Crime Time Inc

In this episode, we review the case made against Arthur Leigh Allen, the man long considered by many to be the leading suspect in the Zodiac Killer investigation.Tom and Simon break down the strongest points pointing toward Allen, including his proximity to key crime scenes, his familiarity with coded messages, witness identification, shoe size, violent behaviour, and the disturbing testimony that he taught children how to create and decipher codes.But this episode also focuses on the evidence that muddies the picture. The discussion explores the disputed fingerprint and palm print evidence, the limits of the handwriting analysis, the problems with partial DNA from the Zodiac letters, and how easily investigators can become locked onto one suspect while dismissing contradictions.The conversation also looks at Allen’s background in the US Navy, his psychiatric history, his conviction for offences against a child, and the importance of building a proper timeline around his movements, incarceration, communications, and behaviour.Tom raises key investigative questions:What exactly was Allen treated for psychiatrically, and when?What did he actually do during his Navy service?Why were some potentially incriminating items found, but no firearms, ammunition, or clear cryptographic material?Was too much weight placed on forensic evidence that may have been contaminated, incomplete, or misunderstood?The episode also examines the role of Don Cheney, asking whether he should have been treated more seriously as a suspect or at least as a critical line of inquiry.This is a detailed look at how cold case reviews should be approached: start at the beginning, separate fact from theory, revisit early witness statements, and resist the temptation to force the evidence to fit the favourite suspect.If you are fascinated by the Zodiac case, suspect profiling, forensic ambiguity, and the psychology of major investigations, this is an essential listen.

Episode 9 of The Zodiac Killer series focuses entirely on Arthur Leigh Allen — the man law enforcement pursued for decades and the only suspect ever publicly named in the case.From Donald Cheney’s explosive 1971 account to Michael Mageau’s later identification, Allen’s case is packed with disturbing coincidences, alleged admissions, and behavior investigators found impossible to ignore.We break down the full timeline: Allen’s background in Vallejo, his reported pre-crime statements, the Zodiac Sea Wolf watch, the Lake Berryessa alibi, the search warrants, the pipe bombs, and the claims made in Netflix’s 2024 documentary This Is the Zodiac Speaking.But this episode also examines the other side of the case: the fingerprints that did not match, the handwriting experts who excluded him, the partial DNA that failed to connect him, and why he was never charged.Was Arthur Leigh Allen the Zodiac Killer — or the most compelling wrong suspect in true crime history? 00:00 Prime Suspect Setup01:43 Allen Early Life04:24 Grievances And Red Flags05:54 Cheney Bombshell Tip07:00 Lovers Lane Details11:54 Credibility And DNA Wrinkle15:10 First Police Interview16:26 Watch Alibi And Knives19:33 Handwriting Excludes Allen20:43 Search Warrant And Arrest22:51 Spinelli Names Allen25:27 1991 Search And Bombs27:48 Blue Rock Springs Revisited28:58 Mageau Photo Lineup30:55 Voice Witness Limits32:28 Allen Dies and Search33:14 DNA and Handwriting Tests35:52 Forensic Caveats Explained37:01 Netflix Seawater Claims40:49 Beach and Riverside Trips44:35 Confession Accounts Weighed46:19 Case For and Against53:20 Why Allen Endures56:53 Final Question and Next

