In this special episode of Crime Time Inc., Tom sits down with investigative journalist Jane Hamilton for the first in-depth discussion of her new book:

Peter Tobin: Hunting Shadows

This episode explores the crimes of Peter Tobin, one of Scotland’s most notorious serial killers, and the long investigation that linked him to the murders of:

• Vicki Hamilton (15)
• Dinah McNicol (18)
• Angelika Kluk (23)

Rather than glorifying the killer, Jane’s book focuses on the lives of the young women he murdered — and the investigative journey that uncovered the truth.

• Publisher: Mirror Books
• Release Date: 26 February
• Written in memory of Vicki Hamilton, Dinah McNicol and Angelika Kluk
• A journalist’s perspective on one of Scotland’s darkest criminal investigations

Jane was present from the earliest days of the Angelika Kluk investigation in Glasgow, when her body was discovered beneath the floorboards of St Patrick’s Church in 2006. That murder ultimately exposed Peter Tobin’s hidden past and led to the reopening of earlier missing persons cases.

• 1991 – Vicki Hamilton disappears in Bathgate on a freezing February night
• 1991 – Dinah McNicol vanishes after hitchhiking from a music festival
• 2006 – Angelika Kluk murdered in Glasgow
• Post-2006 – Operation Anagram links Tobin to earlier murders

Tom reflects on his own policing experience during the Vicki Hamilton investigation and explains why Tobin was one of the hardest serial killers in Scotland to catch — frequently changing addresses, aliases and identities.

• The psychology of an opportunistic serial killer
• How Peter Tobin evaded detection for years
• The role of Operation Anagram in linking cold cases
• Grooming, vulnerability and offender behaviour patterns
• The differences between police investigations and investigative journalism
• The decline of long-form crime reporting in modern media

Jane also shares how she tracked down Tobin’s former wives and pursued leads internationally to build a fuller picture of the man behind the crimes.

This episode offers rare insight into:

• How journalists build trust without legal powers
• The ethical challenges of reporting on serial murder
• Telling victims’ stories without sensationalism
• Why historical true crime still resonates today

The Peter Tobin case remains one of the most significant serial killer investigations in Scottish criminal history. This conversation highlights:

• The human cost behind the headlines
• The long shadow cast by unresolved missing persons cases
• The importance of persistence in both policing and journalism

• Scottish serial killer cases
• Peter Tobin and Operation Anagram
• Cold case investigations
• True crime podcast discussions
• Investigative journalism

About Crime Time Inc.

Season 5 of Crime Time Inc. broadens its reach across two sides of the Atlantic.

This season features cases from Scotland and across the wider UK — rooted in real investigative experience — alongside deep dives into some of the most infamous murder cases in American history.

Hosted by former detectives Simon and Tom, with experience in both the UK and the United States, including time working alongside the FBI, the show strips away sensationalism to explain how crime and justice really work.

Two crime worlds. One podcast.

New episodes released regularly throughout the season.

Our Website: https://crimetimeinc.com/

If you like this show please leave a review. It really helps us.

Please help us improve our Podcast by completing this survey.

http://bit.ly/crimetimeinc-survey

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Zodiac Killer Investigation: Why He Was Never Caught

Fingerprints, ciphers, and the multi-agency manhunt that led nowhere

By the end of 1970, the Zodiac had murdered across four California jurisdictions, mailed taunting letters and cryptic ciphers to newspapers, and walked away without ever being identified.

In this episode, we examine the investigation itself — the coordination between Solano County, Vallejo, Napa County, and San Francisco; the role of the California Department of Justice; and the mountain of evidence that ultimately led nowhere.

We explore the key forensic pillars of the case: the latent fingerprints recovered from Paul Stine’s taxi, the handwriting analysis linking confirmed Zodiac letters, the physical evidence from multiple crime scenes, and the disputed connection to the 1966 murder of Cheri Jo Bates.

Despite thousands of tips, hundreds of suspects, and decades of review, no match was ever made.

Why did the investigation fail?

And was the Zodiac simply clever — or just lucky?

Next episode: the suspects.

About Crime Time Inc.

Season 5 of Crime Time Inc. broadens its reach across two sides of the Atlantic.

This season features cases from Scotland and across the wider UK — rooted in real investigative experience — alongside deep dives into some of the most infamous murder cases in American history.

Hosted by former detectives Simon and Tom, with experience in both the UK and the United States, including time working alongside the FBI, the show strips away sensationalism to explain how crime and justice really work.

Two crime worlds. One podcast.

New episodes released regularly throughout the season.

Our Website: https://crimetimeinc.com/

If you like this show please leave a review. It really helps us.

Please help us improve our Podcast by completing this survey.

http://bit.ly/crimetimeinc-survey

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Princess Diana’s decision to dismiss her official protection officers changed everything.

John Lennon walked out of the Dakota without security — and paid the ultimate price.

In this episode of Crime Time Inc., Tom and Simon go inside the rarely-seen world of close protection — the meticulous planning, quiet threat assessments, and fragile trust that stand between public figures and catastrophe.

This is not Hollywood bodyguard mythology. It’s the real machinery of prevention.

Drawing on decades of operational experience, we explore how personal protection officers (PPOs) are selected, how risk is assessed, and why security is judged only on the rare occasions it fails — not the thousands of times it works perfectly.

• Why cartel “decapitations” rarely change the drug trade
• How VIP protection is actually allocated in the UK
• The role of trust between principal and protection team
• Princess Diana, Martin Bashir, and the collapse of protective trust
• John Lennon’s assassination — and what close protection would likely have identified
• Fixated individuals, mental health policy changes, and escalating risk
• Royal logistics: route planning, venue reconnaissance, and layered security
• The Nottingham killings and the hard questions about management and containment
• Charles Bronson and the parole dilemma: how do you assess “safe to release”?
• Recidivism, early release, and the consequences of under-resourced aftercare
• The Lord Advocate explained — and why Scotland’s dual-role system is under strain

Close protection is mostly invisible.

It’s preparation, prevention, and discretion.

When it succeeds, nobody notices.

When it fails, history remembers.

Follow Crime Time Inc. on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all major platforms for insider analysis of the systems that shape crime, punishment, and public safety.

You can buy the books mentioned in the podcast's by clicking the links below

Tom's Best Selling Book:

Ruxton: The First Modern Murder Paperback Edition

Ruxton: The First Modern Murder Kindle Edition

Simon's Best Selling Book:

The Ten Percent Paperback Edition

The Ten Percent Kindle Edition

Our Website: https://crimetimeinc.com/

If you like this show please leave a review. It really helps us.

Please help us improve our Podcast by completing this survey.

http://bit.ly/crimetimeinc-survey

About Crime Time Inc.

Season 5 of Crime Time Inc. broadens its reach across two sides of the Atlantic.

This season features cases from Scotland and across the wider UK — rooted in real investigative experience — alongside deep dives into some of the most infamous murder cases in American history.

Hosted by former detectives Simon and Tom, with experience in both the UK and the United States, including time working alongside the FBI, the show strips away sensationalism to explain how crime and justice really work.

Two crime worlds. One podcast.

New episodes released regularly throughout the season.

Our Website: https://crimetimeinc.com/

If you like this show please leave a review. It really helps us.

Please help us improve our Podcast by completing this survey.

http://bit.ly/crimetimeinc-survey

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

• In the weeks after Paul Stine’s murder, the Bay Area waited for the next strike—but what came next wasn’t a confirmed attack. Instead, the Zodiac launched a long, unnerving campaign of letters, ciphers, and threats that kept the region in fear for years.
• In Episode 7, “The Cipher Years,” we track the communications that defined the next phase of the case: the Dripping Pen card, the infamous Z340 cipher, shifting “scorecards,” and messages that escalated from taunting investigators to threatening mass harm.
• We also examine major flashpoints from 1969–1970: the letter to celebrity attorney Melvin Belli, the disputed abduction of Kathleen Johns, the “My name is—” cipher, the Mount Diablo map, the “Little List” letter, and the chilling Halloween card sent to journalist Paul Avery.
• This is the story of how the Zodiac may have paused his confirmed killings—but never stopped trying to control the narrative.

