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Artwork for Dead Certain: The Martha Moxley Murder

Dead Certain: The Martha Moxley Murder

NBC News Studios

The night before Halloween 1975, 15-year-old Martha Moxley was found bludgeoned to death outside her family’s home in the tony Greenwich, Connecticut, enclave of Belle Haven. The local police, used to dealing more with traffic stops than a high-profile murder, grappled with a lack of forensic evidence – or a motive. They had their suspects of course. The creepy neighbor. The eldest teenage son of the Skakel family next door. The Skakel children’s burly tutor. But without concrete evidence or a confession, the case stalled out. For decades, it remained unsolved and it seemed like no one would ever be charged with her killing. But then, a series of improbable events involving, among others, Dominick Dunne, William Kennedy Smith, and Mark Fuhrman, compounded to deliver the public a new suspect – 39-year-old Michael Skakel, who’d been 15, like Martha, at the time of the crime. The arrest made national headlines – and not just because Michael Skakel was an accused killer. He was also a cousin of the Kennedys. Skakel’s 2002 high-profile murder trial was a media feeding frenzy. Reporters wondered – would this rich, privileged son of a scion get away with it? Despite flimsy evidence and witnesses with questionable backgrounds, a jury convicted Michael. For many, it felt like a fitting end to the Moxley case. Finally, justice was served. Sentenced to 20 years to life in prison, Michael Skakel, who’d always proclaimed his innocence, fought for his freedom. In 2018, his conviction was overturned – and prosecutors declined to re-prosecute. Innocent in the eyes of the law, Michael remains guilty in the eyes of many. Where does the truth lie? Dead Certain: The Martha Moxley Murder, is an immersive, fresh take on this infamous case. The series is hosted by veteran journalist Andrew Goldman, hired a decade ago by Skakel’s cousin RFK Jr. to research a book about the case. But after the book was published, Goldman found he couldn’t let it go. New episodes every Tuesday through January 20, 2026.

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  • 15 episodes
  • weekly
  • Avg 50 min
  • English
  • Monday · 1 min

    Introducing: Before & After with Lester Holt

    Hey Dead Certain fans! As a bonus for you, we’re sharing the trailer for Before & After with Lester Holt, an all-new original podcast series from Dateline. Before & After with Lester Holt is a deeply personal interview series about moments that divide a life into before and after. In each conversation, Lester sits down with someone whose life was transformed in an instant by an unexpected twist of fate. The episodes explore what it takes to endure the unimaginable, rebuild a life, and find me

  • July 27 · 2 min

    Dateline Presents: An all-new season of ‘Dateline: Missing In America’

    As a bonus for Dead Certain fans, we’re sharing the trailer for Season 5 of our award-winning podcast, Dateline: Missing In America, which returns with all-new episodes and compelling new cases. Correspondent Josh Mankiewicz reports on missing person cases brought to Dateline’s attention by our social media followers. Each of the 6 episodes centers on one individual’s disappearance, told through the voices of those left behind. Listen closely. You could be the key to solving a mystery. Detail

  • S1 · E12
    January 20 · 1 hr 5 min

    Known Unknowns

    Blood found in a Belle Haven home raises questions. A new potential suspect emerges. Amanda Knox speaks on wrongful convictions. Andrew shares parting thoughts.

  • S1 · E11
    January 13 · 1 hr

    Martha Speaks

    Could Martha Moxley’s diary entries contain clues about her murder? Plus, a revelation from Tommy Skakel and a new potential suspect.

  • S1 · E10
    January 6 · 1 hr 15 min

    The Out of Towners

    An unexpected figure emerges with a new theory and possible new suspects. RFK Jr. sees a breakthrough, but deeper scrutiny reveals cracks in the story.

  • S1 · E9
    Dec 30, 2025 · 1 hr 12 min

    Family Ties

    Skakel reconnects with his Kennedy cousins, but when scandal erupts, the reunion collapses. A memoir recorded for self-protection becomes a liability.

  • S1 · E8
    Dec 23, 2025 · 1 hr 4 min

    The Joker

    Michael Skakel’s defense attorney Mickey Sherman thought the case was a home run, but lost at trial. A hard look at his tactics and strategy raise red flags.

  • S1 · E7
    Dec 16, 2025 · 55 min

    About Those Confessions...

    A deep dive into the State’s case and the witnesses it put on raises questions. Michael Skakel speaks about the trial verdict and its aftermath.

  • S1 · E6
    Dec 9, 2025 · 56 min

    The Trial

    Michael’s trial begins amidst a media frenzy. The state faces an uphill battle to convict him. Michael’s alibi is questioned.

  • S1 · E5
    Dec 2, 2025 · 1 hr 14 min

    Michael Speaks

    Mark Fuhrman pens a book naming Michael Skakel as suspect. For the first time, Michael speaks publicly about his painful childhood and time at reform school.

  • S1 · E4
    Nov 25, 2025 · 58 min

    No Good Deed

    An ill-conceived plan to clear the Skakel name goes awry. The Moxley case is thrust back in the spotlight. Suspicion falls on Michael Skakel for the first time.

  • S1 · E3
    Nov 18, 2025 · 58 min

    The Night Visitor

    Almost a year after Martha’s death, former live-in Skakel tutor Ken Littleton finds himself at the center of the investigation into her murder.

  • S1 · E2
    Nov 11, 2025 · 56 min

    The Boy Next Door

    The Moxley murder investigation heats up. Police attention is quickly focused on Martha’s neighbor Thomas Skakel, the last known person to be seen with Martha.

  • S1 · E1
    Nov 4, 2025 · 50 min

    Mischief Night

    On Halloween 1975, 15-year-old Martha Moxley’s brutally beaten body is found steps from her home. The town of Greenwich, Connecticut is rocked by the murder.

  • Oct 27, 2025 · 3 min

    Introducing Dead Certain: The Martha Moxley Murder

    The night before Halloween 1975, 15-year-old Martha Moxley is bludgeoned to death just steps from her home in the ritzy Belle Haven neighborhood of Greenwich, Connecticut. The murder weapon? A golf club. In the wake of the brutal killing, Greenwich police find themselves out of their depths. Over the next 25 years, an improbable series of events unfolds, leading to the arrest and conviction of Michael Skakel, who was 15 years old at the time of the murder. A former neighbor to the Moxleys, he is

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