Criminology Files

About Criminology Files

A true crime podcast that looks at real cases of mystery, murder, and criminal behaviour through a criminological lens. Each episode unpacks what happened, how the investigation unfolded, and the psychology behind the people involved. From well-known cases to lesser-known tragedies, it’s all about understanding the story behind the headlines and what the evidence really tells us.

Publisher

Criminologist Theresa

Category

true crime

Language

en

Explicit

Yes

First episode

8 Jun 2026

Latest episode

31 Aug 2026

Latest episodes

16 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   31 Aug 2026

   Two Cups of Tea: The Unsolved Murder of Florence Broadhurst

   In October 1977, one of Australia's most celebrated designers — Florence Broadhurst, the woman behind some of the country's most iconic wallpaper — was found beaten to death in her own Paddington warehouse. The front door had been open all night. There was no sign of forced entry, no struggle... and two clean teacups sitting in the kitchen. Forty-seven years later, no one has ever been charged. In this episode of Criminology Files, we go beyond the headlines to actually interrogate the case: the estranged son with a public argument and a verified alibi, the mystery visitor who shared tea with Florence hours before she died, and the infamous theory linking her murder to convicted serial killer John Wayne Glover — the "Granny Killer." We break down staging vs. posing, why proximity bias skews cold-case theories, and why "resembles" isn't the same as "proven." This is a story about a woman who spent her life curating her own myth — and a death that's remained just as unresolved. If you have credible information about this case, contact Crime Stoppers or your local police service.

2. 

   26 Aug 2026

   The Killer Cadets - The Murder of Adrianne Jones

   The Killer Cadets They were teenagers with extraordinary futures ahead of them. David Graham was headed for the U.S. Air Force Academy. Diane Zamora was bound for the U.S. Naval Academy. They were young, ambitious, admired — and engaged to be married. Then came a lie. In 1995, sixteen-year-old Adrianne Jones was found murdered in a field outside Grand Prairie, Texas. She had been beaten and shot, and at first, investigators had almost nothing to explain why she had become a target. Nine months later, the case suddenly broke open. A confession from a Naval Academy dorm room led investigators back to Texas, where they uncovered a story of jealousy, loyalty, manipulation and murder. David and Diane eventually confessed. But when their cases reached court, their stories began to tear apart. And then came the revelation that changed the story entirely: The affair that was supposedly the reason Adrianne Jones was murdered may never have happened. The Killer Cadets examines the murder of Adrianne Jones, the relationship between David Graham and Diane Zamora, their confessions and convictions, and the criminological questions surrounding a crime that began with a lie and ended with two teenagers serving life in prison. This is a story about loyalty taken to its most devastating extreme — and about a sixteen-year-old girl who became the victim of a conflict that may never have been hers at all. Listener discretion is advised. This series discusses the murder of a sixteen-year-old girl and includes descriptions of violence.

3. 

   25 Aug 2026

   Cadet Killers: The Adrianne Jones Case

   In 1995, two honor students at the top of their class — bound for the Air Force Academy and the Naval Academy — committed a murder that shocked Texas. 16-year-old Adrianne Jones was found dead in a field outside Fort Worth. It would take almost a year, a jealous confession, and a betrayal between two people who claimed to love each other more than anything, to unravel what really happened that night. This is the story of David Graham and Diane Zamora — two "perfect" teenagers whose secret would define the rest of their lives. Cadet Killers: The Adrianne Jones Case — coming soon, wherever you get your podcasts.

4. 

   16 Aug 2026

   THE FOURTH WORLD: WHEN FANTASY BECAME REALITY

   The Fourth World: When Fantasy Became Reality In 1954, two intelligent teenage girls in Christchurch, New Zealand, created a private world of fantasy, identity and imagination. They called it The Fourth World. But when the threat of separation became real, that imaginary world began to collide with reality — ending in the brutal murder of Pauline Parker's mother, Honora Parker, on a secluded hillside in Victoria Park. Pauline Parker and Juliet Hulme were not hardened criminals. They were teenagers from respectable families whose intense friendship had become increasingly isolated from the world around them. As their bond deepened, fantasy, resentment and dependency became intertwined — until murder became, in their minds, the only way forward. In this episode, we examine the Parker–Hulme murder through the evidence, the courtroom proceedings and the psychological questions that have surrounded the case for more than seventy years. What happens when two people become so deeply immersed in the same private world that reality begins to lose its authority? And can a relationship itself become a mechanism for escalating dangerous behaviour? From the planning of Honora Parker's murder, to the diaries that helped expose the truth, the sensational 1954 trial, and the later life of Juliet Hulme — who would eventually become the acclaimed crime writer Anne Perry — this is a story about obsession, identity, accountability and the disturbing boundary between fantasy and reality. This is The Fourth World. When fantasy became reality. Listener discretion is advised. This episode discusses murder and violence. The criminological concepts discussed in this episode — including folie à deux, neutralization theory and dyadic offending — are analytical frameworks applied retrospectively and should not be understood as clinical diagnoses made during the original case.

5. 

   10 Aug 2026

   THE GHOST OF WAKEHURST PARKWAY

   THE GHOST OF WAKEHURST PARKWAY The Lady Who Vanished on Sydney’s Haunted Road There are roads we drive every day without ever thinking about the stories attached to them. But after dark, Wakehurst Parkway becomes the setting for one of Sydney’s most enduring urban legends. For decades, stories have circulated about a mysterious woman appearing along the dark, winding road through Sydney’s northern beaches. Some say she is a hitchhiker. Others say she is a woman searching for help. And in some versions of the story, the driver discovers that the woman they picked up died years earlier. But who is she? Was there ever a real woman behind the legend? Could the story have originated from an actual tragedy? Or is Wakehurst Parkway simply another home for one of the world's oldest ghost stories — the vanishing hitchhiker? In this investigative folklore documentary, we examine the different versions of the legend, the history and atmosphere of the road, the mysterious woman at the centre of the story, and the reasons these stories continue to survive. There is no confirmed evidence proving that a supernatural figure walks Wakehurst Parkway. But perhaps that isn't the point. Because sometimes the most enduring mysteries aren't the ones we solve. They're the ones we keep telling. The Ghost of Wakehurst Parkway — a Sydney mystery, a local legend, and the story of the woman who refuses to disappear.

6. 

   2 Aug 2026

   The Ghost of Western Sydney - Sarah Simpson

   For decades, people in Sydney's west have shared the story of Sarah Simpson—a mysterious young woman whose name has become synonymous with one of Australia's best-known urban legends. But who was Sarah Simpson? Was she a real person whose life became distorted through generations of storytelling, or is the legend entirely a work of folklore? In this 45–60 minute investigative documentary, Criminology Files explores the origins of the Sarah Simpson legend, examining the three most common versions of the story—from the missing girl, to the tragic victim, to the vengeful ghost said to haunt the roads of Cranebrook. Drawing on history, folklore, and documented records, we separate fact from fiction and investigate how myths evolve, why communities create ghost stories, and whether there was ever a real Sarah Simpson behind the legend. This is not just the story of a ghost. It's the story of how legends are born. CONTENT WARNING This episode contains discussion of death, alleged murder, sexual assault, violence, and themes that some listeners may find distressing. The Sarah Simpson story exists in several different forms as part of Australian folklore. Throughout this episode, we distinguish between documented historical records and claims that form part of local legend. References to sexual assault, murder, and supernatural encounters are discussed in the context of examining the evolution of the legend and should not be interpreted as established historical fact unless supported by documented evidence. Listener discretion is advised.

7. 

   1 Aug 2026

   Trailer: The Ghost of Cranebrook

   For decades, people in Sydney's west have shared the story of Sarah Simpson—a mysterious young woman whose name has become synonymous with one of Australia's best-known urban legends. But who was Sarah Simpson? Was she a real person whose life became distorted through generations of storytelling, or is the legend entirely a work of folklore? In this 45–60 minute investigative documentary, WHY FILES explores the origins of the Sarah Simpson legend, examining the three most common versions of the story—from the missing girl, to the tragic victim, to the vengeful ghost said to haunt the roads of Cranebrook. Drawing on history, folklore, and documented records, we separate fact from fiction and investigate how myths evolve, why communities create ghost stories, and whether there was ever a real Sarah Simpson behind the legend. This is not just the story of a ghost. It's the story of how legends are born.

8. 

   28 Jul 2026

   Room 2805 - The Oslo Woman Mystery

   On a warm spring evening in 1995, a young woman walked into one of Norway's most prestigious hotels and checked into Room 2805. She called herself Jennifer Fairgate. Three days later, she was dead. The name she'd signed on the registration card wasn't real. The address she gave didn't exist. The labels had been cut from every piece of clothing she owned, and no one has ever come forward to claim her. Nearly three decades later, investigators still don't know who she was—or why she came to Oslo. In this first episode, we retrace her final days, examine the evidence left behind inside Room 2805, and ask whether the biggest mystery isn't how she died... but how someone managed to erase themselves so completely. Listener discretion is advised. This episode contains discussions of death, suicide and graphic crime scene details.

9. 

   15 Jul 2026

   The Wanda Beach Murders

   Podcast Description On a warm summer day in January 1965, two fifteen-year-old best friends, Marianne Schmidt and Christine Sharrock, disappeared after walking across the sand dunes of Wanda Beach in Sydney's south. The following morning, their bodies were discovered, shocking the nation and triggering what became the largest murder investigation in Australian history. Despite thousands of interviews, countless suspects, and decades of renewed investigations, no one has ever been charged. In this episode, we retrace the girls' final hours, examine the evidence that has stood the test of time, and explore the many theories that have surrounded the case—from early suspects and controversial confessions to modern forensic advances and more recent persons of interest. Along the way, we separate documented facts from speculation, revealing how one of Australia's most haunting unsolved murders continues to challenge investigators more than sixty years later. Who killed Marianne and Christine? Was the answer overlooked in 1965, or has it been lost forever? The Wanda Beach Murders—a chilling cold case that remains one of Australia's greatest unsolved mysteries.

10. 

    8 Jul 2026

    The Peter Bergmann Mystery

    The Man Who Never Existed: Peter Bergmann 2009, a man using the name Peter Bergmann arrived in the coastal town of Sligo, Ireland. He checked into a hotel, paid in cash, and gave false details for every piece of information requested. Over the next few days, he was seen moving quietly through the town—discarding items, avoiding contact, and seemingly preparing for something no one could understand.Then, just as suddenly as he appeared, he was gone.Days later, his body was found on a nearby beach. Despite extensive investigation, police were unable to confirm his real identity, trace his origins, or understand his motive for travelling to Sligo in the first place. Every lead led to a dead end. Every detail raised more questions than answers.Was Peter Bergmann an alias? A carefully planned disappearance? Or the final act of a man determined to erase himself completely?In this episode, we explore one of the most baffling modern unidentified decedent cases in Europe—a story built entirely on silence, gaps, and a name that may not have ever been real.

11. 

    30 Jun 2026

    Coogee Shark Arm Mystery

    In one of Australia's strangest unsolved mysteries, a tiger shark caught off Sydney's coast vomited a human arm onto the deck of an aquarium exhibition. What initially seemed like a bizarre marine curiosity quickly spiralled into a murder investigation involving insurance fraud, criminal gangs, blackmail, and a victim whose body was never found.How did a severed arm become the key piece of evidence in a murder case? Who was James "Jim" Smith, and why did his death lead detectives into Sydney's dangerous underworld? Most importantly, who killed him—and why was no one ever convicted?Join us as we unravel the shocking true story of the Shark Arm Case, a mystery that remains one of Australia's most bizarre and enduring criminal investigations. Disclaimer: This video is presented for educational and documentary purposes only, based on publicly available sources and court records. Some elements are reconstructed for narrative clarity. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Viewer discretion is advised due to discussion of real-world violence.

12. 

    22 Jun 2026

    ISDAL WOMAN: THE ICE VALLEY MYSTERY

    In 1970, the burned body of an unidentified woman was found in Norway's remote Isdalen Valley. She carried multiple aliases, travelled across Europe, and left behind a trail of mystery that remains unsolved more than fifty years later. In this three-part true crime documentary, we explore the discovery, the investigation, the theories, and the modern forensic efforts to uncover the identity of the woman known only as the Isdal Woman.

13. 

    15 Jun 2026

    The Somerton Man: Australia's Greatest Unsolved Mystery

    On the morning of December 1, 1948, an unidentified man was found dead on Somerton Beach in Adelaide, South Australia. He carried no identification. Every label had been removed from his clothing. Hidden in a secret pocket was a tiny scrap of paper bearing two mysterious words: "Tamam Shud" — Persian for "ended" or "finished." What followed became one of the most baffling investigations in Australian history. A mysterious suitcase. A cryptic code that remains undeciphered. Cold War espionage theories…  a man whose identity remained unknown for more than seventy years.

14. 

    9 Jun 2026

    Bogle–Chandler: Australia's Most Puzzling Double Death

    On New Year's Day 1963, the bodies of two respected Sydney scientists, Dr. Gilbert Bogle and Margaret Chandler, were discovered on the banks of the Lane Cove River. Neither appeared to have suffered any obvious injuries, yet both were dead under circumstances so strange that police, forensic experts, and the public were left searching for answers. What began as a suspected double murder quickly evolved into one of Australia's most baffling unsolved mysteries. Rumours of secret affairs, espionage, poisonings, and elaborate conspiracies dominated headlines for decades. Despite one of the most extensive investigations in Australian history, no definitive explanation emerged. In this episode of Criminology Files, we examine the lives of Gilbert Bogle and Margaret Chandler, reconstruct their final hours, explore the competing theories that have surrounded the case for more than sixty years, and uncover how an unexpected scientific explanation may have solved a mystery that puzzled an entire nation. Was it murder, a tragic accident, or something far stranger? This is the story of Australia's most enigmatic double death:

15. 

    8 Jun 2026

    The Pyjama Girl Mystery: The Woman Who May Not Have Been Linda - PART 2

    After nearly ten years of dead ends, police finally announce a breakthrough in Australia's most famous unidentified murder case. The Pyjama Girl has a name. Linda Agostini. And her husband, Antonio Agostini, has confessed. For the public, the mystery appears solved. Newspapers declare the case closed. A husband has admitted responsibility, and one of the nation's most notorious investigations seems to have reached its conclusion. But decades later, researchers, historians, and forensic experts begin re-examining the evidence — and what they uncover raises disturbing new questions. Did Antonio Agostini really kill Linda Agostini? Was his confession reliable? And most importantly... Was the woman found near Albury actually Linda at all? In Part Two of this series, we explore the controversial confession, the sensational 1944 trial, and the modern forensic doubts that have led some investigators to believe the Pyjama Girl may never have been identified. If police solved the wrong murder, then one of Australia's greatest mysteries remains unsolved to this day. 🎙 In this episode: • Antonio Agostini's confession • The 1944 manslaughter trial • The evidence presented in court • Questions surrounding the identification • Modern forensic re-evaluations • Theories about the victim's true identity • Whether the case was really solved • The enduring mystery of the Pyjama Girl Nearly a century later, one question still lingers: Who was the woman in the yellow silk pyjamas? Listener discretion is advised. Contains discussion of murder, violence, and historical crime.

16. 

    8 Jun 2026

    The Pyjama Girl Mystery: The Girl in the Glass Tank - PART 1

    In September 1934, a gruesome discovery beside a lonely road near Albury would spark one of Australia's most infamous criminal mysteries. A young woman is found partially burned, shot in the neck, and dressed in distinctive yellow silk pyjamas embroidered with a dragon motif. Police have no name, no suspect, and no obvious clues. As the investigation stalls, authorities make a shocking decision: preserve the victim's body in a tank of formalin and keep it available for identification. For nearly a decade, thousands of people view the preserved corpse. Rumours spread across Australia. Psychics contact police. Newspapers become obsessed with "The Pyjama Girl." But despite years of publicity, nobody can identify the murdered woman. In Part One of this two-part series, we examine the discovery of the body, the bizarre forensic preservation that turned a murder victim into a public spectacle, and the decade-long investigation that captivated the nation. Was the mystery finally solved in 1944... or were police about to make a devastating mistake? The Pyjama Girl Mystery remains one of Australia's most haunting cold cases. 🎙 In this episode: • The discovery near Albury in 1934 • The forensic examination • The yellow dragon pyjamas • The formalin preservation tank • Public viewings of the body • The media frenzy • The search for the victim's identity • The breakthrough that changed everything Listener discretion is advised. Contains discussion of murder, violence, and historical crime.

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