Most Notorious! A True Crime History Podcast

Just off the old Natchez Trace, in the quiet woods of Tennessee, stands a broken marble column marking the grave of Meriwether Lewis. The monument was meant to honor one of America’s greatest explorers, but its shattered form also reflects a life cut short under circumstances that remain unsolved more than two centuries later. In 1804, Lewis and Clark led the Corps of Discovery across thousands of miles of uncharted wilderness. They mapped rivers, documented new species, and forged fragile relationships with Native Nations, returning home as national heroes. Yet only a few years later, while traveling east on government business, Lewis stopped at a frontier inn called Grinder’s Stand. Before dawn, gunfire rang out. By morning, the celebrated explorer was dead. From the start, the explanation was contested. Some, including Thomas Jefferson and William Clark, believed Lewis had taken his own life after years of depression, financial trouble, and lingering illness. Others pointed to inconsistencies in the testimonies, the absence of eyewitnesses, and the violence of the scene to argue that he was murdered. Over the years, theories have ranged from robbery on a lawless road to political assassination, while modern scholars have even suggested his death may have been linked to malaria or another untreated disease. In this episode, we retrace Lewis’s final journey along the Natchez Trace and examine the testimonies left behind. We look at the evidence for suicide, the motives for murder, and the generations of speculation that have kept this mystery alive. We also consider the more recent efforts by Lewis’s descendants to exhume his body, hoping that modern science might finally answer the question that has haunted his legacy: how did Meriwether Lewis really die? Southern Gothic: The Podcast Step into the world of the unknown and unravel the dark history, and infamous legends of the American South. Join us as we journey into the heart of this rich and fascinating region, uncovering its ghostly stories, haunted places, and eeriest tales through captivating storytelling, in-depth historical research, and an immersive audio soundscape. From the Bell Witch of Tennessee to the haunted Waverly Hills Sanatorium, the ghostly tales of the Myrtles Plantation, the Curse of Lake Lanier and beyond, get ready for an unforgettable experience that brings history to life and uncovers the truth behind classic tales of the paranormal. Follow Southern Gothic on your favorite podcasting app today! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In November 1856, Dublin was shaken by the murder of George Little, chief cashier at the Broadstone railway terminus. He was found in his office, beaten and with his throat cut, thousands of pounds worth of gold and silver left untouched and the door locked. The investigation gripped the public, filled with twists and unusual developments, including a phrenologist who later inserted himself into the main suspect's life. In this episode, we speak with Thomas Morris, author of "The Dublin Railway Murder: The Sensational True Story of a Victorian Murder Mystery". Thomas walks us through the case and explores what it tells us about crime and policing in Victorian Dublin. More about the author and his book here: https://www.thomas-morris.uk/the-dublin-railway-murder/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

(Orig pub date 8/15/23) In the early morning of January 21st, 1935 two employees of the Capital Transit Company in Chevy Chase, Maryland were cold-bloodedly gunned down. One of the men murdered was my guest's great-great uncle Emory Smith. As the police investigated the list of compelling suspects grew, but a powerful cover-up appeared to be in play, ultimately preventing the perpetrators from facing justice.  Former forensic detective Karen Smith joins me today to talk about her extensive personal investigation into this 88-year-old cold case, and she shares some of the shocking evidence she uncovered during her research. Karen is the host of the popular podcast "Shattered Souls", available wherever podcasts are heard.  Shattered Souls at Apple Podcasts: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/shattered-souls/id679462887⁠ Shattered Souls at Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/4ny3a6GvvVkMGPz0TTZRpP⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In "The Scientist and the Serial Killer: The Search for Houston’s Lost Boys", investigative journalist Lise Olsen tells the gripping true-crime story behind the “Lost Boys” murders in 1970s Houston, when more than two dozen teenage boys were murdered at the hands of Dean Corll, nicknamed the “Candy Man”, and his young accomplices. Through years of investigation, research and interviews, Olsen follows forensic anthropologist Sharon Derrick’s quest to identify the victims and bring them home. The author's website: http://www.liseolsen.com The author on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/liseolsenauthor/ The author on Twitter/X: https://www.x.com/lisedigger The author on Bluesky Social: https://bsky.app/profile/liseolsen.bsky.social Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In November 1926, Cecelia Gullivan, treasurer of the Cone Automatic Machine company of Windsor, Vermont, was brutally killed in her home. Local police quickly arrested Cone Automatic machinist John Winters on suspicion of the crime, and the trial that followed was sensational and swift. Convicted of murder, Winters’ appeal brought in an unexpected ally: America’s most famous defense attorney, Clarence Darrow, who took the case after Winters’ family called in a favor promised decades before. My guest is former Chief Justice of the Vermont Supreme Court, Jeffrey L. Amestoy. He is the author of "Winters' Time: A Secret Pledge, a Severed Head, and the Murder that Brought America’s Most Famous Lawyer to Vermont". Link to the book through the Vermont Historical Society's website: https://vermonthistory.org/vermont-history-winters-time-clarence-darrow-jeff-amestoy The author's Amazon page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Jeffrey-L.-Amestoy/author/B01FC3Q07Q Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Victorian London is often remembered for the Ripper murders, yet at the same time another equally chilling series of slayings unfolded. Between 1887 and 1889, the dismembered bodies of four women appeared along the Thames. The river itself became the killer’s cover, its tides and hidden corners serving as a macabre dumping ground. Overshadowed by the Ripper’s reign of terror, the Thames Torso Murders remain one of England's darkest unsolved mysteries. My guest is Sarah Bax Horton, author of the award-winning book "Arm of Eve: Investigating the Thames Torso Killer". She shares with us who she believes the killer was and why he might have did what he did. The author on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahbaxhorton The author on Twitter/X: https://www.x.com/horton_bax Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The small Southern California island of Coronado rarely makes news for violent crime. But in the spring of 1975, World War II widow and retired librarian Ruth Quinn was murdered, execution-style, in her cottage. Her death sent a shock wave through the community. The granddaughter of Jujubes and Jujyfruits creator Henry Heide, Ruth was found fully clothed with her shoes on, in her bed, dead from two gunshot wounds. To this day, her murder has never been solved, but whispers about her brother, her son and even a local petty thief still swirl. Author Taylor Baldwin Kiland sifts through the dirt for the facts about Ruth’s life and her untimely end in Coronado. Her book is called "Murder of the Jujube Candy Heiress: A Coronado Cold Case". More about the author and her work here: https://taylorkiland.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

(Orig pub date: 2/15/22) In October of 1946, a chiropractor and rancher named Willis "W.D." Broadhurst was beaten with a wrench and finished off with a shotgun on a lonely eastern Oregon road. Investigators would soon accuse his wife Gladys of plotting the doctor's murder with the help of his young cowhand and her lover, Alvin Williams. Stunning details of her deception would be revealed during the trial, including accusations that she was a bigamist who had left multiple husbands in her wake. My guest is Patrick Gallagher, whose family connection to this story led him on a personal journey to learn more about this compelling and mostly forgotten case. His book, titled " 'TIL DEATH DO US...': A True Crime Story of Bigamy and Murder" is available for purchase here: https://www.amazon.com/TIL-DEATH-DO-US-Bigamy/dp/1952225167/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the early twentieth century, eugenics captivated scientists and the public alike, giving researchers license to exploit the infirm, the mentally ill, prisoners, Native communities and many others considered "defective" or "feebleminded" under the guise of genetics. At its center stood the Eugenics Record Office in Cold Spring Harbor, directed by Charles Davenport from 1910 to 1939. From this Long Island building emerged policies of forced sterilization and ideas that would later influence Nazi ideology. My guest is Mark A. Torres, author of "Long Island and the Legacy of Eugenics: Staton of Intolerance". He gives a brief history of the ERO and its aim to guide human reproduction according to eugenic ideals. More about the author at his website: http://www.marktorresauthor.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Clay Allison was both liked and loathed in his lifetime, embodying the contradictions of the American frontier. He could show moments of kindness for the downtrodden, but also carried deep hatred for Northerners and Black people. Dangerously unpredictable, he was capable of generosity one moment and chilling violence the next, a quality that made him as frightening as he was fascinating. His legacy is forever stained by his acts of cold-blooded killing, making him a symbol of admiration, fear and contempt in the West. In today's interview, New Mexico historian and author Donna Blake Birchell discusses her book Tall Tales and Half Truths of Clay Allison and helps shed light on the man behind the myths. The author's books at Arcadia Publishing: https://www.arcadiapublishing.com/collections/vendors?q=Donna%20Blake%20Birchell&contributorID=325 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the sultry summer of 1949, a sleepy Florida beach town was rocked to its core. A brutal home invasion, a shocking murder, and a desperate, month-long manhunt captivated and terrified an entire region. At the center of the storm was John Calvin “Rastus” Russell, a cunning ex-con and former asylum patient who unleashed a wave of fear unlike anything the Gulf Coast had ever seen. My guest is M.F. Gross, author of the recently published MADMAN: The Incredible True Story of John Calvin "Rastus" Russel, the Heinous Crime, and Sensational Manhunt That Terrified Central Florida in 1949. He walks us through the horrific events of August 7th, 1949 and their aftermath. The author's website: https://mfgross.com/ The author on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mfgrossbooks The author on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@mfgross The author on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mfgrossbook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The 1952 burglary of eccentric multi-millionaire LaVere Redfield’s mansion in Reno, Nevada was the largest of its time, but also a comedy of errors. "Masterminded" by a French-Canadian woman with a questionable relationship to Redfield, it also included a failed safecracker and a crew of Italian-American hoodlums from the Milwaukee underworld. My guest is historian, author and podcaster Gavin Schmitt, and he shares details from his book Big Safe: The Milwaukee Crew and the Reno Redfield Heist. The author's website: https://gavinschmitt.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The First Forensic Hanging: The Toxic Truth That Killed Mary Blandy by Summer Strevens tells the story of Mary Blandy, executed in 1752 for poisoning her father Frances Blandy with arsenic. Her trial was the first in Britain to use toxicology as evidence in an arsenic poisoning case, marking a turning point in forensic history. Drawing on period newspapers and court records, Strevens unpacks the trial, the intense public fascination, and the shadowy role of Blandy’s lover, Captain William Cranstoun, whose influence and possible manipulation may have led her down the path to the gallows. More about the book on the author's website: https://www.summerstrevens.com/ Purchase the book on Amazon here. (affiliate link) Disclosure: Some links above are affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

(Orig pub date: 2/3/24) On August 17th, 1849, London police officers made a grisly discovery at the home of George and Maria (born Marie de Roux) Manning. Her former beau, Patrick O'Connor, had been buried under the floor. A nationwide hunt for the couple would follow, and after that a trial and executions. The murder case would grip London so fervently that Madame Tussaud would later add wax versions of the couple to her infamous Chamber of Horrors. My guest today is Gavin Whitehead, creator, writer and narrator of The Art of Crime podcast, which is currently in its third season. (Note: At the end of this encore interview, I reconnect with Gavin for a teaser on his fifth season, just recently released, called "Murder by the Book"). More about The Art of Crime here: https://www.artofcrimepodcast.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Myra Maibelle Shirley, better known as Belle Starr, was one of the most notorious female outlaws of the Old West (if you believe period newspapers, anyway). My guest, bestselling and award-winning author Michael Wallis, made it his mission to tell the true story of Belle Starr, and in the process dispels many of the myths that surround her. He shares details of her colorful life and violent death, which many believe was committed by a 19th century Florida serial killer. Michael's new book is called Belle Starr: The Truth Behind the Wild West Legend. The author's website: https://www.michaelwallis.com/ The author on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michaelwallisus Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices