Brotherhood of Brutality Unchecked Fraternity Hazing

Brotherhood of Brutality Unchecked Fraternity Hazing

Author: Robert Riggs March 31, 2026 Duration: 28:19

By Robert Riggs

Burned with lit cigarettes. Impaled with a fishhook. Staples fired into his hip. Deadly drugs forced up his nose. 

It sounds like a brutal regime’s methods from a torture chamber.

But these are the homegrown means of hazing that the Alpha Nu Chapter of the Sigma Chi Fraternity allegedly used on pledges at the University of Texas at Austin.

The sadistic practices detailed in a wrongful death lawsuit raise questions about whether fraternity members derive pleasure from inflicting pain.

It allegedly caused 18-year-old Sawyer Updike to end his life under the influence of mind-bending drugs he was forced to take. 

If you are sending a son or daughter off to college, you want to hear this story about Brothers of Brutality. 


Get The Facts About Hazing On Your College Campus at HazingInfo.org

University of Texas at Austin Hazing Report Required by the Federal Stop Campus Hazing Act

Sawyer Updike Wrongful Death Lawsuit Against Sigma Chi Fraternity


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Robert Riggs has spent decades as an investigative reporter, and in True Crime Reporter, he applies that relentless, document-driven approach to the stories that haunt us. This isn't just a retelling of grim headlines; it's a meticulous walk through active case files, historical injustices, and the societal undercurrents that allow crime to flourish. Each episode feels like you're sitting across from Riggs as he lays out his notes, connecting dots between evidence, witness accounts, and the often-overlooked details that change a narrative. You'll hear the tension in the pursuit of truth, the weight of unresolved questions, and the quiet impact on communities and families left in the wake of violence. The podcast moves beyond the sensational to examine the cultural and systemic factors at play, offering a sober, deeply researched perspective. Listen for long-form narratives that build like a detective's board, where every piece of audio, every interview, and every document serves a purpose. It’s for those who want to understand the 'why' and the 'how' as much as the 'who,' presented with the clarity and authority of a seasoned journalist who knows the terrain. This is a journey into real stories, handled with the care they demand, and it naturally becomes an essential listen for anyone fascinated by the intersection of human behavior, justice, and the news.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 50

True Crime Reporter
Podcast Episodes
The Rock: Alcatraz’s Chilling True Crime Legacy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:49
Alcatraz shut its cell doors more than 60 years ago, but its grip on the American imagination hasn’t loosened. Each year, nearly a million and a half tourists ride the ferry across San Francisco Bay, through cold, choppy…
The Click That Opens The Door To Cyber Hell [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:46
You Just Thought Your Home Was Safe By Robert Riggs You lock your doors at night. You check on your kids. But what if the real threat is already inside—hiding in your phone, your smart TV, or your child's video game chat…
Why Do Women Love True Crime? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:34
A Former 48 Hours Producer Reveals the Psychology and Power Behind the Genre By Robert Riggs When the curtain drops on everyday life, true crime shows like this podcast and especially those on television expose the darke…
This Is Not The Godfather – It’s the Brutal Truth About the Mob [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:10
By Robert Riggs The Godfather. Goodfellas. The Sopranos. Hollywood entertained us with polished fiction—honor among thieves, loyalty bound by blood, men of principle wrapped in tailored suits. But the real mob? It was da…
CIA Mafia Spies Plot To Kill Castro Hidden From JFK Probe [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:19
Mobsters Hit Tony Soprano Style Before They Can Testify By Robert Riggs The JFK assassination files recently released by President Trump shed more light on the secret plot by the CIA to use Mafia gangsters to kill Cuban…
How To Read People To Protect Yourself From Crime Part 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:24
In this episode, we continue our deep dive with retired FBI Special Agent Robin Dreeke—a man whose job wasn’t just catching spies but recruiting them. Dreeke led the FBI’s elite Counterintelligence Behavioral Analysis Pr…
How To Size People Up Like An FBI Behavioral Analyst [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:40
Whether walking through a dimly lit parking lot, meeting someone new, or even evaluating the behavior of people close to you, the ability to read people and size them up could mean the difference between safety and dange…
A Terrifying New Scam Bringing Fraudsters to Your Home [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:30
Beware of the Fraudster Knocking At Your Door Scammers don’t just lurk online—they may be coming straight to your front door. For centuries, con artists have refined their craft, using deception and misdirection to separ…
The Devil In My Friend. The Family Man. The Stone Cold Killer. [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:24
How well do we truly know our friends? Can we discern when they are lying, or even worse, when they might be hiding a deadly secret? In this episode, I delve into the unsettling story of Fred Roehler, who seemed to embod…