A 6-YEAR-OLD  BOY  DEAD, WHAT HAPPENED TO “JO-JO” JOSEPH KING?

A 6-YEAR-OLD BOY DEAD, WHAT HAPPENED TO “JO-JO” JOSEPH KING?

Author: iHeartPodcasts and CrimeOnline April 18, 2026 Duration: 44:24

6-year-old Joseph "Jo-Jo" King III dies under suspicious circumstances. His stepfather, Brandon Hale, claims Jo-Jo accidentally suffocated inside a toy chest, but investigations revealed inconsistencies in this story.

Brandon Hale calls 911 to report that he found Jo-Jo unconscious in a toy chest after waking up from a nap.  Jo-Jo was hospitalized with oxygen deprivation then days later  An autopsy later amended the cause of death to reflect "concern for possible homicidal drowning" because the toy chest was not airtight, and parts of the scene were wet. First responders and investigators noted the toy chest was dry and partially filled with toys, while Jo-Jo's clothes were damp and a wet towel was found nearby. 

Hale was previously convicted of abusing Jo-Jo with a belt in 2019, and sentenced to 10 years in prison for violating probation related to the case. He has not been charged with murdering Jo-Jo.   

Joining Nancy Grace today

  • Joseph King, Jr. -  Father
  • Philip Dubé  - Former Court-Appointed Counsel, Los Angeles County Public Defenders: Criminal & Constitutional Law, Forensics & Mental Health Advocacy 
  • Max Miner  -  President and CEO of Executive Treatment Solutions (ETS),  Website: ExecTreatmentSolutions.com
  • Kat Schollenberger  - U.S. Head of Live New at Daily Mail dot com, website: DailyMail.com
  • Dave Mack - Investigative Reporter, 'Crime Stories'

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.


Each day brings another headline, another case that grips the public, and Crime Stories with Nancy Grace goes straight to the heart of these developments. This isn't a retrospective look at cold cases, but a timely, urgent examination of breaking news and ongoing investigations. Drawing on her unique background as a prosecutor with a perfect conviction record, Nancy Grace applies her relentless, questioning perspective to the latest shocking crimes. She built a reputation on television for uncovering missed clues and amplifying searches for the missing, and now she channels that same intensity into this daily audio format. In collaboration with iHeartPodcasts and CrimeOnline, the podcast leverages the immediacy of digital media and her substantial social media reach to deliver fresh insights and developments as stories unfold. Listeners are brought directly into the analysis, hearing the tough questions asked and the details that might otherwise get lost in the noise of a 24-hour news cycle. It’s for those who follow true crime not just as a genre, but as a constantly evolving narrative of justice and intrigue, served with a prosecutor’s precision. Tune in daily for a direct, no-nonsense take on the stories dominating the news.
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