Once Upon A Crime | True Crime

By Esther Ludlow & Studio71

Society & Culture History

What's Once Upon A Crime | True Crime about?

Once Upon a Crime is a weekly true crime podcast that tells “the story behind the story” of real life crime. Told in a storytelling style, listeners are presented facts and information about each case they won’t hear anywhere else.

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Episode 270: The Girl Who C...

01.24.2023

For our first series of 2023, we’ll do a deep dive into a case that has so many bizarre twists and turns a Hollywood horror movie was later based on it. In this first part of a 2-part series, a ...

Once Upon A Crime | True Crime episodes:

01.24.2023 Episode 270: The Girl Who Cried Orphan - Barbora Skrlova, Part 1 For our first series of 2023, we’ll do a deep dive into a case that has so many bizarre twists and turns a Hollywood horror movie was later based on it. In this first part of a 2-part series, a ...
01.17.2023 Episode 269: “Bad Behind Bars: Jodi Arias w/Special Guest Donavan Bering In 2008, Travis Alexander was brutally murdered in his home in Mesa, Arizona. His ex-girlfriend, Jodi Arias, was convicted of the slaying and was later sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. A new Lifetime Television movie ...
12.27.2022 Episode 268: “I Am Vanessa Guillen" with Special Guest Margot from Military Murder Podcast In this last of our special holiday episodes, Esther and Lorena discuss the Netflix documentary “I Am Vanessa Guillen" with Margot, host of the podcast Military Murder. Vanessa Guillen was a United States Army soldier who went missing from a ...
12.20.2022 Episode 267: “The Girlfriend Who Didn’t Exist" with Special Guest Bob Ruff from Truth and Justice Podcast In this special episode Esther and Lorena talk with Bob Ruff, host of the podcasts Truth and Justice and True Crime Binge. They discuss the Netflix documentary series "Untold: The Girlfriend Who Didn’t Exist" that details one of the most ...
12.13.2022 Episode 266: "The Watcher" with Special Guest Tim and Lance from Crawlspace Podcast In this special holiday episode Esther and Lorena discuss the Netflix series "The Watcher" with Tim and Lance from Crawlspace Podcast. We compare and contrast this fictionalized version of the true mystery "The Watcher House". In 2014, Derek and Maria ...
11.29.2022 Episode 265: Holidays in Hell: The Richmond New Year’s Murder Spree For many people around the world, ringing in the new year brings with it the promise of new hope, a fresh start, and renewed possibilities. But each year of Ricky Javon Gray’s short life brought only violence, brutality, and death ...
11.22.2022 Episode 264: Holidays in Hell: Little Boy Blue On Christmas Eve, 1985 a grim discovery was made on a frozen field outside of Chester, Nebraska. The body of a child had been abandoned. The mystery of who the anonymous child who locals dubbed “Little Boy Blue” would take ...
11.15.2022 Episode 263: Holidays in Hell: Missing Mom Kelsey Berreth A young mother goes missing after a Thankgiving Day shopping trip in 2018. After meticulous detective work on the part of several law enforcement agencies answers come to light. The perpetrator would be someone no one would suspect - least ...
11.08.2022 Episode 262 - “What the Crime?” 3 Strange and unusual crime stories In today’s episode, I’ll share three strange and intriguing true crime cases currently in the news - a suspected serial killer hunting for victims in a small California town, a gruesome discovery on a local walking trail, and a bizarre ...
11.02.2022 Episode 261: A Nightmare Before Halloween, Part 2 A Nightmare Before Halloween, Part 2 …1 campfire… …1 dark forest… …31 bone-chilling stories… …Will YOU survive the night? This Halloween season, enter the woods for a unique and truly epic podcast experience! Around the campfire Shane Waters will introduce ...
10.31.2022 Episode 260: A Nightmare Before Halloween, Part 1 …1 campfire… …1 dark forest… …31 bone-chilling stories… …Will YOU survive the night? This Halloween season, enter the woods for a unique and truly epic podcast experience! Around the campfire Shane Waters will introduce 31 crime podcast hosts, including Once ...
10.24.2022 Presenting Gone South Season 2: The Dixie Mafia Welcome to Season Two of Gone South, the Edward R. Murrow-Award winning documentary podcast from C13Originals. Starting in the early sixties, a rag-tag confederation of traveling criminals known as The Dixie Mafia terrorized every state from Georgia to Oklahoma. Its ...
10.17.2022 Episode 259: Bands Gone Wild: N.W.A. - Drama in Detroit N.W.A. became one of the most influential hip-hop artists of all time and became one of the first rap groups to reach platinum status with their debut album Straight Outta Compton. In 1989, they took the stage in front of ...
10.10.2022 Episode 258: Bands Gone Wild: The Cure Robert Smith formed the band The Cure with his schoolmates when he was still in middle school. They found early success and soon began touring around the world. But their sobriety and mental health began to suffer from the strain ...
10.03.2022 Episode 257: Bands Gone Wild: Guns N’ Roses and The Riverport Riot In our first “Rocktober” episode of the month I’ll tell you the story of the Bad Boy of Rock and Roll - Axl Rose of Guns N’ Roses. In July of 1991, Guns N’ Roses was on its 28-month “Use ...
09.26.2022 Episode 256: Crimes on Campus: Brock Turner In this episode, I’ll cover a case that sparked a national debate and shone a spotlight on discrepancies in the justice system regarding the treatment and rights of survivors of sexual assault. Brock Turner was a first-year student at Stanford ...
09.23.2022 Bonus Episode: Death of an Artist: A Conversation with Helen Molesworth In this bonus episode I talk to Helen Molesworth, writer and art curator, about the story of Ana Mendieta, a Cuban-born artist who was just gaining recognition for her genre-bending performance art when she fell 34 stories to her death ...
09.19.2022 Episode 255: Crimes on Campus: Melissa Drexler “Prom Mom” In this episode I’ll tell you about a case that got worldwide media attention due to the bizarre circumstances, the heinous nature of the crime, and the venue at which it occurred - a high school prom. Resources: Melissa Drexler, ...
09.12.2022 Episode 254: Crimes on Campus: The Murder of Lola Martinez A student residing with three roommates on an Indiana college campus finds herself mired in a tense living situation. An unusual set of circumstances soon turns deadly. Resources: Murder Loves Company: Dorm Living Nightmare, Season 1, Episode 1, The Investigation ...
08.24.2022 Welcome to The Sunshine Place Once called “the miracle on the beach,” Synanon began in the 1960s as an experimental rehab facility in Santa Monica, California with a radical claim: It could cure heroin addiction. Before long, it would make an even bolder claim: It ...
08.22.2022 Episode 253: Wild Women: Kitty LeRoy Kitty LeRoy was a sharpshooter, cardsharp, dancer, and entrepreneur. She became a well-known entertainer in the Old West and ran with legends like Calamity Jane and Wild Bill Hickock. But her fierce temper and fiery personality often made her dangerous ...
08.15.2022 Episode 252: Wild Women: The True Story of Lavinia Fisher and The Six Mile Wayfarer House In 1819, Lavinia Fisher and her husband John were accused poisoning and murdering multiple guests of their Charleston, South Carolina inn and sentenced to hang. But were the Fishers really serial killers or is the legend simply a tall tale ...
08.01.2022 Episode 251: Wild Women: Sally Six-Shooter In this series we’ll step back in history to learn about some of the history’s first female outlaws. In this episode I’ll tell you about Sally Skull, ranch owner, horse trader, fandango dancer, and gunslinger. Some say Sally’s quick temper ...
07.25.2022 Episode 250: Final Curtain Call: Fatal Obsession - The Murder of Catherine Woods A young girl leaves her hometown of Ohio for the Big Apple with her heart set on a career as a Broadway dancer. Instead, she meets a young man who becomes obsessed with controlling her life. Unable to let her ...
