Episode list

Sarah Koenig examines the story of Adnan Syed who was convicted of the 1999 murder of his ex-girlfriend Hae Min Lee. She gives some background of the case and begins her investigation by following up on several dormant leads and rechecking alibis.

Sarah Koenig discusses Adnan Syed and Hae Min Lee relationship which was kept secret from their parents. After Lee, ends the relationship her friends speculate about Syed's behavior some thinking him he was fine with it while other think he was angry.

Sarah Koenig examines the testimony of 'Mr. S" who discovered the body of Hae Min Lee three weeks after she disappeared. The detectives who question him find his account suspicious before a background check reveals a number of bizarre behaviors.

Sarah Koenig examines how an anonymous tip leads detectives to search Adnan Syed's phone records. They, then, track down a marijuana dealer Jay Wilds who claims that Syed confessed to killing Lee and then forced him to help bury the body. The police claim to cooperate the story with cell phone records.

Sarah Koenig drives the route that prosecutors claim Adnan Syed took to day of Hae Min Lee's murder. She goes from the high school to the Best Buy parking lot where Jay claims he was shown the body. Although the time-line is possible, there are questions about whether call logs and cell tower pings back Jay's story.

Sarah Koenig examines the evidence against Adnan Syed. This includes Jay's testimony, a palm print on a map, and cell phone records. She speculates on how the murder could have taken place if Syed was responsible, but she also examines some evidence that does not quite fit the prosecutor's narrative.

Sarah Koenig talks to Deirdre Enright the Director of Investigations for the Innocence Project at the University of Virginia School of Law. She and a group of students examine the case against Adnan Syed and argue that the evidence against him remains thin.

Sarah Koenig looks more closely at Jay's account of events. She talks to jury members and a homicide detective who tells them the investigation was better than average. Koenig and a producer meet with Jay, but he refuses an interview. They speak to one of Jay's friends and are left with further questions.

Sarah Koenig considers new information about a crucial call in the case. She discusses contradictory stories about a pay phone in front of Best Buy. She also talks to a witness who claims to have spoken to Hae Min Lee on the day of the murder and another witness who say Adnan Syed in the library the day of the murder.

Sarah Koenig examines whether anti-Muslin sentiment factored into the trial of Adnan Syed. The prosecution argues that Syed would flee to Pakistan if bail was granted and that the murder was a religiously-motivated honor killing. His first trial ends in a mistrial, but the second trial goes poorly with Syed 's lawyer perhaps mishandling the case.

Sarah Koenig looks into some negative rumors she heard about Adnan Syed. She examines how his arrested affected people in his religious community. Syed admits to taking money from the mosque, but he did have a positive reputation as a peacemaker. Sarah talks to a psychologist about whether he might be a sociopath.

Sarah Koenig looks back at the case and concludes after a year of research that she still doesn't know what happened Hae Min Lee. She discusses information that she discovered since the podcast began. She looks over the evidence and concludes that neither Jay nor Syed's story fit the evidence. She also discusses Syed's petition for an appeal.