Dateline NBC – True Crime Weekly

Episode Air Date: October 30, 2025
Host: Lester Holt
Episode Focus: High-profile murder-for-hire plot involving a TV anchor’s ex-wife, a cold case professor’s murder trial, the Louvre heist, and a new look at serial killer Aileen Wuornos.

Episode Overview

This episode of Dateline True Crime Weekly weaves together several gripping true-crime stories currently making headlines. The opening segments dive into a complex family drama culminating in an alleged murder-for-hire plot by the ex-wife of a former Nashville TV anchor. Next, Dateline covers new developments in the trial of a fugitive yoga teacher accused in the 2010 murder of a Maryland professor. The episode wraps with the latest crime news, including Sean “Diddy” Combs’ sentencing, the daring Louvre museum heist, a high-profile police shooting, and an in-depth conversation about the life and psychology of infamous serial killer Aileen Wuornos, as explored in a new Netflix documentary.

Key Stories & Discussion Points

1. Alleged Murder-for-Hire: Angie Solomon and the Solomon Family Saga

(00:58–09:54)

Background & Family Dynamics

• Angelia “Angie” Solomon is due in Tennessee court, accused of soliciting the murder of her ex-husband, former WSMV anchor Aaron Solomon.
• The Solomons married in 2001, had two children (Grant and Gracie), and lived in the Nashville suburbs.
• Angie: Doctorate in pharmacy, primary caregiver; Aaron: Financial planner, formerly local TV anchor.
• Their marriage dissolved in 2014 amid allegations of abuse by Angie—allegations Aaron vehemently denies and that were not substantiated by the courts (04:46).

Sequence of Tragedies and Legal Battles

• 2020: Their 18-year-old son Grant died in a tragic accident—pinned and killed by his own truck in a sloped parking lot (05:12–06:40).
  • Angie accused Aaron of foul play in Grant’s death, though police ruled it accidental; no charges were brought against Aaron.
• Angie and daughter Gracie launched public social media campaigns (“Justice for Grant,” “Freedom for Gracie”) accusing Aaron of abuse (07:11).
• Aaron filed a defamation suit over these online allegations, which was dismissed for insufficient proof of reputational harm (07:33).

Murder-for-Hire Scheme

• Prosecutors allege Angie met undercover officers to solicit Aaron’s murder for $5,000 (02:40).
• Undercover recordings caught Angie expressing the wish that Aaron “die a slow death,” motivated in part by a trust fund for daughter Gracie if Aaron died (08:07–08:23).
• Aaron responded on the “Good Grief Good God” podcast, describing his shock:
  • “My heart sank and my heart rate went up like a million instantly. I was in disbelief. I was in shock. Like, it’s... everybody’s saying like you’re like a Dateline episode or something, but it’s your life in some ways.” (08:55)
• Angie pled not guilty. Her defense claims her words on the recording were not meant literally (09:21).
• A preliminary hearing is scheduled to reveal more about the evidence against Angie (09:37).

Notable Quotes

• Lester Holt (to Andrea Canning): “This is either one of the more diabolical cases or it’s just the worst divorce case this side of the Mississippi. It’s a tangled mess.” (03:37)
• Gracie Solomon (daughter, on YouTube): “My brother died protecting me from my father, Aaron Solomon. My father’s a monster.” (03:05)

2. Cold Case Murder Trial: Professor Sue Ann Marcum

(11:42–17:30)

The Case

• Jorge Landeros, yoga teacher, faces trial for the 2010 murder of accounting professor Sue Ann Marcum in Maryland.
• Prosecutors claim Landeros seduced and financially exploited Sue, ultimately murdering her for a $500,000 life insurance payout (12:20–14:32).

Prosecution’s Narrative

• Landeros used his charm to gain Sue’s trust. Marcum financially bankrolled his ventures; when her funds were depleted, she was killed (14:23).
• Crime scene evidence: DNA and fingerprints linked to Landeros, who fled to Mexico, allegedly displaying a consciousness of guilt (15:05–15:46).

Defense’s Response

• Defense claims Sue was killed during a botched burglary; another man caught driving her Jeep was not properly investigated.
• Life insurance policies were reciprocal—each beneficiary of the other’s—suggesting legitimate business interests, not premeditated murder (16:06–16:59).

