Ex-Detectives review Earl Van Best Jnr as a Zodiac Killer Suspect

In this episode of Crime Time Inc, hosts Tom Wood and Simon McLean join researcher Alex to continue their deep dive into the Zodiac killer case, turning their attention from the evidence itself to the deeply human story behind one of the most enduring suspects — a man whose abandoned son became convinced his estranged father was the infamous serial killer. Tom, drawing on decades of experience as a senior investigating officer on cases including the World's End murders and the Robert Black abductions, offers a compelling psychological perspective on why family members of terrible people sometimes come forward to link their relatives to high-profile unsolved crimes. As he explains, these individuals are rarely faking it; they genuinely believe what they're saying, driven by a deep need to make sense of the cruelty they experienced. It's a way of externalising their pain, of finding an explanation grand enough to account for the abandonment and neglect they suffered.

The conversation opens up into a broader and thought-provoking discussion about the exploitation of serious crime. Simon raises the uncomfortable truth that bestselling books, films, and television programmes have been built on the back of cases like the Zodiac, Jack the Ripper, and countless others — an industry where there is, as Tom puts it, no quality control and no board of censors. With the rise of artificial intelligence, the hosts note, the barrier to producing speculative true crime content has never been lower. It's a candid moment of self-awareness from two men who make their living in the genre, and they handle it with characteristic honesty and humour.

Tom takes the opportunity to share the remarkable story behind his own book, *Ruxton: The First Modern Murder*, recounting how a bundle of case papers — tied with the original pink police tape, unread for over eighty years — was discovered in a Portobello attic and eventually found its way to his desk. The documents, belonging to a deceased Edinburgh CID detective, contained a wealth of new information about a well-known case and told the story of an ordinary county police sergeant who, with no resources and no CID experience, did extraordinary investigative work. It's a story that underscores a theme that has run through Crime Time Inc from the very beginning: the critical importance of protecting and properly investigating the crime scene, a principle as vital today as it was in 1935. Simon also teases his forthcoming novel, *Kintyre*, which Tom reports he has read in excerpt and enjoyed very much.

The episode closes with a forward-looking discussion about cold case responsibility. Tom poses the question of who, if anyone, is still actively investigating the Zodiac murders, and whether modern forensic advances have ever been applied to the original evidence. He draws a parallel with the ongoing Police Scotland search for the remains of Renee MacRae and her young son — a case that is solved and whose perpetrator is dead, yet where the duty to victims' families compels continued work. The hosts reflect on the value of structures like Police Scotland's Homicide Review Board and wonder whether any equivalent systematic review has ever been applied to the full range of killings attributed to the Zodiac. It's a fitting end to an episode that balances sharp investigative thinking with genuine humanity, and listeners are reminded that the Zodiac series will continue with further suspects and a full case summary in upcoming episodes.

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About Crime Time Inc.

Season 5 of Crime Time Inc. broadens its reach across two sides of the Atlantic.

This season features cases from Scotland and across the wider UK — rooted in real investigative experience — alongside deep dives into some of the most infamous murder cases in American history.

Hosted by former detectives Simon and Tom, with experience in both the UK and the United States, including time working alongside the FBI, the show strips away sensationalism to explain how crime and justice really work.

Two crime worlds. One podcast.

New episodes released regularly throughout the season.

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