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Crime Adjacent

OK, profilers. Can you solve an unsolvable murder?

Join host and serial killer survivor Chase Patrick live on stage for Crime Adjacent, the world’s biggest true crime podcast. Every week, at shows across the country, Chase reopens the most haunting, enduring mysteries from the grim underbelly of American true crime and challenges you to solve them.

“An atmospheric and immersive podcast where true crime and psychological thrillers intersect.” — Earworthy

From the Zodiac to the Rest Stop Killer, the Michigan Nightstalker to the Cross Country Killer, each episode unfolds like a real investigation — like the whip smart, nerdy love child of Murder, She Wrote and War of the Worlds — and dares you to unravel the mystery and provide justice for those who need it most.

It looks like a true crime podcast. It sounds like a true crime podcast. But what happens when the cosmology of our escapist entertainment looks terrifyingly like our real world? That’s Crime Adjacent. It’s a fully scripted, intimate, locked-room mystery that pulls back the curtain on our social obsession with true crime and what this fascination with humanity’s darkest impulses says about … us.

“Crime Adjacent is redefining the true crime genre.” — Podcasting Today

Crime Adjacent is written and performed by Mike Adamick, a former crime reporter turned contributor for NPR, The New York Times, and McSweeney’s. He uses degrees in sociology and gender studies from UC Berkeley, along with an obsession with criminal profiling, true crime, and Jessica Fletcher, to explore why people commit crimes, why we are enthralled with them, and who, ultimately, pays the price.

So listen closely, profilers. Because with every episode, a new crime is afoot and every detail matters.

It’s not crime. It’s Crime Adjacent.

New live shows every Wednesday from theaters across America.

Weekly live behind the scenes insights for Crime Adjacent insiders at Patreon — http://www.patreon.com/crimeadjacent

Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/crimeadjacent

Web site — www.crimeadjacent.com

Crime Adjacent is written and performed by Mike Adamick.

It is produced & edited by Multitude.

Latest Episodes:

A murder in Traverse City Dec 24, 2025

Show notes

On Sept. 3, 2024, Realtor Yuki Sugita was hosting an open house in a rural neighborhood on the outskirts of Traverse City.

Sometime between 1:30 and 3:30 p.m., someone showed up at this house and discovered Sugita alone. No neighbors. No buyers. Just her and an empty, quiet home.

Sugita was tied up and stabbed to death, only to be discovered by potential buyers out shopping for homes that afternoon.

While the case looked, on the surface, so different and far away and unrelated to the clown creeper cases on Walloon Lake -- a full 60 miles away -- Sheriff Press soon discovered something that would lead her to a horrifying conclusion. The clown creeper was more than capable of murder.

This is part five of the 8th season of Crime Adjacent: the untold story of the Michigan Nightstalker.

What happens if your favorite character jumps off the page and starts a podcast? That’s Crime Adjacent, the never-ending true crime thriller told weekly.

With the help of devoted listeners and true crime fans, the international #1 smash hit Crime Adjacent podcast team has already captured the Bay Area's Rest Stop Killer in 2023, stopped the Mercy Street Butcher in 2019, and exposed the AmaniCorp conspiracy in 2024.

But now, the darkest chapter begins, as host and serial killer survivor Chase Patrick is pulled into the case of the Michigan Nightstalker.

New episodes every Wednesday.

Weekly live BTS videos and our True Crime College profiling group at Patreon -- http://www.patreon.com/crimeadjacent

Instagram -- https://www.instagram.com/crimeadjacent

Web site -- www.crimeadjacent.com

Crime Adjacent is written and performed by Mike Adamick.

It is produced & edited by Multitude.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A prelude to murder Dec 17, 2025

Show notes

Beginning in January 2024, the town began experiencing an odd but noticeable rash in crime.

The high school science teacher suddenly began sending people nudes. The school principal was arrested for embezzlement. The bookstore owner also sent nudes. A cafe worker was charged with felony assault for beating up a high school football player.

The town's biggest problems were bar fights and traffic tickets. But now, everyday citizens suddenly went on unusual crime sprees.

And one person, who moved to town in January, long before the clown creeping even began, appeared on the periphery in each case. Over and over again, this one name in particular popped up.

And it popped up again in the clown creeper cases in September 2024, when he was arrested right outside the cabin of Claire Gasley.

This is part four of the 8th season of Crime Adjacent: the untold story of the Michigan Nightstalker.

What happens if your favorite character jumps off the page and starts a podcast? That’s Crime Adjacent, the never-ending true crime thriller told weekly.

With the help of devoted listeners and true crime fans, the international #1 smash hit Crime Adjacent podcast team has already captured the Bay Area's Rest Stop Killer in 2023, stopped the Mercy Street Butcher in 2019, and exposed the AmaniCorp conspiracy in 2024.

But now, the darkest chapter begins, as host and serial killer survivor Chase Patrick is pulled into the case of the Michigan Nightstalker.

New episodes every Wednesday.

Weekly live BTS videos and our True Crime College profiling group at Patreon -- http://www.patreon.com/crimeadjacent

Instagram -- https://www.instagram.com/crimeadjacent

Web site -- www.crimeadjacent.com

Crime Adjacent is written and performed by Mike Adamick.

It is produced & edited by Multitude.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Hidden cameras, private moments Dec 10, 2025

Show notes

Have you ever stayed in a short-term rental while on vacation and wondered: Is that fire alarm real? Or is there a camera in there?

Because that's exactly what happened in this case. And it led to a series of big breaks.

When hidden spy cameras were found inside the cabin, investigators narrowed on a suspect quickly.

This sounded exactly like something one man in particular would do -- a man with a history of peeping and public exposure. It appeared as if this case would be solved in mere hours.

And then investigators discovered something else about these cameras, something that would turn this case upside down and begin to answer questions about why the small town began experiencing big crimes.

This is part three of the 8th season of Crime Adjacent: the untold story of the Michigan Nightstalker.

What happens if your favorite character jumps off the page and starts a podcast? That’s Crime Adjacent, the never-ending true crime thriller told weekly.

With the help of devoted listeners and true crime fans, the international #1 smash hit Crime Adjacent podcast team has already captured the Bay Area's Rest Stop Killer in 2023, stopped the Mercy Street Butcher in 2019, and exposed the AmaniCorp conspiracy in 2024.

But now, the darkest chapter begins, as host and serial killer survivor Chase Patrick is pulled into the case of the Michigan Nightstalker.

New episodes every Wednesday.

Weekly live BTS videos and our True Crime College profiling group at Patreon -- http://www.patreon.com/crimeadjacent

Instagram -- https://www.instagram.com/crimeadjacent

Web site -- www.crimeadjacent.com

Crime Adjacent is written and performed by Mike Adamick.

It is produced & edited by Multitude.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Clowns and crime: Why do they scare us? Dec 03, 2025

Show notes

Clowns are supposed to be happy, entertaining figures. And yet, they factor into true crime cases all the time -- from bank robberies to burglaries to serial killers.

As more break ins and foot rubs were tied to this case, we take a look at why clowns have such a fascinating -- and terrifying -- hold on us.

And we also discover something shocking inside the cabin of one victim.

Someone had recorded the whole thing.

This is part two of the 8th season of Crime Adjacent: the untold story of the Michigan Nightstalker.

What happens if your favorite character jumps off the page and starts a podcast? That’s Crime Adjacent, the never-ending true crime thriller told weekly.

With the help of devoted listeners and true crime fans, the international #1 smash hit Crime Adjacent podcast team has already captured the Bay Area's Rest Stop Killer in 2023, stopped the Mercy Street Butcher in 2019, and exposed the AmaniCorp conspiracy in 2024.

But now, the darkest chapter begins, as host and serial killer survivor Chase Patrick is pulled into the case of the Michigan Nightstalker.

New episodes every Wednesday.

Weekly live BTS videos and our True Crime College profiling group at Patreon -- http://www.patreon.com/crimeadjacent

Instagram -- https://www.instagram.com/crimeadjacent

Web site -- www.crimeadjacent.com

Crime Adjacent is written and performed by Mike Adamick.

It is produced & edited by Multitude.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A break in on Walloon Lake Nov 26, 2025

Show notes

Early in the morning on Sept. 26, 2024, a man in a Halloween clown mask broke into the cabin of a single, vacationing woman in Northern Michigan.

He bagged all her shoes. Watched her sleep for an unknown period of time. And then crept to the foot of her bed, where he gently lifted the covers and massaged her feet.

Night after night, cabin after cabin, the man prowled the quiet vacationland of Walloon Lake.

It started with break ins and foot rubs. And soon, it escalated, with murders stretching from Petoskey to Traverse City.

This is part one of a new season of Crime Adjacent: the untold story of the Michigan Nightstalker.

What happens if your favorite character jumps off the page and starts a podcast? That’s Crime Adjacent, the never-ending true crime thriller told weekly.

With the help of devoted listeners and true crime fans, the international #1 smash hit Crime Adjacent podcast team has already captured the Bay Area's Rest Stop Killer in 2023, stopped the Mercy Street Butcher in 2019, and exposed the AmaniCorp conspiracy in 2024.

But now, the darkest chapter begins, as host and serial killer survivor Chase Patrick is pulled into the case of the Michigan Nightstalker.

New episodes every Wednesday.

Weekly live BTS videos and our True Crime College profiling group at Patreon -- http://www.patreon.com/crimeadjacent

Instagram -- https://www.instagram.com/crimeadjacent

Web site -- www.crimeadjacent.com

Crime Adjacent is written and performed by Mike Adamick.

It is produced & edited by Multitude.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Rest Stop Killer Nov 19, 2025

Show notes

In the annals of true crime lore and media representations, serial killers are far too often held up as loner geniuses and masterminds. But the truth is, for the most part, these guys are morons -- usually psychopathic, narcissistic idiots who are, ultimately, done in by their own stupidity and hubris.

Ted Bundy couldn't help but steal the same type of car. The Son of Sam got parking tickets and returned to the scenes of his crimes. The BTK Killer trusted cops and basically sent in his own confession letter.

And in Ridgewood, in 2023, the Rest Stop Killer couldn't stop putting up signposts that would, in the end, lead to their capture.

This is the story of The Rest Stop Killer's capture.

What happens if your favorite character jumps off the page and starts a podcast? That’s Crime Adjacent, the never-ending true crime thriller told weekly.

With the help of devoted listeners and true crime fans, the international #1 smash hit Crime Adjacent podcast team has already captured the Bay Area's Rest Stop Killer in 2023, stopped the Mercy Street Butcher in 2019, and exposed the AmaniCorp conspiracy in 2024.

But the darkest chapter awaits and comes to you live, each Wednesday, beginning Nov. 26, 2025.

In Season 8, host and serial killer survivor Chase Patrick investigates the Michigan Nightstalker, who in September 2024 broke into the cabins of single, vacationing women late at night to rub their feet. Creepy, yes. But it soon escalated into a murder spree that spanned the entire state.

New episodes every Wednesday.

Weekly live BTS videos and our True Crime College profiling group at Patreon -- http://www.patreon.com/crimeadjacent

Instagram -- https://www.instagram.com/crimeadjacent

Web site -- www.crimeadjacent.com

Crime Adjacent is written and performed by Mike Adamick.

It is produced & edited by Multitude.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Red Handed Nov 12, 2025

Show notes

Everything pointed to Daniel Palmer as the main suspect in the Rest Stop Killer case. All of the victims were found on his property, either in the valley or at his home or at his office

When Bea Macy, the final known victim of the Rest Stop Killer, was discovered outside of his downtown headquarters building on Dec. 16, 2023, there was a literal trail of blood leading directly to his office.

Ridgewood police had seen enough. They arrested him that very night. The Rest Stop Killer had finally been caught.

This case, it seemed, was at long last solved.

Imagine what happens if your favorite character from your favorite true crime, mystery thriller leaps off the page and starts a podcast. That's Crime Adjacent -- the never-ending true crime story told weekly.

New episodes every Wednesday.

Weekly live BTS videos and our true crime profiling group at Patreon -- http://www.patreon.com/crimeadjacent

Instagram -- https://www.instagram.com/crimeadjacent

Web site -- www.crimeadjacent.com

Crime Adjacent is written and performed by Mike Adamick.

