Detective Trapp

Los Angeles Times | Wondery

Anaheim investigator Julissa Trapp is not like other detectives. She’s the only woman on the homicide squad, and a skilled chameleon: undercover cop in vice stings, crime-scene commander, patient confidante of killers. A master interrogator, she invokes her personal experience – and deepest griefs – as a tool to elicit confessions. When a young woman’s body is found at a trash-sorting plant, Trapp learns the murder may be linked to the disappearance of three other women in nearby Santa Ana. Trapp embarks on a dark journey that brings her face to face with a man who takes “a little piece of her soul.” The series is about a singular detective on a relentless, sometimes lonely quest for answers.From the Los Angeles Times and Wondery, “Detective Trapp” is a new story from Christopher Goffard, the writer and host of “Dirty John.” read less

Our Editor's Take

Detective Julissa Trapp was the only woman on her team and its longest-serving member. She worked in the Anaheim police department starting in 1997 and has been a homicide detective since 2010. Christopher Goffard is a Los Angeles Times staff writer and two-time Pulitzer finalist. Trapp impressed Goffard from the moment they met. Her uncanny ability to choose the right persona for her interrogations intrigued him. She could switch from the persona of mother to sister to friend to get the information she needed. He knew she'd be a fascinating subject for a new podcast.

For Detective Trapp, Goffard interviewed Trapp, her friends, and the people she represented. He reports on Trapp's life and career investigating murders. The resulting podcast offers suspense and thrills, two pillars of true crime stories.

This podcast focuses on an abduction and murder investigation in Orange County. The victims were four women. The police deemed their disappearance a low priority because of the victims' lifestyles. The journey to uncover the truth is intriguing, and Trapp used her life experiences to solve the case. Her show of empathy to the victims' relatives makes Detective Trapp a great listen.

NB: The podcast contains sexual content and descriptions of violence.

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Play Trailer
Introducing Detective Trapp
Nov 5 2019
Introducing Detective Trapp
Detective Trapp premieres on November 19th.

Episodes

Introducing Detective Trapp
Nov 5 2019
Introducing Detective Trapp
Detective Trapp premieres on November 19th.
All the Missing | 1
Nov 19 2019
All the Missing | 1
Episode 1: Detective Julissa Trapp fights her way onto the homicide unit in her hometown of Anaheim, California — and strives amid personal struggles to understand God’s plan for her. In a nearby city, women begin vanishing.
Circuits | 2
Nov 19 2019
Circuits | 2
Episode 2: Detective Trapp finds a young woman’s body at a recycling plant. The investigation leads to the dangerous streets where the victim worked. Is her death connected to the disappearances of three other women?
Partners | 3
Nov 26 2019
Partners | 3
Episode 3: After weeks of frustration, Anaheim detectives break a murder case wide open —and find it larger and stranger than anyone could have anticipated.
The Interview | 4
Dec 3 2019
The Interview | 4
Episode 4: Detective Trapp comes face-to-face with a suspected serial killer during a harrowing 13 1/2-hour interview that tests all her skill and endurance. To win, she must trick her adversary.
Secret Graves | 5
Dec 10 2019
Secret Graves | 5
Episode 5: A serial killer’s trial does not end the case for Detective Trapp. In its aftermath, she finds herself on a quest all her own.
Behind the Scenes | 6
Dec 17 2019
Behind the Scenes | 6
Christopher Goffard talks with Matthew Shaer, host of Over My Dead Body, about the journey from Dirty John to Detective Trapp.
Introducing: Border City
Apr 5 2022
Introducing: Border City
Border City is a new L.A. Times Presents podcast from the San Diego Union-Tribune. It's a story about beauty, violence and belonging in Tijuana. Enjoy this sneak peek, and be sure to listen and follow wherever you listen to podcasts.
Introducing 'Foretold'
May 18 2023
Introducing 'Foretold'
"Foretold" is the newest podcast from the L.A. Times, and we're sharing a preview of the first episode with you here today. In the fall of 2019, reporter Faith E. Pinho received a tip from a woman named Paulina Stevens. Paulina claimed she had grown up in an insular Romani community in California, where she was raised to be a wife, mother and fortuneteller — until she decided to break away. That first call unraveled a story spanning multiple continents, hundreds of years, and complex metaphysical realities.  Follow "Foretold" to hear new episodes every Tuesday.