Direct Appeal
Dr. Meghan Sacks and Dr. Amy Shlosberg
2 Listeners
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Top 10 Direct Appeal Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Direct Appeal episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Direct Appeal for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Direct Appeal episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
The Perfect Marriage
Direct Appeal
05/07/19 • 52 min
02: Bill and Melanie each end their other relationships and begin a life together. However, this may not be storybook ending they had hoped for. Their marriage is a volatile relationship, filled with infidelity, lies and acts that would results in criminal convictions for both. Melanie describes the ups and downs, and details the fight where she said she should have left.
Credits:
- Hosted by: Meghan Sacks and Amy Shlosberg.
- Produced by James Varga.
- Written by Meghan Sacks.
- Recorded, mixed, and edited by Justin Kral at JC Studios.
- Music and underscore by Nick Bassett of Dessert Media.
- Legal Counsel provided by Barry Janay.
- Special thanks to Alan Tockerman.
- Producer-At-Large, Adam Curry
- Photo credits: Joshua Davis under cc license 2.0
For Images related to this episode, visit: https://directappealpodcast.com/images/#ep02
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
1 Listener
The Closing
Direct Appeal
05/07/19 • 38 min
03: Bill and Melanie manage to piece together their relationship after dealing with tumultuous times. They forge ahead with their dreams of owning a home in the suburbs of New Jersey even though their relationship is not entirely a happy one. They find a home and close on it April 28th, 2004, but Bill McGuire is never seen again after the closing. Was this a happy occasion for the couple or part of Melanie’s plan to kill her husband?
For Images related to this episode, visit: https://directappealpodcast.com/images/#ep03
If you have any information regarding this case, you can submit it by emailing us at [email protected] or leaving a voicemail at (732) 510-0996. If you have a question to ask Melanie, be sure to submit it to us by 7/31/19 and we may select it for a future episode.
Credits:
- Hosted by: Meghan Sacks and Amy Shlosberg
- Produced by James Varga* Written by Meghan Sacks
- Recorded, mixed, and edited by Justin Kral at JC Studios
- Music and underscore by Nick Bassett of Dessert Media
- Legal Counsel: Barry Janay
- Special thanks to Alan Tockerman
- Photo credits: Joshua Davis under cc license 2.0
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
1 Listener
The Fixer
Direct Appeal
05/07/19 • 35 min
01: Three suitcases, containing human remains, surfaced in Virginia’s Chesapeake Bay in May 2004. Police identified the man in the suitcases as 39-year-old William McGuire, from Woodbridge New Jersey, and they quickly focused their attention on Bill’s wife, Melanie McGuire, who did not report him missing. Convicted three years later of murdering and dismembering her husband, Melanie McGuire has been in prison since then but did the state get it right? Is Melanie McGuire the femme fatale that the prosecution painted her to be or is she an entirely different person, prosecuted and convicted because she was the most obvious suspect in this crime? In episode 1, meet Melanie McGuire.
Credits:
- Hosted by: Meghan Sacks and Amy Shlosberg.
- Produced by James Varga.
- Written by Meghan Sacks.
- Recorded, mixed, and edited by Justin Kral at JC Studios.
- Music and underscore by Nick Bassett of Dessert Media.
- Legal Counsel provided by Barry Janay.
- Special thanks to Alan Tockerman.
- Producer-At-Large, Adam Curry
For Images related to this episode, visit: https://directappealpodcast.com/images/#ep01
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
1 Listener
Season 1 Trailer
Direct Appeal
05/03/19 • 1 min
For the last 13 years, Melanie McGuire has been serving a life sentence for the murder and dismemberment of her husband, whose body was found in three suitcases in the Chesapeake Bay.
With Melanie’s full cooperation, two Criminologists (Dr. Meghan Sacks, and Dr. Amy Shlosberg) will examine the evidence, consult independent experts and explore over 50 hours of exclusive interviews with Melanie (from prison), her family, her friends, witnesses and experts on both sides of the trial looking to uncover the whole truth about this murder.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
1 Listener
Melanie Q&A (part 1)
Direct Appeal
07/26/19 • 43 min
13: Listen to Melanie’s answers to your questions in part 1 of our question & answer episodes.
If you have a question to ask and didn’t hear it in this episode, you have one more chance! Be sure to submit it to us by 7/31/19 by emailing us at [email protected] or leaving a voicemail at (732) 510-0996
Credits:
- Hosted by: Meghan Sacks and Amy Shlosberg
- Produced by James Varga
- Written by Meghan Sacks
- Recorded, mixed, and edited by Justin Kral at JC Studios
- Music and underscore by Dessert Media
- Legal Counsel: Barry Janay
- Special thanks to Alan Tockerman
- Photo credits: Joshua Davis under cc license 2.0
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Underwater
Direct Appeal
05/01/23 • 44 min
Ep02:
On this episode, you'll hear Ryan's full account of the night of August 11th, 2008, when he found Sarah dead in their upstairs bathtub, along with the 911 call that will be used in court against him.
Also, what happened in the hours after Ryan found Sarah?
If you have any information regarding this case, you can still submit it by emailing us at [email protected] or leaving a voicemail at (570) 844-0499.
Credits:
- Hosted by: Meghan Sacks and Amy Shlosberg
- Produced by James Varga
- Written by Meghan Sacks & Amy Shlosberg
- Editing by Jose Alfonzo
- Music and underscore by Dessert Media
- Special Thanks to Janice Hisle and her book, Submerged: Ryan Widmer, his drowned bride and the justice system
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Nice Guy
Direct Appeal
05/01/23 • 36 min
Ep 01:
On season 2 of Direct Appeal, we examine the murder conviction of Ryan Widmer for the death of his wife, Sarah Whitmer. Looking at the evidence that was presented, that which was not, and the evidence that may have seemed insignificant at the time, we form our own conclusion about Ryan Widmer's Guilt.
It was night like any other. August 11th, 2008, Ryan and Sarah Whitmer married just four months. Were in the beginning-stages of building their new life together. Sarah wasn't feeling well that day, so she decided to go upstairs after dinner to take a bath. Ryan stayed downstairs in the living room a little while longer, and continued to watch the game.
Sometime after 10:00 PM Ryan was ready to call it a night, so he headed upstairs to get ready for bed.
When he opened the door to the upstairs bathroom, he walked in to find a terrifying scene. Sarah was in the bathtub and didn't appear to be breathing. A panicked Ryan called 911.
If you have any information regarding this case, you can still submit it by emailing us at [email protected] or leaving a voicemail at (570) 844-0499.
Credits:
- Hosted by: Meghan Sacks and Amy Shlosberg
- Produced by James Varga
- Written by Meghan Sacks & Amy Shlosberg
- Editing by Jose Alfonzo
- Music and underscore by Dessert Media
- Special Thanks to Janice Hisle and her book, Submerged: Ryan Widmer, his drowned bride and the justice system
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Battle Begins
Direct Appeal
05/15/23 • 47 min
Ep04:
Ryan begins to grieve as he plans Sarah's funeral, but he also is planning for the battle of his life both in the courtroom and in the public eye.
The Prosecution will present its case to the court.
If you have any information regarding this case, you can still submit it by emailing us at [email protected] or leaving a voicemail at (570) 844-0499.
Credits:
- Hosted by: Meghan Sacks and Amy Shlosberg
- Produced by James Varga
- Written by Meghan Sacks & Amy Shlosberg
- Editing by Jose Alfonzo
- Music and underscore by Dessert Media
- Special Thanks to Janice Hisle and her book, Submerged: Ryan Widmer, his drowned bride and the justice system
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Into the Fray
Direct Appeal
05/08/23 • 34 min
03: In the days following Sarah's death, the media begins to paint their own picture of what may have happened. Ryan is still trying to cope and realizes that he is now coming under suspicion.
If you have any information regarding this case, you can still submit it by emailing us at [email protected] or leaving a voicemail at (570) 844-0499.
Credits:
- Hosted by: Meghan Sacks and Amy Shlosberg
- Produced by James Varga
- Written by Meghan Sacks & Amy Shlosberg
- Editing by Jose Alfonzo
- Music and underscore by Dessert Media
- Special Thanks to Janice Hisle and her book, Submerged: Ryan Widmer, his drowned bride and the justice system
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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FAQ
How many episodes does Direct Appeal have?
Direct Appeal currently has 34 episodes available.
What topics does Direct Appeal cover?
The podcast is about Society & Culture, True Crime and Podcasts.
What is the most popular episode on Direct Appeal?
The episode title 'The Perfect Marriage' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on Direct Appeal?
The average episode length on Direct Appeal is 44 minutes.
How often are episodes of Direct Appeal released?
Episodes of Direct Appeal are typically released every 7 days, 1 hour.
When was the first episode of Direct Appeal?
The first episode of Direct Appeal was released on May 3, 2019.
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