Former MLB pitcher on trial for murder. New evidence in Karen Read. Plus, testifying anonymously.

Summary

Dateline NBC – Detailed Summary

Episode Title: Former MLB Pitcher on Trial for Murder. New Evidence in Karen Read. Plus, Testifying Anonymously.

Release Date: May 22, 2025

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1. Introduction

In this gripping episode of Dateline NBC, host Andrea Canning and her team delve into multiple high-profile true-crime cases. The episode primarily focuses on the trial of former Major League Baseball pitcher Dan Serafini accused of murdering his in-laws, the ongoing retrial of Karen Reid in the death of her boyfriend John O'Keefe, and a comprehensive roundup of other significant cases, including the Menendez brothers' parole battle and Lori Valo Debel's court proceedings. Additionally, the episode features an insightful discussion on the complexities of anonymous testimony in high-stakes trials.

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2. Former MLB Pitcher Dan Serafini on Trial for Murder

A. Case Background and Crime Details

On June 5, 2021, the tranquil west shore of Lake Tahoe, California, became the scene of a brutal crime. Robert Gary Spore and his wife Wendy Wood were violently attacked in their home. An intruder, masked and wearing a wig, entered their residence, hid in a closet, and subsequently shot Gary dead while Wendy survived with severe injuries. Despite the apparent evidence, the case went cold for over two years.

Notable Quote:

• "Eight years later, there's been an arrest." [01:02]

B. Arrest and Charges

In the fall of 2023, authorities apprehended Dan Serafini, the son-in-law of the victims, marking a significant breakthrough in the case. Serafini, a former MLB pitcher known for his appearance on the TV show Bar Rescue in 2015, has pleaded not guilty to charges of murder and attempted murder. His trial commenced at the Placer County Superior Court in Auburn, California.

Notable Quote:

• "Serafini is a former major league baseball pitcher." [03:00]

C. Victims and Family Dynamics

Wendy and Gary Spore were a well-regarded couple in Dedham, Massachusetts, with substantial real estate investments totaling over $10 million. Their two daughters, Erin and Adrian, are three years apart. Erin is married to Dan Serafini, whose financial struggles post-MLB career led to tensions within the family.

Notable Quotes:

• "They seem like a really lovely couple." – Rachel White [03:24]
• "He burned through all of his money that he got from major league baseball." [07:38]

D. Evidence and Investigation

Initial investigations revealed CCTV footage capturing the masked intruder entering and exiting the Spore household. Additionally, a series of gunshots was recorded shortly after the intruder's arrival. Despite the clear footage, it wasn't until years later that Dan Serafini became the prime suspect, primarily due to his financial distress and possible motives related to inheritance.

Notable Quotes:

• "They had all this evidence, they just didn't act on it until recently." [01:04]
• "There's footage of that. Then while they're away, there's a recording of five gunshots." [05:50]

E. Arrest of Samantha Scott

Samantha Scott, a friend of Aaron (Erin and Dan's son) and Dan Serafini, was arrested for accessory to murder. Evidence linking her to the crime includes her vehicle being present near the crime scene and her cell phone pinging in the area during the time of the murder. Scott has taken a plea deal and is expected to be a pivotal witness in the trial, potentially testifying against Serafini.

Notable Quotes:

• "Samantha Scott definitely is going to be the most important witness in this case." [08:53]
• "There will be a lot of updates. It's going to go on for a while." [10:03]

F. Defense Strategy

Serafini's defense team challenges the prosecution's case by disputing the identification of the masked intruder in the CCTV footage, arguing that the person does not resemble Serafini's physical build. They also question the motive, suggesting that with financial support from his in-laws, Serafini had no reason to commit the heinous act.

Notable Quotes:

• "It changes things. I mean, it allows them to make the case." – Sue Simpson [16:20]
• "You're not going to be an expert in the field." [18:02]

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3. Karen Reid's Retrial in the Death of John O'Keefe

A. Case Overview

Karen Reed is on retrial for the death of her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O'Keefe, who was killed in January 2022. Originally convicted of causing O'Keefe's death by backing her SUV into him and leaving him to die in the cold, Reed has maintained her innocence, alleging that law enforcement orchestrated the incident to frame her.

B. Prosecution's New Evidence

This retrial, now in its fifth week, features fresh forensic evidence, including DNA found on the tail light of Reed's SUV and newly recovered digital data from the vehicle's infotainment module. An expert witness, Shannon Burgess, provided technical testimony establishing a more precise timeline of the events leading to O'Keefe's death.

Notable Quotes:

• "The prosecution's focus turned toward two kinds of forensic evidence." [12:29]
• "There was data from the car that was missed when the data was originally downloaded." [15:39]

C. Defense's Challenge

The defense has aggressively challenged the credibility of the prosecution's forensic experts, particularly targeting Burgess's qualifications to undermine his testimony. They argue that the presence of unknown DNA suggests alternative scenarios, including the involvement of other individuals.

Notable Quotes:

• "The defense was basically named two of the people they claim beat up John O'Keefe." [14:33]
• "He's clearly hoping that the jury will believe that neither the witness nor his work can be trusted." [17:37]

D. Prosecution's Strategy

Prosecutors aim to solidify their case by presenting a streamlined, data-driven narrative that meticulously reconstructs the timeline of events, reinforcing the link between Reed and O'Keefe's death.

Notable Quotes:

• "The prosecution case is so streamlined this time around, the second trial." [18:45]
• "John O'Keefe last used his iPhone at 12:32:09 while Karen was still backing up." [16:12]

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4. Dateline Roundup

A. Linda Sturmer Retrial Updates

Linda Sturmer, accused of murdering her husband Todd Stermer in 2007 by setting him on fire and running him over with a van, returned to court for sentencing. The family delivered heartfelt victim impact statements, emphasizing the horrific nature of Todd's death. The judge sentenced Sturmer to life without the possibility of parole, citing the need to protect the public and deter similar crimes.

Notable Quotes:

• "I have zero forgiveness in my heart for Linda." [22:45]
• "Only this sentence could, quote, protect others from Linda." [23:20]

B. Lori Valo Debel’s Court Proceedings

Lori Valo Debel faces charges of conspiring to murder her niece’s ex-husband, Brandon Boudreau. During a heated pre-trial hearing, Debel, who represents herself, demanded the judge recuse himself, alleging personal bias. The judge denied her request, emphasizing procedural adherence. The trial is set to commence on June 2.

Notable Quotes:

• "I have to ask that you would recuse yourself from the obvious personal bias that you have against me." [25:00]
• "Opening statements are scheduled for June 2." [25:20]

C. Menendez Brothers’ Parole Hearing Delay

The Menendez brothers, convicted in 1996 for the murder of their parents, faced a pivotal parole hearing initially scheduled for June 13. However, their parole consideration has been postponed to August 21-22 following objections from key parties involved, including victims' families. Their cousin, Anna Maria Baralt, expressed support for the delay, viewing it as beneficial for adequate preparation.

Notable Quotes:

• "The parole hearing got moved to August." [26:36]
• "This is actually a pretty good thing because they have time to prepare." [26:48]

D. Understanding Anonymous Testimony

Attorney Lindsey Goldbrum from Goddard Law discusses the challenges and legal frameworks surrounding anonymous testimonies in high-profile cases. Highlighting cases like Harvey Weinstein and Sean "Diddy" Combs, Goldbrum explains that anonymity is granted based on factors like safety concerns, privacy rights, and the public interest. The delicate balance judges must maintain ensures that the rights of all parties are respected while safeguarding vulnerable witnesses.

Notable Quotes:

• "It's about trying to just strike the right balance between all the parties involved." [31:07]
• "Safety concerns, privacy concerns... emotional well-being and professional consequences." [30:27]

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5. Upcoming Stories and Conclusion

As the episode wraps up, Andrea Canning teases upcoming segments, including a classic true-crime story about the disappearance of 12-year-old Janelle Matthews in 1984, which gained new leads in 2019. The episode underscores Dateline NBC’s commitment to delivering in-depth investigative journalism and compelling storytelling for true-crime enthusiasts.

Notable Quote:

• "We will have more updates on these cases and more in-depth analysis in our upcoming episodes." [32:37]

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Production Credits: Produced by Franny Kelly and Katie Ferguson, with associate producers Carson Cummins and Caroline Casey. Senior Producer Liz Brown Kuriloff, alongside a dedicated team, ensures the high-quality presentation of Dateline NBC’s true-crime narratives.

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This comprehensive summary encapsulates the key discussions, evidence presented, and the emotional gravity surrounding each case featured in this episode of Dateline NBC. Through meticulous reporting and expert interviews, the episode provides listeners with a nuanced understanding of complex legal battles and the human stories at their core.

Transcript

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[Morning Host]

Hey, good morning.

[Andrea Canning]

Good morning, everyone. You're listening in to Dateline's morning meeting here at 30 Rockefeller Center.

[Vince Sterla]

Eight years later, there's been an arrest.

[Andrea Canning]

Our producers are catching up on breaking crime news around the country. She apparently wore a wig at a mask. There's CCTV footage of her entering this house. So they had all this evidence, they just didn't act on it until recently. Dana Chandler has violated the no contact order with her daughter and she keeps calling her about. What did you say on dateline. Welcome to DATELINE True Crime Weekly. I'm Andrea Canning. It's May 22, and here's what's on our docket. In Dedham, Massachusetts, the prosecution is winding down at the retrial of Karen Reid, but the courtroom drama isn't.

[Sue Simpson]

The defense was on the attack from.

[Andrea Canning]

The jump in DATELINE roundup. We've got the latest on some stories we've been watching. The Michigan mom convicted of killing her husband by setting him on fire and running him over with a van learns her fate. And Lori Valo Debel has a bold request for her trial. Judge, I have to ask that you would recuse yourself from the obvious personal bias that you have against me. Plus, in the next week or so, a Jane Doe will testify against Sean Combs at his federal trial. We've asked an attorney to give us the lowdown on witnesses who are anonymous in the courtroom.

[Vince Sterla]

Probably one of the most important factors that a judge weighs is safety concerns.

[Andrea Canning]

But before all that, we're heading to Northern California, where a former major league baseball pitcher is on trial for murder on June 5, 2021. On the west shore of Lake Tahoe in California. Someone entered the home of Robert Gary Spore and his wife Wendy Wood. This intruder hid in a closet and waited. When the couple returned after an afternoon at the lake, the intruder shot them. Gary was killed, but Wendy survived with severe injuries. Then two years later, in the fall of 2023, investigators made an arrest. It was none other than Gary and Wendy's son in law, Dan Serafini.

[Morning Host]

Serafini is a former major league baseball.

[Andrea Canning]

Pitcher and was also featured in 2015.

[Vince Sterla]

On an episode of the TV show Bar Rescue.

[Andrea Canning]

Serafini pleaded not guilty to charges including murder and attempted murder. And this week his trial began in the Placer County Superior Court in Auburn, California. Here to tell us more about the case is Dateline producer Vince Sterla. Vince, thanks for coming on the podcast.

[Rachel White]

Yeah, happy to be here. Thanks for having me.

[Andrea Canning]

Tell us a little bit about the victims, Wendy and Gary.

[Rachel White]

They seem like a really lovely couple. I mean, I know we say that a lot, but in their case it's certainly true. They met in college, they met 50 years ago. They started dabbling in real estate, Just kept making good investments over and over and over again. Apparently their estate overall is worth maybe 10 million of 10 plus.

[Andrea Canning]

They also have two daughters, Erin and Adrian. Tell us about the kids and this connection to Serafini.

[Rachel White]

Yeah, three years apart. The oldest one, Aaron, married Danny Serafini, who was an interesting character, left handed reliever, journeyman, pitched at a variety of baseball teams in the major leagues. And then he eventually, you know, retired. He kind of aged out. They settled in area called Sparks, which is adjacent to Reno. And he bought a bar there, called it the Bullpen since he was a bullpen pitcher.

[Andrea Canning]

Yeah.

[Rachel White]

And you know, I don't know how successful the bar was.

[Andrea Canning]

What was the first sign that something had happened to Wendy and Gary?

[Rachel White]

So there was a 911 call. Someone was on the line, but sort of moaning, breathing, and they could hear a television in the background. And that's it. EMTs went out there and it took them a while to find the house just because it was a cell call. And they went up into the family room, the TV's on and they found Gary slumped to the side, dead, had been shot in the head. Then they saw there was a blood trail and they followed the blood trail into a bathroom and they found Wendy. There was an EMT checked on Wendy, thought she was dead. And then she moaned. I said, oh my gosh, she's alive.

[Andrea Canning]

That's awesome.

[Rachel White]

And she was. Then she was Medevaced to a trauma center in Reno. Police investigators do not believe she's going to make it. And weeks go by, and then she comes out of a coma, really, and she's questioned. She has no memory of what happened, though.

[Andrea Canning]

Police, we know, they canvass, they talk to neighbors, they look for surveillance video, which everyone has now on their, you know, doorbells and, you know, everywhere else. So this is the first big clue for them. Right, Some footage that they found. The police.

[Rachel White]

Yes. They looked at the family security system, and what had happened that day is that Gary and Wendy had Aaron and the grandchildren over to go boating. And there's footage of that. Then while they're away, a person comes walking up their road and then into their driveway. And this person's wearing a hoodie, wearing a surgical mask, and presumably goes inside the house through the garage door. And then.

[Andrea Canning]

Scary.

[Rachel White]

Yes. Erin leaves with the kids. And after she leaves, there's a recording of five gunshots. And then a couple of minutes later, you see this person with the hoodie on the mask leave the same way they came in.

[Andrea Canning]

Did the police have any idea who this masked person was?

[Rachel White]

No, not at all. Not at that point.

[Andrea Canning]

The case goes cold about a couple of years go by. Wendy is actually doing much better at this point.

[Rachel White]

She's doing very well. She's gone through rehab. She's learned how to ride a bike again.

[Andrea Canning]

But tragedy strikes again.

[Rachel White]

Yes. Apparently, Wendy was found dead. I think it was 23 months or so after the shooting. The death is ruled to be a suicide.

[Andrea Canning]

Wow, that's so sad.

[Rachel White]

Yeah, yeah, very much so.

[Andrea Canning]

What happens to the case?

[Rachel White]

There was no public disclosures as far as in terms of how the investigation was progressing. It got handed down from like one prosecutor to the next. And the latest prosecutor really chewed away at it, as did the lead detective.

[Andrea Canning]

To the best of your knowledge. Then why did they start to zero in on Danny Serafini?

[Rachel White]

I believe they were on. They were looking at him hard early on, at least. Judging from the preliminary hearing, Danny Serafini was having financial problems. Investigators said that he burned through all of his money that he got from major league baseball years earlier. And so he. It seems like he always had to go hat in hand to his in laws to ask for money to help keep the bar going, to help keep his kids in school, to help pay his mortgage, and finally got tired of it and wanted his inheritance earlier than was due. There was a detective that testified, two, possibly three people said that Danny would get so angry talking about his in laws, he would Say that I would like to kill them or find someone to kill them.

[Andrea Canning]

Police end up arresting Danny Serafini.

[Rachel White]

Yes. And this woman named Samantha Scott.

[Andrea Canning]

Oh.

[Rachel White]

And we're wondering, well, who's Samantha Scott? And it turns out it was kind of a friend of Aaron and Danny Serafini.

[Andrea Canning]

And in their opening statements earlier this week, prosecutors said Danny and Samantha Scott were more than friends. They alleged they were having an affair, which is something Samantha had denied up until now. So do we know what led up to her arrest?

[Rachel White]

The reason why she was arrested, as it turns out, is that as police were going through and pulling all the surveillance camera from basically residences all around that on the West Shore, they kept seeing a particular car that would pop up. A brown Subaru with a dent on the back left fender. And that's exactly the kind of car that Samantha Scott had. And so they went to her and looked at her and found out her cell phone was pinging in that area. This is around hours of the murder.

[Andrea Canning]

And then just a few months ago, Samantha took a plea deal for accessory to murder. Prosecutors are saying she drove Serafini from Nevada, where he was working, to the Tahoe area to commit the crime. It seems like she's going to be extremely important in this trial. Right.

[Rachel White]

Samantha Scott definitely is going to be the most important witness in this case because there's no evidence of Danny being there that day other than Samantha Scott's testimony, if that's what she does testify to.

[Andrea Canning]

Danny Serafini has denied any involvement in this crime. What is his defense that you know so far?

[Rachel White]

Yeah, no, it's interesting. At the preliminary hearing, so they showed the video of this person walking into the house and out. And the defense was saying that video proves it's not Serafini because the person looks smaller and lighter. You know, Danny's a pretty buff guy, big shoulders. They claim that that video proves it's not him, it's not Danny. And their contention is why kill the golden goose? Aaron's parents were giving them all the money they wanted, so why put an end to that?

[Andrea Canning]

So Erin has not been charged or been named a suspect. She's saying that her husband had nothing to do with this and that she has nothing to do with this.

[Rachel White]

Absolutely.

[Andrea Canning]

Aaron is expected to testify for the defense.

[Rachel White]

That's what we understand, that Erin will testify on the behalf of her husband.

[Andrea Canning]

All right, Vince, again, Danny Serafini has pled not guilty. And we look forward to getting updates from you.

[Rachel White]

Oh, yeah, there will be a lot of updates. It's going to go on for a while.

[Andrea Canning]

Okay. Thank you so much. Up next, the prosecution has been presenting its case against Karen Reed for a second time. Earlier this week, prosecutors called a brand new witness armed with a brand new timeline about what happened the night John o' Keefe was killed. Hey, this is Jeff Lewis from Radio Andy live and uncensored. Catch me talking with my friends about my latest obsessions, relationship issues and bodily ailments. With that kind of drama that seems to follow me, you never know what's going to happen. You can listen to Jeff Lewis live at home or anywhere you are. Download the SiriusXM app for over 425 channels of AD, free music, sports, entertainment and more. Subscribe now and get 3 months free offer details apply.

[Reba McEntire]

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[Andrea Canning]

One most trusted app based on August 2024 proprietary survey. Over 500,000 new listings every month based.

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[Andrea Canning]

Listings February 2024 through January 2025.

