MURDER IN THE BLACK

Bonus Content Weekly

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Murder In The Black

Steph and M.D.

M.D. and STEPH are sisters who share a passion for true crime. ​They are committed to highlighting stories within the black community that often do not receive the attention they deserve. This has led them to create a platform where these stories can be shared on a weekly basis through their podcast. Drawing on her legal expertise, M.D. provides the legal context of each case, while Steph delves into the details concerning the victims and occasionally the perpetrators. By tuning in weekly, listeners can expect to learn about lesser-known crime cases and gain a deeper understanding of the cases

  1. Nature Boy and Carbon Nation: When Spirituality Becomes Control

    1 DAY AGO • SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

    Nature Boy and Carbon Nation: When Spirituality Becomes Control

    This week’s paid true crime deep dive examines Eligio Bishop, also known as Nature Boy, and the rise and collapse of Carbon Nation. In this episode, Steph looks beyond true crime as murder alone and explores the harm caused by manipulation, coercive control, spiritual abuse, social media spectacle, and community failure. Through the lens of the Hulu documentary The Cult of Nature Boy, along with additional context from Hood Horror Stories and other coverage, this conversation traces Bishop’s early trauma, his rise as a spiritual influencer, and the devastating impact of the high-control environment he built. This episode also reflects on the vulnerabilities predators exploit: untreated trauma, racial and gendered neglect, spiritual hunger, social isolation, and the way online attention can both elevate harmful leaders and eventually expose them. Main Topics The early life and trauma of Eligio Bishop, aka Nature BoyThe rise of Carbon Nation and its promises of freedom, nature, and Black utopiaManipulation, coercion, and social control within cult environmentsThe intersection of race, gender, trauma, and mental health in high-control groupsThe role of social media in amplifying and exposing toxic leadershipThe systemic failures that leave vulnerable people unprotectedWhy true crime in the Black community is not only about murder, but also exploitation, grooming, isolation, and abuse Timestamps 00:00 - Welcome and episode overview 01:19 - The Hulu documentary and first impressions 01:43 - Who is Eligio Bishop, aka Nature Boy? 04:16 - Expanding the true crime lens: cults, scams, and coercive control 05:16 - Early life, Harlem roots, childhood trauma, and foster care 10:03 - Apparent reform, barbering, and community influence 12:27 - Adult industry, violence, and early warning signs 14:58 - “Going back to nature” and the rise of spiritual messaging 16:14 - Charisma, hairstyling, and gaining followers’ trust 17:29 - Love bombing, financial reliance, and manipulation patterns 21:19 - From individual influence to communal control 23:14 - Melanation, Honduras, Costa Rica, and promises of Black utopia 27:42 - Kayla Reed, escape, media attention, and unequal concern for Black women 32:38 - Carbon Nation’s evolution into a high-control environment 35:50 - Sexual abuse, exploitation, domination, and trauma bonding 38:02 - Bishop’s criminal convictions 39:23 - Accountability, compassion, and exploited vulnerability 42:31 - Social media, spectacle, and attention-driven harm 45:07 - Why these stories matter in Black true crime 46:40 - Sign-off Resources Mentioned Hulu Documentary: The Cult of Nature BoyHood Horror Stories on YouTube Roshona Landfair: What’s Up with Shorty

    47 min
  2. What I Didn’t See, Episode 4: The Friend Who Stayed + Christina's Journal Entry

    1 DAY AGO • SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

    What I Didn’t See, Episode 4: The Friend Who Stayed + Christina's Journal Entry

    In Episode 4: The Friend Who Stayed, James becomes harder for Christina to categorize. What begins as ordinary proximity through wedding errands, delayed plans, and Samson’s work obligations slowly turns into something more unsettling. James does not tell Christina what to do. He notices. He listens. He asks the questions she has spent years avoiding. As Christina reflects on Black excellence, respectability, legibility, and the difference between being admired and being seen, the emotional tension between her, Samson, and James begins to sharpen. This is not a simple story about temptation. It is about recognition, interruption, and the danger of a question arriving before you are ready to answer it. For paid subscribers, this episode is followed by Christina’s Journal Entry, a more private reflection on James, vanity, intellectual intimacy, and the self Christina begins to recover in his presence. Content Notes: relationship tension, emotional ambiguity, grief references, manipulation/coercive control themes.

