An American fugitive in Italy. A detective's alleged Instagram account. Plus, Kristil's Law.

Summary

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Dateline: True Crime Weekly

Episode: An American fugitive in Italy. A detective’s alleged Instagram account. Plus, Kristil’s Law.
Host: Andrea Canning, NBC News
Date: May 21, 2026

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Episode Overview

This week, Dateline’s Andrea Canning and the reporting team break down three major crime stories:

• The unfolding case of Houston entrepreneur Lee Gilley, a suspected double murderer now a fugitive in Italy.
• Legal fireworks in Miami as a detective’s alleged Instagram account becomes a linchpin in the retrial of Rashawn Jones for the killing of college football star Brian Pata.
• The emotional journey behind “Kristil’s Law”—groundbreaking survivor-protection legislation following the 2023 murder of Kristeel Krug.

Throughout, the reporting is informed, empathetic, and keenly focused on legal process, victims’ families, and the justice system’s evolving challenges.

---

1. An American Fugitive in Italy: The Lee Gilley Case

(01:18–10:51)

Background

• Victims: Krista Gilley (pregnant wife), their unborn child
• Suspect: Lee Gilley, Houston entrepreneur
• Crime: Accused of strangling Krista at their Houston home (Oct 2024)

Timeline of Events

• Lee claimed Krista died by suicide/overdose after an argument ([04:40])
• Immediate suspicion arose due to facial bruising and autopsy confirmation of strangulation ([05:17])
• Prosecutors pointed to Lee’s extramarital affair, Reddit postings seeking a "college age female," and marital unhappiness ([05:57])
• Lee was charged with capital murder, released on $1 million bond, fitted with ankle monitor ([06:31])

Flight from Justice

• In May 2026, Lee cut off his ankle monitor and fled, communicating intent to escape to his alleged mistress ([07:41])
• Slipped out of the U.S. (method unknown), flew from Toronto to Milan using a fake Belgian passport ([08:54])
• Arrested in Italy and claimed asylum on grounds of presumed unfair justice in Texas; cited risk of the death penalty ([09:31])
• Italy typically won’t extradite to death penalty jurisdictions unless assurances are made ([09:31])

Extradition Hearing

• Quote:
  Lee Gilley: “I do not consent. My wife is dead, and they wrongly blame me. That's why I no longer have faith in the justice system. I am innocent. I did not kill my wife.” ([10:08])

• Lee’s U.S. trial was days away; questions remain about bond protocols and pretrial monitoring.

Reactions

• Krista’s family is “frustrated” and devastated as justice is further delayed ([10:40])

---

2. Miami Football Murder: New Trial, New Controversies

(12:47–20:40)

Case Recap

• Victim: Brian Pata, University of Miami football star, killed Nov 2006 ([12:47])
• Suspect: Rashawn Jones, former teammate
• Status: Arrested 15 years later; first (2026) trial ended in hung jury ([13:39])

Motive and Evidence

• Motive: Rivalry on football team, jealousy over girlfriend ([14:25])
• Evidence: Eyewitness testimony (questioned by defense for reliability, lighting issues), no DNA or weapon linking Jones ([14:56], [15:44])

Recent Pretrial Hearing

• Prosecution and defense now battling over:

  • Jailhouse informant: Defense questions whether informant got inducements ([17:16])
  • Detective’s Alleged Instagram Account: Defense says account “Balance of Justice” belonged to lead Detective Segovia; posted “He's guilty as sin” and similar comments during the first trial ([18:28])

• Legal Concerns:

  • Potential bias if detective commented publicly during proceedings
  • No conclusive proof detective ran the account; ongoing investigation ([19:03])
  • Internal affairs now investigating Detective Segovia ([19:42])
  • Judge is reserving ruling on whether more info about the account must be disclosed ([20:14])

Notable Quotes:

• Andrea Canning: “The defense is trying to cloud this whole issue.” ([16:50])
• Judge (paraphrased): “There are more motions in this case than any other case she has currently pending.” ([17:05])
• Instagram Comment: “I've watched a lot of the trial. He's guilty as sin.” ([18:35])

---

3. Dateline Roundup: Luigi Mangione Ruling, Corey Richins Sentencing

(22:43–30:07)

A. The Luigi Mangione Case (NYC Healthcare CEO Shooting)

[22:48–27:11]

• Suspect: Luigi Mangione (28)
• Victim: Brian Thompson, UnitedHealthcare CEO (2024)
• Legal Issue: Admissibility of evidence seized from Mangione at arrest in Pennsylvania
• First Search (McDonald’s): Deemed unlawful, evidence (cell phone, passport, wallet, loaded magazine) suppressed ([25:58])
• Second Search (Police Station): Deemed legal; “3D printed gun” and a manifesto notebook will be admitted ([26:32])
• Trial Dates: State – Sept 8, 2026; Federal – after state concludes ([27:02])

B. Corey Richins Sentencing (Utah)

[27:11–30:07]

