Strangeland podcast

Strangeland

STRANGELAND from audiochuck is an investigative series that examines cases in immigrant neighborhoods. Season 3: The Killing Fields of L.A. is hosted by Ben Adair and Mayly Tao. In 1996, a Cambodian refugee was gunned down in an alley in L.A.’s Chinatown. But this wasn’t a typical murder. The victim was Haing Ngor, an Oscar-winning actor and humanitarian. Many Cambodians believe Ngor was assassinated over his role in The Killing Fields – a film that depicted the Khmer Rouge’s reign of terror. Three teenage gang members were convicted and sentenced to decades in prison for murder. Yet to this day, the Cambodian community remains unconvinced of the boys’ guilt. Because the thousands of dollars in cash found on Ngor didn’t square with the LAPD’s story, and multiple witnesses said investigators coerced their testimony. In this season of Strangeland, journalist Ben Adair and Cambodian-American podcaster Mayly Tao piece through Haing Ngor’s journey from genocide survivor to Hollywood star to murder victim — and re-investigate the LAPD’s case to find out if justice was lost in translation. Strangeland is produced by Western Sound.

STRANGELAND from audiochuck is an investigative series that examines cases in immigrant neighborhoods. Season 3: The Killing Fields of L.A. is hosted by Ben Adair and Mayly Tao. In 1996, a Cambodian refugee was gunned down in an alley in L.A.’s Chinatown. But this wasn’t a typical murder. The victim was Haing Ngor, an Oscar-winning actor and humanitarian. Many Cambodians believe Ngor was assassinated over his role in The Killing Fields – a film that depicted the Khmer Rouge’s reign of terror. Three teenage gang members were convicted and sentenced to decades in prison for murder. Yet to this day, the Cambodian community remains unconvinced of the boys’ guilt. Because the thousands of dollars in cash found on Ngor didn’t square with the LAPD’s story, and multiple witnesses said investigators coerced their testimony. In this season of Strangeland, journalist Ben Adair and Cambodian-American podcaster Mayly Tao piece through Haing Ngor’s journey from genocide survivor to Hollywood star to murder victim — and re-investigate the LAPD’s case to find out if justice was lost in translation. Strangeland is produced by Western Sound.

 

#41

Introducing - The Burden: Get the Money and Run

“Trying to murder my father, this was the thing that put me on the path.”  That’s Joe Loya... more

19 May 2025

04 MINS

04:20

19 May 2025


#40

Ep 12 of 12: Heroes and Villains

The story told at trial and in the press is that a Cambodian national hero was senselessly... more

27 Sep 2024

36 MINS

36:48

27 Sep 2024


#39

Ep 11 of 12: Behind Every Great Fortune

During an epic battle over Haing Ngor's estate, disturbing details start trickling in abou... more

27 Sep 2024

31 MINS

31:01

27 Sep 2024


#38

Ep 10 of 12: The Cobra Strikes

Many Cambodian refugees feel certain that Haing Ngor was killed for political reasons. The... more

20 Sep 2024

29 MINS

29:55

20 Sep 2024


#37

Ep 9 of 12: The Bad Guy

We have a hard time getting direct knowledge of what happened on the night of the murder. ... more

20 Sep 2024

29 MINS

29:27

20 Sep 2024


#36

Ep 8 of 12: The Color of Law

Just weeks after the gang members were convicted, a massive scandal erupts inside the LAPD... more

13 Sep 2024

40 MINS

40:35

13 Sep 2024


#35

Ep 7 of 12: Hell of a Movie

The juries deliver their verdicts. But that's just the beginning of a multi-decade legal b... more

13 Sep 2024

29 MINS

29:48

13 Sep 2024


#34

Ep 6 of 12: Smoke and Mirrors

In an extremely unusual trial, the state of California makes its case against Jason Chan, ... more

06 Sep 2024

36 MINS

36:10

06 Sep 2024


#33

Ep 5 of 12: The Golden Lotus

LAPD detectives turn up the heat in their search for potential witnesses. The cops get two... more

06 Sep 2024

36 MINS

36:35

06 Sep 2024


#32

Ep 4 of 12: Kill the Chicken Scare the Monkey

The shadow of the Khmer Rouge follows thousands of Cambodians to southern California. Terr... more

30 Aug 2024

35 MINS

35:28

30 Aug 2024


#31

Ep 3 of 12: Year Zero

Most people involved in this case – the victim, two of three boys arrested for the murder,... more

30 Aug 2024

42 MINS

42:50

30 Aug 2024


#30

Ep 2 of 12: It's Chinatown

We head to Chinatown to hear the LAPD's official account of the crime and retrace detectiv... more

23 Aug 2024

34 MINS

34:57

23 Aug 2024


#29

Ep 1 of 12: The Tiger and Its Stripes

LAPD officers respond to a shooting in Chinatown and identify the murder victim as Oscar-w... more

23 Aug 2024

42 MINS

42:12

23 Aug 2024


#28

Season 3: The Killing Fields of L.A.

In 1995, a Cambodian refugee was gunned down in an alley in L.A.'s Chinatown. But this was... more

16 Aug 2024

02 MINS

02:54

16 Aug 2024


#27

Updates + Alphabet Boys

Tips on the Narra case have been pouring in. Ben gives an update and shares your next podc... more

16 Mar 2023

12 MINS

12:49

16 Mar 2023


#26

Ep 14 of 14: Six Years Later

Throughout our year-long investigation, Hanu has ignored our repeated attempts to contact ... more

02 Mar 2023

36 MINS

36:55

02 Mar 2023


#25

Ep 13 of 14: The Witness

A traumatized eyewitness walks us through his memory of March 23, 2017 - from Sasi and Ani... more

02 Mar 2023

24 MINS

24:41

02 Mar 2023


#24

Ep 12 of 14: The Payoff

There were some dramatic lifestyle change following the murders, alongside a strange donat... more

02 Mar 2023

28 MINS

28:06

02 Mar 2023


#23

Ep 11 of 14: The Friend

There was a third person at the Narra’s apartment the night of the murders - a woman whose... more

02 Mar 2023

26 MINS

26:03

02 Mar 2023


#22

Ep 10 of 14: The Mystery Woman

After months of searching, we find the mystery woman from the 911 call. She does a sit-dow... more

23 Feb 2023

19 MINS

19:20

23 Feb 2023


#21

Ep 9 of 14: The Commute

Hanu and Sasi both worked for Cognizant - a Global IT company known for providing U.S. vis... more

23 Feb 2023

20 MINS

20:20

23 Feb 2023