Ep 4. Mechele Linehan

In season 7 episode 4 of the true crime series Snapped, viewers are introduced to Mechele Linehan, a former stripper turned small-town Alaskan socialite who is accused of orchestrating the murder of her millionaire fiancé.

The episode opens with the discovery of the victim’s body, shot dead in the wilderness near his cabin in 1996. Despite initial leads pointing towards a bungled robbery attempt, the case quickly goes cold, stumping investigators for over a decade.

It isn’t until a man comes forward with new information in 2004 that suspicion falls on Mechele. As a result, detectives launch a full-scale investigation into the woman, revealing a dark and sordid past that may indicate she had a motive for murder.

Born in the Pacific Northwest, Mechele had a chaotic upbringing. Her father was a drug addict who frequently spent time in prison, while her mother struggled with raising her four children on her own. After dropping out of school at 16, Mechele turned to stripping to support herself. But she didn’t stay in the seedy world of adult entertainment for long.

In the early '90s, Mechele moved to Haines, Alaska, a remote town with a booming tourism industry. It was here that she met her boyfriend, Kent Leppink, a wealthy businessman and prominent member of the community. Mechele quickly ingratiated herself into Kent's life, though it was clear to many that she was not the typical Haines resident.

Despite the social standing Mechele was quickly building for herself, it soon came to light that she had been involved in a prostitution ring in Washington state prior to moving to Alaska. Investigators believed that this was key to understanding Mechele's motive for murder.

As the investigation deepens, detectives began to put together a complex web of deceit, lies, and infidelity. They discover that Mechele had multiple suitors during her time in Alaska, all of whom were wealthy and prominent members of the community. In fact, just months before the murder, Mechele accepted an engagement proposal from another man who had more money than her current fiancé, which left investigators wondering if greed was the motivation behind the crime.

Things only get more complicated when it’s discovered that Mechele was involved in a bizarre sex cult known locally as the Corvus coven. The group, which was started by a man known only as “Raven,” involved its members in a series of bizarre sexual rituals and weird practices that included dressing up in black robes and performing animal sacrifices in the woods.

The trial for Mechele’s murder charges was one of the most highly publicized Alaskan cases of its time, with prominent members of the community coming forward to testify against her. But even after all the evidence was heard, it was still unclear whether Mechele had masterminded the whole thing or if she was simply a pawn in a larger conspiracy. Regardless of the verdict, the story of Mechele Linehan remains a troubling and complex story of small-town scandal gone wrong.

Snapped season 7 episode 4 provides a fittingly dark and twisted story of murder and deception in small-town Alaska. With elements of sex, money, and power all at play, it’s a case that will keep viewers on edge until the very end.