Murder In The Black

In this episode of Murder in the Black, we look at the case of Jesse Leroy Matthew Jr. and the murders of Morgan Harrington and Hannah Graham.
This story is not just about how Matthew was eventually caught. It is about the years before that: the college allegations, the DNA that sat without a name attached to it, the missed opportunities, and the systems that treated each warning sign like it belonged in a separate folder.
Morgan Harrington disappeared in 2009 after leaving a Metallica concert in Charlottesville, Virginia. Years later, UVA student Hannah Graham disappeared after a night out in the same city. DNA evidence eventually connected Matthew to a 2005 Fairfax assault, Morgan's case, and Hannah's case.
The question at the center of this episode is not only what Jesse Matthew did. It is how many times he could have been stopped before another woman was harmed.
Because predators do not live in folders.
This episode discusses sexual assault allegations, abduction, homicide, missing persons cases, violence against women, and institutional failures around campus safety.
Jesse Matthew's early background and college football years
Sexual assault allegations at Liberty University and Christopher Newport University
The 2005 Fairfax assault and unmatched DNA profile
Morgan Harrington's disappearance after the 2009 Metallica concert
The search for Morgan and the creation of Help Save the Next Girl
Hannah Graham's 2014 disappearance in Charlottesville
How CCTV helped identify Matthew as a suspect
The DNA links between Fairfax, Morgan, and Hannah
Matthew's arrest in Texas, guilty pleas, and life sentences
The larger conversation around campus safety, DNA policy, and missed warning signs
After the main episode, I also cover two current stories:
The death of Nateal Campbell, mother of NFL player Calais Campbell, and the charges against her son Ciarre Campbell
The update in Joniah Walker's case after the Milwaukee teen, missing since 2022, was found safe
Jesse Matthew was eventually convicted in the murders of Morgan Harrington and Hannah Graham, but this case raises a bigger question: how many times could he have been stopped before another woman was harmed?
This episode looks at the college allegations, the 2005 Fairfax assault, the DNA links, the disappearances of Morgan and Hannah, and the institutional gaps that allowed warning signs to stay separated.
Because predators do not live in folders.
Content warning: sexual assault allegations, abduction, homicide, missing persons cases, and violence against women.
If you made it this far, thank you for sitting with these stories with me. Let me know your thoughts on the missed opportunities in this case, because I really want to hear how y'all feel about that.
For those of you who are like me and love to binge a story all the way through, episodes 6, 7, and 8 of What I Didn't See drop Sunday on the paid subscription, along with bonus journal entries with behind-the-scenes insight into Christina's thoughts.
Thank you for the support, the comments, the shares, and the way y'all continue to show up for this space. Like, follow, and share this episode with someone who follows true crime with care. I'll see y'all in the next one.
Research for this episode included public reporting from CNN, NBC News, NBC29, The Washington Post, CBS, WDBJ, and public case summaries related to Morgan Harrington, Hannah Graham, the 2005 Fairfax assault, and Jesse Matthew's convictions.
Content WarningIn This EpisodeTrue Crime in Current NewsShort Spotify DescriptionListener CTASource Note For Spotify

Lisa Eatmon was a Brooklyn mother, Army veteran, and expectant mom preparing to welcome her son, Jaden Marquis. In April 2005, Lisa was found in the Hudson River, and what first seemed unclear soon became a homicide investigation.
In this episode of Murder in the Black, we walk through Lisa’s life, the discovery in Manhattan, the evidence left behind at home, and the investigation that led detectives from phone records to a sanitation dock near the Hudson River.
We also reflect on warning signs that can appear in relationships when pregnancy, accountability, secrecy, and control collide.
Content warning: homicide, pregnancy loss, intimate partner violence, and grief involving a child losing a parent.
If you or someone you love feels unsafe, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233), text START to 88788, or visit thehotline.org. If you are in immediate danger, call 911.

