When Killers Get Caught with Brittany Ransom

Ransom Storytelling Studios LLC
  • 4.5 (105)
  • True Crime
  • Updated Weekly

When Killers Get Caught is a true crime podcast hosted by Brittany Ransom that goes beyond the headlines to explore not just what happened, but why. Beginning August 6, Season 5 shifts its focus to 20 extraordinary stories of survival, highlighting victims who endured unimaginable acts of violence and lived to tell their stories. Through compassionate storytelling, in-depth research, and psychological insight, each episode examines the resilience of the human spirit while uncovering the motives, consequences, and devastating realities behind violent crime.

  1. Jun 25

    Richard Ramirez (The Night Stalker Case): The Untold Cost of Investigative Failure

    "How many lives could have been saved if the warning signs had been connected sooner?" In the mid-1980s, a wave of unprecedented terror gripped Southern California. Windows were nailed shut, lights were on throughout the night, and ordinary communities found themselves at the mercy of a predatory phantom. The media gave him a moniker that froze the blood of millions: "The Night Stalker." But away from the sensational headlines, a devastating reality was unfolding; one marked by fragmented police jurisdictions, catastrophic political blunders, and an analog system entirely unequipped to track a transient killer. In this episode of When Killers Get Caught, host Brittany Ransom shifts the lens away from the killer's dark celebrity to honor the real people behind the statistics. We strip away the mythology of Richard Ramirez to examine the human cost of the tragedy, the structural failures that kept him on the streets for 14 terrifying months, and the ordinary East L.A. citizens who finally refused to let him disappear again. The Victims Before the Headlines: Restoring the names, lives, and humanity of those targeted, including Jennie Vincow, Maxon and Lela Kneiding, Vincent and Maxine Zazzara, and the brave young survivors like six-year-old Anastasia Hronas. The Anatomy of a Ghost: How Ramirez’s unmapped, transient status allowed him to exploit the margins of Los Angeles and slip between the cracks of a fragmented legal system. Investigative Blunders & Political Egos: A deep dive into the shocking missteps that compromised the hunt. Including the infamous Dianne Feinstein shoe press conference and the live media leak of the killer's stolen getaway vehicle. The Streets Take Back Control: The visceral moment a neighborhood cornered a monster, proving the manhunt wouldn’t end with a SWAT raid, but with ordinary people shouting “¡El Matón!” The Endless Trial & Death Row Gridlock: An exploration of the toxic courtroom spectacle, the "Night Stalker Groupies," and the philosophical failure of a 24-year death row sentence that was ultimately beaten by cancer. A Note from Brittany: When Killers Get Caught will be taking a brief mid-summer production break for the month of July to prepare our next season of deep dives. Brand-new episodes will return on August 6th! Connect with the Show: In the meantime, catch regular updates, true crime discussions, and short-form video breakdowns by following us on social media: Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WhenKillersGetCaught Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@caughtpodcast Get the Gear: https://www.caught-podcast-shop.fourthwall.com Case Submissions: CaseCloserSubmissions@gmail.com Business Inquiries: Caughtpodcast@gmail.com Music featured in this episode is used with permission from Myuu. https://open.spotify.com/artist/5sP3ci0jwrXUBo76t8pGTF If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to leave a five-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify it helps more listeners discover When Killers Get Caught.

  2. Jun 18

    Beneath the Sequins: The Hidden Body of Dorian Corey

    When ballroom icon Dorian Corey died in 1993, friends packing her closet made a horrifying discovery: a mummified body hidden inside a vintage trunk. For 25 years, a secret had been sitting just feet from where she slept. Who was the man in the dark? This week on When Killers Get Caught, host Brittany Ransom pulls back the heavy layers of sequins, fabric, and history to dissect one of the strangest and most claustrophobic hidden-body cases in modern true-crime history. When investigators opened that green steamer trunk labeled "Halloween," they uncovered a meticulously concealed crime scene: the remains of Robert Worley, a man who had vanished off the face of the earth in 1968, shot a single time in the back of the head. How did a prominent cultural icon and star of the groundbreaking documentary Paris Is Burning hide a body in plain sight for a quarter of a century while hosting parties, mentoring youth, and living a highly public life? In this episode, we explore: The Mother of the House: The immense cultural legacy, brilliant fashion design work, and unmatched wisdom of Dorian Corey. Centering Robert Worley: Reclaiming the identity, struggles, and history of a victim who became a 25-year secret. The Parallel World of 1968: A deep look into the mechanics of justice, and why a marginalized person in mid-century Manhattan would make the morally impossible choice to hide a body rather than call the police. The Final Artifact: The unsettling fictional manuscript found in Dorian’s apartment that mirrored the real-world crime. Because justice isn't always delivered in a courtroom. Sometimes, it's delivered by time. Join the Case Closers Community: 📱 TikTok: @caughtpodcast 📸 Instagram: @whenkillersgetcaught 🛒 Get the Gear: caught-podcast-shop.fourthwall.com 📩 Case Submissions & Business Inquiries: CaseCloserSubmissions@gmail.com End credit music featured in this podcast is used with permission from Myuu. https://open.spotify.com/artist/5sP3ci0jwrXUBo76t8pGTF?

  3. Jun 11

    Inside the Mind of Ted Kaczynski: The 17-Year Unabomber Hunt

    How does a child genius who enters Harvard at sixteen end up becoming one of the most notorious domestic terrorists in American history? In this episode of When Killers Get Caught, Brittany Ransom examines the life of Ted Kaczynski, better known as the Unabomber. From his childhood as a gifted student in Chicago to his years at Harvard, his isolation in a remote Montana cabin, and the anti-technology ideology that fueled a seventeen-year bombing campaign, we explore the events that shaped one of the FBI's longest and most expensive investigations. This episode covers: Ted Kaczynski's childhood and early intelligence Harvard University and the controversial Henry Murray experiments His career as a mathematician and professor at UC Berkeley Life in the Montana wilderness The evolution of the Unabomber bombing campaign Victims Hugh Scrutton, Thomas Mosser, and Gilbert Murray The publication of Industrial Society and Its Future How David Kaczynski and Linda Patrik helped identify the Unabomber The FBI raid, trial, imprisonment, and death The lasting debate over technology, extremism, and violence Was Ted Kaczynski a misunderstood critic of technology, a domestic terrorist, or both? And what can his story teach us about the dangers of turning ideology into justification for violence? Listen now to discover how one of America's most elusive killers was finally caught. When Killers Get Caught is a true crime podcast focused on the people, psychology, and moments behind violent crimes and what happens when the darkness finally meets the light. Follow and join the conversation: 📱 TikTok: @caughtpodcast on TikTok 📸 Instagram: @whenkillersgetcaught on Instagram 🛒 Merch: https://caught-podcast-shop.fourthwall.com/ Be Part of the Next 100 Episodes: Have a case, story, or idea you’d like Brittany to explore? Submit it to CaseCloserSubmissions@gmail.com and help shape the future of the show. Credits & Inquiries: Music featured in this podcast is used with permission from Myuu. https://open.spotify.com/artist/5sP3ci0jwrXUBo76t8pGTF For advertising and sponsorship inquiries, please contact Brittany Ransom at caughtpodcast@gmail.com.

  4. Jun 4

    The Price of the Pyramid: Wanda Holloway and the Texas Cheerleader Murder Plot

    In 1991, a suburban Texas mother was arrested for allegedly trying to hire a hitman over a middle school cheerleading competition. This week on When Killers Get Caught, Brittany Ransom examines the shocking case of Wanda Holloway, better known as the "Texas Cheerleader Mom." What began as a disappointing cheerleading tryout in Channelview, Texas spiraled into one of the most bizarre murder-for-hire plots in American true crime history. Through recorded wiretap conversations, courtroom drama, media obsession, and the lasting impact on the children caught in the middle, we explore how parental ambition, social status, and vicarious living transformed a school rivalry into a national scandal. Was this ever really about cheerleading? Or was it a cautionary tale about what happens when a parent's identity becomes intertwined with a child's success? Join us as we uncover the story behind the Texas Cheerleader Murder Plot, the infamous "Cheerleader Mom" case, and the psychological dangers of living through someone else's dreams. When Killers Get Caught is a true crime podcast focused on the people, psychology, and moments behind violent crimes and what happens when the darkness finally meets the light. Follow and join the conversation: 📱 TikTok: @caughtpodcast on TikTok 📸 Instagram: @whenkillersgetcaught on Instagram 🛒 Merch: https://caught-podcast-shop.fourthwall.com/ Be Part of the Next 100 Episodes: Have a case, story, or idea you’d like Brittany to explore? Submit it to CaseCloserSubmissions@gmail.com and help shape the future of the show. Credits & Inquiries: Intro Music: Tensions Run High by Soundridemusic https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ly9H63SLJJo  End credit music featured in this podcast is used with permission from Myuu.https://open.spotify.com/artist/5sP3ci0jwrXUBo76t8pGTF?utm_source=chatgpt.com For advertising and sponsorship inquiries, please contact Brittany Ransom at caughtpodcast@gmail.com.

  5. May 28

    John List & The Calculated Disappearance of a Family Annihilator

    In 1971, a quiet suburban home in Westfield became the center of one of the most chilling family annihilation cases in American history. This is the story of John List, a deeply religious, seemingly respectable accountant, husband, and father who methodically murdered his entire family inside their mansion, then disappeared without a trace. For nearly 18 years, he lived under a new identity while authorities had no clear idea what he looked like, where he went, or how he managed to evade capture for so long. This episode explores: • The financial collapse that triggered the unraveling of the List household • The psychological and religious justification behind the murders • The calculated, step-by-step execution of the crime • How List successfully erased himself from his own identity • The breakthrough involving forensic sculptor Frank Bender and America's Most Wanted • The final capture and conviction after nearly two decades on the run This case isn’t just about murder it’s about shame, control, identity, and how outward respectability can conceal unimaginable violence. Because sometimes the most dangerous people are the ones no one ever suspects. When Killers Get Caught is a true crime podcast focused on the people, psychology, and moments behind violent crimes and what happens when the darkness finally meets the light. Follow and join the conversation: 📱 TikTok: @caughtpodcast on TikTok 📸 Instagram: @whenkillersgetcaught on Instagram 🛒 Merch: Caught Podcast Shop Be Part of the Next 100 Episodes: Have a case, story, or idea you’d like Brittany to explore? Submit it to CaseCloserSubmissions@gmail.com and help shape the future of the show. Credits & Inquiries: Opening music featured in this episode: String Quartet No. 1 in A Major by Alexander Borodin. This recording is used under the Creative Commons Public Domain Mark 1.0 Universal (CC PDM 1.0). This work has been identified as free of known copyright restrictions, including all related and neighboring rights. End credit music featured in this podcast is used with permission from Myuu. Myuu on Spotify For advertising and sponsorship inquiries, please contact Brittany Ransom at caughtpodcast@gmail.com.

  6. May 20

    What Happened to Natalee Holloway? The Aruba Case, Confession & Years of Lies

    In May 2005, eighteen-year-old Natalee Holloway vanished during a graduation trip to Aruba , a disappearance that would become one of the most infamous true crime cases in modern history. What began as a carefree senior trip quickly spiraled into an international media frenzy involving shifting stories, failed investigations, public obsession, and nearly two decades of unanswered questions surrounding Joran van der Sloot. But beneath the headlines and speculation was a real young woman whose life had barely begun. In this episode of When Killers Get Caught, Brittany Ransom examines the investigation, the media pressure that shaped the case, the emotional devastation of ambiguous loss, and the 2023 confession that finally changed everything. More importantly, this episode restores focus to Natalee herself , the daughter, friend, student, and teenager at the center of a story the world too often turned into mythology. This episode discusses: ​The Aruba disappearance timeline​The initial investigation and arrests​Media frenzy and “missing white woman syndrome”​Years of false confessions and dead ends​The federal extortion case​Beth Holloway’s fight for answers​Natalee Holloway’s lasting legacyWhen Killers Get Caught is a true crime podcast focused on the people, psychology, and moments behind violent crimes and what happens when the darkness finally meets the light. Follow and join the conversation: 📱 TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@caughtpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 📸 Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/whenkillersgetcaught⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠🛒 Merch: caught-podcast-shop.fourthwall.com Be Part of the Next 100 Episodes: Have a case, story, or idea you’d like Brittany to explore? Submit it to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠CaseCloserSubmissions@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and help shape the future of the show. Credits & Inquiries: ​Music featured in this podcast is used with permission from Myuu. https://open.spotify.com/artist/5sP3ci0jwrXUBo76t8pGTF​For advertising and sponsorship inquiries, please contact Brittany Ransom at caughtpodcast@gmail.com

  7. May 14

    The Beast of Royal Street: The True Story of Madame LaLaurie (Revisited)

    In this episode of When Killers Get Caught, Brittany Ransom revisits one of the most infamous figures in New Orleans history Delphine LaLaurie, also known as The Beast of Royal Street. Long before the fire that exposed her mansion in 1834, Madame LaLaurie was a wealthy Creole socialite living at the center of elite New Orleans society. But behind the elegance, dinner parties, and political connections, neighbors whispered about missing servants, unexplained injuries, and a house that felt increasingly disturbing to those around it. This episode breaks down the full timeline of the LaLaurie case from her rise in high society and powerful marriages, to the growing allegations of abuse inside her Royal Street mansion, and ultimately the night everything changed. We cover: Her elite Creole upbringing and powerful family connections in New Orleans The three marriages that expanded her wealth and influence Early red flags reported by neighbors and enslaved workers The 1834 Royal Street fire and what was discovered inside the attic The violent public response and her escape from New Orleans What is fact, what is legend, and how her story became mythologized over time We also examine how the LaLaurie case reflects broader systems of power, slavery, and legal protection in 19th-century Louisiana and why her story continues to be retold nearly 200 years later. Some say she was a monster. Others say she was a product of her time. But the truth, as always, is more complicated  and far more unsettling than fiction. Because in cases like this… the truth always leaves a trail. Follow and join the conversation: 📱 TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@caughtpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 📸 Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/whenkillersgetcaught⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠🛒 Merch: caught-podcast-shop.fourthwall.com Be Part of the Next 100 Episodes: Have a case, story, or idea you’d like Brittany to explore? Submit it to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠CaseCloserSubmissions@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and help shape the future of the show. Credits & Inquiries: Music featured in this podcast is used with permission from Myuu. https://open.spotify.com/artist/5sP3ci0jwrXUBo76t8pGTF For advertising and sponsorship inquiries, please contact Brittany Ransom at caughtpodcast@gmail.com

  8. May 7

    Gisèle Pelicot: Shame Must Change Sides

    In this landmark 100th episode of When Killers Get Caught, we step beyond the moment of arrest and into something deeper: a reckoning. The case of Gisèle Pelicot shocked the world. For nearly a decade, her husband, Dominique Pelicot, drugged her into unconsciousness and invited dozens of men into their home meticulously documenting the abuse along the way. What began as a seemingly minor incident in a French supermarket unraveled into one of the most disturbing cases of systemic betrayal in recent history. But this story is not about him. It is about Gisèle, who refused to remain anonymous and who made one thing clear: Shame must change sides. In this milestone episode, we examine: The Pelicot Timeline: From the first red flags to the historic trial in Avignon. The Digital Blueprint: How forensic evidence exposed a hidden, global network of “everyday” perpetrators. The Lived Aftermath: Firsthand insights into the experiences of survivors like Zoe Watts, Amanda Stanhope, and Valentina. The "Pelicot Effect": How this case is fundamentally reshaping the legal definition of consent. This episode is dedicated to the survivors, to those who have had to reclaim their bodies, their autonomy, and their stories from the shadows. Content Warning: This episode contains detailed discussions of sexual assault and drug-facilitated abuse. Listener discretion is strongly advised. Follow and join the conversation: 📱 TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@caughtpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 📸 Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/whenkillersgetcaught⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🛒 Merch: caught-podcast-shop.fourthwall.com Be Part of the Next 100 Episodes: Have a case, story, or idea you’d like Brittany to explore? Submit it to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠CaseCloserSubmissions@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and help shape the future of the show. Credits & Inquiries: Music featured in this podcast is used with permission from Myuu. https://youtu.be/2qqTU7zc1As?si=sK2n6FnKLc1mtQwN https://open.spotify.com/artist/5sP3ci0jwrXUBo76t8pGTF For advertising and sponsorship inquiries, please contact Brittany Ransom at caughtpodcast@gmail.com

    Gisèle Pelicot: Shame Must Change Sides
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4.5
out of 5
105 Ratings

About

When Killers Get Caught is a true crime podcast hosted by Brittany Ransom that goes beyond the headlines to explore not just what happened, but why. Beginning August 6, Season 5 shifts its focus to 20 extraordinary stories of survival, highlighting victims who endured unimaginable acts of violence and lived to tell their stories. Through compassionate storytelling, in-depth research, and psychological insight, each episode examines the resilience of the human spirit while uncovering the motives, consequences, and devastating realities behind violent crime.

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