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PODCAST

The First Degree

Alexis Linkletter, Jac Vanek

Do you ever wonder what it’s like to be friends with a murderer? Or escape a kidnapping? Or have a father who was a serial killer? Join Jac Vanek and Alexis Linkletter on a chilling ride into the darkest corners of your worst nightmares. Murders, cults, kidnappings, and conspiracies—all told through the eyes of a guest who is one degree of separation from the story itself. From infamous serial killers to the unbelievable unknown murder in your own backyard, The First Degree delivers a new

true crime

All Episodes

01:44:59

Episode 66: A Bad Boy Romance

The First Degree ·

2019/11/13

What happens when you fall for a bad boy—a boy your parents refuse to let you to see? On episode 66, Jac, Alexis and Billy discuss a tragic murder case that destroyed an entire family and took away First Degree connection Audrina's best friend in high school. Through Audrina, they delve into the months leading up to the crime, the toxic influence on her friend's life, the horrific details of the murder, and finally, the pain in the aftermath. 🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full

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01:21:59

Episode 65: The Hollywood Ripper Part 2

The First Degree ·

2019/11/06

Mike Gargiulo was a chameleon who possessed the ability to blend into the gritty backdrop of Los Angeles, slipping into the lives and proximity of his targets without a trace. Gargiulo committed crimes that both proceeded and followed the murder of Ashley Ellerin. His method of choice? Stalking each beautiful woman from the outskirts of their lives, acquainting himself with each of their habits before Striking at their most vulnerable moment. On episode 65, Jac, Alexis and Billy are joined again by

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00:55:52

Episode 64: The Hollywood Ripper Part 1

The First Degree ·

2019/10/30

22-year-old Ashley Ellerin was standing outside her Hollywood home next to a car with a flat tire when a handsome guy approaches and insisted on helping. This "chance encounter" would eventually be revealed as the first step in a carefully choreographed scenario designed to win Ashley's trust. It’s through this story that America would be introduced to a methodical serial killer; one who would leave a path of destruction and catch hundreds of people -- from a close-knit family in Illinois to Ashton

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01:39:10

Episode 63: Jesse "LJ" Matthew

The First Degree ·

2019/10/23

One student is last seen at a Metallica concert. Her remains are found three months later. Fast forward five years, another student is last seen on late night surveillance video walking from bar to bar in the same town. And someone else is seen on the video—following her. It would be the clue that would capture a serial killer—-one who it seems could have been stopped much earlier. In a special crossover episode with Billy’s other podcast, Jensen & Holes: The Murder Squad, Jac, Alexis and Billy

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01:34:19

Episode 62: Betty Stotts

The First Degree ·

2019/10/16

When a fire breaks out at a Texas drive-in theater, everyone assumes it was an accident. But once the firemen entered the ticket booth, they learned the truth— the fire had been started intentionally in an attempt to conceal a horrific crime. In episode 62, Jac, Alexis and Billy dig into the details of the case, the unexplainable events that happened in the days that followed, and speak to two members of the Stotts family whose lives were forever altered by the events of that evening. Honey - Get

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01:28:42

Episode 61: Serial Killer Roger Fain

The First Degree ·

2019/10/09

On the morning of June 28th, 1999, Darlene Anderson failed to show up to work. Darlene always showed up to work. After a massive search, police made an awful discovery that led them to believe that she may have crossed paths with a serial killer. On episode 61, Jac, Alexis and Billy explore the decades of violence inflicted by Roger Fain. They'll discuss the many cases he's been linked to, the tactics he used to select his victims, the flawed system that allowed him the opportunity to kill over and

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01:24:03

Episode 60: Jaymie Adams

The First Degree ·

2019/10/02

25-year-old Jaymie Adams went out to meet a friend in Oklahoma City. When the pregnant mother of four failed to return home, the community watched as a bizarre case unfolded, and a likely suspect emerged. On episode 60 of The First Degree, Jac, Alexis and Billy examine the crime, the investigation and explore how personal biases possess the potential to ruin lives. Stamps.com - get a 4-week trial PLUS free postage AND a digital scale without any long-term commitment. Just go to Stamps.com, click on

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01:21:50

Episode 59: Tracey Schoettlin

The First Degree ·

2019/09/25

The body of a young woman is found under a bridge in Birmingham Alabama. She had been stabbed and sexually mutilated. Her murder sent shock waves through the bible belt community, this was 1986, and rumors of a connection to witchcraft and devil worship spread through the town. On episode 59, Jac, Alexis and Billy delve into the evidence, theories, the investigation, and discuss the impact this woman's murder had on the 14-year-old girl who discovered her body. Simple Health - try Simple Health for

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01:28:16

Episode 58: The Casanova Killer

The First Degree ·

2019/09/18

Glen Rogers charmed his way into Linda Price’s life at the Mississippi state fair in the autumn is 1995–and in less than three weeks she would be found murdered in the bathtub of the apartment they shared. The police soon learned that Linda was not the first beautiful redhead killed by the man come to be known Casanova Killer. And she wouldn’t be the last. The hunt for Rogers was an urgent multi state effort that landed his name at the top of the FBI's most wanted list. On episode 58, Jac, Alexis &

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00:47:12

Episode 57: Linda Price

The First Degree ·

2019/09/11

On a fall evening at the Mississippi State Fair, Linda Price was approached a blonde stranger named Glen Rogers. He was charming, mysterious, and exactly what Linda had been looking for. But what started out as a storybook romance quickly turned into a nightmare, when Linda couldn't be reached by her family on Halloween night. On episode 57, Jac, Alexis and Billy speak with Linda's daughter Chrystal about the horror she and her family experienced at the hands of Glen Rogers, also known as The

