Break in the Case
38 episodes - English - Latest episode: 11 months ago - ★★★★★ - 1.5K ratingsIn Season 3 of Break in the Case, we take you behind the scenes of one of NYPD’s most notorious cases from the 1990s, the New York Zodiac Copycat. From 1990 to 1996, a serial killer evades capture while sending taunting notes to the media and the police. For six years, detectives from the Zodiac Task Force follow every lead to the ground. And then, one day, a series of events brings them face to face with the Zodiac. Break in the Case is written and produced by the New York City Police Department and sponsored by the New York City Police Foundation.
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Episodes
S3 E7: New York Zodiac Copycat: East New York, Then and Now
June 06, 2023 04:01 - 18 minutesThe 75th Precinct was a hotbed of crime in the early 90s. In this special episode, officers talk about what it was like to work in East New York back then. We also hear from a present-day Youth Coordination Officer who is trying to improve lives in East New York.
S3 E6: New York Zodiac Copycat: The Trial
May 30, 2023 04:01 - 23 minutesAfter the Zodiac’s arraignment for three murders and one attempted murder in Queens, a Queens prosecutor must prepare to counter a psychiatric defense.
S3 E5: New York Zodiac Copycat: Only Orion Can Stop the Zodiac
May 23, 2023 04:01 - 22 minutesAfter an East New York man is arrested in the 75th Precinct for attempted murder, the evidence connects him to more sinister crimes.
S3 E4: New York Zodiac Copycat: East New York Chaos
May 16, 2023 04:01 - 21 minutesOne day in June, 1996, a 911 call leads to a shootout and a hostage situation. Detective Sergeant Joseph Herbert is called to his very first hostage job. And then, the unthinkable happens. True to the precinct motto, “Everything happens in the 75,” it all goes down in the 75th Precinct in East New York, Brooklyn.
S3 E3: New York Zodiac Copycat: Return of the Zodiac
May 09, 2023 04:01 - 29 minutesIn August, 1994, a new letter from the Zodiac lands on the front page of the New York Post. The Zodiac claims to have shot five more victims in 1992 and 1993, in the same geographic area as his first three shootings. A second Zodiac Task Force is formed. Detective Sergeant Joseph Herbert from the 75 Detective Squad focuses on the hard evidence: fingerprints, ballistics, and the Zodiac's letters.
S3 E2: New York Zodiac Copycat: We Need to Put This Fire Out
May 02, 2023 04:01 - 24 minutesAt Zodiac Task Force headquarters in the Brooklyn Navy Yard, tips pour in from across the city. Even the psychics get in on the action. After one of the victims dies from his wounds in the hospital, the case becomes a homicide.
S3 E1: New York Zodiac Copycat: Kid, You've Got the Case
April 25, 2023 04:01 - 22 minutesIt’s the summer of 1990, and crime in New York City is at an all-time high. Daily headlines bring fresh stories of random violence and stranger-on-stranger crime. Then, one day in June, someone calling himself “Zodiac” writes a disturbing letter to the New York Post. He claims to have killed three people in Brooklyn according to their astrological signs, and he promises to kill nine more. When the shootings check out, the NYPD forms a Zodiac Task Force. Retired Lieutenant Michael Ciravolo and...
Introducing Season 3: The New York Zodiac Copycat
April 19, 2023 18:33 - 58 secondsSeason 3 of Break in the Case goes behind the scenes of one of New York City's notorious cases from the 90s, The New York Zodiac Copycat. Look for new episodes every Tuesday beginning April 25, 2023.
SPECIAL EPISODE: The Real Crimes of the Fake German Heiress
April 15, 2022 13:54 - 32 minutesAnna Sorokin, also known as Anna Delvey, came to New York City from Germany in 2014 and quickly became a fixture in the downtown social scene. She claimed to be an heiress with a vast fortune. But she wasn’t quite what she said she was. In August 2017, she was indicted on an array of financial and fraud-based crimes, including Attempted Grand Larceny. In this special episode, the NYPD detective who led the investigation into Sorokin explains her crimes. What did she do, and how did she do it?
S2 E7: Queens Sniper (Part 2)
February 11, 2022 00:40 - 43 minutesSeason 2 concludes with the second and last episode of the Queens Sniper story. In Part 2, a suspect is in custody, and the case is upgraded to a homicide. The real work begins for the detectives and the Queens prosecutor as they collect evidence and build a counter-narrative to a potential insanity defense.
S2 E6: Queens Sniper (Part 1)
December 16, 2021 11:00 - 25 minutesThe night of August 26, 2006, a driver went on a six-hour shooting spree that left one person dead, four injured, and a trail of shattered glass and bullet-scarred vehicles across Queens. He shot at pedestrians and cars, and showed a preference for the color red in his targets. The Queens detectives, bosses, and cops who were working that night tell the harrowing story.
S2 E5: Two Homicides, One Gun, and a Pink Bag
November 04, 2021 10:00 - 17 minutesIn the early hours of December 11, 2012, Shalema Gaskin was on her way to visit her daughter at Brookdale Hospital in Brownsville, Brooklyn. It was four blocks away from her home, but she never made it there. She was found behind the hospital with a gunshot wound to the back of the neck. A couple of days later, Steven Evans was killed a mile away with the same gun. To this day, no tips have been called in for either case. Detectives are asking for the public’s help to solve this case.
S2 E4: Ming the Harlem Tiger
October 21, 2021 10:00 - 30 minutesIn 2003, the Emergency Service Unit met their match when they discovered a 250-pound Bengal tiger in a man’s Harlem apartment. This is the story of Ming the Harlem Tiger, and the officers who responded.
S2 E3: The Man in the Baseball Hat
October 07, 2021 10:00 - 21 minutesIt’s a race against the clock as detectives in the 6th Precinct investigate a series of assault and robbery cases with elderly victims. Here’s how they collared the man that was behind the crime spree.
S2 E2: Dark Web Undercover
September 23, 2021 10:00 - 15 minutesThe dark web comprises a fraction of the internet. But illegal activity there is increasing. Threatening savings. Damaging peace of mind. In this episode, we’ll meet a detective who fights crime on the dark side, and find out how he moved from online to real life to nab a credit card fraudster.
S2 E1: Who Killed Henryk? The Unsolved Homicide of 9/11
September 09, 2021 10:00 - 25 minutesJust before midnight, on September 11, 2001, a man was gunned down on a street in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn. His name was Henryk Siwiak. Despite the best efforts of a police department spread thin by a large-scale terrorist attack, the killer was never apprehended, and the case remains open to this day.
Coming Soon: Season 2
August 31, 2021 14:03 - 1 minuteWelcome back to Season 2 of Break in the Case! Listen as we follow the world’s greatest detectives to crime scenes—some which you may know, some which you certainly don’t. Episodes begin on September 9th and appear every other Thursday.
Introducing: Opt In NYC
October 29, 2020 10:00 - 1 minuteIntroducing Opt In NYC, a new podcast produced by young New Yorkers in conjunction with the New York City Police Department and Police Foundation. The podcast explores contemporary issues and stories about New York City neighborhoods. New York City teens sit down with NYPD cops to share perspectives and educate one another. For more information, visit options.nyc. Follow the show on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram @Options.nyc.
Special Update: Season Two
April 05, 2020 12:00 - 43 secondsHere’s a quick update from the team at Break In The Case. We were heartened to see the overwhelmingly positive reaction to our first season, and we’re looking forward to bringing you season two. Unfortunately at this time, due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the production team has been forced to take a hiatus. Don’t worry, we'll be back with more stories this fall. Meanwhile, follow the NYPD on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, and visit the Break in the Case website for more updates and informat...
E6 | Who is Monique?
December 10, 2019 22:15 - 41 minutesPolice find the severed body parts of a woman in South Brooklyn, and are struggling to identify her to this day.
S1 E6: Who is Monique?
December 10, 2019 22:15 - 41 minutesPolice find the severed body parts of a woman in South Brooklyn, and struggle to identify her. UPDATE: In 2022, the NYPD used familial DNA to identify the victim as Jennifer McAllister, from Gravesend, Brooklyn.
S1 E6 | Who is Monique?
December 10, 2019 22:15 - 41 minutesPolice find the severed body parts of a woman in South Brooklyn, and are struggling to identify her to this day.
S1 E5: Baby Hope: In the Box
December 03, 2019 10:00 - 47 minutesAfter hours of interrogation, the truth about what happened to Baby Hope is revealed.
S1 E5 | Baby Hope: In the Box
December 03, 2019 10:00 - 46 minutesAfter hours of interrogation, the truth about what happened to Baby Hope is revealed.
E5 | Baby Hope: In the Box
December 03, 2019 10:00 - 46 minutesAfter hours of interrogation, the truth about what happened to Baby Hope is revealed.
E4 | Baby Hope: The Girl in the White Dress
November 19, 2019 23:32 - 57 minutesFor 22 years, detectives searched for the true name of the little girl they called "Baby Hope." Once they found it, it was eight days before they were face to face with her killer.
S1 E4: Baby Hope: The Girl in the White Dress
November 19, 2019 23:32 - 57 minutesFor 22 years, detectives searched for the true name of the little girl they called "Baby Hope." Once they found it, it was eight days before they were face to face with her killer.
S1 E4 | Baby Hope: The Girl in the White Dress
November 19, 2019 23:32 - 57 minutesFor 22 years, detectives searched for the true name of the little girl they called "Baby Hope." Once they found it, it was eight days before they were face to face with her killer.
E3 | Baby Hope: A Colder Case
November 13, 2019 18:06 - 52 minutesFor two decades, detectives struggled with the Baby Hope case. One day, a tip was called in that changed everything.
S1 E3 | Baby Hope: A Colder Case
November 13, 2019 18:06 - 52 minutesFor two decades, detectives struggled with the Baby Hope case. One day, a tip was called in that changed everything.
S1 E3: Baby Hope: A Colder Case
November 13, 2019 18:06 - 52 minutesFor two decades, detectives struggled with the Baby Hope case. One day, a tip was called in that changed everything.
E2 | Baby Hope: We Are Them
November 05, 2019 19:26 - 35 minutesTwo years into the investigation, detectives are no closer to knowing Baby Hope's real name.
S1 E2: Baby Hope: We Are Them
November 05, 2019 19:26 - 35 minutesTwo years into the investigation, detectives are no closer to knowing Baby Hope's real name.
S1 E2 | Baby Hope: We Are Them
November 05, 2019 19:26 - 35 minutesTwo years into the investigation, detectives are no closer to knowing Baby Hope's real name.
S1 E1 | Baby Hope: Into the Woods
October 29, 2019 10:00 - 28 minutesA gruesome discovery by a road crew in Washington Heights sends the 34th Precinct Detective Squad on a hunt for a little girl's identity.
S1 E1: Baby Hope: Into the Woods
October 29, 2019 10:00 - 28 minutesA gruesome discovery by a road crew in Washington Heights sends the 34th Precinct Detective Squad on a hunt for a little girl's identity.
E1 | Baby Hope: Into the Woods
October 29, 2019 10:00 - 28 minutesA gruesome discovery by a road crew in Washington Heights sends the 34th Precinct Detective Squad on a hunt for a little girl's identity.
S1 Trailer | Break in the Case
October 16, 2019 22:59 - 1 minuteWelcome to Season One of Break in the Case: True Stories by NYPD Detectives. Starting October 29, 2019.