Criminal

Criminal

Vox Media Podcast Network

Criminal is the first of its kind. A show about people who’ve done wrong, been wronged, or gotten caught somewhere in the middle. Hosted by Phoebe Judge. Named a Best Podcast of 2023 by the New York Times. Part of the Vox Media Podcast Network.

The Butterfly Smuggler

The Butterfly Smuggler

The first time Ed Newcomer went to the L.A. Bug Fair, he met a man who called himself the world’s most wanted butterfly smuggler. It took three years of undercover work for Ed Newcomer to catch him in the act.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts.Sign up for Criminal Plus to get behind-the-scenes bonus episodes of Criminal, ad-free listening of all of our shows, special

Feb 21, • 35:13

Ava and the Pickpocket

Ava and the Pickpocket

“He stole my watch. He stole my jewelry. I stopped wearing jewelry – just to see what else he would steal.” In 2004, Ava Do met a professional pickpocket at a bachelorette party in Las Vegas. And they fell in love.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts.Sign up for Criminal Plus to get behind-the-scenes bonus episodes of Criminal, ad-free listening of all of our shows, sp

Feb 14, • 42:47

Robert Smalls

Robert Smalls

On May 13, 1862, in Charleston, South Carolina, a man named Robert Smalls took command of a Confederate ship called The Planter and liberated himself and his family from slavery. As they passed the Confederate-held Fort Sumter, Robert Smalls was said to have saluted it with a whistle, and then added an extra one, “as a farewell to the confederacy.”Robert Smalls’ great-great-grandson, Michael Boulware Moore, tells the story.This episode was first released in June 2020. Say hello on Twitter, Faceb

Feb 7, • 35:39

The Raid

The Raid

In 2023, police raided the Kansas newspaper where Eric Meyer worked with his mother, Joan. Seven officers also searched their home. Joan had a heart attack and died the next day.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts.Sign up for Criminal Plus to get behind-the-scenes bonus episodes of Criminal, ad-free listening of all of our shows, special merch deals, and more.We also

Jan 31, • 38:50

Guns, Grenades, and $100,000

Guns, Grenades, and $100,000

“Anything you can think of is going to be in the water.”Say hello on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts.Sign up for Criminal Plus to get behind-the-scenes bonus episodes of Criminal, ad-free listening of all of our shows, special merch deals, and more. We also make This is Love and Phoebe Reads a Mystery

Jan 24, • 35:25

Dexter Wade

Dexter Wade

Bettersten Wade searched for her missing 37-year-old son for nearly six months. Then she found out that the police knew where he was the whole time.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts.Sign up for Criminal Plus to get behind-the-scenes bonus episodes of Criminal, ad-free listening of all of our shows, special merch deals, and more. We also make This is Love and Phoebe

Jan 17, • 37:49

Moon Rocks Wanted

Moon Rocks Wanted

On September 18, 1998, an unusual ad ran in USA Today — a company called John’s Estate Sales was looking to buy a moon rock. The phone number on the ad belonged to Special Agent Joe Gutheinz at NASA.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts.Sign up for Criminal Plus to get behind-the-scenes bonus episodes of Criminal, ad-free listening of all of our shows, special merch de

Jan 10, • 37:07

The Christmas Fire

The Christmas Fire

The bodies of a woman and her child were found inside a burned house on Christmas Day, 1843. An autopsy showed that they’d died before the fire even started.Alex Hortis's book is The Witch of New York.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts.Sign up for Criminal Plus to get behind-the-scenes bonus episodes of Criminal, ad-free listening of all of our shows, special merch d

Dec 27, 2024 • 40:48

Turtle vs. Toilet, a Monster in the Closet, and a Surprise Possum

Turtle vs. Toilet, a Monster in the Closet, and a Surprise Possum

Stories of animals really going for it.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts.Sign up for Criminal Plus to get behind-the-scenes bonus episodes of Criminal, ad-free listening of all of our shows, special merch deals, and more. We also make This is Love and Phoebe Reads a Mystery.Artwork by Julienne Alexander. Check out our online shop.Episode transcripts are posted on ou

Dec 20, 2024 • 51:32

Operation Flagship

Operation Flagship

In 1985, 160 people were sent letters saying they’d won free tickets to an NFL football game. They were told to pick up their tickets at the Washington Convention Center. When they arrived, they were greeted by cheerleaders, men in tuxedos, and team mascots. But then, they found out there were never any tickets at all.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts.Sign up for Cr

Dec 13, 2024 • 31:38

The Sale

The Sale

In 1791, three men filed lawsuits in the General Court of Maryland. They were all suing the same person: the Jesuit priest who enslaved them.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts.Sign up for Criminal Plus to get behind-the-scenes bonus episodes of Criminal, ad-free listening of all of our shows, special merch deals, and more. Right now, you can use the code "THANKS" for

Dec 6, 2024 • 46:11

For the Sake of American Youth

For the Sake of American Youth

“Children nowadays, they make maps. And say, this is the street where the store is that we're going to rob, and this is where we're going to hide, and this is how we get away.” In the 1950s, U.S. senators were worrying about “the fifth horseman of doom.” And they started an unusual investigation.The recordings of the Senate hearings in this episode are courtesy of the NYC Municipal Archives.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The

Nov 22, 2024 • 1:22:17

Extraordinary and Compelling Reasons

Extraordinary and Compelling Reasons

In 1993, Gary Settle was sentenced to 177 years in prison. Twenty-six years into his sentence, he started helping other inmates get out of prison through something called compassionate release - a policy that allows people in prison to petition to be let out for “extraordinary and compelling” reasons.You can learn more about Gary Settle in Anna Altman’s piece, "The Quality of Mercy," in The Atavist Magazine.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Sign up for our occasional

Nov 15, 2024 • 44:24

The Reverend

The Reverend

In 1977, a man named Robert Burns went to a funeral and shot someone, in the head, in front of 300 people. He didn’t deny it, and his lawyer didn’t deny it. Burns told a police officer: “I had to do it. And if I had to do it over, I’d do it again.”Casey Cep’s book is The Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud, and the Last Trial of Harper Lee.This episode was originally released in 2019.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Fo

Nov 8, 2024 • 40:03

The Family Land, Part 2

The Family Land, Part 2

This week, part two of the Reels family story – how two brothers went to jail in an attempt to save their family land, and were held there for eight years without being charged with a crime. “I’m not going to give up. I don’t think I’m wrong, and I’m willing to fight for it.”For more on the Reels family’s story, you can read Lizzie Presser’s article, “Their Family Bought Land One Generation After Slavery. The Reels Brothers Spent Eight Years in Jail for Refusing to Leave It.”Say hello o

Nov 1, 2024 • 31:47

The Family Land, Part 1

The Family Land, Part 1

Melvin Davis and Licurtis Reels refused to leave the land that had been in their family for generations – so they were sent to jail. They expected to be in jail for 90 days. They were there for 8 years. This week, part 1 of their story.For more on the Reels family’s story, you can read Lizzie Presser’s article, “Their Family Bought Land One Generation After Slavery. The Reels Brothers Spent Eight Years in Jail for Refusing to Leave It.”Say hello on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTo

Oct 25, 2024 • 35:47

Valentine

Valentine

Today, a personal story from Phoebe about her mother, Valentine, who died this spring.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts.Sign up for Criminal Plus to get behind-the-scenes bonus episodes of Criminal, ad-free listening of all of our shows, special merch deals, and more. We also make This is Love and Phoebe Reads a Mystery.Artwork by Julienne Alexander. Check out our o

Oct 18, 2024 • 42:34

Under the Wall

Under the Wall

Soon after the Berlin Wall went up, a group of students knocked on Joachim Rudolph’s door. They told him they were trying to get people out of East Germany - and they wanted his help. Helena Merriman’s book and BBC podcast are called Tunnel 29. You can hear the episode of AirSpace with Günter Wetzel here.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts.Sign up for Criminal Plus to

Oct 11, 2024 • 41:05

A Land Without Law

A Land Without Law

Before Guantánamo Bay became the prison we know today, Marie Genard spent more than a year of her life there. She was 14.Brandt Goldstein’s book is Storming the Court: How a Band of Law Students Fought the President—and Won.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts.Sign up for Criminal Plus to get behind-the-scenes bonus episodes of Criminal, ad-free listening of all of our

Oct 4, 2024 • 1:03:08

The Mirage

The Mirage

In 1977, a new bar opened on North Wells Street in Chicago. Things weren’t as they seemed at the aptly named “Mirage Tavern.”This story is from our friends at Snap Judgment.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts.Sign up for Criminal Plus to get behind-the-scenes bonus episodes of Criminal, ad-free listening of all of our shows, special merch deals, and more. We also make

Sep 27, 2024 • 36:51

A Murder in the Forest

A Murder in the Forest

One morning, two men got in a boat and sailed down a river in the Amazon rainforest. They were never heard from again.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts.Sign up for Criminal Plus to get behind-the-scenes bonus episodes of Criminal, ad-free listening of all of our shows, special merch deals, and more. We also make This is Love and Phoebe Reads a Mystery.Artwork by Jul

Sep 20, 2024 • 41:01

Into the Vault

Into the Vault

In the summer of 1975, two best friends attempted a robbery unlike any they’d ever pulled off before. Their target: the mob.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts.Sign up for Criminal Plus to get behind-the-scenes bonus episodes of Criminal, ad-free listening of all of our shows, special merch deals, and more. We also make This is Love and Phoebe Reads a Mystery.Artwork

Sep 13, 2024 • 44:17

The Petition

The Petition

When Madison Smith went to her county attorney’s office to talk about her rape case, she knew she wanted to press charges. But the prosecutor told her he wouldn't bring a rape charge. Then she discovered a loophole in an old Kansas law.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts.Sign up for Criminal Plus to get behind-the-scenes bonus episodes of Criminal, ad-free listening o

Sep 6, 2024 • 40:45

Hot Lotto

Hot Lotto

In 2010, a $16.5 million Hot Lotto ticket was sold at a gas station in Des Moines, Iowa. At first, no one showed up to claim the prize. And then, a series of lawyers tried to claim the money on behalf of a client they would not name. Things got stranger, and eventually investigators uncovered what has been called the biggest lottery fraud in U.S. history.This episode was first published in 2021. Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Acc

Aug 23, 2024 • 35:41

Big Fish

Big Fish

Two men turned in the winning catch at a Lake Erie fishing tournament. But when the tournament director squeezed one of their fish - he felt something inside. Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: iTunes.com/CriminalShow.Sign up for Criminal Plus to get behind-the-scenes bonus episodes of Criminal, ad-free listening of all of our shows, members-only merch, and more. Learn more

Aug 16, 2024 • 38:09

Ana

Ana

Phoebe: Are there a lot of spies in this country today?Scott: Far more than people can probably even imagine. You can't rule anybody out. You never know what it is that motivates people to do this.For 17 years, Ana Montes was quietly sharing information with the Cuban government while working as a U.S. defense intelligence analyst.Scott Carmichael’s book is True Believer: Inside the Investigation and Capture of Ana Montes, Cuba's Master Spy. Jim Popkin’s book is Code Name Blue Wren – Th

Aug 9, 2024 • 49:20

Trouble in Flamingo

Trouble in Flamingo

Hunters in the Everglades used to kill millions of birds every year for their feathers. In 1902, a man named Guy Bradley was hired to stop people from shooting the birds – but it wasn’t easy. “If you’re working alone in the wilderness, no witnesses, and the people that you’re going up to are armed, it’s really dangerous.”Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: iTunes.com/Crimina

Aug 2, 2024 • 39:31

Millions of Pills

Millions of Pills

“There was a saying I heard a few times: ‘under the influence, above the law.’ And I think that describes the mindset of a certain type of fraternity guy.” Max Marshall’s book is Among the Bros: A Fraternity Crime Story. Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: iTunes.com/CriminalShow.Sign up for Criminal Plus to get behind-the-scenes bonus episodes of Criminal, ad-free listening

Jul 26, 2024 • 47:51

Los Hipopótamos

Los Hipopótamos

In the 1980s, Pablo Escobar smuggled four hippopotamuses into Colombia for a zoo on his ranch. Today, there are over 160 hippos in the country. “It’s like hippo paradise here. They have water and food all year long. They have no predators…They can do whatever they want."Listen to Jorge Caraballo’s Radio Ambulante episode about narco tours here.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podca

Jul 19, 2024 • 48:21

The Disappearance of Leslie Arnold

The Disappearance of Leslie Arnold

In 1967, a 24-year-old named Leslie Arnold escaped from prison. The FBI looked for him for years. And then, in 2022, a U.S. Marshal got a message from his son.How are we doing? Take our survey here.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: iTunes.com/CriminalShow.Sign up for Criminal Plus to get behind-the-scenes bonus episodes of Criminal, ad-free listening of all of our shows, m

Jul 12, 2024 • 47:34

Ten Thousand Feet in the Air

Ten Thousand Feet in the Air

On the afternoon of June 23rd, 1972, Martin McNally walked into the St. Louis airport with a wig, a sawed-off rifle, and a plan.Special thanks to Danny Wicentowski. Learn more at the Riverfront Times: “The Final Flight of Martin McNally.”This episode was originally released in 2018. To hear the second part of this story, “The Fox,” click here. How are we doing? Help us improve by completing our audience survey: https://thisiscriminal.com/survey.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagr

Jul 5, 2024 • 34:53

State of North Carolina v. Joan Little

State of North Carolina v. Joan Little

When Karen Bethea-Shields was in college, she heard a judge say, “No way in the world a Black woman can get raped.” A few years later, in 1975, she helped successfully defend Joan Little—a Black woman—who became the first woman in the U.S. to be found not guilty of murder using the defense that she used deadly force to resist sexual assault.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts

Jun 28, 2024 • 37:11

The Demon Spread

The Demon Spread

“The ingenuity of depraved human genius has culminated in the production of margarine.”Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: iTunes.com/CriminalShow.Sign up for Criminal Plus to get behind-the-scenes bonus episodes of Criminal, ad-free listening of all of our shows, members-only merch, and more. Learn more and sign up here.Listen back through our archives at youtube.com/crimin

Jun 21, 2024 • 28:25

One Troy

One Troy

The Lawrence H. Woodward funeral home in Brooklyn has been run by one family for generations, and has handled many funerals for victims of violent crime.When we visited, one funeral director told us, “I don’t think people understand when you’re dealing with a victim who’s been shot – we see these things. It’s a mental toll on the person that has to now look at this gunshot victim and put them back together.”Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newslet

Jun 14, 2024 • 41:08

11 to 1

11 to 1

When JonRe Taylor was called for jury duty in 2007, she voted ‘not guilty’ on every charge. But the defendant was convicted and sent to prison anyway.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: iTunes.com/CriminalShow.Sign up for Criminal Plus to get behind-the-scenes bonus episodes of Criminal, ad-free listening of all of our shows, members-only merch, and more. Learn more and sign

Jun 7, 2024 • 44:08

The Six

The Six

In 1989, three people confessed to participating in a murder. Eventually, a total of six people were arrested. But when DNA tests were run on crime scene evidence almost 20 years later - the results showed that none of them had been there at all.This episode picks up where our last episode left off. If you haven't heard the first part yet - we recommend going back and listening to that first. It’s called Type B.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional new

May 24, 2024 • 40:58

Type B

Type B

Six people were arrested for a murder in Nebraska. Some said they couldn't remember details of the crime, or being there at all - but then they began to have dreams about it.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: iTunes.com/CriminalShow.Sign up for Criminal Plus to get behind-the-scenes bonus episodes of Criminal, ad-free listening of all of our shows, members-only merch, and m

May 17, 2024 • 35:44

The Confession, Part 3

The Confession, Part 3

When we last spoke with Trevell Coleman, he was waiting to hear back about his clemency application. And then, in December of last year, his lawyer got a phone call.We shared Trevell’s story in two episodes we released last fall. They’re called The Confession Part 1 and 2.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: iTunes.com/CriminalShow.Sign up for Criminal Plus to get behind-the-

May 10, 2024 • 32:59

Right of Way

Right of Way

In 1991, two police officers stopped Tupac Shakur for jaywalking. He said he was knocked unconscious during his arrest, and sued the city of Oakland for 10 million dollars. His lawyer says many of the police brutality cases he's worked on started with jaywalking stops.Peter Norton’s book is Fighting Traffic.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: iTunes.com/CriminalShow.Sign up

May 3, 2024 • 35:07

Mr. Apology

Mr. Apology

In 1980, posters appeared in subway stations and on telephone poles in New York City with a phone number to call. When you called it, you would hear a message: “This is Apology. Apology is not associated with the police or any other organization but rather is a way for you to tell people what you have done wrong and how you feel about it.”Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts:

Apr 26, 2024 • 49:31

Under Oath

Under Oath

When he was 14 years old, Ron Bishop testified in a murder trial. Decades later, he told an investigator everything he said on the stand was a lie – and that it was just what he was told to say.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: iTunes.com/CriminalShow.Sign up for Criminal Plus to get behind-the-scenes bonus episodes of Criminal, ad-free listening of all of our shows, membe

Apr 19, 2024 • 50:59

The Strike

The Strike

When people started saying that John D. Rockefeller Jr. was responsible for the deaths of two women and 11 children near a coal mine in Colorado, he decided to do something unusual. He hired “the father of public relations.”Scott Martelle's book is Blood Passion: The Ludlow Massacre and Class War in the American West.Amy Westervelt's podcast is called Drilled.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review u

