This Much is True Crime

Hit subscribe so you don't miss any updates. Supported by True Crime Channel. ------- For years, women in Bournemouth reported finding locks of their hair mysteriously cut off. The man responsible would eventually be exposed as a double murderer. Danilo Restivo, nicknamed the 'Haircut Killer', was convicted of murdering 48-year-old Heather Barnett in her Bournemouth home in 2002. Investigators also linked him to the murder of 16-year-old Elisa Claps, who disappeared in Italy in 1993. Her remains were not discovered until 17 years later, hidden in the roof space of a church. Restivo's disturbing fascination with cutting women's hair became a crucial part of understanding his behaviour, but his crimes also raised serious questions about missed opportunities to catch him. How did a man suspected of involvement in a teenager's disappearance in Italy go on to murder again in Britain? What connected the two killings? And could Heather Barnett's death have been prevented? ------- This Much Is True Crime is proudly sponsored by the TRUE CRIME channel. Watch TRUE CRIME on Sky 146, Freely 37, Freeview 67, Freesat 135 and Virgin 148. https://www.truecrime-tv.co.uk/ ------- Check out our Patreon for bonus weekly episodes and access to live recordings, plus monthly newsletters! Click here to join:   / thismuchistruecrime   ------- TikTok:   / thismuchistruecrime   Instagram:   / thismuchistruecrime   ------- Produced by Podcast House. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hit subscribe so you don't miss any updates.Supported by True Crime Channel. What is it really like to spend 25 years working with some of Britain's most troubled and dangerous offenders? Former probation officer Elizabeth Baxter joins This Much Is True Crime to discuss her new book, A Murderer's Guide to Cleaning, and the extraordinary people she encountered throughout her career in Britain's probation service. From violent offenders to some of the more bizarre characters she worked with, Baxter offers a different perspective on the criminal justice system and the people caught up in it. Among them is a convicted murderer who created a homemade cleaning solution in his prison cell using Marmite. But beyond the unusual stories lies a serious question about the role of probation officers. Tasked with protecting the public while supporting offenders, they are often responsible for some of society's most vulnerable people, including survivors of domestic abuse and young asylum seekers. What does it take to work with people who have committed serious crimes? And how do you balance public safety with the belief that people deserve a chance to change? This Much Is True Crime is proudly sponsored by the TRUE CRIME channel.Watch TRUE CRIME on Sky 146, Freely 37, Freeview 67, Freesat 135 and Virgin 148.https://www.truecrime-tv.co.uk/ Check out our Patreon for bonus weekly episodes and access to live recordings, plus monthly newsletters! Click here to join:https://www.patreon.com/c/ThisMuchisTrueCrime TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thismuchistruecrimeInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thismuchistruecrime Produced by Podcast House. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hit subscribe so you don't miss any updates. ------- Lisa Hayden-Johnson convinced the country that her young son Matthew was suffering from a series of life-threatening illnesses. But the truth was far more disturbing. From cerebral palsy and cystic fibrosis to diabetes and severe allergies, Matthew was subjected to hundreds of medical appointments, made to use a wheelchair and fed through tubes, despite not having the conditions his mother claimed. The story attracted national attention, with Matthew receiving a Child of Courage award and the family meeting figures including Tony Blair and the Duchess of Cornwall. But behind the public sympathy was a prolonged pattern of child abuse. Hayden-Johnson was eventually convicted of child cruelty and other offences, exposing a case of fabricated or induced illness, sometimes referred to as Munchausen syndrome by proxy. How could a mother fabricate her own child's illnesses for years? Why did so many people believe her? And how was the abuse eventually uncovered? ------- Check out our Patreon for bonus weekly episodes and access to live recordings, plus monthly newsletters! Click here to join: https://www.patreon.com/c/ThisMuchisTrueCrime ------- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thismuchistruecrime Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thismuchistruecrime ------- Produced by Podcast House. This Much Is True Crime is proudly sponsored by the TRUE CRIME channel. Watch TRUE CRIME on Sky 146, Freely 37, Freeview 67, Freesat 135 and Virgin 148. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hit subscribe so you don't miss any updates. Christa Pike was supposed to become the first woman executed by Tennessee in more than 200 years. Instead, she survived her own execution. Pike was sentenced to death for the 1995 torture and murder of 19 year old Colleen Slemmer. On September 30, Tennessee attempted to execute her by lethal injection, but after two doses of pentobarbital, Pike continued breathing and was eventually rushed to hospital in critical condition. The extraordinary failure has thrown Tennessee's execution system into turmoil. Governor Bill Lee has halted executions for the remainder of the year and ordered an independent review into what went wrong. How does an execution go this badly wrong? And after surviving an attempt by the state to kill her, what happens to Christa Pike now? Check out our Patreon for bonus weekly episodes and access to live recordings, plus monthly newsletters! Click here to join: https://www.patreon.com/c/ThisMuchisTrueCrime TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thismuchistruecrime Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thismuchistruecrime Produced by Podcast House. This Much Is True Crime is proudly sponsored by the TRUE CRIME channel. Watch TRUE CRIME on Sky 146, Freely 37, Freeview 67, Freesat 135 and Virgin 148. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hit subscribe so you don't miss any updates. SimpliSafe: For an exclusive 35% OFF and a FREE outdoor camera, click the link below and use the promo code: TRUECRIMEhttps://simplisafe.co.uk/build-my-system?utm_code=TRUECRIME In November 2001, 90 year old Mabel Leyshon was murdered inside her home on Anglesey in one of Wales's most disturbing murder cases.Her killer was 17 year old Mathew Hardman, a former paperboy who had developed an obsession with vampires and the idea that he could achieve immortality. Mabel was stabbed 22 times before her body was subjected to a series of bizarre rituals. Hardman removed her heart, drank her blood and positioned two fire pokers at her feet in the shape of a cross. The case became known as the ‘Welsh Vampire Murder’, but what drove a teenager to commit such an extraordinary crime? We look back at Mabel's murder, the evidence that led police to Hardman and the disturbing obsession behind the killing. Check out our Patreon for bonus weekly episodes and access to live recordings, plus monthly newsletters! Click here to join:https://www.patreon.com/c/ThisMuchisTrueCrime TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thismuchistruecrime Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thismuchistruecrime Produced by Podcast House. This Much Is True Crime is proudly sponsored by the TRUE CRIME channel.Watch TRUE CRIME on Sky 146, Freely 37, Freeview 67, Freesat 135 and Virgin 148. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices