Episode 3: Open and Shut

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Episode 3: Open and Shut

FromCounterClock

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Length:

38 minutes

Released:

Sep 17, 2020

Format:

Podcast episode

Description

Clifton Spencer fights his conviction in court and wins a small victory...but a bigger battle is still head. Delia uncovers that the events from three decades ago still weigh heavy on key players in the case.

Released:

Sep 17, 2020

Format:

Podcast episode

Titles in the series (87)

In order to tell the story of a crime, you have to turn back time. Every season, Investigative journalist Delia D'Ambra digs deep into a mind-bending mystery with the hopes of reigniting interest in a decades old homicide case.

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Episode 9: Body of Evidence: CounterClock revisits the crime scene at 2014 Norfolk Street and uncovers there are secrets beneath the floorboards. by CounterClock
37 min listen
Episode 3: The Dog: In 1997, the first eyewitness on scene is detained by police and years later CounterClock tracks him down. Investigators begin to consider Denise’s four-legged companion a critical piece of evidence. by CounterClock
39 min listen
Season 1: The Murder of Denise Johnson: An investigative journalist revisits her small coastal hometown in North Carolina to dive deep into a 22-year-old cold case murder and arson that's marred the image of where she grew up. This investigative series reveals new clues, never-before-heard interviews and tracks down potential suspects in the case. by CounterClock
3 min listen
Episode 4: Of Interest: Denise's roommate from 22 years ago remembers critical details that could help investigators and Delia uncovers a perplexing connection between Denise and the first eyewitness on scene. by CounterClock
43 min listen
Episode 6: The Brass: All of the former key law enforcement detectives on he Denise Johnson case go on record about the investigation and mistakes that were made. by CounterClock
36 min listen
Episode 5: Search Warrant: A set of siblings start to suspect their downstairs tenant is involved in the crime and when police return to Norfolk Street, a new lead emerges. by CounterClock
30 min listen
Episode 2: Small Operation: Kill Devil Hills police detectives, past and present, weigh in on the lagging progress in the case and the location of evidence from Denise's autopsy comes into question. by CounterClock
31 min listen
Episode 10: The Long Game: Clifton may be a free man but the state of North Carolina is still after a big part of his life. During the season finale one of his post-conviction attorneys speaks openly about what the future holds. Counterclock is also encouraging listeners to participate in demanding change from the North Carolina Innocence Inquiry Commission and the North Carolina General Assembly. Visit our website for all the details you need to participate: www.counterclockpodcast.com by CounterClock
57 min listen
11 of 20: Trial Phase - Part 2: Alan Baum admits his failures as Jeff’s defense attorney but insists the physical evidence in the case suggests more than one shooter was involved. The final verdict comes in and new characters in the Pelley family's life speak publicly, raising even more questions in the case. by CounterClock
31 min listen
Episode 8: The Tall Blonde: One of the last people to see Denise Johnson alive comes forward and Delia tracks down the man who lived next door to Denise in 1997. by CounterClock
31 min listen
Episode 1: Cluttered: In season two, host Delia D'Ambra is back in her home town to investigate another brutal murder from the 90s. To the local police and DA the case is closed and a man has been sentenced for the crime. But to those who knew the victim it is very much an unsolved case and an innocent man might have been wrongly convicted. In episode one Delia D'Ambra tracks down witnesses who remember the bloody crime scene inside Stacey Stanton's apartment on February 3rd, 1990. Early on, the investigation into how the young waitress died reveals unique clues about who committed the crime. by CounterClock
36 min listen
Season 2: The Murder of Stacey Stanton: It’s been 30 years since someone brutally stabbed 28-year-old Stacey Stanton inside of her second-story apartment. Investigative journalist Delia D’Ambra is back in her hometown on the Outer Banks of North Carolina to figure out if a man was wrongfully convicted for the crime and if the real killer is still out there. The only way to understand Stacey’s story is to move counterclockwise in time; to go backwards to the point where her clock violently stopped. CounterClock Season Two will premier on Thursday, September 10th! by CounterClock
4 min listen
Episode 12: Irrelevant: After two years of searching, Delia tracks down Teresa but runs into unforeseen twists. by CounterClock
25 min listen
Episode 11: Vandal: Someone is still targeting Denise Johnson and a new crime taunts investigators in two neighboring small police departments. by CounterClock
31 min listen
Episode 7: Caller Unknown: CounterClock uncovers a terrible secret about Denise’s past in Florida and unearths a police report from Kill Devil Hills in 1996 that could point to who wanted her dead. by CounterClock
38 min listen
Episode 10: Male Figures: Delia tracks down Denise’s long term boyfriends and discovers their overlapping information could point to the murderer’s motive. by CounterClock
35 min listen
Episode 1: Dainty: A killer remains at-large 22 years after a woman is brutally murdered inside her home in coastal North Carolina. Host, Delia D’Ambra, begins a new investigation into the unsolved murder starting with recollections from eyewitnesses. by CounterClock
36 min listen
Episode 8: Overlap: Delia reveals unbelievable connections between the murders of Stacey Stanton and Denise Johnson that include the same people, places and new jailhouse confessions. by CounterClock
39 min listen
Episode 13: New Lead: Who was really after who inside 2014 Norfolk Street on July 13th 1997? In 2020, a major update emerges in a cold case. by CounterClock
31 min listen
8 of 20: Switch and Bait: Jeff's attempt to retrieve his inheritance early backfires and lands him in a world of trouble in Florida. Indiana police jump at the chance to try and get Jeff to confess to his family’s murders but that backfires too. by CounterClock
15 min listen
Episode 6: Thin Walls: A bank receipt from an ATM becomes a critical piece of evidence. Eyewitnesses on Ananias Dare Street are able to place individuals at Stacey's apartment during the early morning hours of the day she was murdered. by CounterClock
27 min listen
Episode 3: Open and Shut: Clifton Spencer fights his conviction in court and wins a small victory...but a bigger battle is still head. Delia uncovers that the events from three decades ago still weigh heavy on key players in the case. by CounterClock
38 min listen
Episode 2: Prime Suspect: Within hours, authorities develop their prime suspect in the Stacey Stanton murder case. This lead takes investigators to a town just outside of Manteo and to a man who was with Stacey the night she died. The clock to make an arrest is ticking and racial biases start to come into play even when all the pieces don't quite fit into place. by CounterClock
44 min listen
2 of 20: Crime and Case: Eyewitnesses and police investigators who discovered the Pelley murders in 1989 remember the horrific scene inside the Pelley home. by CounterClock
18 min listen
17 of 20: Frauds and Fakes: The sentences for the defendants in Fort Myers raise suspicion about the court’s integrity and Delia learns startling facts about members of the prominent family. by CounterClock
24 min listen
Episode 9: New Evidence: Delia explains Clifton Spencer's journey through the criminal justice system and why, time after time, evidence that could've helped free him, was never fully explored. by CounterClock
35 min listen
Episode 4: Bar Rats: Delia interviews a case of characters who were inside the Green Dolphin Pub on the night of February 2, 1990. These witnesses shed more light on the circumstances leading up to Stacey's murder. by CounterClock
33 min listen
Bonus: Q & A: Host Delia D’Ambra and CounterClock executive producer Ashley Flowers discuss details of the unsolved murder of Denise Johnson and the murder of Stacey Stanton. Delia goes through your email-submitted questions about both cases and tells all about her personal knowledge of nitty gritty details she’s gathered in both cases. Everything from new leads, to new potential evidence comes out in today’s Q & A episode. by CounterClock
78 min listen
6 of 20: No Clues to Waste: Indiana police try to find physical evidence linking Jeff to the murders. Delia examines their methods and uncovers documents that contradict one another. by CounterClock
20 min listen
9 of 20: Years to Wait: The cold case homicide investigator who built a case against Jeff 13 years after the Pelley murders details his investigation and logic. Delia raises questions about a critical piece of evidence used to make the arrest that he can't explain. by CounterClock
27 min listen

More Episodes from CounterClock

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Season 6: The Death of Douglas Wagg, Jr.: On July 8th, 1991, the body of 27-year-old Douglas Wagg, Jr. turned up on a lone stretch of railroad tracks that border the small city of Williamston, North Carolina. How he got there and how he died has remained a mystery for more than 33 years. by CounterClock
4 min listen
Season 1 UPDATE: Back To The Beach: It’s been four years since CounterClock released an episode on the unsolved murder of Denise Johnson. Delia unravels the newest leads she’s been following related to the case and revisits some of her initial reporting. This is the update episode listeners have been waiting for and now it's time to dive in. by CounterClock
49 min listen
Season 5: BONUS Q&A: On the heels of Season 5’s release, Delia updates listeners with new information and leads that have surfaced in the Bruce Cucchiara murder investigation. by CounterClock
34 min listen
Season 3: BONUS Jeff Pelley's Status Hearing: Delia breaks down the details of an unexpected status hearing the judge overseeing Jeff Pelley's post-conviction petition for relief requested on May 31st, 2023. by CounterClock
17 min listen
Ep 5 of 14: Phone Calls: Delia analyzes Bruce's cellphone records and discovers an extremely important clue as well as a major misstep by homicide investigators. by CounterClock
17 min listen
Ep 9 of 14: The Sale: The water utility company that Bruce was a key executive at had a history of bad behavior including a federal water pollution conviction and massive fine. Delia learns the depths of Bruce's work at SELA and how integral he was in a multi-million-dollar business deal with St. Tammany Parish. by CounterClock
25 min listen
Ep 10 of 14: The Fallout: Bruce's wife and close friends remember having strange conversations with Bruce in the months and weeks leading up to his murder. Delia investigates patterns in Bruce's behaviors and communications that paint a picture of a man in deep distress. by CounterClock
20 min listen
Ep 12 of 14: Aflame: Delia investigates a mysterious warehouse fire in Covington two and a half years after Bruce's murder. Firefighters from the original scene and a hired fire investigation consultant try to make sense of items at the warehouse that don't belong. by CounterClock
34 min listen
Ep 13 of 14: Another Body: Delia discovers that in 2016 a hit was taken out on another victim in the same parking spot of the Mark VII apartments that Bruce died in. This crime was only partially solved and a trigger man wielding a revolver remains at large. A witness at both crime scenes speaks with CounterClock. by CounterClock
20 min listen
Ep 4 of 14: Movements: Why was Bruce even in New Orleans East on the day he died? The answer eludes everyone, and Delia discovers some sketchy information tucked away in land and business records for the Mark VII Apartments. by CounterClock
20 min listen
Ep 3 of 14: Encounters by CounterClock
19 min listen
Ep 6 of 14: Big Tyme: Two months after Bruce's murder, his widow Anne received a text message from her dead husband's missing cell phone. NOPD detectives followed the lead to a woman who kept changing her story about how she ended up with it. Delia uncovers incongruent facts and a mysterious fire at an electronics store that raise doubts about where Bruce's phone ended up. by CounterClock
25 min listen
Ep 7 of 14: A Company Asset: Bruce was insured for $5 million by his employer which made him a company asset. Delia digs deep into his life insurance policies only to discover a puzzling settlement that even law enforcement says should never have happened. Photocopies of his last will and testament surface after his murder but his family can't find the originals or figure out why his employer won't fulfill Bruce's wishes. Complicated financial matters only deepen a growing rift between Bruce's family and his business associates. by CounterClock
36 min listen
Ep 8 of 14: Conflict: Delia explores a striking conflict regarding how Bruce's estate was handled and investigates connections between the characters in the story that raise a lot of questions. by CounterClock
29 min listen
Ep 11 of 14: Recant: In 2011 a business venture between Bruce and his friends failed and resulted in litigation. When a former disgraced business associate who leveled a lawsuit against Bruce and his friends makes bold claims about Bruce's murder, everyone takes pause. by CounterClock
22 min listen
Ep 1 of 14: Gut Punch: On Tuesday April 24th, 2012 someone shot and killed 57-year-old Bruce Cucchiara in a New Orleans East apartment complex. Who was Bruce? His children, ex wife and widow reflect on the man who's murder is the focal point of CounterClock Season 5. by CounterClock
30 min listen
Ep 2 of 14: New Orleans East: Louisiana's troubling history of political, racial and socioeconomic division leads Delia to understand New Orleans East better. NOPD's current cold case detective weighs in on the basic facts of the Bruce Cucchiara crime scene, a frustrating 'person of interest' sighting, and a code of silence that stunted the investigation from day one. by CounterClock
33 min listen
Ep 14 of 14: Friends or Foes?: Delia investigates who were Bruce's true friends and seeks answers from people in Covington who should have every reason to talk about Bruce, but won't. Plus a call to action from the New Orleans Police Department, Bruce's loved ones and Delia herself. by CounterClock
21 min listen
Season 5: The Murder of Bruce Cucchiara by CounterClock
4 min listen
Season 4: BONUS Update: Delia speaks with former Desoto County cold case investigator James Kirdy to go over critical points of the John Welles case. She learns more about what James thinks happened to John and why he is convinced the teen was not a murder victim. This episode is an update for listeners who have streamed all episodes of CounterClock Season 4. by CounterClock
24 min listen
Season 4: Bonus Q&A: Host, Delia D'Ambra, and Executive Producer, Ashley Flowers, discuss listener questions that came in after Season 4 released. Delia gets her hands on evidence photos of John Welles's actual .22 Ruger Revolver and other critical pieces of evidence that have never been seen before. Associate producer David Payne and other voices from the season drop in to go over everything we know so far in this case and talk about theories that should be considered. by CounterClock
75 min listen
Ep 12 of 15: Science: Delia brings in a forensic pathologist and a firearms reconstruction expert to evaluate the accidental shooting theory in the John Welles case. After months of testing, the group goes over their findings and the results are eye-opening. by CounterClock
24 min listen
Ep 11 of 15: Switch: 14 years after John's murder, one Desoto County detective establishes a new theory about the case that does not line up with the evidence. Delia investigates how the information made its way to higher powers in the ME's office. by CounterClock
34 min listen
Ep 10 of 15: Security: Delia takes a step back to consider all of the suspects known in the case and evaluate law enforcement's handling of the investigation after 2006. She and associate producer David Payne venture back out to SE Hansel Avenue to continue working the case only to find themselves face-to-face with Desoto County deputies and subjects of a 911 call. by CounterClock
25 min listen

Related podcast episodes

Skip carousel

Episode 9: New Evidence: Delia explains Clifton Spencer's journey through the criminal justice system and why, time after time, evidence that could've helped free him, was never fully explored. by CounterClock
35 min listen
Episode 10: The Long Game: Clifton may be a free man but the state of North Carolina is still after a big part of his life. During the season finale one of his post-conviction attorneys speaks openly about what the future holds. Counterclock is also encouraging listeners to participate in demanding change from the North Carolina Innocence Inquiry Commission and the North Carolina General Assembly. Visit our website for all the details you need to participate: www.counterclockpodcast.com by CounterClock
57 min listen
Episode 4: Bar Rats: Delia interviews a case of characters who were inside the Green Dolphin Pub on the night of February 2, 1990. These witnesses shed more light on the circumstances leading up to Stacey's murder. by CounterClock
33 min listen
Episode 5: Conflicting Stories: Delia discovers that statements from Stacey's ex-boyfriend and his entourage are not adding up. Where they were and when leaves a lot of time unaccounted for on the night of the crime. by CounterClock
28 min listen
Episode 7: The Break Ins: Delia uncovers a violent history of crimes and suspicious behavior swirling around Mike Brandon. SBI agent, Donnie Varnell, is once again called upon to remember his former case work. by CounterClock
30 min listen
Episode 2: Prime Suspect: Within hours, authorities develop their prime suspect in the Stacey Stanton murder case. This lead takes investigators to a town just outside of Manteo and to a man who was with Stacey the night she died. The clock to make an arrest is ticking and racial biases start to come into play even when all the pieces don't quite fit into place. by CounterClock
44 min listen
Episode 1: Cluttered: In season two, host Delia D'Ambra is back in her home town to investigate another brutal murder from the 90s. To the local police and DA the case is closed and a man has been sentenced for the crime. But to those who knew the victim it is very much an unsolved case and an innocent man might have been wrongly convicted. In episode one Delia D'Ambra tracks down witnesses who remember the bloody crime scene inside Stacey Stanton's apartment on February 3rd, 1990. Early on, the investigation into how the young waitress died reveals unique clues about who committed the crime. by CounterClock
36 min listen
Episode 6: Thin Walls: A bank receipt from an ATM becomes a critical piece of evidence. Eyewitnesses on Ananias Dare Street are able to place individuals at Stacey's apartment during the early morning hours of the day she was murdered. by CounterClock
27 min listen
Bonus: Q & A: Host Delia D’Ambra and CounterClock executive producer Ashley Flowers discuss details of the unsolved murder of Denise Johnson and the murder of Stacey Stanton. Delia goes through your email-submitted questions about both cases and tells all about her personal knowledge of nitty gritty details she’s gathered in both cases. Everything from new leads, to new potential evidence comes out in today’s Q & A episode. by CounterClock
78 min listen
Episode 8: Overlap: Delia reveals unbelievable connections between the murders of Stacey Stanton and Denise Johnson that include the same people, places and new jailhouse confessions. by CounterClock
39 min listen
13 of 20: Check The Bank: Delia revisits the history of an enormous financial scandal with Bob Pelley’s former employer, Landmark Bank. The CounterClock investigation reveals never-before heard testimony from a woman who told authorities that Bob was afraid of people from his past in Florida. by CounterClock
26 min listen
Episode 6: The Brass: All of the former key law enforcement detectives on he Denise Johnson case go on record about the investigation and mistakes that were made. by CounterClock
36 min listen
14 of 20: Fines & Grace: The CounterClock investigation pivots to focus on the disappearance of a man in Southwest Florida seven months before the Pelley murders. Eric Dawson’s story is integrally important for the remainder of the series. by CounterClock
18 min listen
7 of 20: Time and Place: Delia re-investigates the narrow window of time police believed Jeff committed the four murders. Eyewitness testimony becomes key to knowing Jeff's whereabouts and the last time the Pelley family was seen alive. by CounterClock
23 min listen
Episode 10: Male Figures: Delia tracks down Denise’s long term boyfriends and discovers their overlapping information could point to the murderer’s motive. by CounterClock
35 min listen
