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Jesse L. Martin takes an in-depth look at some of the most notorious crimes, mysteries, trials and celebrity tragedies of our time.
2017
In 2008, two-year-old Florida toddler, Caylee Anthony, vanishes. Her mother, Casey Anthony tells investigators Caylee has been kidnapped by her nanny, a woman Casey's family has never actually seen. But why?
In 2008, two-year-old Florida toddler, Caylee Anthony, vanishes. Her mother, Casey Anthony tells investigators Caylee has been kidnapped by her nanny, a woman Casey's family has never actually seen. But why?
An investigation into the murder of fashion designer Gianni Versace, who was gunned down in broad daylight on the steps of his Miami Beach mansion by Andrew Cunanan in 1997.
In the mid-1970s, hundreds of people began disappearing without a trace. Families were left wondering about their loved ones for decades until shocking news about a mysterious religious group made headlines around the world.
May 2001 in Washington DC, 24 year old intern Chandra Levy vanishes into thin air. Police find her keys and her cell phone in her apartment and no sign of a struggle. Who saw her last? Where did she go?
An eight-month-old baby is fatally injured while in the care of a family's au pair, Louise Woodward. Was it child abuse or a tragic accident? Doctors suspect the former, a case of 'shaken impact syndrome,' and detectives arrest the infant's 19-year-old British nanny who cared for him in the hours and minutes before his demise. But, was the baby's death a case of intentional murder or a tragic accident that occurred under Woodward's watch?
George Michael's life as an international superstar comes to a mysterious and tragic end on Christmas Eve 2016. Family and fans are shocked by his sudden death. There are so many unanswered questions. Who was with Michael in those final hours? What happened the night he died? What did the coroner find was the actual cause of death?
It was the shocking affair that nearly toppled a Presidency. Bill Clinton and a 21 year old White House intern, Monica Lewinsky.
It was the shocking affair that nearly toppled a Presidency. Bill Clinton and a 21 year old White House intern, Monica Lewinsky.
A tale of murder, adultery, courtroom drama, and ultimately the death penalty. The story of Scott and Laci Peterson as told by those who lived it. Did Scott Peterson murder Laci?
A tale of murder, adultery, courtroom drama, and ultimately the death penalty. The story of Scott and Laci Peterson as told by those who lived it. Did Scott Peterson murder Laci?
2019
Over three days, five college students are brutally murdered in Gainesville, Florida. As investigators search for the serial killer, panic fills the usually sunny city.
Five college students are found brutally murdered in Gainesville, Florida. However, it takes investigators months - and the discovery of a campsite, a screwdriver and an audiotape - before they can identify who the serial killer was.
On June 5th, 2002, Elizabeth Smart is kidnapped from her Salt Lake City home, snatched from her bed at knifepoint by a mysterious man in the middle of the night. To the public it seemed as if she had vanished into thin air, but she was actually taken by 48-year-old Brian David Mitchell. A look at the unbelievable nine month saga with its unforeseeable twists and turns, a police investigation that went sideways, and a family fighting to keep hope alive.
For nine months, in 2002, 14-year-old Elizabeth Smart is the most famous missing child in America. Kidnapped by Brian David Mitchell, she was forced up into a hiding spot in the mountains behind her home, assaulted and forced to be his second "wife." Following the harrowing of her nine month ordeal, including the multiple trips they took to Salt Lake City where she was hidden in plain sight. And the unbelievable end, one of the most incredible kidnapping recoveries in U.S. history.
On October 25, 1994, Susan Smith reports that a carjacker has abducted her two young sons, Michael and Alexander. This report sets off a nationwide search for the boys. While the world waits for news about the boys, investigators deliver shocking news.
For nine days, the nation waits for news as to the whereabouts of missing 3-year-Michael and 14-month-old Alex Smith. Then, there's a shocking break in the case. The boys' father, David, shares his heartbreaking story.
On Oct. 28, 2007, 23-year-old Stacy Peterson, the wife of veteran police sergeant Drew Peterson, goes missing. As police launch an intensive search to find Stacy, the case raises shocking new questions about her husband.
Actor-musician David Cassidy ("The Partridge Family") experiences the pressures of fame as a teen idol in the 1970s. In the end, his death is surrounded by mystery, leaving his family, friends and fans with more questions than answers.
On April 19, 1995, Timothy McVeigh, a 26-year-old U.S. army veteran, detonated a 7,000 pound truck bomb outside the Alfred Murrah Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City, claiming the lives of 168 innocent people.
In an exclusive prison interview, Timothy McVeigh himself describes how events in his personal life - and in the ever-changing world around him - inspired him to take action against his fellow Americans.
