Forgotten Darkness forgottendarkness

In 1928 and 1929, two men named Sterling T. Dunn and Van Skelton were shot and killed in the course of “lover's lane” robberies in Memphis, Tennessee. After a series of false leads and rather unlikely coincidences, the murders were finally solved after several months.
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Opening music from https://filmmusic.io. "Dark Child" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com). License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Closing music by Soma.
SOURCES
Memphis Commercial Appeal, March 11, 1928.
“Identify Floater as Murdered Fireman.” Memphis Commercial Appeal, February 22, 1929.
“McCaslin 'Soldiered' While Family Mourned Him as Dead.” Memphis Commercial Appeal, May 13, 1929.
“Murder List Growing.” Memphis Commercial Appeal, February 26, 1929.
“Mystery Note Now Enters Dunn Slaying.” Memphis Commercial Appeal, January 10, 1928.
“Mystery Surrounds Murder on Parkway.” Memphis Commercial Appeal, January 7, 1928.
“Negroes' Confessions Clear Roadside Deaths.” Chattanooga Daily Times, October 12, 1929.
“Police Closing in on Murder Witness.” Memphis Commercial Appeal, January 8, 1928.
“Police to Renew Quiz of Skelton Suspect.” Memphis Commercial Appeal, October 11, 1929.
“Sheriff's Force Idle in Probe of Murder.” Memphis Commercial Appeal, February 5, 1929.
“Two Admit Slaying of Skelton and Dunn.” Memphis Commercial Appeal, October 12, 1929.
“Woman is Held in Murder of Fireman.” Memphis Commercial Appeal, January 23, 1929.
“Woman Named Hazel Still Evades Capture.” Memphis Commercial Appeal, January 9, 1928.
Maddox, Myrtle. “My Escape from the Ghost Grove Terror.” True Detective Mysteries, September, 1930.
 

The president of the post-WWII Japanese railway system dies under mysterious circumstances, and in the following weeks, two incidents of railway sabotage occur.
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Opening music from https://filmmusic.io. "Dark Child" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com). License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Closing music by Soma.
SOURCES
“Added Violence Marks Japan Labor Crisis.” Baltimore Evening Sun, July 7, 1949.
Occupation of Japan - Wikipedia
Japan's Red Purge: Lessons from a Saga of Suppression of Free Speech and Thought | The Asia-Pacific Journal: Japan Focus (apjjf.org)
Red Purge - Wikipedia
FOCUS: Mysterious 1949 disaster draws attention again. - Free Online Library (thefreelibrary.com)
Shimoyama National Railways Governor's Memorial Monument (fc2.com)
70 yrs on, struggle for exoneration in Mitaka case continues (kyodonews.net)
Hosei University Ohara Institute of Crime Case [Japan Labor Yearbook Vol. 24 674] (archive.org)

These five stories comprise the homicide cases in L.A. Noire. These are the murders of former aviator Jeanne French (“The Red Lipstick Murder”), teetotaller Dorothy Montgomery (“The Golden Butterfly”), soon-to-be-divorcee Rosenda Mondragon (“The Silk Stocking Murder”), housewife Laura Trelstad (“The White Shoe Slaying”) and the homeless Evelyn Winters (“The Studio Secretary Murder”).
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Part of the Straight Up Strange Network: https://www.straightupstrange.com/
Opening music from https://filmmusic.io. "Dark Child" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com). License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Closing music by Soma.
SOURCES
“Another Woman Slain, Victim of Mutilation Killer.” Los Angeles Times, February 11, 1947.
“Bus Driver's Story Clouds L.B. Murder.” Long Beach Independent, May 18, 1947.
“Cab Driver Believes He Saw Mrs. Trelstad.” Long Beach Independent, May 30, 1947.
“Church Friends of Slain Woman Checked as Baffled L.A. Policemen Open Probe.” Visalia Times-Delta, May 5, 1947.
“Clothes of L.A. Victim Found.” San Francisco Examiner, July 10, 1947.
“Clues Lacking at Montgomery Murder Inquest.” Los Angeles Times, May 8, 1947.
“Colorful Life of Jeanne French Ends in Death by Mystery Killer.” Los Angeles Times, July 16, 1961.
“Companion of Nurse During Supper Sought.” Los Angeles Daily News, February 12, 1947.
“Dark Man Who Had Late Date With Slain Woman Hunted.” Los Angeles Evening Citizen News, February 13, 1947.
“Fiend's Victim Called Good Wife and Mother.” Long Beach Press-Telegram, May 13, 1947.
“Horror Victim Last Seen With Sailor.” Los Angeles Daily News, May 13, 1947.
“Husband Held in L.A. Slaying.” Ventura County Star, February 11, 1947.
“Husband of Slain Woman Arrested.” Venice Evening Vanguard, July 1, 1948.
“Inquest Leaves Evelyn Winters Murder Mystery.” Valley Times, March 18, 1947.
“L.A. Man is Freed in Death of Wife.” Visalia Time-Delta, July 12, 1947.
“L.B. Woman Attacked, Slain.” San Pedro News-Pilot, May 12, 1947.
“Lead Sought to Killer of L.B. Mother.” Long Beach Independent, May 13, 1947.
“Lie Test Fails to Link Husband in Nurse Killing.” Los Angeles Times, February 12, 1947.
“Man in Jail Questioned in Housewife's Murder.” Los Angeles Times, May 7, 1947.
“Missing Mother Found Murdered; Battered Body Left in Vacant Lot.” Los Angeles Times, May 4, 1947.
“Montgomery Freed in Wife's Death.” Los Angeles Daily News, August 1, 1947.
“Montgomery Linked to Wife's Killing.” Los Angeles Daily News, July 25, 1947.
“Mother of Three Choked to Death; Body Flung in Signal Hill Oil Field.” Los Angeles Times, May 13, 1947.
“Murder of Wife Finally Charged to Montgomery.” Los Angeles Times, May 15, 1947.
“New French Murder Lead Uncovered.” Los Angeles Evening Citizen News, February 25, 1947.
“New Sex Murders Shock Los Angeles.” Santa Rosa Press-Democrat, March 12, 1947.
“Pawnshops May Answer Latest Dahlia Slaying.” Metropolitan Pasadena News, May 6, 1947.
“Police Eliminate Sail as Suspect in Sex Slaying.” Sacramento Bee, May 14, 1947.
“Police Question Husband in Brutal Slaying of Wife.” Minneapolis Morning Tribune, February 11, 1947.
“Police Seek Attempted Attacker As Suspect in French Murder.” Venice Evening Vanguard, February 26, 1947.
“Quiz Confessed Murderer on Other Slayings.” Wilmington Daily Press Journal, February 18, 1947.
“Reports on Molesters May Give Clue.” Los Angeles Times, May 6, 1947.
“Robbery, Attack Suspect Located.” Venice Evening Vanguard, June 27, 1947.
“Sailor Cleared as Suspect in Murder.” Long Beach Independent, May 14, 1947.
“Screams in Montgomery Home Heard by Witness.” Los Angeles Times, May 21, 1947.

These are three of the stories that inspired cases in the 2011 video game L.A. Noire. Here are the stories of overstressed engineer Eugene White ("The Driver's Seat"), the accidental death of Jay Dee Chitwood and his wife's drunken confession ("A Marriage Made in Heaven"), and the avoidable disaster of O'Connor Electroplating ("Nicholson Electroplating").
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Opening music from https://filmmusic.io. "Dark Child" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com). License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Closing music by Soma.
SOURCES
“15 Identified Dead in Blast; One Missing.” Los Angeles Evening Citizen News, February 21, 1947.
“Alleged Murder Victim Admits Burning House.” Hanford Morning Journal, August 5, 1947.
“Chemist Cited Blast Peril, Inquest Hears.” Salt Lake Tribune, March 12, 1947.
“Chitwood to Be Sentenced to Death.” Hope (Arkansas) Star, February 20, 1946.
“Dead Chemist's Premonition of L.A. Blast Told At Hearing.” Los Angeles Daily News, March 11, 1947.
“Driver Absolved in Pedestrian Death.” San Pedro News-Pilot, August 15, 1944.
“Engineer Arrested in Arson.” Valley Times, August 4, 1947.
“Executive Feared Slaying Victim in St. Valentine's Day Car Mystery.” Los Angeles Times, February 16, 1947.
“It Mushroomed Like Atom Blast.” Los Angeles Daily News, February 21, 1947.
“Missing Businessman Confesses It Was Fake.” Los Angeles Times, February 27, 1947.
“Murdered One Mate Just to Scare Present One, Wife Says.” Los Angeles Daily News, January 22, 1947.
“Obituaries – White, Eugene Hamilton.” Los Angeles Times, June 13, 1995.
“Only Kidding, Woman Says of Confession.” Metropolitan Pasadena News, January 23, 1947.
“Pedestrian Death Inquest Set.” San Pedro News-Pilot, August 11, 1944.
“Plant Cleared of Negligence in Faital Blast.” Wilmington Daily Press Journal, March 13, 1947.
“Police Discount Murder Story.” San Pedro News-Pilot, January 22, 1947.
“Prosecutor Seeks Blast Facts Prior to Inquest.” Los Angeles Times, February 25, 1947.
“Psychiatrist to Examine Woodland Hills Arsonist.” Topanga Journal, August 29, 1947.
“Reasons For Flight Told By Missing Angeleno.” Los Angeles Times, March 3, 1947.
“Secret War Work Blast Cause Denied.” Los Angeles Evening Citizen News, February 21, 1947.
“Some Compare Blast to Quake, A-Bombing.” Los Angeles Evening Citizen News, February 21, 1947.
“Television Used at Blast Scene First for Coast.” Los Angeles Evening Citizen News, February 21, 1947.
“Tool Plant Executive's Arson Case Arraignment Set Aug. 25.” Los Angeles Evening Citizen News, August 9, 1947.
“Torrance Orders Sidewalk Built.” San Pedro News-Pilot, August 25, 1944.
“Traffic Death Turns Into Murder Mystery.” Los Angeles Times, January 22, 1947.
“Woman Admits Spouse Murder Two Years Ago.” Pomona Progress Bulletin, January 22, 1947.
“Woman Released After Confession Discounted.” Long Beach Independent, January 24, 1947.
“Woman's Murder Story Proves False.” San Pedro News-Pilot, January 24, 1947.
“Woodland Hills Arsonist Sane; Held For Trial.” Topanga Journal, September 5, 1947.
“Woodland Hills Man Charged With Arson.” Topanga Journal, August 8, 1947.
Newsreel footage of aftermath of O'Connor Electroplating: (230) Deadly explosion, 1947, O'Connor Electroplating Co. Los Angeles - YouTube

John Frankford was a notorious thief of pretty much anything that wasn't nailed down.  His 30 year career in Pennsylvania and elsewhere is a series of crimes, arrests, and jailbreaks, punctuated with the occasional jail sentence that's actually served.  
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Opening music from https://filmmusic.io. "Dark Child" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com). License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Closing music by Soma.
SOURCES
Lancaster Saturday Express, June 14, 1856, p. 4.
“A Plucky Escape.” The Landmark (White River Junction, Vermont), July 14, 1883.
“All Asked to Give Evidence.” Philadelphia Times, June 12, 1897.
“Arrest of an Accomplished Horse-Thief.” Baltimore County Union (Towsontown, Maryland), May 26, 1883.
“Arrest of a Noted Burglar.” Lancaster Intelligencer, May 25, 1874.
“Arrest of a Noted Horse Thief.” Lancaster Intelligencer, June 19, 1877.
“Arrested.” Lancaster Intelligencer, December 20, 1869.
“At His Old Tricks.” Lancaster Examiner, May 19, 1880.
“Attempted Escape from Prison.” Lancaster Examiner, March 15, 1854.
“August Term of Quarter Sessions.” Lancaster Semi-Weekly New Era, August 25, 1877.
“Caged Again.” Lancaster Intelligencer, September 8, 1880.
“Catching One of the Escaped Convicts.” Philadelphia Times, May 26, 1882.
“Caught Again.” Pittsburgh Commercial Gazette, September 7, 1878.
“Caught in the Act.” Lancaster Intelligencer, May 14, 1880.
“City and County Affairs – Court of Quarter Sessions – August Term.” Lancaster Intelligencer, August 25, 1857.
“City and County Items – John Frankford.” Lancaster Intelligencer, April 25, 1854.
“Committee Probes Frankford's Case.” Philadelphia Inquirer, June 12, 1897.
“Court of Quarter Sessions.” Lancaster Daily Evening Express, August 18, 1874.
―. Lancaster Intelligencer, August 23, 1877.
―. Lancaster Intelligencer, August 24, 1877.
“Court Proceedings.” Lancaster Examiner, November 27, 1861.
“Crime and Casualty.” Carlisle Valley Sentinel, December 9, 1881.
“Death Ends His Term in Prison.” Philadelphia Times, January 22, 1896.
“Divorced.” Lancaster Semi-Weekly New Era, September 8, 1883.
“Escape from Prison.” Lancaster Examiner, September 30, 1863.
“Escape of Prisoners from Lancaster Jail.” Baltimore Sun, May 25, 1882.
“Escape of Two Noted Criminals.” Lancaster Intelligencer, July 25, 1878.
“Escaped Convicts.” Lancaster Intelligencer, October 17, 1883.
“Escaped from Prison.” Lancaster Intelligencer, July 14, 1879.
“Frankford's Case.” Lancaster Intelligencer, May 28, 1874.
“Frankford in Limbo.” Lancaster Weekly Intelligencer, May 16, 1883.
“Frankford the Jail Breaker, Burglar and Horse Thief.” Lancaster Intelligencer, June 25, 1877.
“Frankford's Return.” Lancaster Semi-Weekly New Era, November 24, 1885.
“Frankford's Whereabouts.” Lancaster Intelligencer, October 31, 1883.
“Frankfort and Hambright in the Allegheny Court of Quarter Sessions.” Lancaster Daily Evening Express, June 15, 1870.
“Frankfort, the Jail Breaker.” Lancaster Intelligencer, May 9, 1870.
“G.C. Kennedy Disbarred.” Lancaster Examiner, June 26, 1895.
“General Jail Delivery.” Lancaster Examiner, May 31, 1882.
“Gordon Still Wants His Way.” Philadelphia Times, June 11, 1897.
“Is It Frankford?” Lancaster Semi-Weekly New Era, March 12, 1884.
“Jail Breakers.” Lancaster Intelligencer, August 8, 1881.
“John Frankford – Back Again In His Old Quarters.” Lancaster Semi-Weekly New Era, September 1, 1883.
“John Frankford – His Daughter Reaffirms His Death.” Lancaster Semi-Weekly New Era, January 10, 1885.
“John Frankford – Judge Fut

On December 12, 1911, a missed milk delivery led to the discovery of four dead bodies on a farm near Albany, New York.  The possible murderer can't be found.
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Part of the Straight Up Strange Network: https://www.straightupstrange.com/
Opening music from https://filmmusic.io. "Dark Child" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com). License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Closing music by Soma.
SOURCES
“$1000 Reward For Murderer.” Rutland Daily Herald, December 16, 1911.
“1911 Shocking Defreestville Murders Still Unsolved.” Albany Times-Union, April 10, 1966.
“Another Morner Tragedy Reported.” Buffalo Enquirer, February 2, 1912.
“Arrest Man at Williamstown.” Boston Globe, December 18, 1911.
“Bloodhounds on Murderer's Trail.” Warren Times-Mirror, December 15, 1911.
“Bloodhounds Trail Slayer of Family.” New York Times, December 15, 1911.
“Caught As Slayer of Whole Family on Morner Farm.” New York Evening World, March 1, 1912.
“Detectives Assert Murder Suspect is Guilty of Lesser Crime.” Meriden Record-Journal, August 29, 1912.
“Dogs Lose Trail of Suspected Man.” Buffalo News, December 15, 1911.
“Donato Has Not Been Caught.” Rutland Daily Herald, December 20, 1911.
“Edward Donato a Man of Mystery.” Albany Evening Journal, December 22, 1911.
“Funeral Resembles a Picnic.” Rutland Daily Herald, December 18, 1911.
“Governor May Offer Reward For Murderer.” Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, December 17, 1911.
“Family of Four Brutally Slain.” Buffalo Commercial, December 14, 1911.
“Foully Slays Whole Family; Find Bodies in Manure Pit.” Elmira Star-Gazette, December 14, 1911.
“Held For Morner Murders.” New York Times, December 16, 1911.
“Jesse Morner Has Narrow Escape.” Glens Falls Post Star, August 21, 1912.
“Link Morner Case With Dorp Suicide.” Glens Falls Post-Star, November 11, 1912.
“Massena Italian May Be Donato.” Ogdensburg Journal, May 17, 1912.
“Morgan Williams Back Home.” Scranton Times, December 22, 1911.
“Morner Estates.” Berkshire Eagle, October 24, 1914.
“Morner Murder Suspect Freed.” Albany Argus, May 19, 1912.
“Morner Suspect is Released.” Buffalo News, December 20, 1911.
“Mrs. Williams Says Her Son is Innocent.” Scranton Tribune-Republican, December 20, 1911.
“Murder Suspect Held, Albany Police Notified.” Buffalo News, December 15, 1911.
“Police File Still Remains Open in Morner Murders, 35-Year-Old Mystery.” Albany Times-Union, December 29, 1946.
“Police Think They Have Slayer of Morner Family.” Brooklyn Daily Eagle, March 1, 1912.
“Sheriff Says Donato is Man.” Rutland Daily Herald, December 19, 1911.
“Sleuthing Isn't Profitable.” Rutland Daily Herald, February 10, 1912.
“Spurned Love Caused Hatchet-Fiend to Murder Entire Morner Family.” Pittsburgh Press, December 16, 1911.
“State May Offer Reward For Slayer.” New York Times, December 17, 1911.
“State Offers $2000 Reward.” Rutland Daily Herald, December 19, 1911.
“Still in Doubt as to Suspect.” Ogdensburg Journal, May 18, 1912.
“Suspect Denies Bomb Threat in Extortion Case.” New York Daily News, July 2, 1933.
“Suspect Released on Word of a Girl.” Buffalo Commercial, December 16, 1911.
“Tatasciore Released By Authorities.” Meriden Record-Journal, September 7, 1912.
“Think Morner Family Slayer is in Custody.” Elmira Star-Gazette, May 17, 1912.
“Three Women and Man Murdered; Hunt Farmhand as Insane Slayer.” Syracuse Herald, December 14, 1911.
“Tony Tash Agrees to Settle With Henry Wyman.” Bennington Banner, December 5, 1913.
“Verdict For $900 Was Given To Tony Tash.” Bennington Evening Banner, June 14, 1913.
New York, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1659-1999 - Ancestry.com
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