This Feels Criminal: A True Crime Podcast (Formerly Killer Queens)

Lauren McCluskey: Can We Tell Which Relationships Will Turn Deadly? (Part 1)

Published: August 19, 2026

Duration: 49:28

When 21-year-old University of Utah student Lauren McCluskey ended a brief relationship, she had good reason to believe she'd caught the warning signs early.

The man she'd been dating had lied about his name, his age, and his criminal history. Lauren ended the relationship immediately.

But he didn't leave her alone.

What followed was a terrifying escalation of stalking, harassment, extortion, and repeated attempts to get help — ending less than three weeks later with Lauren's murder on the campus where she lived and went to school.

Lauren's case leaves behind an ag...