New NJ.com Podcast Revisits Newark Serial Killer Case and the Women Who Helped Bring Justice
NJ.com has released a new true crime podcast that details one of New Jersey’s most frightening criminal cases. In “Someone’s Hunting Us,” Khalil Wheeler-Weaver’s crimes and the determined women and families who stopped him are examined.
The first four episodes are on major podcast services. New episodes will air every Tuesday, providing a structured and continuous look at the investigation, the victims’ lives, and the events that led to Wheeler-Weaver’s arrest and conviction.
The podcast follows 20-year-old Khalil Wheeler-Weaver, who was arrested. He allegedly preyed on young Black girls and women in Newark, New Jersey. He contacted victims via dating apps and other techniques, court records show. He was charged with many murders and attempted murder. In addition to the ferocity of the killings, the case raised issues about how the victims were first disregarded.
The series revolves around victim stories. Mawa Doumbia, a 15-year-old whose abduction devastated her family and friends, is introduced. In 2016, her friends placed missing posters over Newark to find her. In the podcast, she and fellow victims Robin West, 19, Joanne Brown, 33, and Sarah Butler, 20, recount their experiences. The series portrays them as daughters, friends, and community members through interviews with loved ones, not simply court names.
The reporting shows how law enforcement missed the culprit despite warning indicators. After his arrest, Wheeler-Weaver’s law enforcement family sparked more suspicions. Court documents show that victims’ families and a survivor helped investigators gather evidence. One woman escaped and helped detectives, a critical development.
The podcast uses audio from over a year of interviews to take listeners inside interrogation rooms. The production crew analyzed hours of footage and interviewed Wheeler-Weaver’s friends to understand his conduct. The series uses firsthand narratives, investigative reporting, and courtroom facts to provide a thorough portrayal.
Two NJ.com veterans present and produce “Someone’s Hunting Us”. The project is led by award-winning journalist Daysi Calavia-Robertson and veteran crime reporter Rebecca Everett. Everett covered other high-profile cases and produced award-winning true crime podcasts. Their latest investigation emphasizes accountability and documentation over supposition.
New Jersey courts have heard the matter, with formal procedures documented. After a trial involving survivor and investigator testimony, Wheeler-Weaver was convicted of numerous murders and an attempted murder. The court process sparked national debate regarding missing persons cases, especially those involving underprivileged victims.
The episode focuses on visibility—who gets noticed when they disappear. The reporting shows that the victims’ color and backgrounds may have affected the investigation’s urgency in the beginning. The series seeks to tell victims’ tales fully and respectfully by revisiting the timeline and interviewing them.
As well as a crime investigation, the podcast explores community resiliency. Families and friends who kept looking for answers were crucial. The survivor’s bravery and determination helped establish the evidence that led to Wheeler-Weaver’s arrest and prosecution.
“Someone’s Hunting Us” expands NJ.com’s investigative audio journalism with its organized narration and use of evidence. The series explores justice, responsibility, and the capacity of regular people to demand answers as well as criminal conduct.
The podcast is expected to continue to attract true crime fans and anyone interested in public safety and equal protection under the law as the additional episodes are released. Based on confirmed facts, court results, and firsthand interviews, the series gives listeners a clear and complete knowledge of a case that affected Newark and beyond.
Sources:
NJ.com
New Jersey Judiciary
Official court records related to the Khalil Wheeler-Weaver case
