Murder Sheet: A Conversation with Erin Moriarty on the Murders of Claudia Maupin and Oliver Northup

Release Date: September 23, 2025
Hosts: Áine Cain (Journalist) and Kevin Greenlee (Attorney)
Guest: Erin Moriarty (CBS 48 Hours Correspondent, True Crime Reporter)
Episode Focus: Interview with Erin Moriarty about her work in true crime journalism and her in-depth reporting on the chilling 2013 murders of Claudia Maupin and Oliver "Chip" Northup by 15-year-old Daniel Marsh.

Episode Overview

This episode features a thoughtful conversation with acclaimed CBS 48 Hours correspondent Erin Moriarty, renowned for her rigorous true crime reporting. The hosts explore Moriarty’s career trajectory, the challenges and responsibilities of true crime journalism, and delve deeply into the disturbing double murder case of Claudia Maupin and Chip Northup in Davis, California. The discussion also examines the complex legal, psychological, and societal issues raised by the case, such as juvenile justice, rehabilitation versus public safety, and the enduring impact on victims' families.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Erin Moriarty’s Path to Journalism

• Legal Roots: Erin originally pursued a legal career—attending law school and working at a firm—before shifting to journalism when opportunities for women in law were scarce.

  "I actually went to law school. Planned to be a litigator. ...But in Columbus, Ohio, the legal profession wasn't really open to the idea of female lawyers." – Erin (04:36)

• Journalistic Principles: Her legal background proved invaluable in reporting, especially for navigating legal documents and challenging interviews with attorneys.

  "We have to read so many documents...you have to know more than the lawyers do in the case, or at least just as much." – Erin (07:01)

• Career Break: A pivotal moment came after she took constructive criticism seriously from a CBS manager, which eventually led to her CBS News role.

  "What you think is a terrible mistake or a failing sometimes can turn out to be a blessing." – Erin (08:36, 09:36)

The 48 Hours Approach & Moriarty’s Signature Style

• Victim-Centric Storytelling: 48 Hours deliberately highlights victims and their families, in contrast to the courtroom focus on defendants.

  "Most of these cases, you don't even hear much about the victim, and that's very difficult on the families. So 48 Hours, we tried to pick cases that involve important legal issues or cultural issues and tell the victim's story." – Erin (10:25)

• Depth and Duality: Emphasis is placed on presenting both sides, diving deeper than what’s seen in court, and uncovering details that may never surface in legal proceedings.
• Personal Fascination & Empathy: Moriarty often gravitates toward cases with unique angles (such as twins, as she is a twin herself) or those that shine light on overlooked social dangers, like domestic abuse.

  "I need stories that fascinate me. I've been doing it so long. So that may be a signature Erin Moriarty story..." – Erin (13:24)

True Crime’s Impact on Society

• Educating Jurors: Moriarty asserts that true crime media makes the public—and potential jurors—more discerning and skeptical in court.

  "I feel that true crime shows, true crime podcasts, really do make a difference...jurors now, when they come to a courtroom, ask more questions, question the prosecution more, listen more for evidence." – Erin (15:56)

Building Trust with Sources

• Ethical Interview Approach: Erin prioritizes empathy and preparation when interviewing people on the worst days of their lives, recognizing her established reputation aids in earning trust.

  "I spend a lot of time reading everything, going through my questions, and then I put my questions aside ... I look at them during the interview because I do know it's stressful." – Erin (19:19)

Navigating Difficult and Traumatic Material

• Emotional Boundaries: Not immune to the intense content, Erin acknowledges that she sometimes needs to step back from exceptionally traumatizing stories, but focuses on "the heroes"—those seeking or fighting for justice—to find hope amid tragedy.

  "Yes, there was a case I actually got off. I could not. Well, there's been two...I did not think that was the right story for me because I couldn't get it out of my head." – Erin (23:12)

Deep Dive: The Daniel Marsh Case

Why the Case Stands Out

• Anomalous Killer: The 2013 killings shocked with their brutality and the youth of the perpetrator, sparking questions about juvenile crime and rehabilitation.