07.18.2022 Episode 249: Final Curtain Call: Theatre of Pain - The Murders of Daniel Wozniak This week’s episode details a murder that, at first glance, appears to be a cut-and-dried case of a lover’s quarrel turned deadly. Upon investigation, it is discovered to be a much more thought-out and sinister plan. When authorities uncover the ...
07.11.2022 Episode 248: Final Curtain Call: Paul Bateson and The Exorcist In this month’s series “Final Curtain Call” a film or theater actor is connected to a sensational crime. In 1973, The Exorcist was released in theaters. Moviegoers were shocked by the film’s graphic depiction of a little girl possessed by ...
06.27.2022 Episode 247: Picture Perfect Murder: Harry Uzoka Harry Uzoka was a rising star who’d broken into the world of high-end modeling against all odds. But another model envious of his success began a rivalry which lead to a violent showdown that no one saw coming. SOURCES Adey, ...
06.20.2022 Episode 246: Real Life Heroes: The Foiled DeAnza College Shooting In light of the ongoing tragedies of frequent mass shootings in America, I’ve decided to make this week’s episode one of hope and heroism. In this story, a young girl becomes an unlikely hero when she acts upon a hunch ...
06.13.2022 Episode 245: Madman in the Woods: Life Next Door to the Unabomber with Author Jamie Gehring In 1996, the longest and most expensive investigation in the FBI’s history was successfully solved when Theodore Kaczynski was identified as “The Unabomber” 18 years after he began building and planting bombs at various locations. Three people were killed and ...
06.06.2022 Episode 244: Picture Perfect Murder: The Beauty Queen Killer Christopher Wilder posed as a photographer to lure beautiful young women with the promise of modeling work. Those who take him up on his offer - and even those that didn’t - found themselves victims of a serial rapist who ...
05.23.2022 Episode 243: YouTube Mayhem: The YouTube Headquarters Shooting A young woman who creates a YouTube channel to advocate for animal rights and veganism becomes disgruntled with the social media platform when she feels she is being targeted for discrimination. But, no one imagined that her anger would spiral ...
05.16.2022 Episode 242: YouTube Mayhem: Mr. Anime In this episode, a young man who dubs himself “Mr. Anime” gains a large following as a critic and reviewer on YouTube.. But, he’ll later admit to harboring dark fantasies most of his life after he commits a shocking act ...
05.09.2022 Episode 241: The Minds of Mass Killers with Author Shavaun Scott This week I have a special episode diving into the topic of the psychology of mass killers. What prompts someone to commit mass murder against random strangers? How did Columbine become a cultural touchstone that inspired others to plan and ...
05.02.2022 Episode 240: YouTube Mayhem: Dying To Be Famous A young couple on a quest for internet fame record a prank for their YouTube channel with tragic results. Resources: YouTube Prankster Jailed, BBC News, March 15, 2018 https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-43410816 The Last Moments Before a YouTube Stunt Went Fatally Wrong, Buzzfeed ...
04.18.2022 Episode 239: The Ties That Bind: The Crimes of Shelly Knotek - Part 2 This is part 2 of a 2-part- episode. As we continue the story, Shelly and Dave Knotek have isolated themselves, their three daughters, nephew, and a boarder, Kathy Loreno, in their Ramond, Washington home. The torture and abuse Kathy endured ...
04.11.2022 Episode 238: The Ties That Bind: The Crimes of Shelly Knotek - Part 1 Shelly Knotek has been called “America’s Most Evil Mom”. She abused, tortured, and humiliated her children and partners, but her control and abuse went beyond her own family members. One-by-one people she took into her home as boarders also found ...
04.04.2022 Episode 237: The Ties That Bind - The Turpin Family In this month’s series, we’ll take a look at the fascinating phenomenon of narcissistic family cults - a family unit that exhibits all the hallmarks of a traditional cult group but is led by a narcissistic family member - usually ...
