Unheard: True Crime in Their Own Words

Unheard: True Crime in Their Own Words is a podcast that strips away the sensational headlines and lets the people at the heart of true crime stories speak for themselves. From survivors and families to investigators, journalists, and insiders, these are raw, unfiltered conversations that rarely make it into mainstream coverage. Hosted by Justin Shepherd, a creator and advocate with millions of followers across platforms, Unheard brings a new dimension to true crime by centering voices that are often overlooked. Each episode offers an intimate, human perspective on cases that shocked communities, shaped public opinion, or exposed flaws in our justice system. This isn’t about sensationalism. It’s about listening. It’s about giving people the chance to reclaim their narrative, share their truth, and be truly heard.

Unheard: True Crime in Their Own Words is a news podcast hosted by Justin Shepherd, with 25 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Justin Shepherd hosts Unheard: True Crime in Their Own Words, a news show with 25 episodes published.

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  Episode #25

  The Death of Jason Abarca Doesn’t Make Sense

  Sep 30, 20261h 28m

  Jason Abarca was 19 years old when he disappeared in December 2023 after a series of events that ended with him running into the woods near Winchester, Virginia. Months later, his remains were found. But for Jason’s parents, Jennifer and Benito Soto, finding their son did not bring the answers they had desperately been searching for. Instead, it left them with even more questions about what happened to Jason after he disappeared and whether his death was properly investigated. Jennifer and Benito believe their son was murdered. In this episode of Unheard, they tell Jason’s story in their own words, from the devastating loss their family had already endured, to Jason’s disappearance, the discovery of his remains, and the evidence and circumstances that led them to question the investigation into his death. This is the story of a family that found their son but is still fighting to find out what happened to him. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

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  Episode #25

  BONUS EPISODE: Seven Men Accused. No Criminal Charges. The Cornell Case and Fraternity Culture | Dan Catullo

  Sep 29, 20261h 11m

  Seven men have been accused in a civil lawsuit of sexually assaulting a young woman at Cornell University’s Chi Phi fraternity house. Nearly two years later, questions remain about what happened that night and how the university responded. For this bonus episode of Unheard , I’m sharing a conversation from my YouTube live with my friend Dan Catullo, an Emmy Award winning filmmaker whose work includes 4000 Days , Protect the House , Breathe, Nolan, Breathe , and Death of a Pledge . We walk through the Cornell allegations and the latest developments, then talk about the fraternity culture surrounding them: secrecy, loyalty, and the fight for accountability when students and families speak up. This Cornell case is not a hazing case. But Dan and I were both in fraternities, and we’ve both spent time with families who lost children to hazing. Those conversations have shown us how much can stay hidden inside these organizations, and why people outside them so rarely hear about it. The accusations made in the case we're talking about, point to a bigger issue surrounding toxic fraternity culture. If this is your first time hearing about the Cornell case, I’ll point you toward my full breakdown as well. And if you’d like more bonus conversations when major stories break, let me know. Follow Unheard wherever you listen, and leave a five-star rating if the show has earned it. Our regular Wednesday episode is still coming tomorrow. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

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  Episode #24

  Beatrice Keul: Donald Trump, Jeffrey Epstein & The Story She Waited 30 Years to Tell

  Sep 23, 20261h 51m

  Content warning: This episode contains discussion of sexual assault and other potentially disturbing subjects. Former Miss Switzerland and international model Beatrice Keul sits down with Unheard: True Crime in Their Own Words for an extensive conversation about events she says began more than three decades ago and ultimately connected her story to Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein. Keul recounts her experience in New York in the early 1990s, including her allegation that Donald Trump sexually assaulted her at the Plaza Hotel, and discusses Jeffrey Epstein's connection to her story. But this conversation goes far beyond a single encounter. Beatrice discusses the documentation she has preserved, the threats she says she received after coming forward, the other women who have spoken publicly, the legal avenues now being explored, and why she sees what happened as part of a much larger story involving power, influence and international ramifications. Beatrice has never lived in the United States and has never been an American citizen. Her story began decades before today's political environment, and in this interview, we're giving her the time and space to tell it from the beginning, in her own words. This is not a sound bite. This is her story. Unheard: True Crime in Their Own Words features long-form conversations with the people who lived the stories behind the headlines. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

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  Episode #23

  When Prosecutors Break the Rules: Who Holds Them Accountable? | Iris Eytan

  Sep 16, 20261h 24m

  Who holds the prosecutor accountable? Prosecutors are some of the most powerful people in our criminal justice system. They decide what charges to bring, what plea deals to offer and what evidence to put before a jury. But what happens when a prosecutor breaks the rules — or when the pursuit of a conviction comes at the expense of a defendant's constitutional rights? On this episode of UNHEARD, I sit down with Iris Eytan, a former Deputy State Public Defender and criminal defense attorney who spent nearly 30 years inside the criminal justice system. Iris has represented thousands of defendants and was part of Barry Morphew's defense team in a murder prosecution that became a national story and raised serious questions about prosecutorial conduct. Today, Iris is the Founder and CEO of Protect Ethical Prosecutors (PEP), a nonpartisan watchdog organization advocating for ethical prosecution and accountability when prosecutors engage in misconduct. We get into just how much power prosecutors actually have, why holding them accountable can be so difficult, prosecutorial immunity, wrongful convictions, the Morphew case, and what Iris believes needs to change. This isn't a conversation about being anti-prosecutor. It's a conversation about what accountability should look like when the people entrusted with enforcing the law are accused of breaking the rules themselves. ️ UNHEARD: True Crime in Their Own Words Guest: Iris Eytan ABOUT PROTECT ETHICAL PROSECUTORS: PEP is working to document prosecutorial misconduct and advocate for greater accountability within the criminal justice system. Learn more, support their work, or find their social channels at: protectethicalprosecutors.org See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

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  Episode #23

  A Special Update for Our Listeners

  Jul 23, 20262 min

  Unheard: True Crime in Their Own Words returns in early August with brand-new episodes and incredible guests. In the meantime, please make sure you're following the podcast, leave a five-star review if you've enjoyed the show, and share it with someone who loves true crime. You can also support our mission by signing the petition to help end plea deals for child predators. You can find the petition at Change.org/EndPleaDeals If you're new here, I highly recommend starting with Episode 1 featuring Elizabeth Smart. Thank you for being part of this community. See you in August! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

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