FEDS: Chicago Man Who Lit Blue Line Traveler on Fire a Terrorist | Crime Alert 12.12.25

Federal authorities charged a man who set a woman on fire on a Chicago transit train with terrorism. Oregon mom arrested after police find her low-functioning, non-verbal 11-year-old son unsupervised in a home filled with excrement, rotting garbage, and piles of trash. A missing woman found dead in a trash can, her husband admits to putting her there nearly two years ago.  A teen driver intentionally caused a 12-car pileup up at a Las Vegas traffic light last week, killing his pregnant girlfriend and the driver of one of the other vehicles. Sydney Sumner reports. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The president of "D4vd" David Anthony Burke's touring company is grilled by a deputy district attorney in front of a grand jury. The grilling focuses on why he didn't call the cops after the body of Celeste was discovered in his client's car. A grand jury is hearing evidence in the death of Celeste Rivas Hernandez.  Robert Morgenroth, the general manager of Mogul Vision, D4vd's record label, is also the president of Zara Brothers Travel, D4vd's tour company. Reports say Morgenroth testifies all day before the L.A. grand jury. At one point, with people in the hallway, Morgenroth comes out into the hallway and talks to his lawyer so loud others can hear. He says, referring to Beth Silverman, the deputy D.A. presenting the case, "She was very pushy on why I didn't call police." Also, a female witness in the Celeste Rivas death case faces arrest after refusing grand jury testimony in the D4vd murder investigation. Reports suggest LAPD's Robbery Homicide Division is considering D4vd a suspect in the alleged homicide of Celeste.  Joining Nancy Grace: Philip Dubé  - Former Court-appointed Counsel, Los Angeles County Public Defenders: Criminal & Constitutional Law; Forensics & Mental Health Advocacy; X: PhilipCDube, IG: PhilipDube, YouTube: PhilipDube3922 Dr. Bethany Marshall - Psychoanalyst, Author: "Deal Breaker: When to work on a relationship and when to walk away,” and Featured in Hit Show: "Paris in Love" on Peacock; Instagram & TikTok: drbethanymarshall, X: @DrBethanyLive Rob Dick - Bounty Hunter, Private Investigator, Former Deputy Sheriff for Sacramento County Sheriff's Dept., Owner of Renegade Investigations, and Casey Anthony's Former Bodyguard Dr. Kendall Crowns - Chief Medical Examiner Tarrant County (Ft Worth), Host of Podcast "Mayhem in the Morgue," and Lecturer: Burnett School of Medicine at TCU (Texas Christian University) Alexis Tereszcuk - Investigative Reporter, 'Crime Stories' Scott Eicher - Digital Forensics Expert, Founding Member of the FBI’s Cellular Analysis Survey Team (C.A.S.T); Historical Cellular Analysis Expert, Former FBI Agent of 22 Years, and Former Police Officer and Homicide Detective with Norfolk Virginia Police Dept. (having served 12 years and has worked several missing persons cases); Currently with Precision Cellular Analysis handling Criminal, Defense and Civil Cases Dave Mack - Investigative Reporter, 'Crime Stories' See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Reading the Alex Murdaugh guilty verdict made her famous; leaking crime scene photos & lying about it just made her a convicted felon. Now his defense is using the newly minted conviction as ammo for his upcoming appeal.  A Grammy-winning singer is gunned down, his voice and life silence by his own son. Plus, prisoners in SC feeling crabby after their airborne contraband is grounded! Jennifer Gould reports.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

House Democrats release more than 150 never-before-seen images and videos from Jeffrey Epstein's private island, offering a peek inside the estate, which is at the center of his sex trafficking allegations. The images show empty bedrooms, a wall of masks, a dentist's chair, a chalkboard with cryptic words, and more. The release comes just days before the Justice Department's deadline to publish its Epstein files under a new law signed by President Donald Trump. As Epstein's documents are released, the more questions and trouble Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor faces. Stripped of all titles, instructed to vacate the royal lodge, and under threat of private prosecution, if more incriminating materials are revealed, jail time could become a real possibility for the disgraced prince. Reports suggest there is more evidence to be released of Windsor’s crimes with Epstein, but many believe those records will never be released.  