Crimes of Passion
True Crime & Paranormal
About
What begins in the heart ends in handcuffs. Whether it's a lover’s embrace or a family bond, we track the descent from intimacy to the ultimate betrayal. Join Law&Crime’s Sierra Gillespie as she strips away the masks to reveal the twisted psychology behind Crimes of Passion. Watch free, only on Spotify.
Episodes
- Colorado Woman Vanishes After Best Friend Visits
Nineteen-Year-Old Lea Porter visited a former high school friend, Christopher Waide, at his Westminster, Colorado apartment in June 2014 and was never seen again. When her family grew suspicious, her brother Maxx lured Waide to a park gaze…
- Loved, Stalked, Attacked: The Madison Schemitz Story
This episode details the stalking and harassment campaign by Spencer Pearson against his ex-girlfriend Madison Schemitz following their breakup. Pearson ambushed Schemitz outside a Florida restaurant on June 3, 2023.
- The Devil Inside Trevor Summers
Trevor Summers held his children hostage for 55 hours in a harrowing ordeal, forcing his daughter to drive her siblings while his wife fought for survival. The case highlights the manipulative use of love as a weapon in a murder-suicide pl…
- Missing Wife Found in Family Trash Can
This episode of Crimes of Passion investigates the disappearance of Amber Zotto. Neighbors noted the Zotto house had grown quiet, and Amber's mother had not heard from her in days, leading to a welfare check. The investigation uncovered a…
- Stepdaughter's Revenge: The Jade Janks Case
The episode details the case of Tom Merriman, found deceased in his driveway shortly after leaving the hospital. His stepdaughter, Jade Janks, reportedly made a discovery while cleaning his home, involving a computer screensaver photo beli…
- TikToker's Revenge: The Ali Abulaban Case
Crimes of Passion covers the Ali Abulaban case, detailing how the popular TikToker’s public image contrasted with his private behavior. Following his estranged wife’s attempt to leave, Abulaban used a listening device to find her, leading…
- Minnesota Mom Vanishes After Dropping Kids Off at Daycare
A Minnesota mom vanished without a trace just moments after leaving her two children at a Winona daycare. That same morning, her sister grew alarmed when their normally active text thread went silent in the middle of a conversation. By the…
- Wife Executed in Mysterious Home Invasion One Day Before Eviction
A 65-second gap on a recorded 911 line is all it took to change two lives forever. It began with a frantic plea from Heidi Firkus, reporting a home intruder, before the line erupted in gunfire. When the phone was picked up again, it was he…
- The Mom, The Son, and The Murder of His Ex-Girlfriend
A 20-year-old Michigan woman and her boyfriend crashed into a sign outside the Golden Corral after they were ambushed by gunfire. Investigators said Alicia Jackson-Skaggs was shot in the head, and her boyfriend, the driver, crashed when tr…
- No Body, No Weapon, No Trace: What Happened to Victoria Prokopovitz?
In the small town of Pittsfield, Wisconsin, Victoria Prokopovitz vanished without a trace one April night in 2013, leaving behind her personal belongings and a family desperate for answers. As the missing persons case grew cold, investigat…
- Teen Cheerleader’s Breakup Turns Deadly: The Emma Walker Case
Emma Walker was a vibrant and kind-hearted teenager from Knoxville, Tennessee, known for her bright personality and dedication to her school and community. A student at Central High School, she was an active cheerleader who loved spending…
- Date Night Ends in Murder Mystery
Professional cyclist Anna Moriah “Mo” Wilson was staying at a friend’s Texas apartment before a race in May 2022. After going swimming and to dinner with fellow cyclist Colin Strickland, he dropped her off—minutes before she was found fata…
- Ballerina's Marriage Ends in Murder After Divorce Filing
A Florida man frantically called 911 after his neighbor rushed to his home on a late Sunday night. Ashley Benefield told him she shot her husband, Doug Benefield, during an argument while they were packing her things to move to Maryland. D…
- Teen Love Triangle Turns Deadly: The Betrayal of DJ Grant
A Florida teen vanished in October 2021 shortly after he began talking to a girl from his high school in Miramar. Eighteen-year-old Dwight "DJ" Grant never came home after he went to hang out with one of his classmates Christie Parisien. T…
- The Murder of Laci Peterson Pt. 2
