Motive for a Kidnapping: Wealth, Revenge, or a Scorned Lover?

In 1997, Jamie McMahan and Christopher Kauffman embarked on a violent crime spree that left a trail of robbery, kidnapping, and murder in their wake. Then, they seemingly vanished. Their disappearance triggered one of the most extensive manhunts of the decade, pulling the FBI into a desperate chase that would span six states. This is the story of that relentless pursuit, as agents pieced together the fugitives' path, tracked their movements, and worked to anticipate their next move in a high-stakes race to capture two unpredictable and dangerous killers before they could add another state—and another victim—to their grim itinerary.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime--6473403/support.

The 1992 murder of a young mother, gunned down in a seemingly random attack in front of her terrified children, left a community in shock and police with no clear motive. But behind the facade of a perfect life—married to a prominent attorney—lay a dark and secret world. As the FBI joined the investigation, agents began to untangle an intricate web stretching from the upper echelons of society into the shadows of drug trafficking and financial crime. This is the story of how they pieced together the victim's hidden life, revealing that her death was not a random act of violence, but a calculated move in a dangerous game where the ultimate price was paid.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime--6473403/support.

A routine class field trip in a quiet Illinois town turned into every parent's worst nightmare when an 11-year-old girl vanished without a trace. As her desperate family and friends searched in vain, the FBI was called in to lead the urgent investigation. Faced with a clock that was ticking down a life, agents had to navigate a maze of conflicting witness statements and dead-end leads. This is the story of their relentless pursuit of the truth, a race against time to piece together the final moments of the field trip and uncover the fate of the missing girl, revealing the dark secret that shattered a community's sense of safety.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime--6473403/support.

In the early 1980s, a wave of terror swept through New York state. Six Black men were murdered in a series of brutal, execution-style attacks. The only links were the victims' race and the .22 caliber bullets that killed them. But the horror deepened when two victims were found with their hearts surgically removed. The FBI launched a massive investigation to find the man the media dubbed "The .22 Caliber Killer" and "The Mid-Town Sniper." This is the story of the hunt for Joseph Christopher, a deeply disturbed white man whose racist ideology fueled a solo campaign of violence. Unravel the mystery alongside the FBI's greatest law enforcers and forensic psychologists as they work to connect the seemingly random crimes and understand the fractured mind of a killer who brought a city to its knees.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime--6473403/support.

When a highly organized crew began hitting banks across seven states, the FBI recognized this was no ordinary crime wave. The precision of the robberies and the discipline of the teams pointed to a larger, more dangerous purpose. Agents soon discovered the heists were a means to an end—funding a violent organization with a hidden agenda that threatened national stability. This is the story of the elite task force that worked to connect the dots between each city, unravel the criminal hierarchy, and race against the clock to capture the masterminds before their vast new enterprise grew too powerful to stop.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime--6473403/support.

When Anita Wooldridge vanished from her Indiana home, detectives pieced together a chilling lead that pointed to a man she knew from her local fitness center. The investigation turned into a frantic, multi-state race against time when they identified him as a convicted rapist who had fled to Wisconsin. This is the story of the desperate pursuit to track the suspect across state lines, as law enforcement followed a trail of evidence with one critical goal: to locate the hidden captive and bring Anita Wooldridge home alive, defying the odds in a case where every passing moment was critical.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime--6473403/support.

The brazen abduction of a wealthy young woman from her in-laws' driveway presented investigators with an overwhelming puzzle: too many suspects with compelling motives. Was it her tumultuous current husband, a jealous ex, or one of several spurned lovers? With the victim's life hanging in the balance, the FBI faced a race against time not just to find her, but to first decipher the true motive behind the crime. This is the story of how agents untangled a complex web of personal vendettas and financial temptations, separating heartbreaking lies from damning truths to uncover which person in her life was driven to commit the ultimate act of betrayal.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime--6473403/support.

In the heart of Arizona, an armored truck carrying a fortune simply vanished, along with the two guards entrusted to protect it. The vehicle was eventually found, emptied of its millions, but the men were gone. With no clear signs of a struggle, the FBI faced a critical mystery: were the guards the victims of a sophisticated ambush, or the architects of a brazen inside job? This is the story of how agents pieced together the final hours of the shipment, using forensic analysis of the truck, financial records, and witness testimony to unravel a complex web of deception. The investigation would lead them down a twisting path where loyalty and greed collided, forcing them to question whether they were hunting for kidnap victims or fugitive thieves.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime--6473403/support.

In 1995, the call that a fellow officer was down sent shockwaves through the Prince George's County Police and the FBI. The scene revealed a devastating truth: Officer John Novabilski and FBI Special Agent William H. Christian Jr. were dead, shot in what appeared to be a brutal ambush. The initial story pointed to an unknown assailant, but the investigation would take a sinister turn. This is the story of how the FBI's greatest law enforcers and forensic scientists turned their scrutiny inward, meticulously piecing together ballistic evidence and dissecting a web of lies to uncover an unthinkable betrayal from within their own ranks, proving that the killer was a man who had worn the same uniform as his victims.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime--6473403/support.

In October 2023, 39 year-old mother of two, Irina Garcia, was brutally stabbed to death in her bed. It was an attack so malicious that it was assumed to be an act of passion. The only suspect in the case, Irina’s 13 year-old son, Derek, had no motive. No one could point to any sign that the teen was aggressive or capable of violence.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime--6473403/support.