Uncover: Calls From a Killer

CBC True Crime
  • 4.5 (9.6K)
  • TRUE CRIME
  • WEEKLY SERIES
Uncover: Calls From a Killer

Binge all 30+ seasons ad-free

$3.99/mo or $24.99/yr after trial

What does a reporter do when they receive a cold call from one of the most horrific serial killers in Canadian history? The killer: Clifford Olson, who murdered at least eleven children in the 1980s. The reporter: Arlene Bynon, who recorded her jailhouse calls with Olson for years. Alongside legendary journalist Peter Worthington, Arlene spent hundreds of hours on the phone with Olson. It was kept secret from his prison guards; he wasn't allowed to speak to the media. In Calls From a Killer, from CBC’s Uncover, Arlene unearths secrets that have been buried for decades.  Secrets about Olson's crimes, about how police failed his young victims and their families — and why law enforcement paid a psychopathic serial killer $100,000.  With Nathaniel Frum — Peter's grandson — Arlene exposes hard truths about a forgotten tragedy, a bungled investigation, the loved ones left behind, and the mind of a killer.  About UNCOVER: Crime. Investigation. Revelation. Uncover brings you explosive, high-caliber true crime year-round. From CIA mind control to serial abuse, mysterious disappearances to wrongful imprisonment. Each season features a new host who is deeply connected to the story, committed to tracking down the truth. With over 30 seasons to choose from, Uncover represents the best in true crime. For early access to episodes, plus ad-free listening, visit apple.co/cbctruecrime.

See All
  1. S33 E1: The Olson Tapes | Calls From a Killer

    EPISODE 1

    S33 E1: The Olson Tapes | Calls From a Killer

    Arlene Bynon answers a collect call. On the other end of the line is Clifford Olson: a man convicted of killing eleven children and teenagers in the 1980s. The oldest of them, eighteen. The youngest of them, nine. During years of secret phone calls from his prison cell, he tells this young journalist things he hasn’t told anyone else.  Decades later, Nathaniel Frum dusts off a box of old tapes inherited from his late grandfather. When he hears Arlene’s voice, he knows he needs to find her.  And they both know that this forgotten story needs to be told. Binge all 7 episodes of this season right now, early and ad-free, by subscribing here.

    32 min
  2. S33 E2: Something Monstrous | Calls From a Killer

    EPISODE 2

    S33 E2: Something Monstrous | Calls From a Killer

    ‘They called him the Candyman.’ In British Columbia’s lower mainland, children are disappearing. Families are terrified as the local RCMP attempts to find out who is preying on vulnerable kids. At a time when both the public and the police don’t know how to deal with a serial killer, Clifford Olson slips through the cracks.

    40 min
  3. S33 E3: The Mounties Always Get Their Man | Calls From a Killer

    EPISODE 3

    S33 E3: The Mounties Always Get Their Man | Calls From a Killer

    It’s the summer of 1981 and the RCMP have their sights set on Clifford Olson, who is well known to them as a career criminal and informant.  As police investigate, kids continue to be taken. Kids like Judy Kozma, a 14-year-old who never made it home from her shift at McDonald’s. By the time he’s finally arrested, Olson has murdered at least eleven young people.  The RCMP’s case against him is weak - until Olson proposes a deal.  In the present day, Arlene speaks to family members of those he killed.

    38 min

  4. EPISODE 4 • SUBSCRIBER EARLY ACCESS

    S33 E4: Cash for Bodies | Calls From a Killer

    The country is shocked to learn that a serial killer has been paid by the police - $100,000 in return for the locations of his murder victims. Even as decades have passed, opinions are split on this controversial deal. Was Clifford Olson rewarded for his heinous crimes, or was this necessary to stop the killing? And what do the architects of the deal think about it today?

    34 min

  5. EPISODE 5 • SUBSCRIBER EARLY ACCESS

    S33 E5: Joan | Calls From a Killer

    After months speaking to Clifford Olson, Arlene is still searching for answers. So she turns her attention to his mysterious wife: the woman who received the ‘cash for bodies’ payout. She’s been attacked by the media and faces the scorn of the public - but Arlene knows there is more to Joan Olson than meets the eye.

