Radioactive: The Karen Silkwood Mystery
Karen Silkwood’s death 50 years ago this November continues to haunt Oklahoma and the nation. The 28-year-old plutonium plant worker died in a fatal crash while driving to meet a reporter with The New York Times allegedly to deliver evidence documenting unsafe conditions at the plant. Two reporters who covered the Silkwood story in 1974 have spent years trying to piece together what many in Oklahoma speculate: Karen Silkwood may have died for what she knew. Fifty years later, hear newly-discovered investigative tapes, deathbed conversations and long-awaited interviews reexamining what happened that night.
Episodes
Introducing "The Hand in the Window"
Today, we're sharing the first episode of our new series from 20/20 and ABC Audio, "The Hand in the Window." A 911 call becomes the first step in an investigation that would reveal sinister and shocking crimes. To catch new episodes early,…
Introducing "Vanished: What Happened to Vanessa"
Today, we're sharing something special with you. This is the first episode of the latest true crime podcast from 20/20 and ABC Audio, "Vanished: What Happened to Vanessa." In episode one, Private First Class Vanessa Guillén shows up for wor…
The Crime Scene: Tupac Murder Suspect Speaks Out
New from ABC Audio, "The Crime Scene Weekly" is a new podcast for the true crime-obsessed (and -curious). Each week, "The Crime Scene Weekly" focuses on what everybody's talking about in true crime: what all your favorite shows and podcasts…
The Phantom Vehicle
Fifty years later, what can that original bumper tell us about the cause of Karen's accident? In our final episode, an accident reconstructionist combs through the original evidence, creates a computer simulation of the crash, and reveals h…
The Investigators
Three investigators tried to solve the mystery of what happened to Karen Silkwood on that dark highway the night of November 13th, 1974. An accident investigator hired by the union believed so strongly that Karen’s car had been forced off t…
Contaminated
We retrace the final days of Karen’s life: she’s been so badly contaminated by radioactive material that men in hazmat suits show up to inspect her apartment, strip much of it down to the studs, and seal her possessions into 55-gallon drums…
A Powerful Company
Karen Silkwood worked for Kerr-McGee, an oil and gas behemoth that was expanding into the nuclear power industry. Escalating production quotas lead to more accidents at the plant, and Karen quietly travels to Washington DC to report concern…
The Tapes
Who was Karen Silkwood and why was her death so captivating that it spawned a Hollywood movie? We’ll meet two Oklahoma reporters determined to run down the facts. An investigator’s tapes rediscovered in a dusty storage vault raise the voice…
Introducing 'Radioactive: The Karen Silkwood Mystery'
Karen Silkwood’s death 50 years ago this November continues to haunt Oklahoma and the nation. The 28-year-old plutonium plant worker died in a fatal crash while driving to meet a reporter with The New York Times allegedly to deliver evidenc…