This week we delve into the shocking events surrounding the tragic deaths of Rob and Michelle Reiner, exploring the complex family dynamics, and the chilling accusations against their son Nick. Plus, we’ve got Diddy and D4VD updates and spoiler alert: it’s not looking good. 🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full video episodes over on Patreon: patreon.com/thefirstdegree 📸 Instagram: instagram.com/thefirstdegree 🕺 TikTok: tiktok.com/@thefirstdegreee 👤 Facebook: facebook.com/thefirstdegree Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
In 2006, things come crashing down around Arthur ‘Art’ J Williams Jr. One of the country’s top counterfeiters, a skill he first learned in his teens, the law finally catches up with him in the form of US Secret Service Agent Brad Beeler, who’s keen to understand how the man he’s been pursuing for seven years has managed to pull off one of the most daring counterfeit currency operations in the country undetected. As a result, three generations of one family all end up behind bars, including Art’s 18-year-old son. But it’s not the end of the story. In episode 382, Jac and Alexis detail the path of redemption for Art following his release, the impact and influence of generational trauma, and how sometimes the parallels between those on both sides of the law highlight just how similar we are, instead of our differences being the defining factors in shaping our character, spiritual path, and future. 🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full video episodes over on Patreon: patreon.com/thefirstdegree 📸 Instagram: instagram.com/thefirstdegree 🕺 TikTok: tiktok.com/@thefirstdegreee 👤 Facebook: facebook.com/thefirstdegree Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The OG Diddy Deep Dive is back! Like everyone else in the world, we binged 50 Cent’s new Diddy doc and we have THOUGHTS. We are chatting about bombshells in the doc, the aftermath on social media, and the main takeaway: Diddy was a LOSER. 🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full video episodes over on Patreon: patreon.com/thefirstdegree 📸 Instagram: instagram.com/thefirstdegree 🕺 TikTok: tiktok.com/@thefirstdegreee 👤 Facebook: facebook.com/thefirstdegree Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
In 1999, a young US Secret Service special agent is assigned to the counterfeit squad in Chicago, Illinois. Aside from dignitary protection, one of the agencies’ roles is to investigate counterfeiting. Across the Midwest, someone is spending up big with $100 counterfeit notes. The level of skill, expertise, and execution required to break the most secure and sophisticated note in the history of the US Treasury is equal parts impressive and intimidating. But the con can’t last forever. In episode (insert number), Jac and Alexis detail the life and crimes of Arthur ‘Art’ J Williams Jr, whose journey from street crime to becoming the top currency counterfeiter in the country brought him face to face with Special Agent Brad Beeler. This two-part story shows how two men from opposite sides of the law can come to develop respect for each other as they each make their way to the top of their chosen careers, and how redemption is never too late. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
New photos of Epstein Island just dropped, and we’re going through them all including yet ANOTHER dentist office?? Plus, we deep dive into the craziest Epstein / Gislaine / Richard Branson rabbit hole we’ve never heard about before: TerraMar. And it is a WILD ride. Plus Luigi updates, Kate Beckensale thinks her daughter’s boyfriend is laying eggs, and tin foil hats on for the Kim K / Elon Neuralink conspiracy. 🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full video episodes over on Patreon: patreon.com/thefirstdegree 📸 Instagram: instagram.com/thefirstdegree 🕺 TikTok: tiktok.com/@thefirstdegreee 👤 Facebook: facebook.com/thefirstdegree Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
In September 2001, a 14-year-old high school freshman fails to come home after a night out with friends in Cantonment, Florida. As detectives begin searching for her, a troubling picture emerges - one involving older men, threats, and details her mother waited days to reveal. With each revelation, the focus shifts from assumptions of a runaway to something far more alarming. But with no sign of her anywhere, charges remain elusive. As the case stalls, her older sister begins her own investigation, stepping into the role their mother never fulfilled. In episode 380, Jac and Alexis explore the disappearance and suspected murder of Danielle Bell, and her sister Bonnie’s decades-long mission to uncover the truth. 🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full video episodes over on Patreon: patreon.com/thefirstdegree 📸 Instagram: instagram.com/thefirstdegree 🕺 TikTok: tiktok.com/@thefirstdegreee 👤 Facebook: facebook.com/thefirstdegree Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
You asked for an Epstein deep dive, you’re getting an Epstein deep dive. We decided to sift through the headlines and find the bizarre and random celebs in the Epstein emails, as well as analyze his “radical breakthroughs”. Spoiler alert: they’re not radical. Plus, updates on DV4D, Slenderman, and Kevin Spacey is NOT poor you guys. 🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full video episodes over on Patreon: patreon.com/thefirstdegree 📸 Instagram: instagram.com/thefirstdegree 🕺 TikTok: tiktok.com/@thefirstdegreee 👤 Facebook: facebook.com/thefirstdegree Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
This Thanksgiving week, we’re switching things up. Instead of one deep dive, we’re hitting three breaking cases lighting up the headlines.We look at the mysterious death of 18-year-old Anna Kepner aboard a Carnival Cruise, the shocking criminal evolution of Ryan Wedding, from Olympian to one of the FBI’s most wanted, and the explosive Long Island love triangle that ended in a fatal shooting outside a luxury yacht club.Three cases. One chaotic holiday week. And a whole lot to unpack. 🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full video episodes over on Patreon: patreon.com/thefirstdegree 📸 Instagram: instagram.com/thefirstdegree 🕺 TikTok: tiktok.com/@thefirstdegreee 👤 Facebook: facebook.com/thefirstdegree Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Tin foil hats ON this week, people because there’s a lot to talk about. D4VD is finally named a suspect by authorities, Blake Lively’s team doing weird shit again, an adorable proposal turned into murder confession, and is Kris Jenner’s bday party the new Bohemian Grove? You tell us! 🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full video episodes over on Patreon: patreon.com/thefirstdegree 📸 Instagram: instagram.com/thefirstdegree 🕺 TikTok: tiktok.com/@thefirstdegreee 👤 Facebook: facebook.com/thefirstdegree Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
It began as a familiar face from high school, someone she once trusted. But over thirteen years, that connection twisted into something far darker. No matter how many times he was arrested or how long he was behind bars, he always came back. On episode 378 of The First Degree, Jac and Lex profile a harrowing story of an obsession without limits, and reveal what happens when the system can’t stop it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
This week tin foil hats are ON BABY. We discuss the wild conspiracy theory that Britney Spears was a government asset to create diversions away from Bush’s presidential corruption and scandal (pretty convincing evidence if you ask us). Plus, Diddy got caught drinking booze in jail, the Prince Andrew situation is unraveling, and we learn way too much about the Golden State Killer’s nether regions. 🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full video episodes over on Patreon: patreon.com/thefirstdegree 📸 Instagram: instagram.com/thefirstdegree 🕺 TikTok: tiktok.com/@thefirstdegreee 👤 Facebook: facebook.com/thefirstdegree Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
On October 12, 2023, a 25-year-old nursing student goes missing while on her lunch break in Macomb Township, Michigan. Her co-workers then receive a series of strange text messages from her cell phone. Less than 12 hours after the abduction, she’s found at a gas station in Illinois, shot to death. The following day, law enforcement receives a tip from a couple. Their 26-year-old son admits to the shocking murder before telling his parents he intends to commit one final act of violence. Authorities locate the killer and close in, hoping to take him into custody before anyone else is hurt. In episode 377, Jac and Alexis detail the tragic murder of Gina N. Bryant at the hands of her ex-boyfriend Justin Wendling, and try to make sense of the out of control freight train that is the epidemic of women losing their lives to intimate partner violence. Please visit the foundation her family established in her memory here: https://www.journey4gina.com 🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full video episodes over on Patreon: patreon.com/thefirstdegree 📸 Instagram: instagram.com/thefirstdegree 🕺 TikTok: tiktok.com/@thefirstdegreee 👤 Facebook: facebook.com/thefirstdegree Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
