The Casual Criminalist

Latest Episodes:

Driven to Murder: Why Ellen Pakkies Killed Her Own Son Oct 09, 2026

Show notes

In 2007, Ellen Pakkies strangled her drug-addicted son after six years of abuse, theft, and violence. Her trial revealed a childhood of neglect, institutional failures, and a community ravaged by tik. The judge gave her a suspended sentence. Today, she campaigns for Cape Town mayor, fighting addiction and demanding accountability.

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Unsolved: The Servant Girl Annihilator Sep 28, 2026

Show notes

In 1880s Austin, Texas, a serial killer stalked domestic servants, brutally murdering eight people with axes before vanishing into history. The police failed spectacularly, private detectives proved useless, and two husbands faced murder trials. Was the killer a local man named Nathan Elgin, or did he become Jack the Ripper?

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Unsolved: The Yoghurt Shop Murders Sep 24, 2026

Show notes

In 1991, four teenage girls were brutally murdered at an Austin yogurt shop. For decades, the case was plagued by wrongful arrests, coerced confessions, and constitutional violations. Finally, in 2025, advanced DNA testing identified serial killer Robert Brashers as the true perpetrator. Four wrongly accused men were declared factually innocent.

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William Bonin: The Forgotten Serial Killer Sep 18, 2026

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William Bonin became one of Southern California’s most notorious serial killers. Explore his disturbing crimes, accomplices, victims, failed releases, investigation, confessions, and eventual death-row fate.

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'Dirty John': She Married a Psychopath and Chose Him Over Her Kids Sep 17, 2026

Show notes

Debra Newell was a successful interior designer who fell for charming doctor John Meehan online. Her daughters sensed something was wrong immediately. What they uncovered was terrifying: a convicted felon, drug addict, and serial con artist who stalked women. When Debra finally tried to escape, John came for her family.

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The Murder of Rob and Michele Reiner Sep 09, 2026

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Hollywood icon Rob Reiner and his wife Michele seemed to have a life defined by love, family, and activism—until their shocking murders exposed a devastating familial tragedy.

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Unsolved: How Did Natalie Wood Die? Sep 05, 2026

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Natalie Wood’s death remains one of Hollywood’s most enduring mysteries. Explore the conflicting accounts, unanswered questions, and investigation that continue to cast doubt over what happened that night.

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The Most Incompetent Murder Investigations in FBI History Sep 04, 2026

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The FBI has a history of shocking investigative failures. Explore four controversial cases involving botched investigations, unreliable evidence, corruption, and devastating consequences for victims and their families. Edit description

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The Murder of Selena Quintanilla-Pérez Sep 02, 2026

Show notes

Selena Quintanilla-Pérez was a rising music icon whose life ended in a shocking betrayal. Explore her extraordinary journey, tragic murder, Yolanda Saldívar’s trial, and enduring legacy.

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The Murder of Marta del Castillo: Spain's Most Frustrating Murder Mystery Aug 28, 2026

Show notes

Marta del Castillo vanished in Seville, sparking Spain’s most haunting murder mystery. Explore the investigation, shifting confessions, missing body, disputed evidence, and unanswered questions that continue to haunt the case.

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