'Murder in Apt. 12': About Dateline's new podcast unpacking the killing of Arkansas beauty queen
Attention true-crime fans! A new podcast hosted by Dateline's Keith Morrison on the mysterious killing of Arkansas beauty queen Nona Dirksmeyer is dropping tomorrow, Sept. 26.
Titled "Murder in Apartment 12," the six-episode series will examine Dirksmeyer's case through three trials, two suspects and "exclusive new interviews with insiders connected to the case", NBC said in a press release. Dirksmeyer was found dead in her apartment days before her 20th birthday in December 2005.
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Who was Nona Dirksmeyer?
Dirksmeyer was a 19-year-old music major at Arkansas Tech University, the reigning Miss Petit Jean Valley and a Miss Arkansas contestant. She was found brutally stabbed and beaten to death, reports say with the base of her own floor lamp, at her apartment in Russellville, Arkansas on Dec. 15, 2005, according to River Valley Now.
Dirksmeyer's neighbor and boyfriend were charged with her death, but both were later acquitted. Boyfriend Kevin Jones was acquitted of capital murder in 2007, while neighbor Gary Dunn was tried twice but never convicted.
Where is Gary Dunn today?
Dunn, 44, is currently in prison for attempting to kidnap at least three women including Miss Arkansas USA 2022 Rylie Wagner, KATV reported. He pleaded guilty during trial and accepted a plea deal for attempted kidnapping and indecent exposure charges, according to THV11. He is being held at the Arkansas Department of Correction - Wrightsville Unit and has been sentenced for 15 years, according to prison records.
He was incarcerated at the corrections facility at least 4 times, most recently in November 2019. Previous offenses include possession of firearms and second-degree battery, as per his prison record.
How to listen to the podcast
The first 2 episodes of "Murder in Apartment 12" will be available for download and streaming for free on any podcast platform on Sept. 26, while the remaining 4 episodes will debut over the following two weeks.
Subscribers to "Dateline Premium" on Apple Podcasts have early access and can listen to the first two episodes now and will receive subsequent episodes early.
"Murder in Apartment 12" marks Morrison’s eighth original Dateline podcast. He previously hosted "The Girl in the Blue Mustang, Murder & Magnolias," "The Seduction", "The Thing about Pam", "The Thing About Helen & Olga", "Mommy Doomsday" and "Killer Role".
"Murder in Apartment 12" is produced by Tim Beacham with Adam Gorfain as co-executive producer, Liz Cole as executive producer and David Corvo as senior executive producer of "Dateline".
Check out a preview here.
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