Murder Sheet Podcast Summary: "The Cheat Sheet: Cheerleaders and Charges" (Feb 20, 2026)

Episode Overview

In this episode of The Murder Sheet, hosts Áine Cain (journalist) and Kevin Greenlee (attorney) deliver their signature "Cheat Sheet" roundup, covering several cases from North Dakota, Nevada, Virginia, and Texas. The cases involve disturbing and complex themes: a tragic murder with missing remains, a cheerleading trip turned murder-suicide, a law reform effort for violent offenders, and an unusual legal debate over trial competency. The hosts blend journalistic analysis, legal insight, and candid commentary, making for both an engaging and thoughtful exploration of current crime stories.

Content Warning: Discussion includes murder (including murder of children), violence, suicide, and explicit conduct in court proceedings.

1. North Dakota – The Disappearance and Murder of Isadora Wengel

[04:50 – 10:41]

Key Details

• Victim: Isadora Wengel, 25, reported missing by her family
• Suspect: Joshua Alexander Hite, 21, her boyfriend; arrested Feb 10, 2026
• Case Timeline:
  • Last seen at Fargo Walmart, Jan 3, 5:05 pm
  • Missing reported Jan 7
  • Arrest Feb 10, after weeks of investigation

Evidence & Progress

• Surveillance debunks Hite's claim of dropping Wengel at home
• Forensic discoveries in Hite’s apartment:
  • Sawzall blade with human tissue and bone, DNA matches Wengel
  • Plastic sheeting, bloody gauze, bathroom mat with her DNA
  • Home Depot receipt for sawzall, plastic sheeting, trash bags ordered Jan 4
• Charges: Felony murder (Class AA), providing false info, tampering with evidence
• Legal update: Defense seeks disqualification of Judge Constance Cleveland; reasons unclear
• Ongoing: Search for Wengel's remains believed to be in a black, red-lidded 27-gallon tote (public asked to report sightings)

Quotes

• "When you have a missing person's case, you always are hoping that the person is alive, regardless of what occurred." – Áine Cain [08:05]
• "Our hearts go out to Isadora's family...what a horrible thing and a horrible thing for the Fargo community." – Áine Cain [09:59]

2. Nevada – Cheerleading Competition Murder-Suicide

[14:59 – 31:13]

Key Details

• Victims: Tanya McGeehan (38) and daughter Addie Smith (11), visiting Las Vegas for a cheer competition
• Event: Both found dead in hotel (Rio Hotel & Casino) during Utah Extreme Cheer Team event
• Discovery: Welfare check initiated by team; police unable to enter hotel room without evidence of emergency
• Outcome: Hotel security enters later, finds both deceased; believed to be murder-suicide by McGeehan
• Family Context:
  • Previous divorce/custody battle between McGeehan and ex-husband Bradley Smith
  • Issues of parental alienation, domestic abuse accusations (Court documents: McGeehan “acted in ways that could alienate” Addie from father; alleged domestic abuse in 2021)
  • McGeehan’s mother reports history of depression, but recent “good spirits”

Broader Impacts & Discussion

• The trauma for the cheer community and Addie’s peers
• Hosts reflect on deeper issues beyond depression/divorce (“this goes well beyond some depression or some drama...this was not a safe parent for this child” – Áine Cain [29:34])
• "This is a really hard thing to learn about at such a young age." – Áine Cain [31:10]

3. Virginia – Lexi’s Law and Parole for Violent Offenders

[31:13 – 38:28]

Case Summary

• Perpetrator: James King, history of violence, including murder in Ohio and Virginia
• Events: After previous release (20 years in prison for first murder), King murders Lexi Walters in 2020
• Issue: Due to “compassionate release” for elderly inmates, King becomes parole-eligible mere months after double life sentence
• Family Reaction: Lexi Walters’ family traumatized by repeated parole hearings

Law Reform Discussion

• Lexi's Law proposal: Aims to exclude violent offenders (murder, sexual assault) from expedited elderly parole
• Hosts advocate for the law:
  • "Victims' families should not be bearing the burden of having to schlep around to these things." – Áine Cain [34:28]
  • "This is freaking common sense...if you're a violent offender, you know, die in prison. That's my [position]." – Áine Cain [34:28]
• Bipartisan support emerging, focused on victim-centric reform

