Historic NEPA Crimes

Bill Sallurday
  • 5.0 (1)
  • True Crime

Scranton Pennsylvania's Police Department was established in 1856. Over the years, this blue-collar town has had its share of notorious crimes and criminals. We'll take a look at some of the more interesting stories.

  1. Jun 17

    Murdered Over 15 Cents

    A disagreement over just 15 cents ended in tragedy and led to Lackawanna County's first execution by hanging. In this episode, we explore the shocking true story behind one of Northeast Pennsylvania's most infamous crimes and examine how a seemingly minor dispute spiraled into a deadly confrontation that captivated the region.

    Murdered Over 15 Cents

  2. May 21

    The Fatal Spill: Murder in West Scranton (1910)

    A spilled glass of water. A heated argument. Then gunfire shattered a quiet Saturday night in West Scranton. In this episode, we uncover the shocking true story of the May 21, 1910, murder at Bennie Ricciardi’s store on Scranton Street — a crime that left one man dead, another gravely wounded, and launched a dramatic manhunt stretching from Pennsylvania to New York. Who was Benedetto Tripodo? Was he a man acting in self-defense… or someone connected to an earlier unsolved killing with possible ties to the feared Black Hand era? Drawing from newspaper archives, prison records, census documents, and forgotten historical sources, we retrace the events of one of West Scranton’s most compelling early 20th-century crimes — from the fatal confrontation to the railroad escape, capture, plea deal, and the lingering mysteries left behind. More than a century later, questions remain. 🎙️ A true crime story buried in Scranton history — until now. #TrueCrime #ScrantonHistory #HistoricalCrime #PennsylvaniaHistory #Genealogy #ItalianAmericanHistory #BlackHand #LocalHistory #HistoryPodcast

    The Fatal Spill: Murder in West Scranton (1910)

  3. Apr 2

    Mysterious Shooting at Murderers' Corner

    A burst of gunfire at Murderer’s Corner in Bull's Head left a community shaken and investigators searching for answers. Conflicting witness accounts, lingering rumors, and unanswered questions turned the shooting into a local mystery. Was it targeted, mistaken identity, or something else entirely? This episode revisits a forgotten Northeastern Pennsylvania case that still refuses to give up its secrets.

    Mysterious Shooting at Murderers' Corner

  4. Mar 24

    The Coldest Case in Old Forge History

    In 1934, two decomposed bodies were discovered at the bottom of an abandoned mine shaft in Old Forge, Pennsylvania. Investigators later recovered a third victim, buried in the ice. All three were shot execution-style. With ties to robberies, underworld associates, and possible New York mob connections, the killings bore the hallmarks of a professional hit. Despite multiple suspects, the frozen shaft murders remain an unsolved cold case to this day.

    The Coldest Case in Old Forge History

  5. Mar 18

    Murder in West Scranton's Boone Hill

    A long-simmering rivalry in Boone Hill erupts into deadly violence, leaving a community shaken and searching for answers. In this episode, we discuss the case, unraveling the tensions, the confrontation that changed everything, and the haunting aftermath of a feud that went too far.

    Murder in West Scranton's Boone Hill

  6. Mar 16

    Scranton Counterfeit Ring Busted

    In 1915, detectives uncovered a secret counterfeiting operation on a farm in Chinchilla near Scranton. A dramatic raid exposed a group producing fake half-dollar coins and revealed the growing reach of organized crime in early 20th-century Northeastern Pennsylvania.

    Scranton Counterfeit Ring Busted

  7. Mar 9

    Fire, Fraud, and Murder: The Strange Case of Dr. John D. Durkin

    A successful doctor. A suspicious past. A brutal murder. In 1867, Dr. John D. Durkin was found dead on the floor of his hotel room in Scranton. The man accused of killing him was tracked across multiple states, arrested, and convicted… only to be mysteriously acquitted at a second trial. Decades later, a shocking courtroom outburst reignited the question everyone had been asking: Who really killed Dr. Durkin? Listen to this discussion and decide for yourself. 🔎

    Fire, Fraud, and Murder: The Strange Case of Dr. John D. Durkin

  8. Jan 29

    The Black Hand of Bull's Head

    At the turn of the 20th century, Scranton’s Bull’s Head neighborhood — a bustling Italian immigrant enclave — became the unlikely backdrop for one of the region’s most violent and mysterious crime waves. Known as the Black Hand Society, this secretive group blended extortion, family feuds, and street justice, shaping a chapter of American Mafia-style lore far removed from the Southern Italian shadows most of us imagine. Tonight, we dig into the rise of the Black Hand in Bull’s Head — the deadly disputes, the infamous murders, and the feud that gripped a community struggling to find order amid chaos.

    The Black Hand of Bull's Head
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About

Scranton Pennsylvania's Police Department was established in 1856. Over the years, this blue-collar town has had its share of notorious crimes and criminals. We'll take a look at some of the more interesting stories.

Information

  • Creator
    Bill Sallurday
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    63
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Bill Sallurday
  • Show Website
    Historic NEPA Crimes