Mens Rea: A true crime podcast

In the series premiere, radio DJ Fred Heckman (Jon Hamm) receives an unexpected call from a listener that turns his life upside down. Follow American Hostage on Amazon Music, to hear all 8 episodes right now: http://wondery.fm/MR_AmericanHostage

On 25th September, 2001, 28 year old German tourist Bettina Poeschel took a train from Dublin to Drogheda, Co Louth. She wanted to visit Newgrange - an ancient monument in the Meath countryside. She decided to make the 10km walk from the town to take in the countryside while there. But Bettina never made it to Newgrange.  She had disappeared into thin air. ********* Join me at CrimeCon UK on June...

In August of 2005, 23 year old Ann Walsh was found dead in the grounds of the parish church in Kilrush, Co Clare. Gardai made an arrest shortly after the discovery - Raymond Donovan, Ann's former boyfriend. Donovan admitted to gardai that he had killed Ann, but denied her murder. Would the jury agree? ******** Join me at CrimeCon Uk on June 11-12 in London 2022! Head to crimecon.co.uk and use the...

In July of 1993, 17 year old Tracy Butler was set upon and stabbed to death while walking home in what appeared to be a random act of violence. But as gardai began investigating the case, they began unravelling a complicated web of relationships - ones which had turned sour. ******** (Please note: I misspoke in this episode a few times and said Ballynatty instead of Ballynanty. My Limerick-knowled...

57 year old Rose Farrelly was found dead in her own home on the morning of the 15th February 1993. It appeared that the house had been broken into, and then the single woman had been beaten, sexually assaulted and strangled to death.  The trial for Rose's murder was the first in Ireland to use DNA evidence. But the reason for Rose's murder remains unclear - it appears the answer may be the most fr...

In the era of some of the most heinous serial killers of all time, one murderous family went curiously unnoticed: The McCrarys. Led by a psychopathic patriarch and his cunning son-in-law, this Texas clan roamed the country robbing, kidnapping, and killing up to 20 people, most of them taken from donut shops. “Families Who Kill: The Donut Shop Murders” recounts the wild and deeply disturbing story...

On Christmas morning, 2008, 81 year old widow Maire Rankin was not answering the phone. Family members called around to her Newry home to check on her - not only had she been recently ill but it was totally out of character for her to not respond.  When they arrived at the house on the Dublin Road, Maire was found dead on her bedroom floor. The house was a mess, and it appeared that Mrs Rankin had...

In 2004, 41 year old mother of 6, Colleen Mulder was found dead in her bed. Quickly, her husband Anton was arrested. Was Anton being abused? Or was he suffering from a mental disorder?  It would take 4 years of court proceedings to decide.  ********** With thanks to our sponsors for this episode: Try the casual mobile puzzle game Best Fiends today! Find it on the Apple App store and Google Play! C...

In early May, 1996 - three women were killed violently in their own homes in separate incidents across Ireland. It all occurred in the space of three days. In fact, 1996 would go on to be the year with the most violent deaths of women in recent history. ********** Featured podcast - Making of a Detective ********** With thanks to our sponsors for this episode: Try the casual mobile puzzle game Bes...

There has been a lot of progress in relation to equal rights and protections for members of the LGBTQ+ in Ireland. However, despite decriminalisation in 1993, and the passage of Marriage Equality in 2015, there is still much to do. In addition to requiring effective hate speech legislation, the defence of provocation does allow a person accused of murder to claim that a romantic or sexual advance...

In 1980, 19 year old Deborah Robinson took a bus from her home in Belfast down to Dublin for the day. She never returned. Her body was found in ditch in rural Co. Kildare, and launched a huge murder investigation. It looked like the case might go cold after a year went by with no breaks in the case.  But some loose threads lead investigators to a new suspect. ********* With thanks to our sponsors...

In 1988, Anne Gillespie was 18 years old. She was looking forward to embarking on adult life. There was just one problem - her boyfriend of over three years had begun to behave horribly. She decided to end things. Her boyfriend, 22 year old John Gallagher, decided that if Anne would no longer speak to him, he'd kill her.  John also shot Anne's mother, Annie. No one could have predicted it, nor cou...

In the course of researching the assassination of Veronica Guerin, I came across the mention of files stolen from the offices of the Director of Public Prosecution by Martin Cahill (The General) and his gang. John Traynor told reporter Paul Williams that one in particular, the file relating to the investigation of the death of Fr Niall Molloy, was used in a trade to get him out of charges for rece...

7 years apart, two young and vulnerable teenaged girls went missing - Arlene Arkinson in Co. Tyrone, Northern Ireland in 1994 and Hannah Williams in London in 2001. The similarities in their cases were no coincidence, but would their murderer ever truly face justice? ********* Join me at CrimeCon UK on September 25th & 26th 2021. For more information and tickets visit  crimecon.co.uk. Use the...

7 years apart, two young and vulnerable teenaged girls went missing - Arlene Arkinson in Co. Tyrone, Northern Ireland in 1994 and Hannah Williams in London in 2001. The similarities in their cases were no coincidence, but would their murderer ever truly face justice? Part Two of this series is out in one week's time.  ********** With thanks to our sponsors for this episode: Sign up for professiona...

In May of 2012, Nicola Furlong and her best friend Sarah were enjoying an exciting year on Erasmus in a university in Japan. On the night of the 23rd, the two Wexford girls hit the town to see a Nicki Minaj concert that was on in Tokyo. But after missing their last train home, their care-free night out would end in disaster. ********* Join me at CrimeCon UK on September 25th & 26th 2021. For m...

In the summer of 2017, body parts were discovered strewn across the scenic landscape of the Dublin and Wicklow mountains. Gardai began a wide-scale search and a murder investigation. But only days later a man presented himself at a south Dublin Garda station, confessing to the murder of his 61 year old mother in law, Patricia O'Connor. But was he telling the whole story?  ********* Join me at Crim...

In May of 2016, a woman was attacked as she walked to work by a man wielding a knife. In the course of the investigation, the assault was linked to two other crimes - both sexually motivated.  Gardai also linked the crime to a suspect - 31 year old Slawomir Gierlowski.  ********** Join me at CrimeCon UK on September 25th and 26th 2021. For more information and tickets visit crimecon.co.uk. Use the...

In January 2008, 18 year old Marioara got into a car on Lombard Street in Dublin City centre, where she and some of her family had been begging for change. She was never seen again. During the garda investigation it became clear that this was an unusual crime - a seemingly random act of violence, likely committed by a member of one of Dublin's criminal gangs. After 6 years, a man went on trial. Bu...

In October of 1995, Mary Doogue was beaten to death. She lay in her bed in her cold dark home for 12 hours before she got any medical attention, and died shortly after. Her partner 19 year old Stephen Davis was arrested two days later.  He would tell the court that he had been provoked. Would a jury buy his excuse? ********* Resources:Ireland & UK Women's Aid IE: Call 1800 341 900 Refuge UK: 0...

In February of 2008, two Polish men living and working in Drimnagh, South Dublin were killed in a fight outside their home. Both had been stabbed in the head with a screwdriver. It quickly emerged that the fight had involved a group of teenagers.  Would Gardai be able to identify his killer or killers prove their lethal intent? ******** Join me at CrimeCon UK on September 25th and 26th 2021. For m...

CrimeConVersations is a brand-new True Crime podcast brought to you by CrimeCon UK. In the lead up to CrimeCon UK in London, CrimeCon UK are bringing two favourite podcasts together to find out more about their fascination with True Crime. Each episode will explore subjects including how they got involved in True Crime, the cases that have stuck in their mind, the process behind their podcast and...

On 28th February 2006, Siobhan McLoughlin was found dead in locked bedroom. At first glance, it looked as if she had tragically taken her own life. But within hours after her death, police and the McLoughlin family felt sure that she had been brutally murdered. But would the State be able to prove guilt, beyond a reasonable doubt? Resources: Ireland & UK Samaritans: Call 116 123 or text 50808 ...

In April of 1986, three armed men burst into a lavish home in Howth. When they left, they brought with them Jennifer Guinness, mother of three and wife of the head of a merchant bank. A ransom was demanded for her return.  Despite the quick mobilisation of gardai all over Dublin, Jennifer's captor would evade capture for over a week.  ******** Join me at CrimeCon UK on September 25th & 26th 20...

In October of 2006, Meg Walsh went missing. She wasn't at her home, and she didn't turn up for work. The garda investigation that followed revealed that Meg had had some troubling experiences recently in her private life. Her body was found in the river Suir two weeks after she was first reported missing. But without a crime scene, would it be possible to get justice for Meg? Join me at CrimeCon U...