Episode #69: Not Safe at Home: The Murder of Janell Hatton
Summary
Hosts Terese Abel and Sarah Perkins Ricks interview Lt. Col. Jimmy Herzog about the 2004 murder of realtor Janelle Hatton. Herzog details how investigators linked the crime to former tenants seeking a jar of coins, leading to the discovery of Hatton’s body and the arrest of five conspirators. The episode covers the suspects' prison escape during Hurricane Katrina and their eventual capture via America's Most Wanted.
Topics discussed
Introduction and sponsor acknowledgments
Community story: Madison Moms birthday cake kits
Guest intro: Lt. Col. Jimmy Herzog's career
The discovery of Janelle Hatton's murder scene
Investigating the husband and finding the suspect's checkbook
Interrogations and confessions from Adina and Stephen Kirkley
Details of the brutal crime and disposal of the body
Stephen Kirkley's escape and the ensuing manhunt
Linking Kirkley to other murders and missing persons
America's Most Wanted and Kirkley's capture in Texas
The emotional toll on investigators and legal outcomes
Traits of great investigators and closing thoughts
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