This thread has been inspired by the umpteenth true crime television show featuring the murder of Peggy Karr by her neighbor George Trepal, who added thallium to her Coca-Cola. I feel like this case has been profiled on several shows, the most notable of which was Forensic Files which aired it I think 50 Bobillion times. I wonder if there's anything new of interest in the most recent re-telling...and I'm going to have to wonder because I'm not going to watch it.

Another poisoning case I've seen on a few different shows is the woman in Renton, WA who was convicted of murdering her husband with fish poison. She put it in his Excedrin, if I remember correctly. I remember seeing it on two shows and thinking "wow they railroaded this woman", then seeing it elsewhere and thinking "wow that bitch is guilty as sin". hahaha maybe we need multiple shows doing cases if the answer's going to be different each time.


Does anyone else have examples they've seen multiple places?

This thread has been inspired by the umpteenth true crime television show featuring the murder of Peggy Karr by her neighbor George Trepal, who added thallium to her Coca-Cola.

The murder of Peggy Carr (the actual spelling of her last name) was recently featured in a new episode of the ID series Motives and Murders. I only saw the first few minutes of the episode (titled "Poisoned Heart"), but I remember having previously seen the case on Forensic Files.

Yep, remember those cases.

Also seen the one about the man who murdered his whole family and then fled. Was caught by a bust made that looked just like him years later. The author named Michael who's wife "fell" down the stairs. I've seen more but those are the ones that I remember right now.

Yep, remember those cases.

Also seen the one about the man who murdered his whole family and then fled. Was caught by a bust made that looked just like him years later. The author named Michael who's wife "fell" down the stairs. I've seen more but those are the ones that I remember right now.

Those cases are familiar to me: The former sounds a lot like John List, and the latter was Michael Peterson. Both cases were featured on Forensic Files; the episodes are "The List Murders" and "A Novel Idea," respectively.

The murders of Dale, Glee, & Tiffany Ewell by Dana ewell & Joel Radovcich in Fresno, CA...man I've seen that everywhere. It's been on, at least: Forensic Files, New Detectives, 48 Hours, & Solved. A friend told me she had seen it on Dominick Dunne's excellent program too.

The current ID show "Scorned: Love Kills" has featured cases which were on other shows:

Julie Jensen - also featured on Forensic Files and 48 Hours Mystery
Pam Smart has been featured almost everywhere. I'm surprised they covered it because it's so well known.
Joan Shannon & Brenda Andrew - also featured on Snapped
Barbara Stager - also featured on Forensic Files
Stephanie Rabanowitz (sp) - also featured on Forensic Files
The upcoming Martha Moxley case was also featured on Snapped.

Also:

Lynn Turner was featured on Forensic Files and Motives and Murders.
Jessica McCord was featured on Snapped and Deadly Women.
Theresa Knorr was featured on Deadly Women and Cold Case Files.

Speaking of George Trepal, there was a book called Poison Mind written about the murders. It goes into a lot of detail involving the bad blood between he and the Carrs, his marriage, and his relationship with the female undercover officer. What was left out of the TV shows was that police found a torture chamber inside his home and there's speculation he was planning to imprison the female officer in there.

James Sullivan who arranged to have his wife murdered by a hitman delivering flowers was on Dominic Dunne's Power Privilege and Justice and AMW along with UM.

The John List case was also a lifetime movie starring Robert Blake. I believe it was called "Judgement Day: To Save their Souls. The John List story".

The Dana Satterfield murder was also on Forensic Files. I forgot what episode.

The railroad killer from the 90s was profiled on 60 minutes and other shows I forgot

It's easy to get the Tylenol killings and the Excedrin killings confused.

There's been several threads on the Excedrin murders here, but I don't think there's been any on the Tylenol murders. I recorded an episode of "City of Fear" hosted by John Siegenthaller about the Tylenol murders. This happened in Chicago in 1982. 6 people died, IIRC. They arrested a couple people at different points, but released them due to lack of evidence. The killer has never been caught. This prompted the safety seals on containers that are prevalent nowadays.

The Dana Satterfield murder was also on Forensic Files. I forgot what episode.

"Driven To Silence."

I didn't know there was a book about George Trepal and the murder of Peggy Carr, but I'm totally going to check that one out now.

-Susie Mowbray, who was sent to prison for allegedly shooting her husband while he slept in 1987, was featured on an episode of Forensic Files. She was later released after a retrial nine years later--due in large part to the efforts of her son--and THAT was the subject of a Justice Files segment I happened to catch a few days ago.

-Amy Bosley, who certainly DID shoot her husband while he slept at their Alexandria, KY home in 2005, has been featured on Forensic Files and Snapped.

-Interestingly enough, I have Bio on and Cold Case Files has just started with a segment on Kevin Hughes, who was also featured on UM.

ETA: I think the Bosley case was on a Dateline episode as well.

The December 1994 abduction and murders of Joann Katrinak and her infant son Alex is one of many cases I have seen on multiple TV shows. To my knowledge, it has been featured on four shows:


Autopsy - "A Fatal Attraction"
FBI Files - "Family Secrets"
Forensic Files - "A Woman Scorned"
On The Case with Paula Zahn - "Driven to Kill"

Needless to say, it's a very tragic case. :(

The December 1994 abduction and murders of Joann Katrinak and her infant son Alex is one of many cases I have seen on multiple TV shows. To my knowledge, it has been featured on four shows:


Autopsy - "A Fatal Attraction"
FBI Files - "Family Secrets"
Forensic Files - "A Woman Scorned"
On The Case with Paula Zahn - "Driven to Kill"

Needless to say, it's a very tragic case. :(

I saw the FF episode. It made me cry.

I saw the FF episode. It made me cry.

That is understandable, especially since it is one of the most tragic cases to be featured on Forensic Files (and/or on any other show for that matter). What makes it stick in my mind are the circumstances involved.

One circumstance in particular was the phone call made to the Katrinak house just a few days before Joann and Alex went missing. According to Andrew Katrinak, his ex-girlfriend, Patricia Rorrer, called the residence to speak to him, but Joann answered the phone. As soon as she realized who was calling, Joann told Patricia in no uncertain terms that they were happlily married with an infant son and that she was not to call again.

That is understandable, especially since it is one of the most tragic cases to be featured on Forensic Files (and/or on any other show for that matter).

I remember some of the crime scene photos were shown. Even just seeing that diaper bag with the Snoopy characters all over it was bad enough. Perhaps I'm naive, but it continues to mystify me how people can treat other human beings like a bag of garbage.

What makes it stick in my mind are the circumstances involved.

One circumstance in particular was the phone call made to the Katrinak house just a few days before Joann and Alex went missing. According to Andrew Katrinak, his ex-girlfriend, Patricia Rorrer, called the residence to speak to him, but Joann answered the phone. As soon as she realized who was calling, Joann told Patricia in no uncertain terms that they were happlily married with an infant son and that she was not to call again.

I also remember that Patricia either showed horses or was maybe even a barrel racer, and that she claimed that she couldn't have been responsible because her hair was a different color than what was collected and put into evidence. Somehow a photo turned up taken on a date close to that of the crime, when she was at a horse show or rodeo. The photo showed her hair was dyed blond, which exactly matched what was found at one of the scenes.

Someone was going to bump this up sooner or later, and I just became that someone. :)

Anyway, here's another murder case that I have seen on more than one TV show and, since I'm a lifelong resident of Massachusetts, it is one that I know all too well: The 1989 murder of Carol Stuart. It was featured on at least two true crime shows: City Confidential and Cold Blood. The episodes are "Boston: Betrayal in Beantown" and "The Murder That Divided Boston," respectively.

It was also featured on Rescue 911, as the film crew happened to be in Boston on the night of October 23, 1989. They shot footage of the events that followed the crime, including the removal of Charles and Carol Stuart from their car and the emergency treatment of the former at the hospital. The segment originally aired on February 27, 1990, nearly two months after Charles Stuart jumped to his death from the Tobin Bridge.