It is produced & edited by Multitude.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming soon: The Michigan Nightstalker Nov 10, 2025

Show notes

On a quiet lake in Northern Michigan, in the early morning hours of September 26, 2024, a man in a long tan coat and a Halloween clown mask broke into the cabin of a single, vacationing woman named Claire Gasley. First, he bagged up her shoes and socks. Then, he crept to the foot of her bed, slipped his hands under the covers, and … massaged her feet.

Michigan is practically a breeding ground for serial killers. The Ypsilanti Ripper. The Sunday Morning Slasher. The Oakland County Child Killer. The North Fox Island pedophile ring—a dark foreshadowing of Epstein’s island.

But nothing compares to what happened on Walloon Lake in September 2024.

While the locals called him the Walloon Lake Clown Creeper, the man in a clown mask with an incurable foot fetish soon had a different name that shocked the entire state — because it all went from creepy to deadly in the span of days, with murders stretching from Petoskey to Traverse City and beyond.

This is the story of the Michigan Nightstalker.

And this season of Crime Adjacent explores how a rookie sheriff’s deputy uncovered a deadly conspiracy that turned this vacation wonderland upside down.

Imagine what happens if your favorite character from your favorite true crime, mystery thriller leaps off the page and starts a podcast. That's Crime Adjacent -- the never-ending true crime story told weekly.

New episodes every Wednesday.

Weekly live BTS videos and our monthly True Crime College amateur profiling group at Patreon -- http://www.patreon.com/crimeadjacent

Instagram -- https://www.instagram.com/crimeadjacent

Web site -- www.crimeadjacent.com

Crime Adjacent is written and performed by Mike Adamick.

It is produced & edited by Multitude.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Serial killer souvenirs Nov 05, 2025

Show notes

Ed Gein took skin. BTK took jewelry and trinkets. The Zodiac took pieces of a bloody shirt.

In Ridgewood, police knew exactly what the Rest Stop Killer took from each victim. And somehow, they managed to keep this a secret for decades, knowing these souvenirs provided the only link between each murder.

If police could find these tokens, they'd find their suspect.

On Dec. 16, 2023, on the night City Councilwoman Bea Macy was abducted, they finally found the tokens -- which meant, they also found the Rest Stop Killer.

It was the last person anyone suspected.

This is the story of the final night in the Rest Stop Killer saga.

Imagine what happens if your favorite character from your favorite true crime, mystery thriller leaps off the page and starts a podcast. That's Crime Adjacent -- the never-ending true crime thriller told weekly.

New episodes every Wednesday.

Weekly live BTS videos and our true crime profiling group at Patreon -- http://www.patreon.com/crimeadjacent

Instagram -- https://www.instagram.com/crimeadjacent

Web site -- www.crimeadjacent.com

Crime Adjacent is written and performed by Mike Adamick.

It is produced & edited by Multitude.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Ridgewood City Council murders Oct 29, 2025

Show notes

In the winter of 2023, three city councilmembers from the city of Ridgewood were abducted.

One, Gary Pugh, was murdered, his body dumped in a valley on the outskirts of town -- the exact same location used by the Rest Stop Killer.

The two others, Margie Miller and Bea Macy, were brutally assaulted but, somehow, survived. To figure out what happened and to better understand how the Rest Stop Killer played a role in these cases, the city council commissioned an independent report.

What it uncovered stunned the town but also provided the answers to a question haunting everyone for years: How could the most prolific serial killer in American history live there undetected for decades?

What's Crime Adjacent all about? Imagine what happens if your favorite character from your favorite mystery thriller leaps off the page and starts a podcast. That's Crime Adjacent -- the never-ending true crime thriller told weekly.

New episodes every Wednesday.

Weekly live BTS videos and our true crime profiling group at Patreon -- http://www.patreon.com/crimeadjacent

Instagram -- https://www.instagram.com/crimeadjacent

Web site -- www.crimeadjacent.com

Crime Adjacent is written and performed by Mike Adamick.

It is produced & edited by Multitude.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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