Law enforcement officers are dealing with intense situations that often involve danger and heartbreaking outcomes. As a result, they have unique mental health issues that are not always addressed by the agencies they work for. Nearly 200 law enforcement officers across the country take their own lives each year. A nonprofit that studied the issue from 2016 to 2024 revealed that they are 54-69 percent more likely to die by suicide than people in other careers. Researchers think this number is low because it is an underreported issue. Spouses and family members of these officers are often blindsided by their deaths. In this episode we speak with the wife of an officer who died by suicide. She shares what she now believes were signs in retrospect that her husband needed help. We also speak to an expert about how to spot red flags in advance. If you or someone you know needs support call or text the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988.

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In this bonus episode, veteran prosecutor Melanie Shekita shares her memories of the most high-profile cases she has handled in her almost three decades with the Wake County District Attorney's Office in Raleigh, North Carolina. From murders to child sex crimes, Melanie has prosecuted some of the most challenging and emotional cases. She talks about why she is passionate about finding justice for the victims and how she has been able to do this difficult work for so many years.

To learn more about Melanie:

Melanie Shekita | Wake County

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In 1994, Beth-Ellen Vinson was chasing a dream. She wanted to be a star. A trained dancer, she knew it wasn't going to happen in the small Eastern North Carolina town where she grew up in. So, she moved to the state capital, Raleigh, where musical theater was flourishing. But in order to pay the bills she had to get a job that paid real money. The 17-year-old went to work as an escort. Just one month after moving to the big city to find fame in the footlights, Beth-Ellen became famous for all the wrong reasons. On August 16, 1994, the teen left the apartment she shared with her boyfriend and other roommates to meet a client. Early in the morning her car was found running, the door ajar, one high heel still inside near a car dealership. Beth-Ellen had vanished. Seven days later her body was found near some warehouses in an industrial area. She had been stabbed 30 times. To this day, her murder is unsolved. It's a cold case that continues to haunt her family, friends and investigators. In this episode, we interview private investigator and podcaster Matt Duff. He shares what he has learned about one of North Carolina's most enduring mysteries.

WHO KILLED BETH-ELLEN (MATT DUFF)

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