Done in a Day: Learn about master manipulator ‘Dirty John’ in this true crime series
From Wondery and The Los Angeles Times comes “Dirty John,” a true crime podcast involving con artistry, exploitation, and murder. Listen from the very beginning of this six-episode series to learn about a manipulative relationship and a person who claimed self-defense when committing a crime. The average run time for episodes is 45 minutes, so you might find yourself finishing the entire series in one sitting.
On a recent episode of Podsauce, Alesha selected “Dirty John” for the Done in a Day segment. Alesha and Dax enjoy short, fast-moving podcasts with several, bingeable episodes. And “Dirty John” suits this category.
“Dirty John” focuses on the relationship between John Meehan and the successful interior designer, Debra Newell. John appeared to meet all of Debra’s criterion, and he had just allegedly returned from a Doctors Without Borders trip in Iraq. They met online and John moved into Debra’s home after a few weeks of dating.
From the get-go, Debra’s family despised John. Their relationship fast-tracked to marriage within months, and the situation got increasingly scary. What unfolds is a love story filled with lies, enmeshment, and denial. With bombshell revelations along the way, you won’t believe who killed whom by the final episodes.
L.A. Times‘ Christopher Goffard hosted and investigated this series that aired in 2017. Since then, more of John’s victims have reached out with similar stories. The podcast interviews Debra’s family, including her daughter Terra, and those involved with the case. In the seventh episode, Chris and L.A. Times‘ Carolina Miranda interviewed Debra and Terra Newell for a long-form interview.
“Dirty John” was turned into a TV show by the same name. Bonus podcast episodes interview the show’s cast and crew including actors Connie Britton, Eric Bana, Julia Garner, Juno Temple, and showrunner Alexandra Cunningham.
In addition to this series, Chris authored the book, Dirty John and Other True Stories of Outlaws and Outsiders, featuring comparable tales of deception.
Check out all episodes of “Dirty John,” now streaming.
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