Behind the Crimes with Robert Murphy
### WINNER 'Outstanding Indie Podcast at the True Crime Awards 2024. ### What makes a criminal? What makes a truly great detective? Award-winning TV crime correspondent Robert Murphy speaks with people involved with some of the most fascinating true crime cases of recent years: detectives, victims, experts and sometimes even the criminals themselves. What drives a person to ignore the morals, laws and conventions of normal society and pushes them to perform the darkest acts? Sex? Money? Revenge? Love? Humiliation? Are criminals born bad or are they a creation of their circumstances? How can detectives catch people who are intent on causing truly...
Tue, December 10, 2024
Drug Wars
Neil Woods spent fourteen years as an undercover police officer, helping dismantle some of Britain’s most notorious drug gangs. Yet after his biggest victory he came to the conclusion: was it worth it? He started to feel that the problem was helped by repeated failures of governments to tackle the cause of Britain and America’s drugs epidemic. In fact by handing control of drugs supply to criminals governments were the cause. ‘A doctor controlling it (drugs supply) with a prescription pad has no incentive to find new customers and so the market doesn't develop. So what happened is it becomes a pyramid scheme. If you're organised crime, you want to find new customers, you find someone who's addicted and you say, ‘Look, if you find five more customers and you sell to them, they'll pay for your habit’ and the pyramid scheme explodes.’ Neil’s views are controversial views. But they are compelling. In this interview Neil describes: * How the world used to experience two competing drug policies: The American System and The British System - with the American System winning. * How following criminalisation in the 1960s, addicts fell into the hands of organised crime. * How some schemes decriminalising drugs have worked in recent years. To find out more about Neil and to get copies of his books ‘Good Cop, Bad War’ and ‘Drug Wars’ click here: https://www.neilwoods.net/ This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertmurphy.substack.com/subscribe
Thu, November 07, 2024
Lord Lucan, his nannies and a fifty-year mystery. A three-part podcast.
On November 7th 1974, a children’s nanny Sandra Rivett was murdered at the home of the family in which she was in service. It was the Lucan family. Lord Lucan - her suspected killer - may have been targeting his estranged wife. But a man who had squandered his family fortune at Belgravia’s gaming tables proved to be as inept at murder as he was at gambling. And he killed poor Sandra. This is the perceived wisdom - and the finding of an inquest. But with so little known for sure, conjecture fills the gaps facts leave behind. What really happened on November 7th 1974? This is a compendium episode - a trilogy re-released to mark the fiftieth anniversary of Sandra’s murder. In the first two episodes, I’ve interviewed the brilliant author Laura Thompson - who has written a wonderful book A Different Class of Murder about the run up and aftermath of the killing. And in episode three, I speak with screenwriter George Kay about the nanny who could have been on-rota that night, managed to swap shifts - and cheated death. Yet Christabel Boyce met a dreadful end a decade later - leading some to believe there was a curse of the Lucan nannies. George has a personal connection with this second tragedy. You can find out more about Laura, her writing and her books here: http://www.laurathompson.co.uk/ This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertmurphy.substack.com/subscribe
Tue, October 29, 2024
Deep Undercover: Neil Woods
Neil Woods spent years as an undercover police officer. He says his techniques in included ‘weaponising empathy’ - using the good nature of society’s most vulnerable. And as Britain was being hit by a wave of cheap drugs and a rise in heroin and crack cocaine addicts, Neil had the most staggering results. In just one operation against Britain’s most notorious gang - The Burger Bar Boys - his work led to 96 arrests. But what impact did living a double-life have on this family man? What was it like having knives held at his throat? And why does he now believe undercover policing should only be used in the rarest and most extreme cases? Neil Woods has written two thought-provoking books. Links to them and him are here: https://www.neilwoods.net/ This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertmurphy.substack.com/subscribe
Wed, September 25, 2024
In Cold Blood - A century of Truman Capote
Subscribe for free: robertmurphy.substack.com In Cold Blood started as a study in how a heartbreaking killing impacted a Mid-West community. But Truman Capote got sucked into the story. At first, the folk of Holcomb, Kansas, distrusted the flamboyant writer. But slowly, he won the small city round. And when the killers were caught, he built an unbelievable and controversial bond with them. In this episode, Capote’s friend and biographer, Gerald Clarke, describes the awful murders of the Clutter family in 1959, how Capote spent six years writing his masterpiece and its legacy on true crime and non-fiction literature. You can get a copy of In Cold Blood here . You can get a copy of Gerald Clarke’s Capote here. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertmurphy.substack.com/subscribe
Wed, September 11, 2024
The crime writer who made £1 million from Nicole Kidman
Subscribe for free at Robertmurphy.substack.com Maxim Jakobowski has sold millions of books. But you may not have heard of him. After releasing a book aged 16, he moved into publishing and worked with Patricia Highsmith (‘an incredible talent… a very difficult lady…’) he then turned to crime writing. When ‘50 Shades of Grey’ was released, he was drafted into writing a series of erotica - which sold millions of books. And how did he sell the rights of a novel to Nicole Kidman… for a fortune? A quick warning… if True Crime is your thing, this episode may not be for you. But fiction fans may find it fascinating. But Maxim speaks in detail and depth about how to publish crime, the state of the book industry and fiction trends which have come and gone. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertmurphy.substack.com/subscribe
Wed, August 14, 2024
Billie-Jo Jenkins and her accused foster father: Wanted man or witch hunt?
