Most Notorious! A True Crime History Podcast

In July of 1908 the body of twenty-year-old Hazel Drew was found floating in a mill pond in Upstate New York. Her death captured headlines across the nation and around the world, but after a whirlwind investigation lasting less than thirty days (despite a myriad of suspects), the District Attorney abruptly closed the case. Joining me is Jerry Drake, author of "Hazel Was a Good Girl: Solving the Murder that Inspired Twin Peaks". Through meticulous research and new evidence, he focuses on an intriguing, rarely discussed suspect—and a set of circumstances that turn this classic murder mystery on its head. The author's website: https://drakeinvestigates.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 9 July 2025

(Original pub date: 6/16/21) In November of 1912, a young woman named Ella Barham journeyed home, on her horse, to her family farm in Boone County, Arkansas, but never arrived. After her body was discovered, murdered and dismembered, suspicions quickly centered on a neighbor, Odus Davidson, who was rumored to have been in love with Ella, a love never returned. My guest, Nita Gould, has a very personal connection to Ella, one that led to her write the book she joins us to discuss, called "Remembering Ella: A 1912 Murder and Mystery in the Arkansas Ozarks." More information can be found on her website, here: https://www.rememberingella.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 3 July 2025

Clem Pellett grew up knowing very little about his grandfather, Clarence Pellett, who was murdered along Montana's iconic Hi-Line in April of 1951. Pellett's father had cut ties with the family, and Pellett didn't even know his grandfather's first name until he started investigating the case as an adult. Through extensive research over many years, Pellett uncovered the details of his grandfather's cold-blooded murder by a hitchhiker named Frank Dryman, as well as the lengthy legal battle that followed. Pellett has written a book called "Murder on Montana's Hi-Line" about his grandfather's murder, and a feature film adaptation titled "Pellet" is in the works. "The Pellett Project" website: https://pellettproject.com/ On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thepellettproject/ On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThePellettProject/ On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThePellettProject Hungry? Support the show here! Get started with Factor here to get 50% off plus FREE shipping on your first box!: http://factormeals.com/notorious50off Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 30 June 2025

On the morning of September 5th, 1917, sixteen-year-old Beatrice Epler was found dead just steps from her home in Alma, Michigan. The investigation into her murder would soon entangle a brothel madam, a traveling theater owner, a local farmer, and a French-Canadian amateur detective. My guest is Allie Seibert, author of Bloodstained: Exploring Michigan's Darkest Murders Forgotten By Time. She walks us through this unsolved mystery and shares some of the strange twists she was able to uncover while researching this long forgotten case. The author's Amazon page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Allie-Seibert/author/B0F5BYH6BH Allie in the Archives Podcast links: https://www.pod.link/1819388236 Hungry? Support the show here! Get started with Factor here to get 50% off plus FREE shipping on your first box!: http://factormeals.com/notorious50off Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 23 June 2025

On the morning of September 5th, 1917, the body of sixteen-year-old Beatrice Epler was discovered just yards away from her Alma, Michigan home. Caught up in the murder investigation would be a brothel madam, the owner of a traveling theater company, a local farmer and a French-Canadian amateur detective. My guest is Allie Seibert, author of Bloodstained: Exploring Michigan's Darkest Murders Forgotten By Time. She walks us through this unsolved mystery and shares some of the strange twists she was able to uncover while researching this long forgotten case. The author's Amazon page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Allie-Seibert/author/B0F5BYH6BH Allie in the Archives Podcast links: https://www.pod.link/1819388236 Hungry? Support the show here! Get started with Factor here to get 50% off plus FREE shipping on your first box!: http://factormeals.com/notorious50off Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 23 June 2025

On May 2, 1963, Robert Killins, a former United Church minister, slaughtered every woman in his family but one. She (and her brother) lived to tell the story of what motivated a talented man who had been widely admired, a scholar and graduate from Queen’s University, to stalk and terrorize the women in his family for almost twenty years and then murder them. Through extensive oral histories, Sharon Anne Cook and Margaret Carson painstakingly trace the causes of a femicide in which four women and two unborn babies were murdered over the course of one bloody evening. While they situate this murderous rampage in the literature on domestic abuse and mass murders, they also explore how the two traumatized child survivors found their way back to health and happiness. Their book is called "The Castleton Massacre: Survivors' Stories of the Killins Femicide" and the authors join me to discuss this horrific and very personal tragedy. Their publisher's book page: https://www.dundurn.com/books_/t22117/a9781459749863-the-castleton-massacre Sharon Anne Cook's website: https://sharonannecook.com/ Sharon Anne Cook's faculty page: https://www.uottawa.ca/faculty-education/sharon-anne-cook More about Margaret Carson: https://www.dundurn.com/authors_/t156375/p148940-margaret-carson Hungry? Support the show here! Get started with Factor here to get 50% off plus FREE shipping on your first box!: http://factormeals.com/notorious50off Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 17 June 2025

