Crime Junkie: MURDERED – Destiny Jackson & Nyzeera Muhammad

Release Date: October 13, 2025
Host: Britt Prawat (with reporting from Ashley Flowers and Detective Gallagher, Hobart PD)

Episode Overview

This episode examines the unsolved double homicide of Destiny Jackson (20) and her girlfriend Nyzeera Muhammad (19) in Hobart, Indiana, a case recommended to Crime Junkie by the lead detective. The hosts break down developments, theories, and new forensic breakthroughs in a still-active investigation where authorities feel they are close to identifying the killer(s), but conflicting evidence and elusive suspects persist. The episode is both a call-out for tips and a meticulous recounting of the young women’s last days.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Case Introduction & Timeline

• Background: Destiny and Nyzeera, college-aged women, lived with Destiny’s sister Felicia and Felicia’s boyfriend Todd.
• Initial Concern: Both Destiny and Nyzeera go radio silent on November 3, 2022. At first, loved ones aren’t alarmed—unusual sleep schedules are explained away.
• Trigger Event: Felicia gets a concerning second call from Nyzeera’s mother, mentioning she sent her daughter a large sum of money (03:25). Felicia’s “sister Spidey senses tingle,” prompting a welfare check (03:46).

2. Crime Scene Discovery

• Police Entry: Groceries left at the door, bullet casings, blood spatter, and bullet holes lead police inside. Both women are found shot dead in the primary bedroom; Nyzeera appears to have been attacked in the bathroom and fled (05:21).
• Notable Evidence:
  • Unlocked sliding balcony door with a neighbor’s table pushed below and a single dirty shoe print.
  • Destiny’s phone and Nyzeera’s phone case recovered; Nyzeera’s phone found crushed by the road (06:40).
  • Two pairs of gloves: blue latex (possibly used by the killer) and gray work gloves (deemed unrelated).

3. Establishing the Timeline

• Last Communications: Both victims text/called family into the early hours of November 3. No contact after 1:36 am (07:29).
• The Hairdryer Clue: Police find a plugged-in hairdryer still running. Debate arises about whether it was used to start a fire, but it’s likely coincidental (08:01).

4. 911 Call

• Breakthrough Timestamp: Nyzeera called 911 at 4:30 am as the attack occurred. Only gunshots and her distress are audible; police couldn’t locate her at the time (09:11).

5. Suspect Analysis & Motive Exploration

• Immediate Suspects:

  • Roommates Felicia and Todd are quickly ruled out; they have solid alibis in Chicago.
  • Attention shifts to Destiny's and Felicia's estranged brother Terrence, who had a history of abuse and a motive (Felicia was pressing charges that week), but he too is ruled out by alibi (12:05).

• Drug-Related Motive:

  • Felicia reveals Nyzeera routinely bought large amounts of weed, raising the possibility of a drug-related motive (13:18).
  • Destiny’s family believes Nyzeera was the real target, as drugs were the only things missing from the scene.

• Conflicting Stories About the Money:

  • "Felicia is adamant that's what Nyzeera's mom told her the first day… but Nyzeera's mom later states to police her daughter never asked for that money. So I don’t know what to make of the discrepancy" (14:40).

6. Key Suspect: "Chip"

• Events Before the Murders:

  • Nyzeera calls 911 at 5:08 am Nov. 2, reporting a man outside her apartment (17:49).
  • Police find “Chip” in the parking lot, dealing weed, with a pound of marijuana and two guns.
  • Chip was there to sell to Nyzeera, who then (strangely) called police after purchasing from him.

• Escalation:

  • Chip learns she called cops, demands repayment, and through Facebook messages (as “Chips Ahoy”) threatens her, "she won’t make it," and says his friends are in town (18:58).
  • Nyzeera replied, "catch us in the city if you can. Cause it ain't gonna be out here." (19:22).

• Chip's Interrogation:

  • Claims innocence, says he left his factory job early the night of the murders and drove around but can’t account for his whereabouts (20:32).
  • License plate readers put Chip near the scene around the time of the murders; his phone pings near the complex at 4:30 am (21:16).
  • Communicated with two other men before and after the murders; messages between them afterward: "don’t say nothing to nobody" (22:10).

7. Forensic Roadblocks & New Developments

• Weapons: Two guns were used—rifle and handgun—mirroring those seized from Chip, but the rifle didn’t match casings at the scene (22:57).

• Shoes: Unique Nike KD Tray 53/54 sneaker print found, but no suspects connected to them directly (23:35).

