logo
episode-header-image
Nov 2017
57m 14s

24: The Death and Life of Marsha P. John...

True Crime Obsessed
About this episode

Who killed Marsha P. Johnson?

When the beloved, self-described "street queen" of NY's gay ghetto was found floating in the Hudson River in 1992, the NYPD chalked it up as a suicide and refused to investigate. But Marsha was a lover of life and many who knew her refused to believe she would have taken her own life.

Now, a quarter century later, at a time of unprecedented visibility and escalating violence in the transgender community, Marsha's old friend and fellow activist Victoria Cruz has taken it upon herself to reexamine what happened to Marsha. Dipping deep into jaw-dropping archival footage of another era of New York City life, The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson follows as this champion pursues leads, mobilizes officials, and works to tell the story of Marsha's life and get to the bottom of Marsha's death.

Up next
Today
440: Undercover Underage: Every Aspect Matters (S1E1)
Roo Powell is a woman on a mission to expose the dangers of and prevent online child sex abuse. With the help of her nonprofit team, SOSA, she transforms into underage girls to engage with child predators and protect the most vulnerable. LET THE WOMEN DO THE WORK! SPRING/SUMMER M ... Show More
1h 3m
Jul 8
439: Hollywood Demons: Stephen Collins, America's Dad
In 1996, actor Stephen Collins was on the top of the world. Known as "America's Dad" (barffff) for his role on the TV show 7th Heaven, Collins, who'd worked as an "oh right, that guy" level actor for most of his career, had finally arrived. But the actor who charmed America had a ... Show More
1h 12m
Jul 1
A Body in the Snow: The Trial of Karen Read (from the Patreon)
FAM! We are so excited to share episode 1 of our coverage of MAX's A Body in the Snow: The trial of Karen Read. ALL 5 EPISODES ARE AVAILABLE RIGHT NOW AND AD FREE ON PATREON! We know there was recently a not guilty verdict in Read's second trial, but come with us back to the begi ... Show More
59m 48s
Recommended Episodes
Jun 2020
Episode 152: The Life and Mysterious Death of Marsha P. Johnson
Marsha P. Johnson was a pioneer for LGBTQ rights and a notable figure in the infamous Stonewall Uprising of 1969. She championed for transgender youth and gave back to her community throughout her short life. When she was found floating, dead in the Hudson River not long after th ... Show More
43m 14s
Jun 2023
S3 Ep10: Marsha P. Johnson: Hard Work Being Beautiful
What would you sacrifice to live freely? Would you fight every day, out loud, to defend your way of life? For Marsha P. Johnson, living on her own terms was a non-negotiable part of her existence. Her outspoken activism and advocacy led her to be one of the most prominent figures ... Show More
36m 49s
Apr 2021
Margo Freshwater
Margo Freshwater grew up in Columbus, Ohio. In 1966, she made the decision to head to Memphis, Tennessee to try to get her boyfriend out of jail. She ended up having a relationship with the attorney, Glen Nash, who was supposed to help her boyfriend. Glen Nash had some severe men ... Show More
1h 21m
May 2021
E129. Mitchell Jackson Mourns The Death Of The Goddess Bunny
Mitchell Jackson stops by and talks about his beloved friend and surrogate mother, Sandie Crisp, aka The Goddess Bunny, a disabled trans icon. She died in January of Covid, after surviving polio and HIV.  Mitchell discusses the ups and downs of her life, stints of homelessness, h ... Show More
1h 39m
Nov 2021
Body Bags: Dead on a Bali Vacation
Teen Heather Mack and her mother Sheila von Wiese-Mack plan a tropical vacation. They go to Bali to work on their relationship, but they're not the only ones. Heather Mack buys her boyfriend a ticket, using her mother's credit card. Within 10 hours of Tommy Schaefer's arrival, th ... Show More
33m 56s
Aug 2022
Episode 141: The mystery of Sharon Marshall and the horror of her tragic life
IT'S a mystery that spanned decades, full of fake identities, murders, and kidnappings.In April 1990, when Tonya Hughes was killed after a hit-and-run incident in Oklahoma City, the FBI revealed that her so-called husband, Clarence Hughes, was actually her father.Coming forward t ... Show More
1h 1m
May 2023
17. Marguerite Fahmy
Lucy Worsley takes a fresh look at an infamous shooting that took place at London’s Savoy Hotel, amid all the wealth and glamour of the Roaring ‘20s.On 10th July 1923, at the height of a violent thunderstorm, Marguerite Fahmy shoots her new husband at close range with a pistol – ... Show More
28m 10s
Nov 2023
Episode 514: Bernie Tiede and the murder of Marjorie Nugent
When 39 year old Bernie Tiede confessed to the murder of his friend and companion, 81 year old Marjorie Nugent in November 1996, the revelation came as a shock to the small town of Carthage, Texas. The two had been inseparable friends since the death of Nugent’s husband in 1990 a ... Show More
1h 29m