Podcast
Criminally Obsessed
Hosted by Criminally Obsessed · EN
Criminally Obsessed goes deeper — inside the investigations, the courtroom drama, and the human stories at the center of the country’s biggest true crime cases. We track breaking developments, uncover overlooked details, and bring clarity to the chaos — always with compassion for victims and the people whose lives are forever changed. Host Anne Emerson brings more than 30 years of award-winning investigative reporting to every episode. She’s covered the nation’s most high-profile trials firsthand, conducted interviews with some of the biggest names in the true crime world — from Amanda Knox to Elizabeth Smart — and has trusted sources connected to the cases dominating the national conversation.
54episodes
Episodes
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Mackenzie Shirilla “Loves Being Hated” - A Psychological Deep Dive
Yesterday00:46:29Summary readyThe Netflix documentary The Crash has reignited debate around one of the most shocking true crime cases in recent memory: the conviction of Mackenzie Shirilla. In this episode of Criminally Obsessed, Anne Emerson talks with forensic psychologist Dr. John Delatorre to unpacks not only what may have been going on in Mackenzie's mind, but also her parents, Steve and Natalie Shirilla. Drawing from the documentary, courtroom evidence, and Mackenzie's behavior before and after the crash, Dr. John explores whether this was an impulsive act fueled by rage, entitlement, and immaturity—or something far more calculated. We dive deep into the toxic relationship dynamics between Mackenzie and her boyfriend Dom, the role her family may have played in shaping her worldview, and the warning signs that many believe were overlooked long before the deadly crash. Dr. John breaks down concepts like entitlement, impulsivity, narcissistic traits, and the impact of parenting styles, while explaining why he believes Mackenzie's actions don't necessarily fit a traditional self-destruction profile. The discussion also tackles her controversial social media activity, prison behavior, and the ongoing public fascination with the case. Is Mackenzie “hell on wheels” as the judge described her? Dr. John offers his unfiltered analysis of one of the most polarizing true crime stories in recent years, examining how personality, privilege, relationships, and decision-making collided with devastating consequences. Do you believe the crash was premeditated, an impulsive act gone horribly wrong, or something else entirely? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below. Related links: Petition, "Dom and Davion's Law" - Victims Before Influencers: Modernize Son of Sam Laws Davion Flanagan’s Memorial Scholarship Fund Change The Game for Dom Foundation
SummaryNew True Crime Documentary Asks: Did Celeste Beard Actually Orchestrate Her Texas Media Mogul Husband’s Murder?
2d ago00:44:58Summary ready“HE BUILT THIS STATION AND HE WAS MURDERED” This observation led CBS Austin news anchor Walt Maciborski down a rabbit hole. He was fascinated by the murder of his station’s founder, multimillionaire Texas media mogul Steven Beard. Beard was shot by Tracey Tarlton in 1999 while in his bed – but Tracey’s motive has long been in dispute. Beard’s wife, Celeste, is in prison for orchestrating his murder. Some call her a “Trophy Wife,” while others say she was framed by a jilted lover – none other than the trigger person, Tracey. Walt is featured in the latest Criminally Obsessed original true crime documentary, “Celeste: Trophy Wife or Framed for Life,” which premieres June 5 on YouTube. Walt also produced a companion podcast, “Love, Lies and a Shotgun Shell," which can be heard wherever you listen to podcasts. In this episode of Criminally Obsessed, Anne Emerson talks with Walt about what is known as the trial of the century in Austin and his curiosity around this wild case.
Summary5 Reasons This Mom Could Be A Serial Killer: Forensic Psychologist
3d ago00:29:44Summary readyDid this mom poison her family at Thanksgiving dinner? And even worse, could she be a serial killer? North Carolina investigators are asking if Gudrun Casper-Leinenkugel could be the rare female serial killer. Authorities say Gudrun poisoned wine served at a Thanksgiving gathering, killing her daughter Leela Livis and sickening two others. But as investigators dug into her past, they uncovered another death from 2007 involving the same chemical and began examining additional suspicious deaths of people connected to her. In this episode of Criminally Obsessed, investigative journalist Anne Emerson sits down with forensic psychologist Dr. Joni Johnston to do a deep dive into the psychology behind the allegations and explain why female serial killers often look very different from the serial killers most people imagine. Why do female serial killers often target people closest to them? Why is poison such a common weapon? And does Gudrun fit the profile investigators are now considering? Subscribe to Criminally Obsessed for exclusive true crime interviews, expert analysis on the true crime stories you're following, and the latest developments in the shocking Thanksgiving poisoning case.
SummaryThanksgiving Poisoning Mom Chose The “Perfect Cover,” Says Victim's Father
3d ago00:24:15Summary readyA Thanksgiving dinner. A bottle of wine. One daughter dead. And a question investigators are now asking: could this be the work of a female serial killer? Authorities say North Carolina mother Gudrun Casper-Leinenkugel poisoned members of her own family during Thanksgiving dinner by allegedly lacing wine with acetonitrile, a chemical that converts to cyanide in the body. Her 32-year-old daughter, Leela Livis, died. Two others survived. But investigators say the story doesn't stop there. As they dug into Gudrun's past, authorities uncovered another death from 2007 involving the same chemical and reopened questions surrounding a third death in 2017. Now prosecutors are pursuing multiple murder charges as they continue to investigate whether these deaths are connected. In this episode of Criminally Obsessed, investigative reporter Anne Emerson sits down with Travis Peterson, Leela's father, for an emotional and revealing conversation about losing his daughter, the evidence that convinced him investigators got the right person, and why he believes Thanksgiving may have been the "perfect cover." Subscribe to Criminally Obsessed for exclusive true crime interviews, expert analysis, and the latest updates on the cases everyone is talking about.
SummaryAlex Murdaugh Retrial Latest - Attorney General Says 'Everything Is On the Table'
1w ago00:50:15Summary readySouth Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson calls Alex Murdaugh’s murder trial ‘more than a trial. It's a saga.” The South Carolina Supreme Court overturned Alex Murdaugh's double murder convictions of ihis wife Maggie Murdaugh and son Paul Murdaugh. They were shot to death June 7, 2021 at the family’s Moselle property in Colleton County, South Carolina. Alan Wilson won’t be back to personally prosecute what some might call part two of South Carolina’s trial of the century. In this episode of Criminally Obsessed, investigative reporter Anne Emerson sits down with Wilson for an unfiltered conversation about the Alex Murdaugh murder case, the shocking decision by the South Carolina Supreme Court to overturn the original convictions, and whether prosecutors believe they can secure another guilty verdict in one of the biggest true crime cases in America. We ask Wilson our burning questions about disgraced Clerk of Court Becky Hill, Alex’s alleged co-conspirator and cousin Curtis “Eddie” Smith, and the still unsolved Stephen Smith investigation, and hear about his real-time reactions to seeing key evidence in the case for the first time, like the infamous kennel video. Subscribe to Criminally Obsessed for our ongoing coverage of all things Murdaugh, and go beyond the true crime headlines with exclusive interviews, expert analysis, and authentic conversations with the people closest to these true crime headlines.
Summary“A Monster Of A Case” — Police Share Inside Information On Roxanne Sharp’s Murder
1w ago00:20:57Summary readyWhen the Roxanne Sharp murder case went cold, Louisiana State Police tried something unusual to help solve the 1982 killing: they partnered with a trusted local radio host in a small Louisiana town to launch a true crime podcast. In this episode of Criminally Obsessed, Anne Emerson speaks with Louisiana State Police PIO Marc Gremillion about how podcaster Charles Dowdy and the "Who Killed Roxanne?" podcast helped generate new leads in the decades-old cold case murder investigation. After Roxanne Sharp’s case was featured on the true crime podcast and shared across social media, tips started pouring in from Louisiana and across the country. Former Covington residents, people connected to the case, and even younger generations who had only heard rumors about the murder mystery began reaching out to investigators. Louisiana State Police say this was one of the first times the agency partnered so closely with a podcast during an active cold case investigation — and after seeing the response, they believe podcast collaborations could become an important tool in future murder investigations and unsolved cases. The Roxanne Sharp case is now one of the most compelling examples of how true crime podcasts and local journalism can help revive cold cases, reexamine crime scene evidence, and generate new leads. Do you think podcasts and true crime documentaries can help solve crimes? Could more police agencies begin partnering with local media and podcasters to reopen unsolved murder cases? Let us know in the comments.
SummaryWhy It Took 44 Years (and a True Crime Podcast) to Bring Charges in Roxanne Sharp’s Killing
1w ago00:31:52Summary readyA murdered teenage girl. A cold case that went unsolved for more than four decades. After years without answers, Louisiana State Police tried something different: they helped launch a true crime podcast to generate new leads. Now, four men have been charged in connection with the 1982 killing of Roxanne Sharp. Roxanne was 16 when her body was found in a wooded area near the St. Tammany Parish Fairgrounds in Covington, Louisiana. According to Louisiana State Police, the initial investigation determined she had been raped and murdered, but due to limited physical evidence and a lack of public and witness cooperation, the case remained unsolved for more than four decades. That changed after Louisiana State Police took over the investigation and teamed with local radio host Charles Dowdy of the Lake 94.7 to produce the podcast "Who Killed Roxanne?" Authorities say the podcast generated new information, leads, and witness cooperation that had previously been unknown to investigators. In April 2026, arrest warrants were obtained for four men: Perry Wayne Taylor, Darrell Dean Spell, Carlos Cooper, and Billy Williams Jr., all of Covington, Louisiana. They were charged with aggravated rape and second-degree murder. In this episode of Criminally Obsessed, Anne Emerson speaks with the podcast's host, Dowdy, about the case, the podcast, and how storytelling helped move forward a murder investigation that haunted Louisiana for more than four decades.
SummaryNancy Guthrie Latest: Forensic DNA Expert on FBI Lab Testing
2w ago00:24:19Summary readyMore than 100 days into the search for Nancy Guthrie, could a breakthrough be sitting in an FBI lab as we speak? WHAT is taking so long? The disappearance of Today show host Savannah Guthrie’s mother from her Tucson, Arizona home has gripped us since day one. Authorities say DNA evidence is now being analyzed at the FBI lab in Quantico, a move that suggests investigators believe it could be critical to finally bringing answers in Nancy’s disappearance. Forensic DNA expert Tiffany Roy has processed thousands of DNA samples and worked on thousands of cases - it’s her job to review cases that have been processed by private and government labs, and make sure all procedures have been followed correctly. So... have they?We ask her what she believes is happening behind the scenes in Nancy’s case, and whether she thinks the Pima County Sheriff’s Department made a mistake in their process. With no arrest and no suspect publicly named, what will it take to find answers and bring Nancy home?
SummaryExclusive 'Secret' Interview: Alex Murdaugh's Alleged Co-Conspirator Still Awaiting Trial — Why?
2w ago00:13:41Summary readyWHO IS 'COUSIN' EDDIE? As Alex Murdaugh prepares for a murder retrial, why hasn't this alleged Murdaugh co-conspirator gone to trial in the first place? Anne spoke with Curtis “Eddie” Smith, the man prosecutors say helped Alex stage a roadside shooting in Hampton County, South Carolina back in 2021. This is an exclusive interview Anne did in 'secret' that we unearthed from our archives that was conducted just weeks after the incident. Nearly five years later, the alleged co-conspirator in the failed $10 million life insurance plot remains on house arrest, with police claiming he was also pushing drugs, forging checks, and laundering money for Alex. As the Murdaugh case heads back to court, this interview raises an even bigger question: why is one of the key figures in the saga still sitting in legal limbo? Murdaugh defense attorney Dick Harpootlian says a trial for Eddie is taking way too long. Subscribe to Criminally Obsessed so you never miss our continuing Murdaugh coverage.
SummaryMurdaugh Prosecutor's Strategy and Death Penalty for Alex?
2w ago00:24:59Summary readyATTORNEY VS. ATTORNEY: It hasn't even been a week since the news came down that Alex Murdaugh is getting a murder retrial in South Carolina, and so much news around this case has already broke — from a six-figure lawsuit to, now, the fact that the death penalty is on the table for Alex in this trial sequel! A day after our sit-down interview with Murdaugh defense attorney Dick Harpootlian, we caught up with the other side of this case. Creighton Waters helped convict Alex Murdaugh in the murders of his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul in 2023. He’s now faced with trying the same case — but does the defense already know his playbook? Or are there new tricks up his sleeve? Waters reacts to the South Carolina Supreme Court ruling that former Clerk of Court Becky Hill improperly influenced jurors during the 2023 trial, and expresses frustration with how the actions of one court official destroyed the integrity of the verdict. If you know Criminally Obsessed, you know Anne has reported extensively on the Murdaugh saga - she reported from the courtroom on all six weeks of the original trial! We’ll keep bringing you exclusive conversations with key players and the real people behind the headlines. Subscribe so you never miss an episode.
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