Home Brew Murder Crew

What do homemade wine, small town Alberta, and serial killers have in common? 

Carlin Lutzer sits down with Meaghan and Kristy of the Homebrew Murder Crew for a witty, unsettling, and surprisingly thoughtful conversation about true crime. 

From their origins in a Facebook group and a shared Blockbuster past to covering local murders that hit close to home, the trio explores why women are drawn to true crime, how humour makes dark stories more digestible, and where the line is drawn between entertainment and respect for victims. 

The result is a candid look at curiosity, fear, community, and why telling these stories feels both personal and purposeful.
 

Listen For

:18 Why has true crime exploded in popularity among women
2:17 How did a Facebook group and Blockbuster jobs lead to a murder podcast
5:19 Did the hosts ever drink too much while recording an episode
6:33 Is true crime a form of survival education for women
13:15 Why do local murder cases feel different in a small town like Okotoks
 
 

Home Brew Murder Crew Podcast

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Transcript

Announcer (00:00):
This is the Okotoks Podcast, powered by Carlin Lutzer Real Estate and held together by caffeine and good intentions.

Carlin Lutzer (00:18):
Today on the Okotoks Podcast, I am joined by Meaghan and Kristy, the brilliantly twisted minds behind Homebrew Murder Crew. One from Okotoks and one from Calgary, and together they have created a true crime podcast that blends homemade wine, one brave attempt at home brewing beer, and a whole lot of murder talk.

We dive into why true crime has exploded in popularity among women and how humour becomes the secret ingredient that makes even the darkest stories a little more digestible. We talk serial killers, local crimes, fantasy versus reality, and the surprising gender differences behind what captures our curiosity. And of course, we touch on the very real fear I had being in a room with two women who spend this much time talking about murder.

This is a fun, witty, slightly unsettling conversation that explores why true crime grips so many of us and why Meaghan and Kristy have become two of the most entertaining voices in the genre.

(01:17)
Let’s get into it.

Carlin Lutzer (01:18):
Well, Meaghan and Kristy, thank you very much for joining me.

Meaghan (01:24):
Thank you for having us.

Carlin Lutzer (01:26):
As co hosts of Homebrew Murder Crew, the way I found you was before I even started this podcast. I would search Okotoks on Spotify just to see if anyone else was doing something local. You kept coming up because of an episode you produced about a murder in and around the Okotoks, High River, Blackie area.

So how does someone decide they are going to start a podcast, and then decide it is going to be about murder?

Kristy (02:17):
We started with a Facebook group called Wine and True Crime. From there it kind of grew. It was myself and my friend Brittany, who I have known for many years. I have also known Meaghan for a long time, but we reconnected through that group.

Meaghan (02:40):
They started the Facebook group and I joined it. They made me a moderator and we had a group chat. I said, let’s make a podcast. And here we are.

Carlin Lutzer (02:53):
You made a podcast.

Meaghan (02:54):
About true crime.

Carlin Lutzer (02:55):
I did a little research on you and found out you all met while working at Blockbuster.

Kristy (03:07):
Yes. All three of us, including Brittany. I worked at Blockbuster for almost ten years before it went into receivership. It was the best job. Underworked, overpaid, and amazing. I was the store manager and Meaghan was my assistant manager.

Carlin Lutzer (03:40):
So you were locking in your careers at Blockbuster and then it disappeared. That was around 2011?

Kristy (03:55):
Yes.

Carlin Lutzer (03:55):
You were babies. Then you parted ways for a bit.

Meaghan (04:13):
We did.

Carlin Lutzer (04:14):
Was it the Facebook group that brought you back together?

Meaghan (04:16):
Yes. Facebook.

Kristy (04:23):
We stayed connected over the years, but the group really brought us back together. We decided to make wine one day, and then a podcast.

Carlin Lutzer (04:44):
That is a wicked combination.

Meaghan (04:47):
We make Okotoks closet wine.

Carlin Lutzer (04:50):
And you brew beer as well?

Kristy (04:53):
Once. It was a lot more work than the wine, but we plan to do another batch. That is where the name Homebrew Murder Crew comes from. We also do shorter episodes called Micro Brews.

Carlin Lutzer (05:19):
Is there one episode where you maybe drank a little too much?

Kristy (05:30):
The early ones for sure.

Meaghan (05:40):
There was one we only put on Patreon.

Kristy (05:46):
We were testing equipment, had margaritas, and things got wild.

Carlin Lutzer (06:33):
Why do women seem more drawn to true crime than men?

Kristy (07:16):
Women are disproportionately the victims in these crimes. About seventy percent of serial killer victims are women. Consuming true crime can act as a survival tool. You learn red flags and warning signs.

Meaghan (11:09):
With podcasts and documentaries exploding, it has become more mainstream.

Kristy (11:50):
Also, falling asleep to Dateline and Keith Morrison’s voice is basically a lullaby.

Carlin Lutzer (13:15):
You covered local murders in episodes forty and seventy five. That hits differently in a small town like Okotoks.

Kristy (13:51):
It does. You think of it as safe. Compared to Calgary, the crime feels very different.

Carlin Lutzer (14:56):
What criteria do you use when choosing cases?

Kristy (15:00):
It depends on how much information exists. Some are full length episodes and others are Micro Brews. We cover cases worldwide, as well as dark history and paranormal topics.

Meaghan (16:49):
Some cases are personal. One involved someone I worked with. Another was suggested by my mom because of her history in Okotoks.

Kristy (18:19):
We are not journalists. We aim for camaraderie. You should feel like you are sitting with friends.

Carlin Lutzer (22:09):
Do you ever reach out to families?

Kristy (20:25):
We stay sensitive. We never joke about victims. We have reached out in some cases, especially Indigenous cases.

Meaghan (24:25):
The faint hope clause allowed parole applications after fifteen years. Lori Boyd’s mother fought to have it removed. It was scrapped in 2011.

Carlin Lutzer (26:28):
The Lori Boyd Bridge in Okotoks is named after her.

Carlin Lutzer (27:32):
Any episodes that really stand out?

Meaghan (27:43):
Our second episode meant a lot to me personally.

Kristy (28:27):
Episode forty two on the Halifax Explosion was incredible.

Carlin Lutzer (32:32):
Are you on YouTube?

Kristy (32:41):
Not yet. We are on podcast platforms and Patreon. Our Micro Brews are available as video.

Carlin Lutzer (34:39):
We should do a crossover episode.

Kristy (34:52):
Absolutely.

Carlin Lutzer (35:41):
Thank you for your time. If anyone wants to listen, Homebrew Murder Crew is available on all major platforms.

Kristy (35:53):
You can follow us on Facebook and Instagram or email us at homebrewmurdercrew@gmail.com.

Carlin Lutzer (36:27):
What a ride. Huge thanks to Meaghan and Kristy for joining me today and giving us a hilarious look into the world of true crime, homemade booze, and the psychology behind why we love murder stories so much.

Thanks for listening to the Okotoks Podcast. And do not worry. I made it out of the studio alive.

(37:32)
See you in the next episode.

Announcer (37:34):
That’s it for today’s episode of the Okotoks Podcast. Big thanks to Carlin Lutzer Real Estate for making it happen, and thanks to you for listening.