In August 2012, the disappearance of 12-year-old Tia Sharp from her home in New Addington, South London, became one of the most heartbreaking and high-profile true crime cases in British history. In this gripping first episode of a two-part investigation, True Criminals revisits the shocking murder that stunned the UK and exposed the dark truth hiding within a family home. Hosted by Sky News Crime Correspondent Martin Brunt and journalist Helen Fospero, with exclusive insight from former Detective Chief Inspector Nick Scola—the lead investigator on the case—this episode delivers an unprecedented look inside the real police investigation. Discover how what began as a nationwide missing persons search quickly turned into a murder hunt, the crucial missteps that delayed the discovery of Tia’s body, and how prime suspect Stuart Hazell, her step-grandfather, tried to mislead detectives and the public. True Criminals takes you through the tense week-long search, the false witness who threw police off track, and the shocking “human error” that allowed a killer to hide in plain sight. This is not just a crime story—it’s a haunting reminder of the dangers that can exist behind closed doors. Listen to The Killing of Tia Sharp: Part 1 now and subscribe to True Criminals for more real-life murder investigations, UK true crime cases, and in-depth storytelling that reveals how detectives solve Britain’s most disturbing crimes. #TrueCrimePodcast #BritishTrueCrime #TiaSharp #StuartHazell #MurderInvestigation #LondonCrime #MissingChildCase #TrueCriminals #MartinBrunt #NickScola If you'd like to listen to this episode ad-free, along with our entire back catalogue, which includes a True Criminals coffee mug, please visit our Patreon page: www.patreon.com/truecriminals As an independent podcast, we rely on listener support. If you’d like to help, you can donate via our PayPal link: PayPal ............................ Follow us: Instagram: @true.criminals Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@True-Criminals Connect with Martin Brunt: Twitter: @skymartinbrunt Discover more about Martin’s career and the cases he’s covered by reading his book: No One Got Cracked Over the Head for No Reason: Dispatches from a Crime Reporter. Read Here: https://amzn.eu/d/g1WisSY Connect with Helen Fospero: Instagram: @helenfospero Check out Helen’s podcast, The Convex Conversation: Listen Here. https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-convex-conversation/id1510209575 Credits: True Criminals is produced by Audio Bleach Global. Visit www.audiobleachglobal.com/truecriminals for more information. Executive Producer: Lee Mann Producer: Russell Barnes Audio Production: Andrew Chappell Music Composition: Chap Mannequin Artwork: Bleached Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices