Best Crime Junkie Episodes (2026): The Ultimate Listener’s Guide

Published October 24, 2024 | By Matt

Last Updated: May 2026

The best Crime Junkie episodes include Wanted: Yogurt Shop Killer, Serial Killer: Israel Keyes, Captured: Jennifer Pan, and Mysterious Death of Ellen Greenberg — cases that showcase hosts Ashley Flowers and Brit Prawat at their most gripping. This guide covers 10 must-listen episodes with Spotify embeds, ranked by listener impact and storytelling quality.

Crime Junkie has become one of the most-downloaded podcasts in the world since Ashley Flowers and Brit Prawat launched it in December 2017. New episodes drop every Monday on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you listen. If you’re new to the show or want to revisit the episodes that made it famous, this list is your starting point.

If you’re just getting into true crime podcasting, our true crime podcast monetization guide breaks down how shows like Crime Junkie built careers from the genre. And if their production quality makes you want to start your own podcast, our podcast recording equipment guide for solo podcasters is the right place to begin.

About Crime Junkie: What Makes It Work

Crime Junkie is hosted by Ashley Flowers — founder of the Indianapolis-based media company audiochuck — and her lifelong best friend Brit Prawat. The format is deceptively simple: Ashley narrates the case while Brit asks the questions listeners are already thinking. That conversational chemistry is one of the main reasons the show commands millions of weekly listeners.

What separates Crime Junkie from the true crime crowd isn’t just storytelling — it’s advocacy. The show regularly encourages listeners to call tip lines, support victims’ families, and engage with organizations fighting for justice in cold cases. That sense of purpose gives even the darkest episodes a reason to exist beyond entertainment.

The podcast has faced plagiarism allegations that led to the removal of several early episodes, but it has continued to grow and remains a dominant force in the genre. For context on how to succeed as a podcaster in a competitive niche, our SEO guide for podcasters covers what it takes to build lasting search visibility.

The 10 Best Crime Junkie Episodes You Need to Hear

1. Wanted: Yogurt Shop Killer

This is one of Crime Junkie’s most haunting episodes — and one that has never fully resolved. In December 1991, four teenage girls were brutally murdered inside an ICBY yogurt shop in Austin, Texas. Their bodies were discovered after the shop caught fire. Four men were eventually accused, but DNA evidence later raised serious doubts about their guilt. The case remains technically unsolved despite decades of investigation and new forensic tools.

Ashley and Brit handle the material with care, respecting the victims while walking through the investigative failures that let a killer — or killers — walk free. This one is essential listening.

2. Mysterious Death of Ellen Greenberg

Ellen Greenberg was found dead in her Philadelphia apartment in 2011 with 20 stab wounds — and her death was ruled a suicide. Her parents refused to accept that finding and spent years fighting the official ruling in court. This episode follows their battle for justice and asks the question that hangs over the entire case: how does a death investigation with that much physical evidence get closed so quickly?

It’s one of Crime Junkie’s most emotionally powerful episodes and one that genuinely changed public awareness around the case. If you want an example of a podcast doing advocacy work the right way, this is it. Listeners who appreciate deep investigative storytelling often cite this as their gateway episode.

3. Serial Killer: Israel Keyes

Israel Keyes is one of the most methodical and chilling criminals Crime Junkie has ever covered. He premeditated murders years in advance, buried kill kits across the country, and deliberately traveled far from home before committing crimes to avoid detection. He confessed to at least three murders before taking his own life in 2012, but investigators believe the true number is much higher.

This episode is a masterclass in case presentation — Ashley and Brit lay out the known facts without sensationalizing, and the result is genuinely disturbing. It’s the kind of episode that makes you understand why Crime Junkie has the audience it does. Keyes remains one of the least-understood American serial killers of the modern era.

4. Captured: Jennifer Pan

Jennifer Pan orchestrated a home invasion designed to look like a robbery gone wrong — targeting her own parents. Her father survived; her mother did not. The investigation that followed unraveled a deeply complicated portrait of a young woman living a double life under intense family pressure.

