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Dad Allegedly Killed by 11-Year-Old Son Over a Nintendo Switch | Crime House 24/7
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Hi Crime House Community. It's Vanessa Richardson. Exciting news. Conspiracy theories, cults and crimes is leveling up. Starting the week of January 12th, you'll be getting two episodes every week. Wednesdays we unravel the conspiracy or the cult and on Fridays we look at a corresponding crime. Every week has a theme. Tech, bioterror, power, paranoia, you name it. Follow conspiracy theories, cults and crimes now on your podcast app because you're about to dive deeper, get weirder and go darker than ever before. This is Crime House. Good morning everyone. We have multiple breaking true crime cases this morning that you need to know about and we're starting with the biggest ones. Police say a laboratory scientist was ambushed and killed inside her Iowa home by her own husband. Then a case that's leaving even Investigators stunned an 11 year old accused of killing his own father over a Nintendo. This is Crime House 24 7, your nonstop source for the biggest crime cases developing right now. Make sure to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Vanessa Richardson and we have quite a quite a lineup for you today. Here's what you need to know.
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We're following a deadly domestic stabbing case out of Coralville, Iowa where police say a man is now facing a first degree murder charge in the death of his wife, a medical laboratory scientist whose killing has sent shock waves through both the local community and her professional workplace. The latest development came Monday, January 19th when the Coralville Police Department publicly identified the victim as as 41 year old Amber Nicole Martin. Police confirmed she was the wife of 47 year old James Fuller Martin, who had already been arrested and charged in connection with her death. Investigators say the fatal stabbing happened Friday, January 16th inside the couple's home in the 2800 block of Spring Rose Circle, a residential neighborhood in Coralville. According to police, officers were dispatched to the home following a report of a stabbing. When first responders arrived, they found a woman inside the residence suffering from stab wounds. Despite life saving efforts at the scene, police say she was pronounced dead. A criminal complaint summarized in news reports places the police Response at approximately 6:40am James Fuller Martin was arrested that same day at the scene and taken into custody without incident. Court records show that he was later booked into the Johnson County Jail where he remained held as the case proceeded through its early stages. According to court documents, investigators alleged the attack was planned in adv. The criminal complaint states that James Martin allegedly formed an intent to kill his wife in the hours before the stabbing. Investigators allege he armed himself with a kitchen knife and waited inside the home. According to the complaint, Amber Martin was attacked as she exited another room inside the residence, at which point police say she was stabbed multiple times. Those same reports say investigators allege James Martin admitted to stabbing his wife at the scene. Authorities have not released any statements attributed directly to him beyond what is contained in the charging documents. As of this recording, court records indicated James Martin had not yet appeared before a judge for an initial court hearing and remains in custody at the Johnson County Jail as the case proceeds. Police have not released a motive for the killing. Reporting that cited the criminal complaint gave no reason for the attack, and authorities have not commented on the state of the couple's relationship prior to the stabbing. Amber Martin's professional background has drawn significant attention as the case has unfolded. Police identified her as a medical laboratory scientist, supervisor of microbiology at University of Iowa Healthcare, where she worked at the time of her death. According to colleagues, Amber Martin had previously worked at Quincy Medical Group in Illinois. James Martin was also employed there in the past, and former co workers told reporters they were, quote, such a close and loving couple, end quote, and that the fatal stabbing was beyond comprehension. One colleague described Amber as vivacious, kind and loved by all her co workers, underscoring the shock among those who worked with them. Police have emphasized that they believe the incident was isolated and that there is no ongoing threat to the public. The Coralville Police Department has said the investigation remains active as detectives continue reviewing evidence and documentation connected to the case. Authorities are asking anyone with information related to the incident to contact the Coralville Police Department. James Fuller Martin remains charged with first degree murder and the case is expected to proceed through the Johnson county court system in the coming days. We'll continue to follow this case and bring you updates as court proceedings begin and additional information becomes available While that investigation centers on an alleged domestic killing between spouses, authorities in Pennsylvania are dealing with a separate case involving a child accused in the shooting death of his father in Dun Cannonborough, Pennsylvania. An 11 year old boy is being held in custody without bail and is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Thursday, January 22, after being charged with criminal homicide