True Crime Prevention Podcast

True Crime Prevention Podcast

What if a true crime story didn’t end with heartbreak, but sparked real change? Straight from the desk of McGruff the Crime Dog® and the National Crime Prevention Council comes True Crime Prevention, the Podcast that goes beyond the headlines and provides real solutions. Host Paul DelPonte will take a bite out of fear and serve up a podcast that’s not just about stories... it’s about solutions. Subscribe to us on YouTube to catch the full video version of every episode: https://www.youtube.com/@McGrufftheCrimeDogNCPC Hosted by Paul DelPonte and produced by Nicholas Cirone.

Episodes

November 26, 2025 40 mins

On Thanksgiving night in 2009, what should have been a warm family celebration turned into one of the most shocking and tragic family crimes in modern American history. Paul Merhige arrived at his relatives’ home for dinner but before the night was over, he had executed a calculated plan of murder that left four family members dead, including a 6-year-old Makayla Sitton.

In this powerful episode of True Crime Prevention, host Paul ...

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In 2002, the DC Sniper terrorized a city and leaving more than a dozen dead. But behind the headlines was a chilling personal story few knew: Mildred Muhammad, the ex-wife of the sniper, was the real target all along.

In this gripping episode of True Crime Prevention, host Paul DelPonte speaks with Dr. Muhammad as she reveals the chilling reality behind the headlines, the courage it takes to speak out, and her experiences living wi...

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What happens when one survivor refuses to stay silent?

In this episode of True Crime Prevention, host Paul DelPonte speaks with Erin Merryn — a survivor turned national advocate whose story inspired Erin’s Law, landmark legislation that teaches children about safe and unsafe touches. Erin opens up about her personal experience with childhood abuse, the subtle grooming tactics predators use, and why open conversations about personal...

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When entrepreneur and business owner Shay Onorio checked her bank account one Saturday morning, she never would have imagined that she would be the victim of identity theft. What followed was a nightmare of stolen identities, drained accounts, and a battle to reclaim what was hers.

In this episode of True Crime Prevention, Shay shares her story of dealing with financial crime and identity theft and the devastating emotional toll it ...

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A normal school day turned into horror... and one mother’s life changed forever. When Lori Alhadeff’s 14-year-old daughter, Alyssa, was killed in the 2018 Parkland school shooting, her tragedy became a call to action.

Determined to make sure no other family endures the same pain, Lori co-founded Make Our Schools Safe and helped pass Alyssa’s Law, requiring silent panic alarms in schools to save precious seconds when every second co...

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Anthony Graves spent 18 years behind bars—12 of them on death row—for a crime he didn’t commit. Wrongfully convicted of a brutal 1992 murder, Graves was exonerated in 2010 after years of fighting to prove his innocence. In this episode of True Crime Prevention, host Paul DelPonte speaks with Graves about how he survived nearly two decades in the Texas prison system, the failures that led to his wrongful conviction, and his mission ...

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When Celisia Stanton fell victim to a financial scam, it changed her life forever. What started as a moment of misplaced trust quickly spiraled into a painful lesson about how easily anyone can be deceived.

Now, Celisia is using her experience to educate others.In this episode of True Crime Prevention, host Paul DelPonte talks with Celisia about how the scam unfolded, what she learned from the experience, and how you can protect yo...

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She thought she was safe in bed. Instead, she came face to face with one of America’s most infamous serial killers.In 1978, college student Kathy Kleiner Rubin survived a brutal attack inside her Florida State University sorority house at the hands of Ted Bundy. While two of her friends were murdered that night, Kathy lived to tell the story — and to share a message of strength, resilience, and hope.On this episode of True Crime Pr...

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She thought it was just another showing. Instead, it was a trap.In September 2014, Arkansas real estate agent Beverly Carter walked into a home to meet a new client. Hours later, she was reported missing. Days later, her family learned the unthinkable—Beverly had been kidnapped, ransomed, and murdered in a crime that shocked the nation.On this episode of True Crime Prevention, host Paul DelPonte sits down with Beverly’s son, Carl C...

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Alison Parker was a 24-year-old journalist and rising star at WDBJ7 in Roanoke, Virginia. In August 2015, while reporting live on air, she and her colleague Adam Ward were tragically murdered in a shooting that shocked the nation. Alison was known for her passion for storytelling, her vibrant spirit, and her dedication to shining a light on community issues.Her father, Andy Parker, turned his grief into advocacy and has become a po...

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Sami Josephson was a 21-year-old college senior with a bright future ahead of her. But in March 2019, her life was tragically cut short after she got into a car she believed was her rideshare. Sami’s story has since become a rallying cry for awareness, reminding us all how a simple safety step can save lives.

Watch the Full Episode on YouTube:

https://youtu.be/t3EazOezud4


Seymour Josephson

When his daughter's life was stolen, Seymour t...

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Behind the headlines of Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes lies a story of survivors silenced and systems that looked away. In 1991, Jess Michaels was assaulted by Epstein—an experience that would fuel her fight for justice. On True Crime Prevention, she and Tracy DeTomasi uncover the failures—and the blueprint for a safer future.

About Jess Michaels: https://www.jess...

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Use Code PREVENTION for 10% off your order at Safely! https://livesafely.co/

After surviving a horrifying sexual assault, Hanna Senko went to the authorities. But when nothing happened, she discovered that the Austin Police Department barely investigated her case and that dozens of other women had the same fate.

Hanna and the other women refused to accept it and took on the system itself—filing a groundbreaking class-action lawsuit ...

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Use Code PREVENTION for 10% off your order at Safely! https://livesafely.co/In this compelling episode, we sit down with Anna Giaritelli, a seasoned crime and homeland security reporter for the Washington Examiner, to discuss her powerful op-ed, "A man went to prison for assaulting me. DC Police crime stats show he was never arrested." Anna shares her personal experience as a sexual assault survivor in Washington, D.C., a...

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Use Code TRUECRIMEPREVENTION for 25% off The McGruff Shop:https://mcgruff.org/shop-mcgruff/Starring on the hit reality series "Dance Moms" at just 13 years old, Lennon Torres has lived most of her life in the spotlight, being both witness to and victim of the dangers of online exploitation and the harmful role social media can play in young people’s lives. Now a leading voice for accountability in the tech industry, Lenno...

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At just 16 years old, David Molak was the target of relentless cyberbullying. The emotional toll became unbearable—and in 2016, David died by suicide in his own backyard.

In the aftermath of his death, his mother, Maurine Molak, co-founded David’s Legacy Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to ending cyberbullying and protecting children online.

This week on True Crime Prevention, Maurine shares David’s story, how her family turned grie...

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At age 14, Alex Schachter was like any other high school kid—always happy and smiling, a proud member of the school marching band, and a huge sports fan.But on February 14, 2018, a gunman armed with a semi-automatic rifle opened fire at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Alex's life, along with those of 16 other students and staff, was cut short.In the wake of his son's death, Max Schachter made a choice to ...

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Tim and Tamia Woods were living an ordinary life in Streetsboro, Ohio, raising and cheering on their teenage son James, a standout student and cross-country runner. But their world was shattered when James became the target of a sophisticated sextortion scheme—an online predator posing as a teenage girl manipulated and blackmailed him, leading to devastating consequences.Now, Tim and Tamia are telling their story to True Crime Prev...

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Jeffrey Epstein's name is back in the news with the headlines focusing on the politics, the celebrities, the powerful connections. But what gets lost in this news cycle is the truth at the center of it all:Human trafficking. Child exploitation. Systemic failure.In this True Crime Prevention mini episode, NCPC’s Paul DelPonte looks past the viral headlines and reminds us: this is not just a political scandal—it’s a story of real vic...

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CONTENT WARNING- Discussion of SA and other potentially upsetting topics

Julie Weil, a 31-year-old mother of two, was on a routine preschool pickup when her life changed forever. In the parking lot of her church, she was ambushed by a man with a butcher knife, forced into her minivan with her infant son and three-year-old daughter, and driven out into the Florida Everglades where she endured 4 brutal sexual assaults in frontof her c...

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