An accused killer pleads guilty, but not to murder. The next chapter in the Dulos case. Plus, a NXIVM story.

Summary

Dateline: True Crime Weekly

Episode Summary – November 20, 2025
Host: Blaine Alexander, with Andrea Canning, Dorothy Newell, Kevin Geiss, Marissa Meyer, Tim Ewlinger
Key Themes: Stunning plea change in the Anna Walsh disappearance case, update on Michelle Troconis’s appeal in Jennifer Dulos’s murder, Karen Reid’s civil lawsuit, developments in the John Beam murder, and Smallville actress Allison Mack breaking her silence about NXIVM.

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Main Theme & Purpose

This episode covers dramatic new developments in several headline true crime cases. The focus is on:

• Brian Walsh’s unexpected guilty plea (but not to murder) in the disappearance of his wife Anna Walsh
• Michelle Troconis’s thousand-page appeal in the Jennifer Dulos case
• New lawsuit from Karen Reid after her acquittal, the John Beam murder update, and a criminology class helping solve a decades-old cold case
• Exclusive insights into Allison Mack’s first public account of her involvement in NXIVM

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Brian Walsh’s Stunning Plea Change in the Anna Walsh Case

[00:57–09:38]

• Background:
  • Anna Walsh, a mother of three, disappeared on New Year’s Day 2023. Her husband Brian claimed she was traveling to work; no evidence supported this.
  • Blood, a knife, and incriminating Google searches (“10 Ways to Dispose of a Body”) on a child’s iPad contributed to the investigation turning to murder.
• Investigative Details:
  • Brian’s GPS data revealed trips to Home Depot (buying cleaning supplies and a hatchet) and dumping heavy garbage bags (containing Anna’s blood-stained belongings) ([05:06]).
  • No body has ever been found. Motives considered: marital trouble, possible infidelity, and a $2.7 million life insurance policy ([05:43]).
• In-Court Drama:
  • Brian was stabbed in jail, underwent mental health evaluation, and was just cleared for trial ([06:33]).
  • Jury selection was set to begin when he suddenly pleaded guilty to misleading investigators and improper conveyance of a body—not to murder ([07:14–08:01]).
    • Quote:
      • Judge: “Do you wish to offer a change of plea from not guilty to guilty?”
      • Brian Walsh: “I do.” ([03:10])
    • Key Exchanges:
      • Judge: “Did you, in fact, willfully mislead various law enforcement with the intent to impede or interfere with a criminal investigation of Anna Walsh’s disappearance?”
      • Brian Walsh: “Yes, your Honor.” ([07:50])
• What’s Next:
  • The murder trial is still going ahead. Jurors will learn of these lesser guilty pleas; defense may be strategizing for a lesser conviction ([08:14–08:51]).
    • Quote: Dorothy Newell: “By taking responsibility for some of his actions, Walsh could be trying to establish some goodwill with the jurors and hope they find him guilty of a lesser charge like second degree murder or manslaughter.” ([08:31])
• Critical Question:
  • If Brian admits disposing of Anna’s body, can he plausibly claim it was not murder? The only possible story would have to come from Brian himself, exposing him to cross-examination ([09:02]).

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2. Michelle Troconis’s Appeal: Jennifer Dulos Case

[11:26–17:37]

• Background:
  • Jennifer Dulos vanished amidst a bitter divorce; her husband, Fotis, suspected but died by suicide before trial. Live-in girlfriend Michelle Troconis was convicted of conspiracy and evidence tampering ([11:26–12:46]).
• Evidence Against Troconis:
  • Prosecution’s narrative: Michel manipulated phone records, helped draft false alibi scripts, and disposed of evidence ([13:24]).
    • Quote: Kevin Geiss: “Prosecutors alleged that she was in charge of things like manipulating Fotis Dulos’ phone… She helped come up with what were referred to as these alibi scripts.” ([13:24])
  • Security footage showed Michelle with Fotis disposing of evidence; defense claimed innocence and unawareness ([14:20]).
  • Inconsistent stories during police interviews; prosecution highlighted inconsistencies, defense cited memory changes ([14:58–15:06]).
• The Appeal:
  • Defense claims insufficient evidence and alleges police interviews (where Troconis’s story repeatedly shifted) were improperly admitted—coercion is alleged ([16:07–16:23]).
    • Quote:
      • Investigator: “If you want to see your family and your daughter and your mother and not get charged with murder, this is your chance, and it’s your one and only chance.” ([16:33])
  • Appeal outcome could take a year; will be ruled by state appellate court ([17:20–17:33]).

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3. Dateline Roundup: Major True Crime Headlines

[19:22–25:55]

Karen Reid Files Lawsuit After Acquittal:

• Reid, acquitted of murdering her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O’Keefe, now sues investigators and others from the house where O’Keefe died, alleging cover-up and framing ([19:29–20:59]).
  • Lawsuit claims O’Keefe was attacked inside, bitten by a dog, and body placed outside to frame Reid.
  • All accused parties strongly deny wrongdoing.
  • Quote: On the defendant officers: “The suit accuses all three men of failing to conduct a meaningful investigation into other suspects.” ([21:37])

John Beam Murder in Oakland:

• Laney College’s “Last Chance U” coach John Beam shot and killed on campus.
  • Suspect Cedric Irving Jr. confessed; remains in custody ([22:52]).
  • Motive still unclear, though suspect and Beam “were aware of each other in some capacity” ([23:44]).
  • NFL’s Marshawn Lynch attended the first court appearance in support of Beam’s family ([24:10]).

Criminology Students Crack a 1991 Cold Case:

• University of Arlington class assists police in the Cynthia Gonzalez murder; students’ review leads to the arrest of Janie Perkins ([24:38–25:36]).
• Perkins posted bail, and the class is now reviewing additional cold cases.

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4. Allison Mack Breaks Her Silence on NXIVM

[25:58–31:07]

• Context:
  • Allison Mack, known for Smallville, was convicted for her role in the NXIVM cult—serving 21 months in prison, now pursuing social work ([27:11–31:02]).
• Mack’s Account:
  • Describes being seduced by NXIVM’s self-help promises; over a decade, became a key recruiter for “DOS” (latin for “master above female slaves”)—a subgroup where women were manipulated and branded ([28:31]).
  • “DOS basically meant that small groups of women who call themselves slaves were led by a female master… But Raniere was calling the shots, and he was the grandmaster.” —Tim Ewlinger ([28:41])
  • Mack details extreme control over members’ diets and lives; acknowledges her own naivete and guilt ([29:11–29:36]).
    • Quote: Mack: “People can believe me or… think I’m full of shit or whatever. People can not listen, like, whatever, but I feel like I at least have to say it out loud for myself, like, once.” ([27:11])
• Victims’ Response:
  • India Oxenberg (fellow member) acknowledges Mack’s right to share her story.
• Aftermath:
  • Mack admits leaving the group was a slow, difficult process and is trying to atone as she rebuilds her life ([30:40–31:02]).

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Brian Walsh Plea:
  • “I do.” – Brian Walsh, changing his plea ([03:13])
• Juror Strategy:
  • “By taking responsibility for some of his actions, Walsh could be trying to establish some goodwill with the jurors and hope they find him guilty of a lesser charge like second degree murder or manslaughter.” — Dorothy Newell ([08:31])
• Allison Mack on NXIVM:
  • “People can believe me or… think I’m full of shit or whatever… but I feel like I at least have to say it out loud for myself, like, once.” — Allison Mack ([27:11])
• NXIVM Control:
  • “Max says she was only allowed to eat about 500 calories a day, meaning… she was practically starving all the time.” — Tim Ewlinger ([29:11])

---

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Brian Walsh Plea & Anna Walsh Case: [00:57–09:38]
• Michelle Troconis Appeal/Jennifer Dulos Case: [11:26–17:37]
• Karen Reid Lawsuit & Other Roundup Headlines: [19:22–25:55]
• Allison Mack/NXIVM Story: [25:58–31:07]

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Tone & Style

Episodes reflect Dateline’s signature blend: conversational, journalistic, and empathetic, featuring in-depth sourcing from their team of reporters and guests.

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For Listeners: Key Takeaways

• Even after shocking guilty pleas, key questions persist—especially if a body or a “smoking gun” remains missing.
• High-profile convictions are not the end; appeals and civil suits challenge verdicts behind the scenes.
• Grassroots efforts, from families to criminology students, can have powerful impacts on cold case investigations.
• Survivor and perpetrator narratives, like Allison Mack’s, remain complex and divisive long after convictions.

This episode is essential listening for true crime fans seeking detailed case progressions, insight into courtroom drama, and a look at the ongoing effects of high-profile crimes.

Transcript

[Blaine Alexander]

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[Kevin Geiss]

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[Tim Ewlinger]

Uh, Limu is that guy with the binoculars watching us.

[Kevin Geiss]

Cut the camera. They see us. Only pay for what you need@liberty mutual.com Liberty Liberty Liberty Liberty Savings Ferry underwritten by Liberty Mutual Insurance Company and affiliates excludes Massachusetts.

[Blaine Alexander]

Hey, there we go. You're listening in to the dateline story meeting. We will just dive in. Our team is catching up on breaking crime news.

[Kevin Geiss]

I'm curious about the rest of the investigation.

[Blaine Alexander]

You know, everybody's talking about mom blowing him a kiss in the courtroom. The cops are like, why were you acting so strange? You were there the whole time. Welcome to Dateline True Crime weekly. I'm Blaine Alexander. It's November 20th and here's what's on our docket. In Connecticut, Michelle Troconis wants a new trial. The woman convicted of conspiring with her boyfriend to murder his estranged wife filed a 1000 paper page appeal. We'll boil it all down.

[Kevin Geiss]

The defense claims that those police interviews should have never been let in.

[Blaine Alexander]

In Dateline roundup, we've got details on Karen Reid's explosive new lawsuit. And we'll bring you the latest in the murder of the Last Chance U football coach.

[Marissa Meyer]

The two men were aware of each other in some capacity, but they were not closely connected.

[Blaine Alexander]

Plus, Smallville actress Alison Mack breaks her silence on the sex cult nxivm.

[Dorothy Newell]

I feel like I at least have to say it out loud for myself like once you.

[Blaine Alexander]

But before all of that, we're heading to the Norfolk county courthouse in Massachusetts where there has been a stunning development in the case of Brian Walsh, 39 year old mother of three. Anna Walsh has been missing since New Year's Day 2023. Her husband Brian initially told police that Ana had taken a ride share early New Year's day to catch a flight to Washington D.C. where she worked. But there was no record that she ever took a flight and no evidence that she ever used her cred, credit cards or her phone. After that morning when they searched Brian's home. Investigators found blood in the basement and a knife. A week after Ana's disappearance, Brian was arrested and charged with misleading an investigation. And a few days after that, prosecutors hit him with two new charges, first degree murder and improper conveyance of a body. Brian denied it all, and in the almost three years since his arrest, he has maintained his innocence. That is until Tuesday when this happened.

[Kevin Geiss]

Do you wish to offer a change of plea from not guilty to guilty?

[Blaine Alexander]

I do. Brian did not plead guilty to Ana's murder, but he did plead guilty to all the rest. Joining us now is DATELINE producer Dorothy Newell, who has been following this case. Dorothy, thanks so much for joining us.

[Dorothy Newell]

Happy to be here.

[Blaine Alexander]

Dorothy, did you get any sense that something was brewing or did all of this come as a complete surprise to you?

[Dorothy Newell]

Absolutely no idea that this was brewing. Yeah, it was a complete surprise, but I have to think that this was in the works for a while now.

[Blaine Alexander]

Quickly remind us, who was Anna Walsh? Tell us a little bit more about her.

[Dorothy Newell]

So Anna was an immigrant from Serbia and she came to the United States in her early 20s. She was talented, ambitious, charming by all accounts. She met Brian, they had three young kids. She started working in real estate. She worked in Washington, D.C. during the week while Brian took care of their three kids in their home in a Boston suburb. Now, the reason he could take full time care of the kids is because he was on house arrest awaiting sentencing for art fraud. He'd pleaded guilty to selling some fake Andy Warhols.

[Blaine Alexander]

How did investigators start piecing together this case against Brian Walsh?

[Dorothy Newell]

It all sort of started when her employer reported her missing when she didn't show up for work. So police went to the home to do a welfare check. And they met with Brian. And according to prosecutors, Brian seemed cooperative at first. He handed over his cell phone and his electronic devices for them to check. That's when the missing persons case became a murder investigation. Because right there on one of the kids iPads, there were some strange Google searches with titles like 10 Ways to Dispose of a Body and how to Stop a Body from Decomposing. Oh, gosh.

[Blaine Alexander]

And those searches were on the kids iPad.

[Dorothy Newell]

Wow.

[Blaine Alexander]

They also learned from Brian's phone that he had visited some places that he had not told them about in the days after Ana's disappearance. Right.

[Dorothy Newell]

Yeah. On the day after she disappeared, his GPS data on his phone showed that Brian had made a visit to Home Depot where he bought cleaning supplies, a mop, goggles, a hatchet, and baking soda. Prosecutors also say that a Man who looked like Brian was caught on camera throwing a heavy garbage bag into a dumpster. And they didn't find that garbage bag, but they did find others at a dump in the town where Brian's mom lived. And those bags contained some of her belongings, and some of those items were covered in blood.

