99. A Deadly Obsession: The Murder Of Olga Duncan
In 1958, 30-year-old nurse Olga Duncan vanished from her Santa Barbara apartment. She was newly married, seven months pregnant, and full of hope for the future. But what no one could’ve imagined was that the person behind her disappearance wasn’t a stranger… it was someone much closer to home.
This week on Hard Times & True Crimes, we tell the heartbreaking story of Olga Duncan — and the chilling, manipulative woman who plotted her murder: her mother-in-law, Elizabeth Ann Duncan.
📍 Episode Summary:
You’ll hear:
• How Elizabeth’s obsession with her son Frank spiraled into deadly control
• The disturbing fake annulment scheme that almost worked
• How two hired men carried out the murder — and what they revealed
• Why Frank Duncan stood by his mother, even after the truth came out
• And how Elizabeth became the last woman executed in California’s gas chamber
This case will stay with you long after the episode ends.
🔎 Topics Covered:
• True Crime | California | Historical Cases
• Santa Barbara History
• Mother-in-law obsession
• Pregnant murder victims
• Gas chamber executions in California
• Psychology of manipulation and codependency
🗂️ Sources & References:
• A Lovely Girl by Deborah Holt Larkin
• California Court Records and Archives
• News reports from Santa Barbara and Ventura County (1958–1962)
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