NEW EPISODE EVERY MONDAY
Once Upon A Crime

Once Upon a Crime is a weekly true crime podcast that tells “the story behind the story” of real life crime. Told in a storytelling style, host Esther Ludlow digs into the details of each case to bring listeners the facts and information they won’t hear anywhere else.

Recent Episodes

March 19, 2024

S8 Ep316: Tarnished Hollywood: Grant and Amanda Hayes and the Murder of Laura Ackerson

Amanda Hayes, an actress known for roles on The Sopranos and The Stepford Wives, was convicted of conspiring with her husband, Grant Hayes, to murder Laura Ackerson, his ex-wife and mother of his two children. The murder a…
March 12, 2024

S8 Ep315: Tarnished Hollywood: Danny Masterson

Danny Masterson is an American actor best known for his role in That 70’s Show . In 2020, he was charged with raping three women in 2001 and 2003. Masterson and his victims were all members of the Church of Scientology. The …
March 8, 2024

S8: Mysteries on the True Crime Express

...1 historic steam train... ...9 exceptional true crime podcasts... ...9 tales woven with the spirit of Women's Day... ...Will YOU unravel the mysteries aboard? This International Women's Day, join Shane Waters and Wendy Ce…
March 5, 2024

S8 Ep314: The Palace with guest Gareth Russell

In this special episode, I speak with author Gareth Russell. His new book, The Palace: From the Tudors to the Windsors, 500 Years of British History at Hampton Court, gives us a look at the storied history of what is called…
March 2, 2024

S8: “Murder in Boston” - An Interview with Adrian Walker

“Murder in Boston” - An Interview with Adrian Walker (Bonus Episode) On October 23, 1989, 29-year-old Charles Stuart placed a 911 call to report that he and his wife, Carol, had been carjacked, driven to a secluded section o…
Feb. 27, 2024

S8 Ep313: Royal Murders, Scandals, and Secrets: Mad King Eric

In history, there have been several monarchs known as “Mad Kings” - monarchs who were plagued by erratic and even violent behavior often attributed to mental illness. King Eric the XIV of Sweden is one such ruler. While inte…

About the Hosts

Esther LudlowProfile Photo

Esther Ludlow

Producer and Host

Esther Ludlow has been interested in true crime since she was a teen and has been podcasting since 2012. She launched her true crime podcast, Once Upon a Crime in June of 2016. In only 8 months, the podcast had over 1 million listens and the audience continues to grow. Her love for storytelling combined with her interest in true crime and her background in psychology creates a unique and compelling podcast.

Esther writes, produces and edits the podcast as a solo venture. Once Upon a Crime presents true crime stories chapter by chapter. Each episode stands alone and cases are grouped by topic. Esther has covered the kidnapping cases of Elizabeth Smart and Jaycee Dugard, celebrity stalkers Mark David Chapman and John Hinckley, and historical cases including Kitty Genovese, Mary Bell and Charles Starkweather.

Lorena GarciaProfile Photo

Lorena Garcia

Executive Producer

Once Upon A Crime's right hand, Lorena Garcia can be found behind the scenes, handling everything from audio production, administrative tasks, social media, and everything in between. From a young age, Lorena found interest in films and literature based on true crime events. As she matured so did her passion for true crime. Aside from assisting with OUAC, Lorena is a skincare enthusiast, world traveler, competitive jigsaw puzzler, and cat mom.
She says being a part of the Once Upon A Crime team is the ultimate dream job.