In this episode following on from last week, ALI and Sarah look into the abduction and murder of Jeanine Nicarico in 1983. This shocking crime was perpetrated by Brian Dugan, the same man who was convicted of the abduction and murder of Melissa Ackerman 2 years later. However due to the police wrongfully convicting 2 innocent men of Jeanine’s murder it would be 25 years before Dugan would stand trial.

This is a frightening example of the police getting it wrong and then the American justice system refusing to admit its mistake. It nearly sent 2 innocent men to their deaths for a crime they didn’t commit and if Brian Dugan himself hadn’t confessed in an attempt to have his sentence reduced thenthe truth might never have been known.

References.

Books.

A Killer by Design,murderers, mind hunters, and my quest to decipher the criminal mind.—by Dr Ann Wolbert Burgess

Sexual Homicide,patterns and motives.—by Ann Burgess, Robert Ressler and John Douglas

Web.

Rolando Cruz -Innocence Project

AlejandroHernandez - Innocence Project

INNOCENCE:Illinois Defendant Pleads Guilty to Crime That Sent Two Innocent Men to DeathRow | Death Penalty Information Center

Peoplev. Hernandez :: 1988 :: Supreme Court of Illinois Decisions :: Illinois CaseLaw :: Illinois Law :: U.S. Law :: Justia

Questionsof Justice: The Nicarico Murder Case

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One child survivor. One vanished little girl. One predator who should have been stopped years earlier. This case of Brian Dugan is devastating, but the moment Dr Anne Burgess steps in, the investigation changes - and the truth starts to surface.

This week, we cover the abduction and murder of Melissa Ackerman, the terrifying attack that left her friend Opal Horton traumatized, and the extraordinary forensic psychology work that helped police finally identify the man responsible. If you listen for the darkest true crime cases with real investigative insight, this one hits hard. You’ll discover how a quiet Illinois farming town was shattered in minutes, how Opal’s brave testimony and Anne Burgess’s child-centered approach unlocked crucial details, and why the blue car, the missing clues, and a handful of overlooked warnings all pointed to Brian Dugan long before the system caught up. The episode also traces the violent pattern that preceded Melissa’s death, including Dugan’s earlier assaults and the failures that allowed him to keep escalating. We break down the chilling timeline, from the girls riding their bikes on an ordinary Sunday morning to the search that stretched across farmland, rivers, and abandoned buildings. You’ll hear how Anne used drawings, conversation, and trauma-aware interviewing to help Opal remember what happened, without turning a terrified child into another casualty of the case. This episode matters because it shows exactly what happens when warning signs are ignored - and what can change when the right expert finally gets involved. It’s a story about brutality, yes, but also about courage, survivor guilt, and the kind of compassion that can help a witness begin to heal. Essential listening if you want true crime that goes beyond the crime itself and shows the human cost left behind. Ali and Sarah will leave you furious, heartbroken, and deeply moved - and next week, the case gets even more infuriating.

References

Books.

A Killer by Design,murderers, mind hunters, and my quest to decipher the criminal mind.—by Dr Ann Wolbert Burgess

Sexual Homicide,patterns and motives.—by Ann Burgess, Robert Ressler and John Douglas

Web.

Brian Dugan | Serial Killer BioBrian Dugan | Criminal Minds Wiki | FandomThe Twisted Mind of a Child Killer – NBC Chicago

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In this weeks episode, Ali continues the story of Dr Ann Burgess career by looking at the murder of Kirsten Costas in 1984. Kirsten was stabbed by Bernadette Protti outside her neighbours house. The crime was almost unsolved afterBernadette passed a polygraph test, but she was requestioned after Ann Burgess and the agents of the BSU wrote a criminal profile which she matched exactly.

Also in this episode Sarah comes up with her own criminal profile for the suspect of Kirsten’s murder and then looses the plot when Ali tells her he’s fair forfochen.

Scottish word of the week--Forfochen

References

Books.

A Killer by Design,murderers, mind hunters, and my quest to decipher the criminal mind.—by Dr Ann Wolbert Burgess

Sexual Homicide,patterns and motives.—by Ann Burgess, Robert Ressler and John Douglas

Web.

Bernadette Protti| Deadly Women Wiki | Fandom

Girl,16, Convicted in Classmate's Slaying : Teen-ager Feared Victim 'Was Going toTell People I Was Weird' - Los Angeles Times

BernadetteProtti | Murderpedia, the encyclopedia of murderers

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