Direct Appeal

Season 1 Trailer

For the last 13 years, Melanie McGuire has been serving a life sentence for the murder and dismemberment of her husband, whose body was found in three suitcases in the Chesapeake Bay. With Melanie’s full cooperation, two Criminologists (Dr. Meghan Sacks, and Dr. Amy Shlosberg) will examine the evidence, consult independent experts and explore over 50 hours of exclusive interviews with Melanie (from prison), her family, her friends, witnesses and experts on both sides of the trial looking to uncover the whole truth about this murder. Season 2 announcement coming soon…

The Fixer

01: Three suitcases, containing human remains, surfaced in Virginia’s Chesapeake Bay in May 2004. Police identified the man in the suitcases as 39-year-old William McGuire, from Woodbridge New Jersey, and they quickly focused their attention on Bill’s wife, Melanie McGuire, who did not report him missing. Convicted three years later of murdering and dismembering her husband, Melanie McGuire has been in prison since then but did the state get it right? Is Melanie McGuire the femme fatale that the prosecution painted her to be or is she an entirely different person, prosecuted and convicted because she was the most obvious suspect in this crime? In episode 1, meet Melanie McGuire. For Images related to this episode, visit: https://directappealpodcast.com/images/#ep01 Credits: Hosted by: Meghan Sacks and Amy Shlosberg. Produced by James Varga. Written by Meghan Sacks. Recorded, mixed, and edited by Justin Kral at JC Studios. Music and underscore by Nick Bassett of Dessert Media. Legal Counsel provided by Barry Janay. Special thanks to Alan Tockerman. Producer-At-Large, Adam Curry

The Perfect Marriage

02: Bill and Melanie each end their other relationships and begin a life together. However, this may not be storybook ending they had hoped for. Their marriage is a volatile relationship, filled with infidelity, lies and acts that would results in criminal convictions for both. Melanie describes the ups and downs, and details the fight where she said she should have left. Credits: Hosted by: Meghan Sacks and Amy Shlosberg. Produced by James Varga. Written by Meghan Sacks. Recorded, mixed, and edited by Justin Kral at JC Studios. Music and underscore by Nick Bassett of Dessert Media. Legal Counsel provided by Barry Janay. Special thanks to Alan Tockerman. Producer-At-Large, Adam Curry For Images related to this episode, visit: https://directappealpodcast.com/images/#ep02

The Closing

03: Bill and Melanie manage to piece together their relationship after dealing with tumultuous times. They forge ahead with their dreams of owning a home in the suburbs of New Jersey even though their relationship is not entirely a happy one. They find a home and close on it April 28th, 2004, but Bill McGuire is never seen again after the closing. Was this a happy occasion for the couple or part of Melanie’s plan to kill her husband? If you have any information regarding this case, you can submit it by emailing us at tips@directappealpodcast.com or leaving a voicemail at (732) 510-0996. If you have a question to ask Melanie, be sure to submit it to us by 7/31/19 and we may select it for a future episode. For Images related to this episode, visit: https://directappealpodcast.com/images/#ep03 Credits: Hosted by: Meghan Sacks and Amy Shlosberg Produced by James VargaWritten by Meghan SacksRecorded, mixed, and edited by Justin Kral at JC StudiosMusic and underscore by Nick Bassett of Dessert MediaLegal Counsel: Barry JanaySpecial thanks to Alan Tockerman Producer-At-Large, Adam Curry

Life After Bill

04: Melanie claims that on the evening of the closing, she and Bill had a big fight that lasted into the early morning of April 29th, and concluded with Bill walking out on her. Melanie’s moves over the next few days would cast doubt on her story though. The prosecution says Melanie was establishing a cover story. Whose version of events is more believable? If you have any information regarding this case, you can submit it by emailing us at tips@directappealpodcast.com or leaving a voicemail at (732) 510-0996. If you have a question to ask Melanie, be sure to submit it to us by 7/31/19 and we may select it for a future episode. For Images related to this episode, visit: https://directappealpodcast.com/images/#ep04 Credits: Hosted by: Meghan Sacks and Amy Shlosberg. Produced by James Varga. Written by Meghan Sacks. Recorded, mixed, and edited by Justin Kral at JC Studios. Music and underscore by Nick Bassett of Dessert Media. Legal Counsel provided by Barry Janay. Special thanks to Alan Tockerman. Producer-At-Large, Adam Curry