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00:59:28

Episode 56: Marti Hill

The First Degree ·

2019/09/04

On Sept. 10, 2010, Marti Hill was savagely attacked and left for dead in the basement of her Kansas home. On episode 55 of The First Degree, Jac, Alexis, and Billy speak with Marti’s daughter Mackenzie, and try to understand why her mother was targeted, and if it’s possible to keep ourselves safe if no clear motive can be detected. Right now, FD listeners can get a special offer that includes a 4-week trial PLUS free postage AND a digital scale without any long-term commitment - Just go to

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01:04:24

Episode 55: Kim Goldman Part 2

The First Degree ·

2019/08/28

On October 3rd 1995, 100 million Americans watched as a jury declared OJ Simpson not guilty of the murders of his ex-wife Nicole Brown and her friend Ronald Goldman. The verdict rattled faith in the justice system, stained popular culture, and the strategies implemented by Simpson’s defense team heightened police distrust. The country has (seemingly) moved on, but the emotional ruins left in the wake of Simpson’s acquittal continue to affect those who loved the victims. Research Sources &

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00:57:22

Episode 54: Kim Goldman Part 1

The First Degree ·

2019/08/21

On the night of June 12th, 1994, two people were murdered in the Los Angeles suburb of Brentwood. This double homicide would change the world, shatter the lives of the victims' families, and forever fracture our faith in the justice system. On episode 53, Jac, Alexis & Billy are joined by Kim Goldman, the sister of Ronald Goldman, a 25-year-old aspiring restauranteur who was stabbed to death attempting to protect his friend Nicole Brown. Use coupon code " FIRSTDEGREE " for $10 off your

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01:07:13

Episode 53: Crystal Kipper

The First Degree ·

2019/08/14

On the landmark 52nd episode of The First Degree, Jac, Alexis and Billy are joined by Justin Evans of the Generation Why Podcast. Justin shares his first degree connection to the bizarre disappearance of his high school friend, 18-year-old Crystal Kipper, who vanished from the side of the highway in the winter of 1997. A twist of fate would reveal the truth about what happened to Crystal, and the story would be the stuff of nightmares. Episode Research Sources & Credits: Oscar Avila, Benita Y

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01:02:02

Episode 52: Christmas in St. George

The First Degree ·

2019/08/07

On episode 51, Jac, Alexis and Billy delve into a double homicide that rocked the small town of St. George Utah over Christmas in 2010. Two men were immediately arrested, but the bizarre nature of the killings provided more questions than answers, and as the suspect motives were called into question, onlookers were left wondering: Were these senseless murders committed by willful and deliberate choice or were they the result of fear, compulsion and addiction? TRYFirstLeaf.com/FirstDegree to get 6

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01:05:31

Episode 51: Elyse Pahler

The First Degree ·

2019/07/31

The disappearance of a 15-year-old girl named Elyse Pahler was initially ignored by law enforcement. But months later, a 16-year-old boy confessed to killing her—and claimed that her murder was a part of a carefully concocted plot by him and his friends to sacrifice her to the devil. They believed the killing would be their ticket to hell—and it would in turn make them better at their instruments, which they wielded in their thrash metal band. On episode 50, Jac, Alexis and Billy discuss the

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01:06:22

Episode 50: Mackenzie Lueck

The First Degree ·

2019/07/24

At 2:00 am on June 17th, 2019, 23-year-old Mackenzie Lueck got off a plane in Salt Lake City, took a Lyft to a suburban park, and then vanished. Police followed the digital breadcrumbs left by Mackenzie to a house where a slew of nightmarish clues were discovered—clues that told the story of Mackenzie's fate and lead to the arrest of a suspect. On episode 49, Jac, Alexis and Billy speak with a first degree connection—a woman who encountered the suspect on a dating app and actually met him for a

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01:16:09

Episode 49: Katie Beers

The First Degree ·

2019/07/17

A 10-year-old girl goes missing from an indoor amusement park in Smithtown, New York. The family friend caring for her calls the police and dozens of officers begin searching for little Katie Beers. In the first two weeks, they don’t find her, but they do uncover stories of abuse amidst the disturbing cast of characters entrusted with her care. On episode 48, Jac, Alexis & Billy tell the tale of the race to find Katie, the chilling details of her captivity, and explore how the system left a

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01:03:52

Episode 48: Joel Rifkin Part 2

The First Degree ·

2019/07/10

On Episode 47, Jac, Alexis and Billy conclude with part two of the story of Joel Rifkin. In 1993, the discovery that a serial killer had been operating in the shadows of New York dominated the headlines. Rifken’s gruesome confessions—recounting his sexual perversion and utter disregard for human life—tore at the fabric of the quaint suburbs of Long Island, shattering the sense of security that the people in the suburbs were supposed to represent. New York’s most prolific serial killer was one of

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00:51:43

Episode 47: Joel Rifkin Part 1

The First Degree ·

2019/07/03

The police chase that began in that late evening in June revealed the body of a murdered woman in the bed of a pickup truck driven by Joel David Rifkin. At the start of his interrogation, there was one murder victim. By the end, there were 17, all buried throughout the Tri-State area, all killed by the hands of Rifkin. On episode 46, Jac, Alexis & Billy recount the bizarre life, disturbances, and horrors the most prolific serial killer in the history of New York. 🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus

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