The Mark

The Mark

Author: Audio 99 April 17, 2026 Duration: 54:36

In 1994, wealthy Newport Beach businessman Bill McLaughlin is shot and killed in his own kitchen. His girlfriend Nanette Johnston and her secret boyfriend, ex-NFL player Eric Naposki, are immediately suspicious…but the stories don't hold and prosecutors can't make charges stick. The case goes cold, leaving Bill's family without justice for over a decade. Fifteen years later, Orange County DA Matt Murphy picks it up, determined to finally prove what really happened and who arranged it.

Matt Murphy is a legal analyst for ABC News and an attorney in private practice in Southern California.  He was a Senior Deputy District Attorney in Orange County California. Matt Murphy spent 21 years assigned to the sexual assault and homicide units where he prosecuted some of the most notorious murder cases in the state of California.  He completed 132 jury trials in his career as a prosecutor, including 52 while he was assigned to the homicide unit.  He worked as an adjunct professor of law for 7 years. 
 
In addition to his work for ABC news, Mr. Murphy is in private practice representing victims of sexual abuse and some select criminal defense cases. He's also been regularly appearing on NewsNation with Elizabeth Vargas, Chris Cuomo and Ashleigh Banfield providing analysis on Criminal cases in the news. He also one of the co-hosts on MK True Crime with Megyn Kelly and is kicking off a brand-new podcast In the Well with his longtime friend and colleague Mark Geragos. Matt published his first book, The Book of Murder - A Prosecutor's Journey Through Love and Death, in 2024, which was an instant Best Seller, and he is currently drafting his second book.


There’s a certain texture to crime stories that unfold in close-knit communities, where everyone knows each other and the shock of a crime reverberates through every street and diner. Small Town Dicks, produced by Audio 99, explores exactly that terrain. This isn't a sensationalized look at crime; instead, it delves into the intricate, often overlooked investigations that happen in smaller municipalities. Each episode feels like sitting down with the detectives and officers who were there, hearing them walk through the details of a case from the first call to the final resolution. You’ll get a raw, ground-level view of police work, far from the glossy procedural dramas. The conversations naturally weave in elements of society and local history, showing how a community's culture and relationships can both complicate and aid an investigation. By focusing on true crime from a small-town perspective, the podcast reveals universal truths about human nature and justice. It’s a compelling listen for anyone curious about the real stories behind the headlines and the dedicated people who work to solve them. The depth of these firsthand accounts makes for a uniquely authentic and gripping experience every time you tune in.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Small Town Dicks
Podcast Episodes
Part 1: The Weight [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:42
Today's case spans more than 40 years. In the first of two parts, we take you back to 1981 and the senseless rape and murder of Sonia Stone, a young mother living with her daughter in the tony town of Carmel by the Sea o…
Sorry, Charlie [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:15
When forensic specialist Paul Holes arrives at the scene of a violent attack, he immediately collects and compares all the evidence to build a case against the attacker. What he finds both shocks and surprises him - and…
OMG! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:17:38
A predator hides behind her gender and her husband's profession to keep targeting victims. A frustrated detective exhausts every lead until he has what he needs to put her away. Today's story is one of persistence and be…
Part 2: No Such Thing as Closure [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:00
Detective Brad continues the painstaking work of building a case against a murderer. But even when he thinks the job is done, there is still more to do: He wants to get closure for the victim's family. Is that even possi…
Part 1: No Such Thing as Closure [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:45
A tip comes in about the possible murder of a young woman. If true, police have a pretty good idea who did it. But solving a case in the right way is far trickier than acting on a hunch. And so begins Detective Brad's lo…
Please, Stop Me! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:06
A serial killer is loose in the early 1980s. His attacks are increasingly brutal and his choice of victim is seemingly random. Then, after he commits his crimes he does something confounding: He calls the police and, whi…
Slow Burn [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:48
In a small town, one act of arson can be devastating. Detective Chris gets the call early one morning to investigate the cause of a fire at a family-owned arcade. The case quickly evolves into a burglary investigation an…
Crawlspace [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:29
In another stunning case from fan-favorite Sgt. Robert, a mother and child are rushed to the hospital in what appears to be the case of a childbirth gone wrong. But almost immediately, emergency staff begin to question w…
Follow the Leader [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:40
Forensic specialist Paul Holes recalls the case of a mass-murdering stockbroker bent on stealing his clients' money to start a new cult. The plan goes horribly wrong, as does the initial forensic investigation. Guest: Pa…
The Last Straw [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:02
There are people in the world who, no matter how many chances they get, behave with cruelty and indifference. In this episode, Detective Dave recounts his frustrations in dealing with just such a man named Jeremy, who se…