US Police Turn to Podcasts to Crack Cold Cases, Drawing 7,184 Downloads in Aurora
Updated
Updated · bbc.co.uk · Jul 31
US Police Turn to Podcasts to Crack Cold Cases, Drawing 7,184 Downloads in Aurora
3 articles · Updated · bbc.co.uk · Jul 31
Summary
Aurora police launched a podcast this summer on the 2016 stabbing of Chelsea Yasser, and by end-July it had logged 7,184 downloads and produced several tips, including one investigators are still pursuing.
The department used the series to reach people who may have missed earlier appeals and to update listeners on new leads, including forensic genealogy tests on DNA recovered from under Yasser's fingernails.
Other departments cite tangible results: Newport Beach says its 2019 podcast helped build pressure before fugitive Peter Chadwick was captured in Mexico 10 months later, while Elgin's 2025 series preceded the recovery of Karen Schepers and her car from a river.
Police-produced true-crime podcasts remain uncommon because they demand staff, money and legal caution, with critics saying some episodes can blur the line between investigation and presuming guilt.
Experts say the format is likely to spread as departments seek wider audiences, more tip-offs and tighter control over case information in unsolved investigations.