Canadian True Crime x Crime Story: Behind the Scenes with Kathleen Goldhar

Canadian True Crime, Hosted by Kristi Lee
Episode: Behind the Scenes with Kathleen Goldhar from Crime Story
Original air date: December 30, 2025

Episode Overview

This special crossover episode features Kristi Lee, host of Canadian True Crime, in conversation with Kathleen Goldhar, investigative journalist and host of CBC’s Crime Story. They dive deep into the art of responsible true crime storytelling, Kristi Lee’s journey as a leading indie podcaster, her meticulous research process, the balance between empathy and truth in tackling sensitive cases, and their favorite true crime documentaries and podcasts of the year. Listeners are given a rare behind-the-scenes perspective on what motivates Kristi, the evolution of her approach, and the emotional labor behind producing responsible crime content.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Kristi Lee’s Beginnings and Intentions

• Canadian True Crime started as a personal passion project, inspired by Kristi’s own fascination with true crime and the lack of Canadian-focused podcasts.

• The infamous Paul Bernardo and Carla Homolka case was pivotal:

  "The Paul Bernardo, Carla Homolka story, like, really hit me back in the late 90s, early 2000s, and it stayed with me. So I just decided to do that story as my first kind of case and went from there." — Kristi Lee (03:20)

• Her goal shifted from personal curiosity to a responsibility to her large audience, evolving into a more trauma-informed, analytical storyteller.

Going Beyond the Headlines

• Unlike many crime podcasts that focus on “what happened,” Kristi emphasizes the “why,” often providing societal, historical, and psychological context to criminal events.
• She includes topics such as victim psychology, socioeconomic backgrounds, elder abuse, Indigenous issues, and more:

  "I like to learn about these things so I can pass them on to the audience... they come away with something new." — Kristi Lee (06:54)

Research & Storytelling Process

• Kristi is painstaking in her preparation, relying heavily on court documents, inquiries, and archival news:

  "Connecting of doc dots... you can see things that, you know, might not have been seen back then. And then I can kind of explore that as part of the story." — Kristi Lee (07:46)

• She takes criticism from traditional journalists as motivation to improve her work, focusing on accuracy and depth.

Balancing Empathy, Advocacy, and Journalistic Integrity

• Her approach evolves with experience: Kristi didn’t initially reach out to victims’ families but has since learned that families often want their stories told in their own way.

• Flexibility and trauma sensitivity are central:

  "Because I'm not a journalist, I didn't want to have to ask them for another interview just so that I could say, I've got fresh tape... So in many cases, I offered them the opportunity to participate in the way that they would want to." — Kristi Lee (13:08)

• Memorable collaborative moments include providing space for victim families to share statements, poems, or victim impact readings.

Trauma, Self-Care, and Boundaries

• Kristi shares the emotional toll of the work and her strategies, such as therapy during the pandemic (15:24).

• She discusses the intricacies of balancing victims’ wishes with the necessity of telling the truth, especially when covering complex cases like childhood abduction and abuse.

• Notable moment:

  "I really had to tread carefully because these people who have had crimes committed against them several decades ago have had a lot of time to think about it and they have certain perspectives... I just kind of deferred to truth and transparency." — Kristi Lee (19:27)

Views on Justice and the Criminal System

• Kristi holds nuanced views on the justice system, expressing interest in alternatives to incarceration, acknowledging that most crime is rooted in systemic societal failures:

  "A lot of crime is caused by where we are in society and is the direct result of government policy." — Kristi Lee (21:31)

• She highlights the importance of deeply analyzing legal documents—such as court verdicts—to avoid sensationalism and provide accurate context.

True Crime Podcasting & Media Recommendations

• Both hosts remain fans of the genre and recommend thoughtful, well-produced true crime work.

Documentaries and Podcasts Mentioned:

• Christine Jessup Case Documentary — A wrongful conviction case with a focus on the family’s perspective (24:51).
• Bone Valley by Gilbert King — An acclaimed podcast investigating wrongful conviction (27:30).
• Sea of Lies — Praised for its balance of engaging storytelling and respect for victims (28:38).

The Indie Podcast Life

• Kristi discusses the challenges of working independently, producing serialized deep-dives, and the constant balancing act between covering what she’s passionate about and serving her diverse audience.
• She admires large-scale serialized investigations but acknowledges the difficulty in pulling them off solo.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the human side of crime:

  "So often, of course, there is the small percentage of people who are just bad, but so many more of them are people who are hurting and who didn't, never had a chance." — Kathleen Goldhar (10:10)

• On advocacy and empathy:

  "There's a lot of editing, and I have to get into their head and really understand what it is that they want to get across... again, it's kind of that empathy piece." — Kristi Lee (15:37)

• On mistakes and transparency:

  "Yeah, I have made mistakes, but, you know, apologize, move on." — Kristi Lee (20:43)

• On the limits of the criminal justice system:

  "Maybe if we invested more money into helping them and to be more successful, instead of punishing them when they've done the wrong thing, you know, help them up front instead of coming in behind and punishing them." — Kristi Lee (21:37)

• On indie podcasting challenges:

  "To do something like what Sam Mullins did, I would need, like, a team. And I just… generally work autonomously. And I would also need to take a sabbatical because I release episodes most of the year round. So it's really hard. It's like, how do you jump off a moving train?" — Kristi Lee (31:06)

Highlighted Segments (Timestamps)

• Kristi’s motivation and first cases: 02:54 – 04:34
• Going beyond the headlines and research approach: 04:51 – 07:46
• Evolving relationships with victims and families: 11:23 – 14:37
• Dealing with emotional toll and boundaries: 15:19 – 17:02
• Navigating difficult survivor stories and collaborating for accuracy/truth: 17:02 – 20:43
• Justice system insights & system critiques: 20:51 – 24:05
• Favorite true crime media recommendations: 24:43 – 30:43
• Challenges of independent podcasting and serialized productions: 30:53 – 32:02

Tone & Style

The conversation is warm, respectful, and candid. Kristi Lee is humble, self-reflective, and empathetic, repeatedly emphasizing compassion, nuance, and trauma-informed storytelling. Kathleen Goldhar brings a journalistic lens, fostering a thoughtful exchange on advocacy, transparency, and the evolving landscape of true crime media.

Conclusion

This episode offers a rare, honest look at what it takes to build a responsible and impactful true crime podcast. Listeners come away with a deeper understanding of Kristi Lee’s values, her commitment to empathy-driven storytelling, and her deep respect for victims and survivors. The discussion also provides excellent recommendations for further listening and watching, making it essential for true crime enthusiasts and anyone interested in the ethics of storytelling.

For more episodes and the full “Crime Story” podcast, check show notes for links and recommendations.