True crime podcasts are intensely engaging, so it is no surprise that they consistently rank as some of the most popular podcast series on platforms such as Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
Many of these crime podcasts feature their own unique spin on the familiar crime podcast format, which usually sees each episode explore a different crime or multiple episodes in a single series exploring a specific crime in exhaustive detail.
However, crime podcasts tend to take one of two forms usually.
Either they play everything very seriously and with the weight it deserves, or they add a slightly more comedic spin to the crime stories that are explored.
However, the True Crime Garage Podcast sets itself apart in its ability to explore each crime thoughtfully without ever becoming dire or depressing to listen to.
The show has a very laid-back form but is not an outright comedy crime podcast.
Because of the heavy acclaim the series has experienced, you’ve likely come to find out how you can get into it yourself and which episodes stand out as the best of the best.
Read on below to get started.
Check out True Crime Garage on our list of The Best True Crime Podcasts.
Table of Contents
Episode 566 – Heather Norris
Missing person stories are always immensely heartbreaking and somewhat unsettling, and this story concerning the disappearance of Heather Norris is particularly tragic.
Heather Norris was a particularly spirited and energetic young woman who had everything going for her and so much left to achieve in her life.
And yet, she suddenly went missing in April of 2007.
Though Heather still has not been found, her family continues searching for answers regarding her whereabouts and what led to her disappearance.
Her family was quick to jump into action to find answers from the second she first disappeared, and still, their passion continues to be inspiring and deeply heartbreaking.
This episode will have you in absolute awe at the lengths some people will go to help the people they deeply love.
The episode starts by exploring the days leading up to Heather’s disappearance to find some clues that may suggest just what could have happened and why such an unsuspecting girl could have gone missing.
The episode then goes through the events that occurred in the wake of the disappearance. Listening to hear how the case widens and how the mystery unfolds is profoundly satisfying and engrossing.
This is the perfect episode to tune into if you’re looking for something to make you feel like you’re right there in the investigation. It’ll leave you feeling devastated when the episode ends.
Listen on truecrimegarage.com.
Episode 541 – Paige Coffey
True Crime Garage discusses crime cases from previous decades or years, and sometimes the show also talks about more recent ones.
In this episode of the series, our hosts talk about the very unfortunate recent disappearance of Paige Coffey, another energetic and friendly young woman who suddenly went missing despite all of the great things going on in her life.
This episode explores what could have led to her disappearance and what is being done to help bring justice to Paige’s family.
The episode is also an open appeal for all listeners to contact the police with any potential details on Coffey’s case.
This episode serves as a fantastic reminder of the power of the series and how it is genuinely invested not only in exploring true crime but also in getting justice for the victims.
Listen on truecrimegarage.com.
Episode 488 – Debbie Wolfe
Cold cases are genuinely amongst the most frightening crime cases ever. The idea that a person could go missing entirely without a trace and never be found again is deeply unsettling.
Unfortunately, ‘Cold case’ is a perfect description of the case of Debbie Wolf, who suddenly disappeared after clocking out from work on December 26th, 1985.
What makes the case so genuinely intriguing and upsetting is that Debbie’s life and career were both proving to be very promising, so it would be bizarre for her to throw all of that away.
The most likely outcome is that she was kidnapped and perhaps even murdered, but there is no confirmation whatsoever on what grim fate she may have met.
This episode will get your spine-tingling and quickly have you on the edge of your seat.
You’ll find yourself fully engaged as you try to piece together the details in your mind to try and make sense of such a disturbing and upsetting case.
As the details are slowly explored throughout the episode, you’ll find that the mystery becomes more confounding, and it becomes obvious how the case could go cold.
Listen on truecrimegarage.com.
Episode 424 – A Bad Day In Austin
This episode has a very basic hook that gets you fully engaged right from the start and will keep you enraptured until it reaches its very sordid conclusion.
The episode concerns one terrible day in Austin, Texas, on May 18th, 1978. But why is this day still remembered to this very day, and why was it so bad for an entire city as large as Austin, Texas?
You will find yourself creeping close to the very edge of your seat as more and more secrets are revealed, and it becomes more and more clear why the day became so infamous across the city.
I strongly recommend this episode to anyone who wants an intensely engaging yarn that you will have difficulty resisting listening to.
The story will have you hooked from the beginning and keep you engrossed throughout.
Listen on truecrimegarage.com.
Episode 347 – Elyse Pahler
This episode has a very haunting conclusion, and it will sit in the back of your mind for days afterward.
This is easily one of the most haunting episodes, thanks to the horrifying events that led to the case and the revelations made throughout the investigation.
15-year-old Elyse Pahler suddenly left her family home for unknown reasons one day and never returned.
Her father eventually reported the disappearance on July 23rd, 1995, and the search never led to anything substantial, satisfying, or conclusive for her family.
However, what was found throughout the investigation was shocking, and without spoiling any of the revelations in this episode,
I have certainty in saying that you will find yourself completely in shock.
It is easily one of the most powerful episodes of the show and easily has one of the biggest surprises over its long and successful run.
This episode is perfect no matter what kind of mystery or crime story you’re looking for. It has everything you could want in a true-crime podcast, including a gripping narrative, a great cast of characters, and some alarming twists and turns.
Listen on truecrimegarage.com.
Episode 319 – Patrick Dennehy
Sometimes, cases and subsequent investigations lead to very few conclusions or concrete answers or evidence and often leave us with more questions than when we first head in.
Hearing about such cases is always very mind-bending, and this is easily one of the best examples of a cold case that reveals more questions than answers.
This episode is a prime example of how a seemingly simple case can be much more complicated than initially thought and how a seemingly straightforward investigation is far more convoluted than initially anticipated.
This episode will have you profoundly unsettled but entirely in the grip of the mystery until the very end.
You’ll also find yourself thinking about the case for days after listening to the episode and trying to piece its disparate elements together into something that makes even the slightest bit of sense!
It is truly an incredible case, and you owe it to yourself to try this episode out. You won’t regret it at all.
Listen on truecrimegarage.com.
Episode 307 – Elliott Smith
The sudden death of immensely popular singer Elliott Smith sent waves through the music industry, especially after it was revealed that Elliott was found dead with two stab wounds in his chest after an argument with his girlfriend.
However, the solution to this case has never been clear. It is still hotly debated whether Elliott stabbed himself, it was an accident, or if his girlfriend stabbed him.
This episode explores every possible angle to try to work out which one is most plausible, to get a little bit closer to revealing the truth, hopefully.
This means that the episode has a very casual and conversational style, so it is effortless and comfortable to listen to and will have you engaged from the very beginning to the end.
If you want to know a little more about the Elliott Smith case and the circumstances surrounding his death, then this episode is a must-listen.
The information provided here is fascinating, and you will learn a lot about the life and career of the late musician.
Listen on truecrimegarage.com.
Episode 301 – The Invisible Man
The story of the Invisible Man isn’t just relegated to the world of fiction. One day, in 1993, one woman notified her local police force that her husband was missing.
The only thing is, it had been more than six months since she last saw him.
How can it have taken this long to report? Her husband has never once been located, and nor can it be easily estimated what might have happened to him.
This is easily one of the most confounding crime cases in recent memory, and it has continued to stump detectives for many years.
You may not get any closer to solving the case by listening to this episode, but you will gain the clearest possible portrait of the crime.
It is incredibly interesting to listen to, and you’ll find that the fifty-minute run time flies by because your mind will be fully engaged in the story. It’s incredible.
Listen on truecrimegarage.com.
Episode 263 – Last Will & Testament
This is the creepiest episode of the entire series. The episode explores the disappearance of a seventeen-year-old girl in 1985.
She disappeared without a trace until, one day, her car was found in the driveway of her family home.
Inside the car is a single letter with the words ‘Last Will And Testament’ emblazoned on it.
The contents of that very letter are deeply unsettling. Though it provides very few clues about the poor girl’s unfortunate fate, the circumstances regarding the entire case remain murky, and it has since gone cold.
If you want to experience one of the best episodes this series offers, you can not go wrong with this fantastic episode.
It will shock you to your core and have you thinking about it for eternity once the episode is finished. It is a masterpiece of true-crime storytelling.
Listen on truecrimegarage.com.
Episode 298 – Who Crucified The Pastor?
Let’s end this list with a truly amazing episode.
This early episode explores the 2009 case of a well-loved community pastor who was suddenly found murdered inside a small church in Oklahoma.
Her body was found posed in the crucifix position to make matters worse.
This makes the case a sordid and targeted attack that will leave you deeply unsettled.
You owe it to yourself to check out this episode. It is truly horrifying, and you will be engaged throughout its entire hour-length run.
Listen on truecrimegarage.com.
Check out True Crime Garage on our list of The Best True Crime Podcasts.
