Alleged double murder at USF. A husband accused of hexes and murder. And "Allegedly,” the new true-crime video podcast.

Summary

Dateline: True Crime Weekly – April 30, 2026

Episode Overview

This week, Dateline True Crime Weekly, hosted by Lester Holt and Andrea Canning, brings listeners the latest developments in several major true crime stories. The episode delves into the alleged double murder at the University of South Florida (USF), a husband in California accused of killing his wife and dabbling in spell casting, and a roundup of headline-making cases including the Reiner family tragedy, the Paul Canero trial, and a major update in the Jam Master Jay murder case. Plus, Andrea sits down with Ellison Barber to preview “Allegedly,” NBC’s new true-crime video podcast.

---

University of South Florida Double Murder Investigation

Segment Start: [02:19]

Key Discussion Points

• The Disappearance

  • Two graduate students, Nahida Bristy (chemical engineering) and Jamil Limon (geography/environmental science), both 27, went missing mid-April.
  • Nahida last spoke to her family in Bangladesh on April 16; her belongings were left at her office.
  • Jamil missed an important thesis meeting and was uncharacteristically unreachable.

• Discovery and Break in Case

  • Jamil's body found about 25 miles from campus on the Howard Frankland Bridge.
  • Hisham Abu Gharbia, Jamil’s roommate, emerged as a suspect.
    • Hisham claimed ignorance about their whereabouts.
    • Detectives noticed a cut on his finger (suspicious explanation).
    • Contradictory stories about his movements and whether the victims had been in his car.

• Investigative Breakthrough

  • Cell phone and car data linked the suspect to the crime scene.
  • Search of Hisham’s phone showed disturbing, incriminating Google searches, indicating premeditation.
    • Notably, asked ChatGPT about disposing of a human in a garbage bag.

• Legal and Personal Background

  • Hisham has not entered a plea; denies involvement.
  • According to his mother, he had a history of anger issues and violence.

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• “She would never do that, never do something like this, never put her family through this pain and everything.” — [04:10] (Family perspective, underscoring gravity)
• "One of the potential key pieces of evidence here is that according to prosecutors, three days before Jameel and Nahida disappeared, the suspect allegedly asked ChatGPT about putting a human in a black garbage bag and throwing them in a dumpster...then the chatbot said that sounded dangerous and the suspect allegedly replied, 'how would they find out?'" — Jesse Kirsch [08:15]
• “Investigators found substantial blood evidence at the apartment shared between the suspect and Jamil.” — [07:58]

---

Case Update: Maya Millete Disappearance and Husband's Spellcasting

Segment Start: [11:33]

Key Discussion Points

• Background of the Victim & Marriage

  • Maya Millete vanished in January 2021, just before a family trip.
  • Maya was 39, a mother of three, and worked for the US Navy.
  • Married to Larry since their teens—relationship under intense strain.

• Timeline & Investigation

  • Family instantly concerned when Maya didn't respond to messages.
  • Larry, her husband, gave odd explanations; her sister soon filed a missing persons report.
  • Surveillance footage showed Maya returning home, never leaving.
  • No body has been found, but circumstantial evidence is strong.

• Unusual Behavior & Spellcasting

  • Larry paid hundreds of dollars to “spellcasters” online.
    • Initially sought to "fix" his marriage, later escalated to wanting Maya incapacitated.
    • On the night of her disappearance, sent multiple alarming messages to spellcasters.
      • Example: “I think she wants me to snap and, I’m shaking inside, ready to snap.” [16:25]

• Legal Developments

  • Larry charged with first-degree murder and illegal possession of an assault weapon. Pleaded not guilty and is in custody.
  • Defense focuses on lack of direct forensic evidence (no body/no murder weapon).
  • Recent defense motion accuses prosecutor of misconduct, seeking dismissal or new prosecution team.

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• “He wanted to get Maya to fall back in love with him...Later on...he wanted to incapacitate her in some way so that she would be wholly dependent on him for care.” — Mike Dorfman [15:13]
• “I think she wants me to snap and, I’m shaking inside, ready to snap.” — Message from Larry to spellcaster, relayed by Mike Dorfman [16:25]
• “It was kind of odd from the outset because he didn't want his whole face to be shown...he did stress repeatedly that he was innocent, but he really wasn't able to provide a lot of answers to a lot of very specific questions and punted repeatedly.” — Mike Dorfman on Larry’s interview [17:50]
• Defense strategy: “No body, no murder weapon, and really no direct forensic evidence that's linking Larry to the killing.” — Mike Dorfman [18:48]

---

Dateline Roundup: Updates on Major Cases

Segment Start: [21:56]

1. Reiner Family Double Homicide

• Legendary director Rob Reiner and producer Michelle Singer Reiner found stabbed in their Brentwood home in December.
• Son Nick Reiner, now in custody and facing murder charges.
• Jake Reiner, Nick's brother, shared a moving essay about losing both parents and the impact of having a sibling accused of the crime.
  • "My world as I knew it had collapsed. I was in a trance. I needed to figure out what the hell just happened...nothing compares to losing both of them at the same time. And on top of that, having your brother be at the center of it, it's almost too impossible to process." — Jake Reiner [22:56–23:17]

2. Paul Canero Quadruple Murder Conviction

• New Jersey businessman convicted of murdering his brother Keith, Keith's wife, and their two children.
• Motive: financial woes and theft from a family trust.
• Defense accused trial judge of bias, which was denied; sentencing is set for May 19.
  • "He often made jokes or engaged in banter...the jury adopted the judge’s unfavorable feelings towards the defense..." — Alex Lowray, on defense’s motion [24:42]

3. Jam Master Jay Case: New Plea

• Jay Bryant, third defendant, changed his plea—admits to being an accomplice but not the shooter.
  • "I helped them kill Jason Mizell. I knew a gun was going to be used to shoot Jason Mizell. I knew that what I was doing was wrong and a crime." — Jay Bryant, in court [26:40]
• Faces 15–20 years behind bars.

---

Preview: "Allegedly" — The New True-Crime Video Podcast

Segment Start: [28:00]

Key Discussion Points

• Concept & Approach

  • Hosted by Ellison Barber, produced by NBC News Studios, available on Netflix.
  • Aims to blend deep dives into cases with long-form interviews and thoughtful exploration.
    • "Our goal...is not to cover the biggest cases making headlines the fastest. Our goal is to cover the biggest cases making headlines accurately and thoughtfully.” — Ellison Barber [29:59]

• Set and Tone

  • Unique, living room–style set designed with Barber's own personality and tattoos in mind.
  • Friendly, smart, unfiltered conversations with experts and those close to the cases.

• Premiere Episode: Gabby Petito Case

  • Focus on new information from depositions and civil suits, especially regarding Brian Laundrie’s parents' behavior and responses.
    • “He called his parents on August 9th and said, 'Gabby's gone.' All that time...they had an awareness that maybe something wasn't okay. Nobody calls Gabby's mom or dad to say, hey, have you heard anything? Are they okay? I'm worried about her. They just carry on.” — Ellison Barber [32:42]
    • "Neither parent calls Gabby's parents and says, hey, something's happening...they call an attorney. They pay a $25,000 retainer and they do not help or cooperate in looking for Gabby." — Ellison Barber [33:33]

• Memorable Moment: The "shovel letter"

  • Brian's mother allegedly wrote a letter with lines like, "If you need to dispose of a body, I will show up with a shovel." The letter’s timing and seriousness are questionable—still, it chills.
  • "Why would someone say that? Her answer is, it's a weird, jokey thing. I don't know any mom that jokes like that again and again with that kid." — Ellison Barber [35:10]

• Upcoming Cases

  • Gabby Petito’s mother to be interviewed in a follow-up.
  • Other cases include Corey Richards and the Alexander brothers.

---

Conclusion

This episode is packed with breaking news, deep analysis, and empathetic storytelling. Dateline’s team brings listeners inside the investigations, the hearts of families, and the cold logic of courts. The episode also gives an engaging behind-the-scenes look at true crime storytelling with the “Allegedly” preview.

“I feel like Allegedly is like part a story of this case that you’re curious about and then part long form interview with one person who has a specific expertise or they have a direct connection to the case.”
— Ellison Barber [30:54]

---

Timestamps for Key Segments

• USF double murder: [02:19–09:40]
• Maya Millete disappearance/spellcasting: [11:33–19:46]
• Roundup (Reiner, Canero, Jam Master Jay): [21:56–27:32]
• Allegedly Preview (Gabby Petito, true crime podcasting): [28:00–36:33]

---

Notable Quotes At a Glance

• On family turmoil and grief:
  “My world as I knew it had collapsed...Having your brother be at the center of it, it's almost too impossible to process.” — Jake Reiner [22:56–23:17]

• On spellcasting and murder preparations:
  “Three days before Jameel and Nahida disappeared, the suspect allegedly asked ChatGPT about putting a human in a black garbage bag and throwing them in a dumpster. Then...the chatbot said that sounded dangerous, and the suspect allegedly replied, 'how would they find out?’" — Jesse Kirsch [08:15]

• On Gabby Petito’s family’s baffling silence:
  "Neither parent calls Gabby’s parents and says, hey, something’s happening...they call an attorney.” — Ellison Barber [33:33]

---

Summary

A must-listen episode for true crime followers, this week’s Dateline True Crime Weekly is a blend of fast-breaking news, sensitive reporting, and thoughtful commentary. From shocking double homicides to psychological mysteries and unresolved grief, listeners are brought face-to-face with the sorrows and perplexities of crime—always with a clear eye for facts and the humanity that underpins every story. The addition of “Allegedly” promises even deeper dives in episodes to come.

Transcript

[Mike Dorfman]

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[Jesse Kirsch]

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[Andrea]

Good morning.

[Lester Holt]

You are listening to the DATELINE story

[Alex Lowray]

Meeting Josh Flagness, Josh Mankiewicz.

[Lester Holt]

Our producers are catching up on breaking crime news.

[Andrea]

The ambulance driver thought he was just torn up about his son dying.

[Jesse Kirsch]

The local police are now, I think

[Lester Holt]

more on this case.

[Alex Lowray]

We definitely have a family divided.

[Lester Holt]

Welcome to DATELINE True Crime Weekly. I'm LESTER HOLT. It's April 30th and here's what's on our docket. In California, a man is heading to trial for allegedly murdering his wife after investigators say he paid a spell caster to put a hex on her.

[Mike Dorfman]

He paid hundreds of dollars for dozens of these types of spells or hexes

[Lester Holt]

to be cast in DATELINE Roundup. Jake Reiner, the son of legendary Hollywood director Rob Reiner and producer Michelle Singer Re, shares his story for the first time since their murders. And nearly 20 years after the murder of rap star jam master Jay, there is a surprise plea.

[Alex Lowray]

Bryant told the judge, I knew that what I was doing was wrong. And a crime.

[Lester Holt]

Plus, Andrea talks to NBC's Alison Barber about Allegedly, her new video podcast on Netflix that digs deep into some of the most high profile cases in true crime.

[Ellison Barber]

Allegedly is like part a story of this case that you're curious about and then part long form interview.

[Lester Holt]

But before all that, we're off to Florida and a story that has captured attention across the country, the disappearance of two college students. Two University of South Florida graduate students are missing this morning and investigators are

[Jesse Kirsch]

asking for your help to find them.

[Lester Holt]

This week there was a big break in the case two weeks ago. On the morning of April 16, Nahida Bristy, a doctoral student at the University of South Florida, called her parents back home in Bangladesh. It was the last time her family ever heard from her. A few days later, the university police department announced that Nahida's family had reported her missing. And she wasn't the only student who vanished. Nahida's friend Jamil Limone was missing, too. On Friday came the devastating news. Jamil's body had been found about 25 miles from campus on the Howard Frankland Bridge. And a man was taken into custody and charged with killing not just Shamil, but Nahida, too. Who was the alleged killer and how did he know them? Joining me now to bring us up to speed on this fast moving investigation is NBC News correspondent Jesse Kirsch. Jesse, thanks for being here.

[Jesse Kirsch]

You bet. Great to be with you.

[Lester Holt]

So to start, tell us about these two young people. What do we know about them?

[Jesse Kirsch]

Jamil Limon and Nahida Bristie were both 27 years old, both doctoral students at the University of South Florida. Nahida was studying chemical engineering. Jamil was studying geography, environmental science and policy. I had the chance to speak with both of their brothers and both made it clear their siblings would not just go vanish without telling anybody. She would never do that, never do something like this, never put her family

[Mike Dorfman]

through this pain and everything.

[Lester Holt]

And it wasn't just their family who noticed something was wrong. People close to the students began to raise red flags. We understand.

[Jesse Kirsch]

Yeah, we've learned a whole bunch of information from a filing from prosecutors from over the weekend. And one of the things we learned is that according to prosecutors, a friend of Nahid and Jameel tried calling both of them the day they vanished, and neither friend picked up. Two days later on a Saturday, Jameel is supposed to have a thesis appointment. His brother says he was very serious about his studies, but he doesn't show up. At the same time, police went to Nahida's office on her campus and her brother tells me her lunchbox, her laptop, her iPad and a bag were all still at her office. Effectively like she just left in the middle of the workday and left all of her stuff behind.

[Lester Holt]

Yeah, that sounds very alarming. And I know university police were seeking help from wherever they could get it. They contacted local police, the Hillsborough County Sheriff's office, and their officers began interviewing anyone who might have information, who might know more.

[Jesse Kirsch]

Yeah, according to what prosecutors filed, we know that detectives early on are talking to Jameel's two roommates and in particular, prosecutors are focusing in on one of these roommates, 26 year old Hisham Abu Gharbia. Hisham winds up becoming the suspect in this case. And according to prosecutors, Hisham told detectives he does not know where Jamil is. He doesn't know where Nahida is. But at the same time, in that early interaction, detectives notice that Hisham has a cut on his left pinky finger. He says it's from cutting onions, but he also couldn't remember what he had been cooking.

[Lester Holt]

So, Jesse, according to investigators, if I understand it, the real breakthrough in their case was when they took a closer look at Hisham's movements around the time the students disappeared.

[Jesse Kirsch]

Yeah, that's right, Lester. According to the filing we have from prosecutors, police tracked the suspect's car and Jameel's phone, and they were in the same area around the same time twice. And according to this filing from prosecutors, the suspect told police that the victims had never been in his car, that he never went to that area. Then he said, okay, I went to the area to find fishing spots. And then he said that Jamil had asked the suspect to drive Jamil and his girlfriend to that area. And he says, quote, he dropped them off and left. So the story from the suspect, according to investigators, keeps changing. So as they keep investigating, detectives get a warrant to search the suspect's phone, and they find a lot of data about where his phone went. And one of the places that the suspect's phone went was the Howard Frankland Bridge, and that is more than 10 miles from Jamil's apartment. Prosecutors say the phone stopped at specific coordinates on the bridge, and police went to that very spot.

[Lester Holt]

And then the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office held a press conference to announce what they found.

[Mike Dorfman]

I am heartbroken to announce the discovery of human remains discovered on the Howard Franklin Bridge earlier this morning. Just now, those remains were positively identified

[Lester Holt]

to Zamil, but there was still no sign of Nahida.

