Crime Writers On...

The Georgia Guidestones were a 19‑foot‑tall, Stonehenge‑like tourist attraction commissioned in 1980 by an anonymous benefactor. Its purpose was unclear, and its granite inscriptions about population control made some uneasy. When an explosion destroyed the Guidestones in 2022, some brushed it off as a prank. But controversy around the monument had been growing among evangelicals, right‑wing politicians, and conspiracy theorists. The unsolved case has raised the question of who blew up the Georgia Guidestones — and the more troubling question of why.

The podcast “Who Blew Up the Guidestones?” from The Atlanta Journal‑Constitution and Goat Rodeo digs into the case, exploring the monument’s mysterious origins, its enigmatic purpose, and the many groups who wanted it destroyed. Host Tyler O’Brien investigates the explosion and identifies a new suspect. Was the bombing an act of mindless vandalism or a sinister act of domestic terrorism?

OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "WHO BLEW UP THE GUIDESTONES?" BEGIN IN THE FINAL 11 MINUTES OF THE EPISODE.

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When Dr. Christine Marie and her videographer husband moved to Utah, they befriended members of the polygamous FLDS church. With the community’s former leader now in prison, Samuel Bateman claimed to be their new prophet and took on 20 wives. Concerned about the underage girls among them, Christine convinced Bateman to let them film a documentary about him. The couple recorded evidence that Bateman was trafficking the girls, but local police were reluctant to take action. Meanwhile, Christine worked secretly to convince the young wives — and the parents who allowed the marriages — that they were under the spell of a false prophet.

The Netflix series “Trust Me: The False Prophet” provides a look at Bateman’s crimes from the perspective of the filmmakers embedded in his home. Featuring their original footage along with new interviews, it shows Christine’s efforts as a double agent, using the documentary to gather evidence while trying to free his devoted victims from his grip.

OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "TRUST ME: THE FALSE PROPHET" BEGIN IN THE FINAL 11 MINUTES OF THE EPISODE.

In Crime of the Week: pick pocket.

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Gabrielle Vega said while on a student trip to Morocco in 2013, she was drugged and raped by the Spanish tour guide. As she worked through her trauma, she learned the charismatic Manuel Blanco had attacked other women on European excursions. After Gabrielle told her story on television, scores of other women came forward with their own tales of assault. Armed with dozens of victim statements - but little physical evidence - Gabrielle pushed Spanish authorities to seek justice.

Netflix’s “The Predator of Seville” features Gabrielle and other survivors who say they were attacked by Blanco, but the serial rapist/tour guide never faced any consequences. It also follows Gabrielle as she navigates the Spanish court system in an uphill battle to hold Blanco accountable.

OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "THE PREDATOR OF SEVILLE" BEGIN IN THE FINAL 11 MINUTES OF THE EPISODE.

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Journalist M. Gessen’s cousin Allen rubbed everyone in their family the wrong way, an annoying windbag who moved from one hustle to another. To win his custody dispute with his ex-wife, he tried to get her deported. He kidnapped their son and fled the country — twice. And finally, he was arrested by the FBI for hiring a hitman to kill her. With relatives holding different opinions on Allen’s actions, Gessen decided to dig deeper into the family dynamic. After talking with the people at the center of the affair, Gessen came to the conclusion that Allen is an idiot.

In “The Idiot” from Serial Productions and The New York Times, M. Gessen recounts what happened when their pompous cousin is implicated in a murder-for-hire plot. They offer a grim-yet-humorous look at a family dynamic punctuated by co-dependence and irritation.

OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "THE IDIOT" BEGIN IN THE FINAL 13 MINUTES OF THE EPISODE.

In Crime of the Week: I'm living on the air in Cincinnati. 

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This show was recorded in The Caitlin Rogers Project Studio. Click to find out more.

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In high school, Isolde Raftery and her friend wrote in the school paper about rumors that a popular science teacher had been inappropriate around students. Backlash followed, as the community rallied behind Tom Hudson and a misconduct investigation went nowhere. For years she lived with the accusations she ruined a man’s life. Now a seasoned journalist, Raftery revisits the case to answer whether or not Mr. Hudson was a predator, what investigators knew, and where were the adults who should have been protecting the students.

From the Peabody-nominated team at KUOW’s Focus comes “Adults in the Room.” Raftery gets classmates and investigators to say now what they wouldn’t say then. The podcast explores how Hudson pushed boundaries that were loosely enforced, and how his actions have affected his hero-worshipping students all these years later.

OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "ADULTS IN THE ROOM" BEGIN IN THE FINAL 11 MINUTES OF THE EPISODE.

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This show was recorded in The Caitlin Rogers Project Studio. Click to find out more.

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