Jussie Smollett: Reality Test, True Character Under Fire?

In Missouri, authorities have finally identified a man whose body was discovered in the Mississippi River south of St. Louis back in 1994. In Franklin Park, Illinois, just west of Chicago, ICE officers say they fatally shot Silverio Villegas-Gonzalez after he allegedly tried to evade arrest by driving his car at officers, dragging one of them. In New York City, authorities have apprehended a suspect in a brutal double homicide involving an elderly couple whose home was set on fire. Nearly 25 years after four bodies were discovered in New Hampshire's Bear Brook State Park, one of the young girls has now been identified.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Charlie Kirk, a conservative activist and co-founder of Turning Point USA, died Wednesday after he was brutally assassinated in front of his wife and two small kids during an event at Utah Valley University. He was speaking to a large crowd at an outdoor "Prove Me Wrong" debate, where he invites students to challenge his political and cultural views. Authorities shared a video late Thursday of the suspect climbing down from a roof following the shooting, after sharing images throughout the day of a "person of interest" and asking the public for help in identifying the individual.  Like many others, Thursday afternoon, Matt Robinson saw the FBI-released photos of Charlie Kirk’s alleged shooter, and he was shocked to recognize his son, Tyler, as the suspect at large. When Robinson arrives home, he is confronted by his father and Tyler Robinson.admits he pulled the trigger. The father encourages Robinson to turn himself in, but the 22-year-old says he would rather kill himself. Matt reaches out to his son’s youth pastor, who also happens to be a U.S. Marshals fugitive task force officer. The officer convinces Robinson to turn himself in.  Neighbors describe Lance Twiggs as Robinson’s roommate. Twiggs, a student at Utah Tech University, showed police incriminating Discord chat messages from Robinson, basically snitching on Robinson and cooperating with authorities. Neighbors say the roommates were reclusive and always blasting music.  Robinson’s 20-person Discord group made up of gamer Pine Hill grads jokingly calls him out.One member sends the FBI photo and asks Robinson, “Where are you at?” Robinson shoots back, “It’s my doppelgänger trying to get me in trouble!” Another friend proclaims, “Tyler killed Charlie!!!” A third suggests turning Robinson in for the reward, and Robinson sneers, “Only if Iget a cut.” One pal quips, “Whatever you do, don’t go to a McDonald’s anytime soon.” Robinson agrees, joking that he “better get rid of this manifesto and exact copy rifle I have. lying around,” before insisting the shooter is “clearly” from California. Evidenced by his Twitch channel, Twiggs is also an avid online gamer.  Kirk's widow, Erika Kirk, spoke out late Friday, vowing Turning Point USA will keep hosting campus events. President Trump paid tribute to Kirk, and elected officials on both sides of the aisle quickly condemned the shooting and denounced acts of political violence. Institutions from airlines to schools to even the military moved quickly to fire or discipline employees accused of celebrating or mocking Charlie's death on social media.  An interviewer once asked Charlie if everything completely goes away, how did he want to be remembered?Kirk: "I want to be-- I want to be remembered for-- for courage, for my faith. That-- that would be the most important thing. The most important thing is my faith in my life." Joining Nancy Grace today, Tiana Lao - Witnessed Charlie Kirk shooting Eric Faddis - Trial Lawyer and TV Legal Analyst, Founding Partner of Varner Faddis Elite Legal, former felony prosecutor and current criminal defense and civil litigation attorney Dr. Sue Cornbluth - Family and Relationship Expert, Owner of Dr. Sue & You, Author of “Building Self-Esteem in Children and Teens Who Are Adopted or Fostered;" YouTube: DrSueAndYou Chris McDonough - Director At the Cold Case Foundation, Former Homicide Detective (worked over 300 homicides in 25-year career and trained the first Native American Homicide Task Force) & Host of YouTube channel, "The Interview Room"  Joseph Scott Morgan - Professor of Forensics: Jacksonville State University, Author, "Blood Beneath My Feet", Host: "Body Bags with Joseph Scott Morgan", @JoScottForensic Sydney Sumner - Crime Stories Investigative Reporter See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Discord messages provide a revealing look into Tyler Robinson's mindset shortly after he allegedly assassinated Charlie Kirk. An actor was arrested for shooting a woman in the face after a road rage incident.