156: Ken & Barbie Killers

156: Ken & Barbie Killers

June 15, 2026 · 40 min · Season 1 · Episode 159

About this episode

This episode examines the crimes of Paul Bernardo and Karla Homolka, focusing on the investigation and the failures that allowed their crimes to continue.

When a series of brutal sexual assaults terrorized the Toronto area in the late 1980s and early 1990s, investigators struggled to identify the man responsible. That man was Paul Bernardo—a serial rapist who would later become one half of one of Canada's most infamous criminal couples. In this episode of Over My Dead Pod , we examine the crimes of Paul Bernardo and Karla Homolka, whose partnership shocked the world and sparked decades of controversy. We follow the investigation from the unsolved "Scarborough Rapist" attacks through the murders of teenage girls Leslie Mahaffy and Kristen French, and the tragic death of Karla's own sister, Tammy Homolka. But this case isn't just about the crimes. It's also about the mistakes that allowed them to continue. We'll explore the investigative failures, communication breakdowns, and delayed DNA testing that kept Bernardo off law enforcement's radar for years despite mounting evidence. We also examine the controversial plea agreement that earned Karla Homolka a reduced sentence before prosecutors discovered videotapes revealing the extent of her involvement—an outcome that led many Canadians to question whether justice was ever truly…

More episodes of Over My Dead Pod

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Over My Dead Pod podcast page.