Sasha Reid is a PHD student of Applied Psychology and Human Development at the University of Toronto. Her focus is on sexually motivated, psychopathic murderers, and her work in the field of phenomenology “aims to better understand the inner worlds and motivations of serial killers.” Sasha also created her own comprehensive database for missing persons in Canada. As she plugged in over 8,000 names and profiles, she noticed the patterns of what appeared to be a serial killer operating in Toronto’s “Gay Village,” in a neighborhood called Church and Wellesy, a community already suspicious that a killer was among them. She created a suspect profile and contacted authorities with her ideas. and a year later Bruce McArthur, a landscaper who allegedly met his victims on mobile dating apps, was arrested and charged with eight counts of first degree murder. He closely matched the profile Sasha had created from her research. Follow the brilliant Sasha Reid on twitter at @TheReal_DrReid Behind True Crime is sponsored by Hunt A Killer, the monthly murder mystery subscription box service. Check them out at huntakiller.com and use the code BEHIND for 10% off your first order.

Behind True Crime

Sasha Reid and Phenomenology: Studying the Inner World of Serial Killers

Kristen Anderson, co-host of Guide to the Unknown Podcast, narrates her article about the two men behind the crop circle phenomenon!

The Delightful Con Behind the Crop Circle Phenomenon

Kristen Anderson reads her blog post about the different Disney Haunted Mansion stories.

The Differing Storylines Of Disney's Haunted Mansions

Kristen Anderson reads her article, "The Hat Man Is a Shadow Person Who Will Keep You up at Night."

Kristen Anderson, co-host of the Guide to the Unknown Podcast, Reads The Hat Man

Kristen Anderson, co-host of Guide to the Unknown Podcast, reads her Hunt A Killer article titled "Krampus the Christmas Demon: How He Creates a Holiday Ruckus."

Kristen Anderson Reads Her Article About Krampus the Christmas Demon

Kristen Anderson reads her blog article, "Paranormal Docuseries Hellier Inspires a New Wave of Weirdos."

Hellier Blog Narration

Kristen Anderson reads her article about how horror fans might actually be more prepared to handle the uncertainties of COVID-19.

Why Horror Fans Are Adapting Better to Pandemic Fear

CWS and Skylark Media present American Hysteria, a brand new podcast exploring our moral panics, urban legends, and conspiracy theories, how they shape our psychology and culture, and why we end up believing them. Host Chelsey Weber-Smith will attempt to understand why we fear the wrong things, explore how these fears shape our past, present, and future in sometimes hilarious and sometimes devastating ways, and also what these bizarre panics might be covering up. Topics range from Stranger Danger to Poisoned Halloween Candy to Satanic Panic to the Illuminati.  The first two episodes drop November 12th.  Subscribe now at skylarkmedia.com/podcasts/americanhysteria or where ever you get your podcasts.   Follow American Hysteria on social media:  Twitter.com/AmerHysteria Instagram.com/AmericanHysteriaPodcast Facebook.com/americanhysteriapodcast

Introducing American Hysteria by CWS

**Announcing a new audio drama from Skylark Media in partnership with Wondery!** Five years ago, three teenagers set out to investigate the local legend of their small town, The Blackwood Bugman, and the mysterious disappearances and murders connected to him over the years. But as they soon come to find out, getting too close to the truth can be dangerous. From the masterminds behind Hunt A Killer comes a chilling tale of secrets, monsters, and murder. Subscribe to Blackwood today at wondery.fm/true

Introducing Blackwood

***If you haven't already, please listen to the previous episode of Behind True Crime with Billy and Paul titled Finishing the late Michelle McNamara's 'I'll Be Gone in the Dark:' I had crime writer Billy Jensen and research assistant Paul Haynes on Behind True Crime this last March when Michelle McNamara’s now legendary book 'I’ll Be Gone in the Dark' had just come out. After Michelle’s sudden death, Billy and Paul were asked by her husband, comedian Patton Oswalt, to help organize her notes and writings into the now number one New York Times bestselling book about her hunt to finally identify the serial murderer she dubbed the Golden State Killer. Little did we know the last time we talked we were only a month away from seeing the face of the man responsible for at least 12 murders and over 50 rapes in various areas of California in the 1970s and 80s. Today Billy and Paul, the two of the men who completed the late Michelle’s masterpiece of research, dedication, self-reflection, and obsession, tell me about what their lives have been like since this whirlwind of 'I’ll Be Gone in the Dark' and the revelation that came only two months after its publication. We talk DeAngelo’s arrest, the affect Michelle’s book had on the investigation, the revelation of ancestry DNA in cold cases, and what it was like to finally see the face that Michelle never stopped looking for. Get a copy of 'I'll Be Gone in the Dark' here: https://www.harpercollins.com/9780062319784/ill-be-gone-in-the-dark/ Billy's website: billyjensen.com/ Behind True Crime is sponsored by Hunt A Killer, the monthly murder mystery subscription box service. Check them out at huntakiller.com and use the code BEHIND for 10% off your first order.

After the Arrest of the Golden State Killer: Catching Up with Billy Jensen and Paul Haynes

Chapman and Maclain Way are the directors behind Netflix’s six-part docuseries Wild Wild Country, a deep dive into the unbelievable story of a new age meditation cult active in the 1980s, its creation of a vast commune in rural Oregon, and its ongoing conflicts with their neighbors, a small conservative community of only 60 people. Complete with orgies, drugged beer, voter and immigration fraud, religious prejudice, assault rifles, government intervention, and attempted murder, 'Wild Wild Country' skillfully waffles opinions of the complicated and dramatic conflict back and forth, forcing audiences to think critically, and leaving us wondering, in every possible way, who’s side are we on? Chapman and Maclain share their experiences creating this hugely successful series. Behind True Crime is sponsored by Hunt A Killer, the monthly murder mystery subscription box service. Check them out at huntakiller.com and use the code BEHIND for 10% off your first order.

Directors of 'Wild Wild Country:' Brothers Maclain and Chapman Way

Emma Hardy and Grace Harrison had never seen a true crime magazine that didn't make them cringe. They met at a London-based publisher and soon found that they shared an obsessive interest in crime, but also agreed that much of the genre was too sensational, often to the detriment of victims. So the two set out to create their own magazine, 'Foul Play.' Grace told the Stylist: “It’s for people who are interested in crime, but not for those wanting to revel in someone’s misfortune. Whenever we come up with an idea for a story we discuss whether there are any conflicts that might make running it distasteful; a piece needs to be interesting without appealing to people’s morbid fascination with death, horror and crime.” Emma continued: “We’re never going to publish a crime scene photo or serial killer cover star. Instead, we’re going to focus on long-form features, beautiful photography and lots of advice on what our readers should be reading, watching and listening to. Foul Play is for discerning true crime fans.” It's an incredible magazine in both content and design, an important and responsible addition to the world of true crime. And, if you've ever had a dream to write about crime, now is your chance, they are always taking submissions for future issues. To preorder issue two or to submit, go to www.foulplaymag.com Behind True Crime is sponsored by Hunt A Killer, the monthly murder mystery subscription box service. Check them out at huntakiller.com and use the code BEHIND for 10% off your first order

'Foul Play:' A Different Kind of True Crime Magazine with Emma Hardy and Grace Harrison

Beloved crime writer Michelle McNamara died suddenly in 2016 before she could complete her book about an uncaught California serial killer she named the Golden State Killer. Her husband, comedian Patton Oswalt, hired crime writer Billy Jensen and Michelle's research assistant, Paul Haynes, to organize her drafts and notes into a publishable manuscript. Her incredible book, 'I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer' is now a number one New York Times bestseller. Michelle's book is an incredibly important addition to the lexicon of true crime: a beautiful, thoughtful, obsessive work that very well may lead to the capture of a prolific and brutal serial killer who operated in the mid 70s to mid 80s, responsible for 50 rapes and 10 murders. It was Billy and Paul that brought her work to life. Purchase Michelle's book here: https://www.harpercollins.com/9780062319784/ill-be-gone-in-the-dark Billy's website: http://billyjensen.com/ Behind True Crime is sponsored by Hunt A Killer, the monthly murder mystery subscription box service. Check them out at huntakiller.com and use the code BEHIND for 10% off your first order

Finishing the late Michelle McNamara's 'I'll Be Gone in the Dark:' Billy Jensen and Paul Haynes

Dr. Valarie Bell is a computational social scientist who holds masters degrees in forensic psychology, forensic social psychology, and sociology of deviant, psychopathic & sociopathic behavior. She is a professor at the University of North Texas and is currently teaching two classes, “Introduction to Criminal Profiling for the Amateur,“ and  “Introduction to Internet True Crime Sleuthing.” In addition to teaching, Dr. Bell also works to identify active hunting grounds of American serial killers by using geographic, geolocation, & spatial analysis along with public government, census, and crime data. It sounds complicated, and it is, but don’t worry, she’ll explain, and her conclusions might shock you. Dr. Bell has also worked for courts doing forensic evaluations of suspects, meaning that she decides whether there are grounds for insanity pleas in murder cases. This is just the beginning of the vast amount of criminal profiling work that Dr. Bell has, and is contributing to. Today she is going to share her incredible expertise in the area of serial murder, a field rife with misconceptions, false experts, and complicated, ever-changing theories. She will be dispelling some myths for us, especially in the area of criminal psychology. She certainly schooled me. Check out Dr. Bell's website here: http://journalism.unt.edu/people/valarie-bell Behind True Crime is sponsored by Hunt A Killer, the monthly murder mystery subscription box service. Check them out at huntakiller.com and use the code BEHIND for 10% off your first order.

Dr. Valarie Bell Schools Us in Serial Killer Psychology

Today I am talking to the team behind A Very Fatal Murder, the Onion’s genius true crime parody that tells the story of fictional New York podcaster David Pascall as he sets out to find and solve the perfect murder in order to comment compellingly on American society, but mostly to win himself awards. He heads to the small rural town of Bluff Springs, Nebraska to investigate the ridiculous murder of Haley Price, and the podcast he creates is complete with all the true crime tropes, pensive piano music, think accents, crying interviews, cheap poetic monologues, and amazing fake subscription box commercials, promo code Haley. I am joined today by writer David Sidorov, who also voiced David Pascall, director Ryan Natoli, and associate director Fran Hoepfner. The four of us discuss the value of parody, the podcasts and docuseries that served as inspiration, and try to answer the age old question of why is true crime so popular, and why we are so obsessed. Check out 'A Very Fatal Murder' here, and on iTunes: https://www.theonion.com/c/a-very-fatal-murder Behind True Crime is sponsored by Hunt A Killer, the monthly murder mystery subscription box service. Check them out at huntakiller.com and use the code BEHIND for 10% off your first order.

hubhopper

Sasha Reid and Phenomenology: Studying the Inner World of Se...

hubhopper