In 2017, tragedy struck Rancho Tehama when Kevin Janson Neal went on a deadly shooting spree. After killing his wife and then his neighbors, he began to openly shoot at people from his car as he drove through town to the local elementary school, where he injured several students. Five years after this senseless event, L.A. Times reporter Connor Sheets picked up the story, taking note of the lack of media coverage it had received compared to others like it.
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Tragedy Under a Solar Eclipse
Astrology is a common conversation starter here in Los Angeles, to the point where people like Danielle Johnson made her living as an “Astrology Influencer,” selling her horoscope predictions and mantras to curious customers. But things turned sinister as a solar eclipse approached in 2024 that sent Danielle into a murderous spiral. Richard Winton joins Madison McGhee on this episode to lay out how the events of that day went down.
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Caroline Fraser’s “Murderland”
In the so-called “Golden Age of Serial Murder,” Americans were introduced to names such as Ted Bundy, Gary Ridgeway, and Richard Ramirez in relatively short succession. What was it about this period of time that seemed to breed so many serial killers? In today’s episode, Madison McGhee is joined by Caroline Fraser, author of Murderland, to discuss her unique theory about what may have contributed to these men’s murderous psyches.
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Bloody Frying Pan, a Litigious Divorce, and a Mysterious Fire
When the police received calls about a small house fire in San Marino, the last thing they expected to find was the body of local doctor and mother of two, Irene Gaw-Lai. Madison McGhee is joined by LA Times Reporter Salvador Hernandez to talk through the investigation that followed the fire and the layers of domestic conflict that built up to this morbid conclusion.
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Crypto, Kidnapping, and a Crooked Cop
Madison McGhee is joined by friend of the pod, L.A. Times Reporter Richard Winton, to untangle the crime web that was sewn by Eric Halem, an ex-reserve cop with wealthy connections and a history of criminal activity that extended through his LAPD career.
Expect twists, turns and a fresh look at true crime on L.A. Crimes, the latest podcast from L.A. Times Studios. Host Madison McGhee (“Ice Cold Case”) brings you the stories behind the most compelling cases from the people who know them best. Join Madison as she sits down with the journalists behind The Times’ most jaw-dropping investigations, Hollywood crime experts and pop culture personalities for the inside scoop on the scams, celebrity stories, and criminal cases everyone’s talking about. New episodes every Wednesday.
USA