Georgia Dentist Accused of Shooting Boyfriend Faces Murder Trial | Crime House 24/7

Good morning, everyone.

We have multiple breaking true crime cases this morning that you need to know about and

we're starting with the biggest one.

A Georgia dentist is on trial for shooting her boyfriend through a locked door and prosecutors

say what she did next was even more calculated than the shooting itself.

This is Crime House 24-7, your non-stop source for the biggest crime cases developing right

now.

Make sure to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

I'm Vanessa Richardson and we have quite a lineup for you today.

Here's what you need to know.

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Opening statements were delivered the morning of March 18 in the murder trial of 61-year-old

Suzanne Miracle, a Georgia dentist who faces a potential life sentence if convicted in

the death of her boyfriend, 68-year-old James Barron.

Barron was shot and killed on March 7, 2025 at the couple's home in Georgia.

And from the very first moments of this trial, it's clear that the prosecution and defense

are telling two fundamentally different stories about what happened that night.

And who Suzanne Miracle really is?

Miracle and Barron began a serious relationship in 2024 and in October of that year purchased

a home together on Lake Lanier.

By March 2025, however, the relationship was in serious trouble.

Prosecutors say Miracle had discovered that Barron was sending money to a woman from his

past who lived in Moldova.

The defense went further, saying Barron wasn't just sending money, but was actively arranging

to bring the woman and her daughter to the United States and was paying for a $3,500

per month apartment in New Jersey for them.

After Jennifer Bagwell delivered the state's opening statement Wednesday, painting a picture

of a woman who snapped.

Bagwell told the jury that Miracle became unhinged and shot Barron in a fit of rage following

an argument.

According to investigators, Barron retreated upstairs to the bedroom and locked the door

and Miracle followed him.

She then fired her handgun through the closed door.

The bullet struck Barron, killing him.

And prosecutors say what happened next is just as significant as the shooting itself.

Bagwell told the jury that Miracle retrieved a hammer and used it to bang holes in the

door until she could reach through and unlock it from the inside.

She didn't stop.

She kept going until she got in.

Once inside the room, Bagwell said, Miracle did not attempt to help Barron or call for

emergency assistance.

Instead, according to prosecutors, she went into what Bagwell described as damage control

mode.

Miracle allegedly took Barron's Beretta fire arm and placed it near his hand, then fired

two to three shots from that weapon, and apparent effort to make the scene look different

from what it was.

Bagwell also told the jury that Miracle admitted to police that she flushed several rounds down

the toilet before officers arrived.

Prosecutors are asking the jury to see all of this as the actions of someone who knew exactly

what she had done and was trying to cover it up.

This attorney, Brett Willis, told a very different story.

He asked the jury to look past the image of a successful dentist and consider what he

said was happening behind closed doors in that Lakeland near home.

Willis said, quote, this was somebody who had opinions about what she wore, what she

was to eat, what she was to do with the money from the sale of her dental practice.

This was someone who put their hands on her over and over again.

Willis described Miracle's initial perception of Barron as prince charming and said the

reality of the relationship behind closed doors was something far darker than the public

facing version of the couple.

The defense's account of the night of March 7th diverges sharply from the prosecutions

at every key point.

According to Willis, Barron sexually assaulted Miracle that evening before taking away

her phone and the keys to the only working car in the home, then retreating to the bedroom

and locking the door.

Left without a phone and without a way to leave, Miracle, the defense argues, fired through

the door not to kill Barron, but in an attempt to break the lock so she could retrieve her

phone and get out of the home.

It was, according to Willis, an act of desperation, not rage.

As for the shots fired from Barron's handgun, the ones prosecutors say were part of a staged

scene.

Willis told the jury those were suicide attempts by Miracle in the immediate traumatic

aftermath of the shooting.

And now the jury will have to decide which version of events they believe Miracle faces

charges of malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault and criminal damage.

She's pleaded not guilty.