[Jesse Kirsch]

No. No sign of her whatsoever. And police made clear they were still asking for the public's help to find her.

[Mike Dorfman]

And again, I implore the community, if

[Jesse Kirsch]

you have any tips of where you've seen her or she's just recently seen, please report it immediately.

[Lester Holt]

Do we know how Jamil died?

[Jesse Kirsch]

According to the filing from prosecutors, he had been stabbed numerous times and his cause of death was homicide by, quote, multiple sharp force injuries.

[Lester Holt]

Yeah, and in a motion filed by prosecutors over the weekend, we learned that investigators found what they believe is evidence of some kind of violent encounter at their apartment.

[Jesse Kirsch]

According to prosecutors, Investigators found substantial blood evidence at the apartment shared between the suspect and Jamil.

[Lester Holt]

We're also learning that Hisham's phone showed potentially incriminating searches, which prosecutors are saying suggest these murders were premeditated.

[Andrea]

Right.

[Jesse Kirsch]

One of the potential key pieces of evidence here is that according to prosecutors, three days before Jameel and Nahida disappeared, the Suspect allegedly asked ChatGPT about putting a human in a black garbage bag and throwing them in a dumpster. Then, according to prosecutors, the chatbot said that sounded dangerous, and the suspect allegedly replied, quote, how would they find out? OpenAI tells us in part we're looking into these reports and we'll do whatever we can to support law enforcement in their investigation.

[Lester Holt]

So Hisham was arrested last Friday, and we should say Hisham has denied any involvement in the murders and has yet to enter a plea to the charges against him. But is there anything more we know about him at this time, Jesse, and why he would allegedly do this?

[Jesse Kirsch]

Yes. So we've reached out to his attorney. His attorney says they don't have a comment on this case, but there are some questions about his history. According to that filing from prosecutors, investigators talked with the suspect's mother, and she says that her son has a history of struggling to manage his anger and has been violent with family.

[Lester Holt]

And what about Hisham's relationship with Jamil and Nahida? Were they close at all?

[Jesse Kirsch]

It's not clear if the suspect and Jameel were friends, if they had any history together.

[Lester Holt]

Yeah, this is a curious one. Jesse, thanks very much. We'll certainly be watching as this case continues. We appreciate, appreciate you spending some time with us.

[Jesse Kirsch]

Anytime.

[Lester Holt]

Coming up, a naval optician is heading to trial for the alleged murder of his wife. The prosecution's case includes surveillance tape and spells.

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[Lester Holt]

If you were at Mount San Miguel park on January 17, 2026, you would have seen hundreds of people in lime green shirts, each printed with the face of Maya Miette.

[Andrea]

It's just really hard to see somebody so beautiful, so loving. And she's just vanished. Just gone.

[Lester Holt]

The gathering marked five years since Maya, a 39 year old mother of three, vanished from her Chula Vista home just days before a planned family trip for her daughter's birthday. Maya's family says they knew something was wrong almost immediately when she stopped responding to text messages. They organized searches and vigils, but there was no trace of her. Then, nine months after she went missing, even though her body has never been found, Maya's husband Larry was arrested and charged with her murder. He has pleaded not guilty. Recently, a jury screening got underway in preparation for Larry's trial next month. Here to break it all down for us is NBC 7 investigative producer Mike Dorfman. Mike, we appreciate you being here.

[Mike Dorfman]

Absolutely, sir.

[Lester Holt]

Let's start with Maya. Who was she?

[Mike Dorfman]

Well, I think you could call it a story of young love. Maya and Larry married pretty young in Hawaii. She was 19, he was 18. And they really built a life together here in San Diego County. They both worked for the US Navy, Maya as an administrative specialist for the Naval Information Warfare center. And Larry worked as an optician at the Naval Medical Center.

[Lester Holt]

When did her family start to think that something had actually happened to her?

[Mike Dorfman]

She's very close to her siblings, so within a day of her not responding to messages, they're very concerned. They're going over to the house to find out why she's not responding. They find Larry there. He tells them she's upstairs in the bedroom. That door is locked. They try to get in and were able to force entry into there, into that bedroom, but she was not inside at the time. Larry told them that, oh, I believe that she probably went for a hike or maybe she's out with friends. But within a day after that home visit, Maya's sister is making a phone call to the police to officially report her missing.

[Lester Holt]

This case actually landed on dateline's radar just a few days after Maya disappeared. We featured it in our Missing in a Ma series and reached out to Larry. He told us he hoped our coverage would help bring Maya home. What we didn't know is that behind the scenes, investigators were already building a case. Mike, how did this investigation turn into a case against him?

[Mike Dorfman]

The arrest affidavit lays out what led investigators to zero in on him. Specifically, they said that they interviewed 87 different witnesses and quickly learned that the marriage had been under strain for some time, for months. One witness in particular told investigators that Maya described incidents of physical abuse, including one particular accusation that Larry once choked her until she lost consciousness. And the day before she disappeared, Maya texted a friend saying, I'm filing for divorce whether he likes it or not. I'm done trying to make things amicable for the kids.

[Lester Holt]

Do investigators think that Larry knew about her plans to split?

