Over the past several years, true-crime stories have proliferated across every platform, and people can't seem to get enough. There are hundreds of fascinating true-crime books and documentaries available to read and stream, but for those who like to learn about murders and missing persons on the go, true-crime podcasts are for you. Podcast fans have likely heard of popular series like Serial, Criminal, and My Favourite Murder, and while those are definitely worth a listen, 2020 has already debuted some brand-new crime-based podcasts that should be on your radar. Check out the gallery for 25 new podcasts about tragic crimes, intense investigations, and the failures of the justice system.
Hollywood & Crime host Tracy Pattin and actor Stephen Lang cohost this podcast series, which tells the twisted story of Rodney Alcala, a man who appeared on (and won) The Dating Game in 1978 while secretly on a cross-country killing spree. Over the course of six episodes, Pattin and Lang take a deep dive into Alcala's history of deception. You're sure to be hooked from the start.
From the creators of Atlanta Monster and Monster: The Zodiac Killer, Monster: DC Sniper delves into the story of the Beltway sniper attacks, which took place in October 2002 in Montgomery County, Maryland. Host Tony Harris reviews the case over the course of 15 episodes, recounting what investigators, journalists, and the public learned about the inexplicable attack.
On 13 July, 1997, 33-year-old Denise Johnson was found stabbed and burned alive in her Florida home, and 23 years later, her case remains unsolved. In CounterClock, which is hosted by investigative journalist Delia D'Ambra, the mystery of Johnson's death is reviewed over the course of 13 episodes, with the last episode even revealing a possible new lead in the case.
Hosted by investigative journalist Brendan Keefe, The Officer's Wife is a six-episode series reinvestigating Jessica Boynton's suspicious death on 14 April, 2016, in Griffin, Georgia. Though the woman was found locked in a closet with her husband's service weapon and an apparent gunshot wound to her head, the question remains: was it a self-inflicted wound, or was her husband, police officer Matthew Boynton, involved?
If you were fascinated by Netflix's Lost Girls, then LISK: Long Island Serial Killer is a must-listen. Hosted and produced by Chris Mass, this gripping podcast revolves around the LISK investigation, which began in May 2010 after the disappearance of sex worker Shannan Gilbert. Plus, a second season is already in the works.
Produced by the same team behind The Thing About Pam, Motive For Murder (which is hosted by Dateline's Josh Mankiewicz) explores the 2012 murders of Gelareh Bagherzadeh and Coty Beavers, a medical student and her boyfriend's identical twin brother, respectively. The murders took place just months apart in Houston, and this six-episode series recounts the strange case, from the investigation to the eventual conviction.
On 14 February, 2017, the bodies of two young teens, Abigail Williams and Liberty German, were discovered near the Monon High Bridge Trail in Delphi, Indiana, a day after the friends went missing. Over three years later, the murderer still eludes police. This nine-part investigative series, hosted by Andrew Iden and Barbara MacDonald, recounts the details of the case, with Iden and MacDonald offering their own insight along the way.
If you've watched Netflix's Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich — and even if you haven't — you're likely familiar with the story of the late financier and convicted sex offender. In this nine-part podcast series, ABC News's Mark Remillard retraces Epstein's rise to power through dozens of interviews with victims who are still seeking answers and justice.
Once known as "America's Dad," actor Bill Cosby earned a different reputation after victim Andrea Constand bravely told the story of her January 2004 drugging and sexual assault at Cosby's hands. Investigative reporter Nicki Weisensee Egan serves as host of this six-part series, which provides firsthand accounts from more than a dozen survivors, jurors, and prosecutors, including Constand.
From the creator of True Crime Obsessed, Patrick Hinds and Ellyn Marie Marsh's Obsessed With: Disappeared provides hilarious episode recaps of the popular Investigation Discovery true-crime TV series Disappeared. The weekly podcast goes episode by episode through the series, recapping the stories with a perfect balance of humour and sensitivity.
In October 1972, United States congressmen Hale Boggs and Nick Begich were passengers on a plane that went down over Alaska during a rainstorm. Nearly five decades later, both the cause of the crash and the plane's location remain a mystery. Journalist Jon Walczak's Missing in Alaska recounts his investigation of the case — which he began looking into in 2011 — that includes government documents, mysterious radio transmissions, and even a 1995 claim from a mobster who said the plane had been bombed.
