Episode 80 Explosive Mistake The Murder of Helen Weaver

Southern Mysteries Podcast

Shannon Ballard

True Crime, Society & Culture, History

4.8 • 918 Ratings

🗓️ 25 January 2021

⏱️ 30 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In December 1955, Harry Washburn stood trial for the car bombing that killed his ex mother in law, Helen Weaver. Central Texans were captivated by the trial coverage as they watched the first televised murder trial in American history. See photos and sources for this episode in the show notes at southernmysteries.com Support The ShowWant more Southern Mysteries? Hear the Southern Mysteries show archive and immediately access exclusive content when you become a patron of the show. Join now at patreon.com/southernmysteries ConnectWebsiteTwitterFacebook Music Theme Song “Dark & Troubled” by Panthernburn. Special thanks to Phillip St Ours for permission for use ***Additional Music: Magic Forest by Sir Cuthburt; Sugar Pines by Wes Hutchison; Drone in D, Almost in F Tranquility, Passing Time and Meditation Impromptu 1 by Kevin MacLeod Atmosphere and Darkness by Purple Planet Music https://www.purple-planet.com/ Licensed under Creative Commons.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	The Harry Weaver had a habit of starting and warming up the car for his wife Helen when it was chilly out.
0:22.8	On January 19th, 1955, Harry walked out of their San Angelo, Texas home, grabbed some files
0:30.0	from one of their four cars to put into the car he planned to drive for the day.
0:35.1	He walked to the couple's green 1954 Chevy, inserted the key in the ignition,
0:40.8	and was just about to start the car and warm it up for Helen when he had to run
0:45.8	back inside the house to answer the call of nature as he put it. Helen
0:52.3	Weaver planned to visit her mom in the hospital that morning
0:55.0	and walked out of the house around 830.
0:58.0	And as she walked down the driveway,
1:00.0	the car Helen chose was a simple matter of fate.
1:04.0	The Weavers had four cars.
1:06.0	The one she normally drove was blocked in by that
1:09.0	1954 Chevy, so she walked to that car, saw the key was in the ignition, as Harry always did when
1:16.7	he was going to warm up a vehicle for her.
1:20.0	She sat down in the car, closed the door, and when she turned the key to start the car,
1:27.1	there was an explosion so powerful that engine parts were propelled a block away.
1:34.5	Harry Weaver ran from the house and as he got closer to the car,
1:38.4	he heard his wife screaming his name over and over again,
1:45.0	asking him for help. A neighbor called for help, and Harry held Helen and kept telling her
1:51.0	that that help was coming, that she was going to be okay.
1:55.0	By the time an ambulance arrived, 51-year-old Helen Weaver was unconscious.
2:01.0	Five minutes after she arrived at Shannon Hospital, Helen Weaver died.
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Shannon Ballard, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Shannon Ballard and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.