The Casual Criminalist

Latest episodes

Showing 20 · updated from the feed

Unsolved: The Yoghurt Shop Murders

In 1991, four teenage girls were brutally murdered at an Austin yogurt shop. For decades, the case was plagued by wrongful arrests, coerced confessions, and constitutiona

Sep 24
2 h 32 min

William Bonin: The Forgotten Serial Killer

William Bonin became one of Southern California’s most notorious serial killers. Explore his disturbing crimes, accomplices, victims, failed releases, investigation, conf

Sep 18
1 h 47 min

'Dirty John': She Married a Psychopath and Chose Him Over Her Kids

Debra Newell was a successful interior designer who fell for charming doctor John Meehan online. Her daughters sensed something was wrong immediately. What they uncovered

Sep 17
2 h 18 min

The Murder of Rob and Michele Reiner

Hollywood icon Rob Reiner and his wife Michele seemed to have a life defined by love, family, and activism—until their shocking murders exposed a devastating familial tra

Sep 9
1 h 36 min

Unsolved: How Did Natalie Wood Die?

Natalie Wood’s death remains one of Hollywood’s most enduring mysteries. Explore the conflicting accounts, unanswered questions, and investigation that continue to cast d

Sep 5
1 h 24 min

The Most Incompetent Murder Investigations in FBI History

The FBI has a history of shocking investigative failures. Explore four controversial cases involving botched investigations, unreliable evidence, corruption, and devastat

Sep 4
2 h 24 min

The Murder of Selena Quintanilla-Pérez

Selena Quintanilla-Pérez was a rising music icon whose life ended in a shocking betrayal. Explore her extraordinary journey, tragic murder, Yolanda Saldívar’s trial, and

Sep 2
1 h 20 min

The Murder of Marta del Castillo: Spain's Most Frustrating Murder Mystery

Marta del Castillo vanished in Seville, sparking Spain’s most haunting murder mystery. Explore the investigation, shifting confessions, missing body, disputed evidence, a

Aug 28
1 h 36 min

Michael Peterson: The Staircase Killer Who Went Free

Was Michael Peterson a cold-blooded killer or the victim of a flawed investigation? Explore the staircase death, shocking evidence, disputed theories, courtroom battles,

Aug 26
1 h 33 min

Amanda Knox and the Murder of Meredith Kercher.

Meredith Kercher’s murder became one of the world’s most controversial criminal cases. Explore the investigation, Amanda Knox trial, Rudy Guede, disputed evidence, shocki

Aug 24
2 h 13 min

Flashback to The Jamison Family Disappearance

In this flashback episode, Simon dives into one of Oklahoma’s most baffling mysteries. In 2009, the Jamison family vanished during a trip to the remote San Bois Mountains

Aug 22
1 h 13 min

The Horrifying Story of Daniel LaPlante

A chilling true crime story of Daniel LaPlante, the infamous “Boy in the Walls.” Discover the terrifying home invasion, brutal murders, shocking investigation, and distur

Aug 9
1 h 39 min

Hell on Wheels: The Mackenzie Shirilla Case

A toxic romance, shocking betrayal, and a deadly crash—uncover the chilling Mackenzie Shirilla case, where disturbing digital evidence transformed a tragic accident into

Aug 6
1 h 34 min

Melvin David Rees: Jazz Musician, Predator, Murderer.

Beneath Melvin Rees Jr.'s charming musician persona lurked a ruthless predator. Discover the shocking crimes, chilling investigation, and haunting trail of violence that

Jul 31
1 h 17 min

Unsolved: The Death of Rey Rivera

A mysterious rooftop death, impossible physics, secretive notes, and endless theories. Was Rey Rivera murdered, driven to suicide, or caught in a tragic delusion? Explore

Jul 24
1 h 33 min

The Disappearance of Laci Peterson

The shocking true story of Laci Peterson’s disappearance, Scott Peterson’s lies, the investigation, explosive trial, and lasting legacy. Discover the evidence, controvers

Jul 11
1 h 45 min

The Yosemite Park Killer: Twisted Family Turmoil Turns Murderous

A family tragedy. A notorious kidnapping. A jealous brother consumed by darkness. Explore the shocking true story of Cary Stayner, the Yosemite Park Killer, whose twisted

Jul 2
51 min

Unsolved: The Atlanta Ripper

Explore the forgotten terror: Atlanta’s elusive Ripper. Uncover brutal murders, racial injustice, bungled investigations, chilling suspects, and the century-old mystery b

Jun 23
1 h 11 min

Flashback to The Shark Arm Murders: The Mystery of the Missing Arm

In this flashback episode, what happens when you catch a shark that swallowed another shark that swallowed a human arm? You get the most bizarre unsolved murder in Austra

Jun 19
36 min

Rex Heuermann: The Gilgo Beach Killer

The chilling story of Rex Heuermann: how the alleged Gilgo Beach Killer evaded capture for years, leaving a trail of victims, corruption, secrets, and unanswered question

Jun 8
2 h 13 min

Chart trend

Position in the True Crime chart (US), last 90 days.

#1#100#198JulAugSep

#143

all-time peak

130

days in the top 200 since Nov 2024

Chart positions

Where The Casual Criminalist ranks today in each Apple Podcasts chart (US, Sep 28, 2026).

#190 ▼ 6 True Crime US

What listeners say

A curated, balanced selection of Apple Podcasts reviews.

I’ve listened to literally every episode of this podcast, and Simon—the host—always treats victims with respect, even if he is occasionally a little clumsy (it’s okay, we’re all awkward sometimes; I dig myself holes as much as the next person). The writing team sticks closely to the “CSI, not Saw” principle, making it a genuine dissection of true events and not a sensationalized gorefest. Do I frequently have the experience of screaming the word/phrase/reference Simon is grasping for in my head? Yes, but such is the beauty of podcasts. Excellent work, keep it up!

soup for brains · Jul 2026

Simon Whistler is BY FAR my favorite podcaster. I’m a longtime fan from long before CasCrim was created. I’m also a true crime aficionado, so imagine my joy when Simon chose to add CasCrim to his channel lineup. I’m listening to the new episodes as they come out right here on Apple Podcasts, but as I await new releases, I’m taking time to listen to all of the podcast versions of his older episodes here as well. I watched the older episodes when they were new on YouTube, but I rather prefer listening to them as podcasts. Treat yourself - listen to Simon and his team’s take on these cases. You won’t regret it.

CParkerLPN · Feb 2026

Love your show. My work environment sucks to put it plainly. And having a podcast going makes my day! Simon yelling “Marcy More Gizzards!” Just makes things right! So thank you Simon. I watch and listen almost daily. Thanks for helping me get thru work!!

Amysigns · Jan 2026

*Update: I love Simon. He’s a real hoot. My only complaint is that his total ignorance of so many pop culture and true crime references that are pretty widely known, seems very disingenuous at times.* So wickedly funny and relatable. Is sufficiently horrified and incredulous at the content he’s reading, while finding a way to bring a giggle to the listener. Quite a tightrope to walk. Best enjoyed at .75 speed. As another reviewer said, this podcast is an example of what that speed was made for.

AshiSusa · Jan 2026

The show is well-produced and thoroughly researched, with Simon delivering the scripts in a compelling and engaging manner. However, there are moments where his approach can feel a bit patronizing. At times, he omits details written by the researchers, citing them as “too graphic” and telling listeners, “you don’t need to hear that,” which can come across as infantilizing. More concerning is his consistent enthusiasm for the death penalty. Simon often expresses hope that perpetrators will be executed, displaying an uncritical endorsement of state-sanctioned violence without acknowledging the complex and deeply problematic nature of the capital punishment system. This lack of nuance detracts from an otherwise thoughtful production.

Thax10 · Oct 2025

I had to turn it off after about 15 minutes during the Andrea Yates episode. Laughing your way through a very sad story turned my stomach. Plus, I really don’t need to hear how much the host disliked religions he does not agree with. I’m no Bible thumper by any means but it’s so tasteless and disrespectful. So many better podcasts to listen to! Don’t waste your time on this one.

MelJel22 · Jan 2026

We strive to present a balanced view by showing a diverse range of reviews from Apple Podcasts.