Amazing Life Shaped by Trauma and Resilience

July 18, 2025

West Palm Beach, Fl - To millions of viewers, Rod Demery is the calm, determined presence at the center of "Murder Chose Me", the hit Investigation Discovery true-crime series. But the man behind the badge and the camera is far more than a TV personality, he’s a decorated former homicide detective, a veteran, an author, and a man shaped by trauma and resilience in equal measure.

In a compelling episode of the "Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast" available for free on their website, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other platforms, Demery opens up about the life behind the screen, where murder wasn’t just his job, it was his reality.

“Murder didn’t just happen to be my job, it chose me,” Demery says. “It shaped who I became, both as a man and as a detective.”

The episode is available for free on the podcast’s website and is also streaming on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Facebook, Instagram, and other major social media and podcast platforms. The show’s team is also promoting this story across Medium, LinkedIn, and Blogspot, part of an ongoing effort to highlight voices in law enforcement who have walked the toughest paths imaginable.

A Childhood Marked by Tragedy

Rod Demery’s origin story reads like something out of the very cases he would later investigate. At just three years old, his mother was murdered, a violent, unsolved crime that would cast a long shadow over his early life. That experience eventually fueled his drive to pursue justice.

After serving in the U.S. Navy during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, Demery returned home and began working in civilian law enforcement. It wasn’t long before he joined the Shreveport Police Department in Louisiana, where he would eventually reopen and solve his mother’s cold case.

But Demery’s story was far from over.

“I had to go back to a place that broke me,” he told listeners. “But I couldn’t live with not knowing.”
Later, another unimaginable tragedy struck: Demery’s brother was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison.

“I could still see my brother as a kid, playing with GI Joes,” he shared in a past interview with "CrimeFeed". “Even after what he had done, I could see both sides. That’s what made me different.”

An Unmatched Career in Homicide Investigation

Demery brought that dual perspective to his work. Over the course of his career in homicide, he investigated more than 250 cases and served as lead investigator on over 60, nearly all of which he solved. He earned a reputation for a staggering 99% confession rate.

“It wasn’t about tricking them,” he explained on the podcast. “I talked to them like human beings. I didn’t judge them. That openness, that humanity, is what got them to talk.”

Beyond the Badge

Today, Rod Demery serves as Chief of Police at Grambling State University. He is S.W.A.T. certified, a trained hostage negotiator, and the founder of Demery Enterprises, a private security firm that works with NBA players and other high-profile individuals.

He’s also the author of two critically praised books: "Things My Daughters Need to Know" and "No Place for Race", both of which explore themes of family, race, and emotional growth.

Television gave him a powerful new platform. On "Murder Chose Me", viewers saw him work real-life murder cases, applying a blend of intuition, empathy, and investigative skill that made the show not only gripping but deeply human.

“Season three had some personal cases,” Demery said. “It forced me to re-evaluate myself. In some ways, I became more human.”

In addition to his work on "Murder Chose Me", he now co-hosts "Unearthed: Ancient Murder Mysteries" with Professor Turi King. The show, produced by Curiosity and Off the Fence, examines historical murders using modern forensic science, yet another testament to Demery’s evolving mission to uncover truth, no matter the century.

The Cost of Caring

But the toll of his career hasn’t come without cost.

“It became an obsession,” he admitted. “If someone got shot, that always took priority. I’ve had girlfriends ask me if they had to die to get my attention.”

Now, Demery says he's striving for balance, still committed to justice but working to protect his own emotional well-being, too.

His story is more than one of professional success. It’s about channeling personal pain into a life of purpose. It’s about empathy in the face of horror, and resilience in the aftermath of grief.

“Murder chose me,” Demery says, “but I chose to do something with it.”

You can listen to the full conversation with Rod Demery on the "Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast", streaming now for free on their official website, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Facebook, Instagram, and most major platforms. For more true crime stories, exclusive interviews, and behind-the-scenes insights from those who serve and protect, follow the show and stay tuned.