Murder at The U

In May, the State of Florida will re-try Rashaun Jones for the murder of Bryan Pata.  After that, we’ll be back with a bonus episode - hopefully with an end to this story.  So stay tuned and thank you for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A high-stakes murder trial unravels with surprising courtroom twists and a mistrial. Tense jury deliberations reveal a lone holdout guided by a gut feeling. Cross-racial ID concerns, shaky forensics, and competing narratives about motive and witness reliability drive the drama.

Rashawn Jones, a former University of Miami football player arrested and tried in Bryan Pata’s 2006 killing, appears through interrogation transcripts and reporting. The conversation covers his arrest and jailhouse interactions. It digs into eyewitness testimony, a jailhouse informant, prosecutorial misconduct, and how investigative missteps reshaped the case.

Reporters confront police secrecy and sue for unredacted files to uncover leads. Family tips and jailhouse confessions point to a named suspect while official records show gaps and missing case activity. Court battles test whether the investigation was truly active, and leaked documents reveal who detectives quietly suspected.

A college teammate's absence sparks swirling suspicions about who killed Bryan. Reporters and family sift through phone logs, a mysterious new number, and conflicting memories. Teammates recall talent, fights, and tense relationships that suggest motive. New police belief and a reopened inquiry complicate a case with no physical evidence.

Dan Arruda, a producer and investigative reporter who conducted many interviews for the series, recounts field reporting and interactions with sources and detectives. He explores the many possible suspects around Bryan’s death. He describes chasing leads about cash, clubs, booster ties, a nightclub fight, and why police reports left gaps. Tension rises as teammates and detectives push for answers.

Manny Navarro, sports reporter who covered the University of Miami, shares reporting details and firsthand observations. Herbert Irving Walker III, prosecutor who responded to the homicide scene, explains crime-scene procedures. They discuss team gun culture, weapons found in Bryan’s apartment, a reputation-damaging brawl, Brian’s struggles and NFL prospects, and investigators treating the killing as a possible targeted execution.

Dan Arruda, an ESPN feature producer who interviewed the Pata family, and Ben Weber, the producer who helped kickstart ESPN’s reporting after Miami police outreach, discuss the case. They cover the pressure that reignited reporting, the family’s public plea for answers, Miami football’s culture and reputation, and how investigators and reporters rebuilt the story years later.

In 2006, Bryan Pata was a senior defensive tackle for the University of Miami with a bright future ahead of him. The NFL was right around the corner, and he was months away from being able to buy his mom a house. Instead, one night in early November, Bryan was shot dead outside his apartment complex coming home from practice.   From 30 for 30 Podcasts, Murder at The U tells the story of the shocking, high-profile murder investigation that rocked the college football world and what happened when a team of ESPN reporters brought that investigation into the light.   Who killed Bryan Pata? Twenty years later, someone is finally on trial. First two episodes drop Thursday, 2/12. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices