The public builds a special relationship withpopular news anchors.
It’s a huge responsibility, and they work incredibly hard to get to that coveted primetime TV spot.
Susan Hendricks is one of them.
In 2023, she spoke to Sandra Ebejer forShondaland.
“My mom would say, ‘I don’t know about these crimes.
You have to take a break.
I don’t think you should be doing this’ …
In fact, Hendricks arguably got involved on a deeper level than some other TV journalists would.
She spent hours with the families of Abby Williams and Libby German.
She also spent time with the police and within the local community as they sought to catch the killer.
She toldShondalandthe same year that the location of the murder resonated with her.
“I remember being 13 and 14 and having the freedom to be outside.
I remember going in the woods in the back of my house near a brook.
My sister and I spent so many hours down there.
I felt an immediate connection.”
That’s why so many podcasts and Netflix documentaries become sensations.
Stories captivate us as we venture to understand why such awful things can happen.
In 2021, she attended alongside members of the German family.
She even launched her ownYouTube channel, “Headline Crime,” in January 2024.
Hendricks hosts the show with Dan Szematowicz and has interviewed some interesting guests.
Among them were victimology expert Dr. Ann Burgess and retired law enforcement officer Mike King.
The family has been growing and thriving in it ever since.
In 2024, she posted aphotographof 8-year-old Jackson holding Henry Winkler’s autobiography, “Being Henry.”
The year prior, she posted asnapof herself tightly hugging one of her children as a throwback.
As recently as 2024, Hendricks appeared at The Gabby Petito Foundation’s first golf tournament.
In an interview withShondaland, Hendricks said how Petito’s case effectively changed the landscape of detective work.
She continued, saying, “There was a stark difference for me to where it became ridiculous.
I couldn’t believe some of the things that I was seeing on YouTube.”
She’s an advocate for victims
Susan Hendricks is many things to many people.
The list is endless.
But perhaps her biggest and most honorable accomplishment is that she’s a tireless advocate for victims.
Hendricks' Instagram feed could be full of selfies and high-flying press events, but it’s not.
I’ve seen the best and the worst of humanity.
I have also witnessed unshakable courage during heartache and loss.”
Her experiences on certain cases changed that, she wrote.
