Step into the darker side of history with Once Upon A Crime, a true-crime podcast that delves deep into some of the world’s most gripping cases. Hosted by an expert storyteller, Esther Ludlow, each episode unravels the mysteries behind notorious crimes, exploring the lives of victims, perpetrators, and the intricate details of the investigations that followed. With carefully researched narratives, thematic series, and thoughtful insights, Once Upon A Crime offers listeners a captivating blend of suspense, history, and human psychology. Whether you're a seasoned true-crime fan or just curious about the stories that shaped headlines, Once Upon A Crime pr...
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Sep 28, 2026 · 37:00
Taylor Parker presented herself as a hardworking Texas country girl, a devoted girlfriend, an heiress to a family fortune—and soon, an excited mother-to-be. There was just one…
Sep 21, 2026 · 41:00
In July 2022, 17-year-old Mackenzie Shirilla was behind the wheel of a car that slammed into a brick building in Strongsville, Ohio, at nearly 100 miles per hour. Her boyfriend,…
Sep 18, 2026 · 1:00:00
In this bonus episode, Esther shares the complete interview with journalist Annette McGivney, author of Plastic Shaman: The True Story of a Deadly Self-Help Retreat and America’s…
Sep 14, 2026 · 32:12
In 2009, self-help superstar James Arthur Ray invited dozens of followers to a six-day retreat near Sedona, Arizona, promising a life-changing journey of spiritual…
Aug 31, 2026 · 32:50
In this bonus episode of Once Upon a Crime , we ask a disturbing question: did the Scott Peterson case inspire other men to murder their wives? We examine the cases of Lori…
Aug 24, 2026 · 1:03:28
In Part Two of Scott Peterson Revisited, Esther is joined by her sister Yolanda to take a closer look at the claims now being made on behalf of convicted murderer Scott Peterson.…
Aug 17, 2026 · 37:43
In this bonus episode of Scott Peterson Revisited , we look beyond the evidence to examine the man at the center of the case. Was Scott Peterson capable of murdering his pregnant…
Aug 10, 2026 · 53:41
Twenty-three years after the murders of Laci Peterson and her unborn son, Conner, the case against Scott Peterson is once again under scrutiny. In January 2024, the Los Angeles…
Aug 3, 2026 · 12:38
More than twenty years after Laci Peterson's murder captivated the nation, one of America's most infamous true crime cases is back in the spotlight. In this upcoming special…
Jul 20, 2026 · 44:55
In this episode of Once Upon a Crime, we revisits the murder of Sheila von Wiese Mack through the new book When Lambs Become Wolves by retired Sergeant Rasul T. Freelain, who…
Jul 13, 2026 · 35:33
Part 2 of the Sylvia Likens case examines the heartbreaking final hours of Sylvia Likens, one of the most horrific child abuse and murder cases in American history. On October…
Jul 11, 2026 · 1:38
Police arrived at the New York Street house and quickly realized the story didn’t add up. Within hours, Gertrude Baniszewski, her children, and neighborhood teens were arrested…
Jul 6, 2026 · 57:34
Some crimes are so shocking that they force us to ask a question that seems impossible to answer. Not 'Who did it?' We know who did it. Not even 'Why?' Though we'll spend this…
Jul 5, 2026 · 1:02
How does an ordinary home become the scene of extraordinary evil, and how does a community fail to save a sixteen-year-old girl? This week on Once Upon a Crime, we begin a…
Jul 3, 2026 · 1:23
In the summer of 1965, 16-year-old Sylvia Likens was left in the care of a mother of seven while her parents traveled for work. What should have been a temporary arrangement…
Jun 29, 2026 · 51:31
She poisoned her husband. She nearly killed her own daughter. She vanished while out on bail. Then she reinvented herself with a brand-new identity… and somehow convinced people…
Jun 29, 2026 · 1:04
A black widow. A poisoner. A con artist. A master manipulator. This week on Once Upon a Crime , Esther dives into the unbelievable case of Marie Hilley. A woman accused of…
Jun 28, 2026 · 1:09
