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Jac Vanek

Alexis Linkletter

Do you ever wonder what it’s like to be friends with a murderer? Or escape a kidnapping? Or have a father who was a serial killer? Join Jac Vanek and Alexis Linkletter on a chilling ride into the darkest corners of your worst nightmares. Murders, cults, kidnappings, and conspiracies—all told through the eyes of a guest who is one degree of separation from the story itself. From infamous serial killers to the unbelievable unknown murder in your own backyard, The First Degree delivers a new perspective to the already fascinating true crime landscape. And who knows... you may be our next guest. (Plus, join them every Thursday for Killing Time, the light-hearted, true crime-adjacent aftershow!)

The First Degree

There’s a hell of a lot going on in the world right now, but we are hyper obsessing about Ashley Tisdale being booted from her mom group (it’s not an airport you don’t need to announce your departure!). Plus we give you updates on D4VD, Nick Reiner, David Harbor, Justin v Blake and more. 

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DEEP DIVE: HOW WILL MOMTOK SURVIVE THIS???

In January 2023, a 36-year-old man is found shot inside his vehicle outside his Fort Lauderdale apartment in the early morning hours. As detectives investigate, the case quickly stalls. With no arrests and no clear motive, the man’s family is left grappling not only with his sudden loss, but with the silence that follows. Living hundreds of miles away, they struggle to advocate from afar, returning to Florida year after year to keep his case from being forgotten. In episode 385, Jac and Alexis examine the unsolved murder of Jason Marous, and the unbreakable bond between a mother and son that continues long after his death.

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Episode 385: Jason Marous

Happy 2026! It’s a new year but we are still obsessing over the same ole shit. We’re deep diving into the latest Epstein files, and why doesn’t anyone talk about Bill Gates?? We chat about Epstein island and all of the lame ass Lolita quotes. Plus, what the HELL is going on with Riley Keough and John Travolta??

🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full video episodes over on Patreon:

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📸 Instagram: instagram.com/thefirstdegree

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DEEP DIVE: NEW YEAR, SAME BULLSHIT

On this New Year’s installment of The First Degree, Jac and Lex take you through the crime stories that defined 2025. From trials that dominated Court TV to investigations that exposed deep institutional failures, this episode revisits the cases that captured national attention and forced difficult conversations about accountability, justice, and trust in the system. As the year comes to a close, we reflect on what has changed, what still hasn’t, and why staying informed remains one of the most powerful tools we have.

🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full video episodes over on Patreon:

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Episode 384: The Crimes That Defined 2025

It’s time to reflect on the past year and break down all of the celebrity scandals, cultural moments and conspiracies that shaped this year. We’re diving into UFO sightings, the Blake and Justin saga, the Diddy trial and aftermath, the Epstein files, and everything in between. It’s been a wild year and we can only imagine how batshit next year will be!

🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full video episodes over on Patreon:

patreon.com/thefirstdegree

📸 Instagram: instagram.com/thefirstdegree

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DEEP DIVE: BYE BYE 2025

This week, we are stepping outside our usual format to bring you a rare combination in true crime. First, we revisit a case we covered in episode 326. The 1981 disappearance of Lonene “Lonnie” Rogers, a young mother who vanished during a blizzard in rural Pennsylvania. For decades, her family lived with questions and silence. Now, after years of tireless advocacy by Lonnie’s daughter, there has been a major and unexpected development that may finally bring accountability.

Then, we turn overseas to a case that stunned us to learn about for the first time. An American student living in London finds himself at the center of a brutal homicide investigation after a young woman is found murdered in her apartment. What followed was an international trial, a disturbing defense strategy, and a verdict that has sparked intense conversation about power, control, and violence. Two cases. Two very different paths. One episode that reminds us how long justice can take, and why telling these stories still matters.

🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full video episodes over on Patreon:

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Episode 383: An Arrest & Murder Trial Abroad

This week we delve into the shocking events surrounding the tragic deaths of Rob and Michelle Reiner, exploring the complex family dynamics, and the chilling accusations against their son Nick. Plus, we’ve got Diddy and D4VD updates and spoiler alert: it’s not looking good. 

🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full video episodes over on Patreon:

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📸 Instagram: instagram.com/thefirstdegree

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DEEP DIVE: RIP ROB REINER

In 2006, things come crashing down around Arthur ‘Art’ J Williams Jr. One of the country’s top counterfeiters, a skill he first learned in his teens, the law finally catches up with him in the form of US Secret Service Agent Brad Beeler, who’s keen to understand how the man he’s been pursuing for seven years has managed to pull off one of the most daring counterfeit currency operations in the country undetected. As a result, three generations of one family all end up behind bars, including Art’s 18-year-old son. But it’s not the end of the story. In episode 382, Jac and Alexis detail the path of redemption for Art following his release, the impact and influence of generational trauma, and how sometimes the parallels between those on both sides of the law highlight just how similar we are, instead of our differences being the defining factors in shaping our character, spiritual path, and future.

🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full video episodes over on Patreon:

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Episode 382: Arthur J. Williams Jr., Part 2

The OG Diddy Deep Dive is back! Like everyone else in the world, we binged 50 Cent’s new Diddy doc and we have THOUGHTS. We are chatting about bombshells in the doc, the aftermath on social media, and the main takeaway: Diddy was a LOSER.

🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full video episodes over on Patreon:

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DEEP DIVE: DIDDY DEEP DIVE

In 1999, a young US Secret Service special agent is assigned to the counterfeit squad in Chicago, Illinois. Aside from dignitary protection, one of the agencies’ roles is to investigate counterfeiting. Across the Midwest, someone is spending up big with $100 counterfeit notes. The level of skill, expertise, and execution required to break the most secure and sophisticated note in the history of the US Treasury is equal parts impressive and intimidating. But the con can’t last forever. In episode (insert number), Jac and Alexis detail the life and crimes of Arthur ‘Art’ J Williams Jr, whose journey from street crime to becoming the top currency counterfeiter in the country brought him face to face with Special Agent Brad Beeler. This two-part story shows how two men from opposite sides of the law can come to develop respect for each other as they each make their way to the top of their chosen careers, and how redemption is never too late.
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Episode 381: Arthur J. Williams Jr., Part 1

On October 21, 2020, two brothers aged in their early twenties are gunned down at their home in Wolcott, Indiana. Their bodies are discovered the next day. In the following days, police get a tip off that a 20 year old woman may know something about the shootings. When she’s interviewed, she admits to being at the scene of the crime with her boyfriend and his associate. She denies being involved in any shooting, and it soon becomes a matter of ‘he said, she said’. But the stories of the three accused don’t line up, especially when evidence emerges suggesting the alleged murders may have been planned all along. In episode 199, Jac, Alexis, and Billy detail the alleged murders of the Benyon brothers, Mathew and Daniel, at the hands of a former classmate Breann Cobb, her boyfriend Marlin Seay and another associate named Dorian Hale Jr.

🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full video episodes over on Patreon:
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Episode 199: The Benyon Brothers

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