This episode dives into the chilling story of Velma Barfield, the first woman executed in the U.S. after the reinstatement of the death penalty in 1976. From her seemingly ordinary life as a churchgoer and caregiver to her shocking crimes of poisoning loved ones, Velma's tale is one of deceit, addiction, and murder.

Source Materials

https://medium.com/murder-mystery-and-mayhem-in-the-old-north-state/velma-barfield-the-death-row-granny-fe8a913d9437

https://www.crimelibrary.org/notorious_murders/women/velma_barfield/10.html

https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1984/11/02/woman-executed-for-murder/ec892226-c727-4194-87fa-b13bcf8f349e/

https://allthatsinteresting.com/velma-barfield

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/us-news/death-row-granny-who-first-31445901

https://torontosun.com/news/crime/crime-hunter-killer-granny-velma-barfield-had-a-penchant-for-poison

In this episode of Historical True Crime, we explore the chilling story of Robert Coombes, a 13-year-old boy who murdered his mother in 1895 Victorian London. Delve into the shocking details of the crime, the subsequent trial that captivated the nation, and the psychological factors that left experts baffled. Discover how Robert's obsession with sensationalist literature and his troubled upbringing led to one of history's most unsettling true crime cases. Join us as we unravel the mystery behind East London's boy killer.

Source Materials

https://www.jack-the-ripper-tour.com/generalnews/matricide-in-plaistow-1895/

https://www.jack-the-ripper-tour.com/generalnews/robert-allen-coombes/

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/may/05/the-wicked-boy-the-mystery-of-a-victorian-child-murderer-kate-summerscale-review

https://www.historicmysteries.com/major-crimes/robert-coombes/34645/

https://slate.com/culture/2016/07/kate-summerscales-the-wicked-boy-reviewed.html

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/books/article-3575991/Saved-Broadmoor-Victorian-boy-murdered-mother-saved-institution-s-enlightened-conditions.html

https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/books/the-wicked-boy-20160524-gp2i3x.html

https://www.express.co.uk/entertainment/books/678903/Redemption-Victorian-boy-killed-mother-Plaistow-Robert-Coombes-Broadmoor-Kate-Summerscale

Join us as we delve into the captivating life of Richard Dadd, a Victorian artist whose extraordinary talent was overshadowed by his descent into madness. From his celebrated fairy paintings to the tragic murder that led to his confinement, we explore the complex interplay between Dadd's artistic genius and his struggle with mental illness. Discover how his case influenced the McNaghten rule and reshaped the legal and medical understanding of insanity.

In this episode, we delve into the dark and twisted tale of Lavinia Fisher. From her seemingly innocuous inn on the outskirts of Charleston to a night of terror and carnage, join us as we uncover the truth behind one of America's most notorious criminals.

Source Materials:

https://allthatsinteresting.com/lavinia-fisher

https://www.syfy.com/syfy-wire/lavinia-fisher-americas-first-female-serial-killer-that-wasnt

https://ghostcitytours.com/charleston/lavinia-fisher/

https://www.southerngothicmedia.com/lavinia-fisher

Join us as we delve into the perplexing case of Grace Marks, a name steeped in the intrigue of 19th-century Canada. From a gruesome double murder to a sensational trial, we uncover the layers of mystery surrounding Grace's story.

Source Materials

https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2017/11/179307/alias-grace-true-story-nancy-montgomery-murder

https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/the-hanged-man-or-the-girl-named-grace-the-questions-behind-ontario-s-oldest-cold/article_317abb3a-0511-5e5d-8cc5-252e25ab0d61.html

https://allthatsinteresting.com/grace-marks-alias-grace

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/mysterious-murder-case-inspired-margaret-atwoods-alias-grace-180967045/

https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/grace-marks

In this episode, we unravel the chilling tale of the Mad Bomber, George Metesky, whose relentless reign of terror struck fear into the heart of 1940s and 1950s New York City. From his initial injury at Consolidated Edison to the string of bombings that gripped the city, we explore the motivations behind his sinister actions and the lasting impact of his vendetta.

Source Materials: https://allthatsinteresting.com/george-metesky-mad-bomber

https://scholarship.law.vanderbilt.edu/vlr/vol61/iss1/5/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2018/10/27/unhinged-unrelenting-mad-bomber-who-terrorized-new-york/

https://www.nytimes.com/1973/12/13/archives/mad-bomber-now-70-goes-free-today-mad-bomber-now-70-goes-free-today.html

https://www.insideedition.com/how-an-unlikely-source-took-down-the-mad-bomber-who-terrorized-new-york-city-for-nearly-17-years

https://crimereads.com/how-a-disgruntled-workers-pipe-bombs-led-to-the-birth-of-criminal-profiling/

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/unmasking-the-mad-bomber-180962469/

Explore the chilling discovery of a well-dressed man on Somerton Beach in 1948. Join us as we unravel codes, uncover clandestine connections and navigate the shadows of post-war Australia. Despite recent breakthroughs, the identity of the Somerton Man remains elusive, leaving us captivated by the enduring mystery.

Source Materials

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-body-on-somerton-beach-50795611/

https://www.cnn.com/2022/07/26/australia/australia-somerton-man-mystery-solved-claim-intl-hnk-dst/index.html

https://www.cnet.com/science/solving-the-somerton-man-mystery-australias-most-baffling-cold-case/#google_vignette

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12528299/Somerton-Man-Twist-Australias-mysterious-cold-cases-case-bizarre-birthday-card-emerges.html

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-11-21/somerton-manfamily-photographs-revealed-/101643524

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/have-scholars-finally-identified-the-mysterious-somerton-man-180980540/

https://www.ctvnews.ca/world/the-somerton-man-died-alone-on-a-beach-in-1948-now-australian-scientists-are-close-to-solving-the-mystery-1.5450868

https://www.grunge.com/76174/real-life-unsolved-mysteries-sound-fictional/

In today's episode, we delve into the notorious case of Doctor John Bodkin Adams, a respected physician in 1950s England accused of preying on his vulnerable patients.

Source Materials

Robins, Jane (2013). The Curious Habits of Dr Adams: A 1950s Murder Mystery. John Murray.

Bedford, Sybille (1958). The Best We Can Do. London: Penguin.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/books/article-2341069/GP-Rolls-appetite-murder-THE-CURIOUS-HABITS-OF-DOCTOR-ADAMS-BY-JANE-ROBINS.html

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/event/article-2324941/CRAIG-BROWN-A-glutton-murder-The-Curious-Habits-Of-Doctor-Adams-like-Agatha-Christie-gone-wrong.html

https://www.sussexlive.co.uk/news/history/suspected-eastbourne-serial-killer-dr-5282649

https://unknownkentandsussex.co.uk/dr-john-bodkin-adams-one-of-the-greatest-murder-trials-of-all-time/

https://web.archive.org/web/20091109031709/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,808977-2,00.html

https://www.grunge.com/76174/real-life-unsolved-mysteries-sound-fictional/