Devil in the Desert

Devil in the Desert

In 2012, a woman was found with her hands bound in the Mojave Desert. She led authorities to a grisly crime scene where a barbaric attack had taken place. This moment marked the beginning of an international manhunt and a sting operation that turned a once-devoted wife into an informant. Authorities zeroed in on the so-called mastermind behind the attack: Hossein Nayeri, a charming man who had ties to the emerging medical marijuana industry in California. Told with police tapes, secretly recorded informant calls and footage of a prison break, “Devil in the Desert" unravels a crime so brutal that it still haunts investigators today.

Episodes

June 2, 2025 1 min
In 2012, a woman was found with her hands bound in the Mojave Desert. She led authorities to a grisly crime scene where a barbaric attack had taken place. This moment marked the beginning of an international manhunt and a sting operation that turned a once-devoted wife into an informant. Authorities zeroed in on the so-called mastermind behind the attack: Hossein Nayeri, a charming man who had ties to the emerging medical marijuan...
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In October 2012, a man is found brutally tortured in the Mojave Desert — setting off a decade-long chase to bring the perpetrators to justice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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June 24, 2025 26 mins
A neighbor who sees something odd outside her window leads investigators to their first clue. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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July 1, 2025 38 mins
How did a former high school wrestling star from Fresno become the main suspect in a brutal crime? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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July 8, 2025 35 mins
What does Hossein Nayeri’s wife know about his involvement in the horrific crime against Mary Barnes and Michael?  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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July 15, 2025 38 mins
The wife of Hossein Nayeri is the key to luring him back from Iran. But can investigators trust her?  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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July 22, 2025 51 mins
Hossein Nayeri and two other fugitives are on the run. Would Nayeri ever face justice? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Now that "Devil in the Desert" has come to a close, we're sharing the first episode of our latest series from 20/20 and ABC Audio, "Cold Blooded: Mystery in Alaska." A welfare check leads to the discovery of a body — and some strange clues. To hear the whole six-episode series, follow "Cold Blooded: Mystery in Alaska" for free on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Amazon Music⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or wherever y...
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August 29, 2025 22 mins
This bonus episode of "Devil in the Desert" explores the perspective of the elusive third man involved in the crime of violent kidnapping and torture: Ryan Kevorkian. Matt Gutman and "Start Here" host Brad Mielke tell the story of the one person willing to share a first-hand account from the night of the crime, using never-before-heard police interview tape of Kevorkian himself. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoice...
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