Based on a True Crime

By murder.ly

What's Based on a True Crime about?

BASED ON A TRUE CRIME is a podcast where Chelsea’s love of true crime and David’s love of horror movies intersect. We discuss murders and mysteries and how they have inspired film adaptations, television, books and more.

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Based on a True Crime episodes:

10.22.2020
BEHIND THE SCREAMS: Dracula & Vlad the Impaler
In the 15th century, conflicts between the Ottoman Empire and neighboring Wallachia (wall-ache-ia) rocked Eastern Europe. The Wallachian Army was lead by Vlad Tepes, whose harrowing tactics gave him the nickname Vlad the Impaler. But there was another name he...
08.11.2020
BEHIND THE SCREAMS: Winchester (House)
Following the death of her husband, the heiress to the Winchester Rifle fortune suddenly moved west and began constructing on a sprawling, seven-story mansion, filled with doors and stairs that led nowhere. Although never confirmed, rumors spread that the mansion...
06.29.2020
BEHIND THE SCREAMS: Urban Legend(s)
Urban legends are defined as lurid stories that are circulated as true, often with the teller claiming that it happened to a friend of a friend, and with each tale taking on regional specificities. Still, as the saying goes, at...
04.17.2020
BEHIND THE SCREAMS: Poisoned Candy Myths, Facts and Candyman
Razor blades hidden in candy apples. Needles in snicker bars. Cyanide in pixy stix. Some of these things never happen on Halloween. And some did. While poisoned Halloween candy may have started out as an urban legend, it’s prevalence has...
04.02.2020
BEHIND THE SCREAMS: The Entity & Doris Bither
In the summer of 1974, Dr. Barry Taff, a now a renowned parapsychologist, was working as a research associate in UCLA's parapsychology laboratory. He and an associate, Kerry Gaynor, were overheard discussing the paranormal in a local bookstore by woman...
03.19.2020
BEHIND THE SCREAMS: The Silence of the Lambs
Hello, Clarice! In this episode, we discuss the chilling adaptation of the best-selling novel 'The Silence of the Lambs' by Thomas Harris and how the astonishingly versatile director Jonathan Demme crafted a taut psychological thriller about an American obsession: serial...
05.28.2019
Episode 40: Ted Bundy and Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile
The heinous crimes of Ted Bundy captured a nation as he stood trial for murder in Florida. At the time, few knew his true body count, in a series of murders that spanned multiple states on the other side of...
03.15.2019
Episode 39: Party Monster
In the early 90s, Michael Alig rose to prominence as a club promoter and founding member of the Club Kids, before being arrested for the vicious murder of Angel Melendez while high on ketamine. His story was brought to the big...
02.04.2019
Episode 38: Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer & Henry Lee Lucas
In 1983, Henry Lee Lucas was arrested in Texas for unlawful possession of a firearm. While in custody, he confessed to hundreds of murders committed in dozens of states with a partner, Ottis Toole, earning him the nickname “The Confession...
10.30.2018
Episode 37: The Exorcist
It's our Exorcist Halloween Special! In the Spring of 1949, a 14-year-old boy began exhibiting signs of demonic possession after the death of his aunt. Following a harrowing exorcism, the boy, known only as Roland Doe, was cured. Local news stories...
10.23.2018
Episode 36: The Villisca Axe Murders
Late one night in June of 1912, eight people were bludgeoned to death in a house in Villisca, Iowa. Although several suspects were named, and even put on trial, the case remains unsolved. The Villisca axe murder house remains as a...
09.23.2018
Episode 35: Jack Black's Bernie & the Real Bernie Tiede
In August of 1997, the body of 81-year old Marjorie Nugent was found in a taped up freezer in her home. Police quickly arrested her close, and only, friend, 39-year-old Bernie Tiede. Much to the dismay of law enforcement, the city...
08.21.2018
Episode 34: The Mystery of Marie Roget & Mary Cecilia Rogers
On July 25, 1841, Mary Cecilia Rogers told her fiance she was leaving to visit family. Her body was found floating in the Hudson River three days later. Edgar Allan Poe heard of her mysterious demise and sought to solve her...
08.03.2018
Zombies, Deadites & More: An Interview with Author Dana Fredsti
In this interview special, we chat with author Dana Fredsti, a writer/producer/director/theatrical sword fighter (she's in Army of Darkness) and animal lover! We had a great time talking about how she writes about zombies, science fiction and murder, details on...
07.20.2018
Episode 33: Wolf Creek & Ivan Milat
In the Fall of 1992, seven bodies were found in the Belanglo State Forest, all belonging to young people who had disappeared while hitchhiking in New South Wales, Australia. The account of a man who survived a terrifying attack years prior...
06.26.2018
Episode 32: Memories of Murder & the Hwaseong Serial Killer
In the early morning hours of September 15, 1986, the body of 71-year-old Lee Wan-im was found in the rice fields hear her home, strangled to death and bound with her own clothing. Crimes like this were not common in...
06.11.2018
Episode 31: Heavenly Creatures
16-year-old Pauline Parker and her best friend, 15-year-old Juliet Hulme murdered Pauline’s mother to try to avoid being separated. The story of their friendship and rich fantasy life was brought to the screen in 1994’s Heavenly Creatures, directed and co-written...
06.11.2018
Tales from the Murder.ly Network
We are excited to announce that we are members of the just-launched Murder.ly True Crime Podcast Network! In this very special episode, we hear true crime stories from our friends on the network. Be sure to check them out at...
05.22.2018
Episode 30: First Year Podcast Anniversary Q&A
Happy one year anniversary of our show! It's been an amazing year and we are celebrating by answering questions that you asked us through social media! We discuss our favorite murders who haven't had movies made about them, cases that...
04.30.2018
Episode 29: Bobby & Ila Fae Dent and The Sugarland Express
On May 2, 1969, a desperate bid by Bobby and Ila Fae Dent to avoid arrest would lead to one of the longest police chases in history, spanning 6 hours and nearly 300 miles of Texas countryside. The events were adapted...
04.15.2018
Episode 28: Murder in the First & Henri Young
In 1939, convicted bank robber Henri Young tried and failed to escape from Alcatraz. Three years later, after spending time in solitary confinement, he stabbed Rufus McCain, a fellow escapee, to death. His subsequent trial hinged on his brutal treatment...
04.05.2018
Episode 27: True Crimes Based on Movies
The common thread in the movies we’ve covered has been their inspiration by real-life crimes, whether they are factual retellings, or original stories grown from a single headline or memory. But movies themselves can also serve as an inspiration, not only...
03.19.2018
Episode 26: Eaten Alive and Joe Ball
Two years after the success of 1974’s “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre”, director Tobe Hooper and screenwriter Kim Henkel joined forces for a follow-up movie 'EATEN ALIVE'. Once again, they searched for inspiration in annals of true crime history, and they...
03.05.2018
Episode 25: The Executioner’s Song & Gary Gilmore
On July 2, 1976, the US Supreme court reserved its ruling that the death penalty was unconstitutional, allowing it to be reinstated as punishment for certain crimes. Less than three weeks later, on July 19, Gary Gilmore committed his first murder. In...
02.19.2018
Episode 24: Bonnie and Clyde
In 1932, Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow embarked on a two-year crime spree, gaining a reputation as fun-loving outlaws which has been cemented by their many portrayals in popular culture. But how true is it? Find out in this week's Based on...
02.08.2018
Episode 23: Starkweather & Fugate & Natural Born Killers
Between January 21 and January 29 of 1958, 19-year-old Charlie Starkweather and his 14-year-old girlfriend, Caril Fugate, went on a killing spree across America’s Heartland that left 10 people dead. The sensationalist coverage of the teenage killers sparked a national reflection on teenage...
01.22.2018
Episode 22: The Night of the Hunter & Harry Powers
In August of 1931, police searching a farm in Quiet Dell, West Virginia made a gruesome discovery: five bodies, three of them children, buried in a shallow drainage ditch. The women had been lured to the farm with the promise...
01.08.2018
Episode 21: Janett Christman and When a Stranger Calls
On March 18, 1950, 13-year-old Janett Christman was babysitting for the Romacks in their small, isolated home on the outskirts of Columbia, Missouri. That night, the police received a phone call from a girl screaming hysterically but were unable to...
12.25.2017
Episode 20: Have Yourself a Scary Little Black Christmas
Before he directed the holiday classic A Christmas Story, Bob Clark helmed a film that was quite a bit darker: Black Christmas, an early entry to the holiday horror and slasher genres. Rumors have persisted that Black Christmas is based on...
12.18.2017
Minisode: Christmas Murders
In this special crossover episode with The Little Podcast of Horrors, we chat with Julie about a couple of Christmas murders, including the Los Feliz Murder Mansion and the legend of Stagger Lee. This is Based on a True Crime. The Little Podcast of Horrors is a...
12.11.2017
Episode 19: Bob Crane & Auto Focus
By the late 1960s, Bob Crane was a household name, famous for his portrayal of the wisecracking Colonel Robert Hogan on Hogan’s Heroes. Less than 10 years after the show was abruptly cancelled, Crane’s still-unsolved murder brought to light his obsession with...
12.04.2017
Minisode: Winter Holiday Horror
In this minisode, we celebrate winter holiday horror movies (mostly Christmas horror movies). We begin the discussing with an overview of the controversy surrounding 1984's Silent Night, Deadly Night. We then have an in-depth chat about some of the best Christmas/Winter Holiday...
11.28.2017
Episode 18: Maria Marten & Murder in the Red Barn
Note: In this episode we use an outdated term for the Romani people. We are very sorry and appreciate our listeners taking the time to set us straight! On May 18, 1827, Maria Marten left home to meet her lover, William Corder, at...
