Crimes of the Centuries
Crime is so commonplace that it takes something particularly shocking to be labelled the “crime of the century.” Even so, there are a lot of cases that have earned the distinction. In each episode of Crimes of the Centuries, award-winning journalist Amber Hunt will examine a case that’s lesser known today but was huge when it happened. The cases explored span the centuries and each left a mark. Some made history by changing laws. Others were so shocking they changed society.
- Update frequency
- every 7 days
- Average duration
- 39 minutes
- Episodes
- 223
- Years Active
- 2020 - 2025
S3 Ep9: The Mysterious Case of Edward Earl
Though he had been known by many names throughout his life, it was under the name Edward Earl that he was prosecuted and hanged in 1881 New York. What would the writings he composed in prison reveal…
00:33:34 |
Mon 08 May 2023
S3 Ep8: The Case Behind Stockholm Syndrome
You're probably familiar with the concept of Stockholm Syndrome - the phenomenon where people taken hostage come to empathize with or even join up with their captors. But did you realize that the te…
00:44:13 |
Mon 01 May 2023
S3 Ep7: The "Fireproof" Theatre: Tragedy at the Iroquois
Chicago's state-of-the-art Iroquois Theatre was supposed to be a jewel in the rapidly expanding American arts scene of the early twentieth century. But in an emergency, a combination of disaster man…
00:43:48 |
Mon 24 Apr 2023
S3 Ep6: Deadly Blaze: The Thiokol Factory Explosion
At the height of the space race, the arrival of the Thiokol chemical company was supposed to bring jobs and opportunities for the small Georgia town of Woodbine. But a tragic explosion in 1971 kille…
00:36:56 |
Mon 17 Apr 2023
S3 Ep5: The Deaths of Herman and Irving Arthur
Brothers Herman and Irving Arthur wanted to leave their life as Southern sharecroppers in Texas and move to the North in search of better opportunities. But after an encounter with the landowners tu…
00:33:30 |
Mon 10 Apr 2023
S3: Nannie Doss: The Murderous Giggling Granny
This week we dive into our archives for a look back at one our episodes from the first season of "Crimes of the Centuries." Check out this episode and all our episodes from seasons 1 and 2, and we'l…
00:40:32 |
Mon 03 Apr 2023
S3 Ep4: The Chippendales Murder - Separating Fact from Fiction
Nick De Noia dreamed of becoming a successful choreographer, a goal he attained through his sexy yet classy routines for the Chippendales all-male revue. Unfortunately, that job also brought him int…
00:37:07 |
Mon 27 Mar 2023
S3 Ep3: Dorothy Stratten: A Playmate Murdered
Months after being named "Playboy Playmate of the Year" in 1980, Dorothy Stratten was poised to make the transition from model to Hollywood actress. But just as her debut film was about to be releas…
00:38:15 |
Mon 20 Mar 2023
S3 Ep2: The St. Valentine's Day Massacre and the Chicago Gang Wars of the 1920s
In Prohibition Era Chicago, competing gangs of bootleggers battled for supremacy. In February 1929, notorious gangster Al Capone set up a brazen trap to mow down a slew of his rivals in what would b…
00:35:39 |
Mon 13 Mar 2023
S3 Ep1: Dr. Thomas Cream: The Forgotten Victorian Serial Killer
In Victorian England, a serial killer preyed on sex workers and other vulnerable women. But unlike the infamous Jack the Ripper, this serial killer, Dr. Thomas Cream, used his medical knowledge to de…
00:38:17 |
Mon 06 Mar 2023
Introducing... I Think Not! (A New True Crime Comedy Podcast)
Hey Crimes of the Centuries listeners! The Obsessed Network has as a brand new podcast from the former hosts and creators of Obsessed with: Disappeared. It's called I Think Not! Enjoy the trailer her…
00:03:06 |
Thu 05 Jan 2023
S2 Ep42: The Case of Kirk Bloodsworth: America’s First DNA Exoneration
After the 1984 discovery of 9-year-old Dawn Hamilton’s body in the woods, police began their search for a tall, muscular, curly-haired man. Kirk Bloodsworth – fitting that description – was arrested,…
00:35:18 |
Mon 05 Dec 2022
S2 Ep41: Illegal Luck: How the New Hampshire Sweepstakes Went Haywire
In the summer of 1964, the first modern lottery was off to the races in New Hampshire. The “Sweeps,” as they were called, were a sensation of national interest, with lawmakers quarreling over the leg…
00:34:05 |
Mon 28 Nov 2022
S2 Ep40: The True Story Behind 'Murder Ordained'
Film adaptations of true crimes have to strike a tricky balance between authenticity and drama. 1987’s Murder Ordained depicts the 1983 incidents within a small town in Kansas, where the mysterious d…
00:35:31 |
Mon 14 Nov 2022
S2 Ep39: Soul Leaves Body: The Life and Death of Sam Cooke
Singing his way through the 1950s and early 1960s, appealing to audiences across a segregated music industry, churning out hits of dreamy quality like “You Send Me” and inspirational fortitude like “…
00:37:05 |
Mon 07 Nov 2022
S2 Ep38: The Bender Family: A Suspicious Band of Innkeepers
Inside a modest cabin on the vast prairies of Kansas lived a family, or at least four individuals claiming to be one. The Benders were an odd bunch: grumpy Ma & Pa, mysteriously moody daughter Kate a…
00:32:01 |
Mon 31 Oct 2022
S2 Ep37: Linda Hazzard, the Doctor Who Starved Her Patients to Death
Dr. Linda Hazzard was an extremely unorthodox physician, a so-called "fasting specialist" who believed food to be the cause of disease. After as many as a dozen people died under her care, her sensat…
00:35:55 |
Mon 24 Oct 2022
S2 Ep36: The Tragedy of Selena: Fandom Gone Too Far
Selena Quintanilla was on the cusp of becoming a worldwide sensation. The Mexican American had already dominated Tejano music charts for years, but as the mid-1990s got under way, so too did her plan…
00:37:29 |
Mon 17 Oct 2022
S2 Ep35: Hilma Marie Witte: Fatal Manipulation
The 1981 shooting death of Paul Witte, a father of two in Indiana, seemed to be an accident: Paul's 15-year-old son Eric said he'd tripped while holding the gun, fatally wounding his dad as he napped…
00:35:17 |
Mon 03 Oct 2022
S2 Ep34: Ramon Novarro: The Life and Death of a Screen Idol
As Hollywood found its footing at the turn of the 20th century, so did a handsome young artist who'd soon be known around the world as Ramon Novarro. In his heyday, the Mexican-born actor was mention…
00:40:10 |
Mon 26 Sep 2022
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are the property of Amber Hunt and Audioboom. This content is not affiliated with or endorsed by eachpod.com.