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Crime News Dirty John, The Dirty Truth

'Dirty John, The Dirty Truth' Premieres In January On Oxygen

The documentary delves deep into the life of con-man John Meehan through the eyes of the real people involved.

By John Thrasher
Dirty John, The Dirty Truth is Coming this January

This January, Oxygen Media, the destination for high-quality crime programming, will premiere a two-hour documentary, “Dirty John, The Dirty Truth.”  A companion to Bravo’s scripted anthology, the special goes beyond the articles and podcasts made famous by Los Angeles Times reporter Christopher Goffard, and traces con-man John Meehan’s trail of manipulation that started long before he met Debra Newell.  Through the eyes of the real people he deceived, the documentary takes a deep dive into his troubled past, his altercations with law enforcement, and features exclusive interviews with former girlfriends who speak out for the very first time.

John Meehan created a terrifying trap of seduction, deceit and betrayal for countless victims. The illuminating revelations into his backstory showcase a series of events that flipped switches to create a monster wired for psychopathy. Goffard exposes John’s troubled background that built the foundation for his ominous fantasy world of lies and manipulation.  In addition to hearing the Newell family’s terrifying tale, John’s first wife Tonia Bales and her daughters Emily and Abigail Meehan speak out, along with other women from his past who were caught in his web of lies. With access to never been heard threatening phone calls, alarming police reports and more, Detective Dennis Lukens in Ohio and Detective Julia Bowman from Orange County reveal their tribulations and struggle to get him behind bars. Behavioral analyst and coercive control expert Laura Richards offers an explanation into the psychology of why women dated him in the first place, while new archival footage takes us into the dangerous and devious world of John Meehan.

Produced by Herzog & Company and Los Angeles Times Studios, “Dirty John, The Dirty Truth” is executive produced by Mark Herzog, Chris Argentieri and Christopher G. Cowen. Show runner Sara Mast also serves as an executive producer.

Bravo Media’s scripted anthology Dirty John,” starring Connie Britton and Eric Bana, begins on Sunday, November 25, airing for eight weeks on Sunday nights at 10 pm ET/PT.

About Oxygen Media:

Oxygen Media is a multiplatform crime destination brand for women. Having announced the full-time shift to true crime programming in 2017, Oxygen remains one of the fastest growing cable entertainment networks with popular unscripted original programming that includes the flagship “Snapped” franchise, “Cold Justice,” “Killer Couples,” “Criminal Confessions,” and breakout hit event series such as “The Disappearance of Natalee Holloway,” “Dahmer on Dahmer: A Killer Speaks,” and “Aaron Hernandez Uncovered.” Available in more than 77 million homes, Oxygen is a program service of NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment, a division of NBCUniversal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience. Watch Oxygen anywhere: On Demand, online, or across mobile and connected TVs.