California police created a true-crime podcast when Peter Chadwick, suspected of murdering his wife, had already been on the run for nearly four years. Ten months and 20 days later, he was arrested in Mexico.
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Another case that had remained unsolved for more than 40 years came to an end last year, when a police department in Illinois released the first episode of a podcast about the disappearance of Karen Schepers. Within weeks, her remains were discovered at the bottom of a river.
Now, law enforcement in Colorado is seeking crucial information about a 10-year-old murder that remains unsolved. This summer, the Aurora Police Department (APD) launched its own podcast in hopes of securing justice for Chelsea Yasser, the 21-year-old who was found stabbed to death in the parking lot of a shopping complex in 2016.
With the true-crime content industry experiencing extraordinary growth, law enforcement agencies across the United States and beyond are producing more and more podcasts, seeking help in solving various investigations and cold-case murders.
Joe Moylan, a spokesperson for the Aurora Police Department, noted that the true-crime genre, whether on television, in podcasts or in books, is extremely popular. He added that they were fully aware of this and aimed to reach that large audience.
Although this phenomenon is still in its early stages and brings both advantages and challenges, experts believe the trend will grow stronger.
Michael Alcazar, a former NYPD detective and associate professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, says this is a tool that everyone will eventually adopt. He notes that although true-crime podcasts can spread misinformation, this format allows police to control the narrative and seek new leads.
It is less common for these productions to focus specifically on cold cases and appeal for information, as law enforcement agencies in California, Colorado and Illinois have done.
These police programs follow an episodic format, detailing the crimes, victims and investigative process through storytelling and compelling detail, much like the pioneering podcast “Serial” did after its debut in 2014.
In Aurora, authorities hoped to create an equally compelling podcast that would motivate listeners to come forward with relevant information.
The murder of Chelsea Yasser has been dubbed the “White Whale” by those working on the podcast, a reference to the novel Moby-Dick, given how long the case has haunted investigators.
Yasser was fatally stabbed after getting into a vehicle that had stopped in the parking lot; she collapsed just moments after getting out. Grainy security camera footage captured the van rocking during the attack, but the images were not clear enough to identify anyone, and DNA found under her fingernails did not match any profile in the system.
When APD released the podcast in June, detectives were analyzing the DNA using new forensic genealogy techniques, and the program kept listeners updated on other new lines of inquiry.
Moylan says the department had previously sought help in solving Yasser’s murder, but the podcast offers a much wider reach for finding witnesses and others who may have information.
He added that if someone had not watched the news that night or read the newspaper, they might know nothing about the case, so they wanted to reach a broader audience. Assuming the suspected perpetrator is still alive and at large, he could be anywhere in the country.
According to APD, by the end of July the podcast had been downloaded 7,184 times, generating several leads, including one that investigators are still pursuing. Most departments lack the staff, budget or time needed to create such content, as well as the necessary equipment and expertise.
Former detective Alcazar says others are hesitant because of concerns about potential repercussions, lawsuits and civil liability.
In California, for example, the Newport Beach Police Department’s podcast about fugitive Chadwick was not without controversy. The millionaire was introduced to listeners in Episode 1 as “a man who killed his wife in the peaceful seaside community of Newport Beach, California, in October 2012.”
Chadwick had been charged and had pleaded not guilty, but had not yet been tried; despite this, the podcast did not use the term “suspect” and described the millionaire as a “murderer.”
Critics argued that this violated the presumption of innocence and that the role of police was to investigate, not issue verdicts.
The production was led by public information officer Jennifer Manzella, who defended the decision at the time, saying police often make the same kinds of statements.
She told BBC News that she was trying to strike a balance between telling a compelling story and protecting the investigation.
After Chadwick was arrested in August 2019, he pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced to 15 years to life in prison, where he remains today.
Manzella says it was not a tip generated directly by the podcast that led to his capture, but the program undoubtedly helped by putting pressure on Chadwick while he was on the run, making him more likely to make a mistake.
In addition, investigators obtained arrest and extradition warrants in record time thanks to the awareness it generated; the podcast reached No. 24 on the iTunes chart.
Following the podcast’s success and the arrest, she received calls from many other departments and agencies interested in producing something similar.
Nevertheless, while other departments struggle with funding and resource issues, there is a consensus that using podcasts as an investigative tool will become more common.
Janice Iwama, an associate professor in the Department of Justice, Law and Criminology at American University, says that if law enforcement agencies can find the staff to support them, podcasts could help with both recruitment and employee retention. They give listeners an opportunity to gain a closer understanding of what police work is really like, directly from officers in the field.
Former detective Alcazar also notes that generational change could strengthen this trend, as younger officers are more open to taking advantage of the opportunities offered by podcasts and social media.
“This is their world. This is what they feel most comfortable with,” he concluded.
