Dateline: True Crime Weekly (NBC News)

A Santa Fe jury hears opening statements in the actor's trial for the 2021 on-set shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. NBC News correspondent Chloe Melas tells us how the judge is taking control in the courtroom. In Wayne County, Michigan, a 29-year-old man is facing life in prison for a murder that someone else confessed to. And did you know that, according to the DOJ, as many as 600,000 individuals are reported missing to law enforcement every year?

Listen to this week's episode of the Dateline: True Crime Weekly with Andrea Canning. In Michigan, the prosecution plays the 911 call from the crime scene — but does it help the defense? In Hawaii, a doctor is charged with attempted murder after allegedly trying to push his wife off a popular trail. What she's told investigators. Jury selection is underway in Karen Read's retrial and finished early in Lori Vallow Daybell's Arizona trial. Plus, best practices for law enforcement on how to interact with people with autism. Find out more about the cases covered each week here: www.datelinetruecrimeweekly.com.

Domestic violence resources: Call 1-800-799-SAFE, text START to 88788, or visit https://www.thehotline.org/

In Tennessee, the defense attorney for a man accused of stabbing his girlfriend to death makes an unexpected admission. In West Virginia, a pharmacist already serving time for scamming her family and friends out of millions is back in court. This time she's accused of murdering her husband. And Alec Baldwin sues the prosecutors on the Rust trial. Plus, a medical examiner discusses the art of investigating cold cases. 

Find out more about the cases covered each week here: www.datelinetruecrimeweekly.com

In a late night verdict, former dancer Ashley Benefield is convicted of manslaughter days after she testified about the night she shot her estranged husband to death. In San Diego, prosecutors ask if a delayed police response allowed a murder to happen. And after a third high-profile hung jury in two months, we ask a jury expert what's going on.

Robert Baker, the former lover of Monica Sementilli and admitted killer of her husband, takes the stand in her defense. An alleged vegan cult known as the Zizians will see their leader face trial in Maryland next week. And updates on Karen Read, the University of Pittsburgh student missing in the Dominican Republic, and Lori Vallow Daybell. Plus, everything you need to know about a new scam called pig butchering. Find out more about the cases covered each week here: www.datelinetruecrimeweekly.com. Listen to the full Mommy Doomsday podcast series on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mommy-doomsday/id1540849480
 

Listen to the full episode of “Lori Vallow Daybell: The Jailhouse Interview” on Apple: https://apple.co/3FjWD4d

Listen to the Talking Dateline episode where Keith discusses the interview on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/be/podcast/talking-dateline-lori-vallow-daybell-the-jailhouse/id1464919521?i=1000698801101

A double murder trial in a small town in Indiana ends a seven-year saga. A four-count murder trial in Minnesota concludes a push for justice for a 26-year-old mother of two. Plus, Bryan Kohberger is back in court with his life on the line and Keith Morrison remembers a story he's covered from the start.

A weekly news podcast for the true crime junkie, from the true crime experts you’ve come to trust. Every Thursday Dateline correspondent Andrea Canning and her guests dive into the biggest crime stories of the week, bringing you the latest on trials and investigations around the country. Whether she’s talking to reporters fresh from the courthouse, NBC News legal analysts or a Dateline team in the field, she’s got fresh insights and behind-the-scenes scoops. Stay up to date and in the know with Andrea and her guests as they listen in on court proceedings, swap story tips and dissect cases. And you never know when Josh Mankiewicz or Keith Morrison might drop in.

A jury in San Francisco begins deliberations in the trial of the accused killer of the Cash App co-founder. And in suburban New Jersey, an innovative method to analyze DNA is on trial in the case of a man accused of killing his brother and his brother's family. Plus Dennis Murphy recounts his early reporting on the Amanda Knox case.


Find out more about the cases covered each week here: www.datelinetruecrimeweekly.com

Keith Morrison looks back on the trial of a woman who killed her bronze medalist husband. Oscar Pistorius, called the Blade Runner after the London Olympics, gunned down his girlfriend in 2013. Now he's out on parole. And a self-defense expert with advice for solo joggers.

You can listen to Dateline's episode about Dave Laut and Jane Laubacher, called The Hometown Hero And The Homecoming Queen, here.

In Florida, the trial of Donna Adelson -- accused of masterminding a hit on her daughter's ex-husband -- is derailed. Hear jailhouse phone calls between her and her convicted son. And in San Francisco, the trial for the man accused of killing the co-founder of Cash App last spring is just around the corner. Plus how to avoid becoming one of the millions who fall victim to fraud.

