Criminology Files

Criminologist Theresa

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True Crime
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A true crime podcast that looks at real cases of mystery, murder, and criminal behaviour through a criminological lens. Each episode unpacks what happened, how the investigation unfolded, and the psychology behind the people involved. From well-known cases to lesser-known tragedies, it’s all about understanding the story behind the headlines and what the evidence really tells us.

Aug 31

Two Cups of Tea: The Unsolved Murder of Florence Broadhurst

In October 1977, one of Australia's most celebrated designers — Florence Broadhurst, the woman behind some of the country's most iconic wallpaper — was found beaten to death in her own Paddington warehouse. The front door had been open all night. There was no sign of forced entry, no struggle... and two clean teacups sitting in the kitchen. Forty-seven years later, no one has ever been charged. In this episode of Criminology Files, we go beyond the headlines to actually interrogate the case: the estranged son with a public argument and a verified alibi, the mystery visitor who shared tea with Florence hours before she died, and the infamous theory linking her murder to convicted serial killer John Wayne Glover — the "Granny Killer." We break down staging vs. posing, why proximity bias skews cold-case theories, and why "resembles" isn't the same as "proven." This is a story about a woman who spent her life curating her own myth — and a death that's remained just as unresolved. If you have credible information about this case, contact Crime Stoppers or your local police service.
Aug 26

The Killer Cadets - 'Teenage Love Triangle'

The Killer Cadets They were teenagers with extraordinary futures ahead of them. David Graham was headed for the U.S. Air Force Academy. Diane Zamora was bound for the U.S. Naval Academy. They were young, ambitious, admired — and engaged to be married. Then came a lie. In 1995, sixteen-year-old Adrianne Jones was found murdered in a field outside Grand Prairie, Texas. She had been beaten and shot, and at first, investigators had almost nothing to explain why she had become a target. Nine months later, the case suddenly broke open. A confession from a Naval Academy dorm room led investigators back to Texas, where they uncovered a story of jealousy, loyalty, manipulation and murder. David and Diane eventually confessed. But when their cases reached court, their stories began to tear apart. And then came the revelation that changed the story entirely: The affair that was supposedly the reason Adrianne Jones was murdered may never have happened. The Killer Cadets examines the murder of Adrianne Jones, the relationship between David Graham and Diane Zamora, their confessions and convictions, and the criminological questions surrounding a crime that began with a lie and ended with two teenagers serving life in prison. This is a story about loyalty taken to its most devastating extreme — and about a sixteen-year-old girl who became the victim of a conflict that may never have been hers at all. Listener discretion is advised. This series discusses the murder of a sixteen-year-old girl and includes descriptions of violence.
Season 2, Episode 4 Trailer

Cadet Killers: The Adrianne Jones Case

In 1995, two honor students at the top of their class — bound for the Air Force Academy and the Naval Academy — committed a murder that shocked Texas. 16-year-old Adrianne Jones was found dead in a field outside Fort Worth. It would take almost a year, a jealous confession, and a betrayal between two people who claimed to love each other more than anything, to unravel what really happened that night. This is the story of David Graham and Diane Zamora — two "perfect" teenagers whose secret would define the rest of their lives. Cadet Killers: The Adrianne Jones Case — coming soon, wherever you get your podcasts.
Aug 22

The Fourth World: When Fantasy Became Reality

The Fourth World: When Fantasy Became Reality In 1954, two teenage girls in a quiet New Zealand suburb built a private universe together — an imaginary kingdom so vivid it began to eclipse the real world around them. Then one of their mothers was found dead on a forest path, killed with a brick wrapped in a stocking. This is the story of Pauline Parker and Juliet Hulme: two brilliant, isolated schoolgirls whose intense friendship curdled into something the courts had never seen before. Drawing on trial records, diary entries, and modern criminology, The Fourth World traces how an all-consuming bond, the threat of separation, and a shared delusion escalated into matricide — and asks what it means when two sane people become collectively capable of the unthinkable. Through the lens of dyadic offending, neutralization theory, and folie à deux, we examine not just what happened on that winter afternoon in Victoria Park, but why — and follow the case's strange afterlife, from a landmark insanity defense to the decades-later unmasking of a bestselling novelist hiding in plain sight. A historical true-crime documentary about imagination, isolation, and the fragile line between fantasy and reality. For educational and informational purposes. Listener discretion advised.
Aug 10

THE GHOST OF WAKEHURST PARKWAY

THE GHOST OF WAKEHURST PARKWAYThe Lady Who Vanished on Sydney’s Haunted Road There are roads we drive every day without ever thinking about the stories attached to them. But after dark, Wakehurst Parkway becomes the setting for one of Sydney’s most enduring urban legends. For decades, stories have circulated about a mysterious woman appearing along the dark, winding road through Sydney’s northern beaches. Some say she is a hitchhiker. Others say she is a woman searching for help. And in some versions of the story, the driver discovers that the woman they picked up died years earlier. But who is she? Was there ever a real woman behind the legend? Could the story have originated from an actual tragedy? Or is Wakehurst Parkway simply another home for one of the world's oldest ghost stories — the vanishing hitchhiker? In this investigative folklore documentary, we examine the different versions of the legend, the history and atmosphere of the road, the mysterious woman at the centre of the story, and the reasons these stories continue to survive. There is no confirmed evidence proving that a supernatural figure walks Wakehurst Parkway. But perhaps that isn't the point. Because sometimes the most enduring mysteries aren't the ones we solve. They're the ones we keep telling. The Ghost of Wakehurst Parkway — a Sydney mystery, a local legend, and the story of the woman who refuses to disappear.
Aug 2

The Ghost of Western Sydney - Sarah Simpson

For decades, people in Sydney's west have shared the story of Sarah Simpson—a mysterious young woman whose name has become synonymous with one of Australia's best-known urban legends. But who was Sarah Simpson? Was she a real person whose life became distorted through generations of storytelling, or is the legend entirely a work of folklore? In this 45–60 minute investigative documentary, Criminology Files explores the origins of the Sarah Simpson legend, examining the three most common versions of the story—from the missing girl, to the tragic victim, to the vengeful ghost said to haunt the roads of Cranebrook. Drawing on history, folklore, and documented records, we separate fact from fiction and investigate how myths evolve, why communities create ghost stories, and whether there was ever a real Sarah Simpson behind the legend. This is not just the story of a ghost. It's the story of how legends are born. CONTENT WARNING This episode contains discussion of death, alleged murder, sexual assault, violence, and themes that some listeners may find distressing. The Sarah Simpson story exists in several different forms as part of Australian folklore. Throughout this episode, we distinguish between documented historical records and claims that form part of local legend. References to sexual assault, murder, and supernatural encounters are discussed in the context of examining the evolution of the legend and should not be interpreted as established historical fact unless supported by documented evidence. Listener discretion is advised.
Season 2, Episode 1 Trailer

Trailer: The Ghost of Cranebrook

For decades, people in Sydney's west have shared the story of Sarah Simpson—a mysterious young woman whose name has become synonymous with one of Australia's best-known urban legends. But who was Sarah Simpson? Was she a real person whose life became distorted through generations of storytelling, or is the legend entirely a work of folklore? In this 45–60 minute investigative documentary, WHY FILES explores the origins of the Sarah Simpson legend, examining the three most common versions of the story—from the missing girl, to the tragic victim, to the vengeful ghost said to haunt the roads of Cranebrook. Drawing on history, folklore, and documented records, we separate fact from fiction and investigate how myths evolve, why communities create ghost stories, and whether there was ever a real Sarah Simpson behind the legend. This is not just the story of a ghost. It's the story of how legends are born.
Jul 28

Room 2805 - The Oslo Woman Mystery

On a warm spring evening in 1995, a young woman walked into one of Norway's most prestigious hotels and checked into Room 2805. She called herself Jennifer Fairgate. Three days later, she was dead. The name she'd signed on the registration card wasn't real. The address she gave didn't exist. The labels had been cut from every piece of clothing she owned, and no one has ever come forward to claim her. Nearly three decades later, investigators still don't know who she was—or why she came to Oslo. In this first episode, we retrace her final days, examine the evidence left behind inside Room 2805, and ask whether the biggest mystery isn't how she died... but how someone managed to erase themselves so completely. Listener discretion is advised. This episode contains discussions of death, suicide and graphic crime scene details.

A true crime podcast that looks at real cases of mystery, murder, and criminal behaviour through a criminological lens. Each episode unpacks what happened, how the investigation unfolded, and the psychology behind the people involved. From well-known cases to lesser-known tragedies, it’s all about understanding the story behind the headlines and what the evidence really tells us.

Creator

Criminologist Theresa
Years Active

2026
Episodes

16
Rating

Explicit
Copyright

© Criminologist Theresa
Show Website

Criminology Files