Your Next Favorite Podcast: Handcuffed

Is there a greater joy than discovering a new podcast you love? Well, what if the host of not only delivers fantastic true crime stories, but she brings you those stories with the most comforting British accent?  Look, y’all, I’m American, and I could listen to Rena from Handcuffed tell me grizzly murder stories all day long. I could listen to her talk about balancing a checkbook all day, but we are all so lucky that she chose a true crime podcast instead!  We were so tickled to talk with Rena about your next favorite podcast that you need to download right now!

YouTube Interview with Handcuffed:

What inspired you to start your podcast?  

I started listening to True Crime (TC) podcasts almost 4 years ago and I became obsessed with taking the genre on the road with me. I’m a massive fan of true crime and I usually find myself asking questions and agreeing or disagreeing with theories during an episode. However, I didn’t really have anyone to discuss the documentaries and podcasts I was obsessed with. One day, I woke up and had a spontaneous idea to start my own true crime podcast. Although my friends like the odd true crime shows, I wanted to create a way to connect with other true crime fans. 

I also found there was a gap in the UK for a black true crime host. Even though I’m not an expert, I wanted to fill that gap. I wanted to create a way to get more people from my community into true crime by sharing my perspective and using references from my life. True Crime does a good job with raising awareness on serious and sensitive issues and connects us all. That’s why I invite guests to co- host the show with me and discuss these topics which are very relatable.

What got you interested in true crime? Was there a murder in your hometown? A story that has always haunted you? 

I have no idea how I became interested in true crime, but my interest has stemmed from childhood. I used to watch shows such as CSI, Law and Order, and Silent Witness when I was growing up. I was so fascinated with how investigations were solved. When I was in primary school I was told about the most infamous UK case, Jack the Ripper. I even remember the London Dungeons trip I took with my school.  I used to think “how does someone commit such gruesome murders and get away with it”? Just before I was born, there were cases such as James Bulger and Stephen Lawrence which increased my interest. The Stephen Lawrence case proved to be a harsh reality of racism for black people in the UK. I even remember the story of Jessica and Holly, the Soham murders. They were the same age as me when they were murdered at 10 years old. I found myself following updates on the case as my parents were watching the news. Additionally, I was 13 years old when Madeline McCann went missing. There are so many haunting cases I grew up with. It was scary, but interesting to see the development in cases and how they affected society. My interest skyrocketed from then.

What’s your favorite murder?

I don’t think I have a favourite, but I find many cases interesting. One case that comes to mind is Junko Furuta, a Japanese woman who was kidnapped, tortured and murdered in 1989. The story is not for the faint hearted. The case of Mary Bell is another case I find quite intriguing. She was 10 years old when she murdered two toddlers. She has now been released and is living under a new identity! I’ve realised I prefer historic true crime stories where they didn’t have the up to date technology or didn’t even rely on DNA. It’s very mind blowing to see how the cases were solved. However, sometimes the lack of resources means many of those cases become cold which isn’t easy for the victims or their families.

What true crime podcasts are you listening to right now? If podcasts aren’t your thing, we would also love to hear about a spooky book you’re reading or your favorite murder-related tv show! 

I have a few. I love a bit of Crime Junkie and Court Junkie which are very popular. I enjoy Redhanded, My Favorite Murder and most recently Scam Goddess and Noir True Crime Files.

How can our readers find and support you? 

You can search Handcuffed Podcast on Spotify and Apple podcast. You can also follow me on social media;

Instagram: Handcuffedpodcast 

Twitter: @Handcuffedpod

I will be starting my Patreon soon so keep your eyes peeled and ears open