Murders, disappearances, small town suspects: 10 podcasts like ‘Tom Brown’s Body’

In 2016, high school senior Tom Brown disappeared the night before Thanksgiving, and his body was found 2 years later. Many questions remained, including what happened to Tom in Canadian, Texas on the night he disappeared. Seemingly everyone from the small town were suspects, ranging from Tom’s friends and family to the local sheriff and a private investigator. On “Tom Brown’s Body,” Skip Hollandsworth investigated the unsolved mystery over 8 episodes.

We’ve rounded up true crime podcasts if you’ve already binged “Tom Brown’s Body.” Many shows on our list focus on one narrative over several episodes like “Gone South,” “Bonaparte,” “Bear Brook,” and “Suspect.”

Gone South

Sex crimes prosecutor Margaret Coon was found stabbed in her gated neighborhood in 1987, and her murder remained unsolved. In “Gone South,” reporter Jed Lipinski re-investigated old leads and uncovered dozens of secrets lurking inside the affluent Louisiana suburb. All 8 episodes are now streaming, presented by C13Originals.

Lost Hills: Dead in the Water

Pushkin Industries’ “Lost Hills: Dead in the Water” explores cases in Malibu, California, narrated by Dana Goodyear. When a Malibu woman and her son mysteriously drowned, her husband was arrested for murder after the deaths were initially deemed accidental. A Malibu neighbor came forward with new information, and changed the investigation’s course. Season 1 was about a campground shooting. All episodes run under an hour long.

Bear Brook

The Bear Brook murders, also known as the Allenstown Four, made news when bodies were found 15 years apart. Two victims were discovered in barrels in 1985, yet no killer was found. Later on, two more bodies were found in the same way. These cases changed the way murders were investigated. Hear the whole story in New Hampshire Public Radio’s “Bear Brook.” All 7 episodes and bonus uploads are now streaming.

To Live and Die in LA

“To Live and Die in LA” investigated two missing persons cases over two seasons. In 2018, actress Adea Shabani disappeared from her Hollywood apartment and was last seen leaving her home with her boyfriend. Shabani’s family sought help from private investigator Jayden Brant who asked Rolling Stone journalist Neil Strauss to help with the case. Season 1 of the podcast compiled a team, including producer Alex Vespestad, to try to solve the case.

Season 2 examined 20-year-old student Elaine Park’s disappearance. Before she vanished, Elaine saw a movie with her boyfriend and stayed at his home. She was spotted leaving on video surveillance footage in the morning, and her abandoned vehicle was later found in Malibu.

Paper Ghosts

In iHeartPodcasts’ “Paper Ghosts,” investigative journalist and true crime author M. William Phelps looks for answers regarding an Ohio family’s death in 1981. Their residence was burned to the ground, and all 4 family members were dead, but it’s unclear if the fire burned them alive. In season 2, tune in for what Phelps learned from declassified documents, and hear never-before-heard audio tapes that share what happened to this family.

Darkness

The Drag’s “Darkness” shares a 2018 case from Austin, Texas when a person was killed by a package bomb. Law enforcement believed it was an isolated event, until more destruction hit the city. This series investigates Austin’s serial bomber. Season 1, “The Orange Tree,” examined Jennifer Cave’s death and the people who went to jail, awaiting trials for the crime.

Bonaparte

When lawyer Anne Champion received new info on her friend’s murder, a case that ran cold, she headed home to Iowa to learn more. Anne began investigating Laura Van Wyhe’s case on “Bonaparte.” Laura’s body was found on the side of the road 25+ years ago, and Anne contacts a key witness. Anne learned more about Laura’s family, her son, and obtained evidence. This 10-episode series is presented by Imperative.

Suspect

After hosting part of her apartment complex’s Halloween party in 2008, software programmer Arpana Jinaga was found dead inside her home. A suspect was arrested and convicted, but this launched a greater mystery when journalists began investigating the case years later. Journalist and host Matthew Shaer received a tip in 2016, which led him to start researching and create the podcast. Hear new leads and information in Wondery’s “Suspect.”

Up and Vanished

“Up and Vanished” covered Tara Grinstead’s case in season 1, a high school history teacher in Ocilla, Georgia who disappeared in 2005. New leads and stories were followed, and in 2017, there were major breaks in the case. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) arrested 2 suspects for Grinstead’s murder. There were criminal proceedings, and Ryan Duke stood trial in May 2022 as detailed in season 4. Season 3 investigated Ashley Loring Heavyrunner’s disappearance in June 2017, and season 2 covered Kristal Reisinger’s disappearance in 2016.

Culpable

“Culpable” investigates unsolved cases where the perpetrators have seemingly avoided justice. In 2014, Christian Andreacchio was shot dead inside his apartment, and the police conducted a 45-minute investigation before calling it a suicide. Overlooked evidence indicated a homicide and premeditated murder. In this Tenderfoot TV series, host Dennis Cooper explored Christian’s story and the puzzling circumstances around his death.