The most played episodes among Podcast App listeners.

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   Number 1: Found Upside Down in a Gym Mat… The Case That Still Doesn’t Make Sense

   In January 2013, seventeen-year-old Kendrick Johnson was found dead inside a rolled gym mat at his high school in Valdosta, Georgia. What initially appeared to be a tragic and unusual accident quickly became one of the most debated and controversial cases in recent memory. Authorities concluded that Kendrick’s death was the result of positional asphyxia, an accident that occurred while attempting to retrieve a shoe from inside the mat. But for Kendrick’s family, that explanation never made sense. Over the years, conflicting autopsy results, questions around evidence, and gaps in the timeline have fueled ongoing public debate. Multiple investigations — including reviews by state and federal authorities — have upheld the original conclusion. Yet the case continues to divide opinion. In this episode of What They Hide: Hidden Crimes in Plain Sight, we explore: The final day of Kendrick Johnson The discovery inside the gym The official investigation and forensic findings The family’s fight for answers The conflicting evidence that keeps the case alive today More than a decade later, this remains a case where facts, belief, and uncertainty collide — raising one question that still lingers: What really happened? 📚 SourcesResearch for this episode is based on publicly available records, investigative reporting, and official findings, including: Official Reports & Legal DocumentsGeorgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) case files and official statements U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) review and closure reports Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office investigation summaries Official autopsy report (2013) and independent autopsy findings Journalism & ReportingCNN — coverage of the Kendrick Johnson case and investigation updates BBC News — international reporting on the case The New York Times — reporting on controversy and legal developments The Guardian — analysis of the case and public response The Washington Post — coverage of investigations and DOJ involvement Additional Coverage & Case AnalysisValdosta Daily Times — local reporting and timeline details ABC News / NBC News — investigative summaries and interviews Publicly available interviews with the Johnson family and legal representatives Important NoteThis case remains the subject of ongoing public debate. While official investigations have concluded Kendrick Johnson’s death was accidental, alternative interpretations and concerns raised by the family and others are also discussed in this episode. The aim of this episode is to present the case clearly, respectfully, and without speculation presented as fact. Music by Mubert [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

   March 26, 2026·33min
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2. 2
   Number 2: Ivan Milat Part 2

   In the early 1990s, a stretch of forest south of Sydney became the centre of one of Australia’s most disturbing murder investigations. Belanglo State Forest had long been a quiet expanse of bushland along the highways used by backpackers travelling between Sydney and Melbourne. But when police began uncovering human remains hidden beneath the trees, a terrifying pattern emerged. Young travellers from across the world had disappeared along the same roads. Many had been hitchhiking. Many had last been seen accepting rides from strangers. And somewhere along those highways, a killer had been waiting. In this two-part episode of What They Hide: Hidden Crimes in Plain Sight, we take a deep investigative look at the crimes of Ivan Milat, the man who would become known as Australia’s “Backpacker Murderer.” This series explores: The discovery of multiple victims inside Belanglo State Forest The stories of the seven young travellers whose journeys ended there How investigators slowly uncovered a pattern linking the disappearances The surviving witness who helped identify the killer The investigation that led police to Ivan Milat The 1996 trial that revealed the full horror of the crimes More than three decades later, the Belanglo murders remain one of the most infamous serial killer cases in Australian history — a chilling reminder of how easily violence can remain hidden along the most ordinary roads. SourcesResearch for this episode drew from court records, investigative journalism, and historical reporting including: BooksMark Whittaker & Les Kennedy — Sins of the Brother: The Definitive Story of Ivan Milat and the Backpacker Murders Clive Small & Tom Gilling — Milat: Inside Australia’s Biggest Manhunt Gordon Burn — Happy Like Murderers (context on serial crime investigation culture) Court and Legal RecordsR v Ivan Milat (1996) — Supreme Court of New South Wales trial records Official sentencing remarks and court summaries relating to Milat’s convictions Journalism & ReportingBBC News archival reporting on the Belanglo murders The Guardian coverage of the investigation and trial The Sydney Morning Herald reporting on the Belanglo search and police operation The Australian investigative reporting on the Milat case Police and Investigation ReportingHistorical summaries of the New South Wales Police Task Force investigation Contemporary reporting on the Belanglo State Forest search operations Music by Mubert [email protected] what they hide pod on all socials Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

   March 20, 2026·55min
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3. 3
   Number 3: Ivan Milat Part 1

