True Crime Bullsh**: The Israel Keyes Investigation

Aaron Habel, of Generation Why, has just launched the third season of his long-form investigative podcast Framed. In this season, Aaron looks into the death of Clair County Community College student Scott Macklem as well as the man convicted of his murder, Frederick Freeman. Was Frederick actually responsible for the death of Scott Macklem? Was their sufficient evidence at trial? And what actually happened to Scott? 

Check out Framed now, wherever you listen to podcasts.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime-bullsh-the-israel-keyes-investigation--3588169/support.

Retrospective 2 takes us to the origin of the investigation; where Josh's interest in storytelling evolved into his obsession of needing to know everything. And it started in a surprising place: a bound book of correspondence between two teenage girls and their landlord. What started as comedic found writing, became a mystery that people could not let go. And as Josh made his way through it, while working on TCB, he learned about investigations and their repercussions.

This is parts one and two of The Karen & Ellen Letters, Josh's first full-fledged investigation.

10th Anniversary Retreat
https://www.bothand.fyi/event-details-registration/ten-year-anniversary-celebration

TROVA TRIP to Galápagos Islands
https://trovatrip.com/trip/south-america/ecuador/ecuador-with-josh-hallmark-jan-2027

TROVA TRIP to Costa Rica
https://trovatrip.com/trip/central-america/costa-rica/costa-rica-with-josh-hallmark-nov-2026

Cast:
Sara Stapleton as Karen
Sara Kitcher as Ellen
Jeff Powell as Mark
Matt Peelen as Rob

SPONSORS
• Boll & Branch: BollAndBranch.com/truecrimebs for 20% off.  
• Quince: Quince.com/TCBS for free shipping and 356-day returns with code TCBS.  
• Schedule35: Schedule35.co with promo code TCBS for 15% off your first order.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime-bullsh-the-israel-keyes-investigation--3588169/support.

In the second half of Israel Keyes's 7/12 FBI interview, he discusses trophies, burglaries, arsons, following other serial killers, the women he dated, the relationship between his violent crimes and arsons and robberies, and more. This audio will be incredibly important in season 7 of TCB, launching October 5.

10th Anniversary Retreat
https://www.bothand.fyi/event-details-registration/ten-year-anniversary-celebration

TROVA TRIP to Costa Rica
https://trovatrip.com/trip/central-america/costa-rica/costa-rica-with-josh-hallmark-nov-2026

TROVA TRIP to Galápagos Islands
https://trovatrip.com/trip/south-america/ecuador/ecuador-with-josh-hallmark-jan-2027

SPONSORS
• Boll & Branch: BollAndBranch.com/truecrimebs for 20% off.  
• Quince: Quince.com/TCBS for free shipping and 356-day returns.  
• Schedule35: Schedule35.co with promo code TCBS for 15% off your first order.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime-bullsh-the-israel-keyes-investigation--3588169/support.

To celebrate 10 years in podcasting, we're spending the summer going back in time and both highlighting key episodes and telling the stories behind them; you’ll get new behind-the-scenes information about what was happening in life, in various investigations, and in the world that impacted these important episodes and their podcasts. You’ll learn how Josh started podcasting, how he started investigating Israel Keyes, some hilarious and terrifying stories from the road, and some really vulnerable and personal stories.

We start our first retrospective at, duh, the beginning. Josh shares how both his podcasting journey and Keyes obsession began. He discusses his time in Seattle and on the Olympic Peninsula, how he ended up on the East Coast, his first deep-dive investigation (not Keyes) and how that led to his second (Keyes).

And this kicks off an early episode of his very first show, Our Americana, entitled Van Life. 

TROVA TRIP to The Galapagos Islands:
https://trovatrip.com/trip/south-america/ecuador/ecuador-with-josh-hallmark-jan-2027

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime-bullsh-the-israel-keyes-investigation--3588169/support.

Every year over 4,000 unidentified bodies are recovered in the United States. 600,000 people are reported as missing, and thousands more go unreported. The Butterfly Effect is an investigative podcast that seeks to reunite the nameless with their identities.

Subscribe to The Butterfly Effect

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime-bullsh-the-israel-keyes-investigation--3588169/support.

In the second half of this interview, Keyes shares his thoughts on other serial killers like BTK, Ted Bundy, and The Green River Killer. Then he discusses his plans for the future, losing control, and how the facade of his life was moving further and further away from who he really was. He also goes into detail regarding the New York victim, the Curriers, breaking into homes, arsons, and fatherhood... and public art.

TROVA TRIP to Costa Rica
https://trovatrip.com/trip/central-america/costa-rica/costa-rica-with-josh-hallmark-nov-2026

SPONSORS
• Boll and Branch: BollAndBranch.com/truecrimebs for 20% off your first order with code: TRUECRIMEBS
• Quince: Quince.com/TCBS for free shipping and 356-day returns.
• BetterHelp: BetterHelp.com/TCB for 10% off your first month.
• AquaTru: AquaTru.com for 20% off using promo code LONGSHORT

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime-bullsh-the-israel-keyes-investigation--3588169/support.

In this interview, Keyes discusses publicity and strategy, the impacts of his crimes on his family, searching for remains, the NY victim, lies he's told about his time in Texas, and serial killers he's read about and studied.

TROVA TRIP to Costa Rica
https://trovatrip.com/trip/central-america/costa-rica/costa-rica-with-josh-hallmark-nov-2026

SPONSORS
• BetterHelp: BetterHelp.com/TCB for 10% off your first month.  
• Quince: Quince.com/TCBS for free shipping and 356-day returns.  
• AquaTru: AquaTru.com for 20% off using promo code LONGSHORT  

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime-bullsh-the-israel-keyes-investigation--3588169/support.

Unfortunately, due to scheduling, the SLC meet-up has been moved to tonight, Saturday April 18, from 5-7pm at The Vault bar at the Kimpton Monaco Hotel in downtown SLC. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime-bullsh-the-israel-keyes-investigation--3588169/support.

Season finale.
TCB will be back in October.  

This episode was written, researched, edited, and produced by Josh Hallmark. 
With additional research by Michelle Tooker, Shana Wilensky, and Jordan Taylor.

Sources include:
• KARK.com
• 4029TV.com
• The Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette

SPONSORS:
• Factor: 50% poff and free breakfast for a year. 
• Quince: Free shipping and 265-day returns. 
• BetterHelp: Get 10% off. 
• HelloFresh: Get 10 free meals and a free zwilling knife.

This episode was made possible by the following Patreon producers:
Amy Basil, Kendall C., Asch Fish, Heather Horton-Whedon, Sherri D, Kirsten Hoffman, Dale Akstin, Stephanie Taylor, Drew Vipond, Amelia Hancock, Christina Sisson, Nicole & Dennis Henry, Jillian Natale, Lana Halladay, Rural Juror, Tuesdi Woodworth, Kathleen S, Annette L, Casey Jensen-Richardson, SC, Benjamin Cioppa-Fong, Trista, Nichole, Pink, JenJ, Robin, Carol, H Beth Jones, Michelle, Jordan M, Kate Lussier, Sara Cee, John Comrie, Kathy Nation, Virginia Williams, Carrie, Jeff, Jordan T, Bethany, David Begley, Ally, Lauren Ferri, Chris S, Tori Myers, Sabrina Abbott, Meaghan Daigle, Melissa Tracchia, Ashley Kuplin, Michael Randall, DeWayne C, Jen Troccola, Trixie

To support the investigation, go to www.patreon.com/studiobothand

This episode included music by:
Whithe, Sero, LaBon, and Sergey Cheremisinov
With featured music by: Sigur Ros

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime-bullsh-the-israel-keyes-investigation--3588169/support.

Josh makes an announcement about this season and next season of the show. Then shares the entire 3/17/2012 interview between Keyes and the Texas Rangers.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime-bullsh-the-israel-keyes-investigation--3588169/support.