Casefile True Crime

In early 2001, 21-year old Lucie Blackman left her job as a flight attendant for British Airways in search of new adventures. She embarked on a working holiday to Japan, where she secured a job as a hostess at Club Casablanca in Tokyo’s bustling Roppongi district. Lucie struggled with the transition, writing in her diary: “I’m not coping well here. I can’t pull myself out of this hole I’ve fallen...

[Part 2 of 2] After 46-year-old Vitaly Kaloyev loses his entire family in the Überlingen mid-air collision, he becomes consumed by grief. Unable to move on, he pours his energy into finding the air traffic controller he believes is responsible for the death of his wife and children. As Kaloyev discovers whether revenge really is the best medicine, the question emerges – is he a hero or a villain?...

[Part 1 of 2] As midnight approached on July 1 2002, the German village of Owingen was disturbed by a deep rumbling from above. Residents assumed an unforecast storm was brewing, but seconds later a thunderous explosion roared as a large ball of fire illuminated the night sky. ---  Episode narrated by the Anonymous Host Episode researched and written by Milly Raso For all credits and sources pleas...

During recess and lunchtime at Hackham West Primary School in 1982, teachers patrolled the schoolyard to oversee the young children as they ran around and played together between lessons. Yet, there was often one student separated from the others, preferring to stick by her teachers’ sides rather than go off and play with her peers – 10-year-old Louise Bell... Episode narrated by the Anonymous Hos...

In the early 2000s, the internet became increasingly affordable and readily available, which led to online chat rooms soaring in popularity. Logging into the local Manchester Teens chat room became a regular occurrence for 16-year-old Stockport student, “Mark”, who longed to find a girlfriend online. ---  Episode narrated by the Anonymous Host Episode researched and written by Eileen Ormsby, autho...

On 10 July 2001, New South Wales police received a frantic phone call from 21-year-old Sef Gonzales. He’d just returned home to discover that his mother Loiva, father Teddy, and younger sister Clodine had been the victims of a brutal murder.  --- Episode narrated by the Anonymous Host Episode researched and written by Gemma Harris Additional writing and editing by Milly Raso and Elsha McGill  For...

21-year-old Britt Lapthone developed a passion for travel at a young age, so it came as no surprise to her friends and family when she announced her plans to backpack solo through Europe. In mid-2008, Britt took off in search of adventure, lapping up many unforgettable experiences before eventually arriving in the Croatian town of Dubrovnik.  ---  Episode narrated by the Anonymous Host Episode res...

12-year-old Sunshine Coast schoolgirl Sian Kingi was looking forward to her friend’s upcoming birthday party. She joined her mother at the shops in Noosa Heads to buy fabric for a new outfit and then rode her usual bike route home. --- Episode narrated by the Anonymous Host Episode researched and written by Eileen Ormsby, author of ‘The Darkest Web – Drugs, Death and Destroyed Lives: The inside st...

On January 26 1966, siblings Jane, Arna and Grant Beaumont joined the hundreds of Adelaide residents who flocked to Glenelg beach to find respite from the scorching summer heat. It was a trip they’d made on their own many times before, and as usual, their mother Nancy sent them off with just enough money to buy bus fare and lunch from the bakery.  --- Episode narrated by the Anonymous Host Episode...

When Bristol teenager Becky Watts failed to show up for a planned lunch date with her boyfriend and then stopped responding to text messages from her friends, they immediately suspected that something was wrong. Although it wasn’t like Becky to be out of contact for so long, there was nothing to indicate she had run away from home or met with foul play. ---  Episode narrated by the Anonymous Host...

On the night of October 10 1984, a fire broke out at Ole’s Home Centre in South Pasadena that claimed the lives of four victims – Ada Deal, Matthew Troidl, Carolyn Kraus and Jimmy Cetina. Glendale arson investigator John Orr suspected the blaze had been deliberately lit, but his theory was dismissed and the fire was ruled a tragic accident. ---  Episode narrated by the Anonymous Host Episode resea...

When aspiring actress Rebecca Schaffer secured the second lead in a new Hollywood sitcom, My Sister Sam, it felt like all her dreams were finally coming true. As she was thrust into stardom, she learned the truth the hard way – that fame comes with a dark side. ---  Episode narrated by the Anonymous Host Episode researched and written by Eileen Ormsby For all credits and sources please visit casef...

[Part 3 of 3] While viewing a video of one of David Parker Ray’s assaults, investigators successfully identify yet another victim. The cases go to trial, but will it be the outcome his survivors and the public are hoping for? __ Items and Artifacts in David Parker Ray Case __ Episode narrated by the Anonymous Host Episode researched and written by Victoria Dieffenbacher Additional editing by Milly...

[Part 2 of 3] As the investigation into David Parker Ray’s alleged crimes continued, an officer recalled a past encounter with a hitchhiker that he believed could be connected. When the woman finally comes forward to report her story, the true extent of Parker Ray’s crimes becomes clear. What’s more, it becomes apparent that he didn’t act alone. --- Episode narrated by the Anonymous Host Episode r...

[Part 1 of 3] On March 22 1999, Sierra County police were dispatched to conduct a welfare check at a property in Hot Springs Landing, a small suburban community in the New Mexico town of Elephant Butte. Along the way, they ran into a visibly shaken witness who reported seeing a naked woman covered in blood running down the road with a chain clearly visible around her neck. ---  Episode narrated by...

In 1964, an unknown offender took to the streets of Krakow to stab elderly women in what appeared to be a string of senseless, unprovoked attacks. The victims had no connection to one another, nor were they robbed or sexually assaulted, leaving police with no obvious motive to go by. ---  Episode narrated by the Anonymous Host Episode researched by Paulina Szymanska and Mike Migas Episode written...

On the morning of March 3 1993, Vivian Rice pulled up outside the Silver Spring home of her sister, Millie Horn, and immediately noticed that something was wrong. The garage door was wide open and Millie’s minivan was nowhere to be seen. After cautiously entering the house, Vivian discovered the slain bodies of Millie, her eight-year-old quadriplegic son Trevor, and Trevor’s nurse Janice Saunders....

When 40-year-old bank manager Susan Snow collapsed in her shower after complaining of a headache, the cause of her sudden death wasn’t clear. In a bid for answers, an autopsy was conducted, during which the medical examiner notices a distinct smell that immediately alerts her to the possibility that Susan was poisoned. ---  Episode narrated by the Anonymous Host Episode researched and written by M...

Throughout June and July of 2007, residents of the Ukrainian city of Dnepropetrovsk were gripped by fear after a spate of murders occurred seemingly at random. Victims were brutally beaten using hammers and steel pipes, while some were tortured, with children, the elderly and homeless most vulnerable to the attacks. ---  Episode narrated by the Anonymous Host Episode researched and written by Eile...

In 2006, Myspace was the biggest social media platform in the world, surpassing Google as the most visited website. Like many teenagers, 14-year-old Carly Ryan turned to the internet to interact with friends and meet new people. It wasn’t long before she struck up a friendship with 18-year-old Brandon Kane, who went by the username ‘KuruptKoala.’  --- We would like to add a special thanks credit f...

19-year-old Julian Knight was obsessed with war and combat from a young age. He enrolled in the Royal Military Academy of Duntroon with dreams of one day defending his country, but there was one problem – he didn’t like authority. ---  Episode narrated by the Anonymous Host Episode researched and written by Elsha McGill For all credits and sources please visit casefilepodcast.com/case-90-hoddle-st...

In September 2012, former Countdown champion Richard Britton walked into a pub and was served by a 21-year-old bartender, whom he nicknamed “Ella Tundra”. From that moment on, Britton developed a fixation with Ella that filled the typically outgoing and confident young woman with paranoia and anxiety. ---  Episode narrated by the Anonymous Host Episode researched and written by Eileen Ormsby, auth...

Most people who try skydiving do it just once – it’s something to tick off the bucket list. But for a small minority, skydiving becomes an obsession, a way of life. While accidents are expected, skydiving deaths are uncommon. On the rare occasion that a jumper loses their life, a universal toast is given: “Blue skies, black death.” --- Episode narrated by the Anonymous Host Episode researched and...

When Irish childcare worker Elaine O’Hara went missing in 2012, her family and friends feared she may have taken her own life. Although she’d recently spoken about an abusive affair she was having with a married man, Elaine struggled with mental illness and was prone to telling tales. Her stories were therefore written off as fictional. ---  Episode narrated by the Anonymous Host Episode researche...

When FBI agents received word that online hackers had cracked their way into the dark web and uncovered an Albanian murder-for-hire organisation known as the Besa Mafia, they never expected their investigations would lead them to the quiet suburbs of Cottage Grove, Minnesota. --- Episode narrated by the Anonymous Host Episode researched and written by Eileen Ormsby, author of ‘The Darkest Web – Dr...