Today in True Crime

There’s never an ordinary day in true crime history. Flip back the calendar and see how one fateful day can ripple through time. Today in True Crime is a Spotify Original from Parcast.

True Crime
Education
History
251
February 25, 2000: Murder of Victoria Climbié
On this day in 2000, eight-year-old Victoria Climbié died in a hospital from physical abuse at the hands of her great-aunt and her great-aunt’s boyfriend.
11 min
252
February 24, 2015: Dell Cherry Factory Raid
On this day in 2015, authorities raided Dell’s Maraschino Cherries Factory in Brooklyn, New York. They came looking for potential environmental violations—what they found instead was a hidden drug empire.
13 min
253
February 23, 1906: Johann Hoch Executed
On this day in 1906, con artist Johann Hoch was executed for the murder of his wife, Marie Walcker-Hoch.
11 min
254
February 22, 1974: Samuel Byck Attempted Hijacking
On this day in 1974, out-of-work tire salesman Samuel Byck murdered two people in an attempt to hijack an aircraft and crash into the White House.
12 min
255
February 21, 1942: Bernard Julius Otto Kuehn
On this day in 1942, German-born Bernard Julius Otto Kuehn was convicted of spying for the Japanese. His espionage led to the devastating WWII attack on Pearl Harbor.
12 min
256
February 20, 1927: Golfers Violate Blue Laws
On this day in 1927, four golfers were arrested in Aiken, South Carolina for playing golf...on a Sunday.
12 min
257
February 19, 1847: Donner Party Relief
On this day in 1847, the first relief party began the arduous rescue of the Donner Party, who had been snowbound beyond the Sierra Nevada mountains the entire winter.
11 min
258
February 18, 2001: Hanssen Arrested
On this day in 2001, FBI agent Robert Philip Hanssen was arrested and charged with espionage. He’d been a double agent for the USSR and Russia for more than two decades.
9 min
259
February 17, 1992: Dahmer Gets Life
On this day in 1992, serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer was sentenced on 15 counts of murder. The three-week insanity trial had been a nationally-televised spectacle.
9 min
260
February 16, 1929: The Greystone Murder Mystery
On this day in 1929, the 35-year-old heir to one of America’s largest fortunes, Ned Doheny, was found dead in his Beverly Hills mansion along with his secretary, Hugh Plunkett.
13 min
261
February 15, 1976: Mark Stebbins
On this day in 1976, 12-year-old Mark Stebbins became the first known victim of the “Oakland County Child Killer.”
12 min
262
February 14, 1929: St. Valentine’s Day Massacre
On this day in 1929, seven members of Bugs Moran’s North Side Gang were gunned down in Chicago, Illinois.
11 min
263
February 13, 1542: The Execution of Catherine H...
On this day in 1542, Catherine Howard, queen of England and wife of King Henry VIII, was executed for adultery.
12 min
264
February 12, 1977: Christa Helm Stabbed
On this day in 1977, 27-year-old actress Christa Helm was stabbed and killed on the streets of West Hollywood. Guest hosted by Jami Rice from MURDERISH.
12 min
265
February 11, 1828: Burke and Hare
On this day in 1828, William Burke and William Hare launched a plan to murder Abigail Simpson of Edinburgh…and sell her body to science.
13 min
266
February 10, 1992: Mike Tyson Found Guilty
On this day in 1992, pro-boxer Mike Tyson was found guilty of sexually assaulting beauty pageant contestant Desiree Washington.
10 min
267
February 9, 2006: The Death of Sonia Mejia
On this day in 2006, 29-year-old Sonia Mejia was found dead inside of her Utah apartment. Her killer was responsible for two deaths: both Sonia’s and her unborn child’s.
10 min
268
February 8, 1983: Theft of Shergar
On this day in 1983, champion racehorse Shergar was kidnapped during an unsolved nighttime raid on his stable in Kildare, Ireland.
12 min
269
February 7, 1995: Ramzi Yousef Arrested
On this day in 1995, 26-year-old terrorist Ramzi Yousef was arrested in Islamabad, Pakistan—two years after he masterminded the 1993 World Trade Center bombing.
12 min
270
February 6, 1880: Black Donnelly Family Funeral
On this day in 1880, five members of the Irish-Canadian family known as the “Black Donnellys” were laid to rest. And the priest presiding over the funeral... may have been involved in their murders.
12 min
271
February 5, 1921: Freda Burnell Disappears
On this day in 1921, 8-year-old Freda Burnell left her home in a Welsh village and never returned. Her disappearance turned into one of England’s most nefarious murders. Guest hosted by Amanda, Kenyon, and Lucy from Wine and Crime.
12 min
272
February 4, 1974: Patricia Hearst Kidnapped
On this day in 1974, heiress Patricia Hearst was kidnapped from her apartment by the Symbionese Liberation Army.
15 min
273
February 3, 2008: Madeleine McCann’s Parents Cl...
On this day in 2008, an interview was published in which Alipio Ribeiro, then-head of Portuguese police, admitted that law enforcement had been too hasty to name Gerry and Kate McCann as suspects in their daughter Madeleine’s disappearance.
15 min
274
February 2, 2011: The Blackout Murder
On this day in 2011, 18-year-old Israel Nieves shot and killed 19-year-old Jason Rodriguez, in what he later claimed was a drug-induced blackout.
11 min
275
February 1, 1910: Dr. Hawley Crippen
On this day in 1910, Dr. Hawley Crippen murdered his wife Cora in their North London home.
13 min