 07753.

Love Fraud. Showtime. https://www.sho.com/love-fraud

TRIGGER WARNING: This interview contains descriptions of domestic violence, including controlling behavior and physical abuse.

Love Fraud. Showtime. https://www.sho.com/love-fraud

Some criminals don't use crowbars to rob you, they use love instead. For the women who met and fell in love with Richard Scott Smith, they thought they had finally found the man they wanted to spend the rest of their life with but what started as romance ended in a nightmare of deceit and debt. 

Featuring interviews with Sandi and Carla Campbell from the Showtime docu-series "Love Fraud"

If you like the show, please rate and review and be sure to follow the show on social media:

Instagram: @thestrangeryouknowpodcast

Twitter: @tsykpod

Sources:

‘It could happen to you’: inside the shocking true story of the docuseries Love Fraud. By: Adrian Horton. https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2020/aug/25/love-fraud-showtime-documentary-con-man

Con Man Richard Scott Smith. http://scottthecrooksmith.weebly.com

Richard Scott Smith of Love Fraud Is Still Conning Women. By: Elena Nicolaou. https://www.oprahdaily.com/entertainment/a33915040/richard-scott-smith-love-fraud-now/

The True Story Behind Love Fraud and Richard Scott Smith. By: Adam Rathe. https://www.townandcountrymag.com/leisure/arts-and-culture/a33821604/love-fraud-richard-scott-smith-true-story/

Love Fraud. Showtime. https://www.sho.com/love-fraud

How ‘Love Fraud’ lothatio Scott Smith ‘scammed’ women out of $1 million. By: Michael Kaplan. https://nypost.com/2020/08/29/how-love-fraud-scott-smith-scammed-women-out-of-1-million/

Love Fraud May Just Solve The Mystery of Whatever Happened to Richard Scott Smith. By: Sarah Midkiff. https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2020/08/9960382/where-is-richard-scott-smith-now-love-fraud

Emotional Piano Background Music. Migfus20. https://freesound.org/people/Migfus20/sounds/560448/

When Shanann accepts a friend request on Facebook from a man named Chris Watts, she didn't think their connection would turn into anything more. She would eventually find herself married to him and living in Colorado with their two little girls. Even though their relationship had taken some hits along the way including financial issues and turmoil between Shanann and Chris's family, Shanann always believed that meeting Chris was the best decision of her life. What she couldn't have known was that one day Chris would take it.

SOURCES

Chris Watts: A Complete Timeline of the Murder of His Wife and Daughters. By: Rachel Chang

https://www.biography.com/news/chris-watts-wife-daughters-murder-mistress-confession-timeline

From a happy pregnancy announcement to a shallow grave. The full timeline of the Chris Watts murder case. By: Ashley Collman

https://www.insider.com/chris-watts-murder-timeline-2018-12

Shannan Watts Confronted Chris Multiple Times About Suspicions of Affair Before He Murdered Her. By: Greg Hanlon and Adam Carlson.

https://people.com/crime/shanann-watts-confronted-chris-affair-before-murders/

Chris Watts horrifying letters explain gruesome details of murder of wife and kids. By: Jane Lavender.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/chris-watts-horrifying-letters-explain-22847070

Blood & Marriage: Chris Watts: With these hands

By: Kathleen McKenna Hewtson

Family members’ full speeches to Chris Watts’ at sentencing trial.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ub5OxukecgA

Shannon Rzucek Watts describes meeting Chris Watts as the best thing that ever happened to her. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mskGe1yO6Ic

Orangefreesounds – Piano Melody

http://www.orangefreesounds.com/piano-melody/

When Axton ordered her credit report as a sophomore in college for the first time ever, she didn't expect that it would lead to the discovery that she had been a victim of child identity theft. Her parents had been terrorized by an identity thief throughout her entire childhood and she soon learned that she had also been a victim of the same culprit. But who was the imposter who had targeted her and her family for so many years? The answer is one Axton could never have suspected.  

SOURCES

Criminal Podcast

Episode 51 – Money Tree; and

Episode 125 – The Less People Know About Us

The Identity Thief Who Stalked Me for Decades Was My Own Mother – Elle

https://www.elle.com/culture/books/a29477523/axton-betz-hamilton-identity-theft-less-people-know-about-us-book/

CFM Book Club Live With Author Axton Betz-Hamilton

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqjfpa9aSlc

The Less People Know About Us: A Mystery of Betrayal, Family Secrets, and Stolen Identity.

By: Axton Betz-Hamilton.

What if the Thief Who Steals Your Identity Is Your Mom?

By: Melanie Thernstrom

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/15/books/review/the-less-people-know-about-us-axton-betz-hamilton.html

Axton Betz-Hamilton Virtual Author Visit

Johnson County Public Library – Indiana

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tLgCP7MEls

My Mother Stole My Identity When I Was Just 11 Years Old

Tamron Hall Show

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4grClrmKpY

Setuniman – Startled 0Z48

https://freesound.org/s/184646/