Hooked on True Crime

About Hooked on True Crime

Welcome to Hooked on True Crime, where we unravel the clues and tie up loose ends and where no victim becomes the footnote to someone else's story. True crime stories from Ali (the host of Neverlostpod, Neverlost Stories and Twisted Britain) and his wife Sarah. Expect Historical true crimes, unsolved cases and listeners suggestions . Light-hearted additions brought to you by our binge watch of the week and Ali's Scottish word of the week. Sometimes Ali is responsible for a home-based misdemeanour! https://www.facebook.com/groups/1385112779403649/ https://www.instagram.com/

Publisher

Hooked on True Crime

Category

true crime

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

26 May 2025

Latest episode

28 Sept 2026

Latest episodes

75 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   28 Sept 2026

   Eps 73 - The murder of Jeanine Nicarico (Brian Dugan part 2)

   In this episode following on from last week, ALI and Sarah look into the abduction and murder of Jeanine Nicarico in 1983.  This shocking crime was perpetrated by Brian Dugan, the same man who was convicted of the abduction and murder of Melissa Ackerman 2 years later.  However due to the police wrongfully convicting 2 innocent men of Jeanine’s murder it would be 25 years before Dugan would stand trial. This is a frightening example of the police getting it wrong and then the American justice system refusing to admit its mistake.  It nearly sent 2 innocent men to their deaths for a crime they didn’t commit and if Brian Dugan himself hadn’t confessed in an attempt to have his sentence reduced thenthe truth might never have been known. References. Books. A Killer by Design,murderers, mind hunters, and my quest to decipher the criminal mind.—by Dr Ann Wolbert Burgess Sexual Homicide,patterns and motives.—by Ann Burgess, Robert Ressler and John Douglas Web. Rolando Cruz -Innocence Project (https://innocenceproject.org/cases/rolando-cruz/) AlejandroHernandez - Innocence Project (https://innocenceproject.org/cases/alejandro-hernandez/) INNOCENCE:Illinois Defendant Pleads Guilty to Crime That Sent Two Innocent Men to DeathRow | Death Penalty Information Center (https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/innocence-illinois-defendant-pleads-guilty-to-crime-that-sent-two-innocent-men-to-death-row) Peoplev. Hernandez :: 1988 :: Supreme Court of Illinois Decisions :: Illinois CaseLaw :: Illinois Law :: U.S. Law :: Justia (https://law.justia.com/cases/illinois/supreme-court/1988/61679-7.html) Questionsof Justice: The Nicarico Murder Case (https://www.illinoispolicy.org/questions-of-justice-the-nicarico-murder-case/) Use Code Hookedfor 10% off your tickets at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.crimecon.co.uk/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (https://www.crimecon.co.uk/) Support thispodcast by buying us a coffee ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/hookedontruecrime⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (https://buymeacoffee.com/hookedontruecrime)

2. 

   14 Sept 2026

   Eps72-Missy and Opal: two brave little girls and serial killer Brian Dugan (pt1)

   One child survivor. One vanished little girl. One predator who should have been stopped years earlier. This case of Brian Dugan is devastating, but the moment Dr Anne Burgess steps in, the investigation changes - and the truth starts to surface. This week, we cover the abduction and murder of Melissa Ackerman, the terrifying attack that left her friend Opal Horton traumatized, and the extraordinary forensic psychology work that helped police finally identify the man responsible. If you listen for the darkest true crime cases with real investigative insight, this one hits hard. You’ll discover how a quiet Illinois farming town was shattered in minutes, how Opal’s brave testimony and Anne Burgess’s child-centered approach unlocked crucial details, and why the blue car, the missing clues, and a handful of overlooked warnings all pointed to Brian Dugan long before the system caught up. The episode also traces the violent pattern that preceded Melissa’s death, including Dugan’s earlier assaults and the failures that allowed him to keep escalating. We break down the chilling timeline, from the girls riding their bikes on an ordinary Sunday morning to the search that stretched across farmland, rivers, and abandoned buildings. You’ll hear how Anne used drawings, conversation, and trauma-aware interviewing to help Opal remember what happened, without turning a terrified child into another casualty of the case. This episode matters because it shows exactly what happens when warning signs are ignored - and what can change when the right expert finally gets involved. It’s a story about brutality, yes, but also about courage, survivor guilt, and the kind of compassion that can help a witness begin to heal. Essential listening if you want true crime that goes beyond the crime itself and shows the human cost left behind. Ali and Sarah will leave you furious, heartbroken, and deeply moved - and next week, the case gets even more infuriating. References Books. A Killer by Design,murderers, mind hunters, and my quest to decipher the criminal mind.—by Dr Ann Wolbert Burgess Sexual Homicide,patterns and motives.—by Ann Burgess, Robert Ressler and John Douglas Web. Brian Dugan | Serial Killer Bio (https://serialkillercalendar.com/Brian%20DUGAN.php)Brian Dugan | Criminal Minds Wiki | Fandom (https://criminalminds.fandom.com/wiki/Brian_Dugan)The Twisted Mind of a Child Killer – NBC Chicago (https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/the-twisted-mind-of-a-child-killer/1858588/) Use Code Hookedfor 10% off your tickets at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.crimecon.co.uk/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (https://www.crimecon.co.uk/) Support thispodcast by buying us a coffee ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/hookedontruecrime⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (https://buymeacoffee.com/hookedontruecrime)

3. 

   1 Sept 2026

   Eps71 - The Mean Girls murder? The murder of Kirsten Costas by Bernadette Protti

   In this weeks episode, Ali continues the story of Dr Ann Burgess career by looking at the murder of Kirsten Costas in 1984.  Kirsten was stabbed by Bernadette Protti outside her neighbours house.  The crime was almost unsolved afterBernadette passed a polygraph test, but she was requestioned after Ann Burgess and the agents of the BSU wrote a criminal profile which she matched exactly. Also in this episode Sarah comes up with her own criminal profile for the suspect of Kirsten’s murder and then looses the plot when Ali tells her he’s fair forfochen. Scottish word of the week--Forfochen References Books. A Killer by Design,murderers, mind hunters, and my quest to decipher the criminal mind.—by Dr Ann Wolbert Burgess Sexual Homicide,patterns and motives.—by Ann Burgess, Robert Ressler and John Douglas Web. Bernadette Protti| Deadly Women Wiki | Fandom (https://deadlywomen.fandom.com/wiki/Bernadette_Protti) Girl,16, Convicted in Classmate's Slaying : Teen-ager Feared Victim 'Was Going toTell People I Was Weird' - Los Angeles Times (https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1985-03-14-mn-26586-story.html) BernadetteProtti | Murderpedia, the encyclopedia of murderers (https://murderpedia.org/female.P/p/protti-bernadette.htm) Use Code Hookedfor 10% off your tickets at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.crimecon.co.uk/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (https://www.crimecon.co.uk/) Support thispodcast by buying us a coffee ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/hookedontruecrime⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (https://buymeacoffee.com/hookedontruecrime)

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

2 ratings

Spotify

4.5 / 5

25 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 30 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

61

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

0

Contact Hooked on True Crime

Guest appearances

Does not typically book guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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