
Sign up to save your podcasts
Or
On Easter weekend 1955, Ruth Ellis reached her breaking point.
After years of jealousy, violence, and betrayal, she spent a long, sleepless night replaying the wreckage of her life — and blaming one man: David Blakely. By Easter Sunday, her rage would boil over into an act that would shock Britain and seal her fate as the last woman hanged in the UK.
In this episode, we follow Ruth’s final hours before the shooting — a day marked by obsessive phone calls, tense stakeouts, and a simmering fury that would explode in front of witnesses. This is the moment where obsession turned deadly.
🔍 Part Five picks up the story in the final hours before the shooting — the culmination of a deadly obsession.
🎧 Listen now to uncover the tragic and tense moments before Ruth Ellis pulled the trigger.
#TrueCrimePodcast #RuthEllis #LastWomanHanged #TrueCrimeHistory #CrimeOfPassion #BritishTrueCrime #OnceUponACrime
Sources:
A Fine Day for a Hanging: The Ruth Ellis Story, Carol Ann Lee, Mainstream Publishing, 2013.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruth_Ellis
https://realcrimes.co.uk/ruth-ellis-jealousy-rejection-and-a-hanging/
https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/tvfilm/ruth-ellis-real-story-last-woman-hanged-murder-a-cruel-love-b1141748.html
https://web.archive.org/web/20141204212735/http://www.crimelibrary.com/notorious_murders/women/ellis/5.html
https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2003/sep/12/ukcrime.claredyer
https://www.hampshirelive.news/news/history/woman-hanged-ruth-ellis-hampshire-4192091
https://www.crimemagazine.com/ruth-ellis-love-lust-and-death-gallows
Sponsors:
See a list of our sponsors and discount codes on our website:
https://www.truecrimepodcast.com/sponsors/
Links:
Patreon - www.patreon.com/onceuponacrime
Our Website - www.truecrimepodcast.com
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@OnceUponACrimePodcast
Join us in Denver for our favorite weekend of the year. CrimeCon Denver September 5 - 7 2025. Use code: ONCE to save.
🔗 - See you in Denver.
✈️ Travel with Us to Mexico City! 🇲🇽
We’re taking Once Upon a Crime on the road—and you’re invited! In March 2026, join us for a fun, fabulous 4-day group trip to vibrant Mexico City. Explore incredible sights, savor delicious food, and connect with fellow true crimefans on an unforgettable adventure.
Reserve your spot today with just 25% down—but hurry, space is limited and will sell out fast!
🔗 Click here to learn more and book your spot now!
Support the Show:
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and review. Your support helps us bring more stories like Ruth’s to life.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
4.6
47194,719 ratings
On Easter weekend 1955, Ruth Ellis reached her breaking point.
After years of jealousy, violence, and betrayal, she spent a long, sleepless night replaying the wreckage of her life — and blaming one man: David Blakely. By Easter Sunday, her rage would boil over into an act that would shock Britain and seal her fate as the last woman hanged in the UK.
In this episode, we follow Ruth’s final hours before the shooting — a day marked by obsessive phone calls, tense stakeouts, and a simmering fury that would explode in front of witnesses. This is the moment where obsession turned deadly.
🔍 Part Five picks up the story in the final hours before the shooting — the culmination of a deadly obsession.
🎧 Listen now to uncover the tragic and tense moments before Ruth Ellis pulled the trigger.
#TrueCrimePodcast #RuthEllis #LastWomanHanged #TrueCrimeHistory #CrimeOfPassion #BritishTrueCrime #OnceUponACrime
Sources:
A Fine Day for a Hanging: The Ruth Ellis Story, Carol Ann Lee, Mainstream Publishing, 2013.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruth_Ellis
https://realcrimes.co.uk/ruth-ellis-jealousy-rejection-and-a-hanging/
https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/tvfilm/ruth-ellis-real-story-last-woman-hanged-murder-a-cruel-love-b1141748.html
https://web.archive.org/web/20141204212735/http://www.crimelibrary.com/notorious_murders/women/ellis/5.html
https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2003/sep/12/ukcrime.claredyer
https://www.hampshirelive.news/news/history/woman-hanged-ruth-ellis-hampshire-4192091
https://www.crimemagazine.com/ruth-ellis-love-lust-and-death-gallows
Sponsors:
See a list of our sponsors and discount codes on our website:
https://www.truecrimepodcast.com/sponsors/
Links:
Patreon - www.patreon.com/onceuponacrime
Our Website - www.truecrimepodcast.com
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@OnceUponACrimePodcast
Join us in Denver for our favorite weekend of the year. CrimeCon Denver September 5 - 7 2025. Use code: ONCE to save.
🔗 - See you in Denver.
✈️ Travel with Us to Mexico City! 🇲🇽
We’re taking Once Upon a Crime on the road—and you’re invited! In March 2026, join us for a fun, fabulous 4-day group trip to vibrant Mexico City. Explore incredible sights, savor delicious food, and connect with fellow true crimefans on an unforgettable adventure.
Reserve your spot today with just 25% down—but hurry, space is limited and will sell out fast!
🔗 Click here to learn more and book your spot now!
Support the Show:
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and review. Your support helps us bring more stories like Ruth’s to life.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
17,234 Listeners
38,267 Listeners
34,437 Listeners
3,972 Listeners
4,236 Listeners
1,140 Listeners
8,584 Listeners
13,748 Listeners
6,778 Listeners
4,065 Listeners
10,552 Listeners
1,878 Listeners
2,492 Listeners
7,011 Listeners
3,454 Listeners