A Wild and Weird Year of True Crime

Matthew Mangino
Mon, 22 Dec 2025 23:00:00 -0800
Opinion

Mark Twain once remarked that "Truth is stranger than fiction, but it is because fiction is obliged to stick to possibilities; truth isn't." This quip was no more evident than in courtrooms across the country this year.

"True Crime" had a banner year. There were cases with celebrities and surprises; mothers and sons; conspiracies and crazies.

Let's start with the celebrity. Sean "Diddy" Combs is a bona fide star, a highly successful music artist who has won multiple Grammys. Prosecutors accused Combs of leading a criminal enterprise that used threats, violence, forced labor, bribery and other crimes to force women to engage in drug-fueled sex acts with male escorts called "Freak Offs."
Updated: Tue Dec 23, 2025

Mark Twain once remarked that "Truth is stranger than fiction, but it is because fiction is obliged to stick to possibilities; truth isn't." This quip was no more evident than in courtrooms across the country this year.

"True Crime" had a banner year. There were cases with celebrities and surprises; mothers and sons; conspiracies and crazies.

Let's start with the celebrity. Sean "Diddy" Combs is a bona fide star, a highly successful music artist who has won multiple Grammys. Prosecutors accused Combs of leading a criminal enterprise that used threats, violence, forced labor, bribery and other crimes to force women to engage in drug-fueled sex acts with male escorts called "Freak Offs."

Diddy was charged by the federal government with racketeering and related sex trafficking charges. He endured a salacious eight-week trial.

Although he was acquitted of major sex trafficking and racketeering charges, it was a pyrrhic victory. He was sentenced in October of 2025 to more than four years in prison and a $500,000 fine on two counts of using transportation for prostitution.

The surprise. In the early morning of Nov. 13, 2022, four University of Idaho students, Ethan Chapin, 20, Xana Kernodle, 20, Kaylee Goncalves, 21 and Madison "Maddie" Mogen, 21, were brutally murdered in their off-campus home in Moscow, Idaho.

The crime shocked the nation as police gathered evidence and hunted for a suspect. More than a month later, they arrested Bryan Kohberger, a graduate criminology student at Washington State University.

Kohberger maintained his innocence, claiming he was out for a drive at the time of the murders. Prosecutors said they found DNA evidence, surveillance video and cellphone records implicating Kohberger.

At first, Kohberger and his attorneys wanted to rush to trial, then they geared up for a contentious series of pretrial motions.

Shockingly, on the eve of a pretrial hearing, Kohberger admitted to killing all four students to avoid a potential death sentence. He was sentenced to consecutive life terms for each murder.

The Conspiracy. Karen Read was accused of running over her boyfriend, a Boston police officer, John O'Keefe. It was her second trial; the first ended with a hung jury.

Prosecutors argued Read struck O'Keefe with her SUV in a snowstorm, while the defense claimed she was framed in a law enforcement cover-up and that O'Keefe died because of a beating by drunken partygoers.

Each morning during the trial, on her way into the courthouse, Read waived and interacted with throngs of adoring supporters. The trial lasted eight weeks, with over 30 days of testimony from nearly 50 witnesses.

Read was found not guilty of murder and manslaughter and guilty of Operating a Motor Vehicle While Under the Influence. She was sentenced to one year of probation.

The mother and son. Charlie Adelson, a Florida dentist, was convicted of first-degree murder in the killing of Dan Markel, a Florida State Law University Professor, and his sister Wendi Adelson's estranged husband. The killings were carried out by Charlie's girlfriend and her new lover.

The murder was allegedly motivated by a child custody dispute between Wendi and Markel.

Wendi denied any involvement, but guess who was indicted after Charlie was convicted, their mom, Donna Adelson. Prosecutors alleged that she was the mastermind, using her wealth and influence to hire hitmen, while the defense argued insufficient evidence and pointed the finger at other culprits.

Adelson, like her son, was convicted of first-degree murder, conspiracy and solicitation. The 75-year-old Donna was sentenced to life in prison plus two 30-year consecutive prison terms.

The Crazies. Lori Vallow Daybell was the subject of multiple, separate trials in Idaho and Arizona, where she was convicted of murdering her two children and conspiring to murder her husband's first wife. As for this year, in April, she was convicted of conspiring to murder her fourth husband, Charles Vallow, who was shot and killed by her brother, Alex Cox. In June, she was found guilty of conspiring to murder her niece's ex-husband, who survived a drive-by shooting. Vallow represented herself during her last trial.

She is currently serving consecutive life sentences in prison without the possibility of parole.

That's a wrap for 2025. Stay tuned for next year.

Matthew T. Mangino is of counsel with Luxenberg, Garbett, Kelly & George P.C. His book The Executioner's Toll, 2010 was released by McFarland Publishing. You can reach him at www.mattmangino.com and follow him on Twitter @MatthewTMangino