Mysteries and Histories

Joan Robinson Hill had it all: wealth, beauty, and prestige as a celebrated equestrian in Houston's high society. But in 1969, her sudden and suspicious death at just 38 years old shocked the city and set off a tangled saga of scandal, betrayal, and murder that would haunt Texas for decades. In this episode, we unravel the gripping true story of Joan's life and death, the strange behavior of her husband Dr. John Hill, and the explosive chain of events that followed - including a grand jury, a sensational trial, and a deadly act of vengeance. Was Joan the victim of a medical mystery or something far more sinister?

At the turn of the 20th century, a simple accessory ignited a wave of fear, controversy, and legislation. In this episode, we explore the Hatpin Panic - a bizarre and fascinating moment in history when women's fashion clashed with societal expectations and public safety. As women began to assert their independence in cities around the world, long steel hatpins (used to secure extravagant hats) became symbols of both elegance and defiance… and, to some, dangerous weapons.

Between 1975 and 1980, at least 13 women were murdered in Yorkshire, England, spurring on one of the biggest manhunts the UK had ever seen. Eventually, Peter Sutcliffe was captured. Who was he? Who were his victims? And how did he remain on the loose for so long?

FROM THE VAULT | Today, we dive into one of France's most haunting true crime mysteries: the Dupont de Ligonnès murders, also known as the Nantes murders. In April 2011, five members of the Dupont de Ligonnès family were found buried beneath the patio of their home, sparking a nationwide manhunt and leaving the world gripped by unanswered questions. At the center of the case is Xavier Dupont de Ligonnès — husband, father, and the prime suspect — who vanished without a trace.

In 2014, a teenage boy came across a human head in the woods and called the authorities. They expected to find decomposed remains, but were shocked to find the head was fully intact and, strangely, embalmed. How did an embalmed head end up here and more importantly, who did it belong to?

We've probably all heard of Jack the Ripper, one of the most famous English unsolved mysteries. He was responsible for the murders of at least five women near Whitechapel in London's East End between August and November 1888. But do you know all the details?

The Pendle witch trials, held in 1612, were a series of witchcraft trials in Lancashire, England, where 10 people were accused of witchcraft and executed, with the trials centred around the area of Pendle Hill. They predated Salem by 80 years, but the events were eerily similar. Why and how did these two things happen, thousands of miles apart?

In September 1988, schoolboy Lee Boxell left his home in Cheam to go and hang out with a friend before saying he might go and watch a football match at the local Selhurst Park stadium. And then he disappeared, never to be seen again. In the last 37 years there have been countless leads and theories as to what happened to him, but answers remain illusive. 

Today I have a brand new case updates episode for you, where I look back over the cases I've covered in the past and share new information!

In this episode, we explore the mysterious death of Natalie Wood, the Hollywood star whose life was tragically cut short under circumstances that still spark debate. Found drowned off the coast of Catalina Island in 1981, questions remain about what really happened that fateful night on the yacht Splendour. Was it a tragic accident, or is there more to the story?

In this episode, we examine the terrifying case of Mr. Cruel, the unidentified predator who terrorised Melbourne, Australia, in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Known for his calculated attacks and chilling anonymity, Mr. Cruel left behind a legacy of fear and unanswered questions. Who was he? How did he evade capture? And could he still be out there? 

In this episode, we unravel the haunting case of Mary Marrs Carwein, a mystery that has baffled investigatorsf or decades. What really happened to Mary, and who was responsible for her fate? We explore the circumstances surrounding her case, the suspects, the theories, and the lingering questions that remain unanswered. Join us as we take a deep dive into this chilling story, separating fact from speculation in our search for the truth.

Today we dive into the chilling story of Andrew Cunanan, the manipulative and dangerously charismatic man who became one of America's most infamous spree killers. Best known for the murder of fashion icon Gianni Versace, Cunanan's killing spree spanned four states and left five men dead before ending in a dramatic police manhunt. 

