True crime news logo
    • Krimidex

Sign up for our newsletter and get the latest stories

Never miss the latest true crime news, reviews and top lists — plus new podcasts, series, films and books.

You can unsubscribe with one click from any email.

True crime news logo

The international true crime destination. Cases, documentaries, podcasts and travel routes.

© 2026 truecrime.news. All rights reserved.

The Clearing provokes with strong focus on legacy and ethics
Podcast
•
May 26, 2025 at 10:00 PM

The Clearing: When a Daughter Turns In Her Serial Killer Father

A groundbreaking podcast explores April Balascio's decision to report Edward Wayne Edwards for murders spanning decades—and the ethical questions that followed.

About This Episode

Podcast-TitelThe Clearing
ThemaErbe und Ethik nach Serienmord
FokusAngehörige von Serienmördern
GenreTrue Crime, investigativer Podcast

In July 2019, Pineapple Street Media and Gimlet Media premiered The Clearing, an eight-episode podcast that confronts one of true crime's most uncomfortable questions: what do you do when you suspect your own parent of murder?

Hosted by veteran journalist Josh Dean, the series follows April Balascio's emotional journey as she grapples with her discovery that her father, Edward Wayne Edwards, was a serial killer. At age 40 in 2009, Balascio contacted a Wisconsin detective with suspicions linking Edwards to a cold case involving the 1980 murders of Tim Hack and Kelly Drew. That single phone call set in motion a cascade of confessions, arrests, and convictions that would reshape the trajectory of her life and her family's history.

Edward Wayne Edwards had spent decades concealing a darker truth behind a façade of reformation. Yet when investigators began asking questions, he confessed to multiple murders across the United States. In 2010, Edwards was convicted in the Wisconsin murders—DNA evidence confirmed his involvement—and received two consecutive life sentences at age 77. He died awaiting execution nearly a decade before the podcast aired, around 2011 or 2012.

What makes The Clearing distinctive is its refusal to sensationalize. Rather than dwelling on the killings themselves, Dean's reporting centers on Balascio's internal conflict and the profound ethical dimensions of her choice. The podcast features private recordings of Edwards discussing his past and his claimed reformation, offering listeners an unsettling window into how a man could compartmentalize such violence.

The series also brings closure and context to the families affected by Edwards' crimes. In the podcast, April meets Dave Hack, the father of victim Tim Hack, and his stepmother. These interviews anchor the narrative in human consequence—the lasting devastation of unsolved murders and the complicated relief when answers finally arrive, even in tragedy's shadow.

A significant portion of The Clearing's investigative work separates verified murders from unproven conspiracy theories. The internet has a tendency to link prolific criminals to numerous unsolved cases, often without evidence. By distinguishing between what Edwards demonstrably committed and what remains speculation, Dean's reporting serves both accuracy and the victims' memories.

The podcast explores the inheritance of guilt—not in the legal sense, but in the psychological and emotional toll of bearing a killer's surname. Balascio's story raises uncomfortable questions about family loyalty, moral duty, and the courage required to prioritize justice over blood ties. She chose to contact police despite knowing the consequences for her family name and relationships. That decision forms the emotional core of the series.

The Clearing completed its run with all eight episodes now available on major podcast platforms. It stands as a significant work in true crime journalism: a story that treats its subject with nuance while never minimizing the reality of violent crime. For international audiences unfamiliar with Edwards or the 1980 Wisconsin murders, the podcast provides both historical context and intimate, character-driven storytelling.

Ultimately, The Clearing is about inheritance—not of guilt, but of responsibility. April Balascio inherited a terrible secret and chose transparency over protection. The podcast asks what we owe to victims, to justice, and to each other when those obligations conflict with family.

**Sources** - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-clearing/id1471432747 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Clearing_(podcast) - https://podcastreview.org/review/the-clearing/ - https://www.angelahickeyportfolio.com/portfolio/podcast-review-the-clearing

About This Episode

Podcast-TitelThe Clearing
ThemaErbe und Ethik nach Serienmord
FokusAngehörige von Serienmördern
GenreTrue Crime, investigativer Podcast
Related Content
The Dating Game Killer: showbiz's dark side

The Dating Game Killer: How a Serial Murderer Charmed TV Audiences

The Thing About Pam: Zellweger unveils fate's theater

The Thing About Pam: How a Murder Unraveled a Diabolical Scheme

Conversations with a Killer provokes with deep insight

Inside Ted Bundy's Mind: Netflix's Chilling Documentary Series

The Girl in the Picture: Society's Blind Spots

The Girl in the Picture: One Woman's Hidden Tragedy

Advertisement
SS

Susanne Sperling

Se alle artikler →
Del dette opslag: