S1:A Cold Whispers True Crime Documentary E6: Buried Truths – The Kraus Confession

In this gripping episode of Duty or Darkness?, we uncover one of the most shocking true-crime moments of 2025: the on-camera murder confession of Lorenz Kraus, a 53-year-old man from Albany, New York, who walked into a TV newsroom and openly admitted he had killed and buried his elderly parents nearly eight years earlier.

The police investigation began when law enforcement noticed Franz and Theresia Kraus — missing since 2017 — were still collecting Social Security benefits. A welfare check led to a search of the family home, where two bodies were unearthed in the backyard.

Kraus’s televised confession — where he described suffocating and strangling his parents and then burying them — drew national attention and sparked intense debate on media ethics, justice, and psychological motives. Despite confessing on camera, Kraus later pleaded not guilty to murder and concealment charges, setting the stage for a controversial and complex legal battle.

Join hosts Mike and Sarah as they examine:

• How the case first emerged

• What led to the shocking confession

• The role of Social Security fraud and backyard graves

• Media responsibility and legal ramifications

• Questions of mercy, madness, or motive

Whether you’re a true crime fan, psychology enthusiast, or criminal justice follower, this episode breaks down every layer of one of the year’s most surreal crime stories.

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