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[Andrea Canning]

Karen Reid's retrial has now entered its fifth week and the prosecution winding down its case. Reed is accused of backing her SUV into her Boston police officer boyfriend John o' Keefe and leaving him to Die in the cold back in January 2022. She has pleaded not guilty, with her defense arguing that law enforcement set her up to take the fall for Okeefes death after he was beaten up at a house party. This week, the prosecution's focus turned toward two kinds of forensic evidence. DNA found on the tail light of Karen's SUV and digital data from the car itself. And they called a brand new witness to the stand, an expert who says newly recovered data proves the commonwealth's case. Here to bring us the latest is Dateline producer Sue Simpson. Sue, hello again.

[Sue Simpson]

Hello, Andrea.

[Andrea Canning]

Yes. My first question. You know what it is?

[Sue Simpson]

Let's now jinx it. You did win.

[Andrea Canning]

You won. Okay. Amazing. All right, so. So let's jump right into the testimony. First up, we had some expert testimony on DNA.

[Sue Simpson]

That's right, Andrea. The first witness, Nicholas Bradford, was a DNA expert who testified during the first trial. And he looked at the DNA on that taillight, and he found that there was very strong support, his words, that the DNA matched John o' Keefe and two other unknown unrelated individuals.

[Andrea Canning]

So this is unknown DNA. Sue, doesn't this open the door to the defense theory then, that there might be other people involved in o' Keefe's death?

[Sue Simpson]

Exactly. Remember, the defense alleges that John o' Keefe was beaten up at this after party and dragged outside and left for dead in the snow. And on cross examination, Alan Jackson pointed out several members of law enforcement were present at the after party the night John o' Keefe died, and their DNA was not compared to the DNA on that broken taillight. And in this clip, the defense is basically named two of the people they claim beat up John o' Keefe, ATF agent Brian Higgins and former Boston police officer Brian Albert.

[Rachel White]

Were you asked to compare a known sample from a person by the name of Brian Higgins?

[Morning Host]

No.

[Rachel White]

Were you asked to compare a known sample from a person by the name of Brian Albert?

[Sue Simpson]

No.

[Andrea Canning]

Sue, over the past few weeks, we've been hearing from a lot of people who also testified in the first trial. And we've mostly been looking at the same evidence as last time. But on Monday afternoon, there was a new witness who had new evidence. Tell us about him.

[Sue Simpson]

Yes. This was a man named Shannon Burgess. He's an expert in digital forensics in vehicles and cell phones at a company called Aperture. And he was on the stand for the better part of two days. His testimony was so technical, Andrea, at times it was just laced with strings of numbers. But basically, he took a look at the data found in what's called the infotainment module from Karen Reed's su. And that data includes things like when the car turned on and turned off and when and how the car moved and what time those movements happened.

[Andrea Canning]

So he said that he believes there was data from the car that was missed when the data was originally downloaded.

[Sue Simpson]

Burgess said when the data was initially downloaded, an SD card was missed. He got his hands on it, and he testified that he was able to get information from it that gave him a clear idea about the timeline of what actually happened that night. So Burgess testified that the car was turned at 12:12:36am and turned off about 30 minutes later. So that would cover the time that Karen and John left the bar and drove to the after party, and then when Karen returned to John's house alone. Burgess also testified about a backup maneuver.

[Andrea Canning]

Does this change anything with the timeline, sue, or add any insight, or was it more just informative for the jury?

[Sue Simpson]

No, it changes things. I mean, it allows them to make the case. John o' Keefe was using an app on his iph, you know, Waze, which gives you directions to places. Burgess testified that Karen put her car into reverse between. Now, here come the numbers. 12 hours, 32 minutes and 4 seconds. And 12 hours, 32 minutes and 12 seconds. Burgess said that John O' Keefe last used his iPhone at 12 hours, 32 minutes and 9 seconds while Karen was still backing up. And then O' Keefe never used his phone again. So the prosecution is using Burgess testimony to establish a timeline to say that Karen Reed did hit John o' Keefe.

[Andrea Canning]

Some very technical testimony, Sue. The defense spent a lot of time questioning this witness about his credentials.

[Sue Simpson]

That's right. The defense was on the attack from the jump. Attorney Robert Alessi, he's a new member of Karen Reed's team, hammered Burgess credibility, accusing him of misrepresentation for saying that he had a Bachelor's of Science degree when he doesn't.

[Andrea Canning]

If I did the math correctly, sir, you've been pursuing a bachelor of science degree for Seddon 17 years, correct? That is correct. And you have not obtained it as you sit here today? That is correct. And yet there are the various documents that we've seen that state that you.

[Reba McEntire]

Have obtained a Bachelor of Science.

[Sue Simpson]

This is a strategy, Andrea, that we've seen the defense used before. In the first trial, they went after the credentials of another accident reconstructionist who did not have a bachelor's degree either, and they took him apart. You know, he's clearly hoping that the jury will believe that neither the witness nor his work can be trusted.

[Andrea Canning]

Because how did this witness respond to that? You know, by having his credentials attacked.

[Sue Simpson]

You know what amazed me about that? Honestly, Andrea, if it was me, I would have crumpled. But he really stayed calm.

[Andrea Canning]

How did the prosecution handle the misrepresentation claim on redirect?

[Sue Simpson]

Well, after Alessi finished his cross examination, the prosecutor did push back on the idea that Burgess needed a degree to be an expert in the field.

[Vince Sterla]

Is a bachelor's degree a prerequisite of.

[Andrea Canning]

Success in a particular field?

[Sue Simpson]

No, it is not.

[Vince Sterla]

You ever hear of Bill Gates?

[Andrea Canning]

Yes.

[Vince Sterla]

Stephen Jobs?

[Andrea Canning]

Yes. Oprah Winfrey? Sustained. Sue, you were in the courtroom for most of the first trial and now the second trial. The prosecution's case is almost over. Any big differences that stand out to you at this point?

[Sue Simpson]

Well, Andrea, the prosecution case is so streamlined this time around, the second trial, there are many fewer witnesses. What we have seen is a good, a very strong emphasis on technical, on science, on data, on things like the dwindling battery power in John Okeefe's cell phone the night he died, showing what the prosecution says that, you know, he lay out on the lawn, he was slowly dying of his injuries and hypothermia. And of course, we have another accident reconstructionist to come in the prosecution's case. And he's expected to lay out exactly how prosecutors believe John o' Keefe was killed. And prosecutors hope that he'll wrap up the case for them.

[Andrea Canning]

It's also fascinating. Thank you so much for bringing us this latest chapter in the Karen Reed retrial.

[Sue Simpson]

Thanks, Andrea.

[Andrea Canning]

Coming up, it's Dateline Roundup. We've got updates on the Menendez brothers fight for freedom and Lori Valo Debel is back in court. Plus, everything you didn't know about testifying in court anonymously.

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[Reba McEntire]

Nearly home. Isn't home where we all want to be, reba? Here for realtor.com, the Pro's number one most trusted app. Finding a home is like dating. You're not just looking for a place to live. You're searching for the one. That's where realtor.com comes in. Like any good matchmaker, they know exactly where to look. With over 500,000 new real listings straight from the pros every month, you could find your perfect match today, ranch style with the pool, barndominium with an in Law Suite. Realtor.com's got em modern craftsman with a big yard and a treehouse out back. Realtor.com will have you saying yes. Yep, that's the one. No more swapping. It's time to start finding. Download the realtor.com app today cause you're nearly home. Make it real with realtor.com pro's number.

[Andrea Canning]

One most trusted app based on August 2024 proprietary survey. Over 500,000 new listings every month based.

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On average new for sale and rental.

[Andrea Canning]

Listings February 2024 through January 2025. Welcome back. Joining us for this week's roundup is producer Rachel White. Welcome back, Rachel.

[Morning Host]

Hi, Andrea.

[Andrea Canning]

Let's get right to it. First up, an update out of Pawpaw, Michigan in the Linda Sturmer retrial. Rachel, quickly remind us about that case.

[Morning Host]

Sure. So Linda was accused of killing her husband, Todd Stermer by setting him on fire and then running him over with a van back in 2007. And as you mentioned, this was her second trial and now her second conviction.

[Andrea Canning]

Yeah. So she, she was convicted of his murder as we reported on the podcast last month. And now we're back in court for sentencing.

[Morning Host]

That's right. And Todd's family was there. His mother, sister, and brother all gave victim impact statements.

[Andrea Canning]

Todd's death was nearly 20 years ago. You could still sense how much his death has affected the family.

[Morning Host]

Definitely. Todd's sister told the court that one of the biggest heartbreaks in all of this for her is that there's no question that he suffered an excruciating and painful death. So she didn't mince words when she addressed l. I have zero forgiveness in.

[Andrea Canning]

My heart for Linda. And I hope when death comes for her, I hope it is as painful.

[Morning Host]

And as agonizing as the one you put Todd through.

[Andrea Canning]

You deserve it. When it was Linda's turn to give a statement, what did she say?

[Morning Host]

She didn't apologize and gave no words of comfort for the family. She maintained that she's innocent and, you know, said that she was prepared for the battle ahead to clear her name.

[Andrea Canning]

Okay. And when handing down her sentence, the judge had some really strong words for Linda Stermer. Murder is by its nature a monstrous de, but the one you've committed is even more gruesome than most.

[Morning Host]

Yeah. And ultimately, the judge sentenced Sturmer to life without the possibility of parole, adding that only this sentence could, quote, protect others from Linda and deter others from committing similar conduct.

[Andrea Canning]

So up next, we are in Phoenix, where Lori Valo Deba was back in court ahead of her second criminal trial in Arizona. Rachel, as we know, Lori is facing charges of conspiring to murder her niece's ex husband, Brandon Boudreau. We talked about this last week, but quickly remind us again, what exactly happened to Brandon.

[Morning Host]

So, according to investigators out of Gilbert, Arizona, someone parked a Jeep Wrangler outside of Brandon's home and fired a shot at him back in October 2019. Brandon wasn't hurt, but the bullet shattered the driver's side window of his car. Investigators believe that Lori's brother, Alex Cox, was the shooter, but he was never charged because he died before charges were even filed. Investigators did, however, charged Lori, who has pleaded not guilty.

[Andrea Canning]

As we mentioned last week, she's representing herself for the second time now. And at her most recent pre trial hearing, things got quite heated when Lori confronted the judge. Let's take a listen. I have to ask that you would recuse yourself from the obvious personal bias that you have against me. And what personal bias is that? A lot, obviously, the personal bias that you're showing right now. Okay, well, I don't have any personal bias. All right, so you denied every single one of my motions since for a year and a half that I've been here, every single one of my motions has been denied. And have any of those motions not have merit? I think I was here this morning.

[Rachel White]

About 15 minutes ago when I granted.

[Andrea Canning]

Your motion to meet with your attorneys.

[Rachel White]

Over the lunch hour.

[Morning Host]

And Andrea, this back and forth went on for a few more minutes. The judge said that he had ruled on Laurie's motions as required by law and refused to recuse himself.

[Andrea Canning]

When can we expect that trial to start, Rachel?

[Morning Host]

Opening statements are scheduled for June 2, and the trial is expected to last until June 13.

[Andrea Canning]

Okay, so for our final story, we are headed to Los Angeles for news in a case we've been talking about a lot recently. The Menendez brothers. They were convicted in 1996 for killing their parents and they were serving life sentences without the possibility of parole until last week when a judge re sentenced them, making them eligible for parole. What is happening there now, Rachel?

[Morning Host]

The Menendez brothers were set to go before the parole board at a hearing on June 13th. That's the next big step in their quest for freedom. But this week, a spokesperson for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said the brothers parole hearing has been delayed to Aug. 21 and Aug. 22.

[Andrea Canning]

Do we know why the delay?

[Morning Host]

The June 13 hearing wasn't initially supposed to be a parole hearing. It was a separate hearing for their efforts seeking clemency from California Governor Gavin Newsom. But when the brothers were resentenced last week, the parole board asked to convert that clemency hearing into a parole hearing. But when the parole board informed key parties involved in the case, including victims families of the June date, some parties raised objections. So the parole hearing got moved to August.

[Andrea Canning]

Any idea what those objections were?

[Morning Host]

We don't know as of right now. But the brother's cousin, Anna Maria Baralt, who's been very vocal in supporting them, spoke out on TikTok and she said this actually isn't a bad thing.

[Andrea Canning]

This is actually a pretty good thing because they have time to prepare. Are the brothers still going to be in court June 13 for the clemency hearing then with all this happening?

[Morning Host]

It's unclear, but their clemency application is still active.

[Andrea Canning]

Okay, Rachel, thank you so much for these updates.

[Morning Host]

Thank you for having me.

[Andrea Canning]

If you were paying attention to the opening statements at the federal trial of record executive Sean Diddy Combs, you'll have heard the prosecution talking about a witness known as Jane. We know she's a single mom. We know she is alleging that Combs abused her. What we don't know is her real name. She will be testifying as a Jane Doe. The defense attorneys for Sean Combs, who has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him, tried and failed to get the judge to force the woman to use her name. It made us think when sharing deeply personal and sensitive information, how can witnesses be protected? And when does anonymity become something that's unfair for the defendant? Here to break it down for us is attorney Lindsey Goldbrum, a partner at Goddard Law who has represented anonymous witnesses at high profile trials. Lindsey, thank you for joining us today.

[Vince Sterla]

Thank you so much for having me.

[Andrea Canning]

All right, so you are no stranger to representing clients who wish to remain anonymous in court proceedings and there's a high profile case that you are involved with right now. Tell us a little bit about that case.

[Vince Sterla]

Yes. So my client, who is no longer anonymous, Kaya Sokola testified against Harvey Weinstein in his current trial in Manhattan Criminal Court. Leading up to the trial, after the indictment, she was known to the public only as Jane Doe. It wasn't until opening statements that her name was said in open court and people realized who she was.

[Andrea Canning]

Listeners may remember last week we talked about Kaya's testimony at Weinstein's retrial on sex assault charges. He has pleaded not guilty and says Kaya's story is made up. So what changed, Lindsey? Why did Kaya decide to go public?

[Vince Sterla]

She always knew that she was going to allow that to happen. The problem is, when you do reveal yourself to the public, you are going to be subject to a lot of noise, a lot of opinions. And so leading up to trial, it was important that she remain anonymous so that she could focus solely on her testimony and preparing for trial.

[Andrea Canning]

And so even though the name might be Jane Doe, the defense team, of course, knows exactly who these people are.

[Vince Sterla]

Yeah.

[Andrea Canning]

And that's important for the defense to prepare, you know, from their perspective. You know, obviously it helps them out a lot if they can figure out, like, who these people are. Right. To prepare.

[Vince Sterla]

Absolutely.

[Andrea Canning]

Yeah. So Weinstein and Sean Combs, these high profile trials aren't the only ones where plaintiffs have sought anonymity. It happens quite a bit in these cases, right?

[Vince Sterla]

Absolutely. You see it in high profile cases more often. So you've seen it in various civil and criminal cases against not only Harvey Weinstein and, and Sean Combs, but also Jeffrey Epstein, Bill Cosby, R. Kelly, Michael Jackson.

[Andrea Canning]

What are the rules, legally speaking, when someone you know can and can't be anonymous? Is it kind of case by case basis with the judge?

[Vince Sterla]

Yeah, so it's. It's a case by case basis. And it varies by jurisdiction. And so each jurisdiction has adopted some sort of balancing test that balances the right of the defendant, the privacy rights of the survivor, and then the right of the public to know.

[Andrea Canning]

Does this weigh into the judge's decision if revealing the person's identity could put them in danger?

[Vince Sterla]

That's probably one of the most important factors that a judge weighs is safety concerns, because it is the responsibility of the plaintiff or the Jane Doe to show that they have specialized circumstances that entitle them to remain anonymous. And so safety concerns, privacy concerns. I think you find that it's a bit easier when there are certain special issues, such as there's a minor involved. And so that's more likely to allow them to remain anonymous. But you also worry about emotional well being and professional consequences and family protection.

[Andrea Canning]

From everything you've told me, it's about about trying to just strike the right balance between all the parties involved and whether it's the prosecution, the defense, the public, the judge, which does make it.

[Vince Sterla]

Difficult to advise clients because you can't guarantee that they're going to be able to remain anonymous because it's impossible to tell with any form of certainty which way a judge is going to rule.

[Andrea Canning]

Lindsay, thank you. It's so informative for you to break it down for us. We very much appreciate your time.

[Vince Sterla]

Thank you so much. I really appreciate you having me on the show.

[Andrea Canning]

That's it for this episode of Dateline True Crime Weekly. Don't forget to check out our coverage of the Sean Combs trial every day after court. I'm checking in with NBC News correspondent Chloe Meloss about what she's seen, the witnesses, the evidence and what it all means. And we're dropping those conversations in our podcast feed dedicated to all things Dateline True Crime Week weekly. So search for DATELINE True Crime Weekly wherever you get your podcasts and follow us to listen to that. If you got any questions for the team or any cases you think we should cover, send us a message through social media or leave us a voicemail at 212-413-5252. Coming up this Friday on Dateline, we've got a classic Dennis Murphy story, the case of 12 year old Janelle Matthews who went missing from Greeley, Colorado in 1984. Her case went cold until 2019 when a construction crew at an oil pipeline found something. This is where this poor kid was right.

[Pandora Ad]

Decades, huh?

[Rachel White]

For 35 years. And think of the world that's changed while she was here. Summers. And here she is. Getting rid of a body out here is extremely easy.

[Andrea Canning]

Would the culprit be brought to justice? Watch Dennis episode Footprints in the Snow this Friday on NBC at 9, 8 Central. Thanks for listening. Listening to get ad free listening for all of our podcasts. Subscribe to DATELINE Premium. Dateline True Crime Weekly is produced by Franny Kelly and Katie Ferguson. Our associate producers are Carson Cummins and Caroline Casey. Our senior producer is Liz Brown Kuriloff Production and fact checking help by Kim Flores Gaynor. Veronica Mazeka is our digital producer. Rick Kwan is our sound designer. Original Music by Jesse McGinty. Bryson Barnes is head of audio production. Paul Ryan is executive producer and Liz Kula, senior executive producer of Dateline. All right, thanks everybody. Make your Memorial Day weekend. Joyfully chill with a cool creamy sensation of My Mochi Ice Cream. My Mochi is perfectly portioned scoops of premium ice cream wrapped in sweet soft dough. It comes in all your favorite flavors like strawberry, mango cookies and cream and amazing new flavors like lemon cheesecake. My Mochi ice cream is gluten free and only around 70 calories per piece. Look for the purple box of Mymochi at walmart or visit mymochi.com to find a store near you.