How True Crime Podcasts Have Helped Crack Cases

For 40 years Christopher Dawson thought he had got away with murder.

But after a renewed interest in his case, and with a little help from a true crime podcast, he was finally bought to justice.

On Tuesday the 74-year-old was was found guilty of murdering his former-wife Lynette Dawson 40 years ago in Sydney, Australia.

The case was the focus of 2018 crime podcast The Teacher's Pet, hosted by The Australian journalist Hedley Thomas, which received more than 60 million downloads globally.

Dawson was arrested on December 8, 2018 with New South Wales Police Commissioner Mick Fuller saying "additional evidence," including information from the podcast, had "helped tie the pieces of the puzzle together."

However, The Teacher's Pet proved controversial during Dawson's murder trial, with Presiding Justice Ian Harrison saying it "may in whole or in part have completely deprived some evidence of its usefulness."

Despite his misgivings about the podcast, Justice Harrison said: "I'm satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that the only rational inference that the circumstances enable me to draw is that Lynette Dawson died or on about 8 January 1982 as the result of a conscious and voluntary act committed by Mr Dawson with the intention of causing her death."

Speaking outside the court Greg Walsh, Dawson's lawyer, insisted his client is "absolutely innocent" and plans to appeal the ruling.

The case highlights how true crime podcasts, which have seen an explosion in popularity over the past few years, are having an impact on investigations.

Newsweek asked a number of former law enforcement officials and academics what impact the genre has on bringing criminals to justice.

Jim Ellis, a licensed private investigator who served in the FBI for 29 years as a special agent, said the podcasts can play a useful role in refocusing attention on cold cases, even if the leads they produce vary in quality.

He told Newsweek: "Law Enforcement often goes to the media for help from the public in the form of tips. We may have to go through 1,000 c***py leads from the public, but if we get that one good lead as a result of media coverage then it was worth it.

"Podcasts that bring renewed attention to cold cases certainly can be a great asset because traditionally cold cases don't get any tips or leads."

Despite welcoming the attention they can bring to a case, Ellis warned many crime podcast hosts lack legal expertise and can jump to conclusions ahead of the available evidence.

He explained: "The problem with a lot of true crime podcasters is they don't understand the rules of evidence, the meaning of probable cause, or the nuances of a criminal investigation where someone's freedom and life are on the line.

"They can reach conclusions and make accusations against 'suspects' without worrying about whether their 'investigation' is legally solid or just little more than pure speculation."

One regular true crime podcast guest Robert Chacon, who after 27 years in the FBI has appeared on programs such as Crime Stories With Nancy Grace, said that podcasts are great for keeping things active and said investigators should make a point of listening to them.

Speaking to Newsweek, he explained: "Renewed interest in a cold case is almost always a help as cold cases are cold for a reason, that being leads have been exhausted and depleted so renewed interest could, and usually does, generate new leads.

"Experienced investigators are very used to chasing many leads that don't pan out but that's preferable to not having any leads at all. Chasing leads is what we do and leads that go nowhere are at least keeping things active and the investigators invested."

Chacon admitted there is "always a chance that misinformation may come out of renewed interest in a case, from a podcast or a podcast listener," but said "experienced investigators should be able to sift through what are real legitimate leads and what is misinformation."

The FBI veteran added: "I think detectives that are assigned to a case that has a dedicated podcast or other true crime program would benefit from listening and/or watching them.

"In my experience investigative leads can come from anywhere and we cannot, should not filter out or ignore any potential avenues for leads, including podcasts."

Jeff Rinek, who served in the FBI for 30 years before setting up a private investigating business, agreed media interest is important for cold cases but argued people should look beyond podcasts.

He said: "The first thing that comes to mind is that a book I wrote with Marilee Strong, entitled In the Name of the Children, was credited with inspiring two investigators to solve a cold case which netted a serial killer.

"I believe that any widely distributed media can help, or hinder progress on investigating crimes. I believe that speaking only of podcasts might be too much of a limiting factor."

Professor David Wilson, a criminology expert at Birmingham City University in the U.K., pointed out there are a wide range of podcasts within the "true crime" bracket, with differing levels of usefulness to law enforcement.

The former prison governor told Newsweek: "True Crime podcasts vary in quality—and frankly there are some which merely go over old ground, with little or nothing new to say about the story that is being covered. They make no effort to do original research, or find new witnesses that might offer a different perspective on a cold case.

"The better true crime podcasts do the exact opposite, and act almost as a fresh pair of eyes, and sometimes bring new skills to the table—something that we saw in the Netflix series Don't F*** with Cats. I accept this was not a podcast, but what it showed was how 'armchair detectives' with time on their hands could track down the smallest of details that might help to solve a case."

Wilson added that podcasters can have an advantage over traditional law enforcement, as they are less constrained by procedure and sometimes even legal considerations.

He explained: "I'd also say that the type of successful podcasts have an advantage over a traditional police investigation—they often don't follow set rules or procedures, and often they don't even seem to be governed by law. I sometimes marvel at the fact that they don't more regularly get sued for slander!"

A number of true crime documentaries and podcasts have proved earned rave reviews over the last year, including The Staircase and Anatomy of a Murder.