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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In this episode, we're talking about something we've both experienced throughout our years working in crime scene investigation: seeing the worst of humanity.

Following on from our conversation with Maria Tume, we found ourselves reflecting on some of the cases that have stayed with us over the years — cases involving domestic abuse, child abuse, vulnerable adults, murder, and crimes against elderly and vulnerable people.

We talk about the cases that made us angry, the ones that broke our hearts, and the ones that left us struggling to understand how one person could treat another with such cruelty.

But this episode isn't just about the worst of humanity.

Because alongside the horrific things we've seen, we've also witnessed incredible compassion, kindness and resilience. We talk about the people who cared for others when they were at their most vulnerable, the small things we could do as practitioners to make a difficult situation a little easier, and why sometimes those moments stay with you just as much as the crime itself.

And, of course, there's a little bit of our usual humour along the way — including the time Ange brought an elderly lady home from the post office…

Some of these stories are difficult to hear, but they're also a reminder that even when you see the worst of humanity, there is still good to be found.

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

Content warning: this episode discusses domestic violence, child abuse, abuse of a vulnerable adult, murder, and elder abuse. Handled with care, but listener discretion advised.

Support & resources:

· National Domestic Abuse Helpline (Refuge) 0808 2000 247

· NSPCC/Childline 0800 1111

· Hourglass (elder abuse) 0808 808 8141

· Samaritans 116 123

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⚠️ Content Warning: This episode contains discussions of domestic abuse, coercive control, serious violence, grooming, and abuse of power. Listener discretion is advised.

In this powerful and deeply personal episode of The Crime Scene Insiders, we hear Maria Tume’s story of survival, resilience, and the long journey that followed a devastating domestic abuse attack.

After years of experiencing coercive control and violence, Maria made the courageous decision to leave her abusive relationship. Just two weeks later, she survived a brutal attack that left her with life-changing injuries, requiring multiple facial reconstruction surgeries and years of recovery.

Maria's story also reflects a difficult reality: for many survivors, leaving an abusive relationship is the most dangerous time.

But Maria’s story did not end there.

While navigating the criminal justice system and preparing for the prosecution of her attacker, Maria describes experiencing further trauma and betrayal from the very person assigned to investigate her case. She shares her experience of grooming, sexual coercion, and what she describes as an abuse of power by the officer responsible for supporting her through one of the most vulnerable periods of her life.

We discuss the impact of domestic abuse beyond the physical injuries, the challenges survivors face after leaving abusive relationships, the importance of being heard, and why protecting victims must mean more than securing a conviction.

Today, Maria shares her story with honesty, courage and compassion, not only to highlight the failures she experienced, but to offer hope and reassurance to others who may be living through their own journey.

This is Maria's story, in her own words.

---

If this episode has raised anything for you, support is available:

📞 National Domestic Abuse Helpline (Refuge) (for women)

0808 2000 247 (24 hours a day, 7 days a week)

📞 Men's Advice Line (for male victims)

0808 801 0327

🌐 Women's Aid

www.womensaid.org.uk

🌐 Mankind Initiative (support for male victims)

www.mankind.org.uk

🚨 If you or someone else is in immediate danger, always call 999.

If you're worried about someone you know, reaching out safely and encouraging them to seek specialist support could make all the difference.

#TheCrimeSceneInsiders #UnderTheBarrierTape #DomesticAbuseAwareness #TrueCrimePodcast #SurvivorStory #CoerciveControl #EndDomesticAbuse #SpeakOut #DomesticAbuseSurvivor

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How much could your phone, smartwatch or even your car reveal about you?

In a world where around 90% of crimes now have a digital element, digital forensics has never been more important — or more complex.

In this episode, we are joined by digital forensic expert Rachael Medhurst for a fascinating look into one of the fastest-growing areas of modern policing and forensic investigation.

Rachael is a Senior Lecturer in Digital Forensics, co-founder of Positive Cyber Solutions, recently appeared on BBC One's Frontline Fightback, and is the author of the upcoming book Bridging the Gap Between Cyber Security, Forensics and Policing. She is also completing a PhD exploring the forensic challenges posed by emerging technologies, from smart medical devices to connected vehicles.

Together, we go under the barrier tape to explore what digital forensics really involves — from the moment a device lands on an investigator's desk to the painstaking process of extracting, preserving and analysing data that could make or break a case.

We discuss the growing role of digital evidence across all types of crime, the challenges of encryption, cloud storage and AI-generated content, and what the rise of smart technology means for the future of forensic investigation.

Rachael also shares real-life investigations, the cases that have stayed with her, the importance of collaboration between digital and traditional forensic teams, the mental health challenges faced by digital forensic investigators, and her advice for anyone looking to enter this rapidly evolving field.

Whether you're interested in policing, forensic science, cyber security, or simply curious about what your digital footprint says about you, this is an episode you won't want to miss.

🎧 Available wherever you get your podcasts.

#TheCrimeSceneInsiders #TrueCrime #TrueCrimeUK #DigitalForensics #Cybercrime #ForensicScience #UnderTheBarrierTape #Podcast #TrueCrimePodcast #RachaelMedhurst #CyberSecurity #DigitalInvestigation #UniversityOfSouthWales

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On 17th July 2014, Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 was shot down over eastern Ukraine, killing all 298 people on board. It remains the deadliest aircraft shoot-down in history and led to the largest Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) operation ever conducted in the Netherlands.

Twelve years on, we reflect on our first disaster deployment and the 18 months we spent in the Netherlands supporting the response that followed.

This isn't a retelling of MH17. Instead, we're taking you behind the scenes to share the work that continued long after the world's headlines had faded.

From helping to establish the personal effects operation, to supporting bereaved families, we share what it was really like to work as part of a response of this scale. We discuss why the recovery became so politically and logistically complex, how an empty airport hangar became the centre of the personal effects operation before eventually falling silent once more, the unforgettable experience of witnessing a mass repatriation as coffins draped in flags prepare to be returned home, and why something as simple as a plain black comb could mean more to a grieving family than almost anything else.

We also bring you up to date with where the legal proceedings against Russia stand today, more than a decade on.

Join us as we take you back under the barrier tape to explore a side of disaster response that is rarely talked about.

#TrueCrimePodcast #MH17 #DisasterResponse #TheCrimeSceneInsiders #ForensicPodcast #TrueCrimeCommunity

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In the summer of 1986, Brian Price and Susan Tetrault were found brutally murdered in Susan's first floor flat in Clapham, South London. The killings were so extreme that the victims could only be identified by their fingerprints. A suspect was tried at the Old Bailey — and acquitted.

The case was marked as detected — a recording practice that meant if someone was charged, the case was considered cleared, regardless of whether they were convicted. The suspect was acquitted. And yet the case was never reviewed.

This episode is released just days before the 40th anniversary of the murders.

In this episode, we are joined by two people who know this case better than anyone — from two very different perspectives.

Ray Price is Brian's son. He has spent much of his life searching for the truth about what happened to his father, and has become a tenacious investigator in his own right — following leads, tracking down witnesses and refusing to let this case be forgotten.

Alan Jackaman is a former Metropolitan Police detective with over 25 years of service, including murder investigations and murder reviews. He was involved in the original investigation and is the author of three books, including his most recent publication *Alibi: The Unsolved Price Tetrault Murders* — a compelling account of the case, the investigation, and the questions that remain unanswered.

Together, we go under the barrier tape on the victims behind the headlines, the original investigation, the unanswered questions, and the ongoing search for justice.

🚨 APPEAL FOR INFORMATION

Ray and Alan are actively appealing for information. If you have any knowledge that could help, no matter how small, please get in touch.

They are particularly keen to hear from:

- Anyone who was part of Jenifer McNair-Wilson's social circle in 1986 and visited her cottage just off Exbury Road, Blackfield, Hampshire

- Anyone who has any information about Nick Goodall, who was living just off Clapham Common in 1986

If you have any information, please contact us at 📧 info@thecrimesceneinsiders.com or reach out via our social media platforms and we will pass your information directly to Ray and Alan.

⚠️ This episode discusses the details of a violent double murder. Listener discretion is advised.

#TheCrimeSceneInsiders #TrueCrime #TrueCrimeUK #UnsolvedMurder #ColdCase #BrianPrice #SusanTetrault #Clapham #Justice #UnderTheBarrierTape #Podcast #TrueCrimePodcast #Appeal #AlanJackaman

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