[Mike Dorfman]

They certainly do. They say that Larry was closely tracking Maya's movements, accusing him at one point of planting a cell phone in her car, showing up at her workplace because he suspected that she was having an affair and had plans to leave him.

[Lester Holt]

And investigators say Larry took some unusual steps in response to his suspicions that Maya might be leaving, including reaching out to so called spellcasters. First of all, what's a spellcaster?

[Mike Dorfman]

Something that I also was wholly unfamiliar with before I started working on this particular story. According to investigators, these are people and provide a spec online to create charm spells that benefit your life or hexes against the people that you don't like. And they said for Larry, he paid hundreds of dollars for dozens of these types of spells or hexes to be cast for him. They started out really focused on his own marriage. He wanted to get Maya to fall back in love with him. He wanted to make the relationship be repaired so that they could live happily together. Later on, some of the messages start to reflect his frustration with that not happening. And it gets pretty dark. In December of 2020, he allegedly asked whether Maya could be hexed in some way that would cause her harm. Essentially, he wanted to incapacitate her in some way so that she would be wholly dependent on him for care. On January 7, the day that Maya was last seen, investigators say he sent multiple messages to spellcasters, including one that said, quote, I think she wants me to snap and, quote, I'm shaking inside, ready to snap.

[Lester Holt]

So, allegedly, lots of tension building up before Maya disappeared. But what do investigators think actually happened that night?

[Mike Dorfman]

Their case stands upon this circumstantial evidence, and some of it has a lot to do with surveillance video, some from the neighbors around their home in Chula Vista. So according to that arrest affidavit, the video shows Maya arriving back at the home that evening. And investigators say they did not find any footage of her leaving after that. It was really the last time she's been recorded alive. The same footage from that, that neighbor surveillance camera recorded nine loud banging sounds just right before 10pm that night.

[Lester Holt]

To be clear, we don't know for sure what those bangs were. Investigators consulted with the FBI, who could not determine if they were gunshots or not. Mike, what had investigators learned about Larry's whereabouts around the time Maya went missing on January 7?

[Mike Dorfman]

There's a lot of question marks, that's for sure. Investigators say he didn't report to work on January 8th, 9th or 10th, the days after Maya disappeared. He claimed he'd gone to the beach with his son, but investigators say they just really couldn't confirm that.

[Lester Holt]

We mentioned that Larry Miette was arrested on charges of first degree murder and illegal possession of an assault weapon. He pleaded not guilty and remains behind bars. Your team actually sat down with him in 2023. Tell us about that.

[Mike Dorfman]

It was interesting. It took place over two different recorded interviews. And it was kind of odd from the outset because he didn't want his whole face to be shown. He seemed concerned over whether the things that he would be talking to us about would be used against him by prosecutors. But he did stress repeatedly that he was innocent, but he really wasn't able to provide a lot of answers to a lot of very specific questions and punted repeatedly.

[Lester Holt]

Here's Larry talking to NBC 7 investigative reporter Alexis Rivas.

[Andrea]

I know you've told me you think she's still alive. Is that still true?

[Jesse Kirsch]

Yes, ma'.

[Andrea]

Am.

[Jesse Kirsch]

But I'm kind of the guy that's like, pray for the best, pray for the worst.

[Andrea]

Where did you go for 12 hours with your cell phone turned off the day after Maya vanished?

[Jesse Kirsch]

Again, I'd rather not answer that question.

[Lester Holt]

We've talked a lot about the evidence prosecutors say they have against him. Do we know yet what the main defense points will be?

[Mike Dorfman]

I think, like a lot of defense attorneys, the name of the game for them is injecting as much doubt. They're going to focus on what's missing no body, no murder weapon, and really no direct forensic evidence that's linking Larry to the killing.

[Lester Holt]

Yeah. And last week, the defense attacked the prosecutor directly, accusing her of misconduct. Tell us about that.

[Mike Dorfman]

Yeah. Last Friday, the defense filed a 29 page motion accusing the prosecutor of eliciting false testimony from witnesses during the preliminary hearing. The defense has essentially asked not only for the case to be thrown out, but barring that, they want to replace the prosecution's team with the California attorney general's office. That would be just a major change in what's been happening. Could delay the trial by a year more. That's happening this week. So we'll find out what a judge will rule. Either way, the trial is still on the books, scheduled for May 11. We'll see if that changes.

[Lester Holt]

Well, Mike, we really appreciate you coming on and walking us through where this stands. We'll certainly be following this case closely.

[Mike Dorfman]

All right, sir. Thank you.

[Lester Holt]

Up next, it's time for DATELINE Roundup. A New Jersey businessman convicted of a quadruple homicide calls out the judge at his trial. And Jake Reiner, son of slain Hollywood director Rob Reiner, shares his story for the first time. Plus, Andrea previews Allegedly a new video podcast on Netflix about the true crime cases you can't stop talking about.

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And Doug, there's nowhere I wouldn't go to help someone customize and save on car insurance with Liberty Mutual, even if it means sitting front row at a comedy show.