11.20.2017
Minisode: My Friend Dahmer
My Friend Dahmer is the film adaptation of Derf Backderf's true story graphic novel about his time hanging out with Jeffrey Dahmer in high school, before Dahmer started killing people. We were able to catch a screening of it in Cincinnati - join us...
11.14.2017
Episode 17: Richard Ramirez & Nightstalker
Between June of 1984 and August of 1985, a spree of home invasion robberies, rapes, and murders terrified residents of Los Angeles and San Francisco. The killer was given the nicknames “The Valley Intruder”, “The Walk-In Killer”, and most famously,...
11.06.2017
Minisode: Crime-Solving Ghosts & Lady in White
In this minisode we discuss ghosts who solved their own murders and the 1988 film "Lady in White." Based on a True Crime is a podcast where Chelsea’s love of true crime and David’s love of horror movies intersect. Each week we...
10.31.2017
Episode 16: Deadly Dreams and A Nightmare on Elm Street
Join us as we detail a string of mysterious sleep-related deaths that inspired the late, great horror master Wes Craven and his 1984 slasher film, A Nightmare on Elm Street, featuring iconic horror villain, Freddy Krueger. David’s dream of a whole episode...
10.27.2017
Minisode: The Poughkeepsie Tapes
It's a minisode! The Poughkeepsie Tapes may be too scary to contain in one episode, so we teamed up with the Victims and Villains podcast for a great discussion about a really creepy, controversial movie about the details of a serial killer's...
10.24.2017
Episode 15: Jack the Ripper and From Hell
Join us for another spooky October discussion! This time it's all about the 1888 London murders committed by Jack the Ripper and as told in the film adaptation of Alan Moore's FROM HELL. This is Based on a True Crime. Based on a True Crime...
10.20.2017
Minisode: Robert the Doll & Child’s Play
In this special Halloween minisode, we tell the story of Robert the Doll, the creepy real-life inspiration for the murderous Chucky in "Child's Play" (1988). Based on a True Crime is a podcast where Chelsea’s love of true crime and David’s love of...
10.20.2017
Minisode: Robert the Doll & Child's Play
In this special Halloween minisode, we tell the story of Robert the Doll, the creepy real life inspiration for the murderous Chucky in "Child's Play" (1988). Based on a True Crime is a podcast where Chelsea’s love of true crime and...
10.16.2017
Episode 14: The Conjuring Universe
Ed and Lorraine Warren investigated over 10,000 cases of paranormal activity and founded the New England Society for Psychic Research. Join us for a spooky chat about the true cases which inspired "The Conjuring" movie franchise, a part of our Scary October series! Based...
10.13.2017
Minisode: The History of Halloween & Our Top Halloween Films
It's Halloween season, so we thought it would be the perfect time to talk about the history of Halloween and list our favorite Halloween movies! If you're looking for something spooky to watch in October, we have something for you! Based on a True...
10.10.2017
Episode 13: The Town That Dreaded Sundown
In the spring of 1946, a string of killings committed by a so-called "Phantom" terrified the Texarkana region, and inspired the 1976 film "The Town That Dreaded Sundown". So lock your doors, install some Venetian blinds, and get yourselves some...
09.29.2017
Minisode: Delphine LaLaurie & The Axeman of New Orleans
We're heading on a trip to New Orleans to celebrate our first wedding anniversary, so in this very special minisode, we figured that it's the perfect time to discuss Delphine LaLaurie & The Axeman of New Orleans - two infamous NOLA murderers...
09.21.2017
Episode 12: Murder by Numbers
On May 21, 1924, 14-year-old Bobby Franks was killed for the thrill of it by two wealthy Chicago-area teens looking to commit the perfect murder. The legacy of Leopold and Loeb and their “crime of the century” has inspired many...
09.14.2017
Minisode: The Exorcism of Emily Rose
In this minisode, we talk about the deadly exorcism which inspired the 2005 horror movie “The Exorcism of Emily Rose.” Based on a True Crime is a podcast where Chelsea’s love of true crime and David’s love of horror movies intersect. Each week...
09.04.2017
Episode 11: The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
The late, great director Tobe Hooper was a true Master of Horror. In this episode, Chelsea and David discuss real life cannibal families and then dive into a discussion of the 1974 horror movie masterpiece The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. Based on...
08.29.2017
Episode 10: In Cold Blood
In this deluxe episode, Chelsea and David discuss details surrounding the Clutter family murders by ex-convicts Richard Hickock and Perry Smith as detailed in the film adaptation of Truman Capote's novel 'In Cold Blood'. Based on a True Crime is a podcast where...
08.21.2017
Episode 9: Real Life Home Invasions & The Strangers
Do stories of home invasion freak you out? They terrify us! In this episode, we chat about a handful of real-life home invasions, including the Sharon Tate murders at the hands of the Manson Family. We then have an in-depth...

What's Based on a True Crime about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Based on a True Crime episodes:

BEHIND THE SCREAMS: Dracula & Vlad the Impaler

BEHIND THE SCREAMS: Winchester (House)

BEHIND THE SCREAMS: Urban Legend(s)

BEHIND THE SCREAMS: Poisoned Candy Myths, Facts and Candyman

BEHIND THE SCREAMS: The Entity & Doris Bither

BEHIND THE SCREAMS: The Silence of the Lambs

Episode 40: Ted Bundy and Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile

Episode 39: Party Monster

Episode 38: Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer & Henry Lee Lucas

Episode 37: The Exorcist

Episode 36: The Villisca Axe Murders

Episode 35: Jack Black's Bernie & the Real Bernie Tiede

Episode 34: The Mystery of Marie Roget & Mary Cecilia Rogers

Zombies, Deadites & More: An Interview with Author Dana Fredsti

Episode 33: Wolf Creek & Ivan Milat

Episode 32: Memories of Murder & the Hwaseong Serial Killer

Episode 31: Heavenly Creatures

Tales from the Murder.ly Network

Episode 30: First Year Podcast Anniversary Q&A

Episode 29: Bobby & Ila Fae Dent and The Sugarland Express

Episode 28: Murder in the First & Henri Young

Episode 27: True Crimes Based on Movies

Episode 26: Eaten Alive and Joe Ball

Episode 25: The Executioner’s Song & Gary Gilmore

Episode 24: Bonnie and Clyde

Episode 23: Starkweather & Fugate & Natural Born Killers

Episode 22: The Night of the Hunter & Harry Powers

Episode 21: Janett Christman and When a Stranger Calls

Episode 20: Have Yourself a Scary Little Black Christmas

Minisode: Christmas Murders

Episode 19: Bob Crane & Auto Focus

Minisode: Winter Holiday Horror

Episode 18: Maria Marten & Murder in the Red Barn

Minisode: My Friend Dahmer

Episode 17: Richard Ramirez & Nightstalker

Minisode: Crime-Solving Ghosts & Lady in White

Episode 16: Deadly Dreams and A Nightmare on Elm Street

Minisode: The Poughkeepsie Tapes

Episode 15: Jack the Ripper and From Hell

Minisode: Robert the Doll & Child’s Play

Minisode: Robert the Doll & Child's Play

Episode 14: The Conjuring Universe

Minisode: The History of Halloween & Our Top Halloween Films

Episode 13: The Town That Dreaded Sundown

Minisode: Delphine LaLaurie & The Axeman of New Orleans

Episode 12: Murder by Numbers

Minisode: The Exorcism of Emily Rose

Episode 11: The Texas Chain Saw Massacre

Episode 10: In Cold Blood

Episode 9: Real Life Home Invasions & The Strangers