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Murder Unscripted

Murder Unscripted Pod
True Crime
Domestic Violence
Murder
Genetic Genealogy
Cold Case Files
Mental Health
Richard Speck
John Wayne Gacy
Anthony Allen Shore
Ted Bundy
Ariel Castro
Forensic Files
Reesa Trexler
Child Abuse
Beverly Carter
Texas
Crime
Patrick Dennehy
Sexual Assault
Arkansas

Veteran true-crime producer, Ed (Forensic Files, Cold Case Files, City Confidential) and his crime encyclopedia gal pal, Melissa, bring you the most immersive podcast in the genre - breaking down the barrier between fan and creator. Expect deep dives into obscure stories, interviews with with victim's families, investigators, and other insiders, and behind-the-scenes insight on your favorite crime... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes158Founded2 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
True CrimeTV & Film

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Artwork for Murder Unscripted

Latest Episodes

Tom and Jackie Hawks sold their beloved yacht in Newport Beach, California, to a former Mighty Morphin Power Rangers star and his sweet young family. Then they vanished.

Two days before Thanksgiving 2004, family found the boat looking sloppy and the... more

YouTube

He found a missing child 200 searchers couldn’t. Then they gave him a badge.

To close out the Psychic Connections block, we sit down with the man whose name has run through the whole month: psychic Phil Jordan. In 1975 he led searchers straight to a... more

YouTube

A stranger told police exactly where to find the body of a missing nurse. So they arrested her on suspicion of murder.

December 1980, the San Fernando Valley. Melanie Uribe, a 31-year-old nurse and single mom, stopped at a red light on her way to an... more

YouTube

Police handed him a stack of 50 mugshots. He pulled out their two suspects.

August 1988, Elmira, New York. Rose Swartwood was 74, a kind, impeccably dressed retiree who would talk your ear off at the mailbox and spent every evening with her little s... more

YouTube

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Recent Guests

Phil Jordan
Psychic investigator, former deputy sheriff, funeral director and ordained minister
Episode: Psychic's Shocking Vision Leads Straight To Missing Boy | Phil Jordan | Murder Unscripted | E127
Colleen Fitzpatrick
Nuclear physicist turned forensic genealogist; founder of Identifinders International
Identifinders International
Episode: Ep: 118 | A Conversation with Dr. Colleen Fitzpatrick | Pioneer of Genetic Genealogy | Murder Unscripted
Eugene Gligor
Suspect in Leslie Preer murder case
Episode: Ep:116 | The Murder of Leslie Preer | A Killer Hidden in Her Daughter’s Past | Murder Unscripted
Gabriella Vargas
Genetic genealogist consultant
Identifinders International
Episode: Ep:115 | The Murder of Roxanne Wood | 35-year-old Cold Case Solved with Genetic Genealogy | Murder Unscripted
Dr. Ashlyn Kirsten
Director of WMU Cold Case Program
Western Michigan University
Episode: Ep:115 | The Murder of Roxanne Wood | 35-year-old Cold Case Solved with Genetic Genealogy | Murder Unscripted
Celeste Walsen
Berkeley psychology graduate and veterinarian who runs Courthouse Dogs Foundation
Courthouse Dogs Foundation
Episode: Ep:114 | A Conversation with Celeste Walsen, DVM | Courthouse Dogs Foundation | Murder Unscripted
Steve Goncalves
Father of Kaylee Goncalves, Idaho Four case participant
Goncalves family
Episode: Ep:110 | A Conversation with Steve & Kristi Goncalves (Parents of Kaylee Goncalves) | Never-before-heard Stories about Kaylee | Murder Unscripted
Kristi Goncalves
Mother of Kaylee Goncalves, Idaho Four case participant
Goncalves family
Episode: Ep:110 | A Conversation with Steve & Kristi Goncalves (Parents of Kaylee Goncalves) | Never-before-heard Stories about Kaylee | Murder Unscripted
Dr. Mildred Muhammad
Ex-wife of the DC Sniper; globally recognized keynote speaker, domestic violence advocate, author, CNN contributor
Independent / Advocate
Episode: Ep:105 | A Conversation with Dr. Mildred Muhammad | Ex-wife of the DC Sniper | Murder Unscripted

Hosts

Ed Hydock
Veteran true-crime producer with credits including Forensic Files, Cold Case Files, and City Confidential
Melissa Spivey
True-crime researcher and enthusiastic genre expert

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 130 ratings
  • Fabulous!

    I found you from another podcast I listen to that you were on. You 2 are a mix of charm, mystery and scary! Can’t wait to hear more. Just sorry I didn’t find you sooner.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Jersey Girl in Vermont
    United States4 months ago
  • I’m hooked!

    Listened to episode 98 and had to keep going through 99 to hear the end. Great narrative!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    PlantFood27
    United States5 months ago
  • Best True Crime Podcast!

    This is by far the most perfect podcast I’ve ever listened to (and I listen to a lot!) I love how Melissa and Ed dive so deep into the victims lives and tell the whole truth. It feels like they speak for the voiceless. They are so respectful to the victims and it feels like I’m in the room with them and we’re talking like friends would. Highly recommend!!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Gilmour10!
    United States6 months ago
  • Best True Crime Podcast

    Murder Unscripted is my favorite podcast. The back and forth and friendship between Ed and Melissa is part of what makes this podcast great. The way they present cases is intriguing and the guests they have offer important insight into cases or offer a personal connection to honor their loved one.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Hockeymom1777
    United States7 months ago
  • ā­ļøā­ļøā­ļøā­ļøā­ļø

    Murder Unscripted is a must listen for any true crime fan. Ed brings real insider knowledge from his years producing shows like Forensic Files, and Melissa’s passion for the genre makes their dynamic genuinely fun to listen to. The episodes go way beyond surface level storytelling. You actually learn something every time. Five stars, no question.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Psychology of the Strange Pod
    United States7 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Listeners praise the hosts' chemistry, conversational style, humor, and complementary perspectives.
Guests are seen as adding useful expertise and personal context to case discussions.
Reviews often highlight detailed research, clear storytelling, and investigative insight informed by television production experience.
A minority of feedback raises concerns about factual accuracy and sensitivity in a case discussion.
Listeners value the respectful treatment of victims and families, with stories that humanize people beyond the crime.

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Psychic's Shocking Vision Leads Straight To Missing Boy | Phil Jordan | Murder Unscripted | E127
Q: What happens when someone hands you a victim's photograph? Does anything happen? Do you see anything or hear anything, just with a picture or does an item of clothing help?
Jordan says he prefers a photograph of the person in good physical condition and records his impressions for investigators. He says he no longer needs to hold an item of clothing.
Psychic's Shocking Vision Leads Straight To Missing Boy | Phil Jordan | Murder Unscripted | E127
Q: So if you can talk to me about the psychic abilities that existed in your family.
Jordan says his mother and grandmother seemed intuitive, and he describes his own first striking experience as a dream that accurately anticipated his uncle's heart attack.
Ep: 118 | A Conversation with Dr. Colleen Fitzpatrick | Pioneer of Genetic Genealogy | Murder Unscripted
Q: Can you walk us through a typical case landing for your team and how you decide which lab to use?
Ed explains the intake process, assessing DNA quantity and quality, deciding on lab options based on turnaround and backlog, and then producing the data for analysis in GEDmatch or similar databases.
Ep: 118 | A Conversation with Dr. Colleen Fitzpatrick | Pioneer of Genetic Genealogy | Murder Unscripted
Q: How does SNP genetics differ from traditional CODIS STR methods, and why is this shift important?
She describes SNPs as 1.2 million markers versus CODIS' 20 STR markers, turning matching into a tree-building process with many relatives, which dramatically increases the ability to identify remains or build connections to suspects.
Ep. 117 | Murder of Cliff & Linda Bernhardt | Killers Leaves Bowl of Ice Near Victim's Body | Murder Unscripted
Q: How did investigators finally identify the killer after so many years?
They used Parabon Nanolabs' phenotype predictions and investigative genetic genealogy, starting with a DNA profile from the crime scene, building distant-relatives trees, and narrowing down to two brothers before confirming Cecil Caldwell with a live-sample comparison.

Audience Metrics

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

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Frequently Asked Questions About Murder Unscripted

What is Murder Unscripted about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Ed Hydock and Melissa Spivey combine detailed case storytelling with a conversational two-host format. Hydock brings experience as a true-crime television producer, while Spivey contributes extensive genre knowledge and an enthusiastic, quick-moving perspective. Their coverage ranges from lesser-known murders and cold cases to arson investigations, forensic genealogy, and the use of specialized investigative methods. Episodes often reconstruct a case in depth, tracing the people affected, the evidence, and the decisions investigators made, with occasional interviews featuring investigators, forensic specialists, authors, and people connected to the cases. The approach pairs procedural and behind-the-scenes context with attention to victims ... more

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How many listeners does Murder Unscripted get?

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Which podcasts are similar to Murder Unscripted?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Murder Unscripted:

1. Our True Crime Podcast
2. Love Marry Kill
3. True Crime Couple
4. MURDERISH
5. True Crime Garage

How many episodes of Murder Unscripted are there?

Murder Unscripted launched 2 years ago and published 158 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 Murder Unscripted?

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 Murder Unscripted?

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What guests have appeared on Murder Unscripted?

Recent guests on Murder Unscripted include:

1. Phil Jordan
2. Colleen Fitzpatrick
3. Eugene Gligor
4. Gabriella Vargas
5. Dr. Ashlyn Kirsten
6. Celeste Walsen
7. Steve Goncalves
8. Kristi Goncalves

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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