Cruel Summer: The Violent Death of Tiffany Valiante

Season 1

1. Trailer: Cruel Summer: The Violent Death of Tiffany Valiante Trailer

   Show notes

   When the body of 18-year-old Tiffany Valiante was found on railroad tracks deep in the New Jersey Pine Barrens in the summer of 2015, it was all too easy for police to label her death a suicide. More than a decade later, journalist Marie McGovern takes you inside a remarkable four-year investigation into the terrible tragedy that became a frightening mystery.

   This 8-episode series debuts on August 20, 2026.

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   Aug 13, 2026 4 min

2. Into The Night | Chapter 1

   Episode 1

   Show notes

   For Tiffany Valiante the summer of 2015 was about enjoying the beach, the pool and parties before she left for college. But after a family gathering, she was found dead on railroad tracks. Marie retraces her steps that last night and is left with deeply troubling questions.

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   Aug 20, 2026 43 min

3. Summer of Silence | Chapter 2

   Episode 2

   Show notes

   Tiffany was popular, with a wide circle of friends. Marie is given unprecedented access to Tiffany's social media and reaches out to those who knew her best. She is shocked by what happens next.

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   Aug 27, 2026 41 min

4. Secret Friend | Chapter 3

   Episode 3

   Show notes

   There was a secret someone special in Tiffany's life. She breaks her silence to reveal her friend's state of mind and cast more doubt on the decision to label her death a suicide.

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   Sep 3, 2026 36 min

5. The Download | Chapter 4

   Episode 4

   Show notes

   Like any teenager, Tiffany's cell phone was the center of her life. Digital detectives unlock Tiffany's phone. And what Marie discovers in the new download is frightening and begins to reshape the entire investigation.

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   Sep 10, 2026 39 min

6. Rule Out Homicide | Chapter 5

   Episode 5

   Show notes

   The spotlight turns onto the original investigation as someone at the scene comes forward to reveal what she saw that fateful night. Her account shocks everyone as other experts dispute everything in the official reports.

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   Sep 17, 2026 41 min

7. How Do You Lose An Axe? | Chapter 6

   Episode 6

   Show notes

   Marie questions how potentially vital evidence goes missing, as Tiffany's mother finds herself at the center of a shocking development. And Marie uncovers a mysterious call answered on Tiffany's cell phone.

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   Sep 24, 2026 32 min

8. Cell Phones Don't Lie | Chapter 7

   Episode 7

   Show notes

   How could Tiffany's cell phone be moving when she was miles away at railroad tracks? That's not the only mystery. Why would she be making arrangements to meet friends at exactly the time she vanished into the night, supposedly to take her own life?

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   Oct 1, 2026 40 min

9. Run, I Say Run | Chapter 8

   Episode 8

   Show notes

   We discover the plans Tiffany had been making before she died and the podcast triggers a dramatic step forward in the investigation. There is a warning to those who have remained silent.

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   Oct 8, 2026 45 min