Charlie takes us back to February 1988, when 22 year old Helen McCourt vanishes without a trace on her way home from work. A local pub landlord immediately draws suspicion, but there is no body to prove she has been murdered. This case is the first in British history (and one of the first in the world), to convict of murder without a body, using DNA evidence.

Sources for this episode are:

When Missing Turns To Murder Helen McCourt - UK Crime Documentary - YouTube

Killer of Helen McCourt, Ian Simms, dies without revealing location of her body | ITV News Granada

Mother of murdered Helen McCourt will fight to attend killer's latest parole hearing | St Helens Star

A matter of facts | The Independent | The Independent

The race against time to stop this callous killer from getting out of jail for good - Manchester Evening News

Woman's murder changed Britain forever after killer's wall of silence - Liverpool Echo

Music by Pawel Fezczuk - Free Music Archive - Paweł Feszczuk

This week, we cover the missing persons case of Natalee Holloway - a bright, driven student who disappeared on a graduation trip in Aruba in 2005. The main suspect eluded conviction for years, until the night of the fifth anniversary of the case when history seemed to eerily repeat itself, and Stephany's life was stolen from her.

Sources for this case are:

Ala. girl missing in Aruba called 'dependable' by friends - Courttv.com - Top News (archive.org)

FOXNews.com - Three Aruba Suspects Going to Prison - U.S. & World (archive.org)

Missing White Female | Vanity Fair

Holloway attorney lured van der Sloot with $100 - TODAY People (archive.org)

Van der Sloot's mom: 'Joran is sick in his head' (nbcnews.com)

"Holloway suspect involved in Thai sex trade" | Radio Netherlands Worldwide (archive.org)

Joran van der Sloot Laptop Lie? Peru police say computer exposes lie in Stephany Flores killing - CBS News

Music by Pawel Fezczuk - Free Music Archive - Paweł Feszczuk

Another midweek upload! Charlie finishes the story of Harold Shipman - a small town doctor who had secretly been murdering his own patients for decades. We discuss the trial, sentencing and aftermath of his crimes.

Sources for this episode are:

Dr Harold Shipman: What Primrose knew | The Independent | The Independent

BBC NEWS | UK | Shipman's 215 victims

Who were the victims of Harold Shipman and how many murders was he convicted of? - Manchester Evening News

Fascinating new details on UK serial killer Dr.Harold Shipman's WIFE,family life,prison demeanor,& attitude towards his patients (google.com)

The Trial | Crime + Investigation UK (crimeandinvestigation.co.uk)

Shipman Inquiry - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Music by Pawel Fezczuk - Free Music Archive - Paweł Feszczuk

Midweek upload this time! Charlie tells us the story of one of the UKs most awful residents. Harold Shipman carved out his career in medicine, fooling his local community into thinking he was a caring, devoted local doctor. A forged will and the headstrong daughter of a recently deceased patient would end up bringing his awful crimes to light for all to see.

Sources for this episode are:

BBC NEWS | UK | Harold Shipman: The killer doctor

Shipman was sacked for drug abuse | Harold Shipman | The Guardian

Pethidine - Wikipedia

Why Some Doctors Kill - ABC Radio National

Kathleen Grundy - Manchester Evening News

Q&A: Harold Shipman | Harold Shipman | The Guardian

Music by Pawel Fezczuk - Free Music Archive - Paweł Feszczuk

Charlie tells Sophie the horrific story this week that shocked America in 1983. Something wasn't quite right when Diane came screaming into a hospital, wailing that somebody attacked her and shot her three children. But what would eventually come to light would paint a rather different story, one of obsession and neglect.

Diane Downs interview footage: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQrNTxsPbbY&t=401s

Sources for this episode are:

Diane Downs: Her Children Got in the Way of Her Love -- The Crime Library - Crime Library on truTV.com (archive.org)

The Mother & - The Washington Post

Diane Downs Biography - Facts, Childhood, Family Life & Achievements (thefamouspeople.com)

The Daughter of Diane Downs (oprah.com)

Guilty As Sin — Diane Downs: Her Children Got in the Way of Her Love -- The Crime Library — Crime Library

Music by Pawel Fezczuk - Free Music Archive - Paweł Feszczuk

Today Charlie brings you a special guest - we sit down with someone in the field of recreational therapy to talk about art symbolism, processing trauma through art and what some of Susan Nichter's infamously mysterious paintings could mean. This is a little different than what we normally go with, but something we are very excited to discuss and we think you'll find it just as fascinating as we do.