FROM THE VAULT: today we uncover the incredible yet often overlooked story of Henrietta Lacks, the woman whose cells revolutionised modern medicine. Born in 1920, Henrietta's cells—taken without her knowledge—became the first immortal human cell line, known as HeLa cells. These cells played a crucial role in medical breakthroughs, from the polio vaccine to cancer research, IVF, and even COVID-19 treatments. Join us as we explore the ethics, impact, and legacy of Henrietta Lacks and her family's fight for justice.

FROM THE VAULT: today we're diving into one of the most haunting unsolved cases in American history: The West Mesa Murders. In 2009, a woman walking her dog in Albuquerque, New Mexico, made a shocking discovery - the remains of 11 women and an unborn child buried in the desert. The case, linked to a suspected serial killer known as the West Mesa Bone Collector, remains open to this day, with no arrests and more questions than answers. Who were the victims? What clues have investigators uncovered? And could the killer still be out there?

FROM THE VAULT: Today we delve into the chilling case of Peter Sutcliffe, the man who terrorised northern England as the Yorkshire Ripper. Between 1975 and 1980, Sutcliffe brutally murdered 13 women and attacked 7 others, evading capture for years as fear gripped the region. His crimes exposed deep flaws in the police investigation, leading to one of the most infamous manhunts in British history. How did Sutcliffe evade justice for so long? What were the mistakes that allowed him to continue his reign of terror?

FROM THE VAULT: In September 1994, 30-year-old Camille Dardanes Dotson vanished after leaving the Clark County Detention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. Despite decades passing, her case remains unsolved, leaving her family and friends searching for answers. In this episode, we delve into Camille's life, her sudden disappearance, and the efforts to uncover what really happened to her.

FROM THE VAULT: In the 1980s and '90s, the AIDS epidemic devastated communities around the world—yet governments, media, and society largely turned a blind eye. In this episode, we uncover the early days of the crisis, the devastating loss of life, and the fearless activism that forced the world to pay attention. From the rise of organizations like ACT UP to the scientific breakthroughs that changed the course of the epidemic, we explore the human stories behind one of the most tragic and transformative public health crises in history.

FROM THE VAULT: In honour of it being LGBTQ+ history month here in the UK, today I'm going to be sharing the tragic story of Matthew Shepard. In October 1998, Matthew Shepard, a 21-year-old college student, was brutally attacked and left for dead in Laramie, Wyoming - simply for being gay. His murder shocked the nation and became a turning point in the fight against hate crimes. 

FROM THE VAULT: In the 1950s and 60s, a "miracle drug" promised relief from morning sickness but left a devastating legacy. The thalidomide scandal shook the world as thousands of babies were born with severe birth defects due to a drug marketed as completely safe. In this episode, we delve into the harrowing stories of those affected, the corporate negligence that allowed it to happen, and the fight for justice that followed. How did this tragedy change drug regulations forever? Join me as we explore one of the most infamous medical scandals in history.

FROM THE VAULT: Today we uncover the chilling story of the Victoria Cilliers case, also known as the parachute murder plot. When a routine skydive went horribly wrong in 2015, investigators uncovered a web of deceit, betrayal, and a sinister plan by her husband, Emile Cilliers, to kill her. Was it greed, lust, or something darker that drove him? Join us as we unravel the shocking details of this real-life thriller and explore the psychology behind betrayal and survival.

FROM THE VAULT: On a chilly March night in 1964, Kitty Genovese was brutally murdered near her home in Queens, New York—a crime that shocked the nation and changed the way we think about human behavior. The tragedy became infamous for reports that 38 bystanders heard her cries for help but did nothing. Was it urban apathy, or is the truth more complicated? In this episode, we unravel the myths, explore the psychology of the bystander effect, and uncover how this case reshaped laws, research, and public consciousness. Join us as we dive into the lasting legacy of the Kitty Genovese case.

On 23rd December 1993, delivery driver Paul Logan was tasked with delivering a Chinese takeaway to a nearby farm. When he arrived, the homeowners said they hadn't made any order. By the time he got to the end of the driveway, Paul was dead. 31 years on, who lured him to his death, and why?

