In the summer of 1974, Seattle was gripped by fear as young women disappeared and witnesses began describing a polite man named “Ted” and his tan Volkswagen. As newspapers cautiously reported on a possible suspect, few believed the man they were describing could be dangerous.

He looked like a law student.

A volunteer.

Someone people trusted.

In this Once Upon a Crime minisode, we examine Ted Bundy before his trials—through the people who knew him best and the warning signs that surfaced long before his name became infamous.

About This Series:

Ted Bundy for the Defense examines Ted Bundy’s criminal cases through the lens of his courtroom behavior and his insistence on controlling his own fate. This series separates myth from fact, focusing on documented evidence, trial records, and survivor testimony.

Next up in Part Three:

The Chi Omega sorority house attacks, the assault on Cheryl Thomas, and the final unraveling of Ted Bundy’s carefully constructed persona.

Sources:

The Bundy Murders: A Comprehensive History, Kevin M. Sullivan, McFarland and Company, 2020 (Second Edition).

Murderland: Crime and Bloodlust in the Time of Serial Killers, Caroline Fraser, Penguin Press, 2025.

The Devil’s Defender, John Henry Browne, Chicago Review Press, 2016.

Sponsors:

Completing the Puzzle: Go to CompletingthePuzzle.com and use code OUAC for $10 off your first puzzle subscription box or gift card.

Weight Loss by Hers: Visit ForHers.com/ONCE to get a personalized, affordable plan to reach your goals.

Talkiatry: Head to talkiatry.com/once and complete the short assessment to get matched with an in-network psychiatrist in minutes.

Events & Appearances:

Meet Esther and Lorena in person at:

• Beyond the Crime Convention – Albuquerque, NM | April 11–12 - beyondcrimeconvention.com - Use our discount code BEYOND-OUAC.
• CrimeCon – Las Vegas, NV | May 29–31 - crimecon.com - Use our discount code ONCE.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In Part Two of Ted Bundy for the Defense, we follow Ted Bundy from his first arrest in Utah through conviction, psychological evaluation, escalating murder charges, and the escape attempts that would ultimately unleash his most violent crimes.

About This Series:

Ted Bundy for the Defense examines Ted Bundy’s criminal cases through the lens of his courtroom behavior and his insistence on controlling his own fate. This series separates myth from fact, focusing on documented evidence, trial records, and survivor testimony.

Next up in Part Three:

The Chi Omega sorority house attacks, the assault on Cheryl Thomas, and the final unraveling of Ted Bundy’s carefully constructed persona.

Sources:

The Bundy Murders: A Comprehensive History, Kevin M. Sullivan, McFarland and Company, 2020 (Second Edition).

Murderland: Crime and Bloodlust in the Time of Serial Killers, Caroline Fraser, Penguin Press, 2025.

The Devil’s Defender, John Henry Browne, Chicago Review Press, 2016.

Sponsors:

Completing the Puzzle: Go to CompletingthePuzzle.com and use code OUAC for $10 off your first puzzle subscription box or gift card.

Weight Loss by Hers: Visit ForHers.com/ONCE to get a personalized, affordable plan to reach your goals.

Talkiatry: Head to talkiatry.com/once and complete the short assessment to get matched with an in-network psychiatrist in minutes.

Events & Appearances:

Meet Esther and Lorena in person at:

• Beyond the Crime Convention – Albuquerque, NM | April 11–12 - beyondcrimeconvention.com
• CrimeCon – Las Vegas, NV | May 29–31 - crimecon.com

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A recent Los Angeles Times article has reignited worldwide interest in the Black Dahlia murder, spotlighting an amateur sleuth’s theory that attempts to link the case to the Zodiac Killer—and naming Marvin Margolis as a “new” prime suspect.

But Marvin Margolis is not new.

In this bonus episode, we’re joined once again by author William J. Mann, whose extensively researched new book, Black Dahlia: Murder, Monsters, and Madness in Midcentury Hollywood, is released today. Long before the headlines, Mann identified Margolis as the strongest—and most credible—suspect in the history of the case.

In this follow-up interview, Mann responds directly to the recent media coverage, clarifies what his investigation does and does not support, and explains why decades of armchair detective theories have often missed the mark.

This episode cuts through the noise to restore context, credit, and clarity—placing today’s headlines against the backdrop of years of original investigative work.

Listen to the Once Upon a Crime series, Broken: The Black Dahlia Murder

https://www.truecrimepodcast.com/introducing-broken-the-black-dahlia-murder-a-once-upon-a-crime-original-series/

About the Book:

Black Dahlia: Murder, Monsters, and Madness in Midcentury Hollywood

By William J. Mann

Available now wherever books are sold

Guest:

William J. Mann

Author of Black Dahlia: Murder, Monsters, and Madness in Midcentury Hollywood

williamjmann.com

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.