When True Crime Becomes A Place You Can Visit
Mon Jan 26 2026
True crime is usually something we consume at a distance, through headlines, documentaries, podcasts. But what happens when those stories are tied to real places you can stand in front of?
In this bonus episode, I’m joined by Adam Paul Levine, the founder of Graveline Tours, a Los Angeles–based company that takes people through the city’s most infamous crime scenes in restored vintage funeral limousines.
On its surface, true crime tourism can feel unsettling. But Adam and I quickly find ourselves asking the same questions: why are we drawn to these stories in the first place? What responsibility do storytellers have to victims and their families? And where is the line between education, empathy, and exploitation?
Much of our conversation centers on the Menendez brothers case, from the media’s fixation on sexuality and spectacle, to the cultural moment that shaped the trials, to the ripple effects of the O.J. Simpson case on their fate. We talk about how narratives are built, distorted, and remembered and how those narratives still carry real consequences today.
Want early access to every episode, all at once? Tenderfoot+ subscribers get the full case at the start of each month—plus ad-free listening and exclusive content from over 30 shows. Sign up at tenderfootplus.com.
Find all action items, sources, and resources in the show notes at truercrimepodcast.com.
Keep up with us through our Truer Crime Substack Newsletter.
Follow @truercrimepod on Instagram and X.
Follow me @celisiastanton on Instagram and TikTok.
Sign up for my weekly newsletter, Sincerely, Celisia.
To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy
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True crime is usually something we consume at a distance, through headlines, documentaries, podcasts. But what happens when those stories are tied to real places you can stand in front of? In this bonus episode, I’m joined by Adam Paul Levine, the founder of Graveline Tours, a Los Angeles–based company that takes people through the city’s most infamous crime scenes in restored vintage funeral limousines. On its surface, true crime tourism can feel unsettling. But Adam and I quickly find ourselves asking the same questions: why are we drawn to these stories in the first place? What responsibility do storytellers have to victims and their families? And where is the line between education, empathy, and exploitation? Much of our conversation centers on the Menendez brothers case, from the media’s fixation on sexuality and spectacle, to the cultural moment that shaped the trials, to the ripple effects of the O.J. Simpson case on their fate. We talk about how narratives are built, distorted, and remembered and how those narratives still carry real consequences today. Want early access to every episode, all at once? Tenderfoot+ subscribers get the full case at the start of each month—plus ad-free listening and exclusive content from over 30 shows. Sign up at tenderfootplus.com. Find all action items, sources, and resources in the show notes at truercrimepodcast.com. Keep up with us through our Truer Crime Substack Newsletter. Follow @truercrimepod on Instagram and X. Follow me @celisiastanton on Instagram and TikTok. Sign up for my weekly newsletter, Sincerely, Celisia. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices