Chances are you think Lizzie Borden killed her father and step-mother with an axe. You might even think she was found guilty and went to jail. Well, what if you found out that she was actually found innocent of all charges and the reasons why is because the judge, jury, and locals were all convinced she didn't do it. And what if I told you that she did NOT do it. And I'm going to tell you how I know. Interested? Then join me for the premiere episode of the Strange Nightmares podcast, and the first in a series about Lizzie Borden.
As you may know, Lizzie Borden was an American woman who became famous for her involvement in one of the most notorious murder cases in the United States. Born on July 19, 1860, in Fall River, Massachusetts, Lizzie was the youngest daughter of Andrew and Sarah Borden. On August 4, 1892, Lizzie's father and stepmother, Abby Borden, were found brutally murdered in their home, killed with a hatchet (not an axe!). Lizzie was arrested and charged with the murders, leading to a highly publicized trial.
The trial against Lizzie Borden attracted national attention due to the gruesome nature of the murders and the involvement of a female suspect from a well-to-do family. Despite the circumstantial evidence, Lizzie was acquitted in June 1893, due to a lack of direct evidence and the jury's reluctance to convict a woman of such a heinous crime. The murders remain unsolved to this day.
After her acquittal, Lizzie Borden remained in Fall River but lived under a cloud of suspicion and social ostracism for the rest of her life. She died on June 1, 1927. The case has since become a part of American folklore, inspiring numerous books, films, and the infamous skipping rope rhyme that begins with "Lizzie Borden took an axe..."
