Did Lizzie Borden really kill her father and stepmother, or did America turn an acquitted woman into its first true crime celebrity?

In 1892, two brutal hatchet murders shocked Fall River, Massachusetts. But the real story isn't just about the crime. It's about how newspapers, public obsession, and nonstop speculation transformed Lizzie Borden into one of America's first viral figures, long before social media ever existed.

This week, we're diving into:

• The infamous Lizzie Borden murders
• Why the evidence still divides historians
• The family drama, money, and motives behind the case
• How sensational headlines created America's first true crime obsession
• The nursery rhyme that outlived the trial
• Whether Lizzie Borden became America's first influencer

Along the way, we also discuss guilty-or-not murder cases, Victorian medicine, why everyone deserved indoor plumbing, and how we'd probably survive exactly zero days in 1892.

Whether you think Lizzie was guilty or innocent, one thing is certain: America has been obsessed with her for more than 130 years.

Follow Barely Historical for weekly episodes where we ruin the past one story at a time.

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Hosts: JoLynne & Amanda

Produced by Barely Historical

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Tagline: Let’s ruin the past.