Episodes

  • Zodiac Killer: Unsolved Mysteries, Ciphers and the Dark History of the Hunt

    Zodiac Killer: Unsolved Mysteries, Ciphers and the Dark History of the Hunt
    May 26 2026
    The Zodiac Killer did not just murder people; he turned the case into a public game of fear, symbols, letters and unsolved ciphers. This episode follows the Zodiac Killer from the first lovers’ lane attacks in Northern California to the murder of taxi driver Paul Stine, tracing how a string of true crime cases became one of America’s most enduring unsolved mysteries. We unpack the Zodiac Killer murders, the taunting newspaper letters, the coded messages, the Z340 cipher, surviving witnesses, and the strange public performance that made the case feel bigger than the crimes themselves. We also look at the suspects and theories that have kept the case alive, including Arthur Leigh Allen, Lake Berryessa, Lake Herman Road, Blue Rock Springs, and the haunting question of why the Zodiac Killer was never caught. This is dark history, historical true crime, real life mysteries and true crime stories at their most unnerving: a serial killer podcast deep dive into what really happened, what remains unknown, and why the hunt still fascinates listeners decades later. Topics Include zodiac killer murderszodiac killer letters and ciphersz340 cipher and the unsolved codesarthur leigh allen and other suspectswhy the zodiac killer was never caught Resources and Further Reading The Zodiac Killer Part 01 - FBI VaultThe Zodiac Killer Part 02 - FBI VaultZodiac Killer - WikipediaWho Is the Zodiac Killer? - BiographyThe Solution 340-Character Cipher - Wolfram Blog Host & Show Info Hosts: Kyle Risi & Adam CoxIntro Music:Alice in dark Wonderland Community & Calls to Action Review & follow on: Spotify & Apple PodcastsInstagram: @theCompendiumPodcastWebsite: TheCompendiumPodcast.comSupport us: Sign up to PatreonWe’re Hiring: Find the perfect job at the circus Share this episode with a friend! If you enjoyed it, tag us on social media and let us know your favourite takeaway. Host & Show InfoHosts: Kyle Risi & Adam CoxIntro Music: Alice in dark WonderlandCommunity & Calls to ActionReview & follow on: Spotify & Apple PodcastsInstagram: @theCompendiumPodcastWebsite: thecompendiumpodcast.comSupport us: Sign up to PatreonCircus Job Board: Apply to join the CircusShare this episode with a friend! If you enjoyed it, tag us on social media and let us know your favourite takeaway. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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    1 hr and 24 mins
  • John Wayne Gacy: The Killer Clown Case and the Dark History Behind It

    John Wayne Gacy: The Killer Clown Case and the Dark History Behind It
    May 19 2026

    John Wayne Gacy was never just the killer clown; he was a trusted local man hiding sexual violence, murder, and years of missed warnings in plain sight.

    Today we explore the real story of John Wayne Gacy, starting with 15-year-old Robert Piest’s disappearance and the police work that finally broke the case open. We trace Gacy’s public image as a contractor, community figure, and Pogo the Clown, then follow the darker pattern behind the headlines: earlier assaults, parole failures, ignored red flags, victims lured into danger, and the horrifying crawl space discoveries beneath his house.

    Rather than treating John Wayne Gacy as a simple monster-myth, we ask what really happened, why the killer clown label became so sticky, and how a man with such a visible life kept offending for so long. It is a dark history episode for listeners drawn to true crime stories, true crime cases, famous trials, serial killer podcast deep dives, and strange true stories about the people who hide in plain sight.