• Defendant: Corey Richins, mom & grief author
• Conviction: Poisoned husband Eric Richins, 2022
• Sentencing: Life in prison, no parole ([30:00])
• Impact:
  • Victim’s family and sons issued heartbreaking statements ([28:17–28:50])
  • Corey remained defiant, claiming innocence:
    “Never apologize for something you didn’t do. Never admit to something you didn’t do.” ([29:45])

---

4. Kristil’s Law: Advocacy Turned to Action

(30:17–37:19)

The Story

• Victim: Kristeel Krug, Colorado mother, stalked & murdered in 2023 by husband masquerading as old boyfriend online
• Issue: Delays by communication/tech companies in responding to police warrants seeking the source of stalking messages; had real responses come sooner, Kristeel may have survived ([32:12])

Legislative Response

• Kristeel’s cousin: Rebecca Ivanoff, former prosecutor, led passage of “Kristil’s Law” in Oregon. Requires:
  • Social media companies: 72-hour warrant response for stalking/domestic violence
  • All other companies: 5 business days
• Motivation:
  “If we could have closed [the information gap] earlier, I firmly believe she'd be alive today.” – Rebecca Ivanoff ([33:00])
• Passage:
  • Unanimous vote in Oregon Legislature
  • “At the very end, it was just kind of spontaneous. One legislator rose and faced us, and then slowly all of them rose and faced us...they honored Kristeel” ([35:20])
• Aims:
  Serve as a national model for rapid information-sharing in stalker cases

Inspirational Moment

• Rebecca Ivanoff:
  “All things are possible when the right people come together. So thank you. You and your team at DATELINE are among the group of people for whom I will be forever grateful...” ([36:57])
• Josh Mankiewicz:
  “But this is 100% your work and I’m blown away by it. Congratulations to you.” ([37:13])

---

Notable Quotes and Timestamps

• Lee Gilley:
  “I do not consent. My wife is dead, and they wrongly blame me. That's why I no longer have faith in the justice system. I am innocent.” ([10:08])
• Detective’s alleged Instagram comment:
  “I’ve watched a lot of the trial. He’s guilty as sin.” ([18:35])
• Corey Richins:
  “Never apologize for something you didn’t do. Never admit to something you didn’t do.” ([29:45])
• Rebecca Ivanoff on passing Kristil’s Law:
  “All things are possible when the right people come together.” ([36:57])

---

Key Takeaways

• The American legal system faces ongoing challenges balancing defendants’ rights, timely justice for victims’ families, and modern complications like digital evidence and social media.
• Bond and pretrial release procedures can have critical consequences, as illustrated by the Gilley case.
• Vigilant trial coverage keeps public attention on potential law enforcement biases (Miami), while recent legislation (Kristil’s Law) shows how families can drive meaningful reform.
• Emotional impact on families and communities remains at the forefront; several family members voiced loss, anger, and determination throughout.

---

Episode Structure (Timestamps)

1. Lee Gilley fugitive case: 01:18–10:51
2. Brian Pata murder retrial update: 12:47–20:40
3. News roundup (Mangione & Corey Richins): 22:43–30:07
4. Kristil’s Law & Rebecca Ivanoff interview: 30:17–37:19

---

For true crime followers, this episode expertly weaves courtroom turns, investigative roadblocks, and legislative progress—all told with a blend of legal-savvy reporting and deep empathy for victims’ experiences. A must-listen for those invested in real-world justice.

Transcript

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[Rebecca Ivanoff]

Good morning.

[Andrea Canning]

You're listening to the Dateline story meeting. We'll get going.

[Alex Leray]

It's a busy day here.

[Andrea Canning]

Our producers are swapping tips and ideas.

[Mike Nardi]

What do we think he means by chaotic and hectic? Everything turns south real quick.

[Caitlin Cut]

Goodness knows what's going to happen with this story.

[Andrea Canning]

Welcome to Dateline, True Crime Weekly. I'm Andrea Canning. It's May 21st, and here's what's on our docket. In Miami, Florida, 20 years after the murder of college football star Brian Pata, his former teammate is set to go on trial for the second time this week, the defense and prosecution battled in court over a new witness and a mysterious Instagram account.

[Alex Leray]

Comments on that Instagram account were being posted during the trial as it was

[Andrea Canning]

happening in Dateline Roundup a pivotal ruling in the case of Luigi Mangione, the man accused of gunning down UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in December 2024 and defiant words from Utah grief author and convicted killer Corey Richins at her sentencing.

[Caitlin Cut]

Never apologize for something you didn't do.

[Andrea Canning]

Never admit to something you didn't do. Plus, last year, in his Dateline episode the Phantom, Josh Mankiewicz told the heartbreaking story of Kristeel Krug, a Colorado mom who was stalked and murdered by her own husband. Recently, Josh sat down with Kristeel's cousin, who is now on a mission to protect other stalking victims.

[Josh Mankiewicz]

I've seen a lot of families advocate for changes in the law. And in your case, it not only happened, but in what to me felt like just about record time.

