Sociology Professor Co-Hosts New True Crime Podcast

Sacred Heart students and alumni contribute to podcast that provides in-depth analysis of murder cases

Key Highlights

• ^{New true crime podcast explores the psychology behind murderers, not just the crimes.}
• ^{Hosted by criminologist Casey Jordan and SHU sociology professor Colleen Butler-Sweet.}
• ^{Sacred Heart students and alumni helped with research, analysis and production.}
• ^{Podcast blends law, sociology and behavioral profiling for unique true crime insights.}
• ^{Recorded at Bridgeport’s Uptime Productions, founded by SHU graduates.}

A new podcast, Criminal Appeal with Dr. Casey Jordan featuring Sacred Heart University sociology professor Colleen Butler-Sweet, launches just in time for spooky season. The series was produced with the help of SHU students and alumni.

Butler-Sweet was asked by well-known attorney, criminologist and behavioral analyst Casey Jordan to join her on the true crime podcast to analyze, explore and delve into a variety of well-known murder cases. Butler-Sweet’s students helped conduct research for the podcast, and she and Jordan recorded their show at Bridgeport’s Uptime Productions, operated by SHU alumni.

In Criminal Appeal, Jordan shares firsthand insights drawn from her work as an investigative profiler, researcher and consultant. Together with Butler-Sweet, she tackles high-profile and lesser-known cases with sharp analysis, behind-the-scenes knowledge and thought-provoking conversation. Criminal Appeal aims to bridge academia, law and lived experience, giving listeners not just the story but the deeper truth about crime and justice.

In the first season of Criminal Appeal, there will be six full-hour episodes and six “mini” episodes. The first two-part episode focuses on convicted murderer Paris Bennett, whom Jordan analyzed during a prison interview with TV host Piers Morgan for his series Psychopath. Listeners will get to experience excerpts from the prison interview with Bennett that Jordan was assessing in real-time with an FBI profiler, while Bennett’s mother listened from an adjoining room.

The second two-part episode is about a local Connecticut murder case. Jordan and Butler-Sweet discuss the crime committed by Linda Bigazzi, a 76-year-old woman who killed her 84-year-old husband in 2017. Jordan interviewed the accused killer and shares those never-before-heard interviews on the podcast, revealing that Bigazzi had been abused by her husband for decades, something that was not disclosed in media stories.

“This is really a case about intimate partner violence, and I’m really proud of our reporting on this one,” Butler-Sweet said. Bigazzi’s defense attorney also discusses the case on set and provides more insight and details about the homicide.

Sociology is a field that had Butler-Sweet hooked at age 19. “I’m interested in people and why they behave the way they do,” she said. It’s not just about trying to understand the individual: Butler-Sweet said being a good sociologist means exploring a person’s surroundings and the people who shaped them. “I want to hear about people’s community and their thoughts and behaviors,” she said.

When Jordan approached her with the idea of a podcast, Butler-Sweet was thrilled.

"Dr. Butler-Sweet brings so much to the table with this podcast—more than I ever anticipated,” said Jordan. “I was hoping for a smart sidekick to throw me some softball scripted questions, but from day one she rallied the troops with a team of student-researchers, did a deep dive on every case study and composed an overview with masterful storytelling. Dr. Butler-Sweet brings professional insight to every case, but mostly, she's an incredible team player. I ended up with the perfect ‘partner in crime’ for this podcast.”

An avid fan of podcasts Serial and My Favorite Murderer, Butler-Sweet said it’s the storytelling piece of a podcast that she truly loves.

The true crime genre is fascinating and is a way for people to tell a real-life story. What makes this podcast different from others is that Jordan and Butler-Sweet aren’t retelling crime stories; they are unpacking and understanding the murderers’ behaviors and using their research, analytic backgrounds and personal interviews to dissect the crimes.

SHU connection

Two of Butler-Sweet’s students were tasked with researching murder cases. They wrote detailed notes and bibliographies. They later conducted focus groups on the completed podcast episodes and sent feedback to Jordan and Butler-Sweet.

“My favorite part of the research is that we are being exposed to cases that I have never seen or heard of before, and getting insight into them that not everyone else has seen,” said Mackenzie Adair ’26, a criminal justice major. “True crime analysis is so popular, and I enjoy learning about it. This experience allows me to dive so much deeper into it. It is also so rewarding to see all our research being utilized for the podcast.”

Student researcher Ella Costantino ’26, a sociology major, said the greatest part about doing research for the podcast is feeling like she belongs to something bigger than herself. “We are all really hoping that this podcast does well and reaches many different audiences. The idea of contributing to something that is enjoyed by so many others makes the research we do feel even more important,” said Costantino.

She added that many criminal podcasts focus solely on the case and its details. “This podcast, however, offers listeners a chance to do what so many of us already do by analyzing behavior,” she said. “The podcast’s approach applies sociology and criminology to understand or explain the behavior and personality of the criminals. Criminal Appeal is a podcast that tries to get inside the minds of criminals to explain their behavior and offer a psychological explanation for true crime stories, which for me, is exactly what I want to hear about.”

The student researchers aren’t the only connection to the podcast. After Jordan and Butler-Sweet figured out their season of shows, it was time to record. They found a studio in Bridgeport, Uptime Productions, that turned out to be operated by SHU alumni Mike Theophil ’19, Anthony Mattariello ’19 and Renee Vivano ’21.

“They all worked so hard on the production,” Butler-Sweet said. “The space was amazing, and they did such a good job.”

Butler-Sweet is excited for the podcast to air. “Sometimes true crime shows can feel like fluff or dramatization, and there’s no understanding of what or why something happened,” she said. “We go in depth to explain and give listeners information they won’t find anywhere else.”

“The podcast is amazing,” Adair said. “Professor Butler-Sweet and Dr. Casey Jordan have so much expertise in this field and bring entirely new perspectives to these cases. People should absolutely listen to the podcast to hear new ideas about such interesting cases.”

The first episode of Criminal Appeal with Dr. Casey Jordan airs November 4, and people can listen to it or watch it at YouTube, Spotify and Apple podcasts.