The Minds of Madness - True Crime Stories

In December 2012, a quiet Houston home became the center of a mystery that still raises questions.
Jim Melgar was found dead inside a closet. Just steps away, his wife Sandra was discovered alive, bound, and unable to explain how the night had unfolded.
There were no clear signs of forced entry. No witnesses. Only a scene that could be read more than one way.
What followed was a case built on interpretation, memory gaps, and the question of what really happened behind closed doors.
A video version of this episode is available on YouTube and Spotify
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Theme and Closing Track:
Original compositions created for The Minds of Madness
Please check out our sponsors and help support the podcast:
Shopify - Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at shopify.com/madness
Quince - Upgrade your wardrobe with pieces made to last with Quince. Go to Quince.com/madness for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns.
Marley Spoon - This new year, fast-track your way to eating well with Marley Spoon. Head to MarleySpoon.com/offer/MADNESS for up to 25 FREE meals!
HERS - Feel like your best self again, Visit forhers.com/MADNESS to get a personalized, affordable plan that gets you.
NOCD - If you're struggling with OCD or unrelenting intrusive thoughts, NOCD can help. Book a free 15 minute call to get started: https://learn.nocd.com/MADNESS
Granola - If meetings are eating up your day, Granola is a no-brainer. You can try it totally free for three months - just head to granola.ai/MADNESS
Nutrafol - Start your hair growth journey with Nutrafol. For a limited time, Nutrafol is offering our listeners ten dollars off your first month’s subscription and free shipping when you go to Nutrafol.com and enter the promo code MADNESS

Sources:
https://abcnews.go.com/US/amateur-sleuths-case-woman-prison-stabbing-bludgeoning-husband/story?id=59477363
https://abc13.com/archive/8930172/
https://www.click2houston.com/news/2012/12/25/man-killed-couple-tied-up-in-home/
https://www.khou.com/article/news/crime/true-crime/innocence-project-reward-sandra-melgar-murder-case-houston-texas/285-bc5a3f07-1e31-4af5-8826-bd1a851ffdc4
https://www.khou.com/article/news/crime/sandra-melgar-new-dna-evidence/285-30850e86-6336-4ae9-92e7-3e23aaf14711
https://people.com/crime/sandra-melgar-convicted-murder-husband/
https://www.latintimes.com/innocence-project-texas-woman-murder-husband-100k-sandra-jim-melgar-568091
https://innocenceprojectoftexas.org/cases/sandra-melgar/
https://law.justia.com/cases/texas/fourteenth-court-of-appeals/2020/14-18-00293-cr.html
https://www.spa.texas.gov/media/1806/melgar.pdf
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPks6QICDYo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9VBpZ1LwT8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R90hhpbbFSw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yF-OWy_ZuxQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cCoSkdreT8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78QG2QPV_OE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74s7jg1Fdf4

In this special true crime crossover episode, I joined Carter Roy for a 2-part episode of Murder: True Crime Stories. To hear part 2 and my extended conversation with Carter, follow Murder: True Crime stories wherever you listen to podcasts.
For nearly 30 years, Ken McElroy terrorized the small town of Skidmore, Missouri. Accused of theft, assault, arson, statutory rape, and intimidation, he manipulated the legal system and silenced witnesses through fear. When he shot 70-year-old grocery store owner Bo Bowenkamp in broad daylight—and still managed to delay justice yet again—the town’s patience began to crack. In Part 1 of this two-episode series, I join Carter Roy to help unravel how one man’s unchecked violence exposed the limits of the justice system and pushed a quiet farming community toward the brink.
Follow Murder: True Crime Stories wherever you listen to podcasts to hear me on part 2 and an extended conversation about the case with Carter Roy. Listen and follow here: https://play.megaphone.fm/1c4m9ll3rcg3-hgdpn2_ww

In October 2024, two men in Detroit believed they had found the perfect target. A longtime jeweler and pawnbroker whose success made him seem like easy money.
They came prepared with disguises, a stolen truck, and a plan designed to look official. But when they arrived at the home of 72 year old Hussein “Sam” Murray in Rochester Hills, that plan began to collapse.
A story about assumption, desperation, and how the promise of one last score can end in something far darker.
How to support:
For extra perks including exclusive content, early release, and ad-free episodes -
Go to - Patreon

