Talking Dateline: The Death of Dr. Schwartz
- Nov 5, 2025
- 31:11
- Full Episode
<p>Blayne Alexander joins Keith Morrison to discuss her episode, “The Death of Dr. Schwartz.” In 2014, Dr. Steven Schwartz was found murdered in his Tarpon Springs, Florida, home. What initially looked like a burglary gone wrong turned out to be something much darker. Investigators uncovered a story of greed, betrayal, and a hidden past that stunned even those closest to the doctor. Blayne shares her experience reporting the case across Florida, Texas, New Mexico, and Albania — where she spoke to a man who was convicted in connection to the crime. She also shares her conversation with Detective Lara Scarpatti, one of the first officers on the scene, about the unusual behavior she noticed that night. Later, Blayne is joined by producer Rob Buchanan to answer viewer questions about the episode, including why so many Dateline stories seem to take place in Florida.</p><p>Have a question for Talking Dateline? DM us @DatelineNBC or leave a voicemail at (212) 413-5252 — your question might be featured in an upcoming episode.</p><p>Listen to the full episode of “The Death of Dr. Schwartz” on Apple: <a href="https://apple.co/4hJ72ps">https://apple.co/4hJ72ps</a></p><p>Listen on Spotify: <a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/1gKv6KixEUIJej1dbPke8s">https://open.spotify.com/episode/1gKv6KixEUIJej1dbPke8s</a></p><br/> <p>Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.</p>
Brief Summary
The episode covers Dr. Schwartz's murder, investigation twists, Leo's involvement, and family dynamics surrounding the case.
Key points
- The Death of Dr. Schwartz. A shocking tale of betrayal and hidden pasts surrounding Dr. Schwartz's death.
- Blaine's Journey to Albania. Blaine shares her whirlwind trip to Albania for the story.
- Leo's Confession. Leo claims he was roped into the crime, but investigators see a different story.
- Rebecca's Odd Behavior. Rebecca Schwartz's strange demeanor raises suspicions at the crime scene.
- Carter's Loss. Carter Schwartz reflects on his father's death and the impact on his life.
- Rebecca's Courtroom Encounter. Rob shares a chilling moment when he met Rebecca in court, feeling her hostility.
Episode highlights
- The Death of Dr. SchwartzA shocking tale of betrayal and hidden pasts surrounding Dr. Schwartz's death.“It was just meant to look like a burglary.”0:28Nov 5, 2025
- Blaine's Journey to AlbaniaBlaine shares her whirlwind trip to Albania for the story.“We spent more time traveling to and from Albania than we actually did on the ground in Albania.”1:47Nov 5, 2025
- Leo's ConfessionLeo claims he was roped into the crime, but investigators see a different story.“Investigators believe that he actually was very much more involved in all of this.”4:17Nov 5, 2025
- Rebecca's Odd BehaviorRebecca Schwartz's strange demeanor raises suspicions at the crime scene.“She said, there's probably a dead body inside.”18:12Nov 5, 2025
- Carter's LossCarter Schwartz reflects on his father's death and the impact on his life.“He feels that he was robbed of that opportunity as well.”21:06Nov 5, 2025
- Rebecca's Courtroom EncounterRob shares a chilling moment when he met Rebecca in court, feeling her hostility.“I felt if she could shoot missiles out of her eyes, I would have been dead.”24:19Nov 5, 2025
- Ben's Surprising ResponseBen Nichols, Rebecca's estranged son, gives an unexpected answer about his mother's involvement.“I don't know how I would answer that question.”29:58Nov 5, 2025
