Historical True Crime

By LizzieTrue Crime

Historical True Crime episodes

February 21, 2025 The Sodder Family's Lost Children
On Christmas Eve 1945, a fire destroyed the Sodder home, and five children went missing. No remains were found, sparking suspicions of kidnapping. Despite years of investigations and mysterious clues, the case remains unsolved, haunting the family and the public to this day.

Source Materials
What Happened to the Sodder Children, the Siblings Who Went Up in Smoke in a West Virginia House Fire? | Smithsonian
The Chilling Story Of The Sodder Children Who Went Up InSmoke
Missing Sodder Children in West Virginia – Legends of America
The mystery of the vanished Sodder children has never been solved, but the cold case has haunted this small townfor decades - ABC News
Mystery of Missing Children HauntsW.Va. Town : NPR
Sodder children disappearance: What happened to the Sodder family? | news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site
Gone on Christmas Eve: The Sodder Children Disappearance of 1945
The Enduring Mystery of the Sodder Children’s Christmas Disappearance
20 min
February 14, 2025 Thelma Todd: Hollywood’s Ice Cream Blonde and Her Mysterious Death
Hollywood starlet Thelma Todd was a comedic genius, a savvy businesswoman, and a rising star—until she was found dead in her car under suspicious circumstances. Was it an accident, suicide, or something more sinister? Decades later, her case remains one of Hollywood’s greatest unsolved mysteries. Tune in as we unravel the legend of theIce Cream Blonde.
Source Materials
https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/story/thelma-todd-death-mystery?srsltid=AfmBOorG7FILOvaTYQM5o7Uk56KtWdkAA8kCDFGOt93_wiN_bS0gcFhC
https://www.pbssocal.org/food-discovery/food/thelma-todds-tragedy-the-forgotten-life-of-the-original-celebrity-restaurateur
https://www.indiewire.com/features/general/this-exclusive-book-excerpt-unearths-the-mysterious-dead-body-of-the-golden-age-film-star-thelma-todd-56059/
https://www.thedailybeast.com/hollywood-loved-thelma-todd-the-ice-cream-blonde-but-was-she-murdered/
https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/archives/la-me-thelma-todd-19351217-story.html
https://goldenglobes.com/articles/forgotten-hollywood-unsolved-mystery-death-thelma-todd/
https://newenglandhistoricalsociety.com/the-mysterious-death-of-massachusetts-movie-star-thelma-todd/
18 min
February 07, 2025 Vanished Without a Trace: The Flannan Isles Mystery
Three lighthouse keepers vanish without a trace from aremote Scottish island in 1900. No bodies, no witnesses—only eerie clues and wild speculation. Was it a freak wave, madness, or something more sinister? Dive into the mystery of the Flannan Isles disappearance.

Source Materials
https://blog.nrscotland.gov.uk/2023/12/12/flannan-isles-lighthouse-keepers-the-disappearance/
https://www.history.co.uk/articles/the-flannan-isle-mystery-the-three-lighthouse-keepers-who-vanished
https://allthatsinteresting.com/flannan-isle-mystery
https://www.9news.com.au/national/flannan-isles-lighthouse-keepers-disappearance-mystery/f354bc14-9108-4ec4-b2b8-a6fe8038b451
https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/past-times/2764534/vanishing-men-the-mystery-of-the-flannan-isles-lighthouse-keepers/
https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofScotland/The-Eilean-Mor-Lighthouse-Mystery/
https://www.discoveryuk.com/mysteries/what-was-the-flannan-isle-mystery-and-what-happened-to-the-missing-eilean-mor-lighthouse-keepers/
https://www.historyhit.com/the-flannan-isle-mystery-when-three-lighthouse-keepers-vanished-overnight/
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9078503/The-enduring-mystery-missing-Victorian-lighthouse-keepers.html
https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/17639867.mystery-vanished-flannan-lighthouse-keepers-probed-new-book/
18 min
January 31, 2025 The Bobby Dunbar Case: A Family, a Child, and a Decade of Doubt
In today’s episode, we explore the mysterious case of Bobby Dunbar, a young boy who disappeared in 1912 and was later found—but was he really Bobby? DNA tests decades later revealed shocking truths about his identity, unraveling a story of mistaken identity, family drama, and a 100-year-old mystery. Tune in for a deep dive into one of America’s most controversial true crime cases.

Source Materials:
https://allthatsinteresting.com/bobby-dunbar
https://medium.com/@joedonan/the-disappearance-of-bobby-dunbar-8c061b5b7c9b
https://www.nydailynews.com/2019/02/01/bobby-dunbars-disappearance-caused-a-mystery-that-
wasnt-solved-for-92-years/
https://www.picayuneitem.com/2008/01/a-tale-of-two-children-and-dna-solves-mystery-of-one/
https://www.dailyworld.com/story/news/2018/08/17/walters-dunbar-kidnapping-case-part-
2/1018090002/
https://www.seattlepi.com/national/article/man-convicted-in-1912-kidnapping-cleared-by-dna-
1144025.php
https://www.bostonglobe.com/arts/books/2012/08/07/book-review-case-for-solomon-bobby-dunbar-
and-kidnapping-that-haunted-nation-tal-mcthenia-and-margaret-dunbar-
cutright/sDnAgieG9RSJWHebdUraSK/story.html
https://countryroadsmagazine.com/art-and-culture/history/the-strange-case-of-bobby-dunbar/
Tal McThenia; Margaret Dunbar Cutright (2012). A Case for Solomon: Bobby Dunbar and the
Kidnapping That Haunted a Nation. Free Press. ISBN 978-1-439158593. OCLC 709673184.
18 min
January 24, 2025 The Devil's Whisper: The Loudun Possessions
In 1632, the town of Loudun, France, was rocked by the
possession of nuns at a local convent. Accusations of witchcraft targeted Urbain Grandier, a priest caught in a web of politics, religion, and hysteria. In this episode, we explore the dark events behind the Loudun possessions and the trial that followed.

Source Materials
The Loudun Affair: Bizarre Witch Trials in France
Loudun Possessions – OCCULT WORLD
The Loudun Possessions (1632): A Dark Tale of Hysteria and Exorcism
A Mother Superior’s Demons - JSTOR Daily
Looking Back: The possessions at Loudun | BPS
19 min
January 17, 2025 Alice Crimmins: A Mother’s Trial by Fire
In this episode, we unravel the infamous case of Alice Crimmins, a mother at the center of one of the most controversial true crime trials of the 1960s. Accused of murdering her two young children, Alice’s story became a media spectacle, fueled by societal biases and shaky evidence. Decades later, questions about her guilt—and the truth behind the tragedy—still linger.
Source Materials
Alice Crimmins, The New York Mom Blamed For Killing Her Kids
Why Was Alice Crimmins' 1971 Double Murder Conviction So Controversial?
Alice Crimmins: The Most Hated Woman in America
The Alice Crimmins Case — Genesis of a Sensation — Crime Library
Mrs Crimmins Guilty in 2 Deaths - The New York Times
‘Sexpot’ trial tale: Crimmins custody fight in 1960s ends in death – New York Daily News
23 min
January 10, 2025 The Cold Spring Murders
In this episode, we explore the chilling Cold Spring murders, a case that baffled the public and led to a series of dramatic trials. Nancy Clem, William Abrams, and Silas Hartman were arrested in connection with the brutal killings of the Youngs, but the mystery deepened with each trial.
We’ll examine the twists and turns of their courtroom battles, the complex motivations behind the crime, and the lasting questions that remain about the true culprits.

