Once Upon A Crime Podcast By Esther Ludlow cover art

Once Upon A Crime

Once Upon A Crime

By: Esther Ludlow
Listen for free

Step into the darker side of history with Once Upon A Crime, a true-crime podcast that delves deep into some of the world’s most gripping cases. Hosted by an expert storyteller, Esther Ludlow, each episode unravels the mysteries behind notorious crimes, exploring the lives of victims, perpetrators, and the intricate details of the investigations that followed. With carefully researched narratives, thematic series, and thoughtful insights, Once Upon A Crime offers listeners a captivating blend of suspense, history, and human psychology. Whether you're a seasoned true-crime fan or just curious about the stories that shaped headlines, Once Upon A Crime promises to keep you on the edge of your seat.© Once Upon A Crime Podcast. INC 2016 Biographies & Memoirs Social Sciences True Crime World
Episodes
  • Ted Bundy for the Defense - Part Four: Reckoning

    Ted Bundy for the Defense - Part Four: Reckoning
    Mar 3 2026
    In the final chapter of Ted Bundy for the Defense, the mask comes off.After the shocking courtroom moment in which Bundy cross-examined first responders and forced graphic testimony about the Chi Omega crime scene, the trial shifts decisively in the prosecution’s favor. Survivors take the stand. Forensic evidence tightens the noose. And Bundy—convinced he is the smartest man in every room—continues to grandstand, clash with his attorneys, and challenge the judge.Instead of saving himself, he helps convict himself.In this episode, we follow the full arc of Bundy’s reckoning:The devastating prosecution case in the Chi Omega murdersBundy’s tantrums and power plays in courtThe guilty verdict and death sentenceThe overwhelming evidence in the murder of 12-year-old Kimberly LeachThe bizarre courtroom marriage to Carol BooneYears of appeals, delays, and manipulation from Death RowBundy’s final “bones-for-time” confessionsHis last interview, last phone calls, and executionAt the center of it all is Bundy’s pathological need for control—over the media, over his attorneys, over the court, over the narrative, and even over the memory of his victims.This is the episode where Ted Bundy stops being a media myth and is revealed for what he truly was.The reckoning.Sources: The Bundy Murders: A Comprehensive History, Kevin M. Sullivan, McFarland and Company, 2020 (Second Edition).Murderland: Crime and Bloodlust in the Time of Serial Killers, Caroline Fraser, Penguin Press, 2025. The Devil’s Defender, John Henry Browne, Chicago Review Press, 2016.A Light in the Dark: Surviving More than Ted Bundy, Kathy Kleiner Rubin and Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Chicago Review Press, 2024.Theodore Robert Bundy vs. State of Florida, Supreme Court of Florida, No. 59,128. May 9, 1985. | https://library.law.fsu.edu/Digital-Collections/flsupct/dockets/59128/op-59128.pd“Bundy: Is this quiet, polite, intelligent man a mass murderer?,” The Orlando Sentinel, December 24, 1978. Accessed on newspapers.com | https://www.newspapers.com/image/225594506/?clipping_id=new“Bundy: Attorney, Witness, and Defendant,” The Miami News, July 6, 1979. Accessed on newspapers.com | https://www.newspapers.com/image/302743129/?match=1&terms=Bundy%3A%20Attorney%2C%20Witness%20and%20Defendant%20 About This Series:Ted Bundy for the Defense examines Ted Bundy’s criminal cases through the lens of his courtroom behavior and his insistence on controlling his own fate. This series separates myth from fact, focusing on documented evidence, trial records, and survivor testimony.Sponsors: Weight Loss by Hers: Visit ForHers.com/ONCE to get a personalized, affordable plan to reach your goals. Talkiatry: Head to talkiatry.com/once and complete the short assessment to get matched with an in-network psychiatrist in minutes.Events & Appearances:Meet Esther and Lorena in person at:Beyond the Crime Convention – Albuquerque, NM | April 11–12 - beyondcrimeconvention.comCrimeCon – Las Vegas, NV | May 29–31 - crimecon.com Links: Patreon - www.patreon.com/onceuponacrime Our Website - www.truecrimepodcast.com OUAC Merchandise Shop - https://onceuponacrime.dashery.comYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@OnceUponACrimePodcastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
    Show more Show less
    29 mins
  • Ted Bundy for the Defense - Part Three: Unhinged

    Ted Bundy for the Defense - Part Three: Unhinged
    Feb 24 2026

    After escaping from a Colorado jail, Ted Bundy fled to Florida — and unraveled.

    In this episode, we follow Bundy’s path to Tallahassee, the brutal Chi Omega sorority house murders, the attack on Cheryl Thomas, the abduction of 12-year-old Kimberly Leach, and Bundy’s eventual arrest in Pensacola after 46 days on the run.

    Gone is the methodical charmer of the Pacific Northwest. In his place: a reckless, frenzied killer who has lost control.

    About This Series:

    Ted Bundy for the Defense examines Ted Bundy’s criminal cases through the lens of his courtroom behavior and his insistence on controlling his own fate. This series separates myth from fact, focusing on documented evidence, trial records, and survivor testimony.

    Sources:

    The Bundy Murders: A Comprehensive History, Kevin M. Sullivan, McFarland and Company, 2020 (Second Edition).

    Murderland: Crime and Bloodlust in the Time of Serial Killers, Caroline Fraser, Penguin Press, 2025.

    The Devil’s Defender, John Henry Browne, Chicago Review Press, 2016.


    Sponsors:

    Completing the Puzzle: Go to CompletingthePuzzle.com and use code OUAC for $10 off your first puzzle subscription box or gift card.

    Weight Loss by Hers: Visit ForHers.com/ONCE to get a personalized, affordable plan to reach your goals.

    Talkiatry: Head to talkiatry.com/once and complete the short assessment to get matched with an in-network psychiatrist in minutes.


    Events & Appearances:

    Meet Esther and Lorena in person at:

    Beyond the Crime Convention – Albuquerque, NM | April 11–12 - beyondcrimeconvention.com

    CrimeCon – Las Vegas, NV | May 29–31 - crimecon.com


    Links:

    Patreon - www.patreon.com/onceuponacrime

    Our Website - www.truecrimepodcast.com

    OUAC Merchandise Shop - https://onceuponacrime.dashery.com

    YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@OnceUponACrimePodcast

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
    Show more Show less
    28 mins
  • The Other Ted Bundy: Suspicion, Denial, and the Warnings That Came Too Early

    The Other Ted Bundy: Suspicion, Denial, and the Warnings That Came Too Early
    Feb 10 2026

    In the summer of 1974, Seattle was gripped by fear as young women disappeared and witnesses began describing a polite man named “Ted” and his tan Volkswagen. As newspapers cautiously reported on a possible suspect, few believed the man they were describing could be dangerous.

    He looked like a law student.

    A volunteer.

    Someone people trusted.

    In this Once Upon a Crime minisode, we examine Ted Bundy before his trials—through the people who knew him best and the warning signs that surfaced long before his name became infamous.

    About This Series:

    Ted Bundy for the Defense examines Ted Bundy’s criminal cases through the lens of his courtroom behavior and his insistence on controlling his own fate. This series separates myth from fact, focusing on documented evidence, trial records, and survivor testimony.

    Next up in Part Three:

    The Chi Omega sorority house attacks, the assault on Cheryl Thomas, and the final unraveling of Ted Bundy’s carefully constructed persona.


    Sources:

    The Bundy Murders: A Comprehensive History, Kevin M. Sullivan, McFarland and Company, 2020 (Second Edition).

    Murderland: Crime and Bloodlust in the Time of Serial Killers, Caroline Fraser, Penguin Press, 2025.

    The Devil’s Defender, John Henry Browne, Chicago Review Press, 2016.


    Sponsors:

    Completing the Puzzle: Go to CompletingthePuzzle.com and use code OUAC for $10 off your first puzzle subscription box or gift card.

    Weight Loss by Hers: Visit ForHers.com/ONCE to get a personalized, affordable plan to reach your goals.

    Talkiatry: Head to talkiatry.com/once and complete the short assessment to get matched with an in-network psychiatrist in minutes.

    Events & Appearances:

    Meet Esther and Lorena in person at:

    • Beyond the Crime Convention – Albuquerque, NM | April 11–12 - beyondcrimeconvention.com - Use our discount code BEYOND-OUAC.
    • CrimeCon – Las Vegas, NV | May 29–31 - crimecon.com - Use our discount code ONCE.


    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
    Show more Show less
    15 mins
All stars
Most relevant
She's interesting and compassionate. This is a good podcast. Thanks for offering these stories. Very good.

Really like Esther!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Esther, as always, you research each case completely and thoroughly. You always bring out new details and facts that I never knew. Keep up the awesome work! ❤

Esther is Awesome!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I love this podcast. Esther has this certain kind of voice that makes her a great story teller of true crime.

Her stories

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Awesome podcasts I love it so much one of my favs to listen to before bed.

Good podcast

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I love this podcast. Gives all the deets of the crime and stays on topic. it really feels like a story in each episode. The way each story is presented is always well researched and flows very well.

A delightful true crime podcast

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
See more reviews