Pink Collar: A True Crime Podcast

You may be familiar with Nancy Crampton-Brophy, who was convicted of killing her husband, Daniel Brophy. Daniel, a teacher a culinary institute in Oregon, was found shot to death in June of 2018. Investigators looked into his wife, a romantic suspense writer. Nancy had written a blog post in 2011 titled, “How to Murder Your Husband.” Her recent search history showed she looked up information about ghost guns and had even gone as far as purchasing a ghost gun kit. Nancy argued it was just research but the prosecutors told another story. Listen now for more details! --

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2018/09/12/novelist-who-wrote-about-how-to-murder-your-husband-charged-with-murdering-her-husband/

“How to Murder Your Husband” Blog Post by Nancy Crampton Brophy: https://archive.ph/D1s2X

https://www.distractify.com/p/nancy-brophy-now

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2022/04/06/how-to-murder-husband-trial/

https://www.thedailybeast.com/trial-of-nancy-crampton-brophy-who-wrote-an-essay-entitled-how-to-murder-your-husband-to-start-in-oregon

https://www.thedailybeast.com/nancy-crampton-brophy-murdered-husband-for-dollar15m-payout-oregon-court-docs-say

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Privately_made_firearm

https://www.oxygen.com/crime-news/nancy-crampton-brophy-gets-life-daniel-brophy-murder

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/-murder-husband-author-sentenced-life-prison-murdering-husband-rcna33339

https://www.scribd.com/document/459211185/Nancy-Lee-Crampton-Brophy-Bail-Denial

coming soon...

The theme for this week’s episode is COUPLES! Nathalie starts off with the controversial case about Edith Thompson and Frederick Bywaters, a couple put on trial and executed for Frederick’s murder of Edith’s husband Percy. Although Edith had nothing to do with the murder, her love letters to Frederick (proof of her affair) were enough to convince the jury that Edith deserved death by hanging. Rachel then tells the story of Jenny and Joseph Carrier. The media described this couple as a modern day Bonnie and Clyde after they were arrested for a month long, multi-state bank robbing spree. The comparison to the most notorious couple in American history is not a fair one, as Jenny and Joseph were struggling with addiction. Rachel discusses how opioid addiction affects the mind and body. We review the importance of early intervention for people who struggle with addiction and discuss harm reduction strategies.

Nathalie’s Sources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edith_Thompson_and_Frederick_Bywaters

http://www.capitalpunishmentuk.org/edith.html

https://murderpedia.org/male.B/b/bywaters-frederick.htm

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/edith-thompson-death-penalty-capital-punishment-hanging-miscarriage-justice-buried-mother-murder-bywaters-younger-lover-husband-grave-a8647636.html

Rachel’s Sources

Opioid Overdose Prevention Toolkit: https://store.samhsa.gov/product/Opioid-Overdose-Prevention-Toolkit/SMA18-4742

https://www.masslive.com/news/2015/09/suspects_identified_in_ludlow.html

https://www.masslive.com/news/2015/09/ludlow_police_investigating_ap.html

https://www.masslive.com/news/2015/09/ludlow_police_receive_warrants.html

https://www.fbi.gov/history/famous-cases/bonnie-and-clyde

https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/heroin

https://www.baltimoresun.com/maryland/harford/aegis/ph-ag-aberdeen-bank-robbery-1021-story.html

https://boston.cbslocal.com/2015/10/20/quincy-couple-wanted-for-bank-robberies-in-several-states/

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3282856/Modern-day-Bonnie-Clyde-wanted-robbing-banks-East-Coast-stolen-Buick-feed-heroin-habit.html

https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2015/10/27/mass-couple-arrested-string-east-coast-bank-heists/UV1YIZT9bH5xdfp3iHGpII/story.html

https://www.phillymag.com/news/2015/10/28/bank-robbers-captured-philadelphia-jenny-carrier/

