Advertise on podcast: Hell in Heaven: A Mysterious Death in Paradise

Rating

4.6

from

2219 reviews

Description

A young Wall Street genius lands in the Costa Rican jungle with a vast fortune and visions of paradise - but ends up in hell. He and his wife build a spectacular circular mansion deep in the rainforest - a sanctuary for themselves and for endangered wildlife. But sinister forces soon have the couple fearing for their lives. As paranoia takes root and shadows close in, the troubled pair steadily lose their grip on reality. They transform their paradise home into a fortress surrounded by armed guards. The story reaches its bloody climax in an open air bedroom lit by 400 Tiffany lamps. A single gunshot leaves one of them dead, igniting three explosive murder trials - and a baffling mystery. Over eight compelling episodes this is the unmissable story of John and Ann Bender - a true tale of wealth, isolation and obsession. From Exactly Right Media and iHeartPodcasts, and produced by Blanchard House, Hell in Heaven is hosted by award-winning journalist Becky Milligan. Also in this feed is host Becky Milligan's true crime limited series, The Butterfly King: A WWII Murder Mystery. When King Boris III of Bulgaria dies amid mysterious circumstances during World War II, there's no shortage of suspects. But eighty years later, his death remains unsolved. Award-winning journalist Becky Milligan follows a trail of dissidents, poisoners, soldiers and spies to unravel eighty years of lies and cover-ups. This tragic family saga of a doomed royal dynasty is a story of treachery, deceit and a quest for the truth. Who killed the Butterfly King? The Butterfly King is a podcast from Exactly Right, produced by Blanchard House.

Podcast episodes

Check latest episodes from Hell in Heaven: A Mysterious Death in Paradise podcast

1: The House of Secrets

2025/10/09

A jungle compound. A midnight emergency call. The mystery begins. At the centre of it all: John and Ann Bender. Young, brilliant and impossibly rich, they set out to build a vast mansion and wildlife sanctuary in the Costa Rican rainforest. But something is off. Not everything in paradise is what it seems. Hell in Heaven is a production of Exactly Right Media and iHeart Podcasts, produced by Blanchard House. From Blanchard House Hosted, Written and Produced by: Becky Milligan Co-Writer and Producer: Poppy Damon Original Music: Daniel Lloyd Evans, Louis Nanke-Mannell and Toby Matimong Sound Recordist, and Head of Sound and Music: Daniel Lloyd-Evans Lead Sound Designer: Volkan Kiziltug Managing Producer: Amica Sciortino Nowlan Creative Director: Rosie Pye Executive Producer and Head of Content: Laurence Grissell From Exactly Right Artwork: Vanessa Lilak Executive Producers: Karen Kilgariff, Georgia Hardstark and Danielle Kramer Consulting Producer: Lily Ladewig Associate Producer: Jay Elias From iHeart Podcasts Executive Producers: Katrina Norvell, Anna Stumpf and Nikki Ettore See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2: Trouble in the Valley

2025/10/09

Dark forces gather as the Benders’ presence grows more controversial. The couple’s jungle fortress stands apart from everything around it - lavish, secretive and utterly out of place. Neighbours speculate. Resentments stir. Mystics speak of a curse. Behind the gates, the atmosphere shifts as the couple’s physical and mental health start to decline. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

3: The Ambush

2025/10/16

On a routine excursion, the Benders are ambushed. Guns are drawn. Is it a robbery, or something far more sinister? The couple are certain they’re about to be kidnapped. In the aftermath, they ramp up security at their jungle compound, hiring a former police chief to protect them. Fearing for their safety, the couple retreat further and further from the outside world. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

4: A Beautiful Mind

2025/10/23

Before Costa Rica, there was Wall Street. John Bender has a mind built for numbers - and makes a vast fortune betting against the crowd. Friends describe him as brilliant, a little arrogant - and haunted. John’s academic parents are relieved when he decides to escape the world of high finance and build a different kind of empire in the trees - but it will prove to be a decision with dark consequences. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

5: The Night Of

2025/10/30

It’s midnight in the jungle. The Benders are alone. A single shot rings out. One person is dead. As police arrive on the scene, they initially conclude it’s a suicide. But suspicion grows and the scene raises questions. But soon, the suspect is out of reach of detectives. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

6: The Folly of Two

2025/11/06

John Bender’s death soon becomes a cause celebre. But the woman at the centre of police suspicion is now the hospital. Ann’s psychiatrist is shocked at her physical and mental state. As the full story of the Benders’ isolation unfolds, prosecutors make their move and judges reach a verdict. But the Costa Rican authorities have a surprise in store. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

7: A Second Chance

2025/11/13

The second trial concludes with a verdict that stuns Costa Rica. Ann Bender adjusts to a completely new way of life as a terrible tragedy shatters her world further. Meanwhile, public opinion dramatically shifts. A second trial is granted, the defence sharpens their case and judges consider the evidence one last time. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

8: At Last

2025/11/20

Ann contemplates leaving Costa Rica forever. A drug bust and a prison visit lead to speculation about the Benders’ former head of security and his role in events. Everyone drawn into the couple’s orbit reflects on this shocking story. The final chapter revisits the jungle house, now abandoned, and the mysteries that refuse to die. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Butterfly King - 1: The Mender of Broken Dishes