    40 min

  6. EPISODE 6 • SUBSCRIBER EARLY ACCESS

    S33 E6: The Others | Calls From a Killer

    Clifford Olson is serving eleven life sentences for killing eleven children. By now, Arlene has been speaking to him for years and is starting to understand this serial killer - and starting to suspect he’s guilty of more murders. Now, she just needs to get him to confess.

    31 min

  7. EPISODE 7 • SUBSCRIBER EARLY ACCESS

    S33 E7: The Escape | Calls From a Killer

    Arlene’s patience with Clifford Olson is wearing thin until he says something truly shocking: he’s stolen a handcuff key and plans to escape. And that’s just one of many ways he’s twisted the justice system to his advantage. In the present day, Arlene and Nathaniel grapple with the devastation Olson has left in his wake. Alongside the families and loved ones of his victims, they consider why it’s important to shine light on this difficult story.

    33 min
  8. S33 Trailer | Calls From a Killer

    SEASON 33 TRAILER

    S33 Trailer | Calls From a Killer

    The voice of a killer. The truth uncovered. For years, journalist Arlene Bynon took forbidden jailhouse calls from notorious murderer Clifford Olson. Hundreds of hours of secret recordings — hidden from prison guards and the public — are now being revealed. In Uncover: Calls From a Killer, Arlene, joined by Nathaniel Frum, will expose what Olson told her, what police got wrong, and why authorities paid a serial killer $100,000.  Episode 1 is coming May 20, 2025. Binge all episodes early and ad-free by becoming a subscriber here.

    3 min
See All Season 33 (8)

Trailers

Shows with Subscription Benefits

  • FBI undercover agent Scott Payne’s job was to infiltrate the most dangerous gangs of our times: outlaw bikers, drug cartels and the international neo-Nazi networks hellbent on inciting a race war.  He was taking down these groups from within. And Scott was good at it — people confided in him their most audacious plans for mass violence and domestic terrorism. In the second season of White Hot Hate, host Michelle Shephard gives you an unvarnished view of a life undercover. Because after a 28-year-long career pretending to be somebody else, Agent Payne is ready to tell his side of the story. Coming March 25, 2025. This series was produced alongside a book co-written by Scott Payne and Michelle Shephard titled Code Name: Pale Horse: How I Went Undercover to Expose America's Nazis.

    • 4.2 (409)
    • TRUE CRIME

  • Kaitlyn Braun, a pregnant young woman in crisis, takes dozens of birth workers through an escalating series of disasters – rape, baby loss, and even a coma. One by one, the doulas struggle to support her and grieve with her, and even save her life as they’re led down a distressing path. And then the truth comes out. In this six-part true crime series, Sarah Treleaven untangles a complex web of lies and deception to ask who Kaitlyn really is and why she did the things that she did. Cases like these puzzle legal experts and raise intricate moral and ethical questions. This is not your average con. Kaitlyn is not your usual scammer. Kaitlyn's Baby is Season 2 of The Con — a podcast exposing the art of deception — from CBC and the BBC World Service. Season 1 - the critically acclaimed catfishing quest, Love, Janessa, launched in January 2023. Content warning: The latest season of The Con contains references to medical emergencies, including baby loss. We also deal with sexual assault and there is some strong language.

    • 4.2 (662)
    • TRUE CRIME

  • Christine Harron, a book-loving teenager from Hanover, Ontario, leaves for school in the spring of 1993 and is never seen again. A suspect emerges, confessing to her murder, but the case falls apart and Christine's family are left without answers. In Season 9 of the award winning podcast Someone Knows Something, David Ridgen, along with Christine's mother, reopen the investigation and come face to face with the man who said he killed Chrissy. Someone Knows Something is the investigative true crime series by award-winning documentarian David Ridgen. Each season tackles an unsolved case, uncovering details and bringing closure to families. Find episode transcripts at this page. Previous seasons: S1: Adrien McNaughton. S2: Sheryl Sheppard. S3: Dee & Moore. S4: Greavette. S5: Kerrie Brown. S6: Donald Izzett Jr.. S7: The Abortion Wars. S8: The Angel Carlick Case.

