The Minds of Madness - True Crime Stories

In Austell, Georgia, 22 year old roller skating influencer Beauty Couch vanished just as her life seemed to be falling into place. When her family realized something was terribly wrong, investigators were already following a disturbing trail that began less than a mile from her home. What they uncovered would raise haunting questions about Beauty’s final hours and the person she may have trusted most.
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For extra perks including exclusive content, early release, and ad-free episodes -
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Theme and Closing Track:
Original compositions created for The Minds of Madness
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Research & Writing:
Sherri Smith
Sources:
Opening Statements — Prosecution (ADA Stephanie Green) and Defense (Bryan Lumpkin), via Law and Crime Network
Testimony of Tracey Harris — First responding officer, Austell Police Department, via Law and Crime Network
Testimony of Deanna Thurman — Victim's mother, via Law and Crime Network
Testimony of Dr. Zoha Ashraf — Medical Examiner, Cobb County Medical Examiner's Office, via Law and Crime Network
Testimony of Detective Chance Cloud — St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office, Louisiana, via Law and Crime Network
Closing Arguments — Prosecution and Defense, via Law and Crime Network
Verdict and Sentencing — Judge Kimberly A. Childs presiding, via Law and Crime Network11Alive News (WSB-TV affiliate) — Bobeth Yates, coverage of candlelight vigil including interviews with Kimberly Couch and Layla Brown, August 2023
WSB-TV Channel 2 — Michele Newell, Cobb County Bureau, coverage of verdict and sentencing, May 2026
Court TV — "Boyfriend sentenced for murder of roller-skating influencer found burned," May 23, 2026
FOX 5 Atlanta — "Cobb man gets life without parole for influencer girlfriend's murder," May 24, 2026
Marietta Daily Journal — "Beauty Couch killer sentenced to life without parole," May 23, 2026Bold Journey Magazine — Interview with Beauty Katera Couch (undated, prior to August 2023)
Beauty Couch obituary — Davis-Struempf Chapel, funeral September 2, 2023
Instagram account @BeautyKatera
Teen Vogue — "For Young Black Women, Roller-Skating Is Survival, Resistance, and Joy," 2020

In Broomfield, Colorado, Kristil Krug began receiving disturbing messages from someone who seemed to know her every move. She went to the police, changed her routines, armed herself, and turned her home into a fortress. But as the threats grew more sinister, Kristil began to wonder if the person she feared was closer than anyone realized.
How to support:
For extra perks including exclusive content, early release, and ad-free episodes -
Go to - Patreon

How to connect:
Website
Instagram
Facebook
Twitter

Theme and Closing Track:
Original compositions created for The Minds of Madness
Please check out our sponsors and help support the podcast:
Shopify - Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at shopify.com/madness
Quince - Upgrade your wardrobe with pieces made to last with Quince. Go to Quince.com/madness for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns.
Raycon - The Essential Open Earbuds are perfect for refreshing your routine this spring. Go to buyraycon.com/mindsofmadnessOPEN to get 20% off!
HERS - Feel like your best self again, Visit forhers.com/MADNESS to get a personalized, affordable plan that gets you.
Talkiatry - Head to Talkiatry.com/madness to complete the short assessment and get matched with an in‑network psychiatrist in just a few minutes.
Granola - If meetings are eating up your day, Granola is a no-brainer. You can try it totally free for three months - just head to granola.ai/MADNESS
Rula - Rula patients typically pay $15 per session when using insurance. Connect with quality therapists and mental health experts who specialize in you at rula.com/madness
Keeper - Right now, Keeper's offering 60% off personal and family plans at Keepersecurity.com/MADNESS. This incredible offer is only for podcast listeners!
Research & Writing:
Ryan Deininger
Sources:
James Barron Obituary
Female Georgia dentist from wealthy coastal enclave accused of killing boyfriend
Wealthy US Dentist Accused Of Murdering Her Boyfriend, Patients Express Shock
Dentist Accused of Shooting Her Partner to Death in Home in Upscale Georgia Neighborhood
St. Simons Island dentist charged with murder after deadly shooting
Civil lawsuit filed against Glynn County dentist
Dentist girlfriend accused of fatally shooting boyfriend through locked bedroom door
Wealthy Georgia Dentist Gunned Down Husband Inside Bedroom of $1.6M Mansion, Cops Say
Juror refuses to deliberate in Suzanne Mericle’s murder trial
‘He’s in my nightmares’: Suzanne Mericle accuses victim of abuse
St. Simons Island dentist convicted
Court TV Recap
Family of slain Gainesville man issues statement after Mericle found guilty
Dentist found guilty of murdering her boyfriend
Defense for St. Simons Island dentist rests
'I didn't have to do that': Prosecutors play video of St. Simons Island dentist 
Defense says shooting was 'justified' in trial
Glynn County PD takes stand
Dentist says she texted another man night of shooting
St. Simons Island dentist on trial for murder of boyfriend takes witness stand
Justice Is A Process

