E197 - 197. Michelle Kosilek And The Murder Of Cheryl McCaul

A brutal murder. A controversial identity. And a legal battle that would capture the nation’s attention.

In 1990, Cheryl McCaul was found murdered inside her car in Massachusetts, launching an investigation that would quickly point toward someone close to her. But the case became far more complicated when the accused, Michelle Lynne Kosilek, came out as transgender and began fighting for access to gender-affirming care while incarcerated. As the murder trial collided with questions of gender identity, mental health, prisoners’ rights, and LGBTQ+ history, the case became a lightning rod for debate that continues decades later.