Audio of a jailhouse sting. A woman's third murder trial in three decades. And the latest on a new texting scam.

Summary

Dateline: True Crime Weekly – Episode Summary Release Date: February 27, 2025

In this gripping episode of Dateline: True Crime Weekly, host Andrea Canning delves into three compelling true crime cases, providing listeners with in-depth analysis, fresh insights, and behind-the-scenes perspectives. Additionally, NBC News chief consumer investigative correspondent Vicky Wynn sheds light on a new texting scam targeting drivers. Below is a detailed summary of the key points, discussions, and conclusions from the episode.

---

1. Monica Cementilli’s Fifth Week on Trial

Overview: Monica Cementilli, a widow accused of orchestrating the murder of her husband, is in her fifth week of trial in a Los Angeles courtroom. The prosecution alleges that Monica and her lover, Robert Baker, conspired to kill her husband, Fabio, to secure his substantial life insurance policy, with assistance from a mysterious third party.

Key Developments:

• Surveillance Evidence: Last week, prosecutors introduced video footage capturing Monica and Robert immediately after their arrest, showcasing the rapid disintegration of their plan. This evidence is presented to the jury to demonstrate their suspicious behavior.

  Quote:
  Chetna Joshi (Producer) [03:41]: “Monica sounds really upset. She's breathing heavy. She sounds very emotional. Oh, my God.”

• Patrol Car Recording: Detectives used a fabricated scenario to monitor Monica and Robert in Monica’s new Mustang. Sensitive microphones and cameras were installed in the patrol car to capture their interactions in real-time.

  Quote:
  Dana Chandler (Defendant) [04:24]: “I will.”
  Dana Chandler [04:56]: “I don't know what's going on, because at some point during this time when they're in the car, they find out they're actually being arrested for murder.”

• Interrogation Tactics: An undercover agent posed as a cellmate to engage Monica in conversation, subtly encouraging her to divulge information. Monica eventually admits to her affair with Robert, referring to him as her “confidant” and “everything.”

  Quote:
  Dana Chandler [07:10]: “My husband was the love of my life. He was such a good person.”

Current Status: Christopher Austin, the identified third party involved, has pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and is set to testify on April 30th. The defense remains skeptical of Monica’s guilt, arguing that interpretations of the surveillance audio can be misleading.

---

2. Dana Chandler’s Third Murder Trial

Overview: Dana Chandler faces her third murder trial over the alleged killing of her ex-husband, Michael Sisko, and his girlfriend, Karen Harkness, orchestrated almost 25 years ago. This time, Chandler has chosen to represent herself, bringing a personal and contentious dynamic to the courtroom.

Case History:

• 2002 Incident: Michael Sisko and Karen Harkness were found shot to death in Topeka. Chandler was initially convicted in 2012 but had her conviction overturned in 2018 by the Kansas Supreme Court due to prosecutorial misconduct.
• 2022 Re-Trial: The second trial concluded with a hung jury, leading to the current third trial.

Key Proceedings:

• Self-Representation: Chandler’s decision to represent herself has introduced heightened tension, especially during her cross-examination of her teenage children, Hayley (17) and Dustin (15).

  Quote:
  Dana Chandler [17:08]: “Mean, you had that glare in your eye like, you know, it's simply not true. It's not true.”

• Children's Testimonies: The prosecution called Hayley and Dustin to the stand, presenting unsettling AOL chat exchanges that revealed Dana’s accusations of her ex-husband’s abuse and her aggressive behavior towards his new relationship.

  Quote:
  Hayley [16:01]: “Why don't you ask him why he raped me? I could have taken the divorce, but no, he had to take it to an extreme.”

• Defense Strategy: In her self-representation, Dana offered a monologue asserting her innocence and expressing embarrassment over her past actions, particularly the AOL messages sent while intoxicated.

  Quote:
  Dana Chandler [18:35]: “I'm deeply embarrassed about my exchange with my daughter, that I'd been drinking to the point of blacking out when I sent those AOL messages.”

Current Status: The trial is expected to extend into March as Dana plans to present a battery of defense witnesses. The emotional court scenes, especially interactions with her children, have underscored the complexities and high stakes of the case.

---

3. Dateline Roundup

a. Karen Reid Case – Dedham, Massachusetts

Overview: Karen Reid is accused of fatally crashing her SUV into her police officer boyfriend, John O’Keefe, in 2022. Her initial trial ended with a hung jury, and the retrial is slated for April.

Key Developments:

• Prosecution and Defense Arguments: The latest hearing revealed heated exchanges as the prosecution accused the defense of unethical conduct involving crash reconstruction experts.

  Quote:
  Vicky Wynn [22:11]: “The prosecution and defense both made arguments and Andrea, things got pretty heated.”

• Federal Investigation: A federal probe into allegations of corruption within local law enforcement related to the case concluded without filing charges, weakening the defense’s claim of being framed.

Outcome: The judge has yet to determine if the defense’s actions warranted any sanctions, and the case remains under intense scrutiny as the retrial approaches.

b. Adnan Syed Case – Baltimore, Maryland

Overview: Adnan Syed, convicted in 2000 for the murder of his ex-girlfriend Hae Min Lee, has experienced numerous legal twists. Popularized by the podcast Serial, Syed has continuously fought to overturn his conviction.

Key Developments:

• Withdrawal of Vacate Motion: The Baltimore City state's attorney has withdrawn the motion to vacate Syed’s conviction, stating it contained “false and misleading statements.”

  Quote:
  NBC News (Lester Holt) [24:28]: “We stand behind the jury's verdict. Based on the evidence we have today, yes, we would bring this case today.”

• Future Proceedings: Syed’s legal team has filed a motion to reduce his sentence to time served, as he is already out of prison pending the outcome.

Outcome: While Syed’s opportunity to fully vacate his conviction has been halted, the pursuit of a reduced sentence continues, with support from the state’s attorney’s office.

c. Eric Thompson Case – Honolulu, Hawaii

Overview: Eric Thompson faces a second trial for the 2022 murder of his wife’s ex-lover, John Tokuhara. The first trial resulted in a hung jury, bringing the case back to court for a decisive verdict.

Key Developments:

• Final Verdict: The jury deliberated for days before delivering a unanimous guilty verdict on both counts—second-degree murder and possession of a firearm.

  Quote:
  Sergey Ivonen [25:44]: “On Tuesday, the jury found Eric Thompson guilty of second-degree murder and possession of a firearm in connection with the killing of John Tokuhara.”

Outcome: Thompson has been convicted, marking a significant closure to this high-profile case that had captivated local and national attention.

---

4. Vicky Wynn on the Latest Texting Scam Targeting Drivers

Overview: Vicky Wynn warns listeners about a burgeoning "smishing" scam targeting drivers across the United States. This scam involves fraudulent texts that appear to notify individuals of unpaid tolls, prompting them to click malicious links.

Key Points:

• How the Scam Works: Scammers send texts claiming that the recipient has unpaid tolls, urging them to click on links to resolve the issue. These links aim to steal personal information or install malware on devices.

  Quote:
  Vicky Wynn [26:34]: “It's called smishing, which is a riff on phishing. So phishing is when you get an email from a scammer that says, hey, click here, do this or that. Smishing means the scam is coming in through your text.”

• Preventive Measures: Wynn advises never to click on suspicious links. Instead, verify the legitimacy of the message by contacting relevant toll authorities directly through official channels.

  Quote:
  Vicky Wynn [28:45]: “Never tap on a foreign link that's sent to your [phone].”

• What to Do If Scammed: If you fall victim, report the incident to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) and contact your credit card company to mitigate potential financial damage.

  Quote:
  Vicky Wynn [29:20]: “If you have clicked on it and you did pay this money, you do want to report it immediately to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center.”

Conclusion: This alert serves as a crucial reminder for drivers to stay vigilant against evolving cyber threats, emphasizing the importance of safeguarding personal information and verifying the authenticity of unsolicited communications.

---

Upcoming Stories and Announcements

• Haunted House Confession: A new two-hour Dateline episode titled "Haunted House Confession" will explore the mysterious murder of a young woman found in an abandoned farmhouse, with investigations spanning from crime labs to places of worship.
• Keith Morrison’s New Podcast Series: "Murder in the Moonlight" investigates a double murder in the Great Plains, driven by a single, pivotal clue.
• Exclusive Content: Dateline Premium subscribers can access the full series, with episodes one through four available to all listeners.

---

Final Remarks: This episode of Dateline: True Crime Weekly masterfully weaves intricate narratives of unresolved cases and ongoing trials, offering listeners a comprehensive look into the complexities of the criminal justice system. From high-stakes courtroom drama to cautionary tales of modern scams, Andrea Canning and her team provide engrossing storytelling backed by expert analysis and firsthand accounts.

For more detailed coverage of these cases and to stay updated on future episodes, visit datelinetruecrimeweekly.com and consider subscribing to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive content.

Transcript

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[Cancer Information Service]

To the People when living with cancer, it's important to be informed and know what to expect. But finding the right information can feel overwhelming. That's why understandcancertogether.com is here to help. We've gathered practical information and resources based on where you are in your cancer journey so that you can focus on the important conversations and decisions of today. Understand CancerTogether.com helping you navigate life with cancer one moment at a time.