  "Here was one of the most adept...killers. And he was only 15, 15 years of age. ...There was no evidence left behind.” – Erin (25:09)

• Investigation Breakthrough: Police only solved the case after Marsh began bragging about the murders.
• Changing Laws: Marsh’s case was further complicated by evolving California laws, bringing up the possibility of his release and broader debates about second chances for youthful offenders.

  "What do you do with someone like that? Do you keep him behind bars forever?...It seems like the Daniel Marsh case may be that outlier" – Erin (26:44)

The Impact on Victims’ Families

• Personal Loss and Carrying Trauma: The families' pain was compounded when police, lacking leads, focused suspicion on the victims' relatives, including two grandsons with mental health struggles—one of whom later died by suicide.

  "But they really put pressure on these two young men, and years later, one of them took his life. And the family does believe that this...played a part in it." – Erin (28:22)

• Active Advocacy: The granddaughter, Sarah Rice, became a vocal defender for her loved ones and community, fighting Marsh’s potential release.

  "People just so connected to her and kept telling her how brave she was and how great it was that she was not just protecting her family from this man, but the community." – Erin (28:22)

Nature vs. Nurture, Juvenile Justice

• Difficult Questions: The Marsh case led to wrestling with whether some youthful offenders are truly irredeemable and how to identify them.
• Contrasting Stories: Moriarty compared Marsh to Bobby Bostick, who received a harsh sentence for a robbery as a teen, but reformed in prison and was ultimately released—a different trajectory from Marsh, who displayed chilling intent and lack of remorse.

  "[Bostick] was horrified when the gun went off, I ran...Daniel Marsh is saying, all I thought about was how I could do it again." – Erin (31:39)

Interview Insights: Fairness, Empathy, and Ethical Restraint

• Balanced Reporting: Moriarty is careful to present all relevant sides, including Marsh’s own account (and his family's claims about medication)—yet she consciously withholds gratuitous crime scene details to avoid sensationalism.

  "There are details to this crime that are simply horrific. But I didn't feel that telling the story truthfully and fairly needed that." – Erin (43:09)

• Peers’ Contrasting Reactions: The friend who exposed Marsh contrasts sharply in empathy, despite near-identical backgrounds.

  "You had these two young men with very similar backgrounds...but one enjoyed it and the other really worried about it. That was such an interesting part..." – Erin (43:09)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On mistakes opening unexpected doors:
  "What you think is a terrible mistake or a failing sometimes can turn out to be a blessing." – Erin, (09:36)
• On journalism’s essential role:
  "There's no democracy without someone who spotlights a case or who talks about difficult issues." – Erin, (21:05)
• On offender rehabilitation:
  "Maybe being a psychopath is something that we can't treat away. I don't know....But we need to raise the question that there's a possibility that this young man is just ... not safe to return to the community." – Erin, (43:09)
• On true crime as public education:
  "True crime shows, true crime podcasts, really do make a difference ... jurors now ... ask more questions, question the prosecution more, listen more for evidence." – Erin, (15:56)

Important Timestamps

• Erin Moriarty’s background and path to journalism: 04:36 – 09:36
• Journalistic philosophy and the 48 Hours approach: 10:25 – 13:24
• Societal impact of true crime media: 15:37 – 15:56
• Building interviewee trust: 19:19
• Handling trauma in reporting: 23:12
• How the Daniel Marsh case evolved: 25:09 – 28:10
• Victims’ family experience and ongoing advocacy: 28:22 – 31:04
• Nature of youthful offenders & contrasting cases: 31:39 – 34:55
• Reflections on the criminal justice system today: 35:09 – 37:29
• Balancing fairness with sensitivity in storytelling: 43:09

Closing Thoughts

Moriarty concludes with gratitude for the opportunity to discuss the complexities of the Daniel Marsh case and reinforces the importance of continued dialogue and visibility for such difficult topics.

“I do hope that people will listen to the podcast and let me know how it is, because I really do care about the impact we have.” – Erin (46:00)

The episode is a nuanced look into both the personal intricacies of true crime reporting and the broader, unsettling questions raised by extraordinary criminal cases like that of Daniel Marsh.

For further exploration:
Listeners are encouraged to check out Erin Moriarty’s new podcast 15: Inside the Daniel Marsh Murders for a deeper dive into this haunting case.