Are you ready for the trail of the 1930s?? Buckle up, buttercups, because here it is! 

In the investigation surrounding Phil Kennamer, a decoded note from Lee Krupnick to Preston Cochran, originally from Phil, raised questions about Pat's reliability and potential future murders. (whew, did you get all that?) Lee, working for both Phil and the TPD, is allowed to smuggle notes to gather more information. The correspondence reveals a complex network of coded messages between Phil and Preston, indicating a growing sense of paranoia and media scrutiny. As the situation escalates, Lee starts rewriting notes to ensure their exchange continues, despite Phil's concerns about the risks involved. By late December, the communication becomes increasingly fraught, leading to a change in their coded system! And all this before the trial even begins!!

As the trial progresses, numerous witnesses are called to testify, revealing conflicting accounts of Phil's mental state and his actions leading up to the murder of John Gorrell Jr. The prosecution emphasizes Phil's confessions and threats, while the defense argues for his insanity and self-defense due to an extortion plot involving Virginia Wilcox. Tension escalates in the courtroom as unexpected testimonies add chaos, including a witness claiming threats against her life! The trial is marked by a shift in venue and a new sheriff, complicating Phil's defense. As the jury is selected amidst allegations of witness tampering, Phil's fate hangs in the balance, with the trial revealing deeper implications of personal and societal turmoil surrounding the case. If this was a ride, we’d definitely all need some anti-nausea meds! 

Join us for Part 4 of the High Society Murder. 

Sources:

• Voices of Oklahoma Podcast

• Murder in the Name of Love: The Phil Kennamer Trial by Jim Freese

• Justia US Law

• Tulsa World; 2015;2024;  

• Deadly Hero: The High Society Murder that Created Hysteria in the Heartland by   Jason Lucky Morrow

• Okemah Daily Leader, Vol. 17, No. 64, Ed. 1 Tuesday, February 3, 1942

• Morbid: A True Crime Podcast

• American War Memorials Overseas Inc