The Trunk Murderess Whose Gruesome Crime Captivated a Nation
Summary
Explore the infamous 1931 "trunk murderess" case of Winnie Ruth Judd, accused of killing her two best friends, Anne and Sammy, in Phoenix. The episode uncovers the escalating jealousy and betrayal within their friendship, Ruth's affair with "Happy Jack," and the sensational media coverage that branded her a "blonde butcher." It examines Ruth's multiple, conflicting confessions, the mysterious journey of the bodies in trunks to Los Angeles, and the enduring questions surrounding potential accomplices.Episode description
26-year-old "trunk murderess" Winnie Ruth Judd killed her two best friends one hot Phoenix night in 1931. Then she stuffed both of them into trunks and loaded them on a train to Los Angeles. What the press assumed was a simple case of jealousy only got messier with each new version of the story Winnie told.
Sources for this episode include:
The Trunk Murderess: Winnie Ruth Judd by Jana Bommersbach The Arizona Memory Project
“Ruthless: A Long-Lost Confession Letter May Finally Tell the Real Story of Winnie Ruth Judd” by Robrt L. Pela (Phoenix New Times)
“'Trunk Murderess': Shocking new info about notorious Phoenix murders” by Meredith G. White (Arizona Republic)
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