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.
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Episodes
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"A Blood Pool The Size Of A Human Body": Forensics Expert Examines USF Couple's Murder
Apr 3000:27:46Summary readyA couple vanishes and a week later, they’re found dead in the most disturbing way. In Tampa, 27-year-old Zamil Limon and his girlfriend, 27-year-old Nahida Bristy - both University of South Florida doctoral students - were discovered in black garbage bags, one on a bridge and the other in the water. Their families are left devastated and begging to know why this happened. Police say a trail of evidence led to Zamil's roommate, Hisham Abugharbieh, who has now been arrested and charged with two counts of premeditated first-degree murder. Investigative reporter Anne Emerson is joined by Dr. Michelle DuPre, a former medical examiner and retired forensic pathologist, as we break down the physical and digital evidence in this case - from blood pools, to garbage bags, to ChatGPT. We detail the criminal complaint, take a closer look at the victims, the suspect, and the unanswered question: why? Police are asking for the public’s help to move the investigation forward. If you were on the Howard Frankland Bridge in Tampa, Florida in the early morning hours of April 17th and have dashcam footage, police are urging you to come forward and share it: contact the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office at 813-247-8200. GoFundMe: Support for Zamil & Nahida's Families
SummaryDid Nick Reiner Know "What He Was Doing?" Forensic Psychologist Reacts To Latest Updates
Apr 2900:36:41Summary readyNick Reiner is accused of stabbing his parents to death… but did he know what he was doing? In this episode, investigative reporter Anne Emerson is joined by Dr. Joni Johnston, a forensic psychologist and expert witness on insanity pleas, to discuss the psychological side of the shocking killings of Rob and Michele Reiner in Los Angeles in December 2025. As Nick appeared in court today - quiet, expressionless, and reportedly glaring at prosecutors - we learned that the case is stalled until September, with autopsy reports still not completed four months later without explanation. These updates all come as Nick’s brother, Jake Reiner, penned a loving and emotional essay remembering his parents and calling them ‘the center of my life’. We discuss the swirling questions around Nick’s mental health and reported drug use, explore whether an insanity defense could come into play, and dissect the family dynamics surrounding this tragedy. Read Jake Reiner’s Substack entry, ‘Mom and Dad’
SummaryWho REALLY Is D4vd? Inside The Mind Of The Celebrity Murder Suspect
Apr 2800:41:14Summary readyWhat kind of person kills a 14-year-old girl, dismembers her, and hides her remains inside a Tesla? That’s the disturbing question at the center of the case against singer David Anthony Burke, known as D4vd, who is accused of murdering Celeste Rivas Hernandez after she was last seen outside his Los Angeles home. In this episode of Criminally Obsessed, we explore the disturbing psychology of the accused, and of this crime. Investigative reporter Anne Emerson is joined by forensic psychologist Dr. John Delatorre to discuss the psychological profile of someone capable of such violence, and the unsettling overlap between Burke’s music and videos - including a song titled Romantic Homicide - and the allegations against him. Is this a case of art imitating life, where the poet became the predator? We dig into the mind of an accused killer, and the disturbing way that violent fantasy may have played a role in Celeste’s horrific murder.
SummaryCeleste's Missing Fingers & Blue Bits: Death Investigator Dissects Autopsy Report
Apr 2700:44:09Summary readyWhat happened to 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez? As new details emerge, this case only gets more disturbing. Months after her body was discovered in Los Angeles inside a Tesla linked to singer David Anthony Burke (known as D4vd), the newly-released medical examiner’s report reveals the horrific way this child was murdered. What we’re learning is hard to process, adding to the outrage as we await updates on D4vd’s murder charge. In this episode, investigative reporter Anne Emerson is joined by forensic scientist and death investigator Barbara Butcher. We break down new information shared in Celeste’s autopsy report, like blue plastic bits found at dismemberment sites, missing fingers, cut clothing, multiple penetrating wounds, and mutilation. We hear Barbara’s expert opinion on what this evidence could reveal about how the crime unfolded. Follow along for our ongoing coverage as D4vd heads to court later this week. Learn more about Barbara Butcher, and order her book, “What The Dead Know”: https://www.barbarabutcherofficial.com/
SummaryWe Answer 10 Burning Questions About Lynette Hooker's Disappearance
Apr 2300:25:41Summary readyNearly three weeks after Lynette Hooker went missing, the questions are only growing. She fell off a dinghy in the Bahamas on the evening of April 4, 2026 according to her husband, Brian Hooker. We’ve been following this case closely - speaking with people who know and love Lynette like her daughter, Karli, learning from a forensic diver about the complications of water investigations, hearing from a criminologist who studies intimate partner violence, and more to cover the case from all angles. Now, we’re bringing you into the conversation. We share 10 of your comments on this case with forensic investigator Joseph Scott Morgan. You’ll hear his real reactions, concerns, and theories about what may have happened to Lynette, to help us sift through the details and push for answers for her and her loved ones. Listen to Joseph Scott Morgan’s podcast, Body Bags
SummaryLynette Hooker's Daughter Reveals New Bombshell Details In Bahamas Disappearance