On the morning of July 3, 1915, John Pierpont Morgan Jr., one of the most famous names in finance, was entertaining guests at his sprawling Long Island estate when the doorbell unexpectedly rang. An armed man forced his way inside. At the same time, authorities in Washington, DC, were investigating a shocking bombing at the US Capitol. While no one had been killed, the blast had destroyed the reception room, and DC citizens were on edge. Nine years earlier, in 1906, Leone Krembs Muenter had fallen ill and died shortly after giving birth. Her husband, Harvard professor Erich Muenter, blamed his wife’s Christian Science religious beliefs, which prohibited medical intervention, for the death, but an investigation suggested something more sinister: arsenic poisoning. As suspicions mounted, Muenter vanished. Joining me is Mary Noé, author of "The Man Who Shot J. P. Morgan: A Life of Arsenic, Anarchy, and Intrigue". She tells the remarkable tale of a deceptive Harvard professor who reemerges with a new name and family —and a dangerous loyalty to Germany during World War I. The author's website: https://manwhoshotmorgan.com/ The author's publisher page: https://www.kentstateuniversitypress.com/2024/the-man-who-shot-j-p-morgan/ Hungry? Support the show here! Get started with Factor here to get 50% off plus FREE shipping on your first box!: http://factormeals.com/notorious50off Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 9 June 2025

George Lowther was a mutineer and a pirate, one of the most prolific during the golden age of piracy. His first mate, Edward "Ned" Low, went on to establish himself as perhaps the most sadistic and depraved of all pirate captains. Virtually all popular sources specify Lowther's death being by suicide in 1723, while marooned on the small island of Blanquilla, off the coast of Venezuela. While researching the War of Jenkins' Ear, historian Craig Chapman found repeated references to "Lowther the Pirate" in primary source material. This Lowther was pardoned and commissioned as a Royal Navy lieutenant in 1741. Further research revealed that this was indeed George Lowther, and therefore, that the date and place of his death had been reported erroneously. Military historian and author Craig Chapman shares the story of how Lowther became a pirate, some of his most notable and notorious actions, and his astonishing resurfacing years after his purported death. His book is called "The Resurrected Pirate: The Life, Death, and Subsequent Career of the Notorious George Lowther". The author's website: https://craigschapman.com/ The author's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/CraigSChapmanAuthor/ Hungry? Support the show here! Get started with Factor here to get 50% off plus FREE shipping on your first box!: http://factormeals.com/notorious50off Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 2 June 2025

(Original pub. date: 9/27/2018) Catherine Pelonero, author of "Kitty Genovese: A True Account of a Public Murder and its Private Consequences", is my guest. She walks us through the murder of Kitty Genovese in Kew Gardens, New York in 1964 and its aftermath. The horrific crime is especially infamous because no one called police or stepped in to help, despite being witnessed by dozens of people. The author's website: ⁠https://catherinepelonero.net/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 29 May 2025

Charles Cowlam stands out as one of the most remarkable con artists of nineteenth-century America. He talked his way into receiving pardons from both President Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis. Through deception, he secured a role investigating Lincoln’s assassination. He preyed on lonely widows, attempted to manipulate a Florida election, and created a secret society to steal money. His cons were as bold as they were relentless. My guest, Frank W. Garmon Jr., has written the definitive book on this colorful charlatan. It's called A Wonderful Career in Crime: Charles Cowlam’s Masquerades in the Civil War Era and Gilded Age. The author's website: https://www.frankgarmon.com/ The author's publisher page: https://lsupress.org/9780807182161/a-wonderful-career-in-crime/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 27 May 2025

In November 1945, James Newton, a young World War II veteran, was shot four times—twice in the back—in his room at an Abingdon, Virginia boardinghouse owned by Helen Clark. She would soon stand trial for his murder, as speculation swirled about the true nature of their relationship. Was she a protective, motherly figure trying to prevent Jimmy from taking his own life, or had she killed him in a fit of jealousy? Greg Lilly joins me to disuss the case. He is the author of "Abingdon's Boardinghouse Murder". More about the author and his work on his website: https://www.greglilly.com/ His publisher page: https://www.arcadiapublishing.com/products/9781467157322 Get started with Factor here to get 50% off plus FREE shipping on your first box!: http://factormeals.com/notorious50off Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 19 May 2025

Much like the wheel, the boat, and the telephone, the axe is a transformative piece of technology―one that has been with us since prehistory. And just as early humans used the axe to chop down trees, hunt for food, and whittle tools, they also used it to murder. Over time, this particular use has endured: as the axe evolved over centuries to fit the needs of new agricultural, architectural, and social development, so have our lethal uses for it. Rachel McCarthy James, who wrote "The Man From the Train" with her father Bill James, returns to the show to talk to share some of the history of this iconic tool and weapon. She shares examples of how it's been used for violence over the centuries - from the Vikings to Henry VIII to Lizzie Borden. Her new book, out on May 13, called "Whack Job: A History of Axe Murder". The author's website: http://rmccarthyjames.com/ The author's publisher page: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250276735/whackjob/ Get started with Factor here to get 50% off plus FREE shipping on your first box!: http://factormeals.com/notorious50off Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 12 May 2025

The American sailing vessel Adriatic collided with the French steamship Le Lyonnais on November 2, 1856, off the coast of Nantucket in what can best be described as a maritime hit-and-run. Adriatic’s captain, Jonathan Durham, rendered no aid and left the passenger steamship to fend for herself. 114 people died in the collision and in the days that followed. My guest is shipwreck hunter Jennifer N. Sellitti, author of "The Adriatic Affair: A Maritime Hit-and-Run off the Coast of Nantucket". In this episode of Most Notorious, she recounts the tragic tale of the incident and the dramatic efforts by France to bring Captain Durham to justice. She also shares details of her quest to uncover the long-lost wreck of the Le Lyonnais. Atlantic Wreck Salvage's website: https://dvtenacious.com/ The author's publisher page: https://www.schiffermilitary.com/products/the-adriatic-affair More on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dvtenacious Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 4 May 2025

Just in time for summer! This is an introduction and excerpt from the Slaycation Podcast, hosted by Kim and Adam "Tex" Davis and Jerry Kolber. Pack your body bags for a darkly comic, true crime podcast that looks at murders, mysterious deaths and whodunits that happened while people were on vacation. More here! https://www.slaycation.wtf/ Spotify link: https://open.spotify.com/show/6m5al8OnkyVCunFq56qwRE Apple link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/slaycation-true-crimes-murders-and-twisted-vacations/id1714880880 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 1 May 2025

(original pub date 7/19/23) David "Stringbean" Akeman was a singer, clawhammer banjo player and an early Grand Ole Opry star, known for his lanky build and comedic personality. And as a cast member of the nationwide television show Hee-Haw, he was at the height of his popularity when he and his wife Estelle were murdered in their rural Tennessee home in November of 1973. My guest this week is Professor Taylor Hagood, author of "Stringbean: The Life and Murder of a Country Music Legend". He walks us through the fascinating life of this unique musician, the murders that left the nation reeling, and the investigation that led police to the killers. The author's website: ⁠https://www.taylorhagood.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 29 April 2025

On July 24, 1964, twenty-four-year-old Matthew Kerry Smith disguised himself with a mask and a Beatle wig, hoisted a semi-automatic rifle, then held up a bank in North York, Ontario. The intelligent but troubled son of a businessman and mentally ill mother, Smith was a navy veteran with a young Indigenous wife and a hazy plan for violent revolution. Outside the bank, Smith was confronted by Jack Blanc, a former member of the Canadian and Israeli armies, who brandished a revolver. During a wild shootout, Blanc was killed, and Smith escaped ― only to become the object of the largest manhunt in the history of the Metropolitan Toronto Police Force. My guest is journalist and author Nate Hendley. He joins me to talk about his book, The Beatle Bandit: A Serial Bank Robber's Deadly Heist, a Cross-Country Manhunt, and the Insanity Plea that Shook the Nation. More about the author and his books on his website: https://natehendley.ca/ The author has included these links for those interested in purchasing The Beatle Bandit: Amazon.ca: https://amzn.to/3KQZ90P Amazon.com: https://amzn.to/3Bh5HCF Apple Books: https://tinyurl.com/3xkb7w5t Barnes and Noble: https://tinyurl.com/6h2p7epz Walmart: https://tinyurl.com/4bdksr8h Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 26 April 2025

The American government was faced with an unprecedented challenge: where to house the nearly 400,000 German prisoners of war plucked from the battlefield and shipped across the Atlantic. On orders from President Franklin D. Roosevelt, the Department of War hastily built hundreds of POW camps in the United States. Today, traces of those camps—which once dotted the landscape from Maine to California—have all but vanished. Forgotten, too, is the grisly series of killings that took place within them: Nazi power games playing out in the heart of the United States. My guest today is William Geroux, a World War II expert and author of "The Fifteen: Murder, Retribution, and the Forgotten Story of Nazi POWs in America". He discusses the origins of the German prisoner-of-war camps, the daily lives of the men held there, and the deep divisions between hardline Nazis and less political prisoners—tensions that ultimately led to a series of murders and the prosecution of fifteen POWs. The author's publisher page: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/725017/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 18 April 2025

Shortly before dusk on November 3, 1870, just as the ferryboat El Capitan was pulling away from its slip into San Francisco Bay, a woman clad in black emerged from the shadows and strode across the crowded deck. Reaching under her veil, she drew a small pistol and aimed it directly at a well-dressed man sitting quietly with his wife and children. The woman fired a single bullet into his chest. “I did it and I don’t deny it,” she said when arrested shortly thereafter. “He ruined both myself and my daughter.” This week’s guest is acclaimed author Gary Krist. In his latest book, "Trespassers at the Golden Gate: A True Account of Love, Murder, and Madness in Gilded-Age San Francisco", Krist delves into the gripping true story of attorney A.P. Crittenden and his long-time mistress, Laura Fair. Their seven-year affair came to a tragic and scandalous end with a very public murder and a pair of sensational trials. More about the author here: http://garykrist.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 13 April 2025

On a nearly moonless night in October 1943, a single gunshot rang out in Littlefield, Texas. A prominent Texas doctor and his wife were found bound, shot, beaten, and murdered. The only witness: their five-year-old daughter, who was bound to silence and refused to speak about what happened for 70 years. Christena Stephens is my guest, and her book is called "Bound in Silence: An Unsolved Murder in a Small Texas Town". She shares details about the horrific case and talks about her experience interviewing the slain couple's daughter, Jo Ann. A summary of the case written by the author for the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: https://www.lubbockonline.com/story/lifestyle/columns/2017/12/01/chronicles-tangled-web-west-texas-murders/14825468007/ The author's website: https://www.christena.net/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 6 April 2025

(Original pub date: 3/11/20) While the Coen brothers refuse to confirm it, many believe that their movie "Fargo" was inspired by the Carol Thompson murder case. She was viciously killed in her comfortable Saint Paul home by a hitman hired by her eccentric husband, T. Eugene Thompson, in March of 1963, leaving behind four small children. It was an absolutely sensational case, one not only covered extensively by local press, but by national and international press as well. Longtime journalist William Swanson covers the case with me. His book is called "Dial M: The Murder of Carol Thompson". The author's Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/William-Swanson/author/B001JSC22G Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 28 March 2025

Molly Zelko was the crusading editor and publisher of the Spectator, a newspaper devoted to battling local gangsters operating slot machines and other rackets in Joliet, Illinois. In the late night hours of September 25, 1957 she vanished, with only her shoes and signs of a struggle left as evidence that something sinister had likely happened to her. My guest is reporter and author Rod Kackley, whose book "Murder! Molly And The Mob: A (1950s) Shocking True Crime Story" is the focus of today's episode of Most Notorious. The author's website: https://www.rodkackley.com/ The author's Amazon page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Rod-Kackley/author/B0090N097W Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 22 March 2025

On September 13, 1868, the bodies of Jacob and Nancy Young were discovered brutally murdered along the bank of the White River in Cold Spring, Indiana. Police would eventually set their sights on a charming and fascinating confidence woman named Nancy Clem, who happened to be involved in some extremely shady business dealings with Jacob Young at the time. My guest is Wendy Gamber, author of "The Notorious Mrs. Clem: Murder and Money in the Gilded Age". She tells us all about the colorful Nancy Clem, the Cold Spring murder case, and shares theories on how and why the murders might have really happened. The author's Indiana University page: https://history.indiana.edu/faculty_staff/faculty/gamber_wendy.html The author's publisher page: https://www.press.jhu.edu/books/authors/wendy-gamber Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 16 March 2025

Close to midnight on May 17, 1951, four north Alabama lawmen drove to a bootlegger’s home to serve an arrest warrant. Before the clock struck twelve, the bootlegger lay dead in front of the house he shared with his wife and eight children, and three of the four officers were also dead. Afterward, a sixteen-year-old boy would face a series of trials that would divide a county and thrust the state of Alabama into the national spotlight. My guest is Professor Lesa Carnes Shaul, author of "Midnight Cry: A Shooting on Sand Mountain". She grew up on Sand Mountain hearing stories about this sensational shootout and joins me to talk about her research into this fascinating case. More about the author and her book here on her publisher's page: https://ugapress.org/book/9781588385338/midnight-cry/ This episode is sponsored by Strawberry .me. Get a $50 credit when you use our link: https://strawberry.me/notorious Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 8 March 2025

My guest today is Dr. Amy Helen Bell, author of "Under Cover of Darkness: Murders in Blackout London". She shares accounts of the terror, tragedy and crime experienced by Londoners during the blackout and the blitz in 1940s wartime Britain. More about the author here: https://amyhelenbell.com/ Interested in revisiting the serial killers mentioned in this episode? John Reginald Christie: https://www.mostnotorious.com/2022/12/17/serial-killer-john-reginald-christie-the-great-london-smog-w-kate-winkler-dawson/ John George Haigh ("The Acid Bath Murderer"). https://www.mostnotorious.com/2022/11/22/the-acid-bath-murderer-w-gordon-lowe/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 1 March 2025

My guest this week is award-winning journalist Ken Fortenberry, author of "Flight 7 Is Missing: The Search for My Father's Killer". He walks us through the ill-fated flight of Pan Am's luxurious "Romance of the Skies", a Boeing 377 Stratocruiser that mysteriously crashed into the Pacific Ocean in November of 1957. Forty-four people were killed, including his own father, who copiloted and navigated the plane. His decades long investigation of the crash has led him to the conclusion that the victims were murdered, and he shares with us who he believes the killer is. The author's website: https://kenfortenberry.com/ The author's publisher page: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Flight-7-is-Missing/Ken-Fortenberry/9781949024074 This episode is sponsored by Strawberry .me. Get a $50 credit when you use our link: https://strawberry.me/notorious Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 21 February 2025

(Original publish date: 6/7/22) In this third and final part of my interview with Dr. Edgar Epperly, the "little minister" Lyn George Jacklin Kelly is examined as a primary suspect in the 1912 Villisca Axe Murders. Although Kelly spoke obsessively about the case and even confessed to the murders, many believed that the confession was the result of mental illness and police coercion. Dr. Epperly also offers his thoughts on whether the murders might be the work of a serial killer named Paul Mueller (aka The Man From the Train). Dr. Epperly's book, the result of almost seventy years of research, is called "Fiend Incarnate: Villisca Axe Murders of 1912". Listener discretion is advised on this episode, as it contains adult themes and language. Dr. Epperly's website: https://villiscabook.com/ More about the documentary "Villisca: Living with a Mystery" here: https://www.villiscamovie.com/ Dr. Epperly's Villisca Axe Murders Blog: https://docublogger.typepad.com/villiscamystery/ This episode is sponsored by Strawberry dot me. Get a $50 credit when you use our link: https://strawberry.me/notorious Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 15 February 2025

(Original Publish Date: 5/31/22) This episode is sponsored by Strawberry dot me. Get a $50 credit when you use our link: https://strawberry.me/notorious Frank Fernando (F.F.) Jones seemed to be one of the most obvious suspects in the aftermath of the horrific 1912 Villisca Axe murders. He had a contentious business rivalry with the patriarch of the slain Moore family, Josiah (Joe) Moore, intensified further because Moore was having an affair with his daughter-in-law. However there was no direct evidence linking him to the crime. Enter James Wilkerson, a pugnacious and cunning private detective who made it his mission to connect Jones to the murders, even if it meant manufacturing evidence. In this second part of my three part interview with Dr. Edgar Epperly, author of " Fiend Incarnate: Villisca Axe Murders of 1912", we delve into Wilkerson's trumped-up charges against Jones and bitter obsession with pinning the murders on him. Dr. Epperly's website: https://villiscabook.com/ More about the documentary "Villisca: Living with a Mystery" here: https://www.villiscamovie.com/ Dr. Epperly's Villisca Axe Murders Blog: https://docublogger.typepad.com/villiscamystery/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 14 February 2025

One of my absolute favorites! This is the first of a three part interview I did with Dr. Ed Epperly about the notorious 1912 Villisca Axe Murders. (Original publish date 5/23/2022) This episode is sponsored by Strawberry .me. Get a $50 credit when you use our link: https://strawberry.me/notorious On June 9th (or) 10th, 1912, America experienced of the most notorious crimes in its history - the brutal axe murders of Josiah and Sarah Moore, their four children (Herman, Katherine, Boyd and Paul) and Ina and Lena Stillinger, two neighbor girls who had the terrible misfortune of sleeping over that night. It's a case steeped in mystery, with a gruesome crime scene, puzzling evidence, twists and turns and compelling suspects. My guest - Dr. Edgar Epperly - has spent almost seventy years interviewing eyewitnesses and key figures and pouring over historical records related to the crime. He is considered the foremost authority on the case. The culmination of his decades of work is a comprehensive book on the subject published at the end of 2021, called "Fiend Incarnate: Villisca Axe Murders of 1912". This is an absolute must read for anyone interested in the case. Listener discretion is advised on this episode, as it contains adult themes and language. Dr. Epperly's website: https://villiscabook.com/ More about the documentary "Villisca: Living with a Mystery" here: https://www.villiscamovie.com/ Dr. Epperly's Villisca Axe Murders Blog: https://docublogger.typepad.com/villiscamystery/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 14 February 2025

In the late 1950s and early 1960s, Jenny Maxwell was one of Hollywood's "it girls", appearing in countless television shows and films. Arguably her most memorable role was that of Ellie Corbett in Elvis Presley's 1961 movie "Blue Hawaii", where she stole every scene she was in. But despite her professional success, her personal life was a mess, much of it due to alcohol, drugs and wild Hollywood parties. By 1981 she was seeking a divorce from her second husband (mob lawyer Tip Roeder) when they were both gunned down outside her condo in Beverly Hills. My guest Buddy Moorehouse, author of "Murder of an Elvis Girl: Solving the Jenny Maxwell Case", has a family connection to this case. His mother was first cousins with Jenny, and solving the mystery of her death was of personal importance to him. He joins me to talk about Jenny and his investigation into her murder almost 40 years after that fateful day. More about the Buddy and his book on his FB page here: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063693114310 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 6 February 2025

Late one evening in the summer of 1922, Henry Wilkens burst through the doors of the emergency room covered in his wife's blood. But was he a grieving husband or a ruthless killer who conspired with bandits to have her murdered? To find out, the San Francisco police turned to technology and a new machine that had just been invented in Berkeley by a rookie detective, a visionary police chief, and a teenage magician with a showman's touch. John Larson, Gus Vollmer, and Leonarde Keeler hoped the lie detector would make the justice system fairer, but the flawed device soon grew too powerful for them to control. It poisoned their lives, turned fast friends into bitter enemies, and, as it conquered America and the world, transformed our relationship with the truth in ways that are still being felt. My guest today is Amit Katwala, writer and editor for Wired in London. His book is called "Tremors in the Blood: Murder, Obsession, and the Birth of the Lie Detector." More about the author here at his website: https://www.amitkatwala.co.uk/ The author's Instagram account: https://www.instagram.com/amitkatwala Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 30 January 2025

On February 8, 1911, the Scott Mausoleum, a symbol of wealth for the Scott and Strong families in Erie, Pennsylvania, was desecrated by unknown vandals, coined by nationwide papers as ghouls. With the inside of the mausoleum heavily damaged - and a body missing - the crime set off shockwaves throughout the country during a time in which grave robbery, extortion and murder reigned supreme. Hundreds of reporters and newspaper correspondents throughout the country and world descend upon the Great Lakes port city. Private Detectives from the Perkins Detective Agency in Pittsburgh took charge of the case, pitted against rival detectives from the famous Burns Detective Agency. The case took a sinister turn when a series of letters were sent to wealthy local philanthropist Charles Hamot Strong, threatening to blow up his mausoleum and murder his granddaughter. My guest Justin Dombrowski is the author of "Erie's Great Mausoleum Mystery: Ghouls, Grave Robbers & Extortion". The author's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ErieTrueCrime Purchase the book on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Eries-Great-Mausoleum-Mystery-Extortion/dp/1467156612 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 28 January 2025

On April 15, 1973, the body of Virginia Olson was discovered near the campus of the University of North Carolina-Asheville in an area known as the Botanical Gardens. She had been raped and stabbed to death in horrifically brutal fashion. Police would investigate this crime for decades, and even hone in one one particular suspect, but it still remains unsolved today. My guests are brothers Brian Santana, a professor, and Cameron Santana, a police officer. They combined their skills and experience to write "A MURDER ON CAMPUS: The Professor, The Cop, And North Carolina's Most Notorious Cold Case". In our interview they walk us through the case, share some of their research challenges, and discuss a number of possible suspects, including a well-known serial killer living in the area at the time. A link to the authors' page through WildBlue Press: https://wildbluepress.com/murder-on-campus-true-crime-santana/ X/Twitter for Brian: https://x.com/bsantana84729?s=21 The brothers' joint Instagram account: https://www.instagram.com/santanabrotherstruecrime/profilecard/?igsh=MWZhN2J6aDZrZTgydQ%3D%3D Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 23 January 2025

This is the first episode of Airship's new series about John Gotti on their American Criminal podcast. "Living in poverty as a young kid, John Gotti takes up mafia work very early on. He knows that the Gambino family is his ticket out, and he's willing to do whatever it takes to climb the ranks. Even if it means killing a guy." For more information about the podcast visit Airship's American Criminal website: https://www.americancriminal.com/ and listen to the rest of the series by subscribing to American Criminal on your favorite podcast listening platform. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 18 January 2025

Louis Ferrante is back on the show, sharing more of his extensive research into the history of the American Mafia. In volume two of his trilogy, called "Borgata: Clash of Titans", he focuses on the Mafia during the height of its power in the 1960s and 70s. In our interview he talks about the origins of the animosity between the mob and Bobby Kennedy, and how he believes Bobby's pressure led to his brother's assassination. We also go quite a bit into J. Edgar Hoover's role in the conflict, and I ask Lou what he thinks happened to Jimmy Hoffa's body. More about the author and his work here: https://louisferrante.com/ Our sponsor this week is Acorns. Head here https://acorns.com/notorious or download the Acorns app to start saving and investing for your future today! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 14 January 2025

On a cold winter day in 1832, Sarah Maria Cornell was found dead in a quiet farmyard in a small New England town. When her troubled past and a secret correspondence with charismatic Methodist minister Reverend Ephraim Avery was uncovered, more questions emerged. Was Sarah’s death a suicide...or something much darker? Determined to uncover the real story, Victorian writer Catharine Read Arnold Williams threw herself into the investigation as the trial was unfolding and wrote what many claim to be the first American true-crime narrative, Fall River. The murder divided the country and inspired Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter—but the reverend was not convicted, and questions linger to this day about what really led to Sarah Cornell’s death. Until now. Acclaimed true-crime historian Kate Winkler Dawson is my returning guest, and her new book "The Sinners All Bow: Two Authors, One Murder, and the Real Hester Prynne" is officially on sale on January 7th. The author's website: https://www.katewinklerdawson.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 6 January 2025

Happy New Year everyone! This Most Notorious Encore episode revisits my conversation with Alan Logan, originally released on May 19, 2021. Most of us are familiar with the critically acclaimed film called Catch Me If You Can, based on the autobiography of legendary confidence man Frank Abagnale. It's the story of a brazen teenage imposter who through charm and intellect was able to pass as an attorney, a doctor, a pilot and a university professor in the late 1960s and early 1970s. My guest, Alan C. Logan, has done extensive research into Frank Abagnale's well-known and near-mythical narrative, found it riddled with holes, and lays out some of what he has discovered for us on this week's episode of Most Notorious. Alan Logan's book is called "The Greatest Hoax on Earth: Catching Truth, While We Can", and can be ordered in bookstores, online retailers, and through his website at: http://www.greatesthoax.com/ Visit https://strawberry.me/notorious for 20% off your first month's membership! Support the show and ditch overpriced wireless with Mint Mobile’s deal and get 3 months of premium wireless service for 15 bucks a month! https://www.mintmobile.com/notorious Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 26 December 2024

On a frigid day in 1843, Amasa Sprague, a wealthy Yankee mill owner, left his mansion to check on his cattle. On the way, he was accosted and beaten beyond recognition, and his body was left facedown in the snow. What followed was a trial marked by judicial bias, witness perjury and societal bigotry that resulted in the conviction of twenty-nine-year-old Irish-Catholic John Gordon. He was sentenced to hang. Despite overwhelming evidence that the trial was flawed and newly discovered evidence that clearly exonerated him, an anti-Irish Catholic establishment refused him a new trial. On February 14, 1845, John Gordon became the last victim of capital punishment in Rhode Island. My guest is Paul F. Caranci, author of "The Hanging and Redemption of John Gordon: The True Story of Rhode Island's Last Execution." He walks us through the murder, investigation, trial and execution, and also shares some of the theories regarding who might have killed Amasa Sprague and why. More about the author and his books: https://www.paulcaranci.com/ The podcast "Terror In Wichita" can be heard here: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4oNsjI7FzlZ2z9k6aK1IGs?si=mY-xavJISBK2egMHTlsT2Q iHeart: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-terror-in-wichita-248480833/ Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/90ce0921-037e-4e6a-ad62-25f08a4b9b33/terror-in-wichita Support the show and ditch overpriced wireless with Mint Mobile’s deal and get 3 months of premium wireless service for 15 bucks a month! https://www.mintmobile.com/notorious Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 19 December 2024

