Dateline: True Crime Weekly – October 2, 2025

Host: Andrea Canning (NBC News)
Episode Theme:
This episode covers the opening of Sarah Hartsfield’s murder trial in Texas, a dramatic mistrial in the Mississippi Spence family murder case, quick-fire updates on several national cases, and expert tips on avoiding spam texts and scam calls.

Main Stories & Discussion Points

1. The Trial of Sarah Hartsfield – Texas Five-Time Bride Accused of Murder

[01:35 – 09:23]

Overview:
Sarah Hartsfield—a former Army sergeant, now on her fifth marriage—is on trial in Chambers County, Texas, for allegedly murdering husband Joe Hartsfield by poisoning him with insulin. The prosecution claims Sarah’s own actions and words will incriminate her; the defense maintains Joe’s death was self-inflicted.

Key Discussion Points:

• Case Recap:
  • Timeline: On January 7, 2023, Sarah called 911, claiming her diabetic husband Joe was unresponsive. Joe died eight days later after being removed from life support ([03:57]).
  • Suspicions Grow: ER staff noticed inconsistencies, prompting a swift investigation by Chambers County police ([04:24]).
  • Motive/Evidence: Investigators focused on Sarah based on the cause of death (toxic insulin levels) and supporting evidence from Joe’s family ([04:35]).
• Opening Statements ([06:45]):
  • Prosecution—Mallory Vargas: Claimed Sarah’s whirlwind romance hid her “true nature.” Argued that the bulk of evidence is circumstantial and based primarily on Sarah’s own statements and behavior ([06:51]).
  • Memorable quote: “She can't help but explain what she did… pay attention to what she says and what she doesn't say.” – Susan Leibowitz, summarizing prosecution ([06:51]).
  • Defense: Asserted Joe administered the fatal insulin dose himself, and Sarah, impaired by recent surgery and narcotic use, was unable to help him. Claimed her poor medical response was not criminal ([07:31]).
• Star Testimony ([07:58]):
  • Helen Hartsfield (Victim’s Mother): Testified about Joe's fearfulness, frequent marital arguments, and Sarah’s disclosure that she’d killed a previous partner in self-defense. Wasn’t surprised by Joe’s fate, expressing deep emotional distress ([08:17]).
  • Quote: “She figured something would happen to her son… appeared fearful.” – Susan Leibowitz summarizing Helen’s testimony ([08:17]).
• Background Drama:
  • Chambers County Sheriff’s pre-trial media comments hinted at Sarah’s involvement in suspicious incidents in other states. His remarks prompted attorneys to request (unsuccessfully) a gag order; the sheriff has since been named a witness and is now barred from further comments ([05:07–06:37]).
  • Strong accusation: “You can tell that there's a very evil side to her.” – Sheriff Brian Hawthorne ([05:54]).

Notable Moments:

• Emotional reactions from both Joe’s mother and Sarah in court ([08:34–08:45]).
• The case is expected to last two more weeks and will proceed at “Texas speed” ([09:11–09:19]).

2. A Mistrial in Mississippi: The Spence Family Murder Case

[11:03 – 19:18]

Overview:
The murder of businessman Kirby Carpenter leads to the arrest of his girlfriend Caitlin Spence and her parents. After both Caitlin and her mother took plea deals, Caitlin’s father, Jeff Spence, became the sole defendant. His trial ended in a hung jury.

Key Discussion Points:

• Case Background ([12:39]):
  • Kirby was found shot under a tarp in December 2022. The Spence family was quickly implicated.
  • Caitlin ultimately changed her plea, agreeing to testify against her father in exchange for a reduced sentence ([15:51]).
  • Karen (mother) took an Alford plea with a five-year probation sentence ([16:19]).
• Prosecution's Case ([16:25]):
  • Motive: “It’s an old story. Money, greed.” – Prosecutor ([16:35]).
  • Caitlin’s Testimony: Claimed her father confessed to her, telling her, “He did what he had to do, that the less I knew, the better.” ([16:50] & [17:15])
  • Revealed group chat messages in which Jeff jokingly suggested opening “Assassins Inc.” ([17:21–17:33]).
• Defense Strategy ([16:39]):
  • Focused on casting doubt on travel timelines; asserted Jeff and Karen had left Mississippi before the murder.
  • Challenged Caitlin’s credibility as a cooperating witness ([17:39]).
• Trial Climax ([18:13–18:49]):
  • Defense called for a direct verdict (dismissed) and presented no witnesses.
  • Jury was split 6–6 after four and a half hours; the judge declared a mistrial. Retrial set for February ([18:39–19:06]).

Notable Moments:

• Emotional toll on Kirby’s family, who must now wait for another trial ([19:06–19:18]).

3. Case Roundup: National True Crime Updates

[20:39 – 26:01]

a. Donna Adelson (Florida)

• Convicted of orchestrating the murder-for-hire of ex-son-in-law Dan Markel ([20:39–22:37]).
• Defense claimed judicial and juror misconduct; judge denied motion for new trial.
• Notable social media wrinkle: a juror appeared on a podcast and another posted on TikTok, but nothing was found improper because they discussed general jury service rather than case details ([21:47–22:37]).

b. Nicholas Rossi (Utah/Scotland)

• Faked his own death to avoid sexual assault charges; extradited from Scotland ([22:37–24:08]).
• Found guilty on multiple rape charges in Utah, sentenced five years to life.
• Defense announced intention to appeal ([24:08–24:15]).
• Memorable moment: “I am not Nicholas Oliverde. And I do not know how to make this clearer.” – Rossi to Andrea Canning ([23:05–23:13])

c. Sean Combs (Federal Trial)

• Guilty verdict for two counts of “transportation to engage in prostitution”; acquitted of racketeering and sex trafficking ([24:15–26:01]).
• Prosecution seeks over 11 years, highlighting Combs' lack of remorse and “engaged in violence and put others in fear” ([24:43]).
• Defense requests 14 months, citing time served, reputation destroyed, and hardships in prison ([25:36]).

4. Consumer Watch: Spam Texts & Scam Calls

[26:10 – 30:47]

Guest: Vicky Nguyen, NBC News Chief Consumer Investigative Correspondent

Key Advice:

• Ignore Unknown Texts: “When you get a text like that, unless you recognize the number, do not respond.” – Vicky Nguyen ([27:19])
• Spam Calls Stats: Americans received 2.6 billion robocalls in a month; scammers often pose as people you trust, using urgency and threats ([27:36]).
• Real IRS/Government Communications: IRS will contact you by letter, not by urgent call or text ([28:15]).
• Personal Experience:
  • Vicky described nearly falling for a Coinbase phishing scam while distracted at the airport ([28:22–30:04]).
  • Lesson: “It’s very easy to become a victim, and you should never be ashamed.” ([29:50])
• Action Steps:
  • Do not answer unfamiliar calls—let them go to voicemail ([30:09]).
  • Use built-in spam filters on Apple/Android devices.
  • Report spam texts by forwarding to 7726 (“SPAM”) ([30:30]).
  • Memorable moment: “Do not answer. That’s number one.” – Vicky Nguyen ([30:09])

Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• Sarah Hartsfield Case:

  • “You can just look at her overall history and you can tell that there’s a very evil side to her.” – Sheriff Brian Hawthorne ([05:54])
  • “She figured something would happen to her son.” – Susan Leibowitz quoting Helen Hartsfield ([08:17])

• Spence Family Murder Trial:

  • “He said that he did what he had to do, that the less I knew, the better.” – Caitlin Spence testifying about her father ([16:50])
  • “Assassins Inc.” – Jeff Spence’s response to daughter’s “what business should I open?” ([17:33])
  • “They couldn’t decide. They came back out and said they were evenly split down the middle.” – Rachel White, on the mistrial ([18:39])

• Nicholas Rossi Case:

  • “I am not Nicholas Oliverde. And I do not know how to make this clearer.” – Nicholas Rossi ([23:13])

• Sean Combs Sentencing Fight:

  • "Sean Combs is unrepentant and he should be punished." – Prosecutor's court filing ([25:07])

• Scam Prevention Tips:

  • “Do not answer. That’s number one.” – Vicky Nguyen ([30:09])
  • “To block spam on your phone, you can also copy the message and forward it to 7726, which spells out the word spam.” – Vicky Nguyen ([30:30])

Segment Timestamps Reference

| Segment | Start | End | |------------------------------------------------|----------|----------| | Sarah Hartsfield Texas Trial | 01:35 | 09:23 | | Mississippi Spence Family Mistrial | 11:03 | 19:18 | | National True Crime Updates | 20:39 | 26:01 | | Spam/Scam Calls & Texts Segment | 26:10 | 30:47 |

Episode Tone & Final Thoughts

• Style: Conversational, investigative, and empathetic, with a blend of legal insight and behind-the-scenes reporting.
• Pace: Well-structured, moving efficiently between deep dives and rapid updates.
• Notables: Emotional testimony and courtroom drama, expert legal analysis, and practical real-world advice.

For further updates and in-depth case coverage, tune in Thursdays for Dateline: True Crime Weekly.