Joining Nancy Grace: Andrea Lewis - Partner at Searcy Law in Pam Beach, Florida, Former Felony Prosecutor at Palm Beach County State Attorney's Office (where Epstein was prosecuted), and President of the Palm Beach County Bar Association Dr. Bethany Marshall - Psychoanalyst, Author: "Deal Breaker: When to work on a relationship and when to walk away” Also featured in hit show: "Paris in Love" on Peacock; Instagram & TikTok: drbethanymarshall, X: @DrBethanyLive Rob Shuter - Host: Naughty But Nice Podcast, Author of Newly-released Novel, “It Started With A Whisper," and Former Publicist of Sean Combs; IG: @naughtygossip Lynn Shaw - Founder and Executive Director of Lynn's Warriors - an organization committed to ending human trafficking and sexual exploitation,  Host of Lynn's Warriors on YouTube;  X: @lynns_warriors, YouTube: @LynnsWarriors Barry Levine - Author of “The Spider: Inside the Tangled Web of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell,” and Veteran Investigative Journalist and Editor in Print and Television Victoria Churchill - U.S. Political Reporter for DailyMail.com; Instagram & Facebook: VictoriaSnitsarChurchill Sydney Sumner- Investigative Reporter, ‘Crime Stories’ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Florida man now faces a DUI charge after his wife is killed in a late-night golf cart crash in a Nocatee neighborhood where residents had long feared a deadly accident was only a matter of time. A murder trial is underway in California after a one-year-old boy died in a hot car while his mother got lip filler injections. A California family is now suing a cruise line after a drunken outburst on a ship ends in a death ruled a homicide. Drew Nelson reports.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New details emerge in Anna Kepner's alleged murder during a family court hearing regarding Thomas Hudson’s emergency petition for custody of the 9-year-old daughter he shares with Shauntel Hudson. Hudson is concerned for his daughter's safety under Shauntel Hudson and Christopher Kepner’s care, due to their failure to closely supervise their older children during the cruise Thomas didn’t want the children to take. Shauntel, Anna's stepmom, confirms her 16-year-old son is the only suspect in Anna’s murder, her younger brother Connor having been cleared of any potential wrongdoing. Hudson’s lawyer says they are unsure if the FBI will press federal charges or hand the potential murder case over to state authorities. Shauntel also testifies their 16-year-old son is staying with her relatives after his hospital release from psychiatric observation and claims he will NOT be returning to the home she shares with Christopher Kepner and the remaining three children, even in the event the FBI concludes their investigation without charges. Shauntel’s oldest son, Andrew, testifies his mother allowed him to drink alcohol in the past, a story corroborated by Shauntel’s stepmother, Sonya Ziske. Ziske witnessed Shauntel's pour herself and both of her sons, 16 and 14 at the time, a shot of liquor. Joining Nancy Grace: Spencer Aronfeld - Trial lawyer and Founder of Aronfeld Trial Lawyers, Author of illustrated children's book "Sara Rose, Kid Lawyer;" Facebook: Aronfeld Law, Instagram: Aronfeld_Trial_Lawyers Caryn Stark - Forensic Psychologist, Renowned TV and Radio Trauma Expert and Consultant, Instagram: carynpsych, FB: Caryn Stark Private Practice Jon Buehler - Former Detective for Modesto Police Department, California (31 years in robbery and homicide), Worked as Detective in the Scott Peterson Investigation Dr. Kendall Crowns - Chief Medical Examiner Tarrant County (Ft Worth), Host of Podcast "Mayhem in the Morgue," and Lecturer: Burnett School of Medicine at TCU (Texas Christian University) Susan Hendricks - Journalist, Author: “Down the Hill: My Descent into the Double Murder in Delphi;" IG @susan_hendricks X @SusanHendicks Krystal Wright - Aunt of Anna Kepner Sydney Sumner - Investigative Reporter, 'Crime Stories' See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Investigators in Virginia have announced a breakthrough in the nearly 35-year-old murder of 18-year-old Laurie Ann Powell, finally identifying the individual responsible for her death in 1988. Police have arrested a suspect in a 1997 Long Island homicide that was once considered potentially linked to the Gilgo Beach serial killings, providing long-awaited clarity for a decades-old investigation. Two members of the West Virginia National Guard were shot while on duty in Washington, D.C., in an incident that occurred close to the White House, raising questions about security for personnel assigned to federal locations. An internal affairs review has concluded that the 2023 death of a 19-year-old Rutland, Vermont police trainee could have been prevented, citing failures by supervising officers to adhere to department pursuit policies.