True Crime

Criminal

Vox Media Podcast Network

Criminal is the first of its kind. A show about people who’ve done wrong, been wronged, or gotten caught somewhere in the middle. Hosted by Phoebe Judge. Named a Best Podcast of 2023 by the New York Times. Part of the Vox Media Podcast Network.

300 episodes

The Midnight Slider 2 Oct 2026 · 36 min In 2013, a small boat called the Midnight Slider was found floating empty in the waters off of Isle Madame in Nova Scotia. “Murder is not something that occurs in this neck of the…

Not Criminally Responsible 25 Sept 2026 · 44 min In 1992, a young man walked into a police station and said he wanted to turn himself in for a crime. When the police asked if there was someone at home who they could call, he sai…

The Boyfriend Who Never Existed: Inside The "Bed Trick" Trial 22 Sept 2026 · 38 min Phoebe interviews author Izabella Scott about an unusual trial in England. One woman, referred to as Miss X, accused her best friend Gayle of posing as a man and tricking her into…

Family Secrets, Part 2 18 Sept 2026 · 41 min In June of 1985, police followed in pursuit as Fritz Klenner drove through the streets of Greensboro, North Carolina, with his cousin Susie Lynch and her two sons. When the chase…

Family Secrets, Part 1 11 Sept 2026 · 31 min In 1985, college student Ian Perkins reconnected with a family friend, Fritz Klenner, who told him a secret. He said he was a CIA agent — and offered to let Ian come along on his…

He Was Told It Was a Job. It Was His Kidney They Wanted. 8 Sept 2026 · 33 min In 2021, a Nigerian man heard from a friend who offered him a job opportunity in the U.K. After he arrived he was taken to a hospital, where he found out that he wasn’t there for…

The Informant 4 Sept 2026 · 1 hr 4 min In 1978, an investigator in the Harris County DA's office in Houston got a call from an old friend. He told the investigator that he was in jail, that he wanted him to come pick h…

911 28 Aug 2026 · 40 min A conversation with a 911 operator about what happens on the other end of the line – and the day she heard her daughter's voice on the phone. This episode was originally released…

What Happened When 33,000 People’s Therapy Notes Were Released Onto the Internet 25 Aug 2026 · 46 min Imagine receiving an email from a stranger that said your therapist’s notes about you would be released onto the internet for all to see — unless you paid a ransom. That’s exactly…

Out of the Box 21 Aug 2026 · 44 min In 1964, one of the best javelin throwers in Australia traveled to England to see if he could qualify for the Olympics. But, because of an injury, he didn’t make the team - and he…

A Bump in the Night and Unexpected Guests 14 Aug 2026 · 54 min Amber Dawn was 20 when she moved into a one-bedroom apartment in Enumclaw, Washington. On her very first night, she began to notice strange sounds. And they didn’t stop. These epi…

Please Continue (Criminal+) 13 Aug 2026 · 47 min Today, an unlocked episode of Criminal Plus that's full of exciting updates, public service announcements, and Tom Cruise's teeth. If you enjoyed listening to today's Criminal Plu…

How a Volcanic Eruption Led to a Criminal Trial 11 Aug 2026 · 29 min In 2019, a volcano erupted off the coast of New Zealand - killing 22 tourists who were on it at the time. Four years later, a criminal trial began - where prosecutors claimed that…

Mr. Apology 7 Aug 2026 · 51 min In 1980, posters appeared in subway stations and on telephone poles in New York City with a phone number to call. When you called it, you would hear a message: “This is Apology. A…

The Premonitions Bureau 31 Jul 2026 · 49 min On October 21, 1966, a woman named Lorna Middleton suddenly woke up from her sleep, struggling to breathe. The day before, a man named Alan Hencher was at work in London when he b…

She Killed Three People with Poisonous Mushrooms. Did She Mean To? 28 Jul 2026 · 29 min In 2023, a woman named Erin Patterson had her husband's family over for a lunch of beef Wellington. A week later, three people were dead. Phoebe interviews Guardian reporter Nino…

The Comfort Kit 24 Jul 2026 · 40 min A few hours after Rachel Waters’ mother died in hospice care, police showed up at Rachel’s childhood home with a search warrant. “It had my name and the word ‘homicide’ on it.” Fo…

125 Acres 17 Jul 2026 · 36 min George Dinning was emancipated in 1865, when he was 10 years old. By the time he was in his mid-thirties, he’d bought the land on which he had been enslaved. Years later, 25 white…

Why Alex Murdaugh is Getting a Do-Over 14 Jul 2026 · 36 min Earlier this year, Alex Murdaugh’s 2023 double murder conviction was overturned by the South Carolina Supreme Court - due to “shocking jury interference.” Phoebe interviews Wall S…

That’s Not Me 10 Jul 2026 · 38 min Porcha Woodruff was eight months pregnant when she was arrested by police one morning at her home in Detroit. When she spoke with a detective at the police station hours later, sh…

What Nobody Tells You About the Morgue (with Patricia Cornwell) 30 Jun 2026 · 28 min Phoebe interviews crime novelist Patricia Cornwell about how working in an autopsy suite inspired her to create her most famous character: forensic pathologist Kay Scarpetta. Plus…

All the Time in the World 26 Jun 2026 · 31 min The “body farm” at Texas State University is a place almost no one is allowed to see, because it’s one of very few places in the world that deliberately puts out human bodies to d…

The Caller 19 Jun 2026 · 43 min In 2008, an article in the monthly FBI bulletin argued that 911 calls could contain clues for homicide investigations. “The caller, in fact, may be the killer.” Brett Murphy inves…

Riverwalk 12 Jun 2026 · 48 min In November 2019, nineteen-year-old Zac Brettler went missing. When his parents began looking for him, they discovered that Zac had been living a double life. Patrick Radden Keefe…

A Man to Be Afraid Of 5 Jun 2026 · 45 min Sheriff Buford Pusser said he and his wife had come under gunfire early one morning on a country road - leading to her death. He told one reporter, “I'm pretty sure about who did…

Breaking Up is Hard to Do (Criminal+) 29 May 2026 · 46 min This episode is unlocked and available for everyone to listen to! It took some trial and error, but Phoebe finally figured out how to put on makeup. Plus, Lauren asks for advice o…

Mantrap 22 May 2026 · 39 min Ed and Bertha Briney’s unoccupied farmhouse was reportedly broken into 50 times over 10 years. They put up “No Trespassing” signs, repeatedly complained to sheriffs in two differe…

The Mountain 15 May 2026 · 32 min On January 18, 2025, Thomas Plamberger and his girlfriend Kerstin Gurtner began climbing the tallest mountain in Austria. But when they were almost to the top, they got stuck. One…

The Poison Squad 8 May 2026 · 43 min In 1902, twelve young men volunteered for a government experiment. They agreed to eat food laced with chemicals like formaldehyde, borax, and salicylic acid every day, for breakfa…

Poisoned 1 May 2026 · 39 min In January 1993, a lot of children started showing up at Seattle Children’s Hospital with the same unusual symptoms. Doctors didn't know what was going on – until they realized th…