Investigation: Homicide

In this true story from Rankin County, Mississippi, Chief Medical Examiner David Ruth tells us how a decades-old mystery was finally solved through groundbreaking forensic genetic genealogy. Follow the harrowing 1990 case of a young waitress known as “Jane,” whose courage helped crack open a serial rapist’s identity after years of silence. Discover how science, perseverance, and a fight for justice converged to bring resolution to ...

In 2018, a peaceful afternoon inside a Starkville, Mississippi Walmart turned into a nightmare. Dr. Shauna Witt, a beloved optometrist, was gunned down while seeing a patient in her clinic just shortly after ending her relationship with William “Tommy” Chisholm.

In this episode, we sit down with Sergeant John Michael Lay, the lead investigator who supervised the scene and directed the collection of key evidence that helped secure...

Every day, hundreds of thousands of vehicles travel Mississippi’s interstates. Most of them are occupied by honest, well-meaning citizens, but a small percentage contain cartel drugs, kidnapped minors, and wanted suspects. The members of the Madison Rankin County Criminal Interdiction team encounter them all. Well, what they do is largely misunderstood; it is vital. Today Therese Apel and Amanda Johansson talk with members of the t...

In 2007, a chilling discovery shook Jackson, Mississippi. The body of Mary Heather Spencer was found inside a home on Trawick Drive, a property tied to her boyfriend’s family. What began as a tragic crime scene quickly unfolded into a high-profile homicide investigation that would become a landmark case in the conversation around domestic violence.

In this episode, we sit down with former JPD Homicide Investigator Derrick Jordan, t...

The situation is chilling: A suspect has barricaded himself in a building and he has hostages. Law enforcement need to resolve the problem quickly and without any injuries, but it seems a daunting task. Today, Therese Apel talks to co-host Amanda Johansson and Sgt. Terri’s Thomas about the work they do on the Crisis Intervention Team — the job more commonly known as “The Negotiator.”

This episode is produced by Daniel Anderson at...

In this riveting episode of Investigation: Homicide, District Attorney Brendon Adams joins us to discuss a case that rocked Lincoln County to its core. Corey Godbolt went on a killing spree during the memorial Day weekend of 2017, and by the time he was done, 8 people were dead, including Lincoln County Deputy William Durr. But before the day was over, he confessed to Durr’s murder on Therese Apel‘s camera. Godbolt got what was com...

May 15 marks National Peace Officers Memorial Day—a time set aside to honor those who’ve made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty. In this special episode, retired Jackson Police Department Detective Charlie Smith sits down with hosts Therese Apel and Nicole Kral to reflect on what it truly means to serve and protect. From high-stakes investigations to the personal toll that comes with wearing the badge, Detective Smith shar...

In this gripping episode, Therese Apel and Amanda Johansson sit down with Madison/Rankin County DA Bubba Bramlett and Assistant DA Scott Rogillio to unravel the chilling case against Walter Simpson. Driven by rejection and resentment, Simpson’s carefully crafted alibi couldn’t withstand the relentless detective work that exposed his involvement in the 2018 murders of Falonda Jobe-Simpson and her daughter Davonda Washington. Join us...

For nearly four decades, the murder of Shondra May has haunted central Mississippi—until now. In this powerful new episode of Investigation: Homicide, Sheriff Mike Lee and Chief Deputy Brad Ellis return to the studio to sit down with Therese Apel and walk us through the shocking arrest of Rubin Weeks, a former suspect who had vanished into the shadows… until justice came knocking. Weeks, found living in Madison, was previously impr...

The testimony was salacious and the details read like a movie in the case of former local social media personality William ‘Polo’ Edwards. He was found guilty in 2024 of the first-degree murder of 45-year-old Robert Davis in a love triangle that turned deadly. Polo was well-known to Detective Greg Jones and the men and women of Clinton Police Department, given his incendiary and often paid opinions that were splashed all over socia...

In Episode 19 of Investigation: Homicide, hosts Nicole Kral and Therese Apel sit down with Clinton Detective Amanda Johansson—an investigator whose caseload includes some of society’s most disturbing crimes: those committed against children.

From her deep involvement in human trafficking cases to her surprising platform as a national beauty queen, Detective Johansson brings a rare mix of grit, compassion, and courage to the front l...

In Episode 18 of the Investigation Homicide Podcast, we explore the unexpected rise in crime across small towns in Mississippi. Join hosts Therese Apel and Nicole Kral as they sit down with Police Chief Robert Thomas to discuss the unique challenges of policing a small town grappling with big-city crime. Learn how consistent, community-focused law enforcement is making a difference in this once-sleepy town. Tune in for insights int...

Domestic violence is a crime trend that never goes away, and even in a world that’s educated on the signs and symptoms, it is still a deadly epidemic that kills families and Law Enforcement alike, as we saw recently in the line of duty death of Hinds County Deputy Martin Shields.

In today’s episode, Therese Apel and Nicole Kral talk with former Byram Police Chief Luke Thompson about how domestic violence affects the family unit, ...

A frantic 911 call. A boyfriend stabbed on Valentine’s Day. A woman claiming self-defense. But as detectives in Rankin County dug deeper, the truth behind Cole Manseill’s murder became far more sinister.

Was Ashley Shaw really acting in self-defense, or was there more to the story? Rankin County Sheriff’s Detective Tyler Burnell joins Therese Apel and Nicole Kral on Investigation: Homicide to break down the case, the evidence, an...

Fifteen years to the day after his first day at the police academy, Bobby Joe Biggert made the ultimate sacrifice—dying while protecting his community, even on his off time. Retired Crime Scene Analyst Charlie Smith knew Biggert personally and was also tasked with investigating the crime scene, an emotionally heavy burden for any officer seeking justice for a fallen friend.

But when Biggert’s killer died in prison, was it truly jus...

Hinds County Sheriff Tyree Jones has been a veteran officer, investigator, public affairs officer during his career in law enforcement. Through years at Jackson Police Department and the Hinds County Sheriff's Department, he's seen some of the metro area's most notorious crimes. Therese Apel and Nicole Kral talk with him about one of the most cold-blooded killers he's tracked: Dexter Lipsey, who gunned down three people and kidnapp...

March 1, 2024, marked a full decade since the disappearance of Myra Lewis. The two-year-old disappeared from her home in Camden, never to be seen again. In spite of several moments where investigators seemed to be on the brink of a breakthrough, Myra's case has never been solved. 

Is she still out there? What happened to Myra? 

Madison County Sheriff Randy Tucker joins Therese Apel and Nicole Kral in today's episode of Investigatio...

In this episode of Investigation: Homicide, we sit down with Lt. Sara Ricks to uncover the most pivotal cases that have shaped her career and left an indelible mark on her life. From the heart-stopping moments of solving high-stakes crimes to the profound personal growth and lessons learned along the way, Lt. Ricks shares it all with honesty and insight.

Tune in as Lt. Ricks takes us into the challenges, triumphs, and unexpected tw...

In the early morning hours of May 18, 2017, a mother stopped at Kroger on I-55 to run inside for a second. When she came out, her car was gone with her sleeping 6-year-old in the back. Kingston Frazier was missing, and the frantic search by all the law enforcement resources in the Metro area was forceful and immediate. The outcome would devastate the heart of Mississippi for years to come. 

This episode is produced by Daniel And...