03.28.2022 Episode 236: Livestreamed Crimes: The Christchurch Mosque Mass Shootings A young man’s racist ideology lead him to take the lives of 51 people and injure dozens more all while recording and uploading a video of the murders to Facebook Live. Resources: Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Terrorist Attack ...
03.21.2022 Episode 235: Livestreamed Crimes: The Arizona Mall Mass Shooting A young man who identifies with as an Incel carries out a mass shooting at an Arizona mall while livestreaming it via Snapchat. Special thanks to Dr. Sohom Das for lending his expertise in this episode. Check out his YouTube ...
03.14.2022 Episode 234: Livestreamed Crimes: The WDBJ-TV On-Air Shooting A disgruntled, former television station employee takes out his revenge during a live news broadcast. Resources: “Ex-Broadcaster Kills 2 on Air Virginia Shooting” by Michael D. Shear, Richard Perez-Pena, and Alan Blinder, The New York Times, August 26, 2015. “Vester ...
03.01.2022 Episode 233: Revenge Attacks: UK Acid Attacks A bizarre and terrifying crime spree has been on the rise in the UK for the past several years. In this episode, I’ll share stories illustrating how acid attacks have increasingly been used to retaliate against a romantic partner once ...
02.22.2022 Episode 232: Deep Cover - A Conversation with Jake Halpern Esther sits down with Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jake Halpern to talk about Season 2 of his podcast Deep Cover: Mob Land. They also discuss podcast storytelling and Jake reveals which well-known actor makes a surprise guest appearance on Deep Cover ...
02.15.2022 Episode 231: Revenge Attacks: Burt and Linda Pugach In this episode I’ll share with you one of the craziest “love” stories you’ve ever heard - right in time for Valentine’s Day. Burt Pagach meets Linda Riss in 1957 and quickly becomes obsessed with her. When she breaks off ...
02.08.2022 Episode 230: Revenge Attacks: Sophie Elliott A 22-year-old recent graduate of a New Zealand University breaks off a short-lived relationship. Her ex would take deadly revenge on her in one of the most horrific attacks ever perpetrated in the country’s recent history. Resources: “Own Evidence Seals ...
02.01.2022 Episode 229: Mansion Murders: The Sachs Family Murders One family appears to have it all - success, wealth, a happy family life, and a beautiful ocean-view home on the California coast. But, trouble behind the scenes tears the family apart and the story of the Sachs family will ...
01.25.2022 Episode 228: Mansion Murders: Chateau Carolands An heiress builds a grand mansion as a showplace on a hill in the San Francisco Bay Area. But, it would become a white elephant and an eyesore during its long history. And, in 1985, it became a house of ...
01.18.2022 Episode 227: Murder in My Hometown: Jeanine Sanchez Harms July 27, 2001 Jeanine Sanchez Harms went missing after a night out with friends in Campbell, California. A man she'd only become acquainted with that night, Maurice Xavier Nasmeh, would be suspected of involvement in her disappearance. After a problematic ...
01.13.2022 Bonus Episode: Introducing: Families Who Kill: The Donut Shop Murders FAMILIES WHO KILL: THE DONUT SHOP MURDERS is a story about the McCrarys, a family who terrorized small-town America, committing murders, robberies, abductions and general mayhem everywhere they went. Led by the criminal duo of Sherman, and his son-in-law Carl, ...
12.23.2021 Bonus Episode: Introducing Lost Hills: Dead in the Water In this bonus episode, I speak with Dana Goodyear, the host of the true crime podcast series Lost Hills: Dead in the Water. In January 1981, Verna Johnson-Roehler and her young son, Doug, drowned while boating thirty miles off the ...
12.21.2021 Episode 226: Breaking Down Chris Watts with Lorena Show Notes: On the last episode of the year, Lorena and I break down the case of family annihilator, Chris Watts. Resources: “Chris Watts: A Complete Timeline of the Murder of His Wife and Daughters” by Rachel Change for Biography.com, ...

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