Switchblade Sisters Social Club

The conwoman, poisoner, and "witch" who convinced people a chicken could predict the Second ComingDee heads to Yorkshire to uncover the astonishing story of Mary Bateman - a woman remembered as The Yorkshire Witch, despite never being convicted of witchcraft.Born into poverty in the eighteenth century, Mary discovered that fear, superstition and false hope could be far more profitable than honest work. She reinvented herself as a fortune teller, sold charms and curses, invented imaginary spiritual advisers, and even convinced hundreds of people that her pet hen was laying miraculous eggs bearing messages from God.But beneath the theatrical scams lay something far darker.When William and Rebecca Perigo sought Mary's help for Rebecca's illness, they believed they were buying protection from a curse. Instead, they were given poison.Rebecca would pay with her life.Dee explores one of Britain's most extraordinary true crime stories - a tale of fraud, manipulation, murder, public executions, miracle chickens, fake psychics, and one of the strangest post-mortem legacies in criminal history, when pieces of Mary's own skin were turned into souvenirs.🎙 Follow Switchblade Sisters Social Club wherever you get your podcasts, and don't forget to leave us a rating and review—it makes a huge difference to independent podcasts.SourcesSummers, Montague. The History of Witchcraft and DemonologyThackray Museum of MedicineLeeds Libraries Local History CollectionLeeds Mercury archivesBritish Newspaper Archive

12/08/2026 • 17:19

The President who may have been killed by his own doctors.In this episode of Dee-Brief, Dee explores one of the most extraordinary assassinations in American history, and one of history's greatest medical "what ifs."When President James A. Garfield was shot by disappointed office-seeker Charles Guiteau in July 1881, many believed his fate was sealed.But modern medical experts tell a very different story.The bullet itself may not have been fatal.Instead, Garfield endured eighty days of repeated examinations by doctors who repeatedly inserted unwashed fingers and unsterilised instruments into his wounds, unknowingly introducing life-threatening infection. Today, many historians believe it was sepsis - not the gunshot - that ultimately killed the twentieth President of the United States.🎙 Follow Switchblade Sisters Social Club wherever you get your podcasts, and don't forget to leave us a rating and review, it genuinely helps independent podcasts grow.SourcesAckerman, Kenneth D. Dark Horse: The Surprise Election and Political Murder of President James A. GarfieldLibrary of CongressU.S. Senate Historical OfficeWhite House Historical AssociationNational Park Service – James A. Garfield National Historic SiteSmithsonian Magazine

05/08/2026 • 14:38

A teenage girl vanished after a night at the fair. Nearly 50 years later, police charged a suspect, but the trial never happened.In this episode of Dee-Brief, Dee explores one of Birmingham's most heartbreaking unsolved murders.On the evening of 18 August 1961, fifteen-year-old Jacqueline Thomas went to a travelling funfair in Ward End with friends. It should have been an ordinary summer night. Instead, it was the last time she was ever seen alive.A week later, Jacqueline's body was discovered on nearby allotment land. Despite a major police investigation, appeals for witnesses, and multiple suspects being questioned, nobody was charged and the case gradually grew cold.Then, almost half a century later, everything changed.🎙 Follow Switchblade Sisters Social Club wherever you get your podcasts, and don't forget to leave us a rating and review—it genuinely helps independent podcasts reach new listeners.If you have any information relating to the murder of Jacqueline Thomas, however small it may seem, West Midlands Police continue to regard the case as unsolved. After more than sixty years, investigators still hope someone may hold the missing piece of the puzzle.SourcesBurney, Ian & Pemberton, Neil. Murder and the Making of English CSIWest Midlands Police – Unsolved MurdersBirmingham Mail archivesBBC News archivesThe Independent archivesThe Guardian archives

29/07/2026 • 08:53

The case that may - or may not - connect to the Black DahliaIn this episode of Dee-Brief, Dee heads to 1940s Chicago to examine one of America's most infamous unsolved - or perhaps wrongly solved - murder cases: The Chicago Lipstick Murders.Between 1945 and 1946, three shocking murders terrified the city. A cryptic message allegedly scrawled in lipstick gave rise to the ridiculously nickname "The Lipstick Killer," while the brutal murder of six-year-old Suzanne Degnan sparked one of the largest criminal investigations in American history.But was the right man ever convicted?Dee explores the controversial case of William Heirens, whose confession has been debated for decades, examining claims of coercive interrogation, disputed forensic evidence, and one of the earliest alleged false confessions in American criminal history.The episode also revisits the extraordinary claims made by retired LAPD detective Steve Hodel, who believes his father, Dr George Hodel, was responsible not only for the murder of Elizabeth Short - the Black Dahlia - but also for the Chicago Lipstick Murders.Was the case really solved?Or has the true killer remained hidden for nearly eighty years?Listen now and decide for yourself.If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to listen to our two-part interview with Steve Hodel on the Black Dahlia, where we explore the evidence behind his extraordinary theory that his father may have been one of America's most prolific unidentified serial killers.🎙 Follow Switchblade Sisters Social Club wherever you get your podcasts, and don't forget to leave us a rating and review. It really helps independent podcasts reach more listeners.SourcesHodel, Steve. Black Dahlia AvengerHodel, Steve. Most EvilNewton, Michael. The Encyclopedia of Serial KillersChicago Tribune Chicago Sun-TimesIllinois Innocence Project materials discussing the Heirens case

22/07/2026 • 07:25

In Part 1, we told the story of how the Horizon computer system led to hundreds of sub-postmasters being accused of theft, fraud, and false accounting for losses that often never existed.In Part 2, Dee and Isla examine what happened after the cracks in Horizon became impossible to ignore.We look at the stories of some of the people whose lives were devastated by the scandal, including Janet Skinner, Seema Misra, Sathyan Shiju, and Jo Hamilton. We explore the role of Post Office leadership, the growing scrutiny of former CEO Paula Vennells, and the ongoing questions surrounding who knew Horizon was flawed and why prosecutions continued regardless.We also examine the public inquiry, the compensation schemes, the overturning of convictions, and the continuing investigations into one of the largest miscarriages of justice in British legal history.Because while many convictions have now been quashed, for many victims the fight for justice is far from over.Plus, Dee tests Isla with another edition of our multiple-choice quiz—this time focusing on some of history's most spectacular computer failures.Trigger Warning: This episode contains discussion of suicide, imprisonment, miscarriage of justice, financial ruin, mental health struggles, and wrongful criminal convictions.SourcesNick Wallis, The Great Post Office Scandal (2021)British Scandals – Post Office Horizon Scandal seriesPost Office Horizon IT Inquiry – Final Report, Volume 1 (2025)Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry – Reports & Statements HubPost Office Horizon IT Inquiry – End of Year Newsletter Review (2025)Government Response to the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry Report (Volume 1)Bates v Post Office Ltd (High Court Judgments, 2019)Hamilton & Others v Post Office Ltd (Court of Appeal Judgment, 2021)Post Office (Horizon System) Offences Act 2024Post Office (Horizon System) Offences (Scotland) Act 2024Horizon Shortfall Scheme Information and DataPost Office Horizon Financial Redress Data (December 2025)Post Office Horizon and Capture Redress Legal Costs Data (December 2025)Quashed Convictions Management Information (October 2024 & October 2025)Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) – Horizon CasesMetropolitan Police – Operation OlymposGovernment Consultation on Oversight and Regulation of Private ProsecutorsThe Guardian – Post Office operator wrongly jailed while pregnant rejects executive's apology (2024)The Guardian – Marina Hyde: Innocent subpostmasters went to jail, but now it is clear the Post Office boss class belong there instead (2025)ITV News – Ex-subpostmistress jailed after Post Office scandal rejects compensation offer (2025)The Independent – Attempted suicide, exile abroad and prison: The stories behind the Post Office scandalComputer Weekly – Eradicating Fujitsu and Horizon from the Post Office, step by step

15/07/2026 • 50:57

This is one of those cases that makes you side-eye your banking app.Because this episode isn’t about a serial killer.It’s about a spreadsheet.It’s about a computer system called Horizon.And it’s about what happens when an institution decides the software must be right… even when real human beings are losing everything.Between 1999 and 2015, nearly 1,000 sub-postmasters were wrongfully convicted based on faulty data generated by the Horizon IT system . Around 236 people were sent to prison for crimes they did not commit .This has since been described as the most widespread miscarriage of justice in British legal history.And honestly? Fiction would have had better quality control.And Finally… The QuizWe end the episode with a Multiple Choice Quiz about major computer disasters (because if we don’t laugh, we’ll scream):You know the rules.SourcesNick Wallis – The Great Post Office Scandal (2021)British Scandals podcast mini series on the Post Office Horizon ScandalPost Office Horizon IT Inquiry – Final Report, Volume 1 (2025)Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry – Reports & Statements HubPost Office Horizon IT Inquiry – End of Year Newsletter Review (2025)Bates v Post Office Ltd (No. 3) – High Court Judgment (2019)Bates v Post Office Ltd – High Court Judgment (2019)Hamilton & Others v Post Office Ltd – Court of Appeal Judgment (2021)Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) – Post Office Horizon CasesPost Office Horizon System Offences Act 2024 (UK Parliament)Post Office (Horizon System) Offences (Scotland) Act 2024Quashed Convictions Management Information (30 October 2025) – GOV.UKQuashed Convictions Management Information (3 October 2024) – GOV.UKPost Office Horizon Financial Redress Data (as of 19 December 2025) – GOV.UKPost Office Horizon & Capture Redress Legal Costs Data (as of 31 December 2025) – GOV.UKHorizon Shortfall Scheme – Information & Data (Post Office Ltd)Post Office Horizon Scandal – FAQs (Post Office Ltd)Government Response to the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry Report (Volume 1)Oversight and Regulation of Private Prosecutors – Government ConsultationMetropolitan Police – Operation Olympos (Post Office Investigation Portal)Eradicating Fujitsu and Horizon from the Post Office – Computer WeeklyPost office operator wrongly jailed while pregnant rejects executive’s apology | Post Office Horizon scandal | The GuardianInnocent subpostmasters went to jail, but now it is clear: the Post Office boss class belong there instead | Marina Hyde | The GuardianHamilton -v- Post Office judgmentEx-subpostmistress jailed after Post Office Horizon scandal rejects 'egregious' compensation offer | ITV News CalendarAttempted suicide, exile abroad and prison: The stories behind the Post Office scandal | The Independent

08/07/2026 • 72:21

What do you get when a serial liar, suspected fraudster, manipulative nurse, and convicted murderer all happen to be the same person?This week, Dee and Isla dive into the chilling case of Malcolm Webster – the so-called "Black Widower" whose trail of deception, suspicious fires, insurance scams, fake illnesses, and attempted murders stretched from Scotland to New Zealand.From the mysterious death of his first wife Claire Morris in a burning car in rural Aberdeenshire, to a near-identical attempt on the life of his second wife Felicity Drumm in New Zealand, Webster spent years evading justice while charming, manipulating, and financially exploiting the women around him.Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of domestic abuse, coercive control, alleged drugging with sedatives, fraud, arson, and murder. Listener discretion is advised.SourcesCharles Lavery, The Black Widower: The Life and Crimes of a Sociopathic Killer (2012)BBC News coverage of the Malcolm Webster trial and convictionThe Guardian – Malcolm Webster conviction and sentencing reportsThe Independent – Life term for wife killer Malcolm WebsterThe Scotsman – Reporting on allegations surrounding Webster's nursing careerSTV News and STV Footage archivesDaily Record interviews with survivors and family membersNZ Herald reporting on the New Zealand investigationCaseMine and vLex legal records relating to Malcolm Webster's appealsMurder She Spoke podcast, Episode 30They Walk Among Us podcast⭐ If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review and share it with your fellow true crime fans. It really helps independent podcasts like ours grow.

01/07/2026 • 43:45

On 18 November 1987, a small fire broke out beneath a wooden escalator at London’s King’s Cross St Pancras Underground station. It should have been a routine incident. Instead, within minutes, it became one of the deadliest fires in modern British history. Thirty-one people lost their lives, more than 100 were injured, and an entire culture of complacency was exposed.In this episode, Dee takes us back to 1980s London, when smoking was still common on the Underground, many escalators were made of wood, and repeated fire warnings had been ignored. We explore how a seemingly minor escalator fire developed into a devastating flashover that engulfed the ticket hall in seconds, trapping passengers and firefighters alike.SourcesFennell Report: Investigation into the King’s Cross Underground Fire (1988)London Fire Brigade History ArchiveBritish Transport Police Historical RecordsUK Parliament Hansard DebatesJournal of Fire Protection EngineeringContemporary reporting from The Guardian and ITV News

24/06/2026 • 41:44

Trigger Warning: This episode contains discussion of murder, extreme violence, mental illness, child abuse, and graphic injuries.In February 1933, police were called to a quiet house in Le Mans, France, after René Lancelin returned home to find the doors locked, the lights out, and his wife and daughter missing.Upstairs, officers discovered a scene so brutal it would shock France for decades to come.At the centre of it all were Christine and Léa Papin - two devoted sisters who had worked as maids for the wealthy Lancelin family for years. Quiet, obedient, and intensely close, the sisters lived an isolated existence in the attic of the home they served.But on the evening of 2 February 1933, something snapped.SourcesBibliothèque nationale de France (Gallica)Criminocorpus – Papin Sisters Case ArchiveCriminocorpus – Archival Material Part 1Criminocorpus – Archival Material Part 2All That’s Interesting – The Papin Sisters CaseThe Guardian – The Maids Review / Papin Sisters ContextMorbid Podcast – Episode on the Papin SistersMy Favourite Murder

17/06/2026 • 57:09

In June 2022, British journalist Dom Phillips and Brazilian Indigenous rights defender Bruno Pereira set out on a reporting trip deep into one of the most remote regions on Earth: the Javari Valley in the Brazilian Amazon.They never came home.What began as a journey to document illegal fishing and environmental crime quickly became an international missing persons case that shone a spotlight on organised criminal networks, attacks on Indigenous communities, environmental destruction, and the dangers faced by journalists and activists trying to expose it all.Trigger Warning: This episode contains discussion of murder, gun violence, environmental crime, organised criminal activity, and threats against journalists and Indigenous communities.🎧 Enjoying Switchblade Sisters Social Club?Please consider following, rating and reviewing the podcast wherever you listen. It really helps other people find us.SourcesThe Guardian – British journalist Dom Phillips missing in Amazon as wife calls for urgencyhttps://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jun/07/british-journalist-dom-phillips-missing-amazon-brazil-wife-calls-for-urgencyITV News – Wife of missing journalist Dom Phillips warns every second counts in searchhttps://www.itv.com/news/2022-06-07/wife-of-missing-journalist-dom-phillips-warns-every-second-counts-in-searchThe Guardian – Dom Phillips and Bruno Pereira suspects linked to organised crimehttps://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jun/17/dom-phillips-bruno-pereira-suspects-organised-crimeThe Guardian – Brazil police arrest third suspect in killings of Dom Phillips and Bruno Pereirahttps://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jun/18/brazil-police-arrest-third-suspect-in-killings-of-dom-phillips-and-bruno-pereiraAl Jazeera – Brazilian prosecutors charge three suspects in Amazon murdershttps://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/7/22/brazilian-prosecutors-charge-three-suspects-in-amazon-murdersCommittee to Protect Journalists – Authorities confirm human remains found in search for Dom Phillipshttps://cpj.org/2022/06/brazilian-authorities-confirm-human-remains-found-in-search-for-missingThe Guardian – Two years on and still no justice for Dom Phillips and Bruno Pereira murdershttps://www.theguardian.com/global-development/article/2024/may/03/dom-phillips-and-bruno-pereira-murder-justice-amazon-two-years-onThe Guardian – Murder charge dropped against one suspect in Dom Phillips and Bruno Pereira casehttps://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/sep/18/dom-phillips-bruno-pereira-murder-charge-dropped-one-of-three-suspectsInter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) – Precautionary Measures Press Releasehttps://www.oas.org/fr/CIDH/jsForm/?File=%2Fen%2Fiachr%2Fmedia_center%2FPReleases%2F2022%2F133.aspInter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) – Action Plan Extension (2026)https://www.oas.org/en/IACHR/jsForm/?File=%2Fen%2Fiachr%2Fmedia_center%2FPReleases%2F2026%2F004.aspCommittee to Protect Journalists – Dom Phillips Profilehttps://cpj.org/data/people/dom-phillips/Reporters Without Borders – Brazil indictment in Dom Phillips and Bruno Pereira murdershttps://rsf.org/en/brazil-indictment-murders-dom-phillips-and-bruno-pereira-has-come-long-last-stronger-measures-areReporters Without Borders – Protecting environmental journalism in the Amazonhttps://rsf.org/en/protecting-environmental-journalism-amazon-brazilian-government-called-upon-take-more-substantialHuman Rights Watch – Brazil: Indigenous rights under serious threathttps://www.hrw.org/news/2022/08/09/brazil-indigenous-rights-under-serious-threatARTICLE 19 – Dom and Bruno: Two Years Onhttps://www.article19.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Dom-and-Bruno-Two-Years.pdfInstituto Dom Phillipshttps://institutodomphillips.org.br/en/sobre/

10/06/2026 • 59:11

Trigger Warning: This episode contains discussion of murder, violence against women, arson, substance misuse, and graphic descriptions of injuries.Three women. Four days. One of Birmingham’s most shocking killing sprees.This week, Dee takes Isla back to Birmingham in the year 2000 to examine the disturbing case of Philip John Smith, a man described by those who knew him as a "gentle giant" but whose actions would leave three families devastated and a city searching for answers.What began as a seemingly ordinary night at a local pub quickly escalated into a series of brutal murders that stunned investigators. Smith had a long history of petty crime, but nothing in his record appeared to foreshadow the extraordinary violence that erupted over just a few days in November 2000.Dee explores the lives of victims Jodi Hyde, Rosemary Corcoran, and Carol Jordan, the police investigation that rapidly closed in on Smith, and the extraordinary trail of evidence that ultimately led to his conviction. Along the way, the sisters discuss the difference between a serial killer and a spree killer, Birmingham's Irish pub scene, solvent abuse in the UK during the 1990s, and whether Smith may have had additional victims that were never proven.Plus, because every horrifying case deserves a palate cleanser, Dee tests Isla's knowledge with a thoroughly unnecessary but highly entertaining Birmingham Quiz.Victims RememberedJodi Hyde (21) – recovering butane gas addict who had appeared in a BBC documentary about overcoming addictionRosemary Corcoran (25) – mother of threeCarol Jordan (39) – care worker and mother of sixOur thoughts are with their families and loved ones.🎧 Listen wherever you get your podcasts, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube.📚 Follow Isla and browse thousands of true crime titles at Criminally Good Books💀 Follow us on social media: @switchbladesisterssocialclub⭐ If you enjoy the show, please leave us a rating and review. It really helps other true crime fans find us.SourcesBirmingham Post (19 July 2001) – “The Philip Smith Murders: A Man with Over Thirty Convictions; Killer's Record”BBC News (3 July 2001) – “Man 'Killed and Mutilated' Women”BBC News (17 July 2001) – “Man Rejects Blood-Stain Evidence”BBC News (18 July 2001) – “Forensic Evidence Trapped Triple Killer”BBC News (18 July 2001) – “Inquiry into Triple Killer's Past”BBC News (29 October 2001) – “Police Probe Killer's Past”Birmingham Evening Mail (24 November 2000) – “Murder Suspect in Court”Sunday Mercury (2 January 2005) – “Murderers' Mars Bar Stand-Off”Irish Independent (8 March 2001) – Tom Brady, “Serial Killer Link as Gardaí Exhume Woman's Body”The Guardian (19 July 2001) – Helen Carter⁠https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2001/jul/19/helencarter⁠

03/06/2026 • 51:30

The Black Dahlia case remains one of the most infamous unsolved murders in true crime history. In this special second part of our conversation with retired LAPD homicide detective and bestselling author Steve Hodel, we go deeper into the evidence, controversy, and personal cost behind his decades-long investigation into the murder of Elizabeth Short.Steve originally set out to prove that his father, Dr George Hodel, had been wrongly accused of killing Elizabeth Short. Instead, the evidence led him in the opposite direction. In this fascinating and often emotional interview, Steve discusses why he believes his father was responsible, the alleged cover-up that followed, and how his own career investigating more than 300 homicide cases shaped his conclusions.Steve Hodel is a retired Los Angeles Police Department homicide detective, former private investigator, nd bestselling true crime author. During his LAPD career he worked on more than 300 homicide investigations and received 75 commendations. He is best known for Black Dahlia Avenger, which explores his investigation into the murder of Elizabeth Short and the possibility that his own father, Dr George Hodel, was responsible.Sources and Further ReadingSteve Hodel – Black Dahlia AvengerSteve Hodel – Most EvilSteve Hodel – As Within, So WithoutSteve Hodel – The Early YearsLAPD Black Dahlia case filesContemporary reporting on the murder of Elizabeth ShortHistorical research into the Black Dahlia investigation🎙️ Switchblade Sisters Social Club is the true crime podcast where two friends exploit their worst fears for your entertainment.📚 Visit Isla at Criminally Good Books: https://criminallygoodbooks.co.uk🌐 Find us at Switchblade Sisters Social Club: https://switchbladesisterssocialclub.com🎧 Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and wherever you get your podcasts.

27/05/2026 • 78:48

In one of the most infamous unsolved murders in true crime history, Dee takes on a case she never thought she’d cover: The Black Dahlia.On 15 January 1947, the mutilated body of 22-year-old Elizabeth Short was discovered in a vacant lot in Los Angeles. The shocking brutality of the crime, the glamour of post-war Hollywood, and the mystery surrounding her killer created a media sensation that continues nearly 80 years later.This week, Dee walks Isla through the life of Elizabeth Short, the investigation that followed, and the key suspects who have fascinated detectives, journalists, and armchair sleuths for decades. Particular attention is given to one man whose name remains closely linked to the case: Dr George Hodel, a wealthy Los Angeles physician whose own son, retired LAPD homicide detective Steve Hodel, became convinced his father was responsible.Next week, we’ll be joined by Steve Hodel himself to discuss growing up in the shadow of one of true crime’s most controversial suspects and the evidence that changed his mind forever.Steve Hodel — Black Dahlia AvengerSteve Hodel — Most EvilSteve Hodel — Black Dahlia Avenger IIRoot of Evil: The True Story of the Hodel Family and the Black Dahlia (TNT/Cadence13)FBI Records: The Black Dahlia InvestigationFBI History: Elizabeth Short (The Black Dahlia)Los Angeles Police Museum – Black Dahlia ResourcesThe Black Dahlia (Encyclopaedia Britannica)🎙️ Next week: Dee and Isla sit down with retired LAPD homicide detective Steve Hodel to discuss the evidence against his father, Dr George Hodel, and what it was like discovering that your own parent may have been one of America’s most notorious killers.

22/05/2026 • 50:43

In July 2024, six foreign nationals of Vietnamese ethnicity were found dead inside a luxury suite at Bangkok’s Grand Hyatt Erawan Hotel in a case that quickly became known in international headlines as the “Bangkok Cyanide Tea Party.”What initially looked like a mysterious locked-room death soon became one of the most disturbing true crime stories of the year.Thai police publicly stated that cyanide was found in teacups and in the victims’ bloodstreams, leading investigators to conclude that the group had likely been poisoned during a private meeting connected to a bitter financial dispute.SourcesBBC News – Bangkok hotel deaths investigationhttps://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1e57w7jkldoReuters – Thai police say cyanide killed 6 foreigners in Bangkok hotelhttps://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/thai-police-say-cyanide-killed-6-foreigners-bangkok-hotel-2024-07-17/Associated Press – Cyanide traces found in blood of Bangkok hotel victimshttps://apnews.com/article/thailand-hotel-death-poisoning-cyanide-795719445377c5be993a792aeba48586The Guardian – Cyanide found in teacups shared by six found dead in Bangkok hotelhttps://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/jul/17/cyanide-cups-teacups-dead-bangkok-grand-hyatt-erawan-hotel-thailandAl Jazeera – Cyanide poisoning suspected in Bangkok hotel deathshttps://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/7/17/cyanide-plot-suspected-in-bangkok-hotel-deathsChannel NewsAsia – Suspect background and victim accountshttps://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/bangkok-cyanide-poisoning-deaths-vietnam-suspect-claimed-dubai-billionaire-wife-4491526ABC News (Australia) – Business dispute leading to suspected murder-suicidehttps://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-07-21/six-people-came-to-bangkok-to-resolve-a-business-dispute-it-ende/104117620RNZ – Business dispute ends in cyanide deathshttps://www.rnz.co.nz/news/world/522734/six-people-came-to-bangkok-to-resolve-a-business-dispute-it-ended-in-murder-suicide-by-cyanideKhaosod English – Debt dispute leads to 6 deathshttps://www.khaosodenglish.com/featured/2024/07/17/debt-dispute-leads-to-6-deaths-in-bangkok-hotel-poisoned-by-cyanide/Khaosod English – Police investigation into cyanide sourcehttps://www.khaosodenglish.com/featured/2024/07/18/thai-police-focus-on-tracing-cyanide-which-kills-6-foreigners-in-luxury-hotel/Bangkok Post (Learning) – Investment dispute and cyanide poisoninghttps://www.bangkokpost.com/learning/easy/2831436/investment-dispute-ends-in-hotel-cyanide-tea-partyThe Straits Times – Initial discovery and investigationhttps://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/six-people-found-dead-at-hotel-in-thai-capital-bangkok-media-reportVOA Thai / Reuters – Forensic findings and international involvementhttps://www.voathai.com/a/traces-of-cyanide-are-found-in-the-blood-of-vietnamese-and-americans-found-dead-in-a-bangkok-hotel/7701794.htmlSky News – CCTV footage of victims’ final movementshttps://news.sky.com/story/cctv-shows-last-movements-of-bangkok-hotel-guests-before-suspected-poisoning-13180410AP / Police press conference footage – Lumpini Police Station briefing (widely distributed via news agencies)Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Official press briefing (18 July 2024)https://www.mfa.go.th/en/content/weeklypressbriefing180724-2CDC – Cyanide: Chemical fact sheethttps://www.cdc.gov/chemical-emergencies/chemical-fact-sheets/cyanide.htmlEurekAlert https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/732014Bloomberg https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-07-17/fbi-joins-probe-into-foreigner-deaths-at-bangkok-luxury-hotelLos Angeles Timeshttps://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-07-18/cyanide-poisoning-thai-hotel-oaklandPeople Magazine – https://people.com/suspect-in-mass-cyanide-poisoning-that-left-six-dinner-guests-dead-among-the-victims-8680591

13/05/2026 • 57:49

Trigger Warning: This episode contains discussion of murder, sexual violence, and extreme brutality.It’s the summer of 1975 in Colorado Springs. Sunshine, freedom, and young people on the brink of their futures.And then, over less than two weeks, three lives are taken in acts of violence so senseless, so brutal, they still haunt the community nearly 50 years later.This week, Isla brings Dee a case that is deeply disturbing, not just because of what happened, but because of what’s still happening now.We’re talking about a killing spree, not a serial killer - no cooling-off period, no pattern-building. Just escalation. Fast. Chaotic. Deadly.📚 SourcesKaren: A Brother Remembers – Kelsey GrammerContemporary reporting and court records on the Colorado Springs murders (1975)Parole board records and public statements

07/05/2026 • 55:50

In this solo Dee-Brief, Dee dives into the haunting and unresolved disappearance of Amy Fitzpatrick, a 15-year-old Irish girl who vanished without a trace from Spain’s Costa del Sol.On New Year’s Day 2008, Amy left a friend’s house for what should have been a short, 10-minute walk home. She never made it.What follows is a case filled with unanswered questions, early investigative missteps, and a family left searching for answers for over a decade. Despite extensive searches involving helicopters, sniffer dogs, and international police cooperation, Amy has never been found.Irish Examiner – Coverage of Amy Fitzpatrick caseIrish Times – Police in Spain search for missing Irish girlIrish Times – Search continues for missing Irish girlIrish Times – Police examine computer in search for Irish girlIrish Times – Family renew appeal for missing girlIrish Independent – Police talk to mother in search for AmyIrish Times – David Mahon guilty of manslaughter of Dean FitzpatrickIrish Times – Mahon jailed for 7 years for killing Dean FitzpatrickSearch for Amy (official campaign site): https://www.searchforamy.com/Garda Crimecall appeal: https://www.garda.ie/en/crime-prevention/crimecall-on-rte/INTERPOL Yellow Notices: https://www.interpol.int/en/How-we-work/Notices/Yellow-NoticesSur in English – Anniversary reporting on the caseIrish Examiner – Additional reporting and opinion piecesDon’t forget to follow Switchblade Sisters Social Club wherever you get your podcasts, and keep an eye on our socials for clips, reels, and behind-the-scenes chaos from CrimeCon 👀Sources🎧 Listen & Follow

29/04/2026 • 12:38

This week’s Dee-Brief is a solo episode while we take a short mid-season break (life has been life-ing). But don’t worry, we’ll be back very soon with full episodes and both of us back behind the mic.In the meantime, Dee dives into one of the most shocking and brutal cases in British criminal history: The Dore Wedding-Day Murders.A joyful family celebration.A quiet, affluent suburb.And a crime that would horrify the nation.October 1983, Dore — a leafy, affluent suburb of SheffieldThe Laettner family host a wedding reception at their homeHours later, three members of the same family are brutally murdered in a knife attackVictims:Basil Laettner (father of the bride)Avril Laettner (mother of the bride)Richard Laettner (their son, 28)The bride herself was not in the house at the timeA teenage daughter survives after being held hostage and sexually assaultedHer testimony becomes central to the prosecutionShe provides crucial details and helps identify the attackerWe’re taking a short mid-season break while we juggle life, work, and everything in between — but we’ll be back very soon with full episodes, both of us together, and plenty more chaos.Thanks for sticking with us ❤️The Times Archive – 5 September 1984 editionhttps://archive.org/stream/NewsUK1984UKEnglish/Sep%2005%201984%2C%20The%20Times%2C%20%2361928%2C%20UK%20%28en%29_djvu.txtThe Times Archive – 6 September 1984 editionhttps://archive.org/stream/NewsUK1984UKEnglish/Sep%2006%201984%2C%20The%20Times%2C%20%2361929%2C%20UK%20%28en%29_djvu.txtThe Times Archive – 7 September 1984 editionhttps://archive.org/stream/NewsUK1984UKEnglish/Sep%2007%201984%2C%20The%20Times%2C%20%2361930%2C%20UK%20%28en%29_djvu.txtThe Times Archive – 8 September 1984 editionhttps://archive.org/stream/NewsUK1984UKEnglish/Sep%2008%201984%2C%20The%20Times%2C%20%2361931%2C%20UK%20%28en%29_djvu.txtThe Times Archive – 15 September 1984 editionhttps://archive.org/stream/NewsUK1984UKEnglish/Sep%2015%201984%2C%20The%20Times%2C%20%2361937%2C%20UK%20%28en%29_djvu.txtThe Times Archive – 17 September 1984 editionhttps://archive.org/stream/NewsUK1984UKEnglish/Sep%2017%201984%2C%20The%20Times%2C%20%2361938%2C%20UK%20%28en%29_djvu.txtThe Times Archive – 8 November 1984 editionhttps://archive.org/stream/NewsUK1984UKEnglish/Nov%2008%201984%2C%20The%20Times%2C%20%2361981%2C%20UK%20%28en%29_djvu.txtThe Times Archive – 15 November 1984 editionhttps://archive.org/stream/NewsUK1984UKEnglish/Nov%2015%201984%2C%20The%20Times%2C%20%2361987%2C%20UK%20%28en%29_djvu.txtITV News – Triple murder appeal coveragehttps://www.itv.com/news/calendar/story/2013-08-21/triple-murder-appeal/Judiciary UK – R v McLoughlin and R v Newell (Judgment)https://www.judiciary.uk/wp-content/uploads/JCO/Documents/Judgments/r-v-mcloughlin-and-r-v-newell.pdfECHR – Hutchinson v United Kingdom (Judgment)https://hudoc.echr.coe.int/app/conversion/pdf/?filename=001-150778.pdf&id=001-150778&library=ECHRECHR – Hutchinson v United Kingdom (Earlier Judgment)https://hudoc.echr.coe.int/app/conversion/docx/pdf?filename=HUTCHINSON%2520v.%2520THE%2520UNITED%2520KINGDOM.pdf&id=001-123857&library=ECHECHR – Hutchinson v United Kingdom (Final Judgment)https://hudoc.echr.coe.int/app/conversion/docx/pdf?filename=CASE+OF+HUTCHINSON+v.+THE+UNITED+KINGDOM.pdf&id=001-170347&library=ECHR&logEvent=FalseECHR – Related case materialshttps://hudoc.echr.coe.int/app/conversion/pdf/?TID=ihgdqbxnfi&filename=002-10358.pdf&id=002-10358&library=ECHRCrime (Sentences) Act 1997 – Section 30https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1997/43/section/30Criminal Justice Act 2003 – Schedule 21 (Life Sentences)https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2003/44/schedule/21/enacted🕯️ The Case⚠️ Survivor & Key Witness🎙️ From UsSources

22/04/2026 • 16:28

We’re on a very brief mid-season pause (because life), but Dee couldn’t leave you hanging. So welcome back to a bite-sized Dee-Brief - short, sharp, and just a little bit scandalous.This week, we’re diving into one of history’s most iconic and controversial women: Mata Hari. Exotic dancer. Alleged spy. Wartime scapegoat?Shot by firing squad in Paris in 1917, Mata Hari’s story has been retold for over a century - but the truth remains frustratingly unclear. Was she a dangerous double agent… or simply a convenient villain in a time of fear and propaganda?Over 100 years later, Mata Hari is still shorthand for the “femme fatale spy” - but modern historians increasingly see her as a tragic figure caught in the machinery of war and propaganda.Normal service resumes next week, sexy listeners 💋SOURCESPat Shipman (2007), Femme Fatale: Love, Lies, and the Unknown Life of Mata Hari. Julie Wheelwright (1992/2009), The Fatal Lover: Mata Hari and the Myth of Women in Espionage.Russell Warren Howe (1986), Mata Hari: The True Story. Georgetown University Special Collections – Letters of Margaretha Zelle (Mata Hari). Digital facsimiles of her letters (1902–1917), including ones to Lt. Jean Hallaure.UK National Archives (KV 2/1-2): British intelligence files on Mata Hari (1916–24). French Service Historique de la Défense – Procès Mata Hari, 1917. (Order No. 2w 18/35) Trial dossier from Vincennes (sealed until 2017). Summary published by Russell Warren Howe.Contemporary Newspapers Archives (1917): e.g. Le Figaro, Le Matin (Paris); The Times (London); New York Times. (Explore Gallica and library databases for 1917 reports on the trial.)Smithsonian Magazine (Nov. 2017): “Revisiting the Myth of Mata Hari” by Meilan Solly.TIME Magazine (Oct. 2017): “Mata Hari’s True Story Remains a Mystery” by Ray Cavanaugh.Stefan Steinberg (2020), The Death of Mata Hari – Inside the Tragic Story of WWI’s Most Celebrated Spy (MilitaryHistoryNow.com).CIA Archives – “Mata Hari Was Framed, Files Show” (1985). Article on Russell Warren Howe’s findings; declassified CIA snippet referencing the newly opened trial dossier. (Available via CIA Reading Room archive.)Fries Museum (Leeuwarden) – Mata Hari Room. 

15/04/2026 • 18:13

Trigger Warning: This episode discusses the murder of a child and racially motivated violence.On 21 August 1955, fourteen-year-old Emmett Louis Till boarded a train from Chicago to Mississippi. He carried a small suitcase, his father’s ring engraved “L.T.” — and the excitement of a summer adventure.Four days later, he was dead.What happened to Emmett in the Mississippi Delta became one of the most infamous lynchings in American history. Abducted in the middle of the night by Roy Bryant and J.W. Milam, brutally beaten, shot, and thrown into the Tallahatchie River with a 70-pound cotton gin fan tied around his neck, Emmett’s murder exposed the lethal reality of Jim Crow America.Emmett Till’s death became a catalyst. Rosa Parks later said she thought of Emmett when she refused to give up her bus seat. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. invoked his name in sermons. Activists would later call themselves the “Emmett Till Generation.”Justice in a courtroom never came and Emmett Till never saw his fifteenth birthday.But his story helped ignite a movement that reshaped America.:Timothy B. Tyson, The Blood of Emmett TillNational Museum of African American History and CultureFBI Historical Case File: Emmett TillU.S. Department of Justice (2021 Cold Case Closure Report)Civil Rights Cold Case Records Review Board (2025 document release)PBS American ExperienceLibrary of Congress Civil Rights History ProjectWhite House Proclamation (Emmett Till & Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument, 2023)Congress.gov (Emmett Till Antilynching Act)Chicago History MuseumMississippi Free Press (2025 records release coverage)Murder in America episode 55Sources

08/04/2026 • 66:44

A hedgerow on a hill. A winter field. And a 74-year-old man who doesn’t come home.On 14 February 1945, in the quiet Warwickshire village of Lower Quinton, Charles Walton set out to cut hedges on The Firs farm. By dusk, he was dead — brutally beaten, slashed, and pinned to the ground with his own pitchfork.Within hours, rumours spread that this was no ordinary murder.Some called it ritual.Others called it witchcraft.The newspapers called it Britain’s strangest killing.In this episode, we unpack one of the UK’s most unsettling unsolved crimes — the case that inspired The Wicker Man and became Chief Inspector Robert Fabian’s final investigation.Charles Walton’s murder remains Warwickshire’s oldest unsolved homicide.There is no grand memorial.Only a headstone in All Saints churchyard:“Killed on Meon Hill.”SourcesDarryl Howe, The Cotswold Murder Files: The Killing of Charles WaltonRobert Fabian, Fabian of the YardVice News – “The Unsolved ‘Witchcraft’ Murder That Shocked Britain”Our Warwickshire – Local history archivesWarwickshire Constabulary archival materialGerald Gardner, The Meaning of WitchcraftJames Morton, The Who’s Who of Unsolved MurdersBBC archival reporting

01/04/2026 • 47:24

The only solicitor ever hanged for murder in Britain.Hay-on-Wye. 1920s respectability.A provincial solicitor.A dying wife.A poisoned rival.And Britain’s most famous forensic pathologist taking the stand with absolute certainty.Herbert Rowse Armstrong — known locally as “Major Armstrong” after his WWI service — was a pillar of society in Hay-on-Wye. Churchwarden. Freemason. Clerk to the justices. A respectable man with a prosperous home at Mayfield in Cusop Dingle.In 1922, he became the only solicitor in UK history to be executed for murder.But did he do it?Martin Beales, The Hay PoisonerStephen Bates, The Poisonous SolicitorLaw Society Gazette (2022 retrospective)Ross Gazette centenary articleHektoen International – forensic analysis of SpilsburyLeamington History Group – profile of SpilsburyAquila Blog – forensic legacy reviewProject Gutenberg Australia – public domain accountMurder Maps Podcast (S5E5)She Done It Podcast episodePoisoner's Cabinet podcastSources 

25/03/2026 • 67:19

This week we are going way back - to 1766 - for a story that sounds ridiculous… until it very much isn’t.At Nottingham’s historic Goose Fair, amid rising food prices and fears of scarcity, tensions boiled over when outside traders began buying up vast quantities of cheese. What followed was one of the strangest  and deadliest  public disorders in British history: wheels of cheese rolling through the streets, the mayor knocked down in the chaos, arrests, smashed windows, the Riot Act being read… and eventually dragoons firing into the crowd .Plus, as always, we finish with a slightly chaotic quiz - this time on food riots through history. Because nothing says light educational entertainment like revolution sparked by carbohydrates.SOURCESGeorge Rude - The Crowd in History: A Study of Popular Disturbances in France and England, 1730-1848Nottingham Goose Fair - CooksInfohttps://www.cooksinfo.com/nottingham-goose-fairThe Moral Economy of the English Crowd in the Eighteenth Centuryhttps://academic.oup.com/past/article-abstract/50/1/76/1458023Explore the Archives cataloguehttps://www.inspireculture.org.uk/heritage/explore-the-archives-catalogue/Cheesed Off! Nottingham Food Riots, c.1750-1800 - The University of Nottingham https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/home/featureevents/2023/cheesed-off-nottingham-food-riots-c.1750-1800.aspxDamn his Charity, we'll have the Cheese for nought!https://files.libcom.org/files/cheeseriotsebook.pdfLocal Studies & Family Historyhttps://www.nottinghamcitylibraries.co.uk/our-services/local-studies-family-history/The Role of Local Authorities in the Provincial Hunger Riots of 1766https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/albion/article/role-of-local-authorities-in-the-provincial-hunger-riots-of-1766/2ACB9C12E4196A979D7C94D243A61391Morals, Markets and the English Crowd in 1766https://www.jstor.org/stable/650966?utm_source=chatgpt.comThe Politics of Provisions: Food Riots, Moral Economy, and Market Transition in England, C. 1550-1850https://books.google.com/books/about/The_Politics_of_Provisions.htmlCheese riots and dragoons: The complete history of Nottingham Goose Fair – Notts TV News | The heart of Nottingham news coverage for Notts TVhttps://nottstv.com/cheese-riots-and-dragoons-the-complete-history-of-nottingham-goose-fair-2016/Nottingham Rising | People's Histrehhttps://peopleshistreh.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/nottingham_rising_peoples_histreh_digital_edition1.pdfVisiting Nottinghamshire Archiveshttps://www.inspireculture.org.uk/heritage/archives/visiting-archives/

18/03/2026 • 47:21

This week, Isla takes the reins while Dee tries (and fails) to sit quietly.We head to Aberdeen, New South Wales - not Scotland - and to a case so shocking it changed Australian sentencing history forever.In March 2000, John “Pricey” Price failed to turn up for work. He had warned colleagues the day before:“If I don’t come in tomorrow, she’s killed me.”He was right.What police discovered inside his home was described by the sentencing judge as:“Beyond contemplation in a civilised society.”Katherine Knight became the first woman in Australian history to be sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.WikipediaMurderpediaAustralian Associated PressThe Daily Telegraph (Australia)Emma Kenny (YouTube)Blood Stain (book)Man Eater (book; available at Criminally Good Books 👀)ITVX – Crimes That Shook AustraliaInside StoryTwisted MindsSources

11/03/2026 • 62:52

Can you ever imagine confessing to murder… to catch the real killer?This week we revisit one of the Netherlands’ most haunting cold cases: the 1995 murder of 15-year-old Nicole van den Hurk. What began as a teenage girl cycling to her early-morning supermarket shift in Eindhoven became a decades-long investigation filled with false leads, forensic controversy, courtroom drama - and one of the boldest (and riskiest) gambits we’ve ever seen in true crime.Nicole disappeared on 6 October 1995. Her bike was found in a river that same day. Her body was discovered nearly two months later in woodland. She had been brutally attacked. The investigation stalled. Suspects were arrested and cleared. Tips poured in. And then… nothing. For over 15 years.Until her stepbrother did something extraordinary.And after 25 years, someone was finally held accountable.If you enjoy the episode, please rate, review and share — it genuinely helps more than you know.And we’d love to know:Would you ever falsely confess if it meant catching the real killer?SourcesKilling of Nicole van den Hurk – WikipediaAll That’s Interesting – Nicole van den Hurk’s Murder Went ColdNL Times court coverage (2015–2018)Daily Express interview with Andy van den HurkCase notes and trial reporting

04/03/2026 • 58:11

On the morning of 5 July 1995, gunshots shattered the calm at 1 Snoopy Place in Santa Rosa, California, the office complex of Charles M. Schulz, creator of Peanuts. Instead of gentle beagle wisdom and existential children, the lawn outside the studio became a crime scene when Ronald “Ron” Nelson, Schulz’s long-time business manager and licensing powerhouse, was shot by his wife of nearly three decades, Shirley Ann Nelson. What unfolded was not just an act of shocking workplace violence, but the spectacular implosion of a marriage, an affair with a younger colleague, and a very 90s courtroom battle over whether this was calculated attempted murder or a tragic “crime of the heart” .The case left lingering questions: how much should emotional devastation mitigate attempted murder? How much weight should victim forgiveness carry? And why did the narrative of a “broken-hearted” older wife resonate so strongly with jurors? We explore the bizarre collision of cartoon innocence and adult catastrophe - proof that even at Snoopy HQ, life is rarely black and white… even if the comic strip is .Ramon G. McLeod, “Charles Schulz’s Manager Shot,” San Francisco Chronicle (July 6, 1995)“Shooting suspect arraigned at hospital,” San Francisco Chronicle (July 1995)“Wife free on bail in alleged murder try,” News-Times / SF Examiner wire (Nov 10, 1995)“Mistrial called in ‘Peanuts’ manager’s shooting,” San Francisco Chronicle (May 30, 1996)“Plea Bargain in ‘Peanuts’ Shooting Case,” San Francisco Chronicle (Feb 19, 1997)“Woman Who Shot Spouse Is Sentenced,” San Francisco Chronicle (Apr 17, 1997)Press Democrat archives (Aug 1995 onwards)Jake Rossen, “The Attempted Murder at Peanuts Headquarters,” Mental Floss (2016)“Shirley Ann Nelson’s Peanuts Murder-Suicide Attempt,” Oxygen Crime News (2022)Sources

25/02/2026 • 39:55

On a spring night in 1987, private investigator Daniel Morgan was murdered in the car park of a South London pub. What followed wasn’t just a homicide investigation, it became a decades-long saga involving five police inquiries, collapsed trials, allegations of corruption, and one of the most damning independent reports ever published about the Metropolitan Police . As detectives chased suspects, arrested associates, and built cases that repeatedly fell apart, something more troubling began to emerge. The story widened beyond one violent crime into uncomfortable questions about police integrity, tabloid journalism, and institutional self-protection . This episode isn’t just about what happened in a pub car park, it’s about what happens when institutions close ranks. It’s gripping, frustrating, and at moments so chaotic it almost defies belief. Almost.Daniel Morgan Independent Panel Report (2021)The Guardian – “Daniel Morgan murder: inquiry brands Met police ‘institutionally corrupt’”The Guardian – “Daniel Morgan: a timeline of key events”The Guardian – “Jonathan Rees: private investigator who ran empire of tabloid corruption”The Guardian – “Murder trial collapse exposes News of the World links to police corruption”The Guardian – “Daniel Morgan: Met to reportedly pay family £2m over ‘corrupt’ investigation”The Independent – “Daniel Morgan murder: What happened in the case of the murdered private detective?”Sources

18/02/2026 • 61:31

We head to Melbourne for one of Australia’s strangest and most disturbing true crime cases - the murder of millionaire Peter Shellard.Shellard was wealthy, eccentric, litigious, and openly antagonistic toward almost everyone around him. He lived in a sprawling heritage mansion, feuded endlessly with neighbours, and seemed to enjoy pushing boundaries just to watch things burn - sometimes literally.But his death wasn’t the result of one of his many vendettas.It came from much closer to home.Sources ABC News (2007) – Partner found guilty of murdering millionaireABC News (2007) – 18 years jail for car dealer murderABC News (2010) – Court overturns murder convictionBrisbane Times (2007) – De facto wife of millionaire jailed for his murderNZ Herald / News.com.au (2017) – Greed, vengeance and death in Australian millionaire’s mansion9Honey / Nine News (2017) – The bondage-loving millionaire murdered for his fortuneDeadly Women (2011), Season 5, Episode: “Love to Death”Casefile Podcasthttps://www.theguardian.com/cities/2018/jun/21/spite-buildings-when-human-grudges-get-architectural-in-pictures

11/02/2026 • 63:56

Dee takes Isla on a truly bonkers journey into wartime espionage, where the British government decided the best way to win a major strategic battle was to weaponise a dead body - with the enthusiastic help of history’s most famous forensic pathologist.Yes, this episode is about Operation Mincemeat - the WWII intelligence plot so unhinged it involved:A corpse with a fake lifeLove letters, overdraft notices, and an engagement ring receiptA submarineA mildly disappointed dadAnd Bernard Spilsbury, applying forensic science not to solve a crime… but to commit the perfect lieIf you’ve listened to the podcast before, you already know Spilsbury - Dr Crippen, Brides in the Bath, forensic icon, and occasional menace.Here, Spilsbury was asked one key question:“Bernard, could we make a poisoned corpse look like it drowned… convincingly enough to fool the Nazis?”Reader, he said yes.He used forensic science, not to catch a killer, but to gaslight an entire enemy state.Sources Hektoen International – “Forensic Medicine and Sir Bernard Spilsbury” NPR: Operation Mincemeat film review The National Archives Imperial War MuseumsMI5Commonwealth War Graves CommissionBBC History History Today Smithsonian Magazine 

04/02/2026 • 62:23

In the early hours of 6 June 2020, sisters Bibaa Henry and Nicole Smallman were brutally murdered in Fryent Country Park, north-west London.What followed was not only one of the most shocking crimes in recent British history, but a cascade of failures that compounded the violence: a delayed police response, a family forced to search for their loved ones themselves, grotesque misconduct by officers tasked with guarding the crime scene, and a wider reckoning with racism, misogyny, and institutional rot within the Metropolitan Police.On the evening of 5 June 2020 - as the UK tentatively emerged from its first COVID lockdown - Bibaa held a socially distanced birthday picnic in the park. Fairy lights hung from trees. Music played. Friends laughed. For a brief moment, life felt light again.By midnight, most guests had gone home. Bibaa and Nicole stayed, dancing together under the lights.What happened next was an act of extreme violence driven by a disturbing mix of misogyny, far-right ideology, and occult delusion.But the horror did not end there.This is a case about far more than one killer. It is about whose lives are treated as urgent, whose suffering is dismissed, and what happens when institutions meant to protect instead betray. ❤️ Donation in honour of our listenersTo mark the start of Season 6, we have made a £100 donation to Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) on behalf of our listeners.  SOURCEShttps://www.theguardian.com/books/article/2024/jul/28/a-better-tomorrow-by-mina-smallman-review-powerful-life-lessons-in-hope-and-strengthhttps://www.itv.com/news/london/2020-06-19/devastated-family-pay-tribute-to-sisters-fatally-stabbed-in-london-parkhttps://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-57679755https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-57377414https://news.sky.com/story/wembley-park-stabbings-danyal-hussein-19-jailed-for-at-least-35-years-for-murdering-two-sisters-after-pact-with-demon-12446316https://www.thejournal.ie/satanism-court-case-uk-5585734-Oct2021/https://www.judiciary.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/R-v-Hussein-Sentencing-Remarks.pdfhttps://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-57722035https://www.vogue.co.uk/article/mina-smallman-viewpointhttps://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/oct/25/metropolitan-police-to-apologise-to-family-of-murdered-sistershttps://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/bibaa-henry-nicole-smallman-sarah-everard-race-police-b1822752.htmlhttps://www.judiciary.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/R-v-Jaffer-Lewis-sentencing-061221.pdfhttps://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/dec/06/two-met-police-officers-jailed-photos-murdered-sisters-deniz-jaffer-jamie-lewis-nicole-smallman-bibaa-henryhttps://www.itv.com/news/london/2022-05-11/met-police-officers-jailed-over-taking-pictures-of-murdered-sisters-to-appealhttps://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/article/2024/jul/20/i-have-not-forgiven-met-officers-who-photographed-dead-daughters-bibaa-henry-nicole-smallman-mother-mina-smallmanhttps://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/may/22/anti-terrorism-programme-must-keep-focus-on-far-right-say-expertshttps://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-53906392https://www.sky.com/watch/bibaa-and-nicole-murder-in-the-parkhttps://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2025/may/11/tv-tonight-the-horrific-murders-of-bibaa-henry-and-nicole-smallman-explored Photos from the Metropolitan Police and the family of Bibaa Henry and Nichole Smallman  

28/01/2026 • 76:52

Before CSI, before DNA, before forensic teams filled our screens - there was Sir Bernard Spilsbury.The man who made science the star witness and turned the pathologist into a courtroom celebrity.In this Dee-Brief, Dee revisits the life and legacy of the 'People’s Pathologist' - a brilliant, controversial figure whose work helped convict murderers like Dr Crippen and George Joseph Smith (the 'Brides in the Bath' killer).A story of genius, ego, and the price of infallibility - from the man who taught Britain how to read the dead.💀 About Dee-Brief:Your weekly bite-size dose of dark history and true crime from Switchblade Sisters Social Club - smaller stories, same creepy-cute energy.🛍️ Merch:Creepy-cute fits on RedBubble. Treat yourself and support the show.🔪 Listen & Subscribe:Find Switchblade Sisters Social Club and Dee-Brief on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and everywhere you listen.Sources Andrew Rose, Lethal Witness: Sir Bernard Spilsbury – The Truth Behind a Hundred Years of Solved Crimes (2007)Colin Evans, The Father of Forensics (2014)Ben Macintyre, Operation Mincemeat (2010)The Times (1910–1947) – contemporary case reportingThe Lancet – obituary, December 1947#SwitchbladeSistersSocialClub #DeeBrief #TrueCrimePodcast #BernardSpilsbury #ForensicHistory #Pathology #OperationMincemeat #DarkHistory #DrCrippen #BridesInTheBath #TrueCrimeCommunity #BritishHistory #PodcastShowNotes

21/01/2026 • 10:39