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Case 215: The One-Man Crime Wave

Casefile PremiumJun 04, 2022

Case 278: Alma Tirtschke (Part 1)

Case 278: Alma Tirtschke (Part 1)

[Part 1 of 2]

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

When 12-year-old Alma Tirstschke 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.


Team:

Anonymous Host - narration

Milly Raso - research, writing

Mike Migas - production, music

Andrew D.B. Joslyn - music

Milly Raso - creative direction

Mar 23, 202401:06:21
Case 277: Linda Slaten

Case 277: Linda Slaten

*** 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.


Team:

Anonymous Host - narration

Milly Raso - research, writing

Mike Migas - production, music

Andrew D.B. Joslyn - music

Milly Raso - creative direction

Mar 23, 202444:36
Premium Episode 24: Olga Chardymova

Premium Episode 24: Olga Chardymova

***Content warning: Child victims***


In 2002, a 10-year-old Russian girl, Olga Chardymova was allowed to walk to her grandmother’s house unaccompanied for the very first time. Her journey barely began before she met a monster.


For years after her death, Olga’s parents were continually tormented by another kind of monster. What authorities eventually discovered shocked and horrified the entire nation.


Team:

Anonymous Host - narration

Holly Boyd - research, writing

Mike Migas - production, music

Andrew D.B. Joslyn - music

Milly Raso - creative direction

Mar 16, 202438:54
Case 276: Claire Acocks & Margaret Penny

Case 276: Claire Acocks & Margaret Penny

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.


Who could be motivated to commit such a brazen and vicious crime in the middle of the day, in the busiest part of town? And who was the “horrible man” with a hatred of hairdressers who had tormented Claire in the weeks before the crime?


Team:

Anonymous Host - narration

Elsha McGill - research, writing

Mike Migas - production, music

Andrew D.B. Joslyn - music

Milly Raso - creative direction

Mar 09, 202401:09:02
Behind the Files & Q&A: February 2024

Behind the Files & Q&A: February 2024

In February 2024, Behind the Files and the Q&A, the Anonymous Host is joined by Milly, Elsha and Erin to answer your questions and discuss the making of:

Case 270 - Meredith Kercher

Case 271 - Bonnie Clarke

Case 272 - The Annecy Shootings

Case 273 - The Beast of Mlawa

Mar 07, 202452:10
Case 275: Michelle Hadley

Case 275: Michelle Hadley

*** 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. But all was not as it seemed…


Team:

Anonymous Host - narration

Erin Munro & Eileen Ormsby - research, writing

Mike Migas - production, music

Andrew D.B. Joslyn - music

Milly Raso - creative direction

Mar 02, 202401:21:24
Case 274: Benjamin Amato

Case 274: Benjamin Amato

*** Content warnings: 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. 

What they found inside the house led to an investigation full of twists, with one question at the core - could Ben’s ex-girlfriend, Cheryl Kunkle, have something to do with Ben’s death?


Team:

Anonymous Host - narration

Elsha McGill - research, writing

Mike Migas - production, music

Andrew D.B. Joslyn - music

Milly Raso - creative direction

Feb 24, 202459:34
Case 273: The Beast of Mława

Case 273: The Beast of Mława

*** 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.”


Team:

Anonymous Host - narration

Milly Raso - research, writing

Mike Migas - production, music

Andrew D.B. Joslyn - music

Milly Raso - creative direction

Feb 24, 202439:38
Premium Episode 23: The De Gruchy Family

Premium Episode 23: The De Gruchy Family

Wayne and Jennifer De Gruchy lived a comfortable life in the New South Wales suburb of Albion Park Rail with their three teenage children, Matthew, Adrian and Sarah. But on the morning of Wednesday March 13 1996, detectives arrived at a scene that would shake the local community to the core.