Our story today has been massively covered by all different kinds of media - a Hulu show, a Dr Phil interview, countless articles, and of course, podcasts. Rather than spending lots of time talking about the gruesome act itself - the murder of Claudine Blanchard - we focus more on the childhood and history of Gypsy Rose herself, and the historic child abuse that led her to such a dark place, desperate for freedom.

Sources for this episode are:

Mommy Dead and Dearest - Gypsy Rose Blanchard - Documentary - YouTube

Emma Lois Pitre (Gisclair) (1938 - 1997) - Genealogy (geni.com)

How a young woman forced to used a wheel chair, treated for several illnesses ended up in prison for her mother's murder - ABC News (go.com)

Terrifying Facebook Post Leads To Discovery Of Brutally Murdered Mother And Her Missing, Disabled Daughter | Thought Catalog

Dee Dee Wanted Her Daughter To Be Sick, Gypsy Wanted Her Mom Murdered (buzzfeednews.com)

Gypsy Rose Blanchard Weds Ryan Scott Anderson Amid 10-Year Prison Sentence - The Teal Mango

Music by Pawel Fezczuk - Free Music Archive - Paweł Feszczuk

This week we go to Boston in summer 1996, when Karina Holmer had her young life cut short. Karina had travelled to America from Sweden to work as an au pair while exploring Boston, but she was found under horrific circumstances after going out partying for the evening. Karina's murder remains unsolved to this day,

Sources for this episode are:

25 Years Later BPD Continues to Seek the Public’s Help in Murder of Karina Holmer – Live Boston (liveboston617.org)

Swedish Nanny Killed in Boston, Body Cut in Half | AP News

The murder of Boston nanny Karina Holmer remains a mystery (frontpagedetectives.com)

Decades later, few clues in Swedish nanny case > Detroit Legal News

The Murder of Swedish Au Pair Karina Holmer | by Verity Partington | The Mystery Box | Medium

Remembering Karina Holmer By Name, Not Just By The Crime That Killed Her (wgbh.org)

Unsolved Murder Of A Swedish Nanny After Going To A Boston Nightclub | Unsolved Crimes (wordpress.com)

Current Events Page – Susan Nichter

Music by Pawel Fezczuk - Free Music Archive - Paweł Feszczuk

Happy Halloween! This spooky episode is all about stories of haunted or cursed objects. Charlie and Sophie both take it in turns to tell each other, and you, about a selection of weird artefacts - The Crying Boy painting, The Dybbuk Box, Busby's Stoop Chair and the Hope Diamond.

Charlie finishes off the horrific tale of Rodney Alcala this week, as we discuss the ways in which his violence escalated, his appearance on The Dating Game, and finally, the trials that made sure he was put away forever. Thousands of photos of unknown women and potential victims were found, please click the link below to see if you recognise anyone in the photos.

Dating Game Footage: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cq0JSl6W74E

Photos of Unknown Women: Rodney Alcala Cold Case Photos | New York Post (nypost.com)

Sources for this episode are:

Convicted serial killer will not return to Wyoming to face murder charge from 1977 killing | AP News

Rodney Alcala: The Fine Art of Killing - LA Weekly

A close call: How serial killer Rodney Alcala appeared on 'The Dating Game' and won - ABC News (go.com)

Dating Game exec tried to stop serial killer Rodney Acala appearing | Daily Mail Online

THE DATING GAME KILLER: RODNEY ALCALA IN GRAPHIC DETAIL – Human Monsters True Crime Blog (wordpress.com)

People v. Alcala (1992) :: :: Supreme Court of California Decisions :: California Case Law :: California Law :: US Law :: Justia

Alcala scrap of paper a ‘miracle’ – Orange County Register (ocregister.com)

Music by Pawel Fezczuk - Free Music Archive - Paweł Feszczuk