Crimes of the Times

Latest Episodes:

The Water Czar's Deadly Hubris Oct 20, 2026

Show notes

William Mulholland was the water boss who made L.A. possible. His reputation gave him unchecked authority as a dam builder. In 1928, that led to one of America's deadliest disasters--and the question of whether it was a crime.

The Shadow War Against L.A. Nazis Oct 13, 2026

Show notes

From his law office in downtown Los Angeles, an attorney named Leon Lewis ran a clandestine operation to thwart Nazi and fascist plots in the 1930s and 40s to kill Jews in Southern California. His work went unseen and uncelebrated until long after his death.

The Trial of Errol Flynn Oct 06, 2026

Show notes

On screen, Errol Flynn played a series of daredevils, fortune hunters, and suave romantics. Off screen, he lived a life of outsize debauchery and recklessness, including a persistent interest in underage girls. In 1943, at the height of his fame, he faced trial in Los Angeles on charges of statutory rape.

Introducing: House of Troy Sep 22, 2026

Show notes

House of Troy is a new podcast from LA Times Studios tracing the rise and fall of USC football, from coach Pete Carroll’s back-to-back national titles in the 2000s, to the Reggie Bush scandal, to the series of missteps that followed. It’ll feature exclusive interviews with coaches, players, and USC officials who saw it all up close — and shine new light on how a college football dynasty came undone.

How A Hillside Strangler Nearly Went Free Jun 30, 2026

Show notes

The Hillside Strangler murders terrorized Los Angeles in the late 1970s. The killers were a pair of sadistic cousins. One confessed. The other was set to stand trial—until L.A. prosecutors flinched.

Suicide by Father? The Tragic Death of Marvin Gaye Jun 23, 2026

Show notes

In 1984, soul legend Marvin Gaye was in the grip of a cocaine habit and living with his father, a hard-drinking Pentecostal preacher with whom he had a lifetime of bad blood. One day, Gaye gave his father a gun and told him it was to protect the house. Some would see an elaborate plan to orchestrate suicide by his father’s hand.

The Unsolved Slaying of Joe Gatto Jun 16, 2026

Show notes

When retired art teacher Joseph Gatto was shot to death inside his Silver Lake home in 2013, the LAPD theorized that a fleeing car burglar might be the killer. The victim’s son, a prominent California legislator, found that story increasingly hard to believe.

The Trials of Tokyo Rose Jun 09, 2026

Show notes

Iva Toguri was a Los Angeles native who became trapped in Japan during World War II. When she returned home, the U.S. government put her on trial as a traitor for her wartime broadcasts. Her name became synonymous with a myth, her conviction fueled by lies and political pressure.

The Forgotten Prophet of Los Angeles Jun 02, 2026

Show notes

Aimee Semple McPherson built a religious empire in Los Angeles and became one of the most influential evangelists in America. When she vanished from a California beach and reappeared weeks later with an unbelievable story, the scandal that followed threatened to destroy everything she had built.

The Assassination of RFK May 19, 2026

Show notes

On today’s episode, we discuss one of the pivotal events of the 1960s: the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy, a promising presidential candidate at the time of his murder. Though the gunman was caught at the scene, confessed at trial, and even bragged about the shooting, his motives have largely been forgotten. In that collective amnesia, conspiracy theories have flourished.

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