In this episode we dive into five of the strangest and most unforgettable confessions in criminal history. While confessions can bring closure to grieving families, they are not always what they seem. We explore the astonishing statistics behind false confessions and how they can mislead justice.
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According to the Innocence Project, nearly 30% of wrongful convictions overturned by DNA evidence involved false confessions. This number is even more alarming for juveniles, as 69% of those aged 12 to 15 who were falsely convicted had made a false confession. Research shows that jurors convict people who have confessed more than 70% of the time, even if the confession is proven false.
Robert Durst, heir to a New York real estate fortune, was suspected in three suspicious deaths: his wife Kathie Durst, his best friend Susan Berman, and his neighbor Morris Black. He became the subject of the HBO documentary series,
The Jinx. In a stunning turn of events, a hot mic captured Durst muttering, "What the heck did I do? Killing them all, of course," which became an infamous confession. He was arrested the night before the finale of the series aired and was later convicted of first-degree murder for Susan Berman's death.
Known as the "Confession Killer," Henry Lee Lucas confessed to hundreds of murders he didn't commit. After being arrested for illegal firearm possession, he began confessing to dozens, and then hundreds, of unsolved murders across the country. Law enforcement created the "Lucas Task Force" and closed more than 200 cold cases based on his confessions. However, a journalist later exposed that Lucas couldn't have committed many of the crimes due to conflicting timelines. The false confessions misled families who were desperately seeking closure, and the real killers remained free.
Laverne Pavlinac fabricated a story and confessed to a murder she didn't commit to frame her abusive boyfriend, John. She hoped it would send him to prison and free her from their volatile relationship. Despite John denying any involvement, Laverne's detailed confession led to both of them being convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison. While they were in jail, the real killer, Keith Hunter Jesperson, later known as the
Happy Face Killer, continued his killing spree.
After shooting his ex-wife Keisha and their son Earl Jr., Earl Valentine went live on Facebook to confess to the crime. He stated, "I just killed my wife. I don't feel any remorse for what I did". This real-time confession went viral before being removed, raising urgent questions about technology and domestic violence. Keisha survived, but their son Earl Jr. died from his injuries after calling 911.
Mark "Chopper" Read was a notorious Australian gangster, author, and comedian who was never convicted of murder. However, just 16 days before his death from liver cancer, he gave a final interview and confessed to killing four men. Despite his history of exaggeration, police reviewed his claims. To this day, questions remain about the sincerity of his deathbed confession, with many believing it was his last act of showmanship.