Karl Karlsen - The Unluckiest Man Alive?

Go to sheathunderwear... and use the code “CRIMINALIST” to get 20% off your order! Thank you Sheath for the sponsorship!
Simon's Social Media:
Twitter: / simonwhistler
Instagram: / simonwhistler
This video is #sponsored by Sheath.
Love content? Check out Simon's other KZbin Channels:
Biographics: / @biographics
Geographics: / @geographicstravel
Warographics: / @warographics643
MegaProjects: / @megaprojects9649
SideProjects: / @sideprojects
Into The Shadows: / intotheshadows
TopTenz: / toptenznet
Today I Found Out: / todayifoundout
Highlight History: / @highlighthistory
Business Blaze: / @brainblaze6526
Decoding the Unknown: / @decodingtheunknown2373

[@TheCasualCriminalist]

Go to sheathunderwear.com and use the code “CRIMINALIST” to get 20% off your order! Thank you Sheath for the sponsorship!

[@dsgdsg9764]

Simon I know you're foreign so line dancing is square........?

[@owenspiva]

hopefully this promo code is active for a while because you've been done dirty. At the time of this video going live they have their own code at the top of the site for 35% off.

[@tbrhunter]

@@owenspivait worked for me yesterday.

[@woody4077]

look simon money is the answer to most questions...however what i hope you can understand is that if a police force is gonna send an investigator anywhere outside of its jurisdiction; they have to pay for: 1 travel 2 lodging 3 food 4 gas 5 the investigator's time ACTUALLY doing an investigation and 6 any other misc. expenses

[@michaelmayhem350]

I'm not using a sponsor code until you convince a sponsor to use the code word allegedly 😂

[@Hclegend]

"I always thought Carl was spelt with a C, this is spelt with a K." Simon, one of your writers is literally Karl Smallwood.

[@lindala2602]

Wait is Fact fiend a writer for casual criminalist?

[@IvoKintobor]

​@@lindala2602karl has written for tifo, *graphics channels, and now hosts some of those episodes as well

[@gomahklawm4446]

I'd definitely change the last name.....lol.

[@Jumpstart342]

@@gomahklawm4446 I have a friend whose last name is Littleboy. Yes, my friend is a man.

[@TheUberjammer]

Hey! Stop making fun of Cimon!

[@steveharrison76]

Just wanted to say: “God, I’m glad I live in the future. Otherwise I’d definitely have died by now.” Is one of the most marvellous things I’ve ever heard anyone say.

[@dyslexicboogaloo]

It’s funny hearing that when we’re all well aware that the past was the worst.

[@EnderPearlRs]

I was born with double pneumonia. No doubt I'm lucky that the Universe waited until '95 to throw me to the wolves.

[@Areyousayingidontknowmyname]

It's a double whammy as if he was born in the past he has lots of time to have even died of old age on top of the past being the worst😂

[@apriljk6557]

​@@EnderPearlRs yeah, without antibiotics I'd have been dead 10 times over, at least, in early childhood.

[@OncleClara]

I was randomly thinking about this yesterday funnily enough. I have chronic health problems but I also have ADHD and I’m waiting for an autism assessment. I’ve had two mental breakdowns and I would definitely have been placed in an institution. I also had gallstones in my late 20’s and that can eventually be fatal if not treated, as if the stones get into the pancreas it’s a medical emergency and people die from acute pancreatitis. As it stands, I take meds for my ADHD that allow me to work, and meds for my depression and anxiety. I had my gallbladder removed, and my other chronic health issues are easily managed. I’ve got a good productive relatively normal life. It’s scary to think that just 150 years ago I would have been in an asylum and have probably died in my 20’s!

[@dyslexicboogaloo]

It’s difficult to gauge who is actually the unluckiest man alive but if your parents named you Karl Karlson you’re definitely not off to a good start.

[@roguebanshee]

Well he could have been called Gunnar Gunnarssonsson.

[@lukybell3693]

😂

[@camillosteuss]

``A boy named Sue`` throwback...

[@briannam3140]

imagine his middle name is “son”

[@Baldevi]

I agree with myself. That's one of those names that say in parenthesis "We so do not care that this kid was born to us, we can't even think up a decent name, we'll truncate our surname. There. Done. Karl he is, now take him away, he's crying."

[@butterbeanqueen8148]

Many children used to have life insurance policies on them. It was called a burial policy. People from the older generations experienced hard times and the costs of a funeral could be financially devastating. My grandmother bought all of her grandchildren policies. She experienced 2 siblings dying and one of her children died too. So she was very aware of how much a funeral could effect the finances of a family.

