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Crimes of the Centuries

Crimes of the Centuries

By: Amber Hunt and Audioboom
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About this listen

 Crime is so commonplace that it takes something particularly shocking to be labelled the “crime of the century.” Even so, there are a lot of cases that have earned the distinction. In each episode of Crimes of the Centuries, award-winning journalist Amber Hunt will examine a case that’s lesser known today but was huge when it happened. The cases explored span the centuries and each left a mark. Some made history by changing laws. Others were so shocking they changed society.Amber Hunt Social Sciences True Crime World
Episodes
  • Future Crimes of the Centuries? The Death of John O’Keefe and the Trials of Karen Read

    Future Crimes of the Centuries? The Death of John O’Keefe and the Trials of Karen Read
    Aug 25 2025
    This week on Crimes of the Centuries, we’re breaking from tradition. Instead of a crime from decades past, we’re looking at a case that’s still shaping headlines — and raising questions that may take years to answer. When Boston police officer John O’Keefe was found dead in the snow outside a fellow cop’s home, his girlfriend, Karen Read, was accused of running him down with her SUV in a fit of drunken rage. Prosecutors said it was an open-and-shut case. But as two trials unfolded, evidence of sloppy policing, possible cover-ups, and investigative misconduct began to surface. With insights from journalist Rebecca Lavoie, we examine the tangled relationships, explosive allegations, and courtroom battles that turned this into one of the most contentious cases Massachusetts has ever seen. Will history remember the death of John O’Keefe as a tragic accident, a conspiracy, or a crime of the century?

    "Crimes of the Centuries" is a podcast from Grab Bag Collab exploring forgotten crimes from times past that made a mark and helped change history. You can get early and ad-free episodes on the Grab Bag Patreon page.

    DON'T FORGET ABOUT THE CRIMES OF THE CENTURIES BOOK! Order today at www.centuriespod.com/book (https://www.centuriespod.com/book)!

    Follow us on Instagram and Twitter: @centuriespod


    Episode Sponsors:

    More Like Ancient Fail-iens.     In more Like Ancient FAILiens, journalist Brandon R. Reynolds and podcaster Toby Ball bravely plunge into one of the great works of televised hokum: Ancient Aliens, the History Channel show that, after more than 20 seasons and 200 episodes, is still convinced Aliens Did It. But Brandon and Toby will take on Ancient Aliens’ biggest claims, one episode at a time, disclosing the truth behind the nonsense and discovering the most amazing thing of all: the world is a pretty fascinating place, even if Ancient Astronauts aren't responsible for it. Look for it now, wherever you get your podcasts, or early and ad-free on the Grab Bag Collab Patreon Page.
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    50 mins
  • S5 Ep23: Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil: Separating Fact from Fiction

    S5 Ep23: Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil: Separating Fact from Fiction
    Aug 18 2025
    In 1981, 21-year-old Danny Hansford was shot and killed inside one of Savannah’s grandest mansions. The man who pulled the trigger, antiques dealer Jim Williams, claimed self-defense. What followed was a legal circus resulting in four high-profile trials. Then, less than a year later after the dust settled, Williams was dead. This is the case that inspired Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, the bestselling book that turned Savannah into a gothic brand. But the real story is messier than the myth.

    "Crimes of the Centuries" is a podcast from Grab Bag Collab exploring forgotten crimes from times past that made a mark and helped change history. You can get early and ad-free episodes on the Grab Bag Patreon page.

    DON'T FORGET ABOUT THE CRIMES OF THE CENTURIES BOOK! Order today at www.centuriespod.com/book (https://www.centuriespod.com/book)!

    Follow us on Instagram and Twitter: @centuriespod

    Episode Sponsors:

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    54 mins
  • S5 Ep22: The Green Bicycle Mystery

    S5 Ep22: The Green Bicycle Mystery
    Aug 11 2025
    Bella Wright was a shy, working-class woman whose life was cut short on a summer night in 1919, just short of her 22nd birthday. At first, her death looked like a tragic accident – until a single bullet found lodged in the dirt road changed everything. What followed was a century-long mystery involving an unshaven man on a distinctive green bicycle, a suspiciously dismantled frame dredged from a river, and a murder trial that gripped the nation. With early forensics, conflicting testimony and possible testimony that came too late, this is a case that refuses to rest.

    "Crimes of the Centuries" is a podcast from Grab Bag Collab exploring forgotten crimes from times past that made a mark and helped change history. You can get early and ad-free episodes on the Grab Bag Patreon page.

    DON'T FORGET ABOUT THE CRIMES OF THE CENTURIES BOOK! Order today at www.centuriespod.com/book (https://www.centuriespod.com/book)!

    Follow us on Instagram and Twitter: @centuriespod

    Episode Sponsors.

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    More Like Ancient Fail-iens.
    In More Like Ancient FAILiens, journalist Brandon R. Reynolds and podcaster Toby Ball bravely plunge into one of the great works of televised hokum: Ancient Aliens, the History Channel show that, after more than 20 seasons and 200 episodes, is still convinced Aliens Did It. But Brandon and Toby will take on Ancient Aliens’ biggest claims, one episode at a time, disclosing the truth behind the nonsense and discovering the most amazing thing of all: the world is a pretty fascinating place, even if Ancient Astronauts aren't responsible for it. Look for it now, wherever you get your podcasts, or early and ad-free on the Grab Bag Collab Patreon Page.


    Show More Show Less
    54 mins
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