DALLAS, TX — May 25, 2022 – Robert Riggs an executive producer of Freed To Kill and creator of the True Crime Reporter® podcast announced today that the TV documentary was honored with a 2022 Silver Telly Award. 

Freed To Kill is a spinoff of the first season of the True Crime Reporter® podcast about serial killer Kenneth McDuff.  Peabody Award-Winning Investigative Reporter Robert Riggs exposed how the death row inmate was released on parole in Texas under a cloud of corruption. 

Prior to the release of the 5-part documentary series on Fox Nation Streaming in March, podnews asked the question, “Is Robert Riggs the first independent podcaster to turn a podcast into a TV show?”  While not the first, Riggs’ hit show co-produced with Big Media TV, may be among the biggest budget productions to crossover from a podcast.

The Bubble Lounge Podcast in Dallas recently described Riggs as a “prolific storyteller in the spirit of fellow Texan Taylor Sheridan, the creator of Yellowstone and 1883. 

Freed To Kill features Riggs as the principal storyteller and includes decorated former U.S. prosecutor Bill Johnston who launched the manhunt for McDuff. Johnston joined Riggs on the podcast in 2022 to tell “real-life” crime stories based on their respective careers. 

The duo has been up close and personal with serial killers, mass murderers, sexual predators, and terrorists.  Every episode takes listeners inside the yellow crime scene tape where most podcasters have never dared to go. 

Riggs and Johnston are currently spinning off more television shows from their podcast episodes titled, Texas Ranger Case Files – Untold Stories of Murders, Kidnappings, and Cold Case.  Based on their reputation, the leadership of the  Texas Department of Public Safety and the Texas Rangers have pledged unprecedented support for their work.  

Russell Molina, The Chairman of the 2023 Texas Ranger Bicentennial invited both Riggs and Johnston to serve on its host committee along with President George W. Bush and Ross Perot Jr. stating, “When it comes to the Texas Rangers, Riggs is the quintessential journalist to tell their story and Johnston has worked elbow to elbow with Rangers to solve crimes.”

Riggs is a member of the FBI’s North Texas Chapter of InfraGard, established in response to the 9/11 terror attacks. He has received honors from the Dallas Crime Commission and the American Bar Association’s Silver Gavel Award. 

Riggs has also received three coveted Alfred I. duPont Columbia University Journalism Awards for Investigative Reporting — one for his coverage of Gulf War I.

The Big Media Production Team cited for The Telly Award also includes Executive Producers; Glenn Kirschbaum, Seth Isler, Ron Frank, Danny Wilk, Martin Kase, Jon Loew, And Producer; Susan Sullivan. 

Seiler Burr, the audio producer of the True Crime Reporter® podcast also worked as a production assistant on Freed To Kill. Max Montoya a Senior Director of Big Media TV played a key role in developing the podcast for television. 

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