CounterClock

The North Carolina Innocence Inquiry Commission process enters its final phase. Delia interviews the expert in developmental psychology who testified twice in the case to understand more about false confessions, and the victim’s family offers their final thoughts to the court. A retired footwear examiner deems old interpretations of shoeprint evidence as junk science and Delia explores.

The North Carolina Innocence Inquiry Commission convenes and staff investigators reveal everything they’ve dug into over the course of nearly five years. Jessicah, Jermal, Rayshawn, Nathaniel, and Christopher come under questioning again, but maintain their truth. New DNA evidence is presented that blows everyone away, and the course of the case changes yet again.

Jessicah Black breaks her silence after nearly 15 years and reveals to state innocence investigators that she lied under oath as a teenager. The recantation triggers a massive shift in Rayshawn, Nathaniel, Jermal, and Christopher’s post-conviction fight. Meanwhile, a tragedy befalls the fifth member of the friend group, and Delia tracks down the attorneys who’ve taken on the cases.

Delia learns how both sides approached the August 2004 trial of Rayshawn Banner and Nathaniel Cauthen, and how Jessicah Black remembers preparing to testify as the star witness. The boys' false confession arguments flounder despite law enforcement's methods being less than sound.

Delia speaks with the people who were questioned and arrested for the murder of Mr. Jones. A clear understanding of what led authorities to six teenagers comes into view, but several nagging questions linger.

Delia explores two crucial eyewitness sightings on Moravia Street during the timeframe Mr. Jones was attacked. Her investigation digs deeper into allegations against someone close to the victim and a series of suspicious phone calls made to a local cab company directing someone to 905 Moravia Street just before Mr. Jones was discovered.

When 61-year-old widower Nathaniel Jones was found bloodied and bound with tape inside his home’s carport on November 15, 2002, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, his loved ones and the community were devastated by the senseless crime. For two decades, the question at the heart of the case has not been what happened to him, but rather who… who was responsible for such a heinous act?

When 61-year-old widower Nathaniel Jones was found brutally beaten to death and bound with tape inside his home’s carport on November 15, 2002, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, his loved ones and the community were devastated by the senseless crime. For two decades, the question at the heart of the case has not been what happened to him, but rather who... who was responsible for such a heinous act?

Park Predators is back and now a WEEKLY audiochuck podcast with new episodes every Tuesday! When a decomposed body turns up in the desert in June 2018, law enforcement in California work to ID the victim. The web of secrets, sex and lies that unfold reveal a grim picture of what a young man was willing to do for love.

Delia and Ashley Flowers sit down to unpack listener questions about Season 6. Delia drops a bombshell revelation about a reoccurring name in the investigation and gets an interview with Joycegean Wilson’s family for the first time in three decades. This bonus episode is jam-packed!

The Wagg family feels compelled to exhume Doug’s body to have it re-examined for forensic evidence. Strange things begin happening around Williamston and Delia works to make sure Tremaine Howell, Nikki Wilson, and Joycegean Wilson are never forgotten. The conclusion to CounterClock Season 6 is packed with information about what should come next in the case and how you can get involved.

Delia investigates overlaps between key figures from this season and the mysterious disappearance and assumed death of another man in Williamston who had ties to a massive criminal drug network spanning from New York to Eastern North Carolina.

Delia discovers some alarming information about the death of Alex ‘Spanky’ Brown in 1995 and speaks with an inmate who was once on the inside of the drug underworld in Martin County during the early 1990s.

Delia learns some disturbing details and bizarre information about the alleged events of October 12th, 1992, in Oak City. When Larry Jones dies unexpectedly in prison less than three months after his arrest, people in Martin County who longed for answers about the Oak City bank robbery incident speculate about what really happened to him. She visits the bank building in person to get a sense of the scenery and speaks with more witnesses who were there on the day of the crime.

Sheriff Jerry Beach is shot and killed while responding to a bank robbery in Martin County, just days after arranging to meet with Larry Howell to discuss his son’s case. Eyewitnesses to Jerry’s murder and a violent hostage situation that ensued afterwards recall what they remember about that day. Delia learns that the NCSBI played a major role in the investigation, but has kept its files about the matter under lock and key for three decades. Inconsistent details raise alarming questions about what really happened, and Delia begins to dig further.

The lone survivor that decided not to join Tremaine, Nikki, and Joycegean the night they disappeared confides in several people about what he witnessed. Delia learns more about Martin County Sheriff Jerry Beach and uncovers even more strange overlaps with the Doug Wagg case.

Delia reinvestigates the mysterious deaths of three teenagers in Williamston in August 1992, one year after Doug Wagg was killed. Law enforcement's quick decision to close the case sends up red flags and Delia discovers a concerning pattern beginning to emerge.

Ancestry records prove there is a connection between the sheriff who dismissed investigating Doug's death and the Davis family. Delia probes more into that relationship and visits the property Doug was living in in 1991. A history of distrust between the Waggs and Sandy is explored.

Delia uncovers some alarming information about deep corruption within local law enforcement in Martin County during the 1990s. The retired commander of a collective drug task force assembled to fight the war on drugs reveals that at the height of the task force’s operations, some officers were working both sides of the law and benefiting greatly.

Delia discovers a traffic citation Doug received one month before his death and its contents are beyond puzzling. The lead raises a lot of questions about why Doug was out in the middle of the night, one month before his death. Delia sets out to speak with one man who’s alleged to have seen Doug during July 4th weekend 1991. We hear, for the first time, from Doug’s son about why he’s joined the pursuit for answers about the father he never knew.

Delia visits the scene of Doug’s death in Martin County and observes why it was an ideal place to potentially dump a body undetected. Doug's widow retraces the timeline leading up to his death and murky accounts of where he was last seen alive leave a lot to be questioned. A troubling letter Doug wrote to his wife weeks before his death alludes to a much more sinister reality.

Delia reviews the original forensic pathologist’s findings in the Doug Wagg case to determine the big takeaways. Family members reveal just how in the dark they were back in 1991 and what new discoveries have left them questioning everything they thought they knew. Delia learns about a bizarre overlap between her own life and the top brass at the Martin County Sheriff’s Office.

The operator of the freight train that hit Doug recalls the fateful early morning strike from July 1991 and Delia learns more about what law enforcement did and didn’t do to investigate. A detective from a neighboring jurisdiction explains how he tried to alert the Martin County Sheriff’s office that there was evidence of murder on the desolate stretch of train tracks.

On July 8, 1991, the body of 27-year-old Douglas Wagg, Jr. turned up on a lone stretch of railroad tracks that border the small city of Williamston, North Carolina. How he got there and how he died has remained a mystery for more than 33 years. In the first episode of CounterClock season six, Delia turns back time to unravel Doug’s life story and get a better sense of who he was, where he was from and why his family is fighting to figure out what happened to him.

On July 8th, 1991, the body of 27-year-old Douglas Wagg, Jr. turned up on a lone stretch of railroad tracks that border the small city of Williamston, North Carolina. How he got there and how he died has remained a mystery for more than 33 years.

It’s been four years since CounterClock released an episode on the unsolved murder of Denise Johnson. Delia unravels the newest leads she’s been following related to the case and revisits some of her initial reporting. This is the update episode listeners have been waiting for and now it's time to dive in.

On the heels of Season 5’s release, Delia updates listeners with new information and leads that have surfaced in the Bruce Cucchiara murder investigation.

Delia breaks down the details of an unexpected status hearing the judge overseeing Jeff Pelley's post-conviction petition for relief requested on May 31st, 2023.

Delia investigates who were Bruce's true friends and seeks answers from people in Covington who should have every reason to talk about Bruce, but won't. Plus a call to action from the New Orleans Police Department, Bruce's loved ones and Delia herself.

Delia discovers that in 2016 a hit was taken out on another victim in the same parking spot of the Mark VII apartments that Bruce died in. This crime was only partially solved and a trigger man wielding a revolver remains at large. A witness at both crime scenes speaks with CounterClock.

Delia investigates a mysterious warehouse fire in Covington two and a half years after Bruce's murder. Firefighters from the original scene and a hired fire investigation consultant try to make sense of items at the warehouse that don't belong.

In 2011 a business venture between Bruce and his friends failed and resulted in litigation. When a former disgraced business associate who leveled a lawsuit against Bruce and his friends makes bold claims about Bruce's murder, everyone takes pause.

Bruce's wife and close friends remember having strange conversations with Bruce in the months and weeks leading up to his murder. Delia investigates patterns in Bruce's behaviors and communications that paint a picture of a man in deep distress.

The water utility company that Bruce was a key executive at had a history of bad behavior including a federal water pollution conviction and massive fine. Delia learns the depths of Bruce's work at SELA and how integral he was in a multi-million-dollar business deal with St. Tammany Parish.

Delia explores a striking conflict regarding how Bruce's estate was handled and investigates connections between the characters in the story that raise a lot of questions.

Bruce was insured for $5 million by his employer which made him a company asset. Delia digs deep into his life insurance policies only to discover a puzzling settlement that even law enforcement says should never have happened. Photocopies of his last will and testament surface after his murder but his family can't find the originals or figure out why his employer won't fulfill Bruce's wishes. Complicated financial matters only deepen a growing rift between Bruce's family and his business associates.

Two months after Bruce's murder, his widow Anne received a text message from her dead husband's missing cell phone. NOPD detectives followed the lead to a woman who kept changing her story about how she ended up with it. Delia uncovers incongruent facts and a mysterious fire at an electronics store that raise doubts about where Bruce's phone ended up.

Delia analyzes Bruce's cellphone records and discovers an extremely important clue as well as a major misstep by homicide investigators.

Why was Bruce even in New Orleans East on the day he died? The answer eludes everyone, and Delia discovers some sketchy information tucked away in land and business records for the Mark VII Apartments.

Delia tracks down employees at the Mark VII Apartments on April 24th, 2012, and visits the crime scene in- person. A suspicious note found in Bruce's truck creates more questions than answers.

Louisiana's troubling history of political, racial and socioeconomic division leads Delia to understand New Orleans East better. NOPD's current cold case detective weighs in on the basic facts of the Bruce Cucchiara crime scene, a frustrating 'person of interest' sighting, and a code of silence that stunted the investigation from day one.

On Tuesday April 24th, 2012 someone shot and killed 57-year-old Bruce Cucchiara in a New Orleans East apartment complex. Who was Bruce? His children, ex wife and widow reflect on the man who's murder is the focal point of CounterClock Season 5.

When 57-year-old Bruce Cucchiara was gunned down in the parking lot of a New Orleans East apartment complex in 2012 his murder devastated his family and stumped law enforcement. For more than a year CounterClock's Delia D'Ambra has investigated the case and unraveled a web of bizarre information and circumstances about his life and those who benefitted from his death.

Delia speaks with former Desoto County cold case investigator James Kirdy to go over critical points of the John Welles case. She learns more about what James thinks happened to John and why he is convinced the teen was not a murder victim. This episode is an update for listeners who have streamed all episodes of CounterClock Season 4.

Host, Delia D'Ambra, and Executive Producer, Ashley Flowers, discuss listener questions that came in after Season 4 released. Delia gets her hands on evidence photos of John Welles's actual .22 Ruger Revolver and other critical pieces of evidence that have never been seen before. Associate producer David Payne and other voices from the season drop in to go over everything we know so far in this case and talk about theories that should be considered.

Delia finds herself confronting a state governing board head-on at one of their meetings. Everything about the integrity of Desoto County and FDLE's handling of the John Welles case comes into question and the pressure of the CounterClock investigation builds to a breaking point. Plus, a special finale call out for listeners to keep the momentum going.