Witnesses are expected to take the stand as the trial continues through next week and

will be right here as testimony unfolds.

From a trial just getting underway in Georgia, we now move to a sentencing that wrapped

up this week in California in a case involving a former MLB player.

In an update to a case we've been closely following, 36-year-old babysitter turned

mistress Samantha Scott was sentenced to two years probation in Placer County Court on

March 16 after pleading guilty to a felony charge of accessory after the fact.

That sentence, with no additional jail time, is the direct result of a deal Scott struck

with prosecutors that required her to testify against her lover and former Major League

Baseball pitcher, 52-year-old Dan Seraphini at his murder trial.

And now Seraphini is serving multiple life sentences without the possibility of parole.

On June 5, 2021, Seraphini shot his in-laws, 70-year-old Gary Spore and 68-year-old Wendy

Wood at their $3.5 million Lake Tahoe home in Homewood, California.

Prosecutors argued Seraphini carried out the killings to gain access to the couple's $23

million estate, which would have been split between their two daughters, including Seraphini's

then-wife, 39-year-old Aaron Spore.

Seraphini allegedly snuck into the home while the victims were out on their boat with

Aaron and her and Seraphini's two young sons.

There was no forced entry.

Nothing was stolen, and because the shooter entered the home in the middle of the day while

three cars sat in the driveway and left without taking anything, investigators concluded early

on that the shooter had to have known the victims.

Scott was a familiar face in the Seraphini household, a close friend of Aaron Spore and

a babysitter to the couple's two young sons.

On the day of the shooting, she voluntarily drove Seraphini to Lake Tahoe.

She is long maintained, she believed she was going there to purchase a large quantity

of cocaine, which is why she claims she didn't turn off her phone that day.

That decision proved consequential.

Cell phone records placed her car approximately one mile from the crime scene, which is what

allowed investigators to begin building their case against Seraphini in the first place.

Surveillance footage from a motel in Elco, Nevada also showed the two together the night

before the shooting, further establishing their proximity to the area.

Scott was first questioned by investigators in November 2021, just months after the shootings,

and a search warrant was executed at her home.

When she told Seraphini about the interview and the search warrant, he allegedly confessed

to her, telling her he had shot Wendy Wood twice in the head at Point Blank Range.

She kept what she knew to herself and said nothing to authorities for over two years.

Meanwhile, prosecutors noted at trial that Seraphini had turned his cell phone off entirely

on the day of the shooting, a man who typically sent upwards of 100 text messages per day

sent none that day.

It wasn't until November 2023, more than two years after the shootings, that both Scott

and Seraphini were arrested.

Initially charged with murder herself, Scott agreed to flip on Seraphini.

She pleaded guilty to the reduced charge of accessory after the fact and testified against

him at his six-week trial last summer.

Her testimony became the centerpiece of the prosecution's case.

The jury convicted Seraphini of murder and attempted murder in July.

The victim's story did not end cleanly either.

Wendy Wood, who survived being shot twice in the head, disinherited her daughter, Aaron,

then died by suicide in February 2023, nearly two years after she was shot.

Aaron Spore has continued to stand by Seraphini despite their divorce.

Seraphini, Aaron, and Scott are all named in a wrongful death lawsuit filed by Aaron's

sister, Adrian, who filed it four months before Seraphini's arrest.

Aaron does still own half of her parents' late Tahoe home, which was placed in a trust

in her name by her parents back in 2017.

Scott walked out of Placer County Court on March 16th with two years' probation, but

Seraphini will spend the rest of his life in prison.

From a case now reaching its conclusion, we turn to another California killing where proceedings

are underway in the murder of a man accused of stabbing a reality television star.

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On March 17, 36-year-old Richard Gonzales appeared in court for a hearing in the murder case

stemming from the fatal stabbing of 58-year-old Eduardo Sol, the television personality best

known for his work on extreme makeover home addition.

Gonzales has pleaded not guilty and remains in custody as the case moves through the early

stages of what is expected to be a lengthy legal process.

The case dates back to September 10, 2024, when Sol placed in 911 call from his Palm Springs

apartment, telling dispatchers he needed help.

When officers arrived, they found him suffering from multiple stab wounds.

He was transported to a hospital where he remained for 10 days before dying from his injuries

on September 20.

Gonzales was arrested later that same day.

In a detail that has become central to the investigation, authorities say Gonzales himself

had contacted police earlier, reporting that he'd been assaulted the previous night.

But as officers followed up on that claim, investigators say evidence began to place him

at Sol's apartment at the time of the stabbing.

He was initially booked on suspicion of attempted murder.

After Sol's death, the charge was formally upgraded to murder.

The March 17 hearing brought additional details into public view.

According to reporting from the Bay Area reporter, investigators have said that Sol and Gonzales

had been in a casual sexual relationship prior to the stabbing.

While hospitalized, Sol initially declined to identify his attacker.

But before his death, authorities say he did name Gonzales.

Prosecutors are expected to rely heavily on that identification, along with forensic evidence

and the timeline established through Gonzales' own contact with law enforcement.

The defense meanwhile has entered a knot guilty plea, signaling that the case will be contested

as it heads toward trial.

Eduardo Sol's life and career extended well beyond the circumstances of his death.

Before gaining national recognition on extreme makeover home addition, he built a career

as a singer and actor, appearing in telenovelas and entertainment programming.

He later became widely known as a landscape designer on the show, helping transform

homes for families across the country.

He was active and charitable work as well, including advocacy for the Lupus Foundation

of America, a cause his family encouraged supporters to honor in his memory following

his death.

This week's hearing marks another step in a case that continues to unfold as both sides

prepare for the next phase in court.

From one courtroom hearing to another, we close this morning in Florida, where a man is

convicted of shooting and killing his friend inside a hotel room.

Nearly four years after a fatal shooting inside a Sarasota, Florida hotel room, the man

at the center of the case has been sentenced.

On March 17, 30-year-old Brennan Lee Waky received 25 years in prison for manslaughter

with a firearm in the 2021 death of his ex-partner, 24-year-old Colton Wright.

Waky was also convicted of tampering with evidence for attempting to delete photos and

received a concurrent five-year sentence on that charge.

NBC2 spoke to Wright's mother, Amy Thompson, who said her son and Waky had recently broken

up.

She believes her son was a victim of domestic violence and said Waky had been controlling

during their relationship.

She said, quote, he was obsessed with him.

He wouldn't let him go.

I guess in his mind, if he couldn't have him, nobody would end quote.

The shooting happened inside a room at the Hyatt Place Hotel on December 9, 2021.

According to investigators, Colton Wright was found with a gunshot wound to the face,

and prosecutors said Brennan Waky was the only other person in the room at the time.

Waky later claimed he acted in self-defense during an argument, but the jury ultimately rejected

that claim, convicting him of manslaughter.

Waky had originally been charged with second-degree murder.

At trial, he argued self-defense, claiming Wright, who Waky asserted was addicted to methamphetamine

at the time of his death, had come at him with a glass margarita bottle, forcing him to

draw his firearm.

The hearing was emotional from the start.

Several members of Wright's family addressed the court, describing him as loved by everyone

and full of life before he crossed paths with the defendant.

At the close of Thompson's statement, she addressed Waky directly.

She said, quote, I would love to know what went on in that sick and twisted mind of yours.

You are nothing but a little man.

You are evil, vindictive, and conniving.

May you rot in hell."

Waky's defense objected to the statements, and he eventually addressed the court himself,

offering an apology to Wright's family.

He said, quote, I am deeply and truly sorry.

All I can do is apologize and ask for forgiveness."

He added that no sense would change what happened, saying he will have to live with the knowledge

that he took the life of someone he cared about.

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Thai listeners, it's Vanessa Richardson.

I wanted to take a brief moment to tell you about another show from Crime House that I

know you'll love.

America's most infamous crimes, hosted by Katie Ring.

Each week, Katie takes on a notorious crime, whether unfolding now or etched into American

history, revealing not just what happened, but how it forever changed our society.

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Before you go, let me tell you what else is happening at Crime House today.

This week on Crimes of, we look at the story of a criminal who seemed almost impossible

to keep behind bars.

Over and over again, arrests were followed by escapes, manhunts, and new crimes.

Each time authorities believed they'd finally stopped him, he found another way out.

For law enforcement, prison is supposed to be the final barrier, the place where the chase

ends and the public is safe.

But throughout history, some criminals have managed to turn confinement into just another

obstacle to outwit.

Whether through careful planning, sheer audacity, or an astonishing stroke of luck, a few fugitives

have carried out escapes so bold that they almost sound like scenes from a movie, yet each

one forced authorities to confront an uncomfortable truth.

Even the most secure prison system can have weaknesses.

There are some criminals whose prison escapes stunned investigators and captivated the

public.

Frank Morris and the Alcatraz escape.

Alcatraz federal penitentiary sat on a rocky island in the middle of San Francisco Bay

and was widely considered escape proof.

Cold water, powerful currents, and constant surveillance made the idea of fleeing the

prison seem almost impossible.

But in 1962, inmates Frank Morris and brothers John and Clarence Anglin carried out one

of the most daring prison escapes in American history.

Over months, they secretly widened the ventilation openings in their cells using makeshift tools

constructed from spoons and scrap metal.

Behind the walls, they built a hidden workshop where they assembled an inflatable raft from

stolen raincoats.

To delay discovery, the men crafted life-like dummy heads from soap, paper, and real human

hair collected from the prison barber shop.

The decoys were placed in their beds to fool guards during nighttime checks.

When the escape was finally discovered, the men had already vanished into the dark waters

of the bay.

Despite one of the largest manhunts in the prison's history, the three escapees were never conclusively

found whether they drowned in the freezing water or managed to reach land remains one

of the most enduring mysteries in American criminal history.

Joaquin El Chapo Guzman Few prison escapes have embarrassed

authorities more than the escape of Mexican drug lord Joaquin El Chapo Guzman from

Altiplano Federal Prison in 2015.

Guzman was being held in what a Mexico's highest security facilities when surveillance cameras

suddenly showed him entering the shower area of his cell, the only place without a direct

camera view.

Moments later, he disappeared.

Investigators soon discovered that an elaborate tunnel had been constructed beneath the prison,

stretching more than a mile the tunnel was equipped with lighting, ventilation systems,

and even a small motorcycle mounted on rails to transport dirt and equipment.

The tunnel led directly from the shower floor of Guzman's cell to a building outside

the prison walls.

The precision of the engineering suggested months of planning and extensive outside assistance.

The escape triggered international outrage and a massive manhunt.

Guzman was eventually recaptured months later, but the tunnel remains one of the most

astonishing prison break operations ever uncovered.

Pascal Payet French criminal Pascal Payet turned

prison escapes into something resembling a career.

In 2001, Payet orchestrated a dramatic breakout from a prison in southern France when accomplices

hijacked a helicopter and landed it in the prison yard.

Payet climbed aboard and flew to freedom.

Authorities recaptured him the following year, but that did not end the story.

In 2007, Payet escaped again, this time using another helicopter that landed directly on

the prison roof.

Armed accomplices forced guards to stand down while Payet boarded the aircraft and disappeared

once more.

The sheer theatricality of the escape stunned the public and embarrassed prison officials.

Although Payet was eventually captured again, his repeated helicopter breakouts earned him

a reputation as one of the most audacious escape artists in modern criminal history.

Ted Bundy

serial killer Ted Bundy managed to escape custody not once, but twice while awaiting trial

in Colorado in the late 1970s.

The first escape occurred in 1977 during a courthouse hearing in Aspen.

Bundy had convinced authorities to allow him access to the law library without restraints

so he could prepare his defense.

While alone, he simply jumped from a second story window and ran into the nearby mountains.

Although he was captured days later, Bundy was not finished.

Later that year, while held in a Colorado jail, he slowly lost weight and cut a hole

in the ceiling of his cell.

After climbing into the crawl space above the jail, he slipped into the apartment of

a jailer who was out for the evening and walked out at the front door.

Bundy fled across multiple states before being arrested again.

His escapes remain some of the most infamous examples of how dangerous prisoners can exploit

even small weaknesses in security.

John Dillinger

During the Great Depression, bank robber John Dillinger became one of the most famous fugitives

in the United States.

His charisma and daring crimes turned him into a folk antihero in the eyes of many Americans.

In 1934, Dillinger was captured and held at the Crown Point jail in Indiana, a facility

that authorities described as escape proof.

Dillinger managed to carve a fake gun out of wood and darken it with shoe polish.

Using the crude replica, he threatened guards and demanded their cooperation.

The bluff worked.

Dillinger locked the guards in their own cells, stole the sheriff's car and drove out of the jail.

Although he was eventually tracked down and killed by federal agents later that year,

the escape embarrassed authorities and became one of the most famous prison breaks in American history.

Richard Lee McNair

In 2006, federal inmate Richard Lee McNair carried out one of the most improbable prison escapes

in modern history while being held at a facility in Louisiana.

McNair had already escaped custody twice before, earning a reputation among investigators for

patients and careful planning.

This time, he devised a method so simple it initially went unnoticed.

McNair constructed a makeshift escape pod out of a wooden crate used to ship mailbox and

other prison supplies.

Once inside, he arranged to have the crate transported out of the prison as part of a routine delivery.

Air holes drilled into the box allowed him to breathe while he was moved through the facility's

loading system.

The crate passed through prison checkpoints and was eventually placed on a truck leaving the grounds.

Once outside the facility, McNair broke free from the container and disappeared.

The escape was so unusual that a police dash cam later captured an officer

briefly questioning McNair on the side of a highway shortly after the breakout.

Speaking calmly and offering vague answers, McNair convinced the officer he was simply out jogging

and was allowed to leave.

He remained on the run for more than a year before finally being captured in Canada.

McNair's escape demonstrated that sometimes the most effective prison break strategy

isn't force or speed, it's patience and the ability to blend into the ordinary routines

no one thinks to question.

Why escapes capture the public imagination?

Prison escapes occupy a strange place in the public imagination.

They combine the suspense of a manhunt with the ingenuity of a puzzle.

Every escape raises the same question.

How did someone manage to defeat a system designed to contain them?

For investigators and corrections officials, each escape also becomes a lesson.

Every tunnel, disguise, or improvised tool exposes a vulnerability that must be corrected.

Yet the fascination persists because escapes reveal something fundamental about crime and punishment.

No matter how secure the walls, there will always be someone determined to test them.

In today's episode of Deception, we look at a criminal whose story reads like a long game

of cat and mouse with law enforcement.

A thief who seemed to slip through the system again and again.

For the full story of the outlaw who just wouldn't stay locked up,

listen to today's episode of Deception.

Because sometimes the most astonishing crimes are not the ones that happened during the

heist. They're the ones that happen after the arrest.

You've been listening to Crime House 247 bringing you breaking crime news.

I'm Vanessa Richardson. We'll be back tomorrow morning with more developing stories.

Stay safe and thanks for listening.

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Not sure what to listen to next.

Check out America's most infamous crimes hosted by Katie Ring.

From serial killers to unsolved mysteries and game-changing investigations,

each week Katie takes on a notorious criminal case in American history.

Listen to and follow America's most infamous crimes now, wherever you listen to podcasts.