Murdaugh Latest: Defense Bombshells and a Lawsuit?

Why It Took 44 Years (and a True Crime Podcast) to Bring Charges in Roxanne Sharp’s Killing

A murdered teenage girl. A cold case that went unsolved for more than four decades. After years without answers, Louisiana State Police tried something different: they helped launch a true crime podcast to generate new leads. Now, four men have been charged in connection with the 1982 killing of Roxanne Sharp. Roxanne was 16 when her body was found in a wooded area near the St. Tammany Parish Fairgrounds in Covington, Louisiana. According to Louisiana State Police, the initial investigation determined she had been raped and murdered, but due to limited physical evidence and a lack of public and witness cooperation, the case remained unsolved for more than four decades. That changed after Louisiana State Police took over the investigation and teamed with local radio host Charles Dowdy of the Lake 94.7 to produce the podcast "Who Killed Roxanne?" Authorities say the podcast generated new information, leads, and witness cooperation that had previously been unknown to investigators. In April 2026, arrest warrants were obtained for four men: Perry Wayne Taylor, Darrell Dean Spell, Carlos Cooper, and Billy Williams Jr., all of Covington, Louisiana. They were charged with aggravated rape and second-degree murder. In this episode of Criminally Obsessed, Anne Emerson speaks with the podcast's host, Dowdy, about the case, the podcast, and how storytelling helped move forward a murder investigation that haunted Louisiana for more than four decades.

Nancy Guthrie Latest: Forensic DNA Expert on FBI Lab Testing

More than 100 days into the search for Nancy Guthrie, could a breakthrough be sitting in an FBI lab as we speak? WHAT is taking so long? The disappearance of Today show host Savannah Guthrie’s mother from her Tucson, Arizona home has gripped us since day one. Authorities say DNA evidence is now being analyzed at the FBI lab in Quantico, a move that suggests investigators believe it could be critical to finally bringing answers in Nancy’s disappearance. Forensic DNA expert Tiffany Roy has processed thousands of DNA samples and worked on thousands of cases - it’s her job to review cases that have been processed by private and government labs, and make sure all procedures have been followed correctly. So... have they? We ask her what she believes is happening behind the scenes in Nancy’s case, and whether she thinks the Pima County Sheriff’s Department made a mistake in their process. With no arrest and no suspect publicly named, what will it take to find answers and bring Nancy home?

Exclusive 'Secret' Interview: Alex Murdaugh's Alleged Co-Conspirator Still Awaiting Trial — Why?

WHO IS 'COUSIN' EDDIE? As Alex Murdaugh prepares for a murder retrial, why hasn't this alleged Murdaugh co-conspirator gone to trial in the first place?  Anne spoke with Curtis “Eddie” Smith, the man prosecutors say helped Alex stage a roadside shooting in Hampton County, South Carolina back in 2021. This is an exclusive interview Anne did in 'secret' that we unearthed from our archives that was conducted just weeks after the incident. Nearly five years later, the alleged co-conspirator in the failed $10 million life insurance plot remains on house arrest, with police claiming he was also pushing drugs, forging checks, and laundering money for Alex.  As the Murdaugh case heads back to court, this interview raises an even bigger question: why is one of the key figures in the saga still sitting in legal limbo? Murdaugh defense attorney Dick Harpootlian says a trial for Eddie is taking way too long. Subscribe to Criminally Obsessed so you never miss our continuing Murdaugh coverage.

Murdaugh Prosecutor's Strategy and Death Penalty for Alex?

ATTORNEY VS. ATTORNEY: It hasn't even been a week since the news came down that Alex Murdaugh is getting a murder retrial in South Carolina, and so much news around this case has already broke — from a six-figure lawsuit to, now, the fact that the death penalty is on the table for Alex in this trial sequel! A day after our sit-down interview with Murdaugh defense attorney Dick Harpootlian, we caught up with the other side of this case. Creighton Waters helped convict Alex Murdaugh in the murders of his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul in 2023. He’s now faced with trying the same case — but does the defense already know his playbook? Or are there new tricks up his sleeve? Waters reacts to the South Carolina Supreme Court ruling that former Clerk of Court Becky Hill improperly influenced jurors during the 2023 trial, and expresses frustration with how the actions of one court official destroyed the integrity of the verdict. If you know Criminally Obsessed, you know Anne has reported extensively on the Murdaugh saga - she reported from the courtroom on all six weeks of the original trial! We’ll keep bringing you exclusive conversations with key players and the real people behind the headlines. Subscribe so you never miss an episode.

Murdaugh Latest: Defense Bombshells and a Lawsuit?

ALEX MURDAUGH'S DEFENSE ATTORNEY OPENS UP: Anne Emerson sits down with Murdaugh defense attorney Dick Harpootlian, who says he’s never stopped believing Alex Murdaugh is innocent of the murders of his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul. Harpootlian shares what he claims former Clerk of Court Becky Hill told jurors during the original 2023 trial, and reveals the defense already has what he calls “great stuff” for the retrial — including new evidence! We learned last week that Alex is getting a new trial after the South Carolina Supreme Court overturned his murder convictions from 2021. The fallout from the case keeps getting messier — we learned today that Alex is suing Becky Hill for $600,000, accusing her of jury tampering and violating his constitutional right to a fair trial.  While many people still believe the jury got it right at the first trial regardless of Hill’s actions, the defense insists Alex did not kill his wife and son. We want to know… what makes Harpootlian and his team so sure? Make sure to subscribe to Criminally Obsessed so you never miss an episode of our extensive Murdaugh coverage.