This Feels Criminal: A True Crime Podcast (Formerly Killer Queens)

Erica Kinsman accused Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston of rape. As she fought to have her allegation taken seriously, Winston became one of the biggest stars in college football—and won the Heisman Trophy. Winston maintained that their encounter was consensual. Prosecutors declined to bring criminal charges. But the questions surrounding the investigation, the university's response, and the treatment of Kinsman didn't disappear. In Part 2 of our examination of The Hunting Ground, Tyrella and Nikita revisit Erica's account and explore what happens when a sexual-assault allegation involves a celebrated college athlete. Then we go beyond the documentary. What did federal investigators actually find at UNC? What happened at Baylor? How do universities balance the rights of complainants and accused students? And have changes to Title IX made campuses safer—or simply changed the way these cases are handled? We also examine the difference between an allegation, a criminal charge, a university disciplinary finding, and a civil lawsuit—and why those outcomes don't always tell the same story. If universities are willing to acknowledge their failures, what would meaningful accountability actually look like? And why are women taught to fear being vulnerable around men, instead of everyone being taught to respect another person's vulnerability? This two-part series leads into our upcoming coverage of the Cornell fraternity sexual-assault allegations. 🧵 New to This Feels Criminal? Start with The TFC Essentials—our curated collection of the episodes that best capture what this show is all about. Join our email community and get instant access: https://thisfeelscriminal.link/essentials   Hang with us: Follow Us on Instagram Like Us on Facebook Join our Case Discussion Group on Facebook Get Killer Queens Merch Bonus Episodes © 2026 Killer Queens Podcast. All Rights Reserved Audio Production by Wayfare Recording Music provided by Steven Tobi Logo designed by ⁠Ingrid at Penguin Designing⁠

College is supposed to be a place where young people discover who they are, build friendships, and prepare for their futures. But what happens when the institution they trusted to protect them becomes another obstacle to getting justice? In Part 1 of our two-part examination of the documentary The Hunting Ground, Tyrella and Nikita explore the experiences of students who reported sexual assault on college campuses—and what happened when they asked their universities for help. From Annie Clark and Andrea Pino at the University of North Carolina to survivors at some of the country's most prestigious universities, we examine allegations of victim-blaming, institutional indifference, retaliation, and the pressure to protect a school's reputation. We also look at the culture surrounding fraternities, campus sexual assault, and the students who began using Title IX to demand accountability. But there's a bigger question underneath these stories: When a university's reputation, money, and influence are on the line, whose interests come first? And what happens when the students who were supposed to be protected decide to fight back? In Part 2, we examine what happened after the documentary, including federal investigations, legal battles, and the case involving Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston.

Tennessee tried to execute Christa Pike. She survived. Now comes a question with no simple answer: Can the state try again? In Part 2 of Cruel and Unusual, Tyrella and Nikita examine what the Eighth Amendment actually prohibits, what the Supreme Court has said about botched executions, and what happened to other people who survived an execution attempt. From Willie Francis, whose electric chair failed in 1946, to Romell Broom, Doyle Hamm, and Kenneth Smith, these cases reveal just how complicated the law becomes when an execution doesn't go according to plan. But Christa Pike's situation may be different. She reportedly survived after receiving the lethal injection drugs themselves, raising questions that previous cases haven't fully resolved. We examine the legal challenges, the medical ethics, the state's responsibilities, and what another execution attempt could mean for Pike and for Colleen Slemmer's family. Does a death sentence give the government unlimited attempts to carry it out? And is the punishment only the death itself—or does the experience of being executed count, too? You don't have to sympathize with Christa Pike to ask whether the government should be held accountable for how it carries out a death sentence. Listen to Part 1 first for the full story of Tennessee's failed execution attempt. 🧵 New to This Feels Criminal? Start with The TFC Essentials—our curated collection of the episodes that best capture what this show is all about. Join our email community and get instant access: https://thisfeelscriminal.link/essentials   Hang with us: Follow Us on Instagram Like Us on Facebook Join our Case Discussion Group on Facebook Get Killer Queens Merch Bonus Episodes © 2026 Killer Queens Podcast. All Rights Reserved Audio Production by Wayfare Recording Music provided by Steven Tobi Logo designed by ⁠Ingrid at Penguin Designing⁠

On September 30, 2026, Tennessee attempted to execute Christa Pike. She was given two doses of lethal injection drugs. But she didn't die. What happened inside that execution chamber—and how did a state-sanctioned execution go so terribly wrong? Pike was sentenced to death for the brutal 1995 murder of 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer. Nearly three decades later, Colleen's family arrived expecting to witness the execution of the woman convicted of killing her. Instead, they watched an execution attempt that would raise serious questions about Tennessee's death penalty system. In Part 1 of Cruel and Unusual, Tyrella and Nikita reconstruct the failed execution, the warnings that preceded it, the emergency response, and the aftermath. We examine the people responsible for carrying out the execution, the state's handling of the crisis, and the questions investigators and attorneys are now trying to answer. This isn't a debate about Christa Pike's guilt. It's a question about what happens when the government fails at the one thing it has taken absolute responsibility for doing. And if someone survives an execution, what happens next? Part 2 explores whether Tennessee can legally attempt to execute Christa Pike again and is available NOW for patrons.    🧵 New to This Feels Criminal? Start with The TFC Essentials—our curated collection of the episodes that best capture what this show is all about. Join our email community and get instant access: https://thisfeelscriminal.link/essentials   Hang with us: Follow Us on Instagram Like Us on Facebook Join our Case Discussion Group on Facebook Get Killer Queens Merch Bonus Episodes Support Our AMAZING Sponsors: SKIMS: Shop my favorite loungewear and pajamas at https://www.skims.com.  #skimspartner © 2026 Killer Queens Podcast. All Rights Reserved Audio Production by Wayfare Recording Music provided by Steven Tobi Logo designed by ⁠Ingrid at Penguin Designing⁠  

Aubrey Trail confessed to killing Sydney Loofe. But almost everything else about his story kept changing. First, he claimed her death was an accident during a consensual sexual encounter. Then he insisted Bailey Boswell had nothing to do with the killing. But investigators uncovered evidence that told a very different story. In Part 2 of our coverage of Hulu's Swipe Right on the Devil, Tyrella and Nikita examine the evidence against Aubrey Trail and Bailey Boswell, the disturbing testimony from women who survived their abuse, and the trials that exposed what happened before Sydney's final Tinder date. Surveillance footage, purchases made hours before the murder, and secret messages exchanged in jail raised serious questions about Aubrey's confessions—and Bailey's role in Sydney's death. Bailey maintained that she had been manipulated and controlled by Aubrey. But other women described her as an active participant in their recruitment and abuse. Could Bailey have been both a victim of coercive control and a willing participant in murder? And when Aubrey finally offered an explanation for why Sydney was chosen, how much of his story could anyone believe? We break down the evidence, the competing accounts, and the verdicts before returning to the people whose determination helped bring Sydney's killers to justice. Based on Hulu's three-part documentary Swipe Right on the Devil, with additional reporting and court records. Content warning: Murder, sexual violence, coercive control, and discussions of abuse. 🧵 New to This Feels Criminal? Start with The TFC Essentials—our curated collection of the episodes that best capture what this show is all about. Join our email community and get instant access: https://thisfeelscriminal.link/essentials Hang with us: Follow Us on Instagram Like Us on Facebook Join our Case Discussion Group on Facebook Get Killer Queens Merch Bonus Episodes © 2026 Killer Queens Podcast. All Rights Reserved Audio Production by Wayfare Recording Music provided by Steven Tobi Logo designed by ⁠Ingrid at Penguin Designing⁠

