Criminal
Criminal is the first of its kind. A show about people who’ve done wrong, been wronged, or gotten caught somewhere in the middle of Investigation.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/criminal--6152643/support.
The Leader of the Search: How a 1988 Stalker Fooled the Police
Four weeks after their dream wedding in 1988, newlyweds Mark and Sarah Evans disappeared during a weekend trip to Mount Hood, leaving behind an locked station wagon, a single set of boot prints, and an indented note on a map. For over three decades, the case baffled investigators as search parties led by a local woodsman turned up empty-handed. But 31 years later, an ignored strip of film negatives discovered in a dusty attic reveals a dark figure lurking in the background of a forgotten photo, uncovering a terrifying web of obsession, deception, and a secret hidden right in plain sight.
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The 1984 Photo in the Attic: A 27-Year Abduction Secret Exposed
On a hot summer afternoon in 1984, 6-year-old Lily Vance vanished from her fenced Oregon backyard in a narrow three-minute window, leaving behind only a muddy stuffed elephant and an unlocked gate. For 27 years, a false phone trace destroyed an innocent father, and the case grew cold under a cloud of local suspicion. But while clearing out her attic, Lily's mother discovers an undeveloped film roll inside a forgotten 35mm camera. What lies hidden in the background of a single frame uncovers a corrupt police cover-up, a twisted web of lies, and a secret hidden house where the past was kept...
Vanished at 16: The 19-Year Secret Hidden in a 911 Tape
On her 16th birthday in 1996, Clare Mercer, the daughter of Elmwood’s revered police chief, went to a local convenience store to buy cider and vanished without a trace. Security footage showed no struggle, leaving her bicycle neatly abandoned and her family trapped in a 19-year nightmare. When an anonymous letter, a misplaced backpack, and a hidden child safety seat led to dead ends, the case turned completely cold. Decades later, a dying 911 operator reveals an unlogged analog tape containing Clare's final, terrified whisper, uncovering a devastating web of panic, betrayal, and a tragic secret hidden in plain sight.
Ohio Chief’s Daughter Missing for 19 Years: The Hidden 911 Tape
When 15-year-old Riley Miller vanished from the quiet town of Oakridge, Ohio, in 1996, her father—Police Chief Grant Miller—spent nearly two decades searching the dark woods, believing she was taken by a random predator. But in 2015, an archive digitalization project uncovered an unlogged 911 call recorded just one hour after her disappearance, proving Riley hadn't been forced—she had willingly walked into an alleyway to meet a dead woman. As investigators reopen the coldest case in county history, they discover a calculated internal cover-up that hidden truth behind a missing teenager and a secret journal locked behind a bedroom wall.
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Indiana Sheriff’s Wife Vanishes: The 10-Year Cold Case Clue
In the spring of 2002, the quiet town of Oak Haven, Indiana, was shaken to its core when Rachel Cole—the beloved wife of Sheriff Mason Cole—vanished without a trace from a deserted county road. Her unlocked SUV was found perfectly parked with the keys still in the ignition, leaving investigators with no signs of a struggle and a trail that went completely cold. For a decade, agonizing rumors and a calculated anonymous letter pointed fingers at the grieving sheriff, until a single, overlooked detail buried in the crime scene records unmasked a sinister plot of psychological revenge.
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The Hidden Police Radio: The 18-Year Secret of Clare Walker
On a dark autumn evening in 1995, 32-year-old county archivist Clare Walker vanished from her blue sedan on an isolated Ohio highway, leaving her keys in the ignition and her purse untouched on the passenger seat. For 18 agonizing years, her police sergeant husband searched in vain while a violent offender hid behind an airtight prison alibi—until a rookie deputy pried up a loose floorboard in a rotting farmhouse and uncovered an obsolete 1990s police radio. Step inside this haunting true crime fiction audio drama as erased dispatch tapes, a corrupt prison ring, and a hidden gold wedding ring in an...
