MK True Crime Podcast Summary

Episode: Luigi Fist Pumps in Court, Suspect Off Meds in Cruise Death, Murdaugh Clerk of Court Pleads Guilty
Date: December 10, 2025
Host: Dave Aronberg
Co-Host: Ashley Merchant

Overview

In this episode of MK True Crime, hosts Dave Aronberg and Ashley Merchant delve into several high-profile criminal cases currently making headlines. They discuss disturbing new details from a cruise ship death investigation, analyze legal wrangling in the Luigi Mangione case (including a controversial court appearance), break down the charging of five people in connection with Matthew Perry's overdose, and wrap up with a look at the guilty plea from the notorious Murdaugh clerk of court. The episode features deep legal analysis, colorful storytelling, and thoughtful debate on justice and the emotional weight of the criminal law profession.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Anna Kepner Cruise Death Case

[00:50–11:44]

• Background: Anna Kepner, 18, was found dead on a cruise with her family. The cause: mechanical asphyxiation. Ruled a homicide—main (and only) suspect is her 16-year-old stepbrother, who shared a cabin with her.
• Custody Hearing Details:
  • Focus on Anna’s stepmother, Chantal Hudson Kepner, and ex-husband Thomas Hudson, disputing custody of their 9-year-old daughter (Anna’s stepsister).
  • Chantal claims the children "were like the three amigos, best friends" ([04:06]).
  • Chantal asserts the 16-year-old is not allowed home during the FBI investigation:
    “No, not with the FBI investigation.” —Ashley ([04:39])
    “As of right now, he’s not coming back to the home.” —Ashley ([04:52])
• Parental Responsibility & Allegation Handling:
  • Dave: Finds it troubling that Anna was missing for 18 hours on the cruise before family reacted:
    “If your stepdaughter was missing for 18 hours, wouldn’t you be asking questions?” —Dave ([05:00])
  • Ashley notes allegations from Anna's ex-boyfriend that the stepbrother acted inappropriately.
• Suspect’s Medication & Missed Doses:
  • The 16-year-old suspect was on ADHD medication (methylphenidate) and Clonidine for insomnia—a few doses missed during the cruise.
  • Ashley explains possible side effects:
    “Not taking your medicine is just as dangerous as overdosing … Mood swings, agitation, panic, anxiety, depression.” —Ashley ([07:57])
• Jurisdictional Challenges:
  • Crime occurred in international waters; FBI is the lead agency.
    “There is concurrent jurisdiction, and that means the state or the feds could prosecute.” —Dave ([10:35])
  • More likely to stay federal due to complexity and resources.

2. Luigi Mangione Case: Legal Maneuvering & Courtroom Behavior

[14:00–26:43]

• Concurrent Jurisdiction Noted: Luigi is being prosecuted in both state and federal courts—a "buy one get one" per Ashley ([14:17]).
• Evidence Suppression Fight:
  • Luigi was arrested over 100 miles away from the crime scene, found with a backpack (containing a weapon and alleged "manifesto").
  • Key Suppression Issues:
    • Statements: Were his Miranda rights violated? Defense argues he invoked his right not to talk, but police continued questioning.
      • Dave’s analysis: Prosecution will argue he wasn’t “formally arrested,” so Miranda didn’t yet apply; defense could get some statements excluded, but not all ([16:23]–[18:05]).
    • Backpack Search: Searched at the scene for officer safety (quick check), but more thorough search conducted at station without a warrant.
      • Ashley argues the later search is likely an "inventory search," not incident to arrest—a suppressible offense ([19:43]):
        “That is 100% inventory search. How are you going to get that evidence in?” —Ashley ([19:43])
      • Dave counters with the “inevitable discovery” rule and officer safety, due to suspect’s past:
        “They are there to protect themselves. … They have had a history of bringing a bomb to the police station.” —Dave ([21:16])
  • Striking Evidence in Backpack:
    • Items included a gun, silencer, “manifesto,” and a to-do list: “trim eyebrows” (the suspect’s unkempt eyebrows aided his capture).
      “He was caught because of his bushy eyebrows. Very Bryan Kohberger-esque.” —Dave ([22:40])
  • Fist Pump in Court:
    • Luigi caught on camera doing a ‘fist pump’ in the courtroom—hosts see this as a glaring lack of remorse:
      “He cost two kids their father and there he doesn’t look repentant at all.” —Dave ([24:18]) “All of this stuff … is going to come back and bite him.” —Ashley ([24:51])
  • Legal Team: Defense led by Karen Agnifilo in state court, with a separate death penalty lawyer in federal proceedings.