John Dillinger, leader of the Dillenger gang, was a gangster during the Great Depression. John was born in a farm town in Indiana and began causing trouble in early childhood. After a dishonorable discharge from the Navy, John made his way to Indiana and was arrested after robbing a grocery store. He was convicted and sentenced to 10 to 20 years in the Indiana State Prison. While incarcerated, he made friends with other law breakers and formed the Dillenger gang. After his release he would go on to rob 24 banks, four police stations, and kill a police officer, leading law enforcement on a wild goose chase. While evading arrest, John stayed with Evelyn “Billie” Frechette. Although Billie was never directly involved with his crime, she was pursued by the FBI and arrested for harboring a fugitive, Listen now to hear the rest of Billie’s story!

Rachel’s Sources:

https://www.news-medical.net/health/Gonorrhea-History.aspx

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herman_Lamm

https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/dillinger-letters-and-laws/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Dillinger

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evelyn_Frechette

http://www.dillingerswomen.com/Evelyn-Trial.html

https://www.wxpr.org/arts-life/2019-07-17/you-know-john-dillinger-but-do-you-know-evelyn-frechette

On July 21st, 2018, Lana Clayton was spotted running into the road by a motorcyclist. She had found her husband, Steve, collapsed and unresponsive at the bottom of the stairs. The police arrived at the Clayton home along with Steve's nephews. Although the police initially believed Steve had died from a heart attack, there were many red flags during the investigation. Lana was a nurse but had made no attempt to revive her husband. She also denied Steve had a will and pushed for cremation to avoid any tests being run on the body, After Steve's nephews grew suspicious of Lana's behavior, they requested a toxicology report and autopsy, It turns out Steve had tetrahydrozoline, or THZ, present in his system. THZ can be found in eye drops, such as Visine, and can kill someone if consumed. Lana's story quickly began to unravel and soon found herself at the center of the investigation. Listen now to hear the full story!

Rachel's Sources:

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/steve-lana-clayton-eyedrop-medication-homicide-48-hours/

https://thecinemaholic.com/where-is-lana-clayton-now/

https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/steve-lana-clayton-eyedrops-48-hours/19/

https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/crime/joshua-hunsucker-eye-drop-murder-trial-gag-order-judge/275-4476a01c-69ec-4dbb-867f-df7755af8bcf

https://www.mountvernon.org/

This week we cover two more cases that helped inspire the musical, Chicago. Nathalie starts with the story of Sabella Nitti, who was accused of murdering her husband, Peter Crudele. Even though the case against her was essentially non-existent, the prosecutor relied heavily on her looks as well as sexism, racism, and stereotypes to convince a jury that she was a murderer. After being found guilty, Sabella's case was taken over by a much more competent group of lawyers. One of her new lawyers was Helen Cirese. Helen not only helped with navigating appeals, but also helped give Sabella a makeover, making her more appealing to her new jury. It turns out a haircut and a wardrobe had a HUGE impact during her new trial.

Next, Rachel tells the story of Kitty Malm, aka the Tiger Woman. Kitty was a young woman who had the misfortune of marrying the wrong man. After her first marriage, Kitty thought she had found a new love after meeting Otto Malm. Otto had a criminal background and soon Kitty was helping him rob shops all around the city. One night, Otto shot and killed a security guard. The authorities started to go after known criminal, Walter Bockelman, and pegged Ethel Beck, a sex worker, as his accomplice. However, perhaps in an attempt to clear his conscience, Otto sort of confessed to the crime. He claimed that he was there, but it was Kitty who killed the security guard. Kitty tried to escape but eventually turned herself in when she was ready to face her fate.

Rachel's Source:

The Wolf Woman by Douglas Perry

Nathalie's Sources:

https://www.librarything.com/character/Isabella+Nitti+Crudelle%2C+%E2%80%9CSabella%E2%80%9D

https://news.wttw.com/2017/06/21/ugly-prey-tells-story-first-woman-sentenced-hang-chicago

https://www.womansday.com/life/a58890/ugly-prey/

https://scandalsandsweets.com/sabella-nitti-saved-by-a-makeover/

https://www.racked.com/2018/1/26/16927682/makeover-death-penalty-sabella-nitti

https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/508498/lawyer-who-fought-free-first-woman-sentenced-death-chicago

Starting in 1979, China enacted a law to limit couples to one child in attempt to control the country’s population. In October of 2011,  Feng Jianmei became pregnant with her second child. There were some exceptions to the one child law. Feng and her husband, Deng Jiyuan, believed they were allowed to have a second child since they had waited 5 years and also lived in a rural area. Local authorities first tried to fine Feng and Deng. They then tried to convince Feng to have an abortion, but she refused. The government tracked Feng down and forced her to have an abortion at 7 months. A photo of Feng and her aborted child went viral, shocking the entire world. China faced scrutiny and would replace their one-child policy with a two-child policy in 2016.

https://www.cnn.com/2022/05/03/politics/oklahoma-heartbeat-act-abortion-governor-stitt-signs/index.html

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2022/5/6/2096338/-In-Tennessee-Plan-B-by-mail-is-now-a-felony-carrying-a-50k-fine

https://www.newsweek.com/anger-louisiana-abortion-bill-could-see-women-charged-murder-1704069

https://www.businessinsider.com/arizona-gop-senate-candidate-blake-masters-campaigning-against-birth-control-2022-5

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One-child_policy

https://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/27/world/asia/chinese-family-in-forced-abortion-case-still-under-pressure.html

https://www.npr.org/2012/07/05/156211106/after-a-forced-abortion-a-roaring-debate-in-china

https://world.time.com/2012/07/13/china-forced-abortion-victim-awarded-11200-fears-for-life/

https://chrissmith.house.gov/uploadedfiles/2012-07-09_continued_human_rights_attacks_on_families_in_china.pdf

In 1983, 92-year-old World War II veteran, Edmund Schreiber was found strangled to death with his own neckties in his Buffalo home. The case went unsolved for many years, haunting Edmund’s family. The case was reopened by the cold case unit in 2016. New DNA evidence pointed towards Saundra Adams. Saundra was 17 years old at the time of the murder. Her family lived down the street from Edmund. At first, Saundra denied having any involvement in the crime, but she would later pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of manslaughter to avoid going to trial over a charge of second-degree murder. Although the judge determined Saundra was the least culpable out of her accomplices, Saundra was denied youthful offender status.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4861998/Western-NY-librarian-pleads-guilty-death-WWI-veteran.htmlhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blizzard_of_1977https://criminaldefense.1800nynylaw.com/new-york-penal-law-125-25-murder-in-the-second-degree.htmlhttps://criminaldefense.1800nynylaw.com/new-york-penal-law-125-20-manslaughter-in-the-first-degree.htmlhttps://buffalonews.com/news/local/family-of-suspect-in-1983-cold-case-murder-says-she-didn-t-do-it/article_5cb231d1-a727-5cf9-93cc-b8d7b463e176.htmlhttps://www.insideedition.com/25386-librarian-pleads-guilty-in-cold-case-killing-of-wwi-veteran-strangled-with-his-own-neckties

In 2016, Crystal Mason cast a provisional ballot for the United States presidential election. She had completed a five-year sentence for tax fraud, but was on federal supervised release. Crystal was not aware that the state of Texas prohibited convicted felons from voting while on parole, probation, or while under supervision. A letter had been sent to her residence…after she had already been incarcerated. Crystal had never seen the letter.

Crystal was later convicted for voter fraud and sentenced to five years imprisonment. There are multiple efforts to appeal or overturn the conviction, though none have been successful so far.

https://www.justice.gov/archive/usao/txn/PressRel11/hobbs_mason%20hobbs_tax_ple_pr.html

https://casetext.com/case/mason-v-state-5232066

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loss_of_rights_due_to_criminal_conviction

https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2022/01/voter-fraud-myth-election-lie/620846/