True Crime Today | Daily True Crime News & Interviews – Détails, épisodes et analyse

MA v. Karen Read Murder Retrial - Day 4 Part 1 

This is audio from the courtroom in the high-profile murder retrial of Karen Read in Dedham, Massachusetts. She's facing second-degree murder charges and more in connection with the death of her boyfriend, Boston Police Officer John O’Keefe. Prosecutors allege Read struck O'Keefe with her SUV and left him to die in the snow outside a friend’s home after a night of drinking. Stay tuned as both sides lay out their version of what happened that night. 

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MA v. Karen Read Murder Retrial - Day 4 Part 2 

This is audio from the courtroom in the high-profile murder retrial of Karen Read in Dedham, Massachusetts. She's facing second-degree murder charges and more in connection with the death of her boyfriend, Boston Police Officer John O’Keefe. Prosecutors allege Read struck O'Keefe with her SUV and left him to die in the snow outside a friend’s home after a night of drinking. Stay tuned as both sides lay out their version of what happened that night. 

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In a shocking new development, nearly three decades after their murders, investigators have finally identified "Peaches" and her toddler daughter, two previously unknown victims linked to the notorious Gilgo Beach murders. Nassau County Police and the FBI have confirmed through advanced forensic genealogy that "Peaches" is actually Tanya Denise Jackson, a 26-year-old U.S. Army veteran, and her daughter is Tatiana Marie Dykes, only two years old at the time of her death.
Meanwhile, Rex Heuermann, the accused Gilgo Beach serial killer currently awaiting trial for seven separate murders including the infamous "Gilgo Four," remains at the center of intense scrutiny. Could Tanya and Tatiana’s case be connected to Heuermann, or does evidence suggest another killer entirely? Authorities have drawn critical distinctions between these murders and the others, emphasizing forensic differences, including dismemberment and the inclusion of a child victim.

This video explores the latest forensic breakthroughs, DNA genealogy techniques, and provides clear updates on Rex Heuermann’s ongoing legal battle. Join us as we unravel this disturbing true crime mystery and what it means for the wider Gilgo Beach investigation.

#GilgoBeachMurders #RexHeuermann #TrueCrime #PeachesIdentified #ColdCaseSolved #DNAEvidence #SerialKillerCase #ForensicGenealogy #CrimeNews #LongIslandMurders
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Was It A Mistake For Defense To Introduce 'Autism' Into Kohberger Case, Attorney Eric Faddis Examines
On this episode of Hidden Killers with Tony Brueski, Tony delves into the controversial decision by Bryan Kohberger’s defense to introduce an alleged autism diagnosis into his death penalty trial. Does claiming autism help or harm Kohberger’s defense strategy? Tony breaks down the potential implications, questioning whether the defense can substantiate this claim with actual medical evidence or if it's merely a tactic to mitigate sentencing. Could this revelation inadvertently strengthen the prosecution's case by underscoring issues with empathy and social detachment?
Tony also explores the unusual scenario unfolding around Kohberger's family potentially testifying in court. With reports indicating some family members might be barred from viewing the trial until after their testimony, Tony discusses the rare and sensitive situation of family members possibly speaking against one of their own. What rights do they have, and could invoking the Fifth Amendment have unintended consequences for Kohberger's case? Tony examines the legal strategies at play and how family testimonies might sway jury perceptions.

Lastly, Tony discusses the critical evidentiary decision facing the judge about admitting Kohberger’s notorious shower selfie into evidence. Originally intended to corroborate a surviving roommate's identification based on "bushy eyebrows," Tony considers whether this evidence, evocative of notorious historical figures, could significantly impact juror opinions. Tune in as Tony Brueski navigates these complex issues, breaking down legal arguments, courtroom strategies, and the psychological elements that could shape the outcome of this high-profile trial.
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The latest on The Downfall of Diddy, The Trial of Karen Read, The Murder Of Maddie Soto, Catching the Long Island Serial Killer, Awaiting Admission: BTK’s Unconfessed Crimes, Delphi Murders: Inside the Crime, Chad & Lori Daybell, The Murder of Ana Walshe, Alex Murdaugh, Bryan Kohberger, Lucy Letby, Kouri Richins, Malevolent Mormon Mommys, The Menendez Brothers: Quest For Justice, The Murder of Stephen Smith, The Murder of Madeline Kingsbury, The Murder Of Sandra Birchmore, and much more! Listen at https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com