Twenty-four-year-old Sydney Loofe was excited about a second date with a woman she'd met on Tinder. She sent her friends a Snapchat that read, "Ready for my date." The next morning, she didn't show up for work. Her car was still at home. Her belongings were untouched. And the woman she'd been dating wasn't who she claimed to be. In Part 1 of our coverage of Hulu's new docuseries Swipe Right on the Devil, Tyrella and Nikita follow the investigation into Sydney's disappearance—and the extraordinary efforts of the friends and family who refused to stop looking for her. What began as a search for a missing 24-year-old led investigators to Bailey Boswell, an older man named Aubrey Trail, and a disturbing pattern of young women recruited through dating apps. The women who escaped described fake identities, psychological manipulation, promises of money, and a supposed coven where killing someone was presented as a path to supernatural power. But as investigators uncovered more about Bailey and Aubrey, one question became increasingly urgent: What happened to Sydney? And how many other women had been in danger? Part 2 releases Friday, but is Available NOW for patrons.  Based on Hulu's three-part documentary Swipe Right on the Devil, with additional reporting and details from the criminal investigation and court proceedings. Content warning: Murder, sexual coercion, dismemberment, and discussions of abuse. 🧵 New to This Feels Criminal? Start with The TFC Essentials—our curated collection of the episodes that best capture what this show is all about. Join our email community and get instant access: https://thisfeelscriminal.link/essentials Hang with us: Follow Us on Instagram Like Us on Facebook Join our Case Discussion Group on Facebook Get Killer Queens Merch Bonus Episodes © 2026 Killer Queens Podcast. All Rights Reserved Audio Production by Wayfare Recording Music provided by Steven Tobi Logo designed by ⁠Ingrid at Penguin Designing⁠

Eleven felony charges. Up to 78 years in prison. Zero days behind bars. Oklahoma teenager Jesse Mack Butler faced allegations of sexual violence that included attempted rape and strangulation. But his case ended with a very different outcome than the potential prison sentence he initially faced. In Part 2, Tyrella and Nikita examine the case against Butler and ask a question that's much harder to answer than it sounds: When a young person commits a serious offense, how do we balance accountability with the possibility of rehabilitation? The research on young people who commit sexual offenses may surprise you. But does it tell us anything about whether the outcome in Butler's case was appropriate? We also examine who gets viewed as a promising young person deserving another chance, how race and perceptions of youth can shape those judgments, and whether longer prison sentences actually prevent future violence. Because the future of someone accused or convicted of sexual violence matters. But so does the future of the person who was harmed. And justice has to be able to consider both. 🧵 New to This Feels Criminal? Start with The TFC Essentials—our curated collection of the episodes that best capture what this show is all about. Join our email community and get instant access: https://thisfeelscriminal.link/essentials Hang with us: Follow Us on Instagram Like Us on Facebook Join our Case Discussion Group on Facebook Get Killer Queens Merch Bonus Episodes © 2026 Killer Queens Podcast. All Rights Reserved Audio Production by Wayfare Recording Music provided by Steven Tobi Logo designed by ⁠Ingrid at Penguin Designing⁠

Six months in jail. Three months actually served. That's what former Stanford swimmer Brock Turner received after being convicted of sexually assaulting an unconscious Chanel Miller. In another case, Candon Dahle received 180 days in jail following years of sexual abuse of a child. Different cases. Different circumstances. But both raise a question we can't stop thinking about: Why does the future of the person who committed sexual violence so often become part of the conversation about what punishment is appropriate? In Part 1, Tyrella and Nikita revisit the Brock Turner case, Chanel Miller's powerful victim-impact statement, and the case against Candon Dahle. They examine how we measure the harm of sexual violence, what research tells us about its long-term effects, and whether the justice system adequately accounts for consequences that may not leave visible injuries. And just when the answer seems obvious, another case raises a much harder question. Part 2 is available now for patrons and drops Thursday for everyone else. 🧵 New to This Feels Criminal? Start with The TFC Essentials—our curated collection of the episodes that best capture what this show is all about. Join our email community and get instant access: https://thisfeelscriminal.link/essentials Hang with us: Follow Us on Instagram Like Us on Facebook Join our Case Discussion Group on Facebook Get Killer Queens Merch Bonus Episodes Support Our AMAZING Sponsors: Rula: Rula patients typically pay $15 per session when using insurance.  Connect with quality therapists and mental health experts who specialize in you at https://www.rula.com/TFC #rulapod © 2026 Killer Queens Podcast. All Rights Reserved Audio Production by Wayfare Recording Music provided by Steven Tobi Logo designed by ⁠Ingrid at Penguin Designing⁠

How do you prove who ordered a murder when the people behind it never directly speak to the killers? The murder of Florida State law professor Dan Markel led investigators from two hired killers to Katherine Magbanua, Charlie Adelson, and eventually Donna Adelson. But connecting the evidence to the people accused of arranging the murder would take years, an elaborate FBI undercover operation, secretly recorded conversations, and multiple trials. In Part 2, Tyrella and Nikita break down the FBI's infamous "bump" operation, the Dolce Vita restaurant recording, Katie Magbanua's changing testimony, and Charlie Adelson's extraordinary extortion defense. Then there's Donna Adelson's murder trial, the bizarre testimony about wet, moldy, stapled money, and the family member who ultimately testified against his own mother. Following Hulu's Welcome to the Family: The Murder of Dan Markel, we're examining the trial evidence, the competing explanations, and the questions that remain surrounding Wendi Adelson and the family's involvement. After more than a decade of investigations and trials, what did it finally take to secure convictions — and what has justice meant for Dan Markel's family? 🧵 New to This Feels Criminal? Start with The TFC Essentials—our curated collection of the episodes that best capture what this show is all about. Join our email community and get instant access: https://thisfeelscriminal.link/essentials   Support the Show and Join the Conversation: Follow Us on Instagram Like Us on Facebook Join our Case Discussion Group on Facebook Get Killer Queens Merch Bonus Episodes © 2026 Killer Queens Podcast. All Rights Reserved Audio Production by Wayfare Recording Music provided by Steven Tobi Logo designed by ⁠Ingrid at Penguin Designing⁠

Dan Markel was a Florida State University law professor and father of two when he was shot in his own garage in Tallahassee, Florida, in July 2014. What initially looked like a mysterious murder would become one of the most shocking murder-for-hire cases in Florida history. At the center of the investigation was the wealthy Adelson family: Dan's ex-wife Wendi Adelson, her brother Charlie Adelson, and their mother Donna Adelson. As investigators followed surveillance footage, phone records, financial transactions, and a trail of connections between Miami and Tallahassee, a disturbing question emerged: Who wanted Dan Markel dead badly enough to hire killers? In Part 1, Tyrella and Nikita break down Dan and Wendi's bitter divorce and custody dispute, the murder investigation, the hitman joke Wendi told police, and the evidence that eventually connected the suspected killers to the Adelson family. With renewed attention on the case following Hulu's four-part documentary Welcome to the Family: The Murder of Dan Markel, we're going beyond the documentary to examine the evidence, testimony, and family dynamics behind this extraordinary case. Want Part 2 Early and Ad-Free? It's available now on Patreon, or Thursday on the main feed. 🧵 New to This Feels Criminal? Start with The TFC Essentials—our curated collection of the episodes that best capture what this show is all about. Join our email community and get instant access: https://thisfeelscriminal.link/essentials   Support the Show and Join the Conversation: Follow Us on Instagram Like Us on Facebook Join our Case Discussion Group on Facebook Get Killer Queens Merch Bonus Episodes Support Our AMAZING Sponsors: Smalls: For a limited time, get 60% off your first order, plus free shipping, when you head to Smalls.com/QUEENS. © 2026 Killer Queens Podcast. All Rights Reserved Audio Production by Wayfare Recording Music provided by Steven Tobi Logo designed by ⁠Ingrid at Penguin Designing⁠