Real-Time Crime

What if the biggest threat to college sexual assault victims wasn't just their attackers, but the universities that were supposed to protect them? Jennifer Fessler sits down with Emmy Award-winning producer Amy Ziering to revisit The Hunting Ground, the explosive documentary that exposed the disturbing reality of sexual assault on college campuses and the universities that looked the other way. Amy reveals how repeat offenders were able to continue assaulting women, how fraternity culture helped create environments where predators could thrive, and what happened to the survivors who dared to speak out. She also shares the heartbreaking stories that h...

This week a jury found 77-year-old Robert Kessler guilty of murdering a Florida woman and dumping her severed body parts into McKay Bay back in 2021. Sentencing happened immediately after the verdict, and that’s when Kessler heard from his victim’s family and then the judge himself who said he had never, in his forty year career, seen a crime like this one. He said the murder was horrible enough, but admonished Kessler for going “full Hannibal Lecter” on 47-year-old Stephanie Crone-Overholts, cutting her body up in at least seven different pieces. Kessler was sentenced to life in prison with an...

Federal authorities arrested the 82-year-old estranged father of Meghan Markle, Thomas Markle Senior, at his Florida senior care facility. The FBI released a statement charging Markle with keeping child sexual abuse material in his two LA storage units . Agents seized 78 items from the units including slides, film negatives, and books, some of which contained images showing Markle with what appeared to be naked, prepubescent girls. Markle has maintained his innocence. 

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In what will become the largest mass commutation of death sentences in U.S. history, California Governor Gavin Newsom announced he plans to commute the death sentences of 548 inmates, allowing them to serve life in prison without the possibility of parole. The state’s Supreme Court must approve the resentencing for any death row inmate with more than one conviction. If approved, Newsom’s commutations will reduce the number of people on death row in this country by 30%. 

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35-year-old Jacob Pearson first threatened a Citibank employee over the phone regarding a $2500 credit card debt, and then drove more than an hour to the bank’s Tampa headquarters and opened fire. Pearson rammed through the complex gate and was armed with 90 rounds of ammunition.  Thankfully, his rifle malfunctioned after shooting one victim,  but he returned with another gun to kill 41-year-old HR employee Leanne Selman, who was trying to crawl away to safety. An armed security guard was able to shoot Pearson five times before police arrived, saving countless lives. It’s a tragic and bizarre story; Pearson had a...

Before Florida executed its 19th inmate of the year, 64-year-old Jesse Guardado, the convicted murderer gave an apology to his victim’s family and his own for the pain and suffering he caused them. Guardado admitting to fatally beating and stabbing his 75-year-old mentor for money to fuel his drug habit. Guardado spent time in Florida’s notorious Arthur G. Dozier School for boys that closed in 2011 after decades of documented abuse, rapes and deaths of its students. Florida’s death row is filled with dozens of men who went to Dozier; many arguing the reform school literally created killer...

Sydney Loofe went missing after a Tinder date with a woman she thought could be her dream girl…

Who did Sydney actually meet the night of her death? Where do “witches” and “covens” come into play? Why was Sydney their target?

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Robach and Holmes cover the latest news headlines and entertainment updates and give perspective on current events in their daily “Morning Run.”

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Florida is set to execute its 19th inmate of this year tonight. 64-year-old Jesse Guardado will die by lethal injection for the September 2004 fatal stabbing and robbery of an elderly woman who helped him find housing, gave him money and helped him get a job after being paroled for a series of armed robberies. Guardado admitted to the murder, but his attorneys have argued the abuse he suffered as a child should’ve been considered by the jury that unanimously voted to give him the death penalty.

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When a bomb destroyed Pan Am Flight 103, killing 270 people, it launched one of the largest terrorism investigations in history. And the case still isn't over.

Former FBI agent Dick Marquise reveals how investigators tracked down the killers, the secrets behind the investigation, what it was like serving as a consultant on the Netflix series The Bombing of Pan Am 103 and being portrayed by Patrick J. Adams.

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Alabama is one of three states executing inmates on this November 5th. At 6 pm local time, 54-year-old Michael Taylor is set to die by lethal injection for the brutal murder of Ivan and Lucille Moore. The elderly couple knew 19-year-old Taylor and invited him into their home. That’s when Taylor beat them to death with a metal bar and robbed them, taking their Cadillac to go on a shopping spree for clothes and jewelry. Even though Taylor’s attorneys have tried to stop tonight’s execution, arguing he chose to die by nitrogen gas, not lethal injection, it appear...

After a four-week, highly publicized trial, a London jury delivered guilty verdicts for actor and comedian, 51-year-old Russel Brand. It took jurors 8 hours to find Brand guilty of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault, they found him not guilty on two other rape charges and not guilty of attempted indecent assault. Brand was immediately remanded into custody after being denied bail and could face up to life in prison when he is sentenced on Monday.

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The news headlines are flying that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth may soon be out of his powerful cabinet position. Hegseth is facing impeachment accusations and could be investigated for alleged misconduct when Democrats return to power in January for his role in the Iran war. While President Trump has reiterated his confidence in Hegseth following the election results, he did have an interesting answer when asked whether he thought Hegseth could become the next Republican senator for Tennessee, now that Senator Marsha Blackburn has been elected Governor of Tennessee.

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Pennsylvania police say it was “not an accident” that 42-year-old Patrick Lynch and his two children, 8-year-old James and 6-year-old Caroline, were found on the ground after falling from a parking garage. Police believe it was a shocking murder suicide, and the wife and mother of the victims has already provided some insight into what may have happened leading up to the tragedy. Anna Lynch posted that her husband was depressed after losing his job back in August and was just one day away from his first scheduled therapy session. She asked the public to remember her husband as a “w...

Robach and Holmes cover the latest news headlines and entertainment updates and give perspective on current events in their daily “Morning Run.”

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Indiana is set to execute its first inmate of the year “before sunrise” on November 5th, and if this is anything like the last three, Jeffrey Weisheit will likely be dead by 1 am. Weisheit was sentenced to death for burning his girlfriend’s children to death nearly 13 years ago: 8-year-old Alyssa and 5-year-old Caleb Lynch. Weisheit has exhausted all of his legal appeals, and despite a written plea by the children’s father to spare his life, he will be the first of three scheduled executions across the country on Thursday; both Florida and Alabama each plan to execute an inmat...

14-year-old Samantha Humphrey was missing for more than three months before her strangled body turned up in upstate New York’s icy Mohawk River in February of 2022. Her then 14-year-old boyfriend was ultimately charged with her murder, and this week, a jury found now 18-year-old Raymond Wright Jr. guilty of second degree murder. Wright testified in his own defense at trial, admitting to pushing Humphrey in the river, but stopping short of admitting to her murder. Wright will be sentenced in January, but because he was convicted as a juvenile, his minimum sentence could be as little as 7 1/2 years, so...

Convicted murderer, 28-year-old Jacob Morely was finally recaptured by authorities after escaping from a Tennessee prison on October 25th. Troopers used roadside cameras and a helicopter to track him down after 9 days on the run. We go over the remarkable details surrounding Morely’s initial escape and his ability to remain undetected for more than a week.  Morely managed to steal two vehicles, secure several firearms, all while traveling hundreds of miles before being caught outside of Kansas City after his truck got stuck in the muddy gravel.

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Robach and Holmes cover the latest news headlines and entertainment updates and give perspective on current events in their daily “Morning Run.”

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Americans are waking up to what’s being described as a “blue tsunami’ after last night’s election results. Democrats handily won control of both the House and Senate, in a sweeping takeover of Congress. There were multiple “firsts” throughout the nation: several first black governors, the first black female governor, first muslim elected to the Senate, first Latino governors, and the margins weren’t even close in most races. President Trump took to truth social as the results continued to pour in last night, blaming an unlikely source for the sweep: Fox News.

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We’ve spent three decades covering American politics every election cycle, and for 20 years, from inside network newsrooms. Tonight’s coverage of the midterm elections is like the Super Bowl for political journalists, and watching the networks’ biggest and brightest stars come together on one night to bring Americas election results is an absolute blast. We’ll explain what’s going on behind the scenes and why having a little insider information will go a long way when you watch tonight: for both the election results and the entertainment on the set.

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Former Division I college athlete, 24-year-old Rachel Apa died after collapsing on mile 24 of the New York City Marathon on Sunday. Apa was all smiles passing her mom at mile 14, last texted her family “Ow, Ow” at mile 19, but kept running. Apa’s mom was waiting for her again at mile 25, but she never made it. Apa was rushed to the hospital, but was pronounced dead later that night from a rare condition called rhabdomyolysis, where your muscles disintegrate and poison your blood. Her family says the 24-year-old was in “perfect health, perfect shape” and describe her death as “unfathomable...

A former Ohio State University professor, 77-year-old James Hill, admitted to police he killed his wife after becoming the target of a “sextortion” scheme. Hill was sentenced to 15 years to life in prison after pleading guilty to murdering 64-year-old Mary Hill and trying to kill their dog before attempting to kill himself. Hill told investigators he was being threatened by a woman he met on a dating site who demanded $15,000 for the nude photos they exchanged.  Like many recent familicides, Hill told police he saw no other way out, other than killing everyone.

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New York police are searching for a suspect who stabbed 28-year-old Katie Suarez, out for her evening run, just 1/2 a mile from her Brooklyn home. Suarez’s father went looking for her when she didn’t return and found her stabbed twice in the neck under a tree. Suarez is fighting for her life as police are looking for answers, saying this appears to be a random act of violence. This comes after a Central Park attack on a female runner last week and has eery similarities to the murder of a Queens woman whose father found her after she...

Robach and Holmes cover the latest news headlines and entertainment updates and give perspective on current events in their daily “Morning Run.”

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Fiery and frustrated Lindsay Clancy defense attorney, Kevin Reddington asked the judge today: “Why do we not know if the next trial is going to be murder in the first degree or a lesser charge or no charge?” It’s a question many are asking and the hope is it will be answered two weeks from today, when the judge claims he will rule on several motions and the prosecution will land on it’s next steps.  There was also a concern presented by the defense, pushing for a spring retrial of Lindsay Clancy, to ensure Judge William Sullivan can see t...

Greer Grammer reveals how Leslie Van Houten went from an ordinary California teenager to a convicted Manson Family killer and shares her surprising personal connection to the woman who participated in the brutal murders.

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T.J. ran and finished his fourth New York City Marathon (aka the best day in New York City) on Sunday, his first solo marathon, and on an injured foot no less! Amy spent her first NYC marathon spectating and cheering TJ. on, along with nearly 60 thousand other runners, and boy do they both have stories about what went wrong, what went right, and what was downright miraculous. If you’ve ever wondered WHY we punish ourselves by marathoning - and wait until you hear the aftermath of T.J.’s race - we explain we we’re already signin...

It was almost like a bizarre new magazine cover: “Martha Stewart Living, Homeless Edition.” In a strange departure from the curated perfection we’re used to from the homemaking, lifestyle guru, Martha Stewart briefly posted a Halloween photo of herself depicting a person experiencing homelessness. In the post Stewart has dirt on her face, ripped clothing, and a holds a sign reading: “I’m hungry, please help!!” Stewart removed the post and apologized, claiming she was trying to raise awareness about a serious problem, but in her caption she was selling halloween candles, not discussing homelessness. She has since apologized a...

The Massachusetts mom who strangled her three young children to death is back in court today for a hearing that could determine whether she will be retried after a jury deadlocked 11 to 1 at her first trial.  Judge William Sullivan will hear arguments from Lindsay Clancy’s attorneys to dismiss the murder charges and to discuss a timetable for a potential ​new trial if he allows the case to proceed.  Meantime, an influencer who perpetuated the Patrick Clancy conspiracy theory has been criminally charged with wiretapping as speculation continues about whether Lindsay Clancy will testify in one of two civil cases...

Robach and Holmes cover the latest news headlines and entertainment updates and give perspective on current events in their daily “Morning Run.”

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It’s THE best day of the year in NY: the TCS New York City Marathon.T. J. will be among the 60,000 runners. It’s his fourth NYC marathon, but his first that he’ll run without … Amy Robach. That fact plus a nagging injury makes this marathon morning feel … different. 

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On this Halloween, we bring to you a MASTER list of our favorite horror movies of all time. After decades of watching just about every horror movie out there, we pooled the best of the best so you can pick from a wide range of sure fire hits. Get ready to cozy up after your trick-or-treating and if you really want to be frightened, we include a short list of the scariest movies ever that you should NOT watch alone. 

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The debate rages on for candy lovers, what is the most loved and hated halloween candy of all time?  The candy that divides Americans the most: candy corn, and we too, are a home divided!  We explore why there is such a love-hate relationship with this halloween staple and if you’re in the “love” camp, there’s even a debate on how to eat it correctly!   Also, we go over the most beloved  and most hated candy state by state.

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Happy Halloween ya’ll!  We go over the top halloween costumes of the year, and break down from region to region, your city’s most searched costume.  You’ll also want to hear which costumes have made the “overplayed” list, let’s just hope your planned outfit isn’t on the list.  We’ll also take a walk down memory lane, going over the most popular costumes of the decade and recalling our favorites. 

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Elizabeth Chambers joins Jennifer Fessler to break down the devastating Haight family murders and the chilling warning signs that preceded the tragedy. Discussing her Investigation Discovery special, Toxic: What Happened in the Haight House?, Elizabeth reveals the controlling behaviors, financial abuse, and red flags that may have been missed before Tausha Haight, her five children, and her mother were killed. She also explains the one assessment she believes everyone should know about, why domestic violence can turn deadly, and what Tausha’s story can teach us about recognizing dangerous relationships before it’s too late.

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Alaska's governor has ordered an investigation into Democrat Mary Peltola’s involvement in a seemingly deceptive campaign trick to confuse voters on the ballot. A New York Times report, sourcing a dozen people either in or close to Peltola’s campaign, details efforts to recruit another Dan Sullivan to run against the Republican incumbent whose name is also, Dan Sullivan. Peltola has denied any involvement, instead pointing the finger at the Times, saying the outlet was just trying to increase its “subscriptions.”  

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This week an Indiana parole board has pleaded with Governor Mike Braun to uphold the death sentence of 50-year-old Jeffrey Weisheit. Weisheit was convicted for the 2010 brutal killings of his then girlfriend’s two children ages 5 and 8. The details are excruciating, including the fact that Weisheit tied up 5-year-old Caleb Lynch after arguing with him, and placed a railroad flare in his underwear and underneath his body, before setting the home on fire with 8-year-old Alyssa hiding in the closet. Both children died in the fire, but there is an unlikely supporter of commuting Weisheit’s execution to life in p...

Arkansas State Police are on the hunt for 41-year-old Rodney Smith after police say he assaulted two officers at the county jail and grabbed one of their tasers. Smith was last seen walking along railroad tracks near the jail, without shoes, but so far has managed to evade police. Meantime, we’re learning more about Tennessee’s escaped prisoner, convicted murderer Jacob Morley, who authorities now believe could be connected with an armed bank robbery in Wisconsin. That would mean Morley may be armed with a weapon and an undisclosed amount of cash. 

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Emily and Shane have updates on many of the cases they’ve covered recently… 

A man was finally sentenced for his role in Tupac Shakur’s murder, Christa Pike had 10 needles in her arm during her botched execution, Diddy has poor prison behavior, and more.

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