In our final episode, we take a look back at the trial against Scott Peterson, the moment Amber Frey took the stand, and what’s happened in the case in the two decades since Laci Peterson and her unborn son Conner first went missing. Learn…
- The Murder of Laci Peterson Pt. 1
On Christmas Eve twenty years ago, a pregnant woman vanished from her Modesto, California, neighborhood. Relentless media coverage pulled at every thread in her case — most notably, her husband’s strange behavior. Decades since her body, a…
- Brenda Delgado Pt. 2
By September 2015, Brenda has masterminded a murder. She secures multiple accomplices and a solid alibi. But Brenda’s plan isn’t as airtight as she thinks. As investigators close in, a murder-for-hire leads to an international manhunt. Lea…
- Brenda Delgado Pt. 1
When the man of her dreams broke up with her — twice — Brenda Delgado turned to cyberstalking and staging “chance” run-ins to keep him in her life. But she couldn’t stop him from moving on. When Ricky Paniagua started dating another woman,…
- "The Cheerleader Murder" Bernadette Protti
Fifteen-year-old Kirsten Costas was popular, athletic, and a cheerleader. She was everything fellow classmate Bernadette Protti wanted to be. And when Bernadette couldn’t get the attention she wanted from Kirsten, she killed her. Learn mor…
- Thanksgiving Special: Just Add Arsenic
Over the ages, arsenic has had many lives — beauty fad, household product, medical prescription… and weapon of choice wielded by killers everywhere from Alabama to ancient Rome. Brine your turkey, knead your dough, and listen to our Thanks…
- Thomas Gilbert Jr. Pt. 2
For years, Tommy Gilbert Jr. felt like his friends, his parents, and even his doctors were conspiring against him. So in the spring of 2014, he illegally obtained a gun. And months later, he would use it when he went to his parents house f…
- Thomas Gilbert Jr. Pt. 1
Thomas Gilbert Jr was a young socialite who was used to getting what he wanted. But somewhere along the way, his mind began to betray him. All of his personal and professional failures weighed on him. Somebody would have to pay the price.…
- Susan Polk Pt. 4: Slaying the Monster
Between the relentless accusations and physical assaults, the early 2000s were a dangerous time to be living in the Polk household. No one knew that more than their three kids, all caught in the middle of their parents’ tempest. On October…
- Susan Polk Pt. 3: Recovered Memories
In the 1990s, the Polk marriage descended into a slow-motion implosion. Susan’s resentment of her husband was growing, and it only intensified after he introduced her to a new therapeutic technique: RMT, or recovered memory therapy. Now, s…
- Susan Polk Pt. 2: Dangerous Delusions
Dr. Polk decides once and for all how far he’ll go to manipulate Susan into staying with him. They marry in the winter of 1981. As the decade progresses, their joy over the birth of their first son, Adam, turns to dread as they’re swept in…
- Susan Polk Pt. 1: Meeting the Therapist
Twenty years ago, a heinous crime unfolded in a California pool house. The seeds of it were planted in the 1970s, when the Bay Area’s rising star in adolescent therapy, Dr. Felix Polk, met a new patient: 15-year-old Susan Bolling. They too…
- Joy Davis Aylor Pt. 2
For years, detectives were unable to solve the murder of Rozanne Gailiunas. Then police were given a tip that the murderer was her lover’s ex-wife. After a thorough investigation, Joy Aylor was arrested. But days before her trial, she skip…
- Joy Davis Aylor Pt. 1
When Dr. Peter Gailiunas met his future wife, Rozanne, it was love at first sight. But after their marriage, things started to unravel. Another lover entered the mix, and then somebody wound up dead. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit…
- Princess Diana: The Royal Special Pt. 3
From a royal to a humanitarian to a victim, Princess Diana significantly impacted the world during her short time here. Her recent portrayals in TV and film prove that although her passing happened twenty-five years ago, her story still li…
- Princess Diana: The Royal Special Pt. 2
As the world mourns, speculation runs wild. How could this have happened? Who was to blame? British paparazzi, who hounded the vehicle into its passengers’ final moments, are an easy target. But rumors arise that lay the fault at the feet…
- Princess Diana: The Royal Special Pt. 1
