The Lake Bodom Murders
Compact Murder
In June 1960, four teenagers camped beside a quiet Finnish lake. By morning, three were dead and one was badly injured, leaving behind a mystery that has haunted Finland for more than sixty years. In this episode, we examine the chilling case known as The Lake Bodom Murders, exploring the brutal attack, the investigative failures that followed, and the long shadow cast over the sole survivor. From early suspects to a dramatic trial decades later, this is a story of violence, uncertainty, and a truth that refuses to surface. Visit our website: Find us on our social media sites: ...
info_outline
The Murder of Gianni Versace
Compact Murder
On a bright summer morning in 1997, the world of fashion was shattered by gunshots on Miami’s Ocean Drive. In this episode, we explore the murder of Gianni Versace, one of the most influential designers of the 20th century. We trace the final days of Versace’s life, the movements of his killer Andrew Cunanan, and the unanswered questions left behind when Cunanan took his own life. It is a story of fame, obsession, and how notoriety can become a motive in itself. Visit our website: Find us on our social media sites: #gianniversace, #versace, #fashionhistory, #truecrimehistory,...
info_outline
Gary Ridgway - The Green River Killer
Compact Murder
Between the 1980s and early 2000s, a quiet truck painter from Washington State carried out one of the deadliest serial killing sprees in American history. In this episode, we unpack the chilling story of Gary Ridgway, known as the Green River Killer. We explore how he evaded police for decades, why his victims were overlooked, and how advances in forensic science finally exposed the man behind at least 49 murders. It is a disturbing look at institutional failure, misogyny, and the terrifying ordinariness of evil. Visit our website: Find us on our social media sites: #garyridgway,...
info_outline
The Assassination of Spencer Perceval
Compact Murder
A dramatic murder inside the heart of British power. Spencer Perceval remains the only UK Prime Minister ever assassinated. Who pulled the trigger, and why? In this episode, we explore the story of John Bellingham, a man consumed by a personal quest for justice that led to a shot heard across Parliament. #compactmurders, #truecrimepodcast, #historypodcast, #britishhistory, #parliament, #unsolvedhistory, #spencerperceval
info_outline
The Murder of William Marsh Rice
Compact Murder
In this gripping episode, we dig into the astonishing true-crime story behind one of America’s most respected universities. When millionaire businessman William Marsh Rice was found dead in 1900, it initially seemed like he had simply succumbed to old age. But suspicious telegrams, forged wills and a very nervous valet soon revealed a deadly plot involving greed, chloroform and a lawyer willing to rewrite a legacy for his own fortune. Join Maeve as she uncovers how the murder of Rice led to the birth of Rice University and why justice, though messy, ultimately prevailed. Don’t forget...
info_outline
The Murder of Tupac Shakur
Compact Murder
The killing of Tupac Shakur is more than a tragic crime, it’s a story about art, ambition, violence and the weight of silence. In this episode, we retrace those final moments, the decades of mystery, and the 2023 indictment of Duane “Keffe D” Davis. We ask: can justice, long deferred, ever truly catch up with a legacy like Tupac’s? #TupacShakur #TrueCrime #HipHopHistory #MurderMystery #JusticeForTupac
info_outline
The Murder of Roberto Calvi
Compact Murder
In June 1982, Italian banker Roberto Calvi was found hanging beneath London’s Blackfriars Bridge. At first it looked like a suicide, but the bricks in his pockets, the cash in his jacket, and his links to the Vatican Bank, the P2 lodge, and the Mafia told a very different story. In this episode, we uncover the complex web of money, power, and betrayal that surrounded Calvi’s final days, and revisit one of Europe’s most enduring unsolved murders. #RobertoCalvi #TrueCrimePodcast #HistoryPodcast #UnsolvedMurder #VaticanHistory #P2Lodge #OrganisedCrime #LondonHistory #ColdWarEurope
info_outline
The Atlanta Ripper
Compact Murder
In 1911, Atlanta was terrorised by a series of brutal murders. Dozens of young Black women were found with their throats cut, and newspapers soon gave the killer a name — the Atlanta Ripper. Fear swept the city as police made arrests but no progress, and the murders exposed the deep racial divides of the time. In this episode, we trace the history, the victims, and the unanswered question that still lingers: who was the Atlanta Ripper? #AtlantaRipper #TrueCrimePodcast #HistoryPodcast #UnsolvedMurder #GeorgiaHistory #BlackHistory #VictorianCrime #RacialJustice #AmericanHistory
info_outline
Aileen Wuornos
Compact Murder
Aileen Wuornos was a drifter, a sex worker, and one of America’s most notorious female serial killers. Between 1989 and 1990, she shot and killed seven men along Florida’s highways, claiming each attack was self-defence. Her arrest, confession, and execution made headlines around the world — but her story is also one of abuse, neglect, and survival. In this episode, we explore the life and crimes of Aileen Wuornos and ask the question: was she driven by hatred, fear, or something much darker? #AileenWuornos #TrueCrimePodcast #HistoryPodcast #SerialKiller #FloridaCrime #CriminalPsychology...
info_outline
The Thames Torso Murders
Compact Murder
Before Jack the Ripper, another killer stalked London. Between 1873 and 1889, dismembered bodies of women were discovered in the River Thames, torsos carefully wrapped, heads missing, and identities erased. These were the Thames Torso Murders: a series of methodical killings that baffled Scotland Yard and terrified Victorian society. In this episode, we explore London’s forgotten nightmare, the city’s other serial killer. #ThamesTorsoMurders #VictorianCrime #TrueCrimePodcast #HistoryPodcast #JackTheRipper #UnsolvedMystery #LondonHistory #ScotlandYard #19thCentury #CompactMurder
info_outlineIn the eighteenth episode of 5 Minute Murder, we unravel the mysterious and shocking murder of Alexander Litvinenko, a former Russian spy turned outspoken critic of the Kremlin. In just five minutes, we recount the events of 2006, when Litvinenko was poisoned with radioactive polonium-210 in a London hotel, leading to a slow and agonising death. The episode examines the political intrigue surrounding his assassination, the international investigation it sparked, and the chilling message it sent to dissidents around the world. Join us as we delve into one of the most high-profile and sinister murders of the 21st century.
Please consider supporting the show by subscribing and leaving a review wherever you get your podcasts, and if you would like to support us more directly, then why not buy us a coffee? Head on over to 5minutemurder.com/coffee to see how.
An article supporting this episode can be found on the website at https://5minutemurder.com/the-murder-of-alexander-litvinenko/.
Check out our other 5 Minute podcasts - 5 Minute Biographies, 5 Minute Disasters, 5 Minute History, 5 Minute Mysteries, and 5 Minute Warfare at: