DiscoverThe End of the Road in MichiganThe Dying Sparlings: Murder, Mystery, and a Thumb Town in Turmoil
The Dying Sparlings: Murder, Mystery, and a Thumb Town in Turmoil

The Dying Sparlings: Murder, Mystery, and a Thumb Town in Turmoil

Update: 2025-04-25
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In 1911, the tiny farming town of Tyre, Michigan, was rocked by a string of mysterious deaths in the Sparling family. Over the course of two years, four men from the same household died of sudden, agonizing illnesses. At first, it seemed like a tragedy. Then suspicion. And finally, murder.

In this episode, we unravel the haunting story of “The Dying Sparlings”—a tale of poison, scandal, and a courtroom drama that captured the attention of a state. Was it the family doctor? The grieving mother? Or someone else entirely? This 20-minute narrative walks you through one of Michigan’s most notorious historical murder cases—and the ripple effects it had across the Thumb.

A production of Thumbwind Publications
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The Dying Sparlings: Murder, Mystery, and a Thumb Town in Turmoil

The Dying Sparlings: Murder, Mystery, and a Thumb Town in Turmoil

Thumbwind Publications