[@Sara-mo4mx]

I remember my mother mentioning she had a policy on each of us when I was a teenager. I made a joke about her getting a payout if we died and she pointed out it was unfortunately only enough for a funeral

[@StoneInMySandal]

They were a big feature of fraternal organizations too. The policies were sold to members and their families and the small profits were used to pay for funerals of uninsured members of the public.

[@thehangmansdaughter1120]

We had policies on both our kids when they were growing up. Should one of them die we figured we'd not be in any shape to go back to work for quite some time. And our other child would need us, the loss of a twin being especially devastating. We had life policies on both of us so it seemed reasonable to us to insure them.

[@kellyngrey4950]

Well, that makes a lot of sense actually. If they die before they're old enough to work in the field, ya might as well get your money back.

[@smnkm4ehfer]

I had to bury my child and yes, it's very financially draining at the absolute worst time too as clearly you're going to miss work, you're going to be depressed, things aren't going well and now you have to spend many thousands of dollars.

[@tigershirew7409]

Hi Simon, horse owner here - yes horses were measured in literal hands. Now a days, a hand equals 4 inches. So a 17 hand horse is 68 inches (5'7" or 173cm) from the ground to the withers.

[@butterbeanqueen8148]

Pretty big horse!

[@itsapittie]

Fellow horse guy here. To expand just a bit for the non-horsey people, a horse is measured to the top of the shoulder because that's the highest part that is in a constant relationship to the ground. It wouldn't be useful to measure to the top of a horse's head because that height changes depending upon how he's standing. So, yes, a 17 hand horse is very tall.

[@brandonmaynard9507]

Weed used to be measured the same way. Lol

[@butterbeanqueen8148]

@@itsapittie when we had our horse there was a Shire that was 19 hands high. He was magnificent. Our horse was a mare and was 16 hands high so she was pretty big. But riding the two of them was extremely different. And when they stood next to each other the Shire dwarfed our horse!

[@itsapittie]

@@butterbeanqueen8148 The tallest horse I ever had was a 17-2 Thoroughbred. He was a hunter-type and sometimes people mistook him for a warmblood. I'm a bit taller than the average man, but it was still a challenge to mount from the ground. I could see for miles from up there. 😆

[@frankmckenneth9254]

Immediately upon starting the video Simon: There are several Mathews, we keep them numbered in the writing basement.

[@Mmadden119]

I’ve seen nearly every episode of Casual Criminalist and the writing of this episode is up there with the best. Bravo.

[@MatthewMarcum]

❤

[@michellekozaczok8201]

​@@MatthewMarcumI agree, very well written. Definitely one of the best episodes. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute. Thank you. ❤

[@SyntheticCouture]

My biggest fear as a child was a house fire, it seemed like in the 90's there were house fires every day on the news!

[@MatthewMarcum]

My grandparents lost their home in a fire. I was too young to remember it, but I’m told it was a home made of untreated logs that caught fire via a dropped cigarette. It burned very quickly. The fear was real.

[@StoneInMySandal]

The total number of house fires hasn’t changed much (about 5%) since the 90s. What did change was the consolidation of the media. After 9/11 and the rise of the 24 hour news cycle, local news outlets were increasingly incorporated into larger networks , at the loss of local news coverage. It’s very unfortunate as it has had a huge negative effect on society.

[@kellyngrey4950]

Well they are everyday in California!

[@cassandrabrowne-schneider4951]

There's a house fire reported in the NYC/NJ area almost everyday still

[@pioneercynthia1]

We had regular house fires in the small town we lived in when my daughter was small. Interestingly, they never happened to the Amish families, probably because Amish families are intensely concerned with fire safety.

[@LaylaSpellwind]

At first I thought this was going to be a story about a really unlucky guy... Turns out it was his family that were the unlucky ones. I'm only glad he was locked away. That interrogation where he's actually backed into a corner, is brilliant. Squirrel away Karl!

[@Tauposaurus]

I was of the same opinion and partways i realised this was casual criminalist and not just another of Simons shows, and i was like "oh no". Hes not gonna be hit by lightjing hes gonna kill people...

[@MatthewMarcum]

Wow! This makes three episodes in a row for me (if you count the Christmas collab I did with Liam, Emma, and Matt G). Hope you all enjoy! Also, to tangent off of Simon’s early tangent, I actually have an uncle named Mark Marcum.

[@richardcheeseman6330]

As long as the uncle's middle name is not Marcus.

[@KarenSmith-qi7tt]

Thank you Matt. Ur ability to set Simon off is truly legendary 😂

[@patrickeisert6873]

Thank you Matt I as a long time fact boi fan I really enjoy your writing

[@justincapone]

Sounds like Danny's about to get company in the basement. FREE DANNY 2024!!!

