The 10 Best Casefile Episodes
Many fans consider Casefile to be one of the best true crime podcasts out there. With extremely well-researched cases and gripping storytelling, it sets a gold standard for the genre. The Casefile host, who chooses to remain anonymous to keep the focus on victims and their families, recounts stories ranging from classic serial killers to Jonestown to the creation of the underground website The Silk Road. He manages to strike a perfect balance, focusing more on the people involved than the grisly details. Often, Casefile episodes contain behind-the-scenes audio: chilling 911 calls, fascinating serial killer interrogations, and mysterious phone calls from potential killers. Many of the episodes also cover Australian cases that may be lesser-known to North American true crime fans. Between the haunting production, in-depth research, and scintillating details, the episodes will still stay with you long after you stop listening.
Last Updated: Mar 3rd, 2023
1) Case 76: Silk Road (Part 1)
In the early days of Bitcoin and crypto, there was Silk Road, an underground black market in the dark web that traded everything from drugs to guns. This detailed three-part Casefile podcast series explores the libritarian origins and downfall of the notorious illicit marketplace that eluded federal investigators for the longest time. The podcast host will take you up close and personal to the creator of Silk Road by digging into how his relationships and philosophies influenced the birth of the notorious website. Both fans and casual listeners of true crime consider this as one of the best Casefile episodes, so saddle up and get ready for a crazy ride in the interwebs.
2) Case 53: The East Area Rapist 1976 (Part 1)
Within seconds of listening to this top Casefile episode, you’re guaranteed to have heart palpitations and sweaty palms. Over decades, the East Area Rapist raped women and girls across California. Showing up at his victims’ homes in the middle of the night with a dark mask and perfectly cut pieces or rope, he raped 50 people and killed over a dozen people during the early 70’s to late 80’s. Also known as the Golden State Killer and the Original Night Stalker, he often played psychological games with his victims and law enforcement with creepy telephone calls. Casefile documents the entire history of this case with a captivating six-part series that will have you double check that your doors are locked tightly at night.
3) Case 54: Daniel Morcombe
The 2003 kidnapping of Daniel Morcombe is one of Australia’s most famous missing persons cases. In this heartbreaking story, thirteen-year-old Daniel was waiting for the bus to go to the mall to buy Christmas presents when he was abducted in plain sight. Some witnesses saw a man waiting with him at the bus stop, while others noted suspicious cars in the area, but there was no concrete evidence to go on, and police couldn’t find Daniel’s body. Like the very best Casefile episodes, there’s a lot more going on than meets the eye, and the mystery of how the episode will unravel is best left unspoiled.
4) Case 51: Tina Watson
Australia’s iconic Great Barrier Reef is the backdrop for this tragic story, where 26-year-old Tina Watson was on her honeymoon with her new husband Gabe. Tina and Gabe had met as students at the University of Alabama, and this trip was a big moment for both of them. They had booked a week-long scuba diving trip. Within two minutes of the dive starting, Tina panicked and quickly sank. As her buddy — and as a certified rescue diver — Gabe should have known to go after her, but instead he swam to the surface, leaving Tina to die on the sandy bottom of the ocean. Was this a horrible accident? Or intentional?
5) Case 50: Jennifer Pan
On the night of November 8, 2010, a terrified Jennifer Pan called 911 from her family’s home in the Greater Toronto Area. Three armed men had entered the house through the unlocked front door, demanding money. They tied Jennifer up and shot her parents, killing her mother Bich and injuring her father Hann, before they took all the family’s money and left. But when police investigated the scene, inconsistencies arose. This supposed burglary and home invasion didn’t seem to fit with the crime scene itself. Whether you’ve never heard of Jennifer Pan’s story or are already fascinated by it, this episode is a must-listen.
6) Case 42: Sherri Rasmussen
Sherri Rasmussen’s body was found on February 24, 1986 in the California apartment she shared with her husband, John Reutten. She had been beaten and shot three times, in what seemed to the Los Angeles police to be a robbery gone wrong. As the investigators in charge pursued this idea to no avail, Sherri’s husband, friends, and family kept pointing to one person: John Reutten’s ex-girlfriend Stephanie Lazarus. What was Stephanie’s job? Well, she was conveniently an officer with the LAPD. Stephanie was never investigated until detectives re-opened the cold case in 2009 using new DNA technology. This is a truly captivating best Casefile episode that gives an insight into police work and the history of forensic science.
7) Case 41: Mr Cruel
Many of the best Casefile episodes cover Australian true crime, and this episode on Mr. Cruel — the terrifying serial rapist who targeted young girls in Melbourne in the late 1980s and early 1990s — is no exception. Wearing a balaclava and carrying a knife and gun, Mr. Cruel would break into homes, tie up the family, and abduct their young daughters. He was a planner, conducting surveillance on the family and making sure he left no forensic evidence behind. He would even leave red herrings for the police. Despite a $1,000,000 reward, this case still remains disturbingly cold. In this episode the Casefile host walks us through the crimes that have been linked to Mr. Cruel, as well as the investigation into potential suspects. If you’re looking for a creepy Casefile episode to listen to, this is it.
8) Case 164: Cindy James
This episode on Cindy James is the type of haunting unsolved true crime story that will keep you up at night. Cindy’s body was found in the yard of an abandoned house in Richmond, just outside Vancouver, Canada, in 1989. Her hands and feet were tied behind her back, and a black nylon stocking was wrapped tightly around her throat. But the autopsy revealed that she died from an overdose. In the seven years leading up to her death, Cindy reported almost 100 instances of harassment to the police, including violent attacks and threatening phone calls. But the police started to doubt her story. In this in-depth Casefile episode, you’ll hear the phone calls Cindy received and the reports that she made, and can start to unravel the mystery for yourself: what really happened to Cindy James?
9) Case 109: Belanglo (Part 1)
For many listeners, what really makes Casefile stand out from other true crime podcasts is the amount of detail included, from the descriptions of the settings to the attention to all of the victims and their circumstances. Rather than just a discussion of a case, it’s truly storytelling. If that’s your style, you’ll really appreciate this five-part series on the murders of seven young backpackers whose bodies were found in the Belanglo State Forest in between Sydney and Melbourne in Australia. While this is a famous case for Australians, many outside the country might not have heard of this story and the horrific serial killer behind it, so dive in!
10) Case 157: The Strip Search Scam
** Warning: This episode contains descriptions of sexual violence *** The evening of April 9, 2004, started as a regular, uneventful shift for employees at a McDonald’s restaurant in Mount Washingto...Show More
11) Case 190: The Butcher Baker (Part 1)
The 1970s and early 1980s was a terrifying time to be a young woman in Anchorage, Alaska. A killer was stalking the streets, abducting, raping, and murdering at least 17 women between 1971 and 1983. As you’ll hear in this Casefile series, the Butcher Baker’s M.O. included abducting women (usually sex workers) and flying them in his plane out into the remote wilderness of Alaska, where he would hunt them down with a gun and a knife. Famously, it was FBI profiler John Douglas who provided the profile that helped catch the man responsible. This is a Casefile two-parter straight out of a nightmare, and it’s guaranteed to make your blood boil.