Sword And Scale Plus

Trouble in the Amato household began brewing in the summer of 2018, when Grant Amato, the youngest son, developed an addiction to one particular webcam model. Her name is Ady Sweet. Day and night, Grant was watching the live shows Ady streamed. These shows weren’t cheap, and Grant built an entire false persona to gain Ady’s attention. All of his lies were at the expense of his family’s finances and wellbeing. It all came to an end on January 24th, 2019. SOURCES Grant Amato Interrogation Part...

We move people who commit crimes far away from our society so they don’t harm anyone else… but many of those criminals will eventually serve their sentences and return to civilian life. Who is worthy of our grace and mercy? And what happens when the wrong person is forgiven? SOURCES Man Urged Parole of Killer Charged News Interview with Tonya’s Cousin Mom Forced to Watch Slaying Michigan Prisoner Rehabilitation Credit Act Suspect in Dearborn Heights Has Chilling Criminal Past Dad Linked to...

This is the story of how Shasta Groene was abducted by pedophile Joseph Duncan in Idaho and held captive for 7 weeks along with her brother Dylan. Both were emotionally, physically, and sexually tortured before Shasta was discovered in a Denny’s restaurant. How was a tiny, 8 year old girl able to make it back alive after enduring torture and witnessing gruesome murders? SOURCES Survivor's Perspective - Shasta McClain (Shasta Groene) For Waitress Who Found Shasta, Closure to Episode of Her...

Child abuse can take many forms and most of the time isn’t obvious. In rare cases it is near impossible to detect. In the special case of Olivia Gant and her mother, Kelly Turner, the signs were there but Kelly was adept at hiding them or convincing those that suspected something that it wasn’t the case. SOURCES Mother Accused Of Murdering Make-A-Wish Kid, Olivia Gant Mom Arrested For Murder Mother Of Girl Who Died After Long Illness Indicted On Murder, Theft, Fraud And Child Abuse...

On August 2nd, 2016, 30-year-old speech pathologist Karina Vetrano left her home to go for a late-afternoon jog through Spring Creek Park in Howard Beach, Queens. When she didn’t return, a lengthy police investigation and two murder trials would follow, revealing a strange motive rooted in misdirected anger and pure rage. SOURCES Chanel Lewis Interrogation Chanel Lewis Interrogation Part 2 “The Paradox” Short Film Karina Vetrano Blog Homepage Karina Vetrano Poem - “My One & Only” Karina...

We all know by now that there are good cops, and there are very bad cops. On December 29th, 2009, Kevin Gregson and Eric Czapnik showed the world exactly which roles they filled. Both men wanted so desperately to become members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, but the ultimate end to each of their careers was distinctly different. One man is now celebrated by the entire country of Canada, while the other is despised. SOURCES Kevin Gregson Interrogation Canada’s Royal Canadian Mounted...

The world had a conniption when news headlines announced “Kevin Bacon-Murdered!” just before the new year. As more details came out, it was clear that the victim of this murder was not the actor known for the “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon” game. The man who was murdered was a hairdresser from Swartz Creek, Michigan, and an LGBTQ+ advocate. What happened to Kevin was gruesome and shocking that it got the attention of YouTuber Jeffree Star, catapulting the story to mainstream news outlets....

We take a break from the standard Sword and Scale format to chat about the current state of law enforcement with ex-police officer and judge Charles Adams from The Truth with Charles Adams on KPRC 950 AM and iHeartRadio. SOURCES Reid Technique Explained Interrogations: The Reid Technique vs. PEACE Method MUSIC Knock it Off - Neon Beach Playmaker - Air Kid Sway - Nu Alkemi$t Wolfs Milk - Isaac Joel Triangles - Empyreal Glow The Chapel Of Love - Tide Electric Beach Trance - Mikey Geiger On The...

We often think of true-crime from the perspective of law enforcement trying valiantly to pursue the perpetrator and make them face the justice system. Have you ever considered what it would be like if you were in the hot seat? What if you were the suspect in an awful crime? What if there never really was a crime committed in the first place? William Hurt and his family were dragged through the justice system back in 2012 as part of a wild goose chase. Their journey still hasn’t concluded....

The lives of Kevin and Marina Krim were forever changed on October 25th, 2012. All of New York City was suddenly rethinking their caregivers. “Is the person taking care of mom, dad, the dog, or the baby actually safe? What are the chances we could unknowingly hire a lunatic?” It could happen to anyone. The Krim family was unlucky. SOURCES Lulu and Nessie Reciting a Poem Prosecutor Opening Statements Nanny Allegedly Stabs, Kills Two Murderous Nanny Wanted to See Mom’s Reaction Yoselyn Ortega...