00:00 After Stine Fear

01:06 Dripping Pen Card

01:58 Z340 Cipher Arrives

34:43 Building Trust First

36:55 Assembling the Review Team

37:53 Forensic Rethink and DNA

41:23 AI Promise and Pitfalls

42:51 Suspects and Linked Crimes

44:25 Science in the Field

51:31 Why Murders Get Solved

54:21 Assumptions and Outliers

55:51 Managing Media Tip Floods

01:01:36 Ego Games and Wrap Up

• 
  
• Next episode: the investigation itself—how multiple agencies coordinated, what evidence they had, and why an arrest never came.

The Robert Black Murders mentioned in this episode can be found in season 1 Episodes 3-8

You can buy the books mentioned in the podcast's by clicking the links below

Tom's Best Selling Book:

Ruxton: The First Modern Murder Paperback Edition

Ruxton: The First Modern Murder Kindle Edition

Simon's Best Selling Book:

The Ten Percent Paperback Edition

The Ten Percent Kindle Edition

Our Website: https://crimetimeinc.com/

If you like this show please leave a review. It really helps us.

Please help us improve our Podcast by completing this survey.

http://bit.ly/crimetimeinc-survey

• zodiac killer, zodiac cipher years, z340 cipher, dripping pen card, melvin belli zodiac letter, kathleen johns zodiac, mount diablo map, paul avery halloween card, zodiac killer letters, zodiac killer timeline

About Crime Time Inc.

Season 5 of Crime Time Inc. broadens its reach across two sides of the Atlantic.

This season features cases from Scotland and across the wider UK — rooted in real investigative experience — alongside deep dives into some of the most infamous murder cases in American history.

Hosted by former detectives Simon and Tom, with experience in both the UK and the United States, including time working alongside the FBI, the show strips away sensationalism to explain how crime and justice really work.

Two crime worlds. One podcast.

New episodes released regularly throughout the season.

Our Website: https://crimetimeinc.com/

If you like this show please leave a review. It really helps us.

Please help us improve our Podcast by completing this survey.

http://bit.ly/crimetimeinc-survey

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

• Crime Time Inc. is back with a fast-moving news episode that spans royalty, politics, policing procedure, and the darker realities of online crime.
• We start with breaking headlines reporting that former Prince Andrew has been arrested and taken into police custody. With details still emerging, Simon and Tom focus on what the word “arrest” actually means in practice—how it differs from voluntary attendance, what “not free to go about your business” really looks like, and why arrest does not automatically mean someone will be charged.
• From there, we turn to Scotland and the Peter Murrell case—where the scale of the allegations, the timing around a looming election, and the release of charge details into the media have ignited a political storm. We explain the Scottish legal process in plain English, including what happens at a pleading diet, what “sub judice” means for reporting, and why perceptions of independence matter when the Lord Advocate is both head of prosecution and part of government.
• We also zoom out to a chilling wider trend: reports of large volumes of online offences involving children—and the warning signs that some offending is being “normalised” in certain online spaces. Simon and Tom discuss what that means for policing, for parents, and for society.
• Finally, we cover a major US missing-person/kidnapping case involving Nancy Guthrie, the role of the FBI in kidnapping investigations, and the pros and cons of using large rewards to generate information—when it helps, and when it can muddy the waters.
• As always: we discuss ongoing cases as allegations and reported developments. Everyone is innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
• If you’ve got thoughts—or you think we’ve missed an angle—message us via the website and we’ll share listener feedback in a future episode.

What we cover (quick scan):

• Prince Andrew: arrest vs voluntary attendance vs being arrested during interview
• What “police custody” really means (and what can happen next)
• Scotland: Peter Murrell case, media reporting, and election timing
• Sub judice explained (why some details can’t be discussed)
• Lord Advocate controversy: prosecution independence vs government role
• Online offences involving children: scale, detection, and “normalisation”
• Nancy Guthrie: FBI role, ransom/reward dynamics, investigative friction

Prince Andrew arrest; misconduct in public office; Jeffrey Epstein UK; Sandringham; police custody explained; sub judice UK; contempt of court; Peter Murrell charges; SNP finances; Lord Advocate Scotland; online child exploitation; National Crime Agency child sexual abuse; Nancy Guthrie missing; Savannah Guthrie mother abducted; FBI kidnapping investigation; reward for information

About Crime Time Inc.

Season 5 of Crime Time Inc. broadens its reach across two sides of the Atlantic.

This season features cases from Scotland and across the wider UK — rooted in real investigative experience — alongside deep dives into some of the most infamous murder cases in American history.

Hosted by former detectives Simon and Tom, with experience in both the UK and the United States, including time working alongside the FBI, the show strips away sensationalism to explain how crime and justice really work.

Two crime worlds. One podcast.

New episodes released regularly throughout the season.

Our Website: https://crimetimeinc.com/

If you like this show please leave a review. It really helps us.

Please help us improve our Podcast by completing this survey.

http://bit.ly/crimetimeinc-survey

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Episode 6 of The Zodiac Killer, we return to San Francisco—two weeks after Lake Berryessa—for the case that changed everything: the murder of taxi driver Paul Stine in Presidio Heights on October 11, 1969.

This attack was different. Different victim. Different setting. Different risk. Under streetlights, with witnesses watching from across the road, the killer lingered—cutting a piece of Stine’s shirt, wiping the cab, and walking away with eerie calm.

We break down the full Presidio Heights timeline, what the Robbins witnesses reported, the police response, and the error that may have helped the Zodiac escape: a broadcast description that sent officers looking for the wrong suspect.

We also examine the evidence that made this the most significant Zodiac crime scene: bloody latent fingerprints, the composite sketch, the shirt piece mailed to the San Francisco Chronicle, and the Zodiac’s chilling escalation—threats against schoolchildren and a school bus.

Finally, Simon and Tom dig into the investigative angles: patterns, escalation, and what the “gap” before the Zodiac claimed responsibility might suggest.

If you’re researching the Zodiac case, this episode is your deep dive into the murder many consider the turning point—and the last confirmed Zodiac killing.

00:00 Two Weeks of Silence… Then Zodiac Strikes in San Francisco

01:19 Who Was Paul Stine? The Man Behind the Fifth Confirmed Victim

02:50 October 11, 1969: A Routine Fare Turns Deadly

05:13 Witnesses Across the Street: Shirt Tearing, Wiping Prints, Calm Escape

08:16 Police Arrive—And a Radio Description Error Changes Everything

12:02 Fouke & Zelms Encounter: Did Zodiac Speak to Police or Walk Past?

14:44 Best Evidence Yet: Bloody Fingerprints, Composite Sketch, and a Flood of Tips

21:12 Zodiac’s Shirt-Swatch Letter & the School Bus Threat

24:54 Aftermath and Meaning: Why Stine Changed the Case (and Why Zodiac Got Away)

35:39 Simon & Tom React: Military Links, Fingerprints, and “Triangulation”

44:31 Open-Minded Investigations: Bring in Outside Expertise & Test Your Theory

46:13 Presidio Heights Patrol Stop: Why Not Talking to the Witness Matters

48:29 Mistakes, Blame Culture, and Why Candour Saves Cases

50:43 Surveillance Lessons: No Guesswork, Instant Comms, Total Honesty

55:00 Control Room & Radio Descriptions: How One Error Warps the Search

01:00:18 Forensics and Disclosure: When “No DNA” Becomes the Defense

01:02:41 Zodiac’s Escape Route: The Park, the Military Angle, and Policy Files

01:08:25 House-to-House Done Right: Dog Walkers, Curtain Twitchers, and Breakthroughs

01:13:33 Wrap-Up Banter & Sign-Off

You can buy the books mentioned in the podcast's by clicking the links below

Tom's Best Selling Book:

Ruxton: The First Modern Murder Paperback Edition

Ruxton: The First Modern Murder Kindle Edition

Simon's Best Selling Book:

The Ten Percent Paperback Edition

The Ten Percent Kindle Edition

Our Website: https://crimetimeinc.com/

If you like this show please leave a review. It really helps us.

Please help us improve our Podcast by completing this survey.

http://bit.ly/crimetimeinc-survey

About Crime Time Inc.

Season 5 of Crime Time Inc. broadens its reach across two sides of the Atlantic.

This season features cases from Scotland and across the wider UK — rooted in real investigative experience — alongside deep dives into some of the most infamous murder cases in American history.

Hosted by former detectives Simon and Tom, with experience in both the UK and the United States, including time working alongside the FBI, the show strips away sensationalism to explain how crime and justice really work.

Two crime worlds. One podcast.

