Historical True Crime Episodes

During the early morning hours of July 16, 1898, eleven year old Wesley Elkins, with his baby sister in tow, alerted his neighbors that he had discovered his parents murdered in their bed. When authorities arrived at the gruesome scene, a few different suspects and theories began to emerge. The case was soon solved when one suspect came forward with a confession. Narrator: Curtis Hildreth Letter Reader: Isaiah Hildreth Intro and Outro Music: Isaiah Hildreth Sources: http://newspapers.com Counc...

In 1967 James Joseph Richardson was accused of poisoning to death all seven of his children. Without a shred of evidence he was convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to death. Years later, shocking new evidence would come to light that would clear his name and point directly to another suspect. Listen to find out what happened to James Richardson. Music by Isaiah Hildreth Male Narrator: Curtis Hildreth Sources: Documentary: Time Simply Passes Arcadia Revisited - The Story of James J...

In 1911, two wealthy sisters submitted themselves to alternative medical treatment for various ailments. The ailments seemed minor when they sought treatment; one sister needing help for her dropped uterus and the other for rheumatism and indigestion. So why did one of them die within 2 months and the other barely make it out with her own life? Listen to the tale of the so-called "Dr." Hazzard and her peculiar cure that did more harm than good. Send us a text Support the show hardtimesandtruecr...

On June 22, 1954, teenage best friends Juliet Hulme and Pauline Reiper went for a walk in Victoria Park with Pauline’s mother Honorah. Thirty minutes later, the girls ran up to a nearby tea shop with blood all over their clothes and hands… Pauline screaming, “ It’s mummy! I think she’s dead! She’s fallen and hit her head! Sources: Music by: Isaiah Hildreth Male Narrator: Curtis Hildreth Let’s Murder Mother by Bus Stop Guides So Brilliantly Clever: Parker, Hulme and the Murder That Shocked t...

One evening in 1932, a baby was taken from his crib as he slept. The child was Charles Lindbergh Jr., son of the infamous Atlantic crossing aviator, Charles Lindbergh. The crime became an instant sensational case. When several ransom notes are received through various channels, investigators are kept on their toes, chasing every lead no matter how outlandish it may be. One man is finally apprehended, tried, and convicted for the crime and yet many today believe he was innocent. And that is why t...

In 1910, a mob of angry Floridians gathered at Smallwood store in Chokoloskee. They gunned down their neighbor, a plantation owner named Edgar Watson. He was a suspected and feared serial killer. Want to support us? Go to hardtimesandtruecrimes.com and buy us a coffee Narrator: Curtis Hildreth Music By: Isaiah Hildreth Sharecropper and Son By Sherry White https://youtu.be/LlfLN8tR6q0 Sources https://www.coastalbreezenews.com/opinion/columnists/the-story-of-edgar-j-watson-the-infamous-busines...

In the summer of 1977, three young girls are murdered in their tent on the first night at summer camp. The tragic aftermath ended with the closing of the camp never to reopen and left parents wondering if the camp experience was no longer a safe haven for their children. One suspect stands out among several; he is eventually charged for the crime and the outcome is surprising. Sometimes justice comes quickly and in unexpected ways. Send us a text Support the show hardtimesandtruecrimes.com buym...

In 1928, twenty-one year old serial killer Gordon Northcott stalked the streets of Los Angeles and the surrounding areas looking for young boys to lure back to his chicken farm. Darlene and Melody tell his victims' stories. Was Gordon Northcott ever brought to justice? Listen here to find out! Sources: Intro Music: Isaiah Hildreth Intro and Outro Narrator: Curtis Hildreth Photo License: {{PD-US}} The Road Out of Hell: Sanford Clark and the True Story of the Wineville Murders by Anthony Flacco...

In part one Darlene and Melody discuss the disappearance of Walter Collins. On March 8, 1928 Christine Collins was called in to work for a few hours at her job as a telephone operator. Her son, nine year old Walter Collins, wanted to go see a movie, so Christine gave him a dime to go. She instructed Walter to come home directly after the movie. That would be last time Christine Collins would ever see her son. Walter's disappearance made national headlines. The LAPD were desperate to solve this c...

