Drop Dead Serious With Ashleigh Banfield

I know a thing or two about true crime... I’ve been reporting on it for 36 years. This is the podcast where I take you on a journey through mystery and injustice... and dive deep into critical clues with an irreverent style that I don’t share on TV!

Join me for my personal take on many of these stories and my personal connection to several as well!

I’m Ashleigh Banfield, and I’m Drop Dead Serious!

New Episodes Every Thursday!

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#387
Wednesday · 50 min
Utah Teen Girl Says Man Kept a Knife Under His Pillow to Stop Her From Escaping | Kylie Arellano
Kylie Arellano was 15 when she vanished from Garden City, Utah, on May 29, 2025. She was 17 when police found her alive 521 days later, on November 1, 2026, at the Huntington, Oregon, home of 39-year-old Adam Hunter Harmel. The break came when Kylie met another kid playing Among Us, moved the conversation to Discord, and sent them news stories about her own disappearance. In this episode of Drop Dead Serious, Ashleigh Banfield follows the search for Kylie, the video call that led to her rescue, and the disturbing allegations in the federal case against Adam Harmel. Visit http://Wildgrain.com/BANFIELD40 to get $40 off your first box and free croissants for life, or use promo code BANFIELD40 at checkout.
#385
Tuesday · 29 min
Disturbing: Ivy League Cadet Admits to Spiking Shake, Forcing Abortion Pills | Caleb Suh
A West Point cadet allegedly spiked his pregnant girlfriend’s protein shake with Xanax so he could give her abortion pills while she slept. On February 4, 2022, Caleb Suh gave the medication to his girlfriend, identified in court papers as Jane Doe, without her knowledge or consent. She wanted to keep the baby. After waking up in pain and bleeding, she called 911 and learned at the hospital that she was miscarrying. Caleb Suh pleaded guilty to felony assault on June 30, 2026, and Jane Doe sued him for assault and battery on October 28. In this episode of Drop Dead Serious, Ashleigh Banfield breaks down what happened inside the West Point barracks, what Caleb Suh admitted in federal court, and how he got his sentencing pushed to January 2027, in part so he could finish his semester at Columbia University’s School of Public Health.
#386
Monday · 52 min
Sandra Birchmore: Breakup or Murder Cover-Up? The Jury Has to Decide | Matthew Farwell
Matthew Farwell’s defense says he went to Sandra Birchmore’s apartment to end their affair. Federal prosecutors say he went there to kill her. On February 4, 2021, 23-year-old Sandra Birchmore was found dead in her Canton, Massachusetts, apartment with a duffel bag strap around her neck. She was pregnant. Prosecutors allege that Matthew Farwell, a former Stoughton police detective, strangled her three days earlier and staged the scene. Matthew Farwell pleaded not guilty to federal charges of killing a witness or victim and causing the death of an unborn child. In this episode of Drop Dead Serious, Ashleigh Banfield is joined by WBZ-TV reporter Kristina Rex, who covered the trial from inside the courtroom, to break down the November 6 closing arguments. Sandra Birchmore Case Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPAgz_QEcbRs
#385
Saturday · 57 min
Disturbing Mystery: Stunning DNA Twist After Husband Finds Wife Stabbed to Death | Brooke Hanlon
Five months after Brooke Hanlon was found stabbed to death in her own home, a source tells Daily Mail reporter Dana Kennedy there’s a DNA clue the public hasn’t heard about. On June 6, 2026, Conor Hanlon called 911 and said he’d come home to find his wife unresponsive inside their house on Pottersville Road in Chester Township, New Jersey. Brooke was a 35-year-old psychotherapist and mother to an 11-month-old daughter. The medical examiner ruled her death a homicide, but it took more than three weeks for authorities to publicly confirm her name. In this episode of Drop Dead Serious, Ashleigh Banfield sits down with Dana Kennedy to talk about what her source told her, why investigators were seen back at the Hanlon home five months after the murder, and what it would take to find out whose DNA it is. Brooke Hanlon Case Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIfNaSd_Ibys
#384
November 5 · 37 min
Parents Played Dumb When 11-Year-Old Gave Birth at Home, Both Get Life in Prison | House of Horror
Cherie and Dustin Walker said they had no idea their 11-year-old was pregnant. Then she gave birth at home in Muskogee, Oklahoma, and a DNA test identified her stepfather, Dustin Walker, as the baby’s father. On October 30, 2026, Cherie Walker was sentenced to seven consecutive life terms, while Dustin Walker was ordered to serve 42 years for child neglect before his life sentence begins. In this episode of Drop Dead Serious, Ashleigh Banfield returns to the Oklahoma House of Horrors to break down what jurors heard at Cherie Walker’s trial, what a younger sister’s drawing revealed in court, and why the girl’s grandmother, Michelle Justus, faces six felony child neglect charges of her own.
