For 23 years, the brutal murder of 49-year-old Leslie Preer haunted her family and baffled investigators. Found strangled and beaten inside her Maryland home, suspicion initially fell on her husband as the case went cold.

The truth was far closer to home. Leslie’s killer was Eugene Gligor, her daughter’s former high school boyfriend who was once welcomed as family. For decades he built a successful life while the crime remained unsolved.

In 2022, forensic genealogy and a discarded water bottle finally exposed him. Arrested in 2024, Gligor pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, but one haunting question still lingers: why did he kill Leslie Preer?

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At just 15 years old, Kara Robinson was abducted at gunpoint and locked in a container by Richard Marc Evonitz — a predator hiding in plain sight. But instead of becoming his next victim, Kara outsmarted him. She memorized every detail, waited for the perfect moment, and made a daring escape.

Her bravery didn’t just save her own life — it exposed Evonitz as the man behind three cold-case murders and brought long-awaited justice to grieving families.

In this episode, True Crime Recaps unpacks Kara’s incredible survival story, the shocking secrets investigators uncovered, and the lingering mystery: did Evonitz leave behind even more victims?

Jason Corbett was found beaten to death in his North Carolina home — struck with a baseball bat and a brick. His wife, Molly Martens, and her father, a retired FBI agent, swore it was self-defense. But investigators said the crime scene told a different story: delayed 911 calls, staged details, and a victim who never stood a chance.

Both were convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to decades in prison. But after years of appeals, their convictions were overturned. In 2023, they struck a plea deal, served just over four years, and walked free.

Now, with a Netflix documentary reigniting debate, one question remains: Did Molly Martens and her father get away with murder, or was it truly self-defense?

In October 2024, 17-year-old Fatima Ali was attacked at her Washington bus stop in what prosecutors called an attempted honor killing. Fatima testified that her father, Ihsan, choked her until she blacked out—while her mother, Zahraa, allegedly joined in. Only a U.S. Army veteran’s quick action stopped the assault.

But before trial, the judge barred the jury from hearing about past threats, abuse, or the alleged motive. With key context off the table, jurors saw only the attack—not the bigger picture. Ihsan was acquitted of attempted murder. Zahraa was convicted only of violating a protective order.

Would the verdict have changed if the jury heard everything?

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In 1991, a New Jersey carnival ended in heartbreak. Five-year-old Timothy Wiltsey vanished while in the care of his mother, Michelle Lodzinski. Her shifting stories only deepened suspicion, first claiming he was kidnapped, then offering other versions of events. A year later, his remains were found near her workplace.

Decades passed before Michelle was convicted of murder, only for the state’s Supreme Court to overturn it, erasing the verdict forever. With double jeopardy protecting her, she will never face trial again.

Did a mother get away with killing her child, or did the system fail an innocent woman? This is the mystery that still haunts New Jersey.

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In 1989, a friendly snow day turned into a tragedy. Seven-year-old Jessica Carr had just beaten her 9-year-old neighbor, Cameron Kocher, at Nintendo. Hours later, he shot her in the back while she rode a snowmobile—then calmly returned to his video game.

Charged with murder but sentenced to probation, Cameron walked away without a criminal record. Should a child who kills ever walk free? This case forces us to confront the uncomfortable intersection of youth, violence, and justice.

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Sade Robinson was just 19—bright, kind, and ready for a simple first date. But prosecutors say Maxwell Anderson had been preparing something far darker: a “kill room” set up weeks in advance. That night, she never made it home.

What followed was a search that gripped the community and a trial that revealed chilling details of premeditation, brutality, and unanswered questions. Was this his first time—or just the first time he got caught?

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20-year-old Paige Bell was found murdered in the engine room of a $140,000-a-week superyacht. The man accused? The same crew member she’d previously reported for harassment.

As investigators piece together what happened aboard the Far From It, the yachting world is asking hard questions: Why wasn’t he fired? Where were the safeguards? And how did a dream job in paradise become a crime scene?

Former crewmates are demanding accountability—and change. Paige wanted to be a doctor. Instead, she became a headline.

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Five men boarded the Titan sub for a once-in-a-lifetime dive to the Titanic. Hours later, the vessel imploded, killing everyone aboard. But this wasn’t a freak accident—it was a tragedy years in the making.

OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush ignored warnings, dismissed engineers, and used experimental materials unfit for deep-sea pressure. Now, investigations reveal a toxic safety culture, reckless decision-making, and an obsession with pushing limits—no matter the cost.

Was the Titan doomed from the start?

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Alivea Goncalves didn’t cry. She didn’t scream. She walked into that courtroom and delivered a tactical takedown of her sister’s killer, Bryan Kohberger.

Using his own words, research, and obsessions against him, Alivea gave a statement designed to cut deeper than any sentence ever could. From the mystery of the second weapon to his obsessive behaviors, she struck every psychological nerve.

Did her words give him the punishment he never saw coming?

Follow True Crime Recaps for more of the most powerful, unforgettable moments in modern true crime.