[Blaine Alexander]

Ana's body has never been found. Dorothy, do prosecutors have an alleged motive here?

[Dorothy Newell]

So prosecutors have a few theories. They say she told a friend that her marriage was in trouble and that she was thinking about moving the kids to Washington, D.C. they also say that Brian's mother hired a private investigator to follow her around to see if she was having an affair. Another theory is that prosecutors say Brian was the beneficiary of her $2.7 million life insurance policy, and he owed hundreds of thousands of dollars in his federal art Frau fraud case. So was money a motive? His defense says he was already paying back the money that he owed in that case. And as far as the alleged infidelity, they say Brian didn't know anything about that.

[Blaine Alexander]

Dorothy, of course, this week we saw this unexpected plea, but there was drama in this trial even before we got to this week. I mean, a few weeks ago, the entire thing came to a halt.

[Dorothy Newell]

That's right. So Brian Walsh was stabbed in jail this past September, and he recovered. But following that attack, his attorneys were concerned that he may not be mentally or emotionally capable of participating in his own defense. So they stopped everything, and he spent about 40 days undergoing psych evaluation and was only just last week declared competent to stand trial.

[Blaine Alexander]

And so that led us to this week. Tell me what happened there.

[Dorothy Newell]

It felt like it was all steam ahead. There was a hearing on Monday. The attorneys were sparring over opening statements and about what the jury could hear. Reporters noticed that Bryant's mom was in the courtroom. She even blew a kiss to her son.

[Blaine Alexander]

The very next day, though, that Tuesday, everything changed, Right?

[Dorothy Newell]

Jury selection was supposed to start. Bryan came in, then the judge. And then, similar to the Kohlberger plea hearing, for those who watched that, the judge made extra sure that Brian was sound of mind and understood what was about to happen. And then it became clear that he was pleading guilty to something. Mr. Walsh, did you, in fact, willfully.

[Blaine Alexander]

Mislead various law enforcement with the intent.

[Dorothy Newell]

To impede or interfere with a criminal.

[Blaine Alexander]

Investigation of Anna Walsh's disappearance?

[Kevin Geiss]

Yes, you, Honor.

[Dorothy Newell]

And you are pleading guilty to willfully.

[Blaine Alexander]

Conveying away a human body in violation.

[Dorothy Newell]

Of Massachusetts general laws. Do you understand that?

[Blaine Alexander]

Yes, you, Honor.

[Dorothy Newell]

So it's the two lesser charges Misleading the investigators and improper conveyance, the moving of a body.

[Blaine Alexander]

So just to be super clear here, he is not pleading guilty to murder. What happens with that charge? Will that trial still get underway?

[Dorothy Newell]

Yeah, he's still heading to trial at of this moment on the murder charge. In fact, not long after he entered the plea, jury selection got underway.

[Blaine Alexander]

Is that jury going to be hearing about these pleas that Bryan just entered and how will all of this work, Dorothy?

[Dorothy Newell]

Yes, they will hear about the pleas that Bryan entered. And some experts are saying that by taking responsibility for some of his actions, Walsh could be trying to establish some goodwill with the jurors and hope they find him guilty of a lesser charge like second degree murder or manslaughter, then he might have a chance of parole way down the road.

[Blaine Alexander]

You know, listening to that, some could say that that sounds risky. Right. Brian is basically admitting that he, in fact got rid of his wife's body. How will he try and convince a jury then that it wasn't murder?

[Dorothy Newell]

That's the question on everybody's mind. You know, the fact is, if his defense is going to be that it was an accident or self defense or suicide, Brian would have to tell that story on the stand because he's the only one who was there. And if he testifies, he faces cross examination. And that could certainly be brutal.

[Blaine Alexander]

So jury selection, of course, is still proceeding. Have they made any progress?

[Dorothy Newell]

The crazy thing is they made a lot of progress on the day that everything blew up, on the day that Brian pled, they actually sat nine jurors.

[Blaine Alexander]

Wow. Well, Dorothy, there is a lot to follow there. Thanks so much for joining us. To break it down today.

[Dorothy Newell]

Thank you.

[Blaine Alexander]

Coming up, a lengthy appeal from the woman at the center of the Jennifer Doulos case. But is it enough to overturn her conviction?

[Marissa Meyer]

Some stories never make national headlines, but stories from small towns and coastal communities deserve recognition too. I'm Kylie Lowe, host of Dark Down.

[Dorothy Newell]

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[Marissa Meyer]

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[Blaine Alexander]

Seven years ago, Connecticut mom of five Jennifer Farber Doulos was in the middle of a bitter divorce and custody battle when she disappeared.

[Dorothy Newell]

The search for this missing mother.

[Kevin Geiss]

It's a story that has captured national attention.

[Blaine Alexander]

Jennifer Dulos was last seen taking her kids to school. She's never been found. Investigators quickly suspected that her estranged husband Foden Fotis might have killed her. They tracked down security camera video showing him dumping garbage bags in the hours after Jennifer's disappearance. Inside those bags, they found zip ties, a razor blade and bloody clothes. DNA on the items matched back to Jennifer. Fotis was eventually charged with his wife's murder, but before he ever went to trial, he died by suicide. That might have been the end of the investigation, except according to prosecutors, the Fotis wasn't the only person involved in Jennifer's death. Almost overnight, she went from a possible witness to a person of interest in the case of a missing mom of five. Prosecutors accused Fotus live in girlfriend Michelle Traconis of conspiring with him to commit the murder. Last year, she was convicted after a seven week trial and sentenced to serve more than 14 years in prison. But outside the courtroom, her family insisted that she was innocent and vowed to fight on. My sister will eventually come out.

[Kevin Geiss]

She has to because she's innocent of.

[Blaine Alexander]

Everything that she's been charged for. Their day to prove that finally came last week when her defense team filed a thousand page document asking a judge to overturn her conviction or give her a new trial. We're joined today by NBC Connecticut's Kevin Geiss, who covered every day of Michelle's trial and is here now to bring us up to speed on this case. Kevin, thanks so much for being here.

[Kevin Geiss]

Absolutely. Thank you guys for having me.

[Blaine Alexander]

Of course. So, Kevin, before we dig into the appeal itself, we'll certainly get to that. But let's just remind all of our listeners of the main points that prosecutors made against Michelle during this trial. So how does she fit into this case?

[Kevin Geiss]

Absolutely. So they were able to weave together a narrative around Fotis being the individual who physically did the act of murder. Michelle was essentially an agent to help in the COVID up. So prosecutors alleged that she was in charge of things like manipulating Fotus Doulos phone, was involved with him in the disposal of evidence. She helped come up with what were referred to as these alibi scripts, a rundown that they came up with and they wrote down in the event that they would be questioned about where they were. Now, the problem with those so called alibi scripts was they would catch photos on, you know, closed circuit television or security cam footage that told a completely different story than what was written down in those scripts.

[Blaine Alexander]

Well, speaking of security cam footage, I mean, that's another piece of evidence right there. Right. We mentioned that up, up top that Fotus was caught dumping bags, but prosecutors said that you can see Michelle on it too.

[Kevin Geiss]

You can. And at one point, you watch her lean out of the truck. She says she was just in the truck with Fotus on that afternoon. She didn't know what was going on. But you watch her at one point lean out of the truck. The defense says she was trying to scrape gum off of her hand onto the sidewalk. But when police investigators went back, they actually found some falsified Connecticut license plates that were dumped into a storm drain right in that area. And the state, again, sort of rolls that. As you know, we have you on security camera disposing of physical evidence, whether you knew what you were doing or not.

[Blaine Alexander]

Right.

[Kevin Geiss]

That's still disposal of evidence.

[Blaine Alexander]

Talk to me about some of the interviews, because I understand that when she was interviewed by investigators, her story changed, her story changed again.

[Kevin Geiss]

So she went back to meet with police investigators three times. And every single time, e either had some sort of new detail or a detail would change regarding where she was or what time or how this worked. And the defense claims that she was just trying to be helpful. And the more she thought about it, the more details that came to light. But of course, from a prosecution standpoint, you're looking at these as inconsistencies.

[Blaine Alexander]

Walk us through what Michelle's defense was at trial.

[Kevin Geiss]

Yeah. So throughout the entire trial, the defense attorney, John Schoenhorn, sort of said, you don't have any concrete evidence tying her to the case. You don't have any sort of smoking gun, so to speak. And they also leaned pretty hard on the idea that Fotus Doulos was a manipulator Fotus Doulos was someone that, you know, may have done it, but she was just sort of caught up in this love triangle.

[Blaine Alexander]

So that was her trial. But last week, Michelle filed her appeal with the Connecticut Supreme Court. I mean, we talked about it earlier. A thousand pages.

[Kevin Geiss]

Yeah. It's a long document.

[Blaine Alexander]

Boil it down for us, though, Kevin. What's the argument here?

