Crime of the Truest Kind

In part two of Amy Sher's story, I share how the abuse she suffered went on for years as everyone around her tried desperately to reach her.Inspired by the award-winning film, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri--about a mother's grief and a town's apathy--Amy's family made a public plea for answers, unveiling billboards in the area she was last seen that asked one question: “What Happened To Amy?”Learn the real life story that inspired "Three Billboards," and a father's mission to hold the man he believes killed his daughter to account.This episode deals with violence against women and domestic abuse. Please listen with care.Amy's case highlights the devastating impact of isolation, coercive control, gaslighting, inaction on the part of authorities, and the resilience of families who continue to fight for answers, even when justice feels so out of reach. With hope, they ask for anyone who may remember something from those days in the fall of 2002 when Amy was last seen, and what neighbors saw and heard. We explore how Amy’s disappearance became both a true crime mystery and a community call to action, connecting her story to cultural touchstones like award-winning films, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri and the 1944 classic, Gaslight. EPISODE GUIDE:Abuse and Isolation: How coercive control shaped Amy’s life and cut her off from her family.The Disappearance: The events of October 14, 2002, when Amy left work and never returned.The Family’s Plea: In May 2018, the Sher family unveiled billboards in Billerica to demand answers.Legal Battles: How Sher v. Desmond (2007) set precedent for grandparent visitation rights in Massachusetts.Cultural Connections: Billboards as protest (Three Billboards) and gaslighting as abuse (Gaslight).Community Advocacy: How remembrance and visibility keep victims’ stories alive.This episode blends true crime storytelling, legal precedent, and advocacy for survivors of abuse. It’s not just about one missing mother — it’s about how families fight for justice and how culture reflects our deepest struggles with grief and accountability.More at CrimeoftheTruestKInd.com/amy-sher-part2

This episode deals with violence against women and describes injuries caused by domestic abuse. Please listen with care.The unsolved disappearance of Amy Sher is a disturbing story of violence, isolation, coercive control, and how one person can terrorize an entire family. Amy’s haunting case reveals the devastating realities of domestic violence—the emotional abuse, despair, and powerlessness she endured.Amy Beth Sher, a 38‑year‑old mother, was last seen at work on Monday, October 14, 2002, at Lahey Clinic in Burlington, Massachusetts. Her life had been marked by struggle since meeting Robert J. Desmond, Jr., an office temp at her job. Their relationship moved quickly, and those closest to her were stunned by how reckless Amy seemed in this new connection. Over time, they witnessed the frightening transformation of a once‑vibrant woman fading under the weight of coercive control and isolation.While the official record states Amy was last seen at Alewife MBTA Station around noon on Friday, October 18, 2002, there are no eyewitnesses to confirm this. The detail is widely repeated, but its origin remains unclear—likely stemming from her husband’s shifting accounts. What we do know is that Amy’s last confirmed location was Lahey Clinic in Burlington, and the last place she had to have been was her home in Billerica, where she lived with her husband and son.The chilling disappearance of Amy Sher underscores the profound impact of domestic violence. In this episode, we confront the realities of abuse and the helplessness experienced by everyone around her—family, coworkers, and friends—who could not save her from torment, no matter how they tried to offer a lifeline. By sharing Amy’s story, we shed light on the insidious nature of coercive control, the urgent need for advocacy and education, and the importance of collective action to break cycles of violence. This deep dive into a missing person case serves as a vital resource for understanding the delicate, destructive dynamics of domestic abuse.There is so much more to this than the question, “Why did you stay?”TheHotline.org — National Domestic Violence HotlineDirectory of local providers of DV supportJaneDoe.orgDCF Wonderfund Gift Wish List For Holiday Giving 🛒Wonderfund Amazon Wishlist for moreEpisode page: CrimeoftheTruestKind.com/amy-sher

Listen to episode 95, the full show audio. This is bonus content of the Q+A from the show. While many question were on mic, some were not. Crimes of Camberville: From The Alleys to the Ivies, A History of Crime, Murder, and Mystery - Recorded live at The Burren in Somerville on October 23, we explore a history of crimes rooted in Somerville and Cambridge, cities defined by the intersection of the working class and university elites.From the side streets to the lecture halls, we talk about the cases that once made headlines, or remain unknown and unresolved. All should be told, and their names spoken.In this live episode, we walk through developments in the 2009 murder of Charline Rosemond, two cases that rocked Somerville in 1995 - Janet Downing, murdered by a neighbor and family friend, and the still-unsolved case of 17-year-old Deanna Cremin, who was almost home before she was attacked and killed, found the next morning by neighborhood kids. The tragic case of the Dunster House Murder of Trang Phuong Ho on Harvard's campus by her roommate, Sinedu Tadesse, whose mental state had been deteriorating before everyone's eyes, yet no one seemed to notice; and a history of crimes that took place throughout Cambridge dating back to the 1960s:Beverly Samans (1963), Linda Marshall (1968), Jane Britton (1969), Ada Bean (1969), Carol Peterson (1975), Julie Campbell (1978), and women who simply vanished off the streets of Cambridge and Somerville - Amy B. Sher (2002), Reina Carolina Rojas Morales (2022), and Mitchel Valaudyne Iviquel (2000)Show slides and source links will post at crimeofthetruestkind.com/crimeofcambervillelive

Live Show! Crimes of Camberville: From The Alleys to the Ivies, A History of Crime, Murder, and Mystery - Recorded live at The Burren in Somerville on October 23, we explore a history of crimes rooted in Somerville and Cambridge, cities defined by the intersection of the working class and university elites. From the side streets to the lecture halls, we talk about the cases that once made headlines, or remain unknown and unresolved. All should be told, and their names spoken.In this live episode, we walk throughdevelopments in the 2009 murder of Charline Rosemondtwo cases that rocked Somerville in 1995 - Janet Downing, murdered by a neighbor and family friend, andthe still-unsolved case of 17-year-old Deanna Cremin, who was almost home before she was attacked and killed, found the next morning by neighborhood kidsthe tragic case of the Dunster House Murder of Trang Phuong Ho on Harvard's campus by her roommate, Sinedu Tadesse, whose mental state had been deteriorating before everyone's eyes, yet no one seemed to notice;and a history of crimes that took place throughout Cambridge dating back to the 1960s:Beverly Samans (1963), Linda Marshall (1968), Jane Britton (1969), Ada Bean (1969), Carol Peterson (1975), Julie Campbell (1978), and women who simply vanished off the streets of Cambridge and Somerville - Amy B. Sher (2002), Reina Carolina Rojas Morales (2022), and Mitchel Valaudyne Iviquel (2000)Show slides and links posted at crimeofthetruestkind.com/crimesofcambervillelive

Live show! Thurs, Oct 23 at The Burren, Davis Square, Somerville, MassOctober is Domestic Violence Awareness month. We should be talking about domestic violence, and how to prevent it, all the time, to help others recognize what it is and how insidious that it can be. It is not just bruises and black eyes. Jennifer Martel’s case is like so many other women who were tied to a bad relationship through a shared child. Few people seemed to know what Jennifer was really going through at home. There were many reasons why leaving was so difficult. The Murder of Jennifer Martel, Waltham, MassachusettsIt is like so many other women’s stories who were trying to see a way out. It is like so many other stories where the victim is lost in the headlines of the case. What it is not like is how she was murdered by a very dangerous man who had been dangerous for a long time. He was someone she was and had been with for years. The man who was the son of a beloved voice of Red Sox Nation, Jerry Remy, the "RemDog." Fenway Park is like church around here. There is a lot of hero worship. Jennifer Martel was 27 when she was murdered. She had a plan for the next phase of her life, a next phase that did not include Jared Remy. Just two days before Jennifer was killed, Remy was arrested for slamming her head into a bathroom mirror. She called to report him — the audio from the 911 call says it all — and Remy was arrested and charged with assault and battery. Jennifer was granted an emergency restraining order that night, and she would be able to extend it the following day, Wednesday, August 14, at Remy’s arraignment in Waltham District Court. However, Jennifer did not appear in court and the restraining order expired. Something that would prove to be a grave error on the prosecutors' part is that no one had the foresight to look at his background. No one checked priors. If they had, they would have seen a long history of violence against women. Instead, they sought no bail, and he was released on personal recognizance on an open assault and battery case.It is important to understand why Jennifer didn't attend that arraignment the day before she was stabbed to death in the presence of her 4-year-old and her next door neighbors. History is well documented as to why many women don’t appear in abuse cases like this – for fear of retribution, more abuse, how they can support themselves and their children, the pleas of the partner, and, in Jennifer’s case, from the Remys. Patty Martel said Jennifer heard from Remy’s mother, Phoebe, who begged her not to file a complaint because it would ruin Remy’s life. His life. Mrs. Remy, according to the Martels, said they would protect her. Maybe Mrs. Remy believed what she was saying, but her son's history of violence was crystal clear.National Domestic Violence Hotline | thehotline.org | Call 1.800.799.SAFE (7233)Jane Doe Inc | janedoe.org | Massachusetts Coalition Against Sexual Assault and Domestic ViolenceCrime of the Truest Kind | Follow @crimeofthetruestkind

In Episode 93, veteran crime reporter Bob Ward of Boston 25 News discussed the renewed investigation into the 1974 unsolved murder of Henry Bedard Jr., a 15-year-old from Swampscott, Massachusetts. Bob broke the story of Henry’s October 1, 2025 exhumation at Swampscott Cemetery, a major development led by the Essex County District Attorney’s Office. Together, we revisit the details of Henry’s disappearance after Christmas shopping in Vinnin Square, the discovery of his body behind the present-day DPW building, and the mysterious baseball bat found nearby. This episode explores the power of forensic science, the persistence of cold case investigators, and the enduring grief and hope of a community still seeking justice.If you have information about the murder of Henry Bedard Jr., contact the Essex County District Attorney’s Office - 978-745-6610 or Swampscott Police - 781-595-1111.Subscribe to Crime of the Truest Kind for more episodes that honor victims, amplify unheard voices, and pursue truth through ethical true crime storytelling.CrimeoftheTruestKind.com for more infoRemembering Henry Bedard, Jr.Live show, Thurs, Oct 23 at the Burren in Somerville, MassCrimes of Camberville: From the Alleys to the Ivies, A history of Crime, Murder and MysteryGet Tickets

North Shore Unsolved. Where True Crime Meets Hometown History. Recorded at Off Cabot in Beverly, Mass on September 11, 2025, it is a powerful fusion of storytelling, advocacy, and local legacy.Anngelle Wood answers audience questions about local crime cases.Part two of two. Please listen to episode 92 before this bonus episode.More at crimeofthetruestkind.com.

Where True Crime Meets Hometown History - this phrase describes this live Crime of the Truest Kind podcast event. Recorded at Off Cabot in Beverly, Mass on September 11, 2025, it is a powerful fusion of storytelling, advocacy, and local legacy. In the spotlight are unsolved cases like: The Elliot Chambers Boarding House Fire, Beverly (1984), The mystery of the Essex County John Doe, Newburyport (1992), the disappearance of Mary “Abbie” Flynn, Gloucester (2020), Unsolved murder of Michael O'Gorman, Gloucester (1974), missing boy Leigh Savoie, Revere (1974), the discovery of Theresa Coen, Rockport (2018), and more cases spanning decades of mystery and heartbreak, delivered through gripping narratives. The show has been described as “an unforgettable evening fusing storytelling with empathy, history, and the search for justice”.In loving memory of Otis. I love you all the time.More at crimeofthetruestkind.com.Next show, Thurs, Oct 23 at The Burren, Somerville, Mass forCrimes of Camberville: From the Allies to the Ivies -- Get tickets!