The Knife: A True Crime Podcast
<p>The Knife: A True Crime Podcast is a weekly true crime podcast from journalist/producers Hannah Smith and Patia Eaton.<br>It's a show about people who’ve been dropped into a story they didn't start, but are left to finish. In-depth interviews take the listener behind the punchy headlines to hear what really happened from the people who lived it. The Knife reveals the ripple effect of crime.<br>Through empathetic, solution-oriented journalism, Hannah and Patia find the untold stories of people who’ve been touched by crime. They’re not breaking news or solving cases, they’re cutting to the heart of the experience through gripping, first-person storytelling.<br>Follow The Knife on Instagram @theknifepodcast and on Bluesky @theknifepodcast.bsky.social.<br>The Knife is part of the Exactly Right podcast network that provides a platform for bold, creative voices to bring to life provocative, entertaining and relatable stories for audiences everywhere. The Exactly Right roster of podcasts covers a variety of topics including true crime, comedic interviews, news, science, pop culture and more. The network is home to My Favorite Murder hosted by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark, This Podcast Will Kill You, That's Messed Up: An SVU Podcast, Buried Bones and more.</p>
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Criminal defense attorney Michael Foote joins The Knife to discuss the murder trial of Bricen Rivers. In July of 2024, 22-year-old Lauren Johansen was found dead in the trunk of her own car. Her ex-boyfriend, Bricen Rivers, is now charged with capital murder. Lauren’s father is fighting to change the system that ignored the warning signs and allowed Rivers to be released on bail. We speak with Michael Foote about the case and how the criminal justice system failed to protect Lauren. Listen to Michael Foote’s podcast, Brief Recess, wherever you get your podcasts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
When Heather Rovet met Jace Paratti, the chemistry was instant. And soon, they were making plans for the future. But when the relationship hit a rough patch, Heather wondered if maybe Jace was hiding something. What she discovered would thrust them both into international headlines and reveal that Jace Paratti wasn’t Jace Paratti at all. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The sudden passing of husband and father, Michael Cochran, in 2019, was initially a medical mystery. But when his widow, Natalie Cochran was convicted of fraud, a web of lies and a possible motive were revealed. By 2025 Natalie Cochran stood trial for his murder. Forensic Pathologist Dr. Paul Uribe walks us through the results of the autopsy he conducted on Michael Cochran’s remains and the role of his findings in Natalie Cochran’s shocking murder trial. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In this crossover episode with lovelustfear, a podcast hosted by Jake Deptula, we hear a powerful story from a woman named Allyn. Allyn met a captivating man who swiftly declared his love, asked her to be his girlfriend, and even proposed. But as their long-distance relationship deepened, she uncovered his lingering connection with an ex, which led Allyn down a dark path of deception. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
When Jaime and Ben bought their first home in Lamar, Arkansas, a charming 1800s fixer-upper with two chimneys and a wraparound porch, they were thrilled to start their new life. But soon after moving in with their kids, strange things began to happen. What started as small, unexplained events grew harder to ignore, leading the family to wonder if their dream home might be haunted. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
For nearly two decades Alec Couros has been the target of scammers on the internet. A professor and public speaker from Canada, Alec discovered in 2007 that his photos were being stolen and used in romance scams. Since then, his face has been used thousands of times to con victims around the world. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Elin Lantz Lesser joins us to talk about a cold case that haunted Texas for more than four decades, the 1974 murder of Carla Walker. Recently solved through DNA and genetic genealogy, Elin, host of America’s Crime Lab, walks us through how new science finally brought answers to a case that had gone cold for over 40 years. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Sarah and Josh were a young couple in Boston, raising two boys and building a happy life together. But one night, everything changed. After bringing their 3-month-old to the ER with a fever, a series of events spiraled out of control, ending with both their children taken from their home in the middle of the night, without a warrant. Their story exposes how a system meant to protect kids can tear a family apart. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
This week, Patia tells the story of the Trenchcoat Robbers, Ray Bowman and William “Billy” Kirkpatrick, a notorious duo who evaded capture for two decades. It’s believed they robbed at least 28 banks in the United States. Patia uncovers new details about their crime spree and even speaks with someone personally connected to the story. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
