True Crime Recaps

True Crime Recaps

By Amy Townsend, Chris Nathan

Hosts and storytellers Chris Nathan and Amy Townsend piece together the most gripping true crime cases the world can't stop talking about. From infamous serial killers to today's headline-making myste... more

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Best of True Crime Recaps

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  1. Number 1: A Welfare Check Uncovered Three Dead Roommates | Alyssa Venable

    Deputies thought they were responding to a routine welfare check at a shared house in Spotsylvania, Virginia. Instead, they discovered three roommates dead and one of the people who lived there, 23-year-old Alyssa Venable, was nowhere to be found. Investigators say Venable had moved into the house only weeks earlier. By the time police arrived, she had cut her hair, left Virginia and was heading north in a silver Honda Civic. What followed was a multi-state search, stolen license plates and a high-speed police chase stretching more than 40 miles before Venable was finally taken into custody. But it was what investigators learned afterwards about the days leading up to the deaths, and what Venable allegedly told another inmate, that revealed just how disturbing the case really was. This is True Crime Recaps. Let’s recap the case of Alyssa Venable. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    9min
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  2. Number 2: Sylvie Cachay: What Happened in Room 20 at Soho House

    Fashion designer Sylvie Cachay checked into Manhattan's Soho House with her boyfriend, Nicholas Brooks, in December 2010. Hours later, water leaking from Room 20 prompted hotel staff to enter the room, beginning an investigation that would focus closely on what happened during the early hours of that morning. In this episode of True Crime Recaps, we examine Sylvie's life and career, her relationship with Brooks, the events that brought them to Soho House, and the surveillance footage that allowed investigators to reconstruct a crucial timeline inside and outside Room 20. We also look at the forensic evidence presented at trial, Brooks' account of what happened that night, the arguments made by his defence, and the case that ultimately resulted in his conviction and a sentence of 25 years to life. Follow True Crime Recaps for new true crime episodes every week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    14min
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  3. Number 3: The Cindy Wanner Case: A 35 Year Cold Case Finally Breaks Open

    In November 1991, Cindy Wanner disappeared from her sister’s home in Granite Bay, California, leaving behind her 11 month old daughter, her shoes, her coat, and her car. Her missing purse and a later ATM transaction were among the few clues investigators had to work with. Nineteen days later, Cindy was found in a remote area of the Sierra Nevada foothills. Investigators determined she had been held for nearly two weeks before her death, turning the disappearance into a murder investigation that would remain unsolved for decades. For 35 years, detectives revisited the evidence without finding a suspect. Then in 2026, new DNA testing pointed investigators toward James Lawhead Jr., a man with a prior violent criminal history who had spent years living under different identities. Investigators eventually located him in Arizona and arrested him in April 2026. Lawhead now faces a murder charge with additional special circumstances connected to the case. The arrest marks a major breakthrough, but for Cindy’s family, the search for justice after more than three decades is not over. Follow True Crime Recaps for weekly cases examining real investigations, cold cases, and the justice system. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    14min
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  4. Number 4: The Deanna Laney Case: A Mother, Psychosis, and a Shocking Insanity Verdict

    In May 2003, Deanna Laney’s quiet Texas family was shattered after she attacked her three young sons during the night. Two of her children died, while her 14 month old son survived with permanent brain injuries. Deanna then called 911 herself and told the dispatcher what had happened. Investigators soon learned that Deanna believed she was receiving messages from God. She interpreted ordinary events as religious signs and became convinced that she was being tested in the same way as Abraham in the Bible. Prosecutors later focused heavily on the fact that she had hidden a large rock beneath her baby’s crib and appeared to understand that what she was doing was illegal. The case ultimately became a major question of mental illness and legal responsibility. At trial, both defense and prosecution experts agreed that Deanna was suffering from severe delusional illness. The jury ultimately found her not guilty by reason of insanity, and she was committed to psychiatric treatment rather than sent to prison. After years of treatment, Deanna was eventually released under strict court supervision. Her case remains deeply unsettling because it forces a difficult question about where mental illness ends and criminal responsibility begins. Follow True Crime Recaps for weekly cases examining real investigations, criminal psychology, and the justice system. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    18min
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  5. Number 5: Christopher Wilder: The Fake Modeling Offers That Raised the Alarm

    Christopher Wilder presented himself as a successful businessman, amateur race car driver and photographer. But behind that image was a pattern of approaching young women with supposed modeling opportunities at shopping malls, beauty contests and other public places. In 1984, investigators began connecting Wilder to cases involving missing women across several states, triggering a nationwide search. As authorities followed his movements, they uncovered evidence that revealed a very different side to the life he publicly presented. In this episode of True Crime Recaps, we examine Christopher Wilder's background, the methods he used to approach young women, the investigation that followed him across the United States, and the testimony that helped authorities track his movements. We also explore the unanswered questions that remain decades later, including several missing-person cases and a possible connection to Australia's Wanda Beach case that has never been established. Follow True Crime Recaps for new true crime episodes every week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    21min
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