What Will Happen In Karen Read's Trial #2, Ret FBI Coffindaffer Weighs In
Did Karen Read really back into John O’Keefe, or are we about to watch another courtroom performance where the plot twists harder than a Netflix docuseries?

With trial number two kicking off, things already feel different—more jurors, a new prosecutor who actually knows how to speak clearly, and a professional accident reconstructionist who won’t pass out mid-sentence. Jennifer Coffindaffer points out how the visuals will finally match the words this time around, with possible reenactments and diagrams instead of just terrified mumbling.

Then there’s the arm scratches. Remember those? The ones that looked like he got into a slap fight with a raccoon? They’re now being reexamined without all the Photoshop drama. No K9 DNA, no deep wounds—just superficial marks that don’t exactly scream dog attack. Oh, and the pork DNA? That might just be from dinner. As for the defense trying to pin this on a dog named Chloe, it’s not looking great when they didn’t even want to examine the bite impressions.

If Karen did clip him, did the glass in his hand cause more damage than the SUV? Or are we still trying to figure out if a dog, a tail light, or a coyote is to blame?

#KarenRead #JohnOKeefe #HiddenKillers #TrueCrimeToday #JenniferCoffindaffer #CrimeSceneAnalysis #DogBiteDebunked

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The latest on The Downfall of Diddy, The Trial of Karen Read, The Murder Of Maddie Soto, Catching the Long Island Serial Killer, Awaiting Admission: BTK’s Unconfessed Crimes, Delphi Murders: Inside the Crime, Chad & Lori Daybell, The Murder of Ana Walshe, Alex Murdaugh, Bryan Kohberger, Lucy Letby, Kouri Richins, Malevolent Mormon Mommys, The Menendez Brothers: Quest For Justice, The Murder of Stephen Smith, The Murder of Madeline Kingsbury, The Murder Of Sandra Birchmore, and much more! Listen at https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com

From Banker to Thief: Russell Laffitte Finally Admits to Murdaugh Scheme

The Banker Finally Blinks

After two years of pretending he just didn’t know any better, former Palmetto State Bank CEO Russell Laffitte has finally admitted what everyone else already knew: he’s a crook.

In a guilty plea deal made public this week, Laffitte confessed to six criminal counts, copping to a scheme with Alex Murdaugh that laundered and stole at least $3.5 million from vulnerable clients over an 11-year stretch. That’s more than a decade of playing dumb while using his bank like a personal vending machine for fraud. But unlike previous courtroom performances, Laffitte now admits he wasn’t just “naive” or “misled.” He knew exactly what he was doing—and it was illegal.

This is a major shift from the story Laffitte has been trying to sell since the walls started closing in. Back in his 2022 trial, the man spent five hours on the stand denying everything but bad judgment. He painted himself as the village idiot of banking, manipulated by Murdaugh into funneling millions out of client settlements without understanding what was going on. He even pulled the classic “not intentionally” line when asked if he’d helped Murdaugh steal. But now, in black and white, Laffitte is admitting he did help. Intentionally. Repeatedly. And he knew it was against the law.

This admission changes everything—especially for the people he hurt. It also spares them from enduring a second trial that would’ve rehashed painful memories and exposed them to more cross-examinations from Laffitte’s legal team. Instead of dragging them through that again, Laffitte gets five years. It’s a cut from the seven-year sentence he was serving before his conviction was overturned on a technicality. And it’s a far cry from the nine to eleven years prosecutors were originally gunning for in their 2023 sentencing memo.

That memo was brutal. Prosecutors said what made Laffitte stand out wasn’t just the crimes—plenty of people commit bank fraud—it was the audacity to lie about it over and over. They detailed how Laffitte had spun tales in a civil deposition, during a disciplinary review, at his bond hearing, and at trial. And even after a jury found him guilty, he still tried to appeal, blaming everyone but himself.

But now, thanks to this plea deal, there will be no retrial, no appeals, and no last-ditch arguments about ineffective legal counsel. Laffitte has waived all of it. It’s a legal dead-end for him and a sigh of relief for prosecutors and victims alike.

And let's talk about the company he kept. Laffitte wasn’t pulling these moves with some faceless fraudster—he was in business with Alex Murdaugh, arguably South Carolina’s most radioactive defendant. By the time Laffitte’s case came up for a retrial, Murdaugh was already a convicted murderer and convicted thief. The idea of facing a jury while being tied at the hip to that guy? Not a good look.

In the background of all this are the stories of the people they stole from. The Plyler sisters, Hannah and Alania, had their settlement money drained. Natarsha Thomas lost $350,000. Arthur Badger, left to raise six children after his wife’s death in a crash, had over a million siphoned from his rightful settlement. Laffitte helped reroute that money through his bank into accounts he and Murdaugh controlled, like some twisted game of Monopoly where the victims always lost and the banker pocketed Boardwalk.

Emails between Laffitte and Murdaugh discussing Badger’s money were described by attorney Mark Tinsley as especially damning. Which is why, Tinsley says, this guilty plea isn’t a surprise—it’s damage control.

For the victims and their attorneys, this deal is about more than just prison time. It’s closure. It’s avoiding another public trial. And most importantly, it’s proof in writing that Laffitte wasn’t just a clueless banker caught in the crossfire—he was an active, informed participant in a massive fraud.

Now, even as he faces civil lawsuits where he continues to deny responsibility, his federal guilty plea will hang around his neck like a cement necktie. Because no matter how many depositions he gives, the ink on that 10-page agreement doesn’t lie.

Russell Laffitte may have spent years denying, deflecting, and dodging the truth. But this week, he finally ran out of exits.

#AlexMurdaugh #RussellLaffitte #PalmettoStateBank #WhiteCollarCrime

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The latest on The Downfall of Diddy, The Trial of Karen Read, The Murder Of Maddie Soto, Catching the Long Island Serial Killer, Awaiting Admission: BTK’s Unconfessed Crimes, Delphi Murders: Inside the Crime, Chad & Lori Daybell, The Murder of Ana Walshe, Alex Murdaugh, Bryan Kohberger, Lucy Letby, Kouri Richins, Malevolent Mormon Mommys, The Menendez Brothers: Quest For Justice, The Murder of Stephen Smith, The Murder of Madeline Kingsbury, The Murder Of Sandra Birchmore, and much more! Listen at https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com 

Daybell Closing Arguments on the Way: Nephi, Luminol, and a Wedding in Hawaii

The lead detective never read the Book of Mormon, but Google helped him learn that Nephi killed a man under divine orders—and somehow, that helped shape a murder investigation.

As court reconvened in Lori Vallow Daybell’s Arizona trial, the state officially rested its case. The defense? Also ready to rest. No witnesses. No testimony from Lori herself. Her decision was final. With closing arguments expected Monday, the court is preparing jury instructions for what could be the final stretch.

But before all that, Lori had questions. A lot of them. She stepped up to the lectern and grilled Detective Nathan Duncan like she was trying out for a legal drama. Why didn’t they test the bat for DNA? Why wasn’t Luminol used on the gun? What about the blood on Charles Vallow’s shirt? Duncan stood by the choices made—there was no visible blood, the autopsy was conclusive, and some things, he felt, just didn’t require further testing. Lori pushed: is it possible for protein to be present even if blood isn't visible? Duncan acknowledged it could be, but stuck to his reasoning.

