The Free Press Investigates
- Episodes
- 21
- Format
- Series – listen from the start
- Latest episode
- Jun 23, 2026
About the podcast
In our new season, Veteran reporter Joe Nocera investigates a 94-year-old crime that deserves a second look: the kidnapping and murder of Charles Lindbergh Jr. ---- The Free Press Investigates brings you gripping, deeply reported stories you can't find anywhere else—and the investigations others won’t dare to cover. You can also listen to our first series, The Witch Trials of J.K. Rowling.
Episodes 21
EP06 | May The Best Conspiracy Win
In the final episode of The Lindbergh Conspiracies, Joe and Poppy revisit the case’s most compelling theories one last time—from Robert Zorn’s claim that a German immigrant named John Knoll was the true …
Show notes
In the final episode of The Lindbergh Conspiracies, Joe and Poppy revisit the case’s most compelling theories one last time—from Robert Zorn’s claim that a German immigrant named John Knoll was the true mastermind, to Robert Cahill’s methodical argument that Bruno Hauptmann acted alone. They also follow one lawyer’s ongoing legal battle to secure DNA testing on the ransom notes. It’s a fight that could either settle the case once and for all—or add new fuel to the fire.
Reading list:
Hour of Gold, Hour of Lead — Anne Morrow Lindbergh (1973)
Scapegoat: The Lonesome Death of Bruno Richard Hauptmann — Anthony Scaduto (1976)
The Airman and the Carpenter — Ludovic Kennedy (1985)
Hauptmann’s Ladder — Richard T. Cahill Jr. (1986)
Crime of the Century — Gregg Ahlgren & Stephen Monier (1993)
Beneath the Winter Sycamores — Jim Bahm (2000)
The Case That Never Dies — Lloyd C. Gardner (2004)
Lindbergh — Thomas Doherty (2005)
Lindbergh’s Baby — Candace Fleming (2011)
The Lindbergh Kidnapping: Suspect No. 1 — Robert Zorn (2012)
Suspect No. 1 — Lise Pearlman (2017)
The Lindbergh Nanny — Mariah Fredericks (2020)
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EP05 | Suspect Number 1
In the decades after the trial, a conclusion that once seemed certain begins to collapse. As Charles Lindbergh’s legacy darkens and a postwar America grows more suspicious of official narratives, new theories …
Show notes
In the decades after the trial, a conclusion that once seemed certain begins to collapse. As Charles Lindbergh’s legacy darkens and a postwar America grows more suspicious of official narratives, new theories arise about what really happened—and who really killed the Lindbergh baby.
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EP04 | The Trial of the Century
If the kidnapping was the Crime of the Century, then the trial that followed was the Trial of the Century. At the center of it all stands the accused—a man who insists on the stand that he is innocent. Nearly a …
Show notes
If the kidnapping was the Crime of the Century, then the trial that followed was the Trial of the Century. At the center of it all stands the accused—a man who insists on the stand that he is innocent. Nearly a hundred years later, we ask: Could he have been telling the truth?
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EP03 | Follow The Money
The investigation closes in on a German immigrant carpenter from the Bronx. When a chunk of the ransom money is discovered at his home, investigators think they’ve found a “smoking gun.” But is the evidence as …
Show notes
The investigation closes in on a German immigrant carpenter from the Bronx. When a chunk of the ransom money is discovered at his home, investigators think they’ve found a “smoking gun.” But is the evidence as airtight as it seems? Or is it a sign of a wider conspiracy that was never fully exposed?
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EP02 | The Great Aviator
Charles Lindbergh is not just the father of a kidnapped child—he is the most celebrated man on Earth, and increasingly the one shaping how the investigation unfolds. But behind the heroic image is a more …
Show notes
Charles Lindbergh is not just the father of a kidnapped child—he is the most celebrated man on Earth, and increasingly the one shaping how the investigation unfolds. But behind the heroic image is a more complicated figure: both controlling and naive, and willing to overrule the police entrusted with finding his son. Does Lindbergh’s strange behavior hold any clues to the mystery?
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EP01 | The Broken Window
One night in March 1932, the infant son of aviator Charles Lindbergh is taken from his nursery. A warped window, a ladder, and a ransom note mark the beginning of a case that will grip the world and launch a …
Show notes
One night in March 1932, the infant son of aviator Charles Lindbergh is taken from his nursery. A warped window, a ladder, and a ransom note mark the beginning of a case that will grip the world and launch a hundred conspiracy theories. Ninety-four years later, we return to the scene of the crime to ask: What really happened that night?
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Season 3 Trailer | The Lindbergh Conspiracies
Veteran reporter Joe Nocera investigates a 94-year-old crime that deserves a second look: the kidnapping and murder of Charles Lindbergh, Jr. Little Lindy was the infant son of the most famous man in the world …
Show notes
Veteran reporter Joe Nocera investigates a 94-year-old crime that deserves a second look: the kidnapping and murder of Charles Lindbergh, Jr.
Little Lindy was the infant son of the most famous man in the world at the time, an aviator who had achieved impossible feats. Unsurprisingly, the case was a media sensation in 1932, especially when German immigrant Bruno Hauptmann was tried and executed for the crime. Hauptmann professed his innocence to the end; could he have been telling the truth? Joe embeds with a community of sleuths who think so, believing the authorities convicted the wrong guy and fighting for the DNA to be tested to prove it.
This is a series that asks: Was this case America’s first great conspiracy?
Subscriber here.
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Spiral | 5. A Beautiful but Imperfect System
A startling legal twist changes the case’s outcome, possibly forever. As we reflect on Samantha Woll’s legacy—especially that of a bridge builder between opposing views, her loved ones undertake the hard work …
Show notes
A startling legal twist changes the case’s outcome, possibly forever. As we reflect on Samantha Woll’s legacy—especially that of a bridge builder between opposing views, her loved ones undertake the hard work of healing as they continue to fight for justice.
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Become a paid subscriber to The Free Press to binge the full series today, and with reduced ads. Click here to subscribe.
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Host: Frannie Block
Producer: Poppy Damon
Executive Editor: Emily Yoffe
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Contact us at: [email protected]
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Spiral | 4. Bring It On
The prosecution believes the case is airtight, but when the defendant takes the stand, the case takes a turn. With alternate suspects introduced, the jury must decide what they believe really happened to …
Show notes
The prosecution believes the case is airtight, but when the defendant takes the stand, the case takes a turn. With alternate suspects introduced, the jury must decide what they believe really happened to Samantha Woll.
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Become a paid subscriber to The Free Press to binge the full series today, and with reduced ads. Click here to subscribe.
----
Host: Frannie Block
Producer: Poppy Damon
Executive Editor: Emily Yoffe
---
Contact us at: [email protected]
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Spiral | 3. Motive and Opportunity
Samantha Woll’s ex-boyfriend calls 911 in a panic. He tells the police he thinks he might have killed her. When they bring him in for questioning, he explains he was having a drug-induced temporary break …
Show notes
Samantha Woll’s ex-boyfriend calls 911 in a panic. He tells the police he thinks he might have killed her. When they bring him in for questioning, he explains he was having a drug-induced temporary break.
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Become a paid subscriber to The Free Press to binge the full series today, and with reduced ads. Click here to subscribe.
----
Host: Frannie Block
Producer: Poppy Damon
Executive Editor: Emily Yoffe
---
Contact us at: [email protected]
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Spiral | 2. Wrong Place, Wrong Time?
A man seen breaking into cars near the crime scene is arrested, and he lies to police about what he’s been up to. But does that make him a killer? As the case builds against him, his defense team uncovers a …
Show notes
A man seen breaking into cars near the crime scene is arrested, and he lies to police about what he’s been up to. But does that make him a killer? As the case builds against him, his defense team uncovers a piece of evidence that could change everything.
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Become a paid subscriber to The Free Press to binge the full series today, and with reduced ads. Click here to subscribe
----
Host: Frannie Block
Producer: Poppy Damon
Executive Editor: Emily Yoffe
---
Contact us at: [email protected]
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Spiral | 1. One of 36 Angels
Samantha Woll, 40, was a beloved Detroit Jewish community leader with her life ahead of her. Tragically, she is found stabbed to death outside her home exactly two weeks after the October 7, 2023 attacks on …
Show notes
Samantha Woll, 40, was a beloved Detroit Jewish community leader with her life ahead of her. Tragically, she is found stabbed to death outside her home exactly two weeks after the October 7, 2023 attacks on Israel. Investigators follow a mysterious figure caught on camera: Is this truly a hate crime, or something else?
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Become a paid subscriber to The Free Press to binge the full series today, and with reduced ads. Click here to subscribe
----
Host: Frannie Block
Producer: Poppy Damon
Executive Editor: Emily Yoffe
---
Contact us at: [email protected]
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Season 2 Trailer | Spiral: Murder in Detroit
On October 21, 2023, beloved Detroit community leader Samantha Woll was found brutally stabbed to death outside her home—two weeks to the day after the October 7 attacks on Israel. It looks like an …
Show notes
On October 21, 2023, beloved Detroit community leader Samantha Woll was found brutally stabbed to death outside her home—two weeks to the day after the October 7 attacks on Israel. It looks like an open-and-shut case—a hate crime. But swiftly the police rule that out. Instead they eventually find themselves with two unrelated suspects. When they charge one with murder, the case takes a turn that raises questions about antisemitism, race, and justice in America.
Hosted by The Free Press’s Frannie Block, this podcast series will be available October 21st 2025. It features exclusive interviews and explores the remarkable, too-short life of Samantha, and the impact she had. And Spiral tells the bizarre twists and turns of one of Detroit’s most haunting recent crimes.----
Email us at [email protected]
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Become a paid subscriber to The Free Press to binge the full series today, and with reduced ads. Click here to subscribe
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Witch Trials of J.K. Rowling | 7. What If You're Wrong?
Host Megan Phelps-Roper asks J.K. Rowling to respond to pushback from some of her critics. The two also discuss the difficulty of discernment—why it can be so hard to know what’s right.Produced by Andy Mills …
Show notes
Host Megan Phelps-Roper asks J.K. Rowling to respond to pushback from some of her critics. The two also discuss the difficulty of discernment—why it can be so hard to know what’s right.
Produced by Andy Mills, Matthew Boll, Megan Phelps-Roper, with special thanks to Candace Mittel Kahn and Emily Yoffe.
This show is proudly sponsored by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression. FIRE believes free speech makes free people. Learn more at thefire.org.
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The Witch Trials of J.K. Rowling | 6. Natalie and Noah
Transgender fans of Harry Potter share their criticism of J.K. Rowling—and the experiences that inform their views.Produced by Andy Mills, Matthew Boll, Megan Phelps-Roper, and Candace Mittel Kahn, with special …
Show notes
Transgender fans of Harry Potter share their criticism of J.K. Rowling—and the experiences that inform their views.
Produced by Andy Mills, Matthew Boll, Megan Phelps-Roper, and Candace Mittel Kahn, with special thanks to Emily Yoffe.
This show is proudly sponsored by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression. FIRE believes free speech makes free people. Learn more at thefire.org.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Witch Trials of J.K. Rowling | 5. The Tweets
After years of observing the conflict between advocates for trans rights and women’s rights, J.K. Rowling weighs in.Produced by Andy Mills, Matthew Boll, and Megan Phelps-Roper, with special thanks to Candace …
Show notes
After years of observing the conflict between advocates for trans rights and women’s rights, J.K. Rowling weighs in.
Produced by Andy Mills, Matthew Boll, and Megan Phelps-Roper, with special thanks to Candace Mittel Kahn and Emily Yoffe.
This show is proudly sponsored by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression. FIRE believes free speech makes free people. Learn more at thefire.org.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Witch Trials of J.K. Rowling | 4. TERF Wars
The movement for trans rights hits its stride in the early 2010s, but encounters fierce resistance from an unexpected source. J.K. Rowling watches the battle unfold with mounting unease.Produced by Andy Mills …
Show notes
The movement for trans rights hits its stride in the early 2010s, but encounters fierce resistance from an unexpected source. J.K. Rowling watches the battle unfold with mounting unease.
Produced by Andy Mills, Matthew Boll, and Megan Phelps-Roper, with special thanks to Candace Mittel Kahn and Emily Yoffe.
This show is proudly sponsored by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression. FIRE believes free speech makes free people. Learn more at thefire.org.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Witch Trials of J.K. Rowling | 3. A New Pyre
The early days of the internet collide with the feverish fandom of “Harry Potter,” and a sprawling, global community emerges. But the hopefulness of this new technology brings with it the darker impulses of …
Show notes
The early days of the internet collide with the feverish fandom of “Harry Potter,” and a sprawling, global community emerges. But the hopefulness of this new technology brings with it the darker impulses of human nature.
Produced by Andy Mills, Matthew Boll, and Megan Phelps-Roper, with special thanks to Candace Mittel Kahn and Emily Yoffe.
This show is proudly sponsored by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression. FIRE believes free speech makes free people. Learn more at thefire.org.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Witch Trials of J.K. Rowling | 2. Burn The Witch
As "Harry Potter" becomes an international phenomenon, it coincides with the culture wars of the 1990s. In the backlash from Christians across America, author J.K. Rowling is accused of mainstreaming witchcraft …
Show notes
As "Harry Potter" becomes an international phenomenon, it coincides with the culture wars of the 1990s. In the backlash from Christians across America, author J.K. Rowling is accused of mainstreaming witchcraft and poisoning children’s minds.
Produced by Andy Mills, Matthew Boll, and Megan Phelps-Roper, with special thanks to Candace Mittel Kahn and Emily Yoffe.
This show is proudly sponsored by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression. FIRE believes free speech makes free people. Learn more at thefire.org.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Witch Trials of J.K. Rowling | 1. Plotted In Darkness
Host Megan Phelps-Roper writes a letter to J.K. Rowling—and receives a surprising invitation in reply: the opportunity for an intimate conversation in Rowling’s Scottish home.Produced by Andy Mills, Matthew …
Show notes
Host Megan Phelps-Roper writes a letter to J.K. Rowling—and receives a surprising invitation in reply: the opportunity for an intimate conversation in Rowling’s Scottish home.
Produced by Andy Mills, Matthew Boll, and Megan Phelps-Roper, with special thanks to Candace Mittel Kahn and Emily Yoffe.
This show is proudly sponsored by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression. FIRE believes free speech makes free people. Learn more at thefire.org.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Season 1 Trailer | The Witch Trials of J.K. Rowling
The Witch Trials of J.K. Rowling premieres Tuesday, February 21, 2023.Learn moreRead an essay by host Megan Phelps-Roper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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