Free Daily Podcast Summary
UNMARKED: A True Crime Podcast: Daily Summaries Delivered
by UNMARKED: A True Crime Podcast
Get key takeaways, quotes, and insights from UNMARKED: A True Crime Podcast in a 5-minute read. Delivered straight to your inbox.
Latest Episodes
The most recent episodes — sign up to get AI-powered summaries of each one.
- 5 days ago48 min
22: The Happy Face Killer: Psychopathy, Control, and Confession
Keith Hunter Jesperson wanted to be seen. Between 1990 and 1995, the long-haul truck driver murdered women across the United States while carefully shaping the story around himself. He wrote letters to newspapers. Confessed on truck stop bathroom walls. Participated in psychological research studies about his own behavior. Even donating his brain to science after death. But beneath the “Happy Face Killer” persona is something more revealing: a man driven by grandiosity, callousness, impulsivity, and an insatiable need for recognition.In this episode of UNMARKED, we examine the psychology of Keith Jesperson through exclusive conversations with author and investigator M. William Phelps, archival interviews with Jesperson himself, contemporary forensic psychology, and the systemic failures that allowed vulnerable victims to go unseen for decades.You can hear more from M. William Phelps on Crossing the Line:https://crossingtheline.biz/This episode is sponsored by Betterhelp. Financial stress can affect us more than we know: https://www.betterhelp.com/UNMARKEDIf you want to follow the cases as I’m working on them, you can find me on Instagram — @jamesbuddydayIf you want to go deeper into the Charles Manson case, my book Charles Manson: The Last Words documents years researching the story and speaking directly with members of the Manson Family — including Charles Manson himself.Read it here:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GQ6QRVQ7For those who want to examine the evidence directly, complete phone calls and documents are available inside UNMARKED: Case Files, our research portal, along with ad-free episodes.Join here:https://www.patreon.com/Unmarked_TrueCrimePodcastUNMARKED: A True Crime Podcast is hosted by Audioboom.
- 1 weeks ago53 min
21: Joel Rifkin: What the Psychologist Discovered
Joel Rifkin confessed to the murders of 17 women in just three years—leaving their remains scattered across Long Island, New York City, and New Jersey.And for years, no one was looking for him.In this episode, we examine the case through the lens of N. G. Berrill—one of the first psychologists to evaluate Rifkin after his arrest. Drawing on interviews, court records, and police reports, this is a reconstruction of how Rifkin operated in plain sight—and what allowed him to continue.From his early life in suburban Long Island, to the environments he exploited, to the moment a routine traffic stop ended it all, this episode breaks down the pattern behind the crimes.Because this isn’t just the story of one offender.It’s a case that exposes something larger—how vulnerable populations are overlooked, how investigations fail to connect, and how, in the 1980s and 90s, the rise of “serial killer” culture may have given offenders like Rifkin a framework to follow.***This episode is sponsored by Betterhelp. Financial stress can affect us more than we know: https://www.betterhelp.com/UNMARKEDIf you want to follow the cases as I’m working on them, you can find me on Instagram — @jamesbuddydayIf you want to go deeper into the Charles Manson case, my book Charles Manson: The Last Words documents years researching the story and speaking directly with members of the Manson Family — including Charles Manson himself.Read it here:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GQ6QRVQ7For those who want to examine the evidence directly, complete phone calls and documents are available inside UNMARKED: Case Files, our research portal, along with ad-free episodes.Join here:https://www.patreon.com/Unmarked_TrueCrimePodcastFollow UNMARKED for additional case material, updates, and short-form analysis: • YouTube: @Unmarked_Podcast • TikTok: @unmarkedpodcast • Patreon: /Unmarked_TrueCrimePodcastUNMARKED: A True Crime Podcast is hosted by Audioboom.
