The Tape Room Podcast

Mafia Tapes

It's a story about the man who may have inadvertently triggered a chain of events leading to the conviction of John Gotti. To fully understand the impact of this story you have to turn the clock back to 1985 and the mob hit that changed everything.

The Tape Room explores the connection and the new podcast from Investigation Discovery podcast series called Mafia Tapes.  

ROBERT DURST

Kathy McCormack Durst disappeared in January of 1982 – 40 years ago.

From the time she vanished the focus has been on her husband at the time, Robert Durst.

A man born into enormous wealth who grew up to become one of the most infamous killers this country has ever seen.

Four decades after his first wife vanished, Durst was finally set to stand trial for her murder, but he died in prison.

The Tape Room takes a closer look at the case with author Matt Birkbeck who believes there may be more victims out there.

The Cigar Girl Murder

Mary Rogers was what one would consider the reality star of her time. Long before television and social media, Mary’s popularity was trending in New York City in the 1840's. Her murder shocked a city and arguably began the true crime genre. The Tape Room travels back in time to explore the circumstances of her untimely death and the strange connection to legendary author Edgar Allen Poe.

Vanished

What happened to Oscar Suarez and Magdalena Devil? The Tape Room investigation about a New Jersey couple that rented a Jet Ski in Barbados and disappeared into the ocean. 

It was supposed to be a 30 minute ride, but two years later they are still missing.

The Killing of Henryk Siwiak: New York City’s only unsolved murder on 9/11.

At the end of an impossible day… when it felt like the world fractured wide open… the detectives in the 79^th precinct received an unexpected report. There’d been a murder in Brooklyn. When they arrived the circumstances became even more strange. The victim was a polish immigrant who was never supposed to be in this neighborhood. 20 years later the case is still unsolved.

Long Island Man‘s conviction in 1990 murder of Hofstra coach

The crime happened back in 1990. Assistant Hofstra football coach Joe Healy was killed while sitting with his friends outside a fast-food restaurant. Police said it was a botched robbery. His death shattered the community and led to a lot of media attention. With pressure to find a killer, investigators eventually zeroed in on Christopher Ellis, who was 20 at the time, and two other men. Ellis has been locked in prison for the last 30 years but his murder conviction was just tossed out.

 

 

Descent Into Darkness.

Summer 1977. New York City. A turbulent time in the five boroughs perhaps like no other in modern history. An economic crisis, a historic blackout and the haunting presence of a brutal serial killer. In August of that year, David Berkowitz was arrested and admitted to the attacks, ending some of the pressure. Now decades later, there are new questions. Did the .44 Caliber killer really act alone?

A new Netflix series, The Sons of Sam: A Descent Into Darkness explores this theory. The Tape Room sits down with the director Joshua Zeman.

Saw Mill Motel Double Murder

Nick Brandi was working his regular shift at a diner on September 5, 1995 when he received a call from the fiancé of his best friend, Jon Weaver. She wanted to know if Nick could check on Jon at his job at the Saw Mill River Motel just across the street. When Nick went across the street he was greeted by crime scene tape and the unimaginable.

Jon Weaver had his colleague at the motel,  Kerson “Kay” Praponpoj had been killed. A crime that remains unsolved to this day.

The Gilgo Beach Murders

On Long Island's south shore, between the charming homes and alluring beaches, there are secrets. A mystery deep and twisted: The Gilgo Beach Murders. At least 11 bodies discovered, mostly near Ocean Parkway. In all the years since the first bodies were discovered in 2010 no arrests have ever been made. Now a new series is taking a closer look: The Tape Room speaks with Billy Jensen and Alexis Linkletter  hosts of "Unraveled: The Long Island Serial Killer "

ABE LEBEWOHL & THE SECOND AVENUE DELI

He was the definition of an American success story. Abe Lebewohl was a Holocaust survivor who immigrated to the United States at the age of 19. He later opened the 2nd Avenue deli in the East Village where he was known to feed every homeless person who walked into the deli hungry. He was a man who lived to help others, until one day someone took everything. Abe was killed in March of 1996. The Tape Room takes a closer look at this case with an emotional conversation with Abe's brother.