Source Materials
Cold Springs Murders | Historic Indianapolis | All Things Indianapolis History
Notorious Indianapolis Murdue Case: Cold Spring Murders – The Polis Center
Notorious Mrs. Clem by Wendy Gamber: Book Review - Ann Marie Ackermann's author website
Murder by Gaslight: The Notorious Mrs. Clem.
Money, Murder, and Mrs. Clem - JSTOR Daily
19 min
January 03, 2025 Typhoid Mary: A Cook’s Deadly Secret
In this episode, we explore the fascinating and tragic
story of Mary Mallon, better known as Typhoid Mary. As the first identified asymptomatic carrier of typhoid fever in the United States, Mallon unknowingly spread the deadly bacteria to dozens of people, leading to widespread fear and
controversy. Her life was marked by defiance, isolation, and a complex battle for her freedom, raising important questions about public health, individual rights, and the ethics of quarantine. Tune in as we uncover the truth behind
her infamous legacy.

Source Materials:
HowTyphoid Mary left a trail of scandal and death
Typhoid Mary, Who Spread Typhoid in Early 1900s
Mary Mallon (1869-1938) and the history of typhoid fever - PMC
Typhoid Mary: The Untold Story of a Public Health Paradox | by PAUL CALAMUSA | Nov, 2024 | Medium
Typhoid Mary: The Irishwoman blamed for bringing a deadly disease to New York – The Irish Times
Typhoid Mary: ‘The Most Dangerous Woman in America’
10 Things You May Not Know About 'Typhoid Mary' | HISTORY
21 min
December 27, 2024 The Forgotten Tragedy of the Cigar Girl
Join us as we unravel the tragic and mysterious case of Mary Cecilia Rogers, the 19th-century "Cigar Girl" whose beauty captivated New York City and whose death sparked a media frenzy. From her rise as a local icon to the chilling discovery of her body, we explore the theories, suspects, and cultural impact of this unsolved crime—including its influence on Edgar Allan Poe's detective fiction. Dive into the gritty streets of 1840s Manhattan for a tale of intrigue, scandal, and enduring mystery.
Source Materials
Possible Solutions — The Murder Mystery of Mary Rogers — Crime Library
Edgar Allan Poe Tried and Failed to Crack the Mysterious Murder Case of Mary Rogers | Smithsonian
The Murder of the “Beautiful Cigar Girl” Crime Magazine
Mary Rogers: A Sensational 1841 Murder - geriwalton.com
Murder by Gaslight: Mary Rogers, the Beautiful Cigar Girl
The Mysterious Murder of ‘Cigar Girl’ Mary Rogers, 1841 -
HistoricalCrimeDetective.com
The Unsolved Murder That Fascinated 1840s New York (and Edgar Allan Poe)

23 min
December 20, 2024 Frontier Justice: The Mystery of the Mad Trapper
In January 1932, the icy wilderness of Canada’s Yukon Territory became the stage for an extraordinary manhunt. Known as the “Mad Trapper of Rat River,” Albert Johnson eluded law enforcement for weeks, battling the elements and evading capture with near-supernatural skill.
Join us as we unravel the legend of Albert Johnson—a tale of isolation, endurance, and a mystery that continues to baffle nearly a century later.
Source Materials:
https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/albert-johnson
https://www.rcmpgraves.com/vetcorner/madtrapper.html
https://history.howstuffworks.com/world-history/canadian-provinces.htm
https://albertaaviationmuseum.com/mad-trapper-aerial-manhunt-marks-90th-anniversary/
https://edmonton.ctvnews.ca/who-s-the-mad-trapper-of-rat-river-these-forensic-experts-are-one-step-closer-to-finding-out-1.5523860
Hélèna
Katz, The Mad Trapper, 2004, Altitude Publishing Canada Ltd., 133
pages, ISBN 1-55153-787-7

19 min

About Historical True Crime

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Step into the shadows of the past with "Historical True Crime," the podcast that takes you on a gripping journey through some of history's most captivating and chilling criminal stories. Each episode…