Billie-Jo Jenkins was a talented 13-year-old schoolgirl who had found what appeared to be the perfect foster family: four daughters, a mum who was a social worker and a dad who was a deputy headteacher. Sion Jenkins was an upstanding member of an affluent town’s community. But he had secrets. Like the lies about his academic qualifications and the affair with a teenage girl who looked a lot like Billie-Jo. When Billie-Jo was found dead in her garden in 1997, it was Sion who called 999. Detectives first arrested a mysterious figure, known as Mr B. But then they turned their attention to Billie-Jo’s own foster father. He had just a three-minute window to have killed the 13-year-old. Could he have done it? And why? What followed was a roller-coaster of a police inquiry, prosecution and series of trials. For her series ‘Who Killed Billie-Jo’ podcaster Naomi Channell has gone back to the schoolgirl’s friends, family and the inquiry team to find out more about what happened. You can listen to her series here: To learn more about Naomi and her podcast, click here: https://linktr.ee/realtruecrimepodcast This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertmurphy.substack.com/subscribe
Tue, July 23, 2024
Jackie Kabler: The Life Sentence
#Subscribe for free: robertmurphy.substack.com # Jackie Kabler met one of Britain’s most notorious killers for her job as a breakfast TV correspondent. Years later, she used her experience covering crime for her fictional thrillers. Her psychological drama The Perfect Couple has sold over 400,000 copies and she has sold nearly a million books in total. Her latest story, The Life Sentence , is based on a case of wrongful prosecution which she heard about on a true crime podcast. You can find out more about Jackie here: www.jackiekabler.com @officialjackiekabler and @jackiekabler Subscribe to robertmurphy.substack.com to watch the video interview. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertmurphy.substack.com/subscribe
Tue, July 16, 2024
Jackie Malton: The Real Prime Suspect. Ep 2
SUBSCRIBE FOR FREE: ROBERTMURPHY.SUBSTACK.COM By the late 1980s, Jackie Malton seemed to have it all. She was one of only three female detective chief inspectors in the Metropolitan Police. She had worked on major inquiries and was a noted leader. But she had also stood up against the force’s grey male authority, against corruption, misogyny and freemasonry. Bruising encounters which left her unliked by some, stymied in her career and battling with alcohol. Then she received the phone call which changed her life. After retiring, Jackie has continued to work with television firms. She advises TV drama producers and is an expert used for crime analysis on shows and podcasts. She also works in prison to rehabilitate killers. In this episode she speaks about her work helping to reform murderers: how its done and the successes and failures she has encountered. Jackie’s book is The Real Prime Suspect. You can grab a copy here. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertmurphy.substack.com/subscribe
Tue, July 09, 2024
Jackie Malton: The Real Prime Suspect. Ep1
#Subscribe for FREE: robertmurphy.substack.com # Jackie Malton was a policing pioneer, joining a British provincial force in 1970, then transferring to the Metropolitan Police where she served in the Fraud Squad, Flying Squad and murder squads. She was often the only woman serving in each team. In this episode, she describes how she overcame homophobia and misogyny, clashed with corrupt officers and worked on one of London’s most controversial inquiries: The New Cross Fire investigation. Jackie’s book is The Real Prime Suspect. You can grab a copy here. Please rate and review Behind The Crimes wherever you get your podcasts. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertmurphy.substack.com/subscribe
Tue, July 02, 2024
Lynda La Plante: Prime Suspect, DCI Jane Tennison and the importance of true crime
It was the early 1990s and Lynda La Plante was desperate. She had a few TV drama successes under her belt, but everything she was pitching was greeted with a ‘no’ from commissioners. Then, in a pitch meeting, she dreamt up Prime Suspect when the TV boss said she wanted a ‘cop show with a female detective and a murder.' But to create Det Ch Insp Jane Tennison, Lynda needed to research true crime. Enter Met detective Jackie Malton - and months of research. This interview coincides with the release of Lynda’s final Jane Tennison book, Whole Life Sentence which takes readers to the detective’s life before Prime Suspect. In this episode, Lynda talks Tennison, Jackie Malton, the importance of grounding her fiction in fact and research. Whole Life Sentence is released on July 4th 2024. You can grab a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Whole-Life-Sentence-pulse-pounding-Detective-ebook/dp/B0CSTSGNS8 To learn more about Lynda, click here: https://lyndalaplante.com/ This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertmurphy.substack.com/subscribe
Tue, June 25, 2024
The Science of a Manhunt: crime analysis
For extras subscribe at: robertmurphy.substack.com Samantha Robins was the Intelligence Manager on the Major Crime Team at Surrey Police in May 2010 when, late in the evening, the call came in: a young mother had been murdered in her home. What followed was a multi-pronged inquiry. Sarah Thomas was a 38-year-old mother of three who was found in her flat in a quiet English village. Her boyfriend raised the alarm - and was arrested. But when it became clear he was not responsible for Sarah’s death, suspicion passed to a dark character with an horrific criminal record. As the inquiry moved through the gears and a major manhunt was begun, detectives started leaning heavily on Samantha and her team of analysts which was sifting through the influx of sightings and clues. * Who was Sarah’s killer? * Why had he murdered her? * Where had he been spotted? And when the full history of the killer’s criminal record became known, the manhunt became a race against time. You can learn more about Sam here: https://x.com/SamRobins This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertmurphy.substack.com/subscribe
Tue, June 18, 2024
Janice Hallett: The fiction best-seller based on 'true crime research'
Janice Hallett has created three of the most inventive crime books of recent years. When I first started reading ‘The Appeal’ I was a bit dubious. How could a crime novel with big characters really be told through emails and messages? Then I got into the book… Next came The Twyford Code with a main character, a prisoner Steve Smith who can neither read nor write, who reveals his story through transcripts of audio recordings. It is GENIUS! And now there is the Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels, told through research papers left by a journalist investigating a cult. Another triumph. In this episode Janice talks of how she is inspired by true crime, how she never plots her books and how her previous careers as a screenwriter and speechwriter have helped her as a fiction writer. To find out more about Janice and her books, click here. Her latest book, The Examiner, will be available from August 29th. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertmurphy.substack.com/subscribe
Wed, June 12, 2024
The Fall: The Skydive Murder Plot ii: Lead detective Paul Franklin
#To watch this interview - subscribe at robertmurphy.substack.com# Det Insp Paul Franklin was in charge of the inquiry to bring the murderous, cheating husband Emile Cilliers to justice. But it wasn’t easy. There was little direct evidence that Cilliers had tampered with the parachute of his wife, Victoria. There was no CCTV nor DNA. And Victoria did not support the investigation into her husband. A new docudrama about the case is being broadcast in the UK. To coincide with this, Paul has given this new interview to Behind the Crimes to discuss how he built the case, the challenges of Victoria becoming a hostile witness, how dangerous Cilliers is - and the long-term impact of the inquiry on everyone. And it is now the subject of a brilliant three-part docudrama, made by Story Films for Channel4 in the UK: https://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-fall-skydive-murder-plot/on-demand/75275-002 Victoria has written her own account too. If you are impacted by issues raised in this interview, please read more here: https://refuge.org.uk/i-need-help-now/coercive-control/ https://www.womensaid.org.uk/information-support/what-is-domestic-abuse/coercive-control/ https://survivingeconomicabuse.org/i-need-help/ This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertmurphy.substack.com/subscribe
Tue, June 11, 2024
The Fall: The Skydive Murder Plot. Interview with Det Sgt Maddy Hennah
#To watch this interview - subscribe at robertmurphy.substack.com# Emile Cilliers made global headlines in 2018 when he was convicted of the attempted murder of his wife Victoria. He was an upstanding army sergeant, a family man, who led a debaucherous double life of sex clubs, girlfriends and payday loans. He tried to murder Victoria by tampering with the gas meter in their home. When this failed, he sabotaged her parachute - both her main and reserve canopies. Somehow, Victoria survived the 4,000-foot drop. There was little direct evidence: no DNA, no CCTV. No clue that Emile was responsible. But after taking a spine-tingling call and arresting Cilliers, detective Maddy Hennah became convinced he was the perpetrator. What followed was a long, arduous inquiry leading to a sensational pair of trials. It has been the subject of my own eight-part podcast series: And it is now the subject of a brilliant three-part docudrama, made by Story Films for Channel4 in the UK: https://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-fall-skydive-murder-plot/on-demand/75275-002 Victoria has written her own account too. If you are impacted by issues raised in this interview, please read more here: https://refuge.org.uk/i-need-help-now/coercive-control/ https://www.womensaid.org.uk/information-support/what-is-domestic-abuse/coercive-control/ https://survivingeconomicabuse.org/i-need-help/ This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertmurphy.substack.com/subscribe
Tue, June 04, 2024
Laura Lippman: why crime fiction has a 'sidewinder approach to empathy.'
#Subscribe for free: robertmurphy.substack.com# Laura Lippman spent more than 20 years as a journalist working in Texas and Baltimore. She has won Edgar, Agatha, Anthony, Barry, Nero and Shamus awards (among many others) for her 25 novels - which include 12 featuring the private investigator Tess Monaghan Her latest, Prom Mom, has a loose inspiration by the 1997 case of Melissa Drexler a New Jersey teenager who gave birth during her prom, but then something truly awful happened… Laura discusses the ethics of True Crime - including the aftermath of Baby Reindeer, how being a journalist helped her ‘research to task’ and why Nick Hornby likened Laura to ‘a big American cheeseburger’ (Patricia Highsmith was a steak!) There’s more about Laura here: https://lauralippman.com/ And subscribe for extras: robertmurphy.substack.com This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertmurphy.substack.com/subscribe
Tue, May 28, 2024
To Kill a Husband: Abuse or Excuse. Ep 2: Defence
#Subscribe for free at robertmurphy.substack.com # This was Penelope Jackson’s final chance. The evidence against her seemed overwhelming: the glib 999 call admitting the killing of her husband, her further confessions on police body worn footage. In court, even her friends had described her as overbearing and domineering. Now it was her turn to take to the witness stand to give her version of events. In the words of her lawyer: ‘She could see no way out, She replaced invisible handcuffs for real ones but at least then she knew where she would be.’ But would the jury believe Penelope? If you’ve been affected by issues in this episode, please follow these links: https://www.nelsontrust.com/ https://refuge.org.uk/ This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertmurphy.substack.com/subscribe
Tue, May 21, 2024
To Kill a Husband: Abuse or Excuse? Ep1: Arrest
#Subscribe for free: robertmurphy.substack.com# To friends, David and Penelope Jackson were like most other retired couples living in the West Country. They had a good life: a nice home, an active social life and a penchant for foreign cruises. But in February 2021, Penelope killed her husband after a birthday celebration. She then called 999 saying ‘I stabbed him once, then he said I wouldn’t do it again so I did it twice more.’ Had she been suffering in silence for years at the hands of a silent abuser? Or was she fabricating a life of coercive control to wriggle away from a murder charge? If you’ve been affected by issues in this episode, please look at these links: https://www.nelsontrust.com/ https://refuge.org.uk/ This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertmurphy.substack.com/subscribe
Tue, May 14, 2024
Denise Mina: walking down 'the mean streets' of Raymond Chandler
Subscribe for free: robertmurphy.substack.com Award-winning crime novelist Denise Mina has written the latest Philip Marlowe book: The Second Murderer. To research the book, she spent months studying Los Angeles in 1940, deconstructing Raymond Chandler’s distinct sentence structure and recreating his unique humour. Denise’s career straddles both crime fiction and true crime. She has won many awards - including the Theakstons Old Peculiar Crime Novel of the Year two years running and has been inducted into the CWA Hall of Fame. This podcast was recorded at CrimeFest, May 2024. The Second Murderer is available here. Denise’s true crime book about Peter Manuel ,The Long Drop, is available here. Raymond Chandler’s books are available here . In Cold Blood by Truman Capote is available here. My own true crime books Decoy and the award-winning To Hunt A Killer are available here. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertmurphy.substack.com/subscribe
Fri, May 03, 2024
Decoy: Going undercover to catch a killer
To coincide with the launch of my true crime book ‘Decoy’ I’ve updated and reissued this podcast featuring a rare and exclusive interview with Chris Gould. In the 1970s, the city of Bristol was terrorised by a man nicknamed ‘The Clifton Rapist.’ The stranger-attacker assaulted seven women over a two-year period. PC Chris Gould suggested a daring honeytrap: Avon and Somerset Police should set up an innovative undercover sting, using young rookie police officers as decoys to catch him. This was a monumental gamble, putting the lives of their youngest, least-experienced female officers on the line. But 12 women volunteered. As the weeks passed, with no further attacks, commanders made an even more innovative move. And Chris’s career was never the same again. How was the predator caught and justice achieved? Chris has never spoken in this detail before. +++ Grab your copy of Decoy here in the UK: https://tinyurl.com/fd759pmh +++ +++ Or here in the USA: https://tinyurl.com/yethzdum +++ Haven’t subscribed yet? Just hit: robertmurphy.substack.com NB: This is a reissue of a podcast episode first released in November 2023 This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertmurphy.substack.com/subscribe
Tue, April 16, 2024
Hilda Murrell Ep 2: Cold Case
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit robertmurphy.substack.com Subscribe at: robertmurphy.substack.com Nearly 20 years had passed and forensic scientist Dr Colin Dark received a call asking if he’d like to take on the case of Hilda Murrell. What clues had been left at the scene? How could they be analysed using modern techniques? And what truths would emerge about the theories surrounding her murder? This is a short p…
Tue, April 16, 2024
Hilda Murrell Ep1: Conspiracy theories
Subscribe at robertmurphy.substack.com On March 21st 1984, Hilda Murrell disappeared. It would take police three days to find her - yet her body was in the obvious place. She had been murdered. But by whom? Now the conspiracy theories started: Did the British government want Hilda dead because of her awkward questions about a new nuclear power station? Was she killed because of her links with naval intelligence? And was the phone line disconnection in her home the work of a bungling amateur or a professional hitman? This is a free episode and the first part of a two-part mini series. Episode two is for paid subscribers. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertmurphy.substack.com/subscribe
Tue, April 02, 2024
Lord Lucan Pt3: The other Lucan nanny
SUBSCRIBE: robertmurphy.substack.com Screenwriter George Kay (Hijack, Lupin, The Long Shadow, Criminal UK) was talking with his mother about a potential project: would he be interested in writing a script about the Lord Lucan mystery? Then, she dropped the bombshell: he had a personal link with the other Lucan nanny Christabel Boyce. George wanted to speak with Christabel - she would be a primary source and knew the main characters from ‘74. This was impossible, his mother said. Christabel had herself been murdered by her husband ten years later. In this conversation, George and Behind the Crimes host Rob Murphy discuss how a private diary found by police investigating Cristabel’s murder in 1985 shed new light on Sandra’s killing. And the parallels between the Lucan marriage and the Boyce’s are chilling. Parts 1 and 2 of this trilogy are available, you may want to listen to these first. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertmurphy.substack.com/subscribe
Tue, March 26, 2024
Lord Lucan Pt 2: A different class of Murder - Aftermath
SUBSCRIBE FOR FREE: robertmurphy.substack.com In her book ‘A Different Class of Murder: The Story of Lord Lucan’ writer Laura Thompson suggests six possible scenarios of what happened on the night of November 7th 1974. Was Lady Lucan the target? Did Lord Lucan carry out the killing himself or - as with the rest of his life - did he get help? And speaking of help, did his rich, powerful gambling friends at the Clermont Club aid his disappearance? Or were they - like he - a target of 1970s society? You can get a copy of Laura’s incredible book here. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertmurphy.substack.com/subscribe
Tue, March 19, 2024
Lord Lucan: A Different Class of Murder. Pt1 Prelude to a Killing
SUBSCRIBE FOR FREE: robertmurphy.substack.com Within a few moments on the night of November 7th 1974, Lord Lucan killed his children’s nanny, tried to murder his wife - and then disappeared. But that attack had been brewing for months, years even. And still - half a century on - people argue about what really happened. Was his estranged wife really the target? Was it Lucan in the cellar with the lead piping? Or a hitman? Had he somehow bungled an attempt to kill his wife? And what about his rich, powerful gambling friends? Did they help his escape? To research her book ‘A Different Class of Murder: The story of Lord Lucan’ award-winning author Laura Thompson spoke with people who knew the couple and investigated Sandra’s death. In this interview, she argues that when you strip away the myths, the facts look different to the familiar story. You can grab a copy of Laura’s book here: https://amzn.to/48UEXpb Part 2 will be next week. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertmurphy.substack.com/subscribe
Tue, February 27, 2024
Countryside homicide
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit robertmurphy.substack.com #Subscribe for free at robertmurphy.substack.com # Margaret Backhouse survived - it was a miracle. The car bomb seemed amateur but it was effective. Why would anyone want to target an elegant farmer’s wife in a quiet, safe English village? Detectives then heard about a hate campaign against her husband Graham. Dark notices left on the farm forewarning murd…
Tue, February 13, 2024
To Hunt a Killer
SUBSCRIBE FOR FREE at robertmurphy.substack.com In June 1984, 17-year-old Melanie Road was murdered as she walked home from a nightclub in the beautiful city of Bath, England. The investigation became Britain’s biggest manhunt, yet despite 96 arrests, her killer was never found. Twenty five years later, Det Sgt Julie Mackay joined Avon & Somerset Police’s cold case unit. ‘I always knew I would find Melanie’s killer,’ she says. It would take seven further years of trying. The investigation saw incredible highs and lows. And as Julie fought for promotion, battled personal crises, she built a deep friendship with Melanie’s inspirational mother, Jean. The story ends with a courtroom showdown between Jean Road and her daughter’s killer - who Julie brought to justice three decades after the murder. The story is the subject of the award-winning* book Julie and I have written about the case: To Hunt a Killer. In this interview, I ask Julie about the investigation, the rollercoaster that is a complex inquiry, her drive to find Melanie’s killer and her adoration for Jean Road. You can get copies in the USA here or in the UK here . * Julie and I were winners of the True Crime Awards’ ‘Best New Author’ and were shortlisted for a CWA ALCS Gold Dagger award for best book. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertmurphy.substack.com/subscribe
Tue, January 30, 2024
The Trap
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit robertmurphy.substack.com This suspect had already escaped from police custody once. Now he was wanted for a triple murder. He was living wild off the land and Britain’s newspapers had joined the police hunt. The suspect was even taunting the inquiry, writing to journalists describing police as ‘boy scouts.’ Then a detective had an ingenious idea to set a trap. Subscribe at robert…
Mon, January 22, 2024
REPLAY:Unlocking the murder of Jenny King
In October 1998, Jenny King vanished. The 22-year-old had been on a night out at a club near her home in Kingswood near Bristol, in the South West of England. Police realised the office worker was in a good, stable relationship. She had no enemies. And no-one would want to harm her. But a friend of Jenny’s came forward. In the hour before Jenny disappeared, she had said something about a ‘psycho ex boyfriend’ being in the nightspot. Behind the Crimes is a reader-supported publication. To see evidence from the case or watch videos with detectives, please subscribe. Days later, police made an horrific discovery. But at this deposition site they found a set of keys. Who was this ‘psycho ex boyfriend' and whose door would the keys unlock? This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertmurphy.substack.com/subscribe
Sun, January 21, 2024
REPLAY: The World's first detective
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit robertmurphy.substack.com Eugène-François Vidocq was the real-life Paris detective who inspired Sherlock Holmes, Edgar Allen Poe’s Dupin and Maurice Lablanc’s Lupin stories. He revolutionised criminology: developing undercover techniques, using science and surveillance to bring Paris’s crimewave under control and setting up a system of card indexes which would be used for well over a century. The department he created - the Sûreté - was the forerunner of both Scotland Yard and the FBI. But who was this almost mythical man? And where does the truth stop and the fiction - which he helped create - begin? James Morton wrote the entertaining ‘The First Detective: The life and revolutionary times of Eugène-François Vidocq.’ (Link to USA site.) In this episode - a special bonus for paid subscribers - Morton describes how Vidocq moved from being a criminal himself to setting up one of the world’s most influential crime fighting organisations while inspiring history’s most celebrated fictional detectives.
Sat, January 20, 2024
REPLAY: The Secrets of the Nuclear Bunker
It was the occasional smell of weed which made detectives suspicious at first. Then a mystery delivery alerted police to the former nuclear bunker in the middle of the English countryside. But when detectives mounted a raid on the underground fortress, they had no idea if they could get through the atomic blast doors. And when they did - what would they find? What followed was a moment of high-tension as the team had just seconds to catch an organised crime group in the act. And detectives uncovered a unique drugs factory built on a scale not seen before in England. But this is no crime caper. Soon police saw for themselves the dark side of drugs production. Subscribe for free at: robertmurphy.substack.com This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertmurphy.substack.com/subscribe
Fri, January 19, 2024
[REPLAY] Love triangle: Fatal Attraction
To welcome new listeners to Behind The Crimes , every day this week I’m highlighting some of the incredible stories we have covered in the last year. This is a replay of an episode from June 2023. In the early hours of October 4th 1922, a woman who was about to become Britain’s most notorious murder suspect walked home from the theatre with her husband. Edith Thompson was 28, she was beautiful, had a career, a good social life… and a lover 8 years her junior. Freddy Bywaters leapt from the shadows and stabbed her husband to death. Edith was terrified. She didn’t want her husband dead, she hadn’t held the knife. But why did detectives charge her with murder? In what ways did her love letters scandalise puritanical Post-War society? And as the hangman’s noose awaited a guilty verdict, how important was that opinion on the jury? Subscribe for free at robertmurphy.substack.com This podcast is based on an interview with Laura Thompson, whose book ‘Rex vs Edith Thompson, a Tale of Two Murders’ can be bought here in the UK and here in the USA . This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertmurphy.substack.com/subscribe
Thu, January 18, 2024
REPLAY: Fantasy To Kill
NB. As a welcome to new Substack subscribers, this is a reissue of an episode released in 2023. Roy and Joan Clarke are found dead in their home in rural England in December 2004. They’ve been stabbed in a ‘ritualistic-style’ attack. Det Ch Supt Paul Howlett’s suspicions fall on one man. But does his prime suspect have the opportunity to kill? There is little evidence at first. But the country’s top forensic psychologist warns Paul if the suspect is the murderer ‘it’s not a question of if he will kill again, but when.’ The killer has laid the perfect alibi. Or so he thinks. The route to justice takes some dark turns. And twenty years on, and Roy Clarke’s daughter is still seeking answers. Subscribe at robertmurphy.substack.com This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertmurphy.substack.com/subscribe
