September 15, 2025

Episode 172 The Chillingworth Murders

25 minutes

In June 1955, Judge Curtis Chillingworth and his wife Marjorie vanished from their Manalapan, Florida, beach cottage. There were haunting clues, but no bodies were ever found. Their disappearance exposed corruption in Florida’s courts and led to the downfall of a fellow judge. Curtis was known for integrity, Marjorie for her quiet strength — together, they became the heart of one of Florida’s most infamous true crime cases. Their story, and its unexpected ties to the legend of Trapper Nelson, remains one of Florida’s most haunting mysteries.

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Episode Sources

Palm Beach Bar Association. Memorial Resolution for Judge Curtis E. Chillingworth. (1965) palmbeachbar.org

Florida Memory. Justice Curtis E. Chillingworth Temporary Appointment Bio. floridamemory.com

The Charley Project. Curtis Eugene Chillingworth Case File. charleyproject.org

The Charley Project. Marjorie McKinley Chillingworth Case File. charleyproject.org

Crime + Investigation UK. Judge Joe Peel and the Chillingworth Murders. crimeandinvestigation.co.uk

The Coastal Star. Manalapan 60 Years On: Chillingworth Murders Still Shocking. thecoastalstar.com

Mental Floss. What Happened to Judge Curtis Chillingworth? mentalfloss.com

Town of Manalapan. History of Incorporation and Harold S. Vanderbilt. manalapan.org

Wikipedia. Curtis Chillingworth. wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtis_Chillingworth

Unlikely Friends — A municipal publication from Jupiter, FL, describing the unlikely friendship between Judge Curtis Chillingworth and Vincent “Trapper” Nelson.https://www.jupiter.fl.us/DocumentCenter/View/301/Judge-Chillingworth-Murder

Episode Music

Out of the Mines, courtesy of Ross Gentry, Asheville, North Carolina.

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