New Season Recap | "48 Hours" Full Episodes

The podcast explores two separate murder mysteries, the first concerning Eileen Siden, who was found murdered in Florida's Forgotten Coast, and the second involving Sarah Harris, who died from an overdose in Maryland. Both cases feature complicated relationships and questionable circumstances surrounding the deaths, leading to multiple suspects and investigations that unravel over several years, ultimately ending in convictions for the individuals found responsible.

Eileen Siden Murder

• 00:00:13 Eileen Siden was found dead on April 23, 2018, off of Highway 98 in Florida. Her body had multiple bruises and lacerations, indicating extreme violence and suffering. Investigations revealed the scene of a crime in a motel room, room number 15, at the Sportsman's Lodge, where evidence pointed to a violent struggle.

Eileen's Relationship

• 00:09:42 Eileen Siden was dating Zachary Abel, who had a tumultuous relationship with Christina Araho. The three entered into a three-way relationship (thruple), which caused constant conflict and tension. Christina was described as controlling, manipulative, and potentially dangerous.

Road Trip

• 00:17:32 Eileen, Zach, and Christina went on a road trip, during which Christina sent over 150 angry texts to Zach and Eileen, threatening to report their car as stolen. After the trip, Christina flew to Dallas to join them, but the thruple's old issues returned, with Eileen confiding in her sister about fears they would kill her.

Motel Scene

• 00:21:18 The trio checked into room 15 at the Sportsman's Lodge Motel, where they spent the night drinking and partying. The next morning, Christina Araho testified that she, Zach, and Eileen were relaxing in the room when Zach became enraged over a seemingly innocent question from Eileen, striking and yelling at her.

Assault

• 00:29:47 Christina testified that Zach became increasingly violent and hit Eileen several times with a wooden walking stick. He then used the stick to sexually assault her. Christina claimed to try and stop the attack, but it wasn't until the next morning that she realized Eileen was dead.

Trial

• 00:26:54 Zachary Abel went to trial for the murder of Eileen Siden after Christina Araho accepted a plea deal for second-degree murder. Christina testified against Zach, describing the attack in detail. Zachary's defense attorney argued that Christina acted alone and was the one who wanted Eileen dead.

Sarah Harris Overdose

• 00:42:47 Sarah Harris was found dead in her apartment on January 26, 2022. Her boyfriend, Dr. James Ryan, was initially suspected because he had a history of providing Sarah with drugs, including a powerful anesthetic. He was arrested for her murder but claimed it was an accidental overdose.

Dr. Ryan's Actions

• 00:47:51 Authorities found evidence suggesting Ryan had been supplying Sarah with drugs. Her mother, Tina, believed he was responsible for her death and presented her own evidence, including photographs of drug vials and needles found at Sarah's house.

Text Evidence

• 01:03:08 Rachel Harris, Sarah's sister, discovered texts between Sarah and Dr. Ryan revealing his knowledge of Sarah's drug use. The texts included messages where Ryan offered to give Sarah injections to help her anxiety and indicated he had injected her with ketamine while she was asleep.

Pharmaceutical Investigations

• 01:06:42 Detective Ian Iavello, an expert in pharmaceutical investigations, saw a pattern of abuse in the texts between Sarah and Dr. Ryan. He determined that Ryan had been supplying Sarah with dangerous drugs and administering them to her, likely leading to her death.

Depraved Heart Murder

• 01:09:40 Dr. Ryan was charged with depraved heart murder, which does not require proving that he intended to kill Sarah, but that he acted with reckless disregard for her life, knowing his actions could lead to her death. He was also charged with involuntary manslaughter, drug distribution, and possession of drugs with intent to distribute.

Alex Penig's Death

• 01:23:05 Alex Penig was found dead in her apartment on December 16, 2022. Her friend, Matthew Ecker, placed the 911 call and claimed Alex had taken her own life. However, there were inconsistencies in his story, and detectives suspected he was lying.

Matthew's Story

• 01:29:45 Matthew told police that Alex had been in a fight with her boyfriend, Shane Anderson, and he came to her apartment to protect her. He claimed she shot herself after an argument. However, the detectives noted inconsistencies with Matthew's story.

Lobby Security Footage

• 01:43:17 Security footage from the lobby of Alex's apartment building revealed that Matthew and Alex had gotten into a fight after leaving a bar. Alex seemed upset and stormed into her apartment, and detectives suspected that the fight could have been related to her death.

Evidence

• 01:50:49 The detectives found a piece of the bathroom door lock underneath Alex's body. They concluded that it had to have fallen there while she was still alive, suggesting the door was forced open, indicating an altercation and possible foul play.

Matthew's Trial

• 01:56:43 Matthew Ecker was charged with second-degree murder, but his defense attorney argued that Alex had taken her own life. He claimed that the piece of the door lock had been moved during Matthew's attempt to help her. However, the detectives pointed to the inconsistencies in Matthew's story, including the discovery that he had been illegally prescribing Alex medications.