26 episodes
Beyond All Repair WBUR
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- True Crime
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4.9 • 10 Ratings
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Imagine you're accused of something horrific. You swear you didn't do it, but someone says they witnessed it: your own brother. Sophia Johnson was newly married with a baby on the way when she became the prime suspect in her mother-in-law's brutal murder. WBUR's Amory Sivertson reexamines a case unsolved, a family torn apart, and the woman who wasn't believed.
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Beyond All Repair Ch. 1: Boxes
Reporter Amory Sivertson has reopened a box that some members of the Correia family were hoping would stay shut forever.
Amory first met the youngest Correia, Shane, in 2017 while interviewing him about his experience with homelessness. But there is another dark chapter of Shane's life: his older sister being accused of murdering her mother-in-law in 2002, when he was 13 years old.
Now Shane wants to know, did his sister commit this brutal the crime?
If you have questions about the case, the real people at the center of this story, or anything else about this series, we want to hear them. Email beyondallrepairpod@gmail.com with a voice message or written message.
Listener note: This show has descriptions of violence and strong language.
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This show is made at WBUR, a public radio station, which means we cannot make shows like this without public support.
Join our membership program, "BEYOND" here: wbur.org/beyond -
Beyond All Repair Ch. 2: The Case
Amory learns more about Marlyne Johnson, Sophia Johnson’s late mother-in-law, and her murder is explored through footage of Sophia’s 2003 trial.
Clark County Detective Rick Buckner and his team narrowed the field of suspects to siblings Sophia and Sean Correia (Shane Correia's older brother and sister).
Sean testified during Sophia’s 2003 murder trial that he saw his sister standing over Marlyne’s body, holding fireplace tongs.
If you have questions about the case, the real people at the center of this story, or anything else about this series, we want to hear them. Email beyondallrepairpod@gmail.com with a voice message or written message.
Listener note: This show has descriptions of violence and strong language.
***
Consider becoming a "BEYOND" member today:
This show is made at WBUR, a public radio station, which means we cannot make shows like this without public support.
Join our membership program, "BEYOND" here: wbur.org/beyond -
Beyond All Repair Ch. 3: Bad Blood
Sean Correia's credibility is called into question as Sophia Johnson and Shane Correia tell Amory about his role in their upbringing. Amory learns how these three siblings ended up in Washington state after being raised in New York, and how Sophia became estranged from Shane and their mother, with whom she’d been incredibly close.
Sophia finds a new family in the Johnsons — Brad, her husband, and Marlyne and Richard Johnson, Brad’s parents.
At the time of the murder, Sophia is newly wedded to Brad and six months pregnant. Marlyne is supposed to go over to Sophia’s house for lunch that day. She doesn’t show, leading Sophia and Brad to check on her, and, ultimately, to her lifeless, nearly unrecognizable body.
Sophia denies murdering Marlyne, but suspects Sean’s involvement.
If you have questions about the case, the real people at the center of this story, or anything else about this series, we want to hear them. Email beyondallrepairpod@gmail.com with a voice message or written message.
Listener note: This episode has descriptions of violence, strong language, and allegations of sexual assault.
***
Consider becoming a "BEYOND" member today:
This show is made at WBUR, a public radio station, which means we cannot make shows like this without public support.
Join our membership program, "BEYOND" here: wbur.org/beyond -
Beyond All Repair Ch. 4: The Husband
Amory meets Lyn Page and Linda Dillard, friends of Marlyne Johnson and her husband Richard, who share more about the Johnson family.
Richard struggled with alcohol abuse and gambled, and Marlyne had started saving money in case she needed to leave him.
Richard eventually agrees to talk to Amory and shares memories of his wife and the day she was killed.
If you have questions about the case, the real people at the center of this story, or anything else about this series, we want to hear them. Email beyondallrepairpod@gmail.com with a voice message or written message.
Listener note: This episode has descriptions of violence and strong language.
***
Consider becoming a "BEYOND" member today:
This show is made at WBUR, a public radio station, which means we cannot make shows like this without public support.
Join our "BEYOND" membership program and receive access to extra episodes, a private feed of the show for ad-free listening and early access to some of the final episodes in the series: wbur.org/beyond -
Beyond All Repair Ch. 5: The Motive
The prosecution in Sophia’s trial claims greed was her motive for killing Marlyne. Shortly after Sophia and Brad Johnson started dating, Sophia began stealing money from her employer.
Sophia explains how the theft started and quickly spiraled out of control.
By the time of the murder, Sophia was tens of thousands of dollars in debt, with a baby on the way. Was she desperate enough to commit murder?
If you have questions about the case, the people at the center of this story, or anything else about this series, we want to hear them. Email beyondallrepairpod@gmail.com with a voice message or written message.
***
Consider becoming a "BEYOND" member today:
This show is made at WBUR, a public radio station, which means we cannot make shows like this without public support.
Join our membership program, "BEYOND" here: wbur.org/beyond -
Beyond All Repair Ch. 6: Hope
The jury has reached a verdict: Sophia is found guilty of first-degree murder.
At sentencing, Sophia hears victim impact statements, including one delivered by the woman raising her son.
She is sentenced to 43 years in prison, and just as she’s settling into that fate, she gets a call from her lawyer saying that she’s won the right to a new trial.
If you have questions about the case, the people at the center of this story, or anything else about this series, we want to hear them. Email beyondallrepairpod@gmail.com with a voice memo or written message.
***
Consider becoming a "BEYOND" member today:
This show is made at WBUR, a public radio station, which means we cannot make shows like this without public support.
Join our "BEYOND" membership program and receive early access to some of the final episodes in the series, extra episodes, and a private feed of the show for ad-free listening: wbur.org/beyond
Customer Reviews
Beyond All Repair: Captivating
Four episodes in and I’m totally hooked with the unbelievable story of „Beyond All Repair“. A brother and a sister accusing each other of murdering the sister’s mother-in-law. Clearly told, so you can follow all the details. Whenever there is hard-to-hear original audio, the host summarizes the most important facts. Great audio design.
Unbelievable that a woman was convicted for murder without physical evidence just on the words of her brother who himself had motive, means and opportunity and whose physical evidence was on the scene.
Sometimes I don’t understand the US-American justice system. Sometimes there are cases where there is clear patterns of behavior, physical evidence, credible testimony and the accused still goes free. And sometimes people are convicted by just one testimony.
It looks like the police just wanted this case closed and was eager to support one of the siblings who was just pointing the finger and had no evidence. That is not a good investigation. And the arrogant lead detective Rick Buckner seems to be proud of it. Isn’t there the principle „in dubio pro reo“? If the guilt cannot be proven beyond a reasonable doubt, the trial goes in favor of the accused. Because it is more damaging for an innocent person to go to jail than a crime not solved.
Also it seems illogical that the defense could not bring forward the pattern of violence, domestic abuse, stealing and drug dealing of the accuser. This points to a possible motive for him to committing the murder and framing his sister for it. How is this „slandering of character“, but his slandering her is just believed?
Really excited to hear the upcoming episodes and hope this poor police investigation and unfair trial is reviewed.
Great Coverart.
Note: It is a little confusing that this podcast is published in the feed of „Violation“. The first season completely disappears.
Wonderful Presentation!
I was hooked and almost forgot to sleep. The narrator’s voice is pleasant on the ear and the show is presented in a mature non-theatrical or pretentious way.
Riveting storyline and gripping dialogues. A very big well done to all involved!!!!