Apr 12, 2024 • 47:11

An Officer's Arrest

An Officer's Arrest

Sultan Alam was the first Pakistani officer to join the traffic department of the Cleveland Police in the UK. He was harassed at work and complained to his senior officers about it. Then his coworkers showed up at his house to arrest him.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: iTunes.com/CriminalShow.Sign up for Criminal Plus to get behind-the-scenes bonus episodes of Criminal,

Apr 5, 2024 • 43:29

Indelible Ink

Indelible Ink

For almost thirty years, Adolfo Kaminsky lived quietly, forging documents for people all over the world. It started when he was 18.Sarah Kaminsky’s book is Adolfo Kaminsky: A Forger’s Life.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: iTunes.com/CriminalShow.Sign up for Criminal Plus to get behind-the-scenes bonus episodes of Criminal, ad-free listening of all of our shows, members-on

Mar 22, 2024 • 43:49

The Hiss

The Hiss

As the famous English actor William Macready was preparing to go on stage in New York, over 300 police officers were placed in and around the theater. “But the head of the police said, ‘I don't know that that's going to be enough people.’”Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: iTunes.com/CriminalShow.Sign up for Criminal Plus to get behind-the-scenes bonus episodes of Criminal,

Mar 15, 2024 • 41:40

The Dial Painters

The Dial Painters

In the early 1920s, painters at a watch dial factory in New Jersey started to get sick. No one could tell them why.Kate Moore's book is called The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: iTunes.com/CriminalShow.Sign up for Criminal Plus to get behind-the-scenes bonus episodes of Criminal, ad-free listening of all of our sho

Mar 8, 2024 • 45:50

If I’m Long Unheard From

If I’m Long Unheard From

In 1974, musician Connie Converse drove away from home and was never heard from again.Howard Fishman’s book is To Anyone Who Ever Asks: The Life, Music, and Mystery of Connie Converse. Martha Wainwright’s cover of "One By One" is on Vanity of Vanities: A Tribute to Connie Converse. Julia Bullock’s album is Walking in the Dark. You can find Connie Converse’s music at http://connieconverse.com. Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomp

Mar 1, 2024 • 41:19

Off Leash

Off Leash

“I never did anything wrong. I never had a speeding ticket. I think I just saved all my stuff up for just one thing.” We speak with Toby Dorr, who started a prison dog training program in 2004. That’s how she met John Manard. This episode was originally released in 2019.Criminal is on tour this month! We're telling brand new stories, live on stage. You can even get meet and greet tickets to come and say hi before the show. Tickets are on sale now at thisiscriminal.com/live. We can’t wai

Feb 23, 2024 • 49:27

Call Russ Ewing

Call Russ Ewing

“The police had surrounded the house. They had been there for quite a while. They didn’t want to try to rush the house because they thought he might kill one of the innocent people. But after waiting for a long time, I asked the police: ‘Let me see if I can talk to the guy.’”For decades, TV news reporter Russ Ewing stood beside more than 100 people — at their request — as they surrendered to the police.Thanks to CBC Licensing.This episode was originally released in 2020.Criminal is on t

Feb 16, 2024 • 33:33

Cowboy Bob

Cowboy Bob

In May 1991, a bank robber walked into a bank in Irving, Texas, and without speaking handed the teller a note that read, “This is a bank robbery. Give me your money. No marked bills or dye packs.”Check out Skip Hollandsworth’s Texas Monthly article, “The Last Ride of Cowboy Bob.”This episode was first released in 2020. Criminal is on tour this month! We’re telling brand new stories, live on stage. You can even get meet and greet tickets to come and say hi before the show. Tickets are on

Feb 9, 2024 • 37:15

Bonus: The Liberal Arts Club

Bonus: The Liberal Arts Club

Listen to the latest Criminal Plus bonus episode completely for free. Phoebe and Lauren hit record on the drive to visit a 100-year-old Liberal Arts Club in Tarboro, North Carolina. You’ll also hear Phoebe’s presentation to the club about the history of Criminal, and how she thinks about the stories we tell.If you’re not a Criminal Plus member and you like what you hear, become a member at thisiscriminal.com/plus or in your Apple Podcasts feed. You'll also get ad-free episodes! Learn mo

Feb 7, 2024 • 29:59

911

911

A conversation with a 911 operator about what happens on the other end of the line – and the day she heard her daughter's voice on the phone.Criminal is going back on tour this month! We’ll be telling brand new stories, live on stage. You can even get meet and greet tickets to come and say hi before the show. Tickets are on sale now at thisiscriminal.com/live. We can’t wait to see you there!Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accompli

Feb 2, 2024 • 38:19

The Ninth Floor

The Ninth Floor

Martin Abramowitz knew that his father had worked at the Triangle Shirtwaist Company, but he always thought he hadn’t been there the day the building caught fire and 146 workers died. Then he found out that a man with the same name as his father had testified at the factory owners' trial.Criminal is going back on tour in February! We’ll be telling brand new stories, live on stage. You can even get meet and greet tickets to come and say hi before the show. Tickets are on sale now at this

Jan 26, 2024 • 44:18

48 Hours, Part 2

48 Hours, Part 2

This episode picks up where 48 Hours, Part 1 left off. We suggest you listen to them in order.When Aaron Quinn called the Vallejo police to report that his girlfriend Denise Huskins had been kidnapped, and went into the station for questioning, a detective told Aaron that he didn't believe him. When Denise was released after being held captive for about 48 hours, police didn't believe her either. It soon became clear that the police viewed Denise and Aaron as suspects, not victims.Denis

Jan 19, 2024 • 45:53

48 Hours, Part 1

48 Hours, Part 1

“I think it was around 3:00 a.m., and that’s when I heard a strange man’s voice waking me from sleep.”This is part one of a two-part episode. Listen to part two in our next episode.Denise Huskins and Aaron Quinn’s book is Victim F.This episode was originally released in 2021.Criminal is going back on tour in February! We’ll be telling brand new stories, live on stage. You can even get meet and greet tickets to come and say hi before the show. Tickets are on sale now at thisiscriminal.co

Jan 19, 2024 • 54:13

The Hunt

The Hunt

In 2016, the FBI attaché in Pretoria, South Africa, got a phone call from a woman asking the FBI to investigate the death of her friend, Bianca Rudolph. Bianca had died on a hunting trip in Zambia’s Kafue National Park, but her friend didn’t think it was an accident.Criminal is going back on tour in February! We’ll be telling brand new stories, live on stage. You can even get meet and greet tickets to come and say hi before the show. Tickets are on sale now at thisiscriminal.com/live. W

Jan 12, 2024 • 31:27

Tokyo Joe

Tokyo Joe

Ken Eto worked for the Chicago Outfit for 30 years. He was known as the mob’s bolita expert, bringing in millions of dollars a year for them. But in 1983, they turned on him.Dan O’Sullivan wrote about Ken Eto for Chicago Magazine and Epic Magazine - you can read his piece here.Criminal is going on tour in February! We’ll be telling brand new stories, live on stage. You can even get meet and greet tickets to come and say hi before the show. Tickets are on sale now at thisiscriminal.com/

Jan 5, 2024 • 46:28

The Gargoyle Cat, the Taylor Swift Goat, and the Runaway Cow

The Gargoyle Cat, the Taylor Swift Goat, and the Runaway Cow

Stories of animals really going for it.Criminal is going back on tour in February! We’ll be telling brand new stories, live on stage. You can even get meet and greet tickets to come and say hi before the show. Tickets are on sale now at thisiscriminal.com/live. We can’t wait to see you there!Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: iTunes.com/CriminalShow.Sign up for Criminal Plu

Dec 22, 2023 • 48:48

The Questions I’m Asking

The Questions I’m Asking

Today we meet “Genius Grant” winner Andrea Armstrong. In 2019, she started the Incarceration Transparency Project to identify and make public how many people were dying behind bars in Louisiana. The project also documents conditions inside the state’s prisons and jails – what Andrea Armstrong calls “secretive spaces of confinement.” She’s said: “Too often, the how and why a person in prison dies is kept secret from everyone, including the person’s family."Criminal is going back on tour

Dec 15, 2023 • 39:58

Send Her to the Island

Send Her to the Island

When a young woman showed up at a boarding house in Manhattan, she said her name was Nellie Brown – but that was all she seemed to remember about herself. Soon, people became scared of her. Someone went to the police: "I want you to take her quietly."Stacy Horn's book is Damnation Island: Poor, Sick, Mad, and Criminal in 19th-Century New York.Travis Russ' upcoming play is The Gorgeous Nothings. To hear our special bonus episode about the other end of the island—and get ad-free listening

Dec 8, 2023 • 32:27

The Kit

The Kit

In the early 1970s, Marty Goddard was worried about the high rates of sexual assault in Chicago. She learned from police that evidence from sexual assault cases often wasn’t collected properly — or at all. “They said, ‘We don’t get evidence.’ And this really kicked everything off.”Criminal is going back on tour in February! We’ll be telling brand new stories, live on stage. You can even get meet and greet tickets to come and say hi before the show. Tickets are on sale now at thisiscrimi

Dec 1, 2023 • 50:14

Masterpiece

Masterpiece

In the 1950s poodles were all the rage — one tabloid even reported that when a girl “makes the big time she traditionally acquires 3 things — minks, gems, and a poodle.” But one poodle in particular put the breed on the map. His name was Masterpiece… and police in 13 states knew exactly what he looked like.This episode originally aired in 2018. To listen to more family-friendly episodes of Criminal and This is Love, check out our playlist here.Criminal is going back on tour in February!

Nov 24, 2023 • 32:03

Fine Art and Meat Cleavers

Fine Art and Meat Cleavers

In 1913, museums and art galleries in London received a memo from the police. It told them to be careful when they let in visitors – women might try to attack the art.Criminal is going back on tour in February! We’ll be telling brand new stories, live on stage. You can even get meet and greet tickets to come and say hi before the show. Tickets are on sale now at thisiscriminal.com/live. We can’t wait to see you there!Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasion

Nov 17, 2023 • 55:08

The Liverpool Exchange

The Liverpool Exchange

In the 1980s, Liverpool was having what journalists called a heroin epidemic. The chairman of a local organization where people would go for drug counseling told a reporter, “We are on the brink of complete catastrophe.” Then a small group of people decided to try something.Maia Szalavitz’s book is Undoing Drugs: How Harm Reduction Is Changing the Future of Drugs and Addiction.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the

Nov 10, 2023 • 49:25

Interrogation Room

Interrogation Room

After a 17-hour-long interrogation, a woman confesses to a murder. But then, evidence surfaces proving that she can’t have actually done it – and that it was a false confession.Today, we’re looking at what goes on in an interrogation room – and hear a recording from inside.Maurice Chammah and the Marshall Project released a 6-part podcast series about James Holland and Larry Driskill – it’s called “Smoke Screen: Just Say You’re Sorry.”Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign u

Nov 3, 2023 • 55:25

How to Sell a Haunted House

How to Sell a Haunted House

In 1989, Helen Ackley decided to sell her old Victorian house in Nyack, New York. It didn’t go as planned. The house became the center of a case that’s referred to as “The Ghostbusters ruling.”This episode was originally released in 2020.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: iTunes.com/CriminalShow.Criminal is going back on tour in February! We’ll be telling brand new stories,

Oct 27, 2023 • 34:02

The Spy

The Spy

Jack Barsky was a college student in 1970 when the KGB knocked on the door of his dorm room to inquire about his plans after college. “I was told to broaden my knowledge of culture, of literature, of music, to become a well-educated person who could operate in higher strata of society.” Jack Barsky wrote a book about his life. It’s called Deep Undercover: My Secret Life and Tangled Allegiances as a KGB Spy in America.Criminal is going back on tour in February! We’ll be telling brand new

Oct 20, 2023 • 56:18

Chesa, Kathy, and David

Chesa, Kathy, and David

Kathy Boudin and David Gilbert were once members of the radical activist group the Weather Underground. In 1981, they helped members of the Black Liberation Army rob a Brink’s armored car at the Nanuet National Bank. Their son, Chesa Boudin, was 14 months old at the time. He spent his childhood visiting his parents in prison.Criminal is going back on tour in February! We’ll be telling brand new stories, live on stage. You can even get meet and greet tickets to come and say hi before the

Oct 13, 2023 • 41:17

Jiminy Crickets

Jiminy Crickets

Here's a little preview of what we’re making over on Criminal Plus! We’re having a lot of fun making these bonus episodes. In each one, Criminal co-creator Lauren Spohrer and I take your questions and talk about what’s happening behind the scenes – and anything else that comes up. Recently we’ve talked about the only time I’ve ever stopped an interview, unusual gift ideas, Lauren’s love of sheet cakes, how to fall asleep, and some unwelcome guests in my studio.When you sign up for Crimi

Oct 11, 2023 • 11:41

The Confession, Part 2

The Confession, Part 2

This episode continues where Episode 237 leaves off.17 years after he shot a man, Trevell Coleman walked into a police station and tried to turn himself in. He’d never been a suspect in the case, and had kept the secret for years. He also never knew if the man had lived or died — but after turning himself in, he finally found out.Criminal is going back on tour in February! We’ll be telling brand new stories, live on stage. You can even get meet and greet tickets to come and say hi befor

Oct 6, 2023 • 34:16

The Confession, Part 1

The Confession, Part 1

Trevell Coleman signed with Bad Boy Records in 1998. He made it onto the Billboard charts, and was called “the latest protege of rap’s royal family.” But there was something from his past he hadn’t told anyone about – and he couldn’t let it go.Criminal is going back on tour in February! We’ll be telling brand new stories, live on stage. You can even get meet and greet tickets to come and say hi before the show. Tickets are on sale now at thisiscriminal.com/live. We can’t wait to see you

Sep 29, 2023 • 38:23

Phoebe vs. Oyster

Phoebe vs. Oyster

We’re coming up on 10 years of Criminal. In the past decade, we've loved taking the show all over the country - including the time I ate a bad oyster in San Francisco and almost didn't make it on stage. It means a lot to us, to be together with you in person - so we're excited to be doing it again soon.This February, we'll be coming to Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, St. Paul, Chicago, Boston, Toronto, New York, Philadelphia, Washington D.C, and Raleigh. We're also coming to London

Sep 28, 2023 • 2:14

Under the Crabapple Tree

Under the Crabapple Tree

On September 16, 1922, a reverend and a choir singer were found dead under a tree. Between their bodies was a stack of love letters. When police began investigating the murders, tabloid reporters did too, and rumors about the case began to spread quickly.We have some exciting news – Criminal is going back on tour! We can’t wait to see you. Presale tickets are available at 12 pm ET today for Criminal Plus members. If you're not a member yet, you can sign up at thisiscriminal.com/plus. We

Sep 22, 2023 • 41:01

The Newsroom

The Newsroom

Jeff German was a reporter for over 40 years in Las Vegas. He spent his life covering the mafia, corruption, and murder. In 2022, he was found killed outside his home. His colleagues at the Las Vegas Review-Journal tried to figure out why he had died—and if his death had anything to do with his work.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: iTunes.com/CriminalShow.Sign up for Crim

Sep 15, 2023 • 38:41

The Séances

The Séances

In 1916, two British soldiers were held captive in a remote prisoner-of-war camp. People said the camp was escape-proof. One day, one of the soldiers received a postcard from his aunt in England, suggesting they try experimenting with a Ouija board. When reports of ghosts started circulating around the camp, the two soldiers had an idea.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: iT

Sep 8, 2023 • 44:34

Iceland Noir

Iceland Noir

Iceland is one of the most peaceful countries in the world, but people there love to read about crime. Even the Prime Minister of Iceland has written a crime novel. We stopped by her office to ask why.Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir and Ragnar Jónasson's book is Reykjavík.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: iTunes.com/CriminalShow.Sign up for Criminal Plus to get behind-t

Aug 25, 2023 • 30:43

The Other Phoebe Judge

The Other Phoebe Judge

A preview of what we’re making over on Criminal Plus! Hear me and Criminal co-creator Lauren Spohrer taking your questions, telling stories, and talking with other producers and special guests. We’re having a lot of fun making these bonus episodes.When you sign up for Criminal Plus, you’ll also get ad-free listening on all of the shows we make, access to an exclusive merch store, and more. If you sign up as a Premium member, you’ll also get to attend virtual live events—like our first o

Aug 21, 2023 • 12:05

Wolf 10

Wolf 10

In April of 1995, wildlife biologists flew small airplanes over Yellowstone National Park, looking for two missing wolves. “They’re just gone. And that’s implausible because wolves don’t just disappear.”Thomas McNamee’s book is The Killing of Wolf Number Ten.This episode was originally released in 2020.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: iTunes.com/CriminalShow.Sign up for C

Aug 18, 2023 • 36:06

The Nurse

The Nurse

When Amy Loughren started working as a nurse at Somerset Medical Center, she did everything she could to hide the fact that she had a heart condition. And then, another nurse named Charles Cullen discovered Amy’s secret. He told her that he would keep it, but she didn’t know that he was keeping his own secret too.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: iTunes.com/CriminalShow.Si

Aug 11, 2023 • 46:50

The Perfectionists

The Perfectionists

A story about religion, sex, an assassination, and silverware. Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: iTunes.com/CriminalShow.Sign up for Criminal Plus to get behind-the-scenes bonus episodes of Criminal, ad-free listening of all of our shows, members-only merch, and more. Learn more and sign up here.Listen back through our archives at youtube.com/criminalpodcast.We also make T

Aug 4, 2023 • 48:14

A Glamour and a Mystery

A Glamour and a Mystery

In the summer of 1917, 16-year-old Elsie Wright took a photograph of her 9-year-old cousin, Frances Griffiths. It was the first photograph she’d ever taken — and it became the source of a mystery that lasted for most of the 20th century.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: iTunes.com/CriminalShow.Sign up for Criminal Plus to get behind-the-scenes bonus episodes of Criminal, a

Jul 28, 2023 • 41:58

Roll of the Dice

Roll of the Dice

The UNABOM investigation was one of the longest manhunts in American history - it lasted for 18 years starting in 1978. Before the FBI started investigating Ted Kaczynski, they looked into a number of suspects, including a group of friends who loved playing Dungeons & Dragons.This episode is part of the podcast Project Unabom. Listen to the entire series on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/Project_Unabom.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsle

Jul 21, 2023 • 48:51

The Bodies in the Bog

The Bodies in the Bog

In the summer of 1984, a local newspaper reporter outside of Manchester, England, got a tip from the police. A foot had been found in a nearby bog.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: iTunes.com/CriminalShow.Sign up for Criminal Plus to get behind-the-scenes bonus episodes of Criminal, ad-free listening of all of our shows, and members-only merch. Learn more and sign up here.