New episodes released regularly throughout the season.

Our Website: https://crimetimeinc.com/

If you like this show please leave a review. It really helps us.

Please help us improve our Podcast by completing this survey.

http://bit.ly/crimetimeinc-survey

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How Suffolk Constabulary secured justice decades later — and what this case reveals about sex worker safety, family liaison, evidence-led policing, and whistleblowers.

• In this episode of Crime Time Inc., Simon and Tom examine Steve Wright — widely known as the “Suffolk Strangler” (also referred to as the “Ipswich Ripper”) — and the cold case breakthrough that linked him to the 1999 abduction and murder of 17-year-old Victoria Hall.
• We unpack what made Suffolk Constabulary’s investigation stand out, how advances in forensic science can reopen “closed” history, and why long-term family liaison support can matter for decades, not days.
• Simon and Tom also explore the realities of policing vulnerable communities, the risks faced by sex workers working on the street, and how systems and legislation can unintentionally increase danger rather than reduce it.
• The conversation broadens into “policing politics” — when forces get pulled into high-stakes public controversies — and finishes on a practical, real-world discussion of whistleblowers: how to separate genuine warnings from grievance, and why leadership must follow the evidence either way.
• Listener note: This episode discusses murder and violence against women.

Chapters / Timestamps

• 00:00 Crime Time Inc. intro
• 00:44 A pause from Zodiac: back to the Suffolk Strangler case
• 02:42 Suffolk Constabulary’s investigation & long-term family liaison
• 05:18 Broadchurch and what not to do as a family liaison officer
• 07:22 Steve Wright, victims’ families, and the 1999 case
• 08:39 Pattern, geography, and “spree” timelines
• 10:32 Could there be other victims? What a national review would look like
• 12:38 Background, travel, and potential links to other cases
• 13:59 Databases, forensic backstops, and eliminating suspects
• 15:36 Sex work, safety, and where the system increases risk
• 29:10 Policing politics and resource drain
• 41:36 Whistleblowers vs malcontents — how leaders should respond
• 46:30 Evidence, objectivity, and recurring lessons
• 47:10 Closing reflections

• Steve Wright, Suffolk Strangler, Ipswich Ripper, Victoria Hall, Suffolk Constabulary, cold case, DNA evidence, forensic science, family liaison officer, sex worker safety, policing politics, whistleblowers, UK true crime, Crime Time Inc, Simon and Tom

In memory of

• Victoria Hall (17) — murdered in 1999.
• Anneli Alderton, Paula Clennell, Gemma Adams, Tania Nicol, Annette Nicholls — murdered in the Ipswich area in 2006.

You can buy the books mentioned in the podcast's by clicking the links below

Tom's Best Selling Book:

Ruxton: The First Modern Murder Paperback Edition

Ruxton: The First Modern Murder Kindle Edition

Simon's Best Selling Book:

The Ten Percent Paperback Edition

The Ten Percent Kindle Edition

Our Website: https://crimetimeinc.com/

If you like this show please leave a review. It really helps us.

Please help us improve our Podcast by completing this survey.

http://bit.ly/crimetimeinc-survey

About Crime Time Inc.

Season 5 of Crime Time Inc. broadens its reach across two sides of the Atlantic.

This season features cases from Scotland and across the wider UK — rooted in real investigative experience — alongside deep dives into some of the most infamous murder cases in American history.

Hosted by former detectives Simon and Tom, with experience in both the UK and the United States, including time working alongside the FBI, the show strips away sensationalism to explain how crime and justice really work.

Two crime worlds. One podcast.

New episodes released regularly throughout the season.

Our Website: https://crimetimeinc.com/

If you like this show please leave a review. It really helps us.

Please help us improve our Podcast by completing this survey.

http://bit.ly/crimetimeinc-survey

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Two former senior detectives examine the Zodiac Killer’s most disturbing escalation: the Lake Berryessa attack.

In broad daylight, the Zodiac abandons the gun, dons a costume, and turns murder into performance. We unpack what this shift reveals about planning, psychology, investigative blind spots in 1969, and why—despite unprecedented evidence—the killer still walked away.

We also explore cryptography, Air Force links, witness behaviour, and the uncomfortable reality that the Zodiac wounded more victims than he killed.