The Blue Notebook: The 16-Year Secret of Norah Ellis
On a freezing November afternoon in 2001, 19-year-old criminal psychology student Norah Ellis walked out of her Ohio classroom and vanished into thin air, leaving behind her coat, passport, and savings in her dorm room during a deliberate campus CCTV blackout. For 16 agonizing years, her grieving parents searched in vain while a trusted university official hid behind a forged goodbye letter—until a retired professor uncovered hidden pencil marks on a forgotten 2001 term paper. Step inside this haunting true crime fiction audio drama as a maintenance work order, a rotting mountain cabin, and a final message written in charcoal bring a br...
Found in a Viral Travel Vlog: The 17-Year Honeymoon Cold Case
On a freezing August night in 1999, 25-year-old newlywed Clare Bennett stepped out of an isolated Tennessee mountain lodge to call her mother, leaving behind her purse, phone, and jacket on a wooden bench during a precise 90-second CCTV blackout. For 17 agonizing years, her husband searched in vain while her stalker ex-boyfriend hid behind a flawless 400-mile alibi—until a casual glance at a viral YouTube travel vlog revealed a familiar birthmark in the background. Step inside this haunting true crime fiction audio drama as a stolen architectural blueprint, a hidden floorboard diary, and 17 unsent letters expose a terrifying psychological trap.
The Sealed Envelope: The 21-Year Secret of Rachel Bowen
On a pristine May afternoon in 1996, 28-year-old landscape architect Rachel Bowen stood in a historic Virginia church holding her white rose bouquet, seconds away from walking down the aisle—until a mysterious elderly man handed her a thick sealed envelope that made her vanish into thin air. For 21 agonizing years, her devastated groom and wealthy parents searched for a phantom kidnapper, while a dark family secret remained buried. Step inside this haunting true crime fiction audio drama as a restored 1996 home video tape, an intercepted 12-page letter, and a shocking illegal adoption fraud bring a missing bride's true identity into th...
The Campfire Photo: The 25-Year Secret of Four Cousins
On a chilly August weekend in 1998, four inseparable cousins went camping deep in Colorado's San Juan National Forest, leaving behind cold campfires, an unlocked Chevy Tahoe, and a mystery that haunted Durango for a quarter of a century. For 25 agonizing years, their parents searched in vain while a trusted forest ranger manipulated the official search grids—until a father digitally scanned an old 1998 disposable camera print and zoomed into a shadowy figure holding binoculars on the ridge. Step inside this haunting true crime fiction audio drama as a false wildfire evacuation, a hidden concrete bunker, and a forgotten campfire photo br...
The Teddy Bear's Vault: The 21-Year Secret of Hazel Gallagher
On a stormy November night in 1994, 6-year-old Hazel Gallagher vanished from her peach-colored bedroom in Salem, Virginia, leaving behind an open kitchen door and a wiped-clean spare key. For 21 agonizing years, her family grieved a phantom kidnapping framed by a staged stolen van—until her private investigator brother spotted her handmade corduroy teddy bear on an obscure West Virginia estate auction site. Step inside this haunting true crime fiction audio drama as a secret Velcro pocket, a 1989 Ken Griffey Jr. rookie card, and a hidden mountain root cellar shatter a dead predator's 21-year deception.
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Hidden Under the Floorboards: The 6-Year Secret of Emma
On a freezing November night in 1995, 5-year-old Emma vanished from her lavender bedroom in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, leaving behind an open window and a pristine sill that baffled investigators. For six agonizing years, her mother grieved a phantom kidnapping while her contractor ex-husband lived quietly above a secret—until a street utility crew struck a buried iron ventilation pipe. Step inside this haunting true crime fiction audio drama as forged blueprints, a dual-vault subterranean bunker, and a mother's relentless love expose a father's shocking deception
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The Red Thread Bracelet: The 17-Year Secret of Khloe Jensen
On a scorching August night in 1999, 19-year-old college student Khloe Jensen walked toward a concession tent at an Ohio music festival to buy two bottles of water—and vanished into thin air without a trace. For 17 agonizing years, her father kept her room untouched while police hunted a phantom, until a YouTuber digitizing old 1999 Hi8 camcorder tapes spotted a security windbreaker and a hidden utility van. Step inside this haunting true crime fiction audio drama as a red thread bracelet, a buried concrete grain silo, and an unbreakable human spirit reveal a horrific secret hidden beneath an Ohio farm
Young Woman Vanished on Spring Break in 1995
A twenty-year-old college student vanished without a trace from a freezing, empty beach. At first, everything seemed normal. But something didn't feel right, and this case quickly turned into a terrifying nightmare that would haunt a small coastal town for nearly two decade.