[Alex Lowray]

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actually love using the samemonday.com with an easy and intuitive setup. Go to Monday.com and try it for free. Yes, the same Monday.com. you know that thing where you get an amazing pair of shoes at a really great price and want to tell everyone about it?

[Ellison Barber]

Yeah.

[Andrea]

So do we. Here at Designer Shoe Warehouse. We'll give you something to brag about, like the latest styles from brands you love or the trends. Everyone's obsessing over or shoes that make you feel like, well, you. So go ahead, show off a little. Buying shoes that get you and prices that get your budget. Head to your DSW store or dsw.com today. DSW. Let us surprise you.

[Lester Holt]

Welcome back, everyone. Joining me for this week's roundup is DATELINE field producer Alex Lowray. Thanks for being here.

[Alex Lowray]

Thanks for having me.

[Lester Holt]

First up, we're going to head to Los Angeles for updates in the case of Nick Reiner, the son of legendary Hollywood director Rob Reiner and producer Michelle Singer Reiner. What's the latest on this one, Alex?

[Alex Lowray]

As you remember, Lester, Rob and Michelle Reiner were found stabbed to death in their Brentwood home in December. The double homicide stunned people around the country who were fans of Rob Reiner's movies and the couple's charitable work. Even more shocking was the identity of their alleged killer, their younger son, Nick, who was arrested within hours of their bodies being discovered. Nick has pleaded not guilty to charges of murder and he's being held without bail.

[Lester Holt]

We've been hearing bits and pieces about Nick since his arrest, but the public really hasn't heard much from the other two Reiner children, Jake and their daughter Romy. But that changed last week when Jake shared a personal essay on Substack. What did he say? Alex?

[Alex Lowray]

Yeah. So his essay touched on his experience learning about his parents murders. He wrote, my world as I knew it had collapsed. I was in a trance. I needed to figure out what the hell just happened. He goes on to say that he was robbed of so many things that day and that this is truly my living nightmare.

[Lester Holt]

Did he say anything about his brother Nick?

[Alex Lowray]

He did, though he never mentioned Nick's name. He wrote, sure, any loss of a parent is devastating, but nothing compares to losing both of them at the same time. And on top of that, having your brother be at the center of it, it's almost too impossible to process. Jake ended his essay asking for love and compassion, the same principles my parents lived by.

[Lester Holt]

Well, for our next story, we're gonna head to New Jersey, where the stakes were high at a Monmouth county courthouse last week for Paul Canero. He's the businessman convicted in February of murdering his brother Keith, Keith's wife and two children, in a plot prosecutors said was motivated by greed and desperation. Alex, remind us what happened here.

[Alex Lowray]

Lester in addition to murdering his brother's family, Paul Canaro was also convicted of setting fire to his brother's house and his own in attempt to cover his tracks.

[Lester Holt]

What did the prosecution say the motive

[Alex Lowray]

was here so prosecutors said that Paul was in serious debt and that his brother Keith, who was also his business partner, was threatening to cut him off financially. The day before the murders, Keith confronted Paul about stealing money from a trust that he managed for Keith. And instead of explaining what happened to the money, Paul concocted a plan to murder his brother's family.

[Lester Holt]

After Paul Canero was convicted, his team immediately filed a motion requesting a new trial. And the arguments were a little unusual.

[Alex Lowray]

They pointed the finger at the judge for turning the jury against Paul. In their brief, they wrote that Judge Lemieux was often impatient, critical, and hostile towards the defense. In contrast, they argue that his demeanor toward the jury was light hearted. He often made jokes or engaged in banter. And the defense wrote that the jury adopted the judge's unfavorable feelings towards the defense, and it meant that Paul couldn't get a fair trial.

[Lester Holt]

Well, Paul and his defense team appeared before Judge Lemieux last week to hear what he had to say. What did he decide?

[Alex Lowray]

Judge Lemieux said he didn't show hostility towards Canaro's defense team and ultimately concluded that the trial was fair and said the jurors weren't influenced by anything other than the evidence presented.

[Lester Holt]

What's next? Then we move ahead to sentencing.

[Alex Lowray]

Yeah. So Paul Canero's sentencing is scheduled for May 19. He faces a max of life in prison without the possibility of parole, and he can still appeal his conviction.

[Lester Holt]

Well, for our final story this week, we're gonna head to Brooklyn, New York, for a big update in a case that made headlines in both the world of true crime and pop culture. I'm Talking about the 2002 murder of former Run DMC member Jam Master J. His real name was Jason Mizell. Alex, first off, for listeners who don't know Mizell's work, he was a pretty big deal in the music world.

[Ellison Barber]

Yeah.

[Alex Lowray]

Mizell began working with hip hop group run DMC in the 80s and helped produce some of their biggest hits, like the song It's Tricky. He also mentored artists like 50 Cent. But in 2002, Mizell was found fatally shot in his Queen's studio in what prosecutors say was a killing over a drug deal. No one was prosecuted for the crime until nearly two decades later, when two men were charged with his death. Both were later convicted, but one had his conviction overturned.

[Lester Holt]

But the news this week is about an entirely different defendant. A third man.

[Alex Lowray]

Exactly. So in 2023, prosecutors indicted a third person in Mizell's murder, a man named Jay Bryant. They said that he knew the murder was going to happen and that he opened the door to the studio to let the men in who eventually killed Mazzel. Bryant initially pleaded not guilty to a murder charge, but on Monday, he changed his tune and pleaded to being an accomplice in Mizell's murder. There were no cameras allowed inside the courtroom, but Bryant told the judge, I helped them kill Jason Mizell. I knew a gun was going to be used to shoot Jason Mizell. I knew that what I was doing was wrong and a crime.

[Lester Holt]

Do we have any idea why he decided to change his plea and what's next in the case for Bryant?

[Alex Lowray]

He didn't say why at the hearing, and his lawyer declined to comment after the fact. He's now facing 15 to 20 years in prison.

[Lester Holt]

All right. Well, thanks for all these updates, Alex. We appreciate it.

[Alex Lowray]

Sure thing. Thanks for having me, Lester.

[Lester Holt]

For our final story this week, Andrea has a sneak peek of Allegedly.

[Ellison Barber]

This is Allegedly, a brand new video

[Lester Holt]

podcast on Netflix hosted by our NBC News colleague, Ellison Barber and produced by NBC News Studios. New episodes drop every Wednesday. And if you love true crime, you won't want to miss it. Here's Andrea.

[Andrea]

Hi, everyone. I'm really excited to talk to our next guest, Ellison Barber. You've probably seen her reporting from the front lines in Ukraine or Gaza, covering some of the world's most intense conflicts. But now she's taking on a very different kind of story. It turns out Ellison, like me, like many of you listening, has a passion for true crime. So every week in her new podcast, allegedly, Ellison and a guest will be digging into a case that's either making headlines, headlines right now, or people just can't stop talking about it. They'll be scouring case files and court records for evidence you've probably never seen before and angles you might not have thought of and breaking it all down in smart, unfiltered conversations. The first episode focuses on a case I know very well, the murder of 22 year old blogger Gabby Petito. Ellison and her team got their hands on some new depositions from a civil suit connected to the case. We'll get into what they uncovered in a minute. But first, Ellison, welcome to Dateline True Crime Weekly.

[Ellison Barber]

Hi, Andrea. Thank you so much for having me.

[Andrea]

Of course. We're so excited about Allegedly. All right. So Ellison, tell me, how did you get interested in true crime? What led you down this path?

[Ellison Barber]

I've always been an avid watcher, an avid listener of stories related to crime, true crime, the criminal justice system, all of that. But like I don't know if you ever feel this way, but like, one of the things, and it kind of sounds cheesy, but it's the same reason too, of why I like, wanted to cover conflicts when people would be like, why do you cover the worst stuff? Like, who did you make mad? And I would be like, I asked to cover this. And same when I was in local news, I would be like, can I cover this vigil after there had been some sort of shooting? And I'm like, for me, it's because I really do care about people and like, I'm interested in people and. And also trying to look at what maybe led up to this. And is there anything that even me as just like a regular person can learn from it?

[Andrea]

There's a lot of shows out there in the true crime space. What is different about Allegedly, aside from this amazing set that you have that looks like a really cool living room?

[Ellison Barber]

Right. That's why I keep saying, like, I want it to be my living. It's like dark and moody. A lot of the wall art is based off, like, I have a ton of tattoos. It's like based off of things from my tattoos. So I'm like, I think this is gonna be it. I have to put this in my house. Everything that I look at. So, yes, our set is different, but I do think I don't wanna rush. And our goal with this podcast and this video podcast is not to cover the biggest cases making headlines the fastest. Our goal is to cover the biggest cases making headlines accurately and thoughtfully. And something that we're really trying to do is allow people to sor that process with us, take them through court documents, show them the court documents, all of that, so they can make sense of it on their own and with us. I feel like Allegedly is like part a story of this case that you're curious about and then part long form interview with one person who has a specific expertise or they have a direct connection to the case.

[Andrea]

You call them like your trusted friends.

[Alex Lowray]

Yeah.

[Andrea]

And it does feel like you're friends and you can tell that you like each other because you know Misty Maris, the. She's a trial attorney, NBC News legal analyst. And she jokes that, you know that your set is good for redheads because she's a redhead.

[Ellison Barber]

Yeah.

[Andrea]

So, you know, it's a nice comradery that you have with these guests of yours. So why for the first episode, the premiere episode, did you choose Gabby Petito? Obviously, so many people know that name for very sad reasons. It has been a few years let's just give a quick recap. Gabby went missing in the summer of 2021 while she was traveling across the country in a van with her fiance, Brian Laundrie. Gabby's body was eventually found in Grand Teton National Park. She'd been strangled and Brian, her fiance, was declared a person of interest in the case. But before the investigation, you know, went any further, his body was found in a Florida park and police determined that he had died from a self inflicted gunshot wound.

[Ellison Barber]

Well, you know, it was a case that we knew a lot of people, particularly among the Netflix audience, was familiar with in general, but particularly because they had that documentary and that there was a lot that had happened since the Netflix documentary about Gabby Petito had come out. There have been three civil lawsuits related to her case. Two in Florida, one that was against the estate of Brian Laundrie, one that was against Brian Laundrie's parents as well as their attorney, and then one that is in Utah against Moab City Police. And there was so much information in them that we could pull from to help us expand our understanding of what really happened from the time Gabby went missing to when her body was found and even before that.

[Andrea]

So many just really interesting tidbits that you found especially revolving around Brian Laundrie's parents.

[Ellison Barber]

Yeah, I mean, it really is stunning. Like, we know at some point, kind of in late August, if I'm remembering correctly, it's like Gabby's mother, Nicole Schmidt, sent a text after she hadn't heard from Gabby in a while, saying to Brian's mom, Roberta, have you heard from the kids? And they just get nothing. They just get absolute silence. And what you realize when you go back and look through all these documents is that he had called his parents on August 9th and said, Gabby's gone. All that time that they had an awareness that maybe something wasn't okay. Nobody calls Gabby's mom or dad to say, hey, have you heard anything? Are they okay? I'm worried about her. They just carry on. And based on everything they claim in their deposition, they didn't ask. Their son called hysterical saying, Gabby's gone and they didn't have a follow up.

[Andrea]

And you and Misty, you don't shy away from what you discover. I want to play a little bit from the episode. Here's a clip.

[Ellison Barber]

Neither parent calls Gabby's parents and says, hey, something's happening with the kids. We're worried. Maybe you should call Gabby. Neither parents calls the police. They call an attorney. They pay a $25,000 retainer and they do not help or cooperate in looking for Gabby.

[Andrea]

And when the Gabby's gone, call comes in. If they really knew nothing, if they really did not that something nefarious had happened, why wouldn't you call her parents and say, this is a concern? You know, the. The thought that came to mind, I watched three of your episodes and the thought that came to mind was like, three Dimensional podcast.

[Ellison Barber]

Oh, wow, thank you.

[Andrea]

It's kind of like you're listening, but then if you're actually also watching on. On Netflix, you're able to see the podcast come to life with. Especially, like, Gabby, you know, you feel like, oh, my gosh, you're right there with her. The video, you know, the court documents that you're talking about, like the depositions, or at one point, you show people a letter that Brian's mom wrote him.

[Ellison Barber]

This is a photocopy of the letter that they say they found that Roberta had written handwritten. What stands out to you?

[Andrea]

So I obviously, the language in here, if you're in jail, I'll bake you a cake with a file in it. If you need to dispose of a body, I will show up with a shovel. I mean, of course, there's a huge question mark about when this was written. We know what she says. She says it was written before. I think there's some things that are a little weird about that, to say the least. We have no way of verifying when this was written. I mean, tell us about this letter. It was chilling.

[Ellison Barber]

I mean, you go through that line by line and every bit it. You're just like, why would someone say that? Why would someone say that? She claims that this was a letter she'd written way before any of this happened. And almost every time when the attorney is going through every line of saying, you said in here, if you need to dispose of a body, I will show up with a shovel and garbage bags. Why would you say that? Her answer is, it's a weird, jokey thing. I don't know any mom that jokes like that again and again with that kid. We reached out to the Laundry family when we were going through this and doing this episode, and they declined our requests to do any sort of interviews or give comment. So the civil lawsuit related to Brian Laundrie's parents, that was settled, I think publicly. Since then, they've said they just want to move on from this.

[Andrea]

So what other cases can we look forward to on allegedly?

[Ellison Barber]

You know, on some of these, we're going to try to do some follow ups. Like, particularly with Gabby's case. Like we are going to talk to her mom, Nicole. But a lot of it, I mean, it's going to be anything that you have really seen big in the headlines, right? We're going to do Corey Richards. We have the Alexander brothers coming up. That's our second episode.

[Andrea]

The sky's the limit for Allegedly Ellison. We can't wait to watch more allegedly. And it has been a pleasure watching your podcast and having you on this podcast.

[Ellison Barber]

Thank you so much. I appreciate you so much. And I literally watch every single episode you ever do. So I can't wait for your next one.

[Andrea]

Thank you.

[Lester Holt]

Thanks, Andrea. And Ellison Allegedly drops every Wednesday only on Netflix. That's it for this episode of Dateline True Crime Weekly. To get ad free listening for all our podcasts, subscribe to Dateline Premium. Coming up this Friday, Blaine's got an all new episode. It's a gripping story about the murder of a law student who went unsolved for decades until untested DNA cracked the case. Blaine sits down with Tara's boyfriend, Chris Melton in his first television interview. I figured that I was going to have to be involved somehow because that was her boyfriend. Watch a window of time this Friday at 9, 8 Central on NBC. Or you can stream it starting Saturday on Peacock. I hope you'll join us. Thanks for listening. Dateline True Crime Weekly is produced by Carson Cummins, Caroline Casey and Keani Reed. Our associate producers are Ellery Gladstone Groth and Aria Young. Our senior producer is Liz Brown. Curlow Off. Veronica Mazeka is our digital producer. Rick Kwan is our sound designer. Original Music by Jesse McGinty. Paul Ryan is executive producer and Liz Cole is senior executive producer of Dateline.

[Andrea]

See you all soon.

[Jesse Kirsch]

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[Andrea]

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[Alex Lowray]

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[Andrea]

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[Alex Lowray]

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