A sharp, loose look at how image and confidence carried the story.
Hot for Justice uses The Dropout as a way into Elizabeth Holmes and the larger story of how a polished vision can outrun the technology meant to support it.
Hot for Justice: Cold Case Stories
Hot for Content
119 episodes listed below
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In their own words
Hot for Justice: Cold Case Stories is a weekly podcast that features lesser known cold cases, as well as discuss true crime adjacent media.
As heard by us
Based on 6 episodes we listened to · September 2026
Jessica and Jamie pair unresolved-case advocacy with candid questioning, practical tip information, and thoughtful attention to failures within the justice system.
Hot for Justice: Cold Case Stories follows Jessica and Jamie through unresolved cases, missing-person reports, guest interviews, and discussions of true-crime media.
Why you'd press play
From Jeffrey Deskovic to The Dropout, your true-crime curiosity gets more than case files.
Press play if you want
- to hear Jessica and Jamie ask a wrongfully convicted guest how publicity may have shaped his trial
- to sit with a missing-person case without having every unanswered question turned into a theory
Talks about
Best episodes of Hot for Justice: Cold Case Stories
Short reviews from the PlayNext desk, based on the episodes we processed.
A careful cold-case episode that values advocacy, sourcing, and the hard work of keeping names alive.
Hot for Justice: Cold Case Stories spends its hour making a plain argument: unresolved crimes still matter. It treats cold-case storytelling as a form of advocacy, keeping attention on victims who can otherwise slip out of view.
A criminal justice interview that stays close to the human cost.
Jeffrey Deskovic's story gives the episode its frame, moving from the trial and prison to the push for justice reform. Recorded in person in Sacramento, it has a direct, lived-in feel that suits the subject.
A chatty missing-person episode that becomes more focused once the case details arrive.
The episode settles into a conversational missing-person format, with a long opening stretch of catch-up and promo before the case details take over.
A conversational true crime episode that uses passport rules and border details to test what might have happened.
Hot Justice keeps the case discussion close to the people in it. It opens with the hosts' own scramble, then moves into sightings, borders, and the question that still hangs over the case years later.
A conversational missing-person episode shaped by San Francisco geography, family detail, and measured uncertainty.
A missing-person case gives the episode its center as the hosts cover Caitlin Sydney Caitlin West, a 19-year-old UC Berkeley freshman last seen on the morning of September 30, 2020, at the Golden Gate Bridge.
Two siblings vanish from the same Idaho location, while several Indigenous women's cases remain thinly documented.
Two disappearances tied to the same Emmett, Idaho, spot give this single-episode review its most unsettling pull. Tristan Conner Sexton was last seen near Airport Road and Highway 52 on September 10, 2020, and his sister Taylor vanished from that same location just over a month…
A homemade toolbox detail and a missing child give two cold cases a steady, uneasy pull.
The episode sets loose, overheated host banter against two unresolved cases involving disappearance and death, and the contrast gives the hour its uneasy shape. The first story centers on Pierce, whose body was found in a box tied to a homemade toolbox detail.
Podcasts like Hot for Justice: Cold Case Stories
Bear BrookNHPRNHPR's Jason Moon investigates the Bear Brook barrel murders and a New Hampshire wrongful-conviction case.
The Coldest Case in LaramieSerial Productions & The New York TimesA former cop's DNA, a dropped case, unreliable memories.
Episodes
- 1
Screen Recap #35: Have Fun In Bulgaria, Babe
·40m - 2
Episode 84: Really, Definitely
["Hot for Justice: Cold Case Stories spends this episode on Hulu\u2019s The Dropout, the eight-episode dramatization of Elizabeth Holmes and Theranos.", "The hosts focus on Amanda Seyfried\u2019s Holmes performance, especially the lowered voice and nervous body language they compare to real footage.", "They walk through Holmes leaving Stanford, pitching an iPod-sized blood-testing machine that promised results from one drop of blood, and meeting Sunny Balwani in Shanghai.", "Later, they trace the employee silos, outside machines, diluted samples, and CMS and Medicare context that show why the Theranos results could not be trusted."]
Aug 8, 2022·47m·3 clips - 3
Have You Not Heard of ”The First 48”
She left to buy a car with $4,000 cash and never came home - and the police told her family to wait.
Feb 9, 2022·44m·4 clips - 4
Episode 82: Jeffrey Deskovic, Wrongfully Convicted
Hidden gemJeffrey Deskovic says he was wrongfully imprisoned for 16 years in New York for a murder and rape he did not commit, then exonerated through DNA testing.
Oct 11, 2021·1h 6m·4 clips - 5
Episode 81: If Someone Hissed at Me, I'd-
Jessica and Jamie open Hot for Justice, Episode 81, with 52-year-old John Stivers, who vanished on August 2 after leaving Copperopolis for a bank deposit in Sonora and never arriving at the Lake Tulloch Campground.
Aug 24, 2021·37m·2 clips - 6
Episode 80: A Dingo Ate My Bebe
Hidden gem["Hot for Justice: Cold Case Stories episode 80 splits between Matthew Allen Mullaney's Florence disappearance and Jacqueline Dowaliby's Chicago-area murder case.", "Mullaney was last seen at 2:30 a.m.
Jul 19, 2021·37m·2 clips - 7
Episode 79: Hot for Jessica
Hidden gemSan Francisco Police labeled Caitlin Sydney West high risk because of depression after she vanished near Crissy Field on September 30, 2020.
Jun 16, 2021·40m·2 clips - 8
Episode 78: Platypodes
Hidden gemThree siblings from Emmett, Idaho vanished from the same spot on Airport Road and Highway 52.
May 25, 2021·28m·1 clip - 9
Episode 77: Mercury Is In Gatorade
Hidden gemKenneth Clay Pierce was found on October 3, 2005, inside a 2x3-foot toolbox off Highway 90 in Seminole, Alabama, after highway workers opened it and saw clothing, a belt, and a body.
May 6, 2021·30m·1 clip - 10
Episode 76: YEET
Hidden gemA truck crash on I-5 near Kalama in 1991 led to a burned woman being buried as an unidentified “Helen Doe.”
Apr 13, 2021·46m·2 clips - 11
Episode 75: I Don't Like Google
Mar 29, 2021·40m - 12
Screen Recap #34 Night Stalker: Hunt For A Serial Killer Part 2
Mar 24, 2021·18m - 13
Episode 74: Don't Trust Strange Men in Bars
Mar 22, 2021·37m - 14
Episode 73: You Might Get the Cops Called on You
Mar 1, 2021·27m - 15
Screen Recap #33 Night Stalker: Hunt For A Serial Killer
Feb 24, 2021·27m - 16
Episode 71: Don't Hitchhike Ever
Feb 22, 2021·37m - 17
Screen Recap #32: Unsolved Mysteries, Season 2, Episode 6 "Baby Snatchers"
Feb 17, 2021·23m - 18
Episode 70: I Know We Both Suck At Math, But This Doesn't Add Up
Feb 15, 2021·37m - 19
Episode 69: Enjoy Your Face Orgasm
Feb 8, 2021·36m - 20
Screen Recap #31: Unsolved Mysteries, Season 2, Episode 5 "TRASH"
Feb 3, 2021·38m - 21
Episode 68: Sended It!
Feb 1, 2021·50m - 22
Screen Recap #30: Unsolved Mysteries, Season 2, Episode 3 "Sweetie, it was the 80's"
Jan 27, 2021·18m - 23
Episode 67: Electric Lettuce
Jan 25, 2021·31m - 24
Screen Recap #29: Unsolved Mysteries, Season 2, Episode 2 "Bullsh!t I Subscribe To"
Jan 20, 2021·29m - 25
Episode 66: Wear A Mask & Don't Murder Anyone
Jan 18, 2021·23m - 26
Screen Recap #28: Unsolved Mysteries, Season 2, Episode 1 "It's A Screen Recap Within A Recap"
Jan 13, 2021·27m - 27
Episode 65: "You're An Idiot Sandwich"- Gordon Ramsay
Jan 11, 2021·38m - 28
Screen Recap #27: American Murder: Family Next Door "He Has A Face You Just Want to Punch"
Jan 6, 2021·29m - 29
Episode 64: There Would Be Ham In Peoples' Orifices
Jan 4, 2021·45m - 30
Episode 63: It Was Kinda Sus
Oct 26, 2020·31m - 31
Episode 62: I'm Funnier When Jaymie is Recording Too
Oct 20, 2020·58m - 32
Screen Recap #26: Trial By Media, Episode 3 "41 Shots"
Sep 29, 2020·23m - 33
Episode 61: A BOY?!?!?!
Sep 21, 2020·35m - 34
Screen Recap #25: #JusticeForBreonnaTaylor
Sep 16, 2020·30m - 35
Episode 60: I Like Weird
Sep 14, 2020·30m - 36
Screen Recap #24: Unsolved Mysteries, Episode 5+6 "Carole Fvcking Baskin""
Sep 3, 2020·25m - 37
Episode 59: It Was What It Was, Then It Happened
Sep 1, 2020·53m - 38
Episode 58: Do Your Legs Hurt From Jumping So Far?
Aug 25, 2020·58m - 39
Screen Recap #23: Unsolved Mysteries, Episode 4 "T forTime Out!"
Aug 20, 2020·24m - 40
Episode 57: In This House, We Are Pro-WAP
Aug 17, 2020·51m - 41
Screen Recap #22: Unsolved Mysteries, Episode 3 "If You Aren't Happy, Just Deuce"
Aug 6, 2020·31m - 42
Episode 56: Happy Fridging
Aug 4, 2020·32m - 43
Screen Recap #21: Unsolved Mysteries, Episode 2 "Sketch McGetch"
Jul 29, 2020·24m - 44
Episode 55: #JusticeForMilesHall
Jul 27, 2020·53m - 45
Screen Recap #20: Unsolved Mysteries, Episode 1 "That Didn't Sit Right"
Jul 22, 2020·21m - 46
Episode 54: How Did We Graduate
Jul 20, 2020·36m - 47
Screen Recap #19: Trial By Media, Episode 2 "White People Sh!t"
Jul 10, 2020·27m - 48
Episode 53: Tell Me When to Go!
Jul 10, 2020·40m - 49
Screen Recap #18: Trial By Media, Episode 1
Jul 1, 2020·22m - 50
Episode 52: This Is Gonna Rub You The Wrong Way, Too
Jun 30, 2020·43m - 51
Episode 51: I've Always Been A Hydrated B!tch
Jun 23, 2020·57m - 52
Screen Recap #17: Brittany Murphy
Jun 19, 2020·22m - 53
Episode 50: 2+2=5
Jun 18, 2020·27m - 54
Episode 49: I Do Fall A Lot
Jun 12, 2020·46m - 55
Screen Recap #16: I Love You, Now Die
Jun 5, 2020·39m - 56
Episode 48: No, He Died In My Apartment
Jun 2, 2020·44m - 57
Screen Recap #15: Amanda Knox
May 20, 2020·34m - 58
Episode 47: Dumb Little D!ck
May 19, 2020·34m - 59
Screen Recap #14: Murder to Mercy-The Cyntoia Brown Story
May 7, 2020·34m - 60
Episode 46: He Had Satan in His Eyeballs
May 4, 2020·50m - 61
Screen Recap #13: The Dark Side of the Ring-Chris Benoit
Apr 24, 2020·36m - 62
Episode 45: This is Creepypasta
Apr 22, 2020·41m - 63
Screen Recap #12: Tiger King, Pt. 1
Apr 9, 2020·42m - 64
Episode 44: We'll Come to Regret This Decision
Apr 6, 2020·34m - 65
Screen Recap #11: The Most Dangerous Animal of All
Apr 3, 2020·34m - 66
Episode 43: None of this is A Good Sign
Apr 2, 2020·47m - 67
Episode 42: The *Other* Famous Tiger Guy
Mar 23, 2020·37m - 68
Episode 41: Mark Buffalo
Mar 19, 2020·41m - 69
Screen Recap #10: Killer Inside-The Mind of Aaron Hernandez
Mar 11, 2020·25m - 70
Episode 40: No Coronavirus Here!
