MK True Crime Podcast – Detailed Episode Summary

Podcast: MK True Crime
Episode: Mystery of Guthrie Ransom Note and Kidnapping, Tepe Autopsies Revealed, Search for Missing NY Teen
Date: February 6, 2026
Host: Dave Aronberg (with regular co-host Ashley Merchant)
Special Guest: Chris Hansen

Episode Overview

This episode delves into three major true crime stories captivating the country:

• The abduction of Nancy Guthrie, mother of Today Show’s Savannah Guthrie, with a focus on the mysterious ransom note and ongoing investigation.
• The revealing details of the Tepe double homicide autopsies and the implications for the prosecution.
• The disappearance of 15-year-old Thomas Medlin after online interactions on Roblox, featuring investigative insights from Chris Hansen.

The hosts analyze new details, share emotional statements from involved families, and offer expert commentary on the criminal investigations, risks of child predation online, and the complexities of ongoing legal proceedings.

1. The Disappearance of Nancy Guthrie

[Timestamp: 01:19–09:30; 11:29–16:43]

Key Points:

• Nancy Guthrie Missing:
  Nancy Guthrie (84), mother of Savannah Guthrie, is missing since January 31. She was possibly abducted from her home. There are currently no identified suspects. She has urgent medication needs, making the case especially dire.

• Hopeful Tone from Authorities:
  The sheriff believes Nancy is still alive. This optimism is interpreted as a possible sign that whoever has her might be providing her with needed medication, or has not harmed her.

  • Sheriff (audio) – “We believe Nancy is still out there, we want her home.” [03:03]

• Family Plea:
  Savannah Guthrie and her family made a public, deeply emotional plea for Nancy's safe return, emphasizing her health and their desperation.

  • Savannah Guthrie – “She is without any medicine. She needs it to survive. She needs it not to suffer. ... We need to know without a doubt that she is alive and that you have her. We want to hear from you, and we are ready to listen.” [05:21]

• Ransom Note Details:
  There are reports of multiple ransom notes, some fraudulent. One purportedly contained info “only someone holding her would know,” with a specific dollar amount and deadline. There was already an imposter arrested for a fake ransom note, illustrating the difficulties investigators face sorting real leads from hoaxes.

• Blood Evidence:
  Small amounts of Nancy’s blood were found on her porch—worrying, given her age and health. However, the crime scene did not appear to be particularly violent.

• Law Enforcement Activity:
  Police and FBI have returned to Nancy Guthrie’s home for further evidence collection and continue to deploy resources, including search dogs and elite border patrol rescue teams, on the chance she may have been taken across a border.

• Family Suspicions:
  Discussion surfaced around possible involvement of family members, particularly Annie’s husband Tomaso Sione (Savannah’s brother-in-law), the last person to see Nancy alive. Media sources like Ashley Banfield cited credible sources hinting at this focus, noting cameras had been deliberately smashed and vehicles impounded as evidence ([12:13]). Police, however, have publicly stated he is not a suspect.

• Suspicious Activity:
  Neighbors reported prior trespassing and sightings of “a suspicious man” lurking nearby, which is currently being probed.

Notable Quotes:

• On police optimism:
  Ashley Merchant – "The fact that [the sheriff] still believes that she’s alive, that is very telling, that maybe she got her medicine, maybe something like that happened." [03:30]

• On fake ransom demands:
  Ashley Merchant – “Fake ransom demands are extremely common. And, you know, these folks that are sending them are going to the heart of someone who’s just desperate … a ransom note doesn't automatically mean a kidnapping.” [07:08]

• On the family focus of investigations:
  Ashley Banfield (paraphrased by Dave Aronberg) – “...not only were the cameras smashed...but that the car belonging to the sister of Savannah Guthrie, Annie Guthrie, was towed … They now believe the son-in-law may be the prime suspect.” [12:13]

2. Tepe Double Homicide – Autopsies and Analysis

[Timestamp: 16:43–20:44]

Key Points:

• Autopsy Revelations:
  Reports confirm that both Monique and Spencer Tepe were shot multiple times—a total of 16 gunshot wounds. This contradicts initial reports suggesting few wounds, particularly for Monique.

• Nature of Killing:
  The manner of the shooting—with a full magazine emptied into the victims—suggests powerful anger, characteristic of a crime of passion.

• Possible Signs of Struggle:
  The autopsy suggests there was movement, possibly indicating Spencer tried to defend his wife.

• Homicide Ruling and Implications:
  The coroner has ruled both deaths homicides, which means intentional killing—not necessarily premeditated murder.

Notable Quotes:

• Ashley Merchant – “If you're unloading … all of the bullets, it seems like that he would have had to have unloaded his weapon. That is intense. … That is someone who wants to extract vengeance and doesn’t just want to get one shot.” [17:40]

• Dave Aronberg – “A homicide doesn’t mean it’s a murder. … It could have been self-defense, it could have been manslaughter, but it’s not an accident.” [20:44]

3. The Disappearance of Thomas Medlin and Dangers of Roblox

[Timestamp: 22:53–43:08] Guest: Chris Hansen

Case Background:

Thomas Medlin, a 15-year-old boy from New York, vanished January 9th after traveling to Manhattan, apparently to meet someone he encountered via Roblox. Surveillance showed him near the Manhattan Bridge; his cell phone last pinged there; police noted a “splash” on video but no other hard evidence.

Key Points:

• Family’s Desperate Pleas:
  Thomas’s mother, Eva Yan, made an emotional direct appeal for his safe return, expressing unconditional support and love.

