For All You Crime Geeks

I have been obsessed with crime related entertainment for as long as I can remember. I count down the days until a new serial killer movie comes out, my YouTube history is filled with Crime Watch Daily episodes, and I binge watched Dexter in a ridiculously short amount of time. I chose a crime scene investigation major and can pop off with the most random crime facts, yet I can’t remember where I left my phone most of the time. I don’t really understand where the fascination came from or why all of the criminal justice work is so easy for me, but I do know that I’m absolutely obsessed. In the past year I have been super into true crime podcasts. I think it is fascinating that you listen to these criminal justice experts/nerds and are able to see the story playing out in your head. I have compiled a list of my all time favorite podcasts for all of you true crime geeks just like me.

'Sword and Scale'

Sword and Scale is a bi-weekly American podcast hosted by Mike Boudet, who explores the terrifying and dark side of mankind. These horrific stories are all true and come from all over the country, including one based in Pleasant Grove for my Utah people. 😉 The combination of witness testimonies, 911 calls, interviews with criminal psychologists and words from the offenders themselves create an eerie tone that helps to perfectly explain the gruesome cases. As a warning, this podcast is very intense/graphic and not made for everyone. Definitely proceed with caution, and from personal experience don’t listen when you are home alone... definitely not fun. 😂 If you want to give this podcast a try there are tons of episodes to choose from. My favorite episode is extremely graphic, but if you are curious listen to Episode 20. It discusses the crimes of Ronald William Brown, a ventriloquist puppeteer for a children’s show, with a side job as a psychopathic predator.

'My Favorite Murder'

My Favorite Murder is a weekly true crime comedy podcast hosted by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark. Comedy and true crime are two things that I never thought would mix, but it works perfectly for this podcast. They bring forward a new viewpoint on criminal activity and show that those of us who are obsessed with crime are healthy and normal by ending everything with a laugh. These two women are so badass and extremely witty, they really are the best part of this podcast. They have minisodes every week that are dedicated to their segment called “Hometown Murders” where people can submit stories about sketchy stuff that has happened in their own communities. They also have full, hour-long episodes every week that focus on a single criminal case. It is mainly a dialogue between the two women as they dissect the crime and play off of each other’s humor and sarcasm. They have said that doing this podcast helps with their own anxieties and they show lots of sympathy towards victims and survivors. Their podcasts are not as intense, but will still give you that daily dose to feed your fascination for crime as well as some good laughs. My favorite episode from their podcast is #113 which was recorded during their live performance at Kingsbury Hall in Salt Lake City. They discuss the crimes of Ronnie Lee Gardner, who was the last man to be executed in Utah in 2010 and the infamous hostage situation that occurred at the public library in downtown Salt Lake.

'Obscura: A True Crime Podcast'

Obscura is a crime podcast that takes a narrative approach to covering some of the most brutal cases. This podcast is based out of Florida and the host is Justin S. Drown, another one of us completely obsessed with true crime. They do an excellent job of drawing you in as a listener and keeping you intrigued until the end. My favorite episode from this podcast is actually their most recent one, episode 38. This episode discusses William Melchert-Dinkel who would search for people in their weakened or vulnerable states and gain control over them, the most vicious type of predators.

'What the Crime?!'

This podcast was created by Investigation Discovery and hosted by Ami Angelowicz and Will Johnson. They take a very creative approach to crime podcasts. They explore the weirdest, most bizarre crimes that people have committed. This podcast has a slightly comical feel and will leave listeners wondering how the human race could be that stupid. Every time I listen to this podcast my mind is blown and all I can think is wow, they really did that. The BEST episode from this podcast is “Hidden in Vaginas,” which explores the surprisingly large area of crime that involves women finding creative hiding spots for drugs, money, or even handguns. This is a very interesting episode that will leave you laughing (and shocked) the entire time.