Is It Fiction? The Crimes of Krystian Bala

Is It Fiction? The Crimes of Krystian Bala

Author: True Crime Campfire May 3, 2024 Duration: 46:02
In Dostoevsky’s book Crime and Punishment, the character Raskolnikov says, “All people seem to be divided into 'ordinary' and 'extraordinary'. The ordinary people must lead a life of strict obedience and have no right to transgress the law because they are ordinary. Whereas the extraordinary people have the right to commit any crime they like…just because they happen to be extraordinary.” Spoken like a true psychopath, my dude. It probably won’t surprise you to hear that Raskolnikov murders an old woman in that book—not just for the money, but to prove to himself how “extraordinary” he is. That the rules most of us abide by aren’t for him. Today’s case is about a modern-day Raskolnikov—a self-proclaimed intellectual whose grandiose narcissism hid a deep well of rage and insecurity, and led him to not only commit a brutal murder, but to tell us all about it on his blog. Download the game "June's Journey" on Apple iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/junes-journey-hidden-objects/id1200391796"June's Journey" on Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.wooga.junes_journey_hidden_object_mystery_game&hl=en&gl=US&pli=1Sources:The New Yorker, David Grann: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2008/02/11/true-crimeTaipei Times: https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/archives/2007/09/23/2003380130The Guardian, Elizabeth Day: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2007/sep/16/crimebooks.featuresSky TV's "Killers: Behind the Myth," episode "Bala: The Novel Killer"Follow us, campers!Patreon (join to get all episodes ad-free, at least a day early, an extra episode a month, and a free sticker!): https://patreon.com/TrueCrimeCampfirehttps://www.truecrimecampfirepod.com/Facebook: True Crime CampfireInstagram: https://gramha.net/profile/truecrimecampfire/19093397079Twitter: @TCCampfire https://twitter.com/TCCampfireEmail: truecrimecampfirepod@gmail.comMERCH! https://true-crime-campfire.myspreadshop.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime-campfire--4251960/support. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gather round the True Crime Campfire with Katie and Whitney, where the stories are dark but the atmosphere is surprisingly warm. This isn't your standard procedural recap; it's a narrative journey into the human condition, exploring societal undercurrents and the strange, often forgotten corners of history through the lens of true crime. You can settle in for a long, chilling tale with their first season, a deep dive into the bizarre case dubbed The Puppet Master and the Prince of Darkness. Or, if you prefer your mysteries in weekly installments, their second season serves up a new stranger-than-fiction story with every episode. What makes this podcast so compelling is the balance struck by the hosts: their meticulous research provides a solid foundation, while their natural chemistry and well-timed comic relief make even the most complex cases accessible and strangely welcoming. The storytelling is seamless, pulling you into each twist without sensationalism. It’s the kind of show that makes a long drive disappear or turns a household chore into an immersive experience, proving that the most haunting stories are often those told with a human voice and a thoughtful perspective.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

True Crime Campfire
Podcast Episodes
Less Dead: Serial Killer Robert Willie Pickton, Pt 3 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:34
Once an avalanche starts, there’s nothing that can be done to stop it. You can prevent them, you can prepare for them, but by the time you start to hear the ice cracking, it’s almost always too late. The case of Willie P…
Less Dead: Serial Killer Robert Willie Pickton Pt 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:35
When we last left off, Willie Pickton was just starting his reign of terror over the women of the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver. Nancy Clark was missing, along with several other women, whose disappearances would never…
Less Dead: Serial Killer Robert Willie Pickton, Pt 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:48
In his book, Encyclopedia of Murder and Violent Crime, Eric Hickey wrote about a type of victim that he called, “the Less Dead”. These are people that are seen by the media or law enforcement as having less value than ot…
Cradle to Grave, Volume II: Two More Killer Kids [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:43
Adults like to think of kids as the embodiment of innocence—and in a lot of ways, they are. But…remember what it was like to actually be a kid? Did other kids seem innocent to us then? Not so much. The playground could b…
The People's Monster: Serial Killer in the City of Light Pt 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:12
In Part One last week, we introduced you to the strange world of Marcel Petiot, doctor, failed politician, and serial killer in wartime Paris. The horrific discovery of dismembered bodies at Dr. Petiot’s mansion had trig…
The People's Monster: Serial Killer in the City of Light Pt 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:38
There aren’t many darker places to be than in a city occupied by an enemy during a brutal war, living without freedom, in constant fear, and with little or no recourse to justice. For a crime to be able to shock even peo…
Ensnared: The Murder of Katy Briscoe [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:28
Sometimes, danger comes in hot, with blazing red flags and alarm bells so loud they drown out everything else. Plenty of warning signs to activate the fight or flight instinct, put us on guard. But that’s not always the…
Lost Highway: The Murders at Moclips Beach [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:47
It’s kind of hard to pin down what the first slasher movie was. Do you start with “Psycho” in 1960? Go even further back? But there’s no real doubt when the genre blossomed—the 1970s. And that makes sense, because the 19…
Gaslight, Gatekeep, GirlBoss: A Girl Gang Grab-Bag [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:23
Like most American Millennials, I was subjected to Drug Abuse Resistance Education, or DARE. It was the typical kind of “Drugs Are Bad, mmmkay?” sort of thing. Police officers would come to school and show 2nd graders pi…
One Step Behind: A Stalkers Grab Bag [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:29
Obsession can be a good thing. An obsessed athlete can spend hours practicing to be the best they can be, an obsessed collector can find joy and community in the thrill of the hunt, or obsession can drive an artist to ex…