Team:

Anonymous Host - narration

Vikki Petraitis - research, writing

Mike Migas - production, music

Andrew D.B. Joslyn - music

Milly Raso - creative direction

Feb 17, 202443:59
Case 272: The Annecy Shootings

Case 272: The Annecy Shootings

On September 5 2012, a cyclist driving through the French Alps came upon a shocking scene. Married couple Saad and Iqbal al-Hilli, along with Iqbal’s elderly mother Suhaila al-Allaf, were shot execution-style while sitting in their BMW in a secluded parking spot in the woods surrounding Chevaline. 7-year-old Zainab al-Hilli clung to life on the ground nearby, while 4-year-old Zeena al-Hilli was nowhere to be seen. A local cyclist, Sylvain Mollier, was also fatally shot in the brutal killing spree. 

An international investigation quickly raised more questions than it did answers. What were the victims doing in this isolated area? Had they been targeted as part of some sinister activity or were they killed at random by a lone psychopath?


Team:

Anonymous Host - narration

Elsha McGill - research, writing

Mike Migas - production, music

Andrew D.B. Joslyn - music

Milly Raso - creative direction

Feb 10, 202401:17:24
Case 271: Bonnie Clarke

Case 271: Bonnie Clarke

*** Content warning: Child victim, child sexual assault, sexual assault/rape ***

When six-year-old Bonnie Clarke is murdered in her bed in the middle of the night just four nights before Christmas in 1982, Melbourne detectives are certain they know who’s responsible: Bonnie’s mother, Marion. Yet Marion insists an intruder must have broken into their home while she was sleeping. It would take 20 years, two other crimes, and an undercover investigation for the truth to unravel…


Team:

Anonymous Host - narration

Erin Munro - research, writing

Mike Migas - production, music

Andrew D.B. Joslyn - music

Milly Raso - creative direction

Feb 03, 202401:13:07
Case 270: Meredith Kercher

Case 270: Meredith Kercher

*** Content warning: Sexual assault ***

For 21-year-old British student Meredith Kercher, spending a year studying in Italy was a dream come true. But within months of arriving in the medieval town of Perugia, that dream quickly turned into a nightmare. What unravelled next was one of the most polarising murder cases in Italy’s history, with one young American woman at the centre of it all – 22-year-old Amanda Knox. 


Team:

Anonymous Host - narration

Elsha McGill - research, writing

Mike Migas - production, music

Andrew D.B. Joslyn - music

Milly Raso - creative direction

Feb 03, 202402:23:38
Behind the Files & Q&A: January 2024

Behind the Files & Q&A: January 2024

In January 2024, Behind the Files and the Q&A, the Anonymous Host is joined by Milly and Erin to answer your questions and discuss the making of:

Case 267 - Brian Barrett

Case 268 - Colleen Stan

Case 269 - Caroline Crouch

Jan 30, 202429:42
Behind the Files & Q&A: December 2023

Behind the Files & Q&A: December 2023

In December 2023, Behind the Files and the Q&A, the Anonymous Host is joined by Elsha and Erin to answer your questions and discuss the making of:

Case 260 - The Alpine Manor Murders

Case 263 - Kim Barry

Case 264 - Andrew Gosden

Case 265 - Marea Yann

Case 266 - Circleville Letter Writer

Sorry for being late!

Jan 01, 202441:33
Case 269: Caroline Crouch

Case 269: Caroline Crouch

*** Content warning: Animal cruelty ***

In May 2021, residents of the affluent Athens suburb of Glyka Nera were left shaken by news of a violent home invasion. Three masked intruders had killed 19-year-old Caroline Crouch as she slept beside her 11-month-old daughter before ransacking the house. 

Caroline’s husband, Babis Anagnostopoulos, was the only witness, but he’d been bound and blindfolded during the attack. The desperate search for those responsible led investigators down a path no one saw coming.


Team:

Anonymous Host - narration

Milly Raso - research, writing

Mike Migas - production, music

Andrew D.B. Joslyn - music

Milly Raso - creative direction

Dec 02, 202337:52
Behind the Files & Q&A: November 2023

Behind the Files & Q&A: November 2023

In November 2023, Behind the Files and the Q&A, the Anonymous Host is joined by Elsha, Erin and Holly to answer your questions and discuss the making of:

Case 261 - Shari Smith & Debra May Helmick

Case 262 - Samia Shahid


Episode links:

Casey's Insta: https://www.instagram.com/caseys.snaps

Mike's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCz-FRglF9UiGK_58XBDQQDw

