Murder & Magnolias - Introducing: Deadly Engagement

Episode Date: September 9, 2025

Hey Dateline fans! As a bonus for you, we’re sharing the trailer for Deadly Engagement an all-new original podcast series from Dateline and Josh Mankiewicz. It’s the story of Denita Smith, a promising young photographer with a bright future and engagement ring from a man she loved. But her future vanished in a puff of gun smoke when a mysterious assailant shot her dead outside her home. Dateline’s Josh Mankiewicz takes us to North Carolina for a twisted story that reveals a love triangle involving sex, lies and an audio tape that had everyone guessing who really killed Denita.  Follow now to get the first two episodes on Tuesday, September 16 completely free. Or subscribe to Dateline Premium on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or DatelinePremium.com to hear the first two episodes now. Subscribers receive ad-free listening and early access to subsequent episodes.

The guy thought he had a good thing going, a good job, and two lovers living in separate cities. One girlfriend in Greensboro. And one in Durham. And never the twain shall meet. That was the plan. That is, until the math in this triangle got complicated. And somebody had to go. slip.

You need the I'll see you move away, man. Okay. Three minus one left two potential suspects, two alibis and two fingers pointing at each other.

Somebody was going to prison for life. But who? What this trial was about is which one is it? Our latest podcast takes us to a college campus in Durham, North Carolina,

for a story about the murder of a beautiful and talented grad student. It's a story about jealousy, revenge, and bad choices. It just shows you that, man, our actions have consequences. And it may seem as though, as, hey, you know, we're all grownups here, but stuff happens. And in this situation, pretty bad stuff happened. It's a story of double lives. and dangerous risks.

A story that's sure to keep you guessing as lovers turn on each other in a desperate bid to avoid prison. He got scary. He would leave threatening messages, showing up unannounced, angry, calling my job nonstop. She called me from a untraceable

re-delect service number that doesn't know you chase the original source of the call. If we can ever prove who was stalking whom, I think we have our case. I'm Josh Mankewitz, and this is Deadly Engagement, an all-new podcast from Dateline. Beginning Monday, September 16th, you can listen to the latest episodes completely free. Or to begin listening now, subscribe to Dateline Premium on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or Datelinepremium.com.

Subscribers get early access to new episodes and can listen to all Dateline Podcasts. Add free.