Apr 2200:36:35Summary readyIt’s a case that’s been occupying so many of our minds, and a situation that’s nearly unimaginable. When Lynette Hooker vanished after allegedly going overboard while sailing in the Bahamas with her husband Brian Hooker on April 4, 2026, her daughter was left without answers. When we cover these stories, we want to speak to the real people involved, to learn what’s really happening beyond the headlines, and what we can do to push for answers. That’s why we spoke to one of the people who knows Lynette best - Karli Aylesworth, Lynette’s daughter. Investigative reporter Anne Emerson speaks with Karli, who just returned from the Bahamas after retracing her mother’s final known moments, and asks the urgent questions on all of our minds. Karli shares why she doesn’t believe her stepfather Brian Hooker’s account of what happened, and walks us through the details that matter most, from Lynette’s habits and state of mind, to key questions about the dinghy, the kill switch, the float bag, her Apple Watch, and what Lynette was wearing the last time she was caught on camera. With Lynette still missing and no charges filed, we focus on facts over rumors, offering a closer look at the victim, the timeline, and the growing number of unanswered questions in this case we can’t stop thinking about. The National Domestic Violence Hotline is available 24/7 at 800-799-7233 Contribute to Karli’s GoFundMe
SummaryD4vd's Burn Cage & Body Bags - Death Investigator Reveals How Celeste Died
Apr 2100:46:56Summary readyThe case of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez is unraveling before our eyes like a real-life horror movie. The teenager was last seen in April 2025, and then found dismembered in the trunk of a Tesla in Los Angeles in September 2025. That Tesla belonged to rising music artist, David Anthony Burke, known as D4vd. Now, he faces first-degree murder charges with shocking special circumstances. In this episode, we go beyond the headlines to unpack the disturbing evidence tied to Burke’s abandoned Tesla, and the questions that still don’t have answers. From eerie overlaps between his music lyrics and the case, to the forensic challenges of determining exactly how she died, we’re joined by veteran forensic death investigator Joseph Scott Morgan to examine the breaking updates in this case. Dr. Morgan reveals new details from the charging documents, including Celeste’s cause of death by ‘a sharp instrument’. The brutality in this case deepens with every new update we learn. As the investigation continues and Burke maintains his innocence ahead of a preliminary hearing April 23rd 2026, we take a closer look at the timeline, the evidence, and the haunting question at the center of it all: what really happened to Celeste Rivas Hernandez? Listen to the Body Bags podcast with Joseph Scott Morgan
SummaryLynette Hooker Latest: Forensic Diver Reveals Water Search Challenges
Apr 2000:48:32Summary readyHow do you investigate a disappearance when it happens in the open water? Lynette Hooker has now been missing for more than two weeks after reportedly going overboard from a dinghy. She was sailing with her husband, Brian Hooker, near Elbow Cay in the Bahamas - despite media attention and investigation efforts, there are still no answers. With no body recovered and few clues, law enforcement is facing one of the toughest challenges in any case: searching the open water.In this episode of Criminally Obsessed, we break down what that really means - from shifting currents to the harsh reality of what happens to the human body in warm ocean conditions. Investigative reporter Anne Emerson is joined by forensic diver Alex Beer, a veteran police officer and dive rescue expert, who explains why investigations in the ocean can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack… or rather, as he says, a “needle in water”.Alex shares the key red flags he sees in Lynette Hooker’s disappearance based on his experience. His insight into search efforts, ocean behavior, and the investigative process adds a critical layer of expertise to this ongoing mystery.
SummaryWhat Happened To Lynette Hooker? Forensics Expert Raises Concerns In Bahamas Mystery
Apr 1600:39:02Tap to summarizeWhat really happened to Lynette Hooker? The woman who reportedly went overboard near Elbow Cay in the Bahamas has still not been found, and questions and suspicions are only growing. Her husband, Brian Hooker, says strong winds and rough water separated them on April 4th, but his version of events isn’t sitting right with Lynette’s daughter, his friends, or experts looking at the case. In this episode, Investigative reporter Anne Emerson is joined by forensic criminologist Dr. Laura Pettler, who specializes in staged crime scenes. We break down the conflicting accounts, including messages Brian sent in real time that don’t match what was later reported. We learn why incidents - and crimes - that happen on the water can be especially difficult to piece together, and why certain details in Lynette’s case raise major red flags. With no charges filed against Brian Hooker, but suspicion building, we take a closer look at the timeline, the inconsistencies, and the mystery surrounding Lynette’s disappearance.
Transcribe →Will Anna Kepner's Case Divide Their Family?
Apr 1500:22:52Tap to summarize“There’s not a lot of room for escape.” Anna Kepner was asphyxiated in her cruise ship cabin back on November 7, 2025—a cabin she was sharing with her 16-year-old step-brother while on a family vacation. The 18-year-old cheerleader's body was found under the mattress. The step-brother, who is yet to be officially identified, has now been indicted as an adult by a federal grand jury for murder and aggravated sexual abuse and will be tried as an adult. Criminally Obsessed’s Anne Emerson investigates the cruise ship crime scene forensics with DrLaura Pettler as well as the family dynamics that are coming into play in this investigation. What were the red flags and boundary violations? Dr. Pettler says, “to understand Anna Kepner’s alleged murder, you have to understand the system that she came from.” And that’s just what we try to do in this episode.
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