3. Matthew Perry Ketamine Overdose Charges

[29:55–36:36]

• Context: Five people charged in the 2023 death of Friends actor Matthew Perry by ketamine.
• Doctor “Dr. P” Pleads Guilty:
  • Key quote:
    “Let’s take advantage of this moron.” —re Dr. P’s message, recounted by Dave ([30:51])
  • Receives 30 months in prison and will never practice medicine again.
• Ethics and Exploitation:
  • Ashley: Feels distinguishing factor is profiting from Perry’s addiction, not the act alone ([32:05]).
• Other Defendants:
  • “Ketamine Queen” Jasmine Sangow, a dealer, faces up to 65 years. Represented by Mark Geragos ([34:32]).
  • Eric Fleming, who connected Perry to Sangow, faces 25 years after texting “delete all of our messages,” a classic conspiracy move ([36:21]).
  • Perry’s assistant (who injected the drugs) faces up to 15 years ([36:36]).
• Broader Take:
  “Whenever you are sending a message saying, delete all our messages, you have to go to prison for that because… it’s just for stupidity.” —Dave ([36:26])

4. Becky Hill: The Murdaugh Clerk Scandal

[37:16–42:28]

• Background: Becky Hill, clerk of courts in the Alex Murdaugh trial, pled guilty—but not to jury tampering.
• Key insights:
  • Wrote a book based on inside info and plagiarized content, lied to court, but the conviction of Alex Murdaugh likely stands. “She’s humiliated … she has absolutely disgraced herself.” —Dave ([41:19])
  • Discussion about the power of juror pressure and the “holdout” juror phenomenon, with Ashley noting the frequency of jurors claiming they were pressured later ([39:42]).
  • Analogies: Clerks of courts as “offensive linemen”—not meant to be in the spotlight ([37:47]).
  • Colorful description of small-town justice and the intimacy of local court systems ([41:47]).

5. Listener Mailbag: Emotional Toll of True Crime Law

[45:40–49:26]

• Question from Selena: How do lawyers manage the emotional impact of tough cases?
  • Ashley: “Vicarious trauma” is real—takes regular time off, feels deeply for convicted clients and their families ([46:15]).
  • Dave: Prosecutors must “compartmentalize” to handle the tragic stories they encounter. Shares the example of a victim who lost an arm in a domestic violence attack ([47:39]).
  • Urges more compassion and understanding between prosecution and defense bar.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Anna Kepner Case:
  • “If your stepdaughter was missing for 18 hours, wouldn’t you be asking questions?” —Dave Aronberg ([05:00])
• Medication Insight:
  • “Not taking your medicine is just as dangerous as overdosing on medicine, something like that.” —Ashley Merchant ([07:57])
• Luigi Case Fist Pump:
  • “He doesn’t look repentant at all … he deserves to spend, in my mind, the rest of his life in prison.” —Dave Aronberg ([24:18])
• On courtroom image:
  • “What you wear to court, you’re trying to portray an image. And I think she’s trying to portray this image that she’s mom of the year. And I don’t think any of us are really buying it.” —Ashley Merchant ([09:55])
• Ethics in Medicine & the Law:
  • “You take a Hippocratic Oath. Terrible.” —Dave Aronberg on Dr. P ([32:05])
• On Jury Nullification and Juror Pressure:
  • “A jury does not actually have to reach a verdict. … You are allowed to vote your conscience.” —Ashley Merchant ([49:41–51:36])
• On the Murdaugh Clerk:
  • “Her name is now synonymous with lying, with plagiarizing, with trying to be the star of a show that wasn’t her own show.” —Dave Aronberg ([41:19])

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Anna Kepner Cruise Death Case: 00:50–11:44
• Luigi Mangione Case (Suppression & Fist Pump): 14:00–26:43
• Matthew Perry Ketamine Case: 29:55–36:36
• Murdaugh Clerk Becky Hill: 37:16–42:28
• Listener Mailbag (Emotional Toll of Cases): 45:40–49:26
• Final Rants / Closing Arguments: 49:41–54:47

Tone & Style

• Conversational, expert, sharply analytical
• Blunt legal opinions (“He deserves to spend… rest of his life in prison” – Dave)
• Frequent lawyerly banter and dark humor
• Accessible explanations of legal technicalities (concurrent jurisdiction, search & seizure, juror pressure)
• Occasional Southern legal folklore from Ashley for color

Closing Thoughts & Arguments

Ashley Merchant:

• Urges jurors (and listeners) to remember their right to vote their conscience and not feel bullied into verdicts:
  “You do not have to reach a verdict. … You can always speak your mind. The jury has to speak the truth and speak their mind…” ([49:41–51:36])

Dave Aronberg:

• On the Epstein files and transparency:
  “Don’t think for a second that grand jury records will satisfy the public’s desire to see the names of the co-conspirators. Only the release of the unredacted Epstein files … will do that.” ([51:36–54:47])

For Listeners Who Missed the Episode

This episode delivers penetrating legal insights into some of the nation’s most sensational current crimes, blending expert legal debate with a strong sense of justice, ethics, and empathy for all parties. The Anna Kepner case highlights the complexities of crime in international waters and family dysfunction; the Luigi Mangione case gives an inside look at evidentiary battles and the optics of courtroom behavior; and the Matthew Perry death prosecution explores ethical breaches in the medical and celebrity worlds. The episode closes with thoughtful reflections on the trauma lawyers face and the critical moral authority of jurors.