- 2 weeks ago50 min
20: BTK: The Identity Dennis Rader Built
“BTK” is one of the most recognizable names in true crime. But it’s also a name that Dennis Rader created.In this episode, I’m not just looking back at the investigation—I’m speaking to people who have been in direct contact with Rader, hearing from those who have corresponded with him, studied him, and, in some cases, continue to engage with him to this day.And what becomes clear very quickly… is that “BTK” isn’t just a label. It’s a carefully constructed identity—one that Rader has spent decades shaping, protecting, and reinforcing.From the way he named himself…to the letters, phone calls, and communications that followed…to how he still presents himself now. In this episode, we break down how Dennis Rader built the identity of BTK—and why, years later, we may still be playing along.Check out my friends Olivia and Sydney at True Crime Society Podcast. They cover everything true crime—from missing people and cold cases to the latest breaking news.If you want to follow the cases as I’m working on them, you can find me on Instagram — @jamesbuddydayIf you want to go deeper into the Charles Manson case, my book Charles Manson: The Last Words documents years researching the story and speaking directly with members of the Manson Family — including Charles Manson himself.Read it here:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GQ6QRVQ7For those who want to examine the evidence directly, complete phone calls and documents are available inside UNMARKED: Case Files, our research portal, along with ad-free episodes.Join here:https://www.patreon.com/Unmarked_TrueCrimePodcastFollow UNMARKED for additional case material, updates, and short-form analysis: • YouTube: @Unmarked_Podcast • TikTok: @unmarkedpodcast • Patreon: /Unmarked_TrueCrimePodcastUNMARKED: A True Crime Podcast is hosted by Audioboom.
- 3 weeks ago53 min
19: Paul Bernardo: Where Does Responsibility Lie?
Paul Bernardo is one of the most notorious serial offenders in Canadian history. But this episode asks a different question: who was really responsible? Between 1987 and 1993, Bernardo committed a series of violent assaults across the suburbs of Toronto before escalating to the abduction and murder of multiple victims alongside his wife, Karla Homolka.But the story doesn’t begin—or end—with him. In this episode of UNMARKED, we traveled to Toronto and speak with journalists who covered the case in real time. Drawing from court records, archival reporting, and firsthand accounts, we reconstruct what actually happened—and how it was allowed to happen. Because this case isn’t just about a killer. We examine: The early warning signs and missed opportunities to stop Bernardo The Scarborough investigation—and how he was nearly identified The role of FBI profiling and how it may have misdirected investigators Karla Homolka’s involvement—and the debate over coercion, complicity, and responsibility This episode goes beyond the headlines—separating fact from mythology, and asking the question that still divides people decades later: Where does responsibility actually lie?https://www.tryfum.com/UNMARKED to get your free gift with purchase, and start The Good Habit today!***If you want to follow the cases as I’m working on them, you can find me on Instagram — @jamesbuddydayWhen life feels overwhelming, therapy can help. Sign up and get 10% off at:https://www.betterHelp.com/unmarkedIf you want to go deeper into the Charles Manson case, my book Charles Manson: The Last Words documents years researching the story and speaking directly with members of the Manson Family — including Charles Manson himself.Read it here:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GQ6QRVQ7For those who want to examine the evidence directly, complete phone calls and documents are available inside UNMARKED: Case Files, our research portal, along with ad-free episodes.Join here:https://www.patreon.com/Unmarked_TrueCrimePodcastFollow UNMARKED for additional case material, updates, and short-form analysis: • YouTube: @Unmarked_Podcast • TikTok: @unmarkedpodcast • Patreon: /Unmarked_TrueCrimePodcastUNMARKED: A True Crime Podcast is hosted by Audioboom.
- Apr 15, 202645 min
18: The Times Square Killer: Reconstructing the Crimes — What His Conversations Reveal
Who is the Times Square Killer—and how many people did Richard Cottingham actually kill?In this episode of UNMARKED, we reconstruct the timeline of Cottingham’s crimes across New York and New Jersey—tracking his early escalation, his use of deception and control, and how he was able to evade detection for years.Featuring criminologist Peter Vronsky, who has spent over 700 hours in direct conversation with Cottingham, this episode draws on firsthand interviews, police records, and cold case developments to separate fact from fiction.We examine: Cottingham’s early violent escalation in the 1960s His movement across jurisdictions and how it prevented linkage His use of authority ruses, manipulation, and control The Times Square environment in the 1970s and its role in victim selection Ongoing efforts to identify unknown victims and close cold cases This is not a retelling—it’s an analysis of the evidence itself. Because with Cottingham, the story isn’t just what happened.It’s what’s missing.If you want to follow the cases as I’m working on them, you can find me on Instagram — @jamesbuddydayWhen life feels overwhelming, therapy can help. Sign up and get 10% off at:https://www.betterHelp.com/unmarkedIf you want to go deeper into the Charles Manson case, my book Charles Manson: The Last Words documents years researching the story and speaking directly with members of the Manson Family — including Charles Manson himself.Read it here:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GQ6QRVQ7For those who want to examine the evidence directly, complete phone calls and documents are available inside UNMARKED: Case Files, our research portal, along with ad-free episodes.Join here:https://www.patreon.com/Unmarked_TrueCrimePodcastFollow UNMARKED for additional case material, updates, and short-form analysis: • YouTube: @Unmarked_Podcast • TikTok: @unmarkedpodcast • Patreon: /Unmarked_TrueCrimePodcastUNMARKED: A True Crime Podcast is hosted by Audioboom.