In 1896 a young woman's headless body was found in Ft. Thomas, Kentucky. During the autopsy it was discovered she had been pregnant at the time of her death. She was identified by her shoes and a birth defect that left her with webbed toes. Pearl Bryan was a beautiful 22 year old socialite from Green Castle, Indiana. Her family thought she was visiting friends. In reality, she was visiting her lover, Scott Jackson, a 30 year old dental student in Cincinnati. Music b...

In 1913 a little girl was found brutally murdered in the basement of the pencil factory where she worked. The trial of the century would follow an arrest. Was the right man convicted? Music: "Hard Times" By Isaiah Hildreth Male Narrator: Curtis Hildreth Sources: newspapers.com findagrave.com Wikipedia Prash's Murder Map : True Crime Podcast Crimes of the Centuries Podcast https://www.britannica.com/biography/Mary-Phagan https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/local/2020/02/20/alonzo-mann-sa...

One morning in May 1866, just before daybreak Laura Foster quietly left her home with a bundle of clothes and her father's horse. She was going to rendezvous with her beau, Tom Dooley. Rumor had it they were going to run off and get married. However, Tom did not run off and Laura never returned home. When her body was found in a shallow grave, someone was bound to hang for her murder. The question is whether the right person was hung or was someone else guilty as well? Send us a text Support th...

An Appalachian, snake handling preacher named Glenn Summerford tried to murder his wife using a rattlesnake as his weapon. Or did he? Music: "Hard Times" By Isaiah Hildreth Male Narrator : Curtis Hildreth Sources: Salvation on Sand Mountain by Glenn Covington Alabama Snake Documentary https://youtu.be/nnnvicF9emU https://youtu.be/7OcoUyXiuU0https://www.mtsu.edu/first-amendment/article/928/snake-handling https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snake_handling_in_Christianity newspapers.com findagrave.com...

In the 1940's Raymond Fernandez and Martha Beck preyed on lonely women looking for love through lonely hearts advertisements. The duo started out as con artists but greed and jealousy led them to serial killing. Sources : The Lonely Hearts Killers: The Bloody Passions of Martha Beck and Raymond Fernandez By Tobin T. Buhk newspapers.com findagrave.com Music : "Guilty" By Al Bowlly Public Domain Mark 1.0. Send us a text Support the show hardtimesandtruecrimes.com buymeacoffee.com/hardtimesTC

One of Hollywood's golden girls, Lana Turner, lived a life that could have been a movie itself. Unfortunately the life of a movie star is not always as glamorous as it is portrayed. By the time she realized she was involved with a known gangster, it was too late. The arguments, the threats, and the abuse eventually led to murder. Send us a text Support the show hardtimesandtruecrimes.com buymeacoffee.com/hardtimesTC

In Bibb county Georgia on August 6, 1887 a prominent farmer, Captain Richard Woolfolk and eight members of his family were axed to death as they lay sleeping. The Woolfolk murders would be known as the bloodiest mass murder in Georgia history. The oldest son and only survivor of the horrendous attack was the main suspect. There's an unbelievable twist at the end that leaves everyone wondering if an innocent man was punished for the crimes. Episode music written and performed by Isaiah Hildreth ...

In 1952 Earle Dennison visited her favorite three year old niece. She gave her poison under the guise of a treat. This led to discovering the killer aunt's dark and murderous past. Send us a text Support the show hardtimesandtruecrimes.com buymeacoffee.com/hardtimesTC

In 1929 Charlie Lawson, a North Carolina tobacco farmer, promised his family a special Christmas surprise. No one could ever have imagined the horror he had planned. Send us a text Support the show hardtimesandtruecrimes.com buymeacoffee.com/hardtimesTC

A podcast featuring stories of lawlessness and hard times throughout history. Send us a text Support the show hardtimesandtruecrimes.com buymeacoffee.com/hardtimesTC