Episodes

Two women thought they'd met the man of their dreams. But one of them would be found dead of mysterious circumstances and one would go missing never to be seen again. Would justice prevail to convict Drew Peterson for these …

A teenager goes missing in Morgan Hill, California never to be seen again. It would take meticulous detective work to prove she'd been the victim of a murder and bring her killer to justice. Resources: "Disappearance tests 'n...

This month's series features crimes that were solved...without a body. Tom Capano thought he'd pulled off the perfect murder when his ex-girlfriend disappeared. Meticulous detective work and dogged determination would be need...

A story about a teenage stalker who hides in his victim's homes to prey upon them becomes an urban legend. But, the true life and crimes of Daniel J. LaPlante would be a real-life horror story. Resources: "Witness describes a...

The mysterious murder of Fred William Oesterreich in Los Angeles in 1922 would be revealed years later as one of the strangest and most bizarre true crime cases in California history Resources: A Crime to Remember: Guess Who?...

News, announcements and upcoming events for OUAC listeners! Links: Nominate Once Upon a Crime for the Discover Pods Awards at www.awards.discoverpods.com . To sign up for a Patreon membership go to www.patreon.com/onceuponacr...

In 1998, a 14-year-old disappeared from Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia. It would be feared she had become a victim of serial killer, Leonard Fraser, but this story would end with a shocking revelation. Resources: 60 Minut...

A multimillionaire in a feud with his family over money and property perpetrates a bizarre hoax in order to get revenge on his children and hold on to his assets. Resources: "Professor Donovan's Magnificent Entanglements" by ...

A well-respected educator in Bakersfield, California is accused of a brutal crime - the murders of five of his family members. Resources: "The Mystery of the Lost Weekend", by Keith Morrison for Dateline NBC , July 24, 2009. ...

In this month's series "Bad Teacher" I'll share cases of educators who committed newsworthy crimes. First up, a 34-year-old teacher scandalizes the nation when she is convicted of child rape with one of her 6th grade students...

We conclude this two-part episode with a young woman who comes forward claiming to be Grand Duchess Anastasia Romanov. The investigation into her claim would take decades to unravel. I welcome back my sister, Yolanda, to help...

On this first part of a 2-part episode, I share the fascinating story of the disappearance of the last imperial family of Russia, the Romanovs. After their disappearance, most believed they had been executed by the Bolsheviks...

A few summer news items and announcements for Once Upon a Crime listeners. Podcast Awards: www.podcastawards.com Links: Excuse Me, That's Illegal - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/excuse-me-thats-illegal/id1526994548 Tw...

On this second part of a two-part episode we continue the story of 9-year-old Walter Collins who went missing from Los Angeles in 1928. In part two, we discover that a serial killer, Gordon Stewart Northcott, has been preying...

In this month's series I'll tell you stories about people who missing and then, months or years later, miraculously reappeared. But, these stories all have a twist - were they who they claimed to be or were they imposters? In...

The life and tragic death of a young socialite in the 1930s inspires an Academy Award winning movie. But, Starr Faithfull's life was far from the glamorous treatment it would receive on the big screen. Resources: Ripped from ...

As a bonus for this month's theme "Stranger Than Fiction", I interview author Harold Schechter about his new book, Ripped from the Headlines: The Shocking True Stories Behind the Movies' Most Memorable Crimes, an anthology of...

Two women accused of murder in the Roaring 20s would become the inspiration for one of the best known and longest running shows in American musical theater history. This is the story of the real life Roxie and Velma from …

In 1986, a beautiful young mother discovers her husband is cheating on her and files for divorce. Soon afterward, she goes missing. Discovering what happened to Helle Crafts would take an small army of detectives, forensic sc...

In the last chapter of "Till Death Do Us Part" a woman meets and quickly marries a man. He promises her a new life, but soon after the wedding she goes missing. It will take years of investigative and legal …

A bride sees many red flags in her relationship before walking down the aisle, but her fear of angering her fiancee would compel her to go through with the ceremony. Within hours, that decision would become fatal. #domestic v...

A new bride decides she's made a mistake in tying the knot. The decision she makes in order to end the marriage will be a shocking act of cruelty. Resources: "A Murder in Glacier Park" by Justin Franz for T …

In this series, I'll share cases of newlyweds whose lives were cut short by the person who vowed to love them forever. In this first case, a young bride is unaware that her new spouse married her to collect on …

This is Part 2 of "The Pelley Murders". In this episode I'll tell you about Jeff Pelley's trial, theories of the murders, and give you a strange and compelling story about who else may have been responsible for the murders …