- Apr 8, 202644 min
17: Jeffery Dahmer: Breaking Down the Confession
In 1992, I wrote to the Milwaukee Police Department and asked for the Jeffrey Dahmer case files. Weeks later, they mailed me his full confession.In this episode of UNMARKED, I go inside Jeffrey Dahmer’s confession—page by page—to understand how one of the most notorious serial killers in history developed, escalated, and ultimately got caught.Using Dahmer’s own words, police reports, and expert insight from forensic psychologist Dr. Eric Hickey, this episode examines: How Dahmer’s childhood isolation and psychological profile shaped his behavior The role of fantasy, control, and fear of abandonment in his crimes Why victims were targeted—and why many disappearances went uninvestigated The failures of law enforcement that allowed Dahmer to continue killing What Dahmer says—and what he leaves out of his confession This is not a retelling of the crimes. It’s an analysis of the mind behind them.If you want to go deeper into the Charles Manson case, my book Charles Manson: The Last Words documents years researching the story and speaking directly with members of the Manson Family — including Charles Manson himself.Read it here:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GQ6QRVQ7For those who want to examine the evidence directly, complete phone calls and documents are available inside UNMARKED: Case Files, our research portal, along with ad-free episodes.Join here:https://www.patreon.com/Unmarked_TrueCrimePodcastFollow UNMARKED for additional case material, updates, and short-form analysis: • YouTube: @Unmarked_Podcast • Instagram: @unmarked_podcast • TikTok: @unmarkedpodcast • Patreon: /Unmarked_TrueCrimePodcastIf you want to follow the cases as I’m working on them, you can find me on Instagram — @jamesbuddydayUNMARKED: A True Crime Podcast is hosted by Audioboom.
- Apr 1, 202646 min
16: Ted Bundy: We Know What He Did. But Where Did It Start?
Ted Bundy didn’t begin with murder. Long before the headlines, before the trials, before the mythology took hold, there were patterns—behaviours that escalated, fractures that widened, and warning signs that, in hindsight, feel impossible to ignore.In this episode of UNMARKED, we step back from the crimes themselves and examine Bundy at the point of origin. Drawing from psychological analysis, original records, and the work of those who studied him closely, this isn’t a retelling—it’s an investigation into how someone like Bundy takes shape.Because the public story often begins at the moment of violence. But the real story starts much earlier.Through the lens of his psychologist, we look at the early formation of control, manipulation, and detachment, traits that would later define one of the most studied serial killers in modern history.This episode doesn’t mythologize Bundy. It strips the story back to behaviour, evidence, and pattern—so you can see where it actually begins.If you want to go deeper into the Charles Manson case, my book Charles Manson: The Last Words documents years researching the story and speaking directly with members of the Manson Family — including Charles Manson himself.Read it here:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GQ6QRVQ7For those who want to examine the evidence directly, complete phone calls and documents are available inside UNMARKED: Case Files, our research portal, along with ad-free episodes.Join here:https://www.patreon.com/Unmarked_TrueCrimePodcastFollow UNMARKED for additional case material, updates, and short-form analysis: • YouTube: @Unmarked_Podcast • Instagram: @unmarked_podcast • TikTok: @unmarkedpodcast • Patreon: /Unmarked_TrueCrimePodcastIf you want to follow the cases as I’m working on them, you can find me on Instagram — @jamesbuddydayUNMARKED: A True Crime Podcast is hosted by Audioboom.
