ABOVE SUSPICION-Joe Sharkey

True Murder: The Most Shocking Killers

Dan Zupansky

True Crime, News Commentary, Documentary, News, Society & Culture

4 • 2.7K Ratings

🗓️ 12 November 2019

⏱️ 71 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

When rookie FBI agent Mark Putnam received his first assignment in 1987, it was the culmination of a lifelong dream, if not the most desirable location. Pikeville, Kentucky, is high in Appalachian coal country, an outpost rife with lawlessness dating back to the Hatfields and McCoys. As a rising star in the bureau, however, Putnam soon was cultivating paid informants and busting drug rings and bank robbers. But when one informant fell in love with him, passion and duty would collide with tragic results.

A coal miner’s daughter, Susan Smith was a young, attractive, struggling single mother. She was also a drug user sometimes described as a con artist, thief, and professional liar. Ultimately, Putnam gave in to Smith’s relentless pursuit. But when he ended the affair, she waged a campaign of vengeance that threatened to destroy him. When at last she confronted him with a shocking announcement, a violent scuffle ensued, and Putnam, in a burst of uncontrolled rage, fatally strangled her.

Though he had everything necessary to get away with murder—a spotless reputation, a victim with multiple enemies, and the protection of the bureau’s impenetrable shield—his conscience wouldn’t allow it. Tormented by a year of guilt and deception, Putnam finally led authorities to Smith’s remains. This is the story of what happened before, during, and after his startling confession.
Revised and updated, this book also includes photos and a new epilogue by the author. ABOVE SUSPICION: An Undercover FBI agent, An Illicit Affair and a Murder of Passion-Joe Sharkey

Transcript

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0:00.0	Will interest rates change again?
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0:04.0	Whatever the question, Google helps people in the UK access reliable news on a wide range of stories.
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0:17.0	Lobtoe Radio
0:20.0	You are now listening to True Murder, the most shocking killers in True Crime History, and the authors that have written about them.
0:35.0	Gacy, Bundy, Dahmer, The Night Stalker, BTK, every week, another fascinating author talking about the most shocking and infamous killers in True Crime History.
0:47.0	True Murder, with your host, journalist and author, Dan Zufanski.
1:03.0	Good evening.
1:05.0	When rookie FBI agent Mark Putnam received his first assignment in 1987, it was the culmination of a lifelong dream, if not the most desirable location.
1:16.0	Pikeville, Kentucky is high in Appalachian Coal Country, an outpost rife with lawlessness dating back to the Hatfields and McCoy's.
1:25.0	As a rising star in the Bureau, however, Putnam soon was cultivating paid informants and busting drug rings and bank robbers.
1:33.0	But when one informant fell in love with him, passion and duty would collide with tragic results.
1:39.0	A coal miner's daughter, Susan Smith, was a young attractive, struggling single mother.
1:44.0	She also was a drug user sometimes described as a con artist, thief and professional liar.
1:51.0	Ultimately, Putnam gave in to Smith's relentless pursuit.
1:55.0	But when he ended the affair, she waged a campaign of vengeance that threatened to destroy him.
2:01.0	When it last she confronted him with a shocking announcement of violent scuffle ensued and Putnam in a burst of uncontrolled rage, finally fatally strangled her.
2:11.0	Though he had everything necessary to get away with murder, a spotless reputation of victim with multiple enemies, and the protection of the Bureau's impenetrable shield, his conscience wouldn't allow it.
2:22.0	Tormented by a year of guilt and deception, Putnam finally led authorities to Smith's remains.
2:28.0	This is the story of what happened before, during and after his startling confession.
2:34.0	Revised and updated, this book also includes photos and a new epilogue by the author.
	...

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