Jul 14, 2023 • 36:32

The Prison Newspaper

The Prison Newspaper

A little over sixty years ago, there were 250 prison newspapers being published on a regular basis. Today, there are 26. We visit Nash Correctional Institution in North Carolina to meet Phillip Vance Smith, II, the editor of The Nash News.Learn more about the American Prison Newspapers digitization project here. Listen to more of Fresh Air’s interview with Angolite editor Wilbert Rideau here. Special thanks to Terry Gross and Fresh Air, which is produced at NPR member station WHYY and d

Jul 7, 2023 • 43:16

The Impersonator

The Impersonator

Mary Jones could sing just like Aretha Franklin. One night, a James Brown impersonator saw her perform at a Motown tribute show - and thought he could take her on tour and trick audiences into believing she was the real Queen of Soul. Jeff Maysh tells the story.Learn more in Jeff Maysh’s piece for Smithsonian Magazine, “The Counterfeit Queen of Soul.” Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on App

Jun 30, 2023 • 34:40

Al Capone, Eliot Ness, and Cleveland’s Torso Murderer

Al Capone, Eliot Ness, and Cleveland’s Torso Murderer

In 1934, a man collecting driftwood along the Lake Erie shore found a human torso on the beach. No one could figure out what had happened. Over the next several years, more bodies were discovered. Eventually, a coroner assembled something he called the “Torso Clinic” to work on the case. It was made up of about 30 people – doctors, professors, police officers, and a young Prohibition agent named Eliot Ness.We're excited to announce Criminal Plus - our new membership program. Sign up to

Jun 23, 2023 • 40:40

The Unknown Woman

The Unknown Woman

When a toymaker and a doctor teamed up to make the world’s first CPR doll, they decided to make the doll’s face look like one specific woman – a woman who they thought had drowned. People call her l’Inconnue de la Seine, or the Unknown Woman of the Seine.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: iTunes.com/CriminalShow.Listen back through our archives at youtube.com/criminalpodcas

Jun 16, 2023 • 36:40

The Paramedics

The Paramedics

As recently as 1965, if you had a medical emergency, the people who showed up at your door would be volunteer firefighters, police officers, or undertakers with a hearse. Today, the story of how a group of Black men from Pittsburgh changed that. Kevin Hazzard’s book is American Sirens: The Incredible Story of the Black Men Who Became America's First Paramedics.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review

Jun 9, 2023 • 53:11

Lavender Scare

Lavender Scare

Helen James grew up in a military family — her great-great-grandfather fought in the Civil War, her father in WWI, and her uncles in WWII. So when she enlisted in 1952, she felt like she belonged. Shortly after, she realized she was being watched.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: iTunes.com/CriminalShow.Listen back through our archives at youtube.com/criminalpodcast. We al

Jun 2, 2023 • 27:49

Shipwrecked

Shipwrecked

There’s an old sailors’ saying about the ocean at the southernmost part of the world — “below 40 degrees latitude, there is no law; below 50 degrees, there is no God.”David Grann brings us the story of what happened when five British warships set off on a secret mission to steal a ship filled with treasure. They’d have to sail around the very bottom of South America — at 56 degrees south.David Grann’s book is The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder.Say hello on Twitter, Facebo

May 26, 2023 • 38:29

A Mysterious Bank

A Mysterious Bank

In the late 1870s, a woman named Sarah Howe started a bank just for single women called the Ladies’ Deposit Company. She asked new customers to tell their friends about the bank rather than advertising in newspapers, and she promised she could almost double their money. Today, the story of the woman running a Ponzi scheme before Charles Ponzi was even born.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us o

May 19, 2023 • 33:15

"Did we get it right?"

"Did we get it right?"

“What we ask jurors to do is to just absorb all this trauma and just to keep on absorbing it and not process it with anyone. Just hold it in and hold it in and hold it in.” A look at what happens during and after a trial – and how some courts are trying to help jurors.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: iTunes.com/CriminalShow.Listen back through our archives at youtube.com/

May 12, 2023 • 45:10

The Juror

The Juror

In 2008, Sven Berger was chosen to serve on the jury for a murder trial. He says the sentence that he and his fellow jurors handed down “felt like a mistake right away.”Sven talked about what happened next on the podcast Heavyweight, and today, we’re sharing that episode with you. Maurice Chammah originally reported on Sven’s story for The Marshall Project.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us o

May 5, 2023 • 35:16

The Magdalene Laundries

The Magdalene Laundries

When she was 14 years old, Elizabeth Coppin was sent to a place called Peacock Lane in Cork, Ireland. It was a laundry business run by a Catholic order of nuns. Elizabeth noticed bars on its windows.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts.Sign up for Criminal Plus to get behind-the-scenes bonus episodes of Criminal, ad-free listening of all of our shows, special merch dea

Apr 28, 2023 • 38:37

The Somerton Man

The Somerton Man

In 1948, two horse jockeys were riding on a beach in Australia when they came across a man lying in the sand. There was a partially smoked cigarette resting on his jacket. He was well dressed, with a striped tie and polished shoes. And he was dead.No one could figure out who he was.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: iTunes.com/CriminalShow.Listen back through our archives a

Apr 21, 2023 • 42:23

Palace of Justice – A Conversation with Benjamin Ferencz

Palace of Justice – A Conversation with Benjamin Ferencz

When Benjamin Ferencz was 27 years old, he prosecuted his very first trial. It's been called the largest murder trial in history, with more than one million victims. There were 22 defendants, each of them high-ranking members of Nazi Germany’s death squad.Benjamin Ferencz died last Friday, April 7, at the age of 103. He was the last surviving prosecutor from the Nuremberg trials. Today, we're sharing our conversation from 2018.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for ou

Apr 14, 2023 • 28:33

The Most Wonderful Terrible Person

The Most Wonderful Terrible Person

When Debra Miller woke up on October 8th, 1964, she was expecting to see a black Volkswagen in her family’s driveway. Instead, she saw a police car. “And I knew my father was dead.”Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: iTunes.com/CriminalShow.Listen back through our archives at youtube.com/criminalpodcast. We also make This is Love and Phoebe Reads a Mystery.Artwork by Julienn

Apr 7, 2023 • 46:26

The Fasting Cure

The Fasting Cure

In 1911, two sisters traveled to Seattle to meet a "doctor" named Linda Hazzard. The sisters didn’t seem very sick, but when they arrived, Dr. Hazzard told them they didn’t have a moment to lose – they needed to begin her treatment right away. A few months later, one of the sisters wrote a letter to her old governess. “I am wonderfully better in fact,” she said, “getting stronger by leaps.” But her handwriting was messier than usual, and her sentences ran together and overlapped.You can

Mar 24, 2023 • 46:02

Crazy Eddie

Crazy Eddie

In the 1980s, the discount electronics chain store Crazy Eddie was so famous, its commercials were parodied on "Saturday Night Live." So when the family business began selling its company shares on Wall Street — making millions — nobody questioned its success.Gary Weiss’ book is Retail Gangster: The Insane, Real-Life Story of Crazy Eddie. Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts:

Mar 17, 2023 • 39:47

Out of the Box

Out of the Box

In 1964, one of the best javelin throwers in Australia traveled to England to see if he could qualify for the Olympics. But, because of an injury, he didn’t make the team - and he couldn’t afford a plane ticket home. So he came up with an idea while working a cargo job at Heathrow Airport: “I saw them shipping animals. And I thought, well, if the dogs can survive it, I could.”Marcus and Julie McSorley’s book about Reg Spiers is Out of the Box: The Highs and Lows of a Champion Smuggler.S

Mar 10, 2023 • 44:30

An Impossible Crime, Part 2

An Impossible Crime, Part 2

This episode continues where Episode 208 leaves off.In 2001, Daniel Taylor wrote a letter from prison to a reporter at the Chicago Tribune named Steve Mills. Steve Mills spent months investigating before publishing a detailed examination of Daniel’s case as part of a series called “Cops and Confessions.” Daniel told us, “To have someone finally say that they believed me changed my whole life.”Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomp

Mar 3, 2023 • 44:41

An Impossible Crime

An Impossible Crime

Daniel Taylor was 17 years old when he was arrested for a 1992 double homicide in Chicago. But Daniel had an alibi. He was in jail at the time of the murders.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: iTunes.com/CriminalShow.Listen back through our archives at youtube.com/criminalpodcast. We also make This is Love and Phoebe Reads a Mystery.Artwork by Julienne Alexander. Check out

Feb 24, 2023 • 37:14

Novak v. City of Parma

Novak v. City of Parma

In 2016, a man named Anthony Novak created a parody Facebook page of his local police department. "I just thought, 'That would be funny.'" About a month later, he was arrested. Novak is now petitioning the Supreme Court, and The Onion submitted an amicus brief in support of his case. Their brief is written as a parody of an amicus brief.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: iT

Feb 17, 2023 • 38:33

The Feather Lady

The Feather Lady

On October 4, 1960, Eastern Airlines Flight 375 took off from Boston’s Logan airport, and then, two minutes later, it crashed. 62 people died. Investigators couldn't figure out what had happened, and they decided to ask a scientist working at the Smithsonian for help. Roxie Laybourne's investigation helped launch a whole new field of science that changed aviation and forensics.Special thanks to the Smithsonian Institution Archives for letting us share audio of Roxie Laybourne.Say hello

Feb 3, 2023 • 42:08

Sunset Mesa

Sunset Mesa

Debbie Schum waited a long time to receive the cremated ashes of her friend, LoraLee Johnson. When she did, she felt relieved to finally take them home with her. But then, she got a call from the FBI.We first aired this episode in 2020. Earlier this month, Megan Hess and Shirley Koch were sentenced for their crimes. We've included updates about the case in this version of the episode.To learn more, check out Elena Saavedra Buckley’s article, “‘None of this happened the way you think it

Jan 20, 2023 • 42:39

They Came for the Judges

They Came for the Judges

When the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in August of 2021, they unlocked the prisons and freed prisoners, some of whom sought revenge on the women judges who convicted them. We speak with some of the judges in today’s episode.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: apple.co/CriminalShow.Listen back through our archives at youtube.com/criminalpodcast.We also make This is Lov

Jan 6, 2023 • 42:21

Dog in the Bed, Cat in the Bag, Camel on the Golf Course

Dog in the Bed, Cat in the Bag, Camel on the Golf Course

Stories of animals really going for it.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: Apple.co/CriminalShow.Listen back through our archives at youtube.com/criminalpodcast.We also make This is Love and Phoebe Reads a Mystery.Artwork by Julienne Alexander. Check out our online shop. Episode transcripts are posted on our website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com

Dec 16, 2022 • 45:39

Across the Atlantic

Across the Atlantic

In February of 1910, members of the Music Hall Ladies Guild in London received a strange letter from their treasurer – a singer who went by the name Belle Elmore. It said that she suddenly had to travel to the United States, and that she was resigning from her position.Several weeks later, at the Music Hall Ladies Guild fundraising ball, Belle's husband arrived with a date. And she was wearing Belle's brooch.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsle

Dec 2, 2022 • 48:39

The Tylenol Murders

The Tylenol Murders

On September 29, 1982, Adam Janus suddenly collapsed in his home outside of Chicago. He died within hours. Later that same day, in the same house, his brother also collapsed — then his sister-in-law. All three of them had been healthy. Nobody could figure out what was going on.Stacy St. Clair and Christy Gutowski reported an investigative series looking back on the Tylenol murders for the Chicago Tribune. You can listen to their podcast here, and read their series in the Chicago Tribune

Nov 18, 2022 • 51:46

We Interrupt This Program

We Interrupt This Program

On a Saturday night, in February 1949, the music programming on one of the most popular radio stations in Quito, Ecuador, was interrupted with an urgent news bulletin: strange objects in the sky that looked like large disks with bright lights were using a powerful ray to destroy a nearby city. And they were heading right for Quito.Thanks to Lisette Arévalo for sharing her tape and her reporting. In 2020, she reported this story for the Spanish-language podcast Radio Ambulante – it’s cal

Nov 4, 2022 • 39:59

Ghostwatch

Ghostwatch

On Halloween night, in 1992, an unusual television special aired on the BBC. Nobody expected what happened next. “The technicians were looking up at the big screen in the lobby, saying to each other, ‘My God, what's going on in Studio One?'” Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: iTunes.com/CriminalShow.We also make This is Love and Phoebe Reads a Mystery.Artwork by Julienne Al

Oct 21, 2022 • 54:51

The Hammersmith Ghost

The Hammersmith Ghost

In the winter of 1803, residents outside of London reported strange encounters with a ghost. Some said it looked like Napoleon Bonaparte, or a horse without a head. Others said the ghost breathed fire and smoke. By Christmas, there was a “full-scale phantom panic.” Shortly after the New Year, one man decided he’d stop the ghost once and for all.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podc

Oct 7, 2022 • 37:40

Mantrap

Mantrap

Ed and Bertha Briney’s unoccupied farmhouse was reportedly broken into 50 times over 10 years. They put up “No Trespassing” signs, repeatedly complained to sheriffs in two different counties, nailed doors shut, and boarded up windows - but nothing worked. So they decided to try something else.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: iTunes.com/CriminalShow.We also make This is Lo

Sep 23, 2022 • 40:46

Hungryland

Hungryland

In March of this year, a biologist working in a nature preserve in Florida saw an alligator swimming along a canal with something in its mouth. When she looked closer, she realized it was a human arm.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: iTunes.com/CriminalShow.We also make This is Love and Phoebe Reads a Mystery.Artwork by Julienne Alexander. Check out our online shop. Episod

Sep 9, 2022 • 38:35

The Procedure

The Procedure

In 1967, a very unlikely group of individuals gathered to quietly break the law and help facilitate abortions. They established a phone number. When you called it, a recording of a woman's voice would tell you what to do next.Who was behind this number? The Clergy Consultation Service, an underground network of ministers and rabbis who wanted to help people access safe abortions in a time before it was legal. We first aired our conversations with some of them in 2017. And after the Supr

Aug 19, 2022 • 33:52

The Divorce Colony

The Divorce Colony

This episode picks up where Episode 193 left off. We suggest you listen to them in order.Blanche Molineux visited her husband while he was in prison for murder to keep up what she called the “ghastly pretense.” But eventually, she couldn’t keep it up anymore, and bought a train ticket to a place called "The Divorce Colony."April White’s book is The Divorce Colony: How Women Revolutionized Marriage and Found Freedom on the American Frontier.Take our survey: vox.com/podsurveySay hello on

Aug 5, 2022 • 37:32

A Ring and a Bottle

A Ring and a Bottle

In 1895, Blanche Chesebrough moved into a small apartment in Gramercy Park, in New York City. She brought a portrait of her parents, a vase for flowers, and her piano. She later said, “music had been my one absorbing interest,” and that she wasn’t interested in getting married. But eventually, she agreed to anyway. When she returned home from her honeymoon, she learned her husband was suspected of murder.April White’s book is The Divorce Colony: How Women Revolutionized Marriage and Fou

Jul 22, 2022 • 34:31

The Devil’s Hole Pupfish

The Devil’s Hole Pupfish

There is a cave in the middle of the Mojave Desert called Devil's Hole. It's home to a small iridescent blue fish, called the Devil's Hole pupfish - and you can't find them anywhere else in the world. There are fences, cameras, and motion sensors for security. In 2016, three men rammed the fences and broke in.We need your help. We are conducting a short audience survey to help plan for our future and hear from you. To participate, head to vox.com/podsurvey, and thank you!Did you know we

Jul 8, 2022 • 35:28

The Sailor's Teeth

The Sailor's Teeth

In 1982, forensic dentists examined the teeth of thousands of sailors stationed on an aircraft carrier called the USS Carl Vinson in Newport News, Virginia. It’s been called “the largest dental dragnet likely in U.S. history.” Chris Fabricant’s book is Junk Science and the American Criminal Justice System.We need your help. We are conducting a short audience survey to help plan for our future and hear from you. To participate, head to vox.com/podsurvey, and thank you!Say hello on Twitte

Jun 24, 2022 • 42:33

Day In, Day Out

Day In, Day Out

When Laura Coates decided to become a prosecutor in Washington, D.C., she was told that the job would be “human misery.” She says she remembers thinking, “If there's one person in the justice system who could do something about human misery, surely, it's the powerful prosecutor.” After four years, she quit.Laura’s book is Just Pursuit: A Black Prosecutor’s Fight For Fairness.We need your help. We are conducting a short audience survey to help plan for our future and hear from you. To pa

Jun 10, 2022 • 37:54

The Doctors

The Doctors

In 2018, we talked with three of America’s most experienced trauma surgeons about what happens when someone is shot. We wanted to spend some time with that conversation again this week.Special thanks to Dr. Amy Goldberg, Dr. David Spain, and Dr. Ronald Stewart.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: iTunes.com/CriminalShow.We also make This is Love and Phoebe Reads a Mystery.Art

May 27, 2022 • 24:36

John & Trooper

John & Trooper

For 10 years, Detective John Reilly and his horse Trooper were the only mounted team assigned to Central Park. They rode the same route every day. John says Trooper didn’t like change. “If you changed the route, he got mad.” And then in 2019, they both retired at the same time.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: iTunes.com/CriminalShow.We also make This is Love and Phoebe Re

May 13, 2022 • 21:54

427 Emails

427 Emails

Pontiac Correctional Center is a maximum security prison in the small town of Pontiac, Illinois. It’s the oldest in the state - founded in 1871 - and has a reputation for being one of the most violent. There is a guard at Pontiac who some staff praise for being tough and having their backs. But other staff and people in the prison say she is known for abuse. In 2019, she was investigated by the Department of Corrections and State Police. Investigators had obtained 427 of the guard’s ema

Apr 22, 2022 • 48:02

The Magpie

The Magpie

When Shigeru Yabu was 9 years old, he and his family were incarcerated at Heart Mountain Internment Camp, along with thousands of other Japanese and Japanese American families. One day, Shigeru discovered a baby magpie that had fallen out of its nest. He named her Maggie. “That bird walked up my arm all the way to my shoulder, and we looked at each other, eye to eye.”Shigeru Yabu’s book is Hello Maggie! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 8, 2022 • 40:27

The Princess

The Princess

One night in 1817, a woman appeared in the village of Almondsbury, in England. No one could figure out who she was. But everyone wanted to solve the mystery.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: iTunes.com/CriminalShow.We also make This is Love and Phoebe Reads a Mystery.Artwork by Julienne Alexander. Check out our online shop. Episode transcripts are posted on our website. Le

Mar 25, 2022 • 37:29

Ransom

Ransom

Miles Hargrove was in his sophomore year of college when he got a phone call that his father had been kidnapped.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: iTunes.com/CriminalShow.We also make This is Love and Phoebe Reads a Mystery.Artwork by Julienne Alexander. Check out our online shop. Episode transcripts are posted on our website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcast

Mar 11, 2022 • 45:32

Breaking into the F.B.I.

