Alysia Sofios has spent more than two decades reporting on some of the nation's most high-profile criminal cases. Now, the Michigan State University journalism alumna is bringing victims, survivors and family members together on stage through a new live event series called "Crime Unfiltered", designed to move beyond sensational headlines and focus on the people whose lives have been forever changed.
Sofios, who graduated from the College of Communication Arts and Sciences in 2000 with a bachelor's degree in journalism, recently launched "Crime Unfiltered" with criminologist and victimologist Nicky Jackson. The series gives people connected to some of the country's most widely known criminal cases the opportunity to share their experiences in their own words, offering audiences a deeper understanding of the lasting effects of crime beyond the headlines.
Panelists at the inaugural events in Royal Oak, Michigan, and Indianapolis this past June included John Ramsey, father of JonBenét Ramsey; Nicole Schmidt, mother of Gabby Petito; Shawn Licari, featured in the Netflix documentary Unknown Number: The High School Catfish; and others.
"It's easy to have opinions about someone who exists only on a screen," Sofios said. "Then you sit in the same room with them. You hear the story in their voice, see what it cost them and realize they're not a case or a character. They're a person who still has to live with what happened to them. That is the goal with the live shows."
The response from both panelists and audience members affirmed that vision.
"What stayed with me most was how quickly the guests connected to each other and the people in the audience. It felt intimate," Sofios said. "The audience surprised me, too. People weren't just chasing the salacious details. They asked about grief, survival, healing and what the media got wrong. There were moments when the room became so quiet you could actually feel everyone listening."
Sofios plans to expand "Crime Unfiltered" to additional cities across the country while also exploring stand-alone events that dive more deeply into individual stories.
She will also return to her alma mater on Sept. 16 to speak with students in professor Geri Alumit Zeldes' JRN/DS/FLM 211 Documentary Film History and Theory course, sharing lessons from a career that has spanned television news, documentaries and bestselling true crime books.
Objectivity without indifference
For Sofios, telling stories with empathy has become the defining principle of her work.
"I have learned criminal cases are much more complicated than innocent or guilty," she said. "Everyone has a story. Even people convicted of the worst possible crimes. I stepped into the documentary world so I could dive deeper into stories without the time constraints and daily deadlines."
Reflecting on her career, she added, "I've learned objectivity doesn't require indifference, and I always err on the side of being human."
That philosophy has guided Sofios since long before she launched "Crime Unfiltered."
"Honestly, my journalism career began with a childhood refusal to go to bed," she said. "I told my parents I needed to stay up past 11 p.m. because I loved the local news. It was really just a way to get a later bedtime. Somewhere along the way, though, I actually started watching the news and caring about current events."
That childhood curiosity eventually grew into a career as an award-winning television journalist, bestselling true crime author and documentary producer.
From MSU to high-profile criminal cases
Starting in her sophomore year at MSU, Sofios began her career working in the basement of East Lansing City Hall as a one-person cable access crew before joining WSYM-TV in Lansing as a reporter and weekend anchor after she graduated. She later moved to Fresno, California, where she became an investigative reporter covering major criminal cases, including the Scott Peterson trial and the murders committed by Marcus Wesson.
Sofios was the first reporter to learn of the Wesson murders and secured in-depth interviews with many surviving members of the family. During her reporting, she developed close relationships with several survivors, offering them temporary housing and support as they rebuilt their lives — a decision that carried both personal and professional risks.
Her book, Where Hope Begins, later reprinted as Deadly Devotion, co-authored with Caitlin Rother, chronicles the case, its aftermath and the experiences of the surviving family members.
Putting people before the story
She carried the same approach into documentary filmmaking, including her work on Unknown Number: The High School Catfish, where she focused on the experiences of the Licari and McKenny families rather than simply recounting the crime itself.
"I only approach the subjects of a case if I truly believe I am the right person to tell their story," Sofios said. "On the same hand, I am honest. 'I'm here for the right reasons, but this is only my job. It's your life.' I never pretend to know what it's like to be in their shoes. The first time I sat down with Shawn and Lauryn from Unknown Number, I told them I thought sharing their experience would help a lot of people."
Whether reporting breaking news, producing documentaries or creating live events, Sofios said she hopes audiences leave with a greater understanding of the people behind the headlines.
"I want to tell the truth: this profession can be brutal and all-consuming," she said. "It can tear you down and make you question everything you thought you knew about life. It can also put you in rooms where history is unfolding. On the best days, the work matters. Really matters."
By Casey Halas