Season 2, Episode 8 — The Somerton Man

Adelaide, Australia. 1948.

A well-dressed man is found dead on a quiet beach, leaning against a seawall as if he had simply fallen asleep.

There are no signs of violence.

No identification.

And no clear cause of death.

As investigators begin to search for answers, the case takes a strange turn. Labels have been removed from his clothing. A suitcase linked to him contains more clues — but no identity. Then, hidden inside a secret pocket, police discover a small piece of paper with two words:

Tamám Shud.

The phrase leads to a rare book… and inside it, a coded message that has never been fully deciphered.

In this episode of Shadows of Crime, we explore the discovery of the Somerton Man, the investigation that followed, and the theories ranging from poisoning to Cold War espionage.

Who was this man?

What did the code mean?

And why was his identity hidden so carefully?

Keywords: true crime podcast, Somerton Man, Tamam Shud case, unsolved mystery, unidentified person case, cold case investigation, real crime stories

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Season 2, Episode 7 — The Setagaya Family Murders

Tokyo, Japan. December 2000.

In a quiet suburban neighbourhood, a family of four is murdered inside their own home. The crime is brutal, shocking, and unlike anything the area had ever seen.

But what makes this case truly disturbing is what happened after the murders.

The killer didn’t flee.

He stayed.

He used the family’s bathroom.

He ate food from their kitchen.

He spent hours inside the house after the crime.

When investigators arrived, they found an unusual amount of evidence — fingerprints, DNA, clothing, and personal items believed to belong to the killer.

It should have been enough to solve the case.

But more than two decades later, no one has been identified.

In this episode of Shadows of Crime, we explore the events of that night, the evidence left behind, and the investigation into one of Japan’s most baffling unsolved murder cases.

Who was the killer?

Why did he remain inside the house?

And how has such a well-documented crime remained unsolved?

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Season 2, Episode 6 — The Sodder Children Disappearance

West Virginia. Christmas Eve, 1945.

A house fire breaks out in the middle of the night, quickly engulfing the Sodder family home. Parents George and Jennie Sodder manage to escape with some of their children.

But five of them are never seen again.

As the flames die out, investigators search the ashes expecting to find remains.

They find nothing.

No bones.

No bodies.

No evidence that the children were ever inside the fire.

What begins as a tragic accident quickly turns into a mystery filled with strange details — a missing ladder, trucks that wouldn’t start, a cut phone line, and reports of sightings of the children after the fire.

For decades, the Sodder family refused to believe their children had died.

In this episode of Shadows of Crime, we explore the events of that night, the investigation that followed, and the theories surrounding one of the most haunting disappearance cases in American history.

Did the children perish in the fire…

or were they taken before the flames spread?

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Season 2, Episode 5 — The Cleveland Torso Murders

Cleveland, Ohio. 1930s.

During the height of the Great Depression, a series of brutal murders began to terrify the city of Cleveland. Bodies were discovered along the banks of the Cuyahoga River — dismembered, decapitated, and left in places where they would be found.

The victims were never identified.

The killer was never caught.

As the number of victims grew, the investigation was assigned to one of the most famous lawmen in America, Eliot Ness. Despite an aggressive investigation, multiple suspects, and a city on edge, the murders continued.

The killer became known as The Mad Butcher of Kingsbury Run.

In this episode of Shadows of Crime, we explore the discovery of the victims, the investigation led by Eliot Ness, and the theories surrounding one of the most disturbing unsolved serial killer cases in American history.

Who was responsible for the killings?

Why were the victims never identified?

And how did a killer operate in plain sight during one of the most difficult periods in American history?

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Season 2, Episode 4 — The Yuba County Five

California, 1978.

Five friends leave a college basketball game and begin the drive home. But instead of returning to their small town, they travel deep into the mountains — far from their intended route.

Days later, their car is found abandoned on a remote road.

The vehicle is not damaged.

There is fuel in the tank.

And their belongings are still inside.

Then, months later, the truth begins to emerge.

One body is discovered inside a forest service trailer, where food and supplies had been left untouched. Others are found scattered across the wilderness. One man is never found at all.

In this episode of Shadows of Crime, we explore the timeline of that night, the strange discoveries made during the search, and the unanswered questions surrounding one of the most baffling disappearance cases in American history.

Why did the men drive into the mountains?

Why did they leave a working car behind?

And what really happened in the freezing wilderness that night?

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Season 2, Episode 3 — The West Mesa Bone Collector

Albuquerque, New Mexico. 2009.

What began as a routine walk through the desert quickly turned into one of the most disturbing discoveries in modern true crime. Buried beneath the sand on Albuquerque’s West Mesa were the remains of multiple women.

As investigators searched the area, the number grew.

Eleven victims.

All hidden in shallow graves.

Many of the women had been missing for years. Some had been overlooked. Others had never been connected — until now.

The investigation revealed a chilling pattern. The victims were targeted from vulnerable communities, and the killer appeared to know the area well enough to return again and again without being detected.

Despite a large-scale investigation and multiple suspects, no one has ever been charged.

In this episode of Shadows of Crime, we explore the discovery of the West Mesa graves, the victims at the center of the case, and the ongoing search for the person responsible.

Who was the West Mesa Bone Collector?

And how did a serial killer operate for years without being stopped?

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Season 2, Episode 2 — The Boy in the Box

Philadelphia, 1957.

A young boy is found abandoned in a cardboard box in a quiet wooded area. He has no identification, no missing persons report, and no one comes forward to claim him.

For decades, he is known only by a haunting name — The Boy in the Box.

Investigators release his image across the country, hoping someone will recognise him. Thousands of tips are received, but none lead to answers. The case becomes one of the most famous unsolved child murders in American history.

More than sixty years later, a breakthrough in DNA technology finally gives the boy a name: Joseph Augustus Zarelli.

But even with his identity revealed, the most important question remains.

Who killed him?

In this episode of Shadows of Crime, we explore the discovery, the investigation that spanned decades, and the breakthrough that finally identified the child — while the mystery of his death continues.

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Season 2, Episode 1 — The Springfield Three

Springfield, Missouri. June 1992.

After a night celebrating their high school graduation, two friends return home to a quiet suburban house. Inside is one of their mothers. Everything appears normal.

By morning, all three are gone.

No forced entry.

No signs of a struggle.

No clear evidence of what happened.

Suzie Streeter, Stacy McCall, and Sherrill Levitt vanished from inside the same home — leaving behind their purses, keys, and personal belongings. Even the family dog was found unharmed.

As investigators searched for answers, strange details began to emerge. A broken porch light. Mysterious phone calls. Witness reports that led nowhere. And a theory suggesting the women may be buried beneath a parking garage.

More than thirty years later, the disappearance of the Springfield Three remains one of the most baffling unsolved cases in American history.

In this episode of Shadows of Crime, we examine the timeline of that night, the investigation that followed, and the theories that still leave more questions than answers.

How do three people vanish from a home without a trace?

And who could carry out such a crime without being seen?

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