Memorable Quotes

• "There are men who are basically just animals who want to go around and rape and kill you...those people, I think should be put down or if we can't put them down, then put them in prison for life." – Áine Cain [37:23]

4. Texas – Competency, Masturbation, and a Murder Trial

[38:34 – 56:26]

Case Overview

• Defendant: Daetoine Littlejohn, convicted of murdering neighbor Jerry Bradley following a neighborhood dispute
• Pre-Trial Behavior: Alleged mental decline, delusions, throwing feces at guards, masturbating in jail
• Key Legal Question: Should more be done to assess trial competency given erratic and possibly disordered behavior?
  • "Must a trial court make an informal inquiry into a defendant's competency to stand trial when it learns...the defendant, one, masturbated in front of and through feces at jail detention officers...possibly masturbated in open court...alleged that a witness had used voodoo on him..." – read by Kevin Greenlee [41:05]

Prosecution vs. Defense

• Prior evaluation found Littlejohn competent, but ongoing behavior (e.g., possible in-court masturbation; rambling about voodoo) raises issues
• Hosts debate: Is disruptive behavior a sign of incompetence or manipulation?
  • "Disruptive behavior is not a symptom...it can be a sign that you're insane legally, or it could just be disruptive behavior." – Áine Cain [51:00]
  • "I would have liked to have seen some sworn testimony. And yeah, if you're going to do it, do it correctly." – Kevin Greenlee [51:28]
• Prosecution’s argument: No sworn testimony of in-court masturbation; concealing the act (if true) suggests awareness, not incompetence

Memorable Legal Analysis & Humor

• "If a defendant masturbates in a courtroom and no one is around to see it, is it really inappropriate?" – paraphrasing legal blog author and podcast discussion [54:28]
• Hosts note the difficulty of distinguishing genuine incompetency from manipulative or disruptive conduct

5. Notable Quotes and Moments

• On the cheerleading community:
  "There's almost like a whole subculture around that...the parents get involved and it can be a very, very positive thing for, you know, kids..." – Áine Cain [20:18]
• On legal system trade-offs:
  "The alternative is significantly worse...authoritarianism where the police can do whatever they want, whenever they want" – Áine Cain [23:11]

6. Time-stamped Highlights

| Timestamp | Section / Moment | |------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 04:50 | Start of North Dakota murder/disappearance case | | 14:59 | Introduction to Nevada cheerleading murder-suicide | | 20:13 | Discussion of youth sports & cheerleading culture | | 22:51 | Welfare check procedure and legal frustrations – Las Vegas case | | 31:13 | Virginia's Lexi’s Law and the parole system for violent offenders | | 34:28 | Advocacy commentary on sentencing for violent offenders | | 38:34 | Introduction to Texas competency/murder trial debate | | 41:05 | Reading of the official legal question regarding trial competency | | 51:00 | Hosts dissect disruptive conduct versus incompetency in court |

7. Host Banter & Signature Tone

The hosts’ conversational style includes dry, sometimes dark humor:

• Joking about CrimeCon and "spring bonnets" [13:30]
• Satirical musings on courtroom procedures and witness testimony [49:59–55:17]
• Self-effacing stories about their dog and “walking misadventures” [60:38–65:03]

8. Promotional Notes (Excluded for Brevity)

• Ads and sponsor segments not summarized per instructions; see episode for details.
• Book announcement – "Shadow of the Bridge: The Delphi Murders and the Dark Side of the American Heartland" on Amazon [57:01]

Summary Takeaway:
This Cheat Sheet episode demonstrates The Murder Sheet’s rigorous, empathetic, and unflinching approach to crime coverage—balancing case details, legal context, and the human impact for victims and communities. Not afraid to tackle uncomfortable realities, Cain and Greenlee provide listeners with both crucial facts and a thoughtful framework for understanding the justice system's strengths and challenges.

For more information:

• Report tips: Fargo Police (701-451-7660) for North Dakota case [09:13]
• Join Murder Sheet's Facebook group or visit their website for show notes and event info