Betweenย Gillian Flynn's novels (oh, hey, Gone Girl) and the recent film Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, something about Missouri apparently inspires the creatives of the world to write bone-chilling tales of butchery. But if you think murder-ridden Missouri is all fiction, I have good and bad news for you. The bad news is that the Show Me State isnโt a murder-free mecca. The good news, if youโre into this kind of thing, is that there are plenty of podcast episodes that share the nitty-gritty of some of the stateโs horrors. Check out these true crime podcast episodes featuring cases that took place in our very own backyards.
Thinking Sideways - โKen McElroyโ
Thinking Sideways is a weekly podcast in which three friends, Joe, Devin and Steve, discuss unsolved mysteries, including weird noises, strange websites and horrific suicides, according to its website. In this specific episode, the three share the story of Ken McElroy of Skidmore, Missouri. In July 1981, McElroy was executed with two different bullets from two different rifles in front of a local business, D&G Tavern. More than two dozen people were hanging around in the main part of Skidmore that day, but no one claims to have seen the shooters. How could a murder in broad daylight with so many witnesses remain unsolved? Joe, Devin and Steve discuss some of the theories about what happened to McElroy.
My Favorite Murder - โMFM Minisode 48โ
If you havenโt listened to an episode of My Favorite Murder before, youโre missing out on some serious laughs โ but also some gruesome facts. Life is all about give and take, right? The podcast beautifully combines comedy with true crime. Karen Kilgariff, a stand-up comedian and TV writer, and Georgia Hardstark, a writer and TV host, share the story of a different murder each week. Although this mini episode doesnโt follow the layout of their usual episodes, Georgia and Karen read what they call โHometown Murders,โ which is a compilation of stories that listeners have sent in from St. Louis and Kansas City. Follow along with true stories about an Americaโs Most Wanted uncle, a non-fatal ax to the head, a bullet-deflecting belt buckle, a man known as Ether Eddie and a premature burial that now haunts a summer camp.

In an episode from this podcast, the hosts explore a number of Missouri "Hometown Murders."ย
True Crime Garage - โWeโre All Lunaticsโ
In True Crime Garage, the hosts, Nic and โThe Captain,โ get together each week to talk true crime and drink beer. Each episode is accompanied by a Beer of the Week recommendation because everything is better after cracking open a cold one. This two-part story, episodes 171 and 172, follows the 2016 case of Edward Hillhouse, a missing-person case turned homicide in Bourbon, Missouri. Unravel the story of Hillhouse and this small town outside St. Louis. Just donโt forget the brew before you do.
Dig: A History Podcast - โCelia, A Slave: The True Crime Case that Rocked the American Slave Powerโ
Dig: A History Podcast was created by female historians with an interest in uncovering โthe history that matters,โ according to its website. Travel back in time with them to the early days of Missouri with theย story of Celia, an 1850s slave who killed her owner then โdragged the corpse to the fireplace of her cabin, lit a fire and sat watch through the night, tending the flames, while they slowly destroyed the body of her master.โ The ladies of Dig explain this tale with all the gripping details we'd expect from a true crime podcast while providing the accurate historical context.ย
The Generation Why - โThe Butcher of Kansas Cityโ
If serial killers suit your fancy, look no further.ย The Generation Why brings murders, mysteries and conspiracies together into the weekly podcast. This episode delves into the tale of The Butcher of Kansas City, otherwise known as Robert Berdella. This โsexual psychopathโ terrorized the town in the late โ80s, claiming 19 victims by the end of his run. Buckle up for the story of this infamous murderer, but disclaimer: this episode is not for the faint of heart or true crime rookies.
Honorable Mention: Lore - โEpisode 48: Downriverโ
While not entirely a true-crime podcast, Lore is about true scary stories. Every other week, creator Aaron Mahnke breaks down the truth behind popular folklores and dark moments in our histories. Mahnkeโs voice is incredibly soothing, his pacing is artful, and the music that accompanies each episode is enchanting. This episode looks into places that seem to attract more tragedy than usual, as Mahnke explores towns in southern Italy, Oregon and the Netherlands. The main story, though, takes place on an island nestled between Missouri and Illinois on the Mississippi river that was formerly known as Kaskaskia. A story of forbidden love ends with a promised curse that ends up delivering, though not in an immediate way.