This is Crime House.

Most of us are taught to make something honest of ourselves, but some people don't get the message, and instead they decided to try and cheat their way through life.

In the late 1800s, H.H. Holmes was one of those people. Whether he was robbing graves

or stealing horses, he was willing to do just about anything to get ahead and make a little extra

money while he was at it. And that spelled disaster for Benjamin Pitzel, Holmes' best friend and partner in crime.

As a side note, many people have pronounced his last name as either Pitezl or Pitezl, but for this

episode, we'll keep it as Pitezel.

Because while plenty of Holmes' crimes were white-collar schemes,

there was also a far more sinister, violent side to him.

And if lying didn't get him what he wanted,

he was ready to take more drastic and deadly measures.

Music The human mind. The human mind is powerful. It shapes how we think, feel, love, and hate.

But sometimes it drives people to commit the unthinkable. This is serial killers

and murderous minds, a crimehouse original. I'm Vanessa Richardson. And I'm forensic psychologist,

Dr. Tristan Engels. Every Monday and Thursday, we uncover the darkest minds in history,

analyzing what makes a killer.

Crime House is made possible by you. Follow serial killers and murderous minds and subscribe to Crime House Plus on Apple Podcasts for ad-free early access to each two-part series.

Before we get started, be advised. this episode contains descriptions of murder and suicide.

Please listen with care.

Today, we conclude our deep dive into the dark and twisted tale of H.H. Holmes, one of the

most notorious serial killers in history. Holmes was a doctor and insurance scammer who left

behind a trail of violence everywhere he went.

...