The bat—allegedly wielded by Tylee—wasn’t visibly bloody and had no damage. No blood, no Luminol. No DNA swabs either. Lori challenged him: if they had tested the bat and found Charles’ DNA, wouldn’t that corroborate Tylee’s story? The prosecution objected, the judge sustained. But Lori kept hammering the same point—why didn’t they look harder?

Duncan explained that simply finding DNA on the bat wouldn’t prove much. It belonged to Tylee, lived in the house, and anyone could have handled it. As for fingerprints? Inconclusive. Still, no tests.

She dug into his knowledge of the Book of Mormon too—asking about Nephi, a figure she had previously invoked. Duncan admitted he hadn’t read the book but had spoken to LDS members and done some Googling. Lori pushed again—there are four Nephis, she reminded him. She accused him of forming conclusions early and sticking to them, questioning whether his research was thorough or just conveniently limited.

When asked who provided the core of the family context in his investigation, Duncan named Adam Cox—Lori’s estranged brother. Lori highlighted that he hadn’t interviewed her parents, her siblings, or even watched their interviews. Summer Cox was out of town, Duncan said. The others weren’t at the scene. Lori wasn’t buying it. She accused the investigation of being one-sided.

Then there were the texts. So many texts. Messages between Lori and Chad Daybell, between Lori and Alex Cox, and between Lori and her niece, Melani. The language? Sometimes cryptic, sometimes romantic, sometimes just bizarre. Talk of "Zs"—supposedly dark spirits or zombies—and coded references to people being overtaken by evil. Melani was told not to go to Utah—it was “a setup.” Chad and Lori spoke in veiled terms about Social Security payments, forged documents, and divine missions.

In the days after Charles Vallow was killed, Lori and Chad exchanged love notes, planned blessings, and fantasized about their new life together. A wedding followed just four months later, in Hawaii. The jury saw the photo: Chad and Lori, newlyweds on a beach, smiling. Meanwhile, the evidence paints a portrait of a tangled web—faith, manipulation, and a very mortal outcome.

Through it all, Lori tried to flip the narrative. She emphasized how cooperative she had been with police, that she turned over Charles’ phone willingly. But Duncan said he wasn’t sure if Alex had done the same. His phone? It was never fully analyzed. The best they got were his call records from the carrier. The actual data? Gone. It was either a missed opportunity or an intentional blind spot, depending on which side of the courtroom you sit on.

By late afternoon, both sides had nothing left to say. The prosecution stood by its evidence—volumes of it—arguing that Lori and Alex conspired to commit murder. Lori still insisted the state hadn’t proved its case. But the judge saw it differently: he ruled there was enough for a jury to consider.

Court adjourns tomorrow to finalize instructions. On Monday, the jury returns at 10:30 a.m. for closing arguments. Then, it’s in their hands.

#LoriVallowDaybell #TrueCrime #CharlesVallow #CourtroomDrama

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The latest on The Downfall of Diddy, The Trial of Karen Read, The Murder Of Maddie Soto, Catching the Long Island Serial Killer, Awaiting Admission: BTK’s Unconfessed Crimes, Delphi Murders: Inside the Crime, Chad & Lori Daybell, The Murder of Ana Walshe, Alex Murdaugh, Bryan Kohberger, Lucy Letby, Kouri Richins, Malevolent Mormon Mommys, The Menendez Brothers: Quest For Justice, The Murder of Stephen Smith, The Murder of Madeline Kingsbury, The Murder Of Sandra Birchmore, and much more! Listen at https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com 

The Trial of Lori Vallow Daybell Day 8 Jury Instruction Discussion Part 1 

Lori Vallow Daybell’s push for a speedy second trial was shut down by the judge, who prioritized jury logistics and witness coordination over her deadline demands. As jury instructions take shape and courtroom calendars fill, the next phase of her Arizona murder trial is set to collide with summer travel—and a whole new legal showdown. 

Representing herself at trial, Daybell faces charges for the murder of her fourth husband, Charles Vallow, and the attempted murder of her niece’s ex-husband, Brandon Boudreaux. 

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The latest on The Downfall of Diddy, The Trial of Karen Read, The Murder Of Maddie Soto, Catching the Long Island Serial Killer, Awaiting Admission: BTK’s Unconfessed Crimes, Delphi Murders: Inside the Crime, Chad & Lori Daybell, The Murder of Ana Walshe, Alex Murdaugh, Bryan Kohberger, Lucy Letby, Kouri Richins, Malevolent Mormon Mommys, The Menendez Brothers: Quest For Justice, The Murder of Stephen Smith, The Murder of Madeline Kingsbury, The Murder Of Sandra Birchmore, and much more! Listen at https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com 

The Trial of Lori Vallow Daybell Day 8 Jury Instruction Discussion Part 2

Lori Vallow Daybell’s push for a speedy second trial was shut down by the judge, who prioritized jury logistics and witness coordination over her deadline demands. As jury instructions take shape and courtroom calendars fill, the next phase of her Arizona murder trial is set to collide with summer travel—and a whole new legal showdown.

Representing herself at trial, Daybell faces charges for the murder of her fourth husband, Charles Vallow, and the attempted murder of her niece’s ex-husband, Brandon Boudreaux.

Want to listen to ALL of our podcasts AD-FREE? Subscribe through APPLE PODCASTS, and try it for three days free: https://tinyurl.com/ycw626tj
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The latest on The Downfall of Diddy, The Trial of Karen Read, The Murder Of Maddie Soto, Catching the Long Island Serial Killer, Awaiting Admission: BTK’s Unconfessed Crimes, Delphi Murders: Inside the Crime, Chad & Lori Daybell, The Murder of Ana Walshe, Alex Murdaugh, Bryan Kohberger, Lucy Letby, Kouri Richins, Malevolent Mormon Mommys, The Menendez Brothers: Quest For Justice, The Murder of Stephen Smith, The Murder of Madeline Kingsbury, The Murder Of Sandra Birchmore, and much more! Listen at https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com 

Judge Rules on Key Evidence in Karen Read Trial Here’s What Got In—and What Didn’t
In today’s episode, we break down the latest rulings that are shaping the retrial of Karen Read—and the stakes couldn’t be higher. With opening arguments underway, Judge Beverly Cannone has drawn hard lines about what evidence will be allowed in front of the jury. From forensic testimony and taillight shards to Karen Read’s own interviews, we explore what the prosecution is bringing to the table—and how the defense is allowed to respond. But the bigger question might be what the jury won’t hear—and how that silence could shift the entire trial.
Key developments include the judge's decision to exclude Colin Albert as a third-party suspect, limiting the defense to only two names they can pursue—and not even allowing them to say those names during opening statements. The court also ruled that expert testimony about alleged dog bite injuries is admissible, but any mention of the German Shepherd “Chloe” is strictly off-limits. Meanwhile, controversial ARCCA crash experts are being allowed back—but under intense scrutiny due to concerns over bias and transparency.

We also dive into the tightrope Judge Cannone is walking with potentially explosive evidence—like the firing of lead investigator Lt. Michael Proctor and the pending witness intimidation case involving blogger “Turtleboy.” With facts allowed in only under strict conditions, and speculation firmly blocked, this trial is becoming a masterclass in courtroom control. Join us as we unpack what the jury will—and won’t—hear in the Karen Read trial, and why those choices could be the most pivotal part of the case.
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The latest on The Downfall of Diddy, The Trial of Karen Read, The Murder Of Maddie Soto, Catching the Long Island Serial Killer, Awaiting Admission: BTK’s Unconfessed Crimes, Delphi Murders: Inside the Crime, Chad & Lori Daybell, The Murder of Ana Walshe, Alex Murdaugh, Bryan Kohberger, Lucy Letby, Kouri Richins, Malevolent Mormon Mommys, The Menendez Brothers: Quest For Justice, The Murder of Stephen Smith, The Murder of Madeline Kingsbury, The Murder Of Sandra Birchmore, and much more! Listen at https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com