The initial incident or crime takes place. This is the raw, unprocessed event that will eventually become news and information.
True Crime Example: A mysterious disappearance occurs, witnesses see suspicious activity, or a crime scene is discovered by law enforcement.
First news coverage appears, often with limited information. Reports may contain errors or speculation as facts are still being gathered.
True Crime Example: Breaking news alerts, initial police press conferences, first newspaper articles with basic facts and "developing story" tags.
3
Investigative Reporting
Journalists conduct deeper research, interview sources, and provide more comprehensive coverage with analysis and context.
True Crime Example: In-depth newspaper features, investigative TV segments, detailed magazine articles exploring motives, timelines, and background information.
Experts, commentators, and analysts provide interpretation, opinion pieces, and broader context about the case and its implications.
True Crime Example: Expert criminologist opinions, legal analyst commentary, psychological profiles, and editorial pieces discussing crime trends.
Information becomes part of permanent record through academic papers, books, databases, and historical archives for future reference.
True Crime Example: True crime books, academic criminology papers, case studies in textbooks, documentary films, and podcast series.
The case enters popular consciousness through entertainment media, social discussion, and cultural references, often simplified or dramatized.
True Crime Example: Netflix documentaries, true crime podcasts, fictionalized TV shows, social media discussions, and memes about famous cases.