Murder In The Black

Steph and M.D.
  • 4.5 (484)
  • True Crime
  • Updated Weekly

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

MURDER IN THE BLACK

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  1. 2d ago

    The Boy Without a Name: The William DaShawn Hamilton Case

    In this episode of Murder in the Black, we examine the heartbreaking case of William Deshaun Hamilton, a six-year-old boy whose skeletal remains were discovered in the woods of DeKalb County, Georgia, in 1999. Despite years of investigation, forensic testing, and national attention, William remained unidentified until 2022. We trace the investigation from the discovery of his remains to the courtroom nearly 25 years later, exploring how advances in forensic science, facial reconstruction, and one woman's unwavering determination helped restore William's identity. We also discuss the trial of Teresa Ann Bailey Black, the verdict, and the questions that remain unanswered. William's story is a reminder that even when decades pass, every child deserves to have their name restored—and their story told. The discovery of William's remains in DeKalb County, GeorgiaThe early investigative clues—and why they led nowhereHow forensic science evolved over two decadesThe role of facial reconstructions in identifying unidentified childrenAva McNeil's determination to uncover the truthHow a single tip finally identified "Clifton John Doe"The arrest and trial of Teresa Ann Bailey BlackThe verdict, sentencing, and unanswered questions surrounding William's deathTimeLine 00:05 – The evening that changed everything 00:35 – A devastating discovery in DeKalb County 01:16 – The first clues investigators uncovered 02:21 – Why the cause of death remains unknown 03:57 – The decades-long search for William's identity 05:09 – Buried as "Clifton John Doe" 06:15 – Forensic evidence and overlooked clues 07:58 – Why investigators believed William had been abandoned 09:41 – DNA testing and the limitations of the late 1990s 10:55 – The importance of forensic facial reconstructions 13:32 – Ava McNeil's recognition and relentless search for answers 15:28 – The reconstruction that reignited the investigation 16:52 – William's life before he disappeared 17:53 – Leaving Charlotte and William's disappearance 20:47 – The tip that finally solved the mystery 22:37 – Giving William his name back 23:48 – The trial of Teresa Ann Bailey Black 36:31 – The verdict and sentencing 41:57 – William's legacy and the search for justice Sources FOX 5 Atlanta. "Boy's remains found in cemetery still not identified 20 years later." Published February 27, 2019.FOX 5 Atlanta. "Teresa Ann Black murder trial: Old friend testifies against mother accused of murdering son in Atlanta." Published January 3, 2024.FOX 5 Atlanta. "Teresa Ann Black Trial: Mother accused of murdering 6-year-old son waives last chance to testify." Published January 8, 2024.FOX 5 Atlanta. "Teresa Black trial: Mother sentenced to 10 years for concealing son's death." Updated January 12, 2024.A&E Crime + Investigation. "A Decades-Old Cold Case Ends With the ID of a Young Boy, and His Mother Charged With Murder." Published December 16, 2022; updated August 27, 2025.Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) press releases and case information.DeKalb County Medical Examiner records and publicly reported court proceedings.Public court reporting and news coverage reviewed to verify the investigation timeline, trial proceedings, verdict, and sentencing.

  2. 6d ago • Subscribers Only

    What I Didn't See | Finale Recap: After the Finale — What Remains

    In this bonus finale recap, Steph looks back at What I Didn’t See and breaks down the ending of Christina’s story. We’ll talk through the major themes of the series, including love, grief, respectability, emotional avoidance, and the danger of confusing stability with truth. This episode also explores Christina’s final choice, Samson’s role as a tragic figure, James as the conscience of the story, and why the ending leaves certain questions unresolved. Steph also shares behind-the-scenes notes on building the finale, adding Christina’s journal entries, shaping the story into a literary psychological thriller, and choosing a quiet, ambiguous ending instead of a traditional twist. In this episode: Christina’s final arc Samson as more than a villain James as the story’s conscience The meaning of the journal Why the hit-and-run remains unresolved Major themes from the full series Behind-the-scenes story development Listener questions and interpretations Content notes: grief, death, relationship conflict, emotional avoidance, guilt, and discussion of a hit-and-run. Thank you for listening to Murder in the Black Presents: What I Didn’t See.

    What I Didn't See | Finale Recap: After the Finale — What Remains

  3. 6d ago • Subscribers Only

    What I Didn't See | Finale Recap: After the Finale — What Remains

    In this bonus finale recap, Steph looks back at What I Didn’t See and breaks down the ending of Christina’s story. We’ll talk through the major themes of the series, including love, grief, respectability, emotional avoidance, and the danger of confusing stability with truth. This episode also explores Christina’s final choice, Samson’s role as a tragic figure, James as the conscience of the story, and why the ending leaves certain questions unresolved. Steph also shares behind-the-scenes notes on building the finale, adding Christina’s journal entries, shaping the story into a literary psychological thriller, and choosing a quiet, ambiguous ending instead of a traditional twist. In this episode: Christina’s final arcSamson as more than a villainJames as the story’s conscienceThe meaning of the journalWhy the hit-and-run remains unresolvedMajor themes from the full seriesBehind-the-scenes story developmentListener questions and interpretations Content notes: grief, death, relationship conflict, emotional avoidance, guilt, and discussion of a hit-and-run. Thank you for listening to Murder in the Black Presents: What I Didn’t See.

