Murder Sheet: The Cheat Sheet – Cancer and Cake

Podcast: Murder Sheet
Hosts: Áine (Anya) Cain (journalist) and Kevin Greenlee (attorney)
Date: March 20, 2026

Episode Overview

This Cheat Sheet edition focuses on a series of true crime cases largely centered in the western United States, with detours to Ohio. Áine Cain and Kevin Greenlee take a journalistic approach, diving into four major stories—ranging from the high-profile murder trial of Corey Richards in Utah (the so-called “real estate murder”), to a harrowing murder-suicide in Alaska with Arizona ties, the cold-case arrest in the murder of Iowa realtor Ashley Oakland, and a unique defamation lawsuit involving rapper Afroman and Ohio deputies. The episode ends on a lighter, personal note with the hosts discussing “the hat bit” at their Ohio live show.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Corey Richards Murder Trial (Utah)

[04:32–22:32]

• Case Background:
  Corey Richards, a Utah real estate agent, was recently convicted for the murder of her husband, Eric Richards, a contractor with whom she shared three children.

• Timeline and Evidence:

  • October 2020: Marital troubles escalate; Eric consults an estate lawyer and later removes Corey as his life insurance beneficiary.
  • 2021–2022: Corey allegedly falsifies bank statements, forges Eric’s signature for a new life insurance policy, and tells someone she feels “trapped”—saying it would be “better if her husband was dead.”
  • February 2022: Eric reports feeling ill after a sandwich Corey brought him, suspecting poisoning. Evidence suggests Corey was seeking “the Michael Jackson stuff” (fentanyl).
  • March 4, 2022: Eric is found dead of fentanyl poisoning—he had five times the lethal dose in his system.

• Legal Proceedings:

  • Listeners raised questions about the defense team’s decision not to call witnesses—this was likely a strategic move, possibly betting the prosecution hadn’t proven its case, but “it looks weak to a jury.” ([14:26])
  • Jurors deliberated only three hours before convicting Corey on all counts. Some jurors noted emotional difficulty due to the children involved but agreed on guilt.

• Notable Quotes:

  • Áine: “Do you think you just give off a cowboy ambiance on the show, even though they can’t see me?” ([02:08])
  • Áine: “Five times the lethal dose is pretty extreme.” ([12:13])

2. The Alaska-Arizona Comedy Club Murder-Suicide

[22:32–30:55]

• Summary:
  Matthew Thomas Becker, owner of Chuckleheads Comedy Club in Bisbee, Arizona, learns of a terminal cancer diagnosis and travels to Alaska to kill his ex-wife and her father, 87-year-old Romaine Clark. He ultimately succeeds in murdering his former father-in-law before killing himself.

• Community Response:
  The comedy club’s former social media manager publicly condemned Becker’s actions, stating: “His last actions ruined every positive memory I had of him…There is no convoluted cancer medicated induced rational argument that will ever bring that dad back.” ([25:01])

• Reflection:
  Both hosts agreed that regardless of complex personal histories, actions of this magnitude erase any positive legacy.

  • Áine: “There are some things that are so egregious and so awful that those positive memories don’t matter anymore.” ([28:17])

3. Ashley Oakland Cold Case Break (Iowa)

[31:05–42:16]

• Victim Background:
  Ashley Oakland, 27, was a well-liked, highly involved realtor in West Des Moines, Iowa—active in her community, on the verge of engagement, and successful in her field.

• Murder Details:

  • April 8, 2011: Oakland is shot twice and killed in a model home she was showing.
  • Despite intensive investigation, including hundreds of interviews, the case remained unsolved for over a decade.

• Breakthrough Arrest:

  • In 2024, a newly formed cold case unit reviewed the evidence and a grand jury indicted 53-year-old Kristen Elizabeth Ramsey, a former colleague (sales manager at the same homebuilder where Oakland worked).
  • Ramsey’s employment took her from Rotland Homes (builder of the model home) to Midland Title and Escrow, connected to Oakland’s prior employer.
  • Áine muses on the rarity of a woman being indicted in such a case.
    • “Usually in cases like this, you’re looking at a man…So that alone makes it an unusual case.” ([41:08])

• Community Impact:
  Oakland’s memory is honored via a playground for disabled children and an award for service.

4. Afroman vs. Police—Ohio Defamation Lawsuit

[42:16–50:46]

• Case Overview:
  In 2022, rapper Afroman (Joseph Foreman) used bodycam footage and lyrics to poke fun at Adams County, Ohio, sheriff’s deputies after an unsuccessful police raid on his home. Deputies sued for defamation.

• Legal Outcome:

  • Jury found for Afroman, citing First Amendment protections and the nature of artistic exaggeration.
    • Afroman’s attorney: “It’s all entertainment…everyone knows that…Nobody looks at Lil Wayne’s song Pea Monster and says, there’s a monster in that song.” ([46:42])
  • Áine: “People who are in law enforcement…you’d think they would be kind of expecting public criticism or even some mockery.” ([47:51])

5. Bonus: The “Hat Bit” at the Ohio Event

[50:46–55:38]

• The hosts recount their recent live event at the Marion County Public Library in Ohio:
  • Áine brought a “big hat” for a comedy bit but decided not to wear it, explaining, “I don’t want to turn something that’s a discussion ultimately about a very serious murder case into some kind of stupid…skit involving me in hats, because that makes me look like an asshole.” ([51:21])
  • Kevin jokes that the podcast is underperforming with hat store owners and reflects on the importance of reading the room at public events.
  • The hosts note that guest experts sometimes only hear their light-hearted “Cheat Sheet” banter before interviews, making for interesting impressions.

Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• [12:13] Áine: “Five times the lethal dose is pretty extreme.”
• [25:01] Chuckleheads Statement: “His last actions ruined every positive memory I had of him…”
• [28:17] Áine: “There are some things that are so egregious and so awful that those positive memories don’t matter anymore.”
• [41:08] Áine: “Usually in cases like this, you’re looking at a man…that alone makes it an unusual case.”
• [46:42] Afroman’s Attorney: “It’s all entertainment…Nobody looks at Lil Wayne’s song Pea Monster and says, there’s a monster in that song.”
• [47:51] Áine: “You would think [law enforcement officers] would be expecting public criticism or even some mockery…”
• [51:21] Áine: “I don’t want to turn something…about a very serious murder case into…a stupid skit involving me in hats, because that makes me look like an asshole.”

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 04:32 – Corey Richards murder trial (Utah) breakdown
• 22:32 – Alaska/Arizona comedy club murder-suicide
• 31:05 – Iowa realtor Ashley Oakland’s cold case and arrest
• 42:16 – Ohio: Afroman and deputies’ defamation lawsuit
• 50:46 – Ohio live show and the “hat” anecdote

Tone & Style

• Language: Conversational, occasionally irreverent, empathetic
• Approach: Mix of in-depth journalism, legal analysis, and light personal asides
• Atmosphere: Serious when covering crimes, but with playful, warm rapport between hosts during transitions and personal stories

This Cheat Sheet episode offers a rich cross-section of true crime—from cold-case breakthroughs and challenging moral questions to quirky courtroom drama—with Anya and Kevin’s trademark blend of intelligence, empathy, and wit.