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.
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Episode 238: The Ties That Bind: The Crimes of Shelly Knotek - Part 1
Shelly Knotek has been called “America’s Most Evil Mom”. She abused, tortured, and humiliated her children and partners, but her control and abuse went beyond her own family members. One-by-one people she took into her home a...
Episode 215: Getting Away With Murder: Ted Kennedy and Chappaquiddick
In 1969, U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy was the front runner to become the next Presidential candidate on the Democratic Party ticket. But, decisions he would make one fateful night on Chappaquiddick Island would result in the death of a young …
Episode 075: Survivor Stories: Tracey Thurman
A woman leaves her abusive husband and spends months trying to get law enforcement authorities to help her escape her abuser. In 1983, she survives one of the most brutal and vicious incidents of domestic violence I've ever encountered. She …
Episode 058: With Friends Like These: Kirsten Costas
Our new series "With Friends Like These" I detail cases where friends turn upon friends - and become deadly. The first is a case of high school jealousy. Kirsten Costas is attacked by a classmate in Orinda, California. Kirsten Costas …
Episode 042: A Woman Scorned: Betty Broderick
In 1989, Betty Broderick guns down her ex-husband and his new wife. Did her cheating husband cause her to snap or did she commit cold-blood, premeditated murder? This is Chapter 1 of our new series "A Woman Scorned". ...
Recent Episodes
Episode 285: Dead Woman Walking: Shawna Forde
May 30, 2023
In this series, I share true crime cases that resulted in women being sentenced to Death Row. In 2009, a woman victimized by a childhood of abuse and violence becomes immersed in anti-immigrant vigilante groups. Her zeal a…
Episode 284: Deadly Devotion: Motherhood and Mayhem, Part 2
May 22, 2023
This Mother’s Day, join Shane Waters on a chilling adventure featuring 14 podcasters (including Once Upon A Crime) as they share sinister stories of motherhood. Mother’s Day is typically a time to honor the love and sacrific…
Episode 283: Deadly Devotion: Motherhood and Mayhem, Part 1
May 22, 2023
This Mother’s Day, join Shane Waters on a chilling adventure featuring 14 podcasters (including Once Upon A Crime) as they share sinister stories of motherhood. Mother’s Day is typically a time to honor the love and sacrific…
Episode 282: Who Killed Robert Wone? A Conversation with Paul Epstein
May 9, 2023
Who Killed Robert Wone? Streaming on Peacock: https://pck.tv/3XzPVui On the night of August 2, 2006, a call comes in to 911 to report a man has been stabbed by an intruder at a Washington D.C. home. First responders arrive t…
Episode 281: Dead Woman Walking: Christa Pike
May 2, 2023
In 1995, a troubled young woman, jealous of one of her peers, enlists the help of two others to eliminate her enemy. But when the full and horrifying details of the plan emerge, the public is aghast at how a young woman coul…
Episode 280: April Fools: World’s Worst Criminals w/ Leroy Luna
April 24, 2023
On our final collaborative episode for the series “Fool Me Once,” Leroy and I share true stories about criminals who were very bad at their jobs. Sources: Taco Shop Turns Burglary Footage Into Awesome Ad (newser.com) Pr http…
About the Hosts
Lorena Garcia
Administrative, Research and Production Assistant
Once Upon A Crime's right hand, Lorena Garcia can be found behind the scenes. 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, and cat mom.
She says being a part of the Once Upon A Crime team is the ultimate dream job.
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.
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