TRUE CRIME

For more than four decades, the man who came to be known as the Golden State Killer terrorised communities across California, committing a staggering number of violent crimes—at least 13 murders, 51 rapes, and 120 burglaries. His reign of terror spanned from 1974 to 1986, during which time he became known by several different aliases, each linked to a distinct crime spree before investigators realised that these crimes had all ... View more

In the dimly lit corridors of the University of Lisbon’s Faculty of Medicine, a peculiar relic sits preserved in a glass jar—a severed head, yellowed with age, its vacant eyes frozen in time. This eerie exhibit is all that remains of Diogo Alves, one of Portugal’s most notorious criminals. His story, riddled with violence, deception, and scientific curiosity, has outlived him by nearly two centuries, turning him into an odd ... View more

On a warm May afternoon in 1977, Colleen Stan felt confident in her ability to hitchhike safely. At 20 years old, she had already turned down two rides on her journey from Eugene, Oregon, to a friend’s birthday party in Westwood, California. But when a blue van pulled over near Red Bluff, California, she saw a man with his wife and baby in the vehicle. That, she thought, was a good sign. A family. Safe. It was a tragic ... View more

On the morning of February 18, 1916, Hans Schmidt entered the death chamber at Sing Sing Prison. Moments before being seated in the electric chair, he murmured, "My last word is to say goodbye to my dear old mother!" Within minutes, he was dead—forever infamous as the only Catholic priest to be executed in the United States. His crime? A brutal and ritualistic murder that horrified the nation, yet was only the tip of the ... View more

Robert Franklin Stroud, better known as the "Birdman of Alcatraz," was a man whose life was defined by violence, isolation, and an extraordinary dedication to birds. A convicted murderer, ornithologist, and author, Stroud spent 54 years behind bars, including 42 in solitary confinement. His transformation from a violent inmate to a respected expert in avian pathology remains one of the most unusual stories in American criminal ... View more