Murder With Big Michigan Ties Featured This Friday Night On 20/20
First things first. A big thank you to Jenn Carpenter, her So Dead - A True Crime Podcast, and a post she put in the 517 Living Community Facebook group.
I saw Jenn's post, watched the video, and I was instantly hooked. I needed to know more and asked about the Michigan connection.
Now before you start in on this story, I'm going to suggest (after I spoke with Jenn about this) you wait and watch the special first.
...for those unfamiliar with the case, I definitely recommend watching the special first, then digging in.(Jenn Carpenter)
It's a love triangle with a deep rooted Michigan connection but it occurs in Omaha, Nebraska.
An almost unbelievable tale of online dating turned fatal attraction, and the tragic life of the Michigan woman at the center of the scandal. (So Dead - A True Crime Podcast)
I sincerely want to tell you more and you're welcome to follow the links I've provided. But this story has a MAJOR PLOT TWIST that I don't want to spoil for you. And it's all real.
As a matter of fact, you can read all about it.
With mesmerizing detail and compelling narrative skill, Leslie Rule tracks every step of the heart-pounding path to long-awaited justice—from a sociopath’s twisted past to the deadly deception and the high-tech forensics that condemned the killer to prison. (Amazon)
A love triangle, online dating, cyberstalking, and a killer from Kalamazoo.
But the Michigan ties don't end there.
Next Friday's episode of ABC's 20/20 has strong Michigan (and Lansing) roots. For starters, one of the main players in the case was born and raised in Kalamazoo. Beyond that- footage for the episode was filmed at The Cadillac Room, and Good Truckin' Diner provided delicious grub for the crew. Furthermore, yours truly, a Lansing native, was interviewed for the story. (I can be heard but not seen in the preview- just listen for that Michigan accent.) Additionally, a book was written about the case by Leslie Rule, the daughter of world-famous true crime author Ann Rule, who was born in Michigan. Be sure to tune in to ABC on December 4th at 9pm EST for a Michigan-centric episode of 20/20! (Jenn Carpenter via 517 Living Community)
I spoke with Jenn and she shed some more light on them filming at the Cadillac Room.
We filmed seven hours worth of interviews at the Cadillac Room. LONG DAY. Good Truckin' Diner brought us food. The episode is this Friday from 9-11. So Dead is my Michigan-based true crime podcast. I covered this story earlier this year, which is why 20/20 contacted me to interview.
Watch the special Friday Night on ABC (it's looks like it's going to be 2 hours), then take a listen to the So Dead - A True Crime Podcast. Finally, read the book A Tangled Web: A Cyberstalker, a Deadly Obsession, and the Twisting Path to Justice - Leslie Rule