Stay ConnectedPeople know their hometowns by streets, a favourite restaurant or the local mall. Crime Reporter Nancy Hixt knows hers by the crime scenes she’s been to over the past 20 years. Journey deep inside some of Canada’s most high-profile criminal cases. Each episode will take you inside the story to give you details you didn’t hear on the news.
Winner of the 2020 & 2023 Edward R. Murrow Award (RTDNA).
Nominated as Best International Podcast at the 2026 iHeart Podcast Awards.
Copyright: © 2022 Curiouscast
You’ve heard the stories. You’ve felt for the people involved. But what happens after the cameras shut off and the reporters walk away? Just because a story disappears from the news doesn’t mean it’s gone. So whatever happened to the nuclear disaster at Fukushima? or the trapped Chilean Miners? And did anything actually come out of the Ice Bucket Challenge?
Join Global News reporter, Erica Vella on this unique history podcast as she takes you inside these stories and talks to the people at the heart of each one to find out exactly what’s happened since.
Listen now at https://link.chtbl.com/wht
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On this episode of the Global News podcast Crime Beat, crime reporter Nancy Hixt shares the story of Brooke Clapson and the violence that followed her.
As a child, Brooke was a ray of sunshine in her mother’s life.
But there was a dark shadow of domestic abuse that loomed over their home that left scars on the young girl that she could never erase.
As a teen, the expression “you live what you learn” played out in her life after she started dating Jerime Mallette.
Mallette was two years older than Brooke.
She fell victim to the same abuse she witnessed as a child.
Every time she was close to leaving the relationship, her boyfriend promised he would change. If only she would give him another chance, things would be different.
Three years into the on-again-off-again relationship, Brooke finally decided that it was time for a change.
She made a plan with one of her girlfriends to go to Europe. It was to be an adventure of a lifetime.
Brooke moved away, got a new job and saved up for the trip overseas.
That’s when the violence she escaped tragically caught up to her.
Hear details of the story that continue to haunt her family, police and the prosecutor on this episode of the Global News podcast.
Contact:
Twitter: @nancyhixt
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nancy.hixt/?hl=en
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NancyHixtCrimeBeat/
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On this episode of the Global News podcast Crime Beat, crime reporter Nancy Hixt shares the story of the evil and senseless plot against Ray Johnson.
Johnson was a kind and generous soul, the kind of man who would give the shirt off of his back to someone in need.
He was an antiques and collectibles dealer and had a table at a Calgary flea market.
In January of 2009 he celebrated his 77th birthday, and enjoyed daily routines that included coffee every morning to start his day with his youngest daughter.
That’s exactly how Friday, Jan. 30, 2009 began.
Ray and his daughter Bonnie went out for breakfast and sat and read the paper together.
They ended their meeting with a hug and goodbyes and promised to see each other at dinner later that night.
In the meantime, he went to a garage sale with one of his close friends -- then planned to meet up with an online seller who had reached out to him about some items he might be interested in.
When Ray didn’t show up for dinner that night, his daughter thought he must have gotten delayed at a garage sale. He loved to visit, even with complete strangers.
But the next day, when she still couldn’t reach her father, Bonnie started to worry.
She called family and friends and even tried local hospitals to see if Ray had been in an accident.
No one had heard from her father.
Bonnie called police and reported him missing.
The next afternoon, investigators met with the Johnson family to update them on his case.
Their father was found dead -- murdered.
Follow along as family and friends helped investigators retrace Ray Johnson’s last steps.
And, learn the shocking and senseless reason he was targeted.
Contact:
Twitter: @nancyhixt
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nancy.hixt/?hl=en
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NancyHixtCrimeBeat/
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The deadliest shooting spree in Canada’s modern history left us with far more questions than answers. Join Sarah Ritchie, a reporter for Global News in Halifax, as she tries to unravel how something like this could happen there.
Sarah will take you through every hour, as it unfolded and together you’ll try and piece together what happened, what could or should’ve been done to prevent it and what we can learn to make sure a tragedy of this magnitude never happens again.
13 Hours: Inside the Nova Scotia Massacre: Listen NOW! https://link.chtbl.com/13hours
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On this episode of the Global News podcast Crime Beat, crime reporter Nancy Hixt shares the story of a young mother who’s plans to rebuild her life were tragically interrupted.
March 10, 2015, was a typical Monday for Jessica Newman.
Her boyfriend took her home that morning after a weekend together at his place.
Later that afternoon, her roommate dropped her off at a Calgary bar and grill so she could work the night shift.
Her roommate expected to hear her come home around 10 that night.
The hours passed and Jessica never came home.
Her roommate didn’t immediately worry--he figured she must have met up with friends.
But after she missed several important appointments and work shifts--and no one heard from her for a few days--her family and friends all began to worry.
Newman’s roommate called 911 and reported her missing.
Police retraced her steps--and found her footprints of life had ended: no bank transactions, texts, internet or phone activity after that Monday night.