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This episode includes AI-generated content.
The Honeymoon Lie: The 26-Year Secret of Clara Lynwood
In October 1998, 24-year-old newlyweds Clara Lynwood vanished from an isolated Smoky Mountain cabin during her honeymoon, leaving behind a zipped-up windbreaker snagged on a river branch and a grief-stricken husband. For 26 agonizing years, the case lay cold as a tragic drowning accident—until a digital scanner enhanced an old 35mm photograph and revealed a bright TV timestamp that destroyed the killer's timeline. Step inside this gripping mystery audio drama as a sister's relentless pursuit uncovers a hidden roll of film, a $500,000 insurance fraud, and a silent cry for help that reached across decades to bring a murderer to justice
Buried Under the Barn: The 27-Year Secret of Sarah Jenkins
On an autumn afternoon in 1993, 28-year-old single mother Sarah Jenkins dropped her 7-year-old son Leo off at school with a promise to pick him up at 3:00 p.m.—and vanished into thin air. Her blue Ford Escort was found abandoned at a overgrown grocery store lot, completely intact except for a Florida map with a circled town. For 27 agonizing years, the case lay cold until a mysterious lockbox in Florida and an audio cassette tape revealed a chilling truth: Sarah was a domestic violence survivor living under a fake name, and her killer was standing right inside her family home.
Don't Trust Him: The Deadly Secret Behind James's Death
Three months after her husband James tragically died in a car accident, Evelyn Cole was visited by his estranged younger brother Adam, whose bitter questions reopened wounds she thought she had buried. But when a mysterious letter written in James's desperate handwriting arrives with a chilling warning—'Don't trust him'—Evelyn embarks on a dangerous search through an abandoned beach house and locked office drawers. Step inside this gripping mystery audio drama as a trail of hidden letters, loan shark debts, wiretapped confrontations, and dark family secrets reveal what really happened on the night James died.
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The Handyman's Dark Secret: Unmasking Dylan Everly
In March 2023, the quiet, wooded community of Shadewood was rocked to its core when 17-year-old Kelly Thorne vanished after an evening study session, only for her body to be discovered hours later inside a rusted Econoline van parked deep within Blackthorne Park. As detectives uncovered traces of chloroform, hidden compartments, and damming audio evidence, all clues pointed directly to the vehicle's owner: Kelly's best friend's stepfather, a quiet local handyman named Dylan Everly. Step inside this gripping crime audio documentary as a determined detective and a brave teenage survivor shatter years of hidden abuse, leading to a tense interrogation room...
Two Families, One Lie: Unmasking a Corporate Fraudster
On a rainy Tuesday afternoon, marketing executive Karen Thompson opened a forgotten shoe box in her guest room closet, uncovering a second cell phone, child-written Father's Day cards, and photos revealing her husband’s secret eight-year second family in Ohio. What began as a heartbreaking story of marital betrayal quickly escalated into a deadly nightmare involving millions in corporate fraud, money laundering for organized crime, and a string of suspicious murders aimed at silencing those who knew the truth. Step inside this tense crime audio drama as a wife's hunt for answers leads to a high-stakes standoff in an abandoned fa...
The Mastermind's Trap: How Audio Tapes Exposed Wael
In August 2013, the quiet city of Abu Tig in Asyut, Egypt was rocked by the tragic discovery of Hanan, a devoted mother found dead in her bed with a wet cloth in her mouth and her family gold stolen. At first, suspicion pointed toward a mysterious stalker sending romantic text messages and a staged robbery—a cover story meticulously crafted by her husband, Wael, an ambitious and highly respected high school psychology teacher. But as detectives unraveled a web of illicit affairs, sedative poisoning, and a chilling $300 hitman deal, a secret set of wiretapped phone recordings shattered Wael’s perfect alib...
The Vanishing Nuns: The Mystery of Saint Oralia Convent
On a stormy October night perched above a roaring sea, four nuns vanished from Saint Oralia Convent without a trace, leaving behind only made beds, neatly folded habits, and a suffocating silence. For forty years, rumors of pilgrimage, cults, and ocean tides swirled around the abandoned coastal house of prayer, while an unsolved police file slowly yellowed. Step inside this haunting mystery as a simple plumbing repair behind a pantry wall shatters four decades of secrets—uncovering hidden stone chambers, concealed air ducts, four worn rosaries, and the chilling truth of a house that swallowed its own.
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Behind Closed Doors: The Horrific Murder of Shakira Spencer
In September 2022, a quiet residential block in Ealing, West London was shattered when neighbors discovered a horrifying scene spilling into the hallway from inside a neighbor's flat. Behind the door lay 35-year-old mother of two Shakira Spencer, who over the course of 18 months had been systematically isolated, enslaved, starved, and subjected to unimaginable torture by three local predators she had welcomed as friends. Step inside this heartbreaking true crime documentary to uncover how a trusting mother was targeted during Britain's cost-of-living crisis, the disturbing digital evidence that sealed the killers' fates, and the historic 34-year life sentences handed down in...
The Mexico City Femicide: The Tragic Death of Ariadna López
On October 30, 2022, 27-year-old mother Ariadna López Díaz joined friends for a lively night out in Mexico City, completely unaware it would be her last. Hours later, her bruised body was discovered abandoned along a desolate highway in Morelos, triggering a botched official inquiry that claimed her death was merely an accidental choking. But when a second independent autopsy revealed signs of brutal physical trauma, hidden garage surveillance footage exposed a chilling cover-up—capturing a wealthy businessman carrying her lifeless body to his car. Step inside this rage-inducing true crime documentary to uncover how toxic jealousy, corrupt cover-ups, and a gr...
The Black Swan Murder: The Shocking Case of Ashley Benefield
When 24-year-old former ballerina Ashley Byers married 54-year-old Navy veteran Doug Benefield just 13 days after meeting, their whirlwind romance seemed like a picture-perfect fairy tale. But behind closed doors, a bitter 30-year age gap, escalating domestic tension, and a fierce battle over their unborn child turned their marriage into a living nightmare. On September 27, 2020, in Bradenton, Florida, four gunshots shattered the quiet house, leaving Doug dead on the floor and Ashley claiming self-defense against a 'black-eyed monster.' Step inside this sensational True Crime documentary to examine the tragic custody war, the explosive courtroom testimony from Doug's teenage daughter, and...
The Ledger & The Tombstone: Two Impossible Cold Cases
In this chilling true crime double feature, we explore two seemingly impossible cold cases broken wide open by the most unlikely clues left behind. First, discover how a trusted family accountant hid a devastating 11-year secret behind tax returns and polite handshakes, until a routine bankruptcy audit revealed a shallow grave. Then, travel to a quiet Ohio town where a beloved 4th-grade teacher’s murder went unsolved for 42 years—until an 81-year-old colleague realized the victim had cleverly encoded her killer's name directly into her own tombstone. Step inside two haunting stories of unimaginable betrayal, enduring patience, and the undeniable real...
8 Years of Love Ended in a Cement Grave
When 21-year-old Egyptian student Bassam Osama uncovered a disturbing death certificate in his girlfriend’s home, he thought he was simply exposing a fake identity. He had no idea he was unmasking a wanted fugitive and a master criminal network. What began as an eight-year childhood romance turned into a calculated trap when his girlfriend, Habiba Ashraf, and her father lured Bassam to an empty Cairo apartment—sealing his fate beneath a floor of concrete and quicklime. Featuring court details and police findings, this episode uncovers the tragic story of a young man whose devotion led him straight into a dead...