Wed, January 17, 2024
REPLAY! Cold Case: Solved from a single sheet of paper
NB. This is a replay episode - first released in July 2023. What does it take to be a cold case detective? How do you solve a case from the past when all the files have vanished? All Julie and Gary had was one sheet of paper: a laboratory submission form. Nothing else. They didn’t know the details of the attack, who the victim was, what or where it happened. But by methodically reviewing the case Julie and Gary were able to rebuild the investigation. There was a DNA hit linking the attack to another unsolved crime scene. And the attack had been so terrifying, all the original officers and witnesses had never forgotten that freezing night in January 1986 when they came across a young woman called Samantha who had been subjected to this traumatising assault. But just when Julie thought justice was within her grasp she faced another challenge: lawyers who were refusing to charge their prime suspect. The case culminated in a dramatic and emotionally-charged court hearing. Warning: while this episode does not give graphic or intimate descriptions of this sexual assault, some of the details and imagery may be distressing. Listener discretion is advised. Subscribe for free: robertmurphy.substack.com This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertmurphy.substack.com/subscribe
Tue, January 09, 2024
Uncovering Banksy
Who is Banksy? It is a question that has taunted the art world for two decades. As a graffiti-artist, he has committed criminal damage. Which is why I’m including him in Behind the Crimes. I uncovered a ‘lost’ interview with the secretive stenciller. When researching the artist’s background, I came across an old report which had lain in a tape archive for more than a decade and a half. Even the journalist who had interviewed the then-unknown Banksy had forgotten about it - even though he had seen the artist’s face without a mask. Today, Banksy could genuinely claim to be the world’s most famous artist. Some of his work sells for tens of millions of dollars. But no-one knows what he looks like. So this ‘lost’ interview I discovered has now become an important part of modern art history. When I found it I had no idea it would set me on a trail that would lead to direct contact with the artist himself. In this one-off special, I’m telling you the story behind the discovery. For more: subscribe at robertmurphy.substack.com This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertmurphy.substack.com/subscribe
Tue, January 02, 2024
The Policewoman's Secret - video interview
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit robertmurphy.substack.com This is a video interview for Behind the Crimes paid subscribers. It features a three-minute preview. Visit robertmurphy.substack.com for access to the full video. How long would you wait for justice? What about fifty years? Liz Roberts was assaulted as an eight-year-old girl. She didn’t tell her parents - even though her father was a high-ranking murder…
Tue, January 02, 2024
The Policewoman's Secret
#Subscribe for free extras - robertmurphy.substack.com How long would you wait for justice? What about fifty years? Liz Roberts was assaulted as an eight-year-old girl. She didn’t tell her parents - even though her father was a high-ranking murder detective. A decade later Liz became a policewoman herself. But Liz still kept the attacks a secret, thinking her force wouldn’t believe her. After all - she had no proof. It took fifty years before Liz was able to bring herself to confront her abuser - her own older brother. Still, she felt detectives wouldn’t take her claims seriously. How wrong she was. And what happened when Liz confronted the perpetrator in court? Liz has waived the automatic right given to anonymity to all victims of sexual assault to speak with Behind the Crimes. If you’ve been affected by issues raised in this episode you may find support at: UK: https://siblingsexualabusesupport.org/ or liz-roberts.co.uk USA: https://www.siblingsexualtrauma.com/ or https://5waves.org or https://siblingstoo.com Southern Hemisphere: https://handingtheshameback.org This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertmurphy.substack.com/subscribe
Wed, December 27, 2023
The murder confessions - on network news
I have been privileged enough to cover some of the biggest, most absorbing trials in recent British history: for example the serial killer Christopher Halliwell defending himself in court or the drama of hostile-witness-victim in the Cilliers case of the sabotaged parachute. As this trial has just happened, this is lesser-known. But I am sure it will weave its way into the crime documentary/podcast/drama repertoire. In 2012 Claire Holland - a mother of four - vanished in Bristol in the south west of England. At the time police concluded she’d probably suffered a dreadful accident, perhaps drowned in the city’s historic docks. She was never found. Seven years later her former partner, Darren Osment, made a drunken call to emergency services, saying he’d killed her. He handed himself in. Later, when sober and with a lawyer, he retracted this confession. But after seven years, what could police do? They had no body, no weapon, no murder scene, no forensics, no CCTV footage of anything suspicious. They just had the drunken ramblings of an ex. So they deployed a covert police officer to befriend Osment to find out more. The officer was given the legend ‘Paddy O’Hara’ and pretended to be a low-level criminal. Over the next year or so, Osment made 15 references to Paddy that he had killed Claire. But this wasn’t enough to charge. Then in June 2022, Paddy gained ‘Confession #16.’ You can see what he said in the video. It is dark. But also darkly revealing. Would this be enough to put to a jury - or for a jury to convict? Rarely in the UK are covert officers used in homicide cases. And I understand this is the first case in British legal history to be built around a confession to an undercover officer. And it is all the more remarkable that these admissions were filmed. This was my report for ITV network news in the UK on December 20th. Next week - a new podcast: The Policewoman’s Secret. An interview with a former officer who gained justice 50 years after she was attacked. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertmurphy.substack.com/subscribe
Wed, December 13, 2023
The clues are on the map - Geographic Profiling with Dr Kim Rossmo
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit robertmurphy.substack.com NB - This is the same episode as the bonus podcast interview with Dr Rossmo - just in-vision!
