True Crime

Episode 27: The Belle Gunness Murders

/ Samantha Engel / Leave a comment

What caused a series of Norwegians to move to a small town in Indiana, never to be seen again? In this episode, Samantha and Aaron explore the murders of Belle Gunness in La Porte, Indiana and the mystery surrounding her own death. Often referred to as a female Bluebeard (which Samantha takes issue with), the pair dive into the tale of this famous serial killer and discuss a variety of issues dealing with memory, gender dynamics, and mental health. 

  • Belle Gunness Image courtesy of allthatsinteresting.com
  • The Gunness Farm Image courtesy of allthatsinteresting.com
  • Ray Lamphere Image courtesy of allthatsinteresting.com
  • Belle Gunness pictured with her children Image courtesy of allthatsinteresting.com

Time Stamps

Intro- 0:21
Who was Belle?-  2:24
Her First Husband- 5:50
A Second Marriage- 10:05
Mail Order Men- 16:00
The Farm is On Fire- 31:32
But Whose Body Is It?- 36:34
Identity Crisis- 43:33
Picnic at the Crime Scene- 47:25
Ghosts on the Farm- 50:07
Female Serial Killers- 51:49

Further Reading

This article from the La Porte, Indiana library provides a thorough overview of the case.

You can find information about Cesare Lombroso here.

Episode 14: The Circleville Letter Writer

/ Samantha Engel / 3 Comments

The mystery of the Circleville, Ohio letters is a tangled web of accusations and threats that Samantha and Aaron attempt to unknot in this week’s episode. They begin by outlining the basic chronology of the strange happenings that began in Circleville in 1972 and then move on to look into the way the story has been shared by news outlets, television shows, and podcasts. Why are we fascinated with true crime? What is it about this mystery, in particular, that has pulled Aaron down a weird dark rabbit hole? Are we all worried someone will find our secrets? 

Timestamps

Introduction- 0:00:40
The First Letters- 0:04:31
Letters Continue (And Signs!)- 0:10:37
Ron’s Death- 0:13:28
More Letters and a Gun (!)- 0:15:16
Midway Break- 0:18:01
Paul Freshour’s Arrest- 0:22:20
Freshour’s Appeal to the FBI- 0:29:43
The Weird Website- 0:34:00
Martin Yant Article (With More Letters!)- 0:36:25
Unsolved Mysteries- 0:40:50
48 Hours- 0:42:22
Whatever Remains Podcast- 0:47:17
Internet Forums and Why We Like True Crime- 0:56:32
United State Postal Inspection Service- 1:03:03
Final Thoughts (Finally!)- 1:05:51

Sources/Further Reading
48 Hours Episode

Strange Circleville Letters Website

Unsolved Mysteries