What is life really like as a private investigator?

In Episode 39, we're joined by Paul Hagan, an experienced private investigator and author of Looking Beneath the Surface, to hear about a career that has taken him into extraordinary, unpredictable and at times dangerous situations.

Paul shares stories from his years as a PI, from surveillance jobs that didn't go to plan and investigations that put his own life at risk, to one particularly devastating betrayal that left him rebuilding his life from scratch.

But Paul's career eventually became deeply personal. While writing his book, he began looking into the past of his estranged brother, Dean Hagan, and that research eventually led him to take a closer look at the 1986 murders of Brian Price and Susan Tetrault. Dean stood trial for the murders and was acquitted. No other suspects have been identified, and the murders remain unsolved, with questions still surrounding what, if any, involvement Dean may have had.

Paul tells us about approaching the case not just as an investigator, but as a brother. We discuss his thoughts on the evidence surrounding the case, the questions around motive and opportunity, and why so much still remains unanswered.

This episode follows on from Episode 32, where we explored the murders with Brian's son, Ray Price, and former Met detective Alan Jackaman, who was involved in the original investigation.

It's important to stress that Dean Hagan was acquitted of the murders, and any discussion of his possible involvement remains speculation.

Paul's book, Looking Beneath the Surface, is available here:

https://www.amazon.com/Looking-Beneath-Surface-Paul-Hagan/dp/B0H4M22QZ2/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&sr=1-1

Join us as we take you back under the barrier tape.

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When you hear the word "cult", what comes to mind?

For many of us, it's the infamous groups we've seen in documentaries and true crime programmes: Jonestown, Heaven's Gate, the Manson Family. But what if our understanding of cults is much narrower than it should be?

In Episode 38, we're joined by Kacey Baker, creator and host of the award-nominated podcast Cult Vault, to explore the psychology of cults, recruitment and coercive control, and why almost anyone could be vulnerable to manipulation.

Kacey has spent years speaking to cult survivors, researchers and experts, and has completed postgraduate research into the psychology of coercive control. We talk about what actually makes a group a cult, why "how easy is it to leave?" is often the clearest way to spot a cult from the outside, and how manipulation can begin with something as seemingly innocent as finding friendship, community or a place where you feel you belong.

We discuss love bombing, isolation, dependency, loaded language, the "us versus them" mentality and why leaving isn't as simple as "just walking away".

But coercive control doesn't only exist within traditional religious cults.

We explore how the same mechanisms can appear in abusive relationships, workplaces, gangs, wellness movements and online communities — and how social media has created new opportunities for recruitment, manipulation and control.

We also look at the warning signs that friends and family might notice, what happens when someone finally leaves, why recovery can be so complicated, and how Kacey's own understanding of cults changed through listening to survivors.

It's a fascinating conversation that challenges some of the assumptions we might have about who joins cults, why they stay, and whether we would really recognise one if we encountered it ourselves.

Because perhaps the most uncomfortable question is this: could it happen to you?

You can find more from Kacey, including Cult Vault's episode archive and support resources for anyone affected by coercive control or cult involvement, at cultvaultpodcast.com.

Join us as we take you back under the barrier tape.

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In this special bonus episode, released to mark the 25th anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks, we're honoured to welcome one of the world's most respected forensic pathologists, Dr Richard Shepherd, who was on the ground in New York in the aftermath of the attacks.

Over a career spanning more than four decades and more than 23,000 post-mortem examinations, Dr Shepherd has worked on many of the world's most significant investigations and major incidents.

In this special episode, Dr Shepherd reflects on his experience of travelling to New York following the attacks of 11th September 2001 and working as part of the international forensic response.

This isn't a discussion about the events of 9/11 themselves. Instead, it's an honest and thoughtful conversation about what happened afterwards — the enormous challenge of recovering and identifying victims, the realities of working in the aftermath of a disaster on an unprecedented scale, and the lasting impact such events have on the professionals involved.

As former crime scene investigators and disaster response consultants, we also reflect on our own experiences of major incident response — making this a conversation between practitioners about a subject few people ever witness first-hand.

Together, we discuss:

Dr Shepherd's role following the attacks and his experiences in New York.

The realities and challenges of disaster victim identification.

The emotional impact of working on large-scale fatality incidents.

The lessons learned from one of the most significant disaster responses in modern history.

Why, 25 years later, the legacy of 9/11 continues to be felt by survivors, families and first responders.

As we mark this significant anniversary, we remember everyone who lost their lives on 11th September 2001, together with their families, the first responders, recovery workers and all those whose lives were forever changed. Nearly 7,000 people have since died from illnesses linked to their time at Ground Zero — surpassing the number killed on the day itself. It's a reminder that the consequences of disasters like this continue long after the headlines have faded.

🎟️ If you'd like to hear more from Dr Shepherd, his live tour, Unnatural Causes – Time of Death, is coming this autumn. Find dates and tickets at: https://drrichardshepherd.com/

🕊️ To learn more about the National September 11 Memorial & Museum, and to mark the 25th anniversary, visit: www.911memorial.org

#TheCrimeSceneInsiders #UnderTheBarrierTape #911 #DrRichardShepherd #ForensicPathology #ForensicScience #NeverForget

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