This week, we are revisiting our most downloaded episode of the year: the heartbreaking case of Lauren Burk. In March 2008, the brutal murder of this 18-year-old Auburn University student shattered a community and left a family searching for answers in a case that is as tragic as it is controversial.

It takes a lot to shock investigators, but a murder committed in the exact ten minutes it took for a maid to step out for a newspaper is what did it in this case. No break-in. No clear murder weapon. And an elderly woman beaten with a level of violence that made absolutely no sense for a simple robbery. This is the case of Marion Gilchrist — a brutal crime, a botched investigation, and one of the most shocking wrongful convictions in Scottish history.

In this episode, we delve into the chilling murder of Marion Gilchrist and the subsequent wrongful conviction of Oscar Slater. We explore the flawed investigation, the flimsy evidence, and the public outcry that eventually led to Slater's exoneration after nearly two decades in prison. We also discuss the role of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the creator of Sherlock Holmes, in the fight for justice.

Join us as we unravel a story of injustice, perseverance, and a murder that remains unsolved to this day.

The NXIVM empire crumbles in a federal courtroom. In Part 2, we cover the dramatic trial that exposed the cult’s darkest secrets, from the master-slave sorority to the psychological torture inflicted by its leader, Keith Raniere. We detail the shocking testimony, the final verdicts, and the sentences that brought the group to its knees. Finally, we sit down with Natalie, host of the popular podcast “Allison After NXIVM,” to discuss the case’s complex aftermath and what it took to bring a so-called “Vanguard” to justice.

It started as a revolutionary self-help movement. Executive Success Programs, led by the enigmatic Keith Raniere, promised to unlock human potential and rewire your fears. Thousands flocked to NXIVM, including Hollywood actors and influential CEOs, all seeking a better version of themselves. But behind the motivational speeches and color-coded sashes was a dark and manipulative system designed to control its members. In Part 1 of our series, we uncover the seductive origins of NXIVM and explore how a promise of empowerment became a pipeline into a destructive, high-control cult that shocked the world.

In 1931 Liverpool, a mysterious phone call about a business opportunity sent William Herbert Wallace to a non-existent address. He returned home to find his wife, Julia, murdered inside their locked house. With no forced entry and a timeline that baffled investigators, police zeroed in on William, believing the call was a fabricated alibi. He was convicted of murder, but in a stunning reversal, the verdict was overturned, leaving the case unsolved. This is the story of one of Britain’s most enduring and debated locked-room mysteries, a puzzle that continues to fascinate armchair detectives nearly a century later.

The twisted true story of James Carroll's murder in Old Louisville. HBO's Murder in Glitterball City premieres Feb 19 — listen to our episode now!

It was supposed to be a quiet Sweet 16. But when a teenage girl in the Netherlands accidentally set her Facebook birthday invitation to “public,” it triggered a viral phenomenon known as “Project X Haren.” Tens of thousands of people RSVP’d, and thousands actually showed up, turning her small town into a full-blown riot zone. This is the shocking true story of how a simple social media mistake spiraled into chaos, property destruction, and international news, becoming a legendary cautionary tale about the unpredictable power of the internet.

He escaped prison by hiding under a truck, lived for months inside Toys R Us, and convinced a church and girlfriend he worked for the government. Jeffrey Manchester, known as the Roofman, pulled off one of the most bizarre crime stories in American history. Listen to the full wild story now.

In 1999, 17-year-old Nicole Sanchez was a bright, talented young woman with her whole life ahead of her. When she tried to end her controlling four-month relationship with her older boyfriend, Lionel Villarreal, he murdered her in a brutal act of violence. He was convicted of second-degree murder and given a "life" sentence that could see him walk free after just 20 years. This is the story of Nicole's tragic death and her sister's unwavering fight to keep a violent predator behind bars and to prevent him from harming another woman.

When 29-year-old Kelsey Berreth disappeared on Thanksgiving Day 2018, her family refused to believe she had willingly left her 1-year-old daughter. Her fiancé, Patrick Frazee, claimed she left on her own, but the discovery of her phone pinging 800 miles away in Idaho suggested otherwise. The investigation unraveled a horrifying plot involving a secret lover, a brutal murder, and a calculated cover-up. This is the story of how a holiday celebration turned into a crime scene and a family’s fight for justice revealed a killer hiding in plain sight.

In this Thursday episode, we explore shocking stories where pranks, online feuds, and marketing stunts spiraled into tragedies. From Andrew Finch, killed in a swatting incident over a $1.50 Call of Duty bet, to Marquis Byrd, killed by a sandbag thrown from an overpass by teens, to Pedro Ruiz, shot by his girlfriend in a YouTube stunt gone wrong—these cases remind us that pranks can have deadly consequences. We also cover the Aqua Teen Hunger Force bomb scare that shut down Boston. These are cautionary tales about the dangers of chasing views and underestimating consequences.

Daniel Brophy was a beloved chef and culinary instructor in Portland, Oregon. On June 2, 2018, he was found shot to death inside his classroom at the Oregon Culinary Institute. The investigation led to his wife, Nancy Crampton Brophy, a romance novelist who had once written an essay titled "How to Murder Your Husband." Evidence included gun parts purchased online, life insurance policies, and surveillance footage. In May 2022, Nancy was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison. This case proves that sometimes, truth is stranger than fiction.

When Nikki Cheng Saelee McCain vanished in May 2024, her husband Tyler publicly pleaded for her safe return. At a March 2025 press conference, Tyler stood next to Nikki's sisters and FBI agents, asking for help to find her. But in August 2025, Tyler was arrested and charged with Nikki's murder. Prosecutors allege he had a motive to silence her—one involving a disturbing history. Nikki is still missing. A $30,000 reward is offered for information.

In 1969, Jane Mixer, a 23-year-old University of Michigan law student, was found shot and strangled in a cemetery. For 30 years, her case was unsolved. In 2001, DNA testing pointed to Gary Leiterman, who was convicted in 2005. But the conviction was controversial—three scientists later argued the DNA was likely lab contamination. Gary maintained his innocence until his death in prison in 2019. Was he truly guilty, or was Jane's real killer never caught?

On October 2, 2018, Cheryl Coker vanished from her Riverside, Ohio home. Her SUV was found in a Kroger parking lot with her purse and phone inside. Cheryl—a bubbly mom and grandmother—had not left voluntarily. For 18 months, her family searched desperately. In April 2020, her remains were found in a wooded area. Police believe she was murdered at home. The only person of interest is her husband, Bill Coker. Despite strong evidence, no charges have been filed. Cheryl's family is still waiting for justice.

In July 1988, Lieth Von Stein was brutally murdered in his Washington, North Carolina home while his wife Bonnie barely survived. The crime scene looked like a burglary, but nothing was taken. As detectives investigated, they uncovered a conspiracy involving Lieth's stepson Chris and his college friends who were obsessed with Dungeons & Dragons. The motive? A $2 million inheritance. This case explores how greed, entitlement, and fantasy role-playing led to one of North Carolina's most shocking family murders—a plot orchestrated by college kids who thought they could get away with it.

Some lawsuits are so absurd they make you lose faith in humanity. This episode covers the wildest, most frivolous legal cases in American history. From Anna Ayala's Wendy's finger fraud (she planted a severed finger in her chili to sue for millions) to the man who sued himself, to the guy who demanded $67 million over a lost pair of pants—these stories prove greed and audacity know no bounds. We're diving into scams, frauds, and legal schemes so unbelievable you'll think we made them up. Spoiler: we didn't.

When a friend found 58-year-old Janie Ballard stabbed over 70 times in her Little Rock home, investigators immediately suspected her own daughter, Leslie, and Leslie's much older husband, Mike McCool. Leslie had grown up with every advantage, but after meeting Mike—a manipulative bodybuilder 22 years her senior with a violent past—she transformed completely. When Janie cut Leslie out of her will, the relationship turned deadly. This case explores how manipulation, greed, and toxic family dynamics led to one of Arkansas's most shocking matricides.

Science is supposed to cure disease and improve life, but sometimes confidence goes off the rails. Today, we are taking you on a tour through history’s wildest moments when science went completely off the rails, including incidents where confidence reached levels of blowing up a dead whale, dropping cats out of planes, and poisoning an entire generation.

In 2016, a string of professionals in the quiet mining town of Krugersdorp, South Africa, started disappearing after appointments with new clients. The killer was a team of believers doing the bidding of a woman who claimed to speak for God herself: Cecilia Steyn.