In the least surprising news EVER, Prince Andrew has been stripped of his Prince title, but guess what? He must have some dirt on the royal family because they’re supporting his pedo ass. We deep dive this as well as creepy David Harbour updates, Tom Brady cloning dogs, and is RL Stein writing an adult novel?! Fingers crossed! 🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full video episodes over on Patreon: patreon.com/thefirstdegree 📸 Instagram: instagram.com/thefirstdegree 🕺 TikTok: tiktok.com/@thefirstdegreee 👤 Facebook: facebook.com/thefirstdegree Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
In the early morning hours of June 18, 1982, a 20-year-old mother vanishes from her night shift at a Harrisonburg, Virginia gas station, just moments after calling 911 for help. Police arrive within minutes, but she has already been taken. With no signs of struggle and no suspect identified, her case goes cold for decades. Then in 2023, a suspect emerges, bringing the investigation closer to answers than ever before. In episode 376, Jac and Alexis dive into the tragic abduction of Kelly Bergh Dove and the unwavering determination of her family, who refuses to stop fighting for the truth. 🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full video episodes over on Patreon: patreon.com/thefirstdegree 📸 Instagram: instagram.com/thefirstdegree 🕺 TikTok: tiktok.com/@thefirstdegreee 👤 Facebook: facebook.com/thefirstdegree Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
It’s another week full of heists, weirdos, and conspiracy theories. George Clooney denies getting a BJ from Gislaine Maxwell, Lily Allen & the dude from Stranger Things are getting a divorce and she is airing ALL their dirty laundry out via lyrics on her new album and Luigi Mangione is a Swiftie??? We knew it. 🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full video episodes over on Patreon: patreon.com/thefirstdegree 📸 Instagram: instagram.com/thefirstdegree 🕺 TikTok: tiktok.com/@thefirstdegreee 👤 Facebook: facebook.com/thefirstdegree Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
On August 5, 2022, the peacefulness of a close-knit neighborhood is shattered in Butler Township, Ohio. A 39-year-old man goes on an armed rampage, killing a 41-year-old woman and her 15-year-old daughter before shooting dead an older couple. The most terrifying part of the senseless quadruple murder is that the victims were all shot somewhere they should have felt safe - in their own homes. The killer is not only swiftly apprehended, but confesses to the crimes. Everyone hopes for a speedy trial given the overwhelming evidence against him. Perhaps he’ll even plead guilty. But it’s not to be. In episode 375, Jac and Alexis detail the heartbreaking murders of Sarah and Kayla Anderson, and Clyde and Sally Knox, in a case that demands an answer to the deeply troubling question: how does society deal with someone so self-serving that they persist in hiding behind the system in refusing to face the consequences of their actions? Visit: https://www.sarahandkayla.org/ 🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full video episodes over on Patreon: patreon.com/thefirstdegree 📸 Instagram: instagram.com/thefirstdegree 🕺 TikTok: tiktok.com/@thefirstdegreee 👤 Facebook: facebook.com/thefirstdegree Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Reality is the real horror. Every Monday, poet and paranormal obsessive Heidi Wong unearths the chilling true stories behind the world’s most terrifying legends. From haunted dolls to cursed houses, each episode of Twisted Tales reveals the disturbing real-life events that inspired horror’s biggest blockbusters and the ones too twisted to make it to screen. Some stories are stranger than fiction. These are darker. New episodes every Monday. Twisted Tales is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios. Follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Listen here: https://link.podtrac.com/listentotwistedtales Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
It’s been a wild, crazy, and random week. We are breaking down all the details of the Louvre jewelry heist (so chic, right??), telling the insane story of a Scottish gen z girl who faked a pregnancy and fooled her friends and family with a doll, and diving into Dax Shepard and Kristen Bell’s weird ass gross relationship (spoiler alert….he sucks). 🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full video episodes over on Patreon: patreon.com/thefirstdegree 📸 Instagram: instagram.com/thefirstdegree 🕺 TikTok: tiktok.com/@thefirstdegreee 👤 Facebook: facebook.com/thefirstdegree Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
In October 2021, a 27-year-old woman is rebuilding her life on Long Island after leaving an abusive relationship. She has a new job, a safe place to stay, and plans for the future. But when her ex-boyfriend shows up and refuses to leave, her attempt to start over ends in tragedy. In episode 374, Jac and Alexis examine the murder of Meghan Kiefer, and how her mother Bevin has dedicated her life to advocating for domestic violence survivors across the country. 🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full video episodes over on Patreon: patreon.com/thefirstdegree 📸 Instagram: instagram.com/thefirstdegree 🕺 TikTok: tiktok.com/@thefirstdegreee 👤 Facebook: facebook.com/thefirstdegree Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Oh boy we’ve got a lot to catch up on this week! We’re giving you all the latest updates on D4VD, including a full timeline of everything that has happened in the last few years. Plus, not all heroes wear capes! Ian Watkins is gone from this world and burning in hell! 🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full video episodes over on Patreon: patreon.com/thefirstdegree 📸 Instagram: instagram.com/thefirstdegree 🕺 TikTok: tiktok.com/@thefirstdegreee 👤 Facebook: facebook.com/thefirstdegree Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
On March 7, 2000, a terrifying crime spree unfolds in the suburbs of Baltimore, Maryland. A 31-year-old man goes on a rampage, killing four people before holding a family of three hostage in a standoff lasting almost four days. Almost two weeks after the fuse was lit, the ordeal finally comes to an end. But it’s not without controversy and not before another life is lost in the process. In the aftermath, fingers are pointed and unanswered questions hang in the air as people wonder if the tragedy was entirely foreseeable, if not preventable. In episode 373, Jac and Alexis detail the disturbing case of Joseph Chester Palczynski, who held a community in the grip of terror, leaving a path of devastation and destruction in his wake that continues to impact scores of lives today, raising questions about the effectiveness of the systems meant to protect the lives of the innocent, and what happens when these fail. 🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full video episodes over on Patreon: patreon.com/thefirstdegree 📸 Instagram: instagram.com/thefirstdegree 🕺 TikTok: tiktok.com/@thefirstdegreee 👤 Facebook: facebook.com/thefirstdegree Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
This week on a very special Deep Dive, we are joined by psychic medium Jonathan Mark! We chat with him about why celebrities trust him to do their readings, how he discovered he was different and what he really thinks about the most controversial true crime cases. He is truly a gem of a human, and we hope you enjoy our conversation as much as we did! 🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full video episodes over on Patreon: patreon.com/thefirstdegree 📸 Instagram: instagram.com/thefirstdegree 🕺 TikTok: tiktok.com/@thefirstdegreee 👤 Facebook: facebook.com/thefirstdegree Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The call from Washington changed everything. When Los Angeles detectives learned Kenneth Bianchi had been arrested for a double murder hundreds of miles away, the truth about the Hillside Strangler finally began to surface. But uncovering the killers was only the beginning. In episode 372, Jac and Lex take you inside the longest murder trial in American history. A case marked by manipulations, bizarre side shows, and near-collapse, as Bianchi turned on his cousin Angelo Buono, and prosecutors fought to hold the case together. This is the story of how the Hillside Strangler murders ended in conviction, and how Los Angeles was forever changed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
It’s officially soooky szn, and what better way to kick it off than with a PROFESSIONAL WITCH! It’s a super special Deep Dive with Sarah Potter: tarot reader, psychic medium, and yes…pro witch. She helps us lean into our own powers to be the baddest witches we can be. 🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full video episodes over on Patreon: patreon.com/thefirstdegree 📸 Instagram: instagram.com/thefirstdegree 🕺 TikTok: tiktok.com/@thefirstdegreee 👤 Facebook: facebook.com/thefirstdegree Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
