Why? It’s the question that draws so many of us to true crime.

Why would someone kill? What drives a person to stalk? Are some people truly evil? Are good people capable of terrible things?

We grapple with these questions, trying to make sense of the unimaginable.

Is it their childhood? Their biology? Or something more complex? These aren’t just the questions we ask. Detectives, forensic psychologists, and criminal behaviour analysts have spent lifetimes trying to understand the minds of those who commit the unthinkable. In this episode, you'll hear from these experts. 

Crime Insiders is hosted by Brent Sanders and Kathryn Fox. Guests in this episode include Ricky Hennessy, Professor Troy McEwan, and Julia Cowley. 

If you or anyone you know needs help:

• Lifeline (Crisis support and suicide prevention) 13 11 14
• 1800 Respect (National sexual assault, family and domestic violence counselling line) 1800 737 732
• Men's Referral Service (National counselling, information and referral service for men looking to change their behaviour) 1300 766 491
• Full Stop Australia (National violence and abuse trauma counselling and recovery Service) 1800 385 578

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

10 years ago, Sydney came to a standstill.

A lone gunman took 18 hostages captive inside the Lindt Café, some of whom escaped, others were trapped for 16 harrowing hours.

 The siege ended in the deaths of two innocent people—Tori Johnson, executed by the terrorist, and Katrina Dawson, struck by a ricochet from a police bullet when the Tactical Operations Unit stormed the building.

In the aftermath, public outrage boiled over as the government and police were heavily criticised for their handling of the crisis. So what really happened behind the scenes?

In this episode, hear two firsthand accounts from those who lived it. 

Crime Insiders is hosted by Brent Sanders and Kathryn Fox. Guests in this episode include Danny Mikati and Chris Craner.

If you or anyone you know needs help:

• Lifeline (Crisis support and suicide prevention) 13 11 14

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When the bodies in the barrels were found, Australia was rocked. A murder investigation was underway, and forensics was set to play a huge part. But where to even begin?

Professor Roger Byard AO had been working in forensics for just two weeks when he got the call. A set of barrels had been found in a bank vault, and he was needed at the scene. The investigation that followed was taxing on Roger, and the community in South Australia, but the work was meaningful and would lead to successful convictions and answers for families. 

Unpack this case and more with host Kathryn Fox, as Roger takes her through his career in forensics and beyond. 

If this content affected you, the number for Lifeline is 13 11 14. 

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Over a harrowing 69 minutes on September 2013, 12 people were shot dead and many more wounded in what was Washington DC's deadliest mass shooting.

Navy contractor Aaron Alexis terrorised thousands of workers at the Washington Navy Yard.

Former FBI Agent Timothy Gallagher led the operation at the navy yard, and he describes to host Brent Sanders how hours felt like minutes as he and his colleagues raced against time to find and capture the killer.

If you or anyone you know needs help:

• Lifeline (Crisis support and suicide prevention) 13 11 14
• Full Stop Australia (National violence and abuse trauma counselling and recovery Service) 1800 385 578

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A man-hunt that lasted more than 7 years. One of Australia's most wanted men finally caught. But by who? And at what cost?

Ricky Hennessy was an integral member of the NSW Police Force for over 22 years. His skill, and level of focus lead to several high-profile convictions all across Australia. One of his most notable, was the capture of fugitive and convicted killer Malcolm Naden; who was on the run in NSW bushland for more than 7 years. 

With host and former police officer Brent Sanders, understand Ricky Hennessy's work - and experience a behind the scenes retelling of the capture of Naden, and the interview and interrogation which lead to a successful conviction.

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One night, four crime scenes, 32 gunshot wounds, and eight members of the same family slain in their homes. Two years later, a local family of four was arrested for the murders. These are the events now known as the Piketon Massacre, Ohio's most notorious mass murder.

Dive into the chilling details of this case with forensic investigator, Joseph Scott Morgan. Known for his insights on high-profile cases, Joseph brings his deep expertise to this now infamous investigation.

In this episode, Kathryn Fox and Jospeph explore the forensic intricacies of the Piketon case, the twisted familial connections, and what this case reveals about the impact of violent crime on society.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

CTE is surprisingly common - but, it can only be diagnosed post-mortem, and by a forensic expert. So, how is does an examination work? And why is it so hard to have one done? 

Dr Linda Iles is a forensic neuropathologist, and someone who performs post-mortem brain examinations on people every single day. What she discovers in these exams is extraordinary, and revealing of the life that person lead. 

Understand how someone is diagnosed with CTE post-mortem, and the intricate details of brain examinations with host Kathryn Fox; as she chats with Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine's Dr Linda Iles. 

Crime Insiders executive producer Dan Mullins presents a look back at one of our earlier episodes.

For more information on CTE or if anyone you know is showing symptoms and you need support, visit the following resources: 

https://www.concussionfoundation.com.au/helpline

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A young cop in England realises whilst chasing a suspect with a rifle that his life will never be the same again. It lead to infiltrating football hooligans as a 17-stone skinhead. 

Garry Rogers QPM is a former undercover operative who served 30 years with the Greater Manchester Police. 

Garry played a key role in one of the UK's most successful undercover policing operations, targeting the football hooliganism that blighted the domestic and international game. The undercover operation was so successful, that the GMP extended the operation to target serious and violent crime, and it was Garry who gained the trust of armed robbers, drug dealers, and a murderer. 

If you or anyone you know needs help:

• Lifeline (Crisis support and suicide prevention) 13 11 14
• 1800 Respect (National sexual assault, family and domestic violence counselling line) 1800 737 732
• Men's Referral Service (National counselling, information and referral service for men looking to change their behaviour) 1300 766 491
• Full Stop Australia (National violence and abuse trauma counselling and recovery Service) 1800 385 578

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Taskforce Argos was built to catch the worst of the worst - to infiltrate and stop child exploitation material networks. 

Its former head, Jon Rouse spent years in the operation, and became entrenched in the world of saving children from abuse and sexual exploitation. Now, he's got some distance from the front-line, but, questions still linger. How does it all affect him? And what is he doing now after leaving the force? 

Unpack the incredible career, and the merciless work that Jon Rouse and the team at Taskforce Argos undertook, with host Brent Sanders. From analysing the most disturbing of images, to infiltrating online networks and executing raids. As many heard in the award winning podcast series The Children in the Pictures, Jon's work took him across borders, and down dark roads. Hear him explain the work and the toll it takes on this episodes of Crime Insiders: Detectives. 

This episode contains references to child sexual abuse and child exploitation material - please listen with care. 

If anyone you know has been affected by this material or you've been affected yourself, please reference the following resources: 

https://www.afp.gov.au/what-we-do/operational-support/australian-centre-counter-child-exploitation

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When a human body is discovered in the United States, there is a person who takes on the role of eyes and ears of the dead: the death investigator.

There is a whole chain of officials from the police, to forensic pathologists, to families and loved ones that depend on these specialists to unlock stories the dead can no longer tell.

No one knows this role like Joseph Scott Morgan. 

In this episode, host Kathryn Fox and Joseph peel back the layers of this hidden world: the science, the secrets, and the sacrifices of those who witness the grim reality of death day in and day out.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.