Nov 30, 202335:43
Premium Episode 22: Nadia Kajouji & Mark Drybrough

Premium Episode 22: Nadia Kajouji & Mark Drybrough

*** Content warning: Suicide, self-harm, pregnancy loss ***


When retired schoolteacher Celia Blay stumbled across an online forum where suicidal individuals shared their innermost thoughts, she had no idea that she was about to encounter a serial predator. Li Dao was a young nurse who trawled the forum looking for people to push over the edge. She encouraged other posters to take their own lives and gave explicit instructions. As members of the forum started to disappear, Celia Blay became determined to uncover Li Dao’s true identity and put a stop to her crimes. But nothing about Li Dao was as it seemed…


Team:

Anonymous Host - narration

Erin Munro - research, writing

Mike Migas - production, music

Andrew D.B. Joslyn - music

Milly Raso - creative direction

Nov 25, 202301:06:48
Case 268: Colleen Stan (Part 2)

Case 268: Colleen Stan (Part 2)

*** Content warning: Extreme sexual violence, captivity ***
[Part 2 of 2]

As the years of abuse, torture and confinement to the bed box continued for Colleen Stan, she remained paralysed by her fear of The Company. But one thing changed. Her captors Cameron and Janice Hooker slowly started granting Colleen small privileges, including time outside of their Red Bluff trailer. Did this mean they were finally going to set their slave free?


Team:

Anonymous Host - narration

Milly Raso - research, writing

Jessica Forsayeth - research

Mike Migas - production, music

Andrew D.B. Joslyn - music

Milly Raso - creative direction

Nov 18, 202301:26:43
Case 268: Colleen Stan (Part 1)

Case 268: Colleen Stan (Part 1)

*** Content warning: Extreme sexual violence, captivity ***

[Part 1 of 2]

When Colleen Stan’s family received an unexpected phone call from Colleen in June 1980, they were stunned. No one had seen or spoken to Colleen since she hitched a ride to California from her home in Oregon three years earlier. Colleen assured her family that all was well, but they could tell something wasn’t right. What exactly was Colleen Stan trying to hide?


Team:

Anonymous Host - narration

Milly Raso - research, writing

Jessica Forsayeth - research

Mike Migas - production, music

Andrew D.B. Joslyn - music

Milly Raso - creative direction

Nov 11, 202301:16:52
Case 267: Brian Barrett

Case 267: Brian Barrett

In the spring of 2005, two 18-year-olds met in an online chat room and immediately hit it off. Jessi went by the username TalHotBlond, while her new friend Tommy called himself MarineSniper. It wasn’t long before the two had fallen in love and gotten engaged… But less than a year into their relationship, the romance would be destroyed by a shocking revelation that ultimately led to devastating consequences…


Team:

Anonymous Host - narration

Erin Munro - research, writing

Mike Migas - production, music

Andrew D.B. Joslyn - music

Milly Raso - creative direction

Nov 04, 202351:06
Case 266: Circleville Letter Writer

Case 266: Circleville Letter Writer

In March 1977, school bus driver Mary Gillespie started receiving threatening letters delivered to her home in Circleville, Ohio. It wasn’t long before her husband, Ron Gillespie, also received the letters which accused Mary of having an affair with the local school superintendent, Gordon Massie.

When Mary Gillespie found a threatening sign hung from a fence post on her school bus route, she tore it down, only to find a booby trap inside, designed to kill her. Who wanted to target Mary? Investigation of the booby trap pointed to a prime suspect close to home, her brother-in-law Paul Freshour.


Team:

Anonymous Host - narration

Jessica Forsayeth - research, writing

Mike Migas - production, music

Andrew D.B. Joslyn - music

Milly Raso - creative direction

Nov 04, 202342:18
Premium Episode 21: Mark Van Dongen

Premium Episode 21: Mark Van Dongen

*** Content warning: Domestic violence, suicide ***


Dutch national Mark van Dongen met South African Berlinah Wallace in 2010 in Bristol, England. After 5 years together, Mark decided he wanted to end the relationship. He finally broke it off in August 2015 when he met someone new. 

When Berlinah Wallace refused to accept Mark’s decision, she became so consumed with anger and jealousy that she did the unthinkable. Her actions lead to devastating consequences.