For homicide detectives, their chance of solving a murder is cut in half if they don’t get a lead within the first 48 hours.
Adapted from the hit A&E true crime series The First 48, Crime House Studios brings you the podcast that drops you inside that critical window: the interrogations, the dead ends, and the breakthroughs that crack a case wide open. Each week, we revisit a landmark investigation from the franchise, pairing its signature investigative depth with immersive, long-form storytelling built for your ears.
Real detectives. Real cases. Real stakes. New episodes every Thursday. Follow wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Crime House Studios, A&E Global Media, and ITV America.
Listen here: https://pod.link/6786011424

In Broomfield, Colorado, Kristil Krug began receiving disturbing messages from someone who seemed to know her every move. She went to the police, changed her routines, armed herself, and turned her home into a fortress. But as the threats grew more sinister, Kristil began to wonder if the person she feared was closer than anyone realized.
How to support:
For extra perks including exclusive content, early release, and ad-free episodes -
Go to - Patreon

How to connect:
Website
Instagram
Facebook
Twitter

Theme and Closing Track:
Original compositions created for The Minds of Madness
Please check out our sponsors and help support the podcast:
Shopify - Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at shopify.com/madness
Quince - Upgrade your wardrobe with pieces made to last with Quince. Go to Quince.com/madness for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns.
Raycon - The Essential Open Earbuds are perfect for refreshing your routine this spring. Go to buyraycon.com/mindsofmadnessOPEN to get 20% off!
HERS - Feel like your best self again, Visit forhers.com/MADNESS to get a personalized, affordable plan that gets you.
Talkiatry - Head to Talkiatry.com/madness to complete the short assessment and get matched with an in‑network psychiatrist in just a few minutes.
Granola - If meetings are eating up your day, Granola is a no-brainer. You can try it totally free for three months - just head to granola.ai/MADNESS
Rula - Rula patients typically pay $15 per session when using insurance. Connect with quality therapists and mental health experts who specialize in you at rula.com/madness
Keeper - Right now, Keeper's offering 60% off personal and family plans at Keepersecurity.com/MADNESS. This incredible offer is only for podcast listeners!

Research & Writing:
Sherri Smith
Editing:
Aiden Wolf
Sources:
5280 Magazine — "Kristil Krug's Stalker Could Have Been Caught Weeks Before Her Murder — So Why Wasn't He?"
NBC News — "Kristil Krug blamed her ex when she was stalked and harassed. After her murder, her husband was convicted"
ABC News — "Colorado woman's stalker turns out to be husband in shocking murder case"
CBS News — "Why was Kristil Krug's murder case so hard to solve?"
CBS News — "Store receipt provides alibi for Utah man eyed in murder 500 miles away"
Adams & Broomfield County DA — Official Press Release: Sentencing
Denver7 — "Broomfield man sentenced to life in prison for killing wife after posing as her ex-boyfriend and stalking her"
9News — "Daniel Krug trial: Man accused of stalking wife by pretending to be ex"
KSAT — "Colorado man gets life in prison for killing his wife after posing as ex-boyfriend and stalking her"
Law and Crime Network — Sidebar with Jesse Weber — Body cam and interrogation footage (YouTube)
UNSEEN — Body cam footage compilation (YouTube)
48 Hours — "The Setup: Murder of Kristil Krug" — CBS News 
20/20 — "He's Right Behind You" — ABC News

In Springfield, Tennessee, a late night 911 call shattered the silence of a quiet suburban neighborhood. On the other end was Joseph Parker, calmly describing something that seemed impossible. By sunrise, investigators would uncover a disturbing mystery hidden behind the closed blinds of an ordinary home.
How to support:
For extra perks including exclusive content, early release, and ad-free episodes -
Go to - Patreon

How to connect:
Website
Instagram
Facebook
Twitter

Theme and Closing Track:
Original compositions created for The Minds of Madness
Please check out our sponsors and help support the podcast:
Shopify - Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at shopify.com/madness
Quince - Upgrade your wardrobe with pieces made to last with Quince. Go to Quince.com/madness for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns.
Raycon - The Essential Open Earbuds are perfect for refreshing your routine this spring. Go to buyraycon.com/mindsofmadnessOPEN to get 20% off!
HERS - Feel like your best self again, Visit forhers.com/MADNESS to get a personalized, affordable plan that gets you.
Talkiatry - Head to Talkiatry.com/madness to complete the short assessment and get matched with an in‑network psychiatrist in just a few minutes.
Granola - If meetings are eating up your day, Granola is a no-brainer. You can try it totally free for three months - just head to granola.ai/MADNESS
Rula - Rula patients typically pay $15 per session when using insurance. Connect with quality therapists and mental health experts who specialize in you at rula.com/madness
GhostBed - Take advantage of Spring Sale pricing, go to GhostBed.com/madness, code MADNESS for an extra 10% off sitewide. Some exclusions apply; see site for details.

Research & Writing:
Sherri Smith
Editing:
Aiden Wolf
Sources:
Fox News
Smokey Barn News
Fox Nashville
Clarksville Now
EWU Crime Storytime
The Tennessean
The Crime Atlas