Generation Why: True Crime

On July 18, 2014, FSU professor and lawyer Dan Markel was shot in the head twice through the driver's side window of his car in his garage. His murder revealed a messy divorce, family animosity, and a murder for hire plot that resulted in five convictions over 11 years. Try our a patreon for free at patreon.com/generationwhy Who knows, you might like it. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In 1985, John Sohus and his wife Linda went missing. The man who had been living in the guesthouse suddenly moved out. John’s remains were later found in 1994. In 2008, this same man kidnapped his own daughter off the street. He would later be convicted of kidnapping and murder- and his long trail of fake names and true identity would be unraveled in the courtroom. For bonus episodes and outtakes visit: patreon.com/generationwhy See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A successful businesswoman isn't looking for love, but when a tall, dark, handsome man enters her restaurant, she can't help but be intrigued. He offers to help her with her security cameras since he runs a security company and says he also works as an investigator for the local District Attorney. But not long after she notices some red flags and she breaks off the relationship, her life is turned upside down. We have revamped our Patreon with new exclusive content: patreon.com/generationwhy See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Scarborough, Canada, 1987. Kenneth Parks walked into a local police station, bleeding from severe cuts on his hands, and confessed to murder. He claimed he was sleepwalking when he drove to his in-laws’ home and stabbed them. What ensued was a case that set a precedent in Canadian law and became a foundational reference for medical professionals. You dirty bastards, go subscribe to patreon.com/generationwhy See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

February 9th, 2025. Boulder, Colorado. Megan Trussell was last seen walking on campus at CU Boulder after an argument with her roommate. She was reported missing three days later, and on February 15th her body was found on the highway off campus. We've been telling you about our Patreon and all the extra content we deliver and you either don't want more content or you're living under a rock. Go subscribe already. patreon.com/generationwhy See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

September 2, 2002. Studio City, California. In the early morning hours of September 2, 2002, a luxury Mercedes SUV was found aflame in the upscale neighborhood of Studio City, California. After the flames were put out, firefighters found the bodies of Michael Tardio and Chris Monson inside. Both had been shot execution-style. Investigators quickly started talking to people who knew the men. The story that unraveled involved a Playboy Playmate, a Wall Street Whiz Kid, and a $1 million jewelry deal. And left the question: Who murdered Michael and Chris? Check out the new History of Generation Why series on Patreon! patreon.com/generationwhy See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

March 21st, 2011. International waters off the coast of Mexico. Rebecca Coriam, a cruise ship worker, disappeared early one morning while on board. She has never been seen again. Subscribe to our Patreon, it's the only place where you can support us directly. ;) https://www.patreon.com/generationwhy See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

August 12th, 1967. Selmer, Tennessee. Pauline Pusser was fatally shot while riding with her husband, Sheriff Buford Pusser, who was responding to a disturbance call in the early morning hours. Police believed she died in an ambush meant for her husband, but Pauline’s case remained unsolved for almost 60 years. For bonus episodes and outtakes visit: patreon.com/generationwhy See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

TWA Flight 800. July 17, 1996. JFK International Airport. Trans World Airlines Flight 800 was to takeoff for Paris, France at around 7pm EST. Various issues kept it from taking off until 8:19pm. Just 12 minutes into the flight, at 8:31pm, the plane exploded. Efforts were made to rescue anyone alive in the Atlantic Ocean from the destroyed Boeing 747, but none of the 230 passengers and crew had survived. Terrorism was suspected early on as the United States was facing threats at home and abroad. As the investigation continued, though, the evidence began to point to an issue with the plane itself. Or did it See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

April 27, 1964. Chicago, Illinois. Paul Fronczak was abducted from his mother’s hospital room less than 48 hours after he was born, sparking a nationwide manhunt. Paul's kidnapping is one of the strangest stories you will ever hear about For bonus episodes and outtakes visit: patreon.com/generationwhy See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this crossover bonus episode, Aaron, Lucy (Wine & Crime), and Kristen (Murder, She Told) have off the cuff discussions about podcasting, crimes, and even the paranormal. This came about because Josh of True Crime BS suggested true crime podcasters do these crossover episodes for the month of December. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In 1995, Vickie Barton was found dead by her husband, Springboro Police Lieutenant Jim Barton, after what appeared to be a violent home invasion. Over the next 11 years, the case took a series of unexpected turns, including unreliable witnesses, shifting testimonies, the conviction of Jim Barton, and the eventual overturning of that conviction. Nearly two decades later, the truth is still uncertain. For bonus episodes and outtakes visit: patreon.com/generationwhy See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

June 16th, 2011. Minneapolis, Minnesota. Hamdi Mohamud and her friends were accosted and attacked by a young woman named Muna Abdulkadir, who happened to be a witness for a joint state-federal investigation. At first Hamdi and her friends were treated as victims, but hours later they were arrested and facing federal witness tampering charges. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Feb. 20, 1990. Blue Springs, Missouri. Several frantic phone calls were made to 911 by Ken Middleton who begged for help. His wife Kathy had been shot. But when police arrived, they placed him under arrest for killing his wife. For more than 30 years, Ken Middleton has been trying to persuade the courts of his innocence. Was Kathy Middleton's death an accident? Or was she murdered? For bonus episodes and outtakes visit: patreon.com/generationwhy See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

February 11th, 1987. Fort Collins, Colorado. The body of 37-year-old Peggy Hettrick was found in a field. She had been stabbed and mutilated. There were multiple suspects, but the police focused on 15-year-old Timothy Masters, who found the body but failed to report it initially. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

June 25th, 1983. Helena National Forest, Montana. Nyleen Marshall went missing during a family outing in the Elkhorn Mountains. Moments before she disappeared, her playmates saw a suspicious, unidentified man talking to her by the creek. HEY PEOPLE GET BONUS EPS and Beyond the ep talk at patreon.com/generationwhy See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

February 4th, 2005. Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, England. The body of Dawn Walker was found by the River Lark after she was reported missing by her boyfriend Kevin Nunn. The following month, Kevin was arrested and charged with murder. For bonus episodes and outtakes visit: patreon.com/generationwhy See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

January 27th, 2013. Bradenton, Florida. Pat Mullins took his boat out on the Braden River near his home, something he’d done hundreds of times, but he never made it back. Nine days later, Pat’s body was found in Tampa Bay, miles away from the river. For bonus episodes and outtakes visit: patreon.com/generationwhy See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In November 2011, Andrea Eilber, 20, was found dead and slumped on a chair in the basement of her aunt’s Mayfield Township home. Her boyfriend at the time, Kenneth Grondin III, was convicted of her murder in 2015 and sentenced to life. In 2018, the Michigan Court of Appeals overturned his conviction finding that the jury verdict form improperly omitted a ‘not guilty’ option, rendering the verdict invalid. More recently, DNA from the crime scene was tested at Othram and through genetic genealogy, a new suspect emerged... For bonus episodes and outtakes visit: patreon.com/generationwhy See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Wylie, TX. On Friday, June 13, 1980, Betty Gore was found dead in her Texas home, killed with an axe that struck 41 times in what seemed like a frenzied attack. The investigation led the authorities to a surprising suspect, but the trial that followed left the community stunned and bewildered. For bonus episodes and outtakes visit: patreon.com/generationwhy See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.