In this four-part series, columnist and reporter Patt Morrison tells the story of Betty Broderick, who killed her ex-husband and his new wife in their La Jolla, California, home on 5 November, 1989. More than 30 years later, Broderick's story remains a subject of intense fascination, and Morrison attempts to answer the question of why people can't look away.
Social media personality Stephanie Soo (aka MissMangoButt) hosts this weekly podcast, where she reviews weird and wild true-crime stories in a way that's conversational and always entertaining. If you're someone who falls asleep while listening to investigative crime podcasts, then give Rotten Mango a try.
Thanks to Netflix's Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness, you're likely familiar with former zoo operator and convicted felon Joe Exotic by now. However, if you're hungry for more, journalist Rob Moor's six-part series offers never-before-heard details and interviews about the notorious exotic animal breeder.
On 4 March, 2016, 22-year-old Courtney Copeland was found dead outside of a Chicago police station with a fatal bullet wound. More than three years later, his mom, Shapearl Wells, still wants answers. Wells teamed up with journalists from the Invisible Institute and launched her own investigation, and she shares her journey in this heartbreaking seven-part series.
Hosted by John Taylor and Javier Leiva, Criminal Conduct delves into the death of 24-year-old single mom Michelle O'Connell, who was killed by a bullet from her boyfriend's service weapon on 2 Sep., 2010, in Augustine, Florida. Though ruled a suicide, O'Connell's family remain sceptical — especially since amateur sleuth Eli Washtock was murdered while investigating O'Connell's death.
Todd McComas spent 21 years as a detective with the Indiana State Police before he decided to pursue a career in stand-up comedy and podcasting. In 10-41 With Todd McComas, the former detective recounts incredible anecdotes from his two-decade career, including his involvement with an unsolved quadruple murder known as the Burger Chef murders.
In another new podcast from the team behind True Crime Obsessed, Obsessed With: Abducted in Plain Sight revolves around controversial true-crime documentary Abducted in Plain Sight. Patrick Hinds cohosts this four-part podcast with the documentary's director, Skye Borgman, to offer even more bizarre details, interviews, and audio journals related to Robert Berchtold's two abductions of Jan Broberg.
Hosted by ABC News's Matt Gutman, Cutthroat Inc. tells the story of California businessman Ed Shin, who murdered and later posed as his former business partner, Chris Smith. The story is just as bizarre as it sounds, and Gutman uses this seven-part series to recount Shin's sinister scheme.
Sometimes, crimes can't be explained by facts or logical explanations. Crime Junkie's Ashley Flowers hosts this weekly paranormal podcast, which looks into some of the strangest and most inexplicable true-crime occurrences you've never heard of, and the stories are seriously haunting.
Hosted by investigative reporter Natasha Del Toro, this 10-part podcast delves into the terrifying case of Dino Maglio, an Italian former policeman who used the alias Leonardo and the website Couchsurfing.com to lure female victims into his home, where he would then drug and assault them. Verified tells the story of the women who banded together and eventually brought Maglio to justice.
In this weekly podcast series, hosts Jaimie Beebe and Jake Deptula explore unique stalking cases, including interviews with stalkers, victims, and anyone else who may have been involved in a case. You'll definitely find yourself looking over your shoulder more often after listening to this one.
In June 1954, a Black 59-year-old World War I veteran and farmer named Isadore Banks was discovered lynched and burned beyond recognition on the Arkansas Delta. His murder remains one of the nation's oldest unsolved civil rights cases. In Unfinished: Deep South, journalists Taylor Hom and Neil Shea join members of the Banks family to continue the search for Banks's killers.
Tracy Pattin and actor James Remar host this investigative series, which looks into the murder of film director William Desmond Taylor, who was found dead in his Los Angeles home on 2 February, 1922. Nearly 100 years later, Taylor's murder remains an official cold case. This podcast will draw you in and leave you guessing about one of the most iconic whodunit cases of the 20th century.
Hosted by CounterClock's Delia D'Ambra, this 11-part investigative series looks into some of the most atrocious murders committed in some of the country's most beautiful places: national parks. Stories recounted by D'Ambra include the July 1983 murder of Frederick Pongrace — a Good Samaritan who picked up a hitchhiker named Scott David Steel and was later discovered dead in Glacier National Park — and the murder spree of drifter Gary Michael Hilton between late 2007 and early 2008.
