22 Hours: An American Nightmare

It was a case nightmares are made of. A D.C. power couple, their 10-year-old son and housekeeper held hostage for nearly 24 hours and murdered inside a burning D.C. mansion. WTOP examines the complicated trail of evidence that police say led to finding their killer and why they say he committed such a brutal crime.

Rank #1: The Money Drop.
Hours after the victims are taken hostage, a ransom is delivered to the mansion on Woodland Drive. But it doesn’t save the victims -- the calls, text messages and voicemails end, leaving key parts of the timeline unexplained. But after the trial, a new theory emerges explaining how the killer got inside the house. This episode is written and produced by WTOP reporters Megan Cloherty and Jack Moore. Julia Ziegler is the content adviser. Visit http://22hourspodcast.com to meet our hosts, view photos of the crime scene, explore a map of key locations in the case, and ask questions or leave comments in our interactive blog. You can also reach out via email, podcast@wtop.com, or via Twitter, @22hourspod. "22 Hours: An American Nightmare" is a production of WTOP News in Washington, D.C. All music featured in "22 Hours: An American Nightmare" is licensed through Creative Commons and/or by permission of the artist. We're grateful to all the artists whose music has helped us tell this story. “Haters Hate” by Ramone Messam, used with permission of the artist; “Call me” and “Rhythmic Pulse” by Daniel Birch, as well as “Weirder” by Drake Stafford, all licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0); and "Beyond the Lows" by The Whole Other, available in the YouTube Audio Library.

Rank #2: The Pizza Crust .
The Savopoulos house was held in evidence for weeks as crime scene investigators looked for clues. In the end, five pieces of forensic evidence linked Daron Wint to the killings, including a sliver of his DNA on the crust of a pizza that had been delivered to the house while he held the family captive. But was the forensic evidence a slam dunk? This episode is written and produced by reporters Megan Cloherty and Jack Moore. Julia Ziegler is the content adviser. Visit 22HoursPodcast.com for photos, maps and an interactive blog where you can ask us questions or leave your comments about each episode. "22 Hours: An American Nightmare" is a production of WTOP News in Washington, D.C. All music featured in "22 Hours: An American Nightmare" is licensed through Creative Commons and/or by permission of the artist. We're grateful to all the artists whose music has helped us tell this story. “Haters Hate” by Ramone Messam, used with permission of the artist; “Procession” by Puddle of Infinity, available in the YouTube Audio Library; “Rhythmic Pulse,” “Marimba on the Loose” and “Closing My Eyes for a Moment” by Daniel Birch, and “Weirder” by Drake Stafford, all licensed under Creative Commons by Attribution 4.0 International.

The Clearing

When April Balascio was 40 years old, something she’d feared for decades was finally proven true. Her father, Edward Wayne Edwards, really was a murderer. The Clearing is about what came after April called a detective in 2009 to tell him about her suspicions — a call that led to her father’s arrest and eventual conviction on multiple murders — and tracks the emotional journey as she and host Josh Dean dig back into her childhood, unravel the truth of her father’s life, and overturn a viral online narrative that had turned Edward Wayne Edwards into a kind of serial killer caricature. Produced by Pineapple Street Media in association with Gimlet.

Rank #1: 1. Hunting Season.
April reads a news story and everything changes. 

Rank #2: 2. Creepy John Wayne.
Who the hell was Edward Wayne Edwards anyway?

Man In The Window: The Golden State Killer

In Man in the Window, Paige St. John, a Pulitzer Prize winning investigative reporter has uncovered never before revealed details about the man who would eventually become one of California's most deadly serial killers. From Wondery and the L.A. Times comes a new series that traces his path of devastation through his victims' eyes.