[@Sirruinous]

Excellent work, Sir

[@OfNeuronsandElectric]

Simon always jokes that no one's here for his tangents but it's my favorite part and if he ever masters the ability to stay on topic I WILL cry

[@lauren9667]

Excellently done episode. We got our murderer, but (to those of us who never heard of Karl before) it was a cliffhanger to the end. Extra bonus for a lack of excessive gore. I fear we’re going to have to have a Go Fund Me page for Simon and the CC writers to cover trauma therapy.

[@tsuritsa3105]

Stories with fires in them are always a little hard for me to listen to, no matter what their cause. In 2020 my house caught fire. They think some electrical problem caused it. Thankfully my wife and I were not at home when it happened but our family pets, including three puppies we had only just gotten six weeks prior, were. We lost absolutely everything except our cars, the things we had in our purses and the clothes on our back. It was one of the most devastating and traumatizing experiences of both of our lives, even though no *human beings* were hurt. Fires can change a person's world in a matter of minutes, no matter who you are. So stories like this tend to get under my skin.

[@christabelle__]

And hey, it's okay to be crushed by the death of an innocent creature - whether or not it was human! Those were still innocent babies - you lost your home, and your babies, I can't blame you for how you feel... it's infuriating that someone would light their own home on fire - but just to murder for money??? He devastated his whole family - and his wife's family, and then burned through all that money, only to murder the child he saved first from the fire that HE set! I'll never understand parents who harm or kill their own kids... not all humans evolved to be civil; but I can't even call this guy a beast... he did it all out of greed, and not even the beasts of the land kill for greed. I hope your life has turned around since 2020 - it was a bad enough year for everyone in the world, but to lose your home amidst the global crisis! How terrible. Wishing you healing and hope and happiness!

[@bilalabbasi8445]

CC topic suggestion: I know Simon presented a biographics video about Pablo Escobar but I think a in-depth CC about him would be an interesting topic to cover.

[@scottrobinson6682]

I live a few miles from Seneca Falls and know guys who grew up with Levi. He is still missed and this case is still fresh in the minds of locals.

[@meredithlucas7156]

Simon I'm only 43 and we used a kerosene heater while i was growing up. We had very old baseboard heaters and the heat didn't reach the entire home if it was a very cold winter. I never really thiught about how dangerous it probably was...😳

[@MetalGearsOfThought]

It's so refreshing that Simon's writers can create compelling scripts without all the obvious gimmickry every youtuber uses now (which i assume comes from some ebook or Skillshare course written about writing true crime), where you state an interesting piece of information, then say 'but we'll get into that more later' to try to increase engagement tme. It annoys me every time I hear it to the point i may just close the video. No clunky nonsense here - these writers are truly excellent.

[@NinjamusPrime1]

Simon. We’re all here for the tangents. All the tangents. All of your channels should be in this format. Pleaseeee. Your commentary is chefs kiss

[@1981Speedwagone]

This is probably he best script i have heard in this series. So well crafted in its build up to what was going on. This writer earned a bonus simon.

[@zurielsss]

extra can of food for the basement

[@TinkerTaylor-zv1ml]

Cookies!!!!

[@MatthewMarcum]

Glad to hear it! It can be hard to strike the right balance between suspense and story progression. Glad this one hit the mark. ❤

[@andreagriffiths3512]

@@MatthewMarcumthat was excellent! The twists and turns had me hooked. Most entertaining, thank you 💕💕💕

[@darthplagueis13]

Man, good on Cindy for managing to put the pieces together and getting out of there in time.

[@seanbinkley7363]

One suggestion I'd have for a future Casual Criminalist which would be pretty unique is the trial of Soghomon Tehlirian for the murder/assassination in Germany of Talaat Pasha (the defacto leader of the Ottoman Empire during WWI). It's a special case in my view because Pasha was killed as direct retaliation for his role in the Armenian Genocide (which the defense made the cornerstone of their case) and the assassin was acquitted despite the fact that Tehlirian was very obviously guilty of the killing.

[@dexocube]

Yeah I read up about that a while ago, raises some deep issues. Justice was served, for once.

[@josievaccaro]

This is a must!

[@jrmckim]

Wow, what incredible writing. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. Excellent work, Matt 💫

[@sassanada]

I envy Simon for never having encountered line dancing. Lucky him.

[@ReddFoxx1562]

It's popular in Ireland as well

[@tazztower44]

country line dancing was definitely cringe worthy😢

[@ReddFoxx1562]

@@tazztower44 I mean, you could say that about dance in general, but much like anything else if you're trying to socialize it's actually pretty fun if you learn how to do it well and the people around you like it.

[@flowertrue]

I was an avid line dancer in the 90s and it was a lot of fun. I looked forward to going every week, and I had such a good time at local jamborees with my sisters.

[@TheFoggyjones]

@@tazztower44 I did a bit of country line dancing in the very English CofE primary school I went to when I was a tiny litttle 9-year old future-adult nugget in 1988. All I can say is Ruth had like the softest hands ever. It's a bit of a geographical Russian roulette, line dancing. It could happen to you anywhere. You just did it. And you span round and round and round and round... I loved it. I geniuinely loved it.

[@DaBeanieBaby]

As soon as you said the truck was jacked up and they were leaving I immediately knew what was going to happen. Poor guy. That’s awful.

[@wolvie1618]

Same. My mom always drilled into my head to be there when my dad was working on the car, just in case the jack slipped and it fell on him. I don't think anything of the sort has happened to him so far, but it is still a possibility and a potentially deadly one at that. Leaving someone alone under a jacked car is just a bad idea.

[@mistyrose-yf4do]

Have to admit the way it was worded (he wanted his daughters to know Karl) I was expecting them to be victims so as horrible as this was I was trying to prepare myself for worse. Extremely well written episode. Honestly I much prefer this format without the dramatic intro and the simple Music stinger thing. Some of the starts of a few of the other newer ones have felt a bit off to me. I almost thought they’d changed the format just cause instead of the normal ‘I’ve never read this’ at the beginning it was an in-depth hook like intro (which I think they used to just do it after the usual cold read intro and one or two random Simon meanderings). This episode was exceedingly well done. Good strong choice for the new year.

[@MatthewMarcum]

@@mistyrose-yf4doMuch appreciated!

[@lutherthecollie]

Yes.. At that point I said - I know this one

[@arizonatsunami]

Have to admit, when I first saw this title I was like “what the heck is this story”?. Then literally 2:30 into the video I verbally said out loud “OH!!!” That guy from New York who dropped that car on his son!!! I would strongly recommend the Forensic Files episode on this case for those who haven’t seen it.

[@terrafirma5327]

My dad has a life insurance policy for each of us in the family, but the one on himself is the biggest since he is the main source of income. He had a brain aneurysm back in 2011 and survived with little ill effects, inspiring him to get strong policies.

[@butterbeanqueen8148]

I have had a life insurance policy on my child since they were a few months old and they are over 30 now. The reason we did this was to insure they could get life insurance even if they had health problems. The insurance company we decided on will insure them if they have had a insurance policy since they were a child even if they develop health problems.

[@terrafirma5327]

@@butterbeanqueen8148 yeah, I'm 32 myself and suffer from chronic health conditions so I get the motive

[@AshUSC7578]

I swear my parents took out a life insurance policy on me before I left the hospital.

[@WouldntULikeToKnow.]

​​@@butterbeanqueen8148 my husband, in his 30s, has a chronic degenerative illness that is advancing more rapidly than expected. I doubt we could get affordable life insurance now. I wish his mother had the same foresight as you did! Good thinking!

[@goosenotmaverick1156]

My mother had policies on all of us, very similarly to how your dad has, to be fair I'm not sure if she still does, she might? Not sure how that works. I can't blame her one bit, I wasn't too bright as a teen.

[@Xayver1082]

Licensed life insurance agent in more than 12 states here, the point of an accidental death benefit is because when someone dies of an accident, obviously it is incredibly sudden and unexpected. Life insurance is based on how long you're expected to live and subsequently pay the premiums. So if you add on an ADB then youre trying to be extra taken care of in the event of an accidental death. Cause it usually comes with a heck of a lot of extra costs

[@tierneykurfess2618]

Excellent script, Matthew. Wow. What a story.

[@denny4471]

Except poverty was never an issue. I know the family. Karl was simply greedy & evil.

[@TourettesMajestic]

Omg. It’s taken me an hour to realise I’ve already heard this story because you told it in such an interesting and haunting story.

[@86wezza88]

In relation to Karl Karlson, here in Australia when i was a kid there was a racecar driver here named Dugal McDougall. I mean, how cruel can people be when naming their kids?

[@DILFDylF]

This was expertly written! I'm familiar with the case but I didn't know it until halfway through! The writer had me sympathizing with Karl...

[@wargamerwilly8756]

I enjoyed the two ways his life and history were described. Fantastic video! I'm working my way through so many! As well as all the other channels!

[@vivianvelasco4358]

I like that you talk average speed. Other videos have been slowed down to such an extent that makes the audience feel so stupid. With your videos, my brain cells are wide awake. Thank you.

[@CashelOConnolly]

I speak from experience there’s no room for pride when you’re poor

[@casadilla111]

Amen!

[@annemettefrederiksen7751]

But martyrdom and false pride are sometimes a person in a tight spots biggest enemy as they refuse help or vote against their own health/socialtal situation..

