It’s 1994 and Sunderland police won't accept there's a serial killer on the loose (Stephen Grieveson aka The Sunderland Strangler)

In 1994 four teenage boys in Sunderland – all students from the same school – died one after another, with their bodies found for the most part in burning sheds or derelict buildings with ligatures around their neck.

The police insisted nothing sinister was going on.              

A lot of true crime shows will at some point say “this sounds like something out of a horror movie” – but that is a horror movie, right? 

Tonight we look at the case of Steven Grieveson – aka (but not by us) as The Sunderland Strangler - the only North East serial killer of the modern era. 

Gareth expresses his love for Bush, Curry and Beer. John solves the thorny problem of how  footballers can continue with their career after prison sentences. Claire believes that the musical career of Ant and Dec is more significant  than the Rwandan genocide. Listeners hear the words “beaver anuses” a lot.

Digressions in this episode include: Ensemble charity singles! The death of Stephen Milligan MP! The death of Andreas Escobar and Alan Hansen’s startlingly inappropriate response! Gary Rhodes! Alice Beer! Swearing on Farscape! Rednex! Jewish Eggs! Spiderland by Slint (DON’T LISTEN TO IT)! The Elongated Man!  Hans Zimmer!  

Everyone Dies in Sunderland explores some of the darkest moments of North East history, and includes jokes. These jokes will never be at the expense of victims or their families and will always be at the expense of people who deserve to be mocked, robbed of their power and shown up for the idiots they really are. If you’re easily offended or personally connected to the events we’re discussing though, you probably shouldn’t listen.  

During this episode John suggests that we allow serial killer nicknames if they make the killers sound ridiculous. So Peter Sutcliffe is now “the dangly willy killer” in tribute to his iconic homemade underpants. Any other suggestions? Drop us a line! 

You can reach us on email [email protected], on Twitter at @everyonediespod, on Facebook and Instagram. 

Our theme music is the song “Steady Away” by Pete Dilley and can be found on his album Half-truths and Hearsay which you can/should buy/stream here: https://petedilley.bandcamp.com/album/half-truths-and-hearsay  

There are shout-outs in this episode to our podcast pals @uktruecrime @oklahomicide @yeoldecrimepodcast @wdstorytime. Lovin’ yr work! Also shout-outs @davidsbookblurg who got in touch to tell us that he didn’t remember the death of Kurt Cobain and @MsSpencey who requested a show about Steven Grieveson after we’d recorded it. Damn we’re good!