in the fatal shooting of his father, according to Pennsylvania State Police and court records. The boy, identified in reporting as Clayton Dees, is being tried as an AD state law because of the severity of the charge. Police say the shooting happened in the early morning hours of Tuesday, January 13th at a home on South Market street in the small Perry county borough. Officers were dispatched at about 3:20am after receiving a report of an unresponsive male inside the residence. When they arrived, they found 42 year old Douglas Dees, the boy's father, lying in a bedroom with an apparent gunshot wound to the head. According to the criminal complaint and police statements. Douglas his wife had gone to bed shortly after midnight, moments after singing Happy Birthday to their son, who was celebrating his 11th birthday that night. Court records allege that earlier in the night, Douglas De told his son that it was time for bed and confiscated the boy's Nintendo Switch gaming device. Investigators say that upset the boy. The affidavit alleges that he located a key to a gun safe in his father's bedroom drawer, then used it to open the safe in search of the Nintendo Switch console. However, the document say he instead found a revolver inside. According to the affidavit, the boy loaded the firearm, walked into his father's bedroom and fired a single shot while Douglas De was asleep. Officers and investigators say that the boy later told police, I shot somebody. Troopers also reportedly overheard him say I killed Daddy. In interviews referenced in reporting, the boy allegedly told police that he was angry after his Nintendo Switch was taken away and had not not thought about the consequences of firing the weapon. Officials confirmed that the boy was taken into custody at the scene and later denied bail following his arraignment. He's currently being held at the Perry county prison pending his January 22nd preliminary hearing before an adult court judge. Under Pennsylvania law, because the charge is criminal homicide, the case initially proceeds in adult court. The judge and attorneys may later consider motions to transfer jurisdiction to Juvenile Court, where the focus is on rehabilitation than punishment, but that process has not yet occurred. Investigators have said there is no ongoing threat to the public and the investigation remains active as authorities continue reviewing the evidence and court filings. Neighbors in the quiet community told local outlets they were stunned by the fatal shooting. One longtime resident described the Deets family as very kind and said he did not expect something like this in their neighborhood. They Douglas Dietz's wife, Jillian Dietz, told police she awoke to a loud noise and initially mistook the sound and smell of the gunshot for fireworks before realizing her husband had been shot. She told police their son then entered the bedroom, which court documents say is connected to his room by a closet, and shouted, daddy's dead. While his name has been reported due to the severity of the charge, routine legal protections generally withhold juvenile suspects names except in circumstances where they're charged as adults. Police have declined to release further details about the ongoing investigation. The preliminary hearing, scheduled for January 22, will determine how the case advances and whether additional motions or hearings are set. Still ahead, Authorities in North Carolina are investigating an alleged poisoning case involving a former restaurant owner, spiked drinks and a chemical police say can turn into cyanide inside the bar body.
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Police in Hendersonville, North Carolina say a 52 year old former restaurant owner is being held in custody without bail, charged with murder and related offenses in an alleged poisoning case that authorities describe as both rare and deadly. On Friday, January 16, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation SBI arrested Gudrin Casper Leinenkugel, 52, in connection with the death of a woman whose fatal poisoning, investigators say occurred in December 2025. She's charged with two counts of first degree murder, two counts of attempted murder and three counts of unlawful distribution of food and beverages, according to court records referenced by multiple outlets. Authorities allege Casper Leinenkugel place a highly toxic chemical into the beverages of at least four people over time, resulting in the death of 32 year old Leela Livis on December 1, 2025, and the earlier death of Michael Schmidt in 2007. The other two alleged victims, identified in charging papers as Richard Peg and Mia Lacy, survived after ingesting contaminated drinks, police said. The chemical authorities say was used is acetanitrile, a colorless solvent that can be converted into cyan in the body and cause severe poisoning. Prosecutors allege Casper Leinenkugel knowingly placed a ceta nit trial in beverages that she, quote, distributed or otherwise caused to be placed in position of human accessibility or ingestion, end quote. Casper Linen Kugel previously operated a restaurant in Asheville, and investigators are still trying to determine how she knew the alleged victims and whether there was any connection between them. So far, authorities have not disclosed a motive and it's unclear whether specific individuals were targeted or if the alleged poisonings were random. Officials have not released evidence of a personal or professional relationship between Casper Leinenkugel and the victims. The SBI's arrest affidavit reportedly alleges that Casper Leinenkugle acted with, quote, malice aforethought in the incidents. She's being held in the Henderson County Detention center after a judge denied her request for release. Investigators have also indicated they're reviewing the 2007 death of Michael Schmidt, suggesting evidence found in the current case may link Casper Leinenkugel to that earlier fatality. Though no new charges beyond those already filed have been announced, State officials are urging anyone with information about the case to contact the Henderson County Sheriff's Office Violent Crime Unit as the investigation continues. At this time, prosecutors have not publicly stated a motive, and law enforcement has not confirmed whether the alleged victims were specifically chosen or known to the suspect outside of the alleged poisoning acts. The case remains under review as authorities seek to piece together how and why these poisonings may have occurred. We'll keep you posted from the Carolinas. We move now to the Northeast, where a routine delivery outside a pharmacy ended in a robbery that may have been targeted. Police in Bensalem Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, say three men are now in custody after allegedly robbing a delivery driver and stealing approximately $16,000 worth of high demand weight loss and diabetes medications outside a local pharmacy. The incident unfolded Thursday morning, January 15, outside Smart Choice Pharmacy on Street Road, where a delivery driver was making a routine drop off of prescription drugs, according to authorities. The driver was ass assaulted during the handoff. Then the suspects fled in a gold colored Toyota with two boxes containing GLP1 medications including Mounjaro, Ozempic and Trulicity valued at about $16,000. Police recalled shortly after the robbery and located the vehicle a short distance from the pharmacy. Officers pulled the Toyota over and took 41 year old Joshua Dupre of Tamaqua, Pennsylvania, 21 year old Janoi Dawkins of Albany, New York and a 17 old male from New York City into custody. The delivery driver, while thrown to the ground during the incident, was treated at the scene and sustained no serious injuries, officials said. Authorities later recovered the stolen weight loss drugs from the vehicle. Police have charged the suspects with robbery, theft, simple assault and related offenses. Investigators say evidence suggests the robbery may have been planned. Pharmacy staff reported receiving suspicious phone calls and emails in the days before the delivery, inquiring about the timing and details of the shipment, information that police believe may have been used to plan the robbery. Investigators are continuing to review phone records and other communications connected to the pharmacy in the days leading up to the delivery as they work to determine how the suspects may have learned the timing and contents of the shipment. Police have not said whether anyone else is suspected of being involved. Ben Salem public safety officials described the theft as a targeted act, in part because the suspects traveled from New York to the Pennsylvania area for the incident. Smart choice Pharmacy officials told Local News there'd been no indication of trouble before the delivery and they expressed relief that no one was seriously hurt. They also said the pharmacy has since reviewed and updated its delivery safety procedures. Law enforcement officials say the high demand and resale value of GLP1 medications have them attractive targets. Monthly costs can reach up to $1,000 for people without insurance, and because of their high demand and limited availability, particularly when shipped in bulk, criminal activity around the medications has increased. Police continue to investigate the case and encourage pharmacies and delivery drivers to remain vigilant, especially when handling high value medications.
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Lastly, let me tell you about what else is happening at Crime House today. Clues is looking into the case of Maury Travis, a sadistic serial killer who terrorized St. Louis, Missouri. The city has always been shaped by division. Those divisions have influenced where people live, who receives protection, and whose suffering is ignored. Over time, certain murders have come to define St. Louis not because they were the most sensational, but because they exposed something essential about St. Louis itself. The four murders examined here are not obscure crimes or disputed cases. They are real, verified killings. And each one represents a moment when violence forced the city to confront uncomfortable truths about vulnerability, power and justice. Number one Maury Travis the Murders that were Hidden in Plain Sight no modern murder case has unsettled St. Louis more profoundly than the crimes of Maury Travis. Travis was not a drifter or an outsider. He lived quietly in south St. Louis and blended easily into the background of the city. Between the late 1990s and 2002, he murdered multiple women, most of whom were struggling with addiction, homelessness, or involvement with sex work. These were individuals whose disappearances often failed to generate sustained police attention, a vulnerability Trav appears to have deliberately exploited. He lured women to his home, restrained them, tortured them, and killed them. But what made Travis's Crimes especially disturbing was not only the violence, but the documentation. After his arrest in June 2002, police searched his home and discovered videotapes showing women bound, assaulted and tortured over extended periods. These recordings were not created for sale or distribution. Investigators concluded they were made made for Travis himself. Evidence showed he watched the tapes repeatedly, using them as psychological trophies. Travis was arrested alive after one woman escaped his home and called police. Two days later, while being held in jail, he died by suicide, hanging himself with bed sheets in his cell. His death eliminated any chance of interrogation, confession, or a full accounting of his crimes. The Maury Travis murders remain notable because they exposed how predators exploit the invisibility of society's most vulnerable people and how justice can be permanently interrupted. Number two precious the murder of the St. Louis Jane Doe. In February 1983, one of the most disturbing discoveries in St. Louis history was made. Along the Mississippi river, the dismembered body of a young black girl was found floating in the water. She had been decapitated. Her head was never recovered. Despite extensive investigation, the child could not be identified. For nearly 40 years, she was known only as St. Louis Jane Doe. No missing person report was definitively matched to her. No suspect was charged. Over time, the case became emblematic of how marginalized victims, especially black children, were often overlooked under reported or deprioritized by the criminal justice system. The brutality of the murder was shocking, but what lingered was the absence of identity. Leads dried up. Resources shifted. The case faded from public attention. In 2022, advances in genetic genealogy finally restored the child's identity. She was identified as Precious Hope, nearly four decades after her death. The identification brought long overdue dignity and recognition, but it did not bring justice. Her killer has never been identified. This murder stands as a stark reminder that some victims are forgotten, not because they matter less, but because the systems meant to protect them failed to see them at all. Number 3 the Murder of Sam P. McDonnell the Veiled Prophet Bombing On December 30, 1977, a bomb exploded outside the home of Sam P. McDonnell, killing him instantly and seriously injuring his wife. McDonnell was a prominent business executive and a leader within the Veiled Profit Organization, a secretive group long associated with St. Louis's wealthiest families. The murder shocked the city's elite. The Veiled Prophet had symbolized entrenched power and exclusion in St. Louis for generations. Its secrec elitism had drawn increasing criticism as racial and class tensions intensified throughout the 20th century. The perpetrator, Thomas Bruce, deliberately targeted McDonnell as part of a broader campaign against what he viewed as corrupt corporate and social elites. After the bombing, Bruce sent letters threatening additional attacks and condemning the city's concentration of power. Bruce was arrested, convicted, and sentenced to life in prison. This murder remains notable not just because of its violence, but because it shattered the assumption that wealth and status provided insulation from harm. It forced St. Louis to confront resentment toward entrenched power structures that had long gone unacknowledged. Number four the Kirkwood City Hall Murders Civic Space turned deadly on February 7, 2008, violence erupted in one of the most unexpected places in the St. Louis region, Kirkwood Wood City Hall. During a routine city council meeting, Charles Cookie Thornton opened fire, killing five people, including two police officers, before being shot and killed by law enforcement. Thornton was not an unknown figure. For years he'd attended council meetings, angrily confronting officials over zoning disputes involving his apartment complex. His grievances were well documented and his behavior had escalated over time. The murders shocked the region because they occurred in a civic space case, one intended for public participation and democratic process. The attack forced communities across the country to reconsider security threat assessment and how long term grievances can escalate into violence when left unaddressed. The Kirkwood City hall murders remain notable as one of the deadliest attacks on local government in modern American history and as a case study in how fixation and resentment can turn public spaces into sites of tragedy. These four murders are not remembered simply because they were violent. They endure because each one exposed a fracture in the city. Together, these cases form an uncomfortable but necessary portrait of St. Louis not as a uniquely violent city, but as a place where social divisions, institutional failures and human cruelty collided in unforgettable ways. The most notable murders in St. Louis history are not just stories of death. They're stories of warning signs missed, voices ignored and lessons learned at great cost. Some cities are defined by what they build. Others are defined by what they survive. St. Louis is defined by both. For the in depth story behind the serial killer Maury Travis, head over to our Crime House feed for the latest episode of Clues. You've been listening to Crime House 247 bringing you breaking crime news news. I'm Vanessa Richardson. We'll be back tomorrow morning with more developing stories. Stay safe and thanks for listening. Looking for your next listen. Hi, it's Vanessa Richardson and I have exciting news. Conspiracy theories, cults and crimes is leveling up starting the week of January 12th. You'll be be getting two episodes every week. Wednesdays we unravel the conspiracy or the cult and on Fridays we look at a corresponding crime Follow conspiracy theories, cults and crimes now on Apple podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music or wherever you listen.