    • 4.6 (18792)
    • TRUE CRIME

  • In the wake of 9/11, anthrax-laced letters unleashed a new wave of terror across the nation. But who was behind the attacks — and why has America nearly forgotten this story? As government buildings shut down and law enforcement scrambled to track the perpetrator, the FBI launched one of the largest and most complex investigations in its history. Untangling a web of scientific evidence and false leads, the case took unexpected turns with lasting consequences. From Wolf Entertainment, USG Audio, Dig Studios and CBC, this eight-part series grants unprecedented access to declassified materials and firsthand accounts, revealing how the anthrax attacks reshaped America—and the hidden impact that still lingers today.

    • 4.8 (202)
    • TRUE CRIME

  • Where the law of the land ends, the story begins. Pulitzer-prize winning journalist Ian Urbina returns with a new season of his riveting podcast anthology, The Outlaw Ocean, which explores the most lawless place on earth — the vast unpoliceable ocean. New episodes starting June 4, 2025.    In season two, Urbina sheds light on the secretive Libyan prisons swallowing up sea-faring migrants; flagrant human rights abuses in China’s massive off-shore fleet; the horrors of a shrimp processing plant in India; and the wild story of a modern-day James Bond — if he were a repo man.    Urbina and his team repeatedly risk their safety to tell stories powerful people don’t want you to know. As podcast reviewer Lauren Passell notes, “Ian’s not relying on research, he was there [...] Outlaw Ocean makes you feel like you’re there, too.”    This immersive audio documentary series brings together more than eight years of reporting at sea on all seven oceans and more than three dozen countries.

    • 4.8 (744)
    • TRUE CRIME

  • How do you take down a criminal network that’s hidden in the shadows? How do you rescue child abuse victims who could be anywhere in the world? Hunting Warhead follows the journalists and police on a global mission to expose the darkest corners of the internet. What they discover shocks them. Host Daemon Fairless tracks down the investigators, survivors and criminals themselves. A co-production of CBC Podcasts and the Norwegian newspaper VG. For the best in true crime from CBC, ad-free, visit apple.co/cbctruecrime.

    • 4.9 (3409)
    • TRUE CRIME

Binge all 30+ seasons ad-free

$3.99/mo or $24.99/yr after trial

View Subscription FAQs

Hosts & Guests

4.5
out of 5
9,612 Ratings

About

What does a reporter do when they receive a cold call from one of the most horrific serial killers in Canadian history? The killer: Clifford Olson, who murdered at least eleven children in the 1980s. The reporter: Arlene Bynon, who recorded her jailhouse calls with Olson for years. Alongside legendary journalist Peter Worthington, Arlene spent hundreds of hours on the phone with Olson. It was kept secret from his prison guards; he wasn't allowed to speak to the media. In Calls From a Killer, from CBC’s Uncover, Arlene unearths secrets that have been buried for decades.  Secrets about Olson's crimes, about how police failed his young victims and their families — and why law enforcement paid a psychopathic serial killer $100,000.  With Nathaniel Frum — Peter's grandson — Arlene exposes hard truths about a forgotten tragedy, a bungled investigation, the loved ones left behind, and the mind of a killer.  About UNCOVER: Crime. Investigation. Revelation. Uncover brings you explosive, high-caliber true crime year-round. From CIA mind control to serial abuse, mysterious disappearances to wrongful imprisonment. Each season features a new host who is deeply connected to the story, committed to tracking down the truth. With over 30 seasons to choose from, Uncover represents the best in true crime. For early access to episodes, plus ad-free listening, visit apple.co/cbctruecrime.

Information

More From CBC True Crime

You Might Also Like

To listen to explicit episodes, sign in.

Stay up to date with this show

Sign in or sign up to follow shows, save episodes, and get the latest updates.
Select a country or region

Africa, Middle East, and India

Asia Pacific

Europe

Latin America and the Caribbean

The United States and Canada