When San Diego police discovered fellow officer Ciara Estrada dead in her bathroom, they determined she shot herself with her own gun. At a New Year’s party the night before, Estrada got drunk, fought with her boyfriend, and made many references to self-harm. But Estrada’s family say police didn’t go deep enough, claiming investigators were too quick to lay the blame on her. They say Estrada’s tumultuous relationship with another cop was never explored. They believe the department protected the man who — directly or indirectly — is responsible for her death.

In the podcast “One of Their Own” from KPBS, host Katie Hyson explores how the San Diego Police Department investigated the 2017 death of their officer. It looks into claims that Estrada was either shot by the fellow cop who was her boyfriend, or that their volatile romance drove her to suicide. It also asks what responsibility the department might have when two of its employees are in a problematic relationship.

OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "ONE OF THEIR OWN" BEGIN IN THE FINAL 11 MINUTES OF THE EPISODE.

In Crime of the Week: cold wallet.

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This show was recorded in The Caitlin Rogers Project Studio. Click to find out more.

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