Episode description
Episode description
What a CreepHarry Powers: The Inspiration for “The Night of the Hunter”
Season 27, Episode 3
Harry Powers, often called the "Lonely Hearts Killer," was a notorious American serial killer active in the early 1930s. Born Herman Drenth in the Netherlands in 1892, he emigrated to the United States and eventually settled in West Virginia. Powers used personal ads in newspapers to target his victims, posing as a lonely, wealthy bachelor seeking companionship. He lured women, often widows or divorcées, with promises of marriage and financial security. In 1931, Powers was arrested and charged with the murders of Asta Eicher, a widow from Illinois, her three children, and another woman named Dorothy Lemke from Massachusetts.
His murders were shockingly brutal; he confined his victims in a hidden room in his garage before killing them. After murdering his victims, Powers took their money and belongings. Powers' trial received extensive media coverage due to the horrific details and his manipulative use of "lonely hearts" ads. He was ultimately convicted and sentenced to death, being hanged on March 18, 1932, in Moundsville, West Virginia. His crimes have inspired books and films, solidifying his infamy as a symbol of betrayal in love and trust. Harry Powers was also a significant inspiration for the novel and subsequent film The Night of the Hunter. The novel was written by Davis Grubb in 1953 and adapted into a film in 1955. (We covered this on one of my other shows, Book Vs. Movie!) Content Warning: Murder
Sources for this episode:· West Virginia Archives & History:· The Hur Herald· Wikipedia· West Virginia University Libraries:· Murderpedia:· Serial Killer: The Quiet Dell Killer· West Virginia’s Lonely Hearts Killer by Angela Fielder· Newspapers.com: The History of Lonely-Hearts Ads· YouTube “Well, I Never”· YouTube “Appalachian Monsters…”· YouTube “Scary Facts”
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