Beyond Recognition: The First Modern Murder

Beyond Recognition: The First Modern Murder
  • 4.8 (22)
  • TRUE CRIME
  • COMPLETE SERIES

From the creators of Small Town Dicks comes a story about the first modern murder investigation... It was a crime like no other, unleashing horrors not seen since Jack the Ripper.  On a crisp autumn morning in 1935, a brother and sister out for a walk in the Scottish countryside stumbled upon dozens of packages containing dissected human remains. Who - or what - could have done this? Now largely forgotten, the Ruxton case grabbed worldwide attention. A real-life Agatha Christie mystery, the gruesome details of the murders would shock the public and test the ability of police to keep the public safe. The case was also the birthplace of modern forensic science. It would alter the course of how murders are investigated. Hosted by Yeardley Smith of Small Town Dicks, “Beyond Recognition” is a 6-part series that delves into one of the most important murder cases of the early 20th century. Inspired by a book from famed Scottish police detective Tom Wood, it features the insights of Paul Holes, Dame Sue Black, and other leading experts who not only recount the grisly crime but examine the psychological and forensic aspects of the case. **************** Credits: Beyond Recognition was written and produced by Peter Gilstrap. I’m your host, Yeardley Smith. Thanks to our story editors, Barbara Bogaev and Sasha Khokha. Logan Heftel was our sound supervisor with editing and sound design from Soren Begin, Sarah Ma, Cristina Bracamontes, and Erin Phelps. Field recordings in Moffat and Lancaster were captured by Sean Kerwin and Kit Cummings. Original music was composed by Logan Heftel with additional music from Epidemic Sound. The series was produced by Audio 99 under the direction of executive producer Gary Scott. Our social media is handled by Monika Scott. Beyond Recognition was inspired by the book Ruxton: The First Modern Murder written by Tom Wood. Among our many other sources are The Jigsaw Murders by Jeremy Craddock, Written in Bone by Sue Black and The Trial of Buck Ruxton edited by R.H. Blundell and G.H. Wilson, as well as original interviews and period news accounts.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. 1. Horror in the Ravine

    EPISODE 1

    1. Horror in the Ravine

    It’s a crisp autumn morning in a serene Scottish town called Moffatt. A brother and sister have gone out for a stroll through the woods.  As they cross  an old stone bridge, they see something in the dry stream bed below. It appears to be a severed arm, the hand reaching up from the dirt. It looks like it’s waving at them. To their horror, they learn the hand is just one of dozens of pieces of human remains scattered across the ravine. This grisly discovery, made on September 29, 1935, will trigger a murder investigation like something out of an Agatha Christie novel. News of the dismembered bodies and speculation of who they are and what happened to them, will draw the kind of global media coverage not seen since Jack the Ripper. The drive to solve the murders will spark a new era in crime scene management and forensic examination in what might very well be the first modern homicide investigation of the 20th century. "Beyond Recognition" hosted by Yeardley Smith, delves into one of the most shocking murder cases of the early 20th century. With insights from experts like Tom Wood, Paul Holes, and Professor Sue Black, this episode not only recounts the gruesome details but also examines the psychological and forensic aspects of the case. To support the series go to smalltowndicks.com/superfam Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    31 min
  2. 2. Doctor's Orders

    EPISODE 2

    2. Doctor's Orders

    The leading forensic scientists from Scotland have traveled to the tiny village of Moffatt to examine the body parts discovered in a ravine by a sister and brother out hiking. Authorities do not yet know how many people were killed, or by what method, or where or when; they certainly do not know who the victims are.  Whoever carried out this act of evil took great care to hide the victims’  identities, dissecting them  until they were beyond recognition. It will take a monumental, groundbreaking investigation to solve this gruesome puzzle. The first order of business is to collect the evidence and, lucky for all involved, the right policeman had arrived to do just that. Meanwhile, in  the northern British town of Lancaster, we meet an unusual couple. He’s a prim and proper doctor from Bombay, intent on becoming a true English gentleman. She’s  a charismatic, outgoing woman ahead of her time - perhaps dangerously so. Their romance appears to be the envy of everyone in town. But their passionate relationship swiftly turns to jealousy and violence. What, if anything, does this volatile domestic situation have to do with the bodies found in the ravine? "Beyond Recognition" hosted by Yeardley Smith, delves into one of the most shocking murder cases of the early 20th century. With insights from experts like Tom Wood, Paul Holes, and Professor Sue Black, this episode not only recounts the gruesome details but also examines the psychological and forensic aspects of the case. To support the series go to smalltowndicks.com/superfam Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    52 min
  3. 3. Sunday, Bloody Sunday

    EPISODE 3

    3. Sunday, Bloody Sunday

    Content Warning: This episode contains dramatic recreations of historical scenes and depictions of violence that some listeners may find disturbing. Please take care when listening. The words spoken by the actors are taken from letters, diary entries, legal transcripts, and period newspaper interviews. In the early morning of September 15, 1935, Agnes Oxley, a housekeeper at the home of Dr. Buck Ruxton, is roused from her sleep by an unexpected visitor. Ruxton, usually composed and well-groomed, stands disheveled and agitated at her door. Oxley finds his nervous behavior and insistence that she stay away from the house for the day odd to say the least. Little does she know, this is the beginning of a macabre tale. Dr. Ruxton, a respected physician, is hiding a dark secret. His increasing paranoia and jealousy have culminated in a violent outburst, leading to the brutal murder of his wife, Isabella, and their young nanny, Mary Rogerson. Over the course of a gruesome night, Ruxton dismembers their bodies, utilizing his knowledge of medicine and police forensics to meticulously conceal his crime. As the narrative unfolds, you will be taken through the chilling events of that fateful Sunday. You will hear Ruxton's elaborate efforts to cover up his actions. How he deceived friends and lied to authorities. And how his ingenious plan to cover up the murders slowly unravels. "Beyond Recognition" hosted by Yeardley Smith, delves into one of the most shocking murder cases of the early 20th century. With insights from experts like Tom Wood, Paul Holes, and Professor Sue Black, this episode not only recounts the gruesome details but also examines the psychological and forensic aspects of the case. To support the series go to smalltowndicks.com/superfam Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    36 min
  4. 4. Bodies of Evidence

    EPISODE 4

    4. Bodies of Evidence

    Content Warning: This episode contains dramatic recreations of historical scenes and depictions of violence that some listeners may find disturbing. Please take care when listening. The words spoken by the actors are taken from letters, diary entries, legal transcripts, and period newspaper interviews. Peter Rogerson is desperate and furious. His sister Mary, the Ruxton family’s nanny, has been missing for nearly two weeks. Peter, defying social norms, confronts Dr. Buck Ruxton at his doorstep, demanding answers. Despite Ruxton's attempts to deflect him with tales of theft and a trip to Scotland for an illegal abortion, Peter is not convinced. He fears something terrible has happened and that Ruxton is behind it. Meanwhile, top forensic experts in the UK have begun to unmask the identities of the dismembered bodies discovered in a Scottish ravine. Using groundbreaking techniques, they piece together a puzzle as complex as any in the history of modern forensic science. And, in doing so, they begin to find a tragic answer to Peter Rogerson’s desperate query.  "Beyond Recognition" hosted by Yeardley Smith, delves into one of the most shocking murder cases of the early 20th century. With insights from experts like Tom Wood, Paul Holes, and Professor Sue Black, this episode not only recounts the gruesome details but also examines the psychological and forensic aspects of the case. To support the series go to smalltowndicks.com/superfam Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    45 min
  5. 5. A Case for Forensics