[Rebecca Ivanoff]

I just felt so deeply at my core that it would happen. And I just trusted.

[Andrea Canning]

But before all that, we're heading to Italy for the unfolding story of a Houston entrepreneur accused of a double murder who's now on the run. Last week, 39 year old Lee Gilly appeared in front of a judge in the palace of justice in Turin, Italy. He was arrested by Italian customs officials trying to get into the country using what appeared to be fake travel documents. But that wasn't why Gilly was standing before the judge. He was there because of something he's accused of doing back in Texas, where he's from. In October 2024, Gilly was arrested by Harris county sheriff's investigators for the murders of pregnant wife Krista and their unborn child. He pleaded not guilty and was released on a $1 million bond with an ankle monitor. But earlier this month, Texas prosecutors say Gilley cut off his ankle monitor and fled the country. An American fugitive in Italy, a Texas

[Caitlin Cut]

man accused of strangling his pregnant wife is now claiming asylum abroad.

[Andrea Canning]

With his murder trial set to begin in the United States in just a few weeks, it's unclear if Gilly will be coming back anytime soon. Here to tell us more about the case and what Lee Gill, the Italian judge, is DATELINE booking producer Caitlin Cut. Caitlin, thank you for being here.

[Caitlin Cut]

Thank you so much for having me, Andrea.

[Andrea Canning]

All right, so to start, Caitlin, fill us in on Leigh and Krista Gilley. What do we know about this couple?

[Caitlin Cut]

They were a beautiful couple. They had met when they were younger. They reconnected, had a whirlwind romance, relocated to Houston where Krista was a physical therapist and Lee was a founder of his own engineering firm. They had two kids. And at the time of Krista's alleged murder, she was carrying their third child. She was eight weeks pregnant.

[Andrea Canning]

So the first indication that something was wrong with Krista came from Lee. It was a 911 call that he made on October 7, 2024. Tell us about that call.

[Caitlin Cut]

So Lee called 911. When the authorities arrived, he said that he had discovered his wife unresponsive. The two had gotten into an argument, and he said he had given her some time to herself in their room. So about three hours after this argument, he said he found Krista unresponsive. And he said that he believed that Krista had died by suicide.

[Andrea Canning]

Caitlin. He told authorities he thought it was Maybe some type of drug overdose.

[Caitlin Cut]

Correct. That is what he said.

[Andrea Canning]

And they rushed her to the hospital where she, of course, was pronounced dead. When did people start questioning Lee Gilley's story?

[Caitlin Cut]

Almost immediately. When Krista arrived at the hospital, they found bruising on her face. An autopsy very quickly revealed that she had actually died by compression of the neck or strangulation, and her death was ruled a homicide.

[Andrea Canning]

Investigators say when they talked to Lee, he changed his story, saying Krista was not suicidal and didn't use drugs. Days later, he's taken into custody, charged with capital murder for the deaths of Krista and their unborn baby. Have prosecutors, Caitlin, said yet why they believe he killed his wife?

[Caitlin Cut]

Based on documents that had been submitted by the prosecution, it seems like their argument is that Lee was unhappy in his marriage. So in 2023, they say there seems to be evidence of an affair that he had with a woman named Anna Barnes in San Diego. Then in 2024, only about seven months before Christa was murdered, Lee allegedly posted on Reddit that he was bored in his marriage and that he was openly seeking, as he put it, a college age female for a friends with benefits relationship.

[Andrea Canning]

Lee pleaded not guilty to capital murder. He was released on bond and placed on house arrest with an ankle monitor. That's where things stood for a few years. By this year, 2026, he had a new defense attorney, someone our listeners might know from other high profile cases. His name is Dick DeGuerin, and he has a whole new theory of the case. He said that there had been no murder at all, that Christa had died from a rare blood disorder. Caitlin, where is that coming from?

[Caitlin Cut]

Technically, Christa was diagnosed with a rare blood disorder, but based on the documents that had been submitted by the prosecution that we got a chance to look at, it was something that only had begun to crop up about a year before her alleged homicide and also doesn't

[Andrea Canning]

seem like it's connected if they're saying that she died by compression of the neck or strangulation.

[Caitlin Cut]

Gilley's defense attorney is saying that this rare blood condition could actually present symptoms that mimic strangulation. So they're arguing that she did die from this preexisting condition, this rare blood disorder.

[Andrea Canning]

So that brings us to the beginning of May. What do we know about Lee's movements before he fled to Italy?

[Caitlin Cut]

Well, on Friday night, May 1, his ankle monitor did record an anomaly. Pretrial services was in charge of tracking Lee's ankle monitor, and they did not notify anyone right away.

[Andrea Canning]

So what struck me the most about this really jumped out at me, right out of the gate, was, why was Lee Gilley out on bond in the first place? He was facing the most serious of murder charges. We're talking about capital murder, where you can face the death penalty. And the crazy thing is, apparently, he wasn't even keeping his plans a huge secret. Prosecutors filed a court document alleging Lee was communicating with his alleged mistress. About trying to leave the country while he was on house arrest.

[Caitlin Cut]

Yes. According to the court documents, he had communicated to this woman that he was interested in fleeing to Mexico. He discussed his detailed plans of removing his ankle monitor.

[Andrea Canning]

We mentioned the ankle monitor, but did they not take Leigh Gilley's passport?

[Caitlin Cut]

That's the weird thing. Gilley surrendered his passport. It was one of the conditions of his bond.

[Andrea Canning]

So does anyone know, then, how he gets to Italy without a passport?

[Caitlin Cut]

Great question. So we know that somehow Gilly was able to leave Houston, traveled to Canada, traveled to Toronto, and then from Toronto, he landed in Milan. We do not know how he was able to take a flight out of the United States, if it was a flight.

[Andrea Canning]

Yeah, I mean, I suppose he could have driven from Texas to Canada, but you still need some type of ID to get into Canada. I'm Canadian, so I know this. But anyway, I guess that'll be. Those details will come out eventually. Where exactly was he apprehended? In Italy.

[Caitlin Cut]

From what I understand, when he landed in Milan, he handed over a fake passport from Belgium, and he was actually taken aside by immigration in Italy. Once he realized that he had been caught, he then fully identified himself as Lee Gilly. He explained that he was there trying to seek asylum. Basically, Italy generally will not extradite anybody on EU soil facing the death penalty unless the US Guarantees that it will not seek or carry out the death penalty.

[Rebecca Ivanoff]

Wow.

[Andrea Canning]

So, as we said up top, Lee Gilly was brought before an Italian judge for an extradition hearing. Caitlin, what happened?

[Caitlin Cut]

So Lee appeared in court wearing a T shirt and jeans. The judge asked Gilly whether he would consent to being extradited back to the U.S. and Lee said, quote, I do not consent. My wife is dead, and they wrongly blame me. That's why I no longer have faith in the justice system. I am innocent. I did not kill my wife. And according to our NBC reporter who was in court, Lee said thank you to the judge in Italian twice.

[Rebecca Ivanoff]

Wow.

[Andrea Canning]

Lee's trial was supposed to start at the beginning of June. It was right around the corner.

[Rebecca Ivanoff]

Yeah.

[Andrea Canning]

Krista's family has to be so frustrated by this.

[Caitlin Cut]

They are they are.

[Andrea Canning]

Caitlyn, thank you so much for bringing us all this updated information. We will absolutely be keeping an eye on this one.

[Caitlin Cut]

Thank you Andrea.

[Andrea Canning]

Coming up, things get testy at a pre trial hearing ahead of the second murder trial of a former college football player accused of shooting his teammate 20 years ago.

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On November 7, 2006, a student at the University of Miami found his roommate bravely injured in the parking lot outside of their apartment complex. He made a frantic call to 91 1.

[Alex Leray]

Somebody got shot. The guy's on the ground.

[Andrea Canning]

I don't know where he's bleeding from,

[Alex Leray]

but he's on the ground.

[Andrea Canning]

The man on the ground was star college football player Brian Pata. The 22 year old defensive lineman had been shot in the head and was dead by the time help arrived that night. Did you see what happened? No, I did not see what happened.

[Josh Mankiewicz]

Nobody see what happened, man.

[Andrea Canning]

For years, the murder remained unsolved. Then in August 202115 years after Pata's murder, authorities arrested one of his former teammates from the University of Miami, Rashawn Jones. NBC 6 had the story.

[Mike Nardi]

Yesterday, police arrested Jones near Ocala, and

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according to investigators, Pata and Jones had ongoing issues.

[Andrea Canning]

Jones pleaded not guilty to second degree murder and finally stood trial in February of this year. After five days of testimony and two days of deliberations, jurors told the judge they were deadlocked.

[Rebecca Ivanoff]

At this time, I will declare a mistrial in a hung jury.

[Andrea Canning]

This week, Rashawn Jones was supposed to go on trial for a second time, but instead, attorneys were back in court for a pretrial hearing, arguing about a new prosecution witness and a mysterious Instagram account. Here to bring us the latest is Dateline field producer Alex Leray. Hey, Alex.

[Alex Leray]

Hey, Andrea.

[Andrea Canning]

So I know you've been in court on this case, so thank you for coming on the podcast to break it all down for us. First off, Alex, what do prosecutors say Rashawn Jones and Brian Pata were fighting about all those years ago?

[Alex Leray]

Yeah, so Brian Pat and Rashawn Jones both played football at the University of Miami, but by 2006, the two were in very different places in their lives. Brian was a standout defensive lineman with real NFL prospects ahead of him. Rashawn, on the other hand, wasn't a starter, and he had recently been suspended from the team. Brian was also dating a girl that Rashawn had once been involved with, which investigators and prosecutors believe made Rashawn angry and jealous.

[Andrea Canning]

We followed this trial in February. Prosecutors put on witnesses that they said backed up this motive.

[Alex Leray]

Yeah, so the state actually put on a few of their former teammates, and they testified about friction between Rashawn and Brian, including a physical altercation they had in a dorm room a few years before the murder.

[Andrea Canning]

I was just, like, shocked that it got to that point. Did Brian feel like he'd been threatened?

[Mike Nardi]

Yes.

[Andrea Canning]

The prosecution also called someone they claim was an eyewitness from the night of the murder.

[Alex Leray]

Yeah, so he was actually one of the biggest parts of the prosecution's case. The man was a former, UM professor who said that he was in the parking lot, heard what sounded like a gunshot, and then saw a man briskly walking away from the scene. The witness identified Jones as the man that he saw that night in a photo lineup.

[Andrea Canning]

What was the defense's response to that? And also the witnesses the state called.

[Alex Leray]

The defense pushed back hard on the prosecution's theory. They argued, first of all, that there was no DNA, no murder weapon, and no direct physical evidence that Tied Jones to Brian Pata's murder. They said that the two men had no real beef and that that dorm room fight was actually instigated by Brian. The defense also heavily challenged the eyewitnesses identification. They say that the parking lot was not well lit enough to see anyone. Clearly the man's vision wasn't the best. And the eyewitness also acknowledged that he wasn't 100% sure that it was Jones.

[Andrea Canning]

One of the detectives knew how sure I was that that was an answer. 90%. So, Alex, we know that this ended in a hung jury. Rashawn Jones's new trial was expected to begin this week. Of course, we know that didn't happen. Instead, the prosecution and defense were in court B over some motions that will affect the retrial. You were in the courtroom, set the scene for us.

[Alex Leray]

Yeah. So the hearing was packed with spectators, then the media and family alike. And honestly, at times, things got pretty heated.

[Andrea Canning]

The defense is trying to cloud this whole issue.

[Alex Leray]

At one point, the judge even seemed to laugh while the defense was addressing the court.

[Andrea Canning]

I'm sorry, judge, I see that you're arguing. It's not only that I am amused, but I am will agree. I am amused by the argument.

[Alex Leray]

The judge even joked that there were more motions in this case than any other case she has currently pending.

[Andrea Canning]

Okay, so tell us about the motions. What are the prosecution and defense arguing over?

[Alex Leray]

The first one was that the defense wants to access more records tied to communications between prosecutors and a jailhouse informant by the name of George French Jones. He claims that Rashawn Jones confessed to killing Brian Pata while the two were housed in jail together in 2021. The defense is saying that they have serious questions about whether or not this witness is expecting sort of benefit in exchange for cooperating with prosecutors. Prosecutors are insisting that no deals and no promises were ever made. The judge ultimately denied the defense's motion and said the prosecutors don't have to turn over any more evidence to the defense.

[Andrea Canning]

In another motion, the defense wants to take a look at the lead detective in the case. What is going on with him?

[Alex Leray]

Yeah, so Detective Juan Segovia took over the case back in 2020, before Rashawn Jones was ultimately arrested. In the first trial, the defense argued that he had tunnel vision with Jones and that he never properly looked into any other suspects. The detective denies that. Now the defense in these motions is raising concerns over an anonymous Instagram account they say belongs to the detective. Comments on that Instagram account were being posted during the trial as it was Happening.

[Andrea Canning]

What is the handle on the Instagram? Do you know?

[Alex Leray]

Yeah, it's called Balance of Justice.

[Andrea Canning]

What kind of comments are we talking about that they're alleging the detective made?

[Alex Leray]

Yeah, there were a few different comments. One comment on a video read, quote, I've watched a lot of the trial. He's guilty as sin. Another just said guilty in all caps.

[Andrea Canning]

Okay. And the defense is arguing that those posts could point to two things.

[Alex Leray]

Yes, exactly. So first, what they describe as a bias against Jones. And second, that Detective Segovia may have been following testimony and online commentary during the trial before taking the stand himself.

[Andrea Canning]

So one. One point we should make, Alex, is that the defense is saying they only believe the account belongs to the detective. It sounds like they don't have hard proof.

[Alex Leray]

Then the defense attorneys say that they use technology to trace information connected to the account, including the email address, phone number, and IP address that they say are all associated with the detective. But they're still trying to access additional information directly from Meta to further verify that connection.

[Andrea Canning]

What about prosecutors? What are they saying about this?

[Alex Leray]

Prosecutors are saying that even if he did make the post, it doesn't really change the quality of his work on the case.

[Andrea Canning]

Has Detective Segovia commented on this at all, this account?

[Alex Leray]

He hasn't commented on these allegations. And I think we should mention that he's currently the subject of an internal affairs investigation by the Miami Dade Sheriff's Office.

[Andrea Canning]

We asked the sheriff's office if the investigation is connected to Segovia's alleged Instagram account and did not hear back. In a previous statement to a local news station, the sheriff's office said they are committed to transparency, but because the case is still pending, it would be inappropriate to comment. So what did the judge decide on this motion, Alex, involving the detective and Instagram?

[Alex Leray]

So the judge ultimately reserved ruling, which basically means that she did not decide anything yet.

[Andrea Canning]

This must be so difficult for Brian Pata's family, who have been waiting decades for justice.

[Alex Leray]

Yeah, they have. I mean, it's been a really long road for them. And Brian's siblings were actually in the courtroom for the hearing. Brian's brother Edwin told me that he's eager for the retrial to begin, and they will be there to the end.

[Caitlin Cut]

Okay.

[Andrea Canning]

Lots of developments in this case. Alex, thank you so much for bringing them to us.

[Alex Leray]

Yes, thank you, Andrea.

[Andrea Canning]

Up next, it's time for Dateline Roundup. We've got updates for you in the Luigi Mangione case and details from the sentencing of Corey Richins, plus Josh Mankiewicz will be talking to a former domestic violence prosecut, working to change the laws around stalking after her cousin's murder.

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[Andrea Canning]

I thought it was safe.

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[Andrea Canning]

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[Alex Leray]

Results may vary.

[Andrea Canning]

Welcome back. Joining me for this week's roundup is DATELINE producer Mike Nardi. Hey, Mike.

[Mike Nardi]

Hi, Andrea. How you doing?

[Rebecca Ivanoff]

Good.

[Andrea Canning]

For our first story, we are here in New York City where a judge issued a major ruling this week in the Luigi Mangione case. Mangione is the 28 year old accused of gunning down UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in Midtown Manhattan back in 2024. Mangione is currently behind bars awaiting trial in state and federal court. So, Mike, first off, this major ruling we're talking about came from state court, right?

[Mike Nardi]

Right, right. Yes, the ruling came down from his trial judge in state court. Mangione is facing multiple state charges, including second degree murder, and he has pleaded not guilty to all the charges against him.

[Andrea Canning]

What's at stake here with regards to this state case?

[Mike Nardi]

Well, the prosecution and defense have been battling for months over items police officers in Pennsylvania found in Mangione's backpack at the time of his arrest. The defense wants it all thrown out.

[Andrea Canning]

Let's set the scene of the arrest because it's key to understanding all of this. Five days after Brian Thompson was murdered hundreds of miles away at a McDonald's in Altoona, Pennsylvania, an employee called the police to tip them off there was someone in the restaurant who resembled the suspect that the police had been looking for. And sure enough, it was Luigi Mangione.

[Rebecca Ivanoff]

Mike?

[Mike Nardi]

That's right. Officers testified that they questioned Mangione and then detained him. He had a backpack with him that was searched both at the McDonald's and when he was taken to the police station.

[Andrea Canning]

We know that the officers found slightly different things during both searches of the backpack at the McDonald's, they pulled out Mangioni's notebook and a waterproof bag containing things like his cell phone, passport, and wallet. When they searched the backpack at the station, they looked into a different compartment of the backpack and found a 3D printed gun. They also took a look inside the notebook, photographing it page by page. So, Mike, tell us, why does the defense think these searches were not okay?

[Mike Nardi]

Well, the defense is citing the Fourth Amendment, which, as you know, means the police aren't allowed to conduct searches without a warrant. We know that the officers at the McDonald's didn't have a warrant when they first looked in his backpack, and they didn't get one before searching it at the station either. So Mangione's defense has been arguing this means game over. Whatever the police found during either of those searches can't be admitted as evidence. The prosecution has said not so fast. A warrantless search is allowed if there's a chance that the officers or the public might be in danger. And the prosecutors argued that the officers went through Mangione's backpack at the McDonald's to make sure there weren't explosives. As for the second search at the police station, prosecutors argued it was part of established protocol at the Altoona Police Department that when they're taking someone into custody, officers routinely do an inventory of what the person has in their possession.

[Andrea Canning]

Okay, so what did the judge rule on this big moment in this case?

[Mike Nardi]

Well, it was sort of a split decision. The judge sided with the defense over the first search in the McDonald's. He said he just didn't seem to buy the idea that the officers felt unsafe or were looking for explosives.

[LifeLock/Wayfair Advertiser]

I find that the search of the backpack at the McDonald's was improper warrantless search. Therefore, those items found in the backpack during the search at the McDonald's will be be suppressed.

[Mike Nardi]

That means some of the items officers found, including the loaded magazine, the cell phone, Mangione's passport and wallet, won't be introduced at trial.

[Andrea Canning]

Okay, so there was a second search though, Mike. And what from that will be allowed or not allowed in trial?

[Mike Nardi]

Right, so the judge said that the search of the backpack at the police station was valid.

[Andrea Canning]

And that's potentially a big deal, Mike, because it means the jury will get to see that 3D gun, which prosecutors say matches the gun used to kill Brian Thompson. And they'll get Mangione's notebook, which authorities have described as a kind of manifesto against the health industry. And they say it speaks to his alleged motive for the shooting.

[Mike Nardi]

That's right. That's right. The jury will see all of that evidence.

[Andrea Canning]

Okay, and Mangione's state trial is currently on the books for September 8th. Any idea what's going on with the federal trial?

[Mike Nardi]

That one is scheduled to start sometime in the fall after the state case concludes.

[Andrea Canning]

Next up, Mike, we are off to Park City, Utah, where Corey Richens, the mom and author of a children's book on grief, was recently sentenced. She was convicted in March for the 2022 poisoning death of her husband, Eric Richins. Mike. Her sentencing was held on what would have been Eric's 44th birthday, which was really hard for his family. And they were, of course, there, as they have been throughout all of this. This was the final moment for them as far as these legal proceedings.

[Mike Nardi]

That's right. And they gave tear filled victim impact statements. Eric's sister asked the judge to hand down the maximum sentence, warning that Cory was a danger to Eric's family, but also Cory and Eric's three sons.

[Rebecca Ivanoff]

Please do not create a possibility for

[Caitlin Cut]

Corey to endanger Eric's boys, my daughters, my family, or anyone else ever again.

[Andrea Canning]

At the time of Eric's murder, Cory and Eric's three sons were still relatively young. Were they at Cory's sentenc?

[Mike Nardi]

They were not. The oldest is only 13 years old. The other two are preteens. But they did give written statements which were read aloud by therapists.

[Andrea Canning]

And one of the therapists read what the couple's middle son wrote in his statement to his mother. You took away everything from me and my brothers.

[Rebecca Ivanoff]

I don't want you out of jail

[Andrea Canning]

because I will not feel safe if you are out.

[Caitlin Cut]

You have never said sorry for anything

[Andrea Canning]

that you have done to me and my Brothers, I don't want you to hurt anyone again. A different son even wrote, I want her to go to prison forever. These are pretty powerful words from Cory and Eric's sons. Mike, did Cory have any reaction to hearing all of this?

[Mike Nardi]

She did. She did. And I could paint a picture of that for you. She was handcuffed, wearing a lime green T shirt over a gray long sleeved shirt. Her hair down long, and she made several facial expressions. At points, her mouth was wide open or her cheeks chin was tipped down with her eyebrows raised. She was extremely expressive. Almost dumbfounded by the comments made about her ruining Eric's loved ones lives.

[Andrea Canning]

And then Mike, Corey herself decided to speak. And she spoke for a long time.

[Mike Nardi]

She did. She spoke for nearly 40 minutes and professed her love for Eric and her sons over and over.

[Andrea Canning]

For even one second, you thought that

[Caitlin Cut]

I didn't love you.

[Andrea Canning]

Because that couldn't be further from the truth. You boys are my world, the reason I continue to wake up every day

[Caitlin Cut]

and fight to come home.

[Mike Nardi]

But she also continued to maintain her innocence.

[Caitlin Cut]

Never apologize for something you didn't do, Never admit to something you didn't do,

[Andrea Canning]

and never beg for mercy for something you didn't do. All right, then it was time for the judge to hand down his sentence. Mike, what did he decide?

[Mike Nardi]

Corey Richins was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Her defense team already said they'd file an appeal.

[Andrea Canning]

Okay, thank you so much for these updates, Mike. Lots going on.

[Caitlin Cut]

Yep.

[Mike Nardi]

Anytime, Andrea.

[Andrea Canning]

Back in February, Rebecca Ivanoff stood in front of Oregon state legislators and told them about her cousin, Kristeel Krug.

[Rebecca Ivanoff]

Kristeel was a fighter and a true force. I know she would want something positive

[Andrea Canning]

to come for other survivors who are experiencing the terror and trauma of stalking. In the fall of 2023, Christeel, a 43 year old mom and chemical engineer, started receiving threatening messages from a man claiming to be her old boyfriend from decades ago. She contacted the police, who reached out to phone and social media companies asking for help tracking down the sender. But weeks passed with no answers. Then Christeel was found stabbed to death in her home. This time, when police contacted the same companies asking who had sent those messages, they got their answer in less than 15 minutes. It wasn't Kristeel's ex. It was her husband, Daniel Krug. Daniel was convicted of Kristeel's murder and sentenced to spend the rest of his life in prison. But Kristeel's cousin Rebecca agonized over what could have been done differently If Christeel's life could have been saved. She spoke to Josh Mankiewicz for his Dateline episode about Steele's case called the Phantom.

[Rebecca Ivanoff]

She marshaled the support of law enforcement. She tracked every single contact. Law enforcement wrote search warrants, issued those

[Andrea Canning]

search warrants, and she's dead.

[Rebecca Ivanoff]

And she still got killed.

[Andrea Canning]

Rebecca says that interview lit a spark in her and drove her to take action. About five months later, she stood in front of Oregon legislators advocating for what she called Christeel's law. This month, the law went into effect. Rebecca sat down with Josh recently to tell him what the law does and what she hopes others will learn from her journey. Here's Josh.

[Josh Mankiewicz]

So a lot has happened since you and I last spoke.

[Rebecca Ivanoff]

Yes, a whole lot. Where do you want to start?

[Josh Mankiewicz]

Tell me sort of how this came about.

[Alex Leray]

Yeah.

[Rebecca Ivanoff]

So the family doesn't actually get to know the evidence until the trial. And so alongside the jury, we were learning all of the evidence that they had against Christeel's killer. And what became clear is that that had the communications companies responded to the search warrants that law enforcement issued pursuant to the stalking investigation and had those companies responded timely, Christeel would have had the information she needed to make a safety plan, and law enforcement would have had the information they needed to arrest her true stalker. And ultimately, unfortunately, her killer.

[Josh Mankiewicz]

She would have known it was her husband, not her ex boyfriend. She certainly would not have been in her home with her back turned to him at the moment of her death.

[Rebecca Ivanoff]

Exactly. She would never have been in a position for him to get behind her. And that was what was so devastating. As we learned what happened, it just became so clear that there was this gap in the system that if we could have closed it earlier, I firmly believe she'd be alive today. So that was the mission. And so what Christeel's law does is it says when any communications company receives a search warrant pursuant to an underlying crime of stalking or any crime constituting domestic violence, companies must respond in an expedited manner. So in the case of social media companies, it's 72 hours. And for all other companies, the response must come within five business days. And we did that because we know these crimes can so quickly escalate to serious physical injury and death. And I never want to see another family lose a loved one, another child lose their mother when we have actionable information available and it can be timely provided to law enforcement. So that was the impetus of the bill.

[Josh Mankiewicz]

I've seen a lot of families advocate for changes in the Law based on something that happened to a family member of theirs or some loved one. In your case, it not only happened, but. But in what to me felt like just about record time.

[Rebecca Ivanoff]

You know, when I said out loud that we were going to pass Chris Steele's law, I had never had any exposure to legislative action. I really didn't know much about how it was going to get done, but I just felt so deeply at my core that it would happen. And I just trusted you passed Castile's

[Josh Mankiewicz]

law in Oregon because that's where you're from and where you have the most influence. Christeel was murdered in Colorado. Was it difficult to bring this issue to the fore in a state where it didn't happen? I mean, it hadn't really been in the headlines there the way it was in Colorado.

[Rebecca Ivanoff]

I had the advantage of being a former domestic violence prosecutor in Oregon. So I had a baked in network with folks that operate in that space. I had friends in law enforcement and I had access to our local democratic senator, who's also a lawyer that I saw at an event. And I kind of just waited for him outside because I'd been trying to get him by email for months. And once I was able to tell the story, people get it right away.

[Josh Mankiewicz]

So tell me now about the legislature.

[Rebecca Ivanoff]

So the process was that we provided testimony to the senate judiciary committee and then it has to go to the full house floor for a vote before it gets sent over to the senate side, where it goes through the exact same process. And you know, in the Oregon legislature, in the house chamber, there's a screen up on the wall that has all of the names of the legislators and as they vote, the color of the name, if they vote yes, it changes to green. And I was sitting there with my mom and dad watching as slowly as every single name turned to green. And there's this decorum rule where they don't allow people to clap. But at the very end, it was just kind of spontaneous. One legislator rose and faced us, and then slowly all of them rose and faced us. And I'm going to get emotional even talking about it because that was the moment that I felt like, wow, this is real. This is really happening right now. And, you know, all this work and effort to bring it forward, it just became crystal clear that it was a. It was happening. And so with that unanimous support and that rising, they honored Christeel and they turned and honored our family. And it was an incredibly special moment to share with my mom and dad.

[Josh Mankiewicz]

I know you would have preferred that this wasn't needed because Casteel was still with us. But this did kind of end up choosing you. And this is a wonderful step and it's also a first step.

[Rebecca Ivanoff]

So the goal here is to have K's law serve as a model for every other state in the country and ideally countries around the world.

[Josh Mankiewicz]

You think you and I are still going to be talking about this five years from now, ten years from now?

[Rebecca Ivanoff]

My hope is that we're across the country in under 10 years. And again, I think all things are possible when the right people come together. So thank you. You and your team at DATELINE are among the group of people for whom I will be forever grateful for the support for this.

[Josh Mankiewicz]

Thank you. But this is 100% your work and I'm blown away by it. Congratulations to you.

[Rebecca Ivanoff]

Thank you.

[Andrea Canning]

That's it for this episode of Dateline True Crime Weekly. To get ad free listening for all our podcasts, subscribe to Dateline Premium. And coming up this Friday on Dateline, Keith has a brand new twist to tell you about. In the incredible tale of Sante and Kenneth Kimes, the mother and son grifters who became killers.

[LifeLock/Wayfair Advertiser]

There's a lot of times over 35

[Rebecca Ivanoff]

years where you just, you know, your

[LifeLock/Wayfair Advertiser]

mind kind of runs wild. It's nice to be able to put it to rest.

[Andrea Canning]

Watch the Devil Wore White airing this Friday at 9, 8 Central on NPR or stream it starting Saturday on Peacock. 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 Kurloff. 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.

[Rebecca Ivanoff]

Everyone have a great day.

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[Mike Nardi]

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