24 Horrifying But Fascinating True-Crime Podcasts You Must Listen To

Prepare to be disgusted and also hooked.

We recently asked the BuzzFeed Community about the best true crime podcasts they’ve ever listened to. Here are some of their recommendations:

WARNING: Many of these podcasts contain themes of a violent and disturbing nature.

1. My Favorite Murder

feralaudio.com

"Each week the hosts discuss a murder that intrigued them, from some famous killers to more obscure true crime stories, all while being hilarious. Hosts and comedians Georgia Hardstark and Karen Kilgariff will be the first to tell you it’s not the most deeply researched podcast out there, but it’s definitely a good way to get into the grittier stuff."

Submitted by taylorf4e4372beb

2. The Accused

cincinnati.com

Submitted by cnomad

Crime reporter Amber Hunt from the Cincinnati Enquirer looks into the unsolved case of Elizabeth Andes, a woman who was murdered in 1978 in Ohio, by interviewing people who knew her and those who were linked to the crime. It's incredibly well-researched and there are plenty of twists in every episode.

3. Thin Air Podcast

thinairpodcast.com

Submitted by Megan Marie, via Facebook

Daniel Calderon and Jordan Sims discuss the true stories of missing persons around the world with interest and compassion. This podcast stands out for being incredibly well-researched. The first episode is about Ayla Reynolds, a girl who mysteriously disappeared from her crib five years ago.

4. In the Dark

apmreports.org

Submitted by cnomad

APM Reports and reporter Madeleine Baran look into the case of Jacob Wetterling, who was abducted as child in 1989. The case led to the first national requirement for states to track sex offenders via registries.

5. Unsolved Podcast

unsolvedpodcast.com

Submitted by Laura Peck, via Facebook

Crime analyst and former police officer Heidi Galore talks in detail about unsolved crimes. The first episode focuses on Sister Cathy, a Catholic nun from Baltimore who was murdered in 1969. To this day, police don't know who did it.

6. Breakdown

breakdown.myajc.com

Submitted by cnomad

In Season 1, host Bill Rankin from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution looks at the case of Justin Chapman, who was convicted of burning down his own house and killing his elderly neighbour. Season 2 focusses on Justin Ross Harris, who is on trial for killing his own son.

7. True Crime Japan

southerndojo.com

Submitted by Laura Peck, via Facebook

Hosts Gigi and Dino discuss a different Japanese true-crime story per episode. If you're interested in Japanese culture and Japan's criminal justice system, it's well worth a listen. The first episode concentrates on Masumi Hayashi and the Wakayama Poisoning Incident of 1998.

8. Crimetown

gimletmedia.com

Submitted by Leah Hainline, via Facebook

Hosts Marc Smerling and Zac Stuart-Pontier, who worked on HBO's The Jinx, investigate crime in a different US city each season. The first season focusses on criminal activity in Providence, Rhode Island.

9. Casefile: True Crime Podcast

casefilepodcast.com

"The anonymous podcaster and his soothing Australian accent lull you into a sense of comfort that is in direct contrast with the horror of the stories he tells. He also tells a lot of stories I have never heard before, which is always interesting."

Submitted by phoebster

10. Up and Vanished

upandvanished.com

"It examines the 2005 disappearance of a high school teacher and beauty queen in Georgia. The journalist is warned not to go alone to the Georgia town to investigate and the missing woman herself did some surprisingly shady things. It's a great podcast that I’m surprised more people I know don’t listen to."

Submitted by katerosenbloom

11. Crime Writers On…

crimewriterson.com

Submitted by cnomad

This one is slightly different: It's a podcast about true crime podcasts. It started as a podcast that discussed Serial, but has turned into an ongoing discussion about true crime, journalism, and pop culture.

12. Sword and Scale

swordandscale.com

Submitted by Laura Peck, via Facebook

Host Mike Boudet talks about various true-crime stories and the criminal justice system's responses to them. Forensic investigators and true-crime reporters contribute. The first episode tells the story of Bruce Blackman, a man who killed six members of his family.

13. Criminal

thisiscriminal.com

Submitted by cnomad

Former reporter and host Phoebe Judge talks about crime and people who have been caught up in criminal cases calmly and knowledgeably. The first episode tells the story of a man who was convicted of killing his wife.

14. The Trail Went Cold

trailwentcold.com

Submitted by Laura Peck, via Facebook

In this podcast, Robin Warder examines unsolved crimes and offers his own theories as to what may have happened. The first episode tells the story of Gord and Jackie McAllister, a Canadian couple who were killed during a weekend away in their motorhome in Ontario.

15. The Vanished

thevanishedpodcast.com

Submitted by Megan Marie, via Facebook

Hosts Marissa Jones and Nathan Comp examine stories in which victims have mysteriously gone missing. It often includes interviews with the friends and families of the missing persons. The first episode is about Holly Grim, who disappeared from her home in 2013.

16. Real Crime Profile

zazzle.com

Submitted by cnomad

Former FBI profiler Jim Clemente, former New Scotland Yard employee Laura Richards, and casting director for CBS's Criminal Minds Lisa Zambetti profile the behavior behind real criminal cases. The first episode looks into the behaviour of those connected to the arrest of Steven Avery, as featured in Netflix's Making a Murderer.

17. True Murder: The Most Shocking Killers In True Crime

podbay.fm

Submitted by Kelley DeLaney, via Facebook

In this podcast, host Dan Zupansky interviews people who have written about some of the most horrifying crimes of our time. He works through a mixture of high-profile cases and lesser-known crimes.

18. True Crime Garage

truecrimegarage.com

Submitted by Megan Marie, via Facebook

Every week, friends Nic and the Captain retell a horrifying crime, open a beer, and discuss every aspect of it. They often offer their own opinions, and keep conversation fairly lighthearted.

19. Unsolved Murders: True Crime Stories

soundcloud.com

"Each week the hosts talk about different unsolved murders. They’ve done Edgar Allen Poe, Lizzie Borden, and most recently the Zodiac Killer. One of my favorite things about it is how they have a cast of voice actors as well as giving facts about what happened. The hosts Carter and Wendy are very likable and I love how they give their opinions at the conclusion on who they think committed the crimes."

Submitted by sheap

20. Someone Knows Something

cbc.ca

Submitted by cnomad

Filmmaker David Ridgen looks into a different true-crime case per season. In the first season, he looks at the case of Adrien McNaughton, a 5-year-old who vanished during a family fishing trip in Ontario in 1972. The second season looks at the disappearance of Sheryl Sheppard two days after she got engaged in 1997.

21. All Killa, No Filla

allkillanofilla.podomatic.com

"British comedians Rachel Fairburn and Kiri Pritchard talk about different serial killers every episode. They cover everyone from Fred and Rose West to Pedro Alonso Lopez."

Submitted by Tabatha Leggett

22. Missing & Murdered: Who Killed Alberta Williams?

cbc.ca

Submitted by cnomad

In this CBC podcast, journalist Connie Walker investigates the unsolved 1989 murder of 24-year-old Alberta Williams in British Columbia. The podcast was sparked by a tip about the case.

23. The Generation Why

thegenerationwhypodcast.com

"It’s two guys, Justin and Aaron, who go over all kinds of cases and situations and explain them in great detail. I worked a manual labor, mindless job this summer, and their podcast helped me get through the hours. I highly recommend it."

Submitted by siobhan13rose

24. Serial

serialpodcast.org

Submitted by everyone

If you haven't already, you must listen to Serial. Sarah Koenig from This American Life investigates the case of Adnan Syed, who is serving a life sentence for killing his girlfriend Hae Min Lee in 1999, despite claiming to be innocent. It's horrifying, brilliantly told, and thoroughly gripping.

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