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.

Follow Murder: True Crime Stories on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or wherever you get your podcasts: https://play.megaphone.fm/ms-wqnxjrpaax7hp_bmkcg

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In this chilling episode, Vanessa Richardson unravels one of Russia’s most enduring mysteries: the 1959 Dyatlov Pass Incident, where nine experienced hikers were found dead under bizarre and increasingly inexplicable circumstances. Torn tents, barefoot footprints in the snow, massive internal injuries, missing body parts, traces of radiation, and eyewitness accounts of strange lights in the sky fueled decades of speculation—ranging from Soviet weapons tests and secret military cover-ups to UFOs, infrasound-induced panic, and natural but deadly environmental forces. With newly uncovered reports, expert analysis, and the 2019 reopening of the case, Vanessa explores how science, secrecy, and sensational theories intertwine in the search for what truly happened on that snowy Ural mountainside.

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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Dozens of young men, all found drowned. A single eerie clue near every crime scene: a painted smiley face.

In this chilling crossover with Killer Minds, host Vanessa Richardson and forensic psychologist Dr. Tristin Engels uncover the dark origins of the Smiley Face Killers theory — a decades-long investigation that suggests a nationwide ring of serial murderers might still be active.

Were these tragic deaths accidents, or the work of a secret cabal hiding in plain sight?
Listen to Killer Minds with Vanessa Richardson and Dr. Tristin Engels wherever you get your podcasts: https://play.megaphone.fm/1jez8qq8ttqibebif5u_wq

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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In the early 1900s, self-proclaimed “Doctor” Linda Burfield Hazzard promised to cure any disease through fasting. Instead, her methods led to a trail of emaciated bodies and stolen fortunes in the woods of Washington State.

Join Vanessa Richardson as she exposes the deadly world of Starvation Heights — a sanitarium built on greed, deception, and starvation disguised as salvation.

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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In the 1970s, residents of Circleville, Ohio, began receiving hundreds of anonymous letters — filled with threats, accusations, and terrifying secrets.
What started as a small-town scandal spiraled into a decades-long mystery involving murder, blackmail, and a botched investigation.
Join Vanessa Richardson as she unravels one of America’s strangest unsolved cases — the chilling story of The Circleville Letter Writer.

Conspiracy Theories, Cults, & Crimes is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios. Listen wherever you get your podcasts. For ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts.

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What began as a self-help movement for ambitious women became one of the most disturbing cults in modern history.

Led by so-called guru Keith Raniere, NXIVM lured in Hollywood stars, heiresses, and professionals — only to trap them in a secret society built on control, blackmail, and abuse.

Join Vanessa Richardson as she unravels how NXIVM’s “executive success” seminars turned into a nightmare of branding, manipulation, and modern-day slavery.

Conspiracy Theories, Cults, & Crimes is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios. Listen wherever you get your podcasts. For ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts.

Don’t miss out on all things Conspiracy Theories, Cults, & Crimes!

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We’re introducing you to one of Crime House’s newest shows, Crimes Of... with Sabrina Deana-Roga and Corinne Vien.

Crimes Of... is a weekly true crime anthology series that explores a new theme each season, such as crimes of the paranormal, unsolved murders, mysterious disappearances, and more.

For Season 2, Sabrina and Corinne are delving into paranormal crimes, real cases where the evidence doesn’t end at bloodstains and fingerprints but drifts into the unexplainable and unknown. The line between fact and fiction blurs, forcing you to ask yourself: what do you really believe?

In this episode, Sabrina and Corinne uncover the chilling true story that became the basis for The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, the first U.S. murder trial to argue demonic possession as a defense.

⁠Crimes Of...⁠ is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios. Listen wherever you get your podcasts: https://play.megaphone.fm/vi9i_ihutpgggd_wqv_3qw

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