July of 2016 was a bad month in Bend, Oregon. Isabel Ponce Lara woke up one morning to her husband, Edwin Lara, acting very strangely. The events that would follow over the next 2 days changed her life forever. Isabel’s life would not be the only one turned upside down. 5 families in total would be absolutely traumatized by Edwin Lara’s choices. SOURCES Isabel Ponce Lara Police Interview Bend Parents Wait, Worry Edwin Lara Police Interview Kaylee Sawyer’s Boyfriend Calls 911 Kaylee Sawyer’s...

Freedom of speech and religion are two foundational parts of what this nation has to offer. They’re important to us and when we feel they’re being infringed upon, Americans speak up. What happens when freedom of religion directly causes harm to someone though? Are there limits to this freedom? Seth Welch found that there are hard limits. Not every state cracks down on how freedom of religion can put children in direct danger, but Michigan does. SOURCES A Very Heavy Prophetic Message...

Orange County California has seen its fair share of bizarre crimes. When Sam Herr, a decorated combat veteran is nowhere to be found and his best friend Julie Kibuishi is discovered dead in Sam’s apartment, police are quick to begin a manhunt. As the investigation continues, more bizarre details begin to emerge, leaving the entire county stunned. The many people affected by this case have learned, if nothing else, that you never truly know who someone is, or what goes through their mind....

8-year-old Isabella Cipriano woke up in the middle of the night in April of 2012 to find that her father, mother, and brother were being attacked in the family home in Farmington Hills, Michigan. On the surface, this seemed to be a random home invasion, until Isabella saw the perpetrator. The truth behind who committed these atrocities, and why, would cause pain for the Cipriano family that may take longer to heal than their many physical scars. SOURCES Examining Tucker Cipriano’s Facebook...

Ryan Lawrence appeared to be a caring and dutiful father, taking his 21-month-old daughter Maddox with him as he delivered pastries throughout Syracuse, New York, and holding her hand through a rare form of cancer she was diagnosed with before her first birthday. But unbeknownst to everyone, an even more terrible storm is gathering on the horizon. SOURCES Maddox Parents Were Stressed About Money Missing Baby Suffered From Eye Cancer Video: Understanding Retinoblastoma Video: Ryan Lawrence...

On May 6th, 2013, Sharlene Bosma watched as her husband Tim pulled away from their house on a test drive with two strange men, never to return again. Finding the mysterious kidnappers will only be part of the struggle. Finding out what happened to Tim Bosma will lead to the most gruesome discovery of all. SOURCES “Dark Ambition: The Twisted Pact of Serial Killers Dellen Millard and Mark Smich”, by Anne Brocklehurst Video: Fire Crackling Cremation Facts Video: Dellen Interrogation Video: BAJA...

Never before have so many of us been forcibly cooped up in our houses for this length of time. COVID-19 has shaken up our routines and our state of mind. During this quarantine, we’ve seen an increase in drug and alcohol consumption, in stress-levels and exacerbated mental illness, loneliness, hopelessness, all of the things that breed conflict. In this episode, we’re starting with a broad scope, talking about all of the attempted acts of domestic terrorism happening on the outside while we...

The quiet seclusion of rural Maine gives many people a feeling of solace but sometimes the isolation can fracture a person’s psyche. The rural town of Winthrop, Maine had never seen a murder case like the one on Halloween 2016. Andrew Balcer, a minor, accused of murdering his parents… and the reason would surprise everyone even Andrew. SOURCES Andrew Balcer full 911 call Teenage boy charged with murder in Winthrop 17-year-old Winthrop boy arrested, charged with killing his parents...

Citizens of Bakersfield California were in for a crazy day on December 10, 2016. The public events of this day would result in a police chase, and two deaths, eventually a third. Manuel Vela was no stranger to dealing with the law, and resisting arrest almost every single time. Beating on his woman was not an unknown pastime for him. He spent his entire life in and out of juvenile homes and eventually prison, but his final crimes against his fiance would be beyond any act of violence he had...

Who do we blame when an innocent 8-year-old boy is brutally murdered in a stranger’s kitchen? In this particular case, fingers are pointed in every direction. The cut-and-dry cases of random abduction and murder are terrible and tragic, yet simple. The murder of Markie Mason, however, is anything but simple. SOURCES Reporter Update: Boy Killed in Stabbing in New Castle Father of 8-Year-Old Stabbing Victim Speaks Out Child Stabbed to Death, Search Underway Man Arrested After Stabbing Call...