Small Town Dicks

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Welcome to the home of Small Town Dicks, where we take you behind the scenes of small town crime cases with the real detectives who investigated them. Hosts Yeardley Smith, twin detectives Dan and Dave, and forensic expert Paul Holes ask the essential questions and offer their own insights so the stories always hit close to home. All seasons are available for streaming.

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Our Editor's Take

The Small Town Dicks podcast is about the hard work behind solving crimes. The title is a reference to a slang term for detectives. The show shares the secrets behind noteworthy cases and the psychology of brutal criminals. Detectives detail how they decoded the greatest crimes they've faced.

Longtime detectives Dan and Dave help cohost the podcast. The twin brothers have worked on all kinds of crimes, from heinous to minor. Among their investigations are sex crimes, child abuse, and other violent acts. The duo joins Paul Holes, a forensic expert. A true crime enthusiast, Paul helped find the California Golden State Killer. He brings his expertise on serial killers to discussions with Dave and Dan. The other host is actor, writer, and producer Yeardley Smith. With Yeardley, they analyze crime scenes, criminal profiles, and clues big and small. Yeardley is better known as the voice of Lisa Simpson on The Simpsons. She is also married to Small Town Dicks cohost Dan.

In the "Follow the Leader" podcast episode, Paul looks into a cult leader. From the outside, the stockbroker didn't seem capable of violence. But he was stealing from clients while murder after murder. What went wrong with the initial investigation? How was this murderer arrested? This true crime podcast explains.

Dan reveals one of the cases still plaguing him with "House on the Hill." A woman visits the house of a wealthy couple. They attack her. But she escapes and calls for help. Dan arrives on the scene. His suspicions rise. Did this couple have murder on their minds? What would have happened if the young woman hadn't run? The Small Town Dicks podcast answers questions like these in each chilling episode.

Many killers spend their lives locked away. But how often is the evidence faulty, and the judge sentences the wrong person to imprisonment or death? How often does the perpetrator of a crime remain elusive? For one young California mother who was raped and murdered, it took police over 40 years to find justice.

Fans of true crime podcasts may appreciate Small Town Dicks. New episodes arrive weekly.

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Season 14 Launches April 5

Season 14 Launches April 5

See you soon! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episodes

4. Bad Neighbor

4. Bad Neighbor

Detective Sgt. Robert catches a young man soliciting sex from a middle school girl. A careful investigation leads to the suspect's arrest and conviction. Robert is hopeful that the victim is now safe but a few years later, he discovers that another man has targeted the same girl. And the identity of the suspect has the detective shaking his head. Fortunately, he is once again able to get the victim a measure of justice.The detective: Sgt. RobertSgt. Robert has been in law enforcement for over 20 years. Prior to becoming a detective, he spent nine years on patrol, where he served as a Field Training Officer (FTO) and an FBI-trained hostage negotiator. As a detective, he worked in a unit that investigated crimes against children, including sex crimes, serious physical abuse and child homicides. He was later re-assigned to the violent crimes unit, where he investigated homicides, robberies and other serious felonies. He was an active member of his county’s major crimes team, which investigated homicides and officer-involved shootings. After 10 years in investigations, Robert was promoted to sergeant. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Police get what is a far too common call: A grown man has snuck into the DMs of a child and is now soliciting sex. The perpetrator is quickly caught and swears he'll never do it again and in doing so, he escapes prosecution. Three years pass and Detective Jaime gets another call about an online predator - and it turns out to be the same suspect following the same script. Jaime goes undercover to lure the suspect out for a meeting. Along the way, she dodges close calls that might give away her identity and scare off the predator before he's caught. Through excellent police work, the detective is able to confirm: Revenge is sweet.The detective: Detective JamieJamie has been in law enforcement for over eight years. She worked patrol for two and a half years before landing in her position as a detective, where her primary caseload is child abuse and sex crimes. Jamie is a member of her county's Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT), Inter-Agency Deadly Force Investigative Team (IDFIT), and Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children Task Force (CSEC). She loves reading, concerts, and beach vacations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2. Signs of a Serial Killer Pt. 2

