The Knife: A True Crime Podcast is a weekly true crime podcast from journalist/producers Hannah Smith and Patia Eaton. It's a show about people who’ve been dropped into a story they didn't start, but are left to finish. In-depth interviews take the listener behind the punchy headlines to hear what really happened from the people who lived it. The Knife reveals the ripple effect of crime. Through empathetic, solution-oriented journalism, Hannah and Patia find the untold stories of people who’ve been touched by crime. They’re not breaking news or solving cases, they’re cutting to the heart of the experience through gripping, first-person storytelling. Follow The Knife on Instagram @theknifepodcast and on Bluesky @theknifepodcast.bsky.social. The Knife is part of the Exactly Right podcast network that provides a platform for bold, creative voices to bring to life provocative, entertaining and relatable stories for audiences everywhere. The Exactly Right roster of podcasts covers a variety of topics including true crime, comedic interviews, news, science, pop culture and more. The network is home to My Favorite Murder hosted by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark, This Podcast Will Kill You, That's Messed Up: An SVU Podcast, Buried Bones and more.
This week, we’d like to introduce you to The First Degree, a true crime podcast from Jac Vanek and Alexis Linkletter. In episode 361, Jac and Lex unravel one night in 2006 when medical student Brian Shaffer disappeared, the theories that won’t die, and the question that haunts everyone: how does someone vanish into thin air?
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In 2014, new parents, Jessica and Justin had just returned home from the hospital with their first baby, a boy. But after only one night home, Justin was killed. In an instant, Jessica’s world turned upside down as police hunted for the killer.
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Patia tells Hannah the story of Oliver Karafa and Lucy Li, a married couple chasing fame and fortune who went on a deadly crime spree. Also, we have recommendations.
Recommended this week:
Valley of Shadows podcast
Heartwood by Amity Gaige (audiobook)
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Cassandra Rosa had just moved back to her home state when she began receiving vulgar messages from an anonymous number. Cassandra was being stalked. The more Cassandra asked for help, the worse things became.
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Hannah tells Patia a story about a Crime Analyst who spotted the most sinister connection between human remains found along a highway. And later, we hear from Frank Figliuzzi, a retired FBI Agent who breaks down the connection between long-haul trucking and some of America's most notorious serial killers.
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Patia and Hannah share a behind-the-scenes update. Then, one of our favorite episodes from the archives - A Wrongful Conviction. Jennifer Thompson was a college student when a man broke into her home and sexually assaulted her. Jennifer did her best to help law enforcement capture her assailant, but years later would learn the wrong person had been held responsible.
Show Notes:
Healing Justice https://healingjusti...
High-ranking executives at the Columbus Zoo are caught in a wild fraud scheme and experience an epic fall from grace. Marissa Gibson, who investigated their crimes, is here to tell us this bizarre story. And it all starts with a most unlikely whistle-blower.
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Hannah and Patia join Karen and Georgia on My Favorite Murder to discuss their approach to true crime storytelling, the importance of centering the voices of those affected by crime and what listeners can expect from their new show.
Episode originally aired on My Favorite Murder on March 13, 2025.
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Kylie Bearse, a meteorologist at a local news channel in Denver, joins us to discuss what it feels like to be stalked by an obsessed man. When Kylie took legal action, she thought she’d be protected—until one night in September, when it became clear his obsession was far from over.
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In 2017, a family friend’s concern over a peculiar coworker led FBI Agent Mark Hastbacka straight into the path of Dana Lawrence — a serial con artist hiding behind the alias “Genna Kaplan.” Patia tells Hannah how Hastbacka pieced together the truth behind Dana’s long con.
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Ashlee and Kristal join us from Perth, Australia, to discuss the case of their mother, Donna Nelson. In January 2023, their 58-year-old mother was arrested in Tokyo on international drug-smuggling charges. Right away, they suspected the man Donna had been dating online. Together, Ashlee and Kristal share their family’s heartbreaking story, their ongoing fight for justice, and the warning signs of the elder drug mule ...
Criminal defense attorney Michael Foote joins The Knife to discuss the murder trial of Bricen Rivers. In July of 2024, 22-year-old Lauren Johansen was found dead in the trunk of her own car. Her ex-boyfriend, Bricen Rivers, is now charged with capital murder. Lauren’s father is fighting to change the system that ignored the warning signs and allowed Rivers to be released on bail. We speak with Michael Foote about the case and...
When Heather Rovet met Jace Paratti, the chemistry was instant. And soon, they were making plans for the future. But when the relationship hit a rough patch, Heather wondered if maybe Jace was hiding something. What she discovered would thrust them both into international headlines and reveal that Jace Paratti wasn’t Jace Paratti at all.
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The sudden passing of husband and father, Michael Cochran, in 2019, was initially a medical mystery. But when his widow, Natalie Cochran was convicted of fraud, a web of lies and a possible motive were revealed. By 2025 Natalie Cochran stood trial for his murder. Forensic Pathologist Dr. Paul Uribe walks us through the results of the autopsy he conducted on Michael Cochran’s remains and the role of his findings in Natalie Coc...
In this crossover episode with lovelustfear, a podcast hosted by Jake Deptula, we hear a powerful story from a woman named Allyn. Allyn met a captivating man who swiftly declared his love, asked her to be his girlfriend, and even proposed. But as their long-distance relationship deepened, she uncovered his lingering connection with an ex, which led Allyn down a dark path of deception.
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When Jaime and Ben bought their first home in Lamar, Arkansas, a charming 1800s fixer-upper with two chimneys and a wraparound porch, they were thrilled to start their new life. But soon after moving in with their kids, strange things began to happen. What started as small, unexplained events grew harder to ignore, leading the family to wonder if their dream home might be haunted.
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For nearly two decades Alec Couros has been the target of scammers on the internet. A professor and public speaker from Canada, Alec discovered in 2007 that his photos were being stolen and used in romance scams. Since then, his face has been used thousands of times to con victims around the world.
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Elin Lantz Lesser joins us to talk about a cold case that haunted Texas for more than four decades, the 1974 murder of Carla Walker. Recently solved through DNA and genetic genealogy, Elin, host of America’s Crime Lab, walks us through how new science finally brought answers to a case that had gone cold for over 40 years.
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Sarah and Josh were a young couple in Boston, raising two boys and building a happy life together. But one night, everything changed. After bringing their 3-month-old to the ER with a fever, a series of events spiraled out of control, ending with both their children taken from their home in the middle of the night, without a warrant. Their story exposes how a system meant to protect kids can tear a family apart.
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This week, Patia tells the story of the Trenchcoat Robbers, Ray Bowman and William “Billy” Kirkpatrick, a notorious duo who evaded capture for two decades. It’s believed they robbed at least 28 banks in the United States. Patia uncovers new details about their crime spree and even speaks with someone personally connected to the story.
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Two Guys (Bowen Yang and Matt Rogers). Five Rings (you know, from the Olympics logo). One essential podcast for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. Bowen Yang (SNL, Wicked) and Matt Rogers (Palm Royale, No Good Deed) of Las Culturistas are back for a second season of Two Guys, Five Rings, a collaboration with NBC Sports and iHeartRadio. In this 15-episode event, Bowen and Matt discuss the top storylines, obsess over Italian culture, and find out what really goes on in the Olympic Village.
Listen to the latest news from the 2026 Winter Olympics.
The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina are here and have everyone talking. iHeartPodcasts is buzzing with content in honor of the XXV Winter Olympics We’re bringing you episodes from a variety of iHeartPodcast shows to help you keep up with the action. Follow Milan Cortina Winter Olympics so you don’t miss any coverage of the 2026 Winter Olympics, and if you like what you hear, be sure to follow each Podcast in the feed for more great content from iHeartPodcasts.
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
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