[@michaelnevison2209]

pride is like sweets after dinner you may not need it but can always make room

[@KilerkRazorclaw]

Gotta say as someone who hung around military alot in my search and rescue days 'crispy critter' is a normal term for 'burnt body'.

[@somethinunameit637]

27:11 to be fair, if I was taking life insurance out on a young healthy person, I would have an accidental add on, because if they were to die, it would most likely be by accident. Young healthy people rarely drop dead from a heart attack, ya know? But the fact that the most important people in Levi's life got nothing from the pay out makes it super suspicious.

[@ladygrndr9424]

Right. If Karl was made the trustee for the money until Levi's children were of age, then it would have made sense for that to be Levi's idea.

[@StrongDreamsWaitHere]

A $700,000 all cause policy would probably be a lot more expensive than an all cause policy for $400,000 with an accident rider.

[@daftirishmarej1827]

Im feeling thoroughly crap right now but "Whistle Whislter" got a genuine smile! Thanks for your randomness

[@joeybaker4244]

Heya guys thankyou so much for all your hard work I love all your videos. I used to have a school teacher named Brian O'Brian , LoL. Can I please recommend you guys doing an episode on the Snowtown murders / bodies in the barrels murders in Australia, thankyou all of you guys 😊

[@RATLordGeno]

Ya gotta love the guy who reads script on KZbin having suggestions about how Karl Karlsen should feel about accepting a job from an in-law. But great video, never heard of this before!

[@TamTam6163]

This whole story I remember hearing forever ago and was like.. wtf man? But I also watched the interrogation video of KK. Yes Simon.. Karl is the bad guy :(

[@amysmith4779]

Line dancing is indeed done in a line that stretches across the dance floor. And there are some that line dance to literally everything. A very southern thing

[@pamelamays4186]

Matthew, another fantastic script. You could easily become a crime novelist some day.

[@SaS-cs7hz]

Thanks!

[@DocHolliday1851]

At first I thought this was going to be the story of a legitimately unlucky man. Like that guy who survived being struck by lightening twice (or the two guys to get struck by lightening but then win lottery jackpots). Wasn't expecting to hear an unfortunately familiar story about a guy who treated his wife and kids like this (my old man was the *exact same way* minus the life deleting and insurance policies).

[@trevormassoth2802]

Ive been watching some of your other channels, and other true crime channels, and I must say, I LOVE your asides. Theyre always welcome, and makes this channel great

[@WinstonArtemis]

I actually stopped dead in my tracks when the truck was mentioned cause that reminded me that I've heard of this one before!

[@MatthewMarcum]

That’s why I didn’t lead with the truck like most true-crime channels that have covered this case did ;) I wanted to keep everyone on their toes. Glad you enjoyed it.

[@johnmiskella9981]

These past 6 days or so since the past video have felt so long. So glad we got another on Simon

[@tmmccormick86]

First time I've heard Seneca Falls mentioned in a video without mention of Suffrage, civil rights convention, or the bridge from Bedford Falls.

[@theSwayne]

38:50 Art is often used as short hand for Arthur but my Grandfather did have a brother Art that was simply Art (Also had a brother that’s name was literally “J” not short for anything just the letter so maybe not the best example lol)

[@wolvie1618]

Having a name that's just one letter must be so annoying, people asking you what it stands for and not really believing you when you tell them that's it. It's like me not having a middle name, people get shocked when I tell them I don't have one.

[@stefanieliles-ray5814]

My grandfather went by Art and his name was Arthur!

[@MikeHughey728]

​@@wolvie1618I remember reading an article a very long time ago about "the man with the shortest surname in the world" or something. His name was Stephen O. That's it, just the letter O (if I'm remembering right it was an anglicization of an Asian name). He said he usually gave his name as "O'Shaughnessy" because it was, ironically, simpler that way.

[@MikeHughey728]

I used to work with a grown man, in his 50s at the time, named Billy. Not William-but-he-went-by-Billy, just Billy. That's what was on his driver's license and everything.

[@nilianstroy]

​@@MikeHughey728would it make a difference if was a boy?

[@urshurakdieohnekanal9291]

Danke!

[@randyruppel6727]

This one was so well executed. I don't know a lick about this guy, but every bit was interesting, and the way Matt abc,123 laid it out for us consumers, well damn fine. Ready for the next one, or a follow up to this one. I wasnt ready for this to end haha. Very nicely written and read.

[@khurram4589]

The easiest way to manage your money is to take it one step at a time and not worry about being perfect

[@DustinDriggers]

Line dancing is just one dimensional square dancing.

[@jooleebilly]

Wait. Didn't I read in Lineland that they were all two dimensional there?

