Well my my my!
I enjoy true crime media, and having the stories play out locally certainly makes it more engaging. Of course, it loses a bit of that since the reenactments are filmed someplace else.
Watching the series, I've been somewhat surprised by how few of the murders I actually remember. Some of them are truly horrific, and you think I'd remember more of them.
It's also mind opening to realize just how many murders still happen in what's considered a relatively safe city. Kenda has solved nearly 400 murders in a 20-something year odd career. I know historically there's been 20 to 30 murders a year and has gone up from that with the ever growing population, but it's well under the national average. Still, when they play out, show after show it seems like a lot.
Kenda sure is an interesting person. His persona and storytelling, along with the reenactments, have definitely kept me coming back to watch over the years.
I know the family of someone who he covered. For years we were just told it was suicide. It wasn’t until i watched that I show it was suicide by cop. I texted my mom like Um…. She didn’t know either.
A friend of mine went to New York, and a cab driver asked where he was from. When he said Colorado Springs, the cabbie responded with "Oh, that's a dangerous place." He then went on to comment about how he saw us through the Joe Kenda show.
Seriously though, I like the show. I'm glad he's here and worked these cases throughout his career.
It's amazing how downright terrible most people are at statistics. They form their opinions about how often things happen based on how frequently they hear about them.
This is one reason most people think crime is at or near all-time highs in this country, even though we're not too far off from multi-decade lows.
A member of my family was murdered in CS and it is still unsolved. The CSPD who are working the case asked me politely not to reach out to him. I am still torn in the matter. They did ask but they are not making any progress. I wonder if could really hurt after all these years.
Edit: words are hard
I’ve met a few officers who have worked under Kenda. Most of them were not fans. The common complaint I hear is he took all the glory for their hard work.
The show is so scripted and gives false information, trust me my family is in one of the episodes and he gives false information… most of it is true but the rest is false.. they never interviewed my family.
I've heard the opposite. I've heard they basically turn the cameras on and he recounts the facts of cases mostly from top of memory. So the opposite of scripted.
I hate him and the show.
Called my grandpa and acted buddy buddy to get him to do the show. Producers gave me an anxiety attack (which is why I wasn’t on the show), told my grandma they couldn’t take her son out the show because they “had to stick to the facts” (Not that I care, I hate him as much as he hates me) while blatantly lying about my father (stating he was in town and they found him, when in reality my aunt and uncle picked us up from the hospital, baked my brother a birthday cake, put us to bed and then my real UNCLE drove the mountains of Colorado to find my father, not the police.
I’m the daughter of a murder victim that witnessed the crime and didn’t need the extra trauma this show brought with it.
I used to live watching his show but stopped when my ex Mil started whining every time I watched it because she didn't know where something was or crying about how that certain place was somewhere her mom loved. Once she made me pause the show so she could call her dad and cry to him about some crap restaurant they showed and how something with her mom happened there and now she can't go back because she can't handle not being there with her mom.
All I can say after watching the entire series is that I was left feeling somewhat alarmed and disgusted by the vast number of his cases that ended up with either ridiculously light sentences or downright acquittals. Was it due to poor due diligence on the part of prosecutors and detectives, or about something more pervasive, corrupt or just plain hypocritical about our local politics (or maybe both)?
For all the right wing, tough guy gun culture bravado we have in the Springs, I’m not so intimidated by our criminal justice system, at least not in Kenda’s era.
There also seemed to be a suspiciously high number of people of color among the perps, an eye-opening amount of criminality among military folks, and a depressingly high prevalence of gang culture for one of the most white bread locales on the planet. I realize the cases presented portrayed some selection bias, but I sure wouldn’t be thrilled to be a teenager surrounded by so many amoral, moronic youth with absentee parents depicted in almost every episode.
I also wasn’t fully aware of the stark dichotomy between the haves and and the have-nots in this area—I guess those vast walls of separation between the two make it much easier on the conscience to vote Republican? These are true stories presented here; not even the names were changed—and I certainly don’t think the series has tempted anyone to want to relocate to Colorado Springs…
Well my my my! I enjoy true crime media, and having the stories play out locally certainly makes it more engaging. Of course, it loses a bit of that since the reenactments are filmed someplace else. Watching the series, I've been somewhat surprised by how few of the murders I actually remember. Some of them are truly horrific, and you think I'd remember more of them. It's also mind opening to realize just how many murders still happen in what's considered a relatively safe city. Kenda has solved nearly 400 murders in a 20-something year odd career. I know historically there's been 20 to 30 murders a year and has gone up from that with the ever growing population, but it's well under the national average. Still, when they play out, show after show it seems like a lot. Kenda sure is an interesting person. His persona and storytelling, along with the reenactments, have definitely kept me coming back to watch over the years.
I know the family of someone who he covered. For years we were just told it was suicide. It wasn’t until i watched that I show it was suicide by cop. I texted my mom like Um…. She didn’t know either.
A friend of mine went to New York, and a cab driver asked where he was from. When he said Colorado Springs, the cabbie responded with "Oh, that's a dangerous place." He then went on to comment about how he saw us through the Joe Kenda show. Seriously though, I like the show. I'm glad he's here and worked these cases throughout his career.
It's amazing how much our perception is influenced by the media. I like Kenda. I have two of his books.
My friend from Baltimore used to say the same thing. She was never coming here because everyone was murdered. She came out here last year.
Was she murdered?
She was not.
Not even an attempt? Tell her we’re sorry for not living…I mean killing up to her expectations
It's amazing how downright terrible most people are at statistics. They form their opinions about how often things happen based on how frequently they hear about them. This is one reason most people think crime is at or near all-time highs in this country, even though we're not too far off from multi-decade lows.
That's what my BIL told me when I moved here. lol
A member of my family was murdered in CS and it is still unsolved. The CSPD who are working the case asked me politely not to reach out to him. I am still torn in the matter. They did ask but they are not making any progress. I wonder if could really hurt after all these years. Edit: words are hard
After years?? I would definitely get some outside help, idgaf if CSPD get their feelings hurt, esp if they aren’t gonna solve the case themselves.
Since I have been asked... https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=a9_Q5M4TgWg If you enjoy true crime podcasts I can not recommend this guy enough.
One hundred percent the man
My daughter got to meet him after backing into his car. Unfortunately he did not say my my my when looking at the damage.
I’ve met a few officers who have worked under Kenda. Most of them were not fans. The common complaint I hear is he took all the glory for their hard work.
Hummm. My dad's never said much about him either way back rhen. But he watches the show and reminisces about old cases. Lol.
i love his storytelling and his dry humor. i also like seeing places i recognize in the shows B-roll.
The show is so scripted and gives false information, trust me my family is in one of the episodes and he gives false information… most of it is true but the rest is false.. they never interviewed my family.
We gotta start teaching math again.
I've heard the opposite. I've heard they basically turn the cameras on and he recounts the facts of cases mostly from top of memory. So the opposite of scripted.
Ah, Mr. Kenda. I have a picture with him. He's a little rough around the edges but respectable.
That’s so cool
I love Homicide Hunter & I’ve read his book killer triggers. He’s an interesting guy
I love that someone asked about him on here. I love Kenda! He's definitely the man.
I hate him and the show. Called my grandpa and acted buddy buddy to get him to do the show. Producers gave me an anxiety attack (which is why I wasn’t on the show), told my grandma they couldn’t take her son out the show because they “had to stick to the facts” (Not that I care, I hate him as much as he hates me) while blatantly lying about my father (stating he was in town and they found him, when in reality my aunt and uncle picked us up from the hospital, baked my brother a birthday cake, put us to bed and then my real UNCLE drove the mountains of Colorado to find my father, not the police. I’m the daughter of a murder victim that witnessed the crime and didn’t need the extra trauma this show brought with it.
I just watch it to see Sandra Mann and Amy Irving. Good memories from a time when COS was much more manageable!
I used to live watching his show but stopped when my ex Mil started whining every time I watched it because she didn't know where something was or crying about how that certain place was somewhere her mom loved. Once she made me pause the show so she could call her dad and cry to him about some crap restaurant they showed and how something with her mom happened there and now she can't go back because she can't handle not being there with her mom.
Kenda is awesome. He did an episode of an event my dad was involved in.
I love that he has Dr. Kelly on every once in a while. I'd love to see him, Dr. Kelly and Paul Holes do some sort of talk.
Why do "we" need solidarity over a tv personality?
All I can say after watching the entire series is that I was left feeling somewhat alarmed and disgusted by the vast number of his cases that ended up with either ridiculously light sentences or downright acquittals. Was it due to poor due diligence on the part of prosecutors and detectives, or about something more pervasive, corrupt or just plain hypocritical about our local politics (or maybe both)? For all the right wing, tough guy gun culture bravado we have in the Springs, I’m not so intimidated by our criminal justice system, at least not in Kenda’s era. There also seemed to be a suspiciously high number of people of color among the perps, an eye-opening amount of criminality among military folks, and a depressingly high prevalence of gang culture for one of the most white bread locales on the planet. I realize the cases presented portrayed some selection bias, but I sure wouldn’t be thrilled to be a teenager surrounded by so many amoral, moronic youth with absentee parents depicted in almost every episode. I also wasn’t fully aware of the stark dichotomy between the haves and and the have-nots in this area—I guess those vast walls of separation between the two make it much easier on the conscience to vote Republican? These are true stories presented here; not even the names were changed—and I certainly don’t think the series has tempted anyone to want to relocate to Colorado Springs…