27 True-Crime Pop Culture Shocks So Wild, Even Your Horoscope Would Warn You About Them!
Added on December 7, 2025 inCelebrity News Cards, Entertainment News Cards
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Ever wonder if the stars could skip a beat and hand you a cosmic plot twist worthy of a sitcom? Well, back in August 2003, Juan Catalan found himself unwillingly cast in a drama that even Mercury in retrograde couldn’t have predicted. Accused of a crime he swore he didn’t commit—the murder of a teenage girl—Juan’s alibi was as tough to prove as a Taurus changing their mind. But lo and behold, fate (and a certain cheeky TV show crew from Curb Your Enthusiasm) bailed him out, filming exactly where he claimed to be: at a Dodgers game with his daughter. Talk about timing! It’s like the universe decided to swerve on justice just long enough for truth to come out swinging. So, when the heavens align and the stars favor your side, who knew a Hollywood shot could be your ultimate alibi? LEARN MORE.
“There’s an excellent short documentary about his case called Long Shot if anyone’s interested!”
What happened: In August 2003, Juan Catalan was arrested for the murder of a 16-year-old girl named Martha Puebla who had been shot and killed outside of her home. Prior to her killing, Martha had testified in court against a man named Mario Catalan, which eventually led to police arresting Juan, Mario’s brother (assuming revenge as a motive). However, Juan’s alibi was that he had been at a Dodgers game with his daughter and some friends at the time of the murder, but it couldn’t be proven.
Luckily for Juan, he remembered a film crew had also been at the game shooting footage for a TV show. Indeed, a crew for Curb Your Enthusiasm was also there, filming establishing shots for an episode called “The Car Pool Lane.” Juan’s lawyer was able to track down footage from that night, “inspecting every person like a grain of sand,” and eventually found footage of Juan (and his daughter) proving his story to be true.
A judge dismissed all charges against Juan (who, by this point, had spent six months in jail awaiting trial), and a jury awarded him $320,000 for the false accusation. The true killer was finally brought to justice in 2008.
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