Episode 183

full
Published on:

3rd Jun 2025

They Knew He Was Innocent - and Framed Him Anyway | The Story of Pete Coones

đź’ˇ Support this podcast and get early access to content:

👉 https://patreon.com/beachhouse34

 

On April 7, 2008, Kathleen and Carl Schroll were found shot to death in their Kansas City, Kansas home. Within hours, a man named Pete Coones was arrested—and within months, he was sentenced to life in prison. What followed was more than a wrongful conviction. It was a case that exposed the deep cracks in a justice system where evidence was buried, witnesses were manipulated, and police were protected by silence.

 

 

 

đź“ť Sources & Legal Documents:

 

đź“„ The Coones' Family Lawsuit

https://mediaassets.kshb.com/NWT/Sam/CoonesLawsuit.pdf

 

📚 Justia – Amended Complaint Filing

https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/kansas/ksdce/2:2022cv02447/144253/168/

 

📚 Justia – Ruling on Motion

https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/kansas/ksdce/2:2022cv02447/144253/121/

 

📖 FindLaw – Kansas Supreme Court Ruling

https://caselaw.findlaw.com/court/ks-supreme-court/1686656.html

 

đź“„ Midwest Innocence Project: Pete Coones

https://themip.org/clients/olin-pete-coones/

 

đź“° Kansas City Star: Pete Coones Settlement Coverage

https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article271727812.html

 

đź“° KSHB News Report on Settlement

https://www.kshb.com/news/local-news/settlement-approved-with-wrongfully-convicted-kansas-man

 

đź“Š National Registry of Exonerations

https://exonerations.dev.matrix.msu.edu/Pages/casedetail.aspx%3Fcaseid%3D5866.html

 

00:00:00 Introduction

00:03:16 Visit the Beach House 34 Patreon

00:03:39 The Caretaker Enters

00:08:06 Pete Visits his Dad

00:08:44 Elder Abuse Discovered

00:11:26 Pete's Father Passes

00:12:17 Major Financial Issues

00:13:51 The Plan

00:16:17 The Telephone Call

00:19:10 Pete's Arrest

00:25:22 Pete is Charged

00:30:12 Pete Convicted

00:34:24 Pete Granted New Trial

00:39:27 Pete's Second Trial

00:42:43 Convicted Again

00:43:57 Reinvestigation Request

00:51:02 Conviction Overturned

00:53:32 Pete Released

00:55:05 Estate Files Lawsuit

Next Episode All Episodes Previous Episode

The Research Fund

Producing TrueCrime.fm takes significant time, specialized resources, and access to records. If you find value in these files and want to help keep the show sustainable and independent, you can support the work here. Your contribution goes directly toward the production, research, and technical costs of the show.
Support the Investigation
A
We haven’t had any Tips yet :( Maybe you could be the first!

Listen for free

Show artwork for TrueCrime.FM

About the Podcast

TrueCrime.FM
What Actually Happened. From Start to Finish.
TrueCrime.fm is a weekly true crime podcast focused on one thing—what actually happened.

Every case is researched, written, and broken down from start to finish using verified information. No guessing, no added theories, no drawn-out storytelling.

Just the case.

Each episode is structured so you can follow what happened clearly, without having to sort through what’s real and what isn’t.

If you want consistent, straightforward cases that respect the facts, follow TrueCrime.fm.

Support This Show

About your host

Profile picture for Kristine W

Kristine W

Hi! Hello! I’m Kristine.
You might know me from Beach House 34, but the podcast/vodcast is evolving. Welcome to TrueCrime.fm.

I’ve always done the heavy lifting and the deep research, but the old name just wasn't cutting it anymore. This new name fits the mission. Don't you think?

No fluff, no theories—just the facts, from start to finish. I’m glad you’re here for the next chapter. I’ll see you soon.