Rank #1: Victim Number One | 2.
Episode 2: Police start to suspect there is a new serial rapist at large. They trace the attacks back to a small, one-story yellow house in Rancho Cordova.Learn more about the story, sign up for new episode alerts and go behind the scenes at latimes.com/mitwMan In The Window is presented by SimplisafeProtect your home with a new home security system with Simplisafe. Man In The Window listeners get free shipping and a 60-day money back guarantee at Simplisafe.com/windowOther sponsors include:Squarespace - Get a free trial at squarespace.com/window and 10% off when you launch with code WINDOWParachute - Get free shipping and returns on premium quality home essentials at parachutehome.com/windowZip Recruiter - Start your free trial today at ZipRecruiter.com/windowThredUp - Get 30% off your first order when you visit them at ThredUp.com/window

Rank #2: Phantom in the Fog | 1.
Episode 1: A series of brutal dog killings in a small town in California is just the prelude to coming danger, and violence.Learn more about the story, sign up for new episode alerts and go behind the scenes at latimes.com/mitwMan In The Window is presented by SimplisafeProtect your home with a new home security system with Simplisafe. Man In The Window listeners get free shipping and a 60-day money back guarantee at Simplisafe.com/windowOther sponsors include:Squarespace - Get a free trial at squarespace.com/window and 10% off when you launch with code WINDOWParachute - Get free shipping and returns on premium quality home essentials at parachutehome.com/windowZip Recruiter - Start your free trial today at ZipRecruiter.com/windowThredUp - Get 30% off your first order when you visit them at ThredUp.com/window

Room 20

The sign above his hospital bed called him Sixty-Six Garage. For more than 15 years, he would lay there unidentified and unconscious. Or so, everyone believed. From L.A. Times Studios and the team that brought you “Dirty John” and “Man in the Window,” comes “Room 20,” a story about the search for a man’s identity and the truth about his accident. Investigative reporter Joanne Faryon’s two-year journey is filled with twists and turns. Now, she'll finally reveal who Garage really is. But one important question remained for her upon this discovery: has Garage been conscious this entire time? This series was produced by L.A. Times Studios with support from Neon Hum Media.

Rank #1: Ep. 1: The First Six Days | 1.
Reporter Joanne Faryon quits her job to find out what happened to a man known as Sixty-Six Garage. After spending six days with him in his nursing home room, she starts to question whether he’s actually in a vegetative state, like she was first told.

Rank #2: Ep. 6: Is He in There? | 6.
Omar, the roommate, speaks and Garage sees his sister for the first time since he was a teenager. Faryon learns she is not responsible for her mother’s death and convinces a world expert on diagnosing consciousness to test Garage. She’s finally able to answer the question she had when she first met Garage - is he still in there?

Confronting: O.J. Simpson with Kim Goldman

25 years after the crimes that ignited the "Trial of the Century" Kim Goldman, sister of murder victim Ron Goldman, is digging deep into the vicious crime that changed her life, and many others, forever. Thrust into the public eye at the age of 22, Kim was devastated when OJ Simpson was found not guilty of the murders of his ex-wife Nicole and her brother Ron. There has been much debate and confusion about what really happened the night of those brutal murders and for the first time Kim gets answers to questions that have been haunting her since the trial. She sits down with prosecutors, investigators, and witnesses who never got to speak and jurors who voted not guilty. In this 10-part series, Kim takes you on a journey as she reclaims and reflects on the part of her life that was changed permanently.

Rank #1: Objectively Bonkers | 2.
In episode two, Kim reexamines the crime with the case’s lead investigator, Tom Lange, and lead prosecutor, Marcia Clark. Kim confronts the long list of evidence that never went to trial, wrestles with the decisions made by the prosecution, and learns about facts of the case that were never scrutinized 25 years ago. Some truths take on new light for Kim while others remain “objectively bonkers”.Follow us on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook @Confrontingpod

Rank #2: The Life and Death of Ron Goldman | 1.
Kim and her father, Fred confront the day they found out that Ron was killed twenty-five years ago. Life has moved forward, but there is still grief and pain. In this episode, Kim starts her journey by remembering the life of her brother. Through conversations with friends and loved ones, we remember the brother, son, friend and murder victim who was lost on June 12th, 1994. Follow us on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook @Confrontingpod

Monster Presents: Insomniac

What happens when you immerse yourself in true crime, night after night, digging deeper into the lives of serial killers? What are the consequences to a person's psyche? From iHeartRadio and TenderfootTV comes a new podcast about twisted serial killers and one man's journey through their stories.

Rank #1: The I-70 Strangler - Part One .
Herb Baumeister spent his days as a father, a husband, and a businessman. But at night, he committed murderous acts in front of an audience that could never tell a soul.  Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Rank #2: The Creepy Neighbor – Part One.
Stephen McDaniel had a crush on his next door neighbor. But this isn’t a love story. This crush ends with a headless torso.  Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

13 Alibis

How did a man who claims he had 13 alibi witnesses get convicted of murder and serve 20 years in prison? In this original series from Dateline NBC, producer Dan Slepian chronicles the case of Richard Rosario, who was convicted of a 1996 murder in New York City. Rosario has always insisted that he is innocent, and that 13 alibi witnesses will swear he was a thousand miles away in Florida while the crime was happening in New York. Ride along in real time as Slepian spends two years digging deep into Rosario’s case in a quest for the truth.

Rank #1: 1 - Behind Bars.
Is Richard Rosario an innocent man? Or is he a murderer? Dan Slepian begins his investigation at a prison in upstate New York, and at the scene of the crime in the Bronx.

Rank #2: 2 - 1000 Miles Away.
The murder case against Richard Rosario was based on two eyewitnesses. But Rosario claims there are more than a dozen people who can prove he was nowhere near the scene of the crime. Dan Slepian packs his bags and heads to Florida to speak with some of those alibi witnesses. Along the way, he also meets Rosario’s wife and two children.

Hell and Gone

Now in its second season, Hell And Gone is a podcast from iHeartRadio and School of Humans that follows writer and private investigator Catherine Townsend as she investigates unsolved deaths in small-town Arkansas. This season, she dives into the mysterious death of Janie Ward, a 16-year-old high school student who died at a party in 1989 in Marshall, Arkansas. In the 30 years since her death, no one has been able to determine how she died even though there have been multiple investigations and her body has been autopsied three times. Season 1 investigated the cold-case murder of Rebekah Gould, a beautiful and popular college student who was killed in 2004.

Rank #1: S1E1: 14 Years Gone.
Catherine and her team arrive in the Arkansas Ozarks and retrace Rebekah’s steps on the last day she was seen alive. They meet Rebekah’s sister Danielle, her father Larry, and local journalist George Jared. For more on the case, visit hellandgonepodcast.com Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Rank #2: S1E2: Dead in the Water.
Catherine and her team use old-fashioned detective work to uncover more details about the murder and to track down possible suspects. They meet with Rusty, owner and publisher of the local newspaper, and attempt to find Jesse, JB and Chris. For more on the case, visit hellandgonepodcast.com Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

The Shrink Next Door

Veteran journalist Joe Nocera’s neighbor in the Hamptons was a therapist named Ike. Ike counted celebrities and Manhattan elites as his patients. He’d host star-studded parties at his eccentric vacation house. But one summer, Joe discovered that Ike was gone and everything he’d thought he’d known about his neighbor -- and the house next door -- was wrong. From Wondery, the company behind Dirty John and Dr. Death, and Bloomberg, “The Shrink Next Door” is a story about power, control and turning to the wrong person for help for three decades. Written and hosted by Joe Nocera, a columnist for Bloomberg , “The Shrink Next Door” premieres on May 21st.

Rank #1: Welcome To The Neighborhood | 1.
A summer party. A stormy night. And a shocking revelation about Joe’s neighbor next door. The Shrink Next Door is presented by BrooklinenGet 10% of your first order plus free shipping when you use promo code THESHRINK at brooklinen.comOther sponsors include:Smile Direct Club - Get a $25 credit on your at home kit or book a free assessment at one of their locations, plus save $150 on your aligners when you visit smiledirectclub.com/podcast and use code SHRINK150 at checkoutBetter Help - Get 10% off your first month when you visit them at betterhelp.com/theshrinkShip Station - Get a 60-day free trial when you visit shipstation.com click the microphone at the top of the page, and enter code THESHRINK

Rank #2: Sibling Rivalry | 2.
A new psychiatrist. A fight between brother and sister. And bank robbery. It’s 1981, and Marty finds relief in the advice of a new psychiatrist, which shapes every part of his life.    The Shrink Next Door is presented by BrooklinenGet 10% of your first order plus free shipping when you use promo code THESHRINK at brooklinen.comOther sponsors include:Smile Direct Club - Get a $25 credit on your at home kit or book a free assessment at one of their locations, plus save $150 on your aligners when you visit smiledirectclub.com/podcast and use code SHRINK150 at checkoutBetter Help - Get 10% off your first month when you visit them at betterhelp.com/theshrinkShip Station - Get a 60-day free trial when you visit shipstation.com click the microphone at the top of the page, and enter code THESHRINK

Hit Man

In 1983, Paladin Press, a fringe publisher, released a book called Hit Man: A Technical Manual for Independent Contractors. The author, who went by the pen name Rex Feral, offered very specific tips for the aspiring contract killer— where to find employment, how much to charge...and how to get away with murder. Ten years later, Tiffani Horn’s mother, 8-year-old brother, and a close family friend were found murdered. The exhaustive investigation involved multi-state surveillance and wiretaps, but it wasn’t until detectives stumbled upon Hit Man that they suddenly had what they called a blueprint for the murders. Hosted by journalist Jasmyn Morris.

Rank #1: If Books Could Kill.
In 1983, the Colorado-based non-fiction publisher, Paladin Press, released a book called Hit Man: A Technical Manual for Independent Contractors. The author, who wrote under the pen name Rex Feral, offered very specific tips for the aspiring contract killer— where to find employment, how much to charge...and how to get away with it. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Rank #2: Man with the Plan.
You might not know the name Lawrence T. Horn, but you definitely know his work. Nicknamed “Your Man with the Plan”, the talented engineer is riding high at Hitsville USA, helping to create some of Motown’s greatest hits. One day, while flying first class on a flight to Los Angeles, he meets his match – a determined and beautiful flight attendant named Millie Maree. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

The Thing About Pam

Two days after Christmas, 2011, Russ Faria came home from game night to find his wife, Betsy, dead. He was soon charged and convicted of her murder. But Russ Faria insisted he did not kill his wife. Betsy’s brutal murder set off a chain of events that would leave one man dead, another man implicated, and expose a diabolical scheme. It would also see Dateline NBC—the true-crime original—become a part of the never-ending saga that proves the old adage: Truth is stranger than fiction. This original series from Keith Morrison and Dateline defies all expectations.

Rank #1: 1 - They're Still Counting.
The evidence pointed to a crime of passion. But was it?

Rank #2: 6 - Anything Can Happen.
Another thing about Pam…Watch the full Dateline NBC episode here.https://www.nbc.com/dateline/video/the-thing-about-pam/4034417

Bardstown

Welcome signs proclaim it “America’s Most Beautiful Small Town.” It’s considered the Bourbon Capital of the World. And in many ways, Bardstown, Kentucky is just like a lot of small, tight-knit communities all across the country. But just under the surface, there’s something darker. Not everyone wants to talk about it. And a lot of people would rather forget. That’s because since 2013, Bardstown has also been the site of five unsolved murders. Now, the team behind “Bomber,” “True Crime Chronicles,” and “88 Days” is digging into these cases to find out what’s really happening in Bardstown, and whether these murders could be related. And along the way uncovering a history of violence and fear in this otherwise quintessential southern town. Bardstown launches August 28.

Rank #1: The Most Beautiful Small Town in America.
Bardstown, Kentucky is the Bourbon Capital of the World, with centuries-old history and small-town charm. But just under the surface, there are whispers, secrets and five unsolved murders. The first one to shock the small town was in May 2013 as a police officer was heading home from work.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rank #2: Badge 139.
What happened on that spring night as Bardstown Police officer Jason Ellis turned off the Bluegrass Parkway? We dig into the investigation, the theories and the evidence. We’ll also tell you who Jason Ellis was: a father, a husband, a baseball player, a brother and a son.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cold

Susan Powell vanished on Dec. 7, 2009. Her body has never been found. From the beginning, West Valley City, Utah police suspected Susan's husband, Josh Powell, had murdered her. They never arrested him. COLD dives deep into the case files, uncovering never-before-heard details. You'll learn why Susan stayed with an abusive husband, why Josh did what he did and how the justice system failed Susan and her two boys.

Rank #1: Ep. 1: To All the Girls I've Loved Before.
Josh Powell believed in his own greatness from at least age 5. So why wouldn't any girls date him? Why did his only other serious girlfriend before Susan Cox run away in fear? Perhaps because he inherited some of his father Steven Powell's bizarre beliefs about relationships and marriage. This episode tells the story of the one who got away from Josh Powell, a full decade before the disappearance of Susan Powell made him the focus of a multi-state murder investigation.For the past three years, investigative reporter Dave Cawley has been studying thousands of police documents, journals, videos, and diary entries. He has tracked down new sources, followed new leads, and traced Josh Powell's trail from West Valley City, Utah, through Idaho, Oregon, Nevada, and on to Washington State, where he killed himself and his two sons. Cold is the most complete retelling of the Susan Powell story ever. Join Dave Cawley in his search for truth. Share your thoughts: #ColdPodcast #FindSusan Twitter Instagram Facebook

Rank #2: Ep. 13: 4theKidzz.
Josh Powell went to court in Washington in a bid to get his sons, Charlie and Braden, returned to him. West Valley City police warned the social workers they'd found incestuous cartoon pornography on Josh's computer. After reviewing those images, forensic psychologist James Manley suggested Josh undergo a psychosexual evaluation. Meantime, detectives puzzled over why Josh's brother, Michael Powell, sold his 1997 Ford Taurus to Lindell Auto in Pendleton, Ore. just weeks after Susan Powell's disappearance.For the past three years, investigative reporter Dave Cawley has been studying thousands of police documents, journals, videos and diary entries. He has tracked down new sources, followed new leads and traced Josh Powell's trail from West Valley City, Utah, through Idaho, Oregon, Nevada and on to Washington State, where Powell killed himself and his two sons. Cold is the most complete retelling of the Susan Powell story ever. Join Dave Cawley in his search for truth. Share your thoughts: #ColdPodcast #FindSusan Twitter Instagram Facebook

Bear Brook

Two barrels, four bodies, and an enigmatic killer. The cold case that changed the way murders will be investigated forever.

Rank #1: EP 4: Eunsoon Jun.
An ominous New Year’s party introduction. An estranged cousin goes missing. Police question a man with multiple identities. A search leads authorities to his basement. Want to make sure that NHPR continues creating projects like Bear Brook? Click here to donate $20. Thanks for your support.  

Rank #2: EP 3: A Smaller Haystack.
After 30 years of torpor, investigators finally inch the Bear Brook case forward. A geologist uncovers the history buried in human teeth and hair. The faces of the victims are reconstructed. Want to make sure that NHPR continues creating projects like Bear Brook? Click here to donate $20. Thanks for your support.  

To Live and Die in LA

In Feb 2018, an aspiring actress vanished from her Hollywood apartment. Rolling Stone journalist Neil Strauss was asked to help the family get answers. Together, they found them...sometimes at great personal risk. For the first time in a serial podcast, go inside a gripping multi-state investigation as it unfolds from the moment of the disappearance to each twist and turn in the case. Stay not only more informed than the news, but listen as the official story is dismantled with in-the-moment first-hand reporting with the leading figures in the investigation. The new #1 podcast from the team behind Up & Vanished and Atlanta Monster.

Rank #1: A Different Kind of Star [1].
When a 25-year-old aspiring actress and model vanishes from outside her Hollywood apartment, award-winning journalist and bestselling author Neil Strauss finds himself at the center of the investigation. What happened to Adea Shabani? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rank #2: Three Sides to Every Story [3].
 Surveillance video surfaces from the day of Adea's disappearance. Neil and Jayden begin to pursue the suspect from state to state. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices