Top 10 True Crime Podcasts Right Now - December 2022
I can’t be the only one who is sick of the rainy weather that seems to be plaguing us at the moment! Mixed with the already dark mornings and evenings, a good true crime podcast is the one thing keeping me going on my daily runs or cycles, a distraction from the mud covered trails, wet runners and inevitable cold feet. Finding out what will happen next on whatever true crime podcast I am listening to on that particular day is also what is keeping my feet moving! I hope you find these true crime podcast as equally captivating and entertaining as I have. As always I am listening on Spotify so any reference to episodes available is related to the Spotify platform.
1. The Confession - Hosted By Richard Baker - The Age & Sydney Morning Herald.
First up is The Confession, a brand new true crime podcast from The Age & Sydney Morning Herald who also brought us the fantastic Liar, Liar: Melissa Caddick and the Missing Millions true crime podcast.
Katia Pyliotis is accused of murdering an elderly man, ten years after the murder took place, based on a DNA match. Katia is stopped for a traffic violation, her DNA is taken and shortly after Katia finds herself in prison accused of “bludgeoning a man to death with a statue of the Virgin Mary”.
In this enthralling podcast we hear directly from Katia who spent four years in prison before a key piece of evidence was found and it revealed the true story of the murder, proved her innocence and highlighted a very inadequate Police investigation that led to an innocent person being wrongfully convicted.
A great podcast that will certainly keep you listening. There are five episodes available so far.
2. Inside the Tribe - Hosted By Tim Elliott - DM Podcasts.
This brand new nine-part true crime cult themed podcast is absolutely addictive! We are introduced to the lovely Mark and Rose in episode one and what follows is a detailed account of their lives and their experiences as members of the cult The Twelve Tribes, in its Australian branch:
“It’s 1996, and a young couple, Mark and Rose, have just returned to Sydney from living overseas. They are in love, with two beautiful kids, but they are at a loose end. One day at a local fair, they come across a Christian sect called the 12 Tribes.” (Source here).
“The Twelve Tribes is a fundamentalist Judeo-Christian sect with communities worldwide, including in Australia. The group has been at the centre of allegations of child abuse, underage labour, medical negligence and slavery, and has a history of sinister incidents around the globe.” (Source ITT PR).
Mark and Rose spent 15 years with this extraordinary cult and it is one hell of a story:
“Mark and Rose find themselves in a world of bizarre rituals and extreme beliefs, under the influence of a charismatic leader. They are made virtual slaves, the family shuffled around the world to prevent them escaping.” (Source here).
I am a big fan of true crime cult themed podcasts and have listened to a lot of stories but this one really shocked me - the cult enforced and recommended parenting methods outlined in episode two left me horrified! There are only two episodes available so far - get listening!
As a side note, Camille Bianchi is a co-writer of Inside the Tribe and she was also involved in the award-winning, and formerly featured, Australian true crime podcast The Nurse which if you haven’t already listened to is another great podcast to add to your list.
3. Murder & Magnolias - Hosted By Keith Morrison - Dateline NBC News.
If you have read some of my other true crime blogs then you will already know that I am a big fan of Dateline true crime podcasts and love the host Keith Morrison. Murder & Magnolias is Dateline’s brand new true crime series that has me hooked. We are transported to Charleston, South Carolina and into the lives of wealthy couple Chris and Nancy Latham who are described as:
“… the very picture of a perfect couple in the land of Spanish moss and sweet magnolias.”(Source here).
Chris was a successful corporate banker and shared two daughters with his wife Nancy. After more than twenty years of marriage their outwardly perfect lives are exposed as false when:
“… a hit man targets one of them, a story of betrayal and murderous intent unfolds.” (Source here).
I don’t want to give a spoiler so will leave it here! There are three episodes available to date with new episodes released weekly. Bring on episode four!
4. Culpable: Brittany Stykes (Season 2) - Hosted By Dennis Cooper - Tenderfoot TV.
I featured Culpable: Christian Andreacchio (Season 1) way back in 2019 in my New Podcasts That I Am Loving blog and finally Season 2 is here.
This season of Culpable takes us to Brown County, Ohio and investigates the 2013 murder of 22 year old Brittany Stykes and her unborn child, as well as the attempted murder of her young daughter, who miraculously survived the ordeal despite being shot in the head.
“Known to be funny, yet fiery, Brittany had a passion for building custom motorcycles and loved nothing more than spending time with family and friends.” (Source here).
In the years since her murder, Brittany’s family and friends have relentlessly continued their search for answers in the hope of finally finding the person responsible for these horrendous crimes.
Throughout this podcast we hear from lots of family members and friends but I think the most noteworthy contributor is Brittany’s daughter Aubree who, as aforementioned, survived the ordeal and who’s presence brings great comfort to Brittany’s parents (her grandparents) and to her father, Brittany’s husband.
Having listened to the six episodes that are currently available, a clear motive and culprit have yet to be found - this one will keep you listening!
5. Bible John: Creation of a Serial Killer - Hosted By Audrey Gillan - BBC Radio Scotland.
In this excellent podcast British journalist Audrey Gillan “explores the lives of the three women killed in the Bible John murders”. In doing so, Gillan gives a voice to the frequently overlooked female victims; the emphasis and discussions have always been focused on the killer but finally the women and their families get their stories heard; they were so much more then victims of this despicable killer. “Bible John” the perpetrator has never been caught and the murders remain unsolved.
This podcast is well researched and it is presented in an easy to follow logical manner. A bonus for me is Gillan’s wonderful Scottish accent. Gillan highlights many flaws in the investigation of the murders of Patricia Docker, Jemima McDonald and Helen Puttock, all three women were mothers to young children and were murdered after nights out dancing.