  • Eva Yan (played by Chris Hansen) – “We deeply, deeply love him ... whatever he did, I’m not mad at all ... Mommy only worry about safety ... I exchange my life for my boy’s safety.” [24:59]

• Roblox as a Risk Factor:
  Chris Hansen details how predators use Roblox—a platform marketed to kids as young as five—due to its addictive nature and currency-based rewards system (Robux). Security measures by Roblox are easily circumvented.

  • Children have been lured into offline meetings with adults through contacts initiated on Roblox and then moved to platforms like Discord.
  • In one Florida county, a man exploited at least a dozen children via Roblox.
  • Parental controls are easily bypassed by tech-savvy kids.

• Platform Accountability:
  Hansen calls out Roblox’s inadequate response:

  • Lack of strong enforcement or account bans
  • Reluctance to be meaningfully interviewed
  • Reliance on continued engagement even at the risk of child safety

• Parental Challenges:
  Many parents are unaware of multiple accounts kids maintain or the real risks present.

  • Chris Hansen – “Your best defense is the fence you build around your own home, your own children. … Thomas Medlin had five Roblox accounts his parents didn’t know about.” [27:52]

• Recent Related Predatory Cases:
  Hansen describes investigations where predators drove cross-country to abduct and assault children they met online (including a recent 19-year-old in Florida charged with kidnapping and trafficking).

• Predator Tactics Remain Consistent:
  Emotional grooming, slow escalation from innocent contact to trust, and inducements (like Robux) are common tactics observed over decades of sting operations.

Advice for Parents:

• Open Dialogue:
  Chris Hansen strongly emphasizes the need for regular, honest conversations with children about online risks and access to an “off ramp”—a way to seek help without fear or shame.

  • Chris Hansen – “You gotta give your kids an off ramp. … They have to know there's grownups online that like to trick kids. Kids don't like to be tricked. That’s it.” [39:56, 41:00]

• No Perfect Control:
  Ashley and Hansen note that keeping kids entirely offline is unrealistic; tech-savvy kids will find ways to access platforms at a friend’s house, school, or in public.

• Sharing Information:
  If anyone has tips about Thomas Medlin, they should contact the Suffolk County Police Department (631-854-8452) and amplify his story on social media.

Notable Quotes:

• Chris Hansen – "Parents inherently believe this is a safe place. The characters look like LEGO characters ... but predators know this.” [25:54]
• Chris Hansen – “It is shocking and you would think that like shows like yours, To Catch a Predator, would have shocked the daylights out of all these people ... but it doesn’t seem like it has ebbed the flow of all these perverts.” [31:03]
• Ashley Merchant – “What should parents do? … I can't imagine how I'd have figured out how to protect them if some predator was trying to get on Minecraft to talk to them. I mean, I can't even play the game.” [38:17]
• Chris Hansen – “A lot of smart, good kids get into trouble online ... you have to have a conversation... ‘come talk to me about it, we'll resolve this together.’” [38:44]

4. Listener Mailbag: Legal Analysis – Pardons and Plea Deals

[Timestamp: 44:59–49:58]

Listener Question: Could people who pled guilty in the initial Trump/Fani Willis Georgia case (if the case is dropped) seek pardons to erase those convictions?

Key Points:

• Georgia’s System:
  Pardons restore lost civil rights (voting, firearms, jury service) but do not erase convictions. In Georgia, most relevant defendants pled under the First Offender Act, meaning if they finish their sentence, they are “exonerated,” and regain rights automatically.
• Prosecutor Power:
  In some states, the prosecutor can dismiss or reverse convictions. Ashley agrees justice should outweigh finality, but in practice the legal system prefers closure over revisiting past cases.
  • Ashley Merchant – “Our system of justice favors finality over justice, period.” [48:12]

5. Closing Segment – Observations on Civility

[Timestamp: 49:58–52:06]

Light-hearted Rant:
Dave Aronberg shares a tongue-in-cheek story about a harrowing three-hour flight next to an overly chatty passenger, arguing for more civility and less involuntary eavesdropping.

Memorable Moments & Quotes

• Savannah Guthrie (about her mother): “She is our heart and our home ... we want to hear from you, and we are ready to listen.” [05:21]
• Chris Hansen (on child predation): “Your best defense is the fence you build around your own home, your own children.” [27:52]
• Chris Hansen (about online danger): “A lot of smart, good kids get into trouble online ... you have to have a conversation … and give your kids an off ramp.” [38:44, 41:00]
• Ashley Merchant (on the justice system): “Our system of justice favors finality over justice, period.” [48:12]

Important Segment Timestamps

• [01:19] - Beginning of Nancy Guthrie segment
• [05:21] - Savannah Guthrie’s family statement
• [12:13] - Ashley Banfield’s report on family suspicion
• [16:43] - Shift to Tepe double homicide / Autopsy findings
• [22:53] - Start of Thomas Medlin/Roblox discussion with Chris Hansen
• [24:54] - Eva Yan (Thomas’s mother) emotional plea
• [27:52] - Parental responsibility and platform failures
• [33:19] - Predator case details (Martin County, Florida)
• [39:56] - Chris Hansen’s advice to parents
• [44:59] - Listener Question & Legal analysis about pardons
• [49:58] - Dave’s closing “crime at 30,000 ft” rant

Summary Takeaways

• The Guthrie kidnapping investigation remains a rapidly shifting case with conflicting information, but hope for her safe return remains.
• The Tepe double homicide autopsies point toward a crime of passion and confirm prior suspicions about the killer’s emotional state.
• The dangers faced by children online, especially through platforms like Roblox, are real and evolving, demanding both parental vigilance and better platform accountability.
• Parental controls are not enough—communication and awareness are the best prevention.
• The American criminal justice system often values finality of verdicts over reexamining past convictions for fairness or justice.

For further information on Thomas Medlin:
Contact Suffolk County Police Department at 631-854-8452.
Share and repost missing posters—keeping visibility is critical.