Tea Time Crimes

For this Christmas episode, we have something very special. It’s all about Alana! Grab a cup of eggnog or hot cocoa and enjoy the stories of two incredible women: Mary Fields and Virginia Hall…no gruesome crime involved! Sit in awe while we discuss the jaw-dropping strength of these women. We also have a very special guest today, Mary Kate Boylan, who will share some of her debut Christmas album and enjoy the story alongside Alana. Merry Christmas!

Tea of the Day: Bubble Milk Tea drank/dranken/drunk/drunken by Meagan (!!)

Mary Kate’s website: https://www.marykateboylan.me/

Recommended Reading:

• A Woman of No Importance by Sonia Purnell
• Deliverance by Miantae Metcalf McConnell 

Theme Music by Brad Frank

Sources:

• https://www.britannica.com/biography/Mary-Fields
• https://www.history.com/news/meet-stagecoach-mary-the-daring-black-pioneer-who-protected-wild-west-stagecoaches
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LlNzANxhw_I
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-n39E8dF_M
• https://www.npr.org/2019/04/18/711356336/a-woman-of-no-importance-finally-gets-her-due
• https://www.britannica.com/biography/Klaus-Barbie
• https://time.com/5892932/a-call-to-spy-real-history/
• https://time.com/5566062/virginia-hall/
• https://medium.com/literature-lust/how-a-woman-of-no-importance-won-a-war-and-changed-the-world-712afc7905a7

June 11th, 1986, started out like any other day for 40-year-old Sue Snow. She went to her bedroom to get ready for work, but fell to the floor unconscious. She was rushed to the hospital and tragically would never regain consciousness again. Immediately, her death became a mystery that cast suspicion on those closest to her. Join us as we untwist this disturbing case and learn things are not always as they seem.

Tea of the Day: Eggnog Tea

Find SunshineCottage teas here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/SunshineCottage

Theme Music by Brad Frank

Sources:

• American Mother: The True Story of a Troubled Family, Motherhood, and the Cyanide Murders That Shook the World by Gregg Olsen
• Forensic Justice: Season 3, Episode 4
• Snapped: Season 3, Episode 11
• https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/law-justice/stella-nickell-serving-90-years-for-planting-poisoned-pills-killing-2-seeks-release-from-prison/
• https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/woman-convicted-for-tampering-with-excedrin
• https://www.yakimaherald.com/news/northwest/judge-won-t-release-wa-woman-serving-90-years-for-planting-poisoned-pills/article_7a6f2d28-e35d-11ec-b95b-d7e79f020895.html
• https://www.insider.com/woman-told-how-her-mom-was-killed-by-cyanide-poisoner-2022-11
• https://www.historylink.org/File/5643#:~:text=Six%20days%20later%2C%20on%20June,helicopter%2C%20where%20she%20also%20died

Eva Coo had a successful roadhouse during the 1920s, but once prohibition ended, she found herself hard up for cash. With bills looming, and her lifestyle at risk, Eva employs the help of her friends to carry out a ruthless and terrible plan. 

Tea of the Day: Winter Spice Tea

Theme Music by Brad Frank

Sources:

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U34d3PPnH4w
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQiWflFWFXo
• https://murderpedia.org/female.C/c/coo-eva.htm
• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/108053629/eva-coo
• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/122467524/william-james-coo
• The Franklin Evening Star - June 25th 1935 - Page https://www.newspapers.com/image/83370993/
• The Oneonta Star - June 17th, 1960 - Page 14

https://www.newspapers.com/image/47329759/

• The Marion Star - September 7th, 1934 - Page 1

www.newspapers.com/image/296066758

• The Brooklyn Daily Eagle - August 16th, 1934 - Page 1

www.newspapers.com/image/59869782

• The Knoxville Journal - April 18th, 1943 - Page 30

https://www.newspapers.com/image/586637624/

Everyone called Bertha Gifford the Good Samaritan: she offered her home to those in need, she sat by the sick, and administered their medicine or made them a home cooked meal. As years passed, neighbors started to notice that several of Bertha’s patients never seemed to recover, even when the doctor was confident they would. Eventually, this Good Samaritan would be labeled a serial killer, but was murder the motive for Bertha Gifford? Grab your tea and find out. 

