TRUE CRIME

On the morning of 11 May 2012, a fire tore through a house at 18 Victory Road in Osmaston, Derby, claiming the lives of six children. In the days that followed, their father, Mick Philpott, stood before cameras, flanked by his wife Mairead, appearing to grieve for his lost children. But as the investigation rolled on, it became clear that this was not the tragic accident it first seemed—it was a cruel and calculated act by ... View more

In 1924, Richard Connell’s short story The Most Dangerous Game introduced the idea of human beings being hunted for sport. The tale follows a Russian aristocrat who, bored of hunting animals, lures unsuspecting prey to his remote island to chase them down. The concept has fascinated audiences for nearly a century, inspiring books, films, and television series. But for most, the story remained firmly within the realm of ... View more

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