The 8 Best True-Crime Podcasts to Enhance Your Morning Commute

Host: Sarah Koenig

Considered to be the O.G. of true-crime podcasts, Serial tells the story of Adnan Syed, an inmate in the state of Maryland. In 1999, Syed was accused of killing his ex-girlfriend Hae Min Lee, who was found half-buried in a Baltimore park.

Koenig explores the case file, highlighting errors and important facts that may have led to his potentially wrongful conviction.

Host: Payne Lindsey

A schoolteacher named Tara Grinstead quite literally up and vanished in 2005 in one of the most infamous disappearances in Georgia history. Lindsey dives into the true-crime story, discovering new evidence and following leads that change the course of the investigation.

While the podcast starts as a cold case, it concludes with a two-person arrest, so fasten your seatbelts, ladies and gents.

Hosts: Ashley Flowers and Brit Prawat

This anthology series explores a different true-crime story each episode, with topics ranging from mysterious disappearances to murders and serial killers. The conversational dialogue mimics chatting with your best friend, making it a seamless addition to your morning commute.

Host: Dennis Cooper

In 2014, local police ruled Christian Andreacchio’s death a suicide after a 45-minute investigation. The problem? His family isn’t convinced he took his own life, and there’s a boatload of evidence pointing toward the ex-girlfriend and former roommate as suspects. Are they guilty of something sinister? Or are they simply trying to cover up a horrifying accident?

Host: Dave Cawley

Meet Josh Powell, a Utah husband and father who is accused of murdering his wife, Susan, and two children. The podcast begins with Josh’s life story and explores the chain of events that led to these horrific crimes. 

Hosts: Yvette Gentile and Rasha Pecoraro

We’ve seen a bajillion documentaries about the Black Dahlia case, but we’ve never heard anything quite like this. The podcast tells the story of the Hodel family, who—after years of unanswered questions—are sharing details about their connection to the infamous investigation, which isn’t as unsolved as you think.

Hosts: Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark

Each episode follows a different real-life case. However, unlike your typical true-crime story, Kilgariff and Hardstark inject humor into the darkest of tales. You’ll be calling yourself a “Murderino” in no time.

Hosts: Meghan Cloherty and Jack Moore

The Savopoulos family was held hostage in their D.C. home for nearly 24 hours before the intruder took their lives and set their mansion ablaze. This podcast sheds light on what happened and how they found themselves in the middle of a real-life American nightmare.