[Jane]

Good morning, Jane.

[Andrea Canning]

Hey, how are you? It's time for the DATELINE story meeting at 30 Rockefeller Center.

[Chetna Joshi]

Have we talked about this before?

[Andrea Canning]

Producers are discussing this week's big stories in True Crime. We actually interviewed the lead detective for a previous story and we have a.

[Cancer Information Service]

Husband with a double life.

[Chetna Joshi]

We've got secrets and lies and the.

[Vicky Wynn]

Extortion plot at the beginning is really.

[Andrea Canning]

A great red herring. Welcome to Dateline, True Crime Weekly. I'm Andrea Canning. It's February 27th and here's what's on our docket. In Kansas, a woman accused of murdering her ex husband and his longtime girlfriend almost 25 years ago was now on trial and representing herself. Last week she cross examined her own children.

[Jane]

Watching those kids talk to their mother was a very uncomfortable experience, I will tell you that much.

[Andrea Canning]

Other stories on our radar this week, a verdict in Hawaii where the man accused of murdering his wife's ex lover has been on trial. In Baltimore, a big ruling for convicted killer Adnan Syed, whose story you may know from the podcast serial. And we've got an important update in the Karen Reed case.

[Vicky Wynn]

Well, the prosecution and defense both made arguments and Andrea, things got pretty heated.

[Andrea Canning]

Plus, Vicky Wynn, NBC News chief consumer investigative correspondent, has a warning about a new texting scam targeting drivers.

[Sergey Ivonen]

They're just hoping that a small percentage of those people tap on those links and then, boom, the hackers have access to your banking accounts.

[Andrea Canning]

But before all that, we're heading back to a Los Angeles courtroom where the widow of a famous hairstylist is on trial for allegedly plotting his murder. The prosecution's case against Mon Cementilli has entered its fifth week. The state is painstakingly laying out the evidence it says proves Cementilli and her lover, Robert Baker, planned the stabbing of her husband, Fabio, to collect his hefty life insurance policy. They were allegedly helped by a third person whose identity remained a mystery for years. Last week, prosecutors presented the jury with video of Monica and Robert immediately after their arrest. Video, they say, that captured the unraveling of their plan in real time. Were you able to monitor the conversation.

[Vicky Wynn]

Or anything that happened inside the patrol.

[Andrea Canning]

Vehicle live, like, as it occurred?

[Chetna Joshi]

Yes.

[Andrea Canning]

Dateline producer Chetna Joshi is back to bring us up to speed on the latest in the case. Chetna, thanks for making time for us again.

[Chetna Joshi]

Thank you for having me.

[Andrea Canning]

Sure. Okay. So the last time we spoke, Chetna, you told us that prosecutors were telling the jury how investigators had zeroed in on Monica and Robert Baker. Recently, prosecutors have focused more on what they say was their suspicious behavior after they were arrested. And a lot. A lot of that was actually caught on tape. Monica and Robert were arrested together and placed in the back of a patrol car. Chetna, what happens in that patrol car?

[Chetna Joshi]

Right. So what's really interesting is they use this ruse on Monica and Baker. They are in Monica's new Mustang, and they get pulled over. And initially, the detectives say that they're driving a stolen vehicle, and they get him back in the patrol car. Detectives have rigged up this car. They've put microphones in, really sensitive microphones. Microphones to pick up whispers. They have a camera in the car so that they can sort of be monitoring from a different area and be watching them live. And so we see them in the car together.

[Andrea Canning]

So what are they saying to each other?

[Chetna Joshi]

Monica sounds really upset. She's breathing heavy. She sounds very emotional. Oh, my God.

[Andrea Canning]

Please.

[Chetna Joshi]

Robert Baker starts talking to Monica. Starts. He wants to tell her something, and you can kind of hear her. She's aware that they might be being recorded. So she's like, no, sh. You know, don't talk. Don't talk. Robert Baker continues to talk.

[Dana Chandler]

I know, I know.

[Chetna Joshi]

Listen, listen.

[Andrea Canning]

Don't talk. Listen. Get down and get a lawyer immediately.

[Dana Chandler]

I will.

[Chetna Joshi]

I don't know what's going on, because at some point during this time when they're in the car, they find out they're actually being arrested for murder. One of the things that the prosecutors wanted to highlight in that audio is that it's very faint, But Monica apparently says, somebody must have talked.

[Andrea Canning]

Somebody did this. I'm sure the defense can spin that in a different direction.

[Chetna Joshi]

Yeah, according. According to the defense, when Monica says that somebody must have talked, that's about the affair. And so, yeah, the defense does not believe that that has Any evidence pointing to her guilt.

[Andrea Canning]

So in court, Chetna, we also heard audio of Monica in a jail cell.

[Chetna Joshi]

Yeah, so this was some really interesting audio to listen to. It was quite long. But the detectives here are basically using an investigative strategy by which they. Monica's cell, they give her a little piece of information, and then they walk away. And inside the cell, her cellmate's another woman that's there. But unbeknownst to Monica, that cellmate is actually an undercover agent. And so she gets Monica talking, and they seem to be having girl talk. At some point, they start talking about her marriage, and Monica's telling her that she was married to the greatest man of all time.

[Dana Chandler]

My husband was the love of my life. He was such a good person.

[Chetna Joshi]

At one point, you know, she's asking Monica, is Robert Baker attractive?

[Dana Chandler]

He must be hot. Is he hot? Is he sexy? Not really an average sexy person. No.

[Chetna Joshi]

This undercover agent really engages Monica and kind of gains her trust watching everything you do.

[Dana Chandler]

But I already knew that and my kids, too, and I've never been tapped because, you know, when it's a murder investigation, everyone, the spouse was the first one to be followed. So I had no problem with hiding anything. There's nothing wrong with what I'm doing.

[Chetna Joshi]

Even to a certain point. There was a lull in the conversation. And then the undercover agent brings up, like, asking her about rules for racquetball, because she mentions that Robert Baker was the racquetball coach. So she's bringing up, like, oh, can you. You know, can you do this in rac. Can you do that in racquetball?

[Dana Chandler]

Can the ball hit the ceiling in racquetball? No, sir.

[Chetna Joshi]

And it's sort of interesting to see, you know, how an undercover agent actually works.

[Andrea Canning]

Yeah. And Monica's just obviously letting her guard down.

[Chetna Joshi]

She is. And, you know, at one point, Monica actually admits her affair with Robert, and she says, he's not just my lover. He's my confidant. He's my everything. Another interesting moment happens when the detectives, they come back at a later point, and they basically tell her that, look, you and Rob were arrested today. We know that there is a third person. There was another guy there with Robert when Fabio was killed, and he's not here. So I want you to think about that. And what it seems to be is that detectives are sort of suggesting to Monica that that third suspect is not here, because he's talking to us. He's cooperating. And, of course, we know now that that was a ruse.

[Andrea Canning]

Remind us who this the police believe this man is and how he fits in.

[Chetna Joshi]

For a long time, they didn't know who the second man was, but police were later able to identify him as Christopher Austin, and they arrested him in October of last year. But inside the cell, the detectives use this ruse on Monica, and the undercover agent totally picks that up and runs.

[Dana Chandler]

He said a third person.

[Andrea Canning]

Oh, my God.

[Chetna Joshi]

She's sort of telling Monica, like, look, the first person to talk is usually the one that gets the best deal.

[Dana Chandler]

At this point, you should be thinking about yourself. I'm sorry, though. Your kids and yourself, not whoever that guy is. Screw him. He did this.

[Jane]

Make him responsible for it.

[Dana Chandler]

If he. If he brought all this, hey, look and stuff to your life, screw him, because I bet you he's not gonna think twice about screwing you over.

[Andrea Canning]

Christopher Austin, the third person involved in all of this, he has pleaded guilty to second degree murder, will be sentenced on April 30th. And he's going to testify?

[Chetna Joshi]

Yes, he is gonna testify. We don't know when that is yet, but we are all. We are all awaiting for that moment and to see what he's going to say.

[Andrea Canning]

Okay, well, you will let us know when this big piece of testimony is coming and we will have you back to hear about that. What presumably could be explosive in that courtroom. Thank you, Chetna.

[Chetna Joshi]

Thanks for having me.

[Andrea Canning]

Coming up. Just before opening statements, three weeks ago, murder defendant Dana Chandler fired her attorneys and took over her own defense. She's called herself as a witness.

[NetCredit]

Netcredit is here to say yes because you're more than a credit score. Apply in minutes and get a decision as soon as the same day. Loans offered by Netcredit or lending partner banks and serviced by Netcredit. Applications subject to review and approval. Learn [e-mail] partners netcredit credit to the people.

[Skechers]

Skecher slip ins are the easiest, most innovative comfortable footwear ever. You just step in and they're on. You don't have to bend down. You don't even have to touch them. They're completely hands free. Just think, you never have to tie your shoes. Skecher slip ins are for the whole family. They come in so many styles. Casual shoes, dress shoes, boots, work footwear, even sandals for the spring and the summer, experience slip ins at a Skechers store, skechers.com or wherever stylish footwear is sold.

