Serial Killers and True Crime: Websites, videos & podcasts

In: Journal of Canadian Studies

In: Child & Adolescent Social Work Journal

Get a rare glimpse into the minds and methods of sadistic murderers. From notorious names like Jeffrey Dahmer and John Wayne Gacy to lesser-known killers like “Death House Landlady” Dorothea Puente, what turns a regular person into a predator? Serial Killers is a Spotify Original from Parcast.

In 1978, Rodney Alcala won a date on the popular TV show, The Dating Game. What no one knew was that he was a prolific serial killer in the middle of a cross-country murder spree. In this six-part series, co-hosts Tracy Pattin (Hollywood & Crime) and Stephen Lang (Avatar, Don’t Breathe) take listeners on an unbelievable journey into Alcala’s twisting secret life. He hid behind normal jobs as a typesetter at a prominent newspaper and a summer camp counselor. How did this predatory monster fool employers, prison psychiatrists, and parole boards — all while committing heinous crimes from coast to coast? And how did a one-time appearance as a game show contestant help lead to his capture? From the makers of Dirty John, Dr. Death, and Young Charlie, learn the story of the most famous serial killer you’ve never heard of - The Dating Game Killer.

TSK is the podcast dedicated to exploring the serial killer phenomenon. Who the killers were, what they did and how. The show makes a significant effort into exploring the serial killers' background, especially their childhood and youth. It goes into detail in the killers' development, and describes the murders in graphic detail to give the listener a truthful understanding of who these killers really were and the extent of their criminal behavior. The show is produced and hosted by Thomas Wiborg-Thune. He is a 37 year old Norwegian living in the Norwegian capital city of Oslo. The show airs every week and currently has in excess of 17 million downloads.

Serial is a podcast from the creators of This American Life, hosted by Sarah Koenig. Serial tells one story — a true story — over the course of a season. Serial has won every major award for broadcasting, including the duPont-Columbia, Scripps Howard, Edward R. Murrow, and the first-ever Peabody awarded to a podcast. Serial, like This American Life, is produced in collaboration with WBEZ Chicago. It comes from Serial Productions, which released S-Town in 2017, and has more projects in development.