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True Murder: The Most Shocking Killers in True Crime History

A SLAYER WAITS-Rod Sadler

True Murder: The Most Shocking Killers in True Crime History

Dan Zupansky

News, News Commentary, True Crime, History

4.0 • 2.7K Ratings

🗓️ 3 August 2017

⏱️ 90 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

September, 1955, Nealy Buchanan, a trustee at the State Prison of Southern Michigan, was denied parole. Because of his trustee status, he was assigned to pick up local trash from area farms in a prison truck, which provided the perfect opportunity to escape. Running out of gas near Stockbridge, Michigan and continuing on foot, he hid out inside the barn of Howard and Myra Herrick, an elderly farm couple. Buchanon was planning to steal their car to further his escape. Surprised when Howard Herrick returned early, he killed the elderly man by crushing his skull with a hand grinder. Hearing the commotion in the barn, Myra Herrick came in and was viciously bludgeoned her to death next to her husband. Their killer quickly hid their bodies under bales of hay. Buchanon hitchhiked to Mason, caught a cab to Lansing, and bought a bus ticket, and fled to New York using Howard Herrick's identity. Thinking Buchanon was still in the area, fearful residents armed themselves, and looked upon strangers with suspicion. Ingham County Sheriff Willard Barnes led the hunt for the killer, searching for months, but the investigation came to a dead end. Harry Doesburg, a neighbor to the Herrick's, raised a $3000 reward, much of it his own money,  to find the killer. Doesburg sent wanted posters across the country, and paid for 'wanted' ads in various newspapers and magazines. Thirteen months later an informant in Baltimore, recognized Buchanon from a wanted ad in a magazine and turned him in. Buchanon was quickly returned to Michigan, signed a confession, pled guilty, and was sentenced to life in prison, all within a 72-hour period. Ten years after his sentence, Nealy began appealing his conviction on numerous grounds, including police misconduct, racial threats, and improper court proceedings. For twenty-five years, Nealy had not been represented. A SLAYER WAITS: The True Story of a Michigan Double Murder-Rod Sadler. Follow and comment on Facebook-TRUE MURDER: The Most Shocking Killers in True Crime History   https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064697978510Check out TRUE MURDER PODCAST @ truemurderpodcast.com

Transcript

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0:00.0

This message comes from the innovative pharmaceutical industry.

0:04.3

Over recent decades, we have seen incredible scientific progress in how we diagnose, prevent,

0:09.5

and treat disease.

0:11.0

But we continue to face global health threats.

0:13.5

Today, pharmaceutical companies are researching and developing more than 9,000 medicines and

0:18.5

260 vaccines for people around the world.

0:21.6

But this innovation journey isn't easy.

0:24.2

Find out how we turn ideas into new medicines and vaccines at IFPMA.org.

0:31.2

You are now listening to True Murder, the most shocking killers in true crime history,

0:46.3

and the authors that have written about them.

0:48.7

Gacy, Bundy, Domer, The Night Stocker, DTK, every week, another fascinating author talking

0:57.0

about the most shocking and infamous killers in true crime history.

1:01.2

True Murder with your host, journalist and author, Dan Zufanski.

1:15.6

Good evening.

1:17.4

September 1955, Neely Buchanan, a trustee at the state prison of Southern Michigan, was

1:24.9

denied parole.

1:27.3

Because of his trustee status, he was assigned to pick up local trash from area farms in

1:33.0

a prison truck, which provided the perfect opportunity to escape.

1:38.3

Running out of gas near Stockbridge, Michigan, and continuing on foot, he hit out inside the

1:43.2

barn of Howard and Myra Herrick, an elderly farm couple.

1:47.8

Buchanan was planning to steal their car to further escape.

1:51.7

Surprise when Howard Herrick returned early, he killed the elderly man by crushing his

...

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