Breaking into the F.B.I.

In 1971, a woman visited an F.B.I. office in Pennsylvania. She identified herself as a college student interested in learning about opportunities for women in the F.B.I. None of that was true. She was there “to see whether there were security alarms before we could decide if we could break in.”Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: iTunes.com/CriminalShow.We also make This is L

Feb 25, 2022 • 48:26

The Midnight Slider

The Midnight Slider

In 2013, a small boat called The Midnight Slider was found floating empty in the waters off of Isle Madame in Nova Scotia. "Murder is not something that occurs in this neck of the woods very often," says Jake Boudrot, editor of the The Reporter, "There's always been a tradition of taking care of families, watching out, looking out for one another." Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple

Feb 11, 2022 • 37:38

Pappy, Another Round

Pappy, Another Round

When it comes to Kentucky bourbon, Pappy Van Winkle is among the most exclusive. You can’t get it unless you’re exceptionally lucky, exceptionally wealthy, or willing to break the law. The Pappy frenzy has the police, bartenders, and even the Van Winkle family themselves wringing their hands.According to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, sales of the most expensive American whiskeys have basically doubled since 2016, when we first looked into Pappy Van Winkle. We decid

Jan 28, 2022 • 45:24

The Boycott

The Boycott

15 years after the Supreme Court ruled that school segregation was unconstitutional in Brown v. Board of Education, many schools across the South were still segregated. Some school districts actively blocked desegregation. North Carolina passed legislation authorizing tuition grants to white private schools, sometimes called "segregation academies." Members of the KKK held rallies in North Carolina, describing desegregation as "anti-Christian" and "communistic." When the Federal governm

Jan 14, 2022 • 37:26

A Splendid Newfoundland, Cursing Birds, and the Fashion Fox

A Splendid Newfoundland, Cursing Birds, and the Fashion Fox

Stories of animals really going for it.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: iTunes.com/CriminalShow.We also make This is Love and Phoebe Reads a Mystery.Artwork by Julienne Alexander. Check out our online shop. Episode transcripts are posted on our website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 17, 2021 • 33:38

"The experiment requires that you continue."

"The experiment requires that you continue."

1. Please continue. 2. The experiment requires that you continue. 3. It is absolutely essential that you continue. 4. You have no other choice, you must go on.Gina Perry's book is Behind the Shock Machine: The Untold Story of the Notorious Milgram Psychology Experiments.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: iTunes.com/CriminalShow.We also make This is Love and Phoebe Reads a M

Dec 3, 2021 • 41:50

Palace of Justice

Palace of Justice

When Benjamin Ferencz was 27 years old, he prosecuted his very first trial. There were 22 defendants, each of them high-ranking members of Nazi Germany’s death squad. The entire world was watching.Today, we take a look at the Nuremberg trials and their role in defining international law after World War II.This episode originally aired in 2018—this version includes an update with Benjamin Ferencz, who celebrated his 101st birthday earlier this year.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Inst

Nov 19, 2021 • 35:27

The Red Flag

The Red Flag

In 2006, a man named William Ramsey went to the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida for a life-saving liver transplant. It was a success, and so when his health started to decline after the procedure, doctors couldn't figure out why.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: iTunes.com/CriminalShow.We also make This is Love and Phoebe Reads a Mystery.Artwork by Julienne Alexander.

Nov 5, 2021 • 40:20

Ghost Racket Crusade

Ghost Racket Crusade

The story of two famous friends — Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Harry Houdini — and the disagreement that ended their friendship: can we speak to the dead?Read Rose Mackenberg's essays in Tony Wolf's book, Houdini's Girl Detective: The Real-Life Ghost-Busting Adventures of Rose Mackenberg.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: iTunes.com/CriminalShow.We also make This is Love and

Oct 22, 2021 • 43:09

The Loves

The Loves

“There is something he hasn’t been telling me and I’m about to find out what it is.”Bobby and Cheryl Love’s book is The Redemption of Bobby Love: A Story of Faith, Family, and Justice.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: iTunes.com/CriminalShow.We also make This is Love and Phoebe Reads a Mystery.Artwork by Julienne Alexander. Check out our online shop. Episode transcripts ar

Oct 8, 2021 • 46:11

Family Money

Family Money

When Beverley Schottenstein’s husband Alvin died, she and her children sold their stake in his family’s business, worth an estimated 90 million dollars. Family relationships got complicated. It was hard to know who to trust. And what happened next surprised everyone. Beverley told us, “I was floored.”Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: iTunes.com/CriminalShow.We also make Th

Sep 24, 2021 • 40:48

Roselle and Michael

Roselle and Michael

Michael Hingson was on the 78th floor of the North Tower of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. He says the first indication that something was wrong was the sound of a muffled explosion. Then the building began to tilt, and he felt the floor drop like an elevator. But Michael Hingson didn’t panic because his guide dog, Roselle, was calm.Michael Hingson’s book is Thunder Dog.Listen to other episodes of This is Love at https://thisislovepodcast.com/.Say hello on Twitter, Facebo

Sep 10, 2021 • 37:53

Sealand

Sealand

Today's episode begins with rock & roll and ends with royalty. When bands like the Rolling Stones and the Beatles were becoming popular, they weren't played much on the radio in England. The BBC controlled the airwaves at the time, and some listeners described its music offerings as "square." So aspiring DJs packed up their record collections, got in boats, and sailed past the territorial limits of the UK, where they set up pirate radio stations in the sea—sometimes on abandoned WWI

Aug 27, 2021 • 54:30

Ian Manuel

Ian Manuel

"The phone rang and rang and a lady picked up on the other end and I still remember the operator saying, 'You have a collect call from Ian for Debbie. Will you accept the charges?' And I remember Debbie saying, 'Yes, I accept.' And I just remember blurting out, 'Ms. Baigrie, I just called to wish you and your family a merry Christmas and to apologize for shooting you.'" At 14 years old, Ian Manuel was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, and spent an estimated

Jul 30, 2021 • 39:16

Masquerade

Masquerade

The story of a cryptic children’s book, a real-life treasure hunt, and its very mysterious winner: “He refused to be on camera. It’s just his voice. His wife even asks that they disguise his voice, but she asks too late. The interview is already happening. And she faints.”Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: iTunes.com/CriminalShow.We also make This is Love and Phoebe Reads a

Jul 16, 2021 • 42:37

48 Hours, Part 2

48 Hours, Part 2

This episode picks up where Episode 167 left off. We suggest you listen to them in order. When Aaron Quinn called the Vallejo police to report that his girlfriend Denise Huskins had been kidnapped, and went into the station for questioning, a detective told Aaron that he didn't believe him. When Denise was released after being held captive for about 48 hours, police didn't believe her either. It soon became clear that the police viewed Denise and Aaron as suspects, not victims.Denise Hu

Jul 2, 2021 • 49:10

48 Hours

48 Hours

“I think it was around 3:00 a.m., and that’s when I heard a strange man’s voice waking me from sleep.” This is part one of a two-part episode. Listen to part two in our next episode.Denise Huskins and Aaron Quinn’s book is Victim F.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: iTunes.com/CriminalShow.We also make This is Love and Phoebe Reads a Mystery.Artwork by Julienne Alexander. C

Jun 18, 2021 • 57:57

On Fire

On Fire

On November 12th, 2012, the Accomack County volunteer fire departments got a call. An abandoned house had suddenly gone up in flames. And then, just hours later, a second fire was reported. Then a third. Over the next few months, there would be a lot more fires—nearly 90 in all. It was all anyone could talk about in Accomack. Someone was burning down the entire county.Monica Hesse's book is American Fire: Love, Arson, and Life in a Vanishing Land.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Insta

Jun 4, 2021 • 48:37

Unfit

Unfit

In August 1934, Ann Cooper Hewitt was having lunch with her mother when she suddenly felt pain in her abdomen. When she went to the doctor, he told her she would have to have her appendix removed. He never examined her abdomen. She later told papers that when she woke up from surgery, she heard a nurse saying that Ann “didn’t suspect a thing.”Audrey Clare Farley's book is The Unfit Heiress: The Tragic Life and Scandalous Sterilization of Ann Cooper Hewitt.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook

May 21, 2021 • 49:47

Sanctuary

Sanctuary

After 32 years in the United States, José Chicas was told he had to leave. He bought a plane ticket to El Salvador, but then a local church offered another option. Special thanks to Jackie Metivier.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: iTunes.com/CriminalShow.We also make This is Love and Phoebe Reads a Mystery.Artwork by Julienne Alexander. Check out our online shop. Episode

May 7, 2021 • 42:24

The Ghoul of Grays Harbor

The Ghoul of Grays Harbor

The Pacific Northwest was said to be terrorized by a serial killer in the early 20th century. Bodies were floating to the surface of the Chehalis and Wishkah Rivers. A local police chief told reporters that he believed that they were dealing with “the greatest murderer of the age.” But the real story was a lot more complex. It’s about myth-making and working conditions, The Sailors' Union of the Pacific, and a man named William Gohl (often called Billy Gohl) who angered the wealthiest a

Apr 23, 2021 • 37:43

I Fought the Law

I Fought the Law

The song “I Fought the Law” by the Bobby Fuller Four reached number 9 on the Billboard Charts in the week of March 12, 1966. Just months later, Bobby Fuller was found dead. The mystery of what happened to him has been called “the rock and roll version of John F. Kennedy’s assassination.” We speak with Miriam Linna and Dalton Powell. We made a special playlist of music discussed in this episode.Learn more in Miriam Linna and Randell Fuller’s book, I Fought the Law: The Life and Strange D

Apr 9, 2021 • 47:30

Only in Hollywood

Only in Hollywood

When Joan Borsten married actor Oleg Vidov, also known as “the Soviet Robert Redford,” he introduced her to beautiful Soviet animations created in Moscow’s Soyuzmultfilm studio, like Hedgehog in the Fog, by Yuri Norstein. Joan and Oleg eventually acquired the rights to distribute the films outside of the former Soviet Union. One day, Joan realized someone was undercutting their business, and she devised a very Hollywood solution. We talk with Joan Borsten, Andre Violentyev, and former F

Mar 26, 2021 • 39:59

Hot Lotto

Hot Lotto

In 2010, a $16.5 million Hot Lotto ticket was sold at a gas station in Des Moines, Iowa. At first, no one showed up to claim the prize. And then, a series of lawyers tried to claim the money on behalf of a client they would not name. Things got stranger, and eventually investigators uncovered what has been called the biggest lottery fraud in U.S. history. We speak with Iowa’s state Auditor, Rob Sand, and with Ed Stefan, who spent years working at the Multi State Lottery Association.Say

Mar 12, 2021 • 34:26

Spiritual Developments

Spiritual Developments

One Sunday afternoon, a man named William Mumler decided to take a self portrait. He said he was alone in the photography studio, but as the photograph developed he saw something very strange—the image of someone else, sitting beside him. Mumler’s “spirit photograph” was championed by advocates of Spiritualism, who saw it as evidence that the living could communicate with the dead. Mumler began to host portrait sessions in his studio, for a hefty fee. Abraham Lincoln’s wife, Mary Todd L

Feb 26, 2021 • 42:21

"If it ever happens, run."

"If it ever happens, run."

“What I recall most is the way that she grabbed my wrist and, shaking a bit, she said over and over again, ‘If it happens, run. Don’t let that happen to you. Run. If it ever happens, run.’” It was years before Cynthia Brown understood what her great-grandmother, Athalia Howe, was talking about. Athalia Howe grew up in Wilmington, North Carolina in the late 1890s. At the time, Wilmington was called “the freest town in the country” for Black people, and by 1898, Black men had become integ

Feb 12, 2021 • 38:37

The Short Life of Qandeel Baloch

The Short Life of Qandeel Baloch

Qandeel Baloch grew up in a conservative village in Pakistan called Shah Sadar Din, a place where it was shocking to see a woman swimming outdoors. She ran away from home, changed her name from Fouzia Azeem, auditioned for Pakistan Idol, and eventually became “Pakistan’s first social media star.” By 2015, she was reported to be one of the 10 most Googled people in Pakistan. As she became more famous, Qandeel Baloch also became more controversial. She received intense criticism when she

Jan 29, 2021 • 40:03

Sister Helen

Sister Helen

In 1982, Sister Helen Prejean was invited to write a letter to a man on death row in Louisiana’s Angola State Prison named Elmo Patrick Sonnier. She told us, “I thought that all I was going to be doing was writing letters. And lo and behold, two years later, I am in that execution chamber.” She’s now 81, and has been present at the executions of six men.Sister Helen’s book, Dead Man Walking, is about her time as a spiritual advisor to Elmo Patrick Sonnier and Robert Lee Willie. It was a

Jan 15, 2021 • 44:49

Bears on Ice

Bears on Ice

A day in the life of the town of Kalispell, Montana. Thanks very much for listening this year, and happy New Year. Read about other days in the Flathead Beacon'sPolice Blotter. Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: iTunes.com/CriminalShow.We also make This is Love and Phoebe Reads a Mystery.Artwork by Julienne Alexander. Check out our online shop. Episode transcripts are poste

Dec 24, 2020 • 3:22

Cannonball

Cannonball

With Covid-19 shutdowns, people have been taking advantage of quiet highways to drive as fast as they can from New York City to Redondo Beach, California. They’re trying to break records set in an unofficial and secretive race called the “Cannonball.” Car and Driver Magazine editor Brock Yates came up with the idea for the race, and described it as a “balls-out, shoot-the-moon, rumble.” He also wrote the screenplay for the 1981 movie based on the race, “Cannonball Run,” which starred Bu

Dec 18, 2020 • 37:52

The Night of the Party

The Night of the Party

When Nathan Myers and Clifford Williams were charged with the murder of Jeanette “Baldie” Williams in Jacksonville, Florida on May 2, 1976, neither of them were worried they would be convicted. They had dozens of witnesses that could confirm that they had been at a party when the shots were fired. But during their trial, not a single one of those witnesses was asked to testify. The prosecution’s entire case rested on the testimony of a woman named Nina Marshall, who'd been in bed with J

Dec 4, 2020 • 36:04

The Max Headroom Incident

The Max Headroom Incident

One Sunday night in November 1987, something very odd happened in the middle of the WGN nine o’clock news in Chicago. Sportscaster Dan Roan had been talking about the Chicago Bears, when the screen suddenly went black. Then a person appeared, dancing back and forth in front of a moving striped background, and wearing a mask. The mask was the face of a fictional character from 1985 named Max Headroom, who was supposed to be the world’s first computer generated TV host. He supposedly came

Nov 20, 2020 • 29:05

The Clearwater Monster

The Clearwater Monster

Early one morning in 1948, a phone call woke up the police chief in the small town of Clearwater, Florida. The caller said he’d seen something strange at the beach. Residents woke up that morning to find an odd set of footprints in the sand, and a rumor began circulating that Clearwater Beach had a sea monster. The rumor spread so wide, it caught the attention of a biologist in New York named Ivan Sanderson. Ivan Sanderson coined the term cryptozoology in the 1930s, meaning the search f

Nov 13, 2020 • 32:59

The Many Lives of Michael Malloy

The Many Lives of Michael Malloy

In 1932, a group of men in a speakeasy in Prohibition-era New York City hatched a plan — to take out life insurance on a loner named Michael Malloy, and make his death look like an accident. They thought it would be easy money. But Michael Malloy would become known as the man who just wouldn’t die. Simon Read’s book is On the House: The Bizarre Killing of Michael Malloy.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show a

Nov 6, 2020 • 34:51

76th and Yates

76th and Yates

On May 8, 2013, a man named Timothy Jones was arrested in Chicago. He says it wasn’t until he got to the police station that he found out that he was being charged with murder. He didn’t even know someone had died. Earlier that day, a woman named Jacqueline Reynolds had been driving through the intersection of 76th and Yates Boulevard when she was hit and killed by a police car. Because the officers driving the car, James Sivicek and Jairo Valeriano, had been pursuing Timothy Jones, Tim

Oct 23, 2020 • 37:11

Dr. Parkman is Missing

Dr. Parkman is Missing

In the mid-1800s, Harvard Medical School had a reputation for being a “den of body snatchers.” And then, in November 1849, the school’s most prominent supporter, Dr. George Parkman, went missing. He was last seen walking into the medical school building. Several days later, a janitor, named Ephraim Littlefield found something strange in the lab of faculty member Dr. John Webster.Paul Collins’ book is Blood & Ivy: The 1849 Murder That Scandalized Harvard.Say hello on Twitter, Faceboo

Oct 9, 2020 • 42:14

Errol Morris

Errol Morris

Early in his career, Errol Morris read about a shocking series of alleged insurance crimes in a small town in Florida, which some referred to as “Nub City.” There were allegations that men and women were mutilating themselves -- removing hands and feet -- in order to exploit accidental dismemberment clauses in insurance policies, and collect money. It was very difficult to prove that these injuries were intentional and not accidental. As one insurance official put it, “it was hard to ma

Sep 25, 2020 • 47:26

Kids on the Case

Kids on the Case

The summer after Jessica Maple finished 6th grade, she found out that her great-grandmother’s house had been burglarized. So, 12-year-old Jessica got out her notebook, looked for fingerprints, and decided she would conduct her own investigation. This week, four stories of kids who cracked the case. We speak with 10-year-old Griffin Steele, Griffin’s dad Shane Steele, his mother Carol Steele, and his brother, Jackson. Logan Hultman, age 10, and his mother Alyssa Hultman share a story abo

Sep 11, 2020 • 34:24

Ten Doors

Ten Doors

Tim Jenkin was a member of the ANC (African National Congress). The organization had been declared unlawful in South Africa, seen by the white minority as a threat to public order. In 1978, Tim Jenkin was charged under South Africa’s Terrorism Act for disseminating anti-apartheid material and sentenced to 12 years in prison. Just before he was convicted, someone gave him a book called Papillon, by Henri Charrière, which he said “was really a manual of escape.” Along with two other incar

Aug 28, 2020 • 32:52

How to Sell A Haunted House

How to Sell A Haunted House

In 1989, Helen Ackley decided to sell her old Victorian house in Nyack, New York at 1 Laveta Place. It didn’t go as planned. There were stories of ghosts, and the house became the center of a case that’s referred to as “The Ghostbusters ruling.” The judicial opinion read: “as a matter of law, the house is haunted.” We speak to Mark Kavanagh, Cynthia Kavanagh, Richard Ellis, University of Chicago law professor Lior Strahilevitz, and Randall Bell, who specializes in real estate damage eco

Aug 7, 2020 • 33:35

Looking Out

Looking Out

People incarcerated in California’s San Quentin State Prison aren’t allowed to have pets — but some people, like Ronell Draper, have found ways to work around that. Meet Ronell Draper, also known as “Rauch,” plus Ear Hustle’s Nigel Poor and Earlonne Woods join Phoebe to talk about the impact of Covid-19 at San Quentin.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: iTunes.com/CriminalSh

Jul 17, 2020 • 35:19

Knock and Announce

Knock and Announce

“I didn’t do what they said I did. And it was like, I don’t know how to disprove the police. I mean, it’s my word against theirs. I don’t really stand a chance.”In 2015, the 15th Circuit Drug Enforcement Unit in South Carolina gave a confidential informant $100 to buy marijuana from Julian Betton. And then they broke down his door. Officers David Belue, Chris Dennis, and Frank Waddell shot at Julian an estimated 29 times.We speak with Julian Betton and Jonny McCoy.Say hello on Twitter,

Jul 3, 2020 • 36:30

Robert Smalls

Robert Smalls

On May 13, 1862, in Charleston, South Carolina, a man named Robert Smalls took command of a Confederate ship called The Planter and liberated himself and his family from enslavement. As they passed the Confederate-held Fort Sumter, Robert Smalls was said to have saluted it with a whistle, and then added an extra one, “as a farewell to the confederacy.”Robert Smalls’ great-great-grandson, Michael Boulware Moore, tells the story.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for ou

Jun 19, 2020 • 32:57

It Looked Like Fire

It Looked Like Fire

On August 10th, 2014, one day after 18-year-old Michael Brown was shot and killed by Officer Darren Wilson in Ferguson, Missouri, Edward Crawford went to his first protest. “The people, you know, I guess they were out there to be heard,” Ed told us.We also speak with Robert Cohen of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.We first released this episode in 2015—this version includes an update. This episode contains references to police brutality. To see Robert Cohen's photographs, visit the episode

Jun 5, 2020 • 20:12

Cowboy Bob

Cowboy Bob

In May 1991, a bank robber walked into a bank in Irving, Texas, and without speaking handed the teller a note that read, “This is a bank robbery. Give me your money. No marked bills or dye packs.” Witnesses reported that the robber was wearing a cowboy hat and a brown leather jacket. And then it happened again. And again. But when FBI agents finally got a lead, they discovered that robber wasn’t who they expected at all.We speak with writer Skip Hollandsworth and former FBI agent Steve

May 15, 2020 • 35:23

Learning How to Forgive

Learning How to Forgive

“I’ve been teaching law for almost 40 years. And I recently realized we don’t really teach people in law school about the tools of forgiveness that are built into the legal system.”Today, we’re talking with Harvard law professors Dehlia Umunna and Martha Minow about when and how the law should forgive.Martha Minow’s latest book is When Should Law Forgive.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on

May 1, 2020 • 37:02

Starlight Tours

Starlight Tours

In January 2000, the bodies of two First Nations men were found frozen in a remote area of Saskatoon, Canada. It was a place where nobody walked, especially in the winter. And then, a man named Darrell Night came forward and said he had been dropped off by police on the outskirts of town, but he had made it back alive.We speak with former police officer Ernie Louttit and reporter Dan Zakreski about the deaths of Neil Stonechild, Lawrence Wegner, and Rodney Naistus, and “starlight tours”

Apr 17, 2020 • 38:35

Wolf 10

Wolf 10

In April of 1995, wildlife biologists flew small airplanes over Yellowstone National Park, looking for two missing wolves. “They’re just gone. And that’s implausible because wolves don’t just disappear.”The missing wolves were two of 14 that had been brought down from Canada in an attempt to reestablish the wolf population in Yellowstone. Not everyone supported the Yellowstone Wolf Project—including a man named Chad McKittrick.We speak with Thomas McNamee and Joe Fontaine. McNamee’s boo

Apr 3, 2020 • 35:25

Looking for Wolves

Looking for Wolves

Our other show, This is Love, is coming back on April 1. All new stories, about animals and the wild, and what happens when we take time to look around us. Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Artwork by Julienne Alexander. Check out our online shop. Criminal is a proud member of Radiotopia from PRX. Please review us on Apple Podcasts! It’s an important way to help new listeners discover the show: iTunes.com/CriminalShow. W

Mar 25, 2020 • 1:22

Phoebe Reads a Mystery

Phoebe Reads a Mystery

Phoebe reads Agatha Christie’s first novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles. For more, visit Phoebe Reads a Mystery on its own feed. Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/phoebe-reads-a-mystery/id1503921457 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4aqOirMxxorVMFcVRvDusi RSS: http://feeds.feedburner.com/PhoebeReadsAMystery Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 24, 2020 • 31:45

La Brea Dave

La Brea Dave

Sgt. David Mascarenas was the Dive Supervisor for the Los Angeles Police Department. He’s been diving his whole life, and prides himself on never refusing a dive, no matter how treacherous. At least until the summer of 2013, when a murder investigation led him into the unusually murky waters of the La Brea tar pits.We first spoke with Sgt. Mascarenas in 2015. This week, we’re adding to the story with information about the crime he couldn’t tell us before. In 2011, a man named Alonzo Est

Mar 20, 2020 • 34:44

527 Lime Street

527 Lime Street

Just before midnight on October 15, 1990, police arrived at 527 Lime Street in Jacksonville, Florida to find the small wood-frame house on fire. A man named Gerald Lewis was standing in the front yard. He said there were people inside the house. What happened next was so unusual that it changed the way we think about arson.We speak with attorney Frank Ashton and fire investigator John Lentini about the Lime Street case and why it was so important.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Insta

Mar 6, 2020 • 32:54

Call Russ Ewing

Call Russ Ewing

For decades, TV news reporter Russ Ewing stood beside more than 100 people—at their request—as they surrendered to the police.Thanks to CBC Licensing.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts.Sign up for Criminal Plus to get behind-the-scenes bonus episodes of Criminal, ad-free listening of all of our shows, special merch deals, and more. We also make This is Love and Phoeb

Feb 21, 2020 • 32:37

Red Hair, Gold Car

Red Hair, Gold Car

One day Adam Braseel got a phone call from his mother. She said that a man in Grundy County, Tennessee had been murdered, and the police thought Adam had something to do with it.Adam was charged with and convicted of the murder of Malcolm Burrows and assault against Rebecca Hill and Kirk Braden, despite there being no physical evidence against him. And then, 8 years later, Judge Justin Angel ordered a new trial.We speak with Adam Braseel, Judge Justin Angel, and Sergeant Mike Brown.Say

Feb 7, 2020 • 40:44

Herrin Massacre

Herrin Massacre

In the spring of 1922, the United Mine Workers of America announced a national strike. And then, that summer in Herrin, Illinois, 23 people were murdered over two days. Men, women, and children came out of their houses to watch, and in some cases, to take part in the violence.Scott Doody’s book is Herrin Massacre. Special thanks to the Special Collections Research Center at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, and Matt Gorzalski, and to John Griswold, who wrote Herrin: The Brief Hi

Jan 24, 2020 • 27:53

Sunset Mesa

Sunset Mesa

Debbie Schum waited a long time to receive the cremated ashes of her friend, LoraLee Johnson, from Sunset Mesa Funeral Directors in Montrose, Colorado. When she did, she felt relieved to finally take them home with her. But then, she got a call from the FBI.It turned out that the owner of the funeral home, Megan Hess, and her parents Shirley and Alan Koch had been operating a body brokering business—without permission from anyone.We speak with Debbie Schum, Elena Saavedra Buckley, Melis

Jan 10, 2020 • 34:27

Who's There

Who's There

Crime Blotter: “The Learning Center on Hanson Street reports a man across the way stands at his window for hours watching the center, making parents nervous. Police ID the subject as a cardboard cutout of Arnold Schwarzenegger.”Today, we’re looking at mistakes and misunderstandings. Like when Nate Roman returned home one evening to find his Marlborough, Massachusetts home mysteriously clean, and when 82-year-old Willie Murphy dealt with a home intruder in her own way.Say hello on Twitte

Dec 20, 2019 • 31:37

Phoebe, Judge Me

Phoebe, Judge Me

We are trying something different. Have a question for Phoebe? You can call into our voicemail at (919) 697-8231. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 13, 2019 • 9:20

Panic Defense

Panic Defense

In 1995, two men filmed an episode of the daytime talk show, The Jenny Jones Show. A few days later, one of the men was dead. The shooter later claimed he’d committed the murder “in a panic that he was being falsely accused or identified as a gay person.”We speak with Cynthia Lee, Carsten Andresen, and Paul Howard about so-called “gay panic” and “trans panic” defenses, and we discuss the murders of Scott Amedure, Islan Nettles, Larry King, Ahmed Dabarran, and Matthew Shepard.Thanks to T

Dec 6, 2019 • 40:47

Deep Breath

Deep Breath

World-class biathlete Kari Swenson was on an afternoon trail run in the mountains near Big Sky, Montana in July 1984 when two men blocked her path. They were Don and Dan Nichols, a father and son pair who later became known as the “mountain men.”This story was produced by 30 for 30 Podcasts from ESPN, and reported by Bonnie Ford. Find more at 30for30podcasts.com.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and revie

Nov 22, 2019 • 42:29

The Reverend

The Reverend

In 1977, a man named Robert Burns went to a funeral and shot someone, in the head, in front of 300 people. He didn’t deny it, and his lawyer, Tom Radney, didn’t deny it. Burns told a police officer: “I had to do it. And if I had to do it over, I’d do it again.” The man he’d shot was Willie Maxwell, and everyone knew who Willie Maxwell was. 6 people who had been close to him had died in 7 years—including two wives, Mary Lou Edwards and Dorcas Anderson. We speak with Casey Cep and John De

Nov 8, 2019 • 37:58

A New Kind of Life

A New Kind of Life

In 1930, a Cuban woman named Elena de Hoyos went to the hospital in Key West, Florida. She had a bad cough, and her family was afraid she had Tuberculosis. She met a German x-ray technician named Carl Von Cosel who claimed he could save her, using unusual methods he’d invented himself. But on October 25, 1931, Elena de Hoyos died. “Count Von Cosel,” as he called himself, wrote that a strange new kind of life began for him.For more, check out Ben Harrison’s book, Undying Love.Say hello o

Oct 30, 2019 • 21:54

The Less People Know About Us

The Less People Know About Us

SPOILER WARNING: Please listen to Episode 51: Money Tree before you listen to this one.Three years ago, we spoke with Axton Betz-Hamilton about discovering that her identity had been stolen as a child. When she found out who had stolen it, everything changed.We spoke with Axton again a couple of weeks ago. She said that since our last conversation she’s been conducting an investigation, going back to the very beginning of her own life, and reconsidering every memory. Axton’s new book is

Oct 25, 2019 • 41:02

A Bucket, a Mop, and a Sledgehammer

A Bucket, a Mop, and a Sledgehammer

After a crime occurs, or when someone dies, the police aren’t responsible for cleaning up. That’s not their job. The coroner takes the body, the police conduct their investigation, and then everyone leaves. But the blood, and the rubber gloves, and the uneaten food in the refrigerator are all left behind. Sandra Pankhurst didn’t like imagining that. So she decided to clean it up. She became a crime scene cleaner.To learn more about Sandra’s story, you can read The Trauma Cleaner, by Sar

Oct 11, 2019 • 22:41

Mrs. Sherlock Holmes

Mrs. Sherlock Holmes

In 1917, 18-year-old Ruth Cruger disappeared. She’d last been seen getting her ice skates sharpened in the motorcycle shop of a man named Alfredo Cocchi. Newspapers reported that she probably ran off with a boyfriend, and New York police said that there were no clues to go on. But an investigator named Grace Quackenbos Humiston decided that she would do whatever it took to find her. She became known as “Mrs. Sherlock Holmes.”Brad Ricca’s book is Mrs. Sherlock Holmes: The True Story of N

Sep 27, 2019 • 30:31

Professor Quaalude

Professor Quaalude

John Buettner-Janusch was one of the first Americans to study lemurs. He held prestigious faculty positions at Yale, Duke and NYU, before surprising everyone with a series of increasingly bizarre crimes.  Peter Kobel's Book is The Strange Case of the Mad Professor. You can learn more about lemurs at The Duke Lemur Center, which Peter Klopfer and John Buettner-Janusch founded together.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Fol

Sep 13, 2019 • 31:42

Off Leash

Off Leash

“I never did anything wrong. I never had a speeding ticket. I think I just saved all my stuff up for just one thing.” This week, we speak with Toby Dorr – better known as the Dog Lady of Lansing Prison. She started the Safe Harbor Prison Dogs program in 2004, and that’s how she met John Maynard.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: iTunes.com/CriminalShow.We also make This is

Aug 30, 2019 • 47:19

The Tunnel

The Tunnel

In the late 1800s, North Carolina was trying to build a railway system through the Western part of the state. In December of 1882, something went wrong. The Raleigh News and Observer called it “too horrible to chronicle without a shudder.” We speak with Gary Carden, George Frizell, and Al Fisher about the Cowee Tunnel disaster.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice.Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: iTunes.com/Cr

Aug 2, 2019 • 23:57

He's Still Neutral

He's Still Neutral

Dan Stevenson has lived in Oakland’s Eastlake neighborhood for 40 years. He says crime has been an issue for as long as he can remember, but he isn’t one to call the police. He’s a pretty “live and let live” kind of guy. Or he was. Before he finally got fed up and took matters into his own hands. We update one of our favorite episodes about “the Buddha of Oakland” with news and additional interviews, including a chat with Kurt Kohlstedt from 99% Invisible about other creative community

Jul 19, 2019 • 36:04

Stowaway

Stowaway

One day in 1969, Paulette Cooper decided to see what she could get away with. Learn more about Paulette Cooper on her website. Here’s her 1969 Cosmopolitan piece about stowing away onboard the SS Leonardo da Vinci.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice.Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: iTunes.com/CriminalShow.We also make This is Love and Phoebe Reads a Mystery.Artwork by Julienne Alexander. Check out our online

Jul 5, 2019 • 29:52

The Lake

The Lake

Amanda Hamm and her boyfriend Maurice LaGrone drove to Clinton Lake one night in 2003. The next day, DeWitt County Sheriff Roger Massey told a local newspaper, “We don’t want to blow this up into something that it’s not. But on the other side, we’ve got three children who are dead. None of us know exactly what happened.” If you’d like to learn more about the case, Edith Brady Lunny has written a book, along with Steve Vogel, called The Unforgiven. Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Inst