In late 1977, Los Angeles was terrorized by a string of brutal murders that the press dubbed the work of the “Hillside Strangler.” Victims were found in public places, bound and strangled, their bodies eerily posed. A witness spotted two men with one of the victims, sparking theories that the crimes were a coordinated effort. In episode 371, Jac and Lex delve into the story of the Hillside Stranglers, a case that stumped law enforcement until a phone call from Washington broke the investigation wide open. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Get in loser we’re going to reveal the bleak, disgusting truths about your favorite fashion trends (hint: they all originated as ways to hide disease in the Medieval times)! Plus, a deep dive on belly buttons and what they say about your personality and life expectancy! Oh, and how to prevent murder while taking a 💩. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
For nearly ten years, investigators had no clue who killed seven people in the Palatine Brown’s Chicken on January 8th of 1993. They followed more than 4,800 leads and arrested several potential suspects, but nothing came of these efforts. The murders of Brown’s Chicken employees 16-year-old Michael Castro, 17-year-old Rico Solis, 31-year-old Tom Mennes, 32-year-old Marcus Nellsen, and 47-year-old Lupe Maldonado and owners 49-year-old Lynn Ehlenfeldt and 50-year-old Dick Ehlenfeldt were a tragic mystery. The case remained cold until April of 2002, when Anne Lockette spoke to the authorities. At the time of the crime, her boyfriend, 20-year-old Jim Degorski, and his friend, 18-year-old Juan Luna, robbed the Brown’s Chicken, stole $1,800, and told her every detail—but not before threatening Anne’s own life. In episode 370, Jac and Alexis dive into how a confounding case was solved with Anne’s key testimony and DNA technology advancments that allowed better testing of saliva samples gathered from a half-eaten chicken bone. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Move over octopuses, eels are the REAL alien in town. Jac accidentally fell into the Bermuda Triangle and she’s sharing all of her eel facts with the class (spoiler alert….we don’t know ANYTHING about them???). Plus Dancing with the Sharks and a quick Blake vs Justin update! 🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full video episodes over on Patreon: patreon.com/thefirstdegree 📸 Instagram: instagram.com/thefirstdegree 🕺 TikTok: tiktok.com/@thefirstdegreee 👤 Facebook: facebook.com/thefirstdegree Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Shortly after 9 p.m. on January 8th of 1993, seven people begin the closing routine for the Brown’s Chicken & Pasta restaurant located in Palatine, Illinois. Of the seven people, five are employees: 16-year-old Michael Castro, 17-year-old Rico Solis, 31-year-old Tom Mennes, 32-year-old Marcus Nellsen, and 47-year-old Lupe Maldonado. The other two individuals are the owners: 49-year-old Lynn Ehlenfeldt and her 50-year-old husband, Dick Ehlenfeldt. When two men approach the Brown’s Chicken’s locked doors after closing, no one is alarmed. Instead, the men are welcomed into the Brown’s Chicken. One man orders food, eats a few bites, and discards the rest. Then, that same man pulls out a knife, and his companion reveals a .38 snub-nosed revolver. The men proceed to murder all seven Brown’s Chicken workers. For nearly 10 years, investigators searched high and low for these killers. But it wasn’t until Anne Lockette spoke up about her violent ex-boyfriend that 20-year-old Jim Degorski, and his friend, 18-year-old Juan Luna, were put away for their crimes. In episode 369, Jac and Alexis work with author and lawyer Patrick Wohl to explain how this needless massacre changed the Palatine community forever and nearly ended the Brown’s Chicken franchise. This is part one of a two-part series. 🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full video episodes over on Patreon: patreon.com/thefirstdegree 📸 Instagram: instagram.com/thefirstdegree 🕺 TikTok: tiktok.com/@thefirstdegreee 👤 Facebook: facebook.com/thefirstdegree Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
This week we’re going all over the place, so buckle up for the ride. Starting off with a dead body being found in a TikTok star’s Tesla trunk (but he’s been on tour so who put it there???), UFOs are all over the damn place, just released terrifying shirtless selfies of Bryan Kohberger, and Elizabeth Gilbert admitting to *almost* attempting to kill her partner but no one seems to care?? WHAT IS HAPPENING 🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full video episodes over on Patreon: patreon.com/thefirstdegree 📸 Instagram: instagram.com/thefirstdegree 🕺 TikTok: tiktok.com/@thefirstdegreee 👤 Facebook: facebook.com/thefirstdegree Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