How to connect:
Website
Instagram
Facebook
Twitter

Theme and Closing Track:
Original compositions created for The Minds of Madness
Please check out our sponsors and help support the podcast:
Shopify - Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at shopify.com/madness
Quince - Upgrade your wardrobe with pieces made to last with Quince. Go to Quince.com/madness for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns.
Marley Spoon - This new year, fast-track your way to eating well with Marley Spoon. Head to MarleySpoon.com/offer/MADNESS for up to 25 FREE meals!
HERS - Feel like your best self again, Visit forhers.com/MADNESS to get a personalized, affordable plan that gets you.
NOCD - If you're struggling with OCD or unrelenting intrusive thoughts, NOCD can help. Book a free 15 minute call to get started: https://learn.nocd.com/MADNESS
Granola - If meetings are eating up your day, Granola is a no-brainer. You can try it totally free for three months - just head to granola.ai/MADNESS
Nutrafol - Start your hair growth journey with Nutrafol. For a limited time, Nutrafol is offering our listeners ten dollars off your first month’s subscription and free shipping when you go to Nutrafol.com and enter the promo code MADNESS

Research & Writing:
Ryan Deininger
Sources:
DTE imposter murder trial: Opening Statements STREAMING LIVE
DTE imposter murder trial STREAMING LIVE
LIVE I DTE imposter murder trial after Rochester Hills man killed
LIVE I DTE impostor murder trial stretches into fourth day of testimony
Fake DTE workers: Interview with victim's family after guilty verdicts
VERDICT: DTE imposters guilty of murder by juries
Court TV Trial Recap
Day 2 of testimonies in trial for men accused of posing as DTE workers
Trial Begins for Men Accused of Impersonating Utility Workers
Wife of Rochester Hills murder victim testifies at trial against fake DTE workers
Morning 4: Men disguised as DTE workers convicted of murder
Fake badges, real consequences:
2nd arrest made in deadly Michigan home invasion
Juries find 2 men guilty in murder of Hamtramck jeweler after posing as fake DTE workers
2 accused of killing jeweler after posing as DTE workers at Rochester Hills home bound over
Man killed in Rochester Hills had 'heart of gold,' family says
Victim identified in Rochester Hills man's murder by fake DTE workers
Gold and Glitter Instagram
Returned from Deep South to face murder charge, second alleged DTE imposter is denied bond
Trial begins for 2 accused of posing as DTE workers, killing Hamtramck jeweler in home
Man killed, wife bound by men posing as utility workers, Oakland County sheriff says
Elderly Michigan homeowner killed by murder suspects disguised as utility workers
Chilling video shows 'utility worker' at Michigan couple's door just hours before
Slain Hamtramck business owner was 'a man with a gold heart
Family remembers Michigan man killed by suspects posing as utility workers
Day 1 of testimonies in trial for men accused of posing as DTE workers
Family, life-long customers of man killed by fake DTE workers speak out
Update: Second Individual Charged with Felony Murder
REVISED Michigan Homicide Suspect Captured in Caddo Parish
Second man charged with killing Rochester Hills man in home denied bond
Text Messages

In the fall of 2021, a young couple in Cobb County, Georgia thought they’d found their dream home. An upscale subdivision. A quiet street. A perfect place to raise their two year old son.
What they could not have known was that the house came with an unspoken history. A neighbor who had already crossed the line. A fear that had driven the previous owners to leave. And a threat that did not disappear when the “For Sale” sign went up.
How to support:
For extra perks including exclusive content, early release, and ad-free episodes -
Go to - Patreon

How to connect:
Website
Instagram
Facebook
Twitter

Theme and Closing Track:
Original compositions created for The Minds of Madness
Please check out our sponsors and help support the podcast:
Shopify - Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at shopify.com/madness
Quince - Upgrade your wardrobe with pieces made to last with Quince. Go to Quince.com/madness for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns.
Marley Spoon - This new year, fast-track your way to eating well with Marley Spoon. Head to MarleySpoon.com/offer/MADNESS for up to 25 FREE meals!
HERS - Feel like your best self again, Visit forhers.com/MADNESS to get a personalized, affordable plan that gets you.
NOCD - If you're struggling with OCD or unrelenting intrusive thoughts, NOCD can help. Book a free 15 minute call to get started: https://learn.nocd.com/MADNESS
Granola - If meetings are eating up your day, Granola is a no-brainer. You can try it totally free for three months - just head to granola.ai/MADNESS
Nutrafol - Start your hair growth journey with Nutrafol. For a limited time, Nutrafol is offering our listeners ten dollars off your first month’s subscription and free shipping when you go to Nutrafol.com and enter the promo code MADNESS

Research & Writing:
Ryan Deininger
Sources:
Life without parole handed down to man convicted of murder of Acworth couple
The Terror of the Lanz Brothers
Lanz brothers had history of crime at Acworth home before couple's murder, records show
Man charged in murders after arrested for stabbing officer
Before Austin Lanz killed a Pentagon police officer, he was investigated for menacing neighbors
Behavioral Threat Assessment of Austin William Lanz
Competency hearing held for man accused of killing firefighter and wife
Shooter sentenced for killing metro Atlanta firefighter, his wife
Warrant
11/19/2025 Transcript
Before Austin Lanz killed a Pentagon officer, he was accused of targeting the couple next door
Couple killed in Acworth home loved each other for most of their lives
Community to support Acworth toddler after parents are killed
Fundraiser launched for son of Acworth couple killed in their home
Department honors Cherokee County firefighter and his wife who were murdered
Justin and Amber Hicks lived a life full of love, generosity, and kindness…
Man killed couple, left toddler in home who 'tried to cuddle" and 'play' with parents: DA
Defendant Interrogation
Defendant Interrogation Part 2
Scott & Theresa Interrogation
Court TV Trial Recap
Man sentenced to life in slayings of Cherokee firefighter, wife
University of Georgia student found guilty of murdering couple inside their home
Trial of man accused of killing his neighbors in Cobb County wraps first day
Accused killer’s parents tell police their son was seeing a psychiatrist, had ‘demonic side’

On a cold February night in Somerset, England, a retired couple sat down to celebrate a birthday dinner during the COVID lockdown.
Hours later, police were standing outside their quiet bungalow while one of them calmly admitted what had just happened inside.
What began as an ordinary evening of steak, lobster, and a video call with family would end with a husband on the kitchen floor and a case that left even seasoned investigators struggling to understand how the night had spiraled so far out of control.
A video version of this episode is available on YouTube and Spotify

How to support:
For extra perks including exclusive content, early release, and ad-free episodes -
Go to - Patreon

How to connect:
Website
Instagram
Facebook
Twitter

Theme and Closing Track:
Original compositions created for The Minds of Madness
Please check out our sponsors and help support the podcast:
Shopify - Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at shopify.com/madness
Quince - Upgrade your wardrobe with pieces made to last with Quince. Go to Quince.com/madness for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns.
Marley Spoon - This new year, fast-track your way to eating well with Marley Spoon. Head to MarleySpoon.com/offer/MADNESS for up to 25 FREE meals!
HERS - Feel like your best self again, Visit forhers.com/MADNESS to get a personalized, affordable plan that gets you.
NOCD - If you're struggling with OCD or unrelenting intrusive thoughts, NOCD can help. Book a free 15 minute call to get started: https://learn.nocd.com/MADNESS
Granola - If meetings are eating up your day, Granola is a no-brainer. You can try it totally free for three months - just head to granola.ai/MADNESS
Nutrafol - Start your hair growth journey with Nutrafol. For a limited time, Nutrafol is offering our listeners ten dollars off your first month’s subscription and free shipping when you go to Nutrafol.com and enter the promo code MADNESS

Research & Writing:
Giselle Melanson Tattrie
Sources:
Sky News
ITV
Daily Mail
The Times UK
Coffeehouse crime 
The Guardian
Metro.co.uk
BBC
Center for Women’s Justice
Bodycam Footage
R v Penelope Jackson Sentencing Remarks