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True Murder: The Most Shocking Killers in True Crime History

THE ALASKAN BLONDE-James T. Bartlett

True Murder: The Most Shocking Killers in True Crime History

Dan Zupansky

News, News Commentary, True Crime, History

4.02.7K Ratings

🗓️ 18 May 2022

⏱️ 76 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Nicknamed “the most beautiful woman in Alaska,” 31-year-old Diane Wells was bruised and bloodied when she screamed for help in the early hours of October 17, 1953. Her husband Cecil, a wealthy Fairbanks businessman, had been shot dead, and she claimed they were the victims of a brutal home invasion.
Blonde, glamorous and 20 years younger than Cecil, police were immediately suspicious of Diane's account, and the investigation soon turned toward her alleged lover, black musician Johnny Warren, who had left town the night of the murder.
The scandal hit the pages of Newsweek, Life, Jet and the pulp detective magazines, and nearly 70 years later, journalist James T. Bartlett uncovers new evidence including an unpublished memoir, unseen photographs, and re-examines the FBI files. He tracks down and interviews the people close to Cecil, Diane, Johnny, and the mysterious “Third Suspect”, dance instructor William Colombany, to reveal the story of “the most notorious and baffling murder in the history of Fairbanks.” THE ALASKAN BLONDE: Sex, Secrets, and the Hollywood Story that Shocked America-James T. Bartlett 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

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Best gift I've ever received has to be a bike when I was younger, a pedal bike.

0:26.8

It was a sort of slick little road bike and I remember it was all like,

0:31.2

it was all wrapped up, it was so obvious what it was obviously because nothing

0:34.8

shaped like a bike and I had a little ribbon on it and I was so gas.

0:37.6

For that was a life changer and I'm still sort of big on cycling around my area now.

0:41.6

So for that one change me a little.

0:43.9

Joy in every sip with red cups now back at Starbucks.

0:57.2

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

1:02.8

and the authors that have written about them.

1:05.2

Gacy, Bundy, Domer, the Night Stalker, BTK,

1:10.8

every week another fascinating author talking about the most shocking and infamous killers

1:15.9

in true crime history. True Murder with your host journalist and author Dan Zufantke.

1:31.2

Good evening. Nicknamed the most beautiful woman in Alaska,

1:35.6

31-year-old Diane Wells was bruised and bloodied when she screamed for help in the early hours

1:41.4

of October 17, 1953. Her husband Cecil, a wealthy Fairbank's businessman,

...

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