Team:

Anonymous Host - narration

Holly Boyd - research, writing

Mike Migas - production, music

Andrew D.B. Joslyn - music

Milly Raso - creative direction

Oct 28, 202340:07
Case 265: Marea Yann

Case 265: Marea Yann

For Marea Yann, two things mattered most in life - family and community. When the 69-year-old was found violently bludgeoned to death in her Healesville home, the small Victorian town was left shaken. It seemed impossible that anyone would want to hurt this doting grandmother and dedicated volunteer worker. But as investigators learned more about Marea’s life, it quickly became clear that Marea had been living in fear of one person in particular.


Team:

Anonymous Host - narration

Elsha McGill - research, writing

Mike Migas - production, music

Andrew D.B. Joslyn - music

Milly Raso - creative direction

Oct 21, 202301:02:20
Case 264: Andrew Gosden

Case 264: Andrew Gosden

*** Content warnings: Child victim, child abuse, suicide, grooming ***

When 14-year-old Andrew Gosden mysteriously disappeared from his home in the UK suburb of Doncaster, evidence emerged to indicate that he’d left of his own free will. But Andrew was a gifted, intellectual teenager who came from a loving and supportive family - not your typical teenage runaway. As the questions began to stack up and the days passed by with no word from Andrew, his worried family were forced to face the unthinkable: had Andrew been lured away and fallen victim to foul play?


Team:

Anonymous Host - narration

Elsha McGill - research, writing

Mike Migas - production, music

Andrew D.B. Joslyn - music

Milly Raso - creative direction

Oct 14, 202301:01:14
Behind the Files & Q&A: October 2023

Behind the Files & Q&A: October 2023

Behind the Files is a show where the Casefile team discuss the creative process behind Casefile episodes, from the research to the production, and all the interesting details and hiccups in between. We also answer questions from listeners about these cases.

In this episode of Behind the Files and the Q&A, the Anonymous Host is joined by Elsha and Erin to answer your questions and discuss the making of:

Case 256 - Jill Rosenthal

Case 257 - Joe Gliniewicz

Case 258 - Kay Mortensen

Case 259 - Jamie Lavis

Oct 08, 202320:12
Case 263: Kim Barry

Case 263: Kim Barry

When Brian and Beverly Barry returned from a weekend away to discover their 19-year-old daughter Kim was gone, they initially assumed she was out with friends.

Then news broke that a body had been found in some bushland south of their home in Wollongong, New South Wales, and it wasn’t long before the truth came out. Kim had been murdered and brutally mutilated after a night out with a friend. The crime had all the hallmarks of a gangland slaying… but police soon honed in on an acquaintance of Kim’s named Graham Gene Potter…


Team:

Anonymous Host - narration

Erin Munro - research, writing

Mike Migas - production, music

Andrew D.B. Joslyn - music

Milly Raso - creative direction

Oct 07, 202301:12:08
Case 262: Samia Shahid

Case 262: Samia Shahid

*** Content warning: Domestic violence, sexual assault ***

In Pakistani culture, arranged marriages are common. So when the parents of Samia Shahid chose a husband for her, Samia agreed to the marriage. Despite being raised in England, Samia took her Pakistani heritage very seriously and would do anything to make her family proud.

But Samia’s arranged marriage to her first cousin, Choudhry Shakeel, was far from what she expected. Samia was determined to build a better life for herself, but at what cost?

CREDITS

Narration – Anonymous Host

Research & writing – Holly Boyd

Creative direction – Milly Raso

Production and music – Mike Migas

Music – Andrew D.B. Joslyn


Oct 07, 202333:59
Premium Episode 20: Widden Hill Farm

Premium Episode 20: Widden Hill Farm

*** Content warning: Animal cruelty ***

43-year-old Graham Backhouse lived a peaceful life with his wife and children on Widden Hill Farm in Horton, England. But in 1984, a campaign of harassment directed at Graham left him fearing for his safety.

When his wife Margaret Backhouse becomes the victim of a targeted attack, investigators consider who could have a motive to hurt the loving couple. The focus soon turns on a neighbour, Colyn Beadle-Taylor, but all is not what it seems.