Tue, December 12, 2023
Manhunt: Catching The Ghoul. (Operation Lynx)
For fourteen years, a man described as looking like ‘a Ghoul’ terrorised a huge area across the North and East Midlands of England. Detectives thought he was behind at least seven attacks on women. In one case, he even superglued his victim’s eyes shut so she wouldn’t see him. He was forensically-aware and left few clues at the attack-sites. Desperate, three forces combined to run Operation Lynx. And they hired Dr Kim Rossmo who was a mathematician-turned-cop from Vancouver. How could the new science he was developing - Geographic profiling - catch The Ghoul? An in-depth interview with Dr Rossmo is available at: robertmurphy.substack.com This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertmurphy.substack.com/subscribe
Tue, November 28, 2023
'Naked Villainy' - solving the cold case of Dr Brenda Page
Isla Traquair, the TV presenter and journalist, has made history with her ground-breaking podcast ‘The Storyteller: Naked Villainy.’ In this interview she tells Behind The Crimes host Robert Murphy about the case of murdered geneticist Dt Brenda Page, how her killing was overshadowed by her work as an escort and how Isla has been granted audio recordings from a British trial for the first time to produce her podcast. You can find ‘The Storyteller Naked Villainy’ here: https://audioboom.com/posts/8363075-naked-villainy-ep-1 To Subscribe to ‘Behind the Crimes’ click here: https://robertmurphy.substack.com/podcast This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertmurphy.substack.com/subscribe
Tue, November 14, 2023
I was an Agent Provocateur
In the 1970s, the city of Bristol was terrorised by a man nicknamed ‘The Clifton Rapist.’ The stranger-attacker assaulted seven women over a two-year period. PC Chris Gould suggested a daring honeytrap: Avon and Somerset Police should set up an innovative undercover sting, using young rookie police officers as decoys to catch him. This was a monumental gamble, putting the lives of their youngest, least-experienced female officers on the line. But 12 women volunteered. As the weeks passed, with no further attacks, commanders made an even more innovative move. And Chris’s career was never the same again. How was the predator caught and justice achieved? Chris has never spoken in this detail before. Haven’t subscribed yet? Just hit: robertmurphy.substack.com This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertmurphy.substack.com/subscribe
Mon, November 06, 2023
Deadly Deception: Box set reissue
If you’ve found the ITV drama The Long Shadow compelling, you’ll be fascinated by this box-set podcast. My mini series, Deadly Deception - about ‘Yorkshire Ripper’ Peter Sutcliffe - was so well-regarded it was promoted globally by Substack. It features an interview with former Det Chief Superintendent Chris Gregg. Chris has a unique story having worked on both the 1970s ‘Ripper’ inquiry and then brought the ‘Wearside Jack’ hoaxer to justice more than two decades later. Chris is a character in tonight’s final episode of The Long Shadow. So here is an introduction with George Kay followed by all three episodes of Deadly Deception in full, back-to-back. The episodes were originally broadcast in April 2023. This is the first time the podcasts have been combined as a compendium. Subscribe for free @ robertmurphy.substack.com If you missed my chat with George about his brilliant series The Long Shadow you can get it here: This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertmurphy.substack.com/subscribe
Tue, October 17, 2023
'The Long Shadow' - the making of a true crime drama
## Subscribe at robertmurphy.substack.com to see trailers, video interviews and images from the drama. ## How do you dramatise for television the story of Britain’s most notorious serial killer? How can you devise and write compelling scenes while remaining faithful to the facts, respectful to his victims and mindful of the families left behind? Behind the Crimes is an independent reader-supported publication. To receive bonus features including video interviews, images and long-reads, please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. To produce the critically-acclaimed drama ‘The Long Shadow’ writer and Executive Producer George Kay ( Hijack, Lupin, Criminal UK, Litvinenko ) spent four years researching primary sources about Sutcliffe’s crimes, meeting families of his victims and hearing from survivors. In this interview-episode, George tells Rob Murphy how he managed this sensitive balancing act to create this absorbing series. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertmurphy.substack.com/subscribe
Tue, October 10, 2023
The Spy, his Wife, her Lovers... and the Dead-Letter Drop
Subscribe for free: robertmurphy.substack.com For ten years, a spy operated in the midst of suburban Yorkshire. Secrets were passed to Soviet Bloc agents about Britain’s V-bomber’s radar-jamming device. But was the real spy the prime suspect - a Royal Air Force engineer? Or was the main player his beautiful, unfaithful wife? The case was finally solved after Det Sgt Michael Burdis discovered the operation’s ‘dead-letter drop’ - the location where messages were passed between spy and handlers. In this podcast he speaks about the case publicly for the first time. Behind the Crimes is a free podcast. To see images about the Prager case or to read more, subscribe below. Never miss an episode. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertmurphy.substack.com/subscribe
Tue, July 04, 2023
Cold Case: Solved from a single sheet of paper
What does it take to be a cold case detective? How do you solve a case from the past when all the files have vanished? All Julie and Gary had was one sheet of paper: a laboratory submission form. Nothing else. They didn’t know the details of the attack, who the victim was, what or where it happened. But by methodically reviewing the case Julie and Gary were able to rebuild the investigation. There was a DNA hit linking the attack to another unsolved crime scene. And the attack had been so terrifying, all the original officers and witnesses had never forgotten that freezing night in January 1986 when they came across a young woman called Samantha who had been subjected to this traumatising assault. But just when Julie thought justice was within her grasp she faced another challenge: lawyers who were refusing to charge their prime suspect. The case culminated in a dramatic and emotionally-charged court hearing. Warning: while this episode does not give graphic or intimate descriptions of this sexual assault, some of the details and imagery may be distressing. Listener discretion is advised. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertmurphy.substack.com/subscribe
Tue, June 13, 2023
Love triangle: Fatal Attraction
In the early hours of October 4th 1922, a woman who was about to become Britain’s most notorious murder suspect walked home from the theatre with her husband. Edith Thompson was 28, she was beautiful, had a career, a good social life… and a lover 8 years her junior. Freddy Bywaters leapt from the shadows and stabbed her husband to death. Edith was terrified. She didn’t want her husband dead, she hadn’t held the knife. But why did detectives charge her with murder? In what ways did her love letters scandalise puritanical Post-War society? And as the hangman’s noose awaited a guilty verdict, how important was that opinion on the jury? This podcast is based on an interview with Laura Thompson, whose book ‘Rex vs Edith Thompson, a Tale of Two Murders’ can be bought here in the UK and here in the USA . This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertmurphy.substack.com/subscribe
