Crime Junkie: MYSTERIOUS DEATH OF Amanda Wienckowski

Date: January 1, 2026
Host: Ashley Flowers
Co-host: Brit Prawat

Episode Overview

This episode of Crime Junkie delves into the tragic and mysterious death of Amanda Wienckowski—a 20-year-old woman whose body was discovered frozen and naked in a garbage bin in Buffalo, New York, in January 2009. Hosts Ashley Flowers and Brit Prawat guide listeners through the obfuscated circumstances of Amanda’s disappearance and death, highlighting the determined efforts of her mother, Leslie Brill Meseroll, to seek answers and justice. Despite troubling evidence and a second independent autopsy ruling Amanda’s death as homicide, the official cause remains an accidental overdose. The episode explores potential suspects, conflicting stories, the role of Amanda as a confidential informant, and the systemic challenges her family has faced in their pursuit of accountability.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Leslie’s Vigil & Amanda’s Disappearance

• [00:04–07:57]
  • Leslie, Amanda’s mother, senses Amanda is inside a house on Spring Street and camps outside in her car for weeks, desperate for answers.
  • Adam Patterson, the 42-year-old man Amanda had been staying with, tells Leslie he dropped Amanda off but did not return for her.
  • Suspicious details arise, such as Amanda’s purse and belongings left at Adam’s house.
• Notable Quote:
  • “So she's like, well, why do you have all of this stuff?” – Ashley (03:07)
• Police involvement is lackluster, with conflicting accounts and little sense of urgency.

Discovery of Amanda’s Body

• [07:57–09:19]
  • Amanda’s body is found on January 9, 2009, in a garbage bin across from the house Leslie watched.
  • The trash can had been reported missing days earlier but wasn’t scrutinized, raising questions about police priorities and timelines.

Early Suspects: Adam Patterson & Antoine Garner

• [09:19–16:52]

  • Adam’s story shifts: he initially says he waited outside, later tells police Amanda was meeting someone for adult services.
  • Evidence collected from Antoine’s house includes women’s clothing, Amanda’s belongings, and a newspaper linked to adult service ads.
  • DNA found on Amanda: Adam’s semen and Antoine’s hair, despite Antoine’s denial of recent contact with Amanda.

• Notable Quote:

  • “How do you explain that when you allegedly didn't see her before she went missing?” – Brit (16:52)
  • Antoine's defense: his hair was transferred from a hug after a haircut, though the location in which it was found strains credulity.

Police Investigation & Forensic Discrepancies

• [18:01–20:31]
  • The initial autopsy rules Amanda’s death an accidental overdose, which Leslie contests with convincing evidence.
  • An independent autopsy a year later rules the cause of death as manual strangulation and blunt force trauma, suggesting homicide.
  • Forensic findings include severe neck injury, defensive wounds, and injuries consistent with sexual assault.
• Notable Quote:
  • “She was strangled so badly that it damaged her larynx...and caused her to bite her tongue so hard it almost severed.” – Ashley (18:40)

Conflicting Testimonies, Suspect Behavior, and Systemic Failures

• [20:31–26:18]

  • Stories from Adam and Antoine shift frequently. Adam’s claim of a sexual arrangement with Amanda emerges only after police collect DNA.
  • Antoine’s criminal record comes to light: prior convictions for sexual assault and strangulation.
  • Tense and racially charged communication between Antoine and Leslie on Facebook underscores animosity and suspicion.

• Notable Quote:

  • “You white people kill me. Y'all always trying to blame me for this, but was it my DNA or Patterson's DNA that was found in the whole room?” – Antoine (read by Brit, 24:11)

Amanda as a Confidential Informant

• [20:52–22:39]

  • Leslie reveals Amanda was working as a confidential informant, coerced to participate in drug buys for law enforcement under threat of punishment—placing her in danger for minimal compensation.
  • Ashley and Brit question how this angle fits with the known facts.

• Notable Quote:

  • “$150 is not nearly enough to put your life on the line like that.” – Brit (21:32)

Jailhouse Confessions and Physical Evidence

• [26:18–29:09]
  • Jailhouse informants claim Antoine described Amanda’s death as drug-related, involving sexual encounters and her body being disposed after an apparent overdose.
  • Forensic evidence does not support the drug narrative (no Molly found in Amanda’s system).
  • Arguments over lividity: Amanda’s body was upside down and frozen, matching being placed in a container shortly after death.

Legal Hurdles and Legislative Change

• [29:35–32:53]
  • Despite new evidence, Amanda’s manner of death remains officially “accidental.”
  • Leslie advocates for legal reform: helps pass “Amanda Lynn’s Law” in 2015, making body disposal a felony, but it cannot be retroactively applied.
  • Efforts continue to change the statute of limitations on death certificate rulings and extend time for legal challenges.
  • Antoine is eligible for parole in late 2026.
• Notable Quote:
  • “In order for anyone to be charged with Amanda’s murder, Leslie needs it to actually be called a murder.” – Ashley (30:11)

Memorable Moments & Quotes

• Leslie’s Relentless Search
  “She absolutely refused. So Buffalo PD pulled up like two minutes later...‘do not go in that house. You don't know the guy who lives there.’”—Ashley (05:28)

• Forensic Bombshell
  “She was strangled so badly that it damaged her larynx, dislocated part of her thyroid, and caused her to bite her tongue so hard it almost severed.” —Ashley (18:40)

• Antoine’s Facebook Message
  “Listen, you stupid b. I wasn't the last one to see your daughter alive. And if you put my name on your FB again, I'mma file a suit for defamation, you f-ing crackhead. You white people kill me.”—Brit reading Antoine (24:11)

• Systemic Frustration
  “In the state of New York, ...getting rid of a body like that is only a misdemeanor at best.” —Ashley (29:25)

• Call to Action for Listeners
  “Leslie is asking us, the crime junkies, to call the New York legislator and put pressure on them to consider extending it to 20 years.” —Ashley (31:45)

Important Timestamps

• 00:04: Introduction: Leslie camps outside the suspected house
• 03:20: Adam Patterson’s suspicious behavior and story
• 07:57: Discovery of Amanda’s body
• 08:36: Strange focus: missing trash can versus missing person
• 09:19: Police finally search Antoine’s house
• 12:49: Three-way call hints at a deeper connection between Adam, Amanda, and Antoine
• 16:52: DNA evidence reveals Adam and Antoine’s biological material on Amanda
• 18:01: Dispute over accidental overdose vs. homicide; details of independent autopsy
• 20:52: Revelation of Amanda as a confidential informant
• 24:11: Antoine’s antagonistic Facebook messages to Leslie
• 26:18: Jailhouse claim: Antoine's alleged account of that night
• 29:35: Law change: Amanda Lynn’s Law, statute of limitations for cause-of-death rulings
• 31:45: Legislative and advocacy efforts moving forward

Tone and Language

• Conversational and empathetic, with support for Amanda’s family.
• Persistent questioning of inconsistent official narratives and the integrity of the investigation.
• Use of direct quotes preserves the speakers’ tone, especially during emotional or confrontational moments.

Conclusion

This episode paints a complex and troubling portrait of Amanda Wienckowski’s death—a case hampered by shifting stories, failed investigations, and bureaucratic obstacles. It highlights the indefatigable spirit of her mother Leslie in fighting for truth and legal reforms even after years with no formal justice. The episode encourages listeners to support ongoing legislative changes in New York, echoing Amanda’s lost potential and her family’s enduring quest for answers.

If you have information or are a survivor of sexual violence, resources and contact details are provided at the end of the episode and in the show notes.