In July 1994, the body of a man was found floating in the North Sea, of the coast of Heligoland, Germany. He was found wearing a suit, hence his nickname of 'Gentleman', but all clues have led to dead ends. Who was he? How did he end up in the water?

In this episode, we delve into the twisted story of Cary Stayner, a man whose name is forever tied to one of California's most infamous crime sprees. Known as the "Yosemite Killer," Stayner committed a series of brutal murders that shocked the nation. But his story takes an even darker turn when juxtaposed with the haunting legacy of his younger brother, Steven Stayner, a national hero who escaped from a notorious kidnapper years earlier.

In 1994, a small town in Washington State experienced a strange phenomenon: jelly-like blobs rained from the sky, leaving residents sick and baffled. Scientists and locals speculated wildly—was it a government experiment gone wrong, a byproduct of military testing, or something otherworldly? Join us as we dive into the theories, eyewitness accounts, and the lingering questions surrounding one of the most peculiar events in modern history.

The Steven Stayner case is a harrowing story of abduction, survival, and resilience. Kidnapped at age 7 in 1972, Steven spent seven years under the control of Kenneth Parnell before bravely escaping and rescuing another child. While his return brought hope, Steven faced lasting challenges and tragically died at 24. His story later intertwined with his brother Cary's crimes as the "Yosemite Killer," marking a chilling chapter in true crime history.

In February 1985, 8 year old Cherrie Mahan got off the school bus 500ft from her home. Her parents heard the bus pull up, heard the door open, and waited for Cherrie to arrive back any moment. But she never did. At some point in that short walk, she was abducted and has never been seen again. 

On the morning of August 27th 1992, Vickie Felton left for work, leaving her 13 year old daughter Leigh home alone for the first time. There was a tornado warning that morning, and when by 8.30am Leigh wasn't answering the phone, Vickie rushed home - only when she arrived, Leigh was gone and has never been seen since. What happened to Leigh Occhi?

In 2009, Paula Hounslea told her daughter she was going to visit a friend. She told the friend she was going away for a few days. And then she never came home. 3 years later, her remains would be found in a fire pit by an abandoned railway. What happened to Paula?

Today we're going to explore a historic case that changed the course of criminal investigations forever: the first-ever case solved by DNA fingerprinting. This groundbreaking technique was used to catch Colin Pitchfork, a man responsible for the brutal murders of two young girls, Lynda Mann and Dawn Ashworth, in the 1980s. What started as a complex investigation, with dead end after dead end, took a revolutionary turn when DNA evidence exposed the killer in a way that had never been done before.

Every few months I like to take a look back over the cases I've covered in the past and share any new updates with you... and today I have a LOT of very interesting things to share, with updates in the cases of the Menendez brothers, Asha Degree, Sandy Irvine, Julie Doe, the Bear Brook Jane Doe and much more.

One night in September 1973, 18 year old Peter Reilly returned home to find his mother dead on their bedroom floor, brutally murdered. He called the police and within just minutes, became was their one and only suspect. After a long night and day, Peter eventually confessed to Barbara's murder... but did he do it?

In 1900, a reform school opened up in Mariana, Florida, with the intention of helping wayward boys go on to become productive members of society. What happened instead was of pain, abuse and suffering for the children forced to attend. 

In 1959, 16 year old Mary Flanagan waved bye to her family as she headed to work and then to her work's annual New Year's Eve party. But little did her parents know that Mary hadn't actually gone to work for two weeks, and she likely had no intentions of going to the party. And then she never came home. Where is Mary?-0

Siblings Chloie and Daniel were living with their grandparents in Unionville, Tennessee, when a fire broke out on 23rd September 2012. The bodies of their grandparents and pets were all found in the ashes, but there's never been any sign of Chloie or Daniel.

In 1964, 15 year old Reed Jeppson got back from a morning at church and went out to feed his beloved dogs in their backyard kennel whilst his sister prepped lunch for the family. She warned him not to take too long, that food would be ready soon... but he never came back. Both Reed and both of his dogs seemingly disappeared off the face of the earth, with no clue as to their whereabouts.

On April 19th 1953, Ron Tammen came back to his dorm room at Miami University, Ohio, to discover a dead fish in his bed. Assuming it was a prank by a peer, he went to change his bedsheets and got back to his studying. And then, he just disappeared. What happened to Ron Tammen?

Today we're taking a look at some of the craziest cults the world has ever seen, including a cult in which a man worshipped coconuts... and convinced others to do the same. 

In 1992, Rachel Nickell was out for a walk with her dog and 2 year old son on Wimbledon Common in London, when a man came out of the blue and stabbed her to death. She was found with her son by her side, holding her hand. What followed was a shambles of an investigation by the Met Police, in which they decided to focus all their efforts on one (innocent) man, as the true perpetrator went on to kill others.

From the late 1970s through to the early 90s, there were a number of of victims, all young women, who disappeared along the same highway, running through Oregon in the US. It was highway 20, connecting the whole state, from west to east and running through the Cascade Mountains. It runs through cities and some of the most remote areas of the state; there are plenty of areas in which someone could run into trouble. Several stretches of the highway runs through thick, thick forest, so heavily wooded that you can walk into it and immediately find yourself lost and disorientated. Any body hidden in there would be near-on impossible to find. 

This week we're covering the cases of two Jane Does, both of whom are currently in the process of forensic genetic testing, but there's something standing in the way: it seems neither of them are from the country in which they were found, which complicates things somewhat. Who are the Bowmanville Jane Doe and Kilgore Jane Doe?

On New Years Day 1963, two teenagers come across a man lying face down next to the Lane Cover River in Sydney, Australia. At first they assume he's drunk but soon realise that's not the case. Police later find a second body, that of a woman, located just metres away, but an autopsy was unable to find a cause of death for either... all they know, is that they died from the same, mysterious cause.

In June 1980, 56 year old Zigmund Adamski left his home on home to go and grab some food shopping, and then he never came home - his body would later be found under baffling circumstances, that to this day, no one has ever been able to make sense of. The strange, strange situation around Zigmund's death has led to countless theories over the years, none of which quite make sense but there is one theory that people seem to focus on more than the rest: alien abduction. 

In September 1890, French inventor Louis Le Prince was supposed to be travelling back to New York City to see his family for the first time in three years after finally completing his invention: the motion picture camera. His brother waved goodbye as he dropped Louis off at Dijon train station, to travel to Paris and begin his long journey home. But somewhere along the way, Louis disappeared, never to be seen again.

In December 1996, 12 year old Celina Mays went off to bed and was never seen again, her younger sister finding her bed stuffed with pillows the next day. But Celina wasn't like your regular 12 year old: she was 9 months pregnant and living in a cult-like church, under the thumb of her aunt. Did Celina run away, or did something darker happen?

In 1974, a decapitated body is found hidden underneath a plastic sheet on a quiet county road in Cockley Cley, Norfolk. Despite a massive investigation, there have been few leads over the years and the Norfolk Headless Doe remains unidentified. Who was she?

In 2010, Lori Erica Ruff ended her own life, leaving her husband to clear through all her belongings. And in doing so, he found out that his wife was not who she claimed to be... but who was she? What was she running from?

In 1966, three people, Vernon Shipman, Charles Glass and Louise Shumate were found dead in a clearing in Henderson County, North Carolina. Vernon and Charles were close friends, but Louise had no known connection to the pair... so why had they spent that afternoon all driving around in a car together? Why were they murdered?

What would you do one day if you woke up dead? You're walking, talking, but you're dead: your brain and skin and organs no longer belong to you. Well, for those with Cotard's Syndrome, that is a terrifying reality.

In August 1995, 23 year old Heather Teague went sunbathing on Newburgh beach in Henderson County, Kentucky. Then someone emerged from the woodland behind, pulled her up by her hair and threatened her with a gun, forcing her back into the trees. And wildly, this was all witnessed by a man and his telescope 25km away, in a different state.