In the fall of 2018, I interviewed more than a dozen journalism students for a job at a place that, at that point, was just an idea. I wanted to create a student-run audio production house on UT’s campus. We have fantastic students in the...
The Drag would not be what it is today without Haley Butler and Tinu Thomas. In January 2019, they became The Drag’s first-ever podcasters at the start of their last semester in college. Between classes, the pair began crafting a podcast called “The...
It’s no secret that true crime is a popular genre. It’s evident from the countless documentaries, podcasts and crime specials on TV that many people are fascinated by true-crime stories. “If you watch an old ‘2020’ or ’48...
Laura Hall seeks to move on after her release from prison … and she has a lot to say. Colton Pitonyak remains in a West Texas prison as his parents hold onto hope that he’ll someday return to Arkansas. Sharon and Jim continue to fight on...
Fellow inmates say Laura Hall has been talking in jail about her role in the Jennifer Cave case. She continues to talk when out on bond, others say. As Colton Pitonyak’s appeals lawyers look for an angle to try to get him a new trial, the lawyers...
When Haley Butler and Tinu Thomas started reporting for “The Orange Tree” podcast as college seniors, they didn’t expect the podcast to climb the charts.
A few days after Colton Pitonyak and Laura Hall were found in Mexico, Laura is called in to pick up her impounded car’s keys at the Austin Police headquarters. When she shows up, she’s led to a small room to be questioned by the police...
It’s January 2007, and Colton Pitonyak has been sitting in a Travis County jail awaiting his trial. His family didn’t post bail, so he has been behind bars since August 2005 when he was arrested after fleeing to Mexico for six days with Laura...
Austin Police detectives search for a UT student wanted in connection with the death of Jennifer Cave. Colton Pitonyak, a promising business student and Jennifer’s friend, fled the scene of the crime right before her body was discovered at his condo...
Just over a year ago, “The Orange Tree” podcast hosts were doing typical college senior things: Finishing up their final classes at the University of Texas, working at journalism internships to jumpstart their career, and reporting on the West...