Tea of the Day: Pumpkin Spice Rooibos Tea

Theme Music by Brad Frank

Sources:

• The Tainted Legacy of Bertha Gifford: A Memoir by S. Kay Murphy
• https://www.healio.com/news/hematology-oncology/20120325/arsenic-medicinal-double-edged-sword
• Bertha Gifford - The Angel of Death: A Tale of Murder and Mayhem: Serial Killer by True Crime: Bus Stop Reads
• https://youtu.be/vXZdBTIcEWc -  Julien Miquel pronouncing 'sachet'
• Deadly Woman: Season 6: Episode 1
• https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/missouri/eerie-remote-hotel-mo/
• The Republican Tribune: August 28th, 1928 - Page 1 https://www.newspapers.com/image/168917309/?terms=bertha%20gifford&match=1

It’s the Wild West in the late 1800s, and we’re wrangling the past of the infamous Pearl Hart. Learn how she became a pants-wearing, gun-slinging lady bandit and everything she did to survive her dangerous childhood to her tumultuous fame.

If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, call 1-800-662-HELP.

If you or someone you know is in a domestic abuse situation, call 800-799-7233.

Tea of the Day: Texas Twist 

Theme Music by Brad Frank

Sources:

• Wildcat by John Boessenecker
• Podcast: Legends of the Old West Podcast
  • Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vb_METir7Uo
  • Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xlzhRgIPo8
• Los Angeles Times June 11, 1899 - https://www.newspapers.com/image/155745181/?terms=pearl%20hart&match=1
• https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/lesser-known-history-african-american-cowboys-180962144/
• https://www.yesmagazine.org/social-justice/2021/05/13/asian-american-old-west

On December 12, 1910, perfume heiress Dorothy Arnold set out to buy a dress and was never seen again. Not wanting to risk her reputation, her family held off on calling the police, losing any immediate leads. Did she escape to Europe and change her name? Was she kidnapped? Did her boyfriend do her harm? Or was she in the wrong place at the wrong time? Join us as we dig through the details and try to find the answer.

Tea of the Day: GT’s Ancient Mushroom Elixir

Theme Music by Brad Frank

Check out Firebreathing Kittens, as promo’d at start of episode.

Sources:

• https://youtu.be/U6Wwp5ferFo
• The Disappearance of Dorothy Arnold: The Unsolved Mystery of the American Socialite Who Vanished in 1910 by Charles River Editors
• https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1911/02/02/104777224.html?pageNumber=1
• https://youtu.be/s_2QTY0V3Yc
• https://www.newspapers.com/image/88207366/?terms=dorothy%20arnold&match=1
• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/82002110/francis-rose-arnold
• https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4103433/1922-death-of-francis-rose-arnold/
• The Baltimore Sun - April 11, 1914 https://www.newspapers.com/image/365377463/?terms=dorothy%20arnold%20the%20house%20of%20mystery&match=1
• The Philadelphia Inquirer April 14th, 1914  https://www.newspapers.com/image/169047294/?terms=dorothy%20arnold%20the%20house%20of%20mystery&match=1
• The Scranton Truth - April 11th, 1914 https://www.newspapers.com/image/169047294/?terms=dorothy%20arnold%20the%20house%20of%20mystery&match=1
• The New York Time - January 26th, 1911 https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1911/01/26/issue.html

Lofie Louise Preslar was fixated on the high life: wealth, parties, and thrilling encounters. She was known for her week-long passionate affairs and tendency for shiny items to go missing when she was around. But why was there a trail of dead men behind her as she jumped from city to city? Buckle up for a wild ride and find out if her victims got the justice they deserved.

Content warning: Mention of suicide

Tea of the Day: Licorice Spice

Theme Music by Brad Frank

Sources:

• Black Widow The True Story of Louise Peete by Kori Mayer
• Louise Peete: Not Always a Lady by True Crime Bus Stop Reads: Book 11
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGu7UK-0xWw
• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/8983/jacob-charles-denton
• Ukiah Republican Press - Wednesday, April 25, 1945 Page 2 https://www.newspapers.com/image/1753849/?clipping_id=959029&fcfToken=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJmcmVlLXZpZXctaWQiOjE3NTM4NDksImlhdCI6MTY2NTUwMzUwNywiZXhwIjoxNjY1NTg5OTA3fQ.tTwhgQHtKsL4tqXQhu4-UEd2W4y5MTOpxt8Ixr6IZK8
• https://www.newspapers.com/image/608161971/ Los Angeles Evening Express - January 20th, 1921 Page 1
• https://www.newspapers.com/image/84702153/?terms=louise%20Judson&match=1 The Decatur Daily Review - April 11th, 1947 Page 1
• https://www.newspapers.com/image/608134997/?terms=louise%20peete&match=1 Los Angeles Evening Express - February 5th, 1921 Page 1
• https://www.newspapers.com/image/587669501/?terms=louise%20peete&match=1 The Knoxville Journal - Jan 7th, 1945
• https://www.lamag.com/citythinkblog/the-life-and-lies-of-la-man-killer-louise-peete/
• https://murderpedia.org/female.P/p/peete-louise.htm
• St Louis Globe-Democrat Feb 7th 1954

