When a Maryland teenager, Jonah Poole, pled guilty to the horrific murder of his former boss Edward Koza—burning him alive in his own car—you’d expect a media frenzy of epic proportions. Yet, mainstream outlets like CNN and MSNBC seem to be painting this as just another tragic story, focusing more on the judicial process than the bizarre, gruesome details of the crime itself. Why the reluctance to dig deeper? Could it be that they don’t want to provoke discomfort around violent crime committed by a young black male against an older white male?

Conversely, Fox News is delving into the implications of such violent tendencies in today’s youth, raising valid concerns about societal dynamics and values. But let’s be clear: they, too, are not beyond selective framing, often leaning on sensationalism which can overshadow the critical, nuanced discussions we actually need to be having.

At the end of the day, this isn’t about simply covering crime—it’s about accountability. Both sides of the media spectrum have an agenda, whether that’s downplaying what really happened for the sake of a narrative or stirring fear to bolster ratings. The reality is, there’s a total lapse in honest reporting when it comes to the complexity of crime, and it’s time for the media to step up and do their job.