When Ellen was in college, she was kidnapped after leaving her shift at Applebee’s. She recounts the terrifying hour that followed as she was driven around the city, unsure if she would make it out alive. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
This week Hannah answers a listener’s question about a man named Tommy Lee Buckley and his “Treasury Gate” scheme— a web of corruption, secret bank accounts, government conspiracy, and a billion dollar payday that was always just around the corner. Then, Patia dives into the dark side of sudden wealth with stories of lottery winners whose luck went sideways, including Tonda Dickerson’s unforgettable Alabama jackpot in 1999. Recommendations: The Lodge podcast Blink podcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Burt Rosen searched for his missing son, Matthew, for over twenty years. Matthew had been struggling with mental illness when he vanished in 2001. Burt spent day-after-day making phone calls, scouring the internet, searching for any sign of his son. And then, 23 years later, a tip came in that changed everything. Hold On To Hope: https://hold2hope.org/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Patia shares a story she’s followed for years and has a personal connection to: the disappearance of Samantha Sayers, who vanished after hiking Vesper Peak in August 2018. Patia grew close with Samantha’s mother, who has never stopped searching for her daughter. Then, Hannah tells the extraordinary survival story of Robert Schock, who set out for a trail run in 2024 and survived 30 harrowing days lost in the wilderness. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
This week we speak with Johnathan Walton, creator of Queen of the Con and author of Anatomy of a Con Artist. Johnathan shares how he met “Mair Smyth,” grew to love her as a sister, and then was brutally betrayed when she conned him out of $100,000. Johnathan has since spoken with hundreds of other victims and built a handbook to expose the tricks con artists use to destroy lives. Links: Anatomy of a Con Artist: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/745592/anatomy-of-a-con-artist-by-johnathan-walton/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
This week we’re talking scams. Hannah shares the story of a man whose photo was used to con thousands of women, and Patia takes us inside an unsettling case of identity theft. Alex Couros’ Website: https://educationaltechnology.ca/information-for-romance-scam-victims/ Recommendations: The Binge Cases: Catch Me If You Ken Fanatical: The Catfishing of Tegan and Sara See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Beth Denton has always wondered what really happened to her cousin Patricia, who was murdered in 1970 in her home in Oklahoma City. Decades later, she decided to find out. This week, we speak with Beth as she unravels this family tragedy and tells the story of Patricia's life and untimely death. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
This week, Patia and Hannah dig into listener emails, covering a rental scam, a case of digital dating abuse (yes, it’s real), and a cold case: the 2013 disappearance of Brookelyn Farthing. Recommendations: Aftermath: Hunt for the Anthrax Killer (Wolf Entertainment + CBC) Against All Odds (Wondery) Alone (History Channel) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Patia and Hannah speak with Cassie, who attended a Halloween party at an Oregon State University fraternity in 2008. The night started with costumes, loud music and a crowded basement full of college students. By the end of the night, Cassie was in the ER, holding a bag that contained her bloodstained costume. She soon found herself in a police interview recounting what happened. The state brought charges, and the case went to trial. Cassie’s story is a personal account of navigating the legal system after reporting a rape. She did everything “right" but still faced a long, painful process. Her experience echoes the questions we’ve wrestled with in high-profile campus sexual assault cases: What does justice actually look like? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
This week we bring you two crime stories in collaboration with Mandy and Melissa from Moms and Mysteries. Hannah and Patia discuss the killing of Richard Challen by his wife, Sally Challen. Then, Mandy and Melissa share the wild true story of the teenage serial thief known as the “Barefoot Bandit.” Plus, Patia and Hannah have recommendations. Links: Moms and Mysteries podcast: https://www.momsandmysteries.com/ David Challen’s book: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/93021229-the-unthinkable Recommendations: There’s Something Wrong with Aunt Diane Love Has Won See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Bob Innes never set out to stop murders. But when his satirical website, RentAHitman.com, started attracting real requests for contract killings, he found himself in an unusual predicament. What, if anything, should he do about it? Now, he spends most of his spare time trying to intercept murder-for-hire plots, including an entire family wanted dead over an inheritance. But it turns out trying to stop a murder before it happens is tricky, especially when you aren’t in law enforcement. www.rentahitman.