Team:

Anonymous Host - narration

Holly Boyd - research, writing

Mike Migas - production, music

Andrew D.B. Joslyn - music

Milly Raso - creative direction

Sep 30, 202341:33
Case 261: Shari Smith & Debra May Helmick (Part 2)

Case 261: Shari Smith & Debra May Helmick (Part 2)

[Part 2 of 2]

*** Content Warning: Sexual assault ***

When nine-year-old Debra May Helmick was abducted from the front of her family’s trailer in Richland County, South Carolina, there were immediate concerns that her kidnapping could be linked to the recent murder of Lexington teenager, Shari Smith. Those fears were confirmed when Shari’s sister Dawn received a chilling phone call directing authorities to Debra May’s body. 

The news that a serial killer was on the loose had South Carolina residents gripped by fear. As the investigation ramped up, a breakthrough clue finally emerged.


Team:

Anonymous Host - narration

Elsha McGill - research, writing

Mike Migas - production, music

Andrew D.B. Joslyn - music

Milly Raso - creative direction

Sep 22, 202301:05:39
Case 261: Shari Smith & Debra May Helmick (Part 1)

Case 261: Shari Smith & Debra May Helmick (Part 1)

[Part 1 of 2]

*** Content Warning: Sexual assault ***

When 17-year-old Shari Smith disappeared from the end of her family's driveway in Lexington, South Carolina, there were immediate concerns for her wellbeing. Shari had a rare medical condition that could turn fatal without her medication.

But any concerns that Shari’s illness could have caused her disappearance were quickly quashed after the Smith family received an odd phone call, prompting the largest manhunt in South Carolina’s history. As the taunting calls continued, the question remained - where was Shari? And was she still alive?

Team:

Anonymous Host - narration

Elsha McGill - research, writing

Mike Migas - production, music

Andrew D.B. Joslyn - music

Milly Raso - creative direction

Sep 16, 202301:03:51
Case 260: The Alpine Manor Murders

Case 260: The Alpine Manor Murders

*** Content Warning: Elder abuse ***

The Director of Nursing at the Alpine Manor Nursing Home in Grand Rapids, Michigan, was thrilled when Catherine Wood and Gwen Graham joined their team of nursing aides in the mid-1980s. They were hard-working, enthusiastic and well-liked. But soon after they started, some residents of Alpine Manor began telling the staff that their lives were in peril. When those same residents began to pass away, their deaths were put down to natural causes. Was it old age that killed these residents? Or was there a more sinister explanation?


Team:

Anonymous Host - narration

Jessica Forsayeth - research, writing

Mike Migas - production, music

Andrew D.B. Joslyn - music

Milly Raso - creative direction

Sep 09, 202301:12:41
Case 259: Jamie Lavis

Case 259: Jamie Lavis

*** Content warning: Child victim, child sexual abuse ***

When eight-year-old Jamie Lavis failed to return home on Monday, May 5 1997, his family quickly raised the alarm. Soon, it seemed as though all of Greater Manchester was searching for the missing boy – including a bus driver named Darren Vickers, who came forward to say he’d seen Jamie on his bus that day. The 27-year-old bus driver quickly became one of the Lavis family’s biggest supporters, but investigators were suspicious of him from the very beginning…


Team:

Anonymous Host - narration

Erin Munro - research, writing

Mike Migas - production, music

Andrew D.B. Joslyn - music

Milly Raso - creative direction

Sep 09, 202349:46
Premium Episode 19: Monster of the Andes

Premium Episode 19: Monster of the Andes

*** Content warning: Child abuse, child victims, sexual assault ***

In the late 1970s, young girls along the Andes mountain range in Ecuador began to disappear. By 1980, the number of missing girls had reached national crisis proportions. Police feared the girls had been abducted by international child traffickers and sold into domestic and sexual slavery. That was until a vigilant market vendor spotted something out of the ordinary.


Team:

Anonymous Host - narration

Holly Boyd - research, writing

Mike Migas - production, music

Andrew D.B. Joslyn - music

Milly Raso - creative direction

Sep 02, 202347:34
Behind the Files & Q&A: September 2023

Behind the Files & Q&A: September 2023

Behind the Files is a show where the Casefile team discuss the creative process behind Casefile episodes, from the research to the production, and all the interesting details and hiccups in between. We also answer questions from listeners about these cases.