What Gillan uncovers is:
“… a whole other story that she and everyone else had missed completely.” (Source here).
This moving and definitely haunting podcast will test your tear ducts, prepare yourself for an emotional roller-coaster and heart wrenching true stories that will stay with you long after you have finished listening. There are nine episodes available so far.
6. Verified: Full Disclosure (Season 4) - Hosted By Natasha Del Toro - Scripps.
OK, so there is only one episode available so far but this true crime podcast had to be on this list, it is gripping and I really want to know what happens next! This is Season 4 of Verified, Verified: Full Disclosure and we are headed to Arizona where:
“Three women say they were abused by the same Arizona police officer over nearly a decade. When they seek justice, all of them are kept in the dark about his record of lying and illegal conduct – one goes to prison based entirely on his false testimony.” (Source here).
Episode one, aptly entitled “Who Ya Gonna Believe” is really a case of “he said - she said” but you can tell that there is so much more to this story, we are only scratching the surface:
“What happens in one state when law enforcement officials routinely fail to track dishonest and disreputable police officers, and how one tenacious reporter uncovers it all.” (Source here).
Be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss new episodes, released weekly.
Some other true crime Verified Podcasts worth checking out are Verified: Dust Up and Verified: The Next Threat.
7. Missing Justice - Hosted By Cara Korte & Bo Erickson - CBS News.
On March 6th 2020, mother of three, 33 year old Christy Woodenthigh was knocked down and killed outside her home on the Northern Cheyenne reservation in Lame Deer, Montana. Christy’s boyfriend of eight years, Jerard Threefingers:
“… picked up her body and drove to his mother’s house.” (Source here).
Upon hearing that Christy had been involved in an accident, Christy’s family rushed to her home and were shocked to discovered:
“… no police officers, no approaching sirens, and no sign of Christy.” (Source here).
Missing Justice is a true crime podcast that takes the listener inside the story, we learn all about Christy from her loving family and friends and hear an in-depth analysis of:
“… what really happened that night and the federal investigation that followed.” (Source here).
It is clear from the beginning that Christy’s family had no faith or trust in the law enforcement officers investigating Christy’s death and when you learn the facts of the investigation, you too will come to the conclusion that they were right not to trust them. Furthermore, their misgivings are confirmed when “bombshell testimony revealed their worst fears”.
The first three episodes of this consuming six-part true crime series are available now.
8. Crooked City: The Emerald Triangle - By Sam Anderson - truth.media.
Journalist and host Sam Anderson is shocked when he learns that a former high school classmate in the suburbs of New Jersey has been accused of murdering a man named Jeff Settler in California. Sam cannot reconcile the chilled, friendly, quiet guy he knew in school with his new “cold blooded killer” status. So, what does Sam do? - he sets off to California in an attempt to uncover the truth.
“Sam becomes immersed in the Emerald Triangle, the legendary home of pot growers, hippies, and outlaws. He discovers that his classmate became drawn into the orbit of a cultish and charismatic pot grower obsessed with psychedelic drugs. Desperation, greed, and a seemingly never-ending acid trip create a perfect storm of paranoia that ends in a moment of unspeakable violence.” (Source here).
Even though I have listened to the first five episodes, I am still scratching my head wondering where this story will end; still wondering what really happened and who is responsible for the death of Jeff Settler?! The list of alternative suspects is long and the stories are somewhat differing although the two things all the suspects agree on is that firstly Jeff owed them all money and secondly that they were all high on a cocktail of alcohol and drugs on the night that Jeff’s murder took place. This true crime podcast is keeping me tuned in, I want to know how this one plays out!
FYI, another excellent true crime podcast from the Crooked City series is Crooked City: Youngstown Ohio.
9. Bad Women: The Blackout Ripper - Hosted By Hallie Rubenhold & Alice Fiennes- Pushkin.
This true crime podcast transports the listener back to 1940s London where a serial killer nicknamed “The Blackout Ripper” is viciously attacking and murdering innocent women late at night during wartime “blackouts”. The Blackout Ripper was in fact an air-force pilot named Gordon Cummins. Cummins primarily targeted women in the West End area of London:
“The streets of wartime London are pitch black and the darkness offers cover to a murderer every bit as terrible as Jack the Ripper.” (Source here).
This podcast is well researched and presented. In each episode we hear the story of one of Cummins’ unfortunate victims. His victims varied in age from mid 20s to mid 40s, some were married while others were single or separated. Some of the women worked as prostitutes while others held highly qualified jobs. They are now forever linked as victims of “The Blackout Ripper”.
With eight episodes available, this is the perfect podcast to binge.
10. Stealing Superman - Hosted By Dana Schwartz - iHeartPodcasts.
Although Stealing Superman is technically not classed as a true crime podcast, a major theft/crime is the starting point of this story, so that is good enough for me! This podcast tells the story of:
“… the mysterious theft of the most important comic in the world … a comic stolen from Nicolas Cage.” (Source here).
Another excellent podcast from iHeartPodcasts which avoids the darker themes that we usually are faced with when we listen to true crime - i.e. less murder and more thievery here!
Nicholas Cage was known for throwing epic parties and for being very relaxed when it came to security, a deadly combination when it appears that you have an expert thief in your midst:
“After a holiday party, Nicolas Cage realizes his cache of rare comics has been ransacked, and Action Comics #1—the Mona Lisa of comics—is missing. With suspects ranging from employees to guests, Cage turns to his trusted comic book dealer for help solving what will shape up to be the most unlikely art heist of all time.” (Source here).
This podcast is well produced and very entertaining. It gave me an insight into the interesting and expensive world of comic collecting, something which I knew very little about before. You can listen to the first five episodes now.
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