Lauren's Little Murder Club Introduction

Al Kite — The Man Who Never Existed

In 2004, Al Kite—a kind, soft‑spoken landlord in Aurora, Colorado—was found murdered in his own home. The man who rented his basement vanished without a trace, leaving behind a trail of false identities and unanswered questions. Investigators discovered that “Robert Cooper,” the tenant, never existed. Lauren’s Little Murder Club dives into the chilling mystery of a killer who built an entire fake life just to commit one perfect crime—and disappear forever.

Michelle Martinko: The Murder That Waited 39 Years

In December 1979, 18‑year‑old Michelle Martinko was found murdered in her car outside a Cedar Rapids mall. For nearly four decades, the case haunted investigators—no witnesses, no suspects, no clear motive. Then, a single drop of blood and the rise of DNA genealogy cracked the silence. Lauren’s Little Murder Club revisits the chilling story of a young woman’s final night and the breakthrough that finally brought her killer to justice after 39 years.

The Murder of Brianna Ghey

What looked like an ordinary meetup between friends became one of the UK’s most shocking teen murder cases. This episode unpacks the chilling planning behind Brianna Ghey’s death, the suspects’ digital trail, their reactions when arrested, and the truth that emerged during the trial.

Missing, Not Murdered

Two women vanish—one for 24 years, one for 63. Both are eventually found alive, living new lives by choice. This episode explores the uneasy space between disappearance and survival, and what happens when the truth doesn’t feel like closure.

Thirty Years Too Late: The Murder of April Tinsley

When eight‑year‑old April Tinsley vanished from her Fort Wayne neighborhood in 1988, her case would haunt Indiana for decades. Anonymous messages, dead‑end leads, and a killer who seemed to disappear kept the community living in fear. Thirty years later, a breakthrough in forensic genealogy finally revealed the man responsible — and the quiet life he lived in the shadows. In this episode, we revisit the case that changed cold‑case investigations forever and honor the little girl whose name was never forgotten.