15 of 20: Hogs & Snakes: Delia investigates the brutal murder of Eric Dawson in Fort Myers, Florida. A former lead detective on the case explains the complicated secrets of the slain land developer’s life and business. Family friends of the Pelleys’ emerge as persons of interest in Eric’s case. by CounterClock
24 min listen
11 of 20: Trial Phase - Part 2: Alan Baum admits his failures as Jeff’s defense attorney but insists the physical evidence in the case suggests more than one shooter was involved. The final verdict comes in and new characters in the Pelley family's life speak publicly, raising even more questions in the case. by CounterClock
31 min listen
Episode 9: Body of Evidence: CounterClock revisits the crime scene at 2014 Norfolk Street and uncovers there are secrets beneath the floorboards. by CounterClock
37 min listen
Episode 11: Vandal: Someone is still targeting Denise Johnson and a new crime taunts investigators in two neighboring small police departments. by CounterClock
31 min listen
12 of 20: Guilty Face: Jeff’s current defense attorney, Frances Watson, invites Delia to her “Pelley Case” war room at IU McKinney School of Law and lays out the facts she is using to contest Jeff’s conviction. Delia uncovers that former Saint Joseph County Police detectives now contradict some of their original theories. by CounterClock
19 min listen
9 of 20: Years to Wait: The cold case homicide investigator who built a case against Jeff 13 years after the Pelley murders details his investigation and logic. Delia raises questions about a critical piece of evidence used to make the arrest that he can't explain. by CounterClock
27 min listen
(BONUS) Evidentiary Hearing: Less than a year after the release of CounterClock Season 3, Jeff Pelley is in an Indiana courtroom for the first time in more than a decade. His defense team has one shot at arguing his post-conviction case. by CounterClock
50 min listen
10 of 20: Trial Phase - Part 1: The trial of the State of Indiana vs. Jeff Pelley begins in South Bend. Jeff’s lead defense attorney recalls important moments and delays that defined the high-profile proceedings. He explains to Delia the defense's strategy that was pushed to the brink. by CounterClock
21 min listen
Bonus: Clif: In today's episode Delia sits down for a raw one-on-one conversation with Clifton Spencer. The two dive deep into how law enforcement investigated the murder of Stacey Stanton and why the criminal justice system kept Clifton behind bars for nearly 18 years. What is Clifton's life like now? What can be done to right wrongs? That's all covered in this exclusive discussion between an investigative journalist and a convicted murderer still trying to clear his name. by CounterClock
33 min listen
5 of 20: Retrace: Original detectives on the case remember tracking down 17-year-old Jeff Pelley at a theme park in Illinois and Delia dissects the first videotaped interview authorities conducted with the teenager. by CounterClock
18 min listen
18 of 20: Factually Based?: Delia discovers new information buried in the Pelley's phone records could be critical. Jeff's attorney makes a bold claim she plans to argue in court and Delia brings on a crime scene assessment expert to weigh in on the facts of the case. by CounterClock
22 min listen
17 of 20: Frauds and Fakes: The sentences for the defendants in Fort Myers raise suspicion about the court’s integrity and Delia learns startling facts about members of the prominent family. by CounterClock
24 min listen
4 of 20: Motive and Haste: The Pelleys' next door neighbors remember critical details about the timeline leading up to the massacre and Delia learns the depths of mounting resentment between Jeff and Bob. by CounterClock
18 min listen
20 of 20: Picking Up Pace: Delia realizes the potential significance of the Pelley's .22 revolver much to the surprise of Jeff's defense attorney. The investigation into Eric Dawson's murder takes a surprising turn and puts Delia in the same room with investigators. Listeners can help push the case forward in a special finale call out. **IMPORTANT INFO FOR LISTENERS*** LEE COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE CONTACT PHONE: Public Information Office: (239) 477-1340 General: (239) 477-1000 EMAIL: PIO general: PublicInformationOffice@sheriffleefl.org Sergeant Marsha Sutphin: msutphin@sheriffleefl.org by CounterClock
26 min listen
Episode 8: The Tall Blonde: One of the last people to see Denise Johnson alive comes forward and Delia tracks down the man who lived next door to Denise in 1997. by CounterClock
31 min listen

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Episode 3: Open and Shut

Episode 3: Open and Shut

Description

Titles in the series (87)

More Episodes from CounterClock

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