Top 3 New True Crime Podcasts of September 2022
August has been a quiet month for new true crime podcasts so I only have three recommendations today but they are so good!
1. The Sunshine Place - Narrated By Sari Crawford - C13Originals & Team Downey.
Robert Downey Jr. is one of the executive producers of the first true crime podcast on my list this month. The Sunshine Place tells the story of Synanon:
“… Synanon began in the 1960s as an experimental rehab facility in Santa Monica, California with a radical claim: It could cure heroin addiction.” (Source here).
It wasn’t long before Synanon expanded its claims and proclaimed that it could “cure any of your problems”. As you would expect, these claims attracted a lot of attention and people (followers/members) soon began to move into what was then just a simple house on the beach (but later expanded across America).
Of course, no cult is complete without a cult leader and Synanon was no different. The founder and leader of Synanon was a man named Charles E. Dederich, known “Chuck”. To begin with, Synanon was quite peaceful, safe and successful; it helped a lot of its members to get clean and the members lived in harmony with each other. Unfortunately, as Synanon grew in popularity and expanded, its infrastructure became strained and the rules upon which life in Synanon were originally based (no drugs, no violence) were abandoned/abolished by Dederich:
“The man who made the miracle happen, Charles E. Dederich, aka “Chuck,” would be the one to destroy it all, along with the lives of many of his followers and millions of dollars in assets.” (Source here).
This podcast is so interesting and the stories that we hear first hand from some of the ex-members of Synanon are astonishing. We also get to hear from the leader/founder Dederich via tapes that were recorded during his reign at Synanon.
“The Sunshine Place tells the mind-blowing, true-story of Synanon - one of America’s most cutting edge social experiments, turned into one of its most dangerous and violent cults - as it’s never been told before: by the people who lived it.” (Source here).
There are four episodes available now and this is definitely a podcast that you will want to binge!
2. In the Land of Lies: The Michael Chapel Story - Hosted By Sean Kipe - Imperative Entertainment.
In the Land of Lies: The Michael Chapel Story is a true crime podcast investigating how a former police officer named Michael Chapel came to be charged with the 1993 robbery and murder of Emogene Thompson in Gwinnett County, Georgia, USA. Michael Chapel was sentenced to life in prison for the crimes however he has always maintained his innocence.
Host and investigator Sean Kipe:
“… takes a deep dive into Chapel’s past to find the unbelievable truth behind a story that involves corrupt police officers, crime rings, drug trafficking, steroids, and murder.” (Source here).
This podcast is gripping! In episode four we hear from Michael Chapel directly and as Kipe continues his investigation new information is uncovered:
“… with the recent surfacing of new information, Chapel’s story may have taken a dramatic turn – one that could potentially prove his innocence.” (Source here).
There are five episodes available now.
3. Le Monstre: The Dutroux Affair - Hosted By Matt Graves - iHeartPodcasts & Tenderfoot TV.
Le Monstre: The Dutroux Affair takes us to Belgium and investigates the hunt for a serial killer who operated there in the 1980s and 1990s. The victims were usually young children and/or teenagers:
“His unspeakable crimes had the nation on edge as he preyed on its most vulnerable.” (Source here).
The inability or unwillingness of the Belgian authorities to investigate these crimes and find the perpetrator led to nationwide protests whereby Belgian citizens demanded that they did their jobs and find who was responsible:
“After law enforcement proved unable or unwilling to stop him, 400,000 Belgian citizens took to the streets to protest what they believed was a high ranking cover up and government conspiracy. Many of the criminals involved in these horrific acts, known and unknown, have never been brought to justice, and walk freely today.” (Source here).
There are three episodes available so far and having known nothing about this true crime story I am captivated!
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