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Artwork for Crossing the Line

Crossing the Line with M. William Phelps

M. William Phelps
True Crime
Murder
Domestic Violence
Murder Investigation
John O'keefe
Karen Read
Delphi Murders
Cold Cases
Mental Health
Addiction
Heroin
Social Media
Missing Persons
Los Angeles
Child Abuse
Florida
Investigative Journalism
Investigation
Texas
Domestic Abuse

Crossing the Line is a true crime podcast revealing cases of the missing and murdered, told start-to-finish each week. Using the campfire storytelling style that made Paper Ghosts a #1 hit on the charts, host M. William Phelps connects deeply with families touched by violent crime - he understands them, because he is one of them. Having gone through the murder of his own pregnant sister-in-law, Ph... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes208Founded5 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
True Crime

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Artwork for Crossing the Line

Latest Episodes

You and your girlfriend are parked on Lovers' Lane, the moonlight shining its wondrous glow on you both. A scumbag comes up to the car—with a gun. Such an innocent image shattered by a psychopath one night in Houston, lurking in the shadows, like the... more

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It's been a life-long dream of mine to write Westerns (as you can clearly see from the photo below of Little M. William Phelps, the cowboy, LOL). The old-school, plot-driven, big character stories pitting good verses evil, good guys against bad guys,... more

YouTube

For some, killing is an addiction, like food, alcohol, sex or drugs. Each victim makes the next one easier … Is the man behind the murders I have for you this week the most prolific serial killer on record—whose name you have likely never heard of? A... more

YouTube

A young couple is living together and finishing their graduate studies in March 1980. One of them arrives home to a horrific scene. For nearly 50 years the case flies under the radar of the media and investigators … until, that is, a compassionate jo... more

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Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Eugene Glegor
Dated former boyfriend of the victim's daughter and suspect in the original investigation
Unspecified; subject of the interview
Episode: EP163 | The Genetic Murder Ghost - The True Crime of Guilt By Association
Thien Ho
District Attorney and prosecutor of the Golden State Killer case
Sacramento County District Attorney's Office
Episode: EP143: We Are the Sin Eaters: The District Attorney Who Prosecuted the Golden State Killer Explains
Robyn Peery
Susan Marable's sister and a dedicated advocate searching for answers regarding Susan's disappearance.
Episode: A Sister Searches For Her Missing Sibling: The 'True Crime' of Susan Marable's Disappearance
Dr. Peter Vronsky
An investigative historian and author specializing in serial killers
Toronto Metropolitan University
Episode: Serial Killer Richard Cottingham & Dr. Peter Vronsky – Part 1
Brendan Cain
John O'Keefe's best friend.
Episode: 34 FAIRVIEW ROAD: Episode 10 – Occam's Razor
Jeffrey Smalldon
Forensic psychologist and author of 'That Beast Was Not Me'
Episode: Monsters Among Us: John Wayne Gacy and the Real World of Psychopaths
John Wayne Gacy
Notorious serial killer known as the 'Killer Clown.'
Episode: Monsters Among Us: John Wayne Gacy and the Real World of Psychopaths
Aidan Kearney
Investigative reporter and blogger at TBDailyNews
tbdailynews.com
Episode: The Karen Read Murder Trial: Michael Proctor, Dr. Turtleboy, & the Misogynistic Mass State Police - Part 1
Kristen Seavey
Host of Murder, She Told and investigative podcaster
Murder, She Told
Episode: Reeves Johnson: Missing in Maine

Host

M. William Phelps
Host and investigative journalist; leads true crime narratives with a background in investigative reporting and a personal connection to crime impact.

Reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars from 5.4k ratings
  • Great story teller and advocate

    Heard an ad for the show and knew he was a true crime author and gave it a spin. Got hooked and have been binging everything. Highly recommend.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Ltallgirl
    United States5 days ago
  • Love the Show

    Have not missed an episode! Listening in FLORIDA!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    LearningToScribble
    United States7 days ago
  • Love these podcasts

    M William Phelps is brilliant, love his perspective, opinions, story telling, multi-faceted and honest reporting, cannot recommend highly enough.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Clairejv
    United Kingdom7 days ago
  • Addictive

    Love the show. I am a new listener and can’t stop. Planning to go through the whole library. I appreciate the hosts experience and perspective

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Frequent shopper 4
    United States7 days ago
  • Just bad

    Host ruins it with clearly biased and sensational view

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    DocYoc
    United States10 days ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

The host is described as knowledgeable, credible, and respectful, with strong investigative rigor.
Some feedback notes strong advocacy for victims and critical views on sensationalism in true crime media.
Overall, the series is seen as high quality, well-researched, and engagement-worthy for serious crime enthusiasts.
Shows are valued for careful reporting and avoidance of sensationalism, with praise for depth and pacing.
Listeners praise thorough, compassionate storytelling that centers victims and families.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#240
United States/True Crime
Apple Podcasts
#148
South Africa/True Crime
Apple Podcasts
#156
Ukraine/True Crime
Apple Podcasts
#195
Indonesia/True Crime

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

EP159 - Part 3 - The Fort Worth 3: An Iconic True Crime Missing Persons Mystery - Still Searching
Q: Do you think that these cases are connected to any of the other cases in the area and the same era?
Deep in my heart, I don't. I am open-minded because, like I said, until we know for sure, then we don't know.
EP159 - Part 3 - The Fort Worth 3: An Iconic True Crime Missing Persons Mystery - Still Searching
Q: What do you think the biggest blockade is in getting some answers to this case and your cousin?
One, we have no bodies. Two, there was no evidence collected in the very beginning outside of the letter.
EP143: We Are the Sin Eaters: The District Attorney Who Prosecuted the Golden State Killer Explains
Q: How do you compartmentalize?
Thien admits that he struggles to fully compartmentalize his work, as he often carries the weight of his cases into his personal life.
EP143: We Are the Sin Eaters: The District Attorney Who Prosecuted the Golden State Killer Explains
Q: Tell me about that.
Thien describes his experience of how he came to be involved in the prosecution of DeAngelo after a breakthrough in connection with the East Area Rapist.
EP134 - The Delphi Murders: Remembering Abby and Libby, Sorting Fact From Nonsense - Part 1
Q: On February 13th, 2017, tell me what happened?
Abby and Libby were dropped off to walk the trails, intending to cross the Monon High Bridge. They posted on social media before going missing, which started the search.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Crossing the Line

What is Crossing the Line about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Across episodes, the show consistently explores missing-persons cases and violent crimes through meticulous, archival storytelling that centers victims and families. The host combines decades of investigative journalism with personal experience to guide listeners through complex investigations, often highlighting media dynamics, justice system responses, and the human impact of crime. Notably, the format blends thorough research with empathetic narration, and occasional cross-promotional touches, keeping a steady focus on accountability and truth-seeking while maintaining a compelling, story-driven pace for true-crime enthusiasts.

Where can I find podcast stats for Crossing the Line?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Crossing the Line. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Crossing the Line and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Crossing the Line get?

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What are the audience demographics for Crossing the Line?

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How many subscribers and views does Crossing the Line have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Crossing the Line has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Crossing the Line?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Crossing the Line:

1. Paper Ghosts: The Texas Teen Murders
2. Hell and Gone
3. The Binge Crimes: Cut, Color, Kill
4. Unrestorable
5. Bone Valley

How many episodes of Crossing the Line are there?

Crossing the Line launched 5 years ago and published 208 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Crossing the Line?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Crossing the Line?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Crossing the Line from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

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What guests have appeared on Crossing the Line?

Recent guests on Crossing the Line include:

1. Eugene Glegor
2. Thien Ho
3. Robyn Peery
4. Dr. Peter Vronsky
5. Brendan Cain
6. Jeffrey Smalldon
7. John Wayne Gacy
8. Aidan Kearney

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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