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Smoking Gun

The Maggot

Season 4, Ep. 38

When it comes to law enforcement and animals, most of us immediately think of dogs. They can sniff out bombs, find narcotics and they can even tackle bad guys. Then there’s horses for the mounted divisions and now even eagles are getting in on the action, being trained by police to take out criminal’s drones. But spare a thought for the humble maggot. When the body of missing twelve year old Lynne Harper was discovered on a tractor trail outside the air base in Ontario Canada which she and 3,500 others called home, it wasn’t the canine unit that cracked the case but rather a plucky entomologist, whose years spent studying bugs, helped to bring a killer to justice.


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What's The Story? Crime is your home for the very best in true-crime podcasts. You can get early access to series, bonus episodes, ad-free listening and even exclusive series you can't hear anywhere else. And if you love the show, your subscription helps to fund the episodes.


As well as Smoking Gun, there's a whole collection of shows on What's The Story? Crime. From the stories of the most pivotal assassinations throughout history, to series' about long-term missing people, limited series about extraordinary conmen, and investigations into miscarriages of justice - What's The Story? Crime has you covered.


To accompany Season 4, we're launching a new spin-off show called 'Under The Microscope', which is exclusive to subscribers. In it, you will hear Smoking Gun host Tracy Alexander interviewing some of the brightest minds in the word of forensic science, and revealing exactly what they do.


Signing up is quick and simple.

If you're listening on Apple Podcasts, just search for What's The Story Crime, sign up, and all the exclusive content will be in your Apple Podcasts app.

If you're listening on Spotify, Amazon, Castbox, Pocketcasts, or any other player - you can sign up directly here : WTS CRIME

With a couple of clicks, you'll receive all the exclusive content in your chosen platform.


Smoking Gun is a What's The Story original podcast series.

This episode is narrated by Sarah Henderson & Tracy Alexander

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  • 40. The Contact Lens

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    If you’ve ever had to wear glasses, you’ll never forget the first time you gave contact lenses a try. Suddenly the whole world feels a little clearer, a little easier to understand. Since their invention in the nineteenth century, hundreds of millions of people have had their lives improved by contact lenses. Janet Abaroa was one of them. The twenty-five year old resident of Durham, North Carolina wore disposable lenses, ones that she took out every night before going to bed. This was part of a night time routine that she always followed to the letter. When Janet was tragically stabbed to death in April 2005, the identity of her killer remained a mystery for years…Until one day, when the lead investigator suddenly saw clearly and realised the answers he was looking for, lay in Janet’s contact lenses.If you want to listen to Smoking Gun COMPLETELY ad-free, and help to support the show, then please subscribe to our channel.What's The Story? Crime is your home for the very best in true-crime podcasts. You can get early access to series, bonus episodes, ad-free listening and even exclusive series you can't hear anywhere else. And if you love the show, your subscription helps to fund the episodes.As well as Smoking Gun, there's a whole collection of shows on What's The Story? Crime. From the stories of the most pivotal assassinations throughout history, to series' about long-term missing people, limited series about extraordinary conmen, and investigations into miscarriages of justice - What's The Story? Crime has you covered.To accompany Season 4, we're launching a new spin-off show called 'Under The Microscope', which is exclusive to subscribers. In it, you will hear Smoking Gun host Tracy Alexander interviewing some of the brightest minds in the word of forensic science, and revealing exactly what they do.Signing up is quick and simple.If you're listening on Apple Podcasts, just search for What's The Story Crime, sign up, and all the exclusive content will be in your Apple Podcasts app.If you're listening on Spotify, Amazon, Castbox, Pocketcasts, or any other player - you can sign up directly here : WTS CRIMEWith a couple of clicks, you'll receive all the exclusive content in your chosen platform.Smoking Gun is a What's The Story original podcast series.This episode is narrated by Sarah Henderson & Tracy Alexander
  • 39. The Wetsuit

    22:57
    Wetsuits. We all know how they work in theory. By trapping a thin layer of water between the suit and the wearer’s skin, it allows you to stay warm underwater. But get too many holes in them and they’ll start to leak…sometimes more than just water. One wetsuit owner was left metaphorically high and dry by his swimwear when it proved to be the smoking gun that connected him with the murder of his fourth wife. In July 1991, Cynthia Baumgartner died during a family trip to Lake Sammamish in King County, Washington. Her husband said she drowned in a tragic accident…one he couldn’t prevent because he wasn’t a strong enough swimmer. Today he’s in prison…brought down by a neoprene suit.
  • 37. The Car Tyre

    34:02
    In 2008, the community of Orleans in Ottawa, Canada, became the target of a serial burglar. But it wasn’t money, jewellery or even high end electronics that this thief had their eye on. They spent their five-finger discount on women’s underwear…hundreds upon hundreds of pairs of it. All pulled straight from the launderette drawers of women all across the suburb. Eventually, these cheap thrills weren’t enough and this petty thief graduated to assault and murder. The circumstances which ended their reign of terror and the revelation of their identity, a prominent, respected figure in a military community, have to be heard to be believed. If you want to listen to Smoking Gun COMPLETELY ad-free, and help to support the show, then please subscribe to our channel.What's The Story? Crime is your home for the very best in true-crime podcasts. You can get early access to series, bonus episodes, ad-free listening and even exclusive series you can't hear anywhere else. And if you love the show, your subscription helps to fund the episodes.As well as Smoking Gun, there's a whole collection of shows on What's The Story? Crime. From the stories of the most pivotal assassinations throughout history, to series' about long-term missing people, limited series about extraordinary conmen, and investigations into miscarriages of justice - What's The Story? Crime has you covered.To accompany Season 4, we're launching a new spin-off show called 'Under The Microscope', which is exclusive to subscribers. In it, you will hear Smoking Gun host Tracy Alexander interviewing some of the brightest minds in the word of forensic science, and revealing exactly what they do.Signing up is quick and simple.If you're listening on Apple Podcasts, just search for What's The Story Crime, sign up, and all the exclusive content will be in your Apple Podcasts app.If you're listening on Spotify, Amazon, Castbox, Pocketcasts, or any other player - you can sign up directly here : WTS CRIMEWith a couple of clicks, you'll receive all the exclusive content in your chosen platform.Smoking Gun is a What's The Story original podcast series.This episode is narrated by Sarah Henderson & Tracy Alexander
  • 36. The Bunch of Flowers

    27:23
    Flowers. Whether it's birthdays, anniversaries or weddings, they have a way of making a special day all the more special. When 35 year old Lita McLinton opened the front door of her home in Atlanta, Georgia and was greeted by the sight of a delivery man, bouquet of  roses in hand, she didn’t know what the occasion was…Then she looked a little closer and saw the 9mm in his other hand. Lita’s murder sparked an enormous investigation, one that involved contract killers, acrimonious divorce and even hate crimes, all of which culminated in the trail of the decade and a smoking gun a lot more colourful and fragrant than what we’re used to. If you want to listen to Smoking Gun COMPLETELY ad-free, and help to support the show, then please subscribe to our channel.What's The Story? Crime is your home for the very best in true-crime podcasts. You can get early access to series, bonus episodes, ad-free listening and even exclusive series you can't hear anywhere else. And if you love the show, your subscription helps to fund the episodes.As well as Smoking Gun, there's a whole collection of shows on What's The Story? Crime. From the stories of the most pivotal assassinations throughout history, to series' about long-term missing people, limited series about extraordinary conmen, and investigations into miscarriages of justice - What's The Story? Crime has you covered.To accompany Season 4, we're launching a new spin-off show called 'Under The Microscope', which is exclusive to subscribers. In it, you will hear Smoking Gun host Tracy Alexander interviewing some of the brightest minds in the word of forensic science, and revealing exactly what they do.Signing up is quick and simple.If you're listening on Apple Podcasts, just search for What's The Story Crime, sign up, and all the exclusive content will be in your Apple Podcasts app.If you're listening on Spotify, Amazon, Castbox, Pocketcasts, or any other player - you can sign up directly here : WTS CRIMEWith a couple of clicks, you'll receive all the exclusive content in your chosen platform.Smoking Gun is a What's The Story original podcast series.This episode is narrated by Sarah Henderson & Tracy Alexander
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  • 33. The Cigarette Butt

    21:00
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