• DNA Hurdles: Initially, no usable DNA or prints from the crime scene via the state lab.

• Private Lab Breakthrough (2025):

  • Detective Gallagher sends evidence to a private lab. They find DNA on the blue gloves and a fingerprint on Nyzeera’s phone case (24:30).
  • DNA and print do not match Chip or entries in CODIS/AFIS; more testing of Chip’s two associates is pending.

• Setbacks:

  • DNA sample “used up”—can’t run forensic genealogy (25:19).
  • Many fingerprints at the apartment, but advanced decomposition of the victims means it's unclear which, if any, are from the killer(s).

8. Current State & Community Call

• Detective Gallagher’s View:

  • Convinced case is solvable: “They just need something—a confession, a witness.” (26:15)
  • Still waiting to swab or obtain prints from two men connected to Chip.

• Host’s Message:

  • “The guys who do things like this don’t normally keep things like this to themselves. If there was ever a time to come forward, it’s now.” (27:30)

• Victim Tributes:

  • “Destiny was the glue that held her family together and an inspiration to her eight siblings…” (27:59)
  • Nyzeera remembered for “her infectious smile” and making “heart-shaped pancakes” for her mother’s birthday (28:12).

• Tip Line:

  • Anyone with knowledge is urged to contact Hobart Police.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Felicia’s intuition:

  • "Something about it just made her sister Spidey senses tingle." — Britt (03:41)

• On the roommate conflict:

  • "They were your normal roommate conflicts, nothing violent, but I think they're just looking for anything, any explanation for this inexplicable loss." — Britt (11:20)

• Concerning the motive:

  • “Killing Destiny wouldn’t stop Felicia from pressing charges.” — Britt (12:49)

• On Chip’s threats:

  • “Stating she won’t make it. And that he had friends in town to back him up.” — Britt (19:01)

• On hitting a dead end:

  • “What they need is DNA or a fingerprint, something they can compare to literally anyone.” — Britt (23:55)

• On the forensic breakthrough:

  • “Lo and behold, they got DNA and a print… but they weren’t a match [for Chip].” — Britt (24:40)

• On the importance of tips:

  • “If there was ever a time to come forward, it’s now.” — Britt (27:30)

• On Destiny’s legacy:

  • “She was described as the glue that held her family together and inspiration to her eight siblings because she wanted to pursue higher education.” — Britt (27:59)

• On Nyzeera’s memory:

  • “Her mother said she remembers the heart-shaped pancakes Nyzeera made for her on her last birthday… a testament to how deeply she cared about her loved ones.” — Britt (28:13)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [02:10] – Britt introduces the case and its urgency.
• [03:46] – Welfare check requested and the discovery of groceries at the door.
• [05:21] – Police uncover the crime scene, detail on the bodies and timeline.
• [06:40] – Collection of key physical evidence (phones, gloves).
• [08:01] – The running hairdryer and discussion about fire as a potential cover-up.
• [09:11] – The pivotal 911 call at 4:30 am.
• [12:05] – Dismissal of Felicia, Todd, and brother Terrence as suspects.
• [13:18] – Drug-debt theory discussed.
• [14:40] – Conflicting stories between Felicia and Nyzeera’s mother over missing money.
• [17:49] – Introduction of Chip, the small-time dealer, and his pre-incident interaction.
• [19:22] – “Catch us in the city if you can…”—Nyzeera’s retort to Chip’s threats.
• [21:16] – Locational evidence puts Chip near the crime scene.
• [22:10] – Post-crime messages between Chip’s contacts: “Don’t say nothing to nobody.”
• [24:30] – Private lab DNA and fingerprint breakthrough.
• [27:30] – Britt’s call to listeners for tips.
• [27:59] – Emotional tributes to both victims.

Tone & Delivery

The hosts retain a trademark conversational, empathetic approach—rooted in justice for the victims and a drive to untangle confusing evidence. The episode blends procedural details with emotive tributes, pausing to reflect on family dynamics and the human cost of these senseless murders—while still pushing hard for listener engagement to break the case.

Summary

This Crime Junkie episode lays out a tangled but tantalizing roadmap for a case that feels on the cusp of resolution. From family trauma to small-town drug debts and forensic bottlenecks to digital clues, listeners are drawn into the urgent hunt for answers. The episode is both a true crime breakdown and a public plea—hopeful that just one listener might spark justice for Destiny Jackson and Nyzeera Muhammad.

If you have information, contact Hobart Police—details are in the show notes.