In this episode of Behind the Files and the Q&A, the Anonymous Host is joined by Elsha, Holly and Milly to answer your questions and discuss the making of:

Case 252 - Margaret Maher, Mersina Halvagis & Nicole Patterson

Case 253 - Aarushi Talwar & Hemraj Banjade

Case 254 - Winsie Hau

Case 255 - Rudolf Rupp

Sep 01, 202336:23
Anonymous Host first interview (Unfiltered podcast)

Anonymous Host first interview (Unfiltered podcast)

Follow and subscribe to Unfiltered on Apple PodcastsSpotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 
In 2021, I sat down and had a series of hour-long phone calls with the anonymous host of Casefile, or “Casey,” as he’s been dubbed by fans of the show. At the time, Casey was recovering from an unexplained medical issue. Our chats reminded me of the power of real and raw conversations, and it paved the way for ‘Unfiltered,’ the new Casefile Presents podcast where guests from all walks of life join me for a conversation about justice and transformation.
In our first episode and his first-ever in-depth interview, Casey generously opens a window into parts of his own story that he’s never before shared publicly.
Follow Casey on Instagram: instagram.com/caseys.snaps

Aug 29, 202301:54:16
Case 258: Kay Mortensen

Case 258: Kay Mortensen

On November 16 2009, a 911 call was placed to the Utah County Sheriff’s Department by 34-year-old Pamela Mortensen. According to Pamela, her father-in-law Kay Mortensen was brutally murdered in his own home, and the perpetrators were two burglars who had also taken Pamela and her husband Roger hostage. But investigators were suspicious of Pamela and Roger from the start, due to their strange demeanours and inconsistent stories. It would take more than a year for the full and shocking truth to be revealed…


Team:

Anonymous Host - narration

Erin Munro - research, writing

Mike Migas - production, music

Andrew D.B. Joslyn - music

Milly Raso - creative direction

Aug 26, 202301:09:22
Case 257: Joe Gliniewicz

Case 257: Joe Gliniewicz

After a routine check on suspicious activity turns to tragedy for Illinois Police Lieutenant Joe Gliniewicz, Fox Lake locals struggle to come to grips with the loss of their hero cop. A statewide manhunt ensues, but when the perpetrators aren’t immediately apprehended, the question is raised - could this have been a targeted attack?


Team:

Anonymous Host - narration

Elsha McGill - research, writing

Mike Migas - production, music

Andrew D.B. Joslyn - music

Milly Raso - creative direction

Aug 19, 202301:00:24
Case 256: Jill Rosenthal

Case 256: Jill Rosenthal

*** Content warning: Crimes against children, child abuse, domestic abuse, alcoholism ***

On April 27 1964, young mother Dora Fronczak was in her hospital bed feeding her one-day-old son, Paul, when a nurse entered the room and said she had to take Paul back to the nursery. Dora handed her baby over, and the nurse hurried out of the room. Still carrying baby Paul, the nurse fled the hospital through a rear entrance and disappeared into Chicago’s city streets. It didn’t take long for staff at Michael Reese Hospital to realise Paul Fronczak had been kidnapped, and soon the city’s largest-ever manhunt was underway. Despite the best efforts of the police, no trace of the woman or Paul was found. 

Then, just over a year later, a toddler is found abandoned in Newark, New Jersey. Investigators are quick to identify him as possibly being the missing Paul. But was he?


Team:

Anonymous Host - narration

Erin Munro - research, writing

Mike Migas - production, music

Andrew D.B. Joslyn - music

Milly Raso - creative direction

Aug 19, 202301:17:07
Behind the Files & Q&A: August 2023

Behind the Files & Q&A: August 2023

Behind the Files, is a show where the Casefile team discuss the creative process behind Casefile episodes, from the research to the production, and all the interesting details and hiccups in between. We also answer questions from listeners about these cases.


In this episode of Behind the Files, the Anonymous Host is joined by Elsha McGill, Milly Raso, and Erin Munro to discuss the making of:

Case 248: Abraham Shakespeare

Case 249: Lorraine Wilson & Wendy Evans

Case 250: Amy Boyer

Case 251: The Caldwell Farmhouse Murders

Aug 12, 202351:37
See you soon!

See you soon!

Hello Casefile listeners. This is a quick message to let you know that Case 255: Rudolph Rupp was our last episode before we take a month-long, mid-year break. Casefile will be back with new episodes on August 19.
If you need something to listen to while we’re away, check out the Casefile Presents series, In the Shadows. Previously only available on Wondery+, In the Shadows is now freely available wherever you get your podcasts. Over seven episodes, the series delves into the 1991 unsolved murder of Maria Rodriguez; a horrific crime that quickly drew national media attention.
The ensuing trials divided the community and sparked heated debate, while the perpetrator remained unpunished. Now, 32 years after Maria’s murder, a fresh investigation takes an unexpected turn when several individuals reveal shocking information previously unknown by the authorities and public alike.
We also have some other new Casefile Presents series that you will be able to binge while waiting for our return. Keep an eye on our podcast feed and social media channels for further announcements.
When Casefile returns on August 19, our Patreon, Apple Premium and Spotify Premium subscribers will receive two new episodes instead of just one. If you would like to support us on any of those platforms, you’ll gain access to our bonus show, Behind The Files, as well. On Behind The Files, we discuss the cases we’ve covered and answer all sorts of listener questions.
You can also now follow me on Instagram. I recently created an account to share pictures of landscapes, nature, and concerts that I’ve taken over the past few years. You can find me @caseys.snaps, so come and say hi over there. 
Take care, and we’ll see you back on Saturday August 19.
Credits: French Guitar Jazz - music by Andy Slatter

Jul 17, 202302:18
Case 255: Rudolf Rupp

Case 255: Rudolf Rupp

When 52-year-old German farmer Rudolf Rupp failed to return home from a night out drinking in the town of Neuburg an der Donau, several questions were raised. Had Rudolf accidentally driven into the nearby Donau River? Had he taken his own life? Or was he the victim of something more sinister?


Team:

Anonymous Host - narration

Elsha McGill - research, writing

Mike Migas - production, music

Andrew D.B. Joslyn - music

Milly Raso - creative direction

Jul 08, 202301:00:53
Case 254: Winsie Hau

Case 254: Winsie Hau

*** Content warning: Child victim ***

On the afternoon of January 14, 2012, 15-year-old Winsie Hau was attacked with a knife by a 14-year-old boy. Winsie’s father was also attacked, and while he survived his injuries, Winsie did not.  

Police swiftly captured the attacker, who confessed to the killing. However, he was adamant that he had only done so at the behest of two other teenagers. It soon emerged that a trivial teenage quarrel between two friends had led to the murder.


Team:

Anonymous Host - narration

Holly Boyd - research, writing

Mike Migas - production, music

Andrew D.B. Joslyn - music

Milly Raso - creative direction

Jul 08, 202334:04
Behind the Files & Q&A: July 2023

Behind the Files & Q&A: July 2023

Behind the Files, is a show where the Casefile team discuss the creative process behind Casefile episodes, from the research to the production, and all the interesting details and hiccups in between. We also answer questions from listeners about these cases.


In this episode of Behind the Files, the Anonymous Host is joined by Elsha McGill and Holly Boyd to discuss the making of:

Case 245: Sherri Papini

Case 246: Grégory Villemin (Part 1)

Case 246: Grégory Villemin (Part 2)

Case 247: Nina Puganova, Irina Trasyn & Anastasia Mikhailova

Jul 02, 202345:55
Premium Episode 18: Linda Slaten

Premium Episode 18: Linda Slaten

It was early on Friday, September 4 1981, when Jeff Slaten woke to a strange sound. It was the crackle of a police radio. Jeff quickly realised that several officers had accessed his home and were quietly moving about. “What’s going on?” he asked. Jeff was told to get dressed and go outside. He did so, completely perplexed as to why the police were even there. The officers ensured he exited out the front door, away from his mother’s bedroom...


