Episode 52 - Helle Crafts

The Minds of Madness - True Crime Stories

themindsofmadness

Society & Culture, Documentary, True Crime

4.5 • 6.7K Ratings

🗓️ 23 June 2019

⏱️ 59 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

On November 18th, 1986, thirty-nine-year-old Helle Crafts was dropped off at her house in Newton, Connecticut by her co-workers. She was exhausted after fulfilling her flight attendant duties on a long haul from Frankfurt to New York. Helle was happy to have made it home before the impending storm and looking forward to tucking in her three children. As Helle’s co-workers watched their friend enter her home, they didn’t realize it would be the last time they would ever see her again.

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Music Credits:
The Minds Of Madness Theme Music – Duncan Foster
The Funkoars – Feel The Madness
Used with Permission - http://goldenerarecords.com.au/ge/funkoars/

Research & Writing:
Christine Penhale
https://thetruecrimefiles.com/

Featured Podcasts:
Azkas Mystery Podcast https://soundcloud.com/user-404863201
https://www.npr.org/local/309/2019/04/16/713984800/5-year-old-azka-publishes-her-first-mystery-podcast

Sources:
“Helle Crafts: Winter of the Woodchipper.” Forensic Files Now, September 7, 2018.
https://forensicfilesnow.com/index.php/tag/richard-crafts/
“The Wood Chipper Murder – Helle Crafts.” Morbidology, December 22, 2017.
https://morbidology.com/the-wood-chipper-murder-helle-crafts/
“You Won't Sleep After Hearing About the Real Murder That Inspired Fargo.” Popsugar, April 20, 2017.
https://www.popsugar.com/entertainment/Fargo-True-Story-34660331
“Woodchipper Murder Case From 30 Years Ago Was Pivotal for Forensic Scientists.” Eyewitness News 3, November 17, 2017.
https://www.wfsb.com/news/woodchipper-murder-case-from-years-ago-was-pivotal-for-forensic/article_2a473c33-283f-5893-89b2-ad37227da774.html
“Forensic Files - Series Premiere: The Disappearance of Helle Crafts.” YouTube, May 5, 2014.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwkYk9IyN-s
“Analysis of Experimental Wood Chipper Trauma on Bone.” MA Thesis George Mason University, 2012.
http://mars.gmu.edu/xmlui/bitstream/handle/1920/7858/Domenick_thesis_2012.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
“23 Years Ago, Richard Crafts Was More Willing to Part With His Wife Than His Money.” New Times, November 18, 2009. Web.
https://www.newstimes.com/local/article/23-years-ago-Richard-Crafts-was-more-willing-to-256633.php
“Green Beret Indicted for Murder.” History.com, November 13, 2009.
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/green-beret-indicted-for-murder
“Rodgers v. Crafts.” September 7, 2000.
https://casetext.com/case/rodgers-v-crafts-no-cv87-0293694-s-sep
“Ten Years Ago, the Crafts Murder Case Was a Pivotal Experience For Many.” The Newton Bee, August 10, 1999.
https://www.newtownbee.com/date-fri-31-jul-1998-23
“Crafts Loses Appeal for a New Trial.” Hartford Courant, July 7, 1993.
https://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-xpm-1993-07-07-0000007613-story.html
“State of Connecticut v. Richard B. Crafts.” July 6, 1993.
https://www.leagle.com/decision/1993463226conn2371451
“The Job Is Murder--Solving 'Perfect Crimes': Forensics: Expert Uses Science And Technology to Unravel the Most Baffling Whodunits. Most of His Cases Involve Homicides.” Los Angeles Times, March 29, 1992.
https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-03-29-mn-305-story.html
“Sensational Case In Spotlight Again Second ‘Wood Chipper Murder’ Trial Scheduled This Month.” The Orlando Sentinel, September 3, 1989.
https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-xpm-1989-09-03-8909034758-story.html
“The Lady Vanishes, and a Woodchipper Leaves Just a Shred of Evidence.” People, August 1, 1988.
https://people.com/archive/the-lady-vanishes-and-a-woodchipper-leaves-just-a-shred-of-evidence-vol-30-no-5/
“Dentist Identifies Tooth Fragments as Dead Wife's.” UPI, May 12, 1988.
https://www.upi.com/Archives/1988/05/12/Dentist-identifies-tooth-fragments-as-dead-wifes/2333579412800/
“Richard Crafts Murder Trial Begins.” AP, April 5, 1988.
https://www.apnews.com/b51f1e9feb7bfa0e5537637ffea937f6
“Parts of Wife's Body Turn Up Around Lake; Pilot Held.” Los Angeles Times, January 14, 1987.
https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-01-14-mn-3454-story.html
“Richard B. Crafts.” Murderpedia, n.d.
https://murderpedia.org/male.C/c/crafts-richard.htm
“Helle Lorck Nielson.” PAN AM World DocuProject, n.d.
http://www.panam-world.org/helle-lorck-nielson/
“Richard Crafts: The Infamous Wood Chipper Murderer.” Criminal website, n.d.
https://criminal.media/richard-crafts-the-infamous-wood-chipper-murderer
“Exclusive: Reelz Explores the Shocking Truth Behind the Murder That Inspired ‘Fargo’.” Fansided, n.d.
https://hiddenremote.com/2017/06/16/reelz-presents-fargo-the-shocking-truth/
“Fargo.” Wikipedia, n.d.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fargo_(film)

Transcript

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0:16.7	info slash tax-free and enjoy the ease of tax- Free Shopping in Spain.
0:23.6	The opinions expressed in the following episode do not necessarily reflect those of the
0:28.6	Minds of Madness podcast.
0:31.2	Listener discretion is advised. Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, well, the one.
0:53.0	Oh, the one.
0:55.0	Oh, oh,
0:56.0	Oh,
0:57.0	Oh, Oh, Oh,
0:58.0	Oh, Oh,
1:00.0	Oh, Oh, 1986, 39 year old Hella Crafts was dropped off at her house in New Town, Connecticut by her co-workers.
1:16.9	She was exhausted after fulfilling her flight attendant duties on a long haul from Frankfurt to New York.
1:25.0	Hella was happy to have made it home before an impending storm
1:30.0	and was looking forward to tucking in her three children.
1:35.0	As Hella's co-workers watched their friend enter her home,
1:39.0	they didn't realize it would be the last time they would see her again.
1:45.0	Join me now as we take a look into the disappearance of Helicrafts, a loving mother and successful careerwoman who had grown suspicious
1:57.8	that her life was in danger.
2:00.5	You'll hear how the ramifications of this case would eventually change forensic science and
2:07.1	would help to make victims of domestic abuse a little bit safer. Helen Nielsen was born in Denmark in 1947 and was an only child.
	...

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