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Murder on the Towpath with Soledad O’Brien
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Murder on the Towpath with Soledad O’Brien

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One of America’s greatest unsolved mysteries, and the two women at its core; One black, one white. One poor, one rich. They never actually met. But their lives came to intersect through one tragic day when Mary Pinchot Meyer was mysteriously murdered on her daily walk in broad daylight in 1964. A black man stood accused, and a barrier-breaking civil rights lawyer, Dovey Roundtree, rose to his defense. Award-winning journalist Soledad O'Brien weaves a tale of crime and culture that still resonates with our socio-political climate today.

9 Episodes
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In 1964, Mary Pinchot Meyer was shot in broad daylight in Georgetown, Washington, DC. Just 45 minutes after Mary’s death, her killer had been arrested. Or, so the police claimed. Only one woman dared to defend him: civil rights lawyer Dovey Johnson Roundtree. Join journalist Soledad O’Brien as she unravels the whole story.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Bad Luck, Mary

Bad Luck, Mary

2025-04-2344:001

It was a baffling mystery in 1964. Mary Pinchot Meyer - a socialite and painter connected to politicians and artists alike - was shot in broad daylight on a Georgetown towpath. Nobody knew what to make of it. A Black man soon became the suspect. But was he her killer or a scapegoat?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Married to the Law

Married to the Law

2025-04-3047:542

Dovey Johnson Roundtree became a lawyer at a time when no one wanted Black women to amount to anything. She’d grown up with the KKK terrorizing her neighborhood. A lucky break landed her at Spelman. Her intellect got her into Howard Law. But it was her courage that made her take on the daunting case of Ray Crump Jr. — the Black man accused of killing Mary Pinchot Meyer.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The CIA Wife

The CIA Wife

2025-05-0747:403

Mary Pinchot came from a rich, eccentric family. The kind of folks who rode horses naked on their estate and hobnobbed with Kennedys. She was fiercely committed to world peace, but ended up marrying a CIA man named Cord Meyer. It was only after a tragic accident that she became known for her distinctive paintings. What started as a hobby became a lifeline in the years before her death.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Mapmaker's Testimony

The Mapmaker's Testimony

2025-05-1442:011

For a whole year, Dovey retraced Mary’s last steps on the towpath in order to build her defense. Meanwhile, the aggressive, gum-smacking prosecutor portrayed Ray as a ruthless killer without morals. Dovey had to convince the jury that Ray was innocent—otherwise he would face the death penalty.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Just Say Yes

Just Say Yes

2025-05-2153:00

In the year before her death, Mary was coming into her own as a painter. She was experimenting with her art and drugs. But what Dovey didn't know at the time of Ray's trial was that Mary was having an affair with a very powerful man: President John F. Kennedy. We've got the love letter to prove it. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Exhibit A

Exhibit A

2025-05-2842:521

A witness for the prosecution said he saw Ray after Mary's murder. But did he? Dovey's final defense hinges on one important piece of evidence: Ray Crump himself. By then, he'd spent 18 months behind bars, some of it in solitary confinement. Would he go free? And if he did, would he ever recover?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
White Noise

White Noise

2025-06-0401:00:34

A lost diary and a mysterious phone call cause conspiracy theorists to wonder if Mary knew too much. If so, did the CIA take her out? The theories might seem far-fetched. But unsolved murders beg for explanation - it's embedded in our psychology to want answers.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Two Women

Two Women

2025-06-1147:41

A murder in Georgetown brought together many people. Some were famous. Others deserved to be. Now, Mary's paintings hang in the Smithsonian. Dovey was a civil rights pioneer who became a minister too. Their paths never crossed in the District, but now, their legacies are forever intertwined. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Comments (3)

Danielle B

Did they even interview the ex-husband at all and to what extent?? seems to me he’d be the primary suspect. The way this murder went down, Someone knew her pattern and someone knew the area enough to be able to get away without being seen being in a public area. Somebody that might have some experience, like the CIA. and geez, wasn’t her ex-husband part of the CIA ??

May 16th
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