Stakes

• Landeros faces life in prison without parole if convicted (17:17).

Notable Quotes

• Neil Augenstein (WTOP reporter): “Sue Marcum was a wonderful teacher... she was enchanted by him. And according to prosecutors, over the next several years, he preyed upon her.” (13:07–13:39)

3. Crime News Roundup: Diddy, the Louvre Heist, and Police Violence

(19:39–24:30)

Sean "Diddy" Combs Sentenced

• Sentenced to 50 months (4 years, 2 months) federal prison; official release date: May 8, 2028; could get out by Dec 2027 with good behavior (20:05–20:45).

Daring Louvre Museum Heist

• Thieves executed a movie-like robbery in under eight minutes, stealing over $100 million in crown jewels.
• Several arrests made; suspects linked via DNA, but jewels not yet recovered (21:00–22:16).

Illinois Police Shooting

• Sonia Massie killed by Deputy Sean Grayson after calling police over a possible intruder (22:31–23:09).
• Body cam footage shows Grayson threatening Massie (“Better not. I swear to God, I’ll shoot you right in your face.”).
• Jury found Grayson guilty of second-degree murder. Massie’s family celebrates the verdict, emphasizing she “was never a threat” (23:32–24:30).
  • Quote (family lawyer): “The unequivocal answer is no, she was not a threat. She was never a threat. And that’s what was proven in this court.” (24:03)

4. Spotlight: Aileen Wuornos in Her Own Words

(24:32–29:36)

New Netflix Documentary: “Queen of the Serial Killers”

• Built around newly-uncovered jailhouse interviews.
• Wuornos, a sex worker, was convicted for killing seven men along Florida highways in 1991 and branded by tabloids as “the hooker from hell” (25:37).

Filmmaker Emily Turner’s Approach

• Turner describes Wuornos as a “contradiction”—seen as either a cold-blooded killer or a tragic, abused victim (26:12).
• Documentary provides never-before-seen interviews, including one conducted by Australian artist Jasmine Hirst after years of correspondence.
• Humanizes Wuornos while not minimizing her crimes, showing the psychological complexity of her case (27:09–27:47).

Key Issues Discussed

• Wuornos’ claims of self-defense and trauma: “I am innocent. It was self defense.” – Eileen Wuornos (24:54)
• Context of Wuornos’ abuse history and early sexual trauma, with Turner noting Wuornos claimed as many as 20 assaults in her first year as a sex worker (28:15).
• The film navigates the tension between Wuornos’ traumatic background and the brutality of her crimes.

Notable Quotes

• Aileen Wuornos: “I am not. I do not regret it. Do not regret it.” (24:59)
• Emily Turner: “She’s such a sort of contradiction... the truth kind of comes somewhere in the middle.” (26:12–26:46)
• Andrea Canning: “On one hand you can’t ignore her past... but then you can’t ignore that she’s breaking the law in a really big way and taking away these people from their families.” (28:58)

Key Timestamps

• 00:58–09:54: Solomon murder-for-hire case and family background
• 11:42–17:30: Professor Marcum cold case murder trial
• 19:39–24:30: Crime roundup (Diddy, Louvre heist, Illinois police shooting)
• 24:32–29:36: Aileen Wuornos documentary discussion and interview

Memorable Moments

• The wrenching moment Angie and Gracie accuse Aaron Solomon of past abuse and murder, driving the case’s notoriety (03:05, 07:11).
• The tragic details of Grant Solomon’s fatal accident, described from Aaron’s panicked perspective (06:12).
• Courtroom drama around the botched burglary defense in the Marcum case (16:06).
• Aileen Wuornos’s raw, conflicted self-justification: “I am not. I do not regret it. Do not regret it.” (24:59)
• The show’s signature blend of breaking news and deeply-reported tragedy, with recurring themes of justice, victimhood, and media scrutiny.

Tone & Style

The episode maintains Dateline’s signature objective, journalistic tone—delivering dramatic but sober investigations balanced with empathetic interviews and expert legal insight. Voices of both the accused and their accusers are given ample space, fostering a complex, nuanced portrait of the criminal justice process.

This summary captures all crucial case developments, contextualizes each story’s human impact, and features key voices and memorable quotes to bring the episode to life for those who missed the broadcast.