Crimes of the Centuries - podcast cover

Crimes of the Centuries

Amber Hunt and Audioboomwww.centuriespod.com
Crime is so commonplace that it takes something particularly shocking to be labelled the “crime of the century.” Even so, there are a lot of cases that have earned the distinction. In each episode of Crimes of the Centuries, award-winning journalist Amber Hunt will examine a case that’s lesser known today but was huge when it happened. The cases explored span the centuries and each left a mark. Some made history by changing laws. Others were so shocking they changed society.

Episodes

S4 Ep2: The Disappearance of Jimmy Hoffa

Notorious labor union leader Jimmy Hoffa had for decades been a polarizing figure, with his ties to organized crime investigated as early as 1957 by future U.S. Attorney General Bobby Kennedy. A jury tampering conviction eventually took him out of official power, but Hoffa worked tirelessly behind the scenes to reclaim his position -- until his disappearance in 1975. Despite countless theories about what happened to him, Hoffa's fate remains one of the most infamous unsolved mysteries in America...

Mar 04, 202436 minSeason 4Ep. 2

S4 Ep1: Dr. Satan of Occupied Paris: Marcel Petiot

Living in Occupied Paris during World War II was utter chaos, with the Gestapo police constantly changing rules, kidnapping people from the streets and sidelining the Parisian police. A physician named Marcel Petiot claimed to be among the brave men and women working for the Resistance — a group determined to help smuggle endangered people to safety, far from the reach of the Third Reich. But when neighbors reported a fire at a townhouse Petiot owned, police arrived to uncover a scene so horrifi...

Feb 26, 202439 minSeason 4Ep. 1

From Grab Bag Collab: Introducing The Catalyst

Random offenses, Institutions and Orange Socks. This is the story of The Drifter. Dive deep into the upbringing and backstories of individuals who committed history's most notorious crimes, shedding light on the psychological factors that shaped their paths. With a suspenseful twist, the identities of these individuals won’t be unveiled until the end of each episode. ‘The Catalyst’ will unravel the complex narratives behind these disturbing cases and try to understand what triggered them....

Feb 23, 202439 min

S3 Ep42: Uncovering the True Story of the Tulsa Massacre

For years, the violence that occurred in the area known as "Black Wall Street" in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 1921 was remembered as the "Tulsa Race Riot" - when it was even remembered at all. But that name, promoted by the media and government officials, was at best a misleading description of what we've now started to reveal over the past few decades as a massacre perpetrated on a thriving Black community that took generations to recover. " Crimes of the Centuries " is a podcast from Grab Bag Collab e...

Feb 11, 202438 minSeason 3Ep. 42

S3 Ep41: The Death of Bob Crane: A Television Star's Secret Life

Handsome and charismatic, the actor Bob Crane led the cast of the hit sitcom "Hogan's Heroes" for six seasons from the mid-sixties into the beginning of the next decade. The show ended in 1971, and Crane began traveling the country in a touring play. When he was found dead in his hotel room in Arizona in 1978, was it due to a secret life that he kept hidden from public view? " Crimes of the Centuries " is a podcast from Grab Bag Collab exploring forgotten crimes from times past that made a mark ...

Feb 05, 202443 minSeason 3Ep. 41

S3 Ep40: Anna Marie Hahn: Cincinnati's "Angel of Death"

Her story seemed innocent at first, if not charming. A young immigrant woman from Germany befriending older gentlemen in Cincinnati's German community and providing them memories of home with her Old World cooking. But as these men fell ill - or worse, starting dying - the motives behind Anna Marie Hahn's friendly overtures proved to be far more devious. " Crimes of the Centuries " is a podcast from Grab Bag Collab exploring forgotten crimes from times past that made a mark and helped change his...

Jan 29, 202436 minSeason 3Ep. 40

S3 Ep39: The Lincoln Assassination's Forgotten Conspirators

It's a story every American grade school student learns - how the actor John Wilkes Booth shot President Abraham Lincoln in his box at the Ford's Theater, jumped down to the stage, and fled Washington DC until he was killed by the authorities in a barn in rural Virginia. But it's not widely known that Booth wasn't acting alone, and that President Lincoln was only one of several targets he and his conspirators planned to murder on the night of April 15, 1865. In today's episode, we tell the story...