In 1989, the Wyricks bought a new home in Ellerslie, Georgia, and they couldn’t be more excited. That is, until their daughter, Heidi, starts meeting strangers in the yard. Terrified of a possible child abduction, her parents remain vigilant and warn Heidi to stay away. But these men return over and over again, until the family realizes they are in the middle of a paranormal nightmare. Enjoy this Spooktober finale where Alana has to be earmuffed for most of the episode! 

Tea of the Day: Happy Witch Blend

Theme Music by Brad Frank

Sources:

• The Haunting in Georgia https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Af4dfo_CZas
• Unsolved Mysteries: Season 7 Episode 4
• The Veil: Heidi Wyrick's Story by Joyce S. Cathey and Rebecca S. Harrington
• https://www.wtvm.com/story/7890511/haunting-in-harris-county-the-heidi-wyrick-story/
• https://dani-hendrix.medium.com/the-very-unsettling-haunting-of-the-wyrick-family-2f4748abecd0
• https://www.washington.edu/news/2004/12/09/
• https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/parapsychology

In 1957, Betty Fabiano and her husband, Peter, spent the night handing out Halloween candy in their idyllic Sun Valley neighborhood. After the doors were locked and the house was dark, a lone trick-or-treater knocked on the door. When Peter opened the door, a bowl of candy in hand, he was shot dead with a single bullet to the chest. To solve this crime, the investigators must navigate through a tangled web of lies and manipulation. 

Tea of the Day: Black Cat Tea

Theme Music by Brad Frank

Check out our interview on The Reverend and the Reprobate! 

The Crime Divers as featured at the start of this episode

Sources:

• https://thevintagewomanmagazine.com/mid-century-halloween-murder/
• https://www.insider.com/murders-halloween-night-2018-10#peter-fabiano-died-in-what-police-said-was-a-crime-of-passion-in-the-late-50s-6
• https://www.dailynews.com/2011/01/31/valley-retrospective-the-1950s/
• https://history.howstuffworks.com/american-history/17-bits-of-nostalgia-from-1957.htm
• https://latimes.newspapers.com/image/160268614/?terms=joan%20rabel&match=1
• https://klakstrom.medium.com/the-trick-or-treat-murder-of-peter-fabiano-151eb6a3983d
• https://www.vice.com/en/article/53n88a/the-bizarre-lesbian-murder-scandal-that-rocked-1950s-la
• https://medium.com/true-crime-addiction/unreturned-love-killed-on-halloween-true-crime-e6255ad408d9
• Los Angeles Mirror - December 7th, 1957 - Page 3
• https://www.newspapers.com/image/694253811/?terms=paul%20fabiano&match=1
• The Los Angeles Times - Saturday, November 02, 1957
• The Los Angeles Times - Wednesday, November 13, 1957
• The Los Angeles Times - Friday, November 22, 1957 Page 20
• https://latimes.newspapers.com/image/381246155/?terms=peter%20fabiano&match=1
• The Los Angeles Times - Saturday, December 07, 1957
• https://latimes.newspapers.com/image/381280046/
• Valley Times - Saturday, December 07, 1957 Page 2
• https://www.newspapers.com/image/580886681/?terms=joan%20rabel&match=1
• Valley Times - Saturday, December 07, 1957 Page 2
• https://www.newspapers.com/image/580052134/?terms=joan%20rabel&match=1
• The Los Angeles Times - Saturday, April 19, 1958
• https://latimes.newspapers.com/image/381012808/?terms=peter%20fabiano&match=1

Two women, one from the 1890s and one from the 1970s, are discovered dead with no culprit to be found. What do these cases have in common? Ghosts. That’s right. For this week’s Halloween episode, two murders are exposed by spirits beyond the grave. Is it truly supernatural or is there another reason behind all the spook? Grab a spiced cup of tea and find out!

Tea of the Day: Hot Apple Cider Tea

Theme Music by Brad Frank

Kitchen Table Historian as featured at the start of this episode

Sources:

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyeIdDmn2Dg
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnHYn_ggAzg
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGexsqq2BVQ
• Unsolved Mysteries (Season 2, Episode 19)
• https://medium.com/illumination/she-solved-her-own-murder-52573ded8895
• https://www.historicmysteries.com/teresita-basa/
• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/205142201/teresita-basa