[@baalzeebub4230]

@@jooleebillyline, square, cube…. 1 2 3. Not to imply that square dance is 2 dimensional cube dancing.

[@ignitionfrn2223]

3:15 - Chapter 1 - The tragic life of karl karlsen 3:30 - Mid roll ads 4:45 - Back to the video 16:05 - Chapter 2 - A fresh start 21:05 - Chapter 3 - Tragedy returns 24:20 - Chapter 4 - Suspicious minds 34:35 - Chapter 5 - The past & present collide 42:20 - Chapter 6 - The sting 47:10 - Chapter 7 - A long awaited justice

[@edmondkarisen3937]

it took me a while to remember the "unluckiest man alive" remark. thats because its a phrase to describe how is is possible that a person isnt killing spouse/kids, but its almost never the case, and they're just a murderer

[@ace.l.w]

Kudos to Matt M: the way the narrative of this was written out made it especially compelling, and I appreciated having a lens parallel to Cindy’s when hearing this.

[@reneetubeaddict9757]

Initial thought 10 seconds in: Oh Simon! You’re in for a surprise in this one! 😅

[@BewareTheLilyOfTheValley]

I feel like I had heard this story before but I didn't remember what the ending was. So happy the family of his first wife finally got justice. And HUGE kudos to the second wife for bravely standing up to him! Equally huge kudos to...forgive me, I forgot if it was a friend or her sister who called the police for her. It's what really got the ball rolling. Very brave of both of them.

[@dustrose8101]

Her cousin jackie

[@csoup1414]

This one was the wildest rollercoaster of an episode. I usually come into these with a pretty basic knowledge of the cases but I have never heard of this one, much like Simon and the Chris Watts case lol

[@myli3656]

I have listened to this case many times, but this writing and suspension was great. I realised what case it was when Simon started talking about Karl being in charge of the nuclear codes. And it got me real excited for the big reveal. Well done Matt ! :)

[@timbackman5915]

Please do some Swedish cases, like The laserman, The Palme murder or the Knutby case.

[@ladygrndr9424]

His writers like to use primary sources, so having a writer who reads Swedish would be central to this. However if you know of a writer who could tell those stories well to submit the episode, or are willing to provide translations of the pertinent documents to one of the regular writers, this could happen.

[@BewareTheLilyOfTheValley]

​@@ladygrndr9424This aspect of his writers is something I really like, like the writer who is, I believe, from Hong Kong and thus has a better insight into stories from there or from China that most of us have never heard of. When you write from what you know, you can make a more thorough script. A Swedish story without a Swede as a writer means one, Simon bungling every Swedish word because no writer knows the correct pronunciations to give. And two, having to do a lot of extra work to now find out what the laws are in Sweden. It's possible he already has done such stories and the writers have done that extra legwork, but that seems exhausting.

[@samanthaz2131]

Great episode Simon and Co! Thank you!

[@roselenevictorious8071]

I learnt about this case from another channel (which recently it started to look for me they're doing poorly with how they present the cases, I won't name the channel, I don't think they deserve the shout out), and seeing the comparison how Simon's writers present it - imo quite objectively and sticking to facts that seem sure - I'm just glad the Casual Criminalist exist as channel. Showing the case sensationalised and for shock value is easy (which channel I knew this case did imo). It seems harder to stick to facts.

[@kellyngrey4950]

I want to know the name? I probably watch(ed) it too. There are a couple that are just awful. Pretty much just AI narrating Wikipedia pages.

[@jimmyh2100]

I knew Levi I went to tech school. With him... really rocked my little town

[@murrayscott9546]

Thanks writer and also Simon for your usual excellent presentation !

[@shonnacolbert6130]

I doubt Simon gets this deeply into the comments, and i dont blame him a bit. But on the off chance he does... I discovered a 12-hour CC marathon over a year ago when my marriage ended and I i couldn't sleep at night. I quickly learned that simons soothing voice was the relaxation I needed to turn off my brain and just listen. Since then, I've become a fan of nearly all his channels, and he is still just as comforting as ever. Who would have thought that a marathon about various murderers and monsters would lead to such an appreciation? Not me...but I'll be eternally grateful for Whistle Boy's lilting vocals!

[@MatthewMarcum]

Simon doesn’t venture down here very often, but I do! And I know exactly what you mean because I have several comfort channels of my own. It doesn’t matter what topic they’re covering, it’s just nice to hear a familiar voice talking about something.

[@kendraspenard8792]

A very interesting video. Hope the Casual Criminalist team are all well!

