Joe Rogan podcast guest was later charged with murder after dismembered body found in freezer

A former guest on Joe Rogan's hugely popular podcast has been charged with murder.

The Joe Rogan Experience is among the most downloaded and influential podcasts in the world.

Beginning in 2009, the UFC commentator's show has grown to the point that averages 11 million listeners per episode.

Famous guests include Elon Musk, Mike Tyson and Donald Trump. Rogan's interview with Trump and endorsement of the US president-elect is thought to have played a significant role in the Republican Party candidate's election triumph last month.

Joe Rogan and Donald Trump share a warm embrace at UFC 309. Image: Getty

In February this year, Rogan spoke to Sheldon Johnson and Josh Dubin on his show.

Dubin is a lawyer who campaigns and advocates for wrongly convicted people. And Johnson, at the time, had recently been released from prison after serving 25 years for armed robbery.

During the episode, Johnson vowed he'd "never go back to prison". But in April Johnson was arrested for the murder of a childhood friend, Colin Small, after parts of Small's dismembered body were discovered in Johnson's bin and freezer. The gruesome crime had been committed just weeks after Johnson's JRE appearance.

Last month, Dubin appeared again on Rogan's podcast to discuss the shocking case.

"It's so crazy because we went out with him [Johnson] that evening," Rogan said. "We brought him to the comedy club, he was hanging out with us in the green room. And then the news broke [38 days later], and then the comics were all like, 'Hey man what the f*ck. What the f*ck you doing bringing that guy around?' [Laughs] We'll we didn't know."

"It's really not funny. I mean, I'm only laughing out of, sort of, nervousness," Dubin added. "I called him a miracle on this show. And the media shoved that straight up my a**. I've had a lot of time to think about this. And you and I have discussed this privately and I kind of went into a hole.

"This tore down 50 years of work that a lot of people have fought really hard for. And I felt like I let you down. You've given us an amazing platform to get stories out for people that really need help."