Murder In The Morning | Daily True Crime News

By: Hidden Killers Podcast
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  • Summary

  • Join Tony Brueski and Stacy Cole every morning as they break down the latest true crime news and stories to kickstart your day. Stay informed on high-profile cases like Lori Vallow Daybell, Alex Murdaugh, and Bryan Kohberger, with real-time updates and analysis. Engage in discussions and interviews that delve deeper into these captivating stories. Tune in to stay up-to-date with the latest developments and immerse yourself in the world of true crime. From The Hidden Killers Podcast.
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Episodes
  • Prosecutors Deny Leaking Sean "Diddy" Combs Assault Video, Seek to Block Evidentiary Hearing

    Prosecutors Deny Leaking Sean "Diddy" Combs Assault Video, Seek to Block Evidentiary Hearing
    Nov 1 2024
    Federal prosecutors have refuted claims by Sean "Diddy" Combs’ legal team that a video showing him allegedly assaulting a former girlfriend was leaked to CNN by government agents. The recent filing, submitted overnight, aims to clarify that prosecutors were never in possession of the video and urges the court to reject Combs' motion for an evidentiary hearing.

    “The defendant argues baselessly that a video depicting the defendant's assault of a victim at the Intercontinental Hotel in Los Angeles on March 5, 2016 was provided to a media outlet by Government agents,” prosecutors wrote in the filing. Combs' legal team has suggested that the video, released publicly in May 2024, may have been leaked by federal prosecutors. However, prosecutors maintained that the video was not part of their evidence at the time CNN published it and was never obtained through grand jury proceedings.

    “Without any factual basis, the Leak Motion seeks to suppress highly probative evidence—a video of Combs brutally physically assaulting a victim in March 2016 that was published by a media outlet in May 2024—by claiming that it was grand jury material leaked by Government agents to CNN,” the filing continued. “But, as the defendant is fully aware, the video was not in the Government's possession at the time of CNN's publication, and the Government has never, at any point, obtained the video through grand jury process.”

    Combs, who appeared in federal court earlier in October, has sought to argue that alleged leaks could hinder his ability to receive a fair trial. Defense attorneys have called for an evidentiary hearing to address their claims, which prosecutors have dismissed as an attempt to avoid dealing with "damning" evidence against him.

    In addition to urging the court to deny Combs’ motion for a hearing, prosecutors are also opposing his request for the early disclosure of his accusers' identities. “The defendant's request for victim names should be denied on the basis that it is tantamount to a request for early disclosure of the Government's witness list, something he is clearly not entitled to at this extremely early stage of the proceedings,” the prosecutors stated. They emphasized that early disclosure would pose risks to witness safety and could open the door to potential obstruction.

    Prosecutors have accused Combs of leveraging the criminal case to defend against civil litigation brought by anonymous accusers, describing his tactics as an attempt to “co-opt this criminal proceeding to defend against civil litigation.” A federal judge recently denied one plaintiff’s request to proceed under a pseudonym in a related civil case, underscoring a “presumption of openness in judicial proceedings.”

    As Combs’ defense continues to press for transparency and evidentiary hearings, prosecutors have countered with firm denials of any misconduct. The case now awaits further review, as legal teams on both sides prepare for the next stage in the proceedings.
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    The latest on The Downfall of Diddy, The Trial of Karen Read, The Murder Of Maddie Soto, Catching the Long Island Serial Killer, Awaiting Admission: BTK’s Unconfessed Crimes, Delphi Murders: Inside the Crime, Chad & Lori Daybell, The Murder of Ana Walshe, Alex Murdaugh, Bryan Kohberger, Lucy Letby, Kouri Richins, Malevolent Mormon Mommys, The Menendez Brothers: Quest For Justice, The Murder of Stephen Smith, The Murder of Madeline Kingsbury, The Murder Of Sandra Birchmore, and much more! Listen at https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com
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    11 mins
  • Colorado Funeral Home Owners Plead Guilty to Pandemic Aid Fraud Amid Claims of Fake Ashes and Decomposing Bodies

    Colorado Funeral Home Owners Plead Guilty to Pandemic Aid Fraud Amid Claims of Fake Ashes and Decomposing Bodies
    Nov 1 2024
    Jon and Carie Hallford, the owners of Return to Nature Funeral Home in Penrose, Colorado, pleaded guilty to federal wire fraud charges related to their alleged misuse of pandemic relief funds and customer payments. The couple is accused of spending nearly $900,000 in relief funds on personal luxuries, including vehicles, designer items, and vacations, while leaving over 190 bodies decomposing in their facility, according to court documents. This facility, located about an hour south of Denver, became the focus of a federal investigation after the bodies were discovered in conditions that horrified families and state officials alike.

    The Hallfords pleaded guilty to one count each of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Prosecutors, per the plea agreement, are limited to requesting no more than a 15-year prison sentence, though the agreement awaits final approval by a judge. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tim Neff stated that the plea deal encompasses both the Hallfords' acknowledgment of COVID-19 relief fraud and additional fraud perpetrated against their customers.

    According to court filings, the Hallfords diverted funds intended for business expenses during the pandemic toward a lavish lifestyle. Purchases reportedly included a GMC Yukon and an Infiniti worth over $120,000 collectively, cryptocurrency investments of $31,000, body sculpting services, trips to California, Florida, and Las Vegas, and luxury items from brands like Gucci and Tiffany & Co.

    "These funds were supposed to support struggling businesses during the pandemic, not to fuel extravagant personal spending," noted Assistant U.S. Attorney Tim Neff, highlighting the gravity of the Hallfords' actions.

    The grim conditions discovered at Return to Nature Funeral Home extended beyond financial misconduct. An investigation following last year’s discovery revealed bodies stacked haphazardly, some reportedly in place since 2019. In some instances, the wrong bodies were buried, and the remains provided to grieving families often included fake ashes made of dry concrete. The Associated Press reported that the Hallfords fabricated cremation records, leaving families devastated upon learning that their loved ones had never been properly handled.

    Crystina Page, a mother whose son’s body was left decomposing in the Hallfords’ facility, expressed her anguish during the court hearing, stating, “My son was one of those victims; he lost 60% of his body weight.” She painfully recounted the conditions she believed he endured, saying, “Rats and maggots ate his face.” Page expressed her frustration with the limited plea deal but acknowledged it was “as close to justice as [she] was going to get.”

    The federal indictment added to an extensive list of charges already pending against the Hallfords in Colorado state court, where they face more than 200 counts related to corpse abuse and forgery. Meanwhile, Jon Hallford’s defense is being handled by the federal public defender’s office, which has not commented on the case. Attempts to reach Carie Hallford’s legal team were unsuccessful, and her attorney in state proceedings, Michael Stuzynski, declined to provide further comments.

    The disturbing details emerging from the Hallfords’ case prompted Colorado lawmakers to reevaluate and reform state funeral home regulations in 2024. New laws now require routine inspections and mandatory licensing for funeral home operators, a move motivated by the stories of families who, like Crystina Page, had their final goodbyes to loved ones turned into moments of anguish and loss.
    Want to listen to ALL of our podcasts AD-FREE? Subscribe through APPLE PODCASTS, and try it for three days free: https://tinyurl.com/ycw626tj
    Follow Our Other Cases: https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com
    The latest on The Downfall of Diddy, The Trial of Karen Read, The Murder Of Maddie Soto, Catching the Long Island Serial Killer, Awaiting Admission: BTK’s Unconfessed Crimes, Delphi Murders: Inside the Crime, Chad & Lori Daybell, The Murder of Ana Walshe, Alex Murdaugh, Bryan Kohberger, Lucy Letby, Kouri Richins, Malevolent Mormon Mommys, The Menendez Brothers: Quest For Justice, The Murder of Stephen Smith, The Murder of Madeline Kingsbury, The Murder Of Sandra Birchmore, and much more! Listen at https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com
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    10 mins
  • Karen Read Discusses Murder Trial, Life in Legal Limbo, and Unyielding Pursuit of Truth

    Karen Read Discusses Murder Trial, Life in Legal Limbo, and Unyielding Pursuit of Truth
    Oct 31 2024
    Karen Read, charged twice in the death of Boston Police Officer John O’Keefe, has opened up about her ongoing legal battle, strained personal life, and unyielding quest for justice in an interview with *Vanity Fair*. Speaking to reporter Julie Miller, who was granted unrestricted access, Read shared insights into her life since O’Keefe’s death and the impact of her highly publicized case. In what Vanity Fair described as a series of candid, in-home interviews, Read, 44, invited Miller to her former Mansfield residence in August. Read opened up about her relationship with O’Keefe, her pending retrial, and the toll her legal battles have taken. Miller reported that Read, who has been staying with family and friends, chose her previous home as the setting for the interviews. She was joined by a volunteer security guard, described by Miller as someone “who looks like John Cena and has a license to carry.” Facing an uncertain future, Read has prepared for the possibility of another arrest, keeping a Ziploc “go bag” on hand with essentials: Advil, melatonin, a toothbrush and toothpaste, a hairbrush, lipstick, and foundation, as well as her lawyer’s phone number. “I’m not backing down now,” Read told Vanity Fair, despite the looming prospect of a life sentence if convicted. According to Read, she won’t entertain the idea of a plea deal, even under the risk of severe penalties. “As scary as a potential conviction is, I will go to jail for something I didn’t do before I plea out. I will never give them that win.” Read, a former Fidelity Investments analyst and Bentley University finance professor, has assembled a team of criminal defense attorneys, but the cost of her legal defense has been steep. She has sold her home to offset expenses and is now living off the remains of her 401(k), accruing more than $5 million in legal fees. “If I can get the entire truth of this case out in the public forum, that, to me, is priceless,” she said. At the core of her defense are allegations that O’Keefe, her boyfriend of two years, was the victim of a violent cover-up involving other Boston police officers. Prosecutors argue that Read deliberately ran him over in her SUV after an evening out on January 29, 2022, a claim her defense refutes, asserting that O’Keefe was beaten by others. In July, her case resulted in a mistrial, and her legal team has appealed to Massachusetts’ Supreme Judicial Court to dismiss two of the charges ahead of a scheduled retrial in January. Reflecting on her relationship with O’Keefe, Read described challenges in their dynamic, with disagreements over his role as a disciplinarian for his niece and nephew, who lived with him. According to Read, O’Keefe struggled to mourn his late sister, the children’s mother, and remained hesitant about seeking therapy. “I think that’s part of his stock,” Read told Vanity Fair, “this Irish Catholic, south-of-Boston, rub-some-dirt-on-it, drink-through-your-problems mindset.” In detailing the night of O’Keefe’s death, Read recalled attending a gathering at the Waterfall Bar & Grille in Canton, after which she and O’Keefe joined others at an afterparty. Feeling uneasy upon arrival, she sent O’Keefe inside, only to leave after he didn’t return. She admitted to a fleeting thought that he might be “screwing around,” explaining, “I didn’t think he was physically incapacitated.” She left him multiple voicemails before heading home. Prosecutors, who highlight Read’s flirty exchanges with O’Keefe’s acquaintance Brian Higgins, argue that these interactions hint at motives for the crime. In response, Read openly admitted to seeking validation from Higgins. “I knew Higgins found me attractive,” she said, “It helped me emotionally validate myself, which is embarrassing to admit.” Amid the stress of her case, Read has remained steadfast about her innocence. Addressing rumors that she implicated herself in texts, she explained to Vanity Fair that she and her attorney, David Yannetti, only began communicating after police seized her phone. She said she initially told her parents, “If I did anything in any way, I’ll pay my dues. That’s how this should work. I want to know the truth — good, bad, ugly.” Read’s retrial is set to bring her story back into the public eye, with high stakes and public scrutiny on both her legal and personal lives. Want to listen to ALL of our podcasts AD-FREE? Subscribe through APPLE PODCASTS, and try it for three days free: https://tinyurl.com/ycw626tj Follow Our Other Cases: https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com The latest on The Downfall of Diddy, The Trial of Karen Read, The Murder Of Maddie Soto, Catching the Long Island Serial Killer, Awaiting Admission: BTK’s Unconfessed Crimes, Delphi Murders: Inside the Crime, Chad & Lori Daybell, The Murder of Ana Walshe, Alex Murdaugh, Bryan Kohberger, Lucy Letby, Kouri Richins, Malevolent Mormon ...
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    11 mins

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