Hundreds of people in pink shirts are on verdict watch in Dedham, Mass., where a jury is considering three charges against the woman accused of killing her police officer boyfriend with her SUV. In Arizona parents are demanding answers after a 16-year-old was beaten to death. They fear a gang of teenagers who call themselves the Gilbert Goons. And in Michigan, an ex-boyfriend calls 911 on himself. "I may have murdered my girlfriend and I don't remember it." He later retracts but video of his interaction with cops is a boon for the total stranger on trial the murder.

In suburban Boston, years after the death of a pregnant 23-year-old was ruled a suicide, the FBI arrest a former local detective for her murder. In Lake County, Florida, a mom on trial for her husband's murder is raising a wildcard defense: her daughter did it. And Dr. Mary Jumbelic answers our question: how can medical examiners reach different conclusions in the same cases?

NBC Boston's coverage of Sandra Birchmore's case

Listen to this week's episode of the Dateline: True Crime Weekly podcast with Andrea Canning. In West Virginia, there was emotional testimony last week from the children of the pharmacist accused of poisoning her husband. This week the jury returned its verdict. KHNL reporter Mark Carpenter has details on a Hawaii man standing trial - again - for allegedly shooting his wife's acupuncturist lover. And Bryan Kohberger's defense team urges a judge to throw out a key piece of the prosecution's case. Find out more about the cases covered each week here: www.datelinetruecrimeweekly.com

Alleged serial killer Rex Heuermann is facing more charges. A TikTok influencer charged with murder finds out if his performance on the stand was convincing. NBC San Diego's Dana Williams tells us the courtroom erupted after the verdict was read. And just up the 5 in Orange County, a legal strategy is being tested in the case of Sam Woodward, charged with a hate crime in the killing of his high school classmate, Blaze Bernstein. The state says Sam killed Blaze for being gay. Defense says it's complicated. Reporter Louis Keene brings us his observations from the trial, now in its third month.

For more of Louis Keene's reporting, read his work at The Forward.

WNBC is following Rex Heuermann's case.

Listen to Dateline's episode called "The Hunt for the Gilgo Beach Killer."

In a town of 4,000 people, a Facebook group of 10,000 asking what happened to a woman stabbed to death. 15 years after thousands of untested rape kits were found, Kym Worthy tells us how she's making sure a backlog like that never happens again. And why are there so many poisonings lately?

If you or someone you know has experienced sexual assault, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800-656-4673 or visit online.rainn.org for more resources.

In Minnesota, arguments over evidence in the run-up to a poison specialist's murder trial, and, in South Carolina, a reckoning for the longtime girlfriend of a convicted killer. WMBF reporter Ashley Boles was in the courtroom for the suspenseful plea hearing. Plus, tips from Today show senior investigative correspondent Vicky Nguyen on dorm room dangers.

Since a Massachusetts State Trooper's "regrettable" text messages were revealed on the stand in June, a defense attorney is asking what he texted about other investigations, including the disappearance of Ana Walshe. In West Virgina, a scam turns into a poisoning by insulin charge. And for Domestic Violence Awareness Month, some tips on how to help friends in an abusive relationship. 

Get resources on domestic violence: https://www.thehotline.org/
Learn more about the One Love Foundation: https://www.joinonelove.org/

Listen to this week's episode of the Dateline: True Crime Weekly podcast with Andrea Canning. In Massachusetts, opening statements in the second trial of the woman accused of running over her police officer boyfriend. In Arizona, a jury returns a verdict at Lori Vallow Daybell's latest trial. Harvey Weinstein faces a new accuser, and Scott Peterson's defense team says it has new witnesses and new evidence to prove his innocence. Plus, a juror turned podcaster. Find out more about the cases each week here: www.datelinetruecrimeweekly.com.Listen to Keith's podcast, Mommy Doomsday, about the Lori Vallow Daybell story here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mommy-doomsday/id1540849480. Link for "Sequestered" here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sequestered-podcast/id1792642561.

Tech exec Bob Lee's accused killer, Nima Momeni, takes the stand for three dramatic days in San Francisco. In suburban Denver, dentist James Craig is accused of putting potassium cyanide in his wife's protein shakes. He was arrested the day after Angela Craig died, pleaded not guilty, and his trial is set to begin in early December. Plus Vicky Nguyen is back with helpful tips — this time for safe holiday travel.

Find out more about the cases covered each week here: www.datelinetruecrimeweekly.com

A California jury hears chilling details about the murder of hairstylist Fabio Sementilli from the man who admits he helped kill him. In Kansas, the lead detective on a double murder case is called to the witness stand by the woman charged with the murders. She's representing herself. We've got the latest on the investigation into the death of Hollywood actor Gene Hackman. Plus, NBC News' Vicky Nguyen is back with tips on how to avoid travel scams.

On the eve of a hearing in the actor's shooting case, Andrea Canning talks to NBC News Correspondent Chloe Melas about the latest motion to dismiss. In a Boston suburb, a woman accused of murder says she's the victim -- of a conspiracy. Dateline producer Sue Simpson is one of just 10 members of the press in the tiny courtroom where Karen Read stands trial. In Boise, East Idaho News reporter Nate Eaton updates Andrea on the differences between the trials of Lori Vallow and her fifth husband: self-proclaimed prophet Chad Daybell. And special guest Keith Morrison drops by with his own take on the Daybell case.

NBC10 Boston is covering Karen Read's trial.

Nate Eaton recaps every day at Chad Daybell's trial for East Idaho News.

Listen to this week's special episode of the Dateline: True Crime Weekly podcast. Andrea Canning is joined by Keith Morrison, Josh Mankiewicz and Dennis Murphy to talk about their highlights from covering crime in 2024. Plus, a round up of the true crime moments that went viral in 2024.

Find out more about the cases covered each week here: www.datelinetruecrimeweekly.com

In Tennessee, a jury worked over the long weekend and arrived at a verdict in the murder trial of Jason Chen. Eight years ago, in an upscale neighborhood in Los Angeles, celebrity hair stylist Fabio Sementilli was stabbed to death. This week, the trial finally begins for one of the suspects in the case: his wife, Monica. And Karen Read is making headlines again. Plus, how to avoid scammers trying to take advantage of natural disasters. Find out more about the cases covered each week here: www.datelinetruecrimeweekly.com

The body of missing Ole Miss student and gay activist Jay Lee has never been found, but prosecutors charged his secret lover with his murder. The man pleaded not guilty and last week at his trial, the jury weighed in. In August, a dad took his kayak out to go fishing on Wisconsin's deepest lake. He didn't come home until December. Plus a new charge for alleged Gilgo Beach killer Rex Heuermann, and Vicky Nguyen is back with tips on how to keep your house safe while you're traveling for the holidays.

Find out more about the cases covered each week here: www.datelinetruecrimeweekly.com

Openings in the Florida murder trial of Ashley Benefield, who married her husband 13 days after meeting him. She's accused of shooting him to death four years later. In Massachusetts, protestors take to the streets again -- this time for a woman whose family says was groomed and exploited by multiple local police officers. And a criminal defense attorney with some tips.

More on Sandra Birchmore's case at NBC Boston and The Boston Globe

In Utah, Kouri Richins fails in her bid to get her case tossed out. On Thursday Judge John Judge will hear arguments for and against moving the trial of the man accused of killing four University of Idaho students from their college town to the big city. And how to talk to your child about sexting.

An Ivy League tech graduate is in custody for the fatal shooting of the CEO of UnitedHealthcare in Midtown Manhattan last week. At her sentencing, a Georgia grandmother convicted of murder points the finger at her own son. And Josh Mankiewicz stops by to talk about his latest podcast, "Deadly Mirage." 

Find out more about the cases covered each week here: www.datelinetruecrimeweekly.com

A Florida woman charged with second-degree murder claims self-defense in what some are calling The Black Swan Murder Trial. In Atlanta, the judge who'd been presiding over what's already the longest-running criminal trial in Georgia history -- Young Thug's -- has been replaced. Plus, a former Secret Service agent on what to consider before you get in a stranger's car.

Read more of Meghann Cuniff's coverage of Young Thug's trial on her Substack.

Outside Boston, the lead investigator might be an asset for the defense. His texts about Karen Read present a real obstacle for the prosecution's case. No physical evidence of actual murder? No problem. Why a judge says Dee Ann Warner's husband should go to trial in Michigan. Dateline's Josh Mankiewicz brings us up to speed and tells us why the case got under his skin. 13 years ago John Carter went on the Today show to beg the public for help finding his fiancée, Katelyn Markham. Now, on the eve of trial, another public statement from him upends the case.

NBC10 Boston is covering Karen Read's trial.

Listen to the Dateline: Missing in America podcast.

WLWT Cincinnati has the latest on Katelyn Markham's case. 

Things get testy when Karen Read’s defense attorney confronts the prosecution’s star witness. The woman who wrote a children’s book about grief, only to be accused of murdering her husband, sends Dateline recordings from jail. NBC News legal analyst Danny Cevallos explains why it's taking so long for the judge to set a trial date in the case of the man accused of murdering four University of Idaho students. Plus, an expert breaks down cell phone mapping and how it might help - or hurt – Bryan Kohberger’s case.

NBC10 Boston is covering Karen Read's trial.

Listen to this week's episode of the Dateline: True Crime Weekly podcast with guest host, Blayne Alexander. In Arizona, the prosecution plays phone calls Lori made to her insurance agent in the days after her husband's shooting. In Massachusetts, a jury is finally seated in the Karen Read retrial, and the prosecutor has a new strategy. The accused Gilgo Beach serial killer is back in court. Plus, a forensic anthropologist on a mission to identify the victims of the Candyman serial killer. 
Find out more about the cases each week here: www.datelinetruecrimeweekly.com 
Listen to Keith's podcast, Mommy Doomsday, about the Lori Vallow Daybell story here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mommy-doomsday/id1540849480
Listen to Josh's episode "The Widow of Woodland Hills" about the Monica Sementilli case here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-widow-of-woodland-hills/id1464919521?i=1000703469294
And vote for us for a Webby award: https://vote.webbyawards.com/PublicVoting#/2025/podcasts/shows/crime-justice

A verdict in the trial of a North Dakota woman accused of stabbing her roommate to death with a pocket knife nearly 20 years ago. In Michigan a retrial begins for a woman accused of setting her husband on fire and then running him over with her van. The latest in the Karen Read and Bryan Kohberger cases. Plus, actor Dennis Quaid talks about his experience playing the Happy Face serial killer. Find out more about the cases covered each week here: www.datelinetruecrimeweekly.com

The LA Innocence Project has taken on Peterson's case, arguing in a filing he may be innocent of the 2004 murders of his wife and unborn son. Dateline producer Susan Leibowitz breaks down their arguments to run new DNA tests on old evidence. In Jacksonville, prosecutors lay out their case against Shanna Gardner, accused of plotting to kill her ex. And KHQ Anchor Hayley Guenthner reports back from a sentencing in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, where a judge called a former state trooper a "remorseless killer."

More reporting by KHQ's Hayley Guenthner

A dentist already facing murder charges for allegedly poisoning his wife is back in court. This time he's accused of plotting to murder four other people from behind bars. In Honolulu, a man accused of murdering his wife's acupuncturist ex-lover takes the stand in his own defense. More from the courtroom ahead of the trials of Karen Read and Bryan Kohberger. Plus, Keith Morrison talks about the unusual clue that broke the case wide open in his latest podcast series, "Murder in the Moonlight."

A Florida woman is charged with killing her boyfriend by zipping him into a suitcase and refusing to let him out. She says it was an accident. And just outside Washington, D.C., a young mother vanished in July. Her husband was arrested a month later, and prosecutors now say they have evidence connecting her disappearance to his visits to dumpsters across Northern Virginia. He claims she’s still alive. And automotive expert Lauren Fix has tips on how to stay safe on and off the road.

An officer goes undercover with an alleged killer in the Hollywood hair stylist case. We're listening in. A woman's third murder trial in three decades is underway. This time, she's acting as attorney and defendant — and cross-examining her own children. We've got updates on Karen Read and Adnan Syed, and a verdict in Hawaii. Plus, the latest on a new texting scam targeting drivers. Find out more about the cases covered each week here: www.datelinetruecrimeweekly.com

Listen to this week's episode of Dateline: True Crime Weekly with Andrea Canning. In Los Angeles, the trial of Monica Sementilli, who is accused of plotting with her lover to murder her husband, winds down. In Arizona, Lori Vallow Daybell defends herself against charges she conspired to murder her fourth husband. Updates in the Karen Read retrial and Sean Combs' case. Plus, a look at defendants who represent themselves. Find out more about the cases each week here: www.datelinetruecrimeweekly.com. Listen to Andrea’s episode “Deadly Obsession” about the Dana Chandler case here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/deadly-obsession/id1464919521?i=1000702589964

Webby awards: https://vote.webbyawards.com/PublicVoting#/2025/podcasts/shows/crime-justice

Three months after the husband of a woman who went missing in Spain is charged with her murder, investigators have questions about his brother, too. Years after a young woman's death in Pennsylvania, her parents persuade local officials to take a second look at how she died. And the judge from the Jason Chen murder trial on why he allows jurors to question witnesses during trial. Find out more about the cases covered each week here: www.datelinetruecrimeweekly.com

The music legend once known as Puffy, Puff Daddy and Diddy was arraigned in open court this week. NBC News correspondent Chloe Melas was there. And in a northern Virginia suburb, did a man kill his wife and a stranger so he could be with their au pair? Plus, talking to longtime Dateline producer Dan Slepian about his book, "The Sing Sing Files", chronicling his decades uncovering wrongful convictions.

Details of the investigation into the Delphi Murders trickle out in court. And what the jurors are shown is disturbing. In the trial of the man accused of killing a tech executive, the defendant's sister undercuts his theory -- and the prosecution's. Khazar Momeni has been on the stand all week. Plus Sarah Boone, charged with killing her boyfriend by zipping him into a suitcase, is testifying. And NBC News's Vicky Nguyen is back with advice for your kids as they roam the streets in costume. Find out more about the cases covered each week here: www.datelinetruecrimeweekly.com

Listen to this week's special lookahead episode of the Dateline: True Crime Weekly podcast. What's next for music mogul Sean Combs? The latest on the highly anticipated trial of Bryan Kohberger, the suspected killer of four Idaho college students. Plus, tips on how to stay safe from AI scams.

Find out more about the cases covered each week here: www.datelinetruecrimeweekly.com

Details emerge in the grisly Kentucky murder of restaurant hostess Amber Spradlin. Rapper Young Thug is released from custody after taking a plea in Georgia's longest-running criminal trial. And, a former secret service agent on how to detect deception. 

Find out more about the cases covered each week here: www.datelinetruecrimeweekly.com

In pretrial hearings for Bryan Kohberger, unsealed court documents reveal chilling texts sent by the roommates of four murdered Idaho students. The family of a young woman murdered in New York wants to know why the arrest of her suspected killer took so long. And we've got an update on the investigation into a student who went missing from a beach in the Dominican Republic. Plus, what's fair game when attorneys call on expert witnesses?

Find out more about the cases covered each week here: www.datelinetruecrimeweekly.com

An American woman vanishes from Madrid and the prime suspect -- her estranged husband -- tries to get out on bond. In Las Vegas, Robert Telles is on trial for the grisly murder of the man investigating him. And NBC Connecticut journalists dig into the controversial past of Dr. Henry Lee, who testified in the OJ Simpson and JonBenét Ramsey trials.

You can watch NBC Connecticut's Traces of Doubt: The Forensics of Dr. Henry Lee here.

In a Los Angeles courtroom, prosecutors play police interviews with a woman accused of conspiring to kill her celebrity hairstylist husband. NBC News investigative reporter Rich Schapiro shares his reporting on a Bay Area-based group that investigators believe may be tied to deaths starting back in 2022. And JonBenét Ramsey's father talks to the new Boulder police chief. Find out more about the cases covered each week here: www.datelinetruecrimeweekly.com

Read Rich Schapiro's NBC News article How did a German math genius get drawn into a 'cult' accused in coast-to-coast killings?

In Delphi, Indiana, a jury watches video of police interrogating the man accused of killing two school girls in 2017. An Olmos Park, Texas, mother of four is missing — but was she murdered? Plus, the DA's decision in the Menendez brothers case, and a verdict in the so-called suitcase murder trial. And former Secret Service agent Evy Pompouras stops by with tips on what to do if you suspect you're being followed.

Find out more about the cases covered each week.

Listen to Keith Morrison's "The Man in the Black Mask."

 

Did a Tennessee mom's search for her missing daughter imperil the prosecution of the man accused of killing her? In an emotional courtroom, multiple members of an Ohio family are sentenced for their roles in the Pike County massacre. Karen Read's expert witness testifies about dog bites. Plus what to expect when you're expected -- for jury duty.
Find out more about the cases covered each week here: www.datelinetruecrimeweekly.com

A hung jury led a judge to declare a mistrial for Karen Read, but news keeps coming out. Dateline producer Sue Simpson is back with news about the lead investigator and the lead blogger. In New Mexico the Hollywood actor's trial, on an involuntary manslaughter charge for an on-set shooting, starts next week. NBC News correspondent Chloe Melas tells us what to look out for. And if travel is on your summer itinerary, advice from a former Secret Service agent can help keep you safe.

Two long-awaited trials begin. A local Indiana man is accused of stabbing two middle schoolers to death and leaving their bodies next to a creek. He says he’s innocent. And in Silicon Valley, another stabbing death. After a tech executive was stabbed through the heart in 2023, his killer admitted he did it. The question at trial is why? Plus, six new lawsuits are filed against Sean “Diddy” Combs and Keith Morrison drops by to talk about his new podcast, "The Man in the Black Mask." 

Find out more about the cases covered each week here: www.datelinetruecrimeweekly.com