Unwanted and neglected from birth, Barbara Graham had to overcome the odds just to survive. Her beauty was both a blessing and a curse—offering her too many options of all the wrong kind. Her innate sensitivity left her vulnerable to the harsh realities of the street, where she was left to fend for herself before she reached double digits. Her record of petty crimes spoke to a life that constantly teetered on the brink of disaster. But in 1953, a catastrophic twist of fate would catapult her out of obscurity and into the headlines. When a robbery spiraled out of control and escalated into a brutal murder, Barbara became the centerpiece of a media circus. Her beauty enraptured the press, and they were quick to portray her as a villainous femme fatale despite abundant evidence to the contrary—a fiction the prosecution eagerly promoted. My guest is noted criminal lawyer and bestselling author Marcia Clark. Her latest book, "Trial By Ambush: Murder, Injustice, and the Truth about the Case of Barbara Graham" came out on December 1st. Marcia Clark's website: https://marciaclarkbooks.com/ Support the show and ditch overpriced wireless with Mint Mobile’s deal and get 3 months of premium wireless service for 15 bucks a month! https://www.mintmobile.com/notorious Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 16 December 2024

South-east England, 1740s: War and heated politics bring the old practice of smuggling to new and dangerous heights. Violent gangs of smugglers terrorize communities and confound government attempts to stop them. The most famous of these, the Hawkhurst Gang, operate like a modern drug cartel fueled by illegal tea. They threaten witnesses and authorities, brandish weapons in public, and fight battles in the streets, murdering and kidnapping those who get in their way. My guest, Joseph Dragovich, is author of "Hawkhurst: Murder, Corruption, and Britain's Most Notorious Smuggling Gang." He gives us a brief history of this very notorious group of smugglers and the people who helped put an end to their terror. The author's website: https://hawkhurst-book.co.uk/ The author on Blueky: https://bsky.app/profile/joedragovich.bsky.social The author on Twitter/X: https://x.com/joedragovich/ Support the show and ditch overpriced wireless with Mint Mobile’s deal and get 3 months of premium wireless service for 15 bucks a month! https://www.mintmobile.com/notorious Visit https://strawberry.me/notorious for 20% off your first month's membership! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 10 December 2024

On Christmas night, December 25, 1843, in a serene village on Staten Island, shocked neighbors discovered the burnt remains of twenty-four-year-old mother Emeline Houseman and her infant daughter, Ann Eliza. In a perverse nativity, someone bludgeoned to death a mother and child in their home—and then covered up the crime with hellfire. When an ambitious district attorney charges Polly Bodine (Emelin’s sister-in-law) with a double homicide, the new “penny press” explodes. Polly is a perfect media villain: she’s a separated wife who drinks gin, commits adultery, and has had multiple abortions. Between June 1844 and April 1846, the nation was enthralled by her three trials—in Staten Island, Manhattan, and Newburgh—for the “Christmas murders.” My guest is Alex Hortis, author of "The Witch of New York: The Trials of Polly Bodine and the Cursed Birth of Tabloid Justice." He shares with us some of the incredible twists and turns in this absolutely fascinating case. The author's website: https://alexhortis.com/ Register here for the author's online "History of the New York Mafia Class", through The Gotham Center for New York City History (Starting 1/29/2025): https://www.gothamcenter.org/gothamed-january/history-of-the-new-york-mafia Support the show and ditch overpriced wireless with Mint Mobile’s deal and get 3 months of premium wireless service for 15 bucks a month! https://www.mintmobile.com/notorious Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 6 December 2024

My guest this week is John Oller, author of the new book "Gangster Hunters: How Hoover's G-men Vanquished America's Deadliest Public Enemies". He walks us through the evolution of J. Edgar Hoover's Bureau in the early 1930s, highlighting some of the unsung federal agents that battled America's Depression Era bank-robbing outlaws and the pivotal crimes that helped shape the country's most storied law enforcement organization. The author's website: https://www.johnollernyc.com/ Support the show and ditch overpriced wireless with Mint Mobile’s deal and get 3 months of premium wireless service for 15 bucks a month! https://www.mintmobile.com/notorious Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 27 November 2024

On this month's Most Notorious Encore episode, we revisit the "Autumn of Terror" with a popular interview first released on 11/21/2019, five years ago today.   One of the world's most preeminent Ripperologists, Tom Wescott, author of "The Bank Holiday Murders" and "Ripper Confidential" is my guest on this episode of Most Notorious. His extensive research into Jack the Ripper/Whitechapel murders give his a unique perspective into this truly iconic true crime cold case. Focusing on some of the more intriguing peripheral players in the events, including a suspicious prostitute named "Pearly Poll", he offers a fresh take and new theories on who might have murdered the "Canonical Five" (and likely more) in Victorian-era London. The author's website: https://ripperbooks.wordpress.com/ Support the show and ditch overpriced wireless with Mint Mobile’s deal and get 3 months of premium wireless service for 15 bucks a month! https://www.mintmobile.com/notorious Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 22 November 2024

