Suspect

Suspect

Suspect is an investigative series about mislaid justice and the kinds of weighty decisions that detectives, lawyers, and jurors make every day - decisions that, once made, are almost impossible to reverse. Season 3: Five Shots in the Dark follows Leon Benson, who spent 24 years in an Indiana state prison for the 1998 murder of a young man named Kasey Schoen. His conviction hinged on the testimony of two eyewitnesses – but what if their memories turned out to be wrong? And what if the people who knew what really happened had never been allowed to speak? Suspect Season 3: Five Shots in the Dark is the story of two victims: one murdered, one sentenced to life. Follow host Matt Shaer and attorney Lara Bazelon as they investigate how the justice system failed both Leon and Kasey, and who the real killer might be. Join this unprecedented look inside the attempt to overturn a wrongful conviction and find out if justice will finally be served. Binge all episodes of Suspect exclusively and ad-free by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting www.wondery.com/links/suspect/ now.

Episodes

August 17, 2021 2 mins

An apartment complex hosts a big Halloween party with themed rooms and costumed partygoers. By the end of the night one of the party’s hosts is murdered. And the partygoers are the main suspects in the eyes of the police: was it the guy in the devil mask, the guy dressed as Jesus, the bank robber, the construction worker? As a complex investigation winds its way through forensic evidence, witness testimony, DNA, and even a...

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The residents of the Valley View apartments organize a big costume party. Strangers come together. They argue and fight. They dance and drink. At times the party veers out of control. And when they wake up the next morning, one resident is dead.


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For nearly three and a half decades, the disappearance of 12-year-old Jonelle Matthews was a mystery – a riddle neither authorities nor her family members could solve. The residents of her cloistered Colorado hometown had scoured every inch of prairie. The President of the United States appealed to journalists to help. Jonelle’s smiling face was printed on milk cartons nationwide. Still, every lead had fizzled. Every perso...

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October 17, 2022 41 mins

The town of Greeley, Colorado, is getting into the Christmas spirit. At a school holiday concert, 12-year-old Jonelle Matthews sings alongside her classmates. Later that night, she’s dropped off to an empty house. By the time her family returns, Jonelle has vanished.


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Leon Benson spent 24 years in an Indiana state prison for the 1998 murder of a young man named Kasey Schoen. His conviction hinged on the testimony of two eyewitnesses – but what if their memories turned out to be wrong? And what if the people who knew what really happened had never been allowed to speak? Suspect Season 3: Five Shots in the Dark is the story of two victims: one murdered, one sentenced to life. Follow host ...

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In the days following his murder, Kasey’s family grieves his death as police begin rounding up witnesses and suspects. After conducting an array of interviews of residents, police focus their investigation on a local drug dealer named Leon Benson.

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On a misty August night in 1998, a young man named Kasey Schoen was shot in downtown Indianapolis. Now – 24 years later – attorney, Lara Bazelon, reopens the case and uncovers a botched investigation based almost entirely on the memories of two eyewitness testimonies. 

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As Leon maintains his innocence, he hires a defense attorney to help him prepare for his upcoming trial. But the proceedings take a strange turn when his chosen attorney turns out to be the wrong man for the job.

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With a retrial looming, Leon faces mounting pressure to strengthen his defense. He enlists the help of Jimmy Hendrix, a skilled private investigator known for persuading even the most reluctant alibi witnesses to come forward. Unfortunately, an ill-fated decision from the defense undercuts Hendrix's hard work.

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While petitioning for clemency nearly a quarter century after his conviction, Leon connects with a wrongful incarceration advocate who believes his case could be overturned. But in order to exonerate him, Leon needs to find a good attorney to stand by his side.

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Leon’s newest attorney, Lara Bazelon, and her students at the Racial Justice Clinic of the University of San Francisco’s Law School, continue to dig through Leon’s case files searching for any new evidence to prove his innocence. Months into their investigation, Lara and one of her students make a discovery that changes everything. 

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To prove that Leon is innocent, Lara and her team attempt to discover everything they can about their alternate suspect. But after every possible lead is exhausted, they are forced to make the only decision left to them: Meeting the suspect face to face.

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August 28, 2023 34 mins

The paperwork has been filed, an alternate suspect identified. But without any indication that Leon will be released from prison, Lara and her team begin to lose hope – until suddenly, everything is tipped on its head.

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After being released from prison, and exonerated on charges of murdering Kasey Schoen, Leon Benson meets for the first time with Kasey’s sister, Kolleen.

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Music is a central part of how Leon Benson experiences the world around him. Suspect sound designer, Garrett Tiedemann, sits down with Leon to discuss his lifelong musical journey.

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