Narratively

Dylan Taylor-Lehman

Dylan Taylor-Lehman is a nonfiction writer from southeastern Ohio. In addition to his work for Narratively, he has written for a variety of publications about landfill ecosystems, strange crimes, and the obsessive pursuits that make people happy. His first book, Dance of the Trustees, chronicles the astonishing concerns of a small Ohio township, and his second the history of Sealand, the world's foremost micronations. He is currently working on a book chronicling two years with Chicago's amateur pool leagues and the fight to play in the biggest tournament in the world.

Stories By Dylan Taylor-Lehman

The Extremely F*#!ing Chaotic Saga of the World’s Most Notorious Police Impersonator

A Florida funeral escort who took his road-safety duties a little too seriously became a widely ridiculed Internet sensation—and landed in hot water with actual law enforcement. But that’s only the start of the strange and twisted ballad of Jeremy...

The Latest on the “True Crime Podcast Junkie” Turned Real-Life Murder Suspect

Is Steve Pankey a cold-blooded killer who got away with murder for decades, or just a true-crime obsessive craving attention?

The True-Crime “Podcast Junkie” Turned Real-Life Murder Suspect

Is Steve Pankey a cold-blooded killer who got away with murder for decades, or just a true-crime obsessive craving attention?

The Weird, Wacky and Wild Ride of Captain Cartoon, Father of Bat Boy

The incredibly colorful true life story of Dick Kulpa, a nerdy small-town kid who loved cartoons so much that he became one.

America’s Most Flamboyant Private Eye and the 8,000-Mile Manhunt

Jay J. Armes is a legendary and controversial Texan investigator with hooks for hands and six decades chasing criminals. This was his most epic murder case ever.

The Pirates of the Highways

On America’s interstates, brazen bands of thieves steal 18-wheelers filled with computers, cell phones, even toilet paper. And select law enforcement teams are tasked with tracking them down.

Judges Gone Wild

Bribery! Impeachment! Drug smuggling! Gambling! Justices getting drunk in the chambers! The Florida Supreme Court scandals of the 1970s make today’s political circus look tame by comparison.

The Mysterious Evacuation of Sunspot Observatory

A year ago today, the FBI suddenly shut down a remote mountaintop observatory with no explanation. The internet went wild with theories.

The Curse of the Ship of Gold

How a brilliant scientist went from discovering a mother lode of treasure at the bottom of the sea to fleeing from authorities with suitcases full of cash.