What had happened to the young mother, and was she a victim of foul play?
Learn the shocking details police uncovered as they investigated her mysterious disappearance.
Twitter: @nancyhixt
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NancyHixtCrimeBeat/
Email: nancy.hixt@globalnews.ca
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On this episode of the Global News podcast Crime Beat, crime reporter Nancy Hixt shares the story that will leave you questioning what horrors you can encounter-- just two doors down.
May 4, 2013 was a beautiful spring day in Calgary.
In one suburb, new neighbours met for the first time and decided to get together for a barbeque and drinks.
It was a memorable night filled with good conversation and laughter…
There’s a lasting reminder of that evening, a photo of the two men with their arms around each other, smiling.
They appeared to be having a great time, but just minutes after that photo was taken tragedy struck.
One of the men called 911.
The other was pronounced dead at the scene, before he could be rushed to the hospital.
He was later identified as Calgary middle school teacher, Craig Kelloway.
An autopsy revealed Kelloway was stabbed 37 times.
The question was, how did things turn so badly so quickly?
It’s a case that continues to haunt the lead investigator.
Follow along as we share the story of Mr. Kelloway in the season three premiere of Crime Beat.
Contact:
Twitter: @nancyhixt
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NancyHixtCrimeBeat/
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Nancy Hixt has been a crime reporter for nearly 25 years and in that time she's pretty much seen it all.
Things she never imagined possible, things she never believed one human would do to another.
On Season 3 of Crime Beat she'll share stories that can only be described as mind-blowing and with so many twists and turns they're hard to believe they’re fact, not fiction.
Real crimes… Real people …Real journalism
Crime Beat season three begins October 20.
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Global News crime reporter Nancy Hixt shares new information and insight into cases from the past two seasons in this special episode of Crime Beat.
Listen to updates and insights to the following cases:
Contact:
Twitter: @nancyhixt
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NancyHixtCrimeBeat/
Email: nancy.hixt@globalnews.ca
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After the release of Crime Beat: Daniel, silenced at 26 days, crime reporter Nancy Hixt received countless messages from listeners who reached out about the case—including many who knew Shelby Herchak, Daniel's mother, at that time.
In an update to this story--we share with you a new perspective on baby Daniel’s story--from another person who has been impacted by his death.
Contact:
Twitter: @nancyhixt
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NancyHixtCrimeBeat/
Email: nancy.hixt@globalnews.ca
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On this episode of the Global News podcast Crime Beat, crime reporter Nancy Hixt shares a story of a child whose life was silenced, snuffed out and stolen-- so young he never had a chance.
In the summer of 2010, EMS were called to a Calgary home where an 18-year-old single mom, Shelby Herchak, lived with her parents and her baby.
The infant, just 26 days old, was rushed to hospital.
But baby Daniel Herchak’s injuries were so severe, he died hours later.
At a media conference soon after, Calgary police stated the cause of death was determined to be blunt force trauma to the head. Officers said Daniel’s injuries were believed to be non-accidental in nature.
Police formally interviewed Herchak twice and said her story changed each time--and the explanations didn’t add up when compared to the evidence.
14 days after baby Daniel died, his mother was charged with second-degree murder.
But the case would take several major turns.
Herchak had bail granted and revoked several times.
Then, in September of 2012, the trial date was abandoned and the case was temporarily put on hold--while some of the work done by the medical examiner, in this case, was reviewed.
Alberta Justice ordered an independent external review panel to look at 14 of Dr. Evan Matshes’ cases.
The panel found his findings “unreasonable” in 13 of those 14 cases.
In baby Daniel's case, the panel agreed with the finding of homicide, and the cause of death-- but deemed his findings unreasonable because he noted there were signs of prior abuse.
Then, that government review-- was called into question.
A Queen’s Bench Justice ruled the government review was unfair and quashed the results. The judge also ordered Alberta Justice to pay for a large portion of Matshes legal costs.
In this episode, Dr. Matshes speaks to Hixt about the review. It’s the first time he’s ever spoken to a reporter about the investigation and he said he wanted to set the record straight.
Because of the controversy surrounding the government review another pathologist provided expertise in the Herchak case instead of Matshes.
They came up with the same findings: it was deemed a homicide and the cause of death was blunt force head trauma.
Daniel suffered two fractures to the skull, extensive bleeding, bruising to the head and face, bruising and swelling of the brain, nerve damage along the spine, bruising to the chest abdomen and back and hemorrhaging to both eyes
Then, on the eve of her trial, Shelby Herchak pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter.
She was sentenced to five and a half years in jail but with credit for time in custody pre-trial, she had just two and a half left to serve.
It was only during that time in prison, the Herchak finally shed light on what happened that fateful morning.
Hear those admissions, along with an exclusive interview with the primary investigator in this case in this episode of Crime Beat: Daniel, silenced at 26 days.
Contact:
Twitter: @nancyhixt
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NancyHixtCrimeBeat/
Email: nancy.hixt@globalnews.ca
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