True Crime Recaps

Amy Townsend, Chris Nathan
  • 4.7 (300)
  • TRUE CRIME
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

All the crime in half the time!® Because you've got a lot of mysteries to solve. Subscribe so you never miss a recap with Chris Nathan and Amy Townsend. Watch video episodes three times a week @truecrimerecaps on YouTube, Facebook, TikTok, and Snapchat.

  1. 1D AGO

    The Au Pair Murders: Inside the Brendan Banfield Case

    On the morning of February 24, 2023, police responded to a home in Fairfax County, Virginia. Inside, they found 37 year old Christine Banfield critically injured. A man named Joseph Ryan was already dead, shot by Christine’s husband, IRS special agent Brendan Banfield. Brendan told investigators he had interrupted a violent attack and acted in self defense. At first, the explanation appeared straightforward. That narrative quickly began to unravel. Investigators discovered that Brendan had been involved in a secret relationship with the family’s live in Brazilian au pair, Juliana Peres Magalhaes. Prosecutors later alleged the pair had planned Christine’s killing over several months, using an online account created with Christine’s image to lure Joseph Ryan to the home under false pretenses. As the investigation expanded, evidence including phone records, online messages, purchases, and changes made inside the home raised serious doubts about Brendan’s account. Juliana eventually accepted a plea agreement and agreed to testify, directly contradicting the self defense claim. In February 2026, a jury found Brendan Banfield guilty on multiple charges, including aggravated murder and child endangerment. The case, now widely known as the Au Pair Murders, stands as one of the most disturbing family betrayal cases in recent years. Follow True Crime Recaps for weekly cases that examine complex investigations and the justice system.

    13 min

  2. 3D AGO

    A Locked Hotel Room and a Death No One Could Explain

    When 55 year old Greg Fleniken failed to show up for work, coworkers requested a welfare check at his Beaumont, Texas hotel. He was found deceased inside his locked room. There were no signs of forced entry, no visible injuries, and no evidence of a struggle. Given Greg’s health history, investigators initially believed he had died of natural causes. That assumption quickly unraveled. An autopsy revealed severe internal injuries that did not match a heart attack or stroke. Detectives were left with a troubling question: how could someone suffer such damage without any outward signs of trauma? The case stalled as investigators explored unlikely possibilities, including a neighboring room, a brief power outage, and hotel staff activity. Nearly a year later, a private investigator noticed subtle damage hidden in the wall between two rooms. What followed exposed a shocking chain of events involving alcohol, a firearm, and a cover up that delayed the truth. This case shows how a death that appears routine can hide a reality far more complex. Follow True Crime Recaps for weekly cases that uncover the unexpected twists behind real investigations.

    12 min

  3. 6D AGO

    A Mother Promised to Kill Her Son Before His Birthday and Called 911 When It Failed

    In the early hours of a February morning in Michigan, a 911 dispatcher receives a call that immediately raises concern. A woman tells the operator that “things got out of hand” and that they were “supposed to leave yesterday.” What first sounds like confusion soon reveals a far more serious situation involving 17 year old Austin Pikaart. Investigators later learn that Austin’s mother, Katie Austin Lee, had given her son a combination of medications, believing it would put them both to sleep permanently. When that plan failed and Austin remained alive but unresponsive, events escalated further before authorities arrived at the apartment. Police found Austin deceased and Katie refusing to cooperate. During the investigation, she claimed the incident was part of a mutual agreement, saying her son did not want to turn 18. Prosecutors rejected that explanation. Katie Austin Lee later pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including second degree murder, and was sentenced to 60 to 90 years in prison. Austin is remembered as a thoughtful and intelligent teenager whose life was cut short before he had the chance to reach adulthood. This case raises difficult questions about control, responsibility, and the warning signs that can go unnoticed. Follow True Crime Recaps for weekly cases that examine real investigations and the justice system.

    9 min

  4. FEB 5

    Albert Fish: The Boogeyman Case That Haunted New York

    In 1927, four year old Billy Gaffney disappeared from his New York City apartment building while playing in the hallway. When questioned, the only other child present gave a chilling response, saying “the boogeyman took him.” Billy was never seen again, and at the time, no one understood what those words truly meant. A year later, a man using the name Frank Howard gained the trust of the Budd family after responding to a job advertisement. Presenting himself as a harmless farmer, he convinced them to let their ten year old daughter, Gracie Budd, accompany him to what he claimed was a birthday gathering. She never returned. Years later, a letter sent to Gracie’s mother revealed disturbing details that only the person responsible could have known. The correspondence led authorities to Albert Fish, a man already linked to multiple child disappearances across the country. At trial, Fish confessed to numerous crimes. His insanity defense was rejected, and in 1936 he was executed at Sing Sing Prison. Nearly a century later, the Albert Fish case remains one of the most unsettling chapters in American criminal history. Follow True Crime Recaps for weekly cases that explore the darkest corners of history and the justice system.

    8 min

  5. FEB 3

    When Wealth Boredom and Arrogance Collide: The Dellen Millard Murders

    In May 2013, Tim Bosma left his rural Ontario home for a late night test drive with two men interested in buying his truck. He never returned. What followed was a complex investigation that uncovered a case driven not by need, but by entitlement. Authorities soon focused on Dellen Millard, a wealthy aviation heir known for risk taking and a pattern of reckless behavior. Investigators pieced together evidence including burner phones, GPS data, and messages referencing so called “missions.” Their findings led to a custom built industrial device owned by Millard, where evidence later confirmed Tim Bosma’s death. As the investigation widened, police also connected Millard to the disappearance of his former girlfriend, Laura Babcock, and the death of his father, Wayne Millard, which had initially been ruled a suicide. Millard and accomplice Mark Smich were ultimately convicted, and Millard is now serving multiple life sentences. This case raises an unsettling question about power, privilege, and accountability. When consequences feel distant, how far will someone go? Follow True Crime Recaps for weekly cases that examine the justice system and the stories that continue to raise difficult questions.

    19 min

  6. JAN 31

    They Drove to Lovers Lane and Never Came Back

    On August 22, 1990, Cheryl Henry and Andy Atkinson left a Houston nightclub and vanished. Their white car was later found abandoned at the end of a dark dead end street known locally as Lovers Lane. Inside the vehicle were broken glass, blood, and Cheryl’s belongings, but no sign of the couple. Hours later, police made a horrifying discovery in a nearby wooded field. Cheryl had been sexually assaulted, bound, and murdered. Andy was found a short distance away, tied to a tree and killed. Investigators believe Cheryl was murdered first, forcing Andy to hear what was happening before his own death. The crime scene contained disturbing and unexplained details. Golf balls and a club taken from Andy’s trunk were placed near Cheryl’s body. A twenty dollar bill lay nearby. Balloons were found hanging from tree branches. Despite FBI profiling, early DNA testing, and years of investigation, no suspect was identified. Years later, DNA linked the Lovers Lane murders to a sexual assault that occurred two months earlier in Houston. The surviving victim described an attacker whose behavior suggested someone familiar with security or military style discipline. A confirmed DNA profile exists, but no arrest has ever been made. More than three decades later, the murders of Cheryl Henry and Andy Atkinson remain unsolved, with hope resting on new forensic advances that could finally reveal the person responsible.

    10 min

  7. JAN 29

    Taken From Her Bed While Her Family Slept. The Becky Kunash Case.

    On May 10, 1979, six-year-old Rebecca “Becky” Kunash went to sleep in her Merritt Island, Florida home with a night light glowing beside her bed. Sometime after midnight, while her parents slept just feet away, a man removed her window screen, entered her bedroom, and abducted her. By morning, Becky was gone. Her body was found hours later in a nearby canal. Investigators quickly focused on Bryan Jennings, a twenty-year-old Marine home on leave who had been seen in the neighborhood that night. Fingerprints, footprints, and his own confession tied him directly to the crime. Jennings admitted to taking Becky from her bed, sexually assaulting her, and killing her before dumping her body in the water. Jennings was convicted and sentenced to death, but his conviction was overturned and retried multiple times over the years. In 1986, a final death sentence was upheld. For Becky’s family, justice came slowly and painfully. Nearly forty six years after the crime, Bryan Jennings was executed by lethal injection on November 13, 2025. He offered no final statement. This episode explores how a quiet night turned into a lifelong nightmare and the decades-long road to accountability for one of Florida’s most heartbreaking child abduction cases.

    7 min

  8. JAN 27

    Hollywood Director Charged in Child Abuse Case Involving Young Actors

    Emmy winning actor and director Timothy Busfield is facing serious criminal charges in New Mexico following allegations involving two child actors he worked with on the Fox series The Cleaning Lady. Prosecutors have charged Busfield with two counts of criminal sexual misconduct against a minor and one count of child abuse. He has denied all allegations and maintains his innocence. According to court documents, investigators allege Busfield encouraged the twins to call him Uncle Tim, gave them gifts, and spent time with their family outside of filming. Prosecutors say he used moments of confusion on set to isolate the boys. One child reportedly disclosed that inappropriate contact began when he was seven years old, describing incidents that allegedly occurred on a bedroom set after filming paused. The second twin reported similar discomfort but said he did not speak up at the time. Authorities cite therapy notes, medical evaluations, behavioral changes, and witness statements as part of the evidence supporting the charges. Prosecutors have also referenced prior allegations spanning decades, though none previously resulted in criminal convictions. Busfield surrendered to authorities in January 2026 and was ordered held without bail. His defense team says the accusations are retaliatory after the children were written out of the show and claims he passed an independent polygraph test. As the case moves forward, the court will decide whether the evidence supports the charges. Until then, the allegations remain unproven, and the outcome could have major implications for accountability and child safety in the entertainment industry.

    16 min
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4.7
out of 5
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About

All the crime in half the time!® Because you've got a lot of mysteries to solve. Subscribe so you never miss a recap with Chris Nathan and Amy Townsend. Watch video episodes three times a week @truecrimerecaps on YouTube, Facebook, TikTok, and Snapchat.

Information

  • Creator
    Amy Townsend, Chris Nathan
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    293
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Amy Townsend, Chris Nathan
  • Show Website
    True Crime Recaps

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