Laura's Personal Tale

In this episode, memoirist and essayist Laura Donovan joins Celene Beth to talk about her path from digital journalism to true crime and personal storytelling. Laura, who once served as the social media manager for Crime Watch Daily with Chris Hansen, shares what it was like working in the fast-paced world of true crime TV—including her experience collaborating with Billy Jensen, a former fixture in the genre whose influence has faded following sexual assault allegations and the removal of his podcast from the Exactly Right Network.

Now a writer focused on neurodivergence, identity, and motherhood, Laura opens up about being diagnosed with autism after both of her young sons received the same diagnosis. She discusses how that revelation reframed her understanding of herself, her relationships, and her past—including her time in the true crime world. A lifelong observer and self-described grown-up Harriet the Spy (if Harriet got a little softer with age), Laura brings a unique lens to storytelling—one sharpened by her neurodivergence, deep curiosity, and passion for justice.

She also sheds light on the cold case of Ashley Brown, a Nashville nurse who went missing in December 2016 and was later found murdered. Ashley’s story remains unsolved and largely overlooked, and Laura discusses why these kinds of stories matter, and what still needs to be done.

If you have any information related to Ashley Brown’s case, please contact the Metro Nashville Police Department’s Cold Case Unit at [phone].