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hours after Chris Watts made an emotional plea for help finding his missing wife and two young daughters, the Colorado man led police to their bodies hidden in oil tanks near where he worked. After being convicted for the three murders, Chris Watts labeled his pregnant wife, Shanann, a “control freak,” and claims that he sought refuge with his mistress. He says Nichol Kessinger  was “everything my wife wasn’t like with me.” Watts confided to a jail mate that his marriage to Shanann was unhappy but Nichol was just everything my wife wasn’t like with me. She was just nice, and not a control freak." Later on, Watts told the jail mate that Kessinger became “the death of me,”  blaming her for inticing him away from his morals.  Now Watts claiming from behind bars that he is a new "forgiven" man. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Content Warning: This episode contains graphic descriptions of fatal injuries and autopsy findings related to a fireworks-related death. If you’re sensitive to detailed accounts of trauma, please proceed with caution.   What happens when alcohol, bravado, and high-powered explosives mix? In this explosive episode of Mayhem in the Morgue, Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Kendall Crowns breaks down a July 4th case that began with fireworks and ended in fatal blunt force trauma. What seemed like a freak accident soon turned into a full-blown forensic experiment, complete with shattered ribs, broken equipment, and one very disgruntled physicist.   Highlights (0:00) Welcome to Mayhem in the Morgue with Dr. Kendall Crowns (0:15) The fatal trifecta: alcohol, meth, or women? (1:00) Fireworks 101 — and why they don’t belong on your chest (2:00) A party turns tragic (2:30) Autopsy reveal devastating internal injuries (3:30) The physicist with a luggage scale (4:30) Broken scales slow-mo failures and scientific dead ends (5:00) Enter Bonnie: the PhD student with the right tools (6:15) Blistered thumbs and the final answer — 90mph to the chest (7:00) The final cause: intoxication, bravado, and a deadly decision   About the Host: Dr. Kendall Crowns Dr. Crowns is the Chief Medical Examiner for Travis County, Texas, and a nationally recognized forensic pathologist. He las led death investigations in Travis County, Fort Worth, Chicago, and Kansas. Over his career, he has performed thousands of autopsies and testified in court hundreds of times as an expert witness. A frequent contributor to Crime Stories with Nancy Grace, Dr. Crowns brings unparalleled insight into the strange, grisly, and sometimes absurd realities of forensic pathology.     About the Show Mayhem in the Morgue takes listeners inside the bloody, bizarre, and often unbelievable world of forensic pathology. Hosted by Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Kendall Crowns, each episode delivers real-life cases from the morgue, the crime scene, and the courtroom. Expect gallows humor, hard truths, and unforgettable investigations, ranging from courtroom drama to deaths that even seasoned pathologists struggle to explain.   Connect and Learn More Learn more about Dr. Kendall Crowns on Linkedin, catch him regularly on Crime Stories with Nancy Grace and follow Mayhem in the Morgue where you get your podcasts.   📣 If you liked this episode, don’t keep it to yourself—follow the show, share it with a friend, and leave us a review.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Breaking crime news as it happens throughout the day! Follow "Crime Alert Hourly Update" now on your favorite podcast app: https://link.chtbl.com/Crime_Alert Here's some of our top stories this week: Charlie Kirk shooter caught.  A mother and her partner plead not guilty in a New Jersey so-called “house of horrors” where an 18-year-old girl says she was held captive for years, beaten, and sexually abused. Mark David Chapman has once again been denied parole, marking the 14th time this has occurred since he fatally shot John Lennon nearly 45 years ago outside of Lennon’s home in New York City. An elderly woman shoots her neighbor in the face with a flare gun in a shocking showdown over their pets. The fiery incident was caught on surveillance camera! Stay informed, stay safe, and stay ahead with "Crime Alert Hourly Update.”See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jussie Smollett, hate crime hoaxer,  is participating in Special Forces: World's Toughest Test Season 4. It's  a reality competition show on Fox where stars undergo military-style training and extreme challenges. This appearance marks Smollett's return to the network and public life following the fallout from his 2019 hate crime allegations. The new season premieres September 25 and is set in Morocco.   Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After weeks of speculation,  the announcement finally came. The Teton County, Wyoming, coroner, Dr. Brent Blue, released that Gabby Petito died by strangulation. Petito’s boyfriend Brian Laundrie quickly became a person of interest.  News broke of a domestic violence issue in Moab where Gabby was made to be the aggressor.  Brian Laundrie returned to his Florida home on September 1 without Gabby, but with the converted camper van the couple had been traveling in on their cross-country road trip. He used Gabby's money to fund his cross-country drive back. No one told the Petitos where their daughter was or where she went missing.  Then Brian Laundrie went missing himself. His remains were later found after he committed suicide, still with no news about Gabby. Questions arose about what parents Chris and Roberta Laundrie knew about Gabby's disappearance and then death. The Laundries  were the subject of a civil lawsuit filed by Gabby Petito's parents, who alleged that the Laundries inflicted emotional distress by acting with knowledge of Petito's death and the location of her body, which the Laundries denied. In depositions related to the lawsuit, Brian's parents admitted Brian told them Gabby was "gone" and that he needed a lawyer, while denying they knew she was dead.  Gabby's dad Joe, and stepmom, Tara, joined Nancy Grace at Crime Con 2025 and in the studio, to discuss  how the Petitos learned of their daughter's death, as well as how they have dealt with the knowledge that Brian Laundrie's parents reportedly knew Gabby was dead and did not share the information.  The Petitos also share about their latest philanthropic project, the Laramie Project to provide a security fence for a Laramie domestic Violence shelter. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Shots ran out as Charlie Kirk sat on stage at a Utah Valley University event. The conservative activist reportedly hit near his neck and killed. According to reports, the shot was fired from the roof of a campus building about 200 yards away.  Social Video posts show Kirk in a familiar pose,  speaking into a handheld microphone, sitting under a white tent emblazoned with the slogans “The American Comeback” and “Prove Me Wrong.”  The single shot booms and  Kirk  reaches up with his right hand. Blood gush from underneath.   Today, President started the day tellling the nation a suspect was in custody. Tyler Robinson, 22, who lived at home with his parents.  And it was his father that led to the arrest, identifying him in surveillance photos released by the FBI.  The father told his son to turn himself in. With the help of a local youth pastor Robinson turned himself in. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska, just 23 years old, leaves her homeland to start a new life in the United States, along with her family. Known for her love of animals and art, Iryna dreams of becoming a veterinary assistant. Her tight-knit family supports her as she adapts to life in the U.S. Mastering English and landing work at a pizza restaurant. But one Friday night after work, things take a terrifying turn that could have possibly been avoided, according to some lawmakers.  After her shift, Iryna boards the Charlotte, North Carolina, Transit System, unknowingly sitting in front of Decarlos Brown Jr., a man with a violent past and rap sheet. Without warning, Decarlos Brown pulls out a pocketknife, stands, and lunges over the seat, stabbing Iryna in the neck. As he walks away, blood dripping from the knife onto the train floor, Iryna fights desperately for her life, clutching her neck but unable to call for help.  Passengers just watch, some recording the brutal attack and her bleeding out, as others flee in panic, doing nothing to help the dying passenger, Iryna. Decarlos Brown paces the train, changes his shirt, and calmly exits the train at the next stop. Her fatal stabbing has generated national outrage after the video of the killing was released, and the suspect was identified as having a history of violent crimes and should be in jail. The public questions how a repeat offender was free to roam. Decarlos Brown Jr., 34, was charged with committing an act causing death on a mass transportation system and is being held without bond. Joining Nancy Grace today: Kelly Hyman - Trial & Civil Attorney, TV Legal Analyst, Podcast Host: "Once Upon a Crime In Hollywood", Twitter: @kellyhyman1, TikTok: @kelly.hyman, Instagram: @Kelly_Hyman1 Dr. Sue Cornbluth - Family and Relationship Expert, Owner of Dr. Sue & You, Author of “Building Self-Esteem in Children and Teens Who Are Adopted or Fostered;" YouTube: DrSueAndYou Tom Green - Former Chief Deputy with Washoe County Sheriff’s Office, Homicide Detective & Cold Case Squad Burglary/Fraud Detective (high-tech surveillance & covert surveillance); Currently: Private Investigator, Owner of Nevada Investigative Services LLC Joseph Scott Morgan - Professor of Forensics: Jacksonville State University, Author of "Blood Beneath My Feet,"and Host: "Body Bags with Joseph Scott Morgan;" X @JoScottForensic Lauren Conlin - Podcaster/Reporter/Host- Co-Host of "PopCrimeTV" on YouTube, Website: www.popcrime.tv and primetimecrimeshow.com: X- @Conlin_Lauren, Instagram: @LaurenEmilyConlin, YouTube: @PopCrimeTV See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.