Sinister is a deep dive into the darkest corners of crime, lore, and cultural obsession as we explore the facts -- and fiction -- of our real-life nightmares.
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Featured Episodes
Rex Heuermann Case: DNA Ruling Changes Everything | LISK Update w/ Joe Giacalone
Groundbreaking DNA news in the Rex Heuermann / LISK case! Josh and Joe Giacalone break down what this ruling means for New York and cold cases nationwide.
Folk Horror and Urban Legends | Josh Zeman & Dr. Diane Rodgers
Why do folk horror and urban legends haunt us generation after generation? In this episode, host Josh Zeman sits down with folk horror scholar, Dr. Diane Rodgers to explore the eerie intersection between folk horror, folklore, and modern urban legends — and why these stories refuse to die. From Ghostwatch, The Wicker Man, and The Witch to social media rumors, conspiracy culture, and campfire myths, Josh and Dr. Rodgers break down how belief, landscape, ritual, and community shape the horror we fear most. Together, they examine why folk horror is facing a resurgence today — and why urban legends are simply the newest form of ancient storytelling.
The Etan Patz Conviction Was Overturned. What Happens Now?
This week, Sinister returns to one of the most haunting child abduction cases in American history: the disappearance of 6-year-old Etan Patz from a Manhattan street in 1979. Criminal defense attorney, Alice Fontier joins host, Josh Zeman to break down the stunning legal reversal that just made headlines: the overturned conviction of Pedro Hernandez, the man once believed to be responsible for Etan’s disappearance.
PT 1 of 2 | Why Murders Go Unreported with Thomas Hargrove (Murder Accountability Project)
One of the most shocking realities I’ve uncovered in my work on true crime is that the United States has a serious murder reporting problem. In this premiere episode, I sit down with Thomas Hargrove, founder of the Murder Accountability Project (MAP), to talk about how thousands of murders across the country are misclassified, unreported, or lost in the system. We dive into the flaws in ViCAP (the FBI’s Violent Criminal Apprehension Program), the challenges of connecting cases across jurisdictions, and how data might be the key to exposing hidden killers. Thomas’s work has uncovered disturbing patterns — and raised the possibility that many more serial killers may be operating in the U.S. than we realize.
LISK | Profiling A Predator With Mike King (Part 1 of 2)
Rex Heuermann — the alleged Long Island Serial Killer (LISK) — lived a double life: husband, father, architect… and a predator hiding in plain sight. But when he started getting sloppy, investigators began to unravel the truth. In this two-part special, Sinister host, Josh Zeman sits down with Mike King, internationally recognized criminal profiler, author, and creator of Profiling Evil, to break down Heuermann’s alleged mistakes, the psychology of serial predators, and how law enforcement uses behavioral profiling to catch killers.
The Mafia and the Gays | Phillip Crawford & Josh Zeman
What do the Mafia, Roy Cohn (Donald Trump’s mentor), gay nightclubs, and a whole lot of cash-stuffed envelopes have in common? Welcome to one of America’s most jaw-dropping open secrets. In this episode, Josh sits down with retired lawyer and author, Phillip Crawford Jr. to dig into the underground world of mob-controlled gay bars, clubs, drugs, blackmail, and the queer history organized crime would rather you forget. From New York’s hidden nightclub economy to bag men, crooked politicians, Roy Cohn’s double life, and Trump’s early legal circle—this story is part true crime, part hypocrisy, and part “you can’t make this stuff up.”
Hunting Highway Serial Killers | Frank Figliuzzi x Josh Zeman | Sinister Podcast
Frank Figliuzzi, the FBI’s former Assistant Director for Counterintelligence, joins host Josh Zeman on Sinister to talk about his book Long Haul: Hunting Highway Serial Killers, and the dark truths hidden along America’s highways. Highways don’t just connect cities , they provide cover for predators. Figliuzzi reveals how traffickers and serial killers exploit our interstate system, why sex trafficking can happen to anyone, and what it’s really like inside the FBI when tracking killers across state lines.
Beyond Slenderman | Superpredator Myth, Folie à Deux & Morgan Geyser’s Release (Part 2)
In 2014, two 12-year-old girls stabbed their friend to appease Slenderman — a fictional figure born from internet folklore. The media told us it was simple: two “superpredators” corrupted by the internet. But the truth was far more complicated. In Part 2 of our conversation, filmmaker Josh Zeman (Cropsey, The Killing Season) and journalist Kathleen Hale go deeper into the case and the myths surrounding it:
Merchandise
Gear up for the investigation in the merch store. Whether you're diving deep into cold cases, unraveling urban legends, or exploring the twisted folklore that haunts our collective nightmares, Sinister merch lets you wear your obsession on your sleeve—literally. Our collection of hats, tees, and coffee mugs is designed for detectives of the dark side, true crime devotees, and anyone who knows that the most terrifying stories are the ones that actually happened. Fuel your late-night research sessions and show the world you're not afraid to stare into the abyss.
