Crime rates in the United States have decreased, yet the fascination with true crime remains strong. The genre offers a variety of choices for enthusiasts, including streaming services like Netflix presenting ‘Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story,’ podcasts like ‘Crime Junkie,’ television series such as CBS News’ own ‘48 Hours,’ films like ‘By Any Means,’ and even traditional Court TV.
The intrigue in true crime dates back to 1966 with Truman Capote’s ‘In Cold Blood,’ which recounted the murder of the Clutter family in Kansas. Jean Murley, professor at the Savannah College of Art and Design and a true crime specialist, expressed the profound impact the book had on her. ‘I read Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood at 17 or 18; it hit me as no other book has ever hit me,’ she said. ‘The drama and horrifying reality were captivating.’
Lizzie Borden’s case is a notable story of unsolved crime. Accused of killing Andrew Borden and his wife Abby with a hatchet in 1892, Lizzie was never convicted. Murley comments, ‘It was a high-profile crime with a woman at the center of horrific violence.’ Murley observes the public’s ongoing interest in unsolved crimes and cold cases.
The true crime genre attracts diverse audiences with complex human emotions and mortality as central themes. Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark co-host ‘My Favorite Murder‘ podcast, discussing various true crime stories from their humble beginnings in a Hollywood apartment. The podcast gained traction, garnering over two billion downloads and leading to sold-out live shows and their own podcast network, Exactly Right Media.
Kilgariff emphasizes, ‘Our audiences are people who care and show up with awareness.’ Hardstark adds, ‘True crime as entertainment can worry people. We prioritize victims, understanding our vulnerability as women.’
CrimeCon is an annual event held in Las Vegas, attracting true crime fans and creators alike. ’48 Hours’ correspondent Erin Moriarty expresses caution, aware of the sensitivity surrounding real-life cases and wrongful convictions.
CrimeCon attendees often engage in online sleuthing, seeking to solve cases using publicly accessible information. Moriarty notes, ‘Online sleuths are adept at tracking clues, though it can lead to mistakenly implicating innocent people as seen in cases like Idaho’s Bryan Kohberger.’
Steve and Kristi Goncalves attend CrimeCon to promote ‘Murder Has a Name,’ a foundation in memory of their daughter Kaylee, murdered in 2022. The foundation seeks to fund investigations for unsolved murders. Kristi reflects, ‘Kaylee would be proud of us, and we aim for success.’
At the Lizzie Borden House, now operating as a bed and breakfast, Murley shares insights into maintaining a healthy engagement with true crime. She says, ‘Most people are inherently good, and harm is unimaginable to them. Remind yourself these stories involve real individuals.’