Series Cast of Characters
Where sources have agreed to speak to us, are public figures, or have since died, we will use full names. Where sources have not agreed to speak to us, last names are withheld to respect their privacy.
Episode 1
TJ Ingrassia, Executive Producer and host
Ruth Serven Smith, Co-Producer and host
Elizabeth Mackintosh, a former nurse in England and Scotland and a counseling student at Covenant Seminary when she was murdered on March 26, 1990
Kyle Hackmann, pastor in the PCA denomination and TJ’s childhood friend; he introduced TJ to Elizabeth’s case
Andrew Stout, former Covenant student and TJ’s childhood friend; he introduced Kyle to Detective George Hodak
Diane Preston, former Covenant Registrar and Associate Dean for Academic Services; she knew Elizabeth in England in the mid 1980’s and told her about Covenant Seminary
Jerram Barrs, theologian and former professor at Covenant; he taught Elizabeth as a student at Covenant
Dennis Spoerry, retired Creve Coeur police detective who worked Elizabeth’s case in 1990 and over the subsequent decades
George Hodak, retired Creve Coeur police detective who worked Elizabeth’s case in 1990 and over the subsequent decades
Episode 2
Bong Cho, Covenant student who prayed overnight at the chapel; he was the last person to see Elizabeth alive, around 5:00 am on March 26, 1990
Rob, Covenant student practicing his sermon the morning of the murder; he interviewed Elizabeth for the Fall 1989 edition of Covenant’s student newsletter
Michael, Covenant student who graduated in 1990 and became the prime suspect in the death of Elizabeth Mackintosh; he was Elizabeth’s supervisor on the housecleaning staff
John, Covenant student singing in the chapel on the morning of the murder
Phil, and outside A/V worker who was the first person to discover Elizabeth’s body in the men’s bathroom in the basement of Rayburn chapel
Gerard van Gronigen, Covenant professor who was one of the first to find Elizabeth’s body before the police arrived
Charles van Groningen, Professor van Groningen’s son, who was with his father in the chapel on the morning of the murder
Chris, Elizabeth’s roommate in 1990 and one of the other female students at the seminary
Captain Dale Bailey, Creve Coeur Police detective who was on the scene the morning of the murder and recorded the videotape of the crime scene
Tom, former physical plant director at Covenant, and Michael’s boss
Ed, Covenant student who was on campus the morning of the murder
Paul Kooistra, president of Covenant in 1990
Bryan Chappell, vice president and dean of faculty at Covenant in 1990; he was President of Covenant from 1994 to 2013; currently the Stated Clerk of PCA denomination
Chris and Marilyn Baker, friends of Elizabeth’s who lived on campus while Chris attended Covenant and fellow congregants of Elizabeth’s at Providence Reformed Presbyterian Church
Skip and Bonnie Dusenbury, friends of Elizabeth’s who lived on campus while Skip attended Covenant and fellow congregants of Elizabeth’s at Providence Reformed Presbyterian Church
Episode 3
Danny Rapert, Creve Coeur police detective who interviewed Michael on March 26, 1990
Jill, wife of Michael, Elizabeth’s supervisor on the housecleaning staff; was interviewed by police the night of the murder
Dave Thompson, president of Wickland-Zulowski and an expert in investigative interviewing.
Episode 4
Sam Yarbrough, independent polygraph examiner who sometimes worked with the Creve Coeur police deparment
Mark Belz, St. Louis lawyer (and one-time Moderator of the PCA) who ran Covenant’s internal investigation of Elizabeth’s murder
Al Johnson, St. Louis County prosecutor who later worked with Mark Belz on Covenant’s internal investigation
Richard Schnarr, Creve Coeur chief of police in 1990
Tom Gibbs, current president of Covenant Theological Seminary
Karl, child of Michael and Jill
Episode 5
Francis Schaeffer, Christian theologian and founder of L’abri in Switzerland; regarded as the one most influential Christian apologists of the 20th century
Richard Winter, taught at Covenant for over 30 years and created their “Master of Arts in Counseling” program
Wallace, Covenant administrator who argued with Elizabeth about her cleaning the Admin Building at night
Terry, a former roommate of Elizabeths; the two would get into shouting matches
George Johnston, Covenant’s interim Library Director in 1990; argued with Elizabeth about the Lost & Found
Barbara, Covenant library assistant who witnessed an argument between Elizabeth and George Johnston
Dr. Eugene Holeman, psychiatrist who supervised Elizabeth’s counseling practicum at Missouri Baptist Hospital
Ruth, psychotherapist who argued with Elizabeth about Covenant’s counseling program
D. James Kennedy, pastor of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church and founder of Knox Theological Seminary
George Knight, former Covenant professor who left to help found Knox Seminary; was close friends with Elizabeth
Robert Reymond, former Covenant professor who left to help found Knox Seminary
Joseph Hall, former Covenant professor and librarian who left to help found Knox Seminary
Marion, Elizabeth’s friend from Providence Church
Ben Homan, former Covenant Development Director
Peggy Way, Elizabeth’s professor at Eden Theological Seminary
Sally, student at Eden Theological Seminary who was in class with Elizabeth
Episode 6
Doug Serven, father of True Believer co-producer Ruth Serven Smith; Covenant Seminary graduate, PCA pastor, and former Covenant Seminary Board member
Brittany Smith, friend of Doug Serven’s; Covenant Seminary graduate
Ewan Kennedy, Covenant Seminary graduate, former PCA pastor, and friend of Doug Serven’s
Robert S. Rayburn, son of Covenant Seminary founding President Robert G. Rayburn; PCA pastor who gave a sermon around 2003 mentioning Elizabeth’s murder
George Robertson, Covenant Seminary graduate and friend of Elizabeth Mackintosh’s; a least twice mentioned Elizabeth’s murder at talks given at Covenant Seminary, around 2003 and 2023.
Episode 7
Luke Davis, Covenant Seminary graduate; Christian educator; author of the Cameron Ballack detective series
Julie Roys, investigative journalist; founder of The Roys Report
Liam Adams, investigative journalist and Religion reporter for The Tennessean
Katherine Spearing, Covenant Seminary graduate; founder of Tears of Eden, a nonprofit supporting survivors of spiritual abuse
Episode 8
Ryan Davidson, lawyer and Covenant College graduate
Episode 9
Conrad Carnes, Ruling Elder at Michael’s church in California who spoke to Mark Belz at General Assembly and corresponded with President Paul Kooistra on Michael’s behalf
Episode 10
Karl Saint Lucy, eldest child of Michael, the prime suspect in Elizabeth’s murder
Kirsten Morehead, eldest daughter of Michael, the prime suspect in Elizabeth’s murder