[Kevin Geiss]

The main arguments that she makes is that there was insufficient evidence as well as, you know, rulings on the police interviews. So the defense claims that those police interviews should have never been let in.

[Blaine Alexander]

Yeah. At one point, Michelle and her team say those interviews were coerced, that she was only there because investigators threatened to charge her with murder if she didn't talk. Right. Let's, let's listen to a clip of that interview.

[Dorothy Newell]

This is your chance.

[Kevin Geiss]

If you want to see your family.

[Dorothy Newell]

And your daughter and your mother and not get charged with murder, this is.

[Kevin Geiss]

Your chance, and it's your one and only chance.

[Blaine Alexander]

The defense is basically saying that playing those interviews warrants an overturned conviction.

[Kevin Geiss]

Right, Exactly. Because there was a lack of ability, according to her defense attorney during the trial to really sort of defend how those interviews were, were used in court. It was a last second decision that they would be let in. I mean, prosecutors really kind of dove right into those interviews and said, hey, let's take a look at these and highlight every single inconsistency. So really sort of a tough thing for the defense to, to capitalize on from the get go.

[Blaine Alexander]

Who is going to rule on this appeal and when can we expect that ruling?

[Kevin Geiss]

Right. So it's in the hands of the appellate court. Every defense attorney I have been able to contact about this says this is going to be a long appeal. We're looking at potentially a year.

[Blaine Alexander]

Okay, well, Kevin, we'll continue to talk to you as we follow this. Thank you so much.

[Kevin Geiss]

Yeah, thank you.

[Blaine Alexander]

Up next, it's time for DATELINE Roundup. We've got the latest on Karen Reed and the shooting of Last Chance U coach John Bean. Plus the story of Allison Mack, actress and former member of the sex cult nxivm. In her own words.

[Marissa Meyer]

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[Dorothy Newell]

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[Blaine Alexander]

Welcome back. Joining me for this week's roundup is DATELINE producer Marissa Meyer. Hi, Marissa.

[Marissa Meyer]

Hi, Blaine. How are you doing?

[Blaine Alexander]

I'm good. It's so good to see you. Thanks for joining us today. We've got a lot to talk about. Our first story is a big update in the Karen Reed saga. She's filed a major lawsuit in Massachusetts claiming she was framed for the death of her boyfriend, Boston police Officer John o'. Keefe. So, Marissa, just walk us through all of this. What is she alleging here?

[Marissa Meyer]

Yes. So in this civil lawsuit, she lays out a long list of accusations. You know, of course, you remember, a lot of people remember Reid was acquitted earlier this year. Prosecutors had tried and failed to convince the jury to convict her of murdering o' Keefe by backing her SUV into him. And now she is suing the investigators that were on the case, along with with several people who are inside the Canton home where she says she last saw o' Keefe alive.

[Blaine Alexander]

So, of course, the big question here has been what actually happened that night? What is she saying happened that night?

[Marissa Meyer]

Yeah, so it's very similar to what she alleged at her criminal trial, too. The lawsuit claims o' Keefe got into an altercation at the Canton home. He suffered a head wound and was attacked by the homeowner's German shepherd. Reid points to the state medical examiner's autopsy, which did note scratches and what the suit calls dog bite wounds. So according to the filing, people inside the home moved his body outside to make it look like he had been hit by her SUV and left in the snow.

[Blaine Alexander]

So since she has filed this separate lawsuit, have we heard from the people who were in the house? That night. How are they responding?

[Marissa Meyer]

They have repeatedly denied any involvement in o' Keefe's death. In fact, they say o' Keefe never entered the home that night. And their attorneys said the allegations are entirely false, defamatory and without merit.

[Blaine Alexander]

So, Marissa, the lawsuit also points the finger at somebody whose name will be very familiar to those who have been following this saga. Former Massachusetts State Trooper Michael Proctor, along with two of his supervisors, Sergeant Yuri Buchenik and Lieutenant Brian Tully. So what's new there?

[Marissa Meyer]

So the suit accuses all three men of failing to conduct a meaningful investigation into other suspects. And the lawsuit bashes Proctor's investigation. When it comes to Proctor's supervisors, the suit accuses them of failing to intervene when they became aware of Proctor's misconduct.

[Blaine Alexander]

Have we heard any response from them yet?

[Marissa Meyer]

So all three men have denied any conspiracy in the past or undermining the investigation. NBC has yet to receive any comment from Proctor and Sergeant Buchenik about, about the lawsuit in particular. But an attorney for Lt. Brian Tully said he was looking forward to a civil trial and quote, was never part of any so called conspiracy and cover up.