Team:

Anonymous Host - narration

Milly Raso - research, writing

Mike Migas - production, music

Andrew D.B. Joslyn - music

Milly Raso - creative direction

Jul 01, 202344:13
Case 253: Aarushi Talwar & Hemraj Banjade

Case 253: Aarushi Talwar & Hemraj Banjade

*** Content warning: Child victim ***

When Rajesh and Nupur Talwar went to wake their 13-year-old daughter Aarushi on the morning of Friday, May 16 2008, the couple were shocked to find her brutally murdered in her bed. Police in their Delhi suburb of Noida were summoned, and the Talwars wasted no time in naming their 45-year-old servant, Hemraj Banjade, as a suspect. But when a second body was found in their apartment, investigators began to wonder if the perpetrator was someone closer to home…


Team:

Anonymous Host - narration

Erin Munro - research, writing

Mike Migas - production, music

Andrew D.B. Joslyn - music

Milly Raso - creative direction

Jun 24, 202301:15:27
Case 252: Margaret Maher, Mersina Halvagis & Nicole Patterson

Case 252: Margaret Maher, Mersina Halvagis & Nicole Patterson

***Content warning: Serial rapist and killer, sexual assault, stalking***

When Melbourne women Margaret Maher, Mersina Halvagis and Nicole Patterson were found brutally murdered in the late 1990s, police didn’t immediately link the crimes. The killer left behind no incriminating evidence, indicating he was an experienced offender who knew how to beat the system. Little did investigators know, the story began almost 30 years earlier when a 15-year-old boy knocked on his neighbour’s door and asked to borrow a knife.


Team:

Anonymous Host - narration

Milly Raso - research, writing

Mike Migas - production, music

Andrew D.B. Joslyn - music

Milly Raso - creative direction

Jun 17, 202301:32:59
Case 251: The Caldwell Farmhouse Murders

Case 251: The Caldwell Farmhouse Murders

***Content warning: Child victim, animal cruelty***

When single mother Nadja Medley met an older man named Mike Bullinger, she finally found happiness after a difficult few years. As well as being a fun, kind-hearted partner, Mike was a wonderful father figure to Nadja’s 14-year-old daughter Payton. In May 2017, the three of them moved from Ogden, Utah, to a farmhouse Mike had just bought in Caldwell, Idaho. 

But when a woman by the name of Cheryl Baker arrived unannounced at the property one day, tragedy ensued.


Team:

Anonymous Host - narration

Erin Munro - research, writing

Mike Migas - production, music

Andrew D.B. Joslyn - music

Milly Raso - creative direction

Jun 17, 202343:48
Premium Episode 17: The Stockton Arsonist

Premium Episode 17: The Stockton Arsonist

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.


When investigators looking into the tape hit a series of dead ends, they enlist the help of popular television series Unsolved Mysteries, and the case becomes known as that of the infamous Stockton Arsonist.


Team:

Anonymous Host - narration

Erin Munro - research, writing

Mike Migas - production, music

Andrew D.B. Joslyn - music

Milly Raso - creative direction

Jun 10, 202324:47
Behind the Files & Q&A: June 2023

Behind the Files & Q&A: June 2023

Behind the Files, is a show where the Casefile team discuss the creative process behind Casefile episodes, from the research to the production, and all the interesting details and hiccups in between. We also answer questions from listeners about these cases.

In this episode of Behind the Files, the Anonymous Host is joined by Elsha McGill, Holly Boyd, and Erin Munro to discuss the making of:

Case 241: Harry & Nicola Fuller

Case 242: The Investor Murders

Case 243: Deidre Kennedy

Case 244: Engla Höglund & Pernilla Hellgren

Jun 07, 202338:57
Case 250: Amy Boyer

Case 250: Amy Boyer

***Content warning: Mental illness, stalking, gun violence***

Amy Boyer was a popular teen in her hometown of Nashua, New Hampshire. Her life was busy between school, work and social commitments. Full of joy and love, Amy naturally drew in those around her - including a troubled young man named Liam Youens.


Team:

Anonymous Host - narration

Milly Raso - research, writing

Mike Migas - production, music

Andrew D.B. Joslyn - music

Milly Raso - creative direction

Jun 03, 202345:36