This episode works because it refuses to flatten Jennifer Pan into a monster or a victim. Ashley and Brit give full weight to the psychological complexity and the evidence, resulting in one of the show’s most nuanced character studies. If you’ve watched the Netflix documentary What Jennifer Did, this episode provides essential context and detail that the film missed.

5. Infamous: Las Cruces Bowling Alley Massacre

In February 1990, two gunmen walked into a bowling alley in Las Cruces, New Mexico, and opened fire on staff and customers — killing five people and leaving others critically wounded. They were never caught. This episode is one of Crime Junkie’s most effective treatments of an unsolved mass crime, reconstructing the attack with precision while keeping the focus on the victims and the community that never healed.

The frustration in this episode is productive: it points listeners toward active tip lines and reminds them that small communities carry these wounds for generations. Thirty-plus years later, the case is still open.

6. Murdered: Laci Peterson

The Laci Peterson case generated more media coverage than almost any American murder case of the 2000s — but Crime Junkie’s treatment strips away the tabloid noise and focuses on the evidence, the timeline, and what the investigation actually looked like from the inside. This two-part series covers Scott Peterson’s arrest, trial, and conviction with a level of structural clarity that most contemporary coverage never achieved.

Even listeners who remember the case from the news cycle will find new detail here. It’s a reminder of why format and pacing matter in true crime storytelling — and why Crime Junkie built such a loyal audience by respecting its listeners’ intelligence.

7. Missing: Niqui McCown

Niqui McCown disappeared in 2001 after leaving work at a car wash in Anderson, Indiana. Her case was handled poorly from the beginning, and for years it went cold. Crime Junkie’s episode brought renewed public attention to the case and helped pressure investigators to take a closer look. It’s an example of the show doing what it does best — using reach and audience engagement as a force for practical advocacy.

The episode is emotionally restrained and factually dense, walking through what is known and what should have happened differently. Ashley and Brit do not overreach — they let the facts speak.

8. Murdered: Jodi Sanderholm

Jodi Sanderholm was a 19-year-old college student abducted in Cowley County, Kansas, in 2007. Her killer was identified through forensic evidence and convicted of first-degree murder. What makes this episode compelling isn’t the resolution — it’s the portrait of a community in shock and an investigation that moved faster than most cases of this type.

Ashley and Brit are particularly good here at honoring Jodi’s life before turning to the crime itself. The episode stands as one of the better examples of the show’s approach to victim-centered storytelling.

9. Murdered: Shari Smith and Debra Helmick

Larry Gene Bell kidnapped and murdered 17-year-old Shari Smith in South Carolina in 1985, then called her family — repeatedly — while holding her captive and after her death. He killed again weeks later, targeting a 9-year-old girl named Debra Helmick. The phone calls to the Smith family are among the most disturbing documented communications in American true crime history.

Crime Junkie handles the material seriously and does not exploit the family’s documented anguish. The episode is a stark look at predatory behavior and the limits of 1980s law enforcement capabilities. Bell was executed in 1996.

10. Missing: The Millbrook Twins

In 1990, 15-year-old twins Dannette and Jeannette Millbrook vanished from Augusta, Georgia. Authorities quickly and incorrectly labeled them runaways and moved on. Their case was ignored for years. Crime Junkie brought widespread attention to what had been a long-overlooked disappearance and contributed to renewed investigative pressure on the case.

This episode is a textbook example of why podcasts like Crime Junkie matter beyond entertainment. The Millbrook twins deserved better from the system — and this episode makes that case plainly and powerfully.

[Note: Source the Spotify embed ID for the Millbrook Twins episode from open.spotify.com and replace this note with the embed code.]

How to Listen to Crime Junkie

Crime Junkie is available free on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and virtually every major podcast app. New episodes drop every Monday. The show is produced by audiochuck, which also produces several other podcasts in the true crime and adjacent spaces.

If you want ad-free listening plus bonus episodes, videos, and merch access, the Crime Junkie Fan Club is available through Patreon. Episodes vary in length but typically run 30–50 minutes — well-suited for commutes and workouts.

