In December 1969, the Rolling Stones set out to create the West Coast’s answer to Woodstock — a free concert meant to celebrate peace, music, and the spirit of the era. Instead, the Altamont Speedway Free Festival descended into chaos. With the Hells Angels hired as security, a massive, unruly crowd, and mounting violence throughout the day, the event spiraled toward tragedy. When 18-year-old Meredith Hunter was killed during the Stones’ set, Altamont became a symbol of the counterculture’s dark turn. In this episode, Vanessa Richardson recounts the disastrous planning, escalating tensions, and fatal chain of events that transformed a landmark concert into one of rock history’s most haunting cautionary tales.

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In the summer of 1969, a fringe commune led by ex-convict Charles Manson unleashed a wave of brutality that stunned the nation and marked the violent end of the 1960s counterculture. In this episode, Vanessa Richardson traces Manson’s path from a troubled childhood to the creation of his devoted “Family,” revealing how he manipulated vulnerable followers with drugs, apocalyptic prophecy, and promises of revolution. As the Tate-LaBianca murders terrorized Los Angeles, investigators uncovered a chilling web of control, delusion, and orchestrated violence that made Manson one of history’s most notorious cult leaders.

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In 1930, New York Supreme Court Justice Joseph Force Crater stepped into a cab in Manhattan—and was never seen again. His sudden disappearance sparked national panic, fed decades of conspiracy theories, and exposed the shadowy world of political corruption surrounding Tammany Hall. In this episode, Vanessa Richardson unravels Judge Crater’s final days, from mysterious cash withdrawals to secret meetings, showgirl entanglements, and powerful enemies who may have wanted him silenced. Nearly a century later, the truth remains elusive, but the legend of “the missingest man in New York” still haunts American history.

If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Conspiracy Theories, Cults and Crimes to never miss a case! For Ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Conspiracy Theories, Cults and Crimes is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios

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When two Pennsylvania judges secretly took millions in kickbacks from private juvenile detention centers, thousands of kids paid the price. From minor misbehavior to harmless pranks, children were funneled into for-profit facilities under Judge Mark Ciavarella’s “zero-tolerance” courtroom—while he and his colleague Michael Conahan grew wealthier by the day. In this episode, Vanessa Richardson unpacks the shocking “Kids for Cash” conspiracy, the corruption that enabled it, the lives it destroyed, and the whistleblowers who finally brought the scheme to light. It’s a disturbing look at what happens when justice is sold to the highest bidder—and how power can turn a courthouse into a pipeline of abuse.

If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Conspiracy Theories, Cults and Crimes to never miss a case! For Ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Conspiracy Theories, Cults and Crimes is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios

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When 31-year-old MI6 codebreaker Gareth Williams was found dead inside a padlocked sports bag in his London apartment, investigators were left with a scene as baffling as it was chilling. With no signs of forced entry, almost no forensic evidence, and a timeline clouded by secrecy, his death sparked worldwide speculation: Was it a tragic accident, a covert assassination, or something far stranger? In this episode, Vanessa Richardson unpacks the twists, missteps, and explosive revelations surrounding one of the UK’s most mysterious modern cases — and explores why, more than a decade later, the truth remains fiercely debated.

If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Conspiracy Theories, Cults and Crimes to never miss a case! For Ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Conspiracy Theories, Cults and Crimes is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios

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Happy New Year! This year across Crime House, we released over 600 episodes. While we are proud of all of them, one episode rose above the rest and was voted on as Crime House’s Best Episode of 2025.

It’s the case of the missing Martin Family, from Clues with Morgan Absher and Kaelyn Moore. 

This episode takes us back to December 1958. The Martin Family was as picture-perfect as they come during the holidays: Santa suits, candy canes, Christmas cards. And then… they vanished without a trace.

In this story, Morgan and Kaelyn unravel a case full of bizarre leads: an abandoned car, shifting witness accounts, and a station wagon that seemed to disappear into thin air.

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The investigation into the disappearance of Olivia Hope and Ben Smart intensifies in this second episode, following detectives as they seize on 26-year-old Scott Watson as their primary suspect despite mismatched witness descriptions, a missing boat, and no bodies ever found. Carter and Vanessa examine the controversial forensic hair evidence, disputed scratch marks, shifting witness identifications, jailhouse informants, and the prosecution’s improvised “two-trip theory,” all of which led to Watson’s conviction in one of New Zealand’s most divisive murder cases. As key witnesses later recant and public skepticism grows, the episode explores decades of appeals, wavering public opinion, and the families’ painful search for closure—raising the haunting question of whether the truth about what happened to Olivia and Ben has ever truly been uncovered.

If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Conspiracy Theories, Cults and Crimes to never miss a case! For Ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Conspiracy Theories, Cults and Crimes is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios

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The first episode of this New Year’s two-part special retraces the final hours of 17-year-old Olivia Hope and 21-year-old Ben Smart, who rang in 1998 at a massive party at New Zealand’s Furneaux Lodge before mysteriously vanishing. Through eyewitness accounts, detailed timelines, and growing concerns from loved ones, Carter Roy and guest host Vanessa Richardson unravel the pair’s movements that night—from youthful excitement and romantic sparks to a fateful ride on a water taxi with a drunken stranger and a promise of a place to sleep. As police launch a massive search through the Marlborough Sounds and sift through conflicting descriptions, dozens of witnesses, and more than 150 boats, the disappearance quickly shifts from confusion… to fear that something far darker occurred on the water.

If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Conspiracy Theories, Cults and Crimes to never miss a case! For Ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Conspiracy Theories, Cults and Crimes is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios

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On Christmas Eve 1945, the Sodder family’s home burned to the ground — and five of their children vanished without a trace. No bodies were ever recovered, sparking decades of suspicion, strange sightings, and unanswered questions. Was it a tragic house fire, a deliberate act of arson, or something even more sinister? In this episode, Vanessa Richardson unpacks the mysterious events of that night, the baffling evidence left behind, and the many theories that have kept this case alive for nearly 80 years.

If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Conspiracy Theories, Cults and Crimes to never miss a case! For Ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Conspiracy Theories, Cults and Crimes is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios

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Happy Holidays! Because you are part of the Crime House community, we’re gifting you a bonus holiday episode from another one of our hit shows, Murder: True Crime Stories.

In this episode, Carter Roy unravels how a joyful family Christmas celebration turned to tragedy, revealing a haunting true story of loss, revenge, and resilience.

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