Unlawful Acts

Inside an ordinary Philadelphia home, six women were held captive in a basement, hidden from the outside world. For months, the horrifying reality of what was happening behind those walls remained a secret.

In this episode of Unlawful Acts, Connie and Jocelyn examine the disturbing case of Gary Heidnik, a self-proclaimed religious leader whose crimes shocked Philadelphia and the nation in 1987.

Behind his public persona, Heidnik kidnapped and imprisoned six women inside his home. Two of the women were murdered, while the others endured months of captivity under terrifying conditions.

The case took a dramatic turn when Josefina Rivera, one of the surviving women, convinced Heidnik to allow her outside the home. She seized the opportunity to contact police, leading investigators to the house and exposing the crimes that had remained hidden inside.

How did Gary Heidnik manage to conceal his crimes for so long? What happened inside the Philadelphia home? And how did Josefina Rivera's courage ultimately bring an end to the nightmare?

This is the story of Gary Heidnik, the Philadelphia basement murders, and the survivors whose determination helped bring a killer to justice.

Everyone lies. The evidence doesn't.
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On Halloween afternoon in 2010, a 16-year-old boy returned to his family's home in rural Ohio and discovered a horrifying scene. At first, he thought it was an elaborate Halloween prank. But what he found was no decoration. Three members of his family had been murdered.

In this episode of Unlawful Acts, Connie and Jocelyn examine the Liske Family Murders, a shocking triple homicide that devastated a family and stunned the small community of Martin, Ohio.

On October 31, 2010, William Liske Jr., Susan Liske, and Derek Griffin were found murdered inside their home. Susan's youngest son, Devon Griffin, made the devastating discovery.

Investigators quickly focused on William "B.J." Liske Jr., whose history of family conflict and serious mental health struggles became central to understanding the events leading up to the murders.

As authorities pieced together the timeline, they uncovered troubling details about the family's relationships, the events of that Halloween morning, and the search that ultimately led to B.J. Liske's arrest.

What happened inside the Liske family home? What drove a son to turn against his own family? And how did a day associated with costumes and make-believe become the setting for a real-life nightmare?

This is the story of the Liske Family Murders, a Halloween tragedy that left three people dead, a family shattered, and a community searching for answers.

Everyone lies. The evidence doesn't.
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Los Angeles thought it was hunting a single serial killer. The truth was even more disturbing: there were two—and they were cousins.

In this episode of Unlawful Acts, Connie and Jocelyn examine the crimes of Kenneth Bianchi and Angelo Buono, the two men who became known as the Hillside Stranglers.

During the late 1970s, women and girls were murdered across the Los Angeles area, with several victims' bodies discovered on hillsides. The similarities between the cases led investigators and the press to initially believe one killer was responsible. Instead, the investigation would eventually expose a deadly partnership between Bianchi and Buono.

The case took another turn after Bianchi moved to Washington state, where two more women were murdered. When investigators closed in, Bianchi claimed to suffer from multiple personality disorder as part of an elaborate insanity defense. But under scrutiny, his performance began to unravel.

How did two cousins become partners in murder? How were investigators able to connect them to the Hillside Strangler killings? And how did Bianchi's failed insanity defense ultimately become part of the case against them?

This is the story of Kenneth Bianchi and Angelo Buono—the Hillside Stranglers—and the investigation that revealed Los Angeles wasn't searching for one killer, but two.

Everyone lies. The evidence doesn't.
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In this brief segment, we recommend The Jordan Harbinger Show. Jordan has some amazing guests on his show, and he has a gift for making complex ideas accessible. We have become regular listeners, and hope you check it out too.

On Halloween night in 2004, three roommates in Napa, California, returned home after an evening together. By morning, two of them—Leslie Mazzara and Adriane Insogna—had been brutally murdered inside their home. Their third roommate survived, but investigators were left with a terrifying question: who entered the house that night, and why?

In this episode of Unlawful Acts, Connie and Jocelyn examine the Napa Valley murders and the investigation that eventually led authorities to Eric Copple.

With no obvious suspect and seemingly little explanation for the attack, investigators worked through physical evidence, interviews, and DNA while the case remained unsolved for months. The breakthrough would ultimately come from an unexpected connection to the victims and evidence that pointed directly toward Copple.

What drove him to enter the home that night? How did investigators finally identify him? And what happened when the killer realized authorities were closing in?

This is the story of Leslie Mazzara, Adriane Insogna, and the Napa Valley murders—a case that shattered a seemingly peaceful California community and revealed that the person responsible was closer than investigators initially knew.

Everyone lies. The evidence doesn't.
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