The cleanliness of John's revolver brings into question whether it was ever the murder weapon at all. Delia uncovers data from the 12th District Medical Examiner's office that raises concern about the number of undetermined deaths recorded the same year John's manner of death was changed.

Delia discovers another .22 Magnum Ruger single-action six shot revolver loaded with 17 caliber ammunition was present on the Southeast Hansel property the day of John's murder. What happened to this revolver after John died? That's the million-dollar question that Delia tries to get to the bottom of. Plus, what a former DNA forensics lab that worked on the John Welles case says could be done to gather more information thanks to new advancements.

Delia brings in a forensic pathologist and a firearms reconstruction expert to evaluate the accidental shooting theory in the John Welles case. After months of testing, the group goes over their findings and the results are eye-opening.

14 years after John's murder, one Desoto County detective establishes a new theory about the case that does not line up with the evidence. Delia investigates how the information made its way to higher powers in the ME's office.

Delia takes a step back to consider all of the suspects known in the case and evaluate law enforcement's handling of the investigation after 2006. She and associate producer David Payne venture back out to SE Hansel Avenue to continue working the case only to find themselves face-to-face with Desoto County deputies and subjects of a 911 call.

Three years after John's murder a lead emerges thanks to a teenage domestic violence survivor coming forward. Delia learns that investigators looked into the lead but never really chased the guy down. Delia follows up and finds the man, who's now a convicted criminal serving time in a Florida state prison.

Delia investigates how a bitter land dispute and missing will could have been the motive for the people close to John to want him out of the equation.

Forensic results from FDLE are in and they create more questions than answers in the case. Delia tracks down Skip's former fiancé who reveals an interesting take on the crime and the love of her life.

Each primary witness’s story comes under the microscope as they recreate their version of events at the crime scene a week after John’s death. Delia investigates inconsistencies in Pat and Skip’s behaviors and examines their actions on the day of the crime. A second autopsy comes into play and tension builds at John's funeral.

Law enforcement in 2003 grills John’s step-uncle for more details about what he saw and did on the day John was killed. Delia explores the tactics interrogators used during the tense interview and investigates the ins and outs of Skip’s statements.

Investigators in 2003 question John's 16-year-old best friend about what he saw on the day of John’s death. Delia catches up with him 19 years after he was in the hot seat to go over where he stands on being treated as a suspect.

Desoto County Sheriff' Office has to start their murder investigation from square one and they're 24 hours behind. They call in help from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and Delia breaks down detectives first interview with John's grandmother to explore her version of events. Plus, Delia examines why the results of John's toxicology screen became a major focal point for investigators.

When the medical examiner processing John’s body discovers an intact bullet in the back of his skull, the case turns into a murder investigation. Other clues unearthed during John’s autopsy bring up even more questions about the hours and days leading up to the his death. Delia explores where police followed their initial suspicions.

A teenage boy doing chores on his family’s farm in Arcadia, Florida is found face down in a watery ditch in the middle of a hot summer day. The simple investigation into his drowning takes a dark turn.

Investigative journalist, Delia D'Ambra, is back with a fourth season of CounterClock. She jumps right into investigating a teenager's mysterious death from 2003 in rural South Florida only to find that nothing is as it seems. Twists and turns are around every corner, and finding the truth of what really happened to 17-year-old John Welles proves to be Delia's most dangerous and difficult journey yet.

Less than a year after the release of CounterClock Season 3, Jeff Pelley is in an Indiana courtroom for the first time in more than a decade. His defense team has one shot at arguing his post-conviction case.

Host, Delia D'Ambra and Executive Producer Ashley Flowers team up to break down your burning questions about CounterClock Season 3 and update you on recent developments that couldn't make it into the 20 episodes!

Delia realizes the potential significance of the Pelley's .22 revolver much to the surprise of Jeff's defense attorney. The investigation into Eric Dawson's murder takes a surprising turn and puts Delia in the same room with investigators. Listeners can help push the case forward in a special finale call out. **IMPORTANT INFO FOR LISTENERS*** LEE COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE CONTACT PHONE: Public Information Office: (239) 477-1340 General: (239) 477-1000 EMAIL: PIO general: PublicInformationOffice@sheriffleefl.org Sergeant Marsha Sutphin: msutphin@sheriffleefl.org

Delia investigates whether or not a fictitious identity manufactured in South Florida in the late 1970's could tether Bob and Phil's history more than previously thought.

Delia discovers new information buried in the Pelley's phone records could be critical. Jeff's attorney makes a bold claim she plans to argue in court and Delia brings on a crime scene assessment expert to weigh in on the facts of the case.

The sentences for the defendants in Fort Myers raise suspicion about the court’s integrity and Delia learns startling facts about members of the prominent family.

Bombshell testimony from Eric Dawson's former secretary and an undercover informant reveals the suspects' depth of deception in stealing Eric's land days before he vanished.

Delia investigates the brutal murder of Eric Dawson in Fort Myers, Florida. A former lead detective on the case explains the complicated secrets of the slain land developer’s life and business. Family friends of the Pelleys’ emerge as persons of interest in Eric’s case.

The CounterClock investigation pivots to focus on the disappearance of a man in Southwest Florida seven months before the Pelley murders. Eric Dawson’s story is integrally important for the remainder of the series.

Delia revisits the history of an enormous financial scandal with Bob Pelley’s former employer, Landmark Bank. The CounterClock investigation reveals never-before heard testimony from a woman who told authorities that Bob was afraid of people from his past in Florida.

Jeff’s current defense attorney, Frances Watson, invites Delia to her “Pelley Case” war room at IU McKinney School of Law and lays out the facts she is using to contest Jeff’s conviction. Delia uncovers that former Saint Joseph County Police detectives now contradict some of their original theories.

Alan Baum admits his failures as Jeff’s defense attorney but insists the physical evidence in the case suggests more than one shooter was involved. The final verdict comes in and new characters in the Pelley family's life speak publicly, raising even more questions in the case.

The trial of the State of Indiana vs. Jeff Pelley begins in South Bend. Jeff’s lead defense attorney recalls important moments and delays that defined the high-profile proceedings. He explains to Delia the defense's strategy that was pushed to the brink.

The cold case homicide investigator who built a case against Jeff 13 years after the Pelley murders details his investigation and logic. Delia raises questions about a critical piece of evidence used to make the arrest that he can't explain.

Jeff's attempt to retrieve his inheritance early backfires and lands him in a world of trouble in Florida. Indiana police jump at the chance to try and get Jeff to confess to his family’s murders but that backfires too.

Delia re-investigates the narrow window of time police believed Jeff committed the four murders. Eyewitness testimony becomes key to knowing Jeff's whereabouts and the last time the Pelley family was seen alive.

Indiana police try to find physical evidence linking Jeff to the murders. Delia examines their methods and uncovers documents that contradict one another.

Original detectives on the case remember tracking down 17-year-old Jeff Pelley at a theme park in Illinois and Delia dissects the first videotaped interview authorities conducted with the teenager.

The Pelleys' next door neighbors remember critical details about the timeline leading up to the massacre and Delia learns the depths of mounting resentment between Jeff and Bob.

Bob, Dawn, Janel and Jolene's autopsies reveal details about their killer's mindset and Delia examines how reliable the police’s investigative case record really is.

Eyewitnesses and police investigators who discovered the Pelley murders in 1989 remember the horrific scene inside the Pelley home.

Delia launches her investigation into the Pelley family murders by going back in time. Interviews with family members and close friends establish critical information that explains what led the family from South Florida to Indiana.

Investigative journalist Delia D’Ambra is launching the third installment of audiochuck’s popular podcast CounterClock. Season 3 is the biggest investigation yet sending Delia hunting for answers across five decades. This 20-episode series will release in its entirety on April 29th, 2021 the 32-year anniversary of the Pelley family massacre in Lakeville, Indiana. Delia’s year-long investigation into the infamous family murders includes never-before-heard interviews from people closest to the victims and the initial police investigation. After reviewing more than 6,000 court documents, depositions, transcripts, and photographs, Delia has traveled from Northern Indiana to South Florida following leads that connect unsolved crimes in the Sunshine state to the Pelley family. This in-depth season is also closely examining the facts of the case that secured the 2006 conviction of Jeff Pelley.

Host Delia D’Ambra and CounterClock executive producer Ashley Flowers discuss details of the unsolved murder of Denise Johnson and the murder of Stacey Stanton. Delia goes through your email-submitted questions about both cases and tells all about her personal knowledge of nitty gritty details she’s gathered in both cases. Everything from new leads, to new potential evidence comes out in today’s Q & A episode.

In today's episode Delia sits down for a raw one-on-one conversation with Clifton Spencer. The two dive deep into how law enforcement investigated the murder of Stacey Stanton and why the criminal justice system kept Clifton behind bars for nearly 18 years. What is Clifton's life like now? What can be done to right wrongs? That's all covered in this exclusive discussion between an investigative journalist and a convicted murderer still trying to clear his name.

Clifton may be a free man but the state of North Carolina is still after a big part of his life. During the season finale one of his post-conviction attorneys speaks openly about what the future holds. Counterclock is also encouraging listeners to participate in demanding change from the North Carolina Innocence Inquiry Commission and the North Carolina General Assembly. Visit our website for all the details you need to participate: www.counterclockpodcast.com

Delia explains Clifton Spencer's journey through the criminal justice system and why, time after time, evidence that could've helped free him, was never fully explored.

Delia reveals unbelievable connections between the murders of Stacey Stanton and Denise Johnson that include the same people, places and new jailhouse confessions.

Delia uncovers a violent history of crimes and suspicious behavior swirling around Mike Brandon. SBI agent, Donnie Varnell, is once again called upon to remember his former case work.

A bank receipt from an ATM becomes a critical piece of evidence. Eyewitnesses on Ananias Dare Street are able to place individuals at Stacey's apartment during the early morning hours of the day she was murdered.

Delia discovers that statements from Stacey's ex-boyfriend and his entourage are not adding up. Where they were and when leaves a lot of time unaccounted for on the night of the crime.

Delia interviews a case of characters who were inside the Green Dolphin Pub on the night of February 2, 1990. These witnesses shed more light on the circumstances leading up to Stacey's murder.

Clifton Spencer fights his conviction in court and wins a small victory...but a bigger battle is still head. Delia uncovers that the events from three decades ago still weigh heavy on key players in the case.

Within hours, authorities develop their prime suspect in the Stacey Stanton murder case. This lead takes investigators to a town just outside of Manteo and to a man who was with Stacey the night she died. The clock to make an arrest is ticking and racial biases start to come into play even when all the pieces don't quite fit into place.

In season two, host Delia D'Ambra is back in her home town to investigate another brutal murder from the 90s. To the local police and DA the case is closed and a man has been sentenced for the crime. But to those who knew the victim it is very much an unsolved case and an innocent man might have been wrongly convicted. In episode one Delia D'Ambra tracks down witnesses who remember the bloody crime scene inside Stacey Stanton's apartment on February 3rd, 1990. Early on, the investigation into how the young waitress died reveals unique clues about who committed the crime.

It’s been 30 years since someone brutally stabbed 28-year-old Stacey Stanton inside of her second-story apartment. Investigative journalist Delia D’Ambra is back in her hometown on the Outer Banks of North Carolina to figure out if a man was wrongfully convicted for the crime and if the real killer is still out there. The only way to understand Stacey’s story is to move counterclockwise in time; to go backwards to the point where her clock violently stopped. CounterClock Season Two will premier on Thursday, September 10th!

Who was really after who inside 2014 Norfolk Street on July 13th 1997? In 2020, a major update emerges in a cold case.

After two years of searching, Delia tracks down Teresa but runs into unforeseen twists.