Crime Junkie’s Ashley Flowers knows the importance of boots-on-the-ground reporting

Ashley Flowers. // photo courtesy Audiochuck

True crime podcast Crime Junkie is a massively popular show. Not only does the show hang out in the upper reaches of its genre, but the podcast also ranks among the top podcasts overall, coming it at the number two slot for all of Apple’s podcasts in 2024.

Hosted by Ashley Flowers and Brit Prawat, over the course of Crime Junkie’s history, the program has delved into stories big and small, frequently utilizing its own team of reporters to unearth new details, while always seeking to prioritize the stories of those affected, rather than leering details of the crimes and those who perpetrate them.

It’s that focus on the victims and their friends and families which has resulted in Crime Junkie’s set of life rules, twelve things to follow which “originate from common themes in the cases [they] cover,” ranging from “You never really know anyone. Ever.” to “Never get in a white van,” as well as Life Rule No. 10, “It’s never a mannequin,” from which they’ve taken the name of their current live tour.

Crime Junkie’s “Life Rule No. 10” tour hits the Cable Dahmer Arena on Friday, March 28, and we reached out to host Ashley Flowers to discuss the show and how this tour has added one more life rule.

The Pitch: How have you balanced the growth of both the podcast and Audiochuck as a network with the research you do for the shows?

Ashley Flowers: To put it simply, by growing the team at Audiochuck. We’ve hired reporters, researchers, fact-checkers, editors, and are building out a full editorial team. There is truly a whole team supporting the work we do.

Why is original research so important to you in doing Crime Junkie?

A lot of the time, the stories we’re covering only received minimal press coverage when they occurred–sometimes just a brief article or headline. Because of this, context and nuance that oftentimes play a pivotal role in understanding the case itself, are lost. We believe telling the whole story is critical to moving those cases forward and that our format allows us to do that.

We tell stories that are sometimes years, decades old–and in those years and decades, there can be so many new developments that just aren’t publicly known because no one’s bothered to go back and ask. So we’re devoted to asking and going a layer deeper.

What are the logistical and financial challenges in doing on-the-ground reporting for a true crime podcast?

We’ve had to invest a lot of time and resources into boots-on-the-ground original reporting. For example, getting access to records can be both time-consuming and expensive but our reporting team is committed to getting every piece of information they can in order to tell the stories as completely as possible.

Doing things the right way is never cheap or easy–but it’s worth doing and we see people responding to this type of journalism.

What does it feel like to be getting back on the road after the last tour was canceled partway through due to Covid?

It feels incredible to be in the same room with the people who feel like they’re in the room with us every week. There is something about seeing them all in one place, meeting them, watching them interact with their fellow Crime Junkies that is truly awe-inspiring. Of course our data tells us that our listener reach is really big, but nothing compares to seeing everyone together in person.

Advocacy is such an important part of all the stories we tell, and tour is no different. It’s inspiring to watch the audience engage with and respond to the call to action at the end of the show every night.

The demand for these shows is obviously quite a bit bigger than the original tour, with the show playing arenas instead of theaters. How have you adapted to bigger venues?

More pre-show nerves! Getting on stage in front of that many people is a big adjustment, but it’s also really inspiring. On the logistical side of things, to keep everything running smoothly, we’re working with an incredible tour production company that ensures everything goes off without a hitch.

This tour is Life Rule No. 10, which is “It’s never a mannequin.” Which life rule have you found to be most applicable in your daily life?

Always go a layer deeper. This Life Rule actually emerged as we were working on the story for tour, so it’s our newest addition and one we hold close. This rule is often front of mind as we’re digging into cases for the first time. You wouldn’t believe the number of times I’ve started working on a case and realized that it’s not at all what it seemed. Keeping this Crime Junkie Life Rule top of our mind ensures that we’re telling the full story.

The show has had its challenges, which could have been major setbacks or ended Crime Junkie as its fans know and love it. When did you know that the podcast was going to become the massive success story it is?

The way I look at it, it is my job every single week to earn our audience’s attention and action. Crime Junkie is a story still in the making, and I’m incredibly grateful to every person who has contributed to getting us here–the Audiochuck team, our families and friends, and, of course, our listeners.

Crime Junkie’s “Life Rule No. 10” tour hits the Cable Dahmer Arena on Friday, March 28. Details on that show here.