The Grim Curriculum

The Grim Curriculum

By Dina Valentine and Charlotte SmeltTrue CrimeHistory
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The Grim Curriculum episodes

  • Bundy, Bigfoot & Bad Omens.

    This episode Dina kick things off with a significant update in the case of Ted Bundy, as investigators in Utah announce a major breakthrough involving a murder dating back to October 1974. Thanks to DNA and other evidence, another piece of Bundy's history has come into focus. Unfortunately, some stories from history are worth revisiting, even when the people involved are absolutely vile.

    Next, we head into the world of Bigfoot, where some rather disappointing news has emerged for believers. One of the most famous pieces of supposed evidence has come under some very serious scrutiny, and the results aren't exactly what the cryptid community was hoping for.

    Finally, our Strange & Unusual Death this week involves an incident that many would consider a pretty terrible omen. The irony is certainly not lost on us, and we have thoughts.

    Everything Grim lives at thegrimcurriculum.com

    29 min
  • The Tower of London: Over 1,000 Years of Blood and Ghosts

    After a particularly heavy series, we're taking a little detour into the horrid and haunted history of one of Britain's most infamous royal landmarks: the Tower of London.

    With a history stretching back more than 1,000 years, this fortress has served many purposes over the centuries, from royal residence to prison and execution site. Its walls have witnessed political intrigue, royal downfall, mysterious disappearances, and some truly grim chapters of British history. And, of course, a place with this much history has accumulated its fair share of ghost stories.

    So settle in for a Halloween journey through royal history, tragic tales, and the lingering legends of the Tower of London. Because some places have a past that refuses to stay buried.

    Find more from The Grim Curriculum at thegrimcurriculum.com

    39 min
  • Robert Pickton and Vancouver's Missing Women - Part 7

    We've made it to Part 7, the finale of our series on Robert Pickton and Vancouver's missing women. And honestly, we're relieved to finally reach the end of this story, at least for now. In this final instalment, Pickton's reign of violence comes to an end as he is finally caught. But while his arrest marks a turning point, it doesn't erase the years of missed opportunities, institutional failures, and devastating losses that brought us here.

    Throughout this series, we've tried to keep the focus on the women whose lives were taken, the families left behind, and the stories that deserve to be remembered beyond the man whose name became infamous. We're closing this chapter, but the frustration remains. These women deserved better, and their stories deserve to be remembered.

    If you enjoy thoughtful explorations of true crime, history, disasters, folklore, and the unexplained, consider subscribing and joining us each week for a new episode.

    🌐 Website: https://www.thegrimcurriculum.com

    47 min
  • Robert Pickton and Vancouver's Missing Women - Part 6

    We're back with Part 6 of our series on Robert Pickton and Vancouver's missing women, and we're still not at the end of this story.

    As the investigation continues, the failures of law enforcement become increasingly difficult to stomach. Warning signs, missed opportunities, and the treatment of vulnerable women all form part of a deeply troubling picture. And Pickton wasn't operating in a vacuum. Other people were willing to enter his world and contribute to the harm surrounding him.

    As we continue exploring the circumstances surrounding Vancouver's missing and murdered women, the frustration keeps building. The women at the centre of this story deserved so much better, and there is still more to uncover before this chapter reaches its conclusion.

    If you enjoy thoughtful explorations of true crime, history, disasters, folklore, and the unexplained, consider subscribing and joining us each week for a new episode.

    🌐 Website: https://www.thegrimcurriculum.com

    43 min
  • Suspicious Deaths, Florida Man & The Dingbat.

    This week on Extra Credit, we're covering a collection of stories that range from genuinely concerning to downright bizarre.

    We have an update involving Ken, the former partner of Gypsy-Rose Blanchard and father of her child, with questions surrounding the circumstances of his death. We also revisit the case of Christa Pike and a botched execution that raises some difficult questions. Then it's time for Florida Man, and folks, when we say you need to see this man's face, we mean it. Respectfully, there appear to have been some questionable choices made along the way.

    Charlotte brings us back to lighter territory with the Dingbat, a surprisingly real part of North American folklore. This flying, antlered oddity has quite the story behind it, and apparently being a dingbat isn't just an insult after all. Finally, our Strange & Unusual Death takes a turn into the truly peculiar, with a very unusual attempt to improve fertility that ended in tragedy.

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    42 min
  • Robert Pickton and Vancouver's Missing Women - Part 5

    We're back with Part 5 of our series on Robert Pickton and Vancouver's missing women, covering the events of 1998 and 1999.

    By this point, the warning signs are becoming increasingly difficult to ignore. Reports of Pickton bragging about killing women are circulating, while some members of the Vancouver Police Department are pushing for action amid growing concerns about the missing women from the Downtown Eastside. Yet institutional resistance, silence, and a multitude of other barriers continue to stand in the way.

    As the number of missing women grows, so does the frustration. Who knew what was happening? Why weren't more people speaking up? And how many opportunities to intervene were lost?

    If you enjoy thoughtful explorations of true crime, history, disasters, folklore, and the unexplained, consider subscribing and joining us each week for a new episode.

    🌐 Website: https://www.thegrimcurriculum.com

    40 min
  • Robert Pickton and Vancouver's Missing Women - Part 4

    After our September break, we're back with Part 4 of our series on Robert Pickton and Vancouver's missing women.

    This episode takes us through the events leading up to 1998, with a continued focus on the women who went missing or were murdered during this period. We're exploring their lives and stories, the circumstances surrounding their disappearances, and the wider landscape of violence that made this time so devastating.

    Robert Pickton wasn't the only serial killer active during this era. Clifford Olson and Gary Ridgway were also responsible for horrific crimes, raising difficult questions about the dangers women faced and the possibility that other offenders may have gone unidentified.

    Beyond the headlines and the men whose names became infamous, we're continuing to try to make space for the women themselves, because their stories deserve to be remembered.

    If you enjoy thoughtful explorations of true crime, history, disasters, folklore, and the unexplained, consider subscribing and joining us each week for a new episode.

    🌐 Website: https://www.thegrimcurriculum.com

    41 min
  • The Lindsay Clancy Trial - So Far: Part 2

    This week, we're continuing our look at the Lindsay Clancy case in Part 2 of our special mix of The Grim Curriculum and Extra Credit. We take a closer look at the testimony, expert opinions, and competing arguments surrounding Lindsay's mental state and the question of criminal responsibility.

    We break down some of the major developments from the final weeks of the trial, while keeping speculation separate from what was actually presented in court.

    Whether you've been following along since Part 1 or are just catching up, we'll get you up to speed on where the case stands and some of the questions that remain.

    The Grim Curriculum: https://thegrimcurriculum.com

    49 min
  • Robert Pickton - Part 3

    In Part 3 of our series on Robert Pickton, we continue putting the focus where it belongs, on the women whose lives were taken, and the stories that so often became overshadowed by the man responsible.

    As we learn more about the victims, we also reach a pivotal moment in Pickton's story. One woman came remarkably close to surviving him, and her fight to escape would come closer than anything else to bringing his horrific spree to an end.

    But despite her survival, the nightmare continued.

    We continue to piece together the stories of the women who disappeared from Vancouver's Downtown Eastside, the circumstances surrounding their disappearances, and the devastating failures that allowed Pickton to remain free for so long.

    If you enjoy thoughtful explorations of true crime, history, disasters, folklore, and the unexplained, consider subscribing and joining us each week for a new episode.

    🌐 Website: https://www.thegrimcurriculum.com

    41 min
  • Robert Pickton - Part 2

    We're only two episodes into our Robert Pickton series, and somehow, we've already covered A LOT.

    In Part 2, we're beginning to look at the women who may have been among Robert Pickton's first known or possible victims, while continuing to follow what Pickton and the increasingly shady group of people around him were getting up to. The deeper we dig, the more unsettling the story becomes, and we're still only scratching the surface.

    By the end of this episode, we arrive at the beginnings of what would become Piggie's Palace, the infamous property that would eventually become central to the Pickton case. And let's just say, "built" might be a generous description. As Charlotte puts it, it was less a structure being constructed and more like the Earth's crust opened up and a hellish nightmare of a bar ascended from Satan's realm.

    This is Part 2 of our series on Robert Pickton, and there's a whole lot more to uncover.

    🌐 thegrimcurriculum.com

    48 min

About The Grim Curriculum

From the publisher's feed

Welcome to The Grim Curriculum, a Canada based podcast, with hosts Charlotte and Dina.