#TBT: ‘Crimes of the Centuries’ takes us through the most pivotal criminal cases in history
You’d think that a crime so heinous that it’s touted as the Crime of the Century wouldn’t happen as often as it has in history. Many, many cases have earned that distinction. And “Crimes of the Centuries” is here to shine a spotlight on each one. These crimes may be lesser-known than, say, Jack the Ripper, Ted Bundy, etc., but they caused enough shockwaves that they changed laws and society as a whole.
With its second season starting up in January of 2022, “Crimes of the Centuries” has covered nearly 45 contemptible crimes. Episodes are typically 50 minutes long and hosted by award-winning journalist Amber Hunt. Not a fan of idle banter and off-topic ramblings in your true crime podcasts? Then this one is calling your name (not literally, that would probably be bad for you).
The first season covered a wide range of crimes, and they’re not all murder. No, Hill has covered incredible heists like the theft of the Mona Lisa and long-lost mysteries like the the vanishing Colony of Roanoke. She’s discussed the Satanic Panic of the 1980s, including the McMartin Preschool case that was at the peak of the panic when parents claimed to have overheard their young children telling tales describing animal torture, sexual abuse, and even murder. Hear the story of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, a typical American couple who faced one of the highest-profile espionage cases in history for their actions during the Cold War.
To be fair though, “Crimes of the Centuries” does cover a lot of murder cases. Hill has covered cases like the Tylenol Murders which changed the way drugs and food were packaged forever, the murder of Kitty Genovese which sparked the creation of a universal emergency number, and the enduring legacy of the Salem Witch Trials. There’s the story of the Radium Girls who were unknowingly ingesting poison and the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire that changed workers’ rights.
Hear about even lesser-known cases like the mysterious beheading of 22-year-old Pearl Bryan, the Manhattan Well Murder, the murderous giggling granny, and more. You can hear the story about America’s first kidnapping for ransom, which occurred in 1874 when 4-year-old Charley Ross and served as malicious inspiration for future criminals.
Now in its second season, “Crimes of the Centuries” has covered the case of the Cleveland Torso Murders, in which multiple people were found chopped up, but a murderer was never caught. Also, they cover the murder at Road Hill House in London in 1860, in which the investigation turned its attention away from lower-class servants toward the family of a well-respected government official. Hill has covered the murder of Emmett Till, a case that was a catalyst in the advancement of the civil rights movement in the United States.
“Crimes of the Centuries” will top your true crime podcast list. The cases are well-researched and presented in an engaging (but not sensationalized) fashion. Binge-worthy, unique, and compelling, this podcast is waiting for you to sink your teeth into it.
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