2017
HLN highlights the shocking motive that turned these brothers into killers.
Lyle Menendez speaks from behind bars to Chris Cuomo, more than 25 years after he and his brother Erik were convicted of first degree murder.
New theories emerge in the O.J. Simpson case, including a serial killer's confession, a possible hit man who claims responsibility for the murders.
New theories emerge in the O.J. Simpson case, including a serial killer's confession, a possible hit man who claims responsibility for the murders.
Uncovering Prince's secret struggles from his earlier years to the final days leading up to his shocking death.
Uncovering how Anna Nicole Smith's lavish lifestyle may have contributed to her mysterious death.
Revelations of what Michael Jackson's children and staff witnessed prior to his death.
Revelations of what Michael Jackson's children and staff witnessed prior to his death and an investigation into the claims that Jackson took his own life.
Investigating a wide range of suspects and evidence in the killing of JonBenet Ramsey.
The aftermath of the investigation into the murder of JonBenet Ramsey.
Examining the factors that led to the crash that killed John F. Kennedy Jr. and a never before seen interview with a person who may have been the last person to speak to JFK Jr, moments before the crash.
Examining the factors that led to the crash that killed John F. Kennedy Jr. and a never before seen interview with a person who may have been the last person to speak to JFK Jr, moments before the crash.
A look at new details surrounding Whitney Houston's last days and her tumultuous relationship with Bobby Brown.
The chilling account of a man who survived his encounter with the notorious serial killer, who managed to evade police scrutiny for years.
David Kaczynski, the brother of convicted Unabomber Ted Kaczynski, discusses the hunt that led to the capture of his infamous sibling.
Heath Ledger's death is examined.
Deborah Jean Palfrey threatened to expose names on her client list and was found hanging on her mother's property.
2020
From 1979 to 1981, more than two dozen of Atlanta's black children disappeared without a trace; a look at who was killing the city's most vulnerable and why.
Investigators believe Wayne Williams, a 23-year-old black man murdered more than two dozen black children and young men in Atlanta; 40-year-old evidence is reexamined using modern forensics in search of more answers.
When in 1999, young women mysteriously disappear from Yosemite National Park, investigators determine foul play and a prime suspect emerges, then escapes.
The key suspect in the murder of young women in Yosemite National Park is caught, but it's up to an exceptionally skilled FBI agent to dismantle his web of lies and denials to draw a confession.
In 2003, the wildly successful careers of master illusionists Siegfried & Roy come to a shockingly abrupt end when one of the team's prized tigers bites Roy Horn on the neck and drags him offstage.
Roy tries to recover from severe wounds inflicted by his beloved tiger Manticore, but the team's excuses for the animal's behavior lose credibility upon further investigation.
On April 15th, 2013, two bombs explode during the iconic Boston Marathon, killing three spectators and injuring hundreds of others. In a race against time, investigators, using state-of-the-art technology, circulate images to the public of the two suspects dubbed "black hat" and "white hat."
With the Boston Bombing suspects identified as domestic terrorist brothers, the manhunt begins, a terrifying crime spree ensues, and new information sheds light on the heinous crime.
News of the sudden passing of celebrated rock musician Tom Petty shocked fans worldwide, but a deeper look into the music legend's life reveals physical and emotional afflictions that may have led to his death at age 66.
Who would want to murder the father of beloved superstar Michael Jordan? When in 1993, James Raymond Jordan Sr. goes missing and his luxury car is found stripped and abandoned in North Carolina, clues point to a tragic crime.
2022
15 years after Madeleine McCann's highly publicized disappearance, there's a new suspect.
15 years after Madeleine McCann's highly publicized disappearance, there's a new suspect.
On January 26th, 2020, Kobe Bryant's helicopter crashed, killing all people on board.
Aviation experts revisit the accident and share what exactly happened.
Tom and Jackie Hawks dreamed of retiring early, buying a boat, and sailing the Pacific. The couple worked hard, saved their money, and were finally able to make their dream happen in 2002. They sold their home, bought a 55-foot yacht, and hit the high seas, traveling to exotic ports, and living the life most people only dream of. Then, in November 2004, when their first grandchild was born, the Hawks knew it was time to come back ashore. They put their beloved boat up for sale, and they vanished. No one could have predicted what came next.
On February 21, 2001, a beautiful young woman is viciously murdered inside her Hollywood home just before she was scheduled to go on a date with actor Ashton Kutcher. As detectives search for answers, her friends relay stories about a strange air conditioning repairman who would show up uninvited at her home. They only know him as "Mike," but as the investigation unfolds, police discover that his full name is Michael Thomas Gargiulo, and he may be linked to another murder almost eight years earlier in Illinois. While a suspect and not yet arrested, Gargiulo commits more brutal crimes, only to be stopped by one young woman who fights back and survives.
Forty-year-old Adrienne Shelly was an actress, writer, director, wife, and mother. She finished working on her film Waitress when she was found hanging from a shower curtain rod on November 1, 2006. Initially, authorities believed her death to be a suicide, but they soon learned that her death was not what it seemed.
In the dark hours of June 23, 1993, in Manassas, Virginia, a man lies fast asleep on his bed, while a woman looms over his prone body with a kitchen knife and proceeds to slice off his manhood. A stunning end to the broken marriage of Lorena and John Bobbitt, but what outrageous situation led two young people to a horrifying silent scream in the night?
2018
In the winter of 1974, college-age women from the Pacific Northwest began to disappear seemingly without a trace.
While serving time for aggravated kidnapping in Utah and facing first degree murder charges in Colorado, Ted Bundy escaped not once but twice from authorities.
2024
The fateful Titanic shipwreck of 1912 intertwines with a recent underwater OceanGate voyage that cost more human lives. Interviews with historians, wreck analysts, and descendants of Titanic passengers shed light on both tragedies.
The murder trials and appeals. Ted Bundy helped prepare his own defense, but would his amateur lawyering help him beat the rap or send him to the electric chair?
Ted Bundy maintains his innocence. As the clock wound down on his final death warrant, Ted Bundy made a last attempt to save his life. He began to talk. Were his confessions too late or a could this save him from the electric chair?
Jodi Arias is a small town waitress and aspiring photographer. Travis Alexander is a handsome, devout Mormon and successful businessman. Almost two years after their romance began, Travis was found brutally murdered in his shower at home.
Four years after the vicious killing of Travis Alexander, his ex-girlfriend Jodi Arias stands trial for his murder. Millions of people are captivated by the lurid details of Jodi and Travis' erotic relationship told through photographs, recordings of their phone sex, and by Jodi from the witness stand.
Aaron Hernandez is a star player for the New England Patriots, and at the young age of 23, is set up for greatness. But less than a year later, a body is found riddled with bullets, only a short distance from Hernandez's home. Forensic evidence and surveillance footage from the night of the murder, examined in detail in this program, soon tie Hernandez to the crime scene.
Behind the scenes of Selena's red hot career, ambitions, and tragic demise. Rare interviews include her close friend and co-fashion designer, the back-up singer in her band, and for the first time ever, a nurse who spoke to Selena and her killer just before she died.
What were the real reasons for the government raid of a religious compound in Waco Texas in 1993? What was happening inside the Branch Davidian compound?
The siege at Waco ended in a fiery hell that killed David Koresh, his followers, his wives and children. TV news crews and demonstrators watched in horror as the ranch went up in flames.
Recent scientific advances have uncovered new secrets around the Titanic sinking, challenging previous notions about the ship's fate. This chapter continues to analyze the wreck and a recent underwater expedition that claimed more lives.
After the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the nation faced a new threat: anthrax, dubbed "the poor man's nuclear bomb." This easily weaponized bacteria sparked widespread fear, leading to one of the FBI's largest investigations.
The shocking killing of Reeva Steenkamp by Olympic superstar Oscar Pistorius on Valentine's Day 2013 shattered the illusion of a storybook romance between a celebrated Hollywood couple. Was it a terrible accident or a callous murder?
Saint Patrick's Day 1990, robbers stormed Boston's Gardner Museum, making off with 13 priceless artworks, never to be recovered. Valued at half a billion dollars, the whereabouts of the missing pieces remain a mystery.
In the summer of 1996, a bombing at the Atlanta Olympics killed two and injured over 100; an intense manhunt ensued, with the media and law enforcement falsely accusing security guard Richard Jewell as a suspect.
Interviews with former special agents, journalists, and Richard Jewell's associates provide insight into the case and its aftermath; subsequent bombings over the next eighteen months led investigators to suspect a serial bomber in Atlanta.
On September 29, 1982, seven Chicago-area residents were suddenly stricken with a deadly illness. At first doctors were at a loss, but they soon discovered a sinister connection: all the victims had recently taken cyanide-laced Tylenol capsules. This launched an investigation that has lasted over four decades and forever changed the way medications and other goods are packaged in stores. This episode features interviews with family members of the victims, law enforcement who were first responders on that day, medical examiners and investigators on the case.
On July 5, 1998, a wealthy widow named Irene Silverman disappeared from her New York City townhouse. While police went on a frantic search for her, they had no idea the investigation would unravel one of the most shocking series of crimes they had ever seen – a trail of violence and fraud that stretched from the Bahamas to Los Angeles perpetuated by Sante and Kenny Kimes. This episode features interviews with Sante Kimes's son Kent Walker, Sante Kimes's attorney, NYPD officers who worked the case, and a journalist taken hostage by Kenny Kimes in prison.
When Iranian students stormed the US Embassy in Tehran in November 1979, they took the Embassy staff hostage and held them for 444 days. Only a handful managed to escape, but they were trapped in Iran until the CIA came up with a daring plan to bring them home. This top-secret mission was the subject of the Academy Award-winning film Argo. In this episode, several former hostages detail their time in captivity, and three of the Tehran Six escapees tell of their daring rescue.
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2021
Susan Powell, a 28-year-old mother of two, goes missing in December of 2009. Her husband Josh claims to have taken their two young sons winter camping in the Utah desert and says he returned the next day to find her gone. Questioned by detectives, he doesn't behave like a concerned husband and his version of events doesn't match his son's. The mystery about where Susan's is deepens as more details about her marriage to Josh and their life behind closed doors emerge. Susan's family and friends do everything they can to find her while Josh insists that she ran out on him and their two little boys. The search for Susan Powell plays out on a national stage with everyone wondering: did she run off? Was she taken? Is Susan Powell dead or alive?
Authorities search for missing mother of two, Susan Powell, in every nook and cranny of the desert in Western Utah while her friends and family wait for a break in the case. Her husband Josh is named a person of interest as suspicion about his involvement in her disappearance grows. He and his father wage a counter-attack and a war between Susan and Josh's families erupts in the glare of the public spotlight. Shocking revelations about Josh and his family come to light--evidence of violence, obsession and sexual perversion. The family drama leads up to a shocking and unimaginable conclusion.
Two dangerous killers break out of one of New York State's toughest prisons. Convicted murderers Richard Matt and David Sweat cut through steel walls, crawl through steampipes, and snake their way through a maze of tunnels on their way to freedom. When authorities discover the details of their elaborate escape - there are more questions than answers. Who are these men? How did they mastermind their plan? And can they capture them before they kill again?
The manhunt for escaped prisoners--Richard Matt and David Sweat was growing, expanding from the Northeast United States to Canada and Mexico. Thousands of leads were being followed, but weeks into the search, there was still no sign of the missing men. Where are they? How much help did they have? And--would they ever be captured?
Bernie Madoff was a legend on Wall Street. He helped create Nasdaq, served as its chairman, and operated a highly successful brokerage firm. But at the same time, Bernie Madoff was also running a secret hedge fund, a fund known only by word of mouth. As news spread about Madoff's steady returns, some of the wealthiest people were begging Bernie Madoff to invest their money. Billions of dollars were pouring in from around the world. But in 2008, when the financial crisis hit and Madoff's investors began demanding their money back, Madoff knew he wouldn't have enough to pay them. He finally confessed to his sons that he had been living a lie--that his investment business was nothing more than a multi-billion-dollar fraud - the largest Ponzi scheme ever.
The news of Bernie Madoff's arrest sent shockwaves around the world. His staggering crime affected thousands of victims, including charities, universities, celebrities and even Madoff's own family and friends. How did he do it? Why did he do it? Did he have any help? Investigators were about to unravel a scheme that went back decades and involved several loyal employees.
Glenn Frey was a multi-talented musician and along with Don Henley co-founded the legendary band, the Eagles. During the 1970's the Eagles released a series of hit songs--from Peaceful Easy Feeling, to Already Gone, to the classic hit Hotel California. Glenn Frey played piano, guitar, sang and wrote songs that stood the test of time. On stage fans always saw a fun-loving Glenn Frey but behind the scenes he had been dealing with a number of health issues. And ultimately when he died in 2016 his fans were shocked because he was still playing the music they loved.
They were well-known and well-liked Dartmouth College professors. But on January 27th 2001, Half and Suzanne Zantop's incredible lives came to a shocking and unforeseeable end: found brutally murdered in their remote Hanover, New Hampshire home. The double killing quickly became national news. Who would commit such a heinous act, and more importantly, why? With few leads and few clues at the get-go, investigators were stumped. But some good old fashioned police work would lead detectives to a small town just across the border in Vermont--where they found an incredibly unexpected twist to this 'whodunit' mystery.
In the early 1990's daytime talk television was on the rise. In an effort to capture high ratings shows began to push the envelope with outrageous stunts and controversial guests. Viewers liked watching the dramatic scenes play out, but critics called it trash TV. Then in March of 1995, after three friends went on The Jenny Jones Show to reveal a secret crush, one of them ended up dead and another was charged with murder. What lead to the killing and why did one of the friends feel the spotlight was too hot?
