Ep 17. The Women and Dirty John

In Dateline season 26 episode 17, titled "The Women and Dirty John," the show dives into the shocking and dramatic story of a con artist who preyed on unsuspecting women. John Meehan was a man who seemed too good to be true. He was charming, intelligent, and successful. He met his victims on dating websites and used his charisma and smooth talk to manipulate them into believing that he was a wealthy anesthesiologist who was madly in love with them. But in reality, John was a liar and a fraud. He was a drug addict with a criminal history and a long list of aliases who was only after one thing: money.

The episode begins by introducing viewers to Debra Newell, a successful businesswoman from Orange County, California. Debra meets John on a dating website and is immediately smitten by his charm and wit. Despite warnings from her family and friends about John's shady past, Debra chooses to trust him and begins a whirlwind romance that leads to marriage. However, as time goes on, Debra begins to see a darker side of John. He becomes possessive, controlling, and violent. Debra realizes that she has been duped by a con artist and that her life is in danger.

The show also features interviews with other women who fell victim to John's manipulative ways. One of them is Tonia Bales, a nurse from Indiana who met John on a dating website while going through a divorce. Tonia falls for John's lies and ends up marrying him. However, she soon discovers that John is not the man he claims to be and that he has been stealing money from her. Tonia tries to leave John, but he becomes violent and threatens to kill her. Tonia's harrowing story is a stark reminder of the dangers of online dating and the importance of listening to intuition.

Throughout the episode, viewers also learn about the investigation into John's past and the crimes he committed. The police discover that John has a long history of drug addiction, theft, and violence. He has used several aliases and has even posed as a doctor to fool his victims. Through interviews with law enforcement and prosecutors, viewers gain insight into the tactics that John used to con his victims and the challenges that investigators faced in bringing him to justice.

"The Women and Dirty John" is a powerful and gripping episode of Dateline that explores the victims of a notorious con artist and the impact that his deception had on their lives. It is a cautionary tale about the dangers of online dating and the importance of being aware of red flags. The episode also provides a glimpse into the criminal justice system and the tireless efforts of law enforcement to protect the public from dangerous predators. As with many Dateline episodes, "The Women and Dirty John" will keep viewers on the edge of their seats and leave them questioning how someone could be so cruel and calculating.