Crime Bistro

In this laugh-out-loud episode of Crime Bistro , we dive into the ridiculous world of not-so-brilliant criminals who prove that crime doesn’t pay—especially when you’re terrible at it. From failed getaways to hilariously dumb missteps, these stories will have you shaking your head and wondering, “What were they thinking?” Sometimes, you need to take a dive into the lighter side of true crime, and...

On Thanksgiving Day of 2012, Bryon David Smith, a retired security-engineering officer with the US State Department, walked solemnly and silently into his basement, sat down with a rifle, and waited. The house was dark, and he had taking the extra step of hiding his truck so that it appeared he wasn’t home. His home had been burglarized several times in the past few months, and Byron had enough. I...

In 2011, a woman named Ellen Greenberg from Philadelphia was found dead at only 27 years old from more than 20 stab wounds. Now, it may seem as if this case would have immediately been considered to be a horrific homicide, and that her manner of death would have instantly been determined as such. Except, it wasn’t. Ellen’s grisly murder was considered to be a suicide by the investigators, a determ...

Mary Day was only 13 years old in 1981 when she disappeared from her family home in Seaside, California, but her case is one of the longest enduring, and strange missing persons cases that I’ve covered on this podcast. Not because the case went cold, but because, until 2002, it wasn’t a case at all. Former Seaside Police Chief Steve Cercone told 48 Hours, “I can’t remember a time when a child was...

The scariest monsters are the ones that lurk within our souls, a horrifying quote from the master of the macabre himself, Edgar Allan Poe. His life and tragic death have permeated the world of literature for the past two centuries, and the mystery of it all has fascinated those who like to satisfy their morbid curiosities for just as long. In 1849, Edgar Allan Poe disappeared, without a trace, for...

This is one of the most terrifying and miraculous survival stories of all time. Victoria Cilliers, a loving mother of two and advance free falling skydiving instructor, SURVIVED a 3,000 foot plummet from an airplane after her own husband tampered with her parachute. And, this wasn't even his first attempt at killing the mother of his own children. This is a harrowing story of an abusive relationsh...

Most horror movies begin with a black screen reading "Based on a True Story," and while many of them are, it isn't often that the story behind the plot is more horrifying than the film itself. This, however, is one of those cases. The movie 'The Strangers' is a nightmare-inducing project that follows a young couple as they fight for their lives in a remote home, stalked by masked murderers who mak...

The murder of Jill Dando is one of the U.K's most infamous unsolved cases to date, and it truly shocked the entire nation when the beloved TV presenter was murdered in broad daylight. A neighbor found Jill's body on the doorstep of her own home in London, and she was killed by a single gunshot wound to the head. There was almost no evidence, no witnesses, no clear motive, and no leads, and even to...

In one of the most frustrating and emotional episodes that I've ever done, we're diving into the case of Kelsey Berreth, a beautiful mother and incredibly intelligent young woman who was taken from this world in the most senseless manner. When Kelsey's fiancé, Patrick Frazee, reconnects with an ex-girlfriend of his in 2016, it was only a matter of time before the two of them started to plan a shoc...

Brandon Lawson left his home in Texas one night in 2013, heading to his parents house about three hours away. He would never make it there. In a strange series of events, Brandon called his brother asking for assistance after he ran out of gas, and shortly after, called 911, asking for help and police. When his brother and a Sheriff's Deputy convened at the scene of Brandon's truck, there was no t...

This is the fifth edition of coffee chats, so I wanted to switch it up a little bit, and bring you a really fascinating look into polygraph tests. What are they? How do they work? What does it ACTUALLY mean for someone to pass or fail a polygraph? All of these are good questions, and we're answering all of them in this episode. From the invention of the polygraph, to how it has set standards in US...

Part two of the Anna Delvey series, and things are only going to get crazier from here! This episode dives into exactly how Anna has been able to scam her way into a successful career in entertainment and the arts, rising to fame just as quickly as anyone we've ever seen. The episode also takes an in-depth look at Anna's trial, and all of the dramatics that transpired. Wardrobe malfunctions, scand...

Anna Delvey has been making headlines across the world since her initial arrest and trial, but her true rise to fame happened while incarcerated at Rikers Island. And when people learned about her story, the scams she had been running, and the damage that she had caused, the fascination only grew. Anna Delvey managed to get away with hundreds of thousands of dollars of scams and thefts, largely un...

Welcome back to the Crime Bistro podcast, where this week we're taking on a fascinating story that will satisfy all of your dark history intrigue. The Golden Era of Hollywood is often glamorized, with stunning young film starlets who were pushing the boundaries of the art of movie-making, but what wrongs were really lurking behind closed doors? This episode will reveal some of the darker sides of...

In early August of 1963, a highly organized group of 15 robbers faked a stop signal, boarded a mail train, and made away with millions of euros worth of cold, hard, cash. Amazingly, they executed this entire plot within only 15 minutes, however, did experience a couple of hiccups along the way. The twists and turns in this case are beyond fascinating, and it is one of the most drama-filled stories...

In 2023, just over a year ago, 22-year-old Mercedes Vega was found dead in a burning car off of an Interstate near Tonopah, Arizona. She had suffered shocking injuries before her death, and as of right now, there are no official suspects or persons of interest in her case. However, recent developments have added a new layer to the investigation, as only last month we learned that Mercedes, along w...

Oh boy, this one is quite the emotional roller coaster! On this week's episode of the Crime Bistro Podcast, I've compiled some of the creepiest hidden camera horror stories from the fine people of Reddit, and these are guaranteed to give you nightmares. These episodes are so much fun to record and make, since they're a little bit more casual, while staying on theme and really giving us all the chi...

As we are heading quickly back into the fall months, college students all over the country are gathering early on their campuses to participate in the rushing and pledging of sororities and fraternities. These organizations are supposed to be academically driven, philanthropic, and true homes away from home, but are they? How much do we really know about Greek life, and what happens when the curta...

On this week's episode of the Crime Bistro podcast, we're diving into a fascinating sector of the world of all things creepy: haunted objects. Follow along through three stories of people's experiences with haunted/cursed objects, and enjoy the conversation!

The case of the Borden murders in Fall River, MA, is one of the most infamous in US history to this day. Lizzie Borden always seemed to be the most obvious suspect, but did she actually commit these crimes? And if she did, how is it that she was acquitted after only two hours of jury deliberation? There's a lot to unpack with this case, and so many different theories to consider. It's no wonder th...

Surprise! This VERY important episode of the Crime Bistro podcast goes over the case of Marcellus Williams, a Missouri man who is scheduled to be executed on September 24th of this year - less than 2 months away. Marcellus Williams has been exonerated of wrongdoing in this case based on new DNA evidence, however, this DNA evidence has yet to be reviewed by a court, and his execution date still sta...

Welcome to the second episode of the Coffee Chats series on the Crime Bistro podcast! This episode covers several different true stories from all over the world, from creepy, to paranormal, to some near misses, and more! Enjoy the episode, and if you have a story of your own to share, I would love to hear it!

The Lady of the Dunes is a case that endured for over 50 years - 5 decades where a woman lay dead, and no one could even figure out who she was. Five decades later, in 2023, the world would finally get the answers to one of the oldest cold cases on the Cape and Islands, and the haunting presence that had descended over Provincetown, MA in 1974 would be peacefully lifted. For so many years, this ca...

Welcome to Coffee Chats! This is a really fun segment of the podcast where we get to talk about some things that maybe aren't completely true crime related, and just enjoy spending time relaxing with a cup of coffee (or whatever it is that you like!) On this episode, I'm going to be telling you some of the roommate horror stories that I dug up from different Reddit threads - some funny, some creep...

In 1982, terror struck the Chicago area when seven people were killed by Tylenol capsules that had been laced with potassium cyanide, a case that to this day remains frustratingly unsolved. This episode covers every aspect of this case, from descriptions of the horrible September day when healthy people started to drop dead out of nowhere, to a full deep dive into the most widely-considered suspec...