Crimes of Passion

By the time Gerald Gallego was 30, he was already a lifelong predator whose twisted crimes reached back into his childhood. When he met Charlene Williams in 1977, she became the newest target of his abuse — until she proposed a plan that made her his accomplice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 1990, Gregg Smart was murdered. Suspicion fell on 15-year-old Billy Flynn and his friends at first, but eventually the trail led back to Gregg's wife, 22-year-old Pamela Smart. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pamela and Gregg Smart's romance started strong, but after Gregg had an affair, 22-year-old Pamela turned to 15-year-old Billy Flynn for validation. The once happy marriage ended in betrayal... and death. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Casting himself as a lovestruck Robin Hood, 27-year-old John Wojtowicz tried to rob a bank so he could pay for his estranged wife’s gender confirmation surgery. The heist didn’t go as planned — but it would change both their lives forever. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Volatile and brash, John Wojtowicz lusted after a vibrant transgender woman named Liz Eden in the 1970s. They had a passionate relationship, but it soured — leaving Liz doomed to a hospital’s mistreatment, and John with an outrageous plan to get her out. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Years of emotional abuse, combined with an addictive prescription from Dr. Herman Tarnower, led Jean Harris to become severely depressed. She decided to take her life in March 1980 — but not before seeing Herman one last time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the 1960s, Jean Harris and Dr. Herman Tarnower developed an unconventional open relationship. He strung her along as a romantic afterthought for years, while prescribing her methamphetamines — leaving her hopelessly devoted, dependent, and ultimately, doomed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the third and final part of this series, we’ll look at three more infamous romances between prisoners and civilians. And how some of them seemed to work… but only for a while.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In part 2 of this series, we’ll look at three couples who risked everything to take their relationships to the next level… even if it meant facing jail time for them both. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Even the most sadistic killers have found love — or some distortion of it — in prison. Over the next three weeks, unravel the complicated dynamics that set these romances apart, and the high-profile cases of love gone right… and wrong.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices