The First Degree

On November 29, 1996, two young men in Farmington, New Mexico, are murdered and mutliated inside a downtown business known as The Eclectic. At first it seems like a robbery gone wrong, but investigators soon deduce it’s more serious. However, despite the brutal nature of the crime, law enforcement is unable to pin down a suspect, and the city is on edge. It wouldn’t be until 4 years later, in December 2000, that investigators would apprehend the killers. Tragically, by this stage, one of the men had killed at least two more people, both from the Navajo nation, and was facing two additional trials. In episode 218, Jac and Alexis detail the frightening case of Robert Fry, a disturbed offender who over several years terrorised the northwest of New Mexico. 🎟 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  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week the girls and the gourmand (Matt) are back with a stomach-turning adventure! That's right, we're talking the worst of the worst when it comes to jellybean flavors. Also! Is it okay to have more than one Halloween costume? What about free candy? We're getting into it with this week's On The Stand. PLUS! (and this one really doesn't fit the theme) A pants-wetting worstie. Enjoy! 🎟 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  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On August 18, 2020, a 44 year old mother of two goes missing from Crawfordsville, Indiana, after a heated argument with her husband. Two days later, when she hasn’t returned home, her husband reports her disappearance. The same day, a sickening discovery is made just outside town, but the mystery only deepens. If the victim met her killer after leaving her home, law enforcement is in a race against the clock to find the person responsible before they strike again. But when the real killer is identified, and the motive for the murder is revealed, it’s as disturbing as it is incomprehensible. In episode 217, Jac and Alexis detail the grisly case of Hope Parks, and the gruesome lengths some people will go to when they feel they don’t have a choice. 🎟 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  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week the girls and gourmand dive into the most notorious outlaws of the Wild West. They debate going shoeless in public, dogs in bags on trains, and…cars??? Also is Matt too good of a person to be a part of TFD? Pls let us know 🎟 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  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On September 1st, 2003, 17-year-old Justine Vanderschoot sat down with her parents to eat dinner. Her boyfriend, 18-year-old Danny Bezemer, joined them. Recently, Justine and Danny had discussed getting married later that year, and Justine’s parents supported them despite their young age. After dinner, Danny went home and Justine went to bed. The next day, Justine was gone. Immediately, the Vanderschoot family organized search parties, passed out fliers, and organized a candlelight vigil to find their beloved daughter. Sixteen days after Justine vanished, Justine’s boyfriend, Daniel, and his roommate, 21-year-old Brandon Fernandez, led police investigators to her body’s location. After tapping Justine’s phone, Daniel had learned she was speaking to another man. In a fit of jealous rage, Daniel and his roommate Brandon strangled Justine, buried her alive, and killed her. In episode 216, Jac and Alexis unravel the tragic murder of Justine Vanderschoot. 🎟 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  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week the girls are joined by none other than May and Bill Vanek. That's right, the entire fam is here and we have quite the special episode for all you firsties. Poisonous Tylenol, botched haircuts, couples in matching outfits, single-use towels, and much, much more. 🎟 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  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On June 1, 2011, a 39 year old mother of triplets goes missing from Cape Girardeau, Missouri after visiting her divorce attorney. The woman’s panicked family is extremely concerned for her welfare. Police soon zero in on the missing woman’s husband. Investigators learn that there’s a history of abuse and domestic violence. However, when the victim goes missing, both she and her husband are on the same page about the divorce. In the past he’d threatened her life if she left. But now, he was happy to proceed. How could someone have such a profound shift in their perspective? Can we really trust someone when they change their mind about something so significant? In episode 215, Jac and Alexis detail the tragic case of Jacque Waller, a woman who was on the cusp of a new life when a killer cruelly robbed her of that future. 🎟 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  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, the girls and the ginger are taking a trip to Salem to learn about the hysteria surrounding the town during the witch trials. Plus! The metaverse is on the stand, along with adult birthday parties and surprise drop=by's. Also! Stick around until the end for one of Lex's best Costanza Stanzas to date! 🎟 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  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On August 3, 2021, 27-year-old Austin Lanz boards a bus to Arlington, Virginia. He exits onto a bus station platform that is mere steps away from the US military headquarters known as the Pentagon. Without any warning or provocation, Austin immediately ambushes and kills a Pentagon police officer, 37-year-old George Gonzalez. Then, Austin kills himself. Two weeks prior, Austin had been charged with breaking into his neighbor’s home after terrorizing and stalking the residents for years. A few months later, Austin's 22-year-old brother Matthew Lanz snaps from the pressure of his emotional turmoil. On November 18th, 2021, Matthew kills the man and woman he believes his older brother was obsessed with, only to discover that this is a tragic case of mistaken identity. In episode 214, Jac and Alexis reveal the wild twists and turns of the Lanz brothers’ crimes and explain how their unwarranted violence affected so many. 🎟 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  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week the girls and the ginger are rollin out! Looking for America’s greatest diners, drive ins, and dives. That’s right, Guy Fieri is on the stand. Also, we’re discussing the evolution of Charles Darwin’s dating life. Plus! Tongue in a wedding kiss? That’s all right here, right now on The First Degree (Killing Time). 🎟 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  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices