James Byrd Jr. was born on May 2, 1949, in Beaumont, Texas, the third of eight children born to Stella and James Byrd Sr. Growing up in Jasper, a small bedroom community in East Texas, his family's life revolved around the Greater New Bethel Baptist Church, where Mrs. Byrd taught Sunday School, her husband was a deacon and James Jr. enjoyed singing hymns and playing piano. Byrd graduated with the last racially segregated class at Jasper's Rowe High School in 1967.  Walking home from his parents’ house in the early morning hours of June 7, 1998, 49-year-old James accepted a ride home from three white men: Shawn Allen Berry, Lawrence Russell Brewer and John William King. Byrd got in the bed of their pickup truck, but instead of taking him home, they drove him to a desolate area east of town, beat him severely, chained him to the back of the truck by his ankles and dragged him for more than three miles along an asphalt road.  This case would change death row "special" meals in Texas forever.

Crime & Dine

3: "The Last Death Row Meal" - The Death Of James Byrd Jr

Ana Trujillo, an ex Coca Cola exec was dubbed the “Stiletto Killer” after she brutally killed her boyfriend Stefan Andersson by stabbing him 25 times with her blue high heel shoe. In this episode, we talk about Ana's upbringing, a very dubious 20/ 20 episode and make a stack of (surprisingly delicious) Coca Cola Chicken wings. UPDATE FYI there is a bug in this podcast where there's a minute silence at around 32 mins in. No idea why, but sorry about that.

2: "The Stiletto Killer" - Ana Trujillo

We're headed to Texas to kick off the first series and we're talking about Paul Dennis Reid, aka "The Fast Food Killer". Alright, I hear you… Reid committed his crimes down in Nashville but before all that he was a native or Fort Worth Texas before moving to "Music City" to launch a country music career. There's also recent evidence to suggest that this serial killer may, in fact, be linked to other crimes in his native home state, so join us as we hit up some of the spots where Reid rampaged and killed all 7 of his victims. McDonald's, Baskin Robbins & Captain D's.

1: "The Fast Food Killer" - Paul Dennis Reid Jr

Crime and Dine is a true crime Podcast where murder meets Mukbang. In this series we'll eat a whole lot and examine the link between true crime and food. Join us as we delve into some well known, and some not so well known crimes that have a connection to the thing we all need to survive. We'll eat our way through each episode so we can make a connection with the crimes, the victims and the perpetrators to gain a deeper understanding into each story.