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Feeling contractions at 38 weeks pregnant, Rebecca goes to the hospital on November 2, even though her due date is not until November 18. An exam reveals she is not in labor, and Rebecca goes to pick up her biological mother to run errands. Rebecca has $2,000 cash she receives as an inheritance from family in preparation for her baby.  Rebecca Park's fiancé, Richard Lee Falor, is trying to get in touch with Rebecca, but she is not answering or replying to text messages. Knowing Rebecca has been shopping with her biological mother, Falor calls Cortney Bartholomew, who says Rebecca got into a black-colored sedan with tinted windows just before midnight and left. Falor reports Rebecca missing with the Wexford County Sheriff's office. Searches organized for the 22-year-old mom-to-be, who is 38 weeks pregnant, are done with a sense of urgency. Michigan State Police find Rebecca's phone alongside the road near her mother's house. On a trail directly behind the home of Rebecca's mother, Cortney Bartholomew, a volunteer finds the body of Rebecca Park. Investigators are not releasing information about the condition of the body or if a newborn baby has been found. Joining Nancy Grace: Randolph Rice - Former Prosecutor and Current Criminal Defense & Civil Attorney at Rice Law, website: ricelawmd.com, IG, FB, X: @ricelawmd Dr. Shari Schwartz - X: @TrialDoc, Author: "Criminal Behavior" and "Where Law and Psychology Intersect: Issues in Legal Psychology"  Dan Murphy - Former NYPD Detective-Sergeant, Joint Terrorism Task Force, Former Chief Security Officer, US Bancorp, Co-Host of "Gold Shields" Podcast, Author: “Workplace Safety: Establishing an Effective Violence Prevention Program” Joseph Scott Morgan - Professor of Forensics: Jacksonville State University, Author, "Blood Beneath My Feet," and Host: "Body Bags with Joseph Scott Morgan;" Instagram @JoScottForensic Allan Lengel - Editor of Deadline Detroit -(an online daily publication), Former Washington Post reporter Dave Mack - Investigative Reporter, ‘Crime Stories’  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Police have arrested Andrew Dykes, 66, in connection with the killing of the woman—now identified as Tanya Denise Jackson. Dykes is also the father of Jackson’s daughter, Tatiana Marie Jackson. Is there a connection between Jackson and Rex Heuermann?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A judge has granted an extension for closing arguments in Mark Sievers' latest appeal.    State prosecutors and Mark Sievers' defense had 45 days to file written closing arguments. It was due a week from Monday,  Dec. 15.  November 19th, Sievers post conviction attorneys, Megan Montagno, Julissa Fontan and John LoBianco, filed a motion seeking the time extension. They cited the impending execution of another death row inmate they represent. Lee Circuit Judge Bruce Kyle granted the extension.  A beautiful and brilliant medical doctor, Dr. Teresa Sievers, takes her family on a vacation trip to visit extended relatives with her husband and her two little girls.  Teresa comes home early, leaving family behind in Connecticut so she can go to work the next morning. Mark Sievers calls a co-worker of his wife to go to the home and check on her when she doesn't show up.  Dr. Teresa Sievers was found brutally bludgeoned, still wearing the outfit, complete with high-heeled shoes, she wore home from the airport Sunday night. The kitchen is covered in blood, a hammer by her side.  Husband Mark Sievers is ultimately charged with murder, accused of arranging for his childhood friend, Curtis Wayne Wright, to murder his wife. Wright pleaded guilty to 2nd-degree murder, cooperating with prosecutors in Mark Sievers's trial.  Sievers is convicted and now is appealing his death sentence.   Joining Nancy Grace to discuss the case: Ashley Willcott: Judge and trial attorney, Anchor on Court TV, www.ashleywillcott.com  James Shelnutt: Attorney, served 27 years as Atlanta Metro Major Case Detective, SWAT Officer Bethany Marshall: Psychologist  Dr. Tim Gallagher: Medical Examiner   Amanda Hall: Reporter, WINK TV, Ft Myers, Florida   Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.