    Topics Inclued

    • robert piest and the disappearance that broke the case
    • the truth behind the killer clown myth
    • john wayne gacy’s double life and public image
    • police failures, parole failures, and missed warnings
    • the crawl space discoveries, confessions, and trial

    Resources and Further Reading

    • John Wayne Gacy - Encyclopaedia Britannica
    • John Wayne Gacy's Artwork - Encyclopaedia Britannica
    • John Wayne Gacy - FBI Vault
    • John Wayne Gacy - Biography.com
    • John Wayne Gacy: A Timeline - Biography.com
    • Conversations with a Killer: The John Wayne Gacy Tapes - Netflix
    • John Wayne Gacy - Wikipedia

    Host & Show Info

    • Hosts: Kyle Risi & Adam Cox
    • Intro Music: Alice in dark Wonderland

    Community & Calls to Action

    • Review & follow on: Spotify & Apple Podcasts
    • Instagram: @theCompendiumPodcast
    • Website: thecompendiumpodcast.com
    • Support us: Sign up to Patreon
    • Circus Job Board: Apply to join the Circus

    Share this episode with a friend! If you enjoyed it, tag us on social media and let us know your favourite takeaway.


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    1 hr and 34 mins
  • Room 1046: A Kansas City Hotel Murder and One of True Crime’s Unsolved Mysteries

    Room 1046: A Kansas City Hotel Murder and One of True Crime’s Unsolved Mysteries
    May 12 2026

    A man checks into the President Hotel under a false name — and Room 1046 becomes a locked-door nightmare.

    The death of the man known as Roland T. Owen remains one of the strangest true crime stories of 1930s Kansas City. Behind the name was a deeper mystery: Artemis Ogletree, a false identity, a hotel room filled with unanswered questions, and a cast of names that still feel like pieces from a puzzle no one has ever fully solved.

    This historical true crime episode follows the eerie Room 1046 case through the President Hotel, the Kansas City murder investigation, the mystery letters, and the people connected to the story, including Eugene K. Scott, Mary Soptic, Don Kelso and the elusive “Louise”. Was Room 1046 the scene of a planned hotel murder, a meeting gone wrong, or something even stranger?

    For listeners drawn to unsolved mysteries, real life mysteries, cold case podcast stories and dark history, this is a chilling look at how one hotel room became a lasting legend. Room 1046 is not just a murder case. It is a strange history of aliases, silence, fear and unanswered questions that still refuses to stay buried.

    Topics Include

    • The President Hotel in Kansas City in January 1935
    • Roland T. Owen and the false identity trail
    • The note to Don and the name Louise
    • The attack inside room 1046
    • Artemis Ogletree and the letters sent after death
    • Why the Room 1046 case remains unsolved

    Resources and Further Reading

    • Murder of Artemus Ogletree - Wikipedia
    • The Creepy Murder In Room 1046 - Youtube
    • The Man Who Locked Himself In - Criminal
    • The Owens Case - Kansas City Mag

    Host & Show Info

    • Hosts: Kyle Risi & Adam Cox
    • Intro Music: Alice in dark Wonderland

    Community & Calls to Action

    • Review & follow on: Spotify & Apple Podcasts
    • Instagram: @theCompendiumPodcast
    • Website: thecompendiumpodcast.com
    • Support us: Sign up to Patreon
    • Circus Job Board: Apply to join the Circus

    Share this episode with a friend! If you enjoyed it, tag us on social media and let us know your favourite takeaway.


    Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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    1 hr and 18 mins
  • Nepal Royal Massacre: A Dark History of Prophecy, Power and Palace Killings

    Nepal Royal Massacre: A Dark History of Prophecy, Power and Palace Killings
    May 5 2026
    A royal dinner becomes a bloodbath, a prince lies in a coma, and the Nepal Royal Massacre turns a dynasty into one of modern history’s most disturbing mysteries. This dark history episode follows the Nepal Royal Massacre from the Shah dynasty prophecy and the “tenth generation” curse to Crown Prince Dipendra’s blocked relationship with Devyani Rana, royal astrology, status, and the marriage politics simmering inside the palace. On 1 June 2001, a family gathering in Kathmandu ended with King Birendra, Queen Aishwarya and much of Nepal’s royal family dead — and with an official account that many Nepalis struggled to believe. We trace the palace massacre, the early “accident” cover story, Dipendra being crowned king while in a coma, Gyanendra’s succession, the Kathmandu riots, and the conspiracy theories that still cling to the case. For listeners of true crime stories, royal scandals, real life mysteries and strange true stories, the Nepal Royal Massacre is a chilling collision of love, power, prophecy, public distrust and historical true crime. Topics Include: The Shah dynasty prophecy and the “tenth generation” curseCrown Prince Dipendra and Devyani RanaRoyal astrology, status, and marriage politicsThe June 2001 family gathering inside the palaceThe massacre, the “accident” cover story, and Dipendra’s comaSuccession, outrage, and the conspiracy theories that followed Resources and Further Reading Nepalese royal massacre - WikipediaA royal massacre - ABCMassacre at the Palace - by Jonathan GregsonNepal Royal Family Massacre - Zero Hour Documentry Host & Show Info Hosts: Kyle Risi & Adam CoxIntro Music:Alice in dark Wonderland Community & Calls to Action Review & follow on: Spotify & Apple PodcastsInstagram: @theCompendiumPodcastWebsite: TheCompendiumPodcast.comSupport us: Sign up to PatreonCertified Freaks: Submit your job Descriptions Share this episode with a friend! If you enjoyed it, tag us on social media and let us know your favourite takeaway. Host & Show InfoHosts: Kyle Risi & Adam CoxIntro Music: Alice in dark WonderlandCommunity & Calls to ActionReview & follow on: Spotify & Apple PodcastsInstagram: @theCompendiumPodcastWebsite: thecompendiumpodcast.comSupport us: Sign up to PatreonCircus Job Board: Apply to join the CircusShare this episode with a friend! If you enjoyed it, tag us on social media and let us know your favourite takeaway. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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    1 hr and 12 mins
  • Michael Jackson Allegations Part 2: Famous Trials, Settlements and the Legacy War

    Michael Jackson Allegations Part 2: Famous Trials, Settlements and the Legacy War
    Apr 28 2026
    Fame, money, media frenzy and courtroom drama collide in the Michael Jackson allegations — a story still argued over decades later. The Michael Jackson allegations remain among pop culture’s most disputed true crime stories: a tangled history of accusations, denial, civil settlement, tabloid obsession and legal uncertainty. This episode follows Jordan Chandler and the first allegations, the 1993 civil settlement and why it settled so little in the public mind, Martin Bashir’s documentary, Neverland, the Gavin Arvizo case, and the 2005 trial that ended in Michael Jackson’s full acquittal. We also examine Leaving Neverland, the legacy war that followed, and the difficult question at the centre of famous trials, celebrity scandals and media scandals: how do people judge a global icon when the evidence, the money, the power dynamics and the public narratives all pull in different directions? For listeners interested in pop culture scandals, real life mysteries, historical true crime and true crime stories handled with care, the Michael Jackson allegations are less a simple verdict than a cultural fault line — one that continues to shape how we talk about fame, accusers, doubt, belief and legacy. Topics Include jordan chandler and the first allegationsthe civil settlement and why it settled nothingmartin bashir, neverland, and gavin arvizothe 2005 trial and full acquittalleaving neverland and the legacy war Resources and Further Reading Michael Jackson - Encyclopaedia BritannicaPop Star Michael Jackson Not Guilty of Child Molestation - PBS NewsHourMichael Jackson Acquitted of Child Molestation Charges - ABC NewsMichael Jackson’s Trials and Tribulations - ABC NewsMichael Jackson Child Sexual Abuse Allegations: A Timeline - Rolling Stone10 Undeniable Facts About the Michael Jackson Sexual Abuse Allegations - Vanity FairNeverland's Lost Boys - Vanity FairMichael Jackson's Legacy Under Microscope in New Sex Abuse Film - ReutersLeaving Neverland - Netflix Host & Show InfoHosts: Kyle Risi & Adam CoxIntro Music: Alice in dark WonderlandCommunity & Calls to ActionReview & follow on: Spotify & Apple PodcastsInstagram: @theCompendiumPodcastWebsite: thecompendiumpodcast.comSupport us: Sign up to PatreonCircus Job Board: Apply to join the CircusShare this episode with a friend! If you enjoyed it, tag us on social media and let us know your favourite takeaway. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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    1 hr and 36 mins
  • Michael Jackson Part 1: A Dark History of Fame, Motown and the King of Pop

