The Thing About Pam

NBC News

Two days after Christmas, 2011, Russ Faria came home from game night to find his wife, Betsy, dead. He was soon charged and convicted of her murder. But Russ Faria insisted he did not kill his wife. Betsy’s brutal murder set off a chain of events that would leave one man dead, another man implicated, and expose a diabolical scheme. It would also see Dateline NBC—the true-crime original—become a part of the never-ending saga that proves the old adage: Truth is stranger than fiction. This original series from Keith Morrison and Dateline defies all expectations. Listen to all episodes of The Thing About Pam now completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium to listen ad-free: DatelinePremium.com read less

Our Editor's Take

Listeners looking for their next true crime podcast may like The Thing About Pam. This is the first podcast series from Dateline at NBC News. After investigating the true story for many years, they decided to explore it further. Canadian broadcaster Keith Morrison is the host of this compelling six-episode series. It examines the brutal stabbing of Betsy Faria in her own home on Christmas in 2011.

Despite an alibi, her husband, Russ Faria, gets charged with her murder. The prosecution claimed it was due to rage and greed, but Russ swore his innocence. Keith tells this incredible story with intensity. It may make listeners interested from the first episode of The Thing About Pam. And at the central part of the story is the search for one woman's justice.

The host guides listeners through all the evidence available. He describes the weather on the day of the crime and the exact location. He then plays the 911 call as Betsy's husband, Russ, reports finding his wife on the living room floor. Days later, Russ gets charged with her murder. This story impacts not only his life but also that of Dateline producer Cathy Singer. It's rare for those reporting on a story to become part of it, making it even more compelling. And the title of The Thing About Pam indicates something about what happened to Betsy.

Six months after the podcast series aired in 2019, one listener was still thinking about it. Award-winning actress Renee Zellweger decided to create a TV series based on the podcast and story. Renee claimed the telling of the story was so compelling that she listened to the podcast in one sitting. The idea of social bias and its impact fascinated her. In the series, Renee plays the part of Betsy's good friend Pam in Peacock's Thing About Pam. This podcast had two bonus episodes. One was about what happened to Pam. The second was about Renee's TV series.

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