In Her Defence: 50th Street

In Her Defence: 50th Street

The Globe and Mail

Amber Tuccaro was 20 years old when she left her infant son with a friend at a motel on the outskirts of Edmonton, and got into a vehicle with an unknown man. She was never seen alive again. But Amber left an important clue: A chilling recording of what appear to be the final moments of her life, and the voice of the man who may be her killer. Days after police released that recording to the public, Amber’s remains were found in a field outside the city. She would be one of five women whose bodies were discovered in that area, and one of dozens more found in rural areas around Edmonton, the victims of a suspected serial killer – or killers. Following the success of the hit first season, In Her Defence: 50th Street takes listeners to Amber’s home in the Indigenous community of Fort Chipewyan, Alberta, retracing the final days of Amber’s life, and revealing suspects and information that have never before been made public. In Her Defence: 50th Street explores the flawed police investigation into Amber’s disappearance and death, and asks serious questions about her unsolved murder. Was Amber’s case compromised by what her family alleges was a racist and biased police investigation? And does it mean a serial killer is still out there?

23 minutes 46 seconds

The Decibel: How to make a true crime podcast

In this bonus episode, we share Jana's interview with The Decibel's Menaka Raman-Wilms. Follow The Decibel for more stories from The Globe and Mail's newsroom, delivered to you every weekday morning.

18 November 2024, 11:00 am
39 minutes 40 seconds

Persevere, keep trying, don’t give up / âhkamêyimok

What was Amber doing when she disappeared? Police provide some new information about the rest of the phone call, and their investigation. Amber’s mother faces a serious new threat, but vows to keep fighting.
Email the reporter, Jana Pruden, at [email protected]
Learn more about this podcast at https://www.theglobeandmail.com/podcasts/inherdefence/#01
Our cover art is a painting of Amber by Lauren Crazybull. Our theme song is No Surrender by Ms.PAN!K. Episode titles were translated into Plains Cree by Dorothy Thunder.
Individuals impacted by the issue of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls can contact the MMIWG Crisis Line toll-free at 1-844-413-6649.
Support for families impacted by Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls is also available through the Indian Residential School Survivors Society at irsss.ca.
In Her Defence: 50th Street is recorded at Gabby Road Studio on Treaty 6 territory in Edmonton, also known as amiskwaciy-wâskahikan, or Beaver Hills House.

28 October 2024, 10:00 am
32 minutes 47 seconds

The Voice / ni nisitawinawâw

The release of the voice brings out a flood of tips and suspects. Experts study the tape for clues about the voice, while police come to realize the recording doesn’t have the investigative value they once hoped. Amber’s biological brother says he knows who killed Amber.
Email the reporter, Jana Pruden, at [email protected]
Learn more about this podcast at https://www.theglobeandmail.com/podcasts/inherdefence/#01
Our cover art is a painting of Amber by Lauren Crazybull. Our theme song is No Surrender by Ms.PAN!K. Episode titles were translated into Plains Cree by Dorothy Thunder.
Individuals impacted by the issue of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls can contact the MMIWG Crisis Line toll-free at 1-844-413-6649.
Support for families impacted by Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls is also available through the Indian Residential School Survivors Society at irsss.ca
In Her Defence: 50th Street is recorded at Gabby Road Studio on Treaty 6 territory in Edmonton, also known as amiskwaciy-wâskahikan, or Beaver Hills House.

21 October 2024, 10:00 am
29 minutes 55 seconds

Blatant Failures / mâmâsîs ê-tôtahkik

A notorious serial killer prompts a broad reckoning around the murder of Indigenous women and girls in Canada. Amber’s family files an official complaint around how her missing persons investigation was handled, and a review of the case forces a public apology — with an unexpected twist. Questions persist about Evangeline, the last person known to have seen Amber alive.
Email the reporter, Jana Pruden, at [email protected]
Learn more about this podcast at https://www.theglobeandmail.com/podcasts/inherdefence/#01
Our cover art is a painting of Amber by Lauren Crazybull. Our theme song is No Surrender by Ms.PAN!K. Episode titles were translated into Plains Cree by Dorothy Thunder.
Individuals impacted by the issue of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls can contact the MMIWG Crisis Line toll-free at 1-844-413-6649.
Support for families impacted by Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls is also available through the Indian Residential School Survivors Society at irsss.ca.
In Her Defence: 50th Street is recorded at Gabby Road Studio on Treaty 6 territory in Edmonton, also known as amiskwaciy-wâskahikan, or Beaver Hills House.

14 October 2024, 10:00 am
33 minutes 51 seconds

What the trees know / kîkwây mîtosak ê-kiskêyihtahkik

Police decide to release the tape to the public, hoping someone will recognize the voice of the man who was with Amber when she disappeared. Amber’s remains are found in a field outside the city, close to where four other women have been found, raising the spectre of a serial killer. A raven visits.
Email the reporter, Jana Pruden, at [email protected]
Learn more about this podcast at https://www.theglobeandmail.com/podcasts/inherdefence/#01
Our cover art is a painting of Amber by Lauren Crazybull. Our theme song is No Surrender by Ms.PAN!K. Episode titles were translated into Plains Cree by Dorothy Thunder.
Individuals impacted by the issue of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls can contact the MMIWG Crisis Line toll-free at 1-844-413-6649.
Support for families impacted by Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls is also available through the Indian Residential School Survivors Society at irsss.ca
In Her Defence: 50th Street is recorded at Gabby Road Studio on Treaty 6 territory in Edmonton, also known as amiskwaciy-wâskahikan, or Beaver Hills House.

7 October 2024, 10:00 am
32 minutes 28 seconds

Home / wîkihk

Amber’s cousin gives us a tour of Fort Chipewyan, the northern Alberta community where Amber was raised. We learn about Amber’s life before she disappeared, and about the threats that were facing Indigenous women in Edmonton. The police investigation changes significantly after the discovery of a recorded phone call that seems to record the final moments of Amber’s life – and the voice of the man who may be her killer.
E-mail the reporter, Jana Pruden, at [email protected]
Learn more about this podcast at https://www.theglobeandmail.com/podcasts/inherdefence/#01
Our cover art is a painting of Amber by Lauren Crazybull. Our theme song is No Surrender by Ms.PAN!K. Episode titles were translated into Plains Cree by Dorothy Thunder.
Individuals affected by the issue of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls can contact the MMIWG Crisis Line toll-free at 1-844-413-6649.
Support for families affected by Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls is also available through the Indian Residential School Survivors Society at irsss.ca
In Her Defence: 50th Street is recorded at Gabby Road Studio on Treaty 6 territory in Edmonton, also known as amiskwaciy-wâskahikan, or Beaver Hills House.

30 September 2024, 10:05 am
33 minutes 50 seconds

Missing / ê-wanihiht

Amber Tuccaro flies south to Edmonton with her baby and a new friend, and vanishes. Amber’s family doesn’t trust the police investigation, and her relatives and friends do everything they can to find her and bring attention to her case. Police find a stunning piece of evidence.
E-mail the reporter, Jana Pruden, at [email protected]
Learn more about this podcast at https://www.theglobeandmail.com/podcasts/inherdefence/#01
Our cover art is a painting of Amber by Lauren Crazybull. Our theme song is No Surrender by Ms.PAN!K. Episode titles were translated into Plains Cree by Dorothy Thunder.
Individuals affected by the issue of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls can contact the MMIWG Crisis Line toll-free at 1-844-413-6649.
Support for families affected by Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls is also available through the Indian Residential School Survivors Society at irsss.ca
In Her Defence: 50th Street is recorded at Gabby Road Studio on Treaty 6 territory in Edmonton, also known as amiskwaciy-wâskahikan, or Beaver Hills House.

30 September 2024, 10:00 am
3 minutes 3 seconds

Introducing In Her Defence: 50th Street

Do you recognize this man’s voice?
Coming this fall, In Her Defence: 50th Street investigates the unsolved murder of Amber Tuccaro, who disappeared from the Edmonton area in 2010. Amber left an important clue: A haunting recording of what appear to be the final moments of her life – and the voice of the man who may be her killer.
Do you have information about Amber’s murder? Contact reporter Jana Pruden at [email protected] or by phone/ text at 780-265-5262
The portrait of Amber is by Lauren Crazybull. The show’s theme song is “No Surrender” by Ms.PAN!K
Resources for people affected
Support for families impacted by Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls is available through the Indian Residential School Survivors Society www.irsss.ca.
The Indian Residential School Survivors Society also offers 24-hour support through the Lamathut crisis line toll-free at 1-800-721-0066.
The National Indian Residential School Crisis Line provides 24-hour crisis support to former students and their families toll-free at 1-866-925-4419.
Individuals impacted by the issue of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls can contact the MMIWG Crisis Line toll-free at 1-844-413-6649.
First Nations, Inuit and Métis seeking immediate emotional support can also contact the Hope for Wellness Help Line toll-free at 1-855-242-3310, or by online chat at hopeforwellness.ca.
Learn more
National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation
Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action
Reclaiming Power and Place: The Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls

6 May 2024, 11:00 am
46 minutes 38 seconds

Crime Story: An in-depth interview with Jana Pruden

In this special bonus episode, our host Jana Pruden sits down with Crime Story’s Kathleen Goldhar to discuss the question, “How should we deal with women who kill their abusers?”
You can listen to more incredible tales of true crime every week on Crime Story. Find them in your podcast app, or here: https://link.chtbl.com/DreYfAFB
Plus, details of In Her Defence season 2 are coming soon!

22 April 2024, 2:45 pm
36 minutes 43 seconds

Episode 8: Freedom

Did Helen really kill Miles? A burning question remains. As Helen works toward release from prison, we think about what made Miles who he was, and consider the legacy of his violence.
Theme song, “The Fighter,” by Jenn Grant.
Learn more about this podcast and domestic violence in Canada, or sign up for our newsletter at tgam.ca/inherdefence
E-mail the reporter at [email protected]
If you’re experiencing intimate partner violence and want to talk to someone, you can find resources and your nearest shelter at sheltersafe.ca
New subscribers to The Globe and Mail get a deal at globeandmail.com/podcastdeal

21 November 2023, 12:00 pm
30 minutes 15 seconds

Episode 7: Seemed Like a Loser

Appealing a plea deal is a long-shot, but defence lawyer Mona Duckett wants to take it on. The Crown says justice has been served. The Court of Appeal considers Helen’s future.
Theme song, “The Fighter,” by Jenn Grant.
Learn more about this podcast and domestic violence in Canada, or sign up for our newsletter at tgam.ca/inherdefence
E-mail the reporter at [email protected]
If you’re experiencing intimate partner violence and want to talk to someone, you can find resources and your nearest shelter at sheltersafe.ca
New subscribers to The Globe and Mail get a deal at globeandmail.com/podcastdeal

14 November 2023, 12:00 pm
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