The Canoe Man: The Unbelievable Fake Death of John Darwin

The Canoe Man: The Unbelievable Fake Death of John Darwin

Author: Moms and Mysteries Podcast February 10, 2026 Duration: 49:35
John Darwin, a prison officer from the UK, vanishes after a morning kayak trip, leaving behind a shattered canoe and a grieving family. After he’s declared legally dead, his wife Anne collects a £250,000 life insurance payout. But the story is far from over. Five years later, John walks into a police station claiming amnesia, unraveling a web of deceit that includes a secret passage, a new life in Panama, and a single photograph that exposed one of the most audacious fake-death scams in modern history. Thank you to this week's sponsors! Start your risk-free Greenlight trial today at Greenlight.com/moms. Download Cash App Today: https://click.cash.app/ui6m/vwn13ren #CashAppPod. Cash App is a financial services platform, not a bank. Banking services provided by Cash App’s bank partner(s). Prepaid debit cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC. See terms and conditions at https://cash.app/legal/us/en-us/card-agreement. Direct deposit and promotions provided by Cash App, a Block, Inc. brand. Visit http://cash.app/legal/podcast for full disclosures. New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday! Follow us on Instagram: @momsandmysteries Join our Patreon: patreon.com/momsandmysteries Watch on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@momsandmysteries Visit our website: momsandmysteries.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Between school drop-offs and grocery runs, Mandy and Melissa found a shared obsession with the unanswered questions lurking in the shadows. Moms and Mysteries: A True Crime Podcast is the result: a conversation that feels like sitting at a kitchen table with two friends who are deeply curious about the human condition. Their perspective is uniquely grounded, examining each story not just for its shock value, but for the societal threads and personal tragedies that weave it together. You’ll hear them discuss everything from the strangely specific weirdness of a Florida crime to a globally known cold case, always with a blend of empathy and a dash of necessary, dark humor. This isn't a clinical report; it's a twice-weekly deep dive fueled by a lifelong fascination with mysteries, both big and small. The tone is warm, the research is thorough, and the conversation is the kind you get hooked on. New episodes of this true crime podcast arrive every Tuesday and Thursday, ready to be your companion during a commute or while folding laundry. They’ve been asking "how did this happen?" since they were kids, and now they’re pulling up a chair for you to join that ongoing, compelling discussion.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

Moms and Mysteries: A True Crime Podcast
Podcast Episodes
[Heist] The Bad Grandpas: The Hatton Garden Heist [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:10
In 2015, a group of elderly criminals—average age 63—pulled off one of the biggest jewelry heists in British history, stealing an estimated £14 million from the Hatton Garden Safe Deposit Company. Using old-school tactic…
[Unsolved] The Hall-Mills Murders: Forbidden Love [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:44
In 1922, the bodies of Reverend Edward Hall and choir singer Eleanor Mills were found under a crab apple tree in New Jersey, arranged in a macabre tableau. Their love letters were scattered around them, exposing their af…
[Unsolved] The Missing Millionaire: Captain Loewenstein [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:47
In 1928, Belgian millionaire Alfred Loewenstein was flying over the English Channel in his private plane when he mysteriously vanished mid-flight. His body was later found in the sea, but the circumstances of his death r…
Justice for Megan Trussell: An Unsolved Death [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:01
An 18-year-old college freshman, full of creativity and ambition, walked out of her dorm room one cold February night in 2024 and never made it back. Megan Trussell was a gifted artist and bright student at Arapahoe Comm…
Dr. Sam Sheppard: The Trial That Gripped America [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:39
In 1954, Dr. Sam Sheppard's pregnant wife Marilyn was brutally murdered in their Ohio home. Sheppard claimed a "bushy-haired intruder" attacked them both, but prosecutors believed he was the killer. The sensational trial…
[Serial Killer] Belle Gunness: America's Most Deadly Widow [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:15
Belle Gunness was a Norwegian immigrant who turned her Indiana farm into a graveyard. Between 1884 and 1908, she lured dozens of suitors through "lonely hearts" advertisements, promising marriage and a life on her prospe…
Charles Ponzi: The Original Pyramid Scheme [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:37
Before Bernie Madoff, before cryptocurrency scams, there was Charles Ponzi—the man who gave his name to one of history's most infamous fraud schemes. In 1920, the Italian immigrant promised investors a 50% return in just…
[Wrongful Conviction] Michael Politte: Framed for Murder [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:45
In 1998, 14-year-old Michael Politte woke up to find his Missouri home engulfed in flames and his mother dead inside. Within hours, investigators decided Michael was the killer, despite a complete lack of physical eviden…
[Crossover] Barefoot Bandit + The Knife Podcast [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:09
At 19 years old, Colton Harris-Moore became one of America's most wanted fugitives—and a folk hero to some. Dubbed the "Barefoot Bandit" because he often committed crimes without shoes, Colton stole cars, boats, and even…