The First Degree

Alexis Linkletter, Jac Vanek
  • 4.7 (188)
  • TRUE CRIME
  • UPDATED WEEKLY
The First Degree

Do you ever wonder what it’s like to be friends with a murderer? Or escape a kidnapping? Or have a father who was a serial killer? Join Jac Vanek and Alexis Linkletter on a chilling ride into the darkest corners of your worst nightmares. Murders, cults, kidnappings, and conspiracies—all told through the eyes of a guest who is one degree of separation from the story itself. From infamous serial killers to the unbelievable unknown murder in your own backyard, The First Degree delivers a new perspective to the already fascinating true crime landscape. And who knows... you may be our next guest. (Plus, join them every Thursday for Killing Time, the light-hearted, true crime-adjacent aftershow!)

  1. 3 DAYS AGO

    DEEP DIVE: JAY-Z

    Jay-Z’s lawyer is claiming there’s no friendship between he and Diddy, despite a paper trail dating back decades. Hats on, critical minds open, seat belts fastened. Buckle up friends because we’re coming in hot with everything you need to know (except for the history of Jay-Z and Beyoncé because that deserves its own episode).

    44 min

  2. 4 DAYS AGO

    Episode 330: Nikki Cheng Saelee-Mccain

    In the early hours of May 18, 2024, a 39-year-old mother of four vanishes after last being seen at her mother-in-law’s home in Redding, California. Just days earlier, she had shared plans to divorce her abusive husband and rebuild her life. When her family stops hearing from her, alarm bells ring, especially given her husband’s history of violence and erratic behavior. Detectives soon discover her truck abandoned in a remote area, raising even more questions about her disappearance. In episode 330, Jac and Alexis delve into the unsettling details of Nikki Cheng Saelee-McCain’s disappearance, her fight to escape an abusive marriage, and the unanswered questions that still haunt her family.

    42 min

  3. 12 DEC

    DEEP DIVE: LUIGI MANGIONE

    Put your tin foil hats on because this weeks episode is a wild ride! Join us as we uncover everything we can about Luigi Mangione, the murder of Brian Thompson, the CEO of United Health Care, and what the hell is ACTUALLY going on. We’re talking facts but we’re also diving into theories because let’s be honest, nothing is making sense right now…

    1h 8m

  4. 11 DEC

    Episode 329: Timothy Haslett Jr.

    On October 7, 2022, a 22-year-old black woman is frantically knocking on doors in a suburban neighborhood on the outskirts of Kansas City, Missouri. When police arrive, they find the distressed woman with duct tape around her neck, wearing a trash bag, and a metal collar with a padlock. She tells police she had been held against her will and sexually assaulted by a man at a home nearby. But this is just the beginning. City law enforcement knows - but has consistently denied - that local black women have been going missing. When another victim turns up murdered, the lies and cover-ups begin to be exposed. And things turn uglier when a retired former detective is implicated in other local murders, with misconduct and malfeasance more prevalent than many realised. In episode 329, Jac and Alexis detail the alleged case against Timothy Haslett Jr, and how his supposed crimes have been enabled by a police department rife with systemic racism.

    40 min

  5. 5 DEC

    DEEP DIVE: SISTER WIVES

    Today is a different kind of deep dive! You know the show Sister Wives? Yeah, the wacky reality show on TLC about that weird polygamist guy with the ramen noodle mullet? Did you know one of his wives has a serial killer in her family tree? This week we’re deep diving the dark, twisted history of the LeBaron family. And there’s murder….lots of murder.

    41 min

  6. 4 DEC

    Episode 328: Dr. Blatti

    On March 22, 2016, a 50-year-old woman passes away in Baldwin, New York. She had been suffering from chronic pain for almost 10 years following surgery, and was found to have died from an opioid overdose. It’s a tragic yet not uncommon story in a country in the grip of a sweeping prescription opioid epidemic. It wouldn’t be until almost two and a half years later that an investigation commenced into not just the woman’s death, but that of three other people who had also died in similar circumstances in the meantime. As law enforcement looks into how the deceased obtained the prescription drugs which had caused their deaths, it became clear that they were all provided by the same physician. But before the doctor could be charged, a fifth person lost their life. In episode 328, Jac and Alexis discuss the shocking case of Dr George Blatti, someone with no regard for the Hippocratic oath, the patients he was obligated to help, or their families.

    38 min

  7. 28 NOV

    DEEP DIVE: ELLEN

    You asked for it, and boy did we deliver! This week’s Deep Dive is allllllll about Ellen DeGeneres. Hats on. Minds open. Because it turns out that Diddy isn’t the only diabolical supervillain floating around the 1%. We dive into the Wayfair x Ellen Trafficking conspiracy theory, the bizarre death of Anne Heche and tWitch, and why exactly did Ellen and Portia flee the country???

    49 min

  8. 27 NOV

    Episode 327: UPDATES: Rita & Colleen

    In October of 2023 we released two episodes discussing the cases of Rita Tangredi and Colleen McNamee. There have been significant developments regarding the man convicted of their murders. These essential updates involve the Long Island Serial Killer suspect, Rex Heuermann.

    43 min
See All (533)

Hosts & Guests

4.7
out of 5
188 Ratings

About

Do you ever wonder what it’s like to be friends with a murderer? Or escape a kidnapping? Or have a father who was a serial killer? Join Jac Vanek and Alexis Linkletter on a chilling ride into the darkest corners of your worst nightmares. Murders, cults, kidnappings, and conspiracies—all told through the eyes of a guest who is one degree of separation from the story itself. From infamous serial killers to the unbelievable unknown murder in your own backyard, The First Degree delivers a new perspective to the already fascinating true crime landscape. And who knows... you may be our next guest. (Plus, join them every Thursday for Killing Time, the light-hearted, true crime-adjacent aftershow!)

Information

  • Creator
    Alexis Linkletter, Jac Vanek
  • Years Active
    2018 - 2024
  • Episodes
    533
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Alexis Linkletter and Jac Vanek
  • Show Website
    The First Degree

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