Episodes

  • The Murder of Deborah Lynne Bates

    The Murder of Deborah Lynne Bates
    Mar 25 2026
    1993. Chelmsford, Massachusetts. 23-year-old Deborah Lynne Bates, known as Debbie, was trying to start over after leaving her abusive ex, George, with whom she shared a child. She wasn't perfect, but she was determined to build a better life. One February night in 1993, seven months pregnant, Debbie stepped out of her apartment for a pack of cigarettes and vanished. She never came home. Police treated her disappearance as routine, but her family knew she would never abandon her young son. The case lay practically dormant until 2004, when a gruesome discovery that was meant to stay buried turned up on the side of the hideaway—raising questions no one was ready to answer. If you have any information on what happened to Deborah Bates, please contact the Massachusetts State Police at the Middlesex District Attorney's office at 781-897-6600. Episode sources and photos: https://www.murdershetold.com/episodes/deborah-bates Support the show: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.murdershetold.com/support⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@murdershetoldpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@murdershetold⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠/mstpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠murdershetold.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ---- Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    39 mins
  • The Landscape Shifts: The Future of Investigative Genetic Genealogy

    The Landscape Shifts: The Future of Investigative Genetic Genealogy
    Mar 10 2026
    Back in November 2024, I spoke with investigative genetic genealogist Cairenn Binder of Ramapo College about the basics of investigative genetic genealogy and how it helps solve cold cases and restore the names of unidentified people. Now, in an interview with Laurah Norton of The Fall Line, Cairenn returns to discuss a recent development that has shaken the field. Changes to the terms of service at Ancestry affecting access to historical records and family trees could have major implications for investigators working to identify John and Jane Does and generate leads in homicide cases. Many genealogists fear the policy shift could impact both current investigations and cases still waiting to be solved. Cairenn helps break down the key updates—and what they could mean moving forward. Sources for The Fall Line: https://www.thefalllinepodcast.com/sources Mentioned in the episode: ⁠NYT article⁠ Read Laurah's book, Lay Them to Rest Revisit "Cracking Cold Cases Using Investigative Genetic Genealogy" originally published 11/5/2024: ⁠https://murdershetold.com/episodes/investigative-genetic-genealogy⁠ Support the show: ⁠https://www.murdershetold.com/support⁠ Instagram: ⁠@murdershetoldpodcast⁠ TikTok: ⁠@murdershetold⁠ Facebook: ⁠/mstpodcast⁠ Website: ⁠murdershetold.com⁠ ----- Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    50 mins
  • The Murder of Judy Lord: Cold Case Solved

    The Murder of Judy Lord: Cold Case Solved
    Feb 25 2026
    1975 - Concord, New Hampshire. In May 1975, a rent collector knocked on the door of 22-year-old Judith Lord’s apartment. There was no answer—only the sound of her baby crying. When he went inside, he found Judy dead in her upstairs bedroom. From the beginning, police had suspects. The case moved quickly. An arrest felt imminent. But then, a single scientific conclusion shifted the trajectory of the investigation. What should have been a straight path to justice became a decades-long detour. This is a story about a young mother, a community shaken, and a murder investigation steered off course by flawed forensics—a mistake that cost years, and a resolution that came far too late. Episode sources and photos: https://www.murdershetold.com/episodes/judy-lord Support the show: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.murdershetold.com/support⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@murdershetoldpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@murdershetold⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠/mstpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠murdershetold.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ---- Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    57 mins
  • Dark History: The Case of Margaret "Peggy" Mortimer

    Dark History: The Case of Margaret "Peggy" Mortimer
    Feb 11 2026
    1937 - Mexico, Missouri On the eve of Thanksgiving in 1937, 46-year-old Margaret Mortimer, who went by Peggy, was just steps from her front door when she was attacked and killed by an unknown assailant. Investigators found few clues and no obvious suspects, despite a city-wide manhunt. And as early leads faded, local police turned to Ira Cooper, the St. Louis Police Department’s first Black lieutenant, hoping his sterling reputation could bring answers to a case already slipping away. The murder shocked the industrial town of Mexico, Missouri. Peggy was well known and widely liked, with no clear enemies. But on that cold November night, someone was waiting—and the question remains: who? Episode sources and photos: https://www.murdershetold.com/episodes/margaret-peggy-mortimer Support the show: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.murdershetold.com/support⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@murdershetoldpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@murdershetold⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠/mstpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠murdershetold.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ---- Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    1 hr and 4 mins
  • Justice for Nancy Williams

    Justice for Nancy Williams
    Jan 27 2026
    1981 - Winchendon, Massachusetts. On January 30, 1981, 19-year-old Nancy Williams picked up a last-minute shift at the Cumberland Farms in Winchendon, Massachusetts. Just two hours before closing, an unknown assailant entered the store, robbed it, and brutally stabbed Nancy, leaving her for dead behind the counter. The crime stunned locals, who struggled to believe something so violent could happen in their quiet town. Even more unsettling was the thought that the person responsible may have simply blended back into the community—never identified, never held accountable. Now, 45 years later, Nancy’s case is being revived in the hope that renewed attention, advances in forensic technology, and fresh tips can finally bring justice for Nancy. Cumberland Farms is now offering a $25K reward for information that leads to the conviction in Nancy’s case. If you have info that can help, please contact the Massachusetts State Police Unresolved Case Unit at 1-855-MA-SOLVE (1-855-627-6583) or email mspunresolved@pol.state.ma.us. Episode sources and photos: https://murdershetold.com/episodes/nancy-williams Support the show: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.murdershetold.com/support⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@murdershetoldpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@murdershetold⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠/mstpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠murdershetold.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ---- Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    39 mins
  • The Brutal Murder of Emil Martens

    The Brutal Murder of Emil Martens
    Jan 13 2026
    1963 - Wytopitlock, Maine. In April of 1963, a violent discovery was made inside a tiny, one-room cabin in the woods off Route 2A in Aroostook County. 68-year-old Emil Andrew Martens was found brutally beaten to death, setting off a brief and fragmented investigation that produced a swirl of suspects, rumors, and unanswered questions. Today, Emil Martens’ name does not appear on any official unsolved case lists in Maine. His life, his death, and the circumstances surrounding a brutal crime remain largely forgotten—buried in history… until now. This is the life and death of Emil Martens. Episode sources and photos: https://murdershetold.com/episodes/emil-martens Support the show: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.murdershetold.com/support⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@murdershetoldpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@murdershetold⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠/mstpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠murdershetold.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ---- Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    1 hr
  • A Conversation with Generation Why and Wine & Crime

    A Conversation with Generation Why and Wine & Crime
    Jan 7 2026
    This special episode to kick off the New Year brings together fellow true crime podcasters Aaron Habel of Generation Why, and Lucy Fitzgerald from Wine & Crime for a wide-ranging, candid conversation. We dive into our work as podcasters, the very real flaws of the justice system, debate the possibility of quantifiable alien activity, relive Kristen's hilarious and slightly surreal encounter in Ireland, and unpack what genuinely unnerves us most (spoiler: ghosts). Learn more about Gen Why and Wine & Crime: Gen Why: https://genwhypod.com/ Wine & Crime: https://wineandcrimepodcast.com ---- Support the show: ⁠https://www.murdershetold.com/support⁠ Instagram: ⁠@murdershetoldpodcast⁠ TikTok: ⁠@murdershetold⁠ Facebook: ⁠/mstpodcast⁠ Website: ⁠murdershetold.com⁠ --- Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    1 hr and 34 mins
  • Bonus: Real Life Grinch with Javier Leva of Pretend & Sins and Survivors

    Bonus: Real Life Grinch with Javier Leva of Pretend & Sins and Survivors
    Dec 23 2025
    Tis the season for true crime chaos! Hosts Kristen Seavey from Murder, She Told, Javier Leiva from PRETEND, and Shaun from Sins & Survivors join forces to explore Christmas crimes gone horribly wrong. From a bath salts-fueled home decorator in suburban Ohio to a serial burglar stealing Robert De Niro's wrapped presents right from under his tree, these real-life Grinches prove that the holidays bring out the worst in some people. The hosts also dive into the disturbing case of postal workers who intercepted letters to Santa meant for underprivileged children...stealing laptops, iPads, and gift cards intended for kids in need. But the main event is a fresh-off-the-press case from Bangor, Maine. When a couple woke up to find a stranger sleeping on their couch surrounded by their unwrapped Christmas presents. Police body cam footage reveals just how terrifying this "funny" story really was. Follow Pretend and Sins and Survivors wherever you're listening now. Support the show: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.murdershetold.com/support⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@murdershetoldpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@murdershetold⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠/mstpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠murdershetold.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ---- Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    41 mins