Mar 9, 2020·33m - 71
Episode 39: I Think That Math'd
Mar 2, 2020·39m - 72
Screen Recap #9: The Pharmacist
Feb 20, 2020·23m - 73
Episode 38: DON'T FACT CHECK ME
Feb 17, 2020·42m - 74
Episode 37: The Most Interesting Person of Interest
Feb 10, 2020·39m - 75
Screen Recap #8 Dahmer on Dahmer
Feb 5, 2020·22m - 76
Episode 36: The Cow Capitol of California
Feb 4, 2020·30m - 77
Episode 35: That's A Lot Of McChickens
Jan 27, 2020·39m - 78
Screen Recap #7: Don't F*** With Cats
Jan 22, 2020·22m - 79
Episode 34: The Tally-Hoooooooo
Jan 20, 2020·34m - 80
Episode 33: Someone From The Reddit
Jan 13, 2020·39m - 81
Screen Recap #6: The Jinx
Jan 9, 2020·20m - 82
Episode 32: Short & Not So Sweet
Dec 31, 2019·39m - 83
Episode 31: Her Vagooter Was Wrecked
Dec 25, 2019·55m - 84
Screen Recap #5: Lorena; C0ck Chopper
Dec 19, 2019·32m - 85
Episode 30: Color Me Shooketh
Dec 16, 2019·44m - 86
Episode 29: He Didn't Kill Himself. Neither Did Epstein
Dec 9, 2019·39m - 87
Episode 28: It's The Reddest Of The Signs
Nov 25, 2019·37m - 88
Episode 27: A Divorce Would Be The Least Of His Concerns
Nov 12, 2019·26m - 89
Episode 26: I'm In Love With A Stripper, & You Can't Casually Do Meth
Nov 4, 2019·36m - 90
Episode 25: If You’re Listening To This, You’re Welcome
Oct 21, 2019·42m - 91
Episode 24: No Wonder He's A Serial Killer
Oct 14, 2019·54m - 92
Episode 23: My Boobs Are Gonna Leak.
Oct 7, 2019·44m - 93
Episode 22: Welcome to the Salon Salon, Where You Can Get a Haircut Haircut
Sep 18, 2019·40m - 94
Episode 21: Holy F**k, I Fell Down the Stairs
Sep 9, 2019·44m - 95
Episode 20: Just Don't Piss Off the Weed Farmers
Hot for Justice: Cold Case Stories examines the unidentified-man mystery surrounding Hotel President Room 1046 in Kansas City on January 3, 1935.
Sep 2, 2019·1h 4m·2 clips - 96
Screen Recap #4: Once Upon A Future Time in Hollywood: As A Straight Man, I'd Totally F**k Brad Pitt
Aug 28, 2019·33m - 97
Episode 19: Where Is Michael C. Hall When You Need Him?
Aug 26, 2019·40m - 98
Episode 18.5: Aaaaaahhhhh But Like Forever
Aug 20, 2019·46m - 99
Episode 17: Northern Carolina, As Opposed to Southern Carolina
Aug 12, 2019·31m - 100
Episode 16: Crusty Butte, Colorado
Aug 5, 2019·29m - 101
Episode 15: Some Submarine Sh!t
Jul 29, 2019·35m - 102
Episode 14: Toe Chainz
Jul 22, 2019·31m - 103
Episode 13: Dildos Everywhere
Jul 15, 2019·35m - 104
Episode 12: Such Bad Juju
Jul 8, 2019·43m - 105
Screen Recap #3: Exhibit A
Jul 3, 2019·32m - 106
Episode 11: What the Duck
Jul 1, 2019·42m - 107
Episode 10: Red Flag Central
Jun 17, 2019·32m - 108
Q&A: Get to Know Us
Jun 12, 2019·29m - 109
Episode 9: Our First Threesome
Jun 10, 2019·35m - 110
Episode 8: Hold On, I Have to Clean the Knife
Jun 3, 2019·39m - 111
Episode 7: Hold On To Your A**holes
May 27, 2019·42m - 112
Episode 6: A Boy Named Loren
May 20, 2019·54m - 113
Screen Recap #2: Ted Bundy
May 15, 2019·34m - 114
Episode 5: Everybody Was Doing It!
May 13, 2019·23m - 115
Episode 4: He Had Green Hair and Brown Eyes
May 6, 2019·25m - 116
Episode 3: A Real C U Next Tuesday
Apr 29, 2019·29m - 117
Screen Recap #1: The Case Against Adnan Syed
Apr 24, 2019·28m - 118
Episode 2: Is Robert Wagner Still Alive Now?
Apr 22, 2019·35m - 119
Episode 1: The Pod Spare Bedroom
Apr 12, 2019·34m