Max Diekneite
Anchor/Investigative Reporter
Savannah, Ga.
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Max Diekneite is an investigative reporter/anchor for WTOC. You can catch him anchoring the 7 p.m. news every weeknight with Dawn Baker.
Max moved to Savannah in October 2020 after spending more than three years as an anchor/reporter at KCCI (CBS) in Des Moines, Iowa. During his time in Iowa, Max helped lead the coverage of several monumental events, including the 2020 Iowa caucuses. He also anchored major breaking news events, including the George Floyd protests and central Iowa’s historic floods in 2018.
A St. Louis native, Max attended the University of Missouri School of Journalism. During his time in school, Max worked as a reporter for KOMU 8 News (NBC) in Columbia, Mo., and interned for the award-winning investigative team at KTVI/KPLR News (FOX) in St. Louis.
Max is committed to fair, unbiased journalism. He is passionate about helping everyday people and believes in earning the viewers trust every day.
In his free time, Max likes to watch sports, exercise, and travel. He is a die-hard Cardinals baseball fan. Max has family in the southeast and is excited to explore the Coastal Empire.
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Now, we’re hearing from a former TitleMax store manager and others about how they say the company does business.
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A WTOC Investigates update into school zone speed cameras.
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Savannah Police said a woman repeatedly ripped-off people in tough financial situations, including homeless veterans, out of thousands of dollars, taking thousands of dollars from non-profits and charities meant to help people in need and moving those people into homes she didn't actually own.
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A developer wants to bring another hotel downtown and make some changes to the historic building they’re putting it in, right off Johnson Square.
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The Beaufort County Council voted to fire the county administrator at a special called meeting on Friday.
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It’s one of Georgia’s smaller counties, but it’s not small on pride.
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The controversy over the naming of one of Savannah’s squares continues.
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Two Bryan County first responders are suing their former employer.
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A Bluffton man has been charged in connected to the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol.
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People gathered across Georgia Friday morning for the Fifth Annual Statewide Bible Reading.
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Savannah Alderwoman and candidate for mayor Kesha Gibson-Carter held a town hall Thursday night in Carver Village.
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It’s that time of the year again when many people decide to have work done on their homes.
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The Savannah Police Department said burglars are targeting the homes of people away on vacation.
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With Independence Day around the corner and summer in full swing, many of you are planning a trip to relax and unwind. But scammers are looking to take advantage of your vacation plans.
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After spending two years in jail waiting for trial in a 2021 Savannah murder case, the state of Georgia has dropped its charges against Marquis Parrish.
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Videos and pictures have poured into the WTOC newsroom showing the tense moments Wednesday’s storms rolled-in and the damage they left behind across coastal Georgia and South Carolina.
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More information is coming to light about the ongoing disruption of Rincon’s city government.
The Effingham County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed who the Rincon city employee is that they are investigating possible theft of funds.
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A man was found guilty in a 2021 murder case involving a taser, a high-speed chase with a state trooper and a deadly hit-and-run.
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A chaotic afternoon Monday at the Savannah youth detention center off Chatham Parkway.
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A federal grand jury has returned a 22-count indictment against Alex Murdaugh for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud, bank fraud, wire fraud and money laundering.
Earlier this month, WTOC Investigates introduced you to a man who was in a dire financial situation after he says a TitleMax agent misled him... leaving him with a loan, he feared he’d never be able to pay-off.
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Memorial Health is one of the largest employers in our area and now, they have a new leader.
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A blocked railroad crossing is holding residents in one Georgia town hostage, and it’s not a new problem.
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A controversial proposed project off Highway 30 in Effingham County was voted on Tuesday night at the county’s commission meeting.
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The two day event was able to raise $280,000 insuring the RMHC of the Coastal Empire can continue to provide support for families of critically ill children
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Last week, someone ripped Nina Gompbels’ life-sized Ronald McDonald statue from a bench outside of her office in Thunderbolt and dragged him off.
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WTOC has learned new details about communication between city officials on the island and other law enforcement agencies ahead of Orange Crush weekend.
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Georgia Governor Brian Kemp will sign a bill that creates an oversight commission for district attorneys.
Earlier this year, WTOC Investigates broke down the millions of dollars in fines a Savannah-based company now faces for their lending and sales practices. We're hearing from a local man who said he was one of the people impacted by those deceptive techniques.
Tybee Island city leaders met with business leaders on Tuesday to talk about how to better handle large-scale events on the island.
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Two former customers of Hernandez Collision Center are taking legal action against the business after the shop sued them for speaking to WTOC.
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Some Chatham County residents could see a big refund come their way, if a class-action lawsuit over the county’s fire fee succeeds.
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The City of Savannah cut the ribbon on the Broughton Streetscape project just a few weeks ago.
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WTOC Investigates has been looking through files and audio recordings from the initial death investigation in 2015.
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The trial for two people accused of murdering a British tourist in Savannah last year has been put on-hold.
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They’re different people, with different cars, damaged at different times. But they all told us the same story: they took their car to Hernandez Collision Center, where it sat for months unfixed, racking-up charges in what they now call, “car jail.”
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Lawmakers in Washington are urging Federal regulators to take a closer look at a Savannah-based business.
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Big news for anyone who drives on I-95 or I-16 near Savannah.
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New developments in the controversy surrounding the Chatham County District Attorney’s Office.
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The family of Stephen Smith and their attorneys will be holding a news conference Monday morning.
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There’s nothing quite like Saint Patrick’s Day in Savannah!
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Many affected by Alex Murdaugh’s actions attended Friday’s sentencing.
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Eric Bland, the man representing Gloria Satterfield’s family - the housekeeper who died on Murdaugh’s property – did not hold bak. He thinks Alex Murdaugh is guilty, but he has his doubts about what the jury will decide.
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Alex Murdaugh’s testimony to end last week’s court hearings will loom large when this jury sits down to decide his fate.
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Thursday will mark one month since the Murdaugh murder trial began.
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Residents in Chatham and Effingham Counties are under a boil water advisory after a water main break overnight.
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The courtroom was evacuated during the Murdaugh murder trial on Wednesday afternoon.
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The judge has ruled to allow testimony related to Alex Murdaugh’s financial criminal charges in the double murder trial.
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