[Blaine Alexander]

Well, Marissa, of course, that is one that we are going to continue to follow very, very closely. Let's go to our next story. We're going to go out to Oakland, California, where there are major developments in the tragic killing of longtime Laney College coach John Beam. He's somebody who became a familiar face. A lot of people got to know him through the netfl series. Last chance you. Well, Beam was shot on campus last Thursday and died the next day. His suspected killer was arrested within hours. So, Marissa, what do we know about the suspect who's now in custody?

[Marissa Meyer]

So what authorities have said so far is that the suspect is 27 year old Cedric Irving Jr. According to court documents, Irving confessed to the shooting. Investigators say he told police he used a handgun that was found in his bag to shoot Beam inside the Lamy College fieldhouse. And that is where Beam worked every day as the athletic director.

[Blaine Alexander]

I know that he appeared in court. What happened there?

[Marissa Meyer]

He did appear in court. Irving made his first appearance, but he did not enter a plea. He stood next to his public defender while wearing a padded safety vest, which is something the jail system uses when there are concerns about a person harming themselves. He said very little. And then the judge scheduled his next hearing for December 16th.

[Blaine Alexander]

Well, Marissa, do police have any sense of why he may have done this?

[Marissa Meyer]

Yeah, that seems to be the big question in this. Police have only said that Irving came to campus with intention that the two men were aware of each other in some capacity, but they were not closely connected. So beyond that, officials have not released any additional details about why this might have happened.

[Blaine Alexander]

And Marissa, there was a very big turnout in the courtroom as well, right?

[Marissa Meyer]

Yes. The front rows were filled with Beam's family, friends, and one very recognizable face was there as well. NFL running back and Oakland native Marshawn lynch attended the hearing to support Beam's loved ones.

[Blaine Alexander]

Just a terrible story, Marissa. Okay, we'll definitely stay on top of that one. And then for our last story, this is a really interesting one. We're turning to a group of criminology students who helped police crack a decades old cold case in Texas.

[Marissa Meyer]

It was a class of criminology students at the University of Arlington. And investigators are saying that these students uncovered evidence that has led to an arrest in the 1991 murder of 25 year old Cynthia Gonzalez. The Arlington Police department had partnered with the class for the semester and gave the students access to hundreds of pages from the old case files. And after they reviewed up to 500 documents, the students noticed a connection between Gonzalez and a woman named Janie Perkins. Detectives had found this link decades ago, but had never moved forward with charges. Earlier this month, Perkins was arrested on a capital murder charge. She's now 63, but police say that back in the 90s, she had no alibi for the night Gonzalez disappeared. She failed two voluntary polygraph tests, and she allegedly told several people that she was glad that Gonzalez was dead.

[Blaine Alexander]

Wow. So what happened next, Marissa?

[Marissa Meyer]

So Perkins was released on bail after posting $150,000 bond. She is awaiting her next court appearance as the investigation continues. And that same class is now reviewing two more cold cases, so there could be other news from them in the near future.

[Blaine Alexander]

Very interesting story, Marissa. Thank you so much for joining us.

[Marissa Meyer]

Thank you so much, Blaine. I was excited by the power that I felt having these young, beautiful women.

[Blaine Alexander]

Look to me and listen to me. That's the voice of actress Allison Mack, who first became famous for her work on the hit TV show Smallville. But in 2018, she made headlines for playing a far more sinister role. Actress Allison Mack is out on bail after facing a judge in Brooklyn.

[Marissa Meyer]

Prosecutors say she recruited women into a sex trafficking sorority.

[Blaine Alexander]

Federal prosecutors accused Mack of being a top lieutenant to Keith Ranieri, the founder of Nexium, the self help group that many have called a sex cult. Ranieri was convicted of sex trafficking and other charges and sentenced to 120 years in prison. Allison Mack admitted to recruiting some of his victims and pleaded guilty to charges of racketeering and racketeering conspiracy. She was sentenced to spend three years in prison. Well, now she's free and she's rebuilding her life. And in Uncover Allison after nexiv, a new podcast series from the cbc, Mac is breaking her silence on all of this for the very first time.

[Dorothy Newell]

People can believe me or people can.

[Marissa Meyer]

Think I'm full of shit or whatever.

[Dorothy Newell]

People cannot listen, like, whatever, But I feel like I at least have to say it out loud for myself, like, once, you know.

[Blaine Alexander]

Dateline senior national producer Tim Ewlinger has followed this NXIVM case for years and is joining us now to share more from Mac's interview and to give us his thoughts on what she has to say. Tim, I am so glad to be joined by you today. Thank you so much for breaking all of this down.

[Tim Ewlinger]

Oh, it's great to see you, Blaine.

[Blaine Alexander]

Well, before we get into her version of events, Tim, I wonder if you could just give us a sketch of what NXIVM was.

[Tim Ewlinger]

It started as a, apparently, a self help create group. You know, they began offering classes on self improvement and said they could provide tools to help your career and your relationships. And they apparently had about 17,000 clients worldwide. Their leader was a man named Keith Rari, and by the group, he was treated much more like a spiritual leader or a guru than a teacher.

[Blaine Alexander]

Does Mac explain ever what was so appealing to her about the group?

[Tim Ewlinger]

Yeah, in this podcast done by the cbc, she, you know, at the time, she was in her mid-20s, she was working in Vancouver as an actress. She was feeling a bit lost, and the teaching to her clicked, and after a few years, she moved to Albany to take classes directly from Keith Renary.

[Blaine Alexander]

Max said that she had been part of NEXIVM for about a decade, 10 years, when she learned about a secret sort of subgroup in NXIVM called dos. Tell us about that.

[Tim Ewlinger]

Yeah, DOS D O S is short for a Latin phrase, Dominus obsequious sorari. And it, you know, it roughly translates as a master above female slaves. And it basically meant that small groups of women who call themselves slaves were led by a female master, and the master required absolute obedience from their slaves. But Ranieri was calling the shots, and he was the grandmaster.

[Blaine Alexander]

Max says that Reneri was dictating almost every aspect of their lives.

[Tim Ewlinger]

Yes, Max says she was only allowed to eat about 500 calories a day, meaning that she was, you know, know, practically starving all the time. She also had to get Raniere's permission to travel and do anything.

[Blaine Alexander]

So at one point, Tim Mack talks about sending her slaves off to quote, unquote, seduce Renery. And she says at the time she didn't think that Renery would actually sleep with them. That seems a little difficult to believe. Very hard to believe.

[Tim Ewlinger]

Yeah. Well, she admits it was naive and she thinks it was willful ignorance perhaps. Really from the hours of conversations that Alison Mack had with the reporter Natalie Robomet. I mean, you can really hear her thinking this through and still trying to come to terms with things. But yeah, you know, she admits it was naive and says she thinks that if she'd recognized Renery was manipulating them all, she would have had to admit that she'd hurt people too.

[Blaine Alexander]

Has there been any reaction so far to her words from any of the women who were, quote, unquote, her slaves in all of this?

[Tim Ewlinger]

The one reaction I heard was from India Oxenberg, the daughter of the famous actress Catherine Oxenberg, who led a years long campaign to get her out of nxivm. And India, in a quote to Vanity Fair magazine, said that she appreciates the fact that Alison is now talking and that she has a right to tell her story.

[Blaine Alexander]

What's really interesting about this series is how Mac describes breaking away from nxivm. It's not something that she says happened overnight. Right, right.

[Tim Ewlinger]

She says even after she was arrested she still didn't know what to think and that it's been an evolution for her and it's going to take time.

[Blaine Alexander]

Can you tell us what is she doing with her life now?

[Tim Ewlinger]

Well, after prison where she served about 21 months, she was released early on good behavior. She's now about 43 years old and she's studying for a degree in social work and recently married.

[Blaine Alexander]

This is just an unbelievable case. Tim, thank you for being with us today. We appreciate it. It.

[Tim Ewlinger]

Well, thank you so much.

[Blaine Alexander]

That's it for this episode of Dateline True Crime Weekly. Next week we'll be off for Thanksgiving so we hope you have a great holiday and we will see you back here the week after. And of course, to get ad free listening for all of our podcasts, subscribe to Dateline Premium. Coming up this Friday, Keats got an all new episode. The brutal double murder of a young couple inside a Wisconsin farmhouse house launches a decades long quest for their killer.

[Dorothy Newell]

He's not a man.

[Blaine Alexander]

He is a monster. Watch Raising the Dead this Friday at 98 Central on NBC. Thanks for listening. DATELINE True Crime Weekly is produced by Carson Cummins, Caroline Casey and Keani Reed. Our senior producer is Liz Brown Kurloff Production and fact checking help by Audrey Abrahams. 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.

[Dorothy Newell]

All right, thank you.

[Blaine Alexander]

Bye bye. What are you doing in a meeting? That could have been an email.

[Dorothy Newell]

That's right.

[Blaine Alexander]

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