[@lazylazerrsp8781]

Wow! So gripping. I was going to take a break and continue watching later, but then Simon reminded me what this channel was. I forget to check the channel sometimes and I zone out frequently during the intros of the videos since it's typically just explaining the channel and a quick blurb before an ad read. So I was fully expecting it to be something like Karl being a victim of some mysterious crime or a deep dive in the statistics of all the 'unlucky' stuff. Weird thing is I'm pretty sure I heard of either this story or something similar too. Idk if it was just another insurance fraud or simply some unlucky person that happened in California. I was also half expecting it to be about the dude struck by lightnings and surviving plane crashes.

[@r.kai.v11]

Never heard of this one but sounds interesting, can’t wait to watch! Thank you Simon, Matt, and Chris for another video!

[@derickrae]

We went through a minor accidental fire in our house last year. No structural damage, just smoke. It was SUCH a nightmare of insurance and contractors and shipping delays & living in a hotel for a year with kids & pets. It would be massively less stressful to work hard and save to accomplish needed home repairs.

[@sarahburke8433]

You can't have that name. I'm already naming my next child 'Whist Whistle Whistler '!😂❤😊😊

[@courtneysmith9159]

We love your shows so much and look forward to any postings. Your writers are spot on talented as you all are. The choice of topics are diverse and throughly enjoyed❤Keep up the good work!We love you Simon 😍

[@arcady0]

27:00 - I imagine Life Insurance policies tend to favor accidental because with an at-fault death you have someone to sue, and I imagine to discourage murder for insurance schemes (though if you're found to be the killer it's pretty universal that you can't collect the payout).

[@ComedorDelrico]

I really enjoyed the way this was written, very entertaining. And Simon's tangents added that special je ne se quoi. Well done, fellas!

[@Cultural_chronicles411]

I live in Calaveras County, California and I remember this happening. It is hard to believe that someone could be so evil.

[@kellyngrey4950]

Is it though? I mean, there's a loooooooot of examples of evil out there. Binge a playlist of Cas Crim and you'll have a much easier time believing how evil people can be. If you're short on time just watch the one on Pedro Lopez.

[@ComplexLit]

Excellent writing, tense story. Oh BTW Hi Simon!

[@butterbeanqueen8148]

Yes they can kill you if you are trying to access nuclear weapons. There are usually signs around the perimeter of the area that warn Deadly Force Authorized. If you are guarding a facility that houses nuclear weapons and someone tries to compel you to enter the designated zone you are authorized to use deadly force. If someone enters the zone unauthorized you are authorized to use deadly force. But Carl is the first person I’ve ever heard of that has bragged about this.

[@voiceofreason1208]

Right? I work for an armored transport company and I'm authorized to use deadly force in a variety of situations. And not once have I ever brought it up in casual conversation. 🤦

[@butterbeanqueen8148]

@@voiceofreason1208 many members of my family are military including my ex husband. I live in an area that has 5 (edit 6) military bases. Almost every person I know is/was military. 99% of them discuss NOTHING about their jobs. The people that do are either a$$holes or lying.

[@benjaminharcourt4861]

I miss my Ram 2500 5.7L 8 Cylinder more than any vehicle I've ever owned 😢 2nd most reliable vehicle next to my Honda Civic. But that truck was such a good adventure and work vehicle. Edit: 'Art' can be shorthand for 'Arthur' or 'Bartholomew' in my experience

[@willowv.8528]

American here: line dancing is essentially a bunch of people doing a repeating dance in a series of lines, usual you turn 90 degrees before you repeat the dance. Ex: The Cha Cha Slide and its predecessor the Mississippi Cha Cha Slide. Note: I’m black so our line dances are different than white line dances.

[@TheCrone]

I didn't catch wrote this. But, Good Job!! I've heard this story a few times before. This is the best one!

[@MatthewMarcum]

Thanks!

[@nevertimetotryagain]

Hats off to Matt! I didnt even recognize this case until the car fell on Levi!

[@MatthewMarcum]

Yes, it has been covered many times on other channels, so I wanted to give it a new spin. :) Glad you enjoyed it!

[@antonysterley8022]

(8:10) My husband works on the flight-line at the base mentioned in this episode and i can 100% confirm that security forces does have the authorization to use whatever force necessary to keep the war heads safe. They block off the entire highway when they're thransporting them and have an entire caravan dedicated to protecting them. It's not like civilians don't know that they need to steer clear.

[@Turd_Fergus0n]

This was so well written that I actually had the expected emotional experience that I'm assuming the writer intended, well done.

[@nondisclosure3920]

University in the UK hasn't had grants since the turn of the century. We have student loans now, bursaries are things you have to apply for individually. Also, pilots haven't been paid good money in decades, in America some of them use food stamps

[@DahliaVonHellion]

If there’s one thing I’ve learned in life about people, is be wary of people that are always a victim in every story they tell. There’s one common denominator between every situation, and that’s them, especially if you’ve never heard other sides of the story. Sucks for people that genuinely ARE to unlucky, but those people are rarer than many would have you believe.

[@randomtology]

Great episode! I never heard of Karl Karlsen, but I was suspicious the moment they said kerosene was the cause of the fire. While it's still used commercially, kerosene hasn't commonly been used in households in the US in a LONG time. Honestly the only time I've ever see kerosene get used is during civil war reenactments to fuel kerosene lanterns. Meanwhile I definitely remember my family owning an electric space heater in the 1990's, and my family was poor so those things were definitely readily available. So yeah, the whole cause of the fire felt sus as hell to me and I'm glad my detective gut was right. Well, that and let's face it Karl Karlsen's "unluckiest life" sounded pretty average compared to what we usually hear on this misery train of a show.

[@Akalilly]

My parents have had a $500,000 life insurance policy on me since I was 8, with a double indemnity clause. (It pays twice as much for accidental death) It's not weird for upper middle-class families in the USA, but it is super suspicious in this instance.

[@SirNoviTheChauvi]

why is there a need for more money in the case of an accidental death? just wondering, like simon

[@Akalilly]

@SirNoviTheChauvi it's a common thing in life insurance in the US. Because accidents can't really be planned for, there may be more costs surrounding getting the body home, funeral arrangements, medical bills, ect, as well as allowing family to afford a longer period of mourning.

[@person35790]

@@SirNoviTheChauvi Accidental death is a much more common cause of death than say cancer, or a heart attack, or something of that nature, or murder. That’s why the supplemental accident insurance is separate.

[@maryscott9430]

Omg thank you!!!! I watched this case on investigation discovery and havent been able to remember the guys name.

[@jonathanwatson268]

This was an interesting case but also a very well written script!

[@Kelzicon]

This is how norse naming works. Your father is Karl, he names you Karl and you are Karl Karl's son, Karl Karlsen. If you read any viking sagas every second dude is Thor Thorsen

[@SilentRacer911]

My mom had an insurance policy on me since I was a baby THAT I DIDNT KNOW ABOUT. Not much, a small $10k. But I was born with medical issues that thankfully went away with age but the “baby” company Gerber makes it so affordable it’s stupid not to. My policy was a couple dollars a month until I fell on hard times and canceled it because it was back due for 6 years at that point.

[@butterbeanqueen8148]

I did the same thing just not with Gerber. The insurance company we chose has to insure them even if they develop health problems as an adult.

[@lisapop5219]

Accidental death is sometimes added because people injured in accidents usually have hefty medical bills that need to be paid. That's what I was told. In the US, medical bills can suck up the amount designated for your family.

[@CashelOConnolly]

Britain runs on a loans system for universities. The grant system was phased out years ago

[@everkief1331]

I think the largest F-Series Ford you can get is the F-650. Perfect for those Midwest or mountain range snow storms and drifts, or, uh, pulling your second home. I'd love to see a F-950! It would likely need two entire lanes to get down the road. Now that's something an American can be proud of!

[@knocknockify]

How can you take out an insurance policy on someone without their consent? That sounds crazy to me

[@wolvie1618]

Also just sounds super suspicious. Like why do you not want to discuss it with them, hmm? Surely you'd want their approval, if you didn't have any nefarious goals in mind.

[@andiward7068]

Insurance companies want collect premiums, it doesn't matter for whom. They don't pay if the insurer is found to have caused the death of the insured. It's in the companies' best interest to make that cake.

[@gomahklawm4446]

Companies, especially Walmart do it often. It's sick, and it should be ended if the there's no consent. It's truly sick. Look up how Walmart does it, trult disgusting.

[@meredithlucas7156]

My job offered me one on my husband when I started. It was just one of the things to sign up for in my benefits package. I didn't really think of it being weird...till now of course.

[@angelitabecerra]

Perfect timing, was looking for something to watch

[@SlippyMcKnot8472]

By the title of the episode, I went in thinking it wasn't really him being a piece of shit. I figured that by the end of the episode, we would find out he was innocent and just honestly had horrible luck. You guys got me on that one.

[@mooshe61D]

I would love to see the Crawford family murders on here! It’s such an interesting case! Also I absolutely love this channel. Each writer brings so much to the cases and Simon’s tangents are the best

[@KristinShoots]

I come for the crime, but stay for the tangents☺

[@MatthewMarcum]

Same. I know the story (obviously), but I watch to see what unexpected places Simon takes it.

[@KristinShoots]

@@MatthewMarcum 😉it’s always such a fun ride. thanks Mr. M. M. for such hard work. enjoyable as always