• What we cover (chapter guide)
• 00:00 — Cold open: Episode context; why Lake Berryessa marks a turning point
• 01:10 — The silence before the storm: August 1969 and the lull after the cipher
• 05:30 — Setting the scene: Pacific Union College, Bryan Hartnell, Cecelia Shepard
• 10:15 — Lake Berryessa: daylight, isolation, and opportunity
• 14:40 — Witnesses before the attack: watching, waiting, selecting
• 18:10 — The costume appears: hood, symbol, and psychological theatre
• 22:30 — Control and deception: the escaped-convict story and premeditation
• 26:50 — Knife vs. gun: why this choice matters more than it seems
• 32:20 — The attack: sequence, survival, and what Hartnell could tell police
• 38:10 — Aftermath: the car door message and the call to Napa Sheriff’s Office
• 42:45 — Evidence rarely seen in Zodiac cases: shoe prints, palm print, handwriting
• 47:30 — The Air Force connection: wing-walker boots and cryptography skills
• 53:10 — What 1969 police didn’t have: DNA, databases, behavioural profiling
• 59:40 — Performance vs. panic: what the shaking hands reveal
• 1:04:30 — Victim focus: remembering Cecelia Shepard
• 1:09:20 — Why this case still matters: escalation, audience, and unfinished justice

(Timings may vary slightly by platform.)

• Key takeaways
• “This wasn’t impulsive.” The costume, bindings, and knife show planning and rehearsal.
• “Daylight changes everything.” Witness quality improves—but so does offender confidence.
• “The Zodiac wasn’t trained to kill.” He wounded more victims than he killed, even at close range.
• “Evidence isn’t the same as answers.” Lake Berryessa produced more physical clues than any prior attack—yet still no suspect.
• “This was theatre.” The Zodiac needed to be seen, remembered, and talked about.
• 
  
• Helpful context
• The Lake Berryessa attack (27 September 1969) is the only confirmed Zodiac assault with surviving victims and a full eyewitness account.
• It is also the only Zodiac crime involving a costume and a knife, making it critical for behavioural analysis.
• Listener note
• This episode contains discussion of violent assault and homicide. Listener discretion advised.

• Call to action
• If you value case-led analysis grounded in real policing experience, follow or subscribe.
• Share this episode with someone who thinks the Zodiac was “just a cipher and some letters.”

You can buy the books mentioned in the podcast's by clicking the links below

Tom's Best Selling Book:

Ruxton: The First Modern Murder Paperback Edition

Ruxton: The First Modern Murder Kindle Edition

Simon's Best Selling Book:

The Ten Percent Paperback Edition

The Ten Percent Kindle Edition

Our Website: https://crimetimeinc.com/

If you like this show please leave a review. It really helps us.

Please help us improve our Podcast by completing this survey.

http://bit.ly/crimetimeinc-survey

About Crime Time Inc.

Season 5 of Crime Time Inc. broadens its reach across two sides of the Atlantic.

This season features cases from Scotland and across the wider UK — rooted in real investigative experience — alongside deep dives into some of the most infamous murder cases in American history.

Hosted by former detectives Simon and Tom, with experience in both the UK and the United States, including time working alongside the FBI, the show strips away sensationalism to explain how crime and justice really work.

Two crime worlds. One podcast.

New episodes released regularly throughout the season.

Our Website: https://crimetimeinc.com/

If you like this show please leave a review. It really helps us.

Please help us improve our Podcast by completing this survey.

http://bit.ly/crimetimeinc-survey

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

• Two former senior detectives unpack the latest Epstein-files political shockwaves and what they reveal about power, vetting, and institutional judgement—before turning the spotlight back where it belongs: trafficking, coercion, and the victims who get sidelined.
• We also dig into jury decisions in protest cases, the realities of policing resources, and why the $100 bill may be the ultimate “quiet” enabler of illicit finance.
• 
  

What we cover (chapter guide)

