Police Turn to True-Crime Podcasts to Revive Cold Murder Investigations

Police departments in several states have begun producing true-crime podcasts to draw public attention to unsolved murders. Aurora, Colorado’s series on the 2016 killing of Chelsea Yasser has already generated dozens of tips, and earlier efforts in California and Illinois led to the capture of a murder suspect and the discovery of a missing woman’s remains. Advocates argue the medium taps a massive audience and lets investigators control the narrative, while skeptics caution that presenting suspects without the word “alleged” may blur due process.

Budget and staffing constraints limit many agencies, yet experts predict wider adoption as younger officers embrace digital outreach. The approach also offers recruitment benefits by showcasing police work to listeners. Overall, podcasts are emerging as a novel, though still experimental, component of modern policing.