- Mar 25, 202637 min
15: Danny Rolling: The Making of the Gainesville Ripper
Danny Rolling’s murders in Gainesville shocked the country. But they didn’t begin there. In this episode, I travel to Florida to investigate the Gainesville Ripper — speaking with journalists, authors, and witnesses who lived through the panic — and trace the case back to where it really starts.Long before the murders, there were warning signs: documented abuse, escalating behavior, and multiple points where intervention could have happened… but didn’t.This isn’t just the story of what Danny Rolling did. It’s the story of how he got there — and how those failures followed him across state lines.Featuring interviews with Emmy-winning investigative journalist Mike Deeson and author J.T. Hunter, this episode examines the psychology, the escalation, and the systemic blind spots behind one of the most disturbing cases in modern true crime.If you want to go deeper into the Charles Manson case, my book Charles Manson: The Last Words documents years researching the story and speaking directly with members of the Manson Family — including Charles Manson himself.Read it here:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GQ6QRVQ7For those who want to examine the evidence directly, complete phone calls and documents are available inside UNMARKED: Case Files, our research portal, along with ad-free episodes.Join here:https://www.patreon.com/Unmarked_TrueCrimePodcastFollow UNMARKED for additional case material, updates, and short-form analysis: • YouTube: @Unmarked_Podcast • Instagram: @unmarked_podcast • TikTok: @unmarkedpodcast • Patreon: /Unmarked_TrueCrimePodcastIf you want to follow the cases as I’m working on them, you can find me on Instagram — @jamesbuddydayUNMARKED: A True Crime Podcast is hosted by Audioboom.
Get UNMARKED: A True Crime Podcast summaries in your inbox
Free AI-powered daily recaps. Key takeaways, quotes, and mentions — in a 5-minute read.
Get Free Summaries →Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.
You Might Also Like
Listeners also like.
True Crime Collection
True Crime Collection
True Crime
Media Network
The Golden Age of Murder: A True Crime Podcast
Golden Age of Murder
Once Upon A Crime
Esther Ludlow
True Murder: The Most Shocking Killers in True Crime History
Dan Zupansky
Killer Psyche
Audible | Treefort Media
Crimehub: A True Crime Podcast
Crimehub Studios
Solved Murders - True Crime Stories
RedditKing
10 to Life
Annie Elise
Mystery Mindset = True Crime Thriller
Anthony Okoye
Monster
iHeartPodcasts and Tenderfoot TV
Serial Killer: A True Crime Podcast
Unreported Story Society
Customized Recaps
AI-powered recaps with compact key takeaways, quotes, and insights.
Straight to Your Inbox
Get key takeaways from UNMARKED: A True Crime Podcast in a 5-minute read.
Save Hours Every Week
Stay current on your favorite podcasts without falling behind.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Podzilla's UNMARKED: A True Crime Podcast daily summary?
It's a free AI-powered email that summarizes new episodes of UNMARKED: A True Crime Podcast as soon as they're published. You get the key takeaways, notable quotes, and links & mentions — all in a quick read.
How does the UNMARKED: A True Crime Podcast podcast summary work?
When a new episode drops, our AI transcribes and analyzes it, then generates a personalized summary tailored to your interests and profession. It's delivered to your inbox every morning.
Is this an official UNMARKED: A True Crime Podcast product?
No. Podzilla is an independent service that summarizes publicly available podcast content. We're not affiliated with or endorsed by UNMARKED: A True Crime Podcast.
Can I get summaries of other podcasts too?
Absolutely! The free plan covers up to 3 podcasts. Upgrade to Pro for 15, or Premium for 50. Browse our full catalog at /podcasts.
How often does UNMARKED: A True Crime Podcast release new episodes?
UNMARKED: A True Crime Podcast publishes weekly. Our AI generates a summary within hours of each new episode.
What topics does UNMARKED: A True Crime Podcast cover?
UNMARKED: A True Crime Podcast covers topics including True Crime, Film, TV & Film. Our AI identifies the specific themes in each episode and highlights what matters most to you.
Start getting UNMARKED: A True Crime Podcast summaries tomorrow morning.
Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.
Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.