The Macedonian city of Kicevo is situated within the slopes of Bistra Mountain. It offers little appeal for visitors, with its post-Yugoslavian buildings, crumbled sidewalks, and bleak houses in desperate need of renovation. Most tourists don’t bother stopping through, only glimpsing its sign on the journey south from Macedonia’s capital of Skopje to Lake Ohrid on the Albanian border.

As was the case with most post-Yugoslavian states, the Macedonian government invested its money into more prominent and popular locales. This meant smaller towns and villages like Kicevo were often overlooked and forgotten, deteriorating quickly as they fell behind the fast-paced advances of modern life. Life was slow in Kicevo, where its 20,000 residents enjoyed a quiet and relatively peaceful existence, harboured by a close-knit community with strong traditional values. As such, Kicevo was rarely mentioned on national Macedonian news. That is, until a chilling discovery on January 12, 2005, sent shockwaves around the nation.

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Our episodes deal with serious and often distressing incidents. If you feel at anytime you need support, please contact your local crisis centre. Some suggestions for confidential support for men, women and children:

 

AUSTRALIA:

Lifeline Crisis Support: 13 11 14

Beyond Blue: Depression and anxiety support: 1300 22 46 36

Rape & Domestic Violence Services: 1800 737 732

Men's Line: 1300 78 99 78

Headspace: Youth Mental Health Foundation: see headspace.org.au for your local centre

 

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Crisis Text Line: text HOME to 741 741

Domestic Violence Helpline: 1800 799 7233

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Mind: mental health support: 0300 123 3393

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Samaritans support network: 116 123

National Stalking Helpline: 0808 802 0300

 

CANADA:

For a list of Canadian crisis centres: https://thelifelinecanada.ca/help/call/

 

NEW ZEALAND:

Lifeline: 0800 543354

Depression Helpline: 0800 111 757 (Text 4202)

CREDITS

 

NARRATION:

Episode narrated by the Anonymous Host

 

EPISODE:

Episode researched by Mike Migas and Paulina Szymanska

Episode written by Elsha McGill

 

MUSIC:

‘Flatline intro’ and ‘Come play with me’ intro and outro www.dl-sounds.com

All other music and audio clean up performed by Mike Migas and Andrew Joslyn 

 

OTHER:

Logo design by Paulina Szymanska

 

RESOURCES

 

VIDEO:

Murder He Wrote: Vlado Taneski – Evil Up Close, 2012

ARTICLES:

The Mask of Sanity: On the Trail of a Serial Killer in Macedonia – VQR 

Murder, He Wrote – Philip Watson

‘Serial murder’ journalist commits suicide – Independent

Macedonian Murder Suspect Dead in Cell –  The New York Times

The shocking story of the newspaper crime reporter who knew too much – The Guardian

The strange case of a journalist with a killer deadline – The Irish Times

Murder He Wrote: Chilling Death Details – ABC News

He Had a Double Personality – Le Parisien

First Person: Daniela Trpchevska – Financial Times

Vlado Taneski – Murderopedia

Reporter’s Inside Information on Insidious Crimes Reveals Unfathomable Double Life – Life Daily

Kicevo, Exploring Macedonia

Municipality of Kicevo – Interreg

Kicevo, History & Culture – Travel2Macedonia

Macedonia, The World Factbook – CIA

Macedonia Country Profile – BBC

Macedonia, University Libraries

Macedonia, Crime and Safety Report 2017

Journalism Ethics – Principles of Conduct

 

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