Tragedy - A True Crime Podcast
A co-hosted true crime podcast focusing on the long-term impact of tragedy on victims' families through narrative episodes and direct interviews.
This is a victim-centered true crime podcast that deliberately shifts the focus away from the perpetrator and onto the lives of those left behind. Hosts Michael and Alyssa McFarland alternate between narrating cases and conducting long-form, empathetic interviews with victims' family members, exploring the decades-long journey of grief and their fight for justice.
“Unlike many true crime shows, "Tragedy" centers the family's long-term experience, often interviewing them decades after the crime to discuss parole hearings, advocacy, and enduring grief. The show's dual format of narrative storytelling and direct family interviews is also a key differentiator.”
Who hosts this show
Hosted by the husband-and-wife team Michael and Alyssa McFarland, "Tragedy - A True Crime Podcast" is dedicated to sharing the stories of victims and their families. The show focuses on the long-term aftermath of violent crime, exploring themes of grief, advocacy, and the family's experience with the justice system. It combines narrative episodes, where the hosts detail a case, with direct interviews with the family members of victims.
What kind of podcast
When new episodes drop
- 01S2E28 - Finding Deanna Merryfield: Thirty-Five Years of Refusing to ForgetJun 22, 2026 · 18 min
- 02S2E27 - The Final Chapter: Krystle Cook, CrimeCon 2026, and What Comes NextJun 15, 2026 · 23 min
- 03
- 04
- 05S2E24 - BONUS - Beyond the Story: Checking In with Season One GuestsMay 28, 2026 · 51 min
- 06S2E23 - Justice Beyond the Sentence: Hannah Mosbrucker Speaks for KrystleMay 25, 2026 · 38 min
- 07S2E22 - Krystle Cook: A Father’s Fight for Justice - Part 2May 18, 2026 · 28 min
- 08S2E21 - Krystle Cook: A Father’s Fight for Justice – Part 1May 11, 2026 · 33 min
Notable episodes
- 01The Krystle Cook Series (S2E21-E27)
A multi-part deep dive into a single case, featuring interviews with multiple family members and exploring the long-term impact of a crime, including a recent parole hearing.
- 02Finding Deanna Merryfield: Thirty-Five Years of Refusing to Forget (S2E28)
An example of the hosts' narrative storytelling about a cold case, focusing on the family's decades-long fight to keep the investigation alive.
- 03BONUS - Beyond the Story: Checking In with Season One Guests (S2E24)
This episode demonstrates the hosts' long-term commitment to the families they feature, following up on cases and personal journeys after the initial story is told.
What you'll be asked on this show
Alisa and Michael conduct highly empathetic, victim-centered interviews. They typically open by asking the guest to describe the victim as a person, immediately humanizing them beyond the crime. Their questions are gentle and open-ended, designed to give guests ample space to share difficult memories about the crime, the trial, and the long-term emotional impact. They often probe the family's experience with the justice system, particularly the frustrations of parole hearings, and close by asking what legacy the guest wants to share about their loved one and what they would say to other families in similar situations.
A two-host format featuring Alisa (Alyssa) and Michael McFarland. Episodes are either narratives researched and told by the hosts or interviews with victims' family members. They consistently open with a content warning and their signature introduction: "Welcome to Tragedy, a true crime podcast. I'm Alisa. And I'm Michael."
Questions the host keeps coming back to
12 cataloguedIf you're going on this show as a guest, expect some version of each of these. Each note explains when the host reaches for it.
personal
6- Q.01
“Can you share who the victim was as a person and what stands out most about them?”
This is often the opening question, used to immediately establish the victim's humanity beyond the crime.
- Q.02
“What are some of your favorite memories of them?”
A follow-up question to further paint a picture of the victim's life and personality.
- Q.03
“When the reality of what happened came to light, how did your family begin to process it?”
Focuses on the immediate aftermath and the initial stages of trauma and grief.
- Q.04
“How did the loss of your loved one change your family over the years?”
Explores the long-term, evolving impact of the tragedy on the family structure.
- Q.05
“How do you hold on to them as a person while navigating a legal system focused on the crime?”
This question addresses the challenge of preserving a loved one's memory amidst legal battles.
- Q.06
“Is there anything else about their story that you'd want listeners to carry with them?”
A common closing question that gives the guest the final word on their loved one's legacy.
process
3- Q.01
“Can you take us back to those first few days when they were missing?”
This question helps establish the timeline and the family's initial emotional state.
- Q.02
“What are your most vivid recollections about the trial process?”
Probes the family's experience and perspective on the criminal justice proceedings.
- Q.03
“What was the experience of the recent parole hearing like for you and your family?”
A recurring question that highlights the ongoing nature of the justice process for victims' families.
advice
2- Q.01
“What do people misunderstand about families of homicide victims, and how can they best offer support?”
Seeks to provide actionable advice for listeners on how to be a better support system.
- Q.02
“What would you say to other families walking through similar grief?”
Allows the guest to offer direct advice and solidarity to others in similar situations.
future
1- Q.01
“Tell us about the nonprofit or advocacy work you've created in their honor.”
Highlights the family's efforts to create a positive legacy from their tragedy.
Signature segments
- · "I'm Alisa. And I'm Michael." introduction
- · Introductory content warning
- · Calls to join the podcast's Facebook community
- · Promotion of website subscription for early access
- · Victim-centered storytelling
Topics covered repeatedly
Who gets booked here
Guests are almost exclusively the family members and loved ones of murder victims, often decades after the crime occurred. The show books parents, aunts, and siblings to discuss their long-term grief, advocacy work, and the fight to keep their loved one's memory alive.
- Melissa Twardowskion S2E28 - Finding Deanna Merryfield: Thirty-Five Years of Refusing to Forget
- Heather Cookon S2E26 - A Love That Chose the Journey: Heather Cook's Story of Family, Loss, and Legacy
- Lori Williamson S2E25 - Pain into Purpose: Our Conversation with Lori Williams, Krystle Cook's Aunt
- Hannah Mosbruckeron S2E23 - Justice Beyond the Sentence: Hannah Mosbrucker Speaks for Krystle
Where to find this show
Audience & reach
The podcast appears to be listener-supported, primarily promoting its own website subscription for $5/month which provides early access to episodes and invitations to exclusive listener roundtables. No third-party sponsors were mentioned in the reviewed episodes.
Subscriber and view counts are pulled live from YouTube and re-verified on a 30-day cycle. Listener estimates for the RSS feed aren't published here unless they're host-verified.
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People also ask
- What are the hosts' names?
- The podcast is hosted by a husband-and-wife team, Michael and Alyssa McFarland.
- What is the podcast's format?
- It's a hybrid format. Some episodes are narratives researched and told by the hosts, while others are long-form interviews with the family members of crime victims.
- Is the podcast still active?
- Yes, the podcast releases episodes on a weekly basis.
- What makes this true crime podcast different?
- It focuses on the victims and their families, exploring the long-term emotional impact and their experiences with the justice system, rather than sensationalizing the crime or the perpetrator.
- How can I support the podcast?
- You can subscribe for $5/month on their official website to get early access to episodes and other exclusive content.
- How can I suggest a case?
- The hosts invite case suggestions via their Facebook page or by email at [email — gated].
Built from the show's public RSS feed, YouTube, the host's own websites, and the cited sources below. Computed and AI-extracted fields are labelled. Facts only — no private info, no fabrication, no transcripts republished.
Sources & how this page was built
This page is AI-assisted, grounded in the public sources cited below, and host-verifiable. We publish facts only; we do not republish transcripts. If anything here is wrong, the host can claim and correct the page above.Model: gemini-2.5-pro · high confidence
- [01]Tragedy - A True Crime Podcast | Podchaserpodchaser.com
- [02]Tragedy - A True Crime Podcast - Apple Podcastspodcasts.apple.com
- [03]Tragedy - A True Crime Podcast - Buzzsproutbuzzsprout.com
- [04]Official Website - Tragedy - A True Crime Podcasttragedytruecrimepodcast.com
- [05]Episodes - Tragedy - A True Crime Podcasttragedytruecrimepodcast.com
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