[Cancer Information Service]

When living with cancer, it's important to be informed and know what to expect. But finding the right information can feel overwhelming. That's why understandcancertogether.com is here to help. We've gathered practical information and resources based on where you are in your cancer journey so that you can focus on the important conversations and decisions of today. Understand CancerTogether.com helping you navigate life with cancer one moment at a time.

[Andrea Canning]

In July of 2002, Michael Sisko and his longtime girlfriend Karen Harkness were found shot to death in bed in Topeka campus. Ten years later, a jury convicted Michael's ex wife Dana Chandler on two counts of first degree murder and a judge sentenced her to 100 years in prison. Then in 2018 came a reversal. The Kansas Supreme Court overturned Dana's conviction. A new prosecutor took Dana Chandler to trial again in the summer of 2022 and that jury didn't return any verdict. Chandler had little reaction when the jury.

[Sergey Ivonen]

Announced they couldn't come to a decision today.

[Andrea Canning]

So this month, Kansas is trying Dana Chandler. Chandler for a third time with one major difference. After the jury had been selected, Dana made this head snapping decision. In a shocking twist this morning, Chandler.

[Jane]

Fired her lawyers and chose to represent herself.

[Andrea Canning]

DATELINE producer Sergey Ivonen was in the courtroom as the prosecution presented its case last week, calling Dana and Mike's children to the stand. Sergey, thank you for being on the podcast.

[Jane]

Absolutely. Thank you for having me.

[Andrea Canning]

So why don't we start with the prosecution's theory of this case. They haven't wavered much in the last 15 years.

[Jane]

Their theory is that Dana had like a 27 hour window when nobody knew where she was. She spoke to nobody. And they're saying that she filled two 5 gallon gas tanks in Denver and then drove to Topeka, Kansas. And she didn't stop anywhere. No cameras caught her. She didn't use her credit card. Prosecution said she did that deliberately not to get any tracks or digital crumbs.

[Andrea Canning]

What do they believe was Dana's motive?

[Jane]

That Mike and she had a very long and bitter divorce. Mike got the custody, full custody of the kids and Dana was not happy about it. And then Mike started dating Karen and they were about to get married.

[Andrea Canning]

They say that her behavior was getting obsessive.

[Jane]

Absolutely. They were describing she would show up in restaurants all of a sudden where Mike and Karen were having dinner and she'd start walking around them and taking snapshots of them. Or another instance, she jumping outside on their trampoline, jumping up and down in the middle of the night.

[Andrea Canning]

And a lot of phone calls.

[Jane]

Yes, that she was incessantly calling. You know, there was one point at Karen's house, the phone rang 17 times in 18 minutes.

[Andrea Canning]

Dana has maintained her innocence from the very beginning.

[Jane]

She says she was in Denver that weekend in July, far, far away from where the murder had occurred. And she and her team, you know, argued for years that there's no physical evidence or eyewitnesses to show she's lying or she had any. Anything to do with the murder.

[Andrea Canning]

But still, she was convicted in 2012, and it was super fast.

[Jane]

The jury didn't even think about it for 90 minutes. And they came out and they said, guilty.

[Andrea Canning]

So why was it overturned?

[Jane]

She appealed, and then the Kansas Supreme Court said the evidence was substantial but not overwhelming. They said the prosecutor played a big role in that guilty verdict. And she. The prosecutor, in fact, was less than truthful. She said that Mike had gotten protection order of abuse from a judge right before he and Dana's divorce, and that was not true. And then the prosecutor said that Dana had found out about Mike's engagement to Karen two days before the murder. That was also not true.

[Andrea Canning]

So Dana won her appeal, and the county tried her again in 2022. That trial ended in a hung jury. Which brings us to the third trial that's underway now. Two of the prosecution's main witnesses are Dana's own children. They were just teenagers when their dad died, right?

[Jane]

That's right. Hayley was 17 and Dustin was 15.

[Andrea Canning]

So what did the prosecutors ask them about on the stand this time?

[Jane]

There were some exchanges presented that Haley and her mother, Dana, they did on aol. Remember aol? I'm dating myself here. When we used to chat to each other, sort of like texting. And those were very hard to listen to.

[Andrea Canning]

Yeah. This one exchange happened when Dana was telling Haylei she didn't want to communicate with her anymore. Dana brought up an accusation she'd made before that Mike had raped her during their marriage, which Mike's family disputes. The prosecutor read Dana's part in these exchanges, and Haley, she read her part.

[Skechers]

Why don't you ask him why he raped me? I could have taken the divorce, but no, he had to take it to an extreme.