If Crime Junkie has you thinking about what it takes to build a podcast with this kind of reach, our podcast SEO guide explains how shows build long-term discoverability, and our best podcast headphones guide covers the listening and recording gear that serious podcasters use.

Frequently Asked Questions: Best Crime Junkie Episodes

What is the most popular Crime Junkie episode of all time?
The Yogurt Shop Killer and Israel Keyes episodes consistently rank among the most-listened and most-cited in the show’s catalog. The Ellen Greenberg episode is also frequently named by fans as the one that hooked them on the show. Listener rankings vary, but these three appear on virtually every “best of” list.

How often does Crime Junkie release new episodes?
Crime Junkie publishes one new episode every Monday. The show has maintained this schedule consistently since launching in December 2017, with occasional bonus or fan club exclusive content released on other days. Ashley Flowers and Brit Prawat have produced hundreds of episodes over the show’s run.

Where can I listen to Crime Junkie for free?
Crime Junkie is free on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, and most major podcast apps. You don’t need a subscription to access the regular weekly episodes. A paid Fan Club tier through audiochuck provides bonus content, early access, and merchandise perks.

Who hosts Crime Junkie?
Crime Junkie is hosted by Ashley Flowers and Brit Prawat. Ashley is the founder of audiochuck, an Indianapolis-based podcast production company. She and Brit are lifelong friends, and their real-world dynamic is a significant part of what makes the show’s conversational format work for millions of listeners.

What is Crime Junkie’s best episode for someone just starting the show?
New listeners typically get the best introduction from either the Ellen Greenberg episode or the Israel Keyes episode. Both showcase the show’s storytelling approach — methodical, victim-centered, and precise — without requiring any prior knowledge of the cases. Either works as a standalone entry point.

Is Crime Junkie still releasing new episodes in 2026?
Yes. Crime Junkie continues to release new episodes weekly in 2026. The show remains one of the highest-ranked true crime podcasts on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Recent 2026 episodes have covered cases from New Mexico, Kansas, and New York, maintaining the show’s mix of cold cases and recent investigations.

How long are Crime Junkie episodes?
Most Crime Junkie episodes run between 30 and 55 minutes, with an average closer to 40 minutes. The format is designed to fit a commute or workout session. Two-part episodes covering more complex cases can run longer when combined but are typically split into two separate Monday releases.

Did Crime Junkie face plagiarism allegations?
Yes. In 2019, Crime Junkie faced credible plagiarism allegations from several journalists and writers who identified similarities between the show’s episode scripts and their published work. Several episodes were removed from the feed. Ashley Flowers acknowledged the issue and implemented stricter source attribution practices going forward. The show continued and has grown significantly since.

What makes Crime Junkie different from other true crime podcasts?
Crime Junkie’s key differentiators are its consistent weekly format, its victim-first framing, and its integration of advocacy — many episodes end with actionable steps listeners can take to support open cases or victims’ organizations. The chemistry between Ashley and Brit also creates a natural listening experience that feels less performative than many competitor shows.

Are there Crime Junkie episodes about unsolved cases?
Yes, a significant portion of Crime Junkie’s catalog covers unsolved or cold cases, including the Yogurt Shop murders, the Las Cruces Bowling Alley Massacre, the disappearance of Niqui McCown, and many others. These episodes often include active tip lines and appeals for listener information, which has contributed to renewed investigative attention on several cases.

Final Verdict: Start With These Episodes

If you’re building your Crime Junkie playlist from scratch, start with Mysterious Death of Ellen Greenberg for emotional depth, Serial Killer: Israel Keyes for investigative precision, and Wanted: Yogurt Shop Killer for an unsolved case that still demands answers. From there, the Jennifer Pan and Las Cruces episodes will lock you in for the long term.

The show’s real value is cumulative — each episode builds your understanding of how investigations work (and fail), how victims are remembered (or forgotten), and what it looks like when a podcast decides to use its platform for something beyond audience growth.

For more on building a podcast with real reach, browse our podcast equipment guide, our free podcast hosting roundup, and our best remote recording platforms comparison.