True Crime Files — 2026-05-15
The South Carolina Supreme Court made waves this week by overturning Alex Murdaugh's 2023 murder convictions, while children's book author Kouri Richins was sentenced to life in prison without parole for poisoning her husband. A second suspect was also arrested in a November 2025 Uptown Charlotte homicide, bringing fresh attention to that cold case.
True Crime Files — 2026-05-15
Breaking Today
Second Suspect Arrested — November 2025 Uptown Charlotte Homicide
- What happened: As of May 15, 2026, a second suspect has been charged with murder in connection with a deadly shooting that occurred in Uptown Charlotte in November 2025. The suspect, identified as Vaquan Davis, was apprehended and charged in connection with the case.
- Status: Arrested and charged with murder
- Why it stands out: The arrest of a second suspect nearly six months after the initial killing signals that investigators have built a stronger case and may indicate a broader criminal network involved in the Uptown Charlotte violence.
Devion Teague Arrested — Las Vegas Woman Killed on Morning Walk
- What happened: Las Vegas police arrested Devion Teague in connection with the fatal shooting of a woman who was on her morning walk in the western Las Vegas Valley. The shooting occurred early Tuesday, May 13, 2026, according to jail records.
- Status: Arrested
- Why it stands out: The victim was targeted while taking a routine morning walk — an act of random violence that underscores public safety concerns in residential Nevada neighborhoods.
DNA Match Arrest — 2024 Reading, Pennsylvania Homicide
- What happened: A 21-year-old Montgomery County man was arrested after DNA found on the handgun used to kill a 27-year-old victim in a southeast Reading home in 2024 matched his profile. The arrest was announced May 14, 2026.
- Status: Arrested
- Why it stands out: The case illustrates the critical role forensic evidence — specifically DNA on a murder weapon — plays in cracking residential homicides. Investigators relied on the gun as the decisive link connecting the suspect to the crime scene.
Salisbury Police Arrest — 2024 Homicide of Shaleek Williams
- What happened: Salisbury Police Department announced an arrest in connection with the April 13, 2024 shooting death of 26-year-old Shaleek Williams, who was killed at a local gathering. The arrest was made on or around May 13, 2026.
- Status: Arrested
- Why it stands out: The case had gone unsolved for over a year, and Williams's family had been publicly seeking justice. The arrest closes a long chapter of grief for the victim's loved ones.
Trials & Verdicts
Alex Murdaugh — Murder Convictions Overturned
- Courtroom today: The South Carolina Supreme Court issued a landmark ruling on Wednesday, May 14, 2026, overturning Alex Murdaugh's 2023 murder convictions and sentencing. Murdaugh's defense lawyers said he is "very thankful" to no longer be labeled the murderer of his wife and son. The court's decision hinged on issues surrounding jury tampering allegations during the original trial.
- Background: Alex Murdaugh, a prominent South Carolina attorney, was convicted in 2023 for the 2021 murders of his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul. The case drew international attention, spawning multiple documentaries and podcasts. Murdaugh had also faced hundreds of financial crime charges related to his law practice.
- What's next: The overturning of the conviction sets the stage for a potential retrial. Legal analysts are watching closely to see whether prosecutors will seek a new trial and whether new jury selection procedures will be mandated.
Kouri Richins — Sentenced to Life Without Parole
- Courtroom today: On Wednesday, May 13, 2026, a Utah court sentenced Kouri Richins to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the murder of her husband, Eric Richins. She had written a children's book about grief after his death.
- Background: Kouri Richins was accused and ultimately convicted of poisoning her husband with a fatal dose of fentanyl in 2022. The bizarre case drew enormous public attention after investigators discovered she had written a children's book titled Are You With Me? about dealing with the loss of a loved one — while allegedly being responsible for her husband's death.
- What's next: Given the life-without-parole sentence, appeals are expected. Defense attorneys have indicated they will challenge multiple aspects of the conviction and sentencing.
Cold Case Breakthroughs
Deanna Ogg Murder (1986)
- The break: Authorities identified and arrested Bobby Charles Taylor, Sr. for the 1986 murder of 16-year-old Deanna Ogg. The breakthrough came via DNA analysis conducted 40 years after her death. The case had gone unsolved since the mid-1980s.
- The crime: Deanna Ogg, a 16-year-old, was found dead miles from a convenience store she was walking to. Her murder remained unsolved for four decades, leaving her family without answers.
- Impact: The arrest brings long-delayed closure to Ogg's family and demonstrates the growing power of advanced DNA technology to crack cold cases that previously seemed impossibly old. Investigators used genealogical genealogy techniques to narrow their suspect pool.
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New Jersey Double Cold Case Murders (1990s)
- The break: DNA evidence was used to identify a suspect in the murders of two women in New Jersey — Marebeth Welsh and Jennifer Persia — killed in the 1990s. The identification brings closure to families who have waited more than three decades.
- The crime: Two separate New Jersey women were killed in the 1990s. The cases were linked by DNA evidence, and investigators have now identified a suspect connecting both crimes.
- Impact: The resolution of two linked cold cases from the 1990s reinforces the effectiveness of cross-referencing DNA databases, including familial DNA and investigative genetic genealogy (IGG), to uncover serial perpetrators who evaded justice for generations.
Watch & Listen
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Murdaugh: Death in the Family (Hulu) — Patricia Arquette and Jason Clarke star in this Hulu drama inspired by the true-crime podcast surrounding the Murdaugh family's dark history in South Carolina. With the Supreme Court's dramatic overturning of Murdaugh's convictions this week, this dramatization is more relevant than ever.
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Calabasas Confidential (Netflix) — Premiering May 29, 2026, this new Netflix documentary series digs into scandals from one of the country's most closely watched celebrity ZIP codes. True crime fans drawn to the intersection of wealth, fame, and criminal behavior will find plenty to analyze.
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Amanda Knox: The Twisted Tale (Hulu) — Currently available on Hulu, this series examines the wrongful conviction and exoneration of Amanda Knox through her own eyes. Vulture notes the series teaches audiences exactly what not to do when navigating the justice system as a defendant — a timely lens given Murdaugh's own conviction reversal this week.
Pattern Watch
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DNA as the decisive weapon: This week's stories — the 1986 Deanna Ogg cold case, the 1990s New Jersey double murder, and the 2024 Reading, PA homicide arrest — all hinge on DNA evidence. Investigators are increasingly using not just direct DNA matching but investigative genetic genealogy (IGG) to connect decades-old evidence to living suspects, representing the most consequential trend in cold-case resolution.
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Conviction reversals and appeals heating up: The stunning overturn of Alex Murdaugh's conviction signals that high-profile, media-saturated trials are increasingly vulnerable to appellate scrutiny. Defense teams nationwide are studying jury conduct and potential misconduct more aggressively, which could impact future trials of celebrity defendants.
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Second arrests in group violence cases: The Charlotte homicide arrest this week (a second suspect, months after the first) reflects a pattern investigators have noted nationally — major urban shootings often involve multiple perpetrators, and patient investigative work continues yielding additional arrests long after initial charges are filed.
Reader Action Items
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Follow this case: Alex Murdaugh's potential retrial is the single most consequential story to watch. The South Carolina Supreme Court's ruling sets up a high-stakes legal battle over whether prosecutors will pursue a new trial, what safeguards will be put in place around jury selection, and whether the mountains of financial crime convictions Murdaugh also faces will affect his legal standing in the murder case. Watch for a prosecutorial response in the coming weeks.
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Do your part: If you have any information regarding the November 2025 Uptown Charlotte homicide or know the whereabouts of additional suspects, contact the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department. Tips can be submitted anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600 or online at .
Sources
Breaking Today
Trials & Verdicts
Cold Case Breakthroughs
- https://people.com/girl-16-was-found-dead-40-years-ago-now-dna-identifies-suspect-11970018
- https://people.com/dna-evidence-identifies-suspect-in-2-decades-old-cold-case-new-jersey-murders-11947135
Watch & Listen
- https://variety.com/2025/tv/news/murdaugh-trailer-patricia-arquette-jason-clarke-hulu-show-1236514021/
- https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/2026-tv-premiere-dates-calendar/
salisburypost.com
reviewjournal.com
timesherald.com
wccbcharlotte.com
Alex Murdaugh’s lawyers reveal his reaction to overturned murder convictions
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