The Blood Countess--Evil Incarnate, or an elaborate smear campaign? Elizabeth Báthory  was a Hungarian noblewoman serial killer active in the late 1500s to the early 1600s. Remembered for her cruelty towards her servants, Báthory is said to be the inspiration for the Evil Queen in Snow White as well as legends about retaining ones's youth by bathing in the blood of virgins.  Join Kayley and Siera as Kayley walks us through the story of The Blood Countess and attempts to tell fact from fiction in this gruesome case.



Sources:

https://www.biography.com/crime/elizabeth-bathory

https://ir.library.illinoisstate.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1134&context=etd

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Elizabeth-Bathory

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-69057709

Female Serial Killers: How and Why Women Become Monsters [https://www.amazon.com/Female-Serial-Killers-Become-Monsters-ebook/dp/B000UZQHXY/ref=sr_1_1?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.roU6uHT8tv4yQnSmkWuqgg.PytDtQxPSX9PQc1locLViVcl3gkJUmsuVNkkpL-7j7U&dib_tag=se&keywords=9780425213902&linkCode=qs&qid=1738951601&s=books&sr=1-1]

by Peter Vronsky [https://www.amazon.com/Peter-Vronsky/e/B001H6IF26?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1738951601&sr=1-1]

The Blood Countess: Elizabeth Báthory

In the early morning of March 13, 1964, Kitty Genovese was attacked and stabbed to death while she was walking home from work. 

The brutality of the murder was made more sensational by reports that thirty eight people stood at their windows and watched while she was murdered. Reportedly, out of these thirty eight people, no one attempted to help or call the police. Was this a case of the worst of human apathy? Or did bad reportage lead to moralistic outrage surrounding an already tragic case? Join us this week as we delve into the bystander effect and the death of Kitty Genovese.



Sources:

https://www.history.com/topics/crime/kitty-genovese

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/bystander-effect

https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/her-shocking-murder-became-the-stuff-of-legend-but-everyone-got-the-story-wrong/2016/06/29/544916d8-3952-11e6-9ccd-d6005beac8b3_story.html

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/03/10/a-call-for-help

https://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/06/insider/1964-how-many-witnessed-the-murder-of-kitty-genovese.html?_r=0

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/02/nyregion/sophia-farrar-dead.html

The Murder of Kitty Genovese

In this episode, the American dream turns into an infamous nightmare for the members of the Donner Party, a group of pioneers traveling to California in the 1800s. After facing multiple setbacks along their journey, their wagon train become stranded in the Sierra Nevada mountain range. As the snow accumulates and their supplies dwindle, the Donner Party must commit unthinkable acts in order to survive. 

Sources:

The primary source that I (Siera) used for this episode was a book written by Eliza Houghton, the daughter of George Donner. Her book is entitled The Expedition of the Donner Party and Its Tragic Fate, and it can be found for free on archive.org. Archive.org also contains several other books recounting the tragedy. For a quick introduction to the Donner Party, you can start with the articles below:

https://www.history.com/topics/19th-century/donner-party

https://www.history.com/news/10-things-you-should-know-about-the-donner-party

The Demise of the Donner Party

On November 10, 2010, Tina Herrmann didn't report for her shift at Dairy Queen. When concerned coworkers called police to report her missing, no one could expect the scene that would be found in Herrmann's home. Join Kayley and Siera as they cover murder, abduction, and . . . leaves? 

Sources:
https://www.nbc.com/twisted-killers/video/the-leaf-killer/9000226741

https://abcnews.go.com/US/killer-matthew-hoffman-stockpiled-leaves-ohio-home-made/story?id=12877942

https://www.oxygen.com/twisted-killers/crime-news/why-matthew-hoffman-is-known-as-leaf-killer

https://nypost.com/2010/11/20/slain-ohio-family-were-stabbed-to-death/

https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna40258902

https://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/07/us/07brfs-GUILTYPLEAIN_BRF.html

https://www.healthline.com/health/dendrophilia

https://appgateway.drc.ohio.gov/OffenderSearch/Search/Details/A645571

The Leaf Killer

This unsolved case revolves around confusion and speculation. Who was the mysterious woman dubbed the Black Dahlia, and who was her likely killer? Join Siera and Kayley as they delve into these questions and also ponder the roles of journalism and speculation in the world of true crime.

Sources: 

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-jan-09-me-asdel9-story.html

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-01-06-mn-15889-story.html?_gl=1*7xs3ci*_gcl_au*Njk2MjQzMjI3LjE3MDk0ODk5Nzk

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2004-nov-21-tm-dahlia47-story.html

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2004-dec-19-me-knowlton19-story.html

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-jan-09-me-asdel9-story.html

https://www.independent.com/2018/06/07/black-dahlia-never-dies/

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1999-nov-01-me-28619-story.html

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/may/26/black-dahlia-murder-steve-hodel-elizabeth-short

https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/elizabeth-short-george-hodel-suspects-clues-13354993.php

https://www.fbi.gov/image-repository/police-bulletin-short.png

Books:

American Detective: Behind the Scenes of Famous Criminal Investigations, Thomas A. Reppetto

Black Dahlia Avenger: A Genius for Murder, Steve Hodel

The Case of the Black Dahlia

A mad butcher terrorized the Roaring Third in Cleveland Ohio from 1935 to 1938, leaving a trail of bodies and mystery in his wake.  At least twelve victims are attributed to this unknown murderer, and most were never identified. While the killer was never caught, his killings mysteriously stopped in 1938, and the butcher was never heard from again. Join Kayley and Siera as they discuss the Cleveland Torso Killer (also known as the Mad Butcher of Kingsbury Run) and how this "unsolved case" might've actually been cracked back in 1938. 

After listening side note:

As of summer of 2024, DNA testing is underway to identify the victims! The DNA Doe Project is working with the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's Office to use genetic genealogy testing to attempt to identify those who have for too long been nameless. They've exhumed two victims (one of which is the Tattooed Man, the other believed to be victim #6,).  So sorry I didn't mention this in the episode; I researched this back in May of 2024, and this hadn't been reported on at the time. Here's an article about it-take a look! 

-Kayley

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/torso-killer-cleveland-dna-testing-victims-identified/

Sources:

https://www.clevelandpolicemuseum.org/collections/torso-murders/

https://case.edu/ech/articles/t/torso-murders

https://clevelandmagazine.com/in-the-cle/the-read/articles/case-closed-

https://www.amazon.com/Wake-Butcher-Cleveland-Authoritative-Expanded-ebook/dp/B00J9F44GI/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

In the Wake of the Butcher: Cleveland Torso Murders, Revised and Expanded by James Badal

The Cleveland Torso Killer

A brutal bus killing shocks Canadians and leads to questions regarding convicted killers rejoining society. 

Sources:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/greyhound-killer-believed-man-he-beheaded-was-an-alien-1.1131575

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/please-kill-me-accused-begs-in-court/article657590/

https://web.archive.org/web/20090315135511/http://www.edmontonjournal.com/Health/Beheader%2Bcriminally%2Bresponsible/1356476/story.html [https://web.archive.org/web/20090315135511/http:/www.edmontonjournal.com/Health/Beheader%2Bcriminally%2Bresponsible/1356476/story.html]

https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/2009/03/04/fateful_meeting_on_greyhound#:~:text=The%20Greyhound%20driver%20pulled%20to,his%20head%2C%20court%20was%20told.

https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2009/03/10/hearing-set-for-man

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/greyhound-beheading-10th-anniversary-1.4760074

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/vince-li-could-get-absolute-discharge-1.3968166

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/mother-of-tim-mclean-ends-petition-to-change-law-1.2502104

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/40-year-old-suspect-held-in-gruesome-manitoba-bus-killing-1.705008

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/greyhound-killer-believed-man-he-beheaded-was-an-alien-1.1131575

The Murder of Tim McLean

Who Put Bella in the Wych Elm? This is a question that has been asked for nearly eighty years, and one that may never be answered. This week, Kayley presents a case surrounding an unknown woman whose bones were found inside a hollow wych elm tree in April 1942. While this case is unsolved, there are several prevalent theories that remain. Who is “Bella”? How did she come to be in an old hollow tree? While we may never know the answer to these question, perhaps somewhere out there, someone does.

Sources:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-04-07/mystery-over-who-put-bella-down-the-wych-elm-/102171844

https://crimereads.com/who-put-bella-in-the-wych-elm/

https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/31-days-of-halloween-who-put-bella-down-the-wych-elm

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/b04c9dfn

https://www.thehistorypress.co.uk/articles/who-put-bella-in-the-wych-elm/

Who Put Bella in the Wych Elm?

A kindly crew rescues a man adrift on the ocean. The man, Julian Harvey, claims to be the only survivor of the Bluebelle, a boat that went down in a tragic accident. But as events unfold, people soon have good reason to question Harvey's narrative.

Sources:

https://miamiherald.newspapers.com/image/620525150/?clipping_id=127150055&fcfToken=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJmcmVlLXZpZXctaWQiOjYyMDUyNTE1MCwiaWF0IjoxNjk5NzMxNjI5LCJleHAiOjE2OTk4MTgwMjl9.vz9cXkZ9zenSUHFlPJgFl27Ye1buJNG4eGVaiX8T-DM

https://www.today.com/popculture/orphaned-sea-tere-now-tells-story-wbna36964672

https://www.today.com/news/murder-rampage-left-girl-orphaned-adrift-2D80555998

https://allthatsinteresting.com/terry-jo-duperrault

In the future, we hope to revisit this story after reading the book Alone: Orphaned on the Ocean by Richard Logan and Tere Fassbender.

The Bluebelle

This week, come with us to Scotland as Kayley tells us about the infamous Alexander “Sawney” Bean—the story of a cannibal family that left Scottish travelers wary of caves for hundreds of years. 

Sources:

https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofScotland/Sawney-Bean-Scotlands-most-famous-cannibal/

https://allthatsinteresting.com/sawney-bean

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-21506077

https://www.scotclans.com/pages/the-legend-of-sawney-bean

The Legend of Sawney Bean

True Crime and Punishment Podcast (@truecrimepunishment) · Zencastr

True Crime and Punishment Podcast (@truecrimepunishment)

Join Siera and Kayley, two friends who are applying their professional writing degrees to research the motivation, perpetration, and investigation of true crime cases.