MANslaughter

Wondery

MANslaughter tells intertwining stories about how one gunshot on a cold Wisconsin night in 1970 dramatically changed multiple lives. A bullet brutally tore through decorated law enforcement veteran LaVerne Stordock. Decades later, his niece, Dorothy Marcic, transformed herself into an amateur detective in a quest for truth and closure about that night. At the center of Dorothy’s investigation is Suzanne Brandon, LaVerne’s second wife, who confessed to the shooting -- and who Dorothy believes completely escaped justice. As it follows Dorothy’s discoveries, MANslaughter explores questions around the psychology of crime, the ways women are made responsible in families, and the lasting impact of trauma.

A final encounter between Suzanne and Dorothy reveals a complex connection that even that gunshot cannot shatter. MANslaughter is based on the book, With One Shot by Dorothy Marcic.

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Our Editor's Take

MANslaughter explores the death of LaVerne Stordock in Oregon, Wisconsin. On a chilly morning in March 1970, a former police detective ends up with a bullet through his head. His wife, Suzanne Brandon, confesses, and after a year in a psychiatric hospital, gets out. The widow then inherits his money and disappears. So what happened here? This true crime podcast is about one woman's quest to find truth and closure surrounding her uncle's death. The seven-part podcast details how the tragedy transformed several lives.

Dorothy Marcic, LaVerne's niece, cohosts the podcast with the award-winning reporter Molly Peterson. Dorothy is an accomplished author, playwright, and university professor. Her book, With One Shot: Family Murder, is the basis of the MANslaughter podcast. Her cohost Molly is a lawyer and investigative reporter. Molly's work includes contributions to the New York Times and NPR. She has reported on climate change and the juvenile justice system.

For years, Dorothy struggled to come to terms with her uncle's violent end. She felt there was more to the law enforcement veteran's death. So, in 2014, decades after that fateful day, Dorothy started investigating her uncle's murder. That investigation resulted in a book, which then led to this podcast.

On the podcast, cohost Molly narrates Dorothy's investigations into the crime. Her narration is thorough, with vivid descriptions of people, scenery, and interactions. These include Dorothy's meeting with key players in the case. They include Suzanna, the woman who pulled the trigger. Dorothy herself also narrates part of the podcast. On MANslaughter, listeners will also hear 911 calls and interviews with witnesses.

Dorothy's search for answers spans multiple states and uncovers many intriguing details. Listeners hear Suzanne's first call from that fateful morning. They listen to her alarming confession to the county sheriff. It's one of many sound bites that makes the podcast exciting to hear. Anyone interested in true crime and mystery should give MANslaughter a listen.

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Introducing MANslaughter

Introducing MANslaughter

MANslaughter tells intertwining stories about how one gunshot on a cold Wisconsin night in 1970 dramatically changed multiple lives. A bullet brutally tore through decorated law enforcement veteran LaVerne Stordock. Decades later, his niece, Dorothy Marcic, transformed herself into an amateur detective in a quest for truth and closure about that night. At the center of Dorothy’s investigation is Suzanne Brandon, LaVerne’s second wife, who confessed to the shooting -- and who Dorothy believes completely escaped justice. As it follows Dorothy’s discoveries, MANslaughter explores questions around the psychology of crime, the ways women are made responsible in families, and the lasting impact of trauma.A final encounter between Suzanne and Dorothy reveals a complex connection that even that gunshot cannot shatter. MANslaughter is based on the book, With One Shotby Dorothy Marcic.Join Wondery+ to binge all episodes ad-free right now, in the Wondery App. https://wondery.app.link/manslaughterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Episodes

Introducing MANslaughter

Introducing MANslaughter

MANslaughter tells intertwining stories about how one gunshot on a cold Wisconsin night in 1970 dramatically changed multiple lives. A bullet brutally tore through decorated law enforcement veteran LaVerne Stordock. Decades later, his niece, Dorothy Marcic, transformed herself into an amateur detective in a quest for truth and closure about that night. At the center of Dorothy’s investigation is Suzanne Brandon, LaVerne’s second wife, who confessed to the shooting -- and who Dorothy believes completely escaped justice. As it follows Dorothy’s discoveries, MANslaughter explores questions around the psychology of crime, the ways women are made responsible in families, and the lasting impact of trauma.A final encounter between Suzanne and Dorothy reveals a complex connection that even that gunshot cannot shatter. MANslaughter is based on the book, With One Shotby Dorothy Marcic.Join Wondery+ to binge all episodes ad-free right now, in the Wondery App. https://wondery.app.link/manslaughterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

With One Shot | 1

With One Shot | 1

On a cold Wisconsin night in 1970, a gunshot echoes from the grandest home in the small town of Oregon, ending the life of law enforcement veteran LaVern Stordock. Fifty years later, his niece Dorothy Marcic re-opens the investigation to find out why her Aunt Suzanne seemingly got away with the murder...Join Wondery+ to binge all episodes ad-free right now, in the Wondery App. https://wondery.app.link/manslaughterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Another person was inside the mansion in a small Wisconsin town the night LaVerne Stordock was killed. Dorothy’s cold case investigation into her uncle’s murder makes a shocking discovery about who could have pulled the trigger.Join Wondery+ to binge all episodes ad-free right now, in the Wondery App. https://wondery.app.link/manslaughterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Convinced that chaos and discord follow her Aunt Suzanne, Dorothy does a deep dive into her childhood. Dorothy concludes that the killing was not random but pre-medidated by Suzanne and her son -- so she sets out to prove her theory.Join Wondery+ to binge all episodes ad-free right now, in the Wondery App. https://wondery.app.link/manslaughterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Married and divorced three times before she met Vern Stordock, Suzanne joined several families. After an ex-husband and a father in law die, Dorothy looks for proof that Suzanne benefitted from their deaths - and that foul play was involved.Join Wondery+ to binge all episodes ad-free right now, in the Wondery App. https://wondery.app.link/manslaughterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

After time in a mental hospital, Suzanne went on to meet a final husband -- and achieve professional success. But Dorothy immerses herself in criminal psychology, trying to determine whether her aunt was a psychopath using a test created by one of the top experts in the field. Suzanne’s friends and family paint a very different picture of her than Dorothy does.Join Wondery+ to binge all episodes ad-free right now, in the Wondery App. https://wondery.app.link/manslaughterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In different ways, Dorothy and Suzanne learned to live with the consequences of a single shot that rang out more than 50 years ago. After two funerals, painful secrets are revealed. For the first time, and in detail, Dorothy presents her idea of what happened on the last night in February, 1970 -- and we examine the evidence around the murder that still haunts her.Join Wondery+ to binge all episodes ad-free right now, in the Wondery App. https://wondery.app.link/manslaughterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In the Room | 7

In the Room | 7

Listen to the behind the scenes, roundtable discussion with the team behind Man-Slaughter. This conversation is hosted by Sarah Cailean, sex crimes expert and homicide investigator. Sarah is joined by Marty Scott (Writer), Molly Peterson (Host and Writer), and Dorothy Marcic (Co-Host and Author of 'With One Shot').Join Wondery+ to binge all episodes ad-free right now, in the Wondery App. https://wondery.app.link/manslaughterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Introducing: SUSPECT

Introducing: SUSPECT

A big Halloween party at an apartment complex in Redmond, Washington. Themed rooms and costumed partygoers. But by the end of the party, one of the hosts is dead. The police look to the partiers as the prime suspects: was it the guy in the devil mask, the bank robber, the construction worker? As investigators comb through forensic evidence, witness testimony, DNA, and even consult with a psychic, they zero in on one suspect in particular. But for what reason? Host and reporter Matthew Shaer (Over My Dead Body) returns to the scene of the crime, speaks with everyone about a night that still haunts them years later. It’s a series about race and policing, mislaid justice, cutting-edge science, and the kinds of weighty choices that cops and prosecutors make every day -- choices that, once made, are difficult to reverse.Listen to SUSPECT: wondery.fm/SUSPECT_ManslaughterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.