Christmas Parade Crasher: The Darrell Brooks Side Show Gulf Coast Confidential With Mollye Barrows podcast

24:01

Send us a text Jimmie “Jay” Lee loved to shine. The 20-year-old Ole Miss Student was known for his love of flamboyant clothes, his Pomeranian ‘Lexie,’ and helping others. In fact, the day his disappearance was discovered the soon-to-be social worker had missed attending a baby-formula drive and his friends and family knew something was wrong. Jay Lee was last seen leaving his university-affiliated apartment early on the morning of Friday, July 8, 2022, wearing his gray slippers, silver robe and a gold bonnet. Police discovered he was going to meet Timothy Herrington Jr., an Ole Miss graduate from a politically and religiously well-connected family who owned his own moving company. The strait-laced entrepreneur had been secretly pursuing the energetic social butterfly, but he was hiding the affair from his family. Police quickly focused on Herrington and said evidence showed he arranged for the last-minute bootie call when Jay Lee left that morning, but thought he was keeping the hook-up on the down low. Instead, police say his internet search history clued them into to his true intentions. He searched for the phrase, “How long does it take strangle someone, Gabby Petito?” It was a true-crime case of one lover killing another that fascinated Herrington and led police to find more evidence that he was involved in Jay’s death. Although Jay’s body was not found for over two years, he was declared dead. Prosecutors charged and tried Herrington for his murder, but it ended in a mistrial after one juror refused to convict, saying there was no body. Now his body has been found. It had not been at the time we recorded this episode, but at the beginning of February, hunters found Jay Lee’s skeletal remains at a well-known Carroll County dumping site. He was still wearing his favorite gold necklace that bore his name “JayLee.” It looks like there will be another trial for Tim Herrington who claims he is innocent. Join us for more on the latest episode of the Gulf Coast Confidential podcast, “Ole Miss Murder Mystery: Did strait-laced Tim Herrington, Jr. kill his flamboyant hook-up, Jimmie ‘Jay’ Lee, over a bootie call?” Support the show…

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“Blue Gatorade: Is it worth your life? Store owner Taz Zarka stabs Mark Garrity” 24:25

10 days ago24:25

24:25

Send us a text Killing a customer for shoplifting seems callous and cruel, but 61-year-old Taz Zarka said he was “not a monster” for stabbing 27-year-old Mark Garrity Jr. to death on April 6, 2023. The young man was in Taz’s family-owned, neighborhood supermarket located at the City Bus Stop in Raleigh, North Carolina when the store owner thought Mark was stealing a blue Gatorade and some ice cream. Shoplifting was a constant problem for the businessman, he had them at least twice a day, and Garrity, who struggled with addiction, had put the drink in his bag, but he had not left the store with the items and was approaching the cash register with the ice cream in hand when Taz stabbed him with his pocket knife several times. After the violent attack, it was business as usual for Taz who immediately began mopping the young man’s blood off the floor. Mark managed to crawl outside where he bled to death on the sidewalk while bystanders took video. Police charged Taz Zarka with second-degree murder for the crime that was caught on the store’s camera. Was a drink with monopotassium phosphate, a bit of modified food starch, glycerol, and a dash of blue food dye number one, all that Mark Garrity, Jr.’s life was worth? Find out what the jury thought on the next episode of the Gulf Coast Confidential podcast, “Blue Gatorade: Is it worth your life? Store owner Taz Zarka stabs Mark Garrity.” Support the show…

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Unnecessary Middle Men Force Patients to Pay More for Prescriptions 39:55

14 days ago39:55

39:55

Send us a text It’s no secret that the Pharmacy Healthcare System is broken. Join Pam and me as we dive into the ugliness of one of the main reasons the Pharmacy Profession and Independent Pharmacies are being threatened, some pharmacists say. We invited Johnny Brooklere, Pharmacist/Owner of Brooklere Pharmacy 💊 in Birmingham, Alabama to share his expert opinion on one of the main culprits …PBM’s (Pharmacy Benefits Managers)‼️ As Brooklere points out, they have a very big fight 🥊 on their hands‼️ A fight for survival of Independent Pharmacies and for patients to have the right to choose their Pharmacy. For the past decade or so pharmacists have been dealing with pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) — they're accused of being unnecessary, greedy middlemen between pharmacies and health insurance companies as well as drug manufacturers. They have allegedly been helping themselves to rebates, formulary making, unscrupulous pricing practices, inflating generic prices exorbitantly, pocketing differentials, creating one hefty reimbursement for chain stores and a so-called "wimpy" and watered down version to Independent Pharmacies for the exact same medication 💊. PBM’s are owned by the Big Chains and independent pharmacists question how fair that is, when they say they welcome healthy competition. According to some experts, PBM’s are limiting your choice of Pharmacies, causing ridiculously high costs, delaying your medication 💊 due to prior authorizations, and making deals with brand name manufacturers so you can’t have access to generics. Watch 👀 our Special Podcast Episode and learn about PBM’s (Pharmacy Benefits Managers) called “Unnecessary Middle Men force Patients to pay 💰 more for Prescriptions‼️” Support the show…

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Lawsuit over Dr. Shaknovsky’s wrong-site liver surgery: Pandora’s Box Opened 58:08

17 days ago58:08

58:08

Send us a text As unbelievable as it is that a surgeon could mistakenly remove a man’s liver instead of his spleen, the lawsuit filed over the alleged wrongful death of 70-year-old Bill Bryan says that his fatal operation is just the latest in a series of surgical errors by the same surgeon enabled by a system geared to protect doctors. According to the lawsuit filed by Beverly Bryan, Bill’s widow, what seems like a shocking, incredulous, and one-in-a million type of blunder that happened to her husband, was part of a larger pattern of mishaps, near misses, and mistakes that were either never reported or under reported. The lawsuit says it was Ascension Sacred Heart’s reporting system that created the culture which led to Bill Bryan’s tragic death, a culture that minimized and overlooked adverse events like wrong-site surgeries and repeated mistakes by doctors including an orthopedic surgeon, Dr. David Heekin. He worked for a hospital in Jacksonville, Florida, under the same owner and is facing 522 lawsuits for a range of surgical errors including some that resulted in amputation. Join us as we discuss the details in this episode of the Gulf Coast Confidential podcast, “Lawsuit over Dr. Shaknovsky’s wrong-site liver surgery: Pandora’s Box Opened.” Support the show…

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First on the scene: First responders suffer in silence 1:00:31

24 days ago1:00:31

1:00:31

Send us a text Murder changes everyone. When lives are suddenly and horrifically cut short, the loss also shatters those who love them. But they aren’t the only ones who suffer. First responders who are first on the scene see it, too. Firefighters, paramedics, and police all witness the worst people can do to each other. It’s rewarding to help people who suffer, but it can take a terrible toll. They may not know those who died, but witnessing the aftermath can leave long-lasting trauma. Finding others who can relate and help them process what they’ve seen can be hard. Retired Santa Rosa Sheriff’s Deputy Patric Gibson was the first person who arrived at Sharon Aydelott’s house on Christmas Eve, 2013, after her ex-husband called 911 to report seeing her bloody body in the doorway of her Gulf Breeze home. The 48-year-old middle school science teacher and mother of two, was lying in a pool of blood, her face stabbed and beaten beyond recognition. Sharon’s family later confirmed her identity with her hands. Patric was the first person to witness what her then 17-year-old son Brandon Aydelott later confessed to doing. But there’s no time to process horror when you have a job to do. As Brandon’s latest case status check hearing approaches on Feb. 20 at 9:00 a.m., his first since he was transferred from Florida State Hospital to a step-down facility in Tallahassee, here’s a first-person account from a first responder who shares his experiences and thoughts on crime, trauma, and justice. We are grateful to Patric for accepting our invitation to talk about his experiences and we invite you to listen to what he shared in our latest episode of the Gulf Coast Confidential podcast, “First on the scene: First responders suffer in silence.” Support the show…

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Boyfriend shot girlfriend’s jealous ex-boyfriend: Don’t F-A-F-O with Brian Camp 27:17

about a year ago27:17

27:17

Send us a text A man’s home is his castle and that was certainly the case for Brian Camp, when an unknown intruder broke into his home and attacked him while he, his girlfriend, and their children were sleeping. The intruder turned out to be Johnathan Letendre, his girlfriend’s jealous ex-boyfriend. Naked, unarmed, and asleep, Brian came up out of bed fighting for his life. He didn’t know who Johnathan was at the time or that he had brought a knife and pair of handcuffs when he broke into their apartment. For twenty minutes, the two men fought hard, grappling, gouging, and swinging for the upper hand. Finally, Brian managed to find a gun and he shot his attacker. He then called 911 and went and checked on his family, when he saw Johnathan moving and shot him again, this time fatally. Police charged Brian with the death. Although, it seemed like a clear case of self-defense, prosecutors said the second shot wasn’t necessary and tried him for manslaughter. What would you do to protect your family and yourself in your own home? Find out what the jury thought in the latest episode of the Gulf Coast Confidential podcast, “Boyfriend shot girlfriend’s jealous ex-boyfriend: Don’t F-A-F-O with Brian Camp.” Support the show…

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Let the Good Times Roll: Terror truck attack too Easy in the Big Easy 30:22

about a year ago30:22

30:22

Send us a text From historic snowfall to an unprecendented terror attack early on New Year's Day, January 2025 has been one for the record books for New Orleans. The Big Easy is always a good time. It's a city open to celebration no matter what day of the week or month of the year, there's always good food, drink, dancing and debauchery. For folks in Northwest Florida, and all along the Gulf Coast, it's often the first place you think of for fun and the last place you'd imagine someone would target for terror. But that's what 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Jabbar did. He didn't come to celebrate, he came to seek, kill, and destroy. Police say he used a truck as a high-speed battering ram down Bourbon Street, one of the most jubiliant destinations in the South, knocking people down like bowling pins and crushing them under his tires. As if that wasn't enough, investigators say they found IEDs in his cooler and strategically placed in the French Quarter, along with an ISIS flag on the back of the truck he rented to allegedly kill people. Jabbar's three-block reign of terror ended with the deaths of 15 people, including himself, and he injured 35 others before he was stopped. The Crescent City is always going to be NOLA Strong and will never be dampened by devils, even though this one tried. Join us for the latest episode of Gulf Coast Confidential podcast, "Let the Good Times Roll: Terror truck attack too Easy in the Big Easy." Support the show…

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Bendadryl, Babysitter, and Breastmilk: What Happened to Baby Abi Lobisch? 23:40

about a year ago23:40

23:40

Send us a text Dixie Denise Villa ran an unlicensed daycare on base in Hawaii. She had several children of her own and would often help other families with their kids because of a lack of childcare. In 2019, Anna Lobisch begged Dixie to watch her 7-month-old baby, Abi, because Anna needed to study for some classes and had other appointments. Despite having her hands full with her own children and some teenagers, Dixie agreed. Tragically, Abi was found dead the following morning at Villa’s house and an autopsy found the baby died from an overdose of antihistamine, like Benadryl. Dixie denied ever giving the baby any Benadryl and evidence showed with a house full of people anyone could have given it to the child including her own mother, Anna, who had taken the medication as a sleep aid, and it was likely in her breast milk that she gave to Dixie to feed her child. Authorities charged the overwhelmed and unlicensed daycare operator with manslaughter, and Dixie faces up to 20 years in prison for Abi’s death, even though it has since come out that Anna lied, a lot. She was actually meeting another man for an adulterous tryst when she asked Dixie to keep Abi, and she told police she was allergic to antihistamines even though it turned out she was taking the medication to help her sleep. Police never searched the mother’s house or tested her breast milk, insisting that Dixie was to blame. Her trial has been rescheduled 13 times. If she had lived, Baby Abi would be six years old and if nothing else, it’s a cautionary tale that just because medications are over the counter doesn’t mean they’re necessarily safe for children and it’s good to consult with a doctor or a pharmacist. Join us for more on this mysterious overdose death in the next episode of the Gulf Coast Confidential podcast, “Bendadryl, Babysitter, and Breastmilk: What Happened to Baby Abi Lobisch?” Support the show…

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Secret stache of nudes leads Jade Janks to kill her stepdad 28:44

about a year ago28:44

28:44

Send us a text Jade Janks was a hip and fashionable young woman who had a vibrant and wholesome style that made her a favorite with family and friends, and fueled her successful career as an interior decorator in California. Even though her mom had divorced her stepdad, Tom Merriman, Jade remained close with the co-founder of a butterfly farm and dutifully agreed to help take care of him as his health deteriorated. Merriman’s health issues left him an invalid and Jade lived next door to help him. He relied on the young woman heavily and she even had dinner with him every night. She considered him family. That’s why Jade vomited when she inadvertently discovered Merriman had nude photos of her on his computer in 2020. Jade didn’t confront her former stepdad, but she told friends what happened saying the experience had left her in shock and disgust, to the point she couldn’t even shower or touch her own skin. Not long after she found the photos, 64-year-old Tom Merriman died. Police found him in the driveway under a wheelbarrow and pile of boxes and wrapping paper left over from Christmas. What happened to Merriman depends on who you ask. Police say Jade was angry at him because of the photos, strangled him and tried to hide his body until she could move it. Jade admits she was upset with Merriman but adamantly denied killing him. Merriman, who was addicted to opioids and Ambien, was often intoxicated. The night he died, Jade had just picked him up from the hospital after he had been sick again. She said he was out of it and the people she had called to help her move him inside didn’t show up, so she decided to let him sleep it off in the car. She said she later found Merriman had died and she tried to move him back inside his house, but she couldn’t, so she covered his body in the driveway, worried she would be blamed for his death. So, did she, or didn’t she kill her stepfather? Listen to see, in the next episode of the Gulf Coast Confidential podcast, “Secret stache of nudes leads Jade Janks to kill her stepdad.” Support the show…

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Moonshine, Murder, and Missing Men in the Mountains: the Unsolved Mystery of The Brasher-Dye Disappearance 22:29

about a year ago22:29

22:29

Send us a text Alabama’s oldest, active cold case is a wild, real-life tale of three cousins who disappeared one night in 1956 after heading off to a party in the moonshining, mountain country of northern Jefferson County, Alabama. Their family never saw them again. The theories as to what happened to Robert Earl Dye, Billy Howard, and Dan Brasher are believed to be part truth, part gossip, and part urban legend. Did they get caught stealing from a bootlegger? Were they thrown down an abandoned mine shaft? Shot in a cave? Or are they buried in their truck somewhere underneath Highway 79? The young men were last seen leaving a relative’s home in Billy’s 1947 green, Ford truck headed for the party. The cousins worked hard and partied harder, so no one was too concerned when they failed to show up for a couple of days. Folks got worried, though, when they missed payday at their construction job and a search began that would last decades. All they ever found was a few tantalizing clues and wild theories, but most agree moonshine was involved. Members of their family died searching for answers and a tip line for the case is still open nearly 70 years later. Join us for a trip into the rural backwoods of Alabama in the latest episode of the Gulf Coast Confidential podcast, “Moonshine, Murder, and Missing Men in the Mountains: the Unsolved Mystery of The Brasher-Dye Disappearance.” Support the show…

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Reverse Robin Hood Jamey Noel: The Sheriff who Stole from the People to get His 32:30

about a year ago32:30

32:30

Send us a text Money is no object, especially when it’s not yours. That seemed to be the philosophy of former Indiana Sheriff Jamey Nole who was also once the star of his own reality television show on prisons, “60 Days In.” Even though he was the highest paid public official in his county at just under $200,000 a year, he was living like he made $2 million a year because he was misappropriating money meant for the community like EMS ambulance service, and the fire department, as well as using county resources, like inmate labor, to work on his home and rental properties, and collection of classic cars. Noel was so brazen about his corruption, he even paid his mistress’s child support with the stolen money, and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on vacations and shopping sprees for his wife and daughter, who are also implicated in the fraudulent scheme. Before Noel was finally busted most people were afraid to confront the politically powerful sheriff who had been besties with the governor and thought he was untouchable, until he wasn’t. Join us for details on how he was caught in the latest episode of the Gulf Coast Confidential podcast, “Reverse Robin Hood Jamey Noel: The Sheriff who Stole from the People to get His.” Support the show…

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Sick to Death: Luigi Mangione guns down UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson streets of New York 31:01

about a year ago31:01

31:01

Send us a text Luigi Mangione, the 26-year-old man accused of assassinating the CEO of insurance giant UnitedHealthcare on the streets of New York, is being hailed as a hero by some who, like him, have experienced the pain, stress, and outrage over deteriorating health and stuck in a quagmire of what will and won’t be covered by insurance. Police and others say he’s a murdering menace - a calculating killer who ambushed 50-year-old Brian Thompson, a husband and father of two teenage sons, and was lying in wait for the executive who never him coming until it was too late. Mangione has since been extradited back to New York and has pleaded not guilty to murdering Thompson. It’s the start of a case that’s about more than murder for many. It has struck a nerve with folks across the country who feel that people’s lives and quality of life are just the cost of doing business for the healthcare insurance industry. A media circus surrounds the accused killer to the point that it took a small army for his “perp walk” and even Mangione and his lawyer appear to be “twinning,” in near matching outfits at his court hearing. He has become such a pop icon that even universities and other countries are having look-like-Luigi contests and the prisoners incarcerated with him adore him. It’s a hard to pill to swallow when a killer becomes a rock star. Join us for the latest episode of the Gulf Coast Confidential podcast “Sick to death: Luigi Mangione guns down UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson streets of New York.” Support the show…

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New to murder: Christian Ketchup accused of killing Tierra Binion in cold blood; Victim’s sister is her voice 40:07

about a year ago40:07

40:07

Send us a text Why Christian Ketchup was armed at a bar the night he ran into her sister, Tierra Binion, Diamond Jordan doesn’t know. What she does know is that she wants him to be held accountable for the murder he is accused of committing. Investigators say Christian gunned down the 25-year-old mother of twin boys in the parking lot of Mugs ‘n Jugs, a Pensacola bar popular with people around college-age. According to deputies, Tierra and Christian’s girlfriend, Rachel DeRise, had words and the two women fought until Christian stepped in and punched several times, knocking her to the ground. DeRise then jumped on Tierra, who was already dazed, and began punching her, witnesses say, and that’s when Christian allegedly “unloaded” his gun into the possibly unconscious woman, hitting her 10 times, the victim’s sister said. Ketchup is charged with second degree murder and has pleaded not guilty. In the latest court filings, he is asking for more time to raise money to find a self-defense expert. His next court hearing is today, and Tierra’s sister plans to be there for the case status check. Losing her sister is heartbreaking enough, but staying on top of the case makes it even more emotionally grueling for Diamond, especially after Christian’s co-defendant, Rachel, received a “slap on the wrist” from the court in Diamond’s opinion for her role in what happened. No matter what, Diamond is determined to speak up for her sister and fight for her since Tierra can no longer fight for herself. Join us and listen in on the conversation in this latest episode of the Gulf Coast Confidential podcast, “New to murder: Christian Ketchup accused of killing Tierra Binion in cold blood; Victim’s sister is her voice.” Support the show…

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Coed Killed on Campus Couldn’t Outrun Evil: Why Laken Riley Should Still Be Here! 32:29

about a year ago32:29

32:29

Send us a text The morning that she died, Laken Riley did everything right. The University of Georgia nursing student let her friends and her mom know she was going for a run on campus. She even shared her location on her smartwatch and told her roommates where she would be. Despite making every effort to stay safe, the 22-year-old rule follower crossed paths with someone who broke every rule, including crossing the border illegally. Jose Ibarra wasn’t supposed to be in the United States much less in Athens, Georgia, but he didn’t let laws stand in the way of what he wanted and when he saw Laken Riley jogging past, he decided he wanted to her, too. Ibarra seemed to always take what he wanted. Just a couple of hours before he attacked and tried to sexually assault Laken, he had been spotted peeping in the window and trying the doorknob of the apartment of another coed, apparently on the prowl for his next victim. Laken fought for him fiercely for nearly twenty minutes. Prosecutors say she was determined he wouldn’t rape her. Her smartwatch, meant to help keep her safe, ended up recording the evidence of her murder. Although Laken did everything she was supposed to do, she paid the price for others who didn’t. Join us for the latest episode of Gulf Coast Confidential on this crime of opportunity for a criminal who should never have even been here in the first place. Support the show…

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The Pig, the Pastor and the Music Director: Unholy Love Triangle Ends in Execution-Style Murder 23:38

about a year ago23:38