The Piketon Massacre: New Trials, New Sentences—An Update on the Rhoden Family Murders
In the heart of Beverly Hills, just after a red-carpet movie premiere, the life of Ronni Chasen, one of Hollywood's most connected and beloved publicists, came to a violent and mysterious end. On November 16, 2010, the 64-year-old was gunned down in her Mercedes-Benz while stopped at a red light. The shocking murder of the woman who helped secure Oscar Gold for films like Driving Miss Daisy and The Hurt Locker instantly made national headlines.
Ronni's influential friends quickly offered a combined $125,000 reward for information leading to an arrest. This massive reward signaled that her inner circle wasn't convinced the killing was a random act.
A tip to America's Most Wanted led police to Harold Martin Smith, a man with a lengthy criminal record living in a rundown apartment complex. When confronted by detectives, Smith ended his own life with a .38 caliber revolver.
The Beverly Hills Police Department officially closed the case in 2011, declaring Smith the sole killer and the motive of a random robbery gone wrong.
However, this "solved" status remains highly controversial due to several glaring contradictions:
Ronni's purse was untouched and nothing was taken, contradicting the robbery motive.
Police claimed Smith was on a bicycle, but her autopsy report suggests an unknown vehicle pulled up beside her car.
The ballistic evidence was inconclusive; documents revealed the findings were "insufficient for an identification" to definitively match the bullet to Smith's gun.
Law enforcement was criticized for failing to interview multiple residents and for poor evidence collection.
Amy Bishop, The Harvard Neuroscientist, UAH Mass Shooting, and the Fight to Turn Trauma into Healing (Revisit and Update)
We revisit the chilling case of Dr. Amy Bishop, the Harvard-educated neuroscientist and mother of four who committed a mass shooting at the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) in 2010. Her life was a shocking mix of bizarre incidents, including a prior connection to a pipe bomb, a public physical altercation over a booster seat, and the unexpected violence she unleashed on her colleagues.
Exonerated, Then Murdered: Chris Tapp's Tragic Final Chapter and The Pro Wrestler Charged
After serving 20 years for a crime he didn’t commit, Chris Tapp was fully exonerated in the murder of Angie Dodge and began rebuilding his life, using his experience to become an advocate for the wrongfully convicted. But in a tragic twist, Chris was found unconscious at a party in Las Vegas in 2023 and later died from his injuries.
Angie Dodge: The Heartbreaking Murder in Idaho and Carol Dodge's Fight for Chris Tapp
In conjunction with our new episode on Chris Tapp’s tragic death, we are re-releasing our original episode about the heartbreaking murder of Angie Dodge. This story is set in Idaho Falls, Idaho, and dives deep into the details of Angie’s unsolved murder and the tireless, decades-long fight her mother, Carol Dodge, waged for justice. Carol’s fight was not only for her daughter but also for Chris Tapp, who was wrongfully convicted and served years in prison for the crime.