Jan 22, 202439 minSeason 3Ep. 39

S3 Ep38: The Defeo Murders: Behind the Amityville Horror - Part 2

After the murder of the Defeo family, the house known as "High Hopes" where the murders occurred was purchased by the George and Kathy Lutz. But the Lutz family soon fled the property, claiming frightening paranormal activity. Paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren arrived and began studying the scene. But did they find evidence of supernatural occurrences - or were they perpetrating a fraud on a too-credulous public? " Crimes of the Centuries " is a podcast from the Obsessed Network ex...

Jan 15, 202437 minSeason 3Ep. 38

S3 Ep37: The Defeo Murders: Behind the Amityville Horror - Part 1

The word "Amityville" has practically become synonymous in popular culture with the eerie and supernatural. But behind the books and movies is a true story of the Defeo murders, and in today's episode, we're joined by fellow Obsessed Network podcaster Daisy Eagan to tell their story. " Crimes of the Centuries " is a podcast from the Obsessed Network exploring forgotten crimes from times past that made a mark and helped change history. AND DON'T FORGET ABOUT THE CRIMES OF THE CENTURIES BOOK - COM...

Jan 08, 202435 minSeason 3Ep. 37

S3 Ep36: American Black Widow Sharon Harrelson

Having one husband die under suspicious circumstances may not cause alarm bells to ring, but what if a second husband also meets an unfortunate fate? The so-called "American Black Widow" Sharon Harrelson may have considered herself cursed when it came to love, but in today's episode we dive into her story of deception, betrayal, and ultimately murder. " Crimes of the Centuries " is a podcast from the Obsessed Network exploring forgotten crimes from times past that made a mark and helped change h...

Jan 01, 202434 minSeason 3Ep. 36

S3 Ep35: The Kansas City Union Station Massacre

There were seven men guarding the notorious criminal Frank Nash as he moved through Kansas City Union Station to a car waiting outside. But these officers couldn't stop the onslaught that faced them as they attempted to transfer Nash into the car. In today's episode, we'll explore how this bloody shootout changed the way American law enforcement fought crime. " Crimes of the Centuries " is a podcast from the Obsessed Network exploring forgotten crimes from times past that made a mark and helped ...

Dec 11, 202341 minSeason 3Ep. 35

S3 Ep34: Bonnie and Clyde: The Real Story of the Notorious Duo

The story of Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow is probably familiar to many of our COTC listeners. But this story of young outlaws terrorizing the country is one that has been romanticized and practically turned into an American myth. In today's episode, we shake off the romantic sheen and look at the real events behind one of the most notorious duos in history. " Crimes of the Centuries " is a podcast from the Obsessed Network exploring forgotten crimes from times past that made a mark and helped ...

Dec 04, 202339 minSeason 3Ep. 34

S3 Ep33: The Scourge of Thalidomide

In March of 1954, scientists from German pharmaceutical company Chemie Grünenthal produced Thalidomide for the first time. Thalidomide was a sedative and sleep aid sold in many countries worldwide under the name “Contergan”, as well as other brands. The medication was also being marketed and taken by pregnant women as a safe remedy for morning sickness. But in November of 1961, the drug was found to have caused severe deformities in newborn children if taken during a specific point in the pregna...

Nov 20, 202338 minSeason 3Ep. 33

S3 Ep32: Billy the Kid: The Lincoln County War Part 2

After the five-day Battle of Lincoln, the deputized posse called the Regulators disbanded. The Lincoln County War appeared to be over. Lew Wallace, the newly appointed governor of the New Mexico Territory knew that some of the former desperados were worried that they could be arrested at any point for whatever role they had played during the ordeal, so he offered amnesty for many of them. But those who had already been indicted for murder were still on law enforcement’s “wanted” list. And that l...

Nov 13, 202335 minSeason 3Ep. 32

S3 Ep31: The Lincoln County War Part 1

In November 1876, a 24-year-old wealthy cattleman and banker named John Tunstall, arrived in Lincoln County, New Mexico. Together with lawyer Alexander McSween, John Tunstall set up a rival business to the existing duo who ran things in town - Lawrence Murphy and James Dolan. In this two-part episode, we learn more about the bloody conflict that arose and became the Lincoln County War, and how it birthed the Wild West's most infamous outlaw - Billy the Kid. " Crimes of the Centuries " is a podca...

Nov 06, 202337 minSeason 3Ep. 31

S3 Ep30: The Lattimer Mine Massacre

On September 10, 1897, roughly 300 to 400 unarmed strikers marched peacefully to a coal mine to support a newly formed United Mine Workers union. The miners, mostly consisting of Slovak and German ethnicity, were on strike fighting for safe working conditions and livable wages. On their march they were met by law enforcement officials multiple times and were asked to disperse, but kept on marching. When the strikers reached the Lattimer mine near Hazleton, Pennsylvania, they were asked to disper...

Oct 30, 202337 minSeason 3Ep. 30

S3 Ep29: Juana Barraza: Mexico's Little Old Lady Killer

Born December 27, 1957 in Epazoyucan, Hidalgo, Juana Dayanara Barraza Samperioa was a 48-year-old single mother with a troubled past. After years of traumatic experiences in her early life, including being sold by her mother to a man in exchange for three beers, Juana moved to Mexico City and began killing in 1998. Residents were on edge as they noticed the mysterious killings seemed to be targeting elderly women. While Mexico City initially believed their suspect was a man or a transgender woma...

Oct 23, 202333 minSeason 3Ep. 29

S3 Ep28: Terror in the Big Top: The Hartford Circus Fire

On July 6, 1944, in Hartford, Connecticut, thousands of patrons were excited to escape the heat and attend the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey circus performance. While the Flying Wallendas began their performance inside the tent, chaos ensued shortly after. The fire that began as a small flame about 20 feet from the main exit spread rapidly when it came in contact with the tent canvas. Panicked patrons ran for the exits as the flames grew to 100 feet high, only for many to be blocked by...

Oct 16, 202333 minSeason 3Ep. 28

Danny Rolling: The Gainesville Ripper

When five college students in Florida were brutally slain in a four-day span in 1990, it sent shockwaves across the nation as newscasters made comparisons to serial killer Ted Bundy. Police frantically worked to stop this new madman before his body count got any higher. " Crimes of the Centuries " is a podcast from the Obsessed Network exploring forgotten crimes from times past that made a mark and helped change history. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter : @centuriespod...

Oct 02, 202342 min

S3 Ep26: Elizabeth Báthory: The So-Called Blood Countess

Hungarian countess Elizabeth Báthory is known as the most prolific female serial killer of all time, accused of slaughtering over 600 young women in her luxurious castles. Legend says Báthory believed she'd be given eternal youth for bathing in their virginal blood. On the contrary, she would go on to live long in infamy. However, this tale has been questioned by many researchers who believe as part of a conspiracy against her, Báthory’s crimes were most likely exaggerated. In today's episode we...

Sep 25, 202339 minSeason 3Ep. 26

S3 Ep25: The Eva Hamilton Scandal

At a brothel in New York in 1885, the great-grandson of Alexander Hamilton, Robert Ray Hamilton, met con artist Evangeline Steele. Steele was looking to make their part-time relationship permanent and soon told Hamilton that she was pregnant with his child. They married in January 1889 and shortly after, the marriage began to fall apart. On the morning of August 26, 1889 while on vacation in Atlantic City, Ray asked for a divorce and Eva refused. After a bottle of whiskey and an argument with Ma...

Sep 18, 202335 minSeason 3Ep. 25

S3 Ep24: Inside Dr. Brinkley’s Operating Room: A Deadly Pursuit of Virility

In 1918 in Milford, Kansas, John R. Brinkley, a fake doctor with no properly accredited medical education, opened a 16-room clinic where he promoted goat glands as a cure for over 20 ailments. The scam continued to go unnoticed due to patients being too embarrassed to talk about what happened in the operating room, until a few brave individuals stepped forward to tell their stories. In today's episode we learn more about Dr. Brinkley's unnecessary treatments and how his fraudulent diploma led to...

Sep 11, 202343 minSeason 3Ep. 24

S3 Ep23: The Sultana Tragedy

On April 27th, 1865, the Sultana , a 260 foot-long wooden steamboat, exploded into flames and sank on the Mississippi River. While the ship was only designed to hold 376 people, more than 2,000 passengers, predominantly made up of Union soldiers returning home from Confederate prisons, were crowded on board under the command of Captain James Cass Mason. In addition to the ship being overloaded, the boiler was leaking and showing signs of trouble. In today's episode, we explore how a preventable ...

