How Forensic Science Unravels Hire-to-Kill Murder Plots and Exposes Conspirators

gripping investigative journey into three distinct true-crime cases defined by betrayal, deception, and the pursuit of justice. Each story explores the darker side of human relationships and the devastating consequences when trust is shattered.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime--6473403/support.

33 year old postal worker Jason Schaefer was delivering mail on his route, when an unidentified person approached him, and opened fire. Several residents ran out of their homes to find Jason Schaefer lying in a pool of blood next to his mail truck... he would not survive. But who could have done this? And why?Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime--6473403/support.

Poison is the subtlest form of death, and investigators must see through unusual circumstances to bring these murders to light.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime--6473403/support.

In the summer of 1988, a wealthy Jackson, Mississippi woman disappeared from her home in broad daylight. Left behind was a mysterious ransom note listing twelve names and no specific instructions. The note, and a few drops of blood were the only clues to her fate. FBI and local police struggled to find answers in the cryptic message so they could find the kidnapper and retrieve the victim before her time ran out. Solving the crime required the keen insight of a criminal profiler and the perseverance of a family, local authorities, and the FBI.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime--6473403/support.

Formed in the 1830s to protect settlers against Indian attack, the Rangers became part of the Texas Highway Patrol in 1935. Their role has continued to evolve to keep up with changing times; today it includes sophisticated forensics labs.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime--6473403/support.

For a price, anything’s possible. Contract killings arose out of the need to establish the perfect alibi. By hiring someone else to do the dirty work, a person can deflect guilt, at least in theory. Forensics is changing that, leading investigators from the killers to their employers.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime--6473403/support.

A Labor Day weekend turned into a nightmare of murder as a cross-country crime spree terrorized the nation. In a small Ohio community, an elderly woman and a teenage boy disappeared within hours of each other. Police believed the cases were linked, but didn’t know how. They contacted the FBI for help. A trail of stolen vehicles and murder victims across seven states led agents on a hunt for two suspected killers. Their only hope of stopping them was to anticipate the killers’ next move.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime--6473403/support.

A day that began with a class field trip ended with a parent’s worst nightmare. An 11-year-old girl was missing. Her parents were certain she was no runaway. When they failed to find her in their quiet Illinois neighborhood, they called the police. The FBI soon joined the investigation and family and friends worked with detectives and agents in an urgent search for the missing girl. Faced with conflicting witness reports and false leads, agents wouldn’t stop until they found the girl, and the truth.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime--6473403/support.

For serial killers, once is never enough. For investigators, the challenge is steep when the killers murder by numbers.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime--6473403/support.

On August 20, 1980, an unseen sniper murdered two young black men as they jogged with two white women in Salt Lake City, Utah. Police threw all their resources into finding a killer who left almost no clues behind. They met with FBI agents and detectives from around the country who had similar racially motivated sniper slayings. A month later, working off little more than a possible license plate number, police in Kentucky arrested Joseph Paul Franklin but the man escaped from custody. The FBI placed Franklin on their Ten Most Wanted list, and an intense manhunt began. The white supremacist killer, responsible for as many as 20 murders, was arrested two months later by FBI agents in Tampa, Florida.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime--6473403/support.