She could become whoever people needed her to be. A devoted wife. A loving mother. A trusted friend. A helpless victim. But behind the carefully crafted image was one of the most…
Jun 27, 2026 · 1:20
What happens when a killer reinvents herself so completely that even the people closest to her believe the lie? In this shocking new episode of Once Upon a Crime , Esther…
Jun 22, 2026 · 8:13
After the explosive Bundy For the Defense series, Once Upon a Crime took its first extended hiatus in the podcast’s ten-year history. But behind the scenes, the team has been…
Jun 21, 2026 · 0:52
For ten years, Once Upon a Crime has explored some of the world’s most haunting true crime stories. Uncovering secrets, examining criminal investigations, and telling the stories…
Jun 19, 2026 · 0:57
For ten years, Once Upon a Crime has explored the world’s most fascinating true crime stories, covering infamous murders, criminal investigations, disappearances, and the hidden…
Jun 16, 2026 · 0:52
For nearly ten years, Once Upon a Crime has taken listeners deep into the world of true crime, uncovering hidden secrets, questioning official narratives, and exploring the…
Mar 3, 2026 · 28:46
In the final chapter of Ted Bundy for the Defense , the mask comes off. After the shocking courtroom moment in which Bundy cross-examined first responders and forced graphic…
Feb 24, 2026 · 27:32
After escaping from a Colorado jail, Ted Bundy fled to Florida — and unraveled. In this episode, we follow Bundy’s path to Tallahassee, the brutal Chi Omega sorority house…
Feb 10, 2026 · 14:58
In the summer of 1974, Seattle was gripped by fear as young women disappeared and witnesses began describing a polite man named “Ted” and his tan Volkswagen. As newspapers…
Feb 3, 2026 · 25:10
In Part Two of Ted Bundy for the Defense , we follow Ted Bundy from his first arrest in Utah through conviction, psychological evaluation, escalating murder charges, and the…
Jan 27, 2026 · 41:48
A recent Los Angeles Times article has reignited worldwide interest in the Black Dahlia murder, spotlighting an amateur sleuth’s theory that attempts to link the case to the…
Jan 20, 2026 · 24:43
In Ted Bundy for the Defense: Part One , we examine the earliest confirmed crimes of Ted Bundy and the investigation that led to his first conviction. This episode follows…
Jan 13, 2026 · 13:59
Ted Bundy is often remembered as charming, intelligent, and dangerously persuasive—a serial killer who outsmarted investigators and manipulated everyone around him. But how much…
Jan 9, 2026 · 30:15
In this special bonus episode of Once Upon a Crime , Esther sits down with journalist and investigator Crystal Gutierrez to discuss the missing persons case she and her team are…
Dec 16, 2025 · 19:16
In this bonus episode of Once Upon a Crime , Esther revisits the horrific crimes of serial killer John Wayne Gacy , often referred to as “The Killer Clown,” and reviews the 2025…
Dec 8, 2025 · 1:17:14
In this special bonus episode, Esther and producer Lorena answer listener questions and share their own reflections after a six-week deep dive into the life, death, and murder of…
Dec 2, 2025 · 31:32
In the sixth and final episode of our series Broken: The Black Dahlia Murder , we explore the enduring cultural legacy of one of America’s most haunting unsolved crimes. For…
Nov 25, 2025 · 42:33
In Part Five of Broken: The Black Dahlia Murder , we examine the discovery of Elizabeth Short’s mutilated body, the forensic evidence revealed by the autopsy, and how early…
Nov 18, 2025 · 11:50
In this bonus episode, Esther takes listeners back to the earliest days of the Black Dahlia investigation — before the world even knew the victim’s name. Detectives faced a…
Nov 11, 2025 · 35:42
In this fourth installment of Broken: The Black Dahlia Murder , we trace Elizabeth Short’s final, mysterious days — the missing week between her last confirmed sightings in early…
Nov 4, 2025 · 27:37
In 1946, Elizabeth Short – the young woman the world would later know as The Black Dahlia – returned to California chasing love, glamour, and a new beginning. Instead, she found…
Oct 27, 2025 · 10:56
Before Elizabeth Short became known to the world as The Black Dahlia , she was a young woman searching for love and belonging in a world still recovering from war. In this bonus…
Oct 20, 2025 · 34:39
Before she became The Black Dahlia , Elizabeth Short was simply Beth — a young woman with big dreams, an open heart, and a longing for something beyond the ordinary. In Part Two:…
Oct 13, 2025 · 23:53
In January 1947, a mother walking through a quiet Los Angeles neighborhood made a horrifying discovery — the bisected body of a young woman posed in a vacant lot. Within hours,…
Oct 6, 2025 · 3:13
In January 1947, Elizabeth Short’s brutal murder shocked Los Angeles — and turned her into the enduring legend known as The Black Dahlia . In this new six-part Once Upon a Crime…
Oct 2, 2025 · 1:28:47
In this special Aftershow episode, Esther and Lorena answer listener questions and reflect on the powerful story of Ruth Ellis , the last woman to be executed in the United…
Sep 25, 2025 · 14:56
In this special bonus wrap-up episode of Hanged: Ruth Ellis and the Price of Passion, we step beyond the execution chamber and trace the ripple effects of Ruth’s final act—the…
Sep 8, 2025 · 37:30
In this final installment of our seven-part series, we follow Ruth Ellis through her last days and hours at Holloway Prison. Convicted of the murder of her lover, David Blakely,…
Aug 25, 2025 · 46:01
In this episode, Ruth Ellis takes the stand in her own defense during her murder trial at the Old Bailey. What unfolds is one of the most disastrous testimonies in British legal…
Aug 18, 2025 · 31:54
On Easter weekend 1955, Ruth Ellis reached her breaking point. After years of jealousy, violence, and betrayal, she spent a long, sleepless night replaying the wreckage of her…
Aug 11, 2025 · 29:20
This is Part Four of our 7-part series, Hanged: Ruth Ellis and the Price of Passion . We trace the true story of the last woman hanged in Britain, exploring the tangled mix of…
Aug 4, 2025 · 34:00
In Part Three of “Hanged: Ruth Ellis and the Price of Passion”, we delve into the turbulent 1954 relationship between Ruth Ellis, David Blakely, and Desmond Cussen. Discover how…
Jul 28, 2025 · 31:40
In this gripping second installment of “Hanged,” we delve into Ruth Ellis’s tumultuous journey through London’s shadowy nightlife, her relationship with the infamous Morris…
Jul 21, 2025 · 33:16
Step into the haunting and captivating story of Ruth Neilson Ellis, the last woman to be executed in the United Kingdom. This Once Upon a Crime original series traces Ruth’s…
Jul 20, 2025 · 1:47
Discover the haunting story of Ruth Ellis, the last woman executed in the UK. This Once Upon a Crime series follows Ruth’s journey from a troubled wartime childhood to the smoky…
Jun 23, 2025 · 24:09
Jonathan Joss (1965–2025) was a Native American actor and musician renowned for his roles as John Redcorn in King of the Hill and Chief Ken Hotate in Parks and Recreation. His…
Jun 17, 2025 · 41:02
On this week’s episode we’re going international! You’ll travel to London with Esther for a behind-the-scenes listen to the Once Upon a Crime live show recorded at CrimeCon UK on…
Jun 9, 2025 · 33:28
In the fall of 1984, fear took hold of San Jose, California. In just six weeks, six young women vanished or were found murdered — their lives cut short under brutal and…
May 19, 2025 · 41:11
Dennis Rader, the self-proclaimed "BTK" killer—short for "Bind, Torture, Kill"—terrified Wichita and Park City, Kansas, for nearly two decades. But behind the mask of a monstrous…
May 12, 2025 · 35:00
In 1968, the quiet streets of Scotswood, England, were shattered by a chilling discovery: two young boys, just three and four years old, had been murdered—and the killer was an…
May 5, 2025 · 39:00
In the summer of 1976, a small town in California was shaken to its core when 26 schoolchildren and their bus driver were abducted in broad daylight. The hijackers drove them to…
Apr 28, 2025 · 41:08
At the end of 2024, Once Upon a Crime released a two-part deep dive into The Life and Crimes of Sean Diddy Combs, unraveling the shocking allegations and federal charges facing…
Apr 14, 2025 · 38:53
In the gripping conclusion of The True Tale of Lizzie Borden, we turn to the defense’s side of the story. What arguments did Lizzie’s lawyers make to counter the damning…
Apr 7, 2025 · 39:51
In Part 2 of The True Tale of Lizzie Borden, we step into the courtroom for one of America’s earliest media frenzies—the infamous trial of Lizzie Borden. After the shocking 1892…
Mar 24, 2025 · 40:50
On August 4, 1892, the quiet town of Fall River, Massachusetts, was rocked by a gruesome double murder. Andrew Borden and his wife, Abby, were found brutally hacked to death in…
Mar 17, 2025 · 51:38
The name "Marcia Clark" has become synonymous with the infamous O.J. Simpson trial. As lead prosecutor in that high-profile case, Clark faced intense scrutiny, not only for her…
Mar 10, 2025 · 31:25
Women’s History Month: Honoring True Crime Trailblazers March is Women’s History Month, and we’re spotlighting the female trailblazers who revolutionized true crime. These…
Feb 25, 2025 · 32:07
In this final episode of our series, So, I Married a Serial Killer... , we unravel the complex and unconventional love stories of Lyle and Erik Menendez—two brothers sentenced to…
Feb 18, 2025 · 42:30
Ted Bundy was one of the most notorious serial killers in American history—charming, calculating, and deadly. While he was suspected of abducting, raping, and murdering more than…
Feb 11, 2025 · 28:38
Throughout history, some of the world’s most notorious serial killers have drawn romantic attention, even after their heinous crimes were exposed. From Ted Bundy to Richard…
Jan 28, 2025 · 50:43
In the early 1970s, the tranquil community of Santa Cruz, California, was shattered by a series of murders committed by two serial killers operating at the same time. Edmund…
Jan 21, 2025 · 45:00
This month, I’m bringing you the story of three terrifying years that unfolded in Santa Cruz, California. Between 1970 and 1973, a series of murders rocked Santa Cruz, a…
Jan 14, 2025 · 52:56
In the 1970s, Santa Cruz, California, became known by a title no one else wanted - “Murder City.” Between 1970 and 1973, a series of murders rocked the once peaceful beach…
Dec 17, 2024 · 29:14
Harry Tyson Moore and his wife, Harriette, lived a quiet life but raised their voices for the rights of African Americans beginning in the 1930s. They are two unsung heroes of…
Dec 10, 2024 · 58:00
Welcome back to our two-part series on the life and crimes of Sean Diddy Combs. In this explosive second installment, I detail Diddy’s meteoric rise in the music industry,…
Dec 3, 2024 · 48:21
American musical producer and entrepreneur Sean “Diddy” Combs was arrested in September 2024 on charges of racketeering, sex trafficking by force, and transportation for purposes…
Nov 19, 2024 · 34:25
Over two days in 1980, prisoners at a New Mexico penitentiary, angry at the conditions they experienced inside its walls, rose up against their jailers and wreaked havoc upon…
Nov 12, 2024 · 31:30
In this episode, I’ll share a story of an alleged demonic possession of a young boy in the 1940s. While you may be skeptical of such a claim, several sources officially…
Nov 5, 2024 · 23:00
In this first story, we’ll go back over one hundred years to learn about a Romeo and Juliet story that ended in cold-blooded murder. On the property where the killing took place…
Oct 31, 2024 · 22:18
In this special Halloween episode, horror comes to a family in the middle of the night. But unlike ghostly tales, this was all too real and was the last thing they’d ever…
Oct 21, 2024 · 43:04
In July 1993, Mia Zapata, a rising star in the genre of punk rock music, joined what is morbidly referred to as “The 27 Club” - artists and celebrities whose lives ended at the…
Oct 14, 2024 · 25:18
In 1975, a renowned drummer who played with some of the most prominent artists of the 1960s and ‘70s was found shot and killed after an apparent botched robbery. But some…
Oct 7, 2024 · 24:50
In this episode, a young Ohio man begins playing music before he is barely out of diapers. He and his brothers would form a band and shoot to the top of the charts. They were…
Sep 23, 2024 · 29:18
A formerly peace-loving man becomes obsessed with extreme political conspiracy theories. David DePape falls down a rabbit hole, consuming ever-more radical views on YouTube,…
Sep 16, 2024 · 42:04
In this month’s series, “The Politics of Murder,” we’ll take a look at cases where violent acts are perpetrated upon political figures. In this episode, a disgruntled man whose…
Sep 9, 2024 · 38:12
In this month’s series, “The Politics of Murder,” we’ll take a look at cases where violent acts are perpetrated upon political figures. First up, a young man begins to lose his…
Aug 26, 2024 · 55:42
Before Ted Bundy became a collective symbol of a real-life boogeyman and the person who helped coin the term “serial killer,” he was a son, a brother, a grandson, and a cousin -…
Aug 19, 2024 · 39:34
A young woman grows up hearing stories about her abusive grandfather. She takes it upon herself to learn the whole truth about him. In the course of her investigation, shocking…
Aug 12, 2024 · 29:37
In this month’s series, “Buried Family Secrets,” I’ll share stories about family secrets that hid decades-old murders and may have prevented the killers from facing justice.…
Aug 9, 2024 · 46:39
A Devil Went Down to Georgia: Race, Power, Privilege, and the Murder of Lita McClinton , written by Deb Miller Landau, is the story of the murder-for-hire of Lita McClinton…
Jul 29, 2024 · 17:30
In this week’s episode, a young woman, newly engaged and expecting a baby, goes for a morning run in the serene beachfront town of Ceiba, Puerto Rico, and finds herself trapped…
Jul 22, 2024 · 34:45
In this month’s series, “Resorting to Murder,” I share cases proving that murder never takes a holiday. This week’s case tells the story of a rocky mother-daughter relationship,…
Jul 15, 2024 · 23:39
In this month’s series, I’ll share cases of vacations that turned deadly. Even in the most serene and beautiful locations, murder never takes a holiday. This week, an…
Jun 24, 2024 · 25:55
In this episode of Once Upon A Crime, we delve into the horrific story of Christian Longo, a man who portrayed himself to his family, friends, and community as a devoted husband,…
Jun 17, 2024 · 46:09
In this first episode of season 9 I’ll share the harrowing story of family annihilator, Ronald Gene Simmons. Known for his obsessive need for control and order, Simmons carried…
Jun 10, 2024 · 26:29
We kick off the ninth season of Once Upon a Crime with an episode that dives into the chilling case of Michael Cummins, a 25-year-old from Westmoreland, Tennessee, who committed…
May 24, 2024 · 20:47
In the final episode of Season Eight of 'Once Upon A Crime,’ I delve into the case of Robert Durst, a wealthy New York real estate heir with a mysterious and criminal past. His…
May 20, 2024 · 19:49
This month in Once Upon a Crime’s “Best Of” series, we highlight significant episodes as the podcast rounds off its eighth year. This week, I’ve chosen to revisit a story from…
May 17, 2024 · 17:37
This Best Of episode of Once Upon a Crime revisits the mysterious disappearance of Jeanine Sanchez Harms from Campbell, California, in 2001. This case is unique for a number of…
May 13, 2024 · 13:23
This episode of 'Once Upon a Crime' revisits a popular series from Season 1 titled 'The Day the Music Died,' focusing on the tragic endings of musical icons, including Selena…
May 10, 2024 · 16:22
In the final series for season eight of Once Upon A Crime, we provide a retrospective look at the most compelling episodes from the show's archive, particularly highlighting…
May 6, 2024 · 25:40
We’re wrapping up Season 8 on the way to Once Upon a Crime’s 9th birthday! We’re sharing six of our “Best Of” Episodes from the archives to celebrate eight years of true crime…
Apr 29, 2024 · 23:29
In the last chapter of the series “Manipulated to Murder,” I’ll share a story about a predator who hid behind a false identity to manipulate young and impressionable teens into…
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