Golden State Killer. Genetic Genealogy. GEDmatch. Joseph James DeAngelo.

For over four decades, the Golden State Killer terrorized California, committing murders, rapes, and burglaries while evading every traditional investigative method. Detectives had DNA — but no name.

Then everything changed.

In this episode, we break down how genetic genealogy and public DNA databases like GEDmatch led investigators to Joseph James DeAngelo, a former police officer who hid in plain sight for 40 years. This is the inside story of the forensic breakthrough that reshaped modern law enforcement forever.

We explore the science behind familial DNA matching, the ethical controversy surrounding privacy, and the investigative process that connected distant relatives to one of America’s most infamous serial criminals: the Golden State Killer, later identified as Joseph James DeAngelo.

This isn’t just a true crime story. It’s the moment technology rewrote justice.

If you’re fascinated by forensic science, cold case breakthroughs, criminal psychology, or modern investigative tactics, this episode will change how you think about DNA forever.

00:00 The Case That Haunted California

03:12 Who Was the Golden State Killer?

07:45 The DNA Evidence That Went Nowhere

12:30 What Is Genetic Genealogy?

18:10 How GEDmatch Became the Key

24:55 Building the Killer’s Family Tree

31:40 Narrowing Down to One Man

36:20 The Arrest of Joseph James DeAngelo

41:10 The Ethical Debate Around DNA Databases

47:30 How This Case Changed Law Enforcement Forever

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Discover the chilling true story of Henri Désiré Landru, the infamous WWI serial killer who birthed the modern true crime media circus. Long before the televised trials of today, the 1921 French murder trial of Henri Landru—often called the Bluebeard of Gambais—turned a horrific series of killings into a theatrical spectacle for the Parisian elite.

How did a seemingly unremarkable man use lonely hearts classified ads to lure vulnerable war widows to their doom during the height of the First World War? In this deep dive, we explore the psychology of a ruthless conman, his meticulous "little black book" of victims, and how the explosive tabloid coverage of his crimes created the true crime obsession we still see today.

We’ll also break down one of the most legendary courtroom tricks in legal history, pulled off by Landru's desperate defense attorney. Are we really just seeking justice when we consume true crime, or are we part of the media circus? Tune in to find out!

Don't forget to like, subscribe, and drop a comment below on what you think about our society's obsession with true crime!

00:00 The 1921 Murder Trial That Felt Like a Movie Premiere

02:18 Paranoia in WWI France and The Perfect Camouflage for a Killer

04:45 Who Was Henri Désiré Landru? The Comical Monster

06:15 The Deadly Business Model: Scamming Vulnerable War Widows

08:30 The Infamous Little Black Book of Victims

11:10 The Grisly Discovery: Ashes in the Gambais Stove

13:25 How the Press Turned Tragedy into the First True Crime Spectacle

17:40 The Most Brilliant (and Darkest) Courtroom Trick in History

20:05 Are We the Monsters? Why Society is Obsessed with Serial Killers

true crime podcast, Henri Landru, serial killer documentary, true crime history, Bluebeard of Gambais, French serial killers, WWI history, true crime media circus, infamous murders, unsolved mysteries, historic true crime, true crime obsession, Jeffrey Dahmer, courtroom tricks, famous defense lawyers, true crime storytelling, history podcast, murder mystery, true crime psychology

#TrueCrime #HenriLandru #SerialKiller #TrueCrimePodcast #TrueCrimeCommunity #History #MurderMystery #CrimeDocumentary #Unsolved

The Aarushi Talwar murder case remains one of India's most baffling and controversial locked room mysteries. In this deep dive, we break down the shocking Noida double murder of 13-year-old Aarushi and the family's domestic worker, Hemraj Banjade, in May 2008. What started as a tragic crime scene quickly devolved into a systemic failure involving compromised evidence, trampled crime scenes, and a sensationalized media trial.

We explore the conflicting investigations by two separate CBI teams—one pointing to the domestic staff using controversial narco-analysis tests, and the other pointing to Aarushi's parents, Rajesh and Nupur Talwar. From the swapped forensic evidence at the Hyderabad lab to the Allahabad High Court's scathing 2017 acquittal of the parents, we dissect the catastrophic errors that left this case legally unsolved. If you're fascinated by true crime, forensic failures, and the complexities of the justice system, this episode is a must-listen.

00:00 Introduction to the Classic Locked Room Mystery

01:45 The Morning of May 16, 2008, in Noida

03:20 The Initial Theory and the Missing Servant

04:55 Discovering Hemraj's Body on the Terrace

06:30 A Trampled Crime Scene and Lost Evidence

08:15 Enter CBI Team 1: Focusing on the Domestic Help

10:05 Narco-Analysis Tests and the "Nepali Song" Clue

11:40 The Pillowcase Blunder and Forensic Failures

13:20 CBI Team 2 Takes Over: Turning on the Parents

15:10 The Controversial Circumstantial Evidence

17:00 The 2010 Closure Report and Trial by Media

18:45 The 2013 Conviction vs. The 2017 Acquittal

20:10 Systemic Failure: Why the Case Remains Unsolved

Aarushi Talwar, Aarushi Talwar murder case, Noida double murder, locked room mystery, CBI investigation, true crime India, Rajesh and Nupur Talwar, Hemraj Banjade, unsolved murders, botched crime scene, forensic failures, media trial, Allahabad High Court acquittal, Narco test confession, true crime podcast, Indian judicial system, Jalvayu Vihar crime, domestic help theory, parents theory, unsolved true crime documentary

#AarushiTalwar #TrueCrimeIndia #UnsolvedMystery #NoidaDoubleMurder #TrueCrimePodcast #LockedRoomMystery #CBICase #JusticeSystem #IndianCrime