Knife Crime Rumours, Sub Judice Rules, and Scotland’s Violence Reduction SuccessSimon and Tom discuss a daylight knife incident in Edinburgh’s Calders that sparked widespread online misinformation, prompting Police Scotland to issue rare clarifications while constrained by sub judice rules; Tom explains how the Contempt of Court Act and Lord Advocate’s guidelines limit pretrial commentary to protect fair trials. They compare “perp walk” publicity with Scottish practice, including WWII-era German spy arrests in Scotland where press photos prevented the suspects being turned into double agents and led to executions. The conversation turns to emergency-service responses to knife incidents and the balance between waiting for specialist support and the duty to protect life. They cover Ian Huntley’s prison assault and how the Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman murders exposed failures in intelligence-sharing about dangerous offenders. Tom highlights the Violence Reduction Unit’s 20-year impact, noting murders fell from 137 in 2005 to 47, and argues its public-health approach could inform drug policy amid rising lethal synthetics. They also touch on citizen’s arrest/self-defence, skepticism about “international law,” and football-related disorder.00:00 Cold Open Banter00:16 Edinburgh Knife Incident01:36 Misinformation And Police Response02:58 Sub Judice Explained05:14 Perp Walk And Spy Photos09:07 Emergency Services And Risk14:53 Ian Huntley Case Lessons18:42 Violence Reduction Unit Success23:22 Drug Laws And Public Health26:26 Root Causes Not Choices26:42 Football As Diversion29:03 Community Clubs Origins30:14 Boxing And Discipline33:37 PR Spin And Distractions35:39 VRU Principles And Praise37:44 Vigilantes And Self Defence40:20 International Law Skepticism46:19 Peaky Blinders And Gang Lore49:00 Old Firm Songs And Policing51:48 Wrap Up And Next TopicsEpisodes referred to in this show.Sheila Anderson Season 1 Episodes 27/28https://crimetimeinc.com/episodes/sheila-anderson-unsolved-leith-s-heroin-turning-point-part-1https://crimetimeinc.com/episodes/sheila-anderson-unsolved-leith-s-heroin-turning-pointThe Expendables (The Beautiful Spy) Season 1 Episodes 25/26https://crimetimeinc.com/episodes/the-expendables-1https://crimetimeinc.com/episodes/the-expendables-2

🎙 Crime Time Inc. – Jane Hamilton Book LaunchPeter Tobin: Hunting Shadows | The Scottish Serial Killer CaseIn this special episode of Crime Time Inc., Tom sits down with investigative journalist Jane Hamilton for the first in-depth discussion of her new book:Peter Tobin: Hunting ShadowsThis episode explores the crimes of Peter Tobin, one of Scotland’s most notorious serial killers, and the long investigation that linked him to the murders of:Vicki Hamilton (15)Dinah McNicol (18)Angelika Kluk (23)Rather than glorifying the killer, Jane’s book focuses on the lives of the young women he murdered — and the investigative journey that uncovered the truth.📚 About the Book – Peter Tobin: Hunting ShadowsPublisher: Mirror BooksRelease Date: 26 FebruaryWritten in memory of Vicki Hamilton, Dinah McNicol and Angelika KlukA journalist’s perspective on one of Scotland’s darkest criminal investigationsJane was present from the earliest days of the Angelika Kluk investigation in Glasgow, when her body was discovered beneath the floorboards of St Patrick’s Church in 2006. That murder ultimately exposed Peter Tobin’s hidden past and led to the reopening of earlier missing persons cases.🔎 The Peter Tobin Case: A Timeline1991 – Vicki Hamilton disappears in Bathgate on a freezing February night1991 – Dinah McNicol vanishes after hitchhiking from a music festival2006 – Angelika Kluk murdered in GlasgowPost-2006 – Operation Anagram links Tobin to earlier murdersTom reflects on his own policing experience during the Vicki Hamilton investigation and explains why Tobin was one of the hardest serial killers in Scotland to catch — frequently changing addresses, aliases and identities.🎧 What This Episode ExploresThe psychology of an opportunistic serial killerHow Peter Tobin evaded detection for yearsThe role of Operation Anagram in linking cold casesGrooming, vulnerability and offender behaviour patternsThe differences between police investigations and investigative journalismThe decline of long-form crime reporting in modern mediaJane also shares how she tracked down Tobin’s former wives and pursued leads internationally to build a fuller picture of the man behind the crimes.📰 Investigative Journalism vs Police InvestigationThis episode offers rare insight into:How journalists build trust without legal powersThe ethical challenges of reporting on serial murderTelling victims’ stories without sensationalismWhy historical true crime still resonates today🎙 Why This Episode MattersThe Peter Tobin case remains one of the most significant serial killer investigations in Scottish criminal history. This conversation highlights:The human cost behind the headlinesThe long shadow cast by unresolved missing persons casesThe importance of persistence in both policing and journalism🔔 Listen If You’re Interested In:Scottish serial killer casesPeter Tobin and Operation AnagramCold case investigationsTrue crime podcast discussionsInvestigative journalism

The Zodiac Killer Investigation: Why He Was Never Caught Fingerprints, ciphers, and the multi-agency manhunt that led nowhereBy the end of 1970, the Zodiac had murdered across four California jurisdictions, mailed taunting letters and cryptic ciphers to newspapers, and walked away without ever being identified.In this episode, we examine the investigation itself — the coordination between Solano County, Vallejo, Napa County, and San Francisco; the role of the California Department of Justice; and the mountain of evidence that ultimately led nowhere.We explore the key forensic pillars of the case: the latent fingerprints recovered from Paul Stine’s taxi, the handwriting analysis linking confirmed Zodiac letters, the physical evidence from multiple crime scenes, and the disputed connection to the 1966 murder of Cheri Jo Bates.Despite thousands of tips, hundreds of suspects, and decades of review, no match was ever made.Why did the investigation fail?And was the Zodiac simply clever — or just lucky?Next episode: the suspects.

Princess Diana’s decision to dismiss her official protection officers changed everything.John Lennon walked out of the Dakota without security — and paid the ultimate price.In this episode of Crime Time Inc., Tom and Simon go inside the rarely-seen world of close protection — the meticulous planning, quiet threat assessments, and fragile trust that stand between public figures and catastrophe.This is not Hollywood bodyguard mythology. It’s the real machinery of prevention.Drawing on decades of operational experience, we explore how personal protection officers (PPOs) are selected, how risk is assessed, and why security is judged only on the rare occasions it fails — not the thousands of times it works perfectly.In this episode:Why cartel “decapitations” rarely change the drug tradeHow VIP protection is actually allocated in the UKThe role of trust between principal and protection teamPrincess Diana, Martin Bashir, and the collapse of protective trustJohn Lennon’s assassination — and what close protection would likely have identifiedFixated individuals, mental health policy changes, and escalating riskRoyal logistics: route planning, venue reconnaissance, and layered securityThe Nottingham killings and the hard questions about management and containmentCharles Bronson and the parole dilemma: how do you assess “safe to release”?Recidivism, early release, and the consequences of under-resourced aftercareThe Lord Advocate explained — and why Scotland’s dual-role system is under strainKey takeawayClose protection is mostly invisible.It’s preparation, prevention, and discretion.When it succeeds, nobody notices.When it fails, history remembers.Follow Crime Time Inc. on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all major platforms for insider analysis of the systems that shape crime, punishment, and public safety.You can buy the books mentioned in the podcast's by clicking the links belowTom's Best Selling Book:Ruxton: The First Modern Murder Paperback EditionRuxton: The First Modern Murder Kindle EditionSimon's Best Selling Book:The Ten Percent Paperback EditionThe Ten Percent Kindle EditionOur Website: https://crimetimeinc.com/If you like this show please leave a review. It really helps us.Please help us improve our Podcast by completing this survey.http://bit.ly/crimetimeinc-survey

In the weeks after Paul Stine’s murder, the Bay Area waited for the next strike—but what came next wasn’t a confirmed attack. Instead, the Zodiac launched a long, unnerving campaign of letters, ciphers, and threats that kept the region in fear for years.In Episode 7, “The Cipher Years,” we track the communications that defined the next phase of the case: the Dripping Pen card, the infamous Z340 cipher, shifting “scorecards,” and messages that escalated from taunting investigators to threatening mass harm.We also examine major flashpoints from 1969–1970: the letter to celebrity attorney Melvin Belli, the disputed abduction of Kathleen Johns, the “My name is—” cipher, the Mount Diablo map, the “Little List” letter, and the chilling Halloween card sent to journalist Paul Avery.This is the story of how the Zodiac may have paused his confirmed killings—but never stopped trying to control the narrative.00:00 After Stine Fear01:06 Dripping Pen Card01:58 Z340 Cipher Arrives34:43 Building Trust First36:55 Assembling the Review Team37:53 Forensic Rethink and DNA41:23 AI Promise and Pitfalls42:51 Suspects and Linked Crimes44:25 Science in the Field51:31 Why Murders Get Solved54:21 Assumptions and Outliers55:51 Managing Media Tip Floods01:01:36 Ego Games and Wrap UpNext episode: the investigation itself—how multiple agencies coordinated, what evidence they had, and why an arrest never came.The Robert Black Murders mentioned in this episode can be found in season 1 Episodes 3-8You can buy the books mentioned in the podcast's by clicking the links belowTom's Best Selling Book:Ruxton: The First Modern Murder Paperback EditionRuxton: The First Modern Murder Kindle EditionSimon's Best Selling Book:The Ten Percent Paperback EditionThe Ten Percent Kindle EditionOur Website: https://crimetimeinc.com/If you like this show please leave a review. It really helps us.Please help us improve our Podcast by completing this survey.http://bit.ly/crimetimeinc-surveyzodiac killer, zodiac cipher years, z340 cipher, dripping pen card, melvin belli zodiac letter, kathleen johns zodiac, mount diablo map, paul avery halloween card, zodiac killer letters, zodiac killer timeline

Crime Time Inc. is back with a fast-moving news episode that spans royalty, politics, policing procedure, and the darker realities of online crime.We start with breaking headlines reporting that former Prince Andrew has been arrested and taken into police custody. With details still emerging, Simon and Tom focus on what the word “arrest” actually means in practice—how it differs from voluntary attendance, what “not free to go about your business” really looks like, and why arrest does not automatically mean someone will be charged.From there, we turn to Scotland and the Peter Murrell case—where the scale of the allegations, the timing around a looming election, and the release of charge details into the media have ignited a political storm. We explain the Scottish legal process in plain English, including what happens at a pleading diet, what “sub judice” means for reporting, and why perceptions of independence matter when the Lord Advocate is both head of prosecution and part of government.We also zoom out to a chilling wider trend: reports of large volumes of online offences involving children—and the warning signs that some offending is being “normalised” in certain online spaces. Simon and Tom discuss what that means for policing, for parents, and for society.Finally, we cover a major US missing-person/kidnapping case involving Nancy Guthrie, the role of the FBI in kidnapping investigations, and the pros and cons of using large rewards to generate information—when it helps, and when it can muddy the waters.As always: we discuss ongoing cases as allegations and reported developments. Everyone is innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.If you’ve got thoughts—or you think we’ve missed an angle—message us via the website and we’ll share listener feedback in a future episode.What we cover (quick scan):Prince Andrew: arrest vs voluntary attendance vs being arrested during interviewWhat “police custody” really means (and what can happen next)Scotland: Peter Murrell case, media reporting, and election timingSub judice explained (why some details can’t be discussed)Lord Advocate controversy: prosecution independence vs government roleOnline offences involving children: scale, detection, and “normalisation”Nancy Guthrie: FBI role, ransom/reward dynamics, investigative frictionPrince Andrew arrest; misconduct in public office; Jeffrey Epstein UK; Sandringham; police custody explained; sub judice UK; contempt of court; Peter Murrell charges; SNP finances; Lord Advocate Scotland; online child exploitation; National Crime Agency child sexual abuse; Nancy Guthrie missing; Savannah Guthrie mother abducted; FBI kidnapping investigation; reward for information