    EPISODE 5

    5. A Case for Forensics

    John Milligan, a reporter from the UK's biggest tabloid, News of the World, finds himself in the home of Dr. Buck Ruxton, now the prime suspect in the disappearance—and likely murder—of his wife Isabella and their nanny Mary Rogerson. Since the women vanished nearly a month ago, Ruxton has spun a web of lies, claiming they ran away to Scotland - or was it Blackpool? But with the discovery of the mutilated body parts found in Moffatt, suspicion has focused squarely on Ruxton. Milligan notes the doctor's panic as he clings to his fabricated stories, unaware that the police are closing in. As the investigation intensifies, Ruxton's arrest becomes inevitable. The authorities have identified the bodies and they are now racing to build a solid case against the doctor. From fingerprinting mutilated fingertips to using advanced photography and even maggots to tell the time of death, this case marks the birth of modern forensics. But how will all this newfangled science go down in a courtroom in 1935 England? "Beyond Recognition" hosted by Yeardley Smith, delves into one of the most shocking murder cases of the early 20th century. With insights from experts like Tom Wood, Paul Holes, and Professor Sue Black, this episode not only recounts the gruesome details but also examines the psychological and forensic aspects of the case. To support the series go to smalltowndicks.com/superfam Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    49 min
  6. 6. The Buck Stops Here

    EPISODE 6

    6. The Buck Stops Here

    Lead prosecutor Joseph Cooksey Jackson sits with his right-hand man, Maxwell Fyfe, discussing their mounting concerns about the forensic evidence. Jackson knows the stakes are high. The success of their case hinges on presenting complex forensic evidence in a way that a jury of laymen can understand. They don’t want any doubts, reasonable or otherwise, sneaking in. Despite the damning evidence against Ruxton, the case is entirely circumstantial, and the defense is poised to challenge the identification of the bodies.  Branded as the Trial of the Century by the newspapers, the Ruxton case captures global attention with its sensational details and groundbreaking forensics. With 106 witnesses, 213 exhibits, and 126 graphic photos, the prosecution faces the challenge of making their case comprehensible and compelling. "Beyond Recognition" hosted by Yeardley Smith, delves into one of the most shocking murder cases of the early 20th century. With insights from experts like Tom Wood, Paul Holes, and Professor Sue Black, this episode not only recounts the gruesome details but also examines the psychological and forensic aspects of the case. To support the series go to smalltowndicks.com/superfam Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    48 min
  7. 7. The Recap!

    EPISODE 7

    7. The Recap!

    The team behind the world-famous podcast Small Town Dicks analyzes the groundbreaking investigation that brought Buck Ruxton to justice for the murders of his wife and maid. Join Detectives Dan and Dave, forensic specialist Paul Holes, and Yeardley Smith as they breakdown what the police, scientists, and prosecutors got right and wrong in this fascinating summary of Beyond Recognition: The First Modern Murder. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    29 min
See All Season 1 (7)

4.8
out of 5
22 Ratings

About

From the creators of Small Town Dicks comes a story about the first modern murder investigation... It was a crime like no other, unleashing horrors not seen since Jack the Ripper.  On a crisp autumn morning in 1935, a brother and sister out for a walk in the Scottish countryside stumbled upon dozens of packages containing dissected human remains. Who - or what - could have done this? Now largely forgotten, the Ruxton case grabbed worldwide attention. A real-life Agatha Christie mystery, the gruesome details of the murders would shock the public and test the ability of police to keep the public safe. The case was also the birthplace of modern forensic science. It would alter the course of how murders are investigated. Hosted by Yeardley Smith of Small Town Dicks, “Beyond Recognition” is a 6-part series that delves into one of the most important murder cases of the early 20th century. Inspired by a book from famed Scottish police detective Tom Wood, it features the insights of Paul Holes, Dame Sue Black, and other leading experts who not only recount the grisly crime but examine the psychological and forensic aspects of the case. **************** Credits: Beyond Recognition was written and produced by Peter Gilstrap. I’m your host, Yeardley Smith. Thanks to our story editors, Barbara Bogaev and Sasha Khokha. Logan Heftel was our sound supervisor with editing and sound design from Soren Begin, Sarah Ma, Cristina Bracamontes, and Erin Phelps. Field recordings in Moffat and Lancaster were captured by Sean Kerwin and Kit Cummings. Original music was composed by Logan Heftel with additional music from Epidemic Sound. The series was produced by Audio 99 under the direction of executive producer Gary Scott. Our social media is handled by Monika Scott. Beyond Recognition was inspired by the book Ruxton: The First Modern Murder written by Tom Wood. Among our many other sources are The Jigsaw Murders by Jeremy Craddock, Written in Bone by Sue Black and The Trial of Buck Ruxton edited by R.H. Blundell and G.H. Wilson, as well as original interviews and period news accounts.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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