Tue, May 30, 2023
Unlocking the murder of Jenny King
In October 1998, Jenny King vanished. The 22-year-old had been on a night out at a club near her home in Kingswood near Bristol, in the South West of England. Police realised the office worker was in a good, stable relationship. She had no enemies. And no-one would want to harm her. But a friend of Jenny’s came forward. In the hour before Jenny disappeared, she had said something about a ‘psycho ex boyfriend’ being in the nightspot. Behind the Crimes is a reader-supported publication. To see evidence from the case or watch videos with detectives, please subscribe. Days later, police made an horrific discovery. But at this deposition site they found a set of keys. Who was this ‘psycho ex boyfriend' and whose door would the keys unlock? This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertmurphy.substack.com/subscribe
Tue, May 02, 2023
The Secrets of the Nuclear Bunker
It was the occasional smell of weed which made detectives suspicious at first. Then a mystery delivery alerted police to the former nuclear bunker in the middle of the English countryside. But when detectives mounted a raid on the underground fortress, they had no idea if they could get through the atomic blast doors. And when they did - what would they find? What followed was a moment of high-tension as the team had just seconds to catch an organised crime group in the act. And detectives uncovered a unique drugs factory built on a scale not seen before in England. But this is no crime caper. Soon police saw for themselves the dark side of drugs production. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertmurphy.substack.com/subscribe
Tue, April 18, 2023
Deadly Deception Ep 3 - Between two slides of glass
West Yorkshire, 2004. Chris Gregg is now at the height of his career - a detective chief superintendent establishing West Yorkshire Police’s elite Homicide and Major Enquiry Team. The next few months are busy. But at the back of his mind is unfinished business: tracking down Wearside Jack, the Yorkshire Ripper hoaxer from nearly 30 years previously. Chris has failed to persuade senior officers to re-investigate the case over the years. Now he is the senior officer and what he says goes. But scientists tell Chris the letters are destroyed and the tape can’t be found. Somewhere lost in a police storeroom is a tiny fragment of evidence - just two centimetres large - which offers one final hope of identifying the hoaxer. Will new science be able to match this with the man behind the deadly deception of the 1970s? This episode is part 3 of 3. Written, presented and produced by Robert Murphy. To watch video clips with Chris, to see evidence from the case or to learn more, go to: https://robertmurphy.substack.com/about This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertmurphy.substack.com/subscribe
Tue, April 18, 2023
Deadly Deception: Ep 2 - Wearside Jack
June 1979. The tape recorded by the man known as ‘Wearside Jack’ is played to the Yorkshire Ripper team. ‘I could feel the hairs standing up on the back of my neck’ says Chris Gregg - a detective constable at the time - as the chilling Sunderland accent fills the room. The inquiry pivots. Unbeknown to lead detective George Oldfield, the lines of inquiry have already got the serial killer in the net. ‘But there was a hole in the net’ says Chris. Three separate investigative strategies have highlighted the name ‘Peter Sutcliffe’ - a lorry driver with a Yorkshire accent - to the Ripper team. He is interviewed nine times. Why is he discounted? While six more women are attacked - three are murdered - the inquiry is looking for a man with a Sunderland voice. Then, in January 1981, things change. This episode is part 2 of 3. Written, presented and produced by Robert Murphy. To watch video clips with Chris, to see evidence from the case or to learn more, go to: https://robertmurphy.substack.com/about This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertmurphy.substack.com/subscribe
Mon, April 17, 2023
Deadly Deception: Ep 1 - The letters
March 1978. Britain’s biggest manhunt. West Yorkshire Police detectives are desperate to find the man who has killed seven women. The man nicknamed ‘The Yorkshire Ripper.’ Det Con Chris Gregg is a rookie officer in the incident room when a letter arrives, claiming to be from the serial killer. The handwriting is spidery. The language is taunting. Chris doubts that it is from the genuine killer, but a series of catastrophic coincidences persuade the lead investigator, Asst Ch Constable George Oldfield, that it has been penned by the murderer. Then, in a moment of pure policing drama, Chris Gregg is summonsed along with the team to hear George Oldfield reveal a new development. This episode is part 1 of 3. Written, presented and produced by Robert Murphy. To watch video clips with Chris, to see evidence from the case or to learn more, go to: https://robertmurphy.substack.com/about This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertmurphy.substack.com/subscribe
Tue, April 04, 2023
Fantasy To Kill
Roy and Joan Clarke were found dead in their home in Melksham, Wiltshire, in December 2004. They’d been stabbed in a ‘ritualistic-style’ attack. Det Ch Supt Paul Howlett’s suspicions fall on one man. But does his prime suspect have the opportunity to kill the loving parents? And a deep-dive of the suspect’s computer reveals a sinister fantasy to kill. Twenty years on, and Roy Clarke’s daughter is still seeking answers. Click here to subscribe to Behind the Crimes. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertmurphy.substack.com/subscribe
Tue, April 04, 2023
The Dating App Killer
In June 2014, Anthony Walgate was found dead in a street in Barking, East London. The Metropolitan Police Service said there were no suspicious circumstances: it was another sad overdose. But the 23-year-old fashion student’s mother, Sarah Sak, and his friends refused to believe detectives. Then, months later, two more young men were found dead nearby. Still, the police refused to link the deaths of Gabriel Kovari and Daniel Whitworth with Anthony’s. Detectives were suspicious of Stephen Port, a chef who had reported Anthony’s death to emergency services. They’d even charged him with perverting the course of justice. But then, when a fourth young man was found dead, the inquiry took a darker turn. This podcast charts Sarah Sak and fight for justice against Britain’s biggest police force, into the world’s most famous courthouse and face-to-face with one of England’s most notorious serial killers. Subscribe to ‘Behind The Crimes’ here . You can order a copy of her book, A Life Stolen, here . This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertmurphy.substack.com/subscribe
Sun, March 19, 2023
Behind The Crimes trailer
This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertmurphy.substack.com/subscribe
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