[Dana Chandler]

God, stop it.

[Skechers]

Seriously, Haley, you have no idea how deeply rape affects women when it comes to thinking about their attacker. In my mind, he's a monster. A vicious monster.

[Chetna Joshi]

I know.

[Dana Chandler]

You tell me that all the time.

[Jane]

Hayley was clearly very uncomfortable in those chats, and she kept pleading with her mother, please stop, stop, stop. And Dana just would not let up.

[Andrea Canning]

That is so sad. What did the son say on the stand? Dustin. He actually tried to get his mom to confess. Right. I know. One time he recorded a conversation they had in the car.

[Jane]

Exactly. Yeah. After the murders, he tried to get some information out of her. That would be damning.

[Dana Chandler]

Dad was a nice guy. No one disliked him other than you. I mean, you hated Karen. You hated Karen.

[Chetna Joshi]

Yeah.

[Dana Chandler]

But you painted her.

[Andrea Canning]

And every time you saw her, I.

[Dana Chandler]

Mean, you had that glare in your eye like, you know, it's simply not true. It's not true. I didn't. You can believe it if you want to believe it, but it's not true.

[Andrea Canning]

Okay, so this is. This is awkward then. Dana representing herself. How does she handle her own children?

[Jane]

On cross examination, it was quite uncomfortable to be in the courtroom. She would address their kids by, you know, their last name, and it was very sort of dry and technical, and the kids were quite visibly uncomfortable. And understandably so. It's a very high stress situation. And on top of it, it's your mother who is trying to dig into your testimony and undermine it.

[Andrea Canning]

So are both children saying on the stand that they think she killed Mike and Karen? I know. Out of court, they've said it.

[Jane]

I'm not sure if that was something that was done pretrial or discussed in chambers, that they cannot say that. But they never once came out and say, she killed my dad.

[Andrea Canning]

So we're in the defense portion now of the trial. Who is Dana calling to the stand?

[Jane]

Well, she called herself last Friday, so how does she.

[Andrea Canning]

She can't really question herself. So what is she doing? Giving a statement on the stand?

[Jane]

Yes, yes, exactly. That her testimony was to her innocence and that surely there was bitterness in the divorce. But that. That does not make her a martyr.

[Andrea Canning]

Yeah. And she said she was deeply embarrassed. Right. About her exchange with her daughter, that she'd been drinking to the point of blacking out when she sent those AOL messages. It was a monologue. And she's not done yet. Has. Has she even been questioned yet by the prosecution?

[Jane]

She's not done yet. No. No.

[Andrea Canning]

Got it. Fascinating. Sergey, how much longer do you think this will go for?

[Jane]

Dana had previously indicated that she is going to present a whole battery of witnesses, defense witnesses, and so it. It looks like the trial will spill into March for sure.

[Andrea Canning]

Okay, well. Well, thank you for staying on it. Thank you so much, Sergey.

[Jane]

Absolutely. Thank you for having me.

[Andrea Canning]

Up next, it's Dateline Roundup. We've got updates in the case of Adnan Syed, the convicted murderer whose story went viral in the podcast serial, and more on the upcoming retrial of Karen Reed. And in Hawaii, there's been a verdict in the murder trial of the husband accused of killing his wife's ex lover. Plus, NBC News chief consumer investigative correspondent Vicky Wynn is back and she wants you to know a scam targeting drivers.

[NBC News]

Netcredit is here to say yes to a personal loan or line of credit when other lenders say no. Apply in minutes and get a decision as soon as the same day. Loans offered by Netcredit or lending partner banks and serviced by NetCredit application subject to review and approval. Learn more at netcredit.com partners netcredit credit to the People.

[Skechers]

Skecher slip ins are the easiest, most innovative comfortable footwear ever. You just step in and they're on. You don't have to bend down, you don't even have to touc them. They're completely hands free. Just think, you never have to tie your shoes again. Skecher slip ins are for the whole family. They come in so many styles. Casual shoes, dress shoes, boots, work footwear, even sandals for the spring and the summer. Experience slip ins at a Skechers store, skechers.com or wherever stylish footwear is sold.

[Cancer Information Service]

When living with cancer, it's important to be informed and know what to expect. But finding the right information can feel overwhelming. That's why understandcancertogether.com is here to help. We've gathered practical information and resources based on where you are in your cancer journey so that you can focus on the important conversations and decisions of today. Understand CancerTogether.com helping you navigate life with cancer one moment at a time.

[Andrea Canning]

Welcome back. Joining us for this week's DATELINE roundup is DATELINE producer Sue Simpson. Hey, Sue. Hey.

[Vicky Wynn]

It's great to be back.

