Traciy Curry-Reyes

Lucious Lyon’s childhood character on Fox’s hit TV series Empire could be based on the true story of child killer Kevin Hughes out of Philadelphia. I saw the story in my mind while reviewing the Rochelle Graham case. A reenactment of the true-crime series Killer Kids sparked my memory. I went back to review the earlier episodes of Empire, and well, I still believe it’s inspired by Hughes’ childhood story. Credit: Fox, Police File Photo Now, just to give you the gist: Kevin Hughes made the news in 1979 for the  murder of Rochelle Graham, a nine-year-old girl. He was convicted of murder  and originally sentenced to die, but that sentence was overturned. He’s  still in prison today, serving life. Lee Daniels, who is from Philadelphia, was probably around the same age—or a bit older—than Kevin Hughes when this story hit the local newspapers. From what I’ve heard, it was a story that struck fear into the parents, as well as high school and elementary students. By the way...

This article discusses the tragic tale of Rochelle Graham and Kevin Peanut Hughes. Few people know her story. It happened in 1979 in Philadelphia. Rochelle Graham, a 9-year-old Philadelphia girl , was found murdered in a burning building. Her abductor and killer, Kevin Hughes, was a local teen who delivered groceries to women in the neighborhood. Rochelle Graham Kevin Hughes Murder: A Case You've Probably Never Heard The Girl Under the Cardboard Box The story made small headlines outside of Philadelphia . In 2020, I had the chance to speak with Rochelle's mother, Diane Graham, who thanked me for remembering her daughter's story. Now, the original documentary I created for this story in 2023 is no longer available. What remains, though, are my personal notes from that interview with Diane Graham, as well as court records and other source material that I used to build that original story. So, let's begin. Life was hard for many people in North Philadelphia in 1979. By th...

A list of rare stories you've never heard, some of which have never been covered in a television documentary.  Original Stories The Rochelle Graham Story A nine-year-old girl disappears from the school playground and turns up in a burning house a minute away. The killer is a person the community never expected. The Legend of Dead Darrius Traciy Curry-Reyes investigates a 50-year-old mystery after her daughter, Ivy, discovers a creepy post on Twitter. Who Killed Dr. Michele St. Romain A female Children's Hospital doctor in Birmingham, Alabama, vanishes in the summer of 1991.  Lisa Eatmon, Roscoe Glinton : Secrets of the Hudson River  What police believe is a doll or a mannequin in the Hudson River turns out to be a pregnant Black woman. 

Hi, guys! Here you’ll find an A–Z index of everything I’ve written on the site. It’s a complete list of articles, organized alphabetically to make browsing much easier. Included on this page are articles about movies based on true stories, true crime stories you've never heard, cases I have covered in the news, and other obscure stories I have documented.  B Black Trail Rides : TikTok Line Dance Culture---A TV Reality Show Docuseries Idea Brandon Mitchner: A River, A Mother, and Unanswered Questions D Dead Darrius  Dorothy Hutelmyer Case   Dr. Michele St. Romain Case L Legend of Dead Darrius Lisa Eatmon, Roscoe Glinton : Secrets of the Hudson River  M Movies Based on True Stories & Movies Based on True Crimes (List) 'Mother Knows Best' True Story Movie (based on Lee Goldsmith--Interview)  R Remembering The Woman Who Sued Her Husband's Mistress : 'The Price of a Broken Heart' (The Hutelmyer Case)  S Still here...  T Too Close To Home' Frank Duncan ...

Movies Based on True Stories,   movies based on true crimes , movies based on actual events, and movies inspired by real-life cases  are THE most interesting. This is part of the original list that started it all---the first blog that tracked the real names and the real cases behind made-for-tv movies.  I started compiling a list of these stories and cases many years ago. Since then, the original pages have scattered to the wind. I don't have the heart to recreate the entire blog, but here are a few stories from my true crime and movie research notes that I found interesting enough to remember all these years later.   Too Close to Home  based on Elizabeth Duncan

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Shirley Mitchner, of Lansing, Michigan, shared a heartbreaking story with me years ago. It is the story of her son, Brandon Mitchner , and the questions that still haunt her about his death. The coroner ruled Brandon’s death an accidental drowning. But from the start, the Mitchner family has never believed that explanation. They’ve always suspected that something more sinister occurred that night.  Brandon Mitchner (Credit: Family Photo) Losing Brandon shattered their family—he was the light of their home, always making people laugh and bringing joy.  This is Brandon’s story. The Final Kiss  In June of 2014, Brandon Mitchner attended a 21st birthday celebration aboard a party bus in Lansing. He kissed his mother for the last time that night—and never returned. His parents, Shirley and Stephen Mitchner, were preparing for a getaway to Florida in celebration of their 29th wedding anniversary. When Brandon didn’t check in that night, their concern grew. Still, they hoped he ...