Twenty-five years ago, the British monarchy was forever changed upon the death of the “People’s Princess.” Today, we’re revisiting her story, looking back on a moment that impacted not only the royal family, but the world. We jump back to…
- Charlie Smith & Tonya Bundick Pt. 1
Charlie Smith was an unassuming man from rural Virginia with a prison record and a substance problem. Tonya Bundick was a respectable nurse and mother, who could also be the life of the party. He wanted to stay clean for her. But then she…
- Graham Dwyer Pt. 2
After an extended break-up, Elaine O'Hara agreed to meet with Graham Dwyer, assuming he'd changed. He had changed, but unfortunately, for the worse. When they resumed their relationship, Graham got even more violent. One day she went deep…
- Graham Dwyer Pt. 1
Elaine O'Hara wanted to explore the world of BDSM. Graham Dwyer was willing to help her. She explained her fantasies, and they established a master-slave relationship. But what she didn't realize was that he also had fantasies. Ones that p…
- Christa Pike & Tadaryl Shipp Pt. 2
Christa Pike still wasn't over Colleen Slemmer sleeping with her boyfriend, Tadaryl Shipp. She was going to make Colleen pay. What started out as a simple fight quickly escalated into murder. Was that their plan all along? Learn more about…
- Christa Pike & Tadaryl Shipp Pt. 1
After a childhood full of abuse, 18-year-old Christa Pike decided to turn her life around. She enrolled at Job Corps, a place meant to provide job training for at-risk youth. That's where she met Tadaryl Shipp. The two became a couple and…
- Jennair Gerardot Pt. 2
When she realized that her husband was having an affair with his boss, Jennair Gerardot talked him into going to couple's therapy. But when he filed for divorce anyway, she decided that if she couldn't be happy, neither could he. Learn mor…
- Jennair Gerardot Pt. 1
It was love at first sight. But it wasn't always easy for Mark and Jennair Gerardot. So when Mark fell in love with his boss, Jennair knew she had to do something. And when she promised "till death do us part" all those years ago, she mean…
- David Arnold Brown & Cinnamon Brown Pt. 2
In the middle of the night, David Brown woke up his 14-year-old daughter Cinnamon and told her it was time to go through with the plan. Still half-asleep, she swallowed a bunch of pills, took a gun, and killed her stepmother Linda. Years w…
- David Arnold Brown & Cinnamon Brown Pt. 1
By the time David Brown was 30 years old, he had a 20-year-old wife, a teenage daughter, and a secret lover — his wife’s younger sister. When word got out that his wife was plotting to kill him, David turned to the other women in his life…
- Kenneth Tranchida Pt. 2
While searching for Tina Biggar, her boyfriend Todd and her father Bill found only one lead. It was Ken Tranchida, a mysterious man who said he'd loan Tina nearly $20,000 to buy a car. Once they found him, he was happy to talk. Only nothin…
- Kenneth Tranchida Pt. 1
Tina Biggar was a bright and ambitious college student studying psychology. When she didn’t come home one night, her boyfriend of three years knew something was wrong. After searching their apartment for clues, he discovered that Tina was…
- “Killdozer” Rampage: Marvin Heemeyer
In Granby, Colorado, a petty feud with neighbors and the town council left Marvin Heemeyer feeling backed into a corner. Little did they know that in his mind, God had given him instructions to deliver divine justice. Learn more about your…
- Russell Winstead
Elderly millionaire Anna Mae Branson was a bit of a local legend in Madisonville, Kentucky. So when she died a brutally gruesome death, detectives were puzzled. But a tip from an unlikely source led authorities to her nephew Russell Winste…
- The Barbecue Murders Pt. 2
Chuck Riley did a bump of cocaine and half a tab of acid in the morning, so his memory of what happened that day is a little hazy. He thinks he remembers shooting Marlene's father, but he couldn't be sure how the hammer claw got lodged in…
- The Barbecue Murders Pt. 1
In 1975, the bodies of Naomi and Jim Olive were found in a barbecue pit in Marin County, California. Their murder was the tragic culmination of a fraught relationship with their adopted daughter Marlene. Learn more about your ad choices. V…
- “O.C. Hit Man” Adriana Vasco and Dennis Earl Godley Pt. 2
It wasn't part of the plan. Two people were dead instead of just one. Adriana Vasco and Dennis Godley would part ways and never discuss the details of that night. But authorities knew Adriana could be bullied, and they would do everything…