[Andrea Canning]

Yes. And we are back in Dedham, Massachusetts, for another Karen Reid update. She is the woman accused of drunkenly backing her SUV into her police officer boyfriend, John O' Keefe, back in 2022 and leaving him to die in the snow. Her trial last summer ended with a hung and her retrial is scheduled for April. She has denied having anything to do with his death. Last week, the judge in the case stopped a hearing halfway through the day, citing grave concerns about the defense's work with crash reconstruction experts in Reid's first trial. That hearing started up again this Tuesday. What did we learn, Sue?

[Vicky Wynn]

Well, the prosecution and defense both made arguments and Andrea, things got pretty heated. The defense pushed back on allegations the prosecution made last week, which were that the defense collaborated with two expert witnesses on their testimony and paid them more than $23,000 without disclosing that to the prosecution. Now, the judge has not yet made a decision on whether or not the defense acted inappropriately, and we'll see what she says after more hearings next week.

[Andrea Canning]

And see one last piece of Karen Reid news. The findings from a federal investigation into the Karen Reid case, which we think has been going on since about April 2023.

[Vicky Wynn]

Correct. These federal investigations are always wrapped up in mystery, right? The federal authorities, of course, are not commenting, but we believe they were looking into allegations of corruption in local law enforcement. And those allegations provided the context for the defense argument that Karen Reed was framed by corrupt local law enforcement officials. But it's being widely reported that the investigation is officially over with no charges being filed.

[Andrea Canning]

Definitely a hit to the defense. We'll stay on top of the Karen Reid case, of course, sue, you will. For our next story, we're off to Baltimore where there is a big development in a case true crime podcast fans will probably recognize.

[Vicky Wynn]

Sue, if you've ever listened to the hit podcast serial, you know the story of Adnan Syed. He was convicted in 2000 of murdering his high school ex girlfriend, Hae Min Lee, who was found strangled to death in 1999. But Syed has always maintained his innocence, and he and his attorneys have disputed the state's evidence against him.

[Andrea Canning]

So there's been some back and forth with his conviction?

[Vicky Wynn]

No, it's been a while. Back and forth, a real seesaw. In 2022, his conviction was vacated, but later it was reinstated. And then last August, the Maryland Supreme Court said Syed could have another hearing about vacating his conviction. But all that came to an end this week when the Baltimore City state's attorney withdrew the motion to vacate, saying it contains false and misleading statements that undermine the integrity of the judicial process. NBC Nightly News anchor Lester Holt spoke with the prosecutor about the decision.

[NBC News]

Our review of the motion to vacate was not whether or not we looked at his guilt or innocence. One of the things that I would say is that we stand behind the jury's verdict. But the investigation you've done subsequently, none of that changes. I mean, would you bring this case today based on the evidence you have today? Based on the evidence that we have today, yes, we would.

[Jane]

No doubt.

[NBC News]

No doubt.

[Andrea Canning]

So what is next for Syed?

[Vicky Wynn]

Well, his chance to have his conviction fully vacated is now gone, but Syed's attorneys filed a motion in December to get his sentence reduced to time served with the period of probation. He's already out of prison, so he'd remain free. There's been no ruling on that yet, but the state's attorney's office says it supports that motion.

[Andrea Canning]

Okay. For our final story, we are off to Honolulu, Hawaii for a big update and trial we've been following here on the podcast for the past few weeks. Eric Thompson is accused of murdering his wife's acupuncturist ex lover in 2022. This is his second trial. His first one in 2023 ended with a hung jury. They've been in deliberations, the jurors, for days. Sue, do we have a decision?

[Vicky Wynn]

We finally do.

[Chetna Joshi]

Mr. Thompson, pursuant to the unanimous verdict of this jury, the court finds you.

[Andrea Canning]

Guilty as charged in both counts one.

[Sergey Ivonen]

And two in this case.

[Vicky Wynn]

On Tuesday, the jury found Eric Thompson guilty of second degree murder and possession of a firearm in connection with the killing of John Tokuhara.

[Andrea Canning]

Thank you, Sue. So many updates. Appreciate it. Yeah.

[Vicky Wynn]

Love being here. Thank you, Andrea.

[Andrea Canning]

For those of you listening in the car right now, our final story is for you. Drivers in the US Pay billions of dollars in road tools each year, but sometimes you might not even know that you've go through a toll until you get some kind of notice like a text or an email that you owe money. But what happens when that notice is a scam? My next guest, NBC News chief consumer investigative correspondent Vicki Wynn, is here with some safety tips. Welcome back, Vicki.

[Sergey Ivonen]

Thank you so much for having me, Andrea.

