WRAL investigative reporter/documentary producer

Professional Experience:

Cristin Severance leads the WRAL Documentary unit as an investigative reporter and documentary producer. She is thrilled to put down roots in Raleigh after 20 years of working as an investigative and consumer reporter at television stations across the country, including KGW in Portland, Oregon; KTVT in Dallas, Texas; KGTV in San Diego, California; WEWS in Cleveland, Ohio; WINK-TV in Fort Myers, Florida; WKBN in Youngstown, Ohio; and WDTV in Clarksburg, West Virginia.

Cristin is a 14-time Regional Emmy Winner and 3-time Edward R. Murrow Winner.

Shine a light on injustice, hold the powerful accountable and create change.

Cristin was born in Benicia, California, but raised in Pittsburgh, PA.

Hobbies, Interests & Community Involvement:

: Cristin’s hobbies include spending time with family, reading and exploring North Carolina.

Cristin is married to <a href="https://www.wral.com/rs/bio/19982755/">WRAL Anchor/Reporter Dan Haggerty</a>. They are the proud parents of twin sons.

Likes Best About North Carolina:

The people are so kind, and the weather is ideal. It's the best place to live and raise a family.

Most Memorable Assignments:

Cristin has tackled the most complex and important issues in North Carolina through her work on the WRAL Documentary unit. She has produced award-winning documentaries on the fentanyl crisis, gun violence, and maternal health disparities among black moms and babies.

Cristin spent more than one year embedded in a Northeast Portland elementary school for the Emmy award-winning docuseries "Inside Woodlawn," where she told stories about gentrification and inequalities in education. This was a career- and life-changing experience that ignited a passion for documentary-style storytelling. Cristin also spent nearly a year investigating violence in schools in Oregon and Washington for the series "Classrooms in Crisis." Her stories led to changes in the law to help better protect students and teachers.

Cristin Severance

Ryan Camacho, a man with a 20-year criminal history and a documented struggle with mental illness, is currently charged with the murder of Ravenscroft teacher Zoe Welsh.

OFTEN TIMES THE NEWS AND SO GOOD. SCOTT WROTE IN AND HE SAID THIS HAS AN AVERAGE CITIZEN. I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHERE PEOPLE LIKE ME EVEN BEGAN WHEN IT COMES TO CHANGING LAWS OR PUSHING FOR REFORM. I'M HOPING YOU'RE REPORTING CAN MAYBE HELP THE PUBLIC UNDERSTAND WHAT LEVERS WE ACTUALLY HAVE TO PULL. SO, SCOTT, THANK YOU FOR SENDING IN THAT MESSAGE. THERE ARE A LOT OF US WHO FEEL THAT WAY TONIGHT. WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT 2 VERY DIFFERENT STORIES TO BOTH GET TO THE HEART OF WHAT SCOTT IS TALKING ABOUT. THEIR A MURDER CASE IN RALEIGH AND A BILLING ISSUE IN ROCKY MOUNT. LET'S START WITH THAT MURDER CASE. NOW, IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN WATCHING THE NEWS LATELY, HERE IS THE DEAL. MAN WHO WAS IN AND OUT OF JAIL FOR YEARS, ACCUSED OF BREAKING INTO A RAVENSCROFT TEACHER'S HOME AND KILLING HER. RYAN CAMACHO'S CHARGED WITH MURDER AND HAS BEEN DENIED BOND TONIGHT, LAWMAKERS ARE DISCUSSING WAYS TO IMPROVE THE SYSTEM THAT ALLOWED CAMACHO TO WALK FREE FROM HIS MULTIPLE PREVIOUS CRIMES. WRAL'S CARLY HAYNES EXPLAINS THE TIMELINE OF HOW THAT ALL TOOK PLACE. THIS ISN'T EVEN ALL OF THE PAPERWORK ASSOCIATED WITH RYAN CAMACHO'S CHARGES ACROSS WAKE AND DURHAM COUNTIES AND SOME OF THE PEOPLE MENTIONED IN HERE DIDN'T LIVE TOO FAR. &gt;&gt; FROM ZOE WELSH IS HALL. A WOMAN WHO LOVED ONES SAY BROUGHT A SMILE TO EVERYONE'S FACE THROUGH A SPOKESPERSON. ZOE WELSH, HIS FAMILY WROTE, WELL, WORDS CANNOT CAPTURE OUR HEARTS BREAK. WE TAKE COMFORT IN KNOWING HOW MANY LIVES SHE TOUCHED AND APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT THAT HAS BEEN EXTENDED TO OUR FAMILY DURING THIS DIFFICULT TIME JUST FEET AWAY FROM WELCH IS WHOA ITEMS THAT NEIGHBORS SAY BELONG TO THE MAN ACCUSED OF HER MURDER. IT'S JUST FEET AWAY FROM THE HOME OF ZOE WELSH, SEVERAL OF RYAN CAMACHO'S MORE THAN 20 ARRESTS ALL AROUND THE SAME NEIGHBORHOODS WITHIN WAKE AND DURHAM COUNTIES. A BROKEN WINDOW DIRECTLY NEXT TO WELCH'S HOME AT SAINT MARY SQUARE. NORTH APARTMENTS, ACCORDING TO RPD RECORDS AND ATTEMPTED BREAK-IN HERE, THIS SAME DAY AS WELL. SHE'S MURDER AND ANOTHER ATTEMPT AT THIS SAME SPOT ON DECEMBER. 30TH POLICE HAVEN'T CONFIRMED WHO DID IT. THE NEIGHBORS SAY IT WAS CAMACHO &gt;&gt; STAIRWELL THAT WE USUALLY COME OUT. THE WINDOW HAD BEEN BROKEN. AND THERE'S A LOT OF POLICE ACTIVITIES IN 2019, HE FACED A DIFFERENT CHARGES FOR SHOOTING INTO THIS HOME 3 YEARS EARLIER, A MAN SAYS CAMACHO TARGETED HIM 3 TIMES HE SHARED VIDEO OF CAMACHO TRYING TO GET INTO HIS CAR AND THROWING A ROCK THROUGH HIS CAR WINDOW. THEN FIRING A GUN. &gt;&gt; HE SHOT INTO OUR BUILDING WHERE HE THOUGHT THAT I CAN ONLY ASSUME WHERE HE THOUGHT THAT WE LIVED. AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT STAYS WITH US. A STACK OF CRIMINAL RECORDS WITH SEVERAL VICTIMS RECOUNTING THEIR OWN COURT RECORDS ALSO DETAIL HIS DOCUMENTED HISTORY OF MENTAL ILLNESS. &gt;&gt; CARLY HAYNES, WRAL NEWS, RALEIGH. ALL RIGHT. THERE YOU HAVE IT. THANK YOU, CARLY, FOR THAT REPORT. I DO WANT TO BRING UP A FOLLOW-UP QUESTION THAT WE KEEP GETTING. &gt;&gt; ABOUT THIS STORY IN THE 07:00PM INBOX AND ERODING AND SAID, ISN'T IT FAIR TO SAY THAT THE DA HAS SOME CULPABILITY AS WELL AS THE JUDGE? A VIEWER NAMED BOB BROUGHT UP A SIMILAR POINT. HE SAID REALLY CURIOUS AS TO WHY THE NAME OF THE JUDGE WHO DECLINED TO ADMIT CAMACHO IS NOT MENTION BEES. PEOPLE ARE ELECTED. IT'S NOT A LEFT OR RIGHT THING. IT'S A SAFETY THING. WE WANT TO THANK DEAN BOB, FOR THOSE E-MAILS. THESE ARE SOME REALLY GREAT AND INTERESTING POINT BECAUSE IT'S TRUE. THE DISTRICT ATTORNEYS AND THE JUDGE IS WHERE THE ONES MAKING THE DECISIONS IN CAMACHO'S PREVIOUS CASES. AND YOU SHOULD KNOW WHO THEY ARE BECAUSE ALL OF THEM ARE ELECTED OFFICIALS. SO LET'S TALK ABOUT THESE DECISION-MAKERS. LET'S START WITH CAMACHO'S MOST RECENT CASE, THE ONE RIGHT BEFORE THE MURDER CHARGE CAMACHO WAS ARRESTED IN AUGUST FOR STEALING PILLOWS OFF OF THE PORCH OF ONE HOME AND BREAKING WINDOWS IN ANOTHER MINOR OFFENSES. RIGHT? BUT DURING THE PROCEEDINGS, THE COURT GAVE HIM IN A MENTAL EVALUATION AND THEY DETERMINED HE WAS A UNFIT TO STAND TRIAL. THE DA DROPPED THE CHARGES BUT ASKED THE JUDGE TO COMMIT CAMACHO FOR MENTAL TREATMENT. THE JUDGE SAID NO. THE PROSECUTOR IN THIS CASE WAS OUT OF THE WAKE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEYS OFFICE AND LAUREN FREEMAN IS THE DA. SHE'S A DEMOCRAT. SHE HELD THIS POSITION SINCE 2014 WINNING THE MOST RECENT ELECTION IN 2022. DEFEATING REPUBLICAN GEOFF DOBSON. THE JUDGE, THE ONE WHO DENIED THE INVOLUNTARY COMMITMENT. THAT IS LOUIS BE MEYER. HE IS ALSO A DEMOCRAT AND HE'S HAD THIS JOB SINCE 2012 WINNING THE 2022 ELECTION PARTIALLY BECAUSE NOBODY RAN AGAINST HIM. IT'S WORTH NOTING THAT FREEMAN DID TRY TO GET CAMACHO COMMITTED, AS WE SAID, AND THE JUDGE MEYER COULD ONLY MAKE THAT DECISION BASED ON THE CHARGES IN FRONT OF HIM AND THAT MISDEMEANOR CASE. LET'S MOVE TO CAMACHO'S OTHER BIG HAITIAN THIS FROM LAST YEAR, THOUGH. THIS ONE IS IN APRIL IN DURHAM. HE WAS CHARGED WITH 4 FELONIES INTO BACK-TO-BACK BREAKING AND ENTERING CASES. THESE CRIMES COULD HAVE PUT CAMACHO BEHIND BARS AT THE TIME OF ZOE. WELSH IS DEATH, BUT THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN. THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY REACHED A PLEA DEAL, PULLING THOSE 4 FELONIES DOWN TO ONE SINGLE MISDEMEANOR CAMACHO GOT CREDIT FOR TIME SERVED. HE WAS BACK ON THE STREET A WEEK LATER. THE PROSECUTOR IN THIS CASE, THE ONE WHO MADE THAT PLEA DEAL WAS OUT OF THE DURHAM COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE THAT HANNAH DEBERRY IS THE DA THERE. SHE'S A DEMOCRAT AND SHE'S BEEN THE DA THERE SINCE 2019. SHE WAS LAST ELECTED IN 2022. UNOPPOSED IN THE GENERAL ELECTION. THE JUDGE IN THIS CASE, THE ONE WHO APPROVED THAT PLEA DEAL IS DOROTHY MITCHELL. SHE IS A DEMOCRAT AS WELL. LAST ELECTED IN 2022. AGAIN ON A POST, PERHAPS YOU'VE NOTICED A BIT OF A PATTERN HERE. BUT REMEMBER, WAKE AND DURHAM COUNTIES, THEY VOTE DEMOCRAT PRETTY CONSISTENTLY IN MOST ELECTIONS. BUT WITH DURHAM THAT PATTERN GOES A BIT DEEPER. YOU SEE THE CAMACHO CASE IS JUST THE LATEST EXAMPLE OF THE DURHAM COUNTY D A NOT PURSUING A FELONY CASE. HER STANCE ON CRIME WHY THE FELONY CONVICTION RATE IN DURHAM HAS BEEN SO MUCH LOWER THAN THE STATE AVERAGE WAS A FOCUS OF OUR DURHAM UNDER FIRE DOCUMENTARY, WRAL DOCUMENTARY INVESTIGATOR KRISTEN SEVERANCE INTERVIEWED DISTRICT ATTORNEYS TO TENA DEBERRY FOR THE DOCUMENTARY AND SHE EXPLAINS WHAT DEBERRY HAD TO. &gt;&gt; WE'VE HEARD FROM CITY LEADERS, LAW ENFORCEMENT AND FAMILY MEMBERS OF CRIME VICTIMS WHO BELIEVE THE DISTRICT ATTORNEYS OFFICE IS NOT AGGRESSIVE ON CRIME AND IT'S HURTING THE COMMUNITY. NOW, DISTRICT ATTORNEY SAID DEBERRY SAID SHE RAN ON A PROGRESSIVE PLATFORM AND SHE'S DOING WHAT SHE PROMISED VOTERS THAT SHE DO. KEEP IN MIND THIS INTERVIEW I'M ABOUT TO SHOW YOU IS FROM 2022. BUT HER STANCE HAS NOT CHANGED. HERE'S A VERY SHORT CLIP FROM OUR DOCUMENTARY, DURHAM, UNDER FIRE. BOTTOM LINE, DEBERRY SAID CONVICTION RATES ARE NOT THEIR TOP CONCERN. &gt;&gt; WE DON'T MEAN ON REALLY WHAT WE THINK ARE OUTDATED, MOVED OF DETERMINING HOW WELL PROSECUTION WORKS. BUT DO YOU HAVE A METHOD? &gt;&gt; IT'S WHAT I'M ASKING. THIS IS OUTDATED. AND THEN WHAT YOU DO HAVE TO HAVE A SYSTEM &gt;&gt; WE HAVE A WE HAVE. WE DO HAVE NUMBERS THAT WE COLLECT, BUT WE ALSO ARE LOOKING AT INDIVIDUAL CASES AND THE OUTCOMES OF THOSE INDIVIDUAL CASES AND WHETHER OR NOT THOSE INDIVIDUAL CASES PROVIDE ACCOUNTABILITY IN THAT PARTICULAR CASE. &gt;&gt; I GUESS WHAT I'M GETTING AT IS WE'VE INTERVIEWED A LOT OF PEOPLE FOR THIS DOCUMENTARY AND IT COMES AS NO SURPRISE TO YOU AND YOU HEAR ALL THE TIME I READ INTERVIEWS, YOU'VE DONE. PEOPLE SAY YOU ARE NOT TOUGH ON VIOLENT CRIME. THEY SAY IT ALL THE TIME. SO OTHER THAN SAYING, YES, I AM. HOW ARE YOU PROVING THAT TO THE COMMUNITY? WELL, I THINK WE'RE PROVING IT BY THE TO THE COMMUNITY, BY OUR OUTCOMES IN THESE INDIVIDUAL CASES. I DON'T THINK THAT THERE'S ANY INDICATION THAT WE HAVEN'T DONE A GOOD JOB. VIOLENT CRIME IS UP NATIONWIDE. AND SO THIS IDEA THAT. &gt;&gt; DURHAM IS EXCEPTIONALLY VIOLENT IS SIMPLY NOT TRUE. &gt;&gt; WE'LL TALK ABOUT ALL MY GRANDSON WAS SHOT AND KILLED 3 YEARS AGO. THEY NEED TO FIGURE OUT A WAY OF GETTING A COMMUNITY THAT YOU CAN WATCH DURHAM UNDER FIRE ON WRAL DOT COM OR WHEREVER YOU STREAM WRAL. &gt;&gt; ON WRAL DOCUMENTARY INVESTIGATOR, KRISTEN SEVERANCE. &gt;&gt; ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, KRISTEN DE BARRY'S OFFICE. WE SHOULD ALSO MENTION REFUSED TO COMMENT ON THE CAMACHO CASE AND THAT BRINGS US BACK TO SCOTT'S EMAIL WHEN HE SAT RIGHT AS AN AVERAGE CITIZEN. I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHERE PEOPLE LIKE ME CAN EVEN BEGIN WHEN IT COMES TO CHANGING LAWS ARE PUSHING FOR REFORM. LOOK, THE DECISION MAKERS HERE, ALL OF THEM AGAIN, OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS. WE PICKED THEM FOR THE JOB. SO IF YOU DON'T LIKE WHAT THEY'RE DOING, A GOOD STARTING POINT IS PROBABLY THE BALLOT BOX. THIS IS HOW YOU BECOME INFORM. YOU DON'T WAIT FOR THE ATTACK. ADS ARE THE STUMP SPEECHES. YOU WATCH THE

Mark Bergin

Dan Haggerty

Miles Moraitis

Dwayne Myers

Several decisions kept murder suspect of Ravenscroft teacher out of jail despite previous felony charges

Ryan Camacho

The WRAL Documentary, "Durham Under Fire," takes a deeper look into why the shootings are happening and what city leaders are doing to stop them.

CANES. WRAL NEWS LIVE IN RALEIGH. WE HAVE EXTENSIVE. WE REPORTED ON CAMACHO'S CRIMINAL HISTORY EVER SINCE HIS ARREST ON SATURDAY, HE'S BEEN ARRESTED MORE THAN 20 TIMES GOING BACK 20 YEARS IN WAKE AND DURHAM COUNTIES. THESE ARE JUST SOME OF THE MUG SHOTS FROM OVER THE YEARS SHOWING JUST HOW OFTEN HE HAD RUN-INS WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT. >> BUT IT'S A CASE IN DURHAM THAT'S REALLY CAUGHT OUR ATTENTION. WE REPORTED YESTERDAY THAT CAMACHO RECEIVED A PLEA DEAL THAT TURNED 4 FELONIES INTO ONE MISDEMEANOR. IF THE PLEA DEAL WASN'T IN PLACE, HE COULD HAVE GONE TO JAIL FOR YEARS. INSTEAD, HE ONLY SERVED A FEW MONTHS. WE'VE PUSHED DURHAM DISTRICT ATTORNEYS ATTENDED DEBERRY FOR AN EXPLANATION ON THE PLEA DEAL BUT HAVEN'T RECEIVED ANY ANSWERS. WRAL INVESTIGATES SPENT YEARS REPORTING ON CONCERNS ABOUT THE DURHAM DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. WE HEARD FROM CITY LEADERS, LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THE FAMILY MEMBERS OF CRIME VICTIMS WHO FEEL THE DA'S OFFICE IS NOT AGGRESSIVE ON CRIME AND IT'S HURTING THE COMMUNITY. WRAL DOCUMENTARY INVESTIGATOR KRISTEN SEVERANCE HAS BEEN BEHIND MUCH OF THIS REPORTING, INCLUDING A DOCUMENTARY CALLED DURHAM UNDER FIRE. KRISTEN? YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT. ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, DEBERRY WHEN I INTERVIEWED HER TOLD ME, LOOK, SHE RAN ON A PROGRESSIVE PLATFORM. >> AND SHE'S DOING WHAT SHE PROMISED VOTERS THAT SHE DO. NOW. KEEP IN MIND THE INTERVIEW I'M ABOUT TO SHOW YOU IS FROM 2022. BUT DEBERRY HAS NOT CHANGED HER STANCE. HERE IS A SHORT CLIP FROM OUR DOCUMENTARY, DURHAM, UNDER FIRE. >> BOTTOM LINE DEBERRY SAID CONVICTION RATES ARE NOT THEIR TOP CONCERN. >> WE DON'T MEAN ON REALLY WHAT WE THINK ARE OUTDATED, MOVED OF DETERMINING HOW WELL PROSECUTION WORKS. DO YOU HAVE A METHOD? >> IT'S WHAT I'M ASKING. THIS IS OUTDATED. AND THEN WHAT DO YOU DO HAVE TO HAVE A SYSTEM? >> WE HAVE A WE HAVE. WE DO HAVE NUMBERS THAT WE COLLECT, BUT WE ALSO ARE LOOKING AT INDIVIDUAL CASES AND OUTCOMES OF THOSE INDIVIDUAL CASES AND WHETHER OR NOT THOSE INDIVIDUAL CASES PROVIDE ACCOUNTABILITY IN THAT PARTICULAR CASE. >> I GUESS WHAT I'M GETTING AT IS WE'VE INTERVIEWED A LOT OF PEOPLE FOR THIS DOCUMENTARY AND IT COMES AS NO SURPRISE TO YOU. AND YOU HEAR ALL THE TIME I READ INTERVIEWS, YOU'VE DONE. PEOPLE SAY YOU ARE NOT TOUGH ON VIOLENT CRIME. THEY SAY IT ALL THE TIME. SO OTHER THAN SAYING, YES, I AM. HOW ARE YOU PROVING THAT TO THE COMMUNITY? WELL, I THINK WE'RE PROVING IT BY THE TO THE COMMUNITY, MY OUR OUTCOMES IN THESE INDIVIDUAL CASES. I DON'T THINK THAT THERE'S ANY INDICATION THAT WE HAVEN'T DONE A GOOD JOB. VIOLENT CRIME IS UP NATIONWIDE. AND SO THIS IDEA THAT. >> DURHAM IS EXCEPTIONALLY VIOLENT IS SIMPLY NOT TRUE. >> WE'RE TOLD ALL MY DRESS AND WAS SHOT AND KILLED 3 YEARS AGO. THEY NEED TO FIGURE A WAY OF WE'RE GETTING A COMMUNITY THAT YOU CAN UNDER FIRE ON WRAL DOT COM OR WHEREVER YOU STREAM WRAL. >> WRAL DOCUMENTARY INVESTIGATOR KRISTEN SEVERANCE. >> AND BY THE WAY, DEBERRY HAS

WRAL Documentary unit has spent years exploring policies within Durham County District Attorney's Office

WRAL Doc: Durham Under Fire

The WRAL Documentary team produced five documentaries in 2025. It covered Bill Belichick's first year at UNC, Hurricane Helene recovery, cancer in young patients, immigration's impact in North Carolina and the state's foster care system.

SEATS AS WELL AS SEVERAL BIG RELEASES THAT FAILED TO DRAW CROWDS OVER THE COURSE OF 2025. WRAL'S DOCUMENTARY UNIT EXPLORED SOME OF THE BIGGEST STORIES AFFECTING THE STATE. THE TEAM PRODUCED 5 DOCUMENTARIES LAST YEAR. ALL OF THEM ARE AVAILABLE TO STREAM. HERE'S DOCUMENTARY PRODUCER CHRISTIAN SEVERANCE. >> 2025 DELIVERED A YEAR FILLED WITH NEWS FROM BILL BELICHECK. FIRST COLLEGE FOOTBALL SEASON, 2 BORDER PATROL MAKING ARRESTS IN THE TRIANGLE. WRAL'S DOCUMENTARY TEAM SET OUT TO EXPLORE HOW SOME OF THE BIGGEST STORIES OF THE YEAR PLAYED OUT IN COMMUNITIES ACROSS NORTH CAROLINA CROSSING BORDERS, IMMIGRATION AND DIVISION IN NORTH CAROLINA LOOKS INTO HOW THE NATIONAL DEBATE OVER IMMIGRATION IS IMPACTING OUR STATE BROKEN FOSTER CARE IN NORTH CAROLINA EXPOSES SECRETS FAILURES WITHIN THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM FOLLOWING THE DEATHS OF 2 ADOPTED SIBLINGS. BLAKE IN LONDON, DEVON DIAGNOSIS YOUNG, THE NEW FACE OF CANCER IN NORTH CAROLINA EXPLORED THE ALARMING TREND OF CANCER STRIKING THE YOUNGER ADULTS. THE DOCUMENTARY FOLLOWS 3 NORTH CAROLINIANS IN THEIR 20'S AND 30'S BEHIND EVERY PERSONAL STORY IS THE BIG QUESTION. WHY IS THIS HAPPENING? I MEAN, WHAT WE LOST, WHAT WE FOUND CAPTURES THE STORIES OF LOSS, DEVASTATION, HOPE AND REBIRTH IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA AND WRAL'S NEWEST DOCUMENTARY. COACHING CAROLINA. THE BELICHECK WAY REVEALS HOW THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA LANDED BILL BELICHECK AND WHAT UNFOLDED NEXT YOU CAN WATCH ALL OF THESE NOW THEY ARE AVAILABLE ON WRAL'S STREAMING PLATFORMS

2025 in review: WRAL documentaries

WRAL documentary producer Cristin Severance talks about what went into producing  'Coaching Carolina: The Belichick Way.' The program airs Thursday, Dec. 18, at 7:30 p.m.

IT. &gt;&gt; OUR BRAND-NEW WRAL DOCUMENTARY ON ONE YEAR OF BILL BELICHECK AND UNC PREMIERS TONIGHT, WRAL DOCUMENTARY INVESTIGATOR KRISTEN SEVERANCE GETS INTO ALL OF THE DRAMA ON AND OFF THE FIELD. SHE JOINS US NOW WITH WHAT TO EXPECT. KRISTEN, THIS IS A STORY THAT WE'VE BEEN WATCHING UNFOLD FOR OVER A YEAR NOW. EXACTLY. NOW WE'RE GOING TO PUT IT ALL TOGETHER IN THESE 30 MINUTE DOCUMENTARY. YOU KNOW, WE TOOK A LOOK AT ALL OF THE HYPE. THE HEADLINES OF THE LAST YEAR. PUT THEN INTO THE DOCK FROM HOW BILL BELICHECK WAS ULTIMATELY HIRED TO JUST THE UNBELIEVABLE BUZZ SURROUNDING THE FOOTBALL PROGRAM. HERE IS A VERY SHORT CLIP OF COACHING CAROLINA. THE BELICHECK WAY. I LOVE THIS UNIVERSITY WITH MY ENTIRE ME TO SEE A MAN LIKE AND SIT THERE ON THE DIAS AND SAY THE SAME SAME THINGS THAT MEANS THE ROAD. WE WANT TO COMPETE WITH THE MASK AND WE'VE HIRED THE BEST COACH. THEY WERE GOING FOR THE THE FLEX, IF YOU WILL. THIS GUY JUST 6 TIMES PEOPLE CAN CAN HE WANTS TO COME. &gt;&gt; IN THE LAST 8. &gt;&gt; THIS WASN'T JUST COVERED BY SPORTS. THIS WAS ON THE NIGHTLY NEWS NOW IN THE NFL LEGEND GETS GIVEN IT THE OLD COLLEGE TRY. THIS WAS BEING COVERED, YOU KNOW, FROM THE TMZ ANGLE THAT ORIOLES INTRODUCED THIS GUY TODAY, THEIR NEXT HEAD FOOTBALL COACH AND ALL OFFSEASON WAS A HYPE TRAIN THAT EVEN AT A CERTAIN POINT GOT OFF THE RAILS BECAUSE NOT ONLY DID YOU BRING BILL BELICHECK HE BROUGHT IN HIS 24 YEAR-OLD GIRLFRIEND AS WELL. BILL BELICHECK ASKING FOR HER TO BE COPIED ON E-MAILS. JORDON HUDSON SHUTTING DOWN A QUESTION HOW THE 2 MET. BUT INSTEAD THEY'RE HANDLING QUESTIONS ABOUT JORDAN WITH 2 O'S AGAIN AND WHETHER OR NOT SHE'LL BE ALLOWED INSIDE THE STADIUM IN THE FALL. ARE YOU SURPRISED THAT THE BILL BELICHECK IS IN THIS POSITION &gt;&gt; YEAH, I WATCHES EX-PLAYERS ON ALL THEIR PODCAST AND THEY'RE ALL BLOWN AWAY BY THIS PARTICULAR DISTRACTION BECAUSE THEY WERE TOLD WHEN THEY WERE PLAYERS FOR HIM THAT HE WOULDN'T STAND FOR STUFF. &gt;&gt; THE JORDAN FACT HER. KRISTEN, WHAT SURPRISED YOU THE MOST PRODUCING SO MUCH? I LEARNED SO MUCH ABOUT COLLEGE FOOTBALL, BUT I THINK HERE'S WHAT SURPRISED ME THE HIRING PROCESS. THIS STAFF AND REALLY WHY THIS SEASON WENT THE WAY IT DID. AND WE MADE THIS FOR FOOTBALL AND NON-FOOTBALL FANS. SO WHETHER, YOU KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT THE BELICHICK, UNC SITUATION OR YOU REALLY KNOW NOTHING. I PROMISE YOU'RE GOING TO FIND THIS INTERESTING. AND RENEE, EVERYONE CAN WATCH THE BELICHECK WEIGH ON ALL WRO PLATFORMS TONIGHT AT 7.30, THIS EXTENDS WAY BEYOND FOOTBALL.

Brian Murphy

Chris Lea

Pat Welter

Ryan Bisesi

Preview: WRAL's Bill Belichick documentary investigates legendary coach's whirlwind year in Chapel Hill

Bill Belichick at ACC Kickoff

WRAL's Cristin Severance and Pat Welter lead the WRAL documentary "Coaching Carolina: The Belichick Way." The documentary examines how North Carolina came to make one of the more improbable coaching hires and everything that came with it. 

One of the best coaches of all time, coaching in college for the first time, became one of the biggest stories of the year. Hi, I'm Christine Severance. I run the documentary unit at WREL. I worked with the WREL sports team. How are you feeling walking into this right now? To show you how it all happened. Weeks' worth of stories, first time hearing from Belichick. Process will eventually produce the results that we want to produce. From results on the field to dissent in the locker room, somebody texted me and said it's bad. It's bad. Pat. Pat Welter has done a wonderful job. When you're going to be the highest paid employee in the state. And you're going to be one of the worst teams in all of college football. From who was running the show, and he surrounds himself with people with NFL experience. There's no college culture. To who is on the sidelines. We look at how it happened, how it went, and what comes next. And I thought it was in the best interest of the university to hire Coach Belichick. That's a fair question to ask. How much of this has been about what was best for the kids, what was best for the school versus what was best for Bill Belichick? This is coaching Carolina, the Belichick way.

WRAL documentary preview: Behind the scenes of Bill Belichick's first year in Chapel Hill

Bill Belichick

Get ready for a warmer winter as La Niña makes a comeback, bringing below-normal snowfall to our area. 

La Niña returns: Expect warmer winter with below-normal snowfall for Triangle in 25-26

Michelle Mackonochie - familiar to WRAL viewers after five years as part of the morning news team - will anchor the 4 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. newscasts with Dan Haggerty, and the 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. newscasts with Gerald Owens. 

Cristin Severance

Recent Work

Watch · 8:44Several decisions kept murder suspect of Ravenscroft teacher out of jail despite previous felony charges

Watch · 3:18WRAL Documentary unit has spent years exploring policies within Durham County District Attorney's Office

Watch · 1:482025 in review: WRAL documentaries

Watch · 2:38Preview: WRAL's Bill Belichick documentary investigates legendary coach's whirlwind year in Chapel Hill

Watch · 1:21WRAL documentary preview: Behind the scenes of Bill Belichick's first year in Chapel Hill