Unheard: True Crime in Their Own Words

In this episode of Unheard, I sit down with E. Monique Smith, a woman whose story almost defies belief.
As a baby, she was taken from her biological family and raised by people who were not who they claimed to be. She grew up without knowing her real name, her real identity, or where she came from. For decades, she lived without documentation, without answers, and while enduring severe abuse behind closed doors.
At 28 years old, everything began to unravel. What followed was a decades-long search for the truth that would take her through law enforcement agencies, national databases, and eventually DNA genealogy.
She became known as the longest living Jane Doe.
After more than 50 years, she finally uncovered her true identity and was reunited with the family she had been taken from as a child.
This is her story, in her own words.
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In this episode, our guest isn’t just telling stories about the music industry, he lived through some of its darkest moments.
Dewitt Gilmore, who is better known as Relentless Aaron, joins Unheard for a raw, unfiltered conversation about his personal experiences inside the world surrounding Sean “Diddy” Combs, and what he says really went on behind the scenes.
From his early days trying to break into the industry to crossing paths with some of its most powerful figures, Aaron walks through moments that shaped his life, including violence, high-stakes confrontations, and the aftermath of events like the CCNY stampede that left lasting controversy.
This episode digs into the power dynamics that define the music business, the culture of silence that can protect it, and the personal cost of speaking out. Dewitt also opens up about his legal battles, the decisions that forced him to stand his ground, and how he turned those experiences into music, books, and a new chapter of his life.
This isn’t just about one person or one story, it’s about influence, accountability, and what happens when someone decides they’re no longer going to stay quiet.
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In 2001, Alissa Turney went missing from her home in Phoenix, Arizona. Her disappearance was quickly labeled a runaway case, and for years, it received little attention from law enforcement.
But her sister, Sarah Turney, refused to let Alissa’s case disappear.
In this episode, Sarah Turney shares the full story behind the disappearance of Alissa Turney, including the early failures in the investigation, the disturbing allegations of abuse and control inside their home, and the role their father, Michael Turney, played in the case. She explains how she began questioning the narrative she had been told and ultimately used social media and true crime platforms to bring national attention back to Alissa’s disappearance.
That renewed attention led to the arrest of Michael Turney in connection with Alissa Turney’s case. However, the trial ended without a conviction, leaving critical questions unanswered and Alissa Turney still missing.
Sarah Turney also discusses the emotional impact of the case, the challenges of navigating the criminal justice system, and the broader issues surrounding missing persons cases, child abuse, and investigative failures. Through her podcast Voices for Justice, she continues to advocate for Alissa Turney and other families seeking answers.
This episode covers the Alissa Turney case, Sarah Turney’s fight for justice, the investigation into Michael Turney, and the ongoing search for answers in one of the most well-known missing persons cases in true crime.
If you follow true crime, missing persons cases, or stories involving family advocacy and justice system failures, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.
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This episode tells the heartbreaking story of Adam Oakes, a 19-year-old Virginia Commonwealth University student who died during a fraternity hazing ritual.
Adam was excited about college. He was outgoing, compassionate, and the kind of person people naturally gravitated toward. But like so many freshmen, he also wanted to belong. That desire to fit in led him to accept an invitation to attend what he believed was part of a fraternity pledging process.
That night, Adam was taken to an off-campus house where pledges were pressured to drink extreme amounts of alcohol as part of a hazing ritual. At some point, Adam consumed a fatal amount. Instead of getting him immediate help, members of the fraternity left him alone in a bedroom. By the time anyone checked on him the next morning, Adam was dead.
His death shocked the community and exposed a hazing culture that often operates in secrecy, protected by silence and loyalty to the organization over the safety of the students involved.
In this powerful conversation, Adam’s father, Eric Oakes, walks through who Adam was, what happened that night, and the devastating moment his family learned their son was gone. But Eric also talks about what came next. Rather than retreating into grief, he chose to fight for change.
Eric founded the Love Like Adam Foundation, which works to educate students and families about hazing and push for stronger laws to hold organizations accountable. His advocacy helped lead to Adam’s Law in Virginia, legislation designed to strengthen hazing penalties and increase transparency around fraternity misconduct.
This is not just a story about one tragedy. It’s a story about a culture that still exists on many campuses, and a warning that every parent sending a child to college needs to hear.
Adam’s story is devastating. But Eric’s mission is simple: make sure no other family has to live through it.
To learn more about Eric’s work, visit the Love Like Adam Foundation. (https://lovelikeadam.com)
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In this episode, Justin sits down with Joe Exotic to talk about life before and after the Tiger King phenomenon, the legal battles that landed him in prison, and why he continues to insist he was wrongly convicted. Joe discusses the conspiracy-to-commit-murder case that put him behind bars, the role he believes perjury and unreliable testimony played in the trial, and why he argues the justice system failed to fully investigate key details.
The conversation also explores the broader impact of the case. Joe reflects on how incarceration has affected his life, his health, and the people around him, while Justin examines how media coverage and public perception shaped the narrative that millions of viewers came to believe. They discuss the difference between entertainment and reality, and how documentaries and news coverage can influence how the public views guilt, innocence, and accountability.
The episode also touches on the world of big cats and private zoos, including debates over animal care, euthanasia decisions, and the ethical questions surrounding exotic animal ownership. Natasha joins the conversation to share her own background growing up around animals and to challenge some of the claims and assumptions made in the Tiger King series.
Throughout the discussion, the focus remains on larger questions about justice, media influence, and the legal system. Joe talks about his ongoing efforts to appeal his conviction and his hopes for clemency, while Justin presses on what accountability should look like in controversial cases like this one.
The result is a candid conversation about fame, prison, the power of storytelling, and the complicated intersection of law, media, and public opinion.
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