TRUE CRIME with Bratterstein

In April 2017, 19-year-old Serena McKay, an Indigenous high school student from Sagkeeng First Nation, Manitoba, was brutally beaten by two teenage classmates after a house party. The assault was recorded and shared on social media, remaining online for hours before being removed. Serena's body was discovered the next day; she had succumbed to her injuries and hypothermia.

The two teenage girls, aged 16 and 17 at the time, were arrested and charged. Both pleaded guilty—one to manslaughter and the other to second-degree murder—and received the maximum youth sentences under Canadian law. The leniency of these sentences sparked outrage among Serena's family and the broader community, highlighting concerns about the justice system's handling of crimes involving Indigenous victims.

This episode explores the circumstances surrounding Serena's death, the legal proceedings that followed, and the broader issues of justice and accountability in cases involving Indigenous victims.

In July 2016, 14-year-old Grace Packer vanished from her home in Abington Township, Pennsylvania. For months, there were no answers—until her dismembered remains were discovered in a remote part of Luzerne County. What came next would horrify even seasoned investigators.

Grace hadn’t just been failed—she had been betrayed by the very people who were supposed to protect her. Her adoptive mother, Sara Packer, and Sara’s boyfriend, Jacob Sullivan, had planned and carried out Grace’s assault and murder as part of a disturbing and premeditated fantasy.

This case exposes deep cracks in the foster care and adoption systems, and the horrifying consequences when red flags are ignored. It’s a story of manipulation, cruelty, and a justice system trying to make sense of a senseless act.

In October 2012, 43-year-old Janette Tovar, a transgender woman and beloved bar promoter in Dallas, Texas, was found unresponsive in her home. Earlier that day, her partner, Jonathan Stuart Kenney, had violently assaulted her—slamming her head into concrete and continuing the attack behind closed doors.

Despite confessing to the crime, Kenney received a plea deal that resulted in just 10 years of probation. The sentence shocked many and raised urgent questions about how the justice system treats cases involving transgender victims.

In this episode, I take a closer look at what really happened to Janette, the failures that followed, and why her story still matters today.

In the summer of 1993, 15-year-old Becky Stowe disappeared from her hometown of Niles, Michigan. What began as a missing person case quickly turned tragic when her body was discovered weeks later, buried in a remote wooded area.

Becky had been lured there by her boyfriend, 16-year-old Robert Leamon, who later confessed to killing her. The motive? Becky was pregnant—and Robert didn’t want anyone to find out.

The case shocked the community and raised disturbing questions about secrecy, teen relationships, and the devastating consequences of fear and denial.

In January 1995, Mary Catherine Edwards, a 31-year-old beloved middle school teacher in Beaumont, Texas, was found murdered in her home. The crime scene was chilling—Mary had been sexually assaulted and drowned in her own bathtub. Despite a thorough investigation, the case went cold for over two decades.

It wasn’t until 2020, thanks to advancements in DNA genealogy, that investigators linked the crime to Clayton Bernard Foreman—a former high school acquaintance of Mary’s who had left behind a hidden trace of himself at the scene. His arrest and eventual conviction brought long-awaited justice to a family that had spent 25 years waiting for answers.

In November 1988, 17-year-old Junko Furuta disappeared while walking home from school in Tokyo. Her case would become one of the most haunting and disturbing crimes in Japan’s history.

Junko was held captive for 44 days and subjected to prolonged abuse at the hands of four teenage boys. The crime took place inside a residential home—unseen, unreported, and ignored by those who might have intervened.

When her body was finally discovered, hidden in a concrete drum, the details of the case sent shockwaves throughout the nation. Public outrage intensified when her killers received remarkably lenient sentences, sparking ongoing debate about justice, accountability, and the protection of victims.

⚠️ Content Warning: This episode contains references to extreme violence, abuse, and the suffering of a minor. Sensitive listeners and younger audiences are strongly advised to proceed with caution.

It was a quiet October afternoon in 2000 when 22-year-old Rachel Kiely took her dogs for a walk near her home in Ballincollig, County Cork. She never came back. The next day, her body was discovered near the park — she had been raped and strangled.

The town was shaken. Rachel was well-known, kind, full of life — and the brutality of the crime was incomprehensible. The investigation quickly led to a shocking suspect: Ian Horgan, just 16 years old.

He was charged and convicted, but the sentence—eight years with six suspended—sparked outrage. It wouldn’t be the end of the legal battle. Public pressure led to a review, and the sentence was later increased to twelve years.

Rachel’s murder left a deep scar on her family, her community, and a country grappling with how to respond to violence committed by a child — against a woman who had simply gone for a walk with her dogs.

Kris Zocco’s trial for the reckless homicide of Kelly Dwyer was a twisted, haunting case that gripped Milwaukee. The prosecution painted Zocco as someone with a dangerous obsession with asphyxia during sex, citing testimonies from multiple women who described terrifying experiences where he ignored their pleas for air. Kelly's tragic death in 2013 allegedly resulted from one of these extreme encounters, with the prosecution arguing that Zocco strangled her—either manually or during a forced sexual act—then callously disposed of her body in a golf bag. The defense, however, argued that Kelly’s participation in their BDSM relationship was consensual, framing the case as circumstantial with no concrete evidence tying Zocco to her death. Yet, the chilling details, like Zocco’s 17-hour phone blackout and the video of Kelly gasping for air weeks before her death, struck deep. After deliberating for less than three hours, the jury found him guilty.Kelly’s family, devastated and haunted by the loss, shared powerful victim impact statements, describing her as vibrant, trusting, and tragically naive. The pain of seeing Kelly's private life exposed and her remains shown in court was unbearable, with her mother leaving the room during the most graphic moments. Zocco, already serving time for unrelated charges, was sentenced to 31 more years, making him eligible for release in 2065 at age 90. Despite his appeals, the conviction stands. Now, her family channels their grief into the Kelly Dwyer Memorial Peace Project, helping other women facing violence, ensuring Kelly’s life and legacy continue to make an impact.

On a cold morning in January 2017, 14-year-old Alianna DeFreeze left her Cleveland home, heading to school like any other day. But Alianna never made it to class. What began as a routine walk turned into a parent's worst nightmare when she crossed paths with Christopher Whitaker—a violent predator hiding in plain sight.

In this episode, we dive deep into the heartbreaking case of Alianna DeFreeze: the horrifying details of her abduction, the investigation that gripped a community, and the justice that followed. We also explore the larger questions this case raises about child safety, offender monitoring, and the lasting impact of such senseless violence.

Join me as we remember Alianna and shed light on a tragedy that should never have happened.

The Quinton Simon case shocked the nation, as his mother, Leilani Simon, was arrested and charged with his murder in 2024. After a 10-day trial, Leilani was found guilty of 19 charges, including the brutal killing of her 20-month-old son. Despite her attempts to downplay the situation, the prosecution argued that her actions were premeditated, pointing to her history of neglect and abuse toward Quinton, as well as her cold behavior following his disappearance. They suggested that Leilani's lack of bond with her son, combined with her need for male attention and a chaotic lifestyle, ultimately led to Quinton’s tragic death. The defense tried to argue that drugs were to blame, but the jury disagreed, and Leilani was convicted.At her sentencing, Leilani received life in prison with the possibility of parole, plus an additional 10 years for her actions. The judge highlighted the immense impact of Quinton’s death on the community, emphasizing the message this case sent about justice for children. Despite her family’s emotional support, many viewed Leilani as a manipulative and calculating individual who failed to take responsibility for her son's murder. Her sentencing brought some closure, but the pain of Quinton’s loss is still felt by all who fought for justice. This case has captured the attention of true crime enthusiasts and sparked widespread discussions about retributive justice and the consequences of unthinkable acts.