This episode is rated a 5 (on my Serious Crime Scale).

In the spring of 2017, Timothy Piazza was like many college sophomores — eager to find his place, to build lasting friendships, and to be part of something bigger than himself. At just 19 years old, he had his sights set on Beta Theta Pi, one of the most respected fraternities at Pennsylvania State University. To Tim, pledging meant brotherhood — an unbreakable, lifelong bond with men who would have his back. But what he couldn’t see was the danger lurking beneath the surface. Behind the promises of tradition and unity was a brutal culture of hazing, one that didn’t just test loyalty — it pushed young men to the edge of what their bodies and spirits could endure. For some, like Tim, the price would prove far too high. Listen now to hear the full story.

This episode is rated a 5 (on my Serious Crime Scale).

In the spring of 2017, Timothy Piazza was like many college sophomores — eager to find his place, to build lasting friendships, and to be part of something bigger than himself. At just 19 years old, he had his sights set on Beta Theta Pi, one of the most respected fraternities at Pennsylvania State University. To Tim, pledging meant brotherhood — an unbreakable, lifelong bond with men who would have his back.

But what he couldn’t see was the danger lurking beneath the surface. Behind the promises of tradition and unity was a brutal culture of hazing, one that didn’t just test loyalty — it pushed young men to the edge of what their bodies and spirits could endure. For some, like Tim, the price would prove far too high. Listen now to hear the full story.

This episode is rated a 5 (on my Serious Crime Scale).

Brandy Stevens-Rosine was a bright 20-year-old college student with a passion for understanding human behavior. Studying psychology and sociology at Youngstown State University in 2012, she was driven by the question: Why do people do what they do? But Brandy would never get the chance to answer that question for herself. That spring, Brandy was lured into the woods by someone she once trusted, only to be ambushed, beaten, strangled, and then buried in a pre-dug shallow grave while she was still breathing. Listen now to hear the full story.

This episode is rated a 5 (on my Serious Crime Scale).

It was supposed to be routine — just another custody handoff between two parents in rural Madison County, Tennessee. Tyeasha Starks, a bright young student at Austin Peay State University, had done this before. She was there to pick up her 1-year-old son. But what happened next would shatter everything.

A heated argument. A gunshot. And then, sheer chaos.

In broad daylight, in front of her child’s grandparents’ home, Tyeasha was gunned down. The shooter? Known. The method? Recorded. The time? Documented to the second in a chilling audio file.

And yet… there’s been no arrest. No trial. No justice. And, the perpetrator is not hiding. He’s simply living his life, in another state, untouched. Listen now to hear the full story.

This episode is rated a 5 (on my Serious Crime Scale). In June 2017, Yingying Zhang — a 26-year-old Ph.D. student and visiting scholar from China — vanished after being seen at a campus bus stop at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. What followed was a heartbreaking search, a chilling investigation, and a devastating truth – that Yinying Zhang was no longer alive. While a suspect was identified and convicted, Yingying’s body has never been found, and her final resting place still remains a controversial mystery. Listen now to hear the full story.

Hey y’all — quick heads up, I’m taking a little break this week. BUT, I didn’t want to leave you hanging with no episode at all. So today, I’m re-airing a story that originally ran back in 2022. It’s Chronicle 40, titled “From Friend to Foe.”

Now, I didn’t just pick this one at random — there’s a specific reason I wanted to bring it back. There’s actually been a new development in this case in 2025, and I’ll be sharing that update at the very end of this episode. So definitely stick around for that.

Now, with that, this episode is rated a 5. It’s the heartbreaking story of Alexis Crawford — a 21-year-old student at Clark Atlanta University with a bright future ahead of her. She considered her college roommate one of her best friends. But tragically, that same roommate — Jordyn Jones — along with Jones’ then-boyfriend Barron Brantley, would be responsible for ending Alexis’s life. Listen now to hear the full story.

Today’s episode is rated a 3 (on my Serious Crime Scale). With March Madness still somewhat fresh in our minds and brackets either busted or celebrated, I figured it was the perfect time to explore a different kind of madness – one that doesn’t involve murder, but still raises serious questions about integrity, pressure, and the high-stakes world of college basketball.

In 1994, Stevin “Hedake” Smith was the star point guard at Arizona State University and the leading returning scorer in the Pac-10. But off the court, he was buried in gambling debt. His way out? A dangerous gamble of his own – fixing games in one of the biggest point-shaving scandals in NCAA history. Listen now to hear the full story.

This episode is rated a 5 (on my Serious Crime Scale). It was a warm summer night in July 2016 when 23-year-old Kaylee Sawyer crossed paths with a public safety officer from Central Oregon Community College. A simple offer for a ride – something meant to ensure safety – became the start of a nightmare. What happened next was a fight for survival that ended in tragedy. Listen now to hear the full story.