Jun 21, 2019 • 37:04

Jessica and the Bunny Ranch

Jessica and the Bunny Ranch

In our last episode we spoke Cecilia Gentili, a trans Latina who worked for many years as an undocumented sex worker. Today, we get two more views of sex work in America. We speak with a high-end escort in New York City, and take a trip to one of the only legal brothels in the country – the Moonlite Bunny Ranch, where we speak with Alice Little.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice.Follow the show and review us on Apple Podca

Jun 7, 2019 • 42:04

Cecilia

Cecilia

When Cecilia Gentili was growing up in Argentina, she felt so different from everyone around her that she thought she might be from another planet. “Some of us find our community with our own family and some of us don’t.” Today, Cecilia runs a policy reform organization called Trans Equity. She’s active in efforts to decriminalize sex work in New York, and to repeal SESTA-FOSTA.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice.Follow the

May 24, 2019 • 35:01

Philip and Becky

Philip and Becky

When Philip Benight met Becky Golden, they made a promise to stick together, no matter how bad things got. Read Ann Neumann's reporting in Harper's. Her book is The Good Death: An Exploration of Dying in America. Say hello on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts.Sign up for Criminal Plus to get behind-the-scenes bonus episodes of Criminal, ad-free listening of all of our shows, spe

May 10, 2019 • 35:15

Hostage

Hostage

In the summer of 1973, Clark Olofsson and Jan-Erik Olsson robbed the Kreditbanken in Stockholm’s Norrmalmstorg town square. They held four people hostage for six days. Swedish psychiatrist and criminologist Nils Bejerot coined the term “Stockholm Syndrome” to describe the response of the hostages. Bank robber Clark Olofsson told us, “It was fun.”Special thanks to Terence Mickey of the podcast Memory Motel, for allowing us to share audio from his interview with Kristin Enmark. Listen to

Apr 26, 2019 • 30:21

The Mail

The Mail

This episode contains adult content. Please use discretion. When Sarah Garone was 13 years old, she received something very strange in the mail. She didn't know who it was from, or why they would have sent it. And then it happened again.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice.Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: iTunes.com/CriminalShow.We also make This is Love and Phoebe Reads a Mystery.Artwork by Julienne Alexande

Apr 12, 2019 • 29:00

Silvon Simmons

Silvon Simmons

In 2016, Silvon Simmons was shot in the back by police officer Joseph Ferrigno. The Rochester Police Department said Silvon fired first, and charged him with attempted aggravated murder of a police officer. “My first instinct, to be honest, was they shot this guy and now there’s a coverup.” - Liz Riley, Special Assistant Public Defender, Monroe County Public Defender’s Office.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the

Mar 29, 2019 • 34:52

Baby Snatcher

Baby Snatcher

Georgia Tann of Memphis, Tennessee bragged that she had a rigorous selection process that matched the perfect child with the perfect home.Barbara Raymond's book is The Baby Thief. Say hello on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts.Sign up for Criminal Plus to get behind-the-scenes bonus episodes of Criminal, ad-free listening of all of our shows, special merch deals, and more. We al

Mar 15, 2019 • 39:55

Homewrecker

Homewrecker

It's one thing to get into an argument with a stranger on Facebook. It's another thing to try to ruin that stranger's life. In 2015, Re/Max realtor Monika Glennon discovered how far a stranger would go, when she found herself on a website called “She’s a Homewrecker.” Special thanks to Kashmir Hill, at Gizmodo. https://gizmodo.com/when-a-stranger-decides-to-destroy-your-life-1827546385 For a transcript of this episode, send an email to transcripts@thisiscriminal.com with the episode nam

Mar 1, 2019 • 26:38

The Numbers

The Numbers

When Fannie Davis and her family moved to Detroit in the mid-1950s, they had trouble finding steady work. So, Fannie found a way to take care of her family. Bridgett Davis' book is The World According to Fannie Davis: My Mother's Life in the Detroit Numbers. Say hello on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts.Sign up for Criminal Plus to get behind-the-scenes bonus episodes of Crimin

Feb 15, 2019 • 35:19

The Widow and the Winchester

The Widow and the Winchester

When Sarah Winchester's husband died, she inherited millions from the family business: the manufacture of the famous Winchester Rifle. A medium reportedly told Sarah that she would be haunted by the victims of that rifle unless she used her fortune to build a house, and never stop building. That's exactly what she did. Pamela Haag’s book is The Gunning of America: Business and the Making of American Gun Culture. For a transcript of this episode, send an email to transcripts@thisiscrimin

Feb 1, 2019 • 25:55

Linda

Linda

In a suburb outside of Salt Lake City, a 69-year-old woman named Linda Gillman hired a man named Christian Olsen to do some repairs on her condo. After months of working together, Linda Gillman asked for Christian’s help with a different sort of project. Say hello on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts.Sign up for Criminal Plus to get behind-the-scenes bonus episodes of Criminal,

Jan 18, 2019 • 32:50

Protection

Protection

John "Sonny" Franzese was once described as "largely responsible for the glamorization of the Mafia over the past century.” He'd been active in the Colombo crime family since the 1960s. And then, when he was 93, he was given an 8-year sentence. The evidence that helped convict him came from the last person he expected to wear a wire. For a transcript of this episode, send an email to transcripts@thisiscriminal.com with the episode name and number. Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Inst

Dec 21, 2018 • 27:16

Witness

Witness

We speak with a man who has given thousands of people new names, told them where they would live, and warned them they could never go back home. For more, check out Gerald Shur's book, WITSEC. Say hello on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts.Sign up for Criminal Plus to get behind-the-scenes bonus episodes of Criminal, ad-free listening of all of our shows, special merch deals, an

Dec 7, 2018 • 29:24

Bonus Episode: The Bark

Bonus Episode: The Bark

A story about Steve Hutton, a police constable in England, who decided to do things a little differently. For a transcript of this episode, send an email to transcripts@thisiscriminal.com with the episode name and number. Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Artwork by Julienne Alexander. Check out our online shop. Criminal is a proud member of Radiotopia from PRX. Please review us on Apple Podcasts! It’s an important way t

Nov 30, 2018 • 7:09

Get Out of My House

Get Out of My House

On a hot summer day in 1978, a group of friends started renovating an old house in a neighborhood in Atlanta called Little Five Points. The home belonged to Carmela Aliffi and her then-husband, Bear. Carmela and her friends were steaming wallpaper off of the walls when two strangers just walked in. One of them had a gun. Thanks to listener Jenna Alstad for writing in with her mother’s story. For a transcript of this episode, send an email to transcripts@thisiscriminal.com with the episo

Nov 16, 2018 • 28:26

This is Love: How to Live Forever

This is Love: How to Live Forever

Our second podcast, This is Love, is back. We’re sharing this first episode with Criminal listeners - we hope you like it. If you want to hear more, subscribe to This is Love in Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen. Learn more at www.thisislovepodcast.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 14, 2018 • 26:34

Ride-Along

Ride-Along

We spend the day in a police car in Austin, Texas. For a transcript of this episode, send an email to transcripts@thisiscriminal.com with the episode name and number. Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Artwork by Julienne Alexander. Check out our online shop. Criminal is a proud member of Radiotopia from PRX. Please review us on Apple Podcasts! It’s an important way to help new listeners discover the show: iTunes.com/Crim

Nov 2, 2018 • 34:20

The Fox

The Fox

This episode picks up where Episode 100 left off. We suggest you listen to them in order. When Martin McNally met another plane hijacker in prison, they started coming up with a plan to escape...using the very thing that got them there in the first place. For a transcript of this episode, send an email to transcripts@thisiscriminal.com with the episode name and number. Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Artwork by Julienn

Oct 19, 2018 • 26:17

I'm Phoebe Judge

I'm Phoebe Judge

Thanks for helping us celebrate 100 episodes! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 5, 2018 • 3:52

Ten Thousand Feet in the Air

Ten Thousand Feet in the Air

On the afternoon of June 23rd, 1972, Martin McNally walked into the St. Louis airport with a wig, a sawed-off rifle, and a plan. Say hello on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts.Sign up for Criminal Plus to get behind-the-scenes bonus episodes of Criminal, ad-free listening of all of our shows, special merch deals, and more. We also make This is Love and Phoebe Reads a Mystery.Art

Oct 5, 2018 • 35:01

Racehorse Haynes

Racehorse Haynes

There is nothing Richard "Racehorse" Haynes of Houston, Texas wouldn't do to win a case. He’s widely considered to be one of the most exceptional criminal defense attorneys America has ever seen. He was notorious for pulling stunts in the courtroom. We speak with his son, Slade Haynes, and attorneys Charla Aldous and Chris Tritico about how Racehorse Haynes changed how they approach a jury.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplic

Sep 21, 2018 • 31:24

The Doctors

The Doctors

Three of America's most experienced trauma surgeons speak with us about what happens when someone is shot. Special thanks to Dr. Amy Goldberg, Dr. David Spain, and Dr. Ronald Stewart.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts.Sign up for Criminal Plus to get behind-the-scenes bonus episodes of Criminal, ad-free listening of all of our shows, special merch deals, and more. We

Sep 7, 2018 • 24:06

Palace of Justice

Palace of Justice

When Benjamin Ferencz was 27 years old, he prosecuted his very first trial. There were 22 defendants, each of them high-ranking members of Nazi Germany's death squad. The entire world was watching. Today, we take a look at the Nuremberg trials and their role in defining international law after World War II.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: iTunes.com/CriminalShow.We also m

Aug 17, 2018 • 28:53

On the Run

On the Run

When Tyler Wetherall was a kid, her mother and father packed up the family car and drove through the night. They were on the run from the FBI. And by the time she was 9, Tyler had learned how to communicate in codes, adapt to new countries, and to never reveal who or where her father was. Tyler Wetherall wrote about her time on the run in her book, No Way Home.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review

Aug 3, 2018 • 30:11

The Job

The Job

Not long into his job as prison superintendent, Frank Thompson was asked to write the manual on lethal injection for the state of Oregon. Capital punishment had not been implemented in more than 30 years, and no one knew how to do it. Frank had to travel around the country learning how other states do it, and he asked his staff to practice. They simulated every step, including seating witnesses in the gallery, interacting with the press, and strapping each other to the gurney.Say hello

Jul 20, 2018 • 30:34

The Chase

The Chase

Mark Roberts has attended almost every major sporting event in the world. And he's been escorted off the field almost every time.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: iTunes.com/CriminalShow.We also make This is Love and Phoebe Reads a Mystery.Artwork by Julienne Alexander. Check out our online shop. Episode transcripts are posted on our website. Learn more about your ad choic

Jul 6, 2018 • 24:50

Lavender Scare

Lavender Scare

Helen James grew up in a military family — her great-great-grandfather fought in the Civil War, her father in WWI, and her uncles in WWII. So when she enlisted in 1952, she felt like she belonged. Shortly after, she realized she was being watched.Today we talk to one of the members of the U.S. Air Force impacted by a campaign to remove LGBTQI+ employees of the U.S. government in the 1950s.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice

Jun 15, 2018 • 28:09

Dementia Americana

Dementia Americana

This episode picks up where Episode 91 left off. We suggest you listen to them in order. The early 20th century's biggest murder trial, and a particular brand of "madness." Visit thisiscriminal.com to see rare photographs from Harry Thaw's trial. Cameras were not allowed in the courtroom, but Boston Globe photographer E.E. Bond snuck in a special camera, hidden in his vest and operated with a watch chain. Thanks to our friends at the Boston Public Library for allowing us to share them.

Jun 1, 2018 • 24:35

The "It" Girl

The "It" Girl

The story behind the face of New York's Gilded Age. For more information, check out Paula Uruburu's book, American Eve.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: iTunes.com/CriminalShow.We also make This is Love and Phoebe Reads a Mystery.Artwork by Julienne Alexander. Check out our online shop. Episode transcripts are posted on our website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit

May 18, 2018 • 30:54

Sharks

Sharks

The U.S. Navy attempted to develop a shark attack repellant after many sailors were attacked during WWII. The first step was the formation of a "Shark Research Panel," which led to what we have today: the International Shark Attack File. When someone is attacked by a shark, anywhere in the world, the investigation closely resembles police work. "We're not reinventing the wheel. There's been no shortage of trial and error that went into police investigations and what we do follows," says

May 4, 2018 • 27:45

Shadowing Sheila

Shadowing Sheila

SPOILER WARNING: Please listen to our first episode about Sheila, Episode 88: Cold Case, before you listen to this one. This episode contains descriptions of violence and may not be suitable for everyone.Sheila Wysocki became a private investigator to try to help solve the murder of her college roommate, Angela Samota. She wasn't planning on taking any other cases, but then the letters started coming. This week, we shadow Sheila and her colleagues as she investigates the unsolved murder

Apr 20, 2018 • 31:14

Cold Case

Cold Case

In 1984, Sheila Wysocki found herself helping the police investigate the murder of her college roommate, Angela Samota. Detectives asked her to help gather information, and even sent her out to dinner with the main suspect, a man named Russell Buchanan. But the case remained unsolved. 20 years later, Sheila Wysocki decided to investigate it herself. This episode contains descriptions of sexual assault and may not be suitable for everyone. Visit Sheila Wysocki's website at http://sheilaw

Apr 6, 2018 • 37:59

Casper, Wyoming

Casper, Wyoming

David Dovala has lived in Casper, Wyoming since he was 19. He’s worked all kinds of cases, first as a detective and later as sheriff, but a 1973 murder stays with him. This episode contains descriptions of sexual assault and may not be suitable for everyone. For more information, check out Ron Franscell's book, The Darkest Night.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: iTunes.com

Mar 23, 2018 • 21:12

Willie Bosket

Willie Bosket

Before he was 10 years old, Willie Bosket had skipped school, started fires, picked pockets, and stolen a car. A psychiatrist at Bellevue called him the "saddest little boy she’d ever seen.” By the time he was 16 years old, he was known all over New York City as the “Baby-Faced Butcher." His crimes led to the passing of the Juvenile Offender Act of 1978 and changed how juvenile offenders are punished all over the country. This episode was reported in collaboration with a new podcast fro

Mar 9, 2018 • 30:15

The Manual

The Manual

In 1993, Mildred and Trevor Horn, along with their live-in nurse Janice, were found murdered in their Montgomery County home. A Maryland police spokesperson described the homicide investigation as the most "exhaustive and labor intensive" in the department's history. And then homicide investigators found a strange manual titled Hit Man: A Technical Manual for Independent Contractors published by Paladin Press, and the case became national news.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagra

Feb 23, 2018 • 28:33

A New Show from the Makers of Criminal: Episode 1

A New Show from the Makers of Criminal: Episode 1

In 1971, David Alexander went for a run in Central Park and started talking to a stranger. For our first episode of This Is Love, a story about what's possible when we bet everything on each other. We speak with David, Jody, and Julienne Alexander.Listen to other episodes of This is Love at https://thisislovepodcast.com/.If you haven't already, please follow the show and review us on iTunes! https://apple.co/2BmMZr5Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.Artwork by Julienne Alexand

Feb 14, 2018 • 32:46

Masterpiece

Masterpiece

In the 1950s poodles were all the rage — one tabloid even reported that when a girl “makes the big time she traditionally acquires 3 things — minks, gems, and a poodle.” But one poodle in particular put the breed on the map. His name was Masterpiece...and police in 13 states knew exactly what he looked like.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: iTunes.com/CriminalShow.We also

Feb 9, 2018 • 28:46

This Is Love

This Is Love

Some spiders eat their young, and some eat their parents … love is never simple. From the makers of the award-winning podcast Criminal, This is Love investigates life’s most persistent mystery. Stories of sacrifice, obsession, and the ways in which we bet everything on one another.Listen to other episodes of This is Love at https://thisislovepodcast.com/.If you haven't already, please follow the show and review us on iTunes! https://apple.co/2BmMZr5Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Ins

Jan 26, 2018 • 5:35

The Mothers

The Mothers

There is a group in Durham, NC called "Parents of Murdered Children." This week, we meet three of its members.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: iTunes.com/CriminalShow.We also make This is Love and Phoebe Reads a Mystery.Artwork by Julienne Alexander. Check out our online shop. Episode transcripts are posted on our website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastch

Jan 26, 2018 • 26:38

Bonus Episode: Like a Page from a Book

Bonus Episode: Like a Page from a Book

In 1892, a gruesome murder took place in a small fishing village in Argentina. The police had a suspect who would not confess. What happened next would change the way murders were investigated around the world.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: iTunes.com/CriminalShow.We also make This is Love and Phoebe Reads a Mystery.Artwork by Julienne Alexander. Check out our online sh

Jan 15, 2018 • 23:55

The Choir

The Choir

As a child, Lawrence Lessig was a gifted singer. His church choir director encouraged him to attend a choir camp at a prestigious boarding school in New Jersey. He was so talented that the school invited him to stay and join their official choir. He sang at Carnegie Hall and toured the world. But it was what happened behind the scenes that would change his life forever.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show an

Jan 12, 2018 • 42:34

Unexpected Guests

Unexpected Guests

Three mysteries we can’t stop thinking about. The first is about an impossible photo taken at a bed & breakfast in Etna, California. Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: iTunes.com/CriminalShow.We also make This is Love and Phoebe Reads a Mystery.Artwork by Julienne Alexander. Check out our online shop. Episode transcripts are posted on our website. Learn more about your

Dec 15, 2017 • 35:18

Photo, Hair, Fingerprint

Photo, Hair, Fingerprint

In 1988, a man in Hickory, North Carolina named Willie Grimes was sentenced to life in prison for raping and kidnapping a 69-year-old woman named Carrie Lee Elliot. He was convicted with evidence experts would later call “junk science.” It took him 24 years to convince someone to look at the evidence again. Special thanks to Chris Mumma of the North Carolina Actual Innocence Center.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follo