    What I Didn't See | Finale Recap: After the Finale — What Remains

  4. 6d ago • Subscribers Only

    What I Didn’t See: Complete Series

    In this complete edition of What I Didn’t See, the full story of Christina, Samson, and James unfolds in one immersive psychological thriller. Christina thought she understood the life she was building: a steady relationship, a respectable future, and a love that made sense on paper. But as her wedding approaches, old doubts return, difficult questions surface, and Samson’s closest friend James begins to notice what everyone else has been avoiding. Across all eight episodes, Christina looks back on the choices, silences, and missed warnings that shaped one terrible night. What begins as a story about love and loyalty becomes a deeper exploration of grief, respectability, emotional avoidance, and the truths we often recognize too late. This collected version includes the full narrative arc from Christina’s first meeting with James through the unraveling of her engagement, the journal reflections, and the ambiguous finale. In this episode: Christina’s childhood loss and relationship with her grandmother Her relationship with Samson and the first broken engagement James’s arrival as a question, not a simple temptation The tension between stability, love, and self-erasure The journal entries that complicate Christina’s memory The final collapse of the wedding plans James’s missed call and the hit-and-run The unresolved question of what Christina truly didn’t see Content notes: grief, parental death, relationship conflict, emotional avoidance, guilt, death, hit-and-run, and unresolved ambiguity. Thank you for listening to Murder in the Black Presents: What I Didn’t See.

    What I Didn’t See: Complete Series

  5. Jul 9

    LaVena Johnson: The Soldier, the Tent, and the Questions That Never Went Away

    Private First Class LaVena Johnson was just 19 years old when she died while serving in Iraq in 2005. The U.S. Army ruled her death a suicide, but her family—led by her father, John Johnson—has spent nearly two decades questioning that conclusion. In this episode, we examine the official investigation, the inconsistencies that continue to fuel public debate, and why LaVena's death remains one of the military's most discussed unresolved cases. We carefully separate documented facts from allegations and explore the competing theories surrounding her death, including the family's belief that critical questions were never answered. We also discuss the broader conversation about military accountability, violence against women in the armed forces, and what families face when they challenge official findings. In True Crime in Current News, we provide updates on the disappearance of Nolan Wells and the ongoing custody case involving Alicia Brown and her missing daughter, Aaliyah. In this episode: The life and military service of LaVena JohnsonThe Army's official ruling and the evidence citedThe Johnson family's unanswered questionsCompeting theories surrounding her deathMilitary accountability and transparencyNolan Wells case updateAlicia Brown custody and missing child updateIf you enjoy Murder in the Black, please follow the show, leave a five-star review, and share this episode with someone who values thoughtful true crime storytelling.

  6. Jul 6 • Subscribers Only

    What I Didn’t See: The Finale( Episodes 6-8)

    In the finale of What I Didn’t See, Christina reaches the end of the life she and Samson were still building on paper. The wedding keeps moving: invitations, ceremony notes, seating charts, appointments, and family expectations. But underneath the logistics, Christina and Samson are no longer moving forward together. As Samson’s uncertainty becomes impossible to organize around, Christina is forced into the conversation they have avoided for years. James remains the conscience of the story: not a rescuer, not a simple romantic alternative, but the person whose questions make it harder for Christina to keep explaining away what she already feels. When tragedy follows the end of the engagement, Christina is left with grief, suspicion, and the unresolved question at the center of the series: what did she truly fail to see? This finale includes dated journal entries from Christina, offering a more private view of the unraveling: Samson’s exhaustion, the wedding paperwork, the missed call, the days after James’s death, and the final choice to keep the journal rather than destroy it. Includes: The final collapse of Christina and Samson’s engagementSamson’s confession about reliability, fear, and performanceJames’s role as witness, conscience, and interruptionChristina’s dated journal entries throughout the finaleThe missed call and the aftermath of James’s deathThe unresolved ambiguity around the hit-and-runThe quiet closing image of Christina placing the journal on the shelf Content Notes: grief, relationship dissolution, emotional avoidance, death, hit-and-run, guilt, ambiguity, family pressure.

    What I Didn’t See: The Finale( Episodes 6-8)

  7. Jul 2

    Predators Don’t Live in Folders | Jesse Matthew Jr.

    In this episode of Murder in the Black, we look at the case of Jesse Leroy Matthew Jr. and the murders of Morgan Harrington and Hannah Graham. This story is not just about how Matthew was eventually caught. It is about the years before that: the college allegations, the DNA that sat without a name attached to it, the missed opportunities, and the systems that treated each warning sign like it belonged in a separate folder. Morgan Harrington disappeared in 2009 after leaving a Metallica concert in Charlottesville, Virginia. Years later, UVA student Hannah Graham disappeared after a night out in the same city. DNA evidence eventually connected Matthew to a 2005 Fairfax assault, Morgan's case, and Hannah's case. The question at the center of this episode is not only what Jesse Matthew did. It is how many times he could have been stopped before another woman was harmed. Because predators do not live in folders. This episode discusses sexual assault allegations, abduction, homicide, missing persons cases, violence against women, and institutional failures around campus safety. Jesse Matthew's early background and college football yearsSexual assault allegations at Liberty University and Christopher Newport UniversityThe 2005 Fairfax assault and unmatched DNA profileMorgan Harrington's disappearance after the 2009 Metallica concertThe search for Morgan and the creation of Help Save the Next GirlHannah Graham's 2014 disappearance in CharlottesvilleHow CCTV helped identify Matthew as a suspectThe DNA links between Fairfax, Morgan, and HannahMatthew's arrest in Texas, guilty pleas, and life sentencesThe larger conversation around campus safety, DNA policy, and missed warning signsAfter the main episode, I also cover two current stories: The death of Nateal Campbell, mother of NFL player Calais Campbell, and the charges against her son Ciarre CampbellThe update in Joniah Walker's case after the Milwaukee teen, missing since 2022, was found safeJesse Matthew was eventually convicted in the murders of Morgan Harrington and Hannah Graham, but this case raises a bigger question: how many times could he have been stopped before another woman was harmed? This episode looks at the college allegations, the 2005 Fairfax assault, the DNA links, the disappearances of Morgan and Hannah, and the institutional gaps that allowed warning signs to stay separated. Because predators do not live in folders. Content warning: sexual assault allegations, abduction, homicide, missing persons cases, and violence against women. If you made it this far, thank you for sitting with these stories with me. Let me know your thoughts on the missed opportunities in this case, because I really want to hear how y'all feel about that. For those of you who are like me and love to binge a story all the way through, episodes 6, 7, and 8 of What I Didn't See drop Sunday on the paid subscription, along with bonus journal entries with behind-the-scenes insight into Christina's thoughts. Thank you for the support, the comments, the shares, and the way y'all continue to show up for this space. Like, follow, and share this episode with someone who follows true crime with care. I'll see y'all in the next one. Research for this episode included public reporting from CNN, NBC News, NBC29, The Washington Post, CBS, WDBJ, and public case summaries related to Morgan Harrington, Hannah Graham, the 2005 Fairfax assault, and Jesse Matthew's convictions. Content WarningIn This EpisodeTrue Crime in Current NewsShort Spotify DescriptionListener CTASource Note For Spotify

  8. Jun 29 • Subscribers Only

    Gregory Harris, Richard Phillips, and the Cost of Silence

    On June 26, 1971, 21-year-old Gregory Harris left his Detroit home to buy cigarettes. He told his wife he would be back soon. He never returned. For months, Gregory’s family searched for answers after his blood-stained car was found in an alley. Nine months later, his remains were discovered in a field in Troy, Michigan. He had been shot twice in the head. The investigation eventually turned toward people in Gregory’s own circle, including his brother-in-law Fred Mitchell. But instead of being held accountable, Mitchell became the state’s key witness. His testimony helped convict Richard Phillips and Richard Palombo for Gregory’s murder. Richard Phillips maintained his innocence for decades. He spent more than 45 years in prison before new evidence revealed that Fred Mitchell’s story was false. In 2018, Richard Phillips was officially exonerated, making him one of the longest-serving wrongfully convicted people in U.S. history at the time. This episode looks at friendship, silence, false testimony, race, police indifference, and the devastating cost of a wrongful conviction. It also keeps Gregory Harris at the center: a young husband and father whose family deserved the truth from the beginning. In this episode: The disappearance and murder of Gregory HarrisThe blood-stained car and missed investigative opportunitiesFred Mitchell’s role as the state’s star witnessRichard Phillips’s conviction and decades-long fight for freedomThe hidden deal that was not disclosed to the defenseRichard Palombo’s later admission that Phillips was not involvedRichard Phillips’s 2018 exonerationUpdates on compensation questions and his life after prison Content Warning: This episode discusses murder, wrongful conviction, racism, police misconduct, incarceration, and drug overdose. Sources / Reference Points: National Registry of Exonerations, University of Michigan Innocence Clinic case reporting, Wayne County Conviction Integrity Unit reporting, and public coverage of Richard Phillips’s exoneration.

    Gregory Harris, Richard Phillips, and the Cost of Silence
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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
    318
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Steph and M.D.
  • Show Website
    Murder In The Black
  • Provider
    Stephenie Broden-Weaver

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