The First Degree Podcast By Alexis Linkletter Jac Vanek cover art

The First Degree

The First Degree

By: Alexis Linkletter Jac Vanek
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About this listen

 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 perspective to the already fascinating true crime landscape. And who knows... you may be our next guest. (Plus, join them every Thursday for Killing Time, the light-hearted, true crime-adjacent aftershow!)Alexis Linkletter and Jac Vanek Politics & Government Social Sciences True Crime
Episodes
  • DEEP DIVE: SHEN YUN

    DEEP DIVE: SHEN YUN
    May 22 2025

    IT’S TIME! This week, the girls are finally deep diving into Shen Yun. And this time, it’s personal. Jac and Lex went to a Shen Yun show themselves to see what all of the fuss was about. They’re diving into the bizarre history of Shen Yun itself, what going to a Shen Yun show is REALLY like, and figuring out once and for all if Shen Yun is actually a cult (spoiler alert: it is).

    🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full video episodes over on Patreon:

    patreon.com/thefirstdegree

    📸 Instagram: instagram.com/thefirstdegree

    🕺 TikTok: tiktok.com/@thefirstdegreee

    👤 Facebook: facebook.com/thefirstdegree
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    53 mins
  • Episode 352: Lynn Schockner

    Episode 352: Lynn Schockner
    May 21 2025

    Around 11am on the morning of November 8th, 2004, a resident of the Bixby Knolls neighborhood in Long Beach saw what looked to be a prowler hoping the fence into the backyard of Lynn Schockner. Concerned, the neighbor immediately called the police. Within minutes, police were at Lynn’s front door, asking her to open her side gate. In the span of minutes, with police outside her house, Lynn was stabbed to death by an intruder. What initially seemed like a burglary gone wrong soon unfurled into a murder for hire plot that crossed Southern California. In episode 352, Jac and Alexis dig into the shocking events that left one woman dead and three men in jail for life.

    🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full video episodes over on Patreon:

    patreon.com/thefirstdegree

    📸 Instagram: instagram.com/thefirstdegree

    🕺 TikTok: tiktok.com/@thefirstdegreee

    👤 Facebook: facebook.com/thefirstdegree
    Show more Show less
    41 mins
  • DEEP DIVE: HOLLY MADISON RETURNS

    DEEP DIVE: HOLLY MADISON RETURNS
    May 15 2025

    The bitch is back! This week Jac and Lex are joined by their fav, Holly Madison to gossip about all of the latest dark news. We get her hot takes on Blake vs Justin, the disgusting slew of female teacher predators, and of course Diddy (and was there really a tunnel connecting his house to the Playboy Mansion???).

    🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full video episodes over on Patreon:

    patreon.com/thefirstdegree

    📸 Instagram: instagram.com/thefirstdegree

    🕺 TikTok: tiktok.com/@thefirstdegreee

    👤 Facebook: facebook.com/thefirstdegree
    Show more Show less
    43 mins
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All stars
Most relevant  
I do enjoy this podcast but I hate how much they cuss. I just feel like so much of the cussing is very unnecessary. That's really my only con. Other than that, it's a unique idea behind the podcast.

Love this podcast but...

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You see it on the news, you see it on the paper, you see it on Facebook…This is the kind of podcast that is supposed to happen in movies, not in real life.

As I write this review I’m sitting very far away from Jan Vanek, very far from Alexis Linkletter, and even further from Slenderman (Billy Jensen). (That is because I live in KY.)

And in case you were wondering…today is National Microwave Day.

First things first, there is no cooked fruit in this review. You’re welcome, Alexis.

I’ve been listening to the true crime podcast that you might end up on since day 1 and The First Degree continues to slay. The group banter is funny, witty, clever, and relatable. I feel like I’m low key Alexis on the inside, but act like Jac on the outside. And Billy is my awkward but cool step-dad.

The stories put the victims first, include the right amount of detail, and are unique (for the most part) from other podcasts.

If you haven’t heard any of this podcast yet, start from the beginning. The episodes don’t necessarily have to be listened to in order, but the production and polish on the show have grown along the way. Great work. I blame Jared.

Well that’s enough of that… let’s turn down the lights and turn up your anxiety. Because enjoying this podcast…could be you.

After you’ve Killed Some Time reading this review, be sure to…
-go buy some merch from the First Degree merch store
-order your grub from Daily Harvest
-buy your designer duds from The Real Real
-obsess over playing Best Fiends
-bundle your policies with Geico
-express yourself this holiday with the best styles and gifts from Express
-go set up your SimpliSafe in about 30 minutes (even Jac was able to do it)
-join The First Degree Facebook group where we are talking true crime all the time

Thank you for reading this review of a Podcast One Production,
-Leah (your first degree reviewer)
IG: @MackeyLeah

P.S.
Only you can prevent serial killers.
Keep your friends close, but not that close.
P.S.S. Happy national microwave day.

BREAKING: OG Firstie drops first Audible review

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I just found this podcast the other day by searching the name of Billy Jensen It does not disappoint and after four episodes I'm hooked!

Billy Jensen fan club

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this podcast is excellent! I love hearing the perspectives of those who were just one degree away from a crime! I found this after listening
to Chase Darkness with me by Billy Jensen

excellence in true crime!

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I really enjoyed this episode. I feel for this man and completely agree that our leaders in Texas need to push getting rid of old laws that are written because of parties.

Touching Story

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I found this podcast after listing to Billy Jensen’a book, watching and listening to unraveled I searched up Billy Jensen! I have been hooked! I love this podcast BTU then when it was announced that Billy was going to step away from podcast. I have looked into why but I sure wish he would return! Is there Any info if he will come back?

Is Billy coming back?

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I love listening to Alexis & Jac! everything is always so we'll researched, and the deep dives are perfection. tinfoil hats on!

the chemistry between hosts is 👩‍🍳💋

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This host and the story always captures my attention beginning to end. Love the show, love the hosts!

One of my faves

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I really wanted to enjoy this podcast because I enjoy true crime and I like the premise of focusing on someone who is connected to the crime in some way. I listened to at least a year’s worth of episodes, and but unfortunately the mispronunciations and misuse of words, phrases and metaphors just drives me insane and I can’t listen anymore. It seems to be getting worse as time goes on. The podcast seems to have decent writing, but it often sounds like it’s being seen by Alexis and Jac for the first time at the time of recording, as if they’ve only been briefed on the content but have not rehearsed. I won’t give it any more of my time. I’m grateful that I won’t have to hear, “As ALWAYS our first degree is ALWAYS our largest source,” again.

I just can’t anymore

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non crime series from my Audible account. Nothing about crime, and two girls one boy was a bad idea to begin with.

I am trying to figure out how to delete this

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