Ep. 069 - 074 | The Murder of Meredith Kercher
In 2007, 21-year-old British student Meredith Kercher was found murdered in her apartment in Perugia, Italy. The crime shocked the world - but what came next was even wilder.
Italian police quickly arrested Meredith’s American roommate, Amanda Knox, and her boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito. The media branded Amanda as “Foxy Knoxy,” painting her as a femme fatale - and the case spiraled into a global tabloid frenzy.
But the evidence against them was shaky. DNA testing later pointed to someone else: Rudy Guede, a man with a history of break-ins. He was eventually convicted of Meredith’s murder.
Amanda and Raffaele’s trials dragged on for years - guilty, then acquitted, then guilty again, then finally cleared for good in 2015.
Meredith’s death was tragic, but the circus around Amanda Knox turned the case into one of the most infamous true-crime sagas of our time.
SOURCES:
ABC News. (2009, April 29). Testimony at Amanda Knox trial centers on prints, DNA. ABC News.
https://abcnews.go.com/TheLaw/International/testimony-amanda-knox-trial-centers-prints-dna/story?id=7540425ABC News. (2009, September 18). Testimony in Amanda Knox trial disputes bloody footprints. ABC News.
https://abcnews.go.com/US/International/amanda-knox-testimony-disputes-bloody-footprints/story?id=8613900Associated Press. (2025, January 23). Italian court upholds Amanda Knox’s 2024 slander conviction for falsely accusing bar owner of murder. People.
https://people.com/amanda-knox-appeal-slander-conviction-italy-8779204Associated Press via The Guardian. (2019, January 24). European court orders Italy to pay damages to Amanda Knox. The Guardian.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/jan/24/european-court-to-rule-on-amanda-knoxs-remaining-conviction-meredith-kercher-italyASIL Insights. (2019, January 25). European Court of Human Rights orders Italy to compensate Amanda Knox for human rights violations. ASIL.
https://www.asil.org/ILIB/european-court-human-rights-orders-italy-compensate-amanda-knox-human-rights-violations-januaryBBC News. (2013, March 26). Meredith Kercher murder timeline: Key events. BBC.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-21938080BBC News. (2015, March 27). Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito acquitted of Meredith Kercher murder by Italy’s top court. BBC.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-32096621Biography.com. (n.d.). Amanda Knox murder case timeline. Biography.
https://www.biography.com/crime/a63544415/amanda-knox-murder-case-timelineCosmopolitan. (2025, August 21). Amanda Knox says ‘The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox’ shows “a more true version of me” than ever before. Cosmopolitan.
https://www.cosmopolitan.com/entertainment/tv/a65823840/amanda-knox-the-twisted-tale-of-amanda-knox-interview/CNN. (2009, December 5). Amanda Knox convicted of murder in Italy. CNN.
https://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/europe/12/04/italy.knox.trialCNN. (2011, October 3). Amanda Knox acquitted of murder in Italy. CNN.
https://www.cnn.com/2011/10/03/world/europe/italy-knox-verdictCNN. (2014, January 30). Amanda Knox found guilty of murder again by Italian court. CNN.
https://www.cnn.com/2014/01/30/world/europe/italy-knox-verdictCurry, C. (2014, January 31). The U.S. and U.K. can’t agree on Amanda Knox. ABC News.
https://abcnews.go.com/International/us-uk-agree-amanda-knox/story?id=22310287Daily Mail. (2007, October 30). Lumumba: The popular, gentle bar owner willing to help anyone. Daily Mail.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-492165/Lumumba-The-popular-gentle-bar-owner-willing-help-anyone.htmlDistractify. (n.d.). Meredith Kercher autopsy: What we know. Distractify.
https://www.distractify.com/p/meredith-kercher-autopsyEntertainment Weekly. (2025, August). Where is Amanda Knox now? See what's become of the exonerated exchange student ahead of Hulu’s The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox. Entertainment Weekly.
https://ew.com/where-is-amanda-knox-now-11792134Famous Trials — Amanda Knox Case. (n.d.). Court decisions in the Amanda Knox case (PDF links), including the Massei Report. Famous-Trials.com.