The Voicemail Murder: A Mother's Fight for Shequon Farquharson
In May 2003, 24-year-old former athlete Shequon Farquharson was shot in the back and left dying on a Toronto curb after a counterfeit money deal went horribly wrong. In a haunting twist, the terrifying final minutes of his life—including the voices of his killers and his desperate pleas—were accidentally recorded on his phone's voicemail. Despite having the audio evidence and knowing suspects live within the neighborhood, investigators encountered a wall of fear and silence that left the case cold. Step inside this deeply emotional true crime documentary as one grieving mother forms 'U-Move' to fight systemic silence, battle community viol...
Mother of the Year: The Cold Murder Plot of Tracy Richter
In December 2001, Tracy Ann Richter made national headlines as a courageous mother who shot and killed an intruder in her Early, Iowa home to protect her children while her husband was away. For years, she paraded across True Crime television shows as a lioness defending her cubs—claiming the dead man, 20-year-old Dustin Wehde, was a hitman hired by her wealthy ex-husband. But beneath the heroic narrative lay a terrifying trail of manipulated lovers, extorted dentists, stolen credit cards, and a staged pink notebook designed to destroy anyone who opposed her. Step inside this jaw-dropping 10-year cold case investigation as fo...
Webcam Obsession: The Tragic Murder of the Amato Family
From the outside, the Amato family of Chuluota, Florida, embodied the American Dream—a hard-working pharmacist father, a loving mother, and two sons pursuing successful careers in nursing. But behind closed doors, 29-year-old Grant Amato was spiraling into a dark, secret addiction: a $200,000 obsession with a Bulgarian webcam model that drained his family's retirement savings and destroyed his career. When his parents and brother finally gave him an ultimatum and cut off his access to the internet, Grant responded with a cold, calculated execution, meticulously staging the crime scene to frame his own brother. Step inside this harrowing true crime in...
Master Manipulator Meets Her Match in This Murder
In June 2012, a successful car salesman with a reputation as a ladies' man was found shot dead at point-blank range in his bed in his Silver Springs, Maryland apartment. A neighbor came forward, revealing she had been seeing him for several weeks and had been with him the night before his death, leaving early for a nursing shift. Detectives brought her in for questioning. Through a series of full police interrogations, investigators uncovered a fatal attraction at the heart of the case—an unexpected killer who snapped, and a deadly affair driving the twisted crime.
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Sold by Her Own Mother: The Basement Nightmare of Camry Holland
In December 2021, just days before Christmas, the disappearance of 5-year-old Camry Holland triggered a frantic multi-state search between Georgia and Alabama—only to end in an abandoned basement with a discovery that horrified veteran police officers. The true terror wasn't just the brutal violence inflicted on the young girl, but the unimaginable secret behind her vanishing: her own mother, Christy Sipple, had negotiated a $2,500 price tag to trade her daughter's life to a registered child predator, Jeremy Williams. Step inside one of the most chilling investigations in modern American true crime as we examine the horrific betrayal, the digital bodycam ev...
Hunted at Harvey Nichols: The Tragic Execution of Claire Bernal
When 22-year-old aspiring beauty consultant Claire Bernal moved from her quiet hometown to London to work at the prestigious Harvey Nichols, she believed her dreams were finally coming true. But after agreeing to a single date with the store's security guard, Michael Petch, a fleeting acquaintance spiraled into a terrifying campaign of unrelenting stalking, intense surveillance, and death threats. Despite police interventions and non-molestation orders, Petch quietly left the country to undergo tactical weapons training—returning to London with a smuggled firearm and a cold-blooded mission of revenge. Step inside the harrowing investigation of a tragedy that cut a bright li...
