Pivot to Podcasting
Never one to stay idle, Riggs continues to create new projects, podcasts and television programs. One current project is the podcast “True Crime Reporter,” hosted by Riggs and former federal prosecutor Bill Johnston. The duo uses four decades of field experience to pry into stories of murder and mystery, many of which happened right here in Texas.
“My interest in true crime was influenced by my late father, Stanley Riggs. He was a small businessman in Paris, Texas, and served as police commissioner,” Riggs shared. “When I was in high school, you could find an FBI Agent, Texas Ranger, State Trooper, the Sheriff and assorted police officers gathered at our kitchen table on Friday nights drinking coffee. During holiday breaks from Texas A&M, I would ride on patrol with local troopers so they had backup in the event of trouble.”
True Crime Reporter’s first season focused on notorious Texan serial killer Kenneth McDuff and is now being made into a documentary series. Riggs currently serves as the show’s executive producer and sees new production opportunities for true crime television on the horizon for himself and his team.
His earlier pivot into audio-only storytelling has proven a worthwhile endeavor. “People would tell me I had a voice for radio,” he said. As a Texan who has been on-air for much of his life, his voice is uniquely suited for weaving tales of true crime. His show was even featured on the first-ever live remote broadcast on Fireside Chat, a social audio platform co-founded by media mogul Mark Cuban and noted tech entrepreneur Falon Fatemi.
Throughout the changes in his career, Riggs’ chameleon-like adaptability has stayed an odd constant. Whether it was in a design studio as a college student or captivating listeners with a story over the airwaves, creativity is at the heart of all Riggs does. From a teenager fresh out of Paris, Texas, to a successful reporter at the height of his career, Riggs has been guided by truth, justice and the power of a good story.
To learn how you can help the College of Architecture develop other outstanding graduates like Riggs, contact Erik Baker, senior director of development, at the bottom of this page.