A 65-second gap on a recorded 911 line is all it took to change two lives forever.

It began with a frantic plea from Heidi Firkus, reporting a home intruder, before the line erupted in gunfire. When the phone was picked up again, it was her husband, Nick Firkus, claiming they had both been shot. While Heidi didn't survive the encounter, Nick walked away with a wound and a description of a mystery assailant for the Minnesota police.

For years, the case sat stagnant, gathering dust as a "cold case"—until a surprise witness stepped out of the shadows with a revelation that flipped the entire narrative on its head.

What really happened inside the Firkus home that night?

Join Law&Crime's Sierra Gillespie in this episode of Crimes of Passion as she peels back the layers of a story built on desperation, hidden truths, and the ultimate betrayal.

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A 20-year-old Michigan woman and her boyfriend crashed into a sign outside the Golden Corral after they were ambushed by gunfire. Investigators said Alicia Jackson-Skaggs was shot in the head, and her boyfriend, the driver, crashed when trying to flee to safety. Detectives quickly uncovered the story after discovering that Alicia's ex-boyfriend, Deondre McLilly, had an obsessive pattern of stalking her leading up to her murder. Get the full story on this episode of Crimes of Passion with Sierra Gillespie.

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In the small town of Pittsfield, Wisconsin, Victoria Prokopovitz vanished without a trace one April night in 2013, leaving behind her personal belongings and a family desperate for answers. As the missing persons case grew cold, investigators began to piece together a narrative of domestic tension and a "no-body" homicide that would eventually lead to a high-stakes courtroom battle. On this episode of Crimes of Passion, Law&Crime's Sierra Gillespie delves into the shadow of doubt surrounding her final hours, exploring the circumstantial evidence and the conflicting theories that still leave many wondering what truly happened to Victoria.

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Emma Walker was a vibrant and kind-hearted teenager from Knoxville, Tennessee, known for her bright personality and dedication to her school and community. A student at Central High School, she was an active cheerleader who loved spending time with friends, supporting her team, and making people laugh. On a cold November night, gunshots barreled through the walls of Walker’s room while she laid in bed, one bullet striking her. Find out what happened next on this episode of Crimes of Passion with Sierra Gillespie.

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Professional cyclist Anna Moriah “Mo” Wilson was staying at a friend’s Texas apartment before a race in May 2022. After going swimming and to dinner with fellow cyclist Colin Strickland, he dropped her off—minutes before she was found fatally shot later that night. What really happened to Mo Wilson on that tragic night? Watch free, only on Spotify.

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In August 2011, 21-year-old Katelyn Markham vanished just days before her birthday. Her fiancé, John Carter, called 911 to report her missing less than 24 hours after she was last seen. Instead of preparing for a celebration, Markham’s loved ones launched an urgent search—but found no trace of her. Over the next decade, investigators repeatedly questioned Carter, scrutinizing inconsistencies in his account as they worked to uncover the truth. This episode of Crimes of Passion, Sierra Gillespie takes a closer look at the evidence, the interviews, and the long road to answers.

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A Florida man frantically called 911 after his neighbor rushed to his home on a late Sunday night. Ashley Benefield told him she shot her husband, Doug Benefield, during an argument while they were packing her things to move to Maryland. Doug had recently filed for divorce after a four-year marriage seemingly crumbled. Weeks after the shooting, Ashley was charged with Doug's murder but claimed self-defense.

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A Florida teen vanished in October 2021 shortly after he began talking to a girl from his high school in Miramar. Eighteen-year-old Dwight "DJ" Grant never came home after he went to hang out with one of his classmates Christie Parisien. Two days later investigators found the body of Grant in the bushes behind an apartment complex. Police soon set their sights on Parisien and two of Grant's other classmates Andre Clements and Jaslyn Smith.

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In our final episode, we take a look back at the trial against Scott Peterson, the moment Amber Frey took the stand, and what’s happened in the case in the two decades since Laci Peterson and her unborn son Conner first went missing. 

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On Christmas Eve twenty years ago, a pregnant woman vanished from her Modesto, California, neighborhood. Relentless media coverage pulled at every thread in her case — most notably, her husband’s strange behavior. Decades since her body, and the body of her unborn son, were found in the San Francisco Bay, we’re still asking: Did Scott Peterson kill his wife? 

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By September 2015, Brenda has masterminded a murder. She secures multiple accomplices and a solid alibi. But Brenda’s plan isn’t as airtight as she thinks. As investigators close in, a murder-for-hire leads to an international manhunt. 

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