Chaotic Crime

Telana Thompson

Chaotic Crime is a true crime podcast that takes you through some of the most jaw-dropping and strange criminal cases out there. From twisted scams to shocking murders, we break down each story from start to finish.

  1. The Case of Adam Walsh & Kitty Genovese: Before the systems

    7 Feb

    The Case of Adam Walsh & Kitty Genovese: Before the systems

    CHAOTIC CRIME - Season 3 Hosted by Tel Systems Were Born Here Adam Walsh & Kitty Genovese: When One Case Forced the World to ChangeIn this episode of Chaotic Crime, we’re stepping into the space where tragedy didn’t just make headlines, it built systems.This is a two-part story in one episode, focused on two cases that forced the world to confront uncomfortable truths about safety, responsibility, and how quickly help actually arrives when it’s needed most .We begin with Adam Walsh, a six-year-old boy whose disappearance in 1981 exposed the terrifying gaps in how missing children cases were handled. His story didn’t end with grief , it sparked nationwide change, leading to the foundations of modern missing-children response systems, public involvement in crime prevention, and laws that still shape child safety today. Then we move into Kitty Genovese, a young woman whose murder became one of the most misunderstood stories in modern history. Her case didn’t just influence psychology textbooks, it reshaped how we understand emergencies, bystander behaviour, media framing, and why relying on “someone else will help” can be deadly. This episode isn’t about shock value.It’s about the moments that revealed the systems weren’t there yet and the consequences that forced the world to build them. Heavy, human, and deeply important. Please take care of yourself while listening.🖤

    34 min
  2. The Case of Amber Hagerman / Amber Alert

    24 Jan

    The Case of Amber Hagerman / Amber Alert

    SEASON 3 EPISODE ONE!!!!! HAPPY 2026 ANGELS!!! FEB SERIES - THE CASE THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING AMBER ALERT Before Amber Alerts existed. Before phones screamed at 3am. Before highways lit up with missing child warnings… There was Amber Hagerman. In this bonus episode of Chaotic Crime — Season 3: Cases That Changed Everything, Tel breaks down the heartbreaking case that led to the creation of the AMBER Alert system — a system that has since saved thousands of children worldwide. This episode covers: • Amber’s ordinary day before her abduction • What went wrong in the critical first hours • The discovery that shattered a community • How one grieving mother refused to stay silent • The real origin of the AMBER Alert system • How radio hosts, police, and everyday people built it from scratch • The system’s global expansion • Ongoing controversy and criticism • Where Amber’s case stands today (still unsolved) • Why this story still matters — right now ⚠️ Content Warning: This episode discusses child abduction and violence. Listener discretion advised. 🖤 This is not just a true crime story. It’s a turning point. A system born from grief, community, and refusal to look away. 🎧 Listen now on Spotify & Apple Podcasts 📲 Follow @chaoticcrime for updates, clips & bonus content

    29 min
  3. The Case & Survival Story of Colleen Stan

    20 Jan

    The Case & Survival Story of Colleen Stan

    🎙️ CHAOTIC CRIME — Season 3 Premiere Colleen Stan: The Girl in the Box Hosted by Tel Seven years. A box beneath a bed. And a level of control so extreme, it rewired reality itself. In the Season 3 premiere of Chaotic Crime, Tel dives into one of the most disturbing, and misunderstood, survival stories in true crime history: The Girl in the Box. Colleen Stan was just a young woman hitchhiking to a birthday party when her life was stolen from her. What followed was nearly a decade of captivity, psychological manipulation, isolation, fear, and obedience enforced not just through violence, but through belief. Belief that the world outside would punish her. That escape meant death. That silence was survival. This episode is heavy. It’s confronting. And it’s not an easy listen. But it’s also not a story about weakness. It’s about endurance. About the long-term effects of coercive control. About how trauma doesn’t always look the way we expect. And about a woman who survived the unimaginable and lived to tell the truth. ✨ Listener discretion is strongly advised. This episode contains discussion of abuse, captivity, and psychological trauma. Welcome to Season 3. Let’s talk about survival.

    46 min
  4. Monday Madness - Byron Bay Murders: Part Two

    18 Jan

    Monday Madness - Byron Bay Murders: Part Two

    CHAOTIC CRIME — MONDAY MADNESS SEASON 3 · EPISODE ONE BYRON BAY MURDERS — PART TWO: THE ONES WE DIDN’T GET TO If you haven’t listened to Part One — pause this episode, go back, and start there. Because Part Two goes where most coverage never does. This episode dives into the cases that sit just outside the polished Byron Bay image — but directly inside the reality of the Northern Rivers. These are the stories that didn’t get the airtime, the headlines, or the urgency they deserved. We cover: • A German backpacker found hidden under palm fronds near a caravan park • A young mother from Lennox Head who “just walked out” — and never came back • An Aboriginal woman brutally murdered and dumped in hinterland bushland • Forgotten disappearances tied to Byron, Ballina, Lennox Head, Lismore, Nimbin and beyond • Backpackers, hitchhikers, locals, and kids who vanished along the Pacific Highway corridor This isn’t speculation. It’s a pattern — repeated across decades. Cases discussed include: • Simone Strobel (Lismore, 2005) • Bronwyn Winfield (Lennox Head, 1993) • Lois Martha Roberts (Whian Whian State Forest, 1998) • Sharron Phillips (Brisbane / Northern Rivers link) • Morgan Shepherd (Ballina, 1991) • Annette & Sylvia Murphy (Lennox Head, 1972) • Multiple unidentified and under-reported backpacker and hitchhiker cases Some were ruled “misadventure.” Some were dismissed as “runaways.” Some were quietly buried by time. But families are still waiting. And silence protects no one. ⚠️ Content warning: This episode discusses homicide, disappearances, domestic violence, and systemic investigative failures. Listener discretion is advised. 🖤 If you have information about any of these cases, please contact authorities. Stay curious. Trust your gut. And stay human. — Tel 🕯️ VICTIMS NAMED (FOR SHOW NOTES / PINNED COMMENT) • Simone Strobel • Bronwyn Winfield • Lois Martha Roberts • Sharron Phillips • Morgan Shepherd • Annette Murphy • Sylvia Murphy • Unidentified backpackers & hitchhikers (1980s–2000s, Northern Rivers corridor) 🔗 RESOURCES & FURTHER READING (You can link these in show notes, bio link, or pinned comment) Official & Advocacy • NSW Crime Stoppers 👉 https://www.crimestoppers.nsw.gov.au • National Missing Persons Coordination Centre (Australia) 👉 ⁠https://www.missingpersons.gov.au⁠ Case-Specific • Simone Strobel Inquests & Coverage 👉 https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-04-26/simone-strobel-coronial-inquest 👉 https://www.9news.com.au/national/simone-strobel-case-explained • Bronwyn Winfield Case 👉 https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-06-01/bronwyn-winfield-missing 👉 ⁠https://www.mamamia.com.au/bronwyn-winfield⁠ • Lois Roberts & A Sister’s Love Documentary 👉 https://www.abc.net.au/news/2002-08-06/lois-roberts-case 👉 https://ivansen.com.au/a-sisters-love General Northern Rivers Cold Cases • NSW Coronial Inquests Database 👉 ⁠https://coroners.nsw.gov.au⁠ • Missing Persons Advocacy Network 👉 https://www.mpan.com.au

    32 min
  5. The Monster of the Andes: Pedro López / Finale Serial Killer September

    17 Jan

    The Monster of the Andes: Pedro López / Finale Serial Killer September

    The Monster of the Andes: Pedro López Hosted by – Tel Between the late 1960s and early 1980s, girls across Colombia, Peru, and Ecuador were vanishing in terrifying numbers. Families begged for answers. Police dismissed them. And all the while, Pedro Alonso López — later known as “The Monster of the Andes” — was hunting. López would later confess to killing more than 300 children. He led police to 53 graves. Ecuador confirmed at least 110 murders. And yet — he served just 14 years in prison before walking free. In this episode of Chaotic Crime, we dive deep into: 🩸 López’s abusive childhood and the cycle of violence that shaped him 🩸 The stories of the victims — poor and indigenous girls the world ignored 🩸 How he lured children from marketplaces and schools 🩸 The 1980 arrest in Ambato and his chilling confession 🩸 The shocking trial that sentenced him to only 16 years 🩸 His release, disappearance, and the haunting possibility that he killed again Pedro López may be the deadliest serial killer in history — and yet, outside Latin America, his name is barely known. The victims Many of López’s victims were never identified. They were poor, Indigenous, and vulnerable girls — children the system failed to protect or even properly record. Some of the known and partially identified victims include: 🕯️ Claudia Díaz 🕯️ Rosa Elena Martínez 🕯️ María del Pilar López 🕯️ Ana Lucía Torres 🕯️ Multiple unidentified girls, many estimated to be between 8–12 years old These names represent only a fraction of the lives lost. The true number — and identities — of López’s victims may never be fully known. 🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

    28 min
  6. The Case of Joachim Kroll - The Ruhr Cannibal

    10 Jan

    The Case of Joachim Kroll - The Ruhr Cannibal

    Joachim Kroll: The Ruhr Cannibal Serial Killer September | Hosted by Tel Between the 1950s and 1970s, a quiet, unassuming man stalked the Ruhr industrial region of West Germany. He targeted women and children. He strangled them. He mutilated their bodies. And in some cases, he cooked and ate them. His name was Joachim Kroll — known to the media as The Ruhr Cannibal. Kroll confessed to at least 13 murders, though investigators believe the real number may never be known. He lived unnoticed for over twenty years, dismissed as shy, harmless, and “a little slow” by neighbours — while committing some of the most disturbing crimes in modern European history. His arrest in 1976 came not through brilliant police work, but because human remains clogged the plumbing in his apartment building. When officers entered his flat, they found human flesh in the refrigerator and a pot of stew simmering on the stove. This episode names and honours those whose lives were taken, including: 🕯️ Irmgard Strehl (19) 🕯️ Clara Frieda Tesmer (24) 🕯️ Petra Giese (12) 🕯️ Ursula Rohling (20) 🕯️ Marion Ketter (4) 🕯️ Additional women and children whose deaths were later linked to Kroll, and others whose cases may never be officially resolved These victims were more than statistics. They mattered. 🩸 Kroll’s childhood in post-war Germany and how neglect, poverty, and isolation shaped him 🩸 His escalation from animal cruelty to sexual homicide and cannibalism 🩸 The murders, patterns, and why police failed to connect the dots for decades 🩸 Wrongful arrests and innocent men punished while Kroll walked free 🩸 His chilling confessions and lack of remorse 🩸 The trial, sentencing, and why this case still haunts German criminal history This is a story about horror hiding in plain sight — and how a man everyone overlooked became one of the most dangerous predators in Europe. For listeners who want to explore this case further through historical, psychological, and legal analysis: Der Menschenfresser von Duisburg — German investigative accounts Academic analyses on sexual sadism, cannibalism, and low-IQ serial offenders Criminology research into post-war policing failures in West Germany German true crime documentaries on the Ruhr murders (ARD / ZDF archives) European investigative specials examining wrongful convictions linked to the case ⚠️ Note: Some dramatized portrayals exist. These should be viewed cautiously and are not fully factual reconstructions. Serial offenders with cognitive impairment Cannibalism in sexual homicide How “harmless” social presentation enables long-term offending Failures of cross-jurisdictional policing This episode includes extreme violence against women and children. If this content brings up distress, please reach out to local crisis or mental-health support services. 🎧 Available now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and wherever you get your podcasts.

    34 min
  7. Snowtown Serial Murders: Australia’s “Bodies in the Barrels”

    3 Jan

    Snowtown Serial Murders: Australia’s “Bodies in the Barrels”

    The Snowtown Murders: Australia’s “Bodies in the Barrels” Hosted by Tel Between 1992 and 1999, eleven people vanished across Adelaide and South Australia.
Vulnerable. Marginalised. Written off as “missing.” But in May 1999, the truth surfaced inside a disused bank vault in the tiny town of Snowtown.
Six barrels. Eight bodies.
Dismembered remains submerged in acid. Behind it all was John Bunting, aided by Robert Wagner, James Vlassakis, and Mark Haydon.
This wasn’t a lone killer — it was a group. Neighbours. A husband. A teenager.
Ordinary people on the surface, transformed into something monstrous under Bunting’s control. The victims This series names and honours those whose lives were taken: 🕯️ Clinton Trezise
🕯️ Ray Davies
🕯️ Suzanne Allen
🕯️ Michael Gardiner
🕯️ Barry Lane
🕯️ Elizabeth Haydon
🕯️ David Johnson
🕯️ Thomas Trevorrow
🕯️ Gavin Porter
🕯️ Frederick Brooks
🕯️ Unknown victim (unidentified remains) They were more than headlines. More than statistics. They mattered. In this episode, Tel dives into 🩸 The backgrounds of Bunting, Wagner, Vlassakis, and Haydon
🩸 How Bunting built his psychological “spider web” — isolating, grooming, and weaponising those around him
🩸 The murders, victim by victim, and the lies told to cover them
🩸 The discovery of the barrels — one of the most grotesque crime scenes in Australian history
🩸 The trial — the longest and most expensive criminal trial Australia has ever seen
🩸 Where the offenders are now, and why Snowtown will never escape its name The Snowtown murders weren’t just about violence.
They were about manipulation, control, and how ordinary people can be coerced into doing the unthinkable. Further Resources & Deep Dives For listeners who want to explore this case further, the following resources provide in-depth, factual, and victim-focused analysis of the Snowtown Murders. 📚 Books * Snowtown by Jeremy Pudney
The most detailed written account of the case, including investigation timelines, trial evidence, and the psychology behind John Bunting’s control. * The Snowtown Murders by Greg McLean
Focuses on the social environment, systemic failures, and how the crimes went undetected for so long. 🎬 Documentaries & Series * Snowtown Murders (7NEWS / Network specials)
Australian investigative reporting with interviews, archival footage, and legal context. * Australia’s Most Evil Killers – Snowtown episodes
Covers the perpetrators but also examines law enforcement failures and warning signs. ⚠️ Note: The 2011 film Snowtown is a fictionalised depiction and is not a documentary. Viewer discretion strongly advised. 🧠 Psychology & Manipulation * Resources on coercive control, cult-like dynamics, and moral disengagement * Research on how group influence and isolation can override personal ethics * Case comparisons with other multi-offender and leader-driven homicide groups ⚖️ Court & Legal Records * Supreme Court of South Australia sentencing remarks * Trial transcripts and appeal summaries * Coroner’s findings relating to unidentified remains 🕯️ Victim & Support Resources * Lifeline Australia — 13 11 14 * Beyond Blue * 1800RESPECT If this episode brought up anything heavy for you, please reach out. You are not alone. 🎧 Listener Note This episode aims to name, remember, and honour the victims, while examining how manipulation and control can escalate into extreme violence. This is about understanding, awareness, and accountability.

    34 min
  8. Ian Brady & Myra Hindley - The Moors Serial Murders

    20/09/2025

    Ian Brady & Myra Hindley - The Moors Serial Murders

    🎙️ Chaotic Crime - Hosted by – Tel Between 1963 and 1965, five children vanished from Manchester. Their names: Pauline Reade, John Kilbride, Keith Bennett, Lesley Ann Downey, and Edward Evans. Behind their disappearances were a young couple — Ian Brady and Myra Hindley. Together, they lured children to Saddleworth Moor, where they were tortured and murdered. Their crimes shocked Britain, their trial horrified the world, and the moors themselves became a graveyard of secrets. ⚠️ Disclaimer: The confirmed victims of the Moors Murders are five children — Pauline Reade, John Kilbride, Keith Bennett, Lesley Ann Downey, and Edward Evans. While there has been speculation over the years about additional victims, no others (such as the name “Stephen Jenkins, age 3”) have ever been proven in the official record. The Moors Murders didn’t just take five young lives. They scarred a nation, reshaped the way Britain thought about childhood safety, and left a legacy of grief that still lingers over Saddleworth Moor today. 🎧 Available now on Spotify, Apple, YouTube, and everywhere you get your podcasts.

    59 min
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Ratings & Reviews

4.6
out of 5
5 Ratings

About

Chaotic Crime is a true crime podcast that takes you through some of the most jaw-dropping and strange criminal cases out there. From twisted scams to shocking murders, we break down each story from start to finish.

Information

  • Creator
    Telana Thompson
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    31
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © @TelanaThompson

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