https://famous-trials.com/amanda-knox/2638-court-decisions-in-the-amanda-knox-case-pdf-linksFamous Trials — Amanda Knox Case. (n.d.). Key prosecution evidence in the Amanda Knox trial. Famous-Trials.com.
https://famous-trials.com/amanda-knox/2639-key-prosecution-evidence-in-the-amanda-knox-trialFamous Trials — Amanda Knox Case. (n.d.). Raffaele’s 112 calls to police (Nov. 2, 2007). Famous-Trials.com.
https://famous-trials.com/amanda-knox/2632-raffaele-s-112-calls-to-police-nov-2-2007Forbes. (2025, August 21). Where is Amanda Knox now? What happened after her wrongful conviction in Italy? Forbes.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/monicamercuri/2025/08/21/where-is-amanda-knox-now-what-happened-after-her-wrongful-conviction-in-italy/France 24. (2019, June 13). Amanda Knox returns to Italy for ‘trial by media’ talk. France 24.
https://www.france24.com/en/20190613-amanda-knox-returns-italy-trial-media-talkGuardian, The. (2013, March 26). Amanda Knox: Murder acquittal overturned by Italian supreme court. The Guardian.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/mar/26/amanda-knox-murder-acquittal-overturnedGuardian, The. (2014, January 30). Amanda Knox found guilty of murder again by Italian court. The Guardian.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jan/30/amanda-knox-guilty-murder-italian-courtGuardian, The. (2015, March 28). Amanda Knox free: Rich American, Patrick Lumumba, and the Meredith Kercher murder. The Guardian.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/mar/28/amanda-knox-free-rich-american-patrick-lumumba-meredith-kercher-murderGuardian, The. (2019, June 15). Amanda Knox accuses media of depicting her as man-eating murderer. The Guardian.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/jun/15/amanda-knox-accuses-media-of-depicting-her-as-maneating-murdererHooper, J. (2007, November 22). Suspect’s DNA found in Meredith murder inquiry. The Guardian.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2007/nov/22/international.crimeInjustice in Perugia. (n.d.). Garage camera photos. InjusticeInPerugia.org.
https://www.injusticeinperugia.org/garage.htmlInjustice in Perugia. (n.d.). Meredith Kercher case — footprint evidence. TheMurderOfMeredithKercher.net.
https://themurderofmeredithkercher.net/S-evidence-footprints.htmlInjustice in Perugia. (n.d.). Mignini. Injustice in Perugia.
http://www.injusticeinperugia.org/Mignini.htmlInjustice in Perugia. (n.d.). The truth about the footprints, shoe prints and luminol ... InjusticeInPerugia.org.
https://www.injusticeinperugia.org/footprints-01.htmlKercher, J. (2012). Meredith. Hodder & Stoughton.
Kington, T. (2011, October 3). Meredith Kercher murder: Break-in and handprint clues at isolated cottage. The Guardian.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/oct/03/meredith-kercher-murder-break-in-handprintKing5. (2016, October 13). Investigators: Knox prosecutor has controversial history. King5.
https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/investigators-knox-prosecutor-has-controversial-history/281-333071294KnoxSollecito.wordpress.com. (n.d.). List of prosecution and press lies told about Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito.
https://knoxsollecito.wordpress.com/list-of-prosecution-and-press-lies-told-about-amanda-knox-and-raffaele-sollecito/La Stampa. (2011, October 4). Un’amara pillola da ingoiare: Il caso Kercher divide l’Italia. La Stampa.
https://www.lastampa.it/cronaca/2011/10/04/news/un-amara-pillola-da-ingoiare-il-caso-kercher-divide-l-italia-1.36930718London Review of Books. (2013, October 24). Nothing fits. London Review of Books.
https://www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v35/n20/nick-richardson/nothing-fitsMassei Report. (n.d.). Contents. Massei Report.
https://masseireport.wordpress.com/contents/31-2/Massei-Cristiani Report — WordPress. (2010, March). The Massei-Cristiani Report: On the conviction of Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito for the murder of Meredith Kercher.
https://masseireport.wordpress.com/about/Mirabella, J. G. (2014). Scales of justice: Assessing Italian criminal procedure through the Amanda Knox trial. Boston University International Law Journal, 32(1), 191–214.
https://www.bu.edu/ilj/files/2014/05/note_mirabella.pdfNetflix. (2016). Amanda Knox [Documentary]. Netflix.
Ott, T. (2025, January 24). The major moments from Amanda Knox’s trials for murder and slander. Biography.
https://www.biography.comPeople. (2024, June 7). Amanda Knox speaks out after being re-convicted of slander. People.
https://people.com/amanda-knox-speaks-out-after-reconviction-slander-8659948People. (2024, August 14). Amanda Knox slams Italian court’s reasoning for upholding her slander conviction: ‘Gaslighting’. People.
https://people.com/amanda-knox-slams-italian-court-for-upholding-her-slander-conviction-gaslighting-8695674People. (2025, April). Where is Amanda Knox now? A look at her life 10 years after exoneration – and what she’s told her young kids about her time in prison. People.
https://people.com/amanda-knox-life-now-11703757People. (2025, August 21). Man who killed Meredith Kercher, Amanda Knox’s roommate, freed from prison. People.
https://people.com/crime/man-who-killed-meredith-kercher-amanda-knox-roommate-freed-from-prison/Reddit discussion. (n.d.). Weren’t bloody footprints revealed to have belonged to... r/amandaknox.
https://www.reddit.com/r/amandaknox/comments/ws2ad8/werent_bloody_footprints_revealed_to_have/Rolling Stone. (2014, January 30). The neverending nightmare of Amanda Knox. Rolling Stone.
https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/the-neverending-nightmare-of-amanda-knox-244620/Seattle P-I. (2010, October 22). Monster of Florence: Amanda Knox prosecutor’s satanic theories rejected by judge. Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/monster-of-florence-amanda-knox-prosecutors-satanic-theories-rejected-by-judge/Seattle Post-Intelligencer. (2009, May 8). Expert says footprints belong to Knox, ex-boyfriend. SeattlePI.com.
https://www.seattlepi.com/local/article/Expert-says-footprints-belong-to-Knox-1303840.phpSeattle Times. (2011, October 4). Amanda Knox verdict a relief, but case raises questions about Italian justice system. The Seattle Times.
https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/amanda-knox-verdict-a-relief-but-case-raises-questions-about-italian-justice-systemSeattle Times. (2016, October 14). Amanda Knox prosecutor convicted of abuse of office. Seattle Times.
https://www.seattlepi.com/seattlenews/article/amanda-knox-prosecutor-convicted-of-abuse-of-894312.phpSollecito, R. (2012). Honor bound: My journey to hell and back with Amanda Knox. Gallery Books.
The Murder of Meredith Kercher — Blog. (n.d.). Case timeline — Postal Police arrival at 12:35 and scrutiny of call times. TheMurderOfMeredithKercher.net.
https://themurderofmeredithkercher.net/l-Case%20timeline.htmlTime. (2011, October 4). Amanda Knox acquitted: What the Italian press is saying. TIME.
https://newsfeed.time.com/2011/10/04/amanda-knox-acquitted-what-the-italian-press-is-sayingTime. (2015, March 28). Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito acquitted by Italian supreme court. TIME.
https://newsfeed.time.com/2015/03/28/amanda-knox-and-raffaele-sollecito-acquittedTime. (2024, March). What to know about Amanda Knox’s slander trial in Italy. TIME.
https://time.com/6965470/amanda-knoxs-slander-trial-italy/TSKY Magazine. (2011, November). Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito. TSKY Magazine.
https://tskymag.com/2011/11/amanda-knox-raffaele-sollecitoVanity Fair. (2008, June). Perugia: A murder in Italy. Vanity Fair.
https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2008/06/perugia200806Vanity Fair. (2025, April). Amanda Knox on false confessions, conspiracy theories, and her “sisterhood of ill repute.” Vanity Fair.
https://www.vanityfair.com/style/story/amanda-knox-free-interviewVincent, A. K. (2013). Waiting to be heard: A memoir. HarperCollins.
WRAL. (2025, January 23). Amanda Knox slander conviction upheld by Italy’s high court. WRAL.
https://www.wral.com/story/amanda-knox-slander-conviction-upheld-by-italy-s-high-court/21824091/Yahoo Entertainment. (2024, June 5). Where is Amanda Knox now? Inside her life after acquittal. Yahoo Entertainment.
https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/where-amanda-knox-now-inside-175647893.html
