ABC News Launches True-Crime Podcast Examining 2016 Murder of Sarah Stern

A December night on the Jersey Shore, an abandoned car on a bridge above the Shark River, and a 19-year-old aspiring artist who seemingly vanished into thin air: that is where "Bridge of Lies" begins. The six-part true-crime podcast from 20/20 and ABC Audio premieres today, March 10, hosted by multiple Emmy Award-winning Nightline co-anchor Juju Chang in her podcasting debut.

The series documents the disappearance, betrayal and murder of Sarah Stern, whose car was found abandoned on a bridge overlooking the Shark River in a small New Jersey beach town in December 2016. What authorities initially believed to be a suicide soon unraveled into something far darker. Friends told investigators Stern might have jumped or fled to Canada. But troubling statements, suspicious omissions, and the discovery of a partially-burned cache of money pushed the investigation in a new direction. The case ultimately broke open through a daring undercover sting operation staged by an up-and-coming filmmaker, capturing the betrayal on tape and helping put Stern's murderer behind bars.

The show does not shy away from the raw audio that defined the investigation. Listeners will hear actual 911 calls from that night, including a dispatcher asking "Was there anybody inside the vehicle?" and a first responder responding "I looked now and the driver is nowhere to be found," followed by the grim admission: "I don't know if we got a jumper or what. Could have pulled up there and just jumped off the bridge." The series also features recordings from the sting operation itself, in which a voice tells an associate: "Bro, this is like a movie. The cops haven't questioned me. I know you're not a rat, but we gotta play it safe." ABC describes the series as a story about "friendship, greed and the terrifying realization that the person you trust most may be capable of the unthinkable."

Chang, who has spent a decade leading investigative reporting on Nightline, brings those credentials to audio for the first time. ABC's press materials describe her as "bringing her natural storytelling talent and trusted voice to the audio space." In the show's trailer, Chang frames the case plainly: "Old friendships, buried cash, and a sinister plot that was once pitched as a movie plays out in real life."

New episodes drop Tuesdays on the dedicated Bridge of Lies feed via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Amazon Music. Listeners following the series through the 20/20 podcast feed should note that those episodes post on Wednesdays, so check the feed you follow for the correct release day.

Bridge of Lies arrives as part of ABC Audio's expanding true-crime slate. Previous series including "Bad Rap: The Case Against Diddy," "What Happened to Holly Bobo?" and "Devil in the Desert" landed on Apple and Spotify Best Of lists, with "Devil in the Desert" holding the No. 1 position on Apple Podcasts' Top Shows chart for more than three consecutive weeks, making it the most successful ABC Audio and 20/20 limited series ever produced.

A second limited series is already on the horizon. Emmy-nominated national correspondent Stephanie Ramos, also a first-time podcast host, will helm "Blood and Water," which launches April 21 and examines the 23-year cold case murder of Washington, D.C. resident Leslie Preer.