Today we’d like to introduce you to Kourtney Laymance.
Hi Kourtney, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I am an independent investigative journalist and host of When A Killer Calls: A True Crime Podcast. My fascination with true crime began in childhood, nurtured by evenings watching Dateline and classic horror movies with my grandparents. At twelve, I learned of a serious crime within my own family—committed by a relative I had known well. The silence that surrounded it left me with unanswered questions, and years later, I sought out the case files myself. Reading the evidence about someone I loved revealed a truth that has shaped my work ever since: nothing is ever as it seems. For the past five years, I have dedicated my career to investigating unsolved murders and disappearances, amplifying cases that might otherwise remain in the shadows. I work closely with victims’ families and support true crime–related organizations, ensuring that every story is handled with integrity, empathy, and respect. Leveraging the reach of social media, I strive to bring national attention to cases in need, using storytelling as both a tool for awareness and a catalyst for change.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has not always been a smooth road. As someone in the media, you can expect a certain level of ugliness by people online: sitting in the comfort of their own home, typing hateful words behind a phone or computer screen, with no idea how much their words can truly affect someone. I’ve gotten my fair share of hurtful words, but honestly, the outcome of the work I’m doing far outweighs how I feel when I read some of those comments. At the end of the day, my main goal has always been the same: make my content solely about the victims and their need for justice. It has never been about me, and over the years I have had the pleasure of working with some amazing families who have been relentless in fighting for their loved ones. Nothing beats that feeling, that, and getting to watch the content I create gain traction and go viral, especially in long term cold cases where really the only hope is social media to help spread the word. It’s one step closer in solving a case and giving the voices back to the voiceless. And that feeling right there trumps any mean comment online!
We’ve been impressed with Crime With Kourt on all social media platforms, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I’m an independent true crime journalist specializing in cold cases—missing persons and unsolved murders, many of them right here in Utah. My work blends investigative storytelling with the reach of social media, creating in-depth, fact-driven videos that focus on the victims, not the perpetrators. I’m known for breaking down complex cases into compelling, 10-minute narratives that draw millions of viewers from around the world—even those who don’t typically follow true crime. What sets me apart is the trust I’ve earned from victims’ families, who allow me to share their loved ones’ stories with integrity and respect. My goal is simple but urgent: to give a voice to the voiceless, revive forgotten cases, and spark conversations that might just lead to answers. Along the way, I’ve partnered with brands like Netflix, Hulu, and Investigation Discovery, and recently sat down with bestselling author Dennis Lehane to discuss the psychology of crime for his new Apple TV series. Whether local or not, if you have a story that needs to be heard, I want to help. One day, I hope this work will not only raise awareness—but help solve a case. If you have a story that needs to be heard, email me at: CrimeWithKourt@gmail.com. Or you can head to my TikTok: @CrimeWithKourt to submit your case via the link in my bio. You can also DM me on Instagram, same handle, for more urgent case requests.
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
There’s a few avenues that I see my business going down over the next 5-10 years. First and foremost, I see myself creating more long-form content on platforms like YouTube, and growing my podcast, When A Killer Calls: A True Crime Podcast. I see myself getting my own studio soon so that I’ll be able to fly guests in to speak with them face to face, not just over Zoom. I believe getting to speak to the victims families, and even survivors of horrific crimes who want to share their story, in person, will set my content apart from the rest. It will make their stories go far and wide, and hopefully lead to justice. Another avenue I see myself going down is becoming an author. I have always been a creative person, one who loves to write. In middle school and high school, I was dead set on going to college to become a news reporter. Unfortunately life got in the way and I never made that happen, but in a sense, I did. I just created my own path, where now I work for myself and there are no limitations to what stories I can talk about. But with that passion, I also loved to read and write. I have always been drawn to horror/psychological thriller books, so one of the biggest goals I have is to become an author and write some best selling books within that genre. I have also thought about writing a book about what it was like growing up knowing I had a killer in my family. That’s something that is never easy to navigate, especially as a child, so I’d love to explore that part of my life and share it with the world. The person who committed this crime is still in my family. They have spent their time in jail and have moved forward in their life, so if they ever felt inclined, I’d love to be able to sit down with them and interview them for this book. My writing would deeply explore the psychology behind what makes a person snap and do the unthinkable, paired with their perspective and how they navigated life after the crime. I think this would be a very meaningful book to not just my family, but to those who have gone through the same thing. It would be a very unique exploration, that’s for sure.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crimewithkourt/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@crimewithkourt
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@crimewithkourt?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc
