
How Alaina Urquhart turned forensic expertise into true crime's most compelling voices
Alaina Urquhart, an autopsy technician turned podcaster, co-hosts Morbid: A True Crime Podcast, one of America's most popular shows. Since 2018, her unique perspective on death and forensic science has captivated millions of listeners worldwide.
Quick Facts
Alaina Urquhart's journey from the autopsy suite to international podcasting stardom reveals how specialized expertise can reshape an entire genre. As an autopsy technician with years of hands-on experience in forensic pathology, Urquhart brought credibility and unflinching detail to true crime storytelling—a combination that proved irresistible to audiences.
In May 2018, Urquhart launched Morbid: A True Crime Podcast alongside her niece Ashleigh "Ash" Kelley, a former hairstylist. The aunt-niece duo, who refer to each other as "sisters," created an unexpectedly potent formula. While Kelley brought conversational warmth and narrative skill, Urquhart supplied forensic knowledge grounded in real experience. Their show—categorized as a true crime anthology covering everything from unsolved deaths to spooky historical events—quickly found its audience.
The numbers reflect Morbid's extraordinary reach. By 2022, the podcast ranked #10 among America's most popular shows, according to Amazon Music. Major publications including Vogue, Bleeding Cool, and The Post have featured it on their best-of lists. This success opened doors: Urquhart and Kelley expanded into *Crime Countdown*, a partnership with Parcast that ran from November 2021 to June 2022.
Urquhart's influence extended further in 2022 when she launched the Morbid Network under Wondery, producing five additional podcasts spanning different angles on crime and the macabre: *Cult Liter with Spencer Henry*, *That's Spooky*, *Seven Deadly Sinners*, *Scream!*, and *The Strange and Unusual Podcast*. This network expansion signaled Urquhart's emergence as more than a co-host—she became a creator and producer shaping the true crime podcast landscape.


