thorough investigations

In November 2019, a teenager pretending to be the son of a Russian oligarch was found dead by the river Thames. Police investigated but the parents of 19-year-old Zac Brettler felt they still lacked answers. Now a Sunday Times' investigation has uncovered evidence that raises serious questions about the Metropolitan Police's handling of the case. 

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Guest: Gabriel Pogrund, Whitehall Editor, The Sunday Times.

Host: Manven Rana.

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The investigation into the murder of a prominent couple on their Nebraska farm is upended after the discovery of a small, gold ring at the crime scene. Keith Morrison has chosen this episode as one of his most memorable classic episodes.

Last spring, Brandon Hole’s mother alerted the police in Indiana about her son’s worrying behavior. Invoking the state’s “red flag” law, officers seized his firearm.

But Mr. Hole was able to legally purchase other weapons, and last week, he opened fire on a FedEx facility, killing eight people and then himself.

Why did the law fail?

Guest: Campbell Robertson, a national correspondent for The New York Times. 

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Background reading: 

• Red flag laws are supposed to keep guns away from people who should not have them. That did not happen with Mr. Hole.
• Citing shortcomings of the state’s red flag law, the senior county prosecutor in Indianapolis explained why he did not seek a ruling last year that would have barred Mr. Hole from possessing guns.

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.