Dec 1, 2017 • 29:13

Secrets and Séances

Secrets and Séances

Helen Duncan was a famous medium who travelled around Britain in the 1940s performing séances. She claimed to speak to the dead, and even produce physical manifestations of their spirits. But when Helen Duncan seemed to know wartime secrets about the whereabouts of military ships, like the sunken HMS Barham, she caught the attention of MI5 and notable psychic investigator Harry Price.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Fol

Nov 17, 2017 • 34:46

The Botanist

The Botanist

In 1993, Gerald Boggs of Steamboat Springs, Colorado was found dead in his home. He'd been burned with a stun gun, hit with a shovel, and shot several times. The victim's wife, Jill Coit, was the primary suspect, but she had an alibi for the estimated time of death: she was camping with her boyfriend Michael Backus. Investigators were at a loss, and turned to two very unlikely people for help. Today, we know Jill Coit as the Black Widow. Forensic Plant Science, by Jane H Bock and David

Nov 3, 2017 • 24:26

The Escape

The Escape

In 1962, brothers John and Clarence Anglin, along with fellow incarcerated person Frank Morris, managed to escape the one prison in America that was supposed to be inescapable: Alcatraz. Alcatraz is surrounded by icy waters, so the men would’ve needed a raft in order to escape the island. When no evidence of the raft or the three men was found, the FBI concluded that the men had drowned and closed their case. But more than 50 years later, their 82-year-old sister, Marie Anglin Widner, a

Oct 20, 2017 • 29:13

The Big Lick

The Big Lick

The Tennessee Walking Horse has a natural gait that's famously smooth. And, if trained in a certain way, it can perform a walk that's even more spectacular, called the Big Lick. But, there's a secret behind how, exactly, these horses are trained to do the crowd-pleasing step they're celebrated for; it’s called “soring” and it’s been outlawed since the 1970’s. Still, some horse trainers still use the practice today in order to compete in the Big Lick. When Marty Irby, president of the Te

Oct 6, 2017 • 26:35

The Gatekeeper

The Gatekeeper

"I keep saying 'where's the body? Kill someone,'" Marilyn Stasio told us. She reads at least 200 crime novels a year to determine which are worthy of her prestigious "Crime Column" in the New York Times Book Review. We talk with her about crime as entertainment - and why people are so addicted to the genre that she can't stay away from: "My fingers just itch when I see something that's says 'murder.'"You can find more of Marilyn Stasio's thoughts on crime fiction in her column.Say hello

Sep 22, 2017 • 27:28

Catastrophe

Catastrophe

In 1993, more than 1,000 levees broke along the Mississippi River, flooding thousands of acres. Most of these cases were accidents due to the river rising well above its usual levels. But in West Quincy, Missouri, there was another culprit, James Scott. His crime? Knowingly causing a catastrophe by breaking the levee. But his motive was not what prosecutors expected. Thanks to Noam Osmand for the story.  For more information, check out Adam Pitluk's book, Damned to Eternity.Say hello on

Sep 8, 2017 • 33:38

Carry A. Nation

Carry A. Nation

At the turn of the century, Carry Nation was “America’s foremost lady hellraiser” and "the apostle of reform violence.” A radical member of the temperance movement, Carrie Nation was known for attacking saloons, bars, and pubs with a hatchet engraved with name. In her own words, she was "a bulldog running along at the feet of Jesus, barking at what He doesn't like." We liked her hatchet pins so much, we thought we’d try to make some of our own. They say “CRIMINAL” on the handle. Get you

Aug 18, 2017 • 26:54

Bears, Birds, and Bones

Bears, Birds, and Bones

As long as 2,500 years ago, Native Americans placed the bones of their dead in giant mounds of earth in the shape of animals. The Effigy Mounds National Monument in Iowa was created to protect one set of these - and the bones inside. But in 2011, a new superintendent, Jim Nepstad, discovered that the remains of 41 Native Americans had disappeared. In this episode, we use the term "Native American" because the story refers to legislation that uses that term. The National Park Service now

Aug 4, 2017 • 29:50

A Bump in the Night

A Bump in the Night

Amber Dawn was 20 when she moved into a one-bedroom apartment in Enumclaw, Washington. On her very first night, she began to notice strange sounds. And they didn't stop.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: iTunes.com/CriminalShow.We also make This is Love and Phoebe Reads a Mystery.Artwork by Julienne Alexander. Check out our online shop. Episode transcripts are posted on our

Jul 21, 2017 • 19:25

The Procedure

The Procedure

In 1967, a very unlikely group of individuals gathered to help women quietly break the law and obtain an abortion. The first step was to call a phone number. A recording of a woman's voice would tell you what to do next. Who was behind this number? The Clergy Consultation Service, an underground network of ministers and rabbis who wanted to help women access safe abortions. Today, they call themselves the Religious Consultation for Reproductive Choice.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and

Jul 7, 2017 • 27:03

Becoming Chief Brown

Becoming Chief Brown

Shortly after David Brown was sworn in as the Dallas Chief of Police, his son shot and killed a police officer. Just before he retired as chief, 5 Dallas officers were shot and killed in what was said to be the deadliest attack for police officers since September 11th, 2001. Today on the show, we ask David Brown how he’s changed after 33 years of policing.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on

Jun 16, 2017 • 33:21

All the Time in the World

All the Time in the World

The “body farm” at Texas State University is a place almost no one is allowed to see, because it’s one of very few places in the world that deliberately puts out human bodies to decompose in nature. Forensic Anthropologists observe decomposition in order to help police officers discern when and how someone may have died. We asked if we could visit, and they agreed.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and rev

Jun 2, 2017 • 32:43

Milk Carton Kids

Milk Carton Kids

On a Sunday morning in 1982, in Des Moines, Iowa, Johnny Gosch left his house to begin his usual paper route. A short time later, his parents were awakened by a phone call – it was a neighbor — their paper hadn't come. His would be the first face of a missing child ever printed on a milk carton. This story comes to us from reporter Annie Brown and our friends at 99% Invisible. We're on the road reporting new stories this week, and will be back on June 2nd with a brand new Criminal episo

May 19, 2017 • 20:53

Bully

Bully

Skidmore, Missouri is a very small town. In the '70s, there was only one bar, one grocery store, and one bully. Ken McElroy was so ruthless and intimidating that even police officers looked the other way. He terrorized the town for decades, until they finally fought back.We spoke with Harry MacLean, author of In Broad Daylight.Special thanks to Chelsea Korynta.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review

May 5, 2017 • 30:39

The Kingfish

The Kingfish

In 1928, Huey P. Long became the youngest Governor in Louisiana’s history. He bragged that he bought lawmakers like “sacks of potatoes, shuffled ‘em like a deck of cards.” By the time he was 39 years old, he’d made his way to the U.S. Senate. And just a couple of weeks after his 42nd birthday, he was assassinated in the Capitol Building in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Allegedly, a doctor named Carl Weiss shot him. Almost immediately, Carl Weiss was shot by Huey P. Long’s bodyguards. Soon aft

Apr 21, 2017 • 29:44

420

420

The Colorado Department of Transportation says the 420 mile markers on the state's highways were stolen so often, they had to replace them with 419.99 mile markers. Many people know that "420" represents marijuana - hence the popularity of the mile markers - but very few know why. It's not a police code, it's not the number of chemical compounds in cannabis, and it's certainly not Bob Marley's birthday. Today on the show, we try to find the real story and in the process meet Steve Cappe

Apr 7, 2017 • 19:26

Rochester, 1991

Rochester, 1991

Kim Dadou says she wishes she had a nickel for every person who has asked why she didn't leave her abusive boyfriend Darnell Sanders. The two dated for four years and Darnell Sanders was routinely violent. But in the middle of the night on December 17th, 1991, Kim Dadou’s entire life changed.This episode contains descriptions of physical violence against women. It may not be suitable for everyone. Please use discretion.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasi

Mar 17, 2017 • 28:02

Wildin

Wildin

In 2014, 16-year-old Wildin Acosta left Olancho, Honduras and traveled toward the U.S. border. When he arrived, he turned himself in to border patrol agents. He was one of 68,541 unaccompanied minors who crossed the border into the U.S. that year. We spoke to Wildin Acosta shortly after Donald Trump’s inauguration, and after he had spent months in a detention center. Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and

Mar 3, 2017 • 26:17

Vanish

Vanish

People have faked death to escape criminal convictions, debts, and their spouses. In 2007, a man named Amir Vehabovic faked his death just to see who showed up at the funeral (answer: only his mom). John Darwin faked his own death in a canoeing accident in the UK. And the ex-boyfriend of Olivia Newton John, Patrick Mcdermott, is rumored to have faked his death. It's an appealing soap-opera fantasy, but actually disappearing requires an incredible amount of planning. How do you obtain a

Feb 17, 2017 • 28:00

Finding Sarah and Philip

Finding Sarah and Philip

In 2005, Teri Knight drove 650 miles on midwestern roads through Ohio, Indiana, Iowa and Illinois, pleading with the public to help her do what law enforcement and the FBI had not been able to: find the remains of her children Sarah and Philip Gehring. An Ohio woman named Stephanie Dietrich read about Teri Knight's search in her local paper, and decided she would try to help.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the s

Feb 3, 2017 • 21:09

In Plain Sight

In Plain Sight

In 1849, abolitionist and attorney Wendell Phillips wrote: "We should look in vain through the most trying times of our revolutionary history for an incident of courage and noble daring to equal that of the escape of William and Ellen Craft; and future historians and poets would tell this story as one of the most thrilling in the nation's annals, and millions would read it, with admiration of the hero and heroine of the story." Unfortunately, almost 170 years later, William and Ellen Cr

Jan 20, 2017 • 33:07

Walnut Grove

Walnut Grove

In 2010, Michael McIntosh's son was incarcerated at the Walnut Grove Youth Correctional Facility in the small town of Walnut Grove, Mississippi. One Sunday, Michael McIntosh went to visit his son and was turned away because, he was told, prison officials "did not know" where his son was. He spent the next six weeks searching for his son, only to find him in the hospital with severe injuries. And Michael McIntosh's son wasn't the only one who had been hurt at the facility. Jody Owens of

Jan 6, 2017 • 34:25

Everyday Genius

Everyday Genius

To close out 2016, we're bringing you two lighter stories of people exhibiting everyday genius under. . . unusual circumstances. Comedian Dave Holmes' story begins with an upsetting phone call from the IRS. Then we meet a Baton Rouge attorney with a story of wild resourcefulness at Louisiana State Penitentiary, also known as Angola.A word of caution, this episode contains language that may not be suitable for everyone.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasio

Dec 16, 2016 • 20:14

Don't Let Me See You In The Whirl

Don't Let Me See You In The Whirl

Since 1938, a weekly African-American owned newspaper called The Evening Whirl has covered crime in St. Louis with a style all its own, using alliteration and rhyme, and often omitting the usual crime-reporting words like "accused" or "alleged." The paper has been widely criticized for its casual approach to fact-checking and sensational writing style. But the paper's owner, Anthony Sanders, who has been helping out with it since he was 18 years old, doesn't have any plans to change it.

Dec 2, 2016 • 19:44

The Shell Game

The Shell Game

The Magic Castle in Hollywood has been a private club for magicians since 1963, and its walls are lined with portraits of magicians past and present. Among them is a portrait of one of the earliest American organized crime bosses and conmen, Jefferson Randolph "Soapy" Smith. And though it may seem strange that this "mecca of magic" honors a criminal, Soapy's legacy reveals just how blurry the line is between a delightful trick and a dirty one. Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagra

Nov 18, 2016 • 17:12

Melinda and Clarence

Melinda and Clarence

SPOILER WARNING: Please listen to Episode 53: Melinda and Judy before you listen to this one.Melinda Dawson found out on the same day in 1998 that her adoptive mother had been killed and that her own husband Clarence Elkins was being charged with the murder. He was convicted in 1999 and given two life sentences. Left alone with her two sons, no money, and no experience, Melinda set out to try and prove that he was innocent. She started with a suspect list of people who looked like her h

Nov 4, 2016 • 35:15

Melinda and Judy

Melinda and Judy

When Melinda Dawson was seven years old, she learned that she was adopted under suspicious circumstances. As she got older and had children of her own, she tried to learn something about her biological parents. And when she went to the county courthouse and asked to see a copy of her birth certificate, she discovered that she was an unwitting participant in a traumatic history of a small town in Georgia where Dr. Thomas Hicks stole and sold babies to parents desperate for children of th

Oct 21, 2016 • 26:57

The Checklist

The Checklist

SPOILER WARNING: Please listen to Episode 51: Money Tree before you listen to this one.While working on our last episode, we became curious about the nature of psychopathy -- how it is defined, and what to do if someone close to you meets the criteria of the Hare psychopathy test. We spoke with Dr. Ronald Schouten, author of Almost a Psychopath, and Jon Ronson, author of The Psychopath Test.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accompli

Oct 7, 2016 • 26:53

Money Tree

Money Tree

When Axton Betz-Hamilton was 11 years old, her parents' identities were stolen. At that time, in the early 90s, consumer protection services for identity theft victims were basically non-existent. So the family dealt with the consequences as best they could. But when Axton Betz-Hamilton got to college, she realized that her identity had been stolen, too. In fact, her credit score was in the lowest 2%. As she was working to restore her credit, she inadvertently discovered who had stolen

Sep 23, 2016 • 29:11

This is Criminal

This is Criminal

To celebrate Criminal's 50th episode, we check in with some of our most memorable guests including Fran Schindler from Episode 17: "Final Exit," Dan Stevenson from Episode 15: "He's Neutral," Corporal Scott Foster from Episode 29: "Officer Talon," and Marian Tolan from Episode 18: "695-BGK."Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: iTunes.com/CriminalShow.We also make This is Love

Sep 9, 2016 • 40:04

The Editor

The Editor

In November of 1988, Robin Woods was sentenced to sixteen years in the notoriously harsh Maryland Correctional Institution. In prison, Robin Woods found himself using a dictionary to work his way through a book for the first time in his life. It was a Mario Puzo novel. While many people become educated during their incarceration, Robin Woods became such a voracious and careful reader he was able to locate a factual error in Merriam Webster's Collegiate Encyclopedia. He wrote a letter to

Aug 26, 2016 • 31:07

Eight Years

Eight Years

2008 was an exciting time to be a Harry Potter fan. The final book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, had been released. Movies were on the way. And author Melissa Anelli was at the center of it all, running a popular fan site called The Leaky Caldron and working on a book of her own, Harry, a History. Just as things couldn’t get better, Melissa Anelli received her first death threat. This threat would be the first in what would later become nearly a decade of harassment from halfwa

Aug 12, 2016 • 26:06

Brownie Lady

Brownie Lady

Shortly after Meridy Volz moved from Milwaukee to San Francisco, she received a phone call from a friend asking her to take over a small bakery business. Meridy agreed to run the bakery, but she only wanted to sell one thing: pot brownies. Her brownies were a massive success, and soon she was making enough money to support three families. Meridy tells her story alongside her daughter, Alia Volz, who describes what it's like when San Francisco's "original brownie lady" is your mom.Say he

Jul 15, 2016 • 24:46

Tiger

Tiger

There are more tigers in captivity in America than wild tigers in the entire world. The exact number of captive tigers in this country isn't known, because many of them live in people's backyards or unaccredited zoos, and the legality of their ownership varies widely by state and even by circumstance. We travelled to Louisiana to see a 550-pound Siberian-Bengal tiger who lives at a truck stop. The owner, Michael Sandlin, has fought very hard to persuade Louisiana lawmakers he's not a cr

Jul 1, 2016 • 23:14

Just Mercy

Just Mercy

As a law student, Bryan Stevenson was sent to a maximum security prison to meet a man on death row. The man told Stevenson he'd never met an African-American lawyer, and the two of them talked for hours. It was a day that changed Stevenson's life. He's spent the last 30 years working to get people off of death row, but has also spent the final hours with men he could not save from execution. He argues that each of us is deserving of mercy.Learn more about Bryan Stevenson in his book, Ju

Jun 17, 2016 • 28:26

One Eyed Joe

One Eyed Joe

Not only was John Frankford a famous horse thief, he was also a notoriously good escape artist. People thought no jail was strong enough to keep him, but then in 1895 he was sentenced to Philadelphia's Eastern State Penitentiary. At Eastern State, Frankford became the victim of a strange practice: the prison doctor, Dr. John Bacon, dissected his body and removed his brain. The Frankford case would just be one of many others in the region and would illuminate an underground cadaver netwo

Jun 3, 2016 • 31:38

39 Shots

39 Shots

In 1979, a group of labor organizers protested outside a Ku Klux Klan screening of the 1915 white supremacist film, The Birth of a Nation. Nelson Johnson and Signe Waller-Foxworth remember shouting at armed Klansmen and burning a confederate flag, until eventually police forced the KKK inside and the standoff ended without violence. The labor organizers felt they'd won a small victory, and planned a much bigger anti-Klan demonstration in Greensboro, North Carolina. They advertised with

May 20, 2016 • 33:23

The Finger

The Finger

People have been giving each other "the finger" since Ancient Greece. The first documented use is said to be a photograph from 1886 in which the pitcher for the Boston Beaneaters extends his middle finger to the camera (ostensibly to the rival New York Giants). Even though it's been around for so long, many still find the gesture offensive enough to try to bring criminal charges. Courts have ruled that "flipping the bird" is a form of speech protected by the First Amendment. It's not a