    Michael Jackson Part 1: A Dark History of Fame, Motown and the King of Pop
    Apr 21 2026
    Michael Jackson became the King of Pop before he was ever allowed to be ordinary. This episode traces Michael Jackson from the Jackson 5 and Motown to Off the Wall, Thriller, MTV, the moonwalk and Neverland, following the talent, pressure and isolation behind one of music’s most famous lives. We begin with Joe Jackson, childhood pressure and the Jackson family home, then follow the breakout voice that made the Jackson 5 a Motown phenomenon. From there, the story moves through Off the Wall, Thriller, Billie Jean and the moonwalk, as Michael becomes a global icon and one of modern culture’s defining historical figures. But this is also a dark history of image, control and fame: the Pepsi burn, changing public perceptions, Neverland Ranch, and the first Jordan Chandler allegations that mark the moment everything turns. For listeners of biography podcasts, music scandals, pop culture scandals, hidden histories and strange true stories, Michael Jackson’s rise is dazzling, uncomfortable and impossible to separate from what came next. Topics Include Joe Jackson, childhood pressure, and the Jackson family homeThe Jackson 5, Motown, and Michael’s breakout voiceOff the Wall, Thriller, MTV, and the moonwalkThe Pepsi burn, image changes, and NeverlandJordan Chandler and the moment everything turns Resources and Further Reading Michael Jackson - Encyclopaedia BritannicaThe Jackson 5 - Motown MuseumMichael Jackson - Rock & Roll Hall of FamePepsi fire left Michael Jackson in pain - Los Angeles Times Host & Show Info Hosts: Kyle Risi & Adam CoxIntro Music:Alice in dark Wonderland Community & Calls to Action Review & follow on: Spotify & Apple PodcastsInstagram: @theCompendiumPodcastWebsite: TheCompendiumPodcast.comSupport us: Sign up to PatreonWe’re Hiring: Find the perfect job at the circus Share this episode with a friend! If you enjoyed it, tag us on social media and let us know your favourite takeaway. Host & Show InfoHosts: Kyle Risi & Adam CoxIntro Music: Alice in dark WonderlandCommunity & Calls to ActionReview & follow on: Spotify & Apple PodcastsInstagram: @theCompendiumPodcastWebsite: thecompendiumpodcast.comSupport us: Sign up to PatreonCircus Job Board: Apply to join the CircusShare this episode with a friend! If you enjoyed it, tag us on social media and let us know your favourite takeaway. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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    1 hr and 18 mins
  • Peter the Dolphin: Weird History and NASA’s Experiment That Went Too Far

    Peter the Dolphin: Weird History and NASA’s Experiment That Went Too Far
    Apr 14 2026

    A flooded Caribbean lab, a NASA-funded dolphin experiment, and a researcher living side by side with a dolphin named Peter.

    Peter the Dolphin is one of the strangest true stories in science history: a bizarre attempt to understand dolphin communication that became infamous for reasons far beyond animal language research. This episode explores Dolphin House, the unconventional lab where Margaret Howe Lovatt lived alongside Peter, and the theories of John C. Lilly, whose work on dolphin intelligence, sensory deprivation and interspecies communication pushed science into deeply uncomfortable territory.

    We trace why NASA became interested in dolphin research during the space race, how LSD entered the story, and why the emotional reality of isolation made the experiment so troubling. Peter the Dolphin is part strange history, part science scandal, and part real life mystery: a story about ambition, animal cognition, human projection and the dangerous moment when curiosity outruns ethics.