The Uncle's Secret: The 15-Year Cold Case of Jessica Dishon
On a quiet Friday morning in 1999, 17-year-old Jessica Dishon vanished from her Kentucky home, leaving behind an unlocked Pontiac, one dropped shoe, and a cell phone with the digits '9-1-1' half-dialed on the screen. For 15 long years, her grieving family endured botched police investigations, wrongful suspect trials, and severe law enforcement negligence—unaware that the true predator was someone who sat at their own dinner table. Step inside this harrowing cold case to discover how a persistent female detective unearthed an ignored prison letter, a buried bedsheet in an abandoned barn, and a horrifying family secret that ex...
The Jinkid Case: From Viral Comedian to Double Killer
To millions of social media followers, Ali Abulaban—known online as the viral impressionist 'Jinkid'—was a charming and funny creator, but behind closed doors laid a dark spiral of domestic abuse, terrifying obsession, and lethal control. When his wife, Ana Abulaban, finally found the courage to break free from his violent grip and rebuild her life in a San Diego high-rise, Ali planted a secret listening app on their daughter's iPad to hunt her every move. Dive deep into the chilling story of a toxic marriage cut short by a brutal 35th-floor execution, featuring raw trial audio, frantic 911 calls, and...
Inside Two Chilling Murder Cases That Shocked America
Two promising young women had bright futures ahead of them—until violence changed everything. In this gripping True Crime compilation, uncover the heartbreaking stories of Juliana Reading and Eve Carson, two shocking murder cases that exposed betrayal, relentless investigations, unanswered questions, and the pursuit of justice. Follow the evidence, the suspects, and the courtroom battles as detectives work to uncover the truth behind crimes that continue to haunt America.
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This episode includes AI-generated content.
The Marine, The Affair, and The Murder of Erin Corwin
In 2014, 19-year-old Erin Corwin disappeared from a California desert community while pregnant with her first child. What began as a missing person investigation quickly uncovered a shocking web of betrayal, secret affairs, and hidden motives. As detectives followed the evidence, they uncovered a disturbing truth involving love, lies, and a deadly plan that would leave everyone connected to the case searching for answers.
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This episode includes AI-generated content.
10 Feet of World: The Chilling Suburb Secret of Susan Wiley
In 1970, a nearly blind mother walked into a California social services office, unwittingly exposing one of the most horrific cases of child deprivation in human history. Thirteen-year-old Susan Wiley—known to the world as 'Genie'—had spent her entire life strapped to a chair inside a room just ten feet wide. But her rescue was only the beginning of a darker chapter. As brilliant minds from UCLA and the government rushed to use her as a human experiment to unlock the secrets of language, a toxic battle for funding and scientific prestige began. Dive into the heartbreaking reality of a chil...
The 2-Year Silence: The Tragic Secret of Erica Parsons
When 13-year-old Erica Parsons was finally reported missing in 2013, investigators made a chilling discovery: the young girl had already been gone for two full years. What began as a standard missing person search quickly unraveled into a horrific house of cards built by her adoptive parents, Casey and Sandy Parsons. From a completely fabricated biological grandmother to a modern-day house of horrors filled with systematic abuse, this episode deconstructs the definitive investigation, the definitive federal fraud case, and the chilling midnight confession that finally led authorities to a shallow grave in South Carolina
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A Wife's Revenge Exposed Her Husband's Darkest Secrets
Kate Matthews thought she had the perfect marriage—until she discovered her husband Mark was hiding a secret affair with someone she trusted. What began as heartbreak quickly turned into a calculated game of revenge, exposing lies, betrayal, and secrets that threatened to destroy everything Mark had built. This episode explores a dramatic story of deception, manipulation, and the consequences of betrayal.
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This episode includes AI-generated content.
He Confessed After a Polygraph Bluff: The Rebecca Gould Case
Rebecca Gould disappeared without a trace after visiting her boyfriend in rural Arkansas, leaving behind a crime scene filled with unanswered questions. For nearly two decades, investigators struggled to identify her killer—until a carefully planned interrogation led to a shocking confession. In this episode, we explore the investigation, the psychological tactics that cracked the case, and the disturbing revelations surrounding William Miller, whose admissions raised the possibility that Rebecca was not his only victim.
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This episode includes AI-generated content.