#383
November 4 · 1 hr 12 min
Sandra Birchmore Trial: Filthy Cop's Twin Brother Spills the Beans
A married Massachusetts police detective is accused of killing 23-year-old Sandra Birchmore and her unborn baby to conceal a secret that stretched back to when she was fifteen. In this episode of Drop Dead Serious, Ashleigh Banfield is joined by WBZ-TV reporter Kristina Rex, who was inside the courtroom when Matthew Farwell's twin brother, Billy Farwell testified. They get into what Billy says his brother told him about wiping his phones, what the medical examiner was never shown before ruling Sandra’s death a suicide, and why a broken bone in her neck and a mark on her chest became points of contention at trial. For a limited time, get 60% off your first order, plus free shipping and free treats for life, when you head to https://Smalls.com/DDS
#382
November 4 · 41 min
Lindsay Clancy: Lawyer Unloads on Judge, Wants Murder Charges Gone
At a November 2, 2026, hearing, Lindsay Clancy's attorneys challenged the mistrial that followed an 11–1 jury split and demanded answers about alleged misconduct by the lone holdout juror. Could double jeopardy stop a second murder trial over the deaths of Cora, Dawson, and Callan Clancy? In this episode of Drop Dead Serious, Ashleigh Banfield breaks down the courtroom clash, the allegations involving the holdout juror’s phone use and jury selection answers, and the prosecution’s push to restrict public statements by attorneys. Plus, Patrick Clancy’s lawsuit against Lindsay’s medical providers, conflicting statements about whether she will testify, and the fight over releasing her mental health treatment records as a possible retrial looms. Lindsay Clancy Case Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLL1Mz5h10zAc
#381
November 2 · 1 hr 24 min
Nancy Guthrie: Kidnapping Gone Wrong or Murder for Hire? | 9 Months Missing
Nine months after Nancy Guthrie disappeared from her Tucson, Arizona, home, where are the answers? The 84-year-old mother of “Today” show anchor Savannah Guthrie was reported missing on February 1, 2026. Despite blood found outside her front door, video of an armed, masked man, and purported ransom notes demanding millions in Bitcoin, her disappearance remains unsolved. In this episode of Drop Dead Serious, Ashleigh Banfield speaks with retired homicide detective Chris McDonough, host of The Interview Room and director of law enforcement relations at the Cold Case Foundation. Chris shares what he and his wife, journalist Karen McDonough, encountered during their trips to Tucson. Ashleigh and Chris debate the ransom notes, whether investigators are putting too much faith in unidentified male DNA, and Chris’s theory that more than one person may have been involved.
#380
October 31 · 58 min
Worse Than Scamanda: Lexi Hannan’s Sickening Web of Lies and Fake Cancer Scam
She said she was dying of cancer, her family raised thousands to save her, and her little nephew even emptied his piggy bank... But according to the journalists behind “The Lexi Con,” Alexandra “Lexi” Thomas, who goes by Lexi Hannon, built her story on years of lies. Investigative producers Nancy Moscatiello and Scott Eldridge say they traced $220,000 in donations, contacted a doctor who said he had never treated her, and found cancer survivors who were very much alive despite Lexi posting tributes announcing their deaths. In this episode of Drop Dead Serious, Ashleigh Banfield sits down with Scamanda producer and journalist Nancy Moscatiello and her fellow producer and co-host Scott Eldridge to unpack their three-year investigation for The Slippery’s “The LexiCon.” Listen to LexiCon on The Slippery https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-slippery/id1891413273 Watch LexiCon on The Slippery https://www.youtube.com/@TheSlippery The Slippery Website: https://www.theslippery.com/
#380
October 29 · 50 min
I Thought Elizabeth Holmes Was Guilty AF. Then I Watched THIS. | 'You Can See Everything' Explained
I went into “You Can See Everything” thinking I had Elizabeth Holmes figured out. Then I watched her boyfriend, Billy Evans, strip naked on camera, negotiate a cut of the documentary, and shut down interviews when he didn’t like the questions. And somehow, the movie left me questioning whether I’d gotten Elizabeth wrong. We need to talk about that shower scene, Billy posting as Elizabeth on her social media, and the fact that after the entire Theranos fraud scandal, these two are planning another blood-testing venture. Would you give them your money? In this episode of Drop Dead Serious, Ashleigh’s husband, Chris Haynor, joins Drop Dead Serious for a very different take. They watched the same movie, sitting right next to each other, and came away with very different opinions about Elizabeth, Billy, filmmaker Nathan Fielder, and what the cameras actually captured. Spoiler warning: This episode discusses scenes throughout “You Can See Everything.”
#377
October 28 · 50 min
'People's Court' Fiancé Charged with MURDER After Episode Airs | Michelle Parker Murder Case
A bitter engagement-ring fight aired on “The People’s Court,” and that same day, Michelle Parker vanished. Nearly 15 years later, her ex-fiancé, Dale Smith Jr., is charged with second-degree murder. Michelle Parker disappeared on November 17, 2011, after dropping off their 3-year-old twins at his Orlando home. Her Hummer was found abandoned with its business decals removed, her iPhone was recovered from a lake, and her body has never been found. What happened after Michelle dropped off her children, and what evidence finally moved this case forward? Smith has pleaded not guilty and is presumed innocent. Note: This episode was recorded before the 46-page arrest affidavit for Dale Smith Jr. was unsealed. We’ll break down the newly released evidence in an upcoming episode.
#379
October 27 · 34 min
‘House of Horrors’ Couple Accused of Torturing 3 Kids, Taunting Them Over Dead Parents
Dirty cat litter dumped in their beds, dog poop on their belongings, and forced to run barefoot on a gravel driveway. That’s what three kids say they endured inside their West Virginia home, according to the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department. Erica Lynn Sayre, 45, and her husband, Clifford “Gale” Sayre, 46, are now facing a combined 12 felony charges after the children described years of alleged abuse. One child told investigators, “I can’t go back to that home.” Another said she “just wants a normal life.”
#378
October 26 · 53 min
Sandra Birchmore Trial: Cop’s Alter Ego ‘Joey’, Mistresses, & Bombshell DNA
Matthew Farwell’s wife gave birth to their third child on February 2, 2021, the day after prosecutors say he killed 23-year-old Sandra Birchmore, and he was texting colleagues from the hospital asking what was happening at the police station. Sandra’s body hadn’t even been found. Now the former Stoughton police detective’s federal trial is exposing three other affairs, vile texts about sexual punishment, and sex games involving an alter ego named “Joey.” In this episode of Drop Dead Serious, Ashleigh is joined by WBZ-TV Trial Reporter Kristina Rex, who has been inside the courtroom hearing the testimony and watching Farwell as his secrets are read aloud. Matthew Farwell has pleaded not guilty to killing Sandra and her unborn child, and his lawyers maintain she took her own life. Previous Episode: https://youtu.be/Kv-Cq3_tvi4
#377
October 23 · 1 hr 2 min
Beauty Queen’s Prison Reality Check After Killing Her Baby | Laken Snelling
From beauty pageants and college cheerleading to a ten-year prison sentence for killing her newborn son, Laken Snelling is facing a VERY different future. The former University of Kentucky cheerleader pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter after her baby, McCoy Cade Hall, was found dead inside a trash bag in her bedroom closet. In this episode of Drop Dead Serious, Holli Coulman of Pink Lady Prison Consultants joins Ashleigh to explain what life behind bars could look like for a 22-year-old with no prior criminal record. Previous Episodes: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxEAbh-aNbMImS1SzzUl8aZo3V5xf2bsF
#376
October 22 · 1 hr 22 min
Sandra Birchmore Trial: Cop’s Filthy Secrets & Vile Texts Exposed In Court
A married Massachusetts police detective is accused of killing 23-year-old Sandra Birchmore and her unborn baby to conceal a secret that stretched back to when she was fifteen. Matthew Farwell allegedly told Sandra Birchmore she was “the worst person on the face of the earth” after she announced her pregnancy, and now a federal jury is reading the messages he wanted deleted. But his vile texts are only part of what makes this trial so outrageous, because jurors are also hearing how police handled her death before the FBI stepped in. In this episode of Drop Dead Serious, Ashleigh Banfield breaks down the Sandra Birchmore trial so far. Matthew Farwell has pleaded not guilty, and his defense maintains Sandra took her own life.
#375
October 20 · 41 min
Mom Accused of Killing Pregnant Daughter to Steal Her Baby, Fiancé Admits Sleeping With Mom
Disturbing new details in the case of a mother accused of cutting her own daughter’s baby from her womb: Rebecca Park’s fiancé testified that before he dated Rebecca, he was sleeping with her biological mother. Rebecca was just 22 and nearly full-term when she disappeared in Michigan. She was later found dead in the woods, and her baby was missing. Her biological mother, Cortney Bartholomew, and Cortney’s husband, Bradly Bartholomew, are charged with murder, torture, and a slew of other crimes.
#374
October 19 · 38 min
Cornell 7: Justice Denied for Jane Doe? Judge Rips DA’s ‘No Crime’ Decision
Do Jane Doe’s own words undermine her allegations—or should investigators have dug deeper before closing the door? In this episode of Drop Dead Serious, Ashleigh Banfield is joined by former Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Jill Konviser for a fiery debate over the Cornell 7 rape allegations, Jane Doe’s conflicting accounts, and the district attorney’s decision that no crime occurred. Judge Konviser calls his handling of the case a “dereliction” of his duties, and explains why she believes the investigation fell short. Previous Episodes: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLD0nJNrz1biE
#373
October 16 · 23 min
‘Cruise Mom’ Accused of Leaving 2-Month-Old & 3 Kids Home Alone for Bahamas Getaway
Florida mother Nathalie Belizaire is accused of leaving FOUR children home alone while she took a tropical getaway. Police found the siblings hiding together in a bathroom, and when their mother got off the ship, authorities were waiting. In this episode of Drop Dead Serious, Ashleigh Banfield breaks down the shocking bodycam footage and Judge Mindy Glazer’s blistering reaction. The mother denies the child neglect allegations and claims the baby’s father set her up.
#373
October 14 · 33 min
High & Dry: Brian Hooker Hits the Weed Store as Wife Remains Missing | Lynette Hooker
Lynette Hooker is still missing. Her husband Brian Hooker is making weed runs in California and hanging out in his mom’s garage. In this episode of Drop Dead Serious, Ashleigh Banfield and former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani examine Brian Hooker’s pot-store outing, his behavior amid the federal investigation, and the potential legal consequences if investigators can disprove his story. Could evidence aboard Soulmate become the key to the Lynette Hooker case? Brian has not been charged in connection with his wife’s disappearance. Previous Videos: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxEAbh-aNbMJM9aXDZC-jSEPRZCcbEALS
#373
October 13 · 57 min
Bombshell Texts & Jane Doe’s Full Police Statement Raise EVEN MORE Questions | Cornell 7
New text messages and Jane Doe’s full six-page police statement are fueling a fresh firestorm over the Cornell University fraternity allegations, with disturbing details and messages that demand a closer look. From her account of sex and ketamine use inside the Chi Phi fraternity house to the revealing texts she sent afterward, it’s fueling a question a lot of people are asking: if the media had these full text exchanges from the beginning, why are we only seeing them now? In this episode of Drop Dead Serious, Ashleigh Banfield examines Jane Doe’s text exchanges with two of the fraternity members, and the FULL six-page police statement about the October 2024 encounter at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York.

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