Casefile True Crime

*** Content warnings: Animal cruelty ***

On a hot summer’s day in 1989, a father and son travelling through Stockton, California, discover a VHS tape left by the side of a road. When they take it home and decide to watch it, they make a disturbing discovery. The tape contains footage of a house burning to the ground and was apparently filmed by the arsonist who lit the fire...

In early January 2000, residents of Asheville, North Carolina were told to be on the lookout for 18-year-old Zebb Quinn after he failed to return home after finishing his shift at Wal-Mart. A co-worker of Zebb’s, Robert Jason Owens, claimed that Zebb had sped off after receiving a mysterious message on his pager. 

Two weeks later, an unexpected breakthrough in the case presents some bizarre clues...

*** Content warnings: Child victim, sexual assault ***

[Part 2 of 2]
Colin Ross maintained his innocence for the murder of Alma Tirtschke right up until his execution. Could he have been telling the truth?

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Narration – Anonymous Host
Research & writing – Milly Raso
Creative direction – Milly Raso
Production and music – Mike Migas
Music – Andrew D.B...

*** Content warnings: Child victim, sexual assault ***

[Part 1 of 2]
When 12-year-old Alma Tirtschke failed to return home after running an errand for her family, they were immediately concerned. Alma was a dutiful child who did what she was told and respected her elders.

Alma’s final movements were retraced to an infamous saloon in the heart of Melbourne and its problematic owner, a man named Colin Ross...

*** Content warnings: Sexual assault, domestic violence ***

Jeff and Tim Slaten woke on the morning of Friday, September 4 1981, to find their home teeming with police. Their mother, Linda, had been raped and murdered during the night. Neither brother heard a thing, and despite the killer having left pivotal evidence behind, it quickly became clear that this wasn’t an open-and-shut case...

May 3 1991, was a typical Friday for 58-year-old Margaret Penny. In the afternoon, she visited the Old London Coiffure in the heart of Portland, Victoria, for her weekly hair appointment with 49-year-old Claire Acocks. But when the two women are found stabbed to death in the salon’s shampoo room, the Portland rumour mill goes into overdrive...

*** Content warnings: Sexual assault, domestic violence, stalking ***
When Angela Connell met Ian Diaz, the pair began a whirlwind romance that quickly led to marriage and a growing family. But their newfound happiness was soon disturbed by a cyberstalking campaign with real world consequences.

Angela and Ian told detectives from the Anaheim Police Department that they knew exactly who was behind the scheme: Ian’s ex-girlfriend, Michelle Hadley...

*** Content warning: Child victim ***
On November 16 2001, two state troopers from the Pennsylvania State Police arrived to conduct a welfare check at the Poconos Mountains home of 52-year-old Benjamin Amato. Friends and neighbours had reported their concerns after noticing Ben’s car in his driveway for several days, but no sign of Ben himself...

*** Content warning: Child victims, serial rapist, stalking ***
When the Koneva family fled to England to escape the war-torn Balkans, their hopes for a peaceful new beginning were soon shattered. In May 1997, an unknown intruder entered their London home and claimed the life of 12-year-old Katerina Koneva. The subsequent investigation spanned multiple countries and unravelled a frightening and prolific figure known as “The Beast...

47 years ago, on a warm summer’s night in Melbourne, Susan Bartlett and Suzanne Armstrong were stabbed to death in their home in Easey Street, Collingwood. Suzanne’s 16 month-old son was asleep in his cot at the time.

The double homicide left the community shocked and detectives rattled, as several promising early leads gradually petered out. Eventually, the case went cold...