2024/03/21

It’s 1943 during a crucial turning point in the Second World War. Caught in the crossfire, King Boris III of Bulgaria has a make-or-break meeting with a key ally. Boris is a reluctant politician and a family man, sucked into the bloodiest conflict in history. Someone resents his influence and wants him out of the way for good. Could Boris’s fate be linked to the company he keeps? The Butterfly King is a production of Blanchard House and Exactly Right Media. From Blanchard House Host: Becky Milligan Writer and Producer: Emma Jane Kirby Original Music: Daniel Lloyd Evans, Louis Nanke-Mannell and Toby Matimong Sound Design and Engineering: Toby Matimong and Daniel Lloyd-Evans Managing Producer: Amica Sciortino Nowlan Creative Director: Rosie Pye Executive Producer and Head of Content: Laurence Grissell From Exactly Right Consulting Producer: Kyle Ryan Artwork: Vanessa Lilak Executive Producers: Karen Kilgariff, Georgia Hardstark and Danielle Kramer See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Butterfly King - 2: Lies, Lies, Lies

2024/03/21

Host Becky Milligan meets King Boris III’s children at Vrana Palace, a royal residence on the outskirts of Sofia, Bulgaria’s capital city. The children share the details of their father’s strange and painful death. Officially he dies of a heart attack, but the symptoms don’t add up. What—or who—is responsible? Becky speaks to witnesses who explain how Boris duped Hitler. But the discovery of a dusty document, thousands of miles from Bulgaria, makes Becky wonder if she’s way off course. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Butterfly King - 3: Snake in the Grass

2024/03/28

Can you trust anyone in wartime? Host Becky Milligan meets a man in Sofia, Bulgaria, who shows her a side of King Boris III that makes her question whether he’s really the hero of this story. As Becky picks her way through the viper’s nest of conflicted history, she must confront the royal children with some uncomfortable truths. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Butterfly King - 4: A Snake is Still a Snake

2024/04/04

We’re back at the Vrana Palace in Sofia, Bulgaria, where King Simeon II and Princess Maria Luisa tell host Becky Milligan about their narrow escape from targeted Allied bombings after their father’s death. As more secrets emerge from the pages of a British diplomat’s private diary, Becky is forced to consider an ugly possibility. But as she follows the trail of poison, a brand new suspect slithers into the frame. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Butterfly King - 5: Caught Red Handed

2024/04/11

It’s 1946, three years after King Boris III’s death and a heavy Iron Curtain has fallen over Bulgaria. What dark secrets does it conceal? Host Becky Milligan learns some disturbing facts about the Soviet secret services and why they couldn’t let sleeping kings lie. And we hear a haunting tale from the royal children as they meet their father again – three years after they buried him… See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Butterfly King - 6: An Inside Job

2024/04/18

Accusations fly like bullets as host Becky Milligan discovers that King Boris III has been a hunted man for most of his life and has dodged more assassination attempts than James Bond. Did he ignore the one crucial message that could have saved his life? Becky feels the net closing in on the identity of the Butterfly King’s killer. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Butterfly King - 7: The Heart of the Matter

2024/04/25

When host Becky Milligan receives a surprise call from a crucial witness, she realizes she must revisit King Boris III’s autopsy. Shocking new evidence about his death comes tantalizingly close to solving the mystery, but time is not on anyone’s side. When an old friend turns up with a killer suggestion, it leaves a bad taste in Becky’s mouth. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Read Hell in Heaven: A Mysterious Death in Paradise podcast reviews

4.6 out of 5

2219 reviews

Katie926 2026/01/15

Wow.

Listened to this at work, all the way through. What a crazy story. I had never heard of Ann and John, well told. Agree with another review, this needs...

Hoj215 2026/02/03

Only hell is the music

I enjoyed The Butterfly King 5/5 and am enjoying Hell in Heaven except the music! Omg. There’s use of cacophony to achieve mood — I get that. But this...

catmcaran 2026/01/31

Ruined by the music

My title here says it all. I am very into the story and find every aspect of this to be five stars, except for the music! It’s the worst at the beginn...

Pituitary Fossa 2026/01/26

Great podcast, terrible music

I love the story, but every transition has this very unpleasant sound/music. I understand causing tension and mood, but this just makes me want to tur...

Aly Frazer 2026/01/04

Amazing story

I found this podcast one day when I was sick in bed. So glad I did. I binged the whole thing. Why isn’t this a Netflix documentary already?? Such a gr...

bgrunnet 2026/01/07

Good Story / Bad Podcast

This could have been a good podcast because the story is interesting, but the podcast itself is written badly. I made it to the end of this series but...

Alex77406 2026/01/03

Loved it!

Incredibly entertaining. Would highly recommend! Can’t understand some of the negative reviews, but I guess that’s the internet - lol.

Bigscorpioenergy88 2025/12/31

So good

But girl, it’s Lyme Disease, not Lyme’s. It’s a bit of a discredit to the journalist to not know the difference. The research is good and the story is...

Vanwnb 2025/12/31

The citrus blight Limes Disease

“Turned down a spot at Harvard” to go to University of Pennsylvania is a massive failure. (Sarcasm)

kayjaygeneral 2025/12/30

Meh

The story itself was interesting but the flow of the podcast was horrendous. The sfx was also not great. But finished to get to the end as a means to ...

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