2. Signs of a Serial Killer Pt. 2

At the end of our first episode, Lieutenant John had apprehended a suspect in a brutal, but seemingly random home invasion murder. Now, after trying to find out what might have motivated the suspect, John hears an innocent question from a neighbor about what John assumes is an unrelated death. Always the dogged investigator, John starts to piece together a disturbing puzzle. He launches a new investigation and makes a chilling discovery that had been overlooked by local authorities. Now his suspect is looking less like a violent opportunist and more like a calculating serial killer.The detective: Homicide Lieutenant JohnHomicide Lieutenant John spent more than two decades as a police officer, including 17 years as a Senior Homicide Inspector. Following his retirement from the force, John spent eight years as senior inspector in the homicide unit of his county’s District Attorney's Office. He was then promoted to Lieutenant and now supervises other senior inspectors. He has investigated more than 400 homicide cases in his career. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

1. Signs of a Serial Killer Pt. 1

1. Signs of a Serial Killer Pt. 1

After receiving a 911 call from a concerned neighbor, police come upon a violent home invasion in a normally quiet neighborhood. One person is dead and another is struggling for her life. Lieutenant John, a homicide investigator with the DA's office, is called out to the scene to help local authorities. In one of the many twists in this case, a chance meeting with a bystander leads John down the foreboding path of a suspect who is far more cunning and dangerous than he first appears.The detective: Homicide Lieutenant JohnHomicide Lieutenant John spent more than two decades as a police officer, including 17 years as a Senior Homicide Inspector. Following his retirement from the force, John spent eight years as senior inspector in the homicide unit of his county’s District Attorney's Office. He was then promoted to Lieutenant and now supervises other senior inspectors. He has investigated more than 400 homicide cases over the course of his career. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Season 14 Launches April 5

Season 14 Launches April 5

See you soon! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What's it like to be married to a law enforcement officer? How about being married to a celebrity? Funny thing, two of our Small Town Dick hosts are learning exactly what being "married to" means! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Criminal's Code

The Criminal's Code

There is a criminal code. Not the one that's made up of statutes, but one that is followed by criminals. In today's special bonus, our usual suspects talk through the rules that criminals crime by, followed by a short discussion about the growing role of Artificial Intelligence in policing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

12. Your Worst Nightmare

12. Your Worst Nightmare

The final episode of the season takes us to a small town in Canada, where a violent suspect named Billy Ray, is on the loose after he attacks his ex-girlfriend, Maria. A manhunt begins but authorities are unable to track him down. When Detective Constable Garry receives a disturbing report that Billy Ray has broken into Maria’s house, authorities continue the search but it turns out they've been looking in all the wrong places, as they race against time to save Maria from Billy Ray’s obsession.Guest detective: Garry RodgersGarry Rodgers has lived the life he writes about. He is a retired homicide detective, coroner, and SWAT Team sniper with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. He has written and published 21 books as well as hosting a popular blog site called DyingWords.net. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Police receive a phone call from a desperate daughter, who says her father is threatening to take his own life. Officers arrive and find the man sitting in his garage with the car running. They risk their own lives to break in and rescue the man. While the man is recovering in the hospital, he starts to mutter “she deserved it”. An alert Detective Bryson is there to hear it and begins to investigate - he quickly finds that the victim is also a suspect.Guest detective: Retired Corporal BrysonRet. Corporal Bryson served 21 years with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and retired in 2022 with the rank of Corporal. Bryson’s career was split evenly between patrol and the drug squad. In addition, he spent three years working on a Major Crime team as a detachment commander. As part of the RCMP, Bryson worked in communities as small as 1,400 people and as large as 90,000 people. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

10. A Dirty Deal

10. A Dirty Deal

In quiet, suburban neighborhoods, illegal marijuana grows can be hidden in plain sight - even in states that have legalized the plant. They also are sometimes connected to other nefarious activities, as Detective Nick finds in today's episode. Through dogged work, Nick and his team discover two substantial illegal marijuana operations and in so doing uncover a dark web of abuse that's far more insidious and inhumane.Guest detective: Detective NickDetective Nick has been a police officer for just over 10 years. He has served as a Field Training Officer, Arrest Control Instructor, and was a detective for 4.5 years before being promoted to the rank of corporal where he now serves in the patrol division. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

9. Justice for Wilder

9. Justice for Wilder

A desperate 911 call leads police to the home of a wealthy man and his live-in girlfriend. What they find is one of the most tragic scenes officers encounter, the death of a child. The adults maintain the death is a terrible accident, but investigators suspect something far worse. Chief Investigator Tye doggedly follows the trail of evidence until he's finally able to get Justice for Wilder.Guest detective: Chief Investigator TyeChief Inspector Tye is a certified Texas Peace Office and has been since 2003. Currently, he works in the Wichita County District Attorney’s Office. He’s been police officer for the Wichita Falls Police Department (WFPD) for approximately 17 years, and spent 13 years assigned to the Special Operations Division, which includes the Organized Crime Unit, Tactical Unit, Gang Task Force, and SWAT. For approximately 13 years, he was dually assigned as a Task Force Officer to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Safe Street Task Force. Tye has assisted the FBI, Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), Homeland Security (HSI), and The United States Postal Service (USPS) with long term narcotic investigations that resulted in numerous arrests, convictions, and sizable seizures. In the course of his duties he has also assisted in many homicide investigations, including case murders resulting in convictions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thanksgiving Leftovers: Mother's Day

Thanksgiving Leftovers: Mother's Day

Hello, Small Town Fam! Today we share a Small Town Classic, Mother's Day, which is really an episode about the importance of family and the healing that can come when we choose to open up to one another. Normally we would be off this week for the holiday, but we wanted to give our listeners a little something special as you recover from your turkey hangovers, heat up the cold mashed potatoes, wash a sink full of plates and pans, or prepare to make your way home from wherever it is you celebrated this year. Happy Thanksgiving, y'all, and we'll be back next week with a brand new episode of Small Town Dicks! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Officer Patrick gets called to investigate a complaint about stolen wages at a local restaurant and as he stumbles upon a decades-old DNA mystery that involves his own family. This is the story of how a small town detective, through a series of wild coincidences and lotto-level good luck, manages to solve the case of his life.Guest detective: Officer PatrickOfficer Patrick has over 20 years in law enforcement. Nearly half of the time was spent investigating financial crimes. As of this recording, he was back on patrol as a field training officer. He speaks Spanish and teaches an emergency vehicle operations course. Patrick’s hobbies are unusual: He’s an aerobatic pilot (currently looking to upgrade to a more badass airplane). He is raising a child with Type 1 diabetes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

7. Charlie Bear

7. Charlie Bear

In Detective Matt's small town there is a spot called Fisherman's Cut. It's not easy to find - off the main highway, down a dirt road you'd probably never notice if you hadn't been there before, around a bend you can't see until it's too late. It's where, as Matt is getting ready to leave work for the holidays, someone reports finding a woman's dead body. Through a combination of keen observation and some good luck, Matt and his team find a suspect. The suspect is brought in for an interview. As Detective Matt begins his interrogation, he starts to wonder, 'Am I looking into the eyes of a serial killer?'The detective: Detective MattDetective Matt grew up in Pennsylvania. He joined the police department shortly after graduating college. He worked in patrol at first and then moved to the street crimes unit before he started as an undercover narcotics investigator. He went on to join a DEA task force and worked to infiltrate a group threatening a major political party’s national convention. He received a medal of valor for his efforts. He moved to another state and worked as a deputy for several years and is now retired from law enforcement. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

