56: The Hills We Die On pt.2: Something in the Waters

Grant Thomas
Jun 5, 2024
2 min read

Updated: May 22

Criminal justice, true crime, and the bonds of family all clash in today's podcast episode! It starts with a story we've heard before. An innocent man is convicted of a crime he did not commit. Facing life in prison few believe in his innocence or his chances to overturn his conviction. Fortunately, for his sister, this is a hill she is willing to die on. Learn who is Kenny Waters, who is Betty Anne Waters, and the power of a sibling with a little bit of fight. Trace how Kenny’s indomitable sister, Betty Ann Waters, fought through law school, uncovered hidden DNA evidence, and finally cleared her brother’s name—only for tragedy to strike months after his release. Expect belly laughs, righteous rage over police misconduct, and a poignant tribute to sibling devotion, all wrapped in the show’s signature mix of chaotic chatter and true‑crime rabbit holes.

Dive into Kenny Waters’ wrongful‑conviction saga—“Something in the Waters.”

Chapters/Key takeaways to listen for

[00:00:45] Birthday Jazz Hands: Casey’s 25th gets ambushed by a surprise trumpet rendition of “Happy Birthday”
[00:05:25] Cat‑Astrophic Bonding: Meet the inseparable orange barn cats who stole Maia’s heart and the feed bucket
[00:12:50] Teacher Burnout™ Check‑In: Grant’s quarter‑four stress spiral finally snaps as summer break looms (and a Sonoma wine trip beckons)
[00:26:39] Something in the Waters: Grant lays out the wild timeline of Kenny Waters’ 18‑year wrongful imprisonment and the detective work that freed him
[00:36:40] Betty Ann the GOAT: How one sister earned her GED, college degree, law degree and demolished a murder conviction
[00:48:05] Evidence in a Storage Unit: The fingerprint file that could’ve cleared Kenny on day one was chilling in a retired cop’s Florida locker
[01:04:15] Merch Drop Alert: New “Well I Laughed” hats & tees are finally live
[01:09:30] Podcast‑Within‑a‑Podcast: Golden State Killer, the Innocence Project, and Patton Oswalt’s late wife Michelle McNamara get shout‑outs

Photos Referenced:

*Kenneth Waters and Betty Anne Waters - Photo by John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe via Getty Images*

*Kenneth Waters and Betty Anne Waters - courtesy of the Innocence Project*

Quotes:

"Women always in every industry have to prove themselves like what 50% more than a man does, and I feel like in policing that becomes incredibly difficult because of the heightened misogyny and because the stakes are someone's life." - Maia Warner

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