In the late 1800s, one woman left a trail of death and deception that shocked America and earned her a place among history's most notorious female killers.

In this episode of Over My Dead Pod, we dive into the disturbing story of Lizzie Halliday, an Irish immigrant whose life was marked by fraud, arson, suspicious deaths, and multiple marriages that often ended in tragedy. Long before serial killers became a staple of true crime headlines, Halliday was accused of murdering several husbands and, in 1894, brutally killing two women on a rural New York farm.

As investigators uncovered her past, they found a web of aliases, insurance schemes, disappearances, and unexplained deaths stretching across multiple states. Her trial sparked fierce debates about mental illness, criminal responsibility, and whether she should face execution for her crimes. The case became even more shocking when Halliday later attacked and killed a nurse while confined to a psychiatric institution.

Was Lizzie Halliday a calculating serial killer who exploited a system unprepared for a woman capable of such violence? Or was she a severely disturbed woman whose crimes reflected a lifetime of untreated mental illness?

Join us as we examine the evidence, separate fact from legend, and explore the life of a woman many historians consider America's first female serial killer.

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When a series of brutal sexual assaults terrorized the Toronto area in the late 1980s and early 1990s, investigators struggled to identify the man responsible. That man was Paul Bernardo—a serial rapist who would later become one half of one of Canada's most infamous criminal couples.

In this episode of Over My Dead Pod, we examine the crimes of Paul Bernardo and Karla Homolka, whose partnership shocked the world and sparked decades of controversy. We follow the investigation from the unsolved "Scarborough Rapist" attacks through the murders of teenage girls Leslie Mahaffy and Kristen French, and the tragic death of Karla's own sister, Tammy Homolka.

But this case isn't just about the crimes. It's also about the mistakes that allowed them to continue. We'll explore the investigative failures, communication breakdowns, and delayed DNA testing that kept Bernardo off law enforcement's radar for years despite mounting evidence. We also examine the controversial plea agreement that earned Karla Homolka a reduced sentence before prosecutors discovered videotapes revealing the extent of her involvement—an outcome that led many Canadians to question whether justice was ever truly served.

Join us as we unpack one of the most notorious criminal cases in Canadian history, the investigation that missed critical opportunities to stop a predator, and the enduring debate over Karla Homolka's role as victim, accomplice, or something far more sinister.

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In May 1996, 19-year-old college freshman Kristin Smart vanished after attending an off-campus party near California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo. What initially appeared to be a missing person case would evolve into one of the most notorious unsolved mysteries in California history.

For more than 25 years, Kristin's family searched for answers as investigators pursued countless leads, rumors, and theories. Suspicion repeatedly centered on fellow student Paul Flores, the last known person seen with Kristin the night she disappeared. Yet despite years of public scrutiny, searches, and investigations, no arrests were made for decades.

In this episode of Over My Dead Pod, we examine the timeline of Kristin's disappearance, the investigative missteps that frustrated her family, the role of media and independent journalists in keeping the case alive, and the breakthrough developments that ultimately led to an arrest more than two decades later. We also explore the lasting impact the case had on campus safety, missing persons investigations, and one family's relentless pursuit of justice.

For more information, check out overmydeadpod.com and @overmydeadpod on social media!