True Crime Cat Lawyer

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Episode written by Elizabeth Atwood.

Sources:

Marisela Botello murder trial: Lisa Dykes guilty of murder, sentenced to life in prison | FOX 4 Dallas-Fort Worth

Texas Woman Killed Woman She Saw in in Bed with Boyfriend

Lisa Dykes found guilty of Marisela Botello-Valadez murder | wfaa.com

Marisela Botello murder trial: Suspect Lisa Dykes’ boyfriend describes stabbing | FOX 4 Dallas-Fort Worth

Dallas woman found guilty in the murder of Seattle woman – NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth

Trial begins for woman accused of murder in the death of Marisela Botello – NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth

Wife pleads guilty to tampering in woman's murder

Remains found in wooded area identified as Marisela Botello | wfaa.com

Texas prosecutors drop murder charges against 2 of 3 people in fatal stabbing of Seattle woman

Dallas jury takes less than an hour to issue Lisa Dykes life sentence for murder - CBS Texas

Murder case dropped against Charles Beltran and Nina Marano

Marisela Botello case: Couple charged with murder caught in Cambodia after fleeing | FOX 13 Seattle

Texas Woman Sentenced For Fatally Stabbing Tourist She Found In Bed With Her Boyfriend | HuffPost

Woman accused in Deep Ellum stabbing death testifies in her own defense - CBS Texas

Texas woman who fled to Cambodia found guilty of murder in stabbing of Seattle woman | The Seattle Times

Marissa Botello Valadez Murder Trial: Boyfriend Charles Beltran Takes the Stand | News Talk WBAP-AM

Texas woman who fled to Cambodia ahead of trial found guilty of murder in stabbing of Seattle woman

Marisela Botello Valadez Murder Trial: Jury Deliberations Underway | KLIF-AM

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Rhonda Casto was a young mother who absolutely adored her baby daughter. Even though she was very unhappy in her relationship with her baby's father, Stephen Nichols, Rhonda tried to make the best of the situation for her baby girl. Sadly, Rhonda didn't make it out of the situation. This is the case of Rhonda Casto.

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Use code "PODCAST" to save 20% off your order in our Etsy sticker shop!

**Episode written by Liz Atwood**

---------------------------------

Sources:

Rhonda Kristen Casto (1986-2009) - Find a Grave Memorial

Slain model’s cliff fall prophecy

Dad accused of pushing girlfriend off cliff for life insurance money pleads guilty — and avoids prison – Crime Online

STATE OF OREGON v. STEVEN WAGNER NICHOLS (2017) | FindLaw

Mystery at Eagle Creek: What really happened on Oregon model's fatal hike? - CBS News

Oregon Man Pleads Guilty in Girlfriend's Cliff Death

'48 Hours' investigates case of Oregon man accused of pushing his girlfriend to her death - oregonlive.com

Investigating the death of Rhonda Casto

Mystery at Eagle Creek: 'Either I pushed her, she jumped on her own accord or she slipped'

Man pleads to homicide in girlfriend's death along Eagle Creek trail - oregonlive.com

From a fall to a push to a '48 Hours' mystery

Trail of Tears - CBS News

In new TV show, Oregon man accused of girlfriend's death says he had sex with victim's underage sister - oregonlive.com

Destroyed evidence won't deter case against Bend man accused of killing girlfriend during hike - oregonlive.com

Family: No justice in Rhonda Casto death - CBS News

Man charged in girlfriend's cliff death strikes plea deal - CBS News

Stephen Nichols, Oregon man, charged in 2009 hiking death of girlfriend, Rhonda Casto - CBS News

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Chanin and Clay Starbuck went through a lot during their two marriages (yes, they married and divorced and then remarried each other). Unfortunately, the second time wasn't the charm and the couple was headed for a second divorce. Chanin received custody of the couple's 3 minor children and Clay was ordered to pay both child support and spousal maintenance support (aka alimony). Clay was behind on his payments and seemed to think he only had one option...

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Sources:

https://www.sportskeeda.com/pop-culture/5-chilling-details-chanin-starbuck-s-murder

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/ncna1288771

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2012/feb/07/police-starbuck-hid-home-posed-ex-wifes-body/

https://www.khq.com/news/a-lot-of-evidence-wasn-t-even-tested-motion-for-post-conviction-dna-testing-in/article_1dd37d8e-cd52-11eb-85a2-6b4b189702de.html

https://caselaw.findlaw.com/court/wa-court-of-appeals/1712729.html

https://www.kxly.com/news/local-news/starbuck-defense-makes-last-minute-legal-maneuvers/article_d82ccb91-e318-57d7-b9af-c80df7ea8e96.html

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2021/jun/14/judge-allows-post-conviction-dna-testing-in-starbu/

https://www.kvue.com/amp/article/news/crime/judge-denies-clay-starbucks-murder-appeal/293-125601043

https://www.krem.com/amp/article/news/former-lovers-testify-in-starbuck-murder-trial/293-168590089

https://www.kxly.com/news/local-news/starbuck-sentenced-to-life-in-prison-for-ex-wife-s-killing/article_e10c9145-96c0-5cdb-9474-e927ff6020a5.html

https://www.krem.com/amp/article/news/crime/starbuck-to-be-charged-with-sexual-violation-of-human-remains/293-168334594

https://www.khq.com/news/body-of-25-year-old-loghan-starbuck-has-been-found-family-says-donation-account-has/article_3075344a-78bb-11ec-9616-238b533aa78c.html

https://www.khq.com/news/medical-examiner-testifies-in-the-clay-starbuck-murder-trial-warning-graphic-details/article_588f4c4f-8b65-57f7-85df-1b2ab9c3f037.html

https://www.courts.wa.gov/content/petitions/92363-9%20COA%20Appellants%20Brief.pdf

https://thecinemaholic.com/chanin-starbuck-murder-where-is-her-husband-clay-starbuck-now/

https://www.khq.com/news/911-protocol-not-followed-the-day-chanin-starbuck-was-murdered/article_4ac551c2-ef48-5dbe-a64f-ec67509ebd63.html

https://www.kxly.com/news/local-news/starbuck-maintains-innocence-for-ex-wife-s-killing/article_2503dfe4-3a91-53f5-8d7c-f79b330d5afa.html

https://www.courts.wa.gov/opinions/pdf/318451.unp.pdf

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Randy Roth had a lot of wives over the years. Some left willingly, one he divorced. But today's episode is about the two wives Randy killed. And his motive was one of the classics: money.

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Episode Written by Elizabeth Atwood.

Show Notes:

Randy Roth - Wikipedia

Janis Louise Brasel Roth (1952-1981) - Find a Grave Memorial

The Disturbing Story Of Wife Killer Randy Roth

Randy Roth: The Wife Killer Who Almost Got Away With Murder

Is Randy Roth Still In Prison? 'A Rose For Her Grave' Is Based On A True Story

State v. Roth - Washington - Case Law - VLEX 888002472

Murderer Now Real `Pen Pal' -- Randy Roth Tolls The Internet | The Seattle Times

A Rose for Her Grave by Ann Rule

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Hello and welcome back to True Crime Cat Lawyer…kind of. We’re still on our break but we didn’t want to leave you hanging without content so we’re sharing episodes from some of our favorite true crime podcasts! 

This week, we’re highlighting another PNW podcast we’ve collaborated with before: Cascadia Crime & Cryptids! Hosted by Sarah & Caro, the podcast covers true crime with a sprinkling of spooky stories from the Cascadia bioregion.

Follow Cascadia Crime & Cryptids!

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Sources:

https://int-missing.fandom.com/wiki/Katrina_Nash

https://charleyproject.org/case/katrina-marie-nash

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/14965988/katrina-marie-nash

https://jared315.tripod.com/index-3.html

https://www.columbian.com/news/2013/jul/26/accused-killer-mentions-cold-case/

http://findcarrie.blogspot.com/2006/01/hospital-disappearances.html

https://www.doenetwork.org/cases/cases/located.htm

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/bones-found-in-olympia-park-are-from-15-year-old-girl/

https://www.seattlepi.com/seattlenews/article/olympia-girl-s-remains-provide-no-clues-to-how-1167795.php

https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/missing87975/endangered-missing-child-katrina-nash-t3240.html

https://www.valleyhillsfh.com/obituaries/Joseph-Reneau/#!/TributeWall

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Hello and welcome back to True Crime Cat Lawyer…kind of. We’re still on our break but we didn’t want to leave you hanging without content so we’re sharing episodes from some of our favorite true crime podcasts! 

This week, we’re highlighting Coffee & Cases. Hosted by Allison and Maggie, Coffee & Cases covers unsolved true crime cases on a weekly basis.

Follow Coffee & Cases!

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Hello and welcome back to True Crime Cat Lawyer…kind of. We’re still on our break but we didn’t want to leave you hanging without content so we’re sharing episodes from some of our favorite true crime podcasts! 

True Crime Cat Lawyer presents...United States of Murder! Hosted by Ashley and Lacey, United States of Murder takes listeners on a road trip through the U.S. covering a range of lesser known crimes, unsolved cases, serial killers, and more.

Follow United States of Murder!

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TW: Domestic Violence

For this episode, we head to Washington State to cover a no-body homicide and a suspicious death.

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Sponsor: RainBro Crafts | Promo Code: CATLAW

This episode was written by Elizabeth Atwood.

___________________________________

Sources:

Not guilty verdict in Devan Schmidt murder trial | CapitolHillSeattle.com

West Seattle man charged with second-degree murder, 5 years after 29-year-old woman found dead | The Seattle Times

‘A crime against women’ — Schmidt murder case ends with assault conviction, 17-month sentence | CapitolHillSeattle.com

courts.wa.gov

Seattle police arrest suspect in 2015 homicide

Five years later, arrest made in Devan Schmidt case — UPDATE: MURDER CHARGE | CapitolHillSeattle.com

Six years after Madison Valley woman’s death, trial begins in Devan Schmidt murder case | CapitolHillSeattle.com

https://www.doenetwork.org/cases/276dfwa.html#:~:text=Steven%20was%20found%20guilty%20of,body%20has%20not%20been%20found.

https://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/bizarre-revenge-plot-is-alleged-1112454.php

https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/?date=20020611&slug=murder11e

https://www.corrections1.com/corrections/articles/clemency-given-to-wash-inmate-who-reported-murder-for-hire-plot-6b1fEIji9JldKPbm/

https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/?date=20000609&slug=4025757

https://charleyproject.org/case/jami-sue-sherer

https://loriajohnston.medium.com/the-disappearance-of-jami-hagel-sherer-5d90b4e5211a

https://casetext.com/case/state-v-sherer-1

https://thecinemaholic.com/jami-sherer-murder-where-is-steven-sherer-now/

https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/ca9/09-35934/09-35934-2012-04-27.html

https://www.anylaw.com/case/u-state-v-sherer/court-of-appeals-of-washington/08-19-2002/f86XYWYBTlTomsSB5hwO

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/34735899/jami_sue-sherer

https://www.seattlepi.com/seattlenews/article/murder-for-hire-plot-gets-inmate-life-term-1149740.php

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For the past few years, the true crime world has been fascinated by the use of genetic genealogy as a way to solve cold cases. The most famous example is the Golden State Killer. Today's episode covers three cases from Washington State, all of which were solved using forensic genealogy methods.

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Sources:

https://abcnews.go.com/US/52-years-20-year-woman-found-dead-seattle/story?id=62905042

https://www.king5.com/article/news/crime/seattle-womans-murder-solved-half-century-later/281-c1b410a7-d2a4-44d7-bd27-b564880f3360

https://apnews.com/general-news-a2f91cad86a9492cbcd1abb6b800ce8b

https://www.oxygen.com/crime-time/seattle-woman-susan-galvin-killer-frank-wypych-identified-after-52-years

https://www.kuow.org/stories/seattle-police-solve-52-year-old-murder-case-using-genetic-genealogy

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/law-justice/dna-family-tree-help-solve-52-year-old-seattle-slaying/

https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/dna-family-tree-help-solve-52-year-old-seattle-murder-case/947354648/

https://www.seattlepi.com/local/crime/article/DNA-and-family-trees-How-genealogy-is-solving-13829505.php

https://www.king5.com/video/videoliciousvideo/cold-case-murder/281-7b273653-3625-46a7-aeef-4cc800a051de

https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/seattle-police-investigating-1967-seattle-center-cold-case-homicide/488605769/

https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/10/us/1972-killing-terrence-miller-dies-trnd/index.html

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/law-justice/man-suspected-in-1972-snohomish-county-murder-kills-self-before-jury-convicts/

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/suspect-trial-1972-murder-dies-suspected-suicide-hours-guilty-verdict-n1247272

https://www.fox13seattle.com/news/suspect-on-trial-for-1972-murder-of-jody-loomis-commits-suicide-hours-before-guilty-verdict

https://snohomishcountywa.gov/Archive.aspx?ADID=6568

https://people.com/crime/man-accused-of-committing-48-year-old-cold-case-murder-dies-by-suicide-before-guilty-verdict/

https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2020/11/24/almost-50-years-after-brutal-rape-and-murder-dna-cracks-cold-case-suspect-commits-suicide-before-conviction/

https://snohomishcountywa.gov/Archive.aspx?ADID=6160

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/law-justice/suspect-arrested-in-1972-homicide-cold-case-in-snohomish-county/

https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/edmonds-man-suspected-1972-murder-jody-loomis-found-dead/SML2M6TMRRFQPO5RC7GXV3CSDI/

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/jody-loomis-murder-genetic-genealogy-discarded-coffee-cup-leads-to-terrence-miller-arrest-in-countys-oldest-cold-case/

https://www.king5.com/article/news/crime/arrest-made-in-1972-jody-loomis-homicide-cold-case/281-88b52698-8da9-4ba1-87a0-1c1ed6788a83

https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/11/us/cold-case-genetic-genealogy-washington/index.html

https://dnasolves.com/articles/krisann-baxter/

https://www.khq.com/coldcase/it-opened-our-eyes-there-are-monsters-out-there---1978-spokane-murder-solved/article_5817f5d2-6081-11ee-90f3-2bb9aa25667b.html

https://www.krem.com/article/news/crime/spokane-cold-case-murder-sexual-assault/293-9ae19592-983a-44e6-8283-5978cf211cbd

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2023/sep/08/cold-case-solved-genetic-genealogy-unravels-1978-k/

https://www.khq.com/news/major-crimes-detectives-use-genetic-genealogy-to-solve-45-year-old-cold-case-in-spokane/article_1db0cdbe-4e8f-11ee-9ae4-4355375ac978.html

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2023/may/28/spokane-cold-cases-krisann-baxters-1978-killing-to/

https://www.upi.com/Archives/1984/02/25/A-police-detective-says-convicted-serial-killer-Henry-Lee/2029446533200/

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TW: Mentions of sexual violence

On May 27, 1995, Tracey Brazzel was seen leaving Kodiak Ron’s Pub (in Everett, Washington) around 1:45 a.m. She was never heard from again. Nearly two months later, on July 31, 1995, Patti Berry was last seen leaving her job at Honey’s Adult Entertainment Club around 1:00 a.m. A week later, Patti’s body was found in a wooded area near the Everett Mall. What happened to Tracey and Patti? Were their cases connected?

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Sources:

Killer gets 47.5 years in 'savage' murder of 'defenseless mother' from Arlington | Arlington Times

Archive Center • Arrest Made in Two 17 year-old Cold Cases

Washington Supreme Court won’t review 1995 murder of Everett mother | The Seattle Times

25 years later, they still hope to find their daughter’s body | HeraldNet.com

19 years after murder, jury finds sex offender guilty | HeraldNet.com

Inmate arrested in 1995 cold case murders

Sex offender arrested in 1995 Snohomish County killings

Police link sex offender to pair of unsolved cold cases

Rapist, murder suspect near release may be confined

Man arrested in 1995 slayings of 2 women – KIRO 7 News Seattle

THE STATE OF WASHINGTON v. DANIEL ROSS GILES (2016) | FindLaw

courts.wa.gov

Sex offender scheduled for release remains a suspect in murders of two women

Sex offender charged in 2 Everett killings from 1995 | The Seattle Times

Tracey Elizabeth Brazzel – The Charley Project

Sex offender arrested for two 1995 killings

Rape suspect in cold cases could go free Friday

Longtime suspect charged in 2 Snohomish County homicides from 1995 | The Seattle Times

Convicted murderer loses bid to have high court hear case | HeraldNet.com

Higher court upholds conviction in 1995 murder of single mom | HeraldNet.com

Serial sex offender sentenced to 47.5 years for ‘brutal, savage’ murder | HeraldNet.com

Giles testifies that his DNA in murder victim’s car proves nothing | HeraldNet.com

https://www.findlaw.com/criminal/criminal-charges/civil-commitment.html

https://www.doc.wa.gov/about/agency/history/micc.htm

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/oct/03/dangerous-sex-offenders-mcneil-island-commitment-center

https://seattlespectator.com/2023/05/31/the-complex-legacy-of-washingtons-mysterious-island-prison/

https://www.historylink.org/file/5238

https://www.knkx.org/news/2019-01-29/civil-commitment-explained-offenders-sent-to-mcneil-can-be-released-but-its-complicated

https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=71.09.060

https://www.atg.wa.gov/sexually-violent-predators

https://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=71.09.020

https://govt.westlaw.com/wciji/Document/I2cd482c8e10d11dab058a118868d70a9?transitionType=Default&contextData=%28sc.Default%29

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