In this episode, we revisit the tragic case of Chiquita Tate, a rising Baton Rouge criminal defense attorney whose life was violently taken inside her own law office. Chiquita was brilliant, ambitious, and building a name for herself in the courtroom when her final night at work became the center of a murder investigation.
We walk through Chiquita’s life, the timeline of her last hours, the evidence found at the scene, and the courtroom battle that followed. From DNA and hair evidence to the missing wallet, blood evidence, possible staging, and the complicated personal history between Chiquita and her husband, Greg Harris, this case raises difficult questions about violence, control, justice, and legacy.
This episode also includes a brief update and reflection on the Alexis Crawford case, another heartbreaking story involving a young woman whose future was stolen.
Key Topics
Chiquita Tate’s life, career, and rise as a criminal defense attorney
The timeline of her final night in Baton Rouge
The crime scene evidence, including DNA, hair, blood evidence, and the missing wallet
How the prosecution and defense interpreted the same evidence differently
The role of marriage, motive, life insurance, and possible separation plans
Greg Harris’s trial, manslaughter conviction, sentencing, and appeals
The lasting impact of workplace and intimate-partner violence
Chiquita’s legacy beyond the crime scene
Timestamps
00:00 - Introduction and factual reporting note
01:06 - A Baton Rouge law office becomes a crime scene
02:04 - The murder of Chiquita Tate
03:02 - Chiquita’s background, ambition, and legal career
04:29 - Chiquita’s marriage to Greg Harris
09:26 - February 19, 2009: dinner, work, and her final hours
13:12 - Crime scene findings and early evidence
15:59 - The suspect list and growing focus on Greg Harris
17:31 - The discovery of Chiquita’s wallet
19:37 - Evidence from Greg and Chiquita’s home
22:17 - Possible motives: separation, control, and life insurance
24:03 - A tip that redirected investigators
26:41 - Sunglasses, DNA profiles, and forensic questions
29:18 - Court proceedings and trial strategy
36:16 - The verdict: manslaughter, not second-degree murder
37:20 - Sentencing, appeals, and legal aftermath
39:52 - Reflection on Chiquita’s life and legacy
42:51 - Update and reflection on the Alexis Crawford case
47:14 - Closing message and listener gratitude
Resources Mentioned
DNA evidence and forensic interpretation
Louisiana second-degree murder and manslaughter law
Criminal appeals and post-conviction challenges
The Alexis Crawford case
Intimate-partner violence and workplace violence awareness
Connect With the Host
Follow and connect on social media for case updates, episode discussions, and behind-the-scenes content.
Final Reflection
The heart of this story is not only the evidence. It is Chiquita Tate herself: a first-generation college graduate, a determined attorney, and a woman whose future was still unfolding. Her legacy reminds us to honor the lives behind the headlines and to keep speaking about violence that too often begins behind familiar doors.

In this episode of Murder in the Black, the host reflects on Latasha Harlins’ life, death, and legacy while connecting her story to racial violence, community grief, policing, and justice in America. She also shares her firsthand experience attending the Karmelo Anthony trial and examines how Black youth are viewed in courtrooms, media, and public opinion.
Key Topics
Latasha Harlins’ life, family, and tragic death
South Central LA in the 1980s and 1990s
Eula Mae Love, Rodney King, and LAPD violence
Black and Korean community tensions in South Central
The 1992 LA Uprising and its aftermath
The O.J. Simpson trial and distrust of the LAPD
Cyrus Carmack-Belton and ongoing racial violence
The Karmelo Anthony trial and courtroom experience
Race, accountability, grief, and Black childhood
Timestamps
00:00 - Witnessing the Karmelo Anthony trial
00:23 - Latasha Harlins’ story
03:06 - Latasha’s family and move to LA
05:42 - Crystal Harlins’ death
09:15 - Black grandmothers and survival
11:07 - Latasha’s dreams
13:14 - Black/Korean tensions in South Central
14:19 - Eula Mae Love and LAPD violence
17:15 - Rodney King
21:34 - Latasha’s murder
23:22 - Sentencing and outrage
26:21 - 1992 LA Uprising
29:32 - O.J. Simpson and the LAPD
30:24 - Cyrus Carmack-Belton
31:03 - Karmelo Anthony case
36:04 - Jury composition
37:09 - Verdict impact
42:19 - Race, grief, and accountability
46:01 - James Baldwin reflection
Resources
Latasha Harlins case, Rodney King beating, 1992 LA Uprising, O.J. Simpson trial, Cyrus Carmack-Belton case, Karmelo Anthony case, James Baldwin quote.

In this episode of Murder in the Black, we examine the heartbreaking case of the Hart family murders—a tragedy that exposed serious failures within the child welfare system and challenged the carefully curated image of a family celebrated by many.
What appeared to be a picture-perfect family on social media concealed years of abuse, neglect, and unanswered cries for help. Through court records, witness accounts, and investigative findings, we explore how warning signs were repeatedly overlooked and why the voices of six children were not heard until it was too late.
This episode is not simply about how the Hart family died—it is about how six children lived, what they endured, and the futures they were denied.
The events leading up to the deaths of Jennifer and Sarah Hart and their six adopted children

Repeated reports of abuse and neglect that failed to result in meaningful intervention

The role social media played in shaping public perception of the family

Devonte Hart's viral image and the complex reality behind the photograph

The importance of recognizing and responding to children's disclosures

The dangers of "savior" narratives and performative activism

Race, adoption, and the challenges of transracial family dynamics

Systemic failures within child welfare and protective services

The final investigation and evidence supporting an intentional murder-suicide

The lives, personalities, and futures of the children at the center of this case

Time Stamps :
00:00 – Introduction to the Hart family case
00:25 – A hungry child seeks help from neighbors
00:55 – The family's disappearance and the discovery at the California cliffside
01:50 – Public perception versus reality
02:29 – Devonte Hart and the image that captivated the nation
03:26 – The carefully constructed narrative surrounding the family
04:07 – Social media, activism, and image management
05:09 – How trauma was used to explain away concerns
06:28 – Priscilla Celestine's efforts to keep her family together
07:19 – Family separation and contradictions within the system
08:16 – Investigations, reports, and missed opportunities
09:12 – Adoption history and the creation of a public success story
10:33 – When trauma became a shield against accountability
11:58 – The 2010 abuse allegations and legal outcomes
13:39 – Continued warning signs and institutional failures
15:09 – Homeschooling, isolation, and limited oversight
16:21 – Narrative control and public image management
17:50 – A troubling family visit in Oregon
20:18 – Hannah Hart's attempt to seek help
22:06 – Devonte's repeated requests for food
23:39 – Escalating concerns and failures to intervene
26:33 – The crash investigation and evidence of intentional family annihilation
28:30 – The final days: sedatives, control, and isolation
30:48 – Recovery efforts and the search for Devonte
32:00 – Examining years of systemic oversight failures
34:45 – The dangers of rescue narratives and public perception
37:09 – The futures each child deserved
38:09 – The emotional impact of the case
39:36 – Looking beyond appearances and curated images
40:34 – Final reflections: How many warnings are too many?
Topics Covered
Child Welfare and Protective Services Resources

Information on Trauma and Child Abuse Recognition

Research on Transracial Adoption and Child Advocacy

Historical Context Behind Devonte Hart's Viral Photograph

Follow the show for updates, bonus content, and behind-the-scenes discussions:
Instagram: @murderintheblackpodcast
Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and your favorite podcast platform.
In Memory of Hannah, Markis, Abigail, Jeremiah, Sierra, and Devonte Hart.
Their story reminds us that a carefully crafted image can hide painful realities. Most importantly, it reminds us that children deserve to be heard, believed, and protected.