The Burden

"Death & Deceit in Alliance" | Episode 13: The Circling

Host: Orbit Media
Air Date: January 6, 2026

Episode Overview

In this penultimate episode of Death & Deceit in Alliance, host Maggie Freeling and her investigative team come face to face with uncomfortable truths about David Thorne, whose suspected wrongful conviction has been the center of their season-long investigation. While the series began with the assumption that David was a victim of shoddy police work and possibly a frame-up, "The Circling" zeroes in on troubling new evidence and personal revelations, forcing Maggie and her team to directly confront David’s character, honesty, and credibility. This episode is rich with investigative introspection, direct dialogue, and mounting doubt—challenging the very foundation of the wrongful conviction narrative they set out to tell.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Shocking New Information About David's Character

(01:46–05:19)

• Maggie listens to a shocking police interview with "Angie," David’s ex-girlfriend, revealing serious allegations of abuse:
  • Pulling a gun, shooting out her car tires, threats to kill her, choking, physical assaults.
  • Angie’s own words: “He was really mean, very aggressive, very abusive.” (01:46)
• Maggie reflects on her prior assumptions about David’s personality—previously described by her and others as a “nice, good-looking 20something… always cheerful.”
• Discovery of additional incidents paints David as reckless and violent—a stark contrast to the “All-American” image he and his family projected.

2. David's Ongoing Concealment of His Past

(06:16–08:47)

• John and Danny (investigators) stress the importance of honesty:
  • John: “I want to give him the opportunity to tell us things that we already know just to see if he's going to be remotely forthcoming.” (06:16)
• Maggie notes that crucial questions about violence were never proactively addressed by David; his failure to disclose now appears strategic.

3. Prison Interview: Digging for the Truth

(09:31–16:57)

• John and Danny have an official legal visit with David, intending to confront him with difficult questions.
• Focus turns to David’s alibi on the day of the murder (March 31, 1999), inconsistencies about his time from 12:30pm–4pm, and his repeated omission of contact with Joe Wilkes (the confessed killer):
  • Despite incident reports showing otherwise, David tried to minimize his relationship with Joe.
  • Danny: “He was not going to bring up the fact that he was with Joe at the Enix.” (13:23)
• When pressed, David would only admit to allegations that the investigators already knew about.
  • John: “He did not volunteer a thing ... Every altercation that we were able to pull out of him, it was somebody else's fault.” (15:33)
  • Danny: “Like prosecutors are taught, never ask a question that you don't already know the answer to. Yeah, that's what we did. And only because we asked, did he give it.” (16:36)

4. Patterns of Evasion and Deflection

(16:58–20:17)

• Multiple examples emerge of David denying or minimizing allegations unless confronted with specific evidence.
  • The tire-shooting incident: David claims he shot only one tire, not four, and says the car was his.
  • Denial of other allegations: choking, hitting, etc.
• Maggie’s frustration is palpable: “I felt defeated. I’d put so much time into this and so much of my credibility and emotion.” (17:27)

5. Psychological Observations & Interviewer Impressions

(18:17–19:32)

• Danny notes that David exhibits evasive body language—grinning and breaking eye contact when discussions turn to sensitive topics, suggesting defensiveness.
  • Danny: “It was almost like watching someone on a polygraph…when we got into sensitive areas, his head would drop, his eyes would fly, his blinking was delayed, and he would grin as he gave this 'oh, that's no big deal' kind of answer.” (18:20)
• The team expresses concern that David cannot account for being with Joe shortly before the murder, and that their ongoing doubts may be insurmountable.

6. The Pivotal Question: Can the Team Continue?

(20:12–21:43)

• John: “I want to make it all sound bad and horrible or anything like that, but the overall thing was not really good. He knows what's happening right now. He knows that he's got to be forthcoming." (20:29)
• The team ultimately questions whether to invest further time and resources if David cannot be honest.
  • John: “You just weren't truthful… We can't do it if you're going to be like that.” (21:09)

7. The “Bombshell”: David’s Knowledge of Yvonne’s Sex Work

(21:43–23:50)

• Maggie discovers David’s prior awareness of Yvonne’s sex work, contradicting what he had told her earlier in the investigation.
  • John: “Oh, he knew all about that. He took her to West Virginia because she was going to be an escort at these things, knowing full well that's what she was going to do.” (22:55)
• Maggie’s shock and sense of betrayal is clear: “So then why did he lie to me?” (23:50)

8. Setting the Stage for the Finale

(24:00–25:18)

• A preview of the upcoming finale highlights outstanding questions and the team’s conclusion that vital “nuggets” of evidence supporting David have become exceedingly hard to find.
• The episode ends with the sobering reality that, despite months of investigation, there may be nowhere left to turn if David refuses, or is unable, to be honest.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Angie’s account of abuse:

  • “He got out of his car, pulled a gun on me, shot out all four tires in my car, told me that if I don't stop the fucking car he's gonna blow my head off.” (02:05, Angie)

• Maggie’s self-doubt and defeat:

  • “I felt defeated. I'd put so much time into this and so much of my credibility and emotion. But this time at least I was ready for it.” (17:27, Maggie)

• John on David’s credibility:

  • “He did not volunteer a thing... Every altercation that we were able to pull out of him, it was somebody else's fault… that's exactly right." (15:33, John)

• Danny on David’s body language:

  • “It was almost like watching someone on a polygraph…when we got into sensitive areas, his head would drop, his eyes would fly, his blinking was delayed, and he would grin as he gave this 'oh, that's no big deal' kind of answer.” (18:20, Danny)

• John’s blunt warning:

  • "You just weren't truthful…we can't do it if you're going to be like that.” (21:09, John)

• The “bombshell” on sex work:

  • “He took her to West Virginia because she was going to be an escort at these things, knowing full well that's what she was going to do.” (22:55, John)

• Danny on the bleak outlook:

  • “Finding the nugget that gives David a chance is just getting harder and harder to find. I mean, we've turned over enough stones to where there's only a few left. And if there's nothing under the remaining stones…” (24:27, Danny)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Abuse allegations emerge (Angie’s police interview): 01:46–05:19
• Investigator reflections on David’s candor and interview strategy: 06:16–08:54
• Prison interview and gaps in David’s timeline/alibi: 09:31–13:15
• Repeated evasions and pattern of withholding: 13:38–17:13
• Interviewers' final impressions and doubts: 17:48–20:17
• Decision about continuing the investigation: 20:29–21:43
• Bombshell about knowledge of sex work: 21:43–23:50
• Preview of the finale and unresolved questions: 24:00–25:18

Tone, Language, & Style

The tone of the discussion is urgent, emotionally fraught, and self-reflective. Maggie’s narration is candid about her own doubts and emotional investment; the language is direct, sometimes raw (especially in interviews and confessions), and the investigative team’s comments are measured but increasingly skeptical. The candidness between the team, coupled with raw, unsettled feelings, makes the episode deeply personal and unsettling—highlighting that even "champions" of justice are at risk of being misled.

Conclusion

Episode 13, “The Circling,” pivots from championing David’s innocence to a somber, honest reckoning with unsettling facts about his past and his elusive honesty. Maggie and her team’s emotional journey—marked by disappointment, self-doubt, and a commitment to seeking truth over narrative—sets the stage for a finale that promises more hard questions and perhaps few easy answers. This is not a triumphalist wrongful conviction story, but a nuanced, at times painful, dive into uncertainty, betrayal, and the imperfect quest for justice.