Criminally Obsessed

Criminally Obsessed

Criminally Obsessed goes deeper — inside the investigations, the courtroom drama, and the human stories at the center of the country’s biggest true crime cases. We track breaking developments, uncover overlooked details, and bring clarity to the chaos — always with compassion for victims and the people whose lives are forever changed. Host Anne Emerson brings more than 30 years of award-winning investigative reporting to every episode. She’s covered the nation’s most high-profile trials firsthand, conducted interviews with some of the biggest names in the true crime world — from Amanda Knox to Elizabeth Smart — and has trusted sources connected to the cases dominating the national conversation.

  1. 5H AGO

    “A Monster Of A Case” — Police Share Inside Information On Roxanne Sharp’s Murder

    When the Roxanne Sharp murder case went cold, Louisiana State Police tried something unusual to help solve the 1982 killing: they partnered with a trusted local radio host in a small Louisiana town to launch a true crime podcast. In this episode of Criminally Obsessed, Anne Emerson speaks with Louisiana State Police PIO Marc Gremillion about how podcaster Charles Dowdy and the "Who Killed Roxanne?" podcast helped generate new leads in the decades-old cold case murder investigation. After Roxanne Sharp’s case was featured on the true crime podcast and shared across social media, tips started pouring in from Louisiana and across the country. Former Covington residents, people connected to the case, and even younger generations who had only heard rumors about the murder mystery began reaching out to investigators. Louisiana State Police say this was one of the first times the agency partnered so closely with a podcast during an active cold case investigation — and after seeing the response, they believe podcast collaborations could become an important tool in future murder investigations and unsolved cases. The Roxanne Sharp case is now one of the most compelling examples of how true crime podcasts and local journalism can help revive cold cases, reexamine crime scene evidence, and generate new leads. Do you think podcasts and true crime documentaries can help solve crimes? Could more police agencies begin partnering with local media and podcasters to reopen unsolved murder cases? Let us know in the comments.

    21 min
  2. 1D AGO

    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.

    32 min
  3. MAY 15

    Why Former Murdaugh Housekeeper Rushed to Maggie's Grave After Overturned Murder Conviction

    When Blanca Turrubiate-Simpson learned that Alex Murdaugh's convictions for the murder of his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul, were overturned, she immediately went to Maggie’s gravesite.  She needed to sit in silence at the resting place for one of her closest friends.  Our Criminally Obsessed host, investigative reporter Anne Emerson, spent six weeks reporting on the original murder trial back in 2023. She brings her extensive depth of knowledge on this case to our exclusive interview with Blanca for an honest look at the emotional impact of a new trial.  Blanca was a witness in the original trial.  She testified for three hours, but this time-- it could be much different. Will she become a star witness with her intimate knowledge about the Murdaugh family, their 1700 acre property, Moselle, and the moments leading up to and after the murders. She’s shared a lot with us about what she saw, what she believes, and questions she still has - and trust us, there’s more to come. Join the conversation with Anne and Blanca - we’re hosting a panel at CrimeCon in Las Vegas later this month Enter promo code “criminallyobsessed” at checkout to receive 10% off. Read Blanca’s book, ‘Within the House of Murdaugh: Amid a Unique Friendship, Blanca and Maggie’ Catch up on our coverage of all things Murdaugh Listen to our podcast, ‘The Murdaugh Murders, Money & Mystery’

    38 min
  4. MAY 14

    “Disgraceful": How Becky Hill Got Alex Murdaugh A New Trial

    Alex Murdaugh is getting a new murder trial. On May 13, the South Carolina Supreme Court unanimously overturned Alex's double murder convictions in the June 2021 killings of his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul. How did this happen? How did we wind up at this stunning update? The justices ruled that former Colleton County Clerk of Court Becky Hill improperly influenced jurors during the 2023 trial, calling her conduct shocking, egregious, and unprecedented. According to the ruling, Hill’s comments and actions denied Murdaugh his constitutional right to a fair trial. South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson released a statement saying his office “will aggressively seek to retry Alex Murdaugh for the murders of Maggie and Paul as soon as possible,” adding that Murdaugh will remain in prison for his financial crimes. We’ve covered the Murdaugh saga extensively here at Criminally Obsessed (our Anne Emerson reported from the courtroom of his previous trials). No journalist knows this case better than Anne. As the breaking news came down today, Anne spoke with our legal analyst, former South Carolina Attorney General Charlie Condon, to understand the ‘how’ and the ‘why’ behind today's decision. With a new trial now officially ordered, we’re once again asking in the Murdaugh family saga… what comes next? Follow along to find out. Catch up on our coverage of all things Murdaugh: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3z8FHBSffeLYqoVMQZFyCA5PT7l97VnL&si=DhEiqw7h1ogYFpba Listen to our podcast, ‘The Murdaugh Murders, Money & Mystery’: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3z8FHBSffeL22J-ZhwTf8oD8E_pKdxkd&si=RsjFutRm9Q0tD0qV Catch Anne with former Murdaugh housekeeper Blanca Simpson at CrimeCon in Las Vegas later this month: https://crimecon2026.sched.com/event/2LpXz/the-housekeeper-knows-all-what-blanca-turrubiate-simpson-witnessed-working-for-the-murdaughs Enter promo code “criminallyobsessed” at checkout to receive 10% off!

    37 min
4.5
out of 5
45 Ratings

About

Criminally Obsessed goes deeper — inside the investigations, the courtroom drama, and the human stories at the center of the country’s biggest true crime cases. We track breaking developments, uncover overlooked details, and bring clarity to the chaos — always with compassion for victims and the people whose lives are forever changed. Host Anne Emerson brings more than 30 years of award-winning investigative reporting to every episode. She’s covered the nation’s most high-profile trials firsthand, conducted interviews with some of the biggest names in the true crime world — from Amanda Knox to Elizabeth Smart — and has trusted sources connected to the cases dominating the national conversation.

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