Direct Appeal By cover art

Direct Appeal

By: Dr. Meghan Sacks and Dr. Amy Shlosberg
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  • Summary

  • In August 2008, Sarah Widmer, a healthy 24 year-old woman is found dead in her bathtub, just four months after marrying Ryan Widmer… the only person at home with Sarah that night.  Suspicion quickly fell on Ryan, leading to his arrest and conviction for Sarah’s murder. But could this have been a tragic accident?  Ryan has adamantly maintained his innocence for the last 16 years, but now, two seasoned criminologists examine the very controversial conviction of Ryan Widmer, for the murder of his wife Sarah.   Is Ryan a murder or did something else happen in that bathroom? Join us to find out. 
    Article III Media
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Episodes
  • Season 1 Trailer

    Season 1 Trailer
    May 3 2019
    For the last 13 years, Melanie McGuire has been serving a life sentence for the murder and dismemberment of her husband, whose body was found in three suitcases in the Chesapeake Bay.  With Melanie’s full cooperation, two Criminologists (Dr. Meghan Sacks, and Dr. Amy Shlosberg) will examine the evidence, consult independent experts and explore over 50 hours of exclusive interviews with Melanie (from prison), her family, her friends, witnesses and experts on both sides of the trial looking to uncover the whole truth about this murder.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 min
  • The Fixer

    The Fixer
    May 7 2019
    01: Three suitcases, containing human remains, surfaced in Virginia’s Chesapeake Bay in May 2004. Police identified the man in the suitcases as 39-year-old William McGuire, from Woodbridge New Jersey, and they quickly focused their attention on Bill’s wife, Melanie McGuire, who did not report him missing. Convicted three years later of murdering and dismembering her husband, Melanie McGuire has been in prison since then but did the state get it right? Is Melanie McGuire the femme fatale that the prosecution painted her to be or is she an entirely different person, prosecuted and convicted because she was the most obvious suspect in this crime? In episode 1, meet Melanie McGuire. Credits:  Hosted by: Meghan Sacks and Amy Shlosberg.  Produced by James Varga.  Written by Meghan Sacks.  Recorded, mixed, and edited by Justin Kral at JC Studios.  Music and underscore by Nick Bassett of Dessert Media.  Legal Counsel provided by Barry Janay.  Special thanks to Alan Tockerman.  Producer-At-Large, Adam Curry For Images related to this episode, visit: https://directappealpodcast.com/images/#ep01 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    35 mins
  • The Perfect Marriage

    The Perfect Marriage
    May 7 2019
    02: Bill and Melanie each end their other relationships and begin a life together. However, this may not be storybook ending they had hoped for. Their marriage is a volatile relationship, filled with infidelity, lies and acts that would results in criminal convictions for both. Melanie describes the ups and downs, and details the fight where she said she should have left.   Credits: Hosted by: Meghan Sacks and Amy Shlosberg.  Produced by James Varga.  Written by Meghan Sacks.  Recorded, mixed, and edited by Justin Kral at JC Studios.  Music and underscore by Nick Bassett of Dessert Media.  Legal Counsel provided by Barry Janay.  Special thanks to Alan Tockerman.  Producer-At-Large, Adam Curry Photo credits: Joshua Davis under cc license 2.0 For Images related to this episode, visit: https://directappealpodcast.com/images/#ep02 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    53 mins
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Best investigative podcast I’ve heard!

Loved that it was a full picture unbiased approach from the beginning and I love that they added any of their own investigations they could with the information they could get. We need more people like this to help give a voice to those who need it!

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Incredible! Made me do a complete 180 on my initial beliefs. The slaughterhouse theory blew my mind. I wish these podcasters would delve this deeply into another case!

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