    For listeners of weird history, hidden histories, documentary podcast stories and strange true stories, Peter the Dolphin remains one of the most unsettling examples of controversial science history — a case where the question was not just whether humans could talk to dolphins, but what the experiment did to everyone involved.

    Topics include

    • The Dolphin House experiment and its unconventional design
    • John C Lilly’s theories on dolphin communication and sensory deprivation
    • Margaret Lovatt’s role and the emotional reality of long-term isolation
    • Why NASA funded dolphin research during the space race
    • What happened to Peter the dolphin after the experiment ended

    Resources and Further Reading

    • Margaret Howe Lovatt - Wikipedia
    • The dolphin who loved me - the Guardian
    • John C. Lilly - Wikipedia
    • The Girl Who Talked to Dolphins - BBC Documentry

    Host & Show Info

    • Hosts: Kyle Risi & Adam Cox
    • Intro Music: Alice in dark Wonderland

    Community & Calls to Action

    • Review & follow on: Spotify & Apple Podcasts
    • Instagram: @theCompendiumPodcast
    • Website: thecompendiumpodcast.com
    • Support us: Sign up to Patreon
    • Circus Job Board: Apply to join the Circus

    Share this episode with a friend! If you enjoyed it, tag us on social media and let us know your favourite takeaway.


    Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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    50 mins
  • Julia Child: Weird History, Spy Secrets and the Making of The French Chef

    Julia Child: Weird History, Spy Secrets and the Making of The French Chef
    Apr 7 2026

    Julia Child had one of the strangest second acts in American cultural history: before she became the towering voice of French cooking, she worked for wartime intelligence, handled classified files, helped with OSS shark repellent research and fell in love with Paul Child. This episode follows Julia Child from a late-blooming outsider with no professional kitchen background to the woman behind Mastering the Art of French Cooking and the joyful chaos of The French Chef.

    It is a story of reinvention, French cuisine, post-war Paris, public television and the hidden histories behind a culinary icon. We look at what Julie & Julia gets right, how Le Cordon Bleu changed Julia Child’s life, why Simone Beck and Louisette Bertholle mattered, and how a six-foot-two American with a singular voice became one of the most famous women in history.

    This is Julia Child as more than a chef: a wartime worker, accidental television revolutionary, cookbook collaborator, pop culture figure and perfect subject for a history podcast about strange true stories. From Meryl Streep and Stanley Tucci to Dan Aykroyd’s unforgettable SNL parody, Julia Child remains a true story behind movies, comedy, cookbooks and the making of modern food television. For listeners who love biography podcasts, weird history and documentary podcast storytelling, this is the tale of how Julia Child became Julia Child.

    Topics include

    • Julie & Julia and what the film gets right
    • Le Cordon Bleu, French cuisine, and learning late
    • Mastering the Art of French Cooking and why it mattered
    • OSS shark repellent and the strangest pre-chef CV
    • The French Chef, cooking show chaos, and the Dan Aykroyd SNL skit

    Resources and Further Reading

    • Julia Child - Wikipedia
    • Julie & Julia - by Nora Ephron
    • SNL The French Chef - youtube
    • Shark Repellant Work - cia.gov
    • Julias Kitchen - Smithsonian Museum
    • Mastering the Art of French Cooking - Wikipedia

    Host & Show Info

    • Hosts: Kyle Risi & Adam Cox
    • Intro Music: Alice in dark Wonderland

    Community & Calls to Action

    • Review & follow on: Spotify & Apple Podcasts
    • Instagram: @theCompendiumPodcast
    • Website: thecompendiumpodcast.com
    • Support us: Sign up to Patreon
    • Circus Job Board: Apply to join the Circus

    Share this episode with a friend! If you enjoyed it, tag us on social media and let us know your favourite takeaway.


    Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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    1 hr and 22 mins