Most Notorious! A True Crime History Podcast

Blue Ewe Media
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Most Notorious! A True Crime History Podcast
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Serial killers. Gangsters. Gunslingers. Victorian-era murderers. And that's just the tip of the iceberg. Each week, the Most Notorious podcast features true-life tales of crime, criminals, tragedies and disasters throughout history. Host Erik Rivenes interviews authors and historians who have studied their subjects for years. Their stories are offered with unique insight, detail, and historical accuracy.

  1. 6 DAYS AGO

    367: A Double Murder in 1948 Illinois w/ Ted Gregory

    Summer 1948. In the scenic, remote river town of Oregon, Illinois, a young couple visiting the local lovers’ lane is murdered. The shocking crime garners headlines from Portland, Maine, to Long Beach, California. But after a sweeping manhunt, no one is arrested and the violent deaths of Mary Jane Reed and Stanley Skridla fade into time’s indifference. Fast forward fifty years. Eccentric entrepreneur Michael Arians moves to Oregon, opens a roadhouse, gets elected mayor, and becomes obsessed with the crime. He comes up with a scandalous conspiracy theory and starts to believe that Mary Jane’s ghost is haunting his establishment. He also reaches out to the Chicago Tribune for help. My guest, Ted Gregory, is the Chicago Tribune reporter who responds to Michael Arians' letter. He is the author of "Mary Jane's Ghost: The Legacy of a Murder in Small Town America". More about the author and his work here: https://tedcgregory.com/ Sergio Mendes and Brasil '77 perform the haunting song "After Sunrise": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-4WAh9Kjk0 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 18m

  2. NOV 8

    366: Revenge, Murder & Madness in 1903 Indiana w/ Stephen Terrell

    In early 1900s Indiana, John Terrell was the wealthiest man in Wells County, thanks to oil discovered on his farm. But when his youngest daughter, Lucy, became pregnant and entered into a forced marriage to abusive Melvin Wolfe, Terrell’s life and fortune unraveled in a tumultuous spiral of murder, a dramatic trial, and a descent into madness. My guest is Stephen Terrell, who has a very personal connection to this story (as you might guess from his last name). His book is called "The Madness of John Terrell: Revenge and Insanity on Trial in the Heartland". The author's website: https://www.terrellwrites.com/ Kent State Press interview: https://kentstatebooks.wordpress.com/2024/09/03/true-crime-from-kent-state-author-stephen-terrell-discusses-the-madness-of-john-terrell/ Buy the book on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Madness-John-Terrell-Insanity-Heartland/dp/1606354876 Buy the book on Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-madness-of-john-terrell-stephen-terrell/1144858369 Support the show and ditch overpriced wireless with Mint Mobile’s deal and get 3 months of premium wireless service for 15 bucks a month! https://www.mintmobile.com/notorious Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 26m

  3. NOV 2

    365: Ontario's Lazier Murder w/ Robert J. Sharpe

    In December of 1883 Peter Lazier, a traveling farm implement salesman, was shot in the heart during the botched robbery of a farmer and his wife in Prince Edward County, Ontario. Two men would be arrested and tried for the murder, but would the sparse evidence against them lead to freedom, prison or the gallows? My guest is Robert J. Sharpe, author of "The Lazier Murder: Prince Edward County, 1884". As a Canadian lawyer and judge, he offers unique insight into a controversial case that is still remembered in Prince Edward County today. The author's publisher page: https://utorontopress.com/9781442644212/the-lazier-murder The book is available on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Lazier-Murder-Osgoode-Society-Canadian/dp/1442644214 Support the show and ditch overpriced wireless with Mint Mobile’s deal and get 3 months of premium wireless service for 15 bucks a month! https://www.mintmobile.com/notorious Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    49 min

  4. OCT 30 • SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

    Cincinnati's Killer Clown

    In this episode of Most Notorious Plus, we look back at a fatal confrontation that took place on Halloween night in 1921 Cincinnati between a group of young men and a trio of clowns. Sources: The Cincinnati Enquirer 10/31/1921 p. 1 The Cincinnati Enquirer 11/1/1921 p. 10 The Cincinnati Post 11/1/1921 p. 1, 13 The Cincinnati Post 11/2/1920 p. 7 The Cincinnati Enquirer 11/3/1921 p. 8 The Cincinnati Enquirer 11/4/1921 p. 20 The Cincinnati Enquirer 11/9/1921 p. 10 The Cincinnati Post 9/22/22 p. 1 The Cincinnati Enquirer 10/10/1921 p. 9 The Cincinnati Enquirer 12/7/1921 p. 20 The Cincinnati Post 9/18/1922 p. 10 The Cincinnati Post 9/19/1922 p. 1 The Cincinnati Post 9/20/1922 p. 14 The Cincinnati Post 9/21/1922 p. 1 and p. 10 The Cincinnati Post 9/22/1922 p. 1 The Cincinnati Post 9/25/1922 p. 1, The Cincinnati Post 9/26/1922 p. 2 Google street map of the intersection: https://www.google.com/maps/@39.1044037,-84.5534724,3a,84.8y,75.06h,90.36t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sqnFlF7smq6LOLU1VZ2658w!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fcb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile%26w%3D900%26h%3D600%26pitch%3D-0.3632570401381514%26panoid%3DqnFlF7smq6LOLU1VZ2658w%26yaw%3D75.06204572352846!7i16384!8i8192?coh=205410&entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI0MTAyMy4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D Illustration: A sketch of William Shewmaker during his trial.

    23 min

  5. OCT 25

    364: Absinthe: The World's Most Dangerous Spirit w/ Evan Rail

    Absinthe is a drink that has been both romanticized and demonized over the centuries. While the spirit was a favorite of avant-gardists like Toulouse-Lautrec, Van Gogh and Baudelaire, it was also thought to be hallucinogenic and the catalyst for violent crime. My guest is Evan Rail, author of "The Absinthe Forger: A True Story of Deception, Betrayal, and the World’s Most Dangerous Spirit". He tells us about the history of the infamous drink and his investigation into a modern-day counterfeiter who imploded the secretive pre-ban absinthe market with his fakeries. More about the author here: http://www.evanrail.com/ Support the show and ditch overpriced wireless with Mint Mobile’s deal and get 3 months of premium wireless service for 15 bucks a month! https://www.mintmobile.com/notorious Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 8m

  6. OCT 22

    MoNo Encore: The Mysterious Death of "Furnace Girl" Elfrieda Knaak w/ Kraig Moreland

    We revisit an interview from February 2020 in this Most Notorious Encore episode. In late October of 1928, authorities in the small town of Lake Bluff, Illinois discovered a grisly scene in the village hall basement. They found a young woman named Elfreida Knaak, naked, horribly burned and barely clinging to life, next to a furnace. From that point on, investigators would uncover a bizarre story, including a secret affair, mystical Christian rituals, and contradictory deathbed confessions. My guest is historian Kraig Moreland, who has researched this hometown mystery for years. His book is called "Furnace Girl: The Mysterious Case of Elfrieda Knaak". The author's website: https://www.thefurnacegirl.com/ Support the show and ditch overpriced wireless with Mint Mobile’s deal and get 3 months of premium wireless service for 15 bucks a month! https://www.mintmobile.com/notorious Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 29m

  7. OCT 18

    363: The Donner Party Tragedy w/ Troy Taylor

    Troy Taylor, host of the American Hauntings Podcast, returns to the show - this time for an interview with a bit of a Halloween theme. He's here to talk about the ill-fated Donner Party, which was was traveling by wagon to California when it became stranded in the Sierra Nevada mountains during the winter of 1846-47.  There, some of its members infamously turned to cannibalism to survive. And in the spirit of the season, he shares some of the ghost stories associated with this incredible American tragedy.  Troy's book is called "Forlorn Hope: A Haunted History of the Donner Party."  Visit his website for information on his podcast, museum, tours and books: https://www.americanhauntingsink.com/ Support the show and ditch overpriced wireless with Mint Mobile’s deal and get 3 months of premium wireless service for 15 bucks a month! https://www.mintmobile.com/notorious Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 21m

  8. OCT 12

    362: The Murders of Virginia Brooks, Louise Teuber & Hazel Bradshaw w/ Richard L. Carrico

    In 1931, San Diego was left reeling from the brutal murders of ten-year-old Virginia Brooks, seventeen-year-old Louise Teuber, and twenty-two-year-old Hazel Bradshaw. The murders left period investigators flummoxed - and the cases remain unresolved to this day. My guest is award-winning author Richard L. Carrico. He has meticulously reconstructed their stories in his book, "MONSTERS ON THE LOOSE: The True Story of Three Unsolved Murders in Prohibition Era San Diego" and shares details on his remarkable research into all three of the cases. More about the author (including his full bio) here: https://wildbluepress.com/richard-l-carrico-author-bio/ The author's Amazon page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Richard-L.-Carrico/author/B001JS4XNM Support the show and ditch overpriced wireless with Mint Mobile’s deal and get 3 months of premium wireless service for 15 bucks a month! https://www.mintmobile.com/notorious Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 12m
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About

Serial killers. Gangsters. Gunslingers. Victorian-era murderers. And that's just the tip of the iceberg. Each week, the Most Notorious podcast features true-life tales of crime, criminals, tragedies and disasters throughout history. Host Erik Rivenes interviews authors and historians who have studied their subjects for years. Their stories are offered with unique insight, detail, and historical accuracy.

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