Truer Crime

Season 3 of Truer Crime launches this August—and this time, we’re doing things differently. Each month, we’ll spend multiple episodes digging into one case, with deeper stories, bigger arcs, and the kind of nuance and context you’ve told us you love. After years of on-and-off releases, we’re finally bringing you a season built for consistency with new episodes most weeks for six months straight. S...

Early Saturday morning, a man disguised as a police officer went door to door in the Minneapolis suburbs with a hit list. He shot State Senator John Hoffman and his wife. He murdered State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband. He nearly reached my own childhood senator, Ann Rest. This was a political assassination—and it happened in my hometown. In this bonus episode, Olivia and I walk t...

In the first episode of Nobody Should Believe Me’s latest season, host Andrea Dunlop unpacks the origin story of Sophie Hartman — a young woman from Michigan who, by 25, had adopted two Zambian girls and written a memoir titled Crowns of Beauty. Andrea explores Sophie’s evangelical roots, the savior narrative she constructed, and what it reveals about identity, motherhood, and power. Andrea is joi...

In this special crossover, Celisia joins Andrea Dunlop — host of Nobody Should Believe Me — for a Casefiles conversation on the Susan Smith case. In 1994, Smith falsely claimed a Black man had kidnapped her two sons. The truth was far more chilling — and her lie launched a national manhunt. Together, Celisia and Andrea unpack the media frenzy, the racial panic Smith weaponized, and what this case...

The Manson murders have been told and retold—but rarely like this. In this special bonus episode, Anthony DiMaria, nephew of victim Jay Sebring, reveals the story behind the headlines. Anthony shares what it’s like to grow up under the shadow of a crime that defined a generation, how the media erased Jay’s humanity, and why so much of what we “know” about the Manson Family is wrong. From his uncle...

In October 1983, 23-year-old Timothy Coggins was brutally murdered in the small town of Sunny Side, Georgia. As his family grieved, they were met with menacing threats, warning them to back off from the investigation. Today’s episode covers a case that had stayed cold for more than three decades, spotlighting a family that never stopped hoping for justice. A full list of action items, sources, res...

What happens when a journalist discovers a supposed "serial killer" case might actually be a web of police corruption, informant murders, and small-town cover-ups? In this riveting follow-up to our Jeff Davis 8 episode, I go one-on-one with investigative reporter Ethan Brown, who spent years untangling the deaths of eight women in rural Louisiana. Brown reveals shocking new details - from his stra...

Between 2005 and 2009, eight women were murdered in Louisiana’s Jefferson Davis Parish. To this day, all eight murders remain unsolved. It’s a story that drew the attention of New Orleans private investigator and author Ethan Brown, who uncovered a pattern of police misconduct, scandal, and investigative failures. In today’s episode, we explore the mysteries of this small town, where the pursuit o...

After countless requests, Truer Crime's first-ever merchandise has officially launched! In this special announcement, Celisia reveals the limited-edition t-shirt featuring an exclusive inside reference that only dedicated listeners will understand. This isn’t just a merch item—it’s a conversation starter, community badge, and direct support for the future of Truer Crime. But act fast—this isn't a...

Sonya Ivanoff was a rising star in Alaska’s small, tight-knit community. A talented basketball player with dreams of a college career, she had her whole future ahead of her—until she was found murdered at just 19 years old. In the isolated town of Nome, investigators were left with few clues and fewer answers, as the case spiraled into a labyrinth of conflicting leads. In today’s episode, we explo...

The Manson murders have been covered endlessly, turned into sensational headlines, Hollywood blockbusters, and pop culture mythology. But how do you tell this story differently—without glorifying the killers or repeating the same tired narrative? In this special behind-the-scenes episode, I sit down with my co-producer Olivia Heusinkveld to unpack the making of our two-part series on the Manson mu...

In the summer of 1969, California police hunted for the killers behind seven brutal deaths over two vicious nights. As the investigation zeroed in on Charles Manson and his cult followers, a shocking story began to emerge. What followed was a criminal trial like no other, marked by a revolving defense team, dramatic protests, and violent threats to witnesses. In this second installment of a two-pa...

Charles Manson is a name synonymous with terror. But after decades of coverage, is there still something we’re missing about one of the most notorious figures in American crime? What forces shape the narratives we think we know? In the first chapter of a two-part deep dive, we’ll examine the Manson murders through a fresh lens, uncovering details that have long gone unnoticed. Sometimes, the most...

If you heard our last episode, you already know the case against Toforest Johnson is riddled with problems—key witnesses recanted, no physical evidence tied him to the crime, and even the original prosecutor now says he deserves a new trial. But there’s even more to this story. In this follow-up conversation, investigative journalist Beth Shelburne peels back the layers of the case and shares what...

In 1995, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Deputy William Hardy was shot behind a Birmingham hotel. At that moment, over ten witnesses placed Toforest Johnson at a nightclub across town. Despite this, Toforest has spent more than 26 years on death row for a crime he swears he didn’t commit. Today, many—including one of the jurors who originally convicted him— think the courts got it wrong. But how? With...

Alan Berg, a prolific talk radio personality, kept Denver listening. At a time when the airwaves still sounded mostly polite and apolitical, Alan was best known for his brash politics and fiery arguments with callers. All of this came to an end in the summer of 1984, when Alan was murdered outside of his home. Today’s episode is about the importance of speaking up, even against the forces that wil...

You might know Alice Sebold from her bestselling novel “The Lovely Bones.” But before that, she became famous for her memoir “Lucky,” where she recounts the brutal assault she survived in a park near her college campus—and the trial that followed. The man convicted in that trial was Anthony Broadwater, who has maintained his innocence for more than 40 years. Today’s episode is about forgiveness, r...

On April 4, 1968, a single bullet ended the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The official story pinned the murder on James Earl Ray—a fugitive desperate to evade capture—but for decades, the King family has fought to expose a darker truth. In this episode, we uncover the buried evidence, tangled conspiracies, and a stunning 1999 civil trial that found the U.S. government complicit in King’s assa...

A student at the University of Utah, Lauren McCluskey began receiving threatening messages from her ex-boyfriend in the fall of 2018. For nearly three weeks, concerned for her safety, she reported this harassment to campus police again and again. Today’s episode is about the deadly cost of warnings ignored—and what happens when the people we trust to protect us fail to take action. Please be aware...

Truer Crime is back for season 2 with 10 brand-new episodes you won't want to miss. From high-profile stories like the Manson Murders to lesser-known cases about everyday people — the victim of a modern lynching, a talk radio host gunned down in his driveway, a famous author and the man wrongfully convicted of her rape — each episode is a take on true crime you won't hear anywhere else. Be sure to...

From 1920 to 1940, no Black people lived in Forsyth County, Georgia. None. But by the time Tamla Horsford moved there with her family, a lot had changed. Or so it seemed, until Tamla was found dead in the Fall of 2018. Suddenly, a century’s worth of trauma resurfaced in the once all-white Georgia county. Today’s episode reveals what happens when a woman and a county collide. Please be aware that t...

Sam Mandez was just 14 years old when his elderly neighbor, Frida Winter, was found murdered in her home, the same home Sam had painted with his grandfather just a few summers prior. It would be years before they set their eyes on Sam as their main suspect. And while he was just a kid when the crime took place, Sam was tried as an adult and eventually sentenced to life in prison for first-degree m...

If you consume a lot of true crime, you might have heard Mindy Dodd’s story before. Or at least one like it – the classic story of a housewife who, pushed too far, snaps and murders her husband. The scary music swells and the story ends neatly. The housewife is locked away. But what if that’s not the whole picture? Today’s episode is about the muddy middle that's so often left out. Please be aware...

Do you ever listen to a true crime podcast and think “that’s not quite right…?” Same. Crime stories are hard to ignore and even harder to forget. But the thing is... they’re stories. And getting a story right is all about how you tell it. Truer Crime talks about real people — murdered, missing, misled — with more nuance, more context, and more questions. Hosted by Celisia Stanton. You can see more...

July 11th marks “Relisha Rudd Remembrance Day’' in Washington DC. The purpose of this event is to spread awareness and let the public know that the search for Relisha is not over. Today we republish Episode 5 covering Relisha’s disappearance to bring more attention to her story. --- No one had seen 8-year-old Relisha Rudd for weeks before she was finally reported missing in March of 2014. So where...