Our approach
Curiosity, grounded
in the record.
The Case File is a collection of documented true-crime and unusual-crime stories from across the United States. The focus is on how events unfolded, how evidence was evaluated, and what the record can—and cannot—establish.
Sources stay within reach.
Numbered references lead to a source list in every article. Court opinions, government records and reliable reporting underpin the accounts. A prosecution allegation, a guilty plea, a civil judgment and a criminal conviction mean different things; the stories preserve those distinctions.
Places provide context.
Our interactive maps connect events to their geography. Most markers locate a town, city or county rather than an exact crime scene. Each includes a precision note and separate links to the event and coordinate sources. The maps do not reconstruct a suspect’s route.
People before spectacle.
A clever scheme or surprising piece of evidence does not erase the harm. The writing avoids invented dialogue, unsupported motives and graphic detail added for effect. Context photographs are labeled and credited. All stories include original editorial evidence illustrations with visible disclosure labels; these are not authentic evidence photographs or exhibits. Key-evidence symbols distinguish conviction evidence, disputed evidence and exclusions and reversals. No symbol means one item proved a whole case.
The collection
Explore 75 stories with source lists, evidence galleries and chronological maps. Each case account reflects the records and reporting cited on its page.