[Andrea Canning]

So why are you worried about this now, Vicki, what's going on?

[Sergey Ivonen]

You know, the FBI just issued a warning about this saying it's actually a scam that has been going on since March of last year. It is alarming because people are getting very legitimate looking on their phone saying, hey, you have unpaid tolls. You need to click here and pay your overdue bill.

[Andrea Canning]

Tell us how the scammers pull this off.

[Sergey Ivonen]

It's called smishing, which is a riff on phishing. So phishing is when you get an email from a scammer that says, hey, click here, do this or that. Smishing means the scam is coming in through your text. You get a link and they say, click on this link because you have an unpaid bill, you're going to get late fees, and there's an urgency to to it. What they really want to do is get you to click on the link and get your personal information, your credit card details, your banking information, and download something called malware onto your devices, which is software that is designed to invade your computer or your phone. So never tap on a link that you get. If for some reason you think this could Be legitimate. Go to your state toll website, or call the 800 number that's on your bill, look it up online, and go to the site. Never tap on a foreign link that's sent to your you.

[Andrea Canning]

So, Vicki, these scammers, do they know that we use these passes or we use tools, or are they just casting a wide net to as many cell phone numbers as they can, hoping that it resonates with someone?

[Sergey Ivonen]

You know, it's unclear how they are targeting the victims, Andrea, but these days on the dark web, a lot of our data is floating out there that's been involved in hacks of major companies. Right. And so that means that your personal information is out there to go to the highest bidder. And a lot of times they entering this information into some sort of automated system that can just push out a bunch of texts, and they're just hoping that a small percentage of those people tap on those links, and then, boom, the hackers have access to your banking accounts, and they can rack up a bunch of charges or try to drain your bank account.

[Andrea Canning]

You know, and in most states, tolls are collected electronically, so you might not know or remember being charged, or the rules can change. You know, it's confusing for people. People.

[Sergey Ivonen]

Exactly. And often there's an amount due, Right. It's a number that looks like it could be legitimate. We're often in a hurry. We tap on things before we even think about it. And so my advice is always pause before you click anything. Think to yourself, does this look legit? Just remember, the government, they're all about the snail mail. So anytime you get something that's like a phone call or an email or a text, you should be extra, extra suspicious.

[Andrea Canning]

So we know what not to do. What should you do if you do get one of these text messages?

[Sergey Ivonen]

Yeah. So if you have clicked on it and you did pay this money, you do want to report it immediately to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center. That website is ic, like Internet Crime 3, the number3.gov. So ic3.gov and you can at least file a complaint. I would also advise you to go to your credit card company. Hopefully they can either stop the payment or reverse the charge and give you a new credit card. And I should say you should probably put a freeze on your credit or maybe sign up for a credit monitoring system, because what else did they get access to in that time in terms of your identity?

[Andrea Canning]

Good point, good point. So the road toll texting scam, it's just a great reminder that these scammers, they just continue to create new tactics to get money from people.

[Sergey Ivonen]

Absolutely.

[Andrea Canning]

All right. You have the best information, the best tips. Thank you so much as always for being here.

[Sergey Ivonen]

Thank you for having me.

[Andrea Canning]

That's it for this episode of Dateline True Crime Weekly. If you want to find out more about the cases featured on the podcast, check out our website@dateline truecrimeweekly.com and to get ad free listening for all our podcasts, subscribe to DATELINE Premium. Coming up this Friday, Blaine Alexander has her first all new two hour Dateline since she officially joined the team in 2016. A young woman's body is found in an abandoned, abandoned farmhouse, a place known locally as the Haunted House. As fear grips the community, investigators search for answers. Takes them from a crime lab to a house of worship.

[Jane]

I grabbed the pew and I was like, how, how?

[Dana Chandler]

How could this be the guy?

[Andrea Canning]

Watch the Haunted House confession airing this Friday at 9, 8 Central on NBC or stream it starting Saturday. Saturday on Peacock. And don't forget to check out Keith's new podcast series, Murder in the Moonlight. It's about a double murder in the Great Plains and an investigation that came down to one single shiny clue. DATELINE Premium subscribers can binge the entire series and episodes one through four are available for everyone else. Thanks for listening. Dateline True Crime Weekly is produced by Franny Kelly and Katy Ferguson. Our associate producers are Carson Cummins and Caroline Katie. Our senior producer is Liz Brown. Koroloff production and fact checking help by Sara Kadir. Veronica Mazeka is our digital producer. Rick Kwan is our sound designer. Original Music by Jesse McGinty. Bryson Barnes is head of audio production. Paul Ryan is executive producer and Liz Cole is senior executive producer of Dateline. All right, most productive.

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