    15 min

  3. 3 DAYS AGO

    Natise Johnson and Oliver Wendell Munson: The Cost of Doing the Right Thing

    A 21-year-old pregnant woman is murdered inside her father’s Philadelphia home just days before giving birth. A Maryland teacher disappears three days before he is set to testify in court. In this episode of Murder in the Black, we discuss the murder of Natise Johnson and the unsolved disappearance of Oliver Wendell Munson, two cases connected by haunting questions about loyalty, vulnerability, and what it can cost to do the right thing. Natise’s case is a devastating story of obsession, control, and retaliation. Oliver’s disappearance remains one of those deeply unsettling unsolved cases where the timing alone makes it impossible to ignore what may have happened. This episode contains discussions of murder, gun violence, abuse, witness vulnerability, and the death of an unborn child.

    40 min
  4. What I Didn’t See, Episode 3: What Held Me Together + Christina's Journal Entry

    17 MAY • SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

    What I Didn’t See, Episode 3: What Held Me Together + Christina's Journal Entry

    In Episode 3: What Held Me Together, Christina looks back at the woman who raised her after loss: her grandmother. This episode moves into the house, the rules, the faith, and the discipline that taught Christina how to survive. But survival has a cost. As Christina remembers her grandmother’s warning about Samson after the first broken engagement, she begins to understand that order can protect you, but it can also teach you what to ignore. For paid subscribers, this episode is followed by Christina’s Journal Entry, a more private reflection on her grandmother, composure, grief, and the difference between being held together and being free. True crime stories will continue to be featured in the paid feed, but during What I Didn’t See, some weeks will also include immersive companion pieces from inside Christina’s world. Content Notes: grief, parental loss, death of a caregiver, relationship uncertainty, emotional avoidance.

    13 min

  5. 14 MAY

    The House in Crescentville

    In 2003, a Philadelphia neighborhood was shaken by the murders of Patricia, Nikki, and James inside their own home. What investigators found at the scene — an untouched slice of pizza, an extra Coke can, and victims covered after death — pointed toward something more personal and psychologically unsettling than a random act of violence. In this episode of Murder in the Black, Steph examines the investigation, the behavioral clues uncovered inside the home, and how the case ultimately shifted toward Sean Brown. The episode also explores the role of community observations, family persistence, and evolving forensic evidence in solving violent crimes. Later, Steph discusses ongoing updates in the cases of Vontisha “Sway” Williams and Celeste Hernandez, reflecting on how digital evidence and modern investigative techniques continue reshaping true crime investigations today. Topics Covered The murders of Patricia, Nikki, and JamesCrime scene behavioral analysisThe significance of the extra Coke can and covered victimsSean Brown’s arrest and confessionCommunity involvement and investigative breakthroughsPatterns of escalation and warning signs in violent offendersUpdates on Vontisha Williams and Celeste HernandezTimestamps (00:00) — The Philadelphia triple homicide(05:11) — The crime scene details investigators focused on(11:24) — Early theories and suspect developments(17:34) — Fingerprint evidence and Sean Brown(24:31) — Violence disrupting ordinary life(28:22) — Updates on Vontisha Williams and Celeste Hernandez(38:33) — Final reflections + What I Didn’t See Resources & Further Reading Philadelphia homicide investigation archivesPublic court records related to Sean BrownCommunity memorial pages for Vontisha “Sway” WilliamsOngoing public updates surrounding the Celeste Hernandez investigationConnect With Murder in the Black YouTube: Murder in the BlackTikTok & Instagram: @MurderintheBlackSubstack: Murder in the BlackEmail:murderintheblackpodcast36@gmail.com

    41 min

  6. 10 MAY

    What I Didn’t See, Episode 1: The Life I Thought I Had

    Christina believed she understood exactly who she was and the kind of life she was building. But as wedding plans move forward, a quiet conversation and an unexpected new presence begin to disturb the certainty she has spent years protecting. In this first episode of What I Didn’t See, Christina introduces the world she thought was stable, the man she believed made sense of it, and the first subtle crack in the life she thought she wanted. What I Didn’t See is a psychological thriller about love, denial, self-deception, and the truths that begin circling us long before we are ready to name them. In this episode: Christina reflects on the life she thought she was buildingSamson appears as the kind of man who fits the future she has always imaginedJames enters the story as a quiet but unsettling new presenceA simple evening begins to expose the difference between safety and certaintyTo hear the next chapter, subscribe on Spotify or Apple Podcasts for premium episodes, bonus material, and Christina’s private journal entries. Start now with 3-day free access. Episode 1 & 2 AVAILABLE NOW

    10 min
  7. What I Didn’t See, Episodes 1 & 2 + Bonus Content

    10 MAY • SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

    What I Didn’t See, Episodes 1 & 2 + Bonus Content

    Christina has spent years building a life that looks stable, ordered, and recognizable. But once old doubts begin resurfacing, the relationship she has worked hardest to preserve starts revealing the questions she never really allowed herself to ask. Episodes 1 and 2 of What I Didn’t See introduce Christina, Samson, and James, and begin uncovering the emotional fault lines beneath a six-year relationship shaped by love, grief, expectation, and silence. What I Didn’t See is a psychological thriller about love, denial, self-deception, and the cost of continuing forward when something inside you has already begun to hesitate. In these episodes: Christina introduces the life she thought she understoodSamson’s steadiness begins to give way to doubtJames enters as a perceptive outsider who asks the questions no one else doesThe first broken engagement returns as an unresolved woundChristina begins confronting what Samson’s uncertainty has been asking her to ignore

    30 min

  8. 7 MAY

    A Lie Borrowed In Someone Else Name : Murder of Anna Mae Florence

    In this episode of Murder in the Black, we examine the heartbreaking 1987 murder of Anna Mae Florence—a case that remained unsolved for decades before modern forensic technology finally uncovered the truth. What began as a brutal attack investigation evolved into a complex story involving unreliable witnesses, false identities, overlooked evidence, and the persistence of investigators who refused to let the case disappear. This case highlights how one piece of evidence—a bloody handprint—ultimately became the key to solving a murder 25 years later. Timestamps: 00:00 – Introduction: a case where the truth remained buried for decades 00:28 – The attack on Anna Mae Florence and the initial police response 01:11 – Anna Mae’s life and background in Columbus, Ohio 02:13 – The violent attack: 14 stab wounds and her final moments 03:32 – Crime scene analysis and evidence of a struggle 04:54 – Discovery of the blood-stained purse and bloody handprint 05:45 – Fingerprint analysis limitations in 1987 06:32 – Witness descriptions and the original suspect sketch 07:48 – Investigators explore theories of robbery and overkill 08:58 – Reports of a frantic woman asking strangers for help 09:54 – Early suspects, including a teenage girl and local residents 11:25 – The tip involving Odell and emerging inconsistencies 12:45 – Odell’s changing stories and sudden disappearance 13:41 – Investigators examine Danita’s alibi and hospital records 14:28 – Discrepancies in records and evidence of deception 15:26 – The plan to use a wire in hopes of gathering more information 16:17 – A major setback when fingerprint evidence fails to match the suspect 17:42 – The case goes cold in 1988 while Anna Mae’s family continues searching for answers 20:01 – The 2012 cold case revival and renewed forensic testing 20:59 – Reinvestigating suspects through modern DNA and fingerprint analysis 26:34 – The shocking identification of Zina Roberson 29:34 – Zina’s arrest, background, and confession 31:09 – Why the bloody handprint became the defining piece of evidence 33:02 – Reflections on trust, vulnerability, and the exploitation of kindness 34:43 – The lasting impact of Anna Mae Florence’s case 35:07 – Closing thoughts, community discussions, and upcoming Murder in the Black projects

    38 min
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Trailer

About

M.D. and STEPH are sisters who share a passion for true crime. ​They are committed to highlighting stories within the black community that often do not receive the attention they deserve. This has led them to create a platform where these stories can be shared on a weekly basis through their podcast. Drawing on her legal expertise, M.D. provides the legal context of each case, while Steph delves into the details concerning the victims and occasionally the perpetrators. By tuning in weekly, listeners can expect to learn about lesser-known crime cases and gain a deeper understanding of the cases

Information

  • Creator
    Steph and M.D.
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    302
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Steph and M.D.
  • Show Website
    Murder In The Black
  • Provider
    Stephenie Broden-Weaver

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