Summer 1948. In the scenic, remote river town of Oregon, Illinois, a young couple visiting the local lovers’ lane is murdered. The shocking crime garners headlines from Portland, Maine, to Long Beach, California. But after a sweeping manhunt, no one is arrested and the violent deaths of Mary Jane Reed and Stanley Skridla fade into time’s indifference. Fast forward fifty years. Eccentric entrepreneur Michael Arians moves to Oregon, opens a roadhouse, gets elected mayor, and becomes obsessed with the crime. He comes up with a scandalous conspiracy theory and starts to believe that Mary Jane’s ghost is haunting his establishment. He also reaches out to the Chicago Tribune for help. My guest, Ted Gregory, is the Chicago Tribune reporter who responds to Michael Arians' letter. He is the author of "Mary Jane's Ghost: The Legacy of a Murder in Small Town America". More about the author and his work here: https://tedcgregory.com/ Sergio Mendes and Brasil '77 perform the haunting song "After Sunrise": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-4WAh9Kjk0 Support the show and ditch overpriced wireless with Mint Mobile’s deal and get 3 months of premium wireless service for 15 bucks a month! https://www.mintmobile.com/notorious Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 15 November 2024

In early 1900s Indiana, John Terrell was the wealthiest man in Wells County, thanks to oil discovered on his farm. But when his youngest daughter, Lucy, became pregnant and entered into a forced marriage to abusive Melvin Wolfe, Terrell’s life and fortune unraveled in a tumultuous spiral of murder, a dramatic trial, and a descent into madness. My guest is Stephen Terrell, who has a very personal connection to this story (as you might guess from his last name). His book is called "The Madness of John Terrell: Revenge and Insanity on Trial in the Heartland". The author's website: www.TerrellWrites.com Kent State Press interview: https://kentstatebooks.wordpress.com/2024/09/03/true-crime-from-kent-state-author-stephen-terrell-discusses-the-madness-of-john-terrell/ Buy the book on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Madness-John-Terrell-Insanity-Heartland/dp/1606354876 Buy the book on Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-madness-of-john-terrell-stephen-terrell/1144858369 Support the show and ditch overpriced wireless with Mint Mobile’s deal and get 3 months of premium wireless service for 15 bucks a month! https://www.mintmobile.com/notorious Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 8 November 2024

In December of 1883 Peter Lazier, a traveling farm implement salesman, was shot in the heart during the botched robbery of a farmer and his wife in Prince Edward County, Ontario. Two men would be arrested and tried for the murder, but would the sparse evidence against them lead to freedom, prison or the gallows? My guest is Robert J. Sharpe, author of "The Lazier Murder: Prince Edward County, 1884". As a Canadian lawyer and judge, he offers unique insight into a controversial case that is still remembered in Prince Edward County today. The author's publisher page: https://utorontopress.com/9781442644212/the-lazier-murder The book is available on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Lazier-Murder-Osgoode-Society-Canadian/dp/1442644214 Tags Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 2 November 2024

Absinthe is a drink that has been both romanticized and demonized over the centuries. While the spirit was a favorite of avant-gardists like Toulouse-Lautrec, Van Gogh and Baudelaire, it was also thought to be hallucinogenic and the catalyst for violent crime. My guest is Evan Rail, author of "The Absinthe Forger: A True Story of Deception, Betrayal, and the World’s Most Dangerous Spirit". He tells us about the history of the infamous drink and his investigation into a modern-day counterfeiter who imploded the secretive pre-ban absinthe market with his fakeries. More about the author here: http://www.evanrail.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 25 October 2024

We revisit an interview from February 2020 in this Most Notorious Encore episode. In late October of 1928, authorities in the small town of Lake Bluff, Illinois discovered a grisly scene in the village hall basement. They found a young woman named Elfreida Knaak, naked, horribly burned and barely clinging to life, next to a furnace. From that point on, investigators would uncover a bizarre story, including a secret affair, mystical Christian rituals, and contradictory deathbed confessions. My guest is historian Kraig Moreland, who has researched this hometown mystery for years. His book is called "Furnace Girl: The Mysterious Case of Elfrieda Knaak". The author's website: https://www.thefurnacegirl.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 22 October 2024

Troy Taylor, host of the American Hauntings Podcast, returns to the show - this time for an interview with a bit of a Halloween theme. He's here to talk about the ill-fated Donner Party, which was was traveling by wagon to California when it became stranded in the Sierra Nevada mountains during the winter of 1846-47.  There, some of its members infamously turned to cannibalism to survive. And in the spirit of the season, he shares some of the ghost stories associated with this incredible American tragedy.  Troy's book is called "Forlorn Hope: A Haunted History of the Donner Party."  Visit his website for information on his podcast, museum, tours and books: https://www.americanhauntingsink.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 18 October 2024

In 1931, San Diego was left reeling from the brutal murders of ten-year-old Virginia Brooks, seventeen-year-old Louise Teuber, and twenty-two-year-old Hazel Bradshaw. The murders left period investigators flummoxed - and the cases remain unresolved to this day. My guest is award-winning author Richard L. Carrico. He has meticulously reconstructed their stories in his book, "MONSTERS ON THE LOOSE: The True Story of Three Unsolved Murders in Prohibition Era San Diego" and shares details on his remarkable research into all three of the cases. More about the author (including his full bio) here: https://wildbluepress.com/richard-l-carrico-author-bio/ The author's Amazon page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Richard-L.-Carrico/author/B001JS4XNM Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 12 October 2024

My guest this week is Simon Read, author of "Scotland Yard: A History of the London Police Force's Most Infamous Murder Cases". He walks us through a number of the notorious murder cases that helped transform London's Metropolitan Police into one of the world's premiere crime-fighting organizations. More about the author and his work here: https://simonreadwriting.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 5 October 2024