CaseCompass
An interactive true-crime case dossier app that organizes every major case into a structured timeline, evidence ledger, and theory map — updated in real-time when new documentaries or filings drop.
true-crime enthusiasts who follow multiple cases and want depth, not just podcasts
- Case timeline builder with source-linked entries and 'what changed today' alerts when a new doc or filing drops
- Theory comparison view that lays competing explanations side-by-side with the evidence for and against each
- Evidence ledger cataloging physical evidence, witness statements, and expert claims with provenance
- Documentary companion mode that auto-syncs to new series like the upcoming A&E Peterson doc and surfaces the cases, people, and evidence it mentions
A&E's two-part 'Scott Peterson: The New Evidence' drops July 16-17, sparking a fresh wave of interest in cases that benefit from structured, source-linked breakdowns rather than reactive social media takes.
True crime is a massive, growing genre: $3B podcast market in 2024, 40% growth in weekly listeners since 2020, and Edison Research released a dedicated True Crime Consumer Report (May 2024, n=3,148) confirming deep consumer engagement.The True Crime Consumer Report by Edison Research and audiochuck ↗20+ True Crime Popularity Statistics | 2026 Data Report ↗
The market is already crowded with near-identical offerings: CaseLine (iOS app) literally sells 'structured timelines, evidence, court updates' for true-crime enthusiasts, CaseBoard offers suspects/evidence/timelines organization, and CrimeTimelines.com provides structured case overviews with trial updates — CaseCompass' positioning is essentially a copycat.CaseLine - True Crime Timeline App ↗CaseBoard | True Crime Investigation Database ↗Crime Timelines: True Crime Case Files, Cold Cases & Criminal ↗
Broader true-crime monetization is strong ($2.7B merch/licensing in 2024, podcast CPMs $15-25), but for a niche case-dossier subscription app, willingness to pay is unproven and the market is already being fragmented across multiple free/paid alternatives.20+ True Crime Popularity Stats | Verified & Sourced 2026 ↗
True crime as a genre is evergreen, but a case-dossier app's relevance is tied to ongoing media cycles and active cases; cases close, documentaries pass, and content requires continuous manual curation to stay fresh — limiting true durability.
Technically buildable with standard timeline/ledger UI patterns, but the 'real-time updates when documentaries/filings drop' promise requires costly ongoing content curation, source verification, and legal review (defamation risk on active cases) — not trivial to sustain.