Lie, Deny, Justify

In a quiet desert town, a well-loved schoolteacher vanishes without a trace. Lieutenant Matt joins the search. The teacher’s husband has little to say, but the investigation goes on, eventually leading to a chilling discovery.  What began as a missing person report quickly spirals into a haunting story about betrayal, loss, and the quiet instincts that crack a case wide open. Lieutenant Matt was born and raised in a small town in New Mexico. After high school, he attended the police academy at Western New Mexico University.  Lt. Matt started his law enforcement career at the Hidalgo County Sheriff Department (Lordsburg, NM) in 1994. In 2000, he transfered to the Deming Police Department (Deming, NM) where he held the ranks of patrol officer, Detective Sergeant and Patrol Lieutenant. Lt. Matt retired in in 2020. 

What starts as a carjacking by three suspects escalates into a tense hostage situation inside a fast food restaurant. On his very first call as a police negotiator, Lieutenant Ryan works to pull off a high-stakes hostage rescue, making sure every employee trapped inside gets out safely while dealing with an unexpected and frustrating distraction. Lieutenant Ryan has worked in law enforcement for nearly 15 years. He started his career as a patrol deputy and later moved into investigations as a detective, working in a unit that handled Crimes Against Children, including complex and sensitive cases involving abuse and exploitation. After promoting through the ranks, Ryan has served in leadership roles in patrol services, special investigations, and spent several years in the Training Division, where he helped build his agency’s training academy and shape the next generation of officers. He also served for six years on his agency’s Crisis Negotiations Team, eventually becoming the team leader.  Ryan comes from a law enforcement family—his father and uncle both wore the badge before him, with his father serving over 40 years in law enforcement. He’s currently a shift commander on patrol and continues to oversee the field training program in his district.

Disturbing photos of an employee’s young family member are found stored on his work computer, launching a police investigation led by Detective Carrie. As the case unfolds, she uncovers a startling pattern of predatory behavior and repeated crimes against minors. One of his victims, once young and powerless, has grown up and is ready to fight back. Together she and Carrie work to bring this real crime story to a close and ensure justice is finally served. Detective Carrie's law enforcement career has spanned over 21 years, with the last seven as a Detective. Most of her career was spent on patrol on the midnight shift, including some time in the street crimes unit. Now, she is part of the Special Victims Unit, where she investigates cases of child abuse and sexual abuse. Detective Carrie says she finds her current assignment both challenging and deeply meaningful.

Before he was Deputy Chief, D.C. Dan was a patrol officer in a quiet small town. When he’s called to a violent stabbing, he’s confronted by disturbing details. What unfolds is a troubling case that ultimately sets DC Dan on the path to becoming a detective. Deputy Chief Dan started in Public Safety in 1996. He worked in the fire service, EMS, and 911 dispatch until he moved into law enforcement in 2007. Since then, D.C. Dan has worked as a Patrol Officer, Field Training Officer, narcotics detective, major crimes detective, patrol supervisor, patrol Lieutenant and currently as Deputy Police Chief.

In 1980, officers respond to reports of a body found on the grounds of a community college. For 35 years, the murder of Barbara Mae Tucker remains unsolved. Almost to the day of the anniversary, the cold case lands on Detective Aaron’s desk. To uncover the truth, Aaron must wade through boxes of aging evidence, track down hundreds of potential suspects, and harness cutting-edge DNA technology in a race to finally bring Barbara’s killer to justice. Detective Aaron (Retired) started his law enforcement career as an Explorer in Alaska at 13 years old. He then spent 21 years as a sworn police officer in Alaska and Oregon. During his career he was assigned to patrol, Field Training, was a police instructor, spent time assigned to a drug enforcement team and spent his final 11 years assigned to his agency’s Major Crimes Team as a homicide and child abuse detective. Detective Aaron retired from law enforcement in 2023.