Aug 28, 202337 minSeason 3Ep. 23

S3 Ep22: Looking Back on Matthew Shepard: His Story and His Legacy

Matthew Shepard, born December 1, 1976, was a gay 21-year-old student attending the University of Wyoming. On October 6, 1998 near Laramie, Wyoming, Matthew was found horribly beaten, tortured and tied to a fence in a field left to die. Matthew was taken to a hospital in Fort Collins where he died six days later after succumbing to his severe injuries. In today's episode, we examine the case that brought national and international attention to hate crime legislation, the trial that led to justic...

Aug 21, 202338 minSeason 3Ep. 22

S3 Ep21: The Fall of the Everleigh Club

On November 22, 1905 at 5:30 p.m, Marshall Field, Jr. was discovered at his residence with a gunshot wound through his left side. While some thought this was an accidental, self-inflicted gunshot wound, others believed the high-class brothel owners known as the Everleigh sisters, Minna and Ada, were responsible. This was the first of two deaths the sisters were attempted to be framed for. In today's episode, we investigate the scandalous Everleigh Club, the whispers surrounding brothels, and the...

Aug 14, 202335 minSeason 3Ep. 21

S3 Ep20: The Young Murders: Mrs. Clem's Secret Dealings

On September 13, 1868 in Cold Springs, Indiana, the bodies of business-minded Jacob Young and Nancy Jane Young were found along White River. Both Jacob and Nancy were shot in the head and Nancy's body was badly burned burned, smoke from her body still wisping in the air until the next day. While the murder took place in a busy public area, no one seemed to have heard the gunshots, or at least knew what they actually were. In today's episode, we examine the notorious murder with never ending head...

Aug 07, 202339 minSeason 3Ep. 20

S3 Ep19: The Resurrectionists: Murder for Profit

In 18th- and 19th-century England, doctors employed grave robbers - or "resurrectionists" - to unearth bodies for anatomical research. Unwilling to wait for bodies to present themselves via natural causes, William Burke and William Hare took their own dark and illegal twist on the job. In today's episode, we explore how the grave robbers' role shifted from exhuming bodies after death to obtaining them through premeditated murder. " Crimes of the Centuries " is a podcast from Grab Bag Collab expl...

Jul 31, 202342 minSeason 3Ep. 19

S3 Ep18: The Texarkana Moonlight Murders

After seeing a movie together on February 22nd in 1946, Jimmy Hollis and his girlfriend Mary Jeanne Larey parked on a secluded road known as a lovers' lane. Just minutes later, a man in a white mask forced them out of their car, struck them both with blunt force objects, and sexually assaulted Larey. Luckily both Hollis and Larey made it out alive, but future victims would not be so lucky. In today's episode we dive into the four violent attacks known as the Texarkana Moonlight Murders, and how ...

Jul 24, 202337 minSeason 3Ep. 18

S3 Ep17: The Double Indemnity Murder

When Ruth Snyder began having an affair with a married corset salesman, Henry Judd Gray, in Queens, New York, in 1925, things soon turned deadly. Ruth convinced Henry to assist her in killing her husband, clumsily staging the murder as an attempted robbery. In today's episode we explore how Ruth Snyder and Henry Judd Gray became known as the Double Indemnity killers, and how the murder of Albert Snyder inspired a genre-defining film. " Crimes of the Centuries " is a podcast from Grab Bag Collab ...

Jul 17, 202339 minSeason 3Ep. 17

S3 Ep16: Going to the Lordy: The Assassination of President James Garfield

At 9:30 am on July 2, 1881 in Washington, D.C., the 20th American president James Garfield was shot at the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad Station. Garfield's assassin: Charles J. Guiteau, a man described as awkward, insecure, and mentally disturbed. Guiteau was motivated by revenge after falsely believing he played a major role in Garfield's election victory, and never being rewarded for it. In today's episode we explore the lives and careers of both Garfield and Guiteau, and what led to the sec...

Jul 10, 202339 minSeason 3Ep. 16