May 6, 2016 • 17:27

Open Case

Open Case

Since 1965, there's been an unsolved murder in Houston, Texas. The main suspect, Charles Rogers, managed to disappear and police were never able to find him. The case is still considered open. In 1997, a couple of forensic accountants named Hugh and Martha Gardenier decided to look into the murders, and were able to uncover evidence that the police missed. And now they think they've solved the mystery. They wrote a novel about their findings called The Ice Box Murders.Say hello on Twitt

Apr 15, 2016 • 27:18

Pappy

Pappy

When it comes to Kentucky bourbon, Pappy Van Winkle is among the most exclusive, according to food writer Brett Anderson. The bourbon is prized for its wheat base and special barrels for aging, handpicked by Julian Van Winkle III, the president of Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery. It doesn't matter who you are or how much money you have -- you can't get it unless you're exceptionally lucky or willing to break the law. The Pappy frenzy has law enforcement, bartenders, and even the Van Winkl

Apr 1, 2016 • 27:38

Either/Or

Either/Or

In 1983, three men were prepared to plead guilty to the violent sexual assault of Elizabeth Daniel in Anderson, South Carolina. Defense attorneys did not want their clients to go before a jury, so they arranged a plea deal. This left the sentencing in the hands of Judge C. Victor Pyle who gave the assailants a very controversial choice: undergo castration or serve 30 years in jail.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow

Mar 18, 2016 • 29:40

Jolly Jane

Jolly Jane

Jane Toppan was born in Massachusetts in 1857. She attended the Cambridge Nursing School, and established a successful private nursing career in Boston. Said to be cheerful, funny and excellent with her patients, nothing about "Jolly Jane" suggested she could be "the most notorious woman poisoner of modern times” responsible for the death of at least 35 people. She would later be committed to the Taunton Insane Asylum.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasio

Mar 4, 2016 • 28:39

Hastings

Hastings

In 2010, an eighth-grader brought a loaded gun to a middle school in Hastings, Minnesota. We speak with Jake Bullington and Emma Bolters, two students at the school, and Mark Zuzek, the principal, about the hours in lockdown.Read Jake Bullington's essay, "Yeah, I'm Afraid of Guns." Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: iTunes.com/CriminalShow.We also make This is Love and Phoe

Feb 19, 2016 • 20:36

Perfect Specimen

Perfect Specimen

The 500-year-old Treaty Oak in Austin, Texas was once called "the most perfect specimen of a North American tree." But in 1989, Austin's city forester John Giedraitis realized that the Treaty Oak didn't look so good, and began to wonder whether someone had intentionally tried to kill it. The Austin police were on the case, so when Paul Stedman Cullen was arrested for the criminal “mischief,” it was time to unearth what his motives for killing a tree could be.Say hello on Twitter, Facebo

Feb 5, 2016 • 25:43

Pen & Paper

Pen & Paper

As a young woman in the 60s, Andy Austin talked her way into a job as a courtroom sketch artist in Chicago. She spent 43 years sketching everyone from disgraced governors to John Wayne Gacy, and says she only made someone look bad on purpose once.See Andy Austin's sketches, including the one she made of Phoebe, on our website http://thisiscriminal.com/episode-35-pen-paper-1-22-2016/.Her book, Rule 53: Capturing Hippies, Spies, Politicians, and Murderers in an American Courtroom, is avai

Jan 22, 2016 • 18:51

The Stay

The Stay

Michael Ross was the first person in Connecticut to be sentenced to death since 1960. He claimed that he wanted to die in order to atone for what he had done. One journalist spent twenty years trying to figure out whether or not his remorse was real.Learn more about Martha Elliot's relationship with Michael Ross in her book, The Man in the Monster.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple P

Jan 8, 2016 • 28:13

Deep Dive

Deep Dive

Sgt. David Mascarenas is the Dive Supervisor for the Los Angeles Police Department. He's been diving his whole life, and prides himself on never refusing a dive, no matter how treacherous. At least until the summer of 2013, when a murder investigation led him into the unusually murky waters of the La Brea tar pits.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: iTunes.com/CriminalShow.W

Dec 18, 2015 • 23:20

It Looked Like Fire

It Looked Like Fire

Ed Crawford had never been to a protest until he heard about the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. Robert Cohen, a staff photographer with the St. Louis Post Dispatch, ended up taking a photograph of Ed that would be seen around the world, and change both of their lives.To see the photos, visit http://thisiscriminal.com/episode-32-it-looked-like-fire-12-11-2015/.We released an update to this episode in June of 2020. Please find the updated story here: https://thisiscrimin

Dec 11, 2015 • 17:34

American Dream

American Dream

When we're kids, we have ideas of what we want to be when we grow up -- movie star, doctor, astronaut. But what if we dream of being like Butch Cassidy, Jesse James, or John Dillinger? And what happens when you're not a kid anymore but you're still obsessed with becoming an outlaw? For Clay Tumey, this dream led him to commit a series of robberies in 2006.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on

Nov 27, 2015 • 23:26

The Agreement

The Agreement

In 2005, Danny Egipciaco had the opportunity to participate in a robbery of a drug supplier's stash house. He was told he'd take home between $100K-200K. In the end, the robbery never happened, so why has Danny spent the last ten years at Fort Dix Correctional Institution?Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: iTunes.com/CriminalShow.We also make This is Love and Phoebe Reads a

Nov 13, 2015 • 21:32

Officer Talon

Officer Talon

Corporal Scott Foster of the Hillsborough, NC Police Department worked closely with his K-9 partner, Talon, for many years. They located weapons and narcotics, tracked suspects through dark woods, and went home together after work. But when Talon was injured on the job and had to retire early, Corporal Foster was paired with a new dog and life got a lot more complicated.Watch Phoebe get attacked by a police dog: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRYkHA98MzYSay hello on Twitter, Facebook a

Oct 30, 2015 • 22:45

P.D.I.D.

P.D.I.D.

Patti Hammond Shaw is a transgender woman. She's legally female on her birth certificate and driver's license, and has been since 1993. But when she was arrested in 2009, male officers strip-searched her in front of male detainees, and held her overnight in a men's cellblock. Patti Hammond Shaw hired a lawyer and fought back. Her case was instrumental in changing how the police process and detain transgender individuals in Washington, D.C.This story was reported by Lauren Ober.Say hello

Oct 9, 2015 • 20:10

No Place Like Home

No Place Like Home

In the early 90s, a wealthy magazine publisher was convicted of fraud and sentenced to 18 months in a minimum security prison in Louisiana. But white collar criminals weren't the only people living there, and the other people inside had basically been forgotten about by the outside world, some of them for decades.Learn more about Neil White’s time at Carville in his memoir, In the Sanctuary of Outcasts.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter,

Sep 25, 2015 • 26:59

Angie

Angie

In July of 2002, Philadelphia Homicide Detective Pat Mangold was called to the scene of a gruesome murder on the Schuylkill River. When he wasn't able to determine the victim's identity, he expected the case to remain unsolved. But then, out of the blue, a professional soccer player named Adam Bruckner inserted himself into the investigation, and became obsessed with solving the crime.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Fo

Sep 11, 2015 • 26:32

The Portrait

The Portrait

More than eighty years ago, a North Carolina family of nine posed for a Christmas portrait. Two weeks later, all but one of them had been shot dead. (See the portrait here.) Today, we bring you the story of the Lawson family of Stokes County.Thanks to Elephant Micah and Sarah Bryan for collaborating with us this month. Download Elephant Micah's version of "Lawson Family" (along with their version of "Pearl Bryan") on iTunes or Bandcamp.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign

Aug 28, 2015 • 27:53

Pearl Bryan

Pearl Bryan

In February of 1896, a little boy discovered a woman's headless body in a farmer's field in Fort Thomas, Kentucky. No one knew who she was, or what had happened. Newspapers carried headlines like "Hunt for the Head" and "Headless Horror." Quickly, the crime scene became a tourist attraction and visitors traveled from all over to collect bloody souvenirs. The gruesome details were adapted into a popular song that's been recorded dozens of times. We talk with folklorist Sarah Bryan about

Aug 7, 2015 • 21:50

Triassic Park

Triassic Park

The Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona has the largest collection of petrified wood in the world. The beautiful wood is more than 200 million years old, and visitors to the park often take a little piece home with them as a souvenir. But stealing the wood has serious consequences, both legal and, some say, supernatural. See photographs of the conscience letters and learn more about Ryan Thompson's book here. Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional

Jul 17, 2015 • 20:34

Ex Libris

Ex Libris

Hundreds of thousands of dollars' worth of rare books have been disappearing across America since the late 90s, and haven't resurfaced in the marketplace. They've just vanished, never to be seen again. But unlike most thieves, this thief is motivated by something more abstract and romantic than money, which makes him extremely difficult to catch. Today, we have the story of John Charles Gilkey.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accom

Jun 26, 2015 • 24:01

Bloodlines

Bloodlines

Julius Robinson had killed for revenge before, and so when his sister was brutally murdered in her sleep last year, he says he planned to "get" the killer. He felt like his family expected him to get revenge, because that's what he'd always done, both in and out of prison. But when he learned that the killer was actually his 17-year-old nephew, he struggled against his family's expectations and his own.Music by Elephant Micah.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our

Jun 5, 2015 • 21:30

Gil From London

Gil From London

Karen Miller met a man named Gil Harper on Facebook. They started flirting. The flirtation grew more serious. Eventually, they planned to meet in real life. Gil would travel from London to meet Karen for her birthday. With his arrival just a few days away, Karen's son scrambled to learn more about Gil's identity. But trying to determine whether someone is who they say they are turned out to be a whole lot more confusing and dangerous than Chris imagined.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook an

May 15, 2015 • 27:21

Mother's Little Helper

Mother's Little Helper

Sandie Alger is a 71-year-old woman with a very long rap sheet. She was in and out of prison throughout the 1960s, 70s, and 80s, and upped her game each time she got out. Prison, she says, is where you move "up the criminal ladder, just like the corporate ladder."Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: iTunes.com/CriminalShow.We also make This is Love and Phoebe Reads a Mystery.

Apr 24, 2015 • 19:36

695BGK

695BGK

This episode won a “Best Documentary” award at the Third Coast International Audio Festival.Police officer John Edwards was patrolling a quiet neighborhood in Bellaire, Texas when he saw an SUV driven by two young Black men, including Robbie Tolan. It was just before 2am on December 31, 2008. Edwards followed the SUV and ran the license plate number. When his computer indicated that the SUV was stolen, Edwards drew his gun and told the two men to get down on the ground. It wasn't until

Apr 3, 2015 • 21:53

Final Exit

Final Exit

No one disputes that it's against the law to take another person's life, but is it against the law to sit with someone and watch while they die by suicide? We meet an elderly woman named Fran Schindler who sneaks around the country as an "exit guide." This is a live interview from Motorco Music Hall in Durham, North Carolina.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: iTunes.com/Cri

Mar 13, 2015 • 24:05

Poster Boy

Poster Boy

On July 17th, 1889, the residents of Clayton County, Iowa woke up to news of the worst crime in their history. A Civil War veteran John Elkins and his young wife Hattie had been murdered in their bed in a grisly attack. Their two children escaped to raise the alarm. But something was off. There were no suspects. There were no clues. To quote the local newspaper, the whole thing was “surrounded in a veil of mystery."Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional

Feb 20, 2015 • 19:37

He's Neutral

He's Neutral

Dan Stevenson has lived in Oakland's Eastlake neighborhood for 40 years. He says crime has been an issue for as long as he can remember, but he isn't one to call the police on drug dealers or sex workers. He's a pretty "live and let live" kind of guy. Or he was. Before he finally got fed up and took matters into his own hands.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: iTunes.com/Cr

Jan 30, 2015 • 19:01

The Fifth Suspect

The Fifth Suspect

In June 2014, authorities released information about a massive child pornography ring being conducted in North Carolina. Four suspects had already been arrested, and the police were asking the public for help finding a fifth suspect. But they didn't need to look very hard -- the suspect, a man named Tommy Wall, was about to turn himself in, almost by accident.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review u

Jan 9, 2015 • 20:47

The Big Sleep

The Big Sleep

Raymond Chandler is often called the greatest American crime novelist, famous for murder mysteries like The Big Sleep and Farewell, My Lovely. He's the subject of several biographies, and his correspondence and manuscripts are archived at Oxford. But something very, very important to Chandler had gotten lost. No one noticed until a pair of Chandler's biggest fans, newlyweds in their seventies, Loren Latker and Annie Thiel, got on the case.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Si

Dec 19, 2014 • 16:57

Break The Internet

Break The Internet

In 1999, most of America's tech hysteria centered around Y2K. But at that same time, a teenager in Canada named Mike Calce was messing around in chat rooms, meeting hackers, and learning tricks. At 15, he decided to put his knowledge to the test. To push up against the Internet's limits, and in some places, break them. In the end, he managed to pull off something no one had ever seen before. Today, we talk to the self-proclaimed “MafiaBoy.”Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. S

Nov 26, 2014 • 16:51

I'm About To Save Your Life

I'm About To Save Your Life

In 1977, a mild-mannered aeronautical engineer sideswiped a parked car in Compton, CA. When he stopped his car to survey the damage, a man named Leon Moore opened the driver-side door, shoved him over, and started driving. He said, "I'm about to save your life."We talk to lawyer Stephanie Nally about a con that spanned decades.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: iTunes.com/C

Oct 30, 2014 • 20:57

Dear Sheila

Dear Sheila

Working as a reporter for a TV station in New Hampshire, Kevin Flynn was covering the capture and arrest of a female serial killer named Sheila LaBarre. As he grew more and more obsessed with LaBarre’s story, Flynn decided to write her a letter. She wrote back. Their correspondence became flirtatious, and eventually he went to visit her in person. We talk with Kevin Flynn and Rebecca Lavoie.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accompli

Sep 26, 2014 • 17:17

That Crime Of The Month

That Crime Of The Month

What does it mean when a woman commits a crime and attributes her actions to PMS? We revisit the first use of the "PMS defense" in this country, back in 1981. What have we learned about the science of PMS since then? Last year, the American Psychiatric Association classified a form of PMS (Premenstrual dysphoric disorder, or PMDD) as a mental disorder in the DSM-V. How can the scientific community study severe premenstrual symptoms without perpetuating the utterly unscientific idea that

Aug 29, 2014 • 12:19

Can't Rock This Boat

Can't Rock This Boat

In March 1964, a 35-year-old African-American woman named Johnnie Mae Chappell was walking along the side of the road in Jacksonville, Florida. Four white men were driving around listening to the local race riots on the radio. They had a gun on the dashboard. As they passed Chappell, one of the men leaned out the car window and shot her to death. As the police investigated, evidence began to mysteriously disappear, making it impossible to punish the men who admitted to committing the cr

Jul 29, 2014 • 18:40

J.R.R. Ziemba

J.R.R. Ziemba

Crime victims are often put under the same scrutiny as the accused. Not only for their version of events, but sometimes for how they look and talk, too. We meet a man whose trial hurt worse than his assault.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: iTunes.com/CriminalShow.We also make This is Love and Phoebe Reads a Mystery.Artwork by Julienne Alexander. Check out our online shop.

Jun 30, 2014 • 18:53

We Lost Them

We Lost Them

On April 13, 2014, former KKK member Frazier Glenn Cross pulled into a Jewish Community Center and ambushed William Corporon and his grandson Reat Griffin Underwood, killing both. He then killed another woman named Terri LaManno a short distance away. What does the family left behind do when they are thrust into a national spotlight? How do they figure out what to disclose and what should be private?Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The

May 23, 2014 • 15:43

Dropping Like Flies

Dropping Like Flies

Every year for the past few years, tens of thousand of flytraps have gone missing – from the wild, from gardens, from nurseries. And, really, nobody knows where they go. What’s cropped up in rural North Carolina is essentially a Venus Flytrap crime ring — with lackies, middle men, and a mysterious end buyer who’s perpetuating the market.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: iT

Apr 24, 2014 • 24:30

Call Your Mom

Call Your Mom

There are plenty of things we don't share with our mothers. Dark, sad things. Unless of course, you both speak the same dark language. Kathleen Vernon is a coroner in Albany County, Wyoming, the youngest ever, in fact. But she didn’t come to this preternatural curiosity just on her own; the business of death runs in the family.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: iTunes.com/C

Mar 28, 2014 • 15:54

The Buck Stops Here

The Buck Stops Here

With the advent of the Inkjet printer, counterfeiting money became as simple as a trip to Staples. By the year 2000, there were 72 million of these homemade dollars in circulation. The real question is… who was behind them all?Today, we talk to a woman who “made” her own money.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: iTunes.com/CriminalShow.We also make This is Love and Phoebe Re

Feb 28, 2014 • 20:30

Pants On Fire

Pants On Fire

For nearly a century we've been trying to read someone's truthfulness by the way they act. Be it through machines, or our own intuition. The police have tried. The FBI has tried. The CIA has tried. But the fact is… most of their efforts just don't work. Are we doomed to ignorance? Maybe not.We talked to forensic psychologist Andy Morgan about the difficult truth regarding the industry around lying.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The A

Feb 14, 2014 • 14:40

Animal Instincts

Animal Instincts

In 2001, Kathleen Peterson was found dead in her home. Her husband Michael Peterson was convicted of her murder. A curious neighbor, a lawyer named Larry Pollard, had a different theory.Say hello on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts.Sign up for Criminal Plus to get behind-the-scenes bonus episodes of Criminal, ad-free listening of all of our shows, special merch deals, and more.

Jan 29, 2014 • 22:05

Switch to the Fountain App