Detective Bre first meets Anthony during a heartbreaking case involving a young victim. When a second, eerily similar case with Anthony surfaces, Bre realizes this isn’t a one-time offense…It’s a pattern. Determined to stop Anthony for good, Bre joins forces with Detective Brian in a high-stakes undercover operation to protect vulnerable young people before it's too late. Detective Bre has been in law enforcement for nearly two decades as both a detective and a member of the Special Victims squad, investigating crimes against children, adult sex crimes and child death investigations. She is currently assigned to the Homicide Squad working cold cases. Bre grew up in a law enforcement family and shares the profession with her sister, Alia, and dad, who retired after 33 years.

We'll be back next week with full episodes. Want to hear the first FOUR episodes of Season 17 RIGHT NOW? Visit smalltowndicks.com/join to find out how.

Surprise! We’re dropping a special preseason bonus episode to get you excited for Season 17! Detective Constable Simon recounts executing an arrest warrant on one of Scotland’s most infamous criminals.  Join the Super Fam at smalltowndicks.com/join Detective Constable Simon joined the force in 1978 and retired in 2006. During his tenure, Simon worked in the drugs and major crimes unit, in the Serious Crime Squad, did surveillance and undercover work, and worked in anti-terrorism, organized crime and corruption. After his retirement, he ran his own investigation business for a number of years. Simon is the founder of LEAP Scotland, part of a global campaign to change laws to end the ‘war on drugs.’ He has own community radio show and YouTube Channel, and is co-host of the Crime Time Inc. podcast with Small Town Dicks’s favorite Tom Woods.

In part two of this two-part case, former Orange County DA Matt and his team devise a plan to capture their main suspect—who has gone into hiding in Eastern Europe. But just when it seems like justice is within reach, a sudden misstep threatens to unravel everything they’ve built. As the case takes a dangerous turn, Matt and his colleagues find themselves at risk—and a fiery courtroom showdown looms. In the end, it will take sharp legal maneuvering and the courage of a young woman to finally bring the suspect to justice. Matt Murphy is a legal analyst for ABC News and an attorney in private practice in Southern California. He was a Senior Deputy District Attorney in Orange County California. Matt Murphy spent 21 years assigned to the sexual assault and homicide units where he prosecuted some of the most notorious murder cases in the state of California. He completed 132 jury trials in his career as a prosecutor, including 52 while he was assigned to the homicide unit. He worked as an adjunct professor of law for 7 years. In addition to his work for ABC news, Mr. Murphy is in private practice representing victims of sexual abuse and some select criminal defense cases. He has also been regularly appearing on NewsNation with Elizabeth Vargas, Chris Cuomo and Ashleigh Banfield providing analysis on Criminal cases in the news. Matt published his first book, The Book of Murder: A Prosecutor's Journey Through Love and Death, in 2024, which was an instant Best Seller, and is working on his next book proposal. For bonus episodes, behind-the-scenes shenanigans, join the SuperFam community at smalltowndicks.com/superfam

In part one of this two-part case, an above-board marijuana grower is kidnapped and brutally mutilated. Former Orange County DA Matt has a vehicle, a license plate, and a suspect’s wife willing to cooperate. But one major problem remains—the mastermind behind the crime is hiding abroad in a country that won't extradite him. If Matt and his team want justice, they’ll have to get creative. But can they outmaneuver a criminal with international protection? Matt Murphy is a legal analyst for ABC News and an attorney in private practice in Southern California. He was a Senior Deputy District Attorney in Orange County California. Matt Murphy spent 21 years assigned to the sexual assault and homicide units where he prosecuted some of the most notorious murder cases in the state of California. He completed 132 jury trials in his career as a prosecutor, including 52 while he was assigned to the homicide unit. He worked as an adjunct professor of law for 7 years. In addition to his work for ABC news, Mr. Murphy is in private practice representing victims of sexual abuse and some select criminal defense cases. He has also been regularly appearing on NewsNation with Elizabeth Vargas, Chris Cuomo and Ashleigh Banfield providing analysis on Criminal cases in the news. Matt published his first book, The Book of Murder: A Prosecutor's Journey Through Love and Death, in 2024, which was an instant Best Seller, and is working on his next book proposal. For bonus episodes, behind-the-scenes shenanigans, join the SuperFam community at smalltowndicks.com/superfam