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.
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August 9, 1969: The Manson Family Murders
On this day in 1969, four members of the Manson Family broke into the home of Sharon Tate and Roman Polanksi.
13 min
752
August 8, 1963: The Great Train Robbery
On this day in 1963, a highly coordinated gang stole two and a half million British pounds from a mail train.
10 min
753
August 7, 1934: Ban on “Ulysses” Struck Down
On this day in 1934, after months of deliberation, the U.S. Court of Appeals affirmed a ruling to remove the federal ban on James Joyce’s novel Ulysses.
12 min
754
August 6, 1993: Louis Freeh Confirmed FBI Director
On this day in 1993, Louis J. Freeh was confirmed by the United States Senate as the 5th director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, where he would oversee some of the most infamous criminal cases in U.S. history.
10 min
755
August 5, 1992: LAPD Officers Charged
On this day in 1992, four Los Angeles police officers were indicted on civil charges for violating Rodney King’s rights in an act of police brutality.
10 min
756
August 4, 1944: Anne Frank Arrested
On this day in 1944, Nazi officers raided a spice and jam warehouse in Amsterdam.
11 min
757
August 3, 1948: Alger Hiss’ Confrontation Day
On this day in 1948, the House Un-American Activities Committee held a highly anticipated congressional hearing, wherein Alger Hiss took to the stand to defend himself against accusations from Whittaker Chambers.
10 min
758
August 2, 1980: Bologna Massacre
On this day in 1980, neo-fascists bombed a train station in Bologna, Italy, killing eighty-five people and injuring more than two-hundred.
11 min
759
August 1, 1921: The Assassination of Sid Hatfield
On this day in 1921, Sid Hatfield and his friend Ed Chambers were assassinated by agents of the Baldwin-Felts Detective Agency.
12 min
760
July 31, 30 BCE: The Death of Mark Antony
On this day in 30 BCE, 53-year-old Mark Antony defended Egypt against Rome in the bloody Battle of Alexandria.
12 min
761
July 30, 1945: USS Indianapolis Torpedoed
On this day in 1945, the USS Indianapolis was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine.
12 min
762
July 29, 1993: John Demjanjuk Acquitted
On this day in 1993, retired Ohio autoworker John Demjanjuk appeared before the Israeli Supreme Court after appealing his 1988 conviction.
13 min
763
July 28, 1868: 14th Amendment Ratified
On this day in 1868, the 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified.
11 min
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July 27, 1919: The Murder of Eugene Williams
On this day in 1919, 17-year-old Black teen Eugene Williams was murdered after accidentally rafting into the white section of Lake Michigan’s segregated waters.
11 min
765
July 26, 1908: Special Agent Force Founded
On this day in 1908, U.S. Attorney General Charles Bonaparte founded the federal investigative agency that eventually became the FBI.
11 min
766
July 25, 2019: Jonelle Matthews’ Remains Found
On this day in 2019, the remains of a 12-year-old girl were found by construction workers in Weld County, Colorado.
10 min
767
July 24, 1997: Amy Wroe Bechtel Goes Missing
On this day in 1997, 24-year-old Amy Wroe Bechtel went missing while running in Wyoming’s Shoshone National Forest.
14 min
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July 23, 1969: Karen Beineman Disappears
On this day in 1969, 18-year-old Karen Beineman disappeared in Ypsilanti, Michigan.
10 min
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July 22, 1934: John Dillinger Shot
On this day in 1934, legendary bank robber John Dillinger was shot and killed by FBI agents outside Chicago’s Biograph theater.
15 min
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July 21, 1877: The Great Railroad Strike of 1877
On this day in 1877, Pennsylvania state militia attacked railroad workers participating in one of the largest strikes of the 19th century.
11 min
771
July 20, 2015: Eddie Tipton Found Guilty
On this day in 2015, Eddie Tipton was found guilty of rigging the lottery in Iowa. He’d used his position inside the industry to cheat the system and get rich quick…
14 min
772
July 19, 1979: Oil Tankers Collide
On this day in 1979, the Very Large Crude Carrier Atlantic Empress collided with another VLCC, the Aegean Captain. The wreckage spewed roughly 280,000 tons of oil into the Caribbean Sea.
11 min
773
July 18, 1290: Edict of Expulsion Issued
On this day in the year 1290, King Edward I of England issued an edict expelling the Jewish people from his kingdom. As many as 16,000 Jews were turned into refugees overnight.
11 min
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July 17, 1771: Bloody Falls Massacre
On this day in 1771, it’s possible that one of the most infamous events in indigenous Canadian history took place. According to the posthumously released journal of surveyor Samuel Hearne, a group of Dene tribe members killed 20 Inuit nomads.
14 min
775
July 16, 1951: Catcher in the Rye Published
On this day in 1951, The Catcher in the Rye was published.
11 min