Dead Certain: The Martha Moxley Murder

About Dead Certain: The Martha Moxley Murder

The night before Halloween 1975, 15-year-old Martha Moxley was found bludgeoned to death outside her family’s home in the tony Greenwich, Connecticut, enclave of Belle Haven. The local police, used to dealing more with traffic stops than a high-profile murder, grappled with a lack of forensic evidence – or a motive. They had their suspects of course. The creepy neighbor. The eldest teenage son of the Skakel family next door. The Skakel children’s burly tutor. But without concrete evidence or a confession, the case stalled out. For decades, it remained unsolved and it seemed like no one would ever be charged with her killing. But then, a series of improbable events involving, among others, Dominick Dunne, William Kennedy Smith, and Mark Fuhrman, compounded to deliver the public a new suspect – 39-year-old Michael Skakel, who’d been 15, like Martha, at the time of the crime. The arrest made national headlines – and not just because Michael Skakel was an accused killer. He was also a cousin of the Kennedys. Skakel’s 2002 high-profile murder trial was a media feeding frenzy. Reporters wondered – would this rich, privileged son of a scion get away with it? Despite flimsy evidence and witnesses with questionable backgrounds, a jury convicted Michael. For many, it felt like a fitting end to the Moxley case. Finally, justice was served. Sentenced to 20 years to life in prison, Michael Skakel, who’d always proclaimed his innocence, fought for his freedom. In 2018, his conviction was overturned – and prosecutors declined to re-prosecute. Innocent in the eyes of the law, Michael remains guilty in the eyes of many. Where does the truth lie? Dead Certain: The Martha Moxley Murder, is an immersive, fresh take on this infamous case. The series is hosted by veteran journalist Andrew Goldman, hired a decade ago by Skakel’s cousin RFK Jr. to research a book about the case. But after the book was published, Goldman found he couldn’t let it go. New episodes every Tuesday through January 20, 2026.

Publisher

NBC News Studios

Category

true crime

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

27 Oct 2025

Latest episode

14 Sept 2026

Latest episodes

12 of 16 episodes have a transcript.

1. 

   14 Sept 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Introducing: Before & After with Lester Holt

   Dateline's Lester Holt interviews individuals about life-altering moments and their journeys of rebuilding and finding purpose.

2. 

   27 Jul 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Dateline Presents: An all-new season of ‘Dateline: Missing In America’

   Dateline correspondent Josh Mankiewicz interviews loved ones and investigators about compelling new missing person cases in this trailer for Dateline: Missing In America Season 5.

3. 

   8 Jun 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Dateline Presents: Five Miles From Home

   Keith Morrison investigates the disappearance of Micaela Costanzo, uncovering unlikely suspects and betrayal in a small Nevada town.

4. 

   20 Jan 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Known Unknowns

   Host Amanda Knox interviews Andrew about the lingering questions and new leads in the Martha Moxley murder case.

5. 

   13 Jan 2026

   Martha Speaks

   Host Michael Scherker explores Martha Moxley's diary for murder clues, featuring revelations from Tommy Skakel and a new suspect in this interview episode.

6. 

   6 Jan 2026TRANSCRIPT

   The Out of Towners

   Robert F. Kennedy Jr. interviews guests about an unexpected figure presenting a new theory and potential suspects in the Martha Moxley murder case.

7. 

   30 Dec 2025

   Family Ties

   Michael Skakel recounts a tense reunion with Kennedy cousins that unravels amidst scandal, revealing how his memoir becomes a liability.

8. 

   23 Dec 2025TRANSCRIPT

   The Joker

   Defense attorney Mickey Sherman analyzes his losing strategy for Michael Skakel's defense in the Martha Moxley murder case, revealing critical tactical missteps.

9. 

   16 Dec 2025

   About Those Confessions...

   Michael Skakel discusses the Martha Moxley murder trial verdict and its aftermath as the State's case and witness testimony are examined.

10. 

    9 Dec 2025TRANSCRIPT

    The Trial

    Host Michael leads an interview exploring the intense media scrutiny and challenging prosecution of Michael's trial, revealing the critical questioning of his alibi.

11. 

    2 Dec 2025TRANSCRIPT

    Michael Speaks

    Investigative journalist Mark Fuhrman interviews Michael Skakel about his childhood and reform school experiences, revealing his perspective on the Martha Moxley murder.

12. 

    25 Nov 2025TRANSCRIPT

    No Good Deed

    Host Michael Skakel discusses a flawed strategy to exonerate his family, reigniting the Martha Moxley murder case and drawing suspicion to himself.

13. 

    18 Nov 2025TRANSCRIPT

    The Night Visitor

    Almost a year after Martha’s death, former live-in Skakel tutor Ken Littleton finds himself at the center of the investigation into her murder.

14. 

    11 Nov 2025TRANSCRIPT

    The Boy Next Door

    The Moxley murder investigation heats up. Police attention is quickly focused on Martha’s neighbor Thomas Skakel, the last known person to be seen with Martha.

15. 

    4 Nov 2025TRANSCRIPT

    Mischief Night

    On Halloween 1975, 15-year-old Martha Moxley’s brutally beaten body is found steps from her home. The town of Greenwich, Connecticut is rocked by the murder.

16. 

    27 Oct 2025

    Introducing Dead Certain: The Martha Moxley Murder

    The night before Halloween 1975, 15-year-old Martha Moxley is bludgeoned to death just steps from her home in the ritzy Belle Haven neighborhood of Greenwich, Connecticut. The murder weapon? A golf club. In the wake of the brutal killing, Greenwich police find themselves out of their depths. Over the next 25 years, an improbable series of events unfolds, leading to the arrest and conviction of Michael Skakel, who was 15 years old at the time of the murder. A former neighbor to the Moxleys, he is also a relative of the Kennedy family, which leads to widespread media coverage of the case. But Michael’s conviction is eventually overturned, which raises the question posed by the series: if he didn’t kill Martha Moxley, who did? Unfolding over 12 episodes, this podcast will explore, in intimate detail, the twists and turns of this fascinating and confounding case as it hits its milestone 50th anniversary. Hosted by journalist Andrew Goldman and produced by NBC News Studios, the series is built upon a decade of original reporting, brand new investigative information, firsthand voices, and a half century of archival audio– as well as multiple interviews with Michael Skakel, who is speaking publicly about the case for the first time ever.

Who has been a guest on Dead Certain: The Martha Moxley Murder

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Amanda Knox
• Andrew
• Michael Skakel

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.2 / 5

2,067 ratings

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