{"podcast":{"title":"Crooked Tree: A West Memphis 3 Podcast","slug":"crooked-tree-a-west-memphis-3-podcast-7844947","podcast_index_feed_id":7844947,"rss_url":"https://api.riverside.com/hosting/IrKJTEIs.rss","website_url":"https://x.com/CrookedTreePod?s=20","image_url":"https://hosting-media.riverside.com/media/podcasts/36cd24e0-6713-4048-af5f-e27cdd9cc588/logos/34a09a4c-2739-4603-9cf5-336ff84d4f8d.jpeg","author":"Paul Day and Kristin Rich","episode_count":20,"summary":"Welcome to this long-form podcast series on one of the most controversial and heavily debated true crime cases in American history: the West Memphis Three. In this series, Paul Day — victim advocate, evidence researcher, and longtime friend of the Byers family — teams up with Kristin Rich, a criminologist and victim advocate who has immersed herself in the case for years. Together, they embark on an in-depth journey that tells the story from the victims’ perspective. Focusing on the three eight-year-old boys — Christopher Byers, Michael Moore, and Stevie Branch — whose lives were tragically cut short on May 5, 1993, in West Memphis, Arkansas, Paul and Kristin draw on their extensive research, personal connections to the families, and deep knowledge of the victims’ personalities, family dynamics, and the West Memphis community. This series delivers fresh perspectives, previously undiscussed details, and thoughtful analysis that challenges surface-level narratives. Expect detailed timelines, evidence discussions, family insights, and open conversation as the hosts carefully unpack what happened that spring afternoon in 1993 — and why things were not as they first appeared. Whether y…","last_synced_at":"2026-09-09T02:17:33.235330+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/crooked-tree-a-west-memphis-3-podcast-7844947"},"episode":{"title":"Episode 5: Horror Behind the Blue Beacon","slug":"episode-5-horror-behind-the-blue-beacon","published_at":"2026-06-09T09:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/crooked-tree-a-west-memphis-3-podcast-7844947/episode-5-horror-behind-the-blue-beacon","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/crooked-tree-a-west-memphis-3-podcast-7844947","url":"https://api.riverside.com/hosting-analytics/media/e9926f11254321c64f95efddc0b17fb8a3ed68fd164397060f8b4e0da3832b23/eyJlcGlzb2RlSWQiOiI2NGMyOTU2Ni1kNjgxLTQyYTEtOWY0OS00ZTM2MGIzYzM3OGQiLCJwb2RjYXN0SWQiOiIzNmNkMjRlMC02NzEzLTQwNDgtYWY1Zi1lMjdjZGQ5Y2M1ODgiLCJhY2NvdW50SWQiOiI2OTJjZjcyNGNkZmZkMjBmNjI3OGUyYzQiLCJwYXRoIjoibWVkaWEvY2xpcHMvNmEyNzk1ZTBhNWM0OTBmM2NhNjI5NjJkL3BhdWxzLXN0dWRpby1XcXFWcS1jb21wb3Nlci0yMDI2LTYtOV9fNi0yNi04Lm1wMyJ9.mp3","audio_url":"https://api.riverside.com/hosting-analytics/media/e9926f11254321c64f95efddc0b17fb8a3ed68fd164397060f8b4e0da3832b23/eyJlcGlzb2RlSWQiOiI2NGMyOTU2Ni1kNjgxLTQyYTEtOWY0OS00ZTM2MGIzYzM3OGQiLCJwb2RjYXN0SWQiOiIzNmNkMjRlMC02NzEzLTQwNDgtYWY1Zi1lMjdjZGQ5Y2M1ODgiLCJhY2NvdW50SWQiOiI2OTJjZjcyNGNkZmZkMjBmNjI3OGUyYzQiLCJwYXRoIjoibWVkaWEvY2xpcHMvNmEyNzk1ZTBhNWM0OTBmM2NhNjI5NjJkL3BhdWxzLXN0dWRpby1XcXFWcS1jb21wb3Nlci0yMDI2LTYtOV9fNi0yNi04Lm1wMyJ9.mp3","summary":"In this deeply emotional and difficult episode of Crooked Tree, hosts Paul Day (forensic geologist and victim advocate) and Kristin Rich (criminologist and victim advocate) confront the heartbreaking reality at the heart of the case—the discovery of the bodies of Christopher Byers, Stevie Branch, and Michael Moore. This episode takes listeners into the wooded area near Robin Hood Hills and the unnamed creek on May 6, 1993. Paul provides a detailed, vivid breakdown of the challenging terrain—from the pipe bridge and Turtle Hill to the crooked tree, triple tree, ivy tree, and hollow tree—helping you visualize exactly where and how the search unfolded. Through crime scene audio, officer accounts, and careful narration, Paul and Kristin walk through the grim discoveries made by Detectives Mike Allen and Bryn Ridge, the coroner’s on-scene observations, the recovery of the boys’ bicycles from the bayou, and the devastating moments when the families learned the truth. This is the episode the hosts have been dreading most. They approach the subject with respect, humanity, and raw honesty, acknowledging the lasting trauma inflicted on the families, first responders, and the entire community. No detail is shared gratuitously, but nothing essential is avoided—the horror must be confronted to truly understand the case. A heavy, essential listen for anyone seeking the truth about what happened to these three boys. Listener discretion is strongly advised. Crooked Tree is dedicated to honoring the victims and seeking justice for Christopher, Stevie, and Michael. Support the families and the continued fight for answers.","meta_description":"In this deeply emotional and difficult episode of Crooked Tree, hosts Paul Day (forensic geologist and victim advocate) and Kristin Rich (criminologist an…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":3227,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/crooked-tree-a-west-memphis-3-podcast-7844947/episodes/episode-5-horror-behind-the-blue-beacon/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/crooked-tree-a-west-memphis-3-podcast-7844947/episode-5-horror-behind-the-blue-beacon.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}