   In the early 1990s, a stretch of forest south of Sydney became the centre of one of Australia’s most disturbing murder investigations. Belanglo State Forest had long been a quiet expanse of bushland along the highways used by backpackers travelling between Sydney and Melbourne. But when police began uncovering human remains hidden beneath the trees, a terrifying pattern emerged. Young travellers from across the world had disappeared along the same roads. Many had been hitchhiking. Many had last been seen accepting rides from strangers. And somewhere along those highways, a killer had been waiting. In this two-part episode of What They Hide: Hidden Crimes in Plain Sight, we take a deep investigative look at the crimes of Ivan Milat, the man who would become known as Australia’s “Backpacker Murderer.” This series explores: The discovery of multiple victims inside Belanglo State Forest The stories of the seven young travellers whose journeys ended there How investigators slowly uncovered a pattern linking the disappearances The surviving witness who helped identify the killer The investigation that led police to Ivan Milat The 1996 trial that revealed the full horror of the crimes More than three decades later, the Belanglo murders remain one of the most infamous serial killer cases in Australian history — a chilling reminder of how easily violence can remain hidden along the most ordinary roads. SourcesResearch for this episode drew from court records, investigative journalism, and historical reporting including: BooksMark Whittaker & Les Kennedy — Sins of the Brother: The Definitive Story of Ivan Milat and the Backpacker Murders Clive Small & Tom Gilling — Milat: Inside Australia’s Biggest Manhunt Gordon Burn — Happy Like Murderers (context on serial crime investigation culture) Court and Legal RecordsR v Ivan Milat (1996) — Supreme Court of New South Wales trial records Official sentencing remarks and court summaries relating to Milat’s convictions Journalism & ReportingBBC News archival reporting on the Belanglo murders The Guardian coverage of the investigation and trial The Sydney Morning Herald reporting on the Belanglo search and police operation The Australian investigative reporting on the Milat case Police and Investigation ReportingHistorical summaries of the New South Wales Police Task Force investigation Contemporary reporting on the Belanglo State Forest search operations Music by: MUBERT [email protected] @whattheyhidepod on all the socials Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

   March 17, 2026·51min
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4. 4
   Number 4: Levi Bellfield

   In the early 2000s, a series of brutal attacks on young women began unfolding across the quiet suburbs of West London. At first, the crimes appeared unconnected. A young woman walking home after a night out. Another crossing a quiet green late in the evening. A student struck by a car in what initially appeared to be a hit-and-run. Each attack shocked the local community, but detectives struggled to find a clear pattern. But slowly, investigators began to realise something far more disturbing. A man had been driving the streets of West London at night, watching bus stops, following women walking alone, and striking without warning. His name was Levi Bellfield. In this episode of What They Hide: Hidden Crimes in Plain Sight, we take a deep investigative dive into the crimes of the man who became known as the Bus Stop Killer. This episode explores: The murder of Marsha McDonnell in Hampton in 2003 The murder of Amélie Delagrange on Twickenham Green in 2004 The attempted murder of Kate Sheedy, whose survival helped investigators begin closing in on the attacker The disappearance and murder of 13-year-old Milly Dowler, a case that shocked the entire country How police finally identified and arrested Levi Bellfield The trials that led to multiple whole life sentences And the unsettling reality that Bellfield had been living an ordinary life while stalking the streets of London for victims More than two decades later, the case remains one of the most disturbing examples of a violent predator operating hidden in plain sight. SourcesThis episode was researched using court records, investigative journalism, and historical reporting from the following sources: BooksChristopher Berry-Dee — Levi Bellfield: The Bus Stop Killer David Wilson & Elizabeth Yardley — Serial Killers: Hunting Britain's Most Evil Murderers Court and Legal RecordsR v Levi Bellfield (2008) – Old Bailey trial records R v Levi Bellfield (2011) – Milly Dowler murder trial Journalism & Archival ReportingBBC News Archive coverage of the Bellfield investigations and trials The Guardian reporting on the Bellfield murders and court proceedings The Independent coverage of the Milly Dowler case and Bellfield convictions The Telegraph investigative reporting on the West London attacks Police and Official ReportingMetropolitan Police investigation summaries relating to the Bellfield murders Historical reporting on the Operation Ruby investigation Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

   March 15, 2026·51min
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5. 5
   Number 5: Update: Ian Huntley dies after prison attack

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   March 07, 2026·6min
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