• 00:00 — Cold open: Tom & Simon catch up; “what’s happening in the UK?”
• 00:26 — Epstein files & UK fallout: why this story is detonating now, and what the controversy says about leadership judgement
• 03:12 — Politics vs. priorities: why scandal crowds out wars, crises, and policy
• 04:04 — “He was vetted” (really?): what enhanced/positive vetting should look like (ex-police perspective)
• 06:38 — The “useful rogue” problem: why institutions sometimes gamble on ruthless operators
• 09:22 — The human cost: why trafficking stories get buried beneath political theatre
• 12:48 — Spotting exploitation in plain sight: why awareness training can matter (and where it can fall short)
• 13:59 — Sex work realities: poverty, coercion, stigma, and the gap between politics and lived experience
• 21:14 — Case reference: the Sheila Anderson murder (Edinburgh, 1983) and what it changed in policing
• 25:52 — Resources & reality: why money, kit, and trained people decide what gets solved
• 35:48 — Protest trials & juries: when verdicts collide with public mood—and the risks of perceived “justice failure”
• 44:59 — The $100 bill mystery: why printing more high-denomination notes raises uncomfortable questions

Key takeaways

• “An email is forever”: digital records outlive reputations—and institutions ignore that at their peril.
• “Vetting isn’t a tick-box”: real vetting corroborates, triangulates, and verifies—especially for elite appointments.
• “Scandal coverage is easy; victim coverage is hard”: the media default often erases survivors from the frame.

Helpful context

• Recent reporting describes major political controversy in the UK tied to Epstein-related document releases and questions around Mandelson’s links and appointment vetting, with ongoing scrutiny and investigation coverage.

Listener note

• This episode discusses sexual abuse, exploitation, trafficking, and violence. Listener discretion advised.

Call to action

• If you value victim-focused coverage and real policing insight, follow/subscribe and share this episode with someone who only sees the headlines.

The Tragic Case of Sheila Anderson

Part 1

Season 1, Ep. 27

February 25, 2024

Part 2

Season 1 Ep 28

March 3, 2024

About Crime Time Inc.

Season 5 of Crime Time Inc. broadens its reach across two sides of the Atlantic.

This season features cases from Scotland and across the wider UK — rooted in real investigative experience — alongside deep dives into some of the most infamous murder cases in American history.

Hosted by former detectives Simon and Tom, with experience in both the UK and the United States, including time working alongside the FBI, the show strips away sensationalism to explain how crime and justice really work.

Two crime worlds. One podcast.

New episodes released regularly throughout the season.

Our Website: https://crimetimeinc.com/

If you like this show please leave a review. It really helps us.

Please help us improve our Podcast by completing this survey.

http://bit.ly/crimetimeinc-survey

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On August 1, 1969, three Northern California newspapers received mysterious letters that would transform a local murder investigation into a national obsession. The letters connected two previous attacks in the Vallejo area and introduced the Zodiac killer, providing specific details only the murderer could know, along with a threatening cipher. Upon publication, the cipher was decoded by a high school teacher and his wife, revealing the killer's chilling manifesto. This episode recounts the early crimes and the intense public and police scrutiny that followed, setting the stage for the Zodiac's reign of terror.

00:00 A Normal Morning in San Francisco

00:49 The Zodiac Killer's First Letters

00:53 Revisiting the Murders

02:01 The Chilling Phone Call

02:51 Families in Limbo

04:12 A Summer of Fear

04:53 The Killer's Letters Arrive

05:49 The Zodiac's Confession

07:33 The Enigmatic Cipher

11:54 The Newspapers' Dilemma

15:35 Chief Stiltz's Challenge

17:12 The Zodiac's Response

22:47 The Hardens Crack the Code

26:19 The Chilling Message

30:37 The Aftermath and Debate

33:45 Remembering the Victims

36:08 The Zodiac's Legacy

37:20 Next Episode Teaser

About Crime Time Inc.

Season 5 of Crime Time Inc. broadens its reach across two sides of the Atlantic.

This season features cases from Scotland and across the wider UK — rooted in real investigative experience — alongside deep dives into some of the most infamous murder cases in American history.

Hosted by former detectives Simon and Tom, with experience in both the UK and the United States, including time working alongside the FBI, the show strips away sensationalism to explain how crime and justice really work.

Two crime worlds. One podcast.

New episodes released regularly throughout the season.

Our Website: https://crimetimeinc.com/

If you like this show please leave a review. It really helps us.

Please help us improve our Podcast by completing this survey.

http://bit.ly/crimetimeinc-survey

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.