Gladbeck: The Hostage Crisis

A punk rocker is shot in 1982, then his body disappears. A journalist explores whether their mother’s claims of a cover-up are true. We’ll go back to our April 15, 2019 review of the classic podcast series “The Ballad of Billy Balls.”OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "THE BALLAD OF BILLY BALLS" BEGIN IN THE FINAL SIX MINUTES OF THE EPISODE. For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com.

24 Jul 33min

When teenage Abbi finds herself pregnant, her parents pressure her to go to a maternity home run by Liberty University. There, she’s promised free medical care, college tuition, and counseling on whether to keep her baby or give it up for adoption to a Christian family. But once at the facility, Abbi feels controlled and cut off from her boyfriend - and starts reconsidering her adoption plans. She finds that in the Liberty Godparent Home, keeping her baby is not an offered choice.The Wondery podcast “Liberty Lost” tells the story of women who sought help for their unplanned pregnancies, only to feel coerced into adoptions. Journalist T.J. Raphael explores the resurgence of religious-based maternity homes in a post-Roe world, whether laws there are being broken, and the emotional toll on young mothers and fathers told God believes they don’t deserve to be parents. OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "LIBERTY LOST" BEGIN IN THE FINAL 14 MINUTES OF THE EPISODE.In Crime of the Week: snakes on a plane. For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com.

21 Jul 50min

Investigative reporters journey into the darkest part of the dark web in pursuit of a child pornographer. We’ll go back to our November 25, 2019 review of “Hunting Warhead” from CBC Podcasts and Norwegian newspaper VG.OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "HUNTING WARHEAD" BEGIN IN THE FINAL FIVE MINUTES OF THE EPISODE. For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com.

17 Jul 34min

The 1991 trans culture documentary “Paris is Burning” featured Venus Xtravaganza, a vogue performer who was murdered before the film premiered. Decades later, the Pellagatti family embark on a journey to solve her death while learning more about the way she lived her life.  Her brothers take up the unfinished business of legally changing Venus’s name and closing her cold case. But are they ready to hear that their loving acceptance of their sister might have been far too late for her. Now on Netflix, the documentary film “I’m Your Venus” explores the themes of trans visibility, chosen family, and loss. It follows the Pellagattis as they try to get justice and acceptance for their lost sister. It also features her ballroom family - the House of Xtravaganza - as they seek recognition for the trailblazing performer they called their own.OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "I'M YOUR VENUS" BEGIN IN THE FINAL 15 MINUTES OF THE EPISODE. For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com.

14 Jul 42min

Who’s ready for a “number two”? America’s favorite true crime teenagers return to investigate who is the Turd Burglar? We’ll go back to October 7, 2018 for a classic rewind to our review of season two to the Peabody Award-winning comedy series “American Vandal.”OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "AMERICAN VANDAL" SEASON TWO BEGIN IN THE FINAL FIVE MINUTES OF THE EPISODE. For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com.

10 Jul 26min

Max travels from the Philippines to Thailand to take a high-paying job at a casino. But when he arrives, he’s instead taken to a camp in the jungles of Myanmar and put to work in a call center running phone scams across the globe. His sister Charlie learns the only way to get him home is also to work for the syndicate.  In order to meet Max’s quota, his brother joins the labor camp while Charlie tricks new recruits into the scam factory. With the hope of rescue slim, they’re left with few options to win Max’s freedom - either negotiate an impossible financial settlement or flee from armed guards into the wilderness. The Wondery podcast “Scam Factory” takes us inside the most dangerous call center in the world. Host Denise Chan tells Charlie’s story of high-stakes fraud and moral dilemmas. It also features interviews with her victims conned into forced labor. It asks the question: how far would you go to save a loved one?OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "SCAM FACTORY" BEGIN IN THE FINAL 11 MINUTES OF THE EPISODE.In Crime of the Week: Scooby-Doo, where are  you? For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com.

7 Jul 40min

In 1989, Canadian serial killer Clifford Olson initiated contact with two journalists, sparking a series of recorded phone calls. Peter Worthington and Arlene Bynon aimed to unravel the psychology of a man who not only murdered eleven children but also persuaded the government to pay him $100,000 in exchange for the locations of their bodies. Suspecting there may be more unidentified victims in the US and Canada, the reporters spent years secretly talking with Olson, learning his M.O. and picking apart his inconsistencies. They learned he was charming, confident, and even from behind bars he was dangerous.“Calls from a Killer” is the latest season from CBC’s “Uncover.” Worthington’s grandson teams with Bynon to rewind the secret tapes and revisit their investigation into Olson. In addition to interviews with investigators and his victims’ loved ones, the podcast leans heavily on Bynon’s recordings of her conversations with the serial killer.OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "UNCOVER: CALLS FROM A KILLER" BEGIN IN THE FINAL TEN MINUTES OF THE EPISODE. For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com.

3 Jul 43min

In the 80s and 90s, athletes on the Ohio State wrestling team said Doctor Richard Strauss fondled them during physical exams and insinuated himself into their showers. His behavior seemed common knowledge among players and coaches, and the few complaints that were made were brushed aside by the school. Decades later, former athletes from different sports came forward with allegations of Strauss’s abuse. University officials claimed to take the scandal seriously, but have tried to limit their liability. And victims remain frustrated that a powerful congressman, who had been an assistant coach, now says he was unaware the team doctor was a predator.The HBO Original documentary “Surviving Ohio State” looks at the case of Doctor Richard Strauss and how he was able to prey on students with impunity for years. It shows the ways The Ohio State University brushed aside concerns then, and how it downplays the impact today. It also focuses on efforts to get answers from firebrand politician Jim Jordan about what he really knew.OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "SURVIVING OHIO STATE" IN THE FINAL 13 MINUTES OF THE EPISODE.In Crime of the Week: Double trouble. For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com.

30 Jun 48min