Motive for Murder
Updated: Nov 23, 2022
(available on most podcast platforms)
FTC Rating: 4 out of 5
Graduate student and political activist, Gelareh Bagherzadeh was murdered in the driveway of her family’s Huston home in 2012 while on the phone with her good friend, Robeen Bandar. Police follow multiple leads including Bandar, her then boyfriend Cory Beavers, and even the Iranian government to no avail. Years later, Cory’s twin brother, Coty Beavers is also found murdered and a disturbing picture begins to reveal itself. The connection is Nesreen Irsan, a friend and classmate of Gelareh and the recent bride of Coty. After years of mental and physical abuse by her father, Ali Irsan, Nesreen becomes the key to unlocking the mystery of these tragic deaths and how a heated phone call ultimately became a Motive for Murder.
Strengths:
- a touching tribute to Gelareh, her life, and accomplishments
- interviews with the family and friends of the victims
- participation in the podcast by law enforcement and FBI
- reveals the multiple leads followed by the Texas Police and how the investigation ended with multiple convictions
- the discussion with Josh Mankiewicz, giving listeners an insight into the Dateline process
Weaknesses:
- Does not provide enough background on the relationship between Nesreen and Coty
- Nesreen Irsan is markedly absent from the podcast although she plays a pivotal role in the case (Dateline producers do speak with her behind the scenes)
- Do not see the need to include the discussion on honor killings as is not relevant in this context
- The interview with Ali Irsan. Questions posed to him were weak and did not add much of interest to the story.
Final Thought: Another Dateline Classic
Picture Source: https://www.nbcnews.com/motiveformurder