Issue 40, December 29, 2023

The Most Notorious True Crimes of 2023

🕵️Trivia Question

Which murderer was the first to be caught by the use of ship-to-shore telegraph?
Answer at the bottom of the newsletter

The Most Notorious True Crimes of 2023

The victims of the Nov. 13, 2022, University of Idaho massacre, from left to right: Kaylee Goncalves, Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle and Madison Mogen. (Instagram @xanakernodle I @maddiemogen I @kayleegoncalves)

‘Moscow Murders’, the College Students Murdered in Idaho

In November 2022, a disturbing incident took place near the University of Idaho, where authorities responded to a 911 call reporting an unconscious individual.

Upon arrival, they discovered the lifeless bodies of four individuals inside an off-campus house.

The victims, identified as Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Ethan Chapin, and Xana Kernodle, were all university students and close friends.

Three of them shared the rented home, while two other students residing there survived unharmed.

The deaths were determined as homicides resulting from stabbing.

As investigations unfolded, police struggled to identify a suspect and found no murder weapon at the scene.

The case gained significant attention on TikTok, with countless theories and speculations emerging.

While some focused on the surviving roommates as potential suspects, others pointed fingers at a local food truck driver who allegedly interacted with the victims on the night of the murders.

Such online speculation led to harassment, defamation, and even a lawsuit filed by a professor accused of planning the murders.

On December 30, authorities arrested Bryan Kohberger, a 28-year-old Ph.D. candidate studying criminology at a nearby university.

Police identified him as a suspect after matching DNA collected from the crime scene with genetic information submitted by one of his relatives to a genealogy website.

However, despite being considered the sole suspect, Kohberger has not been convicted of any wrongdoing at this point.

From left: Buster Murdaugh, Maggie Murdaugh, Paul Murdaugh and Alex Murdaugh. (Fox News)

Alex Murdaugh’s Trials

Disgraced South Carolina lawyer Alex Murdaugh has been sentenced to two consecutive life sentences for the murder of his wife and son.

Judge Clifton Newman announced the punishment less than 24 hours after Murdaugh was found guilty in the 2021 slayings of Maggie and Paul Murdaugh.

The trial spanned 28 days, during which jurors unanimously agreed that Murdaugh was guilty of two counts of murder and two counts of using a weapon during the commission of a violent crime.

The case relied heavily on circumstantial evidence and Murdaugh's lies.

Alex Murdaugh also received a 27-Year Sentence for Financial Fraud Following Confrontation by Angry Victims in Court.

Over the years, South Carolina attorney Alex Murdaugh had faced his distressed clients, offering assurances to aid them with medical bills, alleviating suffering, or simply ensuring their survival.

🔒 SAFETY TIP OF THE DAY: New Year’s Eve Crowd Safety Tips

  1. Keep Your Belongings Secure:

    • Ensure your bags are zipped and close to your body, preferably in front of you.

    • Be mindful of pickpockets taking advantage of crowded spaces.

  2. Drink Safety:

    • Always keep a close eye on your drink (even if your drinking water) and never leave it unattended, as it reduces the risk of tampering or potential safety concerns.

  3. Maintain Awareness of Surroundings:

    • Plan meeting points with your group to regroup quickly if separated.

    • Stay observant of people and activities around you.

    • Know where the exits are.

    • If something seems suspicious, take appropriate action based on your instincts.

  4. Have a Fully Charged Phone:

    • Save important numbers, including emergency contacts and local authorities.

  5. Navigate Crowded Environments Confidently:

    • Walk with purpose.

    • Maintain good posture.

    • Don’t fidget.

By following these precautions, you can enjoy crowded places with confidence and peace of mind.

Natalee Holloway and Joran van der Sloot in a compilation image. (AP, Getty Images)

Longtime suspect pleads guilty to Natalee Holloway's murder nearly two decades after her disappearance.

In a shocking plea deal on international extortion charges, a longtime suspect, now aged 36, has confessed to the gruesome murder of Alabama teen Natalee Holloway, nearly two decades after her disappearance in Aruba.

The Dutch national, Joran van der Sloot, admitted that he crushed Holloway's skull with a cinder block after she rebuffed his sexual advances on a beach near her hotel.

He then dragged her into the ocean and set her adrift.

Van der Sloot, who previously murdered Peruvian casino heiress Stephany Flores, was sentenced to 20 years in prison, with his release date now set for June 9, 2043.

Gilgo Beach Murders AKA The Long Island Serial Killer

Counter-clockwise from left: Amber Lynn Costello, 27, Maureen Brainard-Barnes, 25, Megan Waterman, 22, and Melissa Barthelemy, 24, disappeared after meeting with a client on Craigslist. The remains of the women were found in December 2010 at Gilgo Beach on Long Island.  (Suffolk County Police Department)


The remains of several women were discovered along Long Island's Ocean Parkway, and Rex Heuermann has been charged with six counts of murder in relation to three of the victims.

The women, identified as Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman, and Amber Costello, went missing after meeting a client on Craigslist.

Their bodies were found in 2010 during a search for another missing woman, Shannan Gilbert.

Police now believe Gilbert's death to be an accident, but they found a total of 11 bodies in the area during the investigation.

Heuermann remains a suspect in the death of a fourth woman, Maureen Brainard-Barnes. The other victims' cases are still being investigated.

Heuermann has been held in custody since mid-July and could face life in prison without parole if convicted.

🔍Trivia Answer

Dr Crippen. Hawley Harvey Crippen, born in 1862 in Coldwater, Michigan, U.S., and later meeting his demise on November 23, 1910, in Pentonville Prison, England, was a seemingly mild-mannered physician. However, he gained notoriety for the murder of his wife, successfully evading capture for a period in what became one of the most infamous criminal cases of the 20th century.