Mysteries and Histories

One killer, six young girls, one city gripped by fear. In the early 1970s, an unknown predator stalked the highways around Washington, D.C., snatching children off the streets and leaving their bodies by the roadside. In this episode, we step into the shadow of the Freeway Phantom: a faceless figure who taunted police, devastated families, and then vanished, leaving behind a trail of questions that still haunt investigators today.

Magdalene laundries were so‑called “refuges” or institutions where women and girls were sent for moral “correction”, often made to work long hours in harsh conditions with little or no pay. In this episode, we introduce the history of these laundries, why they existed, and how they affected the lives of those who passed through them.

FROM THE VAULT | In 1982, a series of sudden, unexplained deaths in the Chicago area sparked nationwide panic and forever changed how consumer products are packaged and protected. Victims had taken capsules of Tylenol that had been secretly laced with cyanide. The case, which became known as the Chicago Tylenol murders, remains one of the most chilling unsolved crimes in American history.

Adrienne Shelly was a gifted actress and filmmaker, best known for her work both in front of and behind the camera. In 2006, her life was tragically cut short in New York City under circumstances that initially raised more questions than answers. What first appeared to be a suicide was later revealed to be a devastating act of violence, forcing investigators, loved ones, and the public to confront the truth behind her death.

FROM THE VAULT | Natalie Wood was one of Hollywood’s brightest stars - a child actress turned icon whose career spanned decades and generations. But in 1981, her life was cut short under circumstances that remain deeply controversial. When Natalie drowned off the coast of Catalina Island during a weekend aboard a yacht with her husband Robert Wagner and co-star Christopher Walken, questions quickly overshadowed the official explanation.