The case was also the subject of a made-for-television movie. Ken Olin (of Thirtysomething fame) played Charles Stuart in Goodnight Sweet Wife: A Murder in Boston. The telemovie originally aired on CBS in September 1990.

Madalyn Murray O'Hair may hold the record with at least 6 shows profiling the case.

Madalyn Murray O'Hair may hold the record with at least 6 shows profiling the case.

Oh yeah. Everyone wants to cover the O'Hair disappearance and murder.

I think we've talked about this before, but that case particularly saddens me. I think O'Hair was a very angry, unhappy woman, to put it mildly. To die in such a way is such a terrible end to what was probably a very difficult life. She didn't deserve that.

As you've mentioned before, wiseguy, Darlie Routier is another case that's been featured on a great number of shows.

Shannon Mohr is another case that has been profiled multiple times on multiple programs.

Other that come to mind:

-Betty Broderick
-Byron Looper (from my own neck of the woods, whose own relatively recent death is something of an unsolved mystery)
-Gary Ridgeway. Is there any true crime show that hasn't covered the Green River Killer?

I want to say the Carrie Culberson case has been on a number of shows as well. I definitely know it was on American Justice.

Oba Chandler. Been on On The Case with Paula Zahn (2-hour episode!), UM, Cold Case Files and Forensic Files, and possibly more.

John Maloney, the former police officer from Green Bay, Wisconsin, who murdered his wife and set fire to her house. That one's been on American Justice, City Confidential and 48 Hours.

Dateline just profiled the Becky Sears murder of her neighbor, Kay Parsons. Snapped covered it a year earlier.

Dateline did a story on Dirk Grieneder, a doctor who murdered his wife, Mabel, while they walked in a park so she wouldn't expose his secret life of visiting prostitutes and porno web sites. ID's Scorned: Love Kills also profiled the case, but what was funny is that they used much younger and good-looking actors. Dr. Grieneder was 60; his wife was 58 when she was killed. But you're led to believe the couple was only in their thirties based on the actors. That's why the show is hard to take because sometime the real-life people involved were not only much older, but a lot less attractive! :D

This thread has been inspired by the umpteenth true crime television show featuring the murder of Peggy Karr by her neighbor George Trepal, who added thallium to her Coca-Cola. I feel like this case has been profiled on several shows, the most notable of which was Forensic Files which aired it I think 50 Bobillion times. I wonder if there's anything new of interest in the most recent re-telling...and I'm going to have to wonder because I'm not going to watch it.

Throw another shrimp on the Barbie. Fear Thy Neighbor has a new episode devoted to it on tonight. I know American Justice also did an hour-long episode on it. I think the most interesting thing about the case was that Trepal was a MENSA member.

Also, Martha Moxely has certainly made the rounds. UM, AJ, City Confidential, 48 Hours. But at least there always seems to be new things to say about it.

The Dannion Brinkley segment featured an infamous Montana murder-- the murders of John and Nancy Bosco. Brinkley "cracked" the case with his psychic abilities.

This case was featured on Motives and Murders, although the psychic element was downplayed.

Throw another shrimp on the Barbie. Fear Thy Neighbor has a new episode devoted to it on tonight. I know American Justice also did an hour-long episode on it. I think the most interesting thing about the case was that Trepal was a MENSA member.

In case it hasn't already been mentioned here, the Peggy Carr case was also featured in an Unusual Suspects episode called "Elemental Murder."

Here's another Florida case that I have seen on more than one true crime show: the 1984 murder of Karen Gregory. Her neighbor George Lewis, a firefighter and crime watch activist, was convicted of her murder and sentenced to life in prison. He died there on June 29, 2014. The murder case has been highlighted on at least four TV shows: American Justice ("Lies of a Friend"), On The Case with Paula Zahn ("A Cry in the Night"), Unusual Suspects ("Terror in Gulfport"), and The Perfect Murder ("Kill Thy Neighbor").

Jeanne Tovrea profiled by Power, Privilege, and Justice - This profiling was definitely more thorough and even revealed various details as well as new developments since the UM segment had first aired. I see it as a continuation of the segment, and maybe it was a form of closure for Jeanne's family.

I believe that in some way, shape or form her murder had to have been orchestrated; if not by Ed Sr.'s son Hap then by one of his other children considering the fact that they all harbored animosity toward her (Jeanne). They never accepted her into their family, and I can imagine that they had an axe to grind in terms of not being able to touch their inheritance unless she were to somehow meet her own demise. James Harrod seemed to surface from out-of-nowhere, and according to numerous reports he began contact with Hap not too long before Jeanne's murder.

According to Harrod and his family, he's been falsely accused and mistakenly identified. However, there are two factors which make such difficult to believe; that is 1) Jeanne having mentioned randomly seeing him in certain facilities where she would also be, and 2) his usage of an alias.

The murder of Ben Novack, a Florida hotel heir who made his own fortune in the industry, is creeping its way into quite a few shows. 48 Hours and Dateline have covered it, and it's also on today in 2 various forms on Lifetime: there's an entire movie devoted to the case, not to mention it's on the season premiere of "Beyond the Headlines" (!!)

Lucie Turmel's case was profiled on Autopsy 9: Dead Awakening (aired on HBO).

Several graphic photos of Lucie's corpse were shown as well as actual footage of the questioning of her murderer Ryan Love. It was mucous in a tissue, which he threw away after having blown his nose, that ultimately sealed his fate; aside from the bloody knife which he used to stab Lucie to death, and his DNA which was found on the interior of her taxi.

Both Dateline and ID's See No Evil covered the murder of 19 year-old Kenia Monge. Last night, See No Evil covered the kidnapping and murder of a 21 year-old girl riding her bike home from a friend's home. But ID's Southern Fried Homicide covered the same case last year!

20/20 and Oxygen's #killerpost covered the murder of a girl named Sarah by Rachel Wade. Both girls were dating the same guy and neither would give him up. #killerpost and ID also covered a case where a disturbed young woman named Janelle manipulated her father to kill a young man and his wife because she liked him and was jealous that he didn't feel the same way. She posed as numerous people online and harassed them via Facebook.

Dateline and Snapped also covered Kathleen Dorsett, who got her dad to kill her ex-husband so he wouldn't have visitation with their daughter.

Irene Garza, a beauty queen who was murdered in 1960 with the main suspect being priest John Feit (who was recently arrested). This has been on Dateline and CNN Special Reports, as well as 2 other shows just this weekend: 48 Hours and On the Case with Paula Zahn (whose tendency to put "dramatic" pauses between her words and syllables really gets on my nerves).

I think there needs to be a limit on how many true crime shows and such can cover a case. Especially when there's nothing new being presented throughout the various shows. It's just sad, especially when you consider how many cases never make it even onto just one show.

I think there needs to be a limit on how many true crime shows and such can cover a case. Especially when there's nothing new being presented throughout the various shows. It's just sad, especially when you consider how many cases never make it even onto just one show.


I agree. There's so many other cases begging for exposure. One from my hometown, the murder of 5 year old Nevaeh Buchanan was on the Harpy... Err Nancy Grace show. It's technically unsolved although there's a good idea who did it

The Morgan Harrington/Hannah Graham murders have been covered on numerous programs. I saw it again last night on Vanity Fair Confidential.

Those cases took on added significance to me a few months ago because I attended a Miami/Virginia football game in Charlottesville. I parked at the John Paul Jones Arena because it was free. This was 2 hours before kickoff. I got there early because I wanted to tour the stately Virginia campus at length .

Leaving that arena parking lot I looked at the nearby football practice facllity, soccer stadium, track and field stadium and baseball stadium. All impressive. Then I walked across a small bridge en route to the football stadium in the distance. Yeah, I noted some colorful writing and flowers on that small bridge as I crossed, but I really didn't think anything about it.

Only a month or so later did I realize what that was. I was watching a different depiction of the Morgan Harrington case. I froze the screen when they showed that bridge. Wait a minute, I thought. I know exactly where that is. Now the angles all made sense. I saw the area of the soccer stadium and track and field stadium in the background, on the left side of the street. Only then did I realize I had twice walked across the bridge from a major true crime case, while leaving the John Paul Jones Arena area before the game and then returning after the game.

I will say that the campus and surrounding area are not particularly well lit by contemporary standards. That football game was a 3 PM start. By the time it ended and then I sampled the campus for 15 or 20 more minutes before walking back to the car it was so dark and confusing I had to ask for directions twice on my way back to the John Paul Jones parking lot.

There are not many parallel angles as opposed to weaving turns all over the place, along with elevation changes, so many secluded small areas for a quick crime to take place in all that darkness.

Jeanne Tovrea profiled by Power, Privilege, and Justice - This profiling was definitely more thorough and even revealed various details as well as new developments since the UM segment had first aired. I see it as a continuation of the segment, and maybe it was a form of closure for Jeanne's family.

I believe that in some way, shape or form her murder had to have been orchestrated; if not by Ed Sr.'s son Hap then by one of his other children considering the fact that they all harbored animosity toward her (Jeanne). They never accepted her into their family, and I can imagine that they had an axe to grind in terms of not being able to touch their inheritance unless she were to somehow meet her own demise. James Harrod seemed to surface from out-of-nowhere, and according to numerous reports he began contact with Hap not too long before Jeanne's murder.

According to Harrod and his family, he's been falsely accused and mistakenly identified. However, there are two factors which make such difficult to believe; that is 1) Jeanne having mentioned randomly seeing him in certain facilities where she would also be, and 2) his usage of an alias.

First let me start by saying I ASSUME your are making these statements based on the aired show.

I still have a contract in my files to appear on this episode but when I asked who would be appearing they gave me the names of prosecution and Jeannie Toveras' family. They just needed me to try to balance a one sided story so I will try to educate you as to real facts in this case.

If I can not back it up with actual evidence, I won't write it. So lets start with your two reasons of concern. 1) Whom did Jeannie tell that she saw a man everywhere she would be?? Did she make a police report…NO. Did she enlist the help of a professional Detective or Investigator…NO. Did she discuss this with her maid whom was a household fixture since before she became Ms. Tovrea #3…..NO. Then whom did "SHE" tell?

Who claims she was followed? Certainly not Ms. Tovrea, so one ASSUMES that whoever made such a claim would benefit in this claim.

2) Are you stating "he" used an alias….are you referring to Jeannies' estranged daughter, Debbie Nolan Luster finding an innocent message by a man named Gordon Phillips, that was left at her mothers home by Phoenix Police after their investigation?

This was after the police had listened to a tape, found nothing that alarmed them and left it at the crime scene only to be given to police later (chain of custody) by Debbie Nolan Luster, the victims daughter who inherited Jeannie/Tovreas ENTIRE estate.

I have a copy of the Gordon Phillips "tape" which was NOT ALLOWED to be tested by the defense. The Harrod family offered to hire experts in several areas…all motions…DENIED. Did Judge Ronald Reinsteins' political ambitions cloud his judgement or did he already have his mind made up so he felt no need to stand on ceremony and follow the law? His words were law!

Our experts, as well as those who knew James sat in the court room and listened to "the tape" and when we asked their opinion….it was no surprise. They noted the splicing, the voice change when sped up or slowed down. Their opinion as well as ours….tape was tampered with and could have matched any number of people. To this day the tape is still not allowed testing. WHY?

If I had to sit on a jury and make such a decision I would want ALL the facts that could be brought forth. Like evidence such as Guiseppe Calo who confessed as to his part in this crime and the supposed shooter…..James Majors….with his involvement were "NOT ALLOWED" to testify in this trial. County Attorney Myrna Parker took the death penalty off the table for Mr. Calos' testimony in this very case.

Why?