6. CrimeCon Live!

6. CrimeCon Live!

The usual suspects traveled to Orlando for CrimeCon ‘23 and took the stage for a special live episode - and we got you a front row ticket to the show! Our co-host and CrimeCon veteran, the one and only Paul Holes, leads the team in their live-show debut. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

5. The Bodysnatchers

5. The Bodysnatchers

Your favorite Scottish detective, retired chief constable Tom, brings us a gruesome case from the 1820s of how two depraved criminals went on a year-long killing spree while the rich and powerful of Edinburgh, Scotland all but turned a blind eye. Ultimately, the crimes of these two men brought about police reforms and social change but not before there were bodies everywhere.Guest detective: Ret. Deputy Chief Constable TomRet. Deputy Chief Constable Tom was one of Scotland’s most senior police officers. A graduate of Edinburgh University and The FBI Academy, his last role was as commander of a linked murder investigation, commonly known as The World's End Murders. He writes a regular "Inside Justice'' column for The Scotsman newspaper and has authored several books, including "The World's End Murders: The Final Verdict" and a groundbreaking study of forensic science called "Ruxton: The First Modern Murder." He is currently working on a new book examining the sex industry. He lives in Edinburgh. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Special Episode: Girl For Rent

Special Episode: Girl For Rent

In today’s episode, our team looks back on the case that led off our second season. It's called “Girl for Rent” and it illustrates a critical part of policing: if the hair on the back of your neck is bristling, trust your instincts and investigate.Original episode description:Sgt. David and his officer-in-training are working the graveyard shift on a cold winter night when they scout out an abandoned lot in their small town that’s a well-known spot for illegal activity. As they approach, they see a car with its lights off and two passengers inside: a man in his 50’s and a young girl seated on the passenger’s side. Though there’s no crime in just sitting in your car, Sgt. David has a gut feeling that something is very wrong. What he discovers is even worse than what he suspected. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

4. Without Warning

4. Without Warning

Police officers are asked to check on a bickering mother and son who live together in a private home in their small town. As officers attempt to calm the situation, things quickly and unexpectedly spin out of control. It‘s a reminder of the unfortunate reality that danger can find you anywhere. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

3. Unfinished Business

3. Unfinished Business

Paul Holes has spent years trying to track down the killer responsible for the brutal deaths of four women. Today, he talks about his obsession with a suspect he was convinced was responsible - and the important lessons of both listening to your instincts and always following the evidence no matter where it leads, even when it leaves you frustrated.Guest detective: Paul HolesPaul Holes is a bestselling author, podcaster, television host and retired cold-case investigator with the sheriff’s and district attorney’s offices in California’s Contra Costa County. During his 27 years as an investigator, Holes used his behavioral and forensic expertise in such notable cases as the Zodiac murders, Golden State Killer, and Jaycee Dugard kidnapping. In May 2022, Holes published “Unmasked: My Life Solving America's Cold Cases” - which became an instant New York Times bestseller. Paul teamed with the FBI and Sacramento DA to help identify Joseph DeAngelo as the Golden State Killer, the most prolific serial predator in U.S. history. In 2019, he teamed up with Oxygen to host ”The DNA of Murder with Paul Holes” and in 2022 he launched a new original series with HLN called, ”Real Life Nightmare with Paul Holes.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2. You Know What You Did

2. You Know What You Did

Police in a small town respond to the report of a severely injured child. She's rushed to the hospital and police begin to investigate what happened. Not long into the inquiry, the story from the caretakers is not adding up. Detective Chris begins the delicate task of uncovering the truth from adults who have no inclination to tell the truth.Guest: Detective ChrisDetective Chris has been in law enforcement for over 28 years. He has been at his current department for 25 years where he's been a detective for 12 years. He spent 15 years on his agency's TAC team, 8 years as a K9 handler, and is a certified Control Tactics instructor at the state and federal level. Before joining law enforcement, Chris was a Military Police Officer in the Army National Guard. He’s married, with 3 kids. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.