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Hannah and Patia sit down with Anna Sinfield, the producer and writer behind the first two hit seasons of The Girlfriends, to talk about why the world needs more stories of women winning. Stepping into the host seat for The Girlfriends: Spotlight, Anna shares what it’s like to dive headfirst into a story, the emotional toll of true crime, and what to expect from the highly anticipated new season, The Girlfriends: Jailhouse Lawyer. Also, Hannah shares an update on the Brenda Andrew case, including a U.S. Supreme Court opinion issued in Jan 2025. Recommendations Netflix Documentary: The Twister: Caught in the Storm Podcast: Big Time (Apple/Campside Media) https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-girlfriends-spotlight/id1695875823 Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Only Woman on Oklahoma Death Row: https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/supreme-court-rules-in-favor-of-only-woman-on-oklahoma-death-row-confirming-admission-of-prejudicial-gendered-evidence-can-violate-due-process-rights See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tennyson and Kyle felt safe in their quiet, rural community—until their lives were shaken by not one, but two violent home invasions. It wasn’t random. The attacks were targeted, and Tennyson was the focus. Even more chilling: it all happened on her very first Mother’s Day as a new mom. We speak with Tennyson about the events of that day and the long road of healing that followed. The Mother of All Days: https://www.amazon.com/Mother-All-Days-Break-Unexpected/dp/0997692375?ref_=ast_author_mpb Seattle Times: https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/north-bend-intruder-may-have-planned-sexual-assault-deputies-say/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Patia shares a conversation she had with Shileshia and Eric Milligan, a couple who became victims of adoption fraud in 2019 after self-matching through a Facebook group. What began with hope quickly turned to fear when the teen birth mother claimed she was in danger. Then, Hannah unpacks the story of Tara Lee, the woman behind a multi-million dollar adoption scam that operated out of Michigan. National Council for Adoption: How to Avoid Adoption Scams: https://adoptioncouncil.org/article/howtoavoidadoptionscams/ Recommendations: “Couples Therapy” documentary series Adoption Scam Artist Sentenced to Federal Prison: https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/macomb-county/2020/02/26/macomb-co-adoption-scam-artist-tara-lee-sentenced-federal-prison/4879858002/ Couples Therapy Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmmIoCQ40hs See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On November 23, 1985, Jackie Pflug took her seat aboard EgyptAir Flight 648. When the plane reached flying altitude, several men forcefully took control of the plane. Jackie’s flight was being hijacked. Jackie miraculously survived, but many others did not. Decades later, she tells a story of bravery, profound loss and hope. Sydney Morning Herald – https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/from-the-archives-1985-massacre-on-hijacked-egyptair-flight-648-20191122-p53d4w.html Miles to Go Before I Sleep, by Jackie Pflug – https://www.amazon.com/Miles-Before-Sleep-Survivors-Terrorist/dp/1568388373 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
A listener sends in a tip about an international conman, Chadwick Hauser – who is still on the run. Through an interview with his ex-wife, Hannah tells Patia the story of a man whose scams have ruined lives across the world and whose victim list is still growing. For Chad’s ex-wife, Jordana, the end of their marriage was just the beginning. When the man she thought she loved vanished with her children, she would stop at nothing to get them back. Victims of Chadwick Peel Hauser Facebook Page – https://www.facebook.com/groups/505870920516958/ Associate for the Recovery of Children – https://www.recoveryofchildren.org/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Susan was going about a normal day at work when an FBI Agent showed up with terrifying news. She was on a hit list. A notorious terrorist organization wanted her dead. Susan tries to find out why she of all people would be targeted. As she tries to answer this question, she must also work to protect herself. Articles referenced in the episode: The Seattle Times: https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/law-justice/man-suspected-of-killing-3-in-king-county-will-not-face-the-death-penalty/ Department of Justice: https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/pr/maryland-man-charged-interstate-transportation-stolen-vehicle See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Hannah and Patia discuss the 1996 murder at Mountain Park Baptist Boarding Academy, where 16-year-old William Futrelle—new to the school—was killed by fellow students. They unpack the trial of Joseph Burris, who was charged with Futrelle’s murder, and examine the disturbing environment that enabled the crime. We also cover what happened with Bethesda Home for Girls, Bob and Betty Wills’ earlier “troubled teen” program in Mississippi, which was eventually shut down by the state. LA Times - https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-oct-04-me-39141-story.html https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-oct-05-mn-39651-story.html Bethesda Home for Girls: https://www.nbcnews.com/specials/bethesda-home-girls-stolen-babies/ Cult Education Institute: https://www.culteducation.com/group/1059-mountain-park-baptist-church-and-boarding-academy/14571-insiders-tell-of-boarding-school-past-and-present.html See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Meg Richter was branded a “troubled teen” and sent by her parents to Mountain Park Baptist Boarding Academy. But the rural Missouri facility wasn’t focused on education—it was more like a juvenile detention center masquerading as a Christian reform program. With no licensed therapists and a heavy reliance on corporal punishment, Mountain Park operated like a militaristic cult, where some students stayed well past their 18th birthdays. Links: I Survived A Cult: https://www.madeofmillions.com/articles/i-survived-a-cult-now-i-m-using-my-voice-to-make-a-difference Mountain Park Survivors: https://www.mountainparksurvivors.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Patia shares the story of a string of bizarre robberies in Edwardsville, Illinois—cracked not by cops, but by the sharp-eyed owner of a local spa. One of the weirdest discoveries? A Walmart-style basement packed with stolen “trophies.” Then, Hannah dives into the rise and fall of Doc Gallagher, a Texas preacher and radio host who weaponized faith to run a multimillion-dollar Ponzi scheme. Links: Texas Department of Insurance Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-texas-insurance-podcast/id1557773249 AARP podcast – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-perfect-scam/id1362050907 https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2023-03-27/texas-preacher-doc-gallagher-stole-24-million-with-ponzi-scheme Recommendation: The Telepathy Tapes podcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In 1991, Yolanda Thomas’ sister Jacquetta was murdered. A trial followed—conviction, life sentence—all without Yolanda or her family even knowing it happened. Sixteen years later, Yolanda finds herself in an unexpected battle: fighting to free Greg Taylor, the man convicted of killing her sister. Show Notes: Healing Justice https://healingjusticeproject.org/ https://innocencecommission-nc.gov/wp-content/uploads/state-v-taylor/state-v-taylor-brief.pdf https://triad-city-beat.com/24930-2/ Documentary on Greg Taylor’s wrongful conviction: https://inpursuitofjusticefilm.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Hannah unpacks the wild true story of Osama El-Atari—a flashy con man- turned-jailhouse informant, who ultimately helps take down a serial killer. Also, Patia and Hannah discuss There Is No Ethan, Anna Akbari’s gripping account of a catfishing saga. There Is No Ethan: https://www.annaakbari.com/thereisnoethan Washington City Paper article: https://washingtoncitypaper.com/article/195498/the-king-of-ashburn-the-life-and-murder-of-con-man-osama-elatari/ Additional Recommendation: The Con: Kaitlyn’s Baby See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jennifer Thompson was a college student when a man broke into her home and sexually assaulted her. Jennifer did her best to help law enforcement capture her assailant, but years later would learn the wrong person had been held responsible. Show Notes: Healing Justice https://healingjusticeproject.org/ Picking Cotton https://www.pickingcottonbook.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
From pop culture to the FBI, the perception of polygraphs varies wildly depending on who you ask. So, Hannah and Patia speak to an expert polygraph examiner whose work led to a bombshell confession in a half-decade old missing persons case, turned murder. Show Notes: https://www.kansas.com/news/article1049717.html See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Newly married and just a month into her pregnancy, Toni’s husband becomes physically abusive. Thousands of miles from her family, Toni carefully plans to escape with her children as her estranged husband’s harassment only escalates. Today, Toni hopes that telling her story will help others suffering from abuse to get help and to find safety. Show Notes: The National Domestic Violence Hotline: thehotline.orgSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On the very first episode of The Knife: Off Record, hosts Hannah Smith and Patia Eaton bring you a behind-the-scenes conversation about making a true crime podcast. Plus, Patia tells Hannah about a missing persons case in Tennessee. Show Notes: SOLVED 21 Year Old Missing Persons Case (Erin Foster & Jeremy Bechtel) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In their premiere episode, hosts Hannah and Patia speak with Darun Henry. While on a morning run through her neighborhood park, Darun is attacked by a stranger and makes a split-second decision that will lead to her assailant’s capture. Show Notes: Canadian Resource Centre for Victims of Crime https://crcvc.ca/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Knife is the true crime podcast that goes beyond the headlines to reveal the lasting impact of crime. From the celebrated podcast, The Opportunist, producers and hosts Patia Eaton and Hannah Smith bring you raw, first-hand accounts from people whose lives were forever changed by violence, betrayal and tragedy.Join Patia and Hannah as they uncover the ripple effects of crime through in-depth interviews and candid conversations. Come for the gripping, untold stories